#amelia is certainly one of my nicest.

[daringsunflowers]

buck had been right, it was all so new and it would take some time for them to adjust. mia wasnt even sure how to be a single mother. it had been so strange coming home from her shift at the bank to a empty and quiet house. the first hour she didnt mind it but after that it had started to eat away at her and by the end of the night she was at his place. "it really would but you dont have to go out of you way to send updates. just ever so often sending me some photos or having her facetime me." she suggested. "and of course id do the same for you. here i am bitching about not seeing her the weekend and you have to go the whole week." mia shook her head. "i'm sorry.. i am sure this has to be hard on you too."

He worked on making Amelia her tea, being busy, doing something his hands, even if it was something simple helped with his nerves. The whole situation was new, and they would need to adjust, Buck would take any moment he could with Miranda. "You're not used to being away from her, trust me, I get it. If getting updates helps you with that, then I'll do that." He hoped that it could lead to him asking for a few extra updates throughout the week, maybe a phone call when his shift schedule would allow. "And thanks. For saying that. All I want is to be a good dad. She did have a blast, I was thinking we could go to the zoo next time she's here with Chris and Eddie." Buck didn't know if he was going overboard, but he wanted to make sure their daughter enjoyed her weekends with him. "Aside from the knee, it's been a great day, we played, saw Maddie and Jee, then we watched a movie, well I watched it, she fell asleep in the first half hour." There was a smile on his face, as there usually was when he was talking about her. He passed her her tea and shrugged. "I'll do whatever I can to help make it easier for you."

[nothingbutfangirlsmut]

The Girl Out of Time

Paring: Bucky x Reader & Sam x Reader

Background: Willow Roffe was born and raised in Brooklyn. She lived her life as happily as she could with her two childhood best friends Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers. When they both left her to join the military she tried to continue with life but that didn't get to happen for her for the simple fact that she meant something to James Buchanan Barnes.

Rating: Story will be overall MATURE but not every chapter. There will be strong language, talk of both mental and physical abuse, some good ole angst, and some eventual smut once the story reaches that point.

Chapter 3

I had been given sleeping quarters in the avenger's tower. My room only two down from Steve. My first night here was certainly a rough one. I didn't sleep much. I had too many things on my mind. I kept thinking back to my family. What became of them? How did my sisters deal with the life I left them behind in? Our father was never the nicest person. He was very controlling and horribly cruel. Even though I wasn't the oldest but the middle child I would always take the place of my sisters when it came to my father's wrath. I could always handle it more than they could. It may have hurt like hell but they never deserved it so I made sure that I always did. What happened when I disappeared? How badly had father been to them?

"Ja- Jarvis" I whispered hesitantly.

"Yes, Miss Roffe" the voice said.

"Would you... I mean could..." I groaned in frustration.

I'm not even talking to a person! What am I doing?

"Miss Roffe?" The voice asked.

"I need to know what happened to my family." I said choking on a sob.

"Certainly"

The wall in front of me lit up a few seconds later to show a photo of each of my family members. I stepped closer just to look at them.

"Can I see Amelia please?" I asked.

The images on the wall changed. It was my older sister Amelia. She looked so different. So much older. The image changed to a newspaper article. The tears fell down my cheeks as I tried not to sob. It was her death.

"Amelia Daniels, born 1921, oldest of three children. She married Jacob Daniels in 1948. They had two children together. A boy named Christopher Daniels and a girl named Willow Daniels. She died of natural causes in 2003 at the age of 82." Jarvis spoke as I stared at the photos.

I wiped my tears away. At least she had a good life. At least it sounded like she did.

"Can you show me Grace?" I asked Jarvis.

The images on the wall changed to show my baby sister. She was only ten years old when I last saw her. The images slowly moved threw her life. Showing me how she had grown up.

"Grace Yorkshire, born 1936, youngest of three children. She married Lucas Yorkshire in 1960. They have three children together. Two boys, one named Gregory Yorkshire and the other named Lucas Yorkshire the second. One girl named Annabelle Yorkshire. She resides at 1416 Dane Court in Brooklyn, New York."

A wave of excitement ran threw me knowing my baby sister is still alive. I have to see her!

--

The next morning I was banging on Steve's door to wake him up but he didn't answer.

"What are you doing?" Natasha asked from behind me.

"I need to talk to Steve." I said quickly.

"He isn't here. He goes for a run every morning. Is everything alright?" She asked raising a brow at me.

"My sister, my baby sister Gracie is still alive. I need to see her."

Natasha seemed to perk up at my words. She smiled and gestured for me to follow her. We walked into what I assumed was Natasha's sleeping quarters.

"Here wear this" she said handing me some clothing.

I laid it on the bed to look at it. It was a shirt and pants. I've never wore anything like this. My father said either dress like a lady or be treated like a man. In other words, we were to dress very modestly because if we didn't he would beat us like we were men.

"Willow, it's alright no one is gonna say anything to you. Just trust me." She said with a smile.

I nodded as I undressed. Once I had the new clothes on I felt odd but good. It felt freeing.

"Do you know where your sister is?" Natasha asked as we walked down one of the halls.

"1416 Dane Court Brooklyn, New York. All those years and she still lives in Brooklyn." I couldn't help the smile on my face.

"Let's go find her then."

I followed her into the elevator then quickly out of the front door and into the crowded street. She stepped to the side of the side walk then whistled really loud as she waved. A cab pulled up in front of us a few seconds later. She opened the door gesturing for me to get in first. I felt like a kid again going somewhere I'd never been. It was always so exciting.

"Where to?" The driver asked.

"Oh, um 1416 Dane Court Brooklyn." I told him.

He nodded then pulled back into the traffic. I watched out the window as we drove threw the unfamiliar streets. I had known this area when I was younger. Steve and I use to go all over the place. Now it was like I'd never stepped a foot in New York before.

The cab pulled over in front of a row of houses. Natasha handed him some money then we got out of the cab. I was standing on the sidewalk outside of 1416 Dane Court. Gracie is right inside there. My heart was thumping savagely against my chest. What would I do? What would I say? Would she even remember me?

Natasha gently pushed me forward towards the house. I took hesitant steps thinking this over. Should I really do this? This could go really bad. Before I could turn around and run Natasha knocked on the door.

"Just a second" I heard a woman shout from inside.

The door opened and there stood a gray haired Grace Roffe or Yorkshire now. I felt the sob rip from my chest. My baby sister was older than me now. The woman looked terrified and frozen to the spot as she stared at me.

"I don't know if you remember me. You were only ten the last time I saw you." I said wiping the tears from my cheeks.

"Willow?" She questioned with a shaking voice.

"Yes, it's me" I nodded.

She seemed to snap out of a trance then gestured for us to come in. I walked inside followed by Natasha. We both sat on the couch as Grace sat on the table across from us.

"How is this even possible?" She asked in amazement.

"I honestly don't know. I don't understand what happened to me. One moment I'm walking home in 1946 then the next I'm waking up here in 2013."

I watched Grace wipe her cheeks as she smiled.

"It's an odd thing to see you like this after all these years. You haven't aged a day." Grace chuckled.

"You have no idea. Everything is different. Can you tell me anything? Do you know anything about what happened?" I asked her leaning forward.

She shook her head.

"I was just a kid. You know how adults were back then. The children never needed to know anything. The only thing I knew was that something happened to you. You disappeared and you were never coming home. I know a little about your friends though. They were both national heroes. There's even an exhibit in the museum about them." Her smile was warm.

"My friends? You mean Steve?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Yea, that little twiggy boy Steve Rogers and the other really pretty one James Barnes."

James Barnes? I don't know a James Barnes.

"Gracie, I know about Steve but who is James Barnes?" I asked curiously.

"What?" She asked in shock.

"How could you forget James Barnes? He was beautiful! You were always hanging on him. I always use to say you'd marry him one day but you always blushed and told me to shut up." She laughed at her memory.

"No" I shook my head.

"I never knew a James Barnes." I said sternly.

Grace's smile fell as she looked at my serious expression.

"Willow, I'd never lie to you and I swear I'm not a crazy old bat even though I do look like one." She chuckled.

"Hold on, I have an old photo that Amy gave to me a few years back." She mumbled as she got up and walked to the other side of the room.

She pulled open a few drawers looking for the photo. When she found it she shouted holding it up in the air. She came back to sit in front of Natasha and I once more. She held the picture against her chest.

"This was the original photo that was used in the first article about you missing. It was taken at the Stark Expo the day before James left for the army. You were so heart broken to have him leave. Here." She handed the photo to me.

I gently took it from her and flipped it over. There I was smiling but my eyes were puffy from crying. I hadn't noticed that detail before. I don't remember crying that night. Steve's tiny frame stood next to me with his arm over my shoulder as he smiled widely. On the other side of me was indeed an extremely handsome man. His arm looked like it was tightly around my waist like he was pulling me closer to him. His smile was large but he wasn't looking forward like Steve and I. He was looking down at me. Why can't I remember him?

I felt the tears on my cheeks again. I wiped them away quickly then handed the photo back to Grace. She shook her head and pushed my hand away.

"I don't know what happened to you Willow but I know how much both Steve and James meant to you. Keep it and try to recall some of those memories. I promise they were incredibly happy ones. Every time you were with James you were so happy."

Natasha and I thanked her. I hugged her tightly and promised to come back to visit. After that we went back to the tower.

---

Masterlist

[punkscowardschampions]

Savannah & Jac

Savannah: what's going on? Jac: Big drama Jac: huge Jac: where are you??? Savannah: I needed privacy so this conversation wasn't a big drama for Ty Savannah: but now all his friends are here, like, freaking out Jac: Yeah, they're gonna be Jac: is Carter in there or? Savannah: No Savannah: why are they saying the party's over? Jac: It's for the best he's done a runner Jac: God knows what her mother will do, wouldn't be surprised if she calls the police Savannah: Oh my god, Ty's parents will lose it with him if that happens Jac: Is has lost it, big time Savannah: how drunk is she? Jac: She just came into the main room crying hysterically Jac: saying Carter forced himself onto her Savannah: what are we going to do? Jac: We need to sort this Jac: she called her mum, I couldn't stop her Savannah: she'll tell all our parents & like you said it's likely to go much further Savannah: this is my party, MY idea Jac: It's not as if we knew Jac: who even is he Savannah: I'm still going to become the girl who threw a party where her friend got assaulted Jac: No, we're not going to let that happen Jac: we just have to work out the best angle for us Jac: we either support her fully, but then Ty will have to go, and the rest of them Jac: or maybe we can convince her it wasn't as bad as she thinks Jac: if she's drunk, maybe she could've misread it? Savannah: do you know how much she's had to drink? Savannah: OH MY GOD, I can't believe I'm asking that Savannah: of course we have to support her, she didn't consent Jac: You know Is, she always has too much Savannah: & I know she loves drama but she wouldn't go that far Savannah: would she? Jac: I don't even know Jac: I know nothing about this Carter boy Jac: he was obviously saying the opposite before he left but Jac: this is so not how this night was supposed to go Savannah: I was literally mid-breakup Savannah: I can't handle this Jac: We need to go Jac: I'm not sober enough to fully think out our plan right now Savannah: Me either Savannah: what about Is, will she leave? Jac: I think her mum is coming, like now Jac: but I think, we get her to mine Jac: calm her down so her mum doesn't like Jac: do something major Savannah: Are your mum & dad there though? Savannah: maybe we should take her to my house instead, my mum is fully medicated by now Jac: Good idea Jac: I'm just saying, get her away from here with a hot drink and a shower, she might feel different Savannah: & if that doesn't work, she could take a pill, I do sometimes Savannah: they do help Jac: We could talk to her mum for her Jac: say we're looking after her Savannah: which we are Jac: Exactly Jac: she just needs to calm down, I'm sure Savannah: okay, let's go Jac: [The next day] Jac: is your mum losing it? Savannah: She called my dad Savannah: but my auntie is the one who's FULLY losing it Jac: Jesus Jac: I'm so mad Jac: this is ridiculous Savannah: what happened with your parents? Jac: they won't stop going on about it Jac: asking stupid questions Jac: acting like I should be going down the station myself Jac: literally how would I know what happened??? Jac: none of us were in the room with them Jac: if Is' mum has decided she wants to do that then that's her business Savannah: have you heard from Isabelle? Savannah: Ty won't speak to me, I don't know if his mum took his phone or he just hates me now Jac: No Jac: and I've sent her like hundreds of messages Jac: all I've got is people who weren't there asking if it's true or sounding off at me for what Is has said Savannah: ^^ I was sending her messages all night Savannah: you're the only person replying to me Jac: I feel like a complete pariah Jac: I didn't sign up for this Savannah: This is all my fault Savannah: I never should have put Carter forward as a someone suitable for Is Jac: No, you didn't know Jac: you'd never do that if you did Jac: he seemed like a fun guy, someone she'd like Savannah: I can't stay in this house with everyone shouting at me Jac: Don't Jac: let's go somewhere Savannah: I'm essentially on surveillance like a criminal, there's no way Jac: Well, don't you REALLY need that research book from the library to finish your psych essay Jac: surely they won't stop you studying? Savannah: You're incredible Savannah: I swear my brain is barely functioning Savannah: except all these intrusive sad thoughts, they are of course in full flow Jac: This is some bullshit Jac: but I'm gonna protect you Jac: this is so not our fight Jac: the adults in our life just need time to calm down Savannah: It's really not Savannah: obviously I feel bad for Is but there's nothing I can do other than feel that right now because the lines of communication are closed Jac: ^^ Jac: Precisely, we can only be there for her as much as she wants us to Jac: and like, how rude if we tried to make this about us by getting overly involved Jac: it didn't happen to us, I'm not going to go into hiding or whatever my parents want me to do like something bad happened to me Savannah: Exactly, I'm heartbroken that I wasn't there because of what was happening between me & Ty, but I know that doesn't compare to what she's going through Savannah: she doesn't need my guilt being thrown at her Jac: I don't think anyone appreciates that we feel guilty enough without them implying we could've done more Jac: is this the time to be playing the blame game at all, people?! Savannah: ^^ my auntie thinks I should've been there holding her hand all night or something Jac: everyone is suddenly friend of the year Jac: like, well, we're actually her only real friends Jac: where were you all then? Jac: just happy to judge us now, it's so unfair Savannah: I saw how quick Amelia popped up, excuse you girl, where have you been? Jac: that's her ALL over Jac: doesn't put any work in, swoops in to play hero when it suits her Jac: between her and Is' mum, god knows what they're saying about us Jac: the woman does not like me Jac: 'cos I try to help lift that stifling codependency she's got her daughter under Savannah: & she's just so INTENSE, it's no surprise Is' mum is team Amelia Savannah: I'm not apologising for us having a life that Isabelle isn't utterly in the centre of at all times Jac: SERIOUSLY Jac: it was so awkward when it was just the three of us Jac: Amelia so wanted Is to herself Jac: maybe I should have left them to it Jac: sorry I didn't want to be alone, guys, thanks Savannah: I hate hearing that Jac: Well, it might be just us now Jac: if they turn everyone against us Jac: I don't even care Jac: I can't wait to leave this town and never look back Savannah: If I've got you, who else would I ever need? Savannah: becoming friends with you was the most life-affirming and empowering thing that's happened to me Savannah: I'm not going to lose sight or let go off everything I want & have worked hard for because last night went wrong Jac: And why should we? Jac: Is shouldn't let it define her life and who she is Jac: we certainly shouldn't, it's like, in the nicest possible way, nothing to do with us Jac: We know what we need to do, where we're going Jac: nothing has changed Jac: people can say whatever they will Savannah: If my family wants me to trust in what they're saying instead of everything you are, they need to have enough faith in me & my choices to let me leave the house Savannah: & they aren't Jac: Like, I'm never trying to put a wedge between anyone and their family Jac: but mine are being exactly the same so I can say Jac: they're coming from a total place of fear, they're overreacting like WHAT IF the bad thing happened to us Jac: but it didn't, and they can't protect us from the world by trying to tell us what to do Jac: Is' mum is always like that...look what happened there Savannah: SO true Savannah: I won't even mention how they're overlooking the fact that I'd never let anything like that happen to you & you would never let it happen to me because that's the kind of friendship we have Savannah: isolating me from you, isn't protecting me, it's very harmful actually Jac: We need each other Jac: you're my safety and I'm yours Jac: as much as I don't care what people think, what they say Jac: that'll be different if I don't have you Savannah: You'll always have me Jac: Swear on my ❤? Savannah: Of course Jac: Then we've got this Jac: whatever anyone is going to try to throw at us Savannah: We've got each other Savannah: There's not a single thing anyone can do to make me stop loving you or needing you in my life Jac: I love you Jac: and I know your ❤ and your intentions and I see nothing but pure goodness Jac: I'm not going to let anyone say anything less Savannah: you're 👼🏻 & if people can't recognise that, they're the ones who need to check in with themselves and their world view Savannah: they certainly don't know enough about you to speak out if they're TOTALLY unaware of what a ray of light you are Jac: You're going to make me cry Jac: You're the sweetest kindest soul and you deserve none of this bullshit backlash Savannah: we're leaving it behind us Savannah: you're right, the library isn't off limits Jac: I'll meet you there then Jac: where we go after is our business Savannah: 🙌 Jac: We'll be back before anyone notices Jac: do you think we should try to call Is, or see her or Jac: do we leave it up to her Jac: might be the kindest, you know her mum has taken over everything else right now, with Amelia now, like 🙄 Savannah: If her mum has her phone, she could call ours Savannah: I'd actually be under house arrest then Savannah: she's unlikely to be up to seeing anyone anyway, I barely slept myself, Is won't have Jac: Yeah, true Jac: I feel like I'm in enough shit considering I've not done anything Jac: have you heard where Carter is, what he's doing about this whole situation Savannah: I keep hoping Ty will reply & tell me anything that's going on, but he hasn't Jac: How did you end things with him Jac: like, did you or? Savannah: I was trying to do it gently, you know? Savannah: so of course I didn't get to say everything that I wanted to before we were interrupted Savannah: but he can read me well enough that he obviously knew where the conversation was supposed to be going Jac: He's probably in a state of shock Jac: given that and then what happened immediately after Jac: I'm sure he'll come 'round soon, give you the closure you need Savannah: I can't cope with not being able to speak to him when he's bound to have these unanswered questions Savannah: all the pain he's going to be in when he finally feels it Jac: It's unavoidable Jac: part of being human, growing Savannah: I think I'm in shock too Jac: You are Jac: we all are Savannah: I didn't even take any of my mum's meds but it feels like I have Jac: everything is cloudy Jac: we only have like a tenth of the story and none of it makes sense or feels real Jac: like a joke or nightmare Savannah: ^^^ Savannah: You're real, I'll feel better when I see you Jac: that's why we should be together right now Jac: our family weren't there, they have even less of a clue Jac: together we can actually make sense of this and Jac: get back to some semblance of normality Savannah: how can we stay together? Savannah: I've only just walked out of my house & I already don't want to go back Savannah: that's without even considering how stressful school will be Jac: how can we go back? Jac: Is won't be able to Jac: everyone is talking, whether they're on her side or not Jac: we need to go somewhere Jac: have a break from all of this before we have to face it Savannah: but where? Savannah: & how when our parents are insisting on this degree of control? Jac: if they're not willing to be reasonable and cooperate with us Jac: don't see why we should have to Jac: we know this is what we need, what's right for us, right? Savannah: Yes Savannah: & we've earned our own money, I haven't touched any of it since we started Jac: Exactly, we've got enough to get far away enough and live comfortably for long enough to process this Jac: we just need to get as much out here before we leave Jac: first thing they'd do would be to check where our card was last used, need to stop the papertrail Jac: then we have to leave our phones here Jac: we'll write down our important numbers and get a burner, we're not stupid Savannah: You're the only person I want to talk to right now and I'll have you with me Jac: ❤❤❤ Jac: and like you said, we protect each other, nothing bad is going to happen Jac: so, you want to? Savannah: we aren't going to let anything happen that isn't what we need Savannah: I want to be with you, I feel like whatever my family is scared of would be much more likely to happen if I'm not Savannah: there's way more danger to my mental health if I stay here Jac: Then we're going Jac: luckily a rucksack won't look out of place for all the books we're meant to be carrying Savannah: Should I act like I've forgotten something & go back? Jac: I can pack spare clothes for you too if you like Jac: but your own might make you feel more you, more normal Savannah: that's such a good point Savannah: we've lost enough normality Jac: everything feels so different now Savannah: it does Savannah: but how important you are to me hasn't changed Jac: I know when I see you, everything will feel better Jac: and we'll know exactly what to do Jac: it's how it's been since I met you Savannah: all we have to do is keep trusting the universe & each other Jac: I trust you both entirely Savannah: I know I let you down but I promise that won't ever happen again Jac: you could never Savannah: I did! The party was an awful idea but I selfishly demanded it & if that wasn't bad enough I left you alone after insisting I needed you there Savannah: we could've been together, nothing would've gone so wrong Jac: but I let Is go off alone with him Jac: I should've spotted there was something off about him Jac: THAT off Jac: it was both our idea Jac: but that wasn't Savannah: Baby, you can't think like that, you didn't even know his name, how could you EVER realise he was that kind of person Savannah: Ty didn't & they were on the team together Jac: Yeah, Ty isn't like the other lads Jac: because some of them definitely knew Jac: but Ty wouldn't put up with that, would he? Savannah: he would've told me if he knew Savannah: all he said was that he thought Is would be better off going with someone from our year Jac: Yeah Jac: he was kind of insistent on that, we thought at the time Jac: but that's probably down to how innocent Is is in lots of ways, like we thought then too Jac: or was Jac: Poor Is Savannah: I feel sick Jac: I know Jac: me too Jac: I'm on my way Savannah: He was always so gentle, I had to make the first move, like literally every move Savannah: he can't have known Jac: No, no way Jac: he's not that kind of boy Jac: I'm just at that place where I don't know who I can trust BUT you Jac: everyone seems like a suspect Savannah: If he'd just talk to me Savannah: everything's SO messed up Jac: do you want to see him, before we go? Savannah: I can't, for the same reason we can't see Is Savannah: his mum would call my auntie as soon as she saw me & he's not going to agree to meet me anywhere else Jac: In a few days, you can call him Jac: we'll go to a payphone Savannah: okay Jac: It will be Jac: I promise Jac: you'll see Savannah: I don't have to see it to believe in you Savannah: you've never let me down

[amelia-blackshepherd]

Record Time (2)

Part 2 is done and there will be more to come! I love this prompt! This takes place 2 weeks after part 1.

2 weeks had passed since my mother had walked out of my house and my life again. Admittedly she had called a couple times, which I of course did not answer, I did however, listen to the voice mails but I never called her back. Betty had been asking since that night for me to explain, and as much as I wanted to tell her it was none of her business, I knew I couldn’t; not if I wanted her to be honest with me. So, I briefly told her about my mother and I’s relationship and how it was strained partly due to drugs and partly because she didn’t want to be in my life anymore. Betty kept asking more questions, but I didn’t want to get into it anymore.  

I was just getting ready to head home for the day when Betty called me, “Hey, what’s up? I am just leaving now, I’ll be home in less then 30 minutes.” I answer the phone.

“K. I’m going out tonight.” Betty informs me offering no further explanation.

Which of course did not cut it, Owen and I made it a rule that if she wanted to go out, she had to tell us before she went out. But we also needed to know where she was going and who she was with, “Where are you going? Who all is going to be there?”

I can basically hear the eye roll over the phone. “God, you are such a mom, relax it is just some girls from school, we are meeting at Pete’s pizza. We are just going to hang out, eat some pizza. Do normal teenage stuff. God, you are so lame.” She answers.

“Betty.” I warn, “Fine, you can go, but call me if you guys go anywhere else, okay?”

“Yeah. Fine. Whatever.” She replies. “Oh, and one of your sisters called, they said they were coming over tonight.”

“Maggie or Meredith?” I ask, wondering why they didn’t just text me.

I hear the honk of a car horn in the background and then Betty’s voice, “My ride’s here. I got to go.”

I sigh, “Okay, have fun.” I tell her, before adding as she hangs up the phone, “And don’t do drugs.”

Owen beat me home, as I had stopped and pick up pizza for supper as it was past 7. It also gave me an excuse to make sure Betty was really there. Owen was just setting plates on the table when I walked through the door.

“Hey” He greets me.

“Hey” I greet with a smile, it felt like I barely saw him all day at work. I set the pizza down and move closer to Owen. I lean into him and pull him into a passionate kiss, I pull back slightly and ask, “Where’s Leo?”

”I put him down to bed just before you got home. He already ate.” Owen says while rubbing my arm up and down. “Why?” He asks in his charming cocky way, knowing exactly what I am thinking.

I push him so his back is against the counter and I lean into his tall frame, “I just thought…” I trace my fingers along his biceps as I talk, “… with Betty out of the house for a couple hours, and if Leo is all settled, that maybe you and I could have a little us time.”

“I like the sound of that.” His warm mouth then crashes down on mine. With a baby in the house we had gotten use to making the most of the quite time we could. Quickly I was sitting on the counter, Owen between my legs sucking on my neck as I unbuttoned his shirt, when the doorbell sang through the house.

“Shit.” I cuss as I separate myself from Owen and try to straighten my appearance before hopping off the counter. Owen has a dazed look about him, “I forgot, Betty said one of my sisters was coming by tonight.”

“Oh.” Owen nods clearly disappointed to be interrupted by Meredith or Maggie. “Well, I guess I may as well eat while you deal with Mer or Maggie.” He says as he rebuttons his shirt and heads towards the forgotten pizza.

I swing open the door, expecting Maggie or Meredith to be at the door, but instead I am looking up at my big sister.

“Amy!” She greets me as she steps inside and ingulfs me in a hug.

“Liz, what are you doing here?” I ask thrown as to what on earth my sister is doing here, in Seattle, at my house of all places.

Liz’s gaze moves to Owen who has a surprised look on his face that matched how I am feeling. “You must be Owen, so nice to finally meet you.” Liz says politely putting on her nicest smile.

“Liz?” I question, bringing my sister’s attention back to me.

She comes further into the house and starts to take off her coat, “Right, why am I here. Well, mom called.” Liz begins to explain.

“Of course, she did…” I mutter under my breath.

“Hey, better me then Kate or Nance, right?” Liz jokes. “So, how have you been?”

“I am fine.” I say not wanting to give her any real information as she is likely just here to spy for my mother.

“Come on Amy. It’s me, your favorite sister.”

I chuckle a little, because while technically she may have been my favorite sister growing up, none of my actual sisters have been in my life for a long time. Not like Mer, or Maggie and certainly not like Addi. “Amelia, nobody calls me Amy anymore. And what I am just supposed to tell you everything, so you can go report back to mom.” I question.

“No. I mean that might be what would happen if Nancy or Kathleen were here. But no, we are sisters, and sisters cover each others’ asses.” Liz responds, quoting what use to be the four shepherds sisters’ mantras.

I nod, not fully believing her, she was a mother of her own now so she might side with their mother more now. “Right so, you coming here out of the blue had nothing to do with mom?” I ask.

“I didn’t say that Amy-er-Amelia. I said I am not here to rat on you. Mom said you and Owen…” Liz throws friendly look over at Owen who still hasn’t started eating yet and is just watching us from a distance. “…were still together. And something about a baby. I realized I hadn’t really talked to you in a while. And that I missed out on a lot.”

“Well, that was your choice.” I bite back.

“Yeah, I know.” Liz admits, her eyes fall to the floor a bit ashamed. “I messed up. Big time. We all did, after mom told us about the wedding and …” Liz pauses unsure if she should say the next bit, but Amelia’s demanding eyes force her to continue, “… and that you were probably… ah… not sober.”

Amelia speaks up, “I was. And I am sober.”

Liz nods and continues, “Yeah, well we messed up. I messed up, I believed mom and didn’t even think to ask or talk to you. I am so, so sorry Amelia. That was a horrible thing for us, for me to do. And I am sorry. And I get it if you don’t want any of us in your life anymore. But I thought you deserved to know how sorry I was, for how I treated, how we all treated you.”

“Wow. Ah thank you Liz.” Amelia says taken aback by the sudden apology. After a moment I decided to give Liz a chance, she did come all this way to apologize after all, “Ah, we were just about to eat dinner, it’s just pizza but if you want you could stay.”

Liz nods in agreement and we all go sit down and eat the semi-cold-twice-forgotten pizza.

After we ate, the three of us go into the living room to catch up and tell stories. I was just starting another fun story about back when Liz and I were kids when my cell phone rang out, showing an unknown id on the display.

I snatch the phone up and stand up, pacing the room a little, “Hello?”

“Don’t freak out. I am fine.” Betty voice comes through the line, despite her words my heart starts to race as I can hear in her voice that something has happened.

“What happened? Are you okay? Why aren’t you calling me from your phone?” I bark questions at her. I can see Liz looking between myself and Owen wondering what is going on and who on earth I am talking to. I also see Owen looking at me, so I move the phone away and whisper to him “It’s Betty.”

“I’m fine, but I sort of need your help.” Betty says.

“Where are you?” I ask.

“Ah…” She hesitates. “… jail.”

“Jail?!” I bellow back, not expecting that answer. “Why? What happened.”

“Look can you just come get me or send Owen he might be more chill then you.” Betty says.

I rake my hand through my hair and force myself to breathe, “Yes, we will be there as quickly as we possible.”

I hang up the phone and look at Owen. “Is she okay? What happened?” He asks, standing up and grabbing his coat.

I shake my head as I search for my own coat. “I don’t know what happened. She wouldn’t tell me, but she says she is fine. We have to go get her though.”

Owen nods his head, “I’ll drive.”

“Do you want me to come?” Liz’s voice brings me back to the present.

“Oh, ah, actually can you stay in case Leo wakes up?” I ask, still not fully wanting to give my sister access to the more vulnerable parts of my life, but our only other choice being to wake Leo up and take him with us down to jail and that didn’t seem like a great option.

“Sure, I can but one quick question.” Liz says, “Who is Leo?”

In all our talking this evening I had carefully left out Leo and Betty mainly because the situation was still slightly hard to explain especially without explaining the part about how Owen and I weren’t technically married anymore. “Leo is our baby.” Owen quickly explains, “And thank you for helping Liz, it was great to meet you, but we really should go handle this jail situation.”

“So, there is a baby!” Liz excitedly exclaims, “Yeah, of course, you guys go. I’ve got this, I’ve raised two kids of my own.”

We thank her again as we head out the door to go collect Betty and find out what the hell happened.

[cursebreakerhawk-blog]

A not so Brief History of the Hawk Family (+family tree)

(hope you can see something in this terrible pic)

Summary: Backstory of a family of Slytherin purebloods, how the oldest son fell in love with a muggle, ran away with her, and made all the wrong choices in his life. A brief description of their sons, and their fate. Please don’t ignore, I know it’s long, but it’s not boring, I promise.

The Hawks, not unlike the Gaunts, the Malfoys, and the Blacks, were a long lineage of pureblood Slytherins, which would not have been very good for Finn’s character, if he had actually met any of them.

Let’s elaborate. Finn’s dad, Cordelius Hawk, was the oldest of the Hawk boys. Him, his little brother Evander and their parents, Gertrud and Marcellus, lived in an enormous mansion in the south of Scotland. Gertrud and Marcellus were unemployed, living of their family’s fortune. While Marcellus, who was much older than his wife, liked to spend his days out in pubs, Gertrud was always at home, taking care of the boys. (not a very functional marriage, but who said they were functional people?)

They were not the nicest of folks: Marcellus got into numerous fights with other wizards at pubs, having even killed one, once, with a very nasty curse he invented himself. Gertrud, on the other hand, had the unfortunate habit of hexing anything that came remotely close to their gigantic garden, including poor, unaware birds and squirrels, and a child’s kite. They both were supporters of Grindelwald during the first wizarding war.

While Evander was fascinated by watching their mother hex everyone, Cordelius found it disgusting. Without their mother’s knowledge, he would even take some of the wounded animals back to his room and try to nurse them back to health. He was always very peaceful, very tactful, good enough to bother his parents. That said, Evander was too dumb and brutal to win their afection as well.

One morning, the Hawk parents were out on a meeting with their fellow Grindelwald supporters, and Cordelius (who was 26 at the time) was taking care of Evander (who was 16), and while their parents usually let him use magic at home, despite being underage, Cordelius wasn’t fond of bending the law to let him practice dark magic in the garden. 

A few minutes past 11 AM, a curious muggle kid walked by the fence, and, channeling his inner Gertrud, Evander charmed a large rock to fly in her direction. Cordelius had left his wand in his bedroom, and had no way of stopping his brother from seriously hurting the kid other than jumping in front of the rock and catching it. That’s what he did, after taking a murderous glance at his little shit of a brother.

‘Are you alright?’, he asked the kid, while Evander ran back into the house.

‘I am.’, she answered, ‘Could you explain to me what happened?’.

‘My retarded younger brother thought it would be fun to throw a rock at you.’, he said, carefully, to avoid mentioning magic.

The kid turned red with anger.

‘Well, I hope you tell your parents about that!’, she said.

‘I’m afraid they would take his side. I would end up being punished for helping you.’, he confided, ‘I think the best thing you can do is not walk by this house ever again... For your own safety.’

‘Can I at least know your name?’

‘Cordelius Hawk.’

‘Thanks for defying your family to save me, Cordelius Hawk. I’m Amelia Watson.’

Cordelius noticed that Evander was coming back to the garden.

‘It was nice to meet you, Amelia. Now, run!’

She did. Cordelius knew his parents would never let him hear the end of it if they found out, so it was time for a desperate measure. He flew past his little brother, who was now out in the garden, got into his room, grabbed his wand and pointed it at Evander, through the window. ‘Obliviate!’, he muttered, and the incident was never spoken of, at least for the next 14 years.

*

It was really late, one night, when the doorbell rang at the Hawk mansion. Gertrud came downstairs, in her night robes, her concealed wand in one of the pockets. Cordelius was carefully watching through his window, but he couldn’t really tell who was downstairs.

‘I demand to see Cordelius Hawk!’, said the fierce brunette at the door, who was now much taller than Gertrud.

The witch cussed, reaching for her wand, but Cordelius was already jumping down the last flight of stairs.

‘Amelia?’, he asked, and she grinned.

‘You know this muggle?’ questioned Gertrud, in a high pitched scream, astonished.

The way Amelia pulled Cordelius into a passionate kiss gave her the answer. He kissed her back. Gertrud felt like she had been hit by a stupefy. 

‘Now, run!’, Cordelius whispered in her ear.

‘Is that your catchphrase?’, she laughed.

He had already grabbed her arm, and they were running into the night, Gertrud too paralyzed by shock to do anything. The next morning, when Marcellus heard of what happened, he ordered his wife to snap their son’s wand in half, and ban him from the house. Gertrud quietly agreed, but she kept his wand hidden in her secret locker. She had just found out in the hardest way that even the coldest hearts can break.

*

Cordelius and Amelia never got married. Every wedding had to be publicly announced back in the day, and they were too afraid that his parents would find out. Cordelius never told her that he was a wizard, either. He had left his wand at the mansion, and even if he hadn’t, showing his true nature to her would be breaking the law. And the law would have way more severe consequences than some stupid family rule. They moved to London, and lived with Amelia’s parents, Isabella and Hugh Watson, who were much younger than Cordelius’s parents, and much warmer: they understood he was hiding from his family, and treated him like a son.

One year later, Jacob Hawk was born. He was perfect: his parents and maternal grandparents loved him like he was the best boy in the world. The Watsons had a small garden with a swing, and he spent most of his childhood in there, never lonely, always loved.

Even though he was finally happy, and finally at peace, Cordelius would feel his heart sink sometimes. He missed magic, the world he had lived in for fourty years. He missed being special, and being powerful (because, yes, he was one of the most powerful young wizards at Hogwarts when he was a teenager, and still very gifted as an adult). In some twisted way, he even missed his abusive family. Whenever those thoughts began to creep into his mind, usually in the middle of the night, he would hug Amelia closer, and try to let go of them. Sometimes he succeeded, sometimes he failed.

*

(We don’t know how many years passed between Jacob’s and Finn’s births, and I’m still waiting for Jam City’s canon version of this. However, it makes sense that Jacob was not a toddler whan his younger sibling was born. This is important to the next part of the story.)

Cordelius and Amelia had another son, Finn, a few years later. He got just as much love as his older brother, from the whole family. He had his dad’s black hair and blue eyes, but Amelia’s kind expression.

On the day of his first birthday, 23rd April 1974, Amelia asked Cordelius to go get a birthday cake at the local bakery. He reluctantly agreed: he was still scared of running into his parents, although the thoughts about them and magic were much more frequent.

It was certainly probably not a coincidence when he found Gertrud standing outside the shop. She had always been a wonderful legilimens, also with a gift for divination. She would have known. Cordelius was expecting harsh words, curses, hexes... The last thing he expected was a hug.

Gertrud, now a widow, seemed much older and smaller than her son remembered. She pulled him in for a long time, and after she finally let go, she revealed his old wand, that she had brought in her purse.

‘You left this at home.’, she murmured, ‘I’ve been missing you terribly. Your father passed away not long after you left. Your brother got himself killied in a duel at a pub, four months ago. He was never too bright...’, she sighed. ‘Please, come home. I love you, and I know you love me to. Also, you’d be able to use magic once again.’

Wether she meant those words, or was just blatantly trying to manipulate him, Cordelius never knew. The only thing he knew was that it worked: his youngest son never got his first birthday cake.

*

Since the Watsons were muggles, the two boys grew up without knowing anything about magic. Hagrid had to come to their little house in London to explain to young Jacob that he was a wizard. As Finn was obviously too young to remember his father, and none of the Watsons ever told him anything about him, Jacob resented him badly. After hearing Hagrid’s declarations, he immediately deduced that his father must had been a wizard too.

When he got to Hogwarts, Jacob was determined to get his revenge: he was going to find a type of magic more powerful that the one his father possessed, and use it to punish him for abandoning them. First, he had to study about his own origins. He spent all the time at the library, and it didn’t take him much time to find out the Hawk family in some books about purebloods. Then, during his research, he came across the Cursed Vaults, and knew he had found what he wanted.

It was not until Jacob’s third year that he realised all the Hawks were dead. Gertrud got sick and died one year after her encounter with Cordelius. Now completely alone, and regretting every life decision he had made, Cordelius had sunken into a terrible depression, combined with magical drunkness and failed attempts of enchanting himself into being happy again. He took his own life, being one of the only few wizards to successfully Avada Kedavra himself.

However, Jacob was now too deep into the search of the vaults to give up. And we all know how that worked out for him.

All of the Hawks’ malice and the Watsons’ remorse did not darken Finn’s heart, against all the odds. He was always too sweet, too kind, too peaceful, not unlike his father. The difference, however, was noticed by Amelia when she asked her youngest son not to disappear like the other men in her life. He hugged his mom, and promised that not only would he never leave her, he would also bring his brother home. She wiped away a tear. Finn was, in fact, different. Finn was loyal, against all odds.

[ellehyatt]

— look, is that NINA DOBREV lying on the pearly white beach? no, my mistake! it’s 20 year old ELLE HYATT, who is known as the VIXEN around the island. i heard she can be CONCEITED, but i definitely think her FLIRTATIOUS ways outshine it. fingers crossed nobody finds out SHE HAD A MISCARRIAGE LAST YEAR. ( OOC: helen / 20 / gmt / she/her )

Eliza, or Elle as she prefers to be called is the youngest child of Amelia Hyatt, who is an extremely famous actress. She also has a half brother called Aiden who’s she’s always basically not seen any different than if they were full. Her father, Jaxon was originally from Bulgaria and although wasn’t related to her brother, Jaxon treated him like his own son so they grew up as a happy family. Despite being mainly looked after nannies due to her mother’s acting taking her away from LA for months at a time and her father busy with law stuff. Despite this, she was very attached to her dad growing up. He is one of the huge reasons why she is the way she was since she had him wrapped around his finger since a child, being his only biological child. 

Grew up being quite spoiled and stuck up- meaning she easily can rub people up the wrong way. She got attention from a young age from paparazzi due to her mother and revelled in the attention. 

She was never really good in school tbh, it just never was something that interested her. Elle got average grades, never really trying but never really being the bottom. It was at a young age when she got her first ‘boyfriend’, a boy in the year above her in school. She went to a private boarding school in LA, 

When she was ten, her parents got divorced which completely broke her. She’d never expected this to happen with her parents, expecting them to be together forever. Within time, it was found out that Jaxon had been cheating on Amelia for a few years and just a few months after, he got married to his former mistress, having some more children with her. Over time, he lost his interest with Elle, the two only seeing each other on occasions. Although she’d never mention it, it’s the reason she can seem quite closed off as the person she loved more than anyone else let her down completely. She doesn’t have much of a desire to get to know her new stepmother and siblings, rather acting like they don’t exist. 

She really grew into her looks by the time she turned thirteen and decided she wanted to be a model to start off with. It was obvious that Elle was meant to be a star from a young age, she just revelled in the attention and worked it well. Her mother was happy that she’d decided to follow in a similar path, though her father wasn’t too impressed, wanting her to have a more ‘proper’ job.

After two years of developing her career, her agent managed to get her into a fashion show last minute, walking for Dior a few weeks after her sixteenth birthday. It kickstarted her career, leading to her now walking for different fashion weeks for different brands. Think Kaia Gerber aged sixteen and is sorta now where she is now mixed with Gigi.

A year into professional modelling, she decided to quit high school, spending her Senior Year being tutored whenever she didn’t have photoshoots. She graduated with a 3.8 GPA so not great but not too bad either.

When she was eighteen, she found out she was pregnant with her former boyfriend who was quite a bit older than her. It was far from her plan in the future, wanting to make it big in acting and modelling and it would’ve completely changed her plans. However, before she could really decide what she wanted to do, she had a miscarriage at fourteen weeks before she told anyone. She was more upset than she expected to be tbh but just decided to push it at the back of her thoughts. 

In the last few years since the miscarriage, she hasn’t really stopped working apart from her summers at the Island where she takes a bit more time to herself. She still mainly lives at her family home in LA but when she travels stays in the finest hotels or one of their other homes in NYC and London. Six months ago, in her bid to get into acting she got a role in a teen drama called the Vampire DIaries (ofc)

After filming the first season, she now has the summer mainly off work, though still has a few modelling stuff to keep her going. 

Personality wise….she’s far from the nicest person. Fame certainly came to her head and now she’s got a very Katherine Pierce personality in terms of being rather rude and conceited to most other than a select few. She only puts on an act to people who can help her career. She’s also extremely flirtatious- having no preference of gender. Recently there’s been a lot of paparazzi pictures of her leaving clubs drunk, with men or woman.

This is really trashy so if you’ve gotten through it, I congratulate you. Message me or like this if you wanna plot

[ao3porcelainstorm]

poison ivy & stinging nettles 21

On Ao3

Pairing: Sherlock/OFC

Rated: M

Warnings: eventual violence, torture, swears, adult themes (no explicit smut)

Chapter 20 - Chapter 22

Chapter 21- Undercurrent

December 24th

“…what are you-?” Amelia started, but she was cut off by a swift punch to the stomach.

Reeling over and dropping her phone, she tried to fight back when hands went to grab her from behind. To her detriment, however, someone caught her by the scarf in the scuffle, pulling her against an unseen second assailant. Somewhere, she registered someone crushing her phone with a single stomp.

Throwing elbows and yelling, the second person held her tight until the first approached with a needle in hand. Arms pinned down, he yanked the scarf free and dug a needle into her neck.

Her world was hazy, the world spinning into a whirlpool of blackness.

Tires screeching. Her body tossed not too gently into something hard.

Darkness.

She awoke on the floor of an enclosed room. Metal paneling concealing any doorways or windows, a single blinking camera in one corner, a small chair in the center. Head still swimming, there wasn’t much she could reason out aside from basic descriptions. A single panel of fluorescent lights.

She was alone.

“Good morning sleepyhead,” a male voice projected over an unseen PA system.

Or rather, she was alone.

“You’re quite the little pit viper, aren’t you?” the voice continued. “Nearly broke one of my guys’ arms.”

Amelia smirked to herself. Too bad she hadn’t broken it.

“We’re going to be playing a little holiday game,” he continued. One of the metal panels in front of her turned around, playing a livestream of Sherlock and John finding her scarf on the ground. “You see, I don’t think the great detective will be able to focus on a few itty bitty cases while you’re out of the picture and in potential duress.”

“You clearly don’t know him,” she sassed back.

“But I do,” there was an opening across from her, the paneling sliding open to reveal James Moriarty himself, holding a microphone. “And I’m afraid he’s slipped up and is getting sentimental on me.”

Shorter than Amelia thought. Smaller too.

She took a few steps toward him, barely listening to his monologuing. Cliche. Lame.

To her credit, Amelia was pretty sure he didn’t see her fighting back as a possible option. She charged for the doorway, throwing all her strength into slamming his head into the door frame and leaping into the hallway.

He came alone. Underestimated her.

Mistake, she thought to herself, picking a direction and sprinting down the long hall.

She made it through two doors before something violent shocked her system.

Dropping to the ground with a thud and a yelp, an armed guard jabbed her in the neck again.

This time, however, she remained conscious. Instead, she lost the use of her limbs, pathetically hitting the ground when she was tossed back in the room.

Moriarty held a gauge to the side of his head, laughing as he approached her, kicking her with all his strength into her ribs.

“Feisty! Keep it up and I might just steal you from him permanently.”

Another kick.

“And here I was going to let you relax until my little game was over,” he continued, pulling up the chair and sitting in it.

The drug was beginning to wear off, giving Amelia an opportunity to try and scramble to her elbows.

“Fuck you,” she snarled, hand moving to cradle her tender side. “You’re gonna lose.”

“Not the nicest thing to say to someone who has your life in their hands,” he tsk’d. “Now what are we gonna do with you?”

“Let me go?” she asked sarcastically, pressing on her rib and wincing.

“Uh, no,” he rolled his eyes.

“Worth a shot,” she huffed, crawling to a wall and propping her back against it.

“You know, I’ve been looking at your research,” he mused, eyes glued to her in amusement. “Clever stuff. Not as clever as mine, but certainly a bit inspiring, so to speak.”

“Gonna get me high?” she mocked, inwardly slapping herself for taunting the beast. Sherlock had warned her about taunting the bad guys after the first time she'd asked the gunman in her shop if he was going to shoot her. Is this how Sherlock ended up in so many life-threatening situations? Panic sarcasm?  

She was about to find out.

“I’m going to destroy the very essence of who you are,” he snapped, standing up and kicking the chair near her. “I’m going to twist your mind to such levels of madness that I’ll be sane in comparison, and then I’m going to drop you into your boyfriend’s lap and let you stew.”

He grabbed her jaw tightly.

“I’m going to break you.”

Heaving a long sigh, she held eye contact with him.

“That sounds way less fun,” she grunted.

Moriarty paused, narrowing his eyes at her. It seemed like he was deciding something.

Maybe where he intended to dispose of her body?

“Goodnight, Mia,” he smirked before exiting the room.

Swathed in silence, Amelia dropped her head back against the cool metal paneling. Surely, Sherlock and John were already up in arms looking for her. It wouldn’t be long before they were busting down that door.

They always beat the bad guys, right?

Amelia was close to passing out from sheer exhaustion when a familiar melody began playing through the PA system, just loud enough to pull her from her tired trance.

“Sweet dreams,” came Moriarty’s voice.

“Take me home.. to the place… I belong… West Virginia…”

And it played on loop almost continuously through the night and what Amelia imagined was the majority of the next day. If his goal was to prevent sleep, he succeeded. Each time she nodded off, it would shoot up in volume, lowering once Amelia was stirred awake.

Bastard.

~~~

December 26th

This was when the videos started. Vicious clips of some of the most depraved things humanity’s monsters could conjure.

It ranged from murder, torture, violent pornography… on and on, over and over, on loop.

And Amelia decided he wasn’t willing that easily- screeching out the song from the day before, slamming her hands on the metal paneling for hours at end.

She ignored her meals out of protest, kicking the food across the room when it was slipped through a crack in the door.

She shouted the lyrics until her voice was hoarse, and after that, continued banging on the walls until she tired herself out. Only two nights without sleep, and Amelia decided she could push it another night, the videos continuing.

~~~

December 27th

She’d fallen asleep.

Damned be all, she’d fallen asleep and dreamt of abuse and mutilation.

He wasn’t winning this easily.

Breakfast was on the ground next to her, and despite her growling stomach, she held it toward the camera and threw it aside.

Today, the screen was empty. The room was silent.

Her stomach hurt from neglect. She was so damned hungry.

Another meal wasn’t dropped off that day, or so it seemed. Time was losing relevance and she’d initially measured her time by meal drop-offs.

He must have seen this little protest coming. Predicting that she’d be too weak and delirious to keep calculating things.

The room stayed quiet, though Amelia was on edge the entire time, waiting to be shown some horrific thing or ready herself for another round of sleeplessness.

~~~

December 28th

A small bottle of water had been placed next to her head while she’d slept. She guzzled it down without a second thought.

No food was dropped off.

No television or music.

She began to wonder if he was just waiting for her to die of starvation instead.

~~~

December 29th?

The music started up again. A different song thing time, and after a few hours, he started intermingling it with videos of graphic torture.

This was the first night a tube was shoved down her throat and she was force-fed a blend of mush. Also the first night of the rope.

Nutrients, she’d been told while she kicked and screeched, three of Moriarty’s men pinning her down and tying her in place.

She vomited it all over herself, earning a fresh beating from the men holding her in place.

Even if it resulted in another tube being forced into her, she considered it a small victory.

~~~

December 30-something-th

This was when the drugs started.

She woke up, ready for another force-feeding, but was instead met with a large syringe and two meaty guards.

They’d made a mistake in not leaving her tied down. It wouldn’t happen again.

She was paid back with a split lip and another needle jabbed less than tenderly into her jugular. She was thrown back onto the chair, the effects taking over quickly.

Music and the videos started. She was certain that she’d soiled herself.

~~~

January?

Someone mentioned a New Year’s party when the door opened briefly.

Had it been a week? Felt like longer.

Someone had thrown a bed into the room. Well, not really a bed; a cot.

People spoke quickly. The drugs were wearing off, someone muttered, hauling Amelia to her feet.

The room smelled rancid, a guard complained.

She vaguely recognized the hallway she’d attempted to escape in. Lots of doors.

Did she hear muffled screaming?  

Someone threw her into a small room, stripping off her clothes and shutting the door.

The water was freezing, but it at least woke her enough to give her brain some clarity.

Soap. She found a bar and started scrubbing away the filth and grease. Her hair was less than manageable, but she still did her best to work the suds into her scalp. It’d have to do.

Clothes were thrown in when she finished. T-shirt and sweatpants. No undergarments.

At least she wouldn’t be naked.

She’d come up with a plan to try and escape when they came to take her back, but the guard was faster than her, jabbing another syringe into her veins. They set her back up in the chair, arms and ankles tied down.

Instead of violence, it was a CCTV of Sherlock and John talking to Greg Lestrade. Scotland Yard, her mind hazily registered. Moriarty had access to internal cameras.

Of course, he did.

At least they were safe. Scrambling, but safe.

“They aren’t looking for you,” Moriarty’s voice commented, almost soothingly.

“Game-,” she choked out. Her throat was dry, but it was probably the first time she’d spoken in days. “You’re fucking with them.”

He didn’t say anything, the video shifting to abstract images and ominous music.

She didn’t understand until the hallucinations began to kick in. Every creature from her nightmares, beast, and monster tormented her. At some point, her screams just gave out, her vocal cords broken from prolonged use.

Amelia only barely noticed the blood around her wrists from struggling against the binding.

~~~

Probably January

This continued nonstop for days. Or what felt like days. Time didn’t feel real anymore. What seemed like hours to her might have only been five minutes.

She was given a little time to rest and clean at some point. She smelled terrible and actually looked forward to the freezing shower.

When she was back, more drugs, but someone had been nice enough to sanitize the room and layout a cot.

How sweet.

Amelia wasn’t sure what was a dream or reality after she crashed on the cot. There were bits and pieces of Baker Street, mixed with cold metal and burning ropes.

She was losing her mind. Moriarty was winning and for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what to do.

“You need to focus on sensations you know are real,” Sherlock was sitting on the floor in front of her, cross-legged, eyes watching her intensely.

“Floor,” she slurred, fingers dropping to touch the cold metal floor.

“Good,” he nodded. “What does the cot feel like?”

“Scratchy,” she mumbled, rubbing her cheek against it.

“Do you feel pain?” he asked and Amelia burst into tears.

“You’re still coming, aren’t you?” she whispered to her hallucination through a hiccup.

“Have you really started to doubt me?” he smirked and stood up. “We both know he’s keeping me busy to make it difficult to find you.”

“But you will?” her voice cracked.

“Amelia, you ridiculous woman,” he knelt down next to her face. “You’re not dumb or blind to what happens around you. Moriarty is hurting me by hurting you. He knows I lo- care- for you very much.”

“Do you?” she blinked. “John said you did... I didn’t... I think I accidentally fell in love with you, Sherlock Holmes.”

He smiled, and when Amelia blinked again, he was gone.

~~~

Probably fucking March or something.  

Sherlock Holmes, the hallucination, was an unusual perk to whatever the hell was pumping through her body.

Amelia didn’t know if he was real. If she’d been more rational, she would have known otherwise. However, whatever her subconscious was manifesting to keep her grounded, she would take it.

John made appearances from time to time, particularly after a nasty beating. He’d comment on a potential break, maybe point out extra cloth she could tear off of something to make a bandage or sling.

He disappeared when the abuse stopped, all at once and abruptly.

Sherlock remained, pointing out that eating the meals was better than having them shoved down her throat. Resisting would result in deeper wounds on her wrists, and that could lead to infection...

The psychological abuse ramped up in the last days.

More violent videos. More hallucinations of monsters and demons. Moriarty would talk to her over it. Repeating phrases and words she didn’t understand, over and over.

Sherlock disappeared after that. No matter when she tried calling his name or trying to force her brain to bring him forward, all she found was terror.

“Emancipation day,” Moriarty sang when Amelia was lifted pathetically from her cot. “Let’s see...” he lifted the corner of her shirt, examining the healing injuries.

 “Didn’t lose too much weight. No permanent physical damage.” He chuckled to himself. “Let’s get you cleaned up, darling.”

The rest was a daze.

Amelia remembered warm water, a middle-aged woman carefully scrubbing and cleaning her.

When she was dressed, another woman detangled and trimmed her hair, straightening out the curls and pulling it back in a neat braid.

She was given a delectable lunch, which she picked at tentatively, waiting for the trick.

After eating, Amelia felt sleepy. Those around her seemed to understand when she began stumbling around the room.

So that was it, she realized bitterly, someone laying her on a freshly made down bed. A sedative or a poison. Would she wake up? Or was Moriarty setting her friends up to find her dead?

There was a small shuffle in the room, with all the strength Amelia had to muster, she forced her eyes open to see Moriarty sitting on the edge of her bed.

“Sleep tight,” he whispered, reaching forward and pulling down her eyelids.

An obnoxious pounding noise woke her.

Were the neighbors hitting the wall? Who was being so rude?

Door, her brain supplied.

Right. Door. Someone was knocking on the door.

Chapter 22

[zrtranscripts]

Season 6, Mission 19: Catch Us If You Can

Working against better nature

JANINE DE LUCA: Put your helmet on now, Runner Five. [helmet beeps] And now open the airlock. [door hisses open]

SAM YAO: [laughs] Wow. Looks beautiful in there. Look at that, Janine! Lush foliage. Dense jungle. Brightly colored birds flitting between the trees. Enormous spiders on the jungle floor. But I mean, beautiful enormous spiders with jeweled eyes and blue carapaces.

JANINE DE LUCA: It's beautiful but deadly, Mr. Yao. Runner Five, make no mistake: you must not take off your European Rescue Force suit. That biosphere can kill you in a dozen different ways before you take a single step.

SAM YAO: Yeah, and you've got to take a few more than that.

JANINE DE LUCA: I'm sorry we can't come with you, but we cannot draw more attention than necessary to your mission. Bounty hunters are already on Miss Stein's trail, and a large contingent entering the Paradise Project biodome would certainly be noticed. It's all up to you. 

Selma, the heroic woman who allowed herself to be taken in by the Minister's breeding program is hiding in the center of that dome, several kilometers in from where you are. She must know the dangers. She must have taken an ERF suit herself, and be hiding in there because no one else will dare to follow.

SAM YAO: Now, I get that there are probably deadly spiders, and snakes, and scorpions, and stuff, but... is it so deadly that not even paid bounty hunters would follow?

JANINE DE LUCA: This place was an experiment that went wrong, Mr. Yao. There are... creatures in this dome. Bio-engineered larvae. Minute, but deadly. If there is a single crack in your suit, Five, they will crawl in, burrow into your skin, lay their eggs, and emerge as six-inch-long maggots.

SAM YAO: Uh, what the... what?

JANINE DE LUCA: So you have to keep moving. Head towards the center of the dome. Now, Five. Run!

JANINE DE LUCA: You're doing well, Runner Five. It must be stifling hot inside that suit, but you're making good progress. And think of poor Miss Stein. By my reckoning, she's been in that biodome for five days. Her suit will be drawing water from the air for her, but she'll have no way to get food or relief from the heat.

SAM YAO: How do they get it that hot in England, anyway?

JANINE DE LUCA: The sphere has its own microclimate powered by a geothermal well beneath its foundations.

SAM YAO: Ah, right. Another one of those. Gotcha. Should have worked it out myself, really. [communication device beeps] What was that?

JANINE DE LUCA: Ah, one of my operatives, Pit Viper Seventeen, has taken out one of the bounty hunters chasing Miss Stein. She confronted them five miles from the Paradise Project, armed only with a birthday cake candle holder, apparently. That's my operative.

SAM YAO: Oh. Wow. Yeah. Ooh, that photo's intense. So, uh, one less person to follow Five into the biodome. [laughs] I have to say - I mean, apart from the deadly larvae and stuff - it does look like paradise. I mean, look at that beautiful blue butterfly circling Five's head, flapping its wings gracefully. [laughs] Look, there's a cloud of them off to the left.

JANINE DE LUCA: Runner Five, those butterflies are the adult stage of the flesh-burrowing larvae. They will attempt to penetrate your suit using their enhanced proboscises. If they can, they will then liquefy your flesh and strip the skin from your carcass.

SAM YAO: Oh. Right, okay.

JANINE DE LUCA: You must not allow them to land on you, Five. Run!

SAM YAO: Okay, okay. The dangerous butterflies are gone now. There's some uh, spiny red caterpillars on that tree, Janine.

JANINE DE LUCA: Don't touch them. Deadly.

SAM YAO: Yep. That would have been my guess. And those gorgeous orange plants with the huge yellow and green striped flowers?

JANINE DE LUCA: Lethally toxic.

SAM YAO: Of course. And the vines? I presume, if Runner Five touches them, they'll come to life and take that suit in a death grip, hoisting it high above the jungle floor.

JANINE DE LUCA: What? No. Watch out for them, though, Five. They might trip you.

SAM YAO: [laughs] It's good to have you back, Janine. I've missed this. You and me in the comms booth. Or like, a makeshift comms booth in a van three miles from the Paradise Project.

JANINE DE LUCA: I've missed it, too, Mr. Yao. I may have been running a team of ruthlessly efficient assassins, but I've grown used to your homespun, amateurish charm.

SAM YAO: Janine, that is probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me.

JANINE DE LUCA: I'm impressed with the way you've all managed in my absence. I must confess, I was rather expecting to find more... damage to Abel Township.

SAM YAO: Yeah, well, a couple of drawers in the farmhouse might be sort of temporarily sealed shut with marmite, but otherwise, you left us good instructions. We did miss you, though. 

Listen, I wanted to ask. I mean, maybe I just didn't get it, you know? But you couldn't have known that we'd need to find Selma, and ANNIE would be the only way. Unless you did know?

JANINE DE LUCA: I did not.

SAM YAO: Yeah. Right. So like, here's the question: what was worth leaving us for so long, Janine? I mean, I get that you've found out stuff about Sigrid's operations, and there's the whole team of assassins situation, but... [sighs] well, what did you go undercover for?

JANINE DE LUCA: Wheels within wheels, Mr. Yao. Beneath every structure, another structure. Or to put it another way, Sigrid rules the country, but who rules the rulers?

SAM YAO: Uh, what?

JANINE DE LUCA: An army marches on its stomach, Mr. Yao. A nation, even more so. It's need-to-know. I can tell you this: Sara Smith always told me to watch out for Xia-Hifa. But the game they were playing was longer than anyone realized. Just believe me that I had my reasons.

SAM YAO: Oh, yeah, I do! I always do. Did you see that, Janine? Shadow on the monitor. I can't quite make it come into view.

JANINE DE LUCA: Hmm. Yes. It's near the perimeter, Five. I'll send one of my women to take a look through the outside of the dome.

SAM YAO: Wait. Couldn't be Project Glass, could it? Could it be that quick?

JANINE DE LUCA: We'll find out. Keep going, Five. We know there are several groups after Miss Stein. You must reach her before anyone else does.

[monkeys howl]

SAM YAO: What was that?

JANINE DE LUCA: Howler monkeys. I believe they've been genetically engineered to have congenital rabies. Watch out for them, Five.

SAM YAO: Yeah, because otherwise, Five was just not really paying attention.

[communication device beeps]

JANINE DE LUCA: Damn it.

SAM YAO: What is it? Is Five in trouble? Janine, what's going on?

JANINE DE LUCA: No. Message from one of my Pit Viper assassins. She's been wounded in intercepting one of the Minister's bounty hunters. She dealt with him, of course. Threw him under the train tracks 10 miles away. But she's out of commission now, and one of the other bounty hunters might have slipped past her. 

Runner Five, Miss Stein has no way to communicate with the outside world and no knowledge of how many people are looking for her. If you don't get to her, one of the others will.

[arrow thuds into tree]

SAM YAO: What was that? Someone's shooting arrows at Five! Did you see that, Janine?

[arrow splatters against Runner Five's suit]

JANINE DE LUCA: Five, you're hit! The arrow isn't sharp. It's covered in a sticky substance. There's more dripping down from an arrow lodged in the tree above you, Five. Get out of the way!

SAM YAO: It just looks like honey.

[butterflies buzz]

JANINE DE LUCA: It's attracting those butterflies. Five, you have to run now.

[butterflies buzz]

SAM YAO: Okay, okay. So you're just about outpacing those butterflies through the undergrowth, Five. And you're coming up on a waterfall where you can wash off some of that honey.

JANINE DE LUCA: [whispers] Yes, I see him. Make sure you're in position at the vent.

SAM YAO: Did you work out who fired that honey arrow at Five, Janine?

JANINE DE LUCA: It's a bounty hunter. He can't know who Five is, or he’d have radioed Sigrid to report us at once. Must just think Five's another bounty hunter after the purse. Lucky for us. 

I have one of my women positioned at the top of the biosphere near one of the air vents. When he passes beneath... [bounty hunter shouts and collapses] Clean kill, by a poisoned dart. Better than he'd have given Five.

SAM YAO: Ugh. Yes. Five, look to your right. Do you see that? I think it's zombie Paradise Project workers. I can just about see their T-shirts under all those butterflies. 

Ugh! Ugh, no! I never thought I'd be that disgusted by butterflies. Their tongues are sort of licking through those zombies' eye sockets, and – oh God! I can see them. There are larvae hatching out of their sides. Ugh!

JANINE DE LUCA: Five, if those zombies catch you, you will die in at least three different repulsive and painful ways. You must move quickly. Head for the waterfall. Go!

[water splashes]

SAM YAO: That's it. All the honey's washed off in that waterfall, Five. And you've lost the zoms. Well, they sort of fell to maggoty pieces. You're safe to continue.

[comms shack door opens]

JODY MARSH: We've got a report for you, Janine. Pit Vipers Five and Eight are wounded, but they say they've taken down the [?] ensemble who were going to use a tank to reach Selma in the biodome.

JANINE DE LUCA: Ah. I can always rely on them.

AMELIA SPENS: What's going on in that biodome? Is Runner Five having a tropical shower? I don't want to tell you your job, Janine, but that seems like the kind of thing I'd do, to be honest.

JANINE DE LUCA: Miss Spens, Mr. Yao and Miss Marsh tell me you've been instrumental in this operation, therefore you may sit on that stool and watch the remainder of the mission without talking. Runner Five is nearing Miss Stein's location.

AMELIA SPENS: You know, if you make me sit silently on a stool, I'll make you regret it eventually.

JANINE DE LUCA: Certainly. Runner Five, there's a sharp bend ahead around that hillock. We have no line of sight until you round the corner, so take care.

[monkey shrieks]

JODY MARSH and JANINE DE LUCA: Five, duck!

JANINE DE LUCA: It was a monkey, Runner Five. It has receded into the jungle. Proceed. Very good instincts, Miss Marsh.

JODY MARSH: It wasn't anything. It's just what you would have done.

JANINE DE LUCA: That's what I mean. Miss Marsh, Miss Stein is in that range of caves up ahead. If you were her, where you be sheltering?

JODY MARSH: Hmm. That one's too close to the treeline. You'd attract the attention of the monkeys. That one's too near the water. There are probably insects in it. Hmm. That one looks deep and cool. I'd be in that one.

JANINE DE LUCA: My thoughts exactly. Head for the third cave on the second ridge, Runner Five. Run!

SELMA STEIN: [startles] Who - who's there? Who's there? I'm armed! Oh! Oh, Runner Five, it's you. I've never been so glad to see anyone in my whole life.

JANINE DE LUCA: Five, if you adjust the controls on her communicator to channel seven, she'll pick up our broadcast through your transmitter. [communicator beeps] Miss Stein, we're here to rescue you.

SELMA STEIN: Oh? Who's that?

AMELIA SPENS: It's me, Selma. It's Amelia. You remember me? I'm a terrible, horrible person who really owes you a long Jacuzzi and a massage once you're out of that suit.

SELMA STEIN: You really, really do.

AMELIA SPENS: Selma, I don't want to have to ask you this -

SELMA STEIN: It's all right. I didn't get everything you need, but I think I got enough. I had to run. I really didn't mean to, but they got suspicious. They kept me in the holding area for too long. I knew something was going wrong.

SAM YAO: They found your GPS tags. They turned them off.

SELMA STEIN: Did they? Then... how did you find me?

SAM YAO: We had to... [sighs] we had to call in some favors.

SELMA STEIN: It doesn't matter. This is all that matters. I didn't find the location of her serum factory, but I found its code name. In her files, Sigrid calls the serum factory Project Angelica. If you look for Project Angelica in her private files, you'll find out where those babies are.

AMELIA SPENS: Oh, good. Then all we have to do is get to a private terminal in Sigrid's palace. Sounds like just the sort of certain death challenge Team Abel are always up for.