Kind of makes me feel like Riverdancing

[Ironclad]

"C'mon Dollface, you don't gotta be mad, I caught you before you hit the water didn't I?" Mason said with a grin back at Tracy to try and ease himself out of trouble for getting a bit too speed happy with the boat and nearly making his girl fall overboard. His reflexes saved her from an icy cold swim when he caught her, but he did feel bad about going so fast. "At least you're still dry right?" He tried to make light of it and patted the large Doberman's head as they passed the garage. Everyone seemed to be on their break and Mason waved at Cecil as they passed.

Mason went up the stairs with the Doberman following him to the door to the loft they were staying in. He decided he liked Boston a lot, much better than his hometown. Detroit was just plain out bad and had too many memories, with too many turf wars to know who ran what. In Boston, corrupted and dangerous as it was, there was more order and as wary as he was walking the streets, he knew he wouldn't have to worry about a turf war breaking out and having to duck for cover. The Clan owned it all, and he could respect that the streets were pretty safe.

He opened the door to the cozy apartment and steadied himself as the greyhounds ran up to him to greet him. "Hey c'mon down boys, down," he said to the dogs that barked excitedly and jumped up around them. "You know, I really like it here. Aideen got some major connections, and we got a sweet set up for that. Funny though, I didn't take her for a people person as much." Mason looked around to see if she was there, knowing she had a tendency to sneak up on them when they weren't look. He glanced down the hall at the closed door to her and Logan's room and shuddered slightly, deciding not to take the chance and see if they were back. He could only handle so much in one day, and walking in on them playing tongue hockey in the kitchen this morning was enough.

He sat at the kitchen counter and put his normal black leather duffel on the counter. Zipping it up, he took out some of his impressive guns, just to check them over. His Beretta 92 was a favorite of his as far as handguns go, so was his 9MM and MAC-10. Like he usually did, Mason sat at the counter and began inspecting his guns, making sure they were clean and in shape. "You gonna go do some more shopping before we go out or you gonna look at the billions of stuff you got this morning?" he asked with a teasing smirk, looking up at blonde bombshell girlfriend. She looked so damn cute when she was annoyed.

[HeartString]

"You're lucky I like you..." she scowled at him in a playful way as she walked in behind him with her arms full of packages. "I think I might just forgive you, and I think I maybe I have enough 'things'. Besides I don't want to bleed you of all your hard earned money...honey." she winked at him.

"But there's still another few bags in the car, so I'll be right back." she headed back to the stairs stopping at the door to the loft and said. "Be careful playing with your gun there, you know what they say- you'll go blind." She teased, making light of his obsession, and drawing the comparison between his gun and his ...gun.

Down in the garage, street level as it was and with the big door open, she grabbed up the rest of the things. She knew the wrench jockeys in the shop were looking at her, but she expected that, what she didn't expect was another sensation. She sensed the feelings of someone, for just a glimmer of a moment, intent on doing harm. It was an emotion akin to envious lust and rage stirred together. It vanished as she looked out of the huge garage door to the street where she knew it had come from. "Hmmm, that's weird."

"Hey boo?" she said to Mason as she walked back into the apartment and saw him still playing with his 'tools of the trade'. "I'm wondering, not that I don't trust things here and all, but... just how safe do you figure we are here?" She put all the rest of the bags down next to the first load and rushed over to snuggle with him, knowing his rule of not messing with him when he had his guns out but not caring after the odd sensation she had felt moments before down below.

[Ironclad]

Mason cocked his Colt Anaconda and looked down at Tracy, brow furrowed as he put the gun on the counter, keeping one hand on it as the other wrapped around her waist. "Well Doll, we're never completely safe, you're dating a guy that made a lot of enemies, and the world is a lot smaller than people think it is," he said honestly. "If you're asking me if you're safe, then yea Trace, there ain't nothing that I'm gonna let hurt you." Mason squeezed her side and looked down at his gun, thinking about all that training that he had to get to know each and every gun, every maneuver. He was trained by some of the best in the world, starting with Network and working his way to others, ranging from some of the higher names in the underground run through connections not just ones he made on his own, but through the school too.

He had concentrated on skin on skin fighting since he first came to the school, and his love for guns started long before, studying the guns used in films, and those that passed through his hangouts in Detroit. When he turned eighteen, he got access to the weapon arsenal at the school and picked up a Star Ultrastar 9MM and his Beretta 92, it just fit. He had dedicated two years to the most intense and heavy studies that anyone could have dedicated to guns. He learned how to handle just about every gun there was, becoming a virtuoso in firearms. His hands were so well in tune with the sleek metal of the gun, a weapon that he learned after all that intense study was truly a weapon to be handled by an artist. It was an art that called for precision and true dedication to learn. Mason knew that he had impeccable skills, but he also knew what to do with them and knew more than most the responsibility that came with those skills.

"We'll be safe babe, even if we run into trouble. Aideen's got some sort of a place in this town, and if we do, I'll be ready," he said looking at her with a grim smile and looking at the Colt Anaconda in his hand, a weapon that caused so much damage and pain that he could never feel. He trusted himself to wield the weapon and trusted the weapon to be true to him. "Don't worry babe, go show me some of the stuff you bought, okay?" Mason kissed her forehead and patted her behind playfully.

[HeartString]

"O.K., sure, and I promise no worries." She smiled and then squealed at the swat on her ass. "Yikes, baby. That smarts." she giggled playfully. "So, I hope you don't mind but I got a couple of gifts. Okaay, ummm.." she went digging through some of the bags and came up with a small bag containing a box. "This is for Ariel, I just thought it was so delicate and beautiful. The size should be just right as well, I tried it on my own ankle and it was just a bit too large for me so that would make it perfect for her. You know she's been shedding her tough tomboy act for some time. Funny thing too that Jocelyn has done the same, I would have gotten her a ball cap a year or so ago, but my god how she's blossomed so I got this from the same jewelers'. It is so beautiful and keeps such precision time and it's supposed to be water resistant to fifteen atmospheres. How many feet deep do you think that is? I forgot how deep Atlantis is, but this ought to get her close I would guess." she shrugged as she put the jewelry on the counter for Mason to inspect.

"I got this for Kelly, I know it's stupid but I think he's gonna love it anyway. Look she's wearing this little red white and blue striped outfit right, and then when you flip the pen upside down like this... ta-da it vanishes. I got it off that cart in the market when you and Logan were off getting food. Teehee, he's gonna be so distracted in class, I know I shouldn't have but it was irresistible. The guy who sold it to me was funny when I bought it, the look on his face was priceless." She giggled a little more putting the pen in front of Mason next to the watch and anklet.

"Then I got this for Emma. Pretty right? Silky white and flowy, just her style... and for Scott these slippers and robe, because he should be able to not wear his boots to Sunday brunch all the time. I know it might seem a bit personal, but we are his kids after all, and I for one care about him having relaxing down time... even if he himself doesn't." She smiled at him. "O.K. for Bobby this Bruins jersey, and for Hank a rock tumbler.. I don't know why, it just kinda struck me as cute for him. Sorta scientific, but fun and something he could use precise measurements with and all- oh I don't know but it's the thought that counts right? UMmmm, for Kurt I got this, I know he has a bible already but this one is in the original Greek and I thought how cool, right?" Her eyes lit up at the thought of Nightcrawler going back and studying his beliefs as they were penned centuries before.

"Oh and for Mato I got this..." she went back and dug out a beautiful leather case. The clasps on it were brass and as she unhooked them and opened it the lining was red and plush and felt like. "Well, we know he plays a flute, but I was thinking he could try his hand at this." She said placing the case down before Mason and opening it gently to reveal a glorious set of dark wood and brass panpipes. "Pretty lush I thought, and they came with an adorable carrying pouch that he can wear crossways like so." she passed her hand from her left shoulder to her right hip. "I can't wait to hear what he plays through that."

"I got each of us a few outfits too if you want we can take turn modeling them for each other." She smiled at him and ran around to hug and kiss him. "This has been so much fun Mason! I am having the best time here and I hope everything stays chill because I am really getting over the whole -on call for the rest of all time thing- that I got so used to. This is really shaping up to be the best vacation EV-ERR!!" She put another squeeze to him and nuzzled her nose right into his neck kissing him several more times.

[Ironclad]

With an amused look on his face, Mason placed his guns aside and put two arms around her waist, not minding the attention he was cute from his girl at all. "It's our first vacation Trace, we got more in the future. Whenever things get too much for us, we're taking a weekend off. There's no place that we can't go." He kissed her again and use on hand to move his guns to the side and then brought both hands to her waist to lift her up on to the counter in front of him. "Next time we can go to your place in Seattle, or Vegas, or hell California if you want. Whatever you wanna do Trace," Mason grinned and sat back on the stool and rubbed Tracy's thighs leisurely, loving how the softness and firmness of her legs.

"I was thinking you know..." Mason paused to push away one of the Wolfhound's nose away. "That once in awhile we can invite Aideen and Logan along. I mean we got our own shit to worry about, but let's face it Tracy, those two don't got it easy at all. I don't know how I could survive keeping the two of us under wraps, and knowing that I couldn't even defend my own girlfriend from a sick psychopath like Rumble... damn Dollface, I gotta tell you, my admiration for those two went up a tenfold knowing that. I don't know how long the two of them are gonna stay under the radar, but if they seem to be needed a break, I say invite them along. You okay with that baby?"

He stood up and moved his hands up her legs, over her hips, and to her waist. A hand buried itself in her shining white blonde hair and he brought her lips down to his. These kind of moments with his sweet beautiful girl were what it was all about. He had his share of the fast dangerous looking girls that exuded sin in their exotic looks and legs that went all the way to heavens, but Tracy was something else. She was sweet and beautiful, a wholesome kind of beauty that would never fade. When the belladonnas now will grow old and bitter, he knew that the beauty in his arms would stay that way and only grow more graceful.

Their moment was cut short but the sound of the dogs nosing the bags and the fact that the doberman jumped up on Mason's back, whining for attention. "I liked the boat time better," he said with a laugh and went to look over at the dogs. "Better go defend your bags Doll, looks like they wanna see too." He stood aside so she could come down and picked up his Star Ultrastar again to reload it.

[HeartString]

"Oh noooo. No no no nooo, bad doggie, get outta there." Tracy said hopping off the counter and rushing over to shove the dogs with her hips and gather up her bags. "Okay I'm taking all this stuff into out room. When you're done playing with your guns" she said in such a sweet flirty way "maybe you can come and visit with me in here?" She shut the door blowing him a kiss.

"Alright, which bag is that lingerie in?" She asked herself aloud as she dug through her day's haul in a flurry. "Ah Ha! Gotcha." she had a couple of sexy little things to choose from and opted for the red one. "OK now, time for the quick change." She figured she had a minute or two until Mason burst through the door and she hoped she had his timing down by now.

Her plan was simple, dangle a carrot in sexy red silk before his eyes, and get him to try on some of the outfits she had gotten for him. They didn't have too much time to get ready, but they had a little time to mess around and then shower and dress for the evening. She was excited to see her old Corsair buddies and she wanted it to be a great evening, but before that she wanted a little bit of a show from her guy. "What better way to motivate a guy than this?" she thought aloud as she checked her look in the mirror.

Leaping into the bed as she heard his hand hit the doorknob, she quickly fluffed the pillows behind her and lay back. Trying her best not to show herself out of breath she smoothed out the blankets around her and primped up her hair. "Your timing is perfect boo. I was just relaxing for a sec." She giggled teasingly.

[Ironclad]

Opening the door wide, Mason leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms over his chest while getting a good long look at his girl on the bed, marveling how a girl that looked as innocent as his could look so damn sexy. "This is how you relax huh? I'll remember that next time you tell me you wanna just stay in and relax," he said with a smirk while looking her up and down again. He needed to pay more attention what his girl bought, but he didn't mind little surprises like this. "So did I really get you all worked up or is this a bribe?" Mason asked making a move to get off the door.

Before he could take another step, the sound of nails pounding against the floor was heard and the next thing either of them new, the darker of the pair of Irish wolfhounds Walker ran right into the room and jumped on the bed right to Tracy, tail wagging like there was no tomorrow and licking her face, looking like he wanted to play. It was enough to make Mason groan and bang his head against the side of the door. "You're like a damn Disney character. A pretty girl with a parade of animals following her." He had to laugh though, the dog was definitely bigger than Tracy and Mason knew already that the beast weight at least 20 pounds more than her. All of them seemed to take a liking to her.

And of course at that moment, Braden ran in the room and mimicked the actions of Walker, jumping on the bed and barking for attention. "Oh come on!" Mason threw his hands up in surrender and did the only thing left to do: laugh. The dogs started barking again, both jumping all over the bed and begging for Tracy's attention. He always liked dogs, but never realized how much his tastes were similar to them. At the moment, both seemed to want the attention of one girl. "Wow, this is too funny for anyone to believe." Mason just shook his head grinning at the scene, in too good of a mood to do anything else. The dogs just looked so eager and playful that it was impossible to be mad at them.

[HeartString]

"Awwwhawww aww boys. Ohh ok, O.K. lay down...LAY down babies." She said soothing them and getting them to settle themselves as she stroked their heads and played with their ears. "Well, Mason. There appears to be no room left on the bed, so maybe you can try on some of the things I picked up for you. Pleeease boo." she smiled her sparkliest smile for him and pressed her tongue to the back of her teeth for that bump of added cuteness it provided.

"Oh come on you can do that for us can't you?" she giggled. "The puppies and I would just love it if you did." She sat up and crossed her legs indian style on the bed as Walker rolled onto his back kicking one of his hind legs straight up for balance and to get Tracy's attention so she would scratch his belly. "Awww, who wants a belly scratch..Hmm? Oh yess, Walker does.." she cooed as she indulged the massive mongrel. Glancing back to Mason she wondered if he would be in the mood for a fashion show or just a belly scratch of his own.

"If you look in those three bags to your right honey, I think you'll be impressed." She winked at him and amended her previous statement "Well, I hope you'll be impressed at least." She was excited and hopeful all at once. Truer words were never spoken when the first person said 'It is better to give than to receive', she could hardly wait to see him in the clothes she brought for him and her legs fluttered like butterfly wings as she smiled his way.

[Ironclad]

Mason had a grin on his face at this point, deciding not to compete with the two giant beasts at this point. It would be a hard fought battle that just didn't seem worth it when he saw the pleased as punch look the dogs had when getting the ever loving attention from Tracy. Despite it all, he was still an animal lover. He had never quite gotten over his bastard drunk of a father running over his own dog in a drunken stupor, but that didn't stop him from liking dogs. "Okay let's see what we got here," he said and walked in the room, sitting in the old chair and bringing the first bag toward him. He wasn't big on shopping, ordering his stuff from online or just going by the store quickly and grabbing what he needed. It would be interesting to see what Tracy picked out after letting her go on a shopping spree.

"Nice, I needed a couple of work shirts," he said bringing up the wife beaters and soft cotton t-shirts out of the bag. "Thanks Dollface, you been bugging about the holes in them for awhile." Mason smirked and put them back in the back and began looking through the others. "Leather gun holsters for my ankle, good stuff babe. You got this at the Arms Store huh babe? Nice. I hadn't planned on getting a new one for awhile, but I know I needed it." He was the kind of guy that liked to use stuff until they were beyond the state of unusable before he bought a replacement. It's why a lot of his clothes were really worn and why some of his shirts had wears and tears in them. "Let's see... whoa yea this definitely ain't for me." He held up some slinky black dress made with some feather material kind of thing. The stuff that some girls would wear to a club. "This can't be for you, and if it is I hope theirs a jacket with it." It was no secret that his girl was well endowed in the chest area, and there was no way this jacket would even halfway decently cover her. "This can't be for Aideen, I don't think she'd be caught dead in this. It's for Kitty then? You'd make Pete one happy guy that's for sure."

Mason put the dress back in the bag and reached for another bag. "Giorgio Armani shirts. This is expensive stuff Doll, but wow really nice," he said holding up some button downs she got him. He liked his shirts to be crisp, and this is as crisp as they get. "These are really nice. Looks like you got some stuff for you too from there." Mason grinned at her and grabbed another bag. "Hey you got anything in mind to get Aideen to thank her like you suggested? Or we gonna pick something out together? Cause the most I can think of is getting her maybe a nice Italian stiletto to keep on her when she has a corset on." He had no idea what to get her, other than a weapon. Mason may have opted for a book, but he didn't know what she had read and hadn't. That girl read more than anyone he knew, and in like ten different languages too.

"Oh and which of these other bags are for me? And the one with our stuff for tonight." He checked his phone, frowning a bit. "We should start getting ready soon, and I don't know how Aideen arranged it for tonight, but she's got crazy connections so I know its done. I just hope those two are keeping out of trouble long enough to get through tonight." Mason grinned slightly, deciding if he should send Aideen a text or not, but opted against it not wanting to ruin whatever her and Logan were doing.

[HeartString]

"Well, I thought we should pick out something together, from the both of us and I know how you feel about that so I told Aideen we would meet them at the restaurant if that's okay. I asked the girl in that boutique, you know the girl you guys gave such a hard time to, where I might find a store that would suit them. I guess that was why she spent so much time pestering them, because she wanted to get a good feel for who they were even though I told her some kind of place that would fit some real world hard-asses." she shrugged with a giggle.

"So I trust that she was right because she gave me the old nod and wink when we left. But we have a minute or two," she pushed the dogs off the bed gently, urging them with her personal energy, since animals in general and dogs specifically have a far greater understanding of people's emotions than most people do of even their own, and Tracy understood that. It was probably why she had an uncanny kinship with the animal kingdom, and Mason was spot on with his Disney remark. "so c'mere and kiss me Mr. Rictus. Do not let this opportunity pass you by." Her grin was devilish and playful as she took her index finger and slowly beaconed him to come closer.

They had a minute or two for a snuggle and then would have to get ready. As Tracy took joy in her man's affections she felt also his anxiety and was quick to end their snuggle session. "So I know... you want to call the boys. Go ahead and get that off of your chest and you can come and join me in the shower." She knew her man so well, that at the mention of giving him a chance to get the ball rolling the weight on his anxious heart lifted and she in turn felt a great sense of relief. "Okay?"

[Ironclad]

"Thanks Dollface, you go in the shower, I'll join in a minute," Mason said grabbing her hand and pulling her to him until she fell on into his lap. He pulled her head to him and kissed her deeply letting his hands run over her curves in the red lingerie. He felt so alive with her, probably getting caught up in the fact that he was with a girl he loved and they had the whole world ahead of them. "You looked really good right now Trace," he said before letting her go off to the shower, watching her the whole time until she disappeared into the bathroom. Mason had to grin to himself at how things settling down with them.

He grabbed his phone out and took a minute to send a quick text out to Aideen to remind them that the dinner was in a couple of hours. He would have called, but if he was interrupting something that shouldn't be interrupted, he didn't think he could handle that. Next stop was calling Dylan. He spent a couple of minutes on the phone with them, just to get all the basic things done. Dylan agreed that he would call Mike and that they'd go together to the restaurant. Apparently his girlfriend was very excited to be eating there as well, as during the whole conversation he head the light Swedish accent in the background asking questions.

The conversation ended with Mason having an amused smirk on his face. Dylan was such a socially awkward sort of guy that he couldn't imagine how he could deal with someone like the girl he heard on the phone. "This is definitely going to be an interesting night," he murmured while scratching one of the dogs. He stood up after a minute and shed his clothes on his way to the bathroom. "Hey Dollface, move over I have to take a leak," Mason said with a grin at her shrieks as he got into the shower. The shower was pretty big and they needed to be ready quick anyways, so this was his way of saving time.

[Network]

Some short time later...

He was on the phone to his sometimes girlfriend sometimes just friend with benefits and right at this moment he had lost track of exactly why she was mad at him, but she was. He wanted her to just shut up and play nice but women had their own games and he knew he was outclassed. "Alright? I mean if that place wont show you that I am sincere in wanting to make up then I don't know what will."

The exotically hot voice of his dark skinned lady on the other end of the line was breathy and hesitant. He figured she was just not wanting to get stood up again or let down another time or made to feel less important than some crazy shit from his job that he could never tell her about. "And I promise I will be there for the whole night this time, O.K.? Promise... look so I know it's short notice and all but you have got to have something slinky and sexy to drape over your gorgeous self right." He knew she wouldn't see it but he smiled then, he couldn't help it.

"Oh and I'm not driving Dylan is so we'll be there on time to get you, Okay...how's that sound?" he waited, long anxious seconds ticked past until she spoke. When she did he wondered what she would say, but he loved the sound of her voice, her accent was ambiguous and he had forgotten where she was from, but he knew if he asked her again she would just hang up on him and that would be that. He had asked her ten times already at least and she was tired of telling him about her life, but Mike had one of those heads that didn't cling to the details so much, well not the frilly details that mattered in a relationship at least.

[~ N.P.C. ~]

There was a moment of silence before a sexy sweet voice that still had a trace of the Wakandian accent spoke in a firm and resolute voice.

"I am only reminding you, but other than that, thank you. I been wanting to go there for so long now, and you keep telling me there are better places to eat and not take me," said A'Nalai, known to her friends and classmates as Lai. She was finishing her studying for the weekend, well for then at least. She was a freshmen at Harvard, studying Law and despite all that she still managed to have a social life. Rather what she would if her on again, off again boyfriend ever grew up.

"I will wear that new black dress. Who are these friends though? Oh you know what baby do not tell me. I will be nervous if I know they are important officials or something," Lai said and sat back on her bed, tapping her pen against her plump full lips. "Do not be late, and if all goes well, I think you will like the reward very much." She grinned and made a kissing sound into the phone. "I will see you tonight Mike. Ciao." She touched her headset and switched it off. She could give one more hour of studying before she got ready to get herself looking all sexy for her boyfriend that made her the envy of all her friends. Lai smacked her lips and grinned, thinking of all the ways to keep Mike on his toes tonight.