integra1127grimmreaper

[integra1127grimmreaper]

Mistletoe (Joel Miller)

Joel Miller Masterlist

Prev

Warning: swearing, near death experience and fluff.

Summary: Based off the same storyline as Put a Spell On Me. After the Halloween party, the dynamic between Joel and you drastically shift during a mall drive for supplies for the upcoming Christmas party and even more so at the party itself. Inspired by - Brett Eldredge & Kelly Clarkson's - Under The Mistletoe.

You stood in the doorway to the town hall, silently admiring the hard work that everyone had put in to make this Christmas a memorable one for all. It was remarkable how a town could come together to bring a bit of joy and fun into a world that was practically dead, and you were proud for the part you had played in helping it be possible. Although you had supplied them yet again with decorations from the mall, all this wouldn't have been possible it wasn't for Joel Miller accompany you yet again to retrieve them. Joel Miller... the man was a complete pain your ass on most occasions but lately somethings had seemed to change. He had become more bearable these days and you weren't quite sure when and how everything had taken a complete 180. Speaking of the devil himself, Joel had been the first person your sights settled onto when scanning the room. You silently smiled when noticing how completely devoted he was to listen to everything Ellie was animatedly pointing out enquiring about, and it made you think back to the last trip to the mall.

Flashback

"Ya sure we're even gonna find anythin'?", Joel grumbles as your group of six neared the mall. "Was lucky last 'cause Halloween was close when shit hit."

"Don't know that much 'bout retail, do ya Miller?", you smirk at Joel, causing him to shoot you a sour look and Tommy to softly snicker. "If ya did, ya would know that stores stock up for these festivities' months in advance. It might not be on display but most definitely will be in the storage rooms."

"Ya heard the lady...", Tommy remarks once you reached the mall entrance, "Our targets are the storage rooms of potential stores, let's move!"

Joel, Tommy and you were paired in the one section of the mall whilst the others took the opposite side, and just like you had predicted, you scored majorly with decorations for the Christmas party.

"What I tell ya, Joel... our girl never disappoints when it comes to these missions", Tommy beams proudly you made your way toward your horses that were a bit of distance from the mall.

Joel merely grunts in response, not wanting to admit it out loud and you flash them the toothy grin, causing Joel to shake his head with an eyeroll. Your moment of victory was short live when realizing your shoelace had cum undone. "Shit", you mutter stopping and crouching down to retie it.

"Ya ok...?", Tommy calls out when realizing you now some distance behind them.

"Yeah", you call out, gesturing for them go onward, "just a loose shoelace."

Tommy nods in agreement, yet Joel stops for moment; frowning at you in concern but eventually follows his brother to the horses. You just finished securing your shoelace when loud screeching cries rang out from behind you. "Shit!", Joel cures out loudly when seeing the group of five infected coming up from behind you. "Run!!!", he yells out whilst the team began firing to keep them off you.

"Fuck!", you curse out whilst attempting to dodge both bullets and infected.

"Keep running! Don't look back!", Joel urges you whilst fear gripped him at watching you attempt to escape the death trap you were in. "That's it! Ya almost there!", he yells, "focus on gettin' to me!", arms open to urge you further whilst the team fired onto the last two that were still hot on your heels.

It felt like the distance wasn't getting any closer as you ran as fast as possible; arms reaching out as you focused on getting to Joel. Time suddenly speeds up then when you crash heavily into Joel's open arms at the same moment the last infected drops mere meters behind you.

The pounding of both Joel and your hearts rang loudly in your ears as you clung tightly onto him, your eyes shut tightly, and face buried against his chest as you attempt to ground yourself. Your labored breathes finally slow down when Joel pulls your face up to look at him. "Ya ok...? Ya weren't hit?"

You stared wide-eyed up him, completely dumbstruck at the look of genuine concern in his yes. "I-", you find yourself at loss for words for a moment, finally shaking the stupidity off. "Yeah", you respond a bit embarrassed, carefully detaching your arms from around him. "I'm fine. Thank you..."

Gently stroking his glove covered thumb across your cheek, Joel's narrowed gaze remains on your face in suspicious, "sure?"

"Mhmm...", you nod, forcing a smile. "I'm fine." Truth was, you weren't, you were scared shitless over what happen and were beyond grateful to him for guiding to safety.

Joel lets out a heavy sigh of relief, his hands dropping down to shoulders and giving them a gentle comforting squeeze. The two you stood that way for quite some time until Tommy broke the spell by loudly clearing his throat and announcing it was best to leave in case there more infected nearby.

End

Snapping out from the daze you were in; you realize that the two had notice your arrival when Ellie excitedly called you over. Flashing her a broad smile, you wave in return as you begin walking towards them, at the same time that Ellie was making her way toward you. You were so focused on how pretty and happy Ellie looked that you never noticed Joel trailing behind her, not till your gaze shifted to land on his somewhat happy looking face.

Every time I look around this room My eyes, they tend to fall on you And I confess Nothing but you makes sense Memories fill my heart And I can barely keep my tears from fallin' Oh, I want your love Do you ever think of us

Is it too late, too late To open up I'm dyin' to say Oh, how I love you You're walkin' towards me now (What am I gonna say?)

*

You were dumbstruck by how cute he seemed, which was something you would never have paired with Joel Miller. It wasn't that you never felt attracted to the man, you had to be blind not to... It was just, Joel and you never saw eye-to-eye from the very start and for that reason you chose to keep your feelings hidden all this time. That and the fact of him pissing you off each time when he verbally or silently judged everything you either did or said. Most times you couldn't fault him for it though, you sometimes did things just to get a rise out of him. You couldn't be faulted for doing it either, watching that old man blowing his top in annoyance at you was both hilarious and hot. Would you ever admit that out loud...? Hell no! But something changed though; ever since Halloween, the dynamic between Joel and you had shifted. He seemed a bit friendlier, even complimented your costume at the party and that caught you completely off-guard to point that you were actually speechless. Let's not forget the last mall visit, that too had been added to your dilemma. And now here you were, confused about your feelings for Joel Miller, and even more so over his towards you.

Oh, everything I try To keep you from gettin' inside Works until I see your face I linger, hopin' you might stay Wrapped up in your arms Is where I wanna spend my nights So hard, how much I want you Do you think of us? How I want your love

Is it too late, too late To let you know I can't quite escape How much I need you You're walkin' towards me now (What am I gonna say?)

*

"You ok?", Ellie enquires once they reached you, snapping you out of your stupid state after you had abruptly stopped in the middle of the room.

"Huh?", you turn to look at her but not before noticing the little smirk of Joel's.

"You just stopped dead in your tracks", Ellie explains, confused yet a bit curious. "What happened?"

"I- ahem-", you found yourself stuttering over your words, finally smiling when an idea hits, "brain glitch!"

"Whaat...?", Ellie stares at you open-mouthed and to your surprise; Joel softly snickers in response.

You shoot him a side-eyed smirk, turning back to Ellie then, "you're looking pretty this evening..."

"Thank you...", Ellie shyly responds, a mischievous smirk appearing soon after. "So do you. Joel. Doesn't she look pretty...?", Ellie elbows him in the side when he doesn't immediately respond.

"Ow!", Joel grunts, shooting daggers at her as he rubs at the spot.

"Tell her, she looks pretty", Ellie grits out while sending him signals with her eyes.

Joel shoots her one last scowl before turning toward you, mumbling out, "you look pretty."

"Thanks", you stare at him bug-eyed, "so do you I guess..."

Ellie bursts out laughing at your response, causing both Joel and you to do the same. The laughing soon dies down as all three of you attempt to catch your breaths and that's when Ellie notices something. "Er... guys..."

"What's wrong?", Joel and you both stare at her concerned.

Ellie shoots you both a shit-eating grin as she points out, "look up..."

You both frown at her in confusion, silently looking upward then and that's when you see it, a fucking mistletoe.

Push my pride aside When I close my eyes It's just you and I Here under the mistletoe Magic fills the air Standin' over there Santa hear my prayer Here under the mistletoe

*

Your eyes widen like saucers when you see the mistletoe hanging above the three of you, Joel's reaction was more or less the same. "Well, I ain't fuckin' kissin' any of you...", Ellie finally breaks the awkwardness with the biggest toothy grin you've seen. "Go on you two...", she urges victoriously, "make with the kissy kissy..."

You rapidly blink at her in annoyance, finally shyly looking toward Joel then and that's when you notice him blushing. "Joel Miller? The grumpy, pain in your ass, was blushing? Was actually blushing at having to kiss you?" Seemed like there was a first for everything even long after the world had gone to shit.

"I-", you find yourself lost at words for a second, taking a deep breath then. "It's not necessary... a hand-", you're cut off mid-sentence when a determined looking Joel takes a step closer toward you. You didn't think your eyes could go any wider, but you were dead wrong as you held your breath when Joel slowly tips down towards your face; his eyes filled with silent amusement as he gently places a kiss onto your cheek, mere inches from your lips.

Ellie softly snickers at your open mouth reaction to it, whilst Joel stepped back with a smug smirk. "Did Joel 'fucking' Miller just kiss me?!", you continued to stand open-mouthed for some time, finally nervously clearing your throat to say something but it's interrupted when Tommy suddenly calls out for Joel's assistance with something.

"Excuse me ladies...", Joel flashes a toothy grin, nodding at you as makes his leave. "See ya around."

"I- ahem. Sure", you manage to shyly utter out as he walked away. Once he was out of earshot, you toward Ellie with an arched brow, "don't think, I don't know what you're up to young lady..."

"I don't know what you mean...", Ellie innocently smiles at you.

"Uh-huh...", your gaze narrows at her suspiciously as she continued to play innocent. Scrunching your nose at her, your gaze then lands on someone else in the room, a mischievously grin at her. "Oh look! Dina is here. Maybe I should call her over and return the favor...?"

"Don't you dare!", Ellie launches forward to place her hand over your mouth. You were laughing hysterically against her palm at her reaction when finally, she lets' go, defeated. "Ok, fine... I'm sorry."

Pulling her in for a hug, you smirk down at her as you place quick kiss to her forehead, "you're forgiven." Ellie lights up at your words as she returns the hug. "You're still a butthead though...", you remark, giving her a nose boop.

"But you still love me anyway...", she grins at you.

"Yeah, yeah...", you teasingly roll your eyes, "now, go and join your friends before I change my mind."

Silently watching Ellie, walk away; your thoughts wonder back to what had just occurred. Joel Miller had kissed you. Were you shocked by it? Yes. Did you like it? Yes. Were you confused more as hell now? Yes. Did you want this to lead towards something more? Yes. Were you possibly falling for him? Yes. Were you hoping he felt the same way? Yes.

All these thoughts were making your spin, but you knew you had to push it aside for the time being as the town Christmas party was not the right place or time to sort out your thoughts and feelings. Letting out a heavy sigh, your gaze moves upward again at the culprit that was to blame for all of this. "No fuckin' way I'm standing under this thing for longer!", hastily hightailing it before some else gets any ideas.

All I want, hey, yeah (all I really, really ever want) All I want, hey, hey, yeah (all I really, really ever want) All I want, hey, yeah (all I really, really ever want) Is under the mistletoe

Push my pride aside, aside, aside It's just you and I (it's just you and I) All I want (I'm pushin' my pride aside, aside, aside) All I want (baby, it's just you and I) Is you (oh, it's only you) Is you, oh... 

[integra1127grimmreaper]

Worth Dying For (Dave York)

Dave York Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Prev

Warning: mention of death, mention of murder, mention of attempted murder, swearing, fluff and smut

Summary: Final part of Isn't My Affair Anymore. In the wake of everything that has happened, you finally find out the truth. Or everything comes full circle when you get an unexpected visitor.  Inspired by - Within Temptation's - Worth Dying For.

A/N: This is quite a long chapter as a ton of unfinished business needed to be settled in detail, as well as explanations for the outcome of it all needed to be detailed. With a bit of twist at the near end.

It's been eight months since you went into hiding after Susan's memorial, eight months since you quietly resigned from the DIA, eight months since the deaths of your fellow teammates and former lover. The news had come as a shock to you when checking your emails through trace-proof encryption program you had designed years back. Dave had laughed about it back then. Teasing you for being too 'paranoid' for the line of work you did, if only he had known then how handy it would've been for him now, then he wouldn't have laughed at all.

The email had been sent by your former boss, there wasn't much detail. It just stated that Dave, along with three of his former CIA teammates had been killed at some small seaside town in what looked to be a covert operation gone wrong. Ari, Kovac and Resnik's bodies were found scattered around the town after the hurricane had passed. Dave's was another story, there had been evidence of a fight on top of the town watchtower, his jacket and shoes had washed up on a nearby shore a few days later; suggesting that he had most likely taken a dive off said watchtower. After weeks of searching and coming up empty handed, the case had been closed, and Dave was declared deceased. Authorities had hoped to one day find him, yet till this day Dave's body hadn't surfaced. Knowing that this entire situation most likely stemmed from Susan's death, you made the ultimate decision to completely disappear before whomever killed your teammates came after you and that was how you ended up in Austin, Texas and under a new alias, even going as far to dye your hair a different color and wearing glasses. So far it had worked to your advantage and no trouble had come your way, you were safe, or so you thought.

I've been trying to remember the dreamer I gave up on so many times I've been trying to fit in the pieces In the depths of my mind

I've carried the crosses, too many to deal with I know the daunting truth and its cries Carry the losses, always surrounds me Keeping their memory forever alive

*

It was late the evening when you pulled up into the driveway of your home; the day had stretched longer than usual as it was stocktaking day at the cute little coffee shop you had come to own, and you were utterly exhausted by it all. It's not that you hated it, it was quite the opposite, you weren't even needed most of the time at the shop; the freedom of being smart by 'investing' all the money acquired through your previous side job had paid out when you had to build a new life for yourself and for that you were thankful.

Stepping out the car with a pizza box and your bag in hand, you lock up and head for your front door. Turning on the lights once you entered, you instantly sense that something wasn't quite right as you silently scanned the living-room area. Not wanting to let on that you knew what it was, you head toward the kitchen with both the pizza and your bag. Your back was toward the doorway as you slowly placed the pizza box on the counter and you bag on top of it, sensing a presence behind you; you swiftly turn around, the gun that was a constant in your bag instantly drawn onto the intruder.

"Careful with that now, Killer..."

"Dave?!", you stare in utter shock at the man in front of you, the arm holding the gun dropping to your side. "But you're dead...?"

"Back from the dead, I guess...", Dave flashes you a cocky smile as he makes to step toward you, but you instinctively raise the gun back onto him.

"I'm not here to kill you...", he calmly speaks as if talking to a frightened animal, both hands raise in surrender.

Silently contemplating his words and sensing the sincerity in his demeanor; you finally take note of the bad shape he was in. "What the fuck happened to your eye?", was your only response, causing him to drop his head with a soft chuckle.

Raising his head slightly, Dave shoots you a hooded glance through his one remaining eye. "Thought I'd change profession and become a pirate..."

You stared at him dumbstruck for quite some time, finally bursting out in loud laughter as you lowered the gun in your hand. Tears started streaming down your cheeks then and Dave takes it as sign to move nearer. "I thought you were dead-", you tearfully whimper out.

Taking the gun from your hand and placing it on the counter, Dave gently takes you in his arms. "I know, Sweetheart... I know", he softly soothes you in his arms.

"I thought I lost you- forever-", you continue to sob as you clung tightly onto him.

"I know... but you didn't...", Dave reassures as he continued to gently rub your back. "I came back. I came back to you..."

"How?", you ask, pulling away slightly to stare up at his still slightly bruise face and remaining eye.

Closing his eye with a heavy sigh, Dave gently rests his forehead against your own. "It's a long story..."

"Well, we've got all the time in the world... you're dead and I don't exist anymore", you remark, causing Dave to snicker at your sarcastic retort.

Opening his eye, Dave smiles in response, "I'll tell you all about it while we eat", pointing toward the pizza you brought.

When it's worth dying for Yeah, you would give up all 'Cause in the end, now you finally see It sets you free When nothing else matters It is worth dying for

*

Quite a bit of time had passed while Dave and you silently sat at the kitchen island eating, exhaling heavily as he braced himself; Dave finally speaks up. "We were careless..."

Turning in your seat and cocking your head to the side, you silently stare at him to continue. "It all started with Brussels job", Dave states; his heading dropping in shame, knowing that it was his stubbornness that had caused everything to go to shit. "We didn't know that the mark was a DIA informant, you already knew that of course...", letting out a dry chuckle, a pained look crosses Dave's face then. "If I hadn't alienated you, then we would have known and wouldn't have taken the job. And Susan...", he pauses for a second. "Susan would still be alive."

"Why did you kill her?", was your only response to his words.

"She was gonna figure it out...", Dave utters out, rubbing at his stubbled chin with a grimace. "Hired some local thugs to make it look like a burglary gone wrong, but the shitheads didn't do the job properly."

"So, you had to finish it yourself..."

"And it's exactly for that reason that I got caught-", Dave lets out a psychotic snicker, swiping his index finger under his nose and crossing his arms over his chested with an eye-rolling shrug. "That, and trying to kill him of course..."

"Him?", you frown at Dave's remark in confusion.

"McCall-", Dave grunts out as if the name left a bad taste in his mouth.

"McCall...?", your nose scrunches as you frown in deep confusion. "As in your old team leader? But I thought he died in an explosion during your last mission?"

"The son-of-a-bitch faked it-", Dave chuckles, tiredly rubbing the heel of his palm into his good eye. "Susan knew...", he softly utters.

"What...?", you ask, not having heard him properly the first time.

"That fuck bitching knew!", Dave growls out, slamming his hand onto the counter. "Susan knew McCall hadn't died that day and she hid it from me. She fucking hid it from me!"

"Maybe she had her reasons-"

"You don't get it!", Dave grabs hold of your shoulders, a crazed look in his eye as he tightly gripped onto them. "I- I mourned for him...", you watched as a single tear slipped from his eye and slowly ran down his cheek. "He was one of my closest friends and I helplessly watched as an entire building came down onto him." You were about to say something comforting, but he cuts you off. "Was a waste of fucking time, wasn't it?!", Dave lets go of your shoulders with a sarcastic chuckle, throwing his hands up in defeat. "Motherfucker was alive all this time. And Susan...", he grins, angrily pointing in front of himself as if she was there, "I was the biggest fool to her. She watched me mourn for my friend, saw how lost I was when the team was dismantled, how I struggled to adapt to normal life after."

"Was a bit of a bitch move", you remark in agreement.

"Well, she did get me the job in the DIA", Dave shrugs, placing a fisted hand over his mouth, eye glazed over deep in thought as he stared into the open void of the kitchen. Slowly reaching out to place a comforting hand onto him, you almost fell out of you seat when he suddenly bursts into a loud laugh. "If I had known McCall was alive, then I would've never killed Susan the way I did", Dave states, tapping his index finger against his temple in a thinking gesture, "because if there was only one person... one person that would figure it all out, it would be McCall."

Curious as to how Dave got caught out, you enquire, "how did he find out?"

"Retrieved my number on the phone he took off from the hitman I hired to kill him", Dave mutter under his breath.

"What?!", you stare in wide-eyed disbelief. "You can't tell me you were that stupid to use your personal phone? Ever hear of a burner phone, dumbass?"

"I know, I know...", Dave grumbles, feeling like a child being lecture by his mother.

"Is that how all this happened...?", you enquire, referring to his injured state with a wave of a hand, "how Resnik and the others died?"

"After he threatened to kill us all outside my house, we made the decision to go after him first before he could get to us", Dave explains. "McCall knew we were coming for him, so he went back to the old town he used to live in before his wife's death. We naturally went of course", Dave shrugs, crossing his arms over his chest as he learns backward to be more comfortable. "We had the numbers advantage, and the place had been evacuated due to the storm, it wasn't enough though...", biting into his lower lip whilst shaking his head, Dave softly snickers, "it was his home turf, which was our major disadvantage. Son-of-a-bitch took them each out, one at a time."

"And you ended up like this...?", you gesture to his face.

"We fought on top the watchtower", Dave nods, gritting out through clenched teeth then, "bastard gouged out my eye, slashed be in the back of the neck and then tossed me over the damn tower to die below." Not knowing how to process it all, you silently stared all bug-eyed at his word as Dave lets out a soft chuckle. "Not sure how the fuck I'm still alive... Doctors said, it was nothing short of a miracle. If he had cut just a few inches deeper; it would have severed the spinal collum, the head injury from the fall was pretty severe too."

After everything had sank in, you finally speak up. "What if he comes back to finish you off?"

"He won't", Dave assures you.

You scoff, chuckling in disbelief, "how can you be so sure about that?"

"Because, as far as everyone believes, including McCall; Dave York is dead", he nonchalantly remarks.

"Alright then...", you snort in response, throwing your hand in the air for him to humour you. "If Dave York is dead, then who are you?"

Flashing a dimpled smile and with a twinkle in his eye, he reaches out his hand for you to take. "Joel Miller, pleased to meet you..."

When it's worth dying for

Waking up to the truth, been denying All the threats to our paradise But I know I can't run, I can't hide from The wheel of time

I've carried the crosses, too many to deal with I know the daunting truth and its cries Carry the losses, always surrounds me Keeping their memory forever alive

*

You had just taken the roast out from the oven when noticing the time, "Sarah! It's almost dinner time. Grab your sister and wash up!", you yelled out from the foot of the stair.

"K, mom!", your twelve-year-old daughter yelled back from her bedroom, causing to smile when hearing your five-year-old loudly announcing it was almost 'daddy time'. Ever since she was a toddler and had realized that dinner time was also the time her dad arrived home from work, it had been ceremoniously renamed as 'daddy time'.

And right on cue as every evening for the past thirteen years; just as soon as you finished setting the dinner table, the sound of your husband's truck pulling into the driveway was heard.

"Darlin' we're home!", your husband announces, entering the house which was greeted by the loud screech of your youngest daughter rushing down the stairs to meet her father.

"Daddy!"

"Whoa there...", your husband chuckles out as he caught her mid-air as she launched herself at him as usually. "You're getting heavier-", he faked groaned whilst bouncing her up and down in his arms.

"Bullshit!", both you and your husband gasped in utter shock at her response, whilst your other daughter and the third 'adult' present giggled.

Leaning closer to you, your husband whispered, "where the hell did, she learn that from?". Still shocked by it, you shrugged, silently mouthing, "I don't know...". With a stern look on his face, your husband turns attention back to the little girl in his arm, "Ellie, sweetheart, where did you learn that word?".

Before she could answer, the second male in room awkwardly clears his throat, "might be my bad... sorry guys."

"Tommy...!", you all shot him disapproving glares.

Tommy flashes you all a guilty grin as he innocently scratched the back of his head. "Remember the last football match we watched?". Your husband silently nods, the scowl on his face instantly turning to one of realization then. "I might... have let it slip out when Ellie was in the living-room with us...".

"We thought she didn't hear it...", your husband groans out, burying his face into your daughter chest in shame.

"It's k, daddy...", Ellie offers sympathetically as she lifted her father's face up to comfort him.

"How can I be mad at that face...?", your husband coos, instantly caving at her adorableness.

"You don't have to...", you agree matter-of-factly, shooting the actual culprit a glare. "The person we should be mad at is, Uncle Tommy."

"Aw, c'mon now...", Tommy cries out, "said I was sorry..."

"You two...", you point toward Tommy and your husband, "sort this out. Sarah, help me with getting the dishes from the kitchen, please baby?"

"Sure thing, mom!", she eagerly agrees, not wanting to be part of having to help explain to her little sister that what she had repeated was a 'bad' word.

"Joel said you were making your famous coffee cake for dessert?", Tommy calls out excitedly.

"No dessert for you, potty-mouth!", you call out in response, causing everyone else to chuckle out loudly at his agonizing cry of response.

Dinner had been a filling success as always and everyone was eagerly waiting as you passed around slices of the coffee cake you had made for dessert. You made sure to torture Tommy by giving everyone else their plates before him, finally cutting a much larger slice and placing in in front of him. "Thanks, Sis!", Tommy beamed at you with a boyish grin.

Scrunching your nose for a second, you finally smile in response as you ruffled the air of unofficially adopted brother-in-law. Tommy had come into your lives around about the time you were expecting Sarah, your guys had decided to do renovations on the house. The owner of the contracting company was horrible to his workers, Tommy being one of them, and later an argument had broken out between the two when Tommy had discovered the bastard had purchased lower grade materials to scam you of money. Joel had quickly put a stop to it, firing the contractor and deciding to do it himself, "Already doing carpentry for a hobby to keep busy", referring to his decision to craft Sarah's baby cradle himself, "can't be any harder than that?". Tommy offered to help him free of charge for the inconvenience, "The least I can for that asshole ripping you guys off."

"You sure?", Joel stared at him skeptical. "Don't want you getting into trouble with your boss..."

"Nah, fuck him!", was Tommy response. "Besides, I quiet. Never gonna be able to face my parents in heaven one day if I continued to help that asshole rip people off."

"Ok", Joel, with a stern look on his nodded. "Still going to pay you though, especially now that you're out of a job."

"Deal", Tommy agreed, flashing that boyish grin of his, remarking then. "You could always pay me with that delicious coffee cake your wife makes, even?"

"She actually made it today..., let's go grab some and we can discuss business", Joel chuckled, gesturing for Tommy to follow him.

The close friendship between your husband and Tommy began at that moment and the two were inseparable to the point that people who didn't know the two well, believed them to be actual blood related. That and that two resembled each other so closely in looks that it wasn't a far-reach to believe them to be brothers, that and the fact that Tommy had the exact last name as your husband's new alias. You had once asked your husband, what made him open-up to Tommy so easily and his response was; just felt a close brotherly connection with the latter, or maybe it was because both had served in the military once and that was what had strengthened it most. Not only that, but after putting the dangers of his pass life to rest, he felt more comfortable to having close connection with people. And since that day, Tommy become unofficial member of your little family.

The renovations were absolute success and in record time, the neighbors and other admirers had enquired about it, as they were interested in having renovations done of their own and it wasn't thereafter that your husband came up with a brilliant idea. Bring the topic up with Tommy one evening after dinner. "How'd you like to go into starting our own construction business?"

"Serious?!", Tommy stared at him with wide hopeful eyes.

"Miller Brothers Construction. What do you say?", Joel nodded with a toothy grin.

"I'd say, fuck yeah, Brother!", Tommy cried out loudly, grabbing your husband in celebratorily hug.

"Alright, alright... enough of that shit now. It's dinner time, we better wash up before we get yelled at for being late", Joel chuckled, patting him on the back and playfully pushing him off. The rest of after that was history; Tommy became the brother your husband never had and that was how the Miller family of now five was formed.

Tommy had left about an hour ago and the kids had been put to bed, you busy doing your nightly facial routine when Joel stepped out the shower. Joel... evening thirteen years later and you still had to catch yourself before accidentally calling him by his real name when in public, the same was said for him with calling yours as well. It was for that reason that you both had agreed to only call each other by terms of endearments instead when in the company of others.

"What's going on inside that pretty head of yours?", Joel remarks, wrapping a towel around his waist and stepping up behind you.

You smile as Joel wraps his arms around you and rests his chin on your shoulder, the two of you staring at one another in the mirror; silently studying the physical changes in you both. The two of you, worlds apart now from the people you had been more than a decade ago. You had gone back to your natural hair color whilst expecting Sarah, although it was a bit lighter now as the signs of it beginning to grey had set in, the glasses had become a standard has you aged and needed them for real, the weight gain from having Ellie hadn't completely gone away and there were a few wrinkles beginning to set in as well, all that was to be expected with aging. He on the other hand had change significantly far more; he had broadened out a bit due to manual labor, his middle having expanded a bit more with him no longer doing his morning runs, to what Sarah referred to as a 'dad bod'. His now streaked with grey and less tamed, but the biggest change to him was the salt and pepper patchy beard he was now sporting, a completely different man to the once Dave York.

Turning around in his arms; you reach up to cup his cheek, the pad of your thumb gently tracing the faint scarring around the socket of the eye he had lost. Unless they went purposely look for it, no one could really tell that the eye was a prosthetic. Covering up the missing eye had been the first thing you had done to ensure that his new identity was foolproof, as that would have been the first dead giveaway if McCall should ever suspect him to still be alive.

Gaze dropping as it follows your hand down to rest on his bare chest, you finally speak. "Do you miss it?"

Frowning in confusion for second, Joel gently hooks a finger under your chin to direct your eyes back toward his own. "Do I miss being Dave York?"

Too afraid that your voice would betray your inner turmoil, you silently nod instead. After a few silent seconds, Joel lets out a heavy exhale.

"Honestly, the girls are the only part of that life I miss", he confesses, referring to his two older daughters with a look of sadness on his face.

Tears prickled at your eyes in sympathy for the loss you knew he battled with each day. "I'm so sorry...", you utter, reaching up to cup his cheek.

"It's not your fault...", Joel's lips stretch into a faint smile as he presses a reassuring kiss into your palm. "I shouldn't have taken the job without clearing it through you. If anyone was at fault... then it was me."

Not entirely convinced, you only silently nod in response instead. "Hey...", Joel reaches both hands up to direct your eyes back to his. "It's the truth. Even though I was no longer there for them, they grew up to be remarkable young women."

"They have, yes", you smile.

"And even though it's from afar, I got to witness it thanks to you", Joel remarks smiling, referring to the yearly Christmas gift you had given for years. You had been keeping tabs on the girls for years now, gathering any and all information and pictures and presenting it to him when alone.

"It's least I could do for you", you shrug, causing Joel to frown at you downplaying it.

"You've done so much for me", Joel corrects you, pulling you closer against him. "You gave me a second chance, a new life, two beautiful daughters and made sure my other two were taken care of..." Joel rests both hands on your waist as lovingly stares down at you, "I will never be able to repay you enough for all you did for me."

"I could think of a few ways...", you mischievously smirk, wrapping your arms around his neck to play with the hair at the back of his head.

When it's worth dying for Yeah, you would give up all 'Cause in the end, now you finally see It sets you free When nothing else matters It is worth dying for

*

The two of you were lying in bed after making love, your head rested on Joel's chest as lazily drew circles across your back with his fingertips. It was during this moment of tranquility that you thought back to that day and what transpired after Dave introduced his new alias to you.

Flashback

"I have one last question for you..."

Dave nods in agreement, "go ahead."

"After that night you left... were you-", you pause for a second to compose yourself out of fear what his answer would be. "Were you planning on killing me?"

Dave's head drops with a faint smirk at your words, "Resnik asked me that same question." Your heart clenched in mourning at mention of your dear friend. Finally raising his head back up and responding with the sincerest tone ever, "no. I never planned to kill you, and I never would."

Caught off-guard by his confession, with narrowed eyes; your head tilts as you stare at him confused. "Why not?"

His remaining eye crinkles in a tight smile as he reaches out to gently cup your cheek, "because I love you... I could never be able to you, because I love you."

Momentarily shocked by his words, finally speaking up then, "why ghost me then?"

Biting into his lower lip with a pained look crosses his face; Dave silently nods his head for some time before finally speaking. "It was deliberate, but it wasn't to be permanent..."

"Meaning?", you frown at a complete loss at where he was going with his words.

"If you want me to get to the point, can you please stop interrupting...", Dave drawls.

You raise your hands up in surrender, "point taken...", motioning toward him then, "please continue..."

Dave snorts in response, a smirk on his lips as shakes his head in disbelief at you. "Thank you." Composing himself to a much serious look, he then explains it all. "When you informed me, you were going on a date, I almost lost it."

"Why?", you blurt out in confusion.

Dave glares at you, "you're interrupting again."

You flash him a guilty grin, "my bad...", straightening your posture in attempt to be more serious.

Dave softly chuckles at your goofiness, "you, being a professional killer, yet still managing to be this carefree, is one of the reasons I fell in love with you..."

Catching yourself from going all mushy at his words, you fix your face into a serious scowl, "no distractions...", you point a finger at Dave in warning and he flashes you dimpled smirk.

"Right", he nods, features composed again as he continued, "I almost lost it, because you're mine." Rolling your eyes at his statement, you're caught off-guard when he suddenly pounces forward to grasp hold of your hair. "Don't you roll your eyes at me...", Dave hisses in your face, giving your hair a light tug as he glared down at you through his only remaining eye. "You-belong-to-me-", he grits out, gripping out of your chin with his other hand to hold your gaze onto him.

"Is that so...?", you taunt him with shit-eating grin.

Letting out a deep growl, Dave pulls your face closer to his own, "yes. I'm the only one that gets to fuck you."

Your head tilts with a broad smirk, "sure about that?"

A scowl crosses Dave's face at your words, "have you fucked anyone else?" Silently bobbing your head side to side, your only response is a smirk. "Answer me!", he snaps, tugging a bit harder at your hair.

"You're so gullible...", you finally snicker.

Dave's eyes narrow in realization, "you're messing with me, aren't you?" Not being able to halt your snickering, you merely nod in response. "Good", a smirk spreads across Dave's lips as he nuzzles his nose against your own. "Only my cum gets to drip out of that sweet pussy of yours...", a deep growl emits from deep within his chest as he captures your lips in a scorching kiss.

"Dave, your injuries...", you break away from the kiss in concern.

"Practically healed", he remarks neverminded as he pulled you back into the kiss. As the kiss became more heated, you both stood up without breaking apart as you hastily tore at each other's clothes. "Fuck- don't think I can wait any longer to be inside you...", Dave confesses after feeling how wet you were.

"Then don't...", you uttered against his throat whilst nuzzling into it. Letting out a growl of approval, Dave hastily spun you around to bend over the counter.

"I'll make it up to you later...", Dave huskily breathes against your neck as he lined himself up at your entrance, burying himself to the hilt with one hard snap of his hips.

"Dave-", you whine out at the burning stretch, face buried in your arms resting on the counter.

"I know baby-", Dave groans into your neck as he pulls you flashed against him, one hand grips around your throat whilst the other palmed at your breast as he hips began to move. "Missed this pussy-", he grunts out, emphasizing with a harsh thrust, "can feel nobody else had it-, not with how tightly its chocking my cock-"

"Fuck- Dave-", you manage to whimper, eyes closed in pleasure and head resting backward against his shoulder as you took each slam of his pelvis into you.

The room echoed with sounds of skin slapping against each other, as well as soft whimpers and harsh grunts as Dave pounded in and out of you relentlessly. "Fuckin' love this pussy-", Dave grunts, the hand at your throat moving upward to tightly grip at your hair to give him better access to bite and such at your neck. "Never gonna stop fucking it-", he growls, picking up the pace when sensing your nearing climax.

"Dave-", you manage to cry out, "I'm gonna- fuck. I'm gonna cum-"

"Let go for me baby-", Dave groans out in approval, the hand on your breast moves down to vigorously rub at your clit. "Never leavin' this pussy again-", he grunts, continuing to hammer into you. Your climax hits you like a freight train then at Dave's claim as your walls clench tightly around him. "Fuck- fuck- fuck-", Dave grunts at how tightly you were squeezing him as he continues fucking you to reach his own release. Tightening his grip around you and with one final hard thrust; Dave empties himself into you with a loud growl, "fuckin' love you!"

You instantly stiffen at his words, Dave noticing this; gently detaches from your body as he silently takes a step back to wait for your response. His soft pants sounding louder than possible to you as you struggled to compose your own breathing, finally having built up the courage; you turned around. "What did you just say?"

Rather noticing the look of surprise on your face, instead of rejection; Dave stepped closer with a heavy sigh of relief. Reaching up to cup your cheek, he lovingly smiled at you, "I love you."

Tears threatening to spill from your eyes as you frowned at him, "then why did you leave without saying anything?"

Dave's guilt ate at him when seeing how what he had done had affected you. "We should get dressed and then I'll tell you the truth about everything", he tenderly suggests.

Settling in the living-room, you anxiously wait for Dave to speak while his face was buried in his hands for some time. "I wasn't mad at you for mentioning the date", he finally speaks, looking up at you with regret clear across his face. Curiously tilting your head, you silently gesture for him to continue. "I was mad at myself...", Dave confesses with a heavy sigh.

Not seeing one sign of deceit, you press him further. "Why?"

Scrunching his nose at you, Dave faintly smirks, "because it took me about to lose you to finally put a fire under my ass to get a divorce."

"What...?", your mouth drops open at his answer, making him softly chuckle at your ignorance to how he truly felt about you.

"You know that I only married Carol as a cover, and the girls were an extra bonus", Dave explains, "honestly, they were the only good thing that came out of that marriage." You silently nod as he takes a deep breath and continues. "I was already done with the marriage by the time you joined the DIA, just didn't have a good enough reason to walk away. Then Susan introduced us and fuck...", Dave snorts, shaking his head with huge grin. "You made it so damn hard to ignore you."

"But you hated me...?", your head tilts in confused wonder, "even after I joined the team. You were always on my ass about every damn thing."

Dave suddenly reaches out to grip your face in both of his hands, "you don't get it do you...?". Eyes wide, you silently shake your head, and he gently rests his forehead against your own. "I hated that you weren't mine. Not you, I could never hate you...", Dave confesses. "That's why I got so pissed at that asshole having his hands all over you during that job. Couldn't take it anymore, had to stake my claim on you. Had to make you mine."

"What made you decide on divorcing?", was the only response you could think of after hearing all he had to say.

"I was tired of living a lie", Dave states, nuzzling his nose against yours. "I love you and I wasn't going to continue to deny us our happiness."

"Why didn't you say anything that night?", you demand to know.

"Because my dumbass wanted to surprise you", he sighs in defeat, "and then Brussels happened and before I knew it, I had McCall on my ass."

"Fuckin' McCall", you utter out in distain, causing Dave to smirk. "So, you love me, huh...?", you stare at him shyly then.

"Yup", Dave smiles, trailing his nose downward to nuzzle at your throat. "Love you so fucking much...", he slurs out, peppering kisses along your throat.

"Dave...", you softly whimper at the sensation and chuckles at your response, lifting his head up.

"What's wrong, Sweetheart?", Dave smirks at you.

"I love you too", you confess, pulling his face down into a deep a kiss.

End

"What got ya so loss in thought?", Joel enquires, nudging you gently.

"Just thinking about everything that led us to here", you sigh out in response.

Gently tilting your face up toward his, Joel studies your eyes for a second, "that all?"

Smirking at how well he knew you, you finally bite the bullet. "Do you think it was worth it?"

Joel lets out a little hum, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead as he hugs you tighter against him. "Was having this having the happy life with you and our girls, worth 'dying' for?", Joel remarks. "Yes. Yes, it most definitely was worth it."

"I love you...", you smile up at him and he returns it.

"I love you too."

When it's worth dying for When it's worth dying for When it's worth dying for When it's worth dying for... 

Tag @believeinthefireflies95

[integra1127grimmreaper]

*The Path of Gods 💞💦🎆💔⏳

[integra1127grimmreaper]

A two-part story of sacrifice, loyalty, love, loss and lastly… the will of Gods.

*A Daughter's Sacrifice ⏳

[integra1127grimmreaper]

The Path of Gods: A Daughter's Sacrifice - Part VI

Marcus Acacius Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Part V

Warning: fluff, smut and swearing.

Summary: You reunite with your lover once again.

After the third and final city had been successful claimed by your father, the legion was preparing to return home, when a message made its arrival from Rome. “What is it father?”, you pause in the midst of packing.

“A message from Marcus”, your father responds, frowning whilst reading it.

My dearest friend Septimus

I hope the letter finds you with great success with your campaign, even so, it is with utmost importance that I urge you to return to Rome with hast. Something has occurred that not only affects our livelihoods but not of Rome as an entity. I cannot go into too much detail in writing but do not go home directly yet, I, along with my legion have assembled at I urge you to meet with me there and all will revealed.

Tell Valeria, that my love for her remains ever perfervid and shall never falter. I look forward to greeting you both here. Stay safe and make hast.

Marcus Acacius.

“What do you think could it be?”, you frown in contemplation.

“I do not know, but it does not seem to be anything good”, your father replies, calling for Caius.

“General?”, Caius salutes him.

“Make hast with the preparation, we leave for Carnuntum instead”, your father instructs Caius. Caius stares at him a bit confused at the change of plans but doesn’t voice it, instead silently acknowledging it as he sends you an inquisitive look. You silently motion for him to meet you outside.

“What has happened? Why are we not returning to Rome?”, Caius drills you the moment you reach him.

“I am not entirely sure”, you respond as Caius gives out the orders to prepare for departure. “A message just arrived from General Acacius, urge for our return. Apparently, something happened, and we are not to go to Roman yet; he and his legion are awaiting us in Carnuntum.”

Caius frowns at your words, “has he stated why?”

“No”, you shake your head, frowning as well. “Only that it could not be divulged in writing.”

“So, we head for Carnuntum then...”, Caius nods, a smirk spreading across his lips then. “You must be eager to reunite with your General...?”

“Oh, hush you!”, you lightly elbow him in the side, causing him to chuckle at your instant shyness at the mention of Marcus. “I should get back to packing”, you mumble out, leaving an amused Caius to watch your retreating form as you head back to the tent.

It was long and exhausting journey, but you had finally reached the Roman fortress of Carnuntum, your father and you both releasing a heavy sigh of relief at having Marcus greet you at its entrance.

“Septimius, my good friend!”, Marcus eagerly embraces your father in welcome. Stepping back, his eyes immediately go toward your direction. “Lady Severa...”, Marcus utters out breathlessly as he places a kiss onto your hand.

“General Acacius”, you shyly respond with a bowing of your head, causing your father to roll his eyes at the two of you.

“You can greet each other properly later... I believe we were called here for a very important matter, were we not?”

“Yes, of course, forgive me”, Marcus flashes you a sheepish smirk before returning his attention toward your father, his demeanor turning to a much sterner one then. “The emperor has been killed by his own Praetorian Guard”, Marcus informs him.

“What?!”, your father stares at him in shock. “Who sits on the imperial throne now?”

“Marcus utters out, his eye swirling with displeasure. “He bought the emperorship from said Praetorian Guard that had murdered the late emperor.”

“By the Gods!”, your father scowls at hearing the news. “Has he no shame?! Purchasing the Roman Empire as if it is nothing but a common whore! Where is the honor in that?! Not even raising arms to obtain, merely purchasing it?!”

“My sentiments exactly”, Marcus grunts out with deep-seated fury of his own. “That is why I along with a few other legions have declare our fidelity to you as our new emperor.”

Taken aback for a second, your father stares at Marcus in utter surprise at his declaration. “You are certain of this...? You do not wish to cease the empire for yourself?”

Marcus scrunches his face in distain, “I have no such ambitious. I am a man of war, not politics, that I shall leave to you my good friend.”

Your father responds with a nod of understanding, “if that is your decision on the matter, then so be it.”

Marcus nods in agreement, changing the topic, “accommodations for you all have already been prepared, you should get accommodated before we dive into the plan forward.”

After having a filling meal and hours of strategic planning and discussions on the way forth to claim the imperial throne for your father, you were finally allowed to retreat to your chambers to clean and rest up. You had just finished cleaning up, when a soft yet firm knock sounded at the door. Slipping on a simple robe for modesties’ sake, you go to open it. Cracking the door open a smidge, you’re caught off-guard when it gets violently pushed further open. Marcus enters like a gust of wind, grabbing hold of your face and capturing your lips in a harsh kiss. “Dulcissima”, Marcus finally utters out as his forehead gently rested against your own.

“Door, Marcus...”, is all you manage to breathlessly utter in response.

Letting out grunt of frustration, Marcus swiftly turns to shut and lock it. Turning back around, a loud growl emitted from Marcus as rushed toward you, effortlessly picking you up and making his way toward the bed. Gently placing you down at the foot of the bed, Marcus makes swift work of removing his clothing, reaching out thereafter to push the robe covering you off. “Beautiful as always...”, Marcus husks out, eyes dark with lust as he scanned your naked figure before him.

You gently place hand onto his naked broad chest, a mischievous smirk pulling at your lips. “Have you missed me, Marcus?”

Eyes narrowing at you, Marcus reaches for your idle hand. “Feel for yourself”, he groans out as he places it around his erection.

“Your cock seems to have missed my cunt”, you remark, biting down on your lip as you stare up at him whilst gently stroking it. “Question is though, has your heart missed mine?”, you move the hand on his chest to lay against it.

“My heart-”, Marcus manages to utter through clenched teeth as you continue to stroke him. “My lips...”, he continues, moving your hand up toward his lips to press a kiss onto it. Marcus lets out a soft groan when your hand tightens around him in response, resting his forehead against your own. “My soul..., everyone single being of me has missed your presence.”

“Marcus...”, you breathlessly murmur, reaching up to lovingly cup his cheek. “Make me yours again.”

Marcus pulls you flushed against his front, his eyes filled with so much love as stared back into your own, “always me love... just as I am yours”, tipping down and capturing your lips in a kiss. The kiss instantly becomes more heat as Marcus pushes you backward onto the bed, climbing on top of you and gently brushing the hair from out your face. “I will not be gentle...”, he warns you, “you know how I get when being away from you for too long.”

Spreading your legs and wrapping them tightly around Marcus’ waist, you pull all his weight down onto you. “As if I have ever complained...”

Marcus flashes you a dimpled smirk, his hand moving down to prob at your now soaked entrance. “Let me at least prepare you though.”

Silently shaking your head; you grab hold of his cock, leading it toward your entrance with a soft whimper. “I cannot wait any longer...”

Staring down at you through blown pupils, “you are certain...?”, Marcus groans out at the sensation of your wet folds against the tip of his painfully hard cock.

“Please, Mar-”, your pleading was suddenly cut off by Marcus’ hand being slapped over your mouth at the same moment his thrusts into you. Back arching off the bed, with a muffled scream into his hand at the sudden intrusion, you attempt to even your breathing whilst Marcus gave you time to adjust.

“Fuck- Dulcissima... always so incredibly tight-”, Marcus grunted into the crook of your neck, the hand over your mouth slipping down to rest around your throat. Lifting his face from out your neck, Marcus focuses his gaze onto your face as he slowly retracks his hips, only to forcefully surge them forward into you. “This sweet cunt, wrapped around my cock was all I could think of during our separation-”, Marcus grunts out as he vigorously worked himself in and out of you. You couldn’t manage a single word in response, eyes glazed over with unadulterated lust, only softly whimpering with each stroke of Marcus’ cock within you. “Nothing to say?”, Marcus grins down at you, “always have a retort for me, but now...?”

Eyes instantly narrowing, you scowl at him in warning, “Mar-”, but you’re cut when he delivers a harsh thrust, and your eyes roll back with a loud gasp, your walls spasming around his cock.

“That’s it, Dulcissima-”, Marcus grunts, hooking his arms under your shoulders as an anchor to drag you downward onto his cock with each thrust. “Just take it-”, he groans in approval as you remained a whimpering mess underneath him; head thrashing back and forth in pleasure as your nails dig deep into the flesh of his back. “No need to speak nor think- just feel...” Burying his face back in the crook of your neck; Marcus reaches down, hitching your leg higher around his waist to increase the pace and force of his hips, resulting a loud screech to be ripped from out your lips. A hand instantly shoots up over your mouth as Marcus frowns at you in disapproval, “do you want your father and the rest to come in here and find me buried deep in your cunt?” Exhaling heavily through your nose, your eyes widen whilst shaking your head but your cunt fluttering around his cock speaks otherwise. “Fuck-”, Marcus’ eyes shut with a throating moan as his hips rocked steadily against yours yet again. “This-”, he stammers, eyes snapping back open to glare down at you as he delivers a harsh thrust with every third or so stroke. “This is why I wanted you as part of my legion-”, Marcus grunts out, his pace picking yet again. “You would make such a good camp whore for me...”, he grits, resting his forehead against your own he begins to vigorously fuck into you. “Would you like that...?”, a dark glint takes root in his eyes as he grinned at your dazed look of passion as you moaned into his palm in response to his words. “A warrior at my side during the days and a whore in my bed at night...”, were the final words of his to bring you toward your breaking point as your walls clenched around him in a vice grip, signally your climax. “That’s it, love-”, Marcus groans out victoriously as your muffled screams were muted by his palm whilst he fucked you through it. “Fuck!”, he growls out then, ripping himself out of you just in time as his seed shot out all over your belly.

The strength drained from him by the intense climax; Marcus collapses onto you with all his weight, the hand over your mouth dropping as you both wheeze to catch your breaths. After some time, you reach out to brush your finger through his damp hair and Marcus shifts to look up at you with that boyish dimpled smile of his. “I love you”, he utters out, eyes filled with content.

Returning the smile, you gently brush the hair out of his face, “I love too, Cor meum.” 

Tag: @nosebeers@cherrys4suckers @iamsebastianstann

[integra1127grimmreaper]

The Path of Gods: A Daughter's Sacrifice - Part V

Marcus Acacius Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Part IV

Warning: fluff, violence and death.

Summary: You reach out to Marcus before advancing on to the next city.

Once the first city was secured, your father’s legion prepared to proceed to the next. You were cleaning your weapon and armor in the corner of your shared tent, whilst your father sat at his makeshift desk, writing up a report to send back home to the emperor. “I shall be ending the report back soon”, you father draws your attention. “Do you perhaps wish to send a letter to Marcus?”

Your eyes instantly light up at the suggestion, “if it will not be an inconvenience, then I would love to.”

“Of course, not”, your father scoffs. “I have written one to Julia, and to enquire on the well-being of your brothers. Write to your Love, my pet. Besides, I am quite certain he is at his wits’ end with concern for your well-being.”

You chuckle out in response when noticing the teasing glint in your father’s eyes, “he nearly joined us. I believe, Marcus sometimes forgets that I am a warrior.”

“It is because he loves you”, your father remarks, eyes softening then. “Do you think that I do not feel the same?” Getting up and making his way toward you, he takes your hands into his own as he as he takes a seat in front of you. “Even though the general inside me knew what a strong and capable warrior you are, the father inside me was gripped with fear when you went out to the battlefield.”

Your gaze drops downward in shame, and he gently cups your cheek to bring back up. “You are most precious to me, my child... my only daughter and all I have left of your late mother.”

“Forgive me, Father...”, you tearfully respond.

“For what, my child?”, your father frowns in confusion.

“For being ungrateful”, you utter out in shame.

“Ungrateful...?”, your father tuts in response. “You? Never... A bit overconfident at times perhaps”, he winks at you teasingly, causing a faint smirk to pull at your lips, “but never ungrateful.”

Getting up from his seat, your father gently places a kiss to your forehead. “Do not fret, my pet... Write your letter to Marcus and then we shall send it.”

Dearest Marcus

I write you this letter with the endorsement from my father, and before you breakout with fear; yes, father knows of our relationship and supports it. He’s only wish is for us to wait a bit until we make it official, but that topic is for a later, personal discussion.

We took the first city and with much ease, with no losses on either side... well, that is a fib though, there was one on their side, but the fool had it coming. You could take a guess on who’s sword he fell. It was quite amusing to see the bewildered looks on the faces of all the soldiers that do not personally know me, but what brought me great pleasure was the look of utter fear on our opponents faces. “How could a mere woman take on and defeat such a brutish warrior...?!” It was quite comical to watch their reactions.

As I write you this letter, we are preparing to advance on to the next city and I hope that it shall be as effortless as the first and that I do not have to witness the loss of any of my fellow soldiers. If I must fight every battle solely then I shall gladly do so, so long as I do not have to return home and have to witness the grief of the widows and orphans of my fellow soldiers. Before you chastise me, remember of the extraordinary capabilities I have been bestowed. The Gods had chosen to give these abilities; therefore, it is my duty to make use of them to protect Rome and her people.

I hope that will be able to place your concerns aside and be proud of my accomplishments so far.

By the time this letter reaches you, we would hopefully be advancing on to the last city.

Know that my love and yearning for you only grows stronger each day that we are apart, and I pray to the Gods, so does yours.

Faithfully yours, Valeria.

“It seems that these ones did not receive word of what had taken place at the previous city”, Caius scowls in displeasure. “We barely made it out in one piece after they launched their arrows.”

Your father listens to the report with furrowed brows. “None of you are gravely wounded though?”

Caius shakes his head, “merely a few scrapes.”

Your father gives satisfied nod, “good. Prepare the soldiers. We take the city in full siege in the next hour.”

Whilst a small celebration for the second successful siege, as well as preparations for the last one was underway, unbeknownst to any of you, an urgent message was hastily making its way to your father; instructing him to return to Rome immediately.  

Part VI

Tag: @nosebeers@cherrys4suckers @iamsebastianstann

[integra1127grimmreaper]

Put a Spell On Me (Joel Miller)

Joel Miller Masterlist

Warning: swearing, grumpy Joel, bit of fluff

Summary: Joel sees another side of you whilst the town prepare for Halloween. Inspired by - Nina Simone's - I Put a Spell On You.

You hated Joel Miller, and he hated you, everyone around town knew it. Only thing was no one exactly knew when and how it started, only thing they knew was that glares, scowls and heated words would be exchanged whenever the two of you were in proximity to each other. So, when word went around that the two of you were heading out to the nearest mall together for supplies for the upcoming Halloween celebration, to say everyone was worried would be putting it lightly.

Breathing a huge sigh of relief only when finding out that Tommy would be going with, he always had to play referee whenever a disagreement broke out between Joel and you, and was the best candidate to ensure both of you returned home alive.

"Not sure why she had to come with…", Joel grumbles out softly to Tommy as they rode side by side, his gaze narrowed on your back as you rode a short distance in front of the two.

Tommy's head drops with yet another heavy exhale at Joel's dislike of you. "Like I told ya, she knows this place… used to work there part-time as a teenager before the world went to shit. Whenever we need something from it, she goes with, makes it much easier than going in blind."

"Coulda drawn a map", was all Joel utters back in response.

"Would ya quit acting like a child", Tommy scolds him. "I know ya don't like her and believe me, the feeling's mutual. At least she's attemptin' to be civil."

"Civil, my ass…", Joel utters under his breathe, causing Tommy to shoot a side glare in warning. Letting out a disgusted scoff, silently raising his hands up in surrender as the rest of the trip moves on in total silence thereafter.

"Seriously?", Joel snarls after you went directly to a specific store when entering the mall. "This is why we're here, Halloween decorations and costumes...?"

Not wanting to attract any unwanted guests by having yet another shouting match with Joel, you choose to ignore him. "This is the first big celebration we're havin'", Tommy does his best to defuse the situation before Joel pushes you too far, utter out with a wince then, "shoulda seen the sorry excuse for costumes the past Halloweens..."

"Hey!", your head pops out from a corner with defensive scowl. "We were too busy building the town to properly enjoy it." Pointing a finger in warning at him, "don't knock it-"

"Ok, ok...", Tommy chuckles at you, whilst Joel's only reaction was silent glare. "Ya done?", Tommy finally sobers up from his laughter.

"Yup", you nod, quickly retreating behind the corner only to reappear seconds later with large witch's hat on your head and the last bag of supplies.

Tommy instantly bursts out with a loud laugh, whilst Joel goes all bug-eyed; sarcastically drawling, "always knew ya were a witch... finally found ya long lost hat I see..."

Eyes narrowed; you point a finger at him in warning as you walk pass. "Careful Miller... before I cast a hex on ya."

"Alright, aright...", Tommy steps in when Joel bares his teeth at you. "We still got two more stores to hit then we're out."

Joel lets out a grunt in response, and you roll your eyes at him as you walk away.

"Where ya been the whole day?", Joel enquires of Ellie when entering the house in the evening.

"Went to Y/N's after school", Ellie responds after dropping her bag at the front door and removing her shoes and coat.

Joel's brows shoot up in surprise, "the Wicked Witch of the West...?"

"Don't call her that!", Ellie scolds him.

"Ya right...", Joel nods, a grin pulling at his lips, "more like, the Wicked Witch of Jackson."

"Joel!", Ellie reprimands him with a scowl, "if you got to know her properly, you'd realize that she's a very nice person."

"I know enough about her to know that she's a pain in the ass...", Joel drawls out in response, throwing himself down on the couch with a heavy grown.

Frowning at his words, Ellie takes a seat beside him. "Look man, I know you hate and all... but she's been nothing but nice to me. Which she really didn't have to be", she reminds Joel. "Not with the way you've been treating her."

Joel silently stares into Ellie's eyes for a few seconds. "She was right. No matter how you and Joel bickered, you never once turned that negativity towards Ellie. He had warned her off from you in the beginning, but Ellie was stubborn, and the girl had naturally gravitated towards you as time went on. Ellie was right... you weren't such a bad person at all."

Head dropping down with shame and sighing in defeat, Joel finally admits, "I don't hate her... just don't like her, that's all."

"Oh, that's fine then...", Ellie snorts out in amusement, flashing him a toothy grin, "'cause she doesn't like ya either."

"I can live with that", Joel gives his own snorted response, sitting up straight then. "So, what ya two been up to?"

"She's helping me with my Halloween costume!", Ellie exclaims, excitedly catapulting up from the couch to get her backpack. Settling back on the couch and hastily opening her sketch book to show Joel the design.

"She's making this for you...?", Joel stares at the design in surprise.

"Yup", Ellie beams proudly at it, "got the idea from a few of my comics. It's going to be awesome!"

"Bet she's going to make it look like shit", Joel snorts under his breath, suddenly yelping out in pain when Ellie elbows him in the side.

"Fuckin' rude much?"

"Sorry...", Joel rubs at his side, sheepishly muttering, "ol' habit."

A lightbulb goes off for Ellie then as she knowingly smirks at him then. "The two remind me of something I read a while back about 'young crushes'..."

Joel's eyes go all bug-eyed at her words, "the fuck that supposed to mean?"

"You know...", Ellie flashes him a full-on grin then. "When the boy and girl like each other but are too shy to admit it, so they end up being mean to one another instead."

"Well, your deductions about us are completely wrong", Joel slaps his palms on his thighs matter-of-factly as he gets up from the couch. "She doesn't like me, and I don't like her and that's the end of it."

"We'll see, Old Man...", Ellie snorts her breath, "we'll see..."

It was the early evening of the Halloween party and Joel was just minding his own business in the comfort of home, when suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Howdy...", Tommy greets upon the door opening, a cowboy atop his head and what looked to be a plastic sherif badge pinned to his shirt.

"What the hell ya wearing?", Joel frown at him.

"I'm the sherif the town, see...", Tommy beams, proudly pointing to the badge of his chest.

"Can see that...", Joel drawls in response, his gaze narrowing on the arm Tommy was hiding behind his back. "Whatcha got behind ya back...?"

With a toothy grin, Tommy presents another cowboy hat with a plastic badge inside from behind his back. "Ya just been deputized."

"Oh, hell no...!", Joel shakes his head in displeasure. "Ain't fuckin happening."

Tommy's shoulders sag in disappointment at hearing his response. "Aw, c'mon man... don't be a party pooper. She went out of her way to get these for us."

Joel scoffs, eyes narrowing when something hits. "Who...?"

Rolling his eyes, Tommy, shoots Joel an arched brow then. "You know exactly who."

"Why am I not surprised...", Joel throws heads back with a heavy groan, palming his face.

"It's not so bad...", Tommy chuckles at him. "Ya might even enjoy it. I know Ellie would love for ya to be there."

Bringing his back down, Joel peers through his spread fingers at Tommy for a second, finally lowering the hand and sighing, "she's been talking about it none stop, specially about her costume."

Tommy grins at his words, pausing to look around the house then. "Where's the kid, by the way?"

Exhaling heavily, Joel places his hand on his hips with a dramatic eyeroll. "Stormed outta here early morning to go over to 'her' place to do some final touches on the kid's costume."

"See...!", Tommy exclaims satisfactorily, shoving the hat into Joel's arms before bolting off, "now ya have to come. See ya later..."

"Wait!", a dumbstruck Joel attempts to call him back but was he was gone in an instant. Letting out a sigh of defeat, Joel's gazed drops to the hat and badge in his hand, "the hell I'm supposed to do with this?"

An hour or so later, Ellie comes rushing in through the door like a gust of wind. "Joel! Come see my costume!"

"Hold ya horses...", Joel came lumbering down the stairs, stopping dead in his tracts when seeing Ellie in her costume. "Whoa."

"Fuckin' awesome, I know...", Ellie proudly smiles at his reaction, twirling around to show every detail of the costume. "She did a great job, didn't she...?"

"I- um...", Joel's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water for some time, finally clearing his throat and scratching the back of his head in embracement. "Yeah, she did."

"Told ya so...", Ellie flashes him a smug grin and he grunts in response. "So, ya comin' to the party?"

"Not sure", Joel shrugs, throwing himself onto the couch with a weary sigh.

A little sad at it, Ellie nods in understanding though. "If ya do. Please promise me you'll be nice to her."

"She's the one that needs to be nice", Joel snorts under his breath.

"Seriously, dude?!", Ellie scowls at him. "At least try... she went out of her way to make me this costume. Even though she was helping the other kids with their costumes, mine was the only one she made from scratch."

Joel's head violently snaps in Ellie's direction, "really...?"

Ellie confirms with a head nod, "and she didn't have to, yet she did anyway", she makes sure to stress the topic. "Just for tonight... please be nice."

Throwing a hand of his face, Joel learns backward with a defeat sigh, "I'll be nice."

Joel silently stared at the hat in his hand, Ellie had left half an hour ago for the party and he was debating with himself about whether he should go or not. "It wouldn't hurt to show his face for an hour or so to show his support for Ellie. The kid was excited for her first ever Halloween party and he'd be asshole if he didn't go. Besides, he could take it as an opportunity to thank you for helping Ellie."

Releasing a tense breath, Joel anxiously straightens his cowboy hat when entering the Autumn theme decorated town hall. Children were excitedly running round in their costumes whilst adults were happily mingling amongst themselves. Silently studying the scene from the doorway, Joel's gaze finally lands on you; all dressed up and with the witch's hat on that you had found at the mall. Your back was toward him but instantly knew it was you.

"See ya dusted ya old uniform off to wear tonight", Joel tauntingly remarks from behind you.

Turning around with a hoity arched brow, you slowly scan him from head to toe and flashing him a syrupy smile then. "Fancy seeing you here, Officer..."

The smug smile on Joel's face instantly disappears, "don't start..."

Placing your hands on your hips, you glare at him, "ditto."

Realizing that this could potentially turn into another argument, Joel changes the topic. "About Ellie-"

"I know ya told me to stay away from ya kid...", you interrupt him midsentence. "She approached me though, and besides that, I was in charge of the kids' costumes, so I obviously couldn't turn her away."

You anxiously wait for a sarcastic remark or something in response as Joel silently frowned at your words, finally giving a head nod, moments later and just as he's about to open his mouth to say something, someone calls out for your help. "Excuse me", you comment, turning around and walking off. You don't make it far though, when Joel finally speaks up.

"Wait!"

Halting in your tracks, you turn back towards him. "Your costume looks nice", Joel manages to awkwardly utter out, causing your eyes to widen in shock.

"I- Um...", your words stumble over each other. "Thank you...?", your response finally comes out as a question instead due to being caught off-guard by Joel's compliment. "I-I... have to go...", you awkwardly point over your shoulders, dumbstruck by the entire situation.

A faint smirk crosses Joel's lips as he nods. "Bye...", you manage to stammer out before hightailing it.

The smirk turns into a full-on grin as Joel watched you rush away. "Maybe you weren't as bad as he thought, you were actually quite adorable when shy. Maybe there was a good side to you that he just never really bothered to get to know. Maybe Ellie was right... maybe he should start being nicer to you. Or... maybe you really did put a hex on him...?"

I put a spell on you

Because you're mine Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-n-duh-duh-uah You better stop the things you do

I ain't lying No, I ain't lying

You know I can't stand it You're running around You know better, daddy I can't stand it 'Cause you put me down Yeah, yeah

I put a spell on you

Because you're mine

You're mine

Yeah, yeah Oh yeah

I put a spell on you

Because... you're mine...

[integra1127grimmreaper]

*To Know Is to Love Him

*Let's Pretend

[integra1127grimmreaper]

Let's Pretend (Javi Gutierrez)

Javi Gutierrez Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Prev

Warning: fluff, bit of jealous Javi.

Summary: Pt2 of To Know Is to Love Him. It seems that Javi wasn't the only one that couldn't see the obvious signs. Inspired by - Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real's, feat. Lainey Wilson - More Than Friends.

This evening was Javi's birthday celebration and for the first ever you weren't in the kitchen busting your ass off preparing a huge feast. Javi had insisted on hiring a catering company for the affair and you weren't allowed inside the kitchen under any circumstances for the time being, he wanted you present to celebrate his special day as a guest instead.

You had been quite busy keeping up with the resent guest, so getting an entire day and evening off was happily welcomed, on the plus side, you got to celebrate Jav's birthday alongside him. Not only that, you get to live it up like the rich this evening, almost like you were Cinderella at the ball. Downside to it all, unlike in the fairy tale, Javi wouldn't be your Prince Charming this evening. Your life wasn't some romantic fairy tale, you lived those moments inside of your dreams only, but it didn't bother you at the moment as much as it should. At least you got to spend Javi's day with him, even if it was only as a friend.

Your excitement over the party was overwhelming to the point that you were desperately in need of a distraction, normally doing your paid job would do the trick but with it being a 'day off', you were wondering about the villa like a chicken without its head and that why was you almost landed yourself in warm for disobeying orders.

"What are you doing...?", a familiar voice comments from behind whilst you were busy help the catering staff with the outdoor layout for this evening.

"Jesus, Javi!", you yelp out, "you almost the scared the life out of me...", a hand pressed over your chest as you turned around to face him.

Hands rested on his hips; Javi stares you down with a deep scowl, repeating his words again, "what are you doing?"

"Just helping out...", you flash him a guilty grin, causing him to frown in disapproval.

"I believe you were told not to do anything today, am I correct?"

"You are...", your head drops in shame for not obeying his wishes. Exhaling a heavy sigh, you brave it to look back up at him, "I'm bored and just wanted to be helpful."

Javi's features soften at your words then, giving you a sympathetic smile, "I know you are, Querida. That's why you're so precious to me..."

"W-what...?", your mouth parts slightly, surprised at his word.

Eyes widening at the slip up, "I...I...", Javi splutters nervously. Noticing Gabriela approaching, he quickly changes the topic. "Could you please get her to stop working?", he begs once she stopped beside you.

Brows furrowed at the desperation in his voice at first, a faint smirk suddenly spreads across her lips in understanding then. "Our dresses for tonight have arrived", Gabriela remarks, grabbing hold of your arm and steering you indoors.

"What dresses?", you ask confused, practically stumbling over your feet in an attempt to look back toward Javi for an answer.

"The ones Javi got for tonight's party of course", Gabriela states matter-of-factly, causing you to do a doubletake and halting your steps to stare at Javi in surprise.

A sheepishly looking Javi flashes you a dimpled smirk as he bade you to go along, with silent motions of his hands.

"Come along now...", Gabriela remarks, tugging on your arm. "Those dresses won't wear themselves."

"Javi actually chose this for me?", you stared open-mouthed at the beautiful laid out carefully on your bed.

"It's beautiful, isn't...?", Gabriela proudly beams at your reaction.

Still in a bit of shocked denial, you address her on a serious note, "Javi couldn't possibly have chosen this. It was you, wasn't it?"

"Now why would you think that?", Gabriela scoffs in displeasure at your words.

"I'm just his employee", you remind her. "Why would he go out of his way to do such a thing?"

"So am I", Gabriela remarks frowning and the only thing you could hear was your heart shattering further into smaller pieces. "No, you're much more than that to him..."

Gabriela's features soften a bit when noticing your dejected demeanor, "Javi truly did choose this dress by himself... as a matter of fact, he instantly fell in love with it for you the minute he saw it."

"He is thoughtful like that", you faintly smile, guilt ridden at thinking so poorly of Javi and making sure to add, "that's why he's such a great friend..."

So, lost in your own thoughts, you don't notice Gabriela silently shaking her head you. "Come...", she" lets out a soft sigh of disappointment, "we need to do hair and makeup before getting dressed."

To anyone else watching they would believe Javi's anxious demeanor was due to having Nicholas Cage at his birthday party, but the truth was he was nervous to see you. "Where she?", Javi whisper to Gabriela as he anxiously scans crowd of guests.

"She'll be down soon...", Gabriela replies, smirking at him. "Are you finally going to tell her?"

"I'm hoping to", Javi nervously pulls at his shirt collar, "but what if... what if she doesn't feel the same?"

"She feels the same", Gabriela assures him with a pat on the shoulder.

"How do you know?", Javi's eyes widen in excitement. "Has she told you she does?"

Gabriela's gaze drops from his, "not exactly..."

Javi tuts, frowning at her words. "Then you know nothing and I'm going to make a fool out of myself and possibly ruin my friendship with her."

"No, trust me when I say that she feels the same", Gabriela attempts reason with him. "Just take a leap of faith..."

Still a bit disheartened at the possibility of rejection, "if you think I should...", Javi grumbles out.

"I do", Gabriela states matter-of-factly. "And she'll prove that I am right."

Javi releases a tense breath at her words, "I hope she does..."

"Who are we talking about...?", Lucas suddenly appears besides them, all excited to know what they had been speaking of.

"No one", Javi instantly clams up and Gabriela silently wrinkles her nose in response.

"Aw, come now Primo...", Lucas scoffs in amusement, "you know you can't hold secrets from me."

"I'm not", Javi straightens his demeanor. "We were merely discussing in general."

Lucas' gaze narrows as he silently smirks at them, his gaze shifts for a second and his mouth drops wide open. "Whoa..."

"What...?", Javi and Gabriela both frown at his dumbstruck look.

"Who's that...?", Lucas points out toward you standing at the entrance and they both turn to look.

"Oh, Y/N finally made it...", Javi's eyes light up at seeing you.

"Wait it minute", Lucas grabs Javi's arm before he could go toward you. "That gorgeous woman standing over there, is your chief...?"

"Yes", Javi pulls his arm free, frowning at the way his cousin was eyeing you.

"Maybe I should loan her from you for a bit...", Lucas remarks, a mischievous smirk tugging at his lips.

"My household staff are not bargaining chips", Javi scowls, "now if you'll excuse me..."

*

Let's pretend we're more than friends tonight Let's pretend, and let each other in

Forget tomorrow We can face the music then But I promise you tonight will never end If we pretend We're more than friends

Let's let go of what we used to know Let's let go and let our feelings show

Forget tomorrow We can face the music then But I promise you tonight will never end If we pretend We're more than friends

"You look beautiful", Javi remarks once his reached you.

"Thank you...", you stammer, shyly looking down to the floor. "You did after all pick the dress."

Javi finds himself going a shy too as his gaze drops as well. "It is your favorite color after all."

Your look up in surprise at the same moment as his does, "you remember?"

"Of course...", Javi flashes you a dimpled smirk. "You wore the exact same color dress the day we met. When I complimented you on it, you told me."

"I didn't think you'd remember", you utter out, completely shocked at how truly attentive Javi was toward you.

"I could never forget anything about you...", Javi admits, staring longingly at you with his puppy dog eyes.

The two of you silently stood staring at each other for quite some time, until Javi was informed it was time to make a speech. "Gabriela is over there", Javi points out to you, "she'll keep you company." You nod in response and just as you're about to go, Javi pulls you back for second. "Do me a Favour and stay away from my cousin." With a confused frown, you silently nod once again.

Javi dreamingly stared at your retreating figure. "You were so utterly beautiful... he prayed that you would reciprocate the feelings has for you. " 

[integra1127grimmreaper]

The Replacement - Part thirty-eight

Negan Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Pt 37

Warning: violence, angst, threat of murder, and something satisfying at the end.

Negan begrudgingly leaves your side after an hour and you find yourself alone in the bedroom now in a kind of solitary confinement with a guard at the door, in completely different house than the kids. You were grasping at straws, feeling yourself going stir-crazy at not knowing what the hell was going on outside. You weren't sure where the kids were, whether they were safe, weren't sure if your husband was doing well, and what made it even worse was not knowing the whereabouts of your daughter.

Negan himself wasn't faring so well either, Ezekiel had chewed his ass out majorly over the loss of the map; making sure to drill it into Negan's mind exactly what he thought of him. Knowing he had fucked up and that it had cost them dearly, Negan could only think of one direction in which the situation could be save and he knew it wasn't going to be one you would approve of.

Whilst the two of you were battling the inner turmoil against yourselves, unbeknownst to all, Darly, Connie, Carol and Maggie were secretly making their way into Alexandria via the sewerage tunnels.

"So...", the Warden remarks with an arche brow as he stands up from behind his desk. "You gotta name for me...?"

Negan silently stares at him for a moment, finally a broad smirk crosses his lips. "Yes...", he remarks flashing him a toothy grin.

You slowly stirred awake at the loud commotion sounding from outside when suddenly a guard burst into your room. "Get up!", he commands abruptly.

"What's happen?", you scowl as he roughly pulls your arms behind your back to bind them and begins directing you out of the room.

"Don't ask questions just move!", he growls, pushing you to move faster. As you exited the building, that's when you notice that everyone was being dragged out of their sleep and marched towards the windmill.

"Y/N...?!", Ezekiel calls out, attempting to pull free himself when noticing you were restrained and being led by two guards in the same direction.

Nearing the windmill, everyone was near blinded by spotlights being turned on directly onto them. One the lights moves away and the Warden steps out into it, "there's a traitor in our midst...!", he loudly declares, stopping dead in front of Ezekiel. "Someone who thinks his above the rules."

For a split second, you thought he was referring to Ezekiel. That was until he turns to look to the side, and your heart instantly drop to your stomach when a restrained Negan was being led in front of everyone.

"This prisoner admitted to spearheading a rebellion", the Warden remarks, staring in Negan's direction now. Turning his attention back toward crowd, he continues, "any co-conspirators will be given the benefit of the doubt..." Heart racing, you stood helpless as he loudly read out what was clearly your husband's dead sentence. "I trust they were not acting of their own freewill. So, only he...", the Warden points in Negan's direction, "will be punished!"

Negan regards the Warden with a stoic look, spitting out the blood that had been pooling in his mouth at the Warden's feet in a last act of defiance. "But it's important that you're all here to see...", the Warden continues unfazed. "To remember...!"

"No! This is not happening! You could not lose your husband! Your daughter could not lose her father!"

Managing to break loose, you run forward as you cry out pleadingly, "Negan!" You don't make it far unfortunately as the guards intercepts you before reaching him.

"Hey. Hey... its ok...", Negan calls out to you assuringly as you helplessly sobbed at what was about to happen. Negan and you silently stare at one another as you continue to struggle with the guards, tears streaming down your cheeks at the thought of losing your husband. Giving you a look of content, Negan finally speaks, "I love you..."

"Get him on his knees!", the Warden orders.

"No!", you scream out, refusing to stop attempting to break free but your cries are ignored as they lead Negan to the base of the windmill.

"This is what happens when you forget your place", the Warden declare loudly. "Take your positions!", he commands as they place your husband on his knees a firing squad lines up in front of him.

"No!", you cry out, trying with all your strength to get to him. "Don't let him do this! No!", you plead with all your might, "Ezekiel, help him!"

Everyone remained exactly where they were, none of them even attempting to speak up. "Was this really what it had come to? You had lived with these people for years, helped provide for them, protected them, even considered some of them friends, and this was how they were repaying you? Standing silently by, refusing to heed your pleas for help as they slaughtered your husband and the father of your newborn child right in front them."

You were so lost in anguish that you don't notice Negan flashing the Warden a triumphant smirk. The Warden stares at Negan in realization then, "there are no martyrs here", he remarks, walking up and grabbing you.

"No. No!", Negan screams out at the Warden as he drags you forward to kneel beside your husband. "That wasn't our deal!", Negan attempts to get up and stop what was happening. "Take me. Take me!", he pleads whilst struggling to protect you, but he's forced back down.

"You will feel this punishment!", the Warden mercilessly remarks to Negan as everyone stood in utter shock that you were to be executed alongside your husband.

"That is not what you said!", Negan screams out as the Warden steps aside. "No! You take me! Just me!" Negan helplessly stares at the guards lined up to execute you, one gives an obnoxious smirk, the second is completely stoic and the third one eyes were glazed with a bit of pity.

"Ready...", the Warden calls out and they raise their weapons.

"You...", Negan calls out to the fourth guard, he had been the one who Negan had escorted Negan to the Warden and then to you earlier. "You have a family...", Negan pleads with him. "Don't do this. Please...!"

The guard seemed to second think the situation as his weapon lowers slight. "I said, ready!", the Warden growls out, but Negan continues to plead with the guard.

"Leave her! Take me! Just take me!", Negan presses. "Our baby needs her mother. Please...!"

Ignoring Negan's words, "aim...", the Warden calls out and the guards do so. Taking one last look at Negan, you give him faint smile as he stares back at you, utterly gutted that couldn't at least save you. With silent tears, you turn to look forward and await your fate, when suddenly Ezekiel steps out in front of the two of you.

"What are you doing?", a shocked Negan whispers at him.

"I don't know", Ezekiel responds with raised hands, turning to face the firing squad. Soon, Magna, Kelly and a few others join him.

Negan, you and the guards all look on astonished. "I admire your bravery...", the Warden remarks in amusement, turning toward the guards, "shoot them all." Some of them reluctantly raise their weapons as the crowd begin to loudly remark in protest.

The group surrounding Negan and you, take a step backward to enclose around you. "You don't have to do this", Ezekiel pleads with them. "This world is broken, but we don't have to be."

The first reluctant/fourth guard silently lowers his weapon, tears forming in his eyes as he turns to his fellow guards. One by one, they all lower their weapons, except for obnoxious guy. Realizing what was happening, he does lower it but only for a second; aiming it at 'fourth guard', when he raises his weapon in the Warden's direction. 'Fourth guard', manages to shoot him first, giving the Warden the opportunity to grab Kelly during the distraction. Placing a gun against Kelly's head and using her as human-shield in an attempt to escape. Everyone rushes forward to stop him as slowly backup away with a sobbing Kelly, distracting him from the fact that Daryl and Connie were right behind him.

Once free, Negan throws a now injured Warden facedown onto the ground, raising a rock in the air in preparation to bash his brains. "Negan!", someone yells out for him to stop. Pausing mid-air, Negan turns to see Rosita and Gabriel hastily approaching. "Don't kill him", Rosita instructs as Gabriel turns him onto his back. "Where's my daughter?", Rosita demands grabbing hold of him.

"He knows where Coco is?", you anxiously rush forward to stand over beside Rosita. "Then he must know what happen to my baby?"

The Warden looks at both you and Rosita, breathlessly chuckling at your desperation to find your children. "Where are they?!", Rosita screams in his face, yet he still refuses to respond. Fed-up with his bullshit, Rosita decks him hard in the face. Noticing the now reanimated dead guard attempting to stand up, she drags him over and you step back as far as possible as she dangles the Walker over his face. "Where are they?!", Rosita demands as you watched with pleasure. "Tell us where they are?!"

He flashes her cocky grin, "you will lose everything...", are the words he utters out. Rosita's gazed shoots toward you, to confirm if you had heard his words. With a huge scowl on your face; you tilt your head to the side, silently responding with a high arched brow. Acknowledging it with one of her own, Rosita shoves the Walker direction into his face to devour him, briskly storming out thereafter.

As entertaining as you would have found the scene, you decide to forgo it; following Rosita instead, as finding your children was most important on both your list.  

[integra1127grimmreaper]

Falling Sky (Dave York)

Dave York Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Prev

Warning: mention of attempted murder, mention of murder, threatening murder.

Summary: Pt4 of Isn't My Affair Anymore. Everything that could wrong for Dave, does. Inspired by- Red's - Falling Sky

Dave was not his usual calm and collative self this morning; constantly checking both his phone and wristwatch almost every second as went through his normal morning routine in helping get the girls ready for school, anxiously awaiting a notification that the job had been successful. All that soon shifted once Carol entered the kitchen with the person, he least expected.

"Honey... the front doorbell is broken. Your old army buddy was at the backdoor for almost five-minutes..."

"Actually, I was his team leader... seven years", McCall comments broadly smiling at a dumbstruck Dave.

Now it falls all around me Did I think I could run away? Now it's coming to find me This world that I deserve Now it burns across this shattered earth I lift my eyes to fire

*

Carol and the girls had left Dave and Robert alone in the kitchen to talk and it didn't long for it all went to hell.

"I took this off the guy who tried to kill me yesterday", Robert explains, placing a cell phone on the table. "Just like you said... 'cleaning up'. Everybody's looking into the Brussels hit, nobody's safe. You, your family... nobody."

"It's military encryption", he remarks when Dave reaches out for the phone. "You should take it to the office, run the numbers... check the names against the passenger manifest in and out of Brussels on the day surrounding the flight."

As a speechless Dave, scans through it. "Whoever we're looking for may call to that phone...", Robert states matter-of-factly as he points to it.

"I'm on it. I'm on it", Dave anxiously obliges, placing it inside his blazer pocket. Taking a quick look at the kitchen entrance, then down at his wristwatch. Robert watches all this with a broad smirk, taking out his own phone then.

Silently, Robert makes a call, placing it on loudspeaker and immediately, Dave's phone begins to ring. With pursed lips, Dave silently avoids eye contact with him whilst it continued to ring. Finally looking up at Robert with a death stare then.

"Tell me I'm wrong Dave...", Robert stares at him disappointedly. "You gonna answer it?", he presses when Dave refuse to respond to neither his question nor the ringing phone.

"What happen, Dave?", Robert asks.

Finally, removing the phone from his pants pocket, Dave slowly waves it in the air and points it at him. "You died...", he gives a short sarcastic chuckle, throwing the phone onto the table in defeat.

Under a falling sky Hopeless, there's nowhere to hide The terror is real this time Under a falling sky I'm under, I'm under a falling sky There you are, so far away Did you think I was fighting you? I only wanted to carry you so far away from here The nightmare bleeds, the poison seeps I hear you call, you're screaming, screaming

*

After revealing all to Robert, Dave and he left the house, making their way across the street to the vehicle stationed on the corner. Resnik, Ari and Kovac exits it as the two nears and Dave silently signals for them to standdown.

"Gentlemen...", he greets them, and they return it.

"Looks pretty good for a dead guy", Resnik remarks with a grin as Dave anxiously stands on the sideline, finally speaking up then.

"We all want you to know that this is nothing personal."

"What you do, what you become... is not my concern", Robert remarks. "The world is full of so-called men like you, when in a perfect world... everything we do, comes with a price. But this ain't a perfect world. People do bad things, if you lucky you get a chance to... set it right."

Dave stares deep in thought at Robert's words as he continues, "but most of the time, it goes unpunished. This ain't one of those times... The mistake you make was you killed by friend, so I'm gonna kill each and every one of you." He makes a point of staring each of them dead in the eye, "and the only disappointment in it for me... is I only get to do it once."

Under a falling sky Hopeless, there's nowhere to hide The terror is real this time Under a falling sky I'm under, I'm under a falling sky

My fate it rains, it rains like cinder The cadent drums, the war it comes Growing thunder, terror, wonder Falling, falling, it's falling

*

"Does he know everything?", Resnik enquires once Robert had left with Dave's family.

"Basically", Dave grunts in response as stared down the empty street.

"Does he know about-", Resnik gets cut-off by Dave.

"No, he doesn't know about her being part of the team and I plan on keeping it that way."

"We should still warn her though", Resnik presses.

"Don't need to", Dave states. "She's already on high alert and went into hiding. Put in leave from work immediately after Susan's memorial, went to her house and it was empty."

"What?", a confused Resnik stares open-mouthed at him. "How did she know?"

"She doesn't know about McCall", Dave grunts out, confusing Resnik even more.

"Then why?"

Bracing his hands on his hips, Dave's drops his head with a heavy sigh. "She figured out about Susan instantly when she saw my face at the memorial. Also figured out that I realized, she figured it out and bailed immediately."

Sucking his lower lip inward, Dave squints back up at the empty street, "she thinks I'm going to kill her. That's why she's running."

"Were you going to...?", a now pale Resnik stares at him.

"No. Never...", Dave scoffs in disbelief at his question. "How could Resnik even ask him that? How could you even believe he would do that to you...?"

Resnik exhales a heavy sigh of relief and Dave just side-eyes him. "We should at least try to get in touch with her, warn her about what's happening", Resnik pushes.

"No!", Dave growls out, grabbing hold of Resnik's jacket. "As long as she believes I'm out to kill her, the safer she is." Letting go of Resnik and pressing the heal of palms into his eyes for second in frustration, Dave finally glares at all three of them. "McCall can never find out about her involvement with the team...", he warns them. "Are we clear about that?"

All three nod in silent agreement. "We have to prepare", Dave states, "we have to kill him before he kills us."

Dave remained outside long after the others had left, staring in a daze at the still empty street whilst be battle the inner turmoil brewing inside him.

"No matter what happens, McCall can never find out about you. You were never a part of this, he created this mess, and he was going to fix it. Even if he couldn't save himself, then at least he could save you."

Under a falling sky The terror is real this time It's over now, it's over Now

The terror is real I'm under, I'm under a falling sky

Under a falling sky I'm falling, I'm falling The terror is real this time I'm falling, I'm falling Under a falling sky I'm falling, I'm falling I'm under. 

NXT

[integra1127grimmreaper]

The Path of Gods: A Daughter's Sacrifice - Part IV

Marcus Acacius Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Part III

Warning: misogyny (its ancient times- 'eyeroll'), threat of violence, threat of sexual assault (its war...'eyeroll again'), violence and death.

Summary: You execute your first siege with as less bloodshed as possible.

The life of a warrior truly was not for the faint of heart. Weeks spent on open sea and days on land to get to your destination, the hardest part being the battle itself. Having finally arrived at the gates of the city, the adrenal coursed hotly through your veins in anticipation for the battle to come. Although with the strategy planned by your father and yourself it might not be as such a bloodily battle as one would expect. Your goal was to return home victorious but with a low fatality rate as possible. “What satisfaction would be brought if you lost half of your abled warriors at the end of the day. Not only that, would never be able to face the widows and orphans of those soldiers knowing that were responsible for the deaths of their husbands and father.”

That was why you were doing this. You, along with five of your father’s most trusted soldiers made your way to the gates of the city. Making sure to keep a good distance; you stood with a shield against your front, three shielded soldiers stood in front of you, whilst two stood beside you. “Who goes there?!”, a voice calls out from the watchtower of the city.

“I have come to negotiate with your leader!”, you call out in response. You wait a moment before someone else appears on the wall.

“Who are you and what you want?!”, the person enquires.

“I am, Valeria Severa...! I have come on behalf of General Severus to accept your surrender!”, you respond, noticing the look of surprise that a woman was in charge, crossing the man’s face. “

“Surrender?!”, the leader bawl out in laughter. “Why would I do that?! And to a woman!”

The hand holding your shield tightened as you clenched your jaw furiously. “There are three outcomes to this situation”, your eyes were dark with fury as you spoke. “You surrender peacefully, and your people will be spared. Reject this offer and your city shall be burned to the ground, along with its people by dawn tomorrow!”

“I could always just kill you now and this battle will over with!”, the leader smirks arrogantly in response.”

The soldiers surrounding you instantly take a defense stance; dropping to kneel, the three in front shields panted firmly into the ground, the two beside you had theirs facing upward, locking onto the front shields to protect from an arial attack. If the opposition were to launch arrows, all you needed to do was drop down in between the rest but you were not about to do that at all. Instead, you through your head back in mocked laughter. “You could do so, yes... but then your city shall still be burned to the ground!”

The leader staggers backward in shock at your unfazed demeanor. “Wh... what is the third option?”, he stammers, quite fearful of how unhinged you seemed.

You flash him a sinister smirk, “one-on-one combat between the strongest warrior on your side against the one on our side. If your warrior wins; we shall leave peacefully from here and your city shall remain untouched. And if our warrior wins; you shall open your gates in surrender with the promise that none of your people shall be harmed.”

Like a fish gasping for air, the leader stood open-mouthed as he struggled for a response. Noticing this, you smirk confidently at hm, “you have exactly one hour. If you have not come up with a decision by then... your city shall be brought to waste.”

“Will they surrender?”, your father enquires as you, Caius and the other senior soldiers assembled inside the tent.

“I am not certain”, you reply.

Caius softly chuckles at your response. “They way their leader almost soiled himself at our Valeria’s bravery out there, it is most certain they shall.”

The other seniors join in then and flash your father a smirk. “I believe they would most likely take the third option.”

Your father stared down at you pridefully, “if so, are you prepared?”

Straightening up to a more serious stance, you dutifully nod, “yes, General.”

“Good, then it is settled”, he remarks, turning toward the others then. “My apologies for not assigning any of you to this.”

“Apology for what?”, they remark in union. Staring at you with prideful eyes, Caius speaks then, “each of us have contributed to our Valeria’s warrior skills. She does us all proud by taking this mantle.”

With a faint smile, you silently bow your head at them in thanks. “Then its final”, your father comments. “Let us prepare for either a one-on-one combat or a full-on siege.”

The hour had come for city’s decision on whether they would peacefully yield or savagely fall. You, along with your five trusted fellow soldiers met the leader and his companions, now face-to-face at the previous spot, your father and the rest of the army not far behind as they awaited to hear the outcome.

“Have you come to a decision?”, you address the leader.

With a sour look upon his face the leader’s gaze drops as he speaks, “we do not wish for any innocent blood to be shed.”

Brows shooting up in surprise, “you yield?”, you remark almost disappointedly.

“No!”, the leader’s gaze shoots up toward you, a mixed look of fear and determination in it.

“What is your decision...?”, your eye roll in annoyance of having this dragged out. “Do I cut you down right here as we stand and have my fellow soldiers sack your city then?”

“No! No, there is no need for that!”, the leader hastily speaks up. “It is merely... what sort of leader would I be if I were to merely hand my city and people over without a fight?”

A broad smirk spreads across your face then, “I take it, that you have decided on the third option then?”

The leader stares at you stoically then and nods, “correct.”

“Excellent”, you smile, handing your shield to Caius so you could remove your helmet. (You hated wearing it during battle as it restricted you too much, it merely for show.) Clearly seeing the look of utter surprise from your opponents’ faces at witnessing your entire features, you nearly laugh in their faces at it. “What was a woman with such beautiful features doing on a battlefield?”, were most probably they were thinking, you heard all before and always chose to ignore.

“Where is your warrior?”, you remark once the shield was handed back to you.

“I am here”, a brutish male confidently steps forward from the group.

“Perfect”, you flash him a malice smirk, removing your sword and rolling your shoulders as you ground into a fight stance. “Let us begin.”

“Is this a jest?!”, the warrior bawls out in laughter, turning toward his fellow soldiers in an amusement. “You expect me to fight you?!”, he turns back toward you mockingly. “A mere woman!”

The others laugh along with him, all except the leader. “He knew to fear you... there was something about you that heeded him of it.” The warrior points toward Caius then, “you! I shall fight you.”

Caius’ arches a brow at him, a knowing smirk crosses his lips as he takes a silent step back. “Will no one fight then?!”, the warrior challenges the other four and they all respond the same as Caius. “Fine then!”, he growls out in frustrates as he glares at you. “You should yield now, little girl... before I destroy that pretty face of yours.”

Your fellow soldiers laugh at his words as you arch a brow mockingly at him. “So be it then...”, he snarls at you, licking his lips then, “once I finish cutting up that pretty face of yours and killing all your men... I shall find much pleasure in defiling that body of yours.”

You felt as your fellow soldiers began to seethe in fury at his threat of you. These were the men that watch you grow up, they each contributed to moulding you into the warrior you were, they each considered you as a daughter and they would be damned if anyone were to threaten you as such.

You do something then catches your opponent completely off-guard; throwing your head backward and loudly cackling at his words in one instance, dropping it forward again with a dark malicious look in the next as you suddenly charge at him.

Barely managing to raise his sword in time to block, the warrior stares open-mouthed at you as you slowly begin to overpower him in the strength hold of your blades. “How?! How is this possible...?”, he stammers in utter shock as you push him backward, making sure to slice his cheek open whilst doing so.

“Oh, my... did I cut up that pretty face of yours...?”, you remark with a mocking smirk.

Letting out a loud growl; he attempts to charge at you and dodge out of his way, taking a slice at his back when he stumbles pass you. He continues to charge at you multiple-times and you continue to slice at parts of his body as you dodge each time. Your opponent was now on his knees with labored breath as he attempts to get up and you were quite enjoying yourself until Caius spoke up. “Enough, Valeria! Cease with this fooling about and finish it!”

Rolling your eyes at him, “as you wish...”, you respond, raising your sword and slicing his head off.

The leader and his men were so utterly shocked by what that had witness, that none of them register when Caius and the others seize hold of them. Once they were restrained, you raise your bloodied sword into to the air for the signal that your father and the rest of the army could advance.

Pushing the leader toward the city gates, you command as he stumbles forward, “have your gates opened and people come out to surrender. Your city, along with its occupants now belong to Rome.” 

Part V

Tag: @nosebeers@cherrys4suckers @iamsebastianstann

[integra1127grimmreaper]

To Know Him Is to Love Him (Javi Gutierrez)

Javi Gutierrez Masterlist

Warning: fluff and angst

Summary: You've been in love with Javi for the past five years, everyone knew it, everyone one except for Javi himself. Inspired by - Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt's - To Know Him Is to Love Him.

To know know know him Is to love love love him Just to see him smile Makes my life worthwhile

To know know know him Is to love love love him And I do 

Five years. It's been five years since you moved to Mallorca, Spain to become the personal chef of the Javi Gutierrez. Five years of friendship with Javi, five years of secretly loving him and five years of watching him fall in love with another. Gabriela was a lovely person though and you couldn't be faulted for your situation, it wasn't her fault that Javi never saw you as more than just a close friend. There were instants that you had contemplated confessing your feelings to Javi, but the fear of rejection withheld you from doing so. So instead, you remained a loyal friend and confidant to Javi whilst your heart silently withered away with unrequited love.

"Good morning...", Gabriela breezes into the bustling kitchen whilst you and your assistants rushed to get everything done before the honored guest's arrival.

"Morning Ma'am", your assistants greet in return then continue with their work.

Halting what you were doing to move toward her, you flash her smile, "good morning, Gabriela..."

Gabriela returns your smile as she silently signals with a head tilt to follow her. "Is everything prepared?", she enquires once you've exited the kitchen.

"Relaxing...", you softly chuckle at her obvious nervous state, "everything thing is on track and our guest won't be disappointed."

"You're truly a godsent...", Gabriela sighed in relief.

"It's my job", you smile, giving a comical shrug and Gabriela scoffs at you downplaying yourself.

"You're the best chef ever!"

"Ok, ok...", you chuckle at her overenthusiastic behavior, and this was why no matter what, you couldn't hate her for being the one to had captured Javi's heart. With that thought in mind, your manner turned sober, enquiring then, "when will our guest be arriving?"

"Probably in the next hour or so", Gabriela responds a smile tugging at her lips. "Javi has gone to the mainland to welcome him."

"I better get back to the kitchen then", you remark, giving Gabriela a comical salute and the both of you burst out laughing as you hastily hightailed it back to the kitchen.

"I can't believe we're having Nicolas Cage as a guest!", you hear one of the maids squeal excitedly at another. Shaking your head in amusement, you leaned against the doorway of the smaller dining room, they were supposed to be cleaning. "He's so handsome...", the other one remark fanning her face dramatically, "I can't believe, Mr. Gutierrez managed to get him to agree to attend the party."

Hearing soft footsteps approaching down the corridor, you tilt backward to see, Maria, the housekeeper making her way toward you. With a mischievous smirk, you signal for her to remain silent as she gets closer. Maria stands beside you as the two inside continue fangirling amongst themselves. Shooting you an amused wink, Maria loudly remarks, "shouldn't you be cleaning?"

The two jump in surprise, nervously stammer in their apologies for slacking off. Maria and you silently shook your head as the maids run about like headless chickens to finish their work.

Leaving the two to their work, Maria and you wait until you're out of earshot to begin chuckling at the two's antics. "Handsome...", Maria rolls her eyes at the maids' remarks. "He does not hold a candle to our Javi", she teasingly elbows you in the side, "am I right...?"

"I don't know what you mean", you respond, a little flustered at realizing that your feelings for Javi were that obvious to others.

"Don't act all naive", Maria scoffs. "It's an open secret that you're madly in love with him."

"Well, I shall like it to be well-kept instead", you retort.

"You should tell him how you feel, Maria continues to press. "The two of you make such a lovely couple..."

You couldn't contain the chuckle that slipped from your lips, "if Javi were to fall for one of his employees, my money would be on Gabriela..."

"Don't sell yourself short", Maria scowls at you. "You and Javi are perfect for each other."

"Keep telling yourself that...", you drawl, patting her shoulder.

"I will", Maria confidently states. "Just you wait. One day, you and Javi will raise your family in these very walls."

"That's a far stretch", you silently chuckle with a head shake.

I'll be good to him I'll bring love to him Everyone says there'll come a day When I'll walk alongside of him

Yes, just to know him Is to love love love him And I do

*

After Javi's return from receiving the honored guest, you were in search of him; wanting to make sure if there were any changes to be made with the dinner menu. Maria had mentioned seeing him on the outer balcony, so that was where you headed.

"Worst mistake of your life...", while nearing Jav's location, you stopped dead in your track when seeing him and Gabriela in a deep animated conversation. "They make such a perfect couple. Maria was utterly mistaken in her thoughts about how Javi felt towards you."

You couldn't blame Gabriela for falling for Javi, the man was what every woman prayed for. He was so utterly sweet and caring, passionate about the things his loved. Be it writing or movies, Javi drove into it with an almost childlike enthusiasm.

Plain and simple; to know Javi Gutierrez was to love him. Your only hope in life was that he would notice how much you truly loved him.

Why can't he see me How blind can he be? Someday he'll see That he was meant for me To know know know him Is to love love love him

Just to see him smile Makes my life worthwhile

To know know know him Is to love love love him And I do... 

[integra1127grimmreaper]

What Have You Done?! (Dave York)

Dave York Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Prev

Warning: angst and mention of murder.

Summary: Pt3 of Isn't My Affair Anymore. It becomes quite clear that Dave has fucked up majorly. Inspired by - Keith Caputo & Within Temptation's - What Have You Done.

A/N: realized now only had the wrong Brian spelling, so fixed it in this one.

This entire moment seemed so surreal. It was only yesterday that you had spoken with Susan and now you were attending a memorial service for her. "Attempted robbery gone wrong", was what they said yet it didn't sit well with you. It was just too coincidental that she would be murdered whilst investigating the death of a DIA operative and you were praying that the direction your mind was going to involving her death was wrong. "You were wrong. You had to be wrong, right...?"

Arriving at the house before it became overcrowded with mourners, you find Brian alone in the study where Susan always used to work. "Hey", you greet him with a thin smile, and he returns it with a grief stricken one of his own.

"How you holding up?", you hug him tightly. Just as you expected, he doesn't answer, merely shaking his head whilst sobbing against your shoulder.

"I'm so sorry", you gently rub his back. "If... if only I had gone with..."

"No", Brian mutters tearfully shaking his head at your words. "It wouldn't have made a difference, you could've..." You silently watch as he battles to speak further, "they would've killed you too. Dave was with her over there and not he could prevent it."

Brian's hold onto you tightens as he grieves for his wife and the only thought you had was; you weren't quite that sure about Dave not being able to prevent Susan's death.

The house was stuffed to capacity with people who came to show their respect for the late Susan, and it was quite something to see the impact she had over so many people's lives. Susan had been a wonderful human being, one that didn't deserve the ending she got. It was a complete tragedy what had been done to her, one you prayed Dave had nothing to do with.

He hadn't made an appearance yet, something you were grateful for and were hopeful that you would be able to avoid him until leaving the gathering. But it was all wishful thinking when you had to run out for more refreshments as the mourners kept adding up.

Carry a snack platter in each hand whilst deep in thought, you stop abruptly in the kitchen doorway when seeing Dave standing in front of Brian with a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. In slow motion, you watch as Brian thanks Dave for the glass of water. Dave silently nods in response, giving Brian's shoulder a squeeze, turning your direction to exit the kitchen.

All motion around you seem to freeze as Dave's eyes widen at the sight of you and that was when it all became clear to you; the look in his eyes was actually one of guilt.

"What have you done...?"

Would you mind if I hurt you? Understand that I need to Wish that I had other choices Than to harm the one I love What have you done now?

I know I'd better stop trying You know that there's no denying I won't show mercy on you now I know I should stop believing I know there's no retrieving It's over now, what have you done?

What have you done now? I, I've been waiting for someone like you But now you are slipping away (What have you done now?) Why, why does fate make us suffer? There's a curse between us Between me and you

*

"He did it. Dave had been the one behind Susan's death..."

You had hoped, you had prayed, and you had been absolutely wrong.

"You had to get out of here! If he killed Susan, then there was nothing to stop him from killing you too. You had to get away from here, away from him and you had to do it now."

"Let me help you", someone offers, and you gladly hand the platters over.

Brian noticing your presence, steps around Dave to get to you, "thank you."

"It was nothing", you respond with a weak smile, "unfortunately, I have to be leave now."

With a silent head nod, Brian pulls you for a hug. "Take care, Brian...", you gently pat his back and unfortunately, your eyes make contact with Dave's once again. You blood runs cold then at the dark look in his eyes, "I... I'll keep in touch", you inform Brian, backing away from him to hastily make your escape.

Rushing down the front steps to hastily get away as far as possible, you don't take notice of the individual from across the street as he watches you flee from the late Susan's home.

"What have done, Dave? What have you done...?"

Would you mind if I killed you? Would you mind if I tried to? 'Cause you have turned into my worst enemy You carry hate that I don't feel It's over now, what have you done?

What have you done now? I, I've been waiting for someone like you But now you are slipping away (What have you done now?) Why, why does fate make us suffer? There's a curse between us Between me and you...

[integra1127grimmreaper]

The Path of Gods: A Daughter's Sacrifice - Part III

Marcus Acacius Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Part II

Warning: swearing, fluff, bit of smut.

Summary: The time for your first campaign has arrived and your father confides in you of what his known all along.  

A/N:  Carissimus(m)– dearest. Cor meum – my heart. Dulcissima(f) -sweetest .

It was the evening before you were to leave for your first campaign and you were spending it in the arms of your beloved, something you had been doing for the past few evenings. Your father had wanted you to be well prepared for the campaign and request for Marcus to assist your training yet again, even going as far to host him at the villa for the duration of it to ensure it as a priority. During the daylight, whilst the villa buzzed with the sounds of servants working and clashing sounds of your and Marcus’ training, the evening darkness whispered of its occupants deep in slumber and the muffled sounds of passion shared between lovers.

“I wish that you did not have to go to war”, Marcus remarks whilst the two of laid in your bed.

“I have a duty to my father and to Rome”, you sigh whilst gently stroking his chest. “It is my destiny to walk the path of a warrior.”

Releasing a sigh of his own, Marcus pulls you tightly against him, “I knew it was inevitable, yet I still wish for you not to go. If so, I would have preferred to be there with you.”

Pulling back from his embrace to better look at his face, “you have your own legion to command.” You assure him then, “my father shall be there, along with all his senior soldiers that I either grew up around or had personally trained me.”

“That still does not put my mind at ease”, Marcus grumbles in displeasure.

“You have no faith in my capabilities it seems”, your pout, arms crossed over your chest.

“I have plenty of faith in you, Cor meum...”, Marcus softly chuckles at your behavior. Pulling you down for a kiss, resting his forehead against yours, “it still does not stop me from worrying about you.”

You tenderly smile at him in response, “I know, Carissimus... Let us cease this discussion now. This is our last night together until I return, and I do not wish to waste it on such trivial matters.”

“What do you wish to waste it on then?”, Marcus smirks, bouncing his brows at you suggestively.

Pushing him down onto his back, you flash him a mischievous a smile as you straddle him. “You know precisely what my favorite pastime with you is...”

“Oh, that I most definitely do...”, Marcus smirks, tilting you forward to allow the tip of his cock to notch at your entrance.

“Gods, Marcus...”, you softly cry out as he slowly lowered you down onto it.

“Always so fucking tight...”, Marcus grunts, bucking up against you and your eyes rolls back with a loud gasp.

“Gods, I shall miss you whilst gone...”, you groan, tipping down to capture his lips in a kiss.

“Me too, Dulcissima... Me too”, Marcus groans in response, tightening his hold on you as he thrusted up into you at a steady pace.

“Who is the woman accompanied between the generals?”, a junior solider enquires another.

“Not sure”, the other shrugs. “Perhaps a camp whore?”

“A camp whore dressed in armor?”, the first one snorts.

“Perhaps, she is only for the general...”

Before the second solider could open his mouth to comment, they were interrupted by a senior solider that had overheard the discussion. “Hold your tongue! Do you not know who she is?!” They both shake their heads, too afraid to speak.

A broad smirk crosses Caius’ lips as he narrows his gaze on them, as he proudly explains. “Her name is Valeria Severa. The only daughter of our general and fellow solider to us.”

“The rumors are true...?”, both junior soldiers stare open-mouthed.

“Of the general’s daughter being a fierce and skilled warrior?”, Caius’ smirk broadens to a smile. “You shall have to witness it firsthand for yourselves. What shall say, is that you should tread carefully around her... as beautiful as she looks, she is even more brutal.”

Both junior's eyes widen at the remark as they turn back to silently study here, neither of them willing to test that theory in fear that it would be a bad outcome for them.

Your father was busy seeing to last minute preparations whilst you settled below deck accompanied by Marcus. “Wish I was going with you”, Marcus sighs dishearteningly.

Letting out a sigh of your own and wrapping your arms around the back of his neck, you gently rest your forehead against his. “I know, Cor meum...”

“If only I was certain your father would not enter here at any moment, then I would take you one last time”, Marcus growls softly, capturing your lips in a hard kiss. The passionate moment is soon interrupted a knocking at the cabin door, and you separated from each other just as your father enters.

“All is settled... we are ready to set sail”, he announces to the both of you.

“I shall take my leave then...”, Marcus remarks, taking your hand to press a kiss onto it. “Lady Valeria... may the Gods guide you to a flawless victory and keep you safe.” He then turns to your father with handshake and pat on the back, “Septimius, safe travels my friend.”

Reaching the door, Marcus turns around to stare at you one last time, his eyes silently conveying which he could not speak out in your father’s presence. “I love you...”

Biting into your lip in fear that a sob might break loose, you give him a silent head nod in return.

“Do not fret, you and your lover shall reunite soon enough”, your father nonchalantly remarks once Marcus left.

Your eyes widen in shock, “you knew all along...?”

“That he has spent the entire week in your chambers each night?”, your father snorts in amusement. “I may be old, child... but I am not dim-witted.”

You gaze drops in shame, “forgive me father.”

“You are a grown woman”, your father shrugs. “I could not have asked for a more suited man for you.”

Your head snaps upward in surprise at your father’s words of acceptance. He offers you gentle smile, “Five years of service is all I ask of you. After that you shall be free to live your life with him.”

A broad smile breaks across your face at his words, “thank you, father!”, you rush to hug him in your excitement for the future. Your and Marcus’ future together.

“Enough, now...”, your father chuckles, patting your head. “Let us now focus on the campaign.”

Stepping back, you straighten up and salute him. “Yes, General.” 

Part IV

Tag: @nosebeers@cherrys4suckers @iamsebastianstann

[integra1127grimmreaper]

Season 1

Pt1

*S02 E06 - "Sitting on Top of the World PT1

*S02 E06 - "Sitting on Top of the World PT2

*S02 E06 - "Sitting on Top of the World PT3

*S02 E06 - "Sitting on Top of the World PT4

*S02 E06 - "Sitting on Top of the World PT5

*S02 E06 - "Sitting on Top of the World PT6

*S02 E06 - "Sitting on Top of the World PT7

*S02 E07 - "...And Your Enemies Closer" PT1

*S02 E07 - "...And Your Enemies Closer" PT2

*S02 E07 - "...And Your Enemies Closer" PT3

*S02 E07 - "...And Your Enemies Closer" PT4

*S02 E07 - "...And Your Enemies Closer" PT5

*S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father PT1

*S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father PT2

*S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father PT3

*S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father PT4

*S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father PT5

*S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father PT6

*S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father PT7

*S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father PT8

*S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father PT9

[integra1127grimmreaper]

Season 2 finale/Series finale scene (show was cancelled). Ike takes solitude on the beach the next morning, after the happenings of the previous evening, (Judi's death, Danny leaving, Sy's dies in a car bombing ordered by Ben, Steving putting Ben in critical condition in hospital) - Magic City S02 E08 - "The Sins of the Father".

PREV

GIF list