#penultimate chapter....

[darthnell]

Chapter 69: Where I End and Begin

The Victor returns home. It's not how she left it, but then again, neither is she.

[forgetfulmachineart]

[ID: A black and white digital sketch of a character with long messy hair and a black shirt. A speech bubble covers their face with the kanji for 'who.' A crying eye adorns the top of the sketch. /End ID]

Who are you....

[salemoleander]

Fascinated by people who consider Etho killing Joel to be their 'official breakup' or w/e bc to me hunting someone down and stabbing them to death* is like 'Ah, I see things are going well then'

*in Minecraft.

[narcissosbythepool]

PriceGaz Pining Series

Part 13/14

Prev | Next

Prompt: Piccadilly //

They rarely come here.

Not only because they're rarely in London in the first place – the place just holds bittersweet memories.

Bitter, mostly.

Gaz stands at the memorial of his failure. He's trying not to squeeze the flowers in his hand too much. Just roses, that's as far as he thought of it. The names engraved in the memorial plaque stare back at him accusingly. He grits his teeth and sets the flowers down.

Price steps to his right, his arms crossed. Gaz doesn't know if he's glad that Price is not touching him – the comfort is welcome, but he's certain he would recoil at the contact.

"It wasn't your fault," Price says, voice low.

It's a pointless conversation. They've had it a hundred times by now. Gaz will shoulder the blame and atone for the rest of his life. Price wants to absolve him of his sins.

It's funny, that. It's arguably Price who has made him more of a sinner, if one believes in such a thing. He's been anointed by Price's bloody hands and dragged into hell and back. And here they are, back where it all started. With violence.

Just as it will, most likely, end.

"I hate this place," he says, like he says every year. And yet he returns. Piccadilly never lets go of him, of them. They'll always be connected by that night, even if they ever go their separate ways. There's some twisted comfort in it. At least they'll always be entwined together.

"I know," Price replies. He doesn't offer comforting words, and Gaz doesn't want them.

They stand in front of the memorial until it starts to rain, droplets obscuring the names on the plaque.

"Let's go," Gaz finally says.

"Lead the way, Sergeant."

[filmnoirsbian]

What Comes From Picking Flowers Part 10 (part one)

[ggomos-maribat]

9 | in which nights are spent, kisses are missed, secrets are laid out

Part 9 of No Mr. Wayne You Can't Adopt Me! | Masterlist

"Hello? Damian?" Marinette tucked her phone between her ear and shoulder as she continued sorting out the files. "Listen, something came up at the office today and Mr. Wayne won't be able to meet you for dinner outside. Sorry, it was an emergency. He said he'll postpone, though! I'm marking his calendar right now."

"Hm. I'm on my way to the restaurant and I believe it's already reserved," said Damian. "Will you be occupied as well? Why not come in place of Father?"

Marinette paused, slowly registered what he had offered, and then smiled. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"I suppose so, yes."

"Really? Didn't you say for it to be a date, one has to harbor some sort of romantic feelings for the other?"

"Yes, I did say that."

Marinette couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. And her reddening cheeks. Kwamis, was that him trying to flirt? When did Damian learn how to flirt?

"Well, are you free?"

"Yes, I am in fact." Marinette practically burst into her boss' office and shoved the remaining documents into his hands. "At seven, right? I'll see you."

She packed all her things in a hurry and sped home on her motorcycle to get ready. Though Bruce would oppose this 'date' of theirs if he knew, she didn't want to miss the opportunity. I'm already off the clock anyway. Let's just hope Bruce won't come crashing our dinner.

***

"Thank you for accepting the invitation on short notice."

Marinette had to admit, Damian cleaned up well. Since the restaurant was on the fancy end, he wore a simple button down that complimented his eyes. Marinette herself had only changed into a red blouse but kept her office skirt.

"I would've been in bed with microwaved dinner and my laptop if you hadn't invited me anyway," Marinette beamed as she took a seat. "Still, I didn't expect you to actually invite me."

"I thought you needed a break from your work," said Damian. "The company seems very busy nowadays. And you're still taking your online courses, aren't you?"

Marinette could've melted on the spot. Damian was always the support behind her like that. At first there were only little gestures: updating her if any of his siblings might come to the office and cause trouble; telling off his father for making her do extra work; dropping off snacks for her when he visited. Soon they became comfortable with texting each other regularly.

"I'll be fine," she assured him. "There will be a big event two weeks from now, so everyone's trying to meet deadlines."

"Are you getting enough sleep?"

"Yes, Damian."

"Eating enough?"

She rolled her eyes playfully. "I am, mom."

"Has Father been bothering you too much?"

"It's just the usual," she said. "Actually, I think he's careful not to give me more work because he knows I tend to overwork. You don't need to worry, okay?"

Damian lowered his gaze, staying still for a moment. "You're like Pennyworth," he told her. "People like you . . . you help out people like Father at the expense of your wellbeing. I've seen it take a toll on Alfred sometimes—he is still human after all. I thought you needed a break from all that."

He looked up at her. "If you're taking care of everyone, who's taking care of you?"

Marinette just stared. There were some tears prickling at the back of her eyes but she didn't dare let it take over. Damian had hit close to home without meaning to.

"Ah, you're right." She noticed that her voice was thick. Oh fuck, fuuuck the tears are spilling. "Sorry, I . . . sorry."

"Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, I . . ." She took a deep breath. "I just remembered something. Before, I used to do a lot of favors for a lot of people too. My parents, my friends, even acquaintances. Sometimes I never noticed how many things were already on my plate and so I end up so stressed out trying to please everyone."

To save Paris. To keep the city from crumbling under my watch.

"If you do feel stressed out, I'm here."

"What are you trying to say?"

"What I meant earlier. I . . ." Damian's expression contorted, as if he were looking for the right words. "I've been trying to sort out my feelings recently and I want you to know that I care a lot about you. More than in the sense of friendship."

He likes me back. He actually reciprocates. Marinette's heartbeat stuttered.

"But you know my contract, right?"

"Yes, that is why I won't ask you to—well—enter into a relationship with me. Your job is on the line after all."

Looking to her side, Marinette saw twin doors leading to a spacious balcony. She needed to talk with Damian properly, and it was best they had some privacy. She turned back to him. "Do you mind if we step out?"

Damian quietly told the waiter and ordered the chef's recommendation before leading her to the balcony. Marinette took the liberty of closing the doors and then turned to him. "I just want to get some things out of the way since you confessed to me."

"I know about you," she said in one breath.

"Know about what?"

Marinette subconsciously fidgeted with her hands. "I know. I know everything. Mr. Wayne is Batman, you're Robin, your siblings are the other vigilantes."

He fell dead silent, which worried her a little. Was it a bad idea to tell him that after all? Kwamis, I should've kept my mouth shut. Now he's going to look at me differently and take back his confession and tell his father and I'll be fired from my job and forced to live in the streets forever blacklisted by Gotham's vigilantes—

". . . I see," he finally uttered.

She twisted her fingers. "Are you upset?"

"I don't know . . ." Damian stepped forward. Closer to her. "I shouldn't have underestimated your intuition. I also shouldn't hold it against you since Father's identity is glaringly obvious at this point."

"I trust you, Marinette," he added softly while taking both of her hands in his. "If you know about me, about my family, but still return my feelings then I shouldn't complain. I was afraid I'd need to tell you myself and you will see me differently."

Her eyes widened. "What? No, that doesn't make a difference! I mean, uhm, it makes me understand why you always look tired in the morning or why you're concerned when I go out at night. I'd never think it makes you a bad person."

"What if I told you I've killed people before?"

She bit her lip. "Um, can I tell you another secret?"

He nodded.

"I know your mother."

Damian's eyebrows shot up. "My mother? You know . . . everything that I did?"

"Yes." Marinette drew out a slow slow breath. "Yeah I, uh, I know her and it may or may not be because of my time in Paris as a magical girl saving Paris from akuma attacks."

"Ladybug. That was you?"

"Basically."

"And mother was . . ."

"My teacher of sorts."

She let him take it all in but couldn't read his face. Is he too shocked? Amazed? Sad? Angry? Betrayed? Is he going to walk out of the restaurant?

"I wanted to tell you so you know fully what kind of person I am," she quickly supplied. "I don't like keeping secrets from people I'm close with after hiding one for so long."

"It . . . it all fits, I suppose," said Damian with a squeeze to her hands. "You're a hero."

"Former hero," she shrugged.

"You still are. It must've been hard to shoulder that responsibility."

"You have no idea." Marinette chuckled.  " . . .So?"

He blinked. "So?"

"You still, er, like me?"

"Of course I do. Nothing will change." Closer. Closer. He pulled her gently closer to him. "What about you?"

"I like you a lot. I really do."

His lips look . . . inviting.

"But?"

"There's no 'but'." She shook her head. "That's it. I like you."

His head lowered down to hers, gaze flickering downwards. He was so close, close enough for her to feel his breath fanning on her skin. But at the last second, she pulled away.

"Sorry we can't." She looked up at him apologetically. "Not yet."

"Oh . . ."

Instead of a kiss on the lips, Marinette tiptoed to press one on his cheek. "It's okay. I'll get this to work out." She squeezed his hands. "Trust me."

bonus deleted scene: here

[just-b-wilde]

Survival Chapter 31: Destiny

[bageltopia]

MOONLIGHTERS: chapter 7/8 (current wc: 153k)

chapter summary:

For the first time in a while, Sanji’s eyes meet his. “Don’t get lost, okay?” It might be too late for that. Zoro’s been lost for a long time now.

quick tags: canon divergence, rivals to friends with benefits to lovers, first time, slow burn, switching, sanji joins goth fam! (+ additional tags on ao3)

READ ON AO3: CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3 | CH 4 | CH 5 | CH 6 | CH 7

[ronanceautistic]

If Nancy's gonna do anything, it's have deep homosexuals feelings for someone in the middle of an actual crisis

[starstrider-productions]

EPISODE TEN: ORBITS, PART 1: THE DESCENT

Out now wherever you get your podcasts.

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/turpentine-productions/episodes/3-10--Orbits--Part-1-The-Descent-e2qe936

Starstrider out.

[eirianerisdar]

Or read from the first chapter

Fic Summary:

Daniel loves to fly, but he needs to race. Every F1 driver joins the grid knowing they have a choice to keep their wings or trim them for less weight, sacrificing flight for race pace. Daniel has always promised himself he will never trim his wings. Until he comes to McLaren, and the choice is made for him. In which the most-loved driver of the grid has a long, slow fall, and nobody notices until it is too late.

Chapter 37/38: Flock of a Feather

The grid heals across the 2023 season.

[miisakee]

Chapters: 27/28 Fandom: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock, Gaila & Nyota Uhura Characters: James T. Kirk, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Spock (Star Trek), Gaila (Star Trek: Alternate Original Series), Nyota Uhura, Original Characters, Original Child Character(s), Crew of the Starship Enterprise Additional Tags: Horror, Sci-Fi Horror, Survival Horror, Body Horror, Blood and Gore, Mutilation, Self-Harm, Graphic Description of Corpses, Corpse Desecration, Possession, Minor Character Death, Major Character Injury, Distress Call, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Ensemble Cast, Team as Family, Post-Canon, Minor Spock/Nyota Uhura, WIP Big Bang 2024, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, POV Multiple, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Canon Only POV, Hurt Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Hurt Nyota Uhura Series: Part 2 of Bad Things Happen Bingo Summary:

Two weeks of boredom for the Enterprise crew are suddenly alleviated by a mysterious distress call—disturbing and utterly alien in nature. Following it to its source, they find an unfamiliar space station, almost entirely deserted except for a select number of life-signs.

Making the decision to board and investigate, Jim and his chosen away team find the ruins of a long-dead alien science colony and an angry crew of space pirates—but there’s far more going on here than meets the eye. Something is stirring in the shadows, something they will need all their wits to survive.

[steelycunt]

out of context lines! from the penultimate chapter of the pride au..thank you for the tag @rollercoasterwords 👩🏽‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏽

[mollyrolls]

you’ll never guess what i just did

[edupunkn00b]

Meus ex Machina, Chapter 20: Meus et Machina

Edited public domain image of two hands reaching for each other, lit in deep blue and neon green.

Prev - Meus et Machina - Next and Final - Masterpost - [ AO3 ]

The Mad Lads scrambled aboard the largest transport and strapped themselves in. Where the last few runs had left almost half the seats empty, now that Remus sat in the green-trimmed seat next to The Prince’s, Logan finally noticed everyone else’s seat matched their flight clothes. Every seat except Patton’s pilot chair, at least. A faded orange braid trimmed the pilot’s seat, and a vacant seat decorated in cyan blue sat empty behind the large open area where Logan strapped in.

But he didn’t have long to wonder about it. Swearing, Virgil moved to the gold-trimmed seat next to Patton and sat the tablet into a dock.

“It’s not looking good.”

An almost bored-sounding AI reader spilled from the speakers. “… armed forces in a stand-off with the terrorist known as Hesper the Hacker… All civilians in the area have been successfully evacuated, but scanners show another Powered is with him in an unregistered and stolen vehicle. Authorities are unclear on whether the other Powered is a hostage or an accomplice.”

Remus nodded from his seat. “Jannie’s with him.” The other Mad Lads went quiet, lost in private—or silently shared—thoughts.

“Wait—” Logan shook his head, looking between them all to find someone who’d explain. “Hesper kidnapped Silvertongue? How did he get inside HQ? How did he even find it?”

V busied himself with the sensors while Remus and The Prince exchanged a look. Remus shook his head, a faint -”You’re wrong about him, Ro, he—”– filtering through before The Prince cut him off.

“We’ll see when we get there,” The Prince said aloud, shaking his head. “He’s not to be trifled with. He’s dangerous, Re.”

“Yeah,” he said. “So am I.”

They fell quiet again and the newsfeed chatter filled the space. 

“… This Powered hacker has plagued us for too long…” Some self-important talking suit spoke before an array of microphones and vid drones, slamming the podium with each word. The view cut away to a different view of the landing platform they were approaching. “We have the outlaw surrounded and are preparing an air assault. Any closer and we risk his manipulation tactics. We urge any remaining citizens in the area to evacuate and…”

“I thought they said they got everyone out,” Logan spoke over the feed.

“They lied,” Patton said from the front, pointing to the new sensor feed V had brought up. A half dozen fluorescent pink dots were scattered and moving over the area. Likely people who’d been woken by the blasts. 

“Any non-citizen left in the vicinity will be assumed to be a conspirator and shot on sight…”

“Shit,” V swore from the front. “They’re gonna just take them both out.”

“But Silvertongue’s credentialed,” Logan looked around the ship. “As soon as they see him, they’ll…” His voice fell away at Remus’ expression.

The Prince rapped his fingers against his armrests, frowning. “Consorting with a known terrorist? It won’t matter who he is.”

“They’re not ‘consorting,’” Remus shrugged, eyes faraway. “They’re just talking, well… shouting.”

“So we need to get Silvertongue out. Can you tell him we’re here and—”

Remus shook his head. “Jannie won’t leave without him.”

No-one else contradicted him and Logan didn’t try to hide his confusion. “Won’t leave without the man who kidnap—”

“We’ve got company!” Patton announced just as the transport stuttered in the air. The glare of an explosive whited out the main windscreen, killing the newsfeed nattering on in the background. And the ship’s sensors. “I’m going in blind.”

“Wait—” Logan snapped down his HUD and leaned closer to the nearest porthole. “I can see the strip.”

“Great, Kiddo, now come up here and steer!” Patton turned, his smile crumbling when he eyed the narrow space between the console and the seats. His mech wouldn’t fit. “Nevermind, I’ll just… wing it.”

“You don’t have to,” Remus whispered, eyes closed. Logan felt the warm breeze of his touch in his mind and he nodded, leaning closer to the porthole to get a better view. -“Papa Bear, can you see it?”- Remus asked, aloud or in his head. Logan couldn’t tell, but did it matter?

“Crystal clear, Kiddos!” The ship dropped, a steep arc down that left their stomachs up in their throats. Finally, they leveled out below the cloud cover.

“The landing pad on the right—” The platform was dotted with generic-looking ships in various states of disrepair. A few looked like they hadn’t flown in years, with tattered tie downs and ice cold engines.

“I see it, Kiddo! You keep looking at it and be my eyes. Now we just need to figure out which ship they’re in.”

“The small one,” The Prince’s voice mimicked his brother’s and Logan focused his viewfinder on the smallest ship. “They’re in there.” 

The paint was chipped and faded, and its dented panels left Logan with the impression it wouldn’t make it across the landing bay let alone across a sea. But the engines showed residual warmth in the infrared. It had flown recently. Very recently.

Patton followed where Logan’s eyes led, though, and when they got closer, his infrared picked up the blaster fire raging behind the ship. “It’s not looking good. No wonder they tried to blind us.”

“They underestimated us.” Remus’ burst of pride at solving the problem flowed between them all and V clapped his shoulder as he moved to the back, gathering blast shields for each of them. “We’ll be ready.”

“We need a plan, guys,” Patton muttered over his shoulder, concentration split on the team and the images Remus shared from Logan’s HUD.

“The ships right around them are empty… Fuck. No, one of them’s occupied.”

A giddy rush bubbled around Remus’ mind as inspiration struck. “Virge, can you and Papa Bear get them out? Ro and I can create a distraction.” 

Patton nodded. “Then when they’re clear, we go in on Hesper’s ship.”

“How can I help?” Logan asked without looking away from the porthole.

“You’ll be our shield. The corpos use lasers because even Powereds are soft and squishy.”

“But I’m not.” Logan smiled when Remus patted his suit’s thigh, sending the remembered impression of his hand against bare skin. Gaze still focused out the porthole, guiding Patton’s descent, he heard the tap of Remus’ shield coil on his wrist as it hit his suit, he knew he was fully encased in his mech. 

But all Logan felt was the warm touch of Remus’ hand. 

“Nope, Lo, you’re not.” The transport landed with a dull thud a few hundred yards from Hesper’s ship. “Nice job, Padre.” The Prince unstrapped and waited for Logan to move to the gangway.

Remus tugged at his shoulder and Logan lowered his face shield and turned to face him. “Listen, Lo, you’ll need to be their shield, too.”

“I—I don’t understand.” Something unspoken traveled between the rest of the Mad Lads, too quick for Logan to pick up more than a rumble of fear and worry. But he would’ve known that just from their expressions.

V nodded, grim, and caught Patton’s eye before speaking. “Focus on Silvertongue and Hesper. Papa Bear and I’ll be okay. We’ll be far away enough that…”

“We’ll try to keep the worst of it from you two,” The Prince nodded.

Patton smiled sadly and bumped his shoulder. “We know, Kiddo.”

Remus cupped Logan’s cheek, searching his eyes. “When I give the signal, turn on your shield and keep it small, just around you, but keep it up no matter what,” he whispered. “Do you understand?” He sent a tiny flash of what he and The Prince had planned and Logan’s throat seized.

He nodded, words stolen, but he let out a slow breath and raised his faceplate when Remus nodded back. “Everyone ready?” he asked, arms open and ready to deflect whatever was aimed their way.

Remus clapped his suit’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

~

Luc’s ship was taking heavy fire but somehow the dented hull held up. Janus was embarrassed to admit that the camouflage had fooled even him. “Did you paint this hunk of junk with rust?”

Another jolt wiped away Luc’s fleeting smile as he stumbled. “Not bad, huh? It took longer than the boys could’ve Illusioned it, but, hey, I work with what I’ve got.” The ship rattled, the loud thud from outside from something other than blaster fire.

“Shit,” Janus muttered, peeking through the covered porthole. “They’re ramming us.” The squeal of metal on metal rang out and the entire ship began to shake. “How close are you to the edge?”

“Too close.”

“Anchors?”

Luc shook his head. “We lost ‘em in the first barrage,” he muttered, pointing at the dead console. The screeching suddenly stopped, replaced by renewed laser fire. But it wasn’t aimed at the ship. “Who are they shooting at now?”

Janus tapped at his wrist comm. It was jammed but the proximity sensor still worked. Not that he needed it -”The cavalry's arrived, Jannie!”- The Muse’s voice filled his mind. 

-”Muse! What are you doing here?”-

Luc’s eyes flashed bright orange and he pried up a floor panel, revealing a vest festooned with pockets and another small pack that Janus pretended not to recognize.

-”Saving your asses,”- The Muse laughed over the connection, not hearing or, more than likely, disregarding Janus’ real question of what was he doing there. -”Look out the window!”-

They peered out on either side of a mostly-shuttered porthole. The Mad Lads’ transport was docked a hundred meters away, taking heavy fire. Now they had a way off the platform at least, but there was half a squadron of corporate police between them and safety. And it wouldn’t be long before they split their attention and resumed the attack on Luc’s disabled ship. 

On cue, the banging in the next room grew louder as the point team ripped off a control panel. “They’re looking for a manual override.” Luc swore when a strip of lights burst, showering them in sparks.

“We need to get out of here,” Janus muttered, counting the guns outside.

Luc’s gaiter was up and covering the lower half of his face. “We?” he asked, muffled and impossible to read.

“You’re not safe here, Luc.”

He scoffed. “You come in here, all big doe eyes, talking about Re and ‘making mistakes’? Are you certain you didn’t bring the corpos with you?” His eyes flickered orange and he dropped his damned goggles down, hiding even the evidence of his own manipulation. “Oh, no, that’s right. That’s your line.”

“Dammit, Hesper, can you drop it long enough for us to get out of here alive?”

“Just go,” Luc shouted over another burst coupling. He shoved him further back as thick coolant gas sprayed out from a cracked control panel. The gas condensed when it hit the air, covering the floor in a heavy grey mist. “They’re not after you.”

“If I go out there, they’ll shoot me first then maybe bother to ask what I was doing here.”

“Dammit! Why did you come here any—”

-”Both of you, stop it!”- The Muse roared in their minds. -”You need to get the fuck out of there now! The ship’s inches from the edge. We have a plan… Just… just don’t believe your eyes, okay?”-

-”Re, what are you—”-

The blaster fire cut out all at once, the burning sizzle replaced by shrieking screams.

-”Don’t believe anything you see until he’s got you, okay? Open the door and let him in!”-

~

Faceplate locked in place, Logan tread slowly through the special forces surrounding Hesper’s ship. His esper coil set to its lowest level, he carried with him a tiny bubble of clarity through the crowd. He’d learned to shove those closest to him away before Remus and The Prince’s Illusion dissolved too completely for them. Just an arms’ length away, soldiers writhed on the ground, hands covering their faces or flailing wildly, fighting off the monsters of the twins’ worst imaginations. Insects the size of people, hungry rocks with teeth.

Their fellow soldiers, armed and hungry.

-“Keep it on, Lo,”- Remus had sent one last warning before he’d clicked on the coil, cutting off what had quickly become the familiar background buzz of their co-mingled thoughts. “No matter what!” he’d insisted aloud.

It wasn’t until the screaming started that Logan had completely understood.

The Illusion was contained, well, mostly contained, to the area surrounding Hesper’s beat up ship. Patton and V had spread out, gathering civilians and getting them out of the Illusion’s boundaries. They’d each had enough practice with the twin’s powers to maintain their own shields for brief periods of time. They all knew Logan had no such abilities.

Silvertongue, though, was at the center of the Illusion, and as practiced and skilled as he was, even his mental shields would quickly crumble under the full weight of both brother’s concentrated power. They needed to keep the officers away from Hesper’s ship long enough for Logan to gather Silvertongue into his shielded bubble. And, at Remus’ urging, Hesper, too.

It would leave both of them without their powers, but if Logan was quick enough, he could get all three of them back to the ship in time to escape.

As Remus had promised, the gangway dropped as he approached. He ran up at half speed, the entire ship stuttering under his steps. “Silvertongue?” he called, straining to hear over the racket outside—and in. He stepped over the body of a soldier, face bloodied and unconscious. Minutes ago, the military outside was actively trying to murder them all, but now their anguished cries tore at Logan’s nerves. Every human instinct drove him to go and help, to fight off what was hurting them.

But he needed them to hurt so he could get Silvertongue to safety.

“Silvertongue!” he shouted again, turning down a tight corridor. For a small ship, it seemed to have impossibly too many places for them to hide. “Where are you? Silver—” 

One scuffed boot poked out from a cabinet and Logan rushed forward and ripped off the door. Hesper had shoved a struggling Silvertongue into the far corner. He muttered something in his ear, and held him tightly, arms pinned down and face smashed against his shoulder. Eyes glowing orange in the darkened closet, Hesper fought his attempts to break free. Janus’ anguished screams were muffled against his chest as Hesper suffocated him.

“Get off of him!” Logan shouted, prying them apart.

The men froze the moment they were encased in his protective shield, the orange light dying instantly from Hesper’s eyes. Logan pulled Janus close, circling one arm around his body, both a shield and a hold. He lifted his other arm, ready to fend off his kidnapper, but instead of fighting, Hesper dropped to his knees, a guttural moan ripping up from his throat. 

Disoriented, Janus shook his head, wild eyes scanning the tiny space. He inspected his hands and brushed frantically at his clothes, only stopping when his hand hit the unyielding durasteel of Logan’s suit. He looked up at him, brow furrowed. “Machina?” he croaked, voice ruined from his screams. After a moment, his eyes dropped down to the blinking lights of his esper coil. “Where’s—”

Somehow still outside the protective field, the horrors of the twins’ Illusion had Hesper in its grip. He let out another cry. Caught in the nightmare, Hesper had even dropped whatever power he’d been using to keep Janus captive, his now ordinary-looking eyes squeezed shut as he rocked himself.

Janus reached for him, speaking too softly for Logan to hear over the pandemonium outside the ship. “We need to get you out of here,” Logan shouted above the din.

He started to turn but Janus beat at his arm and pointed at Hesper. Logan hesitated. Did Janus not remember what Hesper had been doing just moments before? But he’d promised Remus and apparently so had Janus. Shaking his head, he gripped Hesper’s vest and dragged him to his feet.

Less than a foot from Logan’s coil, Hesper was certainly now shielded from the twins’ Illusion. But he continued to sob. Maybe he still just caught in the memory of it. Even Janus looked affected, reaching for his captor from the safety of Logan’s hold.

Logan shivered, his own memories of the nightmares he’d seen locked in Remus’ mind not so distant. And that had been with Remus trying not to hurt him. “They’re waiting for us.”

Hesper stumbled and that’s when Logan noticed the bag gripped in his hand. He scanned it, but it held no weapons, none he could detect, at least. “Fine,” he muttered, mostly to himself, and hitched Hesper up over his shoulder and carried them both out of the ship.

Some of the military had gone almost catatonic, laying on the ground with eyes wide and limbs twitching. A few were huddled together, wrestling and tearing at each other. Logan stepped over a pair of them, watching the clarity return to their eyes as they entered his shield. He moved away too quickly for them to grab at him and they fell back into their nightmare visions within seconds.

Remus and The Prince stood back to back, eerily still in the chaos. Logan scanned the area. Two smaller transports were lifting off from the far platform, likely Patton and V’s work to evacuate any remaining civilians. 

It had taken longer than he’d thought to locate Janus and get them both out of Hesper’s ship. Patton and V were already on board the ̨Mad Lad transport and the engine was humming. Logan hurried towards it, hoping to give the other Mad Lads a respite from fighting to shield themselves from the Illusion. 

The twins followed him, walking slowly and remaining back to back, keeping the entire platform in sight as they moved.  

Patton was in the pilot’s seat, flicking switches and resetting their sensors. It appeared whatever the military had been using to jam them had stopped with their counterattack. Tears poured down Patton’s cheeks and he shivered, hunched over the controls.

V didn’t look much better, pinched face softening when Logan approached, bringing him within the boundary of his esper coil. But V shook his head, jerking his chin toward Janus and Hesper. “Keep them protected and see if you can shield Papa Bear. I’m alright, Mac.” He pushed a little smile on his face. “We’re almost there.”

Logan moved as close to Patton as the ship’s space would allow, turning up the coil to broaden the protective radius now that he was clear of the forces outside.

“Thanks, Kiddo,” he breathed, tearing his eyes from Janus and Hesper and focusing on the ship. “We’re ready to take off as soon as the boys are onboard.”

Remus and The Prince climbed aboard and sealed the gangway against the screams outside. The cries petered out completely and V nodded. “We’re clear, Pat, let’s go!” In the new silence, Logan let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, collapsing against the inner cavity of his suit. 

The ship took off, swaying as Patton dodged a few poorly aimed blaster bolts. After a few minutes, they leveled out high above the dusty cloud cover. Logan stepped back from Patton and set Janus down on his feet before tightening his grip on Hesper. He was still a wreck, hiding his face and weeping into his hands. Logan flipped back his faceplate to see everyone with his own eyes.

“What’s wrong with him? You’re not still…” He looked up at the twins and wobbled his head. “The Illusion’s gone, right?”

Realization washed over Remus’ features. A realization he did not share aloud. “Turn it off, Lo,” Remus muttered as he and Janus raced to Hesper’s side. “Please!” Hands on the ship’s controls, Patton craned his neck, looking back at them with fresh tears in his eyes. Virgil gripped his shoulder and took his place and soon all three were pulling Hesper away from Logan.

“Lukie,” Patton whispered, taking his hand. “Lukie, it wasn’t real. It’s okay. You’re safe, now. Everyone’s safe.”

“Lukie?” The mech’s gyroscope kept Logan upright when his hand fell from the controls. “What? No… No, he’s…” Mouth agape, he stared at each of the Mad Lads and then at Hesper, waiting for someone to say something, anything to explain. “He’s Lucas?”

[rosa-acicularis]

Tomorrow Is a Long Time. Doctor Who. Rose Tyler, The Doctor, characters from multiple eras. Mature. Complete, posting weekly. Spoilers for The Giggle.

If today was not an endless highway, if tonight was not a crooked trail, if tomorrow wasn't such a long time, then lonesome would mean nothing to you at all. Rose Tyler, on the road to Journey's End.

She lands in a car park off Kennington Road, near the Tesco Express. Less than a mile from the Estate. It’s the dead of night at eight o’clock in the morning, and there are twenty-six alien planets in the sky.

The photo on Donna’s phone couldn’t prepare her for the terrible reality of it – the bone-deep sense of wrong she feels every time she glances up. The streets around her are in chaos, and she can hear them in the distance – Daleks shouting orders, killing anyone who refuses to obey. There’s no time to think about anything else.

“Should’ve nicked that matter-disrupter,” she says, and runs towards the screaming.

Chapter 8