#i almost screamed at the panel in chapter 30 where he falls

[seishiroses]

THE PRINCESS EFFECT

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 292: You Say Jeans

Previously on BnHA: Horikoshi was all “well anyway here’s that Touya reveal I foreshadowed like a million years ago, viva la 2020.” Dabi was all “hello world, I’ve killed 30 people and today I’m going to explain to you all why” before he proceeded to explain ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but everyone was so distracted by his tale of child abuse and hero conspiracies that they didn’t much seem to notice. Can’t Ya See-Kun’s Shark Friend was all “IS THIS THE END OF HERO SOCIETY AS WE KNOW IT”, and Horikoshi was all “STAY TUNED”, and then Dabi set himself on fire and leaped off of Machia’s back like the chaotic evil, I-just-bleached-all-my-brain-cells weird little fire man he is, ready to burn everyone to crispy bits before they could even react properly to his whole big revenge speech. Fortunately he did not succeed on account of THE RETURN OF THE JING, THE JOAT, BEST FUCKING JEANIST, back from the dead by popular demand in what critics are calling “the best fucking comeback since Jesus himself.”

Today on BnHA: Best Jeanist snatches up Machia and the rest of the League with his fiber steel cables before you can say “more like BEAST JEANIST amirite.” Dabi gets all worked up and lights Hadou on fire which is a real JERK MOVE, and is all “THIS RIGHT HERE IS ALSO ENDEAVOR’S FAULT”, which, NOT SUPER CONVINCED ON THAT, BUT OKAY. Anyway so then he burns up all the cables holding him which is crazeballs btw, and then he and Shouto start fighting, and so basically the whole thing is a literal hot mess and we’ll see how that goes. Meanwhile Tomura wakes up and summons some Noumus, and poor Jeanist has to deal with those on top of the still-attempting-to-rampage Gigantomachia, and everyone else is all “we can’t help you on account of we’re all half dead”, and so it’s looking really bad. And then -- and I can’t stress enough how much I don’t even have the faintest idea how to segue into this next part -- the chapter ends with Mirio!?! just sort of POPPING UP OUT OF THE GROUND all, “SURPRISE, BITCH”, and it literally was so surprising that I am still just kind of speechless. WELL-PLAYED, I GUESS, lol wtf.

lol okay so the first page in the RHA scan is just the “three musketeers” movie promo image that we all already saw a few days ago. but it does confirm that (a) it is indeed a movie, and (b) that it’s set for a summer 2021 release! how exciting

okay so now back to our special Dabi edition of Making a Murderer

“ray of hope” oh hell yes. SAVE US MR. JEANIST

I guess he had a TV in his private hero jet or something?

gotta say, “dammit Dabi” does not even remotely sound like Authentic Best Jeanist Dialogue to me though. gonna need Caleb to see to this. well but what do you guys think? does Best Jeanist curse?? I personally feel like he’s one of those guys who NEVER EVER swears no matter what, except under the most hilariously trifling circumstances. like he’s eating an avocado one day and he accidentally stains the cuffs of his beloved jostume green and he’s all “FUCK”

btw how fucking rich is Best Jeanist though that he has his own fucking plane? the thought just suddenly occurred to me, you know? like even Endeavor, whose agency has its own on-site luxury apartment suites for all of his interns, still drives around in a dinky little car that Bakugou has declared to be too small. which, I guess we know why he felt that way now, seeing as the guy he previously interned with apparently gets around in Jeans Force One

anyway so back to the part where Jeanist shows up to save the day!! YEAH JEANIST WOOOOO

ILU JEANIST YOU REALLY ARE THE BEST!! HUGS AND KISSES!!!

lmao we just saw Gigantomachia take out like a hundred guys not ten chapters ago. and Best Jeanist shows up and takes him down in like two seconds. HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES LEAGUE OF VILLAINS. BET YOU’RE WISHING YOU’D TAKEN HIS QUIRK NOW, AFO. GET FUCKED YOU OLD SPUD

KACCHAN IS SO HAPPY TO SEE HIM AWW

SIDE NOTE, IIDA, YOU AND I ARE GONNA HAVE WORDS LATER ABOUT YOU ACTUALLY AGREEING TO PUT HIM BACK DOWN. YOU DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CHILD IS STILL DRIPPING BLOOD ALL OVER THE PLACE FROM HIS MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS, RIGHT? WAY TO ASSERT YOUR AUTHORITY THERE. I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE CLASS PRESIDENT NOT THE CLASS CLOWN, COME ON NOW

LMAO DABI IS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO DO THE PLOT MATH

SHOULDA CHECKED MORE CLOSELY MY GOOD MARK. LOOKS LIKE YOU MISSED THE “MADE IN CHINA” STICKER ON THE BOTTOM. YOU HAVE BEEN BAMBOOZLED. OR ACTUALLY, I GUESS THE MORE ACCURATE WORD HERE IS JAMBOOZLED, AHAHAHAHA. JEANS

HOLY SHIT DABI

I legit almost thought that was Tomura for a second. you two look so alike now with the white hair and the crazy eyes

meanwhile, Shouto is still crying and it’s a lot to take, you guys. lotta feels

ffff come on Jeanist you better do something awesome again here, the mood of the chapter is starting to slip now

YES, GOOD, THAT’LL WORK

WELL YOU TELL ME, SPINNER. I GUESS THAT MEANS BEST JEANIST IS OFFICIALLY THE STRONGEST CHARACTER IN THE SERIES NOW. SORRY I DON’T MAKE THE RULES

ffff now Spinner is trying to wake Tomura back up. nah, how’s about we not do that

OH MY GOD HADOU YESSSS

MY GIRL OUT HERE WITH THE “NO THANK YOU” BOUT TO CURBSTOMP THE BIG BAD WITH HER QUIRK KSFHLKLK WHO HERE HAD “HADOU SAVES THE DAY” ON YOUR WAR ARC BINGO CARDS, YOU LOVE TO SEE IT!!

HEY!!!!

fucking son of a... fffkfkff... someone please reassure me that fire isn’t Hadou’s weakness. someone. anyone. also could someone please dial an ambulance and send them to Horikoshi’s house. but not just yet. first I’m gonna need you to wait about fifteen minutes or so while I take care of some things

well all right then, Dabi. so you wanna go on then and explain to us all how this, too, is somehow Endeavor’s fault?

oh I see, you’ve decided that since he’s responsible for “creating” you, everyone you hurt and kill is in truth really being hurt and killed by him! well now, that sure is convenient as fuck I guess

(ETA: that’s a nice effect with the panel sides getting all warped by Dabi’s quirk though, just noticed that.)

amazing how quickly you used up that sympathy card my guy. Shouto please kick his ass, I’m fucking done lol, you can all sort out the rest in therapy later

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE DIAL BACK DEKU’S EMPATHY STATS JUST A LITTLE BIT, HOLY --

“TODOROKI-KUN IS HURT THE MOST”, HE SAYS, WITH HIS ARM BONES SHATTERED INTO LITTLE TOOTHPICK-SIZED PIECES. I MEAN, HE’S PROBABLY TALKING MORE ABOUT MENTAL ANGUISH GIVEN THE CONTEXT HERE, BUT STILL. THAT’S ENOUGH HEROICS FROM YOU ALREADY FOR ONE DAY

NOOO JEANIST

LOTS OF SMOKE IN THE AIR RIGHT ABOUT NOW AND MY BOY’S STILL DOWN A LUNG. GOD DAMMIT

“if the number one suffers a total loss here, this country will fall to pieces” well okay, real talk though, I think the “country falling to pieces” part is pretty much unavoidable at this juncture. you all are just gonna have to try your best to pick up those pieces after the fact and see what you can do with them. if I were you I’d be less worried about the number one’s reputation and more concerned with the half-dozen child soldier interns who are still on the field and very much at risk of being burned to death should you suffer that “total loss.” please try to keep it together here for them

OH FOR FUCK’S

I really thought RockLockRock was gonna come into play here. USE YOUR QUIRK TO LOCK THE ROPES IN PLACE YOU DIP!! if he seriously just sits there and does nothing when his quirk could be the deciding factor I am cancelling his useless ass cute kid or no cute kid shfkjdls

(ETA: is he even there?? did he and Manual just hightail it out of there?? “well good luck, children.”)

also, we’ll put this aside for now to perhaps speculate about later, but what’s with Tomura remembering his dad’s house yet again in that far right panel?? and being itchy again?? I still have yet to fully work out the psychological mechanisms at work as far as his itchiness goes, so I’ll admit this is intriguing to me. it seemed like it was connected to his decay quirk, but then why is it acting up again now. what is this lol

yuh oh

forgot about these guys. looks like these heroes aren’t having such a fun time

oh fucksticks

excuse me ma’am but I don’t like this. you do know that my kids are all there, right. all burnt and impaled and broken-boned and the like. well except for Iida. he’s fine still. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN I FEEL LIKE WATCHING HIM GET TORN APART BY FOUR HIGH ENDS, WTF

HORIKOSHI YOU MOTHERFUCKER I SWEAR TO GOD

god fucking... okay look. Horikoshi. you win, okay!? congratulations, you win, this is your show and we’re all just sitting here at your mercy. fine. go ahead and just kill off everyone ever, then!! what am I even gonna do about it. stop reading?? fuck

this whole thing really went from zero to fucked before I could even blink huh. I really thought this was gonna be a turning point chapter for the heroes. shows what I know I guess??

meanwhile this motherfucker is just SCREAMING

ngl, if I wasn’t currently terrified on account of things suddenly taking such a drastic turn for the worse, this would be the coolest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Jeanist my man, I hype you up like it’s my job because you are the greatest fucking meme character in the history of time, but make no mistake, you are also highkey WORTH ALL THE HYPE AND THEN SOME

seriously, though. don’t fucking mind him you guys, he’s just standing here in the coolest pose of all time taking on Gigantomachia all alone with one fucking lung because the substance pumping through his veins is COLD-BLOODED LIQUID DENIM, and DENIM FEELS NO FEAR

Best Jeanist really needs to get his own theme song. -- oh my god I just finally thought of a title for this post. lmao and it’s the dumbest thing. omg

MEANWHILE THE TODOROKI BROS ARE OFF IN THEIR OWN DRAMATIC LITTLE FIRE WORLD

which one do you think is the Mario and which is the Luigi. well, but I mean, Dabi clearly thinks that he’s the Luigi though and that’s why he’s so mad. nobody wants to be Luigi. what a life

THAT’S IT, SHOUTO!! POINT OUT ALL OF HIS HYPOCRITICAL BULLSHIT, I WANT ANSWERS

JUST TO CLARIFY, IT’S THAT NATSU, NOT SOME OTHER NATSU!! SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF!!

OH, WELL IN THAT CASE

BUT OF COURSE. THAT WOULD MAKE IT ALL WORTHWHILE, holy shit. okay I’m just gonna go ahead and say it, Dabi is a piece of work. I really thought this arc would make him more sympathetic at long last, but it seems like it’s doing just the opposite?? this is like an anti-redemption arc. I don’t relish the thought of venturing into the fandom tags once I finish reading this lol

(ETA: well folks, I’ve done it. and actually it was pretty interesting because there are apparently like ten different things that people are mad about, and so it’s like. each post is a new adventure lmao.)

so Shouto is all “BRUH HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST IT” and Dabi is all “YES”, basically? like, he says he’s completely lost his feeling for anything. omg. but you were so sweet. how does that even happen

“finally I can kill you” okay for real what the heck is your damage bro?? can we not. I like Shouto just the way he is, un-killed

oh shit and now the Noumus are here

cue Bakugou diving in to save his mentor, STAB WOUNDS BE DAMNED!! actually it would make more sense for it to be Iida, but if Kacchan is really fixin’ to go full Shounen Dumbass here then he might as well go all out, y’know

-- unless of course, Deku decides to activate another quirk??

“last I checked, the main character of this series was still me” OH? WELL I SUPPOSE THAT IS TRUE, SO PRAY TELL, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT LEFT UP YOUR SLEEVE YOU SUICIDAL BRUSSELS SPROUT

fucking love how he’s all “HAHAHA WITH MY NEW QUIRKS I CAN STILL DO STUPID SHIT EVEN WITH MY ARMS AND LEGS GROUND TO A FINE POWDER” btw. what can I say. Deku gonna Deku

FMMFHDKUHK W H A T

HOLY SHIT. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. WHAT THE WHAT. QUE THE FUCK

(ETA: okay look, all the love in the world to the brave scanlators who take time out of their lives to translate the leaks every week just so we can read the chapter a couple of days early like the addicts we are. that said, translating Mirio’s signature “POWER!!” -- which was already written in English in the original scan -- to “POG-CHAMP” is just a whole new level of wtfuckery from them lmao. is the Lida person back at it again?? amazing.)

MIRIO!?!?! SHOWS UP TO SAVE THE DAY?!?! POGS HIMSELF UP OUT THE GROUND TO BEAT THE NOUMUS LIKE IT AIN’T NO THING. JUST LIKE WE ALL PREDICTED!? I’M SORRY, DID YOU NOT SEE THAT COMING?? YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOUR DAILY HOROSCOPE FROM ASTROLOGY DOT COM DIDN’T HAVE THAT ONE IN THE CARDS?? WAS IT NOT OBVIOUS?? TODOROKIS PLUS BEST JEANIST EQUALS MIRIO??

hot damn. Tintin really saw the writing on the wall with the impending Dabi Discourse and was all “NOT SO FAST” lmao. “HERE’S A BRAND NEW THING FOR YOU ALL TO DISCOURSE ABOUT” MIRIO YOU WILD CHILD. YOU GLORIOUS THUG

MEANWHILE LET’S NOT FORGET WHAT MIRIO HAVING HIS POWERS BACK ACTUALLY IMPLIES. HOLY SHIT. SUDDENLY WE CUT BACK TO ALL MIGHT’S OFFICE, ALL THE WAY BACK AT UA. ERI BRANDISHES HER TOKOYAMI-GIFTED BUSTER SWORD, A DETERMINED GLEAM IN HER EYE. “I HEARD YOU WERE TRYING TO HAVE A GIRL POWER ARC WITHOUT ME.” OH. MY. GOD

[timextoxhajima]

Love Me A Little Less: Chapter 7 - Golden Chains

LOVE ME A LITTLE LESS CHAPTER MASTERLIST

Member: (3rd person pov) arranged marriage au with Lee Juyeon

Genre: angsty wangsty

Taglist: @hyunjaethereal @sunwoowuvbot​ @suzy-rainbow​​

"Everyone wants everything she has.”

Juyeon raises his fist, Porsche parked nicely in the only empty lot of three by the fountain before the mini mansion. The sky is cloudy and Juyeon can already smell the musty scent of rain as the gentle cool winds blow through his still-waxed hair. 

His knuckles press into the wooden door before he actually knocks, and he almost feels sorry for himself for being such a nuisance at the worst timings ever.

Finally mustering the courage to knock, he does just that, and he can see the lights in the entrance hall flicker on through the door panels by the sides after some time. Multiple locks click open, and the door opens just enough for the resident to see him.

“Juyeon,” Sunwoo blinks, already in his silk pajamas and his hair combed down nicely. He looks tired - probably from the day’s work of being Juyeon’s moodmaker at his own wedding. “What are you doing here? Oh my God, you got kicked out of the Lee’s House?”

“What? No!” The elder seethes quietly, his pride hurt. “I left.”

Sunwoo’s brows are covered by his fringe, but Juyeon doesn’t need to see them to know they are far up his forehead with amusement. 

“You left the Lee House?” 

“Yeah,” Juyeon sucks in a deep breath and avoids eye contact. “My mother told me she wanted me to have a child with Jang Won just so we can inherit HERA & ARTEMIS.”

“Oh, man,” Sunwoo’s face falls with pity and confusion. “That... that’s gotta suck.”

“I know. That’s why I’m here.”

Sunwoo pulls the door open for Juyeon to enter, head poking out the door to see the Porsche parked in his driveway. “You can stay if you like but I’m afraid people are gonna find out you’re here and not back at your place or Hera’s Manor.”

Juyeon pulls off his shoes and slips on a pair of home slippers meant for guests. The entrance hall is a lot less spacious and elaborate compared to the Lee House’s or Hera’s Manor, but it’s because of its smaller scale that comforts Juyeon. Feels more like a home than an exhibition.

The door shuts and Sunwoo pulls the locks back into place. 

“I know, but I just didn’t know where else to be. I can’t stand being in that house.”

“Okay, so you hate your parents. We know this, but do you really have nowhere else to be at now?”

Juyeon turns and shoots Sunwoo a look of displeasure. The younger pouts slightly as he passes him and heads for the main hall. The fireplace crackles to life when he turns it on.

Dropping himself into the couch and staring at the fire, Juyeon pulls off his blazer and covers his face with it. The cushion next to him sinks when Sunwoo sits, quiet and unsure.

“It’s not that I don’t want you here. I just don’t want to risk you getting into trouble with the press. Everybody knows the Porsche’s carplate number. And aren’t all your cars bugged?”

“I removed the bug.”

“What? How? How did you even find it?”

“The one in the Porsche was under the compartment on the passenger’s side.”

“Did you like, throw it on the ground and drive over it or something?”

“I threw it at my bodyguard.”

Sunwoo snorts. “Were your parents around to see that?”

“Yeah, my dad was this close,” Juyeon lifts a hand and gestures with his thumb and index finger. “To punching a hole through the driver’s window, so I threw it out the passenger’s window instead.”

The hearty laugh that runs out of Sunwoo’s throat tickles Juyeon as well. “I’m not gonna lie, this is something you definitely wouldn’t have done prior.”

“Prior to?”

Juyeon pulls the blazer off his face and side-eyes Sunwoo. The answer was already in his eyes.

“Ah,” Juyeon scoffs. “Maybe it just bugs me that my mother was in the same position as Jang Won is now - an arranged marriage - and yet she’s telling me to do all these things to her... a child, taking HERA & ARTEMIS.”

“Don’t you think you’re developing too much of a soft spot for her already?”

“Why does everyone think that way?” Frowning, Juyeon finally sits up in the couch. “Poor girl lost her mother to cancer and then her father who only comes back from the dead, only to take what she built - does that make sense at all?”

“It doesn’t, but you seem to forget that she’s got the entire world at her feet. Even if your families harmoniously merged, I’m very sure she still wouldn’t give away her blood and sweat so easily.”

Juyeon sighs and drags his hands down his face, feeling the weight from the day sink into him. “I just... I can’t imagine. She’s... got questionable motifs, no doubt, but... when I spoke to Younghoon today, I... He made me promise to protect her and be patient with her, and now I see exactly why.”

He pauses and looks at the cracking fire. 

“Everyone wants everything she has, and she knows that herself.”

Jang Won yawns and crawls into bed, stretching her neck from left to right as she tightens silk night gown around her waist. She fiddles with the ring on her left hand, diamond sparkling under the amber lights of her room. 

Memory sends her back to earlier that day - to when Juyeon pulled her out of that sickening interaction with misogynist Mr Teuk, only to call her a hypocrite in her own office. 

She harshly exhales, pulling out the ring and placing it by the nightstand. Her feet shuffles under the sheets, cool and heavy and all she wants to do is to slip into forever. If only.

But a gentle knock ensues on her door, and she groans in frustration, shutting her eyes to regulate her lack of sleep.

“What is it?”

“Miss Kim, there’s a call for you, and I’m afraid you’ll have to entertain it.”

She rams her face into her pillow when she recognises Mr Ro’s calmness. She’ll never yell at him for anything in the world. 

“Can’t it wait till morning?”

“Uh, well... I’m afraid not, Miss Kim. It’s your husband.”

“Oh- my God!” She screams into her pillow, refusing to leave her bed even more now. “What is it that’s so fucking urgent?!”

The door finally clicks open and Mr Ro kindly pokes his head in, eyes furrowing at the lady of the house huddled into the thick sheets of her bed. She turns subtly, enough for one of her eyes to see Mr Ro’s head through the gap of the door.

“He, um, ran away from home. He’d like to stay for the night... or rather, until you leave for your honeymoon next week.”

Jang Won frowns, neurons in her head struggling to fit themselves together. She sits up. “What? Juyeon... ran away from home?”

He nods enough for her to see, and a strange sense of protection wells her stomach. 

“Give me the phone,” She stretches out her palm and beckons Mr Ro over to her bed. The butler was already dressed in his own pajamas, so she can’t help but smile softly at how cute he looked. 

And yet, she displays the magic of a 180 degree change as she presses the phone to her ear, “What the FUCK is wrong with you?! Do you have any FUCKING idea how late it is?!”

“Oh!” Mr Ro anxiously waves his hands at her. “It’s Mr Kim Sunwoo on the line, Jang Won!”

Her eyes widen, and she winces into the phone, taking a pillow to gently whack Mr Ro. 

“Yeah, hear that, Juyeon? Do you have any idea what time it is now? Anyway, hi. It’s Kim Sunwoo, in case your butler hasn’t told you.”

“Right, right, sorry about that.”

“Don’t be sorry about that, just come and take your husband back to Hera’s Manor. He’s homeless and I can’t risk him being seen here. He drove his car here.”

“What? Isn’t his car bugged with a tracking device?”

“He ripped it out, but the whole press knows his car plate number so if he’s spotted here, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to answer why there’s a man involved in your marriage.”

Jang Won huffs with irritation. “Fine. I’ll send someone over to drive him back to Hera’s Manor. Why’s he homeless now anyway?”

Sunwoo laughs dryly over the phone. “His parents. What else?”

Jang Won twists the receiver away from her mouth and turns to Mr Ro. “Is the second master or the other guest room made up?”

“The second master is being used to house your clothes and items for your honeymoon, and the other guestroom is currently being used by your father.”

“What? My father? What the fuck’s he doing in the-”

“Uh, would you like a word with him? Maybe you could snap him out of his nonsensical act right now that’s putting him and you in various difficult situations.”

“Ugh, get someone to watch my father in the second guest room! We’ll clear him out tomorrow, and send someone down to Kim Sunwoo’s residence now! I want Lee Juyeon in Hera’s Manor in 30!” She twists the phone back so the receiver is at her mouth. “Get him on the phone. I’ll scream his ear off.”

“He says he’ll explain when he gets there- hey, give that back- wha-” 

BEEP

Jang Won removes the phone from her ear just as Mr Ro shuts the door behind him. Rubbing her temples to cure the headache that’s forming in her skull, she reminds herself that her newly wed husband cannot be brutally murdered the night of her wedding. 

“My God,” She huffs exasperatedly, side-eyeing Mr Ro. “Men.”

“Shall I call someone down to drive you there or-”

“No, just send a guard to tail my car but you just stay home and clear the second guest room.”

“Your father won’t be able to clear it out by the time Mr Lee is here, Jang Won.”

She halts in the midst of throwing on full-length coat. “Are you telling me that I might need to share this bed-”

“Possibly, yes.”

The groan that escapes her throat is loud, annoying and absolutely a bomb of a ruin to the rest of her night. “Fine. But get me a bolster. I don’t want him anywhere near 30 centimeters of me.”

Jang Won can’t exactly remember the last time she’s got her fingers around the steering wheel, but she sure as Hell felt the freedom when she didn’t have to worry about telling the chauffeur where she was headed off to. 

The Mercedes tailing her car was driven by one of Hera’s Manor’s bodyguards, and so she makes sure to stay a good distance away from it since the press is also aware of her car plate number.

She parks her Audi right next to the Porsche, and the Manor’s Mercedes almost at the entrance where it leads up to the fountain and the roundabout. There’s no hesitation in slamming the door and almost running her entire fist through the door (if she could) to make her presence known.

“ROOM FUCKING SERVICE FOR MR LEE JUYEON. GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!”

Almost immediately, she can hear someone shuffling for the door, and it swings open to reveal Kim Sunwoo, a distant member of The Board. Peering over Sunwoo’s shoulder, she can see the reluctance dripping off her husband as he peels himself off the sofa, still in his clothes he had left in. 

“You went home and didn’t bother to take a shower?” She sneers, but Juyeon cannot give two damns about her attitude right now. He finally reaches the party at the front door, noticing the Manor’s bodyguard driving the Mercedes up to meet the other cars. 

“I went home and got blasted with the suggestion of having a child with you, how’s that for a reason not to shower?” He frowns, trudging past her for the Porsche. 

Jang Won watches his back head down the steps, getting into his own car and prepare himself at the wheel with a look of contempt in his eyes. She turns to thank Sunwoo with a mere nod, before heading down the steps herself and getting into the Porsche. The plan was to have the Manor’s Mercedes left at Kim’s Residence while her bodyguard drove her Audi, and she would be in the Porsche with Juyeon - all this to prevent any sort of complications if they were to be spotted by the press. 

The urge to scream at him for possibly ruining the perfect plan she had in store to debunk all the shit’s that gone down with her father has, surprisingly, diminished. Jang Won cannot decide what she’s more taken aback by - the fact that Juyeon left home because she had been unreasonably brought into discussion, or that he got scared by the thought of spending the rest of his life caring for a child with her. 

Of course, being the skeptical person she is, she chooses to believe the second option more than the first.

“Is the idea of having a child with me so horrible that you had to leave home?”

“A child should not be brought into the picture when we don’t even care about each other,” The weight in his voice kind of hurts her pride. He checks the side mirror as he turns around the corner. “Neither of us had a choice to be where we are today so... let’s not implicate any other prospective beings that might suffer from our decisions. I don’t want to be my parents and I’m sure as Hell you don’t want to be like your father.”

Juyeon checks the rear mirror, making sure that her bodyguard was tailing them in the Audi. It’s strange, to have some peace and quiet in the car as the whir of the air-conditioning hums through the vehicle. She’s looking out the passenger’s window and seeing everything outside as they drive past.

“Haven’t been to this neighbourhood before, have you?” 

She shakes her head, not bothering to turn to him. “No. I’ve only been hanging around the Manor and the Meridian Streets where you stay.”

A pause.

“Sunwoo’s grandfather was the first of his family to secure membership in The Board, that’s why the disparity.”

Jang Won’s eyes dart to Juyeon and tries to side-eye him, but he remains out of her view and she returns to the world outside. “He’s a new-blood?”

“Three-generations new,” Juyeon nods. “Haven’t met one, have you?”

“No. I grew up with people whose great-great-grandparents lived in the Joseon dynasty.”

“That would’ve been a fun time to be alive.”

“Only if you wanted to be executed for being a politician.”

Juyeon exhales through his nose.

Jang Won lets the atmosphere settle, feeling the gentle night seep into her after a long day. She wonders about Juyeon’s perception of her as a person, after everything’s been happening. 

“How did you meet Kim Sunwoo?”

“We went to the same high-school. I was two years his senior and we were in the same club, and by then, my parents had already begun to teach me the likings of The Board and even gave me a booklet with all the families who were involved with it. I remembered Sunwoo’s family being indicated near the back of the book because they were new-bloods, and from then, I remembered his face.”

“Wouldn’t you have been worried he’d use you to shift up the food chain?”

“Not everybody is as venomous as the ones we know. Sunwoo had no idea I was from the Lee family. Once, we were shooting hoops till late and his father had come to get him... and then Sunwoo had to watch his father bow to another student... and I could tell he hated it, and then he was almost as shocked as I was, but for completely different reasons.”

Jang Won doesn’t even notice she’s staring at Juyeon until he turns to her, looking straight at her in her eyes. The car stops at a red light, now just a few streets away from Hera’s Manor. He turns away first.

“And I had to watch him bow to me too, just because his father told him to... and it felt like shit,” Juyeon’s eyes are glimmering the shade of red from the traffic light as he looks ahead. His face reflected the amber hues of the street lamps and other stray vehicles still on the road. “I wanted a friend, but his father was treating me like something they shouldn’t even be talking to.”

“It has always been like that. The way The Board works... it’s a hierarchy within another and when you’re a new-blood...”

“Yeah. I know,” Juyeon sighs as he lifts the brakes. “Part of me wishes we weren’t born into this shitshow.”

A mirror. That’s what he is. Stand right opposite Younghoon and he’s nothing but someone who wishes the same - to be free from all the golden chains. 

[saiilorstars]

It Had To Be You

Ch.29: Fighting Till End //

Story Masterlist // Sequel!!

Fandom: The Flash

Pairings: Barry Allen x Female OC

Pronunciation of OC’s name: Bell-en. The last syllable has an emphasis so it’s not pronounced like ‘Helen’ would be.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter Summary: It's time for the final fight against Thawne and for Belén to decide what to do with her rogue siblings. The ending promises to leave heartbreaks.

Maritza's eyes followed her sister's constant pacing in front of her. She was sitting in side her prison pod of the pipeline. Belén was tired of crying, was tired of it all, and she just didn't know what more Maritza could throw at her by this point. Her head hurt, but she didn't know if that was because of the problems or if it was because of fact her brother had literally messed with the insides of her body only a couple hours ago.

"Belén, you're making me dizzy, just shout at me or something," Maritza wearily said.

Belén stopped and looked at her. "You think I have things to say? Maritza I have no idea how to even talk to you anymore!"

"I'm your sister-"

"No," Belén shouted so loud that Maritza flinched, "You are not my sister. My sister-" she pointed at herself, "-would have never hurt so many people and do what she did. She would have never left her own son!" Maritza actually flinched at how loud Belén was shouting. "YOU LEFT HIM, MARITZA! He has no idea what his mother has been up to!"

"I know what I did, I am not denying it--"

"Oh goodie, your redemption is on track--"

"It's not redemption!" Maritza exclaimed. She sighed, giving a light shake of her head. "I didn't turn things around because I felt like it. I'll admit Barry's words did kind of help me make the turn but...I've been lost for a while now. I've been...confused."

"But that didn't stop you from threatening me? Hurting me and my friends? Maritza, what the hell!?"

Belén stared hard at her sister with an incredulous expression. "It's funny. You don't even realize that there should have never been a moment for you to 'turn it around' because there shouldn't have been a moment where you decided to turn into...this," she made a gesture to Maritza's current predicament.

"I was not born this way," Maritza gritted her teeth together, her eyes falling to the side. "Wells made me like this. He made us all this way. He killed Chris, Belén-" her eyes began to tear, "-my husband. I lost him that night. And then he went and infected us all with these powers. He killed our dad, Belén. He took our family away."

Belén acknowledged the losses they had to suffer, but she would not allow her sister to dump all the responsibility on someone else. "Wells took a lot from many people, but the one thing he is not responsible for is how you decided to use your powers. Look at me, Mar, look at me with my uncontrollable powers. I don't blame anyone else for them. It's on me that I haven't learned to control them, not anyone else."

"You are far stronger than me and Rayan," Maritza said with a hint of pride. "You turned yourself into a hero. You pushed through and look where you are…"

Belén scoffed. "Oh yeah, I'm Queen of the world. My dad's dead, my sister and brother are rogues, and my mom is clueless about it. Oh yeah, I'm the luckiest person in the world." She waited a moment before she could speak again without shouting. They'd effortlessly put Maritza into the pipeline, a safe distance away from Thawne, and given Belén a while to cool down before she could go and talk to Maritza. "Why did you leave us, Maritza?" she finally asked the question that'd been burning in Belén's head. "I mean...were you just that big of a coward, or...?"

Maritza took the sting of her sister's words in silence. She balled her fist and brought it up against the pod's glass wall. "I needed to know where I was in regards to you and Rayan." Belén scoffed, clearly discarding that answer as garbage. "Barry gave me an ultimatum and I realized I didn't know what side I was on anymore. I love you and Rayan-"

"-no," Belén wagged a finger, almost laughing at the absurdity she heard. "If you really love me, then you wouldn't have done everything you did. And if you really loved Rayan, then you wouldn't have let him get away with all that he's done."

"Rayan is just as troubled as I am, Belén! He was kidnapped for his powers and was forced to do dirty work for a group of thieves!"

"Yeah, and as painful as I know that was for him, it still gave him no excuse to turn evil," Belén clapped her hands together. "I get he had to...kill...to survive, as hard as that sounds to me, but the moment he was free he could have come back."

"And do what?" Maritza challenged. "Go to the cops and tell them everything? He would've gone to jail--"

"HE'S GOING TO JAIL NOW!" Belén once again screamed. "At least back then he could have argued self deference! But now? Now what's he going to say? 'Sorry guys, I decided to steal and hurt people because of my troubled past'?"

"He is dying!" Maritza snapped, startling Belén into silence for a moment. "Those powers that gave you the gift of being a hero is the same thing that's going to kill our brother."

"You're lying," Belén frowned. "You'd say anything to be let out--"

"I'm not interested in being set free. I wouldn't have given myself up - I wouldn't have returned if I cared of being free. But that's one of the reasons why I came back, because I knew Rayan was going to get worse and do something stupid like he did earlier."

"What's wrong with him?" Belén crossed her arms, not entirely keen on believing Maritza but she would like to believe that Maritza wasn't that cynical to lie about something so big.

"I don't know, but if I had to guess it's the telekinesis that's messing with his head. For some time now he's been having more headaches, he's been getting tired more easily. His powers, on the other hand, are developing fast now. But when he uses them for long periods of time, or gets stressed or..." Maritza sighed, "...or when things get too tough, blood comes out of his nose."

Belén remembered what Caitlin had mentioned after being brought back into the building. Rayan had blood oozing from his nose and eyes. Oh my God, he's dying. Belén shuddered a breath. "Well, if it's the truth then he needs to be here so that we can help him."

"He's not coming here, Belén," Maritza said, hoping Belén knew this already.

Belén did, but she just didn't care. "I'm sorry but since he's evil, he doesn't exactly get a pick in medical help, does he?"

"You're being unfair, Belén," Maritza said quietly though Belén heard just fine.

"I'm being unfair? Are you serious?" Belén didn't know whether to laugh because of how ridiculous this was, or cry out of pure frustration. "I thought I could do this-" she gestured to their conversation, "-but maybe I'm not quite ready cos I still want to fight you." She headed for the control panel, deciding to continue this later when she had cooled down (again).

"Belén I know I messed up-" Maritza winced when Belén bitterly laughed but she kept going before Belén could close the pipeline, "-but I do love you and our brother, and I love my son, so please just take care of Axel for me."

"Believe me, Axel won't know any of this until he's 30," Belén spat and pushed the button to seal the pipeline. "If he's lucky."

She turned on her heels and stormed out of the pipeline. She wasn't fazed seeing Barry in the hallway near the pipeline entrance. "Your turn!" she spat, jerking a thumb over her shoulder to indicate he could talk to Thawne now.

Barry winced but decided - for safety reasons - not to say anything. He honestly could not remember her ever getting that angry, but he couldn't argue it. He felt the same rage towards Thawne.

~ 0 ~

In the cortex room, the group, with Ronnie and professor Stein, were discussing the great dilemma Wells had presented to Barry.

"The rare opportunity to go back in time and right a wrong and save your mother's life... quite the paradox Harrison has presented you with, Mr. Allen." Professor Stein truly had no words to even advise Barry what to decide on.

Caitlin, on the other hand, seemed pretty clear on what she would decide if it had been her decision to make. "The chance to be with someone you love? Seems pretty cut and dry to me."

"At first blush, Dr. Snow, it would appear so, but this gift has unparalleled risk," Stein said to her. "Barry, the night your mother died, the night you saved yourself from being killed, that event altered the timeline you were already on and changed the course of history."

"So what you're saying is we're living in a parallel universe?" Cisco tried wrapping his mind around that idea considering they were living in a third parallel universe due to the fact Barry had already altered the original parallel universe.

"Just like when I time traveled before," Barry seemed to be thinking of the same thing.

"But he... he only changed one day that time," Joe said incredulously.

"Exactly. Now imagine 15 years of compounded experiences," Stein tried making his point. "One different decision, no matter how big or small, impacts everything that follows. Moments upon moments, choices upon choices. No relationships, nothing would be as it is today, and you'd never know the difference because you'd never remember any of it."

"So if I go back and save my mom, my dad doesn't go to prison. I never live with Joe and Iris…" Barry began to make the connections.

"You might never meet me. Or Caitlin or Ronnie," Cisco added and debated whether or not he should add the third and probably the most valuable person.

Bells. Barry had to wonder if this time change would alter the day he met Belén through Iris. Because if he never lived with Iris and Joe, then it meant that there was a chance that he wouldn't end up being that close to Iris enough to meet some of her friends. He would have liked to have Belén around so that she would at least be in the know right now, but she'd gone straight home to see Axel. No one blamed her, of course.

Still, the next person Barry needed to see was his father.

~0~

Barry decided to have a talk with his dad in hopes of getting some needed advice seeing as everyone else seemed to vary in their stances. Joe said yes, Caitlin said yes, but Cisco was an adamant no. Stein was unsure and Ronnie couldn't pick a side either. Barry was so incredibly lost.

"Dad, look. I know this sounds crazy…" Barry spoke up since Henry couldn't seem to respond after being told the opportunity that Barry was getting.

"I think we're way past crazy, slugger. Look, you're fast, I get it. But turning back time…?" Henry thought perhaps this was just another trick that could hurt Barry.

"No, I wouldn't be turning time back. I would be... going back to that night to save her."

"And what does Joe think about all this?"

"He thinks I should do it."

Henry thought for a moment, his face becoming serious when he decided, "No. You can't."

Barry gave him an incredulous stare. "Dad...I can make it so that night will never have happened," he repeated in simpler terms in case his father hadn't grasped the concept yet. "We'll be a family again."

But Henry understood perfectly what it would entail. "We are a family."

"Not like this," Barry shook his head. "Not without Mom."

"Barry, there's a natural order to things, okay? Things happen the way they do. We may not know why at the time, but there must always be a reason. Now, I believe that. I've had to believe it."

Barry couldn't understand what his father was thinking in telling him all this. He was making the decision a lot harder than it should be. "I... I can save Mom."

"At what cost?" Henry challenged, hoping Barry would see what this significant change would do to his life. "You said time would change. What if it changes you?"

"I don't care!"

"I do," Henry frowned. "I am in awe of the remarkable man that you are becoming... all the things you've achieved, and not just as the Flash, but you, Barry. Your honesty. Your heart. You were always a hero. And your mom would be just as proud. And if she had a say in this, if she thought for one second that you going back to save her would mean you losing what makes you so special, she would never want that. Barry, what I hope for you, maybe the greatest thing that a father can hope for his son is that one day, you will become a father yourself. And then you will know...how much I truly love you."

Barry was in tears by the time his father finished talking. He'd come in searching for support but he was going to be leaving with far more confusion.

~0~

It was getting darker as the sun began to set in the sky's horizon. Belén sat silently on a park bench, facing the usual fountain she'd become fond of in the last year. She could see Axel playing at a distance, the little boy was happier than ever just like he usually was when he got the chance to go to the park and play. Meanwhile, Belén had spent the day thinking and thinking of her siblings. Her brother was dying. Her sister was going away forever. She was going to have to become a pseudo-mother to a four year old who didn't know he was about to lose his mother to prison.

What had her life become?

Belén shook her head at her silent question and made to get up when she saw Barry walking towards her. She felt a newsense of awful knowing that she'd basically deserted him when he probably needed her.

"Gotta thank Cisco for hacking your cellphone GPS," he admitted as he took a seat beside her.

"Sounds creepy, Mr. Allen," Belén side-glanced him with a small smile. "But I'll let it go on account of you being cute."

Barry smiled briefly then looked ahead, spying Axel trying to dip a hand into the fountain.

"Axel, don't you dare!" Belén's sudden call startled the boy away from the fountain. He grinned at them then ran away. "I haven't told him anything," Belén said quietly as if Axel would overhear. "I told Maritza I wouldn't tell him anything until he was 30...but now I wonder if I'm being just as bad as Maritza."

"Believe me, you could never be as...bad as Maritza," Barry felt bad for saying it out loud but Belén didn't seem so upset by it. Still, Belén didn't say anything. There was a mutual silence between them filled with pain and rage.

"You okay?" they both ended up asking each other at the same time.

"Of course," Belén lightly chuckled, but she sniffed a little louder than intended. "What did he say? Thawne? When you went to talk to Thawne, what crappy excuse did he have for everything he's done?" She thought listening to him could maybe give her the courage to talk about what Maritza had told her of Rayan.

"Oh, you know, the same old same old: he hated me so he thought by wiping me from existence we would be even," Barry tried to be nonchalant about it but of course it was an impossible thing to do. "Except I beat him so he decided to get back by killing my mother."

"Barry, I'm so sorry," Belén rubbed her hand against his arm. She didn't think she could talk about her siblings now, it felt so...irrelevant now. "He deserves to rot in prison."

"That's the thing, um..." Barry straightened on the bench, "He's...giving me the opportunity to go back in time to save my Mom. If I do that, then none of this ever happens. You don't get powers, you don't lose your dad, you don't send your sister to jail and you never have to go in search of your twin because he will never go missing."

"But we…"

Barry nodded at the question he assumed she was asking. "We run the risk of never meeting each other." Belén's eyes drifted to the side in thought. Barry sighed and scooted closer to her. "I need to know what you think."

Belén looked down at her lap, hiding her terrible fear. Of course she didn't want to lose him completely. But what was she supposed to say? 'No, Barry, I don't want you to go save your Mom because I am a selfish woman.'

"Belén, please say something," Barry begged, reaching for her hand. He gently tugged on it, making her look up. "I am so lost. It's the biggest decision of my life, and if I'm wrong, I can't undo it. So please, talk to me, tell me something."

"I don't know," Belén whispered. "I mean...I have my mom, and I had my dad. I don't know what it's like growing up without either. I can't imagine what you had to go through. All I know is that every single decision you have ever made is to get the culprit of your mother's murder. I don't know," she lightly smiled and looked away, "Maybe if you save your Mom you'd have your freedom. You'd get to see your mom again, your dad, have a great career in whatever you want, even get married."

"We don't know that that's going to happen…" Barry reminded. "We may not meet…"

"Or maybe we would," Belén offered a different view. "Maybe we meet somewhere else, somewhere new and we...still end up together."

"Do you believe that?" Barry asked, looking at her with a curious look.

"You once said that you believed that you would've fallen for me whether or not I had stayed with Cisco," Belén reminded, her smile infecting Barry to give his own. "So the question now is, do you believe that we would meet each other in another world?"

Barry considered the question truthfully. He stared at her waiting face, genuinely taking her entire self in. He liked her so much, he loved everything about her. From the very first time he met her, there was something...adorable about her. Her long rambling and shyness was something he would always love about her; the way she would suddenly lose all that shyness when she talked about something she truly loved. Barry thought he could never truly forget her embarrassed laughter when she felt like she didn't understand his or everyone else's scientific explanations.

"Yes," he finally said after what seemed like hours for Belén who had to endure his long stare. "I do think we would meet regardless. I can't imagine it any other way."

"Okay," Belén nodded. "So then set that aside, and do what you think you need to do. Because this isn't really about us, it's about you being happy. You always think of everyone else...so maybe this time, do what's in your heart. Do what you need to do for yourself."

Barry nodded his head, thankful for her words. Belén wrapped her arm around his and snuggled to his side.

"Do you plan on talking to Maritza again?" Barry asked after a couple minutes of silence.

"I don't know," Belén admitted. "If you do go back in time, I don't want to give her the luxury of knowing her mistakes will be forgotten." She stayed quiet again while she thought of the way she was talking about Maritza. "I've been so sad since Maritza left and now that I have her here...I'm just so angry. I don't know if I can talk to her tonight."

"Talk to her tomorrow, then," Barry suggested. Perhaps with some sleep and some more time to think she would figure out a way to stay calm while she...'discussed' with her sister.

But, Belén thought about it and she honestly believed it would have to be months before she could have a conversation with Maritza without shouts. A whole year of fighting, lies and secrets could not be forgiven in one day.

There was just one thing they could do together at this point. And that was only because Maritza knew more about it.

~0~

It was incredibly early the next day when Belén returned to STAR Labs. In her suit, she strode into the pipeline with purpose and opened the pipeline up.

"I thought it'd be longer until you decided to talk to me," Maritza admitted, and she honestly wasn't that wrong.

"I'm doing it for Rayan. Because I don't want him to die," Belén walked over to the control panel again and further surprised Maritza by opening her pod.

Maritza's eyes widened but she didn't dare step out. Belén, on the other hand, merely turned for the hallway. "Hurry up!" she spat.

"Where are we going!?" Maritza called, only taking the necessary step to get out of the pod.

"We're bringing in Rayan, what else?" Belén stopped under the threshold and glanced back at her sister. "He needs to be brought in so Caitlin can look at him."

"What - we're going to force him to come?" Maritza rushed after her younger sister.

"It's either that or he dies," Belén led the way down the hallway. One could say it was pointless going on a mission to bring Rayan back when Barry was going to reset the timeline, but Belén didn't care. She couldn't leave her brother to die on his own, not when there was still something they could do to help him. "You know where he is, don't you?" Maritza didn't say anything as they stepped into the elevator. Belén side-glanced her with narrowed eyes. "I'm not asking again."

"You're not going to like what you'll find," Maritza warned. "Rayan...Rayan isn't himself anymore-"

Belén scoffed. "Yes, I think I got that from our last fight. Luckily, I'm over it. I'm bringing him in no matter what."

"Without telling the others?"

"This is my thing to deal with," Belén looked at her sister again, "It's our family issue. But if you try to escape, I won't hesitate to fight you this time."

Maritza gave a nod. She wasn't thinking of going anywhere anyways.

~0~

After deciding to go through with changing the time line, Barry had to give each of his friends some task to do in order for things to go the right way. The most particularly difficult task was to create a time machine using the plans Wells had given them. Barry led both Cisco and Ronnie into the working room full of different parts that would hopefully put together a time machine.

"So, if Wells is as fast as you, what's he need a time machine for?" Ronnie made a face that expressed how ridiculous he thought the idea was.

"Apparently he lost his speed when he killed my mom," Barry explained. "He gets it back sometimes but only in spurts. He can't fully control it."

"So I was right about the wheelchair," Cisco beamed. "He was using it to charge himself."

"So after I open the wormhole, he's gonna need the ship to travel back to the future. He's been squirreling away the parts. Now we just need to put it together." Barry gestured to one of the tables holding several of the plans and leftover pieces for them to work on.

Ronnie moved over to study it for a moment. He picked up one of the metal clamps lying there.

"Ronnie, I love you, but this is a time machine, not a bookcase from IKEA," Cisco said as Ronnie turned over the clamps.

Ronnie ignored him and shook his head. "We got a problem. These tiles... they're made of tungsten."

"Well, tungsten does have the highest melting point of any other element…"

"Yeah, but the dust it generates is flammable. The pressure exerted from the wormhole…"

Cisco finally understood the problem. "Yeah. Yeah. It could cause a hole to be melted into the exterior. It could explode."

Barry looked from one man to the next. "Any ideas?"

Cisco shook his head but purposely started out of the room. "Let me ask Dr. Evil. Which used to be a name that made me smile."

As he went out, Caitlin came running in. "Guys!" she exclaimed, looking pretty worried. "We have a problem - Maritza's gone!"

"What?" Barry frowned and moved over to meet her halfway.

"I was coming in to give her the usual breakfast like Wells but she wasn't there," Caitlin explained. "I already checked the security feed and, well…"

"What?" Barry lowered his head at the woman, partially knowing what could have happened.

Caitlin sighed. "Belén let her go. And not just that, but she took her suit too. I don't understand where they were going."

Barry only had to think a little to realize what Belén was intending. "They're going to find Rayan."

"Woah, woah, you mean psycho brother with the power to turn someone's insides out?" Cisco crazily looked between the group. "Why the hell would she want to do that?" But of course the moment he asked, he knew. "Yeah, sorry. But she can't go after Rayan on her own."

"That's probably why she took Maritza," Caitlin bit her lower lip. "But who's to say Maritza won't double-cross Bells?"

"We need to find her, now," Barry specifically looked at Cisco for that one. "Her suit's tracker is still on, right?"

"Should be," Cisco led the way into the hallway with a speedy haste.

~ 0 ~

"Why did you decide to come back?" Belén got the courage to ask midway through their trip to find Rayan. Maritza was leading the way across rooftops since neither sister wanted attention from civilian.

"I told you, I knew Rayan was going to get worse," Maritza stopped at the edge of a rooftop and put her hands together, shooting her purple mass to the next rooftop to create a makeshift bridge.

"Is that the only reason why you came back?"

"My son, of course," Maritza stepped down the edge. "I missed him. But I knew the moment that I decided to go I'd lost him."

"Where'd you go, anyways? We searched for you everywhere and you didn't show up!"

"I knew you guys had the technology to find me so I stayed in a shady part of the city. Believe me, no one messes with Plasticine there," Maritza gestued for Belén to walk across the bridge she'd made.

"What exactly are your powers made from?" Belén asked the burning question Cisco had always wondered about since they learned about Plasticine's existence.

"At my guess, play-doh," Maritza said, sounding unimpressed with her abilities. "I was working on a craft for my students when the Particle Accelerator went off, so..."

"Makes sense," Belén let her vines start crawling over her body. "But I don't need you." She disbanded into vines and disappeared through the walls.

Maritza watched - rather awed - her sister re-appear in the next rooftop like nothing. "Alright," she muttered and hopped along her makeshift bridge. Belén was already getting a head start for the next rooftop. "Belén, wait!"

"What?" Belén stopped and turned sideways.

"I get your mad, but I need to know things are going to be okay afterwards...with Axel."

Belén wanted to stay angry but if it concerned her nephew...then she couldn't, could she? With a sigh, she fully turned around. "Axel will be fine, Maritza. It's not like I'm going to turn him over to a foster care."

"You're the only one who knows him besides me and Chris. You will look after him, right? Tuck him in...take him to school..."

"And give him his chocolate milk before and after he wakes up," Belén smiled only a little. Maritza nodded silently. "I love that little boy, Maritza. I'm not leaving him alone."

"And he loves you. You're his favorite auntie," Maritza swallowed hard then. "I don't want him to visit me in...wherever I go. I don't want him to visit me. You were right, he'll be really lucky if he never knows what happened to me."

Belén opened her mouth several times without words coming. "No...well..." she sighed. "I don't really know what would be better, honestly." She turned her back on Maritza and continued on. "Let's go."

~0~

Maritza unlocked the 20th marked warehouse and allowed her sister to go in first. Belén cautiously stepped inside and immediately saw sophisticated contraptions inside, along with countable priceless objects. She raised an eyebrow and looked at Maritza for an explanation.

"Pixel had her obsessions with jewelry," Maritza spoke quietly as she followed Belén in. "She was deranged."

"Kinda got that before you, um..." Belén trailed off when she realized they hadn't exactly talked about the fact Maritza killed Pixel. She knew her sister had already killed before, but that was before they knew who Plasticine was.

"I shot her, Belén," Maritza said for Belén. "I don't regret it."

"Not even a little bit?" Belén poked despite her own thoughts against Pixel. "I mean...we did have plans to lock her away too."

"Believe me, she would have escaped eventually. Only way to stop her was to kill her," Maritza's tone left no room for arguments. In that moment, Belén wondered how far Maritza had to have gone to be alright with murder.

"You're back," the two sisters heard from a distance. Rayan had appeared across them. His eyes narrowed on his sisters, no hint of warmth in either of them. "Traitors."

"Oh God, Rayan, you look bad," Maritza tried walking towards him but Rayan flung a hand to chuck a piece of metal. Maritza barely had time to duck and avoid being hit.

"Don't act like you care. Neither of you do."

"That's not true," Belén made her own attempt but was smarter and only took a couple steps forwards. "I know that you're sick but my friends can help you."

Rayan scoffed loudly. "Really? The same friends who want to lock me away? The same ones who told you it was better for me to be locked away? Or did you come up with that all by yourself?"

"You don't get to play victim, Rayan," Belén said cautiously. Up close she could see the hazy look in her brother's eyes. He wasn't quite there anymore. "You really don't."

"And you don't get to play hero," Rayan balled his fists and flung them to the side. Belén felt the intangible force slam her body against a crate, which then shattered around her.

Belén could feel some splinters on her arms - as well as some bruises that would be forming later on - but she pushed herself up. "You're sick, and you need help. I don't want you to die."

"No, you just don't want to see me be me," Rayan smirked. The same wooden pieces from the crate now raised in the air to stab. They slammed down but Belén rolled out of the way in time. This time she cast a glare at Rayan and whipped a vine-lasso his way, hitting him across the chest.

Rayan groaned but chuckled on the floor. "You're not so against fighting anymore."

"You never were," Belén spat. She briefly looked at Maritza who, to her credit, did look guilty. "You were my brother, my big sister, and you two didn't think twice in hurting me. Why should I have the same consideration now?"

Rayan sat up with a hand on his chest. "You're mad. That's the way to become like us."

Belén knew that game all too well. He was taunting her, and despite her restraints she was falling for it. Yes, she angry. She was so angry with her family - with her life - and that was taking its final toll on her. Her skin started turning into an emerald green, light scales forming right after.

"Belén!" Maritza called just before she saw her two siblings charge against each other.

Belén swung first at Rayan, getting him across the face. As Rayan stumbled back, he managed to pull up a loose pipe from above and shoot it down on her. Belén put her hands together above her head, creating a net of vines to catch said pipe which then crushed it. Frustrated, Rayan decided to punch but Belén was a little more skilled in hand-to-hand thanks to her training. She ducked and went with a side kick to knock her brother down.

Rayan took the blow hard but he came back stronger. Hurt and frustrated, he balled his fists just as Belén was coming again. She gasped upon feeling the same painful blow inside her body. Her eyes widened as she fell to her knees.

With a smirk, Rayan got back on his feet and towered over Belén. "For all the training you do with your Flash, it's useless against my power. I could kill you right here and now. Beat you to it."

"I...wasn't...going to - I wasn't going to kill you," Belén felt her throat tighter and wondered how the hell he'd managed to figure that trick out. "I'm angry Rayan, don't you get it? I'm sad. You and Maritza - you just left me."

"We asked you to join-"

"-YOU WANTED TO HURT ME!" Belén managed to scream. She cast a glance at Maritza who, up until now, could only watch the horror of their family's downfall. "You and Maritza just wanted me because I had powers. You wouldn't have looked twice if I'd stayed normal. That's why you wanted me to think you were dead in the beginning, right? Because I was useless."

"That's not true," Maritza slowly said, but there was a noticeable weakness in her tone.

"I wasn't useful to you guys," Belén wished she could clear the tears falling on her cheeks, but her hands were locked on her sides. "You didn't care until you found out I had powers. That's when you started coming for me. And when I didn't like your plan, you didn't hesitate to start attacking me, my friends. That's not family."

"You're not my family anymore," Rayan glowered.

"I'm not," Belén agreed. The green patches on her face got darker and her eyes glowed that magenta color of its mother flower. Rayan barely had time to think before he saw the twisting vines growing from Belén's back, forming one thick lasso which then banished him to the other end of the room.

Rayan's body crashed into several more crates, breaking whatever Pixel had stored around there. Belén got up, coughing while her insides re-organized to their proper places. Rayan started fighting against the debris over his body, flinging them to the sides as quick as possible. Belén's vines started swiping everything off the tables, crates before knocking them to the sides as well.

Rayan forced himself to stand and face his advancing sister who was intending on destroying everything inside. Once more he attempted the same body crushing trick, and though Belén fell with a scream her vines kept coming for him. He squeezed his hands to the point of turning them white, letting his twin sister's screams echo throughout the room. "You chose this, Belén!" he said in the midst of her screams.

"Rayan, stop!" Maritza begged. "You're not actually going to kill her, are you!?"

"To save myself? Yeah, I am!" Rayan only flung one hand down to keep Maritza's body down against the floor. "See this powers - while proving to be deadly - are very useful to me."

Belén couldn't stop screaming, not even to breath, which started turning her face purple little by little. Her creeping vines got slower because of her inability to stay focused. Still, things wouldn't end this way. If there was one thing she could still do was release the one thing she couldn't quite completely control. Through her screams, she started letting pink smoke from her mouth. The deadly Azalea poison filled the air fast and once Rayan began to feel it his power dwindled. The moment Belén felt a decent air hit her lungs, she jumped on her feet. Putting her hands together, she swung shards of vines like boomerangs and watched it take Rayan by the neck.

The twin brother's back hit the wall and while he intended on using his powers, Belén acted quicker again. Her vines shot forwards and cocooned him, leaving only necessary holes to breath. Rayan screamed and screamed but nothing could get him out.

Hearing Maritza coughing behind her, Belén realized her poison was still in the air. She prepared to take it all back in - if she could, since she hadn't really practiced that bit - but instead a gust of wind blew it away.

Barry had arrived in time and used his whirlwind trick to clear the air. What he found in sight was not an appealing sight, but it appeared Belén had finally put an end to her siblings' reign of terror.

~ 0 ~

Caitlin emerged from one of the siderooms where the newest residence was being kept in - still unconscious. Though, due to the pipeline being used, Maritza was left in the side room with Rayan. Caitlin walked up to Belén and Barry who were keenly waiting to hear what she had to say.

"What's wrong with him?" Belén quietly asked, her eyes briefly skipping to her sedated brother in the room.

"His powers are extraordinary," Caitlin began with the good part. "When he uses them, he literally uses the intangible energy around us, but...that's a big load."

"What do you mean?" Belén could so far understand the good part, but she wondered how she would do with the bad part.

"He has to use his brain to command this energy, and the more power he uses the more he requires from his brain."

"So controlling another person's body...?"

"Is deadly work," Caitlin finished for Belén. "He has to be in charge of two bodies: his and his victim's. Now if he's controlling more than one person..."

"It's worse, got it," Belén nodded. "So what's the damage?"

"In lamens terms, his body is reacting to all the heavy force he's been doing, primarily his brain. It's shutting down."

"Wha..." Belén seemed startled, and with good reason, even looking at Barry to see if she'd heard right. "Well, is there any way to reverse it?"

"I don't think there is," Caitlin sadly reported, shaking her head. "The process is just too far along to stop it. I mean...the best we could do is induce a coma to halt his brain from completely shutting down. It could heal him in a sense, but...that would be very unlikely."

"But if we do that then it's basically leaving him a vegetable," Barry thought ahead and missed Caitlin's guilty nod.

"Either way, he's not coming back," Caitlin said. "The Rayan that you knew is gone forever. Parts of his brain are already several damaged, like his frontal lobe that controls emotions. There's also his cerebral cortex that's responsible for thinking, reasoning..."

"Everything that would once make Rayan...Rayan," Belén knew enough to know where there was no hope.

"My suggestion is you get him to a hospital and...maybe call your mother," Caitlin felt horrible for leaving the tough decision to Belén, but it wasn't like anyone else could make it but their family.

"Thank you Caitlin," Belén nonetheless said, knowing Caitlin of course tried her best to help. But sometimes, things are too far gone.

"Bells," Barry barely said her name when the ombre-blonde turned on him with a bitter smile.

"I shouldn't have gone after him on my own, I know that," she said what she believed he'd been wanting to say since he got to them earlier. "But he was my family and honestly...I needed to do it."

Barry wasn't even going to argue. He of all people understood those moments where you felt there was only one person who should go out: yourself. So instead, he gave her the biggest hug possible. "I'm sorry," he said with a deep sigh.

"I don't even know how to tell Maritza," Belén admitted, knowing her sister was waiting in the side room to hear what Caitlin said.

"Well, if all goes well, you won't have to," Barry pressed a kiss to her temple.

He thought those would have been words of comfort, but upon further work into their task they discovered a...risk.

A black hole.

"Well, sure, there's a bit of a risk," Wells spoke through the video chat set up through his prison pod. He was looking at the rest of the team in the cortex, all seeming rather put off by his silence on this potential risk.

Stein scoffed incredulously. "I would hardly refer to possibly causing an extinction-level event as "a bit of a risk.""

"Yeah, and your accelerator's been about as reliable as the beater I drove in high school," Joe muttered.

"Let me ask you a question," Wells grew serious. "How many meta-humans... how many dangers... have we faced this year together? Or did you forget that was me fighting alongside each and every one of you? I have been planning this for almost two decades. It will work."

Cisco couldn't believe the man stayed so sure of his work. "And how do we make sure we don't open a black hole in the middle of Central City?"

"So, once the wormhole stabilizes, Barry will have 1 minute and 52 seconds to alter the past and return to this time. If and when he does that, you can close the wormhole, and we can all live happily ever after. Almost two minutes. More than enough time to save Nora."

But Barry had figured out who the real winner would be. "But not enough time to stop you from going home?"

Wells just smirked. "Everything's a choice."

"And what if I'm late?"

"You won't be. I believe in you, Barry. Always have. So I guess the question is, do your friends and family believe in you as much as I do?"

~ 0 ~

"Is that...really our only option?" Maritza was in disbelief after hearing Belén relay what Caitlin told her earlier. She sat beside Rayan's bed and glanced at her brother, despondent over his pending future.

"The process is just too developed," Belén said with her arms crossed, her teary eyes glued to her brother's unconscious form.

"It's my fault," Maritza said after a minute of silence. "Oh my God it's my fault. I-if I had taken him to a doctor or something-"

"-oh please don't do that," Belén leaned against a metal table of equipment. "It's not your fault, and it really does no good for anyone. Rayan chose his path like you chose yours."

"But he's - he's going to die!" Maritza could say she was almost outrage since her younger sister was taking things so quietly.

"We can put him in a coma but we'd have to bring him to a hospital-"

"-he'll be thrown in jail if he wakes up!"

"Maritza, he's going to jail anyways. He hurt a lot of people, orchestrated robberies and murders."

Maritza remained silent for another minute before another thought popped into her head. "What about Mom? Oh my God, she's going to find out-"

"-that you and Rayan are criminals?" Belén finished in a rather sour tone. "Yeah. You can take that one."

"Belén!"

"What!?"

Maritza got up from her stool, and since Caitlin was approaching from the cortex she thought there was about to be another fight - at least Maritza was in meta dampeners.

Belén leaned off the table, levelling her sister's look with a straight one. "What?" she spat, challenging Maritza to have the audacity to be angry with her.

Maritza knew better than that. She deserved every bit of resentment, anger and hatred that Belén had. She dropped back into her chair and watched over Rayan again. "When do I go to prison?"

Belén shifted in her spot. She wasn't going to tell Maritza anything. Was it rude? Evil even? Belén. Didn't. Care.

Caitlin cleared her throat under the threshold. She offered an awkward smile at the sisters before calling Belén to have a word.

"I just told her everything," Belén muttered as the two women walked back into the cortex. "She's taking it as expected."

"So you're not telling her about Barry changing the time line, then?" Caitlin asked.

"Nope. Feel free to judge."

Caitlin only smiled again. "Listen, Belén, I know this is probably the worst time to ask you, but...um...Ronnie asked me to marry him." Belén froze and gave Caitlin a strange look, making the scientist chuckle with embarrassment. "I know, it's a weird timing and technically there's no point but we just thought it would be a nice way to go when the time line changes. We were married."

"No, I get it," Belén said, much to Caitlin's relief. "I think it's sweet."

"Thanks," Caitlin tucked some hair behind her ear. "So, um, it's going to be short - right outside with Stein as our minister - but I would very much like it if you would be like...my maid of honor?" Caitlin scrunched her face after asking, as if expecting a huge negative reaction from Belén.

Instead, the ombre-blonde started smiling so wide one could never guess what she was going through. "Me? Seriously?"

Caitlin nodded her head. "Yeah. I don't have a lot of friends, and I think we're really good friends-"

"-oh definitely," Belén said to make Caitlin feel less nervous. It was rather funny, actually, but Belén would never say. "I would love to, Caitlin."

~0~

The team gathered outside the STAR Labs building where they had an actual green field prettying up the sight. Caitlin approached the group wearing a sleeveless wedding dress...with Belén trying to hold up the dress' tail so that it wouldn't get dirty. Belén had tried to do what she could - with Iris' help - with the short time they were given. Caitlin's hair was curled and pulled to the side with a silver hair clip, and the make up was done by Iris. The bouquet of yellow flowers were gathered up just a block away, and they looked quite pretty if Belén had to say.

Caitlin met Ronnie with the biggest smile possible. Stein took the head of the procession, and after promising that he was indeed legally able to marry them, the ceremony began.

While Stein went on, Belén wrapped her arm around Barry's, smiling genuinely. It was impossible not to think about that stupid article - hence the red cheeks they both sported for a couple minutes.

"I owe you a real ring," Ronnie held up the makeshift silver rings Cisco whipped out for them.

Caitlin couldn't stop herself from smiling. Her face may have hurt later on from it. "I don't need one. I have everything and everyone that I could ever need right here. And...if all the events of the past year have led us to this moment, it was worth it. I love you, Ronnie."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," Stein happily proclaimed.

"Stop telling me what to do," Ronnie jokingly said before kissing his wife.

~ 0 ~

"They're all waiting," Belén stood in the hallway with Barry, just the two of them for a minute before they had to go their ways. "You ready?"

"No," Barry admitted, making them both chuckle together. He sobered first and had a last chance to gaze at his girlfriend before she was wiped from his memories. "I know you're angry, you're upset, about everything that happened to you but I want you to know that out of everything that happened to us...you were the best part of my life. I don't care about my powers. You were, and will always be the best thing that ever happened to me. I am so grateful for meeting you, and I know Iris has a lot of journalist friends that I could've met but...I honestly believe it had to be you."

Belén's eyes filled with tears, bittersweet tears. "It definitely had to be you," she agreed. She reached to cup his face, smiling so sweetly Barry felt like he could have kissed her there for hours.

Barry touched her face with a gloved hand of his. "I'm going to make things better for us. You won't have to say goodbye to your family. You're going to have all of your family, you're going to write and write your articles and dance on the side-" both smiled teary smiles, "-and you're going to be happy. And even if it's not with me...I want you to know that I would be happy nonetheless...even if I can't remember it, okay?"

"Barry," Belen's lip quivered. She swallowed her tears in an attempt to talk again. "I want you to be happy with your parents. I want you to make some really good memories...until we meet again."

"Until we meet again," Barey nodded.

They pressed their lips against each other's for a final, goodbye kiss.

~ 0 ~

Barry bid goodbye to his family and friends down in the pipeline and entered the actual Particle Accelerator on his own. As the others returned to the cortex, he heard professor Stein from the speakers reminding him of the specific time slot Barry had in order to save his mother. He came face to face with Wells who was still in his prison pod.

"Well... you hold both our futures in your hands now, Mr. Allen," Wells smirked. "And I know you can do it. Now... Run... Barry. Run."

Barry sucked in a breath as he turned away from Wells. Once he felt the charge he needed he literally blasted into a run.

From the cortex, the others watched through the security cameras how things were going.

"The accelerator's structural integrity is holding," Ronnie read from one of the computers monitoring the Particle Accelerator. But just as he said those words, there was a violent rumble that swayed them all.

"What was that?" Belén fearfully looked around and saw some of the computers on the wall flicker on and off.

"Is Barry okay?" asked Joe.

"Yeah. He just passed Mach Two," Caitlin said with a mighty surprise.

In the Particle Accelerator, Barry had finally delved into the speed force which turned out to be a like blue vortex. As he ran faster and faster, Barry began to hear voices - voices belonging to his younger self, and Joe? And Iris. She was definitely there.

Along with that, he heard - through his ear pod - Wells speaking to him, explaining what he was seeing. "Barry, what you're seeing is the Speed Force: your past, your present, your future all at once. So you need to focus on where you want to go."

Barry tried to follow the last instructions but was having trouble as different images, all going at light speed, crossed his path. There was a blue-eyed, white haired woman reaching out on one side. A red smoke barely allowed for a second woman's figure to appear, with only a truly scarlet flower on the side of her head to be visible. Next was prison visit to his father. Then he saw a blonde-haired woman in an orange and gold suit followed by...Snart? Yeah, that was Snart.

Before Barry knew it, he had appeared in a darkish room of his old childhood home. He stumbled forwards but caught himself and began to look around hoping to find something to tell him where exactly he was. He heard familiar screams from the other side and hurried for the door blocking his way. Opening it a bit, he saw his mother screaming as she was stuck between his older version's self and Wells' ongoing fight. Barry quickly scanned the room for his younger self and of course found him and Henry on the other side of the living room. Just like that, his younger self was removed from the place and the force knocked out his father. Just as Barry moved to get Nora out, the other version of himself returned and gave a firm shake of his head.

He couldn't save his mother.

Although overwhelmed with the twist, Barry obeyed and forced himself to close the door. He pressed his back to it, for if he remained standing straight he would not be able to hold himself back. He shut his eyes and wished he would stop hearing the screams of his mother, but when silence fell, he wished he hadn't. Hearing nothing then, he pulled himself off the door and opened it. He saw his father was still unconscious and his mother - who had been stabbed once again through the heart - was lying on her side, still mildly conscious.

Barry rushed over and gently laid her on her back. He couldn't believe he was touching her again, he just wished it would've been a different moment. "Hey, it's okay," he said through a shaky voice, "It's okay. You're okay."

Nora spoke through gasps and a terrible pain. "Please. My husband, my son, are they…"

"They're okay. They're both safe. I promise."

Nora shifted a bit and stared at the young man under the red mask in confusion. "Who are you?"

"I'm...I'm the Flash," Barry tried to answer in one go but his own tears were getting the best of him. He knew she only had a couple of minutes, two at the max.

"I don't understand," Nora croaked. Barry saw no point in hiding anymore. If these were going to be the last moments he truly had with his mother he wanted it to be as himself. He pulled back his mask and allowed Nora to see his face. "You look just like my father."

Barry smiled and leaned closer to his mother. "This won't make any sense, but it's me, Mom. It's Barry."

Nora of course didn't understand how it was possible, but as she stared more at him she saw the traces of her eight year old son. "Barry?"

"Your Barry," Barry nodded.

There was a true delight in Nora's face as she accepted he was her son. With shaking hands she reached to cup his face. "Oh, my beautiful boy."

Barry cried at the touch of his mother. "I got a second chance to come back here and...tell you that I'm okay. Dad and I are both okay. And we love you, Mom. I love you."

Nora smiled through her own tears that pooled in her eyes. "Oh, my sweet boy. Bye…" her voice started to fade and her head began to lull. "Good-bye, Barry."

"Mom!? Mom!?" Barry called but she was no longer there. She was gone.

~ 0 ~

While Cisco, Joe and Eddie went down to the pipeline to get Wells out of there, the others remained back in the cortex watching like hawks through the security cameras. So, when they all saw Barry returning through the speedforce and shattering to pieces Wells' time machine, everyone's jaws dropped.

"He's not supposed to do that!" Belén's stomach churned wondering what could cause Barry to have enough time to stop Wells from leaving.

"We have to shut down the wormhole quickly!" Stein had looked at the timer set beside them which now only had around twenty five seconds. Caitlin and Ronnie broke into a dash for the pipeline to get it done.

"What happens now!?" Iris frantically moved closer to the computers to see what was going on down in the particle accelerator.

There they saw the two speedsters going back and forth in a heated fight.

"He's going to get killed!" Belén cried and turned to the corridors. Knowing her sister's plan, Maritza blocked the way immediately. "Get out of my way!"

"He'll kill you too!"

"I don't care!"

"Well I do!"

"That wasn't a problem last month!" Belén frantically screamed, pushing her sister away.

"Ten seconds, hurry!" Stein spoke into the comms. for Caitlin and Ronnie.

"MARITZA!" Belén tried pushing through but Maritza was stronger and kept her back. With green patches forming across her face, Belén swung a vine to knock her sister to the side.

"Three, two, one…" Stein released a heavy breath when he saw the generator had been turned off. "They did it. They cut the generator."

"I'm not letting her go!" Maritza shouted as her sister made a start for the exit.

"But what about Barry?" Iris pushed some of her hair back to see the ongoing fight on the computers.

Wells had slammed Barry into a wall and delivered several punches that left Barry in a disoriented state.

Up in the cortex, the group didn't know of they should start taking cover. Belén was ready to punch her sister. Maritza fired her purple mass to keep Belén literally frozen in place, but just as Belén ducked they all heard a gunshot.

Before Belen could assume, Iris let out a shrill scream.

"EDDIE!" Iris ran out of the room.

The remaining sisters hurried to the computers to see what had happened. They saw Eddie had shot himself and was on the floor while Wells had frozen in his mid-attempt to kill Barry.

"What's happening?" Barry raised his head to see Wells almost frozen in his spot.

Cisco was looking between Wells and Eddie, making the connections fairly fast. "Eddie's his ancestor. If Eddie dies, he'll never be born, and...he's being erased from existence."

Wells' appearance had shifted back to his original self - Eobard Thawne.

"Eddie!" Iris came running into the place, dropping beside Eddie on the floor. "Eddie, no, no. Stay with me, okay?"

"He was wrong, it turns out. I'm a hero after all," Eddie strained to speak to her.

"You are, Eddie," Iris nodded, cupping his face. "You are my hero."

"That's all I ever wanted to be. Your hero," Eddie gave her one last smile before dying.

Iris shouted frantically as she saw him die in her arms. "NO! No! Eddie!"

Wells' body was cracking as if it were land but with a bright shining light emerging between the cracks. He glanced at Barry as he began to disintegrate. "I've controlled your life for so long, Barry. How will you get along without me?" he screamed as he disappeared completely.

There were no more Thawnes.

Suddenly, the ground shook again and the wormhole reopened. It rose from the floor, getting bigger and sucking things up.

"Guys, that's not good," Cisco began to back away as parts of the time machine were pulled forwards.

Barry quickly got to his feet and rushed for the others. "We got to go!"

Joe tried pulling Iris from Eddie's side but the woman wouldn't budge. "Iris, we have to go!"

"I'm not leaving him!"

"We have to go now, honey. I'm sorry!" Joe forced Iris to get up and they ran out.

As they passed the cortex the room, Stein, Maritza and Belen were coming out as well.

"Barry! My brother!" Belén ran into him and pointed to the cortex.

"We gotta go!" Barry didn't hesitate to grab her hand and lead her out. He was not risking her staying behind for anything.

As they ran into the street they saw the massive wormhole - now blackhole - settling up in the sky, sucking anything it could tear apart.

"So that's what we didn't want to happen!" Cisco had to almost shout to be heard through the strong wind.

"What's it doing!?" Caitlin exclaimed as well.

"Feeding," answered Stein. "A singularity won't stop, not even after the earth is gone. I'm afraid the accretion disc has already assembled!"

"What?" Barry looked at him.

"The diffuse material that's in orbital motion around the singularity-"

"What does that mean!?" Belén practically screamed at the professor to get the message out already in terms everyone could understand.

"We have to disrupt the motion. Basically it's just like the tornado, only upside down," Barry finally explained better. "And bigger. And scarier."

"Barry, that event has an energy level of at least 6.7 Tera Electron Volts. It cannot be stopped," Stein warned the metahuman once he assumed Barry would venture to close it.

"I have to try," Barry put his mask back on.

"Don't go," he heard the desperate plea from Belén beside him.

He could see the fear in her eyes but it just made him want to go even more. She had suffered because of him, and mow because the time line didn't change, he only had this to make up for it. He would make it better for her. No more would she suffer because of him.

"You're going to be okay," he promised her. "I won't make you hurt ever again."

With that promise, he sped off to go save the world, leaving Belén to ponder what those words would truly mean. Because if there was one thing she was sure of, it was that that promise had not been for the wormhole.

Author's Note:

To be continued in Rise Up!!

I want to thank everyone who's read, commented, favorited and liked this story! I really hope you all move onto the second story and continue to like what you read!

P.S I'm also trying to think of a name for the collection of Belén's stories so if anyone has an idea let me know and if I do like it I'll credit you for it! :)

Sooo, just for fun, I decided to add a couple fun facts about the story while it was in its drafting stage, as well some other things I thought of! If they're boring then I'll never do it again I promise! :)

Fun facts:

1. Originally, Belén's name was going to be Maria-Belén, but was instead changed to Annah-Belén.

2. I got Belén's name off of a soap opera I was watching at the time of drafting this story, which turned out to be one of my favorite soap operas ever. The character I got the name from was an evil woman - nothing like my Bells!

3. Belén's last name "Palayta" is a play off from a favorite actress of mine, Dominika Paleta ;)

4. As of right now, I have written 3 stories - including this one - with Belén and Barry and I am brainstorming for the 4th story (4th season) at the moment.

5. Out of all of my OCs (which are about 33), Belén is one of the two main OCs who have siblings that are alive (not Rayan anymore of course).

6. I originally was thinking about adding in the Barry dating Linda plot but ultimately decided against it because I didn't want to drag out even more Barry and Belén getting together...plus, I really love Linda and I wanted to keep both girls as friends rather than frenemies.

7. Belén's powers were inspired by Poison Ivy, a character that Belén will actually get to meet in the future.

8. Originally, I intended on killing off Maritza but I felt bad leaving Belén an only child, and Axel with absolutely no mother, for no good reason.

9. I decided a while ago to introduce two new OCs in the next story that will become new OCs from two more Arrowverse shows and Belén & Barry will be connected to one of them.

10. This doesn't pertain to the story, but Belén's name is taken from a Christmas song that's usually heard in the Latin community: "Camino en Belén."

11. I discovered there's an actual song called "It Had To Be You"; I heard the song as a cover by Samantha Dorrance & Barry Hammond! Go check it out!

[valeriethepussycats]

Speed

Chapter 1

Pairing- Dean x Reader

Warning- cursing

A/n- to anyone who with read this. I trying to make it as close to the movie as possible so it’s gonna take a lot longer for updates i’m trying to get Word for Word because the script is different from the movie.

Highrise in downtown L.A., framed tall against mountains. People stream out of the front door, the leaving work. In the near darkness of basement, a security guard makes his way into an inner cellar. His flashlight finds a man in work clothes bent over a panel, his back to the light.

 “Hey. This area's restricted.” The guard told the man.

The man doesn't look around. We can just almost see his face as he talks.

 “Yeah, I, uh, got called in ... some of this wiring got screwed up.”

“Nobody called gonna have to.”

“Yeah ... Just one second... reaches into his toolbox.” He rises, turning, and A knife is through his ear. It is pulled back out with calm efficiency. The man turns,wide-eyed, hand to his ear. Mouth open in silent protest. Out of his hand drops the work order. He slumps over.

“Nothing personal.”Chuck Shurley takes off the guard's hat. Dripping knife aside, he is an ordinary-looking man. His face is dead calm, only his eyes betraying the sea of hate behind it. He drags the body into a dark corner, grabbing a duffle bag from out of the shadows. Then checking his watch, he goes to the panel and begins making adjustments of his own. He then Walks over to the door of the panel. It reads: elevators

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It's the end of the day and people are waiting for the elevator. The doors open, it's already crowded inside.NPeople groan, shuttle on. A Young exec moos. A few people laugh. Young exec's friend presses the  lobby button, even though it's already lit. The young exec nods.

“Thanks for pushing that, Bob. You never know -- the light's on, but maybe it's really broken.”

“Oh shut up.”

A Sweaty man, 50s, overweight, presses tighter into the corner beside his Secretary. Pats at his brow with a hankie. The elevator descends quickly. Something wired to the cables, just above the elevator car -- a slab of white putty, a black box, wires. A small red light flashes on the black box a split second before it Explodes. The cables Whip and snap up the shaft like retreating snakes.. Blackout.

“What the hell?”

The elevator drops fast. The voices yell. Pop out, dig into ratchets in the shaft walls. Spark shoot out. The elevator shudders to a halt.

“Ooh! Jesus, Bob. What button did you push?”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

A car comes SCREECHING to a halt near the front of the building, a red and blue light flashing on top. The door is thrown open and SWAT officer Dean Winchester steps out from behind the wheel almost before the car has stopped. Dean heads straight for the entrance as Benny Lafitte, his older partner gets out the other side and follows, tossing Dean his flak jacket. Dean puts it on without ever taking his eyes off the entrance as they make their way through police cars, fire trucks and various uniforms. We see these two are a team, and that when they move, Dean takes the lead. We are still tracking with Dean and Benny as we see two more SWAT guys emerge from another car, fall into step. Another team joins them as they enter the the Lobby. Just as another pair burst in through another set of doors finally eight SWAT members all wordlessly sync, walking with Dean and Benny until the whole unit stands in front of Captain Bobby Singer, 40s, on the phone... Garth, his technical assistant, looks at Blueprints with bagwell, a middle-aged guy with "building maintenance supervisor" on his worksuit.

“Mr Bagwell, make sure these other elevators remain locked down and empty.” Bobby order.

“Yes, sir.”

“There's no other way... no doors... no other way in or out..except through access panels, is that correct?” Bobby questioned.

“Yes, sir.” Bagwell answered.

Bobby then turns to addresses the group.

“Gentlemen, what we have here are passengers in an express elevator below floor 30. The bomb's already taken out cables. The bomber wants $ 3million or he blows the emergency brakes.” Bobby stated.

“What's our clock?” Benny asked.

“He gave one hour. That leaves us 23 minutes exactly.” Garth declared.

“Anything else that'll keep this elevator from falling?” Officer Jacob asked.

“The basement.” Dean remarked.

“The city would like to avoid that event, Officer Winchester.” Bobby informed.

“We can't just unload the passengers?” Benny wondered.

“This is an express elevator. Gentlemen The only way in or out is through access panels. The bomber's also wired the hatch to trigger the bomb,... which seats him in the 'crazy but not stupid' section.” Garth stated.

“Sir, Benny volunteers to examine the device.” Dean voiced.

Benny looks over at Dean jaded. “Yeah, right.” Benny mocked.

“Fine. The two of you check it out.” Bobby order.

The nearest access panel's on the 32nd floor in the lobby.” Officer Jacob

“I want reports only. We're in a holding pattern. Worthy, Briggs, I want you to secure the base area. No-one in or out.Everyone else, I want you to affirm building evac. Move!” Bobby disclosed.

“Looks like we're walking.” Dean grinned As him and Benny rushes off.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Combat boots thunder up a metal staircase. Dean and Benny sprint up the stairs.

“Hurry, folks, but watch your step!” And officer Addressed the people. “All the way down to the lobby! Let's go, folks!”

“49.....30....31...32”

As Dean and Benny make it to the 32nd floor they proceed with caution as they enter the floor. Benny scouts ahead with his gun raise as Dean is hitting the walls for a panel to get into the elevator.

Blackness. Sounds of a power drill, muffled, through a wall. A three-by-three foot metal access panel is lifted away; light enters the shaft.

“Hello!”

“Come on, man. Get us out of here!”

“Hello!”

“Please, help us!”

“Come on, man!”

“Who's up there?”

“What's going on?”

Dean and Benny crawl through and stand on top of the elevator, Dean addressing the passengers while Benny checks out the bomb. Jack has to raise his voice to be heard.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the LAPD.” Dean announce.

“Thank God. - What are you doing up there?”

“There's been an elevator malfunction, so just relax.” Dean disclosed.

“Hey, come on! What are you guys waiting for?”

“We'll have you out of there as soon as possible.”

Benny stands, gives Dean a significant look.

“Am I lying?” Dean asked smiling.

“How come they sent cops here? Shouldn't they send repair guys?” One guy wandered.

“Yeah. - Makes no sense.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Dean squat down holding a flashlight at the bomb.

“What do you think?” Benny questioned.

“You're the expert. I just work here.” Dean answered.

“Looks pretty solid.” Benny commented

“Anyone we know?” Dean asked.

“I don't recognise the work, but he's a pro.” Benny said looking down at his watch to check the time. “He’s cutting it close.”

“I don’t like it.” Dean shared.

Well, what’s to like?Bob said we hold, so we hold.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Chuck has a radio set-up, is listening in on the various police exchanges. He suddenly hears sounds of Benny and Dean echoing down the elevator shaft.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Dean clams over near Benny and examine the elevator shaft.

“All right. Pop quiz. The airport. Gunman with one hostage. He's using her for cover. He's almost to a plane. You're 100feet away.

Not paying attention to what Benny is saying Dean is still examining elevator shaft.

“Dean.”

“Shoot the hostage.” Dean finally answered.

“What?”

“Take her out of the equation. Go for the good wound. He can't get to the plane with her. Clear shot.”

“You're deeply nuts. You know that? "Shoot the hostage." Benny scoffed.

“Benny, this is wrong. He's going to blow it anyway.” Dean started.

“Why?” Benny Asked.

“I don't know. Gut feeling.” Dean replied.

“Right now, Bob outranks your gut, so we sit.” Benny disclosed.

“This is taking way too long.” Said one of the people in the elevator.

“How much you think that elevator weights?” Dean wondered.

“Dean , come on.” Benny trailed off.

“Maybe we can do something about those hostages.” Dean stated as he starts out of the shaft.

Benny follows.

“We're not going to shoot them, right?” Benny joked.

“Hey, where you going?” Someone yelled

“What's going on?” Another person Asked.

“Don't go!” begged one person

“Don't leave us here!” Someone pleaded.

Dean bursts out of a roof for something. Harry follows him. Jack runs over to the edge of the roof where there is a winch used by window-washers. Large, heavy-duty.

“No, we just take 'em out of the equation.” Dean answered.

Dean and Benny lug cable from the winch into the elevator housing on the roof.

“Are you sure it'll hold?” Benny questioned.

“It'll hold.” Dean declared.

Benny looks at his watch. “Six minutes.” Benny replied.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Captain Singer paces with his walkie talkie, talking to the brass at city hall.

“I can't get any more time. He's not talking! I need the goddamn money now.” Bobby yelled.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Dean is being lowered headfirst on a rope down the center of the shaft. He holds the window-washing cable with a hook on its end. He and Harry are speaking through their microphones.

“Tell me again, Benny. Why did I take this job?” Dean Asked joking manner.

“Aw, come on. 30 more years of this,you get a tiny pension and a cheap gold watch.” Benny answered.

Dean continues down. The elevator approaches. Dean comes to the elevator car...He signals and Benny stops. Dean looks leery at the hook to part of the C4 by his feet. Quietly secures the elevator's frame. “Cool.” Dean Said sarcastically

“God, it's hot in here.”

“There's no air.”

“Can't they just pry the doors open?”

“I can't breathe.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Chuck listens, hears the winch faintly. He fingers a small box with a plastic button and a timer counting down. Three minutes left. We notice that the hand fingering the box is missing its thumb.The hand starts moving more agitatedly. Chuck’s face registers growing concern. Two minutes fifty-three seconds. “Don't fuck with daddy.” With sudden violence, he jabs the button. On the bomb, a tiny red light comes one.

The bomb BLOWS.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

The passengers SCREAM as the elevator shakes, begins to drop as the bomb went of the big gaping hole, appears at the bottom of the elevator and a woman falls halfway through it.

“Grab her hand! Grab her hand!” Someone yelled.

Everyone listening to the TWANGING of the cable echo down the shaft.

“Usually they fall down now.” Bagwell Announced.

“Oh, my God!”

“Get her out of there!”

“He's early! Son of a bitch is early! Bob, we need more help up here now!” Benny shouted.

The weight on the cable is starting to pull it from its foundation. It groans and starts to crack --can't bear this weight for long. The wheels start to come off the track. Then with a loud bang, the winch breaks free, flies across the roof and comes to a stop at the door to the elevator machine room.

Dean and Benny look at each other. And bolt

To another floor.Dean and Benny Emerge from the stairs, race over to the elevator access panel... Get the last screw out of another access panel. They can see the bottom two feet of the grunt they pry open the doors. sounds of panic.

“Oh, please!”

“I don't want to die!”

“Please save us!”

“Open the door!”

Getting the elevator doors open a woman looks down at at Dean. “Please help me!Get me out!”

“We'll get you out!” Dean said promised.”Come on. Give me your hands! It's OK, give me your hands.”

“Watch your head.” Benny told the woman.

Women reaches out for Dean. Dean and Benny grab her hands, pull her out.

“OK, I've got you.” Dean told the women.

“Take it easy.” Benny said trying to calm the women

“Oh, thank you.” The women said grateful.

“You’re fine.” Dean voiced calmly.

Two more SWAT guys arrive.

“Take her. Let's go. Who's next?” Dean asked.

Dean and Benny pull out another woman.

“Thank you.”the second woman said

“We've got you, ma'am.” Said one of the SWAT guys

The winch About to break free.

Dean and Benny Pull out two more people.

the windows washing winch rips through the door frame, wedges against an engine The elevator drops sharply. Oh God... But then it stops, now with only the top three feet of the elevator showing. The cable Is being held by what's left of the platform -- some slats of splintering wood and lengths of bending metal. It's giving way slowly, an inch at a time. Dean and Benny Now pull people up to get them out. They see the elevator sinking, the opening closing.

“Come on, lady! Come on!” Urged the man in the elevator.

“No. No.”

“Come on, lady! Come on!” The Man tried one more time before he jumped up and Dean grabs his hand and pull him out the elevator.

“Grab my hand!” Dean insisted. “Come on! Let's go! It's going to fall!”

“No! I can't!” The woman said Frighten.

“Just take one step, reach out, and take my hand.” Dean urged the women.

The woman hesitant looks over at Dean not really convinced she should move from the corner of the elevator

“Come on! Come on!” Dean shouted at the woman.

Finding some courage the woman takes a step forward and Grabs Dean’s hands. “Oh! Oh, God!”

Dean starts to pull her up out of the elevator. “Don’t let go of me.” The woman told Dean.

Dean have the woman to pull her waist still in... The cable Pulls free as the mass of wood and the elevator Drops. Dean Pull the woman as hard as he can flies down, shooting out sparks -- and a half feet. Two out. She's halfway... metal finally gives way as the huge metal box. Elevator drops like a rock, trailing cable. It drops so far that it disappears from sight. A huge sound when it hits bottom.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Singer and the other SWAT and bomb guys are almost knocked off their feet by the impact reverberating throughout the building. elevator doors In the lobby buckle out from the air concussion.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

The other SWAT guys usher the rescued passengers to the stairwell as Dean and Benny lean against the wall, a little out of breath.

“Was it good for you? Dean asked Benny.

“It was great for me. How was it for you, honey?” Benny replied.

“Elevator dropped.” Dean pointed out.

“Oh, good. That's good to know.”

They both sit down in front of the open Panel breathing heavily.

“Is your watch slow?” Dean asked.

“Uh-uh. He jumped the gun. We had three minutes left.” Benny informed Dean.

“Why does he do that? He's losing his $ 3million.” Dean Wandered.

“I don't know. Maybe he couldn't hold his wad long enough. It's a common problem among middle-aged men. So I'm told.” Benny remarked.

Dean gets up and starts walking away. “He’s here.” Dean Started.

“He could've blown that thing from Pacoima.” Benny told Dean still sitting down.

“No. He knew we were up to something. He's close by.” Dean declared

“He's not going to corner himself in a building we evacuated anyway. Come on.... He'd want to be here, but he'd want to stay mobile.” Benny commented.

“Right?”

“The elevators.” Benny answered.

“Passenger cars were stopped. They checked them out.” Dean told Benny.

“What about the freight elevators?” Benny question.

They get to the freight elevator doors, pry them open.They look down. The freight elevator is stopped five floors below them. They can hear movement in the elevator and a man coughing.

“Will the mystery guest please sign in...” Dean trailed off as he slides down the elevator cable.

“What Dean.” Benny called Dean. “Damn it.” Benny starts to climb down.

As Dean arrives. Pulls his 9mm Glock and steps from the rungs lightly onto the car. Benny right behind him. The car sinks slightly from their weight.

Dean points at the hatch cover on the elevator roof. Benny nods and pulls his Glock. He and Dean kneel by the hatch cover. Dean grabs the handle. Benny makes the countdown hand signals. A shotgun BLAST nearly takes their heads off, splintering part of the hatch cover. Both men jump back. A second shot right by Benny 's foot sends him jumping away, he steps on the hatch cover and it gives away. He falls into the elevator, hitting his head badly.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Benny swore.

“Up! Get your ass up!” Chuck shouted at Benny.

Dean wants to return fire, but hears Benny yelling in pain and doesn't know where to shoot. Another blast right next to him keeps him prone in the corner. He senses something and looks up.

The elevator barrels toward the ceiling of the shaft. Dean has no other choice, jumps feet first through the pen hatch. Dean comes crashing down into the elevator, lands hard. The few lights not shot out flicker. Dean looking into... the barrel of a shotgun.

“I don't suppose anybody will give me million...just for you.” Chuck made known.

Chuck chuckles. Then a loud, dull click. Another click.The shotgun is empty. Dean flinches and and tries to grab the gun but struggles and get pushed way and then reaches for his and points it at Chuck who in the mist of all of it grabbed Benny.

“Hold it! Pop quiz, hotshot. Terrorist holding a police hostage. Got enough dynamite strapped to his chest..to blow a building in half. Now, what do you do?” Chuck questioned Dean.

“There's gonna be 50 cops waiting for you in the basement.” Dean informed Chuck.

“Standard flanking deployment, right? Maybe we'll get off on the third floor, huh? At least that's what they'll think.” Chuck told Dean . Chuck then opens the elevator control panel. Wires feed into a small box Chunk has hooked up. He hits a couple of buttons.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

“I want a location on those goddamn shots! Garth! Where's Benny and Benny?” Bobby questioned.

“Lieutenant, we've got movement on the freight elevator.” Garth answered.

As Bobby and the SWAT guys watch The elevator indicator light stops at the third floor.

“It's on three. Let's move!” Bobby shouted.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Ding! The elevator reaches P1.

“End of the line.” Chuck grinned. “This day has been real disappointing, I don't mind saying.”

“Why? Because you didn't get to kill everyone?” Dean mocked.

“There'll come a time, boy, when you'll wish you never met me.” Chuck replied.

“Mister, I'm already there.” Dean agreed.

Chuck starts to back up out of the elevator, dragging Benny with him.  

“You can see I'm in charge here.” Chuck Stated.

Angle on Benny The Deadman's stick right before his eyes. “I drop this stick and they pick your friend up with a sponge. Are you ready to die, friend?”

“Fuck you.”  Benny voiced with fire.

“Oh in  200 years, we've come from "I regret but I have one life to give for my country" to "fuck you"?” Chuck mocked.

“Go ahead. Drop the stick. Do it.” Benny declared.

“Shut up, Benny.” Dean urged.

“We've got all the balls in the world here, man.” Chuck grinned.

“Give it up. You got nowhere to go!” Dean shouted.

Chuck drags Benny out. Dean doesn't know what to do. Benny looks at Dean . He barely making the words. “Shoot the hostage.” Benny told Dean.

“Say goodbye, Benny.” Chuck laughed.

Chuck and Benny head toward swinging doors that lead to the garage. Dean shifts aim and BLASTS Harry in the leg. Harry goes down

and Fisk can't take him anywhere.

“Ahh You fuck!” Benny cried out.

Dean shrugs and then points his gun at Chuck

“Freeze! Freeze!.....Give it up! You're out of options!”

Chuck looks at Dean in disbelief then gives him a strange grin then starts running. When Dean goes to follow him the garage that Chuck ran into Blows up blasting him back into a wall.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

The elevator hostages and cops in attendance. Dean and Benny stand to one side of the podium in full dress uniform as the Mayor gives a droning speech. Benny has a cane.

“Through dedication and bravery, these next two officers effected the rescue of 13 citizens of this city. And thanks to them, the only life taken by the terrorist's bomb, was his own.”  The Mayor proclaimed.

“You shot me. I can't believe it. They're giving you a medal for shooting me, you little prick.”  Benny remarked.

“Benny, you told me to.” Dean replied.

Benny gives Dean you’re unbelievable look.

The highest honour bestowed upon a member of the Los Angeles Police Department. Officer Benny Lafitte. Congratulations.” The Mayor praised Benny.

Commissioner pins on Benny’s medal. There is applause.

“Thank you.” Benny whispered.

“Officer Dean Winchester.” The Commissioner moves to pin on Jack's medal and we Chuck 's  garage continues. We see the ceremony on TV, a close-up of Dean's face as the audience applauds again, somewhat louder. Pull out to reveal a bank of four TVs, all showing the same shot of Dean. The TVs are all fairly old, not fancy.

Chuck sits before the screens, stone faced. Slowly, loudly, he applauds.

“Way to go, Dean. Way to go.”

Part 2

[trash-and-recyle-fics]

Desperate For Freedom part1

Summary: In a universe where females are not allowed to remain innocent after their 18th birthday Y/N must hide. But when her cover is blown how will the unforgiving government punish her? None other than gifting her to a God from three worlds away. The god of mischief. He is told to keep and do what he wishes with the lying girl. So that is what he will do. Chained to the inside of an air craft she is brought to him on Asgard. Were her fate will be in a liars hands.

Warnings: Swear words, there will be smut in future chapters, grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes , Some light physical violence

Note: ⚠️THIS IS 18+ FANFICTION READ WHEN YOU TURN 18 ⚠️

————————————————-

The dinner table was quiet and your parents solemn. Tomorrow you go to the clinic to get the operation to make you a women and available or marriage. Once a member of your society and available for marriage you will be sent away to have children. Only to repeat the system and laws you did not agree with. 

“Mamma cant I-” Your mother, not the one to answer, but your father. His hand made an impact on your right cheek. Your head whipped to the side and your hair fell in your face. The sensation not a new one.

“Mention this again Y/N and you won’t see tomorrow.” His voice commanding and rough. Not the slightest sympathy or remorse for what is going to happen. He was a believer in the government and how they operated. Your mother on the other hand had learned not to voice her opinions that differ from your fathers. You had yet to learn the skill.

“Y/N dear, don’t you want to be married and have a family? Maybe be desired?” She glanced over at your father to make sure it was the right thing to say. He looked pleased enough with her answer. Looking at her the hurt evident on your face. She almost shows emotions not approved by your father. He gives her a flat out deadly look.

“May I go to bed?” Your father nods and you clear your spot at the table practically run up the steps. Your room door missing just like the law states. As a young female you cannot, have a door in your private space, you may not attend a secondary school until you have the operation, you can not celebrate birthdays nor speak of your age to male members of society until you have the operation. You can not date or interact with males. You may not leave your house until 8 AM and you have to be back at 9 PM. You must know the laws before you attend any schooling of any kind. 

Your room contained only a mat made of foams and a insert on your wall that holds your clothing. You go to lay down, but a sudden defiance takes over you. These rules and laws are not for you. The government is a oppressive and strict one. Defiantly not one you support. Without really making the choice you go across the hall and find the glass pain in your parents room. You pick up the metal candle holder and launch it through the glass. You climb over the shards and drop to the cold moss below. The plush moss didn’t help much with the landing. With no time to wait you take off over your barrier that blocks off your property from the neighbors. 

“Y/N!!”

Your mothers voice faded as the smile spread across your face. The need for freedom coursed through you fueling the thought of something you only ever read from stolen books. Entering the waters area, you heard boys talking about it on the walk way before. Girls were not allowed to go. The skimpy clothing might reveal your true age. Only boys and men could go in the cool water. You sat down in the moss legs stretched out chest heaving. The feeling of freedom starting to be realized. You tear off the extra fabric at your legs that always hung loose. Your upper robes covered down to your knees. Ripping the sleeves off you felt like you could breathe better. You stood and started jumping and spun in circles. Celebrating everything you never could before. The date of your birth your newfound freedom and the fact that you could remain innocent forever. You laughed freely laid on the moss. Looking at the sky that held stars as if to light the sky for you and only you. Closing your eyes you fell asleep. 

Cold, wet and happy is what you woke up to. Instead of the midnight sky it was a blinding sun. The moss hugged you and only the sounds of birds and sirens were heard. Wait, sirens? looking up the flashes of yellow and red were seen. Surroding you were men in armor holding spears. Your heart started beating out of your rib cage. You turned to run and was met with a man holding a sword. The dizzy feeling and uneasyness did not go unnoticed.

“NO LET ME GO!!” Your screamed. Another rule broken. No lady was to raise her voice. Arms grabbed you from behind and you thrashed in them another set of arms grabbed your legs. Your parents had sent in the defense team after you. The same team that fought wars and had eaten at Odin’s table. A sharp smack across your face and you saw the same stars as last night expect this time they were falling. 

When you awoke again you had restraints on. Arms behind your back and chains on your ankles. The guards in full uniform holding weapons. Your innocence. Did they take it? As your thoughts started to speed up again the door was opened and minimum of 10 more guards entered the cell. Three without weapons advanced towards you. One grabbed your torso and the other your legs. While the third man unlocked the chain from your ankles. Your body numb as they carried you up stairs and through a door. Inside sat the General of Punishments next to the General of Official's affairs. The room sat publishers who were in charge of spreading official business, like a new war, international affairs and come to think of it treason.

“Y/N Y/L/N is surrendered by the blood parents for treason. Y/N fled from her private area on the grounds of not wanting to give up her innocence. Y/N will be sent to the father realm as a gift to the secondary son of the allfather. As an alternative punishment.” Treason? Asgard? The second child? 

Your home, family and the only place you know is sending you as gift to the god of mischief.   

“Y/N will be property of the secondary child, Loki. He may do whatever he sees fit with her. She will be leaving now.” The three man chained you again with the meatal known as Odin’s truth. It is unbreakable and used on the worst of criminals. You were lifted, you started to kick and fight. Getting in a kick to the man holding your legs he drops them and the man holding your torso looks back and you hit him with your head. His helmet only falling off and causing your head to ache. The man picked up your legs again but firmer this time. It seemed like no time at all before you were strapped in an aircraft between two guards. 

“The flight will be over soon.” The guard on your right spoke. Your body was flung against the back of the seat. Your wrists pinching with the chains on too tight. It seemed to last hours but in reality it was about 30 minutes. 

The guards stood and the aircraft landed. As the door opened more guards were waiting. They had on more official uniforms and better weapons. The guard who was directing the aircraft spoke to an Asgardian defense member. Starting to form a plan of escape when unchained. Your thoughts were interrupted. 

“Yes my lord she is in there.” Heavy footsteps landed on the metal floor stopping in front of you. Not once raising your eyes to see who it was. Your stomach dropped when he was in front of you.

“Unchain her feet she will walk.”  

“My Lord are you-’ 

“Are you questioning me?”

“No-.’ 

“Then unchain the thing.” Thing?! He didn’t even think of you as a life, and you just arrived. The guard undid your legs chains and your belt holding you to the chair. As he grabbed your upper arm to stand you up you kicked him in the knee and ran towards the control panel for the air craft. Your hands still behind your back you started to bend over to press the button that brings the heavy machinery to life but a hand in your hair stopped you. Yanking you back and onto your ass. The twist of your body made your arms throb. The man wearing green black and gold looked down on you.

“As entertaining as that was you will walk pet or you will be dragged.” You roll onto your stomach using your knees to get up. You stand in front of the god and spit in his face. His reaction was not one of anger but something much worse. The grin spread and his voice oozed confidence.

“ Very well we can do it the hard way. I happen to like that way better.” He nodded towards the guard you kneed. “Have her brought to my chambers cleaned and dressed. Her arms will remain chained but her feet will not. Is that understood.” The guard nodded. “Oh and drag her.” You looked at him defiance on your face and a smug grin on his. At least you aren't dead yet. 

~TIME SKIP~

The bed was plush and had silk sheets. The heavy draped were closed and the room lit by candles. The green and black were dominating and had hints of gold within the room. Your arms had been brought in front of you as you were chained to the bed post. A handmaid had washed you in the bath and put on a dress much nicer than anything you have ever owned. Ishbire your realm was not one of riches. Your eyes heavy and your body aching. It had been just you for many hours now no more light was shining under the curtains. When the heavy door swung open you were leaning against the bedpost nearly asleep. His presence took up the room, the looming thought of sleep trying to overtake you. Loki was a god of tricks and lies. He could very well put you under a spell and use you. He could also just as easily kill you.

“Are you sleeping pet?” He peeled off his outer layers. 

“You need to be present for our conversation.” He walked over to you and tapped your face. Opening your eyes he let the evil grin show.

“Sleep.” You murmured. Hoping and praying he would let you doze off into oblivion.

“Only goodgirls get sleep. Which is what I need to talk to you about. From now on you will address me as Sir. You will follow every command I give you if you do not you will be punished, and because you were sent to only because your home did not want you, you will also listen to the handmaids and guards. This is the overview. We will go in depth tomorrow. Understand?” Your eyes shut again and you started to slump. This time a rough slap on your bare thigh woke you up. He had both his hands on you thighs and was leaning so close you could smell him. “DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” Letting put a whine you tried to squirm out of his grip.

“Yes.” you knew without the sir portion of your answer would make him upset. And with that you were issued another slap in the same spot that stung worse. You let out a half cry and tried to bring your legs to your chest. Only resulting in more pressure on them.

 “I asked you a question.” He grabbed your jaw and forced you to look at him. “I expect an answer.” 

“Yes,Sir.” you seethed out. He nodded in appreciation. 

“ You will sleep next to me from now on.” He undid your arm chains and dragged you up the bed. In a sitting postion you sat less than a foot away from were he stood. His hands cold on your bare wrists. “If you try to run I will chain you up for weeks with punishment everyday.” You nodded. His nimble fingers wrapped around your throat, pinning you to the bed. You arched your back and tried to shove him away.

“Words, pet.” You shook your head no. He put slightly more pressure on your throat.

“Yes. Sir.”

**

Part two commin soon.

PS- If you really want something to happen with this story ( certain kinks ) let me know. I will consider all.

***

Taglist-

If you would like to be tagged just shoot me a message. ❤️❤️

@ Unlikelysamwinchesteronahunt

@teamfreewill79

@ Bakugouwinchester

@ books-baritones-bucky

[scribeofmorpheus]

Counterpart [3/5]

Pairing: Bucky x Reader x Framework!Steve

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist | Words: 6k -Yeesh!

A/N: Okay so during Civil War (which I’m using as a timeline building block where Hydra wiped out what was left of Shield’s hero’s ) Iron Man vs Cap did happen but with a twist. Vision exists in the Framework but his name is Spectre and he looks like the original version from the comics. Also, in advance, I’m sorry, but I did say shit was gonna get dark.  Also, I may do a Framework Avengers vs Hydra spin off.

Note: To clear up any confusion, everything in Italics happened in the past: memories, CCTV footage, videos etc.

Warnings: This chapter contains depictions and mentions of alcoholism, language, violence, minor-character death, etc.

It’s a dark series, expect a darker take.

PART THREE: WHO THE FUCK IS BUCKY?

"Switch weapons to non-lethal, we want them alive for questioning. Concussive rounds only!" You relayed your orders to your men.

As you advanced into the building, you heard a body thud onto a car's roof from the levels above.

"One of ours?" You asked into the comms.

"That's a negative," Clint relayed with a cocky tone as another body crashed on top of another car's roof.

"Barton, I said non-lethal," you chastised.

Barton sighed, "Guy fell out a three-story window, the SUV broke his fall, he isn't dead. Look I can see him now, his fingers are twitching."

"Yeah it's called muscle spasms, corpses do that too!" You shot back.

"Slow down on the property damage, Barton. You have swords, use them!" Steve barked orders at your partner's reckless antics. The sound of people screaming followed suit.

"I told you, you should have gone on your damned honeymoon!" Clint said in an exasperated huff directed at you.

"Jesus, you two!" You sighed, "Keep the comms clear guys!"

You took cover beside a door as several of your men took up positions according to your hand gestures. You crouched down, gave the go signal and laid down cover fire as they advanced into the building.

You took down three people, all dressed in old Shield gear.

"Three down, ground floor is clear," you chimed in as you tapped on the Hydra agent's shoulder in front of you, signalling for him to take his men and ascend the stairs.

"Three? Someone's slacking" You could all but picture Clint's shit-eating grin.

There was a low rumble coursing through the building making furniture and light fixtures shake. Just then Clint's comms were filled with static before coming online again

"Barton you good?" you asked in a panic.

After some coughing and a few grunts, he replied sheepishly, "Yeah, yeah, don't mother-hen, it's not endearing. It was a fucking EMP, one of your grunts triggered a tripwire."

"Shit," you cursed, signalling for your men to spread out and keep an eye out. "Is he alright?"

Barton sneered, "Nah, the blast knocked him clear, he fell three stories directly onto concrete. Idiots dead."

"Top floor is clear," Steve said. "Moving down. Stay alert, I don't want any more casualties. Paperwork's a bitch!"

"Copy," both you and Clint said at the same time.

"Hey, Barton, be care--"

"Yeah, yeah. This isn't my first rodeo partner," Clint chuckled. Just then his comms started to break up. "I- comi- up- o-" a metallic screech bombarded your eardrums, everyone clenched from discomfort. "Got... eyes on!"

"Barton, repeat, you're breaking up!" You shouted as you raced for the stairs, shooting and disarming several enemies along the way. "Barton!"

As soon as your hand touched the railing, a whole section of the building caved in. You ducked away from the falling debris that crushed several of your men. Blood and concrete dust was all you could see as a ringing noise punctured your ear.

You coughed a few times, whacking the dust away from your face. You covered your nose with your elbow slung around your face. When the dust cleared, you saw the aftermath of a controlled EID having gone off. A section of the floor above was now a pile of rubble at your feet.

"Y/N! Can- y- hea--" Steve's comms were muddled, breaking out between words.

You adjusted your comms until it became as clear as a whistle again.

"Y/N? Anyone? Do you copy? What's the sit-rep?" Steve barked angrily.

"It's Y/N, I copy."

"Thank heavens!" Steve let out a breath. "The fuck just happened?"

"EID. Controlled burst. Half the third floor caved in," you informed him as you carefully made your way up solo. "I'm going to look for Barton."

"Copy. I'm authorising deadly force. I'm done playing nice!" Steve said menacingly as the sound of bullets hailing down echoed over the comms. And soon, chaos ensued. Gunfire, flash grenades, screams and blood sprays. The building complex transformed into a battle zone.

When you came around a corner obstructed by some rubble, you heard some faint coughs followed by the sound of strained groans.

"Barton that you?"

"About fucking time, my leg is pinned," Barton's words slipped passed the obstructing debris.

"I'll have to set a charge to clear the rubble before I can get to you."

"Shit," Clint said in a tone that informed you he was contemplating something. "Forget it, go after her."

"Her?" When the question came out, a plasma charge burned a hole through the adjacent wall, missing your nose by an inch. With wide eyes, you ducked, rolled and shot at the direction the charge came from. Standing in a patched up blue, silver and red suit of armour was the Iron Maiden. "Oh, her."

You fired off several shots, radioing in as you advanced towards the metal suited woman: "Barton needs assistance on the fourth floor. I've got sights on the Iron Maiden."

"That's a copy. HQ just informed me Spectre is inbound. Let's wrap this up before that can-opener gets credit for another one of our missions," Steve replied as wind zipped over his comms. He was moving fast.

"I hate that fucking clank!" You spit as you charged into the next room, emptying your clip and reloading with the magazine that held electro-rounds.

The Iron Maiden shot off plasma beam after beam, at one point using a continuous stream to all but cut through the entire room.

"Arrrgh!" The beam singed your cheek. You rolled and shot at her chest in a tight six-shot formation. The suit overloaded and dropped to the ground in a loud clanking sound. The armour opened up to reveal no one inside. It was on auto-pilot. "The suit was a distraction! There's equipment up ahead, computers. I think I see a command centre, I'm going in."

"Shit!" Steve cursed, "Stand down. Wait for backup. Y/N, did you hear wha--"

As soon as you entered the metal-encased room, your comms stopped broadcasting. The static nearly deafened you, forcing you to throw your ear-piece on the ground.

You stalked into the room quietly. A makeshift command centre had been set up. Computers, radios and weapons crates filled the room. There were several display cases housing mechanical suits patched together with mismatching parts labelled Mark XLIX. A large unopened metal case had the words: 'Rescue, MK-1616,' printed on it. In smaller font below that was an inscription: 'To my love, Pepper. In case I need a rescue.'

A hot flash of pain ripped through your shoulder followed by the sound of a gunshot. You sucked in air before dropping to the ground and firing two shots. One slug hit the wall. The other hit a strawberry blonde woman above the navel.

Pepper gasped and braced her stomach with all eight fingers, a look of defeat on her face as the gun hit the floor. She brought a bloody hand to hit a wall panel, sealing the panic room shut.

You stood from the floor slowly, "Virginia 'Pepper' Potts, as an agent of Hydra, and for the protection of the people, I hereby place you under arrest."

You hobbled over to her, cuffs in one hand, gun in the other.

Pepper coughed weakly, a grim smile on her face, "Just get it over with and kill me. You people have already taken the one person I ever cared about." Her eyes fell on a half singed photo of her and Tony.

"Tony Stark died of his own ignorance when he blew up that airport," you said.

Pepper rolled her eyes, "You're the ignorant one, letting Hydra brainwash you like the sheep you are." She spat blood onto the floor. "The explosion was a cover-up."

You clicked your tongue at her nonsensical story, "Shield sympathisers and your love of propaganda. You can drop the charade, your days of terror are over."

You cuffed her hands together and pulled out a compression bandage and applied it to her stomach roughly.

"Hhnnggg..." she gurgled and spat more blood, laughing afterwards with blood-stained teeth. "See for yourself." Her head nudged towards a computer with a video kept on pause.

You got back up, eyes locked on the computer, uncertain of how to proceed.

Banging emanated off the metal door that kept you trapped inside. You looked down at Pepper, her eyes fixed on the engraving written on the metal crate.

"I say you have 30 seconds before they break through. Tick-tock, the truth waits for no one," she bit her lip with a sharp inhale as blood trickled through the bandage.

"Fuck!" You cursed yourself as curiosity got the better of you.

You placed your gun on the table, pressed the enter key on the keyboard and slapped on a compression bandage on your shoulder, eyes fixed on the cam quality recording.

***

Tony crashed through two parking garage columns, debris almost burying his suit.

"Auxiliary power failing, boss." Friday's voice came off as a silent lament for what was about to unfold.

"I know," Tony said solemnly. "Do me a favour and call Pepper would ya?" He struggled to fly on one working leg, jet engines sputtering like a choking tail pipe.

“Propulsion systems going offline, sir.”

“Just focus on calling Pepper!”

"Calling Pepper Potts," Friday relayed as Steve grabbed hold of Tony's leg and yanked him back down into the ground.

"Gahh!" Tony gasped as the metal suit grew heavy and limp.

Steve brought his shield to bear with all his strength, it separated the metal case protecting Tony's chest, imbedding itself inside.

Tony coughed as the sound of ringing filled his earpiece, "Come on, Pep." He prayed for her to pick up.

"I'm sorry boss, it’s gone straight to voicemail," Friday said calmly.

Steve removed his shield from Tony's chest only to use it as though it were a shovel digging up dry gravel, hammering at the suits power core until its lights began to flicker.

At the final strike, the sound of his ribs crushing inwards let out a sickly popping noise.

Tony removed his helmet, blood trickling down his nose, one eye bloodshot. He laughed ironically after the beating.

"I can't believe my father ever admired you!" Tony struggled to breathe as his airways constricted. "You were supposed to be our symbol of hope. A beacon for justice. Now look at you, nothing but Hydra's lapdog ever since they fished you out of the ocean."

Steve's head fell to look down at Tony's defeated body. A devilish smirk crossed his lips as he took a knee to whisper at Tony, "Tell me, Tony, with all that money, all that brainpower, did you ever figure out who murdered your parents?"

A smile crept over Steve's face as Tony struggled to move his hands, the metal weighing him down.

"I'll kill you!" Tony's voice cracked.

Steve laughed and stood up, eyes locked at something in the distance. "You, kill me? No. But you will kill everyone still in this airport." He pulled out a detonator from his trousers, his thumb toying with the red button.

"Is this how you envisioned your future? Is this the type of freedom you fought so hard for?" Tony asked with a patronising tone.

"You can't have peace without order," Steve said coldly. "And I am order."

Steve looked up at the concrete ceilings of the half-destroyed underground parking lot, a smug expression making him appear sinister.

"Enjoy the view," Steve walked away, the cameras unable to pick up his position anymore.

"Boss, should I try Pepper again?" Friday asked with a hushed voice between the whirring noises of the power cell powering down.

Tony grunted as he lay on the ground, pinned in place by own suit of armour, "Yeah, why no--"

White light filled the cameras as they stopped broadcasting, an error message playing on the screen as a loud tone beeped continuously.

***

"No…" Your eyes went wide as a tear trickled off your chin and onto the keyboard. Your hands were shaking, knees buckling and your throat went dry. "This… this can't- this isn't--"

You didn't know what to say. The banging noises from the door being forced open eerily resembled the sound of Steve's shield banging against the Iron Man suit. You whimpered, your palm pressed forcefully against your mouth to stifle the noises. Your wedding band, still cold to the touch, still foreign to you.

Was this the man you loved? You asked yourself over and over and over again.

The metal door flew off its hinges and crushed the metal box Pepper had been staring at, her skin turned pale.

Through the doorway, the ghost coloured android, Spectre, hovered into the room. He looked at Pepper, the display of suits and then you. His head moving like it was made of rusted joints.

"Are. You. Alright. Agent?" The androids detached voice was disarming and without personality, you hated it.

You ignored the android and set your eyes on Steve, anger forcing them to shutter into half-open slits.

"Explain what the fuck I just saw!" You demanded.

Steve placed his hands on his hips and let out a disappointed huff.

Clint hobbled into the room, whistling lowly as he patted Steve's back, "Someone's in the dog house."

Steve shrugged him off and walked towards you.

"Uh-uh," you stepped back.

Steve's brows came together in a look of anger.

"Hey clank, get her out of here!" Steve pointed to Pepper, words dripping authority. "That goes for everyone else, go secure the prisoners. Go! Get out!"

Everyone scattered out of the room as Spectre picked up Pepper gently, her smile conveying her satisfaction at the turn of events.

"Well?" You challenged Steve when it was just the two of you. "Care to explain?"

Steve noticed the bandage on your shoulder soak up with blood, "At least let me fix you up first."

"Stop trying to deflect, Steve! Explain to me why I just watched a video of you blowing up the airport in Germany! When I agreed to marry you, we swore there'd be no secrets between us!"

"It was classified!" Steve swept the computers off the table in a rageful outburst. "Compromises have to be made in our line of work. You of all people should understand that!"

"That doesn't change the fact you lied to me!"

"I never lied!"

"A lie of omission is still a lie!"

"God damn it, what do you want from me huh?" Steve's jaw clenched as he stood barely arm’s length from you. "I don't expect you to tell me every detail about your missions. For god sake, even Sharon understood that part of the job meant keeping certain things secret."

You snapped and suddenly your good hand struck across Steve's face, leaving behind a red mark and a smear of blood from your shoulder.

Steve turned to you slowly, menace in his eyes as he clenched his jaw so tight you could see his muscle working and all but picture morals cracking.

"Just this morning you regarded your ex-wife like she was the devil, and now you're using her name as an excuse to make me feel like shit for expecting you to be truthful in our marriage?" You clicked your tongue. "You're fucking unbelievable sometimes."

You stormed out, leaving Steve by himself.

***

Your legs kept twitching as you and Barton sat on a row of chairs waiting for your turn to be debriefed -or reprimanded- by Director Pierce. His howling voice creeped through the hinge gaps of his door, fist pounding on his desk like drums of war.

Clint had his eyes closed, laying back into the chair. His leg had been cleared by the doctor as only having a few contusions. You looked at the part of his pant-legs that was cut off by scissors, deep purple bruises shown off proudly as he crossed his legs at the ankle.

"You're a lucky son of a bitch, you know that."

Clint laughed before placing his hand on your leg to keep it still, "And you're a jittery one."

"This day has gone to shit," you complained as you watched Spectre being led by several junior agents into the 8x8 lock-box Hydra kept him in.

"I'll say," Clint yawned and stretched, his jaw popping. "What was all that stuff with Steve about?"

You sighed, "Just work problems. He's been keeping certain… details about his time in Germany a secret from me."

Clint chuckled as though he was a wizened elder, "And that, young sith apprentice, is why you shouldn't marry into your work, or have kids!"

You rose a brow at him, "Unbelievable. You're married to the woman who practically runs this branch, not including Mr Constant Scowl in there!" You pointed to the name plat on Pierce's door.

"Yeah, but she's the head of public relations and I'm a spy!" He said matter-of-factly. "I don't ask her about politics and she doesn't ask me about my kill count- Oh, speaking of which, what was your count?"

Clint sat up in his chair, staring at you expectantly.

"The way the day's gone to shit, I'll gladly pick up the tab!"

"Yes!" Clint clapped his hands in triumph.

The door opened and Steve stormed out of Pierce's office, side-eyeing you before he headed for the elevator.

"I may have underestimated which one of you two is in the dog house," Clint whispered to you.

You rolled your eyes.

"Y/N, get your ass in here!" Director Pierce shouted distastefully.

You heaved a sigh and walked into the office.

"Shut the door," he ordered.

You did as he commanded.

"Mind explaining to me why you disobeyed a direct order from your superior?" Pierce demanded, the lines on his forehead plentiful as he kept his scowl intact.

"Sir?"

"Agent Rogers relayed to me that he issued the use of deadly force after an explosion went off before you decided to capture Virginia Potts."

"That is correct, sir. But I saw an opportunity to gain a valuable prisoner and I took it," you defended your actions.

"Yes, and then you and your husband had a lovers quarrel in the presence of your subordinates," he banged his fist on the table. "When Rogers was married to Carter, I thought nothing of it because she works Human Resources, but he assured me the two of you would keep level heads while in the field."

"With all due respect, sir--"

Pierce stood from his seat and pointed at you, "Do not interrupt me when I'm talking!" He slapped his palm on the table. "This is your only warning. Any reckless displays like the one you did today and I'll revoke that badge!" He pointed at your badge clipped to your breast pocket.

"Now get out of my sight!" He shooed you out of the room.

"Sir," you took your leave.

Once out of the room you kicked Barton's legs, forcing him from his nap.

"Ouch, fuck!"

"Get up, I need a drink!"

Clint eyed you, "We're still on duty."

"Fuck duty," You headed for the elevator. "You coming or not? I'm buying remember!"

Clint shot up from the chair and hobbled over, "That's all you had to say!"

~Avenger's Compound

The room was pitch black save for the colour-shifting, low light that resonated off the television screen. Bucky sat in the deserted lounge area nursing a despondent mood and a heavy brow. His eyes glued to the television screen as it played back an old DVR'd recording of his legal trial that took place months before being instated as an Avenger.

The volume on the television was low, but the room was empty enough that it sounded louder than normal.

"Case 12773. James Buchanan Barnes vs the people. We call forth Steve Rogers as a character witness for Mr Barnes who is on trial for any illegal activities committed in the name of the secret organisation known as Hydra, between the years 1945 and 2016, while under duress. Mr Rogers, please take the stand." The judged banged her gavel to silence the courtroom.

An old and weary Steve moved towards the stand at a pace slower than Bucky's mind was comfortable reconciling. Knowing his best friend was nearing the end in that moment still stung even while re-watching it as an old recording.

Bucky watched in silence as he looked at Steve lobbying on his behalf to be allowed to be forgiven for past transgressions.

"He never even had the luxury of committing any of these crimes of his own free will or sound mind. They should be dismissed or at the very least declared a mistrial. These are the actions of the Winter Soldier, a weapon honed and trained by a nefarious organisation, not my oldest friend and former member of the Howling Commando's, James Buchanan Barnes," Steve's old and gravelly voice was filled with conviction as he spoke into the microphone.

The crowd started to rumble and several camera shutters sounded off as the Judge banged her gavel to regain order.

A mournful smile crept over Bucky's lips as he fought back tears at the sight of his best friend lobbying tirelessly for him.

How he wished he could turn to him at such a time.

Bucky's heart had barely started healing when Y/N had been ripped from him.

Bucky paused the recording at the moment when Y/N had taken his hand reassuringly after what seemed like the hundredth procession. They had fitted him with a non-threatening prosthetic to seem less menacing in the eyes of the politicians and jury members. It didn’t stop them from staring at him in distaste every time a new piece of evidence was brought to light- and there had been a lot of damning evidence.

Bucky wasn't averse to the fact that his life came with a lot of baggage, which is why he was amazed when Y/N had stood by his side through everything. Through the gruelling and soul-crushing trial. Through those bleak, empty days that followed after Steve's funeral. Even through his reluctant integration back into the field as an Avenger.

It hadn't been easy. A lot of the public hadn't been happy with that decision, but Bucky had grown used to being under every government’s scrutinous eye. Yet, despite countless news channels and tabloid newspapers calling him a mentally unstable monster who could snap back to his old ways at any time, Y/N had stood by him.

"Broodin' in the dark?" Sam's voice called out from behind the couch.

"You know of a better place to do it?" Bucky retorted with no humour present, muting the video.

"No, this'll do it," Sam replied. “I thought I’d find you in the gym, working over that punchin’ bag you’ve taped to hell and back. Or at the very least lifting some iron. This is a change of pace.” he sat on the other end of the couch.

"Please, make yourself comfortable, it's not like I wanted to be alone," Bucky said sarcastically.

"Like I needed your permission," Sam jabbed.

“The punching bag is just a bag now.” Bucky revealed.

Sam nodded in understanding.

"Any updates?" Bucky seemed almost afraid to ask.

"No, we're still trying to track her signal," he said before looking at the screen in recognition. "Oh, shit. The trial. Damn, I do not miss those days. I had to wear my uncle Earl's suit, it stunk of weed, he says it’s for a prescription but I know better. How longs it been, eight months?"

Bucky refrained from laughing, "A little longer."

"That was almost as painful as the Sokovian Accords," Sam remarked.

Bucky looked at him with knitted brows, "We were fugitives then."

Sam let a full laugh out, "Yeah, and that was still a less stressful time."

"Weren't you shot out of the sky?"

"Yeah, almost, but you got your ass handed to you by a fourteen-year-old," Sam retorted.

“So did you.”

"Ah, good times."

Both men chuckled at the remarkable power of hindsight.

Sam tapped on the couch excitedly when he remembered something, "Hey, fast forward to the time they put Shuri on the stand. I love how she makes all those suits look like idiots when she talks about all the scientific gobbledygook she used to tape your mind back together."

Bucky sighed heavily, but a small smile peaked across his cheeks as he fast-forwarded the recording.

Midway through the video, Bucky was reminded of something funny during his rehab in Wakanda.

Sam caught sight of him letting out a silent laugh.

"What?" he asked.

"Uhh, it's nothing," Bucky tried to deflect.

"Spit it out Tin-can!" Sam said impatiently.

"During my rehab, Shuri started talking about the benefits of physical therapy. In the middle of her long-winded explanations, I used to zone out a lot when she used big scientific words, I lost track of what she was saying and blindly agreed to this therapeutic exercise she recommended. Turns out it was a week of yoga."

Sam burst out laughing, his hand slapped his chest in amusement. "Did you have to wear yoga pants?"

Bucky opened his mouth to answer but thought against it once Sam laughed even louder.

Out of the blue, a red streak of light reflected off the glass windows of the lounge prompting Bucky and Sam to crane their necks in the opposite direction.

Wanda tapped on the glass and ushered them outside.

When they walked out into the night, they caught sight of Wanda holding onto a small thumb drive and sporting a satisfied smile, "We located Y/N!"

"We?" Sam asked

At the same time, Bucky also asked, "You found her?"

"Me, Friday and Pepper!" Wanda pointed to the blue Iron-Woman suit that had just landed a few feet away with a heavy metallic thud.

"Boys," Pepper greeted from within the Rescue suit.

"Pepper," Sam waved. "Is that really you, or--"

The helmet of the Rescue suit peeled back revealing no one inside before closing again. "Sadly, I couldn't be there in person. I'm gonna hand the reigns over to Friday, she'll set the co-ordinates into the Quin Jet and provide assistance on your mission. I have a girl’s sleepover to supervise... on a school night no less."

"Thanks, Pepper," Wanda smiled.

"Anytime," Pepper logged off and the distinct Irish lilt of the Friday program came online: "I'll go get the jet ready, boss." The Rescue suit took the thumb drive from Wanda and flew towards the garage.

Bucky had looked a little lost through the whole exchange, but his eyes showed how determined he was to get things rolling.

Wanda continued, "Using Stark's satellites, we managed to pin-point her location to a set radius over the Weddell Sea. All we have to do is connect Friday's mainframe to the Quin jet, which she's handling, and we're good to go."

Bucky sprinted to the jet hanger after Friday without a seconds thought.

Wanda was about to follow suit when she noticed Sam hadn't moved.

"What are you waiting for, Sam? Gear up!"

"Are you sure you're ready for active duty?" Sam asked.

Wanda, in turn, cocked her head to the side and said, "My friend is in danger, of course I am!"

"That's all I needed to hear," Sam smiled proudly as he and Wanda made for the hanger.

 ~Several Hours Later, Over the Weddell Sea

"Coming up on the signal, boss," Friday informed Wanda. "It seems like the signal's remained stationary."

All three of them were geared up, wired up and more than ready to get their teammate back.

"Probably a base of operations," Sam noted.

"The scans show no entrance above ground," Bucky frowned. "Diving suits?"

"We'd mobilise faster if we had an underwater vehicle," Sam noted. "Besides, if we jump from this high..."

"Gravity," Bucky nodded, following Sam's train of thought. "So we can't jump, we'll have to land."

Wanda walked over to the Quin Jet's hull and pressed the button that opened the doors, depressurising the jet in a rush of strong wind.

"No, we jump on my mark," Wanda said boldly. "Leave gravity to me."

"Boss, this suit doesn't have underwater capabilities, you'll have to take me along with this," the Rescue suit handed Wanda the flash drive.

Sam and Bucky exchanged cautious looks before standing beside Wanda, her eyes glowing red.

"Now," Wanda signalled as she dove headfirst out of the jet.

"Shit!" Sam groaned as he followed second.

Bucky squeezed something tied around his neck and said in silent prayer, "Hold on, doll. We're coming." And then he dove third.

As all three of them were pulled down headfirst by gravity, their speed increasing as they descended further.

Sam instinctively began to brace but suddenly a whirlpool began to form, separating the seawater to form a tunnel that drilled downwards until it reached a man-made structure. Red streaks of mist mixed with the dark water to form spiralling stripes of red and navy.

Bucky began to feel his body growing lighter and lighter, red mist covering him, Wanda and Sam in puffs of smoke.

When they reached the seafloor, they touched down lightly, the whirlpool following them like a protective perimeter.

Bucky looked up, only to see a roof of water rippling about. The whirlpool had transformed into a dome below surface level. Wanda began to breathe heavy, her fingers held up as though she were simply holding an umbrella for them.

"There," Sam pointed out as he looked at his tablet, a glowing force field shielding a metal gate. "The origin of the signal."

"You were right, it is a base," Bucky said.

"That looks like alien tech," Sam noted.

"Mind if we hurry this along boys, the sea is quite heavy," Wanda strained.

***

Once they were inside the compound, Bucky and Sam handled most of the heavy lifting, allowing Wanda a bit of respite. All their opponents were clad in black tactical gear, no flags, sigil’s or markings.

Bucky transformed into a brutal machine, dispensing of all potential threats thrown their way with lethal precision and a feral show of uncontrolled power. Sam and Wanda would occasionally have to pry him off someone when he began to seered. He was unhinging.

"Black ops?" Sam asked

Wanda shook her head as she used her ability to restrain Bucky after an outburst, "Hiding under an Ocean floor bed? No, they scavenged the alien tech. Whoever they are, they aren't military or government."

"Hhhhh!" He resisted against her powers but then let out a deep sigh.

"You good?" She asked.

Bucky shook the Winter Soldier's temperamental resurgence away, "Yeah."

"Let’s go," Wanda released her telekinetic grip from him.

Along the way, Wanda spotted an odd Z shaped symbol spray painted into the walls. She recognised it from somewhere, but she couldn’t place it.

When they got to the control room, all three of them were covered in sweat, their bodies beginning to show signs of fatigue- Bucky most of all, his rage had burned through him like a match to gasoline.

"Y/N!" he shouted, relief taking over his hardened features as he raced to the sensory deprivation tank she was floating in. EEG's and EKG's wired up to her brain and heart function. A small bar at the bottom revealed her memories were at 72% synchronisation.

"We have time," Bucky said thankfully as his hand pressed against the glass.

Wanda looked around at all the other tanks filled with strangers, "Who are these people?"

"We'll answer that question once we get our girl out," Sam said as he plugged Friday's USB into the computer terminal. Sam saw a leather bound book lying on a table, “This looks important.” He flipped through the pages.

“What does it say?” Wanda asked as she took a turn about the room, inspecting the machinery which was stamped with Cyrillic, Greek and what looked to be Sokovian letters.

“I got no clue, I can’t read Hieroglyphs,” Sam tossed her the book.

Wanda grumbled after she read the title. “It’s Sokovian. I think it’s a manifesto…” Suddenly everything clicked in place. “I know what this place is. Helmut Zemo wrote a manifesto while in prison. It was in the news around the same time as Bucky’s trial. He talked about how the world’s greatest failing was superheroes. Something about the world being a better place if the Avengers never existed. If they never toyed with the idea of global security.”

"I read an old Shield case file on the way here. A man named Radcliffe invented the Framework, it was originally designed as a training simulator,” Bucky chimed in.

“So what? A group of anarchists mobilise, take his word as scripture and build a computer program where superhero’s don’t exist?” Sam asked.

The sound of soldiers mobilising to their position became cause for concern.

Bucky ran to the control room door panel and started flipping switches hoping the main entrance would seal behind them, all it did was cause several observation shutters to open and close.

Wanda sighed then shut the doors using her telekinetic powers.

"You sure are handy in a pinch," Bucky mused.

Wanda was too burnt out to think of a retort and simply nodded in agreement.

"Ugh, guys we may have a problem," Sam said.

Bucky's metal fist connected brutally with the sealed door, generating a loud metallic thud, "Why is nothing simple anymore?"

"What's the problem?" Wanda moved closer to the monitors.

Sam typed at the keys, unsure of how to proceed, "According to the program, there's no way to manually unplug someone. That case file say anything else, Buck?"

Bucky's eyes skittered in thought as the sound of a welding blade cutting through the door alerted everyone to their shortening time limit.

“A few years ago, some agents got plugged in They were rescued and successfully disconnected from the Framework before it was destroyed. I was hoping the same rules wouldn't apply here since I'm guessing this is a rebuild."

"Well," Sam urged Bucky to drop the other shoe. "How'd they get out?"

Bucky took a deep breath, "The only way you can unplug someone from this Framework is from the inside, there’s usually a backdoor exit programed into the world."

"Shit!" Sam ran a hand over his clean shave.

Friday's protocols finished downloading and her voice blared through the old, static PA system like nails on a chalk board, "Online, boss."

"Friday, can you locate our avatars in the Framework?" Sam asked.

"Searching," Friday responded.

The first of three bolts had been cut through, sparks halting momentarily before the saw blades were replaced and the motor of the welding machine was restarted.

"Come on, come on," Bucky tapped the tabled impatiently.

"Two avatars located. One James Buchanan Barnes and one Sam Wilson. The avatar of one, Wanda Maximoff died year 2015 during the destruction of Sokovia at the hands of a Hydra intelligence android gone rogue. Designation, the Crimson Cowl. Survived by known terrorist and fugitive, Pietro Maximoff."

Wanda gasped in shock as her lips trembled out her brother’s name, "Pietro is alive?"

"Alive is a relative term," Friday corrected. "But he has an active string of code within the Framework. To everyone plugged in, he is as real as they are."

Wanda slumped against a machine as she tried to process this information.

"Friday, if we go into the Framework, will we still have our memories?" Bucky asked as he took off his jacket, walking with purpose towards an empty tank.

"I can over-ride the base program's code and allow you to take over your avatar's body within the Framework, but I cannot change where you end up. You will wake up in a foreign world with your own memories and no backup," Friday informed him.

Bucky tapped on several buttons as he tried to activate the tank, "What about Y/N?"

Friday's voice whined several times before the PA system cleared up as much as it could, "The program automatically severs ties between the avatar and the brain once synchronisation is complete. The higher the synchronisation, the more her personality is overtaken by the one encoded for in the Framework. Chances are, she won't recognise you."

"What happens if our avatars die in there?" Sam asked as he placed his machine guns on the table and walked over to the adjoining tank.

"I'm afraid your mind will not be able to distinguish the real from the simulated. The Framework is programmed to feel real, so for all intents and purposes, if you die in there, you die out here," Friday informed them.

"You can't come with me Sam, I won't ask you too," Bucky tried to talk Sam out of coming with.

Sam placed a hand on Bucky's shoulder, "You never have to ask, Tin-can. We're all we've got." Sam looked at Y/N's submerged body in the tank to the left. "We're all she's got."

"I'm expendable," Bucky kept pushing. "You're the team’s leader. Steve chose you."

"No one's expendable," Wanda finally stood on her own two feet, trust in her eyes. "Two is better than one. I'm stronger, I'll hold them off when they breach the doors, you just make sure you make it out of there… all three of you."

The second bolt was welded through. The whirring halted and then started up again. Sparks flying like confetti.

Bucky nodded like the soldier he was and with little patience, he jumped into the tank and fixed the wires and breathing apparatus onto his body.

"Maybe you should be the leader," Sam pondered aloud.

Wanda smiled sadly, "There's more to being a good leader than just raw power. After all, I was trained by a man who uses a bow and arrow." She reminded him.

"Friday, how long do we have until Y/N reaches full synchronisation?" Sam asked as he turned his tank on.

"Calculating," Friday ran the numbers over the computer monitor. "Less than 14 hours real time. Time moves faster in the Framework, in there it will be just under 72 hours. When you rescue her, look for a signal, that’s where the exit will be programmed."

"Got it," Sam replied as he put one foot in the tank.

"Sam, I feel I should warn you about your avatar--"

"Times awastin'," Sam said with a cocky attitude as he placed the breathing apparatus over his face and fully submerged into the tank.

"Boss, you need to give the all clear to administer the sedatives," Friday informed Wanda.

She walked over and pressed the enter key. A long needle popped out of the tanks walls and pumped Bucky and Sam full sedatives. Their vitals read steady as they drifted off.

Wanda cracked her neck as she took up defensive stances, the room all but glowing the same shade of red as her eyes.

Friday began a countdown, "The avatars will be fully loaded in 3, 2, 1..."

~Hydra Headquarters.

You were hunkered over the toilet bowl as your stomach kept forcing bile up your throat. It had been a mistake to come into work after you and Clint had dived into several bottles of whiskey at McCredie's for a weekend-long binge. Steve had all but confined you the couch, still angry from your fight. Deciding his brooding glares and awkward silences were too much for you, you had chosen to sleep on Clint’s couch.

After throwing up your breakfast, you wiped your mouth with some tissue and dabbed at your watery eyes that bled mascara.

"Ughhh, that's the last time I drink with that smug bastard," you groaned to yourself as you flushed the toilet and struggled to get up off the floor.

After washing your hands and fixing a pair of big, dark-tinted glasses over your sensitive eyes, you made your way out of the Men's room -which you had mistaken for the Women's room- and headed for your desk.

You blocked one ear with your hand as you squinted from the few rays of light that slipped through the cracks, feet dragging against the carpeted floor.

Out of nowhere, a panicked junior agent ran up to you.

"Agent Y/N!"

"Fuck, don't shout, I'm literally less than five feet from you," you whined as your head recoiled from the agents loudly pitched voice.

"I'm sorry agent, but our border patrols caught a man trying to sneak past a checkpoint earlier," He handed you a file.

You tucked it under your arm without glancing at it, "Why should I care about a fence hopper?"

"Because, Ma'am, he demanded to speak to you."

"I was on television last night, any insane whack job can throw my name around and sound important," you started moving away from the conversation.

"He had a metal arm with a Shield emblem on it," he shouted after you.

A few other agents stopped what they were doing and glanced your way suspiciously.

The mention of Shield caught your attention, you spun around to face the scrawny junior agent, "Five seconds, impress me or I walk."

"He said his name is Bucky Barnes."

You waved your hands in frustration when he didn't elaborate further, "Who the fuck is Bucky Barnes?"

PART FOUR: TWO HALVES...

AFWHI tags: @fangirl-colo @dormousse @smallmarvel @ren-ni @sargentbucket @nikolett3 @wnygirl2012 @jentismyname @evilgeniuslabz-blog @myrabbitholetoneverland @sleepingspacedragon @500daysofbecky @reidreader  

Permatags: @gruffle1 @thechickvic @notawarriorjustyet @savethehoneeybees

tags: @ladybugsfanfics @ninaminaromina

[awakeningofthedeath]

Awakening of the Death: Chapter #30

A day and a half passed on as the Swift and Armor train cars that contained the two rouge assassins in one of the empty cattle cars. Jack and Hellen spent most of the travel time in nothing but the sound of the tracks clanking and the feel of their beating hearts. Hellen loved to have Jack close to her. She never minded every scar and flaw that he felt upon her. She wanted to be nothing but close to him without interruptions; yet the mile markers indicated to them that they would be approaching Kansas City as soon as the sun set.

As the miles gotten closer to the stockyards stations, Jack and Hellen had to put on their clothes and hide behind the giant hay pile in case of any rail inspectors, which had happened before in several stations along the way. None of the inspectors were harmed or killed whilst the couple hid. The only bloodshed the had one time was when a train hopper tried to load in the car and saw the naked couple. Jack only had to push the hobo off to where the man fell too close to the rail and the sound of cracking bones and a dying man’s screams made both Jack and Hellen shiver to the core. They both kept quiet holding each other until they saw the sight Hellen had not seen in years. The observatory buildings of the Kansas City stockyards were of a mass that Jack had never seen, with the rich smell of livestock and smokes from the factories around the city area across the river.

When the train ceased to a halt, Hellen and Jack took several seconds to grip their sacks before darting towards the exit, and barely got off intone before the men would see them before lowering the loading ramp. Seeing their breaths in the chilled air, Jack followed Hellen through a labyrinth of wooden panels and fences, the smell of cattle laced thick in the air, a scent Jack found it surprisingly strong. His only experience with cattle was during his stay in India, where the cattle were worshiped, decorated, and respected. These cattle, to which Jack passed by as he and Hellen traveled towards the observatory docks, were larger and more muscular than any he’d seen. Some of them had horns as thick and as long as Jack’s arms stretched out. Hellen climbed upon one of the beams to the deck, with Jack following behind. The wood creaked as they snuck across.

“This place has gotten bigger since I was last here.” Hellen commented on the expanse viewpoint of pens where cattle cried out to one another

“So if this were the cattle area, the horses can’t be too far.” Hellen made a turn to where other panels were set.

“Kansas City here is the biggest in the horse and mule market, My pa used to come here to buy horses to train them, only to sell them again for more than what he paid for. I went with him a few times. First time I was possibly 5 to 8 when I snuck away for a bit and road an ass bare assed. Surprised my pa never gained a grey hair with all the hell I’d given him.”

Jack chuckled, which surprised Hellen.

“Seems to me you tried to be Lady Godiva.”

“Never heard of her.”

“She was a noblewoman from long ago who stood for what was right against her husband’s poor decision making on taxes by riding in the streets naked upon her horse. Legend even said that a man named Thomas watched her ride and was struck blind or dead.”

Hellen gave a cheerful laugh. “Oh I like her! She’d be good company. Maybe perhaps, I could be your lady bare upon a horse when away from the bull’s viewpoint.” Jack gave a signature smirk, thinking the beautiful image of Hellen on a horse’s back. 

The couple found the horse and mule area where the equines munched upon what hay remained in each of the pens. Some of them contained a maximum of four to five in each pen. Jack watched as Hellen observed each pen looking upon the animals. He could hear Hellen’s frustration as she failed to find a stead that would possibly carry both of them. Whilst she searched, Jack’s eyes wondered to the pens behind him, where there in a large pen with only by it’s self was a beautiful buckskin mare with a white sock on it’s left hind contrasting against the other three blackened legs. It’s eyes meet Jack’s as she walked towards his position. 

“Seems to me I have competition Jackass.” Hellen’s chuckled as Jack turned to face her.

“I don’t suppose this one could work.”

Hellen slipped between the fence gaps as she examined the mare. She lifted her hooves, checked her teeth, and examined her back. “This one is well conditioned. Probably one of the handler’s horses. Still, we’re going to need a saddle and the gear. I’m going to check the tack area. I’ll be back.” And Hellen pecked a kiss on Jack’s lips as she went towards the building again. Seeing that Jack was alone with the horse, he leaned on the fence, his mind thinking about the recent few months he and Hellen had been together, and asking himself, why is he here? Why didn’t she come home sooner? 

Minutes later, Hellen came back carrying a saddle with a bridle with a snaffle bit on top of the saddle’s horn. An old red blanket was held from underneath the saddle as well. Jack managed to grab the woolen horse blanket as it slipped in between when Hellen hoisted the saddle upon a railing to keep in shape. She slipped back into the pen and grabbed first the blanket and the bridal. Wraping the mare’s neck with one of the split rings, Hellen kept her in control as she gently pushed the head down to have her thumb into the corner of it’s mouth, where the horse’s mouth opened and Hellen snuck the snaffle into the mouth and positioned the bridal. Testing the horse’s ability to ground tie, to which was successful, Hellen took the woolen blanket, folded it around to a half as big as the saddle and positioned it onto the horse’s wither’s in the correct position. She then grabbed the saddle and placed it upon the blanketed back. Hellen first handled the front chinch before the rear, and to finally finish bu adjusting the breast collar. Hellen then took each of the strips, measured them by comparison to her arm, and fixed them to the correct length. Hellen patted the mare’s neck, she led her to the gate. Jack opened the gate allowing them to walk through. The sound of the horse’s shoes echoed on the brick pathway. 

Hellen grabbed the horse’s mane and hoisted herself into the saddle. “I suppose you’d never rode a horse before.” Hellen asked.

“Only when I needed to. A few times while I was in India. Knew how to drive a carriage though.” Jack answered, feeling slightly embarrassed. 

“Get on the fence, I’ll side pass this horse to you so you can rise double. Thank the heavens above she’s a strong looking mustang. Big for her average height.” Hellen used her legs and slight in and out of the pressure on the reins to have the mare’s legs cross over each other as Jack climbed the fence. As Jackcarefully packed himself behind Hellen, he wrapped his arms around her waist, making her sink into his chest. 

“Better not tempt me Jackass, or we both will fall off this...”

“Oy! Jesse! Marcus is dead! And the tack storage was opened! Check the horse pens!” 

The sound of a man’s shouting echoed into the darkness. Lanterns were lite, and moving towards the area.

“Hold on tight Jack. Not sure how fast this gal can go with the two of us, but we have no choice.”

Hellen soured the mare into a short trot transitioning into a gallop. The sound of hooves on brick echoed in a familiar pattern Jack knew in London at times when Jacob would drive. The difference being feeling the moment of this valiant’s beasts mussels as she left those behind the dust. Then suddenly, without warning, he felt Hellen leaning forward with him following as the mare jumped over a broken part of a vacant pen. Hellen steamed past other workers, with Jack kicking some of them whop tried climbing onto the beast. When they escaped the area, Hellen ran the horse for a good distance for a mile, until they stopped at the base of the Missouri River. 

The River looked so peaceful and still, that it never seemed to have a current. Hellen later explained to Jack that the Missouri was actually more deadly when entering in, known for the under toes and deadly looking driftwoods. As Hellen guided the horse towards the docks of a farrier rafts, Hellen pointed towards the upper part of the river. “Collin told me a story once of how he and my pa almost got a rich templar on a mission on a steamboat called the Arabia back in ‘56. Unfortunately, the Templar escaped due to a stuck of bad luck on his part when the boat struck a tree stump floating in the river, Sad that the only victim in that was a mule. That and loads of cargo meant for many towns. Might be a kings fortune.”

When Hellen halted the mare, Jack slipped off, feeling rather tender in the thighs, but managed to stand upright. He turned and held the horse for Hellen as she dismounted. They walked to the assumed farrier, an older gentleman with a grizzled beard and blue eyes the color of ice. “What can I do for you kind folks?” He asked in a southern accent.

Hellen pulled out some silver dollars and handed it over to the man. “We need to cross to the Missouri side as soon as possible!”

The man looked at the money then back to the couple. “Funny for the woman to talk matters of sales instead of your man here.”

Before Jack could say anything, Hellen slightly tabbed his boot with her own, signaling him to keep quiet. “He can’t speak sir. His tongue was cut off during the war with the red skins.” 

“Is that so?” The man asked, looking at Jack with a questioning look. “What she say is true boy?” Jack nodded. “Did you lose it before or after this lovely bride of your allowed her horse out of the barn?”

 Jack gave a glare and gave him a hard punch, causing the man to tumble into the banks of the river. He stood back up, blood and water dripping. Hellen held Jack back with her hand, giving a secret wink. “Now darling, you know the man is possibly a loose canon on the tongue. Oh!” Hellen gave a gasp. “Jack I’m so sorry, that was uncalled for! Forgive me?” Jack smiled, and gave her a gentle kiss. This kiss was the softest Hellen experience, not that it was for the facade, but genuine in tenderness. When they parted, the man was pressing a handkerchief on a blood spot on his cheekbone. 

“I begin your pardon ma’am, and to you sir. Your very blessed to have a gal to speak for you.”

Jack responded with a nod.

“So yes. I can get you two and your Hoss to the other side. I can tell you two must of just took the train in order to buy a horse.”

“Yes we did. And I must say, she’s worth a steal.” 

Jack smiled at the joke Hellen made secretly for their situation.

The couple lead the mare to the large raft big enough for a covered wagon and a team, and the man guided them through the currents. Hellen left a little uneasy in the stomach as they made the passes, but ignored the small discomfort as they grew closer to the Missouri shores. 

Home.

For the first time in over thirteen years. She was back in her home state

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Chapter 3; The Sokovia Accords

Here begins the strain that starts out between the Avengers and we see one of the most saddest moments in Marvel history so for any Steggy shippers out there will need tissues on hand. Enjoy my lovelies :)

_____________________________________________

We were all gathered in the meeting room next to the kitchen and we were all sitting at the table and there stood Secretary Ross with his guards surrounding the four corners of the room.

“Five years ago, I had a heart attack,” he then made a golfer’s swing pose as he continued, “And dropped right in the middle of my backswing. Turned out it was the best run of my life because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I found something 40 years in the army had never taught me. Perspective”.  

Wow okay so that’s a cool story but what’s the real reason you’re here Mr. Secretary or did you just come here to tell us about how you almost keeled over 5 years ago. I had wanted to say but I’d rather keep that to myself and not get in trouble.

“The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt, you have fought for us. Protected us. Risked your lives. But while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some who would prefer the world vigilantes”.

“And what word would you use Mr. Secretary?” asked Natasha.

“How about dangerous? What would you call a group of US based, enhanced individuals…who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who frankly seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?” 

Secretary Ross soon stepped aside and the screen soon digitalized itself into a world globe map with certain points picked out around the world.

“New York,” soon video footage of the New York attack from when Loki had brought an alien army upon the city.  Guns were heard firing, people running and screaming in fear and the Hulk jumping from building to building roaring as debris fell to the ground.  “Washington DC,” the footage changed to the day when both SHIELD AND HYDRA fell apart with the Helicarriers over the Lincoln Memorial.

People screaming and as one Helicarrier fell into the lake, the water surged up and began to wash people away.

“Sokovia”.  Soon the image changed to a year ago when Sokovia was attacked by Ultron.  People screaming and an image of half of the city being lifted up into the air, and buildings coming down.  My heart sunk and I closed my eyes trying to hold in my tears from even remembering that day.  “Lagos” and to add more salt to the wound, we were shown what had happened a month ago when Rumlow’s suicide attempt failed thanks to Wanda but in the end people died. 

The video showed police carrying out the dead or trying to help people covered from head to toe in debris and it showed just how frightened some of these people were in the aftermath.  I turned to Wanda to see her turning away when I snarled. 

“Alright! We get it!” Ross nodded to his guard to shut off the image as he stated.

“For the past four years you’ve operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That’s an arrangement the governments of the world can no long tolerate. But I think we have a solution,” it was then one of his guards handed him a very large thick book and he gave it to me as he continued, “The Sokovia Accords.”

I looked at it as well as Wanda over my shoulder before I slid it over to Rhodey as Secretary Ross explained the Accords to us.

“Approved by 117 countries, it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization, instead; they’ll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary”. 

“The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place, I feel we’ve done that” said Steve.

“Tell me Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now? If I placed a couple of 30 megaton nukes, you can bet there’d be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That’s how the world works, believe me, this is the middle ground” he said gesturing to the book at his last statement.

“So, there are contingencies?” asked Rhodey.

“Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the accords. Talk it over”.  As he and his guards took their leave Natasha spoke up.

“And if we come to a decision you don’t like?”

“Then you retire” Secretary Ross stated plain and simple.

After Secretary Ross left the facility, we were now all gathered in the kitchen/dining room area.  I was in my wolf form in my bed that Tony had custom made for me while everyone was sitting on either a couch or chair except for Rhodey and Sam who were arguing with each other behind Steve who was reading the accords.

“Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have”.

“So let’s say we agree to this thing, how long is it gonna be before the LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?” demanded Sam.

“117 countries want to sign this. 117 Sam and you’re just like ‘No, that’s cool, we got is’”.

“How long are you gonna play both sides?!”

“I have an equation” stated Vision.

“Oh, this will clear it up” stated Sam sarcastically.

“In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron-Man, the number of known enhanced persons as grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen to a commensurate rate”.

“Are you saying it’s our fault?” asked Steve but Vision continued with his professor analysis.

“I’m saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge, challenge incites conflict, and conflict—breeds catastrophe. Oversight…oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand”.

“Boom” stated Rhodey.

“Tony, you are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal” stated Natasha.

“It’s because he’s already made up his mind” said Steve.

“Boy you know me so well,” Tony spat out sarcastically at Steve.  He slowly stood up as he gripped his head and stood up and walked towards the kitchen. “Actually, I’m nursing an electromagnetic headache. That’s what’s going on Cap, it’s just pain. It’s discomfort. Who’s putting coffee grounds in the disposal?” Tony exclaimed.

At that statement my ears lowered slowly.  I mean I didn’t having grounds end up in my coffee so I just thought dumping them there would be fine, no one says it’s a bad thing right?

“Am I running a bed and Breakfast for a Biker gang?” Thank god he didn’t look directly at me to see I was the culprit. He just took out his tablet and pulled up a picture of a boy around my age maybe a year or two older.  “Oh that’s Charles Spencer by the way, he’s a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA, had a floor-level gig at Intel for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul… before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn’t want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale which is what I would’ve done, he didn’t want to go to Paris or Amsterdam which sounds fun, he decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor guess where Sokovia!” 

I lowered my head solemnly and let out a small whimper because suddenly I began to recall seeing him around Sokovia as Bad Wolf building houses for the poor people, he even once made me a house to live in before we found Mr. Bobinsky to take me, Wanda and her brother in.

“Oh so he helped you out too huh Little Red? That’s good because I assume he wanted to make a difference I suppose I mean we wouldn’t know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass”.

Tony took a moment to drink his coffee before deeply sighing and he finally stated his side of the argument.

“There’s no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check, whatever form that takes, I’m game. If we can’t accept limitations, we’re boundary-less, we’re no better than the bad guys”.

“Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don’t give up”.

“Who said we’re giving up?”

“We are if we’re not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame”.

“I’m sorry, Steve. That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we’re talking about. It’s not the World Security Council, it’s not SHIELD, it’s not HYDRA”.

“No but its run by people with agendas and agendas change”.

“That’s good. That’s why I’m here. When I realized what my weapons were capable in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing”.

“Tony you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if this panel sends us somewhere we don’t think we should go? What if there’s somewhere we need to go and they don’t let us?” 

“(Y/n) you haven’t even said a single word about this whole thing, why don’t you tell us what you think?” Rhodey said to me. Everyone soon turned to look at me. I stood up and as I walked I began to phase back into my human form and I said as I sat beside Wanda.

“I’ve always gone along with the group, even if it wasn’t really the best decision to make. But like Steve said, what if there is somewhere we need to go and they don’t let us? Humans are always stubborn and above all else stupid, they think they can destroy anything by building bigger guns, that’s why there’s always war. More people die from their own stupidity than anything else, but with us we give them the right to go back to their families from a fight they don’t deserve to be in in the first place. We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own”. 

“But (n/n), if we don’t do this now, it’s gonna be done to us later. That’s the fact, that won’t be pretty”.

“You’re saying they’ll come for me?” asked Wanda.

“We would protect you” said Vision.

“Maybe Tony’s right” stated Natasha.  Tony, Sam and Steve turned to Nat as she continued, “If we have one hand on the wheel we can still steer. If we take it off,”

“Aren’t you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?” stated Sam.

“I’m just—I’m reading the terrain. We have made some very public mistakes, we need to win their trust back”.

“Focus up I’m sorry—did I just mishear you…or did you agree with me?”

“Oh I wanna take it back now”.

“No, no, no you can’t retract it thank you unprecedented. Okay, Case close, I win”.

“I have to go” said Steve suddenly and he rushed out of the room.  My instincts were telling me to go after him so I stood up and followed behind Steve but didn’t let him know I was behind him.  He stopped at the middle of the stairway so I just stood a stairwell above him and watched him pinch the bridge of his nose and heard him sniffling out and I could smell the salt of tears running down his face. 

I was currently packing up for the funeral of Peggy Carter in London since I had told Steve that I wanted to come along with him to give him moral support.  As I was finishing up my packing, Tony knocked at my door and said.

“You got a second?”

“Not really but I have a feeling you’re not gonna give me much choice now are you?” I teased.  For the past year since I had met Tony, he and I have this little head-butting thing that we do, we tease each other, sometimes blackmail to get the other to do what we want stuff like that but it’s all out of love in the end.

“Now I will take into consideration what you had said earlier about the accords, but are you sure there’s nothing else I can do to change your mind”.

“Afraid not Tony”.

“Not even if I threatened to share this video of you with your stuffed teddy bear on Instagram?”

“Especially if you did that, plus that’d make me even more Instagram famous, I already have about 9 thousand followers, you do that and I’ll have more followers than you”.

“In your dreams Little Red,” Tony then took me in a hug and he whispered in my ear. “I just hope you made the right choice, cause if you choose his side, I can’t protect you anymore”.

“Oh like you didn’t when I first became Bad Wolf?”

“Dick move there Maximoff, but I really am sorry about that, about everything HYDRA has done to you, I do wish I could take it away from you”.

“I know, now I’ve gotta meet Sam, Nat and Steve upstairs on the jet”.  I then grabbed my suitcase and headed up to the roof and boarded the jet and we were all headed off to the funeral in London. 

At the church, Steve was one of the few lucky men to carry Peggy’s casket down the aisle as the choir sung their hymn but even as I watched him, I knew that this was not how Steve wanted to imagine Peggy walking down the aisle in a church filled with so many people who knew her. The head mourner spoke into the microphone.

“And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words”. Sharon Carter otherwise known as Agent 13 to SHIELD soon came up onto the stand and Sam gently nudged Steve and softly gestured with his head as we all looked up to her and she began to speak.

“Margaret Carter was known to most as the founder of SHIELD, but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy,” at that statement Steve’s eyes turned to shock as Sharon continued on with her speech, “She had a photograph in her office, Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid that was pretty cool, but it was a lot to live up to, which is why I never told anyone we were related. I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said compromise where you can, but where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong, is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say ‘No. You move’”.

After the ceremony and the burial, Steve went back into the church and when Nat started to follow him, I grabbed her arm and said. 

“Hey Nat, can I try?” She looked at me and softly smiled and said.

“Sure thing wolfie, I’ll be here waiting for you guys should you choose to come out”. I nodded to her then I walked back inside the church to see Steve staring up at a young Peggy Carter’s picture, back in WW2.  

As I walked towards Steve and he heard me walking towards him, he began to explain to me.

“When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone. Then I found out that she was alive—I was just lucky to have her”.

“She had you back too” I stated with a soft smile.

“Who else signed?” He wanted to know about the accords.  I thought about it quickly and stated out the names.

“Tony, Rhodey, and Vis”.

“Clint?”

“Old man’s finally retired” I teased.

“Your sister?”

“Mama Bear’s in the cage. Nat told me to tell you that she’s off to Vienna for the signing of the accords, says there’s plenty of room on the jet”. Steve sighed softly and I looked at him solemnly. “Just because it’s the path of least resistance doesn’t mean it’s the wrong path. Staying together as a pack is more important that how the pack stays together”.

“What are we giving up to do it?” Steve asked me. Silence remained between the two of us before he stated sadly, “I’m sorry (n/n) I can’t sign it”.

“I know, I’m not either I thought I made that clear back at the facility”.

“Well then what are you doing here?” I swallowed my sobs and choked out softly.

“I’m the one person who knows what it feels like to see the person you love die before them”.  We both looked at each other with tears then I softly told him, “Come here Alpha dog”. I brought him close to me and we hugged each other letting our tears come out letting it all out.

[kkoehn17]

At 4:15 a.m. my alarm went off and my eyes blinked slowly open. Waking up seemed impossible, unbearable, illogical, but somehow I dragged myself into the bathroom, turned on the surface of the sun grade light, and brushed my teeth.

It was 6:00 when I got to the airport, and everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing as me: why the hell are we here this early? followed closely by: because the adventure ahead will be worth it.

I boarded my first flight, and almost immediately after my butt hit the seat, my eyes closed. The flight attendant walked by and tapped me on the shoulder, informing me that while I was more than welcome to sleep, I was also sitting next to the emergency exit. Me and the other three people sitting in the row were required to audibly agree to our responsibilities in case of emergency, but judging how fast the lot of us fell mouths open asleep after take off, I’d say the plane was pretty lucky they didn’t need us.

On my second flight, I was sat next to a man who immediately pulled out a laptop and began furiously typing. I pulled out my copy of The Glass Castle and read the last few chapters, all the while feeling my stomach begin to churn and my fingers begin to fidget.

The first day of any vacation is the hardest for me. Expectations run rampant through my mind, promising to be let down. I knew my best friend was waiting patiently for me on the other side of this flight and I worried that the stories I’d been waiting to tell her wouldn’t be interesting or exciting enough. What if the distance between us had made us grow apart? What if this trip wasn’t everything we’d been hoping it would be?

The captain came on the intercom and announced our initial descent into Redmond, Oregon, and for a split second I wished I could stay on the plane forever, free from all the responsibilities to satisfy, impress and succeed that awaited me on the ground. But before I knew it, the wheels hit the pavement and the plane rolled to a stop. I walked through the terminal to the baggage claim, knowing there was no turning back now.

When I stepped outside, I saw my best friend, Allison, waiting by her car, her dog Jersey’s head poking out of the back seat. A wave of relief washed over me as we made a series of nerdy jumps and squeals to close the distance between us and initiate the hug we’d been waiting 6 months for.

“How are you?!” she said, and her voice in my ear was a startling reminder that she was no longer a text message or an email or a late night notification on Instagram, she was a living breathing person that I call my best friend, and we had finally been reunited.

“So we have an interesting afternoon ahead of us,” she said once I got in the car.

“Tell me more.”

Being a producer for a news station in Bend, Oregon, and the girlfriend of an anchor for a rivaling news station, Allison had been challenged to race her boyfriend—and fight for her channel’s honor—in a heated, balls out, tricycle race.

We stopped by her house for a quick change of clothes, she squatted and mimed tricycle riding motions to ensure she’d chosen a good pair of pants, and then we drove into town, where the Bend Oktoberfest—sure, it was September and we were a bit confused, but we won’t talk about it—was in full swing.

Beer steins were in every hand, pretzels crumbs were on every face and there was one very bold man sporting lederhosen. We took a seat on the bleachers that sandwiched the 200ft tricycle course and, alongside Allison’s boyfriend Mike, stared at the incredibly small tricycles, wondering how on earth either of them would not only fit aboard, but operate them in a way that would lead to success.

The first heat of racers left the starting line, giving life to every fear we had. Grown men leaned and wobbled and one woman let out a terrified squeal. Allison and Mike shared a glance, then took their places in line, fitted themselves with a helmet, and shrugged at me with a “here goes nothing.”

In the end, neither of them came out on top. While Allison finished in a close 2nd place, Mike’s long legs proved to be his greatest enemy and a resounding reminder that he was in fact an adult trying to operate a children’s bike. We all shrugged a collective shrug, then agreed that pizza was the obvious next step.

Mod Pizza, which is a build it yourself Pie-ology/PizzaRev equivalent, proved to be the ultimate right choice for our lunching festivities. I ordered a chicken, corn, tomato, red onion and feta masterpiece, then allowed myself to be tempted by the “no name cakes” that sit next to the cash register.

Tip: Always get the No Name Cake. It’s like a freshly made Ding Dong that your taste buds need.

Back at Allison’s house, we took a seat on the couch and let the conversation start flowing. We covered the topics that sat just below the surface, shared a few current music obsessions, and looked out the window at the impending fall weather.

At 5:30, we drove over to see Mike’s 6 o’clock show, where he Ron Burgundy-ed Bend’s latest news. Allison and I sat off camera, a mere 50 feet from him, in fold up chairs. She watched with trained eyes, all too familiar with the format and production of a newscast, and I sat with my hands in tight fists, worried I might accidentally scream or sneeze or pass out and ruin the show.

Afterwards, the three of us drove out to The Bite in Tumalo, which is essentially a corner street park converted into a homey picnic area with food carts, a fire pit, corn hole, and a bar with a ton of beers on tap. We all ate at Ronin Sushi & Japanese Grill, which, bottom line was delicious, but listen to me and listen to me now. Do yourself a favor and order the Bento Box with the Japanese fried chicken. Listen to me when I tell you that anything else is a mistake. Listen to me when I tell you that while I’d previously never heard of Japanese fried chicken, it’s also safe to say I was previously living a dark and dingy life. Also, from the bar, I’d recommend the Atlas Blackberry Cider, it tastes like the mature, has-their-shit-together-cousin of red wine.

Once we were thoroughly full, though not even close to finished harping on the magic that is JFC—Japanese fried chicken, a.k.a the new, improved and as far as I’m concerned ONLY colonel of protein I’d like to associate with—Mike headed back to work to prepare for the late show and Allison and I went to McMenamins.

Now, if I had a way to explain McMenamins briefly, I would, but I feel as though that would be both dishonest to you and a disservice to McMenamins. On their Facebook page, they tag themselves as related to pubs, breweries, historic hotels, concert venues, wineries, distilleries, coffee roasters, movie theaters, golf, and spas, and honestly that should tell you everything you need to know about this place, which is that you’ll probably never know everything there is to know about this place.

Allison took me through an outdoor cigar lounge and into a building with dark carpet and wood paneled walls.

“We’re going to find the secret bar,” she said, “but first you have to find all the other secret rooms.”

I looked up and down the hallways, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, then I looked back at her.

“The only clue I’m going to give you is blue light,” she said.

And while I’d love to be the spiller of all secrets, Internet, this is the only clue I will leave you with as well. Just know that it is actually a great clue and that there are hidden doors among the wood paneled walls that lead you into rooms like this:

As well as a hidden bar that will give you some major speakeasy feels upon discovery.

I’d like to say I Sherlocked my way through every puzzle and celebrated with a beer at the top, but unfortunately a handful of people in front of us ended up giving away a bunch of the secrets. So after checking in at the secret bar, we made our back down to the car and over to Bonta Gelato. Allison and I both got waffle cones full of goodness—I recommend the Vanilla Bourbon Pecan!—and cheers-ed to the first day of our adventure. We’d already done so much, and we still had so much to come.

A Late September Adventure (Day 1: Bend, OR) At 4:15 a.m. my alarm went off and my eyes blinked slowly open. Waking up seemed impossible, unbearable, illogical, but somehow I dragged myself into the bathroom, turned on the surface of the sun grade light, and brushed my teeth.