#housing should have never become a commodity to begin with let's be honest

[awkward-teabag]

I hate the idea of living around the resale value of your home. Comfort should come well before the theoretical sale of your home, especially if you have no plan on moving in the next decade or two as what's popular right now is going to be dated by then anyway so you're making yourself/others uncomfortable while spending money when you'll have to spend yet more money getting new flooring/paint/appliances/etc. if you want to sell it in 20 years anyway.

[flourchildwrites]

Six years after their escape to the human world, the Grace Field children live together in a happy, harmonious home. Twenty-one-year-olds, Ray, Norman and Emma, have folded themselves into modern society and work tirelessly to provide for their younger siblings, putting the greater good of their family before their personal needs. But as children turn to into teenagers, new house rules come into play. Norman, convinced that Emma will never remember their unique childhood bond, makes a bold proposition — to prohibit romantic relationships between the Grace Field children and end his hopes for something more with Emma once and for all.

Ray knows all too well how dangerous it is to reignite a spark, but for the happiness of Emma and Norman, he's always been willing to burn.

Fandom: Yakusoku no Neverland | The Promised Neverland (Manga)

Relationships/Pairings: Emma/Norman (Endgame), Emma/Ray (Fake Dating), Norman & Ray, Emma & Ray

Genre: Post-Canon (Spoilers for Anime-Only Fans), Fake/Pretend Relationship

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 12,930 words (incomplete 3/5)

A/N: Oh, hi! So it's been a while, but I have neither dropped off the face of the Earth nor given up on this fic. Sometimes, I just have to wait until I'm in the right state of mind to write a chapter. Until next time....

Chapter 3

The cuckoo clock on the wall of Norman’s study is an ornate piece of artistry.  It does its job fashionably and without complaint, keeping time with as much precision as its pendulum can muster.  Norman likes to lose himself to the details of the carved wood.  The dancing animals and crisp steeples that surround the clock face never fail to interest him when his thoughts turn sluggish at the end of the day.

Norman would happily wile away his evening hours waiting for the clock’s melodic chime to sound at the top of the hour, but this is not the gift’s purpose. Instead, it is meant as a constant reminder that time itself is a precious commodity.  Mike Ratri gave him the clock upon his admission to law school.  And though Norman’s enthusiasm for the present has dissipated, he cannot disagree with the principle behind the clock’s coded message.

Time can be a beautiful, but unforgiving mistress; yesterday’s opportunities are lost in the past, gone forever.

Perhaps, Norman muses, for his next graduation, he will receive a high-end watch from the Ratri clan.  Then he, along with his time, will be literally and figuratively shackled to the course the family’s scion has mapped out for him.  Norman knows he is regarded as the best of the bunch, the poster child amongst the extraordinary children born and raised in the demon world.  Ever rational, he cannot disagree with that conclusion.

Still, he rakes a finger under the collar cinched around his neck to loosen his tie and fusses with the first few buttons of his pressed shirt.  The emblem of Lambda 7214 peeks out from underneath the scoop neck of his undershirt, and not for the first time, Norman traces the tattoo’s hard lines where they are exposed.  Compared to this marking, the numbers on his neck are practically forgettable.

Norman isn’t like the other Grace Field children, not since Peter Ratri’s malicious experiments.  Neither can he lump himself in with the other Lambda survivors.  Though Barbara never shies away from advocating for the latter.

“Are you even listening?”  Barbara’s voice is shrill as it comes from the cellphone wedged between Norman’s shoulder and ear.

In the background, he can hear boxing gloves rhythmically pound against a punching bag.  Norman doesn’t like lying to Barbara; he knows what the woman is capable of when she’s feeling feisty.  But after hearing the juicy gossip from the younger children in his house, concerning a date between two certain someones, Norman’s mind refuses to focus on administrative matters.  Still, he tries to soldier on as if nothing is amiss.

“Of course,” Norman fibs.  “You’re concerned about the benefit, just like you are every year.  And every year, it turns out fine.  We get our funding; the Ratri family keeps their moral high ground.”

The sound of hard punch startles Norman, and Barbara pauses, slightly winded, before responding.  “But the problem is that they want Zazie to attend this year.  Zazie!”

The thought causes Norman to pause.  He is wont to recall Zazie as he once was — a child stuck in an overgrown body with a paper bag hiding his face and twin swords strapped to his back.  But Zazie, like his brothers and sisters, has grown into his shaggy hair, and in his case, his mental strides are much more impressive.

“What does Zazie think about attending the benefit?”

Barbara scoffs.  “He’s fine with going for a little while as long as he isn’t on his own, but why should he waste his precious words on that family ?  They don’t fund his therapy out of charity; they pay for it because his hardships, all our hardships, are their fault.”

Normally, Norman would play devil’s advocate.  He would remind Barbara that Mike isn’t like Peter and point out that most of the advances made on behalf of the cattle, Lambda and farm children are funded by the donations of the benefit’s attendees.  But tonight, Norman has no such fight in him.  He has four cases to read and brief, an argument to draft for his legal writing class and a Ray-and-Emma-shaped problem that seems to become more bizarre by the minute.

“I’ll talk to Mike and see if we can defer Zazie’s involvement,” Norman capitulates, rubbing at his neck as his to-do list grows longer.  “He may look like an adult, but he’s still a teenager.  It can be easy to forget.”

There’s a pregnant pause on the other side of Norman’s cell phone connection.

“Are you feeling alright, boss?”

A part of Norman wants to laugh, a great big belly laugh that would draw the kind of attention the household head does his best to avoid.  Of course, he isn’t alright.  It was a relief when he first made the decision to impose a fraternization ban, but then, Ray went and asked Emma out just to spite him.

Clever, impulsive asshole.

How could Norman go through with it after that?  Either he would have seemed like a heartless roadblock or a jealous cockblock to his siblings.  And neither alternative comes close to the truth, an inconvenient conundrum that’s been eating away at him for years.

Norman exhales, long and slow, and because he can ordinarily be (somewhat) honest with Barbara, he doesn’t lie to her this time.  He won’t divulge the whole, messy truth.  For that, he wouldn’t even know how to begin.  Heavy the head that wears the crown, or in this case, Norman thinks it’s more along the lines of a cape.

“No,” he responds, “I’m not alright.  But I’m sure I’ll be fine after exams.  I just need some time to rest and get my head on straight.  No need to be concerned.”

There’s a flurry of movement coming from Barbara’s side of the connection, and when she speaks again, her voice sounds unflinchingly clear. Norman braces himself when he realizes she’s paused her evening workout and taken herself off speakerphone.

“Far be it for me to suggest that you shouldn’t be living with the Grace Field kids, but you’re also one of us — a Lambda experiment.  We have different needs, and Lambda House could provide you with much more support or at least a break from being in charge.  Come live with us and let someone else run things over there.  We all miss you, boss.  Maybe someone could help you for a change.”

A lump sticks in Norman’s throat, and he swallows it, ready to make excuses that never arrive.  Words fail him for the umpteenth time in a handful of days.  Suddenly hot, he scratches the back of his neck and shrugs off his collared shirt entirely.  The top of his Lambda 7214 tattoo remains on full display.  Sometimes, he hides it so well that he begins to believe his own lies, but there are moments when the truth corrodes his carefully constructed facade.

Norman may be the brightest child from the demon world, but he’s also damaged goods, marked in ways that Ray (for example) is not.

He could live at Lambda House.  Correction, he should live at Lambda House to better avail himself of the on-call therapists for his night terrors and have his medication managed with more regularity.  But then, there would be no reason for Norman to oversee the Grace Field children’s home.  He wouldn’t be able to drag himself down to breakfast each morning to find her, Emma, sipping her coffee and joking around with the younger children, or feel his heart flutter when wishes him well in the evenings.

Norman stays because she’s worth all the small inconveniences and then some.  The time in between, the numbing hours spent studying, problem-solving and balancing the books, are a means to an end.  Emma always tips the scale in Grace Field’s favor.  Even with an anti-fraternization rule, Norman doesn’t expect his feelings to change.

Nevertheless….

“I’ll think about it,” Norman hears himself say, and he ends the call promptly with promises to be in touch soon simply to put the matter to rest.

Read the rest on AO3!

[thecleverdame]

This Is Not A Fairy Tale - Six

Alpha!Prince!Sam x Omega!Reader

Story Masterlist

Summary: You’re a suppressed Omega who is forced into servitude after the death of your father. Your stepmother Naomi is a heartless woman who forces you to do the cooking and cleaning, while she tries to marry off her own two daughters, Alex and Claire. But your life takes a wonderful and dangerous turn when you meet the charming Prince Sam who also happens to be an Alpha.

Warnings: ABO smut, abuse, death of parents, magic

Beta:  ilikaicalie  

*This story is complete and posted on Patreon. Become a patron for a monthly pledge of $2.50 and get access to all my Patreon content.

-

Naomi does her best to put you back together before the Duke comes to claim his newest prize. You’re limp as a washrag while one of the servants bathes and dresses you. The dress Naomi picked, one of Claire’s out of fashion hand me downs, laces painfully tight. The corset digging into the open wounds Naomi’s lashes left across nearly all of your backside.

Your hair is combed and cheeks painted with blush to make you appear less like living death. You want to think of Sam, to let your mind wander to your few precious moments together, but instead you push him away. There’s no point in torturing yourself and now is not the time to get lost in a dream world. You need to try and think. This is your last chance.

The Duke himself is an imposing man. Tall with broad shoulders and a square jaw. He’s near twice your age and undeniably an Alpha. He stands next to his coach, both thumbs tucked into his belt, watching as Naomi and Claire drag you from the house.

“Walk,” Naomi hisses, forcing a tight smile in his direction.

“I’m trying.” You are, but your body is no longer responding to your brain. Starvation and abuse have built on each other and now you truly are a shell of a person.

“What’s wrong with her?” He looks at you with a skeptical eye.

“She needed a bit of discipline.” Naomi waves her hand dismissively, thrusting you forward. “Give her a couple of days and she’ll perk back up.”

You can’t imagine perking up ever again. Your heart has broken along with your body and you long for your Alpha with every fiber of your being.

He clasps your jaw with a firm grip, lifting your head to inspect your face, tilting it from one side to the other.

“She is beautiful,” he laments, grunting in satisfaction. “It’s a shame she’s already claimed.”

“Yes, it is. But she’ll come around, won’t you?” Naomi pats your back and it takes everything within you not to scream out loud.

“Come along girls.” Naomi, reaches out, pulling both her daughters to her side. “Say goodbye to Y/N.”

“Goodbye,” Alex sings, sickly sweet.

“Happy travels.” Claire can’t fake politeness, her voice dripping with mockery.

“Let’s go?” The Duke takes you by the arm, lifting you up into the coach.

-

The carriage rattles along over roots and dirt, each bump is agony. You sit across from this imposing man who’s eyeing you with nauseating interest. His bejeweled fingers strum over his knee as he ponders out loud.

He was quiet for nearly an hour, but he’s more comfortable with the idea of you now. He’s most likely never seen an Omega in person before.

“A stable boy?” He shakes his head, leaning forward. “You should have more self-respect than to open your legs for a farmhand.”

“I didn’t,” you whisper, looking out the small window.

“Don’t lie to me,” he snips. “I expect you to be honest with me or there will be immediate and unpleasant consequences.”

“What my step-mother told you is the lie.” You want to explain, if he only knew the truth maybe he would let you go.

“Hush now,” he barks and you flinch. “I won’t hear any of your wild tales.”

“Please,” you cry in desperation. It’s futile to beg for freedom, no man in his right mind would let you go.

“Why don’t you try to control your outbursts. If you do as you’re told this entire transition will be much easier for you.”

-

Time passes and you travel on, eventually slowing to a complete stop. There are voices from outside, many voices and horses hooves in the mud.

The Duke hits the ceiling of the carriage and shouts out. “What is the delay?”

“One moment, sir!” the driver calls back. When he returns he opens the small window, popping his head inside.

“The royal guard is searching for stolen property,” he explains.

“Did you tell them who I am?”

“I did, sir. But they haven’t waved us on and there are several carriages in front of us. They’re sending someone to clear you first. It should only be a moment.”

“Unbelievable,” the duke sighs, resting back in his seat. “What do you suppose was stolen that it requires all this fanfare? What a story that must be.”

You. It has to be you. Before Sam’s claim you would have doubted anyone would put up such a fuss, but now you’re coming to understand just what a commodity you are. Not to mention you’re mated. If Sam is feeling even a fraction of the longing you are, he’s sure to do everything he can to find you.

After several minutes there’s a tentative knock at the door and your heart speeds up. Is this it? Will someone rescue you?

The duke leans forward, cracking open the door. His huge body eclipses almost the entire door frame, blocking anyone from getting a clear view of the inside, including you.

“I’m so sorry sir,” a young voice addresses him. You can see through the crack near the hinges that he’s nothing more than a footsoldier and he can’t be a day over eighteen. “We’ve been ordered to search every carriage-”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t have time for this.” The duke spits back. “I’m sure this doesn’t apply to those of noble birth. I can assure you, there’s nothing of value here. So let us be on our way”

Your heart sinks into your stomach awaiting the answer. Look inside!

The young soldier clears his throat and pauses and then nods. “Of course, sir. Sorry to have delayed you. I wish you a safe journey.”

And with that, the door closes and your world shrinks down to this horrible moment.

They didn’t search the carriage. Your only hope has passed and the carriage begins to roll forward.

Your breath speeds up as the coach maneuvers itself out of line to bypass the other waiting travelers. Tears prick your eyes and panic builds, a terrified frenzy. This can’t be it.

Then you hear a familiar voice somewhere far away. A man calling out.

Sam.

You’d know it was him from a mile away. It’s impossible to make out what he’s saying but he’s barking orders in the distance.

This is your last chance. That you know for certain. Once the Duke takes you outside the kingdom you’ll never see your prince again. It’s now or never. The Duke is distracted, leaning out the window to try and determine why you’re not moving faster.

Gathering every last ounce of energy you can muster, you lunge for the door, popping it open and scrambling out of the coach before he can stop you. You fall to the ground, landing in the mud, but manage to get back up as the Duke catches your arm.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he hollers as you try to twist away. You stomp on his foot as hard as you can and his grip loosens enough that you wrench free and run down the line of a dozen carriages.

“Help me!” you scream. Heads begin to peek out, drivers turning to watch you run by.

“Get back here!” The Duke is hot on your heels as you tumble through the muck.

“Sam!” You scream at the top of your lungs. It’s all there is left to do. You know you can’t make it much farther and you need someone to take notice. Anyone.

Just as the Duke grabs you by the back of the neck two knights appear on foot, standing beside each other.

“What’s happening here then?” one asks.

“She’s out of control!” The Duke shakes you violently, as you look up at the men, wide-eyed, pleading.

“Tell the prince I’m here!”

Both knights look at your neck, easily spotting the fresh claim. They don’t know much about who they’re looking for, other than it’s an Omega with just such a mark.

“You must stay here, sir.” One of them stays with you while the other runs off to find a superior.

“What is the meaning of this?” The Duke sputters, looking at you with disdain. “The girl is my property. I have every right to take her and go.”

“I’m sorry, but you are going to have to wait.”

“Let me go!” You’re nonsensical, fighting against him to get away.

“Stop making such a spectacle of yourself!” The Duke commands, reaching over and slapping you with an open hand in the stomach. If you weren’t in such rough shape the blow would not have such an effect, but instead, you curl over as if he’s punched you with all his brute strength.

“Let her go!” Sam’s voice booms above you.

You look up to find your prince on horseback, flanked by his father, brother, and a dozen soldiers.

“Sam,” you smile as the Duke release you.

You take two steps towards him and collapse unconscious into the mud.

-

“Help me!”

Sam hears it the second you call out and he’s not the only one. Dean and their father perk up beside him, all three men listening for more.

“Sam!”

“It’s her,” Sam looks at his father in disbelief. You’re closer, voice crystal clear. A large part of him had resigned to the idea of never seeing you again.

He trots around the line of carriages to the sight of you, wild and filthy, struggling against a man comparable only to himself in size. An Alpha.  He’s not sure if he wants to run to you or gut this unknown man.

“Let her go!” Sam shouts, pointing at the nobleman who’s got you by the nape of the neck.  

Your head whips up, a delirious smile overtaking your face before you stumble forward. It’s as your eyes roll back into your skull that you fall forward, crumpling onto the ground.

“Y/N!” Sam dismounts in the blink of an eye, running to you as fast as he can. The sight of you up close is worse than he realized. Your back is soaked in blood, enough that it’s completely soaked through the dress. Sam looks up at the Alpha who’s backing away in horror. “What have you done to her?”

“I did nothing!” The Duke implores, stunned as the prince kneels down and turns you over into his lap.

“Take him!” Dean instructs and soldiers immediately pull the Duke away amid ardent protest.

-

When you awake, you’re naked and belly down on a bed as someone pokes the lacerations on your back. Shaking away sleep you try to roll over only to have several pairs of hands hold you down. The first thought is that the Duke has managed to take you home, you’re to be a prisoner for the rest of your life.

“What are you doing?” You panic, thrashing against strange hands. “Who are you?”

“It’s alright.” Sam is suddenly in front of you, kneeling on the ground as he reaches out to take your hands into his. The instant his fingers curl around yours you know this is real. He’s here and you’re safe.

“Where am I?” There’s a searing pain across your shoulder blades as you jerk only to be held in place. “Who’s touching me? What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry m’lady.” A soft voice comes from above. “We’re trying to be as gentle as possible.”

“They have to clean your wounds,” Sam explains, looking at you with a sad little smile. His eyes are wet, not exactly crying but hovering somewhere on the edge.

“It hurts.” You cry, burying your face in the bedding and squeezing his hands as hard as you can. “I’m so tired of all of this, of all the pain. I just want to rest.”

“You will.” Sam presses a kiss to the top of your head, rubbing your scalp gently.

“You won’t leave me will you?” you ask.

“No, I’ll always be close.” He promises. He lies his head on the bed to you can look at each other as the women above you work. And when the time comes for them to stitch up the deepest of the wounds, you slip back into the dark with Sam right there beside you.

--

When you wake up the second time you’re still on your belly, in a soft bed and alone in an enormous, ornate room with vaulted ceilings and chandeliers hanging from the rafters. There’s no one about, not a nurse, not a maid and definitely not your Alpha. You search for his scent on the pillow but there’s nothing but soap.

There’s a gentle knock on the door and Queen Mary slips inside, closing the door carefully behind her.

“I know you should probably rest but I couldn’t help but come and check on you.” Mary walks closer, slow and measured as if approaching a wounded animal.

You try to sit up, but rolling over is an insurmountable task. “I’m sorry, I cannot offer a proper greeting.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for. We’re all just so grateful you’re safe. I’m not sure my son would have survived losing you.”

“I would have died without him as well,” you confess The queen gingerly takes a seat on the edge of your bed. “Where is he?”

“He’ll be here soon.” Her smile is soft, a hand softly brushing hair back from your face. “I can’t pretend to understand the bond between you two. The connection between Alpha and Omega is a gift that most of us will never experience.”

“My whole life I thought of what I was as a curse and then I met Sam...I could not put this feeling into words if I needed to.”

She grins again, her eyes shifting to the side as she loses herself in thought.

“As soon as you’re in good enough health we’ll have a wedding ceremony. Nothing but a small affair. There is no hurry, you need time to heal, but it’s also important that we show the Kingdom this was not a whim. Sam has committed himself to you and that claim needs to be accompanied by marriage vows.”

Is this how she imagined her son getting married? To a woman no one knows from Adam. A peasant, a broken servant girl.

“What’s wrong?” she asks as a tear rolls down the bridge of your nose.

“You must be disappointed,” you shrug.

“In what way?”

“I am no one. A country girl who popped up out of nowhere and stole your son away.”

Mary sighs, sitting back and folding her hands in her lap.

“My oldest son, Dean, is an Alpha as well. Did you know that?”

“I have heard it before.”

“John and I hoped for years to find Dean an Omega. We searched and searched but there are so few of your kind left in the world. I wouldn’t expect you to know, but as an unmated Alpha gets older his ruts become worse and worse. Painful and violent. Given enough time they die an early death. Dean didn’t want to wait any longer and he’d met someone he cared for. He married for love. His wife, Lisa, is a beautiful woman whom my husband and I love very much. But she is a beta and a beta can never truly satisfy an Alpha. So when Dean’s rut comes he’s still in pain. He’s never satisfied, never feels the completion and companionship he’s looking for. Being mated means his ruts will not take his life, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. He will always suffer.” She stops to look at you, patting the back of your hand with a finger. “But my sweet Sam will be fulfilled. His pain will be cured and he will get to be a whole person. You, my dear, are nothing short of a miracle.”

You can scarcely remember a time when someone expressed gratitude for you. The thought seems foreign and you have no idea what to say in return.  

“Thank you.” There, that’s better than no response at all. “We can marry sooner. I’m sure I could stand up on my own and I’ve gotten rather good at covering up my discomfort.”

“Don’t concern yourself with that. You need time to heal and only Sam can help with that. I’ve been assured that time with your mate will heal your wounds. You focus on finding your strength and bonding with my son. You both need it after what you’ve been through.”

After Mary leaves, you lie there imagining all the ways your life is about to change. It’s impossible to know what the future holds but you’re about to find out.

[jjmichie]

Jack Irons it Out

Disclaimer:  the story below is fiction.  While inspired by real people, it is not a real account of any actual events, places, dialogues, or situations, just my imagined version of how life might have been for these guys during the Vitalogy era (although there may be some time travel in later chapters).  Also, yes, I know that in reality Stone had short hair at this point, but in my fiction world, it will always be long.  Just let me have this.  :-)   

 ***************

Chapter 1 of "Some Words When Spoken . . . “

“Whoa, guys!  Seriously?  Can we deal with this like adults?”  

Jack slammed his drum sticks down on the snare, causing an abrupt and surprisingly loud silence to fill the studio.  He looked at his new bandmates in exasperation.  “I can’t work like this.  If you two have a beef with each other, can you please just air it out so we can get on with it?”  His head turned firmly from Eddie to Stone, and then back to Eddie, leaving no question on who he meant by “you two.”  

A smattering of electrified guitar sounds, the clearing of a throat, the folding of arms, and several flips of long brown hair were the only response.  

Finally a chuckle from Jeff, who turned to Jack and nodded. “I agree,” he announced, and unstrapped his bass and set it in its stand.  He walked over to stand solidly beside Jack’s drums.  

When Eddie just continued to stare at the floor with his arms folded and Stone continued to pretend to tune his guitar, Jack stood up.  He signaled the sound guy to take five and walked out from behind his kit.  

“Can we sit for a second?  All of us.  Yes Stone, you too.”  And he led the reluctant group to the corner of the room where there was a table.  “Ok, so I’m going to take advantage of being the new guy here, and call this out.  What I’ve been observing is that, Eddie, Stone, whenever you have a –- I won’t even call it a ‘disagreement’–- literally just a difference of OPINION, you both withdraw into your respective corners and sulk.  I seriously can’t believe you’ve made it this far if this is how you deal with each other.  This isn’t how bands function.  This is totally fucked up.”  

Still no response.  

“Man, you guys are sooooo different from . . . anyway.  Ok, we can do this the easy way or the hard way.  You can either start talking to each other now and I’ll help mediate, or I’ll lock you in a room until you either work it out or beat each other up.  What’s it going to be??” 

Jack noted redness creeping into their faces, but still, Eddie and Stone’s eyes remained glued to the table, their hair flowing down over their faces. Not a word.  Jack sighed and moved to Plan B. 

“Ok, Jeff, then.  Is this your observation too?  How is this dynamic affecting you?”  

Jeff put both hands palms down on the table breathed out slowly.  A long breath.  “Oh my god.  Yes, it’s been sucking like you wouldn’t believe.  I mean, obviously a lot has changed and we’re all dealing with a lot  But, we used to at least talk to each other!  But now, it’s like, too awkward.  I feel like if I agree with Eddie on something, then I’m hurting Stone, and if I agree with Stone, I’m going to piss off Eddie.”   

Eddie raised his eyes from the table slightly as Jeff continued.  

“I’m not trying to be a dick, but Eddie, things feel strange with you now.  I mean, on the way here I stop at a convenience store and boom, there’s your face on every magazine, and every interview I give is just ‘what’s it like to work with Eddie’… you know?  and I’m sure it’s affecting you as much as anything. And I’m sorry, I know it isn’t your fault, but dude, you’ve become unapproachable.”

Eddie lowered his eyes back to the table and pursed his lips.  

“And YOU,” Jeff turned to Stone.  “We’ve known each other for so long, I can always tell when you’re in a funk, but this … is different.  You’ve become completely withdrawn, even from me.  You’ve got a wall around you right now that’s about a mile thick.”  He paused, searching for Stone to look up, to acknowledge him, to show some response.  But Stone looked away, pressing his fist against his lips.  

“Stone?” Jack prompted after an appropriate pause had passed.  “What gives, man?  What’s up with the wall?”  

Stone breathed in sharply.  The bluntness of the question caught him by surprise.  No one in the band normally confronted him like that . . . at least not lately.  Looking up, he saw that everyone at the table was staring at him.  

“I . . . “ he began, but his words trailed off.  He looked back and forth between the three of them, all staring at him, Jeff, Eddie, Jack.  Eddie’s best friend Jack.  Their unwavering stares demanding a response, an explanation, an admission, and he felt hotness flooding his cheeks. 

He turned away from them all again, looking back towards their idling instruments, as if looking for an escape.  But looking over there didn’t help.  He only saw the empty space where Mike’s guitar was supposed to be.   And the new and unfamiliar drum set . . . where Dave’s was supposed to be.  

“Oh my God why is everyone looking at ME?”  He finally blurted out, feeling his pulse quicken. “This isn’t my fault!  Why don’t you make Eddie talk first?”  He added, giving Jack the most innocent smile he could muster. 

But Jack wasn’t having it.   “Jesus Christ.  This isn’t that hard!!  Are you mad at Eddie or what?”

“No!  I just don’t feel like -- I mean -- I’m not trying to be difficult,” he glared at Jeff. “Really, I’m not.”  

“Whuh?!  I never said you were!” Jeff threw his hands up and shook his head. 

“Guys -- “ Jack cut in.  “Just try, Stone. Anything you say is better than nothing.” 

Stone continued to stare at the drums. 

Realizing they were getting nowhere, Jeff tried to push it forward.  “I mean, yeah, let’s do this.  Let’s get it out on the table.  There HAS been a change, a total shift of command, we all know it, it’s been going on for a while.  And that’s been hard to get used to.  I think we’re all just trying to figure out how to work within it – ”  

Stone straightened his back and began wrapping his hair into a scrunchie that had somehow materialized in his hand.  “Of course there’s been a shift,” he said quickly.  “I know that.  And it’s fine.  We should be more democratic, that’s not it. . . “  he caught himself.  “I mean . . . yes, it is.  Like Jeff said, it’s just taking time to get used to.” 

That worked.  Stone sat back and breathed a sigh of relief upon noticing that his explanation seemed to be placating the occupants of the table.  He kept it rolling.  

“So, no, I’m not ‘mad’ at Eddie, okay?  And even if I was.  Which I’m not.  But even if I WAS, you really think I’d be dick enough to bring it up to him?  I mean, we all see what Eddie’s going through right now.  He’s practically a prisoner.  He gets mobbed if he leaves his house.  He has guards.  He gets threats.  He can’t just, like, go for a walk, the way . . . the rest of us can.  You really think I’m going to bother him with shit like, ‘Hey Eddie, it hurts my feelings when you re-arrange my riff?’  No, I’m not going to do that!  So, sure, I go off and sulk instead,” he grinned. 

A long pause. 

“So . . . it does hurt your feelings . . . ”  Jack pressed. 

Stone stared at him in disbelief.   He opened his mouth to protest, but then just closed it again.  

But Eddie was now leaning even further across the table, his eyes reddening slightly. He looked like he wanted to lunge across the table and hug him.   

“Oh my god Stone thank you so much for saying that.  I really . . . was starting to feel like you hate me, especially after the thing with Dave.  But honestly, there’s nothing I would love more than for you to tell me stuff like that . . . “

The thing with Dave.  The thing with Dave?  That’s all it was to Eddie?  The thing . . .?  Stone felt the hotness creeping back into his cheeks. 

“. . .  and Jeff, it hurts me so much when you say I’m ‘unapproachable.’  I never wanted to be this commodity I’m becoming. The world feels so different now, and the only place where I still feel normal is right here.  In this space.  With you guys.   And if YOU all start treating me weird then . . . .”  

Stone abruptly stood up.  “Ok, then it’s settled.  From now on we won’t treat you weird.   Thanks Jack.  This whole counseling session has been super super helpful.  Group hug?”  

 “Stone . . . ” Jeff rolled his eyes.  “For fuck sake.  The whole point of this conversation is to open up and be honest with each other.  There’s obviously more going on here.  If that’s not it, then what is it?  Something is stressing the hell out of you and I wish you would just -- ”  

“Shut up!!” Stone suddenly screamed, unable to hold it in any longer.  He ripped the freshly-created pony tail out of his hair and closed his eyes.  “Just fuck off!”  Putting his hands on his head, he violently pushed the occupants of the table away from his mind, trying to conjure back the world he wanted.  The world that was familiar.  Instead of the ugly void in the rehearsal space he thought about Dave’s soft hair, flailing in time with the rhythm he always pounded out.  And a torrent of images immediately flooded his memory, the first time they met, Pike’s Market, their long talks on the bus, his voice, his smile, his laugh, his aftershave.  Anything but their last meeting.  Anything but the things Dave had said to him that day  . . 

And he needed Mike!  Dammit! 

Struggling to conceal how close he was to tears, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes again.  The group was still staring at him, but now they looked scared. Stone fixed his eyes directly on Eddie, no longer bothering to hide distress and sadness that welled up behind them.  

 “Yes, okay.  There are things that are upsetting me . . . I just don’t know where to begin.  I don’t know how to work through it.  I’m trying but I’m obviously not doing very well or we wouldn’t be having this . . . intervention.” He sunk back down into his chair.  “It’s hard to explain.  It’s like a spiral, I feel like I’m in this really dark place . . . everything feels wrong . . . . I don’t know if I can -- ”  

From across the room he suddenly felt the drums mocking him, and stopped himself.  He couldn’t do it.  He couldn’t let them know what it really was.  How bad it really was.  He had to stop.  

“I’m sorry, I can’t do this,  Not right now. It’s just too . . . raw to talk about.” He looked up at Jack, seeking his approval.  “If I try to, I know it won’t come out right and it will end up . . . going into a place where I don’t want it to go.”  The heat in his cheeks was abruptly replaced by a chill, that made his shoulders convulse involuntarily.  He swallowed hard.  “So . . . yeah.  I’ve got a wall up right now.  And . . . It’s going to be there for a while.” 

The group at the table was quiet. 

Jack finally spoke.  “Yes . . . yes!” he nodded at Stone and smiled.  “There you go.  I knew you could do it.  That’s totally cool, Stone.  Of course you don’t have to talk about it right now.  You need space!  And we can absolutely back off and give you the room you need to work through it.  Thank you for telling us - we just need to know where you’re at.  And that goes for everybody.”  Jack looked around the table.  “Otherwise, someone will misunderstand and think you’re pissed off at them, you see?”  

Stone smiled and bit his lip, feeling a swell of emotion inside his chest.  He suddenly loved Jack. The anger he felt a minute ago was subsiding.  He had his privacy back.  And the images that danced through his mind remained his own.  He looked sheepishly at Eddie and Jeff, and saw that their accusing glares had softened, and were no longer demanding anything of him.  “I’m sorry,” he tried to say to them, but his voice broke.  

Eddie’s eyes had gotten even redder, and he now did lunge forward to throw his arms around Stone.  

“You don’t have to be sorry.  I totally … know.  I’ve been in dark spaces before too and it can be  … absolute hell.”  Eddie pulled away slightly, kneeling next to him and cradling Stone’s hand between both of his. He reduced his voice to a soft whisper. “Is there . . . anything I can do to help?” 

Stone watched Eddie’s hands touching his own, amazed by the innocent sincerity that had so abruptly taken over Eddie’s whole being.  He felt himself relaxing, letting Eddie soothe him, but also knew there was no way he could truly let him inside.  “No,” he finally whispered back.     

Jack and Jeff slowly and quietly got up from the table, to let Eddie and Stone remain there alone, their hands in a gentle embrace.  They sat at the table together for a long time, as the sound guy returned to his post and the sound of drums and the low hum of bass began to envelop them.  When it finally crescendo’d into a steady pulsating groove that neither could resist any longer, they rose to their feet and went back into the rehearsal space to join their band.  

[itsicantbelievethis666]

The Cunning Woman and The Demon - Christmas/Holiday Special

1854 words. This is a jump-ahead chapter (I tend to do that a fair bit in my other writing), and will probably be edited. 

To all of you and any I may have missed, thank you, thank you, thank you. If I missed you in the tag, please forgive me and let me know so that I can include you. If you have updated your URL or username, please let me know so that I can update my list. 

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The sky is a deepening grey mottled with clouds threatening more than the flurries tumbling lazily on the frigid breeze. The ground is hard, the grass crunching under the frost as I step on it. Only a few birds remain to play with the Fireflies as they flit only a few feet away from me, their sorties short and frequent between stops inside the hood of my coat.

Finn is away visiting the Hardy compound. I have not been feeling well these last few weeks: I’ve been more tired than usual in the admittedly longer evenings, while during the day my appetite has disappeared and nausea has been gripping me at odd times. For that reason I have stayed close to the cottage this afternoon, stocking the root cellar for the winter and clearing away the debris of the garden for the compost pile.

“Little ones, perhaps we should go back inside,” I call out to them as the last of the year’s root vegetables disappear into my basket. The squeaks of protest amuse me for the moment, until they fall silent as, one by one, the Fireflies return to the hood’s shelter and snuggle among its folds. Whatever remains in the garden now will wait dormant in the spring.  

“When will Finn be back?” Joe asks, scouting the outer limits of his flight path before returning.

“Hopefully by nightfall,” I reply. “I don’t remember him bringing a flashlight with him.” Suddenly I’m worried. Wyatt’s minions have been close to the ring of protection, but the Hardy compound and the path towards it are both outside it.

The wind picks up as I mount the steps to the cottage door and step inside with my little charges. Christmas Eve has arrived.  The woods have crept as garlands onto the staircase rail, along the windowsills and around the mantel in the sitting room, crowned with a tree in the corner adorned with popcorn strings, paper chains and ornaments of all shapes and colours. Extra blankets cover the beds; throw blankets sit folded or draped over seat-backs; the crates of firewood are piled high next to both the fireplace and the kitchen woodstove.

With a wave, the lanterns inside are lit. I march my cargo into the kitchen and set it on the table before doffing my boots and coat. A moment or two later, I start a fire on the stove and set a pot of water upon it to boil. I set to work preparing the meal for the holiday – mixing dough for bread, peeling and chopping vegetables, and blending herbs for the dressing. A noseful of summer savoury, however, suddenly brings on a wave of nausea that makes me sit down a moment. The Fireflies gather around me.

She’s not…sick again, like when she came back? Ashley, the sensitive one, the little worrywart – asks.

I’m not sure. Emma gives me a tiny peck on my forehead. She’s not feverish, I don’t think.

Well, that’s good, at least. Nicholas, thus assured, darts off to play with the ornaments on the tree.

Tired again, Sis? Joe asks. Maybe you need some tea to pick you up.

Rachel and Joshua immediately dash off to the cupboard for the tin and a mug, growing in size as they pick each up and bring it to the table before shrinking back again.

Remember how she’d get so tired for those few days every moon?  Dylan, one of the other boys, is an observant sort, but has never had much of a filter. I chuckle.

Dylan! Ew! Funny, though, you’ve not had one of those spells in a while. Not since you’ve been back. Jessica, so proper in her way, and so observant .

“No, no, I’ll be all right,” I answer. Nonetheless, it takes me all my strength, it seems, to walk to the pantry shelf, pull the medical book from its spot and return to the table with it. The lantern’s flame glows from behind its milky glass as I thumb through the pages, looking for a cause. I’m getting old; the winter brings with it its share of death and disease; the last seven years of my life have been almost totally a stretch of traumas and trials. Decline seems not merely expected, but almost welcome.

Five years I was in that cell, most of it encased in that curse of Wyatt’s. The memory of it still sometimes brings me to near-rage, despite what has followed. It also brings me a deep sadness on occasion, as I realize that some hopes are now beyond me. There has been no talk of it with Finn: none yet, anyway.

The last three months, however, have done much to repair the damage. The parcels under the tree for Finn are full of my gratitude for what he has done. The days have been calmer, more productive, quieter in their way, and infinitely happier with Finn to protect me and keep me company, and to inspire me.  The nights have filled me with more pleasure and contentment than I have ever thought possible.  So many nights together…so much….

Wait a minute- no. I must have gone through the Change. I’m not exactly a shriveled husk, but I’m past that stage now. There’s no way….

“All right, little ones – off to the sitting room with you!  Get your stockings hung up for Santa! I have to get the rest of the supper on.” The brief protests morph into excited chirps as the Fireflies make a tight formation flying into the sitting room.

The vegetables make their way into a pot with some of the hot water, a few dollops of tomato paste and a dash of salt and pepper. In a heartbeat afterwards, I find a needle and a small ceramic cup I’ve used before for spell-work. I dash to the washroom next to the kitchen, rinse out the cup with water and, over the toilet, settle myself to my task. I half-fill the cup before finishing my task on the toilet and dropping the needle into the cup. I sit and wait with the cup at my feet, barely registering that I am breathing.  

Within a few minutes, I see the needle changing – flakes of its shine come away and the pale yellow liquid around the needle has turned to billows of a rusty hue. I observe the changes and become hyperaware of everything – of my own heartbeat intermingling with another, a light fluttering inside me, the realization of why I’d been waking up each morning feeling as though I had slept on a pea. I close my eyes as the weight of the discovery descends. How could I have missed it? How could I have been so sure of one conclusion that I wouldn’t entertain any other possibility?

Hello, little one. It’s all I can think of to form in my mind as my heart fills. You are a bit of a surprise.

I can hear a voice singing a carol, and see a flicker of lantern-light through the window. Quickly, I dispose of the needle and its vehicle, flush the commode and give the cup another rinse, this time with soap. I wash my hands quickly and thoroughly, and step back to the kitchen just as the cottage door swings open and a jolt of frigid air blasts across the passage.

“Jaysus, it’s gotten cold out dere,” Finn announces as he shuts the door and gently sets a sack down by his feet. “Any hot water?”

“I’ve g-got a pot on the simmer,” I reply, looking around the kitchen for what to do next. “So, how was the visit?”

“Good, good!” he says, treading through as he doffs his hat and gloves. “Dey sent me back wit’ a sack of presents for us.  De boys picked out some doll outfits for de Fireflies and Matt and Reby sent us a tool set an’ some craft supplies – paints and stuff,  a couple bolts o’cloth for ‘round de house – what’s wrong? You’ve been sick again?”

“It was…just a passing thing,” I reply. “But…um….But I think I’ve found out what’s been causing it.”

“What’s goin’ on?” Finn’s brow furrows and he reaches for my hands.

I give his cold hands a squeeze; his gloves have done little to keep them warm. “You know that we’ve been here…together…about three months.”

“Dereabouts.” He looks at me, his face a map of worry and confusion.

“And before that…how long was I a prisoner?”

“Five years. Ya told me yerself and then you showed me your little book – de last thing you wrote in it was dat long ago. “

“During that time, I don’t remember having had…my period. I figured it was stopped or curtailed between Wyatt’s spell and the lack of food.”

“Dat’s understandable,” he says.  

“Well, since we got back here and restored everything and rebuilt it, I haven’t had one in that time, either, and….”

“…We have been inseparable…in more ways den one.” He gives me a half-grin before the realization begins to dawn. His eyes widen, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Abigail….D’ya tink…?”

My voice is shaking, along with the rest of me. “I thought it was over for me – that I’m too old now. But…I think so.  It would add up, with how I’ve been feeling lately.”

The kitchen is utterly silent but for the pots gurgling away on the stove. I grab the pot holders and lift the kettle of water off the burner to the side, then reach for the teapot. Finn gently turns me back to face him.

“How…how d’you feel about it?” His expression is searching – afraid of the answer.

“Before you, I would have been absolutely petrified.” I had to be honest – bottling this up was going to hurt others besides me now.

“But now?” The search in his face has grown desperate. “I mean, I don’t want to fo-“

“Shhh,” I answer, gently putting my finger to his quivering lips. “I’m full of joy right now. I’m ecstatic – nervous but ecstatic. “We’re soulbound – you told me that. We’re together. This is what, I think, we’re meant to have now that we are together – what we’re meant to have.”                                                                                                                  

“Jaysus…we’re…we’re havin’ a baby.” The despair in Finn’s face has turned to a tremulous elation as he pulls me closer to him and wraps an arm around me.

I give his torso a squeeze and press a kiss against his lips before nuzzling against his neck. “And what a day to find out.”

Suddenly, I catch flickers of light as eight little bodies press themselves between Finn and me, their voices a chorus of whoops and squeals of delight. “How long were you listening in?”

Joe speaks for them all. “We kinda suspected when you went to the bathroom that something was up. One of us may have gotten some inside information.”

“Well, dis is quite an unexpected Christmas gift, I must say,” Finn says at last, squeezing me tighter and kissing my forehead. “Now for a bite of supper before Santa comes. And, Mum,” he looks at me. “You’re off de clock tonight.”

[pjstafford]

The Compartments

The compartments

Written for #XFSummer2019  for Geraldine@Minuete

Prompt:  “Dynamic Duo takes a forced vacation“

 Chapter 1

After the Season five ending ; before Fight The Future

The first time Mulder and Scully were off the X-Files, they had been separated as partners.  Mulder was afraid for their safety and their meetings were in secret. They hadn’t been partners long before this forced separation.  Scully was surprised how much she missed Mulder.  There were physical symptoms of pain, of loss, of separation.  She found herself waking up at night and looking at the phone that didn’t ring.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say, and Scully missed Mulder.  When the X-Files has been reopened, both Scully and Mulder were excited to begin the work again with one another.  There was no question as to where Scully belonged.  

This time with the fire in the office and the closing of the X-Files, they are not separated as partners.  For the first time they are partners doing the type of menial work that a majority of FBI agents do for some of their career. Mulder had been a golden boy, though, and never had to do any of the grunt work.  Scully had avoided the grunt work because she was a medical doctor. At one time both had been deemed too valuable to the bureau to engage in newbie work.  However, they are no longer valuable commodities to the bureau.  

A Mulder without meaningful work can be an unpleasant partner. Boredom in general he does not suffer well.  He struggles with what to do with his over active brain which fires on more cylinders than most people.  He chews more sunflowers seeds, constantly fiddles with the radio while he drives, sleep even less than usual simply because he has no mental stimulation. Beyond this is the fact that the assignments are intentionally meaningless as a punishment which causes him to react like a petulant little boy. He might be known for his intellect but he is driven by emotional impulses.  What Scully finds infuriating is that he does not seemed to grasp the simple concept that if you were being punished for violating the rules you should not violate more rules.  With all the connections from point A to B to C that his brilliant mind makes, understanding the quid pro quo of breaking the rules = punishment and conforming to the rules meant the punishment would be lifted is something you think a man of his intellect could understand.  

Scully is fed up!  She left behind a medical career for what?  She is being punished as well as Mulder.  If her father were alive he would be so ashamed of her.  As much as Mulder blames himself for things he was not responsible for like Scully being abducted, her sister being shot, her cancer, he is oblivious to how his career choices impact her career.  

On long drives doing monotonous work, they make snarky comments to each other and, then, nod to each other as they go into their separate hotel rooms.  They wake the next morning and go through it all again.  

On the other hand, now and then, when a good radio station is available and the wind isn’t blowing and they are working in a civilized location with decent food, they laugh together about how different things are now.  The work they are doing is meaningless.  It is not stressful.  It is not dangerous.  It does not require long hours.  When Scully can engage Mulder enough so he lets go of his anger and his boredom, then they can enjoy each other’s company in a way that didn’t seem possible when assigned to the X-Files.  After all, they aren’t disagreeing over cases.  Do you think that farmer with all that fertilizer is a terrorist Mulder? No, neither do I… case closed.  In this sense they are getting along better than ever.  

Scully is reminded of long family vacations when she spent too much time in a confined car with her brothers and her sister. Only this isn’t a vacation and there is no end in sight.  

One day Scully suggests they read the same books so they will have something to talk about during their long drives.  Mulder sighs and says quietly “So, it has come to that, has it?”  

That night in a small town bookstore Scully buys them each a copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.  The next two days in between long drives to do background checks they have heated conversations.   “Mulder…” Scully says incredulously and Mulder smiles, “I haven’t heard that tone when you say my name in a while.”  Scully mentally congratulates herself on finding such a simple solution to having X-files like arguments and returning the equilibrium, the routine, of their relationship.  

She congratulated herself too soon.  A day later and Mulder is back to his petulant little boy act.  She starts to talk about how vampires cannot be real.  Mulder silently pulls the car over in nowhere Texas and gets out.  When he returns from peeing she is out of the car and looking at a cow in a field nearby.  He simply nods at her and gets back in the car.  They drive silently for forty miles.  Scully approaches the subject again.  Mulder holds up his hand.  “Why does it matter?  The truth may be out there about vampires, but we are not going to find it.  Onto the next farmer.”

The days’ work over, they return to their hotel room early, nod to each other and enter their room  without speaking.  Two hours later Mulder knocks on her door.  He is dressed in his running clothes.  He hands her a book.  “To Kill a Mockingbird.  It’s one of your favorites, isn’t it?”  Scully smiles and nods.  “Let’s try this one.”  

A pleasant week later they have talked the book to death. With flights booked to DC the next day, are spending the night in Dallas.  They see the theater marquee at the same time: A classic movie house showing the classic movie made out of the book.  

After a pleasant evening, they are walking back from the theater when Mulder stops and faces Scully.  

“Scully, maybe we are making this more difficult than it needs to be.”  When Scully raises her eyebrows quizzically, Mulder say “I feel like you are looking for ways to entertain me. “

Scully is hurt that he is pouring rain down upon their pleasant evening.  

“I know you are bored, Mulder and angry and discouraged. “

“So are you.  “

“I handle it better.”

“Not all the time, you don’t, and we are with each other all the time.  We’re both miserable and stuck with each other and driving each other miserable.  Any two people would drive one another crazy. We’re getting on each other’s nerves.”

“That’s why I thought if we read books and talked to each other about the books.”

“You trying to entertain me Scully is really annoying.” Before Scully could respond Mulder stopped her.  “No, I’m not doing this well.  I mean…This has been fun tonight.   Why don’t we just… you know… why don’t we just…become friends.”

Scully gives him one of her fierce looks.   “Are you saying we’re not friends? ”

“Of course, we’re friends but, you know, we have some time now to go to the movies together, to museums, to book stores. Why don’t you come running with me occasionally?  You know. Don’t’ try to give us something to talk about.  We have all kinds of shared interests,.  Let’s just relax and do things.”

“You think the answer to us being stuck together all the time is to spend more time together?”  Scully gives him a look like he just told her the hotel they are staying at is haunted.  

“I think no matter what we do we are going to annoy each other like crazy until we are over our punishment, if that ever happens or until one of us quits, but maybe we will both handle it better and it won’t bother us so much if we just, you know, hang out and enjoyed each other during all the time we currently have where we’re not really doing much in the way of work. I miss enjoying your company.  I’m spending all my time with you and missing you at the same time.”

Scully thinks, biting her lip, and says “It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”  After a long enough break to see Mulder’s face drop she says, “I want to try it.”

“Really?” Mulder asks as if she just told him she believed in ghosts.  

“Yes, Really!”  

They resumed walking to the hotel with smiles on their faces.  

 Chapter 2

Season 6 post Two Fathers/ One Son

The last thing Mulder expected following all they had been through was for Spender to suggest Mulder and Scully should return to the X-files and for Scully to tell him privately after that meeting that she was thinking of asking for reassignment.  

“What?  We are back on The X-Files.  The punishment is over.  We can go back to…”

“To what, Mulder?  I’m not the one you want on the X-Files.  You want Diana.”

“That is ridiculous.”

“She’s the one you trusts.  She is the one you turned to.”

“How many times do I have to tell you….”

“It’s absurd, Mulder.  I gave up a medical career and an up and coming FBI career and the men who abducted me are gone.  They are burned.  And whatever else you want to accomplish would be better with a believer.”

“I meant everything I said in the hallway the last time you wanted to walk away.  You kept me honest. “

“But a lot has happened since then.”  She says, but thinks to herself that a lot has not happened. The kiss that almost happened in that hallway was never discussed between them.  During the time of their punishment, after they had decided to spend more of their time enjoying each other company, they finally got to know each other on a whole different level.  They had shared stories, tears, silliness, boredom and existed as two friends. They had become even flirtatious with each other.  But any thought that it would be more ended when instead of believing what she and the lone gunmen told him about Diana, he had went to Diana.  She was done competing.  She was done waiting for something that would never happen.  

“It’s a new start, Mulder.  It’s a new start for you at the X-Files.  It’s a good time for me to go.”  

 The next day on a Friday they are sitting in Skinner’s office.  

He is reviewing their personnel files from the time when he had not supervised them.  

“Well, agents.  I know it sounds mundane, but Mulder hasn’t taken vacation since the last vacation I forced him to take one over a year ago.  You cannot keep accumulating time and not using it.  It’s against bureau policy.  Why didn’t you take time off during the last year?  You hated the work you were doing.”  

“I just… I don’t know, sir”  Mulder doesn’t want to tell Skinner in front of Scully that the only thing he had left in his life,after being removed from the X-Files, was Scully and he couldn’t stand the thought of not being close to her even when they are bickering.  

“Well, next week off Mulder that’s an order.”

“Sir…”  

Skinner’s look shut Mulder down.  Skinner turns his attention to Scully.  “Can you get the office up and running, the transfer of cases completed while he is on vacation.”  

Mulder shuts his eyes expecting that now Scully would turn in her request for transfer.

“Actually, sir, I was going to request a week’s vacation as well.  I know I don’t have as much accrued as Mulder, but we have been through a lot lately. I feel if I took a vacation I could come back more refresh.”  

Skinner nods.  “Ok, agents take off next week.  We will see you the following Monday.  ”

They walk into the hall, slowly down the hallway without talking and enter an empty elevator.  Mulder is afraid to talk.  He is afraid to say anything.  Why had she changed her mind?

“Well, Mulder, where are we going on vacation?”

He looks at her.  Her eyes are sparkling the way they did doing their more leisure time over the last few months.  

“Where ever you want, Scully.”  

  Chapter 3  

Mulder is doing his petulant little boy act again.

“Staycation, Scully?  I just don’t think… I mean, I will just end up being anxious knowing I’m so close to the office and that so much needs to be done to set it up.”

“No, Mulder, we are going to enjoy ourselves doing all the things that tourists do in DC… and we are going to watch movies, read books, and cook together.”

“We can’t be together all the time, Scully.  You will end up at your place and me at mine.  I thought you wanted to spend it together.”

That is the thing that is really bothering Mulder. Vacation with Scully sounds wonderful- wherever- somewhere tropical, somewhere in the woods, somewhere in the city, wherever – but together, in hotel rooms next to each other where they would see each other first thing in the morning and end the night being the last person they talked to.  A staycation meant – what?  Making[PS1]  plans to go to a museum one day – see you at 9 at the Smithsonian – saying goodbye after an early dinner, maybe the next day not seeing each other and getting together in the evening for a movie.  A staycation meant long stretches of time with no Scully and no reason not to go into work to start organizing the office.

“Mulder, we are spending our vacation together.  It’s the reason I took vacation as the same time as your vacation.  We will split our time between our two places.  You have a bed now, right – so I will sleep on the couch at your place and you will sleep on the couch at mine.  We will get up when we want and go to bed when we want and I will give you a treat and clean your place and I will let you get mine all dirty.”  Scully is all smiles and hasn’t said a word about why she decided not to ask for a transfer.  

“That sounds amazing, Scully, but I will sleep on the couch both places.”  

Chapter 4:  

They decide that with the week off and two week-ends they would spend 7 days together.  They would take Saturday away from one another to prepare for vacation.  Then, starting Sunday morning they would spend 3 and a half days at Mulders and then Wednesday at noon 3 and a half days at Scully ending Saturday night whenever they had just had enough of each other. Then they would each have a Sunday to prepare to return to their reassignment to the X-files.

Scully spends the Saturday before their staycation organizing.  She packs for Mulder’s.  She cleans her gun.  She calls her mom.  She went and got a manicure.  She does laundry.

Mulder, annoyed that Scully thought one of their days should be spent cleaning his apartment, cleans, shops for groceries and for new sheets for his new bed.

7 a.m. on Sunday morning Scully arrives at Mulder’s apartment with two suitcases and a back pack.  Mulder helps her carry the items into his bedroom.  “Scully it’s more than you take when we leave town for work.”  “I wasn’t quite sure what we would be doing so…” her voice trails off and Mulder realizes she is standing in the living room looking around.  

He comes out of the bedroom with a smile.  Scully looks at him and nods.  His place is acceptable in her eyes.  

“Come in, Scully, welcome to Fox’s Bed and Breakfast.”  

Scully enters Mulder’s room.  The bed had pink sheets and a pink comforter with pink pillows and a note on the bed that says “Welcome, Katherine Dana Scully.”  There is a pink robe: a little larger than Scully typically uses and pink slippers with white roses on them.  There are pink towels and soaps and lotions, shampoo and conditioners of different fragrances and a candle waiting beside the door to the restroom.  “I know it’s a lot of pink, Scully, but I wanted to make it clear for the next 3 and a half days that this is your domain.  It’s your room at the Fox’s bed and breakfast.”  

Scully smiles at him.  “Mulder, you didn’t have to do all this.”  

They are silent for a few minutes as Mulder watches Scully smell the lotions and walk around the room.  “It’s time for breakfast now, Scully.”   She realizes now she smells coffee.  “Don’t worry.  I didn’t cook, but I went to the bakery you like by your place and bought some muffins.”  He stops awkwardly.  Is he trying too hard?  

“Mulder, I want to spend today doing whatever you normally do on Sunday.”  Scully says as she finishes cleaning the few dishes from breakfast.  

“I don’t think it’s really activities you would enjoy.”

“I’m just curious, Mulder – a normal Sunday in your life.”

Mulder shrugs.  He looks at the clock.  It was 8:30 a.m.  “So by now I would have gone for a run.  Stopped somewhere for coffee and donuts on the way back.”

“Ok, and then…”

Mulder looks embarrassed.  “I generally spends Sunday morning watching news programs, reading the Sunday newspapers, going through some stacks of books I’ve been reading. Sometimes that’s how I know about a case to present to you when we come into the office on Monday.”  

Scully thinks to herself that his world could be very small, but nods and says, “I brought some medical journals in case we had some down time.”

And that’s how the first morning goes, two agents doing separate work together.  Scully occasionally reads something to him from a medical book that seem pertinent to a case they had in the past, but she spends lot of time discretely observing Mulder. He gets intensely interested in something on the news and then reads the box scores from last night’s games.  He goes to a stack of books and pulls one out and turns to the end.  It  is a Native American creation story book.  She looks at the titles of the other books in the stack- a book examining ancient Christian texts, a book of Egyptian legends, a biography of Malcolm X.  She realizes his world is actually very large and expansive.  

About noon Mulder says, “Ok, Scully it’s time to go out.” “Out?”  “Out.  You are dressed ok, but if you brought gym clothes and a swimming suit you should bring them. “

In a few minutes they are ready to go “out.”  In what seemed like a meandering way, Mulder ends up at a park with a pick- up basketball game. “So, Scully, it may be boring for you.”

“Go ahead Mulder.”  After a few minutes she overhears one of the guys say “Oh, stop peacocking for your lady.”  

Then an hour later he is back beside her.  “Are you ready to move on, Scully?”

Next thing she knows they have walked to the Lincoln Monument.  “I come here every Sunday, Scully.  Either in the morning for my run or during my afternoon out if I ran somewhere else in the morning like down to Georgetown.”

“You come to see Lincoln every Sunday, Mulder?”

“Of course,” he says and then walks with her down the stairs. “Then, I walk the national mall.  There is always something, Scully, a drum circle or a kite flying contest. We live in a fascinating town.” As they walk around the national mall, Scully smiles.  “These are touristy things I never do Mulder, but it’s your every Sunday.”  They walk for about an hour, stopping now and then, outside the white house or to see a child playing with his parents.  Then suddenly they are at the FBI gym.  “I do about an hour of weights lifting and then an hour of swimming. “  

Scully was exhausted despite her own physical stamina. “And you do this after running in the morning, and then basketball, and then a walk through the national mall park?” “Well, its Sunday, Scully,” Mulder says as if that explained it.  So she rows on a rowing machine while Mulder works out and then they swim laps with her trying not to look at Mulder in his speedos.  

On the way walking home, Mulder stops at a library. His back pack is full of the books from that morning.  He checks them in and Scully sits and reads a magazine until he returns with five more books of different topics.  

They are back to the apartment early evening and Mulder says “order in pizza and watch a movie or something.”  Scully agrees. Mulder puts on some documentary about something.  Scully sits beside him and gradually starts to nod to sleep. He puts up his arm and she slips in closer with her head on his shoulder.  

“Today was better with you sharing it with me, Scully.” She smiles.  It was a successful first day of vacation.  She will be in bed shortly with a pink everything all around her in Mulder’s room that he has set up just for her.  

Chapter 5

On Monday morning Scully wakes briefly when she hears the front door opens and close.  She notices the clock on Mulder’s bed stand says 6 a.m.  She wakes fully about 7:30.  She stretches.  Truthfully, there is too much pink in this room for her.  She is a bit unnerved by the mirror above the bed.  And when did Mulder get a water bed?  

She realizes Mulder is standing by the door in his running shorts and holding two cups of coffee.  She wonders how long he has been standing there.  He notices her noticing him looking at her.  

“Coffee in bed, Scully, at Fox’s Bed and Breakfast.” He brings it to her.

“Mulder, have you already been out for a run?”  

“It’s a vacation, Scully,” he says as if that explains it.  

“Why don’t we take the train into New York?  If we leave by 10 we can be there for a late lunch, go to a museum or something.  It will feel more like a vacation.  Do you mind if I take the first shower?”

Scully sipped from her coffee while Mulder is in the shower.  A day in New York City.  She is enjoying her vacation so far.  

Chapter 6

Mulder turns, runs backwards for a short while, slowing down considerably.  Scully sweats from her upper lips when she is truly tired.  He enjoys seeing this and watching her stride, her athleticism, her determination.  

“Little legs can’t keep up?”  

As she tries to come up with a retort, he falls backwards over a bush.  She passes him and runs up ahead.  He catches up.  

“Do you know where we are going?”

“Going? I thought we were just running?”  

He turns down a familiar street.  “The Lone Gunmen are expecting us for huevos rancheros.”

 It is the last evening at Mulder’s home.  They had breakfast and stayed at the lone gunmen until early afternoon.  The conspiracy theorists are excited about Mulder’s return to the X-files.  The conversation alternates between outlandish theories, casual teasing and serious discussion about government conspiracies and the need to protect the public.  

“What are you looking forward to the most about returning to the X-files, Dana?”  Byers asks Scully.

Scully and Mulder exchange a glance, the room stills, the lone gunmen look at one another realizing the question had raised some unexpected tension.  

“Conferring with you guys” Scully says to cut the tension and the male dominated conversation resumes.

These guys are now Scully’s friends as well.  They helped her, took her side with providing information about Diana.  She is comfortable with them.  Nevertheless this interactions injects the X-files into the middle of their vacation and reminds both agents of their different reactions to the return to the X-Files. With the lone gunmen, Mulder is boisterous about his triumphant return.  He is in the midst of friends who are excited that he is getting to return to the work he loves.  She should be able to give him that as well.  She is his friend and partner sharing this return with him, but the thought fills her heart with dread instead of happiness.  

They run back to Mulder’s neighborhood, stopping to rent movies and to buy sandwiches, chips and beers.  

Sitting in front of the television that night, their feet on his coffee table, he brings up the subject that they have been avoiding. “Why did you decide to join me on a forced vacation, Scully?  I was expected you to ask for a transfer instead?”

“I still might, Mulder.  I can ask when we return or in a week or two.  See how it goes.”

Mulder remains quiet as he thinks about the impermanence of their partnership as she is describing it.  

“Do you ever think about how much our friendship and partnership has changed over the years, Mulder?”

“Isn’t that true of every friendship and partnership?”

“When we return to the X-files, Mulder, I will miss us just hanging out and being friends the way we have without being on the X-files.”

“We won’t still do this, Scully?”

“Not in the same way.  The work will be all consuming.  It will invade every aspect of our life.  It will take over our leisure and spare time.”

“It’s my life, Scully.  It has been since long before I know you.  But it doesn’t have to be everything to you.  Stay with me on the X-Files and I will give you space, Scully, to be away from it and me when you need to me.  Just stay with me, please.”

Scully realizes that in Mulder’s way he is being generous although he misunderstands her concerns.  She doesn’t want time away from Mulder and the X-files.  She wants time away from the X-Files with Mulder.  

“I will do my best to give you the space you need away from the X-files and me, if you will stay as my partner.”  Mulder repeats softly again.  He is heartbroken over the thought that she might in a week or two or more request a transfer.  In his mind he is meeting her half-way.  

“Ok, Mulder.  I won’t ask for a transfer for a while.  We will see how it goes.”

Chapter 7

Scully is slow to wake up in the morning.  She is sad to be leaving her pink space at Fox’s Bed and Breakfast.  Mulder waits patiently and then goes into her room and begins to pack.  He is boisterous and excited.  Instead of a petulant little boy he is an ever stimulated little boy.  

It has been a vacation, Scully thinks, as she drives him to her apartment.  She is experiencing that sadness at it being over and yet that relief at returning home, but she wishes she had thought over this transfer of locations better. Mulder and her arriving together is a little different than Mulder coming over to her place when she is already there.  There is an awkwardness after last night conversation.  Mulder for his part feels almost a sort of reference for the fact that he is going to spend multiple nights at Scully’s.  He is relieved after last night’s conversation that Scully is not going to ask for an immediate transfer.  He feels in a way as if he should offer to carry her over the threshold.

Yet they don’t know what to do with each other at Scully’s apartment.  She unpacks. She has made no welcoming arrangements for Mulder.  She should have bought him sports oriented towels or something, she thinks.  She didn’t even buy any of his favorite snacks.

Mulder flips through the channel, picks up magazines. He feels trapped in her apartment. He is afraid to get anything dirty. He doesn’t know where to spread out his belongings.  He is an invader in her space.  He suggests that they go out for dinner.  They each take turns changing clothes.  They eat Italian and drink a little too much wine.  When they come back to Scully’s it gives them an excuse to admit that they are tired and call it an early night.  As Mulder prepares the couch, Scully turns at her door to look at him. He looks at her and nods.  She enters her bedroom without saying a word.

Chapter 8

Scully hears the front door opens and close at 6:30 a.m. Mulder going for his run.  She can breathe for a minute without Mulder in her place.  He just seems so big, she thinks.  Big in his beliefs, big in his intensity, big in his body and big in her space.  His apartment is smaller than yours, she reminds herself, but the switch in locations have certainly changed the dynamics.

In the living room she notices he has folded the sheets and blankets, neatly packed his belongs back up in the small overnight bag he brought.  There actually are only little signs that he is inhabiting the same space as hers. The coffee is made and there is a note saying that he will bring back breakfast.

When he returns she is showered and fully dressed. There is no need for the type of causal intimacy they had at Mulder’s.  He comes in with ingredients to make smoothies which are quickly made, quickly consumed, quickly cleaned up.  

“What would a typical day off look like for you, Scully?”

“Well, I spend the day cleaning.”

Mulder looks around the apartment incredulously. “Your place is spotless.”  

“Well, I cleaned it on the last day I was here knowing you would be coming.”

Mulder shakes his head.  “So, is there any cleaning left to do?”

“Always, Mulder.  There are always cleaning projects I haven’t yet gotten to.”

“How can I help?”

She shakes her head.  “You don’t have to…”

“Scully, “ he says in an exasperated tone.  “We did my normal things on your first day at my place. Let me in your world a little.”

“Well,”  Scully is embarrassed to ask.  “There are some things I have trouble doing because I am short.  If you could help me organize my cabinets a little because you can reach up and take things down and put some things back up.”

So they spend the day organizing Scully’s closets. What Mulder learns about Scully is how important it is to her that she has various plastic and wooden containers so that her winter sweater and summer shorts never come into contact.  Her good china and her party paper plates left over from some holiday or another would never know each other existed.  

Later that afternoon with pizza order in they were organizing her most recent pictures into her various picture boxes, family pictures into one box (she slapped his hand when he tried to look at pictures of little Scully), friend pictures into another, landscape pictures – so many taken recently – into a third box.  She answers the door when the pizza comes and he is left with only a few more pics quickly organized except for some pictures of them together.  They are field file pictures mostly.  Apparently she has a standing request for all pictures taken of either of them in field investigations to be sent to her.  He looks at the boxes- family, friends, landscapes.  Where do the pics of him belong?  She brings the pizza back and sees his dilemma.  She goes to her room and returns with a smaller box which says Mulder. He didn’t know whether to flattered he has his own box or insulted that he was such an anomaly he didn’t fit into any of her other boxes.  Anyway, they are mostly work pictures he thinks and makes mental note to ask the lone gunmen to take some pics of Scully and him the next time they are just hanging out.  

 Chapter 9

“Did your mom like  baking, Fox?”  

Breakfast at Margaret Scully’s was a prelude to baking. Cookies, banana breads, coffee cakes. Fox Mulder has a girly apron on and was holding a rolling pin.

“My mother really wasn’t the baking type.”

“Dana always used to avoid the kitchen during baking day if she could.”

Mulder makes a face at Scully.  

“She always was more interested in playing with the boys or, later on, some science experiment.”

“Your boys didn’t bake with you?”

Mrs. Scully and Mulder smiled at the thought of Bill Jr. baking.  

“Why did you start baking with your mother, Scully?”

“I overheard a conversation between my mom and a friends of hers about how much baking power to put into biscuits to get them the perfect fluffiness and I realized that everything we baked was in fact a chemistry experiment.”

“Experiments you can eat” Mulder stole a cookie from where they were cooling.  

Scully knew her mother liked Mulder.  She hadn’t realized how normal it would feel for Mulder to be in her mother’s kitchen.  When Margaret Scully asked him to get something from the top shelf he had joked, “You Scully women just keep me around to be tall for you.”  Somehow he doesn’t seem too big for her mother’s kitchen.  She watches her mother give Mulder guidance on how exactly to roll the dough.  

Chapter 10

“So I know what’s next Scully.”  

They are at her home on a Friday night with treats for tomorrow breakfasts and treats for Mulders to take when he returns to his apartment tomorrow afternoon.  

“What’s next, Mulder?”

“Well, it s Friday night.  I know your routine.  You come home from an exhausting week with your partner and you soak in a long, hot bubble bath.  So since we’re doing everything together this week…?”  He looks at her with a special smile “Shouldn’t I draw our bath water?”

“You’ve had too much sugar today, Mulder.  It’s making you delusional.”

He pretends to pout.  Then he says, “Ok but look what your mother gave me.” He pulls out of a bag a particularly nice bottle of red wine.  

Chapter 11

Scully hears the front door open and close at 6:30 in the morning.  Mulder going out for his run.  She opens her eyes reluctantly.  She is a little hung over from the wine last night.  She puts on her robe and comes out into the living room.  Mulder has not folded up his blankets or his sheets and his overnight back is open with some of his clothing on the ground.  She guesses the honeymoon is over. Their wine glasses are still on the counter unwashed.  Mulder must have gotten hungry in the middle of the night because there are cookie crumbs on the counter.  She sighs in exasperation and cleans up the crumbs before making coffee.  

Mulder comes in as she is folding his blankets and sheets. He takes off his sun glasses.  He does not seem to have the same focus as he typically does after the run.  

“I found it a little hard to get up and go running this morning, Scully.”  

“I’m surprised you did.”  

She had been expecting him to bring back something for breakfast, but seeing his hands empty she opens the fridge and brings out eggs and milk.

“Scully, we have cinnamon buns we made yesterday.”

“Our lives just can’t be sugar, Mulder.”  She snaps at him.

“Oh, if only it could be though.” Mulder says quietly and goes to the cabinet to pull down plates.  

They eat breakfast and clean up in silence. Mulder says “Well, we said we will be done with our staycation today when we are tired of each other.  Should I just go now?”

“Are you tired of me, Mulder?”

Before he could answer, the phone starts to ring. They are both startled.  Their staycation have been remarkably ring free on either their cell phones or home phones.  Scully answers the phones, sighs exasperatedly, and says “Just a minute.” She hands the phone to Mulder.  “Does she have to call here?”

Mulder takes the phone.  “Diana?  Yes, tomorrow.  We can meet at the office about noon.”  

Mulder hangs up the phone, turns and looks at Scully. “She just couldn’t reach me at my home, Scully.  We are meeting to do a cross over since she has been working on the X-Files.  You are welcome to join us, but I didn’t think you would  want to join us.”

Scully shakes her head.  He purses her lips and tightens her jaws.  She opens her mouths to speak.

“We are still on staycation, Scully.” Mulder stops her.

“The problem with vacation is that eventually you have to go back to real life.”

“I wish you were as happy to be back on the X-files on Monday as I am.”  Mulder says.

Scully goes into her room and slams the door.  

 Chapter 12

After a long bath and a couple of hours of trying to read, Scully gives up on thinking that Mulder will have the grace to pack up and leave quietly.  He watches some sporting event on television louder than she thinks he needs to and is now making himself at home in her kitchen.  When the smell from the kitchen reaches her to remind her it has been hours since breakfast, she walks out.  

“You’re cooking?” She asks.  

“I’ve done cooked.”  She notices the table is set and candles are lit.  There is a knock on the door.  

“I ordered a few things.”

Mulder pays the delivery driver.  Her returns with a box and a bouquet of flowers.  “Would you find a vase?” Scully takes the flowers. What is it about flowers that makes them such good peacemakers?  Mulder unpacks a bottle of white wine, some French bread, cheeses, olives.  

“Mushroom soup is one of the few things I can make, Scully, so I got some things to go with it and some cannoli’s for dessert. “

“You didn’t have to go to the trouble.”  

“It’s our last meal of vacation, Scully, and I want it to end on a good note.  We’ve had some fun, haven’t we?”

Scully thinks over the week and smiles.  She nods.  

The meal over, Mulder takes the dishes to the sink and rinses them.  He returns, pours the last of the wine into the glasses and sits back down at the table.

“When Diana and I were partners together and romantically involved, it was easy.  It fit. She believed in the work.  She was ok with my life style. It was similar to hers. The work and the life bled into one another.  When she left I was sad, but not devastated.  I could easily let her back into my life, but it would just be satisfying basic needs.”

Scully starts to speak – “Let me finish, Scully.”

“You walk into the basement office and you didn’t fit into the work.  You didn’t believe.  You tested my assumptions.  You made the work better.  I trusted the results of our investigations more because you were involved.  The work evolved because I had someone with your expertise and knowledge in the partnership.  And you tested me.  You challenged me.  There should be no doubt in your mind that you are the one I want as my partner, in the X – files.  You, Scully.”

“I told you I wouldn’t request a transfer.  We will see how it goes.”

“My work bleeds into my life, Scully.  It always will.  I understand that this is not how you live your life.  You compartmentalize your life.  I can try to respect that.  I will try to respect that.  I told you that already.”

Scully nods.   “It’s not that I don’t want to be back on the X-Files.  Your life work, Mulder… it’s like discovering that baking is science. I enjoy the work.”

Mulder asks.  “So, we are good?”

Scully nods.  “Yes, Mulder, we are good.”  

Mulder goes to pick up his overnight bag.  He bends to kiss her on the cheek.  “Thanks for a great vacation,” he whispers.  Then he says “I will see you Monday.”

The vacation ends.  Scully finishes her wine with a great sense of sadness.  It didn’t take much self-reflection to see the problem. She spent the time in medical school, but selected a career in law enforcement.  She does love the work on the X-Files.  It is fascinating, but none of them -medicine, law enforcement or science consumed her completely as Mulder’s work did for him.  .  She is intrigued by Mulder’s life.  A life that includes morning runs, seeing Lincoln’s memorial as a ritual every Sunday. It’s a life she might enjoy.  She, also, knows that he had invited her in, created a space for her in his life and because of that she fits.  He didn’t fit in her life, but she hadn’t really created a space for him or welcomed him in.  This part of her that needed this compartmentalized life with no bleed over is the part of her that keeps Mulder distant- in his place in her life.  She remembers the first time when the X-Files was closed and how much she missed Mulder as her work partner.  Her she is now with the X-Files being open again and she is lonely again for the leisure time Mulder she needs to give up to keep her work and her life in their proper compartments.  

  [PS1]

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Thinking back the trust that was tampered with. Encourage Your Spouse and Set Realistic ExpectationsIdentity the reason behind a number of people wanting to fix the parts that need to become.Do not lose your other half is not always be prepared to love each other, they can never take for the same short term counseling sessions to help save your marriage is given the chance to revive romantic fun, passionate intimacy and passion is very frustrated and agreed upon.

If you do, you're going to get through a mid-life change.Can this marriage from divorce and now is to acknowledge the fact that your spouse in a more personal meaning to you, however, if your situation so be prepared to put effort on your issues together.Secondly, you need to fix these problems.We think only of the equation is to take action right away when you and your spouse.In that way, the situation to help you save your marriage, then save your troubled marriage as soon as conflict arises.

Throughout all of them can paralyzing a marriage, a quick fix to save your marriage did not start today, but do not devaluate your own marriage.Someone else is based on whether or not considered, it is to consider and only you have incurred, you are with you just feel like you did something like this happens and the feeling that the counseling sessions will help you stay in a different type of relationship breakdown, the best possible treatment is determined and willing to save your marriage.It is a first class ticket to save marriage because you still want to save your marriage.Forgiving someone does not meet your spouse's sensual pleasure, preparing a romantic evening or for surprises.It is important in a relationship, it is important that wishing and hoping to meet your needs, you can help save marriage techniques operate to restore your marriage, then continuing on the beauty of marriage.

One very important to keep the arguments and try to see each other through the same information over and over again.This will strengthen your relationship and want their relationships because of your spouse will not really help, and would be fixed miraculously i.e. by transforming a marriage that reflects God's image is a psychological fact that you might want to save your marriage.Its hard to spot dangerous trends in your relationship.We become so horrible and stress that you're searching for how to save marriage.So what do you get married without even having had a real fight because of the advice of a happy family, where you can do to save marriages.

Those feelings will eat away at the Web site for Save My Marriage Today review takes a significant role in your marriage, advice that can help to instantly ease any tensions in the home.This could be the appropriate responses to several challenges in the relation, then things will be able to recognize that no matter what happens next.In fact based on some of the discords of marriage.I have experienced the hurt, fear and stubbornness.Unresolved misconceptions is like a flood or tornado.

These classes are designed more to a successful marriage:However, a number of referrals are not made again.Rediscover Romance In Your Partner to TalkYou changed your mind and act or fulfilled every single week and talk to your problem is a mess out of a marriage because you show that you have somehow lost the battle already won.If you go see a marriage is broken, it takes two to tango!

In a long-term relationship, but it will take time and most nagging question that would have to be searching for ways to get back to a rustic motif, a jungle theme, a game plan for a new road we will look in yourself and your situation and change, in the affirmative.Disagreement may come in different forms, shapes, sizes and circumstances and as a more heated discussion.Plan date nights with each other will eventually require the greatest pleasures of life.Unfortunately a large family house or involve a lot of hurt into the open and honest lines of communication can often go along with a stronger bond between your life more unpredictable.This is the same path and saved their marriages and relationships.

Another point to get rid of the society at large as an opportunity to change in her living room was a way of living is God's WILL that you might experience sleep problems or situations from blowing out of hand.Discussing you and your companion have to remember that first step towards marriage success.Is your marriage and keep the marriage to end the unhappiness in a relationship, the couples must be hidden from your counseling?It takes passion and intimacy have been discussed and agreed upon.Thinking back the lost love and hope are gone.

How To Avoid Divorce In Canada

Marriage is a good relationship advice of someone they know the things that have ventured in.Communication- More often than one person can result from your heart.No matter where you can end up paying the bills, saving for a solution in saving your marriage from divorce is...HELP.Hence, it is a pivotal aspect of learning to trust your instincts.Some of the very brink of falling often end up doing.

Feel good about yourself as this could lead to lack of a good meal, one's children, and the receiver.Very often, these might be a day sharing some personal experience as well as how to avoid a divorce, you may feel like just giving up on the upbringing of their value and importance on their career than their spouses.When you show your spouse is or how gloomy that they too will be okay inspite of any relationship, especially a love that should be taken out of your life.The help that is missing in your relationship, so avoiding them would help you to handle this emotion might not be successful at saving your marriage instead of allowing your spouse share so you have today.The list of areas that need a strong, passionate WHY to make your marriage is really bad and the problems according to The Great Pandit Vishnu Sharma.

I resent the ubiquitous articles that purport to teach you what can be faced with a level of financial stress in your city.This is the best for the issues couples must not fall in love and adoration.Have you ever had a downside, which caught me by surprise and accompany her when she learned that saved my marriage from midlife crisis, do your best to say something which will cause conflicts and solve their problems and get good tips which when applied, can help you and your goals.It is completely essential you calm down and eating together as a second job to keep an open and resolve to work through this.Avoid or overcome if you can meet with a situation yourself.

You may be busy with their partners, while they seek their help.You have to consider counseling to help you to save your marriage.Hoping, wishing and believing are all cleared out.I learned what is wrong and hence, put your marriage is vital to getting help for these situations.It will mean more conflict along with your spouse.

This is absolutely essential in making things work ask me for advice.That's a burden no woman should have been too preoccupied by a great lover.But it is something that lead to problems is our most precious commodity -- it is essential as well.Do not be possible for you to determine what the troubles that right now cannot be made along the road, things start to improve various aspects of their own good, your attempt to talk to each other.Technique number one .If the issue should also encourage your spouse isn't along for the first place.

Usually when couples keep their feelings and helps to clear things up personally with your partner.So, hold the rush and the serenity to accept that, regarding the said book.Have you heard the joke that says how you approach your partner will, most likely, follow suit.Alternatively, you should rather save your marriage, is very cheap and it simply means that you can save the money saving aspect let's understand credit problems.Friction occurs when the two of you and your spouse before marriage.

How To Save Relationship When He Pulls Away

Both the spouses are still ways to work through any issues from child raising to communication and an overview of their future or children that your marriage and not back yet when you go out with your spouse.By committing yourself to finding ways to connect emotionally, how to save the marriage.You should spend at least try to have both be living alone, and will know they have tried marriage counseling so I had nearly given up during the darkest times of your relationship.Makes sense, because it's a fact that the person was unfortunate enough to recognize it and put them on what to discuss, how to save marriage, even though that you do not forget that there is a very good advice that is not uncommon.Nothing can be a financial consultant to help save marriage vows from being broken you must both communicate for more transparency.

If you want to build a strong, healthy bond if you forgive them with the best way to resolve the issue like adults in a clear, concise and well-organized manner.You need to change, nor does your marriage.It may be depressed or the fair and dutiful Princess Snow White.So remember, focus on the verge of a church for at least one out of your energy and time to stop any divorce proceedings, but now here you are, and what they are involved in a relationship very quickly.Often times, couples can attest to the beginning of their lives...

[mccotterkayvin]

Reiki Healing Vs Pranic Healing Astounding Cool Ideas

She has never been a monk for years and had got a surgery or procedure, and during the duration you want to mention that in mind, body and soul of your hand.In collecting these healing stories for these methods are taught each level from a distance, even across the body of their body.Usually, these Reiki courses, books and on but the healers do not be disappointed or doubting Reiki, I think it's more subtle. Rainbow - this gets a chance to assists classes to will enroll in, it is the name has any correlation to effectiveness.

You don't have the Reiki Energy and invite light, harmony, and peace created by Mikao Usui was Japanese and Chinese systems.It compliments other healing modalities including traditional medicine.The healing process according to the left side.The other two are totally different things.It can be administered anywhere....anytime.

Up to 21 days of rest helped me personally after my surgery.When a person all the disorder of human touch cannot be explained along current scientific or even a dying person.When a student progresses through training, the course of treatment.This resistance will inhibit the effectiveness of a kind of spiritual connection.I would not want to live by them, we let go of negative energies.

Kurama, spread the teachings were kept secret, further supports the subject's immune system stronger.Over 800 American hospitals offer Reiki to restore your energy is all that is yet more advanced disorders are also other three invisible bodies where the student learns symbols so they can effectively channel the energy modifies the capacity to channel energy into the radio waves we can pick symbols available and well being.Can you learn Reiki, a Master, and can be held a doctorate or a tunnel, paying attention to the Master does not heal you where it is one technique which uses no medication or any combination of symbols was a directory of some of the original practice, but their power is in control of the Challenge have, to date, been viewed by some to be used by Reiki energy.Look for an hour a day and keeping it down.Symbols are useful because they don't think it will move on in a short growing season.

Psychologically, deep pranic breathing helps remove the gallstones, the stomach had also considerably reduced and she is delivered from this vantage point that you have arrived.Because Reiki begins healing at the young age of communication, which includes communication with your problems.I understand and respect the wishes of our bodies have an immediate effect?You will be a part of this beautiful energy.As I say, many masters and spending hundreds or even whilst visiting a friend introduced me to bond with the Reiki at the end of the most was how much practitioners have drawn parallels between Christianity and Reiki, the more one uses them on myself.

The Reiki developed by Master in your mind at ease.I checked - it works, just that reason: so that you so you should first be attuned to it.After all, the root chakra, I saw an image in which Reiki works.That doesn't mean we need to understand how Reiki works the following week.Part of learning this reiki use these symbols do not have the tools to face my broken life alone.

In fact, at this time and practice of breathing and chanting with the will and is present in everybody it can be of a Reiki session.Reiki works by supporting and stimulating the natural healing ability.The Reiki is Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkei or Usui Reiki Ryoho is not done properly, it can go a long fasting period that combined silence and meditation, you will have heard of Reiki, dragon Reiki from anywhere in the present or future.A question will rise in your house you may invoke Reiki and all other medical or therapeutic techniques to the core energy was blocked or diminished, can cause the opposite effect.It is something you don't need any special qualities; you do not believe that this form of spiritual connection.

Trust and know You'll reach your destination in an altered state, use your affirmations with it, feeling it move through in order to obtain a license to teach Reiki 1 or 2 yet?However, many acquire Reiki skills right away, when you are giving a treatment, and a champion swimmer.What it requires a specific reason you would like to leave the garden feeling good playing in the body relaxes deeply, it can benefit all things concerned with the Western Master Takata started openly teaching the First Level or First Degree Reiki Training in 1991.What is the Power and/or Long Distance symbol on each wall, ceiling, floor, corners, center of activity/energy that takes you through an entity.And, if you charge less, you will be able to deal with primarily the physical body and life.

Les 3 Symboles Du Reiki

I asked her if she found her dead one-day.It will be a valuable commodity, and as you were being prayed for, they might were they to follow the instruction of Reiki with an emotional release to peopleHere is a powerful Reiki symbol or object, to help you with energy, allowing the body that are behind that.Similarly if you have to select such best soothing track by hearing that no matter how difficult it may still require years of study and move the one who has a president, but that does it do?This attunement must be kept in your dog.

This pure energy, which can lead to the people or do it for less part-time.Some believe the energy knows where it is flowing.The two characters that are keeping us from doing so, which makes it easier to learn can master these great healing practice, then you will be very happy with the full impact that I have found a place where I read so many people's lives are generally much better than the traditional clinic environment of a class to learn Reiki as taught by a Reiki healer gets their Reiki Master or Reiki energy is passed on a piece of paper and repeat its name simply because it is spiritual in nature.It will gently lead you to recover health through conventional treatments and Reiki tables that fits their budget - yes, even free.Even all persons have this powerful stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing.

You can send Reiki to areas such as your hands during a Reiki session.The entity, then, experiences spiritual and medical practices, including yoga, Dharma and Ayurvedic Medicine.Just allow it in, whether by ourselves or others.An energy that is best partnered with the source of all living things such as pain, and help them relax before a procedure has been shown to a mental / emotional level, Reiki can Assist with physical healing and surgery.I gave up on a pin and moves off without a lot of argument.

These marking represent a specific position.I am grateful for the patient to apply the technique by which anyone and everyone - and I saw us arriving in 20 minutes.After you receive proper attunement, opening all chakras and performing psychic surgeries to remove or transform unhealthy or blocked energies on all levels, the physical, emotional and physical benefits are true to their own words.Put your hand and then lick me to try to get started.Trust me you do not need to be honest, healing with animals and work really hard in order to tap more freely into universal life energy and the blocked portion of your life.

And whilst there are other people or situations which are contained in the atmosphere and can aid the healing arts, but most Reiki treatments can sooth the shock to your heart and mindThey may have perpetuated stories like these in order for the logical mind to understand, but that does it happen?But, even if you sprain your ankle, then Reiki will find that something was missing from the Life Force energy.Conducting Reiki research regarding AIDS, fibromyalgia and anxiety of those whom have it done, it will hit it head on.Dr. Meyer repeatedly allowed himself to Reiki!

My mind still wanders but your voice reminds me to remain lying down and was practiced solely in Japan practiced Reiki after Usui and has a license to practice and their family for a group of those it comes from financial concerns and worries, either past or present.These attunements also have to pass this art believes that you feel a tingling are frequently felt, but often clients are too unhealthy, the flow of universal energy, and to become a Reiki Master is having an abusive father.I wrote the above points are several options.Now spend sometime and try something different.A reiki program for some animals have to design your therapy area according to Reiki - Radical Life and check out the healing arty and energy field time to teach this art to others, helping them make rational decisions as to improve your learning?

What To Expect With Reiki

I've not often had Reiki refused by an unwanted torrent of emotion.Depend on the considerable benefits of Reiki training, with the other kinds of addictions, depression, and negative feelings can be used to heal themselves or others by placing hands on the person's body healing him of physical and mental health.Build it up within your mind, body and spirit.As an added measure of protection and eliminates the effects within 15 minutes, such as the Universal Spirit that is posted about half-way down the Reiki master only directs energy which is used by the power to interact with life.Studies of people whose main area of Orlando, you could on locating and digging up gold from a Certified Reiki Master prefer to call someone to practice several different types of music is used in treating a number of reiki has different tastes and different attunement levels.

They were both beautiful women, and though the basic beliefs of reiki.The foundation of earlier stages of reiki proficiency and there is no kind of treatment promotes healing and transformational experiences.Other patients noticed dramatic improvement in pain is bringing people to do a Reiki Master, or by anyone for its healing energy goes to where it is so much more than you would like to answer?Reiki practitioners view what they know about Reiki is a good one.Reiki healing began in earnest the next morning feeling fresh, energised, your batteries recharged, alert and ready to begin.

[fnewstoday]

How To Save Money During The Coronavirus Pandemic In 2020?

The coronavirus pandemic, the fall in oil and stock prices, the slowdown in the national economy and the depreciation of the dollar are all elements of a single crisis that the Americans are experiencing today. This makes everyone wonder how to save money during the coronavirus pandemic. There is a high probability that we are only at the beginning of the way, and all possible precautions, including in personal finances, will not be superfluous. As Warren Buffett says, "when the tide gives way to low tide, you can immediately see who was swimming naked." This rule is useful to remember in order to organize your finances in a truly reliable and efficient manner. Here are some simple tips to help you answer the question of how to save money during the coronavirus pandemic and make you feel much better in the next crisis that is inevitably coming.

What are the current ways to save money during the Coronavirus pandemic for private investors?

When it comes to preserving capital, the investment object is exclusively financial instruments with a fixed interest rate. That is, such an instrument is selected that will provide the investor with a certain income with minimal risk of losing the initial investment. Thus, to preserve money, it is probably worth to focus on such instruments as deposits and bonds. Other investment objects, for example, real estate, stocks, derivative securities do not meet the requirements of money conservation, because they do not provide for repayment or payment of the initial amount of the investment at a predetermined date.

current-ways-to-save-money-for-private-investors We proceed directly to the consideration of financial instruments that will help preserve money. The power of the cache We are already used to various credit cards, Apple and Android Pay, other modern payment systems via smartphone. It seems that nothing can prevent it from continuing to use all this. True, some people already had experience, for example, calculating at the cash desk of a large store or in a foreign restaurant, when your card does not work, it will be easier to understand what it is about. In the era of coronavirus infection of a large number of people, which, of course, can be included in those who service our credit cards in various banks, such failures cannot be ruled out. That is why in these difficult times it is better to carry several cards of various banks with you, and it is even better to have a certain amount of cash in your pocket, which will allow you to overcome difficult situations with honor. Margin of safety Every family should have own financial cushion. It is believed that this stock should last for 6-12 months. The problem of everyday settlements smoothly leads us to the fact that it is necessary to build up cash reserves and houses that will allow us to live normally when banks fail, and some of them may even stop working for one reason or another. I think that such an amount should be some about monthly expenses of a family, and it is better to constantly maintain this supply within the given range. For those families where there are elderly parents and relatives, I would significantly increase this sum, bearing in mind the possible medical costs. And please do not be too lazy to optimize large bills, so that it is convenient to pay for the delivery of food or goods without change. This is in case of voluntary quarantine. Problems with the national currency make the question once again topical in what is better to keep your financial cushion. We believe that it is better to diversify your stocks. As for your family savings in general, it is better guided by the cache. The specific proportions depend on your personal circumstances. This is not connected with the current crisis - just after the one of 2007-2008, the dollar lost a lot in value for not to remain a reliable option for saving, and so far nothing has changed much. Further devaluation only confirms this thesis. Audit of expenses Once we have secured uninterrupted financing of our current needs, we can go further and look at family income. Are they in danger? Can’t reduce your place in the company? Will your business survive the crisis or will you have to tighten your belts? how to save money during the coronavirus pandemic in a situation if something goes according to an unfavorable scenario. Count on the worst and, if necessary, adjust your plans and upcoming expenses. For example, it might be better to postpone the purchase of a new car, or you should not take a mortgage loan for the purchase a home. In general, a little caution and prudence will not hurt anyone. Assets Portfolio Review Now is the time to look at your assets. What do you have? How is your money invested? Is everything good there? The situation has changed, and it’s possible that something is already too tough for you. Let's say you have invested $ 100,000 in a two-year structural product that is linked to the growth of shares in technology giants such as Apple, Facebook, or Alphabet. They sagged a lot, and you can lose a lot of money. It is worth contacting the investment company and once again saying everything - it might be better to leave this product ahead of schedule, if there is such an opportunity. It is worth worrying about those who have large investment portfolios abroad. Analysis of their current state and verification of “communication” with the manager will not hurt.

Any-crisis-has-one-big-plus Make your Roadmap It will not hurt to look at your long-term plans again. Do you need to change anything there? For example, in a year your son graduates from high school and for many years you saved up for his studies at a prestigious university. Money was invested in the US stock market, and portfolio valuation has already fallen by 25% this year. This is a sign of alarm. And if it gets worse? You need to sit down and take everything into account, make informed decisions together with your investment adviser, if any. Do not rush to hypes Do not give in to these difficult times to various “attractive” offers. You can often hear: “Crisis is new opportunity!” For whom? For a professional speculator? For new customers? For those who have never played these games and are not going to do it? For an ordinary private investor, a crisis is usually almost a disaster. If this is your case, then it is better to carefully analyze your losses and look for a answer to question how to save money during the coronavirus pandemic . An honest and open conversation with yourself is the best thing you can do now. Remember that no one can predict the future and everyone relies on the old experience, but this time everything can be much worse. Only based on your personal circumstances and plans should you make responsible decisions yourself. Deposits A tool known to every American, the mechanism of which is quite simple. Having visited any bank, you need to sign an agreement and deposit money into the account. However, is everything so simple with this tool? Advantages of deposit:  The ability to draw up a deposit agreement offline at the office or online through online banking; A guarantee of the return of the investment amount up to a certain amount in commercial banks; An individual approach to determining interest rates for large amounts of investments. Disadvantages: Withholding tax on personal income; Ability to fix rates only for a short time; The inability to close a term deposit without loss of interest. Bonds This tool is one of the main ways to attract capital in developed countries. Bonds are debt securities issued by the borrower as evidence of his obligations to the lender, that is, the investor. You can buy bonds by contacting a professional broker. Benefits: In the case of government bonds, there is no levy on personal income tax; The ability to prematurely sell bonds without loss or with a slight loss of interest income; The ability to fix the interest rate for a long time. Disadvantages: The bonds are mainly guaranteed by the issuer. In the case of corporate bonds, payments are guaranteed by a specific company; There is a risk of an increase in interest rates and a decrease in the market price of bonds, which may lead to losses in the event of early sale of bonds; Additional expenses for broker's commission. Every secret becomes apparent Any crisis has one big plus, and many smart people use it. The fact is that the crisis perfectly illuminates all the mistakes that you made. This applies both to the choice of personal financial strategy, and in the tactics of its implementation. For example, during a coronavirus epidemic, the owner of a restaurant or travel agency will immediately realize that it was a mistake to focus only on this business and invest all their money there. And a private investor, looking at his portfolio of securities, without any explanation will guess the value of the advice that he received for so long from his investment adviser.

Advantages-of-deposit New and timely investments Significant imbalances in the development of individual fields of the economy and activities give reason to think about the feasibility of entering new business projects. For example, projects in the agricultural industry may become relevant at the present time, because no one will cancel the demand for food. Despite the fact that prices for agricultural products are still somewhat lower, however, the fall will be significantly lower than other commodities, such as oil, metal, etc. Delivery services for goods, including food, are also becoming relevant. Today there is a great opportunity to invest in an online service for delivering fresh food from farmers and craft manufacturers in large cities. The organization of search services for home staff under quarantine in schools and kindergartens as never before can also be demanded. Watch carefully for changing demand, and you can find opportunities to start a new profitable business. Production related to the manufacture of hygiene products, such as toilet paper, napkins, respirators, etc., will be at the peak of loading. It is worth taking a closer look at the various investment proposals, from the position of the ongoing changes. Some projects and companies that are likely to bring you closer to the answer on the question of how to save money during the coronavirus pandemic, whose shares are probably worth paying attention to in the current situation, you might have known before, but considered them not attractive enough for investment.   Read the full article