#mattexfic

[nemoo-m]

The inspiration came from one of my favorite fan fic TARDIS Blue Rose by ChiefDoctor 🔷💙🥀✨

[melodypond-thewomanwhomarriedme]

Chapters: 15/20 Fandom: Doctor Who RPF Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Alex Kingston/Matt Smith Characters: Alex Kingston, Matt Smith, Original Characters Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Angst, Separations, Marriage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Drama & Romance, author is aware that all her fics have the same plot with just slightly different settings, Emotional Baggage, Slow Burn, not really - Freeform, but by the author's standards yeah it is, Reconciliation, Cockblocking, very emotional, Gratuitous Smut Summary:

In the end, it was the pandemic that broke them. 

[beekindflower]

Does anyone remember a fic I wanna say it was called ‘pinning the butterfly’ I feel like Alex was married to Ralph in the beginning.. I can’t remember the exact plot but I know I loved it.. I would give anything to find it!!

[brideoffunkenstein]

Pairing: Matt Smith/Alex Kingston

Rating: T

A/N: Sherlock AU (-ish? maybe?)

“So, what do you think? Do you like the place?”

Alex bites her lip as she thinks of the flat Karen had just shown her. Small and dirty, it wasn’t exactly a livable place, but probably the best she can afford for the foreseeable future. Divorce and career switch aren’t the most pocket friendly choices for a struggling actress.

“It’s not as if I have much of an option, Karen,” Alex sighs, “It’s alright. It’s not idyllic, but I can make do with it.”

“God, Alex. It was horrible! I hated it, and it’s my job to get such flats rented out! You don’t have to make do with anything. Just say it was horrible.”

Any other time, it would have been funny to get such a reaction out of her friend. She has to accept her friend’s assessment of the place, but she is desperate. “Yes, it was horrible. But it’s also about the only place that I can afford. I spent a good part of what I had divorcing…him.”

And it is still difficult to say his name. Karen opens her mouth to say something, but stops as her phone chimes signaling a text.

Alex watches, concerned, as a smile spreads across her friend’s face as she reads the text.

“Okay, I may have a better flat for you.”

--------

Alex feels a bit awkward and out of place as she looks at all the equipment in the science lab. As soon as Karen had received the text, she had almost dragged Alex to the lab to meet someone - presumably, a flat owner.

She glances around the lab, her gaze settling on the lanky person standing at the other end of the table. She watches as he uses a pipette to squeeze a few drops of some chemical onto a petri dish, looking away the moment he turns his head to glance briefly at her before turning to Karen.

“Gillan, I need to borrow your phone. There’s no signal on mine.”

Karen shrugs as she places her phone on the table. “No signal on mine either.”

There is an intense look in his eyes as he moves towards her, “Can I borrow yours?”

“Alex Kingston”, Karen introduces them,” meet Matt Smith.”

As if to avoid his eyes, Alex fishes out her phone from her pocket and hands it to him. Turning partially away from her, he quickly starts typing a text. Alex turns at Karen, who only smiles knowingly.

“Recently divorced, or a bad breakup?”

Alex frowns. “Sorry?”

Matt briefly raises his eyes to look at her before looking back to the phone. Alex hesitates and looks at Karen.

“How do you feel about the violin?” Matt continues without looking up, “I play the violin when I’m thinking. Sometimes I don’t talk for days on end. Would that bother you? Potential flatmates should know the worst about each other.”

Alex sputters. “I’m sorry, what? Who said anything about flatmates?” She turns towards Karen, “Did you…?”

The smile on Matt’s face can only best be described as smug and hideously so as he returns her phone and picks up his coat, “I did. I messaged her not an hour back about a flatmate, and here she is with a friend – clearly looking for a new and cheap flat after divorce. Wasn’t a difficult leap.”

Wrapping his scarf around his neck, he moves towards her, “Got my eye on a nice little place in Central London. Landlady is giving me a special deal; owes me a favour. Together we should be able to afford it. We’ll meet there tomorrow evening. Seven-ish .”

Alex stares in disbelief. “We have only just met, don’t know anything about each other and we’re gonna go and look at a flat?”

Matt looks closely at her before turning to the door, “I know you used to be an actress. Recently divorced. Gossip rags are hounding you, so much that you are considering a career change. You have family and friends who are worried about you, but you’d rather not burden them with your issues. You have a bad habit of biting your lip, and recently went for a belly piercing. That’s enough to go on with, don’t you think?”

He steps out of the door, briefly leaning back into the room, a smug grin on his face, “the address is 221B Baker Street. Seven-ish. Tomorrow evening.”

Stunned, Alex turns to Karen, who only smiles and shrugs. “Told you- he’s a bit mad.”

[thespacehairandthespaceidiot]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Doctor Who RPF Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Alex Kingston/Matt Smith Characters: Matt Smith, Alex Kingston Additional Tags: Fluff, Established Relationship Summary:

“Did you get any sleep last night?”

Instead of words, as expected, Matt’s question was met with a series of sneezes, each one coming more forcefully and at accelerating decibels. He turned from the mirror he was fixing his hair in and glanced over his shoulder to where a red-nosed and heavily congested Alex lounged lifelessly in their bed. He turned to face her properly and shot her a sympathetic grimace. “Bless you. You got that much, huh?”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BERNIE!! @songsandfairytales

[songsandfairytales]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: British Actor RPF, Doctor Who RPF, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Alex Kingston/Matt Smith Characters: Alex Kingston, Matt Smith Additional Tags: MATTEX, RPF, Angst, Feels, Jealousy Summary:

His eyes look about ready to jump out of his head at that, but he’s not going to make a scene. Not here. Not in the hallway of the hotel, at a convention, where anyone could be lurking about. So instead he pushes his way into her hotel room.

[sspondlife-blog]

Salome meets her brothers

[myown-perfect-world]

Help me find s fanfic

Hello I've been looking for a fanfiction where Alex Kingston gets drunk so Matt accompanies her to her house and then the next day she gets drunk again so Matt starts thinking that she has an alcohol problem

[melodypond-thewomanwhomarriedme]

Chapters: 1/5 Fandom: Doctor Who RPF Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Alex Kingston/Matt Smith Characters: Alex Kingston, Matt Smith Additional Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Kinky, Light Dom/sub, Angry Sex Summary:

“Matt, no, I - of course I know, darling. Really, I do. And you are infinitely sweet and caring, and I should’ve known how incredibly perceptive and annoyingly insistent you are by now. But if I tell you, I’ll probably have to cut our weekend trip short in favour of searching for the deepest pit on Earth to throw myself into. And I’d really rather not face the embarrassment.” she says quickly and earnestly. 

As she speaks, something clicks into place for Matt. Her persistent flirting and endless innuendo and a problem entirely too embarrassing for her to articulate to him that affects every facet of her life-

“Oh,” he says, and Alex closes her eyes and sighs in defeat. He looks at her as though he’s seeing for the first time. “Alex.”

[brideoffunkenstein]

Pairing: Matt Smith/Alex Kingston

Rating: T

A/N: Sherlock AU (-ish? maybe?). Part 2 to this

 Alex checks her watch as she reaches the door marked 221B just as a cab pulls behind her. She turns to find Matt stepping out of the cab.

“Ah, you’re here”, Matt smiles at her, his palm extended in greeting, “Hello.”

Taking his outstretched hand, Alex nods, “Mr. Smith.”

“Please call me Matt. Mr. Smith feels like a crotchety old man.” He frowns and knocks at the door.

She hides her smile. “This is a prime spot. Must be expensive.”

Matt shrugs, a small self-satisfied smile playing on his lips, “Mrs. Hudson, the landlady is giving me a special deal. A few years back, her husband got himself sentenced to death in Florida. I was able to help out.”

Alex looks at him incredulously. “Sorry- you stopped her husband from being executed?”

“Oh no”, he smiles and turns to face the door as it opens to reveal an old woman, who opens her arm to greet him, “I ensured it.” Matt hugs the woman briefly before stepping back, “Mrs. Hudson, Ms. Alex Kingston.”

Alex smiles at Mrs. Hudson as the older lady gestures them inside. She follows Matt as he climbs up the stairs to the first floor landing and pauses briefly to open the door for her, revealing the living room of the flat. Alex steps inside the room, quietly taking in her surroundings. The flat, a bit messy at the moment, could prove to be very cozy and comfortable once all cleaned out. She can already imagine enjoying herself in the small kitchen.

“Oh, this could be very nice”, Alex peeks outside one of the windows of the living room, “Very nice, indeed. Soon as we get all this rubbish cleaned out, of course.”

Matt looks around happily, “My thoughts precisely.….. Wait, what? ” He glances around the room and starts picking up the scattered things, making a half hearted attempt at tidying up the place.

“So, this is all….?” Alex leaves her question incomplete, slightly embarrassed as she realizes the mess belongs to Matt.

“Yes.”Matt nods and adjusts the skull kept on mantelpiece.

“Oh.” Alex quietly watches as Mrs. Hudson clears up the scattered dishes from around the room, mentally going over all the flats she has so far checked out. The place is definitely messy, but nothing she can’t fix.

“So”, she almost jumps at Mrs. Hudson’s words, “what do you think then, dearie?”

There is something nagging at the back of her head, but she is unable to point her finger at it. Alex once again glances around the flat, trying to understand what is bothering her.

As if understanding her silent query, Mrs. Hudson pipes up, “Oh, the second bedroom is upstairs. But I doubt you’ll needing two bedrooms just yet.”

Alex sputters at the insinuation. “Of course we’ll be needing two bedrooms!”

Mrs. Hudson looks, startled by her sudden exclamation, “Are you and Matt not…?”

Alex looks across the room at Matt, expecting him to clear out the confusion, but he seems happily oblivious as he fingers through his books. She turns to Mrs. Hudson with an apologetic smile, “No. I hope that wouldn’t be an issue?”

The older woman smiles and waves her hand in dismissal. Her smile quickly turns into a frown as she walks into the kitchen. “Look at this mess.”

Alex watches Mrs. Hudson tidying up, and walks over to one of the two chairs. Sitting down, she looks across at Matt, who seems to be arranging his books onto a shelf. “I looked you up last night.”

“Oh,” Matt turns to look at her, “Anything interesting?”

“Found your website.”

A proud smile forms on his face, “What did you think?”

Alex fixes him with an unimpressed look, “You analysed 240 types of tobacco ash.”

“243”, Matt mutters and turns away from her, apparently hurt. “I looked you up, too.”

Alex stiffens. “Oh.”

Before Matt could say anything, Mrs. Hudson interrupts them, coming out of the kitchen with a newspaper in her hand, “What about these suicides, Matt? Three exactly the same.”

There’s a sound of police car outside and Matt smiles, “Four.”

“Four?” Mrs. Hudson looks at him, confused, “But the paper says three.”

Matt peers outside the window, watching as a police car stops outside, and someone steps out. “There’s been a fourth. And there’s something different about this one.”

Alex opens her mouth to speak, closing it as someone rings the doorbell. Mrs. Hudson quickly moves downstairs, coming back up with a DI following her up.

Matt turns to face the person entering the room, “What is it this time, Darvill?”

“Brixton, Lauriston Gardens. There’s a note this time. Will you come?”

Matt seems to consider the question. “Who’s on forensics?”

“Anderson.”

He clicks his tongue. “He won’t work with me. I need an assistant.”

Darvill looks at him impatiently, “Will you come?”

Matt shakes his head, “Not in a police car. I’ll be right behind.”

“Thank you.”

Giving Alex and Mrs. Hudson a brief glance, Darvill hurries down the stairs. Matt waits until he is outside the door before jumping up in air with excitement and pumping his fist in triumph. “Brilliant! Oh, this is just brilliant!”

Alex gapes at him, puzzled, as he absolutely dances around the room, gathering his scarf and coat. Next to her, Mrs. Hudson shakes her head fondly. “Look at him, dashing about. So excited”, she turns her head towards Alex, “but you’re the more homely type, I can tell.”

Before she can answer the old lady, Matt waltzes back into the room. “Mrs. Hudson, we’ll be late. Might need some food.” He grabs her hand, nearly dragging her with him before she can even question his use of ‘we’, “Come on, Kingston. The game is on!”

[beware-my-sting]

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Doctor Who RPF Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Alex Kingston/Matt Smith Characters: Alex Kingston, Matt Smith Additional Tags: RPF, rpf guilt so strong, Long ass fic, Mattex Summary:

Her voice is soft, tender, “Matt, I didn’t…” She inhales, trying to brace herself, gather her courage, “I didn’t ask you not to tell anyone because…because I was ashamed or… or anything like that, you know. Not like that. Not at all.”

Matt sets his jaw, but remains silent, his hands on the wheel gripping tightly. Suddenly, he indicates, and turns into an expansive parking lot facing the beach.

“What are you doing?” Alex asks, still watching him.

“Four years.” He says, as though that is explanation enough. He sighs as he maneuvers the car into a parking spot right at the edge of the sand, “Four years I’ve been waiting to have this conversation.” He throws the car into park, then unhooks his seatbelt and turns to face her, “And I’ll be damned if I’m going to have it without looking at you.”

[misscorday]

My comprehensive Author Appreciation Week post

themysticalsong​ 

Mattex, Doctor Who (River x Eleven), Macbeth (Modern AU), Arrow (Dinah x Quentin), Blackston

sandbar11

​ Mattex, Doctor Who

queenriver

Doctor Who (River x Eleven)

amillionmillionvoices

Mattex, Doctor Who (River x Eleven)

everybodyknows-everybodydies

Doctor Who, Macbeth, Arrow (Dinah x Quentin), ER (Cordano), The Last Unicorn

imaginationandheartbreak

Mattex

yowzahsweetie

Mattex

spoilersweetie

Mattex, Doctor Who (River x Eleven)

And the assorted works to love post. (Mattex & Doctor Who.)

[yowzahsweetie]

How They Worked

It all started with the video.

That blessed, blasted video. Of course she adored Salome all the more for putting it together. The hard work, the tremendous effort that went into it was simply beautiful beyond words, beyond measure. That was just her daughter’s way…her beautiful soul of a child.

What she hadn’t expected was Matt’s appearance in the video…nor his words. Or, for that matter, any of this that’s been happening ever since. Alex knows Salome and Matt formed a very special bond all those years ago. But she also figured that she was a child and would forget about it or grow out of it once they stopped being together all the time. It had been years. Her daughter is a teenager now – long removed from the little girl dazzled by the Doctor. Yet when they landed in Australia and arrived at the hotel…the minute Sal saw Matt it was as if no time had passed whatsoever. Moreso, it seemed as if the bond had deepened with the absence in each other’s lives. The whole first day they were inseparable – whispering, giggling, hugging…Alex could only shake her head but was happy that connection had not been severed or damaged.

Not like her connection with him had been.

Oh, it hadn’t been severed, of course…but damaged? Surely she could say that. They’d always kept things on the down low – that was how they worked. So when Alex’s last appearance on Who with Matt came and went nary a word was spoken of sentimental goodbye. When Matt’s reign was closing in and he’d made videos thanking nearly everyone under the sun except her, she knew it was because he kept her closer. He didn’t need to shout out to her. He’d contact her separately…quietly…privately. And to his credit, he did. Phone calls were exchanged, “good lucks” and “be brilliants” were offered in tandem to each other at crucial junctions in their respective careers. And they both excelled…swimmingly. Alex had Arrow and Macbeth and a slew of upcoming films. Matt, in his corner, had Terminator, American Psycho, and more offers and opportunities than he could have ever dreamed of.

She was in New York. He was in London. She was in London. He was in LA. She was in LA. He was in New York.

Barely missing each other, by breaths of inches nearly every time. With only a modified flight or slight change in schedule, one or the other could have always made sure to be around. But no…under the radar. That was how they worked. Alex so believed in the mysticism of the universe that she once simply said to him, “When we’re meant to see each other again, naturally, we will.” Matt had thought about trying to fight her on it, to make her understand that it would be so simple to make it happen rather than waiting for it to happen. But…at the end of the day, the last thing he wanted to be to her was a lovesick puppy chasing his tail. So he’d grinned that grin that never showed any teeth…the one that always looked like a smile yet never reached his eyes…and said, “Looking forward to it, Kingston.”

Calm. Reserved. Low key. That was how they worked.

He’d noticed she’d been doing a whole gamut of Con appearances as of late, and wondered why, but failed to come up with an adequate answer. He still had his regular, annual appearances at several events himself. So it wasn’t out of the question to get his agent to assure him he’d be a shoe in at the Australia tract. It was likely. It was expected.He was the Doctor, after all. In no way could it ever be seen as an attempt to say screw the universe it’s been 4 years, enough is enough!

Or so he hoped. Desperately.

When he saw her again for the first time, it was everything he could think to describe and nothing that fit perfectly. A firecracker, sure. A forcefield magnet, absolutely. Poetry in motion…astoundingly. The murmurs of the fans rang totally true, the woman just does not know how to age. But aside from that…she was simply radiant. Glowing, even. Happy. A twinge of awkward sadness hit him as he realized he knew why. But she didn’t bring her newfound happy with her on this trip. As such, Matt felt totally capable of ignoring that happy fact and just being with her, being in her presence, one more time.

As Alex sat on the stage with a craned neck watching this unexpected video surprise, she was quickly in tears at her overwhelming love for her daughter. Getting to spend Mother’s Day with her here was the best gift ever. She smiled as fans and – goodness – her bodyguard wished her sincere words. And suddenly, in the blink of an eye, he popped up on the video screen, larger than life. She was a bit paralyzed, not wanting to show too much of a reaction, but caught up in the moment…and, truthfully, finding herself wanting to tease him at how ragged he looks lately. She’d even murmured to him the day before to find a razor and a sun tan. He sassed her back. Salome rolled her eyes. It was just like old times. That’s how they worked.

She listened to his words and soon she could hear nothing else. It wasn’t even the “sexiest mum” bit that caught her. No…before that. “We adore you, and…we love you…” She didn’t imagine it. He paused and looked away before he uttered those words. Like he couldn’t look her in the eye…even though it was just a video camera. Like he was shy. Like he was afraid. He’d always worn his heart on his sleeve sure enough, and raved about loving his friends all the time. But not her. Especially not in public. That wasn’t how they worked. Her heart started thumping faster and his words kept reverberating through her head. Quickly and on stage and in front of hundreds of people including her daughter, she had to shake her head of those thoughts and rationalize that he was talking about a collective “we” and he was probably told what to say by Sal and…it doesn’t really matter anyway, does it? Boyfriend? Wedding? Right.

He camped out on the steps of the stage watching the video…no, watching her reaction to the video. He’d seen and edited the video a dozen times over already with Sal. But he just wanted to see her face. Wanted to be a part of something touching her deeply. So he sat, like a good school boy, waiting for his chance.

And he got it.

It was a slip up – a subconscious quirk she has when she starts to get emotional…putting three fingers to her lips as though to physically stop herself from reacting. He’d always made fun of her for it, mostly because she’d bragged and prided herself on being a body language expert, constantly analyzing how he stood or used his hands or made eye contact. Yet no matter what, when she was shaken, good or bad…this was her move. And sure enough, she’d made the move when he showed up on the screen.

The video ended, and he thought about running across the stage to embrace her with a goofy smile…then thought better. An auditorium of people. Her daughter. All sorts of cameras. No…low key. Under the radar. So instead he tiptoed across the stage as her back was turned to him and stood, awaiting his chance, waiting in line for a hug from his own personal golden goddess.

She is flummoxed and flustered and halfway crying after Sal’s tiny speech, giving hugs to her and Freema and turns around and is faced with him. He raises his hands in mock surrender and says Sal forced him into it. She swats at him knowing they were partners in crime from day one. She extends her free arm out to hug him around his shoulders…why was that bloody chair there between them anyway? His hands move to her waist and he leans in to whisper into her ear before the hug. The whole room is spinning and she doesn’t know how to react and plants a kiss to his lips instinctively.

He freezes. She freezes.

But only for a millisecond so as not to expose any part of their raw nerves. They continue with the hug, her arm around his shoulders, his hand around her waist…and as they part he can’t quite let go just yet…giving three small rubs to her lower back before finally, reluctantly, letting go of his treasure. She continues back to Sal and more hugging, and Matt cheekily tiptoes off the stage the same way he first entered.

He gets backstage and exhales the biggest breath he’d ever held in his life.

Shit.

Alex holds her flowers and holds in more tears and hugs her daughter and waves to the fans.

Shit.

This definitely isn’t how they work

[granadactonica]

Toe-Curling Thuersday

Un escalofrío recorrió el cuerpo de Alex de arriba a abajo, dejándola completamente helada. Le había parecido oír un ruido proveniente de la puerta, y cuando escuchó otro ruido tras unos segundos de silencio, el pánico se apoderó de ella.

El corazón le latía a mil por hora y se veía incapaz de moverse. Estaba convencida de que había entrado alguien en su casa, y en cuento oyó una puerta abriéndose, los dedos de los pies se le contrajeron de terror.

Jamás se había visto en una situación como esta, jamás pensó que le podría ocurrir y estaba a punto de vomitar. Solo agradecía que Salomé estuviera con su padre ahora.

Con el mayor sigilo, cerró al puerta del dormitorio con cerrojo y cogió el móvil para llamar a emergencias sin prestar atención a los ruidos del intruso, hablando con voz baja y temblorosa con las lagrimas cayéndole de los ojos y los dedos de los pies doblandose de terror cuando, sentada al borde de la cama con un zapato de tacón en mano, oyó que trataban de abrir la puerta del dormitorio.

-¡Lárgate! ¡Eh llamado a la policía bastardo! -Gritó Alex con el zapato en mano y encendiendo la luz para ahuyentar al ladrón.

Pero fue una alarmada voz familiar lo que le llegó desde el otro lado.

-¿¡Alex!? ¡Alex soy yo, Matt!¡Abreme, cariño!¿¡Que ha ocurrido? ¿Alex?

-¿Matt? -Alex, estupefacta, abrió la puerta con su arma en mano y la dejó caer en cuanto vio el rostro asustado de Matt.

-¿Que diablos haces aquí? ¡Dijiste que llegarías a las nueve de la mañana!

-¿Que? ¡No! Te dije que... oh... vaya

-Si. “Oh, vaya”

-Se me olvido calcular el cambio de horario. Eran las nueve de... Londres... Lo siento cariño -Se disculpó con verdadera lástima en su voz.

-Solo faltaba que no lo sintieras. ¿¡Sabes el susto que me has dado!? Casi no vivo para contarlo. Joder, Matt... ya no estoy para estos sustos. -Alex hablaba aun con voz alterada ya asustada, mirándole al suelo en un intento de recuperar.

Sintiéndose terriblemente mal, Matt la estrechó en un profundo abrazo  le beso en la cabeza.

-Lo siento Alex, de verdad que lo siento -Le susurró. -Jamás pretendería hacer algo así.

-La próxima vez déjame un mensaje, llámame cuando llegues sea la hora que sea, infórmate mejor. ¡Algo! Pero no vuelvas a hacerme algo así ¿Tienes idea que habría pasado si Salomé hubiera estado? -Reprochó entre pequeños sollozos que trataba de controlar.

-Lo se, lo se, lo siento -La calmó con un tono dulce, dándole círculos en su espalda.

Estuvieron así un rato, con Alex sollozando y Matt tratando de tranquilizarla, cuando Alex levanto la cabeza, sacudiéndola para despejar la cara de sus rizos.

-¿Sabes que la policía llegará en cualquier momento, verdad? -Susurró Alex con una media sonrisa.

-No te preocupes, se lo explicaremos. ¿Quieres que haga té?  -Se ofreció Matt mientras le acariciaba la mejilla.

-¿Dos tragedias en una noche? Mejor lo hago yo

-¡Oi! ¡Kingston!

[melodypond-thewomanwhomarriedme]

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Doctor Who RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Alex Kingston/Matt Smith Characters: Alex Kingston, Matt Smith, Original Characters Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Angst, Separations, Marriage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Drama & Romance, author is aware that all her fics have the same plot with just slightly different settings, Emotional Baggage, Slow Burn, not really - Freeform, but by the author's standards yeah it is, Reconciliation, Cockblocking, very emotional, Gratuitous Smut Summary:

In the end, it was the pandemic that broke them.