#I went to a doc in the box for my cough yesterday

[yellobb]

I’ve gone to the bathroom three times so far today and I’ve only been awake for 2.5 hours, so that’s…. Probably concerning

[sashi-ya]

{+18} - Law x Fem Best Friend ♥ CH.2

♥ Daily living with the Heart pirates crew AU  ♥ Spoilers after Dressrosa Arc. Law´s backstory.  ♥ Female reader. Little physical description. Everybody is 18+, canon ages.  ♥ TW: Nightmares related to PTSD. Little NSFW. no further warnings. If you think I should include some feel free to tell me ♥Thank you for the likes and follows, I appreciate it them so so much! If you wanna know when I’ll be updating the next chapters, you can follow me on Twitter @LawIsMyWaifu, come interact I love to have mutuals that love Law and One Piece as much as I do ♥

Word count: 4.1K

» List of parts: {CH1}  {CH2}  {CH3}  {CH4} {CH5} «

Chapter 2.

The sound of his low, raspy voice resonated all over my head, making my body react instantly. I gasped as I felt a strike of pleasure travelling down my stomach to in between my legs. Closing my eyes, unable to move, I didn’t want to move, I wanted him to keep whispering, to kiss my neck… “Hahahaha, I’m sorry, I’m just fooling around, your face, you look astonished Y/N-ya”, he said while laying back on the bed, laughing. I chuckled as I stood up brushing my clothes as if I was trying to fix them. “Stop it, I’m not into that you ass. Goodnight”, I said trying to dissimulate how agitated and embarrassed I was.

Almost running, I left the room, directly to mine, holding on my hand my underwear. I jumped to my bed resting violently on my back. “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?” ... a little time passed until I passed out.

Hard knocks on my door woke me up. “Vice-Captain!! wake up! breakfast is ready!!!” Clione shouted from the corridor. “God damn how many times I have to tell this whole crew I fucking hate being awakened with shouting?” I mumbled annoyed, covering my face with the sheets.

I was brushing my hair when I remembered my “memory box” for some reason. Opened my drawer and found the little velvet red box that holds my “treasures”. Inside, there is a photo of my parents with me when I was 7, happy, eating some ice cream with them. It was taken during one of “the white parades”, on Flevance, before everything turned into hell. A little blue bow that my little sister used to wear, some photos of Law, Bepo, Shachi, Penguin and me when we were the only members of our crew. And, a necklace Law made with some seashells as a gift for my 15th birthday, were also inside.

I got watery eyes while looking at it, “I must be getting old”, I thought, “I got emotional over the memories” ... laughed and put everything back to its place.

“Morning..” I said, greeting the whole crew that was already devouring their breakfast. I noticed Law wasn’t there, so I had to ask. Uni told me he was in the control room preparing for the arrival at the next island. I took a few pancakes and some tea and headed to the control room to ask my captain if he needed help.

“Good morning, doc”, I saluted him. Law that was seated facing the controls, turned the chair to look at me nodding. He has more dark circles as always, so I asked him, “Oi, did you sleep last night? are you feeling sick again?”. “I’m ok, I didn’t get much sleep last night. I got caught up with the book I was reading”, he answered with his usual unfriendly tone. “Yeah, right” I answered back, rolling my eyes, and proceeded “Let me know if you need something before we get to the island”.  Left the control room and went back to my room.

I knew him well to know he hadn't slept because something was worrying him, and not because he was reading the old comic book of “Sora, the warrior of the sea against the evil Germa 66”. But hey, Law never shows any emotion besides annoyance if he is not sick.

A few hours later, the submarine got to the shore of some winter island, and we all got ready to accomplish our assigned tasks.  “Ok everyone, we will meet here at 7 pm, is that clear?” told my crew members, everybody agreed and headed to the island.

The temperature was pretty low, and it was snowing. Law was wearing the long black coat with yellow dots and our Jolly Roger that he used to wear at Punk Hazard, his hat and of course the Kikoku over his shoulder. I love when he wears warm clothing, he looks so cozy, hiding his mouth behind the collar. (He does it so his lips don’t get chapped with the cold breeze, haha).  I don't like to wear the boiler-suit when we get to explore islands, so I decided to wear a long yellow coat with a hood, also with our crew's Jolly Roger emblazoned on the left side of the chest.

We asked a few civilians where to find a pharmacy and headed to the destination following their instructions. Law didn’t say much during the walking, as he normally does.

The island seemed a little bit deserted, yet it had picturesque streets, full of colour that stand out from the snow.  It has cobbled lanes, some canals of crystallized water, there were wooden houses and shops with little lights that garnished their architecture giving the place a romantic aura. The scenery behind the city center included big snowed mountains and a big castle over one of the highest peaks.

I saw a boutique with some cute sweaters on display that caught my eyes and I wanted to try them on. “Law, would you mind if I enter here? I want to buy a new sweater.”, I said. Law looked at me and made a gesture with his hand as he was saying to go ahead.

While searching for the sweater I like on one of the clothing racks I saw through the shop window that a few kids approached the captain. The seller asked me if I needed some help, so I stopped looking at him and l directed my gaze to the girl in the shop. So, I forget about him.

After buying two cute pullovers, we continued walking through the picturesque streets.

When we finally arrived at the pharmacy shop, it seemed like it was closed, but the door was open, so we entered. I rang the bell over the counter and waited for someone to show up. Law walked in front of me and had his hand over his sword. I knew he was alert and trying to protect me even if he didn’t say a word. I didn’t think we could be in danger, yet he never fully relaxes when we are outside. After all, he is one of the most wanted pirates of our generation, so it's understandable he trusts no stranger.

After a minute or so, an old lady approached the counter from the inside of the store. She seemed a little weak and perhaps a little sick. She coughed, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, and then greeted us. “Good afternoon, how can I help you?”, she asked. Law handed her a list of supplies we needed, and we waited. “Oi, don’t you think she looks bad? I mean, she is probably sick, should I ask if she is ok?”, I told Law who gave me a disapproving sight. I rolled my eyes, and said, “Fiiiine…”, “You know that I hate you rolling your eyes at me, you did it yesterday and now too. Stop it.” I looked at him with an “excuse me?” face and while I was about to spit an insult to him the granny appeared. “I’m sorry, I put on the bag some of the supplies, but I don’t have everything you need. We are short on medicines'', she informed us and started coughing harder. “Excuse me, Mrs. Are you alright? are you sick?”, I asked as she seemed to lose composure from all the nagging coughing. Law, that hated when I don’t give a fuck about what he had just said, gave me the look of death. “Oh young lady, we are pretty much sick, a strange illness is hitting the island. Even the only doctor in town fell ill. The orphanage, though, is getting the worst part. All of the kids are bedridden”, as she said, the memories of Flevance and the amber lead disease hit me.

Law's expression changed to a more compassionate one and asked about the symptoms they were experiencing. He might be serious, he might not want to get involved in a lot of things, but he is a true doctor. And he can't let people die if he can help.

We decided to visit the orphanage in hopes of helping the sick people, so we asked the old lady to give us directions to it. She said it was pretty far from the city center and told us her husband would take us there with his cart.

"Thank you so much for offering your help, young doctors", said the old lady's husband that later told us his name was Gerald. The cart was pulled by two brown percheron horses that opened their way through the white landscape.

We had a small talk during the journey, until Gerald asked, "how long have you been together? Are you already married?". Despite the freezing cold weather, my cheeks turned to fire, and I could sense Law hiding his head even more into his coat and hat. Almost as if clarifying that we were no couple was a life or death situation I said, "WE ARE JUST BEST FRIENDS!". I realized I almost shouted and felt mortified. Gerald looked at us with a little smirk and kind eyes, excusing himself for the mistake.

A few minutes after we arrived at the orphanage. It took us almost 30 minutes to get there and the sun was starting to set on the horizon.

When we entered the place, the situation was worse than we thought. There were kids and adults lying on the ground, some of them shivering, others coughing while others were straight unconscious. A few nurses were working in order to maintain them, but the situation had clearly surpassed them.

Immediately Law and I started working. While I helped the nurses, Law used his ope ope no mi power to scan the bodies of the sick people.

We got to the conclusion that what they were suffering was a type of bacteria that caused the respiratory symptoms and the fever.

During our duty, there were times when our eyes interlocked, and we smiled at each other. I wouldn't say we like people suffering, but, we certainly enjoyed working to save lives together.

A few hours passed since we arrived there, the sun was already set, and outside it seemed as if a snowstorm was beginning. I've lost track of time until my portable Den Den Mushi started to ring. "Oi, y/n, where are you? Is Law with you? Are you alright? We've been waiting for you on the shore! It's 9 pm already and we were supposed to meet at 7!", shouted Shachi from the other side of the line. "Oh my God I'm sorry I forgot to tell you!... you see …" I explained to them what we've been doing and that we were probably not going to return to the submarine in a few more hours.

The kids and the other people began to get better and those who were helping there offered us some food that we accepted happily.

While we were having dinner, Gerald got back from outside, who's been in the forest collecting some firewood. He informed us that the weather was getting really bad so coming back to town would be pretty dangerous.

Law and I agreed that staying there for the night was the safer choice.

One of the nurses, Sister Alley, told us we could spend the night in the cabin next to the orphanage. "I'm really sorry guys, I wished we had a better place for you, we owe you so much. The cabin has a fireplace, Gerald would start a fire to keep you warm”, she said. We both smiled at her and thanked for it.

We walked some meters through the forest until we started to catch sight of a wooden cabin. Despite being a strong pirate, I’m the queen of the clumsy people, so I slipped off with what I assume was an ice patch on the already snowy ground. I was about to hit the ground when Law grabbed me by the waist and saved me from a few bruises. His face in front of mine, the feeling of being safe on his arms, I wished it has been eternal. But the romantic moment was destroyed by Law mocking me. “It must be the devil fruit; how come you are so clumsy? Be careful”, he said, and I told him to shut up, this time I wasn’t embarrassed, but I was almost angry at him.

“Here we are, let me help you with the fire”, Gerald said, opening the wood door that creaked as it moved. The inside felt cozy, there were a few cushions and pillows on the ground next to the fireplace. There were no separate rooms, so in the middle of the lounge there was some kind of mattress with a few blankets over it. Our “host” asked for forgiveness about the lack of separate beds, but Law intercepted him and said, “It’s ok sir, we are grateful to have a warm place to stay until tomorrow. If you need help with any patient during the night, just please tell us”. It might be ok for you, damn Law. Was I supposed to sleep with him? - I mean, I wanted to, but, he was still my best friend, and those thoughts should have been erased.

Gerald wished us a good night and returned to the main building.

I hung my coat and as I love to explore, I started to do so around the little wooden house. The kitchen seemed really equipped, so I grabbed a kettle and some cups. Gerald was kind enough to give us some tea bags, so I thought making some tea was a great idea.

Law was next to the fireplace, wearing only a sweater and his jeans. Apparently he has already hung up his coat and his white spotted hat. I saw him once more with a lost sight that seemed to contemplate the firewood.

Looking at him with my face resting on my arm that was over the breakfast nook, I got lost worshiping his profile. I’ve always adored his upturned nose, his spiky black hair, his facial hair, the contrast between his grey eyes and the tanned skin. How come he has always been so handsome, but I’ve never seemed to fully realize?.

The whistle of the kettle intensified as the water started boiling, but I was so into admiring my best friend's beauty that I didn’t notice. Law turned to me and woke me up from my reverie shouting “Oi, Y/N, the kettle!”. My stupid smile quickly erased from my face, and my whole skin turned red. “Sorry”, I said straight away and turned off the burner.

I served two cups, noticing that the tea has an amazing scent. I believe it was hibiscus mixed with some other spices, perhaps some cardamom and maybe a little hint of clover. The smell of the tea mixed with the slightly one from the logs burning, was wonderful.

I walked to where my captain was, “Here, I think you may like it”, I said and handed him a cup. Our fingers brushed softly when grabbed the tea, he looked at me and said “Thanks”. I sat not so near him over one of the cushions and sipped a little bit of my tea. Law looked at me and stood up from his place. I could sense how awkward he felt when he made a little pause, and then walked away.

Why is he leaving? Did I make him feel uncomfortable?, I asked myself trying to hide little stings of pain on my chest that traveled to my throat. Somehow I felt like crying, and when my eyes started to get slightly watery, Law approached me placing his hand over my right shoulder.

I turned my face to him, looking up with a slightly pouty face. I was about to cry, and I didn’t even know why when I noticed a blue little box on his hand.

He sat next to me and said, "Do you remember when we were 15?, that day when I gave you that necklace I made myself for your birthday? I looked at him confused but I answered, "yes, of course, I got it on my memory box, I'm afraid to wear it outside the polar cause it might get lost and I wouldn't forgive myself if I lose it". He was now looking at the little box moving it around nervously and finally said "I got you a better one". He handed me the little box still not looking at me.

"A present?? OMG Law, thank you very much!" When did you buy it??" I almost shouted in excitement while opening the box. Inside there was a fine rose gold necklace that has a little anatomical heart figure as a pendant. I grabbed it and admired the beauty of the jewelry I had in my hands. The heart had a little red stone crimped on it, that shined with every movement.

"Law, this is too much! It must have cost you a lot of Berries, I don't deserve such a fine jewel!, thank you so much", I expressed with a big smile on my face.

"You do deserve more than this, you know. I'm glad you like it", he said, a little embarrassed. “When you were buying the sweaters, I asked some children there if they knew a jewelry store, turned out it was just around the corner”, he confessed.

“Thank you so much, it is just perfect! You know how I adore hearts; they remind me of you.. “Doctor Heart Stealer”” I almost shouted, realizing I have said too much…

I tried to put it on my neck, but I couldn’t clip it right, so I asked him for help. He stood up, kneel at my back and passed from behind the necklace around my neck.

Some branches hit the window violently as they were suffering the merciless wind of the snowstorm outside.

He struggled a little and finally fastened the collar and when he did, the electric power went off. The fireplace was the only source of light, the dance of the fire created figures with shadows and highlights all around the walls of the cabin. We remained silent, maybe a little scared or even surprised, but enjoying the sound of the weather and the creak of the fire.

He was still behind me, and after a few seconds he placed a soft kiss on my back that sent a shiver through my spine. Once again I was unable to speak, did he… did he just kiss my back?.. Before I could say or do something Law stood up and headed to one of the windows. “The storm seems to be even worse than earlier; don’t you think?”, he said, trying to device something through the window.

I couldn’t focus on anything else than the kiss he softly planted on my nape, minutes ago.  He suddenly yawned and walked to the mattress that was in the center of the room, on the floor. He then took his jeans off and hopped inside the bed, naturally. I remained on my spot, contemplating his actions. “How could he be acting so normal?, I’m right here. He just gave me a necklace, kissed my skin and now he just goes to sleep?” I said to myself, still with a confused expression on my face.

“Oi, aren’t you coming to bed?”, he asked me, freely. “Yes… give me a second”, I said, and ran to the bathroom. The toilet was pretty tiny and basic, but enough for me to hide for a few minutes. “Come on, Y/N you slept with him two nights ago, it’s ok, he is like your brother, it’s ok…” I thought, trying to calm myself down.

I finally left my hiding place and headed to the mattress. Law was lying there, he took off his sweater, probably while I was in the bathroom, so he was only using a white tight undershirt, that molded his torso anatomy. Some blankets were covering the under part of his body from his hips. He had his forearm over his eyes, covering them with his neck stretched back.

I bite my lip, as a reaction for such a tempting scene. I was enjoying it, watching him breathe peacefully. I started feeling hot, so I took off the sweater but not my jeans and approached the “bed”.

I thought Law was already asleep, so I got in bed trying not to wake him up. I muffled myself up with the sheets. I remained still, hearing the snowstorm, fixing my eyes on the wooden ceiling, as the memories of my childhood flooded my mind. It must be the snowstorm, the wind, the cold that triggered these memories. eventually I fell asleep.

“No, stop it, my family, leave us alone!!!!”, I screamed. “Y/n-ya! Y/n-ya!, wake up!” said Law, pulling me out from the terrific oneiric world I was submerged in. I got lost into his eyes, and remained there with tears streaming from my eyes, rolling into my cheeks. Law was holding me close to his body around his arms. “Are you having those nightmares, again? why didn’t you tell me?”, he asked, worried. “This is the first time in ages, I think it must be the storm, perhaps the orphanage, the children…”, I expressed amid tears. My best friend brushed his tattooed fingers through my hair, moving it out of my face, and then wiped the tears from my cheeks.

“Oi, do you remember what happened when I gave you the first necklace?” he asked, trying to distract me. A feeling of warmth invaded my insides, suddenly I felt happy. “I do...” I said, laughing timidly, and continued, “It was my first kiss”. He smiled back at me, and said, “Mine too”.

For a second we both closed our eyes. I was grabbing the pendant with my left hand cherishing it and the memories of our younger days when we kissed for the first time. We haven't had much time to think about love while striving to survive so we forgot about it, letting the days, months and years pass, leaving the experience as a mere child’s play.

Suddenly we started laughing, Law didn't let go of me, and our faces were pretty close. “Everything's better when you laugh, I hate it when you cry, it makes me so sad…” he said, rubbing his thumb over my right cheek. I stopped laughing, as he got even closer. Almost as if the point of our noses were about to touch. I could feel the warmth of his breath over my lips, and he did too. My heart started racing, and the only thing I could hear was the blood pumping on my ears. I wasn’t moving, I wanted him to kiss me, I wanted to kiss him… I just didn’t care that he was my best friend, I just needed him to kiss me.  What is taking him so long? Why am I not moving if I wanted this more than anything?. After a good minute, that felt eternal, he exclaimed “Fuck it”, and plant the sweetest kiss over my lips. A feeling of happiness filled my insides, I’ve never been so joyful in ages, it felt the same way as the first time. I was like a teenage girl experimenting love for the first time. Both smiled still with our lips pressed. I doubted for a second if succumbing to my deepest desires was the right thing to do until he decided to turn the cute kiss into a more passionate one. From then on, the desire I’d been accumulating inside of me took control of my body…

We kept on kissing; Law slid a hand under my shirt timidly caressing the skin of my tummy. The kisses migrated from my mouth to my neck, mixed with little bites that surely would turn into hickies tomorrow.

“Law…” I gasped when his hands reached my breasts. “What?” he replied, whispering next to my ear and pinching one of my nipples in between two fingers…

Chapter 3

Ch1: Link

[autumnleaves1991-blog]

Day 14: The Test Results - Santiago ‘Pope’ Garcia

Day 14: The Test Results - Santiago ‘Pope’ Garcia 

Todays story was requested by @itspdameronthings​. Thank you so much for the request and I really hope you like it. This is the longest of all the stories I have written for the November Writing Challenge.

November Writing Challenge Masterlist 

Day 13: Water Flowed- Llewyn Davis 

Day 1 

“Do you have to go?” Your voice is quiet as you watch him pack his bags from your seat on the bed. 

“Querida, you know I don’t want to but they are asking me back as a favor AND I’m being compensated. I worked in Columbia for three years, it's where my mother was born. I feel like I need to do this,” he kneels in front of you, taking your hands in his own. “It’s only four months and I promise I will call and text you every single day. It’s killing me to leave you but...I feel I have to do this.” 

Santiago ‘Pope’ Garcia was a former member of Delta Force in the US Military before leaving to go work for the DEA in Columbia. Three years ago, he left Columbia to return home but not without one final mission. He got together a few of his old buddies from the force and robbed a drug lord before killing him and fleeing the country. But something went wrong. Well… a lot of shit went wrong, resulting in the death of his old captain, Tom, and forcing them to leave millions of dollars off the side of a cliff buried in the snow. 

Santiago had accepted a temporary assignment with the DEA to return back to Columbia and train some new recruits. You were not one bit okay with this plan but the one thing you loved and also kind of hated about your husband was how headstrong he could be. Unfortunately, you are just as stubborn as him. The last few weeks leading up to his departure had been fraught with arguments. You didn’t want him to go. Even though it had been years since that last mission, you didn’t know what the situation down there was. Were they still hunting for the men who had robbed and gunned down Lorea? Was he walking into a trap? No money was worth losing the man you loved, and he didn’t seem to understand that. 

“You don’t have to do anything.” The words are bitter on your tongue and Santiago winces, before moving to stand. “We don’t need that money, and you have no idea what you walking into baby…” 

“Y/N, we have talked about this enough. I am going!” He slams the top of his suitcase closed before pulling the zipper harshly and walking towards the door. He turns sharply at the door pointing at you, “Why do you keep arguing with me about this? I have told you a million reasons why I need to do this! Instead of supporting me you're just fighting with me!” 

“I do support yo-” 

“Well, you sure have a funny way of showing it.” he swings his backpack on his back, puts on his hat and walks out the door. You’re on your feet in a hurry. “Goddamnit, Santiago! Will you just fucking listen to me for two minutes?”  You grab his shoulder and turn him to face you. He’s fuming and you can tell the volcano is seconds away from blowing. “I DO support you! I understand WHY you feel the need to do this but I LOVE YOU and I don’t want to LOSE YOU!” 

You're out of breath from shouting, and you see the anger slowly fade from his face as he comes to stand closer to you, “Querida...baby you're not going to lose me. I love you….so … damn … much. I never really felt alive until I met you, and no one,” he puts a finger under your chin and raises your eyes to his own, “no one is going to take me away from you.” 

“You can’t promise that…” Your words come out broken and a choked sob escapes you. “You don’t know what’s going to happen. Santi I can’t lose you. I won’t survive without you…” 

“Shhh.” He pulls you close and you collapse in a sobbing heap into his chest, your tears soaking the front of his t-shirt, his hands are strong as he holds you close. “I know nothing is one hundred percent but I love you and I am going to come home back to you. Nothing could ever keep me away.” He pulls you away from his chest, wiping your eyes before kissing you gently.

“I love you too Santi, so much.” You sigh into the kiss and hold him tight before he pulls away, walking towards the door, grabbing his duffle bag from the floor and walking out, taking your heart with him. 

Day 31 

Santiago kept good on his promise and called and texted every single day, each time letting you know he was safe and how much he loved you. He was working hard down there, and he loved the adventure, even if he missed you like crazy. You missed him too and the combination of being without your husband, taking care of the whole house, your shared basset hound, and work was draining. It was only a matter of time before you started feeling under the weather. You had been feeling fatigued, sore throat, cough, and after two days of vomiting throughout the day you had to admit it, you were sick. 

On your nightly call with Santi the worry in his voice warmed your heart. “Baby, you need to go to the doctor and get checked. Remember when you got bronchitis last year? It was pretty bad.” 

You hack into the receiver “Yeah, maybe you're right. I just feel like shit Nauseous all day long. Jonathon actually sent me home today. Said he was worried about me ‘infecting’ the office.” 

Santi mutters under his breath but you hear him and snort. “Yeah I agree he is a dick, but I appreciate being sent home. I’ll go to the urgent care tomorrow.” 

“Do you promise?” 

“Yes, I promise. I want to feel better...I just hate going to the doctor.” You recall the many times Santi had to drag you kicking and screaming (sometimes literally) to the doctor. 

“Why don’t you ask one of the guys to go with you?” 

“Maybe...Frankie mentioned he was off tomorrow when I called him yesterday....” 

“See. It was meant to be. Why don’t you text him after you hang up with me and he will make sure you go? Then I can rest easy tonight knowing you’re ok. I wish it were me though. I would take such good care of you baby.” 

“Oh yeah?” What would you do if you were here?” You snuggle down into the comforter with your box of tissues, hot tea, the humidifier and his deep soothing voice lulling you to sleep. 

It doesn’t take long before your soft snores fill the phone and Santi smiles to himself. Listening to the sounds of his love finally feeling at rest. When you wake up three hours later to throw up the light from your phone signifies a message. 

I called Frankie, he’s going to come by at 10 o’clock to take you for an appointment. I booked it online through the app. Get some rest and drink lots of fluids. I love you. - Hubby 

You smile before brushing your teeth and crawling back into the warmth of your bed and falling back to sleep, dreaming of your husband. 

Day 32 

The next morning Frankie rings the doorbell at exactly 9:45.Like all the other Delta Force guys (except Benny), they are meticulously early. You greet him with a cup of coffee with his own special airplane shaped mug, complete with his name engraved on the side. You knew that when you married Santiago, Frankie came as part of the package. 

“Hi Garcia, how ya feeling?” He wraps one arm around your shoulder and you lean into the embrace, placing your head on his arm. 

“To be completely honest Cat? I feel like shit.” 

Frankie lets out a small laugh before rubbing gentle circles on your back. “Well then let’s get you to the doctor. You got your insurance card?” 

“Yeah it’s in my bag.” You grab your brown knit bag, swinging it over your shoulder. 

“Then let’s get going.” He guides you out to his truck, helping you into the seat before running around the front to the driver's seat. 

About twenty minutes later you're pulling into the parking lot of your doctor. Frankie walks you inside helping you get signed in. It's another thirty minutes before you're put back into a room, sitting on crinkled tissue paper, Frankie reading back issues of People. The door opens and you sit up a little straighter. 

“Mrs. Garcia?” You nod. “I’m Dr. Jacobs. What can I help you with today?” 

You proceed to tell her what’s been going on and she goes through the motions, asking you all about your symptoms, checking your ears, nose, throat, and chest. When she's done she types everything into her tablet, “one more question, when was your last menstrual cycle?” 

You open your mouth to answer before closing it slowly. “When was my last...Oh. Uhm,” you laugh nervously at a loss for words, “about a month ago it should be starting any day now…” 

“Is there any chance you could be pregnant?” she asks, looking between you and Frankie. 

“Oh, he’s not my husband!” 

“I’m her husband's best friend. He’s out of the country.” 

“Well it sounds like you may have the flu but I would like to run some labs as well if that’s alright with you, and maybe a pregnancy test just to be sure?” 

You laugh. “Sure doc whatever you need, but I am not pregnant.” 

Day 35 

You swing your car haphazardly into the driveway narrowly missing a planter box and running over Mia’s pink bike. The front door slams open. Frankie is running down the driveway, yanking the car door open and pulling you into his arms. Your sobs are staining your cheeks and you're a blubbering mess. 

“Garcia! What the hell! Are you ok!?” Frankie checks you over. You shake your head frantically. 

“NO! No I am not ok!” you shout! “The test results came back!” 

“Oh god, is it bad!? Cancer? Diabetes? Fuck! Did Pope give you some kind of STD because I swear I will kick his ass for you!” 

“NO! God...no...I'm...Pregnant!” You break down in sobs and hold onto Frankie who starts to laugh. “Stop laughing! This is serious! Frankie!!” 

He chuckles squeezing you tighter, “Garcia this is wonderful! You're gonna be a mom and Santiago is going to be a daddy! Mia will have someone to play with. Fuck, I’m so happy for you guys.” You pull away to see a huge smile on his face. 

Some of his excitement rubs off on you and you rub your nose on the sleeve of your shirt before you smile, “I’m gonna be a mommy…oh shit Frankie what do I tell Santi?

“We will worry about that later. But right now let’s get you home and back to bed. You still have that cough and you need your rest.” 

Day 36 

“Hey baby. How is my favorite man?” 

“Oh Querida I miss you so much. I think I forgot how much I love being out in the field. The rush, the thrill. It’s addicting.” 

Your heart drops and for a minute you say nothing. How the hell could you tell him about the baby? He would want to come straight home and he’s loving the work.

“Everything is great here. Yeah, I got the test results yesterday from the lab and everything is normal. I just have the flu and since I’ve been off the last few days I’ve rested and drank lots of fluids and I am feeling much better.” 

“Oh good, I was so worried about you.” He sighs. “I got a new app on my phone that counts down to the second till I get to be back with you.. I love you so much Querida.” 

You bite your lip to keep from crying before letting out a shaky breath, “I love you too baby, and I can’t wait to see you soon.” 

The conversation shifts and when you hang up with your husband you shoot a quick text off to Frankie. 

Don’t mention ANYTHING about the pregnancy to Santiago. I’ll tell him when he gets home. 

What? Why? 

He loves being there and if we're going to have a baby then he's not going to be able to do this again. If I tell him you know he will just come home early. 

Ok...I still think you should tell him. You're going to need support though...he’s still going to be gone for three more months. 

Your right...Frankie...will you be my person? 

... of course. Get some sleep Garcia. 

Day 100 

Four months doesn’t seem like a long time. But when you're pregnant and missing your husband it seems like a lifetime. It had been one hundred days since Santi had left for South America and only twenty-two more days till he came home. When you did the math in your head you had become pregnant two weeks before Santi had left. Meaning you were well on your way to being a very noticeable pregnant woman. 

You had been shopping a couple times with Benny to Motherhood Maternity store to get some bigger clothes because yours refused to fit. Also a very interesting trip to Babies-R-Us where after much convincing he did not purchase the entire store for his future niece/nephew. Will had been attending your doctor and lab appointments with you. And sweet Frankie had been helping you around the house, getting groceries when you were too tired, keeping up the yard, and taking you and your dogs for walks to keep you moving. Your husband’s brothers had become your own, and you loved them for it. Only 22 more days. 

Day 120 

You're sitting at the kitchen table doing a puzzle with Will when Frankie comes in carrying takeout and a squirming Mia. He puts her down and she rushes toward you. 

“TIA GARCIA!” she screams, launching herself into your arms. 

“MIA!” you shout, squeezing her tightly before tickling her sides. She giggles before shimmying out of your lap and running to the kitchen. Coming back a moment later carefully balancing (at least as careful as a three year old can) a plate filled with watermelon to you. 

“Papa says this is for the baby,” she tells you in what could be called an attempted whisper but more like a shout. 

“Why are you whispering Mia?” 

“Papa says that I have guts to be quiet because the baby is sleeping.” She leans forward and hugs your slightly protruding belly before climbing into the kitchen chair across from you. 

You give Frankie an amused look and he smiles with a shrug before plating out the food. Pizza for them and watermelon for you. It’s all you seem to want anymore. “Oh come to mama.” You spear a piece before placing it in your mouth, moaning as the cold sweet juice goes down your throat. 

“So I’m taking you to the airport on Friday to pick up Santiago. Any ideas on how you're going to tell him?” Frankie asks, taking a large bite of pizza. 

“Well I think he’s going to know.” You gesture to your stomach, spearing another piece of melon. 

“I’ve been looking up ideas on how to tell people you're pregnant, and you could give him a jar of pasta sauce,” Will says and you all look at him like he’s nuts, “No, hear me out it’s Prego pasta sauce...get it, Prego?” 

You groan before taking another bite, “I think he’s going to notice I’m pregnant before I can even give him a jar of pasta sauce Will.” 

“Not if he doesn’t see your stomach first…” Frankie says, “what if you made a sign?” 

“A sign?” 

“Yeah like when we used to come home from a tour and the families would have signs. You could make a sign!” 

You think about it for a minute before you fall in love with the idea. You go to the office and come back with a couple poster boards you kept for work presentations. You place one in front of Mia who squeals and grabs one of the markers you provide. You get to work outlining the words and filling them in with his favorite colors blue and red. When completed, you lift it up and show it to the others.

“That’s perfect!” Frankie beams. 

“Bet you 50 bucks he cries,” Will says. 

“Deal,” they slap hands and you glare, before smiling at the two. Only two more days. 

Day 122 - Santiago Comes Home 

You feel sick, what if he doesn’t want to have a baby? Will he be mad I kept this from him? Shit, maybe this was a terrible idea. What the hell was I thinking? 

“Garcia, you need to calm down, you're making me stressed.” 

“What if he doesn’t want this? What if he is disappointed? What if-” Frankie stands up and puts his hands on your shoulders. 

“Garcia listened to me. Santiago loves you more than anything in this entire world and he is going to love this baby just as much maybe even more. He may be surprised yeah but trust me. Once he wraps his brain around it, he’s going to be ecstatic.” He pulls you in for a hug and you take a deep breath, calming your nerves. 

The constant flow of travelers does nothing to lessen your anxiety. You take a deep breath and almost choke on the smell of espresso from the nearby Starbucks. Frankie gives you one last squeeze before handing you the sign and stepping back as people flood out of the gate. 

You rise to your tiptoes in search for a familiar head of salt and pepper curls. When in a break of the crowd you see him, running in a full sprint towards you. His face split into a megawatt smile. As he gets close enough to touch, you hold up the sign. He slows down slightly as he reads and you watch the smile fade only slightly before it’s replaced by shock. 

Welcome home daddy 

He reaches forward, holding tight to the poster board and slowly lowering it, eyes transfixed at your swollen belly. Silence. His hands shake as they put the sign on the floor, his eyes never leaving you. Your heart races and you feel the urge to vomit return again before he drops to his knees. 

You wince, “Baby, your knees…” reaching down to pull him up, but he makes no move to stand, his hands coming to your stomach. Placing his lips gently over your shirt. His forehead rests against you and tears drench your shirt. The baby chooses that moment to make their presence known kicking softly against his cheek. You run your hands through his curls and he looks up at you with a watery smile and a small laugh. 

“Querida, you’re pregnant. We’re...we’re having a baby…” he sniffles and you can’t help the tears in your own eyes. “Why...why didn’t you tell me? I would have come home…”

“That’s exactly why I didn’t. You’ve been so happy these past few months and I knew you needed to do this. Yes, I was scared as hell about losing you but...I understood.” 

“I don’t deserve you,” he whispers before shakily getting to his feet and clutching you tight, his hands frame your face and he pulls you close getting lost in the kiss, “I love you...so fucking much,” he whispers putting his forehead against your own. “I love you too. I’m so glad your home… I mean the guys have been great but I’m excited to go shopping for baby stuff with you, attend my doctor appointments together, and have you bring me platefuls of watermelon.” 

He laughs pulling back, “Watermelon? Is that what you’ve been craving?” 

“Oh god yes, even talking about it makes my mouth water.” 

“If that is what you want Querida, then you can have as much as you desire,” he kisses you again. 

A cough sounds from behind and you turn to see Frankie smiling at you.  Santi reaches out to give him a slap on the back, the two conversing in Spanish. You hold your hand out and Santi latches on, never letting go as you make your way through the terminal and out to the truck. 

The world passes by in a kaleidoscope of color as Frankie drives you both home. Arriving, you thank him before leading Santi by the hand and into the house. When the door is latched behind you, he presses you into the door gently. Every touch, every caress, left you breathless. His lips warm and wet against your own. When you take a breath his tongue snakes inside and he drags you from the door, striping each other, leaving a trail of clothes to the bedroom. 

After you’ve been thoroughly fucked and your wrapped up in Santiago’s strong arms, legs intertwined together, and he’s rubbing your belly do you finally relax. Sighing into his chest, and kissing it lightly. “Your really happy about the baby?” you whisper, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between you. 

His grip around you tightens, “I promise you, I am very happy about the baby. You made me a daddy Querida. I love you...so much.” 

You sigh, “I love you too.” 

3 months later 

Eight months of pregnancy has flown by. After Santi got home from Columbia he took over doing everything. Attending your appointments together, buying and building things for the nursery, and bringing you platefuls of watermelon at all times of the day and night. Santiago takes the roll of daddy very seriously. All of those year in the military have come into play the last few months as he has transformed your house into a fortress. God help anyone that tries to hurt you or your unborn daughter. 

It started small with a few extra cameras on the perimeter, then installing a new indoor security system. A new fence was put up around the pool two months ago, and most recently the baby monitors set up throughout the house. He was beginning to drive you a little insane and you honestly just wanted him to lay off a bit. The perfect opportunity arose one fateful morning during breakfast. 

“So I’ve been thinking Querida, how do you feel about putting carpet on the floor of the nursery?” 

Part 2: Carpet (If you haven’t read it, check it out!)

Day 15: Just Walk Away- Ezra (Prospect) 

[lu-undy]

Chapter 64 - SBT

Here it is!

"Meow?"

"Mmh." Mundy grumbled under his blanket. 

"Meow…?" 

Perle tried to dig him up with her fluffy paws and Mundy heard her claws scratch the blanket repeatedly. 

"Leave me alone. I don't wanna do anything today."

"Meow…" 

Perle laid on top of Mundy, on top of the blanket, crushing him with all her cloudiness. He sighed. 

"Pearl?"

She purred and Mundy heard it from under the duvet. 

"Pearl… I can't do this." 

"Meow."

"I can't go on. It hurts too much and I don't know where I'm going. Everyday I wake up and I can't bear it. Sometimes… Sometimes I even come to think that it would have been better if I didn't know him." 

"Meow?" 

"Because then, I wouldn't have absurd expectations with people, and I could maybe find someone. Or I'd have stayed alone but it wouldn't hurt as much." 

Perle brushed her head on Mundy's, on top of the blanket. Mundy uncovered his head and she bathed him, licking him repeatedly. 

"I don't know what I'm gonna do with my life. I know he wants me to take care of you. I am and I always will. You're our baby. I'm just… It's sad he didn't see you grow up. You're a cat alright, not a baby anymore."

"Meow." Perle now licked his face. Mundy closed his eyes and let her do. 

"I go to bed everyday thinking that the next day I would forget about him. And everyday I wake up and he's the first and only thing I can think about."

Mlem, mlem, mlem, mlem… 

"And it's not like I'm doing nothing either. My days are pretty full with everything I do with Maurice. Especially now that it's full blown winter, lots of poor folks need help."

Mlem, mlem, mlem, mlem…

"And I know I have it infinitely better than them. But I can't help it. I feel lower than anything else on Earth. I know I should be more grateful that I have a roof, some heating, food, and you, baby… But I can't help it."

Mlem, mlem, mlem, mlem…

"And it doesn't get better at night. I fall asleep and I see him, I talk to him, I… I see us doing all the things we didn't have time to do. I saw us dining in a restaurant, getting drunk silly in a pub, hunting together, him teaching me French… I see it all. I see all these stories that I'd love to tell about us… But they only happen in my head."

Mlem, mlem, mlem, mlem…

"In my dreams, I feel him, I feel his eyes on mine, his hand in mine. I feel his warmth when I hug him, I smell his perfume and all… I even… I even kissed him."

Mlem, mle-meow?

"His lips are thin, warm and slick. It's almost like he spells words on my lips with his, or maybe not words but… feelings? Sometimes he kisses me and it says 'you're safe with me', sometimes it says 'I let myself be vulnerable with you, because I trust you', or even just 'I missed you'... He gives the best bloody kisses."

Mlem, mlem, mlem, mlem…

"I don't know how he does it. Anytime he kisses me, I can just say 'Bloody hell, I love you so much I don't even understand it myself.' But then, when it's in a dream, I say 'I miss you', or at least I try to make my lips say it. I don't know, maybe that's just a pile of nonsense… It makes sense to me."

"Meow." 

"What would you do if you saw Papa again?" 

Perle brushed her head on Mundy repeatedly. She gently stroked his face in the softest manner. 

"Hmm… Yeah, same for me. I'd tell him exactly that."

He grabbed the pack of cigarettes next to his bed and lit one.

"Meow…"

Perle stood up and walked to the edge of the bed. She hopped down to the thin kitchen top opposite the bed and then to the floor, before going to the door and scratching repeatedly. 

"Yeah, just a second, baby. What is it you running away all the time now? And before you go, where were you yesterday? It's not the first time it happens. I kept on calling and you didn't come. Is something wrong with you?" 

Perle only answered by scratching the door more impatiently.

"Fine, you're a grown up now and I guess you don't need your Dad… Maybe I'm just old and grumpy."

Mundy got out of bed and opened the door before returning to his morning routine, a cigarette between his lips.

The morning got him quite busy. More and more poor souls were suffering from the season's usual illnesses and the queue to the Doc' was getting longer and longer. A few of those people were on soup duty but obviously were told to not approach any food so Mundy had to step up. 

"Gosh…" Mundy's teeth were chattering under the cold. The line of poor people seemed to never end at the soup stand as he served them one after the other. It lasted over two hours but in the end he was done. 

"Meow…" 

Perle came trotting to him and dropped something on the floor. 

"What's that, baby?" 

He crouched down and realised it was a mouse. 

"Oooh, good catch, Pearl." He scratched her head with his gloves and she purred. "But I'm hungry and freezing, come along, we need to get some lunch." 

Mundy walked quickly in the streets and entered the first shop on his way. He exited with some food and rushed back to the van.

"Right." 

He heated up his food on his camping stove and ate it, sharing bits with Perle on top of her cat food. She didn't eat much of it.

"This winter's quite harsh, kitty cat. You cold?" 

Perle leapt on his lap, on the couch and rolled into a ball of fur. 

"Here, look what I found the other day… I cut it and arranged it a bit. It should fit you now." 

Mundy grabbed a piece of cloth from the pile on the couch next to him. 

"Let me help you wear it, but you gotta stand up, there we go…" It was a thick scarf that Mundy had cut and re-arranged to cover most of her back and belly. He tied a knot neatly on her belly and scratched her head. "What d'you say?" 

Perle walked around, spinning slowly. 

"It's wool, it'll keep you warm. And for the colour, you can't see it but it's… It's pink."

"Meow?"

"Like the collar he'd chosen for you." 

Perle sat up and looked at Mundy tenderly. 

"Meow." 

"I know, it's silly. I didn't do it on purpose. I just… There were all these scarves and the choice was so big that I had to find something. I wasn't gonna take black or nonsense like that. You're a beautiful lady cat. So, uh… I thought maybe…" 

Perle went to the door and scratched it repeatedly. 

"Wanna go out? There… Door's open. Be careful out there, baby." 

"Meow!"

"What are you-?" 

She went to her plate of food and took a mouthful of it without eating it before leaping out of the van. 

"Pearl!"

She ran fast and away. Mundy frowned. Something was wrong with her. He ran off after her. 

"Pearl! Come back!" 

It had all started when she stole food from his plate. He didn't think much of it but it had turned to the point where she did eat his food and hers before he could turn and sit down to have his plate. She had put on weight and after a couple of months, she had lost it. But her behaviour was still odd. Leaving before going to bed only to return hours later. Mundy thought he had lost her a few times and stayed up to look for her in town. Hunting wild beasts was easy but looking for a cat in a city was impossible! 

But Mundy decided it was enough. He would now see with his own eyes where she runs off to and why. There must have been a reason. 

"Pearl, wait for me!" 

She didn't listen and darted through the streets as fast as she could. Mundy followed the fast white cloud until they arrived in a dead end. He was out of breath and his heavier smoking wasn't helping his lungs at all. He coughed and held his chest. 

"Pearl… What're you doing?" A coughing fit seized him and he had to take a minute to calm his breath and his heart down. 

"Meow." She hopped in a crate and hid there in the corner. 

"What are you doin' in that box…?"

Mundy approached it and crouched down. He gave a knock. 

"Baby, it's me. Why are you hiding? Come out." He said softly.

"Meow!" 

"I'm gonna open the crate, ok?"

"Meow!" She answered defensively. 

"No, kitty cat, I'm tired of you bein' weird. If somethin's botherin' you, then by God I'll find it, Lu' told me to take care of you and I will!"

Perle jumped out of the crate and sat on the lid. 

"Meow." 

"What?" 

"Meow." 

"I promise I won't be mad at you, whatever it is. C'mon, baby, you know it's only me. Dad only wants to help you…" 

Perle bent her face closer to him and as he crouched down, he got his face closer and rubbed it against her. 

"Why do you act like this…? I love you and I only want to protect you…"

"Meow…" 

"Is this where you always come when I look for you?"

"Meow…" She rubbed her face against his. 

"Are you hiding from me? Did I do or say something wrong?"

Perle stopped cuddling with her Dad and scratched the crate beneath her before slipping in. 

"Meow."

"You scared?" Mundy looked around. "There's only you and me here, baby."

"Meow." 

"Can I open it?"

A paw slipped out of the crate. Perle was trying to open it. 

"Alright, I'll open it now…" 

Mundy opened the panes one by one slowly. 

"Whatever's out there and bothering you, I'll find it and I'll keep you safe, ok, baby? I'm here for you, I'm here for - Jesus Christ!" 

Mundy's jaw dropped. 

"You've got babies?!" 

Perle was laying at the bottom of the crate and a litter of kittens was squeaking and slithering in their mother's fluff. 

"Crikey, that's fantastic! Why didn't you tell me?!" 

"Meow…" 

"My God, I wasn't there for any of this at all! I'm so sorry, baby, you must have gone through a lot on your own… And I kept on bothering you with my problems while you were carrying actual babies?! Hold on…"

Mundy frowned.

"Does that make me… a grandpa?" He raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh Christ… I'm a grandpa now…" 

"Meow…" 

"Right, yeah, let's bring them back home. Stay in the crate with them, I'll carry you all." 

Mundy took the crate between his arms and lifted it off the ground before heading back to the van. 

"That's why you put on so much weight and you kept eatin'... You needed it. I can't believe I didn't think of it…"

He walked all the way back to the van, apologising profusely for his total lack of awareness and attention to her. He actually felt bad about himself. How on Earth had he not noticed? She was not getting fat, she was pregnant! She wasn't eating his food because she felt like she could, she needed the extra nutrients. She was actually feeding herself and a few hungry tiny balls of fuzzy fur. 

"Right, first, we gotta wash everybody and count them."

Once Mundy entered the van, he put the box on the kitchen top. 

Perle took one of her babies between her teeth and hopped off of the box.

"What do we have here, eh?" Perle delicately put her baby in Mundy's hands. "Ooh, it's a boy, hello, you…"

The tiny creature squeaked. 

"Oh my God, baby, you're so small…! Alright, here we start the water, let me turn on the heater towards the pipe to heat it up faster… Nice… I wash them and we need to find names too, eh?" 

"Meow." Perle agreed as she took all her babies out of the crate one by one. 

"How old are they…? A few days I'd say… Hm, let's see, you mister, you're black and you got white paws. It's like you're wearing gloves. Glovy! Is that a good name?" He rinsed the dirt off of the kitten gently. 

"Meow." 

"Alright, let me find a towel… There. You stay there, little fellow. Next!"

Perle passed him another baby. 

"Ooh, that's a lady, hello, baby lady. You're black with a white patch on your face… Looks like a diamond so you're gonna be Diamond, is that ok?"

"Meow." 

"Great." Mundy put her in the towel and wrapped it up around the two squeaking kittens. "We got Glovy and Diamond, next!"

Perle passed another kitten. 

"That's also a baby lady, hello…" He gently washed her. "She's black with a… Is that a star? Yeah, let's say Star for you, is that alright, baby?" 

"Meow?" 

"Yeah, I'm talking to you, Pearl."

"Meow!"

"Oh you can have all the babies you like, I told ya, you'll be my baby forever." He bent down and kissed her head. She purred and waved her tail languidly. "Here, in the towel you go. Next!"

Perle handed him the next baby cat. 

"Ooh, that's the last one. Hello…? Mister! Ah, a little boy we have here, oh, he's black with a few streaks of white on top of his head… Hm… What are we supposed to call you then?" Mundy rinsed him carefully and placed him in the towel. He then gently wiped the kittens one by one, as delicately as he could. 

"Pearl, keep an eye on them for a second, I'm sure I kept your bed somewhere…"

"Meow?" 

"Yeah, the one Papa had bought you. It's huge, chances are you and the babies can fit there." 

Mundy opened a few cupboards before he found it. 

"Ha! There!" 

He put it on the floor and like a reflex, he sprayed a bit of Lucien's and his perfume on it. He shook it for the smell to diffuse and put it on the floor before adding one of Lucien's jackets.

"There… Now you have somewhere proper to go with the babies, not a random crate!" Mundy threw it out of the van. "Now, we take the babies. Yeah, yeah, you squeak like heaps of miniature doors, shush!" 

Mundy crouched down and gently put them in the basket where Perle lay on her side. The babies easily found their mother's milk and started drinking it. 

"Aw, that's sweet… But we still don't have a name for this last one. What d'you reckon?" 

"Meow." 

"I can't just call him 'meow', baby…"

Perle bathed him on his head, she licked and licked as the baby cat was staggering to his mother, his eyes hardly open. 

"What d'you look like, eh…? I mean you just have a… a front tuft of white I guess… Maybe a few white ones left and right under yer ears… I mean… What has white on the top and on the sides eh?"

"Meow." 

"What?" 

"Meow." 

"Baby, I usually get you but you'll have to make it clearer…"

Perle brushed her head down on Lucien's jacket while purring. 

"Meow…" 

"Oh Gosh… You're right…"

Mundy's eyebrows jumped. There was only really one man that he knew with a white front tuft and greying temples. 

"He'll be Lu' Junior then."

"Meow?" 

"Yeah, I'm not kiddin'. What d'you say?" 

Perle slowly closed her eyes to Mundy, who reciprocated the cat kiss. He then bent down to kiss the top of her head.

"Right, I'll change your water and I'll give you extra food." He got busy quickly. "I put the water in a larger plate but less deep. We don't want to have the babies end up in trouble if they go there. Is that alright?" 

"Meow."

"What?" 

"Meoow." She answered and lowered her head. 

"It's alright, I forgive you, baby. But please, next time, don't hold secrets like this, ok? Secrets are for your Papa's work. But here at home, no secrets, ok?" He brushed her head and she closed her eyes. 

"Good girl… And I should be the one apologising. I should have paid more attention to you. I neglected you and that's not good. I was too sad to open my eyes and see the obvious, I'm sorry, baby."

"Meow." 

"Thanks. Now, you guys sleep and I'll climb up to sleep too, ok?" 

"Meow!"

"What?" 

"Meeeow?" She pleaded him with her eyes. 

"Right, ok, hold on…" Mundy took the cat bed with all the cats inside and lifted it until he gently dropped it on the bed. He then changed for some pyjamas, switched off the lights in the van and climbed up. "C'mere, you guys… Your mum needs me to sleep as much as I need her. Gosh that sounded weird… I meant… Oh God you're babies, you don't even realise! What am I sayin…?"

Mundy kept a hand on Perle and thanked the Lord that his bed had planks all around it such that the babies couldn't possibly fall from it.

"G'night, babies."

"Meow." 

Mundy kept a hand on Perle as usual, and like a reflex, his fingers simply sank in the fur and brushed. It was therapeutic. But he realised something. 

"Pearl?" He whispered and saw her silhouette turn her head to him. "I love you, baby girl, ok?" 

"Meow." 

He smiled and fell asleep holding Lucien's jacket with one hand and stroking Perle's fur in the other. 

-- A few weeks later -- 

Mundy discovered that raising four curious balls of fur wasn't at all easy. He constantly had to keep an eye on them as they were naturally attracted to anything, regardless of the potential danger of it. The kittens were at that age where they would explore anywhere they could and they would touch anything, scratch it, bite it or even, fight over it. 

It kept Mundy busy and quite happy as he felt that indeed Perle had given him more to do. But the mum cat was helping to raise the kitties too of course. She would always watch after them and show them a good example. 

"Oi, Glovy, don't push your brother away from the food, there's enough for everyone."

They were adorable and almost every afternoon Mundy would open his door to the kids after school. The poor orphans loved to see the kittens. Mundy let them pet them and feed them treats occasionally. It made the kids so happy that Mundy could hardly refuse. 

"Mundy?"

Mundy raised his head and Maurice was standing there amongst the kids. 

"Oh, hey Maurice. You alright?"

"Oui, thanks. Kids, why don't you go and play football, eh? I think we have a new ball for you, go and ask Johnny." 

The kids said goodbye to the cat family and rushed out to play. 

"May I?" 

"Sure." 

Maurice stepped inside of the van and shut the door after him. 

"Pearl, you keep an eye on the babies." 

"Meow." 

Both Mundy and Maurice sat on the couch. 

"Want some coffee?" 

“Non, thank you, I have just had one with the doctor."

"Alright. What brings you here?"

"Them." Maurice pointed at the kittens. 

"Oh, why?"

"Do you intend to keep them all?" 

"I don't know but they're too young to leave their mum now, so I can't give them away. Why? You want one?" 

"Non, non, I was just thinking that the van was a bit narrow to keep five grown cats."

"Yeah, that's true… I never really stopped to think about it. But eh, we've got time to see it coming."

"Fair enough."

Silence fell, which was only interrupted by the occasional mewls. 

"How are they?" Maurice asked. 

"Good, they're growing up nice and healthy. They're full of energy too, I forgot that even Pearl was like that when she was a kitten. Now she's much more calm." 

"I see. And how are you, Mundy?" 

"I live for them. I wake up with them, eat with them, and spend my free time trying to prevent them from wrecking anything while raisin' them." 

"You don't sound completely happy about it….?" Maurice could feel it.

"No, I'm alright, I'm as happy as I can be, eh." 

"Mundy, not to me. I know you." 

Mundy sighed. 

"I'm not lying. I am as happy as I can be."

"I have seen you happier."

"That was a long time ago."

"But that means you can be more happy and you are not."

"Maurice…"

"You need to take a break."

Mundy's eyebrows jumped. 

"A break? A break from what? And what d'you want me to do?"

"What do you do Mundy, when you're tired of everything and everyone?" 

"I drive to the desert but I'm not gonna do that, it's freezin' out there and I need to stay in the city to get food for the kitties. I can't go away for too long. And what about you? I'm supposed to work here with you." 

Maurice smiled through his unkempt beard. 

"You need a break. Gather everything you need for you and them and take a couple of weeks off. We can do with one less person."

"Maurice-"

"I don't like to pull ranks but this is an instruction from your boss." Maurice stood up. "If I even see just your shadow roaming around, I will have a serious chat with you, Mundy." He smiled as he went to the door. "And people don't like it when I get serious."

"You're always serious, mate…" Mundy smiled back. "Right, I'll take a few weeks. When d'you expect me back?" 

"When you can be as happy as before." 

"Mate, it would take me more than just a few weeks." 

"Did I stutter?" 

Maurice smiled as he slipped off of the van. Mundy's eyes fell on his fluffy family. 

"Well, you heard it guys. I guess I'm on holidays now." 

[spider-costello]

Yeehawgust: Snake Oil

[[yes i know thats not todays prompt, its yesterdays but look i forgot yesterday and im writing abt a literal dr i HAVE to do ‘snake oil’]]

“...Guaranteed to cure what ails ya! Yessirree, Abernathy’s Miracle Tincture cures coughs, sore throats, flux, skin complaints, dyspepsia, and has even been known to help with a lady’s time of the month!”

The doctor, hearing the well-practiced tone of a salesman, paused and looked around, eyes narrowed behind their mask. The cowhand, not noticing the doctor had stopped, continued walking for several feet before noticing the doctor was no longer beside them.

“Eh? Doc, where’d ya...” They turned in time to see the doctor heading down an alleyway and hurried after them. “Doc, wait up! What is it?”

“Unless my ears deceive me, I hear a Fraud occuring.”

On the other side of the alley, they found a man standing on a box alongside a covered wagon. The man beamed and waved at the small crowd standing around him, then swept a hand at the side of his wagon. The canvas cover was painted with a lurid sign proclaiming it to be the sole source of “Abernathy’s MIRACLE TINCTURE! All-Natural ingredients GUARANTEED to cure most bodily ills!” The salesman laid a hand over his heart, his expression turning mournful. His impeccably waxed mustache drooped as his mouth turned down at the corners.

“I speak from experience, gentle listeners,” he said in lugubrious tones of misery and heartache, “when I say that I owe my very life to this tonic! Oh, you should have seen me! Never a wretch more miserable walked the earth than I! Beset by the foulest humours, weaker than a newborn kitten, unable to take more than the most meager gruel and water, unable to take a breath, my skin spotted like a flea-bitten dog’s! One day, thinking I could no longer stand to live in such misery, I turned to my father’s apothecary shop and most desperately combined as many herbs as I thought would finally end my suffering.” Here he paused to wipe away a tear the doctor doubted existed. Then his expression brightened. “But lo and behold, gentle listeners! My life did not end, but my health returned! Within mere days I was growing strong and healthy! All thanks to this very elixir I hold in my hand!”

He held up a green bottle bearing the same logo as the wagon. The liquid within was thick and glutinous. The salesman, presumably the Abernathy of the sign, pressed the bottle to his chest like a mother with her infant. “I knew I could not keep such a miracle to myself. So I took to the road, and now travel from town to town, offering my humble concoction to any and all who wish to avail themselves of its wonders.”

The doctor crossed their arms. “Rubbish,” they growled. “Can’t be anything more than blackstrap molasses and water at best, the way it moves.” No one else in the crowd seemed to doubt the man, however, for they began forming a queue to buy a bottle. The doctor understood their desperation; out here, it was hard to find good medicines, and while the crows did their best to go wherever they were needed, there were only so many of them. Often as not, people had to make do with whatever they had. But for someone to take advantage of that desperation struck the doctor as more than cruel.

“You gonna do anything?” the cowhand asked. “People listen to crows. If you tell ‘em he’s fulla shit, they’ll run him outta town on a rail.”

The doctor didn’t reply, but stepped out of the alley’s shadow. “What’s in that stuff, then?” they called. “As a doctor, I’d dearly love to know what makes it so effective, so that I can begin offering it to my patients.”

A muttering went through the crowd, and the rush to join the line slowed. The cowhand was right; they wanted to hear what the crow thought. Abernathy looked somewhat nervously at the ones who’d backed away.

“Well, now, I can’t go sharing my recipe with anyone who asks,” he said. “Suppose you’re not a real crow, and I tell a competitor my secrets! After all, you don’t look like a crow, aside from your mask, which you may have acquired illicitly.”

“Oh, I’m a real crow, all right.” The doctor lifted aside their duster to show their tool-belt. “And I earned my mask the way we all do, through exhaustive training and study and work. Every one of us is an apothecary in our own right, not just those of us who choose to specialize in it. If your tincture really works, then surely you have nothing to fear from sharing the recipe with me. I will endorse it wherever I go, provided it’s legitimate.” They lowered their head slightly. “If it’s not, well. I’ll have to see that you never do business again.”

Abernathy looked very nervous now. “I’m sorry, but I shan’t take that risk. I know how doctors work, they think they have all the answers and that we laymen are mere ignorant asses grubbing in the dark!”

“Doc, heads up.” The cowhand, while Abernathy was distracted, had snuck around the crowd and gotten up to the back of the wagon. They tossed a bottle to the doctor.

Heedless of Abernathy’s indignant cries, the doctor uncorked the bottle and held it near one of their mask’s vents. An eye-watering scent of anise reached their nose. They corked the bottle and turned it around, allowing them to see the ingredients listed on the back.

“Molasses, glycerin, syrup of ipecac, cannabis sativa... oh, and laudanum for good measure. ‘Skillfully blended with other minor ingredients.’ Skillfully, hm. ‘Anise for flavor.’ Well.” The doctor looked up at Abernathy. “The most this will do is give any unfortunate person diarrhea, nausea, and a laudanum addiction. None of these will cure anything.”

“Now, now, doctor, some of the ingredients in there have been taken as remedies the world over--”

“Yes, and we used to believe that putting someone in red clothing would cure smallpox.” The doctor lobbed the bottle at Abernathy, who nearly fumbled it, his face turning crimson. The doctor then looked around at the crowd. “I understand your need for reliable medicine. I know how painful it is to see your loved ones suffer and know that help is far away, or too expensive, or otherwise out of your reach. But trust me when I say that this man is a liar and a cheat. There is nothing in here that will do any good for anyone. Trust me.” They pointed to their mask. “Trust my mask. Don’t waste your money on con men.”

The crowd looked at the doctor, then at Abernathy.

“There anything good in there?” one man asked.

“No. Drinking this won’t do a thing for you.”

Gradually, the crowd began to disperse, several casting dark looks at Abernathy, who had completely deflated. There was no arguing medicine with a  crow, he knew; their knowledge was too widely trusted. A few lingered, seemingly willing to take their chances, but they were gently pulled away by friends or family members. Eventually everyone had gone. Abernathy gave the doctor a dark look.

“Now look what you’ve done,” he snapped. “They’re all--”

“Spared from taking your foul muck.” The doctor meaningfully lowered the barrel of their rifle into their other hand, clearly ready to raise it at a moment’s notice. “If I ever catch you peddling this garbage again, I’ll cripple you. I’ve had to treat too many people poisoned by men like you. I’ll be warning the order about you, as well. We’ll see to it that you’re out of business for good.”

Abernathy looked at their rifle, then away. The doctor eyed him a moment longer, then nodded to the cowhand, who jumped out of the wagon and came over. They both turned their backs on Abernathy and headed back the way they’d come.

[thelittlesttimelord]

The Littlest Timelord: The Death of the Doctor Chapter 22

TITLE: The Littlest Timelord: The Death of the Doctor Chapter 22 PAIRING: No Pairing RATING: T CHAPTER: 22/? SUMMARY: The Doctor’s death is looming on the horizon and Elise is growing every day. What the Doctor doesn’t know is that he has 200 years to teach Elise all he knows. Amy, Rory, and River let Elise in on their secret, because River knows she will keep it. What will Elise do when he’s gone?

[A/N - I loved writing these next few chapters.]

The Doctor entered the art room the TARDIS had created for Elise. It was much like her bedroom with a large window at the back that let her look at the stars or wherever they had landed.

Elise was sitting on a huge canvas, her hands a flurry as she painted.

He cleared his throat and she finally looked up. There was a smudge of blue paint above her right eye.

“I have something for you,” he told her.

“What happened?”

“What makes you think I did something?”

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

“I swear nothing happened,” he said, pulling out a record from behind his back.

Elise dropped her paints and ran over to him. The white sleeveless cardigan she wore was splattered with different colors of paint, but she didn’t seem to notice or care. She was also wearing a light blue tank top and skinny jeans. All she was missing was a flower crown in her hair.

She took the record from him. It was by some obscure artist she’d never heard of.

“I know it’s not Bob Dylan or something like that.”

Elise kissed his cheek and said, “It’s perfect.” She walked over to her record player and set it on the turnstile. She placed the needle on the record and soft music started to play. Elise closed her eyes as she listened to it, lightly swaying to the beat.

Elise had flourished in last few years. When they weren’t looking for Melody, they took frequent trips to the 70’s. Elise quickly learned that it was her favorite decade. The fashion, the art, the culture. The only thing they had to be careful of was running into some of his past regenerations.

“Finish up what you’re doing. We’ve got Ponds to pick up.”

“Amy and Rory? But we haven’t seen them in forever.”

The Doctor showed her a newspaper. The headline was about a crop circle, created by Amy and Rory no doubt.

“You going to wear that coat?” Elise asked.

The Doctor played with the longer coat. It wasn’t as long or flowy as his tan one, but it fit him. “Why? What’s wrong with it?” he asked.

Elise shrugged. “Nothing. Just like the tweed one is all.”

The Doctor clapped his hands. “Chop, chop. Finish up.”

Elise rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll meet you in the control room.”

The Doctor smiled as he left the room. Elise was slowly becoming his best friend. He still saw her as a daughter, but he was trying to let up on his overprotective tendencies. She was a teenager now and she’d be wanting more independence soon.

The Doctor bounced up to the console as Elise came into the control room. She’d traded her sleeves cardigan for a simple TARDIS blue hoodie.

They exited the TARDIS as a car stopped in front of them.

The Doctor held up the newspaper in his hand and pointed to it. “Seriously?”

“Well, you never answer your phone,” Rory told him.

“Okay, you've had all summer. Have you found her? Have you found Melody?” Amy asked. She looked at the brunette standing next to the Doctor. “Elise?”

Elise gave her a small wave. “Hi Amy.”

The last time the Ponds had seen her, she looked to be around 10 years old. Now she looked like a human teenager. She was small though, only hitting the Doctor’s chest.

“Wow. You’ve grown! And look at you!” Amy said, “With those blue eyes, the Doctor is gonna be beating the boys off of you with a stick!”

Elise blushed as the Doctor rolled his eyes. The Doctor turned to Rory. “Permission?”

Rory took the newspaper from him. “Granted.”

The Doctor threw his arms around Amy, hugging her.

Rory awkwardly walked up to Elise and cleared his throat. “So…how have you been?”

Elise laughed and hugged Rory.

Rory flipped through the newspaper. “Hang on. What's this bit?”

Elise looked and saw a line going through the design in the photograph that hadn’t been there before.

The Doctor and Amy joined them.

“That wasn't us,” Amy said.

The Doctor snatched it from Rory’s hand and walked around with it.

Then they all heard a motor.

The Doctor lowered the newspaper to see a bright red car driving towards them.

They all screamed and ran out of the way.

“Dad!” Elise said, running to his side. She helped him up as the car skidded to a halt about an inch from the TARDIS.

A young black woman stepped out. “You said he was funny. You never said he was hot,” she said. She looked at Elise. “And hello, Blue Eyes.”

Elise had heard that somewhere before. But where?

“Mels!” Rory scolded her.

“What are you doing here?” Amy asked.

“Following you,” Mels told them, “What do you think?”

“Er, where did you get the car?” Rory asked.

“It's mine. Ish.”

They could hear police sirens.

“Oh, Mels, not again,” Amy whined.

“You can't keep doing this. You're going to end up in prison,” Rory told her.

“Sorry. Hello. Doctor not following this. Doctor very lost,” the Doctor said, “You never said I was hot?”

“Is that the phone box? The bigger on the inside phone box?” Mels asked. She walked over to the TARDIS and ran her hands down the doors. “Oh, time travel. That's just brilliant.”

Elise grabbed her wrists and pulled her away. “Yes, but please don’t touch her.”

Mels smirked at Elise. “Easy there, Blue Eyes. I've heard a lot about you.” She looked the Doctor. “Both of you. I'm their best mate.”

“Then why don't I know you?” the Doctor asked, “I danced with everyone at the wedding. The women were all brilliant. The men were a bit shy.”

“I don't do weddings.”

The sirens were getting closer.

“And that's me out of time.” Mels pulled a gun on the Doctor and Elise jumped in front of him. “Aren’t you daddy’s little girl?” Mels taunted her.

“Mels!” Amy yelled, “What are you doing?”

“For God's sake!” Rory yelled as well. What on earth was she thinking?

“I need out of here, now,” Mels said.

“Anywhere in particular?” the Doctor asked.

“Well, let's see. You've got a time machine, I've got a gun. What the hell. Let's kill Hitler.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They all ran out of the TARDIS, coughing from the smoke.

“Out, out, out! Everybody out. Don't breathe the smoke, just get out!” the Doctor yelled.

“Where are we?” Amy asked.

“A room.”

“What room?” Rory asked.

“I don't know what room. I haven't memorized every room in the universe yet. I had yesterday off. Mels, don't go in there.”

The Doctor grabbed Mels’ gun.

“Oi!” she snapped.

“Bad smoke. Don't breathe the bad, bad, smoke. Bad, deadly smoke because somebody shot my TARDIS!” the Doctor yelled.

Elise did not like this Mels person.

Rory walked over to a man lying on the floor. “Doctor. This guy, I think he's hurt. No, hang on. No, he's fine.”

The Doctor placed the gun in a fruit bowl on the desk as someone stood up. “Ooo, hello. Sorry, is this your office? Had a sort of collision with my vehicle. Faults on both sides, let's say no more about…”

The person straightened up.

“It.”

“Is that? No, it can't be, Doctor?” Amy asked.

“Thank you, whoever you are. I think you have just saved my life,” Hitler told them.

“Believe me, it was an accident,” the Doctor said.

“What is this thing?”

“What did he mean, we saved his life?” Amy asked him, “We could not have just saved Hitler.”

The Doctor stalked over to Mels, where she was standing by Elise. “You see? You see? Time travel, it never goes to plan.”

“This box. What is it?” Hitler asked.

“It's a police telephone box from London, England. That's right, Adolf. The British are coming.”

The man on the floor stood up.

“No, stop him!” Hitler yelled.

The Doctor ducked as Hitler shot the man.

Rory punched Hitler and grabbed his gun. “Sit still, shut up,” he snapped.

Amy went over to the man. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes. Yes, I'm fine. I think he missed,” he said.

“He was going to kill me,” Hitler told them.

“Shut up, Hitler!” Rory yelled.

“Rory, take Hitler and put him in that cupboard over there. Now. Do it,” the Doctor said.

“Right. Putting Hitler in the cupboard,” Rory said, “Cupboard, Hitler. Hitler, cupboard. Come on.” Rory grabbed him by the arm and dragged him over to the cupboard.

“But I am the Fuhrer!”

“Right, in you go!” Rory shoved him into the cupboard.

“Who are you?”

Rory slammed the door shut.

“Are you okay?” the Doctor asked the man.

“Oh, I...” The man then fainted.

“I think he just fainted,” Rory told them.

“Yes, that was a faint. A perfect faint,” the Doctor said.

Amy looked over at Mels, who had her had on her stomach. Elise was on the floor next to her, looking at her with a shocked expression.

“Mels?” Amy asked.

“Hitler…”

“What about him?” the Doctor asked.

“Lousy shot.” Mels collapsed and Elise was by her side in a second. Mels had shoved Elise out of the way to prevent her being shot.

“Mels! Mels!” Amy yelled, running over to them.

The Doctor and Rory followed.

“Rory!” the Doctor yelled.

“No, no, no, no! I've got to stop the bleeding,” Rory said.

“How bad is it? Rory, what can we do?” Amy asked.

“Just keep her conscious. Stay with us, Mels.”

“Hey, look at me. Just hold on,” the Doctor told her.

“I used to dream about you. All those stories Amy used to tell me.”

“What stories? Tell me what stories. Vampires in Venice. That's a belter.”

“When I was little, I was going to marry you.”

“Good idea, let's get married. You stay alive and I'll marry you, deal? Deal?”

“Shouldn't you ask my parents’ permission?”

“As soon as you're well, I'll get on the phone.”

“Might as well do it now, since they're both right here.”

Everyone went still, suddenly realizing who she was.

“Penny in the air.”

Golden energy started to emanate from her body.

The Doctor and Elise realized what was about to happen.

“Penny drops.”

The Doctor grabbed Elise and pulled her away from Mels.

“No!” she screamed, “Let me go!”

“What the hell's going on?” Rory asked.

“Back! Back! Back! Get back!” the Doctor yelled as he dragged his struggling daughter away from her.

“Let me go!” Elise yelled.

Mels stood up. “Last time I did this, I ended up a toddler in the middle of New York.”

“Okay, Doctor, explain what is happening, please,” Amy said.

“Mels,” the Doctor said, “Short for…”

“Melody,” Mels supplied.

“Yeah. I named my daughter after her,” Amy told him.

“You named your daughter after your daughter.”

“It took me years to find you two. I'm so glad I did. And you see? It all worked out in the end, didn't it. You got to raise me after all,” Mels said.

“You're Melody?” Amy asked.

“But if she's Melody, that means that she's also…” Rory said.

“Shut up, Dad. I'm focusing on a dress size,” she snapped. She threw her arms out as she regenerated into a woman they all knew.

The woman Elise called her mother.

River Song.

[reidandweep]

New Feelings

Otis Milburn x Reader (female)

A/N- So this is part 2 to my last story ‘New Faces.’ I could not believe the response to the first part. Thank you so much.

Word Count- 2064 words

Warning- Sexual references and swear words. 

Previously on New Faces…

“You should see my other Star Wars tattoo.”

Otis perked up.

“Where is it?”

Facing the board, her eyes moved back to Otis’ face. The smirk still present. 

“On my arse.” She joked.

Otis’ eyes bulged out of his head as he spluttered out a cough. His face returning back to the colour it was not long ago.

Yeah. 

She was definitely going to fit in.

3 months later…

“Are you going to give it me or not?” 

Y/N kept her eyes locked with Otis’. They had been at this for 20 minutes.

They had arrived to lunch together. Eric and Adam having ditched them to go to the music room and, as Adam liked to describe it, “Teach Tromboner how to blow his trombone better.” Maeve and Aimee were in the asbestos toilets, having their own time. Then there was Y/N and Otis, who were arguing over a yogurt.  

Otis’ hands gripped tightly to his lunch box. Pulling it closer to his chest every time the girl across from him raised her hands towards him.

“You had my yogurt yesterday. You are not having it today.” He replied.

Y/N rolled her eyes, knowing that this argument was a waste of time. Every day since the second week she had been in their group, she had asked Otis for something from his lunch. She knows he packs extra food for her. He knows she never eats breakfast. They just both like the game of trying to make the other back down first.

She knew that she would have that yogurt. She always wins. Otis knows this too. But he loves seeing the smile on her face whenever she ‘wins’ this little competition they have.

Making her eyes wide, and pulling her lips into a pout, Y/N began to beg.

“Please Otis. You know I forgot to have breakfast- “

“You never have breakfast.”

“Besides the point. But you have yogurt and I L.O.V.E yogurt. Especially the ones with the packaging shaped like the fruit they taste like. So, it must be fate that our Jean packed that exact type of yogurt for you this morning. That Jean just loves to tease me.”

Rolling his eyes, Otis opened his lunch box, grabbing the item she had been talking about since the start of lunch. Placing it into her hands, he smiled.

“There you go. Once again, you’re lucky I packed an extra one just in case this happened.”

Squealing she ripped open the seal, instantly going to eat the item. Right before she took her long-awaited gulp, she looked at the boy in front of her.

“Thanks Doctor.”

That nickname. That smile. That girl. She was one of few who have ever made his stomach flutter.

Placing his focus back onto his own lunch, Otis began to eat the sandwich his mother had packed.

Throwing her empty package onto the table, Y/N grabbed the post it from inside Otis’ lunch bag.

“So, what’s the sex fact of the day from our Jean?”

His mother had been doing this ever since Y/N had called Otis’ home for the first time. She had initially called for Otis to give her his new number, having forgotten to do so at school. She was too impatient to ask for it the next day. Jean had answered the phone and the two women had, what Y/N described, the ‘most empowering conversation about the female body.’ She had learned more about sex and the body in that one conversation than she had her whole life. Since then, Jean had been leaving facts in Otis’ lunch for her to read. Otis was at first mortified, but now, he was happy that his mum liked Y/N so much.

Clearing her voice, she sat up straighter. In the poshest voice she could muster, Y/N read the fact to Otis.

“The world’s largest erection is 13.5 inches long. When flaccid, it measures at 9.5 inches. Wow Otis, if you just wanted me to know how big your dick was, you could just show me.”

Not expecting the fact, or the statement after, Otis began to choke on his sandwich. Y/N laughing as her friend struggled to swallow his food. 

Successfully swallowing his bite, Otis cleared his throat.

“Your face. Man, that was funny.”

A deep red travelled from Otis’ face to his neck. 

Clearing his throat, Otis gulped down his water, trying to cool down the redness that had enveloped his skin. 

Y/N’s laughter turned into a small giggle. Picking up her yogurt, she continued to eat it, the post it still in her hand. 

Noticing that her friend had become silent, she placed her yogurt down. 

Reaching her hand over to his, she grabbed Otis’ hand that laid on the table. 

“I’m sorry. I know you don’t necessarily appreciate Jean’s notes and referencing to sex, unless it’s business for the clinic. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable.”

He was stunned, to say the least. 

“No it was a jo-ke. I- I’m fine. Honestly.”

She looked back at Otis unsure. To show that he was fine with her joke, he grabbed the hand she had placed on his a few moments before.

It was now Y/N’s turn to be stunned. It was now her turn to blush.

Otis saw that the girl was turning red. Becoming embarrassed, he went to remove his hand. 

Y/N tightened her grip and smiled at the boy in front of her. 

The two looked at each other in silence, hand’s linked across the table, and eyes connected. Smiles embedded on both of their faces.

Their moment was soon broken, as the bell rung for the next lesson. 

Collecting their rubbish, the pair began to pack their bags, both replying the moment in their minds. 

What did this mean for them? What did it mean about how they felt?

But one this for sure, Y/N was not going to let it just be a moment. 

Once they had packed everything away, Y/N and Otis began to head to Biology. Opening the canteen door, Otis let Y/N through. As he closed the door behind him, Y/N reached out for his left hand. Slipping her hand to interlock with his. 

Otis’ gaze bore into the linked hands, as Y/N began to complain about the upcoming test, as though she hadn’t just shocked the crap out of the young boy’s system. 

“Y/N?”

Stopping her rant, she turned her head towards Otis.

“What’s up doc?”

“What does this mean?” he questions.

She knew what he was referring to, but Y/N wanted him to acknowledge it for what it was.

Feigning innocence, she shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Licking his lips, he came to a halt in the corridor. As their hands were still, very much, connected, Y/N was forced to a stop. 

The girl turned towards him, as the bodies of other students swerved around them to get to their respected classes.

‘We’re holding hands. You grabbed my hand, twice, and now were holding hands.”

A gasp leaves her mouth.

“Oh my god. We are holding hands! Well done Doc. You’ve found the answer to the cure.”

Otis licked his lips. His face was serious, causing Y/N’s face to fall.

“Why are we holding hands?”

Y/N looked into his bright blue eyes. Looking into the face of the boy she has grown very fond of in the past two months. Whose presence makes her weak at the knees and do embarrassing things like joke about his penis and hold his hand without even asking.

Otis looked back, uncertain of what she was going to do next. 

“It… it just feels right. Okay Otis?”

She began to get nervous under his gaze.

“Now I want to know why you’re holding mine?” she questioned.

Otis looked down at the girl before him. The girl who had come to know him in such detail that she could rival Eric. Who didn’t question his issues with intimacy or the fact he runs a sex clinic. Who has made him more comfortable in himself. So comfortable, that he is holding her hand. No sweating. No panic attacks. No fear.

“Because I want to.” He replied. 

She blinked. Surprised at his response, as she had come to know of Otis’ shyness and insecurities with intimacy. So, for him to tell her, without turning red or stuttering, that he is holding her hand back because he wanted to, changed a lot of things.

“Okay then.” 

“Alright.”

The warning bell rang around them, bringing them out of the bubble they had created. 

Realising that they were, indeed, going to be late, Otis began to speed walk to Biology. Y/N matching his pace with a light jog. 

Laughter escaped her lips.

‘Slow down. Your legs are a lot longer than mine.”

Laughing in response, he slowed down ever so slightly. Quickly coming to a halt outside of their Biology class.

With his free hand, Otis once again held the door open for Y/N. Following closely behind here to their seats. 

As they walked towards their seats, multiple pair caught the linked hands between the pair. Eric and Adam were two of those pairs. With his mouth wide open and eyes wide in shock, Eric followed his friend’s movements to the seats behind him. Watching as they let each other go so that they could get out their books and equipment.

Swivelling in his seat, Eric turned to the pair.

“So?”

Otis looked towards is best friend.

“So, what?”

Eric rolled his eyes leaning in to Adam as he rubbed his boyfriend’s back. 

“When did this happen? We leave you two alone for one lunch time and you walking around, holding hands, like an old married couple.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, a playful smile falling across her lips. Otis stuttered, his previous confidence having dissipated. 

Looking towards Otis, Y/N smiled. Dropping her pen to once again grabbed the boy’s hand beside her. His fingers instantly interlocking back into the spaces between hers.

“You mean this?”

Eric looked between their hands and their faces.

“Yes, I mean that. What else would I mean?”

Otis stayed silent. Not knowing how to answer his best friend. Adam had turned around at the commotion his boyfriend was making. Looking between the two behind him, he smirked.

“Finally grew some balls did you Oatmeal? Told her how you feel and shit? Because if you did, Maeve owes me £20.”

Otis’ eyes bulged out of his head. Trying to stutter out an answer. Eric whipped his head to his boyfriend, staring him down.

“Obviously not you dickhead. Or else he wouldn’t be choking on his words, now would he?”

Through the bickering between the couple, and Otis spluttering out his reply, Y/N sat by the boy, looking down at her lap with a small smile.

Looking towards Otis, their eyes met once more. She began to stroke the back of his hand with her thumb. 

“Maybe you can tell me how you feel at your place, after school?”

Otis quickly nodded.

“And I can maybe tell you how I feel as well.” She continued.

Once again nodding, Otis smiled at Y/N.

Watching the whole conversation unfold, Eric turned back to the front of the class, leaning into Adam.

���Who knew leaving them alone for one lunch time would lead to that?”

Adam rolled his eyes.

“I did. I said let’s ditch the virgins, so they can do their shit and we can go fuck in the music room.”

Eric pushed his boyfriend, tutting at his reply. 

As they all sat in idol conversation, Mr Hendricks began his lesson.

“Now who can tell me a fact about the human anatomy?”

Y/N instantly raised her free hand. Her writing hand still holding Otis’.

“Y/N?”

“Well my lunchbox told me today that the world’s largest erection is 13.5 inches long.”

The class laughed as Mr Hendricks tried to calm them down. 

“Well, thank you for the fact Y/N.” he stuttered.

“Your welcome sir.”

Y/N giggled as Mr Hendricks continued to teach the class about the basic structure of the human anatomy. 

Quickly catching Otis’ gaze, she leaned into him to whisper. 

“At least I didn’t tell them whose penis I suspect it to be.”

Looking back at her, for the first time in his life, Otis believed he was falling in love.

A/N- I don’t know whether to turn this into a series or not. If you want a part 3, let me know. x

[whosxafraid]

Meme: SEND 📔 + A SUBJECT FOR A JOURNAL ENTRY WRITTEN BY MY MUSE. Status: Open URL: @brooklynislandgirl​

March 18, 2007

Da,

I’m 20 today. 

We added five more pairs of boots to the line. Five more flags. It’s so quiet, even with the ringing still in me ears. Sun went down two hours ago, it’s like a graveyard out there. Still. Everyone’s on edge, like we’re all collectively holding our breath. Maybe its just me. I don’t know.

I didn’t have an expectation on what this was going to be like when I started but this is, this is something else. I can feel meself shaking, legs bouncing but I look down and they’re not moving. It’s like every little sound--guy a bunk over coughs or a squeak of the frame, makes me twitch. Makes my lungs freeze up waiting for something else

it’s 0305 i haven’t’ slept. can’t. doc says im fine. Some tape and some fix all I’ll be okay. Couldn’t bring meself to really care at the time. The water ran red for ages, still feel it sticking to me skin. Patch on me arm says i was ready for this but I dont know if I really am.

Guess i’m gonna find out. Got new orders. Headed out at 0600 tomorrow. For now we’re told to sleep while we can. But with that artillery so close I’m thinking none of us are going to be getting much of that. It’s like listening to god whistle out of tune. Or it would if I thought for a fucking second He was anywhere in this godforsaken sand.

I miss you.

-Boyo

He folds the old letter up along its worn lines. Tucks it back into the box he’d pulled it from. The box subsequently set back into the furthermost reaches of the nightstand drawer that’s closed right after. It might be stupid, but it helps sometimes. Helps remind him why he started, where he was when he did. And why no matter what he’s not going to give up. That he’s got the stuff to do what needs to be done and nothing about that will be shaken. No matter how hard or how long the road.

A deep breath taken, held and released words on the tailcoats of it, as muscles tense and pulls himself up on his fee, to conquer that teen feet from bed to bathroom.

           “Only easy day was yesterday.”

[crystalninjaphoenix]

The Day it Almost Ended

Septics Inverted

A JSE Fanfic

A little bit shorter than the other stories, but it’s a pretty simple one so eh. It started out as “what’s a normal day in this household like?” and then I threw the Pax Anti video in there because that needs an explanation in this AU. And, uh, yeah, that’s it. Stuff happens because of that

Read the intro story: Part One | Part Two

Various other AU-related stuff found here

Taglist: @evyptids​ @awkward-bullshit​ @watermelonsinmyattic​ @asunachinadoll @a-humble-narcissus @metautske​ @odysseus-is-best-boi​ @acuriousquail @beerecordings

Jack woke up with a pounding headache. For a moment, he tried to remember if there was a reason for that, but when he couldn’t come up with anything he gave up. Must just be a bad day. He groaned, and rolled over to look at the clock. It was nine-thirty. That meant it was time to get up. He sighed, then managed to pry himself away from his bed. He stumbled toward the dresser, grabbed some clothes, then considered taking a shower. He decided against it; he was too tired and the water would just wash out the color in his hair. After getting dressed he climbed down the stairs to the kitchen. And then he realized he could hear the shouting. Already? It was so early.

“Some of us have a personal life, unlike you, discount Punisher!”

“I have a personal life, bitch, I think the word you’re looking for is ‘limits,’ and in that case you’re the one lacking!”

“Well I’m fucking sorry that I want to do more with my life than jump around in spandex beating the shit out of criminals!”

“Do more with your life?! I’d say that—”

Jack walked into the kitchen, and everything immediately stopped. “Morning guys,” he yawned. “Glad to see we’re off to a fantastic start today.”

Nobody said anything. Jackie was standing by the toaster, glaring at Marvin, who was in turn standing behind the counter and glaring right back. Chase was sitting at the dining table, picking at his scrambled eggs. After an awkward silence, he looked up and said, “Hey Jack. Didja sleep well?”

“Yeah. I have a headache, though, so maybe I slept too long. Did someone make breakfast or is it a free-for-all?”

Chase pointed towards the fridge with his fork. “There’s still some leftover eggs from yesterday in there, but if you don’t want those you’re gonna have to fend for yourself.”

The toaster popped. Everyone jumped. The atmosphere in the room was way too tense for sudden noises. Jackie sighed, the plucked the two bagel halves out of the slots, then strolled over to the silverware drawer, grabbed a butter knife, grabbed some butter from the cupboard, and began applying said butter to the bagel. He did this all while not looking away from Marvin, who was standing still as a statue.

“You know what? I’m just gonna...grab some cereal.” Jack edged around the staring contest, quickly getting the box from the cupboard and some milk from the fridge before power-walking over to the table and sitting down next to Chase. “Where are the others?” he asked.

“Still asleep,” Chase explained.

“Yeah, I figured Schneep would be.” The doctor’s clinic was usually open all night, so his sleep schedule was pretty off. “But Jameson?”

“He was out late. You know that, uh...fuck I can’t remember what it’s called. The, like, police charity gala? He got an invitation and went.”

“Huh. Didn’t know he knew anyone in the police.”

“Apparently it’s a new thing.” Chase shrugged. He glanced over towards Jackie and Marvin. “Jesus, they’re still...hey, are you two losers goin’ to actually eat or are you too busy having a Mexican stand-off but with eyes?”

“Fuck off, Chase,” Marvin said automatically. “You know what? I have better things to do. See you guys later, unhopefully.” He turned and left.

“That’s not a word!” Jackie called after him, causing a flurry of purple sparks to shoot towards his head. He barely ducked in time.

“What is with you two?” Jack griped. “Why are you always about to tear each other’s throats out?”

Jackie sighed. “It’s just...he’s a dick, but he thinks I’m one.”

“Don’t worry about it, man.” Chase said. “It’s not like they’re out to murder each other or anything. It’s...well, maybe I should have done a personality assessment for potential roommates. They’re too different.” He shoved a bit of breakfast into his mouth before continuing. “Anyway, what were you planning on doing today? More recording, or do you want to go down to the shop with me?”

“Probably just the first thing.” Jack sighed. “But god, that’s gonna be hard with this headache.”

“You can do it, man! I believe you can power through it!”

“Thanks, dude.” Jack rubbed his head. “Guess I’ll have to, huh?”

“Yeah. But it’ll be okay. I promise.”

After a bit, Jack went back upstairs. Chase immediately turned to Jackie. “Dude, if you’re going to shout at Marvin, can you shout things that won’t clue Jack in?” he hissed.

“What? What did I say?”

“It was what you were about to say. You were like, ‘more out of life, I’ll say that’ and then you stopped when Jack came in and I just know if he hadn’t you were gonna end up mentioning Marvin’s...you know.”

“Oh, you mean murdering people and worse in the basement?!”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean!” Chase coughed, uncomfortable. “Look, I get it, Marvin’s...yeah...but Jack can’t find out! He’ll freak, and you know that! Plus, you’re giving Jameson extra work and he has a life outside of us. I don’t think it’s a good idea to piss him off when he could decide to leave at any time.”

Jackie thought about this, then sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. But if I have to listen to him brag about his ‘discoveries’ one more time...” He didn’t finish the threat, just clenched his fist like he was dramatically squashing a bug.

Chase rolled his eyes. “You don’t have this problem with Schneep,” he muttered.

“Th-that—that’s different! Henrik’s a doctor, we need him. And he’s all...well...y’know, so I can’t blame him. Plus, he doesn’t call me a no-good do-gooder under his breath every time he sees me.” Jackie took a bite out of his bagel. “I’m goin’ upstairs to check the web, text me if you need anything.”

Chase gave a little salute. “Will do, Mr. Boy Man.”

Jack took a break from recording around noon, coming back downstairs for a quick lunch before heading on to the next game. He passed Schneep and Jameson in the living room, the former curled up on a couch with headphones and his phone and the latter sitting in an armchair with a book. They weren’t talking, though for all he knew Jameson actually was but he was projecting to Schneep alone. Jack waved to them, but neither responded. That was okay. He made himself a quick sandwich/chips combo, ate fast, then went back upstairs.

“Jack! Wait a moment.”

Jack stopped where he was on the staircase, looking back down. “Yeah, doc?”

“You were not planning on going to the Pax this year, were you?”

“Uh...” Jack bit his lip, trying to remember. “No, I...I think I decided there was too much to do here, and travel was too hard.” He gripped the banister tightly. He was feeling dizzy all of a sudden, his vision going in spirals. “Anyway, why?”

“Well..” Schneep held his phone up for Jack to see. “...because there is now a video on your channel called ‘Pax Special Announcement/Surprise.’”

Jack felt his heart stop. “I...didn’t upload that. You don’t think...?”

“It is possible. I have not watched it yet. Do you want to join me?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’ll be good.” Jack climbed back down the stairs, settling on the couch next to Schneep, leaning over his shoulder to stare at the tiny screen of the phone.

The video started out...normal. Jack, or someone who looked like Jack, began by saying “Well hello there! Before we get right into this, I just want to come right out and say I won’t be going to Pax this year. I’m really sorry guys, but unfortunately life is...being a bitch right now...” A small giggle. “And I just can’t make it. There’s so much planning that you need to put into travelling, and I’m still sort of behind on videos from the time I was sick—”

“When was I sick?” Jack blurted out.

{Back in January.} Both Schneep and Jack startled at the mental interjection. They looked over to Jameson. {Don’t you remember? It was after that disturbing dream you had, right before Marvin strengthened the wards. You were bedridden for a week, it was horrible.}

“Oh. Yeah, uh, now I remember. Thanks, dude.”

The “Jack” onscreen was still talking. “—actually originally planned on going, and I filmed a speci-sp̵e͏ci̧a̕l̀ vide͏o͞ for you guys, to show there.” That glitch didn’t go unnoticed by Jack. “I figured it wouldn’t do anyone any good just sitting on my hard drive, so I might as well post it. But first, you guys have to do something. You know how much I love audience interaction, so what I need you to do is all take out your phones. Or, you know, your iPad, anything with a camera. I’ll just...wait a minute. This is—it’s kinda awkward, isn’t it? But you’re all ready now? Okay, so what you hav͟e͟ tó ̧d͢o iś—̢” The video was interrupted by a horrible, electronic breaking sound as the screen went black. But the visual came back, severely lowered in quality and lagging. “—place ̸yo̕ur̕ p̶h̡o̡ne̢ in͟ you̷r̕ ͝han̡d͝,̡ ̴an͝d̀ ͝j͏ust—” another glitch to black.

Jack glanced at Schneep, who only gave him a worried look. Then, the video returned, red and green pixels flashing across the screen, partially hiding images that...they looked familiar to Jack. Maybe he played games like that? But they seemed more real than anything. Then, black. Nothing except for a question, echoing. “A͡re you ̷th̢ere?” Jack found he was nodding. Why was he nodding?

And then he was there. His appearance was slightly different, more align with Jack’s than his own, most noticeable in the green hair and the lack of an eye-patch. But there was no mistaking the knife, or the bloody bandages around his neck. “Lo͢o̕k ͞a̵t you al͝l̴! ́J͏u͢st sittiņg͟ ͟t̴heŕe—y̷o̧u͝ t́ho̶u͢g̨ht it̵ wa͠s ov̶e̶r̛—no̶t͟ ̷w͝o̸rryi͏n͢g̨ a̵b̢o͝ùt ͞a͝ny̧t͏h̵i̵ng͝. Yòu a͝ll͞ t̢h͟ought I ̀wa̶s ̶gon͞e͡...̵b͢ut̡ I͏'͟ve b̨e̸e͡ń ḩere̴ this͡ ͏entire ̕t͡im͟e!͡ ̢Kee͏pi͢n̷g an—̶ e͏͖͖͉̗̞y͇̭̞͓̗̰͡è̫ ̮̥̜͖̞͕o̼̗̪̬̻̰̳̕n͖̥̫͍̫̝ ̤̣͟t͎hi͖̥̱n̡̻̞̭͉̲̱̖g̱̰̤̬̫̥ș̜. Yơu͢ s̀t̀opped̨ pa̡yi̵ng ̡a͢t̶te̡nti͟on!̕ We͡l̶l, I̧ ho͏pe yo͏u'ŕe̛ happ̸y. Ỳou ca̡n't͢ se͏e t́he͞ ̛s͠ig͞ǹs.̛ ̀Thręw m͢ȩ asidè! Did̶n't̴ r̡e̵ad͏ t͢he ͝warn͝i̸n̛gs.̸ I'm̨ ͞not g̷o̸ing̕—͠a̢n̷yw̢he̵r͝e̕!̷ ͡I̸'m̨ ͡alwa̢y͡s ͝the̶re, Aļ́w̨ą͠ys̶ Wa͠t̀͟c̵h͞͞in̴̡g.̀ They ca̶n̸'̛t͝ ̡get ri͢d ̧o͞f͞ m͟e.” One final cut, and...“E̕nj͏o̴y your ̴'v̀id̷e̢os͟.'̷” The words sounded bitter.

A few more seconds of dark silence, and then the video ended. Jack leaned back. “What...what does it mean?” he asked, a tremble in his voice.

“I think it is a warning.” Schneep turned off his phone. “To your viewers, saying he is still there, and to us, saying he can get inside the channel whenever he wants. He could make how many fake videos and ruin your life.”

“He wouldn’t do that.” Jack didn’t know where the words had come from. Yes, of course he would, he was a monster, he was a demon...and yet...he had the strangest, niggling feeling in the back of his mind.

{Jack, I think your eye friend wants your attention.}

“Wh—Sam!” Jack looked over to the tank in the corner of the room. They’d made it relatively recently, because he hadn’t really...trusted them with the secret of Sam’s existence. But he’d decided they were safe. So he told them. He couldn’t remember the actual moment he did so, but how else would they have found out about Sam?

Jack rushed over to the tank. Sam had been bonking on the lid, looking at him. “What is it, bud?” Sam wanted to see the video. “Well, Schneep can bring his phone over—” No, that wouldn’t work. He scared Sam. “C’mon, Sam, you gotta get over this.” Sam would not. They knew something was off, they didn’t like the way he looked at them. “Well, if you insist. Hang on, I’ll open the tank and you can come upstairs, I’ll show you on my computer.” Sam thought that was a good idea.

With a little effort, Jack pried the lid off the tank and Sam burst out in a spurt of green liquid. They immediately settled on Jack’s shoulder. “Comfortable?” They were. “Alright. Hang on, then.” Jack dashed upstairs. Jameson and Schneep watched him go in silence.

“How do they talk?” Schneep asked. “It has no mouth but Jack understands it just fine!”

{I’m...not quite sure, to be honest,} Jameson admitted. {If it’s a form of telepathy it’s not one I can detect. Jack just seems to know what Sam is feeling. They are definitely connected somehow.}

“Fascinating...” Schneep turned his phone back on, opening up the YouTube video again. “I think we will have to go over this with the others, yes?”

{Indeed.} Jameson stood up, then took Jack’s vacant spot on the couch. {I could feel a definite shift in Jack during that video. I believe Anti thought it would help jog his memory.}

“But how did he do this? How did he reach into Jack’s channel? And how did he change his appearance to match closer to Jack’s? Can he shift shape?”

{My good doctor, I think you need to calm down and focus on the more immediately problem. Jack cannot remember.}

“True, true...but someday I want to find the answers to these questions. And maybe I can answer my questions about Jack’s eye as well. Anyway, will you need to undo his mess?”

{Hmm...perhaps not. I’ll wait until the end of the day to see if there’s any lasting effect. But if there is...I think I may need to strengthen my approach, if one glitch’s video can break through it without too much difficulty.}

Jack was starting to get uneasy. After he showed Sam the video, he’d scrolled down through the comments, reading the viewers’ reactions. He thought he’d done something like this before...looking for the viewers freaking out in reaction to a video he posted. But when would that have happened? He was a gamer, he never uploaded anything this level of shocking. The closest it got was Halloween, but he’d been scared then because Anti was taking over...that...was how it went down, wasn’t it? He just couldn’t shake the feeling of the glitch over his shoulder, but not...in a hostile way...

Most of the comments were very typical. Along the lines of  “Aaaaaaah oh my god Anti is here!!! Aaaaaaa!!!” But there were a couple theories, comparing this sudden dropped video to the Halloween one, which had been built up.

Well, if he was looking for theories, he needed to be on a different website. On a whim, he switched over and searched up the jacksepticeye tab, scrolling through the results. Lots more of the “Ohmigodanti” reactions. He kept refreshing the search, looking for new...yeah, he definitely remembered doing this before. Only now there was Sam with him, instead of...but that wasn’t possible.

Then, he came across a post. Just a single question: “Does anyone else think that Anti isn’t, well, particularly evil?” Reading that, Jack felt...he didn’t know how he felt. Like he’d just remembered something, but there was nothing there. Most of the responses to the post were like “He possessed Jack and slit his throat, how is that not evil?” and that seemed the rational response...it was, wasn’t it? 

Boop. The sound of his text alert startled Jack out of his...whatever this was. He picked up his phone from where he’d dropped it on his desk and read the text from Chase: Dude, are you coming down for dinner or what?

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered to himself. “Sam, you ready to go back in the tank or do you want to hang around a bit more? I...miss hanging out with you. We don’t do it as much.” Sam missed it too, but they wanted to return to the tank. It was safe, and they didn’t think his friends were. “They’re fine, Sam. If they wanted to, like, murder me they would have done it by now.” Sam was worried about him. “...thanks, bud. I appreciate it, but everything is okay.” Sam wasn’t sure about that, but if Jack insisted.

Dinner was the only time when everyone was home and awake to eat at the same time, so it was usually an event. Jackie or Jameson usually cooked, and they all sat at the table and made (sometimes awkward) conversation. There wasn’t really a defined seating arrangement, but they all sort of fell into the same pattern. Jackie and Marvin sat as far away as possible from each other, Jack usually sat next to Chase, or sometimes Jameson or Jackie, Schneep usually sat near Jackie or occasionally Chase, and Jameson sat near Marvin. There were only so many ways to sit with those requirements.

It was spaghetti night, because neither Jackie nor Jameson felt like cooking and spaghetti was easy. Jack was hungry, but he couldn’t bring himself to do more than pick at the noodles. He had too many thoughts, and they all contradicted each other.

“You okay, Jack?” Jackie asked.

“Uh...yeah, I’m just...thinking.”

“About what?”

“Well...I don’t know.” Jack dropped the fork. “You all saw that video on the channel today?”

Everyone nodded. “Are you going to delete it?” Chase asked.

“Maybe. But...after watching it, I feel...” Jack put his head in his hands. “I feel...like I’m forgetting something. Or that something is wrong. And I keep thinking about Anti, and I think I have weird memories...and Sam is worried about me...”

“Okay, that’s cool.” Marvin didn’t seem to be paying attention. He kept glancing toward Jameson.

“Maybe your headache is just playing tricks on your brain, Jack!” Schneep suggested. “That is a thing that can happen if it is bad enough.”

“Really?” Jack was skeptical. He would know about that, wouldn’t he?

“I think you need to get your mind off things,” Marvin said. “Hey, Jameson and I are working on something, and we need a third person. You wanna help?”

“I...literally don’t know anything about magic.”

“Well, that’s okay. We just need you to observe what happens, take notes, tell us if you feel anything, like, psychically. Not too hard.”

“I don’t...” Jack paused. It wouldn’t hurt to help them out, would it? {No, it wouldn’t.} And it could help him forget this whole mess of a day...{it seemed like a good idea.} “Alright, if you insist. After dinner.”

And indeed, after they’d all finished Jack followed Marvin and Jameson down into the basement. The other three, stuck cleaning up, exchanged looks.

“You don’t think...this will have any side effects, do you?” Chase asked.

“I hope not,” Jackie muttered.

“What kind of side effects?” Schneep asked.

“I don’t know! Just!” Chase glared in the general direction of the basement door. “That’s my friend! And I don’t know if this new thing will work. Doesn’t it seem kind of risky to have two people doing the spell at the same time? Like, they’d distract each other?”

“I think it will be fine,” Schneep said dismissively. “Jameson is knowledgeable, and Marvin is very skilled. They will be fine together.”

“Well...I guess this is our best option,” Jackie said reluctantly. “Still never liked this whole...thing, but...”

“It will be fine.” Schneep’s voice left no room for argument. “You will see.”

Jack woke up with purple at the edges of his vision. It faded away. He wondered why that was, and then he forgot what he was wondering about. He felt great.

To his surprise, when he came downstairs to get something to eat before starting the day, everyone was awake. That was something he’d only seen maybe twice since joining the household. Schneep, Jameson, and Marvin were all in the living room, and Chase and Jackie were sitting at the table eating in the kitchen/dining room. “Is there an event or something?” he asked. “Why is everyone awake? Did all our sleep schedules just align?”

“Oh hi Jack!” Chase said. “You feeling alright?”

“Yeah, actually. Pretty good! I might do some VR games today, full of that energy.”

“Nice, dude. Here, I got you some toast.”

“Aw, thanks.” As he sat at the table, munching, he felt...like he was forgetting something. “Hey, uh, what day is it?”

“Friday,” Marvin called from the living room.

“Uh, actually I meant date. I think my phone’s off.”

“It’s the tenth of March,” Jackie said. “Why?”

“I just felt like there was...something I was supposed to be doing. But I think it must be because I’m not at Pax this year. I had my panel scheduled for today until I had to cancel it.”

Chase shrugged. “Well, unfortunately travel difficulties don’t just go away.”

“Yeah.” Jack finished off the toast. “I’m goin’ back up now. You guys know where to find me.” He disappeared up the stairs.

Everyone left collectively relaxed. “Either he is a better actor than he thought, or he really does not remember what happened the day before yesterday.” Schneep breathed a sigh or relief.

“And...you’re sure I’ll never have to do that again?” Marvin asked, turning to Jameson. “I have more important stuff to do with my day.”

{Relax, Marvin.} Jameson waved away his concern. {Now that the spell’s set in motion, it can run on its own energy. It just needs to be kicked into gear every week or so, and that is something I can do on my own.}

“Alright. Okay. Good, we’re all good.” Chase laughed nervously. “God, that was close. We almost lost him.”

Across the city, a screen was smashed. Then the smasher immediately regretted it. That security monitor was an important window into what the hell was going on in that house, he really needed to stop this.

Anti forced himself to breathe, the strange, steadying motion bringing him back down to earth. It was okay. He’d just adapt. First, he’d see if he could still reach Jack through the combination of the house’s wards and the mind spell, whichever spell it may be. Then, he’d get a new screen. Then, he’d figure out what, exactly, this new and improved method was. It was fine. It was fine. He just had to try again. Some of the keener fans were starting to catch on, though they still thought this was all a game. So that was a helpful thing that came out of this.

But still, it stung knowing he’d almost had him back.

[chasespero]

Thasmin prompt: 13 gets her period and Ya life helps to explain things and comforts her! I’m waiting for that one :(((

Okay so this was only supposed to be a small fic but it kinda turned into a much longer one! I hope you enjoy it and thank you for the prompt.

Yaz, Ryan and Graham were standing together in the Tardis console room, the adrenaline had all but gone now and all that was left was memories of the mission they had just completed. Rogue aliens, diving bullets and saving different species. It was dangerous but exhilarating! The Doctor had promised to take them back to Sheffield after and that’s where the Tardis was right now, just outside of Yaz’s. The three of them started talking about what they were going to do now that the mission was over and they were in Sheffield but soon stopped when the Doctor came bustling into the room holding her stomach and groaning. 

“Doc what is it?” Graham asked as Yaz was by the Doctor’s side in seconds.

“Pain, terrible pain in my stomach and I’m sweating, my back aches. I can’t be sick! I never get sick.” Just as the Time Lord said this, a jolt of pain went through her stomach and she held it once more. 

Ryan and Graham looked on with concern but Yaz thought about it for a moemnt and had a feeling she knew what was going on. 

“Doctor…I think you’re having a period.” Yaz said softly. 

“A period?” The Doctor questioned then she glanced at Yaz and her eyes widened. 

“Of course, oh I was a man before, now I’m a woman. Periods, ugh periods why?!” The Doctor whined and Yaz turned to Ryan and Graham.

“I’m taking the Doctor to mine.” 

Ryan looked dumbfounded.

“What for?” Ryan asked. 

“Women’s problems.” Yaz simply said and Ryan nodded and looked at Graham.

“We’ll be off then.” Ryan said quickly. 

“Meet back here tomorrow?” Graham said and they all agreed. 

“Ugh.” The Doctor groaned when the two men left and Yaz held her arm around the older woman. 

“Come on, I’m taking you to mine, I have some sanitary items, a hot water bottle and a nice bed.” 

“Yaz’s bed? Oh that sounds good.” The Doctor said and Yaz blushed, she hurried the Doctor out of the Tardis and right up to her front door and opened it. 

“Yasmin Khan is that you?” Najia’s voice rang out as she walked into the hallway.

“Hi mum, yeah it’s me, gotta go though I’ll be in my room.” Yaz said with a quick smile.

“Hi Yaz’s mum, nice to see you again.” The Doctor said wincing and Najia looked at the Doctor than at Yaz.

“We’ll talk later and Yaz no funny business!” Najia said and Yaz looked mortified, she grabbed hold of the Doctor’s hand and took her upstairs to her room. 

As soon as the door opened, the Doctor went straight towards the bed and lay down, she bought her legs up to her chest and Yaz quickly went to the bathroom. She hunted through some drawers and found some sanitary items, pads and tampons. She picked them up and placed them on the side and went back to her room. She sat down on her bed and rested her hand on the Doctor’s leg.

“Come with me, I’ve got some supplies in the bathroom.” 

The Doctor stood up carefully and Yaz followed her through to the bathroom, with an easy talk of what and where the items were Yaz left the Doctor to it and waited for her in her bedroom. When the Doctor re-emerged she looked a little pale and Yaz pulled back the covers and patted the bed. 

“I’ll go get some paracetamol and a nice hot chocolate.” 

“Mm amazing you are and Yaz’s bed is proper amazing.” The Doctor yawned and Yaz laughed lightly.

“I’ll be back Doctor.” Yaz left the room and smiled to herself, she went downstairs and into the kitchen where her mum was. 

“Bread Yaz, bread. I ask you to get bread and you’ve been gone for weeks! A simple message would have been nice, you’re only lucky I knew you were with the Doctor and don’t try pulling a fast one, you are seeing her aren’t you?” 

“No!” Yaz said a little too defensive. 

“Yasmin Khan don’t lie to your mother, you burst through the front door and take her straight upstairs to your bedroom, I wasn’t born yesterday.” 

“I’m serious mum, nothing is going on between me and the Doctor. She’s uh going through a particularly painful period and I’m just looking after her.” Yaz shrugged and Najia just shook her head. 

“Whatever you say love, just please promise me you’ll tell me when you’re going again?” 

Yaz promised and she went firstly to make a drink and whilst the kettle was boiling, she opened the medicine cupboard and took a box of paracetamol out. The kettle clicked and Yaz made the drinks, she was about to take them upstairs when the Doctor appeared in the kitchen. 

“You’ve been gone ages Yaz, I was starting to worry and Yaz’s bed isn’t that good without Yaz in it.” The Doctor said innocently, Naija coughed in the background and Yaz wanted to ground to swallow her up. 

“Wow okay…” Yaz muttered to herself. 

“I’ve got the drinks Doctor, I’m coming now and mum don’t even say it.” Yaz warned and Najia sat there chuckling to herself. 

Once they were back in Yaz’s room, the Doctor went back to lying on the bed and Yaz put the drinks on the side and lay down with her. Silence filled the room and Yaz turned on her side watching the Doctor. 

“How are you feeling now?” Yaz asked. 

“Better, well the pain keeps coming in short bursts. Very painful, more painful than when I was captured by the Pertios but that’s a story for another time. Thank you Yaz.” The Doctor said mirroring Yaz and lying on her side. 

“What for?” Yaz asked gently.

“Looking after me, knowing what was wrong. I was panicking back there but you knew what to do straight away. Brilliant Yaz always knowing what to do.” The Doctor said smiling, she held her stomach once more and Yaz reached over and started rubbing her hand in slow circular patterns around the Doctor’s stomach. 

“That feels nice.” The Doctor hummed, she inched closer to Yaz. 

“Can you um…I uh.” The Doctor stuttered on her words. 

“You can tell me.” Yaz said encouragingly. 

“Hold me please?” The Doctor asked and Yaz’s face softened, she nodded.

“Of course I will, turn around Doctor so I can spoon you.” Yaz said and the Doctor scrunched her face.

“Spoon?” She said confused but she followed Yaz’s instructions and when she was lay on her side away from Yaz, she felt warm arms snake around her waist and when she felt Yaz’s body against her back she sighed contently. She found Yaz’s hand and interlocked her fingers with Yaz’s. 

“Oh I like spooning, best day ever. Spooning in Yaz’s bed with Yaz. Amazing.” The Doctor said and Yaz grinned, she snuggled in closer to the Doctor. 

“Get some sleep Doctor, I’ll be here when you wake up.” 

The Doctor didn’t need Yaz to tell her twice, she closed her eyes and fell into an easy sleep still holding Yaz’s hand.

Hope you liked it! Inbox is always open for more prompts :)

[sabraeal]

If it ain't too late: ObiYuki, REMEMBER ME (childhood headcanons, much?)

Set after Tanbarun Arc; directly references events in this fic.

Wide Florida Bay | Previous

The door rattles open, panels clinking like the world’s cheapest garage door, and –

And this must be what people opening tombs feel like, because, damn, that is some stale air.

“Climate controlled my ass,” Obi coughs as he steps inside. “How long ago did you last open this thing?”

Doc hesitates. “Three months ago.”

“Well, it feels like –” the words shrivel on his tongue as he glances back at her, every line of her rigid and hunched, like a deer that knows it’s about to get mowed down by an eighteen-wheeler – “we’re about to invoke a mummy’s curse.”

Cool, great. Real sensitive. Just missing his Miss Congeniality award for that one. God, he should just stick to what he’s good at – lifting things and shutting up.

Okay, well, he probably needs to get better on that last one, but – whatever.

“Well…” Her voice is muffled behind the cowl of his hoodie, and that’s – that’s also a problem. A bigger one now, but it’s not anything he can solve. Not without fucking up their relationship, and her and Chief’s relationship, and his and Chief’s relationship, and probably just – everyone he’s every known or come to care about in the last three months.

Take home: keep it in your fucking pants, Obi.

She huffs, ducking further underneath the fabric. “There are, you know, remains in here.”

He bobbles the box he’s holding. What.

“There’s what?”

“That’s, um…” She coughs, pink peeking over the cowl. “That’s sort of what I’m here for.”

He can do this. He can play it cool. This is definitely not the first time he’s been in the room with a dead person. Probably. “Oh. Great!”

“I mean, it’s just – just my grandfathers ashes!” she’s quick to clarify. “And my – my grandmother’s. I just…I didn’t know what to do with them after – after everything. So I thought I’d just…keep them here. Until I do.”

“Oh.” He shoves his hands into his pockets, enthusiasm for this whole clean-out thing waning sharply. Not that he’s not going to do it – god, he’s too stupid for her not to – but you’re supposed to talk about the skeletons in your closet before you ask your friends to help you clean it. “So you…know what you’re doing now?”

“No,” she admits softly, shoulders rounding. “But it doesn’t feel right to leave them here. Not when I’m not really sure….”

If I’ll ever come back. She doesn’t need to say the words, not when every line of them is written on her face.

“Right,” he says, turning back to the mess. “So, what are we looking for? Urns? Decorative vases? Sand art? Shoe boxes? Give me some help here, Doc.”

“Um.” If anything, she turns more red. “A peanut butter jar.”

That holds him up. “A what?”

“Not like – not jiffy or anything!”

“Of course not, Doc,” he grumbles, picking up a stack of shoe boxes. “Only the freshest, most cruelty-free peanut butter jar for Pops, sure.”

“No, I mean –” Her hands fist on her hips, cheeks blown out. He really needs to stop finding that so cute. “It’s a tin. A – an antique. My grandfather never wanted us to spend money on him, and would say, just cremate me and bury me in a peanut butter tin, that’s all I need.” Her shoulders hunch. “I didn’t – I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Hey.” He doesn’t know he’s reaching for until cotton’s already under his palm, until he feels the birdlike brittleness of bone under his fingers. She really needs to eat more. “You did your best. That’s all you can do.”

She looks up at him, eyes watery, and nods.

“Right.” He gives her a squeeze before he lets go, because he’s a glutton for punishment. “Peanut butter tin. And your grandma?”

“An – an urn? It’s nice.” Her hands flutter, flustered, at the stack of cardboard. “I think I put it in the same box?”

“Cool.” He nods. “Let’s get started.”

“Oh!”

He cranes his head up, blinking away the dust swirling in the air. “What’s up, did you find them?”

“No,” she says, frozen over a shoe box. “I just – I didn’t realize I had packed these away.”

He gets up, knees creaking. God, he’s really getting out of shape with all this fat living at the frat. “What is it?”

“My sand dollar collection.”

She barely glances up at him as he steps up beside her, just leans back. Her shoulder brushes against his sternum, and over the must of the unit, he can smell the lavender of her shampoo. Oh, he is just – in trouble. With all this.

“We lived an hour and half from the ocean in any direction,” Doc tells him, sand dollars clinking as she shuffles through the box. “So we never got to go to them that often. But when we did, we’d always find a sand dollar and bring it back. Like a lucky charm.”

She pulls one out – small, the side of the center of her palm – and he – he –

He can’t breathe.

“This one’s from Virginia Beach,” she says, distantly. “Isn’t that where you said you were from?”

Fuck. Fuck.

Doc looks up at him, smiling, and – and –

He knows her.

He’s nine. Obi remembers that, if not a lot else. Nine is when his whole world fell apart.

It’s complicated when your mom dies. There’s – feelings, and funerals, and well-wishers, and –

And it’s even worse when you’re a kid, and it’s your last lifeline out of foster care.

He’d known she wouldn’t get better; at the age of six he’d already learned words it would take a lifetime for other people to understand – chemo, radiation, overdue, metastasize, fatal, palliative, opiate – but still, still –

He was young enough to believe in miracles. To maybe even believe in a dad that showed up at the eleventh hour, with soup and sandwiches and clean clothes, that said the magic words, I’ve been looking for you.

It was so much easier to hope for a fairy tale, to hope that maybe he was Rapunzel and his mom was an evil witch, raising him in a tower. That one day someone would come and say – and say –

“Do you mind moving over?”

He blinks, staring into the biggest, greenest eyes he’s ever seen. “What.”

“You’re taking up the bench,” the girl pipes. For one, ridiculous moment, he thinks she looks like a muppet – tiny, pink, with a bobbed haystack of unbelievable red for hair, eyes taking up half her face. Like Zoe, or maybe Prairie Dawn, just – red. “I just wanna sit down.”

“Oh.” He cranes his neck around, looking at all the other empty benches, and just – scooches. “Sure.”

She beams up at him, so bright he almost needs to squint to look at her. Instead, he looks away. “Thanks! Did you get lost too?”

That makes him stare at her, this tiny thing with knobby knees and freckles just…everywhere. He’s not really good at guessing ages, but she can’t be over five. Six, at most. “Something like that.”

It takes him a good minute to realize she’s waiting for him to clarify, that this is her bid for conversation.

He jerks his head across the street. “You see that building over there?”

She squints. “Uh-huh. It’s big.”

“Right.” He’d thought that too, when he’d first saw it. It wasn’t a big skyscraper, not like some of the other ones that surround it, but – it’s got that feeling of bigness. Of being a place where people have their lives decided. “Well, the grown-ups in there are trying to decide what to do with me. And apparently it’s not good for me to know, so I’m out here.”

“Ohhh.” She nods sagely. “Did your momma die too?”

He mouth works, and the only thing that comes out is, “Too?”

She nods. “My momma died a while ago. And they couldn’t find Daddy, and I had to go stay with some people for a few weeks.”

He licks his lips, hands clenched on his lap. “Well, I’ve been with some different people for a few years. All over the place. I’m used to it.”

The girl nods, like there’s no difference. “I didn’t like it. They were nice, but I wanted my momma. And then my grandparents came!”

“You knew them, though?” he says, adrift. It’s like he’s in some alternate reality where, like, the Power Rangers are in the ocean instead of in space, and adorable muppet-girls just pop out of nowhere in parks.  “Your grandparents?”

She shook her head. “They said they’d seen me when I was little, but I didn’t remember them. Not really.”

“That must have been scary,” he offers, not sure why. She’s just so tiny.

“A little,” she admits. “But I’m happy now! We went to the beach yesterday!”

“Oh,” he manages. “Wow.”

“Yeah, we always find sand dollars, and I collect them!” She digs into her pockets, pulling out tan little discs. “I found two this time!” She shoots him a shy look from the corner of her eyes. “Would you like one?”

“Oh!” The girl holds one out, expectant. “No, I would just – I’d break it.”

“It’s fine,” she tells him. “It’s for you. You can break it if it’s yours.”

His hand shakes as he takes it. Something happens in his chest too, but it aches, and he doesn’t want to think about it. “Thanks.”

“Now we both have one from Virginia Beach!” She leans in with a grin. “I bet that means something good will happen to us there!”

He laughs. “I’m not –”

“Shirayuki?” a voice calls frantically. “Shirayuki!”

She grimaces. “I better get going. Good luck!”

“Thanks,” he murmurs, watching her scamper off to an older couple. Her grandparents, probably. They look relieved to see her, worried too, and –

Loving.

His hand grips the dollar hard, its edges cutting into his fingers. “I’ll need it.”

“Obi?” Doc’s hand brushes his, startling him. He can still feel the sand dollar in his hand, fingers aching where it had dug in. He knows her. He knows her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah!” he coughs, turning so he can’t – can’t look at her. Doesn’t give away everything with his dumb face. “I’m just – I’m good. Let’s keep looking.”

[stunudo]

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

Buddha

Craters 4

A Criminal Minds Fan-fiction

Featuring: Genderneutral Reader and Spencer Reid

Setting: Season 10

A/N: Violence, language, and talk of dead bodies. Thank you all for reading this really dark thing I created. Bold type is the present. Italics are the future. xoxo Stu

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3

Your name: submit What is this?

Dr. Reid banged on the cell door frame, getting the cops to release him. He glanced back at you over his shoulder, his eyes calculating. In that glance you saw the man behind the genius and it filled you with the first genuine glimmer of fear you had felt since you had been taken in for questioning.

You had no where to go and nothing to do, but wait. You resigned yourself to these simple truths and laid back down on the unforgiving cot.

September 21, 2014

Jerry had finished digging, the sandy soil cleared away enough to finally get to work. It was an end of summer heat wave and he owed it to me to get this over with. I hadn’t slept in three days. I put on Memory from my mom’s old cassette soundtrack of the Broadway play Cats, the old boom box rattled with the volume. She wore her green dress from her forty year high school reunion and was wrapped in one of my grandmother’s quilts.

I let the song fade into the next and the next, watching the dirt fall over my mother’s body was a sight I will never forget. This miserable excuse for a friend had given my mother a heart attack and somehow convinced me to keep it a secret. We didn’t like cops and his play thing was still recovering from their wild weekend. I had no one else in the entire world but Jerry now. It made me sick to my stomach.

Eventually the sun went down and Jerry stopped letting me rewind the tape. He took the boom box back into the truck, leaving it in the bed with the shovels. I don’t remember him carrying me into the cab, but he must have since I woke up in my bed the next morning.

“Garcia? Tell me about Y/N’s mother.” Reid barked into the comm unit still live from the unsuccessful raid.

“Homeowner, single, mother to Y/N, uh, hello.” Garcia sputtered. “She left her job late last month because she had quote “struck it rich”. Which unless it was with a backwoods gambling operation, she did not.”

“My girl! Now tell me, did she quit in person or email?” Morgan crooned.

“Letter, like from a good, old fashioned type writer.” She replied, “The bus company scanned it into their records.”

“Right in line with the timeline.” Hotch muttered, pointing at the dates on the cork board.

“She died?!” JJ guessed.

“Okay, but who killed her?” Rossi prodded.

“Y/N or the unsub?” Callahan thought aloud.

“Hotch, what if this is the trigger?” Reid finally spoke up.

“Death of the mother would be a traumatic enough event to push even someone as mild mannered as Y/N over the edge.”

“But we profiled Swanson as our unsub.” Morgan challenged.

“But why?” Hotch replied. “Because he had ties to all of the victims?”

“He also has a history of violence against women.” Callahan spat.

“But what if it wasn’t Jerry?” Hotch countered.

“Jerry isn’t the unsub. He’s the motive.” Reid finished.

September 22, 2014

I was in the kitchen just before dusk, filling the sink for dishes. We hadn’t been very good on chores over the weekend. The girl wouldn’t shut up about how sorry she was about my mom.

“That’s terrible, man. Like, I can’t get her face out of my mind. You know?” She rambled, scratching at her arms as she came down from the days long binge. I never really listened to Jerry’s girls talk for very long. Usually they didn’t like me or I zoned out long enough for them to leave me alone. This one was not getting the hint.

“Do you know when Jer’ll be back? I don’t really want to walk home.” Her voice was part whine and part cough. I ignored her and made myself a sandwich, I had an hour before I had to start my shift. If I had ever had a pet, I would have known what to do with the chick. But, I hadn’t, and my nerves were exposed wires after my mom, had, you know.

I listened to the second hand click away and counted. It was nearly seventy three seconds after her head went into the soapy water that her body stopped fighting me. But I didn’t count all the way up, I did rows of twenties. As her body fell soaking on to the floor, the purest sense of ease filled me. And I began to laugh at the little rag doll on the floor.

Hotch, Morgan and JJ took the rooms on the ground floor as Reid, Callahan and Rossi scaled the stairs for the second floor motel rooms. The team and the locals surrounded the motel, bar and small shed, the house belonging to the unsub’s mother had turned up neither the missing Gerald Swanson or any other victims. They had yet to locate the body of the mother as well.

The dusty inn had many vacancies, leaving the BAU to invade only a handful of innocent people’s rooms. Morgan and Hotch had cleared the last room facing the parking lot when JJ froze.

“Do you hear that?” The blonde paused and the frantic rattling of metal against a hard surface met her fellow agents’ ears.

Derek was the first one into the attached bathroom. Hanging in the shower stall by his wrists was Jerry Swanson. His stocking feet were half soaked with a combination of his own blood and the water dripping from the shower head. His mouth had been duct taped shut.

“Hold on man, we got you.” Derek lifted up the lanky man to ease the strain on his shoulder sockets while JJ cut through the leather belt holding him in place.

Hotch hung back and called paramedics, considering how out of the way this place was, he worried it may be too late. Reid, Rossi and Callahan met at the crime scene, searching the room for evidence to use against Y/N. Reid found it on the bedside table, in small print across the generic motel notepad was a single sentence, over and over again.

“I will not be a bad friend anymore.”

“It looks like Y/N went from one to infinity on the disciplinary scale with Jerry here.” Rossi pointed out over Reid’s shoulder.

“The penmanship slips, I wonder how much blood he lost before he was given the task.” Spencer Reid said.

September 30, 2014

Jerry hadn’t quite been himself lately and I knew it was my fault. I didn’t like seeing my friend down. But I didn’t say anything, I just mulled it over and over in my head. Jerry and I never really talked about feelings, just making sure we had a good time.

I just had to get Jerry to have some fun and he would be able to forget about how bad he felt about what happened to my mom. At least that is what I guessed was bothering him. You don’t just kill your best friend’s mom and forget about it, like that. Right?

Walking home the next morning I heard a car approach behind me, which was odd as they usually barely slow down and ease around. I ignored it, thinking it got turned around on the way out of town.

“Y/N?” A woman’s voice called to me. “Do you want a ride?”

It was Jerry’s ex Traci, I wasn’t raised to be rude. I glanced over my shoulder at her leaning out of the driver’s side window and nodded. I slipped into the passenger seat of her salt rusted station wagon and put on the seat belt.

“Thanks, Trace.”

“We found Jerry, Y/N.”

“Is he alright?” You asked honestly, his punishment wasn’t supposed to last this long.

“He’s in intensive care at the Central Hospital in Dixon.” Dr. Reid’s voice was flat. He remained defiantly outside of the holding cell. You approached him steadily, looking around to the surrounding officers in intimidation stances.

“That’s a good hospital, thank you.”

“You’re thanking me?” Dr. Reid shook his head. “You’re the one that put him in there.”

“Honestly, no. Jerry got himself in trouble and you folks kept me from releasing him from his punishment, yesterday.”

“Tell me about the girls, Y/N.”

“What about them?” You asked, leaning into the bars, waiting for the questions to flow freely now that you were freed from the sidestepping.

“You said you watched Jerry have fun with the girls. When did it go from watching to killing, Y/N?”

“Dr. Reid, Jerry had lots of girls over to the house. I’m not quite sure which ones you think that I killed.”

“Y/N, where’s the last girl? Traci Stevens, where is she?”

“Now, Traci I do know, cuz she was nice to me. Gave me a ride home couple a weeks ago. Even before that she was nice, she kicked Jerry out so he could come home to me.”

“Where is she, Y/N?”

“I sure don’t know, Doc-tor Reid.” His lips told you he was not amused, but his eyes looked impressed.

“Jerry will tell us everything we need to know, Y/N.”

You wanted to believe he was bluffing, but there was nothing he needed from you anymore. Nothing besides where to find Traci. It was a simple thing, but after years of giving, you were done. You shrugged, “If Jerry talks there is nothing I can do about it. I could never depend on him anyhow.”

October 14, 2014

Jerry had picked Traci over me, in the end. He wouldn’t hurt her, even though he usually liked roughing up his lovers a bit. Making them scream, that’s why he found me such a challenge. Nothing he ever did to me got me to wail like those girls he would play with. Traci was kept in the basement since the day she gave me the ride home, for the most part Jerry was grateful.

But it was just because I hadn’t killed her, too, like the girl he was fucking when he killed my mom. I didn’t want to kill Traci, I wanted to keep Jerry home. If I had something he loved, he would be happy staying with me. I had taken away some of his used toys, but at least he still had her. Traci wasn’t supposed to die, but she must have gotten sick or something cuz she pleaded for medicine or some whisky the afternoon before I left for work.

Walking in the next morning I found Jerry strung out and Traci on the couch, he had cut her ties and let her out of her space in the corner.

“Jerry, what did you do?” I snapped my fingers trying to get him to focus.

“She’s gone. Traci’s gone. Just let me die.” He moaned.

It took me nearly all day to deal with the body, driving back to the woods where we camped during the Cranberry Festival two summers ago. I hated driving, but I kept the speed limit and Jerry told me how to get there. He was slobbering and sobbing the entire time. And I had to stop myself from yelling at him that it was all his fault. He was good to me when we buried my mom, so I tried.

After Traci was gone for good, we drove back home. I had to get cleaned up before work and Jerry had finally started to sleep off the drugs. It was just before bar close when Jerry stormed into the motel office yelling like a wild man.

“Y/N, you sick fuck. How could you?! You were supposed to be my friend.” He shoved me as I sat in the office chair, leaning half his body across the front desk. I grabbed his arm and bent it behind his back, slamming his head on to the piles of assorted fliers for local businesses.

“Eleven years you’ve been dragging me along like a lost puppy, Jerry. Whose the sick fuck? Huh? Cuz I’m finally seeing this friendship needs serious help.”

*

“Now, you’re going to hang out for awhile and think about what you’ve done.” I explained to Jerry, patting his face gently before his head lolled back to the side. I closed the door to the motel room tightly behind me and headed back to the office. I had another two hours of my shift left and still needed to clear the closing trash from the bar. The fall air had turned chilly and I hopped from foot to foot to keep warm.

“Y/N Y/L/N?” A stern voice called from the parking lot, an SUV and a squad car had appeared out of thin air.

July 15, 2016

I had started from the beginning, laying my whole life out for the woman before me. She wore a sleek suit, but nothing distracting. Her eyes were blank, I couldn’t read her thoughts one way or another. I stopped trying pretty quick. I traced patterns on the table as I explained about my dad and how tough school was. She asked more questions when I got to Jerry.

I didn’t want to talk about the bodies, but she asked round about questions and they always turned back up. After lunch and cafeteria duty, I was shown back to the visitation room. She was still here, her notebook and voice recorder set aside.

“Y/N? Do you want to figure out why you did these things?”

“Ma’am?” I was confused. “Aren’t you here to research people like me?”

“Yes, but if I can give you some insight into why you are the way you are. Wouldn’t that be beneficial?”

I stared at the darker skin under her eyes, “You trying to get me to share some untold secret to help your project? Get all the recognition? You aint the first Doctor-Fed I’ve met.”

“So it says in your file, Dr. Spencer Reid interviewed you extensively before locating the remaining bodies and Gerald Swanson that day, almost two years ago.”

“Yeah? Bet it says a lot of things that seem more important than they really are.”

“Y/N, did you know that I work with the BAU? I work with Dr. Reid on a regular basis.”

This lady was messing with me, but I decided it didn’t hurt to test the waters. “Oh yeah? How’s little old Reid these days?”

Her eyes unfocused, “What I mean to say, Y/N. Is that if you cooperate, I’ll see if Dr. Reid will accompany me on my next visit.”

“You know what Dr. Lewis? I suddenly remember there WAS a fifth girl.”

“I thought so. What can you tell me about her?”

Feds, eating up anything you shoved in front of them. Maybe Dr. Reid wasn’t rid of me yet.

@dontshootmespence @starbucksreid @jodiewhitters @cherry-loves-fanfic @ficrecswithcassie @criminal-navy-writings @ultrarebelheart @sapphicpage

[notsoguiltykpop]

The Tenth Floor pt8

Min Yoongi had gone through 34 secretaries in the past 24 months, and each one of them left in tears. This fact alone should have warned you against taking the job, but the pay was too good to pass up. Surely you could put up with a billionaires temper-tantrums, right?

Yoongi x Reader & Taehyung x Reader

Genre: Fluff, humor, probably some angst

Warnings: Strong language at times, maybe some slight smut eventually

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

“Make who pay?” You pulled away from Taehyung, trying to see his face in the scarce light of the half-moon. “Why would you even think that it’s a ‘him’?”

Taehyung shrugged. “You were out with Yoongi all day, so I just assumed...” His voice trailed off. Seokjin must have told Taehyung where you were, and that coupled with the fact that you were only a block away from the carnival made it understandable how Taehyung would figure it out. 

“It has nothing to do with Yoongi.” You took a step back, away from Taehyung as you dried your eyes with the back of your sleeve. “He went home hours ago.” You weren’t sure why you suddenly didn’t want Taehyung to know what happened; maybe some part of you was protecting Yoongi, but you had no idea why. 

“Alright. So who did make you cry, then?” He asked after a moment.

“It doesn’t matter.” You shook your head, trying to clear it. “Can you drive me home?” 

“Yeah, but--” Taehyung didn’t look like he was ready to drop it, and you held up a hand for him to stop. 

“I know you want to help--and I appreciate it. But right now, I just want to go home. Anyway, what happened tonight is my business, I’ll sort it out.” 

Taehyung nodded, though somewhat reluctantly. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.” He said gently, and you nodded despite being sure there wasn’t anything he could do. This was between you and Yoongi, and something told you that getting Taehyung involved wasn’t a good idea. 

It wasn’t until you were home, after kicking off your shoes and about to change into your pajamas that you realized that your shirt was buttoned crooked, your lipstick smudged, and your hair a mess. 

All you could do was hope that Taehyung believed your lie, and hadn’t jumped to more conclusions than what he let on.  

You called off from work the next day. You explained to Namjoon that you were fairly sure you had the flu, and that you didn’t want to spread it around. Namjoon didn’t argue, only told you that he hoped you would feel better soon.

His understanding only made you feel slightly guilty for lying to him. But you couldn’t go into the office today. Not after the previous night, leaving things with Yoongi like that--and you weren’t looking forward to seeing Taehyung either.

So you stalled facing your problems, drowning them in ice cream and dumb reality TV shows. By three in the afternoon, you could almost pretend that none of your current issues were real, that it was all just some bad dream and you were still unemployed and racking up debt. The thought shouldn’t have improved your mood, but you figured at least if you didn’t have a job, you also didn’t have a hot boss to almost sleep with. 

And Yoongi was attractive, you had finally decided. Asshole or not, there was something there, something about him that was new and exciting, and made you wish you didn’t care that you were his secretary, or about how it would make you look if anyone found out about it. 

You were starting to feel sick. This could have been all the candy and sweets you had eaten, or could have been caused by your train of thought, but either way, it was time to put away the ice cream and eat some real food. 

You were frowning at your empty fridge when your doorbell rang, and you turned your glare towards the sound. No one should be bothering you. Your neighbors all had day jobs, and they knew you had one too. It wasn’t like you had told anyone that you were staying home that day, other than Namjoon. 

You were tempted to ignore it, but when the buzzer sounded again, you internally sighed. Whoever it was wasn’t going to just leave, so you walked over to the peep hole. Who you saw didn’t make any logical sense, but you opened the door a crack anyway. 

“What’s up, doc?” You narrowed your eyes at Jungkook, who had a grocery bag in one hand, and what looked like a medical bag in the other. 

“Please don’t say that to me again.” He crinkled his nose, and it made him look a little like a bunny. “Namjoon said you were sick. So I’m here to check on you.” 

You rolled your eyes. “What, he didn’t believe me so he sent you to prove I’m lying?” You hadn’t meant to sound so snippy, but you didn’t have the patience for Jungkook right then, not with everything else that had been going on. 

“No.” Jungkook sighed. “We agreed that for you to miss work, you must really feel like shit, so I came to make sure you weren’t dead.” 

“Well, you got your answer.” You said dryly. You weren’t sure if you believed Jungkooks words or not. You started to close the door, but he caught it with one hand, making that impossible. He dropped the medical bag as he did so, not seeming to care as it hit the floor.

“You told Namjoon you had a fever this morning, has it gone down?” He asked.

“Why do you know where I live, anyway?” You demanded rather than answer his question. You let your door open, realizing that Jungkook wasn’t going to give up until he had his answers.

“Namjoon has all that information--you gave it to him, remember?” Jungkook picked up the bag from the ground before following you into your small apartment. 

“Yeah, I remember. But I thought it was confidential.” 

Jungkook shrugged, reaching a hand towards your forehead before you could respond. He put the back of it to your head lightly, frowning. 

“I don’t have a fever.” You said flatly. There was no point trying to convince a doctor that you had the flu when you were perfectly fine.

“No, you don’t.” Jungkook nodded. “Let me see your throat.” 

“Fuck off, you know I’m not sick.” You couldn’t muster the energy for your voice to have any malice, so instead you just sounded tired. Jungkook just rolled his eyes, walking past you to your kitchen. There he took the tea pot from the stove, filling it with water as though this was a normal thing for him. 

“I suspected you weren’t sick, but I wasn’t going to rule it out.” He said mildly. “So what happened between you and Yoongi last night?” 

You watched as he opened a few cabinets before locating the one with mugs, pulling two out. “What makes you think that anything happened between us?” You asked, trying to sound calm. Did everyone at the office know? Had Taehyung told them? Had Yoongi?

“Logic.” He answered, now looking for tea. He found it in record time, which was a little unnerving. “You and Yoongi went out together yesterday, you suddenly don’t want to come to work, Taehyung’s acting like he’s waiting for an excuse to kill Yoongi, and Yoongi came in to work with a teddy bear...” Jungkook gave you a smile. “You’ve really made working there very interesting, you know.” 

You blinked slowly at him as he handed you a mug of tea. “He did what?” You said after a second. 

“Who?” Jungkook was now looking in the plastic bag, and pulled out two to-go boxes, holding one out to you. 

“Yoongi.” You clarified. “You said he came to work with a teddy bear?” 

Jungkook nodded. “Yeah. When Hoseok asked him if he was alright, he just kind of shrugged and kept walking. Didn’t yell or anything.” 

“I take it that’s not something he usually does, then?” You said, and Jungkook laughed. 

“No. He’s more likely to burn a teddy bear than he is carry it around with him.” 

He didn’t stay much longer after that, ate his food and drank his tea, occasionally telling you to do the same, and then stood to leave. 

“You should come to work tomorrow.” He said as he stretched. 

“Why?” You scoffed. “So I can be fired?” You hadn’t told Jungkook anything of what happened, but he seemed to have been able to piece together enough. 

“I was thinking more that it you might be able to keep Taehyung and Yoongi from murdering each other.” He shrugged. “They both listen to you more than they do the rest of us.” 

You shook your head. You didn’t want to have that much influence over either of them, let alone both. “Are you going to tell them that I lied about being sick?” You asked as you followed him to your door. 

“Nah, what would be the good in that?” 

“Jungkook?” You stopped him halfway through the door. “Why did you really come here? You knew that I probably wasn’t sick, you said so yourself.” 

“Maybe I’m trying the whole “not being an asshole” thing.” He winked, and you rolled your eyes. 

You followed Jungkook’s advice the next day and showed up for work early, as per usual. Jimin raised an eyebrow at you in the elevator, but before he could make some snide comment, you started acting as though you were having a coughing fit. 

“Sorry--” You gasped between coughs. “I guess--I guess I’m still a little sick.” Jimin backed into the far corner, making a face as you continued. 

“You should’ve stayed home, then.” He muttered, and you ‘accidentally’ coughed in his direction, making him flinch. 

You fixed Yoongi’s coffee before knocking on his door, pushing it open without waiting for an answer. You had decided that your best bet was to act as though nothing had happened, and hope that he would do the same. 

“Morning!” You said with a smile, though it was slightly painful to look at him. Knowing how his lips felt on your, his hands on you... Were all things that you desperately needed to forget.

“Don’t you mean ‘good morning’?” Yoongi asked, and you noticed that he already had a steaming mug in his hand. 

“No, I was just stating that it was morning.” You replied. “I brought you your coffee, but I see you already have some.” 

Yoongi nodded. “From today on, there won’t be any need for you to bring me my coffee.” He looked back at the spreadsheet he had been looking over, and you frowned. What did that mean? Did it mean that from today you were fired?

“I’m not sure that I understand, sir.” You said, trying not to think the worst. 

“As surprising as it may be,” Yoongi said as he looked up with a small smile. “I’m capable of getting my own coffee, so there’s no reason for you to do it for me.” 

“Oh. I see.” You said with a slow nod. You didn’t see, but you weren’t going to argue. A small part of you felt almost disappointed that Yoongi hadn’t fired you--it would have made your life slightly less complicated if he had. “Well, if that’s all...” You were about to go, planning to slip out of the room before things got to awkward. 

“Wait, I--” Yoongi stopped when his eyes met yours, and he shut his mouth abruptly. 

“Yes?” You said, in your mind chanting please don’t say anything about the other night, please don’t say anything about the other night...

“Nothing. I’m just--I’m glad you’re feeling better, that’s all.” He finished, the words sounding a little strange coming from him. You realized that he seemed to have stopped putting on the act around you, and you almost wanted it back. At least with screaming Yoongi, you knew what to expect. This other Yoongi... You had no idea what he was going to do. 

“Thanks.” You said, somewhat stiffly. It wasn’t that you didn’t appreciate the words; you just didn’t know if you trusted them. You wondered how many people knew it was an act--did Seokjin? Did Namjoon? Surely not. Wouldn’t one of them have warned you if they knew? Not to mention, they both got nervous around Yoongi when he was angry--they wouldn’t do that if they thought it was a show. 

It made you want to ask Yoongi why he had told you, of all people. It wasn’t like you knew him well, or had even been working for him for very long; you were just a normal employee. One that, before Thursday, you thought he disliked. 

But asking Yoongi anything to do with what happened that night made your palms sweat. You didn’t want to think about it, let alone bring it up. And anyway, Yoongi was busy all day, you weren’t about to interrupt him to talk about something he probably wouldn’t want other people to hear. 

“What are you thinking about?” Taehyungs voice pulled you from your thoughts, and you looked up at him. You were sitting at a small two-person table in the cafe on the first floor, and Taehyung had plopped down in the chair across from you. 

“Stuff.” You replied, not eager to explain. Taehyung had stayed quiet, but would have to be blind not to notice the looks he had been giving Yoongi’s office all day. 

“Wow, you’re so descriptive.” Taehyung teased. You shrugged. 

“It isn’t anything important.” 

“I highly doubt that.” Taehyung sat back in his chair. “Whatever you’re thinking must matter to you, therefore, it is important.” 

You rolled your eyes, but couldn’t help a small laugh escaping your lips. “Right, like I haven’t heard that one before.” 

“Can I sit with you?” You hadn’t even noticed anyone approaching your table, and you looked up in surprise to see Yoongi standing there with a salad in one hand. The sight was so strange you didn’t know what to say, so Taehyung beat you to responding. 

“There isn’t enough room.” He said simply. 

“You could move, then.” Yoongi replied calmly. “It’s not like you’re eating, anyway.”

“I was here first, you can’t just tell me to give you my chair. Sit somewhere else.” Taehyung pointed to a nearby table. 

“You’re being unreasonable.” Yoongi deadpanned.

“And you’re being childish.” Taehyung smiled. 

“I’ll move.” You cut in, picking up your own food. There was no way you could eat with the two of them bickering like this, so you sat down in at the table to your right. 

“No--” Yoongi started.

“Don’t do that--” Taehyung said at the same time as he started to get up.

“Sit.” You told both of them, and they both slowly did so. For a while, you were able to eat your lunch in peace as the two men gave each other dirty looks, but eventually Taehyung left (to your surprise).

“Can I ask you something?” You asked after a while. You and Yoongi were still sitting at different tables, and it was a little awkward to talk to him like this. But you were afraid to switch seats now, with so many other people around. What would you do if your co-workers started jumping to conclusions? Then again, eating lunch together didn’t mean there was anything going on, right?

“Sure.” Yoongi replied with a nod.

“What’s the deal with you and Taehyung?” You weren’t sure that it was your business, but you were curious, and it couldn’t hurt to ask.

“What do you mean?” Yoongi asked carefully.

“I mean you seem to dislike him--more so than if he was just a coworker or shareholder. So why?” 

“That’s... A long story.” Yoongi said after a moments thought. “A pretty boring one, too.” 

“Will you tell me sometime?” You asked, unable to stop yourself. 

Yoongi smiled, only faintly, but it was there. “Yeah. Sometime. Just not today.” 

You didn’t argue--’not today’ was better than not at all. 

You knew you shouldn’t be asking questions, making your situation any worse than it already was; you needed to keep work separate, and only see Yoongi as your boss, nothing more. But that was feeling more difficult by the moment, and you feared it wouldn’t be long before it was too late.

A/N Thank you for reading!! As always, let me know what you think! <3 <3 <3

[realnixainley]

I stare around the completely dark room. My heart is pounding at a million miles, my head throbbing and I’m trying to re-trace what happened? I can hear babies crying, mothers babbling and as my eyes begin to focus I can see a curtain and dull lights above it. I hear a lady coughing loudly, she sounds like she’s being sick. A wave of nausea comes over me. It stops for a moment then a loud rough voice can be heard…it’s the same woman, she’s on the phone to someone, sounds like her partner, she’s complaining about having a 5th child…where the hell am I.

As my head scrambles to piece together the puzzle I slowly realise I’m back in the hospital room where they tried to admit me earlier. I look over to the chairs in the corner where I seem to recall Chris and my Dad sitting but they are empty. My hand slides over my belly, it feels firm but deflated, slightly empty and there is no one in there moving! I can hear loads of babies crying but as I look around my area there are no babies in sight.

I have no recollection of this moment, but there’s a pic so it must have happened…right? 

I don’t really recall where my babies went. Vague memories of the night flash in and out of my mind. The operating table, seeing a bub…or two, was it all real or was it a dream? I can’t work it out. I suddenly feel overwhelmingly lonely. I look for my phone but I can’t find it. Tears start streaming down my face…I have no idea where anyone is!

I was back on the ward of 4, with 3 other women and their babies. As I lay there with tears streaming down my face the anxiety of the unknown well being of my babies grew and grew until I almost wanted to scream. I grabbed the buzzer and called the nurse.

Finally the nurse arrived, a lovely young girl who asked me what I needed.

“Where are my babies?” I asked

“I believe they are in the NICU?” she replied

“Where’s that?” I asked, “Are they ok?”

“It’s in another area you can go there tomorrow.” She kindly replied

“TOMORROW!” I said, some what stunned. “How do I know they are ok?!”

“I’m sure they are fine, they would call us if there was a problem she replied. Now how about I get you a tea you haven’t had anything to drink for a long time.” And with that, she was gone.

It was just on 2.30am as the nurse returned with a cup of tea. I sat up and flicked the TV on. I didn’t care if I disturbed anyone. They had their babies…I didn’t!

The next few hours dragged and dragged, they really were the longest in my life. I had no idea if these babies were ok. I kept re-living moments from the night before my mind was racing at a million miles! Had I really touched them? What did they look like? Were they still breathing? Were they eating? I should be there.

At around 4am I buzzed the nurse again. I asked her if I could see them or something the waiting was doing my head in. She told me I could go after the Doctors had done their rounds in the morning. What?! That’s like hours away! That is a lifetime when you haven’t seen your newborn babies! I sat in the dark tears streaming down my face, counting the minutes until 6am.

I was doing everything I could not to have a full blown panic attack and the cooking channel wasn’t quite keeping my anxiety at bay. I could here some activity in the hallway, they appeared to be getting ready for breakfast…finally!

Another lady in my room buzzed the nurse, as she came in I thought “That’s it I’ll grab her on the way out and demand answers!” Just at that moment a some what familiar face popped up in front of me. It took me a couple of seconds to process who it was but there in front of me stood Chris’ brothers girlfriend. She is a nurse at the John Hunter Hospital, had just finished a long night shift and came straight to see me. Just seeing someone I knew was enough for me to break down in tears! One look at me, and she worked out I was far from ok. A few moments later and she was off to check on the boys.

When she got back I had propped myself up and was eagerly awaiting news from someone I knew. She was able to report that the boys were in NICU and were ok. A wave of relief flowed over me although I can’t even start to explain how much I needed to see them.

The next few hours dragged again as I waited for the docs to come back. They had to take my catheter out first, then they wanted me to eat something, try and have a shower and go to the toilet before I could do anything. The pain was starting to become very apparent.

I never really stopped to think about what it would be like to have a c-section and certainly I didn’t realise just how traumatic it could be. The pain and discomfort as I tried to move was excruciating! Like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I am pretty good with pain but that was another level and that was with pain killers! I felt drained, weak and vulnerable. As the nurse wheeled me back from my attempted rinse shower there I was met by Chris and my Dad in the room and once again emotion overwhelmed me.

Chris reassured me he had been to see the boys last night and they were ok. I couldn’t remember a thing but he seemed happy so that was good.

Finally the Docs did their rounds and I was finally given the ok to be wheeled up to the NICU unit. It turns out the NICU is up a level and half way along the hospital from the maternity unit so in other works it’s bloody miles away!!! I couldn’t believe that I was so far away from my babies. Everyone else had them next to them and mine were half a building away?!

As we entered to NICU it was like entering a science lab. There were mounds of rules, excessive hand washing but as soon as you entered and saw the tiny bodies in there it became so apparent why it was necessary. As I was pushed towards where two boys were, an overwhelming anxiety filled me.

It’s hard to put into words that moment when you see your babies for the first time in the NICU. There they are, tiny, vulnerable little beings in a giant box (humidicrib) with tubes coming out of them, monitors beeping and you are just trying to work out if they are ok. Tears streamed down my face as I peered into the humidi-cribs, so tiny, so precious but as I watched closely I could see their little chests rising and falling. A wave of relief fell over me.

My head kept turning back and forth from one crib to the other. I wanted to desperately look at them both together but I kept having to chose and I didn’t want to take my eyes off either of them.

Suddenly the nurse popped up behind me, introduced herself and hurtled off a lot of information as to how the boys were. They were breathing well on their own, their oxygen sats were good, hearts were ok, they were struggling temperature wise and they were being tube fed. It all sounded incredibly risky and dangerous but she seemed to be relaxed and happy.

It was incredible looking at these tiny little beings to think that only yesterday they were inside me and now here they were, surrounded by tubes and machines, trying to give life a crack!

The nurses asked me if I wanted to touch them. I looked at her surprisingly! I mean of course I did but was it ok? I suddenly felt worried and concerned. It’s something I never imagined, feeling unsure about touching my baby, but in that moment I felt I wasn’t qualified. What if I hurt them? or it wasn’t right? I never imagined having to need approval to simply touch my babies!

A load of instructions and heaps of alcohol wash later and we were allowed to pop our hands through the holes and touch these tiny precious humans. That first touch is incredible. It’s life changing. It’s that breathless moment you realise you got them here. All 40 fingers and toes, 2 brains, chests, lungs and 8 limbs and there here…perfect micro mini humans! How the hell did I do that?

I have never seen such little hands and such perfect sleeping faces. They really were perfection!

Choosing who to touch first was an impossible moment. Chris went to Hunter and I was with Harry until guilt got to me and I wanted to be with Hunter. Little did I know that this was going to be the biggest unexpected challenge of having twins, spending moments like this having to choose between the 2 things you love equally. Now, I just had to keep focussed that one day soon I’d have them both in my arms.

People ask me regularly how did you feel in that moment. I felt numb. It felt a bit like a dream I would wake up from. Touching your babies through a tiny hole in the side of a box doesn’t give you a sense of ownership, were they really mine? However, looking down at their tiny sleeping faces my heart told me straight away they were mine and I experienced exactly the same emotions towards each of them at the same time. It’s an odd thing to love 2 beings exactly the same way instantly but it’s certainly possible!

I remember clearly staring down at my enormously large hand next to such a tiny face and all I could think was “hang in there little tigers, I’m not going to let anything happen to you now.”

Little did I know the challenges were really only just about the begin.

  To be continued…

A Tale of Twins – Part 3 I stare around the completely dark room. My heart is pounding at a million miles, my head throbbing and I’m trying to re-trace what happened?