#or did most of his attachment to alex come from being able to corrupt him

[theoryofwhatnow]

i think post-nigel alex would’ve loved pre-alex nigel

[whatareyousearchingfordean]

Happiness Continues

Part 8: 27 Weeks Pregnant

Summary: The guys and their wives take a drive up to Dallas for a Creation convention. The weekend goes great until an uninvited guest shows up. 

Pairing: Jensen Ackles x Plus Size Reader

Word Count: 6.4K+

Warnings: Language, angst, stalker scenarios, psuedo-kidnapping

Author’s Note: I know this was uber delayed, but school... anyway I hope it lives up to your expectations. Congrats to @waywardbeanie @jensengirl83 and @akshi8278 on getting your questions into the fic and a huge thank you to everyone that participated. I wish I could have put all the questions in but it would have just been too long of a chapter. But please know I really do appreciate you all. The song sung in this chapter is by The Highwomen called Crowded Table, check it out if you’ve not heard it before. And of course many thank you’s to @emoryhemsworth​ for being the best beta xo Alex

Catch up with the series masterlist and then check out Alexandra’s Library for more by yours truly!

The sound of ice dropping from the refrigerator and into the metal thermos clanged around the kitchen. Once she was satisfied with the amount in her water bottle, she topped it off with water. As she turned around, screwing the lid into place, the soft hums of her husband could be heard as he came out of their bedroom, their suitcases trailing behind him. 

“You know,” she started, the humming coming from her partner reminding her of something, “you still haven’t told me what song you chose to sing tonight.”

“And you know I told you it was a surprise,” he replied, placing the luggage out of the way and coming to stand next to her at the island. 

“I hate surprises.”

“No, you don’t.” Dimples formed on his cheeks as he kept his smile tight-lipped, his wife rolling his eyes at her. 

“Please! Just tell me,” she jutted out her lower lip in a vain attempt at mocking her brother’s puppy-eyed look. 

“Fine, I chose “Having My Baby,’” Jensen sighed, his shoulders sagging. 

“You did not! Please tell me you are kidding.” 

“What’s wrong with Paul Anka? That song is a classic.” The actor stood up taller, his voice growing defensive. 

“I hope to god you are kidding because believe me when I say that if you so much as mention your ‘seed’ in front of hundreds of fans, I’m taking this baby and I’m leaving.” Y/n pointed to the still-growing bump attached to her abdomen before flicking it towards the door, the most serious expression written on her face. 

“Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be? Fine,” Jensen cleared his throat, and she knew it was coming before he even had the chance to open his mouth again. “The need inside you, I see it showin’, oh, the seed inside you, baby, do you feel it growin’—”

Y/n’s hands flew to her ears, the ‘la, la, la’ falling from her lips in an attempt to drown him out. His face split into a wide grin as he snatched her wrists and pulled his wife into his chest, placing a soft kiss to her nose before her lips. 

“You’d be so lucky, baby, but no, it’s a surprise. You will find out tonight, so let it go.” Jensen released her from his grip as the security system chimed. It noted movement near the garage door just before the couple heard the voice of her brother coming from the other end of the house. 

“Let’s go, Ackles, we’ve got three antsy kids in the car and need to hit the road pronto!” Y/n snatched her backpack and water bottle from the counter as Jensen grabbed their bags and headed towards the garage. The guys took the bags to stuff them in the trunk as Y/n set the house alarm. 

Jensen pulled open the passenger side rear door to the Padalecki’s SUV, helping his wife into her seat before climbing in the front passenger seat. They greeted Jared’s kids as the family set out on the road towards Dallas and the Supernatural convention. 

****

The sign that flew by on the side of the highway indicated that Dallas was about eighty miles out still, giving them at least another hour until they made it. The kids had long since fallen asleep in the backseat, their bellies full of snacks and their distractions in hand. Y/n glanced back at them before digging out the bag of Goldfish she had packed for her snack. Before she could even get it completely open, her husband’s hand appeared between the side of the vehicle and the seat, palm up. The woman chuckled before dumping a handful into his hand. He transferred the crackers to his left hand before returning his right to its original place to rest it on her calf. Jensen ran his fingers up and down her leg, the action soothing to both of them. 

From the seat next to her, Y/n could see her sister-in-law turned to her, a knowing grin on her face. For being an actress, Gen sure did have an awful poker face. 

“What?”

“Nothing, I’m just really happy you two found each other,” the smile on Gen’s face growing wider as she spoke, the eyes of the men in the front seats flickering back to her. Jared glanced over from the driver’s seat just quick enough to see what Gen was referring to. There was a twitch of a smile on his face too before he covered it up to fake a gag. “Speaking of, how was Toronto?”

“Oh, I’m in love with Toronto!” Y/n gushed, her mind going back to the trip she made to visit her husband on set. Because of the break-in, they were making up filming days and he couldn’t get away, so the couple decided to celebrate their first anniversary together with her going to visit him. “The city is so beautiful, albeit not as beautiful as Vancouver, but there is just something about it. It reminds me of New York a lot, but like, cleaner.” 

“You two had a good weekend?” 

“We did. Jensen took me to Alo for dinner, and I know I’m pregnant, but it was the best food I’ve ever had in my life. I wanted to take the chef home with me.” Thinking back to the dish she had, Y/n ran a hand across her abdomen, the memory of her baby coming to life after the meal making her smile to herself. 

“I believe you, even if there is something about being pregnant that just makes everything taste better,” Gen giggled along with her sister-in-law, the two of them sharing a secret that their husbands would never understand. “I’m glad you had a good time with what you had.”

“Well, either way, I was going into my third trimester. I was not up for some extravagant trip across the globe. My back hurts too much to pretend to be relaxed.” As she thought about the way her body had continued to change as the finish line came onto the horizon, it was like her body throbbed in response. The makeup artist flexed her limbs, rolling out the kinks from sitting for too long in one position. 

“I’m sorry girl, but it only gets worse from here,” Gen scrunched her nose, wishing she could tell her anything but the truth. 

Y/n sighed, the action rolling through her whole body, “I was afraid of that.”

****

Clif was waiting at the back doors to the convention center of the Hilton where Creation was hosting their convention this weekend. He was there to escort them all inside as well as stay with Gen and Y/n during the show. Creation provided their own security for Jensen and Jared, so Clif was more than happy to spend time with his favorite girls. They were running a tad late, having hit traffic after dropping the kids off with Jensen’s parents who had graciously offered to babysit. 

“Hey, kid,” Clif greeted Y/n with a bear hug once they were inside, his large arms engulfing her and squeezing tight. “Let me look at ya.”

Y/n stepped back as he released her, running a hand over her now unmistakable bump to emphasize it underneath her maternity clothes. “Not much of a kid anymore.” 

“No, you aren’t, are ya? Went and let this idiot over here corrupt you.” Clif locked his arm around Jensen’s neck, bringing him into his chest to ruffle his hair with the opposite hand. The group laughed and Jensen struggled to get out of his hold, his hands immediately flying to fix his hair once Clif relented. 

“You’ve been spending too much time with Jared,” Jensen scowled at his friends, who shared a look and a shrug. He took his wife’s hand and moved to continue down the hall before pausing to turn back. “And I’ll have you know, she was already corrupted when I got ahold of her. All I had to do was sit back and enjoy the ride.” 

A gasp of her husband’s name fell from her open mouth as he tossed everyone a wink and pulled Y/n deeper into the hotel. Her surprise morphed into a giggle as he pulled her along, her cheeks flaring with residual embarrassment. Her family was bound to push him too far one of these days, and she was just waiting for him to drop some sort of bomb on their unsuspecting ears. She just hadn’t anticipated it would be today. 

Jensen had been in a particularly good mood since that morning. Y/n couldn’t place whether it was the excitement of being at a convention again or if it was being home, but whatever had him smiling like an idiot she was thankful for. Jensen’s attitude had always been infectious, and right now she was thriving off of it, the joy of being able to make her forget about her swollen ankles and face. It was nice to be in the moment for once. 

Louden Swain was already starting their soundcheck on the main stage as she and Jensen entered the hall. Y/n let Jensen go and went to sit in the chairs in the front row to watch them busy themselves around the stage. She was alone until Clif, Jared, and Gen caught up and joined her in the seats. It didn’t take long for the band to run through everything with all their guest stars who would be performing with them. Jensen did a quick verse from “Like A Wrecking Ball” before also joining those that were in the audience. 

The fans could be heard already outside the doors to the hall, their excitement palpable even from a couple of hundred feet away. Not that she blamed them, Louden Swain always put on an amazing show, as did the rest of the cast who chose to join them. Her husband was obviously her favorite to watch; the rough honey trickle of his voice had a way of splitting her soul in half. After that, she was obsessed with watching Briana. The woman was a powerhouse and had a way of captivating everyone watching her. It was no secret that she often found herself on YouTube watching Bri and her husband dueting “Shallow,” making it her most-watched video by far. 

Everyone was escorted to the green room while fans filled the hall, then Clif escorted them back to watch from the sidelines once the lights went down. They took a seat in the chairs that had been put aside for them against the wall, joining in the squeals of the audience when the guys took the stage. 

Louden Swain captivated everyone with their songs and stage presence, as per usual, but when Rob introduced Jensen onto the stage, it was like a train had just rammed into the wall of the hotel. She could feel the floor shaking underneath the insanity that ripped through his fans in the seats of the audience. 

“Well, good evening Dallas!” Jensen bounded on the stage, the leather jacket he was wearing somehow looking that much better in the lights of the stage. The Texan pulled Rob into a tight hug before taking his place in front of the microphone stand. The stubble that had arrived in just a few days of not shaving was more evident on his jaw and neck as he craned it sideways to work the stand up to his height. Y/n had to admit he looked absolutely scrumptious. 

“I’ve got a new song for you guys tonight that the guys have been so gracious to learn for me.” Jensen paused for the screams from the crowd before continuing his introduction. “This one is for my wife. I love you, honey.” He cast his eyes to where she was seated, watching the smile that spread across his features and letting it calm her anxious heart.

You can hold my hand

When you need to let go

I can be your mountain

When you're feeling valley-low

I can be your streetlight

Showing you the way home

You can hold my hand

When you need to let go

 I want a house with a crowded table

And a place by the fire for everyone

Let us take on the world while we’re young and able

And bring us back together when the day is done

Jensen’s foot tapped against the stage as he found his groove in the first verse. Almost instantly, Y/n recognized the opening chords to the song making her heart flutter in her chest. She’d first discovered this song before they’d even found out they were expecting. There was an instant connection to the lyrics, and in typical Y/n fashion, she had played the song on repeat until she knew the lyrics backward and forwards. She really couldn’t believe he’d remembered it. 

If we want a garden

We’re gonna have to sow the seed

Plant a little happiness

Let the roots run deep

If it’s love that we give

Then it’s love that we reap

If we want a garden

We're gonna have to sow the seed

After everything the two of them had been through the past few months, the lyrics falling from his lips brought tears to her eyes. She chose to completely ignore the fact that she was pregnant. This was his way of reminding her of that night and the promise he’d made. The actor was more than ready to start a family with her, and he would keep reminding her until he ran out of breath.

The door is always open

Your picture’s on my wall

Everyone’s a little broken

And everyone belongs

Yeah, everyone belongs

 I want a house with a crowded table

And a place by the fire for everyone

Let us take on the world while we’re young and able

And bring us back together when the day is done

And bring us back together when the day is done

If Y/n thought that the screams that greeted Jensen on the stage were deafening, it had nothing on the roar that now filled the hall, never mind the thrumming of her heart in her chest. She was sure time had stopped. Her husband blew a kiss to the audience before bowing off stage. It was his disappearance from before the mic that had on her feet without a second thought, chasing after him behind the stage and to the green room. 

She burst through the doors, her eyes meeting his as he turned to the sound of the latch. Without a second thought to the others in the room, the pregnant woman launched herself into her husband’s arms. Both of them dug their faces into the embrace, knowing just what the other needed at that moment. 

“You’re right, I did love this surprise,” she mumbled against his neck. Jensen ran a hand down her hair, his arms instinctively squeezing her tighter to him as she spoke. 

“Anything for you, babe.”

****

Behind the scenes of conventions was far less exhilarating for the guests than it was for the fans attending. It was quiet in the green room, most people eating or napping in between events they were to attend, which was why Y/n and Gen chose to stay behind the next morning and let the kids sleep in as much as possible. The guys were up at the crack of dawn to get to the hotel in time for the gold panel, and neither wanted to deal with pulling three little ones out of bed that early. 

It was nearly midday by the time the girls had wrangled the kids into the car and to the hotel. Clif met them at the back door much like he had done the night before, ready to escort them wherever they wanted to go. When they arrived in the green room, the guys were off to their respective photo op rooms. 

The kids took center stage when they got there, livening up the room in an instant. Odette fed off the attention far more than her brothers did but being the youngest, that didn’t come as a shock to anyone. Y/n wanted to hit the vendor’s room before her husband got back and they had to be on stage for the main panel. There were often hidden gems at some of the booths and she wanted to support the small business that set up there. She invited Gen to join her, and naturally, Odette wanted to tag along. The two of them left the boys in the capable hands of Kim and Briana before grabbing Clif and heading out. 

The room was bustling with people who were in between activities when they entered. Y/n picked up the small girl and put her on her hip so she could keep better track of her, not that Odette protested. They made their way to a booth surrounded by original artwork. Most of the displayed pieces were Supernatural related, but there were a few other pieces that encompassed other shows and movies, as well as art that encompassed just about anything else. Y/n got the artist’s information, intending to order an original piece from her. 

From there, it didn’t take long for the room to realize who had joined them. The hushed whispers of the con attendees could be heard as they moved on to a shop that sold handmade jewelry. Luckily the looming presence of Clif was enough to keep people at bay. He was very good at subtly guiding those who dared to walk up to them away from the scene. Right now they preferred peace and would greet some people once they were finished looking. 

Gen bought something from the jeweler for Odette, seeing as once the toddler set her mind to something, she was relentless. Then the trio moved on to a few more booths before acknowledging the fans in the room. Clif took Odette from Y/n while the wives talked with some people in the room. There were many congratulations and asks for photos which Y/n politely declined while Gen agreed.

With a glance at her watch, Y/n signaled to Gen it was time to head back. They said goodbye to the fans and headed back to the green room. Jared and Jensen were back already when they entered, eating a quick snack before they had to go back on stage. 

Jensen pushed his chair back from the table when he spotted his wife. He patted his thigh as she made her way towards him and she took a tentative seat in his lap. The actor placed a kiss on the underside of her jaw before offering her the food on his plate. She decided on a carrot, biting into the hard vegetable as her husband spoke. 

“I missed you this morning.”

“I know, I missed you too. Still hate waking up to an empty bed,” she frowned, tossing the other half of the carrot in her mouth. 

“Just a few more weeks, then I’m done and it’s just you, me, and this baby,” Jensen promised, resting his large hand over her growing abdomen. He ran his thumb over the swell of her stomach as she contemplated his words. 

“Promise?” She cocked her head, knowing full well he intended every word. Before he could answer, the Creation handlers appeared to grab the boys and bring them to the stage. 

“Promise,” he kissed her again before urging her off his lap so they could head out. Gen rounded up the kids to go and Jared picked up his daughter to carry her out to the show. Jensen and Y/n walked hand in hand down the back hallway until they had to go separate ways. Jared handed Odette over to his wife and they were off to get show-ready. 

The girls and the kids followed behind Clif and took the empty seats in the front row far off on the right side of the stage, the lights lowering just as they were getting settled. Rob and Rich appeared and did their usual bit before introducing the boys onto the stage.

Watching them together was something Y/n always enjoyed. The two actors played off of each other so well and never failed to make her chuckle. Especially now, she loved that after everything that had happened, their relationship was not hindered. They were truly brothers on and off camera, and Y/n couldn’t ask for anything better. 

Jensen went to his usual chair on the right side of the stage, pulling it more forward and center before sitting down as the crowd continued to cheer for them. Jared followed suit, spinning his chair around and putting as close to Jensen’s as was humanly possible. Her husband frowned and leaned away from Jared, who only played along and leaned into his best friend. 

Jensen brought the mic to his lips and scowled, “Dude, why are you so close to me?”

“Cause we’re family now, officially bonded by blood,” Jared retorted, still trying to lean into Jensen as he continued to pull away. The older man rolled his eyes at his brother-in-law’s antics but couldn’t fight the smile on his face as the crowd cheered at Jared’s words. 

“Don’t remind me.” Jared leaned into Jensen, whispering something in his ear before the pair shared another laugh. Jared spun around and started the questioning. They got a few typical questions about Supernatural and the final season, nothing too crazy, but one specifically piqued Y/n’s interest. 

The girl asking the question stood not even twenty feet from her at the mic on the right side of the room. “My question is for Jensen.” Her voice was steady, but she was looking at her feet as she spoke. “Now that you are on The Boys, the show has far more carnage than Supernatural, and you have said in the past that you dislike being covered in fake blood, so I was wondering if you have come to terms with it, or has your hatred only grown?” 

Jensen threw his head back in laughter at her question, surprised that he hadn’t been asked it before today. “Well, you are right, I have not been shy about my contempt of stage blood, but nowadays I do find it far less annoying than I once did. I think I got over it filming season fifteen. There is nothing like staring at a beautiful woman to take your mind off of the stickiness. Y/n was a great distraction.” 

“Alright, that’s my baby sister you are talking about,” Jared faked a gag before dropping his mic in his usual fashion as the crowd let out a collective ‘awe.’ Jensen shrugged before moving on to the next question. He rounded to the next fan on the opposite side of the stage. 

“Hi,” the boys said in unison, bright smiles on their faces for the girl.

“First of all, I want to congratulate Jensen on the pregnancy. So, my question is for Jensen and Jared. Jensen, since you learned about the pregnancy, has your perception of life and love changed, and if so, how? And for Jared, being a father yourself, what are some things or advice you would like to share with Jensen? How has becoming a dad changed you? Thank you!” The girl stuttered around her words, her nerves of having the guy’s undivided attention seeping through her voice. 

“What?!” Jared dropped his jaw as he turned his head back to look at his brother in law in the seat next to him. “You’re pregnant?” 

Jensen leaned back in his chair and ran a hand down his torso, “Do you think I’m showing yet?”

“No dude, you look good, women everywhere hate you.” The duo fell into a fit of laughter, their heads were thrown back in unison at their stupid joke. Naturally, the whole crowd joined in. How could one not when those two were cracking up? It was infectious. 

“I’m sorry about my friend here. Thank you, we are very excited.” Jensen leaned around Jared to smile at the fan that stood with a Random Acts volunteer’s arm around her shoulders. “As for your question, it didn’t really hit me until we heard the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. Anyone who has kids knows how important that moment is. I never thought I could love my wife more than I already did, but there is something about looking at the woman you love carrying your child. It’s a completely different kind of connection to another human being. As for our baby, well, she was just a flicker on the screen then, but I knew there was nothing I wouldn’t do for that flicker.”

“Y/n is gonna kill you later for saying ‘she,’” Jared cut in, but Jensen just smirked knowingly. The man always had to cut the emotion with a joke, something the pair of them had in common. Life was too short to always be so serious anyway. 

“Well, what about you dad?” 

“What are you talking about?”

“She asked you a question too, so answer it,” Jensen reminded his costar, much to the amusement of everyone around them. 

“Oh yeah. Well, I’ve given Jensen tons of advice. He’s constantly coming to me for my superior wisdom.” Jensen frowned behind him, his eye roll visible even from the back of the room. “Nah, but in all seriousness, the best piece of advice I could ever give him would be to just be there for your wife, whatever she needs. She just gave you a child, the least you could do is get her some water and snacks during feedings.” 

In the shadows of the audience, Gen leaned over to Y/n, whispering in her ear, “I think he’s done that maybe twice.” Y/n laughed along with her friend, knowing full well that sounded just like Jared. 

“Being a dad has taught me an abundance of patience and understanding. While they are your kids, they are also humans with real feelings and thoughts. It’s important to listen to your children, and I mean really listen to them. It’s not easy some days, but what they’ll remember in twenty years is whether mom and dad were there or not, so that’s what’s most important to me.” The girl whispered a shaky ‘thank you’ to the guys before they moved on. There were more questions about Supernatural, Walker, and The Boys, but what Y/n didn’t expect was another question regarding her, the words cutting her like ice as they left the fan’s mouth.

"Now that Y/N is pregnant, how hard is it being away from her while filming? How do you handle the emotions of being away from your wife in this kind of situation?" The fan had a bright smile on her face as she asked a question that was sure to have the fans falling even more in love with her husband and the amazing man he was. 

Gen’s hand fell on her shoulder as she noticed her sister-in-law’s body tense, awaiting the answer from the actor on stage. Jensen turned his gaze to her, offering a small smile to her before turning back to the fan. 

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I feel like I’m dumping everything on her shoulders and leaving her to figure it out alone, and I hate that. You know, I made a promise to her on our wedding day that I would always be there for her, and I feel like I’m breaking that promise. On the nights that the baby is rolling around and not letting her get any sleep, she will FaceTime me to show me, and anyone who’s ever seen this knows it’s just as cool as it is creepy when it looks like the kid is trying to escape from her stomach.” Jared nodded in agreement alongside him as the audience laughed at his admission. “My heart clenches in those moments because I know there are a hundred other moments that I don’t get to be there for, but even more so that my wife doesn’t get to have me next to her for. I know it’s just as hard on her, experiencing all these new milestones alone. We are both just very lucky that she has Jared and Gen so close. Those two have been her rock through this whole thing.” 

“If there is anyone who can handle it, it’s Y/n,” Jared cut in, sensing his friend’s growing discomfort. “My sister is one of the strongest women I know, so don’t worry about her too much, Jay.”

“Right, yes my mistake, what was I thinking worrying about my pregnant wife?” The shorter Texan played up his words with a stiff nod of his head, much to the enjoyment of the crowd. The guys thanked the fan for her question just as Rob and Rich came back on stage, starting up the last question song. Y/n excused herself then to go to the restroom, assuring Clif she’d be okay and she would be right back, imploring him to stay with Gen and the kids.

The pregnant woman slipped past Creation security near the stage to the hall that led to the bathrooms. She sped down the hall on her toes, the urgency not hitting her until she stood up. Her mind was focused on getting to the bathroom, unconcerned about anything else until she was inside the first open stall. Y/n took care of her business, coming out of the stall to a figure standing directly across from her at the sinks. Her eyes trailed up the broad person who had their back to her until she met their eyes in the mirror.

“No!” The gasp left her lips, her feet instinctively stepping backward until her back hit the stall. 

“Hi, Y/n,” the man’s voice was rough, the sound of grating against every nerve in her body. It perfectly matched the smirk that he held as he turned to face her, the same smirk that had been haunting her dreams for weeks now. The woman swallowed around the lump in her throat as her pulse rose, the thrum of it beating behind her ears. 

“How?” It was the only thing she could force past her lips as her mind raced through all the possible outcomes of this encounter. If anything, she was trying to buy time until someone came looking for her, but she had no idea how long that could be. 

“I expected a hello, but I guess I can’t really blame you,” the guy shrugged, his nonchalance unsettling Y/n even more than she already was. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time now.”

“Waiting for me?”

“It was only a matter of time before we found our way to each other,” he took a step closer to Y/n, her heart skipping in her chest at the action. No matter how frightened she was at this moment, Y/n refused to back down. Instead, she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin at the man. 

“Wh-what do you want?” Her tongue tripped over her words and the woman fought to control her breaths, letting the air out slowly through her nose as she refused to look away from the stalker across from her. 

“I want you. It’s always been you. For years I’ve waited for you to come to your senses about that actor you call your husband, but it seems you may need a little push,” he explained as his feet began to pace in a line, cutting off her only route to the door of the bathroom, to her freedom. 

“Excuse me?” Y/n was genuinely confused now, her adrenaline-soaked brain struggling to comprehend what he was telling her. 

“He’s all wrong for you. The bastard married you and ran off to Canada the second he could, leaving you to tend to his house, and now look at you, knocked up with his spawn and he still could give a rat’s ass about you.” The man’s voice was rising in tone as he became agitated, with what exactly she wasn’t sure, but she didn’t want to stick around to find out. 

“My husband loves me—”

“No!” He rounded on her, his pacing halted as he looked at her. “He’s poison. He doesn’t care about you or your career, he only cares about what you can do for him, but me? I’ve been your number one fan since the beginning. With me, your possibilities are limitless. Nobody could stop us.” 

It was now even more apparent to her at that moment that this guy was far more unhinged than she had originally thought. He believed with every fiber of his being that what he was saying was the truth, she could see it in the fire raging behind his eyes. It was the same fire that had her biting her tongue from firing back. She had more than just herself to think about in this situation, and she had no one way of knowing how he would react, but she also knew that staying in that bathroom was not an option either. 

It was now or never. He was no longer pacing across her escape route, and she wasn’t that far from the door. If she could at least get on the other side of it, she could create a commotion to draw attention. The second his eyes flickered from her own, she leaped into action, setting her focus on the door, and only the door. As her fingers wrapped around the handle, she felt his rough grip on her bicep. She was only able to get the door open a fraction of an inch, but it was enough. Her frantic eyes met with the shocked ones of Gen and Clif on the other side of the door. 

“Damn it!” He hollered as he yanked her back. The door didn’t even have time to close before Clif was pushing his way into the bathroom after her, watching as Y/n stumbled and nearly fell on her ass from the force of the stranger’s pull. 

“Alright, let her go,” Clif’s voice was calm and demanding as he assessed the scene in front of him. “Don’t make this worse for you than it already is.” 

“You make it sound so easy,” the guy chuckled dryly, the sound of it finally breaking whatever false sense of confidence Y/n had created. Preparing for a struggle, she squeezed her eyes shut, the action sending the welled up tears cascading down her cheeks. 

“It is that easy. Because trust me, if you hurt her, it will be the last thing you ever do.” The sound of the bathroom door opening again had her opening her eyes, a few of Creation’s security guards filing in to back up Clif. Knowing he was outnumbered, the man roughly released his grip on Y/n’s arm. The pregnant woman scrambled away from him, past security, and out into the hallway. 

“Y/n...” The sudden grip around her wrist startled the traumatized woman, her body reacting against it until her gaze met the familiar green eyes of her husband. Her body relaxed in an instant, throwing her into his arms as a sob racked through her body. Jensen squeezed his wife in his arms, holding her shaking frame close to his chest as she let out all her emotions. He shared a look with Jared before burying himself into her as well, just as relieved to have her back as she was to be free. 

It had only been about thirty seconds since Gen had come running back from checking on Y/n to tell them that something was wrong, but it was all it took. He felt his heart sink as he looked at the fear in Gen’s eyes. He and Jared were up from their chairs like lightning, allowing their long legs to get them to the bathroom with security hot on their tail. It killed him to have to wait outside, but he knew it was the best chance of getting her out of there safely, so he bit his tongue and did as he was told. None of that mattered now anyway, she was safe in his arms, and that was the most important thing. 

It felt like an eternity later when the cops showed up, taking the place of the unarmed security detail. They emerged with the guy in cuffs, a deep scowl on his face as he was carted out of the hotel, Clif and the security following behind. 

“Clif, what the fuck happened?!” Jensen growled, fury about the day’s events creeping upon him, seeing the guy that had his hands on his wife only fanning the fire in his belly. 

“I’m sorry, Jensen—” Clif's words were cut off by the raging actor. 

“You’re sorry? You were supposed to be protecting her!” Y/n lifted her head from her husband’s shoulder, using the back of her sleeve to wipe away the tears and snot from her face. The man’s whole body was tense, the anger rolling off of him of barely perceptible vibrations. 

“Hey, Jay,” she put her hands on his face, making him look at her. Reluctantly, he tore his gaze from Clif to look at his wife, his face softening as he took in her fragile state. “It’s not his fault. I told him to stay with Gen.”

“Y/n/n...”

“No. Clif is not to blame right now and you know it,” Y/n lowered her voice, the little bit of sternness she was able to muster dissipating. “You’re scared and I am too, but don’t take that out on him.” Jensen nodded at her, leaning in to kiss her forehead with trembling lips.

“I’m sorry, Clif,” Jensen breathed, his eyes opening slowly to look back up at his long time friend. Still trying to come to his senses over what had just happened, he had one arm around his wife, refusing to break contact with her. The fear of being out of control was still too overpowering. 

“It’s okay, I understand.” The two men shared a nod. Emotions were still on high, and everyone needed a moment to take in the events that had just transpired. Before anything else could be said, one of the cops cut through the tense scene playing out in the middle of the hotel hallway. He had a concerned look on his face, but he had a job to do too. 

“Ma’am, can I ask you a couple of questions?”

Main Panel Timestamps x/x

Part 9: 35 Weeks Pregnant 

Forevers: @22sarah08​ @akshi8278​ @anathewierdo​ @atc74​ @awesome-badass-cafeteria-sauce​​ @callmekda​ @dawnie1988​ @deanwanddamons​ @ellewritesfix05​ @emoryhemsworth​ @foxyjwls007​ @hobby27​ @janicho88​ @jensengirl83​ @katehuntington​ @lyarr24​ @malfoysqueen14​ @miss-nerd95​ @mrsjenniferwinchester​ @msmarvelouswinchester​ @polina-93​​ @sleepylunarwolf​ @stiles-stilinski-24-dylan​ @smol-and-grumpy​ @suckmyapplejacks​ @superfanficnatural​ @supraveng​ @talesmaniac89​ @tranquility-or-chaos​​ @waywardbeanie​ @winchest09​

Happiness Continues: @afangirlreacts​ @anaelsbrunette​ @ashleyrose0117 @austin-winchester67​ @deanbowlegsackles​ @deangirl93​ @deans-baby-momma​ @death-unbecomes-you​ @dvnmbabe​ @fangirl199813 @harryhook-lover​ @hoboal87​ @itsdesiree86​ @jbsgirl4eber11 @let-me-luve-you​ @lunarmoon8​ @neverland14353​ @onethirstyunicorn​ @parinarain​ @rebeccathefangirl @rebelemilu​ @smoothdogsgirl​ @spnfamily-j2​ @stoneyggirl​ @squirrelnotsam​ @traceyaudette​ @winchestergirl82​ @winqhster​ @zpandaqueen​

[ruzek-halstead]

i knew i loved you then (but you'd never know)

i have no self control and another fic was born out of what was supposed to be just an outline on how i would write it. sorry, not sorry. thanks @thedeathdeelers for sending in the incredible prompt that led to this fic!!

julie molina, pop princess taking on the world by storm, with her trusty bodyguard by her side. a short take on how luke and julie fall in love while travelling the world. 

bodyguard au

masterlist

For as long as she could remember, Julie Molina couldn’t picture herself doing anything except performing in front of screaming fans every night. It was everything she ever wanted. She would practice by herself in front of her mirror, giggling when she spotted her mom peeking from the doorway. Sometimes Rose would join her, grabbing Julie’s hairbrush to harmonize with her daughter. Julie would sometimes stop and stare in awe at her mother’s range; every shred of talent Julie had was because of her. It was their routine, their tradition. Until it wasn’t. 

After her mother’s death, it took Julie a while to be able to sing; by herself in front of the mirror and in front of anyone else. Why should she get the opportunity to showcase her talent when the entire reason she had any at all wasn’t there to see it anymore? But then she realized the only way to rid herself of the anger and hurt she was feeling, was to write it down. Her words eventually transformed into song lyrics, and without even realizing it, she started singing again. It happened gradually, to the point where she didn’t even notice what a massive change it was for her. Then she started playing for an audience; she needed an outlet for her thoughts and feelings and this was the perfect opportunity for her. When she was noticed by a producer at random, it didn’t even hit her until she was signing her first ever record deal. Julie signed the papers, stepped into the bathroom and cried for a solid ten minutes. She wanted so badly for her mom to be here with her, to witness this monumental moment. Julie knew, no matter what, Rose was looking down from above, beaming with pride. She promised herself she would do this for her, to make her proud. That was how Julie found herself on her third tour, following her third number one album. Her first album went straight to number one. Julie remembered the moment she found out; she was grocery shopping with her father when she received a call from her label to give her the good news. Both she and Ray couldn’t contain the screams of excitement as they jumped around in the cereal aisle. After that, everything changed for Julie. In preparation for her first local tour, multiple people were hired to take part of the crew; so many that Julie couldn't possibly name them all. She was appreciative of every single one, especially the ones in her immediate circle. While she played her piano mostly, she still needed a band for the road; that was how she met Alex, Reggie and Bobby. Alex dominated on drums, throwing some sass everywhere he went. He constantly made rehearsals the place to be, sometimes maybe a bit too distracting. Reggie played the bass so passionately, Julie didn't think she'd ever met someone so passionate about an instrument. He always kept her laughing in rehearsals, especially with his dances as he played. Bobby took the lead as their rhythm guitarist; he was quiet and shy, but when he joined in on the other boy's shenanigans, he felt completely in his element, almost like they'd been friends for ages. She loved her band so much, she insisted they accompany her on every future tour. While her first one was small and local, she never could've dreamed that she would be embarking on her third tour, this one being a world tour. It was the most exciting journey, and now at the age of twenty-two, she would be taking this trip solo. It was intimidating, but she knew she had the best team. It also happened that she had the best protection detail around. The more she was known, the faster her fanbase grew and just to be on the safe side, her label hired her a bodyguard to accompany her on the first tour. When she first met him, she was shocked; he was so young. She truly believed he could do no better of a job than she could, but during her first mobbing, he proved just how resilient he was. Julie quickly realized that when it came to her safety, Luke Patterson did not mess around. He was two years older than her, and it seemed like her label was trying to surround her with staff that she could feel comfortable around. At the time, it was her first tour and the only person she knew was her father and brother. It was nice to have people close to her age that she could pass the time with. Luke had worked with other celebrities before he landed his gig protecting Julie Molina. But he could safely say, no one he had ever met even came close to her. With someone being thrown into the limelight at such a young age, the rush of fame could very easily corrupt them. But that didn't happen with Julie. She was always so kind, so appreciative of everyone helping her dreams come true. It was so easy to get along with her, and it helped that they got on exceptionally well. He spent more time with Julie than anyone else in the crew; he quite literally watched her grow as a popstar, at how she handled her success. But she never had a wild phase. All she ever wanted to do was make her family proud and continue to make music. Julie had such a big heart. He knew it was unprofessional, but he couldn't help it - his attachment grew. By the time her third tour rolled around, they'd known each other for years; they were friends more than anything. It became normal for him to linger longer than necessary, but Julie never seemed to mind. Everyone knew he had his own space on the second tour bus for crew, but they also didn't question when he began spending more and more time in Julie's tour bus. Once again, she never objected. "What do you think of this?" Julie was clad in a pair of sweatpants and a merch hoodie. Her feet were adorned with fluffy slippers and they were hoisted on Luke's lap. They were on the road to their next city, Julie was exhausted from her show earlier that night, but she was adamant on finishing a new song. Even though she was celebrating the success from album three with a tour, she still couldn't stop herself from starting on album four. Luke always warned her that she would burn herself out, but her determination strayed beyond his wise words. Luke read over Julie's lyrics, humming thoughtfully. She was aware that he was into music, but Luke never revealed just how into music he really was. He wasn't confident enough about his vocal abilities to sing in front of a worldwide popstar, even if it was only Julie. She also knew he dabbled in writing songs, but he seriously undersold it, because if she were to ever ask to see his material, he wouldn't even be able to show her. Why wouldn't he be able to show her? Because he wasn't sure when it happened, but somewhere between their years of knowing each other, months upon months of spending every waking moment together, Luke fell in love. Every line he wrote, every word, was about Julie. "That's beautiful, Jules," he had responded softly. It was dark in the bus, only the soft lighting from the lamp beside Julie illuminating their surroundings. She was growing sleepy; playing a two hour show every night really drained the life out of her. She was hyper aware of how close Luke was next to her. She knew he wouldn't get off her bus until their next stop, wherever that may be. Julie might as well enjoy his company while she still had it. She grabbed the notebook out of his hands and tossed it aside. She also pulled her feet off his lap and curled them underneath her instead, scooting closer to lie her head comfortably on his shoulder. Luke stiffened for a moment. But then she curled her arm around his and he nearly melted. All the words died on his tongue. He wanted nothing more than to be here in the moment. He knew it was wrong. His feelings were incredibly inappropriate, but it wasn't as if he could shut them off. He didn't think his feelings affected his job performance; if anything, he felt even more motivated to keep her as safe as possible. It didn't change his behaviour with her either. He would never do anything to make her uncomfortable or ruin the bond between them. He merely suffered with his feelings in silence; it was for the best, and he knew that. Luke genuinely believed his feelings were completely one-sided. But as time went on, he started noticing things. It was Julie's first worldwide tour; the stakes were much higher and Luke knew his job was more important than ever. His focus was first and foremost on Julie's well-being, feelings be damned. He truly tried to even distance himself, keep it strictly professional. But then he noticed the way Julie's eyes would linger on him sometimes. Sometimes her smiles were softer, almost like they were just for him. At first, he thought he was absolutely losing his mind. Maybe his brain was just trying to trick him and show him just how ridiculous this whole thing was, but eventually, he couldn't deny it anymore. Not after she basically stared directly at him for the entirety of one of her love songs. And it wasn't only that. Sometimes she would hit him with some flirty comments, ones where he would actually have to take a moment because what? But then other times, she avoided him like the plague. He was having a hard time keeping up with her and pinning her down, but he was really starting to get the impression that maybe his feelings weren't completely one-sided. Eventually, she continued to avoid him like the plague (which, made his job increasingly more difficult since he was supposed to be protecting her). It made things awkward and this was supposed to be a good experience, especially for her. Every time he tried to clear the air and have an adult conversation about the tension between them, she did everything in her power to avoid it. The excuses she came up with bewildered him. He tried to be as patient as possible. This was her moment, he didn't want to ruin anything. But she knew this better than anyone, he was everything but a patient man. It all came to a head in Barcelona. Luke finally felt like he was making some progress again. Julie had actually stayed in his presence longer than needed and seemed to enjoy it as they threw some jokes back and forth. He wished her luck before she went on stage and she sent him such a blinding smile, he momentarily forgot how to breathe. So, when she finished her show, he politely congratulated her, as he did every night. He was momentarily knocked backwards a few steps as she threw herself into his arms. He was surprised, but in the absolutely best way. It had been a while since she'd felt comfortable enough to be in his embrace. Luke could feel her melting into the hug. But then it went on a second too long, or it got far too intimate for Julie because she pulled away as if he burned her. She refused to meet his gaze and mumbled something about going to change. Luke was so glad everyone around was too busy to realize what had just happened. Truth be told, he wasn't even sure what happened; all he knew was that he was feeling awkward and uncomfortable and he really wasn't sure he could go on like this any longer. She was clearly feeling something, though what that was, he wasn't sure. But her inability to have a conversation with him about it was really starting to put a strain on their professional and personal relationship. Luke wasn't sure how much longer he could hold on. Later that night, when it was time to lead Julie back to her tour bus, Luke checked out their path before bringing Julie out. Fans and paparazzi clouded their way and Luke knew he had to clear a safe way for Julie to get the few feet to her tour bus. When Julie stormed past him, his jaw dropped in shock. It took him a second to spring into action; he had to literally run to catch up with her and get in front. She knew the routine, they did this all the time. Julie always went behind Luke; always. Luke grunted angrily as Julie attempted to move past him for the fourth time since they exited the building. As soon as they reached the door of her tour bus, Julie zoomed inside and shut the door harshly behind her. Luke took a deep, calming breath before storming in after her. "What the hell was that?" Julie ignored him as she went to the fridge to grab a drink; Luke's eye twitched. "I'm responsible for your safety. How am I supposed to keep you safe if you pull that bullshit?" He was angry now and his tone conveyed that. To his utter infuriation, Julie continued to ignore him. She took a seat on the couch and grabbed the television remote. She was acting as if he wasn't even there. Luke stepped forward and captured the remote out of her hand. Her venomous eyes turned on him and he had to take a step back at the pure hatred within them. "Julie," he breathed, brokenly. He felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. "What is going on? You've been avoiding me for weeks." Her eyes seemed to soften, but her gaze was still nowhere near how she used to look at him. He wasn't sure where everything had changed. But then he watched as Julie swallowed harshly and stared at anything but him. That was when he knew. He knew this wouldn't work. He was in love with her and she couldn't even stand to be around him anymore. He couldn't do this. He couldn't protect her anymore. Not from the world and not from him. Luke's heart started to break the moment he realized what he had to do next. "I'm sorry, Julie," Luke's voice cracked with the pain he was feeling. It felt like his heart was being physically removed from his chest. "I can't do this anymore." Julie finally met his eyes, eyebrows furrowing at the glimmer of tears. "I'm compromised. I'm in love you with and I clearly can't protect you anymore. You can't even look at me." Julie felt her heart physically drop. He looked so broken, so crushed, quite literally ready to cry. He finally admitted what Julie had been trying to admit to herself for months. He was so much braver than her; he was stepping down from his job because it was the 'better' option for both of them. He was stepping down from his job because of her. Because she had ignored him for months because she wasn't brave enough to face what she was feeling. It wasn't fair to him. It was time for Julie to be the brave one. Luke was ready to leave; he had backed up a few steps closer to the door. He was giving her an opportunity to stop him, to tell him something that would change his mind, but she didn't say anything. It broke his heart all over again. Before he could turn away to leave, Julie launched forward into his arms. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, legs locked around his waist. It was the closest they'd been in weeks, the most intimate they'd been ever. The words weren't coming to her. But Luke couldn't hold her the way she needed, not until she gave him something. "Don't leave me." His arms squeezed around her almost instantly, as tightly as he possibly could. His face was buried in her curls and he sighed. It still wasn't enough. "I don't think I can stay. Not when I feel the way I do." Julie pulled back to look into his eyes, her own shimmering with unshed tears. "What if I felt the same way?" Luke forgot how to breathe. There were no words in his brain, nothing he could say in this absolutely perfect moment. He didn't need to say anything though because Julie wasn't finished. "I think I'm in love with you too," she admitted, feeling the most vulnerable she ever had in her life. "Please don't leave." Julie's head found its way to Luke's neck. She couldn't let him go; she was too scared he would leave. "I'm not going anywhere, Julie." Even with his promise, she couldn't find it in her to let him go; so, she didn't. Luke sat them down on the couch, keeping her close. When she finally pulled her head out of his neck, she was met with his sparkling green eyes, shining with pure happiness. It coaxed a giggle from her lungs and Luke joined in. The pure joy they were feeling couldn't be matched. But then their laughter died off as Julie's eyes glanced down to Luke's mouth. The energy between them changed immediately. Luke's urge to kiss her was nearly overpowering, but he wanted Julie to feel comfortable. His hand found its way up to cradle her cheek; she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes and sighing in contentment. He leaned his face closer, giving her an out, if she wanted it. But she didn't. Instead, she chased his lips with her own, pressing into him. She had wasted too much time acting like a child; she wasn't going to waste anymore. Her hands found themselves in his hair, scratching at his scalp and eliciting a low moan from him. Luke senses were overwhelmed, but in the best way possible. He pushed back against Julie's lips, as she deepened the kiss, parting his lips. He kissed her fiercely, like she was the oxygen he'd been deprived of. It was the type of kiss that left little room for thought; his focus was all on feeling this moment, remembering this moment. 

Julie pulled away with a giggle to take a breath. Luke still hadn't gotten enough of her and his mouth travelled to her jaw, dropping light butterfly kisses. Julie closed her eyes in contentment, tipping her head. When his mouth moved to her neck, all logic immediately flew out of her brain. She was unable to form coherent thoughts when Luke's tongue was doing that to her neck. When she let out a whisper of a whimper, Luke popped back up with hooded eyes. "God, I'm so in love with you," he mumbled before diving back into her lips. Julie loved him too, and in that moment, she vowed to never do anything to ever make him second guess his place in her life. 

x

okay so now that i wrote ‘luke and julie falling in love while travelling the world’ i want to write an even more fledged out fic WHERE THEY ACTUALLY TOUR THE WORLD AND FALL IN LOVE. i can’t be satiated. anyway, i hope you enjoyed.

tagging a few lovely mutuals who shared some interest: @brightattheorpheum @pink-flame @missjoolee @ourstarscollided @burntchromas 

[wlw-in-space]

You should make an oneshot or like explain how it was when Lena first took Little!Luthor in and how r met all the superfriends in the process. Would love to see like a backstory on how r and lena’s bond grew :). ( since you mentioned in the kidnapping fic that in the very beginning r wasn’t used to the touchy affection )

Lex.

Lex had never been involved in your life.

Before he had been sent to prison, you would see him occasionally on holidays when he came to visit Lilian but he would never pay you any attention because he simply just didn’t care enough.

He said he did, but you knew he didn’t.

-

Lena leaves for college.

You remembered the day Lena left to college.

Not very clearly, but you still remembered.

You were young, seven or eight probably.

Lena had been your best friend up until that point. She knew more about you than anyone and you loved her unconditionally.

She was the perfect big sister.

Lilian didn’t seem to like her very much, though, and you could never figure out why.

Either way, you begged Lilian to let you go to the airport with Lena to say goodbye.

Lilian didn’t want to deal with you being a pain for not letting you say goodbye at the airport, so she reluctantly agreed.

When it was time for Lena to leave, she crouched down to be eye level with you and pulled you in for a tight hug.

In return, you clung to her tightly, “I’ll miss you, Lee. Please come visit.” You said tearfully.

“I promise I’ll come visit, honey. Okay?” Lena released you and brushed away your tears, smiling sadly. “I love you, little one.” She kissed your cheek and stood, waving goodbye to Lilian and blowing you a kiss before she turned down a corner and you couldn’t see her anymore.

As soon as you and Lilian got back in the car, she scolded you for crying like a baby.

-

Growing up is lonely.

Since Lena was in college and Lex was doing god knows what, you pretty much grew up only being around Lilian.

She wasn’t a good mother, that was for sure.

If you thought she treated Lena badly, she treated you ten times worse.

She was fed up with you and she had never wanted another kid in the first place.

Lilian never failed to tell you that, to remind you of how annoying you could be, to scold you constantly, to tell you to grow up.

You did though. You matured extremely fast and something about that bothered you.

Your innocence had been stolen by your own corrupted family and your mother at its core.

-

Reuniting with Lena.

The longest you went without seeing Lena after she had left for college was a year and a half.

The reason for that was mainly because she and Lilian had been arguing and Lilian told her that if she bothered coming to visit for the holidays, there was no way she would see would let her see you anyways, so there was no use in coming.

You of course didn’t know that until one day Lena called you on the phone and explained in depth the reason why you wouldn’t be seeing her for a while.

You knew she was upset about it, that much was clear. You could hear it in her voice. That didn’t exactly stop you from feeling upset though.

It was ‘funny’ enough that the next time you did see Lena was when Lilian got arrested.

It was odd for her to see you again. You weren’t the little ray of sunshine and hug machine she’d once shared a home with.

Yeah, when she used to visit you would greet her with a big hug and be attached at the hip, but even when she did visit, you were lucky if she stayed four days at a time and that wasn’t very much anyway.

The only times you had gotten affection was from Lena visiting and spending a whole year and a half completely alone made you unused to people being close to you and getting affection from people.

You were excited to see her though, you’d missed her a lot, you just didn’t know how to express that as well as you used to.

Lena was at the manor in a short two hours once Lilian was in prison.

She’d expected that when she’d gotten there that you would be overjoyed to see her and you guys would have a sweet moment together but that wasn’t exactly what happened.

You smiled when you saw her and waved a little.

Lena rushed over to hug you but faltered a bit when you seemed reluctant to get up.

You noticed and felt badly, so you stood and hugged Lena, sighing softly as you felt her familiar arms hold you close to her, as if you could be taken from her at any second.

It didn’t take long for Lena to realize how you’d tensed up, and she took that as a sign to give you a bit of space.

—

Playing catch-up.

You guys caught up on each other’s lives quickly. There wasn’t really much to say about your own life, since you didn’t do much with Lilian breathing down your neck constantly and being a Luthor, you barely had any friends and had only dated like, three people (and all three of the relationships ended badly).

Since you were older now, Lena told you about how boarding school was for her, and it seems like she was having a much better time that you were or would ever have.

There were times when people would bother her about being a Luthor, but she still had friends and she dated and nothing really stopped her from living her life and being herself in school.

It was clear that Lena felt bad for you. She seemed to look worried while you talked about school and how the people there treated you.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel a little at fault, since she was the reason a bunch more attention is being drawn to the Luthors.

“Hey, uh, it’s not your fault,” You said suddenly after Lena had been quiet for a couple of minutes.

“Sorry?” Lena raised a brow, confused at the sudden conversation.

“It isn’t your fault that your experience with the Luthors was better than mine. I just wanted to remind you that, in case you forget or something,” You shrugged.

—

Rushing through high school.

After about a week of living in Lena’s penthouse, you were starting to get more used to being around her.

You weren’t going to school because for the last year, you’d been homeschooled due to all of the drama and conflicts with Lilian.

Since you literally had no friends, you spend your time studying, and sped through two and a half years of high school.

You went with Lena to L-Corp, she didn’t want to leave you alone yet, and while you were there you worked on finishing your last year of high school.

—

The first time you hugged Lena yourself.

It was hard to stop yourself from hugging Lena. You really wanted to.

Sometimes you just wanted to be held in someone’s arms and feel safe and protected.

When Lena got home from work you were sitting at your desk in your room with your history homework in front of you. You’d stayed home because you knew she had to go to the DEO for the majority of the day and you didn’t want to have to talk to anyone besides Lena yet.

You hadn’t managed to get any work done all day, which was unusual because you were usually productive.

Instead of working, you’d spent the day thinking of how much better of a mother Lilian could’ve been, if Lena had taken you with her to National City when she first moved, if Lex wasn’t insane and he’d been a good big brother, if your family was normal, how completely alone you had been for years.

When she came to your room to say hi, your eyes were wet but you weren’t crying.

You turned and looked at her standing in your doorway for a few seconds before getting up and walking over to her, stopping right in front of her.

Her expression softened and right before she opened her mouth, you threw your arms around her neck and pulled her as close to you as you could.

You felt her let out a breath as she wrapped her arms around your waist slowly, not wanting to startle you.

Lena almost found herself crying, so happy that you’d finally hugged her, but concerned nonetheless.

“Is everything okay?” She asked you, quietly as she rubbed your back gently.

“I don’t want to feel alone anymore,” Was all you had to say for her to hug you just a little tighter.

—

Working on your relationship.

After that, you and Lena became closer.

You started to bond more and both of you loved it.

The two of you established a movie night on Thursday night and after a bit of convincing, Lena was able to persuade you to agree to meet her friends.

That was in a week or two though.

Enchanted was the first movie you guys had decided to watch. Lena pulled it up on her tv while you made popcorn and poured it into a bowl.

The reason you guys had chosen it was because it seemed like the last thing either of you would really enjoy, but maybe that was the best part about it.

You sat down, setting the popcorn on the coffee table and grabbing a blanket from one of the baskets underneath the tv, throwing it to the couch beside Lena.

Lena chuckled as she put the remote on the arm rest and unfolded the blanket, patting the space next to her.

You smiled and flopped back on the couch, positioning yourself so you were leaning against Lena and her arm was around your shoulder comfortably.

You sighed contently, taking a handful of popcorn and eating it.

Throughout the movie, Lena was subconsciously rubbing your arm, which you noticed as soon as she started doing it.

It ended up being pretty good, in all honestly. You and Lena both thought it was really cute.

“The songs were really catchy,” You admitted as the credits started.

Lena nodded and chuckled, “Yeah, I have a feeling they’ll be stuck in my head.”

“Thanks for watching the movie with me,” You smiled and buried your face in her soft sweater.

“Of course,” Lena smiled and kissed the top of your head gently. “I love spending time with you.

—

You meet Kara and Alex for the first time.

You and Lena had agreed that it was better for you to meet one or two of her friends before you were thrown into a game night with a bunch of new people, that way you had at least two people to talk to other than Lena.

You guys had planned to meet for a mini girls night of some sort, with pizza and a movie at Kara’s apartment, which Lena told you was where most game nights were held.

As Lena knocked on the door, you stood slightly behind her, fiddling with the sleeve of your coat nervously. She turned around and looked at you, giving a reassuring smile and putting her arm around you.

A second or two later, the perky blonde Lena had shown you a picture of was at the door, bouncing on her heels, standing next to the redhead girl who was an inch or two shorter than her.

She smiled widely and pulled you into a tight hug, “It’s so nice to finally meet you, (y/n)! I’m Kara and this is my sister Alex.”

You laughed at Kara’s enthusiasm and returned her hug the best you could before she let go and grinned. Alex also greeted you with a hug, her more gentle and soft, but it felt protective at the same time.

“I didn’t know people could be so good at hugs,” You chuckled when the four of you had sat down on the carpet around the coffee table to eat the fresh pizza Alex bought. “I just thought Lena was the only good hugger.”

“Well, there’s a lot more where that came from,” Kara chuckled, taking a bite of her pizza.

Lena smiled at you, feeling a bit of pride. She was so happy that you were getting along well with Kara and Alex, even though you guys had just started talking.

You looked up at Lena and smiled back at her, scooting a little closer so she could wrap an arm around your waist with the hand she wasn’t using to eat.

The entire time you guys spent eating pizza, you were talking at the same time.

Kara straight up told you that she was Supergirl, not wanting to start with a secret, knowing how complicated it would make everything since Lena knew and she went to the DEO a lot.

Then Alex explained the DEO to you and told you how she was the director. She also mentioned that her girlfriend was a cop.

“That’s so badass,” You smiled, chuckling when you felt Lena nudge you after you curse.

“Languageee,” Lena teased with a raised brow.

“Oh, come on, Lee, as if you don’t have a worse potty mouth than I do,” You rolled your eyes and nudged her back.

Lena smiled at the nickname. You hadn’t realized that you said it, but she did. You hadn’t called her ‘Lee’ since you were little, and her heart swelled a bit when she heard the familiarity of the way you said it.

During the movie, you sat in between Lena and Alex. They’d decided on watching a horror movie, and since you hadn’t really seen one before, you figured that they couldn’t be that bad.

You were veryyyy wrong though. You hadn’t even caught the name of the movie because you refused to look at the screen.

About halfway through the movie, Alex told Kara to switch off the movie and put something else on because you had ended up sandwiched tightly between her and Lena, holding Lena’s arm around your waist tightly and burying your face into Alex’s hoodie.

You let out a sigh of relief when Kara flicked back to the menu of her tv, making Alex and Lena both laugh, and loosened your grip on Lena’s arm, “Sorry.”

“You’re all good,” Lena shook her head and pressed a comforting kiss to your temple before running her fingers through your hair gently. “Now we know, no more horror movies for you.”

You chuckled, “In all honesty, I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

“Oooh, we should watch UP!” Kara grinned when it caught her eye as she was flipping through the movie menu.

Alex groaned, “Kara, we watched UP last month.”

“Yeah, but it’s so good! Have you seen it, (y/n)?”

“No,” You shook your head. “I’ve only seen like four movies.”

Kara and Alex’s jaws dropped simultaneously and Alex took the remote from her sister, quickly pressing play, “Okay, this might make me a hypocrite, but you need to watch this movie.”

You and Lena chuckled at Alex, and you looked up at her with a smile.

She smiled back at you as you leaned into her more, tucking your head underneath her chin.

Maybe National City was growing on you.

—

Your first time meeting Maggie.

Lena was on a business trip to Europe for a few days, and although she insisted that she wouldn’t mind if you went, you reassured her that you could stay in National City comfortably.

She eventually gave in, knowing that you disliked flying just as much as she did, but made you agree that you would stay in Alex’s apartment (after she asked Alex, of course).

You settled in quickly, it only took you Friday afternoon to get used to her homey apartment and you really enjoyed spending time with Alex anyways.

Alex woke you up on Saturday at 10, wanting to let you sleep in a bit, with breakfast ready.

“You are the best ever,” You grinned and raced over to the kitchen table, sitting in a chair.

Alex chuckled and sat beside you, “Anything for my favorite teenager. You’ve got a fruit bowl, pancakes, and French toast to eat, don’t let it get cold.”

Both of you dug into your breakfast before you washed it down with water, “What’re we doing today?”

“Maggie has the day off today so we could hang out with her if you’re okay with that,” Alex shrugged as you both carried the dishes to the sink and she started washing them.

“Ooh!” You grinned. “Maggie’s your girlfriend, right?”

Alex blushed and rolled her eyes before nodding, “Yes, she’s my girlfriend.”

“Awh,” You chuckled. “I’m totally fine with that, and I’d love to meet her.”

“Okay, perfect, I’ll call her now. Do you wanna change and get ready to head out while I call her?”

You nodded, “Yep!”

When you got out of the bathroom, Alex was sitting on the couch watching some random show called NCIS. You walked over and sat next to her, fiddling with one of the rings on your fingers as you watched the tv.

The moment a knock sounded on the door, Alex smiled and shot up from where she was sitting to go answer it.

You stifled a laugh at how fast Alex reacted and turned around to watch Alex open the door and kiss the shorter woman standing in the doorway.

After a few seconds of them literally making out in the doorway, you cleared your throat softly and Alex pulled away, blushing, “Sorry, (y/n/n).”

Maggie walked into the apartment and Alex closed the door behind her, so you got up to say hi.

Apparently it was like, a National City thing where everyone hugs everyone when they meet for the first time because Maggie hugged you too when you walked up to her, “Hey, kid. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from Lena, Kara, and Alex.”

You chuckled, “All good things I hope.”

“Yeah, of course,” Maggie smiled.

After a little small talk, things started to get more comfortable and you were liking Maggie more by the second. She had this sarcastic way of joking that you found hilarious and on top of that, she was really really nice.

Soon, you guys decided to go ice skating in one of the nearby ice skating rinks.

You’d never actually ice skated before, so Maggie and Alex taught you.

You were a pretty fast learner and soon you were skating almost as well as they were. Of course, all of you had a few falls here and there (and they were all hilarious), but overall you guys were doing well.

When you guys had finished, you went for ice cream before returning back to Alex’s apartment.

—

Your first game night.

You and Lena were running a little late to game night.

It was your fault, since you’d changed what you were wearing three times before finally settling on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a white shirt, and a red hoodie.

Lena didn’t mind though, she knew you were nervous to meet the rest of her friends and you really wanted them to like you.

In a short 20 minutes, you were at Kara’s door, standing a little behind Lena, who looked behind her shoulder and pulled you up gently before putting her arm around your shoulder and knocking on the door.

From the outside of Kara’s apartment, you could hear Kara squealing, “They’re here!” and less than a second later, she was opening the door and pulling both of you into a group hug.

Lena went to go around and say hi to everyone, so Kara made it her responsibility to introduce you to everyone. First, you said hi to Alex and Maggie, before Kara introduced you to J’onn, the man who was talking to them.

He was really nice and you got the feeling that he was extremely wise, just from talking to him for a little bit.

Then she introduced you to James, who you’d seen a picture of before. He showed you some of the pictures he’d taken recently, which really intrigued you.

After that, Kara introduced you to Brainy and Nia. You thought they were like, the cutest couple ever. Just the way they looked at each other was adorable.

Finally, you were introduced to Winn, who you’d actually heard a lot about. You were excited to meet him because he seemed like a lot of fun and he totally was. His sense of humor was a bit unusual but funny nonetheless.

The night sped by quickly. You ate pizza, shared stories, and played games with everyone, and you never really felt like they didn’t want you there, or like you didn’t belong there.

Yeah, National City is pretty nice.

[askjaybird-hyssop]

OOC: Hi! I just found your blog because of a friend in the MH group chat, and could I please get a sorta more detailed recap than the one you've pinned? You don't have to, but I'd like to get caught up on everything, and it seems really well crafted from what I've seen! -Blue

//ooc: Sure! Just for reference though, I’ll link the [first post] which has links under the section called “The Story/AU” for a link to some other posts with lots of information too! I linked those all because there’s so much stuff that’s been fleshed out that it’d take forever to compile it all onto one document (I’m talking over 5,000+ words total).

(EDIT: I’m not sure how long this is but I think it’s probably gotten close to this  number lol)

This is also going to be pretty long, but I’ll try keeping it as short as possible (and it’s only going to be talking about what’s happened on the blog so far.) This will include information from the first 2 chapters, so if you haven’t read those be aware that there are spoilers here!

If you want even more info about the entire series/AU and are willing to hear spoilers just DM me and I’ll try getting back to you asap!

Warning: This is extremely long. Like, extremely long

--- --- ---

So, first and foremost, let’s talk about supernatural lore and the time loop. If you want to skip down to the next part just talking about the blog, it’s after the next black line (but you’ll probably be confused if you don’t read this).

In this world there is no “one true God” that rules everything. In reality, there’s a multitude of different supernatural creatures from all religions and mythology. This means there are Angels (ex: Seraph and Cherub), Demons (ex: Succubus and Kitsune), Dragons (ex: Hydra and Bakunawa), etc.

Or, in other words, everyone’s right in their religion because they all exist.

There’s a lot of lore here that I can’t go into without risking spoilers, but the last thing I can say is that The Operator is considered a type of  wraþþe demon (aka a demon of wrath). 

So, as Jay is shot and bleeding out the story mentions how he basically begged to any god or creature listening to help protect the others affected by their situation and how he wishes he could go back and save them all. Remember when I said that there are a bunch of supernatural creatures here? Well, they were there watching as he was dying and said his wish.

And what do they do? They panic. 

Why? Because they know that he is dying and they can’t let him die. People like Jay are extremely rare to come by because of his soul.

“His mother, who was away with the other leaders, was one of the most powerful Seraphim. His father, a mere mortal. But they loved each other greatly and their son had been blessed with a bright soul and a passion to support others. Yet here he was dying, after trying to help a childhood friend who had been possessed and tormented, the light within him desperately fighting to stay alive. No, this wasn't supposed to be happening.”

This explains why they are all freaking out. Because, while there are tons of different supernatural creatures, Angels and Demons still don’t get along and are in a constant fight. Some creatures, like the Phoenix, side with the Angels. They are sometimes also referred to as the “Celestial”. Others, like the Vampires, would side with the Demons. Sometimes they are referred to as the “Terrestrial”. Some creatures didn’t take any sides and were considered “Peacekeepers” or neutral parties.

The reasoning for the different names is because most fights between the Demons and Angels occur on the mortal realm. These fights aren’t the typical bloodbaths some people like to imagine, no, they are usually dealing with the interference of human life and the mortal plane.

The Angels, and usually the ones who side with them, are called Celestials because they typically are the creatures who have a harder time interacting with humans or going to the mortal plane while being visible. Demons and the neutral parties, on the other hand, are able to interact with the mortal plane a lot easier. This is why The Operator is able to be seen and have such strong effect on everyone.

This is also the reason why Jay was, and still is, being targeted by The Operator. When he was dying, The Operator was waiting to attempt to steal his soul and destroy it, because people with these souls are typically people who can interact with or be influenced by both the mortal plane and the supernatural plane. More often then not, these people don’t know about this and are targeted by both Celestials and Terrestrials. Because the Celestials have a harder time being able to influence the mortal plane, their goal is to try and use these people to help other humans, the world around them, and humans being hunted or possessed by Terrestrials. Demons, on the other hand, want to chaos destruction and chaos. They typically target humans and use them to create these things for them. In a sense, they use these humans that are possessed or corrupted by them as a food source. Also, it pisses off the Celestials, so there’s that bonus.

Only the most powerful Celestials and moderately powerful Terrestrials can actually view and interact with the mortal plane. All Terrestrials can view the mortal plane, however only the moderately powerful Celestials and most powerful Celestials can start the viewing of the mortal plane. For Celestials, if one creature starts a viewing of the mortal plane then any others who pass by can look over and see. Only the moderately powerful and the most powerful Celestials can actually go down and be there (even though they’re not visible to others). The most powerful Celestials are the only ones who can make themselves visible to humans and are able to interact with them.

Because Demons and other Terrestrials have such easy access to the mortal plane, this usually causes moderately powerful Celestials to be sent down to the mortal world, where they are unable to actually be seen or felt, and they usually fight to protect over the person/people that the demon use.

Now, Jay’s dad was one of the few exceptions to the rule of influence. This was because when he was in his late-teens him and some friends decided to mess with some witchcraft and supernatural stuff, but he was the only one actually affected ( because he was distantly related to another person with a partial-celestial soul, so there were very small traces of it in his blood. Even then, it was an incredibly small chance that this would actually happen). He had no idea this actually happened until he met Jay’s mom in the back of an alley one night. The rest is history.

So how does The Operator play into this?

The Operator saw Jay’s soul while he was attached to Tim and wanted to destroy or corrupt it. Because Jay was really close to Alex at the time, and The Operator couldn’t directly attach himself to Jay due to his soul being partially Celestial, The Operator decided to attach himself to Alex.

His goal was to cause destruction, chaos, and to cause as much pain/suffering to Jay as possible. (Note: he is classified as a moderately powerful demon. Still extremely hard to beat, especially for humans. To put this into context, if Jay currently fought a demon considered lowly powerful, he would most likely be left completely beat up and hurt, even though he has a chance of winning. These low level demons are still extremely powerful compared to humans)

While Jay’s dad had no problem being contacted by other Celestials or Peacekeepers, both his parents agreed they didn’t want him involved in the disputes of the supernatural world. They forbade any creatures from interacting with him and told them to keep him out of anything even remotely supernatural. Sadly, because Jay’s mom is a Seraph and is considered to have a lot of power, the other Celestials were not allowed to help him in the past. Their only rule was to make sure he didn’t get involved and that he didn’t get killed by a Terrestrial. That is why they panic so much.

Another note, People with partially Celestial souls like Jay are extremely rare, and some have stronger souls than others letting them see the different planes. Those with strong enough souls can interact with the two planes, which the Celestials find to be very helpful for when they want to help protect a person but are unable to manifest in the human world. These people sometimes act as messengers and communicators between worlds, but are usually not ones to advertise their abilities. Again, those who actually can interact with both planes are even more rare than Celestial-Human souls. Those with stronger souls are also targeted a lot more, which is why Jay made it all the way till meeting Tim and the others without ever being attacked by a Terrestrial.

So, what happens now? How did he get saved? What caused the time looping?

A phoenix decided to help him and give him what’s called a “blessing”. 

Whoa, whoa, whoa, another large and important piece of lore? Yep.

Different creatures can give what is called a blessing to a person, normally it barely affects them (ex: a little bit more good luck, passion for helping others, stealth and ability to hide crimes easier, more strategic mind, etc.), but because Jay already had a special soul used to reach out through the planes to help people, this is what caused him to gain his wings with the blessing from the Phoenix.

Blessings are typically small things that just boost another trait or part of a person. Some Terrestrials use their blessings to help make more chaos and increase damage, others don’t really care. The same thing applied to most creatures. Some care about giving their blessings out to peoples, others don’t. (Another note: a person can only have one blessing at a time, and the creature that blesses them can only bless 5 people total)

Jay’s soul cannot take blessings like a normal person’s soul, because it is a mix of human and celestial. When growing up, he always had a passion for helping others more than himself, and this was the minor influence of his soul. His powers were relatively weak though, and the only thing that actually occurred around others was that he had a stronger sense and ability of empathy and helping people through different event or what they were dealing with. He could’ve strengthened his powers to get them stronger and to possibly protect himself more, but because his parents refused to tell him he had no idea his soul was any different.

When the Phoenix gave Jay his blessing, it strengthened his soul, which let him gain more of an immunity to The Operator and other demon’s abilities/effects on humans (but only after he built an immunity to it himself. Before he wasn’t able to have any immunity at all. Think of it like someone who never had an immune system finally getting one). 

Because his soul was different, it could also warp the blessing to get certain things out of it. As a result, he gained his Green Jay wings (due to both the Phoenix and his mother being winged Celestials, also a small pun on his nickname), a stronger empathetic ability (now he can pick up on other’s emotions easier, but unknown to everyone for a while, they can pick up and feel his emotions. This can be dangerous in the fact that his negative emotions can end up hurting those around him by making them feel this way too. It’s small enough to where people can tell it’s not theirs if they focus but strong enough to be able to be felt), and is now able to touch (and if he used enough strength, harm) other demons (The energy drawback is extreme, especially if not trained or strengthened and if he attempted to kill a demon it would also result in him dying too as of right now). The other aspects that he got were a result of the warping of the blessing (claws, eye changes, markings, etc.) as a means to protect himself now that more Terrestrials will be targeting him. 

When Jay finally starts strengthening his powers, he’ll be able to start helping fend off The Operator (along with other Terrestrials) and he will be trying to help protect the other members of the Marble Hornets crew from the Terrestrials too (most won’t target his friends, though, they’ll only go after him. His friends would be considered collateral damage).

So, where does the time loop come into play?

A lot of lore suggests that Phoenixes are able to rebirth themselves in a fire, and because Jay was blessed by a Phoenix he is now stuck in a time loop until he can save all his friends and himself. (Remember, this is also a result of the blessing warping because of his soul. It was to benefit him in the largest way it could, and his last wish before he died was to help save his friends)

--- --- ---

Now that we’ve gotten most the lore out of the way, let’s get onto the recap of what’s happened so far in this blog.

Jay was shot, got his powers/blessing, and woke up on March 23rd, 2006 with the Green Jay wings and an open bullet hole.

The bullet hole won’t bleed out or kill him, it’s more of an irritant than anything. It still hurts him, and will bleed non-stop (increases if his heart rate elevates). He ends up trying to clean it up and bandages it. (If his heart rate increases and he bleeds more, he has to change the bandages sooner than normal to prevent staining. He hasn’t mentioned much about the bandages on purpose, because he’s nervous and honestly terrified of the entire situation surrounding the bullet hole.)

He started this blog as a way to log any information he finds, along with having reference in case his memory was removed again. He refused to go over and create a new Twitter or YouTube account because he knew Alex had watched the previous videos, and he really didn’t want to risk Alex or any of the others seeing that.

He has both his old phone and the phone that lets him access the Tumblr. The other phone is the same as his phone he had when he was shot, but due to some timeline difficulties it has the date as May 27th, 2020 (aka the start date of the blog!). He finds out that he is unable to connect the phone to his camera/camcorder that he bought and is hesitant to risk it with anything else (they glitch and crash, any footage or pictures on the old devices will become corrupted and useless).

Because he’s back in time, that also means he had to start adjusting himself back into the routine he had before the Marble Hornets fiasco. No one remembers what happened and the only people he currently has contact to is Alex, Seth, Tim, and Brian. Alex knew him as a friend since middle school, Seth is more of an acquaintance of his known through Alex. Tim and Brian he now has contact to because of the Marble Hornets castings. He has not tried getting contact with Jessica or Amy yet.

Within the first couple days, someone sent in some code to mess with him. He then started being on guard for any sign of TTA or The Operator, even though he doesn’t think it was them.

He then goes to class after a while and another classmate sees his wings. They asked him if he was cosplaying for an even or something, and even though he had no idea what it meant he just said yea. They complimented the realistic style of them and went about their day. Jay had no idea previously that he had his wings or other physical changes.

He had felt something weird on his back, but due to being recently thrown back in time he was so focused on trying to seem ‘normal’ he didn’t realize he had the few things that literally scream “somethings not right”. That is how he finds out about his wings and other features. He has managed to hide them, but he hasn’t revealed how. He stops posting for a while even though he said he was going to send out an update post with a breakdown of what he knows (and wants the public to know)

After around 3 or 4 days, Jay finally posts again and says he woke up in Rosswood with no memory of getting there or any memory past posting that text-post. He later says he’s starting to regain the memories but they’re blurry and he can’t understand them. He also couldn’t remember clearly what happened leading up to him being shot at first, but even though he doesn’t say it that’s something that is included in the returning memories. 

He notes that when he woke up there seemed to have been a struggle, but he is still unsure what caused that. He doesn’t think it was Masky or Hoodie, but he’s still keeping a look out for them now too.

After that, he posted the pictures of his camcorder that he had tried hooking up to his phone to transfer the pictures, but it was completely black due to the resulting glitch. He then posted a couple hours later the picture of the screen working and say that he finally got it working again but was hesitant to try connecting his phone to it again.

He currently doesn’t know if he has a masked state or not (hint: he doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean Skully isn’t going to make an appearance later on!) and that resulted in him being on the look out for any suspicious masks too.

His next post is him saying he’s nervous about the auditions that are the next day, and he that he knows he can’t try asking Alex to cancel the film because it would seem even more suspicious. (Alex is already very concerned because of the days of silence and the sudden “cosplay” that someone saw him in, but hasn’t said it outright)

After someone suggested it, he decided to try convincing Alex at the end to go with Tim and Brian to Applebee’s (and he ended up getting dragged along as well). He also complains because the auditions were set to go from 11 am to 7 pm, and he really didn’t want to leave the blog alone for so long when he had also just recently lost his memory. He goes, tries posting a little bit, but then Alex got curious and he had to stop.

The same person who suggested that, though, put emphasis on Jay’Bird’, making him concerned and suspicious because he hadn’t said anything about the changes (and he still hasn’t! He’s really nervous to say it in case the others see).

Marble Hornets auditions were March 30th, 2006. That was when he finally got contact with Tim and Brian, but his behavior was noticed by Alex and he’s been asked multiple times if he’s okay. They both know he’s not, but Jay hasn’t told anything to Alex. (Can you guess what tipped Alex off? Hint: it’s something that some trauma victims experience)

Later, the person who suggested taking Alex to Applebee’s explained they thought it was some nickname irony or something, which he said he understood. He also noted he forgot how fast some of you guys were at figuring things out or making theories/cracking codes. He also goes on to explain a little more about the changes his body has but stay away from anything bird related.

Someone asked why he was being so secretive with the other changes and notes that if it can be passed off as cosplay it shouldn’t be that big of a deal. His response is basically “have you even seen some of the cosplays out there???”. He goes on to say that even though cosplay wasn’t as big back then there were still some extremely large and complex ones out there, and basically gives away that the changes are large enough to be extremely noticeable and that the smaller ones probably weren’t actually noticed by the student who asked him.

Someone also asked if he was planning on telling the others, and he said that he wasn’t going to yet. He really doesn’t want to show anyone the phone and is hoping no one sees or notices the changes in appearance/behavior.

He also explains a little bit later about the changes and there are some that can come on command but none of them can be affected by him wanting them to go away (meaning, if they showed up around the others then he can’t force them to go away. He can make them appear at his will, though!)

When someone asks if he has something like bird wings, as a joke, he just says “No comment”. 

His next text-post just says “It’s so hot out here I feel like I’m dying oh my god

This is a really bad idea

I’m making a mistake”

After that, all the code is released and that’s pretty much everything that’s happened and been revealed so far.

Also, a note: remember that you guys all can affect how the story goes! There are some plot points that will happen no matter what, but it’s determine by when, how soon, and if it’s bad or not by you guys. If you’re confused, you’ll understand what I mean later on, don’t worry ;)

[jamesginortonblog]

Americans might not recognize James Norton without his vicar’s collar. The British actor rose to prominence stateside for his portrayal of Sidney Chambers, a vicar turned amateur detective in 1950s Cambridgeshire on Grantchester on PBS (originally on ITV in the U.K.). Now on AMC’s new mini-series McMafia, Norton is trading in his cleric’s robes for designer business suits and a place on the wrong side of the law as Alex Godman, the son of a Russian crime family who finds himself dragged back into the family business when tragedy strikes. If you think it sounds an awful lot like The Godfather, only set in the present day and with Russian mobsters, you’d be right. Norton says he drew upon Michael Corleone and that epic series for inspiration throughout filming. But McMafia is also a lot more prescient for modern-day audiences, telling the tale of shadowy, corrupt global organizations that trade in blood money and influence driven by avarice and a lust for power. Produced by AMC and BBC, the series is based on Misha Glenny’s nonfiction book of the same name and created by Hossein Amini (Drive) and James Watkins (The Woman in Black). It also stars David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck), Juliet Rylance (The Knick, Frances Ha),  and a wide-reaching international cast that includes Aleksey Serebryakov (The Method, Leviathan), and Mariya Shukshina (Yolki 3, Terrorist Ivanona).

Ahead of its Feb. 26 premiere on AMC (10 p.m.), EW called up Norton to get the rundown on playing the reluctant heir to a mafia family, why he’s fascinated by stories of the criminal underworld, and what it was like making a series that felt almost prophetic in light of recent world events.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You’ve done several lengthier mini-series, including War and Peace and Death Comes to Pemberley – what is it about mini-series that keep you coming back for more? JAMES NORTON: The U.K., in recent times, has really nailed that mini-series format. It wasn’t an active choice. There are quite a lot of those in this country, and there are some fantastic writers and directors of the mini-series. We’ve kind of nailed the medium. From the point of a view of an actor and a storyteller, it is wonderful to have six hours to really settle into that headspace and flex the muscles…[Co-creator] James [Watkins] was always saying we’re going to make an 8-hour movie. It’s wonderful to have six or eight hours because you’re so much more in control, and you have time to really indulge in those moments, which in the movies would probably end up on the cutting room floor…As an actor, I’ve never felt so confident. That’s a really empowering feeling when you feel you know someone so well you can put them in any situation you like and you know ostensibly how they would react.

What was it specifically about McMafia that drew you in? The world of the mafia is really compelling. We’re all into it and series like The Sopranos and The Godfather and things. There’s something about the modern-day mafia, which Misha Glenny’s book so clearly portrays as something very different, but it kind of maintains whatever it is — that compelling, anarchic nature. There’s a certain romance attached to the mafia in the past. What differentiated our story is that that romance is gone and it’s a very brutal, financial money-driven world, which lacks the honor and the sort of family which those previous portrayals have focused in on. I’ve never felt like a show has been so much on the zeitgeist. We were virtually on set and the [rumored] collusion between the White House and the Kremlin was breaking – we felt like we were on a show which was, in some ways, prophetic. So, that was a huge draw. As far as the character, he’s a gift — because he has this wonderful complex mix of conflict and contradiction. You never quite know where he stands. I don’t think he quite knows where he stands. He’s constantly explaining to himself that his motivation is honorable and worthy, and it’s all about family and protecting his family and his girlfriend who he loves. Of course, like the most interesting characters, like Michael Corleone in The Godfather or Walter White in Breaking Bad, there is a whole myriad of motivations, whilst the audience perhaps are more aware. Alex is kind of the last to realize he’s being seduced and he’s in it for other reasons — less worthy reasons of avarice, greed, [and] out for power, revenge. To have all those to play with and never quite land on an answer is the kind of role I love. It’s true to life. People never really fundamentally know themselves – they try and that’s what life is about, trying to know and understand yourself, but never quite getting there. Hossein and James wrote a beautiful, textured character in that regard. We never ever lost interest in his journey and his motivation. We would constantly spend lots of time on set mining where he is in the story, why he’s choosing this, how much he’s aware of his true motivation. When you are able to mine a character to that extent, it’s really a testament to how wonderfully written they are, and how much of a joy it is to play for sure.

This series has strong Godfather vibes with its tale of the son of a crime family trying to go straight and getting pulled back in because of family tragedy – was that something you actively discussed on set or that played a hand in your research? For sure. We definitely had our main resources. The John Williams book, Augustus, was also a resource which we talked about. James recommended it because it’s about a young man who very slyly and quietly and innocuously manipulates his way to the top of the pile. Michael Corleone was definitely a source, just because it has a similar-ish structure to The Godfather story and a bit like what I was alluding to before about motivation. What is it that’s driving Michael’s demise into the underworld of corruption? He’s constantly saying it’s “family, family, family,” but early on, somewhere in Part Two when he kills his brother, you realize it’s gone way beyond just protecting family because it’s come down to killing family. We definitely drew on him. And we had other resources — we had Gomorrah, the Italian [film], as far as the authenticity and grittiness of the mafia we wanted to portray. We wanted to show the cost of these incredibly lavish lifestyles, what it is which facilitates that type of lifestyle…Michael Corleone was definitely the most useful for tracking the conflict of the worthy, honorable motivations and the self-interested greed and avarice and power motivation. There’s no one else who does that journey better I don’t think. Perhaps Walter White is the next one, but both of them were certainly kind of the focus for us.

What do you make of the timing of this series, given the heightened presence of Russians and Russian crime in the news of late?   It’s been very, very exciting…What’s wonderful about a show like McMafia is it really has an incredibly real and intact social conscience. It really felt like it mattered. Since the conception of the show and then the making of it, the amount of conversation around corruption and transparency has exploded. The further we move into a populist, right world, which seems to be afflicting many, many countries right now, the power is taken away from the people and the government and put in the hands of the corporations. If you don’t have legislation in place to control those corporations, McMafia happens. Not only is it a sort of warning sign to people, saying “This is what corruption at this level will look like if we don’t make a real stand against it and lobby government, particularly in America and the U.K., to stand up against it,” it also gives them a chance to see what at this point in time that state-level corruption looks like. It’s really hard if you’re not in the world of finance to understand a lot of jargon. Yet, you want to, because you know how important it is. So sitting down and reading all the speculation about the collusion between Trump and Putin, you read articles about these types of things, and it’s quite hard to really engage and follow. What we’ve hopefully done is made a drama which is accessible. It allows people to have a little look behind the curtain to see what this kind of corruption looks like. A show like this, it couldn’t be more timely. It feels great to be part of the conversation. The more we can be a catalyst for that very, very important conversation about transparency and corruption the better.

Did you learn Russian for the role?   I didn’t learn Russian, per se. I only learned it phonetically…It’s quite challenging learning a language like that, which has very little crossover with the Western romantic languages. The sound is so different, so I had to spend a long time learning it by rote, phonetically, endless repetition. Lots of walking around London streets mumbling to myself. It was a wonderful part of the preparation to be able to express yourself in Russian and other languages. It really tapped into something important in Alex. His relationship with Russia is two-fold and very polarized. On the one hand, he’s compelled by it and that’s why he goes to Systema classes, which I did. I went and learned this very bizarre, Russian martial art, which is fascinating to get into the sort of inner psyche and what it is to be Russian. We decided he reads Dostoyevsky and he’s always compelled by his Russianness. But he’s also afraid of it because he feels like a lot of the world has this misconception that being Russian you have a predisposition towards corruption, which is absurd, but because of the world, currently, the word Russian and corruption are often used in the same sentence. Alex is afraid of his Russianness, and whether or not it’s that which is his vulnerability. Is it that which makes him more disposed to being a gangster in the first place? Is it in his Russian genes? So to tap into that was really exciting, and the language was definitely one way in.

How much research or interaction did you have with real members of organized crime? As far as meeting proper gangsters, we had Misha Glenny. He basically knows every gangster under the sun — he wrote the original piece of nonfiction, the book McMafia. He interviews masses of people in organized crime and so he introduced James and Hoss in the writers’ room to some pretty intense, shady characters. I did meet a couple in Zagreb — some interesting characters who I was later told were pretty high up in businesses which perhaps aren’t whiter than white. But I didn’t ask them any questions because my general gangster acumen was pretty shallow. I’m definitely still the actor, not the gangster.

The series is so international, from its exotic locales to its diverse cast. What was that experience like? It was such a joyous job to film, partly because we had so many different, international actors coming on set and they all had different energies and different approaches to the craft. It was a really, truly international gig, more so than anything else I’ve ever done and I’m not sure many other shows can claim to have been shot in 12 different countries, with 150 different actors in massively different countries. It was wonderful to have Merab Ninidze, who was the Georgian actor who played Vadim, and Aleksey Serebryakov, who was Russian, and their energies were so different, yet they were speaking Russian to each other. Then you had the Israelis and the Brits. It was magic in that effect. Most of it was filmed in Croatia, U.K., London, and then Serbia and a bit of Slovenia, but that was wonderful to be able to explore…The Dalmatian coast is just ridiculous. There were a couple of lunches I remember where it was beautiful sun; we were outside standing on a villa; and most of the crew sacked off lunch in order to take off their clothes and swim at the lunch break. A couple of times I was able to join them. It’s rare that you get such extraordinary locations to be able to jump in the water. It was so glamorous because we had yachts and beautiful villas. We filmed in one location in Croatia which was [authoritarian Yugoslavian leader Josip Broz] Tito’s old villa — lavish beyond lavish, quite dark because it was paid for with blood money and dirty money, but it was extraordinarily beautiful and again, how often do you spend shooting days jumping in the water and going for a swim outside this sensational villa in Croatia? It’s pretty special.

Additionally, it seemed like you often were shooting in places like the Victoria and Albert Museum or the British Museum – what was that experience like as a Brit? I’m a Londoner and I love this city, and to show London in all its glory really was wonderful. By definition when you show a tale of gangsters and very wealthy people you get to show their incredibly lavish lifestyle. As I said, we were very keen to show the other end of the spectrum and the cost of what it is to facilitate that kind of lifestyle. For every day in the V&A, we had other scenes that were, on the whole, more shocking scenes, but it was great to show London in all its glory.

[marymosley]

Did Manafort Play Mueller?

The sentencing of Paul Manafort in Washington, D.C. has extended his low prior sentencing to seven and a half years. While that is no walk in the park for a frail person about to turn 70, it is far less than the 35 years that he was faced with in the two cases. It is hardly an overwhelming sentence and, absent his age, it would be viewed as relatively light. That raises the question address in my earlier column in USA Today. Of course, the addition of the state charges could now make all of this a mute point if Manafort is convicted on the new 16 counts.

Below is the column:

Paul Manafort’s sentencing this week will finally answer not just how long he will have to serve after convictions in two cases but whether, at his age and in diminished health, he is likely to survive a prison term. For special counsel Robert Mueller, the sentencing will also answer a more provocative and embarrassing question: Did Manafort play him?

I raised that question months ago when Manafort pleaded guilty in his Washington, D.C. case after being convicted on eight counts in Virginia. The Virginia counts were the better counts for Manafort. While the prosecutors in Virginia paraded Manafort’s insatiable greed and opulent lifestyle, including his now famous ostrich jacket, it was the D.C. case that would expose Manafort’s sinister associations with corrupt and criminal elements in the Ukraine. The trial would have been a parade of horribles, which would have made a presidential pardon all the more difficult to secure.

Manafort however was able to secure a surprising deal from Mueller. The seven counts in D.C. were reduced to two counts with five-year maximum sentences. Most importantly, Manafort avoided a trial and the need to answer specific charges on his years of corrupt dealings. According to Mueller, Manafort then proceeded to lie and withhold full cooperation while his lawyers maintained a back channel communication to the Trump legal team. Indeed, the filing leading to the loss of the plea deal suggested that Manafort was feeding the Trump team intelligence on the questions and evidence being pursued by Mueller.

Prosecutors are used to a certain degree of Monday-morning quarterbacking on plea deals. However, this question is easier to answer than most. It comes down to a number. Manafort was given an absurdly low sentence by Judge T.S. Ellis III. Ellis even went as far as to say that Manafort has led a largely “blameless life” — producing a certain confusion on whether Manafort has an evil twin responsible for years of notorious practices. Then he gave Manafort a sentence on eight serious felony counts that rejected not just the special counsel’s recommendation of up to 25 years, but the recommendation of his probation officer. It was particularly baffling after Manafort reportedly came within one juror of losing on every count — all 18 counts — in Virginia. 

Trump could commute a short sentence

The Ellis sentence now leaves Manafort with a maximum sentence of 10 years from the two cases. Judge Amy Berman Jackson is certainly less enamored with Manafort after she stripped him of the benefit of his plea deal and previously ordered him jailed pending trial. However, these counts usually run concurrently and for a first offender it is relatively rare to see a maximum sentence. That could mean just five years — a roughly one-year addition to the sentence. If that is the sentence, Mueller most certainly was played by Manafort.

Of course, Jackson is a tough judge and former prosecutor who is well aware of the situation. She could hit Manafort with a 10-year sentence that could easily prove a terminal term for the ailing 70-year-old inmate.

A five-year term would vindicate Manafort’s counsel and their unconventional tactics. The team barely put on a defense in Virginia on the merits. Instead, it attacked the cooperating former aide to Manafort, Rick Gates, and seemed to continually repeat the Trump talking points that there was no collusion. Indeed, lead counsel Kevin Downing not only emphasized the no collusion point at the time his client was charged but returned to that mantra after the sentencing. It was a line that clearly benefited (and pleased) President Donald Trump, but had little relevance to his client except as an obvious play for a pardon.

If Manafort is below five years in his final sentence, Trump could opt to commute all or part of that sentence on the basis of Manafort’s health. Indeed, he could cut it in half on a commutation and argue that he is leaving Manafort as a convicted felon who would have served at least half of his sentence. Not only that but Manafort is still able to keep millions and, while giving up much of his ill-gotten gains, he will be returning to a lifestyle that most Americans can only fantasize about. The possibility of Manafort being shown at some opulent restaurant in his ostrich jacket and signature smirk would make a mockery of the investigation. His filmmaker daughter, Jess Bond, might even change her name back to Manafort.

Special counsels seek truth, not trophies

For Mueller, a less than five-year sentence would leave him in a position that no prosecutor relishes: he would look cuckolded and comical. In reducing the counts to two and bringing Manafort under his tent, he may have given the Trump team badly needed intelligence while limiting Manafort’s exposure. Worse yet, while Mueller has raked up a lot of pleas and convictions, he is hardly swinging for the fences.

While the media loves to cite convicted counts to throw praise at Mueller and shade at Trump, most have little to do with either Trump or Russian collusion. Most of the key players have received relatively light sentences — including just a month or so for figures like Alex van der Zwaan and George Papadopoulos. Other than the Russians who are unlikely to ever see the inside of a U.S. courtroom, the crimes are largely for unrelated transactions crimes, false statements, or registration crimes.

Now Mueller’s matinee defendant could receive a light sentence of roughly 5-7 years after a massive investigation and millions in legal costs. If that occurs, Manafort will only have clowns like Roger Stone left in the pipeline and a president who cannot be indicted in office absent a change in Justice Department policies.

Of course, special counsels should be truth seekers, not trophy seekers, and Mueller is a serious and ethical professional. However, we still do not know what Mueller will offer in a report or what will be left beyond its conclusions after its confidential submission to the attorney general. In other words, Manafort may not be the only one looking for vindication from Judge Jackson on Wednesday.

Jonathan Turley, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors, is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. Follow him on Twitter: @JonathanTurley

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