#oh snap emery you are in trouble

[sweetfirebird]

I also donated to RAICES, and to encourage others to do the same, here is another option c, a small snippet about characters you don’t even know yet.

Despite that, and the loveliness of the land, the property had been dirt cheap when Emery and his mom had moved here when he’d been twelve. No one wanted to live next to the dead. No one wanted to care for them either. Emery had never minded although he’d been new in town and confused about a lot of the shit in his life and really hadn’t needed to immediately be known as the kid who lived in the graveyard.

His muscles burned a little from overuse as he gathered up more debris and added it to his pile.

“I don’t live in the graveyard,” he muttered, no less resentful now than he had been at twelve. Another cold breeze sent a ripple through the honeysuckle and stirred the ivy, creating soft, shushing murmurs.

He paused to glance through the honeysuckle at the house that was his now. His mother hadn’t wanted to bother with the large former farmhouse on her own, and had gladly handed it over to him when he’d moved back to Trinity Creek after his years at the community college one town over. The roof would have to be replaced in the next few years and most of the rooms were unused. The garden and trees needed a lot of work he had yet to get to as well. But the practical, simple building with its old-fashioned shutters and faded gray and white paint was all his.

But it was close to a graveyard, and that was enough to label him as weird even without his other issues.

Emery froze just before he could accidentally tear through a spider’s web, then considered the wicked-looking creature sitting at the center of its work.

“I’m cleaning up,” he warned it, with the wind gentle in the ivy and stray twigs skittering gleefully across the ground. “There’s a place for you here, but not on the path. Okay?”

He glanced around once the words were out. The stone angels and lambs were turned away. The doors of the Smithe mausoleum stayed closed. He was still alone.

Talking to himself was a lonely kid’s habit he’d never grown out of. He could always pretend he was speaking to the ghosts that supposedly haunted the cemetery but that didn’t seem any better. This was probably a sign he should stop for the night. Head inside, make a frozen pizza, watch TV and go to bed, like most other nights.

The cypresses swayed inward, their shadows like reaching fingers.

Emery picked up his rake and set it against the fence only to watch it immediately slide down to the ground. The tittering of dry leaves across the gravestones drowned out his sigh as he picked it back up and rose to his feet. He’d leave it in the truck. It wasn’t supposed to rain tonight.

The autumn so far had been dry, if colder than usual. It made him worry for winter, and remember vague warnings from the other weird kids about six months of darkness, and seasonal cycles, and balance. They’d had all sorts of stories about that kind of thing. Trinity Creek’s collection of outcast teens had been dramatic, to say the least.

Right about now, when everyone else was excited over Halloween, they’d be going on about oak trees or the last harvest party of the year, which they always called a revel just to be pretentious or sound sophisticated.  Really, they seemed like everyone else in high school, except they tended to get blitzed on cider or rum or wine instead of beer, and they didn’t celebrate anything as common as Halloween or go trick-or-treating.

Which reminded him—his mother thought he should put some lights on the porch. As if any kids were going to come all the way out here for candy. Half of them were afraid of the house anyway. They would probably start screaming even before the lane up from the main road split into two paths, leading either to here or to the house.

Orange lights on the porch might take some of their fear away. That might be what his mother meant, and she hadn’t been making a subtle comment about Emery needing a life. He doubted it, but it was possible.

The kids should be more scared of the haunted house at the town’s Halloween carnival than this graveyard. The only soul here was Emery, alone again, alone always. There was nothing inside the ring of iron and cypress but bones and dust. Even death had left this place.

Emery jerked his head up at the sound of a bird’s wings, too close, and saw the large owl settle atop one pillar a second before he swung his gaze over to the person watching him from directly in front of the open gate.

The wind stirred up, making a mess of the edges of his pile and sending whirlwinds of dust and twigs through the rows of headstones. Long, swaying shadows just reached the first stone pillar at the entrance gate then stopped without touching it.

Emery hadn’t heard a car. He should have, even if someone parked at the house and walked over, which Ezra had most likely done. Ezra was formal even by his standards today, but a walk through a field that might dirty his clothes wouldn’t have bothered him.

Emery found it easier to look at Ezra’s outfit than in Ezra’s eyes, from his flat, sturdy black boots to his black pants and black waistcoat. His equally dark shirt was long-sleeved and buttoned all the way up this neck. The buttons on his tight waistcoat were white and probably repurposed antiques or bits of polished bone. The silver chain of a pocket watch glinted in the dying light, although the watch itself was tucked away in a pocket.

Aside from that and the buttons, the only relief of all the darkness in Ezra’s fashion choices was the light purple and dove gray lining of his long black coat. He had likely sewn that lining in himself. For all Emery knew, Ezra had woven the cloth for it too. The same way he’d probably spun and dyed the wool before knitting the dark gauntlets currently keeping his hands warm.

Ezra held a small container in front of him, which he dropped his gaze to stare at when Emery’s study finally reached his face, giving Emery time to get a good look at him. Ezra was slender, but with a slight chubbiness in his cheeks he’d never outgrown. It made him seem soft, even more than the scattering of freckles across his pale brown face, or the way he wore his hair so that his natural brownish-red curls sprang out in all directions beneath his flat-brimmed black hat.

That hat looked like something an old-timey farmer would wear. It made Ezra’s shape into something serious, something slightly foreboding until Ezra raised his head and his wide, amber eyes focused on Emery.  

[nightravens-therapycircle]

Paint the Roses: Chapter 6 Preview

Explanations and Possible Solutions

It took not even a day or so after the unbirthday party for things at Heartslabyul to get worse than they already were. Much, much worse. Trey stood by Cater, watching as Riddle collared yet another student with his magic in the lounge. He had lost count of how many this made so far this year, and it was barely a week into the new semester.

“The Queen of Hearts’ Rule #249: ‘Flamingo caretakers are to don pink attire’,” Riddle recited for the latest member of Heartslabyul to slip up and make a mistake. “It was supposed to be your turn to feed the flamingos today. Why aren’t you wearing pink?”

“I’m sorry, Housewarden. My pink clothes were in the laundry…” said the student, already down on hands and knees. “Please… Please don’t take my head off!”

“This is your second rule violation. I cannot forgive a repeated offense. OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!” Trey fought back a flinch at the loud clang of the collar snapping around the student’s neck. “Write a 5,000 word apology and weed the garden for a week. I’ll gladly remove it then.”

The student choked on a sob. “That’s…”

“Do you think I enjoy having to do this?!” The student didn’t speak, though he did flinch at Riddle’s loud tone. “You’re the one who broke the rules! As much as I would like to, I cannot ignore these infractions. It’s for your own sake, understand?” Once again, the student said not a word. Riddle sighed, rubbing at his temple with his free hand. “Trey? Cater? Take him outside.”

“...yes, Housewarden,” said both of Riddle’s loyal companions with a deep bow each. When Trey looked up, he saw more ink dripping from Riddle’s fingers and splattering on the floor as he walked away. It wasn’t just droplets now. There were thick globs of it. And seeing that…

Trey couldn’t spend another moment in the dorm. He headed to the library instead in an effort to try and clear his head. He thought that if he wasn’t in the dorm, then he wouldn’t have to think about it. He wouldn’t have to think about what Riddle was doing, what he had seen… Out of sight, and out of mind.

Of course, Trey was clearly wrong. As he stewed in his guilt, glaring at the floor as he slid the book back on the shelf since the librarian was nowhere to be seen, he failed to hear footsteps approaching him from behind.

“Clover.” Trey looked up. Deuce, Ace, and Emery were walking towards him with Grim held in Emery’s arms.

“Oh, it’s you four,” Trey sighed. How did he not hear them sneak up on him like that…? He shook his head. “What are you doing here?”

“We figured that if we waited here long enough, you’d come by to return the cookbook that we used to use to make the mont blanc,” Emery explained as if it were simple math, “so we asked the librarian to let us hide out here until you did.” Trey hummed. Pretty clever for a couple of kids who couldn’t seem to stay out of trouble…

“We still got a problem with the way Riddle is running things,” said Ace.

Trey bit back another sigh. “Yeah, I bet.” To be frank, they weren’t the only ones. They were the only ones who actually said it. Trey tried to turn to leave, but the freshmen were blocking his path. He wasn’t getting away any time soon.

“Come clean about this. What do you really think about Riddle? Is it true that you’ve been his lap dog since you were kids?” Since they were…?

“Who told you that?”

“We ran into someone as we were leaving Heartslabyul yesterday,” Emery explained. “He said his name was Chenya.”

“Chenya…” Trey sighed. “That explains it.” The nosy cat. What was he even doing in Heartslabyul anyway? And why did he feel the need to wedge himself into an issue that he wasn’t involved in at all?

“Aren’t you older than Riddle?” Grim asked. Not by much; what was he trying to get at? “Why haven’t you told him off already? What’s wrong with getting angry at him?”

“I do it when I absolutely have to.” There were moments early in Riddle’s term as housewarden where he had to correct him on some things, but… “I just… I don't think the situation calls for it.”

“Is that the truth,” Emery asked, her arms crossed, “or can you just not bring yourself to do it?” It was an honest question, and one that she had no idea how much it implied. Trey exhaled through his nose, not sure about the answer.

The full chapter will be up on Ao3 on October 16th!

[bookstantrash]

A/N: Sorry, I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t. Ghost mode is officially dead. It was stronger than me.

I will, however, disappear from tumblr once Release Week begins, but in the mean time enjoy some words that I wrote.

In which she makes a friend, Part Seven

“Cassian, for Cauldron’ sake, stop with your fidgeting”

“I am not fidgeting, Azriel” Cassian said, eyeing the females training and making sure that Devlon was at least trying to teach them.

“You almost blinded me with your wings three times in the last ten minutes” the Shadowsinger huffed back, taking a step back and putting some distance between them.

Cassian just snorted but did check himself, realising he really was flaring his wings a little, a nervous tick that came out whenever he was distressed with something.

Not that he was recalling his conversation with Nesta during training yesterday, how he had been delighted to see her improvement and her beginning to master her powers.

Not that he was remembering how he could hear her heart beating quickly when he had pulled her close.

Not that he had had to muster every ounce of strength and control he had to not fall at her feet and beg for a kiss, for a touch, for anything when he smelled her scent.

Not that he had felt guilty of not telling her of the Illyrian revolution that was probable to happen.

Not that he was remembering how his heart had stopped when he asked her if she wanted to leave.

He would do that. Would help her walk away. From him, from the situation Feyre had forced upon her. But it didn’t mean it would not hurt him to watch her go.

Didn’t mean he would not reach the conclusion that he had failed her once again.

Cassian thought he and Nesta were making progress, but after yesterday he stopped trying to convince himself of that.

Things between them were awkward when they saw each other again at the afternoon training with Kaelin, and for once he was grateful for the boy’s constant chattering.

It was a good way to take his mind of his worries.

And the way Nesta seemed to relax and almost smile whenever Kaelin said something or nailed move was a relief to Cassian’s troubled heart. It was an accidental blessing that he cherished with all his life.

No, Cassian preferred to think that his actual state of mind was due to all the new documents and information he would have to go through after Azriel’s arrival, and maybe a little bit worried of how Nesta’s and Azriel’s encounter would go.

He knew her and his brother were not close — he had never even seen they talking to one another — but Cassian worried that Azriel’s presence may bring forth uncomfortable memories of the rest of the IC to Nesta, neither having the best relationship, specially after that party at the Sidra in summer solstice.

Cassian could only hope and pray that the little progress he had seen Nesta go through in five months would not go down the drain.

“There are more females today” Azriel noted, taking Cassian out of his daydreaming.

“There are” he looked over the training ring, eyeing the small group of eleven Illyrian females.

It was the biggest number he’d ever had so far.

After the war with Hybern, the death of many Illyrians took its tool in the ranks. Although it was a reason for dissatisfaction to arise, it was surprising to see a number of females wanting to train. Many had lost fathers, brothers or lovers.

They had realised that nobody would protect them except themselves now, and slowly the number of females appearing had gotten bigger.

Some came and stayed only for a few self defence classes. Some were coming steadily for more than one session.

Cassian didn’t care if they wanted to be warriors or not. The fact that they were coming and wanted to learn was enough for him.

“Baby steps Cassian” he thought, hope blooming on his chest for the first time in a long while as Devlon dismissed the group, for once having taught them with more attention.

Cassian suspected Azriel’s presence was a weight on the camp lord’s mind, and an undesirable reminder to try this time.

“I’ve to stop somewhere first before we go back” Cassian said to the shadowsinger, who watched Devlon leave the training ring without a glance in their direction.

Azriel only shrugged, not minding the delay at dinner and indicating that he’d accompany Cassian.

Not long after, both Illyrians were entering a clothier, the bell in the door chiming and announcing their presence.

“Look who decided to pay a visit”

“Now, did the oh so ruthless Emerie miss me?” Cassian smirked, leaning against the polished counter where Emerie was.

“It was not me who was left for two months alone in a cabin” she retorted, her brown eyes twinkling with wicked delight seeing Cassian’s shocked expression.

“You know—”

“Yes I know Nesta, she was here not so long ago for tea” the female answered, as if Nesta going out and having tea with Illyrians was nothing out of the ordinary.

“How—”

“If she did not tell you of our encounter, I don’t think I should be the one to explain the particulars of our meeting” Emerie cut him again, raising an eyebrow in question.

Cassian was baffled.

“Since when had Nesta befriended Illyrans?” he thought to himself, having mixed feelings about it.

In one hand, he was happy she was putting herself out there, meeting people, living.

On the other hand, he felt a pang of jealousy and hurt go through his heart. Nesta had not told him any of that. Had not bothered to tell him of what she did on her spare time outside the morning and evenings trainings with him.

“But did you give her a reason to trust you?” Cassian thought with regret “Did you ask about her day? Did you tell her about yours?”

Trust was an one way road. And Cassian had lost the map which would direct him to it.

He also had to put himself out there. He had to open himself to Nesta if he wanted to mend their already tethered relationship.

Cassian had to stop being afraid of hurting his heart again when he had already hurt hers.

And he realised that not even another heartbreak would be enough to keep himself away from Nesta.

“But I take you did not come here to chat with me” Emerie said, eyeing Azriel, who was looking at her with curiosity.

“Not this time. But do invite me for tea” he grinned, trying to gather his lost swagger “The weather is about to change. I would like to purchase some clothes before autumn ends”

“The usual?” she asked, returning her sharp gaze to Cassian’s face.

“Today is light shopping,” he answered, dropping some coins on the counter.

Azriel shot him a puzzled look, but Emerie understood him just fine.

She gathered some clothes, and Cassian noticed that she also placed small sized ones too.

Emerie no doubt knew about Kaelin.

And she knew that Cassian would not let the kid go through autumn and then winter with hand me downs and fixed clothes, no matter how good of a seamstress Nesta was.

If Azriel noticed the clothes, he didn’t let it show.

Cassian also thought his brother was too busy inspecting Emerie to noticed anything else.

It had surprised him too the first time.

A female with a will strong enough to fight to be the sole owner of a shop in a place like Illyria.

Emerie had a fire that reminded him of Nesta. No wonder both females had somehow found their way to each other.

“Oh, please put this too” Cassian said, and quickly grabbed a leather strap he had spied on one of the shelves.

“Have you lost another one? I swear, you go through this things as if they’re water” Emerie ruffed, placing it with the rest of the order.

“It’s not for me.”

“Thinking of gifting it to Nesta?” Azriel said with a chuckle “Tell her to braid her hair with it?”

“As if Cassian was stupid enough to gift it to a Lady to tie her hair with” Emerie snapped, and Cassian laughed at the shocked expression on Azriel’s face “He knows her better than you think he does.”

“Charming as ever Emerie” Cassian said, gathering his purchase and bidding the female goodbye.

This time, Cassian didn’t fail to notice how his brother’ shadows were agitated.

And how they kept trying to go back to the clothier.

~•~

Cassian stopped breathing. Stopped living altogether as he looked at Nesta.

Nesta, who was sitting on the couch, reading.

He didn’t even have a mind to say how she did not light the fireplace, not as he saw what she wearing.

Because Nesta Archeron was not wearing one of her usual dresses.

She was wearing the clothes Cassian had left in her drawer all those months ago, when she had first arrived at Illyria. Clothes he not seen her ever wearing.

Until today.

Cassian had seen Nesta wearing pants. Hell, he saw her almost everyday now wearing the leathers, and his reaction at their first training was not so different as to when he had seen her at the war.

He had to constantly remind himself to breath and think with his upper head. To not make a fool out of himself.

But this time it was different.

Because Nesta was wearing leggings.

Mother’s tits, what had he been thinking when he left those leggings in her drawer?

Nesta wore dark leggings and a burgundy sweater, a little big on her due to her still too thin figure, something Cassian hoped to change.

And her hair. Cauldron, her hair was not on its usual coronet, but a loose braid, a few strands of her light hair falling over her eyes.

Cassian wanted to brush them behind her pointed ear.

Wanted to kiss and mark her slim neck. Feel her pulse under her soft skin.

Wanted to cover her body with his wings and scream at Azriel to leave.

But he did none of that. He willed his body and his temper to behave, and cleared his throat, making Nesta look up from her book.

Even though he was sure she had been monitoring their every breaths as soon as they arrived at the cabin.

“Hello Ness, did you have a pleasant day?” he tried, wanting to test her mood.

“I was having one until someone decided to disturb it” she answered, but Cassian noticed she did not put so much bite in her words as she did when she truly was annoyed “And don’t call me that”

“Well, I come bearing presents” doing a mocking bow and bracing himself for the worst, he looked at Azriel.

The shadowsinger’ Siphons gleamed, and a brown package appeared on the small table in front of Nesta.

“What is that”

A memory of a conversation during Winter Solstice, outside among the snow, resurfaced, and Cassian quickly shut it down.

“Tell you and ruin the surprise?” Cassian faked outrage, placing a hand on his heart “As if I could do that. You will want it.”

“I don’t want anything from you.”

Cassian resisted the urge to close his eyes and scream in pain. Those words, that memory, kept appearing against his better wishes.

He had been an asshole.

Had regretted his words the moment they had left his mouth.

He had wanted to get a reaction from Nesta. Do it the way it usually was between them.

Blown being met by blown.

Fire against fire.

He had been stupid to think it would work.

Had been even more stupid to not apologise afterwards.

But this Nesta was not the Nesta from his memories. Was not the Nesta from a year ago.

He could only hope her reaction would be different.

“Are those... are those books?” Nesta asked, trying to hide her surprise as she opened it, reading the titles.

“I thought you would have gotten bored of reading the same books over and over again” Cassian said, hoping he didn’t sound as nervous as he thought he was.

“And they must be more interesting than my military books” he added, indicating the long forgotten book Nesta had been reading when he arrived.

Nesta only looked at him and slightly dipped her chin in gratitude.

Cassian wanted to dance in happiness at that.

“Good to know that now you have a personal delivery boy to get whatever I want” Nesta said, directing her words at Azriel.

“As if I would do it for free” he snorted “Cassian promised to cook my favorite dish in payment. He’s the errand guy.”

“He does seem to like to be bossed around” she commented innocently, and that earned her a rare grin from Azriel.

“He also requested children’s books” the shadowsinger eyed her figure and raised an eyebrow “You two need a chaperone up here?”

Cassian tensed, not knowing what to expect from Nesta.

“Are you looking for a new job? Playing spy getting too boring?” Nesta replied, also raising a perfect eyebrow mockingly.

“Perhaps” was all the shadowsinger said, and Cassian took that as a cue to get between them.

“They’re for Kaelin, I thought they’d be easier books to read for now than the ones we have here”

Cassian had asked Azriel to get some old myths books for Kaelin, nothing too childlike but also not too difficult for him. He hadn’t wanted to offend the kid by giving him something too easy, having seen his progress with Nesta.

“And who is that anyway?” Azriel asked.

“He’s our new roommate” Cassian joked, not failing to notice how Nesta had flinched slightly when Azriel had asked about Kaelin.

“Kaelin is too young to live like he had been living” Nesta declared, stiffening her spine “I took him in. And he’s going to stay here”

Azriel said nothing, his shadows seeming to catch something in Nesta’s voice, and his eyes softened.

“I’m sure he’s nothing but nice if he’s keeping up with Cassian” he attempted “I’d like to meet him”

Just then, they heard the door opening.

“Ah, there he is!” Cassian exclaimed, a smile appearing.

That smile, however, weakened as Kaelin came into view, quieter than usual.

And Cassian thought he’d have to be the one to wear that leather strap in the end.

For Kaelin’s hair — once a wild mess of curls, who constantly feel on his eyes — had been sloppily cut, no curl at view.

In fact, he looked nothing like Kaelin at all.

There was a tension in him that had not been there before, the young Illyrian brown eyes’ seeming to look bigger on his face now that they were not hidden by his bangs anymore.

And the short cropped hairstyle that Kaelin now displayed also made the fresh bruises on his face even more alarming.

•

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[charincharge]

“You’ve been giving me bedroom eyes for the past half an hour - time to show me what, exactly, was on your mind.” For Nessian 🥰 a very spicy prompt for a very spicy couple 👀 (ps I feel like all the prompts I request are nessian but that’s just bc I just love them so much 😂)

I changed the prompt a litttle. But. I think it’s okay since this is essentially 3k words of porn with a tinyyy bit of plot. I also combined it with my other Nessian prompt: “Come back to me.” I also didn’t tag anyone because I don’t have an ACOTAR tag list? Whoops. Oh well. Hope this eventually finds someone... lol. 

Nesta hates being late. She thinks it’s the rudest thing someone can be. It’s a simple request, to ask that someone show up on time. It shows that you value them. It’s respectful.

Which is why Nesta shows up to check-in a full three hours early to the Summer International Ballroom Invitational. It’s the biggest competition weekend of the year, and she and her partner, Tarquin, have spent the last six months training their asses off for it.

After checking in, Nesta finds a perch at the hotel bar with a good vantage point of check-in. She wants to scope out the competition from afar. She’s familiar with most of the participants, having danced with them for nearly the last decade.

At six PM, the entrants start coming in droves, and a long line forms behind the check in table. Perfect. Nesta sips at her glass of sauvignon blanc and takes note. She first spots the twins, Ianthe and Tamlin, the gloriously blonde and creepily incestuous partners halfway down the line. No competition there. The pair have notably sloppy footwork, despite their obvious flare for the dramatic.

Next, she finds Amren and Varian. Nesta’s brow furrows. She’s a little concerned about them. Amren might be small, but her stage presence is huge. And because of her small stature, the pair always includes incredibly difficult lifts which garner them extra points, unlike Nesta’s tall, willowy frame, which makes lifts an astonishing challenge.

Further back, she spots her little sister and her boyfriend. She would usually drive to competition with Feyre and Rhysand, but… she can’t bear to be in the same room with them anymore.

Nesta takes another sip of her wine. Her life is very different than it was six months ago.

The hours grow later, but Nesta remains in her spot, her eyes glued to check-in. She should be in bed. Her wake up call is at five AM for hair and makeup, but she can’t bring herself to leave. And she knows why. She’s pathetic.  

She hears his boisterous laugh before she sees him. She’d recognize that sound anywhere. Her skin prickles with anticipation as she drains the last of her wine. She looks at her phone. It’s almost eleven PM. Five hours late. But then again, Cassian never cared about respecting anyone’s time. She tugs at the neck of her dress uncomfortably, suddenly wishing she’d gone to bed with everyone else.

She watches as he tosses his head back and slings his arm over his new partner’s shoulders, amused by something she’s said. Everything Nesta knows about the new girl she has learned against her will. She’s brunette and slim and all angles, just like Nesta. Only where Nesta is pale and grey and cold, she’s tanned and brown and warm. Her name is Emerie, and Nesta loathes her.

Nesta orders another drink as Cassian and Emerie head up to their rooms. Or room. Gods, she hopes it’s rooms. She sips it quietly until the bar empties out. At midnight, Nesta finally decides to retire for the night. But first, she checks the ballroom where tomorrow’s competition will be held. She always does it for good luck. It’s a stupid superstition, but she’s done it before every competition. She runs through her dances on the floor the last thing before going to bed.

Her pulse jumps when she realizes that her former partner has beaten her to it. It makes sense. After all, it was both of their tradition.

Cassian struts across the dance floor, his hips swaying to the imaginary music in his head as he practices his rumba.

Nesta leans against the doorway and admires his form. His carriage is perfect, and his footwork is divine. The dance is slow and flirtatious, and Nesta can’t help but remember herself partnered up with him, spinning under his strong arms, braced against his muscular chest. The way he pulled her across the dancefloor was an intimacy she’s never shared with anyone else. Nesta watches him run through his samba and salsa next. He attacks both with precision and presence, and Nesta knows she’s in deep trouble. She can only hope she and Tarquin can place next to him.

Nesta’s about to give up on her run through and call it a night when Cassian’s voice breaks through the silence. “The floor’s all yours, sweetheart.”

He looks up at her, locking his hazel eyes with hers, making her heart stutter.

She strides forward into the light and onto the floor. “Thank you,” she says, attempting to sound as unaffected as possible. As she begins her first dance, she expects Cassian to leave, but instead he sits atop the judges table on the side of the floor to watch her.

Nesta’s blood boils under his watchful gaze. She uses him as a spot for her turns and performs to him – her audience of one. His eyes darken as she continues, and as Nesta does her highest kick, he even bites his lip. Nesta has missed those looks. She feels as if she’s about to combust under his intense scrutiny.

She’s so flustered that halfway through her dance she misses a turn. She never misses a turn. Nesta glares at Cassian, who still sits, staring at her.

“Did the perfect Nesta Archeron just mess up?” he asks, absolutely pleased with himself. Nesta growls and repeats the step. Her ankle buckles and trips over her other foot.

She glares at Cassian. “Can you fucking leave? You’ve been giving me bedroom eyes for the last half an hour, and it’s incredibly distracting.”

Cassian smirks and stands. “As if you weren’t giving them right back, sweetheart.” He approaches her slowly, quirking an eyebrow as he grins. “Wanna show me exactly what was on your mind?”

“No,” Nesta snaps.

“Liar.”

Cassian licks his lips, and Nesta’s gaze unwittingly lowers to it. She’s spellbound by his movements.

He finally reaches her and places his hands on her waist.

“Try it again.”

His hands guide her hips, and she’s able to do the spin easily. He spins her again, and she crashes into his chest. His arms wrap around her waist, holding her steady, and Nesta breathes heavily as she looks into his eyes, laden with desire. After a torturous minute, he finally leans down and captures her mouth in a heated kiss.

Nesta wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him closer. He grabs at her thigh, hitching it over his waist, and Nesta moans into his mouth. She can feel him hard against her center through his loose dance pants, and she’s aching with need for him. Has been aching with need for him for months.

As she wraps her other leg around his waist, he hoists her up against him, his hands kneading into her ass. Her hands grab at his long hair and pull. It must sting, because he pulls away with a hiss and then bites down on her neck, absolutely leaving a mark.

Her back hits a cloth covered table as Cassian drops her across it, tugging her hips so she’s perched on the edge, right against him.

He laps at her collarbone, heated lips dragging across her skin and leaving a wet trail in their wake. She shivers and pulls him closer, rubbing his scruff against her smooth skin.

“Tell me to stop,” he pants into her neck.

“Never,” she whispers.

He doesn’t need more confirmation. He tugs up the skirt of her dress and lowers himself between her thighs. Her legs fall over his shoulders as he kneels to the ground. His tongue teases her through her underwear, slowly licking and nipping at her until she’s a squirming mess.

She lifts her hips up, trying to get closer, needing more friction, but Cassian is just out of reach. He knows exactly how to torture her. Always has. It seems he takes pleasure in it. Her hands move up her dress and grab at her breasts, pinching them, trying to relieve the building tension. Nesta likes to be grabbed and pinched and pulled. This gentle teasing is killing her.

Cassian pulls away, pausing momentarily, and Nesta props herself up to look at him. “Why’d you stop?” she pants, her hands still tugging at her chest.

“I want to see you,” he says, his eyes impossibly dark.

“Oh,” Nesta breathes.

“Take it off,” he commands. “Take it off and show me what you’re doing.”

Nesta nods rapidly. She loves when Cassian starts throwing down commands. She lies back down and lifts her hips first, moving the dress to her waist, and then shimmies the fabric over her head, tossing it to the ground unceremoniously. Her hands immediately return to their spot on her breasts, pinching and pulling them until they just barely hurt.

Cassian lowers his mouth to her stomach and bites at it while his hands pull her underwear down to her ankles. Constrained by the waistband, Nesta can barely spread her legs enough for Cassian to lower his hand to her folds and play with them.

“Yes,” she moans, so grateful to have his hand on her bare skin. Two fingers plunge into her without warning, and Nesta yelps. She grabs at Cassian’s hair, knotting her fingers in it and tugging as hard as she can. He lifts his eyes and grins at her while his fingers pump in and out.

“You like that, sweetheart?”

“Fuck,” Nesta whimpers. “You know I do.”

She writhes beneath him as his fingers keep up a relentless pace inside her. He laces his free hand with hers, which is still pinching at her breast. He replaces her hand with his mouth. Wet heat surrounds her, and she screams when he sucks her nipple between his teeth. Her orgasm overtakes her as she pulses around his curling fingers.

As soon as she’s finished riding it out, Cassian grabs at her hips and flips her over. Her face slams onto the table.

“Shit,” Cassian fumbles with her and lifts her torso back up. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she assures him, propping herself up on her elbows. He kisses her softly on her cheek, so starkly different from the manhandling she’s been receiving. She looks over her shoulder as he pulls down his pants and strokes his erection. She’s missed that thing most of all. Her hips lift in anticipation, her ass out as she’s splayed across the table.

He moves his cock between her folds, and Nesta lowers her arms, relaxing into the table. But he sheaths himself inside her with a forceful thrust, Cassian grabs her ponytail and pulls. Hard. She arches her back up and moans loudly as he wraps her hair around his hand, tugging at her hair with each push of his hips. She knows this is going to be fast. For both of them.

“Fuck, Nes,” he pants. “Gods, baby, I missed you so much.” His free hand claws at her hip, helping her ride him.

Her eyes flutter shut as she pushes back harder against his cock, thick and perfect, moving inside her.

“I missed you, too,” she admits over the sound of their slapping skin.

He tugs on her hair harder, lifting her chest off the table, and she can feel his lips press between her shoulder blades. His mouth hovers there, puffing breaths of hot air onto her sweaty skin, and his pace starts to increase.

His hand finally releases her hair but moves to her neck. She gasps at the feeling, a surge of arousal shooting through her, and he groans loudly. She reaches back and moves his hand from her hip to wrap around her front and rub between her legs.

“Almost,” she breathes. “Almost.”

He pounds into her from behind, and her hips crash against the side of the table as his fingers rub circles into her wet clit. His fingers slip, around and around, until she can’t fight it anymore. She screams out his name as she comes onto his cock, clenching down until her body is completely spent.

Cassian picks up his pace, moving faster and faster until he suddenly pulls out of her. She can hear his hand working his cock behind her, and she wants to move and help him, she really does, but she thinks if she tries to stand, her legs might give out. She hears Cassian grunt loudly as drops of wetness hit her back.

She hears him shuffling around, she assumes to clean her off, but instead she hears the click of a photo being taken. She snorts.

“Did you just photograph my naked ass with your cum on my back?”

“No…?” he says, and she glares at him over her shoulder.

“Cassian, delete that right now.”

“In a minute,” he says, and she sighs and lowers herself to the table again. He grabs the edge of the tablecloth and wipes her down, and finally helps her stand.

She reaches for her dress and pulls it over her head as Cassian pulls up his pants. They stand there staring at each other, breathing heavily, wondering what happens next.

“I really do miss you, Nes,” he says, and Nesta nods.

“You were the one who left,” Nesta snaps, annoyed that he can so easily revert to how they were.

Cassian’s eyes are sad when he admits, “I thought you’d come, too.”

“And leave my family for yours?”

“You are my family,” Cassian says. “Come back to me.”

Nesta’s heart pangs. She should have followed Cassian when he moved back to Illyria. And staring at him, she’s starting to be unable to remember any of the reasons why she didn’t.

“It’s late, and we have a competition in the morning,” she says instead. “Let’s sleep on it.”

He wraps his arm around her waist and smiles. “Together?”

She rolls her eyes but doesn’t dispute it. She leads him back up to her room where they spend the rest of the night with their limbs tangled together. Nesta wakes with her heart on his chest and knows that after this weekend, she won’t be letting him out of her sight again.

[nebulawritings]

A Mistake and a Choice Pt 1

Wow it’s been a long time. Lockdown has got me all sorts of crazy, so see a drabble for Open Heart, choices universe. Ethan messed up, and Casey lets him know. Have lurked in the Choices fandom for long LONG time so heres a little something. Not perfect but enjoy. Comments appreciated.

EDIT

So I decided to make this into a mini series. I’m thinking four drabbles. Maybe. Links below.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Four (and a bit)

Book: Open Heart, Book 2 [Choices Stories You Play]

Pairing: M!DrValentinexEthan M!DrValentinexBryce 

Reading Time: ~ 5 minutes

Warning: No naughtiness. No under cut, so watch for swears kids.

__________________________________

“Dr Ramsey…”.

“Please, Casey, just hear me out it’s not what you think I swear, I just…”. The senior Doctor’s shoulders slumped, and he dropped his head into his hands. “I’m not as strong as you think I am. As anyone thinks I am”.

“You don’t get it, do you?”. Casey took a step forwards, nothing in his green eyes apart from pity. “I didn’t want you to be some perfect, flawless, untouchable superman. I just wanted you to be Ethan. The Ethan who kissed me at the opera and threw caution to the wind the night of my court triumph. The Ethan who looks at me with softness and wonder when I fight back, and chides me when I make a stupid mistake. The Ethan…”. Tears began to well in his eyes but he stood firm; fists balled at his sides. “The Ethan who wouldn’t lie to me about messing around with another doctor, especially after everything we’ve been through together”.  

“Oh, like you can talk”. Ethan lifted his head, his own cheeks red with the effort of holding back tears. “What about you and that ken doll in surgery? Everyone knows what you get up to in the on-call room”.

Casey shook his head. “Bryce was, and is, there for me. There’s no expectations, no…Messiness. I’m stressed, he’s stressed, stuff happens. But it didn’t mean anything and it hasn’t happened for…God knows how long”.

“Oh, yeah, so you weren’t shacked up with him whilst I was saving lives in the Jungle. Sure”.

“Oh, you had time for that did you? Between fucking your ex-girlfriend?”. Ethan flinched, and Casey grit his teeth. “I haven’t been with anyone Ethan. Not for months and months. Not since we…Since you…”. He sighed, deeply. “Not since that night at your apartment. Even before then! You know why? Because, foolishly, I thought we had something. And no matter what came our way, be it rules or roles or hospitals…We’d work it out. Because no-one has ever made me feel things like you did. Cared for, appreciated…More than just fun”.

“What, and I don’t make you feel that anymore?”. Ethan stood, facing off with the younger doctor.

“I would be lying if I said no” came the reply. “But you also make me feel betrayed and hurt. Thinking about it…That you ran away from me and what we were trying to create, halfway across the world, with Dr Emery of all people! It makes me feel things I didn’t know were possible, and it hurts!”. The anger overflowed then, and the tears fell freely. “How long had you been planning to run away with her, huh!? How long had you been laughing behind my back, using me as an outlet for your stress. Oh, you couldn’t be with her when she was chief of medicine, sure, but she’s not anymore, is she!? Now she’s…She’s…”. He lost his words, shaking his head. “You say it’s not what I think. Tell me then, Ethan, how is it?”.

“I…I was trying to forget you, Casey”.

“Oh, and that’s supposed to help?”.

“Let me finish!” Ethan snapped, glaring at the younger Doctor. ”I’m trying to explain goddammit!”. He took a deep breath. “I didn’t mean to get on the same volunteer route as Dr Emery, but we were scouted by the same company. I haven’t had thoughts or feelings or anything for her since our relationship broke down, or for anyone. Not until you swanned into my life. The day you stepped into the ER and helped with that patient, the one who was bleeding out, my life changed. Good? Bad? I don’t know, Casey, but it was you for Gods’ sake”.

“…You remember that?”.

“How could I forget”. He sighed, heavily. “I’ll never forget how I felt when I first saw you, Casey”.

The newest member of the diagnostics team wiped furiously at his eyes. “You seemed to manage when you screwed around with Harper”.

Ethan flinched. “It was just a moment of weakness, Casey, that’s all. We were both tired and stressed and it was lonely”.

“Ethan Ramsey doesn’t get lonely” he shot back.

“…Like I said. I’m not as strong as you think. I was desperate and run ragged. I just wanted to run further and further from my feelings and then we had a drink and one thing led to another…”. He trailed off.

“You’re lying again, Ethan. Stop lying to me!”.

“I’m not!” he shouted back. “It was only once, Casey! It didn’t mean anything!”.

“Well Dr Emery says different! So do the photos she was flaunting around on her phone, you two all cosy and cuddled up with some fucking orangutans or some shit, like you were on a damn pleasure cruise. She tells it differently, when you’re down at Donoghues and she’s had a few, and her niece starts asking how her trip overseas with the great Dr Ramsey was. How romantic it was in the middle of a disease torn jungle, just you two fighting against the pandemic, and how you couldn’t help relighting the chemistry you had”.

Ethan blinked, shocked. “She had photos? I…I didn’t know, Casey. That’s how you found out? She was telling everyone at Donaghues? Oh God…I bet the whole fucking hospital knows now”.

Casey scoffed. “Well, I’m glad that’s what matters to you. Thank you”. Casey was sternfaced. “Mass Kenmore has asked for my expertise on the coma case, seeing as I was the principal Doctor. I’ve had permission as part of the open collaboration project from Dr Banerji, so I’m here to tell you that I won’t be around for about a week. There’s other cases they need help on, so Dr Banerji is seeing if they can swap me. Like an exchange programme”.

“Why!?” Ethan yelled now. He moved over to Casey, grabbed his arm. “Why there, of all the places! That intern from last year is there, and Aurora and-“.

“Because you’re not there!” Casey yelled back, ripping his arm away. He closed his eyes. “I can’t be near you, Ethan”.

“Please, Casey, I’m not lying! Let’s just talk this out. I can’t have Edenbrook losing a Doctor like you”.

“Edenbrook or you?”.

He paused. “Edenbrook is in trouble and…we…I…I mean the hospital-”.

“Thank you for clearing that up”. Casey moved to leave.

“Wait! Why don’t you come to mine, we can talk it out properly”.

“What part of I can’t be around you don’t you understand?” Casey replied. “Besides, I can’t. I’m going out with a ken doll tonight, and he’s already booked us a restaurant”.

“What, so you’re going on a date with your casual hookup now?”.

Casey opened the office door. “You know the difference between you and Bryce, Ethan? He doesn’t expect anything of me. He doesn’t pull me to and fro. He’s there when I need him, and I’m there for him. He said he wants to spend more time with me, and be more than friends; even though I haven’t been with him for months. You know what that is? It’s called commitment, which you don’t have the capacity for. Goodbye, Dr Ramsey”. Tears streaming freely, but his head held high, Casey walked out and left Ethan behind, helpless and speechless. He sank down into his chair, just as his phone lit up.

Ramsey, it’s Emery. Still good for drinks tonight?

The senior shook his head and cursed. “What the hell have I done…”.

[carmintros]

@emeryfm​     /     ❛   。   ✩   ﾟ my eyes are probably playing tricks on me again, but is that really  kristine froseth?  oh, wait, it’s just  emery roe. yes, that  twenty-two  year old  bookstore clerk, who i am pretty sure is a  local. according to the talk of the town, she is incredibly  blithe & facetious, yet undeniably  piquant & vivacious. that is precisely why  drunken karaoke, wine stained lips, laughs that make your ribs hurt, & kissing under the moon  remind me of them so much, but then again you know what they say about aries, we’ll see how that one turns out !   penned by m  /  pst & she / her

◜        ♡       𝚋𝚒𝚘𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚢      !

tw    :    death,    illness,    &    alcoholism.

𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐘    was    born    and    raised    in    carmel.    her    mother    was    a    successful    doctor    and    her    father    owned    his    own    construction    company.    the    two    had    three    children,    each    of    which    were    the    golden    child    in    their    own    right.    their    first    son    a    football    star    in    the    making,    their    second    son    academic    decathlon    captain,    and    their    daughter    a    merit    scholar.    emery’s    childhood    was   cookie-cutter   on    the    surface;    plenty    of    presents    under    the   tree    during    christmas,    meals    always    on    the    table,    new    outfits    for    each   back    to    school    day —    the    roes    had    it    all.

things    took    a    turn    when    emery    was    fourteen.    one    night    during    dinner,    their    mother    collapsed.    many    said    it    was    ironic    —    the    doctor    who  didn’t  know    she    had    advanced    stage    pancreatic    cancer.    by    the    time    she  was  diagnosed,    it    was    too    late    for    treatment.    she    passed    away    the  summer  after    emery’s    first    year    of    high    school.

after    their    mother’s    death,    the    roes    seemed    to    be    the    talk    of    the  town.  when    someone    dies    unexpectedly    out    of    nowhere    in    a    small    town,  it’s    gonna    be    on    everyone’s    lips,    no    matter    how    tragic    it    was.    this  caused    emery’s    father    to    spiral.    he    began    to    drink    and    soon    enough,  stopped    showing    up    to    work    and    stopped    picking    the    kids    up    from  school.    the    constant    pitiful    looks    and    baked    dishes    from    the    neighbors  caused    him    to    snap.    one    night,    he    packed    up    his    things    and    left.

emery,    still    somewhat    young    at    the    time,    had    a    difficult    time    processing   the    downfall    of    her    family.    the    responsibility    fell    on    her    older    brothers.    her    oldest    brother,    eighteen    at    the    time,    had    to    give    up    his    football    scholarship    from    ohio    state    and    take    care    of    his    younger    siblings.    it    was    them    against    the    world,    and    unfortunately    everyone    knew   about    it.    emery    noticed    the    way    her    peers    looked    at    her    began    to    change;    she    went    from    normal    emery    to    the    girl    whose    family    was   gone    in    the    blink    of    an    eye.

naturally,    she    began    to    act    out.    she    started    hanging    out    with    the   wrong    crowd,    doing    her    makeup    a    little    darker    than    usual,    coming    home    later,    drinking    more.    she    traded    her    books    in    for    boys,    her    sat    tutoring    for    house    parties.

eventually,    she    began    to    feel    guilty    for    her    brothers,    who    had    to    drop  everything    to    make   ��sure    she    was    alright.    when    the    end    of    high    school    came,    she    finally    got    her    act    together    and    got    into    a    good    college.    she    graduated    last    summer    with    her    degree    in    literature,    and    now    she    lives    back    in    carmel    and    works    at    the    bookstore    while    she    applies    for    masters    programs.

◜        ♡       𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚜      !

𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄:  emery   maxine   roe.

𝐀𝐆𝐄:    twenty    one.

𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍:    bookstore    clerk.

𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑:    cisfemale.

𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍:    carmel,  california.

𝐙𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐂:    aries    sun    /    gemini    moon    /    aquarius    rising.

𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐂:    drunken   karaoke,   wine   stained   lips,   laughs   that   make   your   ribs   hurt,   and   kissing   under   the   moon

◜        ♡       𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢      !

emery    is    a    pistol.    

she’s    got    a    mouth    that    would    put    a    sailor    to    shame.  

she’s    really    witty   and  sarcastic,    which    can    come    across    as   facetious    at    times.  

she    slips    up    constantly    and    her    humor    can    be    considered   inappropriate    or    disrespectful   in    different    situations.    

sarcasm    is    her    defense     which,    once    again,    can    make    her    seem   mean   as    shit.    but    she’s    always    laughing   or    making    others    laugh.  

she’s    a    smart    ass,  which    she    hasn’t    decided    if    it’s    a    good    or    bad   attribute    yet.  

jaded    at    the    ripe    age    of    twenty    one.    

will    have    it    be    known    if    she    doesn’t    fuck    with    you   !  

she    would    die   for    the    people    who    are    close    to    her    but   hardly    anybody    knows    her    past    a    superficial    level,    besides    her    brothers.  

her    behavior    stems    from    the    fact    that    she    lives    a    very    damaged    life,    but    she’s    too    damn    stubborn    to    admit    that.

she    doesn’t    really    think    about    how    her    actions    may    affect    those    around    her.  

but    she’s    still    quite    the    reveler,    always    down    to    be    the    life    of    any    party.    which    can    seem    very    reckless    at    times,    but    she’s    still    devoted    to    her    alone    time.

◜        ♡       𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚝𝚜      !

on    the    fourth    tab   of    my    blog    there’s    a connections page   !   but   go   ahead   and   like    this   and  i’ll   come   to   you   and   we   can   brainstorm   <3   pls   plot   w   me   MXMXMM

pt. three

two   older   brothers. ages   25-30.   emery   is   the   youngest   sibling   and   only   girl.   they   three   are   very   close   and   tended   to   look   after   each   other   after   their   mother’s   passing.

childhood   best   friend.   that   she   is   sure   she’ll   marry   someday.   these   two   have   been   tight   knit   since   they   were   in   kindergarten.   there   parents   were   close  friends   so   they   were   practically   together   24/7.   everyone   teased   them   about   how   they’d   end   up   married   one   day.   of   course,   they   had   to   go   separate   ways   for   college,   but   now   that   they’re   back   in   carmel   who   knows   what   will   happen.

best    friends.    open    to    multiple!  the    ying    to    her    yang.    they’re   are    trouble,   no    matter    the    circumstances.    they    are    virtually    attached    at    the    hip   and    couldn’t    live    without    each    other

flirtationship. they’ve    gotten    close    to    hooking    up    on    more    than  one    occasion,   but    nothing    ever    happens.    there’s    always    tension  during    every    single   one    of    their    interactions.

exes. open    to    any    gender    !   we    can    discuss    the    terms.

sibling    like    relationship.   this    person    reminds    her    of    her    bond   with    her    brothers    and    is    hellbent    on    protecting    them    at    all    costs.

[drrameyfanpage]

Just a Walk in the Park: Chapter 4

Author’s Note: First, I’m so blown away about all the wonderful comments! I want to reply to each of you but I’m trying to figure out when replying how to reply as this account and not my personal account.

I’m not sure how happy I am with the first half of the chapter but it is what it is. That being said I’m have no real knowledge of anything medical, so this is all just my best guess. I’m also already up to chapter 14. I’m trying to proof read it before post I it, but that’s the least fun part about writing.

If you want on the tag list let me know!

Tag List:

@paisleylovergirl

“You missed a banging party.” Elijah grinned as he wheeled himself into the kitchen the next morning.

“Where were you anyway?” Jackie asked downing a glass of orange juice. “Were you out walking the neighborhood again?” Jackie raised an eyebrow.

“Walking the neighborhood?” Sienna said sounding worried coming down the hall.

Alexandra rolled her eyes. “I wondered off.” She shrugged.

“That’s how people get snatched.” Sienna said sounding more worried.

“Well I’m fine.”

Jackie eyed her but said nothing. “Is someone going to wake Landry?”

“Let him sleep.” Sienna grinned.

“Fine, I’m going to hit the gym.” Jackie said making her way towards the front door.

Alexandra headed back to her room. She open her photos and went to the one she had taken of Ethan last weekend. He was so different from any person she had ever met. He seemed to feel things on deeper level and she understood that. She too felt things deeply. He was her boss and she knew she needed to stay away from him. He had said he wouldn’t date his boss, so what would make him date a subordinate. Though they had held hands and she knew she felt something for him already.

She shook her head. He only wanted friendship, she was sure of it. Holding hands had been a way for him to confirm he could trust her, she told herself.

Sienna knocked on her open door. Alexandra looked at the photo one more time before closing out and tossing her phone aside.

“Got a minute?” Sienna smiled.

“For you? Of course.” Alexandra shifted so she was sitting on her bed.

“You missed a good party.” Sienna said as she sat down on the end of the bed.

“So I’ve heard.” She laughed.

“Where did you go?”

She shrugged. “Out. I need some air.”

“You were gone most of the night, by the time you got back everything was almost over. Bryce was worried. I was worried.”

“I appreciate the concern, but I was fine.”

“I thought you were on board for the party. If you weren’t it wasn’t fair that we made you feel like you needed to leave.”

“Sienna, no one made me feel like I should leave. I left because I wanted to. I actually had a really nice evening.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Now tell me all the crazy things I missed.”

Sienna smiled and pulled her phone out. “I think the best thing that happened was,” She dropped her voice. “Landry got drunk and started dancing.”

“Please tell me you have a video!”

Sienna grinned and passed her the phone.

Monday was back to work. It was nice to have Sunday off together but almost all of them were going into a seven or eight day work stretch.

“Dr. Flynn, Dr. Olsen you’re with Dr. Ramsey today.” Dr. Delarosa said handing them a chart. “He’s probably on third floor.”

Once everyone had orders they were off in separate directions. She and Landry headed for the elevator. They found Ethan standing outside the patient’s room with Chief Emery and Aurora. He looked past them looking annoyed and made eye contact with Alexandra before he quickly broke it.

“We can send Dr. Olsen back down to Ines, she can give him something else.” Chief Emery said.

“I’m not sending either doctor back. I’ll work with all three of them then.” He looked at the three-younger people in front of him before turning away. “I hope you’ve all gone over of the chart.”

They followed after him, Aurora pushing herself in front of the other two. Alexandra rolled her eyes.

“Present.” Ethan snapped crossing his arms.

“Male forty-two. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest and left arm pain.”

“Mr. Riley.” Alexandra said when Aurora was finished.

“Excuse me?” Aurora looked back at her sharply.

“That’s his name and he’s right there.”

Aurora went to snap at her but Ethan cut her off, “Dr. Flynn, what do you think is causing this?”

“His chart says he’s already been looked over for a heart attack. His EKG came with no damage from a heart attack.”

“We should run more tests.” Aurora cut in.

“Before we do that we should look at everything. Not just give him unnecessary tests.”

“Dr. Olson, you looked over the chart, is there anything we’re missing?” Aurora asked focusing her attention on the nervous man.

“Uh, no I don’t believe so.” He mumbled looking apologetic at Alexandra.

She looked at Ethan who raised an eyebrow slightly. It was then she knew of course he already knew what was wrong. She pulled from his presences and faced Mr. Riley. “It says when started feeling the symptoms of a heart attack, you were having sexual intercourse.”

“Well was about to, yes.” He answered ringing his hands together.

“Were you feeling any anxiety leading up to that?” He shook his head no, but it was clear he was nervous. “Extreme attacks of anxiety can mimic the signs of a heart attack.” She continued. “Before we run more tests and cost you more money I just want to cross this off the list.”

He sighed and let his head fall back against the pillow. “I’ve been having trouble.” He looked at Ethan. “I’ve always had some trouble, but nothing like this. I couldn’t turn her away one more time. I started to panic and then she started freaking out it was a heart attack. I just went with it.”

“You said you’ve always had trouble, are you on any medication for it?” Alexandra asked.

“No. I’ve managed over the years.”

“We can prescribe something for it.”

“You mean Viagra?” He asked sounding deflated.

“Well, yes.”

“I’ll never live this down if the soccer team finds out.” He sighed. “If… if you think it will help, I guess I could try it.” He refused to look at either woman instead still looking at Ethan.

“We’ll need some more information from you. I’ll send a nurse in to get that. Meanwhile, I’ll write a prescription and Dr. Emery will be back later to go over side effects.” With that he led the other three doctors out of the room.

Once they were out in the hall he turned to them, holding his hands behind his back. “You three are just a few of the many who are fighting for a spot on my team. This was your first test. Being on the diagnostic team can be fast paced and time sensitive. Other times it taking the time to read over a chart and putting two and two together for a simple problem. Being on this team is like being a detective. Pay attention and follow the clues. Dr. Emery you’ll follow-up with this patient. Dr. Olsen, Dr. Delarosa has another patient for you. Dr. Flynn you figured it out, so you’re with me the rest of the day.”

She followed after him as he walked down the hall. Feeling the need to fill the silence she spoke up about their last patient. “I hope my partner would feel like he could tell me something like that.”

“Or you could find a partner who would know exactly what he needed to do to care of your needs.”

“So you’re saying you would have no problem taking Viagra and telling your partner?” She looked over and up at him as they walked.

“No, I wouldn’t have a problem. Though she wouldn’t have to worry because I’m more than good in that department.” He smirked.

She didn’t know what to say that, so she followed him to the next patient.

The day passed fast but uneventful. Alexandra enjoyed being with Ethan all day. Though he was mostly professional only a few times he would make a joke or say something that had her smiling.

September faded into October and soon Halloween was at the end of the week. Much of the month had passed like that day. Ethan giving “tests” to see who he would focus his attention on as he made his way through the list of Candidates.

Alexandra stood at one of the nurse’s stations filling out her last chart for the day. Ethan stood a few steps away talking to a nurse about medication for a patient.

“Tell me you’re going to dress up as sexy doctor?” Bryce grinned as he came to stand beside her.

“That would be a no.” She said.

“So what are you dressing up as?”

“Why would I dress up?”

“Leave it to Jackie not say anything. The bar is having a costume contest Friday night. Everyone is headed there after work.”

“Oh.”

“You don’t sound excited.” Bryce pouted.

Ethan tried not to listen to conversation and focus on his own.

She shrugged. “It’s not really my kind of thing.”

“You know you think I would figure that out since you weren’t big on the party your roomies had. Do you work Saturday night?”

She fumbled with what to say. “No.”

“Great, let me take you out.”

“Bryce…”

“It’s just dinner.” He gave her his boyish grin.

She glanced behind him and Ethan was gone. Feeling disappointed she gave in. “Sure, why not.”

Alexandra was late leaving the hospital Friday. Jackie had tried to convince her to come over to the bar for at least one drink. She thought if she was late getting ready to leave she might be able to sneak home. She was on her way to change when Ethan ran passed her.

He turned jogging backwards to look at her. “I’ve got a good one if you want in.” He had taken the on call shift. Halloween night was always crazy and he enjoyed a good dumb stunt gone wrong. He turned back around not waiting for answer and pushed the door open for the steps.

She wasted no time and was right behind him. He grinned at her as he held the door open for her at bottom.

Soon they were beside a gurney with Rafael and nurses. “Male twenty-eight. Decided to climb a tree dressed as superman. Went to jump and his cape snagged. He fell and impaled himself on the tree limb below. Fire department had to cut the limb free. He lost a lot of blood and was unconscious when we got there.” Rafael let Ethan take his place next to the gurney. “I got a badass one for you newbie.” He smiled at Alexandra.

Ethan frowned at the interaction. “We’ll take it from here.” He dismissed Rafael and Alexandra gave him a look at his rude behavior. “Let’s get him to an OR.” He looked at a nurse. “We’ll need the portable x-ray to see the internal damage, but I have feeling we’re going to need to get this tree out of him sooner than later.”

It had taken almost four hours for them to get the man stable enough to remove the tree and then remove it. It had been a thrill getting to be in the OR with Ethan. He continually gave her directions and walked her through everything he was doing and why. At certain times letting her take over small tasks. He even let her deliver the good news to the parents.

She couldn’t calm down as they walked away from the waiting room where parents had been waiting. “Oh man, I’m not going to sleep tonight.”

“I’m glad it didn’t ruin any Halloween plans.” Ethan said trying to be casual.

Alexandra didn’t even notice. “That was a million times better than any plans. I learned so much and got to remove a tree from someone’s abdomen!”

“I’m glad you were around.” He said before he could stop himself. “It’s late, why don’t you go get your stuff and I’ll drive you home.”

They met in the parking garage and he pulled the door open for her. They hadn’t seen each other outside of work since the night of the party. Things had been hectic and he was trying to keep his distance.

“I was wondering,” He said gripping the steering wheel as drove. “I was thinking about getting tickets to see the Boston Symphony Orchestra next weekend. I know classical isn’t your thing but I wanted to know if you wanted to go?” Was he breathing? He was pretty sure he wasn’t breathing.

“For you I will listen to classical. I’m down. What do I wear?”

“Nothing to fancy but something cla-“

“Classical.” She grinned cutting him off.

“I was going to say classy.” He laughed.

“Can do.” She gave him an amazing smile as she pushed the door open as he stopped in front of her apartment. “Thanks for including me the OR tonight. It was amazing experience.”

“I’m glad. Try to get some sleep.” He smiled back.

[librarian-of-orynth]

Headcanon idea! The town house is extra crowded for a celebration so Elain isn’t used to sharing the bathing room on her hallway. She waltzes in on a certain shadowsinger in a state of undress of your choosing. 😗

okAY SO

the winter solstice is always a busy time in the townhouse

especially this year

with Rhys and Feyre’s twins running all over

plus Amren and Varian

and Kallias and Viviane visiting 

and Nesta and Cassian

Mor and Emerie 

and of course

Elain 

and Azriel

this is the biggest celebration they’ve had before

and of course everyone’s staying in the townhouse

and all staying together

there are so many couples there

almost too many

except for Elain and Azriel

though Elain has trouble hiding her feelings towards Az 

she loves him

like heart eyes when he walks into a room 

heart pounding when he smiles at her

adoration in her eyes when she looks at him 

that sort of love

so when the Inner Circle told them they had to share a room for a few days so they could fit everyone in the house

Elain was equal parts excited and nervous

he came in with a small suitcase and placed it on the nearby chair

then a small bed appeared, courtesy of Rhys

much to Elain’s dismay

she’d half-wished they would have to share

that first night she barely slept

her mind occupied with thoughts of the shadowsinger

eventually she fell asleep dreaming of him

and when she awoke he was…gone?

he must’ve gone downstairs

so she set about on her usual morning routine

a trip to the bathroom for a quick bath 

and then

oh

oH 

“I–I’m…” 

Elain’s eyes go wide

Azriel’s in the bathroom

with a towel

just a towel

wrapped around his waist 

exposing the flat planes of his stomach

and the vee

you know the one

the defined muscles leading to

Elain tries her hardest not to look down

but her eyes start to drift

“Oh! Elain, I…” Az says and her eyes snap back up

his hair’s still dripping wet 

leaving trails of water running down his muscled chest

his shoulders

his back

she can’t help but stare

and she hopes Az doesn’t notice

“I’m…I’m sorry, I’ll leave,” she tells him and starts to leave

but he grabs her hand 

turns her around

spins her

like at the climax of a perfect rom com

and presses his lips to hers in the kiss to end all kisses

the most perfect kiss Elain’s ever had 

or seen

or anything

it’s just 

perfect

it’s everything she dreamed about 

“So, we’re sharing the bed tonight, right?” Elain tells him, laughing

“Of course love, of course,” he replies 

and then goes back to kissing her 

[emeriethevalkyriegirl]

Nesta Archeron (Harry Potter AU)- Chapter 30 (Slytherin Family)

Summary: Nesta and Rowan avoided each other for over a month. Will they ever talk to one another again, or will their friendship end in a snap.

“You mean to tell me that ‘You Know Who’ is out there right now in the forest?” Emerie asked, eager to know what happened to Nesta after she and Morrigan left with Gabe. 

After their encounter with Balthazar, Eris ended their punishment earlier than expected. Though it wasn’t going to stop the earful they were all going to get in the morning from each of their Perfects. 

Nesta, Emerie, and the twins decided to talk about it right in front of the Slytherin house. Not enough to go down the stairs but enough to find a comfortable place to sit. 

Nesta nodded. “Yes,” Gwyn gasped. “But she’s weak.” 

“So, Tamlin doesn’t want to steal the stone for himself,” Catrin began as Gwyn added on. “He wants to steal it so he can get it for Amarantha.” she finished. Nesta continued. “With the elixir of life, Amarantha will be strong again.” 

“But if she comes back, you don’t think she’ll try to...kill you?” Gwyn asked nervously. 

Nesta didn’t hold back on her answer. “I think if she had the chance, she would’ve killed me tonight.” 

“Oh no.” 

“And I thought my Potions Final was bad.” 

“Guys, wait!” You forgot the most important thing. Nesta and the twins turned to Emerie. “Who's the one wizard/high Lord that Amarantha always feared?" Everyone either looked away or shrugged. "Kallias. Nesta, as long as Kallias is still breathing, not even Amarantha can touch you.” 

“I sure hope you’re right, Em.” 

“Oh, Nesta~” Nesta flinched at the sound of her name. She knew that voice. All of the Slytherins knew that voice. You can’t be a Slytherin and NOT know that voice. 

Emerie and the twins stood upon their feet. “Who’s that?” Catrin asked as Nesta gulped. “My house ghost. Bloody Baron.” As if on cue, an old man with chains on his wrists flew towards the terrified girls. He was smiling from ear to ear. “Good evening, ladies.” 

“Don’t you have some Slytherins to be watching over?” 

“Pushy already? I was gonna save you the trouble of facing your Perfect, but I guess I might as well let you have the boot.” 

“What!?” Now Nesta had her undivided attention. “How did he-” Baron chuckle. “He’s a Perfect kid, what did you expect?” Before Nesta could protest about being snitched on, Bloody Baron flew off further into the Slytherin house. 

Nesta groaned. “What’s wrong?” Emerie asked as Nesta sighed. “Rowans knows about the 50 house points. And he’s not happy.” 

---------------------- 

February 24, 2002 

Indeed, he wasn’t. As a matter of fact, Rowan was pissed. 

The very next day, Rowan practically scolded her for going out at night without telling anyone. She was banned from the Quidditch team until further notice. After he said that, Nesta was furious. A few unkind words later and Rowan and Nesta each gave each other the silent treatment for as long as they could. 

Nesta never bothered to show up to any Quidditch games after the argument. The other Slytherins kept telling her that it was for team sportsmanship, but she explained that it made her feel guilty. So every time there was a game, Nesta would hide in the library until it was over. 

Not that it mattered/ Danika replaced her as the temporary Seeker. Nesta cursed Rowan’s cloak for that. Though, even after he found out, he didn’t bother to lecture her. Just broke the curse in Charms class with the other 3rd year students a few days ago. 

Right now, Nesta was hanging out with Nora, Bryce, and Tomas. Emerie and the twins were probably doing some other kind of punishment for their Perfects. The Slytherins were upset with her at first, but the 50 points were regained through good grades and good deeds. “So, I was thinking, maybe a toad for his birthday?” 

“Nora, your brother doesn’t like toads.” 

“But I do, Bryce,” Nora replied as Tomas and Bryce groaned. “That’s because you like them. You have to find something that he likes.” 

“Yeah, right Nesta?” Tomas asked, his and the girls’ attention going to Nesta. Nesta was currently going over some Potions notes for her Final in 3 days. She waved her hand off in disinterest. “Do whatever you want,” she said boredly. 

The young Slytherins looked at her with pity. “Nesta, are you okay?” Bryce asked as Nesta sighed. “Not really.” 

“You and Rowan still not talking to each other?” Nora asked as Nesta nodded. “It’s been a month now. He hasn’t even told anyone about the cursed cloak.” 

“What cursed cloak?” Nesta’s head moved before her brain could tell her not to. Rowan was standing there; his face didn’t show any real anger or confusion. Only sorrow. 

Nesta turned away. “Nothing,” she replied, barely audible. Rowan turned to the other Slytherins. “Could you guys give us a minute?” Tomas and the girls didn’t hesitate as they ran back to the house. 

Once the two of them were alone, Rowan sat down next to Nesta (who was sitting on a water fountain). “Nesta,” Rowans began but Nesta huffed. “Unless you’re putting me back on the team, I’m not interested.” 

“Nes, I just wanted to apologize.” 

“Apology not accepted. Now leave.” 

“Can you at least hear me out?” Rowan sounded desperate. This outta be good. 

Deciding that it would be best to not make her Perfect beg on his knees, Nesta turned to face him. “What do you want?” Nesta asked, waiting for Rowan to respond. He sighed. “I’m sorry Nesta. I didn’t mean to say those things to you that day. I was just so angry that I let my temper get the better of me.” Nesta rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s too late for that.” 

Rowan cleared his throat. “How about I make you a deal? You don’t curse any of my belongings anymore...” Nesta giggled, covering her mouth to muffle the giggles. Rowan smirked. “Yeah, I knew that was you, you little sneak,” Rowan said ruffling her braided bun. “Rowan!” Nesta complained and stuck her tongue out. “And in return, I’ll let you back on the Quidditch team as our Seeker again.” 

Nesta beamed with joy. “Really?!” 

“I think you’ve been punished enough.” Rowan declared as Nesta wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!!” Rowan smiled and returned the hug. “Any time lil’ Slytherin.”

[lokirogersgirl]

Never, Negan

Characters: Negan x Emery /Original Character/

Warnings: Negan’s language, does kissing need a warning, fluff, almost a death?

Authors Note: Ive never written fanfic before, this is literally my first one. So if it’s awful, thats my bad. :(

— • • • —• • • —• • • —• • • —• • • —• • • —• • • —

“Negannnn, that stupid truck is there again!” I heard an uptight Amber yell to him from down the hall.

Recently, a black truck has been slowly driving by the Sanctuary. This has been going on for about a week. It hasn’t posted a threat, hell it hasn’t done anything. It just stops, waits for about a half hour then leaves. Every. Damn. Day. Nobody knows why, but after the third or fourth day people have started to become worried for their safety. I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t a little worried too. But Negan has made no effort in trying to solve the puzzle at hand.

“Jesus Christ. Just what I needed today.” He mumbled angrily under his breath. Rubbing his temples, he sighed heavily. “Amber, I don’t know what the fuck you want from me. I already fucking told you I can’t do shit unless they come through the fucking gates.” His bitter voice rumbled through the halls of the Sanctuary.

All his response did was elicit an annoyed huff, and a pathetic stomp from Amber as she walked back into the wives parlor.

Meanwhile, while Amber pissed and moaned about every little thing. The rest of the saviors and I had a meeting. Without Negan.. Now this might sound like a bad idea, but it was for the best. We needed to come up with a plan to convince Negan to do something.

“Emery, whaddya’ think we should do?” Simon queried. His words snapping me out of my racing thoughts.

“Maybe we should just go straight to him.. He’s not that bad. What’s the worst that cou-“ My words were cut off by the slamming of the door behind us.

Oh shit. I thought to myself.

Turning around I was faced with a fuming Negan. He stared at me with a fire in his eyes.

“Well looky looky at what we got here. My saviors, having a meeting without me? Well, excuse the fuck outta me. Anyone wanna tell me what the fuck was so urgent that you fuckers wouldn’t tell me about this super secret meeting?” His dominating voice spoke. I could tell he expected a response and by the looks of peoples faces right now, I was going to be the speaker.

“Well uh, Negan, ya see what happened was.. Well.” I croaked out, having trouble wording what I was going to tell this very angry man. “Come on Emery, you’re a big girl. Spit it the fuck out.” I sighed. “That truck is causing a lot of shit here. People are threatening to leave. You made it clear you couldn’t do anything, so we thought maybe..”

“YOU THOUGHT WHAT? ALL YOU FUCKS THOUGHT IT WAS OKAY TO FUCKING TALK ABOUT MY COMMUNITY WITHOUT YOUR FUCKING LEADER?” He bellowed. Slamming his beloved Lucille down against the hard table. A small piece of her delicate wood flying onto the cement floor.

I shook my head rapidly. “No! Negan we respect you. We really do, but we have to do something. We can’t live in fear that this truck is going to do something. Our lives are at stake.”

I expected him to scream at me, accuse me of trying to undermine his authority. Instead he just stared at me, almost in amusement. Then suddenly he nodded. “Alright. You want this fucking problem fixed so goddamn badly, then tomorrow you are coming with me to watch and see the fucking truck.” He looked me in the eyes. I knew I was screwed. He only wanted me there. Fantastic.

———————————————————————

The next day I woke up full of dread. But I got up anyways, I opted for throwing on a pair of black skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and combat boots. I tucked my shirt into my jeans, looked at myself in the mirror. I sighed. It wouldn’t be so bad. He’s not usually an ass to me, I said aloud to myself. Looking at myself a final time, I nodded and walked out the door.

I strolled downstairs and went to get breakfast before having to go with Negan. At least I could be alone. Grabbing my food I sat down alone at a table. At least I’ll be alone I thought? Nope. Nothing goes that easily.

Negan sat next to me, a shit eating grin on his face. “Hey doll, ready for our fucking adventure into the wild?” I looked at him, was he serious? No I was not excited. No one bit. But I nodded and gave him a small smile. “Yah, I can’t wait.” He looked me up and down. I could feel my cheeks heating up. Was he really checking me out right in front of me?

He continued to make small talk with me, his foul language making me laugh every often. Maybe this isn’t going to be so bad. I thought to myself.

I finished eating and Negan stared at me. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you it was impolite to stare?” He laughed at me, “Do I seem like the kinda fuckin’ guy who listens to what my mother tells me?”

“Fair enough.” I simply replied with a grin on my face. “Are you ready to go?” I asked him. “I think I should be the one asking you that fucking question.” A deep, rumbling chuckle came from his mouth. I watched his mouth move, mesmerized by the way he moved his tongue over his teeth. “Lets get this fucking show on the road, shall we doll?” I just nodded, not sure I could form words at the moment.

We walked for what felt like an eternity until we reached the truck. He opened the door for me, I smiled at him. He gave me an almost tender smile back, and closed the door behind me. When he got into the car, he set Lucille down in the middle console. “Where exactly are we going?” I questioned him. “Just down the road, the fuck should be here eventually. Unless we scared the prick off.” I nodded. Just down the road? Thats not too bad.

He drove us down a street or two, I wasn’t really paying attention. I was too distracted by Negan, telling me about how disgusting the world had become. As if I hadn’t noticed already. He turned the car off and reclined his seat slightly. He looked straight ahead and didn’t say anything. I stared at him.

What was he thinking? I pondered.

Suddenly he spoke, “Look who’s fuckin’ staring now.” I looked at him, “I was not!” He laughed at me. “Yes the fuck you were.” I shook my head, he was unbelievable. Looking out the window I found myself getting bored easily. “Wanna play a game?” I quietly questioned him. His eyebrows raised, and he turned to face me.

Oh god.. I’m so embarrassing. I thought silently to myself as his eyes stayed glued on me.

After what felt like years, he broke the silence. “I spy with my little fuckin’ eye.. Something big.” I smiled, surprised he was playing. I looked around. What was he talking about? “Uhh, the trees?” He looked at me. “Not exactly, sweetheart. Two more tries.” Hmm. I scanned the lush trees and all around the area. “Oh! The Sanctuary! The Sanctuary is big.” He laughed at me, I looked at him confused. “One more try doll, maybe look down a bit more.”

I tilted my head in confusion. What the hell was big? “I give up.” I pouted in defeat. He suddenly broke out into laughter at my antics. “Aw, shit sweetheart. You are so fuckin’ pure and innocent. It is cute as shit! I was talkin’ about my dick!” I gasped, I could feel the skin on my cheeks heating up. “Negan!” I punched his arm. He was hunched over laughing. “You are so disgusting!” I yelled at him, blushing like an idiot. I couldn’t wipe the bright smile off my face.

Once he calmed down, he smirked at me. “Your turn, babygirl.” I looked down at the use of the nickname, my face was redder than a tomato at this point. “Hmm. I spy with my little eye. Something green.” He looked at me when I said this. “What the fuck? That is not fuckin’ fair.” I gasped “What do you mean it’s not fair?” A laugh falling from my lips. “Theres a bunch of shit that’s green. We are in the goddamn woods, Emery.”

I simply shrugged, “Oh well. I guess you lose then..” His loud voice boomed in the car. “Fuck no! I will win this game. I am the fucking eye spy king.” I leaned close to him. I could feel his warm breath almost touching my face, “Oh really? Because I could have sworn you were just about to quit. Was that not you Negan?” I knew I was pushing boundaries with him, but I didn’t care. I’d be a liar if I told you I wasn’t attracted to him. I wondered what it’d be like to kiss him. To be his. To be respected the way he was by the people of the Sanctuary.

I cleared those thoughts from my mind. We sat there for hours, just playing the game. Eventually we stopped, I laid my head on Negan’s shoulder. He looked down at me. It felt like he was holding himself back. But he wrapped his arm against my shoulder as I listening to him breathing. I began to ponder if the truck was even going to come.

We stayed like that for another hour, it was starting to get darker now. Finally, we heard the sound of an engine coming up the road. Then a loud crashing sound. Negan and I scrambled up to see what happened, the truck had completely flipped over. There was no way the driver was alive. Negan and I ran over.

Thats when it happened. The drivers limp head leaned forward, pressing against the horn. The noise blared around us, causing me to cover my ears. Negan did the same. The sound of the dead caused me to uncover my ears and look around quickly. A walker was approaching me. Quickly grabbing my knife from our truck, I slid the knife into its rotting head as if it was butter. I noticed the sounds getting louder, turning around I scanned past Negan. My looked over the horde of walkers closing off our only exit. Negan ran to the truck before it was completely blocked off, grabbing Lucille. A walker grabbing onto his jacket, “Fuck!” He cursed. I quickly ran over. Grabbing Negan by his jacket and stabbing the walker. Looking him in the eyes with a shaky voice I spoke, “You need to be careful. Please.” He didn’t say anything. He only nodded and looked around. There was no use. We were almost completely surrounded. We both cleared the area the best we could, but they were getting closer. Negan backed away, a bit hoping to get some space. This only caused the dead to target me, closing in on me they cut me off from Negan. “Negan?!” I shouted. I couldn’t hear him.

“Dammit i’m gonna die.” Is all that ran through my brain. “Fuck.. Where is he..” I whispered, stabbing a few walkers who came a bit to close for my liking. Suddenly I was grabbed from behind and dropped to the ground. I looked up to see Negan now in my place. Fuck. No. I saw them approaching from all sides. Then I didn’t see him at all.

“NEGAN?” I didn’t get a reply. Oh god. He’s dead.

Then I saw her. Lucille. I grabbed her and with a strength I didn’t know I possessed I pushed into the crowd, killing 5 of them at a time. Smashing their heads in, one by one. Some hits would kill two at a time. I needed to find him. I could feel blood spraying all over me, guts flying left and right. I didn’t care. He had to be alive.

I see him. There he is, just a few more. I killed them violently. Swinging left and right. When I finally got into a range where I could grab him. I saw one going to bite into him.

“NO!” I screamed, pushing through some of them. Lifting Lucille up just in time, smashing the walkers head and grabbing Negan. I pulled him out of the crowd.

“Sit your ass down.”

I told him before going back into the crowd, swinging Lucille by my side. Lifting up her weight, and hitting the dead as hard as I could. Adrenaline rushing through my veins. I needed more. I kept hitting them. Not caring about how I looked. I knew my face was dripping in walker blood. My once white shirt, now stained a maroon color. I continued swinging. Left and right. Killing them each off until there were none left. By the time I had killed the last one, I was completely out of breath.

I didn’t want to turn around. What would he think of me? I cleared my mind. Instead I confidently walked over to him, my hips swaying as I strolled over to him. I looked at him while he was on the ground, holding my hand out for him to take. He looked at me in astonishment. Something in his eyes I couldn’t describe. He took my hand, I helped him up and he looked at me.

Suddenly he grabbed my waist, tugging my closer to him. My heart beating rapidly from excitement and the adrenaline. The sun setting in the horizon, the remains of sunlight hitting my face. The sun burning my eyes, but I kept them open to continue looking at him. A breeze brushed over us, a piece of my hair blowing in front of my face. Negan’s hand reached over, brushing the piece of hair away from my face. The anticipation was killing me. He stared at my eyes, then my lips and he slowly leaned in, pressing his lush lips against mine. Immediately taking my breath away. I responded quickly to him, running one hand through his hair. The other hand sliding up his warm chest, landing on his beating heart. He pushed his tongue into my mouth which I accepted. Our tongues doing a dance only we knew. A soft moan falling from my lips, the noise causing him to pull me even closer than I was. He let his hand fall to my cheek, the other on my waist. It was almost as if he was desperate, like I was oxygen and he had been holding his breath his whole life. Eventually, we pulled apart. He stared at me, my lips swollen and my eyes heavy. He looked the same way. The way he stared at me made me feel special, loved, wanted. No words needed to be exchanged. We both felt it, we both knew. I smiled at him. He grabbed my hand, intertwining our fingers. We walked to the car together silently. When we got in, he looked at me and with an almost pleading voice he spoke, “Don’t leave me, ever.”

I offered him a loving smile, “Never, Negan.”

[theydontknowaboutusimagines]

Any flashback friday series, something with rebel teenagers.

Story: Daddy Harry

Ages: Emery - 16 Noah - 13 Daisy - 11

“Where do you think you’re going?” You shouted to Emery as you made your way into the house after picking her up from school. 

She rolled her eyes and started to go upstairs when Harry came out of his office. 

“What’s going on?” Harry asked. 

“Emery’s in trouble,” Noah smirked putting his bag down on the floor. 

“Shut up, Noah!” She spat. 

“Do not talk to your brother like that,” Harry said. “What did you do?” 

“It’s not that big of a deal,” she mumbled. 

“She got caught skipping class today,” you sighed. 

“Emery, that’s a huge deal,” Harry said. 

“Oh my god, there were other people doing it too! It’s not like I was the only one,” she defended. 

“Yeah, but those other kids aren’t mine,” Harry said. “And I know that you know better than to do shit like that.” 

“You’re not going to dance this weekend,” you said. 

“What? That’s not fair!” She cried. “We already bought my dress and everything! I’ve had these plans for months!” 

“Yeah, well you should have thought about that before you skipped class. You’re lucky you were suspended,” you said. 

“DADDY!” She whined. 

“I’m afraid your Mum is right. You broke the rules and now you’re punished,” he said. 

“I HATE YOU!” She snapped before stomping her way up the stairs and slamming the door. 

**

A few days later, you were getting Daisy ready for bed and then you went to check on Noah. He was playing around on his guitar and you smiled. He reminded you so much of Harry now even more than he did when he was younger. 

You went to Emery’s room next and saw the door was closed. You knocked on the door and there was no answer. You opened it and saw it was empty. You looked around confused and then went back to Noah’s room. 

“Noah, have you seen your sister?” You asked. 

His complexion went pale as he wouldn’t look you in the eye. “She’s not in her r-room,” he said. 

“No, she’s not. Do you know where she went?” You asked crossing your arms. 

He shook his head quickly. 

“Noah Styles, did your sister sneak out to the dance and tell you to cover for her?” You asked. 

He sighed. “Yes, she snuck out while I was downstairs and she begged me not to tell. She just looked so pretty Mummy and she promised me she’d bring me back some ice cream.” 

“But you knew she’s grounded, yet you didn’t tell your father or me about it?” you asked. 

“I’m sorry,” he sighed sadly. 

“We’ll figure out what your punishment is later, but right now we have to go get your sister,” you said. 

“Harry!” You said walking into the bedroom. 

“What?” He asked reading through emails on his laptop. 

“Your daughter snuck out of the house tonight to go to the dance,” you said. “Oh, and she made her little brother cover for her.” 

“Wait? What?” He asked confused. “What do you mean she snuck out?” 

“She’s gone. She left. She’s not in her room,” you said. 

His eyes widen as he grabbed his phone and quickly dialed her number. 

“She’s not fucking answering,” he said getting up quickly and throwing on some sweats. “I’m going to do that dance and bringing her home.” 

**

About an hour later, Harry and Emery walked through the door. Emery’s makeup was running down her face. 

“I’m sorry, Mum,” she sniffled. 

“Baby, why would you do that? Your father and I were worried sick about you,” you said. 

“I know, I’m sorry, I just really wanted to go to the dance,” she sighed. 

“Sweetheart, we need to talk about why you’ve been acting out lately,” Harry said. “It’s not like you to skip class and then to sneak out like this, and you got your brother involved.” 

She sighed. “Please, don’t be upset with him. I told him not to tell.” 

“That doesn’t matter right now,” you said. “Now, please tell us what’s going on with you.” 

She sighed looking down. “College is really hard. I mean there’s all these new people and they know I’m your daughter. That’s never really been an issue before, but lately, these kids have been teasing me about…” 

“About what? Because I’m in the band?” Harry asked. 

She shook her head. “Because they don’t think you’re really my dad. They found some article from when I was little about how you weren’t in my life until well after I was born. They said Mummy probably slept around and you felt sorry for her. That’s why I skipped class the other day. I couldn’t be there anymore… and tonight… I was supposed to meet someone there.. someone I liked, but they were kissing someone else.”

“Love, why didn’t you tell us about this before?” You whispered sadly. 

“Because I knew you would be upset…” she whispered. “And I knew Daddy would be angry.” 

“You’re bloody hell right I am,” he said. “I’m going to that school first thing Monday morning.” 

“No! You can’t… that’ll just make it worse!” She said. 

“But baby, it’s not fair for you to go through this, especially since it’s not true,” he said. 

“I know that, but I just… I want to face this on my own,” she whispered. 

“Okay, but you’ll tell us if something bothers you again, right?” Harry asked. 

She nodded. 

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. “I love you.” 

“I love you too, Daddy,” she smiled. 

“Why don’t you go get ready for bed and your Mum and I will be up in a bit,” he said. 

She nodded before giving you a hug and going upstairs. You sighed looking down. “This is all my fault. If I had told you sooner… none of this would be out there,” you sighed. 

“Baby, that happened fucking ages ago and if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. If I wasn’t in the business where a lot of my past is out there on fucking display, none of this would be happening,” he said. 

You sighed putting your head on his shoulder. “I just wish none of our kids had to go through this.” 

“Me too, but what can we do when they have little shits for classmates,” he mumbled. 

You laughed. “Come on, it’s late, we need to get in bed so we’re fully awake to make out the punishments for our kids.” 

“Ahh, the joys of being parents to teenagers,” he laughed following you up the stairs. 

[no-white-knights-blog]

Halo - An Etrian Odyssey Novel (Chapter 3/50)

Notes: I’m hella tired tonight so just one update today. I hope ya’ll enjoy it~

~~~~~~~~~

An unusual dream ailed Sage that night. He was standing in a lovely area that smelt heavily of herbs and spices, there was clover under his boots, bundles of sage bushes scattered around, and no pathway to be seen. Though the area was stunningly beautiful, he felt uncomfortable, with this nagging thought that he shouldn’t have been there, it wasn’t allowed, they would get in trouble.

There were others with him, but they appeared to be blurs, so he was incapable of telling what gender they were, what class, or if they were even explorers, as they were simply fuzzy outlines and white noise. There was a bow clutched in his hands, and the sun was setting over the high mountains in the distance, making him tense up and turn towards one of the blurs.

“We should head back now,” he felt himself say, “The Labyrinth at night isn’t safe.”

The blur must have responded, because loud, scratchy white noise filled Sage’s ears. It was a painful noise, and he dropped his bow so he could cover his ears, his eyes growing wide as he started to shake furiously, a whine slipping from his lips as he looked around frantically. He was looking for someone, someone he cared about, someone he needed to be beside, but he couldn’t find them, he couldn’t remember their face or their name, and that had him panicking even more as the blurs began to move faster, more white noise echoing in the darkening area and making his head pound until he fell to his knees.

“Stop!”

His eyes snapped open and he jerked up, gasping, stunned to find himself sitting in bed, slowly relaxing as he remembered he was safe at Flaus Inn, sharing a room with Vien and Emery. It was just a nightmare, and although his head was hurting now, he carefully laid himself back down, rolling his head to the side to see Emery stepping quietly towards his bed, kneeling near his head.

“Are you alright?” he whispered, and Sage nodded.

“I’m sorry. It was just a bad dream. Did I wake you?”

Emery smiled and shook his head, “I was already awake. How’s your head?”

“A little painful.”

“Hold on then,” Emery pushed away from the bed and stood up, walking over to a small table located just beside the window in the room, picking up one of the little glass bottles sitting there.

Sage slowly sat up and took the medica from Emery when the medic returned, looking over at the window where the gray sky was slowly brightening, “What time is it?”

“Early,” Emery answered with a soft smile, “You should sleep a little longer, but drink the medica first,” Sage popped off the top of the bottle to obey, “What was your dream about?”

Sage carefully took a few slow sips of the medicine before holding the bottle away, rolling it between his hands, “I’m not sure,” he admitted, “I believe I was in the Labyrinth, but… there was nothing credible, no faces, no voices, just… blurs.”

“Maybe your memory is trying to come back?”

“Maybe…,” Sage finished off the bottle before handing it back to Emery, who stood up to return it to the table.

He settled back into the mattress to see if he could sleep any more, but he couldn’t seem to get comfortable, simply tossing and turning for an hour until he just gave up and threw the covers back. He sat up and threw his legs over the edge of the bed, frowning a little at the table where Emery was sitting, head on his folded arms and eyes closed.

Sage took one of the covers from his bed and draped it over the medic, looking over the papers on the table that Emery had been sifting through. Notes and reports, some of which made no sense to Sage. Emery must have been awake all night to have done all of this. Medics were truly tireless and selfless, weren’t they?

Sage took a few moments to dress in the spare clothing Iliad had reluctantly offered him the night before, claiming that a survivalist should look like one. Then he slipped quietly out of the room, closing the door with a hollow click before turning and looking around at the hall he was standing in.

He was still unfamiliar with the inn, and after arriving the day before, Emery had ushered him immediately to bed, so he never got the chance to look around until now. The prospect of wandering on his own was a bit daunting, especially with the lack of memories making him feel utterly vulnerable, but he pushed himself forward nonetheless.

He reached back to pull his hair over his right shoulder so he could play with it while he walked, raking his fingers through it to untangle it before carefully twisting it into a loose braid and tying the end off before wringing his hands in front of his stomach and leaning forward to peer nervously around one corner and into the entry of the inn.

It was empty and quiet, the doors were closed still, so Sage inched his way forward, turning in a circle and taking everything in before wandering over to an open door near the receptionist’s desk, peering into it to see it was a decent sized sitting room of sorts, with several seats and couches surrounding a large fireplace that was currently dead, making the rest of the room cold.

Sage still shuffled his way into the room, however, looking around before making his way to the couch and sitting down, hands folded and tucked between his knees as he stared down at his shoes. For a long time, he just sat there silently, staring at the carpet beneath his feet and searching his mind for something, anything, that could open his memories.

Of course, nothing could be that easy, and he was suddenly interrupted when someone else stepped into the room, jumping a little in surprise but relaxing when he saw it was Dyria, “G-good morning.”

Dyria frowned a little as he walked past the couch, giving Sage a confused look as he stopped near the fireplace, “You should be resting.”

“I-I couldn’t sleep,” Sage admitted, hunching his shoulders, and bowing his head, twiddling his thumbs as Dyria threw a few pieces of wood into the fireplace and lit it with a match, crouching there until a good-sized fire was blazing before standing again.

“This must be frustrating for you,” he said, arms folded, green eyes locked on the rising flames, “I wish there was something I could do to help you.”

“No, it’s okay,” Sage tried to reassure, “I’m okay. Th-there’s no way I’ll be like this forever, right? I just need to let my head heal before really trying to remember everything. Who knows, maybe my memories will come back on their own.”

Dyria tipped his head to the side, eyeing Sage, “You’re being rather optimistic about your situation, aren’t you?”

Sage’s lips twisted into a pout, “I mean, there’s no use in sulking about something I can’t change, is there?”

“I suppose not,” Dyria agreed, walking up to the couch, and sitting beside Sage, tipping his head against the back of the couch and staring up at the ceiling, “Are you okay with this, though? Joining my guild? Joining Halo?”

Sage played with the strap of leather tying his braid in place, frowning, “What do you mean?”

“Even if you can’t remember, you likely had a guild before now. You were in the Labyrinth with them, that’s how you got hurt. It must have been a monster attack.”

“Yes…,” Sage agreed, looking down, “That’s the most logical assumption. So what?”

“You survived,” Dyria clarified, “Someone else may have as well,” he rolled his head to look at Sage, “The Guardians guild, they were the ones who left yesterday to find where the attack took place and see if anyone else survived. What will you do if your old guild is still alive?”

Sage turned his head away and stared into the fire. He didn’t feel very torn, in all honesty. Deep down he seemed to know there was no one else. It was a nice thought, but…

“I don’t remember what happened to us,” Sage started, “I don’t remember what foe attacked, or when, or why all of my armor and supplies were missing, but… I do know… that I wouldn’t have run like I did, if there was any hope they were still alive,” his breath hitched and he pressed his lips together before adding on a whisper, “I couldn’t have run… I wouldn’t have… I would never leave someone in need, I’m sure of it.”

“So you’ve resigned to the fact they’re all gone?”

Sage shrugged, “I would cry, but what’s the point? I don’t even remember them,” he wrapped his arms around himself, leaning forward, “I still feel the pain. My mind doesn’t remember them, but my heart is aching, and it just confuses me more. The way it hurts,” he put one hand over his chest, clutching at his shirt, “I must have cared about them. But what right do I have to mourn when I was selfish enough to forget them?”

“As if you had control over that?” Dyria scoffed, sitting forward, leaning closer to Sage, wanting his words to get across the first time, “You didn’t choose any of this, Sage. You have a right to mourn their deaths, even if you can’t consciously remember them. Your heart remembers them.”

Sage tightened his grip on the front of his shirt, his lip quivering before he bit onto it, shaking his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it when he heard the door of the entry open and a crowd of feet hit the floor, sighs filling the inn.

“That was… eventful,” someone mumbled, “Dr Stiles won’t be very happy about this.”

“Where’s that kid, then?” this voice was somewhat familiar, and Sage sat straighter, recognizing him as the blond protector from the day before, “We’ll have to tell him.”

Sage immediately stood, his eyes wide, and Dyria stood with him, putting a hand on his back to urge him towards the door. Just out in the entry, a group of five were standing in full gear, looking weathered and utterly exhausted. Sage recognized the two blonds, Tobyn and Jhon, and focused on them as all five turned to him when they heard his footsteps.

“Oh, there he is,” Jhon pointed, “Convenient.”

Tobyn shuffled forward, looking uneasy as he made his way over to Sage, where he stopped a few steps before him and held out a wrapped object, his expression grim, “Here,” he said, and Sage tensed up as he reached out to take the object.

He stared down before carefully unwrapping it, feeling his breath rush out when he revealed the bow. Somehow… somehow, he recognized it instantly, the carefully carved bow, the stained wood, dropping the cloth to his feet as he trailed his fingers over the engraving before looking up at Tobyn, who lifted a hand and pulled his scarf over his mouth.

“That’s all that we could find… all we could bring back.”

Sage felt pain pierce through his chest as he dropped his head, hugging the bow tightly against his chest as Dyria stepped closer and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“Do you recognize it?” a war magus asked, and Sage nodded slowly, “It’s yours?” he shook his head.

“Not mine,” he whispered, “but I made it,” tears blurred his eyes, cutting down his cheeks as he started to shake, “I made it.”

“We’re so sorry,” Dyria looked over towards who had spoken, a medic by appearance with long orange hair tied at the nape of his neck and violet eyes, “If there’s anything we can do to help, please ask.”

Sage shook his head and turned, and Dyria let him go, watching him walk down the hall towards his room before turning to the guild in front of him, bowing stiffly at his waist, “Thank you.”

“I don’t see why finding a bunch of discarded supplies and blood puddles deserves a thank you,” the redheaded landsknecht mumbled, and the medic elbowed him.

“We’re just sorry nothing came of it.”

“If I may ask, what did you find?” Dyria asked when he stood straighter, and the medic bit onto his lip as the war magus answered.

“The barest of remains,” he explained, “There was nothing that could identify any of them, or him,” his eyes moved to where Sage had disappeared before he looked back at Dyria, “Whatever attacked them didn’t leave much behind. It wasn’t a pretty sight. A lot of blood, the aftermath of a battle, trees snapped in half, torn bits of clothes and ruined supplies.”

“Can’t imagine the horror that guy saw,” Jhon added, leaning off on one leg and rubbing the back of his neck, “Surviving through something like that isn’t always a good thing.”

“He can’t remember it,” Dyria admitted, “Didn’t Dr Stiles tell you?”

“He has amnesia,” Tobyn hummed, “We know.”

“That doesn’t mean he won’t subconsciously remember what happened,” the medic warned, “You’re looking after him, right? You took him in?” Dyria nodded, and the medic smiled softly, “That’s kind of you.”

Dyria just shrugged, “We’re the ones who found him. It’s only natural that we would take responsibility of him.”

“He’s going to need you,” the medic said softly, “Are you sure you’re ready for that? You don’t even know him.”

“Yea, well… he doesn’t know him either. He doesn’t know anyone at all.”

“Why would you bother?” Tobyn asked, and Dyria scratched his cheek, looking after Sage again, thinking about it for a moment before finding the right words to answer.

“It’s what a protector does, right? Look after people? Even if that person is an amnesiac survivalist.”

“I like you,” Jhon decided, and Tobyn rolled his eyes as the war magus chuckled.

“It’s good to see mature rookies for once,” he held his hand out, and Dyria awkwardly shook it, “In case you need anything, my name is Hamza. I’m the leader of the Guardians. You’ve met Jhon and Tobyn.”

“Yesterday,” Dyria nodded towards the two, and Jhon pointed at the redhead beside him.

“This is Axel and Lynus.”

Dyria eyed Lynus, “You’re the medic Dr Stiles was talking about.”

Lynus immediately tensed, red crossing his cheeks, “He’s still doing that?”

“You know that man adores you, Lynus,” Jhon teased, “He’ll never pass up a chance to rave about you.”

Lynus simply pouted, and Dyria felt his lips twitch into a small smile before bowing again, “Thank you again, I’ll remember your kindness. I should go check on Sage now.”

“Sure,” Lynus agreed, “I hope he’s okay. Ah, if you’d like, I’d be happy to look him over later. Dr Stiles explained a bit about his condition, I might be able to help. At the very least I could do a bit of research on amnesia to-.”

“Thank you, I appreciate the offer,” Dyria gave a half smirk and tipped his head to the side, looking off down the hall, “But my guild has our own medic, and he’s a bit possessive of us. I don’t think he’d appreciate us cheating with another medic,” he looked back at Lynus, “No offense to you of course. That’s just how he is.”

“Oh,” Lynus blinked, “Okay.”

With that, Dyria turned away, nodding towards the group before walking off down the same hall Sage disappeared down, knocking on the door to the room next to his. For the first few weeks they’d been there, they’d only used two rooms, Dyria with his brother and Vien with Emery. Now that Sage was with them, they should try to find a more permanent rooming group, but while he was still healing, Emery wanted Sage close.

A sleepy looking Emery pulled the door open, appearing confused at Dyria’s appearance, “Dyria? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I came to talk with Sage.”

“Hn?” Emery looked over his shoulder, “He’s not here.”

Dyria had to stand in complete silence for a ridiculous amount of time as he let those words soak into his mind, then stepped forward and moved Emery rather abruptly to the side to look into the room. Unfortunately, there was no mistake. The only other person in the room was Vien, who was sitting up in bed rubbing at his eyes, mumbling about it being too early.

“Dyria? What-?”

Before Emery could finish, Dyria had backed out of the room and taken four steps to the right until he was in front of his own bedroom door, shoving it open and stepping in to search there for Sage. Iliad was awake, fully dressed, sitting on the edge of his bed and tugging boots onto his feet, lifting his head when the door opened and frowning.

“What’s going on?”

“Sage is gone,” Dyria said simply before spinning on his heel, snatching his sword from where it had been propped against the wall and leaving the room, “Is there a back door?”

“Y-yes,” Emery answered, grabbing his coat, and stumbling after Dyria, “What happened? Why would he wander off like that?”

“The guild in charge of recovery just got back,” Dyria explained, looking over his shoulder at Emery, “There was nothing left.”

“Jesus…”

“Where would he have gone?” Iliad asked, and Dyria shook his head.

“I don’t know, but we need to find him.”

“Right.”

[childrenofhypnos]

Chapter 34: The Storm

A funnel cloud turned over Fenhallow Academy. Lightning flashed in its depths, bright but silent. The eye at its center sat directly above the statue of Iltani and Fabian Fenhallow, and through it the green moon looked down, casting a sickly spotlight on the quad.

Emery spilled out of the conference room window, tumbled through the bushes, and scrambled up to hobble around the building. The moonlight and the lightning had turned the campus nearly as bright as day, yet there was no one around; they were all at the manor for Fenhalloween. The Dream pressed down all around her, raising her hairs, but she couldn’t sense any nightmares.

Yet.

She needed to get to the Underground. That was where Wes was, that was probably where they’d taken Jacqueline, and Klaus was definitely still there, falling asleep. Morrigan would have to wait, and Emery would have to trust that Grandpa Al would keep Edgar safe. If Klaus’s nightmares broke out, the whole campus was in trouble.

She needed to warn someone who wouldn’t just lock her up again. She needed keys. And she needed waking water.

The answer, as always, was Lana. The Sleep Research Center, though mostly empty, was still open this time of night, the lights in the lobby on but the hallways mostly dark. Lana generally didn’t do Fenhalloween; she didn’t do anything unless it was research related. Emery hurried down to Lana’s office and pounded on the door.

“Whoa, whoa,” Lana’s voice, slower than normal, came from inside. “Come in, the door’s unlocked. Unless this is some kind of Halloween prank, and then go away, cretin.”

Emery threw the door open. Lana sat at her desk, cheeks red, cradling a tumbler. Sarah Stainer joined her, sprawled in one of Lana’s stiff office chairs, with another tumbler. An empty bottle of tequila and a half-full bottle of Goldschläger sat on the table between them.

“Hey, Emery Ashworth,” Stainer slurred, raising her glass. “Look, this stuff has little gold flakes. I mean, I knew it had little gold flakes, that’s the whole point, right, but I never actually drank it before. Love it. Amazing. Truly the drink of champions.”

Emery ignored her. “Lana, have you looked outside?”

Lana frowned into the vague distance. “No. Why?”

“I think Klaus is falling asleep.”

Stainer hiccupped. “Klaus? Like Klaus Warwick? I haven’t seen that guy in years—is he here? I thought he was dead.”

Lana focused on Emery. “Why do you say that?”

“Come outside with me.”

Lana and Stainer both followed her back outside. There were still no nightmares, but Lana’s face went paler than Emery had ever seen it.

“Hypnos, you evil bastard,” Stainer said, looking ill.

Lana turned around and went right back inside the research center.

Emery chased on her heels. “He is falling asleep, right? We need to go down to the Underground and wake him up.”

“He’s not falling asleep. He’s already there,” Lana said, voice back to its quick sober clip. “We need waking water. He’ll be asleep for a long time without it. When did this start? Did the clouds move in or did they form over the campus? Have you noticed any nightmares yet?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know, and not that I’ve seen.” Emery ducked after Lana into one of the labs. “How did this happen? I thought he was being given waking water?”

Lana dialed open a lock on a safe inside one of the cabinets and removed Klaus’s own supplies; a small pouch of sand, a burner, a cup, and his vials and droppers. As she sorted through it, her expression twisted into disgust. “Ares Montgomery. He thought the best way to get Klaus to talk was to withhold his drugs for as long as possible. Well, guess what—when you wait till the last minute to do the thing, and something else comes up that you have to handle, you might forget to do the thing.” This time, instead of putting it in the dropper, she handed Emery the whole vial. Then she pulled the keys off the arm of her chair and shoved them at Emery. “Here. You can get down there faster than I can, and they’re going to need me up here for this nightmare-palooza that’s about to happen.”

Emery held the vial carefully so her own shaking wouldn’t make her drop it. If Lana thought something was imminent, it probably was.

They hurried back outside. Stainer was still staring up at the sky. She turned and saw them approaching.

“I puked in the bushes,” she called.

“Get inside!” Lana yelled back. “We don’t know when these nightmares are going to start showing up, and if you’re stumbling around drunk, you’re going to be—”

A dark shape darted out of the sky. Emery’s hand shot to her gun, Stainer’s name forming on her lips, when a streak of purple light shot past her. The beam streaked past Stainer’s head and speared the small form—one of Klaus’s poison bats—out of the air. It sailed a few feet before exploding back into Dream essence and swirling toward Lana. Stainer blinked, eyes wide; Lana, with a gold-and-silver bow in one hand, scanned the sky.

“Get inside, Sarah,” she said again, and Stainer hustled back into the research center.

Lana drew back the bowstring. As she did, a shivering arrow of purple light formed there, nocked and ready.

“They’re coming,” she said. “Wake Klaus up and alert as many of the hunters on campus as you can. The nightmares will focus on the center of campus because Klaus is in the Underground, but that doesn’t mean a few won’t straggle off.”

Emery was already running for the administration building. With the vial of waking water cupped carefully in one hand, she fished her phone out of her pocket with the other and found Joel in her contacts.

He picked up on the third ring.

“Em! Are you coming up? You seriously should, everyone is here. Well, not everyone—Jacqueline never came, and Lewis and Kris were here, but they left a while ago and I haven’t seen them since—”

“Is Marcia there?”

Joel paused. “Uh, yeah—yeah, she’s guarding the snack table. Why?”

“Something real bad is about to happen, Jojo, okay? Tell Marcia that Klaus fell asleep, and there’s a big-ass Dream cloud over the campus right now. Lana just shot one of his nightmares out of the air.”

“Oh—oh, damn, okay, I’m going now. I’m going.”

Emery heard him moving on the other end, the babble of voices surging around him. She glanced up at the sky as she hurried up the long, quote-etched steps of the administration building, her leg twinging all the way.

“Tell her I got water and keys from Lana and I’m going to the Underground right now.”

“Got it, got it—Ms. Montgomery! Emery’s on the phone and—”

Emery hung up and barreled through the front doors of the administration building, nearly flattening David the Receptionist, who was standing with his nose pressed to the doors, frowning outside.

“Tell everyone there’s a storm!” Emery said to him. “Does everyone here know? The campus is about to be swamped with nightmares!”

David’s mouth flopped open and closed. He said, “There’s really no one here right now—just the dean—”

“GRANDPA!” Emery yelled up the stairs. “KLAUS FELL ASLEEP, GRANDPA!”

Then she turned back to David. “Where’s Edgar?”

“He—he uh—I was watching him, but he kind of—”

“David, where the hell is my brother?”

“I think he went up to the party. He said, uh, he said Joel was there?”

Emery resisted the urge to throw one of her Peacemakers across the room. Trust Edgar to be unable to stay in one spot. Joel hadn’t mentioned him. He would have said something if Edgar had found him. He would have done something.

She looked at the vial. Then outside, where a strange and distant wailing had begun.

“Shit,” she said. “Shit, shit. Tell my grandpa to find Edgar!”

Then she jammed her hand on the down button for the elevator, praying to Hypnos she wasn’t making the wrong choice.

~

The Fenhallow Underground was as seemingly empty as before. Only adrenaline kept Emery moving as fast as she was, especially down the staircases, though by the time she reached the bottom near the cells, her thigh felt like a lump of twisted, throbbing muscle tissue. Lana’s keys got her through the door, but Marcia had let them into Klaus's cell before with a retinal scanner. As she stalked down the row of cells, she checked the doors. Each one had a retinal scanner and a keypad below it. And below that, a scanner like there had been on the doors, for the ID cards.

She tried every door. There were twenty-five in all, all the way down the straight white hallway, and every single on led to a small cell identical to Klaus's. The check was quick; scan the card, open, look inside. One after another they were empty, and she left the doors standing open.

In the fifteeth cell she found Jacqueline sitting on a cot, her back to the wall. In the rhythm, Emery almost left the door standing open and moved on. Jacqueline sprang off the bed. "Emery!"

“Really no time to talk,” Emery said, moving into the room to undo the latch on the Plexiglas door. It was a simple mechanism, but with no way to reach it from the other side, impossible to get past. “I can’t believe they put you down here.”

“I can,” Jacqueline snapped. “And look at this!” She pulled her hair back and pointed to a puncture on her neck. “DreamLess—so I can’t make gateways. Disgusting.”

“We’ll have to deal with this later. They have no proof that you actually made a gateway beyond what Kris and Lewis said. We’ll tell them Wes made it and you just came along, and then all the blame will be on us.” Emery was already walking back out the door. Jacqueline followed. “Do you know which one of these Wes is in?”

“They brought Wes down here?”

“My grandpa lost his damn mind.”

“I could have told you that.”

They kept checking cells. Empty, empty, empty, empty. They reached cell twenty-one and Emery kicked the door open in her frustration.

Ares filled most of the room. Wes filled the rest, on the opposite side of the Plexiglas. He saw them first. Ares turned.

“What—”

“Klaus fell asleep!” Emery said. “There’s a storm outside, and Lana needs help!”

Ares paused for only a second, his eyes trailing upward, like he was listening for a sound. He snarled when he felt it. The Dream pressing down on them, tangible even so far underground. He cursed.

“Wake up the Sandman and get him upstairs!” Ares was already past them and out the door, pulling the axes from the tattoos on his arms.

While Emery opened the Plexiglas door, Wes said, “He wouldn’t have left us alone if it wasn’t really an emergency.”

“Yeah,” Emery said.

They hurried to the farthest cell at the end. When Emery opened it, it was pitch black inside, and as they entered, the lights came up.

Klaus sprawled across the floor, dead asleep but not peaceful. His goggles dug into his jaw and his greasy hair fell across his face. His breathing was quick, shallow; his eyes darted beneath his eyelids.

“Get him onto his back so I can put this in his eyes,” Emery said. Wes and Jacqueline rolled Klaus over while Emery carefully unstoppered the vial. She kneeled by Klaus’s head, brushed the last strands of his hair back, and peeled open one of his eyes. His irises made a pale band of green around blown-out pupils.

Emery poured half the vial into one eye. As soon as the waking water spread, Klaus’s pupil constricted to a small black pinpoint. She did the same with the other eye.

Klaus didn’t move for several long moments, though his eyes didn’t close. He stared straight up into the light. His breathing slowed. His fingers twitched against the floor.

“Klaus?” Emery said. “Klaus, your nightmares are attacking the school.”

Klaus sat up all at once, forcing the three of them to fall backward. Black armor bubbled out over his clothes, over his skin, leaving only his head uncovered. His hands became black claws. Black quills formed up his arms and over his shoulders, across his shoulder blades and down his spine. He stared at the spot where the wall met the floor.

“Klaus?” Emery reached out for him.

“Don’t touch,” Klaus said, his voice low and rough.

Then he stood as if pulled by puppet strings, swinging upward by his heels and lighting on his feet. A deep breath straightened his shoulders and brought some of the life back to his eyes. He looked at his claws, at the door, at them. Worry creased his brows.

“Oh no,” he said.

(Next time on The Children of Hypnos -------> Straight-Up Fighting)

[mydrcharacterblogs]

Rummie Pre-first game hype

The bar was dimly lit in soft yellow tones from various candles and lanterns, there were no windows and the door leading out was down a black painted hall,  so the outside world was muted. Inside smoke filled the room swirling around the dancing girls dressed in sequin and silk standing on top of small platforms like old coffee tables or milk crates covered in cloth. Men chewed on cigars and drank pungent spirits from recycled glass bottles some men watched the girls intensely and others paid them no mind as they played cards and laughed deep from jokes whispered among the tables. Some girls sat or layed across plush cushions and sofas covered in tacky paisley and floral prints. Back against the far wall was a long bar top counter with dirty mirrors and liquor bottles lining the wall behind it. Tassel beaded doors ended the wall on each side of the bar. Behind the bar a young girl was bent up over the counter taking an order from an older woman, her face was pale with flushed cheeks, blue and silver glitter framed her face as she smirked with a blue lipped smile. She took the tip the woman handed her, stuffed it into her top and poured her a cold shot of hooch. As the bartender turned to watch the girls, the door opened; light from outside cast down the black hallway and quickly vanished. A tall man with a hood on appeared in the doorway a faint red glow emitting from him. He lowered his hood, looked around and proceeded to the back towards the bar. The young bartender walked over to him lowering the scarf around her head.

“Hey, Welcome to Songbirds my name is Rummie, what can I get ya?”

“I’ll take a fire shot and a glass of water.”

Rummie grabs a bottle from the ice chest and a small glass and sets it down in front of the Iron. She then takes two bottles and flips one in her hand and gives the Iron a wink and pours them simultaneously into the glass. She then pulls a match, strikes it on the edge of the bar and lights his drink on fire. The Iron takes up the lit glass blows out the flame and shoots the drink back in one gulp.

“Another?” Rummie asks as she shakes the liquor bottle in her hand with a smile.

“Nah thanks, you do make a good drink i’ll admit.”. The Iron pulls out some money and places it on the table. “Do any Irons work here?” he asks looking around the room. “Nah, our last girl quit a few months back to go out East.” Rummie replies as she grabs a rag and starts drying off a rack of glasses. “How long have you been working here?”

“Oh me? I’ve been here almost three years, mostly bartending tho I only entertain select clients...If you’re looking for someone I can make a few suggestions…”

“Oh no, I’m not really looking for that kind of company.” The Iron replies as he smirks and takes a sip of his water.

“So what are you looking for...hmm I don’t think I caught your name?” Rummie leans over the bar and rests her head on her hand.

“Names Oz.”

“So you don’t go by” Rummie takes her hand and turns Oz’s face to the side. “7815?”

“No, not usually I only get called that when I’m in trouble.” Oz smirks and finishes off his glass of water. “You know what, I think I will have that second shot.” he says as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out some more notes. “Pour one for yourself too.”.

The two make their way over to a sitting area, another girl comes out from behind the beaded door and takes Rummies place tending the bar. Rummie opens a box and puts together hookah for the two to share, packing the hookah with a fruity smelling tobacco and a powder substance that shimmers in the candle light. The two talk about Rummie’s job bartending and how she loves to garden, how all of the liquor they sell at Songbirds she brews herself. Oz tells stories of the parties his old master threw and the ridiculous things purebloods do when they think no one is watching. They talked and laughed for hours, slowly passing the hookah back and forth. The room swam and Rummie felt fuzzy, Oz looked almost sober but the gleam in his eye gave way to the fact he was feeling warm as well.

“I haven’t had this good a time with someone outside of my faith in a while.” Oz says as he leans back in his seat looking up at the ceiling. “Oh, you’re a religious man are ya?” Rummie asks with a giggle in her voice.

“Actually I’m a Priest.” Rummie sits up and looks wide eyed, “No fucking shit?! My dad’s a Final Knight priest, what religion are you?”.

“Hedon, I follow the seven.” Oz says as he tilts his glass and gives a nod. “Oh dope, I’m all about living for today.” Rummie says with a wink.

“Well, if you weren’t here what would you be doing?” Oz asks.

“I don’t know maybe travel some, I used to travel a lot with my mom when I was younger, sometimes I miss it.”.

“Well I’m about to head out of Vegasia myself; do a bit of roaming and preaching with the Iron uprising going on they could use some welcoming faces and I need to be there for my people. I gotta say I’d love to have you accompany me, my parties would be wonderful if I got to serve your drinks.” Oz replied.

Rummie smiled “I’ve been here a while now, I would miss this place but I could use a change.”.

“We can come back whenever you’d like, I won’t hold ya hostage or anything.”.

The two headed up to Rummies room; the bed was made with a blue and grey quilt, milk crates where stacked on the opposite wall with folded clothes and random belongings stacked inside. Rummie pulled a black bag out from one of the crates and started packing some belongings, she pulled a grey knit scarf and a tall shiney pole out from behind a loose board in the wall.

The two made their way back downstairs, Rummie approached a tall thin woman with silver hair and a black dress and a short stocky man wearing a half buttoned shirt and multiple chains around his neck.

From a distance Oz could see a slice of anger in the eyes of the man and signs of upset in the corner of the woman’s lips. Rummie points over to Oz; the woman looks a bit relieved, and the man’s demeanor changes from angry to almost frightened. Rummie hugs the man and women and walks back over to Oz, as they head towards the door Rummie says her goodbyes to the girls and some of the regulars.

The tall thin woman from before approaches Rummie and hands her a stack of letters and papers and mouths “I’m sorry.” before hugging Rummie one last time and walking back towards the stocky man. She looks at the stack and notices an envelope with some cash, a few recipes Rummie made, some letters from her father, and a few letters from a name she didn’t recognize at first. ‘Johanna Rin Hunter’ Rummie thinks to herself, ‘My sister?’.

Oz and Rummie make their way outside, it’s dark but the streets are still busy. Oz mounts a bike parked outside of Songbirds and Rummie gets on the back.

The two drive off towards the outskirts of Vegasia and pull up to house with three men standing outside a couple Irons and a Retrograde. They give Oz a nod and look at Rummie and smile as the two head into the house. Inside were about another half dozen people drinking and playing cards. Rummie sits down and pulls the letter from her bag. Oz grabs two drinks and hands one to Rummie. The room is noisy as she tries to focus on the letter in her hand:

Dear Rummie, I don't know if Dad told you about me, or our other siblings. I'm JoHanna Rin (soon to be Hunter). We have a brother and sister, Wallace (or Wally) and Scarlett. We share a father, but not a mother, obviously. I wish I could have gotten to know you when we were kids. I'm getting married here soon, so I wanted to invite you to the wedding. You'd be able to meet my fiancé, William Hunter. Everyone just calls him Father Hunter though. We're Nuke Fam, like my mom was. I still follow a bit in Dad's footsteps, so that's how I was able to find where you were. Ya know, contacts and all that jazz. Let me know if you can make it. It's in Sanctuary, Kaintuck. Hopefully talk to you soon, JoHanna Rin

Dearest Rummie, It's after the wedding. I'm assuming you couldn't make it, or the letter didn't reach you in time. My sources say you're doing well, which makes me feel better. If you ever need anything, please come find me. Family means the world to me. William and I adopted a few people into our family. We have River, Engrave, Emery and Buttons. We also own a honey farm between Kaintuck and The Landing, so we go between those settlements often. We're pretty well off, so again, if you need anything, I'm here for you. With all my love, JoHanna Rin-Hunter

My Darling Sister, I haven't heard anything and it's been over a year since I sent my first letter, almost two this Spring. It's the Holly Days, so the cold is starting to bite up here. Again, my sources say you're fine, but it seems you might not be getting my letters. Or you don't want to talk to me. If not, I understand. Our family circumstances are a bit strange because of Dad, huh? Well, I'm here. I'll send another letter soon. We're moving The Landing to the old Fort Seymore. We still have the honey farm so traveling isn't very hard, though again, very cold. I hope everything is well. Please be safe. Love, your Oldest Sister JoHanna

It takes a moment for everything to sink in, the fact that Songbirds withheld these letters from her probably to keep her working there. Everything in the background fades out as Rummie drifts off imagining all the ways meeting her sister could go. A hand on her shoulder snaps her out of her daze.

“You ok there Rummie?” Oz asks in a soft tone. “Yea, but I think I need to head North and look for my sister.” Rummie looks over at Oz as he contemplates the idea. “Shouldn't be an issue, Iron Works are up that way I can make a few stops, actually sounds not so bad.”. The two clink their glasses together “North it is.” Oz says before he gulps down the remaining liquid in his cup, Oz stands up and walks over to the Retrograde and pulls him into the other room.

The next day Oz and Rummie throw their belongings into the back of an old truck owned by the Retrograde she had briefly met last night on the porch.

“Hensley is gonna get us a good distance up North. There's a temple about 10 hours from here that will keep us for as long as we need, after that it's up to us to go the rest of the way.” Hensley tips his hat and opens the drivers side door to get in.

“Sounds like an adventure.” Rummie replies as she flirtatiously bumps her shoulder into Oz's. They pile into the truck and it makes a loud backfiring noise as Hensley turns the ignition. “Well lets hope this makes it to the temple.” Oz says jokingly as him and Hensley exchange looks.

[mechanintendomaster]

Unused Mario and Bowser: Frenemies Forever 14

Unused Mario and Bowser 14

Mario and Bowser: Frenemies Forever

Night of the restless Mario characters (Chapter 14)

Originally Created: 4/5/17 -4/8

Disclaimer: Mario and co. Belong to NIIIIINNNNTTTEEENNNDDOOO (Woohoo!)

Author note: Can events ever stop happening all in one day? Well they will after this chapter. The main part of this was written in one day, rest was editing and etc. etc. you get the point. ^_^

Author note: Chapter 14 as it was originally written. The final version has a date two days later than the one here so do the math. I go over slightly in my overview for this chapter the changes I made and why I made them but now you can see exactly what I mean. I don’t think my final version is the best either, but I do think it was better than this. Enjoy.

-----

The streets of Toad Town were quiet. Shops were closed and the town's residence slept peacefully at home. The few citizens that were adventurous however tended to flock to one place, Club 64. A nice and friendly little restaurant/cafe in the day, nightclub and bar at night.

Jelectro Bond's silver Aston Mushroom pulled by. Kylie Koopa's face was practically glued to the window, she could hardly contain her excitement. Bond pulled into the crowded parking space. Kylie even recognized a few license plates of past trouble makers she'd had encounters with on the job. A B Dasher kart that belonged to a venomous Pokey she'd exposed for conspiracy to gameover? A Barrel Train that belonged to a mentally unstable Shy Guy who was convinced his life was a video game? A Power Flower kart that belonged to a con-artist Princess Daisy impersonator? Someone's oversized Koopa King kart that seemed strangely familiar?

"Is everything okay?" Bond asked, cutting off the ignition.

"Uh, sure..." she replied.

"Do not worry. This is safe, despite the occasional seedy customer."

Kylie was impressed, he'd noticed the cars too? "Well this sure is a different place at night! "Shame I'm not dressed for the special occasion!"

"You are stunning as you are, mon ami. Take my hand." Bond gave her his hand. Kylie's heart raced. She's never thought she'd meet a true gentleman in a two in a half foot Noki! She gladly took it and they walked from the parking lot hand in hand. Booming bass could be heard through the walls. The neon lights, including a now vintage Nintendo 64 sign, were displayed in the glass window, which had its shutters down to block any view inside. Despite the uncharacteristically rowdy aura that surrounded the club at this hour, this was still the relatively safe Toad Town, so they went inside with no harassment from bouncers or security.

Suddenly an unmarked white van screeched to a stop straight in front of the door.

"Think they'll let us park here?"

The rest of the MKDCU agents groaned at Jimmy. His past attempts at illegally parking too close to buildings to save a walk (though he always argued it was for everyone's benefit) always turned out badly.

"You imbecile, haven't you learned anything? We just got towed for this today!" Dick snapped.

"Just get out, Richard. Wiggs, you too!"

"Whata 'bout us?" Parabilly asked.

"You and Sebastian get to stay and watch Toad and Daisy! We gots to get them at the Toadley Clinic in another hour, or we will loose our commission. By the way, they are awfully quiet now…"

"Patients have went into a unconscious state. Do we exit now or later?" Wiggs asked.

"Now! Are...are those flashing blue lights back there? Uh oh!"

Dick and Wiggletron were pushed out of the van forcibly. The van sped towards the parking lot right as a Mushroom Police car passed by.

"Gotta love Jimmy, eh?" Dick said sarcastically.

Meanwhile at Peach's Castle

"Oh Mario! I'm so glad you're here," Princess Peach exclaimed the moment Mario entered the room. Toadette came in as well, holding his hand.

"I'll uh...leave you guys alone now," Toadette said ackwardly. She slowly backed up and closed the door.

"I'm so sorry Princess," Mario apologized, looking towards the ground.

"It's Peach, remember? But anyway, what happened??" Peach asked impatiently.

"Daisy and Toad are still in the 'care' or should I say, clutches of the MKD-whatever.." Peach gasped and instinctively clutched her hands together. Mario told her about the crazy events that happened at the hospital. Peach was on the edge of her seat.

"This is terrible! But Mario, that part isn't your fault!"

"I know, but everything else is...I'm sorry that I've been so wrapped up trying to be Bowser's friend that I've pushed you all away. I'm sorry that I've came up with plans without you guys. I'm sorry that I've broken my promises. And I'm sorry to.....Luigi!" Mario suddenly remembered something. "Princess, I mean Peach, I have to get home."

"Fine Mario. But...at least tell me something first." Peach got from her seat up to approach Mario. "Is it real?"

Mario scratched his head, "Is what real?"

"You and Bowser?" Mario continued to look confused.

"Umm. Yes? Why, Prin- Peach?"

"I don't know. Just...are you sure Bowser can be trusted?" Mario was silent for a moment.

"Yes," Mario said determinedly, "Bowser isn't the nicest guy in the world, but he knows to not cross the line. Bowser has never tried to hurt us outside of our games has he?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Listen Mario, I believe and trust you, but you can't expect everyone else to. If this information spreads…"

"I know, I know. People will always judge others, but you can't please everyone either. The only thing you can really worry about is making things right with your friends and family, that's why I have to get home to my brother. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Princess. Good night." Mario turned away.

"It's Peach!" Peach called out, "And one more thing!" Mario turned around. "Where do you think those agent people are taking Daisy and Toad?"

Mario shrugged. "I'd check out the Toadley Clinic tomorrow for a start. Hopefully though, we can plan something out tomorrow. Together, I mean!"

Peach smiled until she thought of something. "Yes, it would be nice to have some team work for once, but what about Bowser?"

"Oh about that...We can always meet outside somewhere to not scare anyone. Either way, we'll think of something. I won't even bother to call him tonight. He has enough worries with the kind of people that live at his castle!" Mario and Peach laughed.

"Okay Mario, so long," Peach said, giving Mario a hug.

"So long...Peach."

As Mario left, Peach felt a lot better about the whole situation. Yes, despite the dire circumstances she knew Mario could accomplish anything with the help of others.

Club 64

The Dance music was loud, dancers danced (or stumbled around) on the dance floor, and the more subdued customers sat at the tables, eating and drinking.

Emery sat that the bar, watching the late night Japanese game shows on the TV screens. She sipped on her Strange Fruit Juice. After work, she had sped to there in her prized (and unpopular among her peers) Koopa King Kart. Across the room, she spotted someone she could swear she'd seen before. A sunglasses wearing Noki? Also, was that her friend Kylie Koopa? She watched them seat themselves towards the back and order something.

Feeling brave and curious, Emery got up to set down in an empty bench directly behind them, carefully escaping their notice. Since when did Kylie have a boyfriend? They were definitely into each other, holding hands and what not! Wasn't she married to the job, like she insisted when Emery had tried to hook her up with a cute Doctor she knew? No matter, Emery would finally get to snoop on the master snooper!

Dick and Wiggletron entered the club and went straight for the bar.

"Hmm. Wonder what they serve at night like this? I've never been the clubbing type," Dick yelled over the music.

"I just want a cup of ice actually," Wiggletron said wearily.

"What's with you?" Dick asked genuinely.

"I am not well. I did not want James to know of my condition."

"Why not?!? He is not really really our boss."

"Correct. We must however communicate respectfully to him regardless."

"Well aren't you an sweet angel? I'll call the fool out any time."

"Yes," Wiggs said mischievously, "But look at where you are now!"

Dick looked back in annoyance and confusion. "Wiggs, what is with you? Seriously!"

Wiggs pointed. "I will be honest with you. You are my friend, correct?"

"Uh...sure...You ARE the only person in the world I don't hate right now.."

"Do you wonder why James tolerates your rambunctious and unpleasant attitude?"

"Because he'd better??" Dick huffed.

"Because he's going to fire you when when we drop off our patients. He will do so before the commission as a final 'screw you' so to speak. He explained this to us all before we picked you up for the mission." As Wiggs explained this typical monotone, Dick's eyes were popping out of his head in anger.

"WHAT?!" He screamed, louder than the dance music. Everyone nearby stared at the Mega Goomba and Wiggler like they were freaks. Wiggs continued.

"It was the plan all along, Richard. He wanted to work with you no longer. He hates you actually, as does the rest. Please calm down."

"That mouser!! I knew he was taking my insults a little too well. He just couldn't wait to get rid of me! And the rest agreed? I knew they were idiots but...hey! Did YOU agree???"

Wiggs chuckled slightly. "Of course not! You know I have affection for you."

"Oh, okay. Wait what???"

"What would you two like?" the morbidly polite bartender, who had been listening to the whole asked.

"Ice only," Wiggs said.

"The strongest thing you got!" Dick ordered." I'm as good and fired and I needed this money! Why did we ever let Jimmy handle the commissions?? What am I gonna do??"

The bartender sat down a cup of ice and some Root Beer. Dick chugged the whole root beer and Wiggs looked on amusingly.

"Let me join you," Wiggs said vaguely.

"*hic* Join WHAT?"

"I knew the Morse code from the BooTracker you suddenly acquired. Your secret is safe with me. By the way, James is here."

Jimmy M. walked up to the agents in his usual pompous way.

"What are you twos havin? What?" Jimmy noticed Dick's hateful look. "What's gotten into you?"

Dick breathed deeply, as if holding himself back from doing something. "I quit," he said simply.

Jimmy gasped. "What? Why?"

"Besides...I found a better agency! Yeah!"

Jimmy gave him strange look. "Better than the MKDCU?"

"Yes. Why do we call ourselves that way? None of us are even from the Mushroom Kingdom."

"I'm...telling boss bout this!" Jimmy shot back in a slightly whiny way.

"Tell him. Tell your rich Mole Mafia daddy! And tell him that you were gonna fire me anyway!"

"What?!?"

"I told him." Wiggletron admitted.

Jimmy crossed his arms. "Both of you twos are fired then! Yeah, who's boss now?"

Wiggletron sat continently, as if he expected this. Dick got up from his seat and approached Jimmy, towering over the Monty Mole. "You'll never be the boss of anything, you coward. You care more about following arbitrary protocols then getting work done. Do you even know what's going on right under your furry little nose?"

"Back off you! You think that I? Ugh, whatever! You twos planned this didn't ya? Enjoy your adventure together!" Jimmy turned around. "MKDCU, out!" He announced to himself as he scurried out of the door.

"HAHAHA...wait. Did he just say that??? And you're fired too now?"

"It appears so. So unfortunate. I could have really used that five dollars."

"FIVE DOLLARS??? That was our commission money? I earned more money scrubbing pipes during the summer. What a waste!"

"Who is your agency now?" Wiggs suddenly asked.

"Hm. Well I guess it's now this Bond pipsqueak and annoying reporter girl. In fact, I think I see them in the back. You should join me and we can maybe get some money out of them for helping them out."

"You would like my assistance?"

"Well what else are you going to do? You still live with your parents back on Yoshi's Island, right? Besides, I don't hate ya, like I said before. Pals?"

Wiggs responded by unexpectedly patting him on the back. This knocked to the breath out of Dick slightly.

"Sorry. What information do they possess?"

Dick quickly explained Bond and Kylie's hypothesis to Wiggs. He suddenly sat up and grabbed his cup of ice. "Let us go."

At the Mario bros. House

"Got you!" Luigi said excitingly to Boo.

"Have mercy, Weegee. It's not like I have fingers!" Boo and Luigi were playing Smash Bros 4 on the WiiU. Mario entered, surprised at the house. Candy wrappers and soda cans were on the floor and games were strolled everyone. Boo and Luigi were on the floor playing video games.

"Hello Luigi..and Boo?" Mario greeted.

"Hey bro!" Luigi perked up, giving him a hug. "Sorry I got carried away this late at night. Wow! 1 a.m already?" The younger brother looked around embarrassingly.

"Er, it's okay Luigi. You seem happy tonight!"

"Because he's beat me every time in Smash Bros," Boo said. "I have the species disadvantage here!"

Luigi pretended to be annoyed. "Yeah but you can do all sorts of cool stuff we can't. I think that makes up for not having fingers!"

"I'd better go. As much as I love nighttime, I know it's important for you humans to sleep," Boo said, heading for the door.

Luigi yawned. "Yeah I guess so. Talk to you later, Boo. You can call me on my own cell phone by the way."

Luigi winked and Boo did so back. Mario was confused at this, but let it go. This wasn't the atmosphere he thought he'd come home to so he wasn't going to complain. Still, he had to get something off of his chest.

As soon as Boo left, he turned to Luigi. "Bro. I have to apologize...again. I-"

"I know. You got so wrapped up in trying to be a fair and good friend to Bowser that you forgot about us for a moment. You promise to keep your promises from now on and not be a 'tuna head' so much." Luigi said matter of factly.

"Umm...Yeah. That's exactly what I was going to say. Wait, you guys think I'm a 'tuna head'?"

"Yeah sometimes you are, but it's okay bro. I know you area only human. It was about time Mr. Perfect screwed up."

"Who's that?" Mario asked.

"You?"

"Oh? People really see me as that way?"

Luigi looked at Mario funny, but then realized that he was genuinely surprised. "Of course they do! You aren't just the hero, you are their savior, local celebrity, leader...well you get the point."

Mario sighed. "You know, I love to help everyone, but that can come with a lot of pressure too. It's a lot to manage at times..." Mario then explained the day's earlier events to him. Luigi went pale at the mention of Toad and Daisy's attack. "And so you see, I just got so carried away in the situation. But it WILL change now. We will all meet up tomorrow and discuss how we should do things together."

"Discuss what? Isn't this out of our hands, now?"

"It's whatever you want to discuss."

"Huh?"

"You are the leader now!" Mario explained warmly.

"Me??"

"Yes. All I've done is mess up. I am a tuna head I suppose. You are just as passionate about our friends and you have patience and delicacy that this situation needs. My biggest mistake was to think that we needed brawn to handle this but look at where we are now! I know you can do this, bro. I believe in you." Mario put his hand on Luigi's shoulder.

"But...what will everyone?-"

"They will accept you as the leader for now, I'll make sure of it. Now we'd better settle down if we want to be any good for tomorrow. This mess can be cleaned later." Mario went into the washroom as Luigi stood speechless.

He was prepared to forgive Mario and be content with that but not for Mario to elect him leader of their little mission. Where to start? Would this mean that Mario would take orders from him now? What about Bowser and the rest? Luigi didn't know what was happening, but he was eager to find out how this would turn out.

At Peach's Castle

After leaving Mario and the Princess, Toadette got ready to head home. Since this was school season, she was staying on campus at Mushroom College instead of the castle. There was one thing, she hadn't seen Buckenberry since her arrival! She checked his post inside the castle but he wasn't there. She asked other staff but they hadn't seen him either. She knew something was wrong, Buckenberry only disappeared like this when he was in one of his "moods". And by disappear, she meant he went to set on the lake shore to brood. Sure enough, she spotted him outside staring into his reflection in the water.

"There you are! What's up?" Toadette greeted.

Buckenberry jumped. "Toadette?"

"Um, who else? Anyway, why are you upset now? There hasn't been a New Super Mario Bros game in forever, you know. Get over it!" she teased.

Buckenberry continued to look in the water. "Do you know something?"

"What?" Toadette sat beside him.

"It's about Toad Toadstool."

Toadette shifted uncomfortably. When she and Toad went out, Buckenberry rarely if ever interacted with them. After their breakup though, Buckenberry randomly asked Toadette out and she said yes for the fun of it.

They hit it off to her surprise. He was less bombastic for starters and Toadette appreciated being with someone who wasn't a celebrity. She also liked how Buckenberry was kind of mysterious. He showed up out of nowhere as castle employee, and then immediately volunteered to help the Mario bros. on a dangerous mission. He was brave, educated, and hardworking, but he had one problem.…

"What about him? He's in horrible shape! Haven't you heard about them being taken by some special agents?"

"I know that!" Buckenberry snapped. Toadette frowned.

"Well excuse me! I sort of care when people I know and love are sick!"

"Do some of those people talk to Larry Koopa on Facebook?! Everyone's favorite castle advisor! The guy that hangs around our dear Princess everyday!"

Toadette's stomach turned as Peach's revelation about Mario and Bowser came to mind. "Umm. He does?"

"Yes! I can't believe it. I told Mr. Toadsworth and he didn't want to do anything about it."

"Well, what do you want him to do?"

"Throw the rotten fungus out of the castle! He talks to Koopalings!"

"And what exactly is wrong about that, huh?!" She asked defensively.

"What's wrong with that? Bowser and his associates are our enemies! Do I need to explain this?"

"Maybe so, but they might not be that bad in real life. There's forces out there more evil than Bowser, you know!"

"Are you defending him?!?" They were now screaming at each other, attracting curious looks from the night gardeners.

"Lots of people may converse with the Koopa Klan occasionally. It doesn't mean it's wrong or evil. Heck, even your idol Mario talks to Bowser!!!" Toadette immediately covered her mouth. Buckenberry's eyes went wide in shock. "Listen, you can't tell anyone I said that! Everyone will freak-they won't understand! Please!"

Her boyfriend then did something unexpected. He broke down and started to cry! Buckenberry, affectionately nicknamed "Cool Blue" by Mario for his stoic and cold demeanor, was cried hysterically.

"I'm...so sorry..." he sobbed, "I just get so jealous sometimes! I can't help it. No matter what I do, it's never good enough!"

Toadette put her arm around him. "Tell me! What do you mean?"

"He gets the credit for everything! I did my very best, risking my life in a way hardly any Toad has ever and I get nothing! Why can't I be the hero for once???"

Toadette shook her head. "What does it matter?? Toad works very hard here. Haven't you seen how things are running with him gone? No one is organized, dust is piling up, and everyone in despair. Would you really be selfish enough to want him gone, because YOU don't like his friends?"

Buckenberry stood silently as he wiped away his tears. Toadette took a deep breath and blurted out, "You know what? I talk to a Bowser minion too! Wendy O. Koopa and I share beauty tips on Instagram sometimes. It's no big deal, we don't talk much but still. I guess that makes me a hypocrite too for judging Mario at first.."

"Y-you did?" he stammered.

"Yeah, I did. I was just sure Bowser must have some evil motives behind it, but the Princess seemed to really believe in Mario. We both know that the Princess has the purest heart in all of the kingdom so she can believe in that a friendship like that can be real, I do to! Think about it. We both love the Princess right?"

"Yes. I would die for the Princess! Why would you ask me that?" Buckenberry asked pointedly.

"Because we need to band together instead of tearing each other apart. It's not about getting a statue made or New-Mushroom Peace Prize, it's doing what's right. THAT'S how you can do a real service…"

They stood for a moment, then Toadette spoke up. "Well I'm going to the dorms. You take care of yourself, okay?" She left, leaving Buckenberry alone at the lake shore.

Club 64

"Wow oh wow! This place is smoking!" Kylie exclaimed. Bond smiled in response. She took another bite of her Koopasta. Since they were in the back, the music was less loud and the place more subdued in general. They talked and ate, though Bond was unusually quiet. But in a hot way! Dick and Wiggletron approached the table to Kylie's surprise.

"Richard! I was wondering when you'd join us," Bond greeted cordially, "And I see Agent Wiggletron Berry of Yoshi's Island is accompanying you. I'm so glad you both knew Morse code."

"Greetings to you, Jelectro Bond," Wiggs said. His voice was flat as ever but he smiled genuinely enough to make Kylie feel at ease with the tall stranger.

Dick didn't bother with a greeting. "We ain't stupid, you know. Now don't give me trouble, I just got fired. Wiggs too!"

Bonds eyebrow raised. "Hm? That is unfortunate! Sit, will you? And tell us what is new."

"Sure shorty!" Dick sat next to Bond, accidentally squishing him against the wall, and then recited the earlier events involving Toad and Daisy, including the fact that Mario and Bowser were there. Kylie pushed her plate aside and wrote the details in her notebook, somehow keeping up with Dick's mildly incoherent and rambly recount.

"What IS the MKDCU exactly? How'd you get into this bucket of Cheep Cheeps?" Kylie asked, too excited to notice that Bond had disappeared.

"I can answer your inquiry," Wiggs said. "We were formally the MKDCU. Independent heath experts that band together in times of crisis for a commission fee. We work according to strict protocols and our exact skills vary. We come from all over and we are the best agents in our lands. Someone from MK hospital called us in, but I am uncertain as to why. James may have that information."

Kylie studiously recorded this info in her notebook too, then her pen died. "Dang, my special glittery pen!"

"Take this," Bond said, handing her a silver expensive looking fountain pen.

"Where were you just now?"

"Being suffocated to death. Richard, please continue."

"Yeah, so as I was saying, 'James' is Jimmy M., the lazy Monty Mole. He was kind of our leader, but really he's just the son of the actual boss. Ya know, dirty sneaks from Donut Plains. What does the have to do with stopping Bowser anyway?!? Hey, where is Bond now?"

"Over here. Where were they taking Mario's friends?" Bond had crawled under the table to Kylie and Wiggletron's side and sat in between the two. Kylie had never been this close to Bond before and was distracted by his cologne. Wow, it smelled expensive!

"It's Demented by Dimentio," Wiggs whispered to her. Kylie game him a weird look.

"How do you keep disappearing? Anyway, the Toadley Clinic," Dick answered. "Then once there was a diagnosis, some special hospital in Special World. Why?"

"Oh this is not good..." Bond said disappointedly.

On the row behind them, Emery couldn't believe what she'd heard. Toadley Clinic? She'd volunteered there and the place was cray cray. They only dealt with the worse of the worse, first of all. Secondly, if Mario's friends were going there, they might get sent off to they maximum severity hospital in Special World. Legend says, patients never leave! She have to do something now! She peeked over the bench seat.

"Emery??" Kylie called out. "Guys, this is my friend. She works at the hospital and she's a crafty one to!"

"I am disappointed in my self," Bond admitted, "You were snooping in on us and I only noticed now.

Someone's wonderful smile must have distracted me!" Kylie flushed.

"Thank you," Wiggs said, grinning.

"I meant...never mind. You are Emery Toadstool of MK East, right?"

"Yes! And...uh I can- I mean...What were y'all talking about?" Emery had been listening at first, but after a moment she had gotten bored spent most of the time playing on her phone . She only had perked up again when she had heard Toadley Clinic being mentioned.

"Emery, do you want to do your country a service?" Bond asked with sudden seriousness.

Emery shrugged. "Sure?"

"Country? Isn't this about Mario?" Dick asked.

Bond dodged the question. "If what I think is about to happen happens, we might have big trouble tomorrow, mes amies…"

"I'm not gettin it, Bond. What do you know that we don't?" Kylie asked with some impatience. Bond motioned for everyone to get up. He lead them to the back stage kind of area where bands would play. At this time it was empty, save a giant fish tank filled with exotic and colorful Cheep Cheeps.

"Everything is as is confidential from this point onward, understood?"

Everyone nodded. Wiggs raised his hand. "Does this mean you consider me to be an assistant in your operation?"

"Of course?" Bond replied curiously.

"Thank you!! It means so much to be accepted by a wonderful Noki such as yourself!" Wiggs affectionately patted Bond on the back, which sent the Noki flying into the fish tank. Water splashed on the floor and Dick laughed hysterically as Wiggs and Kylie frantically ran to his aid. Emery only rolled her eyes unimpressively. This was the least weird thing that had happened all day. No one in the club seemed to notice the commotion either.

Once he was (fished) out, he immediately continued, "These are the facts: Toad and Daisy's coma walking proves that is is Mushroom Flu; we know this had to have originated from Bowser, specifically his castle laboratory; we know they would have had to have been deliberately targeted; we know that all other cases of the T-virus are less severe for an unknown reason; we know Bowser, or someone in his household would have a motive; we do not know how this was introduced. And worse still, all of the has occurred in one day."

Everyone was silent as if taking his statements in. Or maybe cause Bond was soaking wet, his sunglasses were crooked and he and acted as if he wasn't just smacked like Daisy smacked Bowser in Mario Party 3. Wiggs raised his hand.

"Umm, yes?" Bond asked hesitantly.

"You said that Bowser or someone in his household would have a motive, correct? Why would Bowser work with Mario to interfere with the MKDCU? Would he not want Mario's friends taken away?"

"I was getting to that. Yes, my secondary points. These are not yet clear in my head: who exactly called the MKDCU? It is clear that them coming was part of the plan. I would not at all imply that the MKDCU themselves are in on it, but it is obvious now that it was meant to be. Because of the complications that arose from that, Toad and Daisy are now ultimately inaccessible and are in danger of being permanently that way. How does the crazed Koopa Doctor and Nurse Nass T. come into play? Surely they didn't call-"

"Nass T?? My mom??" Emery blurted out.

"Oh yeah! She is your mom. I forget that," Kylie said. "Are you saying she's involved, Bond?"

"Yes. And I say that without a doubt. That is why I ask again, are you willing to fully cooperate?" Bond looked expectantly to Emery.

Emery thought for a moment. Her mom didn't have the best reputation and their family was in debt. If some kind of reward was involved in all of this, she would have to admit that her mom getting involved in the conspiracy was exactly what she'd do.

As if Bond could read her mind, he added, "Listen mon ami, I also know for certain tat she isn't at the head of this. I just want you to find out about all of the circumstances of the victims tomorrow at work. You don't have to turn anyone in or mention anything to anyone else. Here." He handed her a soaking wet BooTracker. "Its water proof, don't worry. Just let me know what you find, okay?"

Emery slowly nodded. She could do that at least, right? And now all of this serious business was making her tired. Emery swept back her black hair. "I'm gonna go, guys," she said.

"Very well. Au revoir!" Bond said, his genially somewhat forced now.

"Stay safe," Kylie said, feeling uneasy about the whole situation again. Wiggs waved. After she left Bond signaled their attention.

"As for the rest of us, well. We will put our infiltration plan on hold." Bond said, seeming mildly spaced out.

"What??"

"Because of this. When the official word of Mushroom Flu gets out tomorrow morning, all Underwhere will break loose. I just can't say what our next move should be.."

"We can tell Mario at least?" Kylie said.

"He will find out."

"How do you know so much??" Dick asked, annoyed of Bond's vagueness.

Bond suddenly slipped past them, away from the back area. He threw some coins on their table for a tip, not bothering to count. "So long gentlemen. We will talk more tomorrow. Let's get you home, Kylie."

"Huh?" Kylie questioned but followed. She grabbed his still soaking wet arm and they left in a hurry.

"That Bond is..!"

"Sauve. Mysterious. Slightly omniscient. A perpetual sunglasses wearer. Handsome?" Wiggs answered. Dick looked at him funny.

"Okay...How dare they bail on us? We don't have a ride...or a place to sleep tonight! Hey...we didn't even discuss our commission!"

Wiggs looked to him and smiled. "Regardless I am extremely glad to be part of his operation. I even forgot about my headache! As for a place to reside, I have provisions for that!"

"Huh?"

"My friend, T. Yoshisaur Muchakoopa lives near here. I am surprised he did not recognize me earlier."

"You mean Yoshi? I know what you and that Bond guy have in common. Y'all are too dang formal!"

Wiggs laughed loudly though no one was joking. "Affirmative, friend!" Wiggs put his hand on Dick's back, but thankfully no one flew anywhere this time.

Later

"What was that about, Bond??" Kylie finally asked as Bond pulled up to her apartment. She lived in a meager complex off of Pleasant Path. Since this was somewhat rural, there were no street lights aside from the high beams of Bond's Aston Mushroom. "We were out of there quicker than a Speedy Comet!"

"You can call me Jelectro. And I didn't want them to know." Bond said apprehensively.

"But why? How do you know so much? Are you that good of a spy?"

Bond seemed disturbed about something. "Don't share this info with others, mon ami, but…"

"What?" Kylie was finally starting to feel creeped out.

"Not all of my spy skills are spy skills. You see, have premonitions," he said simply, "I always have. Sometimes it does not work if I am distracted or caught off guard, as you saw before."

In Kylie's mind, he might as well have told her that he was Santa Claus. His exotic charm on her had worn off. What was he, part Magikoopa? "Oookay. And so you just 'know' something is going to go down tomorrow?"

"Yes. It hit me while we were setting down, what I saw...was bad... What is wrong, mon ami, what are you-?"

Kylie jumped out of the his car, leaving the door open. "I didn't become a reporter and journalist to deal with tomfoolery. What is this? Boo Hunters? How did you really get this info? How did you even know where I lived?"

"I just knew. You have to listen!"

"So you ain't really a spy, just a Magikoopa like freak? You aren't really from Spy Land are you?" she asked accusingly.

"Yes I am! I trained at the Super Spy Headquarters and everything. It's just that, as long as I remember, I have had dreams and visions and..I am adopted you know!" Bond blurted out.

Kylie shook her head and shut the door. She walked to her apartment without looking back.

To be continued.

[drrameyfanpage]

Just a Walk in the Park: Chapter 2

I was hoping to get this posted sooner but this week has been a awful. Thanks to everyone who liked the first chapter!

Chapter 2:

“Oh no.” Jackie said getting off the couch and coming over to Alexandra.

“What?” She asked worried. Had she somehow figured out she was with Ethan?

“I would let that slide going to work, but you went out on your day off in that?” Jackie pointed at the black rain jacket.

Crap, she had forgotten to give him back his jacket. “Uh, it’s cozy.”

“Cozy can be cute. That is dull.” Jackie eyed the large fitting jacket. “The first day off we have together, we’re going shopping.”

“I like this.” Alexandra protested.

Jackie gave her look before going back to the couch. “What did you do today anyway? It’s not like it even looks like it’s going to rain.”

“I went for a walk. I wanted to see the neighborhood.”

“You went for a walk? We don’t exactly live in the prettiest place.” Jackie stared at her wide eyed.

She shrugged and slipped off to her room. The rest of her day past and before she knew it, it was the next morning and she was staring at Ethan’s jacket hung up in her closet. She could hear the rain outside and really she had no other coat appropriate for rain.

She pulled it off the hanger and slipped into it. The sleeves slipped over her hands and the jacket fell to about mid-thigh, it would keep her dry. She also couldn’t help to notice it still smelled like him and that made her blush.

“About time.” Jackie said slipping off a bar stool.

“Why didn’t I think to bring a good rain jacket?” Sienna looked over Alexandra.

“Because you have fashion sense.” Jackie said slipping into a formfitting purple rain coat.

The morning was busy and she had yet to see Ethan. She wasn’t sure how to act around him or how he would act. She decided to let him lead and go off his actions.

The morning only got busier and by afternoon, she was ready to sit down, if only for a minute. There was no time for that though, so she leaned against the elevator wall and closed her eyes. The elevator dinged on the first floor and she didn’t bother to open her eyes, she didn’t want to do small talk at the moment with whoever was getting on.

“I believe you have something that belongs to me.” Ethan said in a smooth low voice in her ear, sending shivers down her spin.

She turned towards him and open her eyes. He surprised her at how close he was standing. Ethan grinned at her and she took in his appearance. His hair was wet and slightly out of place and his suit coat and matching pants also looked damp.

For a moment she was speechless. If she allowed herself to admit it, yesterday he had looked sinfully good with the top two buttons undone at the collar of his fitted button down. Today though in a full suit he looked delicious.

She swallowed. “I have it my locker.”

“I imagine you must have worn it here with all the rain. Keep it until it’s sunny again.”

“You clearly got rained on.” She pointed out.

“Nothing too bad. Besides I’m just going from the building to the car garage.”

“If you’re sure.” He nodded and turned from her to lean against the wall with her. She glanced at him. “Long day?”

He hummed. “I had meetings at another hospital across the city all morning.”

“Oh, why?”

“Chief Emery though it was important for me to see how they structure their team.” He sounded annoyed.

“You were second in command here, it’s clear you would have an understanding of it already.”

He gave her a look as if to say you’re telling me. Ethan got quiet as he thought about it all. The elevator stopped on his floor and pushed away from the wall. “We’ll talk later.”

She looked over him as he walked away before the doors shut. She closed her eyes again. She was in trouble.

They wouldn’t have the chance to talk or even really see each other. She was filling out the last of her paperwork with Jackie at the nurse’s station when he walked by on his way out for the day. They made brief eye contact, but he said nothing as he passed.

After a few minutes Jackie spoke up, “He’s a down right ass but I wouldn’t mind a piece of his ass.”

Alexandra snapped her head up to look at her. “What?”

“Dr. Ramsey, walks around like he’s all high and mighty, but damn if ain’t something too good to look at.”

“You said it.” The nurse who was typing at a computer said. “Don’t get your hopes up though. I’ve seen my fair share of nurse and doctors hoping to have a chance with him.”

“I bet he could be persuaded.” Jackie laughed.

“I doubt it.” The nurse said wheeling in her computer chair over to them. “Even as an intern he wasn’t into sleeping around. Rumor is though about year and half before Emery took the chief position they might have had something going on. Then…” She trailed off.

“Then what?” Jackie asked leaning over the desk between them.

“Things got nasty between them. They definitely don’t have the working relationship they did before the spot for chief became open.” The nurse rolled back to computer.

“Never mind.” Jackie said. “I’m not going to even try if Chief Emery was involved with him. Still good to look at though.”

Alexandra didn’t like people were gossiping at Ethan. It wasn’t their business and yet she couldn’t help but to wonder about the fallout between Emery and him. She also wasn’t sure what to make of the jealous feelings that seemed to want to surface.