#rustic outdoorsy cabins

[raycatz]

I'M STAYNG IN THE LAKE CABINS NEXT WEEK LET'S GOOOOO WATER UNIT YEAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lumberrobot]

Summer's Serenity

kim minji x fem!reader

notes: long ahh summer jdojawjd

warning/s: ending is kind of ambiguous (idk, probs none)

genre: fluff

The first day of camp was supposed to be fun—exciting, even. But Y/N didn’t feel any of that. She sat in the back of the bus, arms crossed and earbuds in, pretending to be lost in the music. In truth, she couldn’t focus on anything except how much she didn’t want to be there.

This summer was supposed to be different. Y/N had planned to spend it with her friends, hanging out at the local café, catching up on shows, and maybe—even—getting a summer job to save up for something meaningful. Instead, her parents decided it would be “good for her” to get out of the house, to “experience nature,” and to meet new people at a camp in the middle of nowhere. So here she was, shipped off for two months like some sort of package that needed to be handled by someone else.

The bus bumped along the winding road, and Y/N sighed, glancing out the window at the trees whizzing past. The camp brochure had promised activities like canoeing, hiking, and bonfires—none of which excited her. She had never been the outdoorsy type. Give her a good book or a night out in the city, and she was content. But a whole summer surrounded by bugs, dirt, and people she didn’t know? That was a different story.

When the bus finally pulled into the campgrounds, Y/N braced herself. Camp Bunnies stretched before her—a sprawling patch of cabins, fields, and a lake that glittered in the afternoon sun. Kids her age spilled out of the bus, chatting excitedly as they lugged their bags toward the main cabin where registration was set up. Y/N hung back, dragging her feet as she approached the entrance.

“Hello! Welcome to Camp Bunnies!” One of the camp counselors, a tall, peppy woman with a clipboard, greeted her with far too much enthusiasm. “We’re so excited to have you.”

“Yeah… sure,” Y/N muttered, offering a half-hearted smile. She could already tell this place was going to be exhausting.

After registering and getting her cabin assignment, Y/N made her way to Cabin Four. Inside, it was as rustic as she’d imagined—wooden bunk beds, creaky floorboards, and the faint smell of pine. She threw her bag onto the bottom bunk and collapsed on the mattress, staring at the ceiling. Maybe if she stayed here long enough, no one would notice her absence from all the activities.

A soft knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. Y/N sat up just as the door creaked open, revealing another girl standing in the doorway. She had long black hair tucked behind her ears, dark eyes that sparkled with curiosity, and a soft smile that made her look approachable in a way that immediately set Y/N on edge.

“Hi, I’m Minji,” the girl introduced herself, stepping inside with her duffel bag slung over one shoulder. “Looks like we’re cabinmates.”

Y/N offered a tight nod. “Yeah. Y/N.”

“Nice to meet you.” Minji’s voice was cheerful, but not in the overly peppy way the counselors had been. She seemed genuine, just trying to be friendly, not force anything.

Y/N shifted awkwardly, unsure how to respond. She wasn’t in the mood to make friends, not now. She had resigned herself to spending the summer in solitude, waiting for the days to pass until she could go home. But Minji didn’t seem to notice her reluctance.

“You’ve been to summer camp before?” Minji asked as she started unpacking.

“No,” Y/N replied shortly. “First time. Probably last.”

Minji chuckled softly, sitting down on her bed and giving Y/N a curious look. “Not a fan of the outdoors?”

“Not really. This wasn’t my idea,” Y/N admitted, feeling a little more comfortable now that Minji wasn’t forcing small talk. “My parents thought it would be ‘good for me.’”

“I get that,” Minji said, nodding in understanding. “My parents think I need to ‘learn new skills’ and ‘get out more.’ So here I am.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem like you hate it as much as I do.”

Minji shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I try to make the best of things. It’s easier that way.”

Y/N didn’t say anything, but she noticed that Minji wasn’t like the other campers who seemed to thrive in this environment. She wasn’t loud or overly social, but there was something comforting about her presence. Maybe this summer wouldn’t be a complete disaster if they stuck together.

=======

Over the next few days, Y/N and Minji settled into a routine. Y/N remained hesitant, still holding onto the idea that she didn’t need to make any real connections here. She resisted the scheduled hikes and nature walks, and the team-building games that seemed to exhaust her more emotionally than physically. But each time she felt herself retreating into the familiar comfort of solitude, Minji was there, not pushing, but quietly bridging the gap between Y/N and the rest of the camp.

One afternoon, after a particularly grueling archery session where Y/N's arrows missed the target entirely, she found herself sitting by the lake, feeling the cool breeze ruffle her hair. It was a secluded place, tucked away from the noise of the camp, with a clear view of the water. The distant sounds of laughter and chatter from the other campers faded as she focused on the rhythmic lapping of the water against the shore. She hadn’t even noticed Minji approach until the other girl sat down beside her.

“You looked like you were about to murder that target back there,” Minji said, a playful grin spreading across her face.

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. “I hate archery.”

Minji nodded sagely. “Yeah, I could tell by the way you aimed at the ground three times in a row.”

Y/N chuckled, her tension easing a little. It was one of those subtle things Minji was good at—making her laugh, softening the edges of Y/N’s frustration without ever making her feel like she was being laughed at.

They sat in silence for a while, the sun beginning its slow descent toward the horizon. The air smelled fresh—a mixture of pine and water—and Y/N could feel the day’s warmth lingering in the gentle breeze. She didn’t mind the quiet—not when it was with Minji. There was something calming about her presence, like she didn’t need to fill every moment with words.

=======

One evening, after dinner, Y/N slipped away to her favorite spot by the lake, craving the quiet and calm after the day’s exhausting activities. Y/N sat on the edge of the dock, her legs dangling over the side, watching the ripples spread across the lake’s surface. The orange glow of the setting sun reflected off the water, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold.

She didn’t expect anyone to join her, but after a few minutes, she heard soft footsteps behind her. Turning slightly, she saw Minji approaching, a gentle smile on her face.

“Mind if I sit with you?” Minji asked, her voice quiet, as if she didn’t want to disturb the peace of the moment.

Y/N shook her head. “Go ahead.”

Minji sat down beside her, their shoulders almost touching as they both gazed out at the lake. For a while, neither of them spoke, content to just sit in silence, listening to the soft lapping of the water and the distant calls of birds.

“I get why you like it here,” Minji said softly after a while. “It’s peaceful.”

“Yeah,” Y/N agreed, her voice just as quiet. “It’s the only place where I feel like I can breathe.”

Minji hummed in response, and they lapsed into silence again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that felt like understanding, like the two of them were sharing something without the need for words.

Eventually, Minji spoke again. “You know, when I first came here, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it either. I thought it’d be boring, and I’d just be counting the days until I could go home.”

Y/N glanced at her, surprised. “You? But you seem like… you’re good at this. The whole camp thing.”

Minji laughed softly, shaking her head. “Not really. I just learned how to make the best of it as I said. But honestly, I didn’t start enjoying it until I met you.”

Y/N’s heart gave a small, unexpected flutter at Minji’s words, and she quickly looked away, staring out at the lake again. “I didn’t think I’d meet anyone I could connect with here,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “But… you’re different.”

Minji smiled, a warm, soft smile that made Y/N’s chest feel light. “I’m glad we found each other, then.”

They stayed by the lake until the sun had fully set, the sky fading into a deep, velvety blue dotted with stars. Eventually, they made their way back to the cabin, walking side by side in comfortable silence, the quiet of the night wrapping around them like a warm blanket.

=======

As the days passed, Y/N found herself looking forward to the quiet moments by the lake with Minji. They became a routine—an unspoken agreement that they’d meet there in the evenings, sharing conversations or just sitting in silence, watching the world go by.

The more they spent time together, the more Y/N found herself opening up. At first, it had been small things—stories about her friends back home, the summer plans she’d left behind, or complaints about the camp. But as the days turned into weeks, those small pieces turned into more personal ones. She shared her favorite books and the characters she loved most, the songs she listened to when she felt like the world was too loud, and her constant feeling of being out of place at camp, like she didn’t belong with the other campers who seemed to thrive in this environment.

Minji, in turn, shared her own stories. She told Y/N about her love for music—how it had always been a way for her to express herself when words failed. She talked about her family, her school, and how she often felt like she didn’t quite fit in, either. Despite how effortlessly Minji seemed to handle camp life, Y/N learned that Minji had her own moments of feeling like an outsider.

One night, after a particularly loud and lively campfire, they sneaked away from the group, retreating to their secluded spot by the lake. The faint flicker of the distant flames barely reached them, leaving the two of them wrapped in the gentle embrace of the night. Minji leaned back on her hands, her gaze fixed on the stars above, her dark eyes shimmering in the moonlight.

“You ever think about how small we are?” Minji’s voice was a soft murmur, like she was speaking a secret only meant for them.

Y/N followed her gaze, staring at the endless stretch of stars above them. “Like, in the universe?”

“Yeah. It’s kind of overwhelming, but also… freeing in a way. Like, all the things we worry about—they’re so small in the grand scheme of things.” Minji’s voice was thoughtful, soft, and Y/N found herself hanging on every word.

Y/N’s heart tightened as she listened, the quiet vulnerability in Minji’s words making her feel both comforted and exposed. “I never really thought about it that way,” she admitted. “But you’re right. It makes everything feel… lighter. Like nothing’s as heavy as it seems.”

Minji smiled, her eyes catching the faint starlight. “Exactly. It’s like, whatever happens, we’re just tiny specks in a vast universe. It doesn’t mean our problems don’t matter, but… it takes the pressure off, you know?”

Y/N nodded, though something in her chest tightened. She hadn’t expected to feel this way—not just about camp, but about Minji. The quiet moments they shared, the way Minji seemed to understand her without her having to explain herself—it was all new and unfamiliar.

“Exactly,” Minji whispered, her gaze lingering on Y/N for a moment longer. “It’s like, in the grand scheme of things, it’s okay if we don’t have all the answers. We’re just... small specks in a vast universe.”

Y/N’s breath caught as their eyes met, and for a moment, it felt like the world around them had disappeared. It was just them—the two of them, under a sky full of stars, sharing something that words couldn’t fully capture. A quiet intimacy hung between them, and Y/N felt a longing she hadn’t been prepared for.

As Y/N shifted slightly, her hand brushed against Minji’s, sending a small, unexpected jolt through her. Neither of them moved for a moment, the light touch lingering between them. Y/N glanced at Minji, who was gazing out at the water, a soft smile playing on her lips. She didn’t seem to notice—or maybe she did, and just didn’t mind. Either way, Y/N felt a strange comfort in the quiet connection.

=======

Weeks passed, and their bond deepened. Sometimes, they didn’t need to talk at all. They would just sit side by side, watching the water as the sun set, the comfortable silence between them speaking louder than words ever could. Y/N found herself growing more comfortable, more open, with each passing day. With Minji, it wasn’t about fitting in or pretending to be someone she wasn’t. For the first time that summer, Y/N felt like she could just be herself, and that was enough.

Y/N had stopped dreading every moment of camp. Minji made things bearable—and maybe even enjoyable. The quiet, understanding way Minji navigated camp life, avoiding the overly enthusiastic campers yet still managing to find joy, made Y/N rethink her attitude.

During one memorable evening at the campfire, as they roasted marshmallows alongside the other campers, Y/N glanced at Minji, who was laughing at something someone had said. The warm light from the fire flickered across Minji’s face, casting a halo of golden light around her, and in that moment, Y/N felt a shift. It wasn’t just that Minji had made camp bearable; she genuinely liked being around her—more than she had anticipated.

A warmth blossomed between them, one Y/N hadn’t felt in a long time. It enveloped her like the heat of the fire, igniting her heart with a longing that felt both exhilarating and daunting. She caught herself entranced by the way the firelight illuminated Minji’s features, the way it highlighted the delicate contours of her jaw and the playful glint in her eyes. Each laugh that bubbled up from Minji’s lips resonated deep within Y/N, creating a melody of joy that danced in the air around them.

As they sat side by side, roasting marshmallows and sharing whispered secrets, the gentle warmth of their closeness ignited a flutter of something new in her chest, a tender feeling that made her heart race and her breath hitch. The way Minji’s shoulder brushed against hers sent sparks through her skin, igniting a yearning that had lain dormant for too long.

As they walked back to the cabin in silence that night, Y/N felt a flutter of something new in her chest—something that scared her a little. She wasn’t sure if Minji felt the same, but the connection they had built over the summer was undeniable.

The summer stretched on, transforming what had begun as an unwanted obligation into something Y/N never expected: a season filled with connection, warmth, and perhaps even the beginning of something more between her and Minji. The camp hadn’t been the adventure she had wanted, but maybe it was the one she needed.

=======

On the final day of camp, Y/N found herself back on the bus, seated in her usual spot at the back, watching the scenery blur past the window. She hadn’t anticipated feeling this way—reluctant to leave, unsure of what came next. Camp had been the last thing she’d wanted, but now, with the bus pulling away, she found herself wishing for more time.

She pulled out her earbuds, ready to sink into her music and let the world disappear, when Minji appeared beside her, just as she had on the first day. This time, though, there was no hesitation in Minji’s smile.

“Mind if I sit here?” she asked, holding up her own pair of earbuds, a playful grin tugging at her lips.

Y/N glanced at the empty seat next to her and nodded, her heart thumping in her chest. “Go ahead.”

Minji slid into the seat, and instead of putting in her own earbuds, she leaned closer, her shoulder brushing against Y/N’s as she held out one of her earbuds. “Let’s share,” she said, her voice soft but filled with something deeper.

Y/N hesitated for a second, her mind racing, but then she took the earbud, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. They sat together, shoulders touching, as the music filled the space between them, and the bus rumbled down the road. The first day of camp had been marked by solitude, but now, as the summer came to a close, Y/N wasn’t alone anymore.

As they shared the music, the lyrics washing over them, Y/N’s heart swelled with the weight of everything unspoken between them. The summer had been unexpected, filled with moments she hadn’t anticipated—but sitting beside Minji now, their shared silence more meaningful than words, Y/N realized she wouldn’t trade any of it.

As the soft melodies filled the air, the world outside the window faded into a tapestry of lush green trees and shimmering lakes. The bus rolled away from Camp Bunnies, leaving behind the familiar cabins and laughter that had once felt so distant.

Y/N stole a glance at Minji, who was gazing out the window, the fading sunlight catching the highlights in her hair and illuminating her features with a warm glow. Their shoulders brushed lightly—a small but significant connection that sent a flutter through Y/N’s chest.

“Can you believe it’s over?” Minji mused, her voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might shatter the serene moment.

Y/N shook her head slowly, her heart swelling with a mix of nostalgia and warmth. “Not really. I thought I’d be counting down the days, but…” She paused, searching for the right words. “This summer turned out to be… different.”

Minji turned to her, and in that moment, something charged passed between them. The bus wound down the road, trees dancing in the breeze as the golden light began to fade, casting long shadows that intertwined like their stories.

“I didn’t expect to feel this way,” Minji admitted, her eyes holding Y/N’s gaze with an intensity that made Y/N’s heart race. “I thought I’d just be here for the experience, but I found something more.”

Y/N felt a swell of emotion as the realization struck her: she wasn’t leaving camp the same person she had been when she arrived. The summer that had once felt like a punishment had blossomed into something beautiful and unexpected—a connection that warmed her heart amidst the wilderness.

As the bus made its way home, the quiet hum of the engine accompanied their shared music, wrapping them in a cocoon of intimacy. Y/N knew that with Minji by her side, she wasn’t leaving alone. The road ahead was uncertain, but the bond they had forged under the open sky felt like a promise—an adventure waiting to unfold.

Minji glanced at her, as if reading her thoughts. “You know,” she said softly, her voice carrying a quiet certainty, “just because camp’s over doesn’t mean this has to end.”

Y/N turned to her, surprised by the confidence in her tone. “You think…?”

Minji nodded, her eyes warm and steady. “I know it will. We’ll figure it out—together. This is just the beginning.”

With the last rays of sunlight filtering through the trees, Y/N leaned slightly closer to Minji, feeling the warmth radiate between them. The shared earbuds, their shoulders brushing, created a delicate space that felt alive with possibility. The summer that had once felt like a punishment had turned into something completely unexpected. Instead of the isolation she had felt on the way there, Y/N now felt a quiet warmth next to her—something that made her realize she wasn’t leaving camp the same person she had been when she arrived.

And with Minji by her side, Y/N wasn’t leaving alone.

[newathens]

hiiii! i really love your new athens moodboards and i was curious on what you think camp half-blood would look like in new athens or just in general! the camp i envision in my mind is a mix between ancient greek architecture with an outdoorsy, rustic feel (if that even makes sense lol) and since you're the only person that i've seen who's been able to capture that vibe really well i was wondering if you had any specific thoughts or headcanons?

hi! apologies for the late reply & thank u for the compliment omg 💞 makes me feel so proud

i would say you got it right. chb is a mix of ancient greek architecture and a sleep-away camp. for me personally though, in the context of the series, i’ve often pictured the aesthetic of chb as an older ‘vintage’ camp. something from the 60s or 70s that’s been forgotten, needs updating and has remained mostly untouched. due to the lack of demigods in the latter half of the 20th century, and dionysus’ disinterest, it probably has seen a record low in attendance across the centuries. old wooden tables, wood interior paneling, squeaking ceiling fans. and then of course, all of this is woven into the pre-existing ancient architecture, because that’s what it was built on.

i do love this depiction, even though it’s kind of the opposite of what i just said. it has such an otherworldly feeling and is reminiscent of an ancient greek city. also @roxxelll doesn’t post a ton here anymore but they have amazing chb work if you sift through their tags, just incredible. and i love those as well

one specific headcanon i’ve always had is that when dionysus leaves, the design of the big house will change. maybe not the outside, but definitely the inside. i think dionysus brought his influence along with him when he was put in charge, so we’ve never seen what the big house genuinely looks like.

and lastly, though this is just me talking, i have a pet peeve abt the poseidon cabin never being depicted correctly. i do really like both the movie and the tv version, but i’m always going to be sad we’ll never get the low, shell encrusted cabin by the sea.

[tinyhomes1]

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[noisycowboyglitter]

"Vintage Bear Hug for Beer: Rustic Graphic Tee for Everyday Style"

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This graphic would appeal to beer enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, and those who appreciate vintage aesthetics. It's the kind of design you might see on t-shirts, bar decor, craft brewery merchandise, or as wall art in a cozy cabin. The "Bear Hug For Beer" concept cleverly marries the comfort of a warm embrace with the simple pleasure of enjoying a cold brew, all wrapped up in a visually appealing, nostalgia-inducing package.

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[paroliro]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Sherpa Lined Shirt Buffalo Plaid Red Black Jacket Shacket Size Small Rustic

[kilmori]

Deer Head Wall Mount

Kilmori’s deer head wall mount is a decorative piece, often crafted from materials like resin or wood, designed to mimic a deer's head. It adds a rustic, outdoorsy charm to interiors, making it a popular choice for cabin or lodge-style decor.https://kilmori.com/collections/animal-trophy

[lunalovgood]

Features of Cabin Beds You Want To Look For

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One thing that you will want to make sure that you find is a cabin bed that is made out of a good type of wood. There are a lot of different ones to choose from such as oak, cherry, or pine cabin beds that will make the inside of your cabin look nice. Choosing a strong type of wood will ensure that the beds you choose will last for a long time and will not need to be replaced very often.

Another feature you will want to look for is a great looking style for the beds that you are going to purchase. Since you are putting the beds into your cabin you will want to purchase ones that will give your cabin a great rustic look, and ones that will fit in with the overall theme of your cabin. There are some styles available that look like they are made of tree logs that will give your cabin a great outdoorsy look on the inside. Of course, if the inside of your cabin has a different theme such as contemporary then you will want to try to find beds that will fit in with that look.

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[electronicwanderings]

April snow is okay when you’re in Vermont

[queen-haq]

Fic: A Woman Reborn - Part 23

Pairing: Billy Russo X Reader (from A Woman Scorned)

Rating: R / 18+ only

A/N: This is a sequel to A Woman Scorned and takes place a few years after the events of AWS.

MasterList (includes links to AWS and previous chapters here)

Summary: You and Billy are happily married when tragedy strikes, jeopardizing your relationship and everything you two have built together. Can the two of you find your way back to each other or is the special bond you once shared broken forever?

PART 23

The horror movie on Netflix wasn’t half-bad but your attention was fixated on Billy. He was on the ground, doing push-ups, back muscles flexing with every contraction, skin glistening with sweat. While you watched him he watched the screen, and it was starting to piss you off.

Four days the two of you had been stuck in the cabin, trapped in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to do. While you and Billy had done the rustic cabin thing before, it had always been on weekends – and the two of you spent most of it having sex. But this wasn’t a vacation, and there was no sex. Billy kept his distance, you were still physically recovering, and the only physical contact that happened was when the two of you inadvertently clung to each other in your sleep.

If ever you harbored any illusions about living a simple life in the middle of nowhere, the last few days had broken it. You were a city girl through and through. You liked the fast pace, the chaos of the crowds, living in a city filled with people from all parts of the world. You liked the rush of a demanding career and living the life you struggled so hard to build. And you knew without a doubt Billy felt the same way. He thrived in the hustle, making money, living in the fast lane.

When the two of you first started living together, you wondered if your ambitious natures would create a rift. Instead, it brought you even closer. Carving out time together amidst your busy schedules didn’t happen by accident - it was through deliberate design.  At times that meant turning down lucrative contracts and opportunities for both of you, but that’s what was required to make the relationship work. Business trips were difficult, but you guys worked it out so that you weren’t apart for more than a week at a time. The sex was great afterwards, that wasn’t a surprise, but it was each other’s company you craved more than anything else.

The two of you used to be able to talk about anything, and now here you were, secluded together, and you barely exchanged any words. It reaffirmed all your doubts and fears. Too much had changed. All that love and intensity that once existed was gone. The realisation hurt your heart, made your insides twist with so much agony that it almost rivalled the physical pain you experienced from being tortured.

Billy stood up, bringing you out of your reverie. You noted the way his jaw clenched, how tense he was around you. Tears stung the back of your eyes but you didn’t want to cry in front of him. You got up, strolled over to the door, and slid into your boots before trying to wear your jacket. Not exactly easy to do with your hands bandaged.

“Where you going?”

“For a walk.”

“I’ll come with.”

You turned to face him. “You don’t look like you want to be around me.”

An irritated expression masked his face. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

You exhaled a resigned sigh. “Can we not? I just want some fresh air.”

“I’m not letting you wander around by yourself. So either I go with or you don’t go at all.”

“Really getting off on controlling me, aren’t you?” you bit out through clenched teeth.

He sneered at you, dark eyes flashing anger. “Oh yeah, worrying about keeping you safe 24/7 is getting me all hard.”

“Fuck off!”

You stormed out, muttering to yourself. It was cold outside but not the kind of chill that cut through to your bones. It felt good to breathe it in, to walk through the beautiful grounds with trees covered in snow and appreciate nature. Maybe you weren’t an outdoorsy person but there was something calming about the whole experience. Hearing the snow crunch behind you, you looked over at your shoulder to see Billy following behind you. He had on a dark beanie that covered his hair, nose red with cold, hands tucked into his pocket. Far cry from the man who shot up a warehouse to save you. You continued on your trail.

After several minutes, you stopped in your tracks and turned back to face him. “You can walk beside me if you want.”

He swaggered closer, a smirk playing across his lips. “Not gonna bite my head off?”

“Not yet.”

Next to you now, you both continued to follow the trail into the woods. Neither of you spoke, but unlike in the cabin there wasn’t awkwardness this time. “We used to be able to talk about everything,” you said softly.

He cast you a sidelong glance. “And we can’t now?”

You shrugged your shoulders. “You’ve barely spoken to me in the past few days. That never happened when we used to go away.”

“We spent our vacations fucking not talking.”

You rolled your eyes, shaking your head in exasperation.

“Maybe I’m not in a mood to talk,” he said quietly, staring straight ahead. “Maybe I’m so fucking worried about something happening to you that I’m barely hanging on.”

You stole a quick look at him. His eyes were dark with worry, face solemn. Guilt surged through you; you hadn’t realized he was still concerned but of course he was. You remembered his overprotective instincts all too well. After the relationship became serious, that streak went into overdrive and you had to talk him off the ledge many, many times. “I know you’ve been talking to your contacts. Any word about Fisk? Is he onto us?”

He shook his head. “No. I mean, there’s tons of shit going on. He’s not taking the warehouse burning thing lying down, but he’s got tons of enemies to focus on. We’re not on his radar.”

“Then you don’t have to worry.”

Billy turned to look at you, his gaze roaming over your face. “I’m not taking any chances.”

Silence followed, the only sound being the light wind that had started to blow.  

“When do you think we can go back?” you asked.

There was a long pause before he answered. “Not for a while.”

“But you just said-”

“I was gonna go after Karen when Krista called me. By now she must’ve found out about Cerberus.”

Your heart lurched, remembering the wild goose chase you sent Karen on. She wouldn’t have found anything, but of course Billy didn’t know that.

“She’s probably told Frank all about it now. So it’s not just Fisk I gotta worry about.”

“There’s nothing for Karen to find.”

He stilled, his arm curving around your elbow. “You sent her to Florida.”

You stared up at him. “I did. At first I was hellbent on having her find the truth and tell Frank.” Hurt loomed over his face, causing your stomach to coil with anxiety. “But then I couldn’t go through with it. As much as I hated you, I couldn’t do that to you. So I destroyed everything before she could find it.”

“Because you still love me.”

There was pain in his eyes but there was also a flicker of hope, hope that you didn’t want to feel, even as it emanated from him and reverberated through you, making your heart flutter. That tug of intensity grew strong, palpable, pulling you to him emotionally, overriding your defenses. You glanced away, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. You started walking back to the cabin, your heart pounding in your chest. Earlier you were lamenting about the loss of intensity in your relationship but you’d forgotten how all-consuming it could be, how it fed and strengthened the connection you two shared. The same bond that brought you so much ecstasy and happiness when things were good, and completely shattered you when he turned against you after the accident.

Could you really risk falling so hard again?  To open yourself up so fully that when things didn’t work out you would inevitably find yourself drowning in despair? Somehow you managed to finagle yourself back together after the last time but what if he broke your heart again? There was no way you could bounce back, you weren’t that resilient.

You climbed up the porch stairs and headed for the door.

“You asked why I’m staying away.”

Billy’s voice made you tremble as you turned around to face him. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the porch, his dark gaze piercing through you.

“’Cause I don’t know how to be around you without touching you.”

His voice was husky, filled with raw need as he slowly and deliberately stalked forward. “All I fucking want is you. Every hour, every minute. You’re in here.” He tapped the side of his temple. “And here.” He tapped his heart. “You want space, but the only way I can do that is by not looking at you. Because when I see you…” His voice dropped to a whisper as he closed the distance and pressed up against you, trapping you against the door. “I can’t control myself. You drive me fucking crazy, you always have. And I want to invade every fucking inch of you until there’s no you or me, just us.”

You stared up at him, swallowing the lump in your throat as his breath hummed against your cheeks. His close proximity was playing havoc with your mind, heart thundering like it was ready to explode out of your chest.

“But it scares you, this side of me. It always has.”

A sharp breath escaped you when he cradled your face.

“You wish I was normal, don’t you? Someone safe, someone who doesn’t obsess over you.” Hurt saturated his words, anger unfurling in his tone. His breath grew ragged, his hands more desperate as they travelled down from your face to the length of your body, gentle yet demanding as his fingers encircled your hips. “You’ve had a taste of normal and that’s what you fucking want now. But that’s not me. It’ll never be me.”

You shook your head. “I knew who you were since the very beginning.” You glared up at him, daring him to hold your gaze. “The crazy part of you that stalked me and bugged my phone calls and beat up my exes and all that other messy shit you pulled never scared me.”

“No?” he murmured, resting his forehead on yours.

“No.”

“Then why did we fight over that shit?”

“Because you’d try and hide it except you were never that slick.”

He sent you a smile, one that started off as cocky but then shifted to something more pensive, vulnerability eclipsing his molten dark eyes. He was the only one who could disarm you with simply a look, push you to reveal all of your emotions so you were left completely exposed and defenseless. Even now, you were still filled with doubts while still yearning for him. Needing respite, you closed your eyes to him.

“Then tell me what scares you.”

The desperate urgency in his voice made your insides tremble. Tears stung your eyes but you refused to open them and meet his gaze. “It’s the same thing that’s always scared me. That you’ll break my fucking heart.” A wrenching sob escaped you. “And you did, Billy. You broke me.”

You refused to look at him. Not even when he cradled your cheeks, his lips tracing the trail of tears, murmuring soft, sincere apologies, his beard prickling your skin as he held you close. You were so tired and spent from holding it together, of guarding your heart at all times from him. It was exhausting and you were done and you didn’t want to do it anymore.

When he guided you inside you didn’t fight, allowing him to remove your coat and shoes before taking you to the couch and draping you over his lap. His hand caressed through your hair while you clung to him, the other rubbing circles on your thigh.

It was a long while before either of you spoke again, your head tucked into the corner of his neck.

“You think you’ll ever trust me again?”

That was the million dollar question, wasn’t it? And one you didn’t have an answer to. “I don’t know.”

“What can I do?”

You could sense his panic in the way his hands dug into your skin, how distressed he was even though he was trying to appear calm in front of you. You wished you could say comforting words that would reassure him but there was no point; it would be a lie.  “Right now I just need you to hold me.” It wouldn’t solve anything, but it was what you wanted from him.

“I can do that.”

For a long time you two sat there embracing each other, with you occasionally dropping tender kisses on the base of his throat. He hadn’t shaved since the two of you came to the cabin, and you liked the feel of his thicker facial hair, running your fingers along his beard. He stroked your back, clinging to you, like he was afraid to let you go. It reminded you of when you weren’t feeling well or on your period and he would hug you to make you feel better. It was the daily gestures of affection you missed the most, the little things he would do to make your life easier rather than grand romantic acts. “Where would be right now if things hadn’t gotten messed up?”

You felt the weariness in him as he shifted on the couch, bringing you to lie down next to him. Head balanced on his elbow, he hovered over you with his other hand resting on your chest. “It’s not the future I think about anymore.” He paused, his gaze interlocked with yours. “If I could, I’d go back to the past, to that night of the accident. I wouldn’t leave, I’d stay glued right next to you.”

His words broke your heart. You had re-lived that night of the accident so many times, blamed yourself over and over again for insisting he run errands, imagined a million different scenarios where it had been you that decided to leave rather than him –

“I lost everything that night.”

Eyes welled with tears, you reached up to touch his face. Your fingers traced over his scars, wishing there was some way you could make him whole again. He closed his eyes, breathing you in as if consumed by you. Despite all the pain and heartbreak of the past few years, you couldn’t bear to see him so hopeless. “Billy, you have your life back. You have Anvil.”

“None of it means anything without you.”

His despair tugged at you, the devastation in his dark eyes tearing through your soul. You could deal with his anger, but the agonizing grief in his voice wasn’t something you could argue against. “Billy,” you urged softly. “You can be happy again. You were fine before we got together.”

A bittersweet smile curved over his face. “Fine.” He shook his head, snickering. “Yeah, that’s what I was. Just cruising through life. Chasing money and tail.” The smile on his face faded, emotions brimming in the deep pools of his gaze as he centered his focus on you. “I didn’t know what it meant to happy until I fell in love with you.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat, trying not to cry. “Billy-”

“It’s not the same for you, I know,” he said with resigned sadness. “You want to move on with your life. You wanna be happy without me-”

“Because too much has happened!” you protested, your voice cracking. “It took everything I had to get over you!” you insisted, shaking your head. The depth of betrayal and loss you’d experienced had left it’s mark on you permanently, you were terrified of taking that kind of risk again. You couldn’t.

Billy didn’t argue with you. Instead, he took your hand and brought it to his lips, placing a warm kiss on your flesh. “You’re scared to love me again.”

You bit down on your bottom lip, not wanting to speak.

“And I’m fucking terrified of not loving you,” he murmured. “So I guess we’re at an impasse.”

“Maybe our future together isn’t what we imagined but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Maybe we could-”

“Be friends?” He sneered, mocking you. “And do what? Talk on the phone?”

You yelped when he firmly trapped your hands over your head, caging your face in between. His eyes seemed to come alive suddenly, glinting with menace and anger as he ground down on you, making you acutely aware of every fucking inch of him. “Is that what you want, sugar? Gossip about the losers you’ll fuck?”

You knew it was a stupid idea to taunt him but the possessive part of him had a way of driving you crazy. Seeing him unravel with jealousy was how you first realized he actually cared about you, and that still remained true. Jutting your chin out, you glared up at him defiantly. “I won’t be fucking losers, babe.”

Somehow his pitch-black eyes appeared even darker, his lips breaking into a cheshire cat like smile. “That’s right, sweetheart. You won’t be fucking anyone. ‘Cause I’ll be right there with you, every step of the way, cockblocking anyone who tries to touch you.”

Palpable desire coursed through you as the friction of his jean-clad knee rubbed between your thighs. You could feel his hard-on, your body aching to take him in - but you weren’t ready to give in quiet yet. “You can’t watch my every move, Billy. If I want to fuck random strangers, there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” You feigned a saccharine-sweet smile. “I’ll find a way. I always do.”

“Then I’ll just have to kill anyone who comes near you,” he rasped. His one hand locked down on both of your wrists while the other encircled your neck. His grip was loose, stroking your skin, his eyes holding you captive. “But that won’t be a problem, right? ‘cause you love that about me, don’t you sweetheart?” You trembled as his hand unwrapped from around your neck and trailed down your chest. Despite the thick layer of the sweater you were wearing, you felt his touch sear your skin, making your body tremble.

“I never said I loved it,” you argued back. “Just that I accepted it.”

His smile grew more wicked, daring, as he pulled up your sweater and gathered it around your chest. The cold air in the room provided much needed respite from the heat of his touch until his fingers smoothed over your breasts, tweaking your hardened nipples over your t-shirt bra. Your underwear was far from sexy but the way his eyes gleamed with hunger as he gazed down at you made you feel like you were wearing some exquisite lace lingerie.

“Your tits…” his voice was filled with breathless wonder, like he was seeing you for the first time. Like you were the most beautiful thing he ever saw. “You’re fucking beautiful.”

His mouth closed over your right nipple, sucking on the hardened nub over the fabric of the bra. You squirmed, moaning loudly as Billy devoured your boobs, alternating between them after he removed your bra, moulding your breasts between his hands and worshipping them with his lips.

His grip on you eased, his free hand stroking its way down to your pussy, brushing your cunt in that oh-so-tantalizing way that had you jumping off the couch if not for the weight of Billy’s body weighing you down. You wanted more from him, needed more, his mouth and hands not enough. “Billy, please-”

“Please what?” he growled. He looked up from your left boob, eyes burning bright with passion. He rubbed his beard on your tender skin, eliciting a guttural moan from you. “What do you want, babe?”

“Fuck me!”

“You want my cock, love? Want me inside your sweet, wet cunt so you can squeeze me so hard I lose my fucking mind? Is that how you want it?”

“Yes!” you bit out impatiently, circling your legs around his ass, locking him in place.

He sent you an arrogant smile, full of smugness as he placed tiny, fluttery kisses on your soft belly, dipping his tongue into your navel, sliding down inch by inch. A sharp breath escaped your mouth as he slipped his fingers underneath your tights and past your cotton panties, gliding along your seam, arcing inside you in just the way you liked. You tugged at his arms, coming undone as you begged for more. Before you lost your mind he knelt between your legs, moving his hand to the buttons on his jeans. You moved up to help him-

-when he suddenly moved away from the couch.

Bewildered, you stared after him as he swaggered to the bathroom. “Billy?”

He shut the door behind him, oblivious to you.

Infuriated, you got off the couch and stormed over to the bathroom. Finding it locked, you started banging on the door. The shower turned on the next second.

What the fuck? What the hell was going on?

You started pacing back and forth, trying to calm down.

It was a few minutes before the shower stopped. Soon the bathroom door opened and Billy stood there, towel wrapped around his waist, damp skin and lean muscles aching to be touched. You gave yourself a mental shake, refusing to get distracted. “What the hell was that?”

He smiled. Crossing his arms, he leaned on the doorway. “I realized something,” he drawled in an insolent tone.

“What?”

“I have one trump card in this whole thing and I plan to use it.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

He sauntered forward, arrogant and beautiful as he came to a stop in front of you. You tried not to let his close proximity affect you but it proved to be impossible when he peered at you with his gorgeous face.

“You want me, sweetheart. And I want you. But we’re not gonna fuck until you’re ready to be my wife again.”

To be continued...

A/N - Thanks for your patience and bearing with me. If you’re still reading, thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the conclusion of this universe. I would say about 2-3 more chapters to go.

Also, just wanted to draw attention to this wonderful anon who gifted me lovely fanart. You can see it here. Please leave them a kind word!

[hufflepuffhermione]

from the drabble list 23 “I immediately regret this decision.” if you feel like it!!

This got LONG. I know that’s what happens with everything I ever write, but this got long even for me. But I hope you enjoy it. It’s set in the summer between S3 and S4.

The Oval Office is a dangerous place. Life or death decisions are made in the room every day, and a briefly floated idea can quickly become policy before all of the words are even out. One the President has an idea set in his head, it’s difficult to talk him out of it.

Unfortunately for everyone, Toby and Josh fail to recognize the present dangers.

It’s a staff meeting outlining upcoming campaign events and the changes to the policy calendar; nothing out of the ordinary or particularly monumental, but when there’s something to do with national parks, there is always an element of risk.

“Will someone tell me why I’m going to Montana in a few weeks? If I know my electoral math, and I think I do, they’ve got all of three votes and they usually go to the other guy,” President Bartlet says, looking up from behind his reading glasses.

There’s a look exchanged between the senior staff, but Josh swallows and answers. “Sir, it’s the… the opening of Big Sky National Park.”

The President pauses. “That’s not a national park. I would know, I’ve been to all of them.”

Again, more glances. Josh clears his throat awkwardly and continues. “Yes sir, but this is the one that you signed an order to establish a few years ago. In Montana. They’re finally opening it to the public, and you’re going to be there at the opening with the Secretary of the Interior.”

“Ah, right, I did do that,” Bartlet says, smiling. “You know, I do love national parks.”

“We’re aware, sir,” Toby says dryly.

President Bartlet puts down the schedule he’s been looking at and meets Toby’s iron gaze. “Well Toby, tell me? What’s the best national park you’ve been to?”

Toby mutters something under his breath, and when he’s asked to repeat it, his voice takes on an edge. “I’ve never been to one,” he admits.

Mistake number one.

“You’re telling me you’re about to write a speech for me about the glories of the national park system, and you’ve never even been to one?” the President asks incredulously.

“Well, I was going to make Sam do it,” Toby admits.

“What, is this below your pay grade?”

Toby would be rolling his eyes if he weren’t in the Oval Office. “No, sir, but I figured California boy here has been outside a few more times in his life than I have.”

“Is this true, Sam?”

Sam shrugs. “I guess. My parents weren’t really outdoorsy types, but we went to the Grand Canyon once. So I guess I’m ahead of Toby on that score.”

“And the rest of you? Have you all had the opportunity to experience the wonder that is American national parks?”

Josh and CJ glance at each other warily. Leo volunteers the information of a few he’s had a chance to visit, but when the President’s gaze rests on CJ, she stammers, “I made plans to go to Yosemite when I was in grad school, but I… I don’t think I made it there.”

Before the President can comment on CJ’s admission, Josh chimes in. “Frankly, sir, there aren’t any national parks easily accessible from where I’ve lived, so…”

This is mistake number two.

“Nonsense,” the President exclaims. “Shenandoah is just an hour and a half from here! You’ve lived in DC how long and you still haven’t…” He breaks off, and a dangerous smile spreads across his face. “Josh, do you remember when I suggested we take a staff field trip to Shenandoah?”

“I didn’t think you were serious, sir,” Josh replies, gulping.

“I wasn’t then, but if Toby and Sam are going to be writing a speech for me about the wonders of national parks, on the anniversary of the day which, by the way, the National Park Service was established, you really ought to have some experience visiting national parks,” the President says. “Do you all have anything going on this weekend? Doesn’t matter, I can raise it to the level of an executive order and everyone you have to cancel on will just have to deal with it. We’re going on a field trip.”

The door opens behind them, and it’s Donna standing there. “I’m sorry sir, am I interrupting something?”

“Not at all,” Josh answers with relief.

“I just needed Josh for…”

“Donnatella,” the President interrupts, smiling at her. “How would you like to go on a national park expedition?”

Donna looks at him, wide-eyed. “Well, sir, I do appreciate a good national park. I’m not sure I can say no… can I say no?”

And there’s the third mistake.

“Well, Donna, pack your outdoor things, because you’re going camping this weekend,” the President says gleefully. “I’ll get my guys to arrange all of this.”

“Do you need Josh? He’s needed in a meeting with legislative affairs right now,” Donna says. “They only have twenty minutes before the vote.”

Josh immediately stands up as the President waves him off. “You shouldn’t have come in,” he hisses to Donna, as they walk down the hallway towards his office. “You should have just called. You might have avoided getting roped into this nonsense.

“Well, I immediately regret this decision, but… is he serious?”

“He’s started making plans and everything,” Josh says. “But hey, if I’m forced to go camping, at least you’ll be forced to go too.”

Donna rolls her eyes. “You’re a horrible, horrible man.”

“Yeah, but I sign your paychecks.”

“I had plans!” she whines.

Josh laughs as he turns towards his office to pick up a file. “Haven’t you learned never to make weekend plans? And never to indulge the President when he’s in one of these moods?”

“Believe me, I’m regretting all of this.”

—

“As it turns out,” the President says on a Friday morning staff meeting, “I can’t go to Shenandoah. That would require the Secret Service to shut down the whole park, and even then, there’s nothing they can do about the bears.”

An audible sigh of relief falls across the staff, but it doesn’t last long when he continues, “I’ve arranged transportation and reserved a couple of cabins for you all. You’re leaving at 6am sharp tomorrow morning, and they’ll have you back by Sunday night.”

“Sir… is this… serious?” Sam hazards.

“Serious as the deficit,” the President replies with a grin. “You’re going to experience a real national park.”

“And if we just… happened to be sick tomorrow?” Josh asks.

President Bartlet shakes his head and laughs. “I wouldn’t believe you, since you’ve never taken a sick day you weren’t forced to take. I’d send my guys over to your apartment and have them throw you in the van. Face it, Josh, you’re going to see the great outdoors.”

Toby rests his head in his hands. “Please someone just kill me now.”

“Come on, Toby, you’ll love it!”

“Sir, I’m pretty sure I have to brief this weekend, so I think…” CJ begins to argue.

“You have highly competent deputies, let them handle it,” the President deflects. “6am sharp. Be here, or the Secret Service will be making visits to your places. And they do know where you live.”

—

After a two-hour drive which everyone spent asleep, they are unceremoniously deposited at a campsite with a fire pit and two cabins which might generously be described as ‘rustic’. The August heat that has settled over DC is only marginally lessened by elevation.

“Well this is… something,” Sam remarks, taking a peek inside one of the spartan cabins, which contains nothing but wooden bunks and an ancient-looking table.

“There aren’t any bathrooms,” Toby comments with barely restrained fury. “What are we supposed to do, go in the woods?”

Donna shrugs, wondering, once again, how she got roped into this. “That’s how we usually do it when I went camping as a kid. Sometimes they had a bathroom at the site, but it doesn’t look like they do at this one.”

“You’ve been camping?” Josh asks incredulously.

“Yeah. We’d go camping in the Wisconsin Dells most years, and once in a while we’d go to Minnesota or the UP,” Donna replies offhandedly.

“The UP?” Toby asks.

“Upper Peninsula of Michigan,” Sam corrects, always glad to make a geographic contribution.

Josh picks up a large plastic tub that was left with them, filled with camping food, and begins to walk toward one of the cabins. “Well, at least Donna knows what we’re doing.��

“Didn’t you claim to be an outdoorsman?” CJ asks, quirking an eyebrow. “I’d like to see you prove it.”

He drops the tub and rubs his eye. “I mean… I was on some drugs then, so I’m not sure I can be held liable…”

“You were not on any drugs, Josh, or else I wouldn’t have let you have alcohol,” Donna corrects.

“I was on the drug that was being outside after three months of miserable confinement!”

Donna and CJ share a glance. “Well, I think this is the perfect opportunity for you to demonstrate your outdoorsy prowess. You can lead our hike.”

“Hey, no one said anything about hiking!” Josh completely ignores the tub and stalks over to where CJ and Donna are standing with the rest of the supplies, almost tripping over a branch as he does so.

“It’s in the President’s executive order. He set us an agenda,” Donna declares, waving around a piece of paper that does, in fact, include the presidential seal.

“There’s no way he used an actual executive…”

Josh is cut off by Sam, who snatches the paper out of Donna’s hands with a “Let me see that!” He reads the paper quickly, frowning as he does. “Yeah, he wants us to take three different hikes. There are maps attached to it. Also, he’s set some time aside for Toby and I to… extol the virtues of nature and apply it to our speechwriting?”

“And we wonder why nothing gets done in this country!” Toby throws his hands in the air. “I can extol the virtues of nature perfectly well without having to actually…you know… go out in nature!”

Josh takes a look at the schedule over Sam’s shoulder. “He’s really given us specific times to start each hike?”

“Including one at 5:30 in the morning so we can catch the sunrise over the mountains,” Donna notes.

“Well I’d like to catch a few hours of sleep for once.” CJ rolls her eyes and picks up her duffel bag. “Think we can blow this off?”

Sam presses his lips together. “Um… he’s going to know if we do.”

“Why?”

“Because he left the Secret Service agents here to ‘keep an eye on us’,” Sam says, jerking his head toward the van which they came in, which is parked in a clearing in the woods. “Ostensibly it’s so we don’t die when Josh forgets he’s not actually an outdoorsman, but he’s definitely spying on us.”

Josh rubs his forehead and sighs heavily. “You couldn’t have just lied and said you have a great appreciation for national parks, Toby?”

“If I said I’d been to one, he would have interrogated me about it!” Toby shouts. “I was cornered!”

“You were the one who came up with the idea to establish this new national park,” CJ says, nudging Josh’s side, “so I hold you responsible.”

“God help me for winning a political battle and doing some good for the country at the same time,” Josh replies, rolling his eyes. “That was almost three years ago! Why should I have known it would backfire like this?”

Donna sighs heavily and picks up her bag. “I’m seriously regretting coming out here with any of you.”

“If you had just called the Oval instead of coming in…”

“Yeah, yeah,” she says. “CJ, what do you say to the cabin on the right? I looked inside and I think there are fewer bugs in that one.”

“Please,” CJ says. “I’m grateful I have at least one other member of the Sisterhood here.”

Sam and Josh give each other a look. “I guess we’d better move into the bug-infested cabin,” Sam remarks.

“They’re both bug-infested, but the one on the right is just… less bug-infested,” Donna shouts back, as she heads into the small cabin.

“Well, Mr. Outdoorsman,” Sam says to Josh, “what now?”

Josh rubs the bridge of his nose. “If I wasn’t on drugs, I was under the influence of alcohol—which I hadn’t had in three months—so you know, I can’t be held liable for what I said then.”

Sam quirks an eyebrow as he picks up his duffel bag. “You do have a law degree, don’t you?”

“Don’t remind me.”

—

It’s another hour before all of the stuff in moved into cabins and everyone is seated on logs around the unlit fire pit, unsure of what to do next. It’s Donna, naturally, who has a handle on the schedule.

“Now, the President has recommended we do a short hike before the heat of the day really kicks in, and that one takes off from that trailhead over there.” She points toward a small clearing in the woods with a ragged wood sign marking the head. “It leads to a lake, so he suggests taking a dip to cool off before heading back, so maybe put something to swim in here in your daypack.”

Josh furrows his brow. “Wait, wait, wait. We’re not really doing this, are we? Following this ridiculous schedule, doing all these…”

“Just because you can’t follow a schedule doesn’t mean we shouldn’t,” Donna replies. “And do you really want to defy the President of the United States?”

“Well, if he’s making us go hiking… and swimming,” Toby growls. “I told him, I have a healthy appreciation for the outdoors, but I prefer to be far, far away from them.”

Donna stands up. “Well I, for one, am not going to defy the President, and I think when he asks you very specific details about the hikes, you might want to have some answers for him. Come on, the sooner we get started the less heat we’ll have to deal with.”

“Because this isn’t bad enough?” CJ asks, wiping her brow. The humidity is already oppressive even at nine in the morning.

“Come on California girl,” Toby teases, “aren’t you used to this?”

In unison, Sam and CJ respond with, “It’s a dry heat!”

Josh pulls several files out of his backpack, carries them back to the cabin, and sighs. “It’s going to be a long day.”

—

Donna isn’t sure who does the most complaining in the mile and a half hike. Josh probably complains the most audibly, but there’s something to be said for Toby’s constant glares at everything that constitutes nature and Sam’s intentional, hefty sighs at every single step. CJ is quiet about her discontent, but she doesn’t seem particularly happy either.

Perhaps they really did need an opportunity to learn how to appreciate nature.

The hike isn’t all too steep, although you wouldn’t know that from the way Josh and Toby are panting when they finally reach the swimming hole the President indicated in his instructions.

“Here it is,” Donna says with a smile. The water is set up against a cliff edge, and there are thin streams falling over the edge. It’s really an idyllic place, but none of the staffers seem particularly enthralled.

Still, they’re all hot and sweaty, and so Sam pulls off his shirt and wades into the water, and CJ follows. Toby grumbles, but the prospect of cooling off is too great for him to resist.

Donna is about to take a dip when she notices Josh’s hesitation to go in. He sits at the edge, dipping his toes in, but not looking as if he will go any further.

“Don’t want to swim?”

He shrugs. “Someone has to watch our stuff. You know, because of the bears. Or the tourists. They’re probably Republican tourists, in this part of Virginia.”

She looks at him critically. “Josh… Do you know how to swim?”

“I grew up in Connecticut, of course I know how to swim!” he snaps. “I just don’t want to!” There’s sweat beading on his forehead. There’s no way he doesn’t want to swim.

Donna frowns and takes a seat next to him, dipping her toes in as well. “Why not?”

Josh looks straight ahead at his own soaking feet. “I don’t have another shirt in my pack,” he says quietly.

“Well then, take it…” she begins, and then she sees something in his eyes. He’s still self-conscious about his bare chest. She grabs his hand and smiles at him. “It’s fine. I’ve seen it before.”

Josh shakes his head. “They haven’t.”

“They’re not going to care,” Donna assures him. “They were all there. They don’t need an explanation.” She briefly wonders if he ever had to explain it to Amy.

“Yeah,” he says, his face still grim.

She tugs on his sleeve gently. “Anyway, you’re going to be neck-deep in there anyway, so if you dive in fast, no one will even see anything.”

“I guess,” Josh says.

“I’m not going to go in if you don’t, and I really want to go in, so I’ll be rather upset with you if you don’t go in,” Donna threatens.

He lifts an eyebrow. “So this is on me now?”

“It’s your call,” she challenges.

In one smooth motion, he tears off his shirt and pulls Donna up into his arms, holding her against his chest and taking a few steps into the water. She shrieks as he drops her in a deeper part of the swimming hole. “That good enough for you?” he asks with a grin.

“You shouldn’t be doing that,” she chides, although there’s a smile on her face too. “You’re a cruel man.”

He splashes her with quite a bit of force. “You asked for it. I’m just trying to be an outdoorsman.”

--

Sam practically has to be dragged out of the water, but as the sun nears its high point, everyone agrees that they sooner they get back to the camp, the better. They manage to make it back faster, thanks to the downhill slope and Toby’s urgency to get back to something even slightly resembling civilization.

“What’s on the schedule now?” CJ asks through a bite of the pre-packed sandwiches that the President sent with them. A good thing, too, since none of them are fantastic cooks even in normal circumstances, and certainly none of them know how to cook over a fire.

Donna pulls the piece of paper out of her daypack and skims it. “Well, there’s a couple choices until our second hike at 6. Either working on the speech, or as he puts it, taking a Thoreau-like approach to extolling the virtues of nature…”

“He’s really going to put me through all of this and then tell me to emulate Thoreau?” Toby interrupts indignantly. “That pretentious mother—“

Josh raises an eyebrow and cuts Toby off with a, “So how about those of us who are under any circumstances not allowed to touch the President’s speeches?”

“We ask for your input when we need it, Josh, it’s just… you’re not the most eloquent of writers,” Sam tries to say diplomatically. Toby, still fuming, nods in agreement.

Josh rolls his eyes. “I like to be direct. Sue me.”

“See, that kind of attitude in speechwriting is what gets the President sued,” Toby shoots back.

Donna clears her throat, giving a barely concealed glare to the staffers before her. “Anyway, Josh, in answer to your question, he suggested you could take a nap.”

His brow furrowed, Josh lets out a little snort. “A nap? What is this, kindergarten?”

“Sometimes I think so.” This from CJ, who hasn’t managed to get her head out of her hands in several minutes.

“I remember a time when you were extolling the virtues of naps to me,” Donna says sweetly, folding up the schedule and putting it back in her bag.

Josh sighs and leans back into the log he’s sitting against dramatically. “Can everyone please stop using the things I said while I was on many, many drugs that made me kind of loopy against me?”

“Never, mi amor,” CJ says, standing up and patting his shoulder. “I’m going to take advantage of the once chance I’ll ever get in this administration to take a nap. Any interest in joining me, Tobias?” she asks with a smirk.

Toby raises an eyebrow. “No, because I have to emulate a pretentious dick who thought he knew everything about nature because he was living in the backyard of his in-laws.”

“I quite enjoy Thoreau, actually,” Sam begins to interrupt.

“Of course you do,” Toby says with a sigh, pulling out a legal pad and a pen. “Come on, let’s get to writing this. Anybody know anything about national parks?”

“No,” Josh says. “I think that’s why we’re here.”

—

The afternoon passes rather pleasantly to everyone’s surprise. CJ takes her nap, Josh reads through all of the briefing memos he managed to smuggle in, and Toby and Sam bicker over the speech, but there are several pages filled by the time Donna comes out of the cabin, fresh from her own nap, and calls out that it’s almost time for their next hike.

“You’re kidding me, right?” Josh says. “One isn’t enough?”

“There are three, remember. The next one is very early tomorrow morning so we can catch the sunrise. This one is so we can catch the sunset,” Donna replies, thrusting the schedule at him.

Josh shakes his head as he looks it over. “I’m kind of regretting getting this man elected.”

Still, everyone, even Toby manages to traipse through the woods and up get another mountain to get to a west-facing lookout, where the sun is just starting to dip behind the mountains.

“Is this inspiring you?” CJ teases, stretched out on one of the benches at the lookout. The sky really is turning very pretty, the sunset a fiery orange with hints of pink.

Toby shrugs. “I don’t think the colors of a sunset are relevant to this speech, but sure.”

“I have to say, I think the Midwest does sunsets better. All that open sky…” Donna says. She’s seating on the other bench, and Josh is next to her, his arm stretched around the back of the bench and his fingers just barely grazing the top of her shoulder. The distance between them is acceptable, but only just.

“Do you miss it? Wisconsin?”

Donna bites her lip. “Sometimes? Sometimes I’ll think about a walk I used to take, or about the ice cream shop I would always go to with my friends, or about the view from my dorm when I lived on the top floor, and I feel a little bit of homesickness. But then I think about how amazing it is to live here, and how much I’ve accomplished since I left, and well… I can’t say I regret leaving.”

Josh chuckles. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Donna turns back to look at the sunset and hopes that no one notices that her eyes are beginning to water with what could be tears.

—

“Okay, dinner now? I”m starving.” Sam says, when they come back from their sunset expedition to the camp. Darkness is beginning to settle, so they’ve set up a few lanterns, but it still feels incomplete.

“We have hot dogs for roasting,” Donna says. “You know, good camp food.”

“That means we need a fire,” Sam says, exchanging a glance with Josh. “We can do that.”

CJ and Donna share a look of concern. “Last time you tried to start a fire, you almost set the White House ablaze,” CJ says cautiously.

“But we successfully started a fire,” Josh points out. “And if it wasn’t indoors in a fireplace with the flue welded shut, we would have been successful.”

Donna has to give them this. “Okay. Go find some firewood and get it started. I think we’re all starting to get hungry.”

Josh grabs a lantern and gives Donna a grin. “Let’s go, Sam.”

While Donna unpacks the food they were sent for dinner, Josh and Sam come back with arms full of wood, Sam looking the worse for wear with several scratches all over his body and what looks like it could be blood.

“Sam! What happened?” CJ exclaims, looking him over.

“I got into a fight with a blackberry bush,” Sam mutters. So not blood, at least, CJ thinks with a sigh of relief.

Josh drops his armful of wood by the pit. “The bush won.”

“Do you need any bandages or anything? They sent us an extensive first aid kid, because I’m sure they know how clumsy you are.” CJ takes Sam’s armful of wood and kneels down next to Josh. “Show me, how do we do this?”

While Sam washes himself off with a water bottle and pulls out the last few thorns, Josh manages to get a fairly impressive fire going. Donna passes around hot dogs and everyone begins to roast theirs, although Sam drops at least two in the fire. Josh intentionally sets his on fire, charring it until anyone else would regard it as inedible.

Perhaps, they all begin to think as they laugh around the fire, for once able to focus on something besides work, this camping thing isn’t so bad. The stress of the election has been weighing heavily on all of them, but they’ve spent almost a whole day without pondering electoral math or congressional seats.

The fire slowly dies, and once it’s down to only the embers, everyone slowly begins to peel off and say good night.

--

CJ blinks and lets her eyes adjust to the dark before picking up her lantern and padding softly out of the cabin. She would blame her inability to sleep on the nap she took earlier in the day throwing off her schedule, but she knows that’s not the entirety of it.

To her surprise, the fire is still going when she emerges, and there’s someone still seated on a log by it.

“Josh?” she whispers softly, and he turns to face her with the barest trace of a smile.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asks.

“No. You?”

He shrugs and pokes at the fire with a stick. “Didn’t want to,” he says. “Toby snores.”

“And so you’re just going to spend the whole night out here?”

“Probably.”

“Just because Toby snores?”

Josh doesn’t answer, but CJ turns to look at him and can see the set of his jaw and the tension in his face. And she has an idea of what might be going on.

“Josh, have you been having nightmares lately?” she asks, her voice soft.

She didn’t think his body could show any more tension, but he immediately tenses up even more at her question. “Why would you think that?”

“Because I have, too,” she admits. She can see some of the tension fall away from his shoulders, although he still seems guarded.

“About what?”

CJ bites her lip. “Simon, mostly. Which is ridiculous, I mean, I wasn’t there. And that was three months ago, and I wasn’t even there.”

He reaches out and grabs her hand, squeezing it. “You can easily imagine it though, because you know what it’s like to be shot at,” he concludes.

“Yeah.”

“I don’t. I don’t even remember it, really, and I still have nightmares,” he tells her. “It’s not ridiculous, CJ. Believe me.”

She sighs. “I just… they went away for a while. I thought I was doing better, I thought I was over my grief, and then this last week… well, let’s just say my nap this afternoon as the only time this week I woke up from something other than a nightmare.”

“Well, it was two years to the day a few days ago when we got shot at,” Josh says. “Because I haven’t slept much this week either.”

CJ takes a look at him, his tired eyes and the vulnerability present on his face that so few get to see. She feels privileged to see it. “I hadn’t even thought of that,” she admits, “but I’m sure that doesn’t help.”

“It’ll get better again,” Josh says. “You’ll notice that you’ve gone weeks, even months, without something. The grief never quite goes away, but the fear does.”

“Okay,” she replies, her voice choked up a little. If it were anyone else saying this to her, she’d probably be annoyed, but she knows that Josh speaks from experience and is telling the truth. “So you and I, it’s going to be a sleepless night for the two of us?”

He smiles at her and leans further back against the log. “Claudia Jean, are you propositioning me?”

“Only if you want it,” she teases.

—

Donna doesn’t end up needing the alarm she set on her watch because her internal clock is set to absurdly early mornings anyway. It’s mostly still dark when she gets up, but as she emerges from the cabin, she can see that there’s still a fire going, and that CJ and Josh are in front of it, seating against a log. CJ’s head is resting on Josh’s shoulder. If Donna didn’t know the completely platonic nature of their relationship, she would have been jealous, and even though she knows Josh and CJ see each other as siblings, she still has to bite back a bit of jealousy as she approaches them.

“Hey,” she says, “you two slept out here?”

Josh blinks and looks up at her. “I guess we did sleep,” he says. “I didn’t think we’d manage.”

CJ smiles. “Who knew your shoulder made such a nice pillow?”

He tries to push himself up from the ground and winces. “Well, this log did not,” he says. “Is it really time to get started already?”

“Our sunrise hike awaits,” Donna says, with a look on her face that’s somewhere between a smile and a grimace. “Who’s going to have to wake up Toby and Sam?”

“I say we wake up Sam, and then make him wake up Toby,” Josh says. “I didn’t bring my full-body armor with me.”

—

As it turns out, the sunrise hike is an eight-mile loop, with east-facing lookout about two miles into the trek. Toby, already furious about being woken up, is absolutely fuming at the fact that there are six more miles to go after the sunrise stop. “What kind of a man makes you go on a hike at five in the morning, and then extends It so you’re going to be on this trail all day?”

“I’m finding I don’t hate hiking as much as I thought I did,” Josh says. “But I’m sleep-deprived, so don’t hold that against me.”

“Josh, if you used sleep deprivation as an excuse every time, we’d never be able to call you out for anything you’ve ever said,” CJ points out.

Sam sighs. He’s looking much better now that he’s not covered in blackberry juice, but his arm and leg and the side of his face are still very scratched up. “I just want to take a shower.”

“Ten more hours until they’ll take us home,” Donna says. She doesn’t even have to look at the schedule anymore; her memory is freakishly good sometimes.

They reach a clearing near the top of one of the mountains that has some large rocks and a few benches.  They’re above most of the other elevations around them, so they have a clear view of the sun beginning to peek out over the hills before them.

“We never see sunrises or sunsets,” Donna notes. “I think it’s usually dark when I get to the White House and dark when I leave.”

CJ lets out a laugh and perches on a rock. “That’s when we actually manage to leave.”

Donna reaches into her backpack and hands out granola bars. “Breakfast, anyone?”

“Any coffee?” Josh asks.

“There’s a pot to boil water back at camp and a thing of instant coffee,” Donna says.

He groans. “So none here?”

“You should really try to become a less caffeinated life form.”

“Tried that for three months. Worst three months of my life.”

“Just because of the coffee?”

Josh grabs a granola bar from her and takes a seat on one of the benches. “Because of the gunshot wound, but you know, the lack of coffee didn’t help.”

“Will you just shut up and enjoy the sunrise?” CJ asks. “Because I’m not going to see one for another four years.”

Josh clears his throat after a bite of the granola bar. “You really believe that? We’ve got another four years left in us?”

“The President’s in fighting mode. He won’t back down,” CJ says. “And we’re not going to let him, are we?”

Sam smiles. “Absolutely not.”

Through a bite of his granola bar, Toby mumbles, “Careful about tempting fate.”

“We’re not tempting fate,” CJ says, “but we’re renewing our fight. We’ve been so bogged down in reelection struggles that it feels like we’ve lost sight of what we’re fighting for. But you know what Richie wants to do for places like this?”

“Tear them down,” Toby mutters.

“But Jed Bartlet wants to build them up. Build more of them. Let people come to appreciate the outdoors, to see the sunrise, to protect the natural treasures of this country. If we never get to see the sunrise, we should make sure it’s because we’re working long and hard to ensure that other people have that chance here, and at places like this.” Her voice is beginning to get excited. “And that’s only one of the many reasons we’re fighting to show the voters our vision of America. The one that protects the treasures we have, and seeks to provide the best for our citizens. That’s why we’re fighting from before sunrise to after sunset. So what do we say? Four more years?”

Josh grins and holds up the remaining half of his granola bar in a sort of toast. “Four more years!” he shouts out over the mountains.

There’s a chorus of exclamations that no one but them will ever hear, but as the sun rises, there’s a bit of weariness lifted off of each of them. The last four years have been interminably long and difficult, but they are all instilled with a sense of new energy for what they do.

“So that’s what you’re like on sleep deprivation?” Josh teases CJ, as they leave the clearing and set out on the next part of their hike.

“See why that excuse will never work?”

“Fine, but I still stand by the fact that I said a lot of things on heavy drugs that I didn’t mean.”

“Such as being an outdoorsman?” Donna pipes up.

“See, after this weekend, I think I stand by that one.”

——

The Secret Service takes them all back to the White House, rather than to their apartments, and they’re all directed to the Oval Office, where President Bartlet sits behind the desk expectantly.

“You all made it back in one piece!” he says with delight. “I was sure a bear was going to eat one of you; my money was on Toby.” He takes in Sam’s scratched up face. “Except for you, Sam. What happened there?”

“I fought a blackberry bush, and the bush won,” Sam mumbles.

“You did all the hikes?” the President asks.

Toby grimaces. “Donna forced us to.”

“I knew she’d keep you on track,” he says, and Donna beams in response. “And the speech?”

“Needs revision and typing up, but it’s quite good, if I do say so myself,” Sam says, although Toby shoots him a glare, clearly not as pleased with the quality of writing.

“Excellent, excellent. And you two,” the President says, looking at Josh and CJ, “how did you find it?”

CJ smiles. “Quite enlightening, sir. I’m instilled with a new sense of energy. That said, I’d like to go home and get some sleep.” Josh nods in agreement.

“Yes, yes, of course,” the President says. “But senior staff tomorrow, I’m going to have to hear more. God, I can’t wait to open this new national park.”

They all file out of the Oval Office, but Josh hangs back behind the others and grabs Donna’s arm. “Do you have a ride home?”

“I was going to take the metro,” Donna says. “My car’s on the fritz again.”

He shakes his head. “No, don’t. Not will all that stuff. I’ll give you a ride.”

Donna’s about to protest, especially since he definitely seems too tired to be driving, but she considers it and nods in agreement. At least she can make sure he doesn’t fall asleep at the wheel.

“I’m glad you were there,” he says. “I don’t know if I would have made it through this weekend without you.”

She blushes at the compliment. “I’m sure you would have been fine. After all, you proved that you are, in fact, an outdoorsman.”

“Still,” he says, with a surprising amount of sincerity, “the outdoors is so much more fun with you there.”

[evolutionsvoid]

Remembering dreams for me is pretty rare. For whatever reason, I immediately forget them upon waking, so I can never really gain any neat stuff from it. However, sometimes I luck out and can remember snippets, and sometimes I will be reeaally lucky and actually have it be interesting. It is always a bummer when I recall a dream from the previous night, only for it to be like "Oh you're at home, but it is kind of different! Weeeeiiiiiird!" Not exactly thrilling stuff. But, this one is actually from a dream I recall, and I think I know why it stuck out to me. For some reason, this dream was following a hunter (because I often don't star in my own dreams? Not sure why). He was hunting in a dark forest near dusk, but this woods was far from isolated. It was a forest that had been hit by habitat fragmentation, carved up by crumbling roads and rusty train tracks. The forest floor had plenty of litter, like at a poorly maintained park, and you were never far from a clearing where a road, track or ditch sliced through the landscape. The part I remember was our intrepid huntsman sprawled upon the wet rocks of a large culvert, like he had fallen while trying to run. The culvert ran beneath an abandoned set of tracks, and it seemed like he had raced to it to find shelter. The reason for his flight soon showed up, standing upon a forested ridge that overlooked the invading railway. A dozen wolves swarmed from the forest, but they all came to a stop as a twisted beast shambled from the darkness. It had the shape and look of a wolf, but one of massive size and horrible composition. It looked like it had been infested by the Thing, with jagged jaws, fleshy tendrils and patchy fur. Multiple eyes ran down its deformed head, and it had a malformed rat tail instead of a usual furry appendage. It was obviously the boss of this pack, as the other normal wolves stood around it as if awaiting orders. When the thing looked down upon the tripped hunter, the man snagged his fallen rifle and scrambled for the gaping drainage pipe. The second he got on his feet and ran, the deformed wolf let out a soggy howl and its minions gave chase. The hunter fled through the pipe and quickly dived into another dark section of forest. He held tightly to his rifle but never stopped to take a shot at the pursuing wolves. He just ran blindly through the wilds. As the howling and yips echoed through the trees, he stumbled upon a broken road, which led to a lit up bar & grill. It was one of those usual looking outfits, a log cabin esthetic where they served food and beer beneath antler chandeliers and numerous mounted critters. Seeking refuge, he barreled into the establishment, to find it was quite occupied and filled up with fancy looking folk. It still had that rustic, outdoorsy look, but for some reason it was being run and used by well-dressed ladies and gentlemen. When the disheveled hunter burst through the doors, all eyes fell upon him. He quickly barricaded the doors and then turned to the watching customers and asked for their help. He only said that he was being chased, and that they needed to fortify the establishment before the creatures attacked. The only person who responded to this was one tux wearing fellow who was sitting at a nearby table. It was his response that made this dream really stick out to me. "What does it represent?" He asked rather calmly, not bothered by the crazed looking hunter or the notion of being attacked by wolves. "You can't kill it unless you know what it represents." That was the bizarrely meta question he asked before the doors and windows exploded. The wolves came bursting in, and the malformed beast smashed through the front door. The last thing I recall from the dream was the hunter hiding under a booth amongst the chaos and catching a glimpse of the gnarled rat tail disappearing behind another set of booths.       That was all that I recalled, but that little snippet was enough to make the dream rather memorable. The idea that someone was out hunting this bizarre beast, only to find that they couldn't kill it until they understood what it symbolized. It made me think of some bizarre forest or wild area, where entering it caused their inner conflicts and issues to come to life. The whole reason people went to this distorted land was to literally hunt their own demons, and perhaps rid themselves of guilt or doubts that plagued them for so long. Unfortunately, these concepts brought to flesh were ready to fight back, and they couldn't be brought down until the hunter understood what it was they were truly hunting. A rather half-baked thing, but kind of fun. It was a dream I was quite happy to have, and I knew I had to draw the beast from it eventually.

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[jarienn972]

A Simple Spell - Chapter Eleven

A Captain Swan Supernatural Summer Tale

I managed to finish up this latest chapter of my @cssns​ story before the insanity of the holiday starts and it picks up right where the last chapter left off with Emma and David heading out to search for the missing Killian Jones. My original plan had this as part of Chapter 10, but I decided to expand it and make it a stand-alone chapter. Emma's anxious to locate Killian but there’s going to be a surprising clue along the way that may provide a link to the past.

Many thanks again to @cocohook38​ for the amazing artwork above and to @lassluna​ for all of her beta reading assistance along the way

Read from the beginning on Tumblr: One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Eight  Nine  Ten      Also on  AO3 and FF.net

In her short residence here in Storybrooke, Emma had only been this far down Highway 3 once - when she had been in pursuit of an intoxicated driver who struck a pedestrian in front of the church. She knew it was a narrow, two-lane road that meandered through the farmland on the outskirts of town before asphalt transitioned to gravel approximately three miles beyond Anton's farm. She was also well aware of the rumor that a fae community existed out here amongst the trees, but Emma was convinced that story was pure fiction. Even in this magical town, sometimes it as hard to draw a line between reality and fantasy.

Halfway into their drive out to the rendezvous point, Emma's phone rang with the return call from Belle. David asked if Emma would utilize the speakerphone so that he could hear the librarian's response as well.

"Good morning, Belle," Emma answered, immediately pressing the speaker button. "Thank you so much for returning my call so quickly."

"Of course, Emma. I would have called sooner but it took me a bit to find all of the information that you asked for," Belle replied.

"No problem," David assured her. "You're right on time. We're just about to meet with the search party, but since we're going to run out of cell service soon, what were you able to find?"

"Well, there are three registered properties with structures listed in the town records. There are a couple of other parcels of land with registered owners, but since they didn't have any dwellings or other structures registered, I focused on the ones that did," Belle explained over the growing static. "I emailed you and Emma the list with what details I could locate."

"Perfect. Any idea what sort of structures we're talking about?" David asked.

"They're listed as dwellings so my guess would be cabins or small houses. All were listed as being less than 1000 square feet," Belle told him.

"That's a huge help, Belle. I'll have Emma take a look at the email since I'm driving."

"Please let me know if you need anything else. Oh, and Emma - I'm still researching what you asked about your mother. I'll let you know if I can find that answer anywhere," Belle promised.

"Thanks for everything, Belle," Emma replied as she disconnected the call, her service signal down to a single bar.

"See if you can get that email opened up before the signal disappears," David instructed, as if Emma hadn't already thought of that.

"Already on it," Emma stated as she pulled up her work email folder and found the message from with its attachment. Her phone display still showed that single bar as she managed to download the file before service vanished. "Got it!"

She waited until David eased the Sheriff cruiser to the side of the gravel road in front of the Gardner's farmhouse since the tiny screen was too difficult to read while bouncing around on the crumbling road surface. When she could finally take a look at it, she hesitated for a minute, instead surveying the field and the people gathered in it. David was already scrambling out of the car to coordinate with the search party and she recognized most of the faces. Regina's boyfriend, Robin and his best friend, John Sherwood were here and she also spotted Leroy and a couple of the other miners. Graham pulled up and parked behind the cruiser in his 4x4 that would aid them with off-road capabilities.

"What did Belle's email reveal?" David asked her as he poked his head back into the car wondering why his sister was still sitting in the passenger seat.

"I'll know in a second," she replied. "It was kinda hard to hold onto my phone, let alone read the screen, when you were bouncing us all over the place. Did you try to hit every pothole on the highway?"

"Yeah, it was intentional," David huffed. "Seriously though, before we set off out there," he pointed his index finger in the direction of the treeline, "I want to know what sort of buildings we could encounter and where they are in relation to our search area."

"Just as Belle said, there are three dwellings listed. No surprise that one of them is John Sherwood's cabin. The second is a dwelling of unknown dimensions listed as under construction. Sounds like a potentially good place to hide somebody you don't want found…" But just as Emma made that comment, her gaze fell onto the third property listing, a moderately sized dwelling of approximately 900 square feet, but it wasn't the physical description or the location that drew her attention, it was the name of the registered owner.

Ozmund Welch.

She tried to shake off the coincidence, but she couldn't. Was there a correlation between this property's owner, Ozmund Welch, and her mother's mysterious suitor, Ozzie? Ava had described Ozzie as having vanished in a puff of smoke the moment she'd kissed him, but had he actually been real? Real enough to have built a cabin in the dense woods on the outskirts of Storybrooke or was the name similarity merely chance?

"Something wrong, sis?" David's question brought her back to the present. "You planning to stay in the car or are you going to get out of there and tell me about that third property?"

"I'm coming… Just had a little bit of weird deja vu."

"About searching the woods for your would-be pirate boyfriend?"

"Really, David?" Emma wasn't pleased with her brother referring to Killian as a pirate yet again. "Once and for all, he's not a pirate and no - that isn't what triggered it. This name… The third property owner listed is what caught my eye and gave me a weird feeling - someone named Ozmund Welch."

"Okay… what's so strange about that?"

"When I was leafing through mom's journal, she referred to the other man she was dating as Ozzie. He was the one she ended up choosing and caused her to lose the challenge, and of course, her powers. Ozmund. Ozzie. They sound a lot alike and it's a weird coincidence…"

"And you think there might be some correlation?"

"I don't really know," she sighed, knowing the probability was slim considering the rest of the information Belle had provided. "There's only one big problem with it - according to Belle, the structure was built and registered in the 1920s."

"I don't think your mother was really in to older men…"

"No. Certainly not based on the description she gave in her journal entries."

"Father and son maybe?" David suggested as Emma clambered out of the cruiser.

"I guess that's possible. Or it's possible that it really is just a coincidence." She tucked her phone away into her jacket pocket as she pushed the car door closed. "It's just weird…"

"Then why don't you and I take that particular property? If you've got any sort of suspicion about that property, we'll go with it."

"Okay. According to the property listing, it's located about a quarter of a mile from John's cabin. I copied all of the coordinates into my phone."

"Alright then. Let me go hand out assignments and get this search and rescue underway. That's in one of the more remote sectors so how about you go commandeer a couple of those ATVs?"

**********

Emma had never really considered herself to be the outdoorsy type so this trek through the forests of Eastern Maine riding an all-terrain vehicle was quite out of her element. By the time they reached the edge of the Welch property, they could both see the single-story wooden frame house that, at first glance, appeared well-kept, but vacant. As they got closer to the house, they began to see signs of recent occupation. Weeds had been cleared from the dirt road to the entrance as well as from a path to a small shed beyond the house.

With a reminder from David that they couldn't enter the property without permission from the resident or a search warrant, they parked the ATVs and started surveying the perimeter. Little seemed to have changed about the premises since it had been built nearly a century ago. They saw a neat stack of firewood next to the shed but no visible power lines connected to the building. Whoever resided out here definitely enjoyed living off the grid. The windows of the cozy house were covered with decades worth of grime, making it difficult to peer into the interior. If someone was living here, cleaning their windows to allow sunlight inside wasn't a priority which led credence to the probability that it was currently uninhabited.

"Looks vacant," David said as the siblings regrouped near the front door. "But it's almost impossible to see inside."

"Something isn't right," Emma insisted. "It may look vacant, but that wood pile over there isn't overgrown with weeds. There isn't any smoke rising out of that chimney right now, but my gut says there will be signs of a recent fire."

"Kinda hard to determine that from out here," David reminded her. "And one of the neighbors could be using the wood."

"Are you serious, David? Do you really think that someone out here would want to traipse through the woods to stack wood at an abandoned house? That makes no sense whatsoever."

"Just offering up possibilities."

"Well, it's pretty obvious that the bigger possibility is that someone has been secretly living here. It's rustic, but that doesn't mean it isn't livable. I don't know if Ozmund Welch is still living out here in the boondocks, but I'm quite sure someone is."

"Don't tell me - your gut is now telling you that this would be a good place to hide someone?"

"What? You don't think so? Come on, Dave - it's in the middle of nowhere and looks abandoned… Where would you hide a person you don't want found?"

"Em - you know the rules…"

"And this is a magical town where most rules don't even apply! David, my intuition is telling me that there's more to this place than meets the eye."

"You can feel your Captain boyfriend nearby?"

"I wish my instincts were that specific," she scowled at him, "almost as much as I wished that the locator spell came with GPS coordinates. I just know that there's something very wrong here…"

David pondered her plea for a moment. As Sheriff, he was tasked with upholding the law, not breaking it, but at the same time, if Captain Jones was here, being held against his will, rescuing the missing man should take priority. It was just that it all rested on his sister's gut feelings, not actual evidence…

"Okay, okay," he relented. "If you think this place is suspicious, let's go find out. Can you get that door open or were you planning to break it down?"

"Very funny," she scoffed as she withdrew her wand from inside her jacket. "Good thing I brought this along. Pretty sure a little magic can open that lock…" With a flick of her wrist and a swish of her wand, she recited the Latin phrase to open the door. "Recludo!"

David led the way once the door was unlocked, inching it open cautiously as he scanned the interior with his flashlight held in his left hand and his weapon clutched in his right. Emma followed at his heels, sweeping the beam of her flashlight around what looked to be a combination living room, kitchen and dining room. The room was sparsely furnished. A faded, but garishly upholstered sofa occupied a space facing the fireplace and a matching chair with worn wooden arms sat beside it. On the opposite wall, there was a makeshift kitchen featuring a sink with an ancient water pump, an old fashioned wood-fired stove and a two door cabinet hanging over the sink. At the other end of the building from where they stood, there was a wooden table with two flanking chairs and a narrow hallway leading to two doorways.

Emma took a few steps towards the fireplace while David immediately headed to the first of the two doors in the rear of the house. Her eyes were drawn to the mantle where a set of random books sat atop it, flanked by two heavy stone bookends. She recognized a few of the titles as books she'd been forced to read in school but there were others written in languages she didn't recognize. She also instantly noticed rectangular voids amongst the dust and cobwebs as though something had been removed recently.

She held no doubt that someone had been here.

David pushed open the first of the doors off of the rear hallway revealing a small, unoccupied bedroom containing only a spartan double bed and a plain, five drawer pine chest of drawers. He discovered the second door led to a primitive bathroom with a pedestal sink and an old claw foot bath tub. There was no toilet visible so the well-maintained path behind the house meant that the shed was likely an outhouse. In neither room did he find evidence of anyone being held unwillingly. Maybe Emma's instinct had been wrong…

"There's no one here," David announced as he strolled back into the living room area.

"Someone's been here," Emma assured him, pointing to the mantle. "Stuff has been recently taken off of that mantle. There are several areas with no dust."

"So? Someone might still be using the cabin, but Emma, there isn't anyone here right now, willing or unwilling."

"We're missing something," she insisted, combing her fingers through her hair in frustration. "We have to be…"

"It's a pretty small place, Em," David reminded her as he crossed through the center of the room toward his sister. "What do you think we might possibly be missing?" Emma shrugged as she turned to face the front door, ready to concede defeat - until David stepped onto the worn, heavy wool rug in the middle of the floor. He took two strides onto the rug when Emma's alert ears picked up a distinct change in the sound his footsteps were making.

"David - do that again," she ordered as she spun to face him.

"Huh? Do what again?"

"Take a step backwards, then forward again," she instructed her bewildered brother.

"Why?"

"Just humor me," she said as David rolled his eyes skeptically. He shifted his weight back one step and then another towards Emma, this time noticing the change in tone.

"There's something hollow here," he announced, tapping his foot a few times on the spot to confirm what they'd both heard.

"That's what I thought," Emma smiled as she hurried over to David. He kicked the well-trodden rug away to reveal a recessed trap door concealed beneath. "Well, well… what do we have here?"

"A trap door," David stated the obvious. "Maybe there's a basement or an old root cellar underneath?"

"What a great place to hide someone," Emma said, repeating her earlier words. David ignored her as he stooped to grasp the reinforced edge of the plank trap door. Emma kept her weapon trained into the void below as he raised the panel but there was nothing visible in the dark space except a rough-hewn wooden staircase leading deeper into the recess. Emma directed her light into the inky blackness of the stairwell, seeing that there was a narrow panel door at the bottom which was secured with a rusty padlock. "I see a doorway down there with a lock on it."

"I'm guessing you can open that one too?"

"Piece of cake," she grinned hopefully as they descended the steps. Reaching the bottom, Emma tucked her weapon into her hip holster, trading it for her wand while David maintained a tight grip on both flashlight and weapon. Her magic made quick work of the padlock and as David kept the flashlight beam trained on the door, she eased it open. A tiny room bathed in darkness lay beyond the wooden door and Emma crinkled her nose in disgust as the wafting odors of damp cement and moldy earth assaulted her senses. But she was also smelling faint traces of something else in the mix - the coppery scent of blood and the sweetness of the rum she'd partaken of last night. "Killian?" She called out to him. "Killian? Are you here?"

She heard no response as she retrieved her own flashlight, switching it on to find the limp figure curled up on the dingy concrete floor in the center of the room.

"Killian!" she exclaimed, dropping to her knees on the dusty floor beside her unconscious friend, placing the flashlight on the floor next to her knees. He was lying on his right side and even in the dim light, she noticed something shiny was protruding from his left shoulder. She wasn't entirely sure, but it appeared to be his hook.

"Is that Captain Jones?" David queried, keeping a watchful eye on the trapdoor above as Emma checked on the person locked in the dark cellar.

"Yes and I think he's hurt. It's too damned dark in here, though." She needed more light and she remembered one of the first spells Zelena had taught her. Grabbing her wand, she held it above her head and recited "Inlumino!" Instantly, a series of twinkling, floating orbs began to swirl overhead, illuminating the dank room so that she could positively identify Killian and take a preliminary assessment of his injuries.

"It's him!" she shouted to David.

"What's that sticking out of his shoulder?" David wondered, staring quizzically at the glint of shiny metal. "It looks like some kind of hook…"

"It is a hook," she stated. "Killian sometimes wears it as a prosthetic and somebody plunged it pretty deep into his shoulder." David wanted to make a comment so badly about a ship captain wearing a hook for a hand, but he held his tongue as he recognized the concern evident on his sister's face. She had carefully rolled Captain Jones into his back and was pressing her index and middle fingers against his neck. "He's unconscious. He's got a pulse, but it's weak and a little slow. His skin is pretty cool to the touch so I'm pretty sure he's been in this cold basement for hours."

"Is he breathing?"

Not sensing any rise or fall of Killian's chest, Emma leaned in closer to his face, hoping she would feel the warmth of his breath exhaled against her cheek. As she lowered her face above Killian's slightly agape mouth, for a split second, her lips brushed his and she felt a little spark. It wasn't unlike the static shock you'd get when touching a metal surface after running across a carpeted floor in your socks but in the heat of the moment, it never dawned on her that she shouldn't be experiencing any static electricity shocks down here. She mentally dismissed any thoughts of the shock as she felt a soft puff of air against her skin.

"He's breathing, but just barely," she informed David who was immediately on the radio calling for a remote rescue unit. There was no way the two of them were going to be able to maneuver an unconscious man out of that root cellar and back to the road without assistance from the other teams. "Hang in there, Killian. Help's on the way," she assured her friend as she gently caressed his stubbled cheek

[gilbertmadruga-blog]

How to Decorate a Rustic Decor Bedroom

Regardless of whether it's to your grasp master bedroom at home Rustic Décor or the sleeping rooms in your cabin out on the lake, old-fashioned bed sheets will make an excellent accessory for your humble home. The informal, woodsy fashion is becoming more and more popular currently. Here are some ideas to make your rustic master bedroom into the outdoorsy haven you would like it to be.

Rustic bedding choices

There are numerous choices for antique home bedding, and there are several various ways that one could choose which type of pattern fits your needs.

What's your favorite type of camping? Are you a sport fishing household? Additionally, do you like deer? Will it be huge video game hunting that receives your heartbeat pounding? Pick a traditional home bedding design that displays that passion.

An angling routine may well suit if you're putting the old-fashioned bedding out on the lake. A deer design would easily fit in properly if a lot of deer hunting proceeds in your town. Allow hills make a visual appeal in your bedding living inside a mountainous location rustichomedecor.org.

Naturally, if you can't select (or don't desire to, get a few different old-fashioned home bedding sets. With numerous home bedding collections, it is possible to modify the design of your room while not having to perform a comprehensive redecoration. No matter if you transform it by week or by periods; it'll make your antique bedroom hunting fresh without having to invest lots of time and funds on the whole redecoration.

What's popular in your area?

Warming a traditional ground

For those who have hardwood flooring, bring your rustic design to the flooring with area rugs, specifically. They'll be type to uncovered feet on cold winter months mornings, even though not only do they tie to your antique master bedroom. You may either choose a rug that has a complementing print for your rustic bedding. On the other hand, possibly you could discover a hair area rug in a complementary colour.

Completing your antique room

In relation to rustic accessories, almost anything organic or handmade will easily fit in along with your old-fashioned master bedroom. Antlers, poultry phone calls, etched wood, ironwork, and installed fish are just some of the things you can place out. They don't must complement precisely (that's section of the allure of your old-fashioned master bedroom, but you should fasten your extras in to the antique home bedding you decide on.

Anything of caution: If you own a good deal, don't placed out every single knickknack you possess inside your antique master bedroom, especially. A room that is full of clutter will truly feel small, and it also won't assistance with the comforting, informal truly feel that you want from old-fashioned furnishings.

[worldwideweddingsandtents]

The Best Glamping Getaways in The Western Cape Series: Part 1

Wake up in nature, without having to forego your daily luxuries.

As life becomes louder and more chaotic, escaping into nature – without having to forego creature comforts – has become ever more appealing. Say hello to glamping (glam camping)!

A winning combination of indoor luxury and the great outdoors, glamping offers all the perks of nature (spectacular views, swims in rockpools, etc) and strips away all the bugbears of regular camping (dust, bugs, shared ablutions) – transforming it into a luxury experience.

As the demand for luxury-camping accommodation in the Western Cape has increased, there’s been a proliferation of glamping offerings in all shapes and forms – from canvas-sided cabins in the woods to riverside luxury tents – perfect for any season. So pack your puffers and hit the road!

Check in as we share a new glamping accommodation option in this series.

Camp Canoe

Tucked among lush fynbos, olive trees and boulders on the rustic side of the Simonsberg Mountains at Boschendal Wine Estate, the newly opened (and entirely independent) Camp Canoe takes centre stage in Franschhoek. Far removed from the wine estate’s foot traffic, guests are encouraged to switch off, unwind and reconnect with nature. The aesthetic is playfully retro and utterly gorgeous, reminiscent of an old-school summer scout camp (right down to Tupperware in the kitchen). Waking to birdsong from the comfort of a sumptuous bed, before embarking on a day of little adventures (be it epicurean or outdoorsy) is a special kind of luxury. You might want to stay put, though – the setting and views are lovely, with the tents skirting the edge of a sparkling dam. Hammocks and a hot tub do tend to encourage idling the hours away. This is one for the bucket list!

The lodgings

7 luxury tents, each sleeping 2 adults

king-size bed (or 2 singles) with luxury linen

en-suite bathroom with walk-in shower

ipped kitchen with Smeg induction stove

indoor seating area with a fireplace

viewing deck with outdoor seating and Weber braai

hot tub

air-conditioning

complimentary wood, charcoal and ice

picnic, braai and breakfast boxes to order

Things to do

picnics on the jetty or in nature

dam for paddling and swimming

hiking trails

mountain-biking trails

horse-riding

The Werf restaurant and deli and Farm Shop

wine-tasting on-site, and nearby

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Info compiled by https://insideguide.co.za/