Floating up the Stairs

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 10

"This is the second time in my life I'd had to wear a tie, the first time was when I was a kid at my cousin's wedding and I was the ring bearer", said Josh as he stood in front of the mirror and struggled to put on his tie.

"I'll help, I've helped Dad put on ties before", said Nika.

Josh was still as Nika adjusted his tie. "Thanks, Night Owl", he said, kissing her softly.

"No problems, Dad has the same problem. He only has a few velvet suits in his closet and one black tuxedo he never wears", she laughed.

"How very rock and roll", Josh quipped. He looked at the mirror and nodded in approval, thinking he was ready to meet sort-of royalty. He wore pressed black corduroy trousers and a white buttoned-down shirt under a black suit jacket, a black skinny tie adding dash. His brown hair was neatly parted to the side and he'd just shaved, his chin bare of its usual brown scruff.

"My relatives aren't that formal, I'm sure hey wouldn't mind the skinny tie", said Nika. She wore a simple royal blue dress with a halter neckline and her curly dark hair pulled back, a few loose curls brushing her shoulders.

"Well, I've never met royalty before. And I'm not British so I don't think I'll ever meet the queen", he joked.

"Hah, you never know. But you could ask Ian", she replied.

"John, you actually look good in that suit", teased Josh, clapping him on the back.

"Hah, it's the only suit I packed. I only have velvet suits in my closet", he laughed. John wore a blue crushed velvet suit with a pink shirt and a dark blue tie, his curly dark hair loose around his shoulders with a hint of gray at the temples which gave him a distinguished look.

The trio entered the parlor and saw Ian and Olivia with two older people. The woman was short and plump with her hair styled in a bob dyed a bright strawberry-blond and who wore a yellow A-line dress. The man was tall and slim with silver hair cropped short who wore a sober gray suit. With a start, Josh realized they were Anastasia and Alexei, or Natalie and Alex, Nika's great-aunt and great-uncle.

"Uh, hi", he squeaked.

"Oh hello, you must Josh, Nika's boyfriend. Hugo explained things, this must be a huge shock. We're no longer royalty, I'm just Alex Parker now", said the man in a posh accent with just a hint of a Lancashire drawl.

"Alex is right, the whole rigmarole of royalty was so boring. I much prefer being normal, it's a lot more fun. I'm Natalie Plaxton, my husband is busy writing his newest novel and doesn't need to be bothered with an imp like me", said Natalie, her blue eyes merry.

"Wow, you're Anastasia. Did it bother you that the lady was claiming to be you?", asked John.

"No, the poor girl was mentally ill. And that animated film was awful, our friend Grigori was nothing like that. And it got the whole Russian scenes wrong", said Natalie dismissively.

"Uh John, you're acting all weird", said Josh.

"I'm sure it was a shock to find out, it was a shock to us as well", said Alex.

"Yeah, Mr. Parker. Hugo showed up in our bedroom at three in the morning and we were, um, naked under the sheets. I thought he was a burglar", said Josh as he turned pink.

"Oh dear, Hugo should have chosen a better time", said Alex.

"So if you escaped, then what were those bodies the Russian government found?", asked Josh.

"Hugo will tell you. It was a huge shock to wake up in England, to be in a light, airy room and look into a garden full of white roses", said Olivia.

"Speak of the devil", muttered Ian as a light-filled sphere appeared in the room. The sphere got bigger and bigger and then gradually dissolved the reveal Hugo, clad in jeans and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt with his black hair falling down his back.

"That's just like Glinda in Wizard of Oz", said Josh dubiously.

"Mine is better. And I just came back from watching Led Zeppelin at Earl's Court", said Hugo.

"That was the best Zeppelin concert, I was there", said Alex in delight.

"That's the best concert on the DVD, it's not cheesy like The Song Remains the Same", said John.

"Yes, that was a bloody corny film. But anyways, we must talk about Zoe and the mission", said Hugo.

Everyone found a seat in the parlor as a maid poured cups of tea. When she had left, everyone turned to face Hugo. "Zoe faked her death and used her ring without authorization, a serious breach of our rules. She needs to be brought back to Hvit Orn to face punishment. However, we can bide our time so that she becomes complacent, think 47 Ronin and how they waited for Kira", said Hugo.

"Why exactly is it a violation to use rings?", asked Josh.

"All of us have rings which allow us to travel through time. I need to know in advance to prevent anyone from getting lost, or if they're going rogue. We don't want the wrong people to find out about us, and that includes Interpol, MI6, the FBI or another sort of officialdom. When a member dies, the ring is deactivated, I remember hers was since I tested it. She must have used another ring, but our rings can only work for that person", said Hugo.

"What if she forced a member to use their ring? Someone who was on an authorized mission?", asked Josh.

"Yes, that could be. Several of our members were on missions in the 20's but none in Argentina. Perhaps another member brought her to the 20's, from another country and she migrated to Argentina. But they went with a partner, and there's no record of another person", said Hugo.

"Is there any other group which uses rings to travel?", asked Josh.

Hugh gave him a look and Josh shivered at the intensity in his cool silver eyes. "Perhaps. What do you know of the Sol Hafn?", he demanded.

"What? I've never heard of it, or them", he said in surprise.

"Good, they are dangerous. The mission of the Sol Duga is to go and help people we believe got a rough deal, as Yanks would say. We bring forward people who could have accomplished great things, but it's important to keep it all secret. The Sol Hafn are not nearly as noble, they travel back in time to profit from dubious businesses. There's two clans, Fairly and Bellamy", said Hugo.

"How appropriate, beautiful fern and beautiful friend", Nika quipped.

"Ironic, isn't it? There's few of them since they have an unfortunate tendency to hate children, they aren't very prolific. The last time we caught a Fairley running a brothel in Abilene with underage girls during the 1870's", said Hugo as the group looked disgusted.

"Like in Deadwood. Wait, do you think Zoe collaborated with one of them?", asked Josh.

"Perhaps, it wouldn't be the first time. It's only happened a handful of times, but we have had Sol Duga members go rogue with the Sol Hafn, to become partners in a criminal business", said Hugo.

John looked physically ill. "Like joining up with Al Capone, or drug dealers? Or Nazis?", he asked in horror.

"Exactly. If we catch them, they would wish they were dead", said Hugo grimly.

Nika lay sprawled on the couch, her mind spinning with this information. "So not only did Mom fake her death, she might be partnered up with criminals", she whispered.

"Perhaps, but we must bide our time. She might have suspected something if she recognized Antonio", said Hugo.

The wizard sipped tea before continuing. "In two days, John, Josh and Nika will fly to New York. You will spend time with your families, so they won't get suspicious. John, you will fly back to Los Angeles. Josh and Nika, you will fly to Buenos Aires and meet with Antonio. He will take you down to Ushuaia, and from there you will go back", he said.

"How come we just can't go to the 20's from here?", asked Josh.

"Too obvious. Ushuaia is far away from anywhere where you would attract attention, it's the sort of place where it's easy to get lost. And before you leave England, I will give you the rings and the words", said Hugo.

John was disappointed he couldn't join them, but he understood. "It's nothing personal, John. You aren't in the best of health and you may not be able to access medical treatment. If you had been younger and before you were addicted, then definitely", said Hugo.

"I gotcha. I did a ton of drugs when I was a dumb punk kid and my health hasn't been the same. I quit drinking and drugs, but my system isn't in the best shape which is why I quit touring", said John ruefully as Chiara climbed on his lap.

"But I want you guys to be careful, I have no idea what they are capable of", he added.

"Of course, Dad. But I don't know if I should slap Mom or give her a hug", said Nika.

"It's understandable, she is your mother. But if she is indeed allied with the Sol Hafn, she needs to be stopped. And I wish you the best of luck", said Hugo.

[Tim]

Besides, it would be faster to travel there in our time.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 11

"This has been a crazy bunch of days, this is like the first time I went on tour with Bob Forrest and Bicycle Thief", said Josh, shaking his head.

Nika could only nod. "I suppose since you were only 17, going on your first tour and leaving LA. But this is just so weird, it feels like an out of body experience. I'm half-expecting to wake up back in our house, thinking it was a crazy dream", she said.

"Luckily John's parents and my parents live in New York, but we can't tell them the truth, Mom and Dad are the most middle-class people on Earth, they would never believe us", said Josh.

"But they let you drop out of high school at 15 and go on tour at 17. So they might be more open-minded than you think", she said.

"Yeah, they've been supportive. But my being successful helps, they love Dot Hacker and the stuff I do with John. They'll be glad to see you again, they're glad I have a girlfriend", said Josh with a laugh.

"How do you like my family?", she asked.

Josh layback on the bed and placed his head on her lap, sighing in pleasure when she removed his beanie and ran her fingers through his hair. "You're the only one I want doing that, Night Owl. But I like your family, I was expecting stuck-up royalty but they're actually really cool. Alex has awesome taste in music and it's badass he saw Led Zeppelin at Earl's Court. And Natalie is funny, she must have been a real firecracker back in the day. My family on both sides are just really ordinary middle-class people from the valley and Queens. the only really interesting thing about my parents is that Dad is Jewish and Mom is Irish, but that's pretty common in both the valley and in Queens", he joked.

"Your family is not boring, Joshua Adam Klinghoffer. Your dad has a lot of books and your mom is an excellent cook, they're so ordinary. You forgot my family is anything but normal or mainstream, I was raised by Mom and my grandparents and then Dad", she chided.

"My bad, Night Owl. But it's fine, my parents are so middle-class and suburban compared to your family and they have a musician for a son. Maybe I have an ancestor who was a musician", he mused aloud.

"We ought to get ready for dinner, Hugo says he's going to give us detailed instructions later", said Nika.

"Why do I have to get up? I have the best, most comfortable place, lying here in my girlfriend's lap", he joked.

"Hah, I rather like being used as a pillow. But seriously, we ought to get ready", she said.

Josh grumbled good-naturedly but lifted his head from her lap. He was dreading the idea of wearing a suit again but was relieved when Hugo said he could dress more casually. Josh wore his typical baggy black sweatpants and large black t-shirt, this one with the Led Zeppelin Swan Song logo. He re-combed his hair and placed his beanie back on his head and Nika made sure his hair didn't stick out under the hat. "Thanks, Night Owl. I don't want to look like a complete hipster slob", he teased.

Nika just laughed as she quickly did her makeup and checked herself in the mirror. The long black denim skirt was cinched around her waist with a shiny black belt topped off by a dark purple satin blouse, which set off her dark hair and pale skin perfectly. Josh hugged her from behind and kissed the top of her head. "You look amazing, and we're nearly the same height", he said.

"We are, you're only an inch taller than me. But we're both taller than Dad", she laughed.

"Yeah, unfortunately", he deadpanned.

John wore the same blue velvet suit from yesterday but with a black shirt this time. "Dad, you really should buy a new suit when we get to New York", she teased.

"Hah, I have no reason to buy a suit. I don't tour or perform live. But seriously, I have better stuff to spend my money on. I want to hit up some record shops in the East Village", said John.

"I'd love to get more vinyl, but we're going to Argentina", said Josh.

John nodded, but there was a sad look in his hazel eyes. "I know, Dad. But you have to have faith in us, we have to do what is right", she whispered.

"I'm just concerned, Nika. You're my only child and with me being celibate, I'll probably never have another kid", he sighed.

"The same with my parents, I'm an only child too. We will be careful, but we have to do this. I'd never thought I'd find myself in this situation", said Josh with a rueful chuckle.

John smiled wanly at the younger couple and followed them towards the parlor while Chiara padded alongside them. "Goodness, is this how you get the party started?", demanded Natalie, her lips twitching into a grin.

"You've always been impatient, shvibik. We'll have supper first and then there will be dancing", chided Alex.

"I can program some music if you'd like, I can DJ. Josh can help me out, set up the speakers. Does anyone have Bluetooth speakers?", asked John.

"Yes, I have a set", said Pearl as she went upstairs.

Josh and Nika exchanged a knowing look when they saw John's gaze following her up the stairs. "Dad, go for it", said Nika.

"What?", he asked in confusion.

"Dad, you have a crush on Pearl. You've been celibate for nearly twenty years", said Nika.

John giggled nervously and turned bright red as his long curly hair hid half his face. "Uh, I'm not sure. She is your cousin", he mumbled.

"But you're not blood relatives, at least dance with her We can DJ if you want", said Josh as the older people looked on with amused grins.

Pearl came downstairs with a set of Bluetooth speakers and John tried to make the blush on his cheeks go away. The tiny brunette wore simple olive green spaghetti strap dress with her straight brown hair pulled into a French twist, a necklace of dark green chunky stones around her slim throat. The hem of the skirt revealed her slim legs and when she set down the speakers down on a nearby table, John realized that she only came up to his shoulders. For the first time, he was much taller than a woman since he was only 5'8 and used to women being bigger than him. "I'm tiny, I know. Which is weird since the Sutherlands are so tall", said Pearl with a laugh.

Josh hooked up his phone to the speakers and logged into I-Tunes, scrolling through his playlists and finding one with vintage Northern Soul and Motown. Natalie immediately spring up with a grin on her face and started dancing. In spite of her age and plumpness, she danced with vigor and style much to her siblings' amusement. "It's her favorite", Olivia explained.

Nika extended her hand and Josh led her into the empty spot in the center of the room as they began to dance. The brace on his knee allowed him to dance without tweaking his knee as he followed her rhythm, feeling more confident than when he'd first danced with her years ago. John just shuffled a bit and his cheeks were pink with embarrassment until Pearl took his hand and led him in dancing. Only Ian and Olivia didn't dance, the older couple holding hands and watching. Even Alex danced even if his movements were stiff and robotic, since he was much more of a rock fan unlike his sister.

Nika gave her father a thumb's up as he danced with Pearl. Even in his ugly blue velvet suit with his curly hair brown hair sticking to his pink face, he had a happy grin on his face. Josh laughed in agreement as he continued dancing with Nika, the endorphins running through his system unlike performing in front of an audience.

The little group was pleasantly exhausted when Hubert announced dinner was ready. Josh unplugged the speakers and removed his phone before following them to the dining room. Ian sat at the head of the table and raised his glass of Pellegrino. "To a successful mission, Cheers", he said.

After dinner, the group retreated to the library where Hugo waited. "I will present you with the rings and the words. Only you can use them, if anyone else were to use them, not only wouldn't they not work, you would get a nasty zap. But don't lose them", he warned.

Hugo reached into his bag and withdrew two silver rings with purple stones and one silver ring with an amber stone. At first glance the three rings looked like pretty costume jewelry found in a New Age store at the mall. However, at closer inspection, one could see the tiny pinprick swirls of pale gray light that moved slowly around the surface. "The purple stone rings are Lacroix rings, the amber stone ring is a Torres ring. John, hold onto your ring no matter what. It is extremely valuable, even if no one else can use it", warned Hugo.

John took the rings and placed on the ring finger of his left hand. The amber stone glowed with gorgeous golden and burnt orange tones that seemed to change color as he shifted the ring. "Is it real amber?", he asked.

"Yes, because amber isn't that expensive. The Lacroix rings are actually Murano glass that I blessed in order to activate them. And here are the words", said Hugo. He intoned the words in Old Norse and the three of them repeated after him: Megi Godin Blessa Akkur og Fraskada, Getum Vionao Anragr, og Blessa Guoi. "Now you will have the words memorized, this way you don't need a paper since this is safer. Antonio will tell you when to say the words", said Hugo.

"This is going to be the craziest thing I've ever done", said Josh.

"I know, but it's for a good purpose. I wish you luck", said Hugo, clapping him on the back.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 12

"Don't worry, Dad. You can talk to Pearl on Skype", said Nika reassuringly as they prepared to board the flight to New York.

"It's not the same, it feels weird. It's like I'm back in high school going crazy over Heather Bailey", said John ruefully.

"It's because you've been celibate for 20 years", said Josh.

"Yeah, it's still feels weird", said John as Chiara gave him a cool look though her cage.

"You don't have to be jealous, Chiara. You're not jealous of Mildred", teased John as Chiara meowed.

"British Airways Flight #611 is now boarding. Business class passengers prepare to board", said the woman at the front desk.

John carried Chiara's cage and got in line as he showed his boarding pass. He followed Josh and Nika through the gate and onto the plane, finding his seat and carefully placing the cage under the seat. John saw Nika and Josh sit across from him and sighed, hoping this wouldn't be the last time his parents would see their granddaughter. He took out a face mask and his book of the Dhanapala as he bowed his head and closed his eyes for a moment. John willed his mind to go blank and his limbs to relax, breathing in and out steadily. His worries seemed to melt away and he felt lighter, a little smile on his face.

Once the in-flight safety video played, John glanced over at Josh and Nika. Both of them were already reading, Josh reading Ian's novel and Nika the translation of Aeschylus. Nika wore her wire-rimmed reading glasses that made her look like a librarian while Josh had seemingly avoided that fate since he did not yet need glasses. John just shook his head and put on his own glasses before reading.

John sighed when he saw the flight attendants prepare the cart, knowing he had to eat something but airline food didn't appeal to him. He asked for a cup of green tea and the vegetarian option, knowing that if he didn't eat something he would get a headache. He glanced over and saw Nika and Josh sipping wine out of plastic cups, grimacing at the sacrilege but wistful since he couldn't drink any alcohol.

After the meal and the cleanup, John went back to his book. He felt bad for Chiara in her cage under the seat but he knew his mother would have something good for her to eat at the house. He glanced over and saw that the couple had dozed off after the meal and a sigh escaped his lips. It had been a very long time since he was in a relationship, the few times he'd been on dates the women didn't like Nika. John hoped that something might happen with Pearl, but he was used to being on his own since his daughter moved in with Josh, since Mildred had her own apartment in the house and was the same age as his mother.

The plane landed at JFK airport in Queens three hours later. Josh woke up Nika and they gathered up their books while John picked up Chiara's cage, the tuxedo cat giving him a dirty look with cool green eyes. "Don't worry, Chiara. Mom is going to feed you and let you run around in the yard", said John reassuringly.

John Sr. and Gail waited outside the gate for them as the older couple embraced Nika and Josh and John. "How was the flight, did you like England?", asked Gail as she grinned.

"It was great, Dad and Josh got to meet some of my English relatives", said Nika.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Frusciante", said Josh.

"Josh, you don't have to be so formal. You're family", chided Gail as she hugged him.

"Sorry, it's just a habit. And England was great, we stayed with Nika's great-uncle at his house in Yorkshire", said Josh.

"We'll definitely feed Chiara when we get home, she must be starving", said John Sr. In contrast to his slim, long-haired son, John Sr. was stout verging on fat with iron-gray hair cut short. Only their eyes were the same, a vivid hazel which crackled with intelligent.

"Thanks, Dad. We're staying for a few days, I'm flying back to LA and they're flying to Argentina for a vacation", said John as they went to get the bags and the younger couple to pick up their rental car.

"How wonderful! Are you going to Buenos Aires?', asked Gail.

"We're flying there at first, but we're going onto Patagonia", said Nika.

"You must take pictures, it looks amazing", declared Gail.

"Tomorrow we're going to visit my parents, they must be the only older people who moved from LA to New York", laughed Josh.

"They're originally from New York, they must miss it", said John Sr.

"They do, LA culture is nowhere as interesting", said Josh.

The older people got the bags and the younger couple went to pick up their rental car downstairs, a gray Toyota Rav4 which was the closest thing to Josh's beloved Volvo XC90. The drive from JFK to suburban Queens went through a part of the city rarely seen by tourists and other visitors. They drove through a very suburban area of two or three story apartment buildings and small detached or semi-detached houses with gardens, the commercial buildings mostly storefronts with apartments on top. The only thing different from a typical American suburb was the signage in different languages and the people who seemed to come from every part of the globe, United Nations in miniature.

John Sr. pulled into the driveway of a modest two-story red brick house with white trim, potted red and purple geraniums in the window sill as the younger couple arrived several minutes later. Chiara meowed loudly when she saw the house and John had to make sure they were inside before he opened the cage. Chiara bolted out of the cage and went straight to the kitty litter box to use the toilet, then began chowing down on the food inside. "She couldn't eat on the plane", John explained.

"Poor thing. I'll make sure she has something good to eat later. We fixed up the guest rooms upstairs, you should rest", said Gail.

"Actually, it's only four and with the jet lag, sleeping is a bad idea", said Josh.

"Oh, okay. We don't travel like you do", teased John Sr.

Josh took their bags upstairs as Nika pointed out the rooms. "Dad's room is next door, that was actually his room when he was a kid, my grandparents room is further down the hall", she explained.

"I don't know what's the bigger cockblock", he quipped as Nika pretended to glare.

"Mr. Klinghoffer, I didn't know you were a naughty boy", she teased.

"Hah, and you are a naughty girl. But seriously, we'll just have to be quiet", he laughed.

"And a shower, we must smell like the airplane", she replied.

The small guest room was recently cleaned and homey with a queen-sized bed topped by a simple blue quilt and two pillows, next to a white wooden dresser topped by a white porcelain lamp. The room was done in royal blue with white accents and a window that looked out onto a small yard where Gail grew tomatoes and roses. "I'll text my parents, let them know we're coming tomorrow", said Josh.

"Shower first, then Grandma and Grandpa will grill you", she teased, a wicked gleam in her blue eyes.

Josh felt much better after a shower and changing into fresh clothes. He decided to forego his usual baggy sweatpants and oversized t-shirt for black jeans and a dark blue polo shirt as he carefully combed his hair. "You have a very nice body, Mr. Klinghoffer. Don't hide it under those baggy clothes", she teased.

"Hah, I hope your other grandma isn't going to ask if you're feeding me", he joked.

"Be lucky you have a fast metabolism, when you're older it'll slow down and you'll resemble Grandpa", she laughed as Josh looked on in mock-horror.

"You're supposed to get fat when you're an old guy. But I'm only 32 so I got a ways to go", he laughed as Nika wrapped her arms around his lean torso.

Josh finished with his hair and left the bathroom, watching as Nika got dressed. She put on a long denim skirt and a simple dark blue blouse that flattered her fair skin and dark hair, her curly brown hair pulled back into a French twist. When she sat on the bed to put on stockings, he got a great view of her long legs as a jolt of desire went through his system. Nika looked up and giggled at the look on his face, blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "Think of baseball statistics", she quipped.

"I ought to punish you for that, Night Owl", he drawled.

"I'll look forward to it", she teased, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

Josh and Nika walked downstairs hand in hand, John and his parents waiting for them in the living room. The TV was turned on to the Mets game against the Giants as Josh immediately found a seat with a good view. "The Mets better win, I hate the Giants", he said.

"I know, you love the Dodgers", she teased.

John Sr. chuckled, sitting regally on a Laz-Y Boy recliner with the remote. "I've been a Mets fan since the beginning, before that I was a Dodgers fan but I never saw them at Ebbets Field", he said.

Gail and Nika looked on indulgently as the men were engrossed in the game. John looked as bemused as the women while Josh and John Sr. eagerly watched the game. "I'm the one guy in the band who never liked sports, it's the biggest waste of time", said John.

"You go to Lakers games", Nika reminded him.

"Because the other guys love it, I like to watch the people. The people are more interesting than the game", John replied.

"When you and Josh go to Argentina, please take lots of pictures. It looks amazing", said Gail.

'We will, we're heading down to Patagonia. We found a terrific deal on Groupon", said Nika.

"I wish I liked traveling, when I was younger I hated touring and now that I'm old I hate touring. I'm retired from touring and the last thing I want is to travel. I just want to meditate and write music, I like being a hermit", John chuckled.

"John, you're retired from touring. You ought to go on vacation", Gail chided.

"Mom, vacations are boring. I don't like traveling by myself and I like to be busy. I got so many ideas in my head and I want them put them all down. That's the first thing I'm going to do when I get back. I just got a new Roland and I want to try it", said John.

Gail smiled indulgently at her son. "I can't wait to hear it. Is it Trickfinger stuff?", she asked.

"Yeah, I'm in the groove with the acid house stuff. It might be released at the end of the year", said John.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 13

"Are you sure you don't want to come along, Dad? New Paltz isn't that far", said Nika.

"I'm fine, I just want to hang out with my parents. I didn't see them as much when I was touring, I'm catching up for lost time", said John.

"Have fun, it's been ages since we went up to the Catskills", said Gail as she hugged the couple.

"We'll take pictures, we'll be hiking at Minnewaska. It's even better in the fall, but summer isn't bad either if you wear shorts, Mrs. Frusciante", said Josh.

Josh led Nika over to the black rental Toyota Rav4 and placed their overnight bags in the trunk. "I'm a Volvo guy, but this is the closest equivalent. The Catskills are tough on regular cars", he said, shaking his head.

Josh programmed the directions into the car's GPS and hooked up his phone to the speakers as Radiohead played. Following the detours, they bypassed the Bronx traffic and soon they were in Westchester north of the city. Past the gray concrete sprawl of Yonkers and it's massive malls, apartment complexes, racetrack and casino, the scenery around the New York State Thruway became greener as they sky turned a vivid shade of blue. This area of the state was less than an hour away from the city but in its ruralness and greenery, the city seemed so far away. "My parents moved up here when they retired, they're originally from Queens, spent twenty years in LA and then moved back to the East Coast. They got sick of the smog and the heat, they wanted four seasons", Josh said.

"I don't mind the heat, and Dad's family is from New York and Mom's family from England", she reminded him.

"Plus you were born in December, Night Owl. Maybe this year we can go do an East Coast Christmas, since John isn't touring and and I may not be touring with anyone. This'll be our first white Christmas", he teased.

"Haha, awesome. I just don't want to slip and break something", she said.

"You won't, you can get good snow boots first. Then again, we might need snow boots in Argentina since it's winter there", said Josh.

"Yeah, we can go to Roosevelt Fields mall later", she agreed.

The contrast between this area and the city was more pronounced when they entered New Paltz. The pretty college town nestled under the forested ridge of Minnewaska State Park had a main street of twee cafes, restaurants and shops with small outdoor tables, may festooned with Rainbow flags in support of the local LGBT community. Josh drove over to a side street and parked in the driveway of a two-story pale blue wooden house with white gingerbread trim and holly bushes out front. He'd barely parked the car and gotten their bags when the front door opened and his mother Kathleen ran over to embrace them. "Glad you made it, Josh and Nika. How are your grandparents and John doing?", she asked.

Josh took their bags and they followed her inside. "Dad and my grandparents are fine, he's making up for lost time since he didn't see them much for years", Nika replied.

"I prepped the guest room, just make yourselves comfortable. Josh, your Dad's coming home from the dentist later. I'm making shepherds' pie for dinner, I'm sure you missed it", teased Kathleen.

"Thanks, Mom. Nika's shepherds' pie is a close second, though", he chuckled as she pretended to glare.

"Hah, I'm glad to hear it. Nika, it's good you're feeding my son, his previous girlfriends couldn't cook", said Kathleen as Josh blushed.

"I learned from Grandmere, she wondered if I was feeding him", laughed Nika.

Kathleen checked on the boiling potatoes and the minced lamb before starting to make coffee. "It's even better in the fall, but it never gets super hot. Are you going hiking in Minnewaska?", she asked.

"Yeah, I wanted to show her the park", said Josh.

"Of course, it's impossible to visit the park in the winter", agreed Kathleen.

"It'll be a warmup for when we go to Argentina, we're going to Patagonia. We found a good deal on Groupon", said Josh.

"Ohh, how wonderful! Please take lots of pictures, I don't think anyone on either side of the family has ever been there", said Kathleen eagerly.

"We will, it looks amazing and the far south looks like Alaska. And I can finally use my Spanish", laughed Josh.

"Same here, even if we do live in LA", agreed Nika.

The coffee finished brewing and Kathleen went to pour them each a cup. "Then you can get hiking practice at Minnewaska, but it's better in the fall with the leaves. I wish we could travel more, but ever since we got caught in that monsoon in Australia, Steve doesn't want to travel", she said.

"Yeah, that was scary. But there's lots of places to see that aren't dangerous. Or you could buy an RV and tour national parks", said Josh.

"Maybe, but there's plenty of really good national parks here. An RV does sound like a good idea, though", Kathleen mused aloud.

Nika sipped her coffee and watched Josh talk with his mother. While both of them were tall and lanky, Kathleen had a round face with soft blue eyes and wavy dark blond hair turning gray. Just then the door opened and his father Steve came in, his face in a grimace after his recent dentist's visit. "Hey Dad, sorry you can't have coffee now", teased Josh.

"Haha, I have to wait two hours before I eat or drink anything. Hi Nika, glad you guys made it. How's your dad?", he asked.

"He's good, he's staying in Queens with my grandparents", she replied. There was a definite resemblance between Steve and Josh, both men being tall and skinny with the same straight brown hair, brown eyes and long nose. The older man wore pressed black slacks and a buttoned-down light blue polo shirt with his brown hair cut short and turning gray at the temples.

"That's good to know, tell him I liked that last album you did", said Steve.

'We will. And soon we'll be flying down to Argentina, we're staying in Patagonia", said Josh.

"That sounds amazing. Ever since we almost got swallowed up in Australia, I haven't wanted to travel", said Steve.

"Josh suggested we get an RV and tour national parks", said Kathleen.

"Maybe, that doesn't sound dangerous. We ought to stick to the states", said Steve.

'You liked visiting Ireland", Kathleen reminded him.

"In Ireland we didn't get sucked into a giant mud hole", said Steve.

Josh and Nika finished their coffee and went upstairs to unpack. "Dad was traumatized after what happened in Australia, they nearly got sucked into a giant mud hole during a monsoon. I don't blame him, when we tour Australia we only stay in the cities", he said.

"Maybe one day they'll get to travel, but Dad doesn't want to travel either", said Nika.

"Yeah, John never liked touring even as a young guy. Do you think he'll work it out with Pearl?", he asked.

"Who knows, Dad isn't the kind of guy to take the initiative, unless it's music. Maybe he'll be celibate forever, and live with a bunch of cats", said Nika with a shrug.

Josh led her to the guest room upstairs. The small, cozy blue room had a window which looked out onto the Catskills mountains, the mountains covered in a thick carpet of green under vibrant blue skies. "I want to tell Mom and Dad, but Hugo says we can't. I don't want them to worry about us", said Josh with a frown.

"I know, Steve and Kathleen are wonderful people. I wonder if something were to happen to us, does Hugo tell them?", she mused aloud.

"Don't think like that, Night Owl. We are going to succeed and your mom is going to get punished if necessary", said Josh.

Nika sighed as Josh put his arms around her from behind and kissed the top of her head. "I'm just concerned, we're both only children", she said.

"Think positive, Night Owl. Think of it as an adventure, the first time you took a chance, we became a couple", he said.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 14

"Good morning, you two. You need to eat something before you go hiking", said Kathleen, hugging them both.

"Thanks, Mom", said Josh.

"Good morning, guys", said Steve, glancing up from the newspaper.

"Dad, who's pissing you off today?", teased Josh.

"No one, Congress is having a recess so the bastards aren't driving Obama crazy", Steve muttered.

"Yeah, Congress wants to drive Obama nuts. It's partisan crap, why nothing gets done", said Josh.

"Dad has no idea about politics, he isn't registered to vote and has no idea who's running California. He didn't realize Obama was president until last year, he's totally out of it", said Nika.

"John has always been like that, since I knew him. But he's a brilliant musician, I suppose it's an artist thing, to be a Cloudcuckoolander", Josh mused aloud.

"I suppose, the rest of us have to live on Planet Earth", said Steve, going back to his newspaper and drinking coffee.

Kathleen stood over the counter making breakfast on the George Foreman grill. "That's the best device, I taught Dad how to use it so Mildred doesn't always cook for him", said Nika.

"Yeah, it's so much neater than using pots and pans on the stove. We got it at Kohl's", said Kathleen.

"Same here, I got it for Dad since he eats a lot of grilled stuff and it's neater than the stove. It's idiot-proof", said Nika.

"Same here", agreed Kathleen.

Josh made them coffee and checked his phone for emails. "Nothing but spam", he muttered.

After breakfast, Nika helped Kathleen load the dishwasher while Josh went upstairs to get dressed. "Now you go get dressed", said the older woman, shooing her out of the kitchen.

Nika went upstairs to the room and saw Josh getting ready. He wore his usual baggy black sweatpants and a blue t-shirt over a long sleeved black shirt, a Yankees hat atop his head. "I suppose layers are a good idea, but you might be overdressed", she said dubiously.

"I'm always cold, you know that. I'm a native Angelino, and I have to wear layers", he chuckled.

Nika just laughed as she opened a drawer and started dressing. Josh admired the view with a crooked grin. "You even look good in sweats", he teased.

"Except mine are girl sweats", she retorted cheerfully. Nika wore a purple velour tracksuit with a white t-shirt underneath as she quickly put her curly dark hair in a ponytail, topped by a purple Yankees hat.

"I'm rubbing off on you, my prim Night Owl is wearing a tracksuit and a Yankees hat", he teased.

"Soon you'll have me wearing a beanie", she laughed.

"I don't want you to hide that gorgeous hair, Night Owl. My hair is boring, so I have to wear beanies. You have gorgeous curly hair, mine is just a dull brown", he said.

"At least you still have hair, imagine going bald", she chided.

Josh gave her a look of mock-horror as he took off his hat and looked at himself in the mirror. His straight brown hair was flat under the hat but otherwise looked fine with no signs of thinning. "Good, I'm not going bald. Then I'll have to wear beanies full time", he joked.

Josh put the cap back on his head and made sure the fit was tight. He put on sunglasses and then his sneakers before leading her back downstairs. "Take care and have fun", said Kathleen.

"Thanks, Mom", said Josh, embracing his mother and kissing her cheek.

Josh grabbed the keys and opened the door as Nika got in the passenger seat. He turned on the engine and set the GPS for Minnewaska State Park before backing out of the driveway while Radiohead played on the speakers. "Country music would be more appropriate, but I hate the stuff", he said.

"It's an LA thing", replied Nika.

Josh stopped at a nearby 7-11 and watched Nika as she went inside, holding his breath until she came out several minutes late with bottles of water and Gatorade and protein bars. "Josh, I was only there for a few minutes", she chided.

"I just worry, Night Owl. 7-11's get robbed all the time", he said.

Nika smiled indulgently at her boyfriend and gently kissed his cheek. "When we get to Argentina, then you can worry. That was just a short trip to 7-11", she said.

Josh backed out of the tiny parking lot and followed the GPS directions towards the park. They passed by farms where wheat grew taller and started to ripen under the summer sun and corn whose ears were ripening in their green husks, past fruit orchards where apples and grapes fattened up to make wine under the blue skies. The bulk of the mountains loomed up before them, covered in a carpet of greenery that mitigated the otherwise menacing aspect of the rocks. The GPS led them up a hairpin drive along the mountainside and the park itself was atop the mountain. "That's why I plumped for the Rav4, it's a four-wheel drive and a regular car might have trouble", he said.

He parked under a tree and helped Nika get out, carrying a reusable bag with their drinks. A tall, thin young man in jeans and a Deep Purple t-shirt and long black hair in a ponytail came up to them. Josh felt a tingling sensation at the base of his spine but sighed in relief when he recognized Hugo by his silvery-gray eyes. "It's lovely around here, I much prefer this to the city", he said with a neutral American accent.

"Yeah, that's why my parents retired here. I need to talk with you", said Josh.

The trio walked over to a bulletin board showing a map of the park. "The waterfall is the shorter hike, we'll do that first and then the hike to the lake", said Josh.

"I agree", said Hugo. He then secretly tapped the gray stone of his ring before continuing. "We are now talking in Polish, so people can't overhear us. If there are Polish people around, it will sound as though we are talking about hiking", said Hugo.

"What? But I hear myself speaking English", said Josh in confusion.

"You hear yourself in English, but to other people we are speaking Polish. It's a common language in the area and won't attract attention, and your grandfather knows it", said Hugo.

"Yes, his mother was a Polish countess", said Nika.

"That is good to know, no one on either side of my family were close to royalty. Mom's people were farmers in Ireland and Dad's family were peddlers from western Ukraine. Mine is nowhere as interesting as yours", teased Josh.

"And interesting isn't necessarily good, my great-grandmother's family fled the Bolsheviks and what they didn't destroy, the Nazis did. All of your family was here by 1900", she reminded him.

"Lucky Dad's family got here before it all went to hell", said Josh dryly.

The trio took the path heading down to the falls. "There's a rocky ledge where you can look down below to the falls, there's no fence so you have to be careful. But the view is worth it", said Josh.

The trail was full of families enjoying the sunny day. "Hugo, how does work when we reach Buenos Aires?", asked Nika.

"I like that you don't beat around the bush. Antonio will meet you there at the airport, he's driving up from Ushuaia. The domestic airlines in Argentina aren't the best and I don't think you'd want to take the bus", said Hugo as they looked horrified.

"I know, it's a really long trip. He will drive to Ushuaia but it will take a few days. Think of it as being like the Ronin going after Kira, you must lull the prey", said Hugo.

They nodded in agreement. Nika watched Josh like a hawk when he climbed a ledge to take better pictures, climbing down several minutes later. "I've done this before, I'm careful", he said.

"I'm acrophobic, heights bother me", she said quietly.

"Oh, okay. But the view is amazing, there's no more ledges anyway. Sorry, I didn't realize that", said Josh.

"You learn something new every day, josh. Now let's see the waterfall", said Nika.

Josh laughed and took her hand as they followed the trail down. As they went further down the trail, they could hear the soft murmur of the waterfall, gradually growing louder as they walked further down the trail. Suddenly, the path opened up to reveal a long, thin waterfall which ended in a shallow pool surrounded by rocks. A few kids splashed barefoot in the pool while adults looked on, along with some dogs on leashes. Nika and Josh took pictures with their phones while Hugo just looked on. "I don't need a camera, I remember everything", he explained.

"Wouldn't that drive you crazy?", asked Josh.

"No, because I'm a wizard and immortal. My brain won't explode like mortal brains", he teased.

"Awesome, I'm not sure if I could handle that", Josh chuckled.

The trio went back up the trail and followed the signs for the lake trail. "This one is longer and much of it is uphill, just a warning", said Josh.

"I have gone hiking in Iceland, that is much rougher. This is easy", said Hugo confidently.

"All we saw of Iceland was Reykjavik, the band played a festival there", said Josh.

"Our headquarters is on Hvit Orn, an island in Snaefellsness Bay north of the city. It's bigger below than above", said Hugo.

"Sort of like a TARDIS", said Josh.

"Yes, exactly. The entrance is an old shack but it leads to our headquarters. The TARDIS principle applies to it, since an old shack wouldn't be welcoming to people", said Hugo.

"We've been watching a lot of BBC America at home, I've been getting into Dr. Who. I finished the first three doctors", said Josh.

"And Sherlock is amazing", said Nika.

"Does someone have a crush on Benedict Cumberbach?", teased Josh as Nika blushed.

"He's a brilliant detective, and a wonderful actor", she protested.

"I'm only teasing you, Night Owl. I know you won't leave me for any loony English detectives", said Josh, hugging her and kissing her cheek.

The hike to the lake went uphill gradually until they were above the tree line, occasionally stopping to take pictures. This trail went downhill for a bit and then the wide expanse of Lake Minnewaska appeared to them like a mirage. The blue waters of the lake were a vivid cerulean blue that shone brilliantly like a highly polished mirror under the sun. To their right was a short path leading to the lakeshore as Josh helped Nika go down the pebbly path. The waves of the lake lapped against the muddy shore as they took pictures, the other people a Korean family passing around a selfie stick.

"The visitor's center is only ten minutes away", said Josh.

Nika felt better after visiting the bathroom and washing her hands as she waited for Josh. She was relieved to see her phone had reception again as she sent John pictures, Josh creeping up behind her. She nearly jumped up like a grasshopper as her phone landed softly on the grass. "You have to be more aware of your surroundings", he chided.

Nika picked up her phone and wiped off the surface with her sleeve. "Don't do that, I could have broken my phone", she hissed.

"Or you could have gotten kidnapped, my dear", said Hugo.

"Okay, but we're in a popular national park near the visitor's center", she reminded them.

'But you have to be more careful when we go to Argentina, Night Owl. We don't need to jeopardize the mission, the Ronin didn't act foolishly", said Josh, kissing her forehead.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 15

"Have a safe trip and take lots of pictures", said Kathleen as she hugged her son.

"We will, Mom. You'll see them on Flickr", said Josh.

"Stay safe, you two. After Australia, we're not going anywhere", said Steve.

"Never say never, Dad. Maybe you can rent an RV and travel to national parks", said Josh.

"Who knows. Have fun and take care", said Steve.

Josh opened the doors of the RAV4 and Nika got in the passenger seat. "We just need to get some things at the mall, I haven't been to a mall since that last time you bumped into me at Barnes and Noble", he teased.

"Haha, and you were embarrassed to be buying a book on pregnancy for Bob. But Roosevelt Fields is bigger than most LA malls on Long Island, my grandparents love it", said Nika.

"I wouldn't know, I'm not into malls. Only time was if Mom needed to buy me school clothes, I hated that. But we'd get lunch and then go to Suncoast or Sam Goody's so it worked out", laughed Josh.

"All we need to get is some good hiking boots, but we can't get stuff that is too modern. I have to Google what people wore back then", she mused aloud.

"I guess not flapper stuff, since Tierra del Fuego would have been more backwards than Buenos Aires. I guess Edwardian stuff", replied Josh.

"I hope no corsets, those are bad for your internal organs", said Nika.

"Maybe, as long as they're not the tight ones. But I bet you look good in one", he teased.

"Maybe later, but not at my grandparents' house. Dad's there", she chided.

"Okay, maybe that will be my reward", he quipped.

"Who would have thought a quiet guy like you would turn out to be such a perv?", she laughed.

"And who would have thought that my shy little Night Owl would be such a seductive woman?", he growled, his brown eyes glowing golden with desire.

"I have a great teacher", she murmured.

The drive back to the Frusciante house in Queens was uneventful as they bypassed the Bronx traffic en route. "How was New Paltz? We haven't been to the Catskills in so long", said Gail as she hugged her granddaughter.

"It's gorgeous, we went hiking at Minnewaska", replied Nika.

"John, you want to go to the mall with us?", asked John Sr.

"Sure, I don't want to be alone here. And we ought to go out as a family", he replied.

"Okay, Dad. Did you go to the temple?", asked Nika.

John beamed. "Yeah, I feel much better. I prayed that you guys have a safe trip, I made an offering with a lamp and flowers. I also went to a meditation class for a bit", he replied.

John Sr. and Gail exchanged a look. "Okay, I'm glad you feel better", said Gail.

"You should go, Mom. You'll feel more peaceful", said John.

"I'm not sure, your Dad and I were raised Catholic", said Gail.

"All right, I could lend you some books', said John.

The four of them got in the RAV4 as Josh set the GPS for Roosevelt Fields mall. "I haven't been to a mall since you were with Nika and I had to buy a book on pregnancy for Bob. I'm not good with crowds, but I had bad social anxiety back in the day", said Josh.

"Yeah, I know, so did I. I was an 18 year old kid who was shy as hell and in a rock band, I acted like the dumb ass kid I was", said John.

"Think of it as a learning experience, a messed-up one", said Nika.

Josh parked near the entrance of the mall and helped Nika and Gail out of the car. "You have excellent manners", laughed the older woman.

Josh blushed as he adjusted the beanie atop his head. "Uh, thanks", he mumbled.

"Grandma, are you flirting with my boyfriend?", teased Nika.

"Hah, but you do have a very polite boyfriend", laughed Gail.

Josh and Nika looked on with amusement as John and his parents went straight to the massive Barnes and Noble on the third floor of the mall. "How typical of your dad, the Strand in Manhattan is better", he said as she nodded in agreement.

Their first stop was a Timberland store for boots. A bored-looking teenage boy barely glanced at them as they entered. "I remember from hiking in Yosemite as a kid, boots gotta be waterproof", he said, examining the label on a pair of brown hiking boots.

"We never went to Yosemite, Dad wouldn't survive a camping trip", she said ruefully.

"Not necessarily in a tent, there's cabins which are sort of like hotels. I've camped in a tent when I was in Cub Scouts, it was sort of cool and it was so dark and we could hear wolves, or something", Josh chuckled.

"I hope not, I'd rather stay in a lodge", said Nika in distaste.

"Okay, lodge it is then. Besides, a tent might fall down", he joked.

"Haha, and what about the wolves?", she teased.

"Well, I can protect you from the wolves", he drawled.

"I was talking about the two-legged variety", she joked.

"I'll protect you from the four legged variety", he laughed.

They bought waterproof hiking boots and then Nika led them towards Dick's Sporting Goods. "Don't go in the back, that's where they have the hunting stuff", she said.

Josh could see what she meant when he saw the camouflage and hunting rifles prominently displayed in the back. "I have never shot a gun and I hope I never will", he said, shaking his head.

"Me neither, but Pepere and my great-uncles did their army service back in the fifties and he still has his Enfield, Jack and Ian too. Back then, all British guys had to do army service", she said.

"Yeah, but that was back then. Maybe if necessary, but i hope I never will", he said.

They browsed the outdoor clothes and josh looked up what to wear in polar winter on his phone. "We can't wear anything in camo or bright colored, it has to be something that won't stand out. Fleece is good for insulation and so is down, anything natural. Synthetics are cheaper but they don't insulate as well", he said.

"I'll defer to you, I have never been camping or to the great outdoors", said Nika ruefully.

"Don't say that, Night Owl. There's a first time for everything. I'll defer to you when it comes to Greek and Latin", he chuckled.

"Which, ancient or modern?", she quipped.

"Both, all I know is English and Mexican Spanish. And my Spanish accent sucks, I sound like a Yankee. I have to learn to speak with a better accent", he said.

After buying their outdoor clothes, Nika led them towards the Gap as Josh just shook his head. "I haven't shopped at the Gap since high school", he said.

"We need regular jeans, and our jeans are back home", she reminded him.

Josh just shrugged as he followed her inside. The insipid mellow electronic music made him wince in dismay as he went straight to the jeans to check for his size. He kept an eye on Nika as she looked through the women's jeans, hoping the slim fit jeans fit his skinny frame. He saw Nika go into the women's dressing room with jeans and followed her to the men's room, momentarily upset he couldn't join her since they were already living together.

Josh hastily tried on the jeans and was satisficed they fit. He waited outside the women's dressing room as every passing second filled him with rising dread. Nika emerged from the booth with the jeans and Josh couldn't help the grin on his face as she gave him a knowing look. "My goodness, it was only five minutes", she teased.

"You never know, there might be perverts out there", he said seriously, but there was a wicked gleam in his brown eyes.

"Yes, and you're a perv", she laughed.

Josh just winked at her before they picked out some sweaters and went to pay. "I used to love that store when I was a kid", he said when they passed Spencer Gifts.

"Let's put the stuff in the car first", she said with an indulgent smile.

After putting the bags in the car, Josh made a beeline for Spencer Gifts with Nika following behind him. Loud rock music blared from the speakers as he scanned the rows of band shirts. "I don't recognize half these bands", said Nika, shaking her head.

"There's Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, and here's Nirvana. You're right about the others, I haven't watched MTV since the 90's", said Josh.

"Me neither, but I never watched MTV unless it was Dad's band", agreed Nika.

Josh tried to stifle a laugh when he saw the rude t-shirts for sale. "Don't show these to your mom", she teased.

"Or your grandparents", he retorted with a grin.

Both of them giggled like naughty children when they went to the back of the store. "We should send these back home", he joked, showing her a set of a very skimpy lingerie.

"Hah, maybe. And you have to wear this", she teased, handing him a lime-green thong.

"No way, maybe Anthony since he's ripped. Nobody wants to see my skinny pasty self in that", said Josh in mock-horror.

"I like your skinny pasty self. And no one else is going to see it but me", she murmured.

Josh shifted his weight from foot to foot, a dull blush forming on his cheeks. "Let's go before they bust us", he whispered.

In the end, they ended up buying some band t-shirts, a set of pink and black lingerie and a black thong. The bored looking girl with dyed purple hair and a nose ring just rang up their purchases without blinking an eyelash. "I hope Dad never sees this", she said.

"I doubt he'd even know what it was for, he's been celibate for so long And it is none of his business, since we live together", he said.

After another trip back to the car, Nika's phone rang and she picked it up when she saw it was John's number. "Hey Dad. Okay, I'll ask him", she replied.

"Dad wants to know if you want to see Public Enemies with my grandparents", she said.

"Oh, that gangster film? All right, I suppose it's appropriate", he replied.

"Most likely Grandpa wants to see it, he likes gangster films. Must be an Italian thing", she mused aloud.

They met with the rest of the family outside the AMC as John Sr. barely concealed his excitement. "I know you like gangster films, Grandpa", she teased.

"I know, I haven't seen a good one in years. Dillinger wasn't Italian, but it's still good", replied the older man.

When the movie finished, Nika noticed her father's grave expression and gave him a hug. "Dad, it was just a movie", she said.

"That woman ratted him out, that was a cowardly way to trap someone", he said angrily.

"She's right, Dillinger was a really criminal guy and maybe that was the way to trap him, but it was still kind of sucky. When we get back to LA, we can watch Japanese cinema at your place", said Josh.

"Thanks, Josh. That's why I prefer Japanese cinema, it's more ambiguous and open to interpretation", said John.

"This is going to be on us, you are all leaving tomorrow", said Gail as they sat down at the mall's Mediterranean Grill.

"Mom, you don't have to", John protested.

"Nonsense, it's our gift since you're all leaving us tomorrow. And please let me know when you arrive", said Gail as she handed them menus.

"I have not had pizza in so long, but carbs are bad for my system. Maybe it's for the best, it means I can't have junk food", said John as he looked at the menu.

"That's a good thing, people eat too much junk anyways. You're sticking to a healthy diet and you look and feel great", said Nika.

"You're right, I had enough junk food to last several lifetimes. But I am going to miss you guys", said John.

"We're going to Argentina, not Oz", Josh reminded him.

"I know, but this is the first time you guys are going on a vacation by yourselves", said John.

"Maybe you should take a vacation by yourself. We'll watch Chiara", said Josh.

"That does sound like a good idea, John. You're cooped up in the house with a cat and a housekeeper. You could use some time by yourself", said Gail.

"Maybe, when they come back", said John as the waiter poured them each a glass of Pellegrino.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 16

"You have a good time and be safe in Argentina, you two", said Gail, embracing them both.

"We will, Grandma. And we'll take lots of pictures", said Nika.

"We will, Mrs. Frusciante. And maybe if we like it, you could come and see it for yourself", said Josh.

"I don't know, it's a long flight. But I want to see pictures", said Gail.

Josh took the bags and placed them inside the trunk of the Rav4, just as John burst out the door. "Nika, take care and be careful", he admonished.

Nika hugged her father as his long dark curls tickled her cheek. "We will, Dad. And we will not let you down", she whispered.

"Good, I'm worried because you're my only child. Just be safe", he said.

"We will, Dad", she replied.

John let go of his daughter and walked over to Josh, the two of them side by side nearly comical as John was several inches shorter and stockier than the younger man. "You better take care of my daughter, Josh", he warned.

"I will, John. I love that woman more than anything, I will protect her", he vowed.

John embraced him and clapped him on the back. "I believe you, Josh. I'm just concerned, she's my only child", he said.

"I know, and I'm an only child too. We will be careful", said Josh.

They got in the car and and Josh backed out of the driveway. The ride to JFK was pleasant and stress free as it was just before dawn and rush hour so there were few vehicles on the road. The Manhattan skyline was gently silhouetted against the dusky sky, their looming forms barely visible against the lightening sky. "I'm sure John didn't mean to freak out, but I understand why he's worried. Both of us are only children, and my parents are too old to have more kids. After me, Mom couldn't have any more kids", said Josh.

"And Dad is celibate and he might not be able to have any more children because of his health issues. This is possibly the craziest thing I've ever done", she said, shaking her head.

"Same here, Night Owl. But we are going to win", he vowed.

Josh dropped off the car at the rental desk and they took a shuttle bus towards the international arrivals terminal. Nika smiled sympathetically when he saw the long line for security. "You haven't flown out of New York on a commercial plane in a long time, since we drive across the country to see our families. Luckily we're in Business Class", she said.

The line inched forward as they showed their boarding passes and passports to a bored-looking TSA agent. Josh was relieved after going through the scanner and finding his sneakers, glad he wore clean socks since he didn't want anyone to see his pale, skinny feet. "It sucks, but we all have to go through them", she said.

"I'm glad I wore socks, nobody needs to see my big skinny feet", he joked.

Nika laughed as she put on her shoes. "You could get a pedicure", she teased.

Josh recoiled in mock-horror. "No, I'm not ending up with purple toenails", he said.

Nika gave him a hug. "I like your big skinny feet", she teased.

"Hah, and I like your cute purple toenails. But let's go find our flight", he said.

"It's Gate 17 in Terminal A, we got an hour. You've been to Buenos Aires, what is it like?", she asked.

"We've played there, at the Bombonera which is a soccer stadium. It's actually not that interesting, there aren't many old buildings left and nothing from Colonial times or even museums like in New York or LA. I hope we're not going to spend too much time there", said Josh.

"Maybe Antonio knows stuff to see", she suggested.

"Cool, I didn't have much time to explore since we were only there to play shows, then we did a show in Santiago", said Josh.

They got some tea from a kiosk and found seats in the waiting area. From outside the plate glass windows, the dawn cast its light over the airport and shone on the silvery and white surfaces of the planes parked outside the gate. The ant-like workers in their fluorescent orange and neon green vests loaded bags onto the conveyor belts while the sun's rays grew ever brighter with each passing second.

Josh sipped his tea and looked out the window. This was quite different from the band's usual chartered flights, reminding him of flying to New York as a kid to see relatives. Unlike waiting to board the band's charter flights, there was a real sense of anticipation instead of feeling one was headed to work. But this was not the familiar anticipation of going on a family holiday, but the anticipation of going somewhere different where he knew no one. He glanced over and saw Nika reading, the dawn light reflecting on her glasses. He reached into his carryon bag and took out Ian's book and continued reading.

"American Airlines Flight 367 to Buenos Aires is preparing to board. Business Class passengers please line up", said the women at the front desk.

Josh tried not to feel self-conscious among all the people in suits, dressed as he was in his usual baggy black sweatpants and oversized t-shirt and black beanie. Nika gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as they showed the woman their boarding passes and passports. "At least she didn't give us dirty looks", she said as they walked down the gate.

"I'm not wearing a suit unless it's a wedding or a funeral. I just want to be comfortable", said Josh.

He was relieved when they found their seats and was able to spread out his legs. "That's why Hugo got us Business Class seats, you couldn't fit into Economy Class", she laughed.

"Yeah, my tall skinny self couldn't fit into those seats", he agreed.

The plane gradually filled up with passengers as the couple took out their books and continued reading. They barely paid attention to the obligatory safety videos as they read, the same spiel on every flight. Within twenty minutes, the plane was ready for takeoff as it got the signal from air traffic control and accelerated down the runway before becoming airborne.

Josh kept on reading and was engrossed in the novel, making a mental note to check out more of Ian's books when he got home. He had a vague idea of Alexander the Great from high school but the book really made him and his times come to life. Josh could easily envision the magnificent palace in Babylon, the Hanging Gardens and the overall magnificence of the court through the pages, so vividly rendered as though in a movie. He paused for a moment and thought about find a good biography later on.

He saw that Nika had set aside her book and dozed so he put the blanket around her shoulders. Josh set aside the book and his eyelids grew sleepy as he drifted off to sleep...



Josh found himself walking along a rocky shoreline somewhere cold as he pulled the coat tighter around his his body. The skies above were a stormy tempest-tossed gray a shade lighter than the gun-metal gray water. It seemed as though this whole area was gray, the skies, the cold water, the rocky, gravelly beach. The scent of sea water surrounded him and the cold splash of the water occasionally hit his face, but it was not unpleasant. In face, it felt exhilarating and made him feel energized compared to being on a hot beach.

He looked around and saw snow-capped mountains to his left which reminded him of pictures he'd seen of Scandinavia above the Arctic Circle. The salty sea spray filled his throat with a salty tang but he liked it, far more earthy and primal than an LA beach. The only other living creatures were seagulls who squawked as they looked for food, feeling as though he was all alone.

He saw a woman in white approach, the sea breeze ruffling her curly black hair. At first he thought it was Nika and his heartbeat quickened, but her face was older and the lovely purplish-blue eyes were hard and cold as polished gemstones. Suddenly the woman dissolved into a mass of snakes as he woke up with a start...

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 17

"So you saw Mom as a Gorgon?", asked Nika in disbelief as the plane touched down at the airport in Buenos Aires.

"Sort of, except she was a mass of snakes and not just her hair. I'm not sure what that means, I'll have to brush up on my Bulfinch's", said Josh, shaking his head.

They waited until the rest of the passengers were gone and then left. They were able to quickly go through customs as the border patrol seemed more interested in going after other South Americans and Africans. "Ah verdad, you have seen our wonderful police in action", said Antonio Torres in a mocking voice.

"Yeah, our border guys would get sued for that", said Josh.

"Bienvenidos a Argentina, amigos. And try to keep a low profile, the police and officialdom like to take una mordita", said Antonio sardonically.

Antonio had been waiting for them past customs, holding a sign which read England. He was of average height and stocky with straight brown hair to his shoulders, wearing jeans and a black Metallica shirt under a heavy shearling coat. His most interesting feature were his almond shaped amber eyes, a vivid golden brown with burnt orange highlights that seemed to change colors as he laughed. "Amigos, necessitamos hablar Espanol. Otherwise you'll stick out like the gringos you are", he said.

"Si, puedo hablar Espanol pero tengo un accente Americano", replied Josh.

"Yo tambien, pero mi accente son Castellano", said Nika.

"Verdad, but once we go to Patagonia, people will just be glad you speak Spanish. We rest tonight and leave tomorrow. I don't like Buenos Aires or Portenos", said Antonio.

"Why not?", asked Josh as they went to get their bags.

"Because they are arrogant chupapollas, pardon my language. They go to Ushuaia for the polar cruises and think we're yokels, they complain a lot. The Europeans and other people from Argentina are much nicer", said Antonio.

They found their bags and followed Antonio to the parking lot where he opened the door of a black Chevy Silverado. "It's useful to have a pickup where I come from, it's too rugged for normal cars", he explained.

Antonio started the engine as Master of Puppets blared from the speakers. "Lo siento, but I normally don't have passengers", he apologized.

"It's your car, as long as it's not Bieber", laughed Josh.

"No, musica de ese chupapolla pequeno son malissimo", said Antonio in horror.

"We're staying outside the city so we can get a head start tomorrow. The traffic around Buenos Aires is horrible and I'm not getting stuck in it", said Antonio as he followed the signs for the highway going south.

The area around the airport and south of the city appeared to be one giant suburb of high-rise apartment buildings and towns of identical little boxy houses as they drove past. Their dullness was unrelieved by the overcast gray skies and steady drizzle of rain, so different from the sunny, summery skies in North America. "Even their winter sucks, it just rains. In Ushuaia, it snows a lot and it's ski season. We just had a big storm a week ago, got a good workout shoveling snow", said Antonio.

"I haven't seen snow in years, I've lived in LA too long", said Josh.

"Ah, you will see a lot of snow in Ushuaia. I love it, I've lived there my whole life and I can't imagine a place without snow", said Antonio.

"I hope it's not a huge amount, that's dangerous", said Nika dubiously.

"It depends on what you mean by a lot of snow. I'm used to a lot, I got snow tires anyway", said Antonio.

He drove southwards for an hour before turning off the exit for a town called La Plata. "We get a better head start tomorrow morning, and we'll be less conspicuous", Antonio said.

"Is Hugo going to meet us in Ushuaia?", asked Josh.

"Yes, he'll be staying at my house. People in Patagonia generally mind their own business, so tell people Hugo is my British cousin and they leave us alone. Many people in Ushuaia are of British descent, mostly English and Welsh. We aren't loud at all, except when we're drunk. My mother is Welsh, my middle name is Llewellyn", said Antonio.

Josh let out a snort before he composed himself. "Sorry, but I thought it sounded strange", he explained.

"Verdad, but there's a lot of Welsh people in Patagonia. They wanted to get far away from English people and be able to speak Welsh. I can speak some Welsh, it impresses girls", Antonio chuckled.

He parked in the lot of a small hotel as Josh helped her get out and took their bags. "You got good manners for a gringo", teased Antonio.

"Hah, Mom would kick my ass otherwise. But seriously, having manners should be just about being a decent person. And I like showing off to my girlfriend", Josh joked as Nika tried to look stern but her lips twitched in laughter.

"Josh, you don't have to show off", she chided.

Josh laughed as he took their bags inside. Antonio watched as they checked in and showed their passports, the bored-looking clerk handing them keys. "I stay here whenever I have business in the city, it's not as expensive plus they get a lot of non-tourists so the locks work", said Antonio.

"What?", asked Nika in surprise.

"Theft from hotel rooms is a big problem here, especially with tourists. Many hotel employees think tourists are rich and its okay to steal from them. That happened to people I know", said Antonio.

Their rooms were on the third floor overlooking the parking lot next to each other. Nika watched as Josh tested the locks by trying to slide a credit card through the locks, satisfied that it didn't open. "I saw it on Youtube, but the locks work", he said.

"Good, but Antonio said that. I need a shower", she declared.

"You must have been a mind reader, Night Owl", he teased.

Nika just laughed as she kissed him and they started undressing each other. After a shower, both felt much better as Josh called Antonio. "Are you for real, all right then", he said before hanging up. "He said people have dinner around 9", said Josh in horror.

"They do, it's a Latin thing. But text him to see if 8 is ok", said Nika.

Josh was relieved when Antonio replied back. "That's way too late, then you can't sleep", he said.

"Maybe in Ushuaia it's different. But we'll adjust, at least we're in the same time zone", she said.

Josh smiled gratefully at his girlfriend and hugged her. "You're a great traveling partner, Night Owl. In the meantime, we're going to learn to speak like Argentines", said as he turned on the TV.

Nika took out her volume of Aeschylus and began reading while Josh watched as soccer game between San Lazaro and Independiente. He lay sprawled out on the bed with pillows under his head and watched the game, paying careful attention to the announcers and how they spoke Spanish. Their Argentine Spanish accents sounded quite different from the Mexican and Castilian Spanish accents he was familiar with. At first the accent gave him trouble for its odd pronunciation and slang, but he started understanding as the game went on. "Nika, if I watch enough soccer, I'm going to sound like a native", he joked.

"Ha, and we'll attract less attention", she agreed before going back to the book.

Josh saw the text from Antonio and got up off the bed and as he let him know. There was a knock on the door and he let Antonio in as the Argentine man looked critically at him. "No offense, but you look like a gringo", he said.

Josh looked down at his baggy black sweatpants, red t-shirt and black blazer topped off by a black beanie. "I always dress like this", he protested.

"Oh well, you can pass yourself off as a Patagonian hick. But you really look like a gringo, or a yokel. Lucky we're not in Buenos Aires, Portenos are arrogant bastards", he said. Antonio himself wore jeans but with a buttoned-down black shirt and his dark hair was neatly combed with his face clean-shaven.

"I don't have anything else", I just packed for cold weather. I'm not a clothes guy", said Josh apologetically.

"That's all right, but now you know. And once we reach Ushuaia, it won't matter", said Antonio.

"And you look great as always, Night Owl", said Josh gallantly as Nika blushed. She wore a royal blue dress with a maxi skirt and long sleeves, the dress fitting her slim figure perfectly. Her dark hair was pulled back into a bun with a few loose curls around her shoulders, a chunky dark blue necklace around her slim throat.

"Si, ella son bella. Don't worry, I'm gay", said Antonio.

"Oh, okay. Is that going to be an issue where we're going?", asked Josh.

"No, everyone knows and my parents already have grandchildren via my sisters so I'm under no pressure. I'm single, though, the gay scene in Ushuaia is almost non-existent and it's the same throughout Patagonia", said Antonio as they went downstairs to the hotel restaurant.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 18

Antonio smiled knowingly when he saw them come downstairs the following morning for breakfast, hand in hand. Both of them had happy, flushed faces and Josh had a prominent hickey on his throat barely covered by his floppy brown hair. "Just don't be so obvious, you two. But seriously, this is a country where you can do a lot of PDA and people don't freak out", he teased.

"All right, I can get used to this", chuckled Josh.

Josh reached over and held her hand as Nika blushed. They entered the hotel's dining room and a few heads turned in their direction. They did make an attractive, striking couple as they were both tall and slim and dark-haired. "We are a lot less repressed people than Anglos, a man with a pretty girlfriend is always going to get attention. Just don't stand out too much as Americans. And you are picking up the Argentine accent", said Antonio.

"Si, by watching football games. By the time we reach Ushuaia, my accent should be on point", said Josh.

"Your accent is very good already, you don't sound like an American. But it sounds as though you have a Welsh Patagonian accent, my mother has that accent and with your looks, you could pass for a Welsh or British person", said Antonio.

"I always wanted to be British, especially since Nika is half-British", he chuckled.

"Pepere is half-Belgian, half-Polish and British by the grace of God", she quipped.

"Can I choose my new last name? I hate my last name", said Josh.

"Just for the trip. Why is that?", asked Antonio.

"It's long and hard to spell, plus people keep asking me if I'm related to the terrorist victim. He was my grandpa's cousin", said Josh.

"I see. Then what would you like to use?", he asked.

"Dashwood, since it's the name of the family from Sense and Sensibility. Plus Dashwood Books is a great bookstore in New York City", said Josh.

"I like it, Josh Dashwood", said Nika approvingly.

"And what about you?", Antonio asked Nika.

"Nicole de la Cruz, Nicole is my aunt and de la Cruz is the Spanish version of Lacroix", she replied.

"It makes sense, Lacroix, de la Cruz", agreed Josh.

"Good. When we meet Hugo, he will have your papers with those names. And no one can understand us when we talk Sol Duga business, we are still speaking Spanish but it sounds like we're talking about the weather", said Antonio as the couple looked amazed.

"That's a great idea, it doesn't attract attention", said Nika approvingly.

The trio had breakfast and went back to check out before loading up the truck. Nika quickly texted John before getting in the trick. "Now we are finally going to leave the tentacles of Buenos Aires, by tonight we enter Patagonia. We're staying in Viedma, it's a pleasant little place with views of the Atlantic. Remember the 47 Ronin, we are going to lull Zoe before arresting her", said Antonio.

"Except hopefully no one ends up committing seppuku. Do you think she recognized you?", asked Josh.

"Us Sol Duga can tell when another member is near, Spidey Sense as it were. She knew a member was near but not which one. But that's only if we are wearing our rings, we wear them during the travel part, not all the time", Antonio explained.

"Has anyone gotten stuck in time?", asked Nika.

"Several have decided to stay behind, but Hugo has to approve. They can't do anything modern or become famous, they must keep a low profile. These are often single people who married a local or someone with no family, they don't want to be lonely. As long as you don't lose the rings, you will be fine", said Antonio.

Josh reached inside his sweatpants pocket and felt the little velvet box which held his ring, knowing Nika had hers in her makeup bag. The idea of being permanently stuck in 20's Argentina horrified him, making him more determined to catch Zoe. But the dream with Zoe as a Gorgon frightened and intrigued him. He hoped to get some real answers sooner than later.

The further south they drove, the fewer towns and vehicles they saw. The broad grasslands of the Pampas gradually gave way to to rocky soil more suited to sheep and goats but the flocks were mostly far from the road because of the winter. The sky above was a dull pale gray threatening rain and there was a chill in the air, so very different from the cliché' image of sunny South America. "Patagonia is cold, it's polar in Ushuaia. The summers are mild but not hot, like English summers. I can't stand heat, I've lived in Ushuaia my whole life and I'm half-Welsh", said Antonio with a laugh.

"I get cold easily and always wear layers, and I'm from Los Angeles", said Josh, shaking his head.

"Your ancestors must have come from somewhere cold", said Antonio.

"Yeah, Mom's family is Irish and Dad's family is German Jewish", Josh replied.

"Figures, you have cold weather genes", agreed Antonio.

Josh felt a sudden chill go down his spine as he squirmed in his seat. "What happens....", he trailed off.

"Your families will be notified, since your parents don't know about us, they will be told you were killed in an accident", said Antonio.

Josh felt somber as they got out of the truck and headed towards the hotel. He vowed he was going to succeed and come back to their house in Los Angeles, marry Nika, have brilliant kids and make great music. "Don't worry, the majority of our missions are successful. But I must warn you, when we go to Ushuaia, I'm going to show you how to fire a gun. For self defense", said Antonio.

"What? Is that dangerous?"", he asked dubiously.

"Americans are weird about guns, they're either terrified of them or own too many. In rural Patagonia, many people have guns for self-defense. The Ushuaia police are competent but lazy, they are used to dealing with drunks and barfights. I have a pistol for self-defense and several hunting rifles. I have two .38 caliber pistols my brother gave me. Ushuaia back then was like a wild west town", said Antonio.

Nika frowned. "Dad would freak out, he's a pacifist", she said.

"Pacifism has it's uses, but not where we're going", said Antonio.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 19

They checked into the hotel and went up to their rooms. Josh dropped their bags on the bed and went straight to the window, lifting up the glass. The window looked out onto the Atlantic just as the sun was beginning to set, the sky dark blue on top turning orange as the massive sun sat like an orange wedge on the water. The sun's dying rays reflected on the water with only a few fishing boats bobbing on the surface as they headed for the harbor.

"It's gorgeous, I've never seen anything like this", said Nika.

Josh nodded at his girlfriend's words as they watched the sunset for a few minutes. He went to get his phone and took a picture of the sunset and sent it to his parents. "I love LA but there's no sunsets like this", he murmured.

Nika nodded in agreement as she took a few pictures to send to John. "Too bad Dad isn't here, he would have really loved to go on one of these missions. But his health is not the best and medical care may be hard to come by", she agreed.

Josh's phone buzzed and he saw the text from Kathleen. "Mom loves the pics, she wants to see more", he said.

"Tomorrow we have to get back on the road, we can't linger. It would be wonderful to see more of the country", said Nika ruefully.

"Hah, me too. But I really want to take pictures to show Mom and Dad, since they refuse to go anywhere", said Josh with a laugh.

The couple stood by the window watching the sunset for a few moments. By tiny degrees, the sun set lower into the ocean as the reflection of the sunset grew larger and a deeper orange and the sky grew darker. "I want to see more sunsets, there's too much smog in LA", said Josh.

The moment was interrupted as Josh's phone buzzed. He saw the text from Antonio and showed it to Nika before replying back. "He wanted to know if want to go on a cruise around Tierra del Fuego when we get to Ushuaia", he said.

"Okay, it's certainly different", she agreed.

Josh nodded and sent a reply back. He looked up from his phone and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the Gorgon's head staring back at him from the window. Nika immediately yanked his arm so they both fell on the floor as he shook in fright and fear. She held him close and stroked his hair as he trembled, his breathing coming in harsh gasps. An idea came to her as she crawled on the floor and found her makeup bag, opening it up to take out her hand-held mirror. She used the reflection from the mirror to see the Gorgon was gone before going back to Josh. "It's gone, you can look up", she whispered.

Josh slowly lifted his head and reached out for her hand, his hands shaking as she helped get up off the floor. "What the fuck? How the fuck did that get in the room?", he stammered.

"I don't know, but how do you feel? Physically?", she asked.

Josh was still shaking as she led him to the bed and made him lay down. "I'm trembling really bad, like when I was a kid and saw Chucky in Child's Play. But that was a Gorgon, I've read enough mythology. But they're not real", he muttered.

"Just weeks ago, you didn't think time travel was real. But now you know it is, Gorgons could be real too, but how do you feel?", she asked.

Josh felt his heartbeat and breathing slowly go back to normal. "I'm feeling better now, I must have been seriously freaked out but I know not to look at it. I don't have a shield like Perseus", he chuckled weakly.

"I do have a mirror, if that counts. Maybe you should get one, it's just a little mirror I use to apply my makeup.

"Yeah, we'll stop at a drugstore", he agreed.

There was a knock on the door and Nika peered through the keyhole to see it was Antonio. "Josh, are you all right?", he asked.

"I saw a Gorgon in the window, Nika grabbed me and made me get down on the floor", he replied.

"Aye Dios Mio. Then we must be more careful, the Sol Hafn harness these creatures to scare us. So we will order room service and avoid anything that catches attention", said Antonio.

"I'm not wearing the ring, and I'm not even a real member", Josh protested.

"But Nika is both a Lacroix and a Torres. The Gorgon might have been targeting you to frighten her, but she won't be frightened", said Antonio.

Nika felt the ice-cold finger of fear go down her back as she shivered. The idea of anyone trying to get her by hurting Josh made her blood run cold, then slowly anger grew in her as it threatened to crest like a wave. Josh saw her eyes flash with tell-tale purple lights and hugged her. "You have every right to be angry, Night Owl. We'll face this together, and we will win", he vowed.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 20


Chapter Text
The next few days the group tried to stay under the radar as they headed south towards Ushuaia. Each night they stayed at simple hotels on the highway and ordered room service, the group never leaving the rooms and keeping a low profile. The scenery grew more rocky and barren and the weather colder as they made their way southwards through Patagonia. The dark blue of the Atlantic to the east was their constant companion as they moved south, the cold, massive ocean an enormous expanse of dark blue-gray water surmounted by heavy gray clouds. Towns were few and far in between, much of the area given over to enormous sheep farms. The whole area reminded Josh and Nika of the Great Plains, except for the Atlantic.

"It is very different than what gringos think of as South America, but I love it here. I hate the heat, I hate the warmth. If I had to go up to Buenos Aires, I get hot", said Antonio as they approached the Rio Gallegos city limits.

"I get cold all the time, and I'm from California. How much does it snow here?", asked Josh.

"Depends, we just got a big storm last week because of an Antarctic polar vortex. Our snow is small and steady most of the time, we get a lot of cold rain. Summer is around 20, 25 C, think about 50 F with rain. I love it, the heat makes me lazy. The cold is brisk and invigorating", said Antonio happily.

"I've lived in southern California my whole life and have never seen snow in the winter, except in New York while visiting relatives. But not like this", said Nika.

The bustling port city in the far south of Patagonia was still covered in a mantle of white from the last snow. The cold temperatures hovered around 30 or so degrees since last week so the new snow had not yet turned to slush, retaining its white color with only the snow near the streets turning gray. Under medium gray skies, the city seemed a combination of dull modern buildings surrounding its busy port as they gray and off-white stone monoliths were softened slightly by the fog. "This looks like Seattle", said Josh.

"I suppose, I've never been to the US. The province has a lot of oil and coal, but the money goes to the greedy Porteno bastards screwing up the country. People down here don't like Portenos, lucky none of us are", said Antonio with a dry chuckle.

"I'm starting to pick up the accent, do I sound like a Porteno?", asked Josh.

"A bit, but your accent sounds like a Welsh Argentine who might have spent time in the city. If anyone asks, you're Welsh Argentine, Senor Dashwood", laughed Antonio.

"I'm going to miss my new name, I hate my real last name so bad but I can't get it changed since it would hurt Dad. He'd think I was ashamed of my Jewish heritage", said Josh.

"Are you?", asked Nika.

"No, but my family isn't religious at all. The Klinghoffers are barely Jewish, they rarely go to a synagogue except for weddings or funerals. We celebrate Christmas and my Dad eats pork, so it's a stretch to call any of us Jewish. Especially since it's my dad who's Jewish and not my mom, if it's through Mom then I'd be Jewish automatically. Anyways, I'm not at all religious and don't go to any house of worship unless it's for a wedding", said Josh with a shrug.

"If we have kids, what religion do you want them raised in?", asked Nika when they entered the room.

"I don't know, I wasn't raised in any faith tradition. I guess they'll choose when they get older, like John who converted to Buddhism", he mused aloud.

"That makes sense, since neither of us is religious. I remember when you were borrowing Buddhist books from Dad, what happened with that?", she asked.

"I tried to make sense of them and do some of the meditation, but my mind is on hyperdrive and I couldn't get it to go blank. I still have that problem, my mind is never still and I keep coming up with ideas for songs but have a lot of unfinished ideas", he said ruefully.

"You could release a solo album", she suggested.

"Yeah, I could write and play all the instruments. It could be a real challenge, but a fun one. Maybe I can get John to produce it", Josh mused aloud.

"You could try that, and self-release it. A lot of Dad's stuff is only found on his website, just set up a PayPal account", said Nika.

"But would anyone buy it?", he asked dubiously.

Nika hugged him from behind and he leaned back against her. "Don't sell yourself short, Josh. You play all these instruments well, write great songs and have a terrific voice. You are an amazingly talented guy, Josh", she said.

Josh chuckled and gently slid her arms off his torso, turning around and kissing the tip of her nose. "Thanks for the encouraging words, Night Owl. I used to be the one encouraging you, now the tables are turned", he said.

"Remember when I was ten and ran away, you found me at your parents' house", she teased.

"Yeah, my parents wanted to call John immediately but I had them wait a few days until you calmed down. I thought John was going to kill me, but he was just glad you were safe", said Josh with an amused chuckle.

"I remember looking up Klinghoffers in the phone book, and found the right one", said Nika with a laugh.

"Me too, I wouldn't have wanted anything to happen to my future girlfriend", he joked.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 21

Josh reluctantly let her go and walked over to the window. The sky was overcast and the color was a medium-grayish white with delicate snow flurries slowly swirling down to the ground. The rooftops had a thin covering of snow which appeared to have the substance of gossamer as the thin white film covered the concrete, adding a layer of white to the old snow turning to slush. He opened the window and relished the feel of the cold, bracing air as it ruffled his hair and stung his cheeks. A few snow flakes fell on his hair and he waited until his head was covered with flurries before pulling his head away.

Nika giggled when she saw her boyfriend's hair full of snowflakes. She took some quick pics on her phone before the tiny flakes in his brown hair melted. "Do you want me to send them to your parents?", she asked.

"Yeah, I did the same thing when I was a kid visiting relatives in New York for the holidays. I ran outside without my hat when it was snowing and got snow in my hair, I loved it. We could go up to the Sierras for the winter, but I can't ski. Maybe we'll visit our New York families instead", he mused aloud.

"Yes, since we were both busy last winter", she agreed.

Nika's phone went off with a text from Kathleen. "Your mom says you look cute", she laughed.

"I did, now it's all melted", said Josh ruefully. He went into the bathroom and emerged with a towel as he dried his hair, the brown mass sticking up at funny angles and shiny from being damp.

Nika chuckled and took the towel from him as she used her fingers to smooth out his hair. The simple homey touch made a jolt of desire go through him as each little touch of her fingertips felt like a prick of static. With a low growl, Josh put his arms around her waist and kissed her fiercely. Nika moaned against his lips as she deepened the kiss and her lips parted under his. Josh groaned in approval as they continued to make out, his hands moving under her shirt to rest on the warm skin of her flat stomach.

There was a knock on the door and the couple jumped apart before Josh went to get the door. Antonio smiled knowingly when he saw their flushed faces. "Ah, lo siento. I was going to ask if you wanted to see a film, there's a really good art house cinema here. Don't worry, we'll be in the dark", he added.

"All right, it's something different", said Josh with a shrug.

Nika helped him smooth down his hair again and carefully placed the beanie on his head. "So far, no one's recognized you", she said.

"I'm just the new guy, the others are more easily recognizable", he replied.

"You are not just the new guy, you've replaced Dad in the band. But seriously, you are a brilliant musician and should be proud of yourself. Don't ever say that", she chided.

"Thank you so much, Night Owl", he said, hugging her.

The trio left the hotel wearing heavy winter coats, wool hats and furry boots. The flurries still tumbled to the ground from the grayish-white sky and fell on the pavement to form a delicate crust that crumbled under their boots, the air cold but not unpleasant. Just down the street from the hotel was a small, old-fashioned movie theater with posters mounted behind glass frames and a neon marquee whose pink and green lights added color to the gray and white surroundings.

Antonio bought three tickets and led them inside as the young usher on duty ripped them tickets in half. "This place has a lot of vintage films, it will be a good idea how it will be later", he explained.

The theater itself only had two screening rooms with about a hundred seats each, the dim lights revealing that it was three-quarters full with what appeared to be local hipsters and college students. The trio found seats near the back away from the others as the projector clicked each time a new image flickered on the screen. It was not an unpleasant sound as it felt strangely comforting compared to the soundlessness of a digital projector.

There were a few vintage ads which were amusing because of their outdated cheesiness and over-the-top good nature with sexy women in ruffled dresses. After that came a Mickey Mouse cartoon dubbed into Argentine Spanish. The sight of Mickey and Minnie speaking with Porteno accents made them suppress their laughter since the other audience members took it in stride.

Josh wheezed as he tried not to laugh out loud, Mickey and Minnie speaking in their familiar squeaky voices but in Spanish extremely funny. He took a deep breath and pulled himself together as Nika gently squeezed his hand softly and kissed his cheek. After the cartoon the movie finally started, what appeared to be some sort of a musical involving tango dancers.

The film was a brightly-colored musical set in turn-of-the-century Buenos Aires, prettied up and stylized to be a lot cleaner than reality. A famous tango dancer had a girlfriend from a rich family who didn't like him. They forbade him from dating her and his jealous partner seduced him, making his girlfriend jealous. Much of the movie was sent having the tango dancer trying to win his girlfriend back, which culminated when she went to his concert and the couple danced a passionate tango, to his partner's disgust.

"That looks like one of the musicals my grandma watches on TCM", said Josh when the movie ended.

"I agree, it was fun and a good way to spend an afternoon. I was expecting some weird art-house film", said Nika.

"No, only Portenos like those. They're just pretentious garbage, or just porn", said Antonio dismissively.

"Like that Nymphomaniac film", said Nika in distaste.

"That dumb thing? I was very disappointed when I saw it, it's just pretentious crap", said Josh.

It snowed a bit heavier as they walked back to the hotel. "My truck can go in the snow, the weather people say it'll stop tonight. Last week was worse", said Antonio.

Josh was sad to be back inside the warmth of the hotel, the bracing cold refreshing and invigorating. He felt more energized here in the cold than in the languid warmth and perpetual sun of southern California, the grayish-white sky and snow far better than the heat and smog of LA. "Josh, do you like it here?", asked Nika.

"Yes, I love the cold and snow. But I was born and raised in LA, the band and all my musical friends live here. If I moved somewhere else, I'd have to start all over again. Maybe we should go to the Sierras in the winter, just for the snow", he said.

Nika understood, having seen his eyes light up when he saw the snow and him sticking his head out the window like a little child. "We should, having all summer gets boring. But we have to do this first", she said.

"I know, Night Owl", he replied as he took off his coat.

[ladyfiaran22]

Chapter 22

Josh opened the window and watched mesmerized as snow continued to fall over the city. The sky was black with the snow providing a vivid contrast, the stars and moon visible through the snow and in the distance he could see the silhouettes of massive ships in the harbor, their outlines barely visible but for their gigantic outlines. "Josh, you're going to catch a chill", Nika chided.

"I'm fine, but I love this view", he replied. Nevertheless, he leaned back and closed the window. Nika was watching an Argentine soap opera and she looked on in wide-eyed horror at the cheesy, over-the top melodrama.

"These are horrible, my ex-girlfriend's grandma watched these", said Josh in dismay.

"I'm trying to get a handle on the accent, mine is a Castilian Spanish accent. It was either this or soccer", she said.

Josh joined her on the bed and soon they were giggling like children at the cheesy soap opera. The couple onscreen starting making out while saxophone music blared in the background, the two of them laughing hysterically. "This sucks so bad! Change the channel", howled Josh.

Nika stopped giggling long enough to change the channel as a soccer show came onscreen. "Thanks, that was horrible", he said.

"I normally wouldn't watch that but I don't like soccer, I'm not a sports person. Unlike a certain boyfriend of mine", she teased.

"Hah, I do like my sports. Soccer isn't my thing, but us Americans aren't really soccer people. But that is the big thing h ere, maybe I should watch some Galaxy games when we get home", he mused aloud.

"Or European soccer, a lot of the cable channels have them", she said.

"Okay, I like to try new things. But the rules are similar enough to hockey so that I understand it", he said.

josh laid back on the bed and watched the highlight show while Nika leaned against him. His arm went around her waist and her long curly hair tickled his cheek as he breathed in the subtle scent of her lilac shampoo, his lips grazing her cheek. The tender moment was ruined when the announcer shouted when a goal was scored as Josh scowled. "This is stupid", he muttered as he changed the channel.

Josh flipped through the channels until they came to a documentary on the wildlife of Tierra del Fuego. The images of penguins and other Antarctic wildlife fascinated him, but what really astonished him was the dark sky with the borealis, the vivid green and blue streaks brighter than their northern counterparts. 'I so want to see that", he murmured.

"We will, that looks amazing. But it's going to be really dark with hardly any sunlight. Are you sure you want to see that?", she asked.

"I saw the Midnight sun in Iceland, this will be the opposite. The midnight sun was amazing to look at, I'd never a sky so red before. And it's weird to try and sleep when it's so bright outside. I just passed out from exhaustion. I'm looking forward to seeing the borealis, I'm going to take lots of pictures and show Mom and Dad", said Josh eagerly.

Nika nodded in understanding as she watched the borealis dance onscreen. The vibrant, brilliant colored lights looked so eerie and beautiful under the polar skies, unlike the dull gray skies during the day here in southern Patagonia. Suddenly she had an image of being in a cold, snowy place as the borealis pulsed and danced overhead. She was outside in the cold as snow swirled around her and penetrated her clothes, her feet trudging along through the heavy white mass.

The vision was so vivid and intense she cried out in fear. Josh immediately pulled her into his arms and held her until she calmed down. "Nika, what happened?", he asked softly.

She took a deep breath and told him of her vision. "Whoa, but why? Unless something made you run away. Nika, if you met your mom, what would you want more from her than anything?", he asked.

"I wanted her to be proud of me, but she never gave me any compliments, just criticism. If she said she was proud of me, I'd lose it", she whispered.

"Would you betray us?", he asked softly.

Nika burst into tears as Josh held her. "I don't know, I just wanted her to be proud of me, to say nice things. But she was always critical, never said anything nice", she whispered hoarsely.

Josh held her close as silent sobs shook her body. Red-hot anger surged through him and he thought that if he ever saw that woman, he would throttle her. "Relax, Nika. Your mother was an awful person, you are a brilliant, beautiful, talented woman. Don't let her win, that's what she wants. Don't let her win", he hissed.

Nika felt his big hands on her shoulders as he held her tight. The intensity in his brown eyes turned them to a vivid gold as she flinched in fear. Josh cursed softly under his breath at the fear in her blue eyes, which were now a dull dark blue which reminded him of button eyes on a doll. "Nika, I will never hurt you. Don't listen to your mother, she's trying to hurt you", he murmured.

Nika took a deep breath. "She's like a siren, she was so beautiful and when she was nice to me, it felt like a sunbeam shining on me. But it was so rare, she said quietly.

"She was manipulating you, Night Owl. I've read a lot of psychology books, your mom is a narcissist. Any crumb of praise she threw your way, you ate it up", he said.

"I don't know what to do if I saw her. Maybe it would be best if Hugo zapped her", she chuckled weakly.

"That's the spirit, be strong", he said.

"I'll try", she whispered.

"Resist temptation, don't give in. Don't be tempted, be strong. Be Frodo, throw the ring into Mount Doom", he said.

"I didn't know you were into Lord of the Rings", she teased.

"Hah, I've seen the films on TV. But seriously, even if Frodo did succumb momentarily, Gollum got greedy and bit off his finger, then fell into Mount Doom. But think of yourself as Frodo, he was a Hobbit who brought down Sauron. But he almost gave in, don't give in", he whispered fiercely.