#and and BONUS I can pretend Agatha gave it to me

[agathaharkussy]

A Proposal and a Half

Ships: Agatha Harkness x Reader

Summary: You've lost the ring you're supposed to be proposing with. Goddamnit.

Word Count: 827

Warnings: none

Additional Notes: I would like to give many big thanks to @p-nymph who helped me by being a sound board for what rings I should go with. So. Many big thanks! 💜

You let out a frustrated huff as you open the middle pouch of your bag, grabbing at the papers and wrappers and who knows what else by the handful, not caring where they landed as you tossed them to the side, piling on top of the junk from the first section of the bag.

“What are you doing, love?” Agatha asks, clearly confused as to why you're making a rather impressive mess.

“I lost something.” You explain, holding back an angry growl as you reach the crumbs at the bottom of the bag.

You open the last pouch, before tossing the empty to the side as it reveals a grand total of a forgotten pair of hoops, entirely starting to panic.

“What did you lose, exactly?” Concern and wariness color your girlfriend's voice.

“A box. A small box.” You reply, running a hand through your hair.

“Like the ring box that's sitting on our nightstand?”

You give yourself whiplash as you turn from glaring at the wall to staring at Agatha in shock.

You're up the stairs before you could even think.

You wouldn't have left it there - hell, you don't even remember taking it out of your bag!

But sure enough there it is, sitting ever so innocently on the nightstand.

“Goddamnit.” You sigh, rubbing an eye, before grabbing it and going back down to the living room.

“Well?”

“Found it.” You grumble. “This was supposed to be romantic. You weren't supposed to know.”

“My answer would still be no, hon.” Agatha says.

“W-what?”

“Mmm… It may or may not have to do with this little thing I've been carrying around for a year or so now.” She grins slyly and pulls out a very familiar-looking box from her sweater pocket.

“Will you marry me?”

“Are- are you fucking kidding me?!" You aren't upset, just exasperated.

“Is that a no?” Agatha arches a brow.

“NO!”

You glare at Agatha as she starts to laugh, well aware it's you that she's laughing at.

“It's not funny!” You protest.

“‘This was supposed to be romantic.’” She says, mocking you.

“You're being mean.” You pout.

“And you're still going to marry me anyway.” She replies smugly.

You sigh. “Yeah. Yeah, I am. Unfortunately, I got this thing called head over heels when it comes to you.”

“Unfortunately?” Agatha asks.

“I said what I said.” You defend yourself.

“Maybe I'll just keep this very pretty, very expensive ring I got you then, angel.” She pretends to threaten.

You let out a disbelieving snort.

“And never see the ring I picked out for you? Babe your curiosity would kill you.”

“You're assuming I won't just take a look.” Agatha replies, wiggling her fingers.

“I'll donkey kick your shins off.” You reply before you could think of the words exiting your mouth.

There's a few moments of sudden silence and then you both burst out laughing.

“You'll donkey kick my shins off?” Agatha howls with laughter.

“Well what else am I supposed to do?” You demand between gasps for air.

“You're absolutely right, I am so sorry.” Agatha says, starting to catch her breath.

“You should be.” You sniff, before you zero in on the box still clutched in your girlfriend's hand.

Agatha, who never fails to notice anything, just smiles softly and opens the box as she closes the space between the two of you.

Your eyes widen as you take in the ring.

It's nothing ostentatious, and rather simple in its design, but that only lends to the intricate beauty of it.

The center stone is clear, cut in an oval shape, with a small halo of diamonds surrounding it. Two strands of white gold on either side form triangles before they connect with a small square cut purple tanzanite, crossing over themselves until it connects again to form the rest of the ring.

“Do you like it?” Agatha asks after a few moments of silence.

“I- yeah. This is…” You look up at her, her features soft, a small smile gracing her lips.

“Would you like me to put it on for you?”

You nod, and hold out your left hand, allowing Agatha to gently slide the ring onto your fourth finger.

You both stare at it for a few moments before you remember the box in your hand.

“Here.” You say, getting your fiance’s attention.

Agatha glances up at you, and you grin as you open the box.

Within it rests two gold bands, the first holding a purple diamond cut in a teardrop shape, framed on either side by two smaller circular white diamonds. The second band curves, seven circular white diamonds gracing the front of the ring, smaller ones bracketing them, paved onto the band.

“You have good taste.” She mummers, holding her left hand up in clear invitation.

“I should hope so, I'm marrying you after all.” You tease softly, slipping the rings onto her ring finger.

“The best taste then.” Agatha decides.

You laugh into the kiss she pulls you into.

[harmonyvarnes]

Dating Sophie From Woods And Beyond Would Include ( School For Good And Evil )

Fandom: School For Good And Evil ( Movie Version )

Tags: Fanfiction. One shot. Romance. Fairy Tail. Fantasy

Warnings: None, A little violence and drama.

G! N Reader x Sophie

~

Ever

• Let's be honest you will have to be an Ever or in the school. She would never like you if you were the opposite.

• If you were an Ever. She would love you instantly, would always pamper you and take care of you.

• She can always be herself around you. She isn't her normal evil self around you. She just loves you entirely and no one can tell her otherwise.

• Agatha was shocked when she found out you and her best friend were dating. She honestly didn't think Sophie would date someone like you.

• Be prepared for Hort to target you. The boy has his eyes set on the beautiful blonde the moment he was her. And he feels like she belongs to him. So yeah... Be prepared.

• If you were an Never pretending to be an Ever she would still love you. Or an Ever pretending to be an Never. She can't judge she was an Never thought she was an Ever Princess all her life. Much to her disappointment.

• It didn't matter what gender you were. She would find some way to play with your hair. No matter the length or size. She loved your hair regardless. No matter if it was straight or kinky.

• I feel like Sophie would be the overprotective type. If you were her true love, you can imagine the anger she'll feel if someone would lay one single finger on you.

• It wouldn't come to that.... Ever!

• Loves to show you off. You are hers for Eternity... Rather you like it or not.

Never

• let's be honest it would take a little time for her to be with you. She would see you as another Hort.

• But believe it or not, you wouldn't / didn't carry yourself like a never. You carried yourself like a ever. Always clean, shaved and etc.

• after two weeks of being there. She would start to notice you. She sees that you were kinda a little helpful about things and all that.

• She didn't approach you. You approach her. You and her we're walking down a. Hall, you on the opposite side. Smirking you took the opportunity to make her yours.

Hello Love, and where are you going on this fine day? You ask.

She frowned at you and tried to move past, but you blocked her way

Where are you going? I want you to go to the Nevers ball with me?.

You wish!

• she frowned and you let her go. She would be yours and when she become yours...

• After a little time passed and she grew tired of running away from you. She gave up and finally she wanted to be with you. She decided to give you a chance.

• She always wanted to be with and from the moment she saw you.

• The first kiss you two shared was at the ball and was captured and placed in the history book.

• I figure since people assume Nevers / Evil souls shouldn't be together ( Since it was impossible ) but since you were half-good and evil. You got a pass.

• A lot of people didn't like it at all.

• Pretty much you both lives would be ruined. Because you both would be targets. You would have to fight for your life and hers.

• It didn't matter to you. You loved her and she was yours.

• When graduation came, you two graduated with high scores ( Thanks to you ) and kinda live a somewhat happy life?

• You had three children with her.

• All were placed in good and evil.

Bonus Scene

" So y/n do you actually like me?".

You looked away from the beautiful sky and looked at the love of your life.

" It's beautiful here, Sophie".

You smiled at her and nodded. " Sure, I do. You are the love of my life". She steps close to you, and you grab her face and leaned down pressing your lips against hers.

Smiling into the kiss, you pulled away and kissed her gently on the lips and kissed the tip of his nose.

" I love you Sophie" You beamed at her.

Sophie smiled at you ( The Realistic smile she can give you )

" I love you too, Y/N.".

[scarletwitching]

Hello! Do you have any "real world" timeline of Wanda's backstories (particularly her origins). I know she was created in the 60s, and her first origin seems to have her as the biological daughter of two golden age American heroes. However most wiki pages only describe her latest "in-universe" history. Im curious to know how many actual real-world years she spent as a White American, German Jew, Serbian Romani, Mutant, Witch, Avenger, etc. Thanks!

I’m choosing to do this as a chronicling of backstory retcons (plus a couple of important firsts) because it would be too much to do the whole thing, and I’m going to include the various changes to Magneto’s backstory because they’re kind of necessary. The dates listed are release date, not cover date.

March 1964 (X-Men vol. 1 #4) -- It’s Wanda, no last name. She’s a mutant, part of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. She’s from Central Europe. She has an older brother named Pietro, and he promised their parents that he would take care of her.

March 1965 (Avengers vol. 1 #16) -- Wanda’s an Avenger now.

November 1966 (Thor vol. 1 #134) -- We learn that Wanda and Pietro, who are now twins, are connected to Wundagore Mountain and that there was a massive “blinding light” on the night they were born. This was maybe an aborted attempt to retcon them into not being mutants (their powers are referred to as “mutant-type” for some reason), but it goes nowhere.

May 1974 (Giant Size Avengers #1) -- Wanda and Pietro finally have a backstory. They are the children of US-American superheroes Madeline and Robert Frank (aka Miss America and The Whizzer). They were born on Wundagore Mountain, but their mother died and their father abandoned them. They were subsequently raised in the High Evolutionary’s citadel, but they ran away because it was weird being around all those talking animals.

June 1974 - February 1975 (Avengers vol. 1 #127-134; Giant Size Avengers #2 & 4) -- Agatha’s here, and she’s teaching Wanda magic. Wanda is now a mutant AND a witch.

December 1977 - September 1979 (Avengers vol. 1 #166 & 181-187; X-Men vol. 1 #125) -- Origin Story: The Good One. Wanda and Pietro are not the Franks’ kids and were not raised in the High Evolutionary’s citadel. They were raised by Django and Marya Maximoff, a Roma couple from Bulgaria (Transia, the town they’re from, will later become a country of its own), and it is implied that they don’t remember this because they suppressed their own memories. However, Django and Marya are not their birth parents. Their birth mother came to Wundagore Mountain, heavily pregnant, fleeing their father. She gave birth in the citadel, then left because she did not want to be alive anymore.

Meanwhile, Chris Claremont comes up with the idea for Magda, Magneto’s mysterious dead wife, but before the issue introducing her can even come out, John Byrne and some other guys go behind Claremont’s back and make Magda Wanda and Pietro’s mother. Which makes Magneto the husband their mother was running from and thus... None of the living characters know they are related, and it is editorial’s intention that they will never find out, though the connection is acknowledged openly in the letters column.

August 1981 (Uncanny X-Men vol. 1 #150) -- Claremont begins the long process of turning Magneto into a hero, and with that, we learn Magneto’s backstory as a Holocaust survivor. Claremont continues to add to this for the rest of his initial X-Men tenure (through 1991), but crucially, he never has him say that he’s Jewish. You’re supposed to understand that he is, and most of the audience does understand. It is very, very obvious (we even get a trip to Israel), BUT he does not say the exact words, “I am Jewish.”

November 1982 (Vision & the Scarlet Witch vol. 1 #4) -- The characters aren’t supposed to find out they’re related? Forget that. They all know now. I would argue that this issue also makes it obvious that Magneto is Jewish, but whatever, he doesn’t say, “I am Jewish.”

October 1985 (Vision & the Scarlet Witch vol. 2 #5) -- This is the earliest reference I can find to Magda being Romani. It feels like that can’t be the first time that was confirmed, but this post needs to get done some time.

October 1987 (New Mutants vol. 1 #61) -- Another “earliest reference I can find” scenario. I think this is the first time Magneto mentions being from Poland. At any rate, it is a time he mentions being from Poland, and it gets retconned anyway.

July 1993 (X-Men Unlimited vol. 1 #2) -- Due to editorial meddling, Magneto became a villain again in 1991, and according to comic book legend, editor-in-chief Bob Harras thought that Magneto being Jewish and a supervillain was proooooooblemaaaaaaatic. And if he can’t be both at the same time, one’s gotta go. Enter Gabrielle Haller, who is here to give a Ted Talk explaining Magneto’s new backstory. He’s Sinti Romani. That’s the change.

December 1997 (X-Men vol. 2 #72) -- It is revealed that the Erik Lensherr identity was an alias created by document forger Georg Odekirk in order to help Magneto hide from the authorities and find Magda... by pretending to be Sinti. Which, to me, implies that Magda herself was Sinti specifically, not Roma. Either way, Magneto says he’s not Romani, but once again does not say he’s Jewish.

September 2008 - January 2009 (X-Men: Magneto Testament #1-5) -- Magneto is officially, definitely Jewish. For real this time. No more ambiguity. He’s also German now, instead of Polish, and his name is Max Eisenhardt.

December 2014 (Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #7) -- Rick Remender, who is clearly invested in Wanda and Magneto’s relationship, is forced, possibly at gunpoint, to make them not related. This is revealed via a spell going wrong and not affecting Magneto when it’s supposed to affect Wanda’s family, which is the dictionary definition of “plausible deniability.”

January 2015 - June 2015 (Uncanny Avengers vol. 2 #1-5) -- Wanda and Pietro go to the High Evolutionary to figure out what their brand new backstory is. Turns out that, according to the High Evolutionary, they are not mutants and got their powers from being experimented on by him as babies. Their birth parents were their adoptive parents Django and Marya all along, which would make them Roma (not Sinti)... but something is weird about this reveal because Vision finds out there is more to the story and refuses to tell Wanda what it is or that he discovered any information at all.

March 2016 - January 2017 (Scarlet Witch vol. 2 #4-14) -- Nevermind, Django and Marya weren’t Wanda’s biological parents. Django is her uncle. His sister Natalya is her birth mother and a witch, and “the Scarlet Witch” is now a legacy title. Wanda was born in Serbia, but how that intersects with the Chthon thing is not explained. And Wanda’s dad is... the guy who murdered her mother. Who? Doesn’t say.

December 2017 - July 2019 -- A bonus! Marvel gives up on pretending Wanda and Magneto are not related... but mostly outside of comics. The official Marvel website runs articles just... saying they’re related. Official merchandise says they’re related. The mainline comics don’t touch it, but things are very suspicious.

[palimpsessed]

Medieval History AU

for @carryonthroughtheages

For my piece for the medieval era, I took inspiration from illuminated manuscripts.

(Please click the image for better quality.)

Read more about the piece below the break.

I want to first say a huge thank you to @bazzybelle​ for organizing this event and also for just being a really great human. ILY! Despite the fact that I of course left everything to the last minute, I have had a blast working on my two posts and can’t wait until I have time to actually look at what everyone else has done.

About the artwork:

This is a haphazardly researched piece at best.

I initially planned to simply do a group drawing, showing the gang dressed appropriately for their places in my medieval AU. I had that sketch sitting around for months and never felt inspired. Then I started to think about how I could adapt my arsenal of art supplies to give the effect of something more suited to the time periods. And then I thought about a lovely comment that someone made on one of my drawings, that it reminded them of an illuminated manuscript. And then the book art nerd in me was activated. Thus, I spent the next week pulling references from various illuminated manuscripts that have made it online in some form or another over the years. Next came the design. I wanted to find a way to still include the whole group, but a simple line-up no longer made sense. I wanted to make SnowBaz the focal point, for obvious reasons, but I found a way to include the others in insets, as some full page illuminated manuscripts depicted smaller scenes around a central idea.

I knew that I had to include at least one dragon for Simon and somehow reference Baz's vampirism. Monsters appear all over illuminated manuscripts, after all, and I saw no reason why they shouldn't be in mine. Vampires in medieval folklore were different to the way we think of them now; they weren't living people who turned into blood drinking creatures, but rather reanimated corpses. These revenants are usually depicted as some variation on a rotting corpse or skeleton. I decided to stick with our modern understanding of vampirism, because I'm not wholly sold on the zombie thing. A skull and some rats chilling around it probably gets the point across, and ties in Baz's years in the Catacombs, which definitely still exist in this AU. Also, I see medieval Baz as a minor feudal lord of some kind, which plays into the classic vampire metaphor. Simon is a former knight errant who gave up his questing days once he faced the reality that perhaps he wasn't all that different from the monsters he hunted.

The vessel at their feet, which sits over flames, is a crucible. Because of course I was going to include a crucible in my medieval AU. The crucible is an ongoing metaphor in Simon and Baz's story, and I wanted to carry that motif into my piece, too. I based the shape off a couple different depictions I found that related specifically to alchemy. Alchemy is all about transmutation, rather fitting for two half monsters who continuously challenge the roles they've been assigned. (One of the crucible drawings I found even had a tiny dragon looking down the spout and blowing fire into the vessel!)

The alchemy theme continues to the top right corner, with a green lion eating the sun. This is a very common image in alchemical texts, a metaphor for vitriol purifying matter, which would then leave behind gold. Next to the green lion is Agatha, who finds far more to interest her in making friends with unicorns than in the attentions of any courtly suitors. The larger panel in the center shows the castle, the hub of medieval life, inspired by the look of Watford as depicted in the map at the end of Carry On. This version of Watford is also protected by a moat filled with merwolves, because they are exactly the sort of unholy beast that would appear in the marginalia of an illuminated manuscript. (Maybe the Mage got the idea of the merwolves from one of the "four-hundred-year-old texts" he dripped gravy on.) Stars fill the sky, because we all know how important those are. On the castle's other side is Penelope, bent over a parchment in a room filled with thick books, living her best scholarly life, now that she's retired from life as Simon's shield bearer. She and Shepard are both modeling the latest trend in eyeglasses, which is to say, the only trend, because that was cutting edge technology back in the day. (Would either one of them have had access to that kind of fancy tech in their respective positions? Idk, but they have unicorns, and flying sheep, and merwolves, and dragons, so let them see is all I'm saying.) Shepard is, if you couldn't guess, a shepherd, because I had to. But he's still a nomad at heart, and this new flock was acquired in a rather secretive deal during his last adventure. Lastly, the slogans on either side of Simon and Baz are the Google Translate Latin equivalents of: "Magic separates us from the world. Let nothing separate us from each other" and "Light a match inside your heart, then blow on the tinder." (If you can actually read my writing, and you actually know Latin, and these aren't correct, just pretend that they are.)

Illuminated manuscripts were usually embellished with gold leaf, and my budget version is metallic gold marker, which I used sparingly throughout the piece for fire and other objects of note (though it's probably hard to see in the scan).

That's all, I think. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk!

Bonus! Process shots;

[that-was-anticlimactic]

interests tag

i was tagged by @capt-snoozles es and @sheimagineddragons :)

MUSIC

Fave genre?

theatre !!! i listen solely to theatre and cartoon music [i.e. mlp songs, steven uiverse sings, etc...]

Fave artist?

uhhh my favorite musical is aladdin and my 1.5 favorite is a chorus line and my second favorite is come from away if those count haha

Fave song?

always: high adventure from aladdin broadway | idk why, but this song always helps me calm and down and take a breath and ground myself no matter what i’m feeling.

at the moment: safer from the musical first date

Most listened song recently?

nothing left to lose from the tangled series but like... the danish version...

and i listen to chant from hadestown a lot too oops

Song currently stuck in your head?

heroes on fire from kipo and the age of wonderbeasts

5 fave lyrics?

"it’s addictive the minute you let yourself think / the things that i say just might matter to someone” - you matter to me, waitress

"only one dad / only inspiring one son / edward, you’re done / writing your perfect tale / telling the perfect tale / it was a perfect tale” - what’s next, big fish

"but wishes are dreams and dreams are pretend / so science and reason win out in the end / science says you’re dead and gone forever / reason says i’m talking to the air / but something in my heart / some secret hidden part / illogically insists that you are there / somewhere” - if i believed - twisted

"and though the people around me / their mouths are still moving / the words they are forming / cannot reach me anymore / and it is quiet / and i am warm / like i’ve sailed / into the eye of the storm” - quiet, matilda

"i’m the son of poseidon / i never asked to be / but i’m the son of poseidon / now face the tide / inside of me” - son of poseidon, the lightning thief

[bonus] “i love a lilting line of lyrical alliteration / who doesn’t love alliteration?” - i love the way, something rotten

radio or your own playlist | solo artists or bands | pop or indie | louder or silent volume I slow or fast songs | music video or lyrics video | speakers or headset | riding a bus in silence or while listening to music | driving in silence or with radio on

BOOKS

Fave book genre?

uhhh i don’t think i have a specific genre, but anything that talks about the morality because i love that kind of analysis

Fave writer?

uhhh it changes, but i usually say chris colfer or edgar allen poe

Fave book?

the land of stories, chris colfer / an author’s odyssey, chris colfer

the lost hero, rick riordan [look it’s my favorite one...] 

murder on the orient express, agatha christie

heart of redness, zakes mda

king lear, shakespeare

Fave book series?

the land of stories series by chris colfer :)

Comfort book?

angels at the table - debbie macomber

Perfect book to read on a rainy day?

how to speak dragonese, cressida cowell

Fave characters?

goldilocks / conner bailey, land of stories series

piper mclean, heroes of olympus

camicazi, how to train your dragon series

ron weasley, harry potter series [love ron, not the author tho]

matilda, matilda

5 quotes from your fave book that you know by heart?

"be brave, children. courage is the one thing no one can ever take away from you” - land of stories

"there’s no such thing as im-POSSIBLE, hiccup, only im-PROBABLE. the only thing that limits us are the limits of our imagination” - how to train your dragon

“i like it when somebody gets excited about something. it's nice” - catcher in the rye

“self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin as self-neglecting” - henry v

“do you think, because i am poor, obscure, plain, and little, i am soulless and heartless? you think wrong! — i have as much soul as you, — and full as much heart! and if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, i should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you” - jane eyre

“so matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. these books gave matilda a hopeful and comforting message: you are not alone.” - matilda

hardcover or paperback | buy or rent | standalone novels or book series | ebook or physical copy | reading at night or during the day | reading at home or in nature | listening to music while reading or reading in silence | reading in order or reading the ending first | reliable or unreliable narrator | realism or fantasy | one or multiple POVS | judging by the covers or by the summary | rereading or reading just once

TV AND MOVIES

Fave tv/movie genre?

uhh pretty much any cartoon tbh

Fave movie?

the my little pony movie (2017)

the lego ninjago movie (2017)

finding neverland

coraline

Comfort movie?

the my little pony movie (2017) [once watched it six times in one day]

the friendship games

Movie you watch every year?

the my little pony movie (2017) [i watch it once a month over zoom with my internet friend shannon]

Fave tv show?

the hollow

avatar: the last airbender

kipo and the age of wonderbeasts

lego ninjago: masters of spinjitzu

my little pony: friendship is magic

miraculous: tales of ladybug and chat noir

psych

Comfort tv show?

the hollow [specifically s2 ep6, dead end]

Most rewatched tv show?

the hollow

my little pony: friendship is magic

miraculous: tales of ladybug and chat noir

5 fave characters?

sokka sokka sokka sokka sokka, atla

vanessa, the hollow

cole brookestone, ninjago

nino lahiffe, mlb

benson, kipo and the age of wonderbeasts

varrick or bumi ii, legend of korra

tv shows or movie | short seasons (8-13 episodes) or full seasons (22 episodes or more)* | one episode a week or binging | one season or multiple seasons | one part or saga | half hour or one hour long episodes* | subtitles on or off | rewatching or watching just once | downloads or watches online

hehe this took awhile, but this was fun :)))

okay so uhh, imma tag [with no obligations so sorry if you were already tagged], my fellow thespians @bisexuallsokka and @bobisahandsomeskull as well as @leesbian42 and @fixationsbigandsmall

[flutteringphalanges]

Summary: It is public knowledge that Zoe Van Helsing is the last of her blood line. Not to mention that, in a sense, Count Dracula is too. However, after an unexpected night of passion, both their lives dramatically change when Zoe becomes pregnant. Two unconventional parents, one extraordinary pregnancy. What could go wrong?

Rating: M

Pairings: Zoe Van Helsing/Dracula implied Agatha/Dracula

Read on FFN and AO3

A/N: Decided to update this really early in the morning. Like, REALLY early in the morning. I’m still half asleep so if this author’s note is wonky, I apologize. Thanks for the support as usual! Feedback is greatly loved and appreciated! -Jen

                                          Chapter Six

Pregnancy, hormones, and dreams-perhaps nightmares if one is so unlucky. Stress plays a major factor. Anxiety weaving itself into the intense sleep waves of one's mind. Such happened to be the case for Zoe Van Helsing as she stood over two empty cribs, the sound of infants wailing all around her and yet, no babies to be found. Panic over-swept her as she desperately searched every corner of the room, the crying only intensifying the longer she looked. And just as she began to feel the very walls start to crumble around her, the scientist's eyes flashed open.

As Zoe slowly sat up, ignoring the pain in her lower back, she wondered if she was still asleep. The wallpaper. The carpet. The furniture. None of it belonged to her. It wasn't until the bedroom door creaked open and a familiar set of dark, brown eyes met hers that the true reality came crashing down like a tsunami. Count Dracula smiled at her, but the expression leaned more towards amusement than to friendliness.

"I was wondering when you were going to wake up." He commented as Zoe scrambled backwards, bumping against the headboard. "I just finished making breakfast-"

"Why am I here?!" The woman snapped, cutting him off. "What...Did we…"

"I assure you there was no sex if that's what you are getting at...which was, in my opinion, much unfortunate." The vampire smirked as he moved over to where she sat. "You wore yourself out last night crying-I suppose human hormones are complicated like that." He sighed, taking a seat on the edge of the mattress. Zoe only slid away further. "Anyway, I thought it best to let you sleep here rather than risk you driving back home all tuckered out."

"If you're expecting a thank you out of me, I'm certainly not going to give you one," she frowned. "That act was nothing more than a scheme on your part."

"Must you always assume the worst intentions, Dr. Van Helsing?" Dracula scoffed, rolling his eyes. "And I wasn't anticipating on one. Now, how about you straighten up and have something to eat? I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess you don't plan on staying around?"

That was a correct assumption on his part. Ignoring his question, the researcher climbed off of the bed. As exhausted as she still felt, the motivation derived from not being here pushed her forward. Zoe felt Dracula's eyes watch her as she strode out of the room. She tried not to look at the hot breakfast he had set out on the table. Eggs. Toast. Bacon. Christ, did it smell good. Maybe if she swiped one strip…

Swallowing hard and shaking her head at the thought, she grabbed her purse and went straight for the exit. The vampire didn't stop her as she left-much to her surprise, and Zoe couldn't help but wonder if the entire neighborhood heard the echoing bang as she slammed the door behind her.

                                                        XXX

"I'm not sure how you want to proceed with this further, Dr. Van Helsing, but based on what the Jonathan Harker Foundation was built upon and the current situation, I'm not sure where we stand at this point."

Zoe stared idly at the basket of fruit and muffins that sat in the center of the conference room table. Though they would look positively appetizing in any other situation, right now she wasn't hungry. Far, far from it. Her stomach twisted into knots as Bloxham watched her with keen interest. Part of her had known this moment would be coming from the very beginning and yet, she still didn't feel prepared for it.

"Dracula has yet to cause any sort of known threat," Bloxham continued. "And without any means of interacting with him-studying him, the purpose of this facility has been deemed…"

"No longer necessary," Zoe finished quietly. "So, in other words, you are saying that it's in our best interest to shut down the Harker Foundation." She paused, trying to remain level headed. "And fire everyone involved."

"That's not what I was getting at." Bloxham sighed, folding her hands onto the table. "Look, Zoe, we've been weighing some options and maybe there's a chance to save the place. To keep some of our employees employed." The scientist tried to force a smile onto her face. It wasn't working. "We've been talking to other companies who might be willing to buy the institution. Use it for their own research purposes. They have no idea what we've been doing, but this place...it can be used for good. State of the art practices even."

Mina Murray. The money her family had invested into the Foundation. Created. Everything in the name and memory of her beloved Jonathan Harker. Now no one was left to put up a fight to save it. No family left. No heirs. What remained left to those dedicated to discovering who and what Count Dracula was and is. With him out of the picture, there truly was no Foundation. And it was becoming clear things were beginning to fall apart.

"Dr. Bloxham, we're talking about letting go several dozen people!" The scientist exclaimed, looking around the room at the others who sat silently. "There has to be another way. Think of the Murrays…"

"We've exhausted all options, Zoe," the other woman said solemnly. "I don't like it anymore than you do, but what choice do we have? And the money supporting this place. The Murrays were quite wealthy, yes, but we are looking at eventual bankruptcy. The only reason we've kept going is on the whim that Dracula was still out there. Which he was. But due to legal issues and without him...we have nothing." Bloxham frowned, her lips pursing slightly. "We need to consider selling the lab and the potential that comes from that. This could be what we needed all along."

"But you don't know that!" Zoe countered angrily. "Please, there has to be something we can do." She didn't like to beg. To seem visibly weak. But she thought of Meg. Of Jack. Of all of her other colleagues who might be out of a job. "There has to be some other option."

Options. Suggestions. The scientist's mind was racing. Anxiety building from the pit of her stomach and flowing up, up, up to the inside of her skull. So tight. So much pressure. Zoe massaged her temples trying to ignore the many eyes that were fixated on her. It was always one thing after another. Always. And finally, when a dreaded thought came to mind, she bit the inside of her cheek.

"What if I could…" She began, not even sure if it was in her best interest to continue. "...What if I could convince Count Dracula to come back on his own free will. To allow us to learn more about him without defying his rights by locking him up?" Absentmindedly, a hand rested on her stomach. "Would the Harker Foundation be able to continue as it was?"

The other people in the room exchanged glances, their eyes flickering between each other and Zoe. Surely questions would be aimed in her direction like arrows from a bow. She remained still, poised. If she had to think of a reason, she could do so on her feet. The scientist was creative like that. Even if the situation was a lot more severe than others she'd faced before. If they knew her secret...she didn't want to think about that. Need to think about that.

"You truly believe you can convince the vampire to return?" Bloxham ventured, the tone low. Calculated. "And how, pray tell, do you think you can manage a feat like that?"

"If I can do it," Zoe responded. "Will the Harker Foundation remain in our hands?"

The other woman was silent for a moment. "Maybe arrangements can be made." She looked to the others who all nodded in agreement. "Alright," Bloxham sighed. "Dr. Van Helsing, if you can somehow manage Dracula to return on his own accord, perhaps there is hope for this place."

A small flicker of a smile twitched briefly on Zoe's face. "I can promise you my very best," she stated. "Count Dracula will return." Or so she very much hoped.

                                                           XXX

The Count's dark eyebrows narrowed as he studied the pamphlet in his hands. Every so often he'd glance up, meeting Zoe's gaze as she stood in front of him, arms folded. Finally, he delicately folded the flyer closed and held it out towards her.

"Yuma, Arizona…" He said slowly, a small smirk crossing his features. "Planning a vacation are we?"

A second unexpected surprise. When the researcher had randomly showed up at his doorstep without so much as a text, he had been somewhat caught off guard. But now she'd presented him with information about a state. A place not even located on their continent.

"Actually, more so of a move." Zoe replied simply, noticing the amusement on the man's face fade to confusion. "I was doing some research and learned that Yuma is, in fact, the sunniest place on Earth. Sounds quite lovely actually. Not that you'd understand."

"So, you have a sudden desire to move across the world?" Dracula inquired, an eyebrow cocked. "Might I ask why?"

"Well…" She pretended to muse. "There's the weather...an added bonus. But more importantly, and I'm sure your lawyer Mr. Renfield has you all caught up on this, but the Harker Foundation's doors are threatening to close."

"Oh my," Dracula's voice dripped with sarcasm. "What tragic news! I must say it's such a shame really. You all appeared to be working so hard. These things happen I suppose." He interlaced his fingers and gave them a loud, sickening crack. "So you now want to go to Yuma?"

"I'm going to need a job," she shrugged. "And The University of Arizona is currently looking for a medical research professor. I'm sure Dr. Bloxham will write me quite the recommendation letter." Zoe smiled as the corners of Dracula's lips turned just the slightest bit downward. "A change in scenery might do me some good."

"And what's to stop me from following you?" He countered, tone much more serious now. "I'm not afraid to go after you, Zoe. I told you, I will be in my children's lives."

"Oh I know." She answered calmly. "But it'll be just a little more difficult with it always being so sunny." The scientist patted her stomach lovingly. "Did you know sunlight actually has positive effects on pregnancy? Physical and mood wise? You know, the more I think of it, the more Arizona really calls out to me."

"What do you want, Zoe?" Dracula's voice was flat. Irritable. "What are you getting at?"

"The Harker Foundation can't continue without you." Zoe said, momentarily dropping her act. "Without you, we'll be forced to close our doors and open to someone else. A lot of people will lose jobs. People…" she paused. "People I care about. So I'm asking you to come back on your own terms."

"Why would I want to do that?" He scoffed. "So I can be your lab rat?"

"It won't be like that," she promised. "I…" Zoe averted her eyes, not wanting to meet his. "I won't let that happen. And I think you very well know I won't." The researcher inhaled, closing her eyes. "You want to be in their lives. You've shown that. But if that's the case then you…You're going to have to be in mine too." God how she hated the sound of that. "And if even the smallest molecule in you has some care for me, you'd do this. For them. For me."

There was a long pause. Silence heavy between them.

"If I agree to attend whatever it is your beloved Foundation wants, you won't move to Yuma?" Dracula watched her as he spoke, trying to read her face for a reaction. "Your idea of family commitment is quite strange, Dr. Van Helsing."

"We're not a family," she frowned. "We're not...look, think of this as quid pro quo. Just over and over again. Nothing more." Zoe let out a long sigh, running a hand through her hair. "Do we have a deal?"

Dracula pondered her words before nodding. "I think that's reasonable."

For the first time since she arrived, Zoe gave a genuine smile. "So we have a deal."

And a very odd one at that.