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Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation: Invisible Rules For Success
Dissertation thesis writing can be hard for Ph.D. students. Take help from Treat assignment help AU for writing your dissertation without stress.
#dissertation writing#dissertation thesis writing#Homework Help#Coursework Help#Thesis Writing help experts
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#thesis#Thesis tips#academic#academic weapon#academic writing#essays#Assignment expert help#school#studyblr#student#studying
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Data Structure Assignment Help
Are you in need of support from a professional in order to see your project on data structure programming through to completion? The next step is to seek assistance from our pros that specialize in programming assignments. They have a comprehensive understanding of Data Structure Programming and are capable of completing any programming project, regardless of how difficult it may be. Do you find that you are unable to do duties related to data structure on your own? Your concerns are no longer warranted in any way! When you have the support of our team of skilled programmers, you will have no trouble completing an assignment involving a Data Structure. For the purpose of providing the most effective data structure coding assistance that is currently available, our programming professionals make use of their significant programming knowledge.
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NMIMS BBA 1st Sem Organization Behaviour & HRM Solved Assignment
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Dr. Aravind Banakar, an esteemed academic writing professional, has over 24 years of experience crafting customized, plagiarism-free assignments and capstone projects across various disciplines.
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Tips For Writing A Winning Thesis Statement
Writing a good thesis statement is important for a successful essay. Begin by clearly simply stating your main idea. Make sure it's specific enough to guide your paper but broad enough to cover the topic well. Avoid unclear language and focus on making a strong point. Your thesis should show the scope and direction of your essay. Revise it as you write to keep it in line with your content. Remember, a strong thesis is the base of a great essay.
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Tips For Writing A Thesis Statement For Your Assignment
Discover essential tips for crafting a strong thesis statement for your assignment. Learn how to define your main idea clearly, engage your readers, and ensure your thesis guides your writing effectively. Perfect for students seeking assignment help.
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My Assignment Experts is ready to assert my assignment help to students for better grades. My Assignment Experts guarantee 100 % plagiarism-free, high quality, well-read, and well-researched all subject assignments. We guarantee great 24*7 hours of service to all students with their academic subjects. Hire an expert for your bright future!
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Professional Guidance On The Best Thesis Writing Service
Introduction
In the academic journey of a student pursuing higher education, the thesis holds significant importance. It is a culmination of years of study, research, and analysis, representing a student’s expertise in a particular subject. However, crafting a thesis that meets academic standards and fulfills research objectives requires dedication, time, and proficiency in writing. This is where professional thesis writing services come into play, offering assistance and guidance to students in their thesis writing endeavors.
Professional Guidance
Thesis paper writing help services play a crucial role in providing students with the necessary support and resources to produce high-quality theses. These services aid students at various stages of their thesis writing process, from topic selection to final editing. However, with a plethora of thesis writing services available online, choosing the best one can be a daunting task. To help students navigate this challenge effectively, here is a comprehensive guide on selecting the best thesis writing services.
1. Evaluate Reputation and Credibility
The first step in choosing a thesis writing service is to assess its reputation and credibility. Look for reviews, testimonials, and ratings from previous clients to gauge the quality of service offered. A reputable service provider will have positive feedback and a track record of delivering well-researched and professionally written theses.
2. Expertise and Experience
Go for a service that has a team of experienced writers with expertise in your field of study. Thesis writing requires subject-specific knowledge and research skills, so ensure that the writers have relevant qualifications and experience in your area of interest.
3. Customization and Personalization
Every thesis is unique, and it’s essential to choose a writing service that offers customized solutions tailored to your specific requirements. Look for services that allow you to communicate directly with the writer to discuss your ideas, preferences, and expectations.
4. Plagiarism-Free Guarantee
Plagiarism is a serious academic offense, and a reliable thesis writing service should guarantee 100% originality in their work. Ensure that the service provides plagiarism reports and conducts thorough checks using reputable plagiarism detection tools.
5. Timely Delivery
Meeting deadlines is crucial in academic writing, and you should choose a service that prioritizes timely delivery. Discuss the timeline with the service provider and ensure that they can deliver the completed thesis within your specified deadline.
6. Affordability and Transparency
While cost should not be the sole determining factor, it’s essential to consider your budget when choosing a thesis writing service. Look for services that offer transparent pricing with no hidden fees and provide value for your money in terms of quality and service.
7. Customer Support
Effective communication and support are vital throughout the thesis writing process. Choose a service that offers responsive customer support to address any queries or concerns promptly.
Expert Academic Assignment Help: Your Trusted Partner in Thesis Writing
Expert Academic Assignment Help is a reputable academic writing service that has earned a stellar reputation for delivering high-quality thesis writing services across various disciplines. Here’s how Expert Academic Assignment Help fulfills the essential criteria for choosing the best thesis writing services:
Reputation and Credibility
Expert Academic Assignment Help boasts a strong reputation backed by numerous positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied clients. Its credibility is further reinforced by a team of experienced writers who are well-versed in different subjects and academic standards.
Expertise and Experience
The writers at Expert Academic Assignment Help are experts in their respective fields, including finance, Medicine which is a popular area for thesis topics. Whether you need assistance with topics for master thesis in finance or any other subject, Expert Academic Assignment Help has the expertise to deliver outstanding results.
Customization and Personalization
Expert Academic Assignment Help offers personalized thesis writing services tailored to each client’s unique requirements. You can collaborate directly with the assigned writer to discuss your thesis objectives, research findings, and writing style preferences.
Plagiarism-Free Guarantee
Expert Academic Assignment Help prioritizes originality and guarantees plagiarism-free content in all its deliverables. The writers conduct thorough research and cite sources accurately to ensure academic integrity.
Timely Delivery
Expert Academic Assignment Help understands the importance of meeting deadlines and strives to deliver completed theses within the agreed-upon timeframe. You can rely on their punctuality and professionalism throughout the writing process.
Affordability and Transparency
Expert Academic Assignment Help offers competitive pricing with transparent rates and no hidden charges. They provide flexible payment options and ensure that you get value for your investment.
Customer Support
Expert Academic Assignment Help customer support team is available 24/7 to address any queries or concerns you may have. You can reach out to us via live chat, email, or phone for prompt assistance.
In conclusion, choosing the best thesis writing services requires careful consideration of various factors such as reputation, expertise, customization, plagiarism policy, timeliness, affordability, and customer support. Expert Academic Assignment Help stands out as a trusted partner for students seeking top-notch thesis paper writing help services, especially Health Sciences and other academic disciplines. With Expert Academic Assignment Help, you can rest assured that your thesis will be handled with professionalism, dedication, and expertise, leading to academic success and recognition.
In conclusion, I urge students to consider seeking guidance and assistance for their thesis, research, dissertation, essays, and online classes. Expert Academic Assignment Help offers professional support tailored to your academic needs. Don’t hesitate to reach out via email at [email protected] for expert help and guidance. Your academic success is our priority.
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Expert PhD Writing
Expert PhD Writing Service provides unparalleled assistance for master's thesis and doctoral dissertations. Renowned for their expertise in academic writing, they offer the best articles and editing services to ensure top-notch quality. Their team of seasoned professionals provides comprehensive PhD assistance, guiding students through every stage of their research journey. From crafting compelling literature reviews to refining methodology chapters, Expert PhD Writing Service is committed to delivering excellence in academic writing and research support.
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Academic Assignments stands as the apex of providing the best Thesis writing service to students, setting a standard that reflects our unfaltering commitment to students' academic success.
#thesis help#thesis writing service#academic assignments#best thesis help#expert writers#academic writing
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Hello and good day everyone, especially LADS creative writers and fanfic blogs. Hear me out...
Sylus x personal chef!reader
Yes.
The man is expensive. Even his taste buds is expensive. His expensive tongue deserves to taste only exquisite and out of this world quality meal. Let's say, he has yet to have a personal chef in his mansion. So he's in search for his very own personal chef who can satisfy his taste buds after too many experienced chefs from Michelin star restaurants and expert cooks wasted his time with disappointing meals.
Until he and the twins stumbled across a humble shop located at the secluded part of the N109 Zone. The shop is owned and operated by an old couple and their young granddaughter (reader). After an extremely exhausting week, Sylus wants nothing more than a simple warm meal to replenish his energy and the twins are eager to tag along. Sylus isn't expecting much after seeing a young lady cooking in the open kitchen. But what a surprise, he enjoys her cooking so much that he immediately hires her and offers her a good pay, more than enough to help her family/debt/business/study etc.
Since the fateful encounter, Sylus now is more than delighted to have her in his mansion cooking for him some warm meals, and she is happy earning those paychecks although sometimes Sylus annoys her too much with his challenging meal requests.
I can see it go straight fluffy and heartwarming situation or playful situation. Headcanons, oneshot, shortfic, longfic, anything. It's up to you, dear writers! Everyone is free to use the idea. I will tag some blogs here and if you're not interested to write this then feel free to ignore this post! No pressure ❤💋
@plutotheplum @connorsui @syluslnd @jinwoosbabyboo @manikas-whims @syluss-littlecrow @sushiyuzu @tbaluver @shomatoriashi @chuluoyi @d0rothydraws @comatosebunny09 @amazinglyashy @lemonlover1110 @fortunekookie07 @yourstrulysylus @chibichibi-mia @chaos-in-deepspace @ramonathinks @cloudwisp @shouyuus
I've been putting off my thesis and trying to run away from it by busying myself with new hobby. And I recently found myself enjoying cooking and experimenting around recipes. Not gonna lie, I've been romanticizing home-cooked meal this past month ✋🏻😩. Is this the beginning of my trad-daughter era? Is this a scientifically proven effect of staying at home for too long? Should I stop pretending like I'm gonna focus 100% on my thesis and get a job again? Idk.
#I daydream about this tbh#Daydreaming about cooking for sylus rafayel xavier zayne after a long day of working#love and deepspace#love and deep space#love and deepspace fic#love and deepspace fanfiction#lads fanfic#lads smut#lads#l&ds#lads sylus#l&ds sylus#sylus love and deepspace#love and deepspace sylus#sylus smut#sylus fluff#sylus fic#sylus fanfic
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MATLAB Assignment Help
MATLAB, which stands for Matrix Laboratory, is a programming language of the fourth generation that operates within an environment that is capable of performing numerical computations using multiple paradigms. The Mathworks Inc. is the company that conceptualized and developed MATLAB, which was primarily intended for numerical computation. This application has the capability to access symbolic computations by including the MuPAD symbolic engine toolbox, which is an optional component. Furthermore, our Matlab assignment assistance specialists offer deep insights into Simulink, an essential component of MATLAB that enables multi-domain simulation designs for embedded and dynamic systems. These insights are provided by our specialists. You are able to get aid with Online Assignment Service if you are having any difficulty in composing them.
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NMIMS BBA 1st Sem Micro Economics Solved Assignment
NMIMS Dec 2024 BBM Solved Assignments, NMIMS Dec 2024 B.COM Solved Assignments
We are number 1, NMIMS Assignments Academic Writing Professionals.
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We provide NMIMS for all courses, such as MBA, BBA, B.Com, and EMBA, and all subjects solved assignments for all semesters.
We offer both General and Customized projects. Please be sure to hurry for quality assignments.
Dr. Aravind Banakar, an esteemed academic writing professional, has over 24 years of experience crafting customized, plagiarism-free assignments and capstone projects across various disciplines.
Dr. Aravindkumar Banakar [email protected] +91 9901366442 +91 9902787224https://mbacasestudyanswers.com
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Both of which Harry and Meghan did before the BRF caught on. Or at least Meghan did, with her drip-drip-drip of bracelets, spooning bananas, and union jacks on Instagram.
And it's something no one ever gives her enough credit for: social climbing like a 19th century novelist's dream, but using social media! And outwitting the BRF itself, and all its courtiers and social media experts.
Someone should write a doctoral thesis on her social media mastery, and I'm saying it without the least trace of irony.
Of course, team BRF eventually got back on track, Meghan overreached, and the pandemic reshaped social media use, so she couldn't do it again for Megxit. And she can't do it for ARO or the other million failed initiatives, it's not the same playground, not the same rules.
Oh, I'm sure there will be some people that study her downfall. It may not be academic, but it'll definitely be noted.
Also, social media's transformation as a result of the pandemic didn't impact Megxit. Megxit, if you remember, was December 2019 - March 2020 when the Sussexes were negotiating with the BRF. The Sussexes were able to use social media effectively (somewhat) at that time and they were able to bargain *some* concessions from the BRF - namely the one-year trial period in which everything the Sussexes had were put on hold into abeyance (versus being taken immediately).
What the pandemic did impact was the Brand Sussex Relaunch in 2021, but it wasn't social media that did it - it was the collective global cultural shift caused by the pandemic, where all the "me-me-me" celebs/influencers lost much of their social currency while the "for the better of others" advocacy celebs/influencers gained prestige. In the US, that cultural shift was helped along by the social justice reckoning of Black Lives Matter in summer 2020, which actually would have been more in Meghan's favor but she was - as always - a day late and a dollar short, making a plea for the BRF to reckon with modern social justice 6 months too late.
And in the UK, that cultural shift was cemented by the death of Prince Philip, the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, and the death of Her Late Majesty (commemorations for which recognized over 70+ years of service to the crown, their nation, and the world), and that was the nail in Meghan's coffin. Philip's illness and death coming so soon after the Oprah interview provided an instant "compare and contrast" moment for both Meghan and Harry that they were left so far in the dust not even Tom Cruise's scramjet from Top Gun: Maverick could help them catch up to the BRF.
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By Leslie Patrick
1 August 2023
Anne Boleyn (c. 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536), King Henry VIII's second queen, is often portrayed as a seductress and ultimately the woman responsible for changing the face of religion in England.
In reality, she was a fiercely intelligent and pious woman dedicated to education and religious reform.
But after her arrest and execution on false charges of adultery and incest in May 1536, Henry VIII was determined to forget her memory.
Her royal emblems were removed from palace walls, her sparkling jewels tucked away in dark coffers, and her precious books disappeared from the pages of time.
One of Boleyn’s books that has reappeared is the Book of Hours, a stunning prayer book, printed around 1527 with devotional texts designed to be read throughout the day, features hand-painted woodcuts — as well as a rare example of the queen’s own writing.
In the margins of one of the beautifully decorated pages, she penned a rhyming couplet followed by her signature:
“Remember me when you do pray, that hope doth lead from day to day, Anne Boleyn.”
The book vanished with Boleyn’s execution in 1536, then resurfaced around 1903 when it was acquired by the American millionaire William Waldorf Astor (31 March 1848 – 18 October 1919) after he purchased Hever Castle, Anne Boleyn’s childhood home in the English countryside.
The hiding place of the disgraced queen’s devotional tome had been a mystery for centuries, until recent research by a university student uncovered hidden signatures that helped trace its path through history.
The discovery
The book’s whereabouts in the 367 years between Boleyn’s death and its reemergence remained puzzling until 2020 when Kate McCaffrey, then a graduate student at the University of Kent working on her master’s thesis about Anne Boleyn’s Book of Hours, found something unexpected in the margins of the book.
“I noticed what appeared to be smudges to the naked eye,” recalls McCaffrey, assistant curator at Hever Castle since 2021.
Intrigued, she borrowed an industrial-strength ultraviolet light and set it up in the darkest room of Hever Castle.
Ultraviolet light is often used to examine historical documents because ink absorbs the ultraviolet wavelength, causing it to appear darker against the page when exposed.
“The words just came through. It was incredible to see them underneath the light, they were completely illuminated,” the curator recalls.
McCaffrey’s theory is that the words were erased during the late Victorian era when it was popular to cleanse marginalia from books or manuscripts.
But thanks to her extraordinary detective work, these erased words turned out to be the key that unlocked the tale of the book’s secret journey from certain destruction at the royal court to safety in the hands of a dedicated group of Boleyn’s supporters.
The guardians
Indeed, various pages throughout the text reveal the names and notations of a string of Kentish women — Elizabeth Hill, Elizabeth Shirley, Mary Cheke, Philippa Gage, and Mary West — who banded together to safeguard Anne's precious book and keep her memory alive.
While it’s unclear how the book was initially passed to these women, Anne Boleyn expert Natalie Grueninger suggests it was gifted by Anne to a woman named Elizabeth Hill.
Elizabeth grew up near Hever Castle, and her husband, Richard Hill, was sergeant of the King’s Cellar at Henry VIII’s court.
There are records of the Hill’s playing cards with the king, and there may have been a friendship between Elizabeth and the queen that prompted Boleyn to pass her prayer book on before her execution.
“This extended Kentish family kept the book safe following Anne’s demise, which was an incredibly brave and bold act considering it could have been considered treasonous,” says Grueninger, podcaster and author of the book The Final Year of Anne Boleyn.
Anne’s Book of Hours was passed between mothers, daughters, sisters, and nieces until the late sixteenth century, when the last name makes its appearance in its margins.
“This story is an example of the women in the family prioritizing loyalty, friendship, fidelity, and a personal connection to Anne,” says McCaffrey.
“The fact that the women have kept it safe is a really beautiful story of solidarity, community, and bravery.”
The book, currently on display at Hever Castle, is a touchstone of the enigma that was Anne Boleyn.
Castle historian and assistant curator Owen Emmerson points out that the book contains Anne’s DNA on the pages from where she touched and kissed it during her daily devotions.
“This was a really beloved possession of hers,” says Emmerson.
“Because of what happened to Anne Boleyn, we don’t have a vast amount of information in Anne’s own words. But the physical remnants of her use of the book, and the construction of that beautiful little couplet, have her identity in them.”
While Anne’s Book of Hours has finally found its way home, the research into this intriguing historical mystery is not yet over.
McCaffrey continues to chart the book’s provenance through the centuries to find out where it was hiding all this time.
The discovery of the inscriptions illuminates the book’s furtive journey, providing us with a glimpse into the controversy, loyalty, and fascination that Anne Boleyn has engendered for the past 500 years.
#Anne Boleyn#King Henry VIII#Book of Hours#William Waldorf Astor#Hever Castle#Kate McCaffrey#University of Kent#ultraviolet light#Natalie Grueninger#Owen Emmerson#Elizabeth Hill#Elizabeth Shirley#Mary Cheke#Philippa Gage#Mary West#The Tudors#House of Tudor#British Royal Family
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Fear Toxin: The Memories that Haunts Us | Batman/Bruce Wayne x Magician!Reader
Synopsis: Wanting to test his new fear toxin, Scarecrow installed it in an event that had all of Gotham’s elite and powerful. As one of the guest speakers for her new book about the history of the Wayne family, Vivian Pryor was too late to realize what was already happening and inhaled the gas, subjecting her to a spiral that brought her back to her most horrific memories in her past and wakes a dormant power that rings beyond the waking world
Vivian looked at herself in the mirror and tried to calm down by fixing whatever she could on her dress. It was a beautiful dress, one that Bruce offered she wore for the launch of her newest book that told the story of the Wayne family – their history, bloodline, and how they influenced Gotham. It was one of his mother’s dresses, a beautiful classic design in the shade of blue and black lace patterns on top, which complimented her auburn hair. It had a square cut neckline that connected to her lace sleeves.
When he offered her the dress, Vivian felt so honored and overwhelmed but Bruce reassured her that it was alright, in fact it was perfect since she will be presenting the book about his family history.
The book took her almost four years to write, and she made sure to not be biased by having her former mentor be her editor. The man was the best person to question her work about certain topics, and he advised her to write the book away from Wayne Manor and away from her boyfriend, Bruce Wayne, to keep everything factual and neutral.
It took a lot of edits, a lot of drafts, but after four years, she finally finished her thesis, presented it to the board, and was going to publish a new book yet again. This time, unlike her first book launch, the guest list quadrupled with almost all of Gotham’s elite and powerful were present, along with the media, and experts in her field, and, of course, her colleagues from Gotham University.
And, unlike the last, it had more press. More people are writing about the event, about her, about her relationship with Bruce Wayne, and about how she took advantage of her relationship for a new book. She’s seen the articles posted online and on the tabloids when her publishing team started marketing the book. It nearly broke her as she started questioning her own work, but Alfred was there to bring some sense into her, and Dick was always there to cheer her up by doing some absurd thing to the press by raising the middle finger at them.
And Bruce.
Bruce would always remind her that it was all just media, that once the book is on the shelves people will see that she did work without bias, that their relationship wasn’t transactional but two people who found comfort with each other. Who found happiness and love.
It didn’t help when paparazzi would follow her around or block her from getting to her car, but Bruce would always be there whenever she needed her, shielding her from them. He had a talent for that.
The knock on the door didn’t pull Vivian from her anxious thoughts, but the feeling of his lips on her neck did. Vivian only realized that Bruce was there when she felt his warm enveloping her, and then saw his reflection. She let out a sigh as he continued to kiss her at that spot he knew made feel jelly.
“Don’t even think about leaving a mark there,” she warned him.
“I can’t help it,” Bruce teased.
“I mean it. I don’t need another headline about me being your whore so I’d write only good things about the Waynes.”
Bruce stopped with his kisses and then looked at her through the mirror. “Who wrote it?”
“Bruce…”
“Viv. Tell me.”
“You don’t need to do anything. Please, It’s just something I saw. See? Forgetting about it now.”
“That doesn’t look like a face that’s forgetting about it.” Bruce sat on the desk and brought her close to him. “Who did it, Viv?”
“What, you’re gonna go all dark knight on him just for me?” She gasped teasingly, making him roll his eyes.”I’m touched, I didn’t know I meant so much to you.”
“You do. Very much, in fact,” Bruce pulled her in for a kiss. “What can I do to make you relax?” He asked suggestively.
She saw right through it though and said, “Scotch. Double. Neat.”
“That won’t get you drunk in the middle of the event.”
“Please, a double won’t even ease the nerves,” she let out a sigh. “Where’s Dick, he can calm me down.”
“What is that that Dick can do that I can’t?”
“Be adorable,” she walked to the door and looked around for the boy. She found the teenager hitting on a girl, who happens to be one of her students and was older than him. “Dick, she has a boyfriend and you’re too young for her. Get over here!”
“Vivian!” Dick blushed in embarrassment. He apologized to the girl and went to the room where Vivian has been pacing around and closed the door before saying, “Are you serious right now?”
“I am. Just stay here and help me calm down. Please,” Vivian slumped on the boy’s back. Dick sighed and let her lean on him while he did nothing. It became some sort of his job to calm her down these past few weeks when the Internet started writing about her relationship with Bruce Wayne and not about her book. He would find her in the manor lying on the couch with her laptop in mid-scroll of the article, and to cheer her up, he'd sit on the floor, take her hand and put it on his head. Like how he finds comfort whenever she brushes his hair, she too finds it relaxing.
“Come on, Viv, it’s gonna be alright,” said Dick.
“I’ll go head out and see what else needs to be prepared. Dick, make sure Vivian’s alright before we start. And don’t give her any drinks.”
“But what if she’s thirsty?”
“Then give her water.”
“And if that’s not enough?”
“Coffee. I had someone bring a coffee maker here. That’ll do.”
~*~
One moment Vivian was sitting on the leather sofa with the host of the event, talking about the research she made for the book, and what it felt like digging through the archives of one of the most private families in Gotham, the next she found herself standing in the middle of the wet road. Police sirens flashing in the night.
How did she end up…
“Vivian Pryor,” an officer approached her. They didn’t wear the standard police officer uniforms of GCPD, instead they wore light reflector jackets over the white shirt and bulletproof vest, their hats resembled tophats but smaller and round. And this one had a Liverpooldian accent. “Better come with us.”
She followed them, not sure why but she did and –
They were in a morgue?
How did they…
“Can you help us identify this woman, Ma'am?” The police officer pointed to the body on the table, covered with a white sheet.
“I… why my? Why…” she was confused. How did she even come to this place? Why did they suddenly want her to identify this dead woman? When the officer didn't say and continued to write something on the pad, Vivian walked towards the body and pulled down the –
A gasping scream left her chest and Vivian almost fell to the ground as she saw the face of the eyeless woman. “No, no, no…” Vivian sobbed as she identified her so easily. The woman's red hair, her high cheekbones, her once tan skin now pale and lifeless. “Mom? Mommy, no! Please, no!” Vivian cried as she held her mother's arm and sunk down on the ground. “WHAT IS THIS?!” Vivian cried out.
“Vee,” a voice spoke. A cold hand came to her arm.
Slowly looking up, the scream got stuck in her throat as she came face to face with her mother's dead and eyeless face looking down at her, sitting up and holding her arm with her nails digging in. “He's coming. He's coming. He's coming.” Madeline's corpse repeated over and over and her nails buried on Vivian's forearm.
He's coming. He's coming. He's coming. He's coming. He's coming. He's coming.
“Let go of me!”
He's coming. He's coming. He's coming. He's coming. He's coming. He's coming.
“Mommy, please! Let go! AH!” She shrieked in pain as her mother's nails started carving to her flesh, following the pattern of the seal that bound the majority of her magic.
“Mommy, please! Please!” Vivian cried –
Madeline's hand grabbed her face and brought her close –
“WHY DID YOU BURY ME ALIVE, VIVIAN?!”
“NO, I DIDN'T ! I DIDN'T!”
“WHY?!”
“NO!”
“WHY?!”
“LET ME GO!” Vivian cast the spell, freeing her from Madeline's hold –
“VEE! VEE! VIVIAN!” It was a different voice this time. “Damn it, Vee!” The man grabbed her by her shoulders and made her open her eyes. “Love, we need to do this now!”
“John?” She said in a whisper as she saw the man she swore to never see again. He looked exactly as the day she left him. Young, blonde, with an arrogant face, he wore that ridiculous black shirt with the ripped sleeves and the pentagram in the middle. Who was she kidding, it was rock and roll then, and John Constantine was the literal personal of it. He still smelled like cigarettes but there was sulfur in the air too.
“Love, come on, we need you,” said John. “Angela, needs you! Richie is down. Isabel is gone! You are our only hope now!” John said. “Use it!”
No…
“You know what will happen if I –”
“LOOK AT HER!” John pointed.
On the ground, Chas Kramer, held down a woman thrashing around while one of their friends, Gary Lester was holding her head while performing the exorcism ritual.
She can't be here…
This is impossible.
But she was, and she could see the demon trying to claw its way out of Angela's body, literally, as the woman tried so hard to keep it down with Chas and Gary's help.
“If you don't do this, Love, the bastard will come out!” John told her.
“John, I don't have my powers – I don't have them – I – I'm sorry –” Vivian sobbed. “This isn't real. This can't be real.” Vivian closed her eyes. “Wake up! I need to wake up!”
Silence came to the room. She knew that silence. It's what set them all off. It's what brought her to near insanity as it killed them for only a moment and she saw the other side.
A breath blew in her ear and a whisper said, “Open your eyes, Vivian.”
She did –
The distorted face of Angela was before her. The demon has possessed her fully and –
“Mommy,” Angela spoke laced with the demon's voice. “Why did you bury me alive?”
“Please, don't,” Vivian begged.
Angela’s face contorted to a sinister grin.
Over Angela’s shoulder, Vivian could see John’s hand holding out to her their direction, the pentagram marked on his hand, and was starting the incarnation. The binding spell of a demon.
“John, don’t… please, don’t,” Vivian begged.
Angela’s grin grew. The demon was killing her body, causing the massive deterioration that blood flowed out of her mouth like waterfalls. “Oops, looks like the baby's coming.”
Vivian was pushed back down, to a slab where her hands were tied down. The morgue, she was in the morgue again –
“AAAAAH!” Vivian screamed in pain as something inside her was clawing its way out. Looking down at her body, she saw her belly round with the demon's claws trying to break free from her womb. “STOP IT! GET OUT OF ME! GET OUT OF ME!” Vivian cried out. “GET IT OUT! GET IT OUT! NO, PLEASE, JOHN! PLEASE! PLEASE, DON’T DO THIS! PLEASE! JOHN, GET IT OUT OF ME! PLEASE! I DON'T WANT THIS! PLEASE! AAAAAAHHHHHH!”
She felt the creature coming out of the womb, crawling like a monster reaching for freedom. Breaking every bone there was to break. Then she saw it's arm raising from between her legs and slowly, subjecting her to agonizing pain, pulled its body out, all boney and flesh, with horns and claws. Vivian screamed in pain, she tried everything to stop it but the demon tore its way out of her flesh and was now standing before her, covered in the soot and sulfurs of hell, mixed with her own blood.
Trembling, Vivian watched as the demon climbed the table, hovering over her and loomed its horrific face over hers and said, “You've dug yourself into your grave, Vivian Pryor. No dream can save you from me now. I will come and I will take this body, and you will birth the soldiers of hell for our wars,” the demon grinned sadistically as it saw the look of pain and realization in her face.
A bloodcurdling scream tore from her throat as she felt them, all of them, inside her, trying to claw out of her body.
She can't. She can't let them do this. She'd rather burn than let this happen. She'd rather burn than let them use her body like this. She'd burn, she’d burn all of this.
Release me, Vivian Pryor.
A chain broke deep inside, and Vivian let out a scream as she let the power surge around her, burning the demons and herself –
~*~
“LESLIE, SHE'S GOING INTO SHOCK! HER FEVER IS GOING HIGHER!” Batman said as he held Vivian down on the medical bed in the Batcave.
He should have known about it. He should have anticipated it but he knew Scarecrow was in Arkham Asylum, he and Robin put him there a week ago, and now the man came during Vivian's launch and tested his new toxin in the venue that had all of Gotham's rich and powerful, and the media. The easy part was apprehending Scarecrow and stopping the release of the gas variation of the Fear Toxin into the vents. The hard part was getting all of the affected to the hospital. The hardest was Vivian Pryor. When the paramedics tried to sedate her, Vivian started to go hysterical, crying about her mother, then it happened. The powerful release of energy that Batman knew all too well.
Vivian's magic pulsed through them like a heatwave, and he knew the hospital can't help her now. After telling Jim Gordon that he'll take Vivian to a more isolated facility, he and Robin drove across Gotham to get back to the cave. At the back, Dick had to restrain Vivian as she kept thrashing around, crying in pain and horror, begging them to stop.
It will be the source of his nightmares for a while, hearing her cry out: “GET IT OUT OF ME! GET IT OUT! JOHN, GET IT OUT OF ME! IT'S COMING OUT! LET GO OF ME! PLEASE!”
Dick, near to tears, held Vivian tight and said, “Batman, she's burning up!”
Through the chaos, Batman contacted Leslie Thomkins and had her brought to the cave as quickly as possible.
But she wasn't fast enough. They came before Leslie did. Dick and Brue held Vivian down as Alfred strapped her down to the medical bed as she kept thrashing, screaming, and crying.
“GET OUT OF ME! NO, PLEASE! NO, PLEASE!” Vivian cried. “I DON'T WANT THIS! PLEASE! JUST KILL ME NOW! JOHN, KILL ME NOW, PLEASE! PLEASE!”
She kept crying for names that neither of the men in the cave knew: Chas, Richie, Angela, Isabel, Maureen, Gary, and a John, who was the most called name and begged him to kill her.
When Leslie came, she immediately went to work. Taking blood samples to see why the antidote wasn't working.
It was her body. Her temperature was so high the moment they injected the antidote it burns up and never goes into the bloodstream. It was also making the toxin worse.
Then it came.
The pulse of power that shook the cave and caused a blackout. Resembling a sun’s solar flare.
“ROBIN, CHECK THE GENERATOR, NOW!” Batman ordered.
“On it!” Dick jumped and grappled down to where they kept the generators to bring power back to the cave. He had a feeling this blackout wasn't just at Wayne Manor. That surge of power was too strong to be contained in a certain radius.
“Leslie, please,” Bruce pulled down his cowl and looked at the woman, who has been his surrogate mother since the tragedy at Crime Alley. “What do you need me to do? Wh-What can we do?”
Leslie looked down at Vivian who was clearly no ordinary human after seeing all methods were not working.
“Leslie, please!” Bruce begged. “Save her. I don't care how, just save her.”
“We need to flush out the toxin from her blood, and the only way to do that is an exchange transfusion,” said Leslie.
Without hesitation, Bruce turned to Alfred and ordered him to get the equipment they needed, and the blood that they have banked that matches Vivian's. Alfred jumped to action immediately and went to grab the tools before Bruce could even finish. Actually, the moment Leslie said the process, he was already looking for the machine they would need.
Dick restored the power to the cave, and Alfred prepared the machine and the blood bank, Bruce pushed Vivian's bed to the station and held her down for Leslie to start the procedure.
Her thrashing started to cease but her fever kept going up. It was as if she were giving up. Bruce would have preferred she kept fighting whatever she saw in that hallucination than this. It meant she was giving up.
For the first time, Dick saw Bruce nearly fall to his knees as he leaned down and pressed his forehead on Vivian's and begged her to stay with him. That this will pass. Telling her that they were doing everything they can to save her, so hold on.
When the process started, Vivian was no longer thrashing around. She fell silent and her cries stopped, but tears still fell. The storm has passed, what awaits now is her recovery. Bruce never left her side since, and was only forced to do so when Dick said that Commissioner Gordon was at the other line, asking about Vivian Pryor.
“I'll keep her company, Bruce,” said Dick. “You need to talk to him.”
Bruce reluctantly left Vivian's side and went to the computer where the call was put on hold. Wearing the cowl, Batman spoke to Jim and answered the man's main concern, what happened to Vivian Pryor. The press were not leaving them alone when they heard Vivian wasn't in the hospital.
“They're biting our heads off with this. Vivian Pryor's been the center of the media and she can't just disappear, especially with Wayne –”
“Don't worry, Jim. Professor Pryor is with Bruce Wayne at the moment. I contacted him to retrieve her when she was stable. She's with him at Wayne Manor now, being cared for, privately. If you want to see her yourself, you can. I'll inform them about it.”
“I'll contact Wayne myself. Next time, call me and I'll handle the transition,” Jim sighed.
“Of course. Batman, out.”
Ending the call, Batman informed Alfred and Leslie, who were having a visitor, Jim Gordon once Bruce gets the call. Not long after, he did, and after reassuring the Commissioner Vivian was with them, Bruce ended the call and asked for help to transport Vivian to one of the guest rooms where the treatment will continue.
Changing out of his Bat costume, Bruce wore his usual attire and had Dick do the same for the commissioner. They were sitting in the room where Vivian was kept when Jim came in with Harvey Bullock, and Alfred leading them there.
“As you can see, Commissioner Professor Pryor is very much taken care of. Doctor Thompkins, the family doctor, has given her the best care there is to rid of the toxin from her body,” Alfred said.
“Why the transfusion?” Bullock asked. “What about the antidote?”
“The antidote wasn't working with Professor Pryor,” said Leslie. “We were forced to make other measures to remove the toxin from her.”
“Do you have any more questions, Commissioner?” Bruce asked.
“I just wanted to make sure she was alright, Mr. Wayne. Of all the people there, she looked like she was the most affected one,” Jim’s gaze went to Vivian as the memory of her going hysterical in the room and in the hospital replayed. “It's the ones that always have a smile on their face that have seen darker things. Don't you agree, Wayne?”
Bruce remained silent.
“I know the sound of real terror, and that girl sounded like she just went to hell and back. Take care of her, Wayne. Let's go, Bullock,” Jim said his goodbye and left.
They waited until Alfred returned from escorting the Commissioner and Detective Bullock out of the manor before talking about the matter at hand. Leslie told Bruce that the transfusion will last for two more hours, and after that she'll be in bedrest for a while.
“Bruce, as your family doctor and, now hers, I need to know what was that?” Leslie asked. “And you know what I mean. That girl's fever should have killed her, she was burning from the inside – Burning, Bruce. And not just because of the fever. It felt like flames were inside her.”
When Bruce remained silent, Alfred spoke, “It is for the best, Master Bruce. So, Doctor Thompkins may know the best course of action the next time such an encounter happens.”
“But it won't happen again,” Bruce said.
“Bruce,” Leslie began.
“I won't let this happen again.”
“Bruce, if this is some sort of secret, you know that I can keep it.”
Bruce only looked at her, and then gave in. He apologized to Vivian as he told his surrogate mother the secret they have been hiding. “Vivian is a Homo Magi. A Magician. A witch. She stopped practicing her magic a long time ago after an incident. We still don't know what it was but it still frightens her. What happened now is something we have never encountered before.”
“Viv usually just casts spells or something,” Dick spoke. “Nothing too major. A bit of teleportation. Trust me, she never did anything like this.”
“I see. So, not exactly something science can handle,” Leslie sighed. “Talk to her, Bruce. It seems that's the only thing I can,” a sigh. “That's all that I can give to you now. And when she's awake, bring her to the clinic. I can’ get a good blood sample with it burning up and evaporating before we could test it.”
“Thank you, Leslie,” Bruce told her.
Seeing the fear still in his face, Leslie went to Bruce and patted his shoulder. “The storm has passed. She will be alright now. While you wait, rest.” After that, Leslie left and Alfred drove her back to the clinic in Parkway.
~*~
Bruce was sitting on the leather seat when Vivian woke. He normally succumbs to micro sleep and then be fully energized for the day and night, but this time he was truly knocked out. He hasn’t left Vivian’s side the entire night, leaving Robin to do most of the patrols for the past few days. Ever since Dick turned sixteen, Bruce has been taking trips abroad for Wayne Enterprise or just stay in with Vivian to get a break.
It was Dick who suggested it to him, wanting to do crime fighting on his own and prove that he could. Bruce was reluctant to agree, though, when Vivian supported Dick’s idea.
A flatline. The sound of the long beep of the heart monitor pulled Bruce from his sleep and jump from his seat, his heart dropping as the worse happened. But Vivian wasn’t there. She wasn’t in bed, and there was a trail of blood from the ripped IV leading to the door. Following the trail, Bruce heard Alfred’s voice calling for Vivian in panic.
“Ms. Vivian!” Alfred called for her. “Please, Ms. Vivian! Calm down!”
“Alfred, I… I need to…” Vivian’s voice was weak and hoarse. “I need to go to the…”
“At least let me bandage your arm, please, Ma’am!” Alfred begged.
Arriving at the entrance hall of Wayne MAnor, Bruce saw Vivian barely holding herself as she leaned on the wall for support. Her pajamas stained with blood from the IV.
“Alfred, please,” Vivian was trying to catch her breath.
“Ms. Vivian!” Alfred caught her as her knees buckled, but as soon as he did, Vivian tried to push him away and cried in fear, startling Alfred.
“Please, don’t touch me, please!” Vivian backed up against the heavy door, holding herself.
“Ms. Vivian, I…”
“Viv!” Bruce arrived and kept a good distance from her, not too far nor too close to frighten her. “Viv. Viv, please, listen to us. You’re bleeding, we need you to let us fix that before you lose blood. Vivian, please, my love, you just had an exchange transfusion two days ago to get rid of the Fear Toxin in your body. Please, let us help you.”
She looked at him for a moment, fear seen in her eyes, but Bruce could see the conflict inside. To trust him yet she didn’t want to be touched. What did she see while under that toxin? After a while, Vivian finally opens her arms and takes Bruce’s hand, but she flinches upon touch and took a moment before she held tight and lets him come close.
Bruce cautiously scooped her up from the ground, taking one step at a time that wouldn’t frighten her. They brought her to the living room where Alfred came with a first aid kit. He expertly removed the remaining wire of the IV, and placed a bandage on the puncture. Once done, he excused himself to get Vivian new clothes to change out of the bloody ones she wore and the entire time, Bruce sat beside her. Holding her.
When Alfred came back, Bruce asked Alfred to see to Dick, who has been asking a million questions in his comms. He must have been notified of the flatline and was panicking. Bruce helped her change her clothes, and noticed how Vivian looked at her reflection on the window glass, pressing on her belly and then lower as if to check an injury before taking the jumper and sweatpants.
“Leslie said you need bedrest,” said Bruce.
Vivian shook her head. “Take me to the chapel.”
“What?”
“I need to go to the chapel, in the estate.”
“Viv, you need rest. And it’s pouring out.”
“Please!” Vivian hugged herself again, just as she would do whenever she felt overwhelmed and could feel all that he couldn’t see. “Please, please, I just need to go there.”
“Alright,” Bruce gave in and asked her to sit for a while as he went to get the keys for the car and a raincoat.
The drive to the chapel only took a couple of minutes. As soon as he stopped the car, Vivian got out, not bothering too wait for him or the umbrella he prepared. “Vivian!” He called out, running after her, as she entered the rundown chapel. He expected the inside to be dark, yet as soon as Vivian stepped in the candles and the torches lit up. Each step she made, the candles would light up until she sat down and the the candles on the altar now had flames to show the cross on the wall and the bible that has been eaten by moths and other insects that’s been living in there.
Bruce sat beside her, both of them wet from the rain, and asked, “what are we doing here, Vivian?”
Silence.
“Vivian, please,” Bruce knelt before her, holding her hands. “I want to help you, but I don’t know how. Viv, my love, please, tell me… I almost lost you – you were burning up, the antidote won’t work because whenever Leslie would inject it, it would just evaporate or be burned up before it would go into the bloodstream. We had to result to an exchange transfusion just to get the toxin out of you. And during that time this power came from you and it…
“Vivian, please, tell me. I don’t know what to do, and I can’t stand seeing you like this. So afraid. I promise you, we got Scarecrow, he’s in Arkham now… and he won’t hurt you anymore.”
“It’s not Scarecrow I’m afraid of,” she whispered. “It’s what I saw and what’s coming. There’s a reason why I asked to be brought here because I don’t feel safe right now.”
Vivian wasn’t a practicing Catholic. She can’t claim she was an atheist since her magic showed her all that was in the other world. She believes in the hierarchy of things, especially in the mystic arts, but she doesn’t exactly follow them. She once told Bruce that “all gods are the same, all have rules, and all have the idea of good and bad, right and wrong, and the ego of a narcissistic asshole.”
Swallowing his pride and facing his fears, Bruce asked, “Vivian, whose John?”
The mention of the name made her flinch. Bruce wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but if made him scared. Of what, he wasn’t sure.
“Catholic religion was once an art or practice of magic that became a religion. And it’s one of the oldest magic there is and to practice it means risking the line of crossing to dark magic,” Vivian began. “When my mother died, I practiced dark magic so I could bring her back again, but that’s not how the world works. I can’t bring back the dead nor I just bring them from whatever plain they’re in just to talk to them. So, I went to where there myself. I didn’t do it alone though. No matter what I tried, I can’t kill myself.”
She saw the shock in Bruce’s eyes. But she continued. “That’s where John comes in. I met him in one of Papa Midnight’s clubs, drinking and smoking thirty-cigarettes a day. He’s an occultist, dabbles in the dark arts. John fucking Constantine. I should have listened to the first person who told me to stay away from him, but I didn’t. I told him what I wanted to do, he told me to fuck off, until I showed him a wad of cash. Stolen from an ATM.
“Then fuck it. He brought me to his place where he brought me to the place where all souls nowadays goes. He drowned me in his tub. I was dead for thirty seconds, and when I woke up, I saw him blasted off to the wall and the tub broken. Thirty seconds, I was gone. But it felt like an eternity in that goddamn place.”
“Where did you go, Viv?” Bruce asked.
“Where all souls go nowadays. Hell.”
Bruce got up and brought her to an embrace, he couldn’t imagine what she must have felt then. A girl of fifteen or sixteen, going through Hell. Literally.
“After that, John told me what happened outside. He said that I had some kind of power he’s never seen before and he gave me his card. Back then it was just a scribbled piece of paper for his cigarettes. But I didn’t go home that night, how can I? I just saw hell. I needed a drink, and I needed something to make me forget.” She laughed cynically at the memory. “Or maybe he just thought it’d be an easy way to get laid that night. I don’t care, but it helped.”
She felt Bruce’s hold on her tightened, and she squeezed his arm to reassure him that she was alright. Or to reassure him that it was all in the past now.
“You can say we dated, but it wasn’t exactly exclusive. He’d fuck around with someone, I’d do the same. Practicing the dark arts was taxing, and alcohol and fucking were the only things we knew how to get a piece of sanity from seeing all of those things and feeling all of those horrifying experiences. Alcohol numbs us, sex makes us feel good. But only for a while. Once that’s gone, it’s back in the rut.
“We’d take on jobs, get called on for jobs by mortals and immortals and divine alike. We even got a little group… and then it happened. There was a case of a woman jumping off a building. Police said it was suicide, but the sister didn’t believe it was. She said that there was something demonic that made her sister jump. John and our little group investigated in it. All young and idiotic. All foolish to think we’re fucking gods ourselves. Until we saw it.
“The demon was one of the princes of Hell. And He wanted to get through to the mortal world and ravage on the lands. To do that he took the body of Isabel but she killed herself before he could take her. So, he went for the twin. Angela. The exorcism was a mess. A lot of us got hurt. Some died. It was the first time I saw real horror, Bruce. The first time I experienced fear, and I just stood there as they try to save Angela from being ripped to pieces. She was dying and the demon was about to get out… until.”
Memories flashed before her eyes as she remembered John holding her down with his magic and then starting the incantation. His last words to her that night were: “Sorry, love. But it’s the only way.”
“John fucking Constantine, knew the demon needed a powerful witch. So, he presented me like a fucking prize and was about to bound us together so he could kill both the host and the demon. But I didn’t let him. I burned it. The demon, putting it back into hell but I knew it’d be back for me. Angela died that day. Richie got this demon-inflicted cancer. And the rest just went our separate ways.
“After that, I left John and I went back home and tried to forget. For nights I’d dream about that horrible experience, and I could feel it pinning me down and trying to get to me. So, I did the only thing I could think of to stop him. I sealed my powers away, which also seals the fucker in hell.”
“You gave up your magic – your real power so you can seal the demon in hell?” Bruce asked.
“A good trade for a good night’s sleep and a new life,” Vivian shrugged. “What I saw while I was infected with the Fear Toxin was a mix of all that – my Mom’s death, that night, but this time. The demon got me and it crawled its way out of my body and –” The memory of the dream came back as flashes that had Vivian running to vomit at the corner. Bruce approached her and rubbed her back and held her hair. “I can still feel them crawling out of my body. Using me like some gateway.”
Which was why she didn’t want them touching her earlier, Bruce concluded.
“Is there anything I can do to help you, Vivian?”
She let out a cynical laugh, “I don’t think Batman can battle a demon. Let alone a Prince of Hell.”
Bruce chuckled. “You’d be surprised. For you, I’d battle monsters, aliens, and demons just to keep you safe.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of…” Vivian whispered.
~*~
Upon returning to the Manor, Vivian was tackled to an embrace by Dick, despite Alfred telling him about not startling her with such attacks. But this time, Vivian didn’t flinch, she welcomed Dick’s embrace and brushed his hair. It always did calm her.
“I’m gonna make Scarecrow pay,” Dick said.
“Dick, I’m fine,” Vivian told him.
“You’re not! I-I thought — I thought we lost you. We couldn’t get the fever down until Doctor Leslie did the transfusion – He crossed a line this time!”
“I know, kiddo,” Vivian hugged him again. “But please. Scarecrow is in Arkham, he can’t touch us again.”
“If I see him out here again, I’ll fucking –”
“Master Dick!” Alfred chastised him.
“Sorry, Alfred…”
Releasing him from the hug, Vivian told him to get changed. Clean up and head to bed as tomorrow it was a school day and he only had a few hours left before he goes to school. Dick was about to argue but one look from Alfred and Bruce, he was marching up to his room.
~*~
Cleaned and changed from their muddy clothes, Vivian entered their bedroom and saw Bruce sitting in his spot on their bed, looking through one of her books. Specifically the one of demonology. She took the book from his hand and tossed it to the floor.
“Not tonight,” she told him. “Don’t be Batman tonight.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Really?”
“With you, Vivian, I’m your partner first before I am Batman.”
She smiled and leaned down to kiss him.
“I got you scotch. Double,” he handed her the glass. “To numb the pain… but just for tonight.”
Vivian nodded and took a shot and let the alcohol do its work. “And to forget?”
Bruce led her to the bed and kissed her slowly, but just as he was going to lay her down, Vivian pushed him back and climbed on top of him. Not tonight. Not after that dream. Tonight, she’ll lead. She’ll have control.
They made slow and passionate love as Vivian rode him. Both focusing on the now, the pleasure sex brought them, and how they used it to show their love. When she came, Bruce followed and with a loud grunt, and spasms of his cum filled her that it leaked out. They rarely did it unprotected, despite Vivian taking contraceptive pills, but tonight they just wanted to feel each other. Vivian wanted to feel him.
~*~
A week later Vivian returned to the campus. Bruce insisted on driving her to and from work, wanting to make sure she was safe. Upon stepping in, she was greeted with concerned colleagues and students who learned of the bad effects of the toxin which resulted in her body going into shock and requiring a blood transfusion. She reassured them she was alright and insisted she just wanted to work.
Her mentor chastised her about drowning herself in work just to bury what she experienced, but she told him that she’s rested long enough and processed long enough and just wanted to work.
The hovering didn’t stop there though, Kirk thought it was a good idea to be a hovering mother by telling her over and over that she should take a break.
“Vivian, Professor Strauss is right, you need to rest,” said Kirk.
“I have rested long enough.”
“Or talk to someone. What you saw that day – others haven’t recovered and are still in the hospital. They said you were in that thing for much longer than they have – the university is more than willing to let you rest. If they don’t I can talk to them –”
“Kirk, please,” she raised a hand to push him away gently. “Thank you for the concern but I am fine. I’ve been talking about this with my therapist –” lies, she couldn’t do it or else she’d be thrown in Arkham as clinically insane “-- and Bruce has been helping me through it.”
Kirk scoffed. “Yeah? If he’s so rich and powerful, he would have had the board given you more days off – I heard he’s chummy with them –”
“First of all, back off, alright?” Vivian snapped. “That is none of your concern. He told me to rest for another week but I wanted to come back and work. I didn’t want to stay at home and do nothing. And for your information, Bruce is doing a good job in making me forget.” Kirk could read through the lines clearly and glared at her. Good, she wanted him to get the message. “And he’s very good at helping me process all of this. So, thanks for the unsolicited advice, but I’m more than fine. And speaking of,” Vivian picked up her phone which rang. “Bruce, hey. No, not busy, just finished with my last class before lunch. I was wondering if you’d like to meet up at our usual place,” she turned away from Kirk and walked to the front of the campus.
Vivian wasn’t the only one who's been busy too.
At night, after getting her to sleep, Bruce would kiss her lovingly before getting to the Batcave and prepare for work. He and Dick have been hunting down the remaining men of Scarecrow who were behind the attack during Vivian’s book launch. It took them a while but they got all of them, and tied them up for GCPD to collect.
When he got back to her, he wrapped her in an embrace to let her know that nothing would get to her as long as he was there to protect her.
~ Epilogue ~
Beyond the Waking World, the pulse traveled across the multiple realms that build the cosmos. Rattling those that reside in the shadows and in between the world of mortals, gods, and Endless.
"My Lord," Lucien came to the throne room where Dream stood, looking around his palace, looking perplexed. No, that wasn’t the right word for it. Since the return of the Lord of Dreams, Lucien has seen the Endless show more emotion aside from his usual stoic nature. Was it a concern that appeared on Lucien’s master’s face? "You felt it as well..."
"Yes, I did,” said Dream. “Matthew, see The Dreaming, and report to me at once for any cracks in its foundation or any sort of anomalies.”
“Yes, Sir!” Matthew flew away, exiting through the window.
“Cracks, my Lord?” Lucien asked.
“Yes.”
"Dream," Dream heard the voice of one of his siblings speaking to him through his sigil that they hold. “We’re coming through." It was Death, her usual face that wore a smile was too now filled with concern. With her was Desire. To have his younger sibling there meant this also disturbed them. "We sensed it."
"It seems it is awake," Dream said.
"This early? Now?" Desire questioned. “How are you so sure?” It was the first time Dream heard his sibling speak without certainty, without their voice that charms mortals and immortals.
"Yes,” said Dream.
"Then we must find it."
Death met Dream’s eyes and then called for this sibling to stop them from leaving The Dreaming. “Desire. It cannot be done.”
"If it is fate, then we have no right to meddle," said Dream. “It is in the laws to not intervene with the works of our siblings,” Dream reminded them. “Don’t
"Have you forgotten, brother? This being can destroy the cosmos, which includes us. Which includes Father Time and Mother Night!"
“And from that destruction shall the Phoenix birth new life. A new world. A new universe. A new order.”
“And if we cease to exist in that?” Desire questioned him.
“That is for the Phoenix to decide – and where do you think you’re going, sibling?” Dream appeared before Desire, stopping them from leaving his realm. “Do not try what you have done with me, dear sibling of mine. Your tricks might have worked on me – trapping me for nearly a century, and tricking me to kill my family by fathering the Vortex with Unity Kincaid while she was in The Dreaming.
“But not this time. Because this is beyond us and beyond our realm. Beyond Father Time and Mother Night. This is Creation itself.”
“Watch me,” Desire smirked and was to leave but Dream grabbed them by their neck to keep them from slipping away.
“Do not test me, dear sibling,” Dream sneered.
“Dream,” Death warned him.
Glancing at Death and then to Desire, Dream released them and let his young sibling leave The Dreaming. Alone with only Lucien to hear, Death spoke to her younger brother: “You know who it is, don’t you?”
“I do,” said Dream. “For a while now, I have known. And Desire cannot and must not move against them. Or else they will be killing family.”
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