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theheartsmistakes · 4 years ago

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The Last Night Part XX

A/N’s at the end:

Parts I-XIX:

Here is Part I

Here is Part II

Here is Part III

Here is Part IV

Here is Part V

Here is Part VI

Here is Part VII

Here is Part VIII

Here is Part IX

Here is Part X

Here is Part XI

Here is Part XII

Part XIII

Part XIV

Part XV

Part XVI

Part XVII

Part XVIII

Part XIX

.XX.

Lucie was already awake when the knock came at her door. She’d been up with the sun writing a letter to Grace for her next available time to meet so that they could continue with their plan to resurrect Jesse without having to sacrifice a life. She’d been up half of the night with ghastly dreams of herself holding a knife to the neck of someone she loves. When it came down to it, even in her wildest imagination, she couldn’t bring herself to do it; not even to a stranger. When it seemed sleep would allude her, she did what she’d always do when reality came to be too much. She sat at her small writing desk pressed underneath the window so she could see the moon and the stars once the clouds had broken away enough. She started a new story. Disappearing into a different reality with new, but familiar people, and stayed with them until dawn. In her alternative universe, there was no mention of demon attacks, murder rates, or pretentious leaders. Instead, they flowered with friendships and love pursued, sustained, or left in need of resuscitation. The pages smelt soft as if sprinkled with powder. She wrote until her wrist ached and her fingers locked and she was forced to rest.

Lucie had just finished buttoning the pearl buttons down the front of her dress when a small knock came at her door. She picked up her gloves and companion hat and glanced once at the drying pages on her desk.

Her hands were stained with black ink that even the fiercest scrubbing wouldn’t remove. Her once clean and neatly trimmed nail beds were all colored with ink. When she woke this morning, she found a mark on her chin, across her forehead, and even some on her bottom lip. Luckily, those came off with a bit of soap and warm water. She recalled the hands of a painter that once did a portrait for the Institute. Not only his hands were riddled with color, but his clothes and his traveling bag as well. An artist doesn’t need to speak or show off their work to be known as an artist. An artist wears their work wherever they go.

She smiled to herself as she opened the door to find their butler with a letter sitting on a silver tray.

“The post arrived,” he said and lowered the tray for Lucie. “Breakfast shall be ready shortly. Are you in need of any assistance this morning.”

As soon as she saw the neat, elegant gold lettering of her name on the smooth parchment, Lucie nearly leaped onto the letter.

“No, thank you,” she fumbled. “That will be all.” And shut the door with her foot.

Without a letter opener close by, she used her finger to slide underneath the wax seal and pulled out the letter, tossing the envelope aside as she unfolded the paper.

Dear Lucie,

I am writing to request your assistance with some correspondence letters I have been needlessly putting off for the last month. If you find yourself with some time today, would you be so kind as to come by the house at any time after noon. The back door will be open. You can see yourself in.

Best,

Aunt Cecily

Clever girl, thought Lucie. Pretending to be her Aunt as to not give away their agenda. Perhaps she did not give Grace the full credit she deserved.

She folded the letter into a small rectangle and stuffed into the bodice of her dress. As she turned to leave, her gloves slipped from her hands and her mouth dropped.

Jesse leaned against the door. With his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes held her face with a rage that rivaled even her own anger.

“And what is it that you want?” She asked with a slight break in her voice.

Jesse’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not going.”

Lucie scoffed. “And are you going to be the one who stops me?”

“Yes,” he growled.

“Is this how it’s to be?” She brushed a curl away from her face. “I do something you don’t particularly agree with and you suddenly become my own personal poltergeist?”

“When you’ve left me no other choice,” he said. “I’m trying to leave you alone. I realize I made a mistake by taking advantage of your ability to see me. I’ll never forgive myself for giving into the selfish ideology that after so many years alone, I finally had someone to talk to, that it never occurred to me the wild, beautiful girl would try to resurrect my lifeless corpse.”

“A terrible mistake on your part,” said Lucie, picking up her gloves from the floor.

Jesse stepped away from the door. “I tried staying away from you, but that clearly hasn’t worked. You’ve just managed to get yourself into even more trouble.”

“I need you to move,” said Lucie.

“Lucie, you cannot go there. It’s dangerous. Whatever you’re thinking, whatever they’re planning, it will not bring me back. Not as I was and not as I am now.” He reached for her, but his hands stopped in the air, as if he suddenly thought better of it. His expression softened. “In truth, this is something that I never wanted to confess to you, I’d hoped that you’d simply just let me go. But I realize how important it is now. Lucie, the way you think you feel about me, I don’t feel that way about you.”

Lucie rocked back on her heels just a bit. “And how is it you think I feel about you?”

“An infatuation,” said Jesse. “I’ve let it go on because there’s not many people to talk to when no one can see you. I’ve been alone for so long, quietly observing everything, but never able to engage. And then one day, I heard a girl’s voice in the forest, calling for help and I felt this pull to answer her. A pull that I couldn’t ignore. I never expected you to be able to see me— much less communicate with me, but you could. And it felt like dry land after months at sea. I’ve been using you, Lucie. Selfishly using you, because I couldn’t stand to be alone any longer.”

Lucie’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you. You’re just saying these things so I won’t go.”

“It’s true,” said Jesse. “Lucie, you’ve been a great friend, but bringing me back to life won’t make us more than that.”

He didn’t mean it. He couldn’t mean it. He was just trying to push her away; protect her. But the doubt crept in all the same. He never once insinuated that their relationship was anything more than a strange friendship. If he were all she had to talk to in the world, she felt she would have clung to him, if only not to be alone.

Warmth spread across her cheeks. She had to look away from him. She needed to leave. “Please move,” said Lucie quietly.

“Are you still—“

“Move,” she said again and his form brushed aside as if shoved by the wind. Jesse stumbled for a moment, while he gained his bearings again, Lucie pulled open the door and left.

Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks, but she managed to hold them back. If this was his truth, it was best she knew. Still, the anger boiled inside of her until she almost turned around twice to tell him that she wasn’t bringing him back so they could ride off into the sunset together. She was giving him his life back because he didn’t deserve to die when he did. The way he did. He deserved to live and if she could give that to him, with nothing in return, then that would make her happy.

But if that wasn’t what he wanted, then perhaps it wasn’t her place to force it upon him.

She ran past the empty drawing room and turned the corner to descend the hallway to the dining room when she stopped.

Standing outside the door, pacing like a nervous jungle cat in a cage, was Cordelia. As Lucie approached, it seemed she was speaking in an entirely different language to herself, muttering to hands without noticing Lucie’s approach until she stood right behind her.

“Oh!” Cordelia stumbled back, clutching her chest. “Lucie, I didn’t hear you.”

Lucie appraised Cordelia, her hair was pulled back and braided into a coronet that ran into a braid down her shoulder. Her dress was a soft honey color that swooped across her chest exposing her delicate collarbone. The intricate beading had spots missing, but Lucie could still tell it was one of Cordelia’s most treasured items, if only because she’d never seen her wear it before.

“You look lovely,” said Lucie, running her fingers over the soft silk of the skirt that held Cordelia’s curve closely.

“Do I?” Cordelia blanched. “I supposed I’m trying to make a bit of an impression today.”

Lucie looked around the empty hallway. “On whom?”

Cordelia blushed. “It’s a bit of a long story, and I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable by telling you this information, but James and I may have kissed last night.”

Lucie’s eyebrow jumped and her traitorous heart ached. “May have?”

Cordelia grinned down at her distressed leather boots. “All right, we did. But before we could discuss it, my brother walked out and said all of these awful things to him. I haven’t been able to talk to him yet. I feel terrible.”

“Is that why dinner was so awkward last night?” asked Lucie, recalling the silent meal that passed between everyone except for the adults who kept attempting to make conversation, but couldn’t manage to get more than a few words out of the young adults sitting at the end of the table. No one would make eye contact and Cordelia just pushed the vegetables around her shepherds pie. Lucie had just assumed it was because she didn’t like shepherds pie. “Is James in there now?”

Cordelia shook her head. “My brother is sitting in there alone. A ploy to be sure James and I aren’t alone together. I was hoping to catch James before he came to breakfast, but I haven’t seen him come down. Oh, do you think he’s avoiding me?”

“No,” Lucie assured her. “He’s probably dressing as we speak and taking just as much care as you have.”

“Is it too obvious?”

“No, just the right amount of obvious,” said Lucie. “Sometimes I think my dear brother needs a brilliantly lit beacon for a sign and even then it might wallop him over the head before he saw it. Why don’t you go find him now and I’ll distract Alastair?”

“Because I can’t risk someone seeing me go into his room alone and I can’t very well speak to him freely in the open hallway,” said Cordelia, burying her face in her gloved hands. “I was hoping to catch him before breakfast and ask him for a morning walk. I don’t know what to do, Lucie, I’ve never been in this sort of situation before. And now I have Alastair hovering around me like a judgmental headmistress at a convent.”

“Have you a lot of experience at convents?” teased Lucie.

“You know what I mean,” said Cordelia.

Lucie smiled and patted her dear friend between the shoulders. “I do. Now, here’s what we’re going to do—“

Before she could give Cordelia her plan, James ran into the hallway. His hair stood up from sleeping on it wet and his gear was buckled incorrectly as if he’d done it in a hurry and without glancing in a mirror. Lucie couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She looked over at Cordelia who was beaming as if a witchlight had been stuffed inside of her.

“The post arrived—“ James started but was quickly shushed by a gloved hand over his mouth.

Cordelia lunged at him. “Shhh… we must be quiet. Alastair is there.”

James stiffened. “Good. I mean to speak to him.”

“That’s a terrible idea,” said Lucie, blocking the door. “I think the two of you have more to speak about than you and Alastair. Besides, it’s barely nine in the morning. That’s far too early for blood shed.”

James took Cordelia’s hand as if in some sort of act of defiance. “I am not going to sneak around your brother. I’m not going to sneak around anyone. We’ve spent far too much time in secret, I won’t do it anymore.”

Cordelia seemed to melt into herself as she leaned towards James.

Lucie snapped her fingers between them. “That’s wonderful, but now is not the time. What was in the post?”

James tore his eyes away from Cordelia to look back at his sister. He looked at her with a confused expression as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

“The post,” Lucie demanded. “You said the post arrived. What was in the post?”

“Right,” he shook his head. “Magnus replied. He said that he found it suspicious that we chose to write him a letter rather than show up at his door unexpectedly and unannounced as history suggests. Suspicious and intriguing, he said, so he’s invited us over this afternoon.”

“Wonderful,” said Cordelia. “How are we going to get past my brother?”

The three of them thought for a moment. If Alastair had any suspicion that Cordelia would be going off with James alone, he’d be sure to insist on joining or not allowing it at all.

“You’ll tell him you’re coming with me,” said Lucie. “I have to go to Aunt Cecily’s this afternoon to help her with some correspondence. You can tell him that you’re joining me. James, what time are you supposed to patrol with Matthew?”

“Noon,” said James.

“That’s perfect,” said Lucie. “You’ll look as if you’re going off to meet Matthew to patrol and Cordelia will look as if she’s joining me to go to Cecily’s except Cordelia will hop into your carriage instead of mine.”

James and Cordelia stared at Lucie for a long moment before either of them said anything.

“That brilliant, actually,” said James.

“I know, now fix your gear,” said Lucie. “You look like an idiot.”

Lucie speared another sausage onto her fork from the steaming plate in the middle of the dining room table that had been neatly done up with slow burning candles and plain white china plates. Tessa and Will had left the Institute early to attend a meeting with the Counsel. Sona was being visited by a Silent Brother who insisted on keeping a close eye on Sona’s pregnancy due to her age and fragility.

The meal prepared was as extravagant as the table setting: piles of fresh sausages, perfectly browned toast with freshly churned cinnamon butter, golden scrambled eggs, bacon slices, and bowls of seasonal fruit sprinkled with sugar.

The smell wafted through the Institute like a beacon.

Lucie sat beside Cordelia who sat opposite Alastair. He’d finished his breakfast before they left James to ready the carriages. With his plate cleared from in front of him, he flipped through the mundane newspaper occasionally glancing up to examine the two girls opposite him.

The silence between the two Carstairs was palpable. If Lucie wasn’t so nervous herself about having to go to Grace and tell her that she no longer wanted to help bring Jesse back, she might have tried harder to fill the silence. But with her own thoughts racing with the truth Jesse had shared with her, she couldn’t bring herself to even try.

“What are your plans for today?” Alastair asked gently. “I thought we could go to the park and get some fresh air. Maybe that will help to restore some of your memories.”

Cordelia’s fork clanged against her plate. “Lucie’s Aunt needs help responding to correspondences today. I’ve been asked to join her.”

“Oh,” said Alastair. “That’s all right. Do you need an escort?”

“No,” said Cordelia sharply. “James will be busy patrolling with Matthew so you needn’t worry about the two of us sneaking off together.”

Alastair’s mouth stiffened. “Cordelia, I know that you’re angry with me, but—“

“I’m not angry,” said Cordelia, pushing her plate of food away. “We can walk around the park tomorrow or perhaps this afternoon. There are some things we aren’t finished discussing, but if you’ll excuse us, our carriage should be ready and Cecily is expecting us.”

Lucie followed Cordelia when she stood up from the table, but before she turned to leave, she saw Alastair look down at his hands resting in his lap. His mouth muttered something under his breath, probably something he wanted to say to Cordelia, but couldn’t bring himself to. For all of his faults, and he had many, Lucie could recognize the love in his eyes towards his sister.

The two girls left the room, hurrying through down the hallway towards the front doors where two carriages waited. James sat in the driver’s seat of the open one that was mostly used for transporting items. Balios stood patiently while James hopped down and assisted Cordelia into the spot beside him on the bench.

“We’ll meet back at the Institute at three,” said Lucie, that would give them plenty of time for Magnus to muddle through Cordelia’s mind and James to look for the book while she abandoned her plan to help Jesse. “We need to come in together so no one will be suspicious. Good luck, Cordelia. If anyone can find your lost memories, it’s Magnus.”

“Let’s hope so,” said Cordelia and nodded at James to leave.

Lucie gathered her dress and climbed into the carriage waiting for her. She took her seat beside the window on the plush velvet bench and tried not to think about what she was about to do.

Jesse’s words played over in her mind until eyes burned. Maybe it was foolish of her to believe that there was anything more there; that he might actually care for her. Perhaps she did spend too much time in her fairytales that she’d lost touch of reality. Perhaps this was all for the best. She could focus on her training, on becoming parabatai with Cordelia, and finish her manuscript for publication. She’d have to think of a clever pen name, possibly a male one like Jane Austen had, so that her audience would expand past bored housewives.

And perhaps one day she’d meet someone. Alive, preferably, and her feelings for Jesse Blackthorn would be just a distant memory that she tucked into a box in her mind until they’re completely forgotten about, consumed by other things.

She wondered if he’d forget her too. If that was something he could do.

If it was something he’d done already.

It was nearly noon when the carriage came to a stop outside of her Aunt Cecily’s house. She did as Grace instructed and went around the back. The house looked dark when she approached the door though the garden. There was no light coming through the windows, normally Cecily had the doors open to let a breeze inside and some of the stuffiness out or the housemaids were hard at work dusting rugs, hanging laundry, or pouring out dirty mop water, but there was no such activity. Perhaps Grace preferred everything to be quiet.

Lucie rapped her knuckles on the dark wood once. “Grace, it’s Lucie. I don’t want to frighten you by barging in.”

After a moment, when she heard nothing, she tested the door knob and found it unlocked. She pushed it open on its aged hinges and walked into the kitchen. The curtains had all been drawn leaving the room dark except for small slivers of light where the sun came in through a break in the curtains. Flakes of dust danced in the air as Lucie passed through to the front drawing room.

“Grace,” Lucie called as she checked the chairs and the lounge sofa where they’d shared their bargain. The room was empty and quiet except for the sound of the old grandfather clock ticking away the seconds. “Grace, are you here?”

A chill drifted through the thin fabric of Lucie’s sleeves. There was a faint smell of burning wood.

Lucie turned towards the stairs leading up to the second floor.

“I don’t find this humorous,” said Lucie, and walked slowly up the stairs despite her instincts telling her to stop. “If you’re hiding because you don’t want to help me, well I’m here to tell you that I’ve decided to put an end to our plan. Your brother is adamant that he doesn’t want my help to bring him back and wishes to terminate all contact with me, so you can stop the theatrics now.”

She reached the top of the landing where the hallway split in two directions: West and East. Lucie glanced to her right and knew her aunt and uncle's room to be down at the end and Anna’s room being the first door on the left.

The sound of shuffling feet came from her left. She glanced in that direction just as the skirt of a white dress drifted into a doorway.

Lucie released a sigh and hurried towards the door. Words laced with venom filled her mouth as she stomped down the hallway and nearly kicked open the door.

“I sincerely hope you—“ The words were cut short. Laying in the center of a four poster bed in a black tailored suit, like he’d just risen from a nap, was Belial.

He grinned that cunning, familiar smile at her. “Good,” he said. “You received my message.”

A/N: Happy Halloween friends! I hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday whether it was spent watching scary movies alone or with friends, safely trick-or-treating in a neighborhood, or partying it up sipping booze through a straw and hole in your mask while dressed like Napoleon Dynamite or a ninja turtle (I'm not judging). Live your best life! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. We are starting to get back into the thick of it, and I for one, am excited. Please give it a like, tell me your thoughts on this chapter, reblog if you feel so inclined, and if you haven’t all ready give me a follow. I post about books, romance, and zero politics. Next update is coming at you, Nov 15!

#The Last Night #the last night fanfiction #the shadowhunter chronicles #cassandra clare #chain of gold #chain of gold fanfic #jordelia fanfiction #jordelia #james x cordelia #lucie x jesse #james herondale #Cordelia Carstairs #the last hours

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petri808 · 6 years ago

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The Wishing Well

Whew, I made it lol. This is my story for the awesome @nalufever for the Nalu server’s secret Valentine’s Exchange. LoL we had each other! Omg, I hope you like it, I was trying to come up with a story around the idea we once talked about. It ended up being a fluffy short story lol. Okie here we go.

“Miss Lucy!” the little girl waves her hand excitedly from across the room. “Miss, Miss, Miss!”

“Yes, Wendy?” the teacher’s aide walks up to the table and kneels, “are you finished with your drawing?” Nodding her head with a small blush upon her cheeks, the child holds her drawing up for Lucy to see. “That’s wonderful Wendy! Is that your cat? But why is it blue?”

Wendy smiles wide, “name’s Happy! Don’ know why he blue tho but it’s cute!”

“Yes,” Lucy chuckles, eyes brimming with delight, “he’s very cute!”

Content with the response, Wendy goes back to doodling a new cartoon while the teachers aid floats around the room checking on other students. Lucy loved this part time job even though it wasn’t quite in the field she was studying for, the credit still counted, the pay was decent, and not to mention the students were adorable most of the time. Of course, there were a few that could be a handful, but nothing the bubbly 22 yr old blonde couldn’t handle and besides, the teacher Mirajane was also a blessing to work with.

Storytime was probably Lucy’s favorite part of the day. Books had always been her sanctum even from a young age and to impart that same love into these children was like paying it forward for the new generation. They would gather round her with their snacks, the eager little faces and once a week she even delighted them with original little stories she would create just for them. Filled with characters like Princesses and Dragons, of mythical elves and other magical creatures, even using their names mixed in to make it come alive for the awestruck youngsters.

Lucy smiles from her desk, this school year was shaping up to be a great one.

Across town at Magnolia University, a young man hurries out of class. Checking his phone, he’s got 30 minutes to get to the primary school and pick up his sister, but traffic is often a pain at this hour. His sister-in-law Mavis usually picked Wendy up but today she had an appointment leaving Natsu to rush. It’s been a struggle for the 24-year-old, being thrust into the role of guardian at the age of 20, to drop out of college and take time off to raise a 2-year-old. Not that it mattered, there was no way he was going to allow Wendy to be sent to a foster home after their parents died. It wasn’t her fault tragedy struck and left her an orphan, so he was going to lavish that little girl with all the love and affection their parents would have given her.

He thrums his fingers on the steering wheel, as the car slowly crawled its way towards the front of the school. The line of parents patiently waiting to pick up kids was pretty typical, however annoying it may be, but a requirement for the students in kindergarten and first grades for release at the end of the day. Teachers and security waited with the children, handing them off as each car pulled up. Natsu smiles when he finally sees the tell-tale blue hair of Wendy bouncing as she waves to him.

“How was your day at school Wendy?” popping the question as the first grader buckled herself in to her booster.

With a click and a bubbly response, “lots’a fun! We drew and Ms. Lucy read us a story! Ms. Lucy always has awesomest stories to tell! Yuck, then Mrs. Dreyar gave us reading to do.”

Natsu chuckles, side-eying through the rearview, “What’s with the pouty face? I thought you like reading?”

“Not for homework. I wanna read for fun!”

That only makes him laugh harder, “tell ya what, how about we get some ice cream at the mall, then I’ll read with you, sound better?”

Wendy’s face lights up, “Yay! Ice Cream!”

“Kozmic Cones it is!”

On the opposite side of the mall nestled near the food court, Faeries Café was a popular little hangout. Good food that even a college kid could afford drew them in at all hours of the day. Lucy was no exception and today was her weekly meet up with her best friend Levy McGarden for coffee. It had become a routine ever since they’d finished their undergraduate programs and moved on to graduate work, she in the field of English Lit while Levy focused on Ancient Linguistics. Between classes and working jobs they rarely had much time anymore to hang out.

“How are things going with Gajeel,” the blonde stirred at the slowly warming coffee, “did you guys pick a date for the wedding yet?”

“He said not until after I graduate, which is only one more semester, so I agreed.”

Lucy leans onto her propped hand with a light smile, “You’re so lucky you found someone already Lev, I’m really happy for you two.”

“Aww, Lu you’ll find someone,” the bluenette reaches over the table and grabs her friend’s free hand, squeezing it before retracting back into her seat, “and I bet it’ll happen when you least expect it to.”

But the blonde just sighs, “Doubt it, I’m so busy I don’t have time to meet anyone unless they are under the age of 7,” chuckling lightly, “and no one in my college classes are very interesting to me.”

“You haven’t dated anyone since him that I can recall.” Levy taps her chin, “maybe it’s not that you can’t but won’t look at anyone else.”

“What are you my psychiatrist now?!” teasing at her friend. “I’m fine, really, not like I don’t have enough on my plate to deal with, right? And as for my ex,” Lucy shrugs her shoulders, “we lost touch in college…”

The girls spend about an hour chatting and catching up, planning that upcoming weekend when another friend will be dropping by town. Cana Alberona was never one to stay still for very long but luckily her job in fashion fit her personality well, jet setting around to photograph models and actors for Sorcerer’s Magazine. She was so different in personality from the other two girls and yet the trio were inseparable in high school. It wasn’t really their thing, but for Cana, hitting a bar or club was definitely going to be on the agenda.

Which was fine, she guessed, nothing wrong with hanging out with a couple of girlfriends at a bar. Hopefully no one bothers us…. Ugh, but some guy always does! As she walked away from the café, Lucy hangs her head wondering if her love life would always be a struggle. She was sick and tired of even trying to meet guys when it usually turned out they only wanted her, sighing, for my assets…. It wasn’t her fault she was born with these curves, even thought about getting a reduction one day just so she didn’t have to deal with them anymore.

There had only been one serious relationship in her life and while the guy definitely loved her body, Lucy knew it wasn’t the reason he’d asked her out in the first place. Back then surrounded by so many friends, she’d never cared much about having boyfriends or being in relationships but funny how things change and now 5 years later, it was kind of lonely.

She sees the wishing well a few feet away, absent mindedly pulling out a coin as she walked towards it. It was such a silly thing to make a wish and throw away a perfectly good quarter but well, flicking the shiny metal into the water, what could it hurt, right? To have someone like him back in her life again, maybe the false smiles she wore would finally be real.

“Ms. LUCY!!!”

“Wendy?” The young blonde turns around to the voice of her student, semi-surprised though this was a mall and all, just in time to have the little girl hugging to her legs. “Wendy, what a nice surprise to see you here!” Lucy hugs the girl back, “but who are you with sweetie?”

The little girl, with eyes practically shining, bounces on her feet pointing behind her, “my brother gots me ice cream.”

“Your broth…” As she follows Wendy finger, Lucy cannot believe what she’s seeing. “N-Natsu!” a light gasp as her hands fly up to her mouth and moisture clouds her vision. “Oh my god! I-Is it really you?”

Sporting the trade mark goofy grin that she knew better than most plastered on his face, “Yeah it’s me, heya Lucy,” scratching his head, “Didn’t realize you were the teacher she always talks about. How ya been?”

Tears trickle down her cheeks and before she can stop them, her feet carry her towards him, hands flying into fists. In that moment Lucy’s surroundings fade away and all she can see is Natsu, standing there in the flesh. No Wendy, no shoppers, just him. “Why!?” She beats at his chest, “no calls, no texts, no goodbye! Four years! Y-you just left me hanging how could you Natsu!”

“Luce…” he had no idea what he could say to the sobbing woman in his arms to slow her tears, grabbing her hands to stop their fury but keeping them held tightly to his chest. She was right, everything she said was the truth. Natsu was an asshole for not making the effort to contact her as soon as he could, and he knew that. So, he did the only thing he could and held her quietly, whispering soft apologizes and hoping it would be enough to soothe the pain he never knew she had held onto.

Eventually Lucy slumps against him, liquid still flowing but her sobs withering into lighter exhalations. “I’m sorry,” her voice strained and muffled, “I didn’t mean to break down like that.”

“No,” Natsu pulls her head against his shoulder, cradling the back of her head, “don’t be sorry, I should have reached out to you too it’s just that…”

“I know about your parents…. I ran into Gray a couple years ago and he told me that’s what happened.” Lucy pushes away just enough to look up at the taller man. “Natsu I would have been there for you if you’d have let me, you didn’t have to do it all alone.”

“I know Luce…. We…”

A meek voice breaks through the din, “I-Is Ms. Lucy okay?”

“Oh my!” Lucy pushes away and drops to her knees beside the little girl, followed quickly by the elder brother. Still wiping away the streaks of salty liquid, Lucy takes the child’s hand, “I’m so sorry you had to see that Wendy. I’m okay really, I am I promise. We,” glancing to Natsu who nods, “we went to high school together and haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

The poor child’s face is still sullen and full of worry. “Are you, are you mad at my brother Ms. Lucy? Did my brother hurt you?”

“He…”

Natsu put his hand on Lucy’s shoulder, cutting off her response. Turning to his little sister, “I did, a long time ago when you were still very young, I made Lucy very, very sad.”

“But he didn’t mean to sweetie,” Lucy chimes in trying to comfort the child, “your brother was going through a lot of things and it just happened.”

“So, you really aren’t mad at my brother?”

“No, I’m not,” the woman smiles. “I rather like your brother a lot.” Lucy feels the warmth tingling in her cheeks but does her best not to show it. “He’s, you know like how we learned about the bad guys and the good guys in class?” The child nods. “Your brother is one of the good guys.”

That brings a delighted smile back to Wendy’s face. “I think so too! He takes really good care of me after mommy and daddy died.”

“I’m sure he does,” Lucy smiles back.

“Wendy, honey,” Natsu steps in handing out some change to the girl, “would you like to go make some wishes while I finish talking to Ms. Lucy?” The child looks to her teacher, then back to her brother nodding, taking the change and skipping off to the wishing well. “What’s the odds that she’d end up in your class?” turning to the girl still crouched, Natsu helps Lucy to her feet, “or running into each other at the mall’s wishing well?”

Lucy shakes her head rather than respond. Magnolia wasn’t a large city, it was bound to happen sooner or later so there was no point in making it out to be anything more than mere coincidence. “I-I sh-should probably go so you can get back to Wendy.” Lucy turns away. “I must look like a mess right now…”

“You are still just as beautiful as the last time I saw you.”

The blonde stiffens. His words…. His tone… sends an electric shock through her frame. Tingling along her skin when his hand comes to rest on her shoulder and the heat radiating from his body infringing upon her space.

“I’m such an idiot for letting you go once. You must be settled down by now with someone….”

She shakes her head, refusing to turn around, and answering in a soft tone, “there hasn’t really been anyone since you. No one’s ever treated me…. the way you used to treated me…”

One hand on her shoulder turns into two around her waist. “I don’t expect you to forgive me Luce, but if it’s any consolation, I still love you, maybe even more now, knowing how much Wendy adores you too.” Lucy squeezes her eyes shut, willing back the tears again. “Would you give me a second chance?”

“Please say Yes!” The young man and woman’s heads whip around to see a beaming Wendy practically bouncing. “Please say yes Ms. Lucy!”

Natsu let go of Lucy’s waist, turning her to face him. “Well, Ms. Lucy?” A large grin growing on his face with the thought of buying his sister that new dress she’s been fawning over. “You wouldn’t want to make your student sad, would you?”

“Gah, you really haven’t changed,” she punches his arm, playfully with a smirk. “Lucky you,” grabbing his shirt, “I still love that goofier side,” and pulling him down for a kiss….

#valentines exchange #nalu #nalu fanfiction #au story #natsu dragneel #lucy heartfilia #natsu x lucy #petri808 #welp this was tough lol #I was so nervous writing it #maybe it could be longer some day

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catalinda04 · 6 years ago

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Carried Away Chapter 5: Breakfast Confessions

Masterlist

“I’m sorry Sir, but Miss Claussen has asked not to be disturbed. You may leave her a message, and I can assure you it will be delivered first thing in the morning.” The middle-aged woman behind the front desk assured him.

“No, no thank you. No message.” Henry walked away from the desk of the hotel. “How could you be so stupid?” He chastised himself. “You weren’t going to take her to bed tonight. Why did you ask? Now she most assuredly thinks you’re some sex-crazed playboy just out for a good time. You need to make this right. But how can I if she won’t see me?” He argued with himself. “I’ll just have to wait for morning. I’ll wait for her and apologize then.” Pleased with his plan, he went home to take a cold shower, and try not to think about Lucy and her soft lips, and sparkling eyes.

Lucy couldn’t remember crying harder in her life. She needed a friend and she needed one now. Sarah would know what to say.

“Oh, Sarah! I made a mess of things! He wanted me! ME! And instead of just going for it, I ran away. Literally! I RAN away from him! He must think I’m some kind of weirdo, glad that he dodged a bullet there.” She sobbed into the phone.

“Sweetie, it’s ok. I wish I could be there to give you a hug. Now explain. Tell me exactly what happened.” Lucy explained about the dinner and the wine and the dancing in the park, and the kiss that had fried her synapses with its heat and intensity.

“I ruined it! He wanted me! Now I’ve ruined the whole thing. I don’t even have his phone number or know where he lives to explain myself.”

“Honey, I’m sorry. Why don’t you get some sleep, and maybe everything will seem better in the morning. If nothing else, please don’t wallow in this. You’re in London! Go out and see the city, do all of the things you had planned, and try to forget about it.”

“Thank you. I know it’s silly. I only met this guy today, I shouldn't be so messed up over this. I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you.”

“Love you too. Get some sleep.”

Lucy contemplated the pint bottle of vodka she’d purchased earlier in the day. She hoped that by finishing it, she could at least sleep through the night. She finished the bottle and fell into a fitful sleep, full of jumbled dreams, where Superman was flying overhead while Henry laughed at her.

She awoke to a jackhammer in her brain, and a roiling in her stomach. The vodka probably wasn’t the best idea she’d ever had, she decided. After a long shower, a bottle of water, a handful of ibuprofen, and a gallon of concealer she finally felt ready for a day of exploring the city. The first item on her agenda; buy a map of the city. No more getting lost in strange neighborhoods. Only trouble came from that.

She put on her Jackie O. sunglasses to hide the dark circles the concealer didn’t quite cover, stepped out the front door of the hotel, and almost ran right into Henry.

“Good morning. I brought you a cup of tea.” He said handing her a paper to go cup.

“Henry! What are you doing here?” Lucy paled at his appearance.

“I came to apologize. I obviously came on too strong last night. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No, I’m sorry. I DID get scared, and I ran away, instead of facing my feelings. Would you like to go get some breakfast, and maybe I can shed some light for you.”

They made small talk as Henry led her to a nearby restaurant. Perusing the menu, she asked, “What does a ‘Full English’ breakfast consist of?”

“A ‘Full English’ is usually fried eggs, sausages, bacon or black pudding, fried veg, beans, and toast.”

“And people say Americans fry too much. How can anyone eat that much fried food this early in the morning.”

“There’s nothing better after a night at the pub.” He smiled. Lucy had planned on skipping breakfast today, but it seemed since seeing Henry, her stomach had forgotten all about the vodka incident.

“I feel like I owe you an explanation.” Lucy started after giving the waitress their orders. “First of all, again, I’m sorry for how I left last night. I really did have a wonderful time, it was probably the best evening I’ve ever spent. Then you...made your...request...and I didn’t know how to handle it.”

“I’m sorry I said it. It was incredibly forward of me to even suggest that we might take things to that level, we’d known each other for less than 12 hours. I didn’t mean to imply that I thought that you were…” And he just trailed off.

“It’s not that I was offended, or didn’t want to. I did, oh good lord how I did, it’s just…I can’t believe I’m telling you this…I’ve…um...never…um...well you know.”

“Had a one-night stand?” He suggested.

“Had ANY night stand.” She supplied, not meeting his eyes.

“Oh…OH!” He exclaimed, his eyes going wide as understanding hit him. “But you’re what 26, 27? How does that happen? Is it a religion thing?”

“No, it’s a never had the opportunity thing, and I’m a month shy of 31 thank you very much for reminding me. I wasn’t popular in high school, and in college, I was focused on my studies, then well, guys have never shown an interest in me. Which is why I was so surprised when you actually showed at the coffee shop yesterday.” She explained fidgeting her hands on the table.

Thankfully their food arrived at just that moment, halting Lucy’s rambling and giving them a few moments to take in what had already been said.

After a few minutes of thoughtful eating Henry finally broke the silence. “So what is on our schedule for today?”

“Our? What do you mean our?”

“If you wouldn't mind, I’d like to accompany you around town today.”

“What? Why?” Lucy asked, genuine shock crossing her features.

“Because I’d like to get to know you better. And I’d like to see where this could lead.”

Lucy sat dumbfounded, staring at Henry “You, want to spend the day with me? Even after how I behaved last night, and all that’s been explained over breakfast?”

“Why is that so hard for you to comprehend?”

“Because. No man has ever wanted to...get to know me.”

“Well, then they are supremely daft. Because I’ve thought about nothing but getting to know you since the coffee shop yesterday.” She gaped at him slightly, her brow furrowing in disbelief. “I would like to keep spending time with you while you’re here in London.”

“I’m just planning on doing standard sightseeing, nothing that you’d want to do, I’m sure.”

“I have a few days before we start filming on my latest project. I would like to spend as much of those few days with you as you’ll allow.”

For a few seconds, Lucy couldn’t speak. Had he just said that? he wanted to spend more time with her. Her brain could barely fathom the idea. “Well, I was going to go to the Globe, followed by the Tate and St. Paul’s.”

“Wow, that’s quite a bit for one day.”

“I’m only here for a few days, I want to see as much as I can.”

Henry stood. “Well then, we had better be off, but before we go,” He leaned close when Lucy stood as well. “I want to tell you, my ‘offer’ from last night is on the table, so to speak. But I will leave it up to you to decide if you want to pick it up. There will be no pressure from me” Lucy gaped after him as he left to pay the bill.

Once they were outside, he donned a pair of sunglasses and a hat. “Disguise.” He explained. “It’s not a great one, but it’s better than nothing.”

Lucy and Henry spent the entire day together. Talking, laughing, learning little bits about each other, like her love for Picasso, and his aversion to black olives. Lucy surprised herself. She was normally a very selfie-phobic person, but she found she would take as many selfies as possible as long as Henry was by her side.

That evening, they enjoyed a lovely meal at a little bistro near Leicester Square, before Henry escorted Lucy back to her hotel. When she tried to say goodnight at the front door, he insisted on seeing her to her room.

Her room was at the back of the hotel, through an outdoor courtyard. When they arrived at her door, Lucy unlocked it and turned to say goodnight to Henry.

“Is this your entire room? He asked peering inside. “This may be the smallest hotel room I’ve ever seen.”

“The bathroom is so small that in order to turn around, you have to step out of it.” She laughed, gesturing in, indicating he should have a look.

He stepped into the room and what had once been a small room, seemed positively minuscule. He turned to Lucy. He had planned to say goodnight, give her a simple kiss and be on his way. But the nervous, expectant look on her face nearly undid him. He took the two steps possible to cross the room and framed Lucy’s face in his hands. He lowered his lips to hers, intending to give her a slow, sweet kiss goodnight. She responded with abandon. Wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him in closer. She opened her mouth, and her tongue dueled with his.

He slowly sat down on the bed, pulling Lucy with him. She sat next to him and buried her hands in his hair. Henry turned to lay her down on the bed, her hands slid down his strong back to slide under the hem of his shirt. His hand left her face to slide down her neck, moulding his palm to her breast. Lucy moaned against his mouth.

His hand continued its downward slide to her waist, toying with the hem of her shirt. When his hand slid under to touch the bare skin of her stomach, she started. She put a hand on his chest. “Stop.” She gasped. “We need to stop. I...no. Not yet.” She could barely get the words out around her gasping for breath, sitting up, she left the hand on his chest.

“Yes. Stop. Good idea.” Henry agreed once his brain started working again.

Lucy stood up and pulled Henry with her. “You should go.” She said kissing him again, all but pushing him out of the room. “Good night Henry. Thank you for a wonderful day.” She said, kissing him once more, before shutting the door and falling back onto it.

Henry stood staring at her door. He started back toward the hotel exit before he turned and knocked on Lucy’s door. She answered with a slightly dazed expression on her face.

He grabbed her and kissed her one long, deep, thorough, kiss. Resting his forehead against hers, he breathed heavily. “I’ll go now, but think about this. When we do finally make love. We’re going to set the sheets on fire.” Then he kissed her again for good measure and walked off. As last words went, that was one for the record books.

Chapter 4 Chapter 6

#henry cavill #henry cavill fanfic #fanfic #henry cavill fanfiction #carried away #fan fiction

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gyrlversion · 6 years ago

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MPs reject all FOUR alternatives for Brexit

MPs have again voted down all alternative Brexit options put to it in a second of votes aimed at finding a replacement for Theresa May’s Brexit deal.

The Commons tonight rejected a customs union, Norway-style soft Brexit, second referendum and cancelling Brexit.

The customs union plan proposed by Ken Clarke was closest to victory – losing by just three votes 276 to 273. A second referendum got the most votes overall for a second week, with 280 votes to 292 against.

Tory MP Nick Boles sensationally resigned from his party and crossed the floor moments after the votes were announced – blaming the Conservatives refusal to compromise for the failure to find a way forward. His plan for a Norway-style soft Brexit was defeated 282 to 261 – having won just 33 Tory votes.

In what may become an historic moment during the Brexit crisis and on the brink of tears, Mr Boles admitted his plan to find a consensus had ‘failed’ and announced he could no longer stay in the party.

An SNP-inspired plan to revoke Article 50 to avoid No Deal was the most heavily defeated. It lost 292 to 191.

The votes were staged after rebel MPs seized control of the Commons agenda in the wake of Mrs May’s deal being repeatedly trounced. After the votes were called, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay warned MPs had still not voted for a clear way forward and confirmed the Cabinet would discuss the outcome tomorrow.

Earlier, the debate was interrupted by semi-naked protesters in the public gallery.

Mrs May has summoned her ministers to an epic Cabinet tomorrow – fuelling speculation she is getting ready for the ‘nuclear’ option of an election despite her deep unpopularity in her own party.

Instead of the usual 90-minute discussion, Tory ministers will spend three hours locked in talks without officials from 9am – meaning they can discuss party politics and how to tackle the Brexit endgame in light of the results.

There will then be a normal two-hour Cabinet where the Government can take decisions on the fate of the nation.

Mr Boles said: ‘I have given everything to an attempt to find a compromise that can take this country out of the European Union while maintaining our economic strength and our political cohesion.

‘I accept I have failed. I have failed chiefly because my party refuses to compromise. I regret therefore to announce I can no longer sit for this party.’

One MP could be heard saying: ‘Oh Nick, don’t go, come on.’

Independent Group leader Heidi Allen said she did not know Mr Boles was going to quit the Tories but said he was welcome to join their new group.

Feuding MPs were told to vote on four alternatives to Theresa May’s (pictured returning to the Commons this evening) Brexit deal tonight amid fevered speculation she could force an election to end the impasse

Tory MP Nick Boles sensationally resigned from his party and crossed the floor after the votes were announced – blaming the Conservatives refusal to compromise for the failure to find a way forward

Speaker John Bercow selected proposals for a customs union, Norway-style soft Brexit, second referendum and cancelling Brexit in the second round of indicative votes tonight

MPs voted on pale blue ballot papers containing four different motions for alternative Brexit plans. Craig Mackinlay revealed he voted for none of them

Most Tory MPs had a free vote on the alternatives to Mrs May’s deal tonight, with 25 or more junior ministers predicted to be ready to back a softer Brexit.

Cabinet ministers have been told to abstain, but, with a growing rift between Remainers and Brexiteers in the Government, some could still choose to vote for a customs union and resign.

All eyes will be on the 10 ministers known to back a customs union with the EU if Theresa May’s deal is killed off, including the ‘gang of four’ cabinet remainers: Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, Justice Secretary David Gauke, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Scottish Secretary David Mundell. They would be willing to quit if Mrs May pushes for a No Deal Brexit and could do it by defying her order to abstain in tonight’s indicative votes.

But Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg today admitted he is ‘very concerned’ that Theresa May will add a customs union onto her Brexit deal to get it through Parliament.

He told LBC radio: ‘My concern is that the Prime Minister is more concerned to avoid a No Deal Brexit than anything else. And therefore I am very concerned that she could decide to go for a customs union tacked onto her deal.’

Mr Rees-Mogg also claimed that last Friday’s vote on the Brexit deal would ‘probably have gone through’ if it had been Mrs May’s deal versus a general election.

Semi-naked climate change protesters interrupted the Commons debate on Brexit alternatives tonight as they stripped off in the public gallery

Tory MP James Heappey defied Commons rules to photograph the dozen people, one of whom had ‘climate justice now’ daubed on his back

MPs to vote on a customs union, soft Brexit, a second referendum or cancelling Brexit

None of the eight alternatives to Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal were approved last week after Parliament seized control of the Commons agenda.

Commons Speaker John Bercow has whittled them down, and is putting four rival Brexit plans to the Commons tonight. He selected a UK-EU customs union, soft Norway-style Brexit, second referendum and cancelling Brexit.

Ahead of the second round, the customs union and second referendum were the leading options.

Motion C: Customs union with the EU

Tory former chancellor Ken Clarke’s customs union plan requires any Brexit deal to include, as a minimum, a commitment to negotiate a ‘permanent and comprehensive UK-wide customs union with the EU’.

This is where tonight’s vote could get interesting. This amendment last week lost by the tightest margin of them all.

It went down by eight votes, losing by 272 to 264. It means that a handful of MPs changing their mind could see it across the line.

But the SNP and Lib Dems abstained last time so those votes may not be easy to find on the polarised Tory and Labour benches.

And it if did win it would cause havoc in the Government with Brexiteers going on the warpath.

Motion D: Common market 2.0 – Norway-style soft Brexit

A cross-party motion tabled by Conservatives Nick Boles, Robert Halfon and Dame Caroline Spelman and Labour’s Stephen Kinnock, Lucy Powell plus the SNP’s Stewart Hosie.

The motion proposes UK membership of the European Free Trade Association and European Economic Area. It allows continued participation in the single market and a ‘comprehensive customs arrangement’ with the EU after Brexit – including a ‘UK say’ on future EU trade deals – would remain in place until the agreement of a wider trade deal which guarantees frictionless movement of goods and an open border in Ireland.

Despite Labour backing last week this lost by almost 100 votes, 283 to 188. But 167 MPs abstained on it, including the DUP. If the Northern Irish party could be talked in to backing it there could be some movement.

Motion E: Second referendum to approve any Brexit deal

Drawn up by Labour MPs Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson, this motion would require a public vote to confirm any Brexit deal passed by Parliament before its ratification.

This option, tabled last time by Labour former minister Dame Margaret Beckett, polled the highest number of votes, although was defeated by 295 votes to 268.

Labour MPs were whipped to support it but 27 mainly from northern Leave-voting areas voted against it and a further 18 – including several frontbenchers – abstained.

Their support would have been enough to pass it but it seems unlikely they will change their minds, given that their concerns remain the same.

Motion G: Revoke Brexit to avoid No Deal

SNP MP Joanna Cherry joins with Mr Grieve and MPs from other parties with this plan to seek an extension to the Brexit process to allow Parliament and the Government to achieve a Brexit deal.

If if this is not possible then Parliament will choose between either no-deal or revoking Article 50.

An inquiry would follow to assess the future relationship likely to be acceptable to Brussels and have majority support in the UK.

Senior ministers have warned the Prime Minister she would ‘destroy’ the Tory party and put Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street if she gives in to demands to adopt a soft Brexit.

If she were to give way to a softer Brexit, Mrs May would provoke a furious reaction from Brexiteers, with International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling among the ministers reportedly ready to resign.

But more than 170 Tory MPs, including 10 Cabinet ministers, have already signed a blunt, two-paragraph letter to Mrs May reminding her of the party’s manifesto commitment to take Britain out of both the customs union and the single market.

The letter urges her to take the UK out of the EU without a deal on April 12 if she cannot get her own deal through Parliament in the coming days.

Today Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss said: ‘I don’t have any fear of No Deal – what would be worse is if we don’t Brexit at all’.

But, fuelling expectations Mrs May will try a fourth vote on her deal, she said: ‘I think the answer lies in modifications to the Prime Minister’s deal to be able to get that to have support.’

She also warned the PM against lurching towards a customs union deal because ‘it’s not clear that going softer is the way to command support’ – but ruled out quitting.

Labour is to support the Common Market 2.0 option for Brexit (participation in the single market and a ‘comprehensive customs arrangement’ with the EU including a ‘UK say’ on future EU trade deals) in Monday’s indicative votes in the House of Commons, as well as other options which the party backed last week: a customs union and a second referendum on any deal.

The Common Market 2.0 plan would not end freedom of movement from the EU.

Jeremy Corbyn’s decision is expected to push one or more of these indicative votes over the line tonight.

A Labour spokesman said: ‘In line with our policy, we’re supporting motions to keep options on the table to prevent a damaging Tory deal or No Deal, build consensus across the House to break the deadlock and deliver an outcome that can work for the whole country’.

Mrs May’s deal has now fallen three times in the Commons, with dozens of Tory MPs among those who voted against it on each occasion.

Today Conservative backbencher Richard Drax apologised for backing her EU divorce on Friday.

The South Dorset MP said he should have trusted his instincts ‘and those of the British people’ when he voted on the withdrawal agreement on Friday.

Addressing the House of Commons, Mr Drax said: ‘I made the wrong call on Friday’.

He added: ‘If the Prime Minister cannot commit to taking us out of the EU on April 12, she must resign immediately.

‘This is no longer about leave or remain. That was decided in 2016. This is about the future of our great country.’

DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson also claimed his party will reject her deal even if it was brought back to the Commons ‘a thousand times’.

He said: ‘As far as the Withdrawal Agreement is concerned and the motion before us is concerned, our position has not changed.

‘We have sought to, over the last number of weeks, work with the Government to try and find a way of either getting legal assurances or legislative changes which would enable us to move this process on – we want to see a deal because we want out of the European Union, and we want to have a clear path as to how we do that.

Mrs May (pictured today arriving at Downing Street) could face resignations across the Cabinet after the Brexiteer and remainer factions hardened their stances

Boris Johnson, pictured cycling to Parliament today, and Michael Gove, pictured leaving home today are the two favourites to replace Theresa May when she leaves No 10

Timetable for four days of Westminster turmoil

Today: MPs led by Tory Sir Oliver Letwin and Labour’s Yvette Cooper will vote tonight on whether to adopt a soft Brexit option, such as a customs union or membership of the single market, possibly accompanied by a second referendum. Last week, MPs rejected all eight Brexit options put to them in a series of ‘indicative votes’, but supporters of a soft Brexit from both the Tory and Labour benches believe they have a better chance tonight following the third defeat for Theresa May’s deal.

Tomorrow: The Cabinet will meet to discuss a response to the votes. If MPs have backed a customs union, Mrs May will have to decide whether to accept a policy opposed by the vast majority of Tory MPs. If she agrees, the issue could tear the party apart. If she refuses, it would result in a constitutional stand-off that could spark an election. Downing Street fears that she could face a Cabinet walkout regardless of what she decides.

Wednesday: Sir Oliver Letwin has indicated he will try to seize control of the Commons agenda again to pursue his soft Brexit plan. If Monday’s votes were inconclusive, they could be held again, possibly using preferential voting to reduce the options to one. If Monday night’s vote produced a solution, but Mrs May refused to adopt it, Parliament could legislate in a bid to force her hand.

Thursday: Allies of the PM have the day pencilled in for a possible fourth attempt to get her deal through the Commons. They believe that, with the majority against her coming down from 230 to 149 then to 58 last week, they have momentum on their side. Ministers are considering an unprecedented parliamentary ‘run off’ pitting Mrs May’s deal against the soft Brexit option chosen by MPs in the hope of focusing the minds of Tory eurosceptics.

‘But it has not been possible… because the Withdrawal Agreement itself so ties the hands of this Government that it is impossible to find a way of securing the kind of assurances which are required to make sure the United Kingdom is not broken up, and that we do have a clear way of ensuring that the Brexit which many of us expected to see delivered would be delivered.

‘It’s our regret that that process has reached an end.’

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said today: ‘One thing is clear: We have to leave the European Union in good order. Parliament won’t vote for No Deal. No Deal is bad for our economy and bad for our union’.

Last night, two Cabinet ministers told the Daily Mail that shifting to a soft Brexit could lead to a collapse of the Government and usher in a Labour regime led by Mr Corbyn.

One said: ‘If forced to choose I would favour a general election over a customs union, but it’s like a choice between being stabbed in the left hand and stabbed in the right. Either one could take us to a Corbyn government.

‘The Conservative Party cannot accept a customs union, and at least half the Cabinet won’t accept it. It would destroy the party and it would lead to an election anyway, which we would then lose.

‘The only route we can possibly survive is to go for No Deal. At least we would then enter an election in the right political place, having delivered Brexit.’

Another Cabinet minister said: ‘We cannot go for a customs union – there would be no government left. And if we go for an election then Corbyn will be likely to win and we would end up with a customs union anyway.’

Justice Secretary David Gauke infuriated Eurosceptic MPs yesterday when he declared that Mrs May would have to ‘look closely’ at adopting a customs union if Parliament votes for it.

Pro-EU demonstrators resumed their daily campaign outside the Palace of Westminster today as MPs convened for another week of wrestling with Brexit

The streets outside Parliament have been packed with campaigners on both sides of the Brexit divide for months

Meanwhile Boris Johnson urged the Tories to ‘believe in Britain’ and ‘get Brexit done’.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said: ‘We should really come out with no deal – now looking by far the best option.

‘But if we cannot achieve that, then we need to get out, now, with an interim solution that most closely resembles what the people voted for, in the knowledge that – following the Prime Minister’s decision to step down – we have at least the chance to fix it in the second phase of the negotiations.’

Mr Gauke and fellow Remainers Greg Clark, Amber Rudd, Philip Hammond and David Lidington are urging Mrs May to push for a softer Brexit if it avoids No Deal.

Last night, members of the group were privately encouraging Remainer Tories to back the option in tonight’s vote.

But Downing Street slapped down Mr Gauke, saying Mrs May was committed to delivering a Brexit deal ‘which does not include membership of the custom union’.

However, a pro-Remain Cabinet source said Mrs May would have to accept the will of Parliament, adding: ‘Something is going to have to give this week – she is finally going to have to pick a side, and that is going to leave one half of the Cabinet very unhappy. But if the majority in Parliament comes out for a customs union then that will be very hard to resist.’

Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he is ‘very concerned’ that Theresa May will add a customs union onto her Brexit deal

At the start of another dramatic Brexit week:

Government sources said Mrs May would try to bring her deal back to the Commons for a fourth time this week, despite hopes fading that the DUP will ever support it.

Before any fourth vote on the deal, a new round of indicative votes will be held on alternatives in the Commons tonight.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said: ‘We have had a lot of patience with our British friends over Brexit but patience runs out.’

Tory deputy chairman James Cleverly warned that Mrs May could lead the party into a snap general election if the Brexit deadlock continues, despite opposition from Tory MPs and a poll putting Labour five points ahead.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mrs Rudd set up a new group of moderate Tories designed to block hard Brexiteers such as Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson succeeding Mrs May as PM.

UK boss of Siemens claims that Britain is now a ‘laughing stock’ over Brexit as he warns that Theresa May must avoid ‘hugely damaging’ No Deal

Britain is becoming a ‘laughing stock’ over Brexit and risks leaving the trading bloc with a hugely damaging No Deal, the UK head of German industrial giant Siemens has said.

After Prime Minister Theresa May‘s Brexit deal was rejected by parliament for a third time last week there is pressure from rival factions for a no-deal exit, a much softer divorce or an election.

Juergen Maier said today: ‘Where the UK used to be beacon for stability, we are now becoming a laughing stock.

‘It has been clear for weeks, that the only way that this will be resolved is through compromise between the government and parliament’.

Maier said it was becoming hard for him to win support from his board for investment decisions as Britain heads towards a ‘hugely damaging No Deal Brexit.’

‘Enough is enough. We are all running out of patience. Make a decision and unite around a customs union compromise that delivers economic security and stability,’ he said in a letter to Politico.

In other developments today, Mrs May’s Commons enforcer has criticised the Government’s approach to leaving the EU and said his party should have made it clear a ‘softer Brexit‘ was ‘inevitable’ after the 2017 election.

In an extraordinary interview Julian Smith, the Tory chief whip, also and attacked Cabinet members over the ‘worst example of ill-discipline in British political history’.

He said ministers have been ‘sitting around the Cabinet table trying to destabilise her (Mrs May)’, revealing the battle the Prime Minister has with both Brexiteer and remainers in her Cabinet.

It came as MPs are set to take back control of the Brexit agenda in a fresh attempt to find an alternative to Theresa May’s deal that Parliament can support.

The Commons will stage a second round of ‘indicative’ votes on Monday on a series of rival proposals tabled by backbenchers to see if any can command a majority.

The move comes as Mrs May struggles to contain the rising tensions with her Cabinet as the clock counts down to the latest EU deadline on April 12.

If she were to give way to a softer Brexit, she would provoke a furious reaction from Brexiteers, with International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling among the ministers reportedly ready to resign.

Mr Smith spoke out to suggest ministers had pursued the wrong strategy after the Prime Minister lost the Conservatives’ Commons majority in the 2017 snap election.

He said the result of the poll meant that Mrs May simply did not have enough MPs to back a harder version of Brexit.

‘Brexit is a sh**show’: German minister hits out at the chaos in Westminster and ‘out-of-touch’ Cabinet ministers

Michael Roth lashed out at UK politicians at an event in berlin on Saturday

Brexit has been branded a ‘big s**tshow’ by a top German politician who likened it to a Shakesperean tragedy as Westminster continued to be gripped by total chaos.

Berlin‘s Europe minister Michael Roth made the pithy assessment as he blasted Theresa May‘s Cabinet of being out of touch with the people, admitting that he was speaking ‘very undiplomatically’.

He told a meeting of the Social Democratic Party in Berlin on Saturday that 90 per cent of Theresa May’s top ministers had ‘no idea how workers think, live, work and behave’, Bloomberg reported.

He also lashed out at politicians ‘born with silver spoons in their mouths, who went to private schools and elite universities’ who would not suffer as a result of any messy Brexit.

According to Bloomberg he said: ‘I don’t know if William Shakespeare could have come up with such a tragedy but who will foot the bill?’

In a sign that patience is wearing very thin on the Continent the European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt today described Brexit as a ‘tragic reality’ and urged MPs to find a compromise in Monday evening’s votes.

He tweeted: ‘Brexit is not a bad April Fool’s Joke, but a tragic reality for all our citizens and business.

‘It is now five to midnight. Today MPs must find a compromise & stop this chaos.

‘This evening, for once voting ‘Yes’, instead of every time voting ‘No’.’

The comments were published by the BBC amid speculation that Parliament may force the PM to seek membership of a customs union with Brussels in order to pass her deal, which would mean ripping up one of her key red lines.

‘The thing that people forget is that the Conservative Party went to get a majority in order to deliver Brexit (and) failed to get a majority,’ the chief whip said.

‘The Government as a whole probably should just have been clearer on the consequences of that. The parliamentary arithmetic would mean that this would be inevitably a softer type of Brexit.’

While the strategy was apparently misjudged, Mr Smith said he was ‘frustrated’ by MPs who ‘don’t see the light as clearly as I do’.

Mrs May’s deal has now fallen three times in the Commons, with Tory MPs among those who voted against it on each occasion.

However Mr Smith highlighted that a lack of discipline extended all the way to the Cabinet, with ministers ‘sitting around the Cabinet table … trying to destabilise her (Mrs May)’.

‘This is I think the worst example of ill-discipline in Cabinet in British political history,’ he said.

Later tonight, MPs will launch a fresh attempt to force Theresa May into a soft Brexit tonight by holding a second round of indicative votes on alternatives to her deal.

Ministers believe as many as 70 Tory MPs could add their support to a proposal to remain in the EU customs union. It lost by just six votes in a first indicative vote last week, meaning extra Tory support could see it win a majority of MPs.

Backbenchers led by Sir Oliver Letwin have taken control of the Commons timetable to stage a second round of indicative votes after none of the eight options put to MPs last week won enough support.

If a majority emerges for one of the alternatives tonight, the rebels plan to put down legislation on Wednesday that would force ministers to act.

Former Cabinet minister Ken Clarke, who drew up the customs union plan defeated by just six votes last week, has said he is ‘reasonably confident’ it will get over the line this time.

No Deal vs Customs Union: How Cabinet ministers stand

For a No Deal

Sajid Javid

Stephen Barclay

Michael Gove

Chris Grayling

Penny Mordaunt

Andrea Leadsom

Liz Truss

Alun Cairns

Liam Fox

Gavin Williamson

Brandon Lewis

James Brokenshire

Geoffrey Cox

Source: Daily Telegraph

For a customs union

Amber Rudd

Greg Clark

David Lidington

Philip Hammond

David Gauke

David Mundell

Claire Perry

Caroline Nokes

Damian Hinds

Karen Bradley

Not declared

Matt Hancock

Jeremy Wright

Jeremy Hunt

Source: Daily Telegraph

Meanwhile, supporters of a so-called ‘Common Market 2.0’ proposal that would keep Britain in the customs union and the single market have been seeking to win over DUP and SNP MPs who all abstained when it was voted on last week.

Staying in the single market would involve continued freedom of movement and making contributions to the EU budget, while being in a customs union would prevent Britain from striking its own trade deals.

Nick Boles, the Tory ex-minister behind Common Market 2.0 – rejected by 283 votes to 188 last week – declared last night that it was ‘alive and squawking’.

‘The only reason it scored fewer votes overall was that Labour didn’t whip for it. Tomorrow that might change,’ he said.

Tory George Freeman, who backs the idea, said: ‘Only Common Market 2.0 looks like winning support from all parties.’

The SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford said his party’s 35 MPs would not back Mr Clarke’s plan as it would end freedom of movement, but signalled that they could back Common Market 2.0 because they want single-market membership.

Downing Street is considering offering a run-off between Mrs May’s deal and the frontrunner from the indicative votes.

Despite three previous rejections, No10 believes her deal could still prevail because in the first round of the indicative votes on Friday it did better than any alternative.

In an article for Conservative Home, Tory ex-minister Greg Hands yesterday warned that staying in the customs union would be a ‘serious mistake’ and ‘in the medium term be democratically unsustainable’.

Boris Johnson makes his first pitch to be Tory leader as a senior minister says the party needs an ‘experienced Brexiteer’ at the helm when Theresa May quits

Boris Johnson today made his first public pitch to succeed Theresa May, as senior Tories called for an experienced Brexiteer to take over.

Days after he finally backed the Prime Minister’s deal, Mr Johnson said a No Deal exit is ‘far the best option’ and insisted the Conservatives should ‘get on with it’.

And in his own vision for the party he said the Tories should then concentrate on ‘cutting taxes wherever we reasonably can’, including stamp duty and inheritance tax.

It came as Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said it was ‘more likely than not that the next leader will be someone who campaigned for Brexit‘.

Boris Johnson (pictured today) has three times the support of his closest rival in leadership polling and made his first pitch to be leader today

Mr Johnson, who has been accused of disloyalty for his opposition to Mrs May’s deal, wrote in the Telegraph today: ‘We cannot go on like this. We need to get on with it and to get it done. We should really come out with No Deal – now looking by far the best option; but if we cannot achieve that, then we need to get out, now.

‘We need to get Brexit done, because we have so much more to do, and so much more that unites the Conservative Party than divides us. We have so many achievements to be proud of – and yet every single one is being drowned out in the Brexit cacophony’.

Chris Grayling has called for an ‘experienced’ Brexiteer to take over the party – seen as a nod towards Mr Johnson rather that his rival Dominic Raab.

He told the Telegraph: ‘The party has to ask itself a question about the leadership: the next two or three years are going to be very tough because the European stuff is not going to go away.

‘Is the person who takes us through the next two or three years and sorts out Brexit and gets the sort of hard time that Theresa has had, the same person who we want to be leading us into the 2027 general election?

‘It may be that we are planning two things rather than one. Planning somebody who has got the experience and resilience to get us through the immediate future. But then … we have got a really good generation of younger politicians in their 40s who can make a real impact, who are going to be the leadership of the party in the future.’

Moderate Tories appeared to step up efforts to frustrate the leadership ambitions of Boris Johnson last night, launching a new grouping opposed to a No Deal Brexit.

Around 40 MPs have signed up to the One Nation Group which will be led by Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd and former education secretary Nicky Morgan.

The faction, which is aiming to be a counterweight to the European Research Group, is planning to host its own hustings in any future party leadership contest and has ruled out supporting anyone who wants a No Deal departure.

Mr Johnson, however, did get some backing from an unlikely quarter last night – Tony Blair.

The former PM claimed the Tories could beat Labour in a general election if ‘formidable’ Mr Johnson was leader.

Amber Rudd is relaunching the One Nation faction inside the Tory party as moderates move to block Boris Johnson and hard Brexiteers in the race for power

As ministers fight for the job Liz Truss (left in Westminster on Friday) today called for the Tory party to remodernise, while Dominic Raab published his plans to tackle knife crime

Jeremy Hunt is seen as a safe pair of hands and could help unite the party, some MPs have claimed

High profile members of the One Nation Group also include Business Secretary Greg Clark, Justice Secretary David Gauke, Scottish Secretary David Mundell, energy minister Claire Perry, as well as Damian Green and Sir Nicholas Soames.

Sir John Major yesterday criticised potential leadership candidates for jockeying for position instead of focusing on attempts to get the Brexit deal passed.

2,000 viewers complain after Jon Snow said ‘I’ve never seen so many white people in one place’ as he covered Brexit rally

Channel 4 has been forced to apologise after news anchor Jon Snow, 71, said he had ‘never seen so many white people in one place’ while reporting on a pro-Brexit rally

Channel 4 News host Jon Snow’s remark that he had ‘never seen so many white people in one place’ has sparked more than 2,000 complaints.

The veteran 71-year-old presenter was signing off from Friday evening’s Channel 4 News bulletin when he made the controversial comment.

He was referring, during the live broadcast, to the pro-Brexit protesters who brought Westminster to a standstill.

‘It’s been the most extraordinary day,’ he said. ‘A day which has seen … I have never seen so many white people in one place, it’s an extraordinary story.

‘There are people everywhere, there are crowds everywhere.’

Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom said it had received 2,025 complaints and is deciding whether to investigate.

The high level of objections to the comment would place the show as the fifth most complained about, when compared to the numbers from Ofcom’s most complained about shows in 2018.

The show which drew the most complaints was Celebrity Big Brother (27, 602), followed by Loose Women (8,002), Sky News (4,251), Love Island (4, 192).

The next on the list is Coronation Street, but that only has 1,098 complaints compared to Jon Snow’s 2,025.

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme: ‘I think they should concentrate on the decision we should make next week, not who is going to be prime minister at some future stage.’

Sir John appeared to criticise hopefuls such as Mr Johnson, Esther McVey and Dominic Raab, who last week backed Mrs May’s Brexit deal despite making dire warnings about it.

‘I find it extraordinarily odd that there are people who decided the Prime Minister’s deal was going to turn us into a vassal state and they voted against it. Once it is apparent there’s going to be a leadership election and one of them might become prime minister, the question of a vassal state disappears and they support it,’ he said. ‘I think the public will be very cynical about that.

‘I don’t know when the Prime Minister will go and nobody can be certain… but when we elect a new prime minister I think it has to be someone who can be a national leader, not a factional leader and I think that does disqualify a number of candidates.’

Sir John also said the UK will always have a centre-Right party and a centre-Left party, adding: ‘Whether that’s exactly the same Conservative Party as we have now or not, I can’t be certain – but that there will be a Conservative Party on the centre-Right of politics, but it needs to be at the centre-Right if it wishes to win, not the far-Right.’

Several senior Tories yesterday appeared to be on manoeuvres to replace Mrs May this weekend.

Liz Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, called for the Conservative party to ‘remodernise’ as she set out her stall in a newspaper interview. Miss Truss, who backed Remain in the referendum and was previously in charge at the Ministry of Justice and Defra, picked out cutting taxes for businesses and stamp duty for young home buyers as key policies.

She told The Sunday Times: ‘Sometimes politics can be in danger of being managerial. The Conservative Party needs to remodernise. We need to be optimistic, aspirational. We need to participate in the battle of ideas. We haven’t been doing.’

Other Cabinet ministers tipped to join the race when the time comes include Environment Secretary Michael Gove, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Work and Pensions Secretary Miss Rudd, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom. Mr Johnson, Miss McVey and Mr Raab, who all quit the Cabinet in protest at Mrs May’s handling of Brexit, are also expected to go for No 10. Mr Raab, a former Brexit Secretary, yesterday attempted to outflank hostile competition by addressing allegations that he used a non-disclosure agreement, also known as a ‘gagging order’, to silence a former colleague who accused him of bullying.

He told The Sunday Times the claims were ‘completely false’, while his allies suggested they were being deployed as part of a ‘smear campaign’.

Another former Cabinet minister, Justine Greening, said she ‘might’ run for the Tory leadership. In an interview with The Sunday Times, she said the party needed a leader for the ‘2020s, not the 1920s’.

‘It’s 32 years since we had a landslide and we have to answer the question about why we have failed to connect with people and their ambitions,’ she told the paper. Miss Greening, a prominent Remain campaigner, quit as education secretary when Mrs May attempted to make her the work and pensions chief in early 2018.

Mr Blair last night told the HuffPost UK news website that Mr Johnson was a ‘formidable campaigner’ who would pose a powerful challenge to Labour.

‘If you have a Boris Johnson-led Conservative Party, he’s a formidable campaigner, he’s an interesting personality, he can get out there and do his stuff, for sure,’ he said. ‘I have absolutely no doubt if you have a Right-wing populism against a Left-wing populism in this country, the right-wing will win. So it depends where we [Labour] stand.’

Mrs May last week promised to step down if MPs passed her Brexit withdrawal agreement.

And they’re off! From hard Brexiteers to Remainers, the race for No.10

Dominic Raab 10/1

Age: 46. Former Brexit Secretary. Diehard Brexiteer.

Background: Son of a Czech-born Jewish refugee who fled the Nazis in 1938 and died of cancer when Raab was 12.

EXPERIENCE: Lasted only four months as Brexit Secretary. Voted against May in leadership confidence vote.

STRENGTH: Skilled debater who honed his skills as an adversarial lawyer with blue chip legal firm Linklaters.

WEAKNESS: Seen as too clever by half and lacking people skills.

VERDICT: In second place in ConservativeHome’s leadership league table.

Boris Johnson 4/1

Age: 54. Former Foreign Secretary. His support for Brexit was vital to Leave’s win.

Background: Known for being identified by just one name, Boris, for his show-off Classics references and for chaotic private life.

EXPERIENCE: Twice voted London mayor.

STRENGTH: Starry, charismatic and clever crowd-pleaser.

WEAKNESS: Bumbling foreign secretary. May struggle to win MPs’ support. A ‘Stop Boris’ campaign is likely.

VERDICT: Party grassroots love him and he’s top of the ConservativeHome league table by 12 points.

Matt Hancock 25/1

Age: 40. Health Secretary. Arch Remainer.

Background: Father bought their council house. Ran his own computer software business before becoming Chancellor George Osborne’s chief of staff.

EXPERIENCE: Cabinet minister for only 18 months. Seen as a ‘coming man’.

STRENGTH: One of life’s Tiggers with ambition and enthusiasm to match his brainpower.

WEAKNESS: Never knowingly modest, he once foolishly likened himself to Churchill, Pitt and Disraeli.

VERDICT: Little known among Conservative Party members.

Amber Rudd 25/1

Age: 55. Work and Pensions Secretary. Remain cheerleader.

Background: Daughter of a Labour-supporting stockbroker and Tory-leaning JP.

EXPERIENCE: Became Home Secretary after just six years as an MP. Resigned over the Windrush scandal after inadvertently misleading MPs.

STRENGTH: Tough operator who was restored to Cabinet within six months.

WEAKNESS: Holds seat with majority of only 346. Headmisstressy manner but an accomplished performer.

VERDICT: Ninth in leadership league table.

Esther McVey 33/1

Age: 51. Former Welfare Secretary. An ardent Brexiteer.

Background: Spent the first two years of her life in foster care. Was a breakfast TV presenter before becoming a Tory MP on Merseyside.

EXPERIENCE: As welfare minister was viciously targeted by Labour.

STRENGTH: Tough and telegenic. Won plaudits with members for resigning from Cabinet over Brexit deal.

WEAKNESS: Some say she doesn’t have the intellectual fire power for top job.

VERDICT: Ranked 14th in league table.

Penny Mordaunt 33/1

Age: 46. International Development Secretary. Arch Brexiteer.

Background: Her mother died when she was a teenager. Cared for younger brother. EXPERIENCE: Was a magician’s assistant. Appeared in the reality TV show Splash!

STRENGTH: Only female MP to be a Royal Naval Reservist. Attended Lady Thatcher’s funeral in uniform.

WEAKNESS: Inexperienced, having been in Cabinet for less than two years. Has never run a major Whitehall department.

VERDICT: Edged up to 11th in ConservativeHome league table.

Andrea Leadsom 16/1

Age: 55. Leader of the Commons. Ardent Brexiteer.

Background: A former City trader. Mother of three.

EXPERIENCE: Struggled in her first Cabinet post, as Environment Secretary.

STRENGTH: Blossomed as Leader of the Commons, winning plaudits for taking on Speaker John Bercow.

WEAKNESS: Stood for leader in 2016 but made ill-considered comment comparing her experience as a mother to the childless Mrs May.

VERDICT: Has soared to the top of the ConservativeHome table of competent ministers.

Michael Gove 4/1

Age: 51. Environment Secretary. High priest of Brexiteers.

Background: Adopted son of a Scottish fish merchant.

EXPERIENCE: Figurehead for Leave during referendum campaign. Cabinet heavyweight who’s served as Education Secretary and Justice Secretary.

STRENGTH: Brilliant debater with razor sharp intellect.

WEAKNESS: Still suspected of having a disloyal gene after knifing Boris Johnson in last leadership contest.

VERDICT: Popular with the Tory members, who, crucially, will vote for the new leader.

Gavin Williamson 50/1

Age: 42. Defence Secretary. Converted Remainer.

Background: From a Labour-supporting, working class family. Ran a pottery firm before becoming an MP.

EXPERIENCE: Started his rise as Mrs May’s Chief Whip. Leap-frogged experienced colleagues to land defence job.

STRENGTH: Matinee idol looks and knack for self-promotion.

WEAKNESS: Military chiefs nicknamed him Private Pike after Dad’s Army character. Suggested missiles should be fitted to tractors.

VERDICT: In 19th place in league table.

Liz Truss 50/1

Age: 43 Chief Secretary to Treasury. Brexiteer.

Background: Raised by Left-wing parents and as a child was marched through the streets on anti-Thatcher protest shouting: ‘Maggie out!’

EXPERIENCE: Joint-author in 2012 of a controversial booklet, Britannia Unchained, which alleged ‘the British are among the worst idlers in the world’.

STRENGTH: A genuine free-marketeer.

WEAKNESS: Poor public speaker with a mixed ministerial record.

VERDICT: Only 15th in ConservativeHome leaders league table.

Sajid Javid 9/1

Age: 49. Home Secretary. Remainer who changed to Brexit after the referendum.

Background: Son of a bus driver who came to Britain from Pakistan with £1 in his pocket. Was head of credit trading at Deutsche Bank.

EXPERIENCE: Previously Culture and Business secretary, cracked down on union rights.

STRENGTH: An extraordinary rags-to-riches back story that we will hear more of during the leadership campaign.

WEAKNESS: Widely seen as a wooden and a poor speaker.

VERDICT: In 4th place in ConservativeHome league table.

Jeremy Hunt 8/1

Age: 52. Foreign Secretary

Background: Eldest son of Admiral Sir Nicholas Hunt. Married to a Chinese wife and he speaks Mandarin.

Before politics, set up an educational publisher which was sold for £30million in 2017.

EXPERIENCE: Longest-serving health secretary in history.

STRENGTH: Among the most experienced ministers in the field who, unusually, has made few political enemies.

WEAKNESS: Some, though, regard him as a ‘bit of a drip’.

Verdict: Seen by many as man who could best unite party on Brexit.

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catalinda04 · 6 years ago

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Carried Away Chapter 27: The Start of Winter Break

Masterlist

“Hey Ms. C, you got any fun plans for break?” One of Lucy’s students asked during the last hour of the last day of class before break.

“Not really, just hanging out with some friends. Grading projects, binging Netflix, the usual.” Lucy replied. Even with almost half of the high school staff knowing about her relationship with a famous actor, they had respected her wishes, and kept that information from the kids.

“Does anyone have big plans for break, it’s a long one this year, enjoy it.” Several kids spoke-up about trips with their families, basketball tournaments, or work. Lucy found herself counting the minutes until the bell rang. Henry, along with Kal, would be flying in the next day before they spent the rest of the day celebrating Christmas with her family. It had only been 4 weeks since Thanksgiving, but she missed him terribly, and felt almost giddy about being able to spend 2 solid weeks with him.

Once the bell rang, and all the students had left, Lucy took a few minutes to organize her room, and gather anything she would be needing over break. She was just packing the last of her things into her teacher bag, when Ryan appeared at her door.

“You ready to go?” He asked bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Yes I am. You’re in a hurry today.” She commented to him as they walked down the hall.

“Andi and I are going skiing over break. We leave tomorrow morning, so we’re driving to Minneapolis tonight. I want to get on the road.” He explained,

“Henry flies in tomorrow, then we’re flying to London on Monday night.”

“So just the two of you for Christmas?” Ryan asked.

“No, we’re going to Jersey, and spending Christmas with his whole family; his parents, all 4 of his brothers, their spouses and kids.” Her nerves evident in her voice.

“4 brothers?” he asked, his eyes wide. “That should be interesting.”

“At least I’ve already met his mom, and she likes me. I haven't met any of the rest of his family though.” They stopped outside the Library to wait for Mindy.

Lucy waited impatiently for Henry’s flight to unload. It seemed forever between watching the plane touch down and drive to the gate, before the doors were actually opened.

She saw his head over the others walking up the jetway. She waved to him and his mouth widened into a grin. He released his hold on Kal’s leash and let the dog run to her. She knelt down to envelope Kal into a big hug. The dog had such an expressive face, he grinned at her, happy to see her again. Once her arms released Kal, Lucy felt a pair of strong hands under her arms, lifting her to Henry’s mouth. His lips were warm and soft and welcoming.

“Welcome back, Darcy.” Lucy finally greeted

“It’s good to be back, Pumpkin.”

Lucy and Henry loaded his bags and Kal and into her car, and pointed it North. Lucy updated him on their agenda. She had managed to convince her mother to agree to early Christmas, but Lucy had to agree to spending 2 nights at her parents’ house during the weekend.

“So tonight we’ll get there in time for dinner. Tomorrow morning we’ll all go to church, before coming home to do presents from each other, then a big family dinner with everyone, plus grandma and mom’s sister Izzy and her husband and 2 kids. Then we’ll do more presents, from grandma and such. I had to promise mom we’d stay Sunday night too, so Monday morning we’ll have breakfast then leave, so I can do laundry and pack for our flight.”

“So we’re two nights at your parents’ house?” Henry asked, sounding very dejected about the idea.

“Kal will love it, lots of room for him to run around, snow to play in, and kids to play with.”

“I’m sure he will, but it’s been over a month since I’ve seen you, touched you, held you, kissed you.” He murmured, his voice going deeper with each word.

“That’s why we’re not going straight there. I made some time for just us, before we go celebrate Christmas. Our own private celebration.” She smirked at him.

“Ever the planner, aren’t you.” He smiled at her.

“You love it.”

“I do love it, I love you.” He leaned across the console to kiss her. She linked her fingers with his while she drove, needing to have some kind of connection with him.

Later, after Henry and Lucy had their private celebration, as Lucy was moving Christmas from under her tree to a box to be brought to her car, she set a box aside. Once their bags were loaded, Lucy pulled Henry to sit with her on the couch. She handed him the small box she’d set aside.

Henry looked at the box with it’s blue snowflake paper, and silver bow, then shook it. It rattled a little. The box couldn't hold much, it was only about 4 inches square, he puzzled about what she might have given him.

“It’s not much. You’re an incredibly hard person to buy for.” She pouted a bit. “Anything you want you could buy yourself, or I couldn't afford. So, I went with this. I hope you like it.”

“Darling, you didn't have to get me anything. And I’m going to love whatever you give me.” He gave her a quick peck. “Can I open it?” He asked with all the glee of a 4-year-old.

“Please do.” Lucy held her breath as she watched him tear the paper on the small box. He set the paper aside, and pulled the lid off. Inside, nestled on a bed of fluffy, cottony, filler, were 2 keys on a Minnesota shaped key ring. He picked them up, and eyed them.

“Are these the keys to your heart?” Henry asked with a slightly confused, slightly silly look on his face.

Lucy gave a short giggle. “I suppose you could say that, but they’re actually much more practical than that. They’re the keys to my house. I wanted to show you that you’re welcome here anytime.” She explained worrying her hands in her lap. Had she been totally wrong in thinking he’d like the gesture?

Lucy watched as Henry’s eyes started to shine with water, before he wrapped her in a tender, crushing embrace. “Darling, this means so much. Thank you. You said you didn’t know what to give me. You’ve given me the only thing I want. You.” He said, pulling her in for a kiss that could demonstrate his love more than he ever could with words.

Lucy and Henry arrived at her parents’ house an hour before dinner was to be served. Lucy wanted a chance to settle in and let the kids settle down from their greeting before they all sat down to eat.

There was the usual exuberant greeting from Quinn and Thomas, and hugs from everyone when they arrived. Lucy went to the living room to put all the presents she’d brought, under the tree, and stopped so abruptly that Henry ran into her.

Hanging on the wall where all of their stockings normally hung, was a stocking with Henry’s name on it. While the rest of the family had hand-made stockings that Marie had made, Henry’s was a classic fuzzy red with a white fur cuff, but his name was embroidered on the cuff. “Mom?” Lucy called while walking to the stockings.

“Yes?” She entered the room, seeing Lucy stroking the stocking. “I didn’t have enough time to make a stocking for Henry for this year, so that one will have to do.” Marie explained to her daughter.

Lucy looked at her mother with a tear glistening in her eye. “Oh mom.” Lucy whimpered, wrapping her arms around her mother, touched that she had thought to make sure that Henry felt included. “Thank you.”

“It’s really nothing, honey. There’s no need to get so emotional about it, it’s just a 99 cent stocking.”

“It’s the thought mom. Thank you.” She kissed her mother on the cheek.

“Yes thank you Marie. It’s a lovely gesture.” Henry echoed, giving Marie a quick hug as well.

Dinner was a simple affair, before the orgy of rich food that would follow the next day. Once Quinn and Thomas were asleep, Lucy, Henry, Clint, and Anna all went into the local bar, both Lucy and Clint had plans to see old high school classmates.

The two couples entered the loud, dimly lit establishment together then went their separate ways. Lucy quickly found who she was looking for, “Jenn!” Lucy called, waving her arm high. Jennifer saw her and pointed at the table she and her husband Lee had already claimed. Lucy mimed that she and Henry were going to get a drink first.

Despite the crowd in the bar, they were served quickly and made their way to Jenn and Lee’s table. Jenn jumped up from her stool and squealed when Lucy came close enough to hug. Henry laughed watching the two women devolve into 13 year olds. “Jenn, this is Henry. Henry, my sister, Jenn, and her husband Lee.” She introduced the man still sitting at the table He looked to be about 5 years older than the girls. Jenn wrapped Henry in a hug, and he exchanged a handshake with Lee.

Once they were all seated, Lucy exclaimed, “You didn’t tell me you were pregnant!” She indicated her friend’s prominent belly.

“We decided we were ready for number two. Due in April, so still a bit of time to go.” Her friend said, patting her belly.

“Congratulations! Another baby to spoil! Yay!” Lucy cheered, taking a sip of her drink. “Speaking of number 1, how is my boyfriend doing?” Lucy asked.

“He’s good, adorable as ever. So curious about everything.” Jenn’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed, “The whole troop is getting together tomorrow with the kids. You guys should come!”

“Troop?” Henry asked confused.

“Our Girl Scout troop.” Lucy and Jenn said in unison, which caused them to dissolve into giggles.

“You were a Girl Scout?” Henry asked incredulously.

“Does that surprise you? Really, name a goody two-shoes stereotype, and I probably meet it. I was a very good girl in high school.”

“I’m a good girl I am!” Lucy and Jenn exclaimed, imitating Eliza Doolittle, and erupting into laughter, before Lucy explained why they wouldn’t be able to come.

Jenn wasted no time in grilling Henry for every detail of his life, past and present. She needed to make sure that Henry was “good enough” for her friend, and made no qualms about telling him that. Jenn and Lee announced they could only stay for one drink. Number 2 was doing a number on Jenn, and staying up past 10 any night was pushing it for her.

Lucy and Henry walked them out. There were hugs all around as the four said their goodbyes. Lucy and Henry decided to call it a night then as well. Lucy texted Anna to tell her they were going home. Between him wrapping up filming, and her dealing with kids right before Christmas, they were both exhausted.

Kal met them at the door when they returned to the house. Henry went outside with him, while Lucy got ready for bed. As she was plugging her phone in, Lucy noticed a text from Jenn. “I like him. I give my tentative approval. I reserve the right to withhold full approval until the one year mark.” Lucy smiled.

Chapter 26 . Chapter 28

#Henry Cavill #Henry Cavill fanfic #Henry Cavill fan fic #Henry Cavill fan fiction #Henry Cavill fanfiction #Carried Away #Kal Cavill

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gyrlversion · 6 years ago

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Semi-naked climate change protesters interrupt debate on Brexit

Semi-naked climate change protesters interrupted a Commons debate on Brexit tonight as they stripped off in the public gallery.

Several of the ‘Extinction Rebellion’ group glued themselves to the window dividing MPs from the watching public in the biggest Commons security breach since 2014.

Labour MP Peter Kyle joked about the ‘naked truth’ as MPs’ attention was distracted from his speech by the demonstration.

Tory MP James Heappey defied Commons rules to photograph the dozen people, who had slogans including ‘climate justice act now’ and ‘eco collapse’ daubed on their backs.

Speaker John Bercow told MPs to ignore the demonstration and continue with the debate as they stood in a line with their backsides pressed against the security glass.

Most were wearing only thong-style underwear which left little to the imagination.

Shocked MPs including former Labour leader Ed Miliband glanced up at the group as they stripped off behind the glass screen that separate the chamber from the public gallery.

Some of the protesters were singing Nelly the Elephant while under the gaze of Parliamentarians.

Savannah, an English literature student from Ladbroke Grove in west London, was one of the naked protesters.

She said: ‘A bunch of people glued themselves to the window in the public gallery.

‘Everyone stripped and two people were elephants and had climate crisis written on them.

‘We were pointing at them as the elephants in the room of the Brexit debate.’

Twelve climate change protesters were later arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency, Scotland Yard said.

Semi-naked climate change protesters interrupted a Commons debate on Brexit tonight as they stripped off in the public gallery

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband was among the MPs surprised by the sudden appearance of the half-naked protesters above them

Tory MP James Heappey defied Commons rules to photograph the dozen people, one of whom had ‘climate justice now’ daubed on his back

She added: ‘Personally I don’t care that much about Brexit.

‘I think it’s fine that people do but I think there are bigger things right now.

The semi-naked demonstration is the most significant breach of security in the public gallery since a man hurled a bag of marbles at the glass screen in October 2014.

The barrier was erected to separate MPs from the public after Tony Blair was pelted with purple powder during PMQs in 2004.

Police officers removed today’s demonstration, which failed to halt debate on the floor of the Commons, after around 30 minutes, using an unidentified liquid to free their hands.

Several of them refused to walk out with police and had to be carried out from the gallery as Commons doorkeepers picked up their abandoned clothes.

All other members of the public who turned out to watch the debate were also asked to leave.

The protesters were questioned by police officers stationed in the House of Parliament outside the Common chamber.

In order to get into the public gallery, members of the public are subjected to airport style security at the entrances to the Palace of Westminster.

They then simply queue up to enter the gallery itself on a first-come, first-served basis.

Extinction Rebellion promises ‘non-violent direct action and civil disobedience’ to make their point on climate change.

Tory Nick Boles used the demonstration to make a joke at the expense of some of his colleagues.

The Grantham MP, who rose to speak in support of his Common Market 2.0 Brexit plan which will be put to a vote in the Commons tonight, said: ‘I find myself wondering whether it’s a coincidence entirely that the people who normally sit around me on these benches are not here, given that we all know that among them are counted noted naturists.’

Mr Boles added: ‘It has long been a thoroughly British trait to be able to ignore pointless nakedness, and I trust the House will be able to return to the issue that we are discussing.’

Labour MP Justin Madders said: ‘There are naked people in the Commons gallery, I don’t know what the point is that they are making but it doesn’t seem to be adding anything to the debate.’

Tory minister Mims Davies said: ‘The campaigners in House of Commons gallery have managed to get naked, glue their hands to the glass but most interestingly as well some retain their security lanyards if not many clothes.’

And Brexit hardliner Andrea Jenkyns said: ‘And they say Brexiteers are extremists! I ain’t getting my clothes off, Even for Brexit. Mad world!’

An Extinction Rebellion spokesman said the naked protest was an effort ‘to try and force the issue up the news agenda as far as possible so it breaks through the Brexit Radar’.

‘They have gone in there knowing they will be arrested. They are willingly doing this,’ he added.

Theresa May (pictured today at Downing Street) has been warned she will ‘destroy’ the Tory party if she caves in to calls for a soft Brexit – while Brexiteers urged her to pursue No Deal

Feuding MPs had earlier been told to vote on four alternatives to Theresa May’s Brexit deal tonight amid fevered speculation she could force an election to end the impasse.

Speaker John Bercow selected proposals for a customs union, Norway-style soft Brexit, second referendum and cancelling Brexit in the second round of indicative votes tonight.

Versions of all four plans failed to get a majority of MPs last week but after Mrs May’s deal was trounced for a third time on Friday cross-party alliances are shifting as Parliament moves to impose a softer Brexit.

The idea of a permanent customs union – which would rule out post-Brexit trade deals – was the strongest option in last week’s debate and the racing favourite ahead of the ballot tonight.

But Labour has switched position to back a Norway-style deal that stays in the single market and customs union during trade talks. If it happened free movement would continue for years with no deadline.

Whatever MPs vote on tonight, Mrs May has summoned her ministers to an epic Cabinet tomorrow – fuelling speculation she is getting ready for the ‘nuclear’ option of an election despite her deep unpopularity in her own party.

There will then be a normal two-hour Cabinet where the Government can take decisions on the fate of the nation.

Boris Johnson, pictured cycling to Parliament today, and Michael Gove, pictured leaving home today are the two favourites to replace Theresa May when she leaves No 10

Most Tory MPs have a free vote on the alternatives to Mrs May’s deal tonight, with 25 or more junior ministers predicted to be ready to back a softer Brexit.

Cabinet ministers have been told to abstain, but, with a growing rift between Remainers and Brexiteers in the Government, some could still choose to vote for a customs union and resign.

They would be willing to quit if Mrs May pushes for a No Deal Brexit and could do it by defying her order to abstain in tonight’s indicative votes.

But Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg today admitted he is ‘very concerned’ that Theresa May will add a customs union onto her Brexit deal to get it through Parliament.

Mr Rees-Mogg also claimed that last Friday’s vote on the Brexit deal would ‘probably have gone through’ if it had been Mrs May’s deal versus a general election.

MPs to vote on a customs union, soft Brexit, a second referendum or cancelling Brexit

None of the eight alternatives to Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal were approved last week after Parliament seized control of the Commons agenda.

Ahead of the second round, the customs union and second referendum were the leading options.

Motion C: Customs union with the EU

This is where tonight’s vote could get interesting. This amendment last week lost by the tightest margin of them all.

It went down by eight votes, losing by 272 to 264. It means that a handful of MPs changing their mind could see it across the line.

But the SNP and Lib Dems abstained last time so those votes may not be easy to find on the polarised Tory and Labour benches.

And it if did win it would cause havoc in the Government with Brexiteers going on the warpath.

Motion D: Common market 2.0

A cross-party motion tabled by Conservatives Nick Boles, Robert Halfon and Dame Caroline Spelman and Labour’s Stephen Kinnock, Lucy Powell plus the SNP’s Stewart Hosie.

Motion E: Second referendum to approve any Brexit deal

Drawn up by Labour MPs Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson, this motion would require a public vote to confirm any Brexit deal passed by Parliament before its ratification.

This option, tabled last time by Labour former minister Dame Margaret Beckett, polled the highest number of votes, although was defeated by 295 votes to 268.

Labour MPs were whipped to support it but 27 mainly from northern Leave-voting areas voted against it and a further 18 – including several frontbenchers – abstained.

Their support would have been enough to pass it but it seems unlikely they will change their minds, given that their concerns remain the same.

Motion G: Parliamentary supremacy