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gryfflepuffinthetardis · 4 months ago

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Somebody's Watching

Season One Masterlist

A Real Rain

Charm and Harm

Summary: While in Los Angeles conducting a profiling seminar with the LAPD, Gideon and Reid are brought in to consult when someone commits a series of murders occurring around a young Hollywood actress, who becomes attracted to Reid.

Warnings: Stalking; Killing; J.D. Zoe being mean to Spencer; Spencer being mean to Zoe; Spencer cursing; Zoe is being a bit shady when it comes to her photo being taken, Obsessive Love

Note: *Although I have recast Lila, because she’s played by a real life UnSub (someone on Archive of Our Own said “she wasn’t but okay” but come on, look what she tried to do) and a genuinely awful person who tried to ruin a good man’s life, there will be passive-aggressive comments about her because I hate her that much because I love Johnny Depp so much. My mom actually wouldn't let me watch Aquaman because she didn't like Herd and this was before the scandal broke, she didn't trust her. I kept being reminded of different actresses because she looked so different or more likely, my brain was trying to replace her with someone I actually like rather than a terrible human being who can't act. She is now cast by Claire Holt from the Originals and H2o*

"When you have seen as much as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love." — J.K. Rowling

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Diane Arbus once said, "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know."

March 26, 2006

Zoe's suspension was up and she was in California with Spencer and Gideon to give a lecture and Spencer had brought them to an art gallery that a semi-friend from high school was hosting. He hadn't been a friend exactly but he hadn't been one of the cruel ones to Spencer and defended him a few times which Spencer had appreciated.

"Spencer! Spencer Reid!" The man was older than Spencer, obviously and hugged Spencer who awkwardly tried to return it. "Dude, dude, dude. Look at you. You look just the same. Look at you, dude, nothing changed. Spencer was the only twelve-year-old in our graduating class. Just the same."

"Thanks." Spencer said.

"This is Special Agent Jason Gideon and this is Doctor Zoe Noble-Valdez." Spencer introduced, "This is Parker Dunley. We went to high school together, as you can probably gather."

"Yeah, I gathered." Zoe said.

"Hi. How are you?" Gideon introduced.

Hey." He said and then he looked at Zoe and Spencer didn't miss how he eyed Zoe. "You work with the FBI?"

"Yeah, Spencer was the youngest before I came along." Zoe said and she looked at her hand still in Parker's hand too long and she pulled it back as Spencer shifted, uncomfortably.

"It's a beautiful gallery." Gideon said.

"Oh, thank you, thank you."

"Uh, Jason's a big contemporary art enthusiast." Zoe said.

"Well, we're exhibiting four up-and-coming artists in this show. Everything's for sale." Parker said.

"Yeah, birds are his favorite. You got any of those" Zoe deadpanned.

Parker looked at Spencer who just shook his head with a fond smile like, she's always like that.

"And I could definitely swing a nice discount for a friend of..." He spotted a pretty blonde woman enter the room with a brunette friend. "Lila." He turned back to them to bring them to introduce them. "Hey. Guys, come on." He walked to the woman.

Spencer turned to Zoe and Gideon, "Do I look twelve-years-old to you?"

"Basically." Zoe deadpanned with a smirk. Not that she

"Fourteen?" Gideon said.

Spencer looked away and shook his head and followed Parker.

"Spencer, you ever meet a real movie star?" Parker asked.

"Movie star? Please. She has a supporting role on a television series about beach volleyball." Lila's friend said, "Totally blue-collar."

"I'm Lila." She introduced to Spencer.

"Hi, I'm uh, Doctor Spencer Reid. Um... I'm Spencer. You don't have to call me doctor." Spencer stammered.

"I won't."

"Doctor Zoe Noble-Valdez, M.D." Zoe said and then started to turn to make her leave before turning back around at such a quick pace that something was clearly wrong and standing stiffly as someone started to take pictures of Lila.

"Excuse me." Parker said and turned to confront the photographer, "Hey, you. I told you no photos in the gallery. All right? Out!

When the photographer moved as Parker made him move, still taking pictures of the group, Zoe ducked and reemerged with her leather jacket hood over her head but she wasn't sure if she had kept herself hidden enough.

A waiter offered them champagne, Lila took one and Spencer declined, Zoe immediately took it, rather annoyed with the situation but unable to leave without risk of getting her photo taken.

"So, you're not from around here, are you?"

"No." Zoe said, blankly.

"Me? No, no. I'm... We're running a training service about profiling for the Los Angeles Police Department." Spencer explained.

"Profiling?" Lila asked.

"Yeah, we're with the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. We psychoanalyze crime scenes in order to gain a better understanding of the criminal who might have committed the crime." Spencer explained.

"Psychoanalyze, huh?" Lila said and Spencer nodded and glanced away awkwardly.

Zoe stuck her tongue out in disgust. Barf.

"Are you doing that to me right now?" Lila asked

"What? No. I'm not psychoanalyzing you. I'm just..." Spencer stammered.

"I'm kidding." Lila chuckled and Spencer pressed his lips together, nodding.

He noticed Zoe, giving him a rather annoyed look as Lila was clearly charmed by Spencer's awkward nature.

"You're an idiot." Zoe said.

"What?" Spencer asked but she then spun and getting on her phone, deeming possibly being caught on camera was worth getting away from these two.

"Hey, J.D." He caught her say before she disappeared into the crowd. Spencer bit his tongue. "Hey, uh, I know this is just a message but I might have been captured on some paparazzi photos and I'd really appreciate it if you could search for those to make sure they don't reach anyone who may have seen me. I'm at an art gallery actually, I know you don't have many pleasant things to look at other than computer screens, I can look for one something that you'd like as a thank you. And if I wasn't, just... I can't say I'm sorry because I was doing my job but you are where you are because of me. Bye, J.D. I hope you get this soon."

Zoe was examining a piece of art that was closest to JD's taste but still not to it. It was gothic enough. He was dark. When she got the call from him.

He spoke to her with his usual... JD-ness, only she ever understood him. Zoe knew she shouldn't smile when she talked to him but she still did which Spencer noted bitterly.

"I don't think any of these are to your liking. Too modern. You're both. You're classical and modern." Then she spotted Gideon looking deeply uncomfortable. "Uh, Gideon looks like he's freaking out, I gotta go but I'll call you later. Well, Johnson can say that to my face, if he wants. We both know he won't."

"Zoe, let's go. Where's the kid?" Zoe led Gideon to Spencer.

"I can't tell you how to feel." Lila said.

"Right now I feel pretty good." Spencer said, awkwardly.

"We're leaving." Gideon told him

"We're still looking at the exhibit." Spencer protested.

"Now." Gideon said but Spencer hesitated, "Now. Now."

"Uh, yeah, yeah, I guess we're leaving." He shook Lila's hand, "Nice to meet you."

"You too..."

"Reid, now." Gideon said.

"Bye, Spencer." Lila chuckled and watched as he awkwardly weaved his way around the caterers, meeting up with Zoe who was downing a last glass of champagne and not looking at him, determinedly.

——————————————————————————————————

March 27, 2006

They gave the lecture to the LAPD in the morning, "Today, we thought we'd focus on what is probably the most important component of profiling... or, for that matter, any investigative technique, victimology. The word victim stems from the Latin word, 'victima,' which means sacrifice. Victims of violent crimes are brutalized by a subject who takes it upon him or herself to decide life or death over a fellow human being."

Zoe jumped into her work as usual. "There are around sixteen million people in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Every time a person is killed, robbed or raped, the most important question you will ask yourself is why. Why did your UnSub choose this victim at this time? Was there anything done which provoked the criminal to act or was the target available or weak? A casualty of circumstance?"

Spencer had never seen Zoe be so focused on a lecture, she didn't give one sarcastic comment, and she seemed to be ignoring him.

The detective who had invited them walked the three to their car, Detective Owen Kim.

"You know, we really can get ourselves to the airport." Gideon said.

"I didn't invite the FBI here to let them make their own way around town." He said.

"We really appreciate it." Spencer said.

"Hey, I can't thank you guys enough for conducting the seminar." Kim said.

"Well, don't hesitate to call if there's anything we can help with." Gideon said.

They started to pack up their things when Kim got a call and stepped aside to take it. His body language seemed to change as he got off it.

"Everything all right?" Zoe asked.

"Double murder at a Hollywood bungalow. A celebrity. A young movie star, Natalie Ryan, and her fiancé apparently shot to death. It's going to be a major pain in the ass." Kim said, "Hey, you guys care to take a quick look before I drive you to the airport? It's on the way."

"Absolutely."

Zoe unattached her motorcycle, not wanting to sit next to Spencer and drove off at once.

Kim, Spencer, and Gideon met up with Zoe at the crime scene as she examined the bodies. The woman was on her couch with a bullet to the head, eyes open

"No sign of forced entry." Spencer noted.

"Same weapon." Gideon said.

"Natalie was shot execution style, once in the head. Jeremy Collins, her fiancé, three times in the torso." Zoe said.

"So, you have two different MOs." Gideon said.

Kim approached them, "We have an image on the video surveillance camera. Looks like a messenger of some kind wearing a motorcycle helmet. He's unidentifiable."

"There's no sign of a struggle between the girl and the UnSub from the door to the couch. He most likely forced her at gunpoint." Spencer said.

"He told her to trust him, 'Do what I say. I won't hurt you'." Zoe said.

"Fatal mistake." Kim said and Zoe hummed in agreement.

"He asked her to sit on the couch and then shot her in the head."

"Fiancé wasn't expected. His killing's messier. It's less controlled. It's less organized." Gideon said and looked at Kim, "What do you think?" "I've had a couple other cases recently, past few months. Same type of weapon, .22 caliber handgun, both shot in the head. The first was an established film producer, Wally Melman, and the second was Chloe Harris, another young actress. Though not as well-known as Natalie here." Kim said.

"Sounds like a pattern." Zoe said.

"Any forensic evidence?" Spencer asked.

"No, and the guys have been going through this place all morning and haven't come up with anything."

"So, he clearly knows how to cover his tracks." Zoe said, walking around.

"Like a professional hit man?"

"Maybe." Zoe said and then she suddenly ducked and reemerged, looking annoyed and with her hood back over her head.

"Gideon, there are people actually taking photographs of us from the next yard." Spencer said, looking at what made Zoe duck.

"Yeah, welcome to LA." Kim said.

"Well, some of us don't want their photo taken." Zoe grumbled, turning away from the paparazzi.

Zoe made her way back to the bodies and turned her back to the windows.

"Twenty-two's are small, but efficient. They bounce around inside a person like a pinball." Zoe said.

"Preferred weapon of the Mafia." Spencer said, "You know, there's no obvious sexual component to these crimes, which is usually the case with serial murders."

"So, you are thinking this is a serial killer?" Kim asked.

"Well, it's certainly a series of murders. We don't know enough yet to call them serial." Gideon said.

"Would you consider hanging out in LA a little while?" Kim asked. "Let me lean on your expertise until we do figure out what we've got?"

"As long as I don't get my photo taken." Zoe deadpanned.

"Yeah, just cancel the flights. We'll have the rest of our team out here ASAP."

——————————————————————————————————

Kim listened to what the team had come up with so far once the rest of them arrived.

"This guy is an assassin?"

"When you look at the victimology, there's no obvious links." Morgan said, "All the kills are clean, except in the instance of the last victim, Jeremy Collins."

"There's absolutely no evidence left at the crime scene. There's no DNA. No manifestation of psychosexual release and there's no detectable signature of any kind." Elle said.

"Remember, our profiles are formulated not just by what's present at the scene, but also what's absent." Gideon said.

"From all the evidence that we've gathered, we believe that you're looking for a Type Four Assassin." Alexander said.

"Type Four?"

"Type One's are political assassins like John Wilkes Booth." Spencer explained.

"Type Two's are egocentrics looking for simple recognition." Zoe said.

"Type Three's are psychopaths, cold-blooded killers who leave far messier scenes." Hotch said.

"And Type Four, our UnSub, suffers from a major mental disorder and is frequently delusional." Alexander said.

"The closer we come to figuring out that delusion, the closer we'll get to finding the UnSub." Spencer said.

"Well, what's he going to be doing until we do?" Kim asked.

"Finding other victims." Gideon said.

A man entered, "Excuse me?" He knocked on the open doorway, "Hi. Is there a Detective Kim here?""

"Right here.

"You're heading the investigation into the Natalie Ryan murder?" The man asked.

"Yes."

"Um... My... I have a client, she's... Is there any place we could be private?" He asked.

"We're all working this murder." Kim said.

"Well... She received a note. My client did and she freaked out. I told her not to worry about it, and..." He explained.

"Where's the note?" Morgan asked and the man handed it to him, it was an article about Natalie Ryan's death with three words written in red: You owe me.

"Where is your client?" Hotch asked.

"She's waiting in the other room."

"Reid, Zoe, let's go." Morgan said.

Zoe, Morgan, and Spencer walked through the precinct and... you gotta be kidding me.

"Lila." Spencer recognized her. Why wouldn't he? "Hi."

The team came to interrogate her.

"How well did you know Natalie Ryan?" Hotch asked.

"We spoke when we saw each other in public, but we were never friends." Lila said.

"How about Wally Melman?" Hotch asked.

"What?" Lila asked.

"Wally Melman, he was a producer who was killed a couple months ago." Zoe clarified.

"The-the paper said that was a robbery." Lila stammered.

"Well, the paper was wrong." Zoe said, somewhat curtly.

"Did you know him?"

"Well, we met a few times about a project, but I didn't get the part. They went a different way." Lila said.

"Which way?" Elle asked.

“He cast another act..." Realization came to her face, "Oh, my God."

"What is it?" Spencer asked.

"He cast Natalie Ryan." Her agent, Michael said.

"You owe me." Morgan held up the article with the note.

Lila sighed, devastated in guilt and put her head in her hands.

"I guess that's one way to ice out the competition?" Elle said.

"Don't look at me. I brought her into the police station." Michael pointed out.

"Have you ever had a sense that someone is watching you, following you?" Gideon asked.

"From the moment I get to work," Lila said, "I have hair and makeup, and wardrobe people, producers, writers, my agent, my manager, publicist. Not to mention photographers. I..."

"It's part of the life." Michael said.

"Anything that seems odd, out of the ordinary, happens on a regular basis or a semi-regular basis?" Gideon asked.

"What do you mean?" Lila asked.

"Repetitive phone calls with hang ups? Gifts left anonymously?" Spencer suggested.

"I receive flowers on the seventh of each month they just appear in my trailer. Never a note. Just a plain glass bowl. Red anemones. My favorite." She said.

"And you don't want to know who they're from?" Zoe asked.

"Celebrities get anonymous gifts all the time." Michael said, "She has fans, you know."

"You remember meeting anyone on the seventh day of the month?" Gideon asked, "Or in July, the seventh month of the year?"

"No."

"Wally Melman was a producer who considered hiring you but didn't and Natalie was a rival."

"And Chloe Harris, she looks a lot like you. Don't you think?" Elle asked, showing a picture of her.

"Who?" Lila asked.

"A potential rival." Elle said.

"She was murdered, too." Hotch said.

They doing a real good job at scaring this girl.

"So, all these people are being killed because of me?

"It's possible." Hotch admitted.

Lila put her head in her hands, briefly, this was too much for her. "I'm sorry. I can't. I have to go."

Spencer hurried after Lila, calling her name. He ran awkwardly out the station after her.

She turned to him, "What's happening, Spencer?"

Spencer brushed his hair out of his face as he explained, "Well, it's still rather speculative, but it appears there's a delusional assassin who's killing people to help further your career. It probably started as a stalker. An erotomanic stalker. There's a psychopathology of the evolution of these types of stalkers and the fact that he's contacting you indicates that he believes you owe him something. This model frequently concludes itself with one of two possibilities, either the stalker will kill himself or he'll kill the object of his affection."

——————————————————————————————————

When Spencer left, Zoe shifted and grabbed the file from Hotch aggressively and sat down, going through it.

Morgan did a full turn and walked away, not stupid enough to tease Zoe at the moment.

Alexander came up to her and sat down, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" She asked, shortly and hostilely.

"No reason. No reason." He sighed. "Just a father worries when his only daughter who he knows where she is faces heartache over the boy she's smitten with."

Zoe slammed her hands on the table. "I am not smitten!" She growled out.

"Of course not." He said, blankly, being sarcastic.

"He's twenty-four, he's a great guy, he's smart, single, and still a virgin. I don't get a say in his love life."

"You get a love life too as much as it pains for me to admit." Alexander said.

"No, I don't. The Satanists and the serial killer who paid them to kidnap me made sure of that. Because of them, I can't trust people and I can't let myself feel. Emotional detachment, remember? The last boyfriend I had now has multiple life sentences in jail because of me.”

She looked outside, seeing Lila walking away from Spencer who watching her go and tilting his head, obviously checking her out.

She groaned and dropped her head on the table.

"You're going to have to hit your head harder if you wish to induce a concussion, sweetheart." Her father deadpanned.

“I hate everything.” She groaned.

——————————————————————————————————

March 28, 2006

They gave the profile in the morning.

"With this UnSub we're looking at a compound profile. A Type Four delusional assassin with an erotomanic fixation on the actress, Lila Archer."

Zoe didn't like Lila. She was aware of that even if she was vehemently denying the possibility on why. But she knew what it was like to have an erotomanic stalker with murderous tendencies. Every time she got a package, she feared it would be another bouquet of white lilies covered in blood. She couldn't look at any kind of lilies without seeing them. Sometimes she felt like he was still watching her.

"Erotomanics are a form of stalker who possess the delusional belief that another person, usually of a higher social status, is in love with them."

Zoe's hand went to her biggest scar, all of them aching.

"This phenomena is commonly just thought of as another stalker case to many but they are quite dangerous. Famous erotomaniacs include John Hinckley Junior, Margaret Mary Ray, Michael David Barrett, and John Robert Bardo." Zoe said.

"In the United States, at any given time, there are over two hundred, thousand people being stalked." Elle said. "Our UnSub is having a fantasy love affair with Lila Archer. The way John Hinckley did with Jodie Foster."

"Miss Archer was not aware of her stalker until yesterday." Hotch said, "He wasn't trying to impress her. He was more like an unwanted, very violent guardian angel.

"When the stalker feels as if they've been in some way betrayed by their love object, this often leads to violence against the target." Gideon said.

"In the case of John Robert Bardo, when actress Rebecca Schaeffer took a role where she had to have a sexual relationship with another character, it was enough to force him to snap and seek her out to kill her." Spencer said.

"Though stalkers can be either male or female, it's most likely we're looking for a single male. A loner in his late twenties to early forties, very intelligent with ample time to follow his victim and study her habits." Hotch said.

"As of yet, the UnSub has not directed any violence towards Miss Archer, but he has shifted his focus from those around her to her directly." Spencer said.

"This doesn't preclude the fact that anyone who has the vaguest association with Miss Archer is a potential target." Gideon said.

——————————————————————————————————

Lila had gotten another note that said: Lila—I've always been so good to you. Why would you go to the police?

They were in her trailer looking at the note in the evidence bag now

"I'm intrigued by this particular version of the verb 'to be." Gideon said.

"Past participle." Spencer said.

"Steady state of being. Preceding adverb." Gideon agreed.

"Always."

"In English." Kim requested.

"That is English. We're discussing the verb tenses..." Reid started.

"Reid. Reid." Morgan cut him off.

"No offense but now not the time for a vocab lesson." Zoe said.

Gideon turned to Officer Kim, "Our stalker sounds like someone she knows."

"Based on the tense of the verb." Spencer continued as Lila tilted her head back in exasperation.

Zoe looked at her and gave her a sympathetic smile like, sorry about this.

"Maybe it's time to get her off the street." Morgan suggested.

"You know there's been no physical threat to her. She might be safe just staying put as opposed to anywhere else." Spencer countered.

"I'm standing right here, guys." Lila complained.

“If we did remove you, we’d have to take you to an undisclosed location. I’m sure your stalker knows where you live.” Gideon said.

“I’m not having the whole show close down. I only need one more scene to shoot. Look, last night I decided I wasn’t gonna be afraid of this lunatic." Lila said, reminding Alexander of a rather defiant pair of girls he fathered.

Lila looked at Detective Kim, “Am I safe here?”

“The set’s cleared of everyone except essential personnel, and we have increased security at the gate.” Kim relented.

"But if the stalker sees that she's moved then they may feel more betrayed and try to find her and that never ends well. We don't know how much they know about her." Zoe pointed out.

There was a knock and a young woman with blonde hair around Lila's age stuck her head in. Zoe couldn't get a read off her since she was looking at Lila with the back of her head facing the law enforcement. “Lila, they’re ready for you.”

“Thanks, Mags. I’m staying at work” Lila said and left the trailer.

“Well, she’s one tough girl,” Derek stated the obvious.

“Yeah,” Spencer agreed.

Zoe showed no reaction, putting on her usual apathetic facade.

“I didn’t want to say anything in front of her, but his anger about her going to the police suggests he might alter his agenda." Gideon said.

"It’s typical for a stalker,” Morgan said.

“She didn’t go alone to the police.”

“Her manager took her.” Zoe recalled, "the stalker could perceive him as guilty for getting the police involved.

“You, Morgan, and Reid stay here. Keep an eye on her,” Gideon instructed.

"Awesome." She muttered.

She both didn't want to stay and watch Lila flirt with Spencer while he remained painfully oblivious to it but stay to make sure they didn't cross any lines, not that they likely would with Spencer's utter inability to interact with other people, especially women.

"I'll hang back, too." Kim said.

"Where are you going?" Morgan asked.

"To talk to her manager." Gideon said.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Zoe remained on set of this painfully dull set about beach volleyball. God, she hated the beach. She was on her phone searching for a painting to send to J.D. that he'd actually like or maybe she'd get him a book, but the problem was finding on he hadn't read yet.

Zoe looked up, seeing Spencer bump into a camera and try not to knock it down as he made his way to speak to Lila who had put a robe over her bikini.

"Sorry, if I was, um, insensitive last night." Spencer apologized to her.

"You're only doing your job, right?" Lila asked as Spencer drank some a coke bottle.

"Yeah."

"Then there's no need to apologize." She said, giving a doey-eyed look as she sipped her tea or coffee but apparently it was one of those drinks she had to drink to keep her figure or something or she saw another opportunity to flirt because she made a disgusted face. "Ugh." Then she took Spencer's coke. "You don't mind sharing, do you?" She drank it without a reply but he answered anyways. Spencer shook his head.

"No." The germophobe said.

The bell rang, signifying her break was over, so she took off her robe and moved past Spencer who was drinking from the soda again, trying and failing to appear as if he wasn't looking at Lila's body and watching her walk off.

Morgan walked up to Spencer and mimicked Lila, teasingly while Zoe hit the buttons on her phone harder than necessary. "You don't mind sharing with me, do you?"

"Shut up." Spencer told him, sharply.

"Go get 'em, lover."

Spencer went to walk after Lila before realizing he was going in the wrong direction.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "I didn't think you had it in you to be jealous."

Zoe sharply brought her head up from her phone and glared at Morgan. "I am not jealous."

"Then why are you upset?"

"I am not upset. Spencer's just a friend and I don't have any feelings for him and he doesn't have any feelings for me."

Are you blind? Morgan thought.

"Even if he did, he can do much better than me." She said.

Morgan's teasing smirk fell, "You don't really believe that do you."

"My last boyfriend... wasn't totally dissimilar from Spencer. High IQ, Neurodivergent, book lover, but he was... he was homeless when I met him, and I was in a bad place. We clicked because we had similar traumas, but we never really labeled it. I let him help in the cases I was working on when I was Maze's apprentice and we both ended up being kidnapped for six months. What he saw in that prison... it was my fault. And what he did after that led to him being arrested was my fault too. He was survived so much only for me to finally break him."

"You didn't break him, those men did."

"They hurt us but me more than him because I volunteered to be tortured instead of him."

"You volunteered to be tortured."

"He had been hurt so much, if I could keep him from feeling more pain, then I would. And I did. I can take it. That's something you learn when you're being tortured just because." Zoe said, "I'm too broken for someone like Spencer. Even if we did have those feelings, he could do so much better than me." She stiffened up, "If anyone asks, I never said a word."

Morgan saw he had something in common with Zoe. They had both been hurt by men who took advantage of them, even if they weren't aware of it in each other's past yet but they had ways of refusing relationships because of it.

——————————————————————————————————

Michael Ryler, Lila's agent had been shot in the head. They were too late.

Zoe left the studio with Morgan and Kim while Spencer had taken Lila to her house when Elle called, he put her on speaker phone while Zoe pulled her hoodie over her head.

"Morgan, it's Elle."

"Yeah?

"We just found a manila envelope on Michael Ryer's desk. It's full of photos."

"Okay."

"Well, they're candid shots of Lila Archer nude. I'm guessing he was probably paying someone off to keep them out of the press." Elle said as they got in the car, a groan rumbling in Zoe's throat.

"Do we know who?"

"The name on the envelope was Joe Martinez."

"The paparazzo?" Kim asked.

"You know him?"

"Yeah, I deal with him a lot."

"So the creep kind?" Zoe asked.

"You could say that."

"Elle, we're on it."

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Spencer entered Lila's house which was more lavish than his apartment that could be mistaken for a mini-library.

"Wow. I like your house."

"I rent it." Lila said.

"Nice. You should also probably change all your phone numbers." Spencer said.

"I'm unlisted." She told him.

"Anytime you call an 800 number or an 888 number your phone number's put into a data bank that's then sold to telemarketers. If someone gets your cell phone number, they can go online and research all your records." Spencer explained.

Lila looked at him with the usual look.

"Hanging out with you could be really depressing." She said, walking to a different part of the house.

Spencer could practically hear Zoe's remark: He gets that a lot.

"You should also probably carry a piece of paper and a pen with you where ever you go in case you see any suspicious license plates that often reappear." Spencer said, following.

Spencer saw a piece of part that seemed to be randomized bits and pieces.

"Photographic collage." Lila said, "I like it because it's like life, you know? You know, like obscure, difficult."

Spencer nodded and then said, "You should also get a dog. Like a guard dog of some sort."

"Allergic." She said. "Earl Gray or Chamomile?"

"What?" He asked, still oblivious to her attempts to flirt with him and she walked off to the kitchen, "What..."

"Would you like some tea?" She clarified.

"Yes. Yes, uh, sure." He said and then mouthed to himself, scoldingly.

No wonder he had never had a real date-date.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Zoe beat Morgan to the door and kicked it down with her hood still up.

"FBI! Come out where ever you are, creep!" She shouted.

"Martinez?" Morgan shouted.

"The creep's not here. Probably on the prowl." Zoe sighed, coming upon what seemed to be practically a shrine to Lila Archer due to the amount of photos of her "Come look at this!"

"See? This guy's a real scumbag." Kim said.

"You got that right." Spencer said.

"Oh, this creeper." Zoe said, finding a picture of the first paparazzi, "He was taking pictures of her at the gallery we were at the other day. The owner had to kick him out. Morgan, do me a favor. If you see any photos of me, burn them. I'm not being sarcastic, I have a lot of enemies who know what I look like but don't know my name or where I actually live. If they know I'm in America now, it could cause a real problem."

Morgan spotted a piece of paper, "What's this?"

"It's a call sheet." Kim recognized. "It's the shooting schedule for a film or television show."

"That's Lila's show." Zoe recognized.

"Yeah."

"He's not supposed to have that, is he?" Morgan asked.

"No.

"So, at minimum, we can charge him with stalking because this," Zoe gestured around with a finger, "Goes beyond paparazzi to just plain stalking."

Zoe walked to a table and shifted through the photos. She stopped when she spotted a photo of Lila talking to a man. She knew the back of that man.

"Morgan, it's Spencer." Zoe called.

"There's a whole bunch of them." Kim said, shifting through the photos, some directly on Spencer, and some had Zoe in them, turning away from the camera. "He a target now?"

Zoe looked at him, "Not if I can help it. Let's go." Zoe headed to the door, leaving all the pictures of her behind. Who cared if any of those terrorists saw her in the paper, she had to go get Spencer.

"You and me both." Morgan agreed, right on her heels.

"You call him." Zoe said once they left.

Morgan rolled his eyes and called the second youngest agent in the team, "Reid, it's Morgan. Listen to me. You got to watch your back over there. We just found a bunch of close-up photos of you at this guy Joseph Martinez's studio. It looks like he could be the UnSub. He had a ton of photos of Lila and Natalie plus a call sheet for Lila's show. We're on our way right now," Zoe froze, "but I need you to be real careful until we get there, all right? All right."

Zoe had stopped and there was a motorcycle revving up.

"GET DOWN!" She shouted but before they could react gunshots went off at the car, hitting Kim.

Zoe and Morgan pulled their guns and shot at the motorcycle but they were too far away.

Zoe broke away and ran to Kim.

"You hit?" She asked.

"Yeah. It's just my shoulder." He said and Zoe went to applying pressure to the wound.

"All right. I'm calling for help." Morgan said, "Officer down. We need an ambulance at La Brea and Wilshire."

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Gideon, Elle, JJ, Alexander, and Hotch came upon them as they had Kim in the ambulance, it wasn't critical but he did need a hospital.

"How we doing?

"He'll make it." Zoe said, "Caught one in the shoulder and shattered his collarbone.

"You okay?" Alexander asked.

"We're fine." Morgan confirmed.

"Yeah."

"No sign of this Martinez, the photographer?" Gideon asked.

"No."

"Whoever took a shot at you followed you from the set."

"I'm sorry. I should've noticed." Zoe said.

"You can't notice everything." Alexander told his daughter.

"I'm going to head to Lila's to provide extra cover." Zoe said and headed off.

She took out her phone and called Spender.

"Yeah?" Spencer said into the phone.

"Hey, there's been another shooting, Officer Kim. Don't worry, he's still alive but it was only the shoulder and since you know you can barely shoot, I'm heading over to Lila's."

"Alright." Spencer ignored the jab, "You have her address?"

"Yeah." Spencer overlayed the message to Lila who seemed indifferent but when Spencer went back to the phone, Zoe had hung up.

"Huh? She must've gone out of service." He said, oblivious as ever.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Zoe's motorcycle shot off at top speed but barely any noise.

"Martinez has a bunch of paperwork in the studio that says where Lila's going to be every day." Morgan said as Gideon's phone rang once Zoe was long gone.

"Gideon. That's what I thought. Thanks." He hung up, "Garcia's gone through every article written about Lila. She never says anything about red anemones being her favorite flower."

"Well, we're looking for someone pretty close to her." Elle said.

"This list gets shorter every day." Morgan said.

"He's circling in. We need to get to her house." Gideon said.

"I'll make sure the press doesn't get out of hand with this mess." JJ said and Kim held up a sign with his fingers.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Spencer stared at the college when Lila came up behind him. "Feel anything yet?"

"There is something definitely appealing about this one." Spencer said, not being able to tell what.

"That's a start." Lila chuckled and headed towards her pool in the backwards undoing her robe.

"What are you doing?" Spencer asked.

"Going for a swim." She said, dropping the robe to reveal her in a bikini.

"What? No, Lila." Spencer ran after her.

Zoe unlocked the door with Lila's spare key that she had found rather easily and walked through the house, not finding them when she heard a loud splash.

She followed it and saw that Lila had rebelliously jumped into the pool with Spencer stuck between his normal awkwardness and his duty to be responsible towards his job.

Zoe had stopped, watching from inside the house where she was unnoticed by both Spencer and Lila.

"Lila, you cannot do this!" He complained.

"Five minutes." She told him and pointed at her house, "go get a suit in the house."

"What!? No! I don't want to grab a suit!" He exclaimed, his voice going more than a few octaves higher as if she had asked for something else, he had yet experienced.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Join me."

"No, I'm not gonna join you." He said.

"Why not?"

"You're being pursued by a psychotic killer who shoots people in the head!" Spencer exclaimed.

"I'm not gonna stop living my life. I'm just not." Lila said, words Zoe had said all too often to her dad.

Zoe had to admit, there were some similarities between her and Lila. They were both tough and rebellious, refusing to just submit to whatever people told them to do. They both had a way of teasing for what they want while never actually making a grab for it, hoping someone will take the hint (but he never will). They were determined not to let a little trauma stop them from living their life. The difference was Lila was a tall, beautiful blonde actress with blue eyes, Zoe was a short, tomboyish noirette (black hair) with at best amber-brown eyes. Lila had no scars that littered her skin unlike Zoe's. Lila was full of light while Zoe's had been snuffed out a long time ago, in her opinion.

"Lila, I'm begging of you. Will you please get out of the pool?" Spencer sighed, exasperatedly, feeling like he was babysitting or hanging out with Zoe.

"Really, Spence," Lila said and Zoe flinched; she was the only one who called him Spence.

"You should live a little." She had a point. He was way too uptight.

"Live a little!? I've known you forty-eight hours; I feel like I've aged ten years!" Spencer exclaimed.

Don't we all feel like that when spending time with or watching her?

"Oh. I can't be that bad." She teased.

"Yes. No, you-you are that bad." Spencer exclaimed.

Preach! Truer words have never been said.

"Oh." She said and Zoe could recognize her tactic at once: to pretend to submit to tease some more. "Fine, can you help me out at least?"

Spencer bent down and reached to grab her hand but predictably, she pulled him in with all his clothes on with her laughing. Spencer came back up, now soaked in pool water, brushing his soaked hair out of his face.

"Yes, very funny. Laugh it up, Lila. Hilarious." Spencer said, sarcastically. "You and Zoe would really get along. My gun's wet. Great." He took his holster off and placed it on the side of the pool, not noticing Zoe watching, unable to look away. He looked down at himself and he actually laughed—a beautiful, beautiful laugh but it caused a small hurt in Zoe's chest that it wasn't because of her. "My clothes."

"You should have worn the suit." Lila flirted, getting close to him, and as apparently nothing less would cause him to get the hint, Lila placed her hand on the back of his head and kissed him and to his better judgment he started to kiss back. Zoe couldn't move. She wanted to flee. She wanted to do what she did best and run from her emotions but she couldn't move. Guess it was just the masochist in her.

Realizing how unprofessional this was, Spencer pulled away, "This is completely inappropriate."

"This?" She asked, "What this? And she pulled him back in for another kiss, this one brief as he kept pulling away to protest yet continued to kiss her with every other word. "This is..." Kiss. "I can..." Kiss. "But I..." He gave up, running his hands through his wet hair and fully leaned in for another kiss, this one was open-mouthed which even Zoe could see from her angle which had shifted since she was now standing outside, watching solemnly for reasons she could not (or would not) understand for the life of her. Spencer cupped her face and deepened the kiss before he pulled away with another logical explanation why this beautiful woman was kissing him.

His first kiss with Zoe had been preceded by her drunkenly (while underage in America) telling him, it was merely for the purposes of him losing his kiss-ginity though Spencer had seen and still saw it as one of the best moments of his life as it continuously appeared in his more pleasant dreams, she had no memory of it and he still didn't want to embarrass her further.

"No, there's this thing called transference..." He insisted, apparently under the impression Lila was redirecting her feelings on someone onto him or it was just because he was supposed to be (and failing to do so) protecting her.

"You don't like me?" Lila frowned, completely unaware of Zoe frozen to the spot in front of her house as Spencer's head blocked her.

"What?" He asked, shocked she would even think that.

"You don't like me." She repeated.

"No. Are you cra—I-I-I do." He stammered.

"I like you." She told him.

"I like you too." He reassured her. "Just I'm a federal agent, you know, and I'm supposed to protect you." He explained.

Yeah. Right. With his aim? Said the sardonicism in Zoe's head.

"Then keep me close." Lila said, getting in close to him again.

"I'm just, uhm I'm a little bit worried." He said and she leaned in. "You know, we're..." She kissed him and he kissed back, not wanting to stop it, no matter what his words said, "we're in a pool." Another kiss. "and it's a—we're..." Another kiss. "Pretty much exposed. They kissed passionately some more before he pulled away and waited for her to answer.

"We have cops posted out front." Lila said, kissing him again. "There are coyotes out back. And right here, it's just you and me." Lila rested her head against Spencer's and they gently rubbed their noses but not in that nauseating couple way, but more of the we-were—just-making-out lips hovering above lips way.

"Ahem." Zoe finally managed to clear her throat, startling Spencer and he lost his footing and went back under the water before popping back up to see Zoe, looking as closed off as he had ever seen her, she wouldn't meet his eyes. How long had she been standing there? "If you're not too busy, trying to lose your virginity, Reid. We should get the target of the psychotic shooter inside now." She said with a noticeable icy cold sharpness in her voice. "We wouldn't want them to shoot her like they did her manager, Michael."

Lila seemed to be in a brief state of shock as Spencer's eyes widened.

"Zo..." Spencer looked at her and then back at Lila, "I was going to tell you. I swear I was."

She turned back to him, "How could you—how could you not tell me?"

"I was afraid you'd be upset." He said.

She started to get angry, "You...! You knew what you knew, and... how could you not..."

"I'm so sorry." He said.

Lila pulled herself out of the pool and Spencer swam after her. "No, don't-don't touch me! Don't touch me!"

Then she stormed off past Zoe back into the house, leaving Spencer in the pool and Zoe feeling guilty.

"Spen... Reid..." She struggled whether or not she should call him by his surname which she only did when she was mad at him or to call him by his first name to apologize to and comfort him.

"Why would you do that!?" He cut her off. "I get what I was doing was unprofessional but... you... she's really upset now. She cared about him!" He pulled himself out of the pool and continued to yell at her, "You know, this is the first time in my life a girl is interested in me." Oblivious. But they both were. She was oblivious to her own feelings for him. "And while I don't understand why she would be interested in someone like me, that gives you no right to chase her off. You're not exactly the most professional person here, you know! You were hired by your dad at nineteen. You're whole family's in the FBI. You're just... you always bring your own bullshit into this. You just bring it up, casually and ignore it when I try to talk to you about it because I'm concerned but you refuse to deal with it and then I'm left standing alone like a jackass! Sometimes you can be such a... such a..." He seemed to calm down and swallowed the insult he didn't mean at the hurt look in her eyes that mingled with the coldness.

"You think I got hired because of nepotism? You think Shyster was right?"

It just now hit him on what he had said. He could barely believe he had said them.

"No. I didn't say that." He backtracked. He was so bad as talking to women. Why? He grew up with one. He grew up without a father so why did he just act like a jerk. Why did he never know what to say?

"Little traumatized Zoe, still very much a child. Unable to move on from her past." She said with cold mockery in her voice, clearly deeply hurt and Spencer was aware people with ADHD usually had something called RSD or Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, meaning she didn't handle rejection or criticism well, especially not from people she cares about, feeling severe emotional pain when they feel they are shunned or criticized and according to a study he read one in three referred to it being the hardest part of living with ADHD, this was what likely led to her shutting down her emotions during her months of captivity along with the expected trauma, "So traumatized that she numbed herself of all basic emotions without her twin who very well could be dead but she hangs onto this absurd belief that she's still alive, no matter she was just starting to trust again. Trust a man of all things after what they did to me. I thought you were different than all the other boys but you're just like them all. You're willing to string along any girl who'll slip you the tongue and get into your virgin pants."

"No! That's not... I am different. I don't..." Spencer felt near close to tears at how badly he had screwed up and hurt her.

"Am I interrupting something?" Elle asked.

"No!" Zoe said.

"Yes." Spencer said.

"No. What do you need, Elle?" Zoe said, sharply.

"Well, we found him in the bushes." Elle said, taking a towel and handing it to Spencer as Morgan brought a handcuffed Martinez to them.

"I told her she should cut those." Elle looked at Spencer, waiting for an explanation for why he was all wet. "I, uh, fell in."

"Yeah and I'm sure there's plenty of photos of it." Elle remarked.

Morgan pushed Martinez in front of them. "Stop shoving me, man."

He turned to them, "You're a suspect in the murder of Wally Melman, Natalie Ryan, and Jeremy Collins." Morgan said.

"Murder? What? Whoa! Whoa, whoa." Martinez said with his eyes bugging.

"Just shut up with the 'whoa'!" Morgan shouted. "We know for a fact that you have hundreds of photographs of Lila Archer and Natalie Ryan on the walls of your studio. You have Miss Archer's daily schedule on your desk. You've been stalking her."

"Look, guy, look, hold up." Martinez said, "Every paparazzi's a celebrity stalker. If you don't stalk them, you don't get the shot, and if you don't make the shot, you don't sell no pictures.

"You're not supposed to have that schedule or take dozens of photos of her in her personal home in her personal bedroom. That's not being a paparazzi, that's being a pervert." Zoe said in a rougher deadpan than usual. She looked at Elle. "Give me that."

Elle handed the camera to Zoe who looked at Spencer as he looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes and she ripped the film out.

"Whoa. That's just wrong."

"So is stalking, you pervert. Taking photos of people like that is a crime. You're trespassing and you're stalking and now..." She threw the camera on the ground and stomped on it, never breaking eye contact with the man.

"Whoa! Whoa! That thing's expensive."

She got closer in his face with an intense death glare in her eyes. "Should I bill your widow?" She growled and he gulped. "Get this ass out of my sight before I do some digging and find out what else he's done." She snarled.

"I'm still being locked up?"

"At the very least, you're trespassing." Morgan said and pulled him away. Zoe held up the film and handed it to Spencer, "You're welcome, Reid."

"Zoe..." He said with pleading eyes.

"I have to call my dad." She brushed him off and walked to the other side of the house, disappearing around the corner.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Spencer knew Lila would be easier to apologize to... he didn't even know how to apologize to Zoe.

"Lila?" He asked as she cried, mourning her agent's death, "Are you still... Are you okay?"

"Michael was like family." She cried.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's just so hard to trust people out here. You don't know who to believe." Lila said as Gideon entered the house from behind them, "Everybody wants something from you."

"That's why I thought you were different."

Zoe's words rang in Spencer's head. "I thought you were different than all the other boys but you're just like them all."

"I know I should have told you..." Spencer said.

"I told him not to." Gideon said, they looked back to see him as Alexander and Zoe reentered. Spencer immediately noticed, Alexander giving him the evil eye, like nothing would give him greater pleasure than to empty his clips of the many, many, many guns he had on him into Spencer and then beat him into the ground. "He was only following my orders." He patted Spencer's shoulder and walked off. Then he came back and pulled Alexander away before he actually did shoot Spencer.

"You know the last time I was able to fully trust someone was at Juilliard? Before I was a somebody."

"Lila, sorry, but did you just say Julliard?" Zoe suddenly asked.

"Yeah, why?"

Spencer saw she was looking at the college and he looked at it and he spotted something, a piece of what looked like the front of a street sigh name: Hous"

"And didn't you say you used to live on Houston Street?"

"What?" Lila asked.

"You were a waitress, you lived on Houston?" Spencer clarified.

"Yeah." Lila said and got up as both the young geniuses looked at the college.

"I need to take this thing apart."

"What?" Lila asked, still very confused.

"I'll-I'll put it back." He promised, "I think I see images of you."

"Guys!" Zoe called.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Zoe and Spencer took the college apart, spreading it on Lila's kitchen counter and put the strips of arts together, forming a full picture, all of which related to Lila's life, having several pictures of Lila in it.

"Lila, it looks like someone's been stalking you for years." Morgan said.

"Yeah, this tells your whole life story." Elle said, "Movie premieres, theater playbills."

"Everything since college." Spencer said.

"That's our country house. Right here." Lila said, pointing to a suburban house.

"Who gave you this collage?

"He did." Lila said, pointing to a picture of Spencer's high school semi-friend, Parker.

"This guy? Who is he?" Morgan asked.

"That's the guy I went to high school with, Parker Dunley." Spencer said.

Morgan took his phone out and called Garcia, "Garcia. Parker Dunley. E-mail me a sheet on him, all right?"

——————————————————————————————————————————————

The rest of the team went to question Parker while Zoe stayed with Spencer and Lila.

"You don't seem to like me very much." Lila said as she handed Zoe a mug of tea.

"It's nothing personal." Zoe said, "there's nothing wrong with you. I just have issues.”

"With Spencer?" Lila guessed.

"No." She said, sharply. "We're just friends..."

"Why are you here?"

"I know what you're going through." Zoe confessed.

"How?" Lila scoffed.

"When I was twelve, a serial killer held a gun to my head. He gets off on control and the fear he inflicts in others, and I knew that so I didn't show him fear. I was first person to not do that. It fascinated him. He kidnapped me for five days. I have no memory of what happened. But once he got what he wanted, he let me go... barely. I was comatose for a week and that when I got the first bouquet of flowers... white lilies. Every time I'm near that place, I get white lilies but for a while now, they're covered in blood. It's a taunt. I can usually manage to use their logic against them but not him. He's the only one who has ever had full control over me. He's gonna kill someone one day and it'll be my fault."

"I'm sorry." Lila said.

"Yeah." Zoe sighed and drank some of her tea. It was more bitter than she preferred but she just let it burn her tongue.

Lila wasn't a bad person. She was bold and independent. She didn't deserve this.

Across the room, Spencer's phone rang, and Gideon spoke to him without saying hello.

"We have a name. Maggie Lowe. She's the UnSub. She's on Lila's show. We're on our way."

Spencer hung up and turned to Lila and Zoe.

"Lila, do you know someone named Maggie Lowe?" Spencer said.

"Mags? Yeah, of course I know her. I've known her for years." Lila said, "I got her a job on my show."

Lila's phone started to ring, and she looked at it. Zoe looked at it too and looked at Spencer.

"What?"

"That's her calling right now." Lila said.

"Is she calling from a cell phone?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah."

"Lila, we think Maggie's the UnSub." Spencer said.

"The what?" Lila asked, being unfamiliar with the term.

"The stalker." Spencer clarified.

"No way." Lila said.

"Answer the phone." Spencer said.

"That's-that's crazy." Lila said, standing up.

"We assumed that the UnSub was a man but it's not unheard of that an erotomaniac stalkers are women. Both David Letterman and Story Musgrave were stalked by Margaret Mary Ray." Zoe said. "Answer the phone. Act completely natural. The longer we keep her on the line, the more likely we'll be able to trace the call." Lila looked at her. "I'm doomed with mine, he's going to torment me until one of us dies or I can redeem myself and help arrest him but I can still stop yours. Trust me."

"You can trust her." Spencer nodded.

Spencer went to call Garcia while Lila answered the call.

"Hello? Hello, Maggie? Maggie, is that you? What's wrong?"

Garcia picked up Spencer's call. "Oracle of Quantico, speak if you deign to hear truth."

"Garcia, I need an emergency trace on a cell phone call to Lila Archer's cell phone." Spencer said into his dinosaur phone.

"Sure. Go ahead."

"(323) 555-0129." Spencer recited Lila's phone number to her.

"Okay. Keep her talking. Keep her talking.

"Maggie?" Lila asked.

Zoe put Lila's phone on speakerphone so they could all hear it while Zoe went to Spencer to hear Garcia on the other end too.

"Oh, I am so tired." Maggie sighed.

"Tired?" Lila asked.

"There's been so much upset in the world really. I think it's just so tragic. All of it." Maggie said, so far she didn't exactly sound stable which fit the profile, "I miss you. I just do."

"Mags, I saw you today." Lila said.

"It's never going to be the same as it was. It's just never going to be the same."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Lila said, choking slightly as she started to realize that they could be right about Maggie being the "unsub".

"I'm talking about that time in college! When the heat in your apartment was off and the two of us stayed in my dorm room. Don't you remember?" Maggie asked, sharply as though angry that it wasn't as important to Lila as it was to her, "You were playing Ophelia on the mainstage."

"I remember." Lila recalled, uneasily.

"That was the happiest time of my life." Maggie breathed.

"Maggie, sweetheart, that was only for a weekend." Lila told her.

"The happiest time... And you don't know anything about me at all." Maggie's voice broke. "And I did everything for you."

"Reid, is Lila's address 6028 Pike Street?" Garcia asked

"Yeah."

"She's calling from inside the house. I'll get you two some backup." Garcia said.

"Oh, it's Black Christmas. 'The calls are coming from inside the house'." Zoe said and she took out her holster gun which altered from her usual preference of revolvers and was a Glock. A Glock 19 to be exact. Of course, she would be quoting a horror movie from 1974.

"Lila." Spencer whispered.

"You... you... YOU!" Maggie shouted and then there was a thud from upstairs that echoed through the phone as Maggie brought the phone down from her ear.

"How'd she get in the house?"

"She has keys." Lila said.

Zoe lifted her leg up and pulled her ankle holster gun. It was a revolver

"Alright, Lila, I'm assuming you don't know how to use a gun?"

"No."

"All right. This is Glock 19. It's easy to shoot. The most commonly bought gun. There's no manual safety, so all you need to do is push this secondary trigger and when she pull the main trigger it'll shoot. There's fifteen rounds plus one in the chamber. Careful, it's heavier than it looks. But as long as that secondary trigger isn't pulled, it won't go off, even if you drop it." She handed Lila her hip gun. "It's not my preferred gun but I always try to prepare for the unlikely. I figured worse came to worse, you'd need to defend yourself. Only shoot if Reid and I go down. Only then. You're not experienced, only as a last defense. She's sick but she's still a person. She's still Maggie. She's still Mags."

Spencer's eyes watched Zoe as she explained all this to Lila who tried her best to understand.

They crept through the house with Zoe taking the lead, both she and Spencer holding their guns up.

They crept into Lila's room but saw nothing but then Zoe spun around just before Maggie revealed herself, holding a gun to Lila's head.

"Why'd you have to bring these people?" She demanded.

"Hey, Discount Billy. The only reason we're here because you killed a bunch of people to help her career which could've gotten her arrested, you batty loon. Now we really should calm down before we get a new Agnes."

"Put down the guns or I will shoot her." Maggie growled.

"Maggie." Spencer said, lowering the gun as Zoe did the same.

"Don't call me Maggie. You don't know me. Come on, Lila, let's go." Lila stared at the two, shaking her head, pleading with her eyes. "We really got to go, baby."

"Maggie, don't hurt her." Spencer pleaded.

"You don't need to hurt her." Zoe said.

"Why? I saw the look on your face while these two were..." She growled. "This way I get her and you get him."

"I don't want him!" Spencer flinched at her cruel words, "But you don't get her. You can't force her to be with you. It's not real love. If you hurt someone you love, that's not real love. That's toxicity. That's obsession. That's abuse."

"You don't know anything." She turned back to Lila, "I would never do anything to hurt you." She brushed back Lila's blonde hair, "No. I created you."

"No, you didn't." Lila shook her head. Maggie narrowed her eyes, gesturing at Lila with her gun,

"Yes, I did! I know I did. God. You stupid... ungrateful.... God. I can't believe I loved you."

"Maggie..." Zoe started.

"SHUT UP, BITCH!" Maggie screamed, pointing the gun at Zoe. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

"Maggie, Lila, she loves me now." Spencer said.

"What?" Maggie demanded, pointing the gun at him now.

"She told me so. We were in the pool. She kissed me. Now she loves me, okay?" Spencer said.

"No." Maggie said, pointing the gun back at Lila.

"Zoe saw. Tell her. Tell her Lila and I kissed in the pool."

"Yeah, they did. It was full-on making out. Closest he's ever gotten to a woman since he came out of one." Spencer gave her an offended look and his surrender turned into an exasperated come on gesture. "I mean, he's known her for like two days and he's a nerd. I mean, look at him. He graduated high school when he was twelve and look at his hair. He practically screams virgin. To him, that's practically confessing his undying love."

"Zoe!" Spencer hissed.

"NO!" Maggie shouted, pointing the gun back at Lila.

"Is it true? Are you in love?" Lila looked at Zoe and Spencer who nodded.

"Yes. It's true. We kissed. We-we're in love."

Zoe decided to both twist the dagger in Maggie's heart and add salt to the wound. "That's gotta sting. Years of friendship and you get outdone by a nerdy virgin who looks like he's twelve who's known her for forty-eight hours. I mean, come on."

"Stop it." Maggie growled as she walked backwards, pointing the gun at Zoe. Zoe was walking forth, "At least, Morgan's athletic, Reid looks like a toothpick.”

"Shut up!"

"Then why don't you do something about it, Mags. You never did anything. Never. You're all alone."

Maggie pointed the gun at Lila and shot.

"NO!" Zoe jumped in front of the bullet, hitting her in the chest, making her hit the floor.

"NO!" Spencer screamed, he lunged and grabbed Maggie, tackling her to the ground and taking her gun, pointing it at her as Lila hurried to Zoe who landed in front of her bed.

"Don't move."

"PLEASE! PLEASE KILL ME! COME ON! SHOOT ME, PLEASE! I'D BE SO MUCH HAPPIER, PLEASE!" Maggie screamed.

"Is she okay?!" He called to Lila, his voice cracking with fear.

"I'm okay." Zoe coughed out, getting up and sitting up next to Lila who was trying to assess the damage even though she had no idea what she was doing.

Spencer breathed in relief and uncocked the gun.

"We're gonna get you help. It'll be alright." Maggie started to sob and Zoe went to comfort her, soothingly shushing her.

"How..." Spencer asked her.

Zoe pulled at her plaid shirt, making it unbutton and revealed a bulletproof vest. "You didn't think my dad was going to just let me walk around here with a shooter on the loose with no protection, did you?"

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Bernard Shaw once said, "An American has no sense of privacy. He does not know what it means. There is no such thing in the country."

Spencer and Lila parted ways and Spencer sat on the plane ride alone. Just the day after, a magazine published a picture of Lila and Spencer saying goodbye with the oh-so original headline: A Mystery Man in Lila's Life? As opposed to anything about her almost being murdered or stalked. Old news, I guess.

Spencer looked at the magazine as work wrapped up for the day or rather night, most of the BAU had left.

"Night, Hollywood." Morgan laughed.

"Come on, man." Spencer sighed.

"You know, Reid, you're lucky they didn't get a shot of you next to the pool trying to dry your gun. You looked like a wet rat." Morgan teased

Spencer shook his head, looking down.

"Hey, I was playing." He reassured him.

"Did you know that she... uh... I kissed her in the pool? It's so weird. It doesn't even feel like it really happened, you know?" Spencer said.

"Sure, sure, she's a beautiful young actress." Morgan said.

"Yeah. Yeah, you know, I kept explaining to her about transference and the fact that, you know, she probably only liked me because I was there to protect her..." He said.

"Reid. You were her hero." Morgan said.

"I wanted to think that." Spencer said.

"No, no, no, don't go selling yourself short, kid. You took down an armed subject without firing a shot. You saved her life. It's pretty much a hero in my book." Morgan reassured him.

"Let me ask you this, have you ever crossed professional boundaries with a victim of a case you were working on?" Spencer asked.

"No." Morgan admitted.

"It's pretty bad, right?"

"There's some things you can't control even with that big old brain of yours. No harm, no foul." Morgan said and he turned to get his stuff. "Let it go."

"Hey, Morgan?" Spencer asked and Morgan turned back to him, "Has there ever been a girl that you wanted to be with for more than, you know, just one night?"

"Excuse me?" Morgan asked.

"I've never seen you with the same girl twice." Spencer said.

"What, are you calling me a dog?" Morgan asked.

"No, no, no, not at all. I'm just trying to figure out if this feeling I have is ever going to go away?" Spencer said.

"Reid, what we do for a living, it takes up all our time, and a relationship's hard enough even in the same city." Morgan said.

"So, I mean, you're saying it's probably wise that I don't call her, right?" Spencer asked.

"I can't answer that one for you. Here, I'll tell you what I do know. You don't need to come up with that answer tonight" Morgan said. "I'm out." Then Morgan went and started to leave.

"Have a good weekend." Spencer said.

"Yeah, you too, Romeo." Morgan said before he left.

"Reid, no offense but Morgan's never had a relationship that's last more than twelve hours at most." Zoe sighed, making Spencer jump, he hadn't seen her in the darkness. "I wouldn't take his advice. It's not exactly fulfilling

"I know you're mad at me. But can I ask you something?"

"Sure." She said.

"Did you break up with J.D. because of the job?"

Zoe's jaw clenched. "No. It wasn't because of our job or because of the long distance with being not in America is as much as I can say and me flying around the United States every other week. It was what I pushed him into doing. Otherwise, we'd still be together. Long distance was most of the relationship, time-wise. I can do long distance. I can even deal with him being in prison for the rest of his life. Morgan's relationships are more about physical affection, sex, and fulfilling a temporary desire. J.D. and I... we met at a vulnerable time. It was about emotional connection, being understood, having someone to tell our trauma to, and most of all loyalty. It's why we're still friends. I couldn't cut him out completely. Not for me, but I couldn't do that to him."

"So, what do you think I should do?" Spencer asked tentatively.

"Just... think. Do you really see you and Lila going anywhere? Are you willing to wait for a day that may never happen?"

——————————————————————————————————

Gif Sources: @criminalmindscaps, @thisiscalmanditsdoctor, @onscreenkisses, @islandellis, @tobias-hankel

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not-the-mom-friend · 25 days ago

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@gothamspoilerwarning and I have managed to make a list of what happened to everyone top of the list is first thing that happened then going down are the things that happen after in order keep in mind that these things happen over time something happen a few months after or a few years after each other so it didn’t all happen in the same year bc that would really suck

tw: death, blood, idk what counts as gore but there may be some of that I try not to be too graphic with it please keep this in mind and don’t read it if you find it uncomfortable! :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tim- was chucked into Lazarus pit and has been missing ever since

Nightwing- died in the middle of a battle trying to help people evacuate before Gotham was partly exploded

Cass Cain- went missing in the middle of a battle after Gotham was partly exploded

Red Hood, Oracle, and Duke Thomas- went missing unsure of the time as Batman and Robin were unwilling to share information due to members of the family going missing and the loss of Nightwing they seem to have gone missing at around the same time

Superman- died defeating an entity

Lois Lane, Martha Kent, and Jon Kent- went missing after Superman’s death possibly to take a break from everything?

Damian Wayne- went missing somewhere in Russia looking for Tim Drake, Cass Cain, Oracle, and Red Hood

Batman- died in battle after becoming too reckless and paranoid believing someone was targeting him and his family

Batwoman- went missing there was no battle or crisis happening just a noticeable absence investigating more revealed the obvious signs of battle but nothing that could help find the culprits blood splatters at the scene of the crime did not offer any clues but did prove that it was not her blood

Selina Kyle- much like Batwoman there was a noticeable absence unlike Batwoman the last place she was seen had too much blood for her to still be alive

Alfred- died of old age and stress

Wonder Woman- died from her injuries after winning a battle

Supergirl- went missing after preventing a war

Flash- died from an infection

Lucius Fox- killed by the Joker

Shazam- decided to take a break from being a superhero to finish school

Wonder Girl- visited a friend has been missing ever since

Oliver Queen, Aquaman , and Martian Manhunter- with the loss of so many of their fellow heroes they were overwhelmed with crises and died in an intense battle when there was no backup available

Jarro- killed in a similar manner as Selina Kyle

Joey Wilson and Rose Wilson- took a longer time to find out they were missing unsure of how long they have been missing

Roy Harper and Lian Harper- may have gone into hiding reason unknown possibly to keep Lian safe and give her a more normal childhood

Impulse- went to the Lazarus Pit Tim was thrown into despite the fact it has been thoroughly searched and went missing

ooc:

trying to make an actual backstory thing or at least a list of people in this superboy’s dimension who is dead, missing, or alive is hard Like pulling out teeth but it must be done

#ooc post #Tw death #tw blood #tw gore #dc rp

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mysadcorner · 2 years ago

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Could I please request being Auqamans "daughter" headcanons? But not biological daughter, kinda like how Bruce adopted Jason, Dick ect Aquaman "adopted" reader and she is apart of the Young justice? (Her whole thing is she's a good fighter and a gymnast/very flexible)

My fluent language is Italian, I'm still learning English so this may not make sense, very very sorry :)

Your English is great! :)

Aquaman x Platonic!Adopted!Daughter Headcanons

- Credit to the gifs owner - Please be specific about characters wanted in requests -

Masterlist Navigation

• The responsibility of having to look out for someone as his own child would be quite overwhelming for him at first, but once he gets a grip of the situation he’s actually a very good parent. He’s very attentive to needs both physically and emotionally, and is a wonderful supporter of you.

• When he has a relationship with someone he views as his daughter, it helps him realise how much his own parents had gone through. It also helps him realise how much someone can care for someone else and the sacrifices he’d happily make for you.

• Depending on the situation, your flexibility may come in handy. While land combat would be a perfect situation for this, but if you were fighting in water along side him this probably wouldn’t help that much unless you’re also fast.

• He wouldn’t want you fighting crime as he wants to protect you at all costs, but he does understand that you need to make decisions for yourself - and if your entire group of friends and family do it, then he’s guaranteed you’ll be protected at all times while in danger.

• Watching you grow up would be a hard thing for him to accept, especially when you start becoming more independent as you get older. You rely on him less and he starts to miss all the times you had together, but as long as he still has a good relationship with you then he’s always going to see you as the younger version of you he once knew.

#aquaman #aquaman x reader #aquaman x you #aquaman x y/n #aquaman headcanons #arthur curry #arthur curry x reader #arthur curry x you #arthur curry x y/n #arthur curry headcanons #dc x you #dc x reader #dc comics headcanons #dc comics #dc

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a-world-of-whimsy-5 · 2 years ago

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Hiiii I have a question!! Do you write for Nuidis Vulko from Aquaman? If not totally okay, but if you do I'd love it if you could write something with him and a surface dweller reader! Maybe they fall in love after she meets him through Arthur and they have to hide their relationship until Arthur becomes king of Atlantis?

Full disclaimer, I haven't watched a superhero movie in years. I know, I know, shame. Shame. Shame. Shame

But, I came up with this, and I hope you like it. Since NSFW was not requested, I will try to keep it as SFW as possible.

Pairing: Nuidis x Fem. Reader

Word count: 1k words

Themes: Soft | some Angst | Fluff

Warnings: Mild NSFW (Blink and you might miss it)

Want to be tagged? Want to know the reader request rules? Read all here

If you like this, please consider giving it a reblog.

Nuidis was accompanying Arthur when the latter was meeting up with old college friends.

You were talking about a new echolocation device you were working on, and how it could be used in deep-sea exploration without harming other creatures like whales and dolphins. Nuidis is curious and asks more questions.

You admit you were stuck with fine-tuning the frequency.

He offers to help.

Nuidis would drop by every afternoon to help you. He'd listen to you talk of your time spent in college, about Arthur. about your own hopes and dreams. One such dream was to travel to the South Pole, just to see it, if nothing else.

Nuidis says he could take you one day if you wish. You just brush it off as polite talk.

The visits continued and evolved into more than just lab work and chit-chat.

You and Nuidis go out for coffee. The first time he had an espresso, Nuidis declared it the most interesting drink he had ever had. Then he proceeded to have several, while you tried desperately to stop him.

Nuidis didn't stop bouncing off the walls till the next morning. You had to keep him in your apartment because he kept bouncing off the walls till morning.

He then apologizes profusely for inconveniencing you the night before.

"I am most horrified by my behaviour. It will never happen again, y/n"

"Of course, it's not going to happen again. Because you're not going near coffee again."

After speaking to Arthur about the best way to make amends, Nuidis brings you a bunch of flowers the next day. You think it's very sweet.

He offers to take you out again, this time to make up for the great caffeine debacle. You accept.

He takes you to a quiet restaurant, where the two of you spend the evening talking about each other's lives. He's shocked to find out you already know about Arthur's Atlantean heritage, but at the same time, he's happy, as he can freely talk to you about his world.

The two of you lose track of time, going from restaurants to little cafes to twenty-four-hour movie theaters, talking not just about work, but about everything. Nuidis realizes he has so much in common with you, like your shared love of history and languages. He'd bring you books from his own library, encouraging you to read them, and then questioning you after you have finished a chapter.

You enjoy it, both the books and spending time with him. You find Nuidis to be a most fascinating man. And incredibly chivalrous and charming to boot.

Nuidis finds himself quite taken by you, thinking you to be very witty and sweet and eager to learn.

Arthur sees what's happening even if the two of you are ignorant of it. He keeps quiet, thinking that the two of you need to figure it out on your own.

Nuidis starts to feel something, something that's more than just friendship, but he's afraid he could endanger you by getting too involved with you. Orm would never tolerate the union of a high-born Atlantean and a lowly surface dweller, and because of this, Nuidis keeps his feelings in check for now.

As time progresses, you start to feel something for Nuidis. He's the first thing on your mind when you wake up, and the last thing on your mind. You'd find yourself looking at him at the oddest moments, your cheeks turning bright red if he catches you. Nuidis finds this enchanting.

And then one evening, Nuidis brings you a gift for your birthday. It was of Atlantis, of how it was before it sank into the ocean, one that Nuidis made with his own hands. A secret button would make little holographic scenes come to life. You were so touched that you kissed him on the cheek.

Nuidis swallows before finally caving in and kissing you squarely on the lips.

The two of you stand there, he mortified, you stunned, and then you finally reciprocate by kissing him back. He ends up taking you to bed and making love to you for most of the night.

The two of you have to keep your relationship secret, as Orm still holds the title of crown prince and Arthur is trying to overthrow him. After Orm sends a giant wave to destroy surface-dwelling towns, Nuidis stays away for your own safety.

It's the worst time of his life, being away from you, but he knows it must be done. Orm was hunting down anyone even remotely connected to Arthur and his accomplices, and Nuidis didn't want you getting caught in the crossfire.

You were miserable, thinking Nuidis just upped and disappeared. No one told you anything, not even Arthur. Not knowing what else to do, you moved back to a completely different state, to start over and try and forget about Nuidis and the past several months.

In the meantime, Nuidis had been helping Arthur win against Orm, and putting a stop to the war. The days bled into weeks, and weeks bled into months. But in the end, Arthur won, and no one knew where you had gone.

Arthur helped Nuidis search for you, and when they did find you, the new king of Atlantis gave him his blessings.

"Do not mess this up," he says, as he gives something to his mentor.

Nuidis promises he won't.

One fine morning, you opened the door to your apartment, shocked to find who was standing on the other side.

"It took you long enough," you say bitterly.

Nuidis responds with the most heartfelt apology you've ever heard. One that tugged on all your heartstrings, as was the explanation that followed. Nuidis then shocks you even more by getting down on one knee, holding a little black box in his hand, and already opening it, exposing the jewel inside.

You, between tears and laughter, managed to squeak out a yes.

#nuidis vulko #Nuidis #Nuidis x reader #aquaman #aquaman x reader #imagine #headcanon #Asks #reader insert #x reader #reader request

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plussizeappreciationfics · 4 years ago

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Hello babe, could you please write something about Arthur Curry (aquaman) falling for someone who is the total opposite of him? Like the reader being an introvert who enjoys silence and a good book over clubs, sweaty parties or drunk nights? Thank you 💞

Arthur falling head over heels for you, despite that the two of you are from two completely different worlds include:

-Arthur meeting you through his father, you being the daughter of a close friend of his who also somethings keeps him company and helps around at the lighthouse tower

-You not even thinking that the half Atlantean would ever be interested in you because

1. Your first encounter was far from romantic, it was pretty much awkward as you had walked into him making out with a random woman on his father’s couch

2. The other times the two of you actually got to conversating, you’ve realized that you both have barely anything much in common

3. Arthur always spending time doing God knows what and then coming back with a loud and cheery attitude, literally disturbing your peace

-Both of you not knowing when the vibe shifted in between you two, just suddenly realizing that you had this silent interest in one another

-Arthur suddenly not being able to stop thinking about you, wanting to really get to know you

-You not getting his (obvious) hints and actually distancing yourself from him

-Him hurting and missing you when you’re not near him

-You missing him too and then slowly coming out of your shell again, feeling terrified of what’s happening but also eager and determined to see where things could lead to

-Him slowly picking up your habits of reading, first trying to find the same books you’re reading before giving in and asking you to read out loud to him whenever you’re at his dad’s house

-The reading sessions becoming a regular thing, the King of Atlantis always looking forward to them because he gets to hear your calming voice and look at your beautiful face

-You also loving the reading sessions, especially on days where Arthur’s had a rough day and he gently asks you permission to place his head in your lap

-Arthur then fully realizing that he has fallen head over heels for you

-Him continuing to getting to know you by keeping you company almost throughout the whole day

-Him asking you tons of questions because he’s an extrovert, loves being around people and all sorts of noises, while you love the peace and quiet from being alone

-“I prefer silence because it allows me to either calm down from a hectic or stressful day and then slowly collecting my thoughts and emotions. I love the calmness of enjoying my own company because it keeps me grounded and realistic”

-“What about you Arthur?”

-“Well…I enjoy being around people and have a good time because…It’s like a temporary escape from reality. The alcohol, booze and women make me forget about my deepest thoughts…”

-That intimate conversation making you grasp the fact that the man is actually very lonely, that he doesn’t really know how to be his true self around the people he loves the most because he’s pushing his problems aside

-That conversation also creating a close bond in between the two of you. Arthur doesn’t wanna change you and he doesn’t want you to change for him

-Y’all are able to comprehend that you’re able to meet in the middle of your two worlds, be a unity and each other’s shoulders to cry and lean on when times get rough

-Arthur then gaining healthy ways to cope with his issues, while you try out activities you’ve always wanted to do, but were a little afraid to do so

-Finally months after your first meeting with Arthur, the two of you let your feelings for each other run wild and become a couple

Tag list: @jamesbarnesappreciationclubub l @pleasantdreamqueen l @disneymarina l l @harleycativy l @sparklemichele l @melaninmarvel l @amethyst09 l @the-force-of-imagines l @bossyboyd03 l @pebblesz892 l @stars8melanin l @brittyevans l @toc1985 l @janeyboo l @badassbaker l @winters-beauty l @cannonindeez l @ilovefanfic86 l @adorablespecialsnowflakes l @brittanyovens l @kanupps06 l @jazmynejack l @thebookwormslytherin l @theunsweetenedtruth l @talannalew l @littlexmissxfandomxlover l @amethyst-dreams-and-candy-canes l @crimsonash330 l @booklover2929 l @aranelgrey l @panda-duuu l @thisismysecrethappyplace l @titty-teetee l @honey-anon l @princess-evans-addict l @hp-hogwartsexpress l @malindacath l @letsdisneythings l @scorpionchild81 l @shado-raven l @alisoncdariel l @plutoneu l @queenoftheworldisdead l @briannab1234l @miyaeadys-blog l @thenamelesscorpse2185 l @hihellogoodbyebruh l @nackrosor l @nerdgurl1985 l @2darkskinbeauty l @bugngiz l @african-melanin-goddess l @barnes-wilson-love l @ktiz90 l @let-the-love-in l @forlornfortitude l @robinredboob l @hopefuloperaangelnerd l @kola95 l @partypoison00 l @alwaysadreamingoptimist l @reniescarlett l @g0thicdream l @mayasopinions l @captaintightpants58 l @leillee l @kayleighsimone l

-Emmanuelle 💋❤️

#Arthur Curry #arthur curry x reader #arthur curry x plus size reader #arthur curry x poc!reader #plus size reader #aquaman

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kitzatara · 4 years ago

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Mermay day 11: Dc heroes as merfolk

I know it’s a day late so this one will be pretty silly.

I looked across DC and found some of our favorites as merfolk. I believe these are the only ones aside from canonical merpeople like Lori Lemaris or the merman boyfriend’s of wonder woman and supergirl. Enjoy!

Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Lois Lane, Batman, Superboy, Superman, Zatanna, Supergirl, Miss Martian

To my knowledge these are the only dc heroes to become merfolk. Please do share others if you know of them.

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honmyoseagull · 2 years ago

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If Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Captain America, Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Thor and Namor had talked about forming a team while fighting a kaiju at the same time, what super team name could they come up with?

Note: This could happen in a universe where ALL Supes, Bats, Wondy, Aqua, Capt. Am, Torch, Thor and Namor characters coexist together (and only those characters).

It would be a very short conversation as you'd rather focus on the kaiju rather than being eaten for the sake of a good name. This is why there's so much property damage in the MCU/DCEU: too much quipping during battles. (Also, Steve does very well the "I'm disppointed in you" eyebrow, "Please, keep fighting". Superman goes for the puppy eyes version: "Please ,do fight") Batman will not actively participate to the debate but will take note to be sure to tag all the team's equipment accordingly…

They'd probably settle for something as mundane as Invaders League, and as usual Namor would argue that they're not invading anything but the others would simply point the Kaijus themselves are invading. (Probbaly Jim, with a massive roll of his eyes.)

To note: Half of the Kaijus become Namor's pets after the fights. The other half of the Kaijus were already Namor's pets that just wanted to see the world a little or were looking for their master as he doesn't spend time enough in the water when roped in a super team and they miss him.

Ta-daaaaa!

Sorry, I'm not being even remotely serious: I hardly read WW or AquaM, so I'm propbably not the right person to ask… ^^

#asked and anwered #you're all welcome to asks #but remember I'm not a very serious person as soon as I sit in front of a computer #namor #captain america #jim hammond #superman #batman

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criminalmutantsins · 4 years ago

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Top 10 Favorite Young Justice Characters

10. Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle

Starting off the list is Blue Beetle. Young Justice introduced me to him, and I was hooked. He’s probably the most mellow and calming voice. His arc and relationship with Bart (friendship or not) were my favorite aspects of S2. They bounced off each other in every scene. I was very disappointed when Jaime and Bart were sidelined so much, and hope S4 changes this (particularly with Bart).

Jaime in the number 10 spot since he doesn’t really have much of a memorable personality. Still love him to bits though.

9. Will Harper/Red Arrow

Funny enough, I did not like Will. He was an asshole in S1; S2 kind of changed my mind about him but not enough since he didn’t appear as much. What really changed my mind was the episode “Private Security” (S3 Ep.4). I started looking back into Will’s storylines and, I have to admit, his is probably one of the best character development.

The first season had him unwillingly living a lie and betraying the people he cared for. In season 2 he was so consumed into finding the original Roy for five years, not even caring or focusing about his own life. I felt really bad for Will because he was probably going through an identity crisis and thought he couldn’t live his life without finding Arsenal. Probably felt guilty.

Seeing him living his own life and being happy with his daughter was so heartwarming. I smiled every time Will appeared in the latest season (totally ignoring the Will x Artemis fiasco), especially with Lian. I’m very proud of him.

I feel bad for putting him so low, yet I adore the next characters more.

8. Garfield Logan/Beast Boy

I have been a massive Beast Boy fan since Teen Titans so you probably can imagine how excited to see him. His origin story was unique and his brother-sister bond with M’gann was very sweet. It was pretty weird seeing how much younger Gar was than Dick, but I got used to it. I was bummed that Gar wasn’t in S2 as much; however, S3 truly made up for it.

After watching Beast Boy being a great leader in S5 of Teen Titans, I wanted a leader-like and more mature version of him. Young Justice truly delivered with Gar being the leader of the Outsiders. It’s nice to see him treated with respect rather than as a joke because that was my biggest gripe with Teen Titans. Though it was weird seeing him not crack a joke at all.

Gar’s story with his mom was heartbreaking to see. I literally cried seeing his reaction to revisiting his trauma in S2 and S3; I just wanted to hug and tell him how awesome he is. My only complaint with Gar in S3 was that the Outsiders weren’t established until near the end of the season.

His voice actor being Greg Cipes also gives him extra points (He’s a chill guy and radiates BB energy).

7. Dick Grayson/Nightwing/ Robin I

Sorry to all the hardcore Nightwing fans.

I love Dick (don’t get any ideas), but he doesn’t get enough development in the spotlight. One of the things I really wanted to see from him is his growth as a main leader, and his journey to becoming Nightwing. I was really bummed when these happened between the first two seasons.

To be honest, I don’t have as much to say about him other than straightforward qualities I enjoy about him.

1.His Voice (it’s so soothing)

2.His Personality (very charismatic)

3.Very Handsome (Probably in the top 3 my most handsome YJ Men list)

I put him higher than the others since he made a lot of contribution to the story and his new words (gotta love that aster!)

6. Megan Morse/M’gann M’orzz/Miss Martian

If I made this list during S1, M’gann would have probably been in my top 3 (maybe even No. 1), but S2 didn’t give her any brownie points.

I really liked S1 Miss Martian because of her kind heart, awkward girl next door personality. Her trouble fitting in the beginning reminded me of when I was going through a time in high school; seeing her having trouble as well helped me feel not so lonely. M’gann powers were (still are) my favorite since I am a big fan of mind-like powers. I would feel so powerful. Watching her identity crisis(?) arc was great too. I’ve had trouble feeling comfortable in my own skin as well as my social anxiety (I’m a mess) and I could understand how scared Megan was of her friends’ thoughts on her true form.

Oh boy. Season 2 basically ruined her. Learning what she would do to enemies was terrifying to see and left me wondering what happened to Miss Martian that made her step this far. What she almost did to Superboy was almost unforgivable. You do not try to manipulate with your boyfriend’s mind when you guys have an argument! Shame on you M’gann. If Superboy hadn’t forgiven you then I wouldn’t have either.

Good thing S3 somewhat redeemed her. Her kind heart was noticeable again and she refused to do that mind trick again (thank god). Very excited for the Superboy and Miss Martian wedding! Please creators, I beg of you to not skip over it. I want to cry my eyes out in happiness!

5. Kaldur’ahm/Aquaman/Aqualad

Now we’re in the top 5 with Aqualad (*ahem* Aquaman) starting it off.

Creating Kaldur was the best decision the creators ever did. I love him with all my heart!

He added diversity to the original team and was a great leader. S1 was not his breakout season, though the second season definitely was.

Kladur played the villain so well that he deserves an automatic Oscar. I never doubted that he was with the heroes, but he didn’t disappoint. My favorite part about Aqualad’s performance was when he rose from the ocean slowly like a cliché villain (he made it work), and the line he said right after he “killed” Artemis; it sent me chills. Love it!

Pretty disappointed that he didn’t appear as much in S3. Very happy that he is a part of the LGBTQ+ community and is in a happy relationship. I’m a part of the community and loved that there was finally some representation in one of my favorite shows. Even so, I have to criticize how rushed and sidelined it was. I hope Kaldur and Wyynde’s relationship gets development.

4. Kon-El/Conner Kent/Superboy

Like Will, I did not like Superboy at first. Mainly angry and volatile characters were never really my cup of tea. I do understand why he was upset and felt bad for him; I just handle anger the direct opposite as him. My love for Conner started growing around the end of S1. He was very sweet towards Miss Martian (bless him for not caring about her appearance) and his anger was in control.

Season 2 pretty much switched my opinions on him and M’gann. It was awful what M’gann almost did to him. That scene with him being so sad that what she did ruined that special bond they had almost made me cry. I wanted to give him a hug. He grew so much too since I don’t think he would have handled the whole M’gann drama as well in S1. A lot of furniture would’ve been broken.

I gotta admit something. I almost put Conner near the bottom (maybe no. 7). A comment in a poll in Amino changed my mind. I wrote a poll asking other fans who did they prefer SB or MM. At that point I said SB, though I didn’t think much of it. Someone (specifically yjfangirl) responded “Superboy has the best development in the show.” This had me thinking about how far SB has gone. In the beginning, Conner was an angry guy who felt alone and rejected by the person who he was meant to emulate. Now he is happier and living for himself rather than to be the next Superman. He’s getting married people! A little detail I noticed when rewatching S3 was Superboy mentioning to new characters that they weren’t obligated to be a hero because of their abilities. I adored this! The main reason why Superboy was created to be Superman if the original ever died, and another one of Luthor’s puppets. But he strayed from that pressuring path and is doing his own thing. Conner doesn’t want other people to feel like he did. What an absolute pure soul.

Also, yjfangirl, first I want to say Hi (*waves*)! Then say thanks for writing that comment. It made me really think about the bigger picture with SB and my love for him as grown exponentially. You probably didn’t mean to do that, but I still want to thank you. 😊

3.Wally West/Kid Flash

We’re in the elites now.

I don’t know how to explain it, I just love Wally. He makes me laugh, and his character growth was great. At first, Wally was this cocky flirt who didn’t take the hero work as seriously. That changed in “Cold-hearted,” one of my favorite episodes in the series. This was when I really started seeing more of Wally than being this dumb flirt. It was great seeing him actually caring about helping people since I believed for a long time that he wanted to be a superhero to just have powers rather than actually protect others. The regret in his eyes when he thought his impulsive behavior killed Perdita helped me see who he really was- this somewhat arrogant speedster who had a kind heart. Episodes that can make me change my perspective on characters are truly special.

I was very upset that he wasn’t in S2 a lot. I understand why since he gave up the life, but I was still bummed. Seeing him being so loving and protective towards Artemis was amazing. Spitfire is my favorite ship and I will not give up on them. All I want is a happy ending! The penultimate episode of S3 was a hint that it will happen. Watching the S2 finale was heartbreaking, I cried watching him disappear, his love for Artemis being the last things he said. Artemis’ reaction did not(I just wanted to hug her).

I have more to say, though I’m leaving it for another post. 😉

2.Bart Allen/Kid Flash II/Impulse

Picking between Bart and Wally for second place was tough. Took me a while to decide; I’ll talk about it later on.

The moment Bart made his appearance, I absolutely adored him. He is amazing and I live for his hyper, fun attitude. His arc and relationship with Jaime were my favorite aspects of S2. What can I say, their chemistry is great to see.

That scene when he was meeting the Flash family was so adorable. His excitement was infectious and spoiling his dad and aunt’s births was hilarious! I watch it occasionally whenever I need a good laugh or reason to smile.

Unlike most time travelers- at least the ones I’ve seen- Bart was very involved with what was going on and befriended his biggest enemy- evil and weirdly huge future Blue Beetle. He was pretty careful about disclosing very important information and took things very seriously. You never know if disclosing everything was the thing that brought the world to chaos.

What I found interesting was his choice on how to interact with everyone. He seemed pretty gloomy in the future, but decided to portray this cheerful, devil-may-care attitude to be more likable. I understood (still kind of do). I had terrible mental health issues and I pretended to be happy in front of loved ones because I thought they wouldn’t care about me anymore. Bart got some brownie points for that.

I was dissatisfied when his role was greatly reduced. I wanted the creators to go further with Bart by revealing his past and how it affected him. He was pretty much comedy relief. You couldn’t imagine how disappointed I was, especially with it involving my second favorite character. Season 4 better change that.

I know that you shouldn’t assume a character’s sexuality, yet I really hope Bart is gay. There needs to be more clear representation and Bart can be one of them. I’m also a Bluepulse and Bartuado shipper (fine with either one as long as Bart’s bond with each of them stays strong).

Anyway, I mentioned that I would explain why I chose Bart for 2nd place over Wally. It mostly stems from wishful thinking. I really want S4 to have Bart as a main character since I believe the future will be strong plot point in the season. Development could surely happen such as Bart opening up more about what he went through. Let all those feelings go.

I’m going to write an article on my hopes for S4 when a release date is announced. Bart and Wally will most definitely be talked about.

…..

We are finally near the end!

And my No. 1 favorite character is…

Drumroll please!

…

1.Artemis Crock/Tigress/Artemis

That’s right people!

Artemis Crock, original member of the Team and daughter of villains!

She is such an inspiration to anyone who wants to go their own past without their parents’ support.

It’s hard to describe how much I love Artemis. She’s brave, strong-willed, and a kind person. It’s crazy how great of a person she is after all the terrible things that happened to her. I look up to her because I don’t have a healthy relationship with my parents (verbal and mental abuse) and there are times I don’t feel strong enough to stand on my own. I want to carry the amount of strength Artemis has as my own.

After all that happened in S2, it was amazing to see Artemis come back to the team and train the new generation. It must have been hard to walk away from a safe, comfortable life for a chaotic, dangerous life. I admire that in everyone, but I hold more respect for Artemis since “the life” “killed” Wally. I wanted to hug her so bad.

She’s also one of the kindest people in the show, the events in S3 being the best example. When Zatanna was crying about her dad, Artemis was there to comfort her. It was so sweet! Roy and her also took in Halo and Terra like they were a part of the family; the archer treated them like the best big sister. That rainstorm scene was heartwarming to the core.

Wouldn’t Artemis be an amazing mother? Lian and her have a strong bond like a mother and daughter; I loved it, and Lian is in good hands with Roy and Artemis. Though Jade deserves a chance to be a mother. Artemis also seemed to enjoy taking care of those kids in that S1 episode. Wally too. You guys know what I’m guys insinuating. 😉

Get ready for some fanfics on that someday.

My favorite Artemis-centered episode was the second to last episode of S3. I was waiting for this episode centering around Artemis missing Wally and learning to move on. It was great yet heartbreaking. Nothing bad happened. That Will and Artemis kiss never happened. Everyone makes a mistake. No matter how terrible it was.

Anyway, seeing Artemis and Wally living their lives and having a baby gave me life, even if it was fake. It was a vision of the future. I will believe this until there is confirmation that Wally will not come back.

Did anyone else cry when Artemis was so desperate to, but Wally wouldn’t let that happen (the real Wally would do that)? They are a great example of a healthy relationship with all the love and support they have for each other. I want that.

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davidmann95 · 4 years ago

Note

Thoughts on (the apparently rushed) DC solicits?

Yeah, apparently Diamond used to put them together and now it's just some guy in the DC offices, hence why they've been screwy since the changeover.

I Am Batman #1: "In the throes of Future State" just means those events coming about rather than this being set in the future, right? My impression is this is very much in the here-and-now, and I think this is gonna be really enjoyable with no more teasing out aspects of the premise and Coipel steadily on art. Killer title too. You're really gonna open this with the 'Anti-Oracle' though?

Batman #112-113: Glad to see Brandon Thomas but already miss the Ghostmaker backup.

Batman: Urban Legends #7: THE BOYS ARE BACK

Batman--Knightwatch: Bat-Tech Special Edition: I'm...not clear what this is?

Deathstroke Inc. #1: lol

Aquaman: The Becoming #1: shit I'm gonna like an Aquaman comic, and about a character who debuted on Young Justice no less, this sucks

Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang. Kill Tour #1: Zero interest but glad to see Max Sarin getting work.

Suicide Squad: King Shark #1: Ditto except replace Max Sarin with the Defacer.

Are You Afraid of Darkseid? #1: This one's a maybe.

Action Comics #1035: Excited for this, especially with the fairly long-teased 'event' arc with Janin starting in the next issue, but I can't help but laugh looking at that cover because it absolutely looks like Superman's doing a Brandon Routh to his poor family.

Batman '89 #2: Ah, so this and '78 are still miniseries, somehow missed that before.

Batman: Reptilian #4: The preview for the first issue was definitely not what I expected coming from Ennis's interview; I'm curious how he'll square apparently doing the "Punisher MAX but it's Batman" approach so many people will want with the comedy he inherently sees in the character and his world.

Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Two #4: I had thought I was probably out but dammit if you're bringing the Gray Ghost in you've got my attention.

Batman/Superman #22: This is ending to be relaunched to focus on Jace and Jon, right? Between it doing steadily sales-wise and the acclaim I can't fathom a reason to dump Yang the same month King Shark is getting a mini.

(My worst fear is that DC floated this as a test - put a dynamite creative team on their two biggest characters, but without any sense of 'importance', and see how much readers gravitate towards it relative to crap that's central to the sacred Continuity - and feels it got an answer.)

Hardware: Season One #2: Probably still getting this.

Infinite Frontier #6: Hate when I'm made the new de facto head of the DCU and people are so unenthused about the prospect of this that the solicit for the last issue of my event mini isn't even listed at the front among the 'big' books of the month, when the first issue hasn't even hit the stands yet.

Justice League #68: This is where Jon joins, right? Conceivably even Jace/Yara/Kaldur, though I think that full changeover will be the marker of the next 'proper' relaunch.

Justice League Infinity #3: Moraaaaa. The premise of 'what if the Justice League cartoon did all the cool stuff?' loses something when it isn't actually the cartoon anymore - we're already used to seeing the cool stuff in this format - but I'm not gonna turn down good Justice League comics.

Legends of the Dark Knight #5: Cool, I'll get this.

Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom #5: Orion still looks like that?

Rorschach #12: Hurm.

RWBY/Justice League #6: I guess any plans to sell Rooster Teeth would be on hold what with the move from AT&T to Discovery, so hopefully the chances of a more character-driven sequel aren't 100% dashed.

Strange Adventures #12: So goddamn nervous until the very last moment it's gonna turn out to be "it was his wife all along!"

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #4: God, what a cover.

Superman '78 #2: Looking forward to seeing that Hitch variant, and Hackman's Luthor should be fun in this context.

Superman and The Authority #4: Right up to the end the solicits for this sound like an event lead-in mini circa 2007 or so except it's Grant Morrison so what is it really??? AND WHY NO QUITELY VARIANT

Superman: Son of Kal-El #3: I don't trust Taylor to do the ideal possible version of 'Jon Kent becomes a leftist in college' but the basic setup of this status quo is great and I think he'll do a fun version of it that's going to satisfy a lot of people.

The Batman & Scooby Doo Mysteries #6: That's MY Scooby-Doo, y'all!

A Nice House On The Lake #4: WHAT SECRET COULD BE MORE TERRIFYING THAN ANYTHING IN THAT FIRST ISSUE

Wonder Woman: Black and Gold #4: God, Lotay.

Batgirl of Burnside Omnibus: I get why this is a collection that basically had to happen but that's not a new cover by Stewart, is that? Somebody please tell me that's something repurposed and they didn't give him new work.

#DC Comics #Opinion

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popculturebuffet · 4 years ago

Text

Static Shock: Shock to the System and Aftershock Review

“You know what? 13 years ago, me and some friends sat in a restaurant all night and daydreamed about the kinds of stories we would tell if we had the chance. We wanted to expand the concept of superhero to include characters that kind of looked like us, who had some of the same background, experiences and dreams as we did. We wanted to create something fun that a new generation would respond to the same way we responded to our childhood heroes -and damn if we didn't succeed beyond my wildest dreams. Today, Static Shock is a household name with millions of fans of all ages (Is there stuff I'd do differently? Yeah, almost all of season four but why nitpick?) Static is the most successful thing I've ever helped create and I'm both proud and gratified that people have taken it into their hearts. “

Dwayne McDuffie, Co-Creator of Static and Writer for Static Shock

This review is dedicated to Dwayne McDuffie and Robert L. Washington III. Rest In Power Static Shock is awesome. I grew up with the show watching it both first run on the WB and second run on Cartoon Network and loved it as much as I did other large parts of my childhood courtsey of DC like Batman the Animated Series, Teen Titans and both Justice League Shows. What makes this unique among the DC Properties is that Static wasn’t really a big name when he got a show. He wasn’t even part of the DC Universe.

See as I had no idea for probably a good decade, Static actually came from Milestone Comics, a company ran by and focused on african americans. The goal was understandable: While black heroes existed at the time, and there were some fantastic ones like Storm, Jim Rhodes and Steel... these guys weren’t the center of their universes. The big faces of the big companies, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Iron Man, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash.. were white. So milestone was a shakeup of that with the main teams and heroes all being black, from Icon, an alien who’d lived among man but rather than end up in kansas like say superman ended up imprinting on a slave woman centuries ago and has been with us since, who was encouraged by an energetic teenager named Rocket to put on a costume and do something with his powers and his community, Hardware, a tech genius who had his work stolen by a white asshole and wanted to fight back and BLood Syndicate, a group of gang members all caught in the “The Big Bang”, a huge fight between all of Dakota, the midwest city where the comics take place, that ended when the police released a bunch of experimental gas that gave them all super powers.

As most of you who have watched the show already know, this is where Static comes from. Static was the company making their own Spider-Man, i.e. a nerdy teenager who suddenly gets super powers, in this case Virgil Hawkins who at the prodding of a friend took a gun to The Big Bang to get revenge on a bully. .but ultimately couldn’t go through with it, decided it wasn’t him and got rid of the gun and ran.. and still ended up in it, becoming Static, a young hero dedicated to using his powers to fight other “Bang Babies”.. a term that dosen’t really sound that great and they really should’ve thought through. But Phrasing aside the character was great and I look forward to reading more and only haven’t because I have to buy the issues gradually, but DC is currently re-releasing the individual issues of Static, Icon, and Hardware weekly in anticipation of a reboot of Milestone Coming in May digitally on Comixology at only 2 bucks a pop, and rereleased the original print collections that were long out of print for 10 bucks each, though i’m getting static on it’s own since i’ts really not that much less expensive as it only collects four issues while Icon and Hardware both collect 8, so I can wait a bit there on Hardware and already own Icon: A Hero’s Welcome.. and really need to review it at some point.

While Milestone’s output was good, at least from the two books i’ve read, with Robert Washinton III, who sadly not only ahs also passed but was fucking homeless for a while in the 2000′s.. what the actual hell, writing Static alongside Dwayne McDuffie, whose later moved onto animation writing tons of Static episodes all of them classics including the school shooting episode, the first three rubberbandman episodes and both Anasazi episodes. Point is it had good writers and artists and even had a distrbution deal with DC, so they had a leg up on the glut of other comic book companies.. but happened to start at the start of the comic book crash, a huge downturn in sales in the 90′s as the speculator boom, i.e. a bunch of people assuming every number one would be worth golden and silver age money, forgetting a character has to BUILD INTREST and this stuff takes time, and whose attempts to sell fast flooded the market with comics no one wanted,, caused the roof to cave in and with a bunch of assholes pegging milestone as a “Company for black people” rather than you know, a company trying to add fucking diversity and represntation to the comics industry, and that simply wanted a unvierse that was centered around people of color instead of white guys. The company eventually had to shut down, and was left to lisencing. This is where the show comes in. Producers HAD been trying to make shows based on Milestone for a while, as far back as the mid-90s and the company was was all for it but the closest it got was an x-men style team series using various characters whose first draft was terrible and whose second draft by Alan Burnett, a producer on various DC Animated shows who’d go on to produce Static Shock, that McDuffie and others really liked but sadly did not get picked up. eventually though with presistance Static ended up getting a series and as I said McDuffie went on to write for it though he did not develop it. Some changes went into place naturally to make it work for an early 2000′s kids show and while i’ll probably miss so since again, only read one issue as we go. But due to Milestone coming back my intrest was peaking, hence finally reading the copy of Icon I had to buy from the library years ago due to keeping it overdue but am now EXTREMLEY glad I own as i’ts incredibly rare and really damn good, and wanting to read static, doing so lately since it’s finally on digtiial and again not too expensive. So join me as I give you a shock to the system and revisit this hell of a series to see if it holds up.. which just to cut that short it does and i’m only holding off binging MORE because I want the first two eps to be fresh enough in my head to review properly.. and also go over the various voice actors because that’s a thing with me now and charcter co-creator dwayne mcduffie because he’s awesome.

As I like to do when covering a series first episodes, let’s run down the voice cast.

First up is an UTTER LEGEND, and I use the term voice acting legend a lot, and mean it every time and have good reason to use it when I say it, and Phil LaMarr is a GOD in the buisness, having done a metric ton of voice acting roles, and being easily the most proflific black voice actor in animation. He’s also done some acting work, mostly in pulp fiction which I have not seen, but his true staying power and talent is in animation so here’s just the roles I feel are most notable or may not be very notable but i’m bringing up anyway because it’s my list.

His roles besides Virgil include Lester Payton the Texas Ranger who showed up for one very good episode of king of the hill to be badass and show up the hickish, stupid and very punchable local Sheriff, Gearld’s obnoxious older brother Jamie O on Hey Arnold, Hermes Conrad from futurama, Carver from the Weekenders (PUT IT ON PLUS DISNEY), Axel Foley for exactly one bit in Clerks the Animated Series, but anyone whose seen it will know exactly which one, Micheal on the Proud Family, Black Vulcan on Harvey Birdman (In His Pants), Hector Con Carne and Dracula on Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Evil Con Carne, Jack on Samurai Jack something I didn’t know for decades (and I didn’t know about the carver thing till today though i’ts obvious in hindsight), John Motherfucking Stewart on Justice League and later Steel and Adult Static in the Unlimited seasons, Osmosis Jones on Ozzy and Drix, Bolbi Strogofski on Jimmy Neutron (And yes i’m just as shocked as you are.), Wilt on Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Marcus on Life and Times of Juniper Lee, Bull Sharkowski on My Gym Partner is A Monkey and Also a Sociopath Please Help God My Life is a waking nightmare..... okay the rest of that title is implied but we all watched the same show, we all know in our hearts that was the title

Moving on, he was also, and yes there’s MORE: Maxie Zeus on The Batman, Philly Phil on Class of 3000, Both Robertsons AND Fancy Dan on the Spectacular Spider-Man, Jazz on Transformers Animated, Kit Fisto and Bail Organa on Star Wars the Clone Wars, Gambit and Bolivar Trask on Wolverine and the X-Men, Aquaman I, L-Ron and Green Beetle on Young Justice, J.A.R.V.I.S. and Wonder Man (Simon Williams) In Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Gabe and Carny on Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters (Really miss that game and have been snapping up what cards I can get lately), Baxter Stockman in the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (And there’s also an awesome photo of him with 2003 Baxter... the two best together in one place. I got chills), Dormammu (I’ve come to bargin) in various Marvel Shows, Noville in Mighty Magiswords, Zach’s dad Marcus in Milo Muprhy’s Law, Craig’s Douchey Brother Benard on Craig of the Creek, showing he’s clearly come full circle, And Mr. Scully on the Casagrndes. And given It took about two paragraphs to cover all of this, yeah, I MEANT legend.

Next we have Kevin Micheal Richardson as Virgil’s Dad Robert, and it’s the first time since I started introducing Voice Actors on a show that i’ve overlapped. I already covered him during the second episode of legend of the three caballeros, but for the short version he’s also very acomplished, very damn good and I somehow missed he played the old blind guy in hey arnold> Needless to say the dude is awesome.

Virgil’s Sister Sharon is played by Michele Morgan who was in the rap group BWP and did some smaller roles outside of this the one exception being Juicy on the PJ’s, which I have not watched much of but REALLY do not like, though i’ll at least give it credit for being a decently long lasted black claymation sitcom at at time when there were, and hoenstly still aren’t, many black animated shows.

Back to long casting sheets, next up is Jason Marsden, who is one of my faviorites as i’ve realized recently as Ritchie. As I also found out only recently he started on the Sitcom Step By Step and while that show is .. ehhhhhhhhh, he is great in it because he’s great in everything. He also apparently has his own internet variety show which I have to watch now. His roles include Max Goof, ironically given I was just talking about that role a few days ago, Haku in the english dub of Spirted Away, Micheal, the kid being yelled at by a bunch of 80′s cartoons characters not to take drugs in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue!, Nermal in the DTV Garfield movies and The Garfield Show, Tino on the Weekenders (SERIOUSLY DISNEY), Snapper Carr on Justice League, Rikochet on Mucha Lucha! for the last season (Why I do not knkow and while I love the guy he was not the right choice), Felix on Kim Possible, Chase Young on Xiaolin Showdown (WHich I did not realize was him and now I do easily his best role and I REALLY should’ve), Red Star and Billy Numerous on Teen Titans, Speedy on Batman Brave and the Bold, Impulse/Kid Flash II on Young Justice, and Fingers on Kaijudo. He hasn’t done as much lately which is a shame but hopefully i’tll pick up again.

Next up is Hotstreak, Virgil’s brutal bully turned unhinted pyromancer played by DANIEL COOKSY, another actor i’m happy to talk about and another faviorite I haven’t seen much of lately. Daniel was an actor from childhood, playing Budnick on Salute Your Shorts, but he quickly gained a long and storied catalogue of VA Work: His first big roll was as Montana Max on Tiny Toon Adventures and if there is a god he’ll be back for the reboot, Stoop Kid on Hey Arnold, the incomprable Jack Spicer on Xiaolin Showdown, far and away his best role and part of why Chronicles sucked so bad was he was he didn’t get to reprise the role, The titular Dave the Barbarian, Django of the Dead on El Tigre (Had no idea), Kicks utterly insufferable big Brother Brad on Kick Buttowski and apparently he’s back at it again after laying low for a bit as he’s voicing Snag in Long Gone Gultch.. which I already really needed to watch but hot damn, I missed him. Sign me up.

Frieda, Virgil’s crush and close friend who in the comics was his main confidante and love intrest but here is eventually pushed aside, is voiced by Danica Mckeller whose work didn’t seem all that familiar.. until I found out she was Ms. Martian on Young Justice. Hello, Megan. Very talented and she did get a major role in a dc show eventually so good for her. Can’t wait for season 4.

So with our major players out of the way, let’s talk about Dwayne. McDuffie is an AWESOME man and my respect has grown for him more and more with time. A writer and editor at Marvel, McDuffie has a decent resume doing smaller but awesome books, which I got most of for free last year when Marvel was giving out free digital collections due to the lock down, like Damage Control, a sitcom set in the marvel universe about the company that picks up after superhero battles and the logistics and antics that insue and Dethlok, about a pacfist trapped inside a cyborg zombie. He was as mentioned one of Milestone’s founders, and wrote Icon, Hardware and co-wrote the first few issues of Static. He’d go on to a pretty stacked career in animation, writing on this show and Justice League before becoming story editor and show runner for Unlimited , even making a return to comics as a result writing the Marvel miniseries beyond and an arc of Fantastic Four in which Black Panther and Storm filled in for Reed and Sue while the two of them worked on their marriage after Reed did.. pretty much everything he did in Civil War. He also became head writer and show runner for Ben 10: Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, revamping the franchise a bit, and Alien Force, at least the first two seasons are awesome and I feel people overreacted on the changes. Ultimate Alien is okay, but has it’s problems but the finale was awesome and left the man’s legacy on a high note.. as he sadly passed in 2011 due to heart complications. He is truly missed and produced some utterly amazing stuff whlie he was alive. So on that melacholy note let’s see what happens when his creation hits the tv screen shall we?

Shock to the System:

This episode is written by Christopher Simmons, who is apparently a huge art designer guy.. but i’m not sure that’s the same chirsptoher simmons. Much more notable is the writer of the episode after this Stan Berkowitz, who was showrunner for season 1 and has done a LOT of DCAU work and is suprising talent, having written a lot of awesome Justice League episodes including Secret Society and The Royal Flush One. Point is we’re in first class hands. Before the episode itself I want to talk about the intro and how it’s unique among DCAU shows. Like most Western Animation the intros for DCAU shows didn’t change much over the seasons with the most I can see is JLU changing up the footage to preview the current episode and later adding Hawkgirl to the intro after her return to the team. I THINK superman the animated series changed some of it’s footage too, but I can’t confrim it and may of just been imagining it. As i’ve talked about on my blog it’s normally a pet peeve of mine, mostly because shows you know, change after season 1, characters get added some one shot characters used for the intro never return, and after a while it can feel dated especially in more recent shows where the status quo is not at all set in stone and things change quite a bit. But sometimes it can be good enough that either the dated elements don’t matter or general enough that you don’t need to change it and i’ts just that good.. and given Batman the Animated Series has both in spades, you can see why i’ts probably my golden standard for intros and after superman the animated series DC mostly followed suit. But being part of the teen superhero boom of the 2000′s Static is unique in that it splits the diffrence: It’s intro gets the character across perfectly like a good intro should starting with Virgil getting out of bed and running a comb across his head before showing off to his sister to bug her and literally running into his dad who hand shim his bag and smiles, silently showing off his family. He then runs to school and runs into some trouble.. and said trouble changes for each intro, with Rubberband Man for season 1, Kanga (Whose name I only know because I happened to run across it) for season 2 and your guess is as good as mine for seasons 3 and 4, though Hotstreak is a constant. They still save some money for seasons 1 and 2 by recycling some animation.. but that’s alright with mea s it was good animation, and the improtant thing is cycling out old villians for new ones, while Season 3 is the only out and out redo to show off Richie taking on the Gear identity, adding about 10 seconds of intro to let him show off. Seriously it’s an utterly great intro and like the other DCAU intros outside of superman, stuck in my brain.

The other change that’s ENTIRELY diffrent from the rest of htem is that the music changes each time. The first two have the same formula just with a difrent vocalist and backing track: a superhero theme but with some hip hop beat boxing over it. The first intro is fine enough, not specattcular but stilll god. The second song.. is eh. Not really great and feels like a marked downgrade from season 1 and just dosen’t blend an ocrehstiral superhero theme with the beatbox elements NEARLY as well. The third song though is my faviorite.. even if I HATED Little Romeo as a kid because I really did not like his nick show, it’s more a straight up rap song, but it has a faster beat that fits the intro better, and Romeo’s bragging fits Virgil’s character and penchant for Spidey quips perfectly. I also find it ironic that the theme that blends in with the dcau the most, the first season’s, is the one from BEFORE they decided to put it in the same universe. Still this season’s intro slaps, I just like the LIttle Romeo one a bit more. The opening scene is picture perfect. Some masked crooks looting a warehouse are loading some stolen TV’s into a van when suddenly the lights come on one by one above one of the crooks before his tv switches to various channels before going haywire. Cue our heroes’ entrance. Let’s tak ea good look at him

Static’s Costume is awesome. While I prefer the season 3 redesign, and clearly DC agrees as the redeisgn was used for both pre and post new-52 when they used him, and while he’s getting a fresh design for the reboot, said design takes a lot of cures from said outfit. As for how the outfit differs from the comics itself this is the design he had in the comics

It didn’t change much from the first issue, with the exception of his now iconic big puffy jacket which was added pretty early into the character’s history but I was unaware of that and just assumed he had the bodysuit the whole time. The more you know. But as you can see outside of the cool puffy jacket over a costume the two couldn’t be more diffrent. While the Dakotaverse outfit is more a standard superhero outfit, with some regular clothes touches on top the first cartoon outfit comes off more realistic, looking fantastic, but still coming off as something two teenagers could realistically have thrown together with what clothes they could buy, while still looking awesomely superheroy. IN short it’s perfect and only topped by the season 3 onward look...

But the slicker look, with an even cooler jakcet and the new colors all fitting the lighting ascetic better, but fits: not only has Virgil come along farther since he started, but with Richie now having a genius brain as Gear, he can provide a far slicker, far more professional superhero outfit on the budget the two have. This show is just great at costume design.

So getting back to the episode at hand, Static puts up a huge sign in elecrticy saying “Bad guys here”, PFFFT, and then hides away and narrates that a few days ago he’d be the last person anyone would’ve expected to be a hero. Cue Flashback.

We meet Virgil Hawkins on an average day: rapping into his razor, getting into a petty argument with his older sister Sharon, as a younger brother myself I relate to this, and talking to his dad who tries to get them to cut that out. We find out his mom has passed via his sister making really terrible eggs and saying that’s how mom made them. Exposition! Though we do get a great bit through this as when his sister gets distracted by her boyfriend calling, he uses the opportunity of her leaving the room to dump the eggs.. after having earlier jokingly prayed to his mom for a way out of breakfast. “Thanks for looking out for me mom” That’s both very sweet and very hilarious.

This is a change from the comics it turns out as I was utterly flored to find Virgil’s mom alive and well when reading the first issue of Static. Turns out this was a change made during development and one Dwane McDuffie admitted in the interview I got the tribute quote from to not liking as he had a good reason for having Virgil have a nuclear family, as most black families in media at the time were just one single parent and a kid or two with the other having either left or died. He wasn’t too bothered by it as while he preferred what he came up with in the first place, the show DID get some really good stories out of her being gone and didn’t just have her be absent because shut up. Virgil is still working over her death and the way HOW she died ends up playing an important role in this episode and gives Virgil a dislike of guns, as she died to gang violence. So the change wasn’t for stupid or racist reasons, but likely both to keep the character count down while giving them something to work with for storylines. Or it could’ve been for stupid reasons and the writers simpily made lemonade out of that very dumb lemon, either way it ended up working. Virgil also plans to ask his friend Frieda out. Frieda was a bigger deal in the comics, being Virgil’s friend and confidante as well as his ocasional love intrest, but here while she was inteded to at least be his love intrest here, that sorta fizzled out. As for the best friend role we meet her replacement in Richie, which McDuffie conceded was the kind of change a studio would make swapping out a female character for a male one. That being said the crew made the best of it and Richie is awesome, a bit of an overcompensating dipstick at times, but a good sounding board and pal for virgil and funny as hell too. He was also gay, something only revealed post series by McDuffie.. but unlike say Dumbledore, it’s a bit easier to swallow here: The early 2000′s were an even worse time for gay characters in tv let alone cartoons, and if they couldn’t kiss or have sex scenes on regular tv, there was no way we were getting any representation in a children’s show. So it was largely just hinted at by Richie overcompensating in how “into girls” he was and i’m once again fine with this being word of god as it was literally the best they could do and his counterpart in the comics was also gay, if not as relevant. Ritch encourages Virgil to work on his opening to ask her out as it’s awkward as heck, hits a bit close to home.. but I do appricate the show just .. having him try and ask her out from the first episode. They likely would’ve drug thigns out a bit granted had they used Frieda more, i’m not blind to the convetions of the time. .but as someone who got the very wrong idea from tv that just waiting around meant a girl would like you eventually, when no you need to actually try even if rejection happens, I honestly wish we had more of this in media than the other garbage morals at the time.

So he prepares to , not helped by her mentioning guy after guy is asking her out.... but before he can F-Stop, the future hotstreak, shows up. F-STOP

That being said...... it’s not as bad as the original gangster name for the comic’s version, Biz Money B. Yes BIZ MONEY B

So yeah while F-Stop is no more intimidating, it at least means I can stop laughing. Francis, because I can’t type F-Stop without laughing and this review is already behind, shoves Virgil out of the way and agressively hits on Frieda, even saying “you smell good”, the international sign your a douchebag and also to call the police. Virgil steps up to the guy and gets PAINFULLY slammed into the lockers, something I give the animation team a lot of credit for, as you can FEEL how fucking painful that was. Virgil is saved by Wade, another local gangbanger who in the comics was a close friend of Virgils but here saves him seemingly just because.. seemingly.

On the way home though Virg’s problems don’t end as naturally, the giant sized asshole with nothing better to do has his goons corner virgil before VIOLENTLY beating him.. off screen but the noises, and the clear brusies including a black eye, on virgil afterwords.. just holy damn i’m suprsied they got away with this but it shows just how horrifing it was and that this is a step above regular bullying, which make no mistake is absoluttley terrible and the series would later do an episode on it and school shootings, into straight up gang violence. Wade shows up again and gets the bastards to flee.. but also makes it clear he can’t keep doing this.. and forces Virgil to meet him at his base under the bridge. And it’s a tense sequence, with Virgil KNOWING this is a bad idea but having no real choice and Wade making it abundantly clear that he wants Virgil to join his crew, and makes a chilling point: while Virgils dad RIGHTFULLY dosen’t want his son to join a gang as Virgil points out.. he can’t be there for him all the time and eventually one of those times, Francis will be around. And he may not surivive that. Virgil nods noncomittaly. At home it gets even more grim as he dosen’t open up to his family, understandably as his dad would jsut say to call the police and well.. we’ve seen how the police treat black people. At best they’d just try and use Virgil as an informant and that likely wouldn’t end fucking well for Virgil. Ritchie points out he can’t join a gang, virgil’s mom died that way.. see told you it’d be important to the plot.. but I like how the story dosen’t offer an easy answer.. well okay he gets electric powers soon enough but without the fantastic element this is just an innocent kid caught between either joining the very thing his mom hated or hoping a system not built to protect him will keep him alive. It’s utterly saddening and chilling and holy shit is it amazing a cartoon in the early 2000′s was able to get away with.. ANY OF THIS, and they handle it great, paired down a bit from the comics but even then it’s still incredibly balsy they got THIS much in.

Naturally Wade calls in his favor and our hero is forced to come running.. and soon finds out Wade’s brought him in for a massive gang war. Welcome to the big bang, baby. He hands Virgil a gun as things get started and Virgil.. drops the thing and tries to escape, in a harrowing sequence.. and runs into Francis because god apparently REALLY hates this kid today. As if to prove that the police show up and while that prevents a beating, they demand they disassemble. then release untested gas on them because of course they do.

As a result the big bang truly begins, with the various gang members getting mutated.. and naturally so does virgil. Though he wakes up the next day seemingly fine. How’d he get home? Does his dad know where he was?

I don’t know and we’re not getting any answers, but Virgil soon finds weird stuff happening like his clock shorting out, change being attracted to him and his razor going wild. It’s only once he get sback to his room he gets an inkling of what’s going on and calls Ritchie to meet him at the Junk yard.. though it is a bit of a dick move as he dosen’t you know, tell him anything about Wade or Francis right away. He does at the yard though.. and that he has powers, having finally figured out how to use them to a point. And the series does provide a decent justification later as to why he’d get this so quickly: Virgil is a smart kid, gets great grades at school and apparnetly there’s even an episode later where he gets a scholarship to a fancy genius school. So him getting how elctromagntisim works or being a quick study on it makes perfect sense.

Richie suggest the obvious.. to become a superhero. And the thought.. hadn’t occured to Virgil. It’s honestly a nice twist on the old trope. That he hadn’t thought of it, not because he’s selfish or any of that or needs to learn a hard lesson, those have been done.. simply because the rush of getting his powers, and implicitly of having a way out of his current predciament, a way to keep Francis off his back and keep Wade from pulling him in further. His own path. But once i’ts brought up.. he jumps on it. Part of it is being a nerd like you or I, of course he wants to.. and being a good intetioned one, he knows this is the right thing to do. It’s waht makes a superhero a hero: Anyone can get powers in a universe like this, esepcailly the dcau, but it takes true courage and heart to use them selflessly and knowing you’ll be in danger. It’s why I love surperheroes: they often didn’t ask for this but they do it anyway because somebody’s gotta. We also get an intresting wrinkle is superman is, at least I think in this episode I could’ve missed it or misremembered things, mentioned as a fictional character. That’s because originally like the comics this wasn’t part of the DCAU.. but eventually the crew decided it shared staff from it, shared a network, both first run and on reruns, why not just make it part of the DCAU proper. I fully support this decisionf: While i’m midly annoyed unlimited never really used anything from static shock outside of Static himself in the time travel episode, despite you know Static and Gear having BEEN to the tower and not being much younger than Kara and defintely older than Courtney, I chalk it up to weird rights issues or something like that. But having Batman, Batman Beyond, Superman, Green Lantern and the Justice League itself all guest star was a good idea, and expanded both static’s universe and gave the DCAU something differnt as most heroes in it were older and more experinced in contrast to the up and coming virgil. Again really would’ve been nice if he and gear could’ve been a part of the expanded league but production might of just been too far ahead or, given he had his own series, they might just have wanted to stick to toher characters. Also begs the question why Icon or Hardware wasn’t adapted for the expanded League but hey, questions for later and the tricky logisitics of the milestone rights might’ve been the issue. I don’t know I wasn’t in the room.

So we get a costume montage, including Black Vulcan from Superfriends, who again ironically would be voiced by Lamarr not too long after this, though weirdly they DON’T use his outfit from the comics for this montage. I mean why not? It fits the gag and would’ve been a good second to last choice.But what could’ve been aside we get our winner and cut back to present day...

Thanks boys. Static finds out one of the things in the warehouse is a shipment of computers for the school and can’t help but show off, showing up to the school, where Frieda and Richie are setting up for the dance, and dropping off the computers, and even saying his catchphrase for the first time “I’ll put a shock to your system” (Which Richie chimes in with awesome line and I agree, great catcphrase), before helping set up and flirting with frieda.

Though as Richtie says he’s a natural. He’s not wrong as he can work a crowd. .but back it up too as his first run out had him easily taking out the crooks, and as many teen superheros and fans of heroes of hte type, myself included will tell you, getting it right in one is not easy. Not even Miles MOrales was immune. All Static needs now is a villian.

And the end of the episode provides one as we see, in horrifc and once again damn suprising detail most of hte new metas aren’t doing so good and are melting and other stuff and we catch up with Francis whose burning up.. and naturally given that hair, though given he named himself F-Stop it’s the least of his problems, he’s got fire powers and escapes to “Have me some fun”

So with that we end episode 1. And it’s excellent, a great way to introduce the hero and while the warehouse opening is a bit superflous, it is a decent addition, showing our heroes first outing in costume and giving us a bit of an action scene to get us through the very heavy rest of the episode. But the rest of the episode is no less grippping, telling the tale of a teen caught in an unwinnable scenario who suddenly finds a way out. And speaking of which waht of Wade? Will we see him again? Is he perhaps Ebon, the series big bad as I thought when I was a kid? What comes of the man who directly caused static’s origin?

Yeahhh that’s the one mistep I think the pilot makes. Frieda is understandable as that was likely a simple change in creative direction. This though? Why build this guy up if your not going to bring him back. I mean where he went was probably the grave, as he probably did due to his mutation, but it’s still VERY weird to spend a whole episode focusing on this guy, building him up as a big personal threat to our hero.. and NOT have him become the series big bad. And maybe he WAS supposed to be ebon and they just changed their mind. I don’t know but it bothers me it bothers me a lot. Otherwise though flawless. ONe more to go.

Aftershock: We open outside an electronics store, as our heroes watch the news reacap what happened in the first episode, with the media dubbing it the Big Bang and revealing their could be hundreds of “Metahumans”, as Virgil dubs after deciding the media’s term “Mutant” dosen’t fit, a nice wink to the fact that that’s the term used in dc comics and I believe milestone but could be wrong there. Me I like the term, has a nice ring to it.

At the store while Richie mulls over waht this means Static finds out he’s a human CD player.... this was before mp3 players and streaming on your phone made them horribly obsolete mind you and if you don’t know what one is congradualtions you live in some sort of bubble and you made me feel really old junior.

Frieda happens to be there and Virgil quips “What’s the matter they run out of britney cds”. Dude she’s not bad. Also be careful what you wish for man. Nickeback returned the year after this. You have not truly suffered through bad music yet my young friend. They spot a kid looking feverish, and he soon turns into a purple werewolf, as you do. It’s a bang baby.. those are richie’s exact word and you may not want to start a panic there bud. Just saying your best friend is one. THeir not all like this. Our heroes book it only to run into Francis who naturally refuses to let them leave and only doesn’t try to beat up Virgil because Virgil points otu the werewolf and nonplussed, he goes to fight it, scarring it off by revealing his own powers. He’s now dubbed himself Hotstreak which points for getting an actually good name kid. No points for what happens next as unsuprisingly getting powers did NOT mak ehim a better person and he attacks Virgil who blocks with a garbage can lid and thankfully is blasted into an ally. Richie tries to guard frieda for damn obvious reasons but gets hsi shirt burnt up because shut up Thankfully Static shows up, and we get our firsdt full on superhuman fight as both fight each other with aplomb, and it’s a damn good fight.. and one that goes pear shaped for Virg as he’s caught off guard when he finds out Hotstreak can use his powers to fly, and tackles him and his previous trauma causes him to freeze up. Thankfully , as Frieda put in a call earlier, the fire department arrive and HOt streak has to retreat, though Virgil is bummed that he “Choked”. And I love this as it not only shows Virgil’s inepxerince, as this is his first time fighting a bad guy but that just because he HAS power now dosen’t mean trauma and his previous fear of Hotstreak goes away or you won’t freeze up from time to time. It dosen’t make him weak or anything like some assholes would call it .. it makes him human. Humans make mistakes, and it makes him all the more relatable that he’s not pefect and that he did freeze up as I know I certainly would at last once in the circumstances.

Things don’t get better at dinner as Sharon and Pops argue over the bang babies with Pops calling them a meance and Sharon pointing out Static exists so they can’t all be bad. See assuming a group of superhumans are bad because a handful of them ar edick sis why the x-men had to get their own island nation. You can only save an ungreatful populous so many times before you say “fuck it i’m getting my own island, pay me for life saving drugs, save your damn selves and stop doing genocides on us. Kay thanks”. But he does bring up a valid point that rattles his son: We don’t know anything about the Bang Babies or their biological structures and it’s likely they might further mutate into monsters, Static included.

Virgil, understandably, wants to check this and thus he and richie compare blood samples in science, to no real conclusion. She he checks out with his doctor who assumes he’s sexually active in a great getting crap past the radar bit and a bit of realisim, but he agrees to the test though if something came up he would have to tell Virgil’s dsad and is up front about this. Nice dose of realisim.

That night City Council has a meeting and the Mayor TRIES to deflect Papa Hawkins questions about the bang babies which again, while being a judgmental ass as not every person hit was a gang member (Virgil, and as we discover later some others), and not every gang member is there by choice, some by circumstnace some, like virgil almost was, because they HAD no other option. Again years of reading x-men may of just made me a bit touchy on assholes admitely assuming superpower people bad. But it’s clear the public is upset and while she says an investigation is underway... Virgil and Richie are not only not convinced, but figure she’s actively covering it up. And unlike everyone else there who probably suspects the same, they can do something about it and tail her. It’s during this, and cleverly as I didn’t realie till writing this using similar skills to his human cd player act, Virgil listens in and discovers whose behind it: Edwin Alva, whose apparently richer than bill gates and a beloved phinarophist Alva, as it turns out, was actually the arch enemy of Hardware in the comics, taking advantage of the guy in his civiliian idtentiy and thus casuing him to launch a war on the asshole. He does transition into this series well though, being the one behind the gas that caused it and with the mayor agreeing to back off, planning to simply dump the info about the big bang on a disc then destroy everything for now till the heat dies down. Yup sounds like a corprate douchebag.

Static tails him, finds the lab and infiltrates it, stealing the disc.. but getting caught by Alva’s goon, and trapped in a glass prison, forced to use ALL his power to escape and barely getting out alive, but not before bouncing off alva’s car. Still he now has the proof.. and meanwhile Hotstreak, who I was wrong did get captured, is forced to take pill sbut spits them out once the orderly is gone. Dude.. WHY DIDN’T YOU WATCH HIM. Make sure he swallows that shit especially since, as he has no powers right now and can’t harm you.

Hotstreak escapes off screen and our heroes discuss the disc before he shows up, and we get a REALLY fucking amazing scene: Virgil ducks into an Alleway and ritchie is worried.. and Virgil disarms him with just one word responses Ritchie: Virg you can’t take him. Virgil: Gotta. Ritchie: Well at least wait for the fire department Virgil: Can’t. It’s simpile but it gets the point across: This is his fight, he can’t wait for help, and people need him. And this is what makes a true hero: It’s easy to be a hero when everythings going well.. but it’s the true ones who stick it out against the odds and fight anyway. And he’s going to. So we get one hell of a fight, though naturally Hotstreak burns up the disc. And I do like this as it dosen’t feel contrived.. yes Static could’ve left it with ritchie.. but he wasn’t thinking in the moment and dind’t really have time to think abotu the disc, only that people were being hurt and he was all they had between them and Hotstreak. It was no choice at all. Still that pisses Virgil off that the last night’s work is now worthless, and he fully charges up and curbstomps francis who retreats into a clearing. Hostreak brags when static follows, as even he’s figured out Static needs to be around metal, as he’s usually on his disc or the street, and in the park there suppodsidly isn’t any. But he’s not THAT smart as Virgil points out two things: one, he hoped to do this on PURPOSE so they wouldn’t be around people and no on e would get hurt and 2).. this is a city, there’s metal everywhere.. and he awesomely and cleverly proves it by unlodging a sewage pipe with his powers and dousing his foe, winning and proving his stuff. I love this solution, it’s a clever spider-man type way to disarm him, using smarts and the einvroment instead of just brute forcing it. Though the sewage part wasn’t intetional our hero still won and gets praise from the people dumb enough to follow the fight.

However at home Virgil points out it was Pyrrhic Victory and shows off his smarts by telling the tale behind it, which I didn’t know,because tv tropes didn’t exist yet: king pyrhus fought the romans and WON.. but had so little armies left that he still lost overall. That’s what this feels like to Virgil: he beat hotstreak but any chance at a cure for Bang Babies and Alva going to jail for causing them is gone. His mood does get a boost though as the doctor calls and reveals he’s fine, he just has a bit too much elctrolytes and just needs to lay off teh salt. He celebrates, we get a quick gag and the episode ends

Aftershock is another stellar episoe, giving us Virgil’s first super foe and a personal one at that, while showing some growth. As richie tells him he’s not virgil anymore he’s static and he can’t let his past get to him.. and he does’nt going from cowering in fear to easily beating his foe with simple logic. It’s a good followup that answers questions you may have from the first ep, like what does this do to virgil’s body, who supplied the gas, and why has no one done anything about this, and sets up another villian for Static in Alva. Great stuff. I highly recommend these episodes and the show as a whole: it’s fast paced, grounded and enjoyable, having just enough levity to not be too dour but just enough tension and stakes to be intresting. A throughly fantastic superhero show and one that i’d certainly love to revisit on this blog If you have an episode of static or the dcau in general you’d want me to cover, my comissions are open and details are on a tab on my blog or can be gotten simply by asking me via ask or dm. Tommorow we’re going deeper underground, there’s too much damage in this town as the Lena Retrospective continues. So expect gay ducks, straight ducks and some terrfirmains. See you next rainbow.

#static shock #static #virgil hawkins #richie foley #robert hawkins #sharon hawkins #hotstreak #milestone comics #dc comics #dc animated universe #dcau #dwayne mcduffie #robert l washington IIII #kids wb #hbo max #2000s #animation #black lives matter #black history month

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kiragecko · 4 years ago

Text

DC Sidekick Age References

Here’s a dump of all the references I’ve found. Know I’m missing a lot, and quite a few were found on other sites that didn’t give me the most precise info.

If you know of anything else, can correct a mistake you see, or want to discuss comic book aging - please send me an ask, message, or reblog!

?? - means I don’t know where the info is from, “quotes” are direct copies of the wording in the comic

?? Parents died when Bruce was 8

Detective Comics #27 (May 1939) – Batman introduced

Detective Comics #38 (Apr 1940) – Dick is (8 when parents killed/9 when Robin) 12 when he becomes Robin, it's Bruce's 3rd year as Batman

More Fun Comics 73 (Nov 1941) – Green Arrow Introduced

1962 - JLA formed

1964 – Dick teams up with Wally and Garth

Teen Titans 1 (Jan-Feb 1966) – Teen Titans form, Donna is introduced (all 5 are 14ish?)

Detective 359 (Jan 1967) – Babs introduced, has PhD, has graduated

Batman #217 (Dec 1969) – Dick graduates high school, enrolls in University (starts 3 months later)

1971 - Roy discovered using drugs by Ollie and Hal in a drug den (he was trading arrows for drugs), retcon has Wally and Dick discovering him at tower and making him promise to get help

Justice League 116 (Mar-Apr 1975) Charley Parker is 16

Batman Family 10 (Mar-Apr 1977) – Dick is teenager, Babs is 25

Teen Titans 53 (Feb 1978) – Dick, Wally, Donna, Vic all started college at same time

DC Special Series: The Flash Spectacular (May 1978) – Wally graduates high school

New Teen Titans 1 (Nov 1980) – Raven forms New Titans, Gar is 16 during run

New Teen Titans 2 (Dec 1980) – Slade meets team, Grant dies

1981 - Dick drops out of university after 1 semester, he never really was interested

New Teen Titans 20 (June 1982) – Vic turns 19, Donna already is

Tales of the New Teen Titans 2 (July 1982) – Raven turned 18 just before forming Titans

Batman #357 (Mar 1983) – Jason’s first appearance

Detective Comics #526 (May 1983) – Bruce adopts Jason, Dick is there and approving

New Teen Titans 34 (Aug 1983) – Terra turns 16

Batman #368 (Feb 1984) – Dick gives Jason the Robin costume, Jason becomes Robin

Blue Devil(84) – Eddie is 11/12

Tales of the Teen Titans (May 1984) – Joey introduced, Author describes him as 17?

New Teen Titans #39 (Feb 1984) – Dick stops being Robin, Wally quits being a superhero/the team

Tales of the Teen Titans 50 (Feb 1985) – Terry and Donna's wedding (she got married while 19)

New Teen Titans 10 (July 1985) – Kole says she's at least 18

Crisis on Infinite Earths 7 (Oct 1985) – Supergirl dies in Superman’s arms after mostly destroying the Anti-Monitor, who has to flee reality

New Teen Titans 18 (Mar 1986) – Dick turns 20 (“Dick Grayson celebrates his birthday away from home with a traditional Tamaranean feast.” (While sulking because Kory got space-married))

New Teen Titans 20 (May 1986) – Roy locates baby Lian, Terry Long is 29

?? Roy is 22(when he gets Lian)

Batman #404 - Batman Year One (Feb 1987) – Bruce is 25, spent 12 years training, became Batman at 26, Barbara Gordon is pregnant, her and Jim move to Gotham

Detective Comics #571 (Feb 1987) – we see Bruce’s fear gas induced vision of Jason’s tombstone (birth: 1974 – death: 1986, so he’d be 12)

Secret Origins 13 (April 87) – 15 years ago, it was Dick’s 5th birthday. Soon after tenth birthday, parents are killed. [Set during New TT 18])

Batman #409 (July 1987) – Jason becomes Robin (In Detective Comics, Jason has been Robin the whole time, but is still being wwritten with Pre-Crisis personality)

Flash 1 (June 1987) – Wally turns 20

New Teen Titans Ann 3 (Nov 1987) – Danny Chase is 13 and introduced

Batman #416 (Feb 1988) – Dick in Gotham, meets the new Robin on patrol. Confronts Bruce later, says he was ‘fired’ less than a year ago (since then he was briefly in college), makes Bruce admit he missed him. Dick finds Jason again, expose the drug dealers, and Dick gives Jason his old costume (symbolically, since Jason already has one) and a phone number, Dick was Robin for 6 years

Batman #427 (Winter 1988) – Jason dies

Batman #436, Batman: Year Three (Aug 1989) – 2 years since Dick stopped being Bruce’s sidekick (When he became Nightwing? Or when he quit?), parents died 10 years earlier

Batman #441, A Lonely Place of Dying (Nov 1989) – Tim 13, was 7 when Dick’s parents died

Robin #1 (Jan 1991) – Tim debuts as Robin

New Titans 84 (March 1992) – Joey dies

Deathstroke, the Terminator #15 (Oct 1992) – Rose introduced

Team Titans 3 (Nov 1992) – Robert Long is born

Adventures of Superman 500 (June 1993) – Kon appears and escapes from Cadmus with Newboy Legion, John Henry Irons first appearance, Eradicator and Cyborg Superman also appear for first time

Batman: BTAS: Robin’s Reckoning (1993) - 'Richard 'Dick' Grayson: Age 10'

Detective Comics 668 (Nov 1993) – Tim gets license (because dad is disabled) even though he hasn’t turned 16 yet, gets beat up by Jean-Paul

Flash 92 (July 1994) – Bart aged to 14

?? Shortly after Knight’s End – Tim is 15 and in the 10th grade

Flash 0 (Oct 1994) – Wally is 23

Damage 1(94) – Grant is 16

Deathstroke, The Terminator Annual 4 (Aug 1995) – Rose is 14, “What would that do to a kid? A fourteen-year-old girl whose father is an assassin she’s never met?”

Wonder Woman 105(95) – Cassie is 14

Tempest 1(96) – Garth spends many months in other dimension

Aquaman 20 (May 1996) – Garth aged 3-4 years in other dimension, now older than other Titans

Teen Titans 1 (Oct 1996) – Argent, Risk, Joto, Prysm all turn 16(they were conceived by seed things on same day)

Superboy Annual 2 – to Kon: “Happy birthday, Kid - - number one in a long successful series, we hope.” “He will effectively remain sixteen years old - - forever!”

Green Lantern 82(97) – Robert Long is 3

Wonder Woman 121(97) – Terry and Robert die

Secret Origins Giant 1(98) – Bart is “Three. Fifteen. Depends.”, “you’re almost 15, Tim.”

Titans 5(99) – Donna is 23

Titans(99) – Lian is 4

Sins of Youth(99) – Kon 16, aging normally again

Aquaman 63 (Jan 2000) – Future Garth tells granddaughter Donna about Cerdian being born (think this is his weird birth issue)

Wonder Woman Secret Files (2002) – „Wonder Girl is a precocious outgoing 15-year-old named Cassandra „Cassie“ Sandsmark.“

Bruce Wayne: Murderer (2002) – Oracle says Tim is 15

Batgirl #37 (April 2003) – “Cain said ... today was ... my birthday.”

Batgirl #39 (June 2003) – “I see an eighteen-year-old girl, who’s out of her depth.” (Babs about Cass)

Robin #116 (Sept 2003) – Dana: “Oh, I’m so glad we’ll all be together on Thursday ... !” Tim: “Why? What’s Thursday?” Jack: “Yeah. What’s Thursday?” Dana: “Wait a minute – seriously? Tim: “Yeah. Tell. Us.” Dana: “It’s nothing – never mind. Just leave your schedules open for a nice family dinner.”| Jack: “Dana, what’s – “ Dana: “Shh! Thursday ... the 19th of July ... ?” Jack: “Um ... oh! Right!” | Steph: “So – Thursday!! Are you excited? Got any ideas for it, yet? ... Tim ... ?” [Tim is asleep.] | [Ives and Steph come over, with pizza that says “Happy B-Day Tim.”] Ives: “Sixteen spankings – get that boy up!!” | Dana says: “I remember when I was in 11th grade.” | he also gets the first ‘clue’ for Bruce’s ‘birthday present.’

Teen Titans 1 (Nov 2003) – Gar is 19, Is this Joey’s return?? (He’s puppeting Slade)

Teen Titans ½ (2004) – Rose’s early years, with a ‘6 years ago’ flashback, she was raised in a brothel her mom ran, tutored, never allowed the outside world, but had relationships with kids her age

Detective Comics #790 (Mar 2004) – Jason’s 18th birthday “he would have been 18 today”

Teen Titans 8 (April 2004) – Raven looks 'barely older' than Cassie

TEEN TITANS #1/2 [2004]: The flashback panels totally sync up with my age theories; Flash to 10 years ago: Dick Grayson’s parents die. Flash to 6 years ago: Rose Wilson is schooled at home by her mother, Lili. Flash to 5 years ago: Ravager I is killed. Flash to 3 years ago: Slade is forced to kill Jericho. Flash to 2 years ago: Cadmus attempts to clone Superman. Flash to 18 months ago: Rose deals with the death of her mother. Flash to one week ago: Bart Allen is shot by Slade.

Identity Crisis 4 (Dec 2004) –(Tim still 16)

Green Arrow 47(05) – Mia is 17

Return of Donna Troy 3(05) – Cassie barely 16

Nightwing: Year One(05) – Dick is 26

Batgirl #65 (Aug 2005) – Cass decides to figure out if Shiva is her mom, Jason and Cass roughly the same age

Flash(05/06) – Wally is 26

?? Robin #136 – Tim still 16 ???

Detective Comics #868 (Oct 2010)– Kate is 32 years old??

One Year Later(Mar 06)

Flash 1(06) – Bart 4 years older(20?)

Blue Beetle 2 (June 2006) – Find out Jaime was in space/a pocket dimension for One Year Later

?? Just prior to 52 (July 2006-July 2007)– told Tim is 17 (long before he’s also 17 in Red Robin, 52 is 1 year long)

Teen Titans 42 (Feb 2007) – Eddie is 17

Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds 3-4 (Apr-June 2009) – Bart and Kon back, same as when died

Batman 677 (July 2008) – Batman over 30

Batman: Battle for the Cowl (May-July 2009) – Damian is 10, Ends with Dick and Damian becoming Batman and Robin

Brave & The Bold 2 (May 2007) – Kara is 17, “You have food in the refrigerator older than her, Hal. Who are you, Ollie? No bad thoughts. She’s seventeen.”

Batgirl #1 (Oct 2009) – Steph starting college

Batgirl #7 (Apr 2010) - Damian is "what happens when you work with a 10-year-old."

Red Robin #12 (July 2010) – Tim spent “a few months” looking for evidence before returning to Gotham, becomes emancipated minor

Detective Comics #871 (Jan 2011)– Mention that Dick and Babs went to prom together

Red Robin #25 (Sept 2011) – Tim “and you are only 17”

The Batman Files (Oct 2014) – Jason was 15 at death (seen on death certificate)

?? Rebirth Young Justice series – Cassie: “didn’t mean to end up back in high school feeling - - like I did back when I went to high school.” Later, she says she’s in Metropolis “Working. Going to school in the fall.” So she’s probably starting college.

?? Bart in some Rebirth comic: “Am I six? Am I nineteen? That’s a really freaky thing, right?”

?? At some point: Donna says shes a little older than Kyle

#gecko's lists #dc comics #teen titans #young justice #about 3/4 of these can be compiled into something that makes sence #*sense #but choosing which 3/4 is tricky

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glenncoco4 · 4 years ago

Text

You Can Count On Me

A/N: Chapter 2

••••

18 years later...

She steps into the gym, immediately sensing something in the air shift. It’s not a bad shift more like a welcomed shift, almost the same feeling whenever she enters a room that he’s in. Taking a quick scan across the room, her eyes land on a familiar mop of golden blonde hair attached to a man who’s pounding away at a punching bag.

Schooling her features, Kensi or “Tracy” strides over to a man that introduces himself as Janklow and begins talking about Danny, how she wanted to come to the place that her boyfriend talked so much about.

Janklow drops his guard just enough, calling the rest of their teammates over to introduce her, including one Marty Deeks, only today his name isn’t Marty and he’s not her best friend. Today he’s Jason Wyler fighting for a spot on an MMA team full of Marines.

••••

The three agents along with the tech operator and psychologist continue to stare at the monitor displayed with men from the gym, trying to figure out each ones possible motive to kill Zuna.

Callen’s brow furrows, his focus solely on the shaggy blonde. “What about Wyler?”

“He’s a bit sketchy.” She sends herself a mental high-five as she pictures her best friend’s reaction at her quip. “But he’s definitely not our guy.”

“He’ doesn’t fit in with the others. What makes you so sure its not him?” Sam questions, turning his attention to the brunette agent.

She shrugs, trying to remain nonchalant. “It’s just a feeling.”

The team leader share a look with his partner. “Or maybe its his baby blues.”

“Or his fluffy hair.” The ex-Navy SEAL finishes.

She huffs a laugh, shaking her head. “Listen, guys, I’m telling you, it’s not him.”

“Tell us, what makes you so sure.” Nate finally interjects, wondering what she saw in the blonde.

She wasn’t sure if she was going to have to out her friend but now she knows she does, there’s no way around it because if she doesn’t her best friend could end up hurt so she takes a deep breath. “Because his name isn’t Jason Wyler, it’s Marty Deeks and he’s an LAPD Detective.”

Callen’s eyes widen in shock. “And you know this because...”

“I was with him when he got his promotion.”

All four men’s brows simultaneously furrow in confusion.

Knowing they’re not going to give up until she gives them a little more, she relents. “He’s my best friend, the person I trust most in the world. He’s not our guy.”

The confidence in which she says it must be enough for the leader because he just shares aa look with his partner before turning back to her, trust written in both their eyes. “Okay.”

••••

Kensi’s just about to open Zuna’s laptop, when the doorknob starts to jiggle. Slowly reaching for the small of her back, where her weapon is secured, she watches as the door slowly opens and is caught off guard for the second time that day.

His cerulean blues widen in surprise when he meets her mismatched chocolate orbs for the second time that day. He really missed her, but that’s besides the point right now. “What the hell are you doing around here?”

“We’re investigating Zuna’s death. What are you doing here?”

“I’m undercover.”

“No shit.”

Before anything else can be said, Callen steps in from the kitchen, joining the two childhood friends.

“Marty this is Special Agent G Callen. Callen this is Detective Marty Deeks.”

The team leader takes the detective’s offered hand in greeting. “So I hear you know Kensi.”

“Yeah, know might be a bit of an understatement.”

Callen watches in awe of his coworker exchanging a smile with the detective. He’s not certain, but something tells him that the two are fighting something that’s inevitable. “Well we don’t want to step in on your investigation but we do need to find out what happened to Zuna.”

“Understandable.”

“Can you tell us what you’re under for?”

Deeks shakes his head, knowing that someone from the gym could and most likely is watching them. “Not here. There’s been a couple guys coming in and out from the gym since I’ve been here. I can probably slip away in a few hours.”

“You got your cell on you?” Kensi questions her friend, already knowing the answer.

“Just a burner.”

Callen nods in understanding. “Okay, give Kens your number and we’ll send you an address.”

“Sure thing.”

••••

She nearly jumps out of her skin when there’s a knock at the window. He’s definitely gonna pay for that later. Rolling down the window, Kensi see’s the confusion on his face.

“A Wendy’s, really?”

“Well, I couldn’t very well send you the address to the boat shed on a burner.”

When the words hit his ears, realization spreads across his face like an excited puppy that just got a new toy. “No!”

“Get in before I leave you here.”

Not having to be told twice, Marty hightails it around the SUV and quickly jumps in the passenger seat, shaking with excitement. “Kens, are you serious?”

Shaking her head, she checks her rear view as she slowly backs out of the parking lot. “I don’t know what your fascination with the boat shed is.”

“Are you kidding? It’s a secret hidey hole on the water, what’s not exciting about it?”

“Oh right, the Aquaman fantasy.”

“Okay, Miss I wanna fall in love on a ship and have sex in an old jalopy.”

She feigns shock and a little bit of outrage. “Hey, I told you that in confidence.”

“Yeah, but it’s slowly becoming my fantasy too so technically it’s okay.” He wiggles his eyebrows at her playfully. “Besides its just us here.”

Something in his demeanor feels a little flirty to her. Is she going crazy? When he flashes her a smile, she feels an unfamiliar surge of excitement run through her body. What the hell is going on?

He notices a look cross her features that he’s never seen before. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s just...I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Kens.” Marty feels a sudden sense of contentment as he watches her look back to the road and sees the blush rise to her cheeks. There’s a fluttering in his chest that’s unfamiliar to him. What the hell is happening?

••••

Deeks caught the team up on his op and all that was involved. He explained how Danny hadn’t come home the previous night, something about meeting up with this new girl Tracy. That earned him a famous Kensi trying not to smile, smile, which to be honest is one of his favorite things.

It didn’t go unnoticed by the other two agents in the room at the change in their coworker when she was around the detective. She seemed happier, like she wasn’t carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

The rest of the case goes off without a hitch, NCIS gets their killer and LAPD gets their drug ring bust, but most importantly Marty gets to go home...to his own bed.

••••

There’s a knock at his door, a smile spreading to his lips knowing exactly who it is. He unlocks the deadbolt, twisting the knob and pulls it open. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Agent Blye.”

Kensi steps around him and into his apartment, case of their favorite beer in her hand. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Shaggy Rogers.”

“Oh, touché.”

She sends him a smile over her shoulder and something washes over him. The spark in her mismatched orbs, is something he can’t quite describe. He shakes his head, trying to rid this unfamiliar feeling as she goes to the fridge, depositing the rest of the beer after taking two out.

“Pizza should be here in 30 minutes.”

“You got-“

“Hawaiian, yeah, yeah, but only half.” She shivers with disgust at his preference for toppings as she hands him the bottle.

“I would expect noting less.”

She squints her eyes, stepping up to him almost in a challenge. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Kensi Blye doesn’t eat any fruit unless its covered in chocolate.”

“I-I ate that apple that one time.”

“Only because your mom hadn’t gone to the store for groceries yet.”

She wants to retort but knows he’s right. So she steps around him, walking over to the couch, landing a soft punch to his shoulder on her way. “Just play the damn movie.”

“You’re the boss...KayKay.”

“I will kill you.”

“No, you won’t.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“You’re my best friend and the person I trust most in the world.”

“Clearly you’ve never seen Snapped.”

He shakes his head in disbelief, unable to stop the grin from appearing on his face. He missed this. He missed her and their banter.

A sudden knock on the door draws him out of his trance. “I think maybe you should get it. I don’t really want to have my back turned to you right now.”

“Haha.” She steps over his legs, whacking him with his cat pillow as she heads for the door. When she pulls it open, the last person she’d ever think it would be is standing there, all four foot and nine inches of her. “Hetty?”

“Miss. Blye.”

“Come in.”

Kensi ushers her boss into the apartment, eyes wide as saucers as she locks on with his.

Sending him a hint of a smile, Hetty takes a seat in the chair next to the couch. “Hello, Mr. Deeks.”

“Hello, Ms. Lange.”

“Please, call me Hetty.”

“What can I do for you, Hetty?”

“Actually its more what I can do for you.”

Kensi’s brow furrows along with Marty’s as the OSP manager hands the detective a manila folder.

Opening it he’s a little caught off guard when he sees all his information spread out before him. Everything from his statement from when Donald Blye saved him and his mother all the way to his most recent case. “Wow, Kensi was right. You are a secret ninja lady.”

The brunette feels the heat rise to her cheeks, feeling the scrutiny of her boss’s gaze fall on her.

Shaking her head, a tiny smile curls at the old woman’s lips. “It’s clear to me that you two work quite well together...even better than Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna.”

“Tell us something we don’t already know.” Marty playfully nudges his best friend, trying to get a smile out of her but is unsuccessful. Instead her features are unreadable. What Hetty’s asking would be a huge deal...monumental. I mean working with his best friend, not going under by himself anymore, working with a team...with her. “Can I think about it?”

Kensi’s eyes find his, trying to figure out which way he’s leaning. She can tell he’s holding back because of her, he doesn’t want to over step. He deserves this, a team and people that will truly watch his back and selfishly she wants to be the one to do it and he do the same for her.

He sees the hopefulness in her eyes and knows the same is mirrored in his own. Getting a nod of approval from his best friend, he turns to his new boss with a smile. “I’m in.”

After he signs the form, Hetty gladly takes the folder back from their new liaison before taking her leave. “Well then as I understand it, you have a major undercover you’re working on and when the time comes you’ll get pulled back in but in the mean time, you’ll be reporting to OSP.”

“Thanks, Hetty.”

“I’ll leave you to it.” She sends them each a smile, showing herself to the door.

Once the door click shut, Kensi turns to her best friend and now partner...he’s her partner. She can’t help the Cheshire Cat like grin on her face. “We’re gonna be partners.”

Unable to stop himself, Marty closes the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her in hug that’s so familiar to them its like second nature. “We’re gonna be partners.”

••••

The following Monday had Kensi leading her best friend, now partner into the OSP Headquarters. She couldn’t help the smile that was tugging at her lips as she watched the shaggy blonde in his awestruck wonder as she showed him around the building.

Their first case together is a high profile missing persons case which results in Kensi being held captive but like always, her partner along with Sam and Callen has her back and they live to see another day.

••••

He’s waiting at the car for his partner when the buzzing from his phone draws his attention. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out the offending object and immediately rolls his eyes as he reads the caller ID. “Bates, what do ya got?”

As his Lieutenant fills him in on what’s going on, Marty’s brow furrows and his body deflates, his eyes catching those of his best friend as she walks towards him with a bright smile on her face. One thing he hates most is having to cancel plans with her.

“Alright, I’ll be there.”

She waits until he hangs up the phone, her eyes meeting his, already knowing that their plans to go to the music festival this weekend are trashed.

“I’m not gonna make it in tomorrow. Bates just called me, undercover op we’ve been working on and I finally got my in.”

A sad smile crosses her face, she knows its not his fault. This is what they signed up for. “The sex-trafficking case?”

“Yeah.”

“When do you leave?”

“Tonight.”

“Okay.”

Her reaction is something he can’t quite describe. He knows what he wants it to be, but he’s just not sure. One thing he knows for sure is that now is not the time to lay it all out on the table. “Kens-“

“You’ll be careful, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

She scolds herself for letting her emotions slip, he doesn’t need this right now. He needs to be focused on his mission, but if she can get a little more time with him, she’ll gladly take it. “Do you have time to grab something to eat before you leave?”

He throws his arm around her shoulders, placing a kiss to the top of her head as they turn to walk towards the pier. “Always have time for you.”

There’s something about this goodbye that shifts their entire relationship, what it may be, they’re not sure. One thing is certain though, their lives are even more intertwined than they thought.

#Densi #Densi Fanfic #AU #Kensi Blye #Marty Deeks #Kensi x Deeks #You Can Count On Me #Chapter 2 #NCIS: LA #NCIS: LA Fanfic

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et-lesailes · 5 years ago

Photo

title: the inside scoop

pairing: chris evans x reader

word count: 2461

summary: you are a reporter with a certain favorite celebrity to interview, and you’re more than excited to talk to him about his latest movie, knives out. little do you know that your massive crush on him is actually requited.

themes: fluff

taglist: @evanstush, @tanyam93, @bval-1, @wonderwinchester, @patzammit, @rohaintahquil, @deidrashouseofpain, @sammyslonglostshoe, @jadedhillon, @bohemian-barbie, @whysparker, @sebastian-i-stan, @sebabestianstan101, @lille-kattunge, @teller258316, @peach-acid, @allsortsofinterests, @xoxabs88xox, @heyiamthatbitch, @cptn-sgrogers, @heyyouwiththeassbutt, @bangtan-serendipity, @troublermalik, @beardburnsupersoldiers, @bookish-shristi, @kind-sober-fullydressed, @gingerninjaprincess16, @straightforwardly, @denisemarieangelina, @frencchfries, @xlanawriter, @littlemoistcarrot, @pottxrwolff, @arianatheangelworld, @ifuseekamyevans, @southerngracela, @nsfwsebbie, @rororo06, @savemesteeb, @raveviolet, @inactivewhore, @hurricanerinwrites

notes: this was a commissioned piece requested by @straightforwardly ! thank you so much for supporting me and i hope this is everything you wanted :) ** if you are interested in my commissions, check out this post right here !

You’re quickly wrapping up with hair and makeup, looking at your reflection in the mirror trying not to smile so much. You were particularly happy to wake up for work that day, all because of who you’re interviewing today.

You’ve had the pleasure of working with Chris Evans a few times before, and while at first it was his looks that drew you in, it didn’t take long for you to simply fall in love with his entire being. The first time was a little nerve wracking. You had seen other interviews where he seemed a little grumpy, tired, and annoyed with the questions he was being asked, and so you had put as much thought into your own questions as possible. You refused to be like the other journalists and reporters, the ones who simply asked Marvel related questions or how he worked out. It was easy to see that this man had personality much deeper than that, and you were always eager to explore it. You remember how your heart had been pounding right before that first interview, but the second the two of you started talking, it was simply… amazing. Despite only having known him for minutes, you had already felt perfectly comfortable and secure with him, as if you had known him for years. You had heard from others that he had that effect on people, but you never imagined it was to that extent.

Now here you are, getting ready for your fifth interview with him. Another thing you love about Chris is that he actually remembers who you are, each and every time. It always makes you feel special, though you have to remind yourself to calm down- he’s simply considerate and personable, he probably remembers other reporters he’s seen multiple times too.

“Alright, you’re all set. Chris finished up a few minutes ago, he’s probably out there getting seated.” The stylist tells you, and you smile up at him with a nod. “Thank you!” Standing up, you take a deep breath as you inspect yourself in the mirror. You’ve become used to seeing celebrities as a part of your job, but Chris is the only one who has your heart racing and butterflies fluttering. Even interviewing Jason Momoa for Aquaman couldn’t get you as simultaneously excited and nervous as appearing before Chris; you have the biggest crush on him, but at the same time, what can you do about it? Honestly, you’re convinced he probably has a secret girlfriend- it simply makes no sense to you that a man like him is single.

‘Thank God for hair and makeup,’ you think to yourself, pleased with your appearance- it’s not too overdone, but just the right amount, mainly just so the lighting doesn’t wash you out on camera. You gather your cards and take another breath, forcing yourself to calm down before going out to where the chairs are- you were hoping to play it cool, but the second you see him, a wide smile emerges on your face. How a man can look so handsome simply sitting there wearing a long sleeve maroon sweater and fitted jeans while playing around with a water bottle in his hands, you have no idea. “Hi there! Sorry to keep you waiting.” You greet him, and he looks up, immediately grinning. “Oh, hey, Y/N!” To your surprise, he stands up and extends his arms out for a hug, pulling you in for a warm embrace as if you’re a longtime friend he hasn’t seen in a while. You’re shocked but you quickly take the opportunity to hug him back, resisting the urge to inhale how damn good he smells. His broad chest feels so warm and perfect against you, and you swear you could be in this position forever.

“How have you been?” you ask as normally as you can, finally pulling back with a smile and gesturing for him to sit as you do as well. “Oh, same old, same old. I have to say though, I’ve been looking forward to this. I love interviewing with you, you always ask such awesome questions!” he compliments you, and you’re squealing on the inside. “Ahh, now I feel so much pressure!” you joke, though give him an appreciative smile as you cross your legs. “Thank you, though. That means a lot, I really do try to avoid the questions actors seem to hear all the time.”

“I’ve noticed, and I appreciate it.” Chris replies with a smile, his blue eyes sparkling more beautifully than the goddamn ocean. It’s truly overwhelming how handsome he is; you feel as though looking at him is like staring right into the sun sometimes. “I’m glad to hear that,” you say somewhat shyly, but clear your throat, glancing towards the cameraman. “We ready to start?”

“All good,” he replies with a thumbs up, and you wait for the signal before beginning with a smile. “Hello, everyone! I’m Y/N, and I’m here with Chris Evans today to talk a little about his latest movie, Knives Out!” Chris waves to the camera with a little smile, but almost immediately looks back towards you. “Glad to be here, Y/N.” God, you love when he says your name. ‘Hold it together, Y/N.’ You think to yourself; thankfully, your job basically consists of looking composed on the outside, and so you’ve at least had plenty of practice.

You give a brief summary of the movie to begin, then go into speaking about his character, Ransom. Looking towards him, you tilt your head slightly. “Now I know you played the ultimate golden boy when it came to Captain America, but a lot of your roles in the past have actually had a more twisted and angsty side. Curtis Everett in Snowpiercer, Syd in London, Mike Weiss in Puncture, and especially Bryce Langley in Fierce People. Was it a difficult adjustment going back to playing a more villainous character, or did you have a good time with it?”

“Wow. Even bringing out Fierce People, huh? You really did your research,” he teases, making you laugh softly before he continues to answer, looking thoughtful. “Honestly, it was pretty fun. Don’t get me wrong, I loved playing Captain America and the other lighter, comedic roles are fun too. But being a little wicked and vile is pretty entertaining as an actor. I missed it a lot, and I think I clicked with it again pretty easily.” He pauses before laughing, looking at the camera. “I make that seem like I’m just naturally an evil person. Like, ‘Yeah, it’s so easy for me to be an asshole on camera- because I am one in real life!’” he makes fun of himself, and you can’t help but laugh again as you reply playfully, “Well, you are from Boston, aren’t you? What are they called over there? Massholes?” He blinks and laughs loudly, grabbing his left pec which only makes you giggle to yourself and feel oddly triumphant at the same time. You love making him laugh. “Oh God, you’ve heard that term? Yeah, I’d say that definitely describes me pretty well.”

“Oh, c’mon, you’re not that bad.” You remark playfully, then realize you should probably stop transitioning this interview into flirtatious banter, and so you decide to move on to the next question. “Now for this particular movie, you have a variety of actors and actresses around you- some who are insanely experienced and have been in the industry for decades, and some who, while experienced, are young and only continue to climb upwards in their career. How did you feel, being a part of that? Does it bring back memories, does it influence you, do you influence or guide them?” you ask curiously, continuing, “You’re such an accomplished actor, and this cast was pretty remarkable as well- I imagine there were all sorts of different feelings working with them.”

Chris nods as he listens carefully, smiling and even looking somewhat intrigued. “That’s a great question. Yeah, I was definitely pretty nervous actually. I really wanted this role, and I was kind of intimidated going into it all. These people are amazing, honestly. I feel like I’ve learned so much from them, from Daniel to Jaeden, and I can only hope that I’m able to be a good influence on other actors as the ones I look up to are to me. It’s interesting that you mention memories, though. Seeing younger actors and actresses always reminds me of myself when I was younger- and then proceeds to make me feel very old.” He laughs, shaking his head to himself. “But watching Jaeden and Katherine, God, they’re great. They have such drive, ambition, and they’ve already made it so far. They’re so fun and I’m pretty sure I was nowhere near as talented as them at that age, but I definitely remember having that energy.”

You can’t help but smile as you listen to him. You’ve seen in other interviews that he wants to start a family one day, and that he’s excited to be a father. It’s adorable to you that he appreciates younger castmates so much, and even shows respect to them as actors. “You don’t think you still have that energy?” you tease, and he laughs, making an “eh” gesture with his hand. “Sometimes, but I’m telling you, I’ve gotten old. Years of action movies and stunts will do that to you,” he jokes, and you remember that he actually did a lot of his own stunts for the Captain America movies- no wonder he has such nice muscles. “Well, if it’s any consolation, you certainly don’t look old.” You can’t help but reply, but glance back down at your cards, forcing yourself to stay on track. The cameraman, one of your friends, is probably snickering to himself, and you bet you’re going to get quite interesting comments once this video is uploaded. How can you not go back and forth with him though, just a little? He makes it so easy, what with his perfect sense of humor, contagious laugh, and mere eye contact. He makes you feel like a person, a friend, not just some nosy reporter.

After a few more questions (and a teensy bit of flirting), the interview finally comes to an end. “I hope you guys are excited to watch this movie, because I’m telling you, it’s a good one- and I think everyone will be very entertained by Ransom Drysdale.” You remark with a raised brow, looking to him with a soft laugh. “Thank you for coming, Chris!” He smiles charmingly, waving at the camera. “Thanks for having me, Y/N. I had a great time.”

The cameraman signals that he’s stopped recording, but flashes you a little smirk before turning to the crew to discuss the work that needs to happen next. You blush slightly but clear your throat, looking up at him- you hate this part because he’ll have to leave soon, but you’re hoping you can squeeze in just a little conversation before that happens. “Seriously, thanks again. Honestly, you’re one of my favorite celebrities to interview,” you admit with a slight laugh, biting your lip. “You actually answer with… depth.” He laughs too, barely leaning forward. “Oh, yeah? Are you accusing celebrities of being airheads?”

“Some of them!” you can’t help but answer bluntly, and both of you are laughing again. Now he bites his lip, suddenly looking at you a little more intensely than before- you hope your cheeks aren’t becoming as red as they feel. “Hey, Y/N. Can I ask you something?” You nod a little too fast, your curiosity piqued. “Of course. What’s up?”

“Do you, uh…” he pauses for a few moments before chuckling slightly, waving his hand. “Ah, fuggit, I’m just gonna come out with it.” His Boston accent comes out even stronger than usual as he swears, and you love and hate how attractive it sounds. “Are you dating anyone?”

Your heart is pounding at this point, and you have to force yourself to respond in a way in which your voice doesn’t shake. “No, I’m not.” You cock your head, holding back a smile. “Why do you ask…?” He seems to look pleased about this, even visibly perking up before suddenly looking uncertain again, laughing awkwardly. “Okay. Okay, um, please tell me if this is crossing any lines. Like, please. Don’t be scared to slap me, even.” He jokes, and now you’re feeling the excitement bubbling up inside, though at the same time your brain is screaming at you not to raise your hopes up. “I have permission to slap you. Noted.” You tease in return, proud of yourself that you still somehow seem to have your wits intact. He laughs, eyes twinkling as he continues, “I know we’ve only had a professional relationship but… I was… kinda hoping I could take you out sometime. Dinner, walking the dog, a movie, ice cream, roller skating- anything. I just… man, I really want to get to know you.” He confesses, and it takes you everything to not practically jump up and down and squeal right there. You’re shocked. You truly never thought that someone as famous and attractive as him would be interested in a mere reporter.

“Chris.” You smile widely, nothing but eagerness in your sparkling eyes. “I would love that.” You blush slightly, adding, “If we’re being honest, I’ve had a crush on you for like, years now.” Chris widens his eyes, scoffing in playful frustration as he buries his head in his hands. “You’re serious? God dammit, I knew I should have asked you earlier!” He looks up at you again, sighing deeply. “I really just assumed you were dating someone. Hell, even married. I mean, look at you, you’re gorgeous, funny, smart…. And you have depth.” He refers to your previous comment, and you laugh, though blush madly as you do so. “Thanks,” you reply softly- you swear you’ve never felt this much happiness in your life.

His manager comes up behind him, gently tapping his shoulder. “Chris, we should get going. We have another interview to get to.” He blinks, looking somewhat disappointed but nods, looking back to you. “Mind if I get your number, then? We can talk later?”

You nod, biting your lip delightedly as he hands you his phone as if you’re a child receiving a king sized candy bar. After putting your number in, you give it back- only to be wrapped up in another hug from him. “I’ll see ya real soon,” he whispers in your ear, and you’re blushing even deeper than before, though you nod with a little giggle.

“I can’t wait.”

#chris evans x reader #chris evans fluff #chris evans imagine #chris evans drabble #chris evans fanfiction #rhee commissions

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