#ch: jane grey

[felicitykings]

Never. I'll never leave you. I love you.

MY LADY JANE (2024) ↳ 1.08 God Save The Queen

[dcbbw]

WIP Update 5.27.24--Holiday Treats Edition

Hi-de-ho, tumblrs! It is Memorial Day Weekend here in the US, and I am spending the beginnings of the last day  of a 3-day weekend posting WIPs for the first time in what seems like forever!

And I have a lot of WIPs for you today; however, half of them DO NOT HAVE WORDS. I’ll make that up to you by posting extra-long snippets of the ones that do. It’s gonna be a mixed bag, with the majority of these stories being ideas I am unsure popped in my brain or shot themselves out of my ass.

If you have ever read at least one of my WIP updates, you know the drill: all works are in very rough draft and a state of flux; published/posted works may vary. No promises on when anything will be posted, but everything is in an extremely active state of progress.

Everything is below the cut; please enjoy!

Rating is M for Mature because it's me

9 Days a Queen: Based upon the painting The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, and a crapton  of historical dramas, this is the story of the brief yet impactful reign of Queen Riley Brooks of Cordonia.

Object of Affection, Chapter 9: Hard Day’s Night: The Mermaids are on the comeback trail!

Untitled KTAW fic: The suitor from House Theron takes a meeting with the Duke of Ramsford.

The Real Housewives of Cordonia: Lorelei and Hana: The RHOC will be a once-in-awhile series that will focus on a pivotal moment in the lives of the mother/mother-in-law and daughter/daughter-in-law of the ladies of my favorite gang. Except they’re in Cordonia, Connecticut. Once completed, this will be my #HLAW submission.

Dolos: This fic is inspired by my absolute LOVE of Homeland, a now-defunct Showtime series. The subject matter may be triggering to some, so reader discretion is advised. FYI, Dolos is the Greek God of deception, craftiness, and treachery:

“Except one player is notably absent. King Liam of Cordonia,” the host replied.

The visitor slowly lowered his fork. “You have power players such as the United States, Britain, Canada, France … Cordonia will hardly be missed.”

“You’re either stupid or think I am,” the host retorted with the slightest edge to his tone. “Cordonia is in the middle of this maelstrom and trying to play neutral. Which they cannot.”

“You’re still not explaining why I am here with you.”

“King Liam is half Auvernese, his bride is Hidaran. He will have to enter the fray, and when he does, he will be on the wrong side of history. There is a … faction that is willing to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

“Terrorist cells are forming a dime a dozen. It would seem to me that they would jump for joy at a wealthy country financing the winners.”

The host pushed away his plate, his eyes staring into mirrored lenses. “There are no winners here. It’s a complete suicide mission whoever enters the fray; the death of the Supreme One illustrates that. The fact is Cordonia will back the aggressors, regardless of how they spin it, and they have the money and resources to ensure both wars continue for years.”

The visitor lifted his teacup. “And?”

“While this is quite the distraction, other wheels are already in motion that need to be addressed now. In order for that to happen, funding must be cut and diverted. Already, the first-world countries are scaling back. There cannot be a fallback to take their place.”

The visitor sat his cup down, and leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “What are you saying?”

“King Liam must be assassinated; the faction is offering $50 million US dollars to make it happen. Do you want the job?”

This Little Life (Versions Edit): Leo Rhys has died, and his wife and lover finally have the confrontation they’ve waited 20 years for:

We’ve spent the last two decades as an unassuming family living a quiet life in the town of Rury, located in Duchy Krona.  When we were looking for a place to live, I argued returning to my home country of America, but Rury was my husband’s mother’s birth town and seemed the perfect place to escape life in the royal limelight without changing continents.

Yet another compromise I made in the name of our relationship.

Leo spent the first half of our marriage fulfilling his motocross passions and rebuilding with his love, all while using me as a depository for his seed when things went sideways with the one who held his heart. I was essentially a single mother who had hit the child support lottery. I suggested several times we divorce; those were our worst arguments.

When Asher was three, my husband agreed we needed to settle down and focus on raising our family.

We purchased a large farmhouse that sits on the banks of Kingsman River. He used his savings to buy a local farm and construction equipment company that serviced all of Krona and Valtoria to save it from being sold to developers. With his charisma and leadership skills, he was the boss everyone wanted to work for.

I’m Vice-President of Commercial Acquisitions for Cordonia Commerce, the nation’s largest financial institution, a position I was promoted to five years ago. 

We were both active in our community: volunteering at local food banks, and participants in the Krona school system: book drives, bake sales, pestering neighbors and co-workers when it came to fundraisers, coaching soccer and track & field.

There were family dinners and vacations, Sunday feasts, road trips, and pizza nights.

We have four children: twin girls Hope and Joy, who are 19; our son Luca, 15; and our youngest, Asher, who is 13. I love each of them a little harder, hug them a little tighter, and kiss their cheeks a little more often, much to their embarrassment. But I can’t help it; all of them were conceived in drunken indifference, my husband pouring his every misery into my waiting womb after arguments and rejections from another.

It's been a good life, filled with care, respect, and friendship. Honestly, Leo was my best friend. But there was no romantic love, no passion.

Because all we had built together as friends and co-parents, he was supposed to have with his lover, not with me.

I fasten my robe more tightly around my waist as I traipse downstairs; in the living room, reserved for company only, I push apart curtains and twist open venetian blinds. I frown at what passes for dusting in Luca’s world before moving on past the family room where we binge television shows and celebrate holidays.

I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine.

Finally, I am in the kitchen, the heart of our home. Arguments, homework, meals, birthday celebrations … they all happen here.  I brew a single cup of the coffee my husband loved; it’s a dark roast from Comery Isle with hints of praline and coconut, which I douse liberally with sugar and cream.

Breakfast will be simple: slices of fried ham; tomatoes, eggs, and yesterday’s rice; yogurt; fruit. I begin pulling dishes and pans from cabinets, food from the refrigerator; my body is rigid, my movements almost robotic. I silently count eggs as I place them in mixing bowl.

Routine, routine, routine.

But suddenly, I can no longer do anything, and I feel the bowl of eggs slip from my hands; I hear it crash against the hardwood flooring.

Grief for so many things overwhelm me, and I slide down a cream-colored wall to the floor, my eyes flooded with tears.

I’m not ready to say goodbye.

Stormholt: Based upon Saltburn. That is all:

My orgasm erupts from the engorged head of my dick like creamy lava from a pornographic volcano. Ropes of seed spurt into the air only to splash back against my member and increasingly sticky hand. My hips thrust against air one last time, and I feel my body shudder.

If you knew Jesus, you wouldn’t be doing that!

Riley’s voice in my mind pushes the last vestiges of the sexual fantasy that awoken me away; with still- closed eyes, I try to calm my labored breathing.

My eyes open, and I study the intricate canopy above my four-poster bed while I lay still. There’s nothing on my agenda this morning except be rich, look good, and suntan: breakfast, workout, pool.

This is the life of the Lord of Stormholt Manor.

The semen and lube are beginning to congeal on my hand, and the tip of my cock feels gummy resting against my thigh. I sit up and shift to the side of the bed; I frown at the sight of sunrise coming through closed, sheer, crimson-colored curtains.

It’s the color of fresh blood.

With the slightest twinge of guilt, I stand and push the drapes open with my clean hand before lighting a cigarette. I stare out the window, seeing my friends and lovers below.  There’s Riley and the baby; Maxwell; Constantine. Regina is in the great room; she enjoys the view of the south gardens from the windows there.

My eyes fall on HIM; anger still roils my stomach at what he did to me.

Betrayal.

I turn away from them; I may or may not stop by to say hello. I begin heading into the bathroom, not bothering with the bed sheets; Gladys will change them. The house is quiet, but that’s to be expected. It’s only 7am; the day officially begins at Stormholt in exactly one hour.

I make short order of my morning’s hygiene; my outfit today will be robe and swim shorts. I’m fastening the sash on robe as I make my way down an immense, window-lined hallway that is in serious need of dusting.

Doors are half-open to bedrooms that currently sit unoccupied. I give cursory glances inside them: beds neatly made, light coatings of dust on furniture, bloody light leaking through closed curtains. Photographs sit on night tables and dresser tops, faces frozen in time. Their eyes look into nothingness, and their lips smile into emptiness.

Tagging: @mom2000aggie @kingliam2019 @bebepac @angelasscribbles @charlotteg234

@tessa-liam @twinkleallnight @indiacater @lovingchoices14

@umccall71 @busywoman @beezm @mainstreetreader

@walkerdrakewalker @superharriet @choicesficwriterscreations

In case you're interested: @lizzybeth1986 @daily-haley

[wardenparker]

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Dating Your Ex - ch 6

Marcus Pike x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

When Marcus unexpectedly runs into his ex-wife he is plunged into a world of complications where rekindled attraction and deep-seated insecurities reign. Unfortunately for him, it is also a world where his ex-wife is not the only ‘ex’ around, as a new case crosses his desk that will require all hands on deck. ✨💖Inspired by and based upon absurdthirst’s Tequila. 💖✨

Rating: Mature, but as always this blog is 18+ Word Count: 15.6k Warnings: **Blanket warnings for this series include: divorce, break ups, collegiate Greek life, underage drinking, food/alcohol consumption.** Gal pal gossip, tough conversations, a little bit of dirty flirting, and more of Patrick Jane being Patrick Jane. Marcus’s romance barometer is dialed up *high* and we love to see it. Summary: Brunch with the girls, Marcus and Teresa have a heart-to-heart of sorts, and Jane still somehow manages to make himself a nuisance. But it’s your second first date with Marcus, so you’re determined to make it a good one. Notes: I am not gonna lie to y’all...a lot of working on this chapter was just swooning over the restaurant’s menu. I need to get my ass to L’Ardente in DC stat!

Ch 1 ~ Ch 2 ~ Ch 3 ~ Ch 4 ~ Ch 5

“There she is!” Is the cry from your friends when they finally spot you across the rooftop of the restaurant where you have done Sunday brunch trivia every week for the last year. There are already mimosas and you can see a plate of cinnamon rolls out on the table which makes you grin.

“Sorry I’m a couple of minutes late.” You’re barely sorry, considering the reason you’re late is Marcus wanted to go for a second round in the shower this morning, but you’ll at least feign an apology.

“Mmmmmhhhmmmm.” There is definitely a devilish grin to your oldest friends’ faces as they pointedly examine you up and down. “That is the look of a woman who isn’t sorry one bit because she was too busy getting dick.” Angela cackles.

“Spill!” Jacqui insists, looking at you with bright eyes. Her own marriage is settled, and very happy, but the giggly giddiness of a new infatuation is so much fun to experience with a friend. “Did you finally hook up with that hot curator from Air and Space?”

“Um…” Sitting down between Silvia and Angela, you glance at your young coworker, only to be relieved when she offers you an encouraging if awkward smile. “Actually?” You have to brace yourself. Angie is going to lose her mind when she finds out. “It’s somebody I used to know. And…didn’t think I would ever see again…”

“Do not tell me that you’ve picked up that clown you told us about in France!” Angela had been upset when you left Marcus but she was your friend and supported you through that time with phone calls, international at times. She hadn’t approved of Henri. “What would he be doing here?”

“I—it’s not Henri.” You shake your head and immediately pick up your menu as though you don’t have the bar’s offerings memorized. As though you aren’t craving their amazing eggs cochon. “It’s…well…my ex.” Silvia only knows who your ex-husband is now because of what’s happened, but you don’t think you have ever actually said his name to Jacqui. Until now, it still hurt too much.

“Marcus!” Angie gasps, aware that you have never called any other man your ex. “You were in bed with your ex-husband?” Her grey eyes blow wide in shock, matching the way her jaw hits the table.

“Surprise?” Your laugh is awkward, embarrassed even though no one here knows about what happened with Silvia but you and her. “He lives in DC now…”

“How in the hell did you run into your ex-husband in D.C.?” Angela demands, her face lighting up in overwhelming happiness. She knew that Marcus was the one for you, even if you had been too stubborn to see it.

“Wait— ex-husband?” Jacqui wrinkles her nose in confusion. “This is a good thing?”

“He stopped by the office the other night. Some kind of case.” Silvia blurts out, seeing the restraint in your happiness written all over your face. She doesn’t want to make more drama by telling everybody that she was the reason you saw him again, but she wants you to be happy if that’s how you actually feel. “Does this mean…are you guys back together?”

“I don’t know,” you admit, reaching over and squeezing Silvia’s hand. “I think so? I hope so.” It’s obvious from the way that you light up at the thought that it’s what you truly want, and your young friend smiles encouragingly before you look back at Jacqui. “It was college. We were just kids and I…I got scared. He’s in the FBI now. Director of his department and everything.”

“So…nothing bad happened?” She asks, still cautious because obviously you don’t divorce someone over nothing.

“Oh no, Marcus worshipped the ground she walked on.” Angela huffs, shaking her head fondly. “Sappy. And it was the relationship to aspire to. I broke up with three different guys because they didn’t treat me half as well.”

“It was my fault,” you tell Jacqui honestly. “Marcus didn’t do anything wrong, I just…we were so young and when he started talking about houses and kids and school districts and 401ks, I just panicked. So like I said…it’s Marc that’s giving me the second chance.” You knew Angie would be excited. She had always thought Marcus was amazing and was legitimately mad at you for a long time after you asked for the divorce. You’re not above beyond admitting she was right. “We’re just…taking things slow right now.”

“Oh my god, sleeping together is slow?” Angela snorts and shakes her head before looking at Jacqui and Silvia. “Although that tracks for them. They slept together the first night they met and were inseparable for the longest time.” She reaches over and takes your hand. “Are you still getting noise complaints? Tell me he didn’t peak in college sexually.”

Your cheeks are burning as you studiously avoid looking at Silvia, but you couldn’t hold your grin in even if you tried. “Definitely did not peak in college.” That’s for goddamn sure. He’s got new tricks and everything. “And uh…I don’t know what the people in my building will think, but he has a nice house and everything so…maybe I should make his neighbors cheesecakes or something as an apology in advance.”

“Damn.” A low whistle comes out of your oldest friend, along with a sly grin. “In college, they were encouraged to not have sleepovers at the frat and sorority houses.” She explains. “Everyone would hear.”

“Everyone was very encouraging when we decided to move off campus.” There’s been so much reminiscing lately, and aside from the guilt it makes you practically giddy to be able to think of the happy times again. You’ll make it up to him. You know you will. You have to.

“You have to tell us how you ended up in bed together again.” She demands, eager for details.

“It wasn’t super dramatic or anything.” You demure as best you can, pausing when you feel your phone go off in your pocket. Expecting a text from Marcus, you instead see Silvia’s name splashed across your screen.

Silvia: It’s okay to be excited <3 We’re okay.

The unexpected sentiment really just shows how mature she is, and you’ll have to make sure that you and she have some time to talk it out on your own, without other friends or coworkers around, but right now you just send back a barrage of hearts as a return message and feel the internal sigh of relief as warmth and giddiness floods your chest. The smile spreading across your face is instant. “We actually…after the thing at the office…we ran into each other on Friday night. I guess neither of us wanted to spend our night at home alone so we both had the idea to go out…and ended up at the same bar.” It feels like a fairy tale, allowing yourself to get excited has you nearly vibrate in your chair. “We had dinner together. And then…I invited him back to my place. I honestly had no clue he’d end up staying over.”

“This is…I still can’t believe that Marcus is here. And you two are rekindling your romance.” Angela sighs wistfully. “It gives me hope that soulmates exist.” She grins at you. “Really hot soulmates that make your legs shake, right?” Her grin grows just a smidgeon. “Like mine.”

"You can't believe it? Imagine how shocked I was." Interrupted momentarily by your table's waiter, you add your order to everyone else's and sit back in your chair after the young man walks away. "It's...surreal. But...kind of wonderful."

The girls all murmur their own agreements, Angela nodding. “I imagine so. Have you two talked?” She asks seriously, sliding her own mimosa over towards you to have some since another round is on its way.

“About what happened?” You nod, grateful to have even a watered-down mimosa when the guilt hits. Someday, you hope, you’ll stop feeling these waves of horrible regret. But that day is not today. “Yeah. We’re talking through things. And we’re, um…we’re going on our first actual date tonight. Dressed up, out on the town, the whole nine yards. I don’t know where yet, but you know Marc. It will be memorable.”

She’s nodding, glancing over at the other two women. “He’s a great guy.” She promises them before she looks back at you. “Honey, I know you. I know you feel guilty, but he’s a big boy.” She reaches over and covers your hand with hers. “If he wants to give you another chance, don’t second guess it. Dive in and enjoy.”

“I’m trying.” She’s your oldest friend - having stuck around through the bullshit and long distance and telling you to your face when she thought you were making a mistake - and you know if Angela thought that pursuing this was a bad idea she would say so. But she’s encouraging and excited for you, so you nod your head and finish the rest of the mimosa she handed you, and try to smile. “I’m not gonna fuck this up twice. I love him too much for that.”

“You always have.” She reminds you, smirking slightly. “Henri had nothing on Marcus and neither did any of those other idiots.” She scoffs. “It’s been obvious that he’s never forgotten you. Just look at the song.”

“Okay.” You huff and puff, looking at her in wonder. “Did everybody know about the song but me?” Jacqui and Silvia both look on in confusion, exchanging bewildered glances before Jacqui also looks to Angela for an answer. “What song?”

Angela snorts, “Of course. Danny - you know, Dan Stevens, he’s the one who arranged to have the song looked at.” She explains to you before she looks over at Jacqui and Silvia. “Do you know that country duo, Dan + Shay?” She asks, making Jacqui frown slightly but Silvia nods. “I do.” She tells Angela. “Well, the song ‘Tequila’ is about our girl right here.” She states proudly.

“I’m sorry, what?” Jacqui’s jaw drops, her face drawn in surprise and awe as her attention swings back to you. “It is not?!”

“Wait that’s the song?” You’ve heard it before - it’s on the regular rotation at the coffee shop you frequent, of all places. One of the baristas always seemed to be playing country. It had always twisted your gut with memories before, but now? Now you’re on the verge of tears. “Marcus said he wrote a song but…he didn’t tell me it was that song.”

“Yeah….” Angela bites her lip, giving you a soft smile. “Danny saw it and knew it could be a hit. It summed up his relationship with you perfectly.”

“So Marcus is the reason we never get a pitcher of margaritas when we go out?” Jacqui smirks at you. They’re her favourite drink, so she always just orders for herself even though the other two women love them also. “I’m gonna have to have a little chat with this man.”

You can’t help but laugh, pulling out your phone in your lap again to send off a text after you shake your head at your friend. “I think we can do that now, from time to time. The memories suddenly don’t hurt so much.”

To Marc: You didn’t mention that you sold your song to Danny. Turns out I’ve been listening to it every week for ages. Miss you ❤

******

Marcus is far less relaxed, sitting at his desk, writing down notes and impressions on the case so that he doesn’t miss anything. When his phone buzzes, he picks it up, smiling when he sees that it’s from you.

To ❤ : Miss you too. You didn’t ask. 😇  Enjoy your girl’s day.

From ❤: Angela knew. Because of course she did. Can’t wait for tonight!

The reply text comes through almost right away, telling him that even while you’re with your friends, he’s at the front of your mind. Marcus smiles as he looks down at his phone, opening the emails to reconfirm the reservation he set. He wants to make sure that you enjoy the ‘first date’ with him.

A gentle knock on his office door startled him it off his thoughts, and when he looks up, Teresa is standing in his open doorway awkwardly. “Morning.” She murmurs, holding up the tray of coffees and bag of bakery treats she brought as a peace offering. “Wasn’t sure if you had breakfast yet or not.”

“Come in.” Marcus almost stands up, but he doesn’t. Overthinks it for a moment and wonders if he would stand if she wasn’t his ex-fiancée. And he wouldn’t, so he doesn’t. He does motion her forward and gives a polite smile that would be HR approved. “You didn’t have to do that.”

"Yesterday was tense." She observes, setting the drinks down on his desk and handing him the coffee, keeping the cup of tea for herself. "Consider it a peace offering."

“Tense might be a mild term for it.” Marcus accepts the coffee, opening the lid and noticing that it was exactly how he always took his coffee. She had apparently remembered. “It would have been less so if your husband hadn’t been so...himself.”

“He forgets that not everyone finds him hilarious or ingenious.” Teresa sits carefully on the other side of the desk, smoothing her tunic blouse over her bump as she does. The baby isn’t too active today, thankfully, which means the morning has gone fairly smoothly. “Patrick is…he’s just Patrick. And while I love him, I know he’s not everyone’s cup of tea.” As if to prove the point, she takes the lid off her own cup and swirls the milky liquid around with a stirring stick.

“You could have been honest.” Marcus tells her after a moment. “I would have understood more than most would have.” He would have, that’s the irony. The you-sized hole in his heart had never healed, nor could it have been filled with anyone else.

“I didn’t really know.” Teresa admits, casting a look down at her own belly before looking back up at Marcus. What she put him through…he should despise her. Refuse to help on principle. But Marcus is a better man than that and she knows it. “I knew that I had hesitations, but I didn’t really know what or why until Patrick got on that damn plane.” She tilts her head, almost shaking it at herself and closing her eyes for just a half second. “I’m sorry. For what happened between us. Not that we had something, but…for how I handled it.”

It takes a lot to apologize and now he’s gotten two apologies in the same week from the two most important relationships he’s had. If he were a lesser man, he would see it as him being morally superior in some sense. Being a ‘good guy’ in the way that all men who are not good men claim to be. Teresa doesn’t have to apologize. She’s moved on in every way possible and he’s already helping with her case, so this isn’t some kind of exercising some pent-up guilt. Instead of basking in the apology, Marcus takes a sip of his coffee and nods. “I appreciate that.” His smile is softer this time. “Really. Thank you. Apology accepted. And I apologize for rushing you into things.”

"Apology accepted. Water under the bridge." The smile on her face is genuine as she takes an almond croissant out of the bakery bag that she brought and nudges it toward Marcus. "So...I have to ask. Your ex-wife? Really?" He hadn't talked about the first Mrs. Pike often while they were together, but she had always gotten a sense that she had hurt him. Badly.

“My ex-wife.” There is not the pang of sadness and hurt that had been there before. “It— there’s never been anything like being with her.”

"So you're happy?" He deserves that, after all. To be happy. Someone with as big a heart as Marcus Pike, she wouldn't wish anything else. "I don't mean to pry, I just – if you're happy, then I'm happy for you."

“Honestly?” Marcus bites his lip and looks down into his coffee, thinking about how he had pushed you up against the wall of his shower and made you cry out this morning. “I don’t remember the last time I’ve been this happy.” It’s his turn to give her an apologetic smile. “I think, deep down, it’s always been her.” He knows it’s always been you, but it’s still his ex he’s talking to.

"Then I'm happy for you." There's no point in feeling slightly hurt over not being the one that got away from Marcus when she was the one who made the choice to leave him, so Teresa sits forward with her breakfast and looks over the file on his desk. Learning to read upside down was a fun little trick that Jane taught her. "Notice anything new or interesting this morning?"

The moment seems to be over so Marcus spins the file around so she doesn’t have to strain herself. “Take a look and tell me what you think.” He has always respected Teresa professionally and now is no different.

"That is a lot of different places called Johnson's Ranch." The sheer number of possibilities makes Teresa cringe as she looks up and down the list. "I'll get a list of prior residences for the family and see what we can cross reference. Maybe we can at least narrow it down to a region and then use the pictures to pinpoint location."

“Perhaps it’s a family vacation spot?” Marcus kicks around, leaning back in his chair. “It would make sense that it would be somewhere tied to the family.”

"Could be." Teresa nods slowly, rolling the idea over in her mind. "I'll start with deeds and homesteads and move through rental properties and businesses second. Something of this place has to have survived."

“Could even be a place that was rebranded.” Marcus groans, shaking his head. “This is going to be a miracle to solve before you give birth.”

"Oh god," she laughs at that, huffing at the idea of still being on this case in that many months. "I'll text Patrick and ask him to bring us a map of the US and maybe...three or four different colours of pushpins? We can start mapping out possibilities and colour-coding the locations. It's going to take a while to get through." When she glances up at him, Marcus's brow is furrowed, focused on the list in the folder in front of him. "Tomorrow we'll use physical markers from the pictures to help narrow it down further, and hopefully your— Dr. Pike— will be able to help us figure out some more clues we might have missed."

“She’s good at what she does.” Marcus might have done a little professional snooping at your accolades. “If anyone would be able to help, it would be her.”

"We knew you'd have the right person to bring onto the case." Even Patrick Jane, who wanted to scrub most vestiges of Marcus Pike out of his wife's past, had admitted that he was the man that could help most effectively. "We just...had no idea it would be her."

“The irony.” Marcus can’t help but give a small chuckle. “If we hadn’t divorced, she might not have been where she is now to help. Our lives might have been very different.”

"You might not have been in the FBI at all." She points out, reaching for her tea again. It's particularly soothing today. "Law enforcement wasn't your original idea, if I'm remembering correctly."

“It hadn’t been, but it’s a good thing we are where we are.” Marcus can’t regret everything. He’s done a lot of good, and put some bad people away.

"They say everything happens for a reason." Though she isn't usually the kind of person to use aphorisms for comfort, this particular one is what she's really got to go with at the moment. Because if she hadn't said yes to Marcus, then Patrick might never had gotten the kick in the pants that he needed to tell her how he felt. Which, in turn, left Marcus single again to reunite with his ex-wife. It's all just...complicated. "Let's see what we can get done today. I know you don't want to be sitting here for twelve hours, and we need our expert to get through the detail work. So let's just prep and do some digging through land deeds and family assets today. When Patrick gets here with the map we can start charting things out, and we can all call it a night for dinner."

Nodding, Marcus agrees. “Not exactly the way I wanted to spend a Sunday, but I’m sure you feel the same way.” He snorts. “If you get tired because of the little one, just lay down on the couch behind you.”

"Thanks." He knows she isn't one for complaints or excuses, and that if she lies down it will just be with the file in her lap instead of on the desk in front of her. She doesn't however, miss the way Marcus glances over at his phone and smiles - the lines around his eyes crinkling ever so slightly. "You guys have plans tonight?"

“Dinner.” He nods and looks at his phone again. “She’s at brunch with her friends, but we are having a date tonight.” It’s still slightly surreal, but he can’t wait to see you again.

“Well.” Her own phone goes off - a simple text from husband acknowledging what she’s asked for, and then followed immediately by a picture of a bag of apples. Her current pregnancy craving. It lights her up unapologetically. “We’ll make sure you get to it,” she promises.

“Thanks.” Marcus nods, feeling like the air has been cleared between the two of them and he doesn’t feel like he needs to add anything else. He turns towards the notes and starts pouring over them again. Eager to get done for today and get ready for his date with you.

******

With no instructions except being told to dress up and expect him at six-thirty, you've been excitedly pacing around your apartment for the last ten minutes as you count down to his arrival. The texts back and forth with your sister have been animated, to say the very least, and with Angie's encouragements this morning and Leah's this evening, you're feeling about as dreamy as you have in a long time. A second first date with Marcus. The thing you've been dreaming of for years.

While he rationally knows that it’s a little silly to be this excited about a ‘first date’, he’s grinning as he parks the car. He’s always wanted to do this, from the first time he had really thought about you seriously, which was about day two of knowing you. Marcus wanted to take you out to a dinner he never could have possibly afforded by then. Picking up the gorgeous bouquet of flowers, Marcus exits his car and walks up to your building to hit the button for your apartment. Wanting to do this right.

You grin when the buzzer goes off, knowing he easily could have texted or called, but this is Marcus. He's always been determined to be proper whenever possible. You hit the button on the panel in your hallway to let him up and double check your appearance in the mirror one last time. The heavy thumping your heart is doing is just as eager as the first time he came to pick you up - though your apartment and sorority house are worlds apart.

It was probably about a week after the first party that Marcus had taken you out on the first official date of your relationship. Like you hadn’t been sleeping together for a solid week. He had taken you to Sonic for a burger and a grape slushie. All he could afford at the time, but he had wanted to do more. Always wanted to do more, and now - he could. Once he makes it to your floor, he strides down the hallway with confidence, a spring to his step that has more to do with seeing you than anything else and knocks quickly.

There isn't an ounce of shame in how fast you open the door. You're not going to pretend like you weren't right in the hallway when you were, but it stops mattering the instant you open the door. All dressed up in a perfectly cut suit looking like a dream, Marcus is holding a bouquet of your favourite flowers - he remembered, you sigh inwardly - with a bright smile on his face. "Hey love." The sight of him takes your breath away, and you really can't tell if you gasp or not before getting your composure back. "Do you want to come in for a minute?"

“Sure.” Marcus steps inside and offers you the bouquet. “I know you have a vase or ten to put these in.” He remembers how you used to admire the beautiful vases when you were window shopping. His grandmother had given the two of you a beautiful crystal vase when you had gotten married, and he wonders what happened to it.

“It’s an addiction,” you admit, cheeks heating a little but not really embarrassed. The soft pink and white ranunculus flowers deserve the best vase you have, especially because they’re from him. From the side cupboard in your kitchen, you dig through the smaller and more everyday vases you’ve collected over the years to come out with one made of gorgeous cut crystal. “You might recognize this one…” There were a few tokens that had gone with you to your new life, unable to completely let go of the one you had built with Marcus. Your wedding gift from his grandmother was one of them.

“I had just thought about that vase.” Marcus admits, grinning as he watches you unwrap the band from the flowers and move over to the sink to put a few inches of water in the bottom of the vase. There’s no hurt feelings over it, he had told you to take whatever you wanted when you were packing up, and he’s happy to see that you kept it. “It’s perfect, I think.” He hums. “Very fitting.”

“I feel very coordinated.” The flowers embroidered on the handkerchief hem of your black dress dance in the overhead lights from the kitchen as you set the vase in the center of your table and turn back to him. “What do you think? Is this appropriate for the mystery date?”

“Very appropriate.” Marcus agrees, stepping back slightly and dragging his eyes from head to toe. If it weren’t for the fact that he wants this date, he would be pulling you back towards your bedroom in a heartbeat.

“Later.” You point a finger at him and grin, being well-acquainted with that look in his eyes. “I’m pretty sure you’ll like what’s under the dress, too.”

“Damnit.” Marcus huffs, although he doesn’t mean it for a second. “Sonic doesn’t have reservations.” He’s done this to himself but he also knows you will be very happy with tonight.

“Sonic, huh?” Your eyebrow ticks up at him as you pick up your purse and open the door again. “Are we having a repeat first date?” That would be awfully sentimental and fairly on brand for the two of you.

“While I still say that the grape slushie is the best flavor, no.” Marcus chuckles and steps outside so you can close up your apartment. “I made reservations for us at L’Ardente for 7 o’clock.”

“L’Ardente?” The impressed noise you make has him puffing up slightly. “Well aren’t we very fancy tonight.” This is him, though, too a tee. Even when you were scraping by on pennies, he was trying to think of ways to make everything the nicest possible version of whatever DIY you could afford.

“Followed by drinks and dancing at Sax.” Marcus adds as you slip your keys into your purse and he takes your hand. “If you’re up for that after we try the forty-layer lasagna.”

“Dinner, drinks, and dancing?” Leaning into his side a little when you get into the elevator, you lend him a dreamy grin. “Cary Grant has nothing on Marcus Pike.”

“The experience I wanted to give you so many years ago.” He had, to an extent. Dinner was fast food or whatever you could afford at the time. Drinks and dancing was shots of tequila and parties on campus, but this is more mature. The way he had always imagined taking you for an anniversary dinner ten years down the road, still having that spark between you. “Now I get to.”

“You know I loved every date you ever took me on.” The boy he was would be so proud of the man he’s become, and it makes your heart swell knowing that you had been any part of it - though you push away the ache of knowing you could have been there for everything.

“I loved them too, but I always imagined this in our future.” He admits, the doors opening and both of you step out into the small atrium of the apartment building and walk by the post boxes to the front door. He had parked on the street in the ten minute parking so he could bundle you into the car and hurry off. “When we were ‘old and boring.” He teases.

“It’s a privilege to get to be old and boring with you.” You promise him, waving to your doorman on your way out of the building.

Marcus laughs as he opens the door to let you get in the passenger seat. “You mean we aren’t now?” He asks, winking at you as he closes the door to round the hood to slide in beside you.

“Maybe a little.” When he slips into the driver’s seat beside you, you lend him a grin. “If we tried partying like that again in our thirties we’d break something.”

“Hangovers.” Marcus moans. “Who knew they would get so fucking bad?” He asks rhetorically.

“I swear it’s why I’m pickier about what I drink now.” Years ago, the cheapest liquor in the world didn’t bother you. Now your home bar is carefully stocked with pricey splurges that craft beautiful cocktails. “If I’m going to deal with a hangover, I want it to be worth it.”

“Exactly. It’s why I try not to get trashed anymore unless it’s a special occasion.” Marcus jokes.

“And we have the dreaded work tomorrow.” Not that either of you dread your jobs, but it makes you both smile and you slip your hand into his as he steers the car into the flow of traffic. “How was today, by the way?”

“It was…interesting.” Marcus tells you, shrugging slightly. “Apparently when it comes to apologies from exes, when it rains - it pours.” He chuckles quietly. “Teresa wanted to clear the air.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Not that he deserves apologies from multiple people, but that things are getting cleared up. Making things less awkward will be good for everyone. “I take it her husband was not a part of that conversation? He doesn’t seem like the apologizing type.”

“No, he didn’t come for the apology tour.” He doesn’t really care, it’s water under the bridge. “But I also had to apologize to her too.”

“What for?” The only account of their relationship that you’ve heard places the end result squarely in Teresa Jane’s lap, but things are never that black and white in real life.

“Because while I cared for her…” he reaches over and takes your hand to bring it up to his lips to kiss it softly. “I was running away from the fact that she wasn’t you. And that there was still something missing because she wasn’t you.”

“I love you, too.” There really isn’t any escape to it - not that you want one. Not at all.

That sugary warmth that settles over him every time you say those words descends again and he looks over at you and smiles. “Good to know.”

“So…” You squeeze his hand and thread your fingers together easily. “Do you happen to remember my friend Angela? She was my roommate freshman year - black hair, grey eyes, supermodel tall?”

“Angela….” Marcus frowns for a second. “Angie Carter?” He nods. “Yeah. I hear she still keeps in touch with a lot of our old friend group. Marcus talked to some of them, but he had made it clear that he didn’t want to talk about you. It had been too painful. They had all respected it for the most part, obviously why he didn’t know you were in D.C.

“Angie Carter-Kim, now. She got married about a year ago to one of the other lawyers at her firm. But yes, same Angie.” The streets zip by as he drives steadily through traffic, turning up the length of Massachusetts Avenue toward the restaurant. “She’s extremely excited to hear we’re…doing this. She was over the moon at brunch.”

“She’s in D.C.?” Marcus isn’t surprised, Angie was always very driven and interested in the political side of the law, but it’s good to know that you have old friends who knew him as well as both of you when you were together. “That’s good that I have one person’s approval.”

“She wants to have us over for dinner so you can meet Harry, so I told her I would ask.” Truth be told, doing things like suggesting double dates with friends and giggling over Marcus at brunch made you feel so comfortable today.

"We can do that." Marcus agrees, knowing that it would be nice to have another person that wasn't work related that he knows in D.C. Especially since you were still close to her. "Tell her that we will set something up." It might be after the case, considering he doesn't know what is going to happen, but it would be something to look forward to.

“You’ll like Harry. He absolutely thinks the world of Angie and treats her like a goddess.” Just as she had said this morning - she didn’t settle for anything less after seeing the way Marcus had treated you. Which really should have proved a point to you, but hindsight is 20/20.

"She deserves someone like that. From what I remember she always had a good head on her shoulders. Even with us being dumb kids." Marcus hates letting go of your hand, but it's necessary to turn. "It'll be nice to catch up with her and meet her husband."

The restaurant has a valet, of course, and you slip out of Marcus’s plush SUV onto the sidewalk to wait for him. It’s silly - childish even - to feel like the few moments it takes him to join you is longer than you want to be apart, but when he steps up beside you and puts a hand in the small of your back to guide you into the restaurant, you’re home again just from his touch.

“I was thinking Le Diplomat, but decided that you might have been there and wanted to see what this place was about.” He murmurs as you both walk into the swanky restaurant and over to the sleek host stand. “Reservation for Pike.”

“Ah, of course.” The host smiles warmly. “Right this way, Mr. Pike. Mrs. Pike.” The table you’re led to is secluded, and the restaurant’s mood lighting is fairly obvious but not in a bad way. It’s inviting and romantic, which are perfect for tonight.

“That might be something you haven’t heard in a while.” Marcus is the one who holds out your seat for you, always feeling like the little gestures matter. “Being called missus rather than doctor.”

“I don’t mind.” It’s the first time in years you haven’t corrected the person, actually, and you love the way it feels, even if it’s not technically correct. “If you don’t, I mean.”

“I don’t mind it.” He admits softly as he pushes you in and rounds the table so he can sit down across from you. The candlelight is between you and he smiles as the menus are handed to you.

The host says nothing but to let you know your waiter will be over in a moment before he retreats, but you swear you don’t hear a word. Your focus is entirely on Marcus. On being with him again. “Is it really sappy if I tell you I’m a little misty about this whole thing?” You have to laugh at yourself a little, or at least have a sense of humor about it.

“I’ve been looking forward to tonight all day.” Marcus confesses with a laugh of his own. “I left the office early because I couldn’t get any more work done.”

"Angie came back to my apartment with me to help me pick out an outfit." It's such a silly thing, but you had been so excited and so nervous that your friend had jumped at the chance to do something so nostalgic as help you get ready for a date. "I almost had to remove her bodily from my apartment. I think she wanted to hang out long enough to see you."

“It good that she doesn’t hate me.” There had been a few of your sorority sisters that had been convinced that the story you had told your friends wasn’t true. That he had to have done something. It wasn’t something he had told you about, but it had been good that he hadn’t been on the market for dating for a long time because the well had been poisoned.

"She absolutely doesn't." You can promise him that with absolute certainty. "I'm the one she was pissed at, and rightfully so. She never approved of what I did."

"She shouldn't have been mad at you." Marcus shakes his head and frowns slightly. "You— you were doing what you thought was right, I know that you never meant to hurt me or yourself."

"I was an idiot, and she told me as much." There's nothing to do about it now but shrug, and you reach across the table to squeeze Marcus's hand. "Either way, I'm glad to be us again. Even if it took a while to get here."

"Me too." Sending you a small wink, Marcus wants to shift the topic of dinner. He doesn't want this to be a dinner of regrets, this is your new beginning together and he wants this to be positive. "Now, let's figure out what we are going to share for dinner." He teases. "Because I know we are going to steal bites."

"I don't know, but I think I heard something about a forty-layer lasagna?" You waggle your eyebrows at him, knowing how much he loves lasagna in absolutely any form. "So I think the question is what am I going to get that you can steal a taste of?"

"I am honestly trying to decide if you are going to choose the Duck Hunt or the Venetian Rosotto." He hums as he looks over the menu. "Duck ravioli and foie gras or riced calamari and king crab?" He asks teasingly. "Or do you want the Vitello Parmigiana? Stir things up with veal?"

"Oh, come on now." The menu is expansive and expensive, and you shoot Marcus a smirk. "The duck ravioli is under small plates, you don't think I would ever pass up duck as an appetizer in any universe, do you?" You had never had it before the very first fancy restaurant that his parents took the two of you out to when he brought you home to them, and it had been your favourite fancy food ever since.

"Then we split the Duck Hunt for an appetizer and then you order what you want." He sends you a small wink. By 'share' he means he will take one bite and then let you have the rest of it. "And we order a bottle of Krug to wash it down with. I think champagne is appropriate tonight."

"Krug?" One eyebrow ticks up at him from where you had been looking at the menu and your smirk turns to a glowing, slightly dopey looking smile that lights your whole face up. "If you want to celebrate, who am I to disagree? Just as long as you let me spoil you the same way from time to time."

He rolls his eyes at you, knowing it will be a debate later on down the road but he's happy he's going to get his way for now. "Let me do this tonight, okay?" He asks softly, wanting it to be a night you remember forever.

"As long as it makes you happy, baby." You really would give him anything. As long as it's within your power, you would hand over your whole life to make him happy. A bottle of champagne and a fancy dinner are the least of it.

It will, it will be the fulfillment of a promise he made to himself a long time ago. Nodding, he winks at you again. “I’ll make sure that I thank you for this later.” He promises huskily.

With all the stops he's pulling out, you should be the one thanking him, but you keep your mouth shut when the waiter comes over to take your order. Marcus orders the bottle and the first course and the waiter is gone again in a polite flash.

“Now...if we can fit in dessert, what would you want?” He asks, smirking at the dessert menu.

You hum like there isn't an absolutely obvious choice, if you can even make it that far into the night. "If we make it through two courses of pasta without bursting, there is a thirteen-layer chocolate cake that I think I might build a shrine to if it turns out to be as good as it sounds."

“You always choose chocolate.” He muses, smiling fondly at the memories of you thanking him profusely for the little Dove chocolates he would bring you when he had the chance.

"It was a miracle we didn't end up with a chocolate wedding cake." The decision had been close, but the beautiful strawberry and cream cake had been delicious. "We don't have to get chocolate cake, honey. It just sounds good."

“We can always get a slice to take home.” The mere mention of a wedding cake has him almost jumping to promise that the next one will be chocolate. To plan, to map out the future with you. Instead, he looks up at you to see if you agree. “Chocolate is perfect.”

"Marc..." You tilt your head and lean your chin on your other hand, trying to hold in the beaming smile that it threatening to crack the surface. "That's not what you were going to say first."

“And how would you know that?” His brow arches up playfully and he leans in, watching the candlelight dance in your eyes.

"You clench your jaw when you second-guess yourself." It's been his tell for his whole life, apparently, but the way he's looking at you is almost entirely distracting you from teasing him. "Your mother told me about that one."

“Damn.” He rolls his eyes slightly in good fun, and shakes his head. “Betrayed by my own mother.”

"What were you going to say?" If he really doesn't want to tell you then you won't push, but you don't want him to hold back. If either of you is tiptoeing on eggshells then you're only going to add to the communication problems down the line.

The answer is delayed by the return of the bustling waiter with a gorgeous bottle of Krug, along with a bucket to be placed on the table for easy access. Marcus leans back as the bottle is uncorked after he approves of it and two glasses of frothy champagne are poured. He nods his thanks as decides to answer you truthfully as the waiter rushes off. “I was going to promise you that your next wedding cake could be chocolate.” He admits as he picks up the thin stemmed glass. “To new beginnings.” He offers, giving you a chance to just ignore his comment if you wished to.

“New beginnings.” It’s a beautiful sentiment, and you tap the rim of your glass against his before taking your first sip. The crisp, bubbly liquid cools its way down your throat before it starts to warm you, and you hum at the sensation. “And I agree to a chocolate wedding cake only if we supplement it with fruit. Like those chocolate oranges you love at Christmas.”

Your comment makes him freeze. For a moment his entire system seems to shut down and reboot before he manages to smile at you. “You remembered those things?” He asks with a small chuckle.

“Of course I do.” How could you forget the little things that make him unique? They’re the things that make up the man you’ve loved for your entire adult life. “And I also remember that you like hot fudge on raspberry ice cream, and chocolate covered strawberries. So the pattern is unmistakable.”

“So we could always have chocolate dipped fruit as garnish around the cake.” He smiles, beams, at the fact that you knew him so well.

"We absolutely could." Any amount of dreaming from him has your insides twisting and filling with glee. "A piece of chocolate dipped fruit with every slice of cake. That would be gorgeous."

There’s a tiny portion of him that breathes a sigh of relief when he doesn’t see you hesitating or holding back. He knows what you said, but it’s hard to readjust after twelve years of believing he had pushed you away because of his need to give you everything. “Chocolate covered dehydrated raspberries are a current obsession of mine.” He admits with a grin. “There’s a little sweet shop around the corner from the Hoover building that sells all kinds of things like that.”

“We’ll have to go by sometime after work.” It’s pure encouragement, at least to you, when his shoulders drop ever so slightly and the warmth in his cheeks rises. Marcus without dreams isn’t Marcus at all, and you want to give him back that sweetness and joyfulness more than anything. “I want to share all of our new favorite things.”

“You would like it. They have all kinds of chocolate covered things.” He hums. Before, he had avoided thinking about you in there, but he knows you would like the chocolate covered rice crispy treats.

“Chocolate-covered-everything is my favorite everything.” He remembers that, apparently, and it makes you smile in the most pleased, adored kind of way possible. “I keep a container of chocolate covered sunflower seeds on my desk and I know it sounds weird, but they have a little candy coating on them and it’s the perfect combination of sweet and salt.”

“That sounds good, not weird.” He huffs. “Like a chocolate covered cashew or peanuts. But have you had a chocolate covered gummy bear?” He asks, raising a brow at you.

“Of course I have.” The look on his face is like he’s trying to keep himself from being positively giddy, and it makes your chest tighten with happiness to see him so relaxed again. “What do you think I put on my ice cream?”

“They are amazing. And I bet they are even better when chilled.” Marcus bobbles his head in agreement.

“I’ll build you a little chocolate-covered-gummy-bear scene on top of a cheesecake sometime.” You shoot him a grin and sip your champagne.

“What about in a cheesecake?” He tilts his head and considers it, looking at you for confirmation or disagreement with his idea. You love to bake, he could make cookies the density of hockey pucks.

“I bet that would work in a no-bake Cheesecake.” The idea is just silly enough to work and you stifle a giggle. “Now I have to try it.”

“Oh nooo.” Marcus groans, rolling his eyes. “You have to test something and I’ll be forced to try it.” He sarcastically tosses out. “What ever will I do?” He had always been willing to be your taste tester and had loved it.

“You’ll be at the gym more,” you snort, grinning and giddy at the lighthearted tone the night has taken. “It’s harder to just fuck away the calories than it used to be.”

“That’s way more fun than fucking running on a treadmill.” Marcus grumbles, sending you a small wink right before the waiter comes back with the appetizer for you to share.

I know says the twisted smirk on your lips, but you behave yourself with the waiter approaching.

The plating is beautiful and the smell makes his mouth water as he looks at the ravioli and foie gras. “This will be amazing.” He nods his thanks to the waiter and looks back over at you. “Well? Shall we try it?”

It tastes even better than it looks, which should be impossible, and the two of you dive back in for second and third bites with record speed so that it takes almost no time for the little plate to empty. You’d be mad that it’s gone except that it bodes such wonderful things to come. “Oh my god,” you moan softly, giggling happily. “That was insane.”

“Yes it was. And that forty-layer lasagna is going to be mouthwatering.” Marcus hums, sure that this place will quickly become a favorite. Just maybe not with the expensive champagne. “Have you decided what entree you are getting?”

“I’m torn between the Campanelle Nere and the carbonara they have listed.” Having told the waiter that you were in no rush, he had excused himself after your appetizer without taking your entree order. The night’s rhythm and theme are indulgence, so neither you nor Marcus has any intention of rushing. If you’re still dancing the night away after midnight, you won’t be surprised. Well… you might be surprised that you’re still awake, but not that you’re enjoying yourself.

“Ohhh pulling out the out of left field choices.” He teases, grinning at you and reaching for the champagne bottle to top off your glasses.

“It’s a special occasion,” you reason, laughing at his teasing tone. “I figured why do anything ordinary?”

Marcus grins. “So order both.” He suggests indulgently. “The leftovers can always be our midnight snack after we get home from dancing and…working out.”

You practically snort at the way his eyebrows lift with the suggestion, barely able to muffle it when the waiter returns to take your dinner order. Campanelle nere for now - carbonara to go. And it’s all you can do not to snicker behind the falsely dainty hand you’re holding in front of your mouth.

Marcus grins, ordering the lasagna with the short rib meat and hands his menu to the waiter. “Thank you, we just have…big appetites.” He offers, unrepentant at the double entendre in the statement.

The whole meal is as exquisite as that first plate, and half the slice of gorgeous chocolate cake is packed away in a bag with your pasta to be brought back to whoever’s house you end up at after tonight’s adventure is over. There doesn’t seem to be any question of the fact that you’ll be spending the night together, though, which sends a familiar thrill up your spine as Marcus leads you out of the restaurant. Yes, you’ve both grown up, but you’re still fundamentally the same people that you were the first time you had a first date — and those people are crazy about each other.

“Now, do we head to Sax now, or do we stop somewhere else for drink first?” He asks, trailing his fingers up and down your back as he asks what you want to do. Marcus of old would have planned everything down to the minute and hated straying from the plan, but he wants you to enjoy tonight fully.

“Let’s go to Sax.” Leaning into him on the sidewalk, you breathe in his cologne and sigh inwardly. There’s a comfort to this man that has not diminished with time, and it makes you so happy. “We can sit and scope the place out before we’re ready to dance.”

“There is bottle service there as well.” He points out, digging out his valet fob to give to the driver at the stand.

“Of course there is.” You raise your joined hands to leave a kiss on his warm skin. “It’s perfect, baby. Just a little over the top, but right from the heart. That’s the way you love, and I love you for it.”

He hums, warmed by the sentiment and he tugs you closer as the two of you wait for the car to be brought around.

The drive between places is only a few minutes and there’s another valet at the ready as you step out onto the sidewalk to wait for Marcus again while you take in the opulence of the club in front of you. It looks moody inside, dark and romantic and seductive - with jazz playing loudly and raucous laughter from the countless patrons already inside.

“Did you know that this is a restaurant most of the time?” Marcus asks as the two of you scout out a booth to snag for your private use. “They convert it into this place on the weekends.”

“We’ll have to come back for dinner some night.” It’s so easy to curl into his side when one of the waitresses shows you a clear table and sashays away with a promise to be right back.

“That sounds good to me.” The atmosphere is smokey, despite there being none on the air. The feel of it seems like you might have stepped back in time to war-time dances with GIs home from the front line. Marcus picks up the menu and hums. “What are you feeling now, baby?”

"Little bit turned on." You laugh, knowing that that wasn't the question he was asking. "Are we too adult to order a bottle of tequila?" It would be symbolically appropriate, but one of you does have to drive home tonight. And you both have to work tomorrow. So it might not exactly be safe.

“Do you want to order a bottle of Tequila?” He asks, arching a brow at you in surprise. A shot the other day was almost required, but he didn’t want to you to feel like it was a must.

"The only reason I stopped drinking tequila was because it made me miss you." That much, at least, is completely true. But you still tilt your head at him and smile. "But we also have to work tomorrow. So maybe we should stick to wine?" If he wants to reminisce over a bottle of tequila you'll join him in a heartbeat. You just don't want to pressure him.

Marcus smirks and looks back down at the menu. “I think we should do it. Our first date included tequila too.”

"We are tequila people, it seems." When you nod to the menu, you lean over a little and press a kiss to his cheek. "Let's do it, baby."

“We can have that hungover shower together in the morning.” A place like this was no stage for body shots, but Marcus orders a bottle of Don Julio when the waitress returns. Along with a couple of waters to make sure you don’t get too wasted.

"We used to be really good at those." Standing under a screaming hot shower with your arms around each other was a Monday morning special back in the day. "I bet we can get it back. Hangover shower, a gallon of coffee, and a stack of pancakes and bacon."

“Blueberry?” Marcus asks hopefully, loving blueberry pancakes when he feels like day old, dried up dog shit after too much drinking.

"Blueberry." You nod with authority. His smile is so soft and so genuine that you can just feel your heart bursting in your chest. "If you don't already have a favourite diner, there's one by my office."

“You always knew the good places for pancakes.” He agrees, nodding. “So I guess we just need to figure out which bed we are pouring ourselves into tonight.”

"Hmmm..." Even though the answer is easy, you tap your chin like it's something ancient philosophers might have muddled over for centuries. "Well. I'm thinking it's gonna be the place where we both have clothes. Which is your house."

“Maybe one day….” Marcus leans in and kisses the finger on your chin. “It can be called ‘our house’?” He asks softly. “Not now, I mean, but one day?”

"I have..." It takes a second to do the math, but the proximity of him makes you fuzzy and warm. "A little less than four months left on my lease. Is that too soon?" The annual re-signing of your lease isn't a bad thing, but you do want it to be your house together as much as you want to wake up beside him tomorrow and the next day, and the day after that.

“I think four months is a good time to decide if we are ready to move to the next step, don’t you?” Marcus asks. He would say tomorrow, but he knows that’s not rational.

"I honestly don't think we're going to spend too much time apart over the next four months." Maybe it's speculative, or just wishful thinking, but the flushed warmth under your skin is as honest as anything you've felt in a very long time. "But it sounds like a good amount of time for an official decision."

“Of course, we should probably make the decision before the last minute.” He teases and winks at you. “I’ll make you sign a lease if it makes you feel better.”

The second you open your mouth you shut it again, worried about pushing him or making him uncomfortable. "I don't need you to make a fakey lease for me," you tell him finally, nesting a little closer into his side. "But you do have to let me help with the bills."

“Groceries….” Marcus compromises. “And whatever else you want. How about that?” It was crazy to talk about combining finances, and he doesn’t want you to do that if you don’t want to, but one day you will have to have that talk.

"Utilities," you bargain when he puts his arm around you. "At the very least. We both make good money now, love. It's got to be equal somehow. A life shared, ya know?"

“We can talk about it when you— we decide what we want to do.” Marcus promises, taking your hand and kissing the fingertips of each finger.

"Can I tell you what my first thought was?" Tipping your head back lets you catch his eyes and you swallow down some nerves in an effort to be completely honest with him. Honesty is the thing that you're working on harder than anything else. You can't hold back this time. "When you said our house?"

“You can tell me anything.” Marcus tells himself that the two of you should talk often. Honestly and openness will go a long way. Even if it’s not exactly what he wants to hear.

“I was thinking…” It makes you sniffle a little, but your smile is beaming. “About how many firsts we’ll get to have there.” The specific image in your mind was domestic as hell - a scene of you and Marcus decorating for a kid’s birthday party. How excited and proud he would be every single year. “Including coming home from our first honeymoon, because we’re finally going to take one. But…I thought about how perfect it will be for parties.” You grin, squeezing his fingers a little in yours. “Especially kids’ birthday parties.”

Marcus closes his eyes for a moment, letting your dreams and ideas just seep into his soul. It's what he's always wanted with you, twelve years ago it had been his goal and he had thought he was going to have to live it with someone else. Now you are here and offering it to him again. Eyes still closed, he nods, almost ready to cry. "Yeah."

“Hey, hey.” You lean over to kiss his cheek and hold him a little tighter to your side. “Was that too much?”

"No." His denial is immediate, eyes flying open to lock onto yours. "No, I just— it's that I never imagined that I would be able to dream about that with you." He admits softly. "Just- just absorbing it. It's good, I promise."

“Okay.” Your voice stays soft and encouraging when the waitress comes back to deliver the bottle Marcus ordered along with a small but stylish tray of appropriate mixers, salt, and lime slices. You thank her and pass along an extra tip, but never take your real focus off of Marcus. “If you had said four months was too long, I would have agreed with you, for the record.”

"Baby....I'm trying not to rush you." He almost pleads with you to understand. "I just— I want you to set the pace this time."

"I know, baby. And I'm saying that my pace might be a little bit faster than what you expect." You set the bottle in front of him and pick up two shot glasses, wanting to bring the mood of the night back to something joyful rather than fretting. "Come on. Let's have a couple of drinks and dance. That's what we came here to do, right?"

He can agree to that. The last thing he wants to do is to turn this into another angsty debate about the future. “To the Tequila that brought us together.” Marcus offers taking one shot from you and holding it up.

"To second chances." The rims of your shot glasses tap together with a crystal clear tnk and you share a grin, lifting your other hand to cheekily offer him the salt you sprinkled on your skin.

Marcus keeps his eyes on yours, smirking as he leans down and laps at the salt with a slow drag if his tongue before he straightens up and tosses down the shot of tequila before reaching for his lime. “Still better off your tits.” He decides.

"Well yeah." And thanks to that comment as well as his unyielding eye contact, you're about ready to jump him right there in your booth. "You like everything better when my tits are involved."

“They are great tits. We could always take the bottle home.” Marcus coos, cock twitching in his pants. “Lick salt off your pussy and tequila off your tits.”

"Fuck, Marc." His name comes out in a whine and you pout at him as dramatically as possible. "You're gonna kill me."

He chuckles, smug in the feeling of you wanting him right now. “Drink your shot, baby.” He nods towards your drink. “I want to dance with my wife.” It slips out of his mouth before he can change his words, because it was what was running through his mind.

“Mmm.” You could tease him for it. For the slip of the tongue and how honest it is. But it fills you with such tangible joy that all you can do to keep from throwing your arms around him is hum and murmur: “I think I can arrange that.” Before taking your own shot with the salt ready and waiting on his hand.

There is a filthiness in the way your tongue flicks against his skin, making him groan quietly and shift in his seat. “Fuck.” He pants out quietly, his mind going extremely x-rated again.

“That’s what happens when you play with fire, Pike.” The wink you aim at him is unmistakable and devious, and you’re already sliding out of the booth when he groans in protest. “Come on, handsome. Dance with me.”

He lets you pull him out of the booth, standing up and letting you lead him to the floor. If he wasn’t an FBI department director, he would be dragging you to the bathroom to see about recreating a club quickie. He doesn’t think his boss would approve of the scandal.

The band on stage is playing something slow and sultry, the last strains of a love song cast out over the crowd as you step out together. You’re barely paying attention to what the song is, though, with Marcus’s hand tangled in yours and the notes morphing into something more upbeat. Less seductive but no less romantic. A very good combination for a second chance at a first dance.

Holding you close, Marcus soaks in the atmosphere and closes his eyes with a sigh. Everything is perfect, stars aligned in the skies, and he wants to live in this moment.

The Postmodern Jukebox-esque band on stage croons on, but your focus is entirely on Marcus. The way he cradles you close is near reverent and you keep close like you’re afraid he’ll disappear if you move away even a fraction of an inch.

The two of you had danced before. A lot of it had been the normal grinding on each other and used as foreplay. This was almost as intimate and twice as romantic. He turns and presses his lips to your temple and sighs softly. "I love you." He promises, lips near your ear.

“I love you.” Three words. Three tiny syllables. But enough meaning to shake you down to your very core. To feel like you’re being broken down and rebuilt every time he says it, and every time you say it back.

Marcus closes his eyes, resting his head against yours and keeps you swaying with him to the rhythm of the song. Lost in the little bubble of a world around just the two of you. Not even caring about anyone else on the dance floor.

It’s your own little world, being caught up in Marcus’s arms like this. No one else exists and the music playing all around you might just as easily have been the radio in the living room of your little apartment off campus where you liked to dance barefoot and squish your toes into the carpet. If you can manage to remember a single one of these songs beyond the rhythm of his beating heart, you’ll make sure you dance to every single one of them again when you marry him again.

Soon, the need for a drink, Tequila or water, makes him pull away and kiss you once more before guiding you off the floor. “We need a drink.” He murmurs when you give him a doe eyed pout.

“Okaaaay.” He’s on point, as always. You just hadn’t realized you were thirsty because you’re so wonderfully distracted. “Should we mix up something fun this time?”

“What do you have in mind?” Marcus asks, intrigued by your idea of fun now. Wanting to see what it consists of.

“Apparently the best kind of Dirty Shirley is one made with tequila.” Or so you had been told many times over, when Jacqui was trying to get you to dress-up your mocktail on nights you didn’t necessarily feel like drinking. “My friend swears by them.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those.” Marcus knows that after this drink, he will need to cut himself off or call an Uber. “Let’s try it.”

When you slip into the booth you pull Marcus after you, not wanting to be even a few feet away from him. The things on the tray in front of you are enticing, but not as enticing as he is, and the tequila will absolutely wait while you press your lips to his in the moody darkness of your private booth.

He’s surprised when you pull him to you. Not because kisses have been few and far between, but because of the urgency behind it. Slightly desperate and feeling like those early make out sessions when you first got together, Marcus crushes you against him with a moan.

Once, you absolutely would have climbed into his lap and completely blocked out the world. Right now there is something about the moment that feels invariably nostalgic and at the same time like you're clinging to the future. Each little sound that pours from one of you threatens to drown the other but it only makes you work harder, encouraged by the tight grip of his hands as he drags you close and the way your fingers bite into him to keep him pressed against you.

The whispering that is occurring to just the left side of the booth shouldn’t capture his attention. And it doesn’t, not when all he can focus on is the way your moan vibrates across your tongue to his. Not until there is a very pointed voice. “See? I told you he would choose this place after dinner.” Marcus’s eyes spring open and he freezes as the booth cushion depresses as someone slides into the bench seating. “Ohhh Tequila. I’d love a shot but we should get Teresa some water, huh?”

Fuck. Marcus cannot believe that Patrick fucking Jane is now interrupting his date with you.

You feel Marcus freeze against you before anything else registers, and a whine of protest is halfway past your lips when you open your eyes to see all the colour drain from his face. It’s another split second after that that you recognize another voice - and it takes everything you’ve got not to curse him out for interrupting. “You have got to be kidding me.” Mumbling under your breath, you try to rearrange your face into something less murderous before you turn around. “Well this is certainly a surprise,” you bite out, hoping you sound more surprised than angry.

For her part, Teresa is mortified. Half embarrassed at the way her husband is proving himself to the biggest asshole and half embarrassed that a man she used to sleep with was very enthusiastically making out with his ex-wife. “Patrick – let’s go!” She hisses, pulling on his arm before she throws you an apologetic look. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know he was – was— was—”

“Planning on crashing and ruining my plans with my wife?” Marcus fills in for her, finally able to speak again.

“Oo! Have we already gotten rid of the ex part of that title?” Patrick is already flagging down your waitress to request a bottle of water, acting like he’s crashed your book club instead of your foreplay.

“What are you doing here?”

“Patrick, let’s go.”

Marcus and Teresa speak at the same time, both of them sounding exasperated with the same man who is helping himself to the bottle of Don Julio on the table.

“He’s keeping tabs on us.” One of your eyebrows ticks up at Patrick Jane and dares him to say otherwise. To contradict you or play innocent. But this isn’t the first time you’ve met a man like Patrick Jane - and unfortunately it won’t be the last. “God forbid our reunion be more romantic or a better story than how he leapt onto the plane to bear his heart to the fair maiden and win her love away from the invader.” It would make you furious if it didn’t also make you feel sad for him. What a small, scared man he must be for that to be true. “Since he intended to gloat about his marriage and his growing family and can’t do that now that he found you happy, he had to think of a different way to feel superior.”

“That’s not—” Patrick frowns and shakes his head. “That’s not true. I—” He huffs. “I saw Marcus’s ideas written down in his office and it seemed like a good idea.” He admits. “Something better than sitting in the hotel room.”

“And you intentionally chose the one you thought was most likely to interrupt them?” Teresa sighs, shaking her head a little, but her fondness for her husband pushes through the annoyance and embarrassment. “This is his way of saying we should all go out together. By just putting us all in the same place.”

Marcus looks over at you, frustrated but wanting to see your thoughts on the situation before he says anything. Being cockblocked by your current boyfriend's ex-fiancée's husband wasn't exactly on your to-do list for today, but you take a deep breath to make sure you don't vent your frustration directly at Patrick Jane again after basically accusing him of narcissism to his face. "We were going to have one more drink and head home." You decide on a white lie, feeling that it's relatively harmless under the circumstances. "Why don't we have a round together and then you two can have the table?"

“That would be good.” Marcus jumps on the idea. “I’ve heard dancing is good for babies, so you should definitely take your wife out on the dance floor.” He smiles at Patrick like it’s a perfect solution.

“Of course.” Patrick Jane puts one hand to his chest like he’s offended that Marcus would ever doubt him.

“First I have to hunt down a bathroom.” Teresa looks embarrassed yet again, but shrugs. “The joys of pregnancy,” she laughs, rolling her eyes a little. “It’s in the back corner.” For as displeased you are that they’re here, you’re not going to fault a pregnant woman for having to pee. And honestly, you’re a lot pent up from nearly climbing Marcus like a tree on the dance floor…so it’s not a bad idea for you either. “Come on,” you offer, squeezing Marcus’s hand right before letting go. “I’ll go with you.”

Marcus waits until you are out of the booth, watching as you guide Teresa towards the bathrooms before he looks back over at Patrick. “Why are you really here?” He demands, pretense dropped and the beginnings of a scowl on his face.

“I find you utterly fascinating.” Jane deadpans, pouring himself a large amount of tequila lime along with lime juice and soda water. “Now that I don’t have to pry you away from Teresa, I am engrossed.”

“Why am I fascinating?” Marcus asks, completely bewildered by that answer. It had been the last thing he had expected to come out of Patrick Jane’s mouth. He waves off an offer of a shot of the tequila he’s paying for and watches as Patrick shrugs and lifts his own drink.

Jane leans back in the booth and smirks, raising the glass to his lips with a shrug. “A man as desperate to commit as you should have had this all worked out years ago. I always wondered why you were single when you obviously wanted so badly to be married.” In fact, the other men on the team in Austin had been sick of hearing about it. “But now I see why. It has to do with her.”

“I’m sure you’ve been in love at least once.” Marcus’s tone is just shy of snarky and he picks up his bottle of water. “The kind that never fades, no matter what.”

"I've been married twice." The other man reminds Marcus, frowning momentarily.

“Don’t have to love someone to marry them.” He retorts, scoffing slightly. His hard on is gone, the pleasant buzz he had is a thing of the past.

"Seems a shame to skip that part." Jane seems not to care about anything but his drink, watching the way it refracts the dim club lights in his glass. "You would never skip that part." He has to ask. To push the needle in just a little bit harder. "Would you, Marcus?"

“Are you asking if I loved your wife?” Marcus asks, stonily staring at Patrick. Wondering why the fuck does this have to be rehashed again. “And why does it matter? You are with her, like you should be. You’re having a baby, congratulations. Why does this matter now?”

"A curious man can never be satiated." With more enigmatic bullshit than sense coming out of his mouth, Patrick Jane seems particularly proud of himself and not inclined to make much sense.

Marcus’s sigh is half frustrated, half resigned. He reaches for the tequila bottle and uncorks it. “If I had been with Doctor Pike—” God, he loves saying that. “I wouldn’t have looked twice at Teresa, or any other woman. Ever.” He admits to Patrick. “She’s had a spell on me since the first time I saw her. And I’m the luckiest son of a bitch alive to have her back.”

“Funny.” A wry smile quirks to the corner of Patrick’s mouth. “That’s what she told Teresa about you.”

“What can we say?” Marcus shrugs slightly although his heart is bursting with pride that you were happy to have him back. “We love each other.”

“Yeah, we do.” You hum, appearing beside Marcus with a bright smile on your face. Teresa rounds your other side and slips back into the booth beside her husband while you nestle back in with Marcus. “Glad to see you two boys didn’t come to blows while we were gone.”

“I really think Marcus would like to punch me.” Patrick announces, looking hurt at the prospect. “But I’m going to be his best man when he remarries you.” He predicts, winking at you playfully.

“With no offense intended whatsoever,” you squeeze Marcus’s leg under the table to keep from bursting out laughing. “I don’t think the timing will probably allow for that. Unless you’re planning on moving to DC and this is how you’re telling us?”

“Oh God no.” Teresa manages quickly. “I think Marcus would transfer to the moon if Patrick were coming to D.C. permanently.”

Her husband huffs at her and shakes his head. “How little you trust me.” He gives her a wounded look. “And here I was trying to push them to do what he’s already dying to do.”

“We’ll remarry when we’re ready to.” You desperately need the cocktail you’re pouring for yourself, and you look to Marcus to see if he does, too.

“So you don’t know….” Patrick hums, smirking at Marcus. “Interesting.”

“You’re absolutely infuriating.” You tell Patrick flatly. He seems to thrive from pissing people off and at this point you’re trying very hard not to raise your voice. “Marc and I don’t owe you an explanation or a justification just because you’re morbidly curious about our relationship.”

“Don’t.” Marcus reaches over and takes your hand. “We don’t have to explain anything, and he likes poking. Just to see what he can get.”

“Maybe we should go home.” The defeat of having your first date invaded and the whole mood soured is starting to get to you, and making you doubt the whole thing. Like the universe is trying to tell you that just love isn’t enough.

“Please don’t.” Patrick urges you. “I would feel terrible.”

He should feel terrible, but you don’t say as much. “It’s up to you,” you murmur to Marcus, knowing that you’ll stay with him either way. If he wants to stay, you’ll stay.

“Baby, if you want to go home, we’ll go home.” He promises you, leaning in and brushing his nose against yours. “Do you want to go home?” He doesn’t want to push, but wherever you go, he’s going.

"I just want to be with you." The whisper is barely loud enough for him to hear because at this point you're convinced that Patrick Jane can read lips or has somehow planted a microphone on you. The night has been rudely hijacked but there is still time to get it back.

“That’s all I want too.” Marcus promises before he decides on what he wants to do. “Kiss me.” He demands softly, reaching up and grasping your chin.

Now that is a request that you will gladly agree to. It takes barely any effort to make it happen - just tilting your head backward and barely tipping your chin to press your lips firmly and eagerly to his. Your hand on his jaw just connects you a little bit more, focusing your energy entirely on him as you let yourself dissolve into the kiss.

Marcus ignores the sounds of approval from Patrick, focusing on the feeling of you, the way your lips melt against his. Forgetting in just a few seconds that they are even there. Whatever his endgame is here, you're not fighting it. The chance to give yourself over to the moment - to just have it be you and him with the rest of the world not mattering one single bit - is too good to pass up.

He’s not going to let Patrick ruin this, to take away from this amazing night that the two of you have shared. If it means making out in front of him and Teresa, so be it.

You don’t resist when Marcus deepens the kiss, sighing softly when he slides his tongue along the seam of your lips and letting him in instantly. All thought of the Janes has faded from your mind and the only thing left there is Marcus, leaving you in a perfect state of relaxation and bliss with your arms tight around each other.

He makes it soft and yet completely overwhelming, wanting to put the dreamy look back in your eyes. Choking your chin and tilting it up as he tangles his tongue with yours.

If not for air, you would never have stopped. If you could breathe in Marcus, you absolutely would. Unfortunately, the human body does require oxygen at a certain point, and you have to pull back even just for a moment. With your eyes still closed and your forehead pressed to his, you shiver a little in his arms.

Humming happily, Marcus just breathes you in. Unconcerned with what the two behind him are doing. “You want to dance again?” He murmurs softly.

All you can do for a second is nod, with your heart beating out of time in your chest and your blood pounding in your ears, you're just looking at Marcus like he hung the moon. "Yeah," you whisper when you remember how to speak. "Yeah, I do."

Marcus offers you a smile. One that says that he’s glad you said yes, because it was what he wanted. Not even bothering with the niceties of excusing the two of you - he hadn’t invited the Janes to this date after all - he stands and helps you out of the booth to guide you back to the dance floor.

The song doesn’t matter just like all the other people on the dance floor don’t matter, because the world may as well have ceased existing as long as you can still have Marcus here beside you. It makes you wonder - just days into this revived relationship - how you even managed the last twelve years without him. “Back in our own little world,” you hum softly, going to him like a magnet. There is nothing you want more than to be held in his arms.

“That’s what matters.” Marcus pulls you close and his arm around your waist keeps you anchored to him. “I’m sorry.” He murmurs quietly. “I was deciding what dancing venues would be best and had them written down. I guess he saw them when he got to the office today.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” The man who should apologize has probably never done so sincerely in his entire life. “Think of Patrick Jane as a test for the most annoying parts of having a child without any of the positive moments,” you joke, knowing what some of your friends and coworkers have said about their own kids. “If we can take the interruptions with grace now, we’ll be fine when it’s tiny people we love.”

“Tiny people we love.” Marcus instantly gets soft at the idea of mini yous running around and wrapping him around their fingers. “I like that idea.”

“So sometimes we’ll be interrupted.” You both hold each other a little tighter, melting into the idea. “That’s okay.”

“Hmmmm.” Marcus leans in and kissing you softly. The idea of kids is always something he’s loved but with you it’s extra special. The rekindling desires he had harbored when he was newly married to you.

“Love you, baby.” The soft murmur against his lips is more honest than anything else in the world right now, and you wrap one arm around his shoulders to keep close. “So much.”

The music is soft and slow, allowing the two of you to slowly sway side to side without actually moving your feet. Marcus is aware when Patrick and Teresa come onto the floor to join the two of you but he doesn’t even look over, too busy looking into your eyes.

“Think this band does weddings?” You can’t help the thought, imagining dancing to this same music in a hotel or vineyard somewhere. Something more mature and artistic than the wedding his gracious parents had thrown for you as literal children.

“I’m sure they do.” Marcus smiles, closing his eyes and sighing softly. “It would be nice. Although now you know we have to have a Tequila bar at the reception.”

“I was thinking tequila-based signature cocktail.” You admit with a grin. The thought had occurred to you this morning at brunch and made you smile. “Maybe both. Whatever we want.”

“You’re already planning our next wedding?” His grin matches yours and stretches a little wider. “I think I like that.”

“I’ve dreamed up a million different ways it could go.” Over the years it became the daydream that both haunted and uplifted you. Wondering if the day would ever come. Now that it’s within reach it feels like it’s lighting you up from the inside. “I want it to be perfect for you.”

“Baby.” Marcus shakes his head and leans in to kiss you again. “Only thing I need for it to be perfect is for you to be walking towards me again.”

“I promise.” Tomorrow on your lunch break you’re going to go and do a little shopping, you decide as you press your lips to Marcus’s. For something he would never expect in a million years. Something he deserves more than anything.

“Mmmmm.” He loves when you kiss him. He always has, reaffirming that men need to feel special as well. It makes him smile against your lips happily.

“This band. Tequila bar. Chocolate cake with fruit. I’m cataloguing it all away.” You promise him softly. “It will be perfect.”

“Now, the most important thing.” Marcus teases. “Where do we want to honeymoon?” The last time you got married, it had just been a weekend in a hotel but he wants to take you anywhere you want to go.

“This is a much harder question,” You laugh, still swaying with him even when the music picks up. “It could be somewhere neither of us has ever been before? Or we could go two places and share our favorite places with each other?”

“Honestly…” Marcus blushes slightly and gives a small shrug. “I’ve always imagined Paris with you.” He knows you have been, you lived there for awhile, but he wouldn’t mind going back. “But we don’t have to.” He adds quickly, not wanting you to mired in guilt.

“I can show you everywhere I wanted to share with you while I was living there.” Your tone goes dreamy, soft and full of warmth. You had dreamed so many times of showing him your favorite places - the chance to actually do it in real life sounds perfect. “And we can do new things, obviously. But I…I would love to share Paris with you.”

“Then that’s where we should go. Experience it together.” He sighs softly, imagining it with almost movie like clarity in his head.

“Perfect.” And if you happen to come back with one of those tiny people who you love on the way? You’ll just have to hunt down a Fabriqué à Paris onesie.

“So now that we’ve planned most of it out, we’re all set.” He knows these are vague fantasies, but they are helping him get more comfortable with wanting it with you. There’s no panic there for you, he’s gotten better at reading you with his FBI training.

“Oh yeah, planning a DC wedding is no sweat.” You practically snort, knowing how much work Angela and Harry’s wedding took to get right. You had never realized until then just how much of the work his mother had done for you.

“Honey, we plan what we want and hit we want.” Marcus winks at you. “And we can afford a wedding planner.”

“How very fancy of us.” You can’t help but giggle a little, knowing that you used to think vaguely of having a vow renewal fifteen or twenty years in the future. If you had only known then. “We’ll have to dream up just the right place, then. Some places have planners assigned to couples when you book them.”

“Wherever you want.” Marcus is easy in the venues and to be honest, doesn’t know D.C. like you do. “The people there are what matters to me.”

“I could get us a deal on a Smithsonian wedding.” You waggle your eyebrows at him, not above Throwing your seniority around to make sure your second wedding is unforgettably beautiful. “If you wanted to. It’s just an idea.”

“Is that what you would want?” Marcus asks seriously, intrigued by the idea. He’s never heard of a Smithsonian wedding, but it seems like it would be amazing.

“I’ve definitely thought about it before. A lot, actually.” Always him. Always wondering how many new friends would be added to the old ones and how many of your combined family members would be crowing ‘I told you so’. “Maybe we can make date nights out of visiting the galleries they rent out and seeing if we like any of them for us?”

“Whenever you want.” He agrees easily, nodding at the idea and looking forward to another date night. “I’ll let you arrange it so Patrick doesn’t find out.” He snickers quietly.

“We’ll leave a list of decoy ideas.” You laugh right along with him, smothering the spine but not the way your body shakes. “Send then to some very odd places.”

“Ohhh please tell me you have the address of a sex club or something.” Marcus begs quietly. “Something discreet so he doesn’t know until he gets inside.”

“I was thinking of the address for the Department of Sanitation or something.” But you burst out laughing, holding Marcus close as you shake with it. “I’ll have to see if Angie has had to do any interesting recon for a case that’s past. She might have something fun for us.”

“I like the way you think.” He chuckles with you, happy that the night had returned to being about the two of you and no one else. This is what he wanted.

“Anything for you.” Especially if it’s something to make him smile. Living without that smile for twelve years has only proven to you how precious it is to have back again.

Marcus might be the luckiest man in the face of the planet. “Let’s go home, baby.” He murmurs softly, ready to strip you down and make love to you.

"Absolutely." Home. With him. It's the exact place you want to be.

Marcus grins and glances over where Patrick and Teresa are dancing. “Let’s go.” He motions over to the coat check and bypasses the table where you had been sitting.

It almost feels naughty, to just skip right out on things, but you cling to Marcus's hand as he leads you to the door and passes off his valet ticket to the girl waiting by the door, but the only damn thing in the world is that smile on his face. When his car is pulled up to the curb you slide into the passenger's side and sit back in the leather seats with a sigh.

“He deserves it.” Marcus offers with a slight shrug if his shoulders and a slightly malicious grin as he throws the car into drive. Patrick will foot the bill, which is the least he can do for crashing your date.

"Let's go home, baby." His words were the perfect choice, and you giggle softly as he heads back through the winding streets of DC.

Home. He loves the fact that you think of it as home already. “Maybe- what do you think about spending all week at the house and then next week we can stay at the apartment?” He offers, not wanting to just make you stay at his place all the time if you want to be in your own space.

"You can see if you like any of my furniture better than yours." The grin you flash him while he's driving is excited and nothing less. "But I don't think it will take long for us to be spending our time at the house."

“As long as that’s what you want.” Marcus murmurs with a matching smile.

"I do." The word choice makes you fluster, like saying those specific words to him as a full sentence again is some sort of spell. "I mean, it is."

“Nah….” Marcus reaches over and takes your hand, pulling your hand up to kiss it. “I like your first answer.” He hums.

------ Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @katheriner1999 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @hardc0rehaylz @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73

tCIGtDYE: @missmarmaladeth  @afro-hispwriter  @rosmarinus @mythrielofsolitude @jxvipike @avaleineandafryingpan @hnt-escape @supernaturalgirl20 @scorpio-marionette @bobafvcker @midnightevermore @dinoflower   @pearl-aqua-tears @itsbaehyungbitch   @pepperminticedcoffee @anticipayosbot @girlofchaos @speedynana @loveslide @noisynaia @just-here-for-the-moment @goodgriefitsawildworld @curiouskeyboard @iarellanouus @mymistery09-blog @seasonschange-butpeopledont @thenightdreamsballad @pondsofravenclaw  @sherlock221b114679797 @pimmyxyone @theredwritingwitch @ghostinhours @timpletance @strawberryjamcheesecake @amb11 @a-little-shade-of-kiki @wildemaven @tuquoquebrute @supernaturalgirl @ellenmunn @iceclaw101 @toxicfrankenstein @catsandgeekyandnerd @missmarmaladeth   @theincredibleinkspitter @agiroflee98 @lyonessofnarnia @we-could-have-been @totostits @scorpio-marionette @kikis-writing-world @trappistmonksofthefuture @danichz  @88dragon06  @scorpionerd @myrealmofchaos @movievillainess721 @firekissed13 @qseomik @acollectionofcells1 @captain-of-my-game1992 @alician87 @lovesbiggerthanpride @justgonewild @hiyorinatsuki   @pinkrosethorne @apocalypticwafflekitten @groovycass @rebel-fanfare    @d0cthunder @gooddaykate @purplerain04 @astridflowers @frasmotic @dornish-queen​

My Masterlist!  

[bethanydelleman]

Jane Austen Charted #15

How Wealthy are the Jane Austen Heroines?

(This turned into a long post)

Women in Jane Austen’s novels have two kinds of wealth, fortunes which seem to be guaranteed to already accompany them into marriage, like Emma’s 30k or Elinor & Marianne Dashwoods’ 1k which they have already received from their uncle, and then eventual inheritance, like Elizabeth’s 1k that she will receive after the death of both of her parents. Here are the sums:

And the explanation of each amount:

Anne Elliot’s amount is disputed because of how the text is worded, she is either getting 10,000 or 1/3 of that amount. Here is the quote: who could give his daughter at present but a small part of the share of ten thousand pounds which must be hers hereafter. (Ch 24) It will be paid upon her father’s death.

As to the amount, I usually think it’s 1/3 of 10k. Knowing Sir Walter’s character, and that his wife was not a trade heiress but the daughter of a country gentleman, I think Lady Elliot’s dowry being ten thousand, and Sir Walter never adding to it seems pretty likely. He probably assumed that his children would marry well based on beauty and rank alone.

As for Emma, we don’t know what is going to happen to Hartfield. The fact that John Knightley has a job and isn’t just living off Isabella’s fortune until they inherit makes me think it might be going to Emma (as opposed to how Mary and Charles Musgrove are living), but that is speculation and may also be based in a difference in personality. It is equally possible that the plan was for Spinster Emma to live there with John and Isabella. Also, Emma is counting on her sister’s eldest son to inherit Donwell, not Hartfield, which is another clue that it’s going to Emma, not Isabella.

It seems to me that the best marriage prospects would be those who have a fortune now, not when their parents die. Certainly with men, those who are the most eligible have already come into their fortunes. 

Also, the Dashwoods and Anne Elliot are in a far safer financial position if their remaining parent dies, as they have a decent, though not large income on their own. The three Dashwood sisters could continue to live at Barton cottage and maintain themselves if they worked together.

So how do the heroines compare to other ladies:

The richest two women are Anne de Bourgh, who will inherit Rosings, and Sophia Grey, the future Mrs. Willoughby. Given that Mrs. Jennings, who is from trade, knows Sophia’s relations, we can assume that Sophia is a trade heiress. Depending on what Emma Woodhouse receives when her father dies, she may be as wealthy as both of them.

From the novels, the breakdown of fortune attractiveness:

Nothing - Nothing is bad. However, I have a strong suspicion that this can mean actually nothing or something like Jane Fairfax with a few hundred pounds. Lucy Steele and Isabella Thorpe probably have actually nothing, but I doubt Mary Crawford when she says her friend who married a peer actually had zero pounds to her name. Miss Ross probably had nothing in comparison to Mary.

£1000 - Pretty much as bad as nothing. This isn’t enough for someone to maintain themselves in gentility. The Bennet sisters could pool their money and maybe be okay with their combined £250.

£3000 - Interesting that so many heroines have this amount. It seems like it’s a decent, but not great dowry. Respectable.

£10,000 - This number comes up A LOT in Jane Austen’s novels. We are told in Mansfield Park: Miss Maria Ward, of Huntingdon, with only seven thousand pounds, had the good luck to captivate Sir Thomas Bertram, of Mansfield Park... her uncle, the lawyer, himself, allowed her to be at least three thousand pounds short of any equitable claim to it. From this statement and context from the other novels, 10k seems like the basic “good” fortune. Minimum entry to expect an eldest son match.

£20,000 - This is a big fortune, go after a Mr. Darcy or a Tom Bertram the future baronet kind of money. I don’t get the impression that either Caroline Bingley or Mary Crawford are supposed to be seen as delusional for thinking they can marry where they aim for. It’s more about the guy not liking them than unrealistic expectations. 

£30,000 + Filthy rich

Also, I really wish we knew more fortune numbers! What did Lady Middleton and Mrs. Palmer have? What was an acceptable dowry for a Miss Bertram? (my guess is at least 10k) What did Charlotte Lucas have? (I suspect not much better than Elizabeth, if not worse) 

[outpost51]

The 51 Post

Figured I'd start some kind of digest!

Contents:

Things You Might Have Missed

This Week's Jams

WIP Breakdowns

From the Skwad

Around the 'Blr

Things You Might Have Missed:

I've got a taglist form now! Because who doesn't love a good form?

BRHP: Chapter 14 posted; Atria learns the meaning of touch starvation and really, really misses her dad.

WIP Intro: Caught in the Crossfire (18+)

WIP Intro: The Arsonist Chronicles (18+)

WIP Whenever (Open Tag): BRHP chapter 15 snippet; pop pop is having a time time

Crossing Over: the 5th entry into the Lighthouse in the Fog shorts; a new player has entered the fray, and a familiar face reappears.

Vampire Council lore and vampire origins lore

Aria/Omega snippety snip

This Week's Jams:

friends like these || Brassie [spotify/youtube]

Little Girl Gone || CHINCHILLA [spotify/youtube]

EVERGREEN || PVRIS [spotify/youtube]

Eyes on Fire || Gold Souls [spotify/youtube]

WHEN THE PARTY'S OVER || Cami Petyn [spotify/youtube]

Lizard Lady || Laura Doggett [spotify/youtube]

WIP Breakdowns:

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Chapter 15 should be coming out later today, with 16 slated for release sometime late this week or early next week. I'm finally in the chapters that don't require a ton of rewrites; most of what I've been doing is adding content. The whole thing is outlined through chapter 30 though! Since this is my entry for WIP Big Bang, updates will "stop" at chapter 18, since that's what I had published before the rewrites. After that, you'll have to wait for the release date! Which also means I have to wait for the release date for the serotonin, and that's going to be a nightmare.

Unlikely Adventures of Bitchface and Go F*ck Yourself

At this point, it's just a matter of making myself work on it. About a third of chapter 9 is written and the entirety of Act II is outlined.

Blinding Neon, Shades of Grey

nervous laughter

Stellar Parallax

Fuck, I missed this WIP. I missed Jane especially, she's so fun to write -- I'm about a third of the way into chapter 9 and it seems to be flowing pretty well? I just wanna get to the part where she and Saren beat the shit out of each other LMAO

Lighthouse in the Fog

Dunno if y'all saw, but the lighthouse keeper stories have a tag and a tentative title now! It's going to remain as a series of loosely connected shorts, and that may very well be what I end up doing with Xatal as well. Anyway, we have some lore groundwork laid! Look out for the 6th short later today!

In the Works

I still have questions in my inbox that I am absolutely getting to! I've also got a bunch of unanswered tags in my drafts and Notion. Losing a week and a half of planned answer time threw my schedule WAY off. Submission for SSSC #006 is in the planning stage. Hannah and the MILF Squad Get Up To No Good is about 30% written and fully outlined. I have... so many Kryterius prompts left to fill, and so many more spotify wrapped prompts left, send help. Still working on separating out the Daddy Issues smutshots, hoping to finish up the rewrites for the F!Shali one before the end of July. TIPYNTS is most likely going to come out in October, and by then I'm hoping to have a backlog of chapters to make posting more consistent.

From the Skwad:

Door's always open! 18+ writing server for both fanworks and original works! Camp is starting soon! We also have a flash fiction challenge and three bingo cards running until the end of the month!

@teamdilf continues to absolutely baffle me with her productivity here we go: A Cheesy Situation is now complete, ch 16 of Alice's Adventures in Andromeda is live, ch 18 of The In-Laws and the Grandparents is live, A Night in the IKEA dropped which I'm absolutely dying over, and that's not even all of it. holy shit J i don't know how you do it but i'll have whatever you're having thx

@thetrashbagswasteland dropped ch 4 of the Sunseeker rewrite and I'm adsfdafdadsf yes. thank you king

@sparatus is tearing me to fucking pieces with Make Less the Depth of Grief. i hate you (i love you)

@uraniumwriting also obliterated me with their FFF entry.

@wrathbites is back and I'm literally beside myself I missed the Vampire AU so fucking much.

oops @commander-krios got me invested in Star Wars please look at this.

@starknstarwars updated Smuggler's Ruin aaaaaaaaaaaaa

A few of our members participated in Shenko Summer!! @dandenbo wrote Volta and @mrsd-writes wrote both We Got Here the Hard Way and Forever Home!

@regalbois dropped a new original oneshot and has been going bananas over Bioshock lately and gifting us MORE mlm deliciousness, ch 3 of Magnum Opus went live last night.

@inflarescent has a new wippppp aaaaaaa -- intro post for The Roulette Paradox here!

@discoeffect updated Far From Any Road and I am devouring the first book so I can read this one!!

Around the 'Blr:

Have you checked out the Writeblr Directory or Writeblr Cafe yet?

I'm literally still thinking about @captain-kraken's Heitha translator.

@void-botanist dropped some witch lore I'm eating with a spoon.

@tc-doherty ALSO popped off with the conlang.

The dates IRL are lining up with the dates in @elshells's Agent Ace EXCITING also a new chapter is dropping probably by the time I post this lmao

@liv-is dropped this GOLDMINE of relationship writing tips also TIL what Liv does for a living not sorry

@writernopal first of all made me absolutely CRY being sweet in the tags last night and also dropped an aasoaf 3 sneep while i was composing this thank you my friend i needed the energy snack

did y'all see Find the Word XVIII from @artdecosupernova-writing i'm going FERAL

@tabswrites's Silver Sentinels has a second chapter, I am VIBRATING

@oh-no-another-idea just slid in with this little diddy that i LOVE.

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

Outpost Updates Taglist: @tabswrites @writernopal @freedominique @asher-orion-writes @liv-is @starknstarwars @captain-kraken

Ask to +/- in the tags, replies, DMs, or HERE!

[drvcxrys]

hello guys! i'm going to post this starter call and also a plot call for the event. feel free to ask the starters that you like or just like to plot, for the starter call, there is no cap. i'm going to put under this read more who is there willingly and who is there not and also the ones that are open for death has an asterisk so you can see &lt;3

willingly went in:

alice cullen

edward cullen (characters encounter a pit trap, so obvious they almost want to explore) kaiden (monster: werewolf)carlisle cullen (monster: masked murderer wearing the Ghostface mask)laurent da revin (monster: minotaur) kate denali (characters enter a portion of the maze to find it completely dark.)

*anna of arendelle

*betty cooper

*beverly marsh

*buffy summer

*caitlin snow

*caroline forbes

enzo st. john (though relatively empty the plant life whispers threats and warnings to people in this portion of the maze. It tells them to give up on their progress)

claudia

emma swan

patia por´co (monster: masked murderer wearing the ghostface mask) killian jones (monster: giant spiders)

*hermione granger

hagrid (though relatively empty the plant life whispers threats and warnings to people in this portion of the maze. It tells them to give up on their progress) harvey hufflepuff (the area is just absolutely full of croaking frogs. they aren’t dangerous but they are loud and difficult to step around) james potter (monster: a hoard of geese)

*hope mikaelson

rebekah mikaelson (monster: living scarecrow) klaus mikaelson (characters wander in to a giant feast, long empty tables piled high with food, with chairs much too high for anyone human to sit in.) josie saltzman (monster: skeletons)

*isabelle lightwood

max lightwood (monster: ghosts) leia organa (monster: skeletons)

jill roberts

tatum riley (the area is just absolutely full of croaking frogs. they aren’t dangerous but they are loud and difficult to step around.) stu macher (characters wander in to a giant feast, long empty tables piled high with food, with chairs much too high for anyone human to sit in.)

kara danvers

lexie grey (characters are greeted by two beings the size of children but with pumpkins for heads arrive with a cart, gesturing for characters to get in) alex danvers (monster: living corn attempting to eat characters. It is still the size of regular corn.)

katara

korra (characters enter a mud filled portion of the maze, where their footsteps feel heavy, and every push further seems to sink them farther and farther into the mud.)

lila pitts

diego hargreeves (monster: a swarm of bats)

*lissa dragomir

isaac lahey (monster: ghosts)

*nancy wheeler

rapunzel corona

*samanha carpenter

kirby reed (monster: gelatinous cube) billy loomis (monster: masked murderer wearing the ghostface mask) feng xing (monster: stormtroopers)

sara lance

sheila hammond

kevin snipe (monster: minotaur)bloo regard (monster: a rat with a gun)marco del rossi (monster: murderous clown)

usagi tsukino

madoka kaname (characters walk into this portion of the maze to immediately be caught in a giant spider web, trapping them.)

wednesday addams

dragged in:

*annabeth chase

*annie cresta

*bianca di angelo

bree tanner

choi nam ra

*daenerys targaryen

drogon (monster: dementors) aelin (the husks of corn emit a poisonous gas, making characters weaker the longer they breath it in)

daphne bridgerton

eloise bridgerton (monster: a rat with a gun) edmun bridgerton (monster: living corn attempting to eat characters. It is still the size of regular corn.)

*effy stonem

*elizabeth midford

*hanna marin

heidi volturi

yoon chi woo (monster: a hoard of geese) victoria sutherland (characters encounter a pit trap, so obvious they almost want to explore)

intouch chatpokin

*jane

*jean grey

jessica riley

malia tate

peter hale (the area exists as a zone of truth, making characters incapable of lying. characters are aware of this when they enter the space)

*manaow

team siriyothin (characters reach a dead end, full of pollen spores, which when inhaled make characters feel drunk for the next hour)

*mary stuart

lola fleming narcisse (characters enter a mud filled portion of the maze, where their footsteps feel heavy, and every push further seems to sink them farther and farther into the mud)

*melinda halliwell

piper halliwell (monster: living scarecrow)

myrcella baratheon

*narcissa black

rabastan lestrange (monster: skeletons) lily evans (characters encounter a pit trap, so obvious they almost want to explore)

*rhaena targaryen

lucerys valeryon (monster: a rat with a gun)

sharon carter

daisy johnson (characters walk into this portion of the maze to immediately be caught in a giant spider web, trapping them) peggy carter (the area is just absolutely full of croaking frogs. they aren’t dangerous but they are loud and difficult to step around.)

*victoire weasley

fred weasley (monster: minotaur) fleur delacour (characters enter a portion of the maze to find it completely dark) teddy lupin (monster: dementors)

win wanichakarnjonkul

*yelena belova

[kayssweetdreams]

A "Perfect" Vacation Ch 24

Meanwhile, Back with the Kids...

"So...You and your friends have been inside of the hotel the entire time?" Mei asked, her eyes widened at the explanation Jett had given about his predicament. "Yep...We had gotten suspicious after Prim's arrest the first time, and we had infiltrated the hotel. Thankfully we could turn invisible so we were able to walk around undetected...until I got caught after finding this." Jett said, pulling out a bottle of rainbow liquid from under his jacket.

"They were using this when they were testing the dust...I think this is the antidote." He said, making the kids eyes widen.. "Y-You think so?! Where did you find this?!" Lora shouted. "In this lab somewhere in the Hotel. Prim could access it through a doorway from Ka Lā's office." Jett explained. "I have a digital layout of the map on me...before the guards confiscated it and locked me in here." He said. Mei looked curious. "Prim didn't...do anything to you did she?" She asked. Jett's eyes narrowed. "She. Did." He growled, his eyes showing almost lightning bolts.

"That woman was already was trying to drug me to make me "perfect" but after discovering that I have powers, her "friends" had decided that I needed 'Further Examination'...and thus began a series of painful tests on me." Jett said, venom in his voice as he recalled what Prim had done to him. "But that wasn't enough. She also told them to put this collar on me. To ensure that "Her soon-to-be 'perfect' demon didn't escape." He spat, the word 'Perfect' DRIPPING with poison. "Yeah...I can imagine, she did the same thing to countless of other children before, and I don't think they want to do it again." Trisha Jane said.

"Yeah. That's why we've got to find a way out of here..." Leo said. "Leo's right. There has to be someway out of here..." Rebecca said. The kids looked around, hoping to find anything inside of their cell that could possibly help them get out of there, But so far, there was nothing that even looked REMOTELY useful. That's when the doors opened, revealing two guards. "Alright kiddies. Time to take your medicine." One of them said, holding up the same pills that had been given to the others.

Mei narrowed her eyes "We aren't taking that you crooked henchmen!" She shouted, fire in her eyes. The guards chuckled at this however "Well Well...It's seems we have a little spitfire in our midst. Good, Prim's gonna be happy when that fire is put out...for GOOD." the guard threatened, opening the cell and roughly pulling her out. The kids protested loudly as one guard held her down, and the other began trying to forcefully get her to take the pill "Now then...Open wide girlie." He said, almost getting the grey, mind altering pill into Mei's mouth...

When suddenly...

ZAAAAAAAP!!!

The sounds of am electric shock were heard, as well as the guard screaming in pain before collapsing to the ground. The other guard was quickly incapacity as well, much to the kids surprise. "Phew. That was TOO close." A voice said from behind the door...this one with a familiar voice. They took off their uniforms to reveal 4 teenage girls. And with them was-

"ARIA?!"

Mei belongs to @sundove88

Rebecca belongs to @thehypercutstudios/@thehyperrequiem

Trisha Jane belongs to @lovelyteng

Lora Jade belongs to @alex-frostwalker

Aria belongs to @shadowqueen402

Jett and the 4 girls belongs to @jettthespeeddemon

[maqabir]

thoughts on 'agnes grey' by a. brontë

my second novel ive ever read by one of the brontë sisters (my first being jane eyre early last year.) mild spoilers but nothing too big

obviously there's a huge element of christianity throughout, the idea of morals -- agnes is very judgemental and fails to see things from others perspectives. she quite literally quotes bible verses in response to animal cruelty, but she herself is occasionally immoral -- she kills the bird eggs by dropping a stone on them to 'save them from further suffering' and cannot justify it when questioned by mrs bloomfield.

there are elements of classism throughout too, once again linking back to religion. all of the upper class people are cruel and unlikeable because they're upper class and 'spoiled' because they have excess. every character of wealth has some horrible fault (funnily matilda's is her preference of animals over humans and her penchant for swearing, picked up from her father -- i think theres an argument for matilda being read as neurodiverse or gender diverse) . meanwhile any character of lower income or 'suffering' is pious and a good christian because they have little. i find that characterisation very bland and boring, and incredibly weak -- it reads as christian propaganda.

obviously theres an element of agnes grey that is very autobiographical, which means agnes is similarly not very fleshed out. her only 'fault' is her temper, which is barely mentioned and not prevalent in the story. agnes is a pure, christian woman of intense faith, and as such (given its written in 1st person) the entire novel comes across as very preachy.

that's not to say it's bad -- its a very easy book to read and i read it all in one sitting. although the narrative itself is a little boring, there are some lovely quotes which i personally very much enjoyed. the bad didn't really outweigh the good and vice versa. in short, it's an average book and love story which i believe has only stood the test of time due to it being written by one of the brontë sisters.

my favourite quotes

'And why should he interest himself at all in my moral and intellectual capacities: what is it to him what I think or feel?' I asked myself. And my heart throbbed in answer to the question. The Walk, Ch. XV

I still preserve those relics of past sufferings and experience, like pillars of witness set up, in travelling through the vale of life, to mark particular occurences. Confessions, Ch. XVII

Yes! at least, they could not deprive me of that; I could think of him day and night; and I could feel that he was worthy to be thought of. Nobody knew him as I did; nobody coule appreciate him as I did; nobody could love him as I... could, if I might; but there was the evil. What business had I to think so much of one that never thought of me? Was it not foolish? ...was it not wrong? ibid.

I could go on for years; but I will content myself with adding, that I shall never forget that glorious Summer evening, and always remember with delight that steep, rugged hill, and the edge of the precipice where we stood together watching the splendid sun-set mirrored on the restless world of waters at our feet -- with hearts filled with gratitude to Heaven, and happiness, and love -- almist too full for speech. Conclusion, Ch. XXV

[casualoddities]

Jane of Lantern Hill Mass Post *Ch 7 to Ch 12

It's a lovely bit of foreshadowing that Jane takes support from her father before even meeting him. Habitant poetry is French-Canadian and does use a lot of patois. Like other folks here there isn't anything much like the Little Baby of Mathieu but the poems I saw were more like someone telling story. In LMM's works there is a unfortunate stereotyping to French Canadians and you see a bit of that in Grandmothers' disdain.

Jane and her mom get to spend a bit of time together. A thing that's in common later is Jane enjoying talking beautiful nonsense and having playful chats with the people she loves.

The theme of being left with a bombshell of news and not being able to talk about it or deal with it came up in the Blue Castle too. LMM is really good at describing that drawn out sense of dread and confusion.

It is also very being *seen* that if you can't be loved the next best is to be left alone. I'm not familiar with the hymns described but do like the sheer passion and joy of hymns and choirs.

Yeesh Phyllis is so rude and blunt. Condescending and a bit superior (Not Superior : P ) it's hard to connect with someone that just either wants to talk about surface things or digs a knife in each time they speak.

It pisses me off that Robin can't grow a big enough backbone to comfort her daughter before the PEI trip and Grandmother is spiteful and shortsighted enough to make it worse.

Poor Jody! The sheer bleakness of her explaining she'll be sent to a orphanage soon and her love for Jane by giving the shell just hurts.

Environmental writing is so well done, Jane's afraid, lonely and resentful of going, so PEI is unwelcoming and everything is grey, dark and foreboding.

[driftwork]

names, most surnames (2)

Allow me to apologize again for this partial list of names in the library,  titles available on request…

amis, acker kathy, ackroyd peter, abbey edward, aldiss brian, alcott louisa, m. anonymous, aldiss brian editor, ackroyd peter, allende isabel, acker kathy, adair gilbert, adams richard, asimov isaac, alcott louisa m., austen jane, azhayev vasili, asimov isaac, austen jane, ableman paul, amis martin, atwood marga,ret adams richard, abish walter, burroughs edgar rice, benn melissa, butler samuel, blyton enid, beckett samuel, beckett samuel, blyton enid, billington rachel, burnford. sheila, burroughs edgar r,ice bentley phyllis, burney francis, burroughs edgar rice, burroughs edgar rice, compton-burnett ivy, bryant arthur, burchard johann, bryant arthur, brame charlotte, bryant arthur, boll heinrich, buckeridge ant,hony boston l.m., buchan john, brightwen mrs illustrated by f carruthers gold, bronte charlotte, bradbury ray, banks lynne reid, barr pat, betto fre,i baxter stephen, banks iain, bronte charlotte, bryant arthur, banks iain m illustrated by nick day, bradbury malcolm, bell adrian, ballantyne r,.m. balzac honore de, benson e.f, barth richard, barrie j.m, bainbridge beryl, bronte emily, ballard j.g, bronte charl,otte borden mary, black lionel , bellow saul, introduced b,y j. michael walton wilde oscar, salgado gamini, ready stuart, besier rudolf, salgado gamini, euripides, euripides, williams t,ennessee sophocles, ionesco. eugene, ibsen henrick, marillier chri,stabel jonson ben, bennett alan, ionesco eugene, brenton. howard, stoppard tom, pinter harold, aristophanes, arnold mathew, daisenberger j.a., stoppard tom, eliot t.s., creeley rob,ert chaucer geoffrey - edited by walter w. skeat, cronin a. j., carr j. l., cooper edmu,nd colette, chevalier tracy, cosse laurence, christopher joh,n chatwin bruce, collingwood h, cather willa, cattieuchlan, crane stephen, calvino italo, collier eric, cela camilo c,ela crichton micheal, carpino f. brancaccio di, comrie margaret s., chabon michael, crofts freeman wills, carre john le, crace jim, michael co,x and r. a. 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plover, leyner mark, laver james, lear edward, lever charles, laing e.t., carre john le, longmate norma,n lane jane, lewycka marina, baker margaret, llwelyn davis w,eeks forestier-walker and bor wenstrom o. edmund and harlock walter e., rensschler eric, st. claire byrne muriel, day mabel  (edited by), linklater eric, linklater eric, linklater eric, martel yann, lewis c. s., lee laurie, longford elizabeth, lewis c. s., mason a.e.w, maupassant guy de, maclean alistair, masters john, reich-ranicki marcel, melwood mary, mathews basil, mackenzie fait,h compton maxwell  w. b., macleod m kathleen, mcwilliam candia, mee arthur, marquez gabriel garcia mendoza plinio apuleyo, maurois andre, maclean alistair, mankowitz wolf, masefield john, marryat captain, macnamara brinsley, morris william, murdoch iris, mandelstam. osip, morris william, murdoch iris, mustoe anne, morris william, morris william, bradbury ray, gifford barry, miller henry, maturin charles, millet lydia, mitchison naomi, michener james, mcewan ian, miln lousie, jordan mitford mary russell, menglong feng, munthe. alex, moran lord, nicholl charles, new yorker the editors, oppenheim e.phillips, o'neill jamie, oppenheim e.phillips, nin anais, nairne a, hughes-pa,rry j. powell anthony, ponsonby d.a., price anthony, pangborn edgar, pollard velma, priestley j.b, barry n. malzberg & bill pronzini, powell anthony, nabokov vladimir, porter sheena, peacock thomas love, pratchett terry ian ,stewart and jack cohen powell anthony, percy w. s., needham violet, raymond diana, russo richard, rice margery spring, rabelais, reed thom,as baines russ joanna, remarque erich maria, pearson hesketh, rezzori gregor v,on rolfe fr- frederick baron corvo, sayers dorothy l. sayers  (translator), renault mary, raphael frede,ric phillips adam, robertson e.arnot, pavic milorad, robinson heath, rendell ruth, read miss, robinson heath, rice elmer, rackham arthur, rutley c. bernard, renault mary, steinbeck joh,n smith alexander mccall, spyris 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orson, wood mrs henry, wren p.c, waugh auberon, white. t. h., white t. h., westo kjell, webster jason, wain john, quin b. g., westall rob,ert white t.h, wodehouse p.g, wodehouse p.g, westerfield sc,ott wodehouse p.g, zweig stefan, wodehouse p.g, urquhart r.e., wyndham john, wodehouse p.g, wodehouse p.g, waugh evelyn, wallace edgar, vine barbara, white patrick, virgil, vesaas tarjei, varesi valerio, vine barbara, updike john, young francis brett, vaizey george, wilde oscar, verne jules, wheatley dennis, updike john, markham mrs, vine barbara, vine barbara, kilvert rev francis, kilvert rev francis, new towns act 1946 -, leyser henrietta, perry anderson malcolm bull jan breman rob lucas david simpson rachel malik alexander zevin marco d'eramo, shaw george bernard, shaw george bernard, shakespeare william, shaw george bernard, shakespeare william, shaw george bernard, shaw bernard, shakespeare william, shaw bernard, shakespeare w,illiam shaw george bernard, shaw bernard, shaw george 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tolkien j.r.r, tolkien j.r.r, tolkien j.r.r, tolkien j.r.r, tolkien j.r.r, tolkien j.r.r, eggers dave, yurick sol, emecheta buchi, bryson bill, bryson bill, smollet tobi,as kapitanial thomas, wodehouse p.g, wodehouse p.g, wodehouse p.g, wodehouse p.g, wodehouse p.g, wodehouse p.g, wodehouse p.g, wodehouse p.g, stengers isabelle, browning. robert, walbank f. alan (,ed1ted and arranged by) roberts adam, kipling rudyard, ruskin john,

ellis john, hinton michael, chamoiseau patrick, martinez guillermo, willis connie, nemirovsky irene, rhys jean, joyce james, delillo don, mantel hilary, parker k. j., parker k. j., parker k. j., wilhelm richard, topol jachym, perez-reverte arturo, mcevoy j.p. and zarat,e oscar atwood margaret, sloterdijk peter, unit for research on the urban environment, perry steve, anderson kevin j, zahn timothy, hambly barbara, massey d, tucker paul hayes, anderson kevin j., smith p. robert, semprun jorge, crace jim, reynolds ingrid and nicholson charles, reynolds ingrid and nicholson charles bell ann, carre john le, grossman lev, tallis frank, hornby nick, tallis frank, newberry linda, coelho paulo, bryson bill, harris joann,e bond terance james, hopkins gerard manley, haviaras stratis, hoban russell, benson peter, pears iain, gray robert, wiggins todd, price richard, perez-reverte arturo, hoeg peter, flaubert gu,stave ivan illich irving k zola john mcknight, runyon damon, frei max, chaponnie,re 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pablo iglesias mike davis francis mulhern joann wypijewwski joshua rahtz emma  fajgenbaum  r taggart murphy, evgeny morozov gopal balakrishnan wang chaohua  mauricio velasquez franco moretti jeffrey r. webber anders stephanson barry schwabsky, joshua wong frederic jameson joetrapido emilie bickerton sebastian veg  adam tooze achin vanaik franco moretti, gopal balakrishnan bhaskar sunkara  daniel finn francesco fiorentino  enrica villari  micheae denning blair ogd,en  vivek chibber susan watkins ching kwan lee neil davidson nancy ettlinger alex niven timothy brennan joshua rahtz emilie bickerton,mike davis giovanni arright, g tamas peter nolan koza yamamura asef bayat  benedict anderson tariq ali ian birchill kheya bag  regis debray, dark horse comics, dark horse comics, warren ellis lee bermejo david baron, warren ellis lee bermejo david baron, warren ellis lee bermejo david baron, damon hurd with pedro camello, brian wood /  becky cloonan, chris claremont jim lee scott williams, dark 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madlee dorth,y bond micheal, brennan j. h., gibson andrew, hall willis, ridley philip, hutchins pat, wright ralph, clarke arthur, cross gillian, lowry lois, wright ralph, king-smth dic,k piserchia doris, proysen alf, priest graham, blackburn simo,n buckeridge anthony, steed ben, wilson forrest, norriss andrew, deary terry, cresswell helen, jacques brian, webber collin, snell gordon, rodgers mary, kastner erich, ordnance surve,y schmidt arno, garner alan, dahl roald, wilson davi,d henry lindgren astrid, kemp gene, art thibert and pamela thibert, bennett arnold illustrated by m,orten sale pynchon thomas, burgess anthony, huxley aldous, dahl roald, boll heinrich, herr micheal, dibden michael, o'connell jack, greenland colin, gifford barry, gifford barry, russell leigh, dahl roald, shakespeare william, marivaux, rodgers m,ary lucasfilm bob woods (editor), lucasfilm bob woods (editor), lucasfilm bob woods (editor), lucasfilm bob woods (editor), lucasfilm bob woods (editor), mcfarlane todd, jim valentino chance wolf dan davis, jim valentino chance wolf dan davis, mckillip patricia a., du maurier daphne, elgin suzanne haden, de teran lisa st aub,in collingwood r. g., winterson jeanette, carmody isobelle, perry steve, egan doris, moorcock michael, gaiman neil, gilden mel, larry niven jerry pounelle micheal flynn, eddings david, cooper louise, weaver micheal, claremont chris, hamilton laurell k., kepler lars, nothomb amel,ie staig laurence, wood anthony, murrary linda, kaveney roz di,tor plato, cumming elizabeth and kaplan wendy, reiss johanna, glover jonatha,n goodman nelson, plato, carmody isobelle, wilson robert cha,rles wilson robert charles, wilson robert charles, johnson george, kepler lars, brookmyre christopher, jordan robert, kinsella sophie, jewell lisa, parent gail, gibson williams, kinsella sophie, carofiglio gianr,ico hesse hermann, nesbo jo, duane diane, higginson wi,lliam j. ferguson margaret.  salter mary jo. stallworthy jon, evanovich janet, evanovich janet, bennett alan, blaylock james p., aylett steve, roffey monique, chambers clare, sedaris david, warner alan, cross amanda, lee harper, brookmyre christopher, lawrence louise, levi primo, coupland do,uglas homesa. m., wesley mary, nicholson geoff, chambers clare, chambers clare, lee chang-rae, ahmed rollo, gowdy barbar,a suri manil, brickell christopher (editor), adelson warren et al, ishiguro kazuo, curley marianne, miller alexander, macleod ken, diamond jare,d persson leif g.w., littell robert, anderson poul, hamilton laure,ll k. nicoll andrew, miller mark and mcniven steve, wells h.g., xing jan, robinson kim stanley, dahl roald, chandler arthur, breznik melitta, jordan robert, cherryh c.j., sayers dorothy l., dow kristin and do,wning thomas e. mccaffery anne, brent-dyer elinor m., jordan robert, crichton miche,al evanovich janet, williams john, schlosser eric, murphy pat, trollope joanna, mcintyre vonda n., lackey mercedes and dixon larry, lackey mercedes, duane diane and morwood peter, lewis jon e., mccaffery anne, mccaffery anne, jewell lisa, holden wendy, binchy maeve, duane diane, mccaffery anne, mccaffery anne, lovelock james, eddings david, besher alexander, mccaffery anne, barnes john, briggs ian, leon donna, mcdonagh martine, stackpole micheal a, blake william, nassib selim, rankin robert, child lincoln, goudge elizabe,th de teran lisa st aubin, beukes lauren, ridge antonia, greenland coli,n palmer stephen, crais robert, kirstein rosemary, duane diane, lawrence sara, bronte charlotte, plater alan, jones j. v., norriss andrew, girling brough, jordan robert, jones j. v., jones j. v., konwicki  tadeusz, bateman colin, erpenbeck jenn,y scarpa tiziano, lisick beth, warner alan, evanovich ja,net dalby liza, warner alan, adler-olsen  jussi, alcott louisa m., dickinson peter, hicyilmaz gaye, lindgren astrid, lucas george, davies russell t., bendis brian micheal and  maleev alex, bawden nina, gross philip, foster alan dean, anderson kevin j, lucas george, glut donald, kahn james, cadigan pat, murakami haruki, bodlian library, zizek slavoj, tucker andrew, and kingswell tamsin davidson alan, cadigan pat, ashton charles, brookmyre chris,topher brookmyre christopher, brookmyre christopher, evanovich janet, david peter, leon donna, brookmyre christopher, brookmyre christopher, simon anne, scamander newt, whisp kenilworthy, davies pete, blyton enid, blyton enid, walsh helen, bradley marion, steve pike and ,paul fisher travers p.l., lively penelope, vinge joan, jacques bri,an aiken joan, fisk nicholas, o'keeffe linda, deegan denise, clarke stephen, franken al, blyton enid, blyton enid, mankell henning, smith alexander mccall, jones diana wynne, norton andre, ullmann linn, jones vanessa, pinborough sarah, kafka franz, anderson kevin j. (edited by), rankin robert, rankin robert, mccaffery anne, evanovich janet, mccaffery anne, yoshimto ray - clamp nanase ohkawa, brookmyre christopher, allen roger macbride, pratchett terry, anderson kevin j. (edited by), connolly joseph, cherryh c.j., cadigan pat, mccaffery anne, divakaruni chit,ra banerjee zappa moon unit, vernadsky vladimir i, mackesy serena, waterhose keith, hines barry, golding william, keenan joe, ironside vi,rginia cullimore claudine, kawabata yasunari, motter dean and lark michael, mccaffery anne, mccaffery anne, mccaffery anne, packard vance, moore gerald, furey maggie, furey maggie, mccaffery anne, duane diane, gaiman neil, brown dan, furey maggie, lindsay dougl,as scott-giles c. w., modesitt jr  l. e., bronte charlotte, murdoch iris, streatfield noel, leiris michel, bronte emily, williams ursu,la moray ecke wolfgang, pratchett terry, mclean lenny, edwards-jones, imogen nesser hakan, mcintyre vonda, fisk nicholas, evanovich jane,t tey josephine, robbe-grillet alain, aeschylus, baudrillar,d jean baudrillard jean, pagels heinz r., sen amartya, sen amartya, caputo john d., rossini, corey james a., holt tom, kube-mcdowell michael p., sweterlitsch tom, wolfe tom, cadigan pa,t murdoch iris, bronte anne, dyer geoff, spinoza  be,nedictus de  spinoza  benedictus de, haasen carl, dexter colin, moffat gwen, handke peter, handke peter, handke peter, handke peter, kavan anna, kavan anna, kavan anna, gaiman neil, nicholson william, christopher adam, lena levinas ousmane sidibe gabrial piterberg kristen surek franco moretti tom mertes jan breman emilie bickerton, tawadayoko, snow c. p., snow c. p., groening matt, claudel philip,pe leith sam, spinrad norman, russo richard paul, hamilton peter f., haldeman joe, rankin robert, musil robert, niven larry, niven larry, walsh micheal, dibden michael, anouilh jean, herbert frank, allen roger macbride, mcgraw eloise jarvis, lowery marilyn m., bruford bill (editor), bishop micheal, saraute nathalie, abbey edward, wahloo per, davies andrew, davies andrew, asimov isaac, faulks sebastian, dos passos john, egan greg, egan greg, bradley marion, rankin robert, brown eric, shakespeare, william jeter k. w., dyer geoff, beckett chris, roth philip, marshall smith michael, armesto felipe fernandez, almond david, bolano robert,o goscinny f - uderzo a, goscinny f - uderzo a, lowe helen, arnott jake, reynolds alaistair, frith r. j., lena levinas ousmane sidibe gabrial piterberg kristen surek franco moretti tom mertes jan breman emilie bickerton, anderson perry, anderson perry, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, higgins jack, hoban russell, rolfe fr- fred,erick baron corvo busby f.m, kepler lars, barnes julian, machiavelli ni,ccolo sebald w.g, priest christopher, martin sean, gibson gary, banks iain m, gibson gary, gibson gary, gibson gary, gibson gary, gibson gary, mclellan david, grady james, tilley patrick, van vogt a.e, boyd william, swartz richar,d bennett alan, cortazar julio, anders charlie jane, lowe helen, stagg guy, banks iain, banks iain m illustrated by nick day, banks iain m, banks iain m, flint james, larsson stieg, anthony piers, mcdevitt jack, lostetter marina j., richardson dorothy m., scott m. k. c., gaskall mrs, talbot-booth e. c., whitman walt, le carre john, shelley percy bysshe (introduction phyllis hartnoll ), holt tom, tett gillian, shepard luciu,s grimwood jon courtenay, proust marcel illustrated by phillipe julian, fenn jaine, caldecott a,ndrew caldecott andrew, harvey colin, mcauley paul j., mcdonald ian, mcdonald ian, linklater eric, pliny, nesbo ,jo mcauley paul j., brown eric, backman fedrik, de la motte and,ers galbraith robert, dahl arne, watkins susan, anderson perry, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, bull mccormack, badiou hart blackburn therborn sarfattio watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, susan watkins benedict anderson franco moretti, hallward collini 'retort' bickerton, jean baudrillard giovanni arrighi richard gott rgis debray, watkins susan, anderson perry, anderson perry, watkins susan, watkins susan, tom mertes peter gowan gerad dumenil & dominique levy, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, blackburn ronin, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, perry anderson darko suvin lucio magri  carlos prieto, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, blackburn robin, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, blackburn robin, watkins susan, watkins susan, anderson perry, watkins susan, watkins susan, blackburn robin, blackburn robin, blackburn robin, peter hallward t,om nairn jean baudrillard sabry hafex watkins susan, watkins susan, blackburn robin, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, watkins susan, moravia alberto, tolstoy leo, busby f.m, marquand j,ohn p. airne c. w., haldeman joe, oçonnor richard, hardy thomas, rhys jones  griff, butcher jim, harper david, larsson stieg, joslin edward c., furnival kate, eastland sam, eastland sam, kadare ismail, hertzberg max, grancsay stephen v., mcintyre vonda, kafka franz, piketty thomas, greene harris, butcher jim, ordnance survey, brodie bernard and fawn, kornbluth c. m., bull emma, seigel martin, imlah mick, thomas edward, maclean alista,ir de giovanni maurizio, banks iain m, banks iain m, banks iain, corey james a., corey james a., carver raymond, mason paul, reynolds alaistair, lagercrantz david, lagercrantz david, shakespeare willia,m brooks rosetta , brooks rosetta , grant richard, scudder bernar,d (translator) bull emma, eliot george, kadrey richard, lowry malcolm, de la motte anders, aaronovitch ben (cartmel williamson renne), dick lesley, herbert fran,k setterfield diane, lyall gavin, carr caleb, mcintyre vo,nda groening matt, groening matt, dark horse comics, groening matt, greene graham, gunn kirsty, klein rachel, bussi michel, wiltshire professor patricia, collins bridget, ford ford madox, bishop micheal, brandao ignazio de loyola, kube-mcdowell michael p., pratchett terry, anderson kevin j, mitchell david, barnes john, barnes john, marion  jean,-luc marin louis, marion  jean-luc, marion  jean-luc, horner robyn, zizek slavoj, goscinny f - uderzo a, goscinny f - uderzo a, zizek slavoj, zizek slavoj, powers richard, nietzsche, zizek slavoj,  rorty richard, marion  jean-luc, monbiot george, zizek slavoj, zizek slavoj, litvinoff emanuel, williams raymond, williams raymond, williams raymond, fabre dominique, zizek slavoj, stiegler bern,ard knight renee, painter sarah, north claire, upson nicola, wesley mary, hogan ruth, jones ruth, brookmyre c,hristopher evanovich janet, dabos christelle, greene joshua, bullmore edwar,d upson nicola, gardener graham, honeyman gail, evanovich jane,t kadrey richard, vonnegut kurt, pratt tim, thomas d. ,m. liminov eddie, liminov edward, dahl roald, banks iain, vickers sally, zahn timothy, vonnegut kurt, bassini giorgi,o eastland sam, bainbridge beryl, hill susan, golding wil,liam chen da, tey josephine, reig rafael, lawrence d. ,h. vinge vernor, brown eric, grimwood jon courtenay, stross charles, maddox tom, ellis bret easton, de teran lisa st aubin, aldiss brian, fleming jim and wilson peter lamborn, kepler lars, roslund and hellstrom, kepler lars, cartmel andrew, ripley mike, lyotard jean-francois, stross chalres, kristjansson snorri, king laurie r, powell gareth l., costantino maria, various, mosley walter, brown eric, brown eric, nespolo matias, king laurie r, le carre john, cheever john, campbell john w. , ferman edward l. , oatmeal matthew inman, le carre john, niven larry, zetford tully, ripley mike, le carre joh,n boardman tom, candlish louise, gombrich e.h., shaw george be,rnard jones diana wynne, kennedy emma, jones ruth, gardiner be,cky  wainwright martin , bates stephen , meer malik, sylvain dom,inique paolini christopher, bourdain anthony, horowitz anthony, hugo victor, hesse hermann, tolstoy leo, hawtree christopher graham greene, hilbig wolfgang, barnes julian, kundera milan, zafron carlos ruiz, grimwood jon courte,nay bellow saul, isherwood christopher, clark alan, dahl roald, lotringer sylvere, pullman phillip, galgut damon, paolini chris,topher cresswell helen, jones sadie, christie agatha, doyle a.conan, robinson geoffrey, hodges andrew, sylvain dominique, dostoevsky f.m, martin george r.r., moore christopher, hacker katerina, o'flynn catherin,e cervantes miguel de, kavenna joanna, one direction, austen jane  g,rahame-smith seth conan-doyle arthur, lessing doris, wakeman rick, conan-doyle a,rthur conan-doyle arthur, gaskall mrs, hansen essa, trapani gina, lore pittacus, upward edward, lively penelope, morrison grant, ennis garth, ellis warren, morrison grant, ennis garth, moyes jojo, simsion graeme, shea dave and holzschlag molly e., cederholm dan, martin george r.r., macdonald kyle, feist raymond, upward edward, levi primo, stross charles, sjowall maj and wahloo per, krauss  rosalind, bataille georges, queneau raymond, blackwood algernon, arnold n. scott, leckie ann, cobley michael, levy david, bywater mic,hael brennan marie, fuller steve, fuller steve, fuller steve, tom taylor , jeremy rapack , mik s miller, tom taylor , bruno redondo , ball philip, morden simon, conan-doyle a,rthur pratchett terry, lovegrove james, sartre jean-paul, simenon georges, allan nina, plato, brown eric, cumming cha,rles moore christopher, mieville china, genna  giuseppe, aldiss brian, davidson lionel, adams douglas, russell eric frank, vance jack, cobley michael, cobley michael, furst alan, judd alan, king laurie r, gaiman neil, saint-exupery antoine de, aldiss brian, acker kathy, woolf virgina, mordern s. j., meaney john, anthony piers, christie agatha, smith cordwainer, smith cordwainer, dickson gordon, brin david, davidson lionel, cottrell leonard, rushdie salman, le carre john, brown eric, sayers doro,thy l. brown eric, szerb antal, szerb antal, von schrirac,h ferdinand barthelme donald, shakespeare william, jerome jerome k, kipling rudyard, duras marguerite, pavese cesare, ackroyd peter, tilly charles, thorton tim, reynolds alaistair, von arnim elizabeth, land nick, mackay robin, gould stephen jay, gould stephen jay, mackay robin, veal damion, wolfendale peter, ball philip, castoriadis ,cornelius chomsky. noam, dyson freeman, waldrop n. mitchell, wyatt sir thomas, watson james d., macrae  donald g, larsson stieg, noon jeff, rowbotham sheila & segal lynne & wainwright hilary, carrion jorge, hilbig wolfgang, fermor patrick l,eigh parveeb adams beverly brown elizabeth cowie, parikka jussi, pelevin victor, kurkov andrey, introduced by j. michael walton, jones steve, russ joanna, bennett jane, morgan dan, hannah dolan elizabeth dowsett emma grange, judge dredd!, sayers doroth,y l. sayers  cox edward, vickers sally, nykanen harri, matheson richa,rd jenkins martin and swift jonathan, fleming ian, o'brien flann myles na gopaleen, gieysztor aleksander et al..., de beauvoir simone, sayers dorothy l., sayers dorothy l., de la mare walter, marnham patrick, cumming charles, enger thomas, sayers doroth,y l. lebor adam, dick philip k, naylor doug, amis martin, priest christopher, makine andrei, pratchett terry, carofiglio gianr,ico s. c. kaines smith, grenier jean, lessing doris, pratchett terr,y vickers sally, pratchett terry, pratchett terry, pratchett terry, pratchett terry, pratchett terry, pratchett terry, pratchett terry, akerman chantal, kevin eastman peter laird dave sim, tremain rose, hustvedt siri, evanovich janet, nesser hakan, cage john, van vogt a,.e karlsson jonas, lethem jonathan, singer peter, tuck rchard, leach edmund, floridi luciano, floridi luciano, rose mark (edito,r) skolimowski henryk, kunzru hari, sexton ed, arden kath,erine milanovic branko, helen pluckrose and james lindsey, pinker steven, brooks rosetta,  zizek slavoj, keene jogn, fox jeremy, collins jef,f myerson george, fox dominic, pallant kathryn, haggard william, haggard william, haggard william, henshaw lee, golumbia dav,id dawkins richard, dawkins richard, dawkins richard, kaplan robert, balestrini nanni and moroni primo, watkins susan, watkins susan, barry max, weir andy, kadrey richard, mcauley paul j., mcauley paul j., mcauley paul j., mcauley paul j., mcauley paul j., mcauley paul j., mcdonald ian, mcdonald ian, mcdonald ian, cavanaugh wil,liam t. corina john, lee yoon ha, unt mati, simcox ad,am ripellino angelo maria, morgan richard, setterfield diane, morgan richard, stross chalres, garner alan, bassini giorgio, jennings luke, jennings luke, jennings luke, mordern s. j., novick naomi, novick naomi, macleod ken, reynolds alaistair, reynolds alaistair, afary janet and anderson kevin b, quignard pascal, queneau raymond, arrighi giovanni, niffenegger audrey, quignard pascal, conklin groff, gibson william, quignard pascal, quignard pascal, atkinson  anthon,y b zelazny roger, karl frederick and hamalian leo (edits), modiano patrick, foer jonathan sa,fran chekov anton, garnier pascal, thiongó ngugi wa, crussi f. gonzale,z forrest richard, delany samuel r., cadigan pat, damasio anto,nio damasio antonio, ackroyd peter, evans i. o. (editor), mcdevitt jack, van vogt a.e, stross charles, hamilton edward, pratchett terry, herbert frank, appia adolphe, king laurie r, brown eric, clifton mark and riley frank, mordern s. j., russell eric frank, kuttner henry, robson justina, tchaikovsky adrian, robson justina, mattelart armand and michelle delcourt xavier, dick philip k, cherryh c.j., pohl frederick and kornbluth c. m., graeber david, graeber david, robin blackburn, stiegler bernard, stiegler bernard and derrida jacques, llansol maria gabriela, benkler yochai, robinson kim stanley, anderson poul, jeter k. w., king lily, moorcock michael , leon donna, silverberg ,robert pratt tim, mcarthur maxine, moorcock michael , stephenson neil, carver jeffrey a., van vogt a.e, wollheim donald a. (editor), simenon georges, clarke arthur, mossman keith, okuda michea, and denise, gibson william, daly mary, sterling bruce , rankin ian, evans peter, j. coleman gabriella, edmund spencer, edmund spencer, patrick hamilit,on alexander moszkowski, jane austen, alexander moszkowski, christine brooke rose, helmuth plessner, zubrowsky

[thehyperrequiem]

Diego and the Scary Monstrous Revival (Bendy and the Dark Revival parody) cast

"Return to the cartoon studio from Diego and the Dino Machine™. See the ink-soaked kingdom of Diego Brando™ like never before through the eyes of Edge/Jolyne, an animator with mysterious abilities. Deeper, darker, and with more horror-stoked action, the Scary Monstrous Revival will keep you on the edge."

Edge (Mario + Rabbids) as Audrey Drew (Real World)

Jolyne Cujoh (JJBA Stone Ocean) as Audrey Drew (Cycle)

Starscream (Transformers Prime) as Wilson Arch

DIO Brando (JJBA Stardust Crusaders) as Shipahoy Wilson

Mikitaka Hazekura (JJBA Diamond is Unbreakable) as Porter

Mariah (JJBA Stardust Crusaders) as Betty

Wambus Troubleham (Bugsnax) as Steve McGregor

Carne (JJBA Vento Aureo) as Big Steve

Gwess (JJBA Stone Ocean) as Carley

Dr. Ferdinand (JJBA Steel Ball Run) as Slicer

Foo Fighters (JJBA Stone Ocean) as Heidi

Bakugou (My Hero Academia) as Bill Danton

Ghiaccio (JJBA Vento Aureo) as Mad Artist

Changelings (My little Pony) as Widows

Queen Chrysalis (My little Pony) as Widow King

Ringo Roadagain (JJBA Steel Ball Run) as Lord Amok

DIO Brando (JJBA Phantom Blood) as Shipahoy Dudley

Decepticons and Vehicons (Transformers Prime) as Keepers

Glamrock Animatronics (FNAF SB) as The Ink Jets

Limp Bizkit Zombies (JJBA Stone Ocean) as Iridescent Lost ones

Weather Report (JJBA Stone Ocean) as Henry Stein

Cromdo Face (Bugsnax) as Joey Drew

Scary Monsters Diego Brando (JJBA Steel Ball Run) as Bendy/Baby Benders

Partial Utahraptor! Diego Brando (JJBA Steel Ball Run) as Ink Bendy

Utahraptor! Diego (JJBA Steel Ball Run) as Beast Bendy

Hot Pants (JJBA Steel Ball Run) as Alice Angel

Partial Utahraptor! Hot Pants (JJBA Steel Ball Run) as Susie-Alice

Yukako (JJBA Diamond is Unbreakable) as Allison Angel

Koichi (JJBA Diamond is Unbreakable) as Himself/Allison’s Boyfriend

Gyro Zeppeli (JJBA Steel Ball Run) as Boris the Wolf

Johnny Joestar (JJBA Steel Ball Run) as Himself/Boris’s Friend

Giorno (JJBA Vento Aureo) as Tom

Pucci (JJBA Stone Ocean) as Sammy Lawrence

Rubber Soul, Devo the Cursed, ZZ and Steely Dan (JJBA Stardust Crusaders) as The Butcher Gang

Legoshi (Beastars) as Norman Polk

Formaggio (JJBA Vento Aureo) as The Projectionist

Daniel J. D'Arby (JJBA Stardust Crusaders) as Bertrum Piedmont

Dark Enchantress Cookie (Cookie Run) as Susie Campbell

Joseph Joestar (JJBA Battle Tendency) as Wally Franks

Caesar Zeppeli (JJBA Battle Tendency) as Thomas Connor

Snorpy (Bugsnax) as Jack Fain

Chandlo (Bugsnax) as Himself/Jack’s Lover

Tiziano (JJBA Vento Aureo) as Swollen Jack

Squalo (JJBA Vento Aureo) as Himself/Swollen Jack’s Lover

Triffany Lottablog (Bugsnax) as Allison Pendle

Floofty (Bugsnax) as Grant Cohen

Salt Cookie (Cookie Run) as Shawn Flynn

The Pillar Men and Santana (JJBA Battle Tendency) as The Butcher Gang Enemies

Utahraptors (Jurassic Park series) as The Searchers

Zombies (JJBA Phantom Blood) as Lost Ones

Megatron (Transformers Prime) as Nathan Arch

Airachnid (Transformers Prime) as Tessa Arch

Perceptor (Transformers Animated) as Alan Grey

Gramble Gigglefun (Bugsnax) as Telly Wester

Mario Zucchero (JJBA Vento Aureo) as Angus Newman

Tonio (JJBA Diamond is Unbreakable) as Dale Little

Eggabelle (Bugsnax) as Kay Lee

Beffica (Bugsnax) as Jane Todd

Gingerbrave (Cookie Run) as Lance Derby

Ratchet (Transformers Prime) as Hank Scott

Juno (Beastars) as Grace Conway

Deku (My Hero Academia) as Phil Clark

Sale (JJBA Vento Aureo) as Archie Carter

Carrot Cookie (Cookie Run) as Kitty Thompson

Quinn (Flipline) as Sally Newt

Telence T. D'Arby (JJBA Stardust Crusaders) as Hudson Doyle

Shockwave (Transformers Animated) as Chef Buck

Ironhide (Transformers Animated) as Muncie Dunn

Tea Knight Cookie (Cookie Run) as Eugene Lloyd

Thunder Mcqueen (JJBA Stone Ocean) as Carl

Scary Monsters Diego Brando (JJBA Steel Ball Run) (With Raptor teeth and eyes) as Sinful Bendy

Chapters:

Chapter 1: Drawn to Darkness

Chapter 2: The Raptor's Domain (The Demon's Domain)

Chapter 3: The Eternal Stand Power (The Eternal Machine)

Chapter 4: The Prison of Horrors (The Factory of Horrors)

Chapter 5: The Scary Monstrous Revival (The Dark Revival)

[raisab332012]

Answer to Why did they execute Lady Jane Grey, England's forgotten Queen? by Mr Shelby https://www.quora.com/Why-did-they-execute-Lady-Jane-Grey-Englands-forgotten-Queen/answer/Mr-Shelby-35?ch=18&oid=1477743703623514&share=9c7d8120&srid=7KVRc&target_type=answer

[gabbysdawsons]

CROSSOVER GIFSET ➣ types of love

various crossovers with @maddies-buckley

taglist: @richitozier, @foxesandmagic, @lizziesxltzmxn, @phoebestarks, @lovehermioneforever, @jewelswrites-ish, @kiara-carrera, @heavenlysurf, @decennia, @stanshollaand. @ocfairygodmother, @yellowr4nger, @raith-way

[bethanydelleman]

Northanger Abbey Readthrough Ch 13

Isabella's true character is revealed Catherine, "Isabella appeared to her ungenerous and selfish, regardless of everything but her own gratification." and James Morland, smitten with Isabella, has his worst moment:

“I did not think you had been so obstinate, Catherine,” said James; “you were not used to be so hard to persuade; you once were the kindest, best-tempered of my sisters.”

And then when Isabella and John Thorpe PHYSICALLY HOLD CATHERINE IN PLACE, James continues to do... nothing. He only finally tells John to stop after Catherine breaks away herself.

#downwithJamesMorland

It's unfortunate because James Morland is one of the few unmarried Austen men by the end of his novel and you'd like to use him for fan fiction but his sister defence score is so low... (nothing is sexier than a man who treats his sister right!) James ends up reminding me a lot of Edmund Bertram. There is nothing wrong with having a crush on a girl, but you should not be willing to sacrifice your principles for her!

Catherine stands resolute. Her big defining moment of moral backbone is resisting peer pressure, which might not seem like much but it's hard! Especially with the opposition of her older brother. And I want to point out, it's not just to avoid another horrible carriage ride with Thorpe, she does offer to go with them the next day. As she contemplates herself, it was not only for her own pleasure that she refused, she believed herself in the right not to lie.

I love this quote:

If I could not be persuaded into doing what I thought wrong, I never will be tricked into it.

Also Jane Austen playing cheeky with our imaginations:

“She is as obstinate as—” Thorpe never finished the simile, for it could hardly have been a proper one.

My mind automatically goes to "ass" (donkey) by the way.

This type of sentence, that immediately contradicts itself, is used a lot in Jane Austen's juvenilia:

Her explanation, defective only in being—from her irritation of nerves and shortness of breath—no explanation at all, was instantly given.

Here is an example from Frederic & Elfrida:

They were exceedingly handsome and so much alike, that it was not every one who knew them apart. Nay, even their most intimate freinds had nothing to distinguish them by, but the shape of the face, the colour of the Eye, the length of the Nose, & the difference of the complexion.

We also have our first hint here of the General's true character:

To such anxious attention was the General’s civility carried, that not aware of her extraordinary swiftness in entering the house, he was quite angry with the servant whose neglect had reduced her to open the door of the apartment herself. “What did William mean by it? He should make a point of inquiring into the matter.” And if Catherine had not most warmly asserted his innocence, it seemed likely that William would lose the favour of his master forever, if not his place, by her rapidity.

He definitely has a temper and very exacting standards, for both his staff and his children. However, he is very polite with Catherine, which makes her think favourably of Thorpe, "made her think with pleasure that he might be sometimes depended on." If only she knew!

Catherine then learns that Mr. Allen doesn't think that the trip would have been entirely prudent, Mrs. Allen agrees but only from a fashion perspective. Catherine is mortified to learn she has done something wrong, but Mrs. Allen doesn't seem very concerned:

Young people will be young people, as your good mother says herself. You know I wanted you, when we first came, not to buy that sprigged muslin, but you would. Young people do not like to be always thwarted.

This is actually a pretty wise statement, though I'm not sure Mrs. Allen has really been doing her job as a chaperone properly. It also speaks to those grey lines around propriety. We don't see women in Jane Austen's novels ruined by a single act of impropriety in the way that contemporary Historical fiction/romance is always imagining. It is usually a pattern of behaviour. And people clearly understand that young adults/teenagers will be a bit wild at times, because you know, people are people and have always been people.

Now we get to one of Catherine's flaws (which will come up again) she doesn't understand when her actions will be taken as officious or meddling. Her desire to warn Isabella comes from a good place, but as Mr. Allen points out, it's only going to make people dislike her. Elizabeth Bennet has a much more delicate and prudent approach when it comes to Lydia going to Brighton, even though that doesn't end up changing the result. She knows that direct opposition to the scheme would only make her younger sister hate her, which would solve nothing and only create more problems. As Mr. Allen points out, if Mrs. Thorpe is allowing it, let it go.

[sherwoodknights]

A Tale of Two Queens: netflix edition

Okay so while I may be heavily procrastinating instead of actually writing the wonderful Queen Jane Grey au that @theladyelizabeth created, my obsession with creating these edits took over and gave me this.

Here's to hoping it kick-starts the inspiration to get me past my current 700 words on the document! 🤞😅

@thatdarnyellowsubmarine

[marvelsior]

@bigidiotenergytm I have no idea what this is but HERE (Sarah inherited that Big Idiot Energy (tm))

“---And DADDY! They TOOK my SOLDIER!” Sarah shrieks as blue eyes stay trained on the HYDRA agents, the men in question shrinking backwards not at the gun in her hands, but because The Wolverine seemed to be the one this woman was referring to as ‘daddy’. “I was doing perfectly fine until these assholes got involved dammit.”