#but mary is good at keeping secrets so jamie doesn't

[princessphilly]

Soooo

My 40th Birthday is coming soon!!!!

So I decided I wanted to celebrate in a big way! Thus, a lyric blurb challenge.

So there are two ways to do this:

1. Pick out a song lyric and fandom and ask me to write or

2. Pick out a song lyric and fandom and write it yourself and post it!

Eep: edited to add, Please send me an ask with the lyric, fandom, and if you want me to write it or if you’re going to write it.

Please post anything related to this with #princesspbdaychallenge because I will be following that tag

Open fandoms: TGM, hockey (Sidney Crosby, Nate Mac, Jamie Oleksiak, Brandon Tanev, ask me about others), Marvel, CE characters, Seb Stan characters, Henry Cavill characters.

Tagging: @spine-buster @chara-hugs @starshine-hockey-girl @buckets-and-trees @biteofcherry @vonalyn @angryschnauzer @persephonepraxidikechthonios @hangmanapologist @hangmanssunnies @withahappyrefrain @yanna-banana @callsignspark @kreiderrider @gretagerwigsmuse @fineanddandy @syntheticavenger @sunshinexsin @navybrat817 @ginghampearlsnsweettea @himbos-on-ice @hiimana @whoeverineedtobe @hockeynshit @2-fast-2-curious @jobean12-blog @thebookofmags @fenixstar

Click to see lyric prompts:

Love

There is an indentation in the shape of you

Made your mark on me, a golden tattoo

Taylor Swift - Dress

Baby, won't you be my sweetheart

We could share a storybook romance

Mariah Carey - Sweetheart

How do you do it?

Make me feel like I do

How do you do it?

It's better than I ever knew

Incubus - Stellar

Forever my lady

I say just what i mean

Forever and ever

I pray is what i see

Jodeci - Forever My Lady

Walks by me every day

Her and love are the same

The woman that's stolen my heart

And beauty is her name

Dru Hill - Beauty 

When I trust you we'll make love until the morning

Let me tell you all my secrets and I'll whisper 'til the day's done

Fka Twigs - Lights On

Cupid doesn't lie

But you won't know unless you give it a try

Oh baby, true love

won't lie but we won't know unless we give it a try

give it a try

112 - Cupid

At night, I think of you

I want, to be your lady, maybe

Ghost Town DJ’s - My Boo

I don't ask for too many things

Only one thing I really need

That is you baby next to me

Mary J Blige - Give Me You

I wanna be the one who you believe

In your heart is sent from (sent from heaven)

Keyshia Cole - Heaven Sent

Angst

Tell me how does it feel

When your heart grows cold? 

New Order - Blue Monday

Talk to the wind, talk to the sky

Talk to the man with the reasons why

And let me know what you find

Taylor Swift - Come In With The Rain

You can never win or lose

If you don't run the race

The Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way

I didn't know nothing, I was stupid, I was foolish

I was lying to myself

Mariah Carey - We Belong Together

There's something kinda sad about

The way that things have come to be.

Desensitized to everything.

What became of subtlety?

Tool - Stinkfist

(Do I wanna know?)

If this feeling flows both ways?

(Sad to see you go)

Was sort of hoping that you'd stay

Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?

Collect the bad habits that you couldn't bear to keep

Fall Out Boy - I'm Like A Lawyer With The Way I'm Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You)

The sun goes down

I feel the light betray me

Linkin Park - Papercut

See the stone set in your eyes

See the thorn twist in your side

I'll wait for you

U2 - With Or Without You

I come home early expecting your warm embrace

But something is wrong 'cuz its written all over your face

Dru Hill - In My Bed

Platonic

Like a shoebox of photographs

With sepia-toned loving

Jack Johnson -  Better Together

Yea, I've been workin' all week

And I'm tired and I don't wanna sleep

I wanna have fun

It's time for a good time

Alan Jackson - Good Time

Come on, baby, let's get away

Let's save our troubles for another day

Come go with me we've got it made

Let me take you on an escapade

Janet Jackson - Escapade

The grabbing hands grab all they can

All for themselves, after all

(It's a competitive world)

(Everything counts in large amounts)

Depeche Mode - Everything Counts

Wear the grudge like a crown. Desperate to control.

Unable to forgive. And sinking deeper.

Tool - The Grudge

And on I read until the day was gone

And I sat in regret of all the things I've done

For all that I've blessed, and all that I've wronged

In dreams until my death I will wander on

Audioslave - Like A Stone

It's so unreal, didn't look out below

Watch the time go right out the window

Linkin Park - In The End

And so we're told this is the golden age

And gold is the reason for the wars we wage

U2 - New Year’s Day

And the crashes are heaven for a sinner like me

But the arms of the ocean delivered me

Florence and the Machine - Never Let Me Go

And all I dreamed of, it can't get started

Time goes really slow and I need to let it out

Kelela - Bankhead

Smutty

We go deep and we don't get no sleep

'Cause we'll be up all night until the early light

Janet Jackson - Go Deep

I'm hanging on your words

Living on your breath

Feeling with your skin

Will I always be here?

Depeche Mode - In Your Room

You'd be calling out my name

Begging me to play my games

Depeche Mode - Corrupt

Fetish is a pleasure you cannot be faked, woho hoho

But when it feels this good then it just comes natural

Baby, arch your back and point your toes

Miguel - Arch & Point

I'm your pimp, I'm your pope, I'm your pastor babe

Confess your sins to me while you masturbate

Miguel - the valley

I got plans to put my hands in places

I never seen, girl, you know what I mean

Usher - Nice & Slow

Turned on by everything you say

I'm turned on by everything you do

Jodeci - Freek'n You

No rules to this game

Turn me out

Now I'm helpless

And I beg you

Do it again

Kelela - Do It Again

Grab hold of me

Gentle love but touch passionately

I'll give you my blessing

Take me person and objectively

Ex and internally

Sabrina Claudio

Give it to me like you need it, baby

Want you to hear me screaming, heavy breathing

Summer Walker - Girls Need Love

[justamonkeyonautopilot]

Continuation of above as I remember writing this list earlier in the year when it was shared on Apple, but I can't find the post so adding it on to here...

Here is the Replay 2023 Top 100 Playlist Apple chose as my "favourite tracks from 2023"

Dancin' Fool - Gary Wilmot

W.I.T.C.H. - Devon Cole

Show Me How You Burlesque - Christina Aguilera

Fireball - Pitbull

School Song - Matilda the Musical

Bloody Mary - Lady Gaga

abcedfu - GAYLE

Run This Town - JAY-Z

DARKSIDE - Neoni

Cinderella Snapped - Jax

She Keeps Me Up - Nickelback

EAT ME - Demi Lovato

PSYCHO - Anne-Marie x Aitch

I'm Not Here To Make Friends - Sam Smith

Enemy - Imagine Dragons

Insane - Black Gryph0n & Baasik

Eyes Closed - Ed Sheeran

Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz

Rich Girl - Gwen Stefani

Fairytale - Alexander Rybak

Zero to Hero - Hercules

Love Thy Neighbour - Prom the Musical

Happier Than Ever - Kelly Clarkson

Five Colours in Her Hair - McFly

Teir Abhaile Riu - Celtic Woman

Bitch - Meredith Brooks

Land of Yesterday - Anastasia the Musical

Candyman - Christina Aguilera

Play with Fire - Sam Tinnesz

Me and the Devil - Soap&Skin

Queen of Kings - Alessandra

Boss Bitch - Doja Cat

Do You Hear the People Sing - Les Miserable

If It's Not God - Maddie Zahm

Come With Me Now - KONGOS

Thats What I Want - Lil Nas X

The Fine Print - The Stupendium

Me Against the Music - Britney Spears

Dem Beats - Todrick Hall

Never Gonna Not Dance Again - P!nk

F**kin' Perfect - P!nk

Shivers - Ed Sheeran

Fat Funny Friend - Maddie Zahm

Gentleman Jack - O'Hooley & Tidow

Emperor's New Clothes - Panic! At the Disco

Youth of the Nation - P.O.D.

Control - Zoe Wees

Riot - Three Days Grace

I Think I'm In Love - Kat Dahlia

Dear Maria, Count Me In - All Time Low

Dirty Thoughts - Chloe Adams

I Hope You Never Fall In Love Again - KiD RAiN

The Whole "Being Dead" Thing - Beetlejuice the Musical

Stick It to the Man - School of Rock the Musical

Don't Lose Ur Head - Six the Musical

Everybody's Talking About Jamie - Everybody's Talking About Jamie the Musical

GIRL LIKE ME - Black Eyed Peas

Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio

Another One Bites the Dust - Queen

Get Busy - Sean Paul

Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

ME! - Taylor Swift

1985 - Bowling for Soup

Say Amen - Panic! At the Disco

Green Green Grass - George Ezra

Don't Blame Me - Taylor Swift

Mein Herr - Cabaret the Musical

Popular Monster - Falling In Reverse

I'm Just a Kid - Simple Plan

AVA - Natalie Jane

Thunder - Gabry Ponte

Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Iris - The Goo Goo Dolls

Centuries - Fall Out Boy

Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

Better When I'm Dancing - Meghan Trainor

Goo Goo Muck - The Cramps

Boyfriend - Dove Cameron

Wellerman - Nathan Evans

All You Wanna Do - Six the Musical

The Last Shanty - Derina Harvey Band

Victoria's Secret - Jax

Rotten to the Core - Descendants

Absolutely (Story of a Girl) - Nine Days

Breakfast - Dove Cameron

Just a Number - Amanda Williams

I Know Him - Hamilton the Musical

Six - Six the Musical

Barbie&Ken - Kate Gill

Another Brick in the Wall - Pink Floyd

The Fame - Lady Gaga

Surface Pressure - Encanto

Come Alive - The Greatest Showman

Pretty Devil - Alessandra

Accidentally in Love - Counting Crows

Scotty Doesn't Know - Lustra

Deep Down - Alok

21 Reasons - Nathan Dawe

Friend Like Me - Aladdin

Good As Hell - Lizzo

So what I've learned from this round up is apparently I decided at some point this year to just relive my high school years with most the music I listened to this year *hides face*

Shared Last Years Apple Music Replay So Here’s 2023’S 🙈😅

[nekojitachan]

Okay, so apparently I wanted to take a break to write fluff before I got into the really dark scene in the new fic. So you folks get a bit of Armies fluff (HUSBANDS) that I call ‘An Armies Fairy Tale’.

It should be safe other than Abram predicting Andrew’s impending death and his view on Andrew’s detestable cooking choices.

*******

“Is that… ricotta and marshmallows? With lemon curd?” Abram asked, torn between incredulousness and nausea as he gazed over his husband’s shoulder to see what Andrew was making for dinner.

Andrew gave a slight nudge to his ribs to make him back away. “Mary likes it and you have Pad Thai in the fridge,” he said as he flipped the… the abomination of a grilled cheese sandwich.

“How do you know she likes it? Wait, is that what you made last time while I was off with Jamie?” Abram felt a headache coming on and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s going to shoot you when she finds out.”

“She’s not, because Mary’s good at keeping secrets. Now go make sure the table’s set.”

Jamie was so going to shoot Andrew (once she got out of the hospital after having her second daughter), and Abram wouldn’t stop her (especially if kept him from being shot as well). He shook his head as he put his leftover Thai in the microwave, then grabbed enough plates and bowls for their dinner.

Mary, who’d been busy playing with the cats, came running when she saw him getting the bar ready for them to eat and offered to help; Abram told her to go wash her hands instead. By the time she came back, everything was done, so he lifted his five-year old niece up into her chair as Andrew finished ladling cream of potato soup into her bowl.

“Give that time to cool,” Andrew warned her before he sat down next to Abram. “Eat your sandwiches first.” He’d cut them into small slices that were easy for her to pick up and bite into.

“Thank you, Uncle Drew,” Mary said, as polite as always; she had Jamie’s blonde hair and Sean’s blue eyes, and there were times when Abram and Andrew took her out that people asked if she was their daughter. Once she took a bite of a grilled cheese abomination, a happy smile made her plump cheeks grow round like peaches. “Yummy!”

Andrew shot Abram a ‘told you so’ look which had Abram rolling his eyes. “How come you’re not eating Uncle Drew’s special sandwiches, Uncle Ram?”

“Because they’re for special people, like you two,” Abram said as he picked at the spicy noodles with his chopsticks.

“Oh.” Mary seemed appeased by that and nibbled on another slice of grilled cheese; Abram was reminded of a chipmunk gnawing on a nut and tried not to smile at his adorable niece. “Is Mummy all right? When can I see her?”

He tried for a reassuring expression as he thought about his cousin. “She’s fine, we’ll go see her as soon as your little sister is born, I promise.” Jamie had developed a couple complications with her second (and last, according to her) pregnancy, and while the family had every faith in doctors looking after her, she and Sean had decided to leave Mary with Abram and Andrew until Fiona Miriam was born.

Mary’s full bottom lip jutted out as she dropped the half-eaten grilled cheese ‘stick’ onto her plate. “I don’t wanna little sister, I want Mummy and Daddy an-“

“Hey,” Andrew said, his deep voice calm while Abram tensed up like he always did when Mary had one of her few tantrums, at a loss at what to do. “How about I tell you a story, okay?”

Mary blinked through the tears forming in her eyes as she gazed at ‘Uncle Drew’. “What type of story?”

“A good one, so keep eating,” Andrew ordered as he picked up a piece of his own sandwich. He stared at her while he popped it into his mouth, then nodded when she resumed nibbling on the horrid thing.

He had a sip of coffee to wash it down (wash away what had to be its awful taste, Abram was certain), then cleared his throat. “All right, so once there was nasty, stupid, stinky ogre-“

“How nasty and stinky?” Mary asked as she reached for another grilled cheese stick.

“Very,” Andrew insisted as he broke apart another grilled cheese abomination. “So very nasty and stupid and stinky, but he had a nephew who wasn’t nasty or stupid or stinky, but beautiful and blessed with gifts like being able to speak many languages.”

Abram had a very bad feeling about this story.

“Because his nephew was so special, a truly horrible monster was after him, which made the ogre try to hide the young man away from everyone. He locked him up in a tower and hired all these knights look after him, because he was stupid and prideful as well as nasty and stinky.”

“Stuart is going to shoot you as well, and I’m merely going to stand there and watch,” Abram informed his husband in Russian as he gave up on his noodles to prop his chin up on his left palm; Mary ignored him, long used to his asides in different languages by then.

Andrew, ever the mature one, kicked him in the shin while Mary clapped her hands together. “So he was a prince, wasn’t he? A prince needing rescued? Couldn’t he fight himself?” She seemed to disapprove of anyone who couldn’t fight for themselves.

“Somewhat,” Andrew agreed. “But this prince had a curse on him, one that made him weak in battle, made him act like an idiot and- ow.” Abram did some kicking of his own right then. “He needed someone to guard his back while fighting,” Andrew amended while he regarded Abram through narrowed eyes.

“Okay.” Mary appeared a little confused. “He had knights to help, right?”

“Yes, one knight in particular, a special knight who crossed the ocean to come fight for him, a young man who-“

“The knight’s a boy?” Mary’s brows drew together as she scowled at Andrew, a miniature version of her mother. “They’re supposed to be a girl! The knight’s always a girl when Mummy and Aunt Liz tell the story!”

Abram barely managed not to choke on his water over that declaration, and turned his laugh into a semi-convincing cough at the consternation on Andrew’s face; Nicky and Erik’s daughter Emery never gave Andrew this much grief when he told her stories. “Knights can be boys, too,” his husband insisted.

Mary didn’t appear convinced, but went with trying her soup instead of arguing, her expression rather dubious.

“As I was saying, the boy knight arrived in time to save the foolish prince-“

“You are so lucky right now that the family doesn’t believe in introducing the children to violence and bloodshed until they’re at least ten,” Abram informed his poor choice of a life partner before he resumed eating his dinner, and got his shin kicked again.

Why wasn’t he drinking wine right then? Ah, right, Mary.

-“from the terrible monster, his stupid, stinky ogre of an uncle, and himself.”

“From his horrible choice of boyfriends,” Abram muttered, and moved his leg in time to avoid being kicked yet again.

“Did the knight fight the monster with a sword? I like swords,” Mary stated with a bright smile.

She was definitely her mother’s daughter.

Andrew leaned forward to wipe at a drop of soup which was about to drip down her chin. “A sharp blade was definitely put to use, yes. The knight fought the monster along with the prince, the ogre and the ogre’s family, and won the hand of the prince in the end.”

“Did he fight the ogre, too?”

“Oh, he’s going to.” Abram couldn’t wait until his uncle heard about this story; he just hoped he was in China or someplace else far, far away when that happened.

“It’s an ongoing battle,” Andrew admitted as he kicked the bottom of Abram’s stool. “The knight knows that his prince, who’s not too bright at times, has a soft spot for the stupid, stinky creature.”

“That’s not going to be the only ongoing battle, hon.” Abram ‘predicted’ with a false smile.

His displeasure with Andrew aside, he had to admit that Mary was in a better mood because of the ridiculous story, which only got better when she and ‘Uncle Drew’ had chocolate fudge ice cream for dessert (Abram was definitely being assigned a mission as far east as possible before Jamie was back in shape after the birth).

They were just about to put Mary to bed when Sean called to say that Jamie and Fiona were fine and that they could bring Mary to the hospital first thing in the morning. Mary was happy to talk to her father and exhausted but pleased mother before she went to sleep, eager to see them soon.

Abram picked up King, who rubbed against his legs, and carried her down to the kitchen so he could have a cup of tea (with Baileys, it had been a long day). “I don’t know how Jamie and Sean keep up with her day after day.” And now they had a second child.

Andrew grunted in agreement. “At least they have the sense to have ‘em one at a time.” He probably was thinking of his brother and sister-in-law; Katelyn was expecting twins in a few months.

“Well, I think there’s something to be said about sticking with cats.” Abram gave King a scratch beneath her chin before he set her down so he could fill the kettle with fresh water; she joined Sir and Huayra by their food dishes, ever hopeful for a snack.

Of course Andrew gave them something.

“No kids,” Andrew agreed yet again as he accepted the mug of hot chocolate (and Baileys) which Abram had made for him. “Can only imagine how messed up our kid would be with your inability to grasp health emergencies or dangerous situations.”

“Or you feeding them kilos of sugar a day,” Abram countered; Andrew clicked his tongue at that but didn’t disagree.

They finished their drinks in companionable silence, then Andrew clicked his tongue again. “Movie?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I may just wait here until my knight shows up,” Abram drawled as he gazed at his husband. Andrew didn’t respond, his handsome face expressionless, and the next thing Abram knew, he found himself yanked forward and thrown onto Andrew’s broad left shoulder. “What the- Drew!” Abram laughed as he was carried into the living room and dumped onto the couch.

“Movie,” Andrew repeated as he plopped down next to Abram. “And I’m picking it.”

“You romantic fool, you.” Abram smiled as he snuggled up next to his husband. “I’m still not doing anything when Stuart goes to shoot you, though.”

Andrew scoffed as if to show he wasn’t afraid of the man and draped his arm over Abram’s shoulders. Abram draped the chenille blanket over the both of them before the cats curled on around them, and smiled when Andrew picked ‘The Princess Bride’ for them to watch.

*******

In case you can’t guess, Mary v.2 (and Fiona) is going to grow up a MAJOR BADASS. Fear for any man who dares to try to control/harm her. The Hatford organization will gladly clean up the mess while sniffing back tears and going ‘that’s our little girl’.  Lessons have been learned.

Emery will be terrifying, too. Nicky’s bubbly personality but not afraid of anything and able to back it up, thanks to her Hatford uncles.

[timefortwig]

Getting Up To Speed

Since I already read 2 arcs of Twig before making this blog, I want to give a brief rundown on my thoughts up to this point and my reactions to the story.

I'll start with the main characters

Sylvester/Sy/Sly/That Fucker - As a protagonist, Sy is really entertaining to read, because you can read through his thought process as he is hatching all of his schemes. In fact, I think Sy can only work as a protagonist. Without being able to hear his inner monologue, he would seem far less impressive to the reader. Sy's lack of fighting ability is definitely a break away from Worm's and Ward's protagonists, with Taylor's habit of throwing herself into conflict and Victoria's years of fighting experience. His aversion to physical confrontation also sets up that this won't be a story about winning a fight, and how it's conflict will be more in the conversational and political arenas

Jamie - Jamie is a really great character for Sy to bounce off of, With the dynamic of Jamie being the only person who can really keep Sy in check and Sy seeming to care about him in a way he doesn't really care about anyone else. Also, I can't be the only one who wants a Boxcar Children-esque series of short, "child-friendly" novels about the Lambs solving mysteries around Radham, taken directly from Jaime's journals. Interested in why he seems so intent on keeping his torso covered. Mutations/side effects due to the formulas the Lambs were given?

Helen - I don't really have too much to say about Helen so far. She can be funny, she can be terrifying, she can be sympathetic. I like how she acts the least human out of all of the Lambs. I always imagined her as looking like a younger version of Jane Doe from the musical Ride the Cyclone, of course without the fully black eyes (maybe).

Gordon - Gordon functions as a good way to give the Lambs direction and purpose, being their leader, and is also a good foil for Sy. His clean cut boy scout facade hiding a less-than-perfect demeanor is fun to read, and I hope he gets to really be in the spotlight and put his character on display. The last arc was good for this, but I really want some more solid character moments from him.

Lillian - The team's designated normal person, to a certain definition of "normal." I think she deserves and needs some moments to shine and show her character more than even Gordon. She helps out a lot, but she hasn't really played a major part in any plans. I yearn for the day when Lillian can have that moment of badassery that shows you just why she was chosen to be on this team. (Also Sy really is a butt)

Mary - The newest member of the Lambs, turned to their side after Sy employed his full arsenal of talk-no-jutsu on her and they defeated her creator. She brings some much needed combat prowess to the Lambs, letting the story put the protagonists in more dangerous situations. Mary is probably the most open out of all of the Lambs, barring Sy since we can literally read his thoughts. Her inner struggle and desire for acceptance and approval from the others is one of the things that really makes Mary shine for me.(Also I totally ship Mary and Lillian, fight me)

The Lambs as a whole are a really fun group to watch, the coordination, the banter, the dynamics. All of it is a treat and I hope to see these government secret police and assassins adorable orphan children succeed in life and maybe topple a global superpower.

Speaking of which, onto the world of Twig

I'm a big fan of body horror (I wouldn't read anything by Wildbow if I wasn't) and I've always enjoyed the aesthetics of the late 19th to early 20th century, and as such, Twig's setting immediately caught my interest. In fact, it's what made me choose Twig over Pact and Pale when deciding what to read after I was done with Ward. Mad Science actually being accepted into the scientific consensus and then being exploited by an imperialist power for warfare is just the most realistically funny thing ever. Like, if stuff this groundbreaking was discovered in real life, thten the entire scientific community, military-industrial complex, and government would be on that shit in a heartbeat. What did you expect to happen, everyone sees the shut-in mad scientist make a horrific man-chicken-fungus hybrid or whatever in his isolated castle and just collectively decides "lets just ignore how he did this"? Since I'm starting to ramble, let's change the subject.

The villains! ...or rather the antagonists

So far, most of Twig's villains have had a sympathetic edge to them. The Snake Charmer just wanted to get into the academy, the Bad Seeds were indoctrinated by Percy to be murderers, Percy himself actually cared about at least Mary to some degree, and Mauer has extremely good reason to hate the academy, as does the Mysterious Anti-Academy Conspiracy. Mostly because they're right. I suspect that the Academy and the ominous, all-powerful Crown it is (maybe) beholden to will be the final Big Bad of Twig

And that's all for now. My next update will probably come out Thursday or Friday, so check in then. If you have any comments or ideas about things I could be doing better, then let me know.

Current number of groin attacks | 3 |

[renee-writer]

Bodyguard Chapter 28 Uncle Lamb

Claire wakes up tangled in Jamie's arms with the memory of his hand and mouth on her. She flushes against his chest. He wakes up and nuzzles against her hair.

“Good morning.” He hoarsely says against her hair.

“Good morning. Did you~ sleep well?”

“I did. Did you?”

“I did. Ah~ thank you.” Her face is still against his chest. He lifts it finding her eyes.

“I dinna regret it. Not any of it. I am falling in love with you. Dinna you ken that?” Her mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water. She is saved by answering by the breezy entrance of Gillian. She stops and stares at them.

“What is this then?”

“She had trouble sleeping with all that happened.”

“I see. Well we will discuss that later. We need to talk about how to handle this situation with Mary.”

“Can you let us get up and dressed first?” Claire requests. Her eyes go up to her hairline.

“You are not dressed?”

Claire sighs.” Yes. In pj's. A moment please.” She nods and slips out. “Oh God. As if this day isn’t hard enough already.”

“I will be right by your side.” He gently kisses her and slips out. “Do you need help dressing?”

“No. But thanks.” She knows she will need to give a statement to the press so she dresses up. She needs to meet with Uncle Lamb, see Mary, and address Jamie's statement. Christ! Jamie, in a suit and tie, comes back in. He helps her pull her curls up in a twist. They join Gillian.

“I understand you need to see Mary.”

“And her dad, my Uncle Lamb. He is coming into day.”

“I see. But first we need to talk to the press. I've scheduled a presser, a small one. Just answer a few questions and then join your family.”

“Okay Gillian. But I determine when it ends.”

“Deal.”

She takes a seat at the table. Gillian takes a seat beside her with Jamie, standing like a Secret Service agent, behind her. A small representation of the press, print and television, waits in front.

“Miss Beauchamp has her cousin to check on so this will be quick. She will not answer any questions about what was specifically done to her cousin.” A groan comes from the group,” but will tell you what she can.”

“Has he been captured and what are the charges?”

“Nice way to try to get around what Gillian just said I won't talk about. He has with charges such as kidnapping and stalking, as well as serial murder, pending.” A mummer greets this.

“Serial murder?”

“There were bodies buried in his basement.”

“How many?”

A bit later, she is changing in the back of the limo, to Jamie's amazement. “You learn to change on the go. I need to be Claire, not Miss Beauchamp, to Mary and Uncle Lamb.”

“Understand. Smart diversion. They forgot all about Mary.”

“Thanks. Another thing you pick up. The tabloids will still dig but..”

“Not much to do about them.” Gillian completes.

She hurries to Mary's room. She runs into her Uncle Lamb before she gets there. He takes her in his arms.

“Claire bear! My love. Are you alright?”

“I am as long as Mary is.”

“She is shook up. Physically, she is better. Finally hydrated. Emotionally.”

“Uncle Lamb, I am so sorry.”

“None of that love. No one is to blame but that monster. Claire, is this one of the men who rescued them?”

“Sorry, I am a mess. Lambert Beauchamp, meet my bodyguard and a bit more, Jamie Fraser. Jamie, my Uncle Lamb.”

“Nice to meet you sir.”

“You too. You keep my Claire safe?”

“Aye and captured the monster.”

“Good bloke. Her bodyguard, so you sent them after my Mary. Her rescuers?”

“Aye sir.”

“And a bit more?” he looks between them.

“We will talk. I need to see Mary.”

“Of course. I will have a talk with Jamie here.” She looks between them. Jamie gives her an encouraging smile.

“Thank you for seeing my loves safe.” They sit In the little lounge area.

“You are welcome. It was my pleasure. I wish we could have found her before…”

“She is alive. She didn’t join the unfortunate ladies they found buried. Alive due to you and your team's skills. She is alive and Claire is safe.”

“Aye. Thank God.”

“You love her.”

“Aye. I do. Wasn't supposed to. It goes against my own rules, falling for a protectee. But, aye, I love her madly.”

“Does she feel the same?”

“We've not had time to discuss it.”

“Understand. I would say she does. Treat her right. Has she told you of Philip?”

“Aye, aye she has. He is on my list.”

“Good then you know of the fibro too.”

“I do. I am doing my best to help her with it.”

“Good man. I love her like a daughter. I will be taken my Mary back to London. I want her to recover in complete peace. I will tell Claire it has nothing to do with her, with blame. But I know my niece, Jamie. She will blame herself. If you could help with that.”

“Of course.”

“I am glad she has you.”

“Mary?” Her cousins eyes meet hers.

“Claire, I saw you on the telly. Thank you for protecting me.”

“I am sorry that I couldn’t from..”

“Don't. It isn’t your fault. He is in prison. I am alive and still, physically, a virgin. It could be so much worse. Have you seen dad?”

“Yes. He is talking with Jamie right now.”

“Oh. About you, I bet.”

“Now why would they be talking about me? Probably about your rescue.”

“Eh, and you. Dad sees. He loves you, doesn't he?” She flushes. “Something happened.”

“Yes. We slept together. Just slept, well mostly. This morning, he told me he loved me.”

“Oh, and you said?”

“Nothing yet. Jillian came in.”

“Darn. What would you have said?”

“Oh man. I love him too. I am scared to death.”

“He isn’t Philip, as he has proven. Man, you most call, FaceTime, and let me know how it goes.”

“Call. FaceTime. You are leaving?”

She bites her lip and nods. “I love you Claire. I want to return to being your PA. I must get past this first and can't in your spotlight. Please understand.”

“Oh honey. Of course I do. I will just miss you terribly.”

“As I will you.”

She is discharged later that day. The cousins tightly hug. She hugs her Uncle Lamb. Then she weeps against Jamie's chest. They head home so she can rest and they can talk.

[renee-writer]

Secrets We Keep Chapter 74 Engagement Party

She watches Gellis closely. She drowns drink after drink, watching Mary out of the corner of her eye while flirting with Angus. She had been flirting with them both until Rupert held up his hand, showing her the wedding band on his finger. Now she is focused on Angus in, a desperate bid, to make Mary jealous.

Mary, for her part, is talking with Rupert, Jamie and herself, totally ignoring Gellis and her antics. "So, you are content with a simple wedding?" She asks Claire.

"I am. Not to much into the fussy, girly stuff. It really is only about making my relationship with Jamie all official and legal."

"Aye. Marriage is great. Tis wonderful to be a true and forever partner with the love of yer life." Rupert, a bit sloshed, waxes poetic. Jamie gives him a grin.

"I truly look forward to it." He says looking at Claire and not his mate. She catches his eye and then his lips for a slow and sensuous kiss.

"Och! Get a room ye two!" A very drunk Gellis yells out.

"Leave them alone Gellis. They are in love." Mary quietly says. The table gets silent as the tension, that has been simmering between the two, comes fully to the surface.

"Ahh love. Love is wonderful until it isn't. I am sure ye two will be fine. Ye chose weel. Someone who love ye too. Love. I think I will stick to lust. Tis easier." Gellis loudly declares.

"Angus, why don't you take Gellis on the dance floor for a bit." Jamie urges. Angus meets his eyes and nods.

"Come lass. I want to show ye my moves." He leads her away and the table breathes a collective sigh of relief.

"Was she...I didn't....it was to be just..?" Mary stumbles out. Claire squeezes Jamie's hand.

"Come Mary. We need to talk." She leads her away.

"What, in the name of all the Saints, is going on?" Rupert asks Jamie.

"A long story. Mary and Gellis had a casual relationship. Mary meet someone else. Gellis then realized that she felt something more then casual between them."

"Oh. Poor lass."

"Aye." His eyes search for Claire and find her at the beginning of the hall that leads to the loos, earnestly talking to Mary.

"It wasn't to be like you and Jamie. It was just to be..well."

"I know. But, Gel, she feels a bit more for you, I am afraid."

"Is she in love with me?"

"Are you with Jude?" Claire counters, knowing it isn't for her to tell.

"I think I may be. I feared blokes. It is why I choose..but, he is so kind and gentle. Hasn't pushed for more then hand holding and a few kisses."

"Does he know of your arrangement with Gellis?" She bites at her lip and fidgets. "I take that as a no. You must tell him. And, you must choose. It isn't right to keep either hanging."

"I know."

"Ahh Mary. None of this is your fault. You didn't cause it but, you must fix it. I am here if you need to talk."

"Thank you Claire." They hug and head back to the table.

"Will ye dance with me?" Jamie asks when she returns.

"Absolutely. Take Mary out Rupert. If your wife wouldn't mind."

"She wouldn't. She trust me." He offers his hand to Mary.

"So, did ye get the lass sorted?" Jamie asks as they sway together.

"I tried. She is confused. Believes herself in love with Jude but, is quite concerned about Gellis."

"Iffrin. Should we not allow her to bring him to the wedding then?"

"I don't think that is necessary. Gellis is an adult. I will have a talk with her, make sure she doesn't act this way there." They both look towards Gellis, draped around Angus, as they half dance, half make-out, in a dark corner of the dance floor.

"Now who needs to get a room." Jamie says with a chuckle.

"He won't hurt her, will he?"

"Nae, he kens what this is about. I think they both will have fun, fun they probably wilna recall tomorrow, and that will be the end of it."

"Okay. That is good. Speaking of fun." She presses against him."it feels like you have something for me."

He groans low, as he grabs her arse and pulls her closer. "Christ woman. Ye are determined to kill me. This is our own engagement party. We canna slip away this early."

"Who said anything about slipping away?"