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It had happened. As Elizabeth Weir nervously peeked out of her office, she knew the thing she had dreaded most since the mission began had finally happened. The grapevine had taken hold of Atlantis. It took longer than she'd expected. When they'd first arrived in the Pegasus Galaxy everyone was just getting to know each other. They all wanted to make a good impression and were consequently on their best behavior. But time had passed, friendships had formed, and the city's residents had become comfortable with each other. Unfortunately, despite their new friends, the expedition members found that when they weren't studying Ancient technology or narrowly avoiding having the life sucked out of them by the Wraith, things got boring. And of course, the only cure for said boredom was gossip.
"I was wondering when they'd get together."
"No way, it's not true. I still say she has a thing for Sheppard."
"Lt. Jerne saw them!"
"Well Zelenka said a few days ago that McKay had a crush on someone…"
"I heard they've been dating for over a month and they've been hiding it from Sheppard. When finds out he's going to kill him."
Kate Heightmeyersat down with her lunch tray at a table full of scientists deep in discussion.
"Kate! Have you heard the latest?"
Now normally Kate wasn't one for gossip, but if there was a particularly juicy rumor she couldn't just ignore it. After all, it might have some psychological impact on the people involved, and it just wouldn't do for the city's shrink to not know what was going on with her patients.
Without waiting for a response, the bouncy scientist proceeded to explain how Dr. McKay had been caught with Teyla in the Ancient's version of a broom closet.
Two hours later Kate was in Elizabeth's office discussing official business of some sort when she brought up the rumor about Teyla and Rodney.
"THEY WERE DOING WHAT WHERE?" Unbeknownst to her, Dr. Weir's angry shouts could be heard by passersby, most of whom were able to infer the topic and come to their own conclusions about Elizabeth's screaming. If only she knew she was just adding fuel to the fire.
A moment later Elizabeth was rushing into the control room where Rodney was busy berating Technician #3.
"Rodney. My office. Now." She turned abruptly and stomped away expecting him to follow, which he did, reluctantly.
His exit was followed by knowing looks and a chorus of "There's gonna be trooouuuble" from Technician #s2-5.
Rodney walked to his boss's office confused. Elizabeth was pissed, and he could have sworn he just saw Kate Heightmeyer scampering off guiltily as he entered. Having spent the past few days offworld, he hadn't been privy to the latest gossip.
"Rodney, sit."
He did as he was told like a good little puppy...uh, scientist...where did that come from?
"So," Elizabeth began slowly, taking a deep breath to calm herself, "I heard about you and Teyla."
"Me and Teyla?" Rodney echoed, even more confused. Whatever he'd been expecting, this surely wasn't it.
"Look Rodney, I know that it's hard to be out here so far from home, and I understand that it gets lonely sometimes, and that like any human being you have…needs."
Rodney tried to cut her off, beginning to get uncomfortable. "Um, Lizabeth…"
"Rodney, please, just let me finish."
Rodney nodded in reply.
Elizabeth took another calming breath and pressed on.
"It's nice that you and Teyla have found each other, but you could be a little more subtle about things. Really, a broom closet?" She began to get worked up again and rose from her chair. "Honestly Rodney, you aren't in junior high. And does the word 'discretion' mean nothing to you? Seriously Rodney? Seriously?"
Rodney stood up as Elizabeth began to sound like an episode of Grey's Anatomy…of course Rodney knew nothing of the show that had premiered a few months after he left for Atlantis, which can be seen at 10:00 Sunday nights on ABC, but he knew he needed to stop his friend before she went any further.
"Lizabeth, not to be rude, but what the hell are you talking about?"
"You and Teyla. You know…in a broom closet?" She watched a look of disbelief cross his face. "You don't know?" She gasped, "Oh no! This means…" She trailed off with a terrified look on her face.
"What is it?" Rodney questioned, beginning to worry.
"Grapevine. She answered as she nervously peered out of her office. "Atlantis's very own grapevine."
A/N: Ah, sorry this was so rushed. Also, I don't own Grey's Anatomy (I wish) or Atlantis and it's characters.
Next Chapter: Elizabeth explains the concept of the grapevine and contemplates the true cause of her anger, more rumors are spread, and plans are formed.
Oh, and just so you're warned, there may be some singing in the future hums I heard it through the grapevine Mwahahahaha!


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In recent days the IMF has publicly argued that "markets need to end their addiction to credit ratings". They suggest:
[t]he real solution lies in reducing the reliance on credit ratings as much as possible. This should start with removing the mechanistic use of ratings in rules and regulations, which some countries are already beginning to do. Investors must be weaned off credit ratings too. Policymakers should persuade the larger ones, at least, to perform their own risk assessments as part of deciding what to buy or sell.
I wonder what our State governments will make of this advice, given that they behave as if their sole task is to maintain the public balance sheet in a state that will please Standard and Poors.
The IMF has also examined the evidence in favour of fiscal austerity, assessing when and to what extent governments should begin to repair their balance sheets in the wake of a recession. They end up finding that fiscal contractions are contractionary, and fiscal expansions are expansionary, a vindication of Keynes. This might seem obvious, but it's far from the 'Washington Consensus' view imposed on various nations throughout the 1990s.
The results suggest that recessions associated with financial crises tend to be unusually severe and their recoveries typically slow. Similarly, globally synchronized reces- sions are often long and deep, and recoveries from these recessions are generally weak. Countercyclical monetary policy can help shorten recessions, but its effectiveness is limited in financial crises. By contrast, expansionary fiscal policy seems particularly effective in shortening recessions associated with financial crises and boosting recoveries.
I'm not sure what has happened to the IMF, but this sudden rash of common sense is definitely a good sign.


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Brown, who hails from the New Orleans metro area, traveled to Starkville with fellow commits Quadry Antoine (Belle Chasse HS) and Torrey Bell (John Curtis Christian. Joining that trio were St. Augustine three-star DT Marcel Andry and Helen Cox (Harvey, La.) LB Royce LaFrance.
"Torrey (6-5, 230) did well at the camp, said Brown. "He has good feet. Marcel was very physical. He's transferring from John Curtis to St. Augustine, and he was talking it up (about this year's Shaw/St. Aug game). He's a Purple Knight (St. Aug mascot).
"Royce is very competitive. He was my partner during the weight room workouts."
The camp was serious business, according to Brown.
"There was a real responsibility, coming in as a commit," he explained. "You have to fill shoes and prove that you're the best. There were some players calling out the commits in one-on-one drills, saying 'I want him!'
"I liked the weight room aspect of the camp. It was very intense. People were yelling and the rap music was playing full blast.
"After that, we went back down on the field and did position drills. I worked on pass rushing moves, and the coaches taught me some new moves."
Brown, who originally committed to South Florida before switching to MSU, makes up one of the best defensive lines in the south along with DT Romello Dixon and DE Stephen Gibson.


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Holiday in the Sun: Fort Lauderdale Finds
Krrb is now part of the Apartment Therapy family! Check out the Marketplace for an even wider selection of furnishings and home decor.
Visit the Apartment Therapy Marketplace »
Unlike the Sex Pistols' Johnny Rotten, we like holidays in the sun. This past week found two Krrb'ers stationed beach-side in the Sunshine State. But there's more to Florida than surf. Today we'll explore a few of their Floridian finds worth checking out if you ever find yourself down south and burnt-out on the beach.
When in Florida, I have a strict no-mall policy. When the weather is a balmy 80—or even when it's not—it is difficult to justify spending a gorgeous day wandering around a maze of big box stores. Aside from spending a few days on Hollywood beach, riding bikes on the boardwalk and sipping margaritas, this holiday my family and I discovered a new hobby. We all have a fondness for vintage furniture both high and low end.
During my stay, we spent a couple days scouring the Wilton Manors neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale. Downtown Fort Lauderdale is way cooler than you might expect and has a number of vintage and secondhand furniture stores. In one afternoon, we found one of a kind home goods at 50's 60's 70's Living, Shades of the Past Antiques, and Preview Mod.
After a lot of window shopping and some actual shopping, we headed over to the Wilton Auction Gallery. On Tuesday nights, the historic Wilson Theater fills up for its weekly auction of unique and rare furniture, decor, art, jewelry, and collectibles.
Preview photos are found online for the following auction and bidders can come early to check out the goods that vary from 70's pop art to grandfather clocks to antique silver from the 1800s. Although the auction house offers absentee bids, it really is an event to check out the crowd and curated goods.
If you find yourself in South Florida, check out Wilton Manors. The historical neighborhood has a fun laid-back feel and plenty of places to wile away a balmy afternoon.


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The Wado Ichimonji is a peaceful blade that cuts nothing, instead the target willingly gives way to the blade.
In the world of One Piece, there are two ways to cut things. First way is by overpowering the enemy with force. You swing against the enemy with enough power and durability, then the enemy gets sliced apart. This is the way of the Kitetsu. There is a far more superior way to cut; and that is cutting nothing.
The First hint of this is the fight between Zoro and Mr.1, where Zoro recalls Koshiro saying that in the world there are swordsman who cut nothing. Zoro then subconsciously activated Observational Haki, followed the voice of steel and then cut Mr.1 with the Wado Ichimonji.
This was the first hit at the try power of Wado, which Zoro barely tapped into. Wado Ichimonji: the Kanji of this blade means, the One Path of the Way of Harmony
Way of Harmony, and writer thinks this might be the key to its true powers. Wado Ichimonji doesn't use destructive power against the target, it works with the enemy to the point where enemy doesn't offer any resistance, thus allowing the Wado to slice it like paper.


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Have A Rant Winners!!
There was some good ranting this week and thankfully there were only a couple of comments I had to delete (racism will never be tolerated on this blog and it serves only to highlight the ignorance and stupidity of the person making the comment), so good work everyone else and I hope if nothing else you felt a little better for it.
It was a tough choice but my overall winner for the week is Smoggie for his World Cup bad hair theory and bizzare fascination with wheelie bins. Well done fella, a €50 free bet is now in your account.
There was only supposed to be one winner but honourable mentions have to go to Dave J, Forrest_Forever and Andy, all of whom get a £10 free bet.
Enjoy and I hope you put them to good use. I'll work out a better prize structure next week but for now it's my day off and I'm a little hungover, so I'll worry about it on Monday.
Feel free to keep ranting but, so I don't have to continuously search through old posts, only rants on this post and posts made from Monday onwards will count towards next week's competition.
Have a good weekend and if not, have a good rant about it instead. It could win you a free bet.


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Nestled in the wooded hills of the Berkshire Mountains, this outdoors-oriented resort offers year-round fun.
Miles of beautiful forest paths run along the nearby Appalachian Trail, and tranquil Tanglewood is the summer outdoor performing home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Plus, stunning fall colors and several area ski resorts make it a popular New England destination.
Families also enjoy the resort's year-round swim options and sharing a game at our mini golf course. The activity center features an arcade, sports equipment and more, plus our movie theater shows family- friendly films daily. And for cocktails, our tiki bar and Beartree Bar hit the spot.


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With ViewedIt Enterprise, Branded Sharing Pages from the parent group can be inherited down to individual ViewedIt sub-groups. This article is to help troubleshoot situations in which shared ViewedIt content does not display on the appropriate Branded Sharing Page.
When navigating to a ViewedIt sharing page, the player will display on a webpage which does not match the design of the Branded Sharing Page in Vidyard parent group.
This issue can be caused by a lack of connection to the parent account (either due to Branded Sharing Page feature settings or the inherited settings being overridden) or the sharing page being disabled.
For cases where the "Sharing Page" setting has been disabled, check the General Player Settings and re-enable as needed. Default Player Settings should also be checked to insure that future generated content does not encounter a similar issue.
In situations where the Branded Sharing Page settings have been overridden, a delete option will be present at the bottom of the "Options" tab. Clicking this will opt to re-inherit the branded sharing page layout from the parent.
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Welcome to the Muppet Central Forum!
You are viewing our forum as a guest. Join our free community to post topics and start private conversations. Please contact us if you need help with registration or your account login.
Meet Julia
Sesame Street's newest Muppet has autism. Meet Julia this Monday on HBO and PBS. Then discuss the anticipated episode with fans.
Sesame Street Season 47
Sesame Street's 47th season officially began Saturday January 7 on HBO. After you see the new episodes, post here and let us know your thoughts.
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Dr. Mohammad Almubaslat MD
- Neurological Surgery Kenner, LA
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The Grounding of Hope
The apostles often refer to Christian hope in the New Testament, and it is easy for us to read our modern understanding of the term into Scripture, believing that Christian hope lacks certainty. But our hope as Christians does not ...Read More
Seeing God
Read and compare the visions of God seen by Isaiah (Isa. 6:1–5) and John (Rev. 1).Read More
No One Is Righteous
Martin Luther comments on Romans 3:11, "This statement pertains both to those who manifestly do not seek God as well as to those who seek Him or rather think they are seeking Him, because they do not seek Him in ...Read More
We Have an Altar
When we feed at the altar of Christ we are supplied with the grace and strength that we need to persevere in the race of faith. By His Word and presence, He guarantees and completes our salvation. Today, take some ...Read More
Blessed by the Superior
Hebrews 7 can say that Melchizedek lives because Moses never tells us how he dies. The point is not that Melchizedek never died but that what we see in the narrative resembles Christ who truly lives yesterday, today, and forever. ...Read More
Countless Examples
Are you disheartened because your faith seems so weak and imperfect at times? If so, then take heart because no man of God besides Jesus Christ has ever had perfect faith. Go to the Lord in prayer confessing your need ...Read More
Blasphemous Judgments
Christians today often substitute other authorities for the authority of the Bible. Many in the Pentecostal movement base their doctrines more on visionary experiences than on the Word of God. Even among Reformed believers, there can be a tendency to ...Read More
The Good News of the Gospel
In our next study, we will explore more aspects of the gospel that are developed in the New Testament. For now, let us note that the Old Testament background of the gospel means that the good news was not unknown ...Read More
The Latter Glory of the Lord's House
In one form or another, God's people will suffer under the exilic conditions of pain and difficulty until Christ returns. The exile of the Jews from the Promised Land is ultimately a picture of the exile of all humanity from ...Read More
Joy and Judgment
The media often depicts Christians as joyless, judgmental individuals who avoid pleasure at all cost. We know that this is a gross caricature, especially in light of the Bible's teaching that we are to rejoice in what God has given. ...Read More


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Published in Daily Times / 9 Jan 2010
Author: Ambassador Arshad Sami Khan SJ
Reviewed by: Afrah Jamal
What happened next – is always more interesting than scripted moments of history.
As an Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Arshad Sami Khan was perfectly positioned with an all access backstage pass into 3 presidencies. He witnessed the skilfully manipulated rise and cleverly orchestrated fall of Field Marshal Ayub Khan, General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto - as their ADC and glimpsed the inner machinations of the Prime Ministers House as Chief Protocol Officer of Pakistan's first female Prime Minister. Aided by notes and an innate gift for story telling, Sami Khan proceeded to arrange his experiences in the form of a book. With 6 years of service in that high profile appointment, he had a treasure trove of stories. But even though this would not be classified as an expose per se, being a relatively tame account by comparison, the book still took ten years to see the light of day.
Now that it has – we finally get to know what these three – Ayub and Yahya in particular, were up to when they were not leading news at local gossip columns, planning disastrous Operations (Gibraltar) or watching the dismemberment of Pakistan from their lofty perch. Their ADC is privy to all the details – after all, aides are there to 'assist the senior officer' 24/7 - a glorified nanny, if you will. But while he manages to keep the readers interested without vilifying his bosses or delving into scandalous details, even going so far as to change a few names, it is still hard to keep true natures from surfacing now and then, however unwittingly.
Flt. Lt - Sami Khan (SJ) had flown maximum combat missions in 1965 War while in the PAF. As a war veteran, he takes us back to the 1971 War from a military mans perspective and as an aide he provides a unique insight into the political wrangling preceding the fall of Dacca and following the aftermath. As he saw the Federation crumble away in the East Pakistan debacle, Sami Khan has his own interpretation about what (not who) exactly was responsible for the ultimate break-up of Pakistan. And, according to him, it is not the oft reviled Yahya Khan. Sandwiched between the amusing anecdotes is an incisive examination showing why religion is not enough of a motivator to prevent countries already divided by geography, from getting torn asunder with just a little prodding. Excruciating as it to relive that horrific phase, these chapters are worthy of attention. Crisis after crisis rocked Pakistan – just as it does now. The era was defined by insurgencies, intrigues, war, sugar hikes and remembered for reshaping the political landscape.
The history lesson is an added bonus and there are enough light-hearted moments to relieve the tension. The writer takes pains to clarify the especially sleazy rumours, as he entertains with titbits like Yahya Khan's escapades a la 'Roman Holiday' fascinates with a kaleidoscope of imagery taken straight from the 'photo frame of history' and shocks with Mr. Bhutto's itinerary during '71 War/debacle. There is also an amusing little episode concerning our Friends not Masters! when books and movies about 'The Ugly American' were making international rounds and the living example was doing the local circuit.
Though those were dark times and none of the presidencies had happy endings, Sami Khan keeps the book from getting pulled into a black hole. The 280 page long narrative flows smoothly but the story ends rather abruptly and on a curious note. The writer is discomfited by how much Libya's Gaddafi seemed to be in sync with Pakistan's internal (and often secret) affairs but does not explore this bizarre interest further, leaving the reader disturbed , concerned and a tad frustrated.
Ambassador Sami Khan joined the diplomatic service in later years. His 6 year record as an aide remains unbroken to this day. An ADC is regarded as a trusted friend of the family. Such is the nature of his relationship with the Head of State. That trust has not been misplaced. The Curtain fell on the men he served long ago. Sami Khan also passed away in 2009.
His book would be a valuable addition to the archives. These 3 Presidents have been cast as heroes in their own story, play arch - villains in their rival's edition and tyrants/traitors/victims depending upon which version of history one chooses to believe. Fortunately for them, this ADC extraordinaire was loyal to the end. Sami Khan's book gives them a new identity, as ordinary men in extraordinary positions - who messed up. 'Three Presidents and an Aide' is the closest one could come to feeling some empathy for an otherwise controversial set of characters. And that is something!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
BOOK REVIEW: Three Presidents and an Aide - Life, Power and Politics
Posted by Afrah Jamal at Saturday, January 09, 2010
Labels: Ambassador, Arshad Sami Khan, Ayub Khan, Book Review, PAF, Pakistan, Politics
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Sunday, December 14, 2008
In Case You Were Wondering What True Love Looks Like...
The beautiful, glowing Tiffany & Co. display lured me close like an enchanting Siren. Here is a more subdued shot of me and my friend, A, in front of the store.
We found all sorts of things to put on our Christmas lists inside. Our friend, M, humored us and was kind enough to find a "secret" elevator in the back so we wouldn't have to wait with the throngs of jewelry worshippers to get back down to the main floor.
More on our fabulous "I (Heart) New York Trip 2008" to come!
3 comments:
Thank you so much for this! I've shared your post on Facebook and know it will make a difference, in my attitude at least!ReplyDelete
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When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down Happy? They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life - John LennonReplyDelete
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Spinach & Sesame Falafels
Middle eastern food is definitely our favourite cuisine so these falafels went down…June 26, 2017 standard
Fennel, lentil & orange salad
Salads don't have to mean just eating rabbit food! This dish is really…June 15, 2017 standard
Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad
This is mediterranean food at it's best. Just a few simple fresh ingredients…June 13, 2017 standard
Baked Feta & Chickpea Salad
As if we couldn't love feta anymore! It adds great flavour and texture…June 11, 2017 standard
Roast Sweet Potato Medley with Parsley & Crumbled Feta
This simple dish is a really easy way to spruce up your usual…June 11, 2017 standard
Curried Pumpkin & Spinach Soup
Soup is the perfect comfort food to warm you up after a long…June 6, 2017 standard
Zucchini Ribbons & Corn Salad with Pesto
Next time you're making pasta, why not sub the pasta for these zucchini…June 5, 2017 standard
Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini & Pomegranate
We love this so much that we often just eat a big bowl…June 4, 2017 standard
Nutty Oat Loaf
We absolutely love the texture of oats so this bread is a favourite…May 29, 2017 standard
Corn Fritters
These fritters are one of our favourite things to make! We usually make…May 24, 2017 standard


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Facilities managers face new issues every day when running their buildings. They work around the clock to keep their building running, but there are many factors that can get in their way:
They have a large number of people and systems to manage.
When a system breaks down, that becomes…


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Excellent interview!
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Catonsville's Restaurant Week kicks off on Monday, April 20, with The Taste of Catonsville, a night to sample the best of the town all in one spot. The event will be held at the Rolling Road Golf Club from 5:00 - 7:30 pm. Tickets are $35 in advance (until 5pm Sunday) or $45 at the door.
The Taste of Catonsville event kicks off the town's ReDiscover Catonsville Restaurant Week from April 21-26. Eighteen Catonsville restaurants are participating, offering coupons (available here in a .pdf) for discounts of 20% or more on meals.
See full post on Examiner.com
Second Bon Chon Chicken Coming to Arundel Mill - A new Bon Chon is coming to Arundel Mills with the Korean fried chicken fun that you already get at their Ellicott City location. Josiah stopped the "comin...
1 year ago


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SEBA AHSEC Result 2017:Assam Higher Secondary Board is making its moves to schedule 12th board exams soon in the month of March this academic year. As the academic year is about to end soon, all the attention has gone onto the public exams of 12th standard. So, the board is thinking of releasing the official exam schedule of intermediate public exams. Annually Assam board organizes 12th public exams for both intermediate first and second-year students in various centers of the state. Students who are studying intermediate in the affiliated junior colleges of the board will enroll and appear for the exam to receive the certification.
SEBA AHSEC Result 2017 Release Date
As the year is progressing towards the end, the board is planning to conduct the final exams for intermediate students in the month of March. The exams will be held in March,and the Assam 12th Board Results will be released on 21st May 2017. A previous year too the board has announced the Assam HS final Result in May only. All the students get anxious to check their Assam HS 12th Result 2017 as soon as the exams are completed. So, we suggest all the students get ready for the exams and to check their SEBA HS Result 2017, soon.
About AHSEC Board
Secondary Education Board Assam (SEBA) is ingrained in the year 1962. The board is responsible for prescribing curricula, syllabus and courses of instruction for Higher Secondary students in the state of Assam.The Board annually conducts final exams to the eligible students and publishes the AHSEC 12th Result 2017. The board grants recognition to the junior colleges of the state.
Assam HS Final Results 2017
Assam board is putting in order everything to conduct the 12th public exams in the month of March. As soon as the exams are completed students will start searching for the Assam 12th Result 2017 release. The AHSEC 12th Result 2017 are expected to be declared in May. The SEBA HS Result 2017,will be released via its official website. The official website of Assam board is www.ahsec.nic.in.or you can check the given below links to check the seha ahsec result.


text: NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluerock's Total Income+ Real Estate Fund ("Fund" or "TI+," tickers: TIPRX, TIPPX, TIPWX) announced today that its assets under management (AUM) have passed the $500 million mark. TI+ is an interval fund that provides access to a portfolio of diversified institutional real estate investments which are not directly available to individual investors, and has delivered consistent record of attractive current income and capital appreciation with low to moderate volatility relative to the broader markets. Since inception four years ago, TI+ has generated risk adjusted returns that are four to five times higher than leading stock, REIT, and bond market indexes, delivering an 8.57% annualized return (from inception through September 30, 2016) with approximately 85% less volatility than the S&P 500 index and the MSCI US REIT Index. The fund has issued 15 consecutive quarterly distributions at an annualized rate of 5.25%, a significant part of which has been tax deferred. TI+ invests the majority of its assets in a diversified portfolio of leading institutional private equity real estate securities (iPERE) normally accessible only to institutions large enough to accommodate the securities' multi-million dollar investment minimums. The minimum investment in the Fund, however, is $2,500 and shares are redeemable every quarter at a published NAV. Current investments include Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, Principal, Clarion Partners, J.P. Morgan, and Prudential, among others. "Passing the $500 million AUM mark is a significant validation of our approach and a confirmation that our investment thesis resonates with our investor base," said Ramin Kamfar, Chairman and CEO of Bluerock, sponsor of TI+. "We know that iPERE is proven to enhance the risk/return profile of diversified portfolios by providing equity-like returns with the volatility profile of fixed income. We are pleased to be able to offer this caliber of product to a growing pool of individual investors."


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Summer Calendar
Summer Calendar
Little Red Schoolhouse, Inc. has two fantastic locations to choose from. Both locations are in rural areas allowing for large outdoor spaces, filled with adventures waiting to be discovered! Huge outdoor play areas allow the "kids to play like kids", in addition to providing for many wonderful learning experiences including the exploration nature and science!
"I've never had to worry about my kids during the day. I know the care they are receiving is loving, creative, and educational. The teachers treat all the children as if they were their own and they are truly invested in making their experiences the best possible." - Adde and Everett's mom
The Colgate Center is located at:
285 Hillside RoadColgate, WI 53017262.628.4329click on map for enlarged view
It is just one block north of Hwy Q on Hillside Road in the Richfield/Colgate area. This location is in the Germantown School District and within a few miles of Plat School, Richfield Elementary, Crown of Life, St. Gabriel's and Friess Lake Elementary.
Free busing is provided to Amy Belle School for Germantown School District children and to Germantown School District children attending St. Gabriel's.
The Grafton Center is located at:
7025 Pleasant Valley Road Grafton, WI 53024 262.375.1808
click on map for enlarged view
It is just two miles north of Five Corners in Cedarburg. This location is in the Town of Cedarburg and within the Cedarburg School District. Free bussing is provided to Thorson Elementary for those students living within the Thorson boundaries. Parents can privately contract with Johnson Bus Co. for transportation to other Cedarburg schools or Grafton area schools.
"As new parents, we were apprehensive about finding a daycare we would be comfortable leaving our new baby at. We fell in love with LRSH immediately and have never doubted we made the right decision for our daughter." - Georgia's mom
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Blower Sally M, Bodine Erin N, Grovit-Ferbas Kathie Predicting the potential public health impact of disease-modifying HIV vaccines in South Africa: the problem of subtypes Current drug targets. Feldblum, A. Those found to be HIV infected were referred to appropriate referral clinics for HIV care. Clinical practice. The site supervisor was screening the referred FSW for the valid coupon number and for the eligibility criteria. ICD-9-CM codes selected were: 466.1, 487, 779.0, and 780.3. Blower Sally M, Bodine Erin N, Grovit-Ferbas Kathie Predicting the potential public health impact of disease-modifying HIV vaccines in South Africa: the problem of subtypes Current drug targets.
The AF of all interaction effects of HSV-2 for HIV transmission among FSW are shown in table 1, averaged over the first 5 years of sex work. The constant ρ was chosen (fitted to the observations) in such a way that the largest cluster of infected cells percolated at about the same time as in the experiments. A total of 764 cases of which 4 were from goats and 3 swine were recorded from a susceptible animal population of 9,793. Chest radiographs and chest CT scans demonstrate prominence of the central pulmonary arteries and right ventricular and atrial enlargement. Other reports indicated that Dalbergia melanoxylon leaves reduced back- and joint-aches [27] while Moringa stenopetala reduced vomiting and diarrhoea [21]. Extrapulmonary cryptococcosis was confirmed by microbiological findings of tissue and/or fluids from the suspected site of infection. Therefore, studying KSHV infection linked cytokines is relevant to understand viral multifactor patho-biology, its mechanisms to induce neoplasia, and for developing therapeutic interventions.
These individuals were reported to be reactive for HIV antibodies when all three tests were positive. It is estimated that in South Africa alone, this new prevention technology could prevent 1. photos in research reports show tumors in experimental mice melt. [13] J. I am not someone who wants to spread fear, but look for solutions. Malta M, Bastos F, da Silva C, et al. The HIV incidence under intervention was compared with a modelled HIV incidence in the cohort in the absence of intervention, using data collected at the same time from another survey among clients of sex workers in the same city [7].
(1990) Epidemiology of Sexually Transmitted Diseases: The Global Picture. In 1993 the CDC recommended voluntary HIV counseling and testing to outpatients in acute care hospital settings (8). It appears in the form of small red, swelled and liquid-filled blisters or sores near eyes, mouth, lips, and genitals. The hypothesis that the epidemic in Karnataka progressed more rapidly in the northern districts of Karnataka compared to southern Karnataka may be further substantiated by the results of this study. Within the iPrEX trial, tolerability to TDF-FTC was not compromised; side effects were minimal and generally well tolerated; and no behavioral disinhibition was observed. After the interview, a nurse or a midwife collected one blood sample and two vaginal samples. Despite these obstacles, the potential impact of this high-efficacy intervention makes it imperative that new approaches gain public health impact and reduce HIV transmission at the community level.
1927 Mar 7;8(6):713-26. On her run-down street in this Nile Delta village, she could often be seen hoisting a neighborhood toddler onto a skinny hip. In Wisconsin the same year, 7,642 cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and genital herpes were reported among females ages 15-19, compared with 2,049 cases among male teens. Annual incidence was projected to increase steadily between 2000 and 2025, from 9 to 26 infections per 1000 men and from 12 to 32 infections per 1000 women in this age group. Sexually transmitted diseases are a major group of diseases that contribute to hidden epidemics in progress: In the United States alone, there are about 20 million cases of new sexually transmitted infections each year, only eight viruses and bacteria, according to the centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC). O'Reilly's responses in the Related Posts section, below. Wrote the paper: HB CT CLT.
They should be offensive, threatening, a duplicate submission, or spam. This article aims to describe the profile of the epidemic in high-risk groups in China as well as to detail the contributing factors and the implications for control. Should other studies of tenofovir gel confirm these results, widespread use of the gel, at this level of protection, could prevent over half a million new HIV infections in South Africa alone over the next decade. Pregnant women can spread the virus to their newborns, which sometimes kills them. 15 (HealthDay News) — New research suggests that people who are infected with both HIV-1, a strain of the AIDS virus, and herpes simplex virus type 2 could benefit in more than one way by taking a herpes drug called acyclovir. For the other studies, we were forced to obtain HSV-2 prevalence from other population-based HSV-2 surveys.


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I'm sorry for the delay! I won't bore you guys with the details of my final exams, but, well, I'm sure you can imagine the frustrating lack of time. The next chapter will be delayed as well – sorry :(
I know a lot of you were looking forward to the inevitable kiss last chapter, but I'm borderline paranoid when it comes to timing. I promise that when it happens (which will be very soon) I'll make magic. Thanks for the lovely reviews and words of encouragement. Your perpetual patience will be rewarded by a damn good first kiss :)
21: Reconciliation and Retaliation
Loki woke up with a start when a violent and possibly hostile object smacked him bluntly in the chest. He spluttered, coughing, and dazedly forced his heavy eyelids open as he was rudely jarred from his remarkably peaceful sleep. He was momentarily disoriented as he stared up at the ceiling above his bed, blinking back the haze that was clouding his mind, cobwebbed with sleep. Groggily he tried to determine what had assaulted him.
Just as he made to sit up he was struck again on the chest, harder than the last. Fully roused from sleep and alert, he jerked upright in bed. He registered that it was an arm, and with gradual realization he remembered that his mother, meddling woman that she was, had forced him to offer Miss McPherson his bed – in which he had, despite the impropriety of it, joined her without her knowledge or consent.
The sound of her strangled whimpers roused him from his thoughts and he turned to the woman who was lying on her backside, her body convulsing with tremors. She had rolled away from him during the night, and was a foot and a half away from the dip in the bed where he had just risen from. Her head turned right, left, then right again, as her soft panting cries grew more desperate.
His eyes widened when her arm flew out to the side, once again making to strike him. He nimbly caught her wrist and applied pressure, holding back her unconscious assault.
"No!" she suddenly shrieked, thrashing against the sheets that clung to her damp body.
Loki's heart thudded anxiously in his chest as he beheld her unsettling distress. He squeezed her wrist tighter in his fist and pushed himself towards her, across the creased bed sheets. Her limbs were flailing dangerously, and twice her free arm nearly clipped him in the jaw. He made a grab for the threatening appendage, holding her arms down at her sides as her body continued to flail and convulse beneath him.
"Miss McPherson," he said, his voice deep with authority. "Wake up."
She was kicking with her legs, adamantly fighting against him in her state of fitful unconsciousness. She made no sign of stirring from the clutches of her nightmare, so he released her wrists and promptly grabbed her shoulders, shaking her with rattling force. His jarring vigour was perhaps undue and unnecessarily merciless, but desperation to rouse her spurred him to throw such cautions to the wind.
The shaking seemed to do the trick and her dark eyes flew open with a gasp, her body slackening below him. She stared up at him with terrified doe-eyes, a light sheen of sweat shining on her pale forehead. He didn't dare release her shoulders, holding onto her as he anchored her back to reality.
"Loki?" she breathed shakily, staring up at him, palpable traces of fear in her eyes.
"You had a nightmare," he said, releasing her shoulders with evident reluctance. "You're safe now. There's nothing to be afraid of."
He drew away from her and sat back against the headboard, an advisable two feet of space between them. It was difficult for him to put distance between them when all his body wanted was to hold her in his arms, but he wouldn't take advantage of her when she was vulnerable, as he had foolishly done the previous day.
From his peripherals he saw her slowly pull herself up against the headboard as well. He removed her spectacles from the nightstand and handed them to her, being careful not to touch her.
"Why am I in your room? I can't remember…"
"You fell asleep yesterday evening. My mother convinced me to let you stay here for the night," he interjected.
She frowned at him. "You needed convincing? I'm sorry to be such a burden," she said shortly.
Loki scowled as he turned to look at her. Perhaps it was due to having just woken from a seemingly terrifying nightmare, or because she was currently carrying a suffocating amount of guilt and stress on her shoulders, whatever the reason, he chose not to comment on her short temper. He had no right to, really, considering how many times she'd been the recipient of his unwarranted temper.
"That's not what I meant," he said sternly, fixing her with a neutral look. Slowly her gaze lost its edge and she bowed her head, ashamed. "All I meant was that considering the hell we've been through because of the last time you stayed the night in my cell, I figured I'd save us the headache and have Thor come to get you."
"Sorry," she said quietly.
"There's no need," was his low reply. His emerald eyes softened as they scrutinized her disheveled appearance. Her eyes were underlined with dark circles, her long, brown hair askew. "What did you dream of?"
She gazed up him, silent for a moment, her eyes chillingly empty. "Alberic."
He nodded slowly, expecting as much. "You're safe from him, Miss McPherson."
Slowly the young woman shook her head. "We're only safe for as long as he chooses us to be," was her emotionless response.
Loki's face contorted into a troubled frown, perturbed by her uncharacteristically glum outlook. "You know that's not true, don't you?" he pressed, turning his upper body towards her.
She stared straight ahead. "Isn't it, though? Look how easily he – he possessed me. He tampered with the perimeter that you created, and now he's set his sights on Earth." She turned her dark eyes towards him, her expression desolate and frightened. "What's stopping him? Who's stopping him?"
Loki clenched his fists. "I'll stop him."
The wide-eyed brunette stared deeply into his eyes, their entrancing depths flickering with an unidentifiable emotion. "But you're confined in here," she said quietly, as if it proved her point.
"You forget, Miss McPherson, that you never knew me when I was at the prime of my power," he said darkly, his eyes burning with a hunger for battle. "It will take more than a magically barred door to stop me when my powers are returned in less than three weeks."
She fixed him with a dubious look, one that was almost disapproving. It was just a flash of doubt, of apprehension, but it was enough to irk Loki. For some reason he could not stand the notion of her doubting him.
"You know I will not resume my old ways," he said, more softly now. He tried to convey his honesty through his eyes. "You may not remember, but Alberic and I exchanged words. Do you recall what they were?"
The weary-looking woman shook her head, leaning against the headboard with a wince, as if she were in pain – which she undoubtedly was, considering her foot was still far from being in top form. "How did you convince him to let us free?" she asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You didn't promise him anything you'd regret, did you?"
Loki shook his head. "I only promised him that the next time we met he could try to defeat me as an equal. I appealed to his sense of glory. He and I used to be quite similar. I knew exactly which stings to pull. Rest assured, the next time he intends to cause harm I will be restored my magic and my strength," he said.
She only nodded, closing her eyes and quietly leaning back against the head board. Loki couldn't help but watch her for a moment, admiring the way the summer sun's glow bathed her in its light, emphasizing the natural burgundy tones in her dark hair. The warmth of the yellow rays seemed to evaporate the sickly hue from her drawn cheeks, restoring a healthy colouring to her face.
Slowly her eyes opened and he swiftly averted his gaze, abashed, not wanting to be caught staring. "We should continue our sessions," she suggested. "Would you fetch me my crutches?"
Loki gaped at her, disbelieving. "You're jesting," he intoned disbelievingly.
Miss McPherson turned her dark eyes on him, calculating. "Why would I jest about our sessions? It's my job. We have less than three weeks to go," she insisted, turning her body with effort in order to swing her legs over the edge of the bed.
Indignant, Loki agilely eased off the eiderdown and swept around the four poster bed, planting himself in front of her. "I don't think my sessions take precedence at the moment," he asserted, chiding her.
She glared up at him, struggling to hoist herself onto her foot. But Loki was having none of it. He was little inclined to indulge her act of defiance. Just when she managed to balance on her good foot, he pushed firmly on her shoulder sending her toppling back onto his bed. "Hey!" she exclaimed. His gaze glittered with amusement as she huffed crossly at him.
He looked down his aristocratic nose at her, a smirk playing on his lips. "I don't think I'm the one who needs therapy at the moment," he breathed, his tone lilting teasingly.
Miss McPherson, in a proper state now, was fuming. "Don't mock me. I may be messed up because of what Alberic did, I may bear broken bones and bruises, but I'm still capable of performing my job," she cried fiercely, her eyes brimming with tears.
Loki's smug expression immediately faded when he took in the telltale glassy quality of her eyes. He hadn't meant to taunt her and he internally berated his foolishness. Of course she wasn't in any humour to indulge his playful teasing. At the back of his mind he heard the echo of his mother's voice: "... remember compassion."
"I don't deserve to be belittled or – or condescended, just because people might think I'm fragile and damaged," she snapped, wiping furiously at the unwanted tears. "Especially not by you."
Loki clenched his hands into fists. "I was not belittling you. I know that you aren't weak, and nor are you damaged. Distressed and laden with guilt, perhaps. But not damaged," he insisted. On instinct, his hand extended as if of its own mind, gently holding her chin and brushing her cheek with the cold, calloused pad of his thumb.
She stared into his eyes and he could read her torment as easily as if it were his own. He was perfectly familiar with the grief she was experiencing, having experienced it himself countless times in the past few months. Her shoulders heaved with effort as she took a deep, shaky breath. His hand reluctantly fell away.
"I don't know how to cope with what I'm feeling," she said, voice quivering. "I don't know how to forgive myself."
Loki licked his lips and carefully sat beside her, this time close enough for his thigh to just barely brush her own. He remained silent for a moment, carefully considering her words. "I cannot stress it enough," he began, watching her stare at her hands, clasped in her lap, "as I said yesterday, that you are not at fault. You are a victim. There was no possible way for you to contest Alberic's influence."
She didn't look away from her lap, clasping her hands ever tighter together until her knuckles burned white. "I'm afraid he's still inside my head." This time she met his gaze, her brown eyes disconcertingly void of warmth, instead radiating cold fear. "He talks to me, in my nightmares. Sometimes – sometimes I think he hasn't really left me."
Loki's brow furrowed into a concerned frown. "What does he say?" he asked, his tone deepening with displeasure.
She shrugged, lowering her gaze. "He reminds me of them – of the fathers, sons, and nephews – all dead. Because of me. He won't let me forget the blood on my hands. Sometimes I can still see it – the horrifically vivid crimson staining my arms and hands." She released a breath of anguish; digging her fists into her eye sockets with such force that Loki winced. "I can't bear to see it anymore."
When she pressed her fists harder into her eyes, he snapped. "Stop that," he chided, and forcefully pried her fists away from her face.
Her body slackened, drooping forward with a terrible weight. "I want it to stop. How do I make it stop?" she pleaded, looking up at him with beseeching, chocolate-brown eyes.
Loki felt his heart thud loudly in his chest. If possible his body went colder than it ever had before. He didn't know what to say or what to do. Advice was her expertise, not his. The tables had suddenly turned on him, their dynamic as companions shifting entirely – the roles reversed – and he wasn't sure he knew what to do. She was depending on him, he realized, with equal parts fear and delight. He was terrified to disappoint her. But he wouldn't let her down.
"I can't forget what I've done, and it's eating me alive," she whispered, her voice strained with torment.
Loki took her hand in his, holding the warm appendage tightly between his fingers. "You cannot let this consume you. This isn't you," he said sternly. "You're stronger than this. Don't let him win. Don't let him be the cause of your undoing."
Her head bobbed gently as she absorbed his words. They weren't so much advice, but a plea.
"I need you to stay strong," he continued, squeezing her hand tighter as his own voice creaked with emotion. "I won't lose you to Alberic," he vowed, his voice a low rumble of protectiveness mingling with resolve.
She turned to look at him, her lips slightly parted. "I'm scared, Loki. I don't know what to do."
Loki reflexively reached out to grasp her face in his hands, physically holding her gaze to his. He gently brushed her cheekbones with his thumbs. "I won't let him hurt you again. I swear to you."
Her dark-lashes nearly brushed her cheekbones as her eyelids fluttered wearily closed. He felt her body lean towards him, sagging under the abysmal guilt and fear that clung to her like a hostile shadow. His chest swelled with a desire to protect her.
He released her face, and wrapped a strong, sure arm around her back as she collapsed into his side, curling against him, one warm hand absently clutching his shirt as she pressed her damp cheek into his shoulder.
"I won't let him hurt you," Loki repeated determinedly, holding fast to her, his grip tightening around her frame. She said nothing, but her shallow breathing gradually evened out and her grip on his shirt tightened infinitesimally more. He held her for what may as well have been hours, but was mere minutes. Loki's sensitive ears detected the sound of lumbering footsteps beyond his door. He recognized it was his brother's less than subtle gait. He was, undoubtedly, come to fetch Miss McPherson.
Gently, he released her. She made a small sound of protest that caused Loki's heart to constrict with a ridiculous amount of satisfaction, before he rose in time to greet his brother.
"Thor," he said rigidly as the burly, blonde giant entered the room.
"Brother," he nodded in return, his translucent blue eyes drifting to where Miss McPherson sat upon his bed. "How was your rest, Miss McPherson?" he inquired with a warm smile, retrieving her crutches from where they leaned against an armchair.
The brunette offered gentle, sheepish smile. "The best I've had in a week, to be honest," she said quietly, her eyes briefly meeting Loki's. A strange sensation passed through him then. "Loki kept the demons away," she said softly, her smile suddenly fading as a look of awareness seemed to dawn across her features.
Loki watched her expression change and wondered what was going on behind those roiling brown eyes. She swallowed thickly, before gesturing for her crutches. Thor handed them to her, and Loki forced himself, with no small amount of difficulty, to remain at a distance from her as she struggled to her feet. When she teetered precariously, his brother was swift to straighten her out.
She turned, her eyes searching him out. When they settled on him, they looked shamefully apologetic. "I'm afraid I'm still a bit out of sorts. Our session—
Loki waved his hand dismissively, cutting off her words. His eyes conveyed his sincerity. "Tomorrow."
She held his gaze a moment longer before nodding stiffly and severing their connection. She permitted Thor to escort her from the room. His older brother met his gaze briefly, fixing him with an inquiring gaze. Loki, for all his perceptive adeptness, could not decipher the underlying question in the man's uncommonly stony gaze, but whatever it so happened to be, Loki knew that before long he'd be posed the question. Thor had never been one to have tact when it came to his musings.
As he watched Thor aid the limping girl through the doorway, he managed to catch one last look at his companion. Her head turned at the last moment, peering curiously over her shoulder. Her eyes fixed on him with an expression that unsettled him. There was clarity in those dark brown eyes – a clarity so sharp that he could scarcely conceive what was going on in her mind. The door promptly shut, severing their contact with palpable force.
Loki anxiously awaited Miss McPherson's arrival the following day. He wanted to know about the guilt and the fears that were pervading her mind. He was determined to help her overcome the grief that was now haunting her. After she had left the previous morning, he had been restless for the remainder of the day, reminiscing on her perturbingly empty, hollow eyes. He would not rest until those brown eyes were restored to their former state of expressing her all-encompassing warm personality.
It was past lunchtime when he heard a set of unfamiliar footsteps approaching his cell. It was not his mother, nor was it Thor or Miss McPherson. He felt his body turn rigid as he rose defensively from his seat at his desk, carefully tucking away the tome he had been reading into the nearest drawer.
The door cautiously swung open. Loki could not prevent the cold jolt of shock the seized him when his adopted father entered his room. It was the first time in five and a half months that he had come to visit him in his cell. Loki wasn't sure whether he was more enraged or slighted to be graced by his unwilling presence now. He did not attempt to mask the grimace of disdain on his face as his sharp green eyes bored unforgivingly into the shorter, wizened man.
Odin closed the door softly behind him, his posture tall and regal as he entered further into the room. His single eye never strayed from his son's. "You were not expecting me."
"No," Loki ground out, his emotions suddenly conflicting as he abruptly recalled the handful of favours his father had bestowed upon he and Miss McPherson in the past few months, in particular how he had stood up against Judge Voglrsson to attest to, on both his and Miss McPherson's behalves, their honourable characters.
"I was expecting Miss McPherson. We have a session this afternoon. I admit your presence is wholly unexpected and, if I'm to be blunt, not entirely welcomed," Loki ground out, flexing his jaw.
His father nodded, his glacial blue eye taking a moment to study the Spartan cell, lingering on the excessively opulent bed. A flicker of wry amusement crossed his features. "No doubt the special touch of your mother's influence," he mused softly.
Loki snorted ungraciously. "Once her mind is set…"
"She cannot be deterred," Odin finished with a nod, his gaze levelling with his son's.
The taller god clasped his cool, slender hands behind his back. He regarded his estranged father for several brief moments before gesturing to the arm chair normally occupied by Miss McPherson.
Odin nodded, grunting in thanks, as he lowered himself into the plush seat. After a slight hesitation, Loki took the seat opposite, extending his legs and crossing his ankles. He watched Odin shift somewhat with discomfort. Loki smirked satisfactorily. This was his territory; let the old codger feel disdvantaged.
"Miss McPherson sought me out yesterday afternoon," Odin began, folding his hands neatly in his lap as he fixed Loki with a perturbingly sharp eye. "She seems to think that you and I are ready to properly embark on the route of reconciliation."
Loki scoffed, glaring at the white-haired man. He looked impossibly weary. The two or three times that he had briefly encountered his adopted father in the past year had not been sufficient in conveying the obvious strain that the Allfather was under, Loki realized, as he studied his father. The Frost Giant siege, Alberic's presence and the prison fiasco had clearly grated on his unflappable nature. There was unconcealed exhaustion written into in every intricate crease lining his aged, weathered face. For a brief moment, he felt an uncomfortable pang of sympathy for the man – a subtle, nostalgic ache for a great man now succumbing to the terrible weight of his reign. The sentiment was fleeting; gone in the next instant he took breath.
"She asked that I come to see you today to replace her usual session with you," Odin continued.
Loki bristled somewhat. His intuitive mind rapidly analyzed those words and he found himself offended by his speculations that she might be avoiding him for some reason or other. He mentally berated his foolishness. Tomorrow their sessions would resume, surely he could handle another day without seeing her. The dull ache in his chest suggested otherwise, but he quickly pushed it aside, disregarding the throb of disappointment.
"What do you want me to say to you?" Loki asked, suddenly weary.
Odin narrowed his eye. "I think you set the record straight all those weeks ago when I spoke with you during the trial. You were," he paused, "painfully clear." He continued in a lighter tone. "Once I managed to overcome my own indignation and pride over your slights, I was able to appreciate your blunt honesty."
Loki scowled, remembering the cruel words he had directed at the man sitting before him. Miss McPherson had chastised him for being overly harsh, but in that moment he had felt such anger towards his father. He held him, in part, responsible for his fall from grace. If his companion would have been present now, she wouldn't have described his words as honest, so much as tactless.
"I remember," was all Loki said, his tone cutting.
Odin nodded slowly. "I have long thought over your words," he said with a frown. "I am regretful to say that you were not entirely wrong."
Loki swallowed with some manner of difficulty as an unexpected wave of guilt pervaded him. "I wasn't entirely correct either," he said, his tone uncommonly soft, as he discarded the sharp edge to his words.
He met his father's eye and saw a flicker of hope. It made his gut wrench uneasily as he realized just how far they had fallen apart over the years. As a young child he had extolled his father, he had admired him for the great and powerful man that he was. But as he grew, it became more and more obvious that his father was paying more attention to honing Thor for leadership than he was to being a father to his youngest son, the forgotten son. If not for his mother's constant doting, he would have felt entirely neglected.
"I know that my apology is long overdue, and I am under no illusions that an apology of any degree of eloquence will atone for the way I have neglected and failed you as a father, but I wish to say it all the same." Odin's crystal blue eye shone with unshed tears, a rare moment of vulnerability that thoroughly jarred Loki. "I am so incredibly sorry, my son. I have always loved you, despite having failed to convey it. I lament that there is such distance between us now, such resentment."
Loki said nothing, his emerald gaze diverting to the expanse of wall beyond Odin's shoulder. He licked his lips, rubbing his jaw with a cold hand. "I hated you," he said darkly. "I despised your very name, your face, your presence, when I learned that you had taken me from Jotunheim as an infant."
He directed his now fiercely burning emerald gaze back at his father. "I want to resent you still today. I want to continue to hate you and your deceptions," he paused, "but in the past few months I have come to realize that nothing is ever as simple as black and white."
Odin's lips stretched into a thin line. "I have done wrong by you. I only wish you would not hate me for it."
Loki shook his head vehemently, rising abruptly to his feet. "That's just the point of it," he exclaimed breathlessly. "I don't hate you anymore. I can't. I can't delude myself into blaming you for my actions last year. What I did was unforgiveable. My anger was spurred by your negligence and my resentment for the lie I had been living, but that still does not condone what I did to Midgard," he said tersely. "No one is responsible for my actions but me. I have come to accept this – with some help," he finished, thinking briefly of Miss McPherson.
Odin rose as well, slowly, with enviable poise. "I am responsible for failing to guide you. I failed you."
Loki ran his tongue along his teeth. "I cannot keep blaming you. Miss McPherson is right. It consumes me, this resentment. I need to let go." He met his father's gaze. "We both need to accept our past failings and move past them. Those who hold onto the past will only be met by perpetual and unnecessary despair."
The Allfather took a cautious step forward. Loki's spine straightened defensively, unprepared for a display of affection from his father. He was willing to test the waters of reconciliation, but he wasn't about to go on a father-son fishing trip. When Odin silently extended a solid hand towards him, Loki felt minute relief. They would take this journey of reconciliation together, slowly and gradually. With a curt nod, Loki grasped his father's hand firmly in his own.
"A new beginning," Odin murmured quietly.
Loki said nothing, releasing his father's hand. Odin did not move for a moment, levelling his blue eye with his son. "Your companion is quite the woman, Loki. She has all the makings of a remarkable individual."
He only nodded, distracted as his thoughts drifted to his companion. "She's struggling to deal with the possession. She's still haunted by Alberic, by the blood on her hands."
Odin looked grave. "I have noticed. Your mother is very distressed by it."
Loki could only imagine that she would be. Frigga had been verging on tears two days ago when Miss McPherson had fallen asleep in his cell, lamenting over her ashen skin, her sickly pallor and obvious loss of appetite. "It worries me," he admitted. He didn't want to appear vulnerable in front of his father, but it was evident that Odin also cared greatly for the girl.
"I only wish I knew what could be done to help her. Not even the presence of her Midgardian companions eases her fears," Odin said.
A thought, a rather ingenious one in Loki's opinion, suddenly came to mind. He recalled her mentioning it to him. With any luck, if it could be arranged, it might prove to be the key to helping her overcome the grief and self-loathing. "There might be something," he mused. He fixed his father with a hesitant look. "Would you be willing to do me a favour?"
Odin's lips upturned at the corners into a sardonically amused half smile. It was the first time Loki had seen the man direct a genuine smile at him in years. His whole face changed and he felt like a child again. It unsettled him. Normally he would never degrade himself by asking another for a favour, but considering his plight of confinement and consequently his inability to have influence over the outside world, he would have to steel himself against his retaliating pride. It was for Miss McPherson's sake, in any case. Which made it somewhat more tolerable, he thought. Only marginally.
"It pleases me to know that there are some things you still need me for. I would be happy to be of use," Odin said.
Loki grimaced, but swallowed the sensation of a wounded pride. "I was hoping that you could arrange a rather exceptional meeting."
The next several days passed and Evelyn went each day to visit Loki for their sessions. She was thoroughly impressed with his dramatic progress. The day after she had sent Odin to visit Loki, they had engaged in some discussion over how, despite the gradual nature of beginning the process of reconciliation, he could not deny the lightness that permeated him.
Evelyn was extremely proud; her well-hidden professional ego was bursting with satisfaction. Their sessions had gone well. Loki's temper had never flared and he had shown incredible patience and compassion when sporatic waves of emotion would strike her. They never spoke of Alberic – Evelyn refused to, even when Loki offered to listen. She tried her utmost to circumvent all conversation concerning her role as unwilling murderer, the defilement of possession and Alberic's cruelties against her. Loki wasn't pleased by her avoidance. But avoidance was her defense mechanism, protecting her from having to deal with the reality of what had happened to her. Everything was better when left unsaid.
She stumbled up the stairs in her crutches – she had narrowly escaped Natasha and Clint who had insisted on helping her up the foreboding spiral staircase for the past couple days. They wouldn't be pleased to know that she had evaded their assistance, but Evelyn was tired of being so dependent on them. The swell of pleasure that filled her chest upon reaching the top of the stairs without a human crutch made the exhaustion in her trembling legs entirely worth it.
She quickly greeted Haward who exchanged a good-humoured word of chastisement for having climbed the stairs on her own. Eager to share her small victory with Loki, she hobbled into his room. He was flipping through a book and didn't bother looking up. Undeterred, she staggered over to her usual seat and plopped down without and regard for gracefulness, leaning her crutches just beside her.
He was still immersed in his book, but she knew that he was entirely aware of her arrival. A small frown downturned her lips as she remembered waking up in his bed just five days ago. She had slept a pleasantly dreamless sleep for the most part, which was a welcome relief. But then Alberic's obsidian, depthless eyes had abruptly filled her head, taunting her and vowing to destroy her beloved Earth. His blunt nails had run down the length of her arms, drawing vivid red blood, and then the faces of the Asgardian guards, the victims of her possession, had swelled beyond his bloodthirsty, sadistic face, cursing her and bemoaning their unjust deaths.
It had been a particularly disturbing variation of her nightmare, but thankfully short-lived. She had awoken to find Loki's body suspended above her own, shaking her to consciousness. His dark green eyes had been narrow with trepidation, his hands gripping her shoulders firmly with underlying desperation. The warmth and relief that had flooded her upon seeing him and feeling him so close to her had instantly expended all her anxieties, all the lingering traces of the horrors of her night terror.
Lost in thought, she began to detect a particularly stern gaze burning into her face. She met Loki's intent gaze with a small smile.
"You look positively spent," he observed.
Evelyn just shrugged, her brows knitting.
"Trouble sleeping?" he inquired.
The young woman rubbed her lips together, not liking that he was breaking their silent agreement to not broach issues concerning the prison debacle.
She shrugged nonchalantly. "A little. Last time I slept a whole night through was," she paused, averting her gaze to the barren mantle of the fireplace, "well, the night I stayed in your cell," she finished lamely.
Loki nodded gently, his eyes refusing to stray from her. "Are you having nightmares again?"
Evelyn scowled at him. He had asked her the same question a few days back. She had lied, of course. "No."
It was Loki's turn to scowl. "Don't lie to me, Miss McPherson. Your lack of adeptness for it is embarrassing."
Evelyn resisted the childish urge to roll her eyes. "These sessions aren't meant to be about me."
"Well I think we can suffer the loss of one session to talk about you instead. I've been remarkably well-behaved this past week; I even surprised myself. I think one less session is manageable, don't you?" he asked, his tone a low purr as he leaned his elbows against his desk, fixing her with a challenging gaze.
Evelyn's mood, which had previously been uplifted, quickly deflated. "I'm not here to talk about myself," she insisted.
"Tell me if you're still having nightmares," he reiterated, ignoring her statement entirely.
A brief pause, and then she lowered her gaze, relenting. "They never stopped," she said softly, rubbing her eyes wearily. She was vaguely aware of the sound of him pushing back his chair, the soft tap of his light steps carrying him across the small room towards her.
"Why did you lie to me?" he asked, his tone strained.
Evelyn jumped, lifting her head. He was standing in front of his armchair, arms crossed, staring down at her. She squirmed uncomfortably. "It wasn't important," she replied defensively, trying and failing to regulate her suddenly erratic heartbeat as he loomed above her.
"That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard you say," he ground out, his tone clearly displeased. "If you think that your despair isn't important to me than you are sadly mistaken"
His voice conveyed genuine hurt, which jarred Evelyn. She knew that their strange friendship had developed out of mutual sentiments of care for each other, but at the moment she was in no mood to entertain his curiosities about her own problems. She glared up at him, refusing to lessen the force of her anger.
"I said that I didn't want to talk about this. Why can't you leave well enough alone?" she snapped.
Loki's eyes seemed to widen in surprise before narrowing into a heated glare that put hers to shame. "I know that what happened has been traumatic for you. You need to talk about it. You can't just internalize your guilt," he said sternly.
Evelyn clenched her fists. "Just drop it."
"No," he intoned deeply.
A wave of rage rushed through her. She refused to let him order her around. He had no right. She would not let him twist their meeting into a therapy session for her problems. They were her problems, and she didn't have to share them if she didn't damn well want to.
"Fine," she snapped acerbically. "Have it your way."
Tearing her eyes from his, she grabbed her crutches and fumbled to her feet. Loki seemed taken aback by her clear intent to depart as he reached out to steady her swaying form. Her lips pursed with barely concealed indignation and she roughly pushed his hand away. "Don't touch me," she snarled. If she hadn't been so consumed by her own frustrations with how their meeting was turning out, she might have noticed the dangerous look in Loki's suddenly frosty green eyes. As it were, she was distracted by her own anger as she hobbled towards the cell door.
Her fingertips barely had a chance to brush the cool surface of the decorative brass knob, when his hand shot out and grabbed her by the shoulder, roughly halting her escape and spinning her to face him. The movement was so rapid that her crutches twisted out from beneath her arms, falling with dull thuds to the ground. She only managed to maintain her balance by clinging onto each of his black shirt sleeves with her hands. Her eyes were wide with shock as he intense green eyes burned into her skull.
"I only want to help you," he asserted, clearly frustrated by her lack cooperation. His large hands were firmly gripping her shoulders, squeezing them with painfully strong fingers.
She winced. "I don't need your help." She tried to ignore the traitorous tears that were suddenly obscuring her vision.
His fingers tightened around her shoulders. "Why won't you let me help you?" he demanded, his voice lowering.
"Because my problems are none of your damn concern!" she shouted, her frustrations finally manifesting themselves vocally as her fingers instinctively tightened around his shirt sleeves.
"Like hell it isn't my concern," he countered angrily. "The only reason you got dragged into this damn conflict is because of your involvement with me. I am entirely responsible for what happened to you. I won't let this man consume you!" he avowed, his voice rising with fury.
"It's too bloody late for that!" she cried, furiously wiping away her tears. "He's in my head! It's constant. I can't have a private thought without hearing him goad me and torment me and I can't make it stop!"
"He's not in your head," Loki growled, his eyes aflame with anger.
"He is! You don't know what it's like. Every time I think I can start to forgive myself I hear his words from that day in the cell echoing in my head. He'll never let me forgive myself, and I'd rather die than go through the rest of my life carrying this all-consuming guilt of having their blood on my hands!" she cried, her face flushed with tears of defeat.
Loki's body went rigid. "Enough! Listen to yourself!"
She glared at him through her tears. "Don't tell me what to do. Don't pretend to know what I'm going through," she cried miserably.
Loki's nostrils flared. In a fit of blind rage he shook her violently by the shoulders. Evelyn gaped mutely at the brutal force behind his actions. His fingers burned into her skin. His icy ire seemed to permeate her flesh, chilling the very blood in her veins. Her head snapped violently back and forth, and an agonized gasp fled from her lips. Her eyes were wide and she made no attempt at concealing her shock and fear.
The steel edge that had filled his cold emerald eyes seemed to recede upon the realization of his actions. A look of self-loathing and disgust contorted his previously enraged expression. He abruptly released her shoulders, and she staggered back into the wall, unable to remove the look of disbelief and agony on her face. She hardly recognized him. She had never witness him so utterly… undone with anger.
The imposing demigod ran a shaking hand through his hair, his breaths coming out in ragged pants. He turned his back on her, his shoulder rigid, mumbling incoherent curses under his breath. When he faced her again his expression was a careful mask of disdainful unaffectedness. He would not meet her eyes as he gracefully, albeit rigidly, bent at the waist to retrieve her crutches, thrusting them under her nose.
"You should go," he said gruffly, his voice lower than she had ever known it to be.
She stared at the towering man before her for only a moment longer before taking up her crutches and leaving the room without a backward glance. By the time she reached the bottom of the tall stairwell several minutes later, her heart was beating at an erratic pace, her limbs shook beneath her weight, and her body was coated in a cold sheen of sweat. She would be a liar if she insisted that it was due to the physical exertion.
Again, sorry for the delay. I hope it was worth it. Don't freak out about the ending. There is always method to my madness. All shall be justified in the next chapter. Never fear. Drop a review (you know I love those). Cheers!


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This simple pouch is made of up to 1.2 mm thick fine cowhide. The leather pouch 11 cm is tied up with a leather string. It is embellished with a decorative stone on each side.
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The room was absolutely beautiful and the bed extremely comfortable. And the breakfast was AMAZING!! lots to choose from and so much variety.Cant wait to re-visit.
Provare per credere! Svegliarsi con il canto degli uccellini a cinque minuti dal centro della città. Un posto rilassante immerso nel verde degli alberi di arancio e nei colori dei tanti fiori. Proprietari veramente gentili e disponibili, posto magnifico per raggiungere anche altre località nelle vicinanze (Alpi Apuane, Cinque Terre, Carrara, Viareggio, Lucca e Pisa).
The LA CASA DEGLI ARANCI is a wonderful hotel in Massa. It was truly the best three days of our two week European vacation. The individual attention to detail by every single member of their staff is incredible! There is every modern convenience in the setting of an elegant, sort of art deco hotel. Our room was spacious (Jr. suite), with a balcony and a glorious bathroom! I highly recommend this location and hotel.
From the the first moment we stepped across the threshold to the time for our checkout the service from all the staff was exceptional and flawless. Nothing was too much trouble. This is a beautiful hotel with extremely courteous and attentive staff. The rooms were luxurious, superb cuisine and wine list in keeping with a 5*+ hotel.
The CASA DEGLI ARANCI as we have stayed there previously and had become our hotel of choice when traveling to Massa and Carrara. The truly is our home away from home when no question about it.
You get exactly what you pay for, a beautiful room in a luxurious setting. We can't recommend this hotel enough, from the moment we entered the hotel we were treated with the most amazing customer service and it continued to the point we left.
Enjoyed the warm hospitality. The facilities are excellent, the breakfast was tasty and the neighborhood is quiet and pleasant.Highly recommendable.
What a wonderful hostess. She was magnificent and wanted to make sure my stay was all I hoped for. Room was spotlessly clean!