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shelby-love · 4 years ago

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MATT CASEY

Hatred and fatherly love.

Requested: yes

Prompts: none

Warning(s): none

Author's note: I had a lot of fun with this one. I'm still thinking about whether or not I should just keep the ending as it is or make a part two where (as requested) they fall for each other. But if I'm being honest I kind of dig feisty Y/N that stands her ground.

PART // 2 //

MASTERLIST

"Justin what you did was wrong," You fumed, handing him the last of your boxes to load into the truck. He took them without saying a word, letting you take out your frustration on him. "I can't believe dad would do that."

"Oh come on," Your older brother groaned. "Now you're acting like Erin."

"Damn right I am," You agreed. "Unlike dad, Erin and I want you to learn from your mistakes. Obviously, that's not gonna happen if dad keeps babying you."

"So what?" His words came out immaturely, making you punch his shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For being an asshole! That little boy is paralysed from the waist down because of you!"

"You're overreacting."

"You know what, I give up." Your hands curled around the car doors before they released when you shut the door closed. Anger took permanent residence in your chest.

You shot your brother a glare before jumping into your car. "Thanks for helping me pack."

And with that you sped off to your new home.

***

The apartment complex you moved to was considered to be a jackpot. With that being said, if there was one thing that you liked about having Hank Voight as your father, it was the very comfortable lifestyle you could afford with just your name.

Of course, you were mad at your father right now. What he did to get your immature brother out of trouble was all kinds of wrong, and you didn't support it at all.

"Do you need help with that?" A cool voice told you in passing. You had your hands filled with boxes, and you could barely register what was in front of you.

Before you could say anything hands were already easing the weight in your arms. You smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of your neck shyly.

"Thanks. I just moved here," You explained quickly before looking at the man who offered his help to you. He held the two boxes in his one hand, the other one free for you to take in a greet. "I'm Y/N. Nice to meet you."

"Matt Casey. You can call me Matt."

Inside, you were panicking. The firefighter who currently hated your father and brother with a passion was standing in front of you.

You smiled shakily before a voice called out. "Miss Voight. There are some papers you need to sign."

The way Matt's eyes narrowed at you looked sinister, almost as if he was ready to swallow you up in flames or maybe even leave you in a burning building to die if it ever came down to it.

You didn't know what to say, only mumbling apologies to him before scurrying over to sign some papers.

And when you came back to where Matt once stood, you found your two boxes down on the floor.

Great. My new neighbour hates my guts.

***

Over the next few days Matt and you had managed to establish a routine. You'd both see each other in the hallways very frequently but never actually greet each other. By Tuesday, you were already used to the icy glares and the feeling of being the most hated woman on earth.

You even managed to make a game out of it. What does he think I do for living, it was called. Your number one guess was that he thought you were a dirty cop. Like your father obviously.

But then again, you swore you could see his eyes linger on your legs in passing every time you wore a skirt or a dress. So yet again, another one of your guesses was that he thought you were a stripper.

As fun as it was to make games out of your non-existent relationship it hurt you to be treated in a way you didn't deserve.

The truth was - you worked as a nurse, specifically working with little children. Every day you saw their parents take down stars in order to make their little ones happy and as messed up as it sounded you saw yourself categorizing your own father with them. The only difference between them and your own father was the fact that your father did what he did to protect you in a way that some people didn't seem to find fit.

People like Matt for instance.

And while you understood both sides, you leaned toward Matt. What Justin did was awful and your mind was set in stone - he deserved time. He had to sit in a cell and feel what is like to be at the bottom before he could even begin thinking about changing for the better.

Sadly that's not what happened.

As you walked back to your new apartment the bags under your eyes became more evident. You had lost a patient today. A little baby girl lost to cancer in a battle called life. It left a mark at your heart, and her smiling face was still misty in your mind.

Your eyes spotted Matt who strode down the hallway dressed in a simple button up and jeans, looking extremely handsome.

You couldn't really blame yourself for ogling him. No matter what you told yourself, Matt Casey was still the type of man that had you on your knees.

His eyes returned to his usual glare and while normally you weren't affected by that, today his eyes were the last straw.

Your lip started to tremble, while your eyes were filling with moisture and hands were aggressively stuffed in your purse in a frantic search for your keys.

Matt's face immediately softened but before he could reach you, you had jumped inside and locked the door behind you.

Exhausted by life, you slowly slid down the door until your bottom had hit the dark laminate. You sobbed in a matter you thought was quiet.

But it wasn't.

Matt had pressed his ear against your door and listened closely. Your whimpers entered his ears and he felt everlasting guilt consume him. Did he do this?

He decided then and there that he was going to let go of his prejudice and make things right between you two.

***

Once the sun came out you realized that you were obligated to wake up and start your new date. Just like every time, you pretended to turn over a clean sheet and start your day as your best self.

Your morning routine passed rather quickly. Pretty soon you were sat in your new colorful armchair with tea in your hand and a magazine in the other.

You, just like many others, learnt how to leave your days work in your uniform. Last night being an exception. Once you put that blue uniform back on you were sure to welcome back the dark feelings, but until then, you enjoyed the feeling your silky pyjamas provided.

Your phone rang, and you reached out to answer it. One look at the phone had your face scrunched in distaste, "Yes Justin? How may I be of help today?"

If your brother noticed the sarcasm then he sure did a good job concealing it. Monotonously he greeted you back, "Can't I just call my favourite sister to see how she's doing?"

Rolling your eyes you trekked to your room to change, "Make it quick. I have to go to work."

"Dad's in jail."

"What?" You stopped in your tracks, hardly believing what's happening.

"You know dad." He said, "Don't worry sis. He'll be out in no time."

"This isn't funny Justin," You scolded, throwing a dark purple shirt over your head while your phone sat on your vanity, Justin on full volume speaker.

"Well... I thought you should know."

And with that he hung up.

Annoyed beyond words you grabbed the phone and threw it on your bed. It landed on your creamy sheets safely as you wrestled your jeans.

After that spectacle you grabbed your bag and stormed outside only to clash into something strong.

"Shoot I'm sorry-" You hastily apologized. Your hair was all over the place and you barely had enough time to collect your strands of hair behind your ear before looking at the person you had assaulted with your clumsiness not even twenty seconds earlier.

Matt Casey.

Oh how the stars aligned for you two.

"You." You spit.

He raised a blonde eyebrow at you as if saying that you had no audacity to say anything remotely accusing to him.

"Me?"

"Yes you!" You stomped your heeled boot like a child. "My dad's in jail because of you!"

It was like a switch was turned in his head. Matt took a menacing step closer. "Because of me? He did that to himself when he sent someone to kill me!"

"K-kill you?" You whispered, almost inaudible for him to hear. Suddenly your own words worked against you.

"Just because I wouldn't pull back my report." He explained to you. "And I'm glad I didn't. Your bastard of a brother deserves it for what he did."

You fully agreed with him but the emotions that bubbled inside you came to a boiling point. You could no longer hold back, and so you took a deep breath and spoke. "You think I support him? He got that little boy paralysed and you have the audacity to think I would support someone like that? He may be my older brother but that doesn't mean he has my love and support. I'm the first one in line when it comes to saying he needs to do time."

Your words were getting through to him, you could see it. "And as for my dad... He has his own issues, I admit. But there's one thing you need to know about him: he would do anything for his kids. And I mean it. He might be a dirty cop to you, but he's my father. Justin's too. Don't blame him for thinking that his son is able to change, because I'm damn sure you would do the same if you were in his shoes."

And with that you stormed off to see your father and give him a piece of your mind too.

MASTERLIST

#matt casey x reader #matt casey fanfiction #matt casey imagine #matt casey #chicago fire fanfictio #chicago fire #chicago fire fanfiction #chicago fire imagine #chicago pd imagine #chicago pd fanfiction #chicago pd

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writinggarbage007 · 4 years ago

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Bad Bad Girlfriend

Chapter 2

Bucky Barnes x dark! reader

Warnings: Sex, stalking.Also murder, manipulating people,general mayhem, con woman

Casey in the bushes with a machete

Will update warnings on each chapter if necessary.

Slight AU

You showed Nick Fury out of your house and watched as he and Maria Hill left in a black SUV similar to your own. Shutting and locking the door you flipped on your security to the house and grounds. You were still irritated with Casey. She had put you in a sticky situation with Shield and now you were going to get her out of your life.

Walking up the wide staircase you plotted in your head. There was so much to do and so little time. Heading for your bedroom you stripped and got into the shower. You probably had an hour before Fury sent you the files he promised.

You went through your usual shower ritual and dressed in a loose tee and sleep shorts. Padding down the stairs you headed for the office and pulled up your email. Right on time there was one from Hill with a huge attachment. You read over the files for all Bucky's ex-girlfriends with amusement. They were suckers. They went all in after the first date and didn't see the break up coming. Not a mistake you would have made.

Emailing Maria back, you told her you would be in touch when you had information they could use and stood up. Dinner and a Netflix binge before bed sounded like a really good idea. Tomorrow you'd have to start digging into the underworld you tried to stay separate from so tonight was relaxation time, you thought.

It took a week for you to turn up a lead. A low level Hydra thug named Burke dropped off the grid in Richmond, Virginia a few weeks ago. Two days later, another Hydra agent, Astor went silent. He was reputed to be handy with a knife and had no respect for women. There was a pattern in the weeks leading up to the abduction. Then the doctor was flown into Dulles airport outside D.C., and his reputation was for experimentation and extracting information.

Wherever this Samantha assistant girl was it was looking like Hydra had plans for her. That was never a good thing.

You called Maria Hill directly with your info and ran it down for her. Dates, contacts, video you had hacked or gotten by pretending to be a police officer. You didn't tell her where you got it and she didn't ask.

"Are you sure this is everything?" Maria Hill asked, and you grinned at her formal tone.

"Just one more thing," you say turning toward the french doors of your office."My contact said one more person he knows of went missing in Brazil last week." You pause for dramatic effect, "Crossbones. Brock Rumlow."

"Fuck." Maria says and hangs up the phone. You barely hold your laughter in. You knew that name would get her.

The Avengers Compound:

Fury walks into the conference room like he owns the building, much to the annoyance of Tony Stark. All the Avengers were present as Fury had requested. He knew they thought he was dramatic but you had given him good information and he needed the team to follow up on it.

"We have information from an informant. The abduction was the work of Hydra. None of Barnes' exes were involved, although our informant says he may want to be on guard when it comes to Casey Piven. We still have her under surveillance, but she's bat shit crazy." He eyeballs Barnes as the former Winter Soldier sank into his chair. "We have a list of Hydra agents who went off the grid in the weeks leading up to Samantha going missing. You may recognize a few names."

Steve snatched up the folder Fury tossed on the table. He went white, standing and leaving the room. Tony sighed and took the folder and began reading the names to Friday for facial recognition and background.

When he got to the last name he paused before reading "Brock Rumlow."

Bucky stiffened and looked around at the rest of the team. They all had varying degrees of trepidation on their faces. He blew out a breath and rose to go after Steve.

"Barnes!" Fury barked,"walk me out."

Confused Bucky followed the leather clad man to the elevators. Once inside Fury hit the stop button and pulled a device from his pocket. Hitting a blue button he turned to Bucky and said,"We have 2 minutes until Stark's AI reboots the cameras. My informant would like to meet you. She is Ms. Piven's ex-step-sister and she has a lot of insight we can use. She isn't a low level con woman. She has….Skills. I would like you to take the meeting."

"Sir," Bucky began.

" Trust me Barnes she has a whole list of reasons she doesn't trust Casey Piven. She even told the chick to leave you alone. Her grandfather and I did business together and I have done business with her a time or two. Do a background on her. Of course then you have to disregard everything you read." Fury lets out a huffing laugh. "Name is Y/N Y/LN. Address and date of birth will be sent to your phone. Let me know soon. She isn't known for patience."

Fury restarted the elevator and when the doors opened strode away with a wave over his shoulder. Bucky pressed the button for his floor and chewed on his lip. He had an appointment with Dr Kate this afternoon and he needed to shower and check on Steve. He'd think about this then talk to Steve about it tomorrow. Getting off the elevator he saw his best friend sitting in the common room with his head in his hands. Maybe he'd talk to Natasha about it tomorrow. The Punk had enough going on.

The next morning Bucky headed to the kitchen to get breakfast early. He wanted to talk to Nat before Steve, Sam and himself went running. Entering the kitchen he saw Sam was already there but no sign of Nat.

"Has Natasha been down yet?" He asked Sam.

"Yeah, she left about twenty minutes ago on a recon with Clint. Fury's tip had Tony and her up all night." Sam replied sipping on his coffee. When Bucky's shoulders fell a little with a disappointed sigh Sam said, "You can talk to me. I probably won't make fun of you."

Bucky considered for a moment then related the story from Fury, everything except the shutting down of the security cameras. He low-key wanted to learn that trick himself. As he sat across from Sam and took a drink from his own coffee, Steve spoke from the doorway.

"You should meet with her. She might have more info to get Samantha back." Steve said with an intense look that made Sam and Bucky squirm.

"I know you're upset about your assistant Cap," Sam said, (ignoring Bucky's muttered Ya' think) But we don't have a background on this girl yet. Maybe we get…"

Before he can finish Steve is calling to Friday to run a background check and find any information she can on Y/N Y/L/N.

Bucky and Sam just look at each other for a minute as Steve storms out of the kitchen calling Tony to see if he has other ideas.

"He is taking this hard." Sam says and Bucky nods.

"He's always had a thing for her. He said he never asked her out because he was being professional."

Just then Friday announced that Bucky had a visitor. Looking at the security screen he saw his latest "girlfriend" at the front desk. He hasn't called her in over a week and had only texted her back once, but here she was. Damn he missed Samantha right now.

Going down to the lobby himself he took her aside and explained there was a lot going on. Their assistant was kidnapped and he didn't want to put her in that kind of danger so he was breaking up with her. When she started crying he patted her back gently leading her to the door. He felt like an ass. Did they all cry?

After she hugged him again and finally left he turned and the security guard at the desk asked if he wanted to follow the usual protocol. Bucky sat while the Guard, Mike he thought his name was, explained that Samantha blocked their numbers and revoked their access to the compound. He just nodded and walked to the elevator to go find Steve.

Steve and Tony were standing in the middle of the lab with your files floating in the air. Bucky looked at your driver's license picture and tilted his head a little. You were pretty. Looking at the rest of the floating files (he was never going to get used to that) he saw a picture of a large house. Where did women that lived in mansions get info on Hydra? There was something off about this whole situation.

"We can be wheels up in 20. It's a short trip, maybe another 20 to get there. I'll take Buck and Sam. We'll let you know if we need back up." Steve was telling Tony.

"Oh I'm coming along with you." Tony said rotating the files again. "I want to see what she had to say to the Manchurian candidate over there. And this background is too clean. There's no social media, no ugly secrets. She runs an office supply company and knows Hydra secrets. I'm not buying it."

An office supply company? Bucky was sure Casey had said that she worked at one when she was laid off. He asked Tony if there were lay offs at the company and wasn't surprised when Tony said not in the last ten years. Everything Casey had told him was a lie from the start.

Maybe this Y/N could help them find Steve's assistant before he had a total meltdown. She could also help him sort through Casey's lies. He still felt guilty that Samantha was caught up in his mess and if meeting this girl could help he was going to do it.

@supraveng @mycosmicparadise

#bucky barnes x reader #avengers x reader #dark reader #bucky x y/n #the avengers #bucky x you #bucky barns fanfiction

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thehollyone · 3 years ago

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Top 5 fictional characters

I had to put a fair bit of thought into this one. But at least for the time being:

Honorable Mentions: Illadin Stormrage from WOW (haven't played WOW so my love for him is solely from what I've read, but I love basically everything about his character and this mix of fiery passion and cool pragmatism).

Casey Jones from Power Rangers Jungle Fury (Love the story of him growing stronger by coming more and more into his own. Simply adore the top 5 a bit more).

Painwheel from Skullgirls (my love for this character has less to do with anything in-game as much as she was one of the main characters in the first fanfic I ever came up with, and plan to return to at some point).

Kokichi Ouma from Danganronpa V3 (would probably be my number 6. A generally great character whose smart enough to win but silly enough to lose).

Anevay Windrunner from The Horde Champion (didn't want to include fanfiction characters on the general principle of "those are inherently more personal and it's more fun to use published media," but Lily and Mikaila's character is a personal favorite of mine).

5. Senku Ishigami from Dr. Stone

I have a soft-spot for asshole protagonists, and Senku might be the purest example of how that can be great. Because while he loves to play himself off as this cool and logical badass he is also constantly presented as having one of the biggest hearts in the cast. It's clearly presented as more an act he puts on since he's expected to be the guy that has all the answers. I also love that as a scientist character he's genuinely clever: some of the plans he comes up with to take out opponents that physically have him beat are really outstanding. Also may or not be some form of Ace, which would be neat.

4. Siddhartha Buddha from Record of Ragnorok

Yes, this is a thing. As for why I love this character for one he's the perfect mix of hilarious and badass, and he gets some of the best lines in the series. Heck, one of my signature quotes "In all of Heaven & Earth The Only One That Can Move Me is Me" is from him. But even setting that aside I love the emphasis this story puts on Buddha and his enlightenment being born from learning to savor the simple pleasures of life and enjoy yourself. I think that's a genuinely nice philosophy to have.

3. Denji from Chainsaw Man

This boy is a feral dumbass, and I want to adopt him and give him the best life. Along with just being a fucking hysterical protagonist I genuinely feel for his story about going through a bad situation and having to work out how to be a person coming out the other end. In-particular his story arc of trying to work out if he still has a heart because of his muted emotions regarding death hit me personally as someone that has experienced something similar. Of all the characters in fiction he's the one I genuinely want to see get a happy ending.

2. Katrielle Layton from the Professor Layton Series

Layton has a lot of amazing characters, but I have to give it to Hershel’s oddball daughter. In-particular the anime series starring her really did a great job at making me fall for the character. In-addition to genuinely being clever and able to solve mysteries she's a foodie, a goofball, a lover of fashion (and as an aside I would love to wear half her outfits post-transition), and this genuinely warm and loving lady. Along with that the revelation of what she and her father were like growing up was genuinely one of the sweetest moments in Layton Also I adore how flamboyant she is. Everything about her is simply really great.

1. Xion from Kingdom Hearts

The other character I basically want to adopt and give a happy life, she is one of the most lovable and sweet characters in the whole of Kingdom Hearts between her friendship with Roxas and how she's handled in KH3. Also she hits me hard as a trans girl: as others have pointed out there's a lot about Xion's initial purpose (essentially being forced to take on Sora's identity and simply accept that is her "purpose" to the point of being forced to look like a male character at one stage) that feels very familiar to the trans experience. Also Xion was the first female character that made me think "I want to look like her." And to this day she's one of the fictional characters I'd be most interested to cosplay post-transition.

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saiilorstars · 4 years ago

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Dare To Forget Me

Ch. 29: Help Me Help Him

Previous chapters // Masterlist of all OCs

Fandom: SVU // Pairing: Rafael Barba x OFC

Warnings: Due to the nature of the series’ plots, I do have to rate this as ‘mature’ for constant mentions of rape.

Taglist: @ocfairygodmother @anotherunreadblog @maaaaarveeeeel @stareyedplanet @perfectlystiles @averyhotchner [If you’d like to be added to this specific OC’s stories/edits, send me a message!]

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ` 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter Summary: Montserrat struggles as her brother is arrested for charges she simply cannot believe in. But to help him get out, she'll need help from a person she would never otherwise speak to.

It was all a blur, really, how fast Montserrat got to the precinct where her brother was being kept. In all her rushing, she missed someone snap a picture of her from afar when she went into the building. It was Rafael who had briefly stopped at the entrance to look around. He was quite used to the feeling of being 'watched' due to his profession...and right now was one of those moments. But, as much as he looked, all he saw was the typical bustling streets he always saw. By the time he caught up with Montserrat, she was already speaking with Casey, more like frantically shouting 'what the hell is going on' and not giving Casey a chance to explain.

"I just don't understand how any of this could be happening!" Montserrat's loudness was attracting the attention of the others in the precinct, but she didn't care. "How the hell is my brother in jail!? How did he get arrested!? Why did he get arrested!? How did -" she stopped talking midsentence and went for the front desk...only to be yanked back by Casey.

"You need to calm the hell down," snapped the older cousin in a quiet warning.

But instead of heeding Casey's warning, a humorless laugh slipped through Montserrat's lips. "You can't be serious?" And just like that, her smile vanished and she wrestled free of Casey's grip. "My brother's in jail!" she snapped through gritted teeth. "So don't you tell me to calm the hell down!" She pushed past Casey and went for the front desk.

Casey took a moment for herself so she wouldn't kill her cousin on the spot. Her eyes were soon on Rafael and so she made a gesture for him to take a shot. "Your turn."

"I'd rather not," he wasn't afraid to admit. "I've never seen her like that…"

Because even now, Montserrat was arguing the hell out of it with the poor cop stuck behind the other side of the front desk. She was almost as red as her hair.

"I'm here because she asked me to come with her," he went ahead and explained after Montserrat was allowed to go see her brother. "I was there when you called her."

"Ah," Casey turned around and watched as Montserrat disappeared behind a door. "I debated really hard whether or not to call her - Gael didn't want her to know."

"What's he doing here?" Rafael was admittedly curious to know how an architect landed himself in jail. As far as he knew, Gael was a law-abiding man.

"One of the buildings he finished collapsed on some people and now they're saying he's responsible because he failed to add in some parts during construction."

Rafael examined Casey's anger and how her eyes seemed to accuse the room itself for something. "And you don't look like you believe it."

"Because it's bullshit," she turned to him. "Gael is a talented architect. He's never once had any complaint against him. He knows how to do his job just like we do. He would never miss something so crucial."

Rafael couldn't outright agree with Casey's solely because he didn't know Gael very much. Yes, Casey could be right and something was off in this case or...sometimes people did make mistakes. Either way, he knew Montserrat would get hurt in both situations and that's what worried him the most.

~ 0 ~

"I don't understand why you're in here," Montserrat was really trying her best not to shout because she knew no matter how she felt, Gael had to feel worse. She curled her hands around the cell's bars and stared at her older brother in a mixture of tears and anger.

Gael sat on the lone bench and just shook his head. It seemed like he was past the anger and denial phase and was set into acceptance. "Cos I missed something, Montse. The building Damian and I worked on for months was...it collapsed." And even from the way he said it, the way his face morphed into utter confusion was a clear indication this wasn't true.

"But you're Gael, you have that annoying talent of not missing a thing!"

"Everyone misses something at one point."

"But you don't. Especially when it comes to your job. Walk me through it, please," Montserrat inched closer to the cell. "This building...what happened to it?"

"I don't know," Gael's voice cracked. Montserrat's heart might be cracking too. She never saw her brother this dejected. "I-I mean...I went over the plans a million times. Damian gave it a look too. We did things by the book. Nothing should have broken, nothing should have...collapsed." He raised his gaze to meet his sister's anguished face. "I swear Montse, I have no idea why the building collapsed."

"I believe you," Montserrat nodded. "But now I'm going to get you a lawyer, okay? In the meantime, don't say a word to anyone."

"The company I work for is already appointing one for me. They're doing another investigation or something-"

"-alongside the precinct's," Montserrat finished for him, already knowing the process. "Yeah. I don't care. I'm getting you a lawyer from our end."

"Where are you going to get a lawyer from?"

"Ha, you forget I work at SVU. We've come across several defense lawyers who are...vicious. I'm getting you one of those," Montserrat had a brief smirk on her face before she saw her brother's weak smile. "Hey, don't worry, okay? I'm going to get you out."

Gael shook his head. "My girls…"

"I'll take care of them," Montserrat quickly volunteered herself.

But Gael shook his head again. He pushed himself up from the bench and walked up to the cell bars. "Your job is a 10 hour shift almost every day. You don't have time to take care of a 4 year old and a 15 year old-"

"-I will make the time, I swear," Montserrat pushed one of her hands in-between the bars and took Gael's hand. "They can stay with me and Kara."

"What are you going to tell them?" Gael bitterly smiled to himself. "That their father is responsible for putting people in the hospital?"

"It's not your fault," Montserrat said slowly. "We'll figure this out, okay? You and I...Dad…"

"Oh God, Dad…" Gael brought his free hand to his forehead. "What the hell is he going to say?"

"That you're innocent, what else?" Montserrat's obvious answer made no difference for Gael right now. She gripped his hand and made him look at her. "Naša rodina môže byť malá, ale sme mocní," she whispered. "We may be small, but we are mighty. Novaks don't go down."

Gael gave a small nod, but from where he stood...he believed he was already down.

~ 0 ~

After leaving Gael, Montserrat went straight for the front desk again and this time got herself through an entire group of cops until she had the Captain in front of her. There, she - along with Casey and Rafael - got the information she needed to know about Gael's process.

And it was not pretty. At all.

"He's going to be arraigned soon," Montserrat said in disbelief once the trio were out of the precinct.

"They move fast, you know that," Casey's reminder came at a full moment.

"I told him I'd get him a lawyer. I didn't want to tell him but when a company faces a lawsuit, they hang their employees up to dry," Montserrat bit her lower lip like it was gum. "They won't care what happens as long as they get free."

"Then we find him one. It's not like we're short-handed of defense lawyers," Rafael's words rang the exact thought Montserrat had earlier.

"Yeah. And I know exactly who I want," she smirked for the briefest of moments.

~0~

It was hard swallowing pride but when it was about family, Montserrat would do anything. That's why she was sitting with Rita Calhoun at the DA's building. Somewhere hell was freezing over, she knew.

"Let me get this straight," Rita put her things down on the conference table, her expression a mixture of amusement and confusion, "I got called in because you want me to help you?"

"Yes." Even one word was hard enough for Montserrat to say.

Rita wanted to smile but the confusion won out. "But you don't even have my number."

"Yeah, I know, so if this all works out I am going to owe two people now. Look, you're going to be paid so are you helping me or not?"

"I never turn down a client," Rita now fully smiled as she took a seat.

Montserrat so badly wanted to say she knew Rita wouldn't, considering the type of clients she represented. But instead, Montserrat sat down too and began to explain the situation. To her credit, Rita did listen attentively to the story. "Gael swears he checked everything. He's innocent."

"They always are," Rita dismissively said but Montserrat slammed a fist down on the table.

"He is!" she snapped. "He's done this job for a very long time. There is no reason this should've happened."

"Alright," Rita made a 'take it easy' gesture with a hand. "I get it."

"So will you help me?" Montserrat's question sounded more like a beg than a question. "I will pay you whatever you want."

"I'm in," Rita smiled. "Because if you're right, and they wrongly accused your brother... he's gonna have a field day filing through lawsuits against the city."

Montserrat rolled her eyes, but somewhere inside she admitted that she agreed with Rita. It was an unusual crave for revenge she felt for the sake of her brother. They wronged him, he deserved compensation. But right now, they first needed to focus on getting Gael out.

"He's being arraigned soon," she told Rita as they walked out of the conference room.

"Alright, I'll go see him right now. I'll keep you posted." Rita made to leave but stopped when she saw her usual nemesis coming towards them. Oh, she wanted to say a lot of things right now. Chances like these were rare. "Never thought I'd see the day when you would call me for help, Rafael."

There was an honest-to-god hatred radiating from Rafael - it was a real struggle not to snap back like he usually would - but he forced his mouth to stay shut until he could say something decent. "I...know your tactics very well." That could be a compliment, right?

Rita's eyebrows raised for a minute, clearly amused of his restraint...because she knew he had a lot more to say. "Really? And what are those tactics you're talking about?"

"Could you please just go see my brother already?" Montserrat cut into the woman's fun. She had her arms crossed and an impatient expression on her face. "I am paying you, after all." Rita pointed at the ginger that she was right and got moving again.

"I take it, it went well?" Rafael asked her once Rita was gone.

"Yeah, I mean, she didn't laugh in my face so…" Montserrat dropped her arms to her sides. "Let's see if her vicious ways can actually help me this time."

"She will."

Montserrat sighed and turned to him with one weak smile, probably the only one she'd be able to muster for that day. "Thank you for calling her, though. I know that took...a lot out of you."

"Calling Rita Calhoun for help? I mean...at least now I can say I've done it all," Rafael tried to be humorous but it wasn't working. "Okay," he nodded slightly and stepped closer to her, "I would call Buchanon if you needed me to."

Montserrat smiled briefly at him. She knew he absolutely hated Buchanon. With Rita, it was more of a frenemy type of relationship that was almost always on the 'enemy' side...but still a lot better than Buchanon. "I wouldn't do that you."

"But if you needed me to, I really would. So let me know if Rita doesn't work out, alright?" he gave her a steady look until she nodded. She really wished she could hug him right now, but he was just being a friend.

"Listen, I didn't know whether or not to mention this but...Liv just called," Rafael unknowingly pulled her back to the present. "Nick got himself arrested."

It was definitely enough to reel Montserrat back to the present and shake those thoughts out of her head for a good while. "What!? What do you mean-"

"-he went after Simon Wilkes and sent him to the hospital."

"Oh God," Montserrat passed a hand through her ginger curls. "Maybe he and Gael might see each other for arraignment, then."

"Liv was just calling to see if I knew where you were. They need you back at the precinct. I didn't tell her anything about your situation. But please, don't go if you're not ready."

"Are you kidding? Nick's in trouble-"

"-but so are you," Rafael grabbed her flapping arms and forced her to stay still and, by consequence, her mind. She was definitely on the road to spiraling or at the very least spreading herself too thin. "So take care of yourself first. And if not yourself, then your nieces. You have to go pick them up soon, right?"

"Well, yeah…" Montserrat swallowed hard just at the mere reminder she was going to be the one to tell her nieces that their father was in jail. "But Murphy is going to have a go at me with my absences."

"Screw him. You do what you need to do first."

"Easy for you to say when your job is secure."

"Montserrat, stop being so difficult." Rafael honestly felt like that phrase 60% of his vocabulary when it came to her. The only difference right now was that he really was just trying to help her. There was no sarcasm. "For once, just listen to me."

Montserrat sighed. Even in situations like these, it was actually hard taking his advice without bickering. "Fine," she relented. "But I'm not just going to ignore Nick's situation. Keep me posted while I'm gone?"

"I will if you'll keep me updated."

It was a fair deal and Montserrat knew it. "Okay," she nodded her head. "Thank you...for that. And everything else."

"Of course. Now go," Rafael let her go and hoped she would really listen to him this time. She looked so lost, so unlike herself. It wasn't right. He wished there was more he could for her, but what?

~0~

"Why are you picking me up?" Juliana immediately asked when Montserrat pulled up to her high school's pick-up driveway. The fifteen year old gave her aunt a narrowed-eyed stare while Montserrat did her best to keep her smile on her face.

"Just...get in," she unlocked the passenger's seat and motioned Juliana to come in.

The teenager pulled the door open and got into the car. She put her seat belt on then shifted on her seat to better face Montserrat. "Why are you picking me up?"

"Jesus, can't I surprise you or something?"

Juliana's face scrunched in confusion. "Why are you lying?"

Montserrat's nervous laugh didn't exactly help her case. "I'm not - I'm just picking-"

"Aunt Montse, seriously," Juliana leaned against her seat and watched as they pulled into a new street. "I'm not a child. That stuff can work on Ivana, but not on me."

"It's…" Montserrat sighed. Yeah, she knew she wouldn't be able to hide it from Juliana but she figured she'd at least have some time before she had to explain things. "We need to pick your sister up and then you'll be coming to stay with me for a few days."

"What?" Juliana frowned for a few seconds as she studied her aunt's face. There was a ping at the bottom of her stomach when she realized Montserrat was pale as could be and nervous. "You're picking at your nails again."

Her notice startled Montserrat because, up until now, no one had realized it was one of her nervous ticks. Even after last year, the picking her nails had remained one of her secrets.

"Is my dad dead?" Juliana's question was barely above an audible whisper, but the dread of the mere possibility had the teenager white as a sheet.

"Oh God no!" Montserrat immediately said, exclaiming to the point where she unexpected stop their car. Their bodies lurched forwards but ultimately they were good. "No, your Dad is not dead. He is alive and w…" but she trailed off when it became apparent that Gael was not well. How could he be?

And Juliana saw that. "Aunt Montse, where's my Dad?"

Montserrat sucked in a deep breath. Her eyes gazed to the road ahead and no matter how hard she thought about it, she knew there was no easy way to tell her niece where Gael was. "Let's get your sister first."

~0~

Kara had learned the news from her brother, Damian, who'd gotten a call from their company prior. So when the door opened up, Kara jumped from the couch to help Montserrat but Juliana stormed into the apartment.

"Jules, hey, what are you…" Kara trialed off as the teenager stormed right past her, into the hallway, and straight into the bathroom where she slammed the door shut. Kara flinched when the door sounded like it would fall off its hinges.

Montserrat came in a few seconds later with Ivana in her arms. The four year old looked upset but it was more tears and pouts than anger.

"Oh Montserrat," Kara didn't know who to help first.

"That is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," Montserrat's own eyes glistened with tears. It was difficult explaining to Juliana and Ivana why their father was in jail even though he was innocent. She didn't have the answers to their questions, and much less than comfort they desperately needed.

"I'm so sorry," Kara walked over and hugged Montserrat (and Ivana) tightly. "I'm here if you need anything."

"Thanks. Um, for starters, I needed to bring the girls here...sorry…"

"No, that's fine! We can take care of them here between us two."

"My Dad's going to pick them up from school so I'll just bring them in the morning. You won't notice them-"

"-stop, Montse," Kara started pulling Ivana from Montserrat's arms. The four year old would go with anyone at this point. "You're family. This is what we do."

"Well…" Montserrat took a moment to breath in and out. "I've no idea what I'm doing."

There was a brief knock on the door before Sonny poked his head into the apartment. At Montserrat's questioning look, he quickly said, "I got a key now," and walked in.

"Of course you do," Montserrat playfully rolled her eyes.

"I saw you pulling up. I heard what happened with your brother," he came up to her and gave her a hug of support. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, so am I," Montserrat sighed. She didn't even question the fact Kara must have already told him ahead of time. "I don't understand how this happened. My brother does not mess up like this. Putting people in the hospital because of negligence? I don't think so."

"I'm sure we'll figure it out. It's what we do best, right?" Sonny flashed her a friendly smile. He was there if she needed him too.

"Yeah," she gave a small nod and turned to the hallway. "Juliana locked herself in my room, didn't she?"

"Bathroom. And that's gonna need to change because...yeah…" Kara awkwardly made a face.

"She's just so mad and I...I can't blame her. How do I get her to come out?"

"Leave her a few minutes in there so she can cool down," Sonny suggested. "I have 3 sisters. I know how this pans out."

"Aw, poor you," Kara pretended to pout, leading him to roll his eyes at her.

He walked over to her and tried tickling Ivana so that she would at least look up from Kara's shoulder. "Hey c'mon, your aunt Montse says you love eating pasta. How about we make that for dinner, hm?" Ivana only lifted her head slightly so that she could meet his gaze from Kara's shoulder. "I'm going to need a helper because between you and me, your aunt Montse and Kara aren't very good at cooking."

"Hey!" went the two women with the same frowns. Kara even smacked his arm with a free hand.

"What!? I'm helping!" Sonny argued and ultimately got Ivana to accept his arms as a new holding place. "What kind of veggies do you want to put?"

Ivana pouted but she did answer after a few minutes, "My Daddy always puts broccoli."

"Broccoli?" Sonny was surprised to hear that a four year old willingly ate broccoli. "Yeah, definitely can do that then. C'mon, let's go see if we have everything we need."

Montserrat stopped him with a hand on his arm and whispered a "thank you" to him. Kara pulled Montserrat to the couch and sat her down, figuring it'd been a long day without breaks.

"How's your Dad?"

"Better than me, I guess," Montserrat shrugged. "He's meeting with Rita. But I think right now we're all just...lost."

"This isn't forever, Montse," Kara tried to sound as reassuring as possible. "We're going to get him out."

Montserrat nodded like she wanted to believe it, and she did, but right now the way she felt made everything seem so far and lost. Helpless.

Someone knocked on the door and when Kara went to open it, she found Damian on the other side. The two exchanged knowing looks before Damian walked in.

Soon as Montserrat saw him, she stood up from the couch. "What did they-"

"-business doesn't know how this happened either," Damian shook his head. "I did the evaluations. I know everything was put together the way it needed to be."

"Any evidence of that?"

"Yes. All documented."

Something lit in Montserrat's face. "Then we can show that and-and we can get Gael out." She rushed up to Damian and threw her arms around him. "Oh my God, thank you Damian!"

"What's going on?" Sonny emerged from the kitchen with Ivana behind his legs. He immediately eyed the hugging duo across and frowned.

"Damian might have what you guys need to free Gael," Kara grinned. "Isn't that great!?"

"Yeah, I mean...how?" Sonny asked, now wondering how long he'd been in the kitchen.

"It's protocol that we document each time we check to make sure everything was done right," Damian explained.

Montserrat slightly pulled away to smile at him. "You might have saved my brother."

"Don't I always do that?" Damian's light joke actually pulled a laugh from her.

Sonny smiled as did Kara, but the former just knew this whole ordeal was just a way for Damian to impress Montserrat. And the worst part was, he wasn't even doing it on purpose. It just so happened it worked out in his favor.

And Rafael without a single clue about it.

There he was in his office, attempting to do some work but his mind couldn't seem to focus. In fact, every few minutes or so, his eyes would end up flickering to his phone sitting at the edge of the desk as if it would ring. But what was he expecting? For Montserrat to call him at this hour? He was the one who told her to take some space between her and her work and whether or not he wanted to admit it, he was only part of her 'work life'. That was it. And the reminder of that made Rafael stop working until he could accept it (again) and continue his work. The cycle had been going on for the last couple of hours.

It was going to be a long night.

With all those thoughts in his head, Rafael didn't notice the office door opening to let someone in. "Rafael?"

The call of his name wasn't what startled him, it was who called him that was startling. Perhaps dreadful too. He got up on an instinct but despite having so many things rushing through his mind, he couldn't string two words together. So, only one came out instead. "Yelina?"

#ocappreciation #svu #rafael barba #fd: svu #law and order svu #svu fics #rafael barba fics #svu imagines #rafael barba imagines #oc: Montserrat Novak

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bookswritinghappiness · 4 years ago

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Title: Recommended for You • Author: Laura Silverman • Number of Pages: 272 • Rating: 4/5 Published: September 1, 2020 • Read: August 8, 2020 - August 17, 2020

Official Description: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets You’ve Got Mail in this charming and hilarious rom-com following two teen booksellers whose rivalry is taken to the next level as they compete for the top bookseller bonus. Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her moms fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape. When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan. Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down. But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects…

Author Bio: Laura Silverman is an author and editor currently living in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her MFA in writing for children at the New School. Her books include Girl Out of Water, You Asked for Perfect, It’s a Whole Spiel, and Recommended for You. Girl Out of Water was a Junior Library Guild Selection. You can contact Laura on Twitter @LJSilverman1 or through her website LauraSilvermanWrites.com.

My Review: I received a digital ARC of this book from Simon and Schuster as part of my participation in this blog tour in exchange for an honest review.

I found out about Recommended for You a few months ago, and when I saw the description and the words “rom-com,” “teen booksellers,” and “Jewish,” I immediately was beyond excited for this book, and that excitement only intensified when I was invited to be a part of this blog tour and got to read the book early!! I rarely get the opportunity to read rom-coms about two Jewish characters, so the fact that this book even exists means the absolute world to me.

I’ve never worked at a bookstore myself but I’ve always thought it would be at least a little bit fun, so I loved living vicariously through Shoshanna and her job at Once Upon. Seeing her get a little too excited about her favorite books (relatable) and then have a moment of “what do you mean you don’t read?!” when she finds out that Jake doesn’t read for fun (also relatable) was such a perfect introduction to her character and her relationship with Jake. Enemies to lovers has been one of my favorite tropes since I read Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston earlier this year, so following Shoshanna as she hate-crushes on Jake while competing with him for the prize money was such a blast. Speaking of Jake, Jake is such a Nice Jewish Boy (or as my friends and I say, NJB), and he’s such a wonderful love interest. I won’t spoil anything, of course, but the baking scenes with him and Shoshanna were some of my favorites.

I think my favorite thing about this book is how casual all of the representation in this book is. There’s the obvious one, of course, and the one that’s the most relatable to me: the Jewish representation! Reading a book set in the wintertime with a main character that talks about her excitement for dreidels and latkes instead of Christmas lights and candy canes meant the world to me. And not only does she talk about Hanukkah, the phrase “oy vey” (along with other Yiddish words and phrases) shows up multiple times in her internal narration and in her dialogue, and she even refers to herself as a Nice Jewish Girl (which is an actual phrase my friends and I use)! A lot of Shoshanna’s character feels so true to my own life, which I don’t take for granted, nor do I take for granted the fact that there are multiple Jewish characters in this book. Authentic Jewish main characters (and characters in general) are rare in media overall and especially so in YA novels, and I hope that I’ll see more Jewish representation like this in the future. But I’m not just talking about the Jewish representation. Multiple significant supporting characters in this book are members of the LGBT+ community, including Shoshanna’s parents, and their identities are treated with respect and are just a small part of these characters’ personalities. Myra, the owner of the bookstore where Shoshanna works, uses a power wheelchair, and her character’s role in the story has nothing to do with that particular part of her life. Daniel, Shoshanna’s “work husband” as she calls him, is Black, and just happens to be Black; it’s an important aspect of his character, but not the only one. All of the representation in the book is written this way, and it’s so lovely to see.

Honestly, my only objection while reading this book involved Shoshanna’s motivation behind a pivotal decision she makes involving one of her friends. I’m not going to go into detail in order to avoid spoilers, but I felt that her thought process behind it was a bit of a stretch.

Overall, though, Recommended for You feels like a heartwarming Hallmark Christmas movie in book form, or at least what I imagine Hallmark Christmas movies are like — I’ve never actually seen one! If they are anything like this book, though, I definitely should marathon them all this holiday season. In all seriousness, Recommended for You had me smiling like an idiot the entire time I was reading, just like all of my favorite rom-com books and movies do. I absolutely loved reading this book, and I highly recommend you all check out it now that it’s finally published : )

Recommended for You on Goodreads This Review on Goodreads My Goodreads

Laura Silverman’s Website Laura Silverman’s Twitter

#original #blog tour #book review #recommended for you #laura silverman #4 stars

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perriewinklenerdie · 5 years ago

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Goddess of Dawn (Ethan Ramsey x MC) {AU} *part 2*

Open Heart, Ethan Ramsey x MC

{AU}

Author’s note: Hello, hello, hello! I am kinda back from being dead, which is not to be mistaken with me not being dead (I’m totally gone). I didn’t have time to write, and then I remembered that I have part two of Au ready, so I might as well get it out :D

AO3 link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20903765/chapters/50852953

Enjoy! <3

-----------

II.

“Charlie?” she whispered, her voice impossibly vulnerable, as though the man was a family member or a close friend. She looked up to check on his vitals, then made sure he was laying comfortably, all the while holding his hand. Ethan felt like he was seeing something he shouldn’t, like he was interrupting.

“Claire?” he spoke slowly, lingering by the door, unsure if she wanted him there. Her head whipped back to him, her eyes filled with tears. His whole body longed to reach out for her and ease her pain, but he didn’t know what caused her distress, and he shouldn’t get that close to her. With all that in mind, he observed her, giving her all the time she needed.

“Do you remember what the car he was thrown out of looked like? Any details that might be helpful?” she finally started speaking, not leaving her spot.

“I can call the police, tell them everything, they will-“

“No, Ethan. You have to tell me. Not police, not security, me. Everything you know.” She interrupted him, her eyes becoming darker, like a storm taking over her green irises. A shiver ran down his spine, intriguing him, evoking the attraction that he tried to forget.

“Uh… okay, the car was black or navy, not sure since it was raining. It looked expensive and massive, windows were tinted… that’s all I remember- no, wait. There was something else. Some sort of a sign on the hood. It looked like a crescent moon with… clouds? Something like that.” He reminisced all the details he could picture in his mind, and when the last words left his mouth, a frown appeared on her face, her expression hardening.

“Thank you, Ethan.” She said as she squeezed man’s hand and went for the door, fishing her phone out of her coat pocket. He caught her wrist, staring at her in confusion.

“Do you know who is responsible?” he kept his voice low and quiet, not sure if they were in complete privacy. She gave him a tight nod, avoiding his eyes. “Are you going to call the police?”

“No. Police won’t do anything. I’m going to get it done alone.” She made a move to walk past him, but he pulled her right back, making her look at him. Her gaze was made of steel, dark and deadly.

“Let me go with you. I won’t be able to talk you out of it, the least I can do is keep you safe.” Ethan muttered under his breath, his tone gentle and caring. She laughed breathlessly, shaking her head a little.

“You don’t know what you’re getting into. And I can hold my own pretty good, you don’t have to protect me.” After a moment of hesitation, noticing flickers of determination in his eyes, the same ones he has when he cracks the case, she let out a long sigh. “You’re not going to let me go alone, are you?”

“You know me better than that, Claire.”

“Fine. But we’re doing this my way.” She looked down at his hand, still wrapped around her wrist. “Could you, um…”

As though he was woken up from a spell, he let her go, embarrassed by his actions. She laughed, choosing a number on her phone and starting the call. While she waited for the other person to pick up, she turned back to the bed, looking at the man with concern on her face. Ethan heard the signal being interrupted by a male voice on the other side of the line.

“How can I help you today?” the voice was muffled by the distance and the phone, so Ethan couldn’t be sure who she was talking to, but he thought he heard a foreign accent.

“Hey Luca, can you come pick me up? I have some matters that I need to take care of.” her tone was friendly when she started speaking, and then turned flat when she recalled what she was about to do.

“Sure thing, Boss. I’ll be there in five. Is there anything else I should be aware of?”

“Yes…” she looked back at Ethan, her forehead creasing as she thought about what to say next. “Dr. Ramsey is going to come with me. Also, while you’re at it, grab Joe with you. We might need him.” she ended the call, her hands moving to slide her white coat off her shoulders. He raised his eyebrow at her.

“What are you doing?” he took in her jeans and a pastel sweater, complimenting the light color of her hair. Her feet were adorned by a pair of flats, because it would be painful to get through the day in heels. Not impossible, but definitely painful.

“We’re heading out. I suggest you lose the coat too, we wouldn’t want it to get dirty.” Claire threw her hair to the back, feeling his stare at her. Turning back to him with a smirk, she let her eyes drag all over him, from bottom to the top. With a cheeky smile, she teased him. “Take it off, Ramsey.”

---- ---- ----

The car pulled up to the parking behind the hospital. Ethan was confused by everything that happened that night, and it was about to get even more weird. A man got out, opening the door for them, empty expression on his face.

“Hello, Boss. Rough night?”

“You have no idea.” She smiled at him friendly, sitting in the comfortable seat of the car. Ethan stood to the side, unsure what he was supposed to do. The man shot him a look, his face unreadable.

“What do we do with this one?” his words may have been innocent, but they made Ethan freeze for a moment, nonetheless. Claire giggled, waving her hand invitingly.

“Dr. Ramsey is coming with us. Come on, we don’t have the whole night.” She encouraged him to get into the car, the mysterious man closing the door behind him. He sat next to her, observing his surroundings.

“Where are we going, Boss?” the driver asked, looking in the rearview mirror. His eyes met Ethan’s and he could have sworn he saw him glaring at him.

“We’re paying Qamar a visit.” She breathed heavily, her words enough for the driver to nod in understanding. “How is your family, Luca?”

“Good. Girls are asking about you, you should finally say yes to the dinner invitation.” He smiled, his whole posture relaxing as they left the difficult topic.

Ethan proceeded to listen to the conversation, not wanting to insert himself into something he didn’t understand. When he thought of it, maybe he should have stayed at the hospital, maybe he should have listened to Claire and her warnings. But his sense of protectiveness over the blonde woman sitting next to him was too great, eclipsing over everything else. There was no use in having regrets now, the decision was made, and all he could do now was watch the story unfold around him.

Claire seemed to have a close relationship with the two men, the atmosphere in the car seemed to loosen up right before his eyes. He didn’t understand for the life of him what was happening, he didn’t understand the roles both men played in her life. The fact that both seemed to call her ‘Boss’ told him that she most likely employed them, but for what reason, he couldn’t tell. His expression must have given him away, because he heard Claire’s giggle right next to him as she patted his hand encouragingly.

The rest of the car ride went in a relatively calm atmosphere, the topics of the conversation not making any sense to him. Between that and a calming sound of Claire’s voice, he couldn’t say he was completely comfortable with the situation he found himself in. And the night was about to get even more ridiculous than it already was.

As he learned, the other man was Joe, and from what he was told, he was Claire’s bodyguard. Yet another thing he didn’t understand, and at this point he didn’t even try to conceal his utter confusion. They stopped by some sort of a beauty salon. He fully expected the car to leave them, but Luca parked it and joined them, both him and Joe staying close to Claire. She looked over her shoulder to check on him, and when she saw him there, still standing and breathing, which in those circumstances was a win in anyone’s books, she winked at him playfully.

“I’ll try to make it as quick as possible. Do you want to stay here? Luca can keep you company, it can get messy in there.” she whispered, standing closer to him. He shook his head, their eyes meeting in the darkness of the street at night. “Okay then, come on. Let’s get this over with.”

Ethan half expected her to be nervous about what was about to happen, but she straightened her back, held her head high and entered the building. Joe went in after her, and Luca turned back, waiting for him to decide what he would do. He took a hesitant step in, following Claire.

----------

Tag list: @paleweasels , @lilyofchoices , @hopelessromantic1352 , @aloehasrose , @valiantlychaoticbarbarian , @radlovedreamer , @usuallyamazinglyaverage, @palestazure, @cordoniaqueensworld, @universallypizzataco, @princess-geek, @faithhasnowords, @mightyfangirlofthefandoms, @drakewalkerfantasy, @timmagicktoad, @laceandlula, @greywitchyshots, @llamasgrl, @gingerjane15, @bucket-harrington , @marywrites-things , @ethanplaysfavorites , @mfackenthal , @betelgeusebee , @simsvetements, @i-only-signed-up-for-fanfiction, @buzz-bee-buzz, @owleyes374, @cora-nova, @aworldoffandoms, @l822, @cream-ray, @ughhhxjazzy, @silverlitskies, @justendlesssummerfeels, @togetherwearerapture, @desmaranj, @edgiestwinter, @friedherringclodthing, @daisy-ashton, @waytooattuned, @choicesgremlin , @lapisreviewsstuff, @the-soot-sprite, @writerapprentice, @chasingrobbie,@choicesobsessedd, @cassiusownsmyass, @x-kyne-x, @thisperfectmemory, @drakewalker04, @rookie-ramsey, @jlynn12273, @yesimacerealkiller, @thepinknymph @dr-brianna-casey-valentine, @a-i-n-a-a-s-h

#ethan ramsey #choices #open heart #au #fic #ethan x mc #dr ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan ramsey choices #dr ethan ramsey x mc #playchoices #choices stories you play

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dustedmagazine · 4 years ago

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Dust Volume 6, Number 12

The Flat Five

It’s November, and the culture is telling us to be thankful again, at least from a distance. We’re a prickly, argumentative bunch here at Dusted, but I think we can all agree on gratitude for our health, each other and the music, good and bad, that comes flooding in from all sides. So while we may not agree on whether the best genre is free jazz or acid folk or vintage punk or the most virulent form of death metal, we do concur that the world would be very dull without any of it. And thus, seasonably overstuffed, but with music, we opine on a number of the best of them once again. Contributors this time include Bill Meyer, Andrew Forell, Tim Clarke, Ray Garraty, Jennifer Kelly, Mason Jones, Patrick Masterson, Jonathan Shaw and Justin Cober-Lake. Happy thanksgiving.

Cristián Alvear / Burkhard Stangl — Pequeños Fragmentos De Una Música Discreta (Insub)

Pequeños fragmentos de una música discreta by CRISTIÁN ALVEAR & BURKHARD STANGL

The acoustic guitar creates instant common ground. Put together two people with guitars in their hands together, and they can potentially communicate without knowing a word of each other’s language. They might trade blues licks, verses of “Redemption Song,” or differently dire remembrances of “Hotel California,” but they’re bound to find some sort of common language. This album documents another chapter in the eternal search. Cristián Alvear is a Chilean classical guitarist who has found a niche interpreting modern, and often experimental repertoire. Burkhard Stangl is an Austrian who has spent time playing jazz with Franz Koglmann, covering Prince with Christoph Kurzmann and realizing compositions that use the language of free improvisation with Polwechsel. This CD collects eight “Small Fragments Of Discreet Music” which they improvised in the course of figuring out what they could play together. Given their backgrounds, dissonance is part of the shared language, but thanks to the instrumentation, nothing gets too loud. Sometimes they explore shared material, such as the gentle drizzle of harmonics on “No5.” Other times, they find productive contrasts, such as the blurry slide vs. palindromic melody on “No6.” And just once, they flip on the radio and wax melancholic while the static sputters. Sometimes small, shared moments are all you need.

Bill Meyer

Badge Époque Ensemble — Self Help (Telephone Explosion Records)

Self Help by Badge Époque Ensemble

Toronto collective Badge Époque Ensemble display the tastefully virtuosic skill of a particular strain of soul-inflected jazz-fusion that politely nudged its way into the charts during the 1970s. Led by Max Turnbull (the erstwhile Slim Twig) on Fender Rhodes, clavinet and synthesizers with members of US Girls, Andy Shauf’s live band and a roster of guest vocalists, Badge Époque Ensemble faithfully resurrect the sophisticated sounds of Blue Nun fuelled fondue parties and stoned summer afternoons by the pool. Meg Remy and Dorothea Paas share vocals on “Sing A Silent Gospel” which is garlanded with Karen Ng’s alto saxophone and an airy solo from guitarist Chris Bezant; it’s a track that threatens to take off but never quite does. The strength of James Baley’s voice lifts the light as air psych-funk of “Unity (It’s Up To You)” and Jennifer Castle does the same for “Just Space For Light” during which Alia O’Brien makes the case for jazz flute — Mann rather than Dolphy — with an impressive solo. The most interesting track here is the 11 minute “Birds Fly Through Ancient Ruins” a broodingly introspective piece which allows Bezant, Ng and bassist Giosuè Rosati to shine. Self-Help is immaculately played and has some very good moments but can’t quite get loose enough to convince.

Andrew Forell

Better Person — Something to Lose (Arbutus)

Something to Lose by Better Person

Like any musical genre, synth-pop can go desperately awry in the wrong hands. The resurgence of all things 1980s has been such a prevalent musical trend in recent years that it takes a deft touch to create something that taps into the retro vibe without coming across as smug. Under his Better Person moniker, Berlin-based Polish artist Adam Byczyowski manages to summon the melancholy vibe of 1980s classics such as “Last Christmas” by Wham!, “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin, and “Drive” by The Cars, reimagined for the 21st century and set in a run-down karaoke bar. This succinct and elegant half-hour set pivots around atmospheric instrumental “Glendale Evening” and features three Polish-language tracks — “Na Zawsze” (“Forever”), “Dotknij Mnie” (“Touch Me”), and “Ostatni Raz” (“Last Time”) — that emphasize the feel of cruising solo through another country and tuning into a unfamiliar radio station. There’s roto-toms, glassy synth tones, suitably melodramatic song titles (including “Hearts on Fire,” “True Love,” and “Bring Me To Tears”), plus Byczyowski’s disaffected croon. It all creates something unexpectedly moving.

Tim Clarke

Big Eyes Family — The Disappointed Chair (Sonido Polifonico)

The Disappointed Chair by Big Eyes Family

Sheffield’s Big Eyes Family (formerly The Big Eyes Family Players) released the rather fine Oh! on Home Assembly Music in 2016. Its eerie blend of folk and psych-pop brought to mind early Broadcast, circa Work and Non Work, before Trish Keenan and James Cargill started to explore more experimental timbres and themes of the occult. Bar perhaps the haunted music box instrumental “Witch Pricker’s Dream,” Oh!’s songs cleaved along a similar grain: minor keys, chiming arpeggiated guitar, spooky organ, in-the-pocket rhythm section, plus Heather Ditch’s vocal weaving around the music like smoke. The Disappointed Chair is much the same, enlivened with a touch more light and shade, from succinct waltz “(Sing Me Your) Saddest Song,” to the elegant Mellotron and tom-toms of “For Grace.” “From the Corner of My Eye” is stripped right back, with an especially affecting guitar line, plus Ditch’s vocals doubled, with the same words spoken and sung, like a voice of conscience nagging at the edge of the frame. It’s a strong set of songs, only let down by the boxy snare sound on “Blue Light,” and on “The Conjurer,” Ditch’s lower register isn’t nearly as strident as her upper range.

Tim Clarke

Bounaly — Music For WhatsApp 10 (Sahel Sounds)

Music from Saharan WhatsApp 10 by Bounaly

The tenth installment in Sahel Sounds’ Music For WhatsApp series introduces another name worth remembering. In case your attention hasn’t been solely faced on the ephemeral charms of contemporary Northwest African music in 2020, here’s the scoop: Each month, Sahel sounds uploads a brief recording that a musician from that corner of the world recorded on their cell phone and delivered via the titular app, which is the current mode of music transmission in that neck of the woods. At the end of the month they take it down, and that’s that. This edition was posted on November 11, so set your watch accordingly. Bounaly is originally from Niafounké, which was the home of the late, great Ali Farka Touré. Since civil war and outside intervention have rendered the city unsafe for musicians of any speed, he now works in Mali’s capital city, Bamako, but his music is rooted in the bluesy guitar style that Touré championed. Accompanied solely by a calabash player and surrounded by street sounds, Bounaly’s singing closely shadows his picking, which is expressive without resorting to the amped-up shredding of contemporary guitarists like Mdou Moctar.

Bill Meyer

Cash Click Boog — Voice of the Struggle (CMC-CMC)

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Last year, Cash Click Boog made a few very noticeable appearances on other people albums (especially on Lonnie Bands’ “Shred 1.5” and Rockin Rolla’s First Quarter) but his own Extras was a minor effort. This Californian rapper was always a dilettante at music, but that was his main appeal and ineradicable feature: you always knew that he’s always caught up in some very dark street business, and he appears in a booth once every blue moon, almost by accident. He is that sort of a player who always on the bleachers, yet when they let him on the field he always does a triple double or a hat trick (depending on a kind of sport).

Voice of the Struggle was supposed to be his big break, the album in which he would expend his gift for rapping while remaining in strictly amateurish frame. Sadly, Boog has chosen another route, namely going pop. He discards his amateur garbs almost completely and auto-tunes every track. If earlier he was too dark even by street standards, now almost all the tracks could be safely played on a radio. The first eight songs are more or less pop-ish ballads about homies in prison, tough life and the ghetto. By the time we reach the last three tracks where Boog recovers his old persona, it’s already too late. The struggle remains but the voice is gone.

Ray Garraty

The Flat Five — Another World (Pravda)

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The Flat Five musters a great deal of Chicago musical fire power. Alt.country chanteuse Kelly Hogan, Andrew Bird collaborator Nora O’Connor and Casey McDonough sing in Andrews Sisters harmonies, while NRBQ mainstay Scott Ligon minds the store and Green Mill regular Alex Hall keeps the rhythm steady. The sound is retro —1930s radio retro — but the songs, written by Ligon’s older brother Chris, upend mid-century American pieties with sharp, insurgent wit. A variety of old-time-y styles are referenced — big band jazz, country, doo wop and pre-modern pop — in clean, winking style. Countrified, “The Great State of Texas” seems, at first, to be a fairly sentimental goodbye-to-all-that song, until it ends with the revelation that the narrator is on death row. “Girl of Virginia,” unspools a series of intricate, Cole Porter-ish rhymes, while waltzing carelessly across the floor. The writing is sharp, the playing uniformly excellent and the vocals extra special, layered in buzzing harmonies and counterpoints. No matter how complicated the vocal arrangements, no one is ever flat in Flat Five.

Jennifer Kelly

Sam Gendel — DRM (Nonesuch)

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Normally, Sam Gendel plays saxophone in a classic jazz style. You might have caught him blowing dreamy, airy accompaniments on Sam Amidon’s last record, for instance, or putting his own spin on jazz standards in the solo Satin Doll. But for this album, Gendel experimented with ancient high tech — an Electro Harmonix DRM32 drum machine, some synthesizers, a 60-year-old nylon-string guitar —t o create hallucinatory fragments of beat-box-y, jazz-y sound, pitched somewhere between arty hip hop and KOMPAKT-style experimental electronics. “Dollars,” for instance, laces melancholy, Latin-flavored guitar and crooning with vintage video-game blips and bleeps, like a bossa nova heard dimly in a gaming arcade. “SOTD” dances uneasily in a syncopated way, staccato guitar runs paced by hand-claps, stuttered a-verbal mouth sounds and bright melodic bursts of synthesizer. “Times Like This” poses the difficult question of exactly what time we’re in—it has the moody smoulder of old soul, the antic ping and pop of lush early 00s electronics, the disembodied alien suavity of pitch-shifted R&B right now. The ringer in the collection is a cover of L’il Nas’ “Old Town Road,” interpreted in soft Teutonic electro tones, like Cluster at the rodeo. It’s odd and lovely and hard to get a bead on, which is pretty much the verdict for DRM as a whole.

Jennifer Kelly

Kraig Grady — Monument of Diamonds (Another Timbre)

MONUMENT OF DIAMONDS by Kraig Grady

The painting adorning the sleeve of Monument of Diamonds is entitled Doppler Effect in Blue, and rarely has the cover art’s name so accurately described the sound of the music paired with it. The album-length composition, which is scored for brass, saxophones and organs, consists almost entirely of long tones that Doppler in slow motion, with one starting up just before another peters out. The composer, Kraig Grady, is an Australian-based American who used to release albums that purported to be the folk music of a mythical land called Anaphoria. Nowadays he has no need for such subterfuge, since this lovely album holds up quite well on its own merits. Inspired by Harry Partch and non-Western classical music systems, Grady uses invented instruments and strategically selected pitch intervals to create microtonal music that sounds subtly alien, but never harsh on the ears. As the sounds glide by, they instigate a state of relaxed alertness that’ll do your blood pressure some good without exposing you to unnecessary sweetener.

Bill Meyer

MJ Guider — Sour Cherry Bell (Kranky)

Sour Cherry Bell by MJ Guider

MJ Guider’s second full length is diaphanous and monolithic, its monster beats sheathed in transparent washes of hiss and roar. “The Steelyard” shakes the floor with its pummelling industrial rhythms, yet shrouds Guider’s spoken word chants with surprising delicacy. “Body Optics” growls and simmers in woozy synth-driven discontent, while the singer lofts dreamy melodic phrases over the roar. There’s heft in the low-end of these roiling songs, in the churn of bass-like synthetics, the stomp of computer driven percussion, yet a disembodied lightness in the vocals, which float in pristine purity over the roar. Late in the disc, Guider ventures a surprisingly unconfrontational bit of dream pop in “Perfect Interference,” sounding poised and controlled and rather lovely at the center of chiming, enveloping synthetic riffs. Yet the murk and roar makes her work even more captivating, a glimpse of the spiritual in the midst of very physical wreck and tumult.

Jennifer Kelly

Hisato Higuchi — キ、Que、消えん？ - Ki, Que, Kien? (Ghost Disc)

キ、Que、消えん？ - Ki, Que, Kien? by Hisato Higuchi

Since 2003, Tokyo-based guitarist Hisato Higuchi has quietly released a series of equally-quiet albums, many on his own Ghost Disc label, which is appropriately named. Higuchi's work on this and the previous two albums of his "Disappearing Trilogy" is a sort of shimmering, melancholy guitar-and-vocal atmosphere — downer psych-folk in a drifting haze. His lyrics are more imagery than story, touching on overflowing light, winter cities, the quiet world, and the transience of memories. As the guitar floats slowly into the distance, Higuchi's voice, imbued with reverb, is calmly narcotic, like someone quietly sympathizing with a friend's troubles. These songs, while melancholy, convey a peacefulness that's a welcome counterbalance to the chaotic year in which we've been living. Like a cool wind on a warm summer evening, you can close your eyes and let Higuchi's music improve your mood.

Mason Jones

Internazionale — Wide Sea Prancer (At the Blue Parade) (Janushoved)

Wide Sea Prancer (At The Blue Parade) by Internazionale

It’s been nearly half a decade since Copenhagen’s Janushoved first appeared in these annals, and in that time, a little more information — and a lot more material — has cropped up to lend some context to the mystery. The focus, however, steadfastly remains with the music — perhaps my favorite of which among the regular projects featured is label head Mikkel Valentin’s own swirling solo synth vehicle Internazionale. In addition to a reissue of 2017’s The Pale and the Colourful (originally out on Posh Isolation), November saw the release of all-new songs with Wide Sea Prancer (At the Blue Parade), 14 tracks of gently abrasive headphone ambient that carry out this type of sound very well. Occasionally there is a piano (“Callista”) or what sounds like vocals (“El Topo”), but as it’s been from the start, this is primarily about tones and moods. Notes for the release say it’s a “continuation and completion of the narrative set by the release Sillage of the Blue Summer,” but it’s less the narrative you should be worried about missing out on than the warmth of your insides after an uninterrupted listen.

Patrick Masterson

Iress — Flaw (Iress)

Flaw by Iress

Sweeping, epic post-metal from this LA four piece makes a place for melodic beauty amid the heaviness. Like Pelican and Red Sparrows, Iress blares a wall of overwhelming guitar sound. Together Michelle Malley and Alex Moreno roust up waves and walls of pummeling tone as in opener “Shame.” But Iress is also pretty good at pulling back and revealing the acoustic basis for these songs. “Hand Tremor” is downright tranquil, with wreathes of languid guitar strumming and Malley’s strong, gutsy soprano navigating the full dynamic range from whisper to scream. “Wolves” lumbers like a violent beast, even in its muscular surge, there’s a slow, anthemic chorus. Likewise, “Underneath” pounds and hammers (that’s Glenn Chu on drums), but leaves space for introspection and doubt. It’s rare that the vocals on music this heavy are so good or so female, but if you’ve liked Chelsea Wolfe’s recent forays into ritual metal, you should check out Iress as well.

Jennifer Kelly

Junta Cadre — Vietnam Forever (No Rent Records)

"Vietnam Forever" (NRR141) by Junta Cadre

Junta Cadre is one of several noise and power electronics projects created by Jackson Abdul-Salaam, musician and curator of the long-running Svn Okklt blog. As the project’s name implies, Junta Cadre has an agenda: the production of sound that seeks to thematize the ambiguities of 20th-century radical, revolutionary politics. The project’s initial releases investigated the Maoist revolution in China, and the subsequent Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s and 1970s. Vietnam Forever shifts topics, to the American War in Vietnam, and tactics, including contributions from other prominent harsh noise acts and artists: the Rita, Samuel Torres of Terror Cell Unit, Leo Brucho of Controlled Opposition and others. Given those names, Vietnam Forever is as challenging and rigorous as you might expect. Waves of dissonant, electronic hum and fuzz accumulate and oscillate, crunching and chopping into textured aural assaults; wince-inducing warbles and needling feedback occasionally assert themselves. Abdul-Salaam’s harsh shout cuts in and out of the mix. The tape (also available as a name-yo’-price DL on Bandcamp) presents as two side-long slabs of sound, both over seventeen minutes long, both completely exhausting. At one point, on Side A, Abdul-Salaam repeatedly shouts, “Beautiful Vietnam forever!” It’s hard to say what he means. An affirmation that Vietnam survived the war? That its people and culture endure? Or that the U.S. can’t seem to shake the war’s haunting presence? Or even a more worryingly nihilistic delight in the war’s carnage, so frequently aestheticized in films like Apocalypse Now (1979), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Da Five Bloods (2020)? The noise provides no closure. Maybe necessarily so.

Jonathan Shaw

Bastien Keb — The Killing of Eugene Peeps (Gearbox)

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The Killing of Eugene Peeps is a soundtrack to a movie that never was, a noir-ish flick which winds restlessly through urban landscapes and musical styles, from the orchestra tremors of its opening through the folky group-sing of “Lucky the Oldest Grave.” “Rabbit Hole” wafts by like an Elephant Six outtake, its woozy chorus lit by glockenspiel notes, while “God Bless Your Gutters” conjures jazzy desolation in piano and mordant spoken word. “All the Love in Your Heart” shimmers like a movie flashback, a mirage of blowsy back-up singing, guitar and muttered memories. “Street Clams” bristles with funk and swagger, an Ethio-jazz sortee through rain slicked streets. What’s it about? Musically or narratively? No idea. But it’s worth visiting these evocative soundscapes just for the atmosphere. It’s a film I’d like to see.

Jennifer Kelly

Jesse Kivel — Infinite Jess (New Feelings)

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Nostalgia haunts the new solo album from Kisses guitarist/singer Jesse Kivel. Infinite Jess is full of that knowing melancholy of The Blue Nile, Prefab Sprout and The Pale Fountains that was so magnetic to a certain brand of sensitive young thing seeking to articulate their inchoate visions of a future steeped in romance and adventure. Think wistful mid-tempo songs wrapped in cocoons of strummed guitars, shuffling percussion and wurlitzer piano fashioned into a catalogue of adolescent radio memories. These tunes are topped by the understated sincerity of Kivel’s voice and lyrics which effectively evoke the place, time and emotion of his vignettes. The production suffers occasionally from a distracting reliance on too perfectly rendered tropes — overly polite drum programming, thumbed bass, blandly smooth electric piano — but the overall effect is oddly beguiling. Infinite Jess closes with a charmingly wobbly instrumental cover of Don McLean’s “Vincent” played on the wurlitzer that captures the poignancy of the melody and serves as a fitting epilog to the record.

Andrew Forell

Kyrios — Saturnal Chambers (Caligari Records)

Saturnal Chambers by KYRIOS

The corpsepaint-and-spiked-codpiece crowd are still making tons of records, but fewer and fewer of them are interesting or compelling. The retrograde theatrics and cheap pessimism can be irritating enough (I’d rather be reading Schopenhauer, thanks); it’s even more problematic when the songs can muster only the vividness and savor of stiff leftovers from the deep-freezer’s darkest and dankest corners. Still, every now and then a kvlty band that follows the frigid dictates of black metal’s orthodoxy creates a set of songs worth listening to. This new EP from Kyrios is super short, comprising three tracks in just under 10 minutes that pull off that neat trick: when it’s over, you want to hear more. Sure, the dudes in the band call themselves silly things like Satan’s Sword and Vornag, but the tunes are really good. Check out the churning strangeness of “The Utterance of Foul Truths.” Kyrios claims Immortal, Enslaved and Dissection as primary influences, and the band recognizes the stylistic debt they owe to Deathspell Omega (let’s hope Kyrios digs the twisted guitars and weird-ass time signatures, but passes on the National Socialism declaimed by that French band’s vocalist). Stuff gets even more engaging when bleeping and blooping keyboards vibrate at the edges of the mix, giving the songs a spaced-out vibe. “Saturnal Chambers”? Maybe Kyrios has met the astral spirit of Sun Ra somewhere along their galactic journeys into the heavenly void. He liked bleeping, blooping noises and gaudy costumes, too.

Jonathan Shaw

Matt Lajoie — Light Emerging (Trouble In Mind)

Light Emerging by Matt Lajoie

The second volume of Trouble In Mind Records’ Explorers series is, like its predecessor a cassette that comes concealed within a brown slipcase. Like many other discretely wrapped products, the fun is on the inside. This time, it’s a tape by guitarist who understands that toes aren’t just for tapping. At any rate, I think he’s managing his pedals with his feet. Most likely Lajoie has spent some quality time listening to mid-1990s Roy Montgomery. But since a quarter century has passed, he doesn’t just stack up the echoes. Sped-up tones streak across the surface of this music like swallows zooming close to that sheet you hung on the side of your barn the last time you had everyone over for a socially distanced gathering to watch Aguirre, The Wrath of God. Wait, did that really happen? Maybe not, but if someone were to make a fake documentary about the hanging of the projective surface, this music is suitably epic to provide the soundtrack.

Bill Meyer

Lisa/Liza — Shelter of a Song (Orindal)

Shelter of a Song by Lisa/Liza

Lisa/Liza makes a quietly harrowing sort of guitar folk, singing in a high, ghostly clear soprano against delicate traceries of picking. The artist, real name Liza Victoria, inhabits songs that are unadorned but still chilling. She sings with childlike sincerity in an ominous landscape of dark alleys and chilly autumnal vistas. She wrote this album while chronically ill, according to the notes, and you can hear the struggle against the body in the way her voice sometimes wavers, her breath comes in sudden intakes. But, as sometimes happens after long sickness, she sometimes strikes clear of the physical, achieving an unearthly purity as in “From this Shelter.” A touch of plain spoken magic lurks in this one, in the whispery vocals, the translucent curtains of guitar notes, though not much warmth. “Red Leaves” is earthier and more fluid, guitar flickers striking out from a resonant center, and the artist murmuring dreamily about the beauty of the world and its transience.

Jennifer Kelly

Keith Morris & The Crooked Numbers — American Reckoning (Mista Boo)

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It's easy to imagine Keith Morris as perpetually frustrated. His last album, after all, took on psychopaths and sycophants, and the title of his new release American Reckoning doesn't suggest happy thoughts. There's plenty of bile on these five tracks, of course, but Morris approaches the album like a scholar. The opening verse describes the US as “Machiavellian: the mean just never ends” before referencing Othello and Yo-Yo Ma (the latter for a “yo mama” joke). If Morris and the Crooked Numbers just raged, they might be justified, but they'd be less interesting. Instead, they use a wide swath of American musical styles to thoughtfully consider racial (and racist) issues in our contemporary society. “Half Crow Jim” turns a Southern piano tune into a surprising tale about the fallout from slavery. It's a sharp moment, and it highlights that the only disappointing part of this release lies in its brevity. Morris has said he has more music on the way, and if he continues to mix styles, wordplay, and cultural analysis, it'll be worth a study.

Justin Cober-Lake

Tatsuya Nakatani and Rob McGill — Valley Movements (Weird Cry)

Valley Movements by Tatsuya Nakatani / Rob Magill

In most percussion ensembles, the gong-ist is a utility player, charged with banging out a note once or twice per composition for drama and ideally not screwing it up. Tatsuya Nakatani works on a wholly different level, transcending the possibilities of this ancient, archetypical instrument with vision and an unholy technique. More specifically, his set-up includes at least two standing gongs, each about as tall as he is himself. He plays them with mallets, standing between, in blur speed rolls that range all over the surface of the instrument. The sound he evokes is distinctly unpercussive, more resembling string instrument glissandos than any form of drums, a full-on high-register wail of sound that he sculpts and roils and coaxes into compositions of incredible force and complexity. He also plays a bunch of other percussion instruments, little drums and cymbals which he layers on top of each other so that when he strikes one, the others resonate. It is quite an experience to see him at it, and if you ever get a chance, you should go. Here, he works with the saxophonist Rob McGill unfurling a single 40-minute improvisation at a studio in the appealingly named Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. McGill is an agile player, laying alternately lyrical and agitated counterpoints onto Nakatani’s rhythms, carrying the tune and threading a logical through line through this extended set. He finds frequencies that complement Nakatani’s antic, nearly demonic drum sounds and knows when to let loose and when to let his partner through the mix. The result is a very high energy, engaging adventure in sound that evokes a rare response: you wish you could hear the drums better.

Jennifer Kelly

Overmono — The Cover Mix (Mixmag)

Mixmag · The Cover Mix: Overmono

It’s a really weird time to be advocating for club music of any kind, but Overmono’s Everything U Need EP out recently on XL again showcases what the fraternal duo known better as Tessela and Truss do best: melding thoughtful percussion patterns with these airy, gliding synth melodies that work at home just as well as in the club (theoretically, anyway). It’s not just original material they do well, though; whether it was the Dekmantel podcast a few years back or their live cassette from Japan or this mix for Mixmag, Ed and Tom Russell also have a knack for pacing in their sets. This one features stuff from the new EP as well as three unreleased tracks (not counting the Rosalía remix, which remains one of the year’s most addicting) and names both old and new — listen for DJ Crystl’s 1993 jungle jam “Deep Space” sidled up next to Smerz’s new skyscraper “I Don’t Talk About That Much.” If that sounds like everything you need, lock in and let Overmono do the hard work. Truly, they do not miss.

Patrick Masterson

Pole — Fading (Mute)

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As Pole, Stefan Betke’s work has always been both comforting and disconcerting. The amiotic swells and heartbeat bass frequencies generate a warm human feel in his music despite their origins in serendipitously damaged equipment. Fading, his first album in five years explores Betke’s reactions to his mother’s dementia and reflects on the nature of personality, memory and soul. Building on his trademark glitchy beats and oceanic bass tones, the eight tracks echo a consciousness unmoored by the fog of unfamiliarity that smothers and distorts but never completely submerges awareness. “Tölpel” (slang for klutz) evokes impatient fingers tapping out the guilty resentment of the forgotten and the frustration of the forgetful. The title track closes with a woozy waltz punctuated by recurrent sparks. Fading is a deeply felt work; somber, reflective, stumbling towards understanding and acceptance, alive to the nuances and petty nettles of grief and above all beautiful in its ambivalence.

Andrew Forell

Quakers — II: The Next Wave (Stones Throw)

II - The Next Wave by Quakers

After eight years of silence following 2012’s self-titled debut, Stones Throw production trio Quakers (Portishead’s Geoff Barrow as Fuzzface, 7-Stu-7 and Katalyst) dropped the 50-track beat tape Supa K: Heavy Tremors out of nowhere in September and now, just two months later, are back with another 33-track behemoth that allows a litany of emcees to shine. Calling this The Next Wave is a bit of a stretch when you consider many of the voices on here are from guys who’ve been in the game for years or even decades (Jeru the Damaja, Detroit’s Phat Kat and Guilty Simpson, Chicagoan Jeremiah Jae, etc.), but even so, the dusty grooves and Dilla loops prove perfect foils for many of those who hit the mic. My favorite might be Sageinfinite slotting in with the organ grinder “A Myth,” but even if you don’t like it, everyone’s in and out quick. If you’re burned out on Griselda, give this a go for 1990s vibes of a different kind.

Patrick Masterson

Rival Consoles — Articulation (Erased Tapes)

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There are deep pockets of silence in “Articulation,” ink black stops between the thump and clack of dance beat, sudden intervals of nothingness amidst limber synthetic melodies. London-based producer Ryan West, who records as Rival Consoles, layers sound on sound in some tracks, letting the foundations slip like tectonic plates on top of one another, but he is also very much aware of the power of quiet, whether dark or luminously light. Consider, for instance, his closer, “Sudden Awareness of Now,” whose buoyant melody skitters across factory-sized fan blasts of whooshing sound. The rhythm is light footed and agile, pieced together from staccato elements that hold the air and light. Like Jon Hopkins, West uses the glitch and twitch to insinuate the infinite, chiming overtones and hovering backdrops to represent a gnostic, communal state of existence. “Vibrations on a String” may jump to the steady thump, thump, thump of dance, but as its gleaming plasticine tones blow out into horn blast dissonance, the cut is more about becoming than being.

Jennifer Kelly

Sweeping Promises — Hunger for a Way Out (Feel It)

Hunger for a Way Out by Sweeping Promises

The title track bounds headlong on a rubbery bassline, picking up a Messthetick-y blare of junk shop keyboards. All the sudden, there’s Lira Mondal unleashing a giddy screed of angular pop punk tunefulness, her partner in Sweeping Promises, Caulfield, stabbing and stuttering on guitar. In some ways, this band is straight out of late 1980s London, jitter-flirting with offkilter hooks a la Delta Five or Girls at Our Best. In others, they are utterly modern, lacing austere pogo beats with lush, elaborate vocal counterpoints. “Falling Forward” is a continuous rush of clamped in guitar scramble and agile, bouncing bass, anthemic trills breaking for robotic chants; it’s a mesh of sounds that always seems ready to collapse in a heap, but instead finds its antic balance just in time.

Jennifer Kelly

Martin Taxt — First Room (SOFA)

First Room by Martin Taxt

Sometimes a room is more than a room. In the matter at hand, it is a space that proposes a state of mind and a consequent set of experiences. It is also the score for a piece of music that extrapolate that state into the realm of sound. The cover of First Room depicts a pattern of tatami mats that you might find in a Japanese tea room. Martin Taxt is a microtonal tubaist and also the holder of an advanced degree in music and architecture (next time someone tells you that some good thing can’t happen, remember that in Norway you can not only get such a degree; you can then go ahead and present a CD that shows your work. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in the stars, but in our society.). This music takes inspiration from the integrated aesthetic of the tea ceremony, using carefully placed and deliberately sustained sounds to create an environment in which subtle changes count for a lot. The album’s contents were created by mixing together two performances, one with and another without an audience. Taxt and accompanist Vilde Marghrete Aas layer long tones from a tuba, double bass, viola da gamba and sine waves. Their precise juxtapositions create a sense of focus, somewhat like a concentrated version of Ellen Fullman’s long string music, and if that statement means something to you, so will this music.

Bill Meyer

Ulaan Janthina — Ulaan Janthina II (Worstward)

Ulaan Janthina (Part II) by Ulaan Janthina

Part two of Steven R. Smith’s latest recording project echoes the first volume in several key aspects. It is a tape made in small numbers and packaged like a present from your favorite cottage industry; in this case, the custom-printed box comes with an old playing card, a hand-printed image of jellyfish, an old skeleton key and a nut. And Smith, who most often plays guitars and home-made stringed instruments, once more plays keyboards, which enable him to etch finer lines of melody. The chief difference between this tape and its predecessor is the melodies themselves, which have begun to attain the evocative simplicity of mid-1970s Cluster.

Bill Meyer

Various Artists — Joyous Sounds! (Chicago Research)

Joyous Sounds! by Various Artists

It’s been less than two years, but Blake Karlson’s Chicago Research imprint has already made its presence known both in the Windy City and beyond as fine purveyors of all things industrial, EBM, post-punk and experimental electronics. There were two compilations released within days of one another toward the beginning of October, and while Preliminaries of Silence veers more toward soothing ambient textures, Joyous Sounds! is more upbeat and rhythmic (Bravias Lattice’s “Liquid Vistas” is a beautiful exception). My favorite track is Club Music’s “Musclebound” (not a Spandau Ballet cover, as it turns out), but the underlying menace of Civic Center’s “Filigree” and Rottweiler’s pummeling “Ancient Baths” sit alongside merely unsettling fare like Lily the Fields’ “Porcelain” well. If you’re not already aboard or just have a Wax Trax-sized hole in your heart, you have a lot of work ahead of you with this label’s consistently superlative output.

Patrick Masterson

Kurt Vile — Speed, Sound, Lonely KV (Matador)

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Given John Prine's passing from COVID-19 this year, the new Kurt Vile EP might be received as a tribute to the late artist, with extra significance coming from Prine's appearance here. Four years in the works, Speed, Sound, Lonely KV offers more than just tribute, though. Prine's guest spot (if you could call it that) on his own “How Lucky” certainly makes for a moving highlight, the two singers fitting together nicely as Prine's gruff tone balance's his partner's smoother voice. Vile also covers Prine on “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness,” and he adds “Gone Girl” by Cowboy Jack Clement as he takes further cosmic steps.

His two originals here complete the record, and, mixed in with the covers, draw out the lesson. Vile's entire EP blends the country influences with his more typical dreamy sound, the guitar work bridging the gap between a songwriter's backing and something more ethereal. Nashville, it seems, has always suited Vile just fine, and hearing him embrace that tradition more immediately adds an extra layer to his work. Putting a cowboy hat on his previous aesthetic puts him opens up new but related paths for him, and the five tracks here could play on either a Kris Kristofferson mix or a laid-back indie-rocker playlist. Either way, they'd be highlights on an endless loop.

Justin Cober-Lake

WhoMadeWho — Synchronicity (Kompakt)

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Danish trio WhoMadeWho — drummer Tomas Barfod, guitarist Jeppe Kjellberg and bassist/singer Tomas Høffding — make enjoyable indie dance music that suffers somewhat from lack of personality and a tendency toward a middle ground. That may be due to an effort to accommodate a roster of Kompakt-related collaborators including Michael Mayer, Echonomist and Robag Wruhme. While there’s nothing bad and some pretty good here, the individual songs flit by, pausing briefly to set one’s head nodding and feet tapping, before evaporating from the mind. “Shadow of Doubt” featuring Hamburg’s Adana Twins has the kind of driving bass that anchored New Order hits but also, unfortunately, the unconvincing vocals only Bernard Sumner could get away with. More successful moments like the eerie piano riff and jazz inflections of “Dream Hoarding” with Frank Wiedemann, the arpeggiated house of “Der Abend birgt keine Ruh” featuring Perel and miserablist Pet Shop Boys inflected closer “If You Leave” do stick. Synchronicity might work well on the dance floor, but it doesn’t quite sustain at home.

Andrew Forell

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thebumblebyog · 6 years ago

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Running From Her Problems

I’ve never really written any fan fiction and I’ve definitely never posted it, but I just finished season two of Atypical and I really felt like I needed to put this out there. I have at least three more stories that I want to write about Casey and Izzie and after that I think I’ll move on to other shows or maybe my original stories. Let me know what you think, and please reblog if you like it!

Pow-pow-powpow-powpowpow-pow-powpow

Izzie’s feet slammed against the pavement one after the other in rapid succession; fast but noticeably out of rhythm. Her form was sloppy. Her legs jerked uneasily one in front of the other; her breathing was ragged and uneven. She stumbled to a stop and doubled over, wheezing. Ever since she had heard about this record-breaking girl from Newton it had been one shitty thing after another. It was starting to feel like all of those dreams she had been running towards-the Olympics, endorsements, a better life for her brothers and sisters-were getting further and further away. It had been bad enough becoming the second best, but now she seemed to actually be getting slower. And somehow it was getting even worse; now the Casey was trying to take away the only good thing left in her life.

“You ruined everything you stupid bitch,” she said, still panting. She had been wrong; Casey was just like all the other Clayton girls: fake and spoiled and self-centered. Doing whatever she wanted no matter who it hurt because she could get away with it.

“Fuck you!” Izzie took off again, fast but reckless, out of control. She was better off on her own with no one dragging her down. She had finally let someone in, opened up, and this was what she got? Stabbed in the back?

“Why would you do that?” She had thought they were friends. Izzie had trusted her, confided in her like she never had with anyone else. She had even gone straight to Casey’s when it wasn’t safe at home. Why the hell did she do this?

“Why would you kiss him?!” Tears were streaming down her face. That asshole, trying to steal the person she loved? Kiss the person sheshould have been kissing? She clenched her eyes shut as hard as she could, screaming.

“Why didn’t you kiss me?!”

Izzie almost fell as she stumbled into a dead-stop, so shocked by what she had said that it was like she had literally tripped over the words. She was feeling dizzy. She had said it, and she’d meant it.

“Oh my god…” How could she have been so stupid? She wasn’t angry at Casey for kissing her boyfriend; she was angry that someone, anyone besides her, had kissed Casey. Of course Nate was lying; Newton wouldn’t have done that to her. They were friends; they were the same. But that meant…

“No. No no no no no no no no no,” Izzie half fell as she sat on the curb, catching herself with her hands, anxious and scared and exhausted. She had embarrassed her friend, her only real friend for telling the truth, for trying to do the right thing. There was no way Newton would forgive her for that; they would never be friends again, and they were definitel never going to be anything more. She rested her elbows on her knees as she covered her face to hide the tears.

“You ruined everything you stupid bitch,” she wept, her sobs made worse by her labored breathing. She was shaking so hard that she was almost…buzzing. Actually, she was buzzing.

She let her phone keep ringing; there was no one she wanted to talk to right now. A few seconds passed before the next call. Izzie took the phone out of her pocket but didn’t recognize the number. The last thing she wanted was to answer a robocall or hear about some scam. The ringing stopped and started once again. Izzie half-sighed-half-screamed at the phone before answering.

“What do you want?” she shouted at the unwelcome interrupter of her self-loathing.

“Wow, uh, okay, hi Izzie, this is Elsa…Gardner…Casey’s mom,” said the nasally, confused voice. Izzie’s stomach turned. This day just kept finding new ways to be horrible.

“Hi Mrs. Gardner, I’m sorry. What’s going on?” Izzie closed her eyes and braced herself. She didn’t want to hear Newton’s mom chew her out, but she knew she deserved it.

“I called your mom and she gave me your number,” Elsa’s whiney voice had become unexpectedly kind, “she seems so sweet by the way.”

Izzie opened her eyes. She figured Newton must have been exaggerating, but Elsa really was as out of touch as her daughter claimed.

“Um, yeah, thank you.”

“I’m calling because I think you and Casey had some sort of…misunderstanding.”

Scratch that, Newton gave this woman too much credit. She may as well have been living on the moon.

“Yeah, it was my fault,” It hurt Izzie’s throat to fight back the tears, “Your daughter means a lot to me and I…hurt her, for something she didn’t even do.”

“Uh-huh,” Elsa said, either lost trying to get Izzie to keep talking.

“I wanna fix this, I just don’t know how.”

“Well it’s actually Casey’s birthday tomorrow. I’m throwing her a surprise party,” Elsa said, trying a little too hard to make it sound fun, “I thought if you and maybe some of the other girls came then it might be a good way to mend fences.”

Izzie couldn’t believe anyone would do that to a teenaged girl, much less that girl’s own mother. Inviting someone who had shunned her, called her a liar, and written “slut” and “ho” on each of her shoes into her home, on her birthday, without telling her? Even to someone with a mom as terrible as Izzie’s, Elsa’s idea sounded stupid and terrible.

“That’s perfect! I’ll be there, just text me the time.”

“Great, I’ll see you there,” Elsa said, annoyingly pleased with herself.

Izzie hung up her phone and wiped her eyes before standing up to head home. She could fix this. Slowly, she started to pick up speed as she formed a plan. Tomorrow at school she would tell Nate she knew he was full of shit and dump him. Then she would go to Newton’s party and apologize for all the crappy things she had said and done. Then she could tell her…She could ask her if…she wanted to be…Well, first she would just apologize.

Pow-pow pow-pow pow-pow pow-pow pow-pow

Without her even noticing, Izzie’s form had come right back to her. Her stride was smooth and mechanical, her breaths deep and even. She had a new goal now; she had something to run towards. And there was no way she was gonna let it get away from her.

#casey x izzie #cizzie #atypical #fanfic #tw #language

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anitabyars · 6 years ago

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Title: A Perfect Lie

Author: Lisa Renee Jones

Release Date: May 14, 2019

ABOUT A PERFECT LIE

Secrets. Lies. A man. There's always a man. And there's always a truth to be told.

I'm Hailey Anne Monroe. I’m twenty-eight years old. An artist, who found her muse on the canvas because I wasn’t allowed to have friends or even keep a journal. And yes, if you haven’t guessed by now, I’m that Hailey Anne Monroe, daughter to Thomas Frank Monroe, the man who was a half-percentage point from becoming President of the United States. If you were able to ask him, he’d probably tell you that I was the half point. But you can’t ask him, and he can’t tell you. He’s dead. They’re all dead and now I can speak.

BUY A PERFECT LIE

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Audible → https://adbl.co/2TJMTb1

iBooks → https://apple.co/2p09PB4

Nook → http://bit.ly/2MrIqB5

Kobo → http://bit.ly/2NCgK18

EXCERPT

“Can I join you?” he asks, motioning to the table.

There’s interest in his eyes, the kind a man has for a woman, but who knows, maybe it’s real or maybe it’s not real. Maybe he knows who I am and sees a path to power and fame. The way Tobey wanted me for money and power, right up until the moment I’d called his number aka his agenda; thus, he has not called me since I left. Maybe Harvard will lie even better than Tobey did. Maybe Harvard will at least kiss better than he did, and the lies would taste like temptation rather than convenience. At least then, if I’m used, I’ll enjoy being used.

Whatever the case, it’s clear I might actually be angry with Tobey and that aside, the interest that Harvard has shown in me, must be controlled before my Denver sanctuary is destroyed. “You can join me,” I say, “but only because I’m trying to save the rest of the place from the attorney in the house.”

I am pleased when Harvard laughs, where Tobey would have scowled, proving that Harvard has a sense of humor, which is rare for those in my life. I’ve barely completed this thought when he moves forward and claims the seat next to me, not across from me, settling his briefcase on that chair instead. In the process, his leg brushes my leg and for the briefest of moments, I’m transported back to the place that I’m now trying to forget: to Austin, to Drew’s leg next to mine, his wink, and I do now what I did then. I jerk back. If Harvard notices he doesn’t react. “Since we haven’t been formally introduced,” he says, resting his naked hands on the table. “I’m Logan. Logan Casey.”

“Logan Casey,” I repeat trying to ground myself in the present, at least for now, but some part of me is still swimming in that memory, which naturally has me wondering if this man is a shark in the water around me. “Two first names,” I add. “Sounds like your parents fought over who got to pick your first name. Did they draw straws for which choice became your middle name?”

“You’re actually right on target,” he says, laughing again, and it’s a nice, masculine laugh, and oddly this thought feels familiar while Logan does not. “No one has ever guessed that,” he adds. “My mother won the name war. The women always win. Speaking of names. Do you have one?”

“Hailey Anne Pitt,” I say, “and in my house, my father won the name war.” Because in my father’s world, I add silently, the women don’t win the wars. At least, not that he knows, not in an obvious way. I’ve learned this well.

“Well then, Hailey Anne Pitt,” he says, “what’s a Stanford girl like you, doing in a place like this? You’re a long way from school.”

I’m smacked in the face with a lesson I’ve long ago learned and forgotten with this man; strangers do not always remain strangers and all offhanded remarks can come back to haunt you. “That was a joke,” I say, shutting the door connected to my real life, and a path that leads to my father. “I hate attorneys, remember?”

He narrows his eyes on me, and for no reason other than instinct, I believe he’s looking for a lie that he won’t find. I’m simply too well-taught from birth, too skilled at being more than one person to allow such a detection. Well that, and the fact that I really do hate attorneys, which is why I’ll be a good one.

“That was a joke?” he confirms.

“Yes,” I say. “Are you amused?”

“Yes, actually. I am. What does a lawyer-hating smart ass like yourself do for a living?”

“When not busy taunting those who went to law school,” I say. “I’m an aspiring artist.” Both honest answers, if you put a “was” in front of the “aspiring artist” which I’d thought that I’d come to terms with, but the knot in my stomach says I have not.

Logan motions toward the art room. “Your career explains why you ended up here.”

“I guess it does,” I say, as this place serves me well to reconnecting to the Pitt part of my life, which is a place I really need to be right now, for all kinds of reasons.

“Are you good?” Logan asks, as if he’s read my mind.

My father’s words answer him in my head. Art is useless unless you’re famous, he used to say often, because of course, it was inconceivable that I might be good enough to be famous. “Art is like movies and food,” I say, shoving aside that bad memory. “Good is subjective.” I don’t give him time to reply. I ping the conversation back toward him. “What kind of law do you practice?”

“Corporate,” he says, and this time he pings back to me. “Do you live in the neighborhood?”

“Yes,” I say simply. “Do you?”

“I bought a building a few years ago where I live and work which means this is my home turf, and why I know you’re new here.”

“I am,” I say and since he’s clearly going to ask for details, I quickly preempt with an on-the-fly story. Actually, it’s the suggested story, Rudolf included in my file. “I came here for a job, and my new boss owns a house he’s rented to me for dirt cheap.”

“And what does an artist do but create art for a living?”

“I’m working for a private art acquisitions firm. I now hunt for treasures for a living.” This lie is actually my dream job that I’ve never been allowed to entertain.

The horror flick loving waitress delivers my coffee and brownie. “Thank you,” I say, because every politician’s daughter has manners beaten into her.

“No problem,” she says, “but if you come to your senses and want a better version of that coffee, just shout.” She eyes Logan. “I already know you want a crappy tasting coffee, on endless pour and a chocolate chip cookie. Coming right up.”

“Thanks, Megan,” he says, giving her a wink that I don’t classify as flirtatious, just friendly, and Megan is gone.

“Obviously you’re a regular,” I comment, “and they even like you.”

“And they like me,” he confirms, “despite knowing I’m an attorney.

“Because you’re good looking and use it to your advantage.”

He arches a brow. “You think I’m good looking, do you?”

“Oh, come on,” I say, crinkling my nose. “Everyone thinks you’re good looking. I’m simply stating a fact. We use what we have and those of us that are smart, know what we have.” I move on from what is really quite inconsequential. “Why work here, not at home, or in the office?”

“I find I get a lot of work done with a cookie, coffee, and no access to streaming television,” he explains.

No one in my D.C. crowd would make an admission of being human and distractible. Some people in my situation might take comfort in that fact, but I don’t. Logan’s an attorney, and my gut, which I’ll confirm with research, says he’s a powerful one, the kind that radiates toward my father. Maybe that’s a coincidence and maybe it’s not. Maybe he’s testing how well I execute my cover story. The possibilities are many. Though in all fairness to Logan, perhaps I’d lean toward his innocence, if not for the laundry list of recent events such as Tobey being gay and the FBI agent, who is likely working for my father, that I slept with to prove I was a) still desirable and b) not a killer.

ABOUT LISA

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series.

In addition to the success of Lisa's INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is also the author of the bestselling WHITE LIES and LILAH LOVE series.

Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women's Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

CONNECT WITH LISA

Newsletter ➜ http://lisareneejones.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/LisaReneeJones

Instagram ➜ http://instagram.com/lisareneejones

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/LisaReneeJones

My Review!

5 ⭐️

Riveting!!!

Wow! This is a riveting, suspenseful, mystery that is about greed, destiny, betrayal, secrets, lies, power, money and ambition. It’s about what some powerful people may do to get ahead. But is also the story of a young woman Hailey Anne Monroe whose father has political aspirations to become the President. A father who appears to be disdainful of rules, of laws and of ethics. Raised from infancy to be the perfect daughter, Hailey tells us her story, as she searches for answers, and finds out what she is truly made of. Written in past and present tense it takes you on her journey of what she says is the truth. But is it? Or could it be the perfect lie?

This story took me on a wild ride, making me question every single character and situation the whole way through. There were little hints along the way that built this story, so many little things that started to tick off this list of what was real and who was behind all of this. I spent most of the chapters mentally keeping track of all the big and small clues. My mind constantly racing trying to figure out where this was all leading next. Because we have learned that in politics and life that lies can and are avoided by the many versions of the truth.

Lisa Renee Jones did a phenomenal job crafting this story, and I was held captive until the end. I loved its fast pace and unexpected turns. So clear your schedule. Bring a snack. This will keep you reading late into the night. I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#lisa renee jones #the perfectlie #riveting narrative

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kittyboones · 6 years ago

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Sage Holland Drage - Bully Self-Insert

This is my Self-Insert for Bully/Canis Canem Edit! I made the art myself and would appreciate if you didn’t use it! The Template was created by Silkvale and it can be found here! I added an extra, maybe not as necessary category in the Hot Encounters category, just for fun!! And I added a few teachers! This is the finished version of this OC/self-insert! if you want to see previous versions, please go through this tag to see previous versions!

If you are interested in reading the current info about my Bully Self-Insert, please read under the cut!

Biographical Information Full Name [& Pronunciation] - Sage Holland Drage ( S AI J ) ( H AW - l uh n d ) ( d r ai j ) Meaning - Herb or Prophet, Ridgeland, Dragon Set Age - 14-15 Certified Birthdate - 12 January 1992 (not my real birth year, but shh) Astrological Sign - Capricorn Pronouns - They/them or He/Him Aliases & Preferred Nicknames – Dumbbell - Sage might not actually like the nickname, but Mandy WIles insist on calling Sage it whenever Mandy sees Sage, so Sage is kind of used to this nickname Dragon - As some people may not be able to pronounce Sage’s surname, Sage just call themselves Dragon to make it easier for everyone. Ms. Shy - Even though Sage prefers to go by he/him or they/them pronouns, people insist on calling them ms, and many people consider them shy because of how they seem terrified of new people. This nickname was first given by Gord Vendome. Puppy - A nickname Sage got from Kirby Olsen, that they claim matches their general personality and as Kirby claims, matches the fact Sage has puppy eyes ‘that could melt the coldest of hearts’. Handsome Holland - because of an incident with the greasers, Ricky started calling Sage handsome and man does Sage blush every damn time Dragonborn – Because of Sage secretly is a bit of a nerd, they obtained this nickname from the nerds when they found out they enjoyed roleplaying games like Freddie Mercury - Mostly because of how much of a drama queen Sage can act like when they feel like it, some of the Preps have realized Sage fit the description of Bullworth’s Freddie Mercury and maybe it’s because of the fact that Sage, just like Mr Mercury, is Bisexual Posh Spice – Maybe it’s because of how posh and ladylike Sage gets when they are dressed extremely nicely, or maybe it’s because of how Sage is not such an innocent girl like Victoria sang herself back in 2001 Ethnicities Distant Descendants : American, British, Italian Dominant Descendants : Norwegian, Swedish, Danish Physical Description Hair Color - Brown Eye Color - Blue Weight – Height - Typical Clothing Wear : Maroon or pink vest, purple skirt, blue bow, purple bow, pink shoes - School uniform Pink silk dress and blonde wig - Halloween costume, that is supposed to resemble Carrie White from the movie Carrie Faux fur coat, faux fur ushanka - Winter attire Plaid pink pyjama pants, striped yellow and black crop top - Pyjamas Figure/Build - Distinguishing Features/Scars/ or Birthmarks – A mole just over their lip Explain: Tattoos: Piercings: Frequently Worn Jewelry: Choker belt around their neck Personal Information Current Living Arrangements - Sage currently lives with five of their American relatives, but also they technically live at Bullworth, in the girl’s dorm Originated from - Norway Travelled Territories - Hobbies - Fears – Spiders, snakes, insects, heights, scarecrows, most of the jocks Religion/Beliefs – Atheist Why?: Sage grew up in an atheist family, as simple as that. Health Behaviors Physical Ailments/ Disabilities/ Issues – Addiction(s) [Sex, Drugs, Smoking, Alcohol, Other] As stupid as it sounds, Sage is kind of addicted to eating sugar icing. Why?: Any regular medication taken? – Medication for their Iron Deficiency and for their Hives Chronological Information Profession - Student Likes - Dislikes - Goals/Ambitions – Most Instructive/Painful/Memorable Experience - Story behind experience: Weapons/Equipment - Sage mostly fights using their hands but can use a baseball if they need to. Personal Attributes Personality - Strengths - Weaknesses - Good Habits - Bad Habits - Fetishes/Strange Behaviors - Stereotype - Shy kid with few friends As you know them better(and you like them) : As you know them better(and you hate them) : Ratings on Personal Qualities Physical Strength : 4/10 Sage might not regularly train, but surprisingly Sage is stronger than they seem Attractive : 5/10 Sage doesn’t consider themselves the most beautiful and mostly blames it upon their parents and grandparents for how they look Honesty : 7/10 Sage hates lying in general, but still does lie if they need to. Rule Abiding : 3/10 Sage thinks certain rules are to be broken and others are to be broken. Sociability : 3/10 Sage is quite shy when it comes to meeting new people, but if they muster up enough confidence they can make new friends. Bullworth Academy Information Reason for enrolling: Sage has lacked disiplince and Sage’s parents had relatives that lived close Bullworth, so they decided on sending them to a Clique - Standing and Rank in Social Circle - Room Number – 4 Roommate(s)- Zoe Taylor & Beatrice Trudeau Favourite Subject(s) – English, & Art Why?: Sage loves English because they’ve felt so motivated and Least Favorite Subject(s) – Why?: Favourite Teacher – Mr. Galloway & Mrs. Philips Why?: Mr. Galloway - Sage takes a liking to Mr. Galloway, mostly because he encouraged and gave Sage a warm welcome to the school, during Sage’s first day at Bullworth Mrs. Philips - Sage got a few compliments Least Favorite Teacher – Mr. Slawter Why?: Sage is quite afraid of Mr. Slawter, mostly because he yelled at Sage during their first class Knowledgeability Language(s) – Norwegian, English Schooling Level - Grade 8-9, Expertise – Chemistry – Math – English – Geography – low / Sage knows a few things, like where certain European countries are, but after that, nothing more Politics/Law – low / Sage doesn’t really find any reason to take interest in politics and doesn’t really understand it Economy – Cooking/Culinary – Shop – Botany/Biology – Mythology – high / Sage knows a lot about Norrøn Mythology and enjoys learning more and more about it Art – high / Sage highly enjoys Art and feels that they know a lot about the rules about realism and perspective Photography – medium / Sage knows how to use a camera, and what settings look good or not, so they consider themselves at a 5/10 Reading Level – Overall Intelligence Level(s) - Interpersonal and Naturalistic. Relationships Statuses Trusted Companions Closest Friend(s) – Milliz - “I trust her with my life. Nothing more or less to say. And might I add that her and Earnest are really freakiNG ADORABLE?” Friend(s) - Kirby Olsen - “Damn, I consider him my best friend out of most of the students at Bullworth.” Despite Kirby being a jock and Sage being afraid of most of the jocks, Kirby and Sage are pretty close Beatrice Trudeau - “She might be a nerd, but I’m lowkey a nerd so we gotta stick together” Sage might not act like it, but they’re a big nerd and therefore easily became good friends with Beatrice. Pinky Gauthier - “excuse me? She’s one of my best friends!” Sage and Pinky quickly became friends, mostly because of how Sage was wearing Aquaberry when they first came to Bullworth and the fact that Pinky was friends with Sage’s cousin from before.

Hated Rivals Worst Enemies – Intolerable Students - Harmless Acquaintances Tolerated Students - Zoe Taylor - Tolerated Townsfolk - Hot Encounters Hinted Attractions - Bif Taylor - Sage finds Bif a bit charming and he surprisingly acts slightly kind to them, but he’s dating their cousin so😔 Tom Gurney - Sage realized really quickly that Tom was the least violent one out of the bullies and found him a slight bit charming and funny, but they don’t really hang out that much so.. Ricky Pucino - Sage found Ricky a small bit scary in the start, but quickly developed a small crush that they seem to forget about really easily Crush(es) - Gary Smith, Jimmy Hopkins and Petey Kowalski, before Sage started dating them Lover(s) - Gary, Jimmy and Petey, after they started dating them Ex(s) - Just some Norwegian guys they used to go to school with that Sage happened to like Admirer(s) - Ivan Alexander - Bucky Pasteur - Sage, only really being friends with Beatrice and Casey Harris - Dan Wilson - Extra Information Eating Habits Omnivore/Carnivore/Herbivore – Omnivore Favourite Food(s): Sage likes pizza, but they just like just food in general Favourite Drink(s): Disliked Food(s): Disliked Drink(s): Added Information Proclaimed Theme Song(s) - Either Dancing Queen by ABBA or Dum Og Deilig from Knutsen Og Ludvigsen Scent – Favourite Color: Sage can’t really decide between pink, maroon or beige. Favourite Season: Winter Favourite Animal: Sage can’t decide, so they usually just say dogs Favourite Music Genre: Sage can’t really choose, but they are very fond of country and Pop Most Memorable Quote – “ Various Quotes Through Interaction : “ Walking around – “I sure hope Mandy was joking when she called me a dumbbell...” “I don’t know jack dritt about math, how am I supposed to get a good grade?” “Gary mentioned something about rats, wondered what he was on about.” “I’m considering joining a clique... but which one?” “ “ “ “ When the fire alarm goes off – “Stuff like this always happens when you least expect it.” “Sure hope this isn’t a drill, I don’t want my slippers to get wet again without reason.” ”OH SHIT!” ”I owe whoever did that my life!” Greetings Good Terms: “Hiya!” “Hey there, best friend!” “How ya doing, sweetie?” “How are you doing, buddy?” “Hey, anything fun happen recently?” “Bro! What’s up?” “Heisann!” (Norwegian for ‘Hey there’) Bad Terms: “Please leave me alone” “I rather not talk.” “Ew.” “Get out of my face!” “Leave me alone!” “Continue being around me and I’ll beat you up! Or cry! Or even both!” Saying goodbye – Good Terms: “Have a good day! “See you later!” “Hope you have a good night!” Bad Terms: “”See you in Hell, I uhm mean class.” “Leave already.” “I’m getting a headache, gotta go.” “Byyeee, see you never.” When Flirted With – Good Terms: “I uhm...” “Thank you....” “Well I uhm, thank you so much! I uhm haha, we should hang out or something!” “I feel flattered. I’ll uhh have to go over there until the blushing stops.” “Continue acting this sweet and you’re going to be getting ladies really quickly.” “You’re such a sweetheart!” “If I were of age, I would marry you right here on the spot, but I’m still too young.” Bad Terms: “I wouldn’t say I don’t like you, but I’m not that interested.” “Not to be rude, but no.” “That better not be trying to make me blush, because it didn’t work at all.” “Get lost!” “I ain’t interested!” “Yikes, no thanks.“ Watching a fight – “I know I shouldn’t watch this crap, but damn it feels so right, right now!” “ Attacking – “I’m sorry!” “I have no choice in this situation, so I apologize beforehand!” “I learnt this one from my friend!” ”Either you run away or I keep hitting!” While Fighting – “I really wish it didn’t have to end with one of us being hurt!” “Ouch! Thanks, I guess!” Chasing someone – “You can run, but you can also hide!” “Come back here! please...!” Out of breath – “This always happens....” “Why do I have to have iron deficiency? When hidden from – “We aren’t playing hide and seek!” Knocked out – “This sure does remind me of my first day...” Stinkbomb explodes – “I can’t see shit!” “I should be happy I can’t smell anything from before!” “I envy ducks: they wouldn’t have the ability to smell this!” Opinions on students who reside at Bullworth Academy– Bullies Davis White: Ethan Robinson: Russell Northrop: Trent Northwick: Troy Miller: Wade Martin: Zoe Taylor: Greasers Hal Esposito: Johnny Vincent: Lefty Mancini: Lola Lombardi: Lucky De Luca: Norton Williams: Peanut Romano: Vance Medici: Jocks Bo Jackson: Damon West: Juri Karamazov: Luis Luna: Mandy Wiles: Ted Thompson: Nerds Algernon Papadopoulos: Cornelius Johnson: Donald Anderson: Earnest Jones: Sage has a strange friendship with the leader of the nerds: There are times where Sage find him the most annoying person and would love to beat him up and there are other times where Sage can relate a lot with him and talk about video games to him Fatty Johnson: Melvin O'Connor: Thad Carlson: Non-Cliques Angie Ng: Christy Martin: Constantinos Brakus: Sage has a strong grudge against Constantinos because he snitched on them when they were sending notes to Kirby in class. Eunice Pound: Gloria Jackson: Gordon Wakefield: Karen Johnson: Lance Jackson: Melody Adams: Pedro De La Hoya: “Doesn’t he like, pee his bed and get bullied a lot? I guess he’s okay, just too weak and manipulative for his own good.“ Ray Hughes: Sheldon Thompson: “Oh look at me, I am Sheldon, all the teachers love me! I hate that kid. Annoying and desperate.” Sage has a literal grudge against him and just like everyone, thinks he is a teacher’s pet Trevor Moore: Sage has no general opinion on Preppies Bryce Montrose: Chad Morris: Derby Harrington: Gord Vendome: Justin Vandervelde: Parker Ogilvie: Tad Spencer: "Big fat ego. He’s the least best prep, after my cousin of course!” Opinion on Adults who teach and patrol at Bullworth Academy – Edna: “She’s... interesting. Underrated, but I wouldn’t consider her the best. She’s kind of rude.” Dr. Crabblesnitch: “Well, he might be my principal, but he sure isn’t much of a pal. I mean, he isn’t friendly, you know?” Miss Danvers: “She might not have done anything towards me, but she gives Derby special treatment and she kind of was a bit rude to Jimmy like last year, so I don’t whether to be respectful towards her or not.” Miss Peters: “She forced me into doing a show I didn’t want to be a part of, so she isn’t getting no respect.” Mr. Galloway: “Can I just say: Best teacher, obviously. He might be an alcoholic, but I don’t judge.” Mr. Luntz: “Strange but nice guy. I respect him.“ Mr. Matthews: “I am sorry, but I don’t know who he is because I might uh be skipping some of my classes.” Sage skips their geography classes, so they have no knowledge of who he is. Mr. Slawter: “He yelled at me on my first day, so I guess I’m kind of scared of him, because he has a booming voice.” Mr. Watts: “Strange man. Strange, very strange man.” Mr. Wiggins: Sage can’t find a reason to find Mr. Wiggins an interesting teacher to listen to. Mrs. Carvin: “I don’t really know her, but I know she’s the librarian so..” Mrs. MacRae: “That woman freaks me out.“ Mrs Peabody: “I don’t have anything against her, but she shouldn’t be so old fashioned.“ Ms. Phillips: “Favourite teacher! She’s great! She encourages the students to do their best and she isn’t against any kind of art!“ Neil: Sage doesn’t really know who Neil is and doesn’t bother learning, as they don’t have. Prefects – Edward Seymour II: Karl Branting: Max MacTavish: Seth Kolbe: Opinions on People in the cities of Bullworth – Townies Clint(aka Henry): Sage doesn’t like saying it, but they’re quite afraid of him and Leon Duncan: Edgar Munsen: Gurney: Jerry: Leon: Sage is scared of him and Clint. Omar Romero: Otto Tyler: Residents in the city of Bullworth – Bethany Jones: Denny: Dr. Bambillo: Krakauer: Mihailovich: Miss Abby: Mr. Brekindale: Mr. Buckingham: Sage thinks he isn’t that special compared to other people but thinks he is one of the nicest residents of Bullworth they have met. Mr. Castillo: Mr. Doolin: Mr. Huntingdon: Mr. Johnson: Mr. Martin: Sage sympathizes him and often can relate to what he is saying. Mr. Ramirez: Mr. Salvatore: Mr. Smith: Mr. Sullivan: Ms. Rushinski Mrs. Lisburn: Osborne:

#Sage Drage #Sage Holland Drage #Bully OC #Bully Self-Insert #Self-Insert #The Dragon upgrades #Posted on 27.03.2019 #Reblogs are appreciated!!#Reblogs are more appreciated than likes!!!

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investmentgfriend711 · 3 years ago

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maxwellyjordan · 6 years ago

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Potential nominee profile: Amy Coney Barrett

Credit: University of Notre Dame

In November 2017, President Donald Trump released a revised list of potential Supreme Court nominees. The November 2017 list was an expanded version of two earlier lists, announced during the 2016 presidential campaign, from which then-candidate Trump pledged, if elected, to pick a successor to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who died on February 13, 2016. First on the new list – because it was in alphabetical order – was Amy Coney Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor (and former Scalia clerk) who had recently been confirmed to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Barrett’s confirmation hearings had received considerable attention after Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee – most notably, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California – grilled her on the role of her Catholic faith in judging. Feinstein’s criticism did not stop Barrett from being confirmed, and since then there has been speculation that it may have in fact strengthened her case to fill the seat that will be vacated by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy.

The 46-year-old Barrett grew up in Metrairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, and attended St. Mary’s Dominican High School, a Catholic girls’ school in New Orleans. Barrett graduated magna cum laude from Rhodes College, a liberal arts college in Tennessee affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, in 1994. (Other high-profile alumni of the school include Abe Fortas, who served as a justice on the Supreme Court from 1965 to 1969 and Claudia Kennedy, the first woman to become a three-star general in the U.S. Army.) At Rhodes, she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and was also recognized as the most outstanding English major and for having the best senior thesis.

After graduating from Rhodes, Barrett went to law school at Notre Dame on a full-tuition scholarship. She excelled there as well: She graduated summa cum laude in 1997, received awards for having the best exams in 10 of her courses and served as executive editor of the school’s law review.

Barrett then held two high-profile conservative clerkships, first with Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, from 1997-1998 then with the late Justice Antonin Scalia, from 1998-1999. After leaving her Supreme Court clerkship, she spent a year practicing law at Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin, a prestigious Washington D.C. litigation boutique that also claims former U.S. solicitor general Seth Waxman, former deputy attorney general Jamie Gorelick, and two regular contributors to this blog – John Elwood and editor Edith Roberts – as alums. Barrett went to Baker Botts, a Texas-based firm, after Miller Cassidy merged with the larger law firm, in 2000 and spent another year there before leaving for academia. To the chagrin of Democratic senators during her confirmation process, Barrett was only able to recall a few of the cases on which she had worked, and she indicated that she had not argued any appeals while in private practice.

Barrett spent a year as a law and economics fellow at George Washington University before heading to her alma mater, Notre Dame, in 2002 to teach federal courts, constitutional law and statutory interpretation. Barrett was named a professor of law at the school in 2010; four years later, she became the Diane and M.O. Research Chair of Law. Barrett twice received a “distinguished professor of the year” award, in 2010 and 2016.

While at Notre Dame, Barrett signed a 2012 “statement of protest” condemning the accommodation that the Obama administration created for religious employers who were subject to the ACA’s “birth control” mandate. The statement lamented that the accommodation “changes nothing of moral substance and fails to remove the assault on individual liberty and the rights of conscience which gave rise to the controversy.” Barrett was also a member of the Federalist Society, the conservative legal group, from 2005 to 2006 and then again from 2014 to 2017. In response to written questions from Democratic senators during her 7th Circuit confirmation process, Barrett indicated that she had rejoined the group because it gave her “the opportunity to speak to groups of interested, engaged students on topics of mutual interest,” but she added that she had never attended the group’s national convention.

The best insight into how Barrett might rule as a Supreme Court justice likely comes from her academic scholarship, an area in which she has been prolific. The Washington Post reported on Saturday that Trump wants a nominee with a “portfolio of solid academic writing,” and Barrett (perhaps more than any other nominee on the reported shortlist) fits that bill to a tee. Several of those articles, however, drew fire at Barrett’s 7th Circuit confirmation hearing, with Democratic senators suggesting that they indicate that Barrett would be influenced by her Catholic faith, particularly on the question of abortion.

Barrett co-wrote her first law review article, Catholic Judges in Capital Cases, with Notre Dame law professor John Garvey (now the president of the Catholic University of America); the article was published in the Marquette Law Review in 1998, shortly after her graduation from Notre Dame. It explored the effect of the Catholic Church’s teachings on the death penalty on federal judges, but it also used the church’s teachings on abortion and euthanasia as a comparison point, describing the prohibitions on abortion and euthanasia as “absolute” because they “take away innocent life.” The article also noted that, when the late Justice William Brennan was asked about potential conflict between his Catholic faith and his duties as a justice, he responded that he would be governed by “the oath I took to support the Constitution and laws of the United States”; Barrett and Garvey observed that they did not “defend this position as the proper response for a Catholic judge to take with respect to abortion or the death penalty.”

When questioned about the article at her 7th Circuit confirmation hearing, Barrett stressed that she did not believe it was “lawful for a judge to impose personal opinions, from whatever source they derive, upon the law,” and she pledged that her views on abortion “or any other question will have no bearing on the discharge of my duties as a judge.” She acknowledged that, if she were instead being nominated to serve as a federal trial judge, she “would not enter an order of execution,” but she assured senators that she did not intend “as a blanket matter to recuse myself in capital cases if I am confirmed” and added that she had “fully participated in advising Justice Scalia in capital cases as a law clerk.”

Barrett’s responses did not mollify Feinstein, who suggested that Barrett had a “long history of believing that religious beliefs should prevail.” In a widely reported exchange, Feinstein told Barrett that, when “you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you. And that’s of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for years in this country.”

In another article, Stare Decisis and Due Process, published in the University of Colorado Law Review, Barrett discussed the concept of stare decisis – a legal doctrine that generally requires courts to follow existing precedent, even if they might believe that it is wrong. Barrett wrote that courts and commentators “have thought about the kinds of reliance interests that justify keeping an erroneous decision on the books”; in a footnote, she cited (among other things) Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 1992 decision reaffirming Roe v. Wade. Barrett’s detractors characterized the statement as criticism of Roe v. Wade itself, while supporters such as conservative legal activist Ed Whelan countered that the statement did not reflect Barrett’s views on Roe itself, but instead was just an example of competing opinions on the reliance interests in Roe.

Despite the criticism from Democrats, Barrett garnered bipartisan support at her 2017 confirmation hearing. A group of 450 former students signed a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, telling senators that their support was “driven not by politics, but by the belief that Professor Barrett is supremely qualified.” And she had the unanimous support of her 49 Notre Dame colleagues, who wrote that they had a “wide range of political views” but were “united however in our judgment about Amy.”

After Barrett’s confirmation hearing but before the Senate voted on her nomination, The New York Times reported that Barrett was a member of a group called People of Praise.” Group members, the Times indicated, “swear a lifelong oath of loyalty to one another, and are assigned and accountable to a personal adviser.” Moreover, the Times added, the group “teaches that husbands are the heads of their wives and should take authority for their family.” And legal experts questioned whether such oaths “could raise legitimate questions about a judicial nominee’s independence and impartiality.”

Barrett declined the Times’ request for an interview about People of Praise, whose website describes the group as an “ecumenical, charismatic, covenant community” modeled on the “first Christian community.” “Freedom of conscience,” the website says, “is a key to our diversity.” Slate recently interviewed the group’s leader, a physics and engineering professor at Notre Dame, who explained that members of the group “often make an effort to live near one another” and agree to donate 5% of their income to the group.

Barrett was confirmed to the 7th Circuit by a vote of 55 to 43. Three Democratic senators – her home state senator, Joe Donnelly, Virginia’s Tim Kaine, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia – crossed party lines to vote for her, while two Democratic senators (Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Robert Menendez of New Jersey) did not vote.

Because Barrett has spent just eight months on the 7th Circuit, she has compiled a relatively small body of opinions, most of them fairly uncontroversial. One case that would almost certainly draw attention if she were nominated came shortly after she took the bench: EEOC v. AutoZone, in which the federal government asked the full court of appeals to reconsider a ruling against the EEOC in its lawsuit against AutoZone, an auto parts store. The EEOC had argued that the store violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bars employees from segregating or classifying employees based on race, when it used race as a determining factor in assigning employees to different stores – for example, sending African-American employees to stores in heavily African-American neighborhoods. A three-judge panel (that did not include Barrett) ruled for AutoZone; Barrett joined four of her colleagues in voting to deny rehearing by the full court of appeals.

Three judges – Chief Judge Diane Wood and Judges Ilana Diamond Rovner and David Hamilton – would have granted rehearing en banc. Those three also had strong words in the dissenting opinion that they filed. They alleged that, under “the panel’s reasoning, this separate-but-equal arrangement is permissible under Title VII as long as the ‘separate’ facilities really are ‘equal’” – a conclusion, they continued, that is “contrary to the position that the Supreme Court has taken in analogous equal protection cases as far back as Brown v. Board of Education.”

Another high-profile case before the 7th Circuit involves the battle over “sanctuary cities” – jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. In June, the full court granted the federal government’s petition to reconsider part of a three-judge panel’s ruling that left in place a nationwide injunction against the federal government’s policy of withholding law-enforcement grants from such jurisdictions. The announcement means that the federal government can enforce the policy only against the city of Chicago, the plaintiff in the case. There is no way to know how Barrett voted on the government’s request, as the court’s order indicated only that a “majority of the judges participating in the en banc rehearing of this case” had voted in favor of the stay that the government had sought.

Barrett was also part of a panel that tackled another contentious issue in environmental and property law, as developers and farmers (among others) have contended that the federal government has gone too far: What constitutes the “waters of the United States” for purposes of determining whether the federal Clean Water Act applies to wetlands? In June of this year, Barrett joined a ruling written by Judge Amy St. Eve, also a Trump appointee to the 7th Circuit, that sent the case of an Illinois developer back to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for reconsideration. The Corps had found that the wetlands at issue – which were approximately 11 miles away from the nearest navigable river – were “waters of the United States,” but the panel (expressing some frustration) concluded that the determination by the Corps was not backed by “substantial evidence in the record” even though the “dispute has consumed almost as many years as the Warmke wetlands have acres.”

Barrett joined another ruling by St. Eve in the case of Kishunda Jones, who had been designated by her mother, Linda, as the beneficiary of her pension. When Linda, who suffered from a recurring form of cancer, died three days before her pension was supposed to begin, the committee that oversaw Linda’s pension rejected Kishunda’s request to receive the pension. It explained that, when a participant dies before her pension begins, only surviving spouses can receive a benefit from the pension. The panel agreed with the district court that the “facts of this case are undoubtedly unfortunate,” but it nonetheless upheld the district court’s ruling in favor of the pension fund on the ground that its decision was neither arbitrary nor capricious – all that the law requires in such a scenario.

In Schmidt v. Foster, Barrett dissented from the panel’s ruling in favor of a Wisconsin man who admitted that he had shot his wife seven times, killing her in their driveway. Scott Schmidt argued that he had been provoked, which would make his crime second-degree, rather than first-degree, homicide; the trial judge reviewed that claim at a pretrial hearing that prosecutors did not attend, and at which Schmidt’s attorney was not allowed to speak. The judge rejected Schmidt’s claim of provocation, and Schmidt was convicted of first-degree homicide and sentenced to life in prison. When Schmidt sought to overturn his conviction in federal court, the panel agreed that Schmidt had been denied his 6th Amendment right to counsel, and the court of appeals sent the case back to the lower court.

Barrett disagreed with her colleagues, in a separate opinion that began by emphasizing that the standard for federal postconviction relief is “intentionally difficult because federal habeas review of state convictions” interferes with the states’ efforts to enforce their own laws. In this case, she contended, the state court’s decision rejecting Schmidt’s 6th Amendment claim could not have been “contrary to” or “an unreasonable application of” clearly established federal law (the requirement for relief in federal court) because the Supreme Court has never addressed a claim that a defendant has a right to counsel in a pretrial hearing like the one at issue in this case. While acknowledging that “[p]erhaps the right to counsel should extend to a hearing like the one the judge conducted in Schmidt’s case,” she warned that federal law “precludes us from disturbing a state court’s judgment on the ground that a state court decided an open question differently than we would—or, for that matter, differently than we think the [Supreme] Court would.”

In Akin v. Berryhill, Barrett joined a per curiam (that is, unsigned) decision in favor of a woman whose application for Social Security disability benefits had been denied by an administrative law judge (ALJ). The panel agreed with the woman, Rebecca Akin, that the ALJ had incorrectly “played doctor” by interpreting her MRI results on his own, and it instructed the ALJ to take another look at his determination that Akin was not credible. The panel indicated that it was “troubled by the ALJ’s purported use of objective medical evidence to discredit Akin’s complaints of disabling pain,” noting that fibromyalgia (one of Akin’s ailments) “cannot be evaluated or ruled out by using objective tests”; it also added that, among other things, the ALJ should not have discredited Akin’s choice to go with a more conservative course of treatment when she explained that “she was afraid of needles and that she wanted to wait until her children finished school before trying more invasive treatment.”

Barrett has been married for over 18 years to Jesse Barrett, who serves as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana. They have seven children (only two fewer than her old boss, Scalia). At her confirmation hearing, Barrett introduced three of her daughters, who were sitting behind her. She told senators that one daughter, then-13-year-old Vivian, was adopted from Haiti at the age of 14 months, weighing just 11 pounds; she was so weak at the time that the Barretts were told she might never walk normally or talk. The Barretts adopted a second child, Jon Peter, from Haiti after the 2011 earthquake, and Barrett described their youngest child, Benjamin, as having special needs that “present unique challenges for all of us.” Since becoming a judge, Barrett has reportedly commuted from her home in South Bend to Chicago, roughly 100 miles away, a few days a week; if she is nominated, she would likely move her family to the Washington, D.C., area and trade that commute for a shorter one to One First Street, N.E.

The post Potential nominee profile: Amy Coney Barrett appeared first on SCOTUSblog.

from Law http://www.scotusblog.com/2018/07/potential-nominee-profile-amy-coney-barrett/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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davidcarner · 6 years ago

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Casey and Walker, Ch 13, Back to Basics

A/N: I am so sorry for the long delay on this one. I got started on Reassigned and you all seem to be really enjoying that one. I took a bit of a break, and this summer will be a little slower with the updates to spend more time with Grace. The tooth is pretty much healed….that or my pain meds are more amazing than I realized. The time away helped as I figured out a few new plot points…One more thing….Read the whole chapter before you PM me or come find me to beat me up….I hope you enjoy Ch 13, Back to Basics

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck,

"So, you're not going to be home tonight?" Sarah asked, opening the door to their apartment. She turned to the guy with her and made a shh motion so he couldn't be heard over the phone.

"No, class is just killing me and you know how Casey is going to be about things," Chuck replied. "He can't give me a day off."

"So next weekend you'll be home?" she asked, letting the man into the apartment, and turning on the lights. He slipped his arms around her.

"As long as I pass everything," Chuck replied. "Love you."

"You too," she replied. "Talk to you soon," and hung up. Chuck watched through the binoculars as he saw Sarah and Cole Barker enter their apartment and then looked down with the binoculars.

"See everything you need to?" Casey asked beside him.

"Yeah," Chuck replied. "More than I ever wanted to."

}o{

2 weeks earlier

Chuck and Sarah sat in a diner that Chuck knew about. He had told her that they had fresh blueberries and cream. Sarah didn't believe him, but she tried it anyway. She admitted quickly how wrong she was. The group had split up after the Bryce incident and Molly had already handed over the evidence to Jack. In the morning, Bryce would be given the choice, resign or be fired. Chuck had been deathly silent for most of the time at the diner, Sarah didn't know what to say. The door opened, and Sarah looked up, and then at her boyfriend.

"Why do some guys always have to invite the sister?" Sarah asked, grinning.

"Trust me, one of you is more than enough for me," Chuck retorted, serious as he could be. Molly slid in beside Chuck and put her arm around him. She kissed him on the cheek and beamed at Sarah.

"Got yourself a good one, Sis," Molly said. "Don't screw it up or I'm gonna pounce it."

"Molly," Sarah said, in a warning tone. Molly lifted the hand not around Chuck. Sarah didn't say anything else to Chuck's surprise.

"It?" he asked Molly. She grinned at him.

"Come on, you can't be real, you have to be too good to be true," Molly said.

"Oh I am real," he replied, shaking his head at the two of them. She studied the two.

"So, you haven't told him about the picture and he hasn't spilled about his mom, about right?" Molly asked. Sarah gave her a look. "I'm a detective too you know."

"If my mom got arrested on purpose, it's big," Chuck said softly. "As much as she frustrates me, I know deep down that she follows the protocols we set up, and there is something in that bus station for us."

"How big?" Molly asked.

"There was a hit out on someone last time she did this," Chuck admitted. "The bus station is a few blocks away." He looked over at Sarah. "You don't have to tell me about that picture, it doesn't affect me."

"Yeah, it does," Molly said. Sarah made a face at Molly, and pulled out her phone, showing it to Chuck. "That is the one and only Vivian Winterbottom. She works for dad." Chuck looked from one sister to another.

"Oh boy," he muttered. "The leak is coming out of your dad's office." Molly nodded. "What are we going to do?" Molly didn't look pleased.

"Uh, Chuck, you're really not going to like this," Molly began.

"Are they splitting us up?" Sarah asked.

"No," Molly said quickly. "Not permanently," she added. Sarah looked worried. "You're going to be teamed up with Zondra and I for a bit."

"How's long a bit?" Sarah asked. Molly winced.

"Three weeks," Chuck said. "Minimum." Molly nodded. Sarah looked at him.

"They're making me do the Post requalification, aren't they?" he asked. Molly nodded. "San Jose, San Diego?" Molly looked away.

"They're going to let Casey do it here," she said. Chuck bounced his head off the table. "You get to go home every night."

"And study," Sarah said, rubbing Chuck's arm. "I can help you."

"Yay, my best girl is going to help me with my homework," Chuck said, head still on the table. "Maybe we can go steady afterwards."

"Chuck, it's not 1958," Sarah said. "Besides, when you do well on tests, I believe in the best rewards." Chuck's head came up.

"The best?" he asked. She nodded. "Ice cream?"

"Absolutely," she said, laughing. They looked at Molly, and she had a look on her face that didn't match their enthusiasm.

"Or," Chuck said, looking at Molly.

"How well do you know Cole Barker?" Molly asked. Chuck looked sick to his stomach. "That well."

"What's wrong with him?" Sarah asked. Molly grinned.

"Oh, abs o lutely noth ing," she said, stressing each syllable. Molly smiled dreamily while Chuck looked nauseous. Sarah looked at Molly. Molly shrugged. "Some people think he's a bit of a ladies man."

"He has a reputation," Chuck replied, still looking pale.

"I'm sure it's just locker room gossip," Molly said. Chuck just looked at her, and she grinned. "Hear me out." Chuck nodded. "He was approached by Lt. Mausser and told that if he wanted a shot with Sarah, he had heard through the grapevine you were going to be lonely for a few days."

"Wait, what?" Sarah asked.

"More importantly, how?" Chuck asked. "I didn't even know yet." He started thinking. "You remember that video of Mausser and Ned?" Sarah nodded. "I think this settles it, he's dirty." Molly nodded.

"These orders hadn't even been given out to you, yet, and somehow Mausser knew," Molly said. "It had been recommended you be recertified, but not decided on yet."

"You think through Vivian?" Chuck asked. Molly nodded.

"There's a leak, and I think I know how to fix it, but it's going to require something that might make you two a little uncomfortable," Molly said. She looked at Sarah.

"Molly, I'm not doing this," Sarah said. "Look at him," she said, nodding to Chuck, who looked somewhat pale. Molly pulled out a picture and slid it toward Chuck. He took a look at it and whistled.

"The Black Widow, Sasha Banacheck," Chuck said. "She's supposed to be one of the top 'fixers' in Fulcrum, never could prove it. Why is she meeting with Mausser in this picture?"

"That's what we want to know," Molly said. "I have a feeling she's giving Mausser news. Chuck looked confused. "I know, usually she just takes care of things. Why she's giving Mausser this info, I have no idea. I have a bit of a plan, will you two at least hear it out?" Molly asked. "You know I'm team Charah all the way."

"Charah?" Sarah said. Molly grinned and got up.

"Go sit with your man," Molly said. Sarah did and Molly sent a text, and slid in the empty seat where Sarah had been sitting. Two minutes later, Cole came walking in. He sat down beside Molly, smiled at her, and shook Chuck and Sarah's hands. Sarah watched her sister and Cole.

"Oh my God you're dating!" Sarah said. Molly turned red and looked away, Cole just sat there, revealing nothing.

"Jennnnnn," she slightly whined.

"OH MY GOD, my baby sister is dating!" Sarah said, turning to Chuck. "She's been giving us grief for weeks and never told me! She has been all over you, and she's dating another guy." Chuck began a bit worried.

"Cole, I would never," Chuck began, and Cole held up his hand.

"Molly adores you, and we all know how she is," Cole said smiling. "Now, I'm sure you're concerned about a great many things. I don't know how much Molly's told you, but the number one thing on this mission is Sarah's safety."

"He's actually concerned you're going to try and sleep with me," Sarah said. Cole looked at her and then to Chuck.

"I wish they'd come out and get to the point more often," he said. Chuck began to laugh. "I know you've heard lots of stories about me, and I won't say I haven't been one who has had many dalliances, but I'm serious about Molly, and besides the fact I'm quite scared what she might do to me if I were to cheat, to cheat with her sister….that's a special kind of stupid."

"You'd never have a chance," Sarah said.

"Okay, so I'm guessing the goal of them is to drive a wedge between us," Chuck said. "Which makes some sense. We've put a small dent in Fulcrum so if they split us maybe they think we're less likely to pay attention to them. How do we use that?"

"Listen, we know Casey is going to run you ragged, right?" Molly asked. Chuck groaned and nodded. "Then it's real simple. She's lonely, they go out a few times as colleagues. The phone calls she gets from you are all in public, they're not going to track cell phones, that's not Sasha's MO. However, the bigger question is why is the Black Widow being pushed in your direction?"

"I'm really not her type," Sarah admitted, smiling. "She seems more into guys."

"You may have that effect on more women than you realize," Chuck muttered. Sarah tried to glare at him, but it turned into a grin.

"So why?" Molly asked. Sarah stared at the picture.

"Ryan, could she be one of the people that has a fake history at Fulcrum?" Sarah asked.

"And that report reached Dad's desk," Molly added.

"Take you out, and that hurts Ryan, and the Mayor, and protects her," Cole added in.

"But why Cole?" Chuck asked. "Unless…okay, the goal is to get close enough to kill, but what if she doesn't?" Everyone turned to him. "What if she tries to destroy your credibility? Your personal credibility? Look I'm already a semi-loose cannon that has to go back to get recertified, and you are in relationships with Bryce, then me, and if Cole were to tickle your fancy…"

"Guys would not want to partner with me," Sarah said, nodding.

"It's not the smartest plan in the world," Molly said.

"Oh, I don't know," Chuck said. "Sometimes people are more interested in a story than facts, and if it looks just real enough…" Chuck trailed off.

"Break your team up, there goes Fulcrum's problems, and people looking into those files," Cole said. "Look, she's smart, if she were to be put in a position to flip on her employers," he began.

"Fulcrum would be done," Molly said. She let that sink in a minute. Chuck was staring at the picture, and she knew he really wasn't on board. "But again, if everyone here doesn't agree, it's a no go." Chuck looked uncomfortable.

"Ryan, I promise," Cole began.

"Cole, you're quite an attractive man, but one, my girlfriend wouldn't cheat on me, I trust her. Two you'd be an idiot to have the two of them after you," Chuck said. He wrung his hands together and looked at Sarah. "I worry about her getting hurt." Sarah put her hand on his arm.

"Hey, I'll be okay," she said. Chuck nodded. "If you're not comfortable with it-"

"Sarah, it's you're call, I'm just concerned. I won't be around, which is my fault. Casey and I will be off recertifying me, and if you get hurt because I let myself get this out of practice that I have to be recertified I don't know if I can ever forgive myself," Chuck said.

"I understand," Cole said. "Ryan, I'll do everything I can to protect her."

"I know you will," Chuck said. He looked at Molly and then at Sarah. He held out his hand. "Hi, Chuck Bartowski," he said. Cole's eyes got big, and he shook Chuck's hand. "There's more to this, and if we're bringing the Special Operations Bureau on board then there's more you need to know."

}o{

Ted was watching the Dodgers on TV and muttering about finding a good pitcher when his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and answered.

"Evening, Sir, how can I help you?" he asked.

"Is your phone secure?" Volkoff asked.

"Yes, sir, the second you called, I turned on the scrambler," he said, fumbling with the switch to do so now. He really didn't need Volkoff mad at him. "Not that I don't mind talking to you, but seems like we have been having a lot of conversations lately for two people supposed to not be in contact with each other."

"It's that idiot, Bernie," Volkoff spat. "He's going after Ryan and his partner. He's wasting resources."

"What's the moron doing?" Roark asked.

"He using Sasha to feed information to get one of the police officers to seduce Ryan's partner," Volkoff said. Ted sat up.

"Whaaaa?" he replied. "Sasha is very good at what she does, Sir. When you hire a plumber to drain your pipes you don't ask him to bake a cake." Volkoff tried to follow that logic. "Is it time to close up the ring?"

"As of now, nothing can be traced back to me," Volkoff said. "However, if Bernie becomes too volatile, well…" Volkoff began to laugh. Roark began to laugh. Both men continued to laugh, until they stopped, both a little uncomfortable.

"Well, good talk boss, he goes nuts, I'll take care of him if you want," Roark said.

"Ted, I don't understand about half of what you say sometimes, but I do know you're good to have around," Volkoff said, and hung up. Ted hung up and turned back to the TV.

"Seriously!? Maybe I need to send Sasha to meet with some of the Padres's players."

}o{

Fifteen minutes later Chuck and company found themselves at the bus station. Chuck walked over to the locker his mother had pinpointed with the card, and opened it up. He stepped back.

"Aren't you going to see what's in there?" Sarah asked. Chuck shook his head.

"Nope, I'm out of this investigation as of right now," Chuck said. Sarah reached into the locker and found a notebook. She flipped through it until she came to a page of formulas. She looked up at him.

"I have to talk to Lester and see if this is the formula that killed Zarnow," she said. Chuck began to laugh as what she said just dawned on her. Molly shuddered. Jeff would probably try to smell her hair again.

}o{

Sarah opened the door to her apartment. She felt awful. Chuck had been working on his recertification for two weeks. Tonight she had gone to dinner with Cole. He was charming, kind, nice, sincere, the food had been excellent, and if she were single…but she wasn't and she hated it. Hated every blasted second of this. That should have been Chuck she was doing that with. It was Chuck she wanted to have these dinners with. She stopped as she opened the door, and realized that was what she wanted. She had never wanted that with anyone else. For the rest of her life she wanted dinner with Chuck, that fact made her feel much better, until she noticed the hot pocket on the coffee table.

"How upset is he?" Sarah asked.

"Who?" Casey asked, turning down the newest episode of Downton Abbey. "Oh, Chuck, he's asleep."

"Was today that bad?" she asked, close to tears.

"Geez, Walker, get ahold of your lady feelings," Casey said. "I gave him a little dose of something to make him sleep. We need to have a talk away from everyone." She nodded and sat down. "Wow, you've got it that bad? You're on an assignment, he knows it, and trusts you, and you look torn up."

"I want to only have dinner with him, Casey, only him, I can't do this to him," she said, tears in her eyes.

"You don't want done to him what was done to you," Casey said softly. Sarah nodded. "Then my bad news may be good news." She looked at him expectantly. "He's close to being done. He's pushing through and passing every test with flying colors. It takes a bit to get him to remember everything but he's back to putting up those miraculous scores, except for the nerd stuff, you're still the queen there." Sarah shook her head. "Which means we need to speed up the plan. You need to bring Cole back here tomorrow night, seal the deal, and hope she follows."

"I AM NOT-"

"Christ, calm down, Walker," Casey said, his hands up. "You don't have to sleep with the guy. Bring him in the apartment, Chuck and I will keep watch and when she makes her move, we'll get her." Casey shook his head. "Damn lady feelings."

}o{

"Don't forget you need to sell it," Casey said over the earwig. Chuck glared at him. "It won't do any good to half ass it. We need them to think she is getting severely compromised." Chuck's glare deepened. "Bartowski, they have to belief he's riding her hard-"

"ENOUGH CASEY!" both Sarah and Molly's voices came over the com. Chuck tried not to smile. He was really surprised at how much Molly was bothered by all of this. Chuck picked up the phone and made the call that he wasn't coming home tonight, as he did he had the binoculars on Sasha. She was getting ready to make her move. Casey followed his line of sight and called it in. Molly and Zondra got into position and when Sasha got to the floor where Chuck and Sarah's apartment was, she was quickly taken down by the four of them. Chuck and Casey arrived seconds later to help secure the scene.

Casey and Zondra dragged Sasha downtown, leaving the two couples alone in Chuck and Sarah's apartment.

"You okay?" Chuck asked.

"Fine," she said. "Nothing happened."

"I know it's just it was hard on you, hard on all of us," Chuck said, looking at the three. He extended his hand to Cole. "Thank you. For taking care of her."

"It was my pleasure, Chuck," Cole said. "Now, if you don't mind, I've been going out with the wrong sister for a bit and I need to make things right."

"Damn right you do," Molly said.

"Great, Molly's going to be skipping at work tomorrow," Chuck said.

"Not if Cole does it right," Molly said on the way out of the door. Chuck turned to Sarah.

"She has no shame."

"None," Sarah agreed, wrapping her arms around Chuck. "Never again," she whispered into his ear. "I never want to have dinner with anyone but you."

"Okay," Chuck said.

"I never want someone wrapping their arms around me and me shushing them but you," she said, pulling him tight.

"Agreed," Chuck replied.

"Chuck, there's no one else but you," she said, looking at him.

"There's no one else for me but you," Chuck admitted. "I love you Sarah," he said, pulling her in. She grabbed him gently, and began to kiss him. It grew more passionate by the second, and she dragged him to the couch. "What are you doing?" he asked. She gave him a look.

"If you haven't figured it out, I'm not doing a very good job," she said, yanking his shirt over his head. She shoved him down to the couch into a sitting position and climbed onto his lap. She attacked his mouth as she began to undo her own shirt. His tongue swept her mouth and she lost it. Nothing had happened in the past few days, but it was too much. Emotions flooded her, he began to stop. "Don't you dare, Chuck. Don't you dare stop. I need you, right this second." She managed to get her hands between them, unbuttoned his pants and jerked them off of him. Hers followed a second later, and it began. Desperate, needy, but it slowed until they were one, and in that moment, promises were made, somehow they took a step forward that neither of them knew they needed to, but was necessary. I loves you were murmured, and passion seized both of them.

Sometime later, neither sure how much time had passed, Sarah found herself with her head on his chest.

"You're mine, Bartowski, and I'm yours, we never do that again," Sarah said.

"You mean what we did on the couch?" he asked. Sarah slapped his bare chest, and he chuckled. "Sarah, nothing happened," he replied. "Did it?" She shook her head.

"No," she replied. "But what if that's how it started with Bryce? I'm not saying you don't get to have dinner with Carina or me with Casey, but none of that crap I had to do this week. This is too important. We're too important." There was silence for a second.

"Forever important?" he asked quietly. She didn't answer for a second.

"I don't know if forever is long enough," she admitted. Chuck held her tighter. Things were perfect, and that was rare in his life.

}o{

"Boss, there's a guy here to see you," Hugo told Volkoff.

"Hugo, there's no one I want to see," Volkoff replied. "Why would you bother me? This whole Sasha thing has gotten out of control."

"I may have found you an out with that," Hugo said. "Trust me, Boss." Volkoff nodded and Hugo went and opened the door. Volkoff's eyebrows went up when he saw who walked in.

"Hugo, are you sure?" Volkoff asked.

"Oh, he's sure," the man replied, walking forward. "I can help you take down Ryan. I can help you take control of the police department and the mayor, and we can both get exactly what we want." He stopped right in front of Volkoff's desk. "See the thing is the man you know as Ryan, is actually Chuck Bartowski." Volkoff stared at him. "And his, mother,"

"Is Mary Bartowski," Volkoff finished for him. "I'll kill her."

"Or, you could give her to Fulcrum and use her as a bargaining chip against Bartowski," the man suggested. "If it works, you get him off your back, if it doesn't close ranks like you were going to, but regardless, Mary Bartowski isn't giving him info anymore." Volkoff studied him for a minute, picked up the phone, and made a call.

"Yes, can you come down here for a minute please?" Volkoff asked, and then hung up. A minute later the door opened. "Vivian, we have a surprise." Vivian watched as Bryce turned around towards her. "I think we have an opening for Mr. Larkin, as our lawyer. He just informed us of Detective Ryan's identity, one Chuck Bartowski, you may know his mother."

"Mary," Vivian said. She walked up to Bryce, grabbed him and kissed him. When they broke she looked into his eyes. "Welcome home, Bryce." Bryce nodded, he was going to take down Chuck and get the girl he wanted. Life was good sometimes.

A/N: So maybe Bryce is a bad guy….maybe one some would call…a douchenozzle…what happens to Chuck and Mary?...Find out next time on Casey and Walker…Same Chuck Time, Same Chuck Channel…Hope you liked it, reviews and PMs are always welcomed…Til next time!

#Chuck #Sarah #Charah #Casey & Walker #fanfic #fanfiction

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drunkme-mories · 4 years ago

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Okay, here I go...

Since I’ve met you, I find myself on an eternal repetition compulsion.

“Repetition compulsion is a psychological phenomenon in which a person repeats an event or its circumstances over and over again. This includes reenacting the event or putting oneself in situations where the event is likely to happen again.”

It’s like I’m on an infinite roller coaster, stuck on the loops. I don’t know why I am unable to get over you. (I mean, it has been almost 2 years that I’m trying to...).

Some days I go to bed, with a feeling that when I wake up the next morning it would all be just the same, just like before, you know? It would be a usual Friday, before the pandemic, and I’m feeling nervous just to imagine if I’d see you later that night and if you would finally notice me.

You’re still in my head (almost 24/7 lately), but I just don’t know why. Sometimes I justify it with the fact that we never talked in person about everything, we have barely texted about it. I even used to believe that what we had was a karmic relationship.

I keep asking myself “why I’m still thinking and caring about her, even after everything that has happened?” We’ve lost the most important thing to me, that was our friendship. And I know I’ve probably lost the sympathy of your friends (but I promise that you didn’t lose my friend’s sympathy, ‘cause every single time I have talked to them about you, I have always emphasized the fact that it had nothing to do with your character, and that you’re a good person with a good heart) and it hurts so much to know that we will never be able to meet up at the bar again, grab some drinks and spend the night laughing and having fun like we used to.

I even miss the nights we spent during this quarantine texting each other, talking about some crazy shit that has happened to us some years ago, to send each other TikTok’s, to know what’s going through your mind, what’s happening in your life, who’s the new girl that you’re breaking the heart, stuffs like this you know?

I was finally getting used to the idea that we would never see each other again, wouldn’t even talk again, but maybe unconsciously I don’t want that, I don’t want to say goodbye, I want you in my life, even if it’s not like a lover but as a friend, and I wish we could make it out without hurting each other again, and without hurting my lover too.

Well, she was always insecure about you, because even she could see how pure and intense my feelings were for you, even when I didn’t want to see it, and didn’t want to assume it (to you, to her, and myself). And I would probably feel the same way if I were in her shoes.

Since the goddamn day I fell in love with you, I live with this guilt, that consumes me more and more every day, the guilt of not being brave enough to tell you at the time what I was feeling for you (even tho you were always really mean to me, but that’s not the point right now), just like Lizzie did to Casey on that episode... Or to just have sent you a drunk message saying “hey bitch I fucking love you can you stop being trash to me and just accept to go on a date with me, to steal me a kiss after some glasses of wine, and tell me that you feel the same way about me?” you know? 😂

But now this guilt is even worse, because I’m with someone else, who I unconditionally love and cherish, but I know that I’ll never love anyone the same way I have loved you and it kills me inside.

Sometimes I think I'm not enough for her, that I wouldn't be enough for you if we ever had become something, that I don't deserve to be loved, and I know that it's probably true...

But anyway, sorry if sending you that previous ask sounded like I was being selfish, or that I was trying to take advantage of you, ‘cause it wasn't my real intention.

I wish I could erase this feeling on us, so we could meet again and laugh about all of this chaos, especially about the stuff we both wrote about each other ‘cause, I mean... I was never a good writer, but I kinda wrote some poems about you, I even wrote you a letter, remember? Not that I'm trying to be cocky but I nailed the poems, they're pretty good, maybe I should try to write some more so I can publish a book, Rupi Kaur style 😂 sorry, I tend to use humor as a coping mechanism.

But anyway, I hope you're doing good, that you have achieved your dream of entering a med school, that you're going to therapy, and I'm still hoping we could still be friends, even grab a coffee someday, and finally talk about everything in person. I will always wish you the best! 🌕

Yeah let me go topic by topic ok.

First of all. It’s good to talk to you again.

Second, yeah I also feel lost in that loop (by the away great taylor song about it the way I loved you check that out). But I don’t thing it’s karma at least no a bad karma. I think we have this weird connection that every time I’m thinking about you a lot, like these lasts days you show up in my life again and I can’t help but think that we’re going to always be in each other’s life bc were supposed to. This weekend my family was talking about other lives and even I don’t believe in that, I thought this may be us.

About lost our friendship I spoke to one of my friends a couple months ago that I was missing you. And I didn’t know why. So I told him “ok I’m going to text her”. He told me to look at our old conversations to see if eventually we’d have those conversations now that you’re dating. And FUCK looking back to that hurt me. But it was good to see how much I’ve change, you know, that last convo when I was saying that I was jealous and i couldn’t just say “I’m jealous of you, you dumb bitch” was especially cringe for me. But yeah, he’s the only friend of me that knows and he’s not our (strange to say our bc that’s no us at all) number 1 supporter. Cause I don’t even now how to explain to people what we had. It’s something that we don’t even know what it was or what it is.

Now let’s get in to the topic that you blocked me. And I know that was important for you relationship and stuff but I was heartbroken. Like unfollow and muted ok, but cut me like that was cruel of you. I understand. But was hard. I also wanted to told you about some big changes up in my life, wanted to know what you’re up to, love life, college, family and everything. You were some weird friend of me after all.

About being friends I’m 0% into that right now. At this point I can’t see myself having anything with you (but I’m up to a illicit affair). Also fuck her. This 6 moths made me hate her so much and I know is jealousy but I don’t care. I know it’s not kind of me and blablabla but fuck it, she’d also hate me to if she took a look in my brain. And she’s right to feel insecure bc if I had a chance I wouldn’t doubt about it (guess me being a trash didn’t change that much lol). And I know she’s good to you, know she treats you like I’ll never be able, but I just think it should be me, you know, even though if we were both single we’d be nothing like that. So yeah that’s another topic. Fuck her.

And yeah Casey and Izzie will always remember me of you, and also will some songs, and some other movies. That was all I had of you in the last 6 moths so I guess that will change eventually.

It’s good to hear that even though she’s having a lot of was once mine, she would never have it all. That’s good. This past moths I’ve seen she take everything that as ours and turning in to yours so it’s good to know that if I show up at your wedding I would still cause some trouble.

Some things never change right?

I’m really sad to see you putting you down like that. So if my opinion has any importance to you, I think you’re too much for her anyway. And I’m sorry to help you feeling that you don’t deserve love in any kind of way. I think having a past, like you like to call me, won’t make you least or not deserving her love.

It’s not you’re fault you had a 10 and she’s a 5. Ok maybe a 9. Ok in 2019 I was definitely a 5 as well.

Don’t be mad at me I’m just joking ok.

In the moment we sat down and talk about this time we’ll have some good laughs. I still got those poems and I’m still waiting to have the box you told me about. And I guess that’s whats keep us here talking in one unofficially social, talking in other language, me writing texts about you. I’ve never lied to you that I love this drama and I think you might like this as well.

Least, I want to tell you again that right now I can’t see myself having a friendship with you cause I still have a lot of feelings going on. I like to imagine us meeting again in the future, both change, both grown, and living all the things we’ve always wanted but we’re both not ready for it. After that being said, I wish the best for you as well. I’m not going to end it that way bc I feel like this is not the end. So I hope you read this and send me a chat on here so we can talk privately. If you feel like that’s not the right thing to do, I’ll be always here fore you and I’ll always have a song to send you for you to remind of me in secret. Missing you.

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