Hello, friends :)

Sorry I didn't get to post yesterday, but here's a nice semi-long chapter for ya.

I hope you like it! :D

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Chapter Forty

~Nobody's POV~

They wake up on the hammock on Christmas Day, to the sounds of early-morning beachgoers and the cawing of seagulls around them. Thea opens her eyes first and, confused as to this unfamiliar location, bolts up, causing the hammock to swing madly.

Videl grunts, from where he has been holding onto her, and opens his eyes. Blearily, he mutters, "What's wrong, Thea?"

Thea shakes her head, realizing where she is now, and yawns, "Nothing."

"Mmph," says Videl, then rolls on his side, moving his arm so that it's around Angelique's waist, "We're still...sleeping."

"It's morning," Thea says quietly, "And it's Christmas."

"Christmas," mutters Videl, his shoulders rising up and down as he breathes heavily from fatigue, "Good night, Thea."

"I bet you're not even tired," whispers Thea, poking his face, "You're a Velah. You probably just want to keep sleeping next to Angelique."

He turns back over and gives her the evil eye, which is only half-impressive seeing as his eyes are still partially open and drooping.

"Well I want to get up," she says.

He sighs, "How did you sleep?"

"Fine."

"Mmph," says Videl again. Truthfully, he had been awake at several times during the night. As the hammock had drifted slightly in the breeze, he had stared at the stars, with Angelique and Thea lying on either side of him. He had noticed that Thea had been sleeping peacefully only part of the time. The other times had been spent with her moaning incomprehensible things, and tightening her hold on his hand. He had let her.

He groans as Thea gets off the hammock clumsily, so that it rocks some more. Videl glances down at Angelique- she's still sleeping soundly- and then looks up at Thea. In a whisper, he says, "You can't go anywhere."

"Why not?"

"You know why, Thea."

She makes a face at him, "I'm just going to the ocean. I want to-"

"Thea," says Videl, his voice still groggy, "No, just please lie back down for a little bit. It's still early."

She considers this, "How much longer?"

"I don't know," Videl closes his eyes and holds out his arm, then feels Thea climb back into the hammock. As she puts her head back on his collarbone, he adds, "Whenever Angelique wakes up, I suppose."

There's a couple moments of silence. Then, his eyes still closed, Videl murmurs, "How well did you actually sleep?"

She doesn't respond. When Videl looks over at her, her eyes are the ones that are closed, and she is turning the other way. He pokes her face like she had, and when she wrinkles her nose, he says, "How well did you sleep, idiot?"

Thea swats his hand away, and then mutters, "Fine. Leave me alone, I'm trying to sleep."

"Oh, shut up, you were the one who was trying to make us get up two seconds ago."

"Well, now I'm tired. I'm sitting in a hammock in Costa Rica, and I want to sleep. Good night."

"Hey, if you're going to lie, at least do it convincingly."

"I'll pretend to keep that in mind."

Videl knows that it's pointless to argue with Thea. Instead, he says, "All right then, go back to sleep."

"You didn't sleep well either," she says in a dreamy voice, looking up into the palm tree leaves. "I woke up a lot."

"Excuse me?"

"You kept muttering in your sleep," she says. "What were you dreaming about?"

"I was dreaming that you wouldn't stop asking questions," he replies, "Nasty dream, it was."

"If you're going to lie, at least do it convincingly."

He glances at her, "Ouch."

She smiles.

Half an hour later, Angelique stirs slightly. Taking a deep breath, she opens her eyes to see Videl looking down at her, his mouth twisted up in a small smirk. His hair is tousled and his eyes still a little sleepy.

"Were you watching me sleep?" asks Angelique, yawning, "That's too Twilight for me."

"I wasn't watching," says Videl, who doesn't have any idea what Twilight is. "I was admiring."

When Thea snorts, Videl elbows her in the ribs.

"Well," says Angelique, sitting up, her long wavy hair falling almost to her waist, over her swimsuited skin, "Merry Christmas. Thea, you're awake?"

"No," says Thea, "Because I keep my eyes open when I'm sleeping, ouch, Videl, use your words."

Videl has elbowed her again. He retorts, "Whenever I try to use words on you, you generally just sass me back. This is simpler."

She glares at him, then moves to kick him in the jaw, but this is an extremely awkward adjustment, and she ends up falling back onto the hammock. There's a crack as she collides her head with Videl's.

"Damn it, idiot, do you have any flexibility?"

"Depends on the day," says Thea, who is clutching her head and can't think of a wittier response.

Angelique chuckles, and then turns on her side, so that she's looking down at Videl. "Good morning."

He smiles up at her, and then moves some of her hair from her cheek. He reaches up with one fluid motion and kisses her forehead, "Good morning."

"Good morning," says Thea.

Still looking at Angelique, Videl rolls his eyes.

"What are we doing for Christmas?" asks Angelique. "I don't know what there is to do in Costa Rica."

"We could swim," suggests Thea, "Although maybe you and Videl could try some skinny dipping."

Videl actually sits up and pushes Thea off of the hammock, where she lands with a thump.

"Ouch."

"Oh, that hurt?" asks Videl serenely, still in the rocking hammock with Angelique. "I'm so sorry."

Thea gets to her feet and brushes off the sand, making a face at him.

"I have an idea," says Angelique, "We could go surfing. We've been here for almost a month, and we haven't even surfed."

"I have no idea how to surf," says Thea.

"Me neither. But we can learn!"

"I think we should eat first," says Videl, "Because I'm starving."

"You're always starving," says Angelique.

"Why shouldn't I be?" asks Videl, reaching up and putting his hand on Angelique's cheek. She flushes slightly as he says, "I've been starving for a month."

"Starving for what, exactly?" asks Thea, keeping a safe distance away from the hammock.

Not taking his eyes off of Angelique as she gets off of the hammock, Videl threatens, "Don't make me get off of this hammock."

"I think I'll take my chances," says Thea, pulling on her white dress. "Get up, Videl, we're hungry."

He gives her a look, and is about to climb out of the hammock but at that moment, the hammock swings violently upside down, so that Videl is thrown unceremoniously to the ground. His face covered in sand, he glares at Thea, who covers her mouth with her hand to hide her mischevious grin. But she can't hide the sparkle in her green eyes.

"You think you're amusing," says Videl, getting to his feet.

"I don't think," says Thea, prancing past the hammock, "I know."

"Get that smug grin off of your face."

"No, I don't think I will," says Thea and jumps away with a squeal when Videl lunges for her. Hiding behind Angelique, she says in a faux-scared voice, "Angelique, he's being mean to me again."

Angelique smiles at Videl, "You know, it's always been appealing to me when guys are really sweet to kids."

"Hey! I'm not a kid."

Videl, a smirk of his own now on his face, reaches over and ruffles Thea's hair a little too aggressively to be completely convincing , "Oh, aren't you a cutie."

"That's not degrading at all," says Thea, trying to move away from him, but he loops his elbow around her neck and pulls her back. "Let...GO!"

"No, I don't think I will," says Videl, chuckling as Thea digs her feet in the sand, trying to get her head free.

"Now that the two of you are getting along again," says Angelique, "I-"

"Oh, that's what's been happening?" Thea asks through gritted teeth, still struggling to break free from Videl.

"I think we should get some breakfast," continues Angelique.

"Sounds wonderful," says Videl, suddenly letting go of Thea, which causes her to go tumbling back to the ground.

Breakfast is a meal on the deck beside the ocean. As soon as they finish eating a light meal of fruit and a few slices of toast, Thea, Videl, and Angelique walk back out onto the ocean. Considering that it's Christmas Day, the beach is full of vacationers, including families with screaming children, honeymooners holding hands, and the occasional retired couple lounging in chairs.

Most of the surfing takes place on the right side of the beach, where the waves are higher and the crowd slightly less sparse. Videl, with the help of his hypnotic amber eyes, procures them three surfboards, complete with leashes. Thea immediately claims the bright blue board that has black hibiscus decals trailing up and down the sides, and follows Videl and Angelique to the surf.

"So, how does this work?" asks Videl, looking out into the ocean and watching the various surfers take to the waves, which aren't particularly high this time of year.

"First," says Angelique, sticking her pink board in the sand and leaning against it, "We observe."

"Or we just go in now," says Thea, walking right into the water.

Videl crosses his arms and narrows his eyes in Thea's direction. Tilting his head, he says to Angelique, "Is there a reason she wants to keep annoying me?"

Angelique picks up her board, "Probably because you're so fun to annoy." Grinning back at Videl, she walks after Thea, into the water that is beginning to get a little choppier.

Thea, trying to remember videos she's seen in school, paddles out on her stomach into the water, but when a wave comes crashing down, she is pushed off of her board, into the warm water. She surfaces, sputtering, and shakes the water from her hair, which is now plastered to her head.

"Well done," calls Videl, from the shore.

"Well, you try it!" she calls back defensively, pulling on the leash and tugging the surfboard back to her.

Videl watches Angelique first. She, like Thea, paddles out to the water, but does it right after a wave has come down. She manages to stand shakily, waving her arms around, but when another wave lifts her up, she falls into the water with a tremendous splash. When she surfaces, she looks back at Videl, "Your turn, slowpoke!"

"Yeah!" says Thea, who is is on her third try, and promptly falls back into the water.

"I certainly can't do any worse than you," says Videl.

"Then do it, instead of talking!"

He rolls his eyes, and then walks into the water with his board in tow. Like Thea and Angelique, he paddles out, feeling the warm water on his skin, somehow electrifying him. He can smell the salt and the sunscreen and the tropical breeze poignantly, and these scents pulsate through him. Finding a crest of a wave, Videl stands up slowly, keeping his arms lowered, and then begins to ride up on the wave. The wind whips through his hair, and he concentrates, maneuvering his arms to keep his balance, the board rocking from underneath his feet.

And then, he falls with the suddenness of something pushing him over, and splashes into the water. Pushing up, he looks around, settles his eyes on Thea, who is laughing, and then shouts, "Was that really necessary?!"

"Yes!" she shouts back.

"I was doing perfectly fine, better than you at any rate!"

"I'm sorry!" She does not sound very apologetic.

Angelique, in the meanwhile, has succeeded in riding a tiny wave back to the shore while the other two have been bickering. Squeezing the water from her long hair, she calls out to Thea and Videl, who are still bobbing in the ocean, "You guys need to seriously get yourselves together!"

"I was doing it perfectly, but it's her fault!" Videl shouts back, pointing an accusatory finger in Thea's direction. Thea sticks her tongue out at him and rolling his eyes, Videl ducks underwater.

Thea spots another wave rising up, this one a little bit higher, and begins to paddle out to meet it, determined this time. Waiting for the nose of the board to tilt slightly, she stands up shakily, frantically waving her arms in an attempt to balance herself. Perhaps she would have done it successfully if something hadn't come up under her board and launched it and her into the air. Thea's scream is cut off as she lands in the water.

When she surfaces, spitting water from her mouth, she finds herself face-to-face with a grinning Videl. "That's not fair, Videl!"

He wiggles his eyebrows at her, "No powers allowed, either, idiot."

She splashes him, and he glares at her, wiping the water from his face. Pulling her surfboard back to her, Thea says, "You're just jealous."

"Not really," says Videl, "I'm still stronger than you are."

Thea snorts, "Yeah right."

Videl grabs her around the arms and holds her to his chest. She shrieks and begins to kick the water, but he doesn't let go of her, laughing as he enjoys her struggles.

"VIDEL!" She buts her head against him, but he just holds her tighter, the water splashing around the both of them frantically, "YOU. ARE. A. BULLY."

"Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment," says Videl, glancing at Angelique as he continues to keep Thea pinned to him, "How's it going over there, Angelique?"

Angelique is sitting on her board about dozen feet from them, letting the water drift her to and fro peacefully. She smiles at him, "I think you should let Thea go before she breaks your wrists."

"Thea can't break my wrists, don't be ridiculous," replies Videl, "Asgardian blood or no Asgardian blood, I'm still much stronger than she is."

"Oh...please..." says Thea, who is beginning to tire slightly from trying to free herself from Videl, "Asgardians are stronger than you are."

He raises his eyebrows at the precise second that Thea kicks him in the groin. He gags, and lets her go, falling backwards into the water and groaning in pain.

"Whoopsie," says Thea delightedly, swimming around the still-moaning Videl. "Sowey, Videl."

"I'm...going...to kill you..." groans Videl, clambering back onto his surfboard, "That was cheating."

"Cheaters win," says Thea.

After a few more hours of surfing, during which Angelique proves to be the most skilled, the three spend the rest of the day at the beach. That evening, there is a barbecue next to the hotel that they are staying at, but they decide to forgo it and spend the rest of the night in their room. Thea and Angelique have been sharing the one bedroom, while Videl takes the pull-out mattress in the living room, but seeing as the only television is in the bedroom, they make do with the space they have.

There is also only one shower. Angelique showers first, while Thea goes into the kitchen and cuts up some fruit from the market. They usually buy fresh fruit every few days, from the stalls across the street from them. Videl is out hunting, a task he usually does in the evenings. Now that it's been a while since they had last encountered Loki, Videl is a little more relaxed with leaving Thea and Angelique by themselves. During these trips, he also usually brings back some more food for the girls.

An hour later, Thea is now in the shower and Angelique has taken up kitchen duty. A knock comes from the door, and she opens if after looking through the peephole. Videl walks through the doorway, Wairua on his shoulder. This is unusual- Angelique hasn't seen the white owl in about a week.

Videl sets down the plastic bag he has been carrying on the counter and also takes off his jacket, which has been hanging loosely over his bare chest, and fedora. "Is Thea in the shower?"

"Yeah," says Angelique, looking through the bag. Videl had brought back a chicken breast and some various seasoning. "How were the pickings?"

"Please don't tell me you're making fun of me," says Videl, opening the refrigerator and getting out a bottle of water. Wairua soars over to one of the two counter chairs and begins to preen.

"I'm not," says Angelique brightly, who has gotten used to having an owl in the kitchen, "I'm just curious what animal you consumed today."

He rolls his eyes, "For the last time, I don't eat them."

"Fine, whatever animal you sucked the life out of."

"You make it sound so terrible," says Videl, leaning against the counter heavily. He points to the chicken, "At least I'm not eating flesh. That's just disgusting."

"It's ridiculously ironic how you drink blood, but you won't eat meat."

"Well to me, it's ridiculously ironic how you won't drink blood, but you'll tear flesh off of bones all the live long day." Videl closes his eyes

"It's like you're a vegetarian," muses Angelique, moving some of the sliced-up bits of pineapple, "Except for the blood."

Videl rolls his eyes again, then steals a bit of the pineapple. When Angelique slaps his hand away, he pretends to look hurt. Then, as he pops the pineapple in his mouth, he says casually, "Did Thea just get in the shower?"

"Yes," says Angelique. She points to Wairua with her cutting knife. The owl hoots softly, and Angelique adds, "You found out something from him, didn't you? You look worried."

Videl shrugs, his teasing attitude gone. Sighing, he says, "Neidra seems to have gone about possessing people, probably to try and find Thea. As far as Wairua knows, the people are only in the States right now, but they're causing a lot of ruckus. Most end up killing themselves in confusion."

"That's terrible."

"Ah, ah, what did we say about you not biting your lip, because that makes me want to take you right here and right now?"

"Videl!" Angelique throws him an apple, which he catches deftly.

He winks at her, and then says, "I suspect the only reason Loki- or one of Neidra's other possessed minions- hasn't found us is either because we're so far away, or he's dead."

Angelique swallows, pausing as she cuts the fruit, "Oh, God, what about Thea?"

Videl bites into the apple, "I don't think Loki is dead. Neidra wants him alive, for some reason, which is why she's trying to get him to kill Thea- or that's the only way I can figure it out."

"Why would she want Loki to kill her?" asks Angelique quietly.

Videl pockets the apple and then walks around to the counter. Taking the knife from her hand, he begins to slice up some of the watermelon, gently hip-bumping Angelique away. "I don't know for sure. But my guess is that Neidra wants Loki dead. Loki though, is extremely strong, and extremely hard to kill. But if he sees himself kill Thea, he'll probably be so angry, the anger will blind him with grief, and Neidra will have an easy time disposing of him."

Angelique shakes her head and looks up at the ceiling. Then, she whispers, "Are we sure Loki is under a spell, and that he's not trying to kill Thea for his own reasons? I know he's her father, but at Disney World, his eyes were blue, not silver."

Videl laughs dryly, "First of all, Loki is a sorcerer. If he can alter his entire appearance, he can certainly alter his eye color. And I assure you, Loki is under a spell. You didn't see him..." Videl hesitates, suddenly remembering the stone chamber, the knives, Thea's screams, and Loki's murderous look. Videl clears his throat, "Loki doesn't know what he's doing, trust me. But that doesn't mean anything for us, it only means we need to get away from him."

"So what? We just keep running from him?"

"Until we learn more about what Neidra has planned, and therefore what Loki has planned, then yes, we need to keep running. Or, stay here on a tropical island until Loki finds us and we start the whole operation all over again."

"Yes, but what about-" Angelique cuts herself off as the bedroom door opens and Thea walks through. The younger girl is dressed in her usual pajamas, which she and Angelique have washed many times in the laundromat down the street, her hair in a towel. She's also carrying a small plastic bag that's wrapped up. Angelique smiles, "You look like you have a turban on your head, hon."

"You look ridiculous," says Videl.

Thea raises her free hand and suddenly, the knife in Videl's hand goes soaring into hers, causing him to nick himself slightly with the blade. Sucking on his finger, Videl glowers at Thea.

She ignores him cheerfully, taking her hair from the towel, mostly because it's useless with the short length, and then walks over to the kitchen. "Hi, Wairua."

Wairua hoots, leaning down to nibble some of the longer strands of Thea's hair.

"Look, I got you guys something for Christmas," says Thea, opening the box.

"Oh, Thea, you didn't have to get us anything," says Angelique admonishingly, coming around the counter as Thea takes out something white from the rolled-up bag.

"Yes, you did," says Videl.

Thea holds her hand out to Angelique, "I found this a week ago, on the beach."

Angelique opens her mouth. Thea is holding a perfectly shaped conch shell. It's not huge, about the size of Thea's small palm, but the swirls are perfectly cut from the continuation of the ocean and the silt around it.

Taking the shell in her hand, Angelique says, "This is absolutely beautiful, Thea, thank you so much!" She wraps her arms around Thea in a hug, careful not to drop the shell.

"This is for you, Videl," says Thea. She holds out something else white, but this time, it's about the size of Thea's entire hand. It's roughly round, with slightly serrated edges, but something like a little star in the center. A sand dollar.

"Hm," says Videl, inspecting the item. Then, he leans over the counter and ruffles Thea's hair, "Thank you, idiot."

"I think the thank you and the idiot canceled out," says Thea.

"I'm not saying sorry," says Videl, "And by the way, if you look under the bed, you'll find something I think you might like."

"If it's a snake," says Thea, turning around and walking over to the mattress, which has sheets thrown on it messily, and bends down."I'll incinerate you."

"I'll keep that in mind," says Videl, reaching over to his backpack and unzipping it.

Thea looks on the mattress, then underneath, into the darkness. "I don't see anything!"

"Underneath." Videl, still going through his backpack, glances at Thea with a smirk on his lips.

"I'M LOOKING UNDERNEATH."

"Well something's wrong with your eyes then," says Videl, and then tosses something soft and tan to Thea so that it hits the back of her neck.

She sits up, and then looks down. Beside her is a Duffy bear, from Disney World. She crosses her arms at Videl, "I thought you said it was stupid."

"I did," says Videl, "It was Angelique's idea."

"Oh, no it wasn't," retorts Angelique, "I got you something else, he's nothing but a liar."

Thea picks up the stuffed animal and holds it close to her. Then, she gets up and walks towards Videl.

"No. No hugs, what did I say about-"

Thea ignores him and hugs him anyway. Videl rolls his eyes, but wraps one arm around Thea anyway.

Quickly pushing her away, he says, "And don't lose him."

"I don't lose things."

Angelique breaks up the argument by reaching in her purse and taking out a purple, green, and pink multicolored fabric headband and handing it to Thea. "I found this one day while I was out getting fruit. I thought you might like it."

Thea pulls it over her head and grins at Angelique, "Thank you, it's perfect."

Angelique smiles, then glances at Videl, "I'm sorry, I didn't know what to get you."

"I wouldn't worry about it," says Videl, who is finishing eating his apple, "I didn't get you anything either."

"You could get something for each other," says Thea, who is still holding the Duffy bear.

"Like what?" asks Angelique.

"Well," says Thea casually, but with a grin, "You could kiss each other."

"What?!" squawks Angelique.

"I cannot believe I am going to say this," says Videl, looking at Angelique with a smirk, "But Thea has just suggested a brilliant idea."

"Miracles do happen," says Thea dryly.

"Oh, fine," says Angelique, who has turned red, and is trying to shield her face to hide the redness. "But only-"

She is interrupted as Videl pulls her close to him and kisses her. She immediately relaxes, wrapping her arms around Videl's neck as he wraps one of his around her waist.

"Can I go to your wedding?" asks Thea.

Videl finally moves away from Angelique, and the snorts. "No."

"Of course you can," says Angelique, then reaches up on her tiptoes to kiss Videl again.

See, I have the ability to write cheerful chapters.

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