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woodchoc-magnum · 4 years ago

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9-1-1 4x04 Reaction

Spoilers under the cut

Buddie for comfort:

Saving the parents for last because jesus fucking christ that’s a rant, and also, I’m functioning on very little sleep so this may be completely disjointed and rambly:

I am in love with Buck and Eddie trying to solve the crime together and I wish they would re-film that scene without face masks

Because they so would be into true crime, like Eddie pretends to be cool but he’s a secret nerd, and he loves to nerd out with Buck, so it makes total sense that they watch crime documentaries together like COME ON

I’m incorporating this into a fic somehow

May Grant the 911 operator 🔥🔥🔥

Gratuitous shirtlessness in the form of Albert and Chimney, thank you very much 911

Albert fucking RUNNING AWAY FROM CHIMNEY 10/10 comedy

And then Chimney RUNNING AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE TEAM 10/10 comedy as well

Albert throwing a whole wheel of brie into the oven? Like just throwing it in there? Literally just throwing it in there

I don’t know why they added that in but I’m not mad at it

Chimney making friends with the mad bomber after the preview was like “IS CHIMNEY GONNA DIE????” no he’s gonna make a new friend and then brain him with an oxygen tank duh

Well, I guess it’s about that time to talk about the worst parents in the show, so here we go:

Some of this is gonna be speculation because obviously we don’t know how this all played out, but we can make some guesses. My theory is that Daniel the dead brother died... perhaps saving Buck when he was only very little, hence Buck not remembering it, and his parents... asking Maddie not to tell him?

What even the FUCK though

Why would you ask your NINE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO LIE TO HER LITTLE BROTHER ABOUT THEIR OTHER BROTHER WHO DIED

And how the hell do you cover something like that up? Did they simply move away from friends and family so no one would ever talk about it? Did they box up all the pictures and memories and everything and just... fucking... MOVE ON? Or not move on, because they have obviously never forgiven Buck for whatever the hell happened.

Okay, this is my speculation:

The parents are somehow responsible - for example, an accidental drowning (I don’t think this is what happened, this is just an example). So hypothetically, they’re at the beach, and Buck is a toddler, and the parents aren’t paying attention and he wanders into the sea and gets swept out; Daniel comes to his rescue and dies in the act of saving him (this thing happens in Australia all the time, hence why I’m using it as an example - swim between the flags, gang!).

So then you have the parents who are ultimately responsible for not paying attention, you have the unavoidable tragedy of one of the children dying, and the way they coped with this terrible tragedy was to place the blame on Buck (even though it wasn’t his fault, at all) and pretend that Daniel had simply never existed.

This means that Buck spends his life living in the shadow of the older brother who was glorified, who died saving him, and Buck has no idea why he can never please his parents and why they don’t love him. This is why they’re checked out as parents, because one of their kids died, and instead of seeking therapy, they decided to live a lie and blame their son for something he had no fucking control over.

So setting all that aside, let’s talk about these two absolute fucking pieces of shit.

They’ve alienated their children so much that both of them are absolutely terrified when they turn up. Buck is petrified. He’s spent his whole life never living up to their expectations, never feeling good enough, or worthy enough, constantly being put down - no wonder he ran away to California to put some distance between them. And he’s finally in a good place, going through therapy, dealing with his issues, and now bam - his parents are back in town to screw up all of his hard work.

And Maddie’s just as freaked out, because she’s trying to protect Buck from them. I feel like she has good intentions but her mistake is wanting Buck to have a relationship with people who don’t necessarily want to have a relationship with him, and for telling them about him being in therapy (which I still don’t understand, but I guess maybe the next episode will reveal the answer). To be clear, I don’t think Maddie is wrong for having kept this secret. She was manipulated into it by her parents when she was only a child, and that is not her fault, at all. She’s been told she’s doing the right thing and she hasn’t questioned it, but now, she is.

And, importantly - if her parents were checked out mentally and emotionally, she had to do a lot of the heavy-lifting and parenting when it came to Buck, when she was just a little girl herself. Maddie is the reason Buck is as wonderful as he is - she raised him.

Now, back to the pieces of shit:

They didn’t like Doug, so they washed their hands of Maddie, even though they lived in the same fucking town. So she was getting beaten up by her absolute monster of a husband, and ending up in hospital, and they were doing fucking nothing to intervene or help her.

THEY DIDN’T EVEN GO TO HER WEDDING. THEY SHOWED HER NO SUPPORT AT ALL. LIKE I CANNOT. All because they DISAGREED? SHE’S STILL YOUR DAUGHTER, like oh my god, I can’t even.

She had to flee across the country to Buck in California to finally escape him, because their parents didn’t care enough to help. Motherfuckers.

And then the whole “we don’t do hospitals” - bitch, they are your fucking CHILDREN. If your CHILDREN are in hospital, you are supposed to CARE. Buck got crushed by a ladder truck, he had an embolism and nearly died, he went through a tsunami and NOTHING? Nada? Maddie had to kill her husband after he nearly killed her, and NOTHING? Buck had to call to tell them what had happened!

And then to start crying and asking "I don’t know what you expected us to do?” - like, bitch, FUCKING ANYTHING?

I mean

I cannot with these people

What kind of white WASP-y nonsense is this

Let me tell the story of when I had appendicitis - I was taken to the hospital by my friend at night, my mum lives two hours away - when she found out that it was appendicitis and I’d be going in for surgery, she jumped in the car in the middle of the night and drove two hours to be with me, and I was a grown-ass woman at the time. It is not normal for parents not to care when their children are sick/injured/being beaten almost to death by their abusive husbands/getting crushed by a ladder truck. You mean to tell me that the footage of the crowd lifting the truck off their son didn’t go viral? That they didn’t see that?

Fuckers.

You don’t like something so you just bury your head in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist? Your kids aren’t perfect so you just wash your hands of them? Their problems don’t matter, not when it’s all about you?

Narcissists.

Blaming the kids for everything, manipulating Maddie into doing their bidding - and still manipulating her as an adult, by bringing her gifts and driving across the country and being all, “we want to be grandparents!” after everything? After letting her husband nearly kill her and blaming her for having bad taste in men? FUCKKKKKK

And the fucking BABY BOX. Do not even get me started on how ANGRY I WAS.

Like, I have friends with kids (I have cats, personally) so I know that they’re busy, but to not have anything, as if he’s just not worth it.

Like I can’t

It breaks my heart to think about his face, and the realisation setting in... to know that your parents don’t love you? To have lived with that your whole life? It’s so fucking gutting.

Like, obviously I am extra emotional because I’m running on empty today, but god damn this episode just came along and punched me right in the face.

Also, I’m making a BIG CALL, they’re going to use the song ‘Daniel’ by Elton John in the next episode:

Daniel my brother you are older than me Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal? Your eyes have died, but you see more than I Daniel you're a star in the face of the sky

100% they’re using that song, I’m calling it now, and if they don’t, it is a wasted opportunity.

Okay, let’s end on a good note, because this has been a rant:

Eddie’s open concern for Buck; the fact that Buck tells Eddie about his therapy, that he feels comfortable opening up to him - that Eddie was there, watching Buck beat the shit out of the boxing bag and listening to him, and taking his side and reassuring him... that is next level shit and I am here for it.

I am not here for the return of Ana in the next few episodes but that’s a future rant

Hopes for Buck Begins:

That the firefam - his real family - will rally around him, and that Buck and Maddie will take a united stand against their parents and tell them to get the fuck out of their lives.

Also I kinda want Bobby to meet the Buckley’s? Just... for him to be horrified, I guess? I don’t know, but I want Bobby to meet them and understand how awful they are and offer Buck some comfort as his surrogate father.

I would like Buck to be hugged by someone who loves him, please, because he needs it.

And selfishly, I want some kind of Buck, Eddie and Christopher scene, because they are also his family. Everyone in this show has their little family unit, and Eddie and Christopher are Buck’s.

Ana be damned

#911 reaction #911 spoilers #911 season 4 #a rant to end all rants #i have a lot of feelings about how awful the buckley parents are #and i ranted about them in here

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foreverwayward · 6 years ago

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“Wayward Hearts” Prequel: Family Above All

This is a prequel chapter to the series “Wayward Hearts”, a SPN series rewrite with OFC Riley Munroe. If you haven’t read Season 1′s Chapter 9 of the series, there are spoilers ahead. The whole chapter is told from Jackson Munroe’s POV, Riley’s father.

MASTERLIST

Content Warnings: Language, violence

Word Count: 3962

Jackon’s POV:

Sometimes I would wonder if I was doing right by Riley. No one deserves to grow up in the life of a hunter. Especially not my girl; she’s something special.

The day she was born was the happiest day of mine and Linda’s lives. Riley was so beautiful...perfect even. I’ll never forget the first time her big blue eyes looked up at me--I was done for. She already had me wrapped around her finger. I knew in that moment that I would move Heaven and Earth to keep her safe.

But when Linda died, everything changed. I wanted more than anything to be a good father, but I was restless and weak with vengeance. My wife was slaughtered, leaving my daughter without her mother. How was I supposed to go on with my life as if it never happened? I couldn’t. So I dove head first into the world of the supernatural. Once I learned the truth, I knew what I had to do. I had to save other families from suffering like mine had and I had to hunt down the son of a bitch that ruined my life.

Deb had been my saving grace. The road was no place for a baby girl and she happily took Riley in. But my sister hated the job and everything about it. She begged me to move on and to stay, but I just wouldn’t have been able to live with myself.

As the years went on, I would always come home to Riley as much as I could. When I was with her, the job stopped; nothing else mattered except the little girl that wanted all my attention. It didn’t matter if she wanted to play Barbies, have a tea party, or learn to shoot a gun, I was there to do it with her every chance I got.

I’m an empath. I have been since I was in my early twenties. No one ever knew though. It was a secret I held from everyone, even the people I loved. But it brought me closer to Deb and to my daughter. It made the love I shared with Linda so powerful that I felt a part of my soul die with her that night. I always knew what Riley was feeling and how to be what she needed. Having a girl is never easy as a single father and I needed all the help I could get. In that regard, I thanked my lucky stars for my gift.

Riley couldn’t have been older than eight during one of my visits and she was furious with me as I packed to leave again. She told me she wanted to go with me and that she was strong enough to be by my side. It killed me to watch her yell at me for the first time and cry as she begged me to take her. I could feel so much anger, hurt...betrayal even. The thought that Riley may have even doubted my love for her was enough to have me crying in my truck when I left.

But when Riley was eleven, and against my sister’s protesting, I took her with me. Of course, I had to ease her into hunting and I only took her on the more simple cases.

As she got older, Riley became a force to be reckoned with. Hunting came so easy to her, almost as easily as when she learned to play the guitar. I’d never seen anyone handle a gun as effortlessly as she did. As terrified as I was every time we went on a hunt, I couldn’t help but beam with pride every time I watched her shine. And she did, she always shined.

I tried to give her anything that resembled a normal life on the road. We stopped at tourist attractions, we went to see bands play, we even went to Disneyland. Honestly, I never knew a father and daughter could be so close.

Riley was my partner and I trusted her with my life.

Music was our own language. It was singing at the top of our lungs to Bob Seger on long trips, or her playing her guitar in our motel room, or sneaking her into concerts of our favorite bands. It was almost our own language and I think it bonded us in an inexplicable way.

What I ever did to deserve that beautiful girl, is beyond me.

------

It was hot that day and even into the night; I remember that too well. Riley had complained most of the day about the muggy weather. She always did better in the cold.

We had just spent a fruitless day hunting a shifter and researching for countless hours on the local murders. All of the victims had been slaughtered, their throats slit open. No matter what lead we followed, we were always three steps behind it.

The bastard was good, I’d give it that much.

We sat on our beds in the motel room and talked as Riley strummed her guitar. Both of us were tired, feeling somewhat defeated after a week of coming up empty-handed. But still, we joked and laughed almost like old friends over memories and battles won.

“Dad, I’m starving,” Riley whined. “Can we please get dinner? It’s like, nine o’clock already.”

I just kind of chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve always been bad about us eating on time, huh?”

“Ya think?”

“Alright, alright...you win. I’m going.” I got up and grabbed my wallet and keys off the bedside table. As I got ready to go, I asked, “pizza okay?”

She stopped playing for a second and eyed me teasingly. “Uh...yeah. Just don’t forget the beer this time. Remember, I’m 21 now, so you’re not breaking the law anymore. Wait...we always break the law. Whatever--beer, father!”

As I laughed, I turned back one more time before closing the door behind me. “When I get back, we’re finishing that poker game. I’m gonna win my money back.”

“Ha!” Riley snarked playfully. “You wish. Hurry back.”

“I always do, baby girl.” I shut the door behind me and went to my truck.

The pizza place everyone in town had been raving about was only a couple of miles away. Riley was dying to try it so I knew I had to bring it back for her.

When I got there, the line was surprisingly long for late at night. In all fairness, it was a Friday. So, I placed my order and waited for my number to be called.

I knew it would be a bit so I went across the street to the liquor store to get our favorite beer. The smell of it always reminded me of fun nights off that Riley and I enjoyed together.

When I got back to the shop, my order was ready. I looked at my watch and realized I had already been gone for forty minutes. The trip definitely took longer than I thought. But with my mission accomplished, I headed back for the motel.

The loud night insects chirped through the thick heat as I got out of my truck. I balanced the pizza carefully as I shut the door and locked it. I think I was humming Led Zeppelin after listening to it on my way back when I looked up to see the door to the room was somewhat open.

Something didn’t feel right, but I just thought maybe Riley gone out for a soda and forgot to close the door. But--she would never do that...she knows better.

“Hello?” I went inside and immediately put the food and beer onto the small table by the door.

When I stepped out from behind the room partition, my heart stopped when I saw the room practically painted in blood. My chest rose and fell so fast I could barely catch my breath. “Riley…?”

I noticed something from behind the far bed; Riley’s boots were peeking out, completely still. My knees nearly collapsed underneath me and I screamed deep from the pit of my stomach. “No!” I ran to her and gasped when I saw her body on the floor, drenched in blood.

Throwing myself to the ground, I picked her head up into my lap. When I did, it exposed her neck and I could see a deep slit through her throat that had nearly cut all the way through. Her head practically flopped into my grip. I felt like I would vomit as I felt her still warm blood on my hands.

I cradled her in my arms and pushed the hair back from her face. She was so pale and empty with her blue eyes still somewhat open.

“Baby girl…” I sobbed. “Oh, honey. No, baby, no. Come back to me. Don’t leave me, Riley! I need you.” She was gone. Her lifeless body was limp against me as my clothes grew soaked in her blood. I rocked her back and forth as I cried so loud it hurt. I think I may have even screamed her name.

Then I realized, that connection between us, that empathic bond I always had with her...it wasn’t there anymore. It was an emptiness that I had never felt in my life, like my heart had gone hallow. Without her there, I felt the life being sucked from me.

Riley was my life. I don’t know how long I sat there holding her, time seemed to no longer be a factor. I think I was coming in and out of a state of shock.

It must have been a few hours later that I finally tried to stand and my body could barely hold me up.

I scooped Riley into my arms just like I did when she was little and laid her on the bed. I closed her eyes and kissed her forehead.

“I love you, Riley…”

As my thoughts vaguely returned, it dawned on me; it was the shifter--it had to be. Everything inside me was ready to hunt the son of a bitch down and put him down like the piece of shit he was. But then I remembered, revenge is what drove me into this life. Killing the monster that took my daughter wouldn’t bring me peace and it wouldn’t bring her back. And if that was true...how was I supposed to live without her? How could I go on without my daughter?

The simple answer was...I couldn’t. There was no place for me in a world without Riley.

Leaning over, I kissed her head one last time as tears fell down my cheeks. I stroked her hair and looked at her beautiful face. “I’m so sorry. I should have been here. I should have protected you. But I’m gonna make this right...I promise.” I sobbed some more before forcing myself away from her. “I love you more than life, baby girl.”

It took all the strength I had to walk to grab my bag and walk to the door. I had to fix it all, and I knew how.

I drove faster than I ever had in my life as I sucked down the last of the Jack Daniels I had left in the car. It mixed with the tears that wouldn’t stop falling and I had hoped it would numb me--but it didn’t.

Finally, I pulled up to an old abandoned barn on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere. My truck skid on the dirt as I slammed it to a halt.

Grabbing my bag, I got out and strode inside. My stomach was turning with emotion and pain.

I wasn’t afraid. My worst nightmares had already come to life; nothing else I could possibly face would terrify me more.

I used my boot to clear the floor of debris. With white chalk, I knelt down and drew a large symbol on the concrete ground. Around the symbol were circles that had red candles that I had placed into each one. I crushed ingredients into a mortar bowl and sat it on the ground.

Pulling my blade from my boot, I sliced open my palm as I began to recite a Latin incantation. My blood dripped into the bowl as I struck another match, finished the last of the spell, and then dropped the lit stick into the bowl.

Immediately, a bright and strong flame came to life. It sparkled and blazed as I covered my eyes to its blinding light before it quickly died.

I stood to my feet and looked around. Alone in the dark, I waited with deadly silence surrounding me. This was my only shot...it had to work.

“Jackson Munroe,” a sinister voice said from the dark corner and I turned to look. Out came a man I had never seen before, but when his eyes glowed yellow and I knew...it was him. “You got some real balls to summon me.”

“Well, our meeting has been a long time coming, Azazel.”

“Ooh. You know my name. I feel so special.” The demon waltzed over to me with a grin on his face. “So, where’s the little feisty one that’s always at your side?” His face feigned worry. “Oh, no. Did something happen?”

I felt my blood boil. I could tell the son of a bitch already knew the answer to his own question. “I wanna make a deal.”

“I’m intrigued, Jack. Do go on.” He began to circle around me, sizing me up with his eyes fixated on me.

“Riley’s dead. But I think you already know that. Don’t you?”

Azazel pretended to think. “Riley...Riley...Riley...oh! Oh, yes. I may have heard.”

“You’re gonna bring her back,” I demanded.

“Am I? Oh, Jackson, I love when you take control like that.” He stopped and grew closer to me as he hissed, “and if I did...what’s in it for me?”

I paused before I took a deep breath and told him, “I am.”

The demon laughed and clapped his hands together with joy as his smile grew all cross his face. “Well, hot damn! It’s my lucky night, isn’t it? The soul of Jackson Munroe...all mine.”

“But I have conditions.”

“Of course, you do. And what are they, pray tell?”

Swallowing hard at the thought of my daughter alone in that motel room, I told him, “you’re gonna bring her back and she’s not gonna remember any of it--it’ll be like it never happened.”

“Done.”

“Alright, and in ten years...I’m yours.”

The demon shook his finger condescendingly. “Oh, no, no, no, no, no. You see...I have some conditions myself.” Azazel looked me dead in my eyes and I felt the black hole inside him. There was an evil that I had never felt before and it turned my stomach. “Riley comes back and it’ll all be like a bad dream. But, you--you come with me...tonight.”

I scoffed. “That’s not how these deals work.”

“Them’s the brakes, baby. You are the most powerful empath I have ever known. I want you gone--out of the picture--sayonara. Either you take my offer, or you take care of Riley’s body before it rots and starts to stink up the place.” The thought made me want to cry but I wouldn’t dare in front of that evil creature. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “Going once…going twice...”

“Fine,” I blurted out. “But I get to see her again. I get to say goodbye.”

“Aw, one final father-daughter moment for the books. Precious.” He thought for a second and then said, “fine. But you’re to come back here in one hour. Any longer than that and little Riley drops dead with her throat all sliced up again. Got it?”

“Deal,” I gritted through my teeth.

Azazel chuckled. “Excellent. Care to shake on it?” He extended his hand and I felt my heart skip a beat as I reached out in return. The demon’s hand squeezed mine tightly as he smirked. “Pleasure doing business with you, Jack. But, uh--better get going. Time’s already ticking.”

------

With the change of clothes I had in the back seat, I cleaned myself up as fast as I could and dumped the soiled jeans and shirt in a dumpster.

I hurried back to the motel and my brakes squealed as I parked. My feet sprinted me to the door and I practically busted it open.

I felt as though I would fall to the ground as I saw my beautiful daughter, eating the pizza I had gotten earlier. The room was just like it was before; not a trace of the brutal scene that had happened only hours before.

“Hey, where the hell did you go, old man?”

I ran to her and picked her up into a hug and held her tight.

Riley grunted in surprise and held me in return. “Uh, Dad--you’re being weird,” she said with her mouth still somewhat full of her most recent bite.

As I let her go, I looked her over and studied every corner of her face. Those blue eyes that I loved more than the air I breathed were looking back at me. I could feel her again and I finally was whole once more.

“I’m sorry, baby girl. I just--I just hadn’t hugged you enough today is all.” I tried so hard not to cry, but there was such a conflict of joy at seeing her again mixed with the thought of knowing I had to leave her. “How--how’s the pizza?” I asked through my cracking voice.

“Mm...so good. Definitely one for the books.” Riley stared up at me and scrunched her forehead. “What’s wrong? Something’s wrong. You’re making a weird ass face.”

I couldn’t help the laugh that came from me. She always knew how to make me smile. “No, it’s all good. I promise. Uh--mind if I get in on some of that pizza?”

“Better do it soon, or I’m gonna handle it myself.”

We sat on the bed together and ate as we drank our beers. I never took my eyes off her as I tried to memorize her every movement, laugh, smile, and dimple in her face. Riley was more than I could have ever hoped she would be. She inspired me and made me a better man every day. It was with her that I truly lived.

I looked at the clock and saw I had fifteen minutes to get back to the barn. I couldn’t be late, I knew I had to say goodbye.

Pretending I had a realization, I choked out, “oh, man.”

“What?”

“I forgot. I’m meeting a possible lead on the case tonight.”

Riley looked at me with uncertainty. “Uh--I didn’t hear anything about that. Who are you meeting?”

“Just some guy who has some surveillance footage. He may have caught the shifter’s eye flare.”

“Okay, well I’ll get my stuff and we’ll go.”

“No,” I said gently. “I’m gonna go alone.”

She eyed me and shook her head lightly. “Why? We always go together.”

“I just--I don’t wanna spook the guy, you know?”

“Alright…” Riley was curious and almost offended. I could feel all of it. “Well, I guess I’ll wait here then.”

“Yeah. Lock the door, okay?” I threw my arms around her again and pulled her closer to me on the bed. Taking a deep breath, I inhaled her scent one last time and kissed the top of her head. “You are the most important thing in the world to me. I’m so sorry if I failed you in any way, Riley--I hope you know I tried. I love you so much. Please, baby...don’t ever forget that.”

“Why are you talking like this?”

“Promise me, you won’t forget.”

She looked me in the eye and her voice went soft. “Okay. I promise, Dad. I love you too.”

Those words were enough to make my eyes well. I had to go or she would see me cry and I couldn’t let her.

As I got up to leave, I looked back at her one last time. The knot in my throat grew so large I thought I’d never swallow again. “I love you,” I choked out.

“...love you,” she answered meekly.

I closed the door and almost ran to my truck. If I didn’t force myself, I didn’t know how I could ever leave her. I peeled out of the parking lot and floored the gas as I grabbed my cell phone. Flipping it open, I called the only person that I trusted...John Winchester.

“Jackson,” he said as he picked up. “It’s late. What’s going on?” The words wouldn’t come out and I didn’t know what I could say. “Jack...you there?”

I cleared my throat. “Yeah, yeah, I’m here. Listen, I need your help.”

“Name it.”

“I had to make a tough call tonight, John. It’s not gonna be good but what’s done is done.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Yellow Eyes. I made a deal.”

There was a silence on the line before he found the words. “You--you what?”

“I don’t have time to tell you everything. All you need to know is I’m fine with what’s gonna happen. I don’t regret my decision. Riley’s safe and that’s all that matters.”

“Jack, where are you? I’m coming to get you.”

“It’s done, John. I’ll be at an old barn off highway 34. Don’t tell Riley anything.”

John’s voice shifted to anger. “Jackson, you listen to me. You aren’t allowed to bail, you got that? You don’t get to just check out.”

“It was the only way to save her. Swear to me you won’t tell her. Just say as little as possible--tell her you don’t know anything.”

“Jack!”

“Goddammit, John...swear to me!”

There was a pause and I heard John take a deep breath. “Alright, Jackson. You have my word.”

“Thank you.” I thought back at my friendship with John and all we’d been through together. He was my partner at times and taught me so much. I wouldn’t be who I am without him. “Thank you for everything, John. It’s been a hell of a ride, partner. Watch out for my girl...I’ll see ya.”

I ended the call and turned off my phone before chucking it onto the seat.

As I found my way back to the barn, I glanced at the clock on my stereo to see I had five minutes left.

I got out and looked at my truck one more time, patting the hood with a small smirk. It may sound cheesy, but damn I loved that car.

The skies above me rumbled and I could feel a storm coming.

With a deep breath, I walked inside only to find it was empty. Was Azazel playing games with me?

Inside, I could hear the sound of sudden rain pour down over the barn. It was almost deafening as thunder rolled through.

“Alright, you fucker. I’m here.”

“No need for language, Jack.” The voice behind me nearly sent chills up my spine and I spun to face him. “So glad you could make it. Did you have a good time?”

I felt my jaw clench with rage. I wanted that piece of shit dead with every fiber of my being, but Riley had to come first, she always had to come first. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“No complaints from me on that end.” Azazel locked eyes with me and I knew I was staring into the face of pure evil. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Time seemed to stop for a brief moment as my life flashed before my eyes. Memories of Linda, Riley playing on the swings, dinners with Deb, watching my little girl become the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen...and it all reminded me of something. The last twenty-one years of my life may have brought me face to face with Hell, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything else. The life I lived with my daughter was more than any man ever deserved.

I was at peace knowing my baby girl was gonna be okay. There was no doubt in my mind that she had been worth it all.

My life may have been over, but Riley’s was just beginning. The world doesn’t deserve my daughter. But, Riley? She deserves the world.

“I love you, baby girl.”

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Prequel Part 2: Tears In Heaven

Wayward Hearts Tag List: @coffee-obsessed-writer @waywardmoeyy @00slayer @adoptdontshoppets @crystallstaircase @salt-n-burn-em-all @nerd-in-a-galaxy-far-away @becs-bunker @squirrelnotsam @fandommaniacx @death-unbecomes-you @themoonandotherslikeit @son-ova-bitch @huntersociopathavenger @flamencodiva @aaspiringhero @gemini0410 @love-nakamura @klinenovakwinchester @cemmia @mirandaaustin93 @paintballkid711 @da5haexowin @a-manduhhhhh @samanddeanaremybbyboys @winchestergirl82 @spnbaby-67 @sandycub @bunnybaby121115 @erins-culinary-service @lauravic @moonxdance @knights0fkylo

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rosalietodd013 · 8 years ago

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Forever (Part 7): All In My Head

Summary: You are officially done with this town and everything in it, especially your family. With nothing holding you back, you back your bags and leaving Stanford behind, and on your journey God knows where you meet some people who make life seem not so terrible.

Warnings: Reader is feeling some type of way, Reader is losing hope, Insecure!Reader

Word Count: 3,562

Catch Up on the rest of the story: Part 1 HERE, Part 2 HERE, Part 3 HERE, Part 4 HERE, Part 5 HERE, Part 6 HERE

I don’t stop running until I get back to the motel room door. I throw it open and am met with complete darkness. Whatever the texts from Dean said must explain where he went, but I don’t really care right now. I need both him and Dad gone to do this.

I rush over to my bag and push the clothes on top f it as far down as I can with them wrapped in one big ball, making it harder to close. Next, I go into the bathroom and pick up anything I left from my shower before heading over to the sink to do the same, but when I glance up at the mirror, I can’t help stopping for a moment.

I don’t know when exactly I started crying, but my face is red and puffy with tear tracks going in all different directions, probably from my run here. I can’t help but let out another quick sob at my appearance. I see him one time, and I’m back to being the sad girl I was before he left. But I can’t think about that now; if I get too hung up over this, I’ll never go through with leaving.

I splash some water on my face a few times and slap my cheeks.

“Come on (Y/F/N). You can do this.”

I make my way out of the bathroom and place my remaining toiletries in my toiletry bag before zipping up my duffle and throwing it, along with my computer bag over my shoulders. I do a quick once-over to the room, and my eyes stop on Dean’s bag.

He’s gonna blame himself for this, and the coldest, darkest part of me, the part that I have come to know as the new self that I created after Mesa, hopes he does. But I also hope he finds it in himself to forgive me and move on. Dad’ll be okay, he pushed away one kid, he won’t miss me.

With that in mind, I drop my motel key on the nightstand between the two beds and make my way to the bus station.

I don’t have a destination in mind, and the only tickets available are leaving now is going to Nebraska. Perfect. East sounds just perfect. I can’t spend another minute here. Not Palo Alto. Not in California. Not on the West fucking Coast. I just want to get as many miles between them and me as I can.

The older woman behind the ticket window looks at me with pity, she must think I’m a runaway or something. I don’t really care because it’s actually true. Dad and Dean are going to lose their shit when they find out I’m gone. Without a trace. But like I said, they’ll get over it.

Knowing our family, the first thing they’ll probably think is that some monster took me – maybe even the one we were hunting – before they completely assess the situation and realize that all of my stuff is gone too. Then they’ll probably put out a hunter’s APB on me, but I don’t want to be found that quickly. I know enough to but myself some time before they catch up to me. But first thing’s first, getting the hell outta dodge.

I take the bus ticket from the woman and ignore her attempts at asking me where my parents are, why I’m traveling alone, and if I need help. Instead, I tell her I’m going home to see my parents from visiting a sibling who attends the University.

I speed walk to the bus, tossing the hood underneath my jacket over my head in the process, and manage to snag a whole row by myself in the back. It’s not until the bus is pulling out of the parking lot, out of the college town where I’m leaving my entire family behind that let the tears fall once more.

As I cry as silently as I can so to not draw attention to myself, I can’t help but wonder if this is how Sam felt that day in Mesa when his bus drove away from Dean and I. He couldn’t have felt as terribly as I do. I feel as though my heart is breaking all over again. As though there is nothing on Earth, Heaven, or Hell that could ever fix it.

Sam doesn’t know what that feels like. He can’t. He probably doesn’t know what it feels like to be heartbroken. He couldn’t have loved me in the way he said if he could just give that same love away to someone else.

But I met Jessica. I know that she is everything that I’m not. She’s smart, beautiful beyond anything I could ever be, and she had such a charismatic personality…she had me at our first meeting. And God she was so nice. I was skeptical of her at first because she seemed too nice, but as time went on, I realized she was just really good people. I could sense it. It’s a gift of mine, it’s like I can read something deeper in people that makes it easier to tell who is who. I knew she was a good person from the start, but I have met so many bad people in this world that I was on the defensive when I felt her.

No wonder Sam never came back. One glance from her, and he was probably under her spell. I don’t have that kind of personality. I saw the look she got in her eyes when she spoke to about her boyfriend our first meeting. And again when she talked to him on the phone at the pub our second meeting, and finally how that same love was reflected back in his eyes when they shared their warm, heartfelt kiss less than an hour ago.

I know whoever this guy was must have been the one for her if he was able to make her so happy, even when he wasn’t in her presence. But I never thought my Sammy could be the one for anyone but me.

I guess people really do discover themselves at college. I never thought discovery could be so painful.

I ride the Greyhound for nearly 24 hours, the bus frequently making stops at gas stations, fast food restaurants, and other places where a few people board and others leave before we reach our destination in Grand Island. As we drive in, I notice just how beautiful and quaint this place is, but 1500 miles isn’t a significant enough distance between Palo Alto and I.

When the bus pulls into the station, I grab both my bags and make a B-line for the Ticketmaster. This man is around the same age as the woman at the bus station in Palo Alto maybe a bit older – the late 50s, early 60s – except he doesn’t seem to bat an eye at me as I walk up. But that might have something to do with the fact that he has headphones in his ears.

“Which bus is going the farthest east and what time does it leave?” I don’t beat around the bush with my questions, causing the man to take his headphones out, look away from whatever he’s doing on the computer, and give me his full attention.

He looks me over for a second, worry and curiosity taking over his features.

“And why would you be heading that way?” he asks not unkindly.

I groan internally, not wanting to deal with too many questions, and tell him the same thing I told the female Ticketmaster in California, editing bits and pieces to fit my location.

“You don’t look old enough to be going such a long way by yourself.” His eyes narrow slightly in confusion. “If you're meeting your parents, why do you want a ticket to some random city on the East Coast?”

Well shit. Most people don’t ask this many questions or pick up on little details like that. They just don’t care enough.

Apparently, I don’t answer his question fast enough because a look of confirmation passes over his face. “Ok young lady, why don’t we call this ‘sibling’ of yours and get them to straighten this whole situation out.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I say as I pick my bags off the floor and sling them over my shoulders before quickly making my way out of the Greyhound station before the guy can call the police or something unnecessary like that.

I mean seriously, I’ll be seventeen in two months. It’s not like I can’t survive on my own for two seconds. I’ve killed things that would make most people piss themselves, and he thinks I need my fucking brother to take care of my ‘situation’? What the fuck ever.

I make my way down Route 30 for a while, a little chilly even through my jacket and inner layers, but mostly pissed off. The sun is just coming up to me left, and I can’t help but roll my eyes at it, thinking I’ll be out here for hours til I find another town. Probably in the dark.

Just as the sun is almost out of the sky, I spot a building with several cars, pickup trucks, and motorcycles around it. From the looks of it, it appears to be a bar, but based on its location, it’s probably a roadhouse.

As I approach the building, I don’t take the time to confirm which because over the years, any and every place one could go to but a drink was the same. On the outside, there were always neon lights that spelled out the name of the establishment. The buildings were all in different states of being, some showing just how old with the amount of stains and cracks on the walls. While others were pristine and new, not to mention that the younger the patrons, the newer the place likely was.

This place was obviously one of the older places though. Judging by the age of the wooden boards the place was built from; they were obviously older, but they looked like they had many more years in them. The patron’s cars also gave it away. Being the daughter of an ex-mechanic and auto lover meant I knew a few things about cars and their owners. And based on the fact that most of these cars are over 10 years old means that their owners were probably either late baby boomers or early generation Xs. Some might be younger than that, but you don’t meet very many younger people interested in driving 1970 Dodge Challengers or 1962 Ford F100s. Most kids nowadays want the newest, most expensive car out there, with only a few – like my brothers and me – raised to know the full physical value of a car as opposed to how pretty, shiny, new, and in style it is.

I walk past all of the cars and up to the door, completely exhausted due to the fact that I have just carried everything I own –which has to weigh at least 20 pounds –almost 30 miles and take a seat at the very end of the bar, dropping said belongings at my feet. The bartender walks over to me, a beautiful brunette who looks to be around my father’s age, perhaps a bit younger.

“Hey sweetheart, what can I get you?” she asks me with a kind smile. With everything that I’ve been through recently, her kindness almost seems misplaced.

“I’ll just have water,” I say, and my voice seems to give away just how tired I really am.

The bartender seems to notice this as well, and a look of sympathy passes over her face as she prepares my water in front of me. I gulp down the water as if I haven’t drunken anything in days until the last of the refreshment is gone from the cup, and the woman takes the glass away and fills it almost to the top once more. I pick the glass up again and take slower sips this time, and the woman just looks at me for a while.

“If you don’t mind my asking, what are you doing out here in the middle of Nebraska?” She still has that sympathetic look on her face as she asks me this, but it isn’t like either of the people at the bus stations. They looked at me with more pity than sympathy – I might even be able to go so far as to say there is a bit of understanding in those eyes as well – because of what they believed I was doing or how I looked, I don’t know. I just know that it pissed me off. I’m not some poor, defenseless little girl who can’t handle herself and needs the company of someone else to get along.

Those people made me forget about my heartbreak and sadness, even if only for a minute. But this woman with kind, warm hazel eyes, eyes almost the same shade as my brother, just as welcoming as his used to be, just made everything come crashing down all at once.

Before I can even process what I’m doing, I have burst into tears, and not just any tears. These are fat, ugly morbidly unattractive globs of salt water. And once I’ve started this, I know it’s going to be a while before I can stop.

The brunette before me comes around and rubs her hand back and forth on my back as I cry, a comforting, womanly touch. One that I can only assume only a mother could give, and this makes me sob even harder. I’d never had a mother’s touch to guide me and show me all of the ways to survive this world and all the problems that come with it. Her daughter – assuming she has one – must love and admire her because I know that this woman must really be something if she is taking the time to comfort someone she doesn’t even know.

“Listen, sweetie,” she begins when my sobs die down to pitiful sniffles. “I don’t know what happened or what you’re going through, but for someone your age, there is so much more in life to look forward to. You can do and be whatever you want to if you don’t let the problems of your past weigh you down. There is no amount of darkness out there where you can’t find even a sliver of light.”

Her words are impactful, meaningful, and to most people, those simple words of encouragement from a stranger just might get them to get up and push through whatever trials and tribulations life throws their way, but not me.

I haven’t been dealt the best hand in life. My mother was murdered when I was a baby, and that forced my father to lose his mind with grief and this unquenchable thirst for revenge on the thing that killed her. I lost my childhood –a normal one anyway –and ended up falling in love with my brother, who I believed felt the same way about me. He left and promised to come back for me, but never did because he has everything he needs without me. I don’t think my other brother and father need me either or even see me as they see him; a girl can only take so much before she breaks.

So no, the words of some stranger, who probably has no idea what is really out there lurking in the dark, and damn sure doesn’t know a thing about me or what I’ve been through. If she did, she’d probably remove her hand in disgust and kick me out of her place and tell me to never show my face here ever again.

But I’m not going to tell her my story. Never even crossed my mind actually. What I do though is force a fake smile through my tears, praying silently that it’s convincing.

“Thank you. Not very many people out here who are kind enough to comfort a sobbing mess like me.” I say, looking down into the remainder of my water.

She pats my back once more before moving back around the bar. “Yes, I did. You walked in here looking like you were gonna pass out any second and like the world had chewed you up and spit you out a few times over.” As she speaks, a girl not too many years older than me -18 or 19 from the looks of it –with curly blonde hair and eyes that almost mirror the bartender’s walks behind the bar with an empty bowl for what I assume is for pretzels or peanuts. “Plus, if something happened to my Joanna Beth, I’d want someone to do the same.”

So she does have a daughter.

“Oh Mom, you know I can handle myself. I’ve kicked enough of these guys asses to prove that.” She says as she pours more pretzels into the dish.

“Language Jo.” The woman says in a scolding tone. Jo rolls her eyes behind her mother’s back at the tone. “I saw that.”

Jo, in turn, stutters slightly and comes over to us with a nervous smile that makes me smile slightly.

“So who is this?” She asks looking at me with curiosity swimming in her brown eyes.

At first, I have an impulse to lie again, afraid that my father might roll through here looking for me, and they say that they’ve seen me, but what are the odds of Dad finding this particular roadhouse in the middle of nowhere Nebraska.

“(F/N) Wi –” I clear my throat a bit. They don’t need to know everything. “Just (F/N), but you can call me (Y/N) if you want.”

“(F/N), where have I heard that name before?” The woman looks at me with an analytical gaze as she tries to place me. It makes me nervous for some reason.

“Don’t know. It’s a pretty common name. Maybe someone came in here with the same name.” I try, though she continues to give me the same look.

“Maybe.”

“Well my name is Jo, but you knew that. Well, I guess you know my first and middle name now seeing how my mother loves to use it so much.” She gives her mother a side glance, one that says, 'why can’t you just call me by my preferred name instead of embarrassing me in front of strangers?’ “But you can call me Jo. Jo Harvelle. And this is my mother, Ellen.”

Jo holds out her hand for me to shake, and at first, I just glance at it, but something in me lets me know that I can trust her. Both of them.

“Nice to meet you Jo and Mrs. Harvelle.”

“Oh sweetheart, call me Ellen. I’ve never really liked the formalities of Miss and Misses.” She says as she moves to make a beer for some guy at the end of the bar.

“So what brings you to the middle of Nebraska. I don’t remember seeing you before.” Jo askes while washing some dishes after placing the bowl of pretzels in front of me.

I picked one up and place it in my mouth. Once I start chewing is when I realize just how hungry I am. I haven’t eaten anything in a day and a half because I never bothered to pick anything up at any of the rests stops on the bus.

I find myself answering her questions honestly, which surprises me. “Just traveling. Needed to get away from my family for a while. Too much drama for me to keep trying to deal with.” I say around a few pretzels, the bowl now halfway empty.

Jo seems to notice this and looks back at her mother. Ellen comes over with a look of worry on her face.

“Do you want something heavier than that sweetheart?” She asks me, giving me the same look her daughter has.

“No, I think I’m okay,” I say as I finish off the last of my pretzels practically scarfing them down and choosing them with the last of my water as well. When I look up at the pair, they are staring at me expectantly. “What?”

The look of concern that Ellen had on her face changes to one of determination.

“How about a grilled cheese and some more pretzels? On the house.” She adds the last part when I go to comment. And apparently, my verbal answer doesn’t matter because the next thing I know, my stomach lets out an embarrassingly loud growl, causing Ellen to give me a look of confirmation before she walks away to make my sandwich I assume.

She returns ten minutes later with my meal and another glass of water, Jo having gone to serve a few of the bar’s other patrons.

“And you can stay here for as long as you need to. And don’t tell me you have somewhere to be, I know you don’t.” She uses her stern, ‘Mom’ voice that she used on Jo not too long ago. “Now eat; there’s plenty more where that came from.

I still don’t understand why they’re being so nice to me, but for the moment I’m not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.

Part 8

Tags: @pretty-fortune

A/N: If you want to be tagged in this story or any of the others in my masterlist, just let me know. I also do forever (not the story this time) tags.

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onlylovekpop · 8 years ago

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Underworld | 15 | Reykjavik

synopsis: bts versus got7 gang au warnings: language word count: 5,309

[ Mark point of view ]

Iceland was exactly what I expected – cold. But I burst into tears the moment I touched its soil. Freedom finally dawned on me. I could sleep through the night. It was over. We were finally safe.

The helicopter took us over the sea as the morning sun rose. Mina was curled in my lap, fingers pressed to my arms as she held me close. She had shed silent tears the entire way.

Yoongi and his words raced through my mind in an endless cycle. As I cradled Mina in my grasp, I kissed the top of her head. One day I would tell her what Yoongi had said, what he made me swear to do for her. The wounds were too fresh at the moment for me to break her heart again.

“Welcome to Reykjavik,” announced Jackson, sitting on the edge of the hull as our chopper soared above the country below. He already spoke with affection toward our new home and it warmed my chest to hear that if wild, restless Jackson could find peace in this place, then there was hope for me and Mina.

Tiredly, I peered outside, noting the city was alive with vitality. From what Remy had told us, the population had suffered dearly in the first days of the outbreak, but the military acted fast to eliminate infection. The colder weather helped in getting the edge on those riddled with disease.

And the navy had been strengthened tenfold in the weeks that followed. Even as the helicopter approached the island country, battleships and aircraft carriers were stationed in a wide radius. Heaven help whomever attempted to attack this safe haven.

We landed on the roof of a hospital, escorted by polite guards who coupled us with medical staff for treatment of our wounds. When they tried to divide us into rooms, Mina grabbed my shirt in her fist while her other hand snatched at Namjoon. She said nothing, but it was enough to put the three of us in a room together.

Each of us were cleaned gently by nurses of the blood coating our skin from the fight. My hands were soaked with Yoongi’s blood and Mina watched intently as the red was washed away.

When wounds were bandaged and medicine administered, a woman was brought to our room, flanked by burly men in suits. She was introduced as the president and we each addressed her with the respect she deserved.

She asked how we were, if we needed anything. And expressed her condolences for the people we had lost along the way.

Mina bit her tongue to avoid a fresh onslaught of tears and murmured, “Thank you.”

“Mina Jung,” said the President warmly. “We will not pursue you. There will be no conflict with us. We have worked tirelessly to maintain the peace in our country. We only ask that in return, we can have some of your blood to continue our studies of finding a vaccine and possibly a cure.”

Mina nodded to these terms. Every few weeks, they would draw some blood and be on their way. Between Mina and Remy, their prospects were hopeful.

“I have a condition,” Mina told the President firmly. “I’m carrying a baby. My child will not be studied until he or she is old enough to consent. Is that understood?”

I gawked as the floor fell out beneath me, but Mina avoided my eyes.

She was pregnant?

The President was visibly stunned but eventually nodded. “We can provide you with prenatal care. Would it be alright if we documented yours and the baby’s progress?” Her voice was placid, almost maternal.

“That’s fine,” Mina agreed with relief. “But no testing or procedures on my child.”

The President smiled gently. “We wouldn’t dare.”

The doctor that had been tending to Mina offered a preliminary ultrasound to check the fetus’ condition, but only one of us could stay with her. Mina took Namjoon’s outstretched hand and I gave her a reassuring nod as I stepped out to wait in the hallway.

Jinyoung joined me, arm wrapped in a sling, and whispered, “Did I hear that right?”

Of course, the grifter would have been eavesdropping. Old habits die hard.

“That apparently she’s pregnant?” I questioned. “Yeah, we both heard it.”

Jinyoung blinked rapidly. “You didn’t know?”

“It’s not mine, Jinyoung,” I told him under my breath. “It’s his.”

He paused, watching me intently for a reaction, and asked, “What are you going to do, Mark?”

I rubbed my face, overwhelmed with exhaustion. “I don’t know yet,” I answered honestly.

Jinyoung simpered. He knew me better than that. Clapping me on the shoulder, he said, “You’re going to stay with her.”

“Yeah, I know,” I exhaled.

“She chose you, Mark,” Jinyoung reminded gently. “Don’t ever forget that.”

I nodded, sliding to the floor and bidding myself not to cry in relief that the horror we had been living was finally over.

That was when I heard the doctor through the cracked door say, “That flicker there… that’s the heartbeat.”

Mina covered her mouth, face scrunching with tears. Namjoon squeezed her hand as she trembled.

Jinyoung lowered to my side and we both stared at the door as it all sank in.

“Wow, a baby,” Jinyoung whispered in awe. “There’s another life inside of her.”

I pictured Mina in my mind, grinning as she cradled a tiny infant with chubby cheeks to her chest, kissing the top of its head. For some reason, the thought warmed me.

After all she’d been through, Mina deserved to be happy and I couldn’t help but think of the joy a baby would bring her.

A few minutes later, the doctor welcomed me back inside and to my utter relief, Mina was smiling despite her glassy eyes. She was overwhelmed.

Jackson appeared in the doorway, clueless to all that had unfolded, and announced, “We’ve got rides. Ready to see your new home?”

I would be lying if I didn’t admit we all leapt in his direction excitedly.

What a concept – living an average life. A house by the sea was available. Taehyung and Bambam working for the Icelandic government as their top tech experts more than provided a comfortable living for us. We would be set for a very long time.

Namjoon spoke to Jinyoung quietly when he declared, “The old life is done. We will never be those men anymore.”

Jinyoung didn’t reply. He had never not been a grifter on the outside of the law. None of us chose to be criminals. It was the hand we were dealt. I had a lifetime of knowledge in reading people. I had orchestrated numerous strategies to take out competition and avoid incarceration or death for my gang.

How was I to lead a normal existence now?

But I was reminded that Mina was my constant. She made me want to do more, be more.

In the meantime, the endless winter would choke her powers. For the most part, she would be human again. That monster within her might never rear its ugly head again.

But she certainly wasn’t the timid, innocent girl I had met years before. There was a graceful but hard edge to her features now. Anyone could tell by looking at her eyes she had seen the horrors of war and calamity.

Hell, we all had. But none of us were guiltless to begin with.

I loved this new Mina every bit as much as the old one. Then, she had been my princess. Now, she was my warrior.

We didn’t speak during our ride to the new house. Jackson did almost all of the chattering, as usual. It felt familiar to have him back. I didn’t realize how much I had missed him, but I didn’t dare voice that feeling. I would never hear the end of it and he would probably try to spoon me in my sleep.

After an hour’s drive, the truck wobbled to a stop on the pebbled road. Silently, we slid out. Except for Bear, who literally soared from the bed of the truck and trotted through the grass while barking wildly with delight.

The old house was nestled at the base of a bluff, a few minutes’ walk from the sea. The waves lapped quietly, soothing.

Mina stepped out of the car, moisture burning her eyes at the sight of such a simple life that awaited her here. But she had expected Hoseok at her side.

Noticing the tension across her face, Namjoon moved alongside Mina, nudging her gently, and whispered, “Here.”

Mina looked down at his hand, noticing an envelope. Her brow furrowed and she searched Namjoon’s face for an explanation.

“From Hoseok,” Namjoon murmured, lips quivering. He had waited to give it to her, once she had gotten past the sorrow and rage at its highest degrees.

Mina froze on the spot.

Namjoon brought his hand to the back of her head, cradling her close to press a lingering kiss to her forehead. “I’ve always got your back, kid,” he whispered, for her ears alone.

Mina felt her chest swell with warmth at his gesture, then she stared at the letter a moment before finally taking it with unsteady fingers. She clutched the gift against her chest with both hands, legs folding beneath her as she landed on the ground.

“Take your time, Mina,” Namjoon coaxed, stroking her hair briefly. “We’re safe here.”

He left her alone to her thoughts and emotions. Mina held the letter as if it were made of gold.

To her surprise, I approached silently, reaching down and helping her to her feet. I dabbed at her tears with my sleeve and murmured, “Get off your knees, Mina. You conquered the world.”

Mina blinked in surprise at my words and swallowed harshly before asking, “Did you hear…?”

She sounded so nervous. It broke my heart that she was this worried about my reaction. “About the baby?” I asked.

Mina froze and eventually replied, “Yeah.”

I stroked her arm and comforted, “We don’t have to talk about that now.”

“I want to,” Mina insisted, desperate. “It’s not my baby’s fault. If you want to resent anyone, resent me.”

That hurt a little. I couldn’t remember ever giving her the idea that I was the type to be like that. “Mina, resentment is not a trait I make a habit of,” I told her sternly. “I’m human and I get angry, but I won’t hold a grudge against a baby, okay?”

She lowered her head in shame and mumbled, “One of these days you’re gonna stop forgiving me, Mark.”

“No, I won’t.”

Mina gripped my sleeves tightly and her face tensed with more tears.

“I’ll get over it,” I whispered, winding my fingers in her hair.

“You’re sure? I won’t hold it against you…” she trailed pitifully.

I groaned, “When are you going to figure out that you’re the only one I want or will ever want? How many times and in how many ways do I have to explain it to you? Let me know, because I’m tri-lingual.”

Mina snorted. “You’re really going to stand by me while I have his baby?”

“The baby is his, but you are mine,” I stated plainly. “That’s all I need to know.”

Was I being gallant? Maybe. But Mina was the love of my life. I had never opened my heart to anyone before and she cracked me right open. And even though she loved Yoongi, she loved me a little more, because I was the one she chose in the end.

Mina was the only one who could drag me out of my own mind when the darkness grew too thick. My greatest moments of peace in my memory involved falling asleep and waking up in her arms. There was so much I had planned for us before the apocalypse descended and even though the past months had changed us irreparably forever, my feelings toward her hadn’t changed.

Mina shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Don’t start that shit again,” I said, holding her head in my hands and pushing our foreheads together.

She smiled faintly at the gesture and whispered, “Sorry.”

Pulling back, a thought struck me. Something that would make her feel better. “Look, if you think about it, through you… Hoseok and Yoongi live on.”

Mina blinked in surprise and rasped, “What?”

“You’re Hoseok’s sister and that’s Yoongi’s baby,” I stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “They live on through you, Mina.”

Mina’s legs almost gave out and I quickly tugged her to my chest, holding her tightly.

In the driveway of house, Yugyeom twirled aimlessly, already stir crazy at the thought of domesticity. Jinyoung backhanded his chest, snapping him back to reality.

“It’s boring,” Yugyeom whined.

“It’s safe,” Jinyoung chastised.

Yugyeom stomped his feet and muttered, “Let’s steal something.”

“No,” Jinyoung replied without missing a beat.

Namjoon strode past, warning, “Yugyeom, don’t test me.”

“Yes, sir,” Yugyeom yelled, saluting his leader.

Jackson greeted Namjoon brightly with Remy a few steps behind. “Can you believe this, bro? It’s paradise,” he exclaimed.

“Now that you’re here it feels like hell,” Namjoon retorted, grinning.

“Ha-ha,” Jackson joked dramatically.

Remy told him, “Our house is around two miles away. We’re basically neighbors if you think about it.”

“I’ll try not to,” Namjoon quipped. “Tell me about the others.”

“Taehyung and Bambam are VIPs,” Jackson announced. “Security loves them. They’re staying at the main base in the city, but they want to visit on the weekends.”

“With all the tech at their disposal, I’ve never seen them so happy,” Remy added. “They’ll be instrumental in keeping Iceland protected. Though the President mentioned that since both Mina and I are here, the other faction will give up its pursuit of us.”

“Iceland doesn’t fuck around, huh?” Namjoon quipped, reminded of the heavy military presence both at sea and on land.

Remy grinned.

“Where’s Jimin?” asked Jackson, noticing the thief was absent.

Namjoon sighed, “He wants to be alone for a while. Yoongi shook him up.”

“They were friends?” Jackson questioned, surprised.

“Jimin was probably the only person who called him out on his shit on a regular basis,” said Namjoon, recalling many times Jimin was brave enough to fuss at Yoongi. Only because Yoongi had a soft spot for Jimin back then and let him get away with too much.

“He was an occasional asshat, but he’ll be missed,” murmured Jackson with as much respect his boisterous self could muster.

“I keep telling myself he’s finally at peace,” Namjoon started, pinching his nose as tears festered in his eyes. “But I would rather he were here driving me up a wall.”

“How’s Mina?” asked Remy, concerned.

“Pregnant,” Jackson spoke up.

“Yeah, pregnant,” Namjoon answered. “And I bet that baby will look just like him.”

Jackson glanced toward the distance, noting Mark and Mina, and said, “Mark knows.”

Namjoon affirmed, “Yeah.”

“And he stays by her,” Remy remarked, smiling.

“That’s the kind of guy he is,” Jackson explained proudly. “And he loves Mina through hell and back.”

“What about you two?” asked Namjoon sheepishly.

“Huh?” Jackson garbled.

“Don’t think I can’t see the obvious bruises,” Namjoon added, smirking as he pointed at their necks.

Remy folded to Jackson’s side and said, “Yes, we are very happy.”

“Good to hear,” Namjoon gleamed with envy.

“Yeah, between leading raids by day and fucking this spitfire by night, I’d say I’m in heaven,” Jackson declared, nuzzling Remy’s cheek as he pulled her even closer.

Remy smacked his ribs and giggled at the affection.

“Alright, this third wheel is gonna go check out his new home,” Namjoon interjected. “See you kids later.”

Remy waved goodbye while Jackson pulled her in for a bone-crushing hug.

Inside, Jinyoung shuffled about the kitchen, putting things in order and scribbling on a piece of paper all the things he would get when he visited the store in the city.

Namjoon took a bottle of water from the fridge and asked, “What’s for dinner?”

Jinyoung groaned, “It will take me at least three trips to get this place stocked to my liking.”

Namjoon chortled. Jinyoung was like Hoseok. They were both second-in-command to their bosses. Jinyoung already followed Namjoon, because a beta had to have an alpha, and Namjoon was more than grateful to have him.

While Jinyoung occasionally pictured Jaebum in his mind, hovering around to make sure all was in order as he preferred, Namjoon could imagine Hoseok fluttering through the new house, flailing about as he expressed his desire to take a dip in the frigid sea.

“And I’ll need to pick up books on child rearing and maybe one or two on labor and delivery in case she has her baby here,” Jinyoung added, snapping Namjoon out of his own reverie.

Incredulous, the leader exclaimed, “You’re gonna deliver the baby?”

Jinyoung clarified dramatically, “I need to be prepared in case something happens!”

“Yeah, good thinking,” said the leader appreciatively. “It’s been a while since I could sit down and read a book anyway. There will probably be pictures of boobs in there too, right?”

Jinyoung scowled and murmured, “You need to get laid.”

“That I do, my friend.”

Jinyoung smarted, “Well, we made it. Our epic journey through hell is over. I’d say you deserve to get some.”

Namjoon lifted his bottle in a toast before downing more water.

Suddenly, an engine roared outside. Namjoon and Jinyoung raced to the porch in time to hear Yugyeom squealing with delight.

Jungkook had arrived in a sleek red sports car, revving the engine while he plastered a cocky grin to his face.

“Bro, there’s a race track up north,” Jungkook called out the window to Yugyeom. “You better get yourself a car and soup it up. Or you’re gonna choke on my dust while I smoke you.”

“You little shit,” Yugyeom exclaimed, smiling broadly while hopping into the passenger seat. “Show me!”

Jungkook waved to us before ripping the car out of the driveway and soaring down the road.

“Four of the kids are happy,” Namjoon commented to Jinyoung.

“The hackers and the drivers are so easy to please,” Jinyoung retorted. “Just wiggle new shiny toys in front of them.”

“Our thieves are having a hard time dealing with what we’ve all been through.”

“They just need time,” Jinyoung crooned, like a seasoned mother. “They’ll come home when they’re ready.”

Jimin and Youngjae were settling in the city, attempting some type of normalcy. They both wanted to give honest livings a try, but we knew sooner or later they would return to their family.

Mina approached the shore, gazing out at the endless horizon. The feeling of isolation was comforting. She lowered to the sand, wrapping her arms around her knees and breathing through her emotions.

At her side, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, listening to the perfect harmony of lapping waves. A massive weight had lifted off of my chest.

After a moment, Mina tapped my arm and handed me her envelope.

“What are you…” I started.

She interjected, “Will you read it to me, please?”

“Of course,” I told her, taking the letter and leaning forward to kiss the side of her head comfortingly. I couldn’t imagine how painful this was for her and for a moment I felt worry for the tiny baby inside her, enduring the same stress.

Feeling protective over a child that wasn’t mine, now that was new for me. But I had a feeling it would happen more and more. Mina was mine and this baby was hers. I would protect them both for as long as I lived.

My arm draped across her shoulders, pulling her to my side. I traced my fingers up and down her skin, soothing her to calm down as I always did when she was too tense. I felt her muscles relax as she folded into my embrace.

Opening the pages, I began, “Dear my baby sister, Mina. You are the sun and the moon, the one person I have loved with all my being in this life. If you’re reading this, then I’m gone and I need to make sure you know a couple things.”

Mina covered her mouth, stifling tears, and pictured Hoseok sitting in front of her, smiling that life-altering grin of his.

“Don’t cry,” she imagined him saying, reached forward to grab her feet. He always exploited how ticklish she was and Mina realized how much she would miss that.

Focused, I read, “It goes without saying that you and I have been dealt round after round of fucked up cards, but we always make the best of them. Being a realist and all that, I’ve never put much stake in the concept of heaven, but you can safely assume I’m up here with Mom and Dad. Trust me, I would much rather be with you, but you know how it works.”

Mina felt her mind floating as her memories pieced back together. Gone was the vivid image of Hoseok on the ground, pale as ice. She could see him again in her head, thinking of the precious days they spent together. She could feel his arms wrapped around her, squeezing her as hard as he could to the point she thought she would burst.

“I need you to know it has been my life’s calling to make you happy. Every minute of every day, trying to get a smile on your face was what kept me alive. That night, when you were so small and I told you our parents were never coming home, the look on your face made me feel the worst pain I have ever felt. From that moment on, you became my heart and soul.”

Hoseok danced in Mina’s mind as she saw him clear as day, dragging her to the backyard for a massive surprise birthday party. She had turned sixteen and damn it, the milestone was to be celebrated appropriately.

And Hobi assumed a giant bouncy house was appropriate.

I could see by Mina’s eyes she was somewhere else. She listened intently, but a meteor could have landed in the sea before us and she wouldn’t have noticed. Clearing my throat, I continued, “As your big brother, I’ve done right by you as best I could. I like to think I succeeded. Now, Namjoon has also earned himself a letter from me with detailed instructions on how he will treat you for the rest of your life. Mina, he’s your brother now. Don’t shut him out. It’s okay. I will always be the brother who loves you most of all.”

Mina thought of the time Namjoon and Hoseok wrestled mockingly on the living room floor. She cheered for her brother to win the match, betting a few dollars against Jin that her pick would emerge victorious. She used the money she won to buy ice cream for all parties involved. Hobi couldn’t have been prouder.

“As for the others, let’s just say they all made me promises they intend to keep. Now, I know I’ve tried to give you plenty of freedom in your love life, but I need you to let Yoongi go.”

My voice trembled on those words.

Mina dreamt of Hoseok and Yoongi, meeting each other in some distant, vibrant field and rolling their eyes in sync. She imagined Hoseok reprimanding Yoongi for following him into the afterlife and not staying behind to protect her. Yoongi, of course, would just shrug and throw around some profanity before the two embraced like brothers.

“I love him, you know I do, but he will never be what he needs to be for you,” I read, clocking a glance to Mina and noticing the way she settled a hand on her lower stomach. “He loves you, of course he does, but he has to learn to love himself.”

Bear approached with a bark, rolling on to his side against Mina’s leg. His tongue shot out of his mouth, panting with exertion. Mina reached down to scratch his ear while teardrops rolled along her cheeks.

I flipped the page and continued, “As for Mark, well let’s just say he made me a promise too. Someone has to pick up where I left off in making you smile every day.”

Mina turned to me and closed her eyes. Of course, Hoseok would have done all of this, just in case.

“I know it’s hard, Mina,” I said, accentuating the words Hoseok had left behind for her. “Even while I write this, the thought of being without you is destroying me. But life goes on. You need to live, Mina. You deserve the world and you will have it. I’ll always love you, no matter where I am. Be brave. Be kind. Goodbye. Love, Your Hobi.”

Mina shuddered and leaned back until she rested on the ground, gazing aloft at the sky overhead. I mirrored her and our arms brushed, but while her attention was on the clouds, mine was on her.

Her fingers sought out my own and she was quick to interlace them.

“It’s gonna be okay,” she sighed, more so to herself than to anyone else.

“I like to think so,” I replied tenderly.

“God, I loved him so much,” Mina groaned, heart throbbing as she thought of her brother’s voice.

“He loved you even more,” I added.

Mina inhaled through her nose and exhaled with her mouth. She repeated the process to the same rhythm of the waves stroking the sand.

Time went by. Seasons changed. We made happy memories.

Memories of jean overalls and paint splatter. The house needed work. Namjoon and I learned how to build a swing for the front porch. When we sat on it to gloat about our handiwork, it promptly collapsed beneath us. Mina laughed so hard she almost peed her pants.

The damn dog made its life’s work chasing birds from the yard. With the new home and no more battles to fight, he became quite fat, but was still as spry as ever.

Jinyoung spent days with the elderly women of Reykjavik to learn their ways of cooking. Our menus were never festive, but we stayed well fed and healthy.

Jin was in the wind. According to Jackson, he was one of the best at reconnaissance and was helping to rid the world of clans. But he was like a shadow in the night. Though, Namjoon bought a boat and occasionally sailed just a few miles off the coast every now and then.

And he always returned in a wonderful mood.

Though as Mina’s pregnancy progressed, Namjoon became glued to her hip. It was quite the sight to see him and Jinyoung sitting together while reading pregnancy and childbirth books, but they wanted to be prepared. I had a feeling they would fight each other to see who could have the honor of delivering the baby.

The bigger Mina got, the more Jackson came around. His hands always had to be on her belly. The idea of a tiny human inside her astounded him. He regularly reminded Mina that Jacky was a unisex name and would most certainly suit her offspring.

Mina’s hormones eventually grew to dislike Jackson and his endless energy, and he soon took to arriving at our house with some form of dessert for bribery.

Speaking of hormones, none of us were above chastisement when the estrogen kicked in. Namjoon and I soon had a system of who would make late night runs for snack food. And the combinations just kept getting weirder and weirder.

As predicted, eventually Jimin came home. He held Mina for a few lengthy minutes before finally letting go. He insisted on hugging Namjoon too, which the leader obliged, though after a few seconds, felt it was excessive. But he wasn’t the leader for nothing and he let his brother hold on for as long as he needed.

Youngjae turned up too. His hands were shaking in withdrawal from going so long without stealing anything. While Jimin was learning the art of bartending (and was making quite a lot of money thanks to tight leather pants), Youngjae discovered he was actually good at building things, rather than finding ways to undermine their security to break them.

Yugyeom and Jungkook were arrested for speeding as they raced on the highway. Given their status of being “brothers” to one of the super zombies, each got a warning and a promise of jail time if they did it again.

They did.

And with no prior criminal history, were promptly sentenced to community service in lieu of incarceration. I never knew how much Jinyoung would enjoy seeing the look on Yugyeom’s face when he was forced to drive the tiniest clown car the city had to offer as he forcibly took up the role of mail carrier. Meanwhile, Jungkook drove garbage trucks for three months.

I was glad the President had such a sense of humor to still put them behind the wheel.

Bambam and Taehyung joined us every Sunday for a quiet day of rest and food. Sundays became precious as we all congregated together and enjoyed each other’s company. We never spoke of any memories before landing in Iceland. As far as we were concerned, life began when the helicopter touched down on top of that hospital.

Everything else was too painful. Each day, I was haunted with what life would be if Jaebum was around. Despite his hard exterior, he had a massive heart. He would have carried Mina around for the duration of her pregnancy the moment he saw her ankles begin to swell.

Jinyoung and Mina had a project together; a garden on the east side of the house. Enclosed within a white picket fence, the pair regularly groomed and nurtured three different types of flowers from seeds they had bought in the city.

Each for a brother we had lost. Purple for Jaebum. White for Yoongi. And yellow for Hoseok.

It was a full house for us, but definitely not as full as it could have been. Jinyoung, Namjoon, and I kept things simple for Mina.

Every night, without fail, we walk on the beach as the sun sets. Though lately, we sit by the shore. She’s not in top condition for long walks anymore.

I hold her wrists securely as she lowers to the sand, fighting against gravity because of her swollen belly. She strokes a hand over the curve of her stomach, smiling to herself as she thinks somberly about the baby inside.

His baby.

But she was still my Mina. She chose me. And I never held it against her.

Dropping next to her, I drape my arm across her shoulders and tuck her close to me, dancing my fingers over her swollen waist until she giggles.

After kissing her cheek, I whisper, “If it’s a girl, I have an idea for a name.”

She snickers and asks, “Hm. What’s that?”

Pausing, I meet her gaze and say, “Hope.”

Tears fill her eyes, but I can tell they aren’t entirely sad. And my world is at peace when Mina parts her lips in a blissful smile.

I kept my promise.

Story Page: Underworld

#story:underworld

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