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After dessert, those who needed to leave a little earlier helped clean up. They had a nice evening and would have stayed a little later except three of them had to be up early to most likely plow more snow.

Stacy was still excited that Randy had asked to stay with him and since they both went to bed at the same time. They could cuddle a little. Falling asleep with someone you loved was a first for Stacy and a feeling he hoped would never go away.

Friday Nodrog left after Jenny had gone to work to check on some things off world. It was still summer as he walked out of the castle to the small little shop Lilith and her mentor Michaela worked.

Once more the little bell cheerfully rang announcing his presence. Lilith was out in the shop arranging items. Polite and cute as always. "Hello Nodrog."

"Hello. I really appreciate you helping Jenny. Thank you." Nodrog said as he walked over to her.

"It was no problem at all." Lilith said as Michaela glided down from the second story.

"I had expected you a little earlier." Michaela said softly.

Nodrog smiled. "I got a little busy with a newer holiday they celebrate. It was quite pleasant if you like normal food."

Michaela and Nodrog chuckled at Lilith's sudden discomfort at his joke. "I have spoke with one of the other mortal races about Alice's interesting blood." Michaela motioned for him to follow her.

Nodrog followed her down to the basement once more. She glided across the room to her notes and where the vial of blood still sat. "I do not suppose you are familiar with Velopian?"

"No, earthen languages are all I know aside from my native ones." Nodrog said.

"No matter. They have a similar illness that effects their own blood. Unfortunately, it kills them far quicker than the humans. They have not had any luck curing it themselves." Michaela said softly. She could see the concern on his brow.

"I have sent out a few correspondents. There are over one hundred other mortal races. The Velopians and Humans are not the only ones who seem to be effected by this unusual illness. However it does seem to affect them more often." Michaela set down her notes next to the blood.

Nodrog thought a little. "It seems odd to me that two races that have never met suffer very similar diseases... Could it have something to do with us immortals?"

"I would certainly hope not. The implications alone... It would be a stretch for demons to produce such a thing." Michaela said. She was shocked that even he would insinuate they would stoop to such a low level.

"I must apologize, I still have a few trust issues. Even with my own kind." Nodrog bowed his head and looked away from her.

Michaela put her hand on his shoulder. "You have been severely wounded by mortals, monsters and even those who claim to do heavens bidding. You have been on every side of nearly every war fought. Lilith was not the only one to betray you."

"It stings to hear those words from you. Seeing as you were against my creation from the very beginning." Nodrog said, an unintentional growl in his voice.

"I will not deny that fact, Nodrog. You should have been free. Roaming the universe without a master was your birth right... Not wallowing in the blood and filth of some mortal race's wars. Humans are so foolish and short sighted. Considering the pain they have caused you, I am surprised you want to save one." Michaela's contempt over shadowing her usual soft spoken tone.

"All of that might be true. However. Alice is different from the others... My past and what I am are of little concern now. Alice and Jenny have welcomed me into their home with open arms." Nodrog said the low growl still present. "They are the first to give me a home I can call my own."

Michaela could see the pain and resentment in his eyes. "Why did you stay with the others? You could have left at any time."

Now the growl was intentional. "And go where Michaela? My own kind disowned me, all of the monster races were frightened of me. Who but those war mongering humans would have taken me in? I spent a hundred years fighting myself lost in near madness..."

"I will not idly stand by why fate tries to take the first person to defend me." Nodrog said in anger his hands clenched in fists.

Michaela waited a few seconds for him to calm down. "There should be a deep metaphor, in a tiny mouse helping a dragon."

Nodrog relaxed mostly. "I suppose there should be. There was a story about a mouse helping a lion..."

"The king of the jungle does not hold much to kings of worlds." Michaela said softly. Her own calm returning.

Nodrog chuckled. "Speaking of lions... I have a rather odd question involving one."

"Oh, ask away." Michaela said, a small smile forming.

"I have another close friend who has an odd problem." Nodrog scratched his chin. "This person has a gender problem. Not a hermaphrodite and not completely genderless."

"So they would like to be changed into one or the other. It certainly is not unheard of. Quite rare, but it can be remedied for a price." Michaela said softly.

"I would cover the costs. They do not have anything that would be of value in this world." Nodrog said.

Michaela smiled. "I wouldn't be so sure of that. You would have to bring your friend here so I can determine what needs to be corrected."

"We can agree on a price then." Nodrog said. Keeping Lilith from being brutally punished got him Alice's treatment for free. Anything past that would require something of value in exchange.

"Very well. That collar you purchased was quiet expensive. It had been in that case for centuries." Michaela said as they walked back up stairs.

Nodrog chuckled. "The people I hold dear are far more valuable than any trinket, in any shop. You don't think I killed thousands for free do you?"

"But I thought you were ordered too." Lilith said as she set down an artifact on a table.

"I was, but to the victor go the spoils... and I was always the victor." Nodrog said with a wicked grin.

"It will take a few days to round up the necessary regents for the potion." Michaela said softly. He had changed in some aspects, but not all of them. It had been a mistake to think he would not plan ahead even when he had been enslaved.

"I don't think we are in any hurry. Still I will get a hold of you before we come by." Nodrog said. The slight change in his eyes turned the evil smile into a pleasant one.

They exchanged fair wells and Nodrog left the little shop to check on something else. Namely his spoils of war... Which he housed in a long forgotten castle buried under the Antarctic ice.

Nodrog's breath and radiant heat were clearly visible in the sub zero temp. Most everything he had acquired in nearly eighteen hundred years. From a total of six continents spanning two worlds. It had taken him eighty years to find this castle, and nearly that many years to move everything here.

The castle itself sat on a point where the old magic lay lines of the world converged. That being the only way he had finally found it at all. Nodrog could not tell you what the outside of the castle looked like, it was completely encased by ice. In fact in some places the ice intruded into the castle.

He knew at one time it belonged to another dragon. Whom the ancient humans worshiped long before the continent became covered in ice. Also of note was the world map housed here, it showed where numerous places could be found, that now only existed in mythology.

The echo of his footsteps rang throughout the castle because of the extremely cold air. Nodrog smiled as he walked, only his foot prints from his last visit disturbed the frost. Unlike other castles or places of worship, this was the only one where the carvings and writings were in Draconic. He had not tried to find other such places buried under the ice.

It was his own piece of the world. Not home, simply a frozen vault. Here there were artifacts and treasure in piles, the only order being where it had came from. White jade crystals provided light constantly. A wonder of the ancient world long forgotten like most of the stuff here.

Nodrog made his way to the giant stone throne where the bones of the dragon who ruled now sat. It was the only body Nodrog left in the castle. He left it mainly out of respect for the dragon that once over saw the area around the castle. Sitting that dragon was four feet taller than he was standing. Etal Angers, had been dead for centuries before Nodrog even started looking for this castle.

"Still keeping watch I see." Nodrog said to the skeleton. As far as he knew Etal was one of the very few dragons to rule over any part of a world. Most of them had little need for property or servants. Though some liked to indulge a little, since they had the power to do so.

It was Aztec gold that paid for Jenny's collar. Most of that he had taken from sunken Spanish ships. Etal Angers had a fair amount of treasure himself, some of which Nodrog thought came from the City of Atlantis. He of course had no way to prove that since the city disappeared.

Actually with the world map he had, Nodrog had gone to the center of the great city. Except the city was not there, not even ruins to hint at it ever being there. It had sat over a large magic keyway on the world. The magic was still there at the ocean floor. Atlantis itself was no longer here.

Nodrog passed by what he thought was a entertaining hall. At least that was what he gathered from the writings he had found in it. Now it was namely a trophy room. Rip Van's giant rifle was his latest prize. The broken Philosophers stones Lilith had used on him were also housed here. Mostly it was the weapons of the very few enemies he had any respect for, or had caused him personal harm.

Bethany's poisoned dagger was laying on a table. Anyone brave enough to actually stand up to him, Nodrog kept their weapon or some token they had to remind him. Those who were just stupid or foolish he did not. He told Sherman less than twenty people, those were the people he cared about or thought of as a friend. This room was to remind him of those who he only respected for their actions during battle.

He wandered the forgotten halls and wondered what it might be like. To be in charge, to be worshiped. Stacy and Henrietta both had pointed out he was certainly capable of doing just that. However did he really want to be... bothered by all the people? They do a lousy job of governing themselves, if he were in charge they would just constantly bug him over every little thing.

Having his every whim catered too would not really be any different. Really he just had no interest in being in charge of anything. He had been bored for years standing in a king or queen's shadow watching as they dealt with business. To be the one all of those people came to, sounded tedious at best.

No, he liked staying back in the shadows. What he really liked was having a place he could call home, with friends that did not care about his past or what he really was. Nodrog took one last look around the frozen vault and quickly left.

Jenny and Stacy both jumped and let out a scream when he just appeared near the window. He managed not to laugh at their surprise. "Sorry. I did not expect anyone to be here"

"We just got back." Jenny said as she caught her breath.

"I don't think I will ever get used to that." Stacy said as his heart pounded away in his chest.

Nodrog smiled. "You will be happy to know I do have an answer for the question you asked me the other night."

"The question he was too embarrassed to ask in front of us?" Jenny teased.

"That would be the one." Nodrog said and walked over to the couch. "The answer is, yes. It can be done, for a price."

Stacy blushed. "What will my happiness cost?"

"That I don't know. I will have to take you to see Michaela so she can determine what needs to be done. We will agree on a price then." Nodrog sat down on what had been Alice's side of the couch. Now it was his side and they always stuck Alice in the middle.

Jenny thought about it for a little bit. "If it is off world, how is he going to pay for it?"

"He won't pay for it, I will." Nodrog said.

Jenny rubbed her temples. "Okay I have to ask, my curiosity just will not let it go. How did you pay for my collar?"

Nodrog chuckled. "With gold of course, same thing I will use to pay for the thing Stacy wants."

"I was under the impression there was nothing valuable in the castle they found you in..." Stacy said.

"I know a shadow that can take me any where instantly, and I can teleport any distance of my own free will." Nodrog thought they would figure it out

"But you said you had no need for such things, I don't understand." Stacy said.

Jenny and Stacy both looked at him. Nodrog smiled. "I have no need for it, but gold is the currency of choice for most races."

"The spoils of war?" Jenny asked.

"I am always the victor after all." Nodrog chuckled. "The spoils of war and some that had been completely forgotten."

"Did you leave your phone here on purpose? Winston called you." Jenny leaned across the arm of the couch to grab his phone.

Nodrog took it when she handed it to him. "I did, I don't think it would work on another world."

Nodrog flipped it open. Winston had left him a voice mail. He listened to the short message before he closed it and put the phone in his shirt pocket.

"Must not have been anything to important." Jenny said.

"Just had to cancel tonight's practice. Freddy had something come up he needed to do." Nodrog said.

"I never did thank you for convincing them to let me come. It really means a lot to me." Stacy said.

"All it took was straightening out a few facts. That and Winston did go to school with you." Nodrog said.

"Are you sure it had nothing to do with the little fact you are a metal dragon?" Jenny teased.

"I suppose that might have helped." Nodrog said and the three of them laughed.

Jenny jumped up when her phone vibrated. She had been in a meeting earlier and forgot to turn the sound back on.

Nodrog and Stacy figured it had to be about Stacy since Jenny kept looking at him. Most of her side of the conversation was her agreeing with whatever was said.

"That was Amber." Jenny said as she turned the sound back on her phone. "Your dress is finished."

"Maybe when Alice is free I will go with her to try it on. Plus that way I get to see hers before you do." Stacy said with a big smile.

"She needs to get Carly down there to get fitted as well." Jenny said.

"I wonder if that big of a change will alter my size..." Stacy hadn't given it that much thought.

Jenny leaned closer to him. "So you did ask him if you could just magically be a girl."

Stacy blushed, more from how close she was then her figuring it out. "Yeah... I don't want to be an 'it' any more. Besides I figured magic would be safer than surgery, which would take weeks to heal from."

A very naughty smile spread across Jenny's lips. She placed her hand on his thigh. "You know I could show you all kinds of wonderful things about your new body."

Stacy let out a sigh of relief as Jenny stopped when Alice opened the door for Carly. "Saved by the mouse." Stacy snickered as Jenny retreated quickly to her corner of the couch.

"Hey. Amber called me while I was out. I take it she called you too?" Alice said as Carly limped over to a chair.

"She did. Actually Stacy and I were playing games while Nodrog was off... out. I mean out." Jenny said.

"I guess that means I should actually look for a designer peg leg." Carly said with a laugh.

"The one you have will be fine." Alice said and giggled at the thought.

Jenny turned to Carly. "I see you have gotten well enough you can leave the crutches at home."

"Yeah, I almost have all of my strength back. Still have a little ways to go, but every day seems to be better." Carly said.

"How about I order us a pizza and the three of us can go down town after lunch." Alice said as she dug for her phone.

"Don't worry about me. I had a rather late breakfast." Nodrog said. Alice just smiled. Stacy was the only one who thought about asking something, but realized before he said something.

Nodrog held the store door open for the three ladies. He was still not entirely sure why he had gotten talked into coming with them. Part of it was in case Carly had a hard time with the ice on the ground. He kept the smirk to himself as several of the women in the store seemed to forget what they were doing when he walked in.

Stacy and Alice both giggled. Stacy was infinitely glad Jenny and Alice had some tape he could use to tuck since he was trying the dress on. Hopefully he would not have to worry about keeping this kind of a secret much longer.

Nodrog looked over some suits while the women did their thing.

Stacy's heart was racing as Alice zipped up the back of the dress made just for him. Alice stood behind him and even though they both were bare foot she was a little taller than him. He could see the smile on her face as they looked into the floor length mirror.

Alice played with his hair. "You are so cute... Picking you to be the flower girl was the perfect choice. I am sure a certain pony will not be able to take his eyes off you."

Stacy blushed as Alice praised him. Carly had insisted they see Alice try on her dress before they did anything else. Alice and Jenny were both very beautiful, no one was going to notice the rest of them.

"Well come out here so we can see how it fits her." Amber said.

Stacy was still a little red as he came out. Amber made him move and pose so she could make sure everything was to her standards. Amber made a few more notes and let Alice know Grace had come in earlier, so all that was needed to be done was finish making them.

"Jenny and my mother have everything else worked out. I guess all I need to do is show up and say 'I do'." Alice said as Stacy changed back into his clothes.

"At least that will be the easy part. I might have to borrow a few of your ideas for my own." Carly said.

"Go right ahead." Alice said.

"I will guess everything is in order judging by the smiles alone." Nodrog said as they came out from the back.

"Everything is perfect." Alice said.

Chapter.

"I guess it had not really set in until just now that we really are getting married." Alice said as they walked back to the hummer. Now that Jenny had gotten the big SUV, they didn't have to borrow something from the motor pool if they wanted to go some place with more than one other person.

"I am still in the I must be dreaming part too. We haven't done much planning at this point." Carly said.

Stacy and Alice quickly darted to the far side of the hummer and jumped in while there was no traffic. Nodrog helped Carly get in the rather tall SUV. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Nodrog said with a smile and got in the front seat.

"Have you and Mike moved in together yet?" Alice asked as she headed to Carly's house.

"We are looking for a place... Well Mike is looking for a place. I still get tired quickly. I am glad we are heading for home actually." Carly said.

"I figured you might be getting a little tired. It is a hell of a hike from the front door of the building to our apartment." Alice said.

Stacy giggled. "It's a hike to everywhere in that building. Skateboarding inside is probably frowned upon."

Alice laughed. "I know rollerblading is. Jenny got a lengthy lecture on how unprofessional that was."

"And you were yelled at for power sliding a snow plow. Maybe the two of you are bad influences." Nodrog said with a chuckle.

Alice grumbled. "It certainly was not 'reckless' I will concede perhaps a bit over enthusiastic... But not reckless."

The three of them laughed as Alice pulled up the short driveway Carly had to her little condo. She invited them in.

Carly had a little more decorations and knick knacks in her condo than Alice and Jenny. If not for the few overly cute girl things, it would look more like a boys house. Model cars sat on sparse book shelves, and there were a few posters of cars on the walls. There was a very prominent trophy case with several trophies in it.

Stacy walked over to a photo of Carly and Alice sitting on a wall someplace. Wes and Tim were in the background goofing off he imagined. Much like Ron and Lucy's house the pictures of Carly mirrored those of Alice in their racing endeavors from a young age to present.

"I was starting to wonder if anyone Alice knew drove an American car." Stacy said as he walked over to the couch Carly had sat down on.

"Hey, Tim has one." Alice said.

Carly laughed. "So you know two people. To be fair you have one now."

"I don't even have a drivers license." Stacy said sheepishly.

"It really is not all that uncommon since we have decent public transportation now." Carly said.

"Actually I have wanted to learn how to fly. To me that would be cool." Stacy said.

"Mr. October likes people with more than one skill. It wouldn't be that hard to get you some training." Alice said.

"That would be awesome." Stacy wouldn't mind a little more flying with Nodrog.

"Alice I will need you to take my car down to Joe's sometime in the near future. The twins are going to do a transmission swap for me." Carly said.

"Sure just let me know what will be a good day to do that. I am really glad you are not going to give up racing." Alice said.

"They were going to call me once they have the automatic built and ready to put in. We are going to try just a manual valve body with a lock out. That way I can jam on it and not worry about dumping it into neutral or reverse." Carly said.

Nodrog and Stacy were mostly lost when the two started talking cars. But they both got lost on several topics of which they had little knowledge of. It was something they both spent a little time working on. Stacy not as much since he did take a variety of college and technical classes. That and his father had a large collection of automobiles... very expensive ones at that.

Stacy had tried to show interest in anything his father had that was not related to his work. He had thought maybe his dad would actually accept him... Stacy even thought that as he slipped into a coma just as Al pulled a gun.

Stacy was a little startled as Alice called his name. "Sorry."

Alice and Carly giggled. "Hey what happened to all the cars your old man had?" Carly asked.

Stacy blushed. "I don't know. I was in a coma for more than a month. I would imagine the police impounded them or auctioned them off... Aside from my clothes and a couple of personal things, they took everything else my father had."

"Mike filled me in, he thought you looked familiar and asked Wes. Unlike those two I don't hate you just because of who your dad was." Carly said and after a short pause added. "I am sorry they did not treat you better."

"You don't have to apologize for them. I don't hold their feelings against them." Stacy said.

"It would be better to just leave those things in the past. Stacy and Jenny have a much better tomorrow to be wasting time thinking of the past." Nodrog said. He gave Stacy a wink.

"Which seems odd from someone who an archaeologist found after four hundred years." Carly teased.

"I just figured to be philosophical you had to be old." Alice said with a smile.

Nodrog laughed. "I suppose you have me there."

"I don't mean to be rude, but we should be heading back." Stacy said sheepishly.

"Do you have a hot date or something?" Carly blushed when Stacy nodded yes.

"I can't comment since he is my cousin." Alice said.

"Is it Randy?" Carly asked.

"Yeah he is in town till tomorrow." Stacy said.

"Don't let me keep you. Cause he is hot." Carly blushed a little more.

Stacy and Carly both giggled as Alice just shook her head. The three of them said good bye and headed back for the compound. They walked through the main entry way and headed to the elevators.

"So you will come and get me when everything is ready?" Stacy asked.

Nodrog chuckled. "Once everything is ready I will. Don't worry about it."

Stacy got off on the floor where the cafeteria and the lounge were on. Nodrog and Alice headed up to their apartment. "What was that about?" Alice asked as they walked to the apartment.

"The question he wanted to ask me the other day." Nodrog said and opened the door.

Alice set hung her coat on a hook. "What did he ask you?"

"To magically be a girl." Jenny said from the kitchen. She had made spaghetti for dinner. As always Jenny made a meatless sauce for Alice and one with meat for her. Some people might think constantly making two different meals would be a big deal. Jenny did not mind it in the slightest, one extra pan or dish to clean was nothing.

"You seem a little too happy about that." Alice teased as Jenny pulled garlic bread out of the oven. Jenny did a fair amount of cooking for the women they shared an RV with while out on sites. And she always remembered to fix something vegetarian for Alice and Mary.

"Why wouldn't I be happy for him to get his wish to come true?" Jenny asked.

"Because you did quickly volunteer to help him with his new body." Nodrog said.

Alice gave Jenny a kiss and pulled out some plates for them. "I thought there was an ulterior motive."

"It is my job to help him get accustomed and situated here. I really doubt Nodrog, Sherman or Randy are in any position to tell Stacy how to use tampons." Jenny said.

Alice finished setting the table. "Okay I will concede you have a point there."

"Use what?" Nodrog asked as he sat down at the table with a beer and an aluminum bar.

"They are for 'that' time of the month for women." Alice said. Jenny occasionally was rather irritable, made more so by Alice not having any of those problems. They had been living together long enough they cycled together. Actually Jenny was not the only female Alice knew that disliked the fact she never had problems with her period.

"Oh." Was all Nodrog said. They both laughed at his embarrassment. He wasn't blushing but they could tell.

"Smells wonderful." Alice said as she put a couple scoops of sauce on her pasta.

"Only the best for my fiancé." Jenny smiled. "That sounds so right."

Alice took a piece of bread. "It does have a nice ring to it. We have been girlfriends so long... Oh yeah, Amber said Grace had been in already."

Nodrog sat quietly as they talked about their wedding. He would have liked to see Alice and Stacy in their dresses, but it was a no men allowed kind of thing. Eventually they changed topics and the three talked well into the night.

Alice was drying her hands after washing their plates. Since Jenny did the majority of the cooking, Alice cleaned up. It was a point of confusion during their first few months together for Alice.

Aside from her mother, no one gave her much thought when it came to preparing meals. So when Jenny did make her veggie meals, it caused a few strange emotions to surface in Alice. It was one of the overlooked things Jenny had always done for her that Alice realized too late. Until Jenny had told her the truth.

In the end it was that selfless devotion that had won over Alice's heart. A few guys had come close, but no one really had shown the unconditional love that Jenny had always shown. It would be Alice's one regret she would always have, not noticing it sooner.

Alice laughed as Jenny pitched a fit as Nodrog beat her at the football game. Amber had raised a good point during their little chat on the way home from the track. Alice had tried to figure out the exact things she found attractive about the dragon. Aside from him saving her life... twice.

There were of course the obvious physical aspects that certainly most women noticed about him. As her mother embarrassingly pointed out he was rather well sculpted. Alice figured most women preferred men in good health... which he was, since he does not age, will never be sick and cannot die.

Alice sat in a chair and turned on her laptop. He had placed a great deal of faith in them, to understand the new world. Some of which they did a poor job on. Or when Sherman had got him to try ice cream purely for their own amusement. Actually they were not very nice to him for the first few weeks... "What made you decide to stay with us?"

Nodrog and Jenny both stopped, they looked at each other then they looked at Alice. "Where did that come from?" Jenny asked.

Alice kept her eyes on the computer screen. "I was just thinking about things that had lead up to this point. We were not very nice to him at first. Downright horrible in some aspects. As easy as he can travel, why stay with us?"

Nodrog set the game controller down. "I never thought you were horrible. Especially the mostly naked pillow fight, that was enjoyable."

"I thought as much." Jenny said.

"Are you afraid one day you will wake up and I will be gone?" Nodrog asked.

"I don't know." Alice said and looked over at them.

Nodrog leaned back. "You don't need to worry about that. As for your question about why I stayed... I loved you both from nearly the very beginning."

Alice and Jenny were both a little shocked at that. But he could hide his emotions better than they could. Jenny thought about it a little more. She was surprised that question did not cross her own mind.

"Does it really matter 'why' since he did stay with us." Jenny said.

"No I guess it doesn't matter why." Alice closed her laptop and sat on the couch between them.

Nodrog and Jenny both moved closer to her. "All I know, I am very happy I did." Nodrog said and kissed Alice's cheek.

They sat on the couch well past bed time for Alice and Jenny. Alice and the others got a break from plowing snow and could spend a portion of the week in their normal jobs.

Thursday came around and it was dumping even more snow. Naturally after they had just finished cleaning everything up from the last storm.

Stacy was eating breakfast by himself. He was glad to be finally done with orientation. The early part of the week was spent meeting with the other divers and welders to go over the operation coming up in the spring. He glanced up when Nodrog called his name. "Hi, pull up a chair."

Nodrog smiled and set his tray down before sitting down. "How busy are you tomorrow?"

"Just a couple meetings in the morning, why?" Stacy asked.

"Because everything is ready for our little trip." Nodrog smiled, the little lion positively beamed from the news.

"I will be ready by one." Stacy said with a bright smile.

"Good. We can leave from your apartment." Nodrog said.

"Do I need to do anything or wear anything special?" Stacy asked while Nodrog chewed on the bacon he had.

"No. It is still summer where we are going. Michaela did say she would have to examine you, and I am not entirely sure what that will involve." Nodrog said.

Stacy bit into a cinnamon roll. "... Probably the same sort of thing the doctors do. Poke and prod everywhere."

"They do seem to do a lot of that." Nodrog said as he though back to his first week here.

"I think they keep all of their instruments in a refrigerator." Stacy said as he chewed on the roll.

"I can't comment on that." Nodrog said and chuckled.

Stacy leaned back. "I wouldn't think so since you are like a furnace."

"I thought you liked that part?" Nodrog asked with a smirk.

Stacy just blushed. "Well, I like other parts too."

Nodrog just laughed. They went their separate ways after breakfast. He had put on his suit and headed up to Mr. October's office after the light breakfast.

"Good morning." Tabbatha said as Nodrog walked into the large office.

Marko was actually sitting at his desk for a change. Usually he was standing. Tabbatha was also sitting, she was to Marko's right.

"Good morning." Nodrog walked over to a large window. The snow coming down very hard.

"Good morning. I hope you don't have plans for next week." Marko said as he turned from his desk to look over at Nodrog.

"I would like to go to something next weekend, but as for the week. I think we just had meetings." Nodrog said.

Marko stood up and walked the few feet to the window and stood with his hands behind his back. "Catlin had a family emergency and will be gone. I would like you to take her spot for a few events I need to attend next week."

"Nothing serious I hope." Nodrog said and glanced over at Marko.

"She didn't say." Marko said and the two looked back out the window.

"Frank and Kathrin wanted me to go over a few things with them in one of the books we got from Kruger. Sherman wanted me to check his security placement for the spring recovery. I think that was everything I had been requested for next week." Nodrog said.

"The longest one will be later in the day Tuesday." Marko said.

"The business owners Christmas charity gala. Did you have a chance to go over my suggestions for gifts?" Tabbatha asked as she did something on her note pad.

"I had not. I will do that right now." Marko said and went back to his desk.