#hell is the indeed job listings and buddy i am stuck

[moonlight-prose]

just came across a job with the requirement of professional phone voice being one year.

[that-one-weeb-but-starwars]

My Love| Echo (part 6 beejesus...)

Notes: this ones short my bad, also this way shock you. I also have a strong urge to make hondo show up perhaps in the Future

Warnings: sad flashbacks, death and disease mentioned, cannablistic mentions (not eating anyone but like the word), cursing,

Reader: Male

Part: 1 | 2 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 5 | 6 (you're hah here)

Masterlist

That wasn't possible.

"What a shame." Maul spoke, turning himself around and walking away the Pyke leader following him.

This was wrong.

"If we came for this it better be important." Hunter spoke snatching the drive, "we leave now,"

"Me and Jacob they'll return you to your ship." The teen spoke up, "but be quick we'll need to leave with the transports."

It was a silent stealthy journey back to the ship, Echo being pushed along the way by Wrecker mostly as he was trying to process what was being told to him.

So...Y/n was dead? No that was possible- they couldn't of killed everyone.

He walked onto the ship the twins wishing them luck as they rushed back off into the darkness. He took a seat on his bunk, removing the head gear and mask, his gaze trapped within the grain of the metal.

"Tech get us out of here." Hunter demanded.

Wrecker watched Echo, his brows furrowed and in conflict.

"Hey. Kid." Wrecker spoke nudging Omega softly, "Good job out there."

"I just stuck to the plan." She smiled.

"Wanna do one more mission?" He asked playfully she nodded happily.

"Go find Lula. I think someone needs her." Wrecker spoke as Omega nodded rushing to find the Tooka doll.

Wrecker walked over to Echo, sitting across from the reg, Echo kept his gaze down.

"Hey."

"I don't, I don't understand." Echo responded, "I- I don't..."

"It's okay-" Wrecker tried to speak.

"But it isnt." Echo seethed.

The sudden jolt told them they had jumped to hyperspace. Echo rubbed over his eyes.

"What was Y/n's family doing associated with the Empire..." Echo spoke, "I...I don't..."

Wrecker frowned, Hunter watching the cockpits doorway, his brother lost and confused, let down and heart broken.

Walking into the cockpit the door closed behind him.

"You'll want to see this Hunter." Tech spoke, "Echo was right."

Hunter took a seat, "Y/n's code name is Rosyln then?"

"In a sense yes, yet It is many things." Tech informed, "It's multiple things, a name, a code name, a secret military operation."

" a what." Hunter demanded answers now.

"On this disk it says Project Rosyln was ment to help in implicating...hunger in a sense.."

"Hunger?" Hunter asked, "Hunger for what?"

"Flesh, sentinel flesh," Tech responded, "They had many failis dead on contacts, until. Rosyln."

"The dead brother of Y/n's Echo mention." Hunter spoke as Tech nodded.

"He survived it, partially, resulting in an outdated inner rim disease known as Cancer." Tech responded, "though it is not sepcified what type, he died young."

"So how does Y/n fit into it?"

"Rosyln was Y/n's younger brother by adoption law on corosaunt, and the Zabrack was not lying when he said The L/n family was ontop the imperals kill list, it was ment for them to go into hiding, to essentially metophorically and phsycially slip into the dark." Tech contuined.

"Okay so the kids?"

"Test subjects." He responded, "farm animals, future death troopers fueled by anger and loss, much more. Hunter, They weren't a family, those people they called there parents? Used them."

"Can we save any of them? Y/n? The older kids? The young ones? Anyone?" Hunter questioned.

"This here is a list of kids of Y/n's family," Tech spoke, plugging into the panel infront of him as the hologram formed, "red are dead, there eay of leaving is by there name. Jay here died of rejection of food, he starved to death. Siora drowned herself in the shower room-"

"Thats enough Tech. Who's alive." Hunter demanded.

"Y/n here is still alive, but that is all." Tech responded opening the file, "but has a number of unstablizing test ran on him, it shows here his diet was starting to change from normal foods to sential flesh, but before they could change him fully he escaped."

"How."

"Unknown."

Hunter was silent, for a moment as Tech closed the file, going through the others, "This also contains other information, such as helpful codes the imperals are now using, current inflation in imperal troopers, comn chatter and resources-"

"Don't let Echo see this." Hunter spoke.

"Hunter, I. I don't think this is a good idea." Tech told him, "You'e seen what he'll go through already to see him again. Hunter that was a sith he went up on, a Pyke leader."

"He doesn't need another thing to have a mental break down on. What happens if we find Y/n? Dead in a ditch-." Hunter argued, "if we can't fix him- we can't even help Crosshair None the less ourselves!"

"Hunter, he deserves to know." Tech defended, "let's be real here Hunter, we've nevee been there for him, we saved him from one hell to put into another, we can't help him because we don't understand him."

Hunter was silent, he knew Tech was right, "You're right." Hunter told him.

Tech pulled the disk from the panel looking back at Hunter, "Hunter I know this is hard. But this is his family. And I wish for a time in my life, I was wrong."

Hunter stayed silent walking out the cockpit, and down the small hallways, Omega trying to cheer Echo up with Lula and Wrecker with a supportive smile.

"Echo."

Echo looked back, "Tech wants to uh...show you something."

Echo got up without a word walking into the cockpit.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Omega questioned looking up at Hunter.

"Sure he will!" Wrecker tried to stay postive looking back at Hunter who kept his gaze down.

"Not this time Omega." Hunter told her, as she leaned in for a hug, he patting her head as she hug his stomach.

Tech walked out the cockpit, the doors closing behind him, "Echo wishes to take first watch while we rest," Tech informed.

"Where do we go next from here?" Omega spoke looking up at Hunter.

"We'll keep working jobs for Cid, seeing what we can do." Hunter responded, "Tech when Echo is done with that disk, see if anything on there has Crosshair on it."

"I have alredy copied the disk, I will look through it more on my watch after Echo's." Tech responded.

Hunter nodded

"hey kid." Wrecker spoke up, "lets go play a game together."

Omega nodded as Wrecker picked up Omega the two walking away to her room, Hunter mentally thanking Wrecker.

"How'd he react." Hunter responded.

"He hasn't." Tech responded, "I left it plugged in. He has the option. I just don't know if he's used it."

It was true, Echo had the option, the wanting, but he sat in his chair, staring at the disk sitting in the panel.

This was it.

This was the ticket, he could know, move on, grt some type of closure either Y/n was dead or alive. Even if Y/n was dead or alive he let Y/n's biggest secret slip.

'Just...I don't like people to pity his name.' Y/n told Echo, the two standing in all black together and umbrella over head as they walked the cemetery, 'he fought hard, that's all that matters, and there's no reason you should pity someone for when you loose,'

Echo nodded at him, 'I won't tell anybody, I understand to a degree, but if you need to talk, I want to listen,'

Y/n nodded, 'Thanks again for comin along Echo, not the best way to meet my baby brother,''

'I was glad to meet him, either way,'

Echo rubbed the back of his neck, finger's scratching at his nape. Standing up and walking over his hand hovered over the disk, should he pull it out? Should he press that small white button to let every fear he's had consume him?

He pulled the disk out, this was the right choice. Whatever he needed to know. He'd learn from y/n when he'd see him. Rubbing over the disk he slid it in his belts pouch and sat in the piolts seat looking out into the blue swirls. He was doing it again.

Sitting in silence, watching nothing new pass him by. Y/n was alive, if the others believed it or not was there choice, it was there opinion, he knew what he was saying was a fact, and he didn't need no disk to tell him so.

But the question still remained, Why was Y/n involved in crime syndicates and with Sith?"

The male turned himself around shoulder hair length, strings of white in his hair; stress induced.

"It's done." Lom Pyke spoke, "The kids are out, where is the spice."

"It's on the ship don't you worry." He spoke.

"You've returned the favor after I've said you returned the favor."

"Then we've returned the favor." Lom Pyke argued.

"I did everything you asked!" Lom Pyke argued, "I've stuck my neck out for you more than you can imagine you cannablistic bitch!-"

The pyke leader was cut off, lifted into the air as he gripped at his neck, and brought forward quickly, choking on the lack of air.

"Do you know who I am?" The man questioned quietly.

"L-let-" the pyke tried to speak stratching at his neck for breath, "let me g-go!"

"Oh...you don't?" The man questioned, "I was afraid once...not to long ago, afraid as you are now..."

The sound of choking made him pause adding slight pressure, "p-please!"

"I am no longer afraid...I am..." the man thought, any more and the pyke leader would die, "Well, funny thing is, I don't even know who I am anymore...but I do know, that, you, owe me much more than you think."

The man was dropped to the floor, attempting to catch air, "Perhaps, you wish, once to see who I was, to see how I became this thing you call a cannablistic bitch!"

"Please! No-" He defended, raising his head to look up in plead, "Not again! Not that place!"

A hand was placed on his head, as the Sith lord walked in. Within a matter of seconds the Pyke fell limp, the man pushing him over as he fell and rolled down the small stells of the elevated ledge.

"You're here for a reason Maul?"

"I am indeed, that clone, you told to meet us on Zut, there were clones."

"Entertain me Maul." He spoke, walking down the small steps, the hells of his boots clicking as he made it down the steps.

"Seems you're little buddy Captain dipshit isnt the only clone that's defected. That little Ray shit of your's hacked the imperal files." Maul spoke, his tone as usual, dark, broody, annoying to the mans ears, "Clone force 99, may just be on our side."

The man snatched the datapad from him, "and they have a child with them. How wonderful."

"Status' as of current."

"Like I said that dipshit of yours sursingly has his corners covered. Ray's tracking them as we speak." Maul told.

The man looked through the photo's there he was in all his glory, sure angry but just as remembered.

"Lets hope an ex sith lord, a fucked up group of clones, a cannablistic bitch kill, and some kids can help kill your old ass wrinkly master." The man spoke Maul snatching the data pad back and making his leave.

"Oh. And one know's who you are." Maul responded standing in the door way, "Before I gave them anything, one knew Rosyln is Y/n,"

[insaneasgardian]

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Chatroom 1; Memes

Clint has started a chatroom

Tony has joined

Steve has joined

Bucky has joined

Sam has joined

Y/N has joined

Wanda has joined

Natasha has joined

Peter has joined

Loki has joined

Pietro has joined

Vision has joined

Bruce has joined

.

.

.

Y/N: Hi guys

Natasha: Heyyyyy Y/N/N!

Pietro: Hellooooo Y/N!

Steve: Good day ma’am.

Thor: Why, hello Y/N!

Sam: Hey, how you doin’?

Peter: Hi Ms. L/N!

Wanda: Hey Y/N!

Clint: Hiiiiiiiii Y/N!

Bruce: Morning Y/N :)

Vision: A very good day to you Ms.L/N

Bucky: Hi Y/N! 

Loki: Hello, tolerable midgardian.

Tony: 

Everybody: ....

Y/N: Ew.

Clint: I will gut you like a fish for saying that to my innocent baby!

Tony: Your baby is FAR from innocent ;)

Natasha: And now he’s trying to falsely accuse her!

Loki: I’m not surprised, he’s always been a disgrace, even to you low midgardians.

Tony: D: 

Bruce: The hulk has put Tony’s name on his list.

Tony: ....Of friends?

Bruce: No, that list is limited to Y/N and Nat. You my friend, are on Hulk’s NAUGHTY list!

Tony: >:O

Bruce: Anyway, Clint, why did you start this chatroom?

Clint: To introduce the 2 grandpas and the 2 GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT grandpas to......

Peter: Memes!

Clint: Yesss!

Y/N: Sounds fun!

Steve: What is a Meme?

Bucky: I’ve heard the term...

Thor: I haven’t

Loki: I am NOT a very great grandpa, you are just very young midgardians.

Y/N: 😂

Vision:  meme/miːm/

noun1.an element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another by imitation or other non-genetic means.

2.an image, video, piece of text, etc., typically humorous in nature, that is copied and spread rapidly by Internet users, often with slight variations.

Steve: .... I kind of get it.

Natasha: Let’s show you first, then you can catch on, how about that?

Wanda: Good idea Nat.

Bruce: I’ll go first!

Bruce: 

Wanda: 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Clint: Why is that so relatable

Sam: That’s really funny, good one Bruce! 🤣

Thor: Wow... so these... ‘memes’ they make them out of us?

Pietro: Yes, there’s memes about basically everything, and everyone, even you!

Pietro:

Pietro: Like that!

Thor: It’s me!

Clint: HEY!

Y/N: 😂😂😂 It’s true! The rest of us working so hard to stop Thanos, where were you?!

Bucky: It’s true Clint, where were you?

Loki: I sacrificed myself, and you weren’t there to help! 

Clint: You came back to life though... you tricked us... AGAIN.

Natasha: It isn’t important... the question is... WHERE. WERE. YOU?

Clint: I HAD SOMETHING IMPORTANT GOING ON IN MY LIFE, OKAY?! ISSUES AT HOME, I HAD A DRUG ADDICTION, AND OH GOD....

Everybody: ....

Y/N: Clint... we... had no idea.

Bucky: Sorry buddy.

Natasha: Yea, if I knew, I would’ve never...

Thor: I’m sorry an image of me was used against you...

Loki: I.... apologise

Peter: But... Mr. Barton, you told me you didn’t make it because you were binging Brooklyn 99

Everybody: >:0

Loki: THERE WAS NO ‘ISSUES’!

Clint: PETER!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL ANYONE!!

Peter: :C

Tony: DON’T YOU DARE SHOUT AT MY CHILD!

Y/N: EVERYBODY RELAX!

Vision: I agree, we do not need another Civil War!

Sam: Yea, everybody, get BACK TO MEMEING!

Wanda: 

Loki: 😁 Ah yes, the good old days.

Pietro: Haha, old man!

Bucky: Lmao

Y/N: XD

Steve: I understood that reference!

Clint: WHY IS EVERYBODY GANGING UP ON ME?

Tony: 

Natasha: Bruh

Peter: >:O

Y/N: Gross...

Tony: Awww don’t worry Y/N, I’m ‘Stark naked’ just for you ;)

Y/N: 🤮

Loki: You keep your grubby mitts off her!

Bucky: YEA! NOT COOL!

Steve: You’re really pushing my buttons today Stark.

Thor: .... Midgardians have a very strange sense of humor.... one of which I do not approve.

Vision: 1010001010011100101010010110100101

Wanda: You alright Vis?

Vision: Ummm... yes.... how about we have a meme contest? I’ll judge!

Natasha: I’m in!

Vision: Okay... contestant 1, Peter!

Peter: Oh... ummm... okay

Peter: 

Y/N: Peter, you genius child!

Peter: :)

Steve: I don’t understand everyone’s obsession with my butt...?

Vision: I declare Peter the winner!

Sam: The rest of us haven’t even got a turn yet!

Vision: :C Fine... next contestant, Bucky!

Bucky: Watch me ;)

Bucky: 

Clint: I came here to have fun, I feel so attacked

Tony: 😂

Loki: >:)

Y/N: Poor Clint, but that’s hilarious Bucky!

Bucky: Thanks!

Vision: That’s pretty nice! Y/N, you’re up next!

Y/N:

Steve: >:O

Natasha: BAHAHAHA, THAT IS SO FUNNY!

Bruce: Made my day!

Peter: I love it!

Sam: So Steve 😂

Vision: Best one so far! Sam, you’re next!

Sam: 

Wanda: That’s so mean 😂

Tony: Lollllllllll

Bucky: Jerk :C

Vision: Not bad ;0. Wanda, you next...

Wanda: 

Bucky: Bro wth?!

Steve: That’s funny, you gotta admit Bucky.

Y/N: Nice Wanda!

Wanda: Thanks!

Pietro: That’s my sister!

Vision: That’s my girlfriend! Pietro is next!

Pietro: Sorry in advance Peter...

Peter: Why?

Pietro: 

Peter: ..... UNCLE BEN 😪😪😪😪😭😭😭😭😱😱😱😱😰😰😰😰

Peter has left

Y/N: What the hell Pietro? Look what you did!

Tony: You hurt Peter’s feelings!

Thor: Poor spider child?

Bruce: Is he okay?

Natasha: I’m pretty sure he’s not.

Y/N: He’s hyperventilating.

Bruce: I’m coming to check on him.

Bruce has left

Wanda: Good job Pietro.

Pietro: I didn’t know, I thought he got over it :C

Bucky: He’ll NEVER get over it idiot!

Steve: It’s always gonna be too soon for the kid!

Vision: Pietro is disqaulified, Natasha, you go next!

Natasha: 

Tony: lmfaooo.... did you know though?

Bucky: .... I feel awkard

Pietro: WOW NAT! LOOK WHAT YOU DID!

Steve: It isn’t bad though.

Y/N: Yea Pietro, you can’t talk!

Pietro: I’m sorry :C

Natasha: My meme was funny, everyone’s gotten over the civil war, unlike a certain BEN PARKER!

Vision: .... Steve next please.

Steve: I got a good one!

Tony: Oh boy.

Steve: 

Y/N: What the- 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Natasha: 😂😂😂 New avenger??

Tony: That’s actually pretty funny, doesn’t even need words 😂😂

Bucky: That’s great Stevie, but all I can focus on is Thor... Is that even Thor?!

Thor: Indeed, it is me :)

Y/N: Wow.....

Thor: Does that picture of me appease you Y/N? ;)

Y/N: You look great....

Thor: Thank you, though nobody can compare to your beauty.

Sam: Our buddy Thor pulling out all the stops here O.O

Loki: Pffft, he doesn’t even look THAT good!

Vision: Maybe you can prove how great you are! Because Loki, you’re next

Loki: Watch and learn peasants

Loki: 

Thor: ;O LOKI?!?!?!?! YOU’RE NOOBMASTER69?!??!?!? :CCCCC

Y/N: I. FRICKING. KNEW. IT! Loki omg 🤣

Tony: Loki is in deep shiiittttttttttt...

Wanda: I must compliment Loki on all the ways he discovers to annoy his brother 😂

Clint: Wowwwww.... after all this time of looking for Noobmaster69....

Bruce has joined

Peter has joined

Tony: Everything okay?

Bruce: Yea, he’s fine now.

Peter: Yea, I’m great! :DDDD

Y/N: Good to hear!

Peter: Mr. Loki is noobmaster69?!!!

Loki: Yes I am ;)

Thor: LOKIIIIIII!!! 

Loki: ... O.O I screwed up

Bruce: You realize that now?

Natasha: It’s a miracle Thor hasn’t killed him yet

Thor: YET.

Bucky: Oh shitttt.

Steve: Language....

Tony: lAngUAgE!

Steve: :C

Vision: Thor is next...

Thor: 

Thor: Noobmaster69... whom we now also know as LOKI!!!

Natasha: Wow, he’s pretty pissed about that.

Clint: I’m actually worried about Loki’s well being...

Loki: Oh don’t worry.... he won’t hurt me.

Thor: YET. I shall wait for the battle of memes to end first.

Vision: ...... Ummm.... anyway, next up is Tony.

Tony: Well... do I have a great meme up my sleeve ;)

Vision: Nothing about Y/N

Tony: Fine >:C

Y/N: Thanks Vis...

Tony: 

Y/N: Okay, that’s.... fine

Clint: At least it’s nothing about my baby Y/N.

Tony: Oh yea, speaking of Y/N... Y/N, do you like arc reactors?

Y/N: .....

Steve has kicked Tony from the chat

Natasha: About damn time!

Vision: Next up, Bruce!

Bruce: Okay

Bruce: 

Bucky: I remember that!

Peter: Me too! Especially Ms. L/N!

Sam: Oh yesss Y/N was all like -

Y/N: I love my spider baby <3

Peter: I love you too Ms. L/N!

Y/N :’)

Wanda: Wholesome content

Steve: SO cute!

Natasha: Adorableeeee <3

Y/N: Anyways who’s next Vis?

Vision: The last person... Clint!

Clint: I have been waiting...

Clint: 

Natasha: That’s totally Bucky!

Y/N: Lmao yea

Thor: Always ready to jump up and defend the Captain.

Bucky: Because that’s what best friends do!

Steve: :’) Awwww

Sam: .... I still think I’m his best friend

Bucky: Oh buzz off Wilson.

Vision: I AM READY WITH THE RESULTS!

Pietro: Let’s do this....

Vision: In 1st place... Clint!

Clint: Yeaaaa!

Vision: In 2nd place is Y/N!

Y/N: Yeshhhh

Peter: Well done Ms.L/N!

Vision: And 3rd place is Peter!!

Peter: Yayyy! :D

Wanda: Well done guys!

Loki: Congratulations

Thor: Really good job!

Natasha: GREAT work!

Pietro: lol noice

Sam: Good work!

Steve: Congrats!

Bucky: Well done!

Nick Fury has joined the chat

Everyone: .....

Nick Fury: 

Clint: ... That’s an option? If so, can I be in the meme department?

Nick Fury: GET BACK TO WORK! Nick Fury:

Everyone has left the chat

Nick Fury: I’m stuck babysitting a bunch of motherfucking babies.

[shadowturtlesstuff]

again but better thoughts while reading

@polandbananas20

 so my spelling is terrible in this but you know i was more focused on the book than how to spell. 

Chapter 1) good intro and good starting tone. The lady next to her sucks. Good small establishment of shane.

chapter2)shane characterisation is still consistent. I like her two new roommates (will be best friends) . My guess is the boy in the kitchen will be pilot. Family means but not intentional. Has no confidence. I was right about the boy

Chapter 3) intro of pilot properly. He's good. I love the inner monologue of shane. Trying to keep eye contact, the surprise of having a normal conversation. It sets her character well. Intro to her blog which i would love to actually read (i hope there's at least one entry we can read) pilot is a musician but not. Business major. What crap. 

Chapter 4) i really feel like shane, she is just typical fangirl/ dork and i love it. Its weird being english and reading about the things that shock them like pasta in bags.i understand the watermelon.we do get to read ‘shanes writing’ but its her personal jornal not her blog.

Chapter 5) fun chapter. Intro to rome. Love the idea that shane is heavy handed and violent. Short, not alot happened other than small character establishment.

Chapter 6)intro to creative writing class which i want/need in my life.more beatles. Woman on plane works at starbucks, will she make more appearances? 

Chapter 7) the drama???or at least wht will be the drama. Pilot has a gf, called amy (wish it was me) (wait no, bc i know that plot doesnt actually like amy anymore bc he obviously likes shane. So i take it back. I want to be shane, i mean i basically am like her but oh well.)

Chapter 8) parents. Overprotective, think they know best. Urgh. guarantee one of shanes new friends fight back to her parents to support her life choices, that do not include doctor.

Chapter 9)gets an internship at travel mag company. Thats it…..

Chapter 10)rome. Looses purse. Pilot to the anxiety riddled rescue by telling his own life story about his wallet to help calm her nerves.distracts her. Basially he would do anything for shane already.re count of rome trip from her jornal again which is a good touch to further the plot. This is making me want to read dan brown (ish) all of two books i own of him

Chapter 11) the postcards are a nice touch that i hope someone reads???? Travel buddies..just saying.chad..hmmm,im like shane,well see if he is good enough for babe. Her GODDAM stupdi mean cousins being mean on her facebook, and babe seeing (best friend moment) about pilot and the whole teasing about having a boyfriend.

Chapter 12) he didnt see (but i think he did but istn sayin anything) paris i shappening. Babe is bff confirmed and i want her as my friend 

Chapter 13)angry birds addiction starts. Level three, weak, shoulder touching it romance confirmed.awwww pilot 100% waited to sleep so he could see shane safe in bed

Chapter 14) pilot with a french accent, enough  said. The flirtinggggg.  The plane woman  is back??in paris with them????

Chapter 15)pilots choices of the back in time thing are both wit shane. Its so obvious and i love it. Pilot as a fake fangirl about the eiffel tower. More flirting,kind of. Oh god chad no.he did it. Goddammit.nooo he wull run babe and shanes friendship and maybe her and pilot. ‘Assbucket’ indeed. Her an pilot are fine and i really believe her and babe will be because when she nearly gets robbed babe giver her a sympathetic smile. Not much to go on but i have hope.

Chapter 16)okay so, fav chapter, she finally spills her guts that she has anxiety basically, that she is premed with strict parents and this is scary whilst pilots lies in bed with her to relax her bc he heard her crying. He only ecoureges her slightly before going back to his bed and sleeping. My heart, i swear, soon the roles reverse and pilot will say why he is in london and all that.

Chapter 17)babe and shane bffs confired. Chad is the worst confirmed. Of course it wasnt  break up call. Of course she wants to vist. Of course pilot is to cowardly to break up and just accepts them going to paris together. Of freaking course.

Chapter 18) do not get over pilot, it wont work. Rugby guy nooooo!im team pilot how dare you kiss shane! Wow, city of glass mention. I want to make a list of every bookmentioned.

Chapter 19) pilot is not himself (obviouls) shane is worried. She is still lying to her parents an feeling bad about. Rugby guy is thankfully a no go. Pilot finds out about the kiss and guy and is clearly silently jealous. 

Chapter 20)aww shane! Im sorry pilot sucks currently. And a stupid guys trip with flat four. No. and devil chairs. 

Chapter 21)1)love the book talk.  The loneliness is kicking in, pilot man up for gods sake

Chapter 22)this red-head plain weirdo is back and going through her list like some sort of mentore. Omg!!! No. amy is here, i dont hatte her but can she not. Also, her dad…. No! (this is the stand up moment i was on about, i hope)

Chapter 23) i do not like her dad. At all. Nooo shane...no. they found out. And acted like assholes.

Chapter 24) n1!ahhhh no! Amy has her notebook. The end is nigh.im going to cry i feel like shane. 

Chapter 25) the family dinner-family outing. Niether of them manuped and shane is depressed

Chapter 26)back in america. Still hasn’t told pilot but you know it is a slow burn

Chapter 27) I, wait? Marry, some guy? Like no. I know it’s been what six years but no. I refuse.i don’t like this so called Melvin. It’s okay she doesn’t want to marry him. She goes to see pilot and finally mans up and tells him and asks if she made it and and pilot finally man’s up and tells her no she didn’t. They get stuck in an elevator

Chapter 28) the elevators doing something. Shane wants to re do London cuz she hates life

Chapter 1?) they are both back in London? Both having the same what ever is happening? 

  Chapter 2) omg. Plane lady took them back to staRt over and pilots mad about it (obv)

Chapter 3)so… they got mad but started over and I’m excited. 100%they won’t press the restart button. I’m calling it now. Cuz pilot knows he now has a chance to do the what if’s/

Chapter 4) they keep there distance but we all know it won’t last

Chapter 5) tipsy Shane? Shawarma

Chapter 6) babe thinksthere is something going on with them( again)

Chapter7)the story about fake pilot, and the kiss. Ahhhhhhg

Chapter 8)they found the button. Shane doesn’t want to go back. I do t want them to go back. They don’t go back thank god

Chapter 9) da Vinci code flirting somehow.. Shane tells him it won’t happen u less he breaks up with last Amy.

 Chapter 10) he will break up with Amy and laris is gonna happen. 

Chapter 11) so Shane is happy again, pilot broke up with amy. Shane tried to make peace with the devil chair.

Chapter 11) they are so adorable. Aswwwwewhwhehruysnwjw

 Chapter 12) Uwuwnfhueia we get more Shane and pilot flirting, 

Chapter 13) the opposite game is adorable. I like that they get to be themselves together without the awkwardness. The start of the move game. Thats my fav. 

Chapter 14) they still have the angry birds obssesion but unlike me and supercard they know when to stop.the dance ‘move’ ahh i love. The line ‘but you do.’ just shows how much they know each other and how pilot would do anything to make her smile. And the lost move (not really a move but totally a move.) once again proves their love. Also we had that plot moment where he talks about why h chose to go to london. I adore shanes rant (?) about the things she loves. And then pilot doing the same thing. Shane vs chair is my life, like i battle chairs too. 

Chapter 15) what is tfios? Ooohhh. Fault in our stars. (i googled it)i probably shouldve known by the whole always part. The dance move came back to bite pilot in the ass and now they are dancing together. Ew chad. Yes shane! That is what chad deserves. 

Chapter 16) they get intimate and gigly and happy and aaaawwwhww

Chapter 17) im glad shane still rememebers to be friends with babe and not forget her in her lovestick state currently.

Chapter 18) her postcard….the questions that haunt her so much. Sort of accepting them herself too. She finally got to do wrecking ball, they miss internship , oh no…. Start if a downall?? 

Chapter 19) shane and pilot have fallen HARD

Chapter 20) the article is off the table. Amy is there. What the hell. No. omg pilot no, you moron. THEY BROKE UP!!! Which is fair, a break is needed. They both get back on track and then try and find a balance. Hopefully. Oh her laptop….shit...the feels when all your work is just gone. Tries to reset bc she is so depressed bc she thinks she failed again. 

Chapter 21) she cant go back (thankfully) a bookstore is always a good haven to go to when your breaking down.

Chapter 22)the redemtion (?) time to try and fix everything and get back on track.the determination and the readiness to try and make everything better for herswelf, herself, and no one else is good. She makes friends with the people in her office and works harder than befire, try to get herself out of her comfort zone and experience things

Chapter 23) the confrontation with her parents. Oh god. I hope this goes well. Its going as well as it can go. Im happy shane is sticking up for her dream so she can be happy, uugh the whole dad speech of ‘i do everything for you, i know best because im older,’ i hate it. Ooohh she is making up with leo, talking ot him this time. Im happy. Leo is gay. Cool. i hate how he got broken up with becuase of his stupid family, it sucks. ‘There is no normal.’ perfect words. 

Chapter 24) her thing is in the thing!!!( also good job me with words.) her article got published (there we go)this is where she learns she can be with pilot and be successful because tracy is with a famous author and they make it work with harder schedules. Trys to talk to her parents. This time she will make there relationship work.

Chapter 25)urgh ‘you live under my roof,on my dime…’ blah blah blah. We hate controlling parents that dont see that overprotecting and controlling their childs life does more damage than good. Babe suggest self discovery trip. Babe is a grat friends. 

Chapter 26)the button thing will work…’im mad at pilot. Or am i mad at me.’ she cracked the code. She loathed herself because of her fear of failing, but because this time she worked on herself to make herself happy she no longer hates herself. Yet she still feels the same (ish) feeling that even though she worked harder and got further that she has no summer job when she gets back to the states, her parents still wont allow her choice of work.PILOTS BACK!!!!!!! She was about to press the button and he swooped in with his music.

Chapter 27) he still follows her blog and got help from babe. His speech, finished with lamppost. Where can i get a pilot?he uploaded their song. Working through the divorce thing again but it will be better because he has shane to talk to about it. Ahhh she got a job!!! Happy ending!!! My heart!!!eeeee…

epilogoue) she becomes a successful author. Her parents have accepted her and support her. Pilots a musician. He takes her to the weird plane lady and they gobe the locket back, then he makes the ultimate move. With pictures of where they fell in love he uses the beatles russain doll things to hide a ring and when she finds it she obviously says yes. And that its unfair cuz she cant top that move. 

sooo...thats it.

i really enjoyed this book. i cannot wait for her next book. this post is longwinded i apologize but oh well? again i will link my website and review as soon as its done. so far in about five hours all i have is a paragraph so it may not be as soon as i want it to be

[illuminating-dragons]

Nesting (4/?): Profoundly

Summary:  The lead up to a wedding isn't always peaceful, but people come together in the end.

Read it on AO3

           Sam grimaced as he heard another dish hit the kitchen wall. “You’d think with two grooms we’d avoid the wedding crazies.”

           “It’s your idjit brother,” Bobby grumbled, turning the page of an old ledger. “He can’t shut up to save his damn life.”

           Dean and Cas’ wedding was in a week, and it was turning into an enormous headache for anyone within three hundred miles of the Bunker. It wasn’t the guest list, it wasn’t the food, it wasn’t even the damn venue.

           It was the grooms themselves.

           Since returning from Hell, Sam had witnessed Dean and Cas arguing only a handful of times. They were quick and intense, years of a profound bond soothing the worst of the anger. But ever since Jody and Donna’s wedding six months ago, ever since Hannah asked innocently when they would get married…

           “What are we up to?” Sarah asked.

           “Seventy four arguments,” Sam reported. “Since the start of July.”

           Sarah groaned and hit her head off the desk.

           He heard Cas’ raised voice now. Great. That meant a longer argument. Sam dearly wished that either Ben or Gabriel were here—they could knock sense into the couple better than anyone—but both were away from the Bunker.

           Bobby glared at Sam. “It’s your turn.”

           “It is not, it’s Charlie’s!”

           “She and Anna are in Moondor,” Sarah reminded him. “Come on, Sam. I’ve got to finish the playlist anyways.”

           Sam knew there was no point protesting. He got up and went down the hall towards the kitchen. His brothers’ voices were lower now, but no less intense. Hoping he wasn’t going to have to pull them apart (again), Sam froze in his tracks when their voices rose again.

           “I swear, Cas, it feels like you don’t want to get married at all!”

           “Don’t be ridiculous, Dean, of course I do!”

           “Then why do you keep picking at me?! Everything I suggest you shoot down!”

           “You aren’t asking for enough!”

           “What the fuck does that MEAN?!” Another crash. “I’m asking for what I want, Cas. It’s one fucking day of our lives, it doesn’t have to be perfect!”

           “Nothing in your life has ever been perfect!”

           The silence was louder than the crashes.

           “What do you mean?” Dean’s voice was terribly quiet.

           “You’ve been dragged around your entire life,” Cas replied. “You’ve rarely had an opportunity to make choices, and they haven’t been good ones. I want to make sure you can choose whatever you want, Dean.”

           “I am choosing what I want, Cas,” Dean said. His voice was much gentler now. “I love all of the ideas we’ve come up with, and the ones I picked out are the ones I think are the best. It’s not the French Riviera, but it’s what I know. It’s what I want. I don’t want our wedding to be something completely out of my experience. It’s about us, about our life, our family…” There was another pause. “But that’s not really what you’re worried about, is it baby? You think I might not have chosen right when I picked you.”

           “The thought had crossed my mind.” Cas’ voice was thready.

           Sam risked stepping closer, close enough that he could see the kitchen. Dean and Cas were standing amid a bunch of shattered glass and china, and Cas had his head bowed.

           “You are the Righteous Man,” Cas said. “You were made by Heaven itself to fight Hell, and you defied them both. You are better than anyone dreamed you would be. You could have anyone.”

           “I want you.” Dean stepped forward and took Cas’ face in his hands. “Castiel, I want you. You are the Saviour of the Righteous Man. You were built to love God, and you chose to love me…to love me too. I love you, Cas. You’re perfect as far as I’m concerned. And if anyone thinks different—that might actually be a good thing. I get you all to myself.”

           Cas laughed, but it was more of a sob, and Sam realized it was time to leave. He retreated to give them some privacy, but not before he saw Dean enfold Cas in his arms.

           There were no more arguments that day, or the next five days. Which was good, because Charlie’s dress went missing, Kevin came down with the flu and they found out about a shifter in Topeka, running around in the guise of the dead (they’d been grave digging).

           But by the day before the wedding, the shifter had been taken out by Samandriel, Kevin was healed after he actually admitted he was sick, and Charlie’s dress had been rescued from the trunk of the Impala. A vigorous washing got the smell of gunpowder out.

           Most of the wedding guests were already there. Every ‘claimed’ bedroom was full, people chattering with excitement and finding “my damn pantyhose!” “You don’t need that shit!” “It’s the pair Gabriel made that doesn’t rip!” “…I’ll help you look.”

           Dean and Cas sat in the middle of the chaos, told sternly not to help at all. Ben stood guard proudly, arms folded. He was taking his best man job seriously.

           (Not all the arguments in the last six months had been between the grooms-to-be).

           At last the kerfuffle died down, and the bachelor party began.

           Cas had vehemently protested against this idea, and even Dean didn’t see the need. “I don’t want to be hungover on our wedding day, and besides, I am not taking my kid to a strip club.”

           “Indeed not,” Cas agreed. “I don’t want you dead on our wedding day.”

           With Ben as best man, however, Dean agreed to try a party, so long as Ben planned it. Ben had enlisted the groomsmen and groomsgals to help plan bits and pieces, but the twelve-year-old had kept most of the details close to his chest. Only Gabriel seemed to know the whole story, but he’d barely been in the Bunker in the last month.

           Which Sam thought, given the chaos, was really a smart thing.

           The first part of the party was a buffet. Everyone got their favourite foods, and they ate picnic style in the main room, curled up on cushions and bean bag chairs Gabriel had snapped up. Sam stole a few of Sarah’s grapes—to make up for it, he fed her the last of his strawberries. Dean and Cas were arguing playfully over which burgers were best, and the conversation rose and fell as everyone digested.

           Then there was pie. Lots of different kinds, and Benny beamed with pride as everyone ate up. “Told you it was better than that magic food, Tricky,” he drawled.

           Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Listen, Ex-Fangs, you just got your sweet tooth back. Give it some time to adjust.”

           Benny rolled his eyes and bared his completely normal teeth. “Sure thing, sugar.”      

           Once the last bites had been scraped off the plates, Gabriel clapped his hands. “Alright, listen up everyone.” He turned to Ben. “Want to explain your idea for entertainment tonight, kiddo?”

           Ben shuffled nervously. “Okay.” At Gabriel’s encouraging nod, he dashed out of the room.

           “What’s he doing?” Dean asked.

           “Patience, Dean-o. All will be revealed.”

           Ben returned with a wrapped package and a strange looking video camera. It looked like a camera from the eighties had a baby with a telescope.

           “What’s that, son?” Dean raised his eyebrows as Ben sat down in front of him and Cas.

           “Well, I thought it would be nice to talk about memories from when you were younger—not just with each other, but with other people in our family. And that’s easier when you’ve got some visual aids, so…”

           Dean opened the package carefully. It was a photo album.

           “What—we didn’t—we don’t have all that many pictures, buddy.” Dean said gently. “You don’t need this big a—” He opened the album and fell silent.

           “Dean?” Sam asked. He scooted so he could see the pages, and his jaw dropped.

           Every page was crowded with pictures of him and Dean, and Bobby, and Ellen and Jo and Cas and Ash…Sam spotted pictures in college, and pictures with Pastor Jim, pictures with random hunters and survivors…

           “Ben suggested this and I thought it was a great idea,” Gabriel explained. “I went back and took all the pictures that were ever taken of the two of you and anyone you call family and stuck ‘em in. I’m working on the rest of you, but I thought the newlyweds would go first.”

           Dean leaned over and hugged Gabriel and Ben tightly. He was shaking. “You have no idea how much this means,” he said, voice thick.

           “It was no trouble,” Gabriel assured him. “Just promise me you’ll keep taking pictures. That album’s not going to fill itself!”

           Dean laughed. “Promise.” He picked up the strange camera. “Is that what this is for? I’ve never seen one like this.”

           “Nope.” Gabriel snapped, and suddenly everyone had popcorn and candy on their laps and they were all facing a screen hovering just in front of the staircase. “That is a memory projector, patent pending. Kali helped me make it.”

           “A memory projector?”

           Gabriel snapped again, and the camera flew out of Dean’s hands to hover just behind them. “Ben asked me about home movies. I know you guys didn’t make too many, so I made some.”

           Sam blinked. “How?”

           “Short version is I followed you around in the past whenever you did something mildly interesting and ‘filmed’ it. I’ve got some memories of Cas from when he was a fledgling too.”

           Both Cas and Dean’s eyes were wide.

           “And don’t you worry, Cassie,” Gabriel added. “Bal and Anna gave me some more…recent ones.”

           Cas groaned. Dean took his hand. “Come on babe, it’ll be fun. It’s a great idea, Ben. And thanks for your help, Gabriel.”

           “Like I said, it was nothing. Now let’s get this film festival going.” Gabriel paused for effect. “I call it ‘The Profound Bond’.”

           “Balthazar!” Cas tried to launch himself at his brother. “You weren’t supposed to repeat that!”

           But it wasn’t nothing, Sam realized as a clip of him and Dean as small children started to play. Time travelling was difficult for angels, even archangels; and now a tiny version of Cas popped up too. Gabriel had somehow managed to convert his own memories of his fledgling’s true forms to tiny children who looked like their current vessels. And he’d done it all in time for a wedding, refusing to take credit for the immense amount of effort.

           And Sam watched Cas lean his head on Gabriel’s shoulder for a minute, and Dean smile over Cas’ head, and knew that the to-be-weds knew it too.

           It was late when they stopped watching videos (the one where Sam was chased by a goose at a petting zoo, forcing Dean to rescue him by dragging him on top of the Impala’s hood got an annoying amount of laughs), and Sam carried a sleeping Sarah to their room. He crawled in next to her and cradled her in his arms, and for a moment dared to dream of maybe someday…maybe someday they would have a wedding eve. They weren’t ready for that yet—he wasn’t ready for that yet—but for the first time the idea seemed possible. A future with her.

           And with that thought, Sam fell asleep.

           He woke to a gentle touch to his shoulder. Confused, he looked up and gasped, yanking Sarah closer.

           His mother stood over him. “Sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

           Sam shifted as Sarah stirred. “No problem,” he whispered. “Are you all here?”

           Mary nodded. “We came as soon as we could. We thought you could all use a hand first thing in the morning.”

           Sarah was awake now. “Hi Mary,” she said sleepily. “We’ll be up in a minute.”

           “What about Dean?” Sam asked.

           “JO GET OUT WHAT THE FUCK?!”

           The outraged shout rang through the Bunker.

           “YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO SPEND THE NIGHT WITH YOUR GROOM, EITHER!”

           “FUCK THAT!”

           “Who thought Jo was a good idea?” Sam muttered. Sarah giggled.

           Mary’s eyes danced. “No one.”

           And with that, Destiel’s wedding day began properly.

[qqueenofhades]

bloodsport [fighting in a love war]: two

you all never stopped asking for a second part of this, and since timeless is officially back from the dead, well, the occasion should be commemorated. tagging @crazykittehcat​, @queenofexplosions​, @extasiswings​, and @prairiepirate​. sorry for any typos, as it is a horrible pain in the ass to post fic on a tablet, but my computer is still dead, so.

rated e.

part one/ao3.

Flynn and Lucy do not speak to each other for the next three days. This is noteworthy enough, given that Wyatt and Rufus have generally relied on her to communicate important bulletins to the fourth member of their team (or as Rufus puts it, ''translating it into asshole''), that it causes both of them to take notice. It's kind of hard not to, given that they get caught in the 1863 New York Draft Riots, straight out of Martin Scorsese, and Flynn is shooting on one side, Wyatt is shooting on the other, there is absolutely not a word exchanged between either of them, and they nearly all get killed by the Gangs of New York before they can bail. Once they arrive back at the Lifeboat, sooty and shouting and with bullet holes through several dangerously nearby pieces of their clothing, Wyatt finally explodes, ''What the hell was that about, man? Huh?''

''It's my fault now, Wyatt?'' Flynn is sleek and suave and showing his teeth, which means he's feeling especially dangerous. ''Given the fact that I was the one who told you Boss Tweed was Rittenhouse, you should thank me for -- ''

''Is that what you call it? You ordered Lucy to tell us that Boss Tweed was Rittenhouse, which I am sure she already knew, and which anyone could guess by looking at the guy for two seconds, and then you went to peace out in Five Points while the rest of us were dodging mobsters, so yeah, Flynn, you were a big help!'' Wyatt shoves his gun into the holster as they clamber in and slam the door, not wanting to hang around here any longer than they have to. He goes to help Lucy with her seatbelt as usual, but she shakes her head at him. Flynn looks smug, goes to help instead just to show up Wyatt while briefly forgetting he's not talking to her, and then smartly decides he does not want to try to touch her in any capacity after the look she just gave him. He sits down, buckles up with a black cloud almost visible over his head, and nobody says a word as Rufus fires up the jump to launch them back to 2017.

Once they land, Lucy angrily undoes her harness, picks up her skirts, and storms out of the Lifeboat without a word, which leaves the men behind for an extremely awkward competition of who can get out the fastest without running into each other. Rufus books it like he's trying out for the track team, and Flynn starts his usual melodramatic stalk off to brooding solitude, but Wyatt grabs his arm. ''Hey. I'm not done with you yet.''

''What a pity, I'm done with you.'' Flynn's eyes smolder back at him like burning coals. ''All of you, really.''

''Yeah. We know. You haven't stopped telling us every day. We get it. You hate us. But you know what? Fight me. I can take it. Don't you dare hurt Lucy, or -- ''

''Is that what you think I did? Hurt her?''

''I think you did something. What the hell happened?''

''Why are you asking me?'' Flynn frees himself with a jerk and stares down at the shorter man evilly. ''Why aren't you asking her? Not sure you want to hear the answer? You know I won't tell you, so now you can say you made the effort without the risk of uncovering the outcome. Good job, soldier. Gold star. Put it on your report. Now piss off.''

''HEY!'' Wyatt almost runs between him and the door, increasing Flynn's nearly-to-boiling-point temper still further. His face is still angry, but his tone is close to frantic. ''Just tell me you didn't hurt her! Look. We're not friends. That is clear to both of us. But I thought -- possibly idiotically, I admit -- that the one common ground we had was her. Was I wrong?''

At that, as much as Flynn wants to bark at him again, it feels like the air draining from a balloon, the water from a pool, the light from the sky. He's momentarily flummoxed, not the least because he has no idea if he has or not. He has been doing his best not to let the events of three days ago cross his mind in any capacity, cryogenically freezing them on the spot, consigning them to the dark place of his memory where he doesn't go. He's not going to be able to function otherwise.

''I didn't hurt her,'' he says at last, heavily. ''Not on purpose.''

A flicker of uncertainty crosses Wyatt's face. He clearly wants to believe this, but he is preconditioned to expect the worst from Flynn, and if Flynn is honest with himself, he knows the bastard has not exactly been given any compelling evidence to the contrary. As he has told them many times, he indeed is only helping because they have just about sworn a blood oath to bring Lorena and Iris back when they're done. And while Flynn doesn't want to believe them a tiny bit, not after what happened the first time, he's found himself doing it anyway. Because if he isn't fighting for them, he doesn't know why he's fighting at all, and if he's not fighting, he might as well just go curl up in a dark corner and die. It's been like this as long as he can remember. In different ways, yes, but it isn't something that started with losing his girls. Living in his head has been a total disaster from day one, and he's never once been sure how to stop it. He's tired.

''What do you mean, not on purpose?'' Wyatt says at last, somewhat less heatedly. ''Did you -- ''

''Nothing.'' Flynn turns to go. He wants a stiff drink, or three. ''It was nothing, all right?''

''Whatever that nothing is, it's affecting the mission. Lucy is doing her best to pull her weight regardless, because she's a professional. You're...'' Wyatt considers his words carefully. ''We didn't ask you to be on the team just because you were the nearest grunt with a gun who could be briefed about the time travel thing. If that was the criteria, we would have gone back to Pendleton and gotten another of my buddies. Another Bam-Bam, a -- ''

He stops.

Despite himself, Flynn feels a faint flicker of guilt, considering that he is -- indirectly, but not very -- responsible for Dave Baumgardner's death. Add it to the list. What comes out, of course, is caustic. ''Of course not. He didn't last very long, did he?''

''Yeah, because one of your guys shot him.'' Wyatt's head comes up, eyes flat and hard. ''You're a dick, Flynn. I know it. We know it. I'm pretty sure you know it, because you're too smart not to. Strictly speaking, both of us should probably still be in jail. But that doesn't matter now, and we asked you to be on the team because you are literally the only other person in the world who can help us. You think you're the only one who has to forgive us for the betrayal that we've already told you ten thousand times was not Lucy's fault. There's plenty on our side of the ledger too. You ever think about that?''

This is the last conversation Flynn wants to be having, especially given the unhappily low whisky content in his bloodstream. ''That you're so much better than me and I should be grateful you gave me a second chance at all, from the goodness of your hearts? There. Yes. I thought about it. Can I go now?''

''No.'' Wyatt remains looking at him levelly. ''That we're so much the same. As much as both of us hate it. And yeah. Fine. Go. Spend the night listening to Finnish death metal and watching grimdark YouTube videos, whatever you do to stay in the zone. Just don't take it out on Lucy.''

With that, he spins on his heel and strides off on double-time parade march, as Flynn stares balefully after him, wondering if he could nail Wyatt between the ears from here. Probably, but it would be messy, it would be very difficult to explain to the other two, and, well, Rittenhouse would be very pleased if he did. So, tempting as it is, he has to resist. He was hungry, but he doesn't think he is anymore. He has no idea what to do. Sleep? As if. Go back to tinkering with the Lifeboat -- Rufus hates it when he does that, but Rufus can eat his Chocodiles and shut up. Besides, Flynn's modifications work. Usually.

Seeing no other option, he goes to the charging station and pulls out the circuit board he's been rewiring. These Boy Scouts he's working with shot down his suggestion of stealing another nuke to power the Lifeboat the same way as the Mothership, which Flynn himself didn't see anything wrong with, and they keep losing time since Rittenhouse can jump whenever they want, while the Time Team has to wait for their battery to top up. Like driving through a tunnel shouting ''can you hear me now?'', while your enemies are taking the helicopter over the top. Not exactly a recipe for success.

Flynn sits down wearily, opens the case, and stares at the circuits until his eyes go out of focus. He picks up the pliers and makes a cursory adjustment, then drops his hand. Tries to work up the motivation for another one. Prove he's valuable, not that he should be caring about what these chuckleheads think of him. He knows he blew it today, hung them out to dry -- but he came back, didn't he? He could have bailed, left them there, taken the Lifeboat himself (well, he'd need Rufus at least for that, but he could have worked around that) and gone back to working alone. After all he's complained, both before his absorption into the time team and after, about having to delegate, that would seem to be the simplest solution. After all, he hates them. Doesn't care if they get stuck for good in the Civil War (funny, that, considering the civil war going on with them). Could have left. Etc. Etc.

But he came back.

Flynn doesn't want to think about this either, and if he does go to get something to assist him in forgetting, he'll probably run into one or all three of them, doing their insufferable team-bonding thing. Drinks after work for the crew. He can't stand that.

(He might want it. Just a little. To sit there and be part of something. Part of them.)

(He ignores it harder.)

He has made a further few futile attempts to modify the circuit board, when he senses more than hears someone by the entrance to the warehouse, a slight shift in space that nonetheless he has become too-attuned to. He lifts his head, flicks his eyes over as surreptitiously as he can without appearing to look, and sees Lucy standing on the far side, arms folded. She's changed out of her 1863 clothes and showered, her hair damp and dark around her pale face, and Flynn can catch a whiff of some floral shampoo that makes his throat briefly dry. He swallows hard, ignoring that too, as well as the simple sweatshirt and leggings she's wearing. He's seen her in all sorts of clothes by now, from every time (and less, an unhelpful voice in his brain whispers) and she looks beautiful in each, but this is a different Lucy. Lucy without her armor, without her makeup, without her never-flagging, steely strength as the undoubted captain of their ship, with just her hair loose and her walls down. She doesn't even appear to notice Flynn. She's here because by the looks of things, as tired as she is, sleep isn't in the cards for her either.

He hesitates, telling himself not to do anything stupid. Then, because he is Garcia Flynn, and stupidity is embedded in his DNA, he puts the board aside and gets to his feet. ''Lucy.''

She jumps, turns, sees him, and flinches. He can see her hastily putting her walls back up, her game face, preparing to deal with whatever crisis he's about to bring to the table in any sense of the word, and he feels guilty, in a way he didn't even for Bam-Bam, that he's the cause of it. She gets so little rest or respite, and even here, in whatever few stolen hours she gets before their next trip, she can't relax. Not with the Minotaur lurking in the labyrinth -- that makes her Ariadne, Flynn supposes, and it makes fucking Wyatt Theseus, which, you know, might explain a lot. Especially the throttling each other part. But Lucy is Lucy, and even now, she will give him another chance, listen to what he has to say, even if it will inevitably hurt her. She'll put that aside too. ''Yes, Flynn?'' she says tiredly. ''What do you need?''

That twists his heart. Of course she'd ask what he needs, prepare to fill a vacancy, requisition resources. Keep everything on track. He can hear Wyatt telling him that Lucy is still pulling her weight because she's a professional, and he's... well, he is clearly not. Briefly, he wonders if Lucy is not Ariadne, but Atlas, and you'd never know. ''I...'' Christ, he's not good at this. He and Lorena rarely argued, and when they did, the actions were already there, the instinctive and implict permission to make it better without the words that still came so hard to him, but which he tried, for her. He has none of that with Lucy, no shortcut or safe place. ''About today. It... could have gone better.''

A corner of Lucy's mouth quirks wryly. It's the closest thing that there has been to a smile on her face for the past several days, and Flynn feels almost abjectly grateful to be the reason for it. ''Yeah,'' she says. Calmly and matter-of-factly, not ripping into him unduly, but also refusing to let him in any degree off the hook. ''Yeah, it could have.''

''Wyatt told me too. Earlier.'' Flynn attempts a nonchalant shrug. ''I didn't mean to bother you. I'll just...''

With that, he tries to sidle back off toward his fruitless circuit board pursuits, but Lucy's quiet voice stops him. ''Garcia.''

As it does every time she uses his first name, that roots him to the spot like a bolt of stinging lightning, pulse suddenly tripping too fast. He waits tensely, hoping she won't say anything -- well -- dangerous. (Yes, it's true, this is usually his department, throwing verbal bombs at her, and he would deserve it if she wanted to make him pay more for what he could have cost them today, after everything they've endured already.) When she doesn't, he finally prompts, ''Yes?''

''I just -- '' Lucy bites her lip, which makes her look younger than usual. ''What... happened the other night. I'm sorry if it... I didn't want it to make things more difficult. They already are enough. If that's the case, I just... both of us should forget. We won't say anything to the others. I haven't, and I know for a fact you haven't. The job comes first.''

Flynn regards her, worn, muted, and ashamed that she feels as if she is the one who has to apologize to him, when his own actions -- well, he has still never encountered a situation that he has improved, at least without blowing it up entirely first. Finally, gruffly, he says, ''You know someone needs to teach you how to fight.''

Lucy looks as if she can't decide whether to accept this out or not. She glances down. ''I wasn't exactly talking about the fighting.''

Of course she wasn't. They fight all the time, they exist in a constant low-level state of conflict, why would she be talking about that as anything different? Like two reverse polarities forced together, clashing and sparking, except for when they're not, and that becomes the most dangerous state of all. And all that energy, that determination to keep up that division and distance, this war and its bloodsport, comes from Flynn. Lucy has been silently asking, begging for a truce this entire time, and all he has been doing is twisting the knife.

That, at last, is the one thing that breaks the increasingly rickety dam inside him, the one holding back his rationalizations and justifications and his anger, the way it's been easier to focus it on her, because she's here, and Rittenhouse isn't. Has remained just as elusive and shadowy and multi-headed as ever, just out of reach, counting on him to do half of its work for it by continuing to punish Lucy -- the others too, yes, but especially Lucy. Both sides have always known that this turns on her. Rittenhouse attempting to recruit her hasn't worked, but why come up with another plan, when they can see Flynn eating them out like a cancer from within? Must be waiting. Placing bets. Wondering what day Lucy breaks, and turns at last to them.

Slowly, so slowly, Flynn's hand comes up. He reminds himself that he'll punish himself for this later, but for once -- God, for once -- not Lucy. Wyatt's right, she deserves this least of all, and while Flynn himself would never admit that short of having it tortured out of him (and maybe not even then), and even he can see the appeal of a détente, if a temporary one. He waits for Lucy to push him away, which he would deserve if she did, or worse. But when she doesn't, his fingers end up brushing lightly over her cheek, his thumb tracing the bow of her lower lip, the indent of her chin. He starts to move his hand away, feeling as absurdly self-conscious as if he's done something far worse, but Lucy takes an unexpected step, and his arm gets stuck between them.

Flynn's throat closes as if a fist has wrapped around it. He was not counting on this, and isn't sure how to extricate himself, as they were almost having a genuine moment there and for once, he doesn't want to ruin it. His hands skim down Lucy's sides to her hips, hovering but not quite taking hold, though both of them can surely feel the electricity crackling in that remaining breath of space. Lucy's eyelashes flutter, her lips parting, until Flynn realizes, with an entirely different sort of shock, that if he leaned down and kissed her right now, she probably wouldn't object at all. Not that he should. That is exactly the sort of action that ''don't do something stupid'' from earlier was supposed to prevent.

To Flynn's credit, he does make an effort. Perhaps less to his credit, the only thing that effort does is draw him downwards, as Lucy rises on her tiptoes. Her arms wrap around his neck -- perhaps less from a desire for deeper closeness than because of the fact that simple statistics dictate she needs to achieve considerably more height to comfortably kiss Flynn. That indeed appears to be what is happening here, as their mouths open and turn and seek hungrily deeper, as he lifts her and presses her back against the Lifeboat's cold metal hull, as the kiss turns raw and insatiable. Until Lucy's hand comes up to pull at his cravat, as Flynn has once more not bothered to change out of his nineteenth-century suit, he freezes, and both of them come to their senses as if doused in cold water. Lucy jerks away, Flynn puts her down, they take three steps back as if from a piece of live ordnance, and remain there, staring. It is excruciating.

''I -- '' Lucy says at last. ''I should go.''

''Yes.'' Flynn wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, trying not to let on how breathless he is, blood roaring in his ears (and in other places). He's only aware of how dangerous that was, the need to push her away again, before she starts feeling too sorry for him, before she thinks he deserves any kindness at all. ''Run back. I'm sure the kindergarten class needs you.''

Lucy arches one eyebrow at the irony of him calling anyone else a kindergartner, especially when it comes to emotional maturity, but infuriatingly, she doesn't take the bait. Instead, she gives him one of those piercing looks that he can never quite withstand, no matter what he tries. After a moment, she says, ''Rufus.''

''What?'' Whatever Flynn was expecting -- and frankly, if he was expecting anything, that would mean he thought this through, which he did not -- it wasn't that. ''What about Rufus?''

Lucy shrugs, lightly but with an unmistakable edge. ''Chicago,'' she says. ''1931. We weren't supposed to go there originally. Rittenhouse had taken over Mason Industries and they knew how they were going to solve all of this. My -- biological father had it all worked out. Wyatt was in jail for stealing the Lifeboat and Baumgardner was dead, so Rufus and I had been assigned a new soldier. Or should I say, hired gun. The plan was for us to jump to 1962 Texas, and kill your mother. Maria Thompkins.''

''Wh -- ?'' Flynn feels punched. ''You knew my mother?''

''After the moon landing,'' Lucy goes on, coolly and dispassionately as if reading a medical report. ''We found out who the woman you spent all your time with there was, and that you saved your half-brother's life. So, of course, Rittenhouse found out as well. The easiest way to stop you, according to them, was just to kill your mother before you were born. Rufus and I both vehemently opposed it, fought against it. I told Cahill to his face that it was the wrong decision and that I wouldn't do it. It didn't matter. We still ended up in the Lifeboat in 1962.''

''But -- '' Flynn is reeling, struggling to keep up with this. Knowing that she would have been justified in letting this happen, as he was willing to let her grandfather die in the explosion in 1954. Her father was already born, yes, but -- ''I'm still... here, I didn't -- ''

''Yes,'' Lucy says. ''Yes, you are. Because Rufus, the shy tech geek who has never fought anything except in a computer game, took on a trained Rittenhouse assassin to save your mother. I helped,'' she adds, clearly as an afterthought. ''We managed to knock him out, subdue him, and jump back to pick up Wyatt and follow you to 1931. You remember what you arranged to happen to Rufus in 1931?''

Flynn cringes.

Lucy folds her arms, chin tilted back -- showy displays, major breakdowns aren't her style -- but transparently and totally furious. ''So,'' she says. ''You know why Rufus snarks at you and you snark at him and so forth? It's because he's scared of you. He's scared to be alone with you, he's scared you'll try to get him killed again, and he knows it would jeopardize the mission if he said anything, so he swallows it and he never tells you what he did for your mother, and just ignores it, because he's that brave. Wyatt is used to hating your guts. Me, well, I know you well enough that I'm not that bothered by you anymore. But Rufus? How does he protect himself?''

''Lucy -- '' Flynn's cheeks feel hot. ''Lucy, I'm -- ''

''I don't want your apology,'' Lucy says. ''Not for me. What I want is for you to apologize to him, and mean it. Not that I'm holding my breath for that. So. Suit yourself. We're stuck with each other anyway.''

She shrugs again, having never raised her voice once through all of this, while Flynn can feel each of the stripes she left scalding on his backside. It strikes him how deeply, truly connected the three of them actually are, much as he derides it and snorts at it and rolls his eyes. Wyatt wants nothing for himself, if Lucy might be hurting more, and Lucy wants nothing for herself, if Rufus might be hurting more. Whatever each one of them are facing, struggling with, they don't care about that pain if they need to cover someone else's back, close ranks, shield whoever might be nearest to breaking. That's why they kept beating Flynn, stopping his plans. He knew as much about where and when they were as them, if not more. He was willing to do far more than them. He was certainly not concerned with whatever collateral damage he might inflict. But they do have something he doesn't. They have each other. And it's true that they have far more to forgive him for than he does them, and yet, they've still offered him a place with them. Out of necessity, yes, but they've tried to make it more than that. And he's --

Flynn doesn't have any idea what to say. He feels as if the ground has gone out from under him, as if she's reached into his chest and torn something out of him, that small, endless fire that he keeps burning against the world, the sense of righteous outrage, the only thing he really has left. It hurts him, but it hurts his enemies more, so it's always been a sacrifice he's willing to make. Now, though. Now, he's completely at a loss. Just him, and Lucy Preston across the way, still confoundedly expecting him to change, to make a better choice. He wishes she wouldn't. That she would just give up. That would make this easier.

And yet. He knows that that -- as with him -- is the one thing she is never going to do.

He takes a step. Another. After what Lucy just said to him, she would once more be deserved in backing away, in running screaming. But Garcia Flynn has always been a man of action, and that is the only way he knows how to go about fixing this, in whatever small part. When Lucy doesn't back away, when he's reached her and closed the distance between them again, when she's practically straining her neck to look directly up at him, he holds her gaze. Then, slowly, goes to his knees in front of her, which makes them just about even. He waits.

Lucy's cheeks flush pink, as her tongue darts out to touch her lips. He can breathe the faint lingering fragrance of her shampoo, that fresh scent that hangs around women, something bracing and clean, a bit like sunlight. It's going to his head, it's making him giddy, so he's thankful to already be on his knees. As his hands come up, almost span her waist, and then he hooks his thumbs into the waistband of her leggings. Punish yourself later. His mantra, every time he comes close to forgetting, for a moment, why he is doing this. As he tugs them slowly down her hips, pulling her panties with them, as he brushes his nose against her slender thigh and she sucks in a breath and braces her hands on his shoulders. He is light-headed with want for her. He is starving to death, and the banquet is laid before him, but he will not take a bite.

Lucy utters a small impatient noise in her throat, trying to shift herself into his mouth, and Flynn is a number of things, but he's not quite strong enough to resist that. He kisses her as suddenly below as he did above, all at once, thorough and devouring, and Lucy's grip tightens on him almost hard enough to hurt. Not that she could hurt him, not this way. In other ways, she's quite adept, but it is only in seeing his weaknesses and targeting them as unerringly as a sniper. Never cruel, never for sport, but simply because she knows exactly what he is, and always has.

Flynn braces himself, hands on her thighs, as he licks her, delicately circles her clit with the tip of his tongue, and then moves lower, slipping his tongue into her, starting a slow rhythm. He increases the pace steadily, pulling her leg to drape over his shoulder as she grasps for purchase on the Lifeboat again, knuckles white. As with everything Flynn does, it is done wholeheartedly and with utter abandon, no stopping, no slowing, no mitigating factor. He bites lightly at her, moving her leg to get a better angle, as he can hear the ghost of a moan catch in her throat. She doesn't say anything. Likely for the best. Talking rarely goes well between the two of them.

Flynn can taste her slickness on his tongue, a light citrusy tart that must be from whatever she washed with in the shower, feel the rasp of her fine dark hair against his lips. He doesn't let up until Lucy's toes clench, her body shudders, and she comes with a choking, muffled gasp that reverberates against his mouth, through both of them and into the Lifeboat on the other side. Oddly fitting, considering that he feels as if they are adrift on a wild and stormy sea, and this is the only chance they have of survival, of ever making it back to land. He remains where he is for a moment more, then slides back on his knees, once more wiping his mouth with his arm, feeling hot and bothered and fragile as glass himself, but not about to ask her for satisfaction. He will handle it. Later. Alone. As usual.

Lucy stands there weak-kneed, mouth open, eyes dark, gasping, until she finally recollects herself, pulls up her panties and leggings, and shoots a half-tentative look at him, as if waiting for him to do something else. When he doesn't, she bites her lip, ducks her head, and says softly, ''Good night, Flynn.'' Shoots another look back as if wondering or perhaps even hoping (though surely that is his imagination) that he will stop her. But he doesn't.

Flynn watches her go for a long moment, head thundering. Then, when he is sure she's off to -- wherever she's going, whatever she's going to do for the rest of the night -- he shuffles gingerly out of the warehouse, out across the courtyard, and up the stairs to his room. Shuts the door behind him and swears, in several of the numerous languages he knows. He doesn't exactly feel better, and he needs to attend to things, so he angrily wrenches off his shirt and trousers, gets on the bed, and takes himself in hand. Closes his eyes and imagines Lorena, imagines her smiling, saying something earthy, pushing him onto his back. He was always happy to let her lead; she enjoyed sex, enjoyed having it, knew what she wanted and how she wanted him to give it to her -- which was good, because he was clueless. Not about the sex part, as he could manage that well enough, but making her happy, truly being what she needed and wanted. Women have always been a mystery to him, like most men, but she took him by the hand and patiently showed him how, never made him feel stupid for not knowing. Chose him, for some baffling reason, when he was just as much a wreck as he is now, though somewhat differently. And now she can --

Flynn's eyes flash open. Because he has been thinking of Lorena, but the face he's picturing, that came the most easily to his mind, wasn't hers. Figures. He isn't sure that he shouldn't be completely ashamed of himself, trying to jerk off to his wife's memory after going the ''I'm sorry I'm a disaster, does oral sex help?'' route with another woman. He feels hollow and tawdry and unsatisfied, struggling to recapture the exact details of Lorena's face, the arch of her lips, the fine network of blue veins under her skin, and almost panics when he realizes that he can't. He has no pictures of her. He went off the grid after the murders and had to destroy every bit of potentially trackable electronic equipment. All the hard copies, all the photograph albums, were packed up and taken away by Lorena's parents. They never were terribly fond of Flynn, blamed him for their daughter and granddaughter's death (they're not wrong, he thinks, they're not wrong) and saw no reason to let him have any, especially if he was going on the run. The only place he sees her now is in his dreams.

He is starting to forget.

He is starting to forget.

He can't stop it. It's going to keep happening. There is no way to reverse the process. He has to do this, he has to get her back, because otherwise one day in the not-so-distant future, he might wake up and find even the ghost of her gone. He might not even remember exactly what he has lost. And when that happens, she'll be truly gone. Rittenhouse will win.

In a cold sweat, Flynn eases himself down on the bed, letting go and abandoning his efforts, lying there with his eyes screwed shut until things go somewhat slack on their own. He feels nauseous, panicked, at the edge of control, forcing down the screaming in his head. One more night. He can make it one more night. Then decide tomorrow if he can keep going. That's the trick. Make it through a day, remember that you can always die if you can't. That's the comfort.

Flynn waits until his breathing steadies, until his heart unclenches. He should get some sleep, though he rarely does. Doubtless they will be once more charging into the breach soon enough.

He decides he will apologize to Rufus tomorrow. It's oddly comforting.

He listens to his breath. He tries to count sheep. He always told Iris to, though he wasn't sure it worked. He listens to the night go on. Listens to the earth spin, the stars rattle softly in the heavens, the world move inexorably toward another morning. It won't stop. It won't stop.

All he can try to do is spin the planet back. Pass through the doors of time, rewrite the annals of time and space and history. He has always known that he is a difficult man to love, and that Lorena is the only woman who could, who was willing, who understood. Without her, he has no chance.

(No chance, he insists.)

(No chance.)

Eventually, shivering, silent, solitary in the dark, he sleeps.