#Andrea Quill

[khruschevshoe]

The fact that BBC class never got a season 2 is my Roman empire and always will be. With that ending? With April becoming shadowkin? With the fallout between Charlie and Matteusz and all of Charlie's guilt over using the Cabinet of Souls and losing everything left of his people? The sudden change in dynamic between Ms. Quill and Charlie/Quill saving Charlie's life? Ram's reaction to April becoming Shadowkin? Tanya and Ram dealing with the ramifications of telling Charlie to use the Cabinet of Souls? The fact that they STILL HAVEN'T PROPERLY DEALT WITH THE FALLOUT FROM WHEN THEY WERE TRAPPED WITH THE PRISONER AND THE TRUTH-GUILT ROCK? Feral. Absolutely FERAL, I am telling you. I'm never getting over this. It's been seven years and I am still NOT OVER IT

[classongoing]

Christmas brings a brief escape from Coal Hill’s usual problems. Although it has its own challenges, like terrible year seven choirs, gift buying and burnt baking.

Merry Christmas! With our re-run schedule now complete, it's time for some new stories!

Tonight we go back to Last Christmas in Shoreditch, in a brand new side story written by @bazwillendinflames, set during the events of Class: Series One.

Available here.

Happy holidays from all of us at Class Ongoing, and we hope to have another surprise ready for you next week, for our third anniversary!

[thingsasbarcodes]

Class 1x08 - The Lost

[dw-tma]

The Magnus Archives wiki describes the Extinction as

“The fear of catastrophic change, destruction of nature, destruction of human skin and tissue, the destruction of humanity itself and its replacement by something different; all of this especially via mankind's own causing. Manifests through human technology such as computers, code, and radio, and seems to present horrifying visions of what humans could become, or what could become of humans.”

[ngatwa]

CLASS (2016): NIGHTVISITING

[sjsmith56]

A Better Man, Part 5 - Warmth

Summary: Bucky inspects Andrea’s brownstone finding a host of problems that could derail the renovation. His mother, Winnifred Barnes comes to dinner, to meet Andrea and Lily.

Length: 5.8 K

Characters: Steve, Bucky, Andrea, Winnifred Barnes.

Warnings: Bucky’s anxiety, Winnifred remembering the real trauma that Bucky suffered as a child.

Author notes: More twists. My knowledge of house inspections comes from watching Mike Holmes, Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler home renovation shows. If you’re Canadian, you know who I mean.

<<Part 4

Part 5

Since Mrs. Parker, Sam and Steve had everything under control at the office, Bucky took his tool belt and everything he needed to check the house with him, when he took the money to pay off Officer Rollins.  He tried to temper his growing irritation at the man as he drove to where Rollins had pulled over their truck.  It was a dick move on the officer's part but also somewhat unprecedented.  He wondered if Hydra Contracting was behind it, as he knew Rollins was friendly with Rumlow.  Peter Quill had reported that Rollins had been seen at several of Hydra's nightclubs over the past month, sometimes in uniform, sometimes not, although the latter appearances tended to be at their strip clubs.  No doubt if he were connected to Hydra, he would be advising them on Barnes Contracting moving all their inventory sooner.

Pulling up behind the police car, Bucky could see Rollins sitting in the front seat.  Taking the envelope of cash with him, he got out of his car and stood beside the open car window.

"Barnes," said Rollins, lazily.  "About time you got here."

"You got paid off last week," replied Bucky.  "This request took us by surprise, and it took us time to gather enough bills together, plus we're busy."

"I figured that," said the police officer.  "What's the deal with the sudden activity?"  He gestured to the truck.  "Your idiot driver wouldn't tell me anything."

"Just have some renovation work coming up that I need my crew for, that's all.  Do you want this or not?"

A car passed them, and they both watched until it was out of sight before Rollins put his hand out.  Bucky looked around to make sure no one was watching or taking pictures then blocked the view of him handing Rollins the envelope.  The man opened it, quickly going through the bills.

"It better all be here, or I'll be stopping another one of your trucks," he warned.  He looked out the window at Bucky, smirking.  "Have a nice day."

Starting his vehicle up, Rollins pulled out of his spot, making Bucky move aside to let the car go.  He walked to the cab of the truck where Scott was sitting.  Pulling himself up on the step he leaned inside the open window.

"What happened?"

"Came to a complete stop at a stop sign then took the turn.  Next thing I know I hear the siren and pull over.  He wanted to know what we were moving.  Told him it was a sealed shipment, and I didn't know, then he said he noticed a lot of our trucks out today.  What was going on?  Told him I only did as I was ordered and didn't ask why.  He said I didn't come to a complete stop and if I didn't want the truck seized, he wanted $500.  Has he always been a dick?"

Bucky huffed.  "Pretty much.  Keep an eye out for any of Hydra's men.  I know Rollins is buddies with Rumlow.  If they find out we're moving a lot of inventory in a short time they might think something is up."

"Something is up, isn't it?" asked Scott.  "I was surprised when Sam pulled us off of moving the furniture today.  Did she change her mind about the renovation?"

"The less you know, the better," said Bucky.  "She didn't change her mind.  Just get these deliveries done and you'll get the furniture moved when you can.  I'm going there now to assess the actual repairs that need to be done.  The way this day is going I wouldn't be surprised if I find asbestos."

"That wouldn't be good." 

He started the truck and Bucky hopped off then returned to his car, watching as it drove away.  He sat there for a time, thinking, then started his car up, determined to get to the house and do something there today.  There was no parking spot close by when he arrived so he parked where he could and put his tool belt on, then grabbed his pen and notebook.  Entering the house, he locked the door behind him then breathed out. 

It had been a while since he last did an inspection of a house to give someone an estimate.  At that time, the owner, a higher-ranking member of a certain crime family, offered him half the estimate to do the job, claiming a professional discount.  When Bucky told him that was the price quoted the man had laughed in his face, then told him to fuck off.  He went with Sitwell Renovations, who used stolen building materials, and stiffed a few of their subcontractors, then used substandard ones to finish the jobs.  The original subcontractors weren't able to get their money, because they couldn't put a lien on the homeowner or else he would come after them.  It was wrong on so many levels, including the knowledge that Sitwell likely bribed some of the inspectors to approve the finished product. 

You're getting upset again.  Stop fixating about Sitwell Renovations.

Heading up to the top floor, Bucky found the attic access and opened it, pulling down the ladder.  Heading up, he pulled his flashlight out and shone it on the underside of the roof.  There were several water stains, some of them with mold on them, which concerned him.  It meant they would have to treat the mold as well as replace the roof.  Directing the flashlight onto the floor he saw more water stains.  One of the boards was broken and he used his hammer to pry it up, swearing when he saw the old insulation.

Shit, it's likely asbestos. 

He knew a guy who could test it to be sure, but he wasn't touching it, if it was.  He would have to get an abatement team in to deal with it before his guys did any work.  If it was up here, it could also be in the lower floor walls.  He did another walk around the space, looking at the wiring, noting it was old copper.  Since they would have to pull it anyway, they might be able to take the old stuff in for recycling.  That could help offset the cost.  He made some notes in his book, then headed back down the ladder and slid it back into place.  

Even though Andrea only showed him the ceiling water stains on this level he still did a thorough inspection.  Taking out a screwdriver he unscrewed a wall vent and shone his flashlight on the metal venting, looking for any rough edges that would give him an idea if the insulation here was asbestos as well, but he didn't see anything of note and replaced it.  Noticing the original light fixtures, he made a note to ask if Andrea wanted to keep them or update them.  There was always a demand for the older ones as certain places tried to keep their original look.  Personally, he tried to keep the fixtures original but update everything around them, in a similar style.  He would have to ask her if the fixtures all worked, since he didn't want to use the electricity to check for himself, knowing the mess the electrical panel was in.  If they didn't all work, they should be replaced, otherwise he would have to take them to a specialty place to be restored.

From there he checked out the bathroom on this floor.  The floor, done in a mosaic tile was mostly intact but there were a few broken individual tiles.  They could be replaced but it might be hard to replicate the faded colour.  Still, it was a nice pattern, almost art deco looking.  The bathroom fixtures, other than the clawfoot tub were all in need of replacing.  The tub could be refinished and spruced up.  Turning the taps he listened for a water hammer noise but there was none.  That was good as it meant the plumbing was in good shape, but he should check the pipes to make sure they were copper and not lead.

On the second floor, he checked all the windows but only the one bedroom had the water damage around them.  Gently prying off the interior casing on them, he saw the caulking on the outside trim had dried out and crumbled, opening the gap to the elements.  Opening the window, he leaned out as far as he could to check the brick façade, but it seemed intact, so the water damage was likely from the caulking.  Still, he would need to bring a ladder over and go up to check it to be sure.  When the guys came to move the furniture, he would ask Clint to bring a ladder and leave it in the house.  He might as well check as much of the façade as he could.  Once again, he tried to check for asbestos through the vents but who ever did the HVAC did a great job of sealing it from the insulation.  It was a testament to the skill of those tradesmen.

Checking the bathroom on this level, he noticed water damage on the mosaic floor tiles, as the grout had crumbled and chipped away.  Like the upper-level bathroom, the fixtures needed replacing.  He checked the taps, looking under the sink for leaks but there were none there.  Getting on his knees he shone his flashlight under the clawfoot tub then ran the water and watched as drips formed underneath, a leak from the tub itself.  Once he got up on the ladder he would confirm if there was additional leakage in the outside façade.  It could be a combination of the two that was showing up on the floor below.  He added it to the lengthening list of repairs. 

With a sigh, he headed down to the main floor, confirming the water stains again.  The dining room was in good shape, so he headed to the kitchen.  Casting a critical eye on it, he checked the floor to make sure it was level, then checked the plumbing, hearing the soft plunk of dripping water.  Underneath the sink cabinet he found a leak dripping from where the plumbing came out of the wall.  As he looked at it, he had a sinking feeling and ran downstairs, lighting the way with his flashlight.  Ignoring the electrical panel, he went past it to underneath where the kitchen sink was.  He didn't even look at this area the other night because the light went out and Andrea kicked him out before he got this far into the lower level.  When he saw the exterior wall, he groaned. 

There was efflorescence on it and the concrete was still wet in an area near a crack which had shifted the plumbing so that it was no longer aligned, causing not just the leak in the kitchen.  This was a major repair that could cause structural damage if it wasn't taken care of.  Never mind everything else that needed work, this crack, the water damage, the electrical panel, the roof, the possible asbestos insulation, and external water leaks would all have to be fixed before anything else inside could be tackled.  No wonder Andrea couldn't get a loan for renovations.  His gaze landed on the furnace and hot water tank, which he hadn't even looked at yet.  He knew in his gut that this place was going to be a money pit.  How was he going to tell her?

After saying goodbye to Bucky that morning, Andrea cleaned up the breakfast dishes, started some laundry and unpacked more of her boxes, sorting her clothes in the walk-in closet.  She also looked at what food was in the freezer and pantry, wanting to make something good for Bucky as a thank you for his help.  Taking some pork chops out, she checked the pantry, remembering she had brought some potatoes.  She checked the fridge, satisfied that there were enough fresh vegetables to make a complete meal, although she did have to go out and get a few things from the grocery store.  Lily was fed, then went down for a nap leaving Andrea some free time.  Taking advantage of the home gym, she worked out a little bit then showered, dressed, and explored the selection of books in Bucky's bookcase.  Just as she settled in a chair a phone rang in the apartment.  With her cell phone beside her, Andrea wondered if Bucky left his cell phone behind but instead, the sound led her to a landline that she answered with a hesitant "hello." A woman's voice greeted her.

"Hello.  You must be Andrea."

"Yes." 

"I'm Winnifred Barnes, Bucky's mother.  He told me that he offered you a place to live while he renovated your home.  I just wanted to make sure you got settled in."

That was nice.  "Yes, my daughter Lily and I are getting used to being here.  He's been very kind to us."

"I'm glad to hear it.  Would you object to me visiting you this afternoon?  I had some things to drop off for Bucky, but I would like to meet you and your daughter."

"Why don't you come for supper, as well?" asked Andrea.  "I was going to make a nice dinner for him and there should be more than enough for three."

"You're sure it won't be too much trouble?"

"I'm sure.  Please, I would like you to come."

She could almost hear the older woman smile through the telephone call.  When Mrs. Barnes accepted the invitation, her voice was kind and warm.  It reminded Andrea very much of her grandmother.  As soon as Lily woke up, she would get her ready for a walk and get to the store for the few things she needed.  In the meantime, she made herself something for an early lunch and turned on some music while she ate and read a book.  She transferred the laundry from the washing machine to the dryer, just before Lily awakened.

A short time later, she was back in the apartment after the walk to the grocery store, and began prepping the food so she could slip everything into the oven.  The pork chop and potato casserole was easy to prepare and with the addition of some mushrooms and sliced onions plus some extra seasoning Andrea was sure it would be appreciated.  Just as she got it into the oven to bake for an hour, the elevator door opened, and Bucky walked in. 

"Hi," she said cheerfully, as he entered the kitchen.  "How was your day?"

"A little stressful," he admitted.  "How was yours?"

"Great," she smiled.  "We went for a walk to the grocery store, and I picked up a few extra things for dinner.  We're having a guest."

"Who?" he asked.

"Your mother.  She called to say that she had to drop some things off, so I invited her to dinner."  She noticed his face.  "That's alright, isn't it?"

Bucky realized he was frowning and shook it off.  "Yeah, it's good.  I'm just surprised, that's all.  She usually drops things off at the office, but I was at the house most of the day so maybe she wanted to talk to me in person."  He noticed her face.  "Don't worry about my mother.  She's great and she'll love you and Lily.  Before she comes, I need to talk to you about the house."

At that moment, the landline rang, and Bucky answered it to the announcement that his mother was there.  He gave the okay to let her up.  The news about the house was going to have to wait.  Soon, the elevator door opened and Winnifred Barnes strode in, carrying a bakery box.  Bucky took it from her, receiving a kiss on the cheek.  They both entered the kitchen.

"Ma, this is Andrea Hart and her daughter Lily.  Andrea, this is my mother, Winnifred Barnes."

"It's a pleasure Mrs. Barnes," said the younger woman, extending her hand.  "You brought dessert?  You didn't have to."

"It was the least I could do after practically inviting myself for dinner.  You must call me Winnie."  Andrea began to protest but Winnifred waved her objections away, then looked at Lily.  "This little angel is beautiful.  Bucky, help me get my coat off so I can hold her.  She's okay with strangers?"

"Mostly," said Andrea.  "She likes Mrs. Parker and Sam, and Bucky held her for a time."

His mother grinned at him, delighting in the fact that he was blushing about holding a baby.  He took her things, hanging her coat up and placing her purse in the living room.  When he returned to the kitchen, he watched his mother cooing over Lily, who lapped up the attention from the older woman.

"She is adorable," smiled Winnifred.  "You must be a wonderful mother to have such a happy baby."

"Thank you but it's all her," said Andrea.  "She's been content from the start."

"Ma, come sit in the living room."  Bucky led them all there, waiting until the women sat down before he did.  "What was it you brought for me to see?"

"Oh, that can wait," said Winnifred.  "It was nothing too important.  So, have you done the inspection of Andrea's house for the renovation?"

Both women looked at him, expectantly, and he suddenly felt as if he were in a hot seat.

"Yes, I spent much of the day there," he replied, hesitantly.  "I was just going to tell Andrea about it when you arrived."  They still looked like they wanted to hear more.  "It's not good news.  There's mold in the attic from the leaking roof.  I suspect you have asbestos insulation, but I'll need to get someone in to confirm that and they would have to do an abatement if it is asbestos."  He sighed, then looked away, his face pained.  "Those windows will have to be replaced as the caulking has dried up and crumbled away which is letting in rain.  You already know about the electrical panel.  There's a crack in the foundation that's letting in water, and it's messed up the plumbing in the kitchen.  All of that has to be fixed before we can even think about fixing the water leak damage inside.  Your bathroom fixtures need updating although we can salvage the tubs and get them refinished.  Although your furnace and hot water tank are functional, they're pretty old and should be replaced."  He ran his hand through his hair.  "Your kitchen needs a total update as well.  I'm sorry but it's going to cost a lot of money to do it.  I suspect the bank looked at your old list of things to fix and didn't think it was worth it.  With this new list, it's going to be a lot for me to cover.  I would like to do it, but I want you to know what you're getting yourself into.  My estimate of three months is easily doubled and right now I think it's going to cost around $150,000 to just do the basics.  I'm sorry.  I wish I had better news."

Andrea took it better than he was expecting.  She was disappointed, something that he felt in his gut as she looked at Lily before examining her hands.  Then she smiled wanly at him.

"It's alright," she said quietly.  "The bank pretty much said the same thing, even though the list I gave them was smaller.  They said it had been their experience that these older places had a lot of issues that had to be addressed even before tackling the cosmetic fixes."  She sighed and stood up.  "Thank you for being honest with me.  Excuse me for a moment."

She left Lily with Winnifred and headed towards her room, as Bucky followed her with his eyes, feeling utterly helpless that he had to disappoint her.  His mother watched him. 

"You should go to her," she said.  "I can stay with Lily."

"Ma ...."

"Go to her," she smiled.  "She's worth it."

It was the first time his mother had ever said that about any woman he brought home for her to meet.  Gently, he knocked on the door.  He could hear crying inside.

"Andrea, may I come in?" 

There was the sound of her blowing her nose, then she opened the door and began to cry again.  Stepping inside, he hugged her, as she wept.  He wished he knew what to say but something told him that what he was doing was probably what she needed most.  Eventually, she calmed herself and pulled away, grabbing some more tissues.  To see her with swollen red eyes and puffy cheeks was almost more than Bucky could bear.

"We'll find a way to do it," he said.  "Somehow, I'll fix it for you."

"I can't ask you to do that," she uttered, her voice almost broken.  "You have a business to run and that's a lot of money to cover."

"You're not asking.  I'm offering."  For a moment, he looked down, trying to say something meaningful.  "Please, let me help you."

"Why are you doing this?  I mean, what's the real reason?"

He envisioned a repeat of what happened in her basement a few days ago but even with what he did for his living, he had always been as truthful as he could be.  He wasn't ready to tell her about his usual job, but he could tell her about his feelings.  Gesturing to her to sit on the bed, he sat beside her. 

"I've always been the quiet type," he said.  "That trauma I referred to this morning messed with my head a little and it made me very introverted.  In high school, I didn't date much but I had a few girlfriends, nothing serious.  They weren't really interested in the real me.  They just saw me as a good-looking guy who liked to please them.  When my thing about blood became known they didn't even see me as that.  I was weird Bucky."  She placed her hand on his, smiling kindly at him.  God, she's beautiful.  "I had one serious relationship with Dot; I told you about her.  After her, I didn't date at all.  It was just easier.  Then you walked into my life.  The guys told me about this beautiful woman with a baby who just made their day with her presence and that's when I came outside that first time with Sam and Steve.  They were right, you did make my day, and the more I saw you, the more I wanted to know you."

"Bucky, what are you saying?" Andrea was focused on him, her face serious.  "Are you in love with me?"

"I don't know if it's love," he admitted.  "I thought I knew what love was when I was with Dot, but it was all one-sided.  I know that I like being with you and Lily.  I don't feel alone or weird when I'm with you and when you cried just now, all I wanted to do was hold you and be there for you."  He realized he was stroking her hand and stopped then looked at her.  "If you don't feel the same for me, that's alright; we can be friends because I just don't want to be without you in my life and if you have to sell the house and move away then I might never see you again, and I don't think I can bear that."

She smiled at him as he kept talking then placed her hand on his cheek, making him stop. 

"I wish I had met you instead of Brock," she murmured.  "You are the sweetest man I have ever met.  Dot was stupid to do what she did to you.  Although there might be the beginnings of something between us, I'm not ready to take that next step right now.  But I'm willing to take it slow with you and see where this leads us.  Is that enough for now?"

His smile was almost beatific in its brilliance and Andrea felt her own insides warm up a little.  She had to admit to herself that when he held her, she felt safe in his arms.  The emotional warmth that emanated from him and even his mother, was something she really missed since her grandmother died.  As for the house, she could sell it, but it would be at a significant discount as she would have to disclose the issues with it.  In this market, that money wouldn't go far in buying a similar sized place.  Even though the logical thing would be to sell it, a part of her pictured her and Lily there, baking cookies in the kitchen, or doing homework together at the table.  From the moment she moved in there when she was pregnant it felt like home, her real home.  Then a vision of Bucky coming in the front door as if he lived there with them suddenly entered her head, almost making her gasp audibly.  Maybe she was meant to meet him, then to live with him as a roommate.  Maybe, eventually they were meant to be more.  Regardless, he was willing to help her, and she really liked the idea of him working on that place, knowing that he wanted to please her.  Taking a deep breath, she stood up, making him stand up with her.

"Alright, somehow we'll figure out how to finance this," she said.  "Friends?"

"Friends," he smiled.  For now.

Returning to the living room, they found his mother still entranced with Lily, as she told her a story.  It was a side of his mother Bucky hadn't seen before, realizing that she was acting like a grandmother.  His younger sister was also unmarried and had no kids, so that meant Lily was the closest thing she had to a grandchild.  She looked up at them.

"Are you alright, Andrea?"

"Yes, Mrs. Barnes, I'm good.  Bucky helped settle me down."

"Winnie, I insist."  The older woman looked down at the little girl in her arms before looking up at the pair.  "Well, I'm glad.  Whenever you two wish to go out, for any reason, you call me, and I'll come over in a flash to be with this little doll."

Lily kicked her feet a little and waved her hands towards Winnifred, making her laugh.  The timer on the oven went off and Andrea went to see to it, while Bucky set the table.  His mother, watching from the living room area, knew there was definitely something good about those two and she would do her part to make sure it bloomed into something better.  This little girl needed a father and a grandmother.  If Andrea's parents were too proud to make amends with their daughter, then she was more than willing to take their place.

Dinner was pleasant for all of them, with compliments from Bucky and his mother about the meal.  The dessert brought by Winnifred, a cheesecake, was also appreciated.  As Bucky cleaned up, Andrea took Lily to the bedroom to nurse her and get her ready for bed.  She brought her out to say goodnight to Winnifred and Bucky, with both holding the baby in turn, and kissing her goodnight.  It reinforced every hope that Bucky had for a relationship with Andrea, although he tried to temper the strong emotions he was feeling for her.  After she had tucked her daughter in, Andrea returned to the living room where Bucky and his mother sat, having some tea. 

"Well, I have enjoyed myself immensely," said Winnifred.  "I do have to go but I meant what I said about looking after Lily anytime you need someone.  She is a sweet child."

"I'll keep that in mind, Winnie," said Andrea.  "It was very nice to meet you."

"Bucky, would you see me out to my car?" asked his mother.

"Sure, Ma," he replied, figuring she wanted a private word with him. 

On the way down in the elevator, she made her thoughts known.

"She is lovely.  What did you two decide when you went to her?"

"I told her I had feelings but that I don't know if it's love.  She's not ready for another relationship yet but if it's meant to be then she wants to take it slow.  I'm going to do the renovations.  I'll find the money somehow."

"I'll give it to you," said Winnifred.  She looked up at her son.  "You don't have to tell her it's coming from me."

"Ma, you don't have to," he protested.  "I'm sure that we'll get the business we need from the renovation side of the company.  I can put a sign in the window of her place that we're working there.  Maybe that will drum up business to make up for having to cut back on the other side of things."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, looking up at him again.  "What's happened to your usual revenue stream?"

Uh oh.  "I thought you knew.  I assumed Steve mentioned it but maybe he was afraid you would be angry with him.  Andrea's best friend hit it off with Steve and they went out together.  She figured out that Barnes Construction isn't entirely legitimate."  The elevator doors opened, and he stopped talking as they walked through the lobby, resuming when they were outside.  "Turns out she's a cop and she's not turning us in, but she suggested we get rid of our shipments sooner rather than later.  We're supposed to be on some task force's radar.  If they show up and we don't have the evidence lying around, then they can't do much to us."

His mother was quiet until they got to her car.  She stood in front of it apparently processing what her son told her. 

"Well, maybe it was meant to happen then," she finally said.  "You did say you would go legit for her.  Maybe this is the way you go about it.  Just be careful who else knows about that end of the business as it can open you up to blackmail.  By the way, who is Lily's father?  You told me before that he's with one of your competitors."

"Brock Rumlow."

He didn't notice how his mother seemed bothered for a moment, as he was distracted by a couple of joggers going by on the sidewalk.  She placed her hand on his cheek, receiving a kiss on hers in return, then Bucky opened her car door and made sure she was buckled in before he closed it.  As she pulled away, she watched her son cross the road, realizing she never gave him the documents she brought him.  As soon as she was out of sight, she pulled into the first opening she saw and took her cell phone out.  For a moment she hesitated then she dialled a number.  It rang several times before it was answered.

"I have a problem," she said.  "My son is in love with a very nice single mother.  I just found out the father of her child is Brock Rumlow.  You know what Pierce will do if he finds out about the baby."  She listened for a moment then interrupted.  "I don't care.  I need protection on the woman and her child.  They are important to me and to my son.  If anything happens to them ....  Thank you, Fury.  I appreciate it.  One other thing.  Is Barnes Construction in the crosshairs of one of the gang task forces?"  Whatever was said obviously satisfied her because she smiled.  "I heard it from several sources but thank you for running interference for us.  I appreciate that.  My son is turning the company into a legitimate business, but any raids would make that difficult.  I trust you'll advise me if anything is in the works?  As long as it doesn't interfere with the other business, I'll take you at your word."

She hung up then and thought back to that horrible night so many years ago when Nick Fury, now the District Attorney, but then a hotshot lawyer in the District Attorney's office came to her with a pouch of diamonds and asked her to hold them for him.  No questions were asked as to their origin or their destination.  It was a quid pro quo situation; a favour to be paid back later.  Except two nights later a corrupt cop, Henry Rumlow, showed up with a thug provided by his brother-in-law, Alexander Pierce, a general contractor willing to get his hands dirty.  Rumlow demanded the diamonds.  George, her husband, refused to say anything, as did she.  The thug began beating George up, hitting him over and over again.  That's when Bucky came out of the bedroom hallway holding his father's gun and pointing it at Rumlow. 

"Leave my dad alone," he said, in his terrified six-year-old voice.

Rumlow started laughing.

"Your kid didn't even turn off the safety," he crowed, then reached for his own gun and pointed it at Bucky.

In a scream of rage, George head butted the thug, stunning him, then tackled Rumlow, fighting for his son's life.  In the struggle, Rumlow's gun went off and he laid there bleeding out from a stomach wound.  Carefully, George took the gun from Bucky, as Winnifred bundled him up and took him back to the bedroom.  Then George did something he never thought he would do again after Grenada.  He killed a man, using Rumlow's gun to shoot the thug when he roused and attacked George again.  He called his right-hand man, Tim Dugan, to help.  The big man, loyal to the core, helped carry the bodies out of the house, loading them into Rumlow's car trunk, that they lined with a tarp.  While Dugan drove Rumlow's car, George took a company truck, driving out to an isolated spot.  They staged the fight there, making it look like the two men fought each other before both received a fatal wound with Rumlow's service pistol.  They left Rumlow's car there and George drove Dugan home.  By the time he returned to their house, Winnie had cleaned up all the blood.  He burned the tarp and his bloody clothes in a metal garbage can. 

Other than Fury, who promised to make sure the deaths were not traced to them, no one else knew what really happened, although Pierce must have worked it out since he sent his man with Rumlow to steal the diamonds.  Winnifred, who had whispered to Bucky never to speak of it, worried about him over the years, wondering if he was scarred for life.  Other than being a quiet introverted person, with an aversion to blood, she was sure he had forgotten everything else that happened 27 years ago.  Bucky's safety and happiness were everything to her.  If Andrea and Lily made him happy then she would do all she could to keep them safe.

Part 6>>

Series Masterlist

Please support the author by reblogging.

[t-oki-ompi]

Magda (:

(ID: The image is a digital illustration of Magdalene Druckeryn from Pentiment. She poses like in her character creation- a book and quill in hand. In the left corner there is the logo of Tassing and the text reads "Magdalene" as well as "Tassing".)

This scene man. sad!

I have thoughts about Andreas, how did he manage. To survive and such.

Anyway hope everyone is well and good! (:

(ID: The image is a digital sketch in grayscale, depicting a scene from Pentiment act 3. Andreas Maler is hugging Magdalene Druckeryn, while they are crying, kneeling down.)

[godjustkys]

╰┈➤ ❝ masterlist;

FANDOMS I WRITE FOR;

- Teen wolf

- Marvel Cinematic Universe

- Supernatural

- The Walking Dead (AMC)

- Merlin (BBC)

- Stranger things

- Dune

- Game of Thrones

- F.R.I.E.N.D.S

- The Maze Runner

- Lord of The Rings

- The Hobbit

- Harry Potter

- Brooklyn Nine-Nine

- IT

- Diary of a Wimpy Kid

- Dead Poet's Society

- Shameless

- Handsome Devil

- The Black Phone

- Sweet Home

- Arcane

- Spider-man Universe

- The Goldfinch

- The Last of Us

- The Beekeeper

- Weak Hero Class 1

- Bad and Crazy

ANIMES;

- Demon Slayer

- My Hero Academia

(the anime list will get updated as long as I continue watching anime.)

Characters I will to write for;

Teen wolf:

- Stiles Stilinski

Stiles Stilinski x top!m!reader (smut)

- Scott McCall

none yet..

- Derek Hale

none yet..

- Allison Argent

none yet..

- Lydia Martin

none yet..

- Isaac Lahey

none yet..

- Jackson Whittemore

none yet..

- Peter Hale

none yet..

- Malia Tate

none yet..

- Kira Yukimura

none yet..

- Liam Dunbar

none yet..

- Theo Raeken

none yet..

- Jordan Parrish

none yet..

- Erica Reyes

none yet..

- Ethan Steiner

none yet..

- Aiden Steiner

none yet..

- Christopher Argent

none yet..

- Mason Hewitt

none yet..

- Danny Mahealani

none yet..

Marvel Cinematic Universe:

- Tony Stark

none yet..

- Peter Parker

none yet..

- Bruce Banners

none yet..

- Thor Odinson

none yet..

- Loki Laufeyson

none yet..

- Steve Rogers

none yet..

- Natasha Romanoff

none yet..

- Stephen Strange

none yet..

- Wanda Maximoff

none yet..

- Clint Barton

none yet..

- Bucky Barnes

none yet..

- Carol Danvers

none yet..

- Shuri

none yet..

- Sam Wilson

none yet..

- Okoye

none yet..

- Wade Wilson

none yet..

- Pietro Maximoff

none yet..

- Vision

none yet..

- Yelena Belova

none yet..

- Peter Quill

none yet..

- Gamora

none yet..

- Nebula

none yet..

- Matt Murdock

none yet..

- Frank Castle

none yet..

- Xu Shang-chi

none yet..

- Eddie Brock

none yet..

Supernatural:

- Dean Winchester

'What a perv.' Dean x top!m!reader (smut)

- Sam Winchester

Hate sex with Dean (male reader, smut)

smut drabble (male reader)

none yet..

- Castiel

none yet..

ALL; SUPERNATURAL HEADCANONS (NSFW)

(I have little knowledge of supernatural.)

The Walking Dead:

- Rick Grimes

none yet..

- Carl Grimes

none yet..

- Michonne

none yet..

- Negan

none yet..

- Daryl Dixon

male reader x daryl dixon (smut)

- Eugene

none yet..

- Rosita Espinosa

none yet..

- Maggie Greene

none yet..

- Glenn Rhee

none yet..

- Carol Peletier

none yet..

- Andrea

none yet..

- Gabriel Stokes

none yet..

- Dwight

none yet..

- Simon

none yet..

Merlin:

- Merlin

none yet..

- Arthur Pendragon

none yet..

- Morgana Pendragon

none yet..

- Guinevere

none yet..

- Lancelot

none yet..

- Mordred

none yet..

- Gwaine

none yet..

- Percival

none yet..

- Elyan

none yet..

- Leon

none yet..

Strangers things:

- Mike Wheeler

none yet..

- Nancy Wheeler

none yet..

- Will Byers

none yet..

- Jonathan Byers

none yet..

- Joyce Byers

none yet..

- Jim Hopper

none yet..

- Jane 'Eleven' Hopper

none yet..

- Lucas Sinclair

none yet..

- Dustin Henderson

none yet..

- Steve Harrington

none yet..

- Maxine Mayfield

none yet..

- Billy Hargrove

none yet..

- Dmitri 'Enzo' Antonov

none yet..

- Eddie Munson

none yet..

- Henry Creel

none yet..

- Robin Buckley

none yet..

ALL; stranger things headcanons.. pt 1.

Dune:

- Paul Atreides

none yet..

- Leto Atreides

none yet..

- Chani

none yet..

- Feyd-Rautha

none yet..

- Duncan Idaho

none yet..

- Stilgar

none yet..

Game of Thrones:

- Ned Stark

none yet..

- Catelyn Stark

none yet..

- Robb Stark

none yet..

- Jon Snow

none yet..

- Theon Greyjoy

none yet..

- Sansa Stark

none yet..

- Arya Stark

none yet..

- Tywin Lannister

none yet..

- Jaime Lannister

none yet..

- Cersei Lannister

none yet..

- Tyrion Lannister

none yet..

- Tommen Baratheon

none yet..

- Joffrey Baratheon

none yet..

- Daenerys Targaryen

none yet..

- Jorah Mormont

none yet..

- Sandor Clegane

none yet..

- Samwell Tarly

none yet..

- Margaery Tyrell

none yet..

- Tormund Giantsbane

none yet..

- Brienne of Tarth

none yet..

- Podrick

none yet..

- Ramsay Bolton

none yet..

- Jaqen H'ghar

none yet..

- Grey Worm

none yet..

F.R.I.E.N.D.S:

- Rachel Greene

none yet..

- Phoebe Buffay

none yet..

- Monica Geller

none yet..

- Ross Geller

none yet..

- Chandler Bing

none yet..

- Joey Tribbiani

Joey Tribbiani dating headcanons (SFW+NSFW)

The Maze Runner:

- Thomas

none yet..

- Newt

none yet..

- Minho

none yet..

- Gally

none yet..

- Frypan

none yet..

- Aris

none yet..

- Janson

none yet..

Lord of The Rings:

- Frodo Baggins

none yet..

- Samwise Gamgee

none yet..

- Pippin Took

none yet..

- Merry Brandybuck

none yet..

- Aragorn

none yet..

- Legolas

none yet..

- Boromir

none yet..

- Faramir

none yet..

- Galadriel

none yet..

- Arwen

none yet..

- Éowyn

none yet..

- Éomer

none yet..

The Hobbit:

- Bilbo Baggins

none yet..

- Thorin Oakenshield

none yet..

- Kili Durin

none yet..

- Fili Durin

none yet..

- Tauriel

none yet..

- King Thranduil

none yet..

- Elrond

none yet..

Harry Potter:

- Harry Potter

none yet..

- Hermione Granger

none yet..

- Ron Weasley

none yet..

- Fred Weasley

none yet..

- George Weasley

none yet..

- Draco Malfoy

none yet..

- Blaise Zabini

none yet..

- Oliver Wood

none yet..

- Seamus Finnigan

none yet..

- Luna Lovegood

none yet..

- Neville Longbottom

none yet..

- Dean Thomas

none yet..

- Severus Snape

none yet..

- Sirius Black

none yet..

- Regulus Black

none yet..

- Remus Lupin

none yet..

- James Potter

none yet..

- Lily Potter

none yet..

- Bill Weasley

none yet..

- Bellatrix Lestrange

none yet..

- Cedric Diggory

none yet..

- Lucius Malfoy

none yet..

- Narcissa Malfoy

none yet..

Brooklyn Nine-Nine:

- Jake Peralta

none yet..

- Amy Santiago

none yet..

- Charles Boyle

none yet..

- Gina Linetti

none yet..

- Rosa Diaz

none yet..

- Terry Jeffords

none yet..

- Ray Holt

none yet..

IT:

- Richie Tozier

none yet..

- Eddie Kaspbrak

none yet..

- Beverly Marsh

none yet..

- Bill Denbrough

none yet..

- Stanley Uris

none yet..

- Ben Hanscom

none yet..

- Mike Hanlon

none yet..

- Henry Bowers

none yet..

- Patrick Hockstetter

none yet..

Diary of a wimpy kid:

- Greg Heffley

none yet..

- Rodrick Heffley

none yet..

Dead Poet's Society:

- Neil Perry

none yet..

- Todd Anderson

none yet..

- Charlie Dalton

none yet..

- Knox Overstreet

none yet..

- Steven Meeks

none yet..

- John Keating

none yet..

Shameless:

- Fiona Gallagher

none yet..

- Lip Gallagher

none yet..

- Ian Gallagher

none yet..

- Debbie Gallagher

none yet..

- Carl Gallagher

none yet..

- Liam Gallagher

none yet..

- Mickey Milkovich

none yet..

- Mandy Milkovich

none yet..

- Kevin Ball

none yet..

- Veronica Fisher

none yet..

- Jimmy Lishman

none yet..

- Karen Jackson

none yet..

Handsome Devil:

- Ned Roche

none yet..

- Conor Masters

none yet..

- Dan Sherry

none yet..

The Black Phone:

- Finney Blake

none yet..

- Robin Arellano

none yet..

- Vance Hopper

none yet..

- Bruce Yamada

none yet..

- Billy

none yet..

- Griffin

none yet..

Sweet home:

- Cha Hyun-su

none yet..

- Lee Eun-hyuk

none yet..

- Pyeon Sang-wook

none yet..

- Jung Jae-heon

none yet..

- Seo Yi-kyung

none yet..

- Lee Eun-yu

none yet..

- Yoon Ji-su

none yet..

- Jung Ui-Myeong

none yet..

Arcane:

- Jinx

none yet..

- Vi

none yet..

- Viktor

none yet..

- Caitlyn

none yet..

- Silco

none yet..

- Sevika

none yet..

- Ekko

none yet..

- Vander

none yet..

- Mel

none yet..

- Jayce

none yet..

Spider-Man Universe:

- Peter Parker (A. G.)

none yet..

- Peter Parker (T. M.)

none yet..

- Peter B. Parker

none yet..

- Miles Morales (Earth 1610)

none yet..

- Miles Morales (Earth 42)

none yet..

- Miguel O'Hara

none yet..

- Hobie Brown

none yet..

- Pavitr Prabhakar

none yet..

- Gwen Stacy

none yet..

The Goldfinch:

- Boris Pavlikovsky

none yet..

- Theodore Decker

none yet..

The Last of Us:

- Ellie Williams

none yet..

- Joel Miller

none yet..

- Tommy Miller

none yet..

- Tess Servopoulos

none yet..

- Abby Anderson

none yet..

- Dina Woodward

none yet..

- Lev

none yet..

- Yara

none yet..

- Jesse Pinkman

none yet..

- Manny

none yet..

- Owen

none yet..

- Mel

none yet..

The Beekeeper:

- Derek Danforth

none yet..

- Adam Clay

none yet..

Weak Hero Class 1:

- Yeon Si-eun

none yet..

- Oh Beom-seok

none yet..

- Ahn Su-ho

none yet..

- Park Hu-min

none yet..

- Kang Woo-young

none yet..

- Jeon Seok-dae

none yet..

Bad and Crazy:

- Ryu Soo-Yeol

none yet..

- Do In-beom

none yet..

- K

none yet..

- Oh Kyung-Tae

none yet..

- Boss Yong

none yet..

- Andrei Kang

none yet..

Demon slayer:

- Tanjiro Kamado

none yet..

- Nezuko Kamado

none yet..

- Zenitsu Agatsuma

none yet..

- Inosuke Hashibira

none yet..

- Genya Shinazugawa

none yet..

- Kanao Tsuyuri

none yet..

- Aoi

none yet..

- Shinobu Kocho

none yet..

- Tomioka Giyuu

none yet..

- Rengoku Kyojuro

none yet..

- Uzui Tengen

none yet..

- Mitsuri Kanroji

none yet..

- Obanai Iguro

none yet..

- Shinazugawa Sanemi

none yet..

- Muichiro Tokito

none yet..

- Gyomei Himejima

none yet..

- Muzan Kibutsuji

none yet..

- Akaza

none yet..

- Douma

none yet..

- Gyutaro

none yet..

- Daki

none yet..

- Kokushibo

none yet..

- Murata

none yet..

HASHIRA; hashira headcanons, pt.1 (angst)

My Hero Academia:

- Izuku Midoriya

none yet..

- Katsuki Bakugou

none yet..

- Shoto Todoroki

none yet..

- Tenya Iida

none yet..

- Ochako Uraraka

none yet..

- Denki Kaminari

none yet..

- Eijirou Kirishima

none yet..

- Tokoyami Fumikage

none yet..

- Shoji Mezo

none yet..

- Momo Yaoyorozu

none yet..

- Hanta Sero

none yet..

- Kyoka Jirou

none yet..

- Mashirao Ojirou

none yet..

- Mina Ashido

none yet..

- Yuga Aoyama

none yet..

- Monoma Neito

none yet..

- Shinsou Hitoshi

none yet..

- Rumi Usagiyama

none yet..

- Keigo Takami

none yet..

- Aizawa Shouta

none yet..

- Hizashi Yamada

none yet..

- Oboro Shirakumo

none yet..

- Touya Todoroki

none yet..

- Tomura Shigaraki

none yet..

- Toga Himiko

none yet..

- Jin Bubaigawara

none yet..

adding anime back cause I watched demon slayer,,, :3

[richincolor]

We have several books on our radar for today. Check them out!

The Art Thieves by Andrea L. Rogers Levine Querido

Angel Wilson (LawAngel@IBLO.gov) Stevie Henry (shenry@gmail.com) Thanks for coming to see me; but by the time you read this, it will be too late. No one will have started to panic, yet; but in less than two months nothing will be the same. What came first, The Chicken or the Egg Flu? I wish it mattered. But let’s just say, maybe go back to wearing a mask, bathing in sanitizer, and avoid birds and eggs for a bit… I did not kill my brother. I did quite the opposite, really. It’s the year 2052. Stevie Henry is a Cherokee girl working at a museum in Texas, trying to save up enough money to go to college. The world around her is in a cycle of drought and superstorms, ice and fire … but people get by. But it’s about to get a whole lot worse. When a mysterious boy shows up at Stevie’s museum saying that he’s from the future -- and telling her what is to come -- she refuses to believe him. But soon she will have no choice. From the author of the Walter Award-winning Man Made Monsters comes a YA novel that conjures our futures in startling life – the ones that we are headed towards, and the ones we can still work towards.

The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew Joy Revolution

In 2460, eighteen-year-old Liv Newman dreams of a future beyond her lower-class life in the Metro. As a Proxy, she uses the neurochip in her brain to sell memories to wealthy clients. Maybe a few illegally, but money equals freedom. So when a customer offers her a ludicrous sum to go on an assignment in no-man’s-land, Liv accepts. Now she just has to survive. Rookie Forceman Adrian Rao believes in order over all. After discovering that a renegade Proxy’s shady dealings are messing with citizens’ brain chemistry, he vows to extinguish the threat. But when he tracks Liv down, there’s one problem: her memories are gone. Can Adrian bring himself to condemn her for crimes she doesn’t remember? As Liv and Adrian navigate the world beyond the Metro and their growing feelings for one another, they grapple with who they are, who they could be, and whether another way of living is possible.

Fledgling: The Keeper's Records of Revolution by S.K. Ali Kokila

The first book in a gripping duology from acclaimed author S.K. Ali introduces a fractured world on the brink of either enlightenment or war. Would you trade love for peace? Raisa of Upper Earth has only lived a life of privilege and acquiescence. Ever dutiful, she accepts her father’s arrangement of her marriage to Lein, Crown Prince of the corrupt, volatile lands of Lower Earth. Though Lein is a stranger, Raisa knows the wedding will unite their vastly different worlds in a pact of peace: an infusion of Upper Earth technology into Lower Earth will usher in the final age of enlightenment, ending war between humans forever. Or is justice more urgent? Newly released from imprisonment, Nada of Lower Earth has found her own calling: disrupting the royal wedding. Convinced her cousin Lein’s alliance with Upper Earth will launch an invasive, terrifying form of tyranny, Nada sets out undercover to light the spark of revolution. When Raisa goes missing a week before the wedding, all eyes turn to the rebels, including Nayf, Nada’s twin brother—a fugitive on the run. And when Nayf and Raisa meet, the long-simmering animosity they feel toward each other's worlds slowly burns away into something unexpected. But the Crown Prince wants his bride—and future—back. And he will go to the ends of the Earths to reclaim them.

If You're Not the One by Farah Rishi Quill Tree Books

This funny, electric rom-com follows a teen struggling to reclaim her perfect life and the perfectly wrong guy who sees through her facade, from the acclaimed author of It All Comes Back to You. Anisa Shirani is…well, perfect. A fact, not an opinion. Of course, it’s all a front to feed her own praise-obsessed ego. Behind closed doors, she is—some might say—a little slobbish and snobbish, and she works obsessively to maintain her God-given talents. Fate has favored her, but Ani knows better than anyone that fate is made by effort. But she must, especially when all signs point to her being a top-notch lawyer with a top-notch education and being destined to marry Isaac, total heartthrob and eldest son of the richest family in the community. A perfect girl deserves a perfect life, and Ani’s perfect life is going exactly the way it should… Until Ani’s parents announce they’re getting divorced. Until Isaac shows all the signs of…cheating. Sort of. Until she starts catching feelings for Marlow, an overly friendly weirdo she’s hated since the moment she laid eyes on him in class. How can fate be so wrong?

Of Blood and Lightning by Micki Janae Three Room Press

In the idyllic town of New River, North Dakota, 16-year-old Ophelia Johnson and six other teens inherit the powers of the old gods—Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Artemis, Apollo, and Ares—and embark on a mission from the Vessel of Destiny to find the missing Fates, restore the Codex, and save the ancient world. Still grieving the recent and mysterious death of her father, Ophelia begins to unravel the secrets woven into her family’s history as she and her friends plunge into the quest of a lifetime. Armed only with powers they don’t totally understand, Ophelia, Roman, Cassius, Olivia, Alessia, and Baxter are soon immersed in a mythical chess match upon which rests the fate of the universe. As they journey into a world of blood pacts and war, the diverse group members find more than they bargained for, and Ophelia discovers a family tie that might mean the ensuing chaos and destruction is her fault. Of Blood and Lightning is an upper YA contemporary fantasy (age 16-25) with a gripping and fresh twist on Greek mythology as the ancient pantheon of gods inhabit an ensemble of BIPOC and queer teenaged characters.

Only for the Holidays by Abiola Bello Soho Teen

City girl Tia Solanké is dreading the festive season. She and her boyfriend are on a break and the last thing she wants is to spend Christmas away from London. Dragged to Saiyan Hedge Farm by her mother, Tia takes an instant disliking to the countryside estate. She falls in horse manure, is chased by sheep and the Wi-Fi sucks. How can she stalk her ex and concoct a foolproof plan to win him back from here? Country boy Quincy Parker and his family run the farm, and this year they’ve been selected to host the biggest event in the town’s calendar—the Winter Ball. Preparations are underway, and Quincy is working around the clock to make it a success. The only problem is, he’s told everyone he has a date to the ball, when in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth. At first, Tia and Quincy don’t see eye to eye, until they realize they both have something to gain by pretending to be a couple. But when a snowstorm threatens to cancel the Winter Ball, their fake relationship is put to the test. Will Tia and Quincy be able to keep up appearances and save the day, or will real feelings get in the way?

Solis by Paola Mendoza & Abby Sher Nancy Paulsen Books

The year is 2033, and in this near-future America where undocumented people are forced into labor camps, life is bleak. Especially so for seventeen-year-old Rania, a Lebanese teenager from Chicago. When she and her mother were rounded up by the Deportation Force, they were given the brutal job of digging in the labor camp’s mine searching for the destructive and toxic, but potentially world-changing chemical, aqualinium. With this chemical the corrupt and xenophobic government of the New American Republic could actually control the weather—ending devastating droughts sweeping the planet due to climate change. If the government succeeds, other countries would be at their mercy. Solidifying this power comes at the expense of the undocumented immigrants forced to endure horrendous conditions to mine the chemical or used in cruel experiments to test it, leaving their bodies wracked in extreme pain to the point of death. As the experiments ramp up, things only get worse. Rania and her fellow prisoners decide to start a revolution; if they don’t, they know they will die. Told by four narrators—Rania, Jess (a former teenage Deportation Force officer), Vali, and Vali’s mother Liliana—Solis is about the courage and sacrifice it takes to stand and fight for freedom.

Twenty-Four Seconds From Now... by Jason Reynolds Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it weren’t for the dog’s owner: Aria. Dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, hair in a ponytail. Aria. Way more than fine. Twenty-four weeks ago: Neon’s dad insists on talking to him about tenderness and intimacy. Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they haven’t taken that next big step…yet, they’ve starting talking about…that. Twenty-four days ago: Neon’s mom finds her—gulp—bra in his room. Hey! No judging! Those hook thingies are complicated! So he’d figured he’d better practice, what with the big day only a month away. Twenty-four minutes ago: Neon leaves his shift at work at his dad’s bingo hall, making sure to bring some chicken tenders for Aria. They’re not candlelight and they definitely aren’t caviar, but they are her favorite. And right this second? Neon is locked in Aria’s bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to…about to… Well, they won’t do anything if he can’t get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!

Under All the Lights (When It All Syncs Up, #2) by Maya Ameyaw Annick Press

After one of his songs goes viral, Ollie Cheriet gets the opportunity of a lifetime: a cross-country tour, an album deal, and a chance to help his family with their financial struggles. The only problem? Ollie has major stage fright, a symptom of his anxiety disorder. As pressure from performing, social media rumors, and his romantic life rises, his mental health starts to spiral. So he’s surprised at how grounded he feels when he collaborates with his wildly talented—and distractingly cute—touring partner, Jesse. Music has always helped Ollie through hard times, but he’s going to have to be more vulnerable than he ever thought possible to find self-acceptance in the glow of the spotlight. Featuring characters from Maya Ameyaw’s acclaimed debut When It All Syncs Up, this story takes readers into the green room, immersing them in the vivid behind-the-scenes world of touring musicians.

[classongoing]

“The past continues to haunt the group. Tanya and Ram seek out support from outsiders to cope with the death of their parents. April tries to keep Charlie together as the guilt threatens to bury him. Meanwhile Quill is not worried about her past, but her future, as her baby’s arrival draws closer, with the implications for her own fate still unclear…”

We return to the third installment of our main series, as Quill's big day arrives with a brand new edition of Episode 3: Life Cycles, written by Ellie J (@bazwillendinflames)!

Available here.

[thingsasbarcodes]

Class 1x05 - Brave-ish Heart

[firstfrightzine]

Welcome Contributors!!

The guests have arrived. This feast can now begin. ✨🩸

Please welcome our talented contributors! 

💚Illustration Artists 💚

Kelestial / @kelestialart

0limpai / Twitter: @01impai

Lorin Parker / @littleshinymoth

Loup! / Twitter: @Loup______

Emory Kjelsberg / Twitter: @emory_kjelsberg

Erin / @erisperitas

Apsa / Tumblr: @appsa

Lemon / Twitter: @lem0nicecream

Boo / Lottie / @booaue

Andrea / @chromaherder

Foslo / Twitter: @fosloart

Rayne / @raynecreates

Marlo Musa / @marloart

Amanda / Twitter: @Winterellle

Lydia / Coyoteprince / @coyoteprince

💚 Merch Artists 💚

Niko / @_actionpilot

Victor Hannibal / @vinegarhannibal

Gid! / @gidmoji

Eldritchtoast / @Eldritch_Toast

Kiiyame / @kiiyame

💚 Comic Artist 💚

Steaf / Instagram: @steaf_art

MouseHands / Maria / Twitter: @tacticalanxiety

Saintcircus / @saintcircus 

Hermi / Twitter: @MaycenHermesYap

electrica / Eli / Instagram: electricaaaaa

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[dw-tma]

Descriptions of the Fears from the Magnus Archives Wiki:

The Buried-

“The fear of small spaces, suffocating, drowning, being buried alive. Fear of everything crashing down around/on oneself. Fear of being trapped without enough space. Manifests as caves, dirt, financial issues, heavy rain, underground transport, tight spaces such as coffins.”

The Corruption-

“The fear of corruption, disease, filth. Fear of the feelings of disgust, revulsion and the things or beings that might evoke such feelings. Manifests as mould, bugs, rot, decay, infection, the feeling of one's skin crawling. Can also manifest as unhealthy love and companionship.”

The Dark-

“The primal fear of the dark, of the unseen, and the creatures hiding from our view... Manifests as creatures hidden in the dark, shadow figures and monsters, blindness, coldness, dark water.”

The Desolation-

“The fear of pain, loss, burning, and destruction, especially with a senseless cause. Followers are enriched by destroying the lives of people who had things to live for, and destroying things before their potential is realised. Manifests as fire, wax, heat, burns, destruction of potential.”

The End-

“The fear of death itself—⁠uncaring and unstoppable, the fear that everything ends eventually. Manifests as bones, various forms of the dead (skeletons, mummies, zombies, etc.). Also has close ties to dreams and can manifest through them.”

The Eye-

“The fear of being watched, exposed, followed, having secrets exposed. Can also pertain to the drive to know and understand, even if your discoveries might destroy you. Manifests as eyes, security cameras, a creature or figure that keeps constant watch. Often manifests in libraries and books.”

The Flesh-

“Born from the fear held by animals bred for meat, and in the human realisation that we are just animated meat and bones. Manifests as meat, corpses, blood, bones, butchers, meat-related industry. Often manifests as strange bodies—bodies being unnaturally twisted, reshaped, and butchered.”

The Hunt-

“The animalistic fear of being chased or hunted; the primal fear of being prey. Manifests as predators, predatory monsters, animal instincts, animalistic traits. Takes hold of apparently "normal" people after they are exposed to the need for The Hunt. Self-proclaimed monster hunters might become 'Hunters' and proceed to develop a need to hunt and kill monsters.”

The Lonely-

“The fear of isolation, of being completely cut off and alone or disconnected from the rest of society. Manifests as fog, large rooms, silence, suburbs, empty rooms, crowds of faceless people.”

The Slaughter-

“The fear of pure, unpredictable, unmotivated violence. The fear of pain coming at sudden, random moments. Manifests as people driven "mad with Slaughter," soldiers, music that either induces Slaughter or warns that Slaughter is coming. Often manifests in imagery of war or murder, and can appear wild like a frenzied killer or calm and regimented like soldiers firing on the battlefield.”

The Spiral-

“The fear of madness, that the world you know is wrong, that your mind is lying to you. Fear of deception, lying, deceiving of the mind and senses. The Spiral appears with imagery of spirals, patterns and fractals, and often manifests as hallucinations or illusions.”

The Stranger-

“The fear of the unknown, the uncanny, the unfamiliar. The creeping sense that something is not right. Manifests as beings and aspects of beings that provoke an "uncanny valley" response: human and other being-adjacent forms, such as mannequins, wax figures, masks, and taxidermy. Often manifests in theatres and performances.”

The Vast-

“The fear of heights, falling, and large open spaces including sky, space, and deep water. More broadly: the human fear of insignificance and meaninglessness, of losing oneself in too much space. Manifests as void, wide-open spaces, vertigo, falling, the transformation of something that should have a limit into something infinite.”

The Web-

“The fear of being controlled or trapped, especially being unaware of one's own entrapment. The fear of being forced to do things against one's own will, of being manipulated. Also the fear of spiders. Manifests as spiders, spider webs, web-like patterns, puppets.”

[heavyanddissolved]

Another (see also my earlier post) very charming ex libris or bookplate is that of Georg Andreas Weise (1737-1792), a German theologian. Curiously, he was born in Astrakhan in Russia. 

In any case, his bookplate captures much of the simple, dignified atmosphere of German Neoclassicism and Biedermeier style. It also indicates a serious relationship to books and learning, with the overfull stacks behind the plain but pleasant desk and not least the lit and shaded lamp. Here is the bookplate, it seems to say, of a man perhaps with limited means, but with a great thirst for knowledge and love of books, who would stay up late, reading and working hard, with only the sound of the quill against the paper impeding on that peaceful yet creative atmosphere.

Source: +

[sjsmith56]

A Better Man, Part 9 - Clean Up

Summary: Bucky goes to the strip club to get Andrea and Lily out but Brock Rumlow has other plans.

Length: 5.1 K

Characters: Bucky, Andrea, Thor, Fury, Rumlow, Jack Rollins, Peter Quill.

Warnings: Spitting into drinks, violence, threatening death, talk of human trafficking.

Author notes: Yes, Bucky Barnes is definitely the better man and he proves it with his actions.

<<Part 8

Part 9

It didn't take long for the assembled law enforcement agents to agree to Bucky's suggestion.  Helping the decision was a phone call from Rumlow, shared on speaker, telling him to come alone to the strip club if he wanted to ensure the safety of Andrea and Lily.  The baby, who was crying, sealed their resolve when Rumlow turned away from the phone on his end to demand that Andrea "shut that baby up."  The look of disgust on everyone's faces ensured their unanimity on the matter.  Knowing that Bucky would be searched, they didn't put a wire on him, but they did load an app on his phone that would keep an open communications line as long as the cell phone was kept turned on.

By that time Mrs. Parker had contacted Special Agent Ross, to tell him that the guys at Barnes Contracting were going to "hit" the other Hydra hangouts and keep them distracted so they couldn't converge at the strip club location when it was finally raided.  As Bucky listened to her sharing the plan, he looked at his mother, who smiled at him, then murmured she knew about May Parker from the moment she started working with the company while George needed care.  Her job, for all these intervening years, was to keep the company from being lured into the more violent side of the criminal world.  Although they did break the law by accepting and holding stolen goods it was seen as being necessary to maintain the illusion to their "regular" customers.  She also passed on the information of who was stealing what to her superiors, resulting in arrests for later heists that couldn't be traced to the company.  It was a balancing act that she managed well.

"Remember, you're there to get him to release Andrea and her baby," said Ross.  "We'll be monitoring the conversation with the cell phone app.  As soon as it looks like it's going south or if you manage to get her out of there, we'll be raiding the strip club, as well as Pierce's home and the other locations where Hydra operates."

"You remember that one of my men works there," said Bucky, watching Ross carefully.  "He's a good man and I don't want to see him shot."

"We'll do our best."

Bucky rolled his eyes, then headed out the door.  He was followed by Thor, who stopped him beside his car and reached into his boot.  He pressed a small knife handle into Bucky's hand.

"It's just a pen knife," he said.  "It should fit down into your boot and not be noticed if they search you.  Its blade is only two inches long so not lethal in most areas of the body, but it could mean the difference between success and failure."  He looked back at the warehouse, his loyalties split between his colleagues and the man in front of him.  "If it goes south, get low to the ground and stay put.  I'll try to get to you to cover you, but it could get hairy in there."

"Thanks," said Bucky, sliding the knife as far down in his boot as he could.  "My guy in the strip club.  He's FBI, isn't he?"

Thor gave him a grim smile.

"If it's any consolation, he texted you first, then me.  He likely didn't have time to call Ross.  Not that it matters as that display in there was all for show.  One of the others said they knew before I was ordered to bring you in that Rumlow wants you there as he told Fury's operative before he shot him.  Trust Peter.  He'll have your back."

Bucky nodded.  Then he looked Thor in the eyes.  "He shot Shaun as well."  The big man swore.  "If anything happens to me, tell my mom I love her.  Tell Andrea, I love her and I'm sorry."

"You'll be fine."  Thor squeezed his shoulder, as agents came out and got into vehicles.  "You're quite levelheaded."

With a smirk, Bucky sat in the driver's seat and started up the car.  As he pulled out, he noticed several vehicles following him out of the parking lot, but they stayed back quite a distance.  When he arrived at the parking lot for the strip club, there were several men waiting outside, one went inside as he parked.  Feeling exposed, he got out of his car and approached the others.

"Hands up," said one of them, who nodded to another man.  He searched Bucky, not finding the pen knife but taking his cellphone.  "Follow me.  Don't try anything."

"Wasn't planning to," answered Bucky.

Inside, it was quiet and fairly empty, except for a number of Rumlow's men who were in there.  He followed the man who spoke to him, trying to note where the exits were and if he could see Peter.  At the far end of the club, he could see Andrea holding Lily as they sat on a couch in the VIP area.  She looked terrified and had a bruise forming on her cheek.  Anger almost flooded his senses when he saw that, and he struggled to breathe deeply to calm himself.  The man put Bucky's cellphone beside Rumlow, who was sitting at the bar with Rollins.  They both smirked when they saw Bucky, then Rumlow gestured to Peter, who was behind it.

"Pour him a drink," he ordered.  "Scotch?"

"Sure."

Peter slid it across but before Bucky could take it, Rollins grabbed it and spit into it, then handed it to Bucky, with a disgusting grin.  Steeling himself, Bucky downed it, trying not to gag on it.  He placed the glass on the counter, glaring at the corrupt officer.

"You owe me $100, Jack," crowed Rumlow.  "Told you he would drink it."

"It will have to be in small bills," said Rollins.  "That's what this asshole paid me with."

Turning to Andrea, Bucky smiled kindly at her.  "Are you alright?"

"You don't talk to her," warned Rumlow, grabbing Bucky's arm.  "She's fine."

"Her cheek is bruised," said Bucky.  "You hit women?  You hit her?"

"If they need it."  Rumlow picked up his drink then ran his eyes up and down Bucky.  "She wouldn't shut up, so I gave her something to cry about."

"Tell me, does your uncle know about this?" Bucky gestured to Andrea and Lily.  "This isn't his usual style.  He usually tries to bribe the woman first, or play to her emotions about being part of a family.  He never sends family to do the dirty work.  You shot an officer of the law and one of my guys to get her.  What's going on, Brock?"

"Nothing," snarled Rumlow.  He noticed how his men were looking at him.  Even Rollins was tense.  "He doesn't know shit since I run everything now.  Told me I should play nice to bring her and the baby in.  But we're not in a nice business, are we?  You gonna stand there and tell me you haven't done anything bad in your life?"

"Honestly, I haven't," replied Bucky calmly.  "Thought I did a long time ago and it made me unable to hurt people physically.  That's not really a secret, is it?  I just hold stolen goods and send them on their way.  You?  You shoot people, you hurt women, you shout at babies who are terrified, you destroy lives.  You're an animal."

Rumlow pulled a gun out of his waistband and aimed it at Bucky's head from where he sat.  "You're a weakling who freaks out at the sight of a little blood.  I don't know what she sees in you."

"Maybe I am a weakling but you're an asshole, Brock," said Bucky.  "You always were, and you always will be."  A look of understanding came over him.  "I was going to ask you to let her and the baby go but you have no intention of doing that, do you?  You've got other plans for them.  Tell me, does your uncle know you've got Hydra involved in human trafficking?" 

Rumlow stood up and placed the gun against Bucky's forehead.  "What my uncle doesn't know doesn't matter."  He looked at Andrea.  "She's fertile and there's men who want babies and are willing to pay a premium for them."

"You're selling the mother of your child to vermin," spat Bucky.  "Lily, too?"  Brock's face grew ugly.  "Let me guess, pedophile ring.  Your own daughter."

"Not my daughter, the daughter of some whore."  Rumlow grinned.  "For seven figures I would sell my mother or sisters."

Bucky looked at the men in the club, seeing the levels of disgust on several faces.  "Now, you've got me.  That's what you've always wanted, isn't it?  To kill the son of the man who killed your dad?"

The older man changed the position of the gun, pressing the muzzle under Bucky's chin.  His menacing face came within inches of Bucky's even though he was slightly shorter.

"How would you know that?  You were a kid."

"I was there.  Until an hour ago I thought I was the one who killed him but someone else who was there helped me remember.  Your crazy dad was going to kill me, but my dad stopped him, and your dad died on our kitchen floor.  Henry Rumlow was as corrupt as they come; stealing from the evidence locker, being a heavy for Alexander Pierce, killing innocent people, terrorizing families.  You're just like him."

Rumlow punched him in the gut with his left fist, causing Andrea to cry out, as he crumpled to the ground.  For good measure, Brock kicked him in the side, then he pointed the gun at Andrea as Lily started to cry.

"You! Shut the fuck up and shut that little bitch up as well!"

With everyone's attention on Rumlow and Andrea, no one noticed Bucky putting his hand down his boot and retrieving the pen knife.  No one except Peter, who watched his boss carefully.  As he saw Bucky opening the blade, he grasped the bottle of scotch he just poured and waited for him to make the first move.   There was yelling outside then gunshots which grabbed everyone's attention, and Bucky jumped up, jamming the knife into Rumlow's side, at the same time that Peter hit Rollins over the head with the bottle.  He reached under the bar, taking out a shot gun and aimed it at a bunch of thugs who scattered when he fired both barrels.  After punching Rumlow down, Bucky ran to Andrea, pulling her and Lily down to the floor, covering her with his body.  Peter appeared beside him, holding a handgun.  For a moment Bucky wondered if it was Rumlow's.

"We have to get out of here," Peter said loudly over the sounds of gunfire outside.  "You take these two while I cover you.  I'll be right behind you, Boss."

"He's one of yours?" asked Andrea. 

"Yeah, he was.  He told me you were here," replied Bucky.  "Come on."

Keeping low to the floor, they headed to the nearest exit but were pinned down by more gunfire, which Peter responded to.  Patting Bucky on the back, Peter started firing again and Bucky pulled Andrea to the emergency door, opening it, then pushing her ahead of him.  A shot rang out from behind them, catching him in the back of the left shoulder, causing him to fall in the doorway.

"Go," he cried to Andrea, who hesitated as he could see FBI agents converging on them.  "Keep going!"

Peter helped Bucky up and supported him as they followed Andrea a moment later.  They were yelled at to surrender but Thor came forward, identifying them as friendlies.  He came up beside Bucky on the other side and grabbed him around the waist, helping Peter carry him to a safer place.

"Nice to see you, again, Quill," said Thor.  "How many in there?"

"Nine, all armed," he answered.  "Rumlow has a knife in his side, courtesy of Bucky."

Thor grinned as Bucky looked at the pair, rolling his eyes.  "Can't believe you two," he gasped.

Peter smiled.  "Sorry, Boss.  I'm FBI but I did text you her location first."  He looked over to where an ambulance arrived.  "Come on, let's get you taken care of."

He and Thor helped him there, while Andrea followed, then the two agents rejoined their colleagues.  A paramedic helped Bucky onto a gurney inside the ambulance and began cutting away his shirt as Andrea watched.

"You're not puking," she noted.

"Stakes were too high," he answered, gazing steadily at her, although he winced when the paramedic began applying pressure to the wound.  "I finally remembered everything about that traumatic incident.  I always thought I killed a man, but it turns out I didn't."

The other paramedic draped a blanket over Andrea's shoulders.  Smiling thankfully at him she covered herself and Lily, then looked at Bucky.  The paramedic examined her cheek bruise, and once he was assured she had suffered no injury, gave her an ice pack to apply to it.  Lily was quiet in her mother's arms, while she still struggled to maintain her demeanour.  When it looked like she was about to lose it, Bucky looked at the man treating him.

"Can I have a moment with her?"  He nodded and turned away, going through his supplies.  "Come here."

He moved over a bit so she could sit on the edge of the gurney.  Putting his hand out, he pushed aside the ice bag, then caressed her face gently, before returning the ice bag to its place.

"I was so afraid," she whispered.  "I thought he was going to kill me.  He was going to sell me and Lily?"

"I wasn't going to let that happen," he answered softly.  "I would die for you, Andrea, and for Lily.  I would have killed him to keep you safe.  You're my family."

She did lose it, and he pulled her close with his good arm, ignoring the pain in his shoulder.  It took a while for her to settle down and go back to the bench on the side of the ambulance, as the paramedic checked his wound again.  Outside the cramped space of the ambulance, they could see FBI agents leading handcuffed men to a paddy wagon.  Rumlow was being escorted to another ambulance, as a paramedic held a dressing to his side.  Thor appeared at the door with Andrea's purse, handing it to her with a reassuring smile to both of them.

"We're going to transport you to the hospital now," said the paramedic to Bucky then looked at Andrea.  "You should be checked out as well.  You can ride with us."

She nodded her head, and he helped strap her in securely where she sat.  For the entire trip to the hospital the couple didn't speak, although they looked at each other constantly.  Bucky wanted so much to tell her everything but wasn't even sure himself what the truth was anymore.  All these years his fear of blood had been based on the knowledge that he killed a man when he was a child; that he had been the one responsible for all that blood.  It had made him averse to violence, which kept the company out of the more violent aspect of the criminal world they dealt with.  Yet he shoved that knife into Rumlow without hesitation.  Did that mean he was really a killer at heart?  She saw what he did to the man.  Would that be the final thing that broke them for good? 

At the hospital, they were taken to different cubicles and he found himself straining to hear Andrea's voice over the din of the busy emergency room.  A stream of nurses came in helping him off with the rest of his clothes and taking his vitals.  Then several doctors arrived in the curtained off stall to examine him and discuss what they should do.  He was left alone for a bit then suddenly she was there, standing at the end of his bed, holding Lily.  He had to try to tell her the truth, at least what he knew of it now.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about us sooner.  We've always skirted around the edge of criminals because the money was good, but I drew the line at anything that involved drugs or violence.  We just held stolen goods then delivered them to their destination.  When I met you, I decided to go legit and run a real renovation company.  Turns out that even I didn't know the whole truth about that."  She raised her eyebrows.  "I guess the FBI was using Barnes Contracting to have an undercover presence where they could keep an eye on Rumlow and his uncle.  They're involved in a lot of bad things and have their tentacles spread wide.  Thor is an agent, so is Peter and Mrs. Parker.  She's been with us for ten years, but the operation has gone on longer than that.  Sam, Steve, and I were kept out of the loop, but my mother knew."

Other than that one gesture, her face hadn't changed, and Bucky bowed his head, sure that this was it.  She was done with him and no amount of explanation could change that.

"It was unfair of me to compare you to him," she said, quietly.  "I didn't know what he was when we were together, but I figured it out pretty quickly when I told him I was pregnant.  Natasha filled me in on his activities once I told her about him after he rejected me.  I was so ashamed that I was taken in by his wealth and influence because I excused a lot of his behaviour that should have sent me running in the other direction.  You were nothing but kind to me from the start and you are a much better man than him.  I'm sorry I called you horrible.  You came for me and Lily, and I can never forget that."

She began to cry in earnest now, and Bucky extended his right arm to her, drawing her onto the bed, as she buried her face in his chest again.   Lily crawled onto his lap and for a moment he was worried she was going to fall off, but he opened his legs, bending one of them to form a barrier on that side of the bed.  She sat there contentedly, smiling up at him.  That's how his mother and Nick Fury found them.  As Winnifred advanced on the three of them, Fury stood at the foot of the bed gazing steadily at Bucky.

"That bastard shot you?" said Winnifred, pulling away from the hug, then she looked carefully at Bucky.  "You should be bent over a toilet right now."

He shrugged, wincing at the pain from his shoulder wound.  "I don't know why, but it doesn't bother me other than it hurts."

"You gave Rumlow a knife injury as well," said Fury.  "Didn't take you to be the type to carry one."

"I don't," answered Bucky.  "It was given to me before I left, just in case I needed it.  He had no intention of letting me out of there alive so I'm not sorry I used it.  Just how many FBI agents have been on my payroll all these years?"

Fury smiled.  "Not as many as you might think.  Only Mrs. Parker for the entire run.  Others as they came in and out of your employ.  They all said the same thing about you, and your partners."  He paused.  "If all crooks were like you, they wouldn't have jobs.  To a man, they said the three of you were fair, careful, honest, and avoided anything that was violent or harmful.  Since most of the stolen goods you handled were setups, the remaining charges ...."

"Nick," said Winnifred, in a stern voice.  "You promised George and me."

"You didn't let me finish."  He breathed out heavily.  "All charges are stayed.  You run your renovation company legally for a year and if I'm satisfied, I'll drop the charges completely and wipe them off the record.  With the additional information you got Rumlow to reveal, we'll be able to put him away for a long time."

"Were Natasha and Maria part of your operation?"

Fury shook his head.  "No, Officers Romanoff and Hill were not, and they have some questions to answer about their relationships with your partners.  Mrs. Parker put her two cents worth in about them and they should be okay, although they may have to take a short suspension without pay."  He shrugged.  "It won't be a permanent stain on their records."

The doctor came in at that moment, to advise Bucky that he would need surgery to remove the bullet from his shoulder and to fix the damage it caused.  There would be a few days spent in hospital, but they expected him to make a full recovery.  Winnifred kissed him on the forehead, then reached for Lily, leaving with Fury.  That left him and Andrea, who was still sitting on the bed.  Bucky took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles.

"When I get released can I come back home?" There, I said it.  Home is where she is.

Andrea rested her palm on his bare chest, focusing on it. 

"Are we picking up from where we left off on our date or are we starting back at square one?"

Her touch was so soft, as her fingertips gently brushed against his skin.  If Bucky wasn't in such discomfort, it might be arousing to him. 

"Whichever you're comfortable with," he murmured.  "I just don't want to be away from you."

She looked directly at him then and he couldn't help himself, as he pressed his lips to hers and wrapped his good arm around her.  Whatever she said to him when she was angry was forgotten as she molded her body to his while she kissed him back, passionately, then she accidentally pushed against his left shoulder and Bucky jumped from the pain.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Andrea, pulling back as she realized she had hurt him.

She almost started crying again but Bucky put his hand on her face, being careful as it was directly on the bruise she received from Brock Rumlow.

"It's alright.  No damage done.  See?  I'm not even puking."

They both started to laugh, then an orderly arrived to take him to surgery and Andrea got off the bed.  She watched as a nurse came in and helped Bucky transfer onto the gurney, then they wheeled him out of the emergency room towards an elevator up to the surgical level.  Andrea took his hand and squeezed it.

"I'll be here when you're done."

The elevator doors opened.  If he didn't say it now, he might not have a chance later.

"I love you."  Please say it back.

They wheeled him in, but he was facing away from Andrea, and she couldn't follow.

"I love you, too." 

The orderly patted him on his good shoulder.

"You heard that, right?  She loves you, man."

She loves me. "Yeah, I heard.  Thanks."

He kept that thought right until the moment he went under.

🕖 🕢🕗

Someone was saying his given name, and he finally opened his eyes, but it was so bright that he wanted to close them again. 

"James?  Just need you to look at me."

"It's Bucky, not James."

"Your wristband says James."

"Only strangers call me James." 

It came out in a mumble, but he remembered seeing the smile on the nurse's face as she apparently understood him.  There was a painful squeezing on his right arm that he complained about.

"Just taking your blood pressure, Bucky.  You're still a little foggy from the anaesthetic.  Do you know where you are?"

"Hospital," he answered.  "Surgery ... shoulder."

"That's right.  You had surgery.  It went okay and you're in the recovery room.  Try to take some deep breaths, okay?  That will help you wake up some more."

"Want to sleep."  This feeling was so nice that he just wanted to burrow deeper into it.  "Sleep is good."

"Yes, but it's time for you to wake up.  I hear there are a lot of people waiting for you to get out of here.  You must be a popular guy."

He thought he shook his head.  "No, just a guy.  Is Andrea there?"

"Is that your wife?"

He smiled.  "My girlfriend.  She loves me.  I love her.  I want to marry her."

The nurse said something that he couldn't make out because she was looking elsewhere but when her face reappeared, it was smiling. 

"I think there is someone named Andrea out there.  She has a baby.  Is that your daughter?"

"Lily, my daughter.  I'm her dad, not Brock, me."

There was another comment from the nurse, directed at someone else, but she came back to him.

"Keep breathing deeply, Dad.  You'll see your little girl very soon."

He nodded his head and kept breathing.  Soon ... he would see Andrea and Lily soon.  When he opened his eyes again, he was somewhere different, a room with a window.  The brain fog was mostly gone, and he stirred, turning his head to the side, making eye contact with Andrea.  Steve was sitting with her.  He got up and left the room, while she approached the bed, taking his hand.

"I love you," he drawled, his mouth feeling all cottony.

She picked up a glass of water, placing the straw next to his lips.

"I love you, too.  Take a drink.  Your mouth must be really dry."

He nodded and took several long sips before releasing the straw and lowering his head back to the pillow.  The door to his room opened revealing his mother, followed by Steve and Sam, who was holding Lily. 

"How are you feeling, buddy?" asked Steve.  "Everyone was here a while ago but once we heard you got through the surgery okay, they went home."

"Still a little drowsy," admitted Bucky.  He noticed both men had black eyes, and Steve had butterfly strips on a cut on his forehead.  "What happened to you two?"

"Nothing to worry about," smiled Steve.  "We just ran some interference on several of Pierce's businesses to make sure none of their guys tried to get to the strip club.  They didn't know what to make of us as we just did stupid stuff, like let the air out of their tires and push the dumpsters around to block their doors.  A few got out and tried to fight us but once the feds arrived, they gave up pretty easily.  Peter Quill and Thor vouched for us.  Both of them FBI, huh?  All this time we were working for the feds."

"I can tell you who were undercover over the years but those two and Mrs. Parker are the only ones right now," said Winnifred.  "I'm sorry I kept you all out of the loop.  They weren't sure you could be trusted not to sabotage the whole operation if you knew."

"What now?" asked Sam.  "We can't go back to what we were.  Everyone knows we were a front operation."

"Not completely," said Winnifred.  "There was a reason George wanted you boys to get your journeyman's papers and your contractor's licenses.  He always wanted to make the business legal.  The illegal stuff didn't really bother him, but he wanted better for all three of you.  It's also why he wanted Rebecca to go as far in her education as she could."

"Fury is staying any actual charges against us," added Bucky.  "As long as we keep our noses clean for the next year running a real renovation company, he'll drop the charges completely and wipe them off our records.  After that, I guess we're on our own.  But we should be partners for real, three ways.  I think we should change the company name.  As much as I love my dad, Barnes Contracting is the name of something that doesn't exist anymore.  We need to call it something that's trustworthy, that stands for something.

"Shield Renovations and Construction," said Andrea, quietly.  "It's something that protects.  You've all been protecting me, but you've been protective of your employees as well.  Clint thinks the world of you guys.  Says you saved his life by giving him a good job when he got out of prison.  You've done that for every guy that works for you.  I listened to them sharing stories while we were waiting for you to come out of surgery.  They were all about how honest you guys were and that you helped make them better men.  They all wanted to hold Lily and were so gentle with her.  Rumlow's men were all scary and threatening.  Your guys were helpful, friendly, and kind."  She squeezed Bucky's hand again.  "That's a good foundation for a business."

"I think that's a great name," said Winnifred.  "As a part-owner I give that name my vote.  Boys, what do you say?  You all have a share in the company, you know."

"We do?" Steve looked at her, surprised.  "Since when?"

"Since I signed over 15% each to you and Sam," she answered, grinning.  "Didn't I tell you about that?  You have a bit of a nest egg from the legitimate side of the business that you can use to buy me out completely and buy some of Bucky's share to even it out.  Mrs. Parker has the details.  Matthew Murdock can help you set it all up if you're serious about a true partnership."

"I still have 50%, don't I?" asked Bucky.  "Does that mean you just have 20%?"

She nodded.  "I just let you believe it was 50/50.  It was easier that way."  Bucky frowned.  "Don't be angry with me.  It proved to me how deep your friendship with each other is.  All three of you trust each other and that's important in life and business."

All three men stared at this woman who had been so instrumental in their lives.  Even though she hadn't kept them apprised of what was going on behind the scenes, it seemed that she made sure they were all covered financially and legally.  Who were they to think any less of her?  With a glance between them the three men knew that none of them ever envisioned a life without the other two.  It was how they had always been and now they could make sure it would always be.

Part 10>>

Series Masterlist

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[dunbonnets]

a COMPLETE MASTERLIST of all the fanfiction works, series, and fandoms that DUNBONNETS writes for.

demon slayer. ━ 2 published fics; incomplete, sporadic updates. 3 drafts; coming soon, date tbd. no current series.

attack on titan. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. 2 drafts; coming soon, dates tbd. no current series.

attack on titan x demon slayer crossover. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. no other drafts. no current series.

black clover. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. 5+ drafts; coming soon, dates tbd. no current series.

outlander. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. 2 drafts; coming soon, dates tbd. 1 series in progress; incomplete, sporadic updates.

bridgerton. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. 3+ drafts; coming soon, dates tbd. 1 series in progress; incomplete, sporadic updates.

marvel cinematic universe. ━ 5 published fics; all incomplete, sporadic updates. 10+ drafts; coming soon, dates tbd. 1 series in progress; incomplete, sporadic updates.

once upon a time. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. 10+ drafts; coming soon, dates tbd. 1 series in progress; incomplete, sporadic updates.

the vampire diaries universe. ━ 2 published fics; all incomplete, sporadic updates. 5+ drafts; coming soon, dates tbd. 2 series in progress; both incomplete, sporadic updates.

teen wolf. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. 10+ drafts; coming soon, dates tbd. no series in progress.

the umbrella academy. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. 1 draft; coming soon, date tbd. 1 series in progress; incomplete, sporadic updates.

mission impossible. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. 1 draft; coming soon, date tbd. 1 series in progress; incomplete, sporadic updates.

30 days of night. ━ 1 published fic; incomplete, sporadic updates. no other drafts for fandom. this is the only fic. no series in progress for this fandom.

gilded lily ( giyuu tomioka × fem!oc, demon slayer ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on tumblr. coming soon on ao3.

of dreams and freedom ( armin arlert × fem!oc, attack on titan ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on tumblr & ao3.

wind of the storm ( rivai akkaman/levi ackerman x fem!oc, attack on titan x demon slayer crossover ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on tumblr & ao3.

blood red sun ( tanjiro kamado × fem!oc, demon slayer ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on tumblr. coming soon on ao3.

until i found you ( inosuke hashibira × fem!oc, demon slayer ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on tumblr. coming soon on ao3.

weather the storm ( finral roulacase x fem!oc, black clover ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on tumblr. coming soon on ao3.

electric love ( luck voltia x fem!oc, black clover ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on tumblr. coming soon on ao3.

dark days ( eben oleson × fem!oc, 30 days of night ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

no time to die ( ethan hunt × fem!oc, mission impossible ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

a touch of death ( dracula's vampire daughter!oc × natasha romanoff ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

my bloody valentine ( sheriff!stiles stilinski au ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

cursed ( elijah mikaelson × fem!oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

somewhere only we know ( diego hargrees × fem!oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

the sands of time saga ( outlander )

　　book i. ━ labour of love ( traveller oc × oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by liz.

　　book ii. ━ deep hearts core ( fraser sibling!oc × oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by andrea.

the earth-5871 series ( mcu )

　　out of time ( pre-serum steve rogers × fem!oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

　　infinite galaxies ( peter quill × fem!oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

　　viper ( tony stark × fem!oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

　　symbiosis ( hope van dyne × fem!oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

　　catch the wind ( sersi × male!oc // eternals ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3.

a series of love stories ( bridgerton )

　　book i. ━ paper rings ( bridgerton!oc × oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by andrea.

　　book ii. ━ cruel summer ( bridgerton!oc × oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by bee.

　　book iii. ━ gold rush ( colin bridgerton ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by bee.

the bloodlines saga ( tvdu )

　　book i. ━ broken wings ( stefan salvatore ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by andrea.

　　book ii. ━ dead girl walking ( caroline forbes ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by liz.

　　book iii. ━ ruin of me ( damon salvatore ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by daniella.

the unsung heroes saga ( supernatural )

　　book i. ━ live before you die ( dean winchester ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by liz.

　　book ii. ━ the ballad of henry winchester ( winchester brother!oc × oc ) ✶ fic tag. available to read only on wp & ao3. written by andrea.