#he sent my co worker a message saying the sales the last day she worked were sad 😭

[whoscallingwhoafraud]

My manager talking to me vs anyone else I work with LMAO

[saiilorstars]

Next Stop, Everywhere

Chapter 24: Angelic Detour

Fandom: Doctor Who

Pairing: 10th Doctor x Female OC

(Minerva’s face claim: Victoria Camacho)

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Chapter summary: The Weeping Angels have attacked and trapped Minerva, the Doctor and Martha in 1969. They have to try to live a normal life for the time being. Of course, there's a reason why Minerva's so angry with the Doctor and Martha. Plus, there's a birthday coming up...

// Story Masterlist //

Late September, 1969.

"You idiot! You did this to us on purpose?" I smacked the Doctor on the arm and Martha did the same to his other arm. We were both equally angry with him right now.

The three of us walked down a dark street of London...in 1969. This was nowhere near the place we wanted to go to and yet this was the place we would be stuck in for God knows how much time.

"At least he had the audacity to wait for me to get back," Martha shook her head, "Because letting a Weeping Angel send us back to 1969 together was so much better."

"I was trying to keep us together!" The Doctor tried making a defense but Martha and I smacked him again.

"Wouldn't it have been smarter to run?" Martha raised an eyebrow at him.

"Couldn't exactly do that!"

"What do you mean!? It's what you always do!" I shouted, attracting some of the attention of the people walking past us.

The Doctor, Martha, and I had had a good run of trips lately, and then came the damn statues. Martha and I found ourselves in an old mansion in 2007, courtesy of the Doctor who didn't even bother to tell us the purpose of that destination...until now. We'd found ourselves surrounded by 'Weeping Angels' and were touched by the same one...thanks to the Doctor. Next thing we knew, we were in London, 1969.

"But this sort of already happened," he reached inside his coat's pocket and pulled out a file, "According to Sally Sparrow, the Doctor, Minerva Souza and Martha Jones get sent back to 1969 by Weeping Angels," he read off the file.

"It's called rewriting history!" Martha shouted.

"But if we didn't do this, this Sally woman could be harmed, and is that something either of you are okay with?" He looked between us with a knowing look. "Hm?"

"I have my humanity," I grumbled, the answer being of course I'd get stuck in 1969 to avoid the harm of Sally, even if I never met her.

"A bit too much, mind you," Martha mumbled, "You're too sweet."

"Sue me for being too kind," I shrugged.

"It'll be fine," the Doctor assured, "We'll all be fine. Just as long as we follow everything on this," he gestured to the file, "Just fine."

"I'm mad at you," I declared. Even if this had to happen, he could've at least had the courtesy to tell Martha and I in advance so we wouldn't have been so terrified of those damn statues.

"You'll get over it!"

"Just like I may be 'too' sweet, I may be too angry."

"Oooh, I'd like to see some of that," Martha smirked, "I've never seen Minerva actually, properly mad."

The Doctor seemed a bit uneasy but this time I was seriously pissed off. And not just with him...Martha too. I learned a secret the two shared, and it was something I didn't expect to be hidden. But they did...

I was making my way to the console room, to continue our adventures...when I heard shouting.

"Kaeya WIPED her memories CLEAN? Doctor, don't you see?" Martha was shouting, making rounds around the console as she fumed, "She PURPOSELY did it! After everything that happened, she cleaned Minerva's head because she was coming back and wanted a chance with YOU," she pointed at the Doctor.

I raised an eyebrow, about to walk in and find out what the hell she was going on about...but I decided to stay back. If I came in, everything would stop and I wouldn't get my answers. So I hid in the corridors, listening intently to what they had to say.

"I can't...I can't believe Kaeya would do something like that. She wouldn't...perhaps it was the necklace's way of preventing pain," the Doctor was saying.

"What kind of pain would be so great that she had to forget everything?"

"A heartbreak," he breathed.

"Doctor, I'm telling you, Kaeya did this," Martha walked up to him, "When we were hiding, and we visited the TARDIS, Minerva had the necklace on and...Doctor, her EYES flashed BLUE. That's when she felt the watch being opened."

"Blue?"

"Yeah, and who had blue eyes?"

"...Kaeya."

"She possessed Minerva, and when she was done she wiped her head clean. How can you love someone like that? She's utterly selfish!"

"She doesn't do that...she can't. There-there has to be something else to it, something we don't know," the Doctor turned away.

Everything fell silent, but my mind raced with the questions. Had Kaeya had taken my memory away? What for? Why?

What had I done to make Kaeya want to take my memories away? I had done what she asked for. I delivered her message: she was alive. Why had I still been punished? I was furious. Furious with Kaeya...I had literally done nothing to get her hatred. So what had happened?

But apart from that, I was fuming because the people I cared about, who were supposedly like a family...hid that secret from me. I had my memories wiped clean and they didn't tell me by who. They knew who had done it and they kept quiet, acted like it had been just an accident from all the chaos.

I was hurt.

And hurt led to anger.

~0~

London, 2007.

A dirty blonde woman, Sally Sparrow, jumped a fence leading to a private property, cautiously looking around for anyone who could catch her. She made her way into the house, kicking some boards down with few struggle. Once she entered, she found a torch and started looking around, occasionally snapping pictures of her surroundings. She noticed a certain wall where the paper had begun to peal and walked for it, pulling it back to find the word "Beware" written down. She tilted her head and pulled more, finding the phrase, "The Weeping Angel'. With another pull, she found 'Oh and duck! Really duck! "

"Huh," she set her camera down and with both hands pulled again, she found, "Sally Sparrow. Duck, now!"

She heard glass break from behind and immediately ducked as a large stone hit the wall where she was just a second ago. She stood up, mouth dropped at the sight, and turned to the window, using her torch to see who the hell had just done that.

There was only a angel statue.

Confused, she returned to the wall and removed the last strip of paper which read, "Love from the Doctor...and Minerva and Martha."

~0~

Early October, 1969.

"You're seriously not gonna add us to the message?" I frowned, watching the Doctor finish the last piece of the message he had written for Sally Sparrow. We were in the same mansion from 2007, only 1969...still.

"Oops, I forgot," the Doctor tilted his head at his message as he stood back.

"Give me that," I snatched the paint brush from him and moved up to the wall to add in my name and Martha's, "Rude."

"You're still angry?"

"You got us stuck in 1969 on purpose," Martha reminded, both of us still crossed, only Martha was slightly less than I. Of course most of my anger towards her and the Doctor stemmed from their little secret, "That doesn't just go away."

"I already explained my reasons!"

"Didn't care two weeks ago, don't care now," I stood up and handed him the paint brush.

"Let's just get out of here," Martha sighed, "We've got our jobs to attend to."

"Please don't remind me," I shook my head, "Out of all the jobs I've ever heard, this one is the worst. Everyone is demanding with their stupid clothes."

"Just have patience with them," Martha said.

"The only good thing is I've been able to make friends in that job that can help," I turned away from them. I could fake my way around my anger talk but my expressions were harder to control.

"I offered to get a job," the Doctor reminded, Martha and I immediately shaking our heads.

"NO!" We shouted, making him flinch.

"It was agreed," Martha began.

"We get jobs and you get us out of here," I finished for her.

It had been two weeks since the Doctor had gotten us to 1969. It hadn't been that hard to find us an apartment that first day, thankfully that landlord was sweet, well that and the fact he had a thing for Martha. She got us the first month free of rent! And thanks to the landlord, Michel, he had introduced me to a job at a department store...which sold clothes for children...very loud, very demanding, very fussy children. Martha on the other hand, had found a job at a flower shop. It was nicer, peaceful, and most importantly not stressful.

"I'm working on it," the Doctor replied, gesturing to the wall behind, "As you can see, it'll take some time."

"Let's just go, we can maybe stop by for an ice cream," Martha suggested, tensing at the glare I was giving the Doctor.

When she said she wanted to see just how angry I could be, she didn't actually mean it. The fact that it had been two weeks and I was still giving glares around was surprising to her. They were both surprised at my anger still lingering after so much time. But what could they expect after learning they were still hiding I deserved to know? Martha knew about Kaeya wiping my memories clean and she didn't utter a word to me. If she was my best friend, why didn't she say anything? She kept it a secret with the Doctor. Two months of my life are a complete blank and neither of them have had the audacity to tell me who was responsible for my memory loss. Neither of them told me it was Kaeya. She did this. After everything I had done for that woman, she took my memories.

The only question remained, why hadn't Martha and the Doctor told me anything?

~0~

Mid-October, 1969.

"Minerva?" Jerome, one of my co-workers, called, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I was standing behind the counter, supposed to be working out some numbers for this week's sales...and yet...I was thinking about the Doctor...and Kaeya...and Martha...and my memories.

"Minerva? How's the calculations?" The blonde man walked up to me, glancing down at the notepad which was half-empty, "Oh..."

"Sorry," I closed the notepad and set the pen down.

"Head in the clouds again?"

I nodded, "Perhaps..."

"You're always getting lost in your thoughts," he remarked, shaking his head in a playful disapproving manner.

"There's a lot to think about." That certainly didn't come close to everything that was going on.

"I can see, but mind my wondering," he set his elbows on the counter and rested his chin on his hands, "What's got a pretty girl so sad?"

"Sad?" I blinked, "Why would you think I'm sad?"

"It's in your eyes," he pointed, "Every time you get distracted, thinking...your eyes get really sad."

I sighed, "My eyes say a lot of things, apparently." Truthfully, I didn't want to think of my eyes, because it reminded me of the Doctor's words and to think of the Doctor reminded me of his little secret with Martha, which then reminded me of Kaeya and what she had unjustly did to me.

"Who hurt you?"

"My friends," I swallowed hard, looking down, "They kept something from me and I found out. I've been waiting for them to tell me about it, you know, give them the chance to do it...but they haven't said anything." I had no idea why I was telling him this with so much ease. But then I thought about Martha, my supposed best friend, and how she was always my confidant. Anything about the Doctor and Kaeya that conflicted me I told Martha about. But now that she was in on it, so...who was I to tell?

Jerome was nice. He was the first one that spoke to me on my first day on the job. I knew he had a crush on me, it was pretty clear after Martha pointed it out and all its signs, but he never made a move...he acted as a friend, a better one than the two I lived with.

"And they haven't told you?" he asked.

'No. I don't think they ever will."

"Don't get sad," he reached for my chin and lifted my gaze up, "Hey, I got an idea. How about you and I go out for some lunch today?"

"You and I?" Well so much for the 'never made a move' thing.

"Yeah, I don't think it's a secret I like you. And I think I've been a coward for enough time," he said and I had to smile at that, "I know you love coffee, perhaps I could buy you one?"

"No...I can't," I shook my head, a date was the last thing I needed right now, especially not with the person I actually liked.

"Oh c'mon, perhaps dinner then?"

"I don't know..."

"Tell you what, I'll give you all day to think about. I was going to visit Michel anyways, and since he lives upstairs of your place, I'll drop by to hear your final decision," he winked.

"But Jerome-"

"Think about it," he stood straight, his hazel eyes gazing down at me, "I promise I won't make you sad like your friends have."

I sighed as he walked away. I didn't want to go out, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings either. He had been so sweet to me and I didn't have the heart to flat-out turn him down. Plus...maybe I was considering his date offer. It was clear the Doctor would never set eyes on me and I couldn't wait on him forever...and an innocent date perhaps couldn't hurt me and my sadness.

So why was I still so hesitant to accept the date?

~0~

I was placing clean dishes on the counter to dry out, waiting on Martha to return with our dinner ingredients for tonight. My mind had been filled with the usual thoughts that troubled me, but now it held whether or not I would accept Jerome's offer to go out tonight. My mind screamed yes, but my heart said another thing. The only one I wanted to go out with was currently in his room trying to work on some stupid contraption that could help us leave 1969 and his name was...

"Minerva, where's the toaster?" the Doctor questioned, making me flinch me in the process where I nearly dropped the plate I held to the floor, "Oh, sorry," he walked over and took the dish from me.

"What do you need a toaster for?" I snatched the dish away from him.

A little confused with that snatch, he eyed me for second, "Just...something I need. Are you okay?"

"You tell me," I muttered, placing the dish on the counter along with the rest.

"Um, I don't know, that's why I'm asking."

"As if you don't know," I scoffed, grabbing a towel to wipe the water that had spilled from several dishes.

"I don't, what's going on?" he frowned, reaching for my hand to stop me from moving.

"Don't!" I jerked my hand away from him, "I'm angry with you! Don't you see!?"

"Still? Minerva, give it a rest! It's been nearly a month since we arrived-"

"Exactly!" I cut him off with a small shout, "We've been here one month and you haven't said anything. How dare you!"

"Haven't said what?"

"And not to mention the past months we've spent traveling after 1913 so that's about three freaking months," I threw the towel to the sink and crossed my arms, "That's three months that you haven't said anything to me."

"Okay, I'm confused-"

"And I'm not? Doctor, there are two months of my life that I don't know about yet you do," he was now completely silent, knowing exactly what I was talking about, "You and Martha know how I lost my memories and neither of you have told me anything!"

"It didn't matter..." he mumbled so low I barely heard.

"Apparently it did because Kaeya took all those memories away from me!"

He looked up, completely stunned that I knew about it, "You...you...know?"

"I heard you and Martha talking about it! And just so you know, yes, I am angry. I am very angry with you and Martha."

"We were only trying to avoid you getting upset while y-you were w-weak," he tried to explain, yet stuttering in his final words.

"No, you were trying to hide your girlfriend's dirty work! She stole my memories! You didn't tell me she did nor tell me what happened in those two months."

"I was trying to keep you away from a pain-"

"No you were trying to hide Kaeya's work, keep her image clean. Well let me tell you something," I stepped up, the anger threatening to turn into hot tears in my eyes, "You and Martha don't get to decide what I know. I demand that you tell me what happened that made Kaeya steal my memories. Did I anger her? Did I anger you? Martha?"

"No," he shook his head, "You didn't."

"Then what did I do!?"

"It doesn't matter-"

"Yes it does! For once this does! It matters to me this time and you are purposefully keeping it away from me. How dare you? We promised to tell each other everything and you're breaking it!"

At that moment, we heard the front door opening, "I got the pasta, Minerva!" Martha called, the door closing behind her. She walked in and set the bags on the table, glancing at us for only a second, "What's wrong?"

"Kaeya stole my memories, that's what's wrong," I answered, seeing her eyes widen.

"You...remember?" she whispered, walking up beside the Doctor.

"You're supposed to be my best friend and you kept that away from me? What's wrong with both of you!? I trust both of you to be honest with me and this is what I get instead?"

"You don't understand," Martha sighed.

"You're right, which is why I told the Doctor that I demand to know what Kaeya stole from me." But all I got was silence, the two simply exchanging glances. "WELL?" You might as well hear the crickets because nothing was being said.

"Unbelievable, neither of you will say anything. I need to get out of here," I moved around them.

"No, wait," the Doctor grabbed my arm.

"Are you gonna explain?" I inquired, looking from him to Martha. Nothing. "I'm getting out of here," I jerked my arm away from the Martian.

"Where are you going to go?" Martha asked, both of them following me into the living room.

"...on a date!" I exclaimed the first words that popped into my head, the offer Jerome made sounding like paradise because it got me out of the house for hours.

"A date?" Both of them repeated, surprised.

"Yeah, I got asked out on a date and I'm gonna go," I informed them. It wasn't exactly what I'd been thinking of doing but it was the first thing that came out of my mouth so now I was going to do it "I don't want to be anywhere near either of you! And since I can't exactly go to my grandmother's I guess some hours will have to do."

"You can't do that," the Doctor frowned.

"Oh yes I can!"

"No," he stepped up, having the audacity to be angry about it.

And since it got a kick out of him, I was most certainly going out tonight, "I'm going on a date, getting away from you and Martha."

"Who are you going with!?"

"A co-worker, Jerome."

"HIM?"

"Yes!"

"Minerva, you can't go with him."

"And why the hell not?"

"Because...because he's..." it seemed like he was biting his tongue with great struggle, "...he's not..."

"I can do whatever I want. And right now, you two are the last people I want to see," I turned for the hallway and walked for my room, biting my own tongue to keep my tears from escaping.

Both of them looked so hurt, but neither of them compared to me. I felt so betrayed...like they had chosen Kaeya over me. How could they do that to me? Even the Doctor. Sure, he loved her but did that mean he'd choose her even though she'd done something bad? Is that what love was?

~0~

I was picking up my hair into a ponytail when there was a knock on the door. I actually commend them for not trying sooner. Maybe they were that guilty.

"Minerva? Can I please come in?" Martha asked politely.

I wore a knee-length red, black and white plaid dress with thin straps. It was a tad shorter than what I was used to but apparently it was a common type of dress for night outings in this era. Still, I wore a thin, long-sleeve white turtleneck jumper underneath. I also wore knee-length socks and red mary-jane shoes. I thought I looked ridiculous, honestly. This was one odd era...

"This is your room too, Martha," I reminded coldly, maintaining my gaze on the mirror in front of me when she came inside.

She and I shared the room and left the Doctor with the other one. It was a nice room with a rather comfy bed and vanity desk. There was a clothing wardrobe which we both shared, having some clothes we bought with our job money. It was nice...too bad my roommate was a secret-keeping-betraying best friend.

"You look nice," she commented quietly.

"Mhm."

"I'm sorry," she walked up, standing behind me, looking at the mirror since I wouldn't turn to her.

"You know, I would kinda expect this from the Doctor seeing as he freaking loves Kaeya, but you? You say all these things about Kaeya and yet you keep something like this from me?"

"It's more complicated, that's all..."

"Complicated how?" I turned to her, my hair all picked up now.

"It's not my story to tell," she whispered.

"What the hell does that even mean!?" I shouted. She flinched and stepped back.

"Just please don't go out, stay with us."

"And then what? Neither of you are gonna tell me!"

"Maybe the Doctor will, but he's really upset right now and-"

"Oh and I'm picking up daisies because I'm so freaking happy!"

"Minerva he's jealous," she smiled brightly as if it was the best thing in the world.

"No he's not, he's angry because I don't want to listen to him."

"Don't let your anger blind you. He's raging out there," she pointed back, "Because he's jealous, Minerva. He's bloody jealous!"

"I don't have time for this," I walked past her, "This time your hopeful words aren't gonna work on me. I have a date to go to which will hopefully help me forget yours and the Doctor's betrayal."

"I'm sorry..."

I shook my head, shutting my eyes to keep away the water, and walked out.

~0~

Poor Billy Shipton landed with a thud against a wall, in 1969, after just being in a parking lot with a couple Angel statues.

"Welcome," Martha greeted with a soft smile, the man's head quickly snapping to see her and the Doctor a couple feet behind, "It's okay, it's best if you stay down," Martha put a hand on his shoulder, glancing back at the Doctor for him to speak.

"Where am I?" Billy looked around, seeing it was now dark and not raining as it had been only a second ago.

Martha awaited for the Doctor to speak, only for him to turn his head from them, she sighed and looked at Billy with her soft smile, "It's the year 1969," she began her explanation, though knowing only the Doctor could explain it well. But seeing he was still peeved over Minerva she knew better than to wait for him to talk.

"1969?" Billy blinked.

"It's not as bad as it goes. My best friend Minerva said this is the year of the moon landing, she's clever like that. She remembers things so well."

"Let's not talk about her right now, shall we?" the Doctor said sourly, now approaching the pair with a device that was currently clicking and beeping.

Martha rolled her eyes, knowing Minerva was all he wanted to talk about. The man had been fuming after Minerva had left, saying who the hell this 'Jerome' man was and where did he come from and why Minerva was with him and not them. She tried reminding him that Minerva was angry and hurt they kept what Kaeya had done a secret. She even went as far as saying that he had some fault for not organizing his feelings for Minerva and Kaeya. Because if he wasn't so confused he would've told Minerva straight away about their love adventure in 1913 and would've told her how she'd made his human version fall in love with her in less than three days. Minerva would've been thrilled to know she'd gotten some of his feelings out because it would only mean that the original version, the Doctor himself, had already fallen for her as well.

But the man was just too conflicted...apparently.

Martha secretly thought the Doctor was just afraid to admit he'd already chosen her best friend faster than he'd even realized.

"How did I get here?" Billy asked, watching how the Doctor remained silent yet again, looking furious for some reason.

"The same way we did," the Doctor replied, " The touch of an angel. Same one, probably, since you ended up in the same year. I wouldn't get up though," he warned as Billy started up again, "Time travel without a capsule, nasty. Catch your breath, don't go swimming for half an hour."

"I don't...I can't..."

"Fascinating race, the Weeping Angels. The only psychopaths in the universe to kill you nicely. No mess, no fuss, they just zap you into the past and let you live to death. The rest of your life used up and blown away in the blink of an eye. You die in the past, and in the present they consume the energy of all the days you might have had, all your stolen moments. They're creatures of the abstract. They live off potential energy."

"You're talking at light speed again," Martha remarked, smiling with joy.

"What in God's name are you talking about?" Billy blinked, looking both he and Martha as the craziest people he's met.

"We were tracking you down," the Doctor explained, "Though I thought Minerva would be around to help..."

Martha smirked, "She could've been with us if you would've told her about Kaeya straight away. Honestly, your 'confusion' is gonna drive Minerva away from you."

"I don't need your warnings," he rolled his eyes, he had enough problems to face with and the last thing he needed was a set of reminders.

"Can you believe it?" Martha glanced at Billy who was just completely lost, "You had a crush on Sally Sparrow, right? That's what the file said. Would you let a pretty girl like that get away from you?'

"No," he replied instantly, only understanding that part out of everything.

"Exactly. And it's already starting with the fact Minerva's on a date," Martha said, smirking again, "And you know, you say you're confused, yet the fact you're practically fuming and bursting with jealousy tells me you may not be so confused anymore."

"Is anyone going to explain to me where I am?" Billy looked around, his head hurting from all the confusion.

The Doctor looked at Martha for a good minute, trying to come up with something to say to her, could it really be true? He shook his head, he had to get her and Minerva out of 1969 before he decided on anything. Their safety was first. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to Martha or Minerva...Minerva...

Again, he shook his head and practically forced himself to focus on Billy and the task that had been appropriated to him, "Normally, I'd offer you a lift home, but somebody nicked my motor. So I need you to take a message to Sally Sparrow. And I'm sorry Billy, I am very, very sorry. It's gonna take you a while."

~0~

Minerva's POV.

I sat on the couch, sniffling and sniffling away. My "date" had finished up early, seeing as I just could not be with someone I simply didn't like. Jerome deserved better than that. He was so sweet throughout the whole time, wanting to know what was wrong yet not pushing me to speak. But as much as I wanted to have fun, I couldn't...not when the two people about in my life and I were angry with each other. I had returned home early, wanting to try again and talk, but found the apartment completely empty. They'd gone somewhere without me. So I started to think about everything, as usual, and started crying...

It was getting to be too much...

But then I heard the door opening, and Martha's voice emerging with the Doctor's.

"Minerva, you're back," she gasped lightly, she and the Doctor rounding around the couch.

I quickly wiped my tears and sat up straight, "Y-yeah, I came back early."

"Did you have fun?" she tried to act as if she had been on board for the date from the beginning. Could she not see some of the tears that lingered on my face?

"Yeah, ecstatically fun..."

The Doctor sighed, setting that contraption of his on the table and moving to sit beside me, "Martha, can you leave us for a moment?"

"Are you sure? What are you gonna do?" She seemed a bit surprised for some reason.

"Something," he eyed her, the two sharing a silent moment that only left me confused.

"Okay, I'll be in our room..." she looked at me, "...and I'm sorry, Minerva. Really," she turned and walked away.

"If you're not gonna tell me anything then go away," I scooted away from the Martian.

"Come here," he tried pulling me back.

"No," I shook my head, "You do that and somehow make me all happy again. Not this time. And I know I say that every time I'm crossed with you but this time I mean it. You can't smooth-talk yourself out of this. I demand to know what happened that made Kaeya want to steal my memories."

"I'm gonna tell you what happened."

I glanced at him, carefully looking for any detail in his face that would show he was lying...but I found none, "Really?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

Quietly, I scooted back, putting my hands together on my lap and looking down. I didn't want to blush, I didn't want to fall for his little soft looks, I didn't want him to win me over with some stupid cute manners. No. Not this time. I wanted to know what happened. "You can start now," I mumbled.

"First of all, I don't want you to be angry with Martha. If there's anyone you should be angry with, it's me and only me. I asked her not to say anything. She was only being a friend to me."

"What happened?" I whispered, tired of asking a question that I shouldn't even have to ask about. It should be a given that I should know about it.

"You met someone...and...he fell in love with you."

My head snapped up, eyes wide with shock, "What?"

"You met someone, but you made it clear that you just wanted to be friends...but you were just that amazing that he couldn't help it and he fell in love with you."

"Who...who was it?" I was more than shocked to hear such a story, but even when I looked at the Doctor, I couldn't see any sign that he was lying. Someone...had actually fallen in love with me? Even thinking about it sounded all wrong.

"Um, he was a teacher of the school we hid in. Nice man, good, um, his name was Jack."

"Oh..." I gotta say I was a bit disappointed, yet I didn't know for what exactly, "...did, did I hurt him? Is that what I did? I hurt an innocent man!?"

"No! No! You didn't hurt anyone," he quickly assured, seeing me tense up at the possibility, "He was in danger that last night we were there..." he started smiling, "...but you took care of him."

"And you? Did I take care of you too? Or did I abandon you and Martha?"

"You took care of all of us, Minerva, don't worry."

I nodded, believing it, "So...why did Kaeya steal my memory? Why can't I remember any of that stuff?"

"In the end," his gaze fell for a second, "Words were said, things were done, hearts were broken."

"Oh my god I broke his heart," I put my hand over my chest, feeling horrible. I knew what that felt like, I practically lived with it...and for me to go and do that to some poor man... "I am despicable," I shook my head.

"Don't say that," he said softly, actually looking like I had done nothing wrong and was just a little white dove.

"Doctor, I broke someone's heart, okay? I knew that I would be leaving and yet I let that poor man develop these feelings for me. Is that why Kaeya took my memories? Because I was guilty?"

"She took your memories so that you wouldn't be in pain. She wanted to help you avoid that."

"So she took...pity on me?" I frowned, not sounding so sure that was correct.

"No, not pity..."

"Well, whatever it was, she had no right to do that," I shook my head, my anger diminishing with him and Martha. I wasn't angry with Kaeya either, simply upset she'd taken that liberty that didn't belong to her, "I have a right to remember all these things, no matter how hard it was."

"I know and I'm sorry for that," the Doctor sighed.

"Is there any way to remember those two months?"

"I don't think there is..."

"Oh..." I looked at my hands again, not sure if I should feel guilt for something I couldn't even remember. The fact stood that I had broken someone's heart and I couldn't even remember them.

"But, he's fine, Minerva...he's okay," the Doctor tried to ease my guilt, "He was fine."

"Really?"

He nodded, "Yes. He understood in the end and he was just fine. Now c'mon, no more crying and no more angry Minerva, I don't like her very much."

I smiled dimly, "Me neither..."

"So we're okay now? No more anger?"

"We're good. I just really hope I'll remember one day. I owe it to Jack to remember him." I would've asked to return and find the man but I couldn't dare look him in the face and tell him I couldn't remember him. I couldn't do that to him.

"So you don't have to go on anymore dates to get away from us."

I raised an eyebrow, recalling Martha's words before I left, "Did my date bother you?"

"What!? No!"

"Cause you seem fairly upset..."

"Of course I was upset, you were angry with me. I don't like that."

"Me neither," I admitted shyly. It felt all wrong, but he wouldn't know that. The ego was grow.

"You know what, to make this a little better, why don't we go out for some pastries?"

"Right now?"

"Yeah, we'll get Martha and go have some desserts together."

"And skip a proper dinner?" I pretended to gasp.

He shrugged, "I'm bad like that."

I laughed, "Alright Oncoming Storm, calm down. You'll get a massive toothache if you keep that up," I wagged a finger, about to get up when I noticed his contraption again, "Okay, what the hell is that?" I pointed, plopping back down.

"Hm?"

"That," I pointed at it again.

"Oh!" he reached for it, "It's my timey-wimey detector. It goes ding when there's stuff!" he held it between us, twisting it around for me to see.

"Timey wimey?" I raised an eyebrow, the Doctor nodding like a child, "Ding when there's stuff?" he nodded again, flashy grin on his face, "They should really reconsider the whole 'Oncoming Storm' name," I shook my head, not helping the chuckle I let escape.

"Oi, it's very effective."

"Mhm," I took the device into my hands, "So what are the side effects?"

"Why do you suppose there are some?" He tried playing offended.

"Because you're you. So what is it?"

His face morphed into a pout fairly fast, "It can boil an egg at 30 paces..." he mumbled.

"Whether you want it or not?"

"Yes...hens are not pretty when they blow."

"You're an idiot," I started laughing, feeling him snatch his contraption away.

"Can't be that big of an idiot if it was able to track down Billy Shipton."

"He's here now?" I stopped laughing, knowing we were one step to getting out of here.

"Yeah, and he's got the message and is gonna help us record those Easter Eggs."

"That's great," I stood up, "And you know what? We should go out on a pastry spree to celebrate. I'll get Martha and maybe change a bit," I tugged on the turtleneck I wore, "This isn't very comfortable."

He set the contraption beside him and stood up, "I imagine. I'll wait here, then."

I looked at him for a moment before hugging him, "Thank you."

"What's this for?" he sounded surprised yet still hugged back.

"For telling me what happened, thank you."

"Don't..."

"No, really, thank you. Even if it's bad, I want to know what happened."

"...I'm sorry," he tightened our hug.

"For what?" I pulled away.

"Just...sorry," he looked very sincere that I just nodded and accepted it.

"I'm gonna go get Martha and then we can go, alright?"

"Okay."

I smiled again and turned away, hurrying off for Martha. I burst inside, Martha immediately getting off the bed and hurrying up to me, "Minerva, I'm really sorry," she began, "The Doctor told me not to say anything because he was con-"

"Martha, it's okay," I took her for a surprise hug.

"It...it is?"

"Yeah, I get it now. Completely," I pulled away.

"Really?" she seemed confused yet shocked.

"Yeah. Kaeya just wanted to rid me of my guilt, even if she had no right to do so but I guess it was with a good intention. But the Doctor explained everything. He told me of Jack, the man that fell in love with me."

And suddenly her shock and confusion turned into what one could say was irritation, "Jack?"

"Yeah. That poor teacher I somehow managed to make him love me. I feel terrible for it."

"'Jack' fell in love with you..." she nodded, looking to the side inn thought.

"Yeah, and the Doctor told me he asked you not to say anything. But truthfully, I wasn't actually angry, I was hurt. I thought you chose Kaeya over me..."

"WHAT? Minerva, you know I don't have very good feelings towards the woman," she reminded me, taking my hands, "You're my best friend."

"I know and I feel awful about what I said earlier...so sorry," I hugged her again.

She sighed, "It's alright. I'm sorry too."

"So the Doctor suggested we go get some pastries for dinner," I pulled away and headed for the clothing wardrobe.

"Really?" and there came her usual, teasing tone that I had truthfully missed.

"Yeah, so get your jacket and let's go. I just want a sweater or something," I pulled out a white cardigan, "I hate turtlenecks."

"So this is like a date," she smirked.

"No, because it's us three," I pointed at her.

"Now that you're not angry with us, you should really know how jealous the Doctor was," she made her way over, inspecting the white cardigan I had taken out, "Fuming, I tell you. If you and Jerome hadn't left so quick, he would've been punched in the face."

"Oh come now, Martha, let's not exaggerate," I tried hiding my smile. Now that my head was clear, it was trying to picture the Doctor in his 'fuming' state. I shouldn't be...but I was...

"You know it's true," Martha wagged a finger.

"We were angry with each other, and..."

"And nothing, he was jealous and that's that. And we can work with jealousy."

"What are you thinking of?" I frowned, slightly afraid of her antics with all this jealousy talk.

"Your birthday."

"Martha, that's still a couple weeks away."

"Try two weeks," she tapped my head, "How do you forget that?" But don't you worry, I am gonna find something completely extravagant for you to wear, and it'll make his mouth drop to the ground, possibly the center of the earth."

"Oh Martha," I blushed and moved around her, going for the bathroom we had in the room, "One simple dress won't change anything."

"Hm, you'd be surprised. That's how mum and dad met, actually, don't tell them I told you that," she quickly shook her head, "But I'm serious."

"Tell you what, I'll leave that all up to you because I know there is no power on earth that would get you to reconsider."

"Leave it to your best friend," she shrugged, smiling proudly.

~ 0 ~

I now wore a closed, buttoned up, white cardigan with long sleeves. It was much better than the stupid turtle-neck I had on earlier. Never would I wear those again. Martha and I returned to the living room where the Doctor promptly awaited for us.

"I'm telling you both this right now, I want chocolate," Martha announced, "I don't care what it is, cupcakes, cake, brownies, just make it chocolate."

"Yes ma'am," I saluted to her.

"Shall we go, then?" the Doctor gestured to the door.

"Yes," we both answered him with grins.

We made our way down to the streets which were crowded with people. Martha moved beside me, cautiously watching for the first bakery we found that was open and not too crowded.

"Oh, look," the Doctor grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a shop, "They have kittens," he pointed happily.

"Doctor, I'm allergic to kittens," I reminded, although the ones in the basket were actually really adorable. It was a pet shelter, apparently, and the kittens were set up near the display glass.

"I'm not taking you inside," he shrugged, "Just showing you."

"They're adorable," Martha remarked, ignoring us for a second, "Tish had one...then she let it get free," she frowned, "She had one job. Close the door."

I chuckled, "Oh Martha."

"It was adorable! She was named Sparkles."

"Sparkles?" the Doctor and I repeated, both giving her looks.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" She put her hand on her hip, her expression warning us to be very careful with how we answered.

"No!" We quickly shook our heads.

"Mm, let's just go," she nodded for us to continue, which we quickly did to avoid her sharp look. A moment later, she moved beside me again, whispering some words to me, "Good way of not getting lost," she smirked, eyeing us for some reason.

The Doctor and I were still holding hands.

Martha chuckled when she no doubt saw my face. I hadn't even noticed when that happened.

"Hold down the bluuuush," Martha sing-sang quietly...but I still elbowed her on the side.

Then I glanced at the Martian who was busy looking at the passing shops. I smiled softly and looked straight ahead, for once allowing my blush to continue. This was this was just such a nice moment that I wish would never have to end.

~0~

Late October.

"I'm back!" I called as soon as I entered the apartment, the Doctor and Martha sitting on the couch doing their respectful activities.

"Oh, what you got there?" Martha eyed the big, red squared present I held in my arms.

"Early birthday present from Jerome," I informed as I walked over, setting it on the table, "I wanna open it now!"

"He gave you a present?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow, not sounding too fond of it.

"Mhm, he said he and his family we're going out on some one-month trip so he gave me my present in advance," I clapped my hands together, "Can I please open it now?"

Martha chuckled, "It's your birthday present. You can open it whenever you want."

"Oh that's right." And so I started ripping off the wrapping paper, until I could see a box underneath. I gasped at the sight of my new game, especially when I realized just what game it was. "Oh my god!"

"What is it?" Both friends asked. Of course they wouldn't know about it.

"Oh my god..." I passed a hand down the box, "...I haven't seen this in years. It's Wahoo." I looked up with a grin.

"Yahoo?" Martha raised an eyebrow, before sneezing.

"No, Wahoo," I corrected, holding up the game board box for them to see it better. "And bless you by the way. It's this game my grandfather and I used to play when I was a kid. It's so much fun. Oh I can't believe he remembered..."

"You told him about the game?" the Doctor asked.

"Yeah, we were talking and somehow it just came up," I sighed contently, "I love it. Absolutely love it."

"Well how about we play a game, then?" Martha suggested, chuckling when I immediately nodded. "But you'll have to explain to me how to play because I've never seen one of those in my life."

"No problem! Doctor, you wanna join?"

"No," he shook his head, a bit fast too. My excitement faded away as he stood up quickly too. It was almost like he couldn't wait to get out of here.

"Why not?"

"Um..." he stared down at the game board, "...no thank you."

But more than that, he just seemed upset. "Please?" I tried again, hoping that my sweet smile might change his mind. Martha did say - and even the Doctor occasionally -that I could get him to agree to anything whenever I used that smile. "I really wanna show you how to play. Pleeeeease?"

He met my gaze for the longest of minutes. My sweet smile remained as strong as I could make it until finally...

"Fine," he sighed.

I beamed. Before he could change his mind, I reached over for his hand then grabbed the game board to head over to the kitchen. Martha quickly followed behind. I set the game up on the table and carefully placed each marble on their designated row.

"There," I let the dices drop over the board. "Alright, first I'm going to get us some drinks because this can last a while. Be back!" I shot them a wink and hurried out of my chair.

Martha showed up a few seconds later. She had a face that made me worry for my ears because she definitely had something to say. "You know why he's upset, right?" She whispered, coughing slightly.

"No," I shrugged. I poured some orange juice into the three glasses on the counter (because none of us were interested in drinking). "And do you want some aspirin? That's not sounding too well."

"It's just a lousy cold going around," Martha waved me off, coughing a little harder, "But you're too oblivious for your own good, Minerva." She patted my arm, "He's upset that Jerome gave you a present you love."

"So? I'm sure you would've given me a present I would've 'loved'."

"Yeah, with the difference being I'm not after you and Jerome is. He has a crush on you and clearly gave you the game as a way to sneak into your heart," she crossed her arms, "Something the Doctor over there is very much disliking."

"If only he knew he already snuck into my heart," I sighed, sadly smiling. It was the saddest irony of all that he would probably never see.

Jerome might have given me a present that I loved, but I loved more the fact that I got to share it with someone I really cared for. One special Martian who could not understand the concept of the game.

~0~

"Minerva? Minerva!?" Someone shook me gently before coughing quite loudly.

"Mm, what?" I scooted away from my coughing roommate.

"Happy Birthday!"

I opened my eyes, suddenly remembering it was indeed the 31st of October. Halloween...and my birthday. I sat up, seeing Martha grinning widely but with her eyes a red and watery from her cold she acquired a couple days ago.

"Happy birthday!" She threw her arms around me, "Happy birthday, oblivious, clever girl!"

I patted her back and chuckled, "Was this an insult or a compliment?"

She pulled back and grinned, "A compliment of course!"

I shook my head and got out of bed, heading for the wardrobe, "Well thank you."

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" She hopped off the bed and quickly ran over, smacking my hand off the handle piece. "No!"

I rubbed my hand, a small frown on my face, "What?"

"I need you to shower so I can curl your hair," She grabbed the sleeve of my nightie and pulled me for the bathroom.

"You realize we don't have a curler right?"

"I've got pins to die for!" She opened the door and pushed me inside then returned to the drawers. She pulled out a new white nightie with a white-silver robe.

"I'm gonna wear pajamas all day on my birthday?" I raised an eyebrow, my hands out for the new pair of clothes.

"Just until it's time to go out tonight. I thought we could spend the day here," she walked over, coughing into her arm.

"You know we don't have to even go out tonight," I watched her sadly, "You're sick and-"

"I'll be fine," she waved me off and handed me the clothes, "Now go shower."

I sighed and did as told, going to shower as my best friend ordered.

~0~

"All set," Martha stepped back, allowing me to finally stand up, "I should get a medal because I calculated the right amount of bobby-pins needed to hold up all that long hair of yours."

Martha had pinned up all my hair with about three packs of bobby-pins. There were only a few strands that fell to the sides of my face, but overall she did do a good job considering the amount and length of my hair.

I closed my robe and headed for the door, my stomach grumbling since an hour ago, "Can we please eat now?"

She chuckled, following behind, "Alright, alright, what do you want?" She sneezed.

"Bless you."

"Thank you."

"I think I'll make you something," I shook my head, "Maybe chicken soup."

"No, no, you can't cook on your birthday."

"What? Do my hands magically stop working because it's my birthday?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Sit," I plopped her down on a chair of the kitchen table, "How about some nice french toast?"

We heard the door opening as I walked to the cupboards, a small smile escaping my lips as I thought of how the Martian would greet me. So I felt it odd that silence fell over, save for a pair of footsteps...until a pair of hands covered my eyes.

"Guess who?"

I smiled bigger, "Um...a ridiculous, banana-loving alien?"

"No..."

I could just imagine his pout behind me, "A Martian?"

"You just know how to ruin this, don't you?" the Doctor lowered his hands and spun me around, allowing me to see his big grin, "Hello."

"Hi," I replied, a stupid blush already working on my face.

"It's a nice day, isn't it?" He looked out the window above the sink.

"Yeah, looks sunny."

"Hm, that's nice..." he stuffed his hands in his pockets, acting oh-so-casual as he moved around me.

That's when I saw a bag on the table that Martha was eyeing silently. Poor thing was so sick she didn't even have enough focus to make her usual pep talks about the Doctor and I.

"What's this?" I walked for the table, first of all placing a hand on Martha's forehead, "No fever yet. Still in business" She smiled, "But this bag smells pretty nice..." I leaned on the table, peering over the bag and getting a whiff of strawberries, "Mmm."

"Well I thought I could make some nice breakfast..." the Doctor began, but flinched when Martha and I yelled out a 'NO'.

"Sorry, but...we don't want an accident," I turned to him, offering him a kind smile. He could save the world but he failed miserably at cooking.

"We're just teaching you how to use a blender right now," Martha added.

"Let's not argue kids," I gestured them to calm down.

"Not today," the Doctor agreed, pulling another grin, "Because..." His grin turned into a playful smile.

I couldn'thelp the huge grin that broke across my face upon his look. "...it's my birthday?" Alright, maybe I liked the extra attention I was about to get today. Dud that sound selfish?

The Doctor nodded and rushed up to hug me. I laughed when his arms winded around my waist for a spinning hug. "Happy birthday!" He exclaimed.

"Thank you!" I said when he set me down. We turned back for the table and the first thing I saw was Martha smirking at us. Of course when her coughing fits returned, she didn't have the opportunity to comment.

"So I brought breakfast," the Doctor gestured to the bag on the table.

"What is it?" Martha nearly demanded, seeming as though she had been trying to figure that out this whole time.

"I believe they were Strawberry crepes with whip cream."

Martha nearly ripped the bag open.

"Martha!" I laughed, the woman bashfully looking at us while holding the plastic box.

"Sorry, birthday girl goes first," she held the box to us.

"No, birthday girl's sick best friend goes first," I took the box from her and placed it on the table in front of her, "Do you want some coffee?"

"No, tea," she corrected.

"Right, yes," I opened the box for her, "Doctor, what about you?" I glanced back and found him staring at us with a soft smile. "Are you gonna want some?" Still silence. "Doctor!"

He blinked and shook his head, "Yes! What's going on?"

"You had that look again," I walked up to him.

"What look?" He still seemed to be shaken up for some reason.

"That look I told you about," I smiled, moving around him, "I was just asking if you wanted some coffee or tea for breakfast."

"Oh, um...surprise me," he joined me as I took out milk from the fridge, followed by maple syrup, "What are you doing?"

"I like to put maple syrup in my coffee," I shrugged.

"Isn't that like a supplement for caramel?" Martha called, also confused.

"Maybe, I don't know. Point is, I like maple syrup in my coffee, not caramel."

"You're strange," the Doctor remarked, making me scoff.

"Says the 903 year old alien who lives in a box," I smirked.

"You live in that box as well."

I rolled my eyes and started on my work, "Go bring Martha a fork so she can eat."

"I don't need to be babied, guys," Martha sighed when the Doctor brought her the fork. "Thanks," she took it from him. "I've got a cold but I don't feel so bad."

"Yet," I said.

"Hey, I was able to pin up all that hair of yours without taking a break so I don't think I'm that sick. But perhaps a hair cut would be nice enough to make it easier."

"Oh no!" I shook my head, shooting her a sharp look, "My hair shall always stay long. My mother always tried making me cut it and I never did except for the tips. I wouldn't be me without my long hair."

"Yeah but all I'm saying is maybe a tad shorter?" she tried again.

"Noooo. I'd have to be completely mad to cut my hair. Either that or I'd have to be brainwashed."

She just laughed.

"So if I'm ever sick or just not me, I trust both of you to stop such a monstrosity," I pointed at both of them, the pair simply nodding, "Thank you."

A couple minutes later, I returned with two teas and a coffee. Martha coughed again, sounding like she was actually in pain.

"Martha, are you sure you don't want to go lay in bed?" I asked, standing beside her with my hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," she waved me off, "Just-" And then she sneezed.

"-sick," I finished for her, shaking my head, "Doctor, don't you have something to make her feel better?"

"Just the usual things," he shrugged, "Recommendations to stay in bed and eat some soup. If I had the TARDIS..."

"I don't want to eat soup. I want my two friends to sit with me and eat breakfast to celebrate my best friend's birthday," Martha motioned for us to take our seats, "Now."

We sighed and took our seats, the Doctor reaching for his tea while I took out the rest of the food and set it for us.

I grabbed the maple syrup bottle and poured some into my mug. I almost rolled my eyes when I saw them both giving me weird looks,."What?" I set the bottle on the table.

"That can't be good," the Doctor shook his head.

"Isn't it too sweet?" Martha sipped her tea.

"No, it's just fine," I opened up my box of crepes, but both of them continued giving me the same look. I sighed, "Here, one of you try it," I pushed my mug to the center of the table.

"No thank you," Martha dug into her breakfast, "I'll get you sick."

"Doctor?" I pushed my mug to him, my sweet smile ready to go.

Martha smirked as the Martian reached for my mug. I dug my fork into my own meal, watching him slowly drink my coffee.

"This, um..." he started making faces, distasteful ones. I rolled my eyes, crossing my legs and grabbing a forkful of my food, "...it's, uh...not so goo-" I shoved my fork into his mouth as soon as his head turned to me.

Martha burst out laughing.

The Doctor made more faces as he struggled to chew the massive amount of food in his mouth, poor thing glancing at me with a pout. I smirked, raising an eyebrow as if daring him to say something to me. Of course, he didn't.

It was moments like these that made my heart nearly burst of happiness, my birthday just happening to be a small perk.

~0~

"Voila-" Poor Martha coughed and coughed and coughed, barely able to get the last bobby pin out of my hair.

"Martha," I turned to her, walking her for the bed, "I'm serious, we don't need to go out. But what we do need to do is get you in bed so you can get some rest."

"No," she shook her head, stopping us midway, "It's okay, I'll sleep after we come back tonight. But...you look fantastic," she clapped her hands together.

"Thank you," I pushed a strand of my now curly hair behind my ear, "But you need to get some rest."

"After," she waved me off and turned us back for the vanity desk, running her hands through my hair to elongate the curls, "I told you the pins would do it."

"You are remarkable," I nodded, "I've never curled my hair before. Never had the need..."

"Ah, but this time you have a man to stun," she started chuckling, "And believe me, you definitely will."

"I dress for myself, thank you very much," I turned to her, "Impressing someone comes after your own concept of yourself."

"Nicely said."

"But in all honesty, thank you for your gift," I turned for the mirror, gazing upon my new dress, "It's so pretty!"

"Thought you might like it," she crossed her arms, "It just spoke 'Minerva'."

I wore a baby pink dress that reached above my knees which was once again shorter than what I was used to. It was sleeveless with a diagonally draped bodice and a deep v-neckline on the back. There was a more decent one in the front. It had a wide silver band under the bust with shiny silver thread accents. The skirt was flowy and lined, creating a more princess style. I wore open-toed silver heels with the the buckle at the ankle; they were actually very comfortable. My hair was left down, its length slightly shortened with it being curled, and only a silver clip holding a section back on the left side of my head.

I absolutely adored it! My best friend was amazing and no one could tell me otherwise.

"Thank you so much!" I spun around to give Martha the biggest hug possible.

She chuckled, breaking into a cough in the end sadly, "You're...welcome."

I pulled away, "And be sure to wear a jacket. In fact," I walked over to pull one out, not about to let her go out into the night without a jacket.

"Yes, mum," she saluted.

"That's mOm," I teased.

"Muuuum," she walked over, taking the red jacket from me.

"Mooooom."

"What are you gonna do when your kids call you mum?" She raised an eyebrow, a playful teasing smile spreading on her face, only making my stomach churn with the guess of what she would be saying next. "I mean, unless the Doctor suddenly turns American, your mini-yous are so gonna be English."

"Martha!" I pushed her away, blushing madly at the thought of the Martian and I having...kids. That was both uncomfortable and freaky...not to mention utterly impossible.

"What?" Martha laughed, "It could happen," she shrugged, "Though it better not be anytime soon."

"Martha Elizabeth Jones!"

"Elizabeth isn't my middle name..." she blinked.

"I don't know what it is so I just put one to emphasize how discontent I am with your words!"

"Maybe you should name your daughter Elizabeth!" She gasped, seeing how much of a kick she was getting out of me.

I rolled my eyes and walked past her, taking the keys off the desk and heading for the door, "Knock it off, Martha Jones."

"What? No Elizabeth? Is that reserved for your little brunette? Because she would so be brunette."

"MARTHA!"

"And how about the boy, eh? What would you name him? Or...how does a Time Lord name their kids?" She was actually thinking of all that stuff, truly. "How would you name them? Give them an Earth name and then...what, a title?"

"We are not discussing this!" I snapped, abruptly turning to her. She bumped into me as a result. "It's impossible, okay? It can never happen," I mumbled and walked for the living room. The Doctor was coming out of the kitchen just then.

"But seriously!" Martha insisted. She was genuinely curious, I knew, but that was the last thing I wanted to be talking about in front of the Doctor.

"Martha!" I shouted, dropping the keys to the floor in the process.

"Oh come now, Martha, you're not allowed to fight with the birthday girl," the Doctor came over and bent down for the keys. I stuck my tongue out at Martha in victory. She merely rolled her eyes at me. "She needs to be hap..."

He just...stopped.

"Something wrong?" Martha moved beside me with the usual smirk crossing her face.

When Zian trailed me over, the only thing I wanted to do was to run away. I wanted to hide, to desperately avoid his look, his eyes and yet...when the Doctor did it, my heart skipped about five beats then proceeded to skip at light speed. He picked up the keys off the floor, his gaze stuck on my ankles, traveling up my legs, to my dress, and finally my face. By that point, I must have been red.

"Wow..." He breathed when he was finally standing up.

"I did good, didn't I?" Martha raised an eyebrow, glancing between us.

My heart continued skipping beats, my face feeling like it was the hottest day of the summer, my breath short as I tried to breathe like a normal human being...all because of one Martian's stupid gaze.

"I...look okay?" was my genius question.

"Y-yeah!" He nodded fairly fast, making me smile, "You look stunning."

"Thanks, you don't look bad yourself," I trailed his black and white suit, "You look...good."

"Yeah, still uneasy about the whole black tie thing because as we all know..." He swayed his head as we all recalled Lazarus.

"Well this time there's no aliens around except for you," I reminded him.

"You'd have to screw up seriously big this time," Martha crossed her arms.

"I won't," he assured, "And the keys?" He held them for us.

"You should keep them, neither of have pockets," I said.

"Right." And so he stuffed them in his own pocket, "Shall we get going, then?"

"Where exactly are we going?" I looked between him and Martha, this whole night having been kept a secret by both of them even after my pleads and begs to know about it.

"Secret," they both answered, the Doctor linking arms with me while Martha walked for the door.

"But my curiosity-"

"Always gets the best of you," they finished for me, "We know!"

I frowned, "Can't I please have a clue?"

"Nope!"

"But-"

"Nope!"

And so that's how I was dragged out into the streets, on Halloween, blindfolded the whole time. If they wanted to leave me somewhere, they very well could've done so. Too bad for them I knew my way back home. From a distance, I could hear some music playing, voices becoming closer as well. As we neared, the voices became louder with live music.

"Where are we? Did we go to a Halloween party because neither of us are dressed for it," I frowned as we kept walking.

"Shush!" they both replied.

I huffed and kept walking.

"Okay," the Doctor said, suddenly stopping us, "Are you ready?"

"No, I seriously love the fact I can't see anything."

"Stop being moody," Martha scolded, coughing in the end.

"1..." the Doctor began counting, "...2..."

"3!" they both exclaimed, the blindfold falling off my eyes.

"Wow..." I blinked, looking around the rather large dance floor ahead of us.

It was a public event, by the looks of it. People were dancing on the dance floor, a live performance from a stage at the head of it. There were several stands of games where children and their parents were at, a little blonde girl standing out actually...couldn't place my finger on it, though. There was an iced-lake down the hill, snow covering the surroundings except for the dance floor. It was all decorated with what seemed like Christmas lights, that hung from poles of streetlights.

"This is...wow," I stepped forwards, the little blonde girl squealing with joy as she apparently won something. She was even dressed like a raggedy doll.

The Doctor moved beside me, looking around, "It might not be the best place in all of the galaxy...but I thought it could come in as a close second, maybe?" he sighed, "I thought it was pretty, but...I mean...it might not be, I understand..."

"Doctor you better shush it because this is amazing!" I turned and hugged him, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he hugged back, sounding surprised.

"Martha," I parted a little and held out an arm for her, "Come here, thank you so much," she walked over and joined the hug, "You two are so amazing, I love you both."

"Happy birthday," they replied.

I pulled away and turned for the party, "Where do we start first?"

Martha sneezed rather loudly, "Sorry," she sniffled, her nose becoming stuffy by the tone of her voice.

"Martha, are you sure-"

'NO," she put her hand on my mouth, "Offer to make me chicken soup one more time and I'll throw you into that lake."

"But...it's iced," I glanced at the lake.

"Exactly," she smirked.

"Okay, no soup," I stepped back.

"Perhaps a dance?" she looked between us, "Everyone's doing it."

"There's three of us, and I don't like one of us staying alone," I crossed my arms.

"Oh I won't be alone," she smirked, beginning to walk away.

"Martha?" I turned after her, watching her go up to a man and tap his shoulder.

"Martha!" the young man turned around, quickly hugging her.

I gaped, "Excuse me?"

"That's Brad," the Doctor nodded, "Nice man. Seems good for Martha...if he wasn't from 1969."

'But...but...wait a minute," I shook my head, going up to the pair, the Doctor behind, "Martha Elizabeth Jones, what on earth is this?"

"Elizabeth's your middle name?" 'Brad' and the Doctor asked her.

"No," she smiled, though smirked at me, "This is Brad Ives, a co-worker of mine."

"When did this happen?" I gestured to the linked arms they now shared.

"About two days ago, told him it was your birthday and that he should show up," she grinned, "I didn't want to be a third wheel."

"It's nice to meet you," Brad held out his hand for me to shake, "Minerva Souza, Martha's best friend."

"Yeah...hello," I shook his hand, my gaze stuck on him.

He was handsome, I'll give her that. He was tall, reaching the same height as the Doctor. He had deep blue eyes and dark brown hair. The woman had good taste.

"Happy birthday," he smiled.

"Thank you," I smiled back, still confused of all this.

Martha coughed, "So," she cleared her throat afterwards, "Now we can all dance!"

"You shouldn't even be out here," Brad commented, making her frown and me beam.

"I told her that too," I crossed my arms.

"Iced lake, Minerva," she reminded, tugging Brad to the dance floor.

"What's with the iced lake?" he asked her, the pair distancing from us.

"Did you know about this?" I turned to the Doctor, demanding of him.

"Well...yeah," he looked around to avoid my look, "...she asked me not to say anything. She wanted to surprise you."

"Who is he? How old is he? Is he a respectable, good man? Is he rude? Have they gone on a date, yet?"

"Okay, Martha's mum," he took my hand, "Why don't you let the kids have their moment and allow me to take you for a dance?"

"And you're sure you won't step on me?"

"I didn't the last time," he shrugged.

"You mean China? Cause you kinda did."

He blinked, like he had committed an error for some reason, "Uh, yeah, yeah...so, care to dance with me?"

"That depends..."

"On?"

"You tell me who the hell Brad Ives is."

He chuckled, leading me to the dance floor, "Alright, gosh you're so over protective of Martha."

He wound an arm around my waist, our other hands joining together, "It's only fair. She takes care of me so I do the same," I shrugged.

"He's nice, I've met him a couple of times, seems to like her."

"So why hadn't I heard about him, then?"

"Ask Martha," he shrugged.

"You both need to stop keeping things away from me," I warned.

"You know we're sorry about that whole Kaeya fiasco."

I nodded, accepting his sincerity, "I told you, I forgive both of you. But I'm still a bit upset with Kaeya. I'll have to have a word with her when she comes back."

"...right."

"Do you think she will?" I suddenly asked, my curiosity getting the best of me...and my jealousy. I had no idea what I was gonna do when that princess showed up in the TARDIS. Well, the first thing was demand for the return of my memories. After that would be my simple heartbreak.

"Think what?"

"Do you think Kaeya will come back?" I asked again, quieter this time, "I know she said she would, but...it's been months and nothing."

"Maybe it takes a little longer."

"Are you happy she's coming back?"

"Can we...not talk about Kaeya, please?" he asked, sounding upset at the mention.

"Um...sure, sorry."

"It's your birthday, Minerva. I already screwed up by not having you with your grandmother today and I don't want you to get upset with a woman who didn't have the right to steal your memories."

"Okay," I nodded, suddenly replaying his words, "Hold on, you don't feel bad that we're still in 1969, do you?"

He looked away, "Well let's see, I got us purposely sent here and haven't gotten us out yet so...yeah."

"Doctor, you said it yourself, if we didn't do this then perhaps that Sally Sparrow could've been harmed. You did the right thing."

"But you're not with your grandmother on your birthday."

"So? I'm here with you and Martha, best present ever. My grandmother was with me for fourteen birthdays. I'm glad I got to spend one with you and Martha," I smiled, "Best one yet."

He smiled softly, his eyes looking past me then, "But you know what, I was able to sort of mend my error."

"How so?"

"Come along, Souza!" he yanked me out of the dance floor. I yelped and tried not to trip with his sudden run.

"Doctor, where are we going?" I exclaimed, nearly bumping into a woman on the way, "Sorry!" I called after her.

"Right here," he stopped, causing me to hit his back, "Oops, sorry," he moved me beside him, "Mrs. Lozano?" he called.

"Mrs what?" I shot him a look.

He gestured ahead as a blonde woman turned around, a two year old boy in her arms. But I recognized that two year old, and that blonde woman...

"Gr-grandma?" I choked out the word.

"Excuse me?" she seemed amused at my reaction.

"Minerva, I'd like you to meet some new friends I made today," the Doctor stepped over to the woman, "This is Isadora Lozano, and this-" he toyed with the toddler's hand, "-is little Aaron Lozano. Isadora, Aaron, this is my good friend, Minerva Souza."

I just...stared. I had no idea what to even think of this, how to process this...

"Nice to meet you," my grandmother held out her hand for me to shake.

"N-nice to meet you too," I couldn't stop staring at her face.

She was young. I mean, not that young, but middle-aged. Her blonde hair fell to her shoulders, her deep jade-green eyes filled with nurture as they were in my time. Her face wasn't wrinkled, her hands were soft and warm. She was...so beautiful.

"I met Isadora today in a shop," the Doctor explained, "Apparently, they're on a vacation with their children."

"They?" I repeated, immediately knowing who else was with them, "Grandpa?"

"Is she okay?" my grandmother asked the Doctor.

"Misses her grandparents," he waved her off, "Minerva?"

"Sorry," I stepped over, seeing little uncle Aaron hold out his hand for me.

"Shake!" He exclaimed, making me smile.

"Sorry little guy, hello," I took his small hand and shook it.

"Isadora? I think we need to go, Sophia fell asleep." A voice I hadn't heard in years called.

A slightly older man, with dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes walked over, carrying a six-year-old blonde girl in his arms who was indeed asleep

"Oh, hello, John," he smiled at the Doctor.

I stumbled back, the Doctor quickly going to my side and aiding me before I fell back, "Oh my god..." I whispered. I'm sure I must have looked like a bug with these wide eyes of mine.

"Happy birthday," the Doctor whispered to me and dropped a kiss to my hair.

"Hello," I greeted my grandfather, my eyes tearing up very fast.

"Oh, hello," he turned around with a smile on his face.

"Alan, this is my friend I was talking about," the Doctor said, "This is Minerva Souza."

"The one who likes to see the stars as well?"

"Yes."

"Oh, very nice to meet you then," he moved to shake my hand but with 'Sophia' in his arms, it wasn't very possible.

"Oh, here," the Doctor stepped up, taking the girl into his arms for a second, knowing what it would mean to me to actually greet my grandfather, "There we go."

My grandfather looked at him with confusion but apparently had good trust in him. He held out his hand for me but I couldn't just shake his hand. I went up and hugged him. "Hello," I whispered with more tears falling down my face.

He wasn't even bothered that some girl was hugging him and crying. Instead, he just chuckled, "Hello! A hugger I see? Sophia's like that too, she has to hug everyone."

"Me too!" little Aaron inputted.

"Yes, he too," my grandfather agreed.

I closed my eyes for a second, taking a deep breath before I forcefully had to pull away from him, "Sorry...hello."

"Hello," he repeated, still not bothered.

I looked him over, smiling so brightly, "It...it was very nice to meet you." I bit my lip, the words meaning so much for me that I just burst into sobs right there and then.

"Oh my," my grandmother gasped lightly, "Is she alright?"

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" My grandfather took me into his arms again.

"I'm sorry, it's just..." But I couldn't finish the sentence. There was nothing left to say, it was him. The grandfather I mourned for deeply, the one I missed terribly...and here he was, hugging me.

"It's her 18th birthday, she's a bit emotional," the Doctor explained, watching us with a sad smile.

"Oh, and you're crying?" My grandfather asked me, "You can't have that. I always say-"

"Crying makes the stars sad," We said simultaneously.

"Hey, where'd you get that from?" He frowned, disappointed I'd taken his phrase, "I say that to my kids all the time."

"Even though it makes no sense," My grandmother scolded him, moving up beside us.

"Yet it makes them happy so I've done my job," he shrugged.

I looked between them, their silly, short arguments returning to me from my childhood. They weren't even arguments, more like ways to piss off one another for five minutes then say 'I love you' for the next hour.

"Aaron says he's gonna travel to see the stars," the Doctor suddenly said, Aaron nodding happily.

He spoke baby apparently.

"I'm sure you will," I tugged on the toddler's hand, "Just you wait."

"Are you feeling better?" My grandfather questioned me, "No more crying?"

"Yeah, sorry," I wiped my face, "Emotional...and all..."

"Well, happy birthday, Minerva," my grandmother stepped up and hugged me, little Aaron trying to do the same.

"Thank you."

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," my grandfather hugged me next. As soon as I felt his arms, I hugged him back tighter, "May you receive all the gifts you want."

Already done.

He stepped back, turning to the Doctor who handed him back the sleeping six year old in his arms, "Better get back to the hotel, now."

"What's her name?" I asked, gazing upon my sleeping mother.

"Sophia."

"Lovely name," I smiled, watching my grandfather brush a blonde lock away from her face.

"Well, we'll be going now," my grandmother said, "The kids need sleep and all."

"Nice to see you again," the Doctor waved as they walked away.

"Just...how?" I whispered, staring after them until I couldn't see them anymore.

"I was at a shop, and then a two year old wanted to take away my banana," he stuffed his hands in his pockets, "This feisty little toddler just demanded to have my banana. You know, I'm pretty sure he cursed in Spanish."

I chuckled, my uncle was known for his remarkable ability to curse in several languages.

"So then his mother comes along, Isadora, and immediately apologizes for her son's potty mouth. Though between you and me, Aaron wasn't very sorry."

"What are they doing here?"

"Vacation. The family always wanted to visit London so here they are..."

"That was my grandfather," I pointed, taking a deep breath, "My grandfather. The one I watched the stars with. The one that taught me how to ride a bike...the one that read me a bedtime story and even acted out some parts...that was him. Him."

"You okay?" The Doctor turned to me.

I looked at him, showing him my watery eyes. No, I wasn't okay but I wasn't terrible either. There was just no way to describe how I felt seeing my grandfather after such a long time processing his death. But though as impatient as I knew that the Doctor was, he didn't say anything and he didn't move. He just waited for me to answer.

"Can I please get a hug?" I asked him in a frail whisper.

"Of course," he smiled. He wrapped his arms around me, unknowingly giving me that type of support that only he was capable of. I felt his chin rest lightly over my head and his hand soothingly rubbing my back.

"He died..." I sniffled quietly.

"I know."

"I was at the burial..."

"I know."

"I miss him so much!"

"But he's never actually gone," he reminded, "In our time, anywhere actually, he's just watching out for you and his family. Didn't you tell me that?"

"Yeah, but I just saw him," I pulled away, "He was right here, he was talking."

"Who's to say he's not doing that in the afterlife?"

"You believe in the afterlife?"

"A good friend is persuading me to."

I smiled, "Doctor, this was incredible. Thank you. I will not live to repay you for this."

"I don't want a payment, I want you to be happy. I told you, didn't I? I intend for you to be happy. So I've got one last thing to give you before I call it a night."

"What? Another gift?"

"What do you mean another?" he frowned, "This wasn't it."

"But...but that was my grandfather, alive."

"Yeah, I would've showed you them anyways. Your birthday just happened to be today. No, I've got your real present right here," he patted his inside coat.

"What is it?"

"Come along," he took my hand and led us away.

And on our way, passing by the tables, I saw Martha and Brad...kissing.

"Martha Elizabeth Jones!" I nearly shouted, moving to break them apart.

"Oh no you don't, Mum," the Doctor gripped my hand and forced me to keep moving.

"But they're kissing!" I hissed.

"Yes, in public, meaning that's the only thing they'll be doing. So relax."

"But-"

"Relax."

I frowned and desisted in my attempts. We walked down the small hill, stopping in front of the iced lake.

"I hope you don't plan on pushing me out there because unlike the Monsoon, I will fall," I informed.

"No, I just liked the place, that's all. Plus, look," he pointed up.

I looked up and saw the sky with its stars, far more than the ones at my grandmother's house, "Oh..."

"Happy birthday, Minerva," he declared and when I looked back to him, he held out a small, black, rectangular box in his hand. “Minerva,” he called and when I looked back, he was holding a black, rectangular box in his hands. Before I could ask about it, he started talking. “Minerva, the name originating from the Goddess of war and wisdom, has many layers. How so I describe each one? I can't. She's classic, she's the moon and the stars, and she's my companion. She's my best friend. And today's the day that the universe decided she would be born. Happy birthday Minerva Souza.”

My eyes teared up again at such sweet words that I’m sure no one would ever say to me, and if they did...it wouldn’t hold a candle to the way the Doctor delivered the words. 

I gingerly took the gift from him. "What is it?"

"Take it and open it up," he instructed with sarcasm.

I pulled the lid off to find a silver necklace neatly tucked inside. It was dark silver with a small chain holding a circular pendant. I picked it up, finding some symbols on the front of the pendant, strangely familiar because as I recalled...

"What's this, Doctor?" I gestured to the symbols.

"Uh...see...I thought, you'd like to know, maybe...how your name would look if it was written in a new language."

"Well, what language is it?" I asked, holding it right in front of me to get a closer look.

"Mine," he said and my eyes immediately snapped to him. "It's mine, the language..." he cleared his throat, "It's mine. Gallifreyan."

"I knew it," I started smiling, "This is wonderful!"

"So you like it?"

"Mhm, it's so pretty!" I held the pendant in my palm, all the crazy symbols just making me smile at the effort he must have put into this, "You translated my name into your language?" He nodded, "Wow...this is beautiful, really, really beautiful. Thank you."

"It was because of that-" he pointed to the necklace, "-that I met Isadora and Aaron. I just needed the chain and went to a shop..."

"How did you even make this?"

"With effort and motivation," he shrugged, "And the look on your face was my motivation."

"I was your motivation?"

"Yeah, and I'm glad to see you liked it."

"No, no, I love it," I handed him the box and started fastening the necklace around my neck, "This is never coming off."

"It looks beautiful on you," he remarked and I silently thanked the heavens it was dark enough to hide my blush perfectly.

If he did all these sweet things for me...doesn't that mean something? Would it mean that Kaeya perhaps wasn't his choice? Could I dare to think this possibility...?

~0~

"Over here," I flicked on the lights as the Doctor entered the apartment, a half-asleep Martha in his arms.

Poor thing was just so sick now.

"Martha, we're bringing you to bed now," the Martian informed as he headed for the hallways while I closed the door with lock.

"Mhm...Brad?"

"No!" I shouted, following after them.

The Doctor entered our room first so I quickly went past him to pull the covers of the bed for them, "Maybe now would be a good time for some soup."

"Shut up," Martha muttered, pulling the covers over her and literally sprawling all over the bed.

"Hm," I crossed my arms, "It'll be interesting to find a spot to sleep in."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, going into a coughing fit.

"I told her we shouldn't have gone out," I sighed, moving up and placing a hand over her forehead, feeling no fever yet.

"I'll go to the living room," she started moving up.

"No!"

"You and I can't share the room because you'll get sick," she tried to argue before sneezing.

"I'm not gonna let my best friend, who is sick as dog, sleep on the couch. Lay down, and go to sleep."

"I'm not gonna let my best friend take the couch on her birthday."

"Martha!"

"Minerva!"

"No arguing," the Doctor cut in, "Minerva, you take my room, I'll take the living room. There. Martha, you stay in bed and try to get some sleep."

She nodded, coughing again, "Okay."

"Doctor, you don't have to," I whispered as Martha laid down again, pulling the covers over her.

"Sh," he put a finger on his lips, nodding to the woman on the bed.

"Martha?" I glanced back.

Silence.

She had fallen asleep.

"We're gonna need to take her to a doctor tomorrow," I informed the Martian, "A human one, anyways."

"Ha, ha," he headed for the door.

"No, wait," I reached to stop him, about to make another insistence on me taking the couch when I yawned as well.

"I'll get my things out of my room for you," he smiled and walked out.

I sighed, feeling too tired to just go and follow. I'd get changed, make my argument, then fall on the couch dead asleep. The public dance party tired me out completely. After the little presents the Doctor had given me, we returned to the dance floor, actually danced both slow and fast songs. Then, along with Martha and Brad, we moved onto the game stands, gone out to eat, and just taken walks around the city, seeing what else we could do. It was just lovely!

I don't think any birthday would ever compare to this one.

After checking up on Martha one more time, I walked for the Doctor's room. I had changed into a my white nightie once more and pulled over my silver robe. I braided my hair to the side as I knocked on the Martian's room.

"Come in!"

I opened the door and walked inside, "I came to say I'm just fine in the living room."

"None of that," he wagged a finger, his other hand tugging off his tie, "I don't even need the same amount of sleep as you two do."

"Yeah, but I also know you haven't been sleeping lately because of the Sally Sparrow dilemma, so you'll be needing some sleep tonight," I finished braiding my hair and clapped my hands, "So, I'll take that couch and that's that. Besides, I've slept in a desert, on the ground. A comfy, cushiony couch is far too big of a step up!"

He rolled his eyes, "Take that step outside and I'll personally drag you back in here."

"Oh, scary Martian," I teased.

"How's Martha?"

"Oh, asleep," I walked over to the bed, plopping down, "'But she's coughing like crazy. Still no fever so I guess that's good. No infection or anything."

"We'll take care of her tomorrow," he promised.

I yawned, "You can take the morning shift."

He went around the room, gathering his things for the night, discreetly pulling out his pajamas that would tell me he was planning on actually sleeping tonight.

"Where's my toothbrush?" he looked around.

I glanced back, seeing said toothbrush on one of his nightstand's. I crawled up and reached for it, "Right here!"

"How'd you find it?" he frowned, walking over and taking it.

"Because I actually look for my things. And why is your toothbrush in here and not in the bathroom?" I nodded towards the door on our left.

"Um...I forgot to bring it back?"

"Men," I rolled my eyes.

"I'm gonna go brush my teeth and get changed then I'll leave, alright?"

"But I told you-"

And then he pushed me down, "Yeah, goodnight," he turned away for the bathroom.

"That was rude!" I called after him, throwing a pillow that nearly got him but instead hit the door.

I turned to the side, actually liking the comfiness. And also, it tended to give off the Doctor's scent, making me feel like he was still here. I closed my eyes, smiling as I breathed in that minty scent of his, wishing he could actually be right here. Perhaps, one day, if he miraculously returned my feelings, we could be like this...together, sleeping in each other's arms.

But he wouldn't. He couldn't. Kaeya was still out there, coming back to him...and he loved her. Of course he'd stay with her. Perhaps they'd even sleep in the same room, just like this one, in the TARDIS, in each other's arms. I put a hand to my chest, squeezing my eyes tighter as it pained me to think of that. How would I live with those two around? I still had my doubt whether or not to stay in the box of wonders. Part of my screamed 'yes' because it would be the most practical things to do. But another part didn't want to let go. But I knew my heart wouldn't be able take that amount of pain. I wouldn't be able to live with the Doctor and Kaeya, knowing how much they loved each other and would always do. Leaving seemed like the smartest thing to do...

"Minerva, there's more blankets if..." the Doctor had returned, but I maintained my eyes closed.

These stupid thoughts were threatening to show their consequences and frankly, I didn't feel like crying on my birthday. I wanted to sleep and that's it. So I kept my eyes shut, hoping to fool the Martian so he'd leave and let me finally fall asleep. But something else happened instead.

The covers were pulled over me, up to my shoulders. The bed shuffled a bit and I assumed he had taken a seat beside me, his hand brushing the side of my face.

"Happy birthday, clever, sassy girl," he whispered, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

I thought that would be the end of it and he'd go on his way...but he didn't.

The bed shuffled once more and then I felt his hand repeatedly trailing down and up the side of my face, his scent growing stronger and stronger due what I assumed was him nearing. I was sure my racing heart would give me away that I was faking to be asleep but he didn't notice it.

And then it happened.

My lips felt something pressed up against them, something soft, something warm. My eyes snapped open to see it was him, the Doctor, kissing me...on the lips...out of his free will. His eyes were closed for the moment, unable to see my fake 'sleepiness'. And for some reason, I decided to let him continue to believe that. I closed my eyes, forcing myself to try and stay calm. But how could I!?

He pulled away from his short kiss, the cold October air once again taking control of mine, and he sighed, "...I wish you'd remember."

The bed shuffled once more as he got up, heaving another heavy sigh as his footsteps distanced themselves from the bed, until the door was opened and shut. A couple of minutes passed before I opened my eyes.

What had happened? What was I supposed to remember?

While all these questions popped into my head, I sat up, my fingers went up to my lips as they curved into a smile, my heart racing with joy.

He had kissed me. There was no apology, no explanation, no anticipation...nothing. He had kissed me because he wanted to. And this time, this time, I would not be too' sweet' nor too 'oblivious'. This time, I'd speak out my feelings. Because if he decided to kiss me like this, hidden, it was because he had something hidden in his hearts...

...and I was determined to discover it.

~0~

London, 2007.

Sally Sparrow and Larry Nightingale sat in the old abandoned house in which Sally had found the Doctor's message in. There was a portable DVD player which Larry had brought which held the mysterious Easter Eggs of the Doctor...and two other women.

"Okay, this is the one with the clearest sound. Slightly better picture quality on this one, but I don't..." Larry was fiddling with the DVD player.

"Doesn't matter," Sally waved it off.

"Okay. There he is."

"The Doctor."

"Who's the Doctor?"

"He's the Doctor."

"Yep. That's me," the Doctor on the monitor said, startling Sally.

"Okay, that was scary."

"No, it sounds like he's replying, but he always says that," Larry said, though he was a bit freaked out himself. Out of all the times he'd seen those videos, not once had anyone concurred with the man on the monitor.

"Yes, I do," the Doctor continued.

"And that," Larry pointed.

"Yep, and this."

"He can hear us. Oh, my God, you can really hear us!" Sally exclaimed.

"Of course he can't hear us. Look! I've got a transcript, see, everything he says," Larry showed Sally the transcript, "Yep, that's me". "Yes, I do". "Yep, and this". Next it's..."

"Are you going to read out the whole thing?"

"Sorry."

"Who are you?" Sally asked, choosing to ignore the fact Larry had concurred with him too.

"I'm a time traveler. Or I was. I'm stuck in 1969."

"We're stuck," a brunette women smacked him on the arm before heaving a sigh.

"I thought you weren't mad anymore!"

"Never said that," she pointed at him.

Another woman moved into the screen, smacking the man on his other arm, "All of space and time, he promised me. Now I've got a job in a shop, she's got a job in a department store, and we've got to support him!"

"Martha! Minerva!" he shot both women some glares, not that any of them seem to care.

"I've seen this bit before," Sally remarked.

"Quite possibly," the Doctor said.

"1969, that's where you're talking from?"

"'Fraid so."

"But you're replying to me. You can't know exactly what I'm gonna say, 40 years before I say it!"

"Technically it's 38," Minerva shrugged, "You get a lot of time to get math right..." she looked at the Doctor who just returned it with a smirk.

"I told you I'd make you learn everything I knew."

She elbowed him and that was the finish of that.

"I love her," Larry chuckled as he scribbled on the transcript, "I'm getting this down! I'm writing in your bits," he said to Sally.

"How? How is this possible? Tell me!" Sally demanded, biting back a chuckle as well.

"Not so fast," Larry said.

"People don't understand time. It's not what you think it is," the Doctor began explaining.

"Then what is it?" Sally asked

"Complicated."

"Tell me."

"Very complicated."

"I'm clever and I'm listening. And don't patronize me because people have died, and I'm not happy. Tell me."

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff."

"Okay, I refuse from this point on to call you the Oncoming Storm," Minerva gave him a serious look, "Wibbly Wobbly, timey wimey?"

"That makes two," Martha raised her hand.

"Yeah, I've seen this bit before. You said that sentence got away from you," Sally pointed, the Doctor immediately saying it after, "And then she says, 'You're just an idiot'," she and Minerva said simultaneously.

"Seriously, love her," Larry chuckled again, shaking his head.

"And then the next thing you're going to say is, "Well, I can hear you"," Sally continued.

"Well, I can hear you," the Doctor said.

"This isn't possible."

"No. It's brilliant!" Larry exclaimed.

"Oh don't think he's that smart," Martha waved off the screen, "We can't hear you, exactly."

"But we know exactly everything you're going to say," Minerva finished.

"Always gives me the shivers, that bit," remarked Larry.

"How can you know what I'm going to say?" Sally asked, confused.

"Look to your left," the Doctor instructed.

"What does he mean by, "Look to your left"? I've written tons about that on the forums. I think it's a political statement," Larry rambled on.

Sally looked at him, shaking her head, "He means you. What are you doing?"

"I'm writing in your bits. So I've got a complete transcript of the whole conversation. Wait until this hits the net. This will explode the egg forums."

"We've got a copy of the finished transcript. It's on my Auto-cue," the Doctor explained.

"How can you have a copy of the finished transcript? It is still being written," Sally nearly threw her head back in frustration.

"I told you. I'm a time traveler. I got it in the future."

"Okay, let me get my head 'round this. You're reading from a transcript of a conversation you're still having? Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey."

"You just made a poor human say those words," Minerva shook her head, "Shame on you, Martian."

"What matters is we can communicate," the Doctor rolled his eyes at the brunette, "We have got big problems now. They've taken the blue box, haven't they? The angels have the phone box."

"The angels have the phone box! That's my favorite, I've got it on a tee-shirt!"

"What do you mean, angels? You mean those statue things?" Sally asked, just knowing those things weren't good.

"Creatures from another world."

"But they're just statues."

"Only when you see them."

"What does that mean?"

"Lonely assassins, they were called. No-one knows where they came from. They're as old as the universe, or very nearly. They've survived this long as they have the most perfect defense system ever evolved. They are quantum-locked. They don't exist when being observed. The moment they're seen by any other living creature they freeze into rock. No choice. It's a fact of their biology. In the sight of any living thing, they literally turn to stone. And you can't kill a stone. Course, a stone can't kill you either. But then you turn your head away, then you blink, and oh, yes it can!"

"Don't take your eyes off that," Sally ordered Larry, nodding towards one Angel that was in the garden ahead of them.

"That's why they cover their eyes. They're not weeping, they can't risk looking at each other. Their greatest asset is their greatest curse. They can never be seen. The loneliest creatures in the universe. And I'm sorry, I am very, very sorry, it's up to you now."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"The blue box, it's my time machine. There is a world of time energy in there they could feast on forever. The damage they can do can switch off the sun. You have got to send it back to me!"

"How? How?"

"And that's it, I'm afraid. There's no more from you on the transcript, that's all I've got. I dunno what stopped you talking, but I can guess. They're coming. The angels are coming for you. But listen, your life could depend on this. Don't blink! Don't even blink. Blink and you're dead. They are fast, faster than you can believe. Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink! Good luck!"

Sally looked up, almost flinching when she realized something crucially important...Larry had stopped watching the Angel.

[robronfic]

80+ robron fics to celebrate fic writer appreciation day!

thank you to every single one of you who write for our much loved ship! you’re all incredible and we appreciate you every single day! here’s some of our favourites over the years: 

aus:

~ multi-chapter ~

asking the moon to stay by bugmadoo/@josephtate

(all his life prince robert had known that one day he would have to follow in his father's footsteps and become king of emmerdale. what he never expected was that he would have a secret love affair with the court's mechanic aaron dingle. royalty au. complete. 32k.)

we'll always have the moon by notforonesecond/@notforonesecond

(while working through his deployment for the british army, aaron dingle unsuspectingly meets the love of his life at a bar one night in the form of robert sugden. navigating through war, love, heartbreak, and tears they build their relationship, communicating through handwritten letters. cut after they've built a life and a family together, is aaron willing to sacrifice it all for his country? army au. complete. 87k.)

the hardest science by jentacular

(robert sugden has had aaron livesy erased from his memory. please never mention their relationship to him again.thank you. fantasy au. complete. 230k.)

cause we're lovers, and that is a fact by dinglesugdendinglesugden/@prettyboysugden

(the 1980's- a time of music, love and pride. robert and aaron have to hide their relationship, but will something tear them apart? 80′s au. complete. 17k.)

from the moment we touched by lovesnarf/@snarfettelove​

(needing to let off some steam after a stressful day at work, robert (a ruthless businessman) picks up a prostitute on his way back to his penthouse apartment. but one night with aaron isn’t enough and robert’s got a hell of a week coming up; he offers aaron the opportunity of a lifetime - stay (and get paid) for the whole week. aaron can’t resist, and robert’s pretty fit after all, so he agrees to the deal. they just aren’t supposed to let feelings get in the way of their ‘arrangement’. pretty woman au. complete. 42k.)

fickle fortune by robron_til_the_end/@robron-til-the-end

(robert sugden moves back to emmerdale after ten years away, now rich and famous. he wants to reconnect with his sister and his home, but finds himself hung up on a certain mechanic instead. fame au. complete. 90k.)

sounds of silence by some_mad_lunge/@some-mad-lunge

(DCI robert sugden has spent the better part of a year chasing a serial killer he cannot identify. PI aaron dingle has just cracked a 15 year cold case and is fighting his instant fame. thrown together, they form a partnership that leads thlm closer to finally solving the mystery. and to each other. police au. complete. 33k.)

you really got me bad by escapingreality51/@escapingreality51

(robert loses his job and is forced to get a roommate. however, when aaron dingle rocks up on his doorstep, robert's ability to say no quickly disappears. roomates au. complete. 12k.)

the primary colours by littlelooneyluna/@littlelooneyluna

(robert’s job is to track down a fugitive, becoming a school teacher in the process just so happens to be the case this time around. police au. complete. 143k.)

the journey by tenpercentbatteryremaining

(aaron and robert meet on the eurostar from paris to london. and then again on the train from london to leeds. and then again on the bus from leeds to emmerdale. and then finally... alternative meeting au. complete. 7k.)

i'm so glad it was you by supercali/@nooneelsecomesclose17

(aaron’s morning routine is pretty set in stone. get up, make a brew and sit on the windowsill overlooking hotten high street, while checking his phone for messages. his day was always better when there was one waiting for him. he couldn’t tap the screen fast enough when he saw the icon, sipping at his tea while he waited for the app to decide if it would load or not. finally it opens and he sets his mug down beside him. you’ve got mail au. complete. 16k.)

take my sins by sugdensquad

(robert is an ambitious businessman, an insomniac… and lonely. aaron is a desperate, broken young man… who is also a prostitute. when they crash into each other - literally - one night, their lives are sent spiralling. but they both have baggage, and the past has a funny way of showing up at the worst possible moments. Will they manage to cling to each other, or be torn apart for good? prostituation au. complete. 311k.)

finding home by dirtylittlegreasemonkey/@memorieswarm

(it's the end of 2010. almost a year before, after a long relationship with victoria sugden, aaron came out. their relationship had dissolved into an awkward state and then she discovered his internet history and everything made sense. his acceptance of it, after much confusion, anger and upset, was aided by the support of her and best friend adam. aaron's starting to think about the future and his sexuality but victoria is driving everyone crazy with her excitement of one thing - her brother robert is returning home after more than five years away. when robert crosses paths with aaron, the attraction and antagonism is immediate, but it's not long before aaron finds out robert's biggest secret and that might just change everything between them. teenage au. complete. 58k.)

southpaw by hissingmiseries/@turnerkanes

(an au where aaron's a southpaw boxer who gets dragged into the world of illegal backstreet fights, all gloves and testosterone, where he meets a collection of fellow boxers, a ruthless trainer, an anxious medic and a pretty little businessman. sports au. complete. 40k.)

rumours by imaginentertain/@beautifulhigh

(robert is a divinus, or a “div” if you’re feeling particularly cruel. people who are functionally immortal: they can die through severe accidents or illnesses, or something immediate. people with the ability to heal, to understand a person better than they know themselves, and who are rumoured to love so deeply that they will literally love you forever. robert hasn’t told anyone who he is, only telling aaron after the car crash and their engagement, giving him the choice about whether he wants to live his life with a man who won’t ever grow old, who isn’t anything close to normal and secure. not all the rumours are good ones though, and for every high there’s a low. immortal au. complete. 105k.)

unsinkable by sweetly_disposed

(aaron dingle is all alone in the world. with all his possessions strapped to his back and no family, money, or job prospects to speak of, he is lost, searching for something new, somewhere to call his own. robert sugden has it all: the money, the job, the fiancée, the bright future set out ahead of him, and yet he is stuck, confined to his class with his father breathing down his neck. fate steers them together, entwining their paths en route to a brand new world. titanic au. complete. 25k.)

and might had fallen to sands and fire by matan4il/@matan4il

(aaron is a hebrew gladiator whose daily routine of training and fighting is changed by the arrival of a unit of roman soldiers. historical au. complete. 44k.)

one last night on this earth (can you teach me how the heart works?) by dingletragedy/@dingletragedy

(the thing is, robert is bloody gorgeous and aaron is, well, he’s aaron. with one final overview of robert's face, aaron sighs loudly and locks his phone, leaving robert’s profile just sitting there, waiting for someone else to take the chance aaron just threw away. tinder au. complete. 22k.)

reiteration by otherworldliness

(robert sugden falls asleep in august 2017 as a broken man rapidly loosing everything he loves. he awakes in august 2014 with more knowledge and hindsight than any man should, but more importantly - hope. time travel au. complete. 69k.)

inevitable by raelee514/@raelee514

(robert and aaron have a deal. It's simple. it's casual. their sure adding fake dating for christmas won't complicate anything. fake dating au. complete. 25k.)

need you now by turquoiseterrier/@turquoiseterrier

(the night aaron lashed out and hit sandra was the night his stepmother left, taking her daughter with her and leaving aaron alone with the increasingly abusive gordon. years later, with aaron feeling trapped and desolate, gordon hires a local decorator to spruce the house up ready for sale could the blond painter be aaron's light in the darkness? alternative meeting au. complete 101k.)

from dales to islands by whataboutsugden

(robert sugden has been on the island for 3 weeks and is happy in his couple, but when new boy aaron dingle enters the villa with his best friend adam, he finds himself conflicted and has to decide what, and who it is, he really wants. love island au. complete. 42k.)

met a boy in a bar, went to his hotel room by diary

(aaron and robert meet in a bar. alternative meeting. complete. 36k.)

this new sun by veryveryverytemporarily/@veryveryverytemporarily

(aaron is a celtic warrior who finds robertus jacobus, a roman legionary, still hanging onto life after battle. he takes him back to his clan’s village and nurses him until he’s well again. when feelings develop between the two men, will they be able to stay together, and if not now, when? period au. complete. 27k.)

the man for the job by montecarlos/@robin-frijns

(robert sugden has just become prime minister. it falls to agent aaron dingle to make sure he doesn't cause too much trouble. bodyguard au. complete. 18k.)

jungle love by sugden_in_a_beanie/@sugdeninabeanie

(the boys in the jungle. i’m a celebrity au. complete. 34k.)

~ wip ~

white blank page by their_dark_materials/@rustandruin

(aaron’s a semi-closeted music journalist for a regional newspaper. robert is the newly hired out-and-proud sex and relationship columnist he hates. but when they’re forced to work together, aaron realises that irritation quickly turns into attraction. can he overcome his past and find the strength to choose his future? co-workers au. wip. 99+k.)

put a bullet in me by toxica939/@vcktoxica

(“you don't look like a science geek,” the guy – robert – calls out, moving across the room. he's as graceful as the girls are and lightening quick. aaron's spent his life getting ribbed on by army boys and putting bullets through anything with eyes like this kid. a lifetime of fronting. he's not gonna turn into some little pussy now just because his knee's shot. “you don't talk like you were made in a test tube,” he shoots back. zombie apocolypse au. wip. 43+k.)

this time imperfect by lifeinabubbleIblew/@jonny-versace

(two lifelong best friends come to terms with their changing relationship, unaware they're soon to be torn apart. teenages au. wip. 7k+)

i’ll love you always by danielle97

(after aaron wakes up from a car accident, robert finds that there are some gaps in his fiancés memory… mainly that he can’t remember anything about robert or their life together. au. wip. 125+k)

game, set and match by hauntedbydesign

(aaron dingle and robert sugden are both british tennis players desperately looking to kickstart their troubled careers by competing in the next grand slam on the calendar - wimbledon. but can they find the success they crave on the grass courts of sw19, when their worlds collide and attraction is thrown into the mix? tennis au. wip. 70k+)

oneshots:

ticket to anywhere by perksofbeingaiko/@strongboyfriends

(sixteen years old is dull in ways that movies and television never want to admit, and every minute felt like a countdown until he could escape. But life didn’t work like that. at least, not for robert. aaron couldn’t possibly be the one to change that. could he? teenager au. onehsot. 42k.)

safe in your hands by wafflesofdoom/@capseycartwright

(robert sugden arrives home to emmerdale in a whirlwind of magic and arrogance, determined to become head of the sugden family. aaron doesn't exactly expect robert to make him feel the way he does from the moment he arrives, curious, and excited - and magicial.after years of letting his magic go dormant and unused, aaron is swept up in the wonderful world of robert the great and powerful. (magic au. one shot. 14k)

oh, you're so precious, you're a fucking delinquent by robbosugden/@calhighway

(aaron is a reckless delinquent who always turns to his best friend of four years whenever he gets himself into trouble. teenagers au. oneshot. 3k.)

sunflower seeds by littlelooneyluna/@littlelooneyluna

(liv is seb’s babysitter, when work gets in the way aaron is forced to step in and save the day, then he falls hard. alterative meeting au. oneshot. 20k.)

a different language by thisissirius/@sapphicsugden

(“he can’t hear you,” vic says, touching aaron’s arm. aaron frowns. “what?” “robert,” she says, gesturing at the blond standing by the bar. "he’s deaf, and he doesn’t wear his hearing aid.” deaf au. oneshot. 6k.)

nine facts by thesnowyswan/@thesnowyswan​

(aaron loses his memory and this is his journey of (re)discovery. amnesia au. oneshot. 5k.)

cider and mince pies by sugdenlovesdingle/@sugdenlovesdingle

(as far as christmas traditions go, robert and aaron make their own. teenagers au. oneshot. 3k.)

double shot vanilla latte by wafflesofdoom/@capseycartwright​

(robert had owned the grind for over two years now, buying himself a coffee shop out of his divorce settlement and turning it into one of leeds’ busiest cafes. but he’d never had a customer quite like aaron. coffee shop au. oneshot. 8k.)

two night stand by imgoingcrazy/@robertisbisexual

(aaron’s been single for months and, after a bad night out, is convinced by his friends that a no strings one night stand is exactly what he needs. only casual sex is a lot harder than aaron remembers - especially when your date is a prick - and when forces conspire against him aaron finds himself trapped with robert a second night. alternative meeting au. oneshot. 26k.)

constellations by withoutwords/@thefancyspin

(robert had always stayed with them on his summer holidays, inseparable. friends to lovers au. oneshot. 3k.)

so at ease in the midnight sky by aarobron/@aarobron

(aaron finds the dingle's travelling circus at 16, just after he runs away from gordon, and spends his days helping out with odd jobs. what he doesn't expect to find is a best friend in the shape of vic's older brother, robert. they grow closer, as a double act on the trapeze and as friends, but he keeps his feelings quiet until gordon shows up and flips everything they know upside down. circus au. oneshot. 53k.)

teen idle by astoria

(robert sugden is beautiful, popular at school and always seems to have a girl on his arm. so why is he getting closer to aaron dingle? high school au. oneshot. 5k.)

december came, something changed. by vicbartons/@vicbartons

(to aaron, setting his best friend up with the girl of his dreams had seemed like a worthy enough cause to team up with his least favourite co-worker for. and how hard could it really be to hijack the office secret santa? but then again, when had one of robert sugden's schemes ever worked out the way he planned? co-workers au. oneshot. 13k.)

maneuver one into place by murderousdeer/@robertjacobsugdens

(robert helped lawrence build a legitimate business empire from the ashes of his criminal enterprises. that is, until robert made one tiny, irrelevant mistake and the whites kicked him to the curb. planning his revenge, robert went in the only place where he could assemble a team to get back what was rightfully his. he wasn’t expecting old feelings and wounds to resurface quite so strongly. especially not when it came to his master thief, aaron dingle. ocean's 11 au. oneshot. 57k.)

what is watered, grows by laramie

(a gentle story about being happy with what you have even when you want more, and then getting more and being happy with that too. gardener au. onehsot. 11k.)

faculty lounge by illgetmerope/@illgetmerope

(aaron and robert meet over coffee and tea in the faculty lounge. a story of their romance through chats and mugs. teachers au. oneshot. 4k.)

baby, it's cold outside by small_bump/@victoriasugden

(anything can happen on christmas eve, even a mircale. robert's kind of banking on it. alternative meeting au. oneshot. 6k.)

trouble by design by saltyplaydough/@spamela-hamderson

(aaron's yorkshire's most unprofessional cop and robert's a criminal in love. police/criminals au. oneshot. 1k.)

the first by zoeteniets/@iwillsendapostcard

(first dates au where aaron and robert are paired together on the programme. reality show au. oneshot. 3k.)

canon / canon divergent:

~ multi-chapter ~

iceberg by miss_whimsy/@misswhimsy​

(robert attends counselling to try to help with his depression and guilt. canon divergent. complete. 18k.)

birthdays and surprises by daily_scenarios/@susieskinner93

(since he's been told that seb was miserably the whole day on his birthday, robert thought of a plan to reunite his two favorite people in the world....via video call. canon. complete. 2k.)

can't you see my love? by loveislove87/@scottt190

(robert and aaron are starting to drift apart, losing focus on what's truly important, when an accident threatens to challenge them and maybe remind them both of what matters. canon divergent. complete. 13k.)

i wonder by thisdamndesire/@thisdamndesire

(hazel is back in the uk and is working as an art teacher in london. she needs to be active on facebook for the first time and curiosity gets the better of her. canon divergent. complete. 10k.)

whenever i let my guard down by whiplash

(in the aftermath of the accident, aaron’s surprised to find that he’s the strong one. or, aaron might be the one who’s a bit broken, but robert’s the one who actually breaks down. canon. complete. 4k.)

a little too soon by dirtylittlegreasemonkey9384

(they're together. they're happy. all is well, except it isn't, because aaron still wakes up in the night with terrifying flashbacks of that night at the lodge, no matter how much he wishes he didn't. canon divergent. complete. 25k.)

a foil character's tale by itfeeislikehome/@bigemmerdalefan

(alex and mike witness robert and aaron's relationship in all it's wonderous glory. canon divergent. complete. 2k.)  

~ oneshots ~

so many nights like this by lily_rizzy

(lottie fowler was a horrible receptionist.Working the reception at the hotten spa hotel was not the career she had envisioned for herself when she had accepted her place studying business at leeds uni. by 22, she had pictured that she would already be climbing the corporate ladder to bigger (paychecks) and better things. and yet, she currently had no feet on the corporate ladder despite finishing her degree with a respectable 2:1, and was currently stuck in a career she would have shuddered at, age 18.- or the story of robert and aaron, told from the point of view of a hotel receptionist. canon. oneshot. 5k.)

ice swans and dry-cleaning by persiflager/@persiflager

(“so,” says the twat. “aaron livesy, married. never thought I’d see the day.” canon divergent. oneshot. 6k.)  

separation never suited us by wellyfullofale/@wellyfullofale​

(robert’s been away from emmerdale for almost a year, but vic has persuaded him to return for his 40th birthday party. he hasn’t seen or spoken to his husband since he left the village after convincing himself that aaron had moved on following an argument that they were both too stubborn to move past. he returns with hope that aaron might still love him the same way that he still loves aaron, but when he finds his husband is seeing someone new, is all hope now lost after a year apart? or will they find that, actually, a kind of love like theirs isn’t ever over? canon divergent. oneshot. 33k.)

daniel in the den (felled in the night) by sunsetmog

everything he felt was trapped in his chest, clamouring to get out, desperate to tear itself out from underneath his skin. or: aaron shows up on robert's doorstep in the middle of the night. canon. oneshot. 2k.)

tonight, they sleep by auselysium

(robert takes aaron to the seashore to get him away from emmerdale and the dark secrets he has confided in him. his intentions, for once, are completely noble. but then, aaron knocks on his door in the middle of the night. canon. oneshot. 1k.)

wanting makes the world go round by electrumqueen

("he slept on the sofa." or; robert sugden is a lying liar who lies. canon. oneshot. 3k.)

old wounds stitched anew by theprincessed/@theprincessed

(robert is rushed to hospital whilst out on a morning run. post-recovery, aaron makes him feel better. eventually. canon. oneshot. 6k.)

a line has time in it, your heart needs to heal by amarelavita/@luststricken

("this ‘all yours? you did this?" aaron said, as robert caught him lightly turning pages of a sketchbook, the most recent one, the one that contained a lot of himself in it. he soon reached those pages, the first one was of the back of his torso in bed from one of their many hotel escapades, he wouldn’t be able to tell which one, but robert knew. canon divergent. oneshot. 2k.)

mumble and sigh by couldaughter

(“careful,” aaron said, a fond smile on his face. “people might start thinking you’ve gone soft.” “you won’t tell anyone, will you? i’ve got an image to maintain.” canon. oneshot. 4k.)

who's this man that's holding your hand by reinacadeea/@reinacadeea

(in a not-very-distant future, robert wakes up with amnesia and like the good sister she is, victoria tries to help him remember. canon divergent. oneshot. 1k.)

he belongs to me by dvs/@dvswraatins

(robert wakes up after a three year coma just in time to ruin aaron's marriage. future canon. oneshot. 16k.)

you used to dream about fires by sophwrites/@elshopper

(sometimes you’ve got to lose people, so that they can find their way back to you. or: robert and aaron were having the best second wedding day ever, until they weren’t. canon divergent. oneshot. 7k.)

i signed it with love from me to you by sugdensrobert/@sugdenssrobert

(he had found it by accident, didn’t even know it existed. or, robert finds a piece of paper with some very special words on it. canon. oneshot. 2k.)

not for anything by dinglehorton/@thompsonconnors

(robert's not sure what he's done wrong this time in her eyes, but he's willing to bet that she's jumped to conclusions and has already begun to blame him for this whole mess. he's distracted though by the pressing need to go back to the lake and retrieve the ring so aaron has something to wake up to. so he goes, despite her pleading for him to stay with those damn eyes that look so similar to her brother's when he's upset. canon. oneshot. 3k.)

three hundred and ffity-plus by dreamember/@robertsugdn

(it’s probably why he feels so on edge as the date approaches. he’s just waiting for the other shoe to drop, for him to lose robert just like he lost jackson and ed. canon. oneshot. 6k.)

do not disturb by anythingbutplatonic/@robertssvgden

(it’s a very slow day at the office. aaron and robert find an unorthodox way of keeping themselves occupied. canon. oneshot. 1k.)

sweet dreams (are made of this) by kayceecruz/@kayceecruz​

(after a tragic accident, robert’s left in a coma. while his loved ones fight to keep him alive, robert sinks into a world of dreams. when he wakes up, he is confused about what life is real and all he wants is to have his husband by his side. canon divergent. oneshot. 24k.)

you can be found by thepackwantsthed

(instead of getting married to chrissie, robert runs away with aaron. they come back to emmerdale eight years later, with each other and a family of their own. canon divergent. oneshot. 5k.)

all over again by miss_romance_lover/@golaulau

(after an accident, aaron suffers short term memory loss. he knows robert, but he doesn't remember the happy life they've been building together. is love really enough to overcome the uncontrollable? canon divergent. oneshot. 4k.)

use our eyes, throw our hands overboard by lesfemmesdangereuse/@lesbiennesdangereuses

(it was a saturday night, liv on baby duty and aaron and robert were going to a house party. canon. oneshot. 4k.)

this heart had its beating, this heart has its bruises by storiesthatmakeus

(when aaron joins robert on a business trip to london, he learns more about his husband’s past away from emmerdale and falls even deeper in love with him as a result. canon divergent. oneshot. 7k.)

tooth and nail by craystiel

(robert fights for his place in aaron’s life, as mistrust and miscommunication dares to tear them apart. canon divergent. oneshot. 5k.)

misconceptions by itswheremydemonshide10

(five times the dingles expected the worst of robert – and the one time none of them did. canon divergent. oneshot. 5k.)

[the-quiet-winds]

A Thousand to One, A Million to Two (part three)

[Co-written with @ichlugebulletsandcornnuts. TW for blood and violence.]

[part one] - [part two]

[Part 3: On a Fault Line]

jane can't bring herself to sleep, not with the anxiety of tomorrow's events and the fear she has of katherine being hurt.

so she breaks out her book and waits till morning.

the police officers arrive fifteen minutes before jane has to leave for work. they rig up the wire, hidden under her t-shirt and work uniform, and then send her on her way. jane contemplates going into katherine’s room to say goodbye but a part of her tells her that katherine still needs time, and that jane shouldn’t force conversation yet.

the drive to work is even more anxiety-inducing than normal, and as jane steps through the door she realises that the police might be intervening sooner rather than later.

“ah, seymour,” clive says with a grin. “look alive, we’ve got a shipment coming in at seven.”

jane doesn’t even need to act shocked. “what is it today?” she asks in that same nervous voice, knowing clive couldn’t resist taunting her with the illegal. 

when he speaks next, jane feels relief flood her system as he incriminated himself, “marijuana, fresh from colorado.”

jane forces her eyes to bug out, looking slightly fearful at the information. he grins that shark like grin and sends her off. 

at exactly four minutes past seven, after jane’s wire picks up clive yelling “shipment’s in, ya lazy asses,” a battalion of officers with guns and tasers drawn burst in.

“police! put your hands up!” the two cops from the previous night command, leading the charge.

clive curses under his breath before turning to the officers with a strained smile on his face, holding his hands up to chest height.

“hello, officers, what seems to be the problem?”

“clive brady, you are under arrest for the sale and distribution of class A drugs,” one of the officers says firmly. clive makes a noise of surprise.

“drugs? we don’t distribute drugs here, i can assure you.”

“there’s no point in you playing dumb,” the other says. “we have evidence of your full knowledge of what’s in these boxes. anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law.”

“there’s nothing incriminating in these boxes,” clive says suavely. “i can promise you that. whatever information you have is bad.”

one officer steps forward with a box knife. she slices the top open cleanly and extracts a bag full of small, round, green nuggets. she opens the bags and inhales, then shrugs. “smells like weed to me.”

the officers pounce, cuffing clive and dragging him, raving mad, out of the warehouse. 

“whichever of you bastards sold me out,” he nearly screams, “i’ll find you and kill you! you and your whole lousy family!”

once clive has been removed the other few officers remaining address the assembled workers.

“we’re going to need to conduct some interviews and take some statements, now,” one says calmly. “we would prefer it if nobody left until we have conducted separate interviews.” some of the officers start asking questions while one approaches jane.

“thank you for your help,” she smiles. “we can remove the wire now.” as the officer untangles the wire, jane can’t help but notice the looks she’s being sent by one of clive’s friends from across the warehouse, and she feels a shiver of panic run down her spine.

the man, travis, jane thinks his name is, approaches her, later, when the officers are preoccupied with the questioning. jane is looking at her phone, working up the courage to text katherine and let her know it all went alright, that she’s okay, when he comes over and shoves her out of view. doing so causes her to drop her phone, sending the device shattering into pieces. she can’t pay much mind, however, before he pulls her into the corner. 

“i saw that little stunt you pulled, sellin’ out the boss like that,” he hisses. even though he stands nearly a head taller than her and is built like a linebacker, jane holds firm. 

she shrugs. “someone had to do it.”

with a animalistic growl, his fist connects with her stomach and she doubles over. then his elbow slams into her upper back to send her sprawling to the floor, gasping for breath. 

“i hope this is worth it,” travis snarls. his boot lands firmly on her hand, and jane nearly cries out as her stitches explode, blood pouring out of her not-yet healed finger.

“there’ll be more of that coming at you,” he threatens, glowering down at her. “you and that little fluff ball of a daughter you have.”

“what’s going on over here?” an officer calls out from the other side of the shelves. travis swears and disappears into another row of shelves, leaving jane alone by the time the officer rounds the corner. his eyes widen when he sees jane collapsed on the floor, bleeding and wincing in pain.

“are you okay?”

he drops down to help her and manages to get her sitting upright. “we need to get you to the hospital.”

“please,” jane gasps out. “my daughter- she could be in danger.”

she gives a brief description of what occurred, and the officer speaks into the radio on his shoulder, sending two others in pursuit of travis, who had apparently taken a company truck and sped off. 

it takes a second for jane to realize the true severity of the situation. travis knows where she lives. clive would often put him on books and paystubs, and her stub was addressed to her.

as they help jane into a squad car and drive her to the hospital, she can only hope that the cops beat travis to the house.

---

katherine is awoken by the slamming of car doors outside. she pokes to the window and sees a white pickup in the driveway, one with her mum’s workplace logo on it. she starts to leave her room until she hears the violence with which the door is slammed. 

“katherine seymour!” a man’s voice yells, echoing dangerously through the walls. “where are you?!”

katherine closes her bedroom door as quietly as she can, heart pounding. she was thankful for the lock on her door which she slowly clicks into place, trying to keep silent so whoever it was who was in the house wouldn’t hear her.

she backs away from the door and presses her back against the headboard of her bed, clinging to her bear and keeping her eyes fixed on the doorway. she grabs her phone with one hand and tries to type out a message to jane, fingers trembling. she can hear the man slamming his way through the house, the walls practically vibrating with the force of his movements.

“come out, girlie,” she hears him growl. “you can’t hide from me.”

the messages deliver but get no answer, which only spikes katherine’s already horrid anxiety. 

his boots loudly thump up the stairs and his taunting calls get closer and closer. she swears he’s right outside her room when more voices ring through the house. 

“police! come out with your hands up!” they yell out, a male and a female voice in a rough harmony. 

katherine clings to the bear and listens to the scuffle outside her door, then it goes quiet. 

a heartbeat or two layer, there’s a gentle tap at the door. 

“katherine seymour?” the female voice says kindly. “this is officer layla schwartz, you are safe now. can you open the door?”

the panicked part of katherine’s brain is insisting it’s some kind of trap, that she’ll open the door and be in danger again. she makes a distressed noise and draws her knees up to her chest, breath coming in short wheezes.

the female voice speaks again. “katherine? he can’t hurt you, i promise.” her tone is soft and reassuring but katherine can’t focus on her words.

“i want my mum,” she chokes out, not really aware she’s even speaking.

“katherine,” layla says in that same voice, “we’ll take you to her in a squad car and no one will be able to hurt you. you’ll be able to see her if you come out, darling.”

the term of endearment was probably meant to make katherine feel a bit safer, but it just makes her want jane even more. she lets out a pitiful whimper and shuffles to the door where she meets the fiery-haired cop with a very gentle gaze. 

layla gives a tiny smile. “i’ll take you there myself, okay?”

katherine nods mutely and lets layla lead her to the front door. layla pauses briefly, giving katherine a quick once-over. katherine is vaguely aware of how pitiful she must look, dressed in pyjama shorts and an oversized shirt and clutching her teddy bear like a child, but she can’t bring herself to care.

“is this your coat, darling?” layla asks, pointing at katherine’s duffle coat. katherine nods again and layla helps her into it. she gathers enough agency to slip a pair of shoes on before layla brings her out to the car, helping her into the back seat.

“you sit tight, sweetheart,” layla smiles at her through the wing mirror. “you’ll see your mum in no time at all.”

katherine holds the bear close, imagining that she can smell jane’s vanilla soap in the fur, the entire ride. they pass the warehouse and katherine grows more concerned.

layla looks at her through the mirror and gives a sympathetic look. “one of my partners took your mum to the hospital.”

“the hospital?!” katherine squeaks. her voice is very, very high.

“just wanted to make sure everything is alright after all the chaos of the last few days. tend to her eye, fix the stitches in her finger,” layla says soothingly. 

they pull to a stop in the hospital’s car park and katherine hears a familiar voice and sees a familiar poof of dark hair. 

“they just called me,” parr says as she runs up to katherine. “i’m jane’s other emergency contact.” her voice softens. “she’s okay, kid.”

having parr there and hearing somebody she trusted say that jane was okay helps to reassure katherine slightly and she gives a shaky nod.

layla leads them both through the hospital entrance and parr wraps a comforting arm around katherine’s shoulders as they walk, letting katherine lean on her slightly. it doesn’t take long for them to get to the ward and there, sitting before them in a bed, is jane, currently in the middle of getting her stitches redone. she looks up as they approach and relief fills her features at the sight of katherine.

she had been wondering if and when katherine would show up. the doctor had called parr, she knew that, but she didn’t have a clue as to what had happened to katherine, especially with travis the madman hellbent on doing something. 

she sees katherine fidgeting as she tries to wait patiently for the doctor to finish on her stitches, which doesn’t take all too long at all and she’s bandaged up just a minute later, before he and parr exit the room, leaving jane and katherine. jane looks at katherine with that same gentle and loving expression she always seems to have on order, waiting for katherine, shuffling around and clutching her bear, to make the first move, whatever it is.

“i-” katherine starts suddenly, then looks down at her shoes. “are you okay?” she mumbles.

“i’m fine, love,” jane says softly. “nothing that won’t heal within a few weeks, i promise.” she shifts slightly against the pillows to sit up properly. “are you okay, kat?”

katherine manages to hold it together for about three seconds before her face crumples and the tears force their way from her eyes. she shakes her head and jane opens her arms, katherine flying into them immediately.

“i was... so scared,” katherine sobs. “for you- for me.” she chokes out a wheezing breath and continues. “who was he?”

jane gives a soft sigh. “someone who was mad.” at katherine’s confused noise, jane continues, threading her fingers through kat’s hair comfortingly. “mad at me for getting our boss arrested. but don’t worry,” she hastily adds, “he, or any of them, won’t be coming near us anymore. ever again, i promise, kitty-kat.”

katherine gives a feeble whimper and jane holds her tightly. there’s a few minutes of silence before a light knock interrupts them. 

“miss seymour?” layla pokes her head through the door. “this is for you.” she hands jane a white envelope, and she can clearly see ‘pay to the order of jane seymour’ through the paper.

jane opens the envelope, arms still wrapped around katherine. “kat,” she murmurs, “look at this.”

katherine twists in her arms, a confused expression on her face, but when she sees the contents of the envelope her eyes widen.

“what’s that?”

“my payment,” jane gives a small smile. “for helping the police take my boss down.” written on that little slip of paper there was enough money to pay the rent for this month, and even for the next two years if they only used it on the £200 rent increase each month.

katherine looks at the paper with wide eyes, hardly daring to believe it was real. “does this mean no more second job?” she asks in a tiny, broken voice. 

jane kisses the top of her head. “no more second job. just the show.” she gives katherine a light jostle in her arms. “it’s just you and me, baby.”

katherine manages a smile before burying her face in jane’s shoulder again.

“just you and me,” she repeats quietly.

“that’s right, love,” jane soothes. “no more leaving in the morning, no more missing shows. everything’s going to be okay.” she kisses the top of katherine’s head again. 

“it’s going to be okay, kitty-kat.”

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

tag list: @percabeth15 @kats-seymour @qualquercoisa945 @jane-fucking-seymour @a-slightly-cracked-egg @justqueentingz @annabanana2401 @wolfies-chew-toy @broad-way-13 @tvandmusicals @lailaliquorice @aimieallenatkinson @sweet-child-why03 @gaylinda-of-the-upper-uplands @funky-lesbians @thinkaboutitmaybe @hansholbeingoesaroundzeworld @messanaa @beeskneeshuh @prick-up-ur-ears @theartoflazy @justqueentwo @brother-orion @paleshadowofadragon @lafemmestars @beautifulashes17 @jarneiarichardnxel @idkimbadwithusernamesandstuff @ladiez-in-waiting @mixer1323 @boleynssixthfinger @aimieallen @elphiesdance @boleynthebunny @krystalhuntress @lupin-loves-chocolate @bellacardoza16 @bluify @katherines-choker

[castillo-adrian]

Franz Ferdinand | Closed.

Note: Important to the St. Clair VS Rutherford conflict. Featuring @lin-melissa @johnathanparsons @divyakoshal 

I.

Dissatisfied by Adrian’s performance at the end of the 6ème grade, Madame Vallereau, his English teacher, gave him Agatha Christie books for a summer reading. The most effective way to brush up his English skills, she thought, and wasn’t wrong.

‘Murder on the Links,’ one of the novels that Adrian read that summer, opened with an anecdote.

“A young writer, determined to make the commencement of his story forcible and original enough to catch and rivet the attention of the most blasé of editors, penned the following sentence: “‘Hell!’ said the Duchess.”

Sitting across the glossy hardwood table in Johnathan Parsons’ office, an entertained smile painted Adrian’s features, as he’d be reminded of that exact line upon witnessing the man slam his fist in an angry fashion.

“Hell!” said the boss, “They made a grave mistake. Attempting to dip their dirty toes in Westminster, of all places? Well, I’m going to cut them off one by one.”

The man’s wrath had been justified. The borough of Westminster was a Rutherford stronghold. The French attempting to buy a property with the intention to build a club and push their drug trade was... bold to say the least. Johnathan had eyes and ears in every nook and cranny of this part of the city (and pretty much the rest of it, too) and he’d been informed of the news long before the French would have enough time to seal the deal.

Johnathan’s solution was simple: chop up the poor fucker who agreed to sell his property and deliver his body parts to the doorstep of Marine Charif, the commandant of Camden, the one behind the scheme.

“I want the bitch to remember to stay in her fucking lane,” Johnathan growled.

“If I may propose an alternative,” Adrian spoke softly and leaned in towards the table.

Melissa gave him a curious look. It was enough for Adrian to continue.

“Let them –”

“What on Earth are you talking about, Castillo?” Johnathan cut him off, “you’re not feeling nostalgic, are you?”

“Johnathan,” Melissa intervened, “let him finish.”

Brushing off the annoying inclinations of Johnathan’s question, Adrian proceeded.

“Let them buy the property, invest their money, build the club, bring in the shipment, you know, the whole deal and then, right before the opening, burn it to the ashes. And we don’t kill the owner, we kill the commandant. Stronger message.”

“Damn, Castillo,” Johnathan sunk back into his leather chair and took a sip of his whiskey, “Not bad, in theory, but the French will be guarding the place like rabid dogs as soon as the sale goes through. You won’t be able to get in without opening a massive fire and we do not want to turn our turf into a battle zone. Especially Westminster.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Adrian’s smile hinted at something Machiavellian, “I’m sure we have people at the City Hall who’d be more than eager to give us the blueprints of the club, once submitted, and call an inspection. The French won’t bother moving drugs, just hide it somewhere inside the club. They’ll just have to clear out the building for a few hours. Enough time to plant the explosives.”

Johnathan and Melissa exchanged glances. After a few minutes of consideration, the boss spoke.

“Adrian’s plan does sound more sustainable in the long run, unless we’re killing every business owner who is considering to sell to the French,” Melissa raised an eyebrow, “I’d rather we drum up the French death toll, than the local.”

“This is a huge risk, however. If your stint doesn’t work, we’re going to have to open fire on our territory, which is not part of my plan. Are you sure you can pull this off?” Johnathan inquired.

“I am, yes,” Adrian nodded firmly.

“Remember, you will be the one to pay the price, if it doesn’t.”

Had he not been confident in his abilities, Adrian would’ve backed out right then and there. After all, what kind of fool with no sense of self-preservation would risk being at the receiving end of Johnathan Parsons’ fury?

II.

Adrian Castillo stood on top of the roof with a majestic content. The events had transpired the way he had planned, and they all led to this particular night. In a few short minutes, Marine Charif, the infamous commandant would join her friends and soldiers in a for French only, pre-celebration get-together, before the actual opening night.

How to shoot your target 500 yards away?

With math and physics. Neither an exceptionally skilled sniper, nor an excellent piece of machinery was enough to pull it off with success, and Adrian was one and held one. Luckily, he had enough basic STEM knowledge, too, the courtesy of his training as a GIGN sniper.

As soon as the bullet leaves the barrel, it’s influenced by two basic forces: gravity and drag. The fraction of a millisecond prior to the bullet exiting, it’s been under one single, fairly significant force: the pressure of the expanding gasses of the powder charge behind the bullet. As soon as that gas can escape the barrel, acceleration stops, and deceleration due to drag takes over, as does gravity once the bullet is no longer supported on all sides by the rifle barrel.

Even if he took gravity and drag into consideration, he had to account for velocity, trigonometry, wind direction, and optics. The rifle, set up hours beforehand, was sitting at the edge of the roof, with Adrian behind it.

“…Roger that. We’re in the position,” spoke Divya through comms, “waiting for your signal.”

The group of people led by Divya was partly made up with the newest recruits of Rutherford organisation, hand-picked solely for this mission. They were to mix with the club staff and lock down all the exits once Adrian had executed his kill. The other part though, the more experienced ones, were on a stand-by, to gun down any escapees with silenced pistols and dump their bodies on the French territory.

They’d planted the bombs two days prior, when the city hall demanded an inspection upon Rutherford orders and their loyalists, dressed up as the crew, hid explosives in ten different spots inside the club.

“Stand by,” responded Adrian to Divya. Introducing them to the basic military lingo was one of the first things Adrian had done during the training. Discipline and precision were key to pulling off the mission and he had no intention to leave any room for error.

Three minutes later, there was a sound of a car pulling up at the parking lot and clicking of boots on the concrete.

When the woman neared Adrian’s shooting range and he saw her face, there was a millisecond of hesitation.

He had studied her photographs whilst planning the attack, but now, seeing her in flash, it all came back to him - the reason why her name had sounded so damn familiar.

Marine Charif was introduced to the French Organisation ten years ago, by Laure. He could remember it all so vividly now: Laure walking into the room, with young Marine in tow, announcing to him, Julien and Évelyne that her cousin from Marseille had joined the St. Clair ranks.

But the millisecond was not enough to intervene with the kill.

Almost as soon as his .223 Remington, 69–80-grain bullets left the rifle and tore through Marine’s temple and into her skull, Adrian gave a command.

“Engage.”

The team had worked like a well-geared machine.

It all happened simultaneously.

Marine’s blood spattering all over the parking lot.

One of Divya’s man dragging her body out.

Rutherford loyalists locking down every possible exit from the building.

Divya pushing her thumb into the detonator.

The club lighting up the London skyline like the parade of fireworks.

The sound was deafening. The flames exploded in a mini-supernova, turning everyone and everything inside the club – the people, the expensive equipment, the furniture, the insane amounts of cocaine, into a gruesome pile of pieces of human flesh, wood, and metal, scattered like a jigsaw puzzle. And above all that, the grey powder of ash started to descend and add a monochromatic layer, like fallen snow on a forgotten city.

III.

The firefighter John Coyle shook his head in disbelief.

“This is clearly not a gas leak.”

“Don’t be a fucking hero, mate, and take the money. God knows you could use it,” his co-worker of seven years patted him on the back, “and so could I. Tara is starting school this year.”

“There are more than thirty people burnt to the crisp, man, thirty.”

“Listen, it’s already been written off as a gas leak, give it a rest. Besides,” he leaned in closer to whisper, “I heard they were some drug dealing French criminals, I say, London is better off.”

“God’s sakes, they were people.”

With those simple words, John Coyle had turned himself into a loose end. Unfortunately for him, Rutherfords didn’t leave those alive. He was no exception, as he’d soon find out, standing behind a gun pointed at him by one of Adrian’s people, and drawing his last breath before the trigger was pulled.

IV.

The reason why Adrian was holding a glass of scotch in his hand was to celebrate a successful job, not the fact that he had just sent more than three dozen people to meet their maker.

Johnathan and Melissa, though, they were glad no St. Clair loyalist would venture to make a move on Westminster for a long time.

“Marine was a commandant. Her assassination will trigger a chain of events,” Adrian pointed out the obvious.

“Exactly the point. And this? This was just an opening act to the big event,” Johnathan smirked and poured another glass. “Wait until you hear who your next target is. Let’s say the hotel launch will be even more memorable for the French than we’d initially planned.”

Adrian had already been wrapping up his preparations for the upcoming attack on Amir Dawar’s new hotel opening night, and the news of an unknown variable thrown into the equation drew all of his attention.

“A special guest from across the pond,” Melissa sat in a chair and crossed her leg.

IV.

The next day Marine Charif’s body would be found nailed to a metal plaque that read “The City of Westminster,” in a trash bin outside her Camden house.

And trash was exactly where dead rats belonged.

[wineanddinosaur]

Craft Beer Is Responding to Covid and Racism Through Communal Initiatives

The craft beer industry is in the midst of an unimaginable catch-22. At many of the country’s 8,000-plus small breweries, the struggle to keep the lights on has never been harder. At the same time, the events of this year have amplified the need for breweries — considered essential businesses and centers of community — to expand their reach into charity, advocacy, and activism.

The concept of social outreach has always been a core element of craft beer, but this year, it is glaringly apparent. The combined effects of the coronavirus pandemic and most recent spate of police brutality, including the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, have walloped 2020, exposing gaping needs in the beer and hospitality industries, as well as their communities at large.

Now more than ever, craft breweries are being called to action to meet those needs, from alleviating Covid-related losses to advocating for racial equity. Through initiatives such as All Together and Black Is Beautiful, hundreds, if not thousands, of breweries are rising to the task — even as they grapple with sales declines averaging 65 percent. But for real change to happen, the beer community needs more than that. Even as the industry’s humanitarian ethos is working overtime, its work is cut out for it on the road to improving equity and diversity.

Craft Beer’s Inherent Community Spirit

Craft beer’s very nature is social. While we are now learning to enjoy it in our homes much more than elsewhere right now, the general business model of a craft brewery involves the gathering together of friends, neighbors, and visitors in taprooms. Beyond that physical closeness, many craft breweries create community-oriented ways to connect with their patrons on a more meaningful level through charitable initiatives.

Community efforts have been centerpieces at breweries long before anyone had heard of Covid-19. In June each year, breweries across the country launch Pride-themed labels to show solidarity with the LGBTQIA community, and support related organizations with donations. Breweries in North Dakota and Florida have helped shelter dogs find homes by putting their pictures on beer cans — one even reunited a long lost dog with its owner nearly 2,000 miles away — and dozens of breweries release brands in partnership with a variety of water conservation efforts.

What annual Pride beers, sustainability-focused seasonal releases, and dog-donning cans all have in common is their aim to improve some form of social, societal, or political problem that the brewery has faced in its community or is witnessing at large.

Brewing for Equity Benefits All

On Jan. 20, 2017, Brooklyn’s Threes Brewing released a beer called Courage, My Love. It was released in response to President Trump’s inauguration, and would donate 10 percent of proceeds to the ACLU.

That project evolved into People Power, a collaboration project that in 2018 included 85 breweries in the U.S. This year, People Power is back and shaping up to have even more participants and impact.

People Power’s trajectory symbolizes an overarching presence of advocacy in beer, from the perpetually relevant to urgently necessary. In 2016, brewing a beer to benefit the ACLU made sense because it felt “important to shine a light on the work they do to protect the civil rights of citizens in America,” says Josh Stylman, Threes CEO and co-founder. In 2020, work like that is more vital than ever.

Fellow Brooklyn-based brewing company Non Sequitur Beer Project launched in October 2019 with charity woven into its business model. Each of Non Sequitur’s beers benefits a different charity, with a portion of sales proceeds going to that organization. Founder Gage Siegel says the approach has been part of Non Sequitur since day one when he was envisioning his brewery’s identity, an identity tied to the community that would be buying his beer.

“If any business wants to sell in a community and lean on the community, it’s really important to engage with that community,” Siegel says.

Since launching, Non Sequitur has raised funds and awareness for causes including Just Leadership USA, New York Immigration Coalition, and Make the Road NY. Recently, Non Sequitur donated to the Restaurant Workers Community Fund through its beer brewed as part of All Together, a collaboration spearheaded by Brooklyn’s Other Half Brewing. All Together was one of the earliest resounding examples of breweries working together to soften the pandemic’s blow, with each brewery pledging to donate to hospitality-oriented charitable organizations in their respective cities. At the time of reporting, more than 855 breweries are taking part worldwide.

Bottleshare, a Kennesaw, Ga.-based organization, launched with a mission that seems tailor-made for the pandemic’s hardships: The foundation raises money and offers grants to brewing industry workers facing situations outside the workplace that affect their abilities to earn a living. But Christopher Glenn actually established Bottleshare in 2018, after he was hit by a drunk driver while driving home from his shift at Dry County Brewing Company, also in Kennesaw, Ga.

Glenn credits the beer community with some of the support he received, which sustained him through his recovery. For many, Covid-19 had a sudden, brutal impact, with many losing their jobs and livelihoods. Through the Bottleshare Organization, Glenn continues to aid industry workers and has pivoted to extended grants to entire breweries in need.

While Bottleshare is not a brewery itself, its operation depends on the communal aspect of beer. Breweries partner with Bottleshare to brew collaboration beers, donate sales proceeds, and hold fundraisers to help the organization raise its grant funds. Glenn says no brewery Bottleshare has approached has ever said no — breweries have been enthusiastic to pitch in before and even after the pandemic hit, which Glenn credits to a “community-over-competition” mentality.

“It doesn’t take much work to unite breweries, because they want to unite,” Glenn says. “It’s inspiring to see people who are suffering themselves put that aside and think about others’ suffering. It’s all about brethren right now, [not] profit margins.”

Breweries Against Racism

A standout initiative in the craft brewing world in 2020, Black is Beautiful is encouraging breweries to raise funds and awareness for the fight against racism and police brutality. The idea came from Marcus Baskerville, founder and head brewer at Weathered Souls Brewing Co. in San Antonio. The concept of a standalone beer named “Black is Beautiful” with proceeds benefiting the Know Your Rights Campaign evolved into a global endeavor.

“As a Black business owner, parent, and proud Black man, I had to do something,” Baskerville says. On the Black is Beautiful website, breweries can sign up and receive a base recipe and label to personalize. All Baskerville asks is that breweries donate 100 percent of sales to local foundations for legal defense and police brutality reform. As of this writing, 1,037 breweries in 20 countries have signed on.

Baskerville believes this is an example of the specific impact craft beer can have on improving the beer business and community at large because of the industry’s unified, humanitarian spirit.

“You look at this and you can say, there’s no other industry where there’ve been over 900 different businesses involved in one cause,” Baskerville says. “It says a lot about the brewing community.”

In Durham, N.C., Fullsteam has worked tirelessly to support the Southern agricultural community by painstakingly sourcing local ingredients, says taproom manager Ari Sanders. This year, the brewery is adding its voice to the racial equity conversation. With its Juneteenth beer, conceptualized last  November, Fullsteam is underlining the importance of raising awareness and amplifying Black voices specifically in response to the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. Through its Juneteenth pilsner, Fullsteam is giving 100 percent of proceeds to the Hayti Heritage Center, a Durham arts education facility, and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Fullsteam also donated the pilsner to other Juneteenth events and Black farmers’ markets.

“Beer brings people together,” Sanders says, adding that she had suggested celebrating the holiday with a weekend-long event, before Covid-19 hit. “So it’s important [that] breweries know what they stand for and who they are. It’s very easy to do what’s right.”

In Detroit, Eastern Market Brewing Co. managing partner Dayne Bartscht says the murder of George Floyd refocused the brewery’s team on the importance of active engagement in the fight against racism. The brewery shut down to plan the next move — a move in itself that sent a message, Bartscht says. Jasmine Hairston, an employee at Eastern Market, pointed out the privilege in that pause, explaining that as a Black, queer person, she has to live with her experiences and doesn’t get to shut down to reflect.

Her comments had immediate impact. Acknowledging her aptitude for keeping the brewery accountable for its actions, Bartscht says, he promoted Hairston to a managerial role heading community outreach. Eastern Market has since restarted operations and held a (socially distanced) Juneteenth event and launch party for its Black is Beautiful beer. The launch raised $5,000 for Focus: HOPE, a Detroit-area organization fighting racism, poverty, and injustice.

Are Breweries Responsible for Community Outreach?

Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham, diversity ambassador of the Brewers Association, hopes recent initiatives such as Black Is Beautiful and People Power “are going to be the start of [breweries] doing a lot of structured and sustained investigation into how they run their businesses,” she says. “If this inspires [the beer business] to become a more inclusive, equitable, and just place, that can have an untold impact.”

Of course, opinions vary regarding a brewery’s responsibility to incorporate outreach into their business plans. But for many small beer businesses, the positive return for equitable actions is that each effort paves the way forward. For Non Sequitur Beer Project, “the benefit is everything is better, the world is better, the community is better. Craft beer becomes more diverse, which is an issue we have [as an industry],” Siegel says. “In our communities, outreach and activism [are] key to diversifying our space.”

Choosing to act demonstrates commitment to the beer industry and beer drinkers. “The community has a great need in terms of employment and mobility,” Jackson-Beckham says, “and breweries have the power to do this.”

The article Craft Beer Is Responding to Covid and Racism Through Communal Initiatives appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/craft-beer-community-covid-racism/

[johnboothus]

Craft Beer Is Responding to Covid and Racism Through Communal Initiatives

The craft beer industry is in the midst of an unimaginable catch-22. At many of the country’s 8,000-plus small breweries, the struggle to keep the lights on has never been harder. At the same time, the events of this year have amplified the need for breweries — considered essential businesses and centers of community — to expand their reach into charity, advocacy, and activism.

The concept of social outreach has always been a core element of craft beer, but this year, it is glaringly apparent. The combined effects of the coronavirus pandemic and most recent spate of police brutality, including the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, have walloped 2020, exposing gaping needs in the beer and hospitality industries, as well as their communities at large.

Now more than ever, craft breweries are being called to action to meet those needs, from alleviating Covid-related losses to advocating for racial equity. Through initiatives such as All Together and Black Is Beautiful, hundreds, if not thousands, of breweries are rising to the task — even as they grapple with sales declines averaging 65 percent. But for real change to happen, the beer community needs more than that. Even as the industry’s humanitarian ethos is working overtime, its work is cut out for it on the road to improving equity and diversity.

Craft Beer’s Inherent Community Spirit

Craft beer’s very nature is social. While we are now learning to enjoy it in our homes much more than elsewhere right now, the general business model of a craft brewery involves the gathering together of friends, neighbors, and visitors in taprooms. Beyond that physical closeness, many craft breweries create community-oriented ways to connect with their patrons on a more meaningful level through charitable initiatives.

Community efforts have been centerpieces at breweries long before anyone had heard of Covid-19. In June each year, breweries across the country launch Pride-themed labels to show solidarity with the LGBTQIA community, and support related organizations with donations. Breweries in North Dakota and Florida have helped shelter dogs find homes by putting their pictures on beer cans — one even reunited a long lost dog with its owner nearly 2,000 miles away — and dozens of breweries release brands in partnership with a variety of water conservation efforts.

What annual Pride beers, sustainability-focused seasonal releases, and dog-donning cans all have in common is their aim to improve some form of social, societal, or political problem that the brewery has faced in its community or is witnessing at large.

Brewing for Equity Benefits All

On Jan. 20, 2017, Brooklyn’s Threes Brewing released a beer called Courage, My Love. It was released in response to President Trump’s inauguration, and would donate 10 percent of proceeds to the ACLU.

That project evolved into People Power, a collaboration project that in 2018 included 85 breweries in the U.S. This year, People Power is back and shaping up to have even more participants and impact.

People Power’s trajectory symbolizes an overarching presence of advocacy in beer, from the perpetually relevant to urgently necessary. In 2016, brewing a beer to benefit the ACLU made sense because it felt “important to shine a light on the work they do to protect the civil rights of citizens in America,” says Josh Stylman, Threes CEO and co-founder. In 2020, work like that is more vital than ever.

Fellow Brooklyn-based brewing company Non Sequitur Beer Project launched in October 2019 with charity woven into its business model. Each of Non Sequitur’s beers benefits a different charity, with a portion of sales proceeds going to that organization. Founder Gage Siegel says the approach has been part of Non Sequitur since day one when he was envisioning his brewery’s identity, an identity tied to the community that would be buying his beer.

“If any business wants to sell in a community and lean on the community, it’s really important to engage with that community,” Siegel says.

Since launching, Non Sequitur has raised funds and awareness for causes including Just Leadership USA, New York Immigration Coalition, and Make the Road NY. Recently, Non Sequitur donated to the Restaurant Workers Community Fund through its beer brewed as part of All Together, a collaboration spearheaded by Brooklyn’s Other Half Brewing. All Together was one of the earliest resounding examples of breweries working together to soften the pandemic’s blow, with each brewery pledging to donate to hospitality-oriented charitable organizations in their respective cities. At the time of reporting, more than 855 breweries are taking part worldwide.

Bottleshare, a Kennesaw, Ga.-based organization, launched with a mission that seems tailor-made for the pandemic’s hardships: The foundation raises money and offers grants to brewing industry workers facing situations outside the workplace that affect their abilities to earn a living. But Christopher Glenn actually established Bottleshare in 2018, after he was hit by a drunk driver while driving home from his shift at Dry County Brewing Company, also in Kennesaw, Ga.

Glenn credits the beer community with some of the support he received, which sustained him through his recovery. For many, Covid-19 had a sudden, brutal impact, with many losing their jobs and livelihoods. Through the Bottleshare Organization, Glenn continues to aid industry workers and has pivoted to extended grants to entire breweries in need.

While Bottleshare is not a brewery itself, its operation depends on the communal aspect of beer. Breweries partner with Bottleshare to brew collaboration beers, donate sales proceeds, and hold fundraisers to help the organization raise its grant funds. Glenn says no brewery Bottleshare has approached has ever said no — breweries have been enthusiastic to pitch in before and even after the pandemic hit, which Glenn credits to a “community-over-competition” mentality.

“It doesn’t take much work to unite breweries, because they want to unite,” Glenn says. “It’s inspiring to see people who are suffering themselves put that aside and think about others’ suffering. It’s all about brethren right now, [not] profit margins.”

Breweries Against Racism

A standout initiative in the craft brewing world in 2020, Black is Beautiful is encouraging breweries to raise funds and awareness for the fight against racism and police brutality. The idea came from Marcus Baskerville, founder and head brewer at Weathered Souls Brewing Co. in San Antonio. The concept of a standalone beer named “Black is Beautiful” with proceeds benefiting the Know Your Rights Campaign evolved into a global endeavor.

“As a Black business owner, parent, and proud Black man, I had to do something,” Baskerville says. On the Black is Beautiful website, breweries can sign up and receive a base recipe and label to personalize. All Baskerville asks is that breweries donate 100 percent of sales to local foundations for legal defense and police brutality reform. As of this writing, 1,037 breweries in 20 countries have signed on.

Baskerville believes this is an example of the specific impact craft beer can have on improving the beer business and community at large because of the industry’s unified, humanitarian spirit.

“You look at this and you can say, there’s no other industry where there’ve been over 900 different businesses involved in one cause,” Baskerville says. “It says a lot about the brewing community.”

In Durham, N.C., Fullsteam has worked tirelessly to support the Southern agricultural community by painstakingly sourcing local ingredients, says taproom manager Ari Sanders. This year, the brewery is adding its voice to the racial equity conversation. With its Juneteenth beer, conceptualized last  November, Fullsteam is underlining the importance of raising awareness and amplifying Black voices specifically in response to the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. Through its Juneteenth pilsner, Fullsteam is giving 100 percent of proceeds to the Hayti Heritage Center, a Durham arts education facility, and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Fullsteam also donated the pilsner to other Juneteenth events and Black farmers’ markets.

“Beer brings people together,” Sanders says, adding that she had suggested celebrating the holiday with a weekend-long event, before Covid-19 hit. “So it’s important [that] breweries know what they stand for and who they are. It’s very easy to do what’s right.”

In Detroit, Eastern Market Brewing Co. managing partner Dayne Bartscht says the murder of George Floyd refocused the brewery’s team on the importance of active engagement in the fight against racism. The brewery shut down to plan the next move — a move in itself that sent a message, Bartscht says. Jasmine Hairston, an employee at Eastern Market, pointed out the privilege in that pause, explaining that as a Black, queer person, she has to live with her experiences and doesn’t get to shut down to reflect.

Her comments had immediate impact. Acknowledging her aptitude for keeping the brewery accountable for its actions, Bartscht says, he promoted Hairston to a managerial role heading community outreach. Eastern Market has since restarted operations and held a (socially distanced) Juneteenth event and launch party for its Black is Beautiful beer. The launch raised $5,000 for Focus: HOPE, a Detroit-area organization fighting racism, poverty, and injustice.

Are Breweries Responsible for Community Outreach?

Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham, diversity ambassador of the Brewers Association, hopes recent initiatives such as Black Is Beautiful and People Power “are going to be the start of [breweries] doing a lot of structured and sustained investigation into how they run their businesses,” she says. “If this inspires [the beer business] to become a more inclusive, equitable, and just place, that can have an untold impact.”

Of course, opinions vary regarding a brewery’s responsibility to incorporate outreach into their business plans. But for many small beer businesses, the positive return for equitable actions is that each effort paves the way forward. For Non Sequitur Beer Project, “the benefit is everything is better, the world is better, the community is better. Craft beer becomes more diverse, which is an issue we have [as an industry],” Siegel says. “In our communities, outreach and activism [are] key to diversifying our space.”

Choosing to act demonstrates commitment to the beer industry and beer drinkers. “The community has a great need in terms of employment and mobility,” Jackson-Beckham says, “and breweries have the power to do this.”

The article Craft Beer Is Responding to Covid and Racism Through Communal Initiatives appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/craft-beer-community-covid-racism/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/craft-beer-is-responding-to-covid-and-racism-through-communal-initiatives

[isaiahrippinus]

Craft Beer Is Responding to Covid and Racism Through Communal Initiatives

The craft beer industry is in the midst of an unimaginable catch-22. At many of the country’s 8,000-plus small breweries, the struggle to keep the lights on has never been harder. At the same time, the events of this year have amplified the need for breweries — considered essential businesses and centers of community — to expand their reach into charity, advocacy, and activism.

The concept of social outreach has always been a core element of craft beer, but this year, it is glaringly apparent. The combined effects of the coronavirus pandemic and most recent spate of police brutality, including the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, have walloped 2020, exposing gaping needs in the beer and hospitality industries, as well as their communities at large.

Now more than ever, craft breweries are being called to action to meet those needs, from alleviating Covid-related losses to advocating for racial equity. Through initiatives such as All Together and Black Is Beautiful, hundreds, if not thousands, of breweries are rising to the task — even as they grapple with sales declines averaging 65 percent. But for real change to happen, the beer community needs more than that. Even as the industry’s humanitarian ethos is working overtime, its work is cut out for it on the road to improving equity and diversity.

Craft Beer’s Inherent Community Spirit

Craft beer’s very nature is social. While we are now learning to enjoy it in our homes much more than elsewhere right now, the general business model of a craft brewery involves the gathering together of friends, neighbors, and visitors in taprooms. Beyond that physical closeness, many craft breweries create community-oriented ways to connect with their patrons on a more meaningful level through charitable initiatives.

Community efforts have been centerpieces at breweries long before anyone had heard of Covid-19. In June each year, breweries across the country launch Pride-themed labels to show solidarity with the LGBTQIA community, and support related organizations with donations. Breweries in North Dakota and Florida have helped shelter dogs find homes by putting their pictures on beer cans — one even reunited a long lost dog with its owner nearly 2,000 miles away — and dozens of breweries release brands in partnership with a variety of water conservation efforts.

What annual Pride beers, sustainability-focused seasonal releases, and dog-donning cans all have in common is their aim to improve some form of social, societal, or political problem that the brewery has faced in its community or is witnessing at large.

Brewing for Equity Benefits All

On Jan. 20, 2017, Brooklyn’s Threes Brewing released a beer called Courage, My Love. It was released in response to President Trump’s inauguration, and would donate 10 percent of proceeds to the ACLU.

That project evolved into People Power, a collaboration project that in 2018 included 85 breweries in the U.S. This year, People Power is back and shaping up to have even more participants and impact.

People Power’s trajectory symbolizes an overarching presence of advocacy in beer, from the perpetually relevant to urgently necessary. In 2016, brewing a beer to benefit the ACLU made sense because it felt “important to shine a light on the work they do to protect the civil rights of citizens in America,” says Josh Stylman, Threes CEO and co-founder. In 2020, work like that is more vital than ever.

Fellow Brooklyn-based brewing company Non Sequitur Beer Project launched in October 2019 with charity woven into its business model. Each of Non Sequitur’s beers benefits a different charity, with a portion of sales proceeds going to that organization. Founder Gage Siegel says the approach has been part of Non Sequitur since day one when he was envisioning his brewery’s identity, an identity tied to the community that would be buying his beer.

“If any business wants to sell in a community and lean on the community, it’s really important to engage with that community,” Siegel says.

Since launching, Non Sequitur has raised funds and awareness for causes including Just Leadership USA, New York Immigration Coalition, and Make the Road NY. Recently, Non Sequitur donated to the Restaurant Workers Community Fund through its beer brewed as part of All Together, a collaboration spearheaded by Brooklyn’s Other Half Brewing. All Together was one of the earliest resounding examples of breweries working together to soften the pandemic’s blow, with each brewery pledging to donate to hospitality-oriented charitable organizations in their respective cities. At the time of reporting, more than 855 breweries are taking part worldwide.

Bottleshare, a Kennesaw, Ga.-based organization, launched with a mission that seems tailor-made for the pandemic’s hardships: The foundation raises money and offers grants to brewing industry workers facing situations outside the workplace that affect their abilities to earn a living. But Christopher Glenn actually established Bottleshare in 2018, after he was hit by a drunk driver while driving home from his shift at Dry County Brewing Company, also in Kennesaw, Ga.

Glenn credits the beer community with some of the support he received, which sustained him through his recovery. For many, Covid-19 had a sudden, brutal impact, with many losing their jobs and livelihoods. Through the Bottleshare Organization, Glenn continues to aid industry workers and has pivoted to extended grants to entire breweries in need.

While Bottleshare is not a brewery itself, its operation depends on the communal aspect of beer. Breweries partner with Bottleshare to brew collaboration beers, donate sales proceeds, and hold fundraisers to help the organization raise its grant funds. Glenn says no brewery Bottleshare has approached has ever said no — breweries have been enthusiastic to pitch in before and even after the pandemic hit, which Glenn credits to a “community-over-competition” mentality.

“It doesn’t take much work to unite breweries, because they want to unite,” Glenn says. “It’s inspiring to see people who are suffering themselves put that aside and think about others’ suffering. It’s all about brethren right now, [not] profit margins.”

Breweries Against Racism

A standout initiative in the craft brewing world in 2020, Black is Beautiful is encouraging breweries to raise funds and awareness for the fight against racism and police brutality. The idea came from Marcus Baskerville, founder and head brewer at Weathered Souls Brewing Co. in San Antonio. The concept of a standalone beer named “Black is Beautiful” with proceeds benefiting the Know Your Rights Campaign evolved into a global endeavor.

“As a Black business owner, parent, and proud Black man, I had to do something,” Baskerville says. On the Black is Beautiful website, breweries can sign up and receive a base recipe and label to personalize. All Baskerville asks is that breweries donate 100 percent of sales to local foundations for legal defense and police brutality reform. As of this writing, 1,037 breweries in 20 countries have signed on.

Baskerville believes this is an example of the specific impact craft beer can have on improving the beer business and community at large because of the industry’s unified, humanitarian spirit.

“You look at this and you can say, there’s no other industry where there’ve been over 900 different businesses involved in one cause,” Baskerville says. “It says a lot about the brewing community.”

In Durham, N.C., Fullsteam has worked tirelessly to support the Southern agricultural community by painstakingly sourcing local ingredients, says taproom manager Ari Sanders. This year, the brewery is adding its voice to the racial equity conversation. With its Juneteenth beer, conceptualized last  November, Fullsteam is underlining the importance of raising awareness and amplifying Black voices specifically in response to the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. Through its Juneteenth pilsner, Fullsteam is giving 100 percent of proceeds to the Hayti Heritage Center, a Durham arts education facility, and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Fullsteam also donated the pilsner to other Juneteenth events and Black farmers’ markets.

“Beer brings people together,” Sanders says, adding that she had suggested celebrating the holiday with a weekend-long event, before Covid-19 hit. “So it’s important [that] breweries know what they stand for and who they are. It’s very easy to do what’s right.”

In Detroit, Eastern Market Brewing Co. managing partner Dayne Bartscht says the murder of George Floyd refocused the brewery’s team on the importance of active engagement in the fight against racism. The brewery shut down to plan the next move — a move in itself that sent a message, Bartscht says. Jasmine Hairston, an employee at Eastern Market, pointed out the privilege in that pause, explaining that as a Black, queer person, she has to live with her experiences and doesn’t get to shut down to reflect.

Her comments had immediate impact. Acknowledging her aptitude for keeping the brewery accountable for its actions, Bartscht says, he promoted Hairston to a managerial role heading community outreach. Eastern Market has since restarted operations and held a (socially distanced) Juneteenth event and launch party for its Black is Beautiful beer. The launch raised $5,000 for Focus: HOPE, a Detroit-area organization fighting racism, poverty, and injustice.

Are Breweries Responsible for Community Outreach?

Dr. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham, diversity ambassador of the Brewers Association, hopes recent initiatives such as Black Is Beautiful and People Power “are going to be the start of [breweries] doing a lot of structured and sustained investigation into how they run their businesses,” she says. “If this inspires [the beer business] to become a more inclusive, equitable, and just place, that can have an untold impact.”

Of course, opinions vary regarding a brewery’s responsibility to incorporate outreach into their business plans. But for many small beer businesses, the positive return for equitable actions is that each effort paves the way forward. For Non Sequitur Beer Project, “the benefit is everything is better, the world is better, the community is better. Craft beer becomes more diverse, which is an issue we have [as an industry],” Siegel says. “In our communities, outreach and activism [are] key to diversifying our space.”

Choosing to act demonstrates commitment to the beer industry and beer drinkers. “The community has a great need in terms of employment and mobility,” Jackson-Beckham says, “and breweries have the power to do this.”

The article Craft Beer Is Responding to Covid and Racism Through Communal Initiatives appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/craft-beer-community-covid-racism/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/625613629172203521

[magzoso-tech]

New Post has been published on https://magzoso.com/tech/technologists-are-creating-artificial-intelligence-to-help-us-tap-into-our-humanity-heres-how-and-why/

Technologists Are Creating Artificial Intelligence to Help Us Tap Into Our Humanity. Here's How (and Why).

New AI tools like Cogito aim to remind us how to be ‘human,’ issuing reminders and alerts for empathy and compassion.

December 31, 2019 15+ min read

When being empathetic is your full-time job, burning out is only human. 

Few people are more aware of this than customer service representatives, who are tasked with approaching each conversation with energy and compassion — whether it’s their first call of the day or their 60th. It’s their job to make even the most difficult customer feel understood and respected while still providing them accurate information. Oftentimes that’s a tall order, resulting in frustration on both ends of the call. 

But over the last few years, an unlikely aide has come forward: artificial intelligence tools designed to help people tap into and maintain “human” characteristics like empathy and compassion. 

One of these tools is a platform called Cogito, named for the famous Descartes philosophy Cogito, ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am”). It’s an AI platform that monitors sales and service calls for large corporations (among them, MetLife and Humana) and offers employees real-time feedback on customer interactions. 

During a call, an employee may see Cogito pop-up alerts on their screen encouraging them to display more empathy, increase their vocal energy, speak more slowly or respond more quickly. Interactions are scored and tracked on internal company dashboards, and managers can gauge, instantly, what different members of their team may need to work on. 

As a call center representative in MetLife’s disability insurance department, Conor Sprouls uses Cogito constantly. On a typical day, he takes anywhere from 30 to 50 calls. Each one lasts between five and 45 minutes, depending on the complexity of the issue. 

Sprouls’s first caller on the morning of Sept. 12, 2019, was someone with an anxiety disorder, and Cogito pinged Sprouls once with a reminder to be empathetic and a few times for being slow to respond (not uncommon when looking for documentation on someone’s claim, explains Sprouls).

When Cogito first rolled out, some employees were concerned about constant supervisor oversight and notification overload. They were getting pinged too often about the empathy cue, for example, and at one point, the tool thought a representative and a customer were talking over each other when they were in fact sharing a laugh. But Sprouls says that the system gets more intuitive with every call. As for over-supervision, call center conversations are always recorded and sent to supervisors, so it’s not much of a change. 

In fact, Cogito may even offer a more realistic reflection of performance, says Sprouls. “A supervisor can’t be expected to listen to every single call for each of their associates, so sometimes when we’re just choosing calls at random, it could be luck of the draw — one associate could be monitored on an easy call, and another could be monitored on a hard one,” he says. “Cogito is going to give you the end result: who needs to work on what. I think the way a lot of us really look at Cogito is as a personal job coach.” 

MetLife has been using Cogito for about two years, though it was first introduced in a pilot capacity. 

Emily Baker, a MetLife supervisor with a team of about 17, says that her associates all benefited from Cogito’s cues during the pilot process. She says one associate’s favorite was the energy cue; he’d start slouching in his seat at the end of the day, and the posture meant he didn’t project his voice as much. When the energy cue appeared (a coffee cup icon), he sat up straight and spoke more energetically so that he appeared more engaged in the call.

“I like the fact that I can see overall, on my particular supervisor dashboard, how we’re doing as a team, if there are any trends,” Baker says. “Is everybody speaking over the caller? Is everybody having trouble with dead air? You can drill down into each person, and it’s really good for coaching one-on-one.” 

Now, MetLife is in the process of rolling out Cogito across even more of its customer-facing departments — claims, direct sales, customer growth. The company also plans to more than double the number of employees using the platform (from 1,200 to over 3,000). 

“It’s a little bit of a strange dynamic,” says Kristine Poznanski, head of global customer solutions at MetLife. “We’re using technology and artificial intelligence to help our associates demonstrate more human behavior. It’s something you don’t intuitively think about.” 

A growing trend 

At his consulting job in the New Zealand Department of Child and Family, Josh Feast, co-founder and CEO of Cogito, says he learned that social workers could experience burnout in as few as three to five years. He was shocked by the irony — that a profession designed to care for people wasn’t conducive to caring for the people in that profession. 

An idea began to form, and it took further shape after a course at MIT’s Media Lab, during which Feast had a key revelation: Big organizations understand data well, so if he wanted to help people inside a large organization, he needed to present his idea in a language the corporate team could understand. “It was almost like being hit by a lightning strike,” he says. 

And so Cogito was born. In the R&D phase, Feast and his co-founder worked for DARPA, the U.S. government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The agency had in mind soldiers struggling with PTSD, and DARPA provided the Cogito team with funding to research aid for psychological distress. So Feast began studying how nurses interacted with patients. 

“There was a real ‘aha’ moment where we discovered that if you could use that technology to understand the conversation — and to measure the conversational dance between nurse and patient — you could start getting a read of the degree of empathy and compassion they displayed … and the resulting attitude the patient had to that interaction,” says Feast. 

He built dashboards to display measures of compassion and empathy, and he found something noteworthy: When people were given real-time feedback while speaking with someone, levels of compassion and empathy during the conversation improved. That realization was the key to Cogito’s future. 

But Cogito isn’t the only AI-powered tool aiming to help us tap into our humanity. 

Butterfly

There’s Butterfly, an AI tool that aims to help managers empathize with their employees and increase workplace happiness. After Butterfly is embedded into a workplace messaging system, it functions as a chatbot — executive-coaching managers in real-time based on employee surveys and feedback. Butterfly analyzes the latter to measure levels of stress, collaboration, conflict, purpose, creativity and the like. Then, it provides managers with calls to action and reading materials to help them deal with problems on their team. For example, an executive with a highly-stressed team might receive an article on how to create a more compassionate work environment. 

“In a nutshell, Butterfly was created in order to help managers to be on point when it comes to their… team’s level of engagement and overall happiness,” says co-founder and CEO David Mendlewicz. “Think about an AI-driven happiness assistant or AI-driven leadership coach.” 

Supportiv

Another AI-powered empathy tool is Supportiv, a peer counseling platform aiming to use natural language processing to take on daily mental health struggles such as work stress, anxiety, loneliness and conflicts with loved ones. Seconds after a user answers Supportiv’s primary question — “What’s your struggle?” — they’re sorted into an anonymous, topic-specific peer support group. 

Each group has a trained live moderator (who is also equipped to refer specialized or emergency services as needed), and an AI algorithm scans conversations to detect mood, tone, engagement and interaction patterns. On the moderator’s side, prompts pop up — user X hasn’t contributed to the conversation in a while, or user Y shared a thought above that hasn’t been addressed. Co-founder Helena Plater-Zyberk’s vision for Supportiv’s next iteration: additional AI advances that could help identify isolated users in chats and alert moderators with suggestions on how to be more empathetic towards those individuals. 

The aim, says Plater-Zyberk, is to create “superhuman moderators” — using compassion, empathy and hyper-alertness to facilitate a group chat better than any normally-equipped human. 

IBM’s Project Debater

Finally, when it comes to the theory “I think, therefore I am,” IBM’s Project Debater fits the bill. Introduced by the tech giant in January, it’s billed as the first AI system that can debate complex ideas with humans. At its core, Debater is about rational thinking and empathy — considering opposing points of view and understanding an opponent enough to be able to address their argument piece-by-piece and ultimately win them over. 

Dr. Aya Soffer, vice president of AI tech at IBM Research, envisions a variety of real-world applications for Debater — a policymaker who wants to understand the range of implications for a law they’re considering. For example, in the case of banning phones from schools (a law the French government passed in 2018), what are the precedents, the pros and cons, the arguments on both sides of the equation? A financial analyst or investment advisor might use Debater to make smart projections about what a new type of technology may or may not mean for the market. 

We typically look for supporting arguments in order to convince ourselves, or someone else, of something. But Soffer says that taking counterarguments into account could be even more powerful, whether to change a mind or strengthen a pre-existing view. That kind of empathy and higher-level logical thinking is something IBM Debater aims to help with.

Pitfalls and privacy 

As is the case with all new technology, this type has some concerning use cases. 

First, there’s the potential for system bias in the data used to train the algorithm. For example, if it’s taught using cases of predominantly white men expressing empathy, that could yield a system that charts lower output for women and minorities. A call center representative with a medical condition might display less energy than the perceived norm but does their best to make up for it in other ways. 

That’s why it’s a good idea for individuals to be provided this data before it’s shared with their supervisors, says Rosalind Picard, founder and director of the Affective Computing Research Group at the MIT Media Lab. She believes it’s a breach of ethics to share data on an employee’s interactions, such as levels of compassion, empathy and energy, with a manager first. 

And then there’s the temptation for this type of technology to go beyond its intended use case — a helpful reminder to facilitate a genuine connection — and instead serve as a driver for insincere interactions fueled by fear. After all, similar tech tools are part of the foundation of social ratings systems (think Black Mirror‘s “Nosedive” episode). In 2020, China plans to debut publicly available social credit scores for every citizen. That score will help determine an individual’s eligibility for an apartment, which travel deals they’re offered, which schools they may enroll their children in and even whether they can see a hospital doctor without lining up to pay first. 

Within the next five years, experts predict we’ll make great strides in “sentiment analysis” — a type of natural language processing that identifies human emotions by analyzing facial expressions and body language or text responses. 

But for Noah Goodman, associate professor at Stanford University’s Computation and Cognition Lab, there’s a moral dilemma involved: What’s the right thing to do with the information these systems learn? Should they have goals — prompt us, adjust our environments or send us tools to make us feel happier, more compassionate, more empathetic? What should the technology do with data on our feelings towards someone else, our performance in any given interaction? And who should it make that information available to? “This is a place where the creepiness boundary is always close,” says Goodman.  

Another problem? AI simply can’t replicate, or fully comprehend, human emotion. Take Cogito, for example. Let’s say you’re a customer service representative on the phone with customers all day, and you receive an alert that you’re sounding low-energy and tired instead of high-energy and alert. That doesn’t mean you’re actually feeling tired, says Picard, and that’s an important distinction to make. 

“It doesn’t know how I feel,” says Picard. “It has no consciousness — it’s simply saying that to this system listening to your vocal quality, compared to your usual vocal quality and compared to other people on the phone at this company’s vocal quality, here is how you might sound, according to the data we’ve collected… It’s not to say you are that way.” 

There’s a misunderstanding that we’re already at the point where AI effectively understands human feelings, rather than just being able to analyze data and recognize patterns related to them. The phrase “artificial intelligence” itself may propagate that misunderstanding, says Picard, so to avoid fueling public fear about the future of AI, she recommends calling it software instead. 

“As soon as we call the software ‘AI,’ a lot of people think it’s doing more than it is,” she says. “When we say the machine ‘learns’ and that it’s ‘learned something’ what we mean is that we’ve trained a big chunk of mathematics to take a bunch of inputs and make a mathematical function that produces a set of outputs with them. It doesn’t ‘learn’ or ‘know’ or ‘feel’ or ‘think’ anything like any of us do. It’s not alive.” 

Implications and regulations

Some experts believe there will come a day when technology will be able to understand and replicate “uniquely human” characteristics. The idea falls under the “computational theory of the mind” — that the brain is a dedicated tool for processing information, and even complex emotions like compassion and empathy can be charted as data. But even if that’s true, there’s a difference between experiencing emotion and understanding it — and in Goodman’s view, it’ll one day be entirely possible to build AI systems that have a good understanding of people’s emotions without actually experiencing emotions themselves. 

There’s also the idea that throughout the course of history, fear has often accompanied the release of new technology. “We’re always afraid of something new coming out, specifically if it has a large technological component,” says Mendlewicz. “Exactly the same fear rose up when the first telegraph came… and when the telegraph was replaced by the phone, people were also expressing fear… about [it] making us less human — having to communicate to a machine.” 

One of the most important questions to ask: How do we avoid this being used to alienate people or to create more distance between human beings? 

One prime example is social media platforms, which were introduced to augment human connectivity but paradoxically ended up as tools of polarization. “What we’ve learned from that is that human connectivity and the humanity of technology should not be assumed; it needs to be cultivated,” says Rumman Chowdhury, who leads Accenture’s Responsible AI initiative. “Instead of figuring out how we fit around technology, we need to figure out how technology fits around us.” 

That also means watching out for red flags, including the tech “solutionism” fallacy — the idea that technology can solve any and all of humanity’s problems. Although it can’t do that, technology can point out things we need to focus on in order to work towards more overarching solutions. 

“We as human beings have to be willing to do the hard work,” says Chowdhury. “Empathy doesn’t just happen because an AI told you to be more empathetic … [Let’s say] I create an AI to read through your emails and tell you if you sound kind enough and, if not, fix your emails for you so that you sound kind. That doesn’t make your a nicer person; it doesn’t make you more empathetic… The creation of any of this AI that involves improving human beings needs to be designed very thoughtfully, so that human beings are doing the work.” 

Some of that work involves building systems to regulate this type of AI before it’s widespread, and experts have already begun floating ideas. 

For any AI tool, Chris Sciacca, communications manager for IBM Research, would like to see an “AI Fact Sheet” that functions like a nutrition label on a loaf of bread, including data such as who trained the algorithm, when and which data they used. It’s a way to look “under the hood” — or even inside the black box — of an AI tool, understand why it might have come to a certain conclusion and remember to take its results with a grain of salt. He says IBM is working on standardizing and promoting such a practice. 

Picard suggests regulations akin to those for lie detection tests, such as the Federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act, passed in 1988. Under a similar law, it stands to reason that employers would be unable to require AI communication monitoring tools, with few exceptions — and that even in those cases, they couldn’t monitoring someone without informing them about the technology and their rights. 

Spencer Gerrol, CEO of Spark Neuro — a neuroanalytics company that aims to measure emotion and attention for advertisers — says the potential implications for this kind of empathetic AI keep him up at night. Facebook may have created “amazing” tech, he says, but it also contributed to meddling in the U.S. elections. And when it comes to devices that can read emotions based on your brain activity, consequences could be even more dire, especially since much of emotion is subconscious. That means that one day, a device could feasibly be more “aware” of your emotions than you yourself are. “The ethics of that will become complex,” says Gerrol, especially once advertisers attempt to persuade individuals to take action by leveraging what’s known about their emotions. 

As for the founder of Cogito himself? Feast believes that over the next five to 10 years, AI tools will split into two categories: 

Virtual agents that complete tasks on our behalf.

Intelligent augmentation, or services built around reinforcing or extending our own human capabilities. 

Feast envisions more of a meld between man and machine, tools that we’ll deem necessary to help us perform the way we want to in particular settings. These types of tools, he says, will “extend and reinforce our humanness.” 

[recentnews18-blog]

New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/capt-bobs-bull-statue-gets-new-home-in-delaware-wtop/

Capt. Bob's Bull statue gets new home in Delaware - WTOP

DAGSBORO, Del. (AP) — Some people living in Delmarva may be surprised to hear that a giant bull statue is set to stand outside a Dagsboro family farm next year.

But for many who have lived in and around Ocean City and Chincoteague, it’s simply the next adventure for the 44-year-old Eastern Shore landmark.

“It was a must-have,” said Paul Parsons, owner of Parsons Farms, the statue’s new location after the purchase in August.

Parsons credits his mother, Cora Parsons, for finding the storied statue on Facebook and getting in touch with its most recent owners in Chincoteague, where it has been for 15 years. Most remember the bull, famous for wearing sunglasses, a chef’s hat and scarf, from its days on 64th Street in Ocean City, where it blazoned Capt. Bob’s Steak and Seafood House for nearly three decades until the restaurant closed in 2003.

Parsons grew up visiting the bull at Capt. Bob’s, named after the owner, Bob Wilkerson, who passed away in 2013. He now plans to have the edifice outside the market on Armory Road, where he hopes it will advertise the family farm’s locally raised beef and on-farm bakery starting in the spring.

“The chef’s hat is going to go great with all that,” Parsons said, adding that the bull will be “back to, hopefully, the way everybody remembered him.”

The statue is being restored in at a custom fiberglass repair shop in Ocean City known for its boat work and large blue crab sculptures of the same material seen around town.

The towering fiberglass statue, estimated to weigh over 1,000 pounds, has resided in Chincoteague on a plot of land behind Maria’s restaurant on Maddox Boulevard, where those unfamiliar with its history mused over its increasingly hazy origins. Those familiar with Capt. Bob’s, meanwhile, feared it was becoming a forgotten piece of Delmarva’s past.

For the owner’s daughter, Donna Wilkerson-Gutridge, the bull was also a large part of her upbringing. She didn’t know it had a new home until she got a call on Nov. 7.

It was her friend who was traveling behind a trailer carrying the ungulate on its side down Route 611 on its way to Ocean City, where it is being restored.

“I’m stoked,” Wilkerson-Gutridge said.

She added that she thought about restoring the bull herself, but wasn’t sure where she would have put it once it was refurbished.

“He’d look kind of funny as a lawn ornament,” she said.

The statue, dubbed “Mr. Ocean City,” or otherwise known as “Capt. Bob’s bull,” stood proudly outside the family-run restaurant from the mid-1970s until 2003, when the restaurant closed, family members say.

“My dad was always a very astute businessman,” Wilkerson-Gutridge said. “He wanted something that would set us apart from all the other places up and down the beach.”

Ocean City native Bob Wilkerson and his wife, Kayrell, were master barbers and co-owners of the Delaware Barber School in Wilmington until they relocated to Ocean City in the 1960s and opened up a restaurant, Capt. Bob’s Steak and Seafood House, on Coastal Highway and 64th Street.

Then, several years into the business, the owners decided it was time to redecorate.

Kayrell Wilkerson said her late husband decided on the large statue outside his restaurant after spotting a similar steer outside a business in Pompano Beach, Florida. He eventually found a Wisconsin company that custom-made these fiberglass sculptures, from which he commissioned a customized bovine.

The company initially offered to put a large cigar in the bull’s mouth but ultimately decided to give it a checkered chef’s scarf and a pair of beach-ready sunglasses instead, family members said.

The fiberglass sculpting company is likely the same one that’s still up and running in Sparta, Wisconsin. The organization said it does not have financial records dating back to the time of Bob Wilkerson’s purchase.

But its general manager, Darren Schauf, said he is “confident” that the bull came from their company, which he said still employs some of the same artists it had 45 years ago.

“They really become icons for communities, especially smaller communities,” Shauf said about the statues. “They can end up becoming almost symbols or logos. When they disappear, people are genuinely disappointed.”

Some believe the bull stood outside another store in Beltsville in the 1960s, followed by a stint as the gold-painted bull on top of the Golden Bull restaurant in Adelphi that has since shut its doors. But accounts from natives and the Wilkerson family dismiss those theories as urban myths.

If you ask Wilkerson-Gutridge, the bull arrived to Delmarva in 1974. The family waited at the restaurant for the towering, bespectacled bullock to come rolling down Coastal Highway. They were surprised when, instead of being hauled by a tractor-trailer, the restaurant’s mascot and soon-to-be town staple arrived on a flatbed tugged by a station wagon.

“We thought it would be so much heavier,” said Wilkerson-Gutridge. “I can’t imagine the stares and the comments as it came down the country, going down Route 70.”

Any stares from Midwestern drivers on its road trip to the Eastern Shore would be just the beginning. Many remember the ox donning homemade costumes, made from king-size bed sheets and chicken wire, for each holiday: a ghost costume for Halloween (“Boo Bull”), bunny ears for Easter, a baby diaper for the New Year and an “Uncle Sam” beard for the Fourth of July — outfits that were routinely designed by Kayrell Wilkerson and her sister, Loretta.

“It was good advertising,” said Kayrell Wilkerson.

But the attention soon led to pranks. Many remember illicit, after-hour attempts to climb the towering edifice under the streetlights in the summer heat.

This happened so often, Wilkerson-Gutridge said, that her father would cover the monument in petroleum jelly to deter people from hurting themselves when scaling his gargantuan, eponymous bull. At some point, Kayrell Wilkerson said, the owner even surrounded the beacon of their business with a fence.

Its signature sunglasses eventually broke after multiple attempts from visitors, some less gentle than others, who tried to steal them. The bull would eventually get a makeover with homemade metal frames and a red scarf, one of several re-paintings that Kayrell Wilkerson had done, which it would then wear all throughout its time in Chincoteague.

“If I had a dime for every picture taken of that bull, I’d have long been retired,” Wilkerson-Gutridge said. “You’d say ‘Capt. Bob’s’ and they’d say, ‘The place with the big bull with the sunglasses?’ It really put us on the map.”

Sharon Lynch, a previous employee of the restaurant, said the bull served to show that Bob Wilkerson, known for cracking jokes and taking pride in his business, “backs his food up.” The statue sent a message that his ribs and steaks all came from the “best fed bull,” she said.

People would pull in without planning to have dinner, Lynch said, because they saw the bull. Tourists constantly asked questions about it: Where did it come from? How much did it weigh?

Tim and Kayrell Wilkerson said that they would meet people when traveling across the world — Jamaica, Mexico, North Carolina — who knew about the bull when they mentioned their family restaurant in Ocean City.

“The bull is what had the reputation,” Lynch said. “Once people come down in the summertime, they would tell their friends. And their friends would come. They would say, ‘Just look for the bull.’”

For Lynch, the bull represents a part of her life that she remembers fondly.

“So much of my life was in that restaurant,” said Lynch, who worked multiple summers for over two decades at Capt. Bob’s starting in her early teenage years. “It really kind of made me for who I am.”

Like many on Delmarva, she often wondered about the bull after it was sold. After the restaurant closed, she began working in retail and was often asked about Capt. Bob’s for years following.

“I really missed it,” Lynch said, adding that she “can’t wait” to see the bull once it is restored. “I thought about it all the time. . . . I just thought that bull would be there forever. I don’t know why.”

But she doesn’t make a lot of visits to the restaurant’s location, which has since been replaced by Dead Freddies Island Grill.

“I can’t even go by there now,” Lynch said. “They changed it. The bull’s not there, it’s not right.”

When the family business closed and began auctioning off its belongings, Parsons and his father were perusing the walk-in coolers when they noticed the bull was also up for sale.

“We really wanted to bull,” he said.

But for years, it would be a pipe dream. The bull was instead auctioned off to George Katsetos, owner of Maria’s in Chincoteague, who kept it next to his restaurant for a short time before the county told him that the bull exceeded an ordinance prohibiting statues over 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

The conflict wasn’t unlike that of the original, late owner’s claimed disputes with Ocean City government, though his wife remembers him convincing the town it was “just a big lawn ornament.”

Katsetos wasn’t as lucky, and had to place the bull behind his building where it would stay until last month. During that time, circa 2008, workers were cutting trees when the debris impaled the bull’s backside, leaving a hole still in need of repair.

But Katsetos said never stopped road-trippers from visiting Mr. Ocean City starting the first week it arrived to his property. A high school senior class even took their school picture with bull one year, and just last month, several college students from the College of William & Mary took pictures with the statue, he said.

Some of those visitors included other potential buyers. One was Bradley Wells, who works for one of the “Bull on the Beach” restaurants in Ocean City.

Wells, who also remembers the bull from its days outside Capt. Bob’s, envisioned restoring the animal and putting it either on top of or beside the restaurant, which is adjacent to the ocean, so that “we would actually have a bull on the beach.”

But a busy summer season, he said, slowed him down from finalizing the purchase.

Schauf said a new version of the statue would cost just over $20,000 today. Katsetos and Parsons would not disclose how much the bull was sold for in August, but Katsetos said it was a “real good bargain,” adding that he “just wanted somebody to take it and fix it.”

The Chincoteague resident claims to have spent $2,500 on the statue when he bought it from the Wilkerson family in 2003.

Kayrell Wilkerson said she visited the bull in Chincoteague several years ago, but was sad to see it had been damaged.

“I was just heartsick,” she said. “I said, ‘I’ll never go back.’”

Parsons, a self-proclaimed lover of history, hopes to get the bull back to its original look so that passersby recognize it from its Ocean City days. He wants people to drive by and say, “I know where that bull came from.”

“It’s wonderful,” Kayrell Wilkerson said. “My Mr. Ocean City bull will bring him in some business.”

Parsons said he also plans to continue the tradition of costumes for each holiday, and let people take pictures of it when they visit so that “you don’t lose the history of it.” He added that the bull will require security and safety measures, which will likely include 24/7 surveillance.

“He (Parsons) is appreciating that this is not just some fiberglass animal,” Wilkerson-Gutridge said. “He (the bull) had a great life, and now he is continuing that. … It’s just heartwarming to know that my family had that much impact on people’s vacations and memories and lives.”

___

Information from: The Daily Times of Salisbury, Md., http://www.delmarvanow.com/

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

Source: https://wtop.com/funny-weird-news/2018/11/capt-bobs-bull-statue-gets-new-home-in-delaware/

[adambstingus]

10+ Hilarious Wives That All Men Secretly Wish They Were Married To

Marrying someone with a good sense of humor is a one-way ticket to years of laughter, and these wives prove it. They’re creative, they’re hilarious, and they’re honestly trolls sometimes, but that can only make their husbands love them more. In fact, sharing a good sense of humor is viewed by many marriage specialists as the key to a happy union.

Relationships can get way too serious sometimes, especially when stress from work, kids, and expenses gets involved. Laughing together creates a feeling of warmth, relaxation, and bonding, and has even been said to stimulate physical attraction.

Give a round of applause for these wives who know the power of a good joke, and vote for the ones you would use on your significant other.

#1 My Wife Found A Way To Hide Her Candy

#2 My Husband Bet Me I Couldn’t Shave His Foot Without Him Waking Up. This Is What He Woke Up To This Morning

#3 My Wife Brought Home A Life Size Skeleton Replica, This Is What I Walked In On

#4 I Left For A Day. My Wife Knew Exactly What I Wanted To Do When I Got Home

#5 My Wife Called Me To The Bathroom To See The Work She Did On My Shampoo Bottle

#6 Called My Wife A Sandwich Maker

#7 My Wife Wanted To Let The Pizza Place Know That They’re Overdoing It With The Advertising

#8 We Were Looking Through Old Pictures Of Me When My Wife Started Laughing And Got The Dog’s Flea Pills From The Cupboard

#9 Wife Pranked Her Husband With A Coyote, Photoshopped Into Their Home

#10 My Sister’s April Fools’ Prank On Her Husband

#11 Was Wondering Why My Wife Was Giggling When She Asked Me To Change The Air Filters

#12 Once My Wife Said This, I Can’t Un-See It

#13 My Pregnant Wife Sent This To Me At 2:12 Am This Morning. I’m Going To Guess That My Snoring Was Quite Bad Last Night

#14 My Wife Took This Picture And Has Been Sending It Out And Laughing About It For 3 Hours

#15 I Hope My Husband Feels Special When He Wakes Up. All Eyes Will Be On Him

#16 My Hubby’s Reaction When He Tasted That I Added Whiskey To His Coffee

#17 My Wife Got A New Halloween Decoration. I Nearly Shit When I Walked In The Bathroom

#18 Asked My Wife To Get More Magnets For The Fridge With No Restrictions On What Kind

#19 My Wife (A Geologist) Purchased This For Me For My Birthday

#20 My Wife Made Me A Passive Aggressive Flow Chart To Use Every Time I Get Hungry

#21 My Friend Made This For Her Husband

#22 Just Got This Lovely Anniversary Note From My Lovely Girlfriend

#23 So My Wife Is Going Away For A Few Months. This Is How She Left Our Bed This Morning

#24 As Soon As She Saw It My Wife Took Them Out Of Her Bag And Left Them There

#25 My Wife Has Been Trying Anything To Remind Me To Bring My Lunch To Work

#26 My Wife, An Attorney, Wore Her Halloween Costume To Work Today

#27 My Wife Bought Me Monogram Pajamas For Christmas

#28 This Is What Happens When My Husband, Who Is Married To A Makeup Artist, Has The Nerve To Fall Asleep Early When I’m In Town

#29 My Wife Saw A Cockroach At Work, But Didn’t Have The Means To ‘Dispose’ Of It

#30 My Wife Said “Found Your Mom’s Butt Plug”

#31 My Wife’s Yard Sale Signs For Tomorrow

#32 My Husband’s Going To Love His Valentines Day Surprise

#33 My Wife Called To Say She Picked Up 50 Shades Of Grey. This Was Not What I Was Expecting When I Got Home

#34 I Asked The Kind Lady At The Pet Shop For A Shed Tarantula Skin, To Put Amongst The Bananas To Scare My Husband

#35 My Wife Packed Me Hard Boiled Eggs For Lunch

#36 Came Downstairs And My Wife Gave Me These. Uh, Thanks Honey?

#37 My Wife Asked Me If I Wanted Half Her Twix. She Thinks This Is A Game

#38 I Too Get Bored When My Husband Is Away

#39 My Wife Bought A New Hairbrush With A Suction Cup At The End. I Found This On The Bathroom Mirror. I Love My Wife!

#40 Christmas Shopping With The Family. My Wife Asked If The Baby Carrier Was Maybe Cutting Off My Son’s Circulation

#41 My Wife Woke Me Up To Tell Me I Needed To Fix The “Leak In The Bathtub”

#42 My Husband Told Me My Pregnant Belly Looked Like A Giant Boob. So I Put Makeup On It. He Was Right

#43 My Wife Says This Is The Only Benefit Of Being Pregnant

#44 My Husband Didn’t Want A Birthday Cake

#45 Not What My Husband Had In Mind When I Told Him I Made A Sexy Dress

#46 Look What My Wife Did To The Pug

#47 My Firefighter Husband Has To Spend Alternating Nights At The Station So I Got Him This Pillowcase To Keep Him Company

#48 My Wife Gave Me My Birthday Cake

#49 My Wife Thinks I’m Stupid Too

#50 Drove With My Husband To A Job Interview. Found This In The Parking Lot. I Think He’s Been Waiting Longer Than Me

#51 My Wife Made A New Phone Case

#52 I Was Complaining About My Recent Cold So My Wife Made Me A Cake To Help Me “Feel Better”

#53 Husband “Forbade” Me To Touch Alduin. This Was My Response. Alduin Totally Loves Me More

#54 My Wife Learned To Make Custom Stickers. This Is How I Found The Roomba Today

#55 Things I Send My Husband While At Work Because I Know He Will Appreciate It

#56 My Husband Says I’m “Being Immature” But I Found This While Gardening And Couldn’t Resist

#57 My Wife Is Not A Morning Person But She Had A Big Project At Work Today And Wanted To Go In Early

#58 My Wife Said This License Plate Made Her Think Of Me

#59 My Wife And I Make Banners For Each Other On Birthdays. This Was What I Woke Up To This Morning. I Love This Woman

#60 I Told My Husband That When He Gets Tired His Eyes Turn Into Eye Vaginas, He Didn’t Believe Me So I Took A Pic And Rotated It

#61 My Wife Told Her Co-Workers She’s Pregnant

#62 Told My Wife ” I Really Don’t Want Anything Special For My Birthday” Kinda Glad She Didn’t Listen.

#63 This Was The Card I Got My Husband For Our Anniversary. What Can I Say? I’m Sentimental

#64 My Wife Had A Little To Drink At Paint Night

#65 My Wife Has Made Mine And Our Children’s Lunches For Over 7 Years Now, Yesterday I Moaned About The Sandwiches Being Too Bland. Today I Got This

#66 Wife Made Me A Pillow

#67 I Love Pranking My Husband. So I Set Up The Storm Trooper In The Bathroom And He Nearly Crapped Himself When He Walked In There

#68 My Wife Found Out My Office Is Closing Down

#69 He Was Trying To Argue With Me In The Car So I Whipped In This Spot And Said I Have Something To Tell You (i’m Not Actually But It Shut Him Up Quick)

#70 It Appears My Wife Personalized Our Keurig

#71 Valentines Gift From My Wife

#72 T-Shirt I Made For My Husband, Trevor

#73 My Wife Was Feeling Down In The Hospital. Then She Found This

#74 My Husband And I Took Our 5 Year Old To The Amusement Park For The First Time Today. I’m 9 Months Pregnant, This Was My Favorite Ride

#75 “just Hydra Things.” I Read It Wrong, He Completed And Perfected It. #definitelynotmarvelfans

#76 My Husband Was Dreading Turning 40 And I Wanted To Make Him Not Feel So Old. So I Had A Surprise Party For Him And This Is His Cake!

#77 My Husband Was “too Tired” To Change The Babies Pooped Diaper While I Pumped…i Sent Him This Photo, He Didn’t See It Until The Morning. Diaper Was There For About 1hour.

#78 She Sent Me This when I asked her “How Long The Short Pants Were?

#79 Placed My Husband’s Heavy Shoe On A Cockroach For Him To Find.

#80 Husband Asked Me To Send Him A Sexy Pic

#81 Walked In The Bedroom The Other Day And My Wife Says “Look What I Made For You!”

#82 Husband Asked Me To Send Him A Sexy Pic Pt 2

#83 My Husband Smilingly Asked “why Are There Vegetables In The “beer Crisper”? So I Did This.

#84 My Friend Updated The Hook On Her Husband’s Closet Door. He Didn’t Notice For Two Weeks.

#85 My Hubby Loves To Leave Me Unconventional Messages..this Is What I Find When I Get Home

#86 1st Father Day, Upgraded!

#87 My Wife Buys Me Things So That She Can Come In And Tell Me “Hey! I Bought You A Present!” And Then Laugh At Me When She Sees My Look Of Curious Joy Become Crestfallen

#88 Really Loved The New Jrpg… This Is What Wife Was Wearing When I Came Home!

#89 ……ok Just One More Picture…..

#90 My Wife Likes To Leave Me Vute Notes

#91 This Is What My Husband Got For Not Emptying Out The Diaper Genie

#92 The Wife’s Turn To Make My Sarnies

#93 The Kiss

#94 Got

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/10-hilarious-wives-that-all-men-secretly-wish-they-were-married-to/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/172806690177

[allofbeercom]

10+ Hilarious Wives That All Men Secretly Wish They Were Married To

Marrying someone with a good sense of humor is a one-way ticket to years of laughter, and these wives prove it. They’re creative, they’re hilarious, and they’re honestly trolls sometimes, but that can only make their husbands love them more. In fact, sharing a good sense of humor is viewed by many marriage specialists as the key to a happy union.

Relationships can get way too serious sometimes, especially when stress from work, kids, and expenses gets involved. Laughing together creates a feeling of warmth, relaxation, and bonding, and has even been said to stimulate physical attraction.

Give a round of applause for these wives who know the power of a good joke, and vote for the ones you would use on your significant other.

#1 My Wife Found A Way To Hide Her Candy

#2 My Husband Bet Me I Couldn’t Shave His Foot Without Him Waking Up. This Is What He Woke Up To This Morning

#3 My Wife Brought Home A Life Size Skeleton Replica, This Is What I Walked In On

#4 I Left For A Day. My Wife Knew Exactly What I Wanted To Do When I Got Home

#5 My Wife Called Me To The Bathroom To See The Work She Did On My Shampoo Bottle

#6 Called My Wife A Sandwich Maker

#7 My Wife Wanted To Let The Pizza Place Know That They’re Overdoing It With The Advertising

#8 We Were Looking Through Old Pictures Of Me When My Wife Started Laughing And Got The Dog’s Flea Pills From The Cupboard

#9 Wife Pranked Her Husband With A Coyote, Photoshopped Into Their Home

#10 My Sister’s April Fools’ Prank On Her Husband

#11 Was Wondering Why My Wife Was Giggling When She Asked Me To Change The Air Filters

#12 Once My Wife Said This, I Can’t Un-See It

#13 My Pregnant Wife Sent This To Me At 2:12 Am This Morning. I’m Going To Guess That My Snoring Was Quite Bad Last Night

#14 My Wife Took This Picture And Has Been Sending It Out And Laughing About It For 3 Hours

#15 I Hope My Husband Feels Special When He Wakes Up. All Eyes Will Be On Him

#16 My Hubby’s Reaction When He Tasted That I Added Whiskey To His Coffee

#17 My Wife Got A New Halloween Decoration. I Nearly Shit When I Walked In The Bathroom

#18 Asked My Wife To Get More Magnets For The Fridge With No Restrictions On What Kind

#19 My Wife (A Geologist) Purchased This For Me For My Birthday

#20 My Wife Made Me A Passive Aggressive Flow Chart To Use Every Time I Get Hungry

#21 My Friend Made This For Her Husband

#22 Just Got This Lovely Anniversary Note From My Lovely Girlfriend

#23 So My Wife Is Going Away For A Few Months. This Is How She Left Our Bed This Morning

#24 As Soon As She Saw It My Wife Took Them Out Of Her Bag And Left Them There

#25 My Wife Has Been Trying Anything To Remind Me To Bring My Lunch To Work

#26 My Wife, An Attorney, Wore Her Halloween Costume To Work Today

#27 My Wife Bought Me Monogram Pajamas For Christmas

#28 This Is What Happens When My Husband, Who Is Married To A Makeup Artist, Has The Nerve To Fall Asleep Early When I’m In Town

#29 My Wife Saw A Cockroach At Work, But Didn’t Have The Means To ‘Dispose’ Of It

#30 My Wife Said “Found Your Mom’s Butt Plug”

#31 My Wife’s Yard Sale Signs For Tomorrow

#32 My Husband’s Going To Love His Valentines Day Surprise

#33 My Wife Called To Say She Picked Up 50 Shades Of Grey. This Was Not What I Was Expecting When I Got Home

#34 I Asked The Kind Lady At The Pet Shop For A Shed Tarantula Skin, To Put Amongst The Bananas To Scare My Husband

#35 My Wife Packed Me Hard Boiled Eggs For Lunch

#36 Came Downstairs And My Wife Gave Me These. Uh, Thanks Honey?

#37 My Wife Asked Me If I Wanted Half Her Twix. She Thinks This Is A Game

#38 I Too Get Bored When My Husband Is Away

#39 My Wife Bought A New Hairbrush With A Suction Cup At The End. I Found This On The Bathroom Mirror. I Love My Wife!

#40 Christmas Shopping With The Family. My Wife Asked If The Baby Carrier Was Maybe Cutting Off My Son’s Circulation

#41 My Wife Woke Me Up To Tell Me I Needed To Fix The “Leak In The Bathtub”

#42 My Husband Told Me My Pregnant Belly Looked Like A Giant Boob. So I Put Makeup On It. He Was Right

#43 My Wife Says This Is The Only Benefit Of Being Pregnant

#44 My Husband Didn’t Want A Birthday Cake

#45 Not What My Husband Had In Mind When I Told Him I Made A Sexy Dress

#46 Look What My Wife Did To The Pug

#47 My Firefighter Husband Has To Spend Alternating Nights At The Station So I Got Him This Pillowcase To Keep Him Company

#48 My Wife Gave Me My Birthday Cake

#49 My Wife Thinks I’m Stupid Too

#50 Drove With My Husband To A Job Interview. Found This In The Parking Lot. I Think He’s Been Waiting Longer Than Me

#51 My Wife Made A New Phone Case

#52 I Was Complaining About My Recent Cold So My Wife Made Me A Cake To Help Me “Feel Better”

#53 Husband “Forbade” Me To Touch Alduin. This Was My Response. Alduin Totally Loves Me More

#54 My Wife Learned To Make Custom Stickers. This Is How I Found The Roomba Today

#55 Things I Send My Husband While At Work Because I Know He Will Appreciate It

#56 My Husband Says I’m “Being Immature” But I Found This While Gardening And Couldn’t Resist

#57 My Wife Is Not A Morning Person But She Had A Big Project At Work Today And Wanted To Go In Early

#58 My Wife Said This License Plate Made Her Think Of Me

#59 My Wife And I Make Banners For Each Other On Birthdays. This Was What I Woke Up To This Morning. I Love This Woman

#60 I Told My Husband That When He Gets Tired His Eyes Turn Into Eye Vaginas, He Didn’t Believe Me So I Took A Pic And Rotated It

#61 My Wife Told Her Co-Workers She’s Pregnant

#62 Told My Wife ” I Really Don’t Want Anything Special For My Birthday” Kinda Glad She Didn’t Listen.

#63 This Was The Card I Got My Husband For Our Anniversary. What Can I Say? I’m Sentimental

#64 My Wife Had A Little To Drink At Paint Night

#65 My Wife Has Made Mine And Our Children’s Lunches For Over 7 Years Now, Yesterday I Moaned About The Sandwiches Being Too Bland. Today I Got This

#66 Wife Made Me A Pillow

#67 I Love Pranking My Husband. So I Set Up The Storm Trooper In The Bathroom And He Nearly Crapped Himself When He Walked In There

#68 My Wife Found Out My Office Is Closing Down

#69 He Was Trying To Argue With Me In The Car So I Whipped In This Spot And Said I Have Something To Tell You (i’m Not Actually But It Shut Him Up Quick)

#70 It Appears My Wife Personalized Our Keurig

#71 Valentines Gift From My Wife

#72 T-Shirt I Made For My Husband, Trevor

#73 My Wife Was Feeling Down In The Hospital. Then She Found This

#74 My Husband And I Took Our 5 Year Old To The Amusement Park For The First Time Today. I’m 9 Months Pregnant, This Was My Favorite Ride

#75 “just Hydra Things.” I Read It Wrong, He Completed And Perfected It. #definitelynotmarvelfans

#76 My Husband Was Dreading Turning 40 And I Wanted To Make Him Not Feel So Old. So I Had A Surprise Party For Him And This Is His Cake!

#77 My Husband Was “too Tired” To Change The Babies Pooped Diaper While I Pumped…i Sent Him This Photo, He Didn’t See It Until The Morning. Diaper Was There For About 1hour.

#78 She Sent Me This when I asked her “How Long The Short Pants Were?

#79 Placed My Husband’s Heavy Shoe On A Cockroach For Him To Find.

#80 Husband Asked Me To Send Him A Sexy Pic

#81 Walked In The Bedroom The Other Day And My Wife Says “Look What I Made For You!”

#82 Husband Asked Me To Send Him A Sexy Pic Pt 2

#83 My Husband Smilingly Asked “why Are There Vegetables In The “beer Crisper”? So I Did This.

#84 My Friend Updated The Hook On Her Husband’s Closet Door. He Didn’t Notice For Two Weeks.

#85 My Hubby Loves To Leave Me Unconventional Messages..this Is What I Find When I Get Home

#86 1st Father Day, Upgraded!

#87 My Wife Buys Me Things So That She Can Come In And Tell Me “Hey! I Bought You A Present!” And Then Laugh At Me When She Sees My Look Of Curious Joy Become Crestfallen

#88 Really Loved The New Jrpg… This Is What Wife Was Wearing When I Came Home!

#89 ……ok Just One More Picture…..

#90 My Wife Likes To Leave Me Vute Notes

#91 This Is What My Husband Got For Not Emptying Out The Diaper Genie

#92 The Wife’s Turn To Make My Sarnies

#93 The Kiss

#94 Got

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/10-hilarious-wives-that-all-men-secretly-wish-they-were-married-to/

[jimdsmith34]

10+ Hilarious Wives That All Men Secretly Wish They Were Married To

Marrying someone with a good sense of humor is a one-way ticket to years of laughter, and these wives prove it. They’re creative, they’re hilarious, and they’re honestly trolls sometimes, but that can only make their husbands love them more. In fact, sharing a good sense of humor is viewed by many marriage specialists as the key to a happy union.

Relationships can get way too serious sometimes, especially when stress from work, kids, and expenses gets involved. Laughing together creates a feeling of warmth, relaxation, and bonding, and has even been said to stimulate physical attraction.

Give a round of applause for these wives who know the power of a good joke, and vote for the ones you would use on your significant other.

#1 My Wife Found A Way To Hide Her Candy

#2 My Husband Bet Me I Couldn’t Shave His Foot Without Him Waking Up. This Is What He Woke Up To This Morning

#3 My Wife Brought Home A Life Size Skeleton Replica, This Is What I Walked In On

#4 I Left For A Day. My Wife Knew Exactly What I Wanted To Do When I Got Home

#5 My Wife Called Me To The Bathroom To See The Work She Did On My Shampoo Bottle

#6 Called My Wife A Sandwich Maker

#7 My Wife Wanted To Let The Pizza Place Know That They’re Overdoing It With The Advertising

#8 We Were Looking Through Old Pictures Of Me When My Wife Started Laughing And Got The Dog’s Flea Pills From The Cupboard

#9 Wife Pranked Her Husband With A Coyote, Photoshopped Into Their Home

#10 My Sister’s April Fools’ Prank On Her Husband

#11 Was Wondering Why My Wife Was Giggling When She Asked Me To Change The Air Filters

#12 Once My Wife Said This, I Can’t Un-See It

#13 My Pregnant Wife Sent This To Me At 2:12 Am This Morning. I’m Going To Guess That My Snoring Was Quite Bad Last Night

#14 My Wife Took This Picture And Has Been Sending It Out And Laughing About It For 3 Hours

#15 I Hope My Husband Feels Special When He Wakes Up. All Eyes Will Be On Him

#16 My Hubby’s Reaction When He Tasted That I Added Whiskey To His Coffee

#17 My Wife Got A New Halloween Decoration. I Nearly Shit When I Walked In The Bathroom

#18 Asked My Wife To Get More Magnets For The Fridge With No Restrictions On What Kind

#19 My Wife (A Geologist) Purchased This For Me For My Birthday

#20 My Wife Made Me A Passive Aggressive Flow Chart To Use Every Time I Get Hungry

#21 My Friend Made This For Her Husband

#22 Just Got This Lovely Anniversary Note From My Lovely Girlfriend

#23 So My Wife Is Going Away For A Few Months. This Is How She Left Our Bed This Morning

#24 As Soon As She Saw It My Wife Took Them Out Of Her Bag And Left Them There

#25 My Wife Has Been Trying Anything To Remind Me To Bring My Lunch To Work

#26 My Wife, An Attorney, Wore Her Halloween Costume To Work Today

#27 My Wife Bought Me Monogram Pajamas For Christmas

#28 This Is What Happens When My Husband, Who Is Married To A Makeup Artist, Has The Nerve To Fall Asleep Early When I’m In Town

#29 My Wife Saw A Cockroach At Work, But Didn’t Have The Means To ‘Dispose’ Of It

#30 My Wife Said “Found Your Mom’s Butt Plug”

#31 My Wife’s Yard Sale Signs For Tomorrow

#32 My Husband’s Going To Love His Valentines Day Surprise

#33 My Wife Called To Say She Picked Up 50 Shades Of Grey. This Was Not What I Was Expecting When I Got Home

#34 I Asked The Kind Lady At The Pet Shop For A Shed Tarantula Skin, To Put Amongst The Bananas To Scare My Husband

#35 My Wife Packed Me Hard Boiled Eggs For Lunch

#36 Came Downstairs And My Wife Gave Me These. Uh, Thanks Honey?

#37 My Wife Asked Me If I Wanted Half Her Twix. She Thinks This Is A Game

#38 I Too Get Bored When My Husband Is Away

#39 My Wife Bought A New Hairbrush With A Suction Cup At The End. I Found This On The Bathroom Mirror. I Love My Wife!

#40 Christmas Shopping With The Family. My Wife Asked If The Baby Carrier Was Maybe Cutting Off My Son’s Circulation

#41 My Wife Woke Me Up To Tell Me I Needed To Fix The “Leak In The Bathtub”

#42 My Husband Told Me My Pregnant Belly Looked Like A Giant Boob. So I Put Makeup On It. He Was Right

#43 My Wife Says This Is The Only Benefit Of Being Pregnant

#44 My Husband Didn’t Want A Birthday Cake

#45 Not What My Husband Had In Mind When I Told Him I Made A Sexy Dress

#46 Look What My Wife Did To The Pug

#47 My Firefighter Husband Has To Spend Alternating Nights At The Station So I Got Him This Pillowcase To Keep Him Company

#48 My Wife Gave Me My Birthday Cake

#49 My Wife Thinks I’m Stupid Too

#50 Drove With My Husband To A Job Interview. Found This In The Parking Lot. I Think He’s Been Waiting Longer Than Me

#51 My Wife Made A New Phone Case

#52 I Was Complaining About My Recent Cold So My Wife Made Me A Cake To Help Me “Feel Better”

#53 Husband “Forbade” Me To Touch Alduin. This Was My Response. Alduin Totally Loves Me More

#54 My Wife Learned To Make Custom Stickers. This Is How I Found The Roomba Today

#55 Things I Send My Husband While At Work Because I Know He Will Appreciate It

#56 My Husband Says I’m “Being Immature” But I Found This While Gardening And Couldn’t Resist

#57 My Wife Is Not A Morning Person But She Had A Big Project At Work Today And Wanted To Go In Early

#58 My Wife Said This License Plate Made Her Think Of Me

#59 My Wife And I Make Banners For Each Other On Birthdays. This Was What I Woke Up To This Morning. I Love This Woman

#60 I Told My Husband That When He Gets Tired His Eyes Turn Into Eye Vaginas, He Didn’t Believe Me So I Took A Pic And Rotated It

#61 My Wife Told Her Co-Workers She’s Pregnant

#62 Told My Wife ” I Really Don’t Want Anything Special For My Birthday” Kinda Glad She Didn’t Listen.

#63 This Was The Card I Got My Husband For Our Anniversary. What Can I Say? I’m Sentimental

#64 My Wife Had A Little To Drink At Paint Night

#65 My Wife Has Made Mine And Our Children’s Lunches For Over 7 Years Now, Yesterday I Moaned About The Sandwiches Being Too Bland. Today I Got This

#66 Wife Made Me A Pillow

#67 I Love Pranking My Husband. So I Set Up The Storm Trooper In The Bathroom And He Nearly Crapped Himself When He Walked In There

#68 My Wife Found Out My Office Is Closing Down

#69 He Was Trying To Argue With Me In The Car So I Whipped In This Spot And Said I Have Something To Tell You (i’m Not Actually But It Shut Him Up Quick)

#70 It Appears My Wife Personalized Our Keurig

#71 Valentines Gift From My Wife

#72 T-Shirt I Made For My Husband, Trevor

#73 My Wife Was Feeling Down In The Hospital. Then She Found This

#74 My Husband And I Took Our 5 Year Old To The Amusement Park For The First Time Today. I’m 9 Months Pregnant, This Was My Favorite Ride

#75 “just Hydra Things.” I Read It Wrong, He Completed And Perfected It. #definitelynotmarvelfans

#76 My Husband Was Dreading Turning 40 And I Wanted To Make Him Not Feel So Old. So I Had A Surprise Party For Him And This Is His Cake!

#77 My Husband Was “too Tired” To Change The Babies Pooped Diaper While I Pumped…i Sent Him This Photo, He Didn’t See It Until The Morning. Diaper Was There For About 1hour.

#78 She Sent Me This when I asked her “How Long The Short Pants Were?

#79 Placed My Husband’s Heavy Shoe On A Cockroach For Him To Find.

#80 Husband Asked Me To Send Him A Sexy Pic

#81 Walked In The Bedroom The Other Day And My Wife Says “Look What I Made For You!”

#82 Husband Asked Me To Send Him A Sexy Pic Pt 2

#83 My Husband Smilingly Asked “why Are There Vegetables In The “beer Crisper”? So I Did This.

#84 My Friend Updated The Hook On Her Husband’s Closet Door. He Didn’t Notice For Two Weeks.

#85 My Hubby Loves To Leave Me Unconventional Messages..this Is What I Find When I Get Home

#86 1st Father Day, Upgraded!

#87 My Wife Buys Me Things So That She Can Come In And Tell Me “Hey! I Bought You A Present!” And Then Laugh At Me When She Sees My Look Of Curious Joy Become Crestfallen

#88 Really Loved The New Jrpg… This Is What Wife Was Wearing When I Came Home!

#89 ……ok Just One More Picture…..

#90 My Wife Likes To Leave Me Vute Notes

#91 This Is What My Husband Got For Not Emptying Out The Diaper Genie

#92 The Wife’s Turn To Make My Sarnies

#93 The Kiss

#94 Got

source http://allofbeer.com/10-hilarious-wives-that-all-men-secretly-wish-they-were-married-to/ from All of Beer http://allofbeer.blogspot.com/2018/04/10-hilarious-wives-that-all-men.html