#but if you dodge the debris while going through the temple you can stay on the zipline and it will take you all the way down to

[iamthescalesofjustice]

me, a lifelong lucid dreamer, explaining the connections you can use to travel between my various dream zones vs my mother who just thought she would inquire whether ive had any astral visitations from my late father recently: 

[wannabe-fic-writer]

All Over Again - Chapter 12

Summary: What was lost can be found. 

Warning: 18+ Smut, Language, Violence. 

Ch. 11

* * * * * *

Despite the curtains opening and letting in the sun’s bright light, the beauty beside you remains asleep. 

A glance at the clock tells you that you’ve woken up an hour and a half earlier than need be, but you know you won’t be falling back to sleep so you decide to get up. Said task proves a bit difficult. Every shift you make has Lena tightening her hold on you, her nose brushing your neck as she snuggles closer. 

It takes a solid five minutes to slip from the woman’s loving hold. After ensuring she doesn’t wake up, with your pillow now in her arms, you head into the bathroom.

One nice hot shower later, you’re dressed in your work uniform, and in the kitchen fixing breakfast.

Just two weeks ago you were still getting used to this new routine of yours. 

You’ve loved every morning you woke up with Lena, some you spent getting ready together and others one of you stayed in bed just a bit longer thanks to the efforts of the other. 

The first day of your new job at the DEO was a rigorous one. First finding out that Alex works there, which truly wasn’t a surprise, and then being put through the ringer to ensure you were good enough for your desired position as a field agent. 

You know despite being accepted by a decent amount of your workmates, Alex is still holding you at a judgeable distance, but your two weeks has given you some credibility with her. 

All in all it was an adjustment period. One you’re slowly breaking out of. Here at your new home things couldn’t be more perfect. 

“Good morning.” 

Looking up from the slowly cooking pastry at your hands, you smile at the, clearly, still sleepy brunette. Her mouth opens to release a silent but powerful yawn. 

You smile softly at her, eyes rolling over the dark green silk pajamas she’s wearing,“ good morning beautiful.” 

She comes over to you, resting a gentle hand on your lower back, and leaning in. Your lips meet in a short, sweet, kiss. Her lips curve up against yours and you give her one more quick peck. 

“Mmm, those crepes?” Her body nearly melds into yours as her arms wrap around your torso, head laying against your shoulder.

One thing you’ve learned and absolutely love: Lena is a clingy morning person. 

For whatever reason, the woman just had to be close to you in the morning. You’d first paid attention to it a few days after moving in.

It was shortly after you’d woken up, as you were brushing your teeth, when she came into the bathroom and practically koaled herself around you. You asked what was wrong and her answer of nothing and a cute smile did you in. 

“Coffee?” She asks, reluctantly letting you go and moving over to the coffee pot. 

“Yes please.” 

Lena chuckles at the slightly childish tone your voice takes. Just as much as you’ve loved the past few weeks Lena has as well, possibly even more. 

She’s so used to being alone that this, having someone to come home to, to wake up with, it’s an unexplainable feeling. One she knows she could quickly become addicted to. The one thing she knows is that it’s scary how much she doesn’t want to lose this. 

Your girlfriend sets your mug beside the stove as you finish the last crepe. Making quick moves, you wash the dishes you’d used, and plate up the food. 

The green eyed woman watches you expertly fill her crepes with cream and top it with strawberries and chocolate. Once bacon is on the plate you place it in front of her with an over exaggerated wave of your hand and a bright smile. 

As usual Lena literally moans at the taste of the food. Before she can lick the chocolate off the edge of her mouth, you swipe it away with your thumb. Her eyes are trained on you as you suck the sauce off your finger. 

“Good?” You ask.

She nods, still looking at you with a bit of a dazed expression.

Knowing that your simple action flustered the CEO has you fighting to suppress a smirk. 

Together, you eat your breakfast, all the while talking about the movie you’d watched last night, possible plans for dinner, and the fact that you’re working with the UN to potentially get the energy core to places that need them. 

Lena is so deep into her excitement about the core that you can’t help but smile brightly at her. 

“I love you.” You tell her, staring straight into those pools of green. 

A blush creeps up her cheeks and she looks down, piercing a strawberry with her fork,“ I love you too Y/n, so much.” 

Placing a steadying hand on her thigh, you lean closer with puckered lips and Lena meets you halfway. Her lips are soft against yours like always. 

It lasts a decent minute before she deepens it, running her tongue across your bottom lip, then eagerly exploring your mouth as you let her. 

Just needing to be closer, Lena stands and moves between your legs. The kiss breaks for all of a second so her hands can run up your shoulders into your hair. This time your lips crash together, a hungrier force driving your actions. 

Lena moans at the feeling of your hands squeezing her hips and then slipping underneath her shirt. 

She’d only experienced the feeling of your hands on her like this a few times before and it makes her melt each time. The longing to drag you back to the room winning. 

Breakfast disregarded, she tugs on your hair a bit and you’d be more than willing to take this further, if the two of you weren’t due to work in such a short time. 

“L, you know I’d love to continue this but I need to be at the DEO in an hour and you definitely have some important meetings to attend to at L-Corp.” 

She groans, forehead falling to your shoulder,“ I hate that you’re right.” 

You laugh and kiss her temple,“ well I usually am so,” Lena swats at your arm good naturedly.“ I am all for picking this up where we left it, after dinner?” 

Nodding, she lifts up,“ okay.”

The both of you separate reluctantly to finish breakfast. Afterwards Lena starts to get dressed while you wash dishes. 

Walking back down the hall, you lean against your bedroom door, eyes trained on Lena as she applies her makeup.

You check the time on your watch then look back up,“ hey I have to get going,” she looks over at you,“ I’ll pick up dinner from Little Italy and meet you back here.”

“Sounds good.” She comes over and meets you in a sweet and passionate kiss.“ I love you,” she mumbles against your lips.

“I love you too.” With another short kiss you leave out, shrugging on your black DEO jacket, and exiting the apartment. 

In the private garage you approach the motorcycle you’d purchased. Much like New York, streets tended to be crowded in NC so you got a motorcycle, so you got a motorcycle. It’s a lot easier to get through traffic in it, especially during emergencies.

Due to the maneuverability and speed, you make it to the DEO in record time, going in and walking straight to the central hub. Alex stands at the center table, eyes watching the monitors.

“Director Danvers.” You walk over to stand at her side. 

She looks over you then back to the monitors,“ Agent Y/Ln,  we’re on watch, gear up and be on standby.”

You nod,“ yes Director.”

From there, you go grab your gear, chatting with the few agents you come in contact with. The second you’re ready you go back to central command. Assisting where you can until you’re needed.

The second the alert system goes off you’re beside Alex awaiting instruction. Brainy tells you all the situation and everyone gets ready to leave.

“Y/Ln I need you on the evacuation team. You all get those buildings clear and get everyone you can as far away as possible.” Alex instructs.

Everyone gets outside and into the DEO SUVs and you get on your motorcycle, following behind them to the targeted location. 

The second you pull to a stop you head to the building that’s taken the most damage. Debris falls from the top as the glass windows shatter by the second. 

“Let’s go, everybody out! We have to clear this building!” You shout to the people there. It seems that most people may have already left, those stuck in fear left behind. Their fear stricken states means you’re physically guiding some of them out of the building.

With whatever is going on still happening, you have to dodge the debris, getting a few cuts on your arm in the process. You get the last visible person out of the building before calling for anyone who may still be inside. 

There aren’t any replies, so you make your way out, only for a piece of the concrete ceiling above to come falling down. You tuck and roll out of the way, chest heaving with deep breaths. It’s far too late to notice the second piece falling but luckily it’s not your demise. No, instead there’s a blue and red clad form above you, body and cape shielding you from the shattering concrete. 

Familiar blue eyes look down on you, sans glasses, and those blonde curls. 

“Kara?” You ask with a frown, eyes scanning the get-up she’s in. 

She’s Supergirl?

Kara is Supergirl. 

Part of you is leaning towards how it makes sense and another part of you is upset you hadn’t noticed. 

Her eyes widen,“ h-how’d you-” the next falling chunks has her grabbing you and speeding you out of the building. She sets you on your feet at the back of one of the SUVs.“ How do you know who I am?” 

Your frown deepens,“ what’d you mean?” Footsteps sound beside you and Alex appears, glancing between you and Kara. 

“The Citadel is under DEO custody,” she informs you both, then asking,“ what’s going on here?”

The blonde leans closer to her sister, the hand on your shoulder remaining, the two whispering before Alex fixes you with a glare. After another whispered conversation, Kara’s hands wrap around you and she shoots into the sky. 

Being so high up in the air completely uncovered is just barely familiar. You’d been this way in Sokovia during the Ultron situation, free falling from the floating land onto one of the platforms of the many S.H.I.E.L.D transports.

This was a lot more unsettling though. Almost like it was too much freedom, too much air. 

It didn’t last long though, you were tumbling across a wooden floor in no time. Looking around reveals Kara’s apartment to you. 

Looking back at her, you raise a brow,“ well if I had any doubts before I certainly don’t now.”

“How did you know? Who are you?”  Her face hardens as she walks closer,“ why did you come here?”

“Lot of questions um, are they rhetorical?” She shows no sign of humor.“ I came here for Lena. I joined the DEO because I want to help people and I didn’t think being a cop would be enough.”

Her eyes narrow at you. She watches you closely, trying to figure out how honest you’re being. 

The door behind you damn near bursts off its hinges, an angry Alex marching in. She wastes no time trying to swing on you but you’re far from willing to let her beat you out of fear and anger.

Ducking under her fist, you slide back across the floor, and pop up onto your feet.“ Let’s not be hasty yeah? I understand why you two are upset. Secret identities aren’t an Avengers thing but it makes sense why you’re keeping your human identity private.” 

On the seconds long flight over you thought about this. And it did in fact make perfect sense. They have people they want to protect, people who would instantly be in harms way if any baddies found out who Supergirl really is. You suppose that’s one of the few benefits of the Avenging life. All the people you cared for were just as in harm's way as you were, if not more that is.

Alex’s eyes narrow at you,“ how did you know it was Kara?”

“I mean she just took her glasses off. From far away I wouldn’t’ve been able to tell but,” you look to Kara with a slight shrug,“ I know what you look like.” You say with a chuckle.

Both women share a look, once again having a silent conversation. 

Kara sighs once it’s over, then looking at you with the soft eyes you’re still getting used to.“ Y/n do you understand how important it is that no one find out who I am?”

“I swear to you I do.” 

“And how do we know we can trust you to keep quiet about this?” Alex asks, arms still crossed defensively. 

With a shrug, you push yourself up off the floor,“ look as far as you're concerned, I’m just the new chick who happens to be in your lives now. With how little you know of me there’s no reason for you to trust me. Quite frankly you don’t know that you can.”

Kara’s hand rises, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose,“ you aren’t helping yourself Y/n.”

“My point is. . . you’ll just have to trust me or kill me or whatever.”

“We’re not going to kill you.” Kara says when Alex says,“ we will if we have to.”

Your cheeks puff up before you release a deep breath. They look at you expectantly and you just raise your hands and remain silent. 

The conversation they now have is out loud, a back and forth about what to do. Luckily it ends in them agreeing to trust you, for now.

Alex’s finger pokes your chest,“ if you so much as joke about revealing my sisters identity I will end you.” 

Seeing the fire in her eyes, the obvious love and loyalty to her sister, you nod. Soft, understanding, e/c eyes bore into Alex’s,“ I promise I won’t. If you don’t ever trust me with anything else, know that this is safe with me.”

Her eye literally twitches before she steps back. It’s barely there, but you can see that she believes you. 

“I have to ask though,” your gaze moves to Kara,“ who else knows?” 

Knowing, exactly why you’re asking, Kara tells you straight out that Lena knows, and all of the Superfriends, aside from Kelly.

With a nod, and yet another promise to keep quiet, you ask to be taken back to your motorcycle. 

Just like before, Kara gets you back in seconds.

“Um, I-” you bite your lip,“ we’re okay right? I know I could’ve done that better, even if I realized it right then. You’re my friend, albeit a new one, but you’re my friend I would never hurt you.” 

The blonde’s jaw clenches, eyes searching yours for all the honesty and sincerity that’s there. When her gaze softens your shoulders drop. Hesitantly, you open your arms.

A smile pulls at her lips and Kara quickly accepts it. Teasingly she squeezes you a little tighter and while you notice, you don’t react in the way she expected.

“Come on now, I’ve been surrounded by super soldiers I can take a little squeeze.” 

As you throw your leg over your motorcycle and pick up the helmet, you look back to her,“ back to the DEO.” 

No matter how fast you drive down the streets you can’t beat Supergirl. She’s there long before you are to help contain the Citadel. 

You go through the standard debriefing, recounting how many people you’d evacuated and all your doings. 

Once it’s over, you stick around to do all the last of your work. Training and working on weapons takes you into the night. 

With a bright smile on your face at the thought of seeing your girl, you leave the weapons testing room, and go to the locker room. Putting your gear away, you head out, stopping to see Alex who’s with Kara.

“Um, Director, Supergirl, I’m leaving but as always I’m on call,” you say, approaching cautiously, “ see you tomorrow night?” 

Alex glances at Kara who can still hear the uncertainty in your voice and truthfully it softens her heart towards you even more.“ Of course,” she finally smiles,“ long as you bring cheesecake.” 

“Will do Supergirl.” After a joking salute to her and Alex, you turn to leave, Kara flying past you before you can blink. 

It doesn’t take long to get to the Italian restaurant though it does take a minute to wait for your order. Once you have it you ride back home with great caution. 

You aren’t surprised to find the place empty, in fact you take advantage of it. If the two of you do indeed plan to pick up where you left off, you want it to be special.

The second Lena steps foot in the apartment, she’s hit with the most intoxicating aromas she could imagine. Not only does the food smell delicious, the dozens of candles and flowers add to it, leaving the place smelling incredible.

“Y/n?” She calls, setting her bag down beside the kitchen’s bar, and looking at the table setting.

At the sound of your name, you scoop up the bottle of wine, and walk into the dining room. 

Lena’s eyes widen a bit at you. With the silk black robe on your body left open, she can see your chosen loungewear. It’s definitely meant to be enticing, accentuating every part of your body that you hoped it would and leaving enough to Lena’s imagination to almost make her drool.

“Welcome home my love.” You smile at her, handing her a freshly poured glass of wine while giving her a sweet kiss.

She hums against your lips and smiles back curiously once having pulled away.“ To what do I owe all of this?” 

You shrug,“ I just wanted tonight to be special. Even if it does go that far, you still deserve every bit of pampering I have planned for you.” 

“Pampering hm?”   

With a happy nod, you proceed with the rest of the night's plans.

Lena relents control to you and she’s beyond glad about that decision. 

Dinner and dessert is perfect in every way, your shared conversation making her fall in deeper with you. That then followed by the most relaxing bath she’d ever taken. And topped off with your invitation to a massage. 

Clad in the sexiest silky green nightgown you’ve ever seen, Lena approaches you. 

Her knees press into the bed and she inches closer to you. As opposed to lying down though, she places her hands on your shoulders, smiling down at your seated form.

“As much as I’ve loved every moment of tonight and I do plan to make good on this offer,” her fingers run over your collarbone,“ I think you’ve kept me waiting long enough.”

The tone of her voice and that look in her eyes makes you smirk,“ oh I have?” Pushing yourself up to kneel in front of her, you cup her cheek and pull her into a kiss. 

Her hands quickly find your sides underneath the robe, fingers working to find your skin.You trail your kisses down her neck, nipping at skin between her shoulder and neck. 

She revels in the feeling of your hands exploring her skin. The tips of your fingers brush her thighs and she shivers, silently begging you to go higher with a squeeze to your side.

Pulling away, you look into her hooded eyes,“ are you sure about this?” With your hands still on her, it’s hard to think straight.“ L, I need you to answer me.” 

“Yes,” her words are a breathy whisper,“ yes I’m sure.” 

“Just tell me whenever you want to stop, we won’t do anything you don’t want to.” 

The brunette nods. 

With her hand on the back of your neck, she pulls you into a kiss that’s fueled by her need for you. You bite at her lip, inciting a giggle from the woman that makes you smile amusedly. 

She wasn’t expecting the action from you, that coupled with her excitement over this pushed the sound from her lips. 

You take that moment to grasp the ends of her nightgown, an ask of permission in your eyes that she nods to. 

Inch by inch, smooth milky skin is exposed to you, until Lena kneels before you in all her naked glory. There’s no way you could stop yourself from drinking in the woman’s beauty, every curve, birthmark, and freckle. You swear she could be one of the wonders of the world. 

“God you’re breathtaking.” You tell her, making a crimson color bloom up her cheeks. 

In one swift motion, you grab the backs of her knees, and adjust her to lie down. A yelp leaves her lips at her eyebrows raise at you.

“Sorry.” You smile sheepishly, hovering over her to offer a quick apologetic kiss. 

The kiss returning to its previously heated nature when Lena cups the back of your neck. 

As your lips move lower, so does your hand. Fingers brush the woman’s chest and her gasp turned moan lets you know your actions are okay. 

Encouraged to go further, you pinch her nipple between your thumb and finger, rolling it to the perfect little peak. The sensation causes Lena to arch up into you, pressing her chest even further in your hand. 

You let that hand trail further down her body, lips finding hers again as you reach her pelvis. Her breath hitches when your hand hovers over her heat and you stop. 

Pulling away from the kiss, you ask,“ you okay?” 

She nods,“ yes.”

You wait a moment, just in case, but Lena’s far too eager for that. She kisses you roughly and raises her hips just so your hand slips down further. 

The second you feel her arousal on your fingers you both moan. You had no idea she was this ready for you. Gathering her juices on your fingers, you trail them higher to circle her clit. 

“Fuck Y/n,” she moans, fingers curling into your hair. 

Slipping a single finger into her heat, you also suck a nipple into your mouth. The timed thrusts of your finger with the swirl of your tongue builds Lena higher and higher. 

Lena has never been with a woman and she’s genuinely wondering why she’d never considered it. Here you are sending her to another reality with one goddamn finger in a matter of minutes.  But she knows, it’s not just being with a woman, it’s being with you. 

Through every curl you make against that spongy spot inside her she can feel your quiet confession of love. The kisses you trail across her hot skin are screamed praises. 

You touch her like she’s your queen and it sends her reeling. 

Her grip on your hair tightens, hips shooting off off the bed as you sink a second finger into her. A cry of your name falls from her lips and you swallow it, pressing your lips to hers and letting your tongue explore her mouth.

She can feel that coil in her stomach tightening with the way your fingers hit her g-spot. She chases the sporadic feeling, rolling her hips into your hand in hopes of getting that release sooner. 

Picking up on her need, you press your thumb against her clit, circling it in time with your thrusts. 

“Y/n,” she sighs.

“I know baby,” you kiss her neck,“ come for me L.” 

That’s her undoing. 

Her thighs shake, she pulls you closer just needing to feel you against her in this moment, as her juices spill from her against your hand. You slow your ministrations, riding her through her orgasm, with gentle thrusts and featherlight kisses. 

Maintaining eye contact with her, you remove your fingers, raising them to your lips and sucking her juices from your fingers. A moan sounds from her at the sight and you chuckle. 

“You alright?”

She nods, chest falling at a normal pace as her breath evens out.“ I’m more than alright.”

Just as you lie back, thinking the woman needs a breather, she’s straddling you.

Her hands make quick work of ridding you of your clothes. You had the privilege of seeing her in entirety and she’ll be damned if she doesn’t get the same. And she’s so happy she does. 

The sight of you, completely bare beneath her, is almost enough to make her come again. 

She wastes no time, cupping one of your breasts in her hand, and rolling your nipple between her thumbs as she takes the other into her mouth.

Kissing lower, she stops just between your legs. A kiss to both your thighs and then one right against your soaked folds.

“Jesus, Lena.” You sigh out.  

The urge to smile is hard fought off. Her goal, alongside showing you how much she loves you, is to put you as high in the clouds as you’d just put her. It seems she’s doing so. 

Her tongue curiously darts out, licking over your clit. You moan at the feeling and she moans at the taste. God you taste like honey and had she known before she would’ve listed you as her favorite flavor. 

Keeping one hand busy at your chest, she brings the other down. Fingers toy at your entrance as she keeps licking at your clit. The tip of her finger catches the way you tighten around nothing and she desires more than anything to feel you grip her fingers that way. 

So she slips a digit inside of you and gets exactly that. The moans and whimpers falling from your lips tells her all she needs to know about pleasing you. 

Her fingers pick up the pace, tongue flicking against you faster. 

Your fingers grip the sheets beneath you to the point where you’re sure your nails could pierce the fabric straight through to your palms. They tighten as the feeling inside you rises.

With the curl of your girlfriend’s fingers inside you, hitting that spot that drives you mad, you come undone. 

Waves of your arousal spill out directly onto Lena’s fingers, her tongue catching the even sweeter juices. 

Just as you did her, she helps you ride out the highest point of your orgasm until it seems you’re back down on earth.

“How-” a deep breath cuts you off,“ how many women have you done that too?”

The woman crawls up your body, kisses trailing through the valley of your breasts, up your neck, and to your lips,“ none.” She whispers.

Your jaw drops,“ seriously?” She nods and you laugh, wrapping her in your arms and pulling her body flush against yours.“ You are most certainly gifted my love.” 

“As are you.” She responds, kissing you once again. 

With the warmth of your bodies surrounding both of you, plus the work of the day, you both feel how tired you truly are.

Using the last bits of your consciousness, you slip under the covers, discarded clothes pushed to the floor.

“Hey,” you tighten your hold on Lena to grab her attention,“ I love you.” You tell her.

Leaning up, she kisses you once more,“ I love you too.” 

* * * * * 

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[iridescent-petrichor]

we’ll meet again, chapter seven

Pairing: Peter Maximoff x Reader

Warnings: nothing, just going along with the plot of Apocalypse

Words: 1.8K

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

You jolt awake to the sound of Peter yelling, eyes snapping open to see him scrambling to the other side of the room you found yourself in. There were green lasers on every side of the wall, encasing you in some sort of cage.

“What’s wrong with you?” Hank’s voice next to you made you turn. He was in his “beast” form, slowly sitting up.

Peter looked down at his hands. “Is that gonna happen to all of us?” He looked up at you for confirmation, but Hank continued speaking.

“No, I just left my meds in the house.” After he stood up, he held his arm out, helping you up as well. You muttered a small thanks in return, still disoriented from everything going on.

“What happened, where are we?” Moira asked, getting no response from any of you.

“Hey, hey!” Raven’s yelling turned everyone’s attention to the top of the room, where the man from earlier was standing behind a window, staring down at you all. You inched closer to Peter, finding a small amount of comfort in the familiarity of your best friend.

“Hello, Mystique.” The man spoke coolly. His voice gave you a chill, only calmed by Peter wrapping an arm around you.

“Major Stryker.” She responded coldly, taking a few steps towards him.

“Colonel Stryker. I wouldn’t get too close to the wall if I were you. It may create some… discomfort.” At his words, you took a step away from the wall, gently pulling Peter with you.

“I’m Moira MacTaggart,” Moira cut in, stepping forward. “I’m a senior officer at the CIA.”

“I know who you are, agent MacTaggart.” Came Stryker’s response.

“You cannot keep me here, in this-”

“Actually I can. A psychic event just destroyed every nuke from here to Moscow.” Peter turned to you, mouthing the words “holy shit” before Stryker spoke again. “That event emanated from exactly where we found you, at the home of the world’s most powerful psychic. So you are going to tell me where is Charles Xavier?”

“It’s not him you should be worried about. There’s someone else. Someone more powerful.” Moira’s words made your heart sink. Someone more powerful?

“If you let us out of here, we can help you.” Raven joined in, growing frustrated.

“Do you really expect me to believe that? You can put on any face that you want, but I know who you are. What you are.” Without saying another word, he stepped away from the microphone and left you all standing there, helpless.

“Um, Moira?” Hank said, catching her eye. “What did you mean when you said someone more powerful than Charles?”

As she began to explain, Peter left your side, shifting your focus as he walked up to Raven.

“Did you know him?” He asked. “Magneto?”

Your brow furrowed as you turned away from Hank’s conversation, appearing back at Peter’s side. He didn’t acknowledge your arrival to the conversation, besides his hand finding yours.

“I used to,” Raven said, not looking at him. “Not so sure anymore.”

“What was he like? Was he uhh- like they say he was- was he the… bad guy?” You could tell Peter was trying to slow his words down for her, half so his desperation wouldn’t shine through and half so she could understand him.

“No.” Her response was immediate, making Peter relax some. “I mean- yeah. He was… Why do you care so much, see his speech on TV or something?”

“Yeah, but, uh…” He cleared his throat, leaning closer to the two of you before continuing. “He’s my father.”

“What?” Raven finally turned around, eyes wide. You were just as shocked, simply whispering his name.

“Him and my mom, they-” Out of instinct, you put your hand over his, stopping him from making the gesture he was about to make while Raven interrupted him.

“No, I know.” She paused for a moment, letting the information sink in as she looked him over. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, he left my mom before I was born. I met him ten years back, but I didn’t know it was him. By the time I figured it out, it was too late. Then this week I saw him on TV again, and I came to that house looking for him? But, by the time I got there,” he exhaled, looking at you briefly before looking back to Raven. “Late again… You know for a guy who moves as fast as me I always seem to be too late.”

“Let’s hope not this time.” She said, and you gave him a reassuring smile.

“Yeah, seriously.”

Before any of you could get another word in, Charles’ voice invaded your mind.

Hear me, inhabitants of this rock. This is a message. A message to every man, woman, and mutant. You have lost your way, but I have returned. The day of reckoning is here. All your buildings, all your towers, and temples… will fall. And the dawn of a new age will rise. For there is nothing you can do. This message is for one reason alone. To tell the strongest among you; those with the greatest power�� protect those without.

“How is Charles doing that without Cerebro?” Hank asked, looking around the room.

No one answered, the only sound following Hank’s voice was a sharp knocking at the glass. You looked up, seeing Stryker standing there, impatient.

“I know that voice. It’s Xavier isn’t it, what’s going on?” His tone was so different from before as if all the upper hand he had was lost.

“We don’t know!” Raven yelled, followed closely by Peter’s more childish, “we don’t know, bro!”

Stryker sighed, walking away from the glass. You sighed, leaning your head on Peter’s shoulder. It was nice seeing him again, but everything else around you was just so much. And not to mention losing Alex like that…

You stayed like that for a couple of minutes, trying to regain your composure when alarms started going off. They were faint from where you all were standing, but you could still clearly see the yellow alarm lights flashing in the room behind the window. Whatever was happening couldn’t be good. You picked your head up, taking a tentative step towards the window.

“What are they doing?” Moira asked, not directed at anyone in particular.

“What’s going on?” Hank joined in, as well, all of you staring up at the alarms.

“Hey!” Raven yelled, to no avail. None of you could be heard outside of the cage unless they wanted you to be.

Suddenly, you could hear shouted warnings followed by a round of gunshots. You almost yelped, jumping back at the noise. The five of you stood there, in the middle of the room like sitting ducks. Your eyes kept darting around, trying to get a glimpse of movement in the room, but there was nothing. The alarms continued to blare distantly, but no other sound came.

When you saw Kurt, walk into the room, you blinked a couple times, a mixture of shock and relief on your face.

“Kurt,” Hank said plainly.

“How many blue mutants do you know?” Peter whispered, not taking his eyes off Kurt.

You shushed him, trying to figure out what Kurt was trying to say. He was making small gestures, words not reaching past the room he stood inside. He pointed off behind you guys, but none of you seemed to follow.

“What?” All of you except Raven asked, one at a time. Your brows furrowed as you tried in vain to reach his lips.

Raven pointed to her ear, and Kurt stopped, taking a step back and looking down at the console in front of him.

Whatever he did worked, because then you could hear the crackle of the microphone system.

“St..ay… away… -rom … -e doo-”

“What?” Hank asked again, leaning closer as if it would make him hear better.

“Th- doo- stay -way fr-m th-”

“Get away from the door!” Raven yelled, jumping into action.

“The door!” Peter grabbed your hand, pulling you with him across to the other side of the cage.

“On three!” Kurt’s voice rang out. “One, two-” He stopped, looking at his hand, realizing he ran out of fingers to count with. The count still continued, however, because in the next second, a blast hit the door, shooting debris into the room. You covered your eyes, shrinking away from the blast, not realizing how much Peter was shielding you from it with his body.

Raven ran out first, with you and Peter close behind. In front of you stood Jean and Scott, thankfully unharmed.

“We know where the professor is.” Jean started, looking to Raven.

“I think we might have a way out of here,” Scott said, nodding in reassurance.

“Well, you’ve been busy,” Raven added, taking a step towards them as the rest of the group filed out of the cage.

“We had uh- a- a little help,” Scott muttered, taking off once everyone was safely in the hallway. “Let’s go.”

As you ran, Kurt appeared in front of Scott who barely moved out of the way in time to dodge him.

“Ah! Jesus!” Peter yelled, clearly still not used to being around other mutants.

“Oh, sorry!” Kurt replied in earnest.

  After a bit of running and twisting through hallways with dead guards littering the ground, you found a giant room being used as a launchpad, complete with a jet sitting right in the middle.

“Hey Hank, you think you can fly this thing?” Raven asked, knowing damn well he could if he tried.

“Yeah, I could figure it out.” You smiled at his modesty; Hank was one of the smartest people you’ve ever met.

“Hey, guys.” Scott’s voice grabbed everyone’s attention, turning to him. “Flight suits.”

Raven walked over, assessing the suits before looking back to Hank again. “You’ve got your warplane, let’s go to war.”

“Man, I hope those things fit.” You muttered quiet enough for only Peter to hear you. He snickered, walking up to one of the suits, and taking it out from its case.

  Once you were all changed, everyone began to board the jet.

“Hey,” you stopped Peter, gently grabbing his wrist. He spun around, eyebrows raised.

“Yeah?”

“I’m just,” you hesitated, before looking into his eyes. “I’m really glad you’re here.”

He smiled, placing a hand on your shoulder. “I’m really glad you’re here too.”

“Guys! C’mon!” Raven called out, making you rush onto the jet.

You took the empty seat next to Peter, wringing your hands together in nervousness. To your surprise, Peter was already shoving a stick of gum in his mouth, god knows where he found that. He glanced at you, noticing your nerves.

“It’s gonna be okay. I’ll protect you.” He seemed so confident about it that you felt yourself relax a little. If only you knew what battle you were getting yourself into.

[shibarirobot]

Aizawa fic - CH1 - Entrapment

+18 only

Shouta Aizawa x Villain!OC/Reader (?)

I’m going to do my best to keep this fic as ambiguous as possible so anyone can enjoy it. The first few chapters will be tamer to build intruig, but make no mistake this is going to get SPICY. It’s not exactly a reader insert, but I’m going to stay away from describing my lead character, apart from quirk abilities, to make it easy for those that enjoy a reader insert to lose themselves in this fic. 

That being said, this fic is centered around a villain who can manipulate electro magnetic frequencies, that’s pretty broad and I’m no science kid, but I’m fairly certain everything I have them do is plausable with this type of quirk, if you have any suggestions for how it could be used or if I have written something infactual to the ability feel free to message me or leave an anon. However, in a made up world of quirks and hot men, I’m not sure it really matters lol. Suspend your disbelief as they say. 

Anyways, enjoy.

~

Four o’clock rolls by so slowly I can feel myself aging. I look down at my watch for the fifth time in the last three minutes and let out a huff. 3:57. No time to start getting anxious. I push even the word anxiety out of my brain and take another deep breath, closing my eyes. Distancing myself mentally from the hum of drunken bar thoughts. This time trying to calm my slightly lifted heart rate as it now feels like time has sped up exponentially, I realize I have no time to take a smoke or even go to the bathroom. It’s about to happen. I look at my watch again and feel the lump in my throat drop to my stomach as I swallow my insecurities and pull my hand up to my hip, skimming my thigh as I go. I can feel this too, the weapon at my waistband that has been pressing hard against my skin and keeping my back rigid as I try to level my breathing. I make eye contact with a tall man across the room from me, already nursing a beer before 4 pm and for a brief moment the air is still, latent energy pooling around me as I suck in another breath and force myself onto my feet. I magnetize my voice and push it into their brains as the stagnant energy from before comes crashing down in waves around me. 

“Everybody on the floor! NOW!” I say it, but they feel it, they feel their brains being ripped in half by my voice. The splitting headache that I come to find familiar, comforting even, forced upon these self serving bystanders. The pulse behind my eyes reminds me I’m alive, if nothing more than in a physical sense I am still living. Ringing fills the air as I roar into them again, enjoying watching them all grip their temples and wobble as they start to lose their equilibrium. I’m effectively scrambling their brains and replacing what is left with my own force of will. “I… SAID… NOW!!!!” They drop to their knees, some flopping to the side, giving up fighting, they're all sheep. Fucking sheep that just do what they’re told. Fucking sheep that believe in heroes and laws, it’s all bullshit. Even these citizens know it, but they all fall in line anyways. Because it’s power that they obey. And right now, I have it. 

I lock eyes with the man from before and he tries to move to the door, still wobbly on his feet. I smirk a little at his attempt. There’s always one. Always a fool that tries to play hero. He wants to... what? Call for help? Prove he’s not weak? Make up for his otherwise lackluster life? I don't even try to stop him. He barely makes it two feet before the rest of my crew shows up, a power type goon pushing the hero wannabe to the ground in a matter of seconds, the other, deadbolting the door. He never stood a chance and I chuckle to myself, grinning wildly now. I hear a groan from the ground next to my foot and look down, a woman is curled up on her side, one hand grasping desperately at the side of her head, the other gripping the material at her stomach with white knuckles. Her lips are pale and there is a cold sweat dripping down the side of her forehead, tears gathering at the corners of her big doe eyes. She’s honestly quite beautiful and it makes the terror in her eyes that much more satisfying when she looks up at me and whimpers a small, desperate, “Please.”

I stare down at her for a moment and absorb the painting before me. Such raw emotion. True pain. I laugh again, whole heartedly as a chorus of groans erupt from my captive audience, my screeches drilling a hole in their skulls. They don't even know what pain is and they fold at the waist and buckle at the knees, this is just a taste and they can hardly stomach it. While I'm laughing, I wrench my leg back and kick the woman in the stomach. Hard. My boots are steel plated and weighted, 15 pounds each, so I know it hurts. “Stupid bitch! Haha!” She screams, coughs, then hurls. Vomit mixing into her hair. I kick her again then lean down and grab her by the jaw, rubbing hard circles into her cheek as I yank her forward by the neck. Her eyes had been closed, but they snapped open when I did that, the vomit in her hair making it stick to her face. “You look so pretty when you beg, shame it will get you nothing here.” Dropping her head back to the hard, tile floor as I rise, looking down on her in disgust. I spit on her cheek from above and survey the room, all eyes are on me. She starts crying and I kick her one last time for good measure, for her distraction. “Whore.” It falls from my lips and I almost feel bad, but then I don't. I don't feel bad for these people, she would have thought the same thing about me and smiled to my face, not knowing who I am, what I’m capable of. She would have been comfortable in doing so to know her thoughts were private. They wouldn’t have been. I would have heard her, as I’ve heard countless others. I shake my anger away in the moment, getting  back to business, now is not the time to let my emotions get the better of me. 

Everyone was hearing me before, but now that I’m focused my voice is poignant, rumbling in the back of everyone’s minds like distant thunder. Like the booming voice of god. In this moment, I might as well be god. “Enough theatrics. If anyone moves I will LIQUIFY your brains, got it?!” There’s a prickle of anxious realization in the room as they all come to terms with the fact that I can do it and have a clear disregard for any of their well being. “Good. Now be darling little hostages and lay there in agony while the big mean bad guys rob the place, ‘kay?” My voice had lost the murderous quality it once had as I start to talk to them how an owner would to a new puppy. Lovingly, but condescending. 

I now look back to my crew, all people I barely knew, hired hands to make my plan run smoothly, expendable, but crucial. I see they have sealed all exits and my muscle men are manning the door. Well, muscle people I should say. One is a hefty looking mutherfucker with steel brackets around his wrists and ankles. His muscles swell and retract like they're breathing, as if his muscle was an entirely different entity from his body. It’s mesmerizing and somewhat disturbing to watch. The other is a short, toned woman with a spiked, pink mohawk and a killer smile. Her teeth are sharp and platinum and she grins, chomping her jaw to herself. It makes a distinguishable ‘Clang Clang’ when her teeth lock into place with each other. 

Knowing they have the hostage situation handled, I make my way to the back of the bar. There is a door in the corner and I reach for the handle as I approach, but a wave of hesitation hits me as I do, something tells me to move away from the door. With a quick dodge, I leap backwards as the door explodes, a fist appearing at the center of the explosion. A hero. Dammit. I was hoping to get this over with before we had a chance for interference. I ‘tsk’ my tongue and toss a scowl over my shoulder. What’s the point of a hired lookout if they don’t even tell you when the ops are coming? When I look behind me I see my lookout, the only person I hired on a quirk specific level, toppled over with a dart in their neck. Fuck. They were supposed to see around corners in the getaway. My eyes scramble around the room to see where it came from but there’s no one, just a small crack in the window where I assume the dart broke through. Someone on the roof.

Frustration overtakes me and I scream up at the ceiling. What’s the point of planning if I have to do everything myself anyways? The scream ruptures into everyone’s thoughts. The civilians. The heroes. The other villains. They all feel my wrath. I stand and kick the hero that had just blasted through the door and my plans in one fell swoop. I've seen him on tv, he’s getting pretty famous, some new chump that can balloon his fists. He really thought a physical quirk could beat me? He grunts then goes slack, some hero. The ones that never get hit can never handle it when they eventually do. I step past his body and again past the debris of the door. There’s a small room back here with metal shelves on each wall and one in the middle forming three neat rows, pilled with bricks of gold, artifacts and a computer on a table in the back. There’s another hole in the wall across from the door, seems as if this loser busted through both walls just for a shitty sneak attack. Easy escape though. Rolling my eyes, I march past the gold and the shinies and dig a flash drive out of my pocket, shoving it into the USB port, it immediately starts glowing red. I kick the chair to the side and lean down, tapping the keys furiously as I transfer file after file to my drive and delete them from the computer's hard drive. When I’m done, I pull the drive from the port, not worrying about ejecting the drive. It will just have to deal. I straighten my jacket and brush the hair out of my face, leisurely strolling back to the hole in the wall. 

Something glints in the corner of my eye and my focus is shifted to a beautiful diamond necklace that has to be worth more money than I have ever seen in my entire life. I’m about to take another step when the urge to possess this object takes me over so abrasively I can't even think about ignoring it. My hand darts out to the necklace, making quick work of securing it around my neck. I slip a gold brick into my pocket as well, reveling in the thrill of theft. Unplanned theft that is. 

Now that I’m satisfied with myself, I continue my trek to the hole across where the door used to be, leading to the alley, ready to make my one person escape only to be confronted face to face with glowing red eyes, barred behind shuttered goggles. 

Thank you for reading my first chapter! I hope you have enjoyed it!

Maybe leave a like...? Just a thought XD

I will be updating this and adding it to AO3 as soon as I get an account (I’m on the waiting list). There will be a link availiable to my new AO3 and other content as soon as I have that ready. Thanks again! 

CH2

[vinciwolf]

Reunion

Pairing: Echo x fem!Medic!Reader Part 1

Part 2 Part 3

Warnings: 18+, blood, violence, death, mental health issues (depression)

Summary: “Almost” is the saddest word in the dictionary. You face dark days when the war separates you from Echo.

            Blood rushed through your ears as you blasted approaching battle droids. Lungs burning from all the running, you throw your last bomb under a crab droid and it explodes, but your small effort did not do much since more and more droids kept approaching. ‘Just gotta get to the shuttle.’ Even though you were a medic, you still took multiple opportunities with Echo and other clones to train yourself in the art of self-defense. Laser turrets rained heavy fire on your group, but with Anakin and Ahsoka reflecting the blaster bolts, you all managed to find shelter behind a large, metal crate where Obi-Wan was also hiding.

           “Sorry I’m late!” Anakin grins. From behind the crate, you look at the shuttle and the gathering battle droids. It does not look good and Ahsoka can read your thoughts by just the look on your face.

           “How nice of you to join us,” Obi-Wan replies sarcastically.

           “Sorry to break up this lovely conversation, but the ship is surrounded!” You yell over the loud sounds of lasers and explosions. Tarkin tries to argue something that we should take the shuttle by force. “If we do that, we’d risk mass casualties if we don’t take down those laser turrets. Not to mention, the droids could use that opportunity to blow up the shuttle with us inside,” you glanced over your shoulder at an annoyed Tarkin, who didn’t take too kindly to your argument. Before Tarkin could counter argue, a fierce blast went off beside your group.

           You and Ahsoka flew backwards right into the line of fire. Shaking off the blast, ears ringing, Ahsoka helps carry you behind some debris. You look around for your blaster pistol.

           “Kriff,” You breathe, “just fantastic!”

~

           Echo and Fives took turns blasting and throwing bombs at the crab droids and turrets. Echo threw a bomb that hit directly on top of a group droids. The timing was perfectly executed.

           “You see that, Fives?” Echo laughed. “I blasted ten of them clankers in one hit!”

           “Don’t get cock—look out!” Fives grabbed Echo and dodged a group of firing repulsorcrafts. The multiple battle droids flew past them and bombed behind a nearby crate. Swiftly getting to their feet again, Fives nudged Echo’s elbow to look at the abrupt blast.

           “It’s Ahsoka and- and (Y/N)!”

           Echo’s eyes went wide.

           (Y/N) was being helped up by the young padawan as the turrets aimed directly at their position. Echo was furious now. They surrounded the shuttle, that’s fine, but now his girl? He was not going to let this damn war steal the only good thing in his life.

           “Fives, we need to get them out of there!” Echo grabbed a riot shield and headed towards the wreckage.

“Blast, Echo! The one time you don’t follow orders!” Fives followed suit. The droids pummeled the clones with heavy fire.

           “Ahsoka, (Y/N)! Hurry!” Echo took hold of (Y/N)’s arm and hoisted her towards a mental crate closer to the shuttle. Ahsoka reflected most of the lasers bolts, giving cover to the group.

~

           “Do either of you have a spare blaster pistol?” You slumped your back onto the crate and took a small breather, Ahsoka was right beside you holding your arm.

           “You’re too injured to fight,” she looked around at Five and Echo, “we need to regroup with Anakin and the others! The shuttle is surrounded!”

           You took one of Ahsoka’s hands and gave it a reaffirming squeeze, “If I can stand, I can fight. Now give me a blaster,” you reached your hand out at Fives, who gave you a spare blaster pistol.

           From behind the crate, a few battle droids found their way to your group. You and Ahsoka took them on while Fives and Echo fought towards the shuttle. In the corner of your eye, you noticed a droid commando aiming a laser turret at the shuttle. In your momentary distraction, a downed droid took one last aim at you.

           “This is our only change! We got to stop him,” Echo said as he advanced towards the shuttle and blasted the droid commando. Your stomach dropped when you noticed the laser turret was too fast and the shuttle was doomed.

           “Echo, look out!” Fives screamed, throwing his arm out to stop you from running towards Echo.

           The explosion of the shuttle was hot and blinding and fast. All you felt was heat and pain. Heat from the explosion and searing pain in your back. Fives threw his arms around you before your knees went limp, blood splattering everywhere from your gaping wound. Ahsoka flung her lightsaber to destroy the droid that shot you in the back. Warm tears spread down your cheeks as you stared at the burning shuttle. You wanted to run into the fire for your love. For Echo. Everything was slowed down, your ears were ringing, your body light as a feather, you were losing too much blood. You couldn’t hear your own screams and cries for Echo, even though your mouth was moving. The only thing grounding you was the weight of Fives holding your body, forcing you back to reality. Fives held you up, retreating to regroup with the others. Ahsoka took your other arm and flung in over her shoulder. Using her free hand to reflect incoming blaster bolts.

           “We have to go now!” You heard Obi-Wan yell from afar.

           Everything failed, everything was taken from you. All you felt was pain and the feeling of floating. He almost saved the shuttle. Everyone almost made it home. Your head went slack. The last image your see is your feet trailing blood on the ground, but your last thought is of Echo holding you close.

~

           You wake up in the medical bay. Bright lights hit your sore eyes, almost blinding you. The ache in your back hurts, but not as bad as the ache in your chest. Anxiety fills your stomach. You pat the sheets looking for Echo’s hand. You hope he’s there to reassure you that he lived, and everyone made it back alive safely. But all you feel is emptiness. No hand. Just the silence. Tears begin to fall from your eyes, but then you feel a large hand grab yours. This gesture startles you for a moment until you look over and see the one Jedi who loved Echo as much as you did.

           Plo Koon stands up from his guest chair and gives your hand a squeeze.

           “It’s okay to cry, child,” he says while gently rubbing your temple with his other hand.

           Your lips begin to quiver as more tears begin falling uncontrollably down your face.

           “He—he’s dead?” You grip Plo’s hand, preparing for his answer.

           Plo Koon nods his head. You begin to whimper, face going red from the heartache and pain in your chest. Plo scoops your upper half into a hug, rubbing his hand down your hair as your cry into his shoulder. “I feel your pain, (Y/N). The clones are never expendable to me.”

~

           You were forced to go on leave, at Padme’s earnest request. She offered a small private apartment on Naboo as a place of refuge and told you to stay for a few weeks. After a few days of her helping you address your depression, she had to leave you alone to go back to her duties on Coruscant. This wouldn’t have happened if you simple hadn’t drowned yourself in work, or if you hadn’t grown attached to a clone. You told yourself you were a fool.

           It all began when Ahsoka and the others notice a shift in your habits the moment you recovered from your injuries. Everyday it was work and little talk. You drowned yourself in medical bay and spoke little of Echo. When there was an injured clone, you took over the work even when other medics could do it. Your mind became an empty machine living off of numbers, perfecting procedures, how many clones you could heal in a day, and festering the toxic feelings consuming your chest. Blue circles began settling beneath your eyes and Padme had enough when she saw how exhausted you looked.

           You found yourself in front of an empty plot of ground in Padme’s personal garden. You started picturing how you wanted Echo’s grave to look, or even if you wanted a grave at all. The plot was small enough for a stone and some flowers to go around it, but all you could think of was wanting to hold his hand one last time. The warm Naboo air floated around you. This was the first time in a few days that you went outside. It was hard. But at this point, everything felt harder to do knowing the universe was without him. You needed to do this though. You needed to bury the dead and recover. The Republic needed you, Ahsoka needed you, Rex and the clones needed you. This was necessary for healing.

~

           You got on your knees in front of the grassy plot. When you put down the round, smooth stone engraved with Echo’s name on it, a wave of emotions hit you. This was goodbye. This was your greatest fear. This was a weight off your shoulders. You were ready to bury your would-have-been husband. Since Ahsoka couldn’t make it, Padme decided to be here for you today. She came up beside you and got on her knees. The flowers in her hand swayed in the gentle breeze. You took a few and placed them around Echo’s stone.

           “This war took my family and so many clones I couldn’t save. I had to watch them all die while I couldn’t do anything to stop their deaths. And when I finally had the smallest slice of happiness enter my life, this war had to steal him from me too.” Tears began falling from your eyes. Padme wrapped her arms around you while you cried until the pain stopped. Anakin from afar fisted his hands. He understood this pain all too well.

[fallenrepublick]

I've had this idea brewing for a while. So, can I request an x reader with Savage Opress? It would be around d the time when Darth Sidious came to Manadalore and before he had a chance to kill Savage, is when the reader, a former jedi who left the order, actually saves him and drive Sidious away. Reader then disappears. Both brothers want to find her now until she is found in the city late at night. Personally, Maul wishes to thank her (wow) and Savage thinks he has found his perfect mate😇

This was really fun to write, because I like writing pieces that put the reader in the middle of events we’ve seen in the shows. It makes me wonder what sort of stuff could have been changed if someone else was there.

Anyhow, I like to think I did this alright. Ah, and I also did my best to incorporate your other request of the reader having Vitiligo. I’m not sure how well I conveyed that, though, so let me know how I did.

You never really understood Maul’s obsession and fear over his late master, Sidious, and as far as you could tell, neither did Savage. Maul was the only one who had really experienced the full brunt of the Sith’s force, which was what was most likely causing intense brooding and long bouts of staring into the darkness encompassing the throne room. You had only heard so much of the power of Sith Lords from various masters back at the temple, though your unexpected “fall from grace” after your love for a certain honey-skinned Nightbrother determined that the path you took was not the one allotted to you by the Jedi, thus depriving you of knowledge that would have been useful in these trying times.

Such was the way of things now, as you and Savage had a remarkably rare moment of peace before returning to duties that would keep you separated until the late hours of the night. He was sitting on a bench in your room with you seated on his left leg, the height difference between you made abundantly clear. One of your hands rested on his chest while he traced the edges of the pale patches marking your arms and face. You always enjoyed when he did it, as if he were intentionally pulling you back to your favorite early memories of your time together, when he took your huge bottle of concealer that you used to cover what you were told to be “abnormalities due to midichlorian complications” from you, and explained that you didn’t need it.

“Our markings are unique to us,” he had said to you, wiping the make-up from your cheeks and neck. “Each line we have is a testament to who we are. You are no exception. These are what gave me pause, made me find beauty in all you were, because each time I see them, I am reminded of every part of you that makes you the woman I love.”

That was then. Now, as you sat with him, fingers drawing lines on your now uncovered skin, you felt yourself growing increasingly concerned at the prospect of an encounter with a deadly dark side user, making your attempts at reminiscing fall flat.

“Is he going to be okay, you think?” you asked softly, not wanting to break the intimacy you had built up over the past ten minutes. “He must sense something amiss. He isn’t normally this… depressed.”

Savage sighed, continuing his hand’s movements, yet lifting his eyes to match your gaze. “I want to believe he will be fine. But I feel a growing unease within him. Something is coming, and it will be here soon.”

You stood, taking his hands within your own and pressing your foreheads together. “The darkness that follows him will not hesitate to hurt you, too. If it’s enough to affect your brother this much, I don’t believe for a second that I shouldn’t be worrying about it.”

Something burst through your senses, dragging you out and back to reality. You didn’t know what exactly it was, but the presence was deafening to your mind. The only way to describe the sensation was as if you had given yourself brain freeze directly after eating something incredibly hot. You looked back down at Savage, a grim look replacing the relaxation you had given him only moments before. You began to leave the room, deciding that whatever you had been dreading for a while now had finally made its debut, when your lover pulled your wrist back.

“No,” he said, walking in front of you to the doorway. “I will help my brother. You will remain here until I get back.”

You scoffed. “I’m perfectly capable of holding my own, if you hadn’t noticed. This isn’t something to be taken lightly.”

“If this were any other situation, I swear, I wouldn’t hesitate to bring you. But if what my brother says is true, this Sidious will take advantage of what we have and use it to hurt you. I cannot take that risk.”

“So you really do think it’s Sidious?” You crossed your arms, fearing what would happen if he were right.

“I must act as if it is. I trust my brother’s instincts.” With that, he turned and ran from the room, already pulling his saber from his belt. Thanks, that was comforting.

The situation definitely wasn’t ideal. As it stood, controlling Mandalore was shaky to say the least, and any sort of infiltration, personal or otherwise, would prove problematic if it came down to who was in charge. It was one thing to be the invader, but it was another to be invaded. You paced the room, weighing your options, trying to find any workaround for leaving the room and helping. But it all circled back to that one thing. How much worse would it be if you did try to help them? Would it be worse to be discovered?

Logic might have sufficed normally, but you didn't have to use logic to know that the sound of smashing glass from the throne room was something you didn't want to hear. If he finds me out, he finds me out. You dashed out of the room, saber hilt in hand, the rubber soles of your boots nearly giving way as they struggled to keep up with your speed. Every step felt like the beat of your heart, practically screaming at you not to go towards whatever horrific situation you would find. You might have listened to your heart before, but now your life wasn’t the only one you had to worry about. Debris from the walls scattered the floor when you came in, but where they had gone was no mystery. Using the force to propel you up, you leapt through the gaps and came upon the battleground.

It most definitely was Sidious down there, red sabers clashing with those of the two Zabraks, laughing like a maniac as the fighting dragged on below. Each contact sent out bursts of white light amongst the darkness. Each party was certainly skilled, but there was an amusement in Sidious’s demeanor that concerned you the most. Maul and Savage fought through desperation and the urgent need to kill their opponent. Sidious… was playing with his food.

You jumped down silently, staying out of sight as Sidious managed to separate Savage from Maul, who remained on the higher platform. He sensed you and turned around, surprised at your presence. He wanted to berate you, tell you to go back before something happened. But you were already gone. It just took one last leap of faith. One last attempt to make sure your worst fears were never realized.

And then you were between them, a purple lightsaber blade blocking the two that aimed straight for Savage’s chest. You could sense Savage’s panic behind you, but you didn’t dare turn around.

“Ah yes,” Sidious hissed from beneath his hood. “The defective Jedi. I might’ve known.”

You thrust your lightsaber forward, pushing his blades away from you. “At least I’m not a coward who hides his face behind a cloak,” you growled back.

He came at you, blades rushing, aiming to kill, but you dodged, jumping back, deflecting them with your own saber. Savage tried to intervene, bringing his weapons forward and attempting to fight, but you shoved him back with the force.

You made your choice. The next attack he made, you evaded as well, but took a flip, soaring backwards off of the ledge and using the force to pull Sidious down after you, into the darkness below. Come and get me.

-

Maul’s hearts thudded as he ran down to his brother. Savage stood at the edge of the landing, searching out for any sign of you. Regardless if his brother’s shouts of concern, his thoughts dwelled on your well being.

“Savage, answer me, are you all right?” Maul shook his shoulders with increasing concern.

“Do you see her?” Savage asked, panic lacing his voice as he ignored Maul’s questions. “Where is she?”

Maul sighed, taking his hand off of Savage’s shoulder and peering down into the cavern as well. “It’s difficult to tell. And more likely than not, she wouldn’t have stayed in this area. Sidious is not the stationary type.”

Savage’s breathing quickened, his worry and fear taking over the thoughts in his head. “She saved me… I would have been dead, but she came anyway… But now-”

“But now nothing,” Maul interrupted, turning around and beginning his ascent back to the palace. “We will find her. Your lady is a crafty one, so I’ve no doubt she would have found her way to safety. Besides, I must thank her for what she did. After all, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to help you.”

Following his footsteps eagerly, Savage hurried to catch up, possibilities already racing through his head. He tried to imagine you again, all the times you told him not to worry so much, your smile warming him to his core. But all he could think of was your absence now. If you had, in fact, escaped, how would you be? What if Sidious had severed a limb? What if you were badly wounded and needed help right away? What if you were unconscious? Savage would never dare forgive himself if anything happened to you. And what if Maul was wrong? What if Sidious had captured you for insurance? Or worse… if he had killed you? Savage nearly collapsed thinking about it. Of course, you could be fine, but his frequent run-ins with misfortune had Savage believing that suffering was inevitable.

The lights of the city blinked in and out as citizens moved beneath them towards their destinations, blocking out the light of the sky above with its pollution. Everyone looked the same to Savage, blank faces and hollow spirits, all blending together with the same patterns of meaningless existence. Not like you. Your radiance had blinded him from the start, but he gladly held onto it with everything he had, knowing that you would be there to guide him as he stumbled.

He normally hated the city, the crowds and noise of the pandemonium seemed pointless and never ending, the artificial lamps and street lights wiping away any stars that you would have seen in the night sky before. But on that night, as he came upon a clearing in the crowds at the opening of a nearby ally, a single star stood alone amongst the chaos, the surface spread across with the markings of galaxies far from reach and the darkness of a thousand cold suns, a cloak encasing, but failing to completely cover the eminence.

He didn’t know what to do. Just the sight of you froze him in place, washing away any words he could have formed before. He came up behind you and took your wrist, holding you carefully as if you were a hallucination. When you turned, your face quickly went from surprise to relief, a small gasp escaping your lips as you smiled.

“Savage,” you whispered, walking back towards him and placing a hand on his chest. “You’re okay.”

“I’m so sorry,” he said to you, holding your face in his hands. “I was being careless, but if you hadn’t come-”

“I wanted to be there for you, Savage. I knew something would happen, and you know I would never make you face something like that without me. I came for you, because I love you.”

And that thought, that sentence brought him to his reality. That star of his, that light he held that was so much like him, yet so much better, was all he desired. For his hands, the ones that had brought about so much pain and destruction, the ones that belonged to a monster, held perfection.

[deathsficbin]

Here I come sliding into home base on my ass as per usual. This one is different from my usual list of fics and not only because it's not even Star Wars. This one was written for the RvB Valentine's Exchange hosted by @rvbgiftexchange My exchange partner requested something with not only a less popular character but their OC too which is something I've never done before. I'm a stickler for getting everything "right" so having to ask questions and occasionally just go with my gut was hard. But it was a really nice challenge and I really enjoyed stepping out of my comfort zone to get this one done. Hope it's what you were looking for @nyx-the-dreamer  

Fandom: Red vs. Blue

Rated: T

He sits quietly, dangling his legs off the side of roof. The sun is warm, he can feel it's heat even through the exposed bits of his bodyglove. He's on watch. What for he doesn't really know but it's loads better than being stuck in the basement listening to Sarge yell at Griff and Simmons. Or in the main room listening to Tucker walk Caboose through the rules for go fish again. Or in the control room listening to Donut spew worse entendres than Cronut ever had. Of the two, Donut is definitely the worst.

He still can't believe he's living under the same roof with these idiots. The time machine ordeal had been... messy. A few confusing months of distorted timelines, all spent in a dark prison cell somewhere on Chorus. Eventually things smoothed out and news that the Reds and Blues and saved the day once again trickled down to his personal hell. Then the bastards had showed up out of nowhere, Carson in tow demanding he be remanded to their care. He still doesn't know why. And frankly he still doesn't like any of them but Carson seems to get along with them and the food is a thousand times better so he followed along and puts up with his new "team".

"Hey."

Speaking of...

He turns to see the familiar form of his actual teammate crawling up onto the roof. Carson has always been a bit of an enigma too him. Kind, smart, and loyal to a fault. At first he had been just another teammate. Another means to the ultimate end of revenge against the freelancers and the UNSC. Now? Now he's a friend. The first he's had since... well, the first in a very long time.

"Hey." He answers. Carson sits next him, back propped against the wall and one knee cocked up while his other leg swings loose. He squints slightly, the afternoon sun shines directly against his face, casting shadows over his scarred eye. He's not sure what the scar is from. Carson doesn't talk much about his past, nor where he came from. He suspects it is the result of some childhood fight with an unfortunately armed opponent, or perhaps an animal attack. The eye itself works. Advanced cybernetics can be thanked for that but the scar is too old and too deep to be repaired. The skin would have to be dug out, replaced and grafted completely to get rid of the gouges and that simply takes too much time and money for the UNSC to afford. And at this point, the scar is a part of him. For better or for worse.

"Watcha doing?" He asks. Temple shrugs.

"Avoiding Sarge." He says. That much is the truth. He's not really keeping watch. Nothing to watch for anyway. Unless one wants to know where Tucker sneaks off too when he thinks no one is watching.

"Better stay out of the basement then. He's got Simmons and Caboose scrubbing the floor." Carson says. He snorts. Sometimes he wonders how these idiots have ever managed to survive much less actually save the whole of humanity.

"What're you up too?" He asks. He's trying. Griff and Tucker had, unfortunately made a good point months ago when they asked him what friends he actually had. At the time the answer had been none. Now, he's trying his best to be able to say he has at least one.

"Just got off Wash duty." Carson says, picking casually at his armor.

"How's he?" He asks. He doesn't really care. Agent Washington is still a freelancer. Still the enemy. He and Carolina both. But Washington is rather... different since they last met. Brain damage caused by cerebral hypoxia has made him almost childish in nature. Someone has to watch him at all times or else he'll get himself into rather avoidable situations. Temple is not allowed too watch him. Tucker and Carolina nearly shot him point blank when someone suggested it so he's been taken off the rotation. And while he's found he's no longer happy to see the freelancer's hurt, at the same time he doesn't particularly care. But everyone else does. And he's gotten good at pretending. Maybe someday he'll be able to trick himself into caring.

"He's managing to stay on one subject." Carson says. "Talks about cats. A lot. Like, fixates on cats. Which is good. That means he can string together thoughts but the fixation can be weird sometimes." 

Carson is rambling now. He didn't really want to know all of this but it matters to him so he's trying to listen. Trying to care. It's not going so well. He doesn't really know what to say so he tries for something in between caring and not interested.

"Yeah?" Apparently it's the right thing to say. Carson nods enthusiastically and waves his arms around wildly.

"Yeah. Yesterday it was bullets. He's more confused when when its things like that. I think they remind him too much of the injury." He says. Temple shrugs. Bullets. Brain damage. Washington. He's alive. He should be grateful he and Carolina managed to escape his decidedly genius trap months ago. But no. That's not right. He was in the wrong. Or at least he knows he should think that. He's not sure what he thinks anymore. Thoughts about the freelancers give him a headache and he can't make himself manage more than a shrug.

"But enough about Wash. Let's talk about something else." Carson says. Temple bites back a chuckle.

"Am I that obvious?" He asks. Carson grins. It's a nice smile. Not something he gets to see everyday and he really does enjoy the times he does get to see it.

"You're allowed to not like people. You're just not allowed to try and kill them." He warns. It was meant to be funny. He knows that much but he can't bring himself to do more than smile at it. Carson frowns.

"You ok?" He asks. Temple shrugs.

"I just- I don't know. We live on a base with our enemies. These guys tried to kill us and now we're all baking cookies together and babysitting their pet freelancer like one big happy family. How are you not fucking terrified right now?" He hadn't really meant to say all of that. Carson didn't need to know or deal with his insecurities but now that its out he's curious what his teammate thinks about their situation. Carson snorts and shifts. His forest green armor catches the sunlight.

"Well, compared to the twice a year family get-togethers I've been dodging, living with these guys is pretty damn tame." He says. He shifts again and scratches at his forearm. He does that sometimes, seemingly without thought. Possibly he has  an old injury that just aches sometimes. Or possibly tennis elbow from constantly pushing Donut away from the oven before he burns the entire base down.

"Besides. I'm here. So it's not all bad. Right?" He says. Temple shrugs. Yeah. He would still be in a jail cell if not for him, and at least with him around there is a familiar and kind face. At least he has a friend.

"Yeah. Not so bad I guess." He teases. Carson laughs.

"Oh is that all." He says. Temple turns to snap back but halts at the sight. Carson's face is red, an embarrassed flush standing out against his normally pale face. It not was He was expecting and suddenly he wonders if he's missed something. The smiles, undeserved loyalty, and never-ending kindness.

"Are you...? Are you making a pass at me?" He asks. The realization is sudden and jarring. How long has that been happening? Was this recent? Or had this always been the norm? Carson smiles. From below comes an annoyed snort. Temple looks down, unsurprised to see Tucker standing below them. He's leaning against the wall, either getting a breather from being inside with the others or deliberately eavesdropping. Likely both.

"Mind your buisness Tucker." He snaps. The cyan soldier looks up. His helmet is on but Temple can imagine the smirk.

"No way dude. I'm invested. He's only been doing it since for-freaking-ever ago." He snaps. Ok. Ok. So its been happening for a while than. A loose piece of debris flies across his field of vision, smacking against the Blue's head and bouncing to the ground.

"Shut up Tucker." Carson shouts. Tucker grumbles something, too quiet to hear but he turns and steps inside, the door shutting behind him. It's quiet again, the late afternoon sun shines brightly on its way down. Temple doesn't really know what to say at this point so he heaves a deep breath and peers at his companion.

"So...?" He asks. Technically Carson never replied. Never confirmed nor denied so technically he's the one that is supposed to speak next. Instead, his teammate stands, brushes himself off and shoots him a grin.

"Think about it. We'll get there." He says. He doesn't wait for a reply, turning and walking off to the doorway. It shuts behind him and Temple is left by himself.

He sits quietly, dangling his legs off the side of the roof. The sun is sinking low, it's warm touch fading, he can feel the cool air of evening even as his bodyglove's temperature regulation kicks in. He's on watch though he probably should have traded out long ago. What he's watching for he doesn't really know but it doesn't really matter either. It's loads better than being stuck in the main room listening to Tucker tease him about his years of blindness. Or in the basement listening to Griff and Simmons snigger at him. Or, worst of all, in the control room listening to Donut spew horrible entendres than he'll never be able to forget.

No. It's better out here. Out here he can think. He can watch. He can wait.

And out here, he can smile. 

[bravevulnerability]

prompt: 2x17/18 au where castle and beckett are already a couple. kinda like a still our hands match thing?

A/N: Can optionally be viewed as an insert in the ‘still our hands match’/’still with hearts beating’ universe, set between the end of the initial story and beginning of the sequel. Thank for the inspiration there, anon. :)

-

She should have been with him at the loft that night, but she had been adamant about how it was too great of a risk to expose his family to her potential stalker, so she had gone home to her apartment. He had been planning to join her, just as he had the night before, only stopping by his loft to check in on his mother and daughter, when something Alexis said made the terrible realization set in.

Nikki will burn.

Castle rushed to her place as fast as he could, anxiously sitting through a cab ride he promised the driver triple the fare for and sprinting through the streets once he made it to her block, shoving people out of his way with halfhearted apologies spilling from his lips as he went. He tried calling her over and over again, begging her to just pick up the damn phone, but he continued to receive her voicemail.

When he was mere steps away from her building, her voice – her actual voice – finally filled his ears, but all he could do was shout his warning, “It wasn’t Ben Conrad, he’s not the killer! The killer’s still alive, the killer’s still-”

He heard it then, the automated recording in the background repeating words that made his blood run cold.

Goodbye Nikki.

“Kate!”

The building that was her home – the building she was currently inside of - burst into flames. The explosion sent him stumbling backwards, leaving him with no choice but to look on in horror, to feel his heart shatter, pieces of it plummeting into the depths of his stomach, as he imagined her trapped in the inferno.

He could hear the sounds of sirens and screams as he raced in the opposite direction of retreating civilians, his focus narrowed on getting into that building, getting to Kate. People – fellow tenants on the lower levels, he assumed – were rushing out while he slipped inside, costing him extra time, extra effort to get past them. But the stampede made him thankful he wasn’t forced to waste any time figuring out how to enter without the lobby key he had stupidly forgotten to grab earlier. 

He knew the way up to her apartment by heart, having turned the place into a second home throughout the past months, but dodging the flames and falling debris on the way to her door caused his typical trek to take twice as long. His chest was aching, lungs straining under the extra exertion and sharp inhales of smoke, as he reached the third floor and hurried through the devastated hallway. Flames licked along the walls, dark clouds of grey overtaking the air, turning the path to her front door that he had stumbled down with her so many times in the past practically unrecognizable. 

“Kate!” he yelled once he reached her door, unthinkingly closing his hand over the knob and jerking back when the metal seared his skin. He cursed, cradling his scorned palm to his chest. “Kate? Are you in there?”

No answer. 

He threw his shoulder into the door, once, twice, until it finally gave and he fell to the ground with it.

Castle hissed at the heat eager to embrace him and jumped up, that familiar sensation of dread returning as he assessed the mutiny of flames engulfing her home. Every room seemed to be its own fiery hell, but he would check every separate inferno until he found her.

“Kate?” he called again, carefully stepping over a fallen beam and maneuvering his way towards what was left of her bedroom. His hope was dwindling as he shouted her name and continued to receive no response, but drawing deeper into the back of the apartment, towards her bathroom, he swore he heard something, muffled but distinct.

“Kate?”

Coughing, he could hear her coughing. 

Rushing into the bathroom, he caught his first glimpse of her, her long, soot-stained fingers rising to curl around the edge of her cast iron tub. He was struck with a corny metaphor about a phoenix rising from the ashes as he witnessed her slowly heave herself upwards, what he could see of her body trembling with every breath.

Castle jerked forward, automatically reaching for what appeared to be the bathroom door from the top of the tub.

“You’re alive,” he breathed as he heaved the door off of her, the relief and the smoke causing him to choke the words out. “Oh, and you’re naked.”

“Castle, turn around,” she demanded and he reflexively did as he was told, but – wait.

“Why am I turning around? I already know what you look like,” he huffed, spinning in place and leaning over to help her up. She was shaky, clinging to his forearms as he eased her into a standing position. She must have managed to dive into the tub just in time, but she had sustained some injuries in the process.

“Here,” he murmured, shrugging off his coat and draping it over her ash covered body.

She had only just slipped her arms through, not even buttoned the garment yet, when she locked her arms around his shoulders. He staggered backwards out of surprise, but held her back, burying his fingers in her dirty hair.

“What - what the hell are you doing?” she rasped, hugging him tightly and pressing her face into his neck. “What the hell are you doing charging into burning buildings?” she added on a growl, brushing a kiss to his jaw before pulling away.

“As if I’m going to let some fireman rush in and save my naked girlfriend,” he scoffed, buttoning the coat, making sure it was secure around her, and scooping her into his arms bridal style.

“Put me down,” she protested. “I can walk, just a little banged up.”

“You don’t even have shoes,” he muttered, maneuvering them both through the maze of fire and debris, broken glass crunching beneath his feet. The room was growing hotter, stifling, and he could feel the beads of sweat slicking down his back, could hear the sirens just outside her building now.

“Are you in any pain?” he asked, darting to the side when the fire lining their path roared and threatened to lick at his shoulder.

“Well, not nearly as much as you,” she huffed, what he was sure was a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth even though he couldn’t spare the chance to see it. “It’s killing you, isn’t it?”

“What?” he replied, pulling her body in tighter against his.

They were just a few steps from the door, from their only exit.

“Having to wait this long to tell me how you banged down the door,” she smirked, playfully squeezing his shoulder.

He grinned, stained a kiss to her temple as they made it through what was left of her front doorway.  “Any chance I get to play hero, Beckett.”

-

Castle was sitting with her in the ambulance, hovering as the paramedic wrapped her sprained wrist, when Shaw came striding up to her. He watched silently, for once, as Kate and the FBI agent went back and forth, Beckett arguing for her case while Shaw tried to kick her off. 

Montgomery was there seconds later, informing Beckett the fire department had given the all clear for her to come up and take a look at what was left of her apartment.

Castle was on her heels, keeping pace even as she purposely moved too quick, too closed off for a tagalong.

In the rubble of her apartment, he gave her space, knowing she could fall apart if he stayed too close. He had learned in little time that Kate would hold her breath, school her features, and bury her emotions until the time was right. Until she felt safe enough to let out everything that she forced herself to repress.

That time usually came when they were in bed, shielded from the rest of the world and alone together.

“Hey.” She glanced to him with hopeful eyes when he returned to her after a sweep of the place. Relief overcame her features as he held up her mother’s necklace.

“Thank you,” she whispered, brushing her fingers against his when he handed her the treasured jewelry. “Has anyone seen my father’s watch?”

Castle had found the watch in her bedroom, cracked and damaged. He would return it to her; he would just have it fixed first.

They spent the next few hours canvassing Conrad’s place, discovering their killer’s hideaway, picking apart his MO, feeling the pressure build as he phoned Beckett to allow them to hear the screams of his next victim.

“All because I lived,” she had said at the crime scene with Castle and Shaw beside her. Rick had to clench his fist and square his jaw to keep from reaching for her in front of the federal agents.

At the precinct, her voice began to crack and her eyes threatened to mist, and Montgomery told her to go home. His gaze flitting from Castle then back to her once more, he told her to go home.

She didn’t argue.

“I should check into a hotel,” she murmured in the elevator. “Alexis, Martha, you - I can’t put you at risk. I can’t-”

“Kate.” He knew the doors would slide open in a moment and that they’d sworn off public displays of affection in the precinct, but he cupped her face and held her tired eyes with resolution. “You’re coming home with me.”

“Rick-”

“I love you.” It was enough to have her mouth closing, lips pursing. “I love you and I almost lost you tonight. You’re not going anywhere without me. So let’s just go home.”

Her eyes glittered with the remnants of an argument, but the fight drained from her shoulders, her spine, and she sunk forward into him for those final few seconds in the elevator. Her forehead to his cheek, her lips at his jaw, her shaking breath against his skin. 

She nodded in surrender. “Take me home.”

-

Alexis bombarded them both when they stepped through the door, ramming into her father’s chest while simultaneously wrapping an arm around Kate’s waist, pulling them into an awkward but comforting group hug.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Alexis breathed, bright blue eyes wide and flickering between Kate and Rick.

When they had become serious, when he had realized how helplessly in love with Kate Beckett he really was, Castle had naturally begun to fear the potential effects the relationship could have on his daughter. Alexis had always liked the detective, always looked up to her, and Castle had secretly harbored hopes of giving the two a chance to build a bond that his daughter had never been able to form with any other women from his past, including her own mother. But he had feared the worst; he always did when it came to his baby bird. 

Dread had turned to pleasant surprise, though, when Alexis had warmed to Kate almost effortlessly, hanging on every word the detective said for weeks. They were close now after only a year of knowing one another, after the handful of months of having Kate in his home. He didn’t know how she did it, but she’d built a bond with Alexis, gaining the trust of his overly cautious daughter in nearly no time at all, enough so to have her looking as shattered as he felt after nearly losing the woman beside him.

He unwound his arm from Alexis’ shoulders, allowed her the opportunity to fully embrace his partner.

“Oh darlings, we were so worried,” Martha sighed, pressing a kiss to her son’s cheek and smoothing a hand over Kate’s distressed hair. “And we’re so relieved you’re both home safe and sound. You must be exhausted.” 

“To put it lightly,” Castle mumbled, scrubbing a hand down his jaw. 

His mother gently extricated Alexis from Beckett, who squeezed his daughter’s shoulders in reassurance and mustered a smile for her.

“It’s late. Why don’t you two go get cleaned up and we’ll heat up the leftovers from dinner,” Martha suggested, her gaze lingering on him, shifting to Kate with the same level of concern. 

Kate nodded, that halfhearted smile still doing its best to cling to her lips. But her eyes were glazing over, the smile falling apart at the seams. “Thanks, Martha.”

“Yeah,” Castle murmured, leaning forward to press a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you, Mother.”

-

They showered together. He scrubbed the stains of ash and soot from her porcelain skin, delicately washed the blood from her forehead, and kissed the bruises already in bloom.

His mother and daughter had retreated to bed, leaving the first floor of the loft quiet and empty, leftovers from a takeout dinner warming in the oven and a small plate of fruit and crackers waiting on the table. He snagged a box of Chinese food for himself, but Kate shook her head at the idea of food.

She swore she wasn’t hungry, but he hadn’t seen her eat since the short-lived breakfast they had shared at her place the morning before. He couldn’t blame her, he wasn’t sure he would be able to stomach more than a few small bites of his own dinner.

He pushed the plate of fruit in her direction and watched with relief as she nibbled on an apple slice.

“I’m sorry, about all of this,” he said while they sat together in the dining room.

Her brow crinkled and she frowned at him. “Sorry?”

“I know this isn’t technically my fault, that this guy would have gone on killing because he wouldn’t have met anyone smart enough to catch him, not without Nikki Heat, but I feel some responsibility knowing-”

“Castle,” she sighed, abandoning her fruit, much to his dismay, and coming around the table to stand at his side. “You hold no responsibility, not for this.” She used his shoulder for purchase and slid onto his lap, placed her lips to his jaw, his cheek, his forehead.

The knot in his chest loosened under her touch, lashes fluttering at the brush of her kiss along his eyebrow. 

“I just want you to be safe,” he whispered, splaying his palms wide at her back and gently pressing her chest to his.

Kate looped her arms around his neck, dug her fingers into his hair and scratched lightly at his scalp.

“I am safe,” she murmured, sitting back on his thighs with a tired quirk of her lips but a bright flicker of gold in her eyes. “Tomorrow, we’ll head back to the precinct, catch this son of a bitch, and put an end to his game. But, for tonight, we’re safe. For now, this…” Her fingers bridged at the back of his neck and they both sighed in synchrony when her forehead fell to rest against his. “This is where I feel safe, Castle.”

[cbraxs]

Warped [Time Warp Trio Fanfiction] - Chapter 7

Joe faced his uncle Jack many times over the last five years and he always appeared the same, aging along with him and the others as time went on. Despite hearing stories about Mad Jack from his uncle Joe about when they were younger, Joe could never picture him as anything but a middle-aged man with an unruly mustache and an unpopped monocle. Seeing him in person, only a couple years older than Joe was now, was jarring, to say the least.

The Book laid about five feet away from the statue’s feet. Despite the crowd in the room, there was a clear path from it to Mad Jack, so there was no hope he might not have seen it.

Joe and Anna stared in silent horror as Mad Jack stalked over to The Book. He knelt, and picked up The Book with shaky hands. “I can’t believe…” His trademark demented grin spread across his face.

His boss strolled over and peered at The Book over Mad Jack’s shoulder. “Oh. It’s a… book.” He said ‘book’ the way Joe said a French word he didn’t understand. “Woefully archaic things.”

“This isn’t just any book, Bonefat.” Mad Jack stood, staring at The Book like it was a glass of water in the middle of the Sahara. “It’s The Book.”

His boss was clearly not impressed by the distinction. “Right, my mistake. Now, put down that silly thing and let’s get to work on finding—”

“What an utter ignoramus you are. This is the most powerful item in the entire space-time continuum!”

“Is it now?” Bonefat quirked a brow. “You’re certain?”

“Of course, I’m certain!”

The two men went back and forth, drowning out Joe and Anna’s whispered conversation.

“We need a plan,” Joe said.

Anna rolled her eyes. “Right, because your last plan went sooo well—”

“You can snark at me all you want later. We gotta distract them.” Joe rubbed his chin in thought. “If I can get The Bookaway from them, you think you could get it and call the time agents?”

Anna nodded. “Just tell me the plan.”

Joe looked back over the railing at Mad Jack and Bonefat, looked at the statue, and got an idea. He briefed Anna on his plan.

She glanced from him to the statue, a frown on her face. “Are you sure?”

“If it means getting The Book back. Ready?”

Anna nodded, and snuck down the stairs as Joe got into position above the statue of the Egyptian goddess. He inwardly apologized to it for what he was about to do.

Joe had never done what he was about to do before, but he assumed the process was similar enough to levitation. He remembered what Izzy said about channeling the tiggly-wiggly feeling into exerting her will over the world. He raised his hand towards the statue and tried to do the same.

A green aura slowly enclosed around the head of the statue. It flickered a few times but Joe made it stay in place. A bead of sweat dripped down his temple.

Below him, Mad Jack and Bonefat continued to talk, not even noticing Anna at the bottom of the steps.

Bonefat rubbed his chin and regarded The Book with newfound interest. “If it’s really as powerful as you say, Jackie boy, then it should be in the hands of someone who deserves it. Someone like, well, me obviously.”

Mad Jack laughed as he flipped through the pages of The Book. “Do you really think someone like you could ever— hey! Let go!”

Bonefat grabbed The Book and tried to take it out of Mad Jack’s hands. Mad Jack held on fast, his knuckles pale from the vice grip.

The green aura surrounded the entire statue. Joe moved his arms forwards and back, and the statue followed his movements, rocking side to side.

“Stop pulling on The Book!” Mad Jack shouted. “You don’t—”

With a final shove, the statue toppled forward, set to fall on top of them. As Joe had hoped, the two men noticed in time and leapt out of the way. The Book was thrown aside in their panic and slid to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

The statue smashed onto the ground, wood splintering in several directions.

Anna took her chance. She snuck out and scooped up The Book while the two men where dazed. She was three steps up when Bonefat grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around. Anna yelped.

“Little girl,” he chided, “it’s not polite to steal from me.”

Anna tried to pry herself from his grasp “It doesn’t belong to you!”

Joe ran down the stairs to help her.

A blast of green light launched Bonefat into the air. He crashed into the gift shop, taking down a rack of t-shirts with him on his way to the ground.

“Nor to you, little girl.” Mad Jack brandished the amulet from the statue’s neck like a weapon. Smoke curled off the gold symbol. “Give me my Book!”

They amulet glowed bright green, magical energy sparking around it like a Tesla coil.

“Anna!” Joe cried.

“Joe!”

She hurled The Book as hard as she could to him. He caught it easily with the use of magic.

Mad Jack’s head snapped towards Joe, Anna no longer in his sights now that he had The Book.

Joe barely noticed Mad Jack’s look of utter befuddlement as he fled up the stairs. He furiously flipped through The Book, finding pages for time acrobats and time antagonists, but no time agents.

He reached the third floor with a heavy step and nearly tripped on his own momentum. Joe paced through the room, weaving through the frozen crowd and practically tearing through The Book for any sign of time agents. He noticed Izzy up ahead of him when a ding from the elevator made Joe jump out of his skin.

Mad Jack sauntered out of the hallway, gripping Anna by the back of her sweater. He pushed her forward, earning a grunt from her. He smiled sardonically.

“Look who I got,” he said in a sing-song voice.

“Anna!” Joe race towards them.

Mad Jack raised the glowing amulet to Anna’s head. “Not another step, boy.”

Joe slid to a stop. He glared at Mad Jack to no effect.

“I don’t know who you brats are,” Mad Jack said. “Maybe you’re medaling relatives, maybe your annoying time warpers. I don’t exactly know or particularly care. But what I do know is that you have something that belongs to me. Now hand it over before I vaporize her into a million little particles!”

He shoved amulet in Anna’s temple. She whimpered.

Joe’s throat tightened, helplessness washing over him. He could kick himself for leaving her alone with him. “Don’t hurt her.”

“I won’t. As long as you do as you’re told.”

Joe mind spun frantically as he tried to come up with another idea. Nothing came. There was no way he could save Anna and keep The Book out of Mad Jack’s hands. It came down to saving his annoying kid sister or protecting the space-time continuum from a madman who wanted to control it.

“Here. Take it.” Joe tossed The Book to the side. It skidded on the tile until it hit Izzy’s foot and bounced a couple feet away.

Mad Jack smirked triumphantly. He shoved Anna to the floor and went over to The Book.

Joe ran to Anna and helped her up. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said, “but...”

She didn’t need to finish her sentence for Joe to get what she meant. They were fine for the moment, but the second Mad Jack got his hands on The Book… well, they’d be a little less than fine.

Mad Jack trembled with excitement as he bent down to pick The Book up. “At long last I—”

Green lighting arced from Izzy’s head and Mad Jack flew backwards a couple feet, crying out in pain.

Joe and Anna stood there, equally stunned. Green electricity buzzed around Izzy’s head, or more specifically, her hourglass earrings.

Mad Jack paid no attention to her, however, his attention solely focused on The Book. He gaped in confusion. “Wha… what’s going on—AH!”

He reached for it again. Green bolts of pure magic zapped him. He tried again, another painful shock. Joe was watching the definition of insanity play out in front of him in real time and it was pretty… insane.

Mad Jack stood and shot daggers at the two of them. Smoke curled off his janitor’s uniform. “What did you do?”

Joe stepped in front of Anna. “We didn’t do anything!”

Mad Jack pointed the amulet at them. A blast of energy annihilated the wall behind them. Plaster and debris rained down.

“My patience has reached its end!” he spat.

He pointed at them again. They dove out of the way in opposite directions just as another shot of magic scorched the spot where they previously stood.

Anna ran to the fishbowl of marbles and knocked it over, spilling them all over the floor to create a sea separating them from Mad Jack.

Mad Jack’s laugh was punctuated by the fishbowl bouncing along the ground. “Really child? You think a juvenile prank can stop me from—”

He stepped towards them and slipped. He landed on his back with a thud.

Anna raced towards The Book. Mad Jack let loose a bolt of magic at her. She smacked into a wall and crumpled in a heap on the floor.

Joe’s heart sunk. “Anna!”

Fear and rage bubbled in his body. He levitated the fishbowl onto Mad Jacks head. With a flourish of his arms, it spun around like a spinning top. Joe smirked as Mad Jack yelped and fell on his butt.

Behind Mad Jack, Anna crawled towards The Book. Joe breathed a sigh of relief.

Mad Jack shouted. The fishbowl glowed bright green and shattered into a hundred shards flying in every direction. Joe shielded his face with his arms, flinching when glass stung at him.

Mad Jack’s monocle popped out of place and dangled against his face. He fixed a glare on Joe. “Do you think you’re clever, boy?”

“Oh, you know,” Joe said, “only on days that end in ‘y’”

Mad Jack got madder. Good. Joe had to keep Mad Jack away from Anna, buy her time to get The Book and get help.

Joe ducked under another blast aimed at his face and ran. He zigzagged through frozen people and towards less populated sections of the room. He didn’t want Mad Jack to hurt any innocent bystander when he was his target.

He threw more taunts Mad Jack’s way and dodged spell after spell meant to hit him. With each blast, Mad Jack lost accuracy and became more irate.

The amulet Mad Jack was using finally melted into a congealed lump. He threw it to the side. “Enough!”

Joe froze, but not voluntarily. Green energy pulsed around his body. A thousand tiny needles pricked at his skin. He tried to move an arm. A leg. Nothing. He was paralyzed. The only thing he could manage to move was his eyes.

Mad Jack walked into his line a vision. He raised his hand and Joe went weightless, hovering over the ground until he was suspended over the railing. His head spun. Best-case scenario, dropping from that height would break all his bones.

Mad Jack grinned at him, wide and manic like he was going to enjoy making a Joe pancake on the floor. “I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate having my time wasted, but since I’m about to acquire, well, all of it, I’ll let you go with a warning.” He laughed. “No, I think I’ll just jet you g—”

He stiffened and tensed up, his eyes bulging and tongue lolling out of his mouth. He collapsed, and the spell on Joe flickered and died. He caught a glimpse of a man standing behind Mad Jack before plummeting towards the first floor.

Joe screamed. The room whipped past him like a film on fast forward. Wind whooshed in his ears. A blur of black and gold rushed past him on the way to the ground. Joe shut his eyes and hoped that breaking his bones would be that bad.

Suddenly, his descent slowed. He opened one eye. A purple aura surrounded him as he gently floated to the floor.

He stood and patted himself down, brushing off bits of glass in the process. He was a little cut up, but otherwise he was fine, and not a Joecake on the floor.

“You okay there, Joe?”

An Asian woman with short cropped hair and a stern, no-nonsense expression stood in front of him. She wore black cargo pants, military boots, and a mustard-colored turtleneck. A duty belt hung around her hips, slim and functional, unlike the bulky ones he’d seen on cops.

But the most surprising thing about her, other than her sudden appearance, was the silver gauntlet on her right hand. In the middle of the palm, a purple circle of light buzzed with electricity.

“How did you know my name?” Joe asked her.

She bristled, eyes narrowing in irritation. The purple light flared and she shot at Joe. He screamed, and shielded himself with his arms, waiting for his molecules to turn to dust.

But it didn’t happen. Behind him, there was a grunt followed by a thud. Joe lowered his arms.

Bonefat laid on the ground, his body rigid, drool in the corner of his mouth. It was like what happened with Mad Jack right before he dropped him.

Joe stared at the woman. “Did you just Tase him?”

She chuckled at Joe and walked past him, patting him on the head on the way to Bonefat.

“Moià Bonefat,” she said, pulling out a pair of handcuffs from her duty belt. “You have the right to travel through time, space, and history without conducting unscrupulous activities that would lead to its demise and/or destruction. You will be given a fair trial and be properly judged. Eragopay.”

She cuffed him, reciting the speech like she’d done it a billion time before.

“E-excuse me, Madame,” Bonefat said. Joe could hear him grit his teeth. “I assure you that this is one big misunderstanding.”

“Is it now?” There was dry amusement in her raspy voice.

“Yes! You see, it’s all that Jack’s fault. I told him time and time again that stealing was wrong, but he just never listens. I was here to put an end to his wicked ways.”

“Oh, how noble of you.”

“Why, thank you, Madame. So, if you could kindly remove my cuffs and I’ll be on my way.”

She twisted a band on her gauntlet and the purple light turned yellow. “I think Em would want to hear your story.”

Bonefat’s eyes went wide in fear, like she just suggested he should swim in a leech-infested lake. “No, that’s quite alright.”

“I insist.”

She held up her hand and the yellow glow covered Bonefat. In a flash, he disappeared.

Joe stared at the spot where Bonefat was, then looked at the woman. “What happened to him? Did you send him somewhere?”

She stood. “I sent him… to be dealt with.”

“Dealt with?”

A smirk played on her lips. “There an echo in here?” She twisted a band on her gauntlet. The circle in her palm glowed pure green, the color of magic. “Now to deal with this.”

She pointed at the destroyed statue. It vibrated, then went into reverse, like a video on rewind. The splintered and detached pieces shot back into to the statue and it stood back up to before Joe ever toppled it. She did the same to the gift shop, reversing the damage Bonefat caused.

When she was done, she turned him. “Let’s go join your sister.”

~*~

Joe felt like he spent all day going up and down the floors.

The woman led him up the stairs, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he met her before. He could probably chalk it up to time travel shenanigans, but it still bothered him.

He caught a glimpse of her silver and copper wedding band. Gears whirled silently around the middle like a perpetually moving kinetic ring.

“Thanks for saving me back there,” Joe said.

She nodded. “Don’t mention it.”

“So… do I know you?”

“That depends. What’s the date in your own time?”

“January twenty-ninth, two thousand eleven.”

She pursed her lips, and glanced up in thought. “Kinda? Not really.” She smacked her hand into the gauntlet like she just figured it out. “Sorta. You sorta know me.”

“Sorta? That’s not at all ambiguous.”

To his surprise, she laughed. “Sorry. Can’t give out too many future spoilers. It’s against union rules.”

“So no asking for your name, then?”

“I’m forty percent sure that’s fine. Call me Arkay.”

They reached the third floor. Joe was barely off the stairs when he was tackled in a hug.

“Joe!” Anna cried.

A weight he didn’t realize he was shouldering lifted, and he hugged her back. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” She let him go. The Book was in her arms. “Will fixed me up.”

“Will?”

“Present!”

A familiar looking brown hair man waved at them. He stood next to a handcuffed Mad Jack who squirmed on the ground  like a fish on dry land in a desperate attempt to break free.

“I’ll get The Book eventually!” Mad Jack shouted at them. “You all hear me? It’s mine! Mine!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Will muttered. He held up his hand; it was a similar silver gauntlet to Arkay’s. The yellow light blanketed Mad Jack and he was gone in a blink.

Arkay patted Will on the shoulder. “Good job. Heal Joe’s wounds. I got the collateral damage.”

“On it, Missus Kay!”

Joe nearly forgot about the cuts on his arm. They weren’t bad, but he defiantly needed about a dozen Band-Aids.

Will held up his gauntleted hand. The palm glowed green. “This might tingle.”

And it did. In the green light, all of Joe’s little cuts scabbed over and vanished, his skin good as new.

As amazing as that was, Joe couldn’t help but be distracted by the man’s face. He knew he saw him somewhere before, but he couldn’t figure out where. Finally, it dawned on him.

Joe snapped his fingers. “You’re that guy!”

“What guy?” Will asked.

“From the falafel stand! I saw you a few weeks ago. You’re a time cop?”

Will shook his head and pressed a button on his gauntlet. It folded in on itself, becoming a silver cuff around his wrist. “No idea what you’re talking about.”

Was it Joe’s imagination, or was Will sweating?

“A-anyway…” Will said. “Thanks for the call. We’ve been tracking Bonefat for a while now. He’s been stealing valuable art for years to sell on the black market. He managed to elude us by always framing an underling.”

“That’s pretty cruel,” Anna said.

“Most time criminals are,” Will sighed. “Thankfully we got one more off the streets.”

Joe couldn’t help but snicker. “The time streets?”

“You said you got one more off the streets,” Anna said. “So you know Mad Jack doesn’t stay away for long?”

“We’re time agents,” Arkay said coming over to them. The room was just as it was before with everything fixed and put back in place. “We’re always dealing with crooks out of chronological order. It’s annoying, but can’t be helped.”

She turned her gauntlet into a cuff and smiled at them. “You two did a good job keeping them busy. Be proud.”

Arkay’s smile falters as her eyes spotted something behind them. She brushed past them and walked up to Izzy. She placed a hand on the top of her head and spun her around so she could see her face.

Will swore, a faint accent slipping through in the cuss.

Arkay’s eyebrows shot up before going back to an emotionless expression. She looked at Joe. “You said this was twenty eleven, yeah?”

“Yeah,” he said.

“And you’re sure?”

“How would I not be sure?”

Anna elbowed him.

Arkay stared at Izzy for a couple seconds longer before speaking to Will. “We need to tell Em and… them.”

“They’re on leave in Rome,” Will said. “Let’s not ruin their fun.”

“I know, but remember what Em said? Besides, they’ll want to know about this.”

Anna and Joe glanced at each other. Anna looked about as confused as Joe felt.

“You two wanna explain what you’re talking about?” Anna asked.

Will and Arkay flinched as if they forgotten Joe and Anna were in the room. Arkay cleared her throat.

“It’s classified,” she said. “Nothing you two need to worry about now.”

“I feel like we should,” Joe said.

Arkay grabbed Izzy by her outstretched hand and dragged her over to Anna and Joe. Izzy wobbled a few times before regaining her balanced and settled.

Joe remembered when Mad Jack went near her, how he got shocked by her earrings. He guessed he shouldn’t have been too surprised she would have magical earrings that acted like bug zappers when bad guys were around. She and her dad were magic after all.

But if that were the case, then why didn’t they go off when Mysterio was after them? Was he never close enough? Or maybe they weren’t charged? She spun them all the time, maybe that’s how she charged them, like a crank flashlight.

He shook the thoughts out of his head and refocused. He’ll have time to ask her later.

“Will Izzy be okay?” Joe asked. “The freeze spell will wear off, right?”

Arkay’s face softened. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a playing card. “She’ll be fine. The time-freezing spell Jack put on everyone in the building should wear off in a couple minutes. I suggest you two leave before then.”

She ripped the card in half. From the torn halves, green light pooled out and formed a swirling portal in front of them.

“See you guys around,” Arkay said. “Ready, Will?”

Will smirked. “Right behind you.”

They stepped through the portal and vanished in a flash along with the portal.

Anna sighed dreamily and hugged The Book to her chest. “How cool are they?”

“Pretty cool,” Joe agreed. “How’d you find out about them?”

“I read it in The Book once when I… took it without permission.”

They fell into an awkward silence, not looking at each other. Anna taking The Book got them into this mess in the first place, but it also saved them in the end.

Maybe if Joe loosened his grip on The Book, she wouldn’t have felt like she needed to prove a point. Maybe she wouldn’t have tried to sneak it away from him.

Anna flipped open The Book and turned to the transporter page. “We should head back before everyone unfreezes and we warp in front of them.”

“Wait.” Joe put his hand on The Book. “Before we do…”

She frowned but closed The Book, looking at him apprehensively.

Joe thought about what to say and how to say it before giving up and deciding to go for the direct approach. “You know… I don’t hate you, right?”

She focused on a spot on the floor. “I guess so, but you sure do act like it sometimes.”

Guilt stabbed Joe in the chest. “I know, and I’m really sorry.”

“I guess I do kinda make you mad.” Anna fidgeted with The Book. “I spy on you a lot, I take The Book without asking.”

“Yeah, but that’s not an excuse for making you feel bad.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll try not to treat you like a nuisance whenever you want to hang out with my friends around, alright? And I’ll let you look at The Book once in a while if you ask first. Deal?”

She nodded. “Deal, and I’ll try to keep out your business.”

They hugged. It was a little awkward, but at least they were moving in the right direction.

They pulled apart and Anna handed him The Book.

Joe shook his head. “Do the honors.”

She smiled. Anna typed in the coordinates, and The Book warped them home.

~*~

They landed with a thump on Joe’s bed.

Sam and Fred yelped and jumped back, Fred tossing the controller out of his hand. It bonked Sam on the head.

Joe waved. “Hey, guys.”

Izzy rolled off the bed and smacked face first on the floor.  They all winced. That was gonna hurt when she unfroze.

“We’re back,” he said.

Fred folded his arms, his face incredulous. “You guys went on an adventure without us?”

“It wasn’t exactly planned,” Anna said, standing Izzy back up. After making sure Izzy wouldn’t fall, she said, “I’ll be right back.”

She put The Book back in the box and left the room.

Sam looked at Izzy and frowned. “Uh, Joe? Is she okay?”

“Her time is frozen” Joe said. “It should wear off—”

“Wait a minute.” Fred interrupted. “She’s frozen? Seriously?”

He waved a hand in front of her face and laughed when he got no reaction. He started to move her arms and legs in place, like a kid posing an action figure.

“What are you doing?” Joe asked.

Fred said, “I think I saw it in a meme once,” like that answered his question.

When he was done, he presented his handiwork to them. Izzy stood in a ridiculous pose, her legs bent like she was in mid-sprint, her arms to the side like she was flapping her hands in a bizarre attempt to fly.

Joe couldn’t help it. He laughed out loud.

Sam just shook his head. “Fred, don’t mess with her.”

Fred wrapped an arm around Izzy’s shoulders. “C’mon, she doesn’t mind. Right, Izzy?” He moved her lips to match his word, doing his best impression of her: “No I don’t mind at all Fred! You’re so awesome and cool and funny. Ha ha ha ha ha.”

“That’s how you get your validation?” Joe quipped, his laugh dying out.

Fred rolled his eyes, about to retort back when Izzy shuddered. She inhaled so deeply, it came out more like a strangled cry, as if she hadn’t breathed oxygen in a thousand years. She wobbled and pitched forward. Joe caught her before she hit the ground.

“Joe?” Her eyes shot open and jumped up. “He’s here! We gotta—! Waaaaaait, this is your room. What’s going on? And why does my face hurt?”

He explained to them what happened on their warp right up to the point where Izzy shielded him and Anna from the time-freezing spell.

“Hold on,” Sam interjected. “You can do a shield spell?”

“Where was that when we were being chased by a nutjob with a gun?” Fred asked.

“The same reason I wasted energy making him and his henchmen laugh,” Izzy said. “I don’t think well under pressure.”

“Well, I’m glad you did today.” Joe patted her on the shoulder. “You saved us.”

Izzy blushed and looked away with a small smile. “I-it was nothing.”

Joe told them about him distracting Mad Jack, Anna calling the time agents, and them subduing Mad Jack and his time thief boss.

Every time he mentioned Mad Jack, Izzy cringed like she was about to be sick. He must have really spooked her.

Joe wasn’t expecting Fred and Sam’s to not be surprised by the mention of time agents. When he brought it up, Fred admitted they knew about time agents years back when Jodie warped them away on a mission to Istanbul. Joe knew about the trip, but that itty-bitty detail about time agent must have slipped their minds.

“You two knew about time agents and you never told me about it?”

“You were at the dentist,” Fred said.

“I wasn’t there for five years! Does everyone know but me?”

Izzy raised her hand. “I-I didn’t know.”

Fred hung upside down from Joe’s bed and pawed for the game controller. “What’s the big deal? With all the times we’ve messed with history and never got arrested, I figured why worry?”

Joe shot Sam a look. “What’s your excuse?”

“Uh…” He smiled nervously. “You were at the dentist?”

Joe groaned and facepalmed. Let it go, he thought. Let it go.

“So, the Monocle man,” Izzy said, spinning an earring. “I mean Mad Jack. He was arrested, right? So he’s gone for good?”

Joe scoffed. “Pfft, I wish. He was like twenty or something when we saw him at the museum. We’ve run into him plenty of time when he was older.”

Fred laughed. “Much older.”

“You guys know that man?” Izzy asked.

“Yeah.” Joe shifted on his feet. “He’s kind of my uncle.”

Izzy’s went from confused to stunned in a half a second, her jaw dropping. She leaned away from him, her arms coming in front of her, and when she looked at him… she was scared.

“He’s your uncle. How… what…”

Joe was about to ask her what was wrong when Anna burst through the door, grinning and holding a CD case.

“Hey, Izzy! I got the…”

She trailed off when she noticed Izzy’s expression. “You alright?”

“I’m… I…” Izzy looked around at everyone staring at her with concern. She clenched her fist and exhaled. “I should go.”

She grabbed her stuff and practically ran out of the room, not even bothering to say goodbye or grab the CD Anna got for her.

Anna watched her leave, confused and a little hurt. “Did you guys say something to her?”

“Why are you blaming us?” Fred asked.

“She was fine when I left the room.”

Sam folded his arms. “She was frozen when you left the room.”

“It’s Mad Jack,” Joe said. “She got that way when I brought him up.”

Anna put a hand on her hip. “Let me get this straight: So you told her our uncle is a psychotic, criminal, time-traveling wizard who threatened to kill us on several occasions and wants to conquer all of space and time? I’d leave too if you dumped all of that on me.”

“I didn’t even mention that stuff. She was spooked long before I said he was our uncle.”

Fred went back to video games. “She’ll be fine. It’s been a long day, she just needs time to absorb it all.”

Joe wasn’t so sure. The only other time she acted like this was the time when Mysterio whispered something to her that made her run out of the theater. Did that have anything to do with Mad Jack, too? Did Izzy somehow know about him?

He ditched this idea as soon as it entered his mind. He couldn’t imagine how she would. Before they met, Izzy didn’t even know about time travel. From what his uncle Joe told him, Mad Jack lived in an untraceable pocket dimension, so it’s unlikely that he and Izzy ever crossed paths before.

But then he remembered how her earrings shocked Mad Jack, and wondered why they never attacked any threat before him.

On top of that, there was also how those time agents reacted to seeing Izzy. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why. A couple ideas came to his mind, but she scrapped them all. Was Izzy hiding something from him?

Of course not, he thought. Izzy had to be the most innocent person he knew. This girl never swore, didn’t get most sarcasms and innuendos, and once told him that she bites the heads off her gummy bears and animal crackers before she ate the rest of them because she didn’t want them to suffer. He doubted she had anything to hide. Still, the thought nagged at him.

Later that night while he worked on homework, he shot her a text, asking if she was alright. She texted back, saying she was fine. He started to type his next message, asking about her earrings and what bothered her so much earlier that day, but stopped. Would asking her be prying? He wondered if Izzy felt similar confliction when she tried to mediate between him and Anna.

He deleted the text and settled on sending her a meme he thought was kinda lame, but knew she’d laugh at before asking if they were still on for tomorrow for their trip to the Craft Shack. She sent back an affirmation. along with a couple smiling and thumbs up emojis. Izzy liked her emojis.

Joe smiled and went back to his homework, glad he didn’t scare her off.

[larondareddamnxssd]

UF Magic Prologo

Ford looked once more at the strange machine in front of him, today would be exactly thirty years that his brother had been sucked into another dimension, thirty years he had been betrayed, and Rose's blind eye society had, picked up part of his memories . In front of her was one of a series of diaries containing the secret of Gravity Falls and the key to her brother's return. The book had a strange symbol of a golden six-fingered hand, held a pink flower in its center. For a moment Ford let himself drift through the memories that the strange symbol brought him, memories of a better and calmer time, of research and friendship, he, Rose, Pearl Garnet and Amethyst, together as a team, together as friends, unraveling the secrets of Gravity Falls and fighting against corrupted gems, together as a family. The tears came to Ford's eyes, those had been good times, but now was not the time to cry, there was still a lot of work to be done, and little time to do, he still had to look compatible and make sure the energy emissions stayed low enough for anyone to notice, the last thing he wanted was for the government or the Crystal Gems to find out what he was doing. "Just a little more, just a little more," Forde said as he tapped the control panel again. A crash shook the entire cave, debris began to fall from the ceiling on the engine starting, Ford ran to the control panels in an attempt to prevent the portal from activating. A huge part of the cave ceiling hit the control panel, luckily Forde managed to dodge at the last minute. "No, no ... it's not ready yet," Ford said desperately as he ran to the manual cancellation module in an attempt to keep the portal from opening. But their efforts were, proved useless, soon an explosion of light ensued and the cave completely collapsed. Ford closed his eyes waiting for the inevitable end, but it never happened, realizing that he was still breathing. Ford opened his eyes, rather than a huge wall of stones on him or anything that indicated he was still trapped in the cave, Ford now was on a hilltop. Just below the city of Gravity Falls was ablaze the most diverse creatures coming from the realms of the nightmare, ran through the city tormenting or maiming their poor human inhabitants. The great Temple of the Crystal Gems was now in ruins, the giant woman with six arms and two faces now was nothing but ruins you throw in the earth, which one day was Gravity Falls. In the middle of the city was a huge dimensional ripple that stretched across the sky, Bill was flying over the city, laughing like a madman. Rose Quartz was trapped in her right hand, while Perola, Garnet and Amethyst were fastened on the left, Bill looked especially at Rose. "So Quarzty, what do you think of the decor that my friends made in the city?" Bill said as he mocked Rose for showing the ruined city. "You're a Bill monsters." Rose said as she tried to pull herself out of Bill's clutches. "Ahh Quarztys, I did not know you cared so much" "But unfortunately we're out of time for games" with these last words Bill made a blue fire emerge from his hands and destroy the Crystal Gems once and for all. Ford could only watch inert when he saw the destruction of what remained of his friends and Rose, he knew that his mind would be completely tarnished by these memories. Suddenly the ground began to tremble and a huge figure rose from the earth, it seemed a human, its gray skin and covered with wounds, its hair was white and messy as if they had not seen a comb for years, one hand was missing , the wound was still open by the enormous amount of blood that was flowing. The figure appeared to be wearing a brown jacket and blue trousers, but most of it was covered with an immense layer of dirt, as if it had not been washed for many years. More than anything else Ford was his face, not as he did not recognize, his last had filled for countless nights without sleep, or recurring nightmares of the day of the accident, Ford knew very well who this face belonged to. "It's your fault," the figure shouted as his eyes exploded in flames. At this moment a woman appeared next to Stan, her hair was white, she wore a blue ribbon to tie her hair, it consisted of nothing more, a simple shirt and a red blouse with a white collar.  The woman had a huge pointed nose and a wart under her left eye, her eyes were brown yet, they were full of pockets as if the woman had not been sleeping well for several years. "Why did you leave the Ford family, why did you do what you did!" Said the woman before shedding tears. "Why?" Said a new entity appearing behind Ford. She was a red woman, wearing a strange blue cloak that seemed to sway in the wind, though there were none. A long row of golden curls stretched across his head, his eyes as black as the night his clothes looked like a strange medieval armor with huge thorns coming off his shoulder. Despite her human appearance, the woman had a huge cracked gem embedded in her forehead. "I thought we were friends! Why did you abandon me? Did not I serve you well enough?" Said the strange female figure. Ford tried to speak, but his mouth was dry and the words did not come out. "Why did you leave us? Why did you leave us?" Said the three figures as they slowly approached Ford. Ford tried to run over, but the ground opened and again the scientist found himself swallowed by the earth, the only thing he could see were the people he had lost in his life. Closing his eyes to wait for him as he fell, Ford looked once more at his brother's face, his last thoughts, were "I'm sorry." Ford floundered like crazy, sweat trickled down his body, his heart was a thousand, the images of his dream were still vivid in his mind. "Keep your cool now, Ford, you can not go mad, not now that you're so close," Ford said, pulling a pair of glasses down to the nightstand. "Just a little longer," Ford said one last time before getting up and preparing for the arrival of his nephews, he knew he could not go back to sleep, the death of his old friends was still etched in his mind. The corridors of the old hut, now more like the tunnel of time, the pictures on its wall told its story. In the first photo, he showed a Stanford Pines smiling as he saw the first structures of the hut being erected. The following portraits showed a collection of diplomas and doctorates framed on the wall along with a photo of a young Stanford Pines holding the hands of a young scientist wearing a green coat with a black tie and a white shirt beneath his face was a small pair of glasses that leaned against his nose. Stanford was also different, he was much younger, in this image his hair was dark brown, just like his eyes, he wore a sleeveless brown vest and a blue shirt on his face was a pair of new glasses, Stanford smiled as he shook hands from your old friend That image flickered in tears in Ford's eyes as he remembered his old friend. "One more life I ruined," he weighed as he mourned the day he was persuaded to join his old college friend in building the portal. Going forward with an image showing today, Ford's hair was already white, old wrinkles were already appearing on his skin and little traces of aging could no longer be hidden. Ford carefully took the picture, looking specifically at the three people along with him, the first person was a tall and overweight young man, he wore a huge green shirt with a question mark in the middle, his hair was covered, to a ball With his hands covered with thick leather gloves, the young man wore a tool belt equipped for any emergency, which was Soos Ramirez, who did everything in the small Ford workshop. The second figure was a girl a little smaller than Soos, about the same size as Ford, her hair was long and red, her eyes were a reddish brown, she wore a plaid green sweater, a pair of blue pants with black boots with white outlines that formed a strange design throughout the artifact. Her fighters were fastened by a belt with a huge buckle that had a huge runic knot design, she carried two axes on her back, but not the typical woodcutter ax found in the stores, the girl's axes were much more detailed than could be seen As far as the quality that both axes possessed was far superior to any other ax in the region as if they had been specially made for war, they also had runic sculptures at the edge of the blades. That girl was Wendy Corduroy and probably the strongest and scariest girl Ford had ever known in her life. Wendy looked like a typical cool teenage girl who did not care about anything and nothing could bother her, but underneath that carefree outside beat in the heart of a warrior. Ford still remembered when he had shown one of the secrets of Gravity Falls that he had discovered years ago, the girl turned completely, when she put something in his head, there was no one who could stop her. The last member of the group was the young dark-skinned girl who could not have been thirteen or twelve years old, her hair was black and her eyes were a dark brown, almost the same tone of her skin, she wore a green blouse with blue shorts that day on his neck was a golden sword-shaped pendant, fastened by a silver chain on his face was a huge pair of glasses that, if one approached, would realize that they did not have glasses. This was Connie Maheswaram, who, though unrelated to blood, thought she was practically her granddaughter. With a smile, Ford grabbed the image on the wall and looked fondly at his new family, remembering his past and the people he lost, there was still pain, but now seeing that image in his hands the pain seemed to subside. "This time, we'll be ready," Ford said with a determined look, once again returning to the image for its location on the wall.

[djinmer4]

Enchanted (Amalgam!verse)

Ilyana huffed and slammed her door shut.  When Sparrow had announced that the newest mission only needed three people she had leaped for the chance to have some time off.  Had she thought about it a little harder, she would have realized that meant being stuck with Koriand’ru (the bitch) and Rahne (the zealot) and would have gone with the others.  As it was, the two of them had not stopped fighting since the car had gone out of view.  It didn’t help that they both had issues with her too.  Rahne’s upbringing in a cult had left her with a very dim view of magic in general.  Koriand’ru was just being her usual arrogant, autocratic, narcissistic self, unfortunately without any of the older team members present to shut her down.  She thought she was better than Ilyana and Rahne and that she should be in charge.  Ilyana would have rather licked an sparking socket than obey.

The resident magic user was currently wrapped up in a description of a battle between the sorcerers Gravemoss and Shrill.  She wasn’t quite sure which magic user had ultimately won, the or even if either had survived.  The descriptions of the two were quite neutral, bordering on vague.  She wondered if this account was possibly written by a third party, maybe some ancient historian reporting on an even more ancient battle?  Assuming the whole thing wasn’t made up.

It was real.  We were real.

She dropped the book with a cry.  “Who said that?”

Ouch.

The blonde turned and looked down at the carpet.  “The book?”

Yes, of course.

She carefully picked it up.  “Books don’t usually talk.”

Books usually aren’t alive.  Not to mention you did just drop me on my spine a moment ago.

She flushed.  “Sorry about that.  Who are you?”

Since you’ve been reading the story you must have a guess.  Yes, I’m one of the sorcerers from the battle.  Gravemoss, at your service.

“The necromancer?”

We get a bit of bad reputation, but really we’re no worse than any of the other disciplines.  You should have met Shrill, manipulator of words, of men, of souls.  But no one states that all telepaths are bad based on her actions.

“Really?  You have to tell me more.”

A week later and Ilyana thought she was in love.  While the three senior members of the Misfits were away, she had isolated herself away from the fighting between Shatterstarfire and Aconite.  Instead she spent time with Gravemoss, talking about their lives (hers in the present, his before Shrill had trapped him in a book).  He had even begun teaching her magic, spells and powers far beyond the limitations the White Witch had imposed on her.  Ilyana was eager to learn, not just for the power offered but for the chance to truly meet Gravemoss, in the flesh rather than a golem conjured from the pages of a book.

It’s time.

“Yes.  I’m ready.”  The countercurse came in several parts.  The first was a potion made from silver dust, rose petals and salt water.  Once that had been carefully sprinkled over the book (being careful not to damage the pages), she set it in the center of a magic circle, each cardinal point had another book from her library.  Finally came the incantation.

A lightning bolt came from nowhere and split open the roof of her room.  A blazing white fire sprung up from the book, too bright for her to look at.  When it had died away, a man stood there.  Young, well-muscled with long white hair, dressed in only some ragged blue pants.  Exactly how he had said he looked.  The sorcerer looked down at his arms, stretched and smiled.  “It’s been so long.”  He looked up at her with piercing blue eyes.  “Ilyana?”

She had to swallow a few times before she could speak.  “Yes?”

“You look more beautiful than I had even imagined.  Come to me, my love.”  She went willingly to his embrace.  He leaned down to kiss her.

Ilyana had led a sheltered life, she had never shared anything but the most chaste and platonic kisses with her relatives and friends.  This was warm and deep and anything but platonic.  When their lips parted she felt dizzy with rapture.

Rapture, and maybe something else.  She felt weak, falling to her knees in front of Gravemoss.  Surely that hadn’t been all from the kiss, had it?  It didn’t feel like a lack of oxygen.  Instead . . . her eyes widened as she realized something.

As part of his mentoring of the Misfits, Nightcreeper had gotten some members of the JLX to stop by and occasionally train them.  On one of those occasions, Ilyana had the misfortune to be paired with his sister, Runaway, and gotten drained nearly to unconsciousness.  That’s what this felt like!  She had been drained!

“Oh don’t worry my love.  It will all come back eventually.  Or rather, it would, if I was so foolish as to let you live beyond today.”  Gravemoss raised his hand and a fireball appeared.  The most basic of all spells, but now she was too weak to defend herself.  Too weak to even dodge.  She bowed her head and closed her eyes.  Her last thoughts were of her brother and how devastated he would be over her death.

But when fiery pain and death did not materialize, she became confused.  Looking up, she saw what had stopped her imminent murder.  Standing behind Gravemoss was a man.  Or was it?

Ilyana had heard several people compare the Nightcreeper to a demon.  This . . . person blew those comparisons out of the water.  Red skin, horns, even a tail that was currently crushing the hand that Gravemoss had used to summon the fireball.  “Well done, maggot.  You’ve managed to escape your cell.  However, you failed to realize that such a flamboyant accomplishment would draw the attention of all who observe the spiritual plane.”

“L-lord Belasco-hurlk!”  A red hand reached out and tightened on the sorcerer’s throat.

“I’ve not forgotten the turn you’ve served me.  Merely thankful that I was the first to arrive.  I can take my pound of flesh and the others can have what remains when I’m through.”  The demon, Lord Belasco apparently, looked down at Ilyana.  She shrank away from those gold eyes.  She was still drained and doubted that she could even begin to put up a fight.  “Ilyana Rasputina, I presume?”

She wanted to squeak in fear, but forced herself to take a deep breath instead.  No, if she was going to die now, she’d die on her feet.  Before there hadn’t been time to even think, but now was something else.  If this was it, then she’d try to do her friends and her brother proud.  So she forced herself to stand and straightened up until she could look the demon in the eye.  “That’s my name, yes.”

“Hmmm,” a cruel smirk made it’s way across the red face. ��“What amazing potential you have.  You’re going to be quite the thorn in the future.”  Ilyana couldn’t keep her knees from trembling, but she stayed upright and continued to stare Belasco in the face.  She didn’t know who or what he was, but it was pretty clear that even if he saved her, he wasn’t on the side of the angels.

“Still you’ve done me a favor by drawing this errant novice out from his sanctuary.  I believe it would only be fair for me to let you go today.”  Saying that, the demon turned his attention to Gravemoss.  The necromancer had been clawing at the hand squeezing his throat.  Belasco dropped him, but before the other could do anything else, a red spade tail whipped out and struck the white-haired man in the temple.  Gravemoss’s eyes fluttered while he tried to stay conscious, but then rolled up and closed.  The necromancer would have slumped to the floor, but the demon grabbed him by his collar and hoisted him into the air easily.  “Farewell, Ilyana Rasputina.  We will meet again, though under less pleasant circumstance.”  With that, demon and cargo both disappeared in a puff of ill-smelling smoke.

Ilyana leaned against the remaining wall.  Before she could really think about what had happened, she heard a crash.  Turning she saw an elephant clearing debris away from a hole in the wall.  The elephant turned, noticed her standing, then shrank into the familiar figure of Rahne.  “Ilyana, what happened?  We saw a flash of light, then we heard a loud boom and when I got to your room the roof and walls were in pieces!  What’s going on?”

Oh, she wasn’t looking forward to explaining this.

[sorceressmidnight]

Midnight Sorceress

Chapter: 9/? [1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - ?]

Chapter 9: I can’t lose her...

Words: 2281

Warnings: Some cursing, hospitalization, potential death, emotional break down

Primarily following the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it revolves around an original character.

Description as posted on ao3:  A member of SHIELD is forced to struggle with her mental stability and keeping her secret as the craziness surrounding the Avengers crashes around her. She ends up befriending Tony and Pepper, who help out her mental health a great deal, but will they be able to help her with her secret? Something that could destroy her if she uses it too much… What will happen when Tony tries to convince her to use it to help the Avengers?

Read on ao3: here

Tags: @txnystarkimagines @h0bsyrup

Hit me up if you want to be tagged in future chapters.

This chapter happens during a bit before and during Captain America Civil War. Some spoilers for Spider-man: Homecoming.

Kiana ran up to the car that was parked nearby, leaning against it while smiling at the two males nearby. One was this ‘Spider-man’ that Tony went to go talk to, a teen named Peter, and the other was Tony’s friend and chauffeur Happy Hogan. “H-Hey, fellas. Are we ready to go?” her voice cracked a bit as she said ‘hey’, smiling awkwardly at the two.

“Wait, wait, wait. Tony never said anything about bringing you to the airport.” Happy responded, brows furrowed as he rubbed his temple. “Hey, hey, now… Calm down~ I know you’re annoyed you have to babysit the kid, but you know me. I never cause any trouble. Besides, it was kind of a last minute change,” she waved her hand back and forth, “Tony told me he wanted me to get familiar with the kid. I mean, hey, I might be working with him sometime in the future after all.” Happy sighed, “fine, get in. We don’t really have a lot of time to argue about this, so let’s go.” Both Peter and Kiana slid into the backseat, the female watching as the younger recorded his journey. After a short interaction between the two males, Happy rolled up the window to avoid further conversation. “H-hi… I’m Peter,” he started off a bit awkwardly, not quite sure what to say, “So… uh… Y-you know Tony?” “Yeah, I mean,” she gave a small smile as she twirled her hair between her fingers, “we are kind of dating. I’ve known him, personally anyway, since after the Mandarin incident a couple of years ago.” “Oh! S-sorry… I didn’t know.” “It’s fine,” she laughed softly, “it hasn’t exactly gotten out there yet. He didn’t want to drag me into the public eye until things settle out a little bit.” He gave a quiet ‘I see’ in response, the car growing silent as both of them retreated into their own thoughts. The only sounds that could be heard were the other cars speeding by and the slight rattle when the car drove over small debris in the road. “What did you mean we might be working together?” he finally managed to ask, clearly having thought it over after a minute to himself. “Do you know where we’re going to?” “Of course. I actually helped a lot back during the Sokovia fight.” “Wait, wait…” he paused to think. “I think I’ve heard about you… Are you… the Midnight Sorceress?” he gestured his hands in the way she usually did when she fought, causing the other to give a small giggle. “Yep, that’s me.” “That’s so cool! I… I still can’t believe I’m actually going to be fighting alongside the Avengers.” “You’ll actually be fighting against some of them,” she laughed softly, “although no idea where Thor or Bruce is. Admittedly let’s keep this, me coming with you guys and all, between us, okay? I’m hoping that I can avoid joining the fight, so I don’t want anyone to know I’m here just yet.” “Yeah, of course.” “Thanks, kid,” she giggled and pulling him into a hug.

“Hey, should I go to the bathroom before?” Peter asked Happy as they climbed onto the plane, carrying his stuff with him. “There’s a bathroom on it,” Happy sighed as they got into it. Peter quickly gawked at the lack of a pilot before plopping down in the seat across from Happy. “Is that where you’re going to sit?” “Yeah.” “Is this your first time in a private plane?” “First time on any plane!” Happy stood up and walked to a chair a bit away from him, sitting down. Kiana slid over to the seat that the other male had just left, smiling at the younger. “Don’t mind him. He’s just a little bit… I don’t think he likes the idea of being a ‘babysitter’. Of course he wouldn’t argue with Tony, though.” “Yeah, seems like it. So, Tony gave me some basics… but would you be able to explain a bit more of what’s going on?” “Steve, Cap, doesn’t agree with the accords. It’s politics, so it’s never easy, but… Tony’s right. We can work on revising the accords later, but we need to work with the public right now. There’s been a lot of damage and now there are a few fires we need to put out.” “I see. So we need to stop him before something worse happens?” “Yep. Hopefully things go smoothly, but knowing how stubborn he and Tony can be I doubt it. Just be careful out there on the battlefield, okay? I know you want to impress ‘Mr. Stark’, but don’t go beyond your limits. I know you’re strong, but you’re still a teenager.” “I understand. Any advice you can give me against the guys we’re fighting?” “Has Tony told you anything?” He explained what he said, and she gave a few of her own tips for him as well.

Tony (Iron Man), Natasha (Black Widow), T’Challa (Black Panther), Rhodey (War Machine), Vision, and Peter (Spider-Man) fought against Steve (Captain America), Bucky (Winter Soldier), Clint (Hawkeye), Sam (Falcon), Wanda (Scarlet Witch), and Scott (Ant-Man). Everyone started fighting against someone on the opposing team, each person desperately trying to stop the other in an attempt to move forward with their own agendas. Kiana was on top of the roof as she watched the fighting, making sure to stay just out of sight. She bit her lip as she watched everyone get knocked around, wanting to step in and try to help or stop everything. Vision destroyed part of the airport, attempting to stop Bucky and Steve from getting to a quinjet in the nearby hangar. She was the first to see the jet leaving, using her powers to allow her to run along the rooftops towards the direction they were headed. By the time she got to the edge of the roof, attempting to slow the jet down with her powers, she felt the air rush by her as Tony, Rhodey, and Sam flew past her. She bit her lip as she realized she had to stop, hoping that the two could get to them before they left out of the area. It was then Vision attempted to stop Sam with his powers, hitting Rhodey as the other narrowly dodged the blast. Her jaw dropped as she watched him beginning to fall, realizing that neither of the two would reach him before he plummeted into the ground. Ignoring everything in her body screaming at her not to, she used the full extent of her powers to lift the surrounding dirt and using it to grab him from the sky. She slowly lowered him to the ground as quickly as she could, her vision failing her as everything became blurry. There was a great stabbing pain throughout her body, but at the same time she felt numb. She struggled to walk towards a more stable area of the roof, knees buckling as she could no longer manage to keep control of her body, sliding off of the edge of the roof towards the others in the airport. “Kiki, I’ve contacted Mr. Stark and an ambulance is on the way. There isn’t much else I can do since you did not bring your suit. I’m currently attempting to reach another member of the team.” she heard through her earpiece, the blue and white blur of the skies starting to fade from her sights as darkness covered it. “Tell Tony… I love him,” she barely managed to spurt out before she passed out. On the ground below, Clint was the first one to run towards where she was falling, just barely managing to get her before she hit the ground below. Frantically he checked her for a pulse, feeling a faint one before attempting to wake her up. “Kiki, come on, you’ve been through worse than this. Come on,” he hissed through gritted teeth. Tony landed just then with Rhodey, flipping up his face plate and going towards the two. “Barton, give her to me and I can take her to the hospital,” he said, trying to hold back his own mixture of emotions in the current matter. “If she dies…” he turned and glared up at him, anger boiling through his veins, “it’s your fault. You should have never let her come and fight! You knew she wasn’t fully healed after the last fight!” “Let her?!” he scoffed, anger in his tone rising, “I didn’t even know she was here! I told her not to come!” “Maybe you should have had her locked up somewhere, too, for her safety.” Clint scoffed while rolling his eyes, finally letting him take her as they started rounding up the remaining members who fought against them.

“How… How is she doing?” Tony asked, voice a little shaken up as he talked to the doctor. No one was allowed to see her for the past few days and that worried him. He knew he had to go off to finish what was started, but he couldn’t pry himself away from the hospital. “She’s currently comatose. Although there are little to no outer wounds or bruising, many of her bones were broken, problems with her muscles and ligaments, and internal hemorrhaging. It appears her powers derived the extra boost it needed in order to accomplish what she did from tearing her body apart internally.” “Great,” he sighed and rubbed his temple. He wanted to be mad, but he just… he couldn’t feel. Everything felt like it was a bad bedtime story or a nightmare he couldn’t wake up from. It was almost like he was watching someone else’s life. “Is she going to be okay?” “Physically? She’ll be fine. Her body will heal and we’ll make sure the bleeding stops. Mentally? I’m unsure. There is one other thing that concerns me, though…” He pulled him into a nearby room and flipped the light on, putting up two scans of her head. They were pretty much identical, except for a small foreign object in her brain; the one on the right being bigger than the one on the left. “This scan? This was from her last physical. Yes, the object is still there, but at that point it was small enough to allow blood to pass through. It can’t be said when the object got bigger, but we’ll need to operate immediately as to avoid any brain damage.” “Oh… What will happen?” He could feel his focus slipping, but he struggled as hard as he could to stay with him. “We’re not sure at this point, but what we’re worried about is what will if we don’t. We need to operate, soon, Mr. Stark. We need an approval from someone close to her before we technically can. If you approve this now we can start the operation as soon as possible, if not we will get in contact with her parents and as soon as they agree we would start.” “No, no… If you have to do it now, then you have my approval. I have to call someone, though. This is the person you can contact if you can’t reach me. She’ll be able to answer any questions you have.” “We will give you a call to let you know how she takes the operation.”

Tony sighed as he leaned against the outer wall of the hospital, staring up at the sky. He could feel and hear his heartbeat in his ears, pulse picking up as his eyes began to sting. Rubbing the slight tears away, he mumbled to himself before reaching in his pocket and pulling out his phone. He scrolled until he saw the familiar redhead, throat closing as his chest tightened, pressing the call button and pulling it against his ear. He didn’t know how she would take the sudden call, but he had to talk to her. There was a short pause between the rings, background noise filling the silence as she answered. “Hello?” “H-hey, Pep…” his voice cracked involuntarily, struggling to keep himself together, “I know we haven’t talked in awhile… but it’s kind of important.” “Oh god…” she could hear the tone in his voice, worry filling her own, “you’re not dying again, are you?” “God,” he gave a soft broken laugh, “I wish it were that simple.” “Then what’s wrong?” “It’s Kiki. She…” he stopped as he struggled to get the words out, letting out a shaky breath, “she’s in the hospital. I… C-can you stay with her?” “She’s… in the hospital?” her heart dropped as she licked her lips, “Of… of course! Where is she? What happened?” The questions came so fast out of her mouth that it was almost dizzying, forcing herself to take a couple of deep breaths afterwards. “Well,” he couldn’t stop his voice from breaking as he told her what happened, “she’s comatose right now. She’s got… a lot of internal injuries… and…” He stopped as he rubbed his eyes, sighing. “They have to remove something from her brain. They don’t,” he couldn’t stop his soft sob, “They don’t know what’s going to happen. We might lose her Pep…” He repeated the last sentence softly through sobs, body shaking as he shook his head. “I’ll.. I’ll be right there. I’m bringing Sammy with me, too…” she wiped tears away. “Just text me the address.” “Thank you… Thank you…” He hung up and sent the address to her. He slid down along the wall, resting his arms on his knees as he hid his head between them. He couldn’t stop himself from fully breaking down into tears, nails digging into the fabric of his pants. “I can’t lose her…”

[foreverrj]

Star Wars Episode 9:Restored Hope: Part 1(Chpt.10)( Fan Fic to finish right)

Act 3. Conclusion of part one.

The Knights of Ren are fearful of the new man in front of them, they have their Lightsabers activated. One of the Knights of Ren asks the man “Who are you and what have you done with Fallon?”

The being answers speaking in a gentle tone with a slow deliberate speech patteren “Fallon gave me his body so that I may live and walk among you.” He walks closer to the Knights they take a step back with their lightsabers still drawn. The being continues “ I am what Bane, Vitiate, Plagueis, Palpatine, Vader, worshiped and wished to be. I am the Son of the force the Darkside incarnate” He waves his in front of the Knights and their Lightsaber blades retract, they are stunned. They bow and one asks “ What is thy will our master?”

 He responds “ Continue being my acolytes, as we bring true order to the galaxy. but first, we kill my sister.” The knights look at one another in confusion. The Son looks at the compass as it reacts to his desired direction. He begins to walk out the tomb of the temple and the Knights of Ren follows behind him. One of the Knights says to The Son” Master there is also a looming threat.” The Son cuts him off and says quickly “ I’m well aware I have Fallon’s memories, we’ll deal them too.”

They exit on to the opening entranceway of the old Jedi temple the sky turns dark beginning to storm. They are met by a large number of law enforcement officers behind their vehicles and blasters drawn at The Son and Knights of Ren.

The Knights of Ren get defensive. The Son waves to them to stand down. They relax. A commander of the Police force begins to speak over a loudspeaker. “ Surrender now do not resist or we will fire.

The Son waves his hand slowly in front of the police they charge their weapons they suddenly stop and jam. They are confused and attempt to fire again to no avail. He uses the Force and pushes all their vehicles over causing a path of destruction. He laughs full of mirth and turns into a flying beast and flies off. The knights of Ren uses force speed and run off the platform and run on to undamaged speeders following The Son.

They all rendezvous at a starship port, The Son turns back into his man form and the Knights of Ren follow right behind him getting off the speeders. They enter a ship then fly off-world. The Son smirks in amusement as the ship enters hyperspace.

Back at the Resistance base on Dubrillion Ahsoka opens her eyes alarmed from the meditation. 

Jacen just simply opens his eyes. Ahsoka asks “Do you feel that?” Jacen answers “I do.��� Rey opens her eyes looking at them questionably. Rey asks “ What is it, what do you feel?” Jacen replies to her “Rey you got to it together, it’s immense power of the Darkside.” Ahsoka follows with saying “This is the strongest power that I have ever felt and it seems familiar.” Rey asks “Snoke?” Ahsoka shakes her head no. Jacen says “This feels like the darkest time.” Jacen asks Ahsoka “ Did you get any answers before the disturbance?” She says “I did, the force is with us.”

The Son and the Knights of Ren ship come out of hyperspace to the Dubrillion system to be met with an immense amount of asteroids in its astroid belt around the system.

They quickly try to maneuver and dodge the space debris in the ship but it seems to be too much. Crashing seems inevitable they prepare for the end, The Son waves his hand while sitting and a pathway opens up while the asteroids split in the middle.

Their ship enters the planet's atmosphere as they enter the sky darkens in the beginning stages of a storm.

The Son and The Knights ship lands not to far away from the Resistance base.  The son and The Knights arrive in front of the base. The guards notice The Knights of Ren and aim the turret guns at them. 

The Son waves his hand and the turret guns depower. The resistance soldiers come from the base guns firing.

The Son stops the blaster fire mid-air with the force and he returns it back at them. They die. The Son and the Knights of Ren proceed into the base. They are making it a spectacle of entering the base. As The Son walks further into the base he is choking and tossing soldiers with the force and deflecting blaster all at the same time. The knights of Ren are Killing those who charge at them or anyone who is dying on the ground they finish off.

The Jedi students meet The Son and The Knights of Ren in a corridor of the base. The Son smiles amused and says “Jedi of a new age? After I kill my sister you won’t matter.” He says to the Knights of Ren “ Kill them.” Four stay behind and two follow The Son as he continues in the base.

 One of the Knights prepared to fight the Jedi students say “ We beat once before we can do it again.”  The two opposing sides charge at one another.

As The Son continues through the base he senes Kylo Ren and proceeds to him in the jail. 

The Son and The two Knights arrive at the holding cell. The Knights kill the two guards guarding him. The Son approaches the cell and examins Kylo and looks him up and down. Kylo stares back at him. His facial expression is blank but internally he is curious.

The Son speaks to Kylo slowly slightly louder than a whisper he says “ Ben Solo, Also know as Kylo Ren, Former Supreme Leader of the First Order, Grandson of Darth Vader.” Kylo replies “ So the Knights can tell you about me but I’m unaware of who you are.” The Son says “All of your steps have led to this meeting. All your sacrifices are for this moment here. The death of countless, The murder of Snoke and Han Solo all by your hand was proof of your devotion to me. I am the Darkside my boy, here now. I feel your anguish, your rage, and confliction. Join me and your path to the Darkside will be complete. We will bring true peace and security to the galaxy.” Vader’s lightsaber appears in The Son’s hand and he presents it to Kylo and waves his free hand and opens his cell, Kylo steps out. The Son says “ Take it Kill those who betrayed you and those who stand in your way.”

Kylo contemplates for a moment. He begins thinking of the lost and hurt and anger he carries, not having anyone but this Being seeming to know his thoughts and emotions. He figures there is no First Order, no family or nor Rey. He makes the choice to join and follow The Son completely. He swings Vader’s saber and Kills the two Knights of Ren instantly. The Darkside has fully sat within in his soul.

They walk out the Jail together and they proceed to walk together in the corridors of the Resistance base. As The Son and Kylo walk the base they encounter Lando a few Resistances leaders and Soldiers around them. They pause in their steps looking at one another. The soldiers prepare to defend the leaders. Lando is concerned about Kylo’s next actions. 

The Son speaks quietly to Kylo and says “ That is your Uncle is he not?” Kylo replies “ He is.” The Son asks “Will this be a problem?” Kylo answers “It is not, he is a cause to chaos in the galaxy.” The Son replies “ Bring peace and do your work.” Kylo ignites Vader's saber and quickly lunges at the resistances soldiers before him. They fire their blasters and he blocks the blast effortlessly as he approaches closer. Some soldiers gather around Lando and the leaders and escort them from the harm of Kylo’s wrath. The Son leaves Kylo and proceeds to his destination walking past the fighting.

Kylo slaughters whoever is in his way. He makes it to Lando and the leaders. They are cornered. The soldiers raise their blaster. Kylo raises his blade. Kylo says “ The end of the Resistances is now.”

Jedi students are behind him and come to their aid. Kylo turns around and says “ I’ll kill you too.”

Kylo and the Jedi begin to fight and it allows Lando and the leaders to escape back the way they came. 

In the base The Son meets Ahsoka, Jacen, and Rey. The Son takes a deep breath in slight annoyance.

The son says “ Ahsoka Tano, I wish I could say it’s good to see you, but it isn’t. If it’s any consolation you have aged gracefully. Ahsoka will you be my agent once again or are you still a slave to my sister?” Ahsoka replies “ I am a servant of the force, for balance.” “The Son says to her “ But Ahsoka I am the Force. Where is my sister I don’t see her? The compass has led me here did it lie.” Ahsoka says “ The Force works in mysterious ways, who could know it?” Jacen asks Ahsoka “ Who is he, he is what I felt, it’s overwhelming. What do we do?” “Ahsoka says “ You and Rey must go, I’ll hold him off.” Rey says “ We can’ t we stay together.” The Son says “ I am true power here your fear or your courage is inconsequential to my purpose.” Ahsoka says “And I will get in your way.” 

She extends her hands and arms using the force and she crumbles the ceiling above the Son as the debris fall. He stops it from falling on him and tosses it to the side and he sees the three of them standing before him. He tosses the rocks using the force, at them and their bodies disappear being only an illusion and they are long gone.

The Jedi students, resistance leaders, and soldiers, with Lando, Rey, Ahsoka, and Jacen C-3P0, R2 all making it to the hanger bay to the main resistance ship. Everyone is on the bridge trying to get the ship operational. The lights on the ship flicker but it beings to operate correctly and the ship begins to lift off.  The Ship beings to exit the hangar bay. The Son and Kylo come out the base behind the cruiser in the bay. The Son extends his arm using the force to hold on the Cruiser mid-air from the base. The ones operating the ship are frantically on the controls trying force the ship to fly away but it is stuck in his force grip.

Rey runs to the door of the cruiser Jacen follows behind her. She ignites her lightsaber ready to Jump from the  Crusier the sound of the wind and engines are blaring. Jacen says yelling to her “ You are in no position to do anything remotely stupid or brave”. Rey says yelling to him “You know the Jedi text as well as I do, they will slaughter us all. They must live, you must live. This must be done. An electric wave ripples through the planet. 

Kylo feels the contact of a wave and his body tightens and falls over he is using the force to the best of his ability to protect his body.  The Son loses concentration on holding the ship he absorbs the energy into his body. He inhales and exhales accepting the power. The resistance cruiser crashes in the a minor distance from the resistance base. It is now damaged and damaging the ground on impact. Rey and Jacen and everyone falls down inside. Ahsoka says” Oh no.” A grand scale of the invasion from the Yuuzong Vong occurs.

 Wounded and extra resistances fighters on the base get up and attempt to fight the Vong but are quickly killed.

 On the cruiser mostly everyone is discombobulated, trying to gain their bearings. A Devarninan Jedi student walks over to Rey and Jacen. He reaches out his hand and helps them both up one at a time and he says “ I am a Devaronian first it is in my nature to fight, but now as a Jedi, I fight for peace and the galaxy, we will continue to fight.” He ignites his lightsaber. 

The other Jedi ignite their lightsabers. They all look to Jacen and Rey. Jacen looks to Rey and Rey ignites her lightsaber.

Ahsoka smiles in the distance.

Rey and Jedi exit the cruiser full of confidence and ready to fight for a being cause.

They go in the wreckage of the base and run into the hoard of Vong fighting fiercely against the savages and their beast.

Kylo gets up trying to readjust his body after the shock. He walks slowly in pain over to The Son. The Son says to him “Now is not the time to be weak. Let that pain fuel you to kill those beasts, your saber will do.” They exit out the base to see a cluster of Vong and beast running full of ferocity towards them. Kylo prepares to ignite Vader's saber and takes out all who approach.

The Son uses force lightning on Vong soldiers he shocks them for a moment and then the disintegrate into ash. He becomes aware they are flesh and bone,

The Son walks over to the fallen cruiser. He throws debris from rocks and trees and materials from the base smashing and impaling the Vong that approaches him.

Ahsoka walks off the cruiser to greet The Son.

The Son walks up to the vicinity of the cruiser standing a few feet away from Ahsoka. The Son yells “ Ahsoka do you see this bedlam? I want power and peace. She will stop my ambition. I can stop this but if she stops my reign, the disarray will continue in the galaxy. Tell me where she is! ” Ahsoka replies” You only want murder and mayhem and your sister will only bring healing and peace.” The Son says angerly to her “You and your compatriots never understood the goal!” She asks “What’s that?” He replies “True union of the cosmic and living force and me to circulate through the universe.” Ahsoka says “ You will be the one to leave the Force corrupt not being true peace or balance.” The Son says “ I feel you draw to me. Join me and we can bring that balance and there will be me as the only One.” Ahsoka replies “ I only draw from the force.” He says “ Understood.” He uses the force and lifts Ahsoka’s body and she strains and he drags her to him.

The Yuuzong Vong overwhelm the Jedi in their numbers. The Jedi know they have lost and retracted the blades of their lightsabers and they have nowhere to retreat. Rey is devastated and unsure.

The Vong surrounds Kylo and he turns front and back with the lightsaber drawn.

B’shith shoots a blast at The Son and it distracts him enough to drop Ahsoka. B’shith walks over to The Son, They are standing face to face. Bshith says “ Are you a magic-user?” The Son replies “ I am more.” B’shith looks at Ahsoka laying on the ground in pain he says “ She is not your kill, this geedai escaped our ritual our pledge to our gods.”  The Son replies “ Your gods don’t care, I am true power.” B’shith says “ You are a heretic, this galaxy is full of apostates. We are the reckoning, the cleansing to set matters right. You and your magic-users shall fall this day.” The Son gives a hearty laugh. His laughter simmers down and he says “I have died many times and yet I’m here, you are delusional.” B’shith says “ Mock all you like, but we are your end.” The Son charges his hand's force lighting charges up and them. B’shith prepares his weapon for him. A Vong soldier lifts his weapon preparing to strike and kill  Rey and the Jedi students and they prepare for death.

A series of explosions go off in the sky when the Vong ships begin falling down. Kylo takes that moment to slice and kill the Vong around him. In the Sky they see an unknown armada enter the planet.

smaller ships land on the base the Vong turn their attention on the newly arrived army. Soldiers exit their ships with blaster fire shooting at the monstrous Vong and their beasts.

 The Vong that have the Jedi surrounded are in the process of finishing their execution of the Jedi. instantly a whiz and flash of the lightsaber sound is noticed and the Vong are sliced and impaled. Rey, Jacen, and the Jedi are shocked and unsure of what happened. Stepping over the bodies than standing over them is a Man in armor and a helmet with 2 un-colored lightsabers ignited.

His helmet dissembles and retracts in his armor to reveal who he is.

Jacen says excited and surprised “ Master Ezra! But how?” Ezra says “There is no time, the planet has fallen we have to go. Follow me.” Rey turns to Jacen and says “ We have to get to the resistances leaders,” He nods once in agreement. He grabs Ezra’s shoulder and says “ The resistances leaders are still on the cruiser along with Ahsoka.” Ezar replies “ Understood.” Ezar radio’s a unit “ Immediate extraction on the cruiser of V.I.P’. They respond “copy.”

Rey runs off in the direction of the cruiser between the mayhem of the battle. Slicing the Vong soldiers that approach in her path as makes her way. The newly arrived soldiers come to her aid defending her.

The Son sees her running, He looks at Ahsoka laying on the ground in pain and  B’shith looks down at her, The Son says to B’shith “Do with her as you wish I’m done with her.” Ahsoka Looks at B’shith and she has a stoic expression. He looks back at her and smirks and says “ You will be sacrificed in a grander way.” Vong soldiers trap her in a net and drag her off. The Son takes his beast form and flies off.

Rey and the soldiers are at the fallen resistances cruiser they are gathering the Lando and the resistance leaders. One of the soldier's radio’s to Ezar “ Commonader assets are acquired ready for extraction.” Ezra replies “Copy transport is on the way.” They exit the cruiser and The Son's body morphs as he lands into his man form and arrives in front of Rey, the soldiers, and the resistances leaders.

Rey and the soldiers stand ready to defend.

 The Son uses the force to lift and brake the necks of soldiers to the left of Rey. Then he force pushes the soldiers to right of Rey hard into the cruiser crushing their bones killing them instantly. Then he walks over to Rey and has his hand in front of him and he pushes her lightsaber blade down into the hilt.

 He says to her “ You are out of you depth child, but you do seem awfully familiar.” She replies “You do seem awfully pale.” He replies “You’re funny, you’re brave as well little bird.” Rey says “ You’re just another form of evil, you don’t scare me.” The son says “I’m not evil, I’m absolute. The Jedi, and ones who believe in them, who believe in hope only bring chaos, ruling and power, and fear bring true peace. Rey says to him “ Fear leads to hate, hate leads to anger, anger leads to suffering. You and one’s like you will only keep the chaos in a cycle.” The Son looks at her with curiosity and says to her ‘ I sense great power in you but also an absence of self. Join me and you shall feel complete.” Rey says “No.” The Son says “Well so be it.” Jacen yells “ REY!” Lando pulls her close to him and a series of blaster fire comes from a ship and shoots The Son he gets engulfed in flames. The ship flies around and lands. In front of Rey and the resistances leaders.

Rey and the leaders get on the Ghost.

Jacen helps Rey on she looks she sees a handful of the Jedi students. She smiles. Jacen points to the pilot says “Rey that's my mom Hera Syndulla.” She says “ She looks great.” Jacen asks “Where is Ahsoka?” Rey looks down in disappointment, and responds “ I didn’t see her.” Jacen looks at Lando, Lando shakes his head no with a facial expression of sadness. Jacen shakes his head and scuffs in frustration.

Hera says “ Everyone brace yourselves I'm punching it out of here.” The Ship lifts of the ground preparing to fly off-world. The Son comes out of the smoke of the blaster fire. He is agitated. Rey feels a shift in the force of The Son's presence She hears the voice of Anakin and he says “The Force is a part of you trust it” She hears Luke’s voice and he says “We are with you Rey” She hears the voice of Older Obi-wan and he says “ Use the Force Rey.” The Son grabs the Ghost in mid-air and then projects force lighting out of hands. Rey becomes emotionless and Jacen tries to get her attention she walks to the back to the door of the ship. She opens the door her eyes begin to glow to illuminate pure light.

She extends her hands out and repels the force lightning in her hands. The Son says to himself “There was only one who is equal to me to stop that, It can’t be her.” She absorbs it and redirects it back to him. He gets blasted and falls back. Kylo runs over to him to help him.

On the Ghost, Rey faints and Jacen runs to her and holds her. He yells to Hera to get off the planet. Hera radios to Ezra “All assets accounted for no obstacles ready to depart.” He replies “ Roger.” The allied fleet retreat from their battle with Vong into their ships and proceed to fly off Durbillion.

The fleet jumps into hyperspace.

On the platent before a smaller allied ship takes off The ship door opens and Kylo kills the soldiers on the ship with his lightsaber and the Son follows behind him and force pulls the bodies of the ship and they fly off-world. Kylo asks “Where to master?” The Son pulls out the compass and says to Kylo “ Follow this it will take us to where we need to be.” 

The Son and Kylo arrive at their destination.

Kylo asks “ Where are we?” The Son replies “ This is the Shadow my domain it lies between the realm of the force and living galaxy. Our power shall grow here”.

On a giant monstrous ship on the edge of the galaxy floats glooming over plant with a fleet of ships flying around it.

 On the ship B’shith and the Vong are walking having Ahsoka and other prisoners and the Four fallen Knights of Ren in bondage. They all approach the Vong queen.

B’shith says “ My queen, these are the heretics I've brought for a sacrifice to our gods they are tech users and magic users and the geedi that damages us,” She asks “ Is there anything else?” He answers “ Our enemies survived our onslaught. They have made it deep into the galaxy and there are more Jedi here.” She is unnerved by the information and says “ Our creed is to cleanse and we will do as such regardless of the opposition our gods is our strength.” The Vong soldiers salute and say in unison  “For the Beyond!” They grab Ahsoka and the other prisoners and leave the Queen's chambers.

On one of the allied ships, Rey is in a coma in the medical bay. Jacen is nealing at post looking at her rest. Hera walks up to him and Asks “ So you fulfilled your mission in finding her is she your .... you know? He answers “ No ma, but I care for her, I know that she is something more and I have never seen her use the force in such away.” Ezar walks up and says “Me and Ahsoka knows of her importance, it’s bigger than the restoration of the Jedi. She is the very hope the galaxy needs.” Soldiers walk up  to them without their helmets.

and says “The Grand Admiral is ready for the briefing on battle strategy.” They walk from the medical bay heading to the briefing. The fleet flies towards a nebula with the hope of galaxy with them.

To the Reader: Thank you for reading, all questions will be answered in part 2 coming soon. May the Force be with you always.

[reapers-game-blog]

Temple Run || Execution

After shoes were thrown, words exchanged, and everything was said and done the treasure hunter just looked... Defeated. He has no more words to say, not more snarky remarks or anything. He was just so done with all of his. All he can do is grimace as the chain shoots out and drags him off to his death.

He really fucked up this time.

[TEMPLE RUN] The screen flickers to life once more, as it's done so many times. The stage getting set and the scene being prepared as it awaited to reveal the horrors that lied ahead. This time you're greeted with the sight of a long and expansive underground tunnel, seemingly apart of some ancient underground ruins. Dust coats everything as plant life hangs from the ceiling above. It's clear this place hasn't seen the light of day in years.

There standing in the middle of it all is Naoya- or, as you've recently come to know, Shinya. Coughing at the dust in the air, the treasure hunter looks around in a daze. For most of you it looks like something right out of adventure movie. Although by the look on Shinya's face it's an all too familiar experience. He was well know for stealing artifacts and treasures from archaeological dig sites after all. Instead of golden treasures and hidden artifacts however is simply a dead end. No way out.

Standing at the very end of the tunnel, his eyes squint as he ajusts to the light. He seemed to be looking at something... Far away in the distance is a faint light. Shinya's eye's widen at the sight of it. An exit perhaps? A way out of this nightmare?

If only he were that lucky.

Before he has time to react the cave suddenly begins to tremble. The ground shaking beneath him as he staggers at the spot. For a brief second there's an intense look of fear in his eyes as he notices bits of the walls and ceiling crumbling all around him. It was clear that if he stayed here any longer then he was going to get buried alive under all of the falling rubble and debris. Quickly bolting into action, Shinya wastes no time in bolting down the long corridor as he narrowing weaves around falling chunks of rocks and debris.

Realistically it should've have been a short journey. Even with the recent wound he had received from Anatol day's prior Shinya was certainly one of the more physically fit students here. He should have had no problem getting to the exit.

Well, he would have had no problem had it not been for the traps.

As Shinya takes a step his foot suddenly sinks. The screen pans down to reveal the pressure plate he had suddenly stepped on below. Stumbling slightly, Shinya has little time to react to what's happening. There's a sudden 'woosh' sound in the air and Shinya suddenly cries out in pain, clutching at his arm. Sticking in him is a long arrow that had been shot out of a hole from the wall. Blood starts to pour down his arm as he whimpers at the sight of his punctured arm. Unfortunately for Shinya there wasn't any time to wait around and access his wounds. Taking hold on the base of the arrow and snaps off most of the wood. At the very least now it wouldn't be protruding at much.

Continuing on, he has little time to breathe as another pressure plate is stepped on and spikes suddenly protrudes from the ground. While he manages to avoid most of them one manages to pierce through his foot as he howls in pain. As before, biting back tears Shinya grunts and whines in pain as he frees his pierced and bleeding foot and continues limping his way down the corridor, leaving a trail of blood as he goes.

This goes on for quite some time. Shinya frantically trying to dodge out of the way but running into all sorts of traps along the way. Projectiles, spinning circular saws, spikes, trip wires, you name it. At one point it even appears that his stab wound reopened as you start to see blood start to show through his shirt around the abdomen. The longer he limps and staggers down the more wounds and pain are inflected on to him. Even a large chunk of debris from the ceiling even managed to hit the poor treasure hunter on the head at one point, causing blood to trickle down from the wound and on to his face.

As he finally nears the exit he's been reduces to a bloodied limping staggering mess. Blood dripping from every possibly wound as he wheezes and heaves, his voice ragged and painful as he grits his teeth. Shinya has a pained tired expression as he continues his way down the corridor. By now he's so close to the light, the exit. You almost think you can hear a bird or two from outside before the loud and thunderous sound of the cave shaking and trembling around him.

As he finally draws close to the exit one more obstacle stands in his way. Looking down at the ground nervously, Shinya eyes a expansive pit that lies in front of him. While it's hard to make out the details, you can just faintly make out the sight of multiple rows of sharp dangerously looking spikes at the bottom. There's no doubt about it, a fall into there would most certainly be the end of him.

Just as he's trying to look around for another away to get around the pit... The ledge suddenly begins to crumble beneath his feet. Breaking off from the rest of the floor Shinya is sent stumbling forward into the pit of spikes with a yelp. It seems like this really is the end for him....

And then a hand catches him, grabbing him tightly by the wrist.

Dangling over the pit, Shinya is confused and in a panic as he looks down anxiously at the drop below. He tries to scramble up but with how many wounds he has it's all in vain. As he looks up desperately at his savior, he pauses.The screen pans up to show the stranger who caught the treasure hunter but it's a face you don't recognize. It's clearly someone you've never met before but Shinya, oh Shinya... His eyes go wide in shock. There's a mix of emotions on his face as he stares up at the stranger. Confusion, surprise, recognition... And guilt.

As for the stranger, well... There's nothing but pure malice in their eyes. A seething and burning rage in their eyes as they stare down at Shinya with a snarl. Just as quickly as they gave him the slight slimmer of hope that he'd be okay they just as easily crushed it. For instead of pulling Shinya up to safety...

They dropped him.

For a split second, you all thought you could see tears start to swell up in the corners of his eyes as he fell into the depths below.

Perhaps out of mercy, either for you or for Shinya, the screen doesn't is obscured by a sudden darkness. As Shinya falls he vanishes from sight, becoming difficult to see in the spike filled pit below. Although you can't see very well what's happening the sounds are all too real. Loud and gruesome as they echo in your ears. There's multiple wet piercing sounds and a cry of agony as Shinya finally hits the bottom. His cries and sobs of pain are bloodcurdling, shaking you to your very core. Eventually, his cries and pained gasps grow softer and softer until he grows silent all together.

It's only when the screen finally flickers to black do you realize the treasure hunter is no more.

[therearemonstersinthedark]

Astronautical Ch 13: Silver & Gold

A Guardians of the Galaxy Fanwork

Pairings: Peter Quill / Gamora (one-sided)

Genre: Adventure, general

Word Count: 4k 

Rating: T to be safe

Links: Fanfiction.net || Ao3

Summary:  After days in the dark and silence, hope comes in the form of a biting headache and burning lungs.

Author’s Notes: Catching up on the updates and notes I’ve fallen behind on here.

Chapter 13: Silver & Gold

The guards made good on Ebony's promise, releasing Peter back into his cell, unbound, and when their next meal appeared and Peter ate half of it, he found he felt perfectly fine. Drax's shackles had been removed as well, along with the chains from the bolts on the floor, though Peter noticed that now when the guards brought their meals and retrieved their trays, the ones that stayed outside of the cells held weapons at the ready. Peter was curious as to what Drax had done last time he was here to elicit such fear, but not quite curious enough to ask. He got the feeling it was one of those things he was happier just not knowing.

The routine continued like that for a while; three meals a cycle, interrupted once a cycle by their trip to the bathroom, and every other cycle by the showers. Three more showers had passed by the time Peter left the room again. By then, the ship on his cast had been reduced to a big smear, and the smiley face had begun to hold a strong resemblance to Ronan. His hand was also starting to itch terribly, and he was considering figuring out a way to remove the cast. He had always been a fast healer, thanks to his unique heritage, no doubt, so his finger was probably healed enough by now to manage as long as he didn't overdo it.

It started with a missed meal. At first, Peter had thought that time was just dragging on extra slowly that night, but hours rolled by, and his stomach made it clear that their regular dinner time had come and passed. Then when breakfast arrived, it came with only half of the usual guards. The one that stayed outside of the cells had a new heavy looking rifle strapped across his back. Shortly after breakfast came the headache, a slow creeping sort of pain that started in the base of his skull and pooled between his eyes, making his vision blur.

"I am Groot." Peter paused in the middle of rubbing at his temples to look up at Groot in alarm.

"What?" Groot had risen to his feet and was staring up at the vents in the ceiling.

"What is he saying?" Drax asked from where he was sitting in the corner.

"He said the air's tainted." Peter answered, rubbing again at his pounding head. "What do you mean by 'tainted,' buddy?"

"I am Groot."

"It's CO." He translated for Drax. "He sais there's Carbon Monoxide coming in from the vents. Well that's not good."

A burst of fear and adrenaline briefly cut through the fog in his head. His eyes quickly scanned the room, even though he already knew there was nowhere to go, and nothing in here that could help. The guards would figure it out and come get them, right? This was pretty fancy ship from everything Peter had seen, it had to have sensors and alerts in place for this kind of thing.

"HEY!" He yelled, suddenly wishing that there was security cameras or something in here. "HEY! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME!?"

Peter screamed for a while, and Drax added his own booming voice a few times, but no answer came. He was catching his breath in the back of the cell and wondering how long it would take for the CO to overtake the oxygen in the room when the door finally slid open and a large handful of guards pooled in, with Gamora at the lead. Thanos's daughter stalked in with a furious look in her eyes and her hand wrapped around the hilt of the Godslayer in a white knuckled grip. Her gaze swept over the room immediately, taking stalk of the prisoners as though to assure herself that they were all still there.

"What's going on?" Peter asked, pulling himself back to his feet. She didn't even dignify him with a response.

"Get them out." She snapped at the closest guards. "Get their cuffs on, and keep them close."

The guards swept in and Peter and Drax were quickly bound and shoved out into the hallway along with Groot. Two guards had their weapons trained on Drax, while the rest took up positions in front and behind, weapons held ready and eyes scanning all directions.

Gamora led them at a swift and unrelenting pace through the hallways of the ship. No alarms blared, and no lights flashed, but it was obvious that this was more than just a malfunction of the air vents. As they marched down the fifth or six hallway, honestly it was hard to count between the rapid pace and his pounding head, a flash of silver and gold caught his attention, and he straightened up. There, looped around one of the fancy sconces, and blending in with the gold plating, was a little silver chain with a tiny gold sword charm. Peter caught Drax's eye and the man gave the tiniest nod back. He'd seen it, too.

Gamora slowed to a stop ahead, and for a moment Peter thought that she'd seen it as well, but instead she raised one hand to her ear and her face twisted into a scowl.

"Keep going." She ordered. "Get them to the holding bay and keep your weapons ready."

Peter managed to catch her eye over the shoulders of the guards, and she shot him one last warning glare before darting off down a separate hallway, drawing the Godslayer and a pistol as she went.

"You heard her. Move out." Came the voice of the guard closest to the lead. It was distorted by the mask and Peter realized it was the first time he had heard one of them speak.

Their procession made it down another two hallways and were descending a steep metal staircase when the lead guard raised his hand to signal a stop and cocked his head slightly as though listening to something.

"Wait." His distorted voice called back. "We have a pro-"

He was cut off by the guard just behind him raising their blaster and firing straight at his back. His body dropped to the floor, writhing and spasming as electricity arced across his body from what appeared to be a modification of the electric disc that Rocket had used on Drax. The first guard had hardly hit the stairs and the one who attacked him was already swinging the butt of their rifle into the face of the one beside them. Drax gave a roar and slammed the closest one straight into the wall, while Groot followed his lead and rammed into the pair behind them. The scuffle was brutal, but quick, and soon the only ones left standing were the prisoners and the rogue guard. Firing one last stun pack onto a guard's body for good measure, they bent to rifle around the lead guards pockets until they found what they were looking for- a set of keys. The set jingled in their hold as they stood and used their free hand to tug off the mask.

"Give me your hands. We don't have long until Gamora comes back."

Peter couldn't help the huge grin that split his face as Nebula unlocked his and Drax's cuffs, then moved to free Groot from his shackles as well.

"Thanks for-"

"Shut up." She snapped. "We're not out of trouble yet."

Peter shut his mouth, but the stupid grin remained fixed in place.

She just rolled her eyes and tugged her mask back on, leading them further down the staircase. Several flights down, the stairs ended with a thick access door that let them into a large loading bay of some sort. Giant crates, probably full of supplies for their journey, lined the walls and created a sort of maze. Nebula sprinted across the open floor and into the labyrinth, Peter and the others hard on her heels as she weaved through the crates. She led them straight to a small door on the other side with a thick bolt and an electronic access panel set into the wall next to it. It took her three tries before she got angry and just smashed the panel with the butt of the rifle and pulled out several wires to twist them together, the lock on the door beeping and sliding open. When the door swung out, Peter was surprised to find that they were on a planet.

The bright light from the planet's sun stung his eyes and left him blinking away spots from his vision.

"Hurry up!" Nebula's impatient voice, distorted slightly through the mask, drew him back into action and he followed her down the small ladder leading from the door onto the planet's surface. They were in some sort of open air dock, parked in a massive red-clay dirt lot surrounded by tall dark buildings that created a staggering shadowy skyline all around them. A strong breeze stirred the top layer of dust and buffeted them lightly.

"HALT!" A loud shout from their left announced when they'd been caught. A group of guards pulled away from where they had been patrolling the perimeter of the ship and advanced straight towards them, weapons drawn.

"Go! Into the city!" Nebula shouted, turning to cover them with a smaller caliber pistol she pulled from the belt of her uniform. Drax took the lead and ran straight for a dark alleyway between two buildings that had to be at least six stories each, and had a dilapidated look with broken windows and crooked brickwork.

Whatever planet they were on must have had a pretty sparse population. Although the tightly spaced buildings spoke to a once booming city, most of the alleys they passed were empty, and the few people that he did glance quickly scattered out of their way. They led their pursuers down a dizzying path, Nebula occasionally shouting out directions from behind as they fled and dodged the weapons being fired from behind. Groot had regrown his limbs and would grab at any assorted debri they passed to lob it back at the guards as well.

Peter's lungs were still recovering from the Carbon Monoxide and screaming at the abuse he was putting them through.

"Take a right here!" Nebula's voice called out again and they swerved down another alley, this one was so narrow they had to race down it in single file. "Faster!" She snapped, urging them on with a shove to Peter's back that nearly sent him sprawling. He didn't even have the breath to rebuke her. They reached a portion of the alley where it widened out and Peter saw Nebula pull a small palm-sized tablet from her pocket as she pulled even with him. She typed a series of numbers in and pressed the button that appeared, and immediately an explosion shook the ground under their feet.

"Whoah!" Peter screamed, stumbling to his hands and knees. His palms stung where they scraped against the hard-packed earth. Behind them, one of the buildings was collapsing in on its self, sending out a huge cloud of dust and blocking off the route they'd come in on. "What-?"

"Come on!" A hand grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back to his feet, tugging him after the rest of the group. As soon as Peter pulled his attention back to running, Nebula let him go and took the lead again, swerving down another alley to their left.

"Did you just blow up that building?" He gasped out. "What if there were people inside?!"

"There weren't." She replied. "We have to keep moving."

They slowed from their frantic dash into a quick jog as they pulled away from their pursuers, and a minute later she typed another code into her little pocket tablet, and another explosion sounded from across the city, a thick plume of smoke rising up from the opposite direction they were headed.

"To keep them busy." She informed him, when she caught him staring in confusion.

Several minutes and two more pocket explosions later, Nebula pulled to a stop and waved at the others to get low. A vehicle of some sort was parked at the edge of this building and as Nebula ducked behind it, she pulled the mask back off, waving Drax over so she could whisper to him in a rushed tone while they peered at something over what would have been considered a hood if it had been a car. Curious, Peter crept forward to crouch at Drax's other shoulder and was surprised to find that they were staring at none other than the parked hulking form of the Oasis. They must have been circling the docks this whole time, but why would Nebula lead them back here of all places?

For the first time, Peter could get a good look at the ship he had been living on the past week or so. The first thing he noticed was that it was huge. Easily at least the length of the Dark Aster from nose to tail, but much bulkier. The entire thing was covered in a sleek polished metal that was somewhere between silver and platinum, the bottom fading a bit darker, and the top leaning more towards platinum. The ceiling-high windows that Peter had seen from inside were hardly more than speckles across the hull from out here. It looked more like a luxury cruise-ship than the dark prison he had been picturing this whole time.

"Why are we back here?" Peter asked.

"We need a ride off this planet." Nebula told him, pulling the long rifle over her shoulder and handing it to Drax. "And I have just the ship in mind. Come on, and stay low."

Tugging the mask back into place, she pulled out the pocket tablet one more time and another explosion set off in the distance, this one so huge he swore he could feel the ground tremble even from all the way over here. "That should keep them looking up." She muttered before she ducked low and darted between several other vehicles and stacks of supplies, probably waiting to load into other ships, on her way towards the back of the Oasis.

All told, the portion of the Oasis that lay on the ground could probably take up an entire football stadium, and every second they spent pacing around the edge towards whatever goal Nebula had in mind had him holding his breath as he expected to be caught. The trick with the explosions seemed to be working like a charm, however, as they stopped at the bottom of a series of indents in the hull that led up to another small access door that was hidden along the edge of the ship. To Peter's surprise, this one popped open with relative ease, no heavy deadbolts and panels that needed to be smashed, and before he knew it they were all back on the ship in some sort of supply closet that reeked of chemicals.

"Stay behind me." Nebula said, opening the door and checking to make sure the way was clear before waving them after. They made their way as quickly as they could through a series of small hallways, Nebula in her guard's uniform taking the lead while the other stayed always a hallway behind so they could duck out of sight if she signaled an approaching patrol. Finally, Nebula waved them all the way up to herself as she peered through a thick window set into a dull grey door.

"We're in luck." She whispered. "It's empty."

Peter peered over her shoulder to find they were at the ship's hangar. The unmistakable sight of his Milano, parked between a number of similar-sized ships that Peter couldn't immediately identify, and din't honstly much care about, filled him with a flood of joy.

"Hey baby!" He whispered as loud as he dared as they slipped through the door and ran for the ship, stopping to give it a quick hug. "I missed you!"

"Don't make me regret this." Nebula had removed her mask again and fixed him with a disgusted look as she passed. The loading ramp was still open and Peter joined Nebula as she jogged up it, only to freeze at the top.

"I thought you might show up here eventually." Gamora stood just inside the common room, one hand on her sword, the other wrapped around the handle of a pistol, and grinning triumphantly at Nebula. "Hand over the prisoners and the stone, and accept your fate with some measure of grace."

Nebula just snorted and drew a serrated combat knife from her uniform, crossing her wrists at she took aim with her own pistol.

"Fine." Gamora snorted back. "Have it your way."

Gamora fired her weapon first, but Nebula ducked out of the way, dropping to dart in close and fire up at her sister's head, slashing at her side with her knife as she dodged the beam it let out. Gamora retaliated swiftly by feinting a blow with the butt of the pistol, only to bring up her leg and roundhouse kick her sister straight in the shoulder. There was no pulling punches here, and Peter heard a sharp cracking noise as the blow connected and sent Nebula stumbling back towards the table, hardly acknowledging the dislocated shoulder as she caught herself and raised her knife to block the Godslayer's blade as it swung down towards her head. Gamora didn't pull the blade back for another blow, instead leaning her weight onto the hilt to pin her sister against the table.

"You're clever, sister, but you're becoming predictable." Gamora had her back turned to Peter now, but he could still hear the smile in her voice as she taunted her sister. Peter had no weapons and for a moment he panicked as he tried to figure out how to help Nebula, but when he tried to catch her eye, he realized she didn't look at all concerned by being pinned against the table under a very heavy sword. Instead, she glanced at something over his shoulder and the corners of her mouth twitched up.

"So are you." Nebula said, hardly getting the words out before Drax fired the stun rifle Nebula had given him. Gamora let out a scream and dropped to the floor and Nebula took full advantage of that moment to pin her down and wrestle her arms behind her back, pulling a set of handcuffs from her belt and fastening Gamora's hands together. Satisfied with the cuffs, she quickly stood to take the large rifle back from Drax. Peter didn't even have a chance to wonder what she was doing with it when she turned and slammed it down on her sister's head with a bang that made Peter about leap out of his skin.

"What the-!?"

"Relax. She'll have a headache when she wakes up, but she'll be fine." Nebula handed the rifle back to Drax, before gathering up the Godslayer and Gamora's discarded pistol, along with several smaller weapons she removed from her sister's pockets. "We need to get out of here soon, or we won't be."

"Watch her." She commanded, staring at Drax and Groot for a moment each. "Carefully."

Satisfied that they would do just that, she rolled her shoulder and snapped it back into place before hauling herself up into the flight deck. Peter followed her up, sending one last glance at Gamora's still form to reassure himself that she was still breathing.

"So, uh, how exactly are you planning to get the hangar door open?" Peter asked as he strapped himself into the co-pilot's chair, bringing the weapons system online just in case. It looked pretty heavy and he doubted his ship had any weapons that would do any more than scratch the paint.

Nebula just pulled the little tablet out from her pocket again and held it up for Peter to see.

"I haven't used them all up yet." She informed him with a wicked smile that Peter couldn't help but answer in kind. He couldn't wait to leave this awful place behind.

They rose from the hangar floor and sped straight for the closed hangar door, Peter fired at the smaller ships as they passed, taking out wings and engines to stop them from following them out. With the commotion they were making, it was no surprise when the air was quickly filled with shouts and blaring alarms, and the sound of blasters pinging off the ships shields, but Nebula had her eyes fixed straight on the exit. With a press of the electronic tablet, a series of explosions set off along the edges of the door panel, ripping it from its frame so they could burst through the burning hole and out into open air.

As soon as they were clear of the wrecked opening they peeled up into the sky, diving straight toward one of the planets very bright suns. Peter knew this trick, the bright light would make it hard to track or fire at the ship with the naked eye.

"Last one." Nebula announced, holding up the tablet again to reveal one more virtual button. This one was red, and had a little symbol painted across it that he recognized as the universal symbol for danger. "This one's a big one."

She pressed it with her thumb and the explosion that set off behind them sent out a shock wave big enough to rock the ship. Peter pulled up a display to see what was happening behind them and was surprised to see huge plumes of black and white smoke billowing out from the hundreds of broken windows like a vent.

"I'm almost glad that Thanos will want to kill me himself if they ever catch me. Ebony Maw will be so displeased by all of this he'd drag it out for months if he could." She was laughing at the joke, but Peter was struggling to find the humor in it. He didn't have any time to dwell on it, though, as they were leaving the atmosphere and Nebula was pulling up a series of panels and maps.

"Get ready to make a jump. There's an access point just outside of the atmosphere."

In the not-so-distance, the stars were starting to shimmer and warp and Peter grabbed a hold of the arms of the chair as they shot straight through.

On the other side of the jump everything was empty and silent. The closest stars were just specks in the distance, and no planets hung in sight. In the stillness Peter felt like he could breath for the first time since Gamora had slid that needle in between his ribs so many cycles ago. Slowly, his muscles relaxed and the hard knot that had formed in his gut uncoiled just a bit.

"Keep your eyes out for any tagalongs."

A series of familiar beeps to his left signaled that autopilot had been engaged, followed by the click and whir of Nebula disengaging her seat belt.

"We'll be making another long jump as soon as the engines cool."

"Thank you." He said, wincing slightly as she leaned back in her seat and threw her legs up on his dashboard. "For coming back."

"Don't get used to it."

"So, where are we going now?"

"Knowhere. We'll need to lay low for a while after this."

"Okay. That sounds good to me. So what made you-"

"Get out."

"What?" Peter blinked in confusion at her interruption. She'd closed her eyes and crossed her arms loosely over her stomach.

"Get out." She repeated, in a softer tone this time. "I need to rest."

"Oh." On closer inspection, he realized that she had little dark shadows under her eyes, like she'd hardly slept for days. They were hard to make out under her naturally blue and purple complexion, but now that he'd noticed them, they seemed glaringly obvious. "Okay. No problem. Just give a shout if you need anything." He unclipped his own belt and stood slowly. "Are you sure you don't want my room? It has a real bed-"

"No... Thank you."

"Okay." As Peter made his way down the ladder he threw one last look into the flight deck. It was hard to tell from this angle, but he could swear he saw the corners of her mouth twitch into a smile in the reflection on the windshield.

End

[shannaraisles]

Her Beacon And Her Shield - Chapter 19

The stone walls towered above them, a dark mass against the night sky. With great crops of the sickening red lyrium crystals grouped at its foundations and smoke rising in dense clouds to obscure the moons overhead, it looked as though it were perpetually ablaze, smouldering ember-like in honor of the dark stone dragon that crouched over the gates. It looked more like a fortress than a place of worship, yet Leliana's agents had confirmed that this was the ancient Shrine of Dumat, the Old God of Tevinter whom Corypheus had once served - the Old God whose awakening and corruption by the darkspawn had heralded the First Blight all those centuries ago. It seemed somehow fitting that this squatting blot on the landscape should be where he had installed his general.

They had very little time. Though the Inquisition's advance had been stealthy and well coordinated, within an hour of nightfall after the Inquisitor's arrival great billowing clouds of smoke had begun to rise from within the shrine itself. A hasty plan of action had been decided upon - that Amelia and her team would lead the way, striking to the heart of the shrine as shock troops, while the remaining Inquisition soldiers and agents would follow to secure it in their wake.

Amelia paused at the gates briefly, taking stock of her companions. Cassandra stood ready, her face twisted in disgust at the symbol of the Dragon God here in Orlais; Dorian, angry to see such a remnant of his country's dark past still in use, was tense and silent beside the Seeker. The Iron Bull, his gray face impassive, caught her eye and nodded, angling his broad form to open his circle of protection to the fifth member of their group. Cullen was pale in the glow from the red lyrium, his eyes hard and fixed on the moment of capture, adjusting his shield as he awaited the command to move forward.

The commander had been quiet on their forced march here, his entire being focused on the prospect of taking Samson into custody and finally getting some answers from the man. But that focus was not what had Amelia concerned. No, her concern stemmed from his reaction to the vast jutting crystals of red lyrium that dotted the landscape, far more dense and numerous around the shrine than she had seen anywhere since her sojourn into the future at Redcliffe. He had only recently been freed from his dependence on true lyrium, whose song was a gentle melody when compared with the pervasive harshness of the cacophony of the red. Because she herself used lyrium when it was necessary, Amelia was constantly aware of the nauseating invasion of the red poking at her senses, yet she had grown used to resisting the harsh call of the crimson mineral. Cullen, however, had no such experience, no such exposure to the dangerous siren call.

Two days ago, they had entered the proximity of the red lyrium crops, and their effect on the commander had been worrying, to say the least. He had become withdrawn, irritable, snapping with sharp words at the slightest provocation. His nights were no better - the nightmares returned, unrelenting, robbing him of the sleep he so desperately needed now of all times. The second night, he had pitched a separate tent, refusing to disturb her rest with his own fitful slumber. The headaches were also back; constant pain made him pale and drawn, exhausted by the time they reached the shrine. But he refused to retreat, too obsessed with the prize within reach. Her only real consolation was how close the Iron Bull was staying to him. She'd discussed it briefly with the Qunari as they rode, and he had given her his solemn promise to keep a close eye on her husband.

"Cassandra, you're in command," she said, nodding to the Seeker. This had become standard practice when they were entering a fortified building, but Amelia made a point of formally renouncing command for Cullen's sake. He wasn't used to the way they worked.

Cassandra answered her nod with a sharp jerk of her own chin; she understood. "Bull will breach the gates," she ordered calmly. "Dorian and I will secure the first room; Cullen and Amelia, the second, and so on. Skirmish tactics. Do not get out of range of our group. Commander, the Inquisitor is your responsibility - if I order you to shield, you will shield her as well."

Cullen gave her a tense nod, stepping closer to his wife. Perhaps the responsibility of keeping her alive would prevent his zeal to take Samson personally from overwhelming his good sense.

"Good." Cassandra glanced at all of them. "Fast and thorough," she told them. "We want to reach the heart of the shrine before they have time to destroy anything valuable."

"Sounds good to me," Bull agreed, hefting his great double-headed axe. He paused just long enough to meet Dorian's eyes, and charged the great gates.

Within a matter of moments, they were little more than sad splinters, easy for Cassandra and Dorian to rush over and engage the surprised defenders within that entrance way. At the Seeker's yell, it was Cullen and Amelia's turn to charge, dodging around the dirty fight just inside the broken gates to burst through the far door with Bull at their backs. They were met by four archers, and only Cullen's quick raising of his shield saved Amelia from an arrow in the eye. In retaliation, she called down chain lightning, incapacitating three of the archers, and turned her full attention to the last. As Cullen left her side to cut down the nearest red templar, she brought ice and fire to bear on the fourth archer, a combination his armor could not protect him from. Then Cassandra and Dorian were rushing past, and their advance into the temple proper began.

Amelia was obliged to run quite a bit faster with Cullen than she was used to with Blackwall or Cassandra. The commander was a very capable warrior, but he had never had to fight in tandem with a mage before. Frequently, he seemed to forget that she needed to catch her breath to form the incantations that made up her spells, charging off to the next target as she cast and leaving her vulnerable to the red templar shadows that stalked the shrine. The third time that happened, only Dorian's quick thinking saved her from a blow direct to the heart, but not even her friend's barrier could prevent her from being hurled into the path of a charging knight. The blow of that shield knocked her onto her back, her staff skittering away across the debris-covered floor.

"Boss!"

With an almighty roar, Bull hurled his massive axe across the room. The knight looming above Amelia raised his sword, and abruptly fell forward to pin her to the floor, Bull's weapon buried in his back. The sword's blade glanced off her shoulder, deflected by her armor but not enough that she wasn't bleeding from the impact. As the last red templar fell, Cassandra's eyes narrowed.

"Cullen!" she barked, turning to find the commander already advancing toward the next door. "Where is your wife?"

The snarled question brought him up short. He turned, as though expecting to find Amelia at his shoulder. When he did not, real concern flared in his gaze, overtaking his determination to reach Samson for just a moment. "Amelia?"

"Over here." Bull was scowling as he bent to retrieve his weapon, pulling the dead knight off Amelia in the process.

"Ame!" Cullen rushed over to help her to her feet, steadying her as she wheezed and and straightened. His expression faded from that true concern as he noted she wasn't too badly injured, into something unforgiving. "Why weren't you with me?"

"I was casting," she defended herself, trying not to lose her temper with him. She knew his attitude had more to do with the invasive siren song of red lyrium all around them than any real anger with her. "You were gone before the spell was released."

"You should have followed," he snapped, angered by the delay in their advance. Every setback gave Samson more time to escape. "We're too close to -"

"You should have been protecting her!" Dorian burst out, frowning as he looked over at them from where he was healing a long gash on Bull's back. "She wouldn't have come so close to death if you hadn't abandoned her!"

"Death?" Cullen looked back at his wife, only now taking note of how disheveled she was, how many cuts were seeping blood into her clothing and armor. She looked dreadful, and he had a nasty feeling that she wouldn't look so bad if he had been paying more attention to her.

"We are not here for your personal vendetta," Cassandra told him angrily. "Your disregard for orders has already endangered the Inquisitor once. Swear to me, now, that you will stay close to her, Cullen, or you go no further."

"You can't -"

"Yes, she can," Amelia interrupted Cullen's outraged objection, shaken but firm as she met his eyes. "Cassandra is in command. And she's right. This isn't about you." She wished she didn't have to be so harsh, but it was her life he had put at risk. Surely she was more important to him than vengeance on Samson. Wasn't she?

He glared at her, his jaw set as he bit down angry words, disliking the truth behind the words that pulled him up by his bootstraps. "Very well," he said, that anger simmering in his voice. "Seeker Pentaghast, I swear by the Maker and Blessed Andraste that I will not leave the Inquisitor's side until this battle is over." At Cassandra's curt nod, he unsheathed his sword once more, barely glancing at Amelia. "At your command."

Behind him, Dorian rolled his eyes to the heavens, but there was no time to coddle bruised egos and hurt pride. With their group ordered once again, they continued their advance onward into a wide courtyard lined with stone dragons. And guarding the enormous door to the heart of the shrine stood a hulking monstrosity Amelia had been afraid they would meet. Ten feet tall, at least, it gave the appearance of an enormous crop of red lyrium that had become sentient and mobile, releasing a juddering howl as they came into view.

"Maker's breath!" Cullen swore at the sight of it. "What is that?"

"They call it a behemoth," Amelia told him, her voice tight with tension. She did not have good memories of any of her fights with these things. "You'll have to get in close with the others, but be ready to disengage on Cassandra's order and come back to me. We've done this before."

He acknowledged her words with a brief nod, gripping his sword as he moved to join Iron Bull and Cassandra in their advance. Left behind, Amelia stepped to Dorian's side, the two mages exchanging a grave glance. The first time they had faced one of these things had been at Haven, and that fight had been a near disaster. Since then, however, they had fought a few behemoths, discovering the fine art that was bringing one down without horrific casualties.

The plan was very simple - the mages focused their efforts on keeping protective barriers up and blinding the behemoth while the warriors got in close to systematically wear down the creature's defenses. At that point, the real danger set in. The behemoth was a being of pure red lyrium, the crystal as strong and as brittle in this living form as it was when inert. With each hit, cracks began to appear in the glowing surface until finally Cassandra broke away.

"Disengage!" the Seeker ordered, whirling out of the behemoth's reach. Cullen and Iron Bull were only moments behind her - the Qunari leaping over the stone balustrade to take cover behind the nearest stone dragon, Cullen sliding down the same stone balustrade to stumble to his feet beside his wife. "Amelia, do it! Cullen ... shield!"

As the behemoth howled and Cassandra pulled Dorian behind her own shield, Amelia planted her feet, raising her marked hand as she focused. The magic of the rifts sparked in her grasp, given clarity by the Anchor, a sensation of pressure building just out of reach until suddenly it burst free, a massive stone fist hurtling toward the lumbering hulk. A moment later, Cullen snatched her close to his chest, dropping them both down onto their knees to bring his shield up between them and the lyrium monster. As the Fade-stone fist made contact, a deafening thunder-crack shook the temple around them. In the cacophonous rumble, the behemoth stilled, the bright glow at its heart fading as the cracks spread over the entirety of its form ... and shattered into shards uncounted. A deadly hail of those vicious fragments struck Cullen's shield, the impact making his arm shake as he pulled her closer still behind the safety of that sturdy barrier. But finally, all was still.

It seemed an age before they heard their companions moving - the groan from Dorian as he rose from his knee behind Cassandra's shield, the crash as Bull pushed his temporary shield of debris from over his own body. And still Cullen knelt, tense and unmoving, his arm banded tightly about Amelia's waist. She raised her unmarked hand, gently touching his cheek.

"Cul," she whispered to him. "It's safe to get up now." When he still didn't move, her hand cupped his chin, raising his eyes to her own. "You're safe. I'm safe. It's done."

His gaze was almost hungry as he searched her eyes, allowing only her to see how shaken he truly was, and she suddenly realized what must be going through his mind. Her description of his death, seen in a future that would now never come, had been eerily similar to the behemoth's end, that final explosion of crystals which sought to infect the unwary and continue this terrible seeding that was killing their world. It was one thing to read about such a death, yet quite another to take a hand in facilitating one. Cullen was shaken to the core to know that, in another life, it could have been him; that, in this life, they had just destroyed a former brother of his who might not have been willing to become the monster red lyrium had made of him.

At a loss as to how she could help him, Amelia drew her thumb over his lips. "This is Samson's doing," she reminded him, as firmly as she dared. "Remember that."

"Samson," he repeated, letting her calm confidence wash over him. He looked up finally, relaxing his grip about her waist as they both got to their feet. "That's it," he said, nodding to the door the behemoth had been guarding. "The heart of his command."

"We haven't seen or heard any sign of him," she said, her tone hard with suspicion. But surely Corypheus didn't have so many resources that he would throw away so much to effect a trap?

"No," Cullen agreed, shaking off his fear as he started to ward the great door. "Maker, tell me he hasn't fled ..."

He surged forward, Bull and Cassandra at his side, and together the three warriors forced that dark portal open, stumbling back as an intense wave of heat and smoke rushed from the hall beyond to choke the courtyard in which they stood. Even at the foot of the steps, where Dorian and Amelia stood, they could feel the blast of that heat, forcing themselves upward to peer through the haze and smoke with streaming eyes. Flames leapt from every flammable surface in the hall, an impassable barrier beyond which they could see another door standing open. The inner sanctum beyond seemed untouched by the fire that barred their way - a hopeful sign, if only they could reach it before the flames did.

Coughing, Amelia tugged her scarf up over her nose and mouth as Dorian raised his hands, casting ice over the raging flames before them. The ice turned swiftly to water, then vapor, but his efforts bore some fruit. Slowly, the steps that lead down into the burning hall were made passable, the fire retreating beneath the Tevinter mage's persistence. Bodies lay amid the flames - red templars caught in the blaze, either too stubborn to run, or sacrificed without a care.

"This place is already half-destroyed," Amelia rasped, dismayed by what they had found.

Beside her, Cullen growled in frustration, his own scarf wrapped over the lower part of his face. "Samson must have ordered his templars to sack his headquarters so we couldn't."

"Looks like he cut his losses and ran," Bull commented, watching as Dorian's spells doused the flames closest to the doors. "Nicely done, kadan."

"You know me, amatus," Dorian replied to his lover flippantly, his tone belying the sheer effort it took to bring his mana to bear on the problem at hand. "I can't resist a good dousing."

Cassandra rolled her eyes at them. "We've dealt Samson a blow," she pointed out. "Bull, hold this position. Amelia, would a barrier spell protect us from the flames?"

Amelia frowned thoughtfully. "If we stay close together and move quickly, it should," she agreed, glancing at Dorian for his opinion. He nodded, assuring her that she was right. "How many of us will I be holding this over?"

"You, myself, and Cullen," the Seeker said firmly. "Dorian, can you -"

"- keep dousing?" the Tevinter mage interrupted with a charming smile. "I would rather let the festering pit burn, but for you, dear lady, anything."

"Let's get on with it, then," Cullen said from between clenched teeth as Cassandra pulled an embarrassed face at Dorian's teasing. His temper was only barely held in check, spurred into simmering rage by the constant song of the crimson mineral all around them.

"Stay close," Amelia warned her two companions as they entered the still burning hall.

She felt them fall in behind her, extending her consciousness to make sure she had them both covered with a barrier that began to decay the moment she raised it. With the rafters above groaning and the floor beneath sagging in alarming fashion, it was a harrowing journey, each step threatening to be their last as they plunged headlong through the flames. Yet they emerged unscathed from the those flames, the room beyond choked with red lyrium in jutting geodes, but no fire. Amelia released an explosive breath as they stepped free, the barrier she held sputtering and dying as she dropped her hands to her knees, breathing hard through the exertion she had just endured to get them here.

"Are you all right?" Cassandra asked her, casting a disapproving frown at Cullen's back as he marched smartly ahead without a thought for his wife.

Amelia nodded, breathless but unharmed. "I just ... just need to catch my breath," she wheezed, straightening as Cullen called urgently from the other side of the doorway.

"Amelia!"

"He seems to have forgotten that you outrank him," the Seeker observed darkly.

"This means a lot to him, Cassandra," the mage reminded her friend in a quiet tone. "And the red lyrium isn't helping. He's never been so close to so much of it before." She raised her voice as they, too, entered the very heart of the inner sanctum. "What is it?"

"Down here." Cullen's voice drew her attention to the left, to where he knelt beside a figure slumped on the floor.

"Maddox ..." For a moment, she was relieved to see the Tranquil alive, dropping to her knees beside him with bright memories of his steady hands working on her staff, on her projects, helping her whenever she asked him; a constant presence in her life in Kirkwall. But the hand that took hers was too cold, the eyes too unfocused.

"Hello, Amelia." Like all Tranquil, there was no inflection of emotion in Maddox's voice as he greeted her, though his words were so quiet she almost missed them. "It is good to see you again."

"It's good to see you, too," she answered, smiling as she squeezed his hand between her own. A dark stain marked his lips - too dark against pale skin that seemed almost gray in the red glow of the lyrium he lay against. "Cullen, something's wrong here."

The commander nodded, his anger suppressed for the moment, at least. "I'll send for the healers," he began, only to be cut off as Maddox spoke again.

"That ... would be a waste, Knight-Captain Cullen," the Tranquil said painfully. "I drank my entire supply of Blightcap essence. It ... won't be long now."

"Oh, Maddox ... there was no need," Amelia told him, appalled that he had chosen to end his own life rather than be captured by them. "We never meant you harm. We only wanted to ask you some questions."

"Yes," Maddox agreed weakly. If he had not been Tranquil, she might almost have thought he was smiling as he looked up at her. "That is what ... I could not allow. You are my friend, I cannot ... cannot lie to you. It is ... better this way."

A heavy sigh passed her lips, defeated by a death not even a mage could prevent. "Why are you alone, Maddox?" she asked him softly, her free hand rising to stroke the hair off his clammy brow. "No one should face death alone."

"I am not alone," he murmured faintly. "I knew that ... you would be here. You ... and the Knight-Captain." He paused, drawing in a labored breath. "I destroyed the camp ... with fire. We all agreed it was best. Our deaths ensured ... Samson had time to escape."

"You threw your lives away for Samson?" Cullen was aghast, his anger flaring once more at all this death for the sake of a man he no longer considered worthy of even remembering with kindness. "Why?"

"Samson saved me ... even before he needed me," Maddox told him, each word losing strength as he spoke. "He gave me purpose again. I ... wanted to ... help ..."

His head tilted onto his shoulder, the life fleeing from his eyes as Amelia felt his hand grow limp in her grasp. She bit her lip, feeling tears fill her own eyes as she reached to lower his eyelids with gentle fingers. Her lips would not form the words, yet beside her, Cullen intoned the chant for the departed, both of them grieving in their own way for a former friend whom they had not been able to save.

"We can't leave him here," she said softly, folding Maddox's hands together against his chest. "We failed him. The least we can do is see him properly laid to rest."

Even with his jaw clenched in fury at the terrible waste of life, Cullen had compassion enough to agree. "I'll have someone take care of it," he promised her. "If even Samson did his best for Maddox, we can do no less."

"We should look around," Cassandra suggested from behind them. "He may have missed something."

Raising her head, Amelia nodded. There was no time to grieve. "You're right," she agreed with Cassandra, turning her eyes to Cullen. "Don't touch the lyrium," she warned him firmly. They were surrounded by the stuff, its nauseating song a blistering chorus that could not be endured for long.

He scowled at her. "I am not a child, Inquisitor," he countered coolly.

"No, you're not," she agreed in a calm tone. "You're my husband, you're too angry to think straight, and I am worried about you."

He hesitated at her sincere words, his mouth snapping shut on a harsh reply. He knew he had not behaved well thus far, pushed to breaking point by the lyrium song all around and deeply frustrated by Samson's escape. He had no excuses, and was not the kind of man to offer any, accepting all guilt and blame for his own failures. Samson's escape was a failure; Maddox's death, another failure. If they were to salvage anything from this, he would have to pull himself together and keep the anger at bay just a little while longer.

"All right," he conceded, choosing to let her lead. "After you, Ame."

Relieved he was at last seeing sense, Amelia rose to her feet. With Cassandra watching their backs, they began a methodical search of the inner sanctum, these rooms that must have belonged to Samson until very recently. Everywhere showed signs of a hasty evacuation, with only the most essential items taken in his rush to escape the advancing Inquisition. His bedroom showed them only the depth of his addiction to the red lyrium - dozens of bottles lay piled along the walls, all empty, licked clean. Somehow, he must have developed an extraordinary resistance to the red, judging by just how much he seemed to be taking, yet he retained his faculties and his freedom of movement. The lyrium wasn't growing inside him as it had done with so many others. What had Corypheus done to give him such resistance? It didn't bear thinking about. The study, too, gave them little to go on - only a nonsensical message addressed to Cullen, who dismissed it out of hand. There was nothing Samson had to say that he wanted to hear.

It was the outer room that gave them some hope, though. Tucked into a corner, amid two enormous red lyrium crystals, was a workbench of some kind, scattered over with pieces of the red that had clearly been worked with the unique tools that projected from one of those jutting spikes of lyrium. Wincing in the onslaught from the singing mineral, Cullen bent closer to examine the tools.

"The fire couldn't destroy these entirely, whatever they are," he commented, his voice deeply strained. They had been in proximity to the red for too long; it was becoming painful to resist that toxic, beguiling song.

"This must have been Maddox's workshop," Amelia answered, frowning as she looked up at him. "Are you all right?"

"I can endure it," he promised her, though his teeth were gritted and his sweat glistened on his pale brow. "What are these?"

Bracing herself, she leaned closer to inspect the tools that had been set into the crystal over the bench. "They seemed to be implements for working lyrium," she said thoughtfully. "But I've never seen anything so advanced."

"Tranquil often make their own tools," Cullen mused, his own frown pensive as he worked his way through to the logical conclusion. "Dagna should be able to make sense of these. If Maddox used them to make Samson's armor ..."

Amelia nodded slowly, feeling a thrill of triumph fill her chest. "Dagna could use them to unmake it."

Despite the pain, despite the mistakes, despite his cutting disappointment, a wolfish smile spread over Cullen's strained face. "We have him," he breathed, laughing mirthlessly at the bitter cost of their discovery.

Pleased that they had something to show for this terrible excursion, Amelia nodded once more, moving to join Cassandra as Cullen began to carefully remove the tools from their crystalline bed. With luck, his gloves were thick enough to protect him from that close contact with the red lyrium. The Seeker was tense, uneasy with what they had found and what they had endured to get here.

"Are we to leave?" she asked Amelia. "The fire is almost contained."

Amelia nodded to her. "The sooner we're away from here, the happier I will be," she confessed uncomfortably, glancing tellingly back at Cullen. "I'm not sure we're out of danger yet."

"The lyrium?" Cassandra frowned in concern.

"On top of losing Samson," the mage murmured. "I've never seen him like this, not even when he was beginning to object to Meredith's methods. He's never been so close to losing control in all the time I've known him."

"But we have gained an advantage here, yes?" Cassandra asked, needing to know they had not simply wasted their time here. "We have denied Samson his headquarters."

"And we may have found a way to negate that armor of his, too," Amelia told her. "if Dagna's even half as good as she says she is, she'll be able to do something with those tools to give us an advantage there."

"Leaving the commander behind might be advantage enough," the Seeker muttered. She was clearly planning a long talk with Cullen about the way he had allowed his personal wishes to interfere with the safety of their party on this mission.

"Be gentle with him," Amelia warned her friend. "He -"

An ominous crack suddenly drew their attention to where Cullen was struggling to pull the last of Maddox's tools loose. The lyrium was laced with hairline fractures, its crimson glow dimming in a manner that was hideously familiar to practiced eyes.

"Cullen, get back!"

She lurched toward her husband, grasping the back of his mantle to wrench him away, turning her body to shield his as he stumbled back from the workbench. With an ear-splitting crunch, a section of the infectious crystal shattered. Pain flared along her spine as deadly shards pierced her leather armor, striking deep into her flesh. Her scream echoed through the ancient temple, bringing Dorian and Bull running from the smouldering hall in time to see Cullen and Cassandra gently easing her down onto her stomach.

"Maker's breath!" Dorian swore, dropping to his knees beside his prone cousin. "What happened?"

"The ... the crystal shattered ..." Cullen gasped, staggering back from the sight of his wife so still on the floor. This was his fault; he should have seen the signs that such a shattering was imminent, too focused on Samson to see past his own nose. "Ame, she ... she saved me ..."

"Cullen, your hand," Cassandra told him, nodding to the grip he had on the tools he had salvaged. Blood dripped from between his fingers, the leather of his gloves shredded as the sharp instruments sliced into his palm.

"Blast my hand, is she -" He leaned over Dorian, snarling in anger as the mage pushed him back.

"You're in my light," Dorian told him firmly, one hand holding the commander back as he tried to focus on peeling the leather and cloth away from Amelia's back as Cassandra cut it free.

Amelia keened in agony, her fingers scratching against the sandy floor as she fought not to move. The sound tore at Cullen's heart, and he lurched forward once again, held back this time by the Iron Bull, who refused to allow him any closer. Dorian and Cassandra were the healers of this group; he and Cullen were surplus to requirements in this situation, no matter their concern. As the protective layers came away, the extent of Amelia's injuries were laid bare, and even Bull winced at the juicy, bloody mess that was her back. The lyrium fragments had struck deep, most already broken into glittering red sand that was even now working its way into her blood. No amount of cleaning would remove them all from her wounds.

"Sweet Andraste," Dorian breathed, utterly horrified. "There's no way to be sure I can get it all out."

"What?" Cullen's attempt to step forward was checked by Bull's tight grip on his shoulder. "Why aren't you doing anything?"

"Easy, Cullen," the Qunari rumbled, shaking him to keep him in place. "This isn't as simple as it looks."

"Cassandra ..." Amelia's voice was a rasping rush of breath as she twisted her head to find her friend's gaze. Troubled eyes turned dull with pain pierced the Seeker's with dreadful purpose. "Burn it out."

Cassandra stared at her, aghast. What she was asking was terrible, but ... there was wisdom in that request. "Are you sure?" she asked, knowing that what was proposed would not be the easiest to endure.

"Dorian can ... heal as you go," Amelia ground out. "Please ... I can feel ... the crystals ..."

Dorian met Cassandra's solemn gaze with gravity of his own. He was tired, his mana depleted, but he would do anything for his cousin, his best friend, the closest thing he had to true family in the world. "It's worth a try," he admitted reluctantly, reaching for the blue lyrium vial in his belt pouch.

"No!" Cullen roared with sudden fury, panic flaring as he fought against Bull's grip. "You'll kill her!"

"She is already dying," the Seeker told him, her expression bleak. "This is the only way. Bull, get him out of here."

She didn't even glance up as the horned mercenary dragged Cullen bodily out of the sanctum, ignoring his protests at every step. The commander was suffering enough with guilt and shame; he didn't need to watch what was about to happen. Cassandra shut the furious voice out as she stilled herself, seeking that place within that was her peace and her focus. She could hear the tainted lyrium in her friend's bloodstream, narrowing that focus to the blinding beam she always visualized in the moments before she unleashed her unique gift.

Amelia's screams echoed through the Shrine of Dumat, her pain felt by every one of the Inquisition's soldiers who heard her. It was only the Iron Bull's steel grip that kept Cullen from surging back into the inner sanctum. The Qunari had him pinned to a wall with one hand spread over his chest, talking quickly and quietly in an attempt to keep the commander calm. With the Inquisitor down, their soldiers were looking to Cullen for some reassurance that she was only injured; with Iron Bull forcing the issue, he managed to pull himself together, swallowing his fear for the woman he loved, a fear that had overridden his pain and anger entirely. A fear that brought with it an unhealthy dose of guilt. This would never have happened if he had not insisted upon coming here in the first place.

As those agonized cries dwindled to nothing, many cast tense glances toward the heart of the shrine, afraid of what they were about to see as figures came into view. Was the Inquisitor dead? Had all this been for nothing? Cullen couldn't bear to look, even as relieved cheers rose all about him.

"Cullen." Iron Bull's voice was soft, but firm. "Look. Turn your head and look at her."

Somehow, there was no denying that voice. Deeply reluctant, afraid to find anger or blame in the eyes he knew so well, Cullen forced himself to look, the breath rushing from his lungs in one dizzying flood of relief. Leaning heavily on Cassandra, her armor in tatters, Amelia was upright; her skin deathly pale and a discernible shake in her limbs, but walking. She was alive. More than that - she caught his eye and offered him a smile so forgiving that it hurt. He didn't deserve her forgiveness, not after this. He didn't deserve her.

Shaking free of Bull's grip, he turned to walk away, needing to be away from the oppression of the lyrium that loomed over him from the walls of this forsaken place. Every mistake, every failure, they had all been his fault. He could not be allowed to endanger her again.