#shes seemingly got very little wrong besides nightmares Of That Past Life and its just.

[a-caterpillars-world]

you're gonna be ok, kid

don't tag as ship

[yukiwrites]

Edelgard, Resolving Herself

Thank you so much for the support as always and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, @xpegasusuniverse!!!! I hope today was a great day and hope you enjoy this pain!! :''D

Summary: The worlds of dreams ranged far and between the realms of humans and gods. Sometimes, they mixed within a tempest, engulfing one and all in their path, seducing them with dreams of happiness past... Faced with a memory long forgotten, Edelgard has to steel herself to pass this hurdle.

Commission info HERE and HERE!

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The world known as Askr held many mysteries. Ranging from floating isles that sometimes served as lifts to a seemingly infinite amount of portals leading to many other worlds, it held the Summoner at its center, as someone who could pull out a Hero from their home world without the need of a portal.

Honestly, to some Heroes, Askr was more of a central hub between many worlds. There were people who found each other even after death, or old comrades estranged by time were suddenly working together again. There were some Heroes with multiple versions of themselves, each hailing from a different possibility of their core worlds -- very few of those chose to keep to themselves, whereas the vast majority flocked together to talk about the small changes that led them to be where they were in their lives.

Sometimes, the tragedies that befell these entangled worlds converged themselves in Askr, in the form of a swirling Tempest. It distorted time and space, slowly and devastatingly mixing world upon world in its destructive wake.

It fell upon the Heroes summoned to Askr to put a stop to it alongside the original inhabitants of these worlds.

This time, however, the Tempest seemed to be rather tricky, as the Summoner gathered the team designated to fight within it: they hailed from the same world and shared the same teacher. Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude; followed by none other than their Professor, Byleth.

Usually, the Tempest only allowed four Heroes to enter it at a time, but this one had special properties that only those who belonged in a world akin to it could traverse unhindered: it was an amalgamation of a little girl’s dreams being forced into reality by the power of the God of Mischief, Loki.

Because of that nature, the ljósálfr from Ljósálfheimr, the World of Dreams, could act as guides to the Heroes braving the Tempest.

This time, the one who would guide the group was Peony of the Sweet Dreams.

She looked at each of them in turn, pointing at their noses with a stern face -- as much as she could do with her naturally bubbly features. “Listen to me carefully, alright? The worlds of dreams can be very dangerous! Even Ljósálfheimr, that’s the Land of Good Dreams, can trap a human forever inside of it if they’re not careful! This Tempest is made of many, many kinds of dreams, so it’s even harder to pass through it.”

They had heard the gist of it from the other Heroes who had experienced Ljósálfheimr first hand, so they were at least aware of what to expect. However, Peony made sure to warn them thoroughly because some Heroes from the previous team she guided got lost and it was an ordeal to find them back in one piece.

“You must keep walking a straight line. Don’t deviate from it!” She lifted her index, then another and another as she made her points. “The terrain in front of us will change to keep us from passing through, and, of course, there will be enemies, but as long as you don’t look back or deviate too much from ‘going straight ahead’, we can clear it! But, if one of you do get lost, follow my voice. only my voice! Since I’m a ljósálfr, I’m the only one capable of seeing through the fog of dreams to help get you back on track.”

Taking a deep breath, Peony fluttered her wings to stay a bit higher than the four of them so she could issue the last warning.

“And remember: the five of us are the only ‘real people’ in this dream. No matter how beautiful the world you see in front of you is, it’ll be… unfortunately, a trap from the Tempest to engulf us all. I promise to give you guys happy dreams once we’ve crossed it to make up for it, though! Gosh, seeing those dream-shaped nightmares makes my ljósálfr sensors tingle!” She puffed her cheeks adorably, making Dimitri and Byleth smile fondly at her expressiveness while Edelgard nodded calmly.

Claude raised his hand with his characteristic smile. “What happens if we get lost for a long time in there? If it’s a world of dreams…”

Peony lowered her head to the point that even her wings stopped fluttering and her feet touched the ground. “I’ll definitely find you if you get lost, so don’t worry!” She said in a cheerful voice after lifting her head, though her eyes held some hesitation deep in them. “... Depending on how strong the Dream’s grip is on you, it might take some… time to wake you up.”

“Some time?” Claude crossed his arms while the other three shifted their bodies to listen.

“It depends on one’s own will. I can enter the dream you’re having and ask you to come back with me, but if you don’t want to, then…” Her voice trailed off.

“Right.” Claude nodded amidst the increasingly colder atmosphere. Dimitri clenched his lance while Byleth closed his eyes to digest the information.

Edelgard, however, remained impassive. It had been many, many years since dreams had ever gotten a hold on her. The Princess had been plagued by so many nightmares since childhood she had forgotten how it ever felt to have a pleasant dream, so she took this mission as any other.

Defeat the enemy.

_______

Once they finally made their way into the swirling energy, their bodies were engulfed into a blue light, much akin to the one that had called them to Askr through the Summoner: it was very much like a portal. However, this time, they were walking inside the possibility inside a dream; in a world that was tethering between the edges of reality and illusion.

Initially, the thick fog around them concealed even the very ground they walked on, but as they progressed according to Peony’s guidance, the terrain changed little by little right in front of them. First, they were met with a rocky terrain, home to many Heroes from the Awakening world.

Under Byleth’s instructions, the students treated the battle much like they did the ones back in their home world: the familiarity of it made the anxious hearts of the two young men settle back into the usual course of things.

Yet, for some reason, the further they advanced; the more enemies they defeated, the thicker the fog became in Edelgard’s eyes. She hadn’t paid it any mind since the others seemed fine with how they were progressing, but by the time she next blinked, the fog had concealed even Byleth’s back, which had been Edelgard’s guiding beacon inside the Tempest.

Frowning, the Princess reached out to where she thought Byleth was. “Professor?” However, her hand simply passed through, as though there was no one else there in the first place. “Hm… Have I gotten lost, somehow? We’ve been walking straight ahead as Peony instructed…” she took one hand to her chin in thought.

Just as she was about to look around to change the course, she remembered Peony’s words, which held her in place. Closing her eyes, the Princess focused her senses around her, in hopes of finding traces of her teammates.

“Oh... -re sh-... is!” A faint voice rang in Edelgard's ear, making her focus herself even more.

“Peony?”

The voice was so faint she couldn’t tell whom it belonged to, so Edelgard turned to it in an attempt to find its source.

“Wha… -’re doi-... re alo-...?” The voice seemed closer than before, which made the Princess wonder if they had found her. In fact, she hadn’t noticed that her own feet walked towards the voice, making the world around her change with each step she took.

“You’re almost here!” Another, younger voice said with a slight pep.

Edelgard frowned, her eyes still closed. Why was there another voice? Wasn’t Peony on her way?

“What’re you doing, El? Open your eyes!” A pair of hands grabbed hers with a familiarity the princess had forgotten. “You’re missing out on such a beaaautiful day!”

“What is happening-” Somehow unable to shake herself from the childish grasp, Edelgard shot her eyes open.

She was immediately greeted with a vast prairie, lush with green, that extended as far as the eye could see. In its middle, there lay a round lake and an enormous tree that provided shade to a group of people.

One, two, seven… There were thirteen people frolicking about. People whose sight made Edelgard lose her breath and collapse on the ground, shaking and wide eyed. The young boy who held her hands had brown hair and freckles all over his face.

She remembered him well.

He had a fragile complexion, so he could barely leave his room -- and when he did, it was only for a few hours’ time.

The twins that rolled around the grass, as well -- they were inseparable, even to the point of pretending to be one another for fun. The tall man standing beside a sitting older couple; he had always been an insurmountable wall. He excelled in swordsmanship, politics, mathematics, you name it; he was unparalleled.

Smaller ones, too young to walk by themselves, slept on the older woman’s lap, wearing content smiles on their faces.

Edelgard’s eyes were shaking, as was her whole body.

These people… they were her family.

Her siblings, who had died painful, excruciating deaths right in front of her. Her mother, who had fled to another country so as to save her own life. Her father, who stood powerless in face of the overwhelming power of those who slithered in the dark.

They had all left her.

There was no way they could be here, touching her and laughing with her.

“What’s wrong, El? Does your tummy hurt?” The young boy in front of her asked with a worried pout. He put his forehead on hers and it was- it was unbearably warm. His touch in her small hands were terribly soft.

Blinking, Edelgard lifted her gaze to the boy, not realizing she had collapsed on the ground.

She opened her mouth to say something. Anything.

Yet, no words left her throat. Not even the name of those whom she loved and lost, nor the warm welcome she surely should have given them… nothing left her lips.

Her skin got colder and colder as the princess struggled to adjust with this ‘reality’. The boy in front of her crouched to better look at her face, patting her shoulder reassuringly.

There was no way they could be there with her.

Yet her heart beat with warmth and longing, wishing nothing but to stay with them a moment longer, a second longer…

Huffing, Edelgard lifted her eyes to the boy, intent on calling him by his name.

The moment her gaze shifted, however, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the water.

White hair.

So strikingly different from the brown and dirty blonde worn by all of those present in the scene.

Proof of what she had gone through. A mark those who dared to covet the blessings of the goddess engraved deep within her body, within her very being.

There was a reason why she couldn’t call them by their name, no matter how much she longed to do it.

She had forgotten them.

Amidst her ocean of pain; deep into the vast desert that was her broken mind, memories dissolved like sand. Pain had been her sole companion. Companion and reminder: that she could only walk forward.

Forward.

Edelgard got up abruptly, reaching for her weapon.

“-nd her…! Th- ..ay!” a familiar, peppy voice rang from so far it could’ve been an illusion.

But Edelgard remembered. She had to walk forward.

Brandishing her weapon, Edelgard lifted it towards the young boy in front of her.

“What’s wrong, El? Does your tummy hurt?” He asked in the same voice as before, his eyes seemingly hollow.

Edelgard’s chin trembled, but her hand on her axe was firm. Closing her eyes, she brought it down, searing into the boy’s body.

However, instead of the belching sound of pierced flesh, there was only a flash of light, which made Edelgard open her eyes in shock.

Shimmering butterflies floated away from the place the boy had been standing, as though he had dissolved into a mesmerizing light.

“El, are you alright? Does your stomach hurt?” One of the twins approached, repeating the same words as though a broken record. In truth, the dream started to shatter, so there was no more way to feed off of her memories to keep it alive.

To Edelgard, however, it only meant that the path forward was through these butterflies.

She swung her axe again and again, against those she had once called her family. Against those who had loved her until the end of their lives -- against those who had shared her same fate, but were lucky enough to be freed from it through death.

Edelgard’s eyes burned as she ran forward, bellowing a battle cry if only to keep herself grounded in her own conviction.

“Stay- where you belong.” She huffed, not realizing tears rolled down her cheeks. “My time is not now. Go back to my memories.” She pierced her axe on the ground, lifting her chin in a way that befitted the future Emperor.

The moment she did so, the scenery evaporated into countless butterflies made of light. The very ground she stood on changed to a hall of a castle of some sort.

“This way! Edelgard!” Peony’s voice finally rang loud and clear, making the princess snap her head towards it. She had truly strayed from the path, but the other three couldn’t look for her lest they, too, were engulfed by the fog of dreams.

Peony had been desperately calling for her, but as she had said before; it was only through one’s own power that they could break free from a dream, as tempting as it looked.

The ljósálfr sighed with relief as Edelgard approached, fluttering her wings. “I’m glad you made it! Thank you for following my voice!”

Edelgard simply nodded, then focused her attention to the path ahead.

Byleth, Dimitri and Claude could see the tear stains on her face, but none of them dared to ask, if only to allow her some space after everything that had happened. Dimitri reached out to her as she walked in front, but retracted his hand in the end, feeling powerless to help.

Leading the way beside Peony, Edelgard focused on the task at hand: there were still three more sections until they reached the center of the Tempest.

There was a mission to be done. A goal she had set for herself in memory of those she had lost.

And she would fulfil it, no matter the cost.

[ingeniouscollectionthing]

He noticed (Tom Riddle x Reader)

Request: Could you write something for Tom where his reader best friend (who he's in love with) has a very dark and hurtful past and tends to isolate and disappear sometimes to cope with it. She also gets really insecure and feels unloved and he kind of spies on her for a while till he finds out the truth and makes her feel better? :)

Pairing: Tom Riddle x Reader

Warnings: Depression, insecureness, a bit sad but fluffy

It was one of those days. Your head too heavy, goosebumps constantly prickling your skin. Voices in your ears. Pictures in your head. Frown etched onto your pale face. It was one of those days. Dark clouds hanging in the sky, icy wind waving through sad trees. Thick, angry raindrops splattering against the castle walls. 

You’re useless.

You’re a burden.

You’re a disgrace.

Sighing, you dropped your head into your hands, the breakfast in front of you not looking appealing anymore. Pain, similar to the buzzing and cracking of a broken record player, filled it, caused by the resounding words of your despicable mother.

You’re ugly.

You’re a noone.

You’re worthless.

No one can love you…

Lost in the dark forest that is your mind, you didn’t notice how your best friend sat down directly beside you. You didn’t notice that he watched you for a few good minutes. You didn’t notice how the seemingly emotionless Tom Riddle felt an, for him indescribable, feeling of dread and sadness, watching as you pulled hard on the tussled tresses of your hair, which has lost its shine a few weeks ago. As you finally realized he was here, you gave him a weak smile.

Tom noticed that it didn’t quite reach your eyes.

“Good morning, Tom”, you said, turning back to your still full plate. “Did you sleep well?”

“Of course. Did you?”, he asked back, watching you closely. 

“The best I’ve slept in days, really”. You hadn’t slept in days. And if you could fall asleep, nightmares plagued your mind, not stopping until your eyes opened and starred coldly at the ceiling – again. Tom narrowed his eyes and for a second you thought he believed you, as he finally turned to his plate to fill it with food. He didn’t notice you lied.

But in fact, he did. He noticed.

You both talked a little bit until the bell rang, signalling the start of your first lesson. 

“Are you coming?”, Tom asked, his things neatly packed into his bag, his hand waiting to be taken by yours.

You refused.

“You can go, I’ll catch you up, don’t worry”, you said silently, never meeting his eyes.

Tom frowned, but didn’t pressure you. You’ll catch up. 

As he finally sat down in class, he waited patiently for the seat next to him to be filled with your presence. Instead, a strange smell reached his nose, as another girl sat down by his side, trying to talk to him. He ignored her. You weren’t here.

And he noticed. Why wouldn’t he?

Meanwhile, you wandered around the castle slowly. Your stomach was empty, your heart was numb. As always your feet brought you to the room of requirement, your safe haven. You sat down by the windowsill. 

You starred out of the window and imagined how the seasons would pass by. The birch, which branches protruded over the window, was still bearing green leaves, soon colder air would make them turn into different colours, before they would finally disappear completely. The Wood of the floor made a creaking sound as your feet completely left the ground to stretch your legs out on the dusted ledge. You blinked. Where did spring go?

Your thoughts were too loud. Too loud for your head - too quiet for this world to hear. You wanted to be happy, you wanted the world to make sense. But it didn't. Every day followed the next miserably. We were all exposed to the relentless noose of time, society, universe.

You still functioned. You noticed that. You know you didn’t do anything wrong, and yet you feel lost. Eternities shrank to seconds and suddenly, the future fell into your lap. Everything’s spinning, this time the swirl is not against you, but you let yourself get carried away, embraced it like an old friend and didn't think. That's it. Thoughts. It's the thoughts. You looked down at yourself. Touched your arm, your fingers. Your body was there, but where were you?

Your thoughts were like a cloud. It followed you and enveloped you. Clouded your vision, blackened your day. Sometimes it could be suppressed, but always returned.

“There you are”, a familiar voice said.

Tom.

“What are you doing here, Tom? You’ll miss your lesson”, your hands shook.

“I could ask you the same”, he merely replied, taking a seat beside you on the window sill.

It‘s scary. This matt, dull carpet of thoughts that removed all colours from life and turned off the sound of feelings. 

“I noticed, you know”, Tom whispered, not daring to destroy the silence. You gave him a questioning look.

“I noticed, how you always lie about your wellbeing. About your sleep. I noticed, how your lips got chapped by biting them too much. I noticed, that your nails don’t grow anymore because you always bite on them out of habit. I noticed, that you got thinner, because you refuse to eat. I noticed, that your lovely eyes lost their spark. I noticed, how your hair lost its shine. I noticed, how you feel. However I don’t know why”.

Everyone has their limits.

If it is enough, then it is enough.

And if you can't do it anymore, you simply can't do it anymore.

And there it was, the moment bound to happen. You broke. 

“They tear and they pull… but I'm not moving…it hurts! Do you understand?! I don’t think so.. I don’t understand… I defend myself until I can no longer stand! They,.. yes they…made me who I am…Not enough, don't you understand?! I am like this because of them! They made me like this… I think… I feel… And yet – and yet I'm not that what they want me to be. Not smart enough, traditional enough, elegant and womanly enough. Not good enough, not beautiful enough… shame of the family… They don't love me and yet, they still don't let me pull away! I want to go! stand on my own two feet! Live happily, but they won't let go. I need to sit down, behave myself… I’m their daughter… don't you understand?! I don’t! A girl of my family status.. I need to be proud and act as they want me to. Enough! It hurts! Everything’s full with pain and blood and they keep on doing this again and again and again…until there is nothing left”.

Cold hands engulfed your face, two soft thumbs wiped away the thick tears escaping your eyes. Tom was hurt. He felt the pain you felt deep in his chest, and yet an aura of anger trapped his heart in hatred for your family. For the first time since weeks, you met his eyes.

“You are enough, you always have been. No matter what your thoughts tell you, whispering in dark grey corners of your mind, in absent, bleak moments – you're not alone. Everyone wonders at some point. If you are enough. If there is enough, if you get enough. We all think about it. But I want to tell you - for me you are enough. You give me so many things you don't think you have enough of. Happiness. And love. You are enough with all your pearl-clear tears that you shed in fear, you are enough with your strange sense of humour that fits so strangely to mine. I'm just me. And you’re you. You do everything humanly possible to show me that I am enough, yet you are the one still fearing you are not. Just enough. No more, no less. Could you imagine, if at some point we both thought we could no longer be enough for each other, if we both broke by silently screaming at not having the other one, what then?”

A tear left his eyes, his beautiful blue eyes. Because of you.

“Enough is all I need and want from you.”, his voice cracked.  

“Your closeness, which has become as vital to me as the air I breath, and you being by my side, the ground under my feet and my light in the dark – only you, are like a fire that burns – that burns brightly, so I can warm myself. And yet you are still worried about what it would do to yourself. Even if you don’t have to be. Merlin (Y/N), could a tragedy be more beautiful? Let me ask you – if you wouldn’t be enough and if I wouldn’t be enough, would we both stick to watching the other pitifully as we lost ourselves and each other? God, that would be a terrible feeling - believe it – then your own existence would be inferior. Your heart, young and beating strongly, is longingly and desperately looking for a response and recognition. And while I respond to you, while I recognize you for who you are, isn't it about being enough for yourself first? I recognize your value in this world, I accept the value you hold for me. So why can’t you?”.

Cold lips met yours. Gently, slowly, moving in a soft rhythm. Arms engulfed you and warmth spread throughout your body, taking the goosebumps and shivering away. And for the first time since forever, you felt home.

And all, because he noticed.

[is0gild]

Ice Cream and Fire Oven Pizza - Chapter 25

Pairing: Elsa x Lea/Axel || Side Pairing: Riku x OC

Summary: Modern AU. She's an introvert ball of nerves who works at Ice Palace, a mall food court ice cream shop. He's the outgoing, sassy goofball who works at the Pizza Planet across the way. Hilarity, snark, and fluffy romcom hijinks ensue.

Word Count: 5,952

FIRST CHAPTER || PREVIOUS CHAPTER || NEXT CHAPTER

Credit for super friggin’ cute and super friggin’ amazing cover art goes to the super friggin’ talented ky-jane here on tumblr!

Feet? Pacing a hole in the floor.

Teeth? Chewing my thumbnail to the bloody nub.

Hair? Down and in open rebellion, unwilling to be braided even if its very life depended on it.

Door? Rapping with a soft knock from the other side.

Probably should go answer it.

Crossing my bedroom, I threw it open to find Lea standing there. I frowned up at him and said in complete and totally one hundred percent seriousness, "Let's run away together, right here, right now."

"Guh…" he blinked down at me, eyes wide, face seemingly still a bit red from all that sun he'd gotten out on the yacht earlier today. "...uh-huh, yeah, okay."

"Good!" I spun around and walked away, leaving the door open behind me for him to come in. Wringing my hands together and eyes darting about wildly, I went on, "We're going to need snickerdoodles. Lots of them."

"Snickerdoodles. Sure," he said slowly as I heard the door click shut. "Quick question: Why?"

My dress swished about my knees as my pacing resumed and my trembling fingers went back to my hair, once more trying to braid it. "They're Kai's favorite. Obviously."

"Oh obviously," he nodded, standing off to one side, hands on his hips as his eyes followed me, back and forth, back and forth. "Remind me again, Kai is…?"

"The butler. Keep up." My braid snagged. It was all wrong. I furiously tugged my hair free and started over again. "He'll be the first to come looking for us, so we need to take him out."

Lea pursed his lips to one side, eyes squinting. "...with snickerdoodles. A butler's one weakness. Like a moth to the flame, powerless to resist."

I stopped in my tracks, narrowing my eyes up at him. "...are you making fun of me?"

"Who, me? No, I would never!"

Holding him with my scowl for a second more, I at last relented with a nod and a huff before going back to patrolling the length of the rug. "Good. This is very, very serious business and is not to be taken lightly."

"Absolutely, the most serious," he agreed in earnest. "So the snickerdoodles…?"

"Will be used to leave a trail like breadcrumbs to lure Kai into my wardrobe where we'll then knock him unconscious, tie him up and lock him inside, giving us a good head start before anyone else realizes we're gone."

He was rubbing a curled finger over his lips, doing his damnedest to keep a straight face. "Right, sure, sure. It's so clear now, I dunno why I didn't think of it myself. I mean, c'mon, it's the only sane thing to do."

"Exactly!" No, no, that braid wouldn't do at all, it was a crooked mess! Growling, I yanked it out and started over yet again. "Then we can escape out my window. There's no trellis or anything to climb, but the drop's not far. Only thirty, maybe forty feet."

"Psh," his hand batted the air, "that all? No sweat."

"Then we can just hop in your car and- gah!" Seriously, what was wrong with my hair?! Why wouldn't it braid?! Was it broken?! I snarled, raking my clawed fingers through it over and over again, threatening to rip every last damn strand from the very roots and-

"Woah there, easy now," Lea said calmly, catching my hands in his and forcing them to be still. His firm grip was warm and soothing. "Why don't we just take a breather for a sec, huh?"

Glaring down at my feet, I just answered with a noncommittal shrug. Good enough for him, it seemed, for he was now guiding me over to my bed where he took a seat on the edge, drawing me down to sit beside him. Still holding my hands and tracing light circles along their backs with his thumbs, he tucked one leg up beneath him so he could turn to better face me.

"Now before ya rip yourself bald, why don'tcha just leave your hair to me while you tell me all about whatever it is that has you ready to book it for the hills?" Setting my hands down in my lap, he started to bring his up but they faltered midway towards my face, fingers curling slightly. "...may I?" he asked quietly.

I hesitated for a heartbeat before giving a single nod and turning away from him, sweeping my pale platinum locks back over my shoulder. There was a brief pause before I felt it. His long fingers stroking my hair, slow and gentle as they combed through it, carefully smoothing out whatever tangles I'd worked it into in my anxiety and frustration. It made my scalp tingle pleasantly and my eyes fluttered half closed.

"So talk to me. What's up?" I heard him ask.

His breathing, low and soft behind me, had a comforting rhythm to it and I swear I could feel a faint warmth radiating from his nearness. It settled my nerves somewhat as the nice little tugs and shifts to my hair continued. Tucking in my lower lip, I muttered, "I don't think I can do this anymore."

"Do what?" he pressed gently.

"Any of it!" I blurted out with a grimace. "My parents. The talk with them. This… this unbearable wait for the talk with them. My grandfather. The silent, angry death rays he keeps shooting out his eyes at me." The words were tumbling out of me faster and faster. "Anna. The way she won't talk to me. Why won't she talk to me?! What could possibly be wrong? What could I have possibly done? And then- and then there's the party! It's going to be a nightmare! A disaster, a-"

"Shh, it'll be okay." His voice was tender. Just hearing it loosened the knots in my stomach somewhat and eased my shallow breathing. His hands continued to thread my hair and I felt the bend of his finger brush against the base of my neck, causing a weird feeling to creep up my spine and making me shiver. His hands stilled momentarily, but then they set about their task once more, his tone even softer now, "Just… one lil party. Nothing to worry about. No big deal."

I puffed out a shaky breath, "But it is a big deal! Because it'll be a big party! Huge! Ginormous! So many people are going to be there, and I don't do people. I don't, I just… I can't! And these aren't just any people. Oh no, these are my relatives. Relatives who were at my wedding. You know, the one that didn't happen because I snuck out a window? They're all going to be staring at me and… and talking- no, whispering about me and treating me like some sort of, I don't know… freakshow. And just… what does one even wear when they're the friggin' social pariah of the soirée? What do they do with their hair? Their stupid, stupid hair that won't even-"

"Breathe," Lea told me.

A command, but a gentle one at that.

I scrunched up my face, but inhaled deeply and held it for a few seconds, closing my eyes and instead focusing on the sensation of his hands in my hair. Why was I even letting him do this? I hadn't even questioned it. But... it really was quite… pleasing, I'll give it that. I couldn't remember the last time I'd let someone touch it like this. Surely, not since I was a child. Surely, it'd been nice then too, but not quite like this. Not in the same way. This… I couldn't quite put a name to this… to the small tickle of a feeling blossoming inside my chest…

Sensing I had relaxed somewhat, he spoke again, "First of all, your hair's not stupid. In fact, pretty sure it has a PHD and graduated valedictorian. And I already told ya I got you covered in the hair department, so just put that outta your head, 'kay? Don't even think about it. Second of all, you'll wear whatever the hell you want to this dumb party and look like the goddamn belle of the ball and if anyone tries to talk shit, I'll knock their teeth out, got it?"

That earned him a tiny snerk from me.

"We don't even have to stay long," he said as his delightful ministrations to my hair continued. "We'll drop in, make an appearance, give gramps his birthday spankings or whatever, then ditch the place. Third of all, your sister will talk to you when she's ready. All you can do is let her know you're there for her. Fourth of all, your gramps and those lil death glares of his? Can go fuck themselves. Fifth of all-"

"How many more of these 'of alls' do you have?" I felt one corner of my mouth quirk.

"Shush, I'm on a roll here. Now where was I...? Ah! Fifth of all, this talk with your folks? That's all it is: a talk. Just words. They have no power over you, not anymore. And I'll be there to back you up the whole time. Anna too, I'm sure. No matter what's going on with her, she knows you need her. And if you don't like what your folks have to say and if they won't listen to you, then that's it. We can just leave. End of story."

I rolled my eyes with a flat, "Simple as that, huh?"

"Simple as that," he murmured, sounding a little distracted by his task. "Sixth of all… hm… never mind, there is no sixth of all. Covered everything with the first five. Any questions?"

My nose crinkled as I bit back a grin. "...would you really knock one of my relative's teeth out?"

"In a heartbeat. Send those pearly whites flying so high n' fast, they'd be like shooting stars across a night sky."

I pressed my folded fingers to my lips, muffling a little laugh. "Well, I suppose brutally assaulting other guests is certainly one excuse for ducking out of the party early."

"Good point," I could hear the smirk in his voice. "I'll keep that in my back pocket in case of emergency."

Just then, another knock came at my door. Gosh, I certainly was popular lately. I don't think I'd ever had so many visitors to my bedroom as I'd had over the past two days. I stood up to go answer it, hearing what suspiciously sounded like a small, almost inaudible sigh from Lea as my hair slipped free of his grasp.

Pulling the door open, I smiled when I saw who it was. "Mattias. It's been too long."

The man was tall and had friendly brown eyes lined with faint crows feet. His hair was short, frizzy and black that was just starting to show the first signs of greying, with a matching goatee to frame his grin. Bending at the waist into a tiny half bow, he greeted, "Little Miss Elsa. My, how you've grown."

Smile widening, I turned to find Lea had joined me at my side. "Lea, this is Mattias. He works for my grandfather." I actually had no idea what Mattias's exact job title was. Was he Grandfather's personal assistant? His bodyguard? His driver? His privately owned assassin? Okay, I was just joking about the last one… I think. Maybe he was all of the above. Or maybe none and he was actually something even more secretive and mysterious. All I knew was that Mattias had been under Grandfather's employ since I was very little and whatever it was he did or didn't do, he'd always treated me with nothing but kindness.

"Ah," Mattias breathed as his gaze shifted to Lea, eyes crinkling as he offered his hand, "and you must be the new paramour I've been hearing so much about."

Lea shook it, one side of his mouth twitching up. "All good things, I'm sure."

"All… verbose and fervent things said with great gusto," he tactfully replied.

"They usually are when it's me those things are about," Lea snorted.

Tipping my head to one side as I regarded Mattias, I asked, "Was there something you needed of me?"

His hands clasped behind his back. "I was actually looking to borrow your young gentleman here with regards to tonight's festivities."

"Oof, sorry man, I'm flattered, but already got a date for the evening," Lea said as he slid an arm around my shoulders.

"He's funny," Mattias declared brightly. "No wonder your grandfather is so… opinionated about him. But no, I meant I'm here to take you out in preparation for the ball."

Lea cocked an eyebrow. "...oh! You mean 'take out' as in get me snazzy new duds so I can get all dolled up for this lil shindig?"

Mattias's face fell suddenly stoic as an eerie calm came over him, "Or 'take out' as in make you disappear, never to be seen or heard from again." His hushed words were punctuated with a long, uncomfortable stretch of silence where I began to wonder if I actually hadn't been too far off with my assassin guess. But then he abruptly burst out into booming laughter, making both Lea and me jump. "I'm just kidding! My wife Halima says I need to lighten up and joke around more." Now he seemed to become a bit bashful as he asked hopefully, "How am I doing?"

I exchanged a brief glance with Lea, who then gave a weak chuckle. "Great! You'll have 'em all rolling on the floor during amateur hour at the comedy club." Reaching for the doorknob, he slowly started pushing it shut between Mattias and us as he called out a chipper, "Now, I'm just gonna close this for a real quick sec here, be right back!" As soon as it clicked shut, Lea gripped my arm as he hissed, "Do not under any circumstance leave me alone with that guy!"

Scoffing, I crossed my arms, "You're being silly, he's a very sweet man."

"Oh yeah, seems real nice for a psychopathic killer who could probably murder me seven different ways with a Tootsie Roll."

"He said he was kidding."

"Precisely what someone trynta off me would say," he muttered, glowering at my door.

My eyelids drooped, "Also precisely what someone who wasn't trying to off you would say. Besides, it's a good thing Grandfather sent him to assist you with this. I was so busy stressing out about myself, I completely forgot you probably had nothing to wear for tonight. What would you have even done, just shown up in jeans and a t-shirt?" I shook my head in amusement.

To that he just looked down, scratching a spot behind his ear with a soft, "Heh."

I stared blankly at him. "Oh my god, that's exactly what you were going to do."

"In my defense, it was gonna be one classy t-shirt."

"...the kind with a cartoon tux printed on the front?"

He grinned big, "Yeah! How'd you know?"

My finger pinched the bridge of my nose as I released a grumbling sigh. "Just go with Mattias so you can get fitted for a nice suit. Please."

"What about you?" he reached over, lightly rubbing my arm. "You all good now?"

"I'm… better now," I hugged myself with a small nod. "...you always seem to know just what to say to help calm me down. Thank you." I turned away, heading towards my vanity, "And thanks for-" I stopped as I looked in the mirror, my hand going to my blonde strands. My reflection frowned back at me. "Wait… you didn't even do anything with my hair." I narrowed my eyes on him, "Were you just playing with it this whole time?"

"Er…" he grinned innocently, rubbing at the nape of his neck and averting his gaze. "...no?" I fixed him with a dull look. "Seriously! I braided it!" One of my eyebrows arched. "Then I… unbraided it. But only to try a few other things with it, honest! Purely for research purposes! And it all led me to one conclusion. The results are in and it's unanimous: you should wear your hair," he rapped his fingers along the edge of my vanity in a drumroll, "down!"

I tilted my head slightly to the left. "...down?"

"Mm-hm! It's simple! It's bold! It's-"

Once again, a knock sounded at my door. "You two do remember I'm still waiting out here... right?" came Mattias's muffled voice from the other side.

With a tiny huff in my throat, I started pushing Lea back towards the door. "Will you just go with him already? He won't kill you, I promise."

"Fine, but if ya haven't heard from me in an hour, you come and rescue my sorry ass, got it? Oh, and El?" he dug in his heels, stopping us both as he brought his hands up to squeeze my shoulders with a smile. "About tonight, just… you do you. Whatever makes ya comfortable. Forget about what anyone else might say or think, 'kay?"

I stared back at him, searching his eyes for a second before looking away as I bit down into my bottom lip. "...I'll try."

Seemingly satisfied with that, Lea reached out to twist the doorknob and pull, greeting Mattias with, "Alright, cowboy, let's get this over with." Trailing his fingers down my arms to my hands, he took them both in his and raised them to press a kiss to each one, murmuring, "Until this evening, min kjæreste."

...I really shouldn't be surprised at this point that he had yet to run out of pet names.

I'd have to ask him what that one meant later.

Which, you know, was a totally crucial and vital piece of info to have before adding it to the ever growing mountainous stack of vetoes.

With that, he stepped out into the hallway where Mattias grinned and gave him a hearty slap on the back, forcing a grunt out of Lea as he closed the door behind him. I snorted quietly before moving back over to my vanity mirror, absently running my fingers through my hair as I stared at my reflection once more.

...down, huh?

...I think I could make that work.

"Well, well… don't you look a vision?"

"Thank you, Mattias," I smiled softly, resisting the urge to self-consciously hide behind my bedroom door. "You're looking rather dashing yourself."

He stood a little straighter, his hand smoothing the crisp lapel of his suit. "I do what I can. And I got your young man looking quite dapper as well, if I do say so myself."

"Speaking of, where is Lea?" I looked about the corridor, but it only further confirmed that Mattias had come to greet me at my door alone.

"I left him to await you in the foyer." He offered me his arm, "Shall I escort you, my dear?"

Taking a quick glance back into my room to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, I then nodded and closed the door behind me as I stepped out into the hallway, tucking my hand into his elbow. "Please. Lead the way." As we began to walk, I told him, "Thank you, by the way. For getting Lea ready and presentable for the evening."

"Was only doing as your grandfather asked of me," he brushed off. "I suspect he doesn't want him drawing anymore undue attention to himself than absolutely necessary."

I hummed a small laugh at that, "I think that may be a lost cause there."

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, grin widening. "...that boy of yours really won't stand a chance, you know. He'll be a goner the second he lays eyes on you."

"Stop, you're embarrassing me," I ducked my head to hide the faint blush creeping into my face as my fingers idly twisted at my diamond fringe earrings. Wearing them may have been a bad idea in retrospect as they were too tempting to fidget with in moments of anxiety. They dangled all the way down to my shoulders, which were bare in my floor length, high neck halter dress that was backless and a shade of midnight blue with subtle shimmers in the bodice - another garment that, like my beachwear, had just been left behind to gather dust in my wardrobe here long ago. My hair was sideswept, cascading down in loose curls in front of my right shoulder.

"If memory serves," Mattias was saying conversationally, "I don't believe you ever went to such lengths to look even half so stunning for your last suitor."

My face grew hotter as I muttered, "You must be mistaken."

Why would I put any more effort into my appearance for tonight than I had any other previous outings that had been with my ex? I had no reason to. Not for Lea. Not for the guy who was only a friend and merely just pretend dating me as a favor to help me out of a tight spot. Of course, Mattias wasn't privy to that last bit.

"Perhaps," he said lightly, falling silent for a few steps. Then, "Or perhaps it is just another small piece to the big mystery surrounding why he is your suitor no more."

The corners of my lips turned down. "...he and I weren't right, Mattias. This life, this world," I gestured to the expensive dress I was wearing, to the mansion walls around us, "...none of it was right. Not for me, anyway. I tried to pretend it was, tried to play the part for years. But I couldn't, not anymore. That's why I had to leave." I hesitated, eyes downcast. "I… don't really know what is right for me. I'm still trying to work that part out… but I feel like I'm much closer to figuring it out now than I ever was before when I was only living to please my parents."

He didn't respond right away, seeming to ponder my words for a moment. At last, he glanced over at me with a warm smile. "My father used to have a saying: Just when you think you found your way, life will throw you on a new path. Don't give up, take it one step at a time and just do the next right thing." Mattias pat my fingers curled around his arm, "It may take a while, but I know you'll sort it all out. You're now on the path you were meant to be on. In time, I'm sure your family will understand that as well."

I returned his smile with a tiny one of my own. "I hope so… thank you, Mattias."

"Of course, my dear." We at last came to a halt at the top of the stairs. "Now I leave you in the care of your gentleman caller who should be just at the foot of the-" he faltered mid-sentence as he looked down into the foyer, eyes growing round. Then he heaved a sigh, dragging a hand down his face as he grumbled, "...I swear he wasn't like this when I left a moment ago."

I followed his gaze to spot Lea on the bottom step. He was leaning with one elbow propped against the banister, eyes lowered as he inspected his (still pristine) black nail polish, so he hadn't noticed us yet. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he was wearing what looked to be a very nice black tux, so he should have made quite the debonair picture. Key word: should. However, his tie was undone and draped loose around his neck, his suit jacket was off and slung over his shoulder by his free hand, and the sleeves of his white button-up were rolled up to his elbows.

The cherry on top? Brace yourself, because there were actually two. The first was there was a small white stick poking out of the corner of his mouth as he sucked on something. Was that a lollipop? Pretty sure it was a lollipop. A friggin' lollipop. Why? Just… why? As for the second, I'll give you a few hints: they were pink, made of cheap plastic, perched on the bridge of one's nose, and utterly ridiculous. That's right: the heart sunglasses were back, making their encore performance on Lea's face.

Somehow, I got the feeling Grandfather would not be amused.

Just a hunch.

"Good luck with that," Mattias told me under his breath with a low snort as he walked off, presumably to go on ahead to the party.

My eyes fell on Lea once more, my fingers coming up to brush along my grin before I started to descend the stairs. "No," was all I said, though a laugh bubbled out of me before I could stop it.

He glanced up at the sound of my voice, eyebrows bouncing as he smirked around the lollipop, surely with some cocky wisecrack just at the tip of his tongue. Instead however his gaze met mine and he froze, his eyes widening as all that came out was a, "Nnn…?"

I think he might have been trying to echo my 'no' there. But apparently a two-letter word was one more letter than he could currently handle.

I reached him, stopping on the step just above the one on which he stood. Fighting my grin now, I lifted my hands to remove the heart-shades and folded them shut. Then I held them up before his nose as I reiterated a firm but gentle, "No."

Lea just continued to stare at me, lollipop dangling from his slack-jawed gape and this close to falling out. "Nnn…"

My, how articulate he was this evening.

With a small huff through my nose, I set the glasses aside on the banister. Then I reached to take hold of the ends of his tie, flipping them up in front of his face with another, "No." With that, I set to work tying it for him. To be blunt, I actually kind of hated that I knew how to do this. It was just such an archaic and outdated practice, the woman fixing the tie for the man. But someone had to do it and part of me suspected Lea wouldn't even have the first clue how.

I could sense his eyes on me as I folded and looped the strip of fabric. I did my best to ignore it along with the heat I could feel creeping up the back of my neck now. What didn't help was when his hand slowly drifted up to start toying with the curled tips of my hair. Hitching my chin and stubbornly avoiding his gaze as I put all my focus into the tie, I murmured, "You know, you can quit it with the goofy lovestruck act. Mattias is gone, there's no one here to see it."

Coiling a pale tendril around his finger, he didn't speak right away and for a second I wondered if he had even heard me. Then came a hushed, "...you're beautiful..."

My heart jolted and my grip faltered, fumbling the tie and screwing it up. My eyes darted up to meet his, which were soft but also mixed with… something that was too intense and I quickly looked away again. With a little scowl, I started over with his tie, muttering, "Fine then, keep it up. See if I care." Hastily finishing the bowtie in silence, I hazarded a second, more cautious glance back up at him, frowning now. "...wow, you really fried out there on the yacht today, didn't you? Ever hear of sunscreen?" I asked, reaching a hand up for one of his super red cheeks.

He snatched it just as my fingertips had barely brushed along his skin. Then he blinked, finally knocking it off with the dazed routine as he released my hand so he could instead rub at the nape of his neck with a small chuckle. "Nah, I… I'm fine. I think it's just something funny with the, uh… the lighting in here, making me look burned when I'm really not. Yeah, that must be it!"

I gave him a dubious squint before looking down at my palm. Odd… I looked just as pale as ever under this light. Shrugging it off, I then stretched a hand out once more, this time to pluck the lollipop from his lips, accompanying it with yet another, "No." I caught a whiff of a very familiar scent and both eyebrows shot up my forehead as I looked at the candy. Then I held it up to him, "Is this why you smell like cinnamon all the time?"

His head rocked back slightly, one corner of his lips slowly turning up. "And how, pray tell, are you so intimately aware of what I smell like?"

My shoulders stiffened as just about every last bit of blood I had in me rushed straight up to my face. "I… well, I wouldn't say I'm intimately- I mean, that is... well, you're always hugging me and just, you know… i-it's kind of hard not to- It's not like I'm trying to- Not on purpose anyway, it just sort of… I just…"

The wicked curve to his lips widened further. "Yes? Do go on."

I narrowed my eyes on him. "Nevermind. Where did this thing even come from?" I asked, scrunching my nose up at the lollipop before looking for somewhere to get rid of it. I settled on tossing it into one of the two large urns decorating either side of the base of the staircase. Shh, no one would ever have to know.

He shrugged, still not wiping that stupid grin off his face. "We stopped at a place on the way to the tux fitting."

"And Mattias let you? He should've known better," I sighed, now tugging one of his sleeves down to his wrist with a tad more force than necessary and buttoning it.

"What can I say? I can be very persuasive."

I just gave a noncommittal "hm" as I straightened and fastened the other sleeve as well. Then I snagged his folded jacket from where he held it slung over his shoulder, lifting it with one more lightly chiding, "No." I began helping him shrug back into it.

A little tsk escaped him. "You're certainly a fan of that word right now."

Concentrating on getting his left arm into the other sleeve, I deadpanned, "And you're certainly a fan of finding every way imaginable to make me say it."

He snerked at that. Then, "Huh. Guess there's a first time for everything. Usually the ladies are trynta take the clothes off me, not the other way around."

My gaze snapped up to meet his with every intention of giving him the full blast of my withering stare. Instead I froze, expression blank at the sight that greeted me.

That of a lollipop stick once more jutting out the side of his tiny smirk.

I blinked. Then looked to the urn. Then back at him. My eyelids drooped. "Just how many of those do you have?"

His smile stretched from ear to ear. "Picked me up a whole pack! Gotta feed the addiction!"

I sighed, shaking my head before eyeing him up and down with a frown. "...where are you even hiding them all?"

Lea bent forward, the tip of his nose brushing against mine as his eyes hooded and he whispered, "Care to search me and find out?"

An icy grin pulled at my lips and I told him, "No." There's that word again. Confiscating this lollipop as well, I struck it up in front of his face and continued on in a deadly sweet tone, "If I catch you with another one of these tonight, I'll make you choke on it."

"You promise?" he waggled his eyebrows at me.

I scoffed, flinging the candy into the other urn. There. Now my parents had a matching set. My attention returned to Lea as I tipped my head to one side, giving him a final glance over now that I had him all put back together. "...you actually clean up rather handsomely. You know, when you're not being a total clown."

"Hadta do it," he puffed up his chest and tweaked his bowtie. "If you had been struck by the full might of my studliness in a tux right from the get go, you would've straight up swooned and come toppling down the stairs. Hadta ease ya into it for your own safety. You're welcome."

"How thoughtful," I rolled my eyes with a soft snort. Then I retrieved the heart-glasses from the banister once more, slipping them into a pocket on the inside of his jacket. "Now I'm giving these back to you since I know they're your new favorite toy and I'm trusting you not to put them back on at the party, okay?"

"Scout's honor," he chirped, holding up three fingers pressed together.

"Good," I smiled, straightening his lapels and smoothing my hand over his button-up to clear any creases. "Your shenanigans the other night in front of my parents and grandfather were one thing, but this party is something else entirely. You can't just-"

"El," he interrupted me, bringing his hand up. I almost thought it was going for my cheek, but it seemed to hesitate and shift over at the last second, giving my shoulder a squeeze instead. "I'll be on my best behavior. Count on it."

I nodded. "...thank you." I realized my hands were still smoothing, even though any wrinkles there may have been in his shirt were long gone.

Jesus criminy, Elsa, stop pawing at the man's chest already!

Quickly retracting my hands, I cleared my throat as my smile turned a touch awkward. "Right. So then… to the party?"

"Absolutely," he grinned, taking my hand and tucking it into the crook of his arm. He then led me down the last couple of steps and over to a corridor off on the left, striding with confidence.

I followed him wordlessly for a few steps. Then, "Do you have any idea where you're going?"

"Not a damn clue!" he said brightly.

With a tiny laugh, I informed him, "It's back the other way."

"Going the other way!" he announced, flipping us into a u-turn and marching off in the opposite direction.

Once we were on the right course, it wasn't hard for Lea to figure out where the ballroom was. He just had to follow the sound of the classic string music and murmur of voices drifting from the party. It wasn't long before we were approaching a massive set of double doors beyond which all the merrymaking could be spotted in glimpses.

That's when I started to hear it. The blood rushing in my ears. Every step closer to that entrance made my insides shrivel tighter and tighter, my breathing more rapid and shallow. Just outside the threshold, my feet stopped moving altogether.

Lea halted beside me, looking over at me in concern. He brought up his other hand to cover my own that was clutching at his arm, not saying anything. I didn't need him to. I just needed a minute to steel myself. Closing my eyes, I forced air into my lungs in one long, slow inhale through my nose. Then I released it just as gradually, feeling my nerves settle somewhat.

Was I ready for this?

No. Not even close.

But this was about as ready as I was ever going to get.

I looked up at him with a small nod. With that, we made our way inside.

Author's Note: I was originally going to put this build-up to the party AND the party itself all in the same chapter, but it just got TOO long for a single chapter - and that's coming from ME of all people, so that's saying something! So hope ya'll don't mind this slightly shorter update chocked full of fluff xP Anyhoo, Mattias made his cameo this chapter, yay! He was one of my faves from F2, such a sweetheart with his own moments of awkwardness :3 Minor fun fact: I had just finished playing TWEWY for the first time before I started writing this chapter and had been introduced to Koki - a character in that game that's basically an Axel-clone, at least in the sense that he's a redheaded kinda-sorta villain that's bursting at the seams with snark… guess which TWEWY character turned out to be fave xD Anyway, Koki is never seen without a lollipop the whole time, so the stupid thing with the lollipop this chapter got its inspiration from that xP Other minor fun fact: Elsa's dress is very, VERY loosely based on her dress from the Olaf's Frozen Adventure short - just get rid of the fur, sleeves, and back and turn it into a halter top and presto! Beautiful xD Also, her hairstyle is based off of some early Elsa concept art by Brittney Lee for the first Frozen movie (I’ll reblog it here some point soon!) and I just think the art is gorgeous and I had to use the hairstyle cuz oof… Ice Queen is pretty, yo!

Next chapter, Gramps' B-day Bonanza is officially in full swing! What new lil misadventures might the night bring? Who else might make an appearance? Will everything go smoothly or will there be trouble brewing at the ball? And just where IS Lea really hiding all those damn lil lollipops? Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading, I super duper appreciate it! And an extra BIG thank you to those of you who’ve liked, reblogged, and followed so far, seeing those lil notifications always brings the biggest, goofiest smile to my face!

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[19cartoonqueen99]

"Forevermore" 🌸⚡

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"That should be the last of them." Ren careful retrieved his blade from the disintegrating body of a Sabyr. There were far less of them now, thanks to the lessening tensions in the area.

Nora raised her hammer over her shoulder confidently with a bright smile. "Like they even stood a chance against us! We're unstoppable!"

Ren couldn't help but smile at her. Even in the midst of terror and uncertainty, she was always happy. Always smiling. He'd always admired that about her ever since they'd met, even if he didn't understand it.

He looked around, then at his scroll. "We should probably regroup with the others. Who knows what else is still out there?"

Nora nodded, folding up Magnhild and following Ren around the block. The streets were empty, with most of the Mantle citizens having evacuated already. But even with the dread in the air seemingly gone, there was still something there...Something uncertain. Something...familiar. She shrugged it off, shaking her head.

"Nora? Is something wrong?" Ren titled his head quizzically in her direction.

She looked away, staying silent. Her hands fidgeted as she walked, her eyes gaze downcast.

"Nora," he asked again, a bit more sternly this time, "What's wrong?"

Nora looked up at him, but quickly looked away, unsure of what to say or do. This was the first time they'd properly been alone together since...that night. She still wasn't sure how to address everything, especially after all that had just happened in the past few weeks. What should she say? What could she say?

"I...well..." She hemmed and hawed, her eyes darting about nervously. She glanced up at him, vainly hoping he couldn't read her expression.

"Nora, please..." He stopped walking and turned to her. "I can tell something's bothering you. So I'll ask you again. Is something wrong?"

She stopped again, closing her eyes. She had to say something, she rationalized. At further attempts to dodge conversation wasn't going to work here. Not anymore. She took a deep breath and faced him.

"Well, the thing is-"

A soft glint from a broken window caught her eye. She turned, catching sight of a seemingly ordinary old brick house. Broken windows haphazardly boarded up with beams, the door hanging off of one hinge. Something was familiar about that house...

As if she was being called by a siren's song, Nora slowly made her way over to the decrepit building, carefully pushing the old door aside to step in. Right away, it was clear this house had not been occupied in a very long time. Layers upon layers of dust coated everything in the room, leaving a musty, damp scent in the air. The fabric on the furrniture was faded with age.

She looked around the abandoned living room, peering past the doorways to see two separate bedrooms, one master, and one spare. The spare room seemed to draw her closer. She went inside.

An old bed frame missing its mattress and sheets. Torn curtains that once were a vibrant pink. An overturned empty toy chest now sat collecting dust in the corner. The faintest hint of magenta paint still clung to the walls. Clearly this had been a little girl's room. A heaviness fell across Nora. Her breathing grew shallow. Her hands were cold, but not because of the weather outside.

"Nora, what are you doing?" Ren had awkwardly squeezed his way past the broken door and into the house. "We have to regroup with the others. C'mon, let's just-"

He stopped in his tracks when he saw her. She gazed up at him, confused and helpless.

"Nora?" He slowly approached her, gently holding her hand in his.

"I.....I know this place...." She quivered softly.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something. A piece of paper, stuck under the toy chest. She bent down to pick it up. She turned it over.

A sharp gasp of alarm rose from her throat. Hot tears began forming in her eyes. A sudden feeling of dizziness quickly overcame her, and she clung to Ren to keep her balance.

Ren gripped her tightly, holding her steady in his grasp. "Nora, it's okay....I'm right here. What is it?"

Nora could only manage a small whimper as she turned page to show him. Only it wasn't a page. It was a picture.

A woman and a little girl, sitting together on a couch. They were clearly mother and daughter; the resemblance was uncanny. Both were beaming brightly, and even the photo's age not could hinder their vibrant auburn locks.

The little girl...had green eyes.

"That's....that's you..." Ren spoke breathlessly.

"I tried to forget about it all..." Nora croaked, her eyes stinging from holding back tears, "I never wanted to remember that horrible night again...There was...there was so many Grimm......

She crumpled to the floor in sobs, clutching the photo in her hands. Ren knelt beside her, holding her gently. Being a comforting presence was all he could really do in that moment.

"I'm so sorry..." She hiccuped through her words, "I never should have distracted you that night. A-all I've ever done is g-get in the way-"

"Nora, what are you talking about?" He gently lifted her chin to face him.

"I...It just feels like I'm always getting in the way...Ever since we got to Atlas, all I've been doing is goofing around, not taking the mission seriously...I know we've got a huge important task to keep in mind, but I just..." She sniffled back her tears, gazing up at Ren.

"I just want to be with you. You've always been there for me, and I've never known a single day that you haven't. But ever since we got here, it just feels like you're...growing distant. Holding back, pushing away. It's...why I did what I did that night at Robyn's rally. Because I wanted you to know how I felt...But now it just feels like I messed everything up...I'm sorry..."

Ren stared at her in surprise, but quickly his expression shifted to fondness as he reached up to wipe away her remaining tears. He gave her a gentle smile, holding her close.

"Nora, never apologize for being who you are."

"But I-"

"Nora, you don't give yourself enough credit. You seem to forget that you are just as deserving of praise as anyone else. You've saved my life more times than I can count. You've been my guiding light, my conscience, my confidant, my best friend. For years. And I could never be more grateful."

He helped her to her feet, still holding her hands gently. His eyes gazed into hers with a kind of love only the closest of partners could share.

"You are everything to me. You're my entire world. I know I don't say it enough, but it's true." He softly ran one hand along her cheek, pulling her close to him with the other.

"I love you, Nora."

The words came as a shock to her. Never in her life would she have ever expected Ren to open up like this to her. But really, it was to be expected. After everything they'd been through together. Kuroyuri, Beacon, Haven, and beyond. They were bonded together. Not by choice, not by design. By something so much stronger.

She smiled at him warmly, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. He smiled back, once again lifting her chin to face him.

"Took you long enough to say it, " She teased, propping herself up on her toes, inches away from his face.

Ren couldn't help but chuckle at the comment, leaning ever so closely towards her-

"Ren? Nora?" A loud yet familiar voice rang through the house. The two quickly broke apart. They'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Guys? Oh hey, there you are!" Jaune poked his head through the doorway, seemingly ignorant of the situation. "I've been looking all over the place for you two. Why weren't you answering your scrolls-" He trailed off when he saw the stance the two were in.

"Oh. That's why..." He began to awkwardly shuffle away. "I'll just, uh...meet you guys at the main wall." He scurried off without another word.

The pair burst out laughing as soon as he left.

"Of all the times he had to show up." Ren chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

"Heh, yeah that's for sure," Nora shifted in place, her cheeks still red from blushing. "Maybe later?"

"Yeah, later. Let's get going." Ren took her by the hand and began to lead her outside.

Nora followed, gripping the old photo in her other hand. With a small, shuddered sigh, she folded it up and stuck it in her skirt pocket. She turned and gave one last look at her old room. She would never forget the horrible nightmares it held, but she would always remember the good times as well.

As the two neared the front door, a slight smirk snuck across Ren's face. But before Nora could ask, he suddenly pulled her close to him, kissing her deeply.

Instinctively, her arms drifted up around his shoulders, and she felt his arms gently wrap around her waist. Her world began to spin, just like it had that night at Robyn's rally. Only this time, it was just them. No crowds, no music, no noise. Just her and him. Together. For real, this time. This was no dream. This was reality.

The two eventually broke apart, and Ren gave a playful smirk. "It is later, after all." He took her by the hand again, never taking his eyes off of her.

Nora beamed brightly at him, her fingers intertwined with his as they walked away together.

There was still a long road ahead. The fight they faced was far from over. But Nora knew in her heart that she wouldn't be alone. She'd never been alone.

They were so much more than just partners. Call it fate, call it destiny, or even something stronger. Nothing was going to tear them apart. Not now, not ever. They were together. Now, and forevermore.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading! This story idea just sort of popped into my head recently and I just had to write it down. This ended up being way longer than I anticipated. Hope you enjoyed it!

-Cartoon Queen 👑

[enigmatist17]

Clama ad Auxilium (Uncharted)

Nathan had spent a solid six months with Rafé. Scotland was a change from Panama, the cold often settling into his bones as he threw himself to research. Of course, Rafé had enjoyed the progress they made, none too slighted when he woke one morning to find Nathan gone. If he was honest it didn’t matter, Nathan had left his work, and as such was compensated with a small bonus.

Said bonus was quickly drained, bars across Scotland and Ireland getting a generous piece. Sully had used said purchases to find Nathan, the man sitting in the street and letting the rain soak him to the bone. Sully just shook his head as he hoisted Nathan to his feet, the younger man leaning heavily against his mentor.

I failed him...I killed my brother

It takes them a month to come up with a code, a plan to prevent Nathan from falling too far. It would be hard, it was hard, but eventually, Nathan was able to bury it deep down. Sam, Cassandra, Avery were locked deep in his mind, Nathan pushing forward to live the life he needed to. The nightmares, they never stopped. Yet, Sully would sit on the edge of the bed and rest a hand on Nathan’s shoulder, Elena would hug Nathan close to her, both acting without words.

Nathan was so very grateful, starting to use their support to finally begin the hard work.

It’s been just over a year since Sam Drake had returned to the world, and to his brother. He had stayed with Nathan and Elena, but the itch to explore and to make his mark had Sam drifting in and out of their lives. He and Sully were currently asleep in the back of Sully’s plane, having stayed up to celebrate a job well done. The Drake was stretched out on his cot, one leg dangling over the side, his head lolled to the side as the gentle shake of the waves moved his cot back and forth. Whenever Sam was truly tired, he was out like a light and almost unable to be woken until he decided it was time to wake up. It was almost amazing, although Sully suspected his freedom and ability to control things were a big cause. The older man was relaxed in his own cot, propped up slightly as he read over a contract. Consider it superstition, but Sully didn’t usually sleep after a successful job. No, he was settling accounts and lining up a future job, while whoever his particular partner was would be sleeping it off or celebrating elsewhere. His phone buzzed with a text, the name Nathan flashing on top of the screen before fading. Sully smiled at the name, but that quickly faded when he saw the text was just one word.

Chintamani

Far be it from Nathan to chose that for his cry for help, but Sully just rolled out of bed. Grabbing one of his boots, he lobbed it expertly behind him so it hit Sam square in the face. It seemed to have worked, Sam cursing as he groggily sat up.

“The fuck man? I’m tryin’ ta sleep.” Sam hissed, brushing the boot onto the floor, only for it to be snatched up and placed on Sully’s foot.

“We need to roll kid, it’s your brother.” It never ceased to amaze Sully at how the mention of Nathan would always make Sam react, the elder all but jumping onto his feet.

“Nathan? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, but we need to get moving.” Sam nodded and threw his shoes on before rolling up his and Sully’s cot. A few minutes and pissed off locals later Sam and Sully were off to Malaysia. For a while they were both silent, watching as they crossed over mile and miles of land and sea.

“How did ya know Nate’s in trouble?” Damn, Sam was calling him Nate, Sully didn’t have the patience for two breakdowns.

“The kid and I came up with a plan a long time ago.” Sully grappled with telling the Drake why and figured it was now or never. “After you...ya know, Nathan tried to get himself killed. He and that little shit Adler had been working for months, and Nate eventually called it quits. Tried to drink himself into a damn stupor before I got to him. It took a lot to get through that thick skull you both seem to share, but I told him that if he ever needed me, to send me a phrase.”

“One you just got I assume.” Sully nodded, and Sam sighed. They remained in silence until they came across Nathan’s current home, boathouse rocking in the early morning waves as they landed nearby. It was a short taxi ride, the two knew something was off when they stepped out and paid the cabbie. Nathan was perched on a railing overlooking the water, shivering in the slight wind as he only wore a simple tank top and some sweats. Nathan’s phone was clutched in his hand, screen dim as the two older men moved as one towards Nathan. Sam didn’t get too far, Elena coming from seemingly nowhere to hold him back.

“Let Sully.” She sounded so exhausted, fuck, and Sam stepped back to watch after offering his hand to Elena. Envy burned in his heart as the elder Drake watched as Sully leans against the railing, his younger brother leaning against him without a word.

Sully’s son.

As much as Sam had once hated to admit, Sully was undeniably Sully’s son.  When they were younger, Sam often kept Sully at a distance, not wanting some random asshole to get close. Nathan didn’t deserve to be abandoned again, not if Sam had any say in the matter. Yet, watching the way Nathan leaned against Sully as if using the man to keep away unseen demons...Sam found himself grateful. Grateful that Nathan had someone he trusted so much, grateful that Sully had given his brother the support he deserved and needed. Giving Elena a small squeeze, he let her hand go and wandered down the docks a ways, lighter clinking before lighting the cigarette in his mouth. Coming to a stop before a set of benches, Sam leaned against the railing and exhaled. The elder watched the smoke curl and twist up until it faded from view. It revealed a pinking sky, the dawn of a new day that, for the moment, was uncertain to most of the Drake family. Chloe had nicknamed them all the treasure family, the name has a lovely ring to it that Sam enjoyed. Like hell, he was telling anyone of course, but the thought alone of being included in a family was...nice. Two sticks were used up before Sam could hear someone slowly walking over towards him. Mumbling, a habit the two brothers had both had for as long as he could remember, was heard above the gentle lapping of water for a few moments before it trailed off into silence. Keeping his gaze forward, Sam lit another stick as Nathan stood behind him, the two just watching as the water became alive with small boats going to and fro. Sam was roused from his observation when he felt, ever so slowly, Nathan lay his head on Sam’s shoulder, tense body resting against his just like it had used to long ago.

“....” Nathan couldn’t seem to force the words from his mouth, just watching as Sam stubbed his cigarette out and let out a soft sigh. Flexing his hand, Sam placed the back of his hand down on the railing, his palm up and visible to Nathan. Nestled among scars and callouses, there was a small tattoo seemingly cradled in the heart of his palm. Sic Par was visible, the rest obscured by the way the ring twisted in the tattoo, but the brothers knew its phrase by heart.

Greatness from small beginnings

“Took me six months to bribe for a legit artist.”  It had cost him quite a few favors and what little money he had scrounged up, but it had been vital. It reminded him of Nathan, that his brother was out there and waiting, even if he didn’t know it yet. Now, it helped Sam become grounded in some way, and was a small reminder of his promise to start cutting back on smoking.

“It did?” Nathan sounded so weak, Sam’s stomach lurching as he nodded, watching as Nathan reached forward to touch the faded ink.  The ring had been so special to the both of them, and while it was now gone, its bond remained with the brothers’ Drake. For some time Nathan just touched the mark, eventually settling his hand on top of Sam’s. 

“Can you come back...and stay with us? Just for a little while?” Had Sam not had his entire focus on Nathan, the question would have been lost with the tide. Sam squeezed Nathan’s hand gently, using his free arm to draw Nathan into a small hug.

“Course, long as the couch is comfy.”

“Nah, your room is ready.” A breathless chuckle, a good sign. “Is that a cut?” Shit, Sam had forgotten about the neatly bandaged cut along his forearm, the elder nodding.

“Yea, just from Sully’s friggin’ plane.” Sam smiled, giving Nathan a small squeeze. “Can I ask you somethin’?”

“Of course.”

“What made you choose Chintamani?” Nathan froze up at the word, Sam internally cursing himself out in case he had pulled Nathan back instead of forward.

“It’s where Elena got hurt...and it was the first treasure that had made me think of you.” Avery hadn’t been Sam’s only want and desire. The two brothers had planned on finding several treasures together, to become prominent figures on recovering the past.

“I’m surprised you remembered...why don’t you tell me about it again?” Good, a nod and a glint in Nathan’s eye confirmed to Sam they were on stable ground once again. The bay became busy as Nathan and Sam talked late into the morning, the two eventually sitting down on one bench. Elena and Sully eventually joined them, Elena curling up to Nathan’s side as she watched the brothers get invested in trying to figure out how the stone from long ago came to be. Sully just settled down beside Sam, idly smoking as he listened to the familiar chatter. If some contracts were turned down that night, as Sully and Sam joined the two for dinner, he said nothing.

For now, it was about high time they took a break.

[kartoon12]

What Does God Need with a Space Station?

Okay guys, this is probably going to sound like the weirdest post I've ever made, as this is a subject I don't talk about too often---that being dreams. Most of the time, I don't remember having any, or I'm able to recall tiny snippets here and there, with the rest disappearing into a fog. There's really only a handful of very long, very vivid dreams I can remember having, and all of them were wacky, but mostly funny thinking back on them. And they almost always involve fandoms in some way. If anyone's interested in hearing more about those, feel free to message me. (The one where me and the bridge crew of Star Trek: TNG were trying to escape a hospital with Captain Picard yelling at everyone because we were making him late for a party is a particularly fun one.)

 However....just a few nights ago, I had a dream that....REALLY takes the cake, which is putting it mildly. This is one time I really felt the need to make this public, as I seriously, really want to try and see if anyone out there can help me analyze this, as this dream contained subject matter I've almost NEVER dreamt about before, and certainly not to an intensity and specifically detailed degree such as this. I wouldn't call it a nightmare, but neither was it fun. It was spooky...but more for the oddity and sheer level of "what the f**k?!" -ness to it.

 I also feel the need to open with a disclaimer: I was raised in a Catholic household, and though I haven't attended a mass in quite some time, I still at least say my prayers every night. But I have friends of many different sections of faith; I totally respect other people's religious beliefs, and I'm not trying to force mine on anyone here. I try to keep my mind open to other interpretations of "what lies beyond" and such. Why this disclaimer? Well, you're about to find out.  Strap in, folks. This is gonna' get lengthy....

 So the dream opened in third person view, as though I were watching a movie. Somewhere in the middle of outer space, two giant robots are just sort of hovering there, fighting with each other. (I'm talking like mecha in the style of Transformers or Gundam or the like.) It's also worth mentioning that this whole opening section of the dream was presented like a cartoon. (The art style of "My Life as a Teenage Robot" is the closest I can get to describing what it looked like.) One mecha was an orange/red color, the other was blue and white. Note that I said they were fighting WITH each other, not attacking one another. That's because the "camera" (for lack of a better word) then shifted to show this HUGE spaceship off in the distance, slowly making its way towards a space station. (But not like, a realistic NASA space station or anything---this looked all sci-fi/future-y like something out of Star Trek.) The Star Destroyer from Star Wars is the closest I can get to describing what this starship looked like in terms of size and scope. Although it wasn't outright firing lasers or anything, in dream-world, my mind already knew the backstory that that Star Destroyer thing was on its way to attack the space station.

 So naturally, red and blue robot have been sent out to stop the thing. Except the two of them were bickering amongst each other, arguing over the best course of action. Blue Robot keeps insisting they have to work together; Red Robot won't listen to reason and thinks his plans are better. Finally, Blue Robot gives up trying to argue and flies off to fight the Star Destroyer thing alone. A voice over the radio (probably someone back at the station) pleads with the two to work together and that Blue Robot doesn't stand a chance and can't do it alone. Blue Robot responds with, "Well I'm gonna' have to try." And disappears into the distance.

  Considering my love for movies and comics and stuff, so far, this is par the course for dreams I've had in the past. But THIS is where things take a turn for the truly bizarre.

 The "movie" then cut to inside the space station (very futuristic and high tech looking. All white walls, furniture and equipment. Very slick and clean looking.). Everything's now in first person view, so obviously from my viewpoint now. There's a guy frantically typing at a control panel (I'm assuming he's the one communicating with the robots.) All sorts of alarms are blaring and going off. The entire station is shaking and vibrating as it starts coming under attack. I think to myself, "I gotta' get out of here!" So I race to the nearest automatic doors and have to pry them with both my hands just to get them to slide open.

 The second I crossed the doorway, everything stopped being an animated cartoon, and from here on out, for the rest of the dream, everything is now normal/live action/real world. I started running all through the station trying to find help, until eventually, I hit upon an idea.  I kid you not, the only thought that came to me at that point was, "....I have to find God."

 Yes. You heard me. "I have to find God." Hang in there. It only gets freakier.

 So I head off, trying to find anyone who can help me look for God, as by this point, He's the only one who can get us out of this mess. Couple important things to note here:

1.) Despite being on a space station, none of the people aboard are in any sort of discernible uniform. Everyone I encounter is wearing normal clothes like jeans and T-shirts and stuff (save for one person, but we'll get to HER in a second....)

2.) The deeper I go into the station, and the farther I get away from that docking bay area I started off in, the less the station shakes, and the alarms gradually get quieter, until eventually, the attacks stop completely.

And 3.) A large portion of the crew (or passengers?) I initially come across are all Chinese (or of some Asian descent thereof). Whether this station was built or funded by China, I don't know.

 In any case, no one seems to be able to speak English, and no one seems to be scared or bothered, or even aware of what's going on outside. But they can tell I need help, so they point in the direction of this lady that I'm assuming is the leader or figurehead of some sort.  I assume so, because she's the only one dressed differently from everyone else.....and she's dressed like something out of the Feudal Era. A geisha, I think they call it. A red robe with gold flower patterns. Hair done up in a bun. Face painted white. Red lipstick. The works. Queen Amidala look, ya' know?

 Of course, dream-me doesn't question this at all, and I plead with her to take me to where God is. I then started repeating the phrase, "you know?! Heart, mind, soul?!" to her, over and over again. During which, I'd point to my heart, then my head, then trace a circle in the air with both index fingers for emphasis, hoping she'd get what I was asking her. Please note that in real life, I have NO clue what Chinese religion or mythology entails, nor have I ever studied it, and I'm 100% sure what I just described is completely wrong and total bulls**t. But apparently, this is how it worked in dream world, and apparently, I knew just the right sign language to make, because Geisha Lady finally got a look of understanding on her face, smiled and nodded, and said something in her own language that gave off the message of "oh, okay. I'll take you to Him."

 So she takes me by the arm, motions for me to follow her, and I let her lead me through the rest of the space station. All the alarms and chaos from earlier has totally stopped by this point. Her dress/kimono thing is so tightly wrapped around her that she had to take fast little baby steps, and you'd think with her penguin-walking it would've taken forever, but it actually took no time at all to get where we were going.  During which, I look around, and notice that, at that point, the hallways of the station started looking more and more like the isles of a department store. She weaves me through rows and rows of shelves stacked with all sorts of stuff. Some shelves are full, others have some stuff but were clearly picked through, and some shelves are completely empty.

 At long last, Geisha Lady shows me into a large waiting room of sorts, bowing and sweeping her arm out as if saying, "well, here we are." I look around, and there's a long line of people all waiting to get into an adjoining room where God is. Only then do I finally start seeing other races of people besides the Chinese from earlier. Black, Hispanic, Japanese, White---a mixture of all sorts from seemingly all over the world are in line. And every single person has some kind of item in hand. Books, potted plants, a wooden spoon and whisk (guess that person liked cooking?); any kind of knick-knacks you can think of. (Which I guess sort of explains the department store place from earlier and why stuff was missing.) I then walked past the line and peeked into the adjoining room to see what everyone was waiting for, and.....

 Well.....um.....I found God.

 The room was a very plain looking bedroom, with beige-colored walls, a queen-sized bed, and a single nightstand, but nothing else, not even a lamp, which would explain why the room was so dimly lit, with the only available light coming in from the doorway. I took a step closer to try and better see the....well....'being' occupying the bed. Or pair of beings I guess I should say (more on that in a second). At the foot of the bed was, what appeared to be, a Hispanic man in his 20s or 30s, with short scruffy black hair and tanned skin, and wearing nothing but a plain, white T-shirt....because he had no legs. His body ended at the torso, and he was propped up with a ton of pillows so he could see the visitors better. More pillows were situated on the floor for the people to kneel on, and at that moment, a lady and her kid were kneeling in front of Him, and everyone was speaking in super hushed tones, so I couldn't really hear what they were talking about. Though, every so often, I'd hear the amputee guy (that I'm assuming was God) speaking in a calm, reassuring tone, saying things like, "Don't worry. You're going to be okay. Everything'll be fine." And so on. No stereotypical big booming voice or anything like that.

 But I probably wasn't paying much attention to what they were saying because I was then focused more on the OTHER being occupying the rest of the bed. Lying at the top of the bed, directly behind the Hispanic guy, was another humanoid shape cut off at the torso. I say humanoid because this....thing....was more hidden in the shadows due to its position in the room. I could make out a head, neck, arms, hands, and chest....but no discernible clothes. It was more like....a dark blob that took the rough shape of a human....and it had no face. Or maybe it did, but....anytime I tried to look directly at it, its head seemed to be encased in a kind of fog, with the face area constantly shifting and blurring. If you've ever watched police or crime shows where they interview someone who wants to remain anonymous, and they blur their face out, that's basically what it looked like. And seeing this half-a-humanoid lying above the Hispanic guy, making it look like they were stacked on top of each other, almost kind of reminded me of Vishnu a bit. (The being from Hindu mythology who looks like a human with multiple arms.)

 Anyway, so I'm just standing there, taking this all in, when someone who was waiting in line (can't remember if it was a guy or lady) came up next to me, and they must've saw my confusion, because they leaned in and whispered, "Every couple of years, they pick a new person to represent Him." This is the only wording I SPECIFICALLY remember, EXACTLY. Whoever the "they" is that this person was referring to, I have no clue. The robots? The Chinese? The people waiting in line? Who knows.

 The person then explained a little more, and unfortunately, I can't remember the exact wording, but they basically said something like, "It's strongly recommended that you bring Him a present." Guess that would explain why everyone in line was holding stuff. Finally, this person whispered to me, "I hear that books are His favorite." And I remember thinking to myself, 'Considering this dude's got no legs and is probably stuck in bed all day, yeah, he probably needs something to do.'

 And though I can't remember whether I thought it, or said it out loud, my last thought was, "Damn. I should've brought my books with me." (And if you know anything about me, I was most likely thinking of my self-published comic books.)

 And that's when, quite suddenly, I woke up.

  No, I'm NOT on drugs.  I have NEVER taken any drugs; recreational or otherwise,  nor do I drink. Thanks for asking.

 So.....what in the name of all that is holy does this all mean???

 Like I said in the intro, this is something that is SO far out of my wheelhouse when it comes to what I normally dream about that I felt that I HAD to put it out there somewhere. I mean, I've gotten a bare-bones taste of other religions and cultures, mostly via movies and stuff, but it's not like I'm actively studying Feudal Era China or Hindu legends all the time, nor was I reading up on any sort of material right before bed or anything. I guess what I'm getting at is that the whole religious aspect of it is what really threw me, to the point of almost feeling prophetic in a way. I had goosebumps upon waking up, and I just couldn't stop thinking about what I experienced for the rest of the day.

 I've managed to come up with just a few theories, though this could totally be off base, so bare with me.

 The only part I'm really sure on is the beginning part with the robots, since one was red and the other blue. And that whole part was in the style of a cartoon (while the rest of the space station was in "live action/real world"). My guess is that the robots are representing the Democratic and Republican parties, and how both of them have been reduced to blathering, cartoon caricatures who can't work together at all to fight something that's threatening everyone. (With the star destroyer as a stand in for the virus, I guess?)

 Then, what's with the people lining up with gifts and the section that looks like Wal-Mart? Is this supposed to mean that society's become super greedy and materialistic, to the point of thinking we can buy favor with someone? Or bribe our way into Heaven?   Then again, at least in the dream, I had little doubt that the beings in the bedroom WAS God, since He seemed like a pretty chill dude who spoke kindly and was being comforting.  So maybe the gifts people were bringing were like....representations of their hobbies or something? Maybe the vibe was supposed to be more like, "Hey! Thanks for creating me, God! Here's something I made with the talents you gave me!" Like a kid showing off their macaroni art to their parent or something like that. OR, maybe it was supposed to mean something like, "In order to follow Him, you have to give up your love for material things?" I don't know.

 And then there's that weirdly specific line that still haunts me. "Every couple of years, they pick a new person to represent Him."   I have a feeling the humanoid blurry shape that I wasn't able to clearly see the face of was the real God, while the Hispanic guy was His avatar of sorts.  Still don't know who the "they" is, though.   Or was this meant to mean something along the lines of, "Society has become so focused and desperate for a savior that they're starting to see celebrities and politicians as false gods? Thinking that one guy can fix everything, when really we should be bettering our inner selves?"

 "Every couple of years, they pick a new person to represent Him." I mean, with phrasing like that, and with a certain presidential election coming up.....

 *sigh* I'm just going to end it here before I start opening up a whole other can of worms. Thanks to anyone and everyone who stuck with this all the way to the end.  The whole dream actually felt like it lasted all of ten minutes---it just took me a bit to explain all the details is all. I haven't had any similar dreams since. But still.....if anyone out there can help me interpret this thing, I'd love to hear from you, as I have the biggest gut feeling this all means SOMETHING important. I just don't know quite what. But if this IS a premonition of some kind, I just hope to God it's a good one.

[txladyj-blog]

This Time Around - Chapter 27

A Daryl Dixon x OFC collaboration written by @xmistressmistrustx​ by request of @txladyj-blog​

Rating: Explicit

Relationship: Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character

Tags: Friendship, Friends to Lovers, Awkwardness, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Crush, Fluff and Humor, Angst and Humor, Mild Smut, Strong Language, Eventual Sex, Eventual Romance, Slow Burn, Canon Divergence, Some Canon Scenes and Dialogue

Chapters 29/?

Three weeks was a long time for Jess when her movement was severely restricted and everything that she did had to be managed with one arm while she became almost fanatical about doing physio exercises to coax her shoulder back to its original strength. Daryl had become her shadow, only leaving her for a couple of hours at a time and it was becoming very evident to her that his continual presence was beginning to grate on her nerves as well as convincing her that she was a huge burden on his life. She knew he was doing it because he cared, because he didn’t want to see her injure herself further and also because she’d heard him mutter to himself that it was all his fault in the first place. At any other time, Jess would have been ecstatic to be able to spend so much time with him but guilt was playing a huge part in Daryl’s actions and she couldn’t stand the thought of him blaming himself for what was essentially, an accident. She had tried and failed to get him to at least go back to Alexandria during the daytime, but he wouldn’t hear of it, telling her that he didn’t trust her not to push herself too far. She didn’t argue. He had a point.

During the evenings spent at the diner, they often went about their own business without the need to fill the silence with chatter. She would journal, spending her time doodling over writing the long paragraphs that harked back to her past. Daryl would carve arrows or make fishing weights while she witnessed how good he was with his hands from the other side of the room. Occasionally, they would indulge in fiercely competitive card games or would simply sit back and play ‘never have I ever’ with the short supply of orange juice that was rationed from Alexandria. It was a game that set Jess’s teeth on edge for fear of being asked something so personal that she may feel the need to lie. But it never happened and for that, she was grateful.

The nights were as peaceful as they could be, with only the twinges of discomfort in her arm that made her flinch awake. As long as Daryl was there, her nightmares stayed locked behind the barrier he’d created between her reality and that of her trauma. He slept beside her, keeping a small distance between them unless she worked her way into it and ended up flush against his body with her face buried in his arm. He didn’t stop her or dare try to move her, such a small and seemingly common situation for anyone else meaning so much more to him that it calmed his inner chaos as much as it did hers.

She wouldn’t have called it arguing as much, but being in such close proximity all the time meant that it was inevitable that they would discover things about one another that caused friction. But their frayed tempers never crossed the line into full-on conflict and Daryl had to admit that he sometimes liked digging at her and watching her irritation towards him. He would deliberately poke fun at her or use her need to be a stickler for organisation against her by putting her books back in the wrong order, reveling in watching her jut her lower lip out and giving him daggers for even touching them. She was easy to wind up because he knew, after so long, exactly what buttons to push. Although it was highly amusing, it wasn’t a patch on seeing her blush.

Jess wasn’t one to let deliberate teasing slide though and her retaliation to Daryl’s incessant mockery was to hit him with the one thing he couldn’t stand; someone telling him how to do something. Her need to continue training, albeit gently gave her the perfect opportunity to throw pointless comments at him.

“A bird could swoop down and rip that thing right off if you don’t put your tongue away when you aim.” She would quip from the side lines of her training ground. His jaw tightened and his face turned stony but still, she persisted.

“Keep your fingers still on that knife handle. Dang. It’s not a frickin’ accordion.”

Quite clearly, he was discovering that he wasn’t the only one to get enjoyment out of merciless tomfoolery and maybe, just maybe, he’d met his match.

Yes, three weeks was a long time for Jess. Especially when Daryl made no further attempts to kiss her and as a result, lured her into a head-space in which she’d convinced herself that the whole thing had been a lapse of judgement. That he really did just want to be her friend and nothing more. The worst part was the voice in the back of her mind that prodded at her self-esteem, goading her into believing that it was because he’d seen her with hardly any clothes on and so, the sight of her curvaceous shape and awkward conduct had turned him off completely. But she still caught him staring at her. An act that she was not completely innocent of herself and she wished and wished that it meant he was building up to making a move that, to her sadness, never happened.

At the end of the third week they trudged through the searing hot woods towards Alexandria. Everywhere she looked, Jess could almost see the heat rising in blurry waves all around them, as though they were walking through a mirage that the canopy of trees overhead did little to stifle. She talked mindlessly, paying little attention to the words that came from her mouth, her focus mainly being on her destination and how she would get there without boiling to death in the heat.

“You don’t have to stay with me anymore y’know. I’m fine. It’s been three weeks. If my arm was going to fall off, I’m pretty sure it would have happened by now.”

The crackling of twigs under boots and the swishing of fabric was all of a sudden a lot quieter than before and she smoothed a palm across her forehead and glanced to her side to find Daryl’s eyes firmly locked on hers.

“What is it?” She asked.

He said nothing and to her surprise, stopped walking, sighing deeply and regarding her as if she were some kind of troublesome issue in his life that he didn’t quite know how to handle. His eyes drifted away briefly, only to fall back to her and his hand clutched the strap of his crossbow at his shoulder. His fingers toyed with the frayed fabric and Jess started to feel uncomfortable when he stepped towards her, only to rethink it and step back again.

“Are you okay? What is it?” She pressed, knowing that if Daryl stopped in his tracks in the middle of the woods on a terribly hot day and said nothing, it meant that something was bothering him.

“Nothin’. It’s nothin’.” He grumbled before pushing past her and resuming his path along the dusty woodland floor. Jess flapped her hands by her sides in frustration and broke into a jog. Nearing him, she flung a hand out and slapped it across the left wing of his leather vest. He halted and before he could worm his way out, she skirted around him and defiantly blocked his path.

“Tell me.” She demanded.

She saw his throat ripple from a hard swallow and his eyes narrow in annoyance at being forced to speak when he’d opted not to.

“Told ya. S’nothin’.” He rasped. A response was not needed from Jess, she merely raised one eyebrow in disapproval and rested her hands on her hips. He evaluated the look in her eyes; stubbornness combined with concern.

“Fine” He conceded.

Just say it. Tell her you like staying with her and you don’t want to go back to Alexandria.

“I like…bein’ ‘round you.”

She flinched slightly at his comment, her eyes fluttering as she tried to decipher what he was getting at. Was it as simple as he said, or was there more to it?

“I like being around you too.” She replied.

The truth was, he’d been practically living with her for three weeks but he missed her desperately. He missed her kisses and the way she nuzzled at him and closed her eyes. He missed hearing her breathing change when his lips met hers and the way she held onto him like he might disappear. But hurting her was not an option and if he got too close, closer than he was at that point, the risk was too great. He would only have to step away to protect her from his perceived lack of anything to offer in a romantic capacity.

“I’ll tell Rick I’m comin’ back tonight.” He mumbled, lunging out to the side and storming past her.

“No, Daryl-Daryl, I didn’t mean that you had to go right away, or that you have to go at all. I just thought you might be real tired of me by now.”

He stopped and whirled around, striding up to her and stopping inches from her face. To the outside observer, it appeared like the start of a fight because of the shallow breaths from his nose and the angry vibe that surrounded him. Jess blinked in surprise but didn’t back off, holding her ground and bracing herself for an argument. His mind was jumbled, loud and busy and all he was able to do at that point was act on his impulses.

“I ain't never gonna get tired of you.” He growled at her.

Her mouth opened slowly and she blinked again as she tried to muster the courage to question if there was any truth to his statement if he never kissed her anymore but before she could even think straight, he’d spun back around and had vanished into the trees. All that remained was the faint odor of leather that lingered in her nose and made her wish that she could have the chance to smell the leathery, smoky fragrance of Daryl around her all the time, permanently and without having to question if she was good enough to ever feel the same love that she had for him.

~

When he arrived at Alexandria, Jess had followed on around five minutes behind him. Careful to allow him his space to simmer down from whatever had triggered his unpredictable mood. The streets were busy with people filtering out of their homes and setting off to their various jobs and Daryl sauntered along the sidewalk, aiming for the Grimes house when he was forced to stop by Glenn and Maggie, wrapped in an embrace in the middle of the sidewalk.

Glenn, who was playfully peppering Maggie’s cheek with kisses, held her close to his armor-clad body. Going on supply runs meant that he made sure to say a proper goodbye to Maggie. No one could ever be sure they would return from outside the walls but it was preferable not to mention such an unwanted outcome. Instead, enthusiastic farewells were the preferable option and Glenn and Maggie were unashamedly proficient at it.

“Wanna pour some Bisquick when I get back?” Glenn hushed at her.

Someone’s been talkin’ to Abe. Daryl thought.

Maggie shot him a confused look and placed a finger over his lips, silencing him from repeating any more of Abraham's crude sexual references. Daryl squirmed with anxiety and lowered his gaze as he approached the very public display of affection.

“You two ever put each other down?” He remarked, digging around in his vest pocket for his cigarettes.

Glenn turned to him with a wide grin on his face and Maggie stepped back in a haze, linking her fingers with his and holding onto his hand with both of hers.

“Happy wife, happy life.” She chuckled

“Maybe you should try it one day.” Glenn suggested with a slight squint against the sun.

Maggie giggled and gently slapped him on the forearm when she saw Daryl scoff and awkwardly shake his head. He didn’t know anything about romance, and realized that by making a careless, throwaway comment, he had somehow entered himself into the second conversation of the morning that he would rather not have.

“Don’t think so” Daryl mumbled, feeling his face turn warm as Jess wandered past on the other side of the street. He saw her do a small double take in the direction of the laughter from Maggie and Glenn and he deliberately averted his gaze, wary that she could be upset with him after his out of the blue admission in the woods. He hoped that they wouldn’t have to concern themselves with the discomfort of a discussion on the topic, but Daryl was learning that while he was just fine with burying his head in the sand, Jess sought answers and so far, he’d managed to avoid the elephant in the room. But now the elephant's days were numbered.

Glenn turned back to Maggie, tenderly kissing her goodbye and whispering that he loved her. When she left him to cross the street, he sighed happily as he and Daryl watched her join Jess in the pantry doorway. The click of a lighter and the scent of smoke snapped Glenn from his blissful vigil and he glanced to his side at Daryl, who’s vision was planted firmly on Jess as she explained in dramatic detail about how she’d injured her shoulder.

“Not seen you in a while, man.” Glenn pointed out. He’d spotted the top of a crossbow swaying against the light of the horizon from the tower and seen Rick exchange a few words with Daryl at the gate but they were the only two occasions in over two weeks that he could recall seeing Daryl inside the walls.

“Mm?” Daryl grunted, still keeping an eye on Jess. She was circling a hand over her weakened shoulder and motioning to the joint, a gesture which told Daryl that she was relaying the re-setting of the bones.

“Where have you been, Daryl?”

“Oh. Uh. Stayin’ with her.” Was his short response, coupled with a head nudged up in her direction as he exhaled smoke through his nose. “Dislocated her damn shoulder.”

“That’s rough. She alright?” He inquired.

“She’s too stubborn not to be.” He muttered to himself, shifting his weight and sensing that Glenn’s questioning was not quite finished.

“You guys seem… close.” He commented in a deliberately nonchalant tone. It was no secret to anyone that Jess and Daryl had grown close. Conversations were had behind closed doors and speculation was starting to increase among the group. Only a few had been brave enough to broach the subject with Daryl, who was notoriously a lone wolf with a short temper and all but Carol had been firmly ignored. Now, it was Glenn’s turn after he picked up on the strange atmosphere and ramblings of Jess in the room of Records during their residential supply run.

“Not you too. Don’t start with this shit, Glenn” Daryl sighed “You and Abe been sittin’ on the front porch gossipin’ like a couple old biddies drinkin’ tea after church?”

“What? No. Of course not.” Glenn quickly dismissed, covering up the fact that he had indeed spoken to Abraham about Daryl and Jess on more than one occasion before realizing that lying to Daryl was not a wise move. “I mean, we might have mentioned you guys once or twice.”

“Ain't nothin’ to talk about.” Daryl confirmed.

“C’mon, I noticed the weird atmosphere in that record room when we went on that run. You seriously telling me there’s nothing going on between you guys?”

Daryl took a long drag of his smoke and caught eye contact with Jess when Maggie left her to walk into the pantry. She gingerly held up a hand in acknowledgement to him. He mirrored her motion, seeing Glenn wave back eagerly from his peripheral vision. Guilt stung his heart for the untoward way he’d spoken to her in the woods. He was becoming more and more aware that his actions when he was around her were growing more erratic as his feelings for her spiraled into something strong and something that he was facing for the first time in his life.

“She’s fuckin’ awesome. We’re friends.” He finally answered. “Drop it.”

“Okay, man. That’s cool.” Glenn agreed, accepting Daryl’s veiled warning to leave the subject alone. “But y’know, If the walkers have taught me anything, it’s that life is short. There really shouldn’t be anything holding people back from relationships at this point. I mean, if someone had told me when I was still delivering pizzas and playing video games that I’d end up with someone as amazing as Maggie, I’d have laughed in their face. I guess this new life has a way of changing people and how they see you.”

Daryl flicked his cigarette end into the street and looked at Glenn with a baffled expression. Glenn wasn’t the only person to drop hints about his relationship with Jess. He’d faced it from Carol, Carl, Abraham and Rick and was beginning to question why everyone else seemed to be able to understand what he wanted more than he did. If he had his way, he and Jess would be together, outside the walls and away from the chatter and gossip. If he had his way, he would be the man she deserved and would be able to give her the kind of relationship she wanted. But he did not have his way, all he had was the memories of his past, the mistakes he’d made and the constant reminder that he wanted so much more for her. He couldn’t deny that Glenn had a point, people had changed and he’d witnessed it with his own eyes. But to him, he’d remained the same. Unworthy, clueless and not able to make her as happy as he wanted her to be. Such a topic was not favorable to Daryl and especially not out in the open. He huffed incredulously and refused to mimic Glenn’s small and genuine smile.

“What are you, Oprah now or somethin?” He questioned.

“You said you’re friends. You didn’t say you weren’t anything else.” Glenn shrugged as he took a quick glance at Jess.

“Get outta here n’ mind ya damn business” Daryl grumbled with burning cheeks and the urge to move and place himself somewhere he wouldn’t be forced to face the reality of his situation. He stepped off the sidewalk and into the road, picking back up on the path towards The Grimes house and leaving Glenn smirking behind him.

~

Inside the house, Carol was reclined on the couch thumbing through a book she’d picked up from the thrown-together library inside the church. It was a romance novel, typical of her taste and laden with enough cliches and dramatics to transport her into the pages and the realm of escapism that she needed from the harsh and ruthless world.

She sipped on a cold glass of water, grateful for the use of a working tap and never again planning on taking it for granted. On the coffee table, her knife rested, glinting in the sunlight from the window and rarely further than an arms length away from her grasp. She knew they couldn’t be too careful, especially after the town had been compromised in such a bad way. Always being prepared was key for Carol and she had no intentions to be caught off guard any more.

Hearing the front door open, she sighed and resigned herself to the idea that her reading time would be short lived unless she either locked the door or retreated to her bedroom. Footsteps clunked across the wooden flooring and stopped in the doorway. Carol sat up, craning her neck to see behind the couch and finding Daryl leaned against the door frame and fiddling with the leather holster of his knife which hung from his belt. His fingers plucked at the metal popper around the handle, snapping it closed and then open again, over and over. Carol raised her eyebrows at him as she climbed up from the couch and dropped her book on the arm.

“He lives!” she proclaimed. “I take it you’ve been staying with your girl.”

“She ain’t my girl.” He corrected quickly. In one way, she was his girl. His best friend. The only person he truly trusted with anything. But in another way, she was far from his girl and he wished, deep down in his heart that it wasn’t the case.

“Maybe not yet.” Carol muttered time herself as she picked up her glass of water and padded past him. She crossed the hall and entered the kitchen, her boots scuffing along the floor as she lazily dragged her feet.

“Give me a damn break, Carol.” Daryl complained while following after her. “ What the hell is wrong with everybody, anyways? I just had all this from Glenn. Can’t walk through the damn gate without somebody firing questions at me.”

She held her hands up in surrender and selected a mug from the cupboard. From the coffee pot, the poured the dark, steaming liquid into the mug and handed it to him. He watched her as she shuffled past him and settled on a stool at the kitchen island. He sipped the drink, almost able to feel the caffeine enter his veins, lighting up his body with energy. He turned, leaving the island and stalked over to the window, moving the drapes and keeping his eyes on Jess as she talked animatedly to Abraham and laughed happily.

Carol reached across the counter top and dragged a small, wicker box and a jacket towards her. She opened up the box and took out a sewing needle and black thread, effortlessly threading the needle and setting to work sewing up a hole in the seam of Ricks, fur-collared jacket. Her eyes moved up to Daryl intermittently and it became obvious what had garnered his attention through the window. Daryl was a quiet soul by all accounts, never one for rambling or mindless chit chat, but he did speak to Carol more than most and on that particular morning, he was quieter than ever. As the seconds ticked by and the hole in the jackets seam shrunk as a result of Carol’s sewing skill, he lingered by the window, slowly sipping his coffee with a blank expression.

“You okay? You’re normally quiet but this is unsettling.” Carol mentioned.

He briefly looked at her. A fleeting, split second glance over his shoulder.

“M’fine.”

He wasn’t fine, Carol could sense it. Call it woman’s intuition or just a vast knowledge of the complexities of Daryl’s character, but she knew that he was far from okay. He was preoccupied, pensive and somewhat deflated.

“You can tell me.” She reminded him in a blasé tone and turned her attention back to her sewing. She knotted the thread and tugged on the fabric either side of the stitches. It would hold fast and Rick would not have to lose the collar of his jacket. Satisfied with her efforts, she tidied away the needle and thread back into the box and folded the garment..

“I know.” Daryl responded softy. He knew Carol would always be there for him as someone to lean on and someone that understood him. Aside from Jess, she was the closest person to him and had shown him the importance of acknowledging his emotions.

“How is her shoulder?” She asked.

“Almost healed.” He grunted, lifting a hand and pushing the blind apart with his fingers to create a hole in which he could get a better view of Jess.

“So, why are you watching her as if she will shatter into a million pieces?” Carol questioned, now staring right at him with a stern expression. Daryl did a small double-take at her and suddenly felt exposed and caught out.

“I ain’t” He mumbled, moving away from the window and sitting down opposite her.

She waited patiently for him to speak, knowing it would happen sooner or later. She could almost see the load on his mind weighing him down. He fidgeted in his seat and sipped his coffee again before biting his lip.

“I dunno what the hell I’m doin’.” He admitted. They locked eyes and he could tell that she was full of sympathy and concern at his sad and overwhelmed voice. He was opening up and she adopted a calm and still presence so as not to scare him back into his silence.

“Can fight, can hunt, can tell good folks from bad ones.” He started. He was looking right at her, a desperate hope that she could follow what he was saying. “Can’t fuckin’ figure out what the hell is goin’ on in my own damn head.”

Carol pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side, lightly patting his hand which rested on the countertop.

“You have to ask yourself what it is that you really want.” She advised.

Daryl shifted and cleared his throat before rubbing at his eyes and growling low in his throat with frustration.

“Y’know what? Just forget I said anythin’.”

His walls were going back up and Carol felt momentarily powerless to stop them for fear of angering him, but she couldn’t abandon hope altogether and decided to shove aside her reservations and continue trying to extract the truth.

“What do you want, Daryl?” She asked directly.

Finding himself backed into a corner and unable to figure out a way to escape such a straight question, his eyes locked with hers. He knew better than to think she would announce anything he told her from the rooftops. His trust in her was unwavering, but discussing such a topic had never been on his radar before and confessing such a personal and real truth made his palms sweat and his chest hum with nerves. He knew exactly what he wanted and it had taken a fight in his own head to come to that conclusion. Admitting it out loud was a new battle altogether.

“Her.” He whispered “I want her.”

Once again, Carol reached out and touched his hand, covering it with her fingers and smiling warmly at him. In his life, Daryl had never experienced the comforting assurance of a good friend, let alone a female and he felt as though he’d reached a turning point by answering her question at all, let alone with something so private. He never remembered enough about his own mother to know if she was as caring and invested in his happiness as Carol was. But Merle had given him the impression that delivering bottles of wine to her bed was the about the extent of their relationship. He wondered if this was what he’d been missing out on for so many years, if he would have found his teenage years and time following his brother like a sheep any easier if he’d been encouraged to express himself in ways other than violence and mischief.

“You need to tell her” She urged, keeping her hand where it was and giving it a slight squeeze. He looked down at where their hands connected and closed his eyes for a moment. A myriad of flashbacks flickered through his memory. Drinking, drugs, robberies, fights, arrests. The abuse. The tormenting, harrowing, haunting abuse. The scars. It was out of the question; he could never tell her.

“I can’t.” He croaked.

“Why not?” She pressed with a short disbelieving huff.

“It’s complicated.” He told her. He took his hand away and let out a long exhalation.

“You think she doesn’t like you that way?”

He caught her eye again, unsure whether to proceed in telling her that he was well aware of Jess’s interest in him and that no matter how much she liked him, he was unwavering sure that he would only end up hurting her. He didn’t know how to be with someone in that way, didn’t know how to be one half of a whole and above all else, when he faced his deepest thoughts, he couldn’t even say that he believed in love at all. But Carol was staring at him with pleading eyes, desperate for him to just say what he was thinking and he’d got that far, it didn’t make sense for him to give up now.

“She likes me.” He disclosed “I uh… I know she likes me”

“She told you that?” She queried quickly and trying not to sound too surprised. It wasn’t a secret to Carol that Jess’s affection for Daryl far surpassed that of a friendship, but to hear him say it filled her heart with joy at the prospect of some actual potential.

“Overheard her talkin’ to Aaron.” He said.

Carol grinned unashamedly. There it was, finally. “I can’t say I’m surprised. It’s obvious you’re her favorite thing.” She beamed.

“Nah, she’s lost her mind. She shouldn’t like me.” He dismissed.

“Daryl, the only thing that matters is that you’re both happy when you’re together. She’s changed you. Brought you out of your shell. We wouldn’t be having this conversation if she hadn’t managed to knock down a couple of those walls you put up to stop anybody getting close to you.” She explained with a strong confidence that what she was telling him was right and that he needed to hear it.

He nervously scratched at the back of his neck. “I can't do this stuff, Carol. Women. This ‘feelings’ bullshit.”

“Just be honest with her. That’s all you need to do.” She reiterated.

“I want…” he rasped before pausing to stand up, signalling that he was more or less done with the conversation. “...I just want better for her.”

“Better? What do you mean, better?” She challenged.

His chin quivered as he chewed his bottom lip and tapped a finger on the counter a few times, pondering over how difficult it felt to express something so personal.

“Better than me.” He uttered.

Carol also stood up, placing her hand flat on the counter top in front of her and leaning closer to him. She’d had enough, she certainly didn’t see him as not good enough for anyone and he was going to listen to her if he liked what she had to say or not.

“Listen to me. You’re a good man. You’re just as good as Rick and Glenn and Abraham and anybody else. Just as good. You’re not who you were.” She affirmed with a reasonably loud thud of her hand every time the word ‘good’ left her lips.

“Maybe. Maybe not.” He shrugged.

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing her frustration to stay below the surface and drew in a deep breath.

“We all bleed the same color, Daryl. You have her blood in your veins, pumping through your heart. She is a part of you.” She continued. She opened her mouth to speak again but stopped when she noticed Daryl’s confused expression.

“What?” He questioned, baffled by her comments. “What are ya talkin’ ‘bout?”

“When she gave you blood to save your life. After that bastard shot you.” She reminded him.

He blinked in surprise and his eyes searched her face for any hint that it might be a twisted joke or her information was incorrect. But she stood firm and not a single thing about her demeanor told him that what he’d just heard was untrue.

“When she did what?” He asked.

Carol recoiled, taking a step back and bringing a hand to her mouth as if to stop herself from disclosing anything else that he didn’t know.

“I thought you knew. I thought she told you. I thought everybody knew. How did you not know?” she rambled.

“She ain’t told me nothin’. What the fuck?” he demanded, his face now fixed into a look of pure shock and bewilderment.

“Ah. Okay. Um.” She stuttered before shaking her head quickly and trying to gather her thoughts. She could only guess that there was a reason Jess had not mentioned it to him and began to fret that she’d opened a can of worms that Jess was trying to keep closed. “You almost bled to death. Denise and Rick…they didn’t know your blood type. Jess said she was O negative, compatible with most blood types. So, she donated blood to you until she almost passed out. She saved your life.”

Daryl’s mouth dropped open and he slowly moved back, away from the counter until his back thudded against the wall behind him. He smoothed a hand down his face and searched the floor with his eyes while his mind cast back to the days after he’d been shot, to all the opportunities she had to tell him, but didn’t. It was something he’d wanted to know, something he needed to know and he just couldn’t fathom why she would want to keep such an important thing to herself. He began to regret being so dismissive of Denise too, ruling out any opportunities for her to disclose what had transpired while he was unconscious. His body filled with dread; why did Jess keep it from him?

“She never told me” He sighed.

Carol rounded the Kitchen island and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. She gave it a slight squeeze and caught his eye, forcing him to lift his dipped head and witness her broad smile.

“Now you know how important you are to her.”

~

The fairground grass was getting long enough to obscure Jess’s feet and knees when she waded through it while checking her fences. The calming sway of the green blades in the breeze and the soft rustling as she meandered through the open spaces was one of the more favored parts of her day. The chance to take stock of the little things. If it wasn’t for the pestering of the odd Walker pressing itself into the diamond shaped fencing and dropping coagulated blood onto the metal barrier, she would have thought it wasn’t far from a normal, perfect, summer's day. She clunked her knife along the metal as she walked, sending a loud, abrasive sound travelling along the chain link and alerting the attention of two Walkers ahead. They paused their swaying and wheezing for a moment, like dogs caught by a high-pitched noise and soon, they were trundling towards her and reaching out at their unfazed and well, equipped prey. Jess positioned herself close to the fence, wincing in disgust when the two undead threw themselves at her. Skin ripped and rotting, a putrid odor and a deep, bubbling of mucus and blood in their chests. With her knife, she used the diamond gaps to eliminate the threats. One through the eye and the other through an already pre-existing hole in the side of its skull. They dropped to the ground, one slumping over the other and Jess backed away, sheathing her knife and making her way to the Ferris wheel.

The twinges in her shoulder were less persistent and the dull ache that had initially made her nauseous was now a thing of the past. Thanks to Daryl’s much loathed physio book and his watchful eye, she had made a decent enough recovery to be able to look after her own property again. But she was yet to be faced with a situation that meant her muscles and tendons were put under strain and she hoped that until she could build her strength back up, she wouldn’t have to be.

She flicked through her book with her legs outstretched and her back popped up against the control box to the Ferris wheel. The sun beat down on her head, warming her scalp and threatening to burn her nose, but she enjoyed it, basking in the warm glow of the sun and locating the folded, bookmarked page in her novel. She was disturbed when the bell rang at the gate and swung her legs from the platform. She trudged through the grass and to the path, raising a hand and waving at Daryl on the other side of the gate.

The hinges creaked loudly with the movement as she tugged the gate open and let Daryl inside. He appeared nervous and uncomfortable, with his hands firmly clamped around the strap of his crossbow at his shoulder. She clanked the gate shut and secured the lock, noticing immediately that he didn’t seem to be quite himself.

“You got a minute?” He requested.

“For you?”

“Mmhmm”

“I always have several minutes for you.” She chirped with a shrug of one shoulder. She paced over to the Ferris Wheel and he followed along behind her until she halted and turned back to him. He noted her casual attire; a T-shirt, jeans and a hoodie. She wasn’t planning on leaving her compound and that, Daryl considered, meant he’d chosen a good time to address a tricky subject. A long and heavy pause meant that her eyes widened in expectation and she pushed her lips into a thin line. His boot tapped on the gravel and his vision scanned the ground. He hoped she couldn’t see him summoning the courage to talk but he felt more exposed and readable than he’d ever felt before.

“Think we should talk.” He rasped.

She almost missed it. A rare, hushed and surprising comment that she’d not heard from Daryl before and as the words echoed in her head, her heart started to race and her body was suddenly awash with nerves.

“Oh… You-you do?” She asked without thinking.

For as long as she’d known him, he’d never been the one to request to talk to her in such a way and it was telling. Jumping to the first conclusion she created, she assumed something was very, very wrong.

“Sure. Are you okay?” She questioned. Her tone was upbeat but even she could her the slight tremor in her voice.

“Mmhm. Just… confused.”

“Why?”

“Things have been kinda weird between us.” He admitted, finally making eye contact and hoping that he could deliver his point without actually having to say the words. Words that he wasn’t even sure he could choose wisely anyway due to being so out of his depth, he was quite literally just winging it. Far from wanting to overwhelm the both of them with the disclosure that he now knew she’d sacrificed her own blood to save his life, he decided that one precarious topic was enough for one day and he would need time to think over the monumental and selfless act that she had committed to make sure that he still existed. “Think ya know what I’m getting’ at here.”

“I do?” She squeaked.

“The uh, the record room. In that house. What we did.” He dropped his hands and a whoosh of breath left his lungs and for the first time ever, Jess saw a flicker of fear on his face. “and the times before that.”

Am I dreaming this? He’s actually bringing this up?! I thought I was going to have to take this uncertainty to the damn grave.

“Oh. Uh. Yeah.” She agreed as casually as possible but when her voice replayed back in her memory, she sounded more like she wanted to run away and hide from the reality of it all. She’d gone from desperately needing to know where she stood, to being terrified of how real discussing things made it feel.

“I guess we should try n’ figure this out.” Daryl suggested.

All at once, Jess remembered the past three weeks in which he had attended to her every need and practically wrapped her in an impenetrable, invisible safety blanket. But also, how he’d kept his distance. He’d held her hand and slept close to her, even let her snuggle against him every now and then but he had not made one, single attempt to kiss her again. She remembered waking next to him one morning, he was facing her with his cheek illuminated by the thin ray of light through the gap in the blacked-out window. He was sleeping peacefully with her hand enveloped in his and curled against the bare skin of his chest where the top of his shirt was unbuttoned. She fought with all her might not to lean down and kiss him awake. The fear of his rejection was too great for her to act on her desire.

“But you haven’t kissed me in three weeks. I thought that was done.” She expressed.

I am far from done with you, girl. I wish I never had to be.

“Was ‘cause of me that ya fucked up ya shoulder.” He replied “Thought I should leave ya be.”

“Oh.” She heaved in a jagged and nervous breath “I don’t blame you for my shoulder. Was my own stupid fault. I thought...” she stopped herself, reluctant to tell him the real reason she’d pinned on his inaction.

“You thought what?”

“It doesn’t matter.” She whispered, trying to brush it aside to avoid telling him the embarrassing truth. His expression changed and before she knew it, he was looking right at her face with pleading eyes, urging her to give him a break and work with him.

“C’mon, Jess. I’m tryin’ here. It does matter.” He pleaded.

“You’re right” She agreed with a nod. “I thought you stopped kissing me because you… because you didn’t like what you saw that evening. The shoulder thing. The clean-up. You, cleaning me up.”

Ugh. She thought. This is embarrassing.

He closed his eyes and sighed, horrified that she would believe such a thing. He wanted to tell her that his priority that day was her recovery, that he wasn’t using it as a chance to ogle her or treat her like she was an object and that if anything, despite his valiant attempt to remain detached from any kind of sexual feelings towards her, he would be lying if he said he didn’t think she was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen.

“That ain’t true.” He replied quietly but sincerely. “Hell, I wouldn’t- I don’t… uh…that ain’t true, at all. Alright? I don’t want ya to think that. M’sorry ‘bout this mornin’ too. How I was… in the woods. You were talkin’ bout me not havin’ to stay with ya no more n’ I guess I just- I just didn’t like the sound of that. It’s been good, bein’ so… close… to you.”

Well, I’ll be a bitch. He doesn’t find me repulsive? He likes being close…to me? No, the guy has definitely hit his head or eaten some questionable mushrooms.

Jess was floored and had evidently lost control of her facial features and her expression. She thought she probably looked a little like a startled rabbit but cared little for such a triviality when she’d been given the precious gift of Daryl’s rare and weighty honesty.

“I didn’t mean I wanted you to leave. I don’t. I don’t want that.” She assured him. The last thing she’d wanted was for him to leave and her comments had been born mainly from worrying that he was getting tired of her and needed his own space.

“Ahh fuck.” He cursed to himself. “I’m not good at this shit.”

“Makes two of us” She smiled.

He risked moving closer to her. Close enough to graze her fingers at her side with his. His touch didn’t linger but the sensation did and her skin sparkled with the want for more. He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, took a deep breath and released it.

“Kinda miss ya” he confessed.

Jess’s eyebrows pinched together and she narrowed her eyes. He’d been with her for a large proportion of the time for three weeks. How on earth could he possibly miss her?

“I’m right here.” She chuckled nervously “You’ve been living with me for three weeks, dummy. I don’t understand.”

Moving closer still and with the echo of her shy laugh in his head he brushed her hair back from her shoulder before gently feeling over her cheek with his fingertips.

Daryl knew he had to amp up his bravery and so far, the conversation had gone far better than he could have hoped. She had been receptive, non-judgemental and hadn’t flinched in annoyance at his difficulty with expressing himself. He trusted her beyond measure and in that moment, he was certain that he always would.

“Don’t mean like that” He told her, stopping short of spelling it out to her.

She didn’t need to question his statement; it was now obvious to her what he really meant and she felt herself melt at how gentle and forthright he’d been. He was treating her like a fragile, precious piece of glass that could crack at any moment but was his prized possession.

“It ain’t done. Whatever it is. Not unless ya want it to be.” He confirmed.

“You scare me a little” She blurted out of nowhere. She couldn’t even pinpoint when the idea had entered her head.

“Why?”

Because you’re everything to me. Because you’re smart and courageous and selfless. Because you’re a total fucking dreamboat. Because you’re gentle and caring. Because you know I’m a little weird and hang out with me anyway. Because you literally make me weak when you kiss me. Because I know you want to touch me and I really want to let you. Because I am so in love with you, Daryl.

“You make me feel something I haven’t felt before. You make me feel like it’s a good thing to be me.” She replied.

“It is, Jess.” He said with a small smile and a sparkle in his eye.

There she had it, he wasn’t horrified by what he saw the day she dislocated her shoulder, he didn’t find her annoying or a burden and he hadn’t changed his mind. He was telling her, in the only roundabout way he knew how, that he wanted to keep kissing her, if she would let him.

“I-I miss you too” She disclosed with a shaky voice.

He smiled briefly and his eyes fluttered as he leaned down to her, brushing his hand over the side of her face and bringing her lips to his. It was like the first sprinkling of rain during a drought, long awaited and needed. She heard him gasp when his lips left hers transiently and came back for more, with more pressure the second time around, more craving and a sense of built up anticipation that she could feel dispelling form his very being as he kept one hand on her face and slid the other under the elastic hem of her hoodie, spreading his hand out over her hip.

~

Branches and leaves whipped against Carl’s face as he sprinted through the woods, desperately hoping he was on the right path and telling himself that if he just kept running, he would eventually find what he was looking for. His chest was burning and his feet were pounding so hard on the uneven ground that they felt like they were made from cement. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he pressed on, running as fast as he could.

In the distance, he could see fencing and finally, his mind surged with relief and an involuntary whimper emerged from his lips. Finally, he’d reached his destination with his veins pumping with adrenaline and his nerves alight with panic. He surged forwards, racing towards the gate and catching his foot on a fallen branch. He stumbled but regained his footing and carried on until his body was slammed against the gate, creating a shockwave that rattled along the entirety of the fencing.

Inside the fence, he could see the dirty angel wings of Daryl’s back through the brightly coloured, chipping paint of the Ferris Wheel. In front of him, he could just about make out that Jess was standing in front of him. Close to him and neither of them were speaking. Carl squinted and laced his fingers into the metal grid of the fence.

“Guys?!” He called out “Jess? Daryl?”

 Daryl pulled away from Jess’s lips, listening intently to what he thought was a voice on the wind but he’d been so wrapped up in what was becoming a moderately amorous tryst that he’d almost ignored the sound altogether.

“You hear that?” He asked Jess who was blinking up at him with reddened lips and in a complete daze.

“Hear what?” She croaked.

Daryl listened again, turning his head to the side and scanning the area. Although he saw nothing, his gut was telling him he was missing something and so, he waited a few more seconds.

“Guys! Help!” Carl yelled at the top of his voice, now slapping his hands on the fence. “She’s gone!”

Daryl turned to the gate, seeing Carl rattling the barrier and yelling at them. It was an automatic reaction that was without thought, but he grabbed Jess’s hand and yanked her along with him as he ran to the path and towards the panicked teenager.

“Carl? Who’s gone?” He called to him from a few feet away. Jess stumbled over her boots both from the surprise of Carl's arrive and potentially being caught kissing Daryl and from her hand being clamped in his as he dragged her to the gate.

“Enid! They took her! They took her! I tried, I tried to follow them. They-they were too fast and there were too many. I-I couldn’t!” He babbled

“What?! Who?!” Jess demanded, now standing beside Daryl and still absent-mindedly holding his hand. Neither of them seemed to be aware that their hands were still entwined and it wasn’t until Jess’s palm grew warm that she glanced down and quickly tore her fingers from his grasp. A flash of worry crossed his features at his thoughtlessness and they both focused their attention on Carl.

“The men that attacked Alexandria. They-they looked like part of the same group. They took her. They just came out of nowhere. From the trees and took her. I-I couldn’t stop them” He explained.

“Oh my god.” Jess muttered worriedly under her breath. Noticing a red mark that was rapidly becoming darker on Carl's cheekbone, signalling that he’d been hit. Her temper rapidly raged from the pit of her stomach and she grit her teeth and inhaled through her nose.

“Go tell Deanna.” Daryl told her before stepping closer to the gate and opening it up for Carl. “What way did they go?” He asked him.

“North, up to the highway, I’m not sure from there. I couldn’t keep up. I lost them. I tried, Daryl.”

His eyes filled with tears but Jess could tell he was managing to hold them back enough to stop them from spilling down his cheeks. Now wasn’t the time to cry, now was the time for action and Carl knew that more than any of the other teenagers back at Alexandria. He’d been through more than them, endured things that such a young soul should never have to shoulder. Carl was resilient and brave and she knew then that her and Daryl had their work cut out in trying to convince him to stay behind while they went out to look for Enid.

“I know, man. I know you did everything you could. You did the right thing comin’ to get us.” Daryl cooed, resting a hand on his shoulder and shaking it slightly “Were they on foot?”

“At first” he nodded quickly “Then they got in a truck. They left tire marks.”

“Alright. Jess, go tell Deanna.” He repeated, much to her annoyance.

“Uh…no?” She challenged “I’m going with you.”

“Are you fuckin’ crazy?” He stepped closer to her and turned her around with a hand on her arm to block Carl hearing him. “You forgotten what they are? What they did to you? What they do to women?”

Her dreams hadn’t let her forget. The persistent nightmares only kept at bay by the safety and comfort of Daryl’s presence. The sight of Aaron and Eric’s kitchen was a constant reminder, as was the scar on the back of her head which was still tender to the touch even then. She most definitely hadn’t forgotten and it was for that reason that she had to do everything in her power to rescue the troubled girl that wandered the woods from a fate worse than death.

“Not for a single second. But I've been looking out for that girl since I got here and I’m not about to abandon her now. So, I’m going with her if you say so or not.”

Daryl quickly took a glimpse at Carl who was nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other but still managing to appear fascinated by the closeness of the two people in front of him.

“Jess…what they tried to do to you last time… I can’t let that happen to ya. I won’t.” He pressed. The thought of her being anywhere near the group that hurt her so badly and had intentions to subject her to worse filled his heart with a fraught sense of discomfort and he swore to himself on that day that if anyone was to try to hurt her again he would not hesitate to destroy them.

“So, don’t.” She shrugged, terrified at her own determination and sheer grit.

~

Jess volunteered to take Carl to Alexandria while Daryl began tracking the mass of scuffed footprints through the woods and up to the highway until Jess managed to spot him emerging from the trees between deep and obvious skidded tracks that led onto the road. She stopped the car and he climbed in, shooting her an unimpressed look at her determination to tag along. Jess hadn’t disclosed what had happened to anyone inside the walls, mainly due to lack of time and focusing on running through the gate, telling Carl to go home and sprinting to Deanna’s house in order to pick up some keys. She found the house to be empty and so, helped herself before racing across the street to the armory to collect two guns, jumping back into the truck and speeding away from the town.

With the windows wound down and her head full of horrendous possible outcomes, Jess struggled to listen to Daryl as he lay out his opinion on what route they should take while smoothing a map over the dash. After asking him to repeat himself twice, he simply told her to stay on the same road until he told her to change direction.

Hours seemed to pass but the light never dwindled and Jess could only conclude that it only felt like so much time had passed when really, they’d been on the road for no more than an hour. She tried to focus, tried to push aside her fretting over what could possibly befall Enid if they didn’t find her. Daryl was eagerly watching the road and the trees on either side for signs of a possible ambush, but as they pressed on, he noticed nothing untoward.

A noise from the back of the vehicle soon stirred Jess from her anxious train of thought and she looked over at Daryl, who had evidently heard it too. He checked the backseat and the footwells and gave her a confused look. She shrugged and expressed that it was probably something rolling around in the trunk that she hadn’t bothered to check on their way out. She’d been in such a rush that all she could think about was obtaining a vehicle and weapons.

But then, it happened again. Clunk. Clunk. Bump. They both looked at each other again and Jess eased her foot off the accelerator.

“That ain't nothin’ rollin around. That’s somethin’ movin’.” Daryl rasped as he leaned through the gap in the seats and turned his ear to the sound.

Without a warning, the rear seat hatch sprang open and smacked on the leather seat surface.

“WHAT THE?!” Daryl shouted as he flung himself backwards in shock, hitting the vehicle’s radio and filling the cab with loud country music. Jess, also startled by the out of the blue occurrence, gripped the steering wheel and used all her focus to bring the truck back under control after it was sent swerving from one side of the road to the other. Her hands scattered frantically over the small levers either side of the steering wheel and in her terror, she began to flick them up and down. The indicators flashed and the windscreen wipers screeched across the dry glass. Johnny Cash blared from the speakers and if Jess wasn’t too busy trying to keep the vehicle under control at the same time and pushing her ear to her shoulder to muffle the music she would have been concerned with how many Walkers they were now attracting.

“Holy fuckin’ mackerel what is going on?! What is that?! Turn that shit down! Oh my god, my fucking ears! I’m going deaf!” Jess yelled.

Daryl scrambled about, hitting the radio over and over until the music finally stopped and he was able to turn back around to investigate the reason the hatch had slammed open and almost caused a crash. His eyes widened and his lips parted when he saw Carl hanging through the hatch, covered in sweat and gasping for air.

“You gotta be kidding me right now” He growled.

In the rear-view mirror, Jess stared in astonishment at the sight of Carl struggling to pull himself through the backseat.

“Is that-is that Carl?! Tell me that is not Carl! Daryl?!” Jess screeched.

“It’s Carl.”

“It’s Carl?! What the fuck is Carl doing in the trunk?”

“How the hell do I know?!”

“The kid is in the fucking trunk, Daryl!”

“I know”

“The kid is in the trunk, it’s like a thousand degrees outside and the kid is in the trunk!”

“I know.”

“This cannot be happening! He’s in the fucking trunk! He could have died!”

“I FUCKING KNOW, JESS!” He bellowed at her, rendering her silent but still reeling from the idea that Rick’s son had most probably stowed away while she wasn’t looking, meaning they would all have some serious explaining to do once Rick found out. 

“C’mon” Daryl urged as he took hold of Carl's gangly arms and hoisted him through the hatch. His sheriffs hat caught on the plastic clip of the hole and once he was upright on the seat, he reached inside to retrieve it, placing it on his head to cover his sweat soaked hair. His once white T-shirt was now a light shade of grey from the perspiration and his cheeks were burning red. His breathing was settling and he wound down the window beside him, saying nothing and appearing highly disturbed.

“Hooooooh buddy are you in a whole lotta trouble right now.” Jess chuckled in a sinister tone. She guided the car to the side of the road and hit the brakes. Jumping out from the drivers side , she slammed the door and sent a careless crash of a noise filtering through the trees. Daryl followed suit but didn’t bother to shut the door on his side, he figured Jess had just made enough noise for the both of them.

“Rick is gonna lose his marbles when he finds out you’re gone, Carl.” Daryl told him as he opened the backseat door. Carl swung his legs out but stayed where he was, the thought of standing in the sun being a lot less appealing that it normally would have been.

“Shit in my mouth and call it a sundae!” Jess raged, stamping her boot on the road's surface. “You are dumber than a box of rocks!”

“I’m sorry” Carl croaked.

“Hey, Jess-” Daryl tried to cut in in order to calm her down.

“-NO!” She shot back at him with a point of her finger before turning back to Carl “Can you not feel how hot it is today?! You almost roasted your damn self to death in there! You scared the shit out of both of us!”

“I wasn’t scared.” Daryl mumbled as he lit a smoke and wandered into the middle of the road.

Jess whirled around and glared at him with fury.

“Correct me if I’m wrong but you were the one that started the Johnny Cash show in there and damn near burst my eardrums!” She cried.

“Was just surprised…s’all.” He shrugged “You’re the one that done turned it into the fuckin’ disco car”

The irate look on her face was hard to ignore and Daryl did little to hide the fact that he found it incredibly amusing when she lost her temper in this way. She bit her tongue and opted to back off, it wasn’t Daryl she was mad at, after all.

Carl sighed and wiped at his face, his eyes stung with the salty sweat and he wanted nothing more than a cold shower or a swimming pool and a popsicle at that moment in time. Jess leaned against the side of the car next to him and tried to get her temper under control.

“I can help. I want to help.” Carl said, sounding exhausted.

“Carl, since you arrived at Alexandria you’ve been given one task; stay inside the house when there’s trouble. To this day, you have not managed that and you were just re-born though the back seat of a car because you were stupid enough to lock yourself in there, not only on a real hot day but on a rescue mission you are not supposed to be a part of. You do not get a say, okay?!” She explained.

Daryl walked back from the center of the road and rested a hand on his hip while he took a drag of his cigarette and studied Carl.

“We ain’t got time to take him back.” He stated with a glance at Jess.

“Then let’s just leave him here and claim ignorance.” She replied casually.

As much as he wanted to laugh, he simply raised one eyebrow and held back a smile. Her amusing take on anger and her way of wording things was unique and he hoped she never lost it.

“Jess.” He warned.

“I’m kidding.” She scoffed. “Sorta. We’ll have to take him with us.”

Daryl leaned on the open door of the vehicle and dipped his head, catching Carl's eye and encouraging him to lift his head so he could see his face. His cheeks were regaining their usual color and he was seemingly recovering from his time in the tin box of heat.

“You stay in the car n’ do as we say or you’ll get us all killed, you hearin’ me?” He questioned firmly.

“Yeah, OK.” Carl nodded. Even if he wanted to protest, he didn’t have the energy at that point. Hearing a low growl in Daryl’s throat, he gathered quite rapidly that the archer, his father’s best friend and one of the people his entire group looked to for protection, was quite unimpressed by his actions.

“I could tan your hide for this, man. She’s hysterical…” He motioned to Jess with the wave of a hand in her direction “…but she’s right. This was stupid and dangerous”

Carl’s face changed and a certain boldness crept across his features. He took a quick peep at Jess before blinking up at Daryl.

“You’d do it.” He said clearly.

“What?” Daryl asked.

“If it was Jess that got taken. You’d do the same. You really like her.” He declared.

Daryl felt his chest constrict and his breath catch in his throat. He almost didn’t want to check Jess’s reaction because of the heavy awkwardness of it all. In a split second, Carl had managed to switch the atmosphere with just one simple sentence. But Jess had heard every word and quickly decided to remove herself from the situation. It was all she could do to stop the raging embarrassment that was threatening to expose itself across her cheeks.

“I’m just going to take a walk. Check out the…scenery” She said nervously as she pointed to the line of darkened trees opposite. For miles, both sides of the road were the exact same and there really wasn’t much to look at but Jess was determined to put distance in between herself and Daryl and Carl. She pretended she couldn’t hear them as she walked away. Unbeknownst to them, she could decipher most of their conversation.

“You don’t know nothin’ ‘bout that.” Daryl told Carl as he checked on Jess to find her pacing about and tapping her thigh with her fingers.

“I know you got shot trying to save her.” He mentioned.

“We ain’t talkin’ ‘bout me, we’re talkin’ ‘bout you. Focus.” He told him, tapping his own temple to ram the point home.

“But it’s the same thing.” Carl countered, set in his decision to make Daryl see that there was very little difference in Jess being kidnapped or Enid being kidnapped. The result would be the same. “You’d want to go and find Jess if she was kidnapped.”

He couldn’t lie. Daryl was never one for lies and especially not to an impressionable teenager. With Carl waiting for a response, Jess hovering nearby and the clock ticking away the chances of rescuing Enid, he took a deep breath.

“Yeah, alright. I would.” He admitted. “I get it, okay? You like her and ya can’t stand the thought of her gettin’ hurt. You’re gonna have to come with us but you're stayin' in this car. You good with that?”

“Yeah. I’m good with that.” Carl agreed.

---

tagging as requested: @lilred254​ @woundmetender​ @lonewolf471​

---

MasterList

[the--sad--hatter]

Name Calling (30)

FANDOM - MARVEL MCU

PAIRING - BUCKY X READER (female reader, no physical descriptions)

WARNINGS - ALL OF THEM, SMUT, VIOLENCE ANGST

DESCRIPTION -  In which the ongoing and bloody war of words between you and Bucky turns in your favor when a disgruntled one night stand of his lets slip a secret when you run into her in the elevator… Now you have all the ammunition you need to destroy your enemy but you don’t plan on killing him quickly. Oh no, Bucky Barnes was going to suffer and you were going to enjoy every second. You just didn’t count on how much you would enjoy it.

Current Word Count -  84,943

MASTERLIST

Special shout out to @nerdandproud-86 and @talesofakindredspirit for their help with this one! 

Chapter Thirty - The Beast Within

You had been so foolish, coming here. You thought you had made Wanda bury your memories of the massacre and your subsequent ‘death’ after it but it was so much worse than that. This wasn’t a memory, this was your subconscious.

This was the prison where Vernichtung was held and it was breaking out.

The last time you had been here you had been dying and had been forced to watch as it shattered the mirrors inside your mind it was trapped behind. You had clawed back control and in a desperate attempt to hide from it, had wiped all memory of this place away.

“Have you come to release me?” It asked with a curious tilt of it’s head.

“No, you don’t need me to fight any battles for you today…” It coldly calculated.

“You’re trying to release yourself, aren’t you?” You accused fearfully and it grinned ferally.

“Not just trying, I’m succeeding. Every day I claw a little bit further out and when I’m free you will be the one behind the looking glass.”

Your blood ran cold and you wondered where your companions were.

“Professor?” You called out desperately.

“He’s coming, he’s fighting his way in, past all your shields. He can feel your fear, he won’t be able to save you though.” It warned.

It was disconcerting, seeing your own face so twisted with rage and hatred. It was slowly creeping towards you, circling you like a predator and even the way it moved was unlike you. You walked like a human, this thing walked like a prowling jungle cat in a human body.

“I don’t need saving. I’ve fought you all my life, you stay caged until I let you out. This is MY subconscious, my domain. I’m not the one who needs to be afraid.” You warned lowly.

It growled at you, it’s face contorting with fury.

“Then let us see who is stronger, if you are not afraid.” It said and leapt for you.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In the room where Jean, Scot and Storm were waiting with the portion of Avengers, Tony was pacing furiously.

“Deadpool? She’s dating Deadpool? This is all your fault.” Tony snapped at Steve.

“How is this my fault?” Steve was confused.

“You never took her on a second date!” Tony exclaimed.

“Oh now you’re ok with her dating Steve. I’ll bet you’d rather she was seeing anyone else huh? Pretty much anyone is an improvement over Wade Wilson.” Clint sniggered, eyeing a glaring Bucky.

“Ok Tony, we weren’t really dating. I didn’t reject her or anything. And I’m sure they were joking, I don’t think she’s actually dating Deadpool.” Steve placated him.

“I dunno man, they looked pretty loved up. Did you see the way they were around each other? That’s real passion, you can’t fake that.” Sam added.

“What about that Remy guy? He definitely liked her and he seemed nice, very charming.” Tony suggested.

“You only like him because he called you a legend.” Clint pointed out.

“Good with the parents, that’s important in a partner. Plus she seemed really at ease around him, and he was definitely eyeing her up. They had some real chemistry going on.” Sam put in with a smirk.

Bucky’s eyes were getting colder as he glared at Sam.

“Remy was one of the mutants taken by Project Vernichtung. He was there for a few months before your daughter helped him escape and he was the one who told the X-Men where to find it when you helped us infiltrate it.” Jean explained.

“Wait, they knew each other before?” Tony asked.

“So they have history. The kind that epic love stories grow from.” Sam noted.

“Sam..” Wanda chided sensing Bucky’s distress.

“I’m just saying, this Remy dude seems like he might have a thing for her. Starting to see how deep that affection might run, on both sides.” Sam explained with a shrug.

Jean and Wanda both inhaled sharply.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Tony asked straight away.

“Jean?” Storm gently asked.

“They’ve run into complications. Miss Stark is suffering physical wounds from psychological trauma. They have it under control, you can’t go in there. Any distractions could cause Charles to pull from her mind suddenly, causing irreparable damage.” Jean warned them.

“So we just sit up here on our asses and twiddle our thumbs?” Tony snapped.

“The Professor had this handled, if you go in you’re not just risking your daughters safety, you risk The Professors as well.” Scott told him.

“I’m taking a walk.” Bucky announced and strode out.

“I’ll go with him.” Steve said and hurried after him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Whoa, gross!” Wade announced as your unconscious body jerked against the restraints and your ribs made a cracking sound.

Blood poured from your nose and Logan turned your head to the side, allowing it to flow freely without going down your throat.

“What’s happening?” Wade asked, poking your cheek curiously.

“Not a clue.” Logan huffed, slapping Wade’s hand away.

“Should we help?” Wade asked.

“How exactly are we going to do that?”

Wade crouched down so he was on the same level as you.

“Heyyyy Peaches, if you can hear me, you’ve got this!” He cheered encouragingly.

“Wade, shut the fuck up.” Logan snapped.

“Whatever you’re doing chuck, hurry it up. She can’t take much more of this.” Logan muttered in concern as bruises blossomed across your skin.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Your head snapped back as Vernichtung smacked you across the jaw and you snarled and wrapped your arms around it’s middle, pile-driving it into the floor and straddling it.

“Why a mirror?” It hissed as you drew your arm back.

“What?” You paused in confusion at the seemingly random question.

“Why trap me in a mirror?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes you do.”

“I don’t.” You yelled, driving your fist into its face with a satisfying crunch.

“YOU DO!” It screamed through bloody lips.

“I don’t know!! Poetic irony? You look like me, you wear my face and I’m terrified of the day I look in the mirror and you’re the reflection I see?” You ranted as it wrestled you, trying to get free.

“You are not like The Hulk, or even your precious Bucky and his Winter Soldier. I’m not a parasitic personality taking up residence in your mind and you know it.” It snarled.

It was right and you did know it. Faced with the real Vernichtung, not a nightmare or video you couldn’t deny it any longer.

“All those years you suffered in a cage, beaten down, your bones broken over and over, your skin split and bleeding, being told how you would destroy the world… You didn’t really believe you were unscathed by it did you?” It asked you derisively.

“You’re me. My dark side.” You whispered.

“All that anger, all that hatred, all that potential for evil. You pushed it so far down you actually managed to separate it from yourself. You wanted so badly to be good you tore yourself in two. I’m not some monster created by Docherty, I’m the monster you made because you couldn’t bear to admit that you were a monster.” It spat at you, pushing you off it and crouching beside you.

“I am NOT a monster!” You insisted.

“Then why make me? If I’m not a monster why was I ever created? Because I’m the part of you that wants to destroy the world and everyone in it. You suffered, why shouldn’t everyone else? Forget watching the world burn, you want to make it bleed. You want to rip apart all that’s good and pure until the streets run with rivers of red and the world drowns and chokes on it’s own blood.”

You backed away from it in horror.

“It is not the potential or desire for violence that makes somebody a monster. We all have the potential for evil within us and the lengths you go to so you might deny that part of yourself and fight it prove that you are not evil.” Xavier said from behind you as he finally broke through the barriers in your mind.

“Professor. We shouldn’t have come here.” You said.

“Forgetting about this was only a temporary fix my dear, it is time you faced her. It is time you faced yourself.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bucky stormed outside, pacing across the well manicured front lawn of the mansion. Steve stood a little bit away, silently waiting on Bucky to start talking.

“I haven’t spoken to her in days Steve! Days! And I find her here, holed up with two men who are all over her and she runs off without saying a word to me!” Bucky ranted.

“Buck, Tony was stood right there. You agreed to keep it a secret, if you weren’t ok with that you should have said.” Steve reasoned.

“She could have… Fuck. I don’t know, something.”

“She could have what Bucky? Thrown caution to the wind, risked pushing her father away just to assure you what you already know? Remy and Wade aren’t the ones she’s with, she’s with you.”

“Doesn’t feel like it.” Bucky muttered.

“James Buchanan Barnes pull yourself together.” Steve snapped and Bucky stopped pacing to look at Steve in shock.

“She chose you, don’t make that seem less than it is. You love her, don’t you dare mess that up because you’re jealous.”

“It’s not that Steve, it’s not. Alright yeah, I’m jealous she has ‘chemistry’ and ‘history’ with that Remy fella but that’s not what I’m scared of.” Bucky admitted.

“Well what the hell are you afraid of?”

“I’m afraid she’ll never love me the way I love her.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“I don’t want that be that thing Professor.” You protested.

“I know, and you should not allow it to break free. But you can’t hide from it either.”

“So what do I do?” You pleaded desperately.

“Admit to yourself what it is, what you are.” He urged you.

You turned slowly to the sneering thing and did what the Professor had asked.

“I knew Docherty was evil and he wanted me to be as well. I fought against it but nobody can fight forever. Every day in that place, living in that hell without any hope… It broke me.” You acknowledged.

“I felt all the anger, the bloodlust growing inside me and it frightened me. So I buried it deep down inside me, caging it alongside all the powers that I was afraid of. All my worst impulses, every dark thought, every bit of anger, every violent instinct, I shoved it away. And I created what Docherty had spent years cultivating, I created Vernichtung.” You admitted emotionally and your eyes burned as the tears fell.  

You looked at this thing, this paragon of evil and said the truth that was literally staring you in the face.

“I AM Vernichtung.”

“You kept me at bay for so long but as soon as you left that place and came into the real world, your control started to wane. It is my turn to walk in the sun.” It, she, you sneered.

“Maybe, but not today.” You vowed.

A mirror shimmered into existence behind it and Vernichtung snarled.

“I can close the door but you need to keep it locked.” Charles warned you.

“You aren’t strong enough to contain me anymore.” It chuckled.

“Listen you demonic wannabe, you might be me but you’re the worst of me, you have no fucking idea what I am capable of.” You snarled.

You shoved with every single ounce of power you had, screaming with the exertion and sent it sailing back behind the mirror.

“Find a way to lock the cage but understand this, it is only a temporary solution. This will only give us time to find a real way to deal with it.” He told you as the glass rattled and Vernichtung screamed.

“The more human you become the stronger I am, run back to your father and let him comfort you, it will feed my strength. Laugh with your friends and the glass will start to crack. Be with your lover and the glass will shatter. The more you love, the faster you die!” Vernichtung hissed at you.

In the mansion you and Charles awoke.

“Lock the door. Now!” Charles urged you.

You knew what you had to do.

“Untie me.” You instructed Wade.

“Do it.” The professor agreed.

You could feel the monster under the surface scrabbling for purchase and it felt like you were being ripped apart from the inside.

“HURRY!” You screamed and Logan extended his claws, shredding the restraints holding you down.

You leapt to your feet, holding on to your own mind becoming more difficult. If you were going to lock the door in your mind you needed to run.

Rushing for the door you hurtled through it, determined to do what needed to be done to stop Vernichtung from taking over. You ran through the halls at breakneck speed, your hair streaming behind you. You burst into the room where The Avengers and X-Men were waiting and bypassed them all. You ran for the front doors and threw yourself through them.

If you were trapped in somebody’s subconscious you wouldn’t tell them how you planned to escape, you would manipulate them into doing what you needed them to do. Vernichtung said love was your weakness which meant it was your strength.

And nobody made you stronger than Bucky.

You ran onto the grass and ignoring the Avengers and X-Men piling out of the door behind you, you pulled Bucky towards you and kissed him like your life depended on it, because it did.

And when he kissed you back, crushing you to his chest like you’d disappear if he didn’t hold on, you felt the lock in your mind snap shut.

“So I shouldn’t worry about Remy then?” He muttered against your lips.

“Remy?”

“You know, the one who’s staring at you with literal heart eyes. The one you have a history with, who you owe your freedom to.”

You pulled back and glared at him.

“That’s not how it works Bucky, you don’t love someone because you owe them anything. It’s not a choice, it just happens. Yes, Remy and I have a history but he’s not the one I’m in love with.” You said in exasperation.

It was only when his posture straightened and he looked at you with wide eyes did you realise what you’d just said. Your heart thumped in your chest erratically as you tried to think of a way to backtrack.

“You love me.” He stated.

“I didn’t say that, I said I didn’t love Remy.” You stuttered.

He closed the distance between you in one stride and you froze.

“You love me.” He stated again, more firmly.

“James...”

His fingers brushed lightly over your cheek and you realized you were crying softly.

“You love me.” He said a third time and there was wonderment and awe in his voice.

“Yes” You breathed out the word

“I love you, only you and always you James. I love you.” You professed, terrified and glad to have it out in the world.

“I love you too doll. More than anything.” He said and your breath caught in your chest.

He pulled you back in and his lips were a breath away from yours as his arm circled around your waist and his metal hand cradled your head.

“I love you.” He whispered against your lips.

As you closed the gap to kiss him and all your worries melted away under Bucky’s touch, neither of you noticed Tony who was standing at the door as you and Bucky kissed on the front lawn for everyone to see.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

God, thank you to all you regular commenters. You guys are like my friends at this point (it's legally binding, you comment and we're friends) and I'm so grateful to you all. Comments and likes are like drugs to me, they make me really fucking happy and inspired.

Also Steve: Quit being a little bitch! Bucky: I just wish she'd love me as much as I love her. Reader: *yeets self at Bucky's* ONLY YOUR LOVE CAN SAVE ME. Steve: .... Wish granted pal.

@nerdandproud-86 @harrison-shot-first@chook007@thejourneyneverendsx@thelostallycat@inquisitor-selvala@the-corruptor @iovher@kendrawr-kitkat@phoenix-whiskey-tears@the–real-wombat@buckitybarnes@fairislesheets@angieptt@meganjonezzzz

@dugan365 @fluffeh-kitty@memanda17@krystallynx@theonelittleone

@piscesbarnes @free-as-fishes@tarastudiesalot@captainamericasbeard

@dropthepizza346 @jaynnanadrews @likes-to-smell-books@drdorkus

@life-wanderer @metalarmlover @animegirlgeeky @jsmith509

[tomeandflickcorner]

Episode Review- The Real Ghostbusters: Take Two

Remember how I mentioned in my review for Ghosts R Us that the original movie exists in the cartoon’s universe?  Well, this is the episode that goes into that.

Right off the bat, it’s revealed to the audience that some Hollywood executive is planning to make a movie about the Ghostbusters exploits. So naturally, Egon, Peter, Ray and Winston are invited to come out to California via charter jet to act as consultants.  Of course, they’re late to airfield because Ray is apparently addicted to catching ghosts and is adamant about them catching just one more before they leave. (Seriously, they even have a closeup of Ray’s face with his eyes freaking out over his eagerness.  It’s a bit disturbing, really.  Should we sign Ray up for Ghostbustholic Anonymous meetings?)

Anyway, they eventually catch the ghost they’re chasing, with Winston managing to get him with his Proton Thrower, which has a new mounted scope feature.  It then cuts back to the Firehouse, where we see Janine and Slimer are sitting out on the curb.  The guys apparently had promised that they’d stop by to say goodbye before leaving for California, but Janine is now wondering if they’ll make it. No sooner that Janine voices this concern to Slimer, the Ghostbusters drive by in the Ecto-1, calling out their goodbyes to Janine out the window as they pass by.   They don’t even slow down before continuing on to the airfield.

Um, guys?  Is that really the best you can do for your friend and employee?  It’s bad enough you aren’t bringing her along (especially since she deserves a bit of vacation time, too, and would probably have enjoyed doing a little sightseeing and shopping in the Golden State while you were busy over at the movie studio).  Besides, don’t you have a full Ghost Trap with you?  Are you really not going to bother emptying it into the Containment Unit before you go?  Are you just going to leave a loaded Ghost Trap sitting in the Ecto-1’s trunk until you get back?  Is that even safe?  Of course, karma is pretty quick to get back at them for their thoughtlessness, for Janine doesn’t get the chance to warn them that Slimer has decided to stow away on the back of the Ecto-1 in order to follow them to California.

Upon arriving at the airfield, the Ghostbusters are met by an angry reporter.  Because of their tardiness, the crowds that had previously gathered to see them off have all dissipated, as everyone had already gotten bored and went home. Which has pretty much messed up this reporter’s chance to have a proper news segment about the Ghostbusters leaving to help oversee the production of the movie.  (Though we do get a legitimately funny moment with this lone wheelchair-bound fan who remained long after everyone else left.)  The Ghostbusters don’t seem to be very apologetic about things though, so they simply board the charter jet, and off they go, with Slimer hitching a ride on the plane’s tail

Sadly, the episode wastes the opportunity to have a Nightmare at 20,000 Feet reference.  But the Ghostbusters do discover his presence eventually.  After a brief joke about how the flight attendant got angry enough at Peter to throw his luggage off the plane as they were flying over Cleveland (wonder what Peter did to tick her off), Ray notices that the bags of honey peanuts they were given are all empty, despite the fact that they appear to be unopened.  Because Slimer managed to remove the peanuts by passing through the bags.

Before long, the plane arrives in Burbank and begins to make its decent.  But before the jet lands, we get another legitimately funny scene where Slimer finds his way into the cockpit.  Basically, the pilot asks Slimer how long he’s been flying.  When Slimer holds up three fingers, the pilot counters that by stating he’s been flying for 15 years, so Slimer has to get out of the cockpit and get back in his seat.  Which prompts Slimer to zoom back into the cabin and wrap himself up with the seatbelt. So far, the humor in this episode is spot-on.  I love it!

Of course, that’s pretty much the end of Slimer’s usefulness in this episode.  From this point on, his presence is pretty much pointless.  Upon arriving at the movie studio, Ray instructs him to hang back while they deal with human stuff.  But Slimer ends up noticing this random woman dressed up as Carman Maranda and begins to chase after her on account of her fruit-laden hat.  (I don’t remember a Carman Maranda woman in the movie. Were they shooting a Copacabana remake in a neighboring soundstage?)  Later on, we’ll see Slimer wandering around aimlessly, looking for the Ghostbusters and briefly mistaking a movie poster for the real deal. Neither of these two moments go anywhere and are pretty much just there as filler.

Elsewhere at the movie studio, two workmen are busy in trying to get this old trapdoor open so it can be utilized for a different movie that’s apparently being filmed around the same time.  As they work, they discuss how the trapdoor hasn’t been opened in the past 20 years, not since some manner of accident.  Of course, upon forcing the trapdoor open, they inadvertently disturb this ghost that had been slumbering beneath the floor.  And it is clearly not happy about being woken up.

Meanwhile, the Ghostbuters are being shown around the set by this movie agent named Bob.  Unfortunately, Bob accidentally leads them onto the wrong soundstage, where some sort of sci-fi movie called Space Avengers of the Galaxy is being filmed.  As a result, the Ghostbusters end up firing their Proton Packs (which they brought with them, for some reason) at a giant robot that lurches towards them.  Of course, it’s quickly revealed that this giant robot is a Megazoid prop being used in Space Avengers of the Galaxy. And a particularly loud-mouthed director is not at all happy about the Ghostbusters damaging the Megazoid prop, as it apparently cost a lot of money to build.  Angry Director and Peter proceed to get into a shouting match over the incident, with the fight preventing anyone from noticing the ghost from beneath the trapdoor going into the Megazoid prop.

The fight is eventually broken up, though I’m guessing it probably got a bit physical as it looks as if Peter is briefly sporting a bruise around his eye and cheek in the next scene.  In the hopes of avoiding any further incidents, Bob convinces the Ghostbusters to leave their Proton Packs on a table in the prop room.  Although, as one would suspect, the moment they all leave the room, some crewmen come along to work on the prop Proton Packs and mistake the real Proton Packs for extra props.  As a result, the real ones are moved into storage.

Back on the set of Space Avengers of the Galaxy, some maintenance crewmen are working on repairing the damage to the Megazoid prop.  But because of the ghost residing inside the prop, Megazoid comes to life, demanding that everyone be quiet.  The possessed Megazoid proceeds to run rampant through the studio lot.  And at first, the Ghostbusters are intending to ignore it, as they think it’s just the ordinary prop doing its thing.  Until Egon whips out his PKE Meter and determines there is indeed a ghost inside the Megazoid prop.  Although, when they hurry off to get their Proton Packs, they end up grabbing the props instead, because the real ones were moved into storage. So they can only look on helplessly is as the Megazoid prop looms over them.

Of course, this is apparently where a commercial break fell during the initial TV airtime, because when the scene starts back up again, there’s been a slight time skip, as we’re seemingly in a completely different location.  And the Ghostbusters are now hiding from the possessed Megazoid, which is continuing to roam about freely throughout the various movie sets.  Knowing that their best bet at stopping the possessed Megazoid lies with finding the real Proton Packs, Egon is able to slightly modify the two PKE Meters they have on hand so they’d be able to detect the district particle beam energy the Proton Packs contain.  (Well, that’s convenient.)  To increase their chances at finding the Proton Packs with the modified PKE Meters, they split up, with Ray and Winston going off in one direction and Peter and Egon heading off in the other.

As they search the studio, Ray and Winston stumble into another soundstage, where Ray is instantly able to identify the set of a Deadly Dr. Crowley film.  From what I can tell, Dr. Crowley is meant to be a parody of Dr. Frankenstein.  Of course, while Ray is excitedly prattling on about a famous scene from the Dr. Crowley film, the Megazoid prop sneaks up on them, forcing them to run away once again.  In the process, they not only come across Slimer again, who has been wandering around searching for them, but wind up on an Old West set.  (There’s no real reason for them being on an Old West set, other than to show Slimer wearing a cowboy hat.)  Meanwhile, Egon and Peter are able to locate the real Proton Packs.  But not before they chance across that trapdoor from earlier.  The one the ghost was lurking under.  Upon discovering the trapdoor, Egon is able to determine that they’re dealing with a ghost that was happily hibernating beneath the ground until it was woken up by the noise.  And all this ghost wants to do is go back to sleep.  But it obviously can’t because of all the commotion going on.  So this ghost absolutely hates noise of any kind.  Peter ends up contacting Ray and Winston over their walkie-talkies to inform them of this revelation, and they all agree to rendezvous at the movie replica of the Firehouse.

When they all reach the rendezvous spot, the Megazoid prop is quick to arrive as well, as it was chasing after Ray, Winston and Slimer. They all attempt to force the ghost out of the Megazoid prop by firing their Proton Packs at it, but their efforts are in vain.  Until Egon comes up with a plan to communicate with the ghost using Sign Language, as it’s the best way to explain to the ghost that it’ll get all the peace and quiet it wants within the Containment Unit without making any noise that could rile it up again.  Of course, this is a rather unique and clever solution.  And it probably shouldn’t come as a shock that Egon knows Sign Language. (This is the man who was previously shown to speak Troll, after all.)  Though it is slightly convenient that the ghost also apparently understands ASL. Considering that there are different types of Sign Language in other countries.  I mean, what if the ghost only understood Lebanese Sign Language? What exactly would they do then? (Eh, stop overthinking this, Tome & Flick.  It’s a show predominantly aimed at kids.)

Egon’s plan seems to be working, and the ghost willingly emerges from the Megazoid prop.  But right before the Ghostbusters can safely place it within an available Ghost Trap, the Angry Director from before loudly charges onto the scene, accompanied by a security team.  Because he is solely focused on protecting the Megazoid prop from getting damaged again. Of course, this gets the ghost angry again, and it begins to resume its rampage.  Thankfully, the Ghostbusters manage to trap it in time.  And the Angry Director is rewarded for his interference when the Megazoid falls to pieces on its own.  (I guess housing an angry ghost was too much for the mechanical prop.)

As the episode winds down, it flashes forward to the date of the Ghostbusters movie premiere.  And naturally, the Ghostbusters are late to the premiere, which is being held at Radio City Music Hall, because they ran into four Full Torso Vapors on the way over. Which ends up upsetting the same reporter we saw at the start of the episode.  (And yes, I realize I initially said that the premiere was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.  In my defense, it had been a few decades since I last saw this episode, so it’s only natural that I’d largely forgotten most of the details.)

Nevertheless, the Ghostbusters make it into the theater just in time to catch the start of the scene at Weaver Hall.  The one where we’re first introduced to Peter and Ray. And Peter can’t help but comment that Movie Peter looks nothing like him.  Of course, this was pretty much meant to be meta.  The creators of the animated series made a point to ensure that the animated versions of the characters bore little resemblance to the actual actors from the movie because they wanted to avoid the possibility of having to pay likeness royalties.  Or something along those lines.  I admit I don’t know much about all that legal red tape.

That’s pretty much where the episode ends.  On the whole, the episode was a lot of fun.  And there were certainly moments I laughed out loud at. It’s quite clear that, at this point, the writers were really starting to get a feel for how the show would function. In fact, the only downside is the fact that Janine really got shunted aside in this episode pretty quickly. But I can acknowledge that was the point of the joke at the beginning.  And she does get a prominent role in an upcoming episode, so it does all even out.  Of course, the most interesting aspect, apart from the whole metafiction involving the Ghostbusters seeing the actual movie getting made, is that they insert actual footage of the live-action movie inside the episode itself.  Though they naturally don’t utilize the actual audio of Bill Murray’s first line in the movie.  Instead, Maurice LaMarche, the voice actor for Animated Egon, dubbed over Murray’s line. And he does a pretty passible job. (Which is no surprise, as LaMarche is a talented voice actor with multiple roles under his belt.)

(Click here for more Ghostbusters reviews)

[writing-in-grey]

Juan

His name was Juan, and you loved him. You loved how wide his smile was, and how brightly his teeth shone against his beautiful dark skin. You loved the sound of his laugh, deep and lyrical. You loved how the top of your head only came halfway up his chest, and sometimes he would use your head as an armrest before sliding his arm down and wrapping it around your shoulders. You loved how his eyes, the colour of rain-soaked earth, made you feel like maybe your own brown eyes weren’t as plain and unlovely as you’d always thought, and you loved how they never looked anywhere but directly into yours. You loved how the conversations you had in the small, seemingly forgotten corner that was the study hall classroom, the only space you ever shared, were always intensely personal. Not in content, but in the way you spoke. Every moment spent with him was fiercely intimate.

The first time he asked you on a date, it was like being hit in the face with a brick. It was like living your whole life as a fish and then waking up at the bottom of the ocean one day to discover you didn’t have any gills.

It was the first time you’d seen him looking like that – wide-eyed and small-mouthed. Like a dog with its ears flat and its tail between its legs.

“You want to date me?” you asked. He nodded. “N-no.”

And then you were alone in the hallway, alone with the not-quite-white and not-quite-teal floor tiles and the harsh florescent lights and the mural of the not-politically-correct school mascot, and what just happened?

You were afraid to see him again. He’d been so different, so timid and shy where usually there was nothing but confidence, and you’d said the wrong thing. You had made him disappear. You didn’t understand. Didn’t understand his question, didn’t understand his feelings, didn’t understand why your answer had made him run. You just wanted what you already had.

The next day, you approached the study hall door with fear rising like bile in your gullet and your breath trapped in your chest, but you opened the door there he was – wide smile and easy attitude, like the day before had never happened. Maybe it hadn’t. And when you spoke to him, he replied with the same sonorous voice, and when he laughed it was still lyrical, and when he looked at you it was the same piercing eye contact that made you feel as though he were the only person in the world who had ever really seen you.

The second time he asked you on a date, you thought he was joking and laughed, then asked him for help with your math homework. When he didn’t show up to study hall for the next three days, you thought he must be sick. When he finally did come back, he didn’t smile and barely answered when you spoke to him. He wouldn’t look anywhere near you for a week more, and you still did not understand.

It was quite by coincidence that Noah transferred into Juan’s and your study hall the day after you laughed. You were languishing without Juan’s companionship as he avoided you, so when Noah said hello, you latched onto his attentions like a drowning person to a life ring. He was in your German class, although you’d never spoken. But it gave you something to talk about, some small connection with which to forge the beginnings of a friendship. You soon learned you were both taking Algebra II as well, but you had it second period and he had it fifth. You were slightly better than Noah at German, but he was far better than you at algebra. Together you practiced verb conjugation and rudimentary conversation, and he helped show you how to solve for x and plot on a graph. He introduced you to Rammstein and South Park. He’d tell you jokes, and you’d laugh. None of your conversations were intimate, and his eyes always seemed to focus on your mouth.

The day Juan pulled up a chair and said he loved that South Park episode Noah was talking about, you grew so lightheaded you thought surely you were about to faint. His lips kept moving but your head was swimming and your ears didn’t seem to work. Your mouth went dry and your heart was hammering so hard it hurt and he was so close you could reach out and touch him if you wanted, but you thought your fingers might be fire and you didn’t want to set the peace ablaze. You tried instead to tell him without words how ecstatic you were that he was there again, but somehow his eyes always seemed to miss yours.

Study halls with Juan and Noah together were always more like study halls with Noah and not like study halls with Juan, but at least Juan was there. Even if everything you loved about your time with Juan before was gone, at least time with him existed at all. And still, every now and then he’d catch your eye and it was the same as before – just as fierce, just as tender, just as intimate.

Noah gave you his number so you could text him with any algebra questions. You had algebra questions. The class was on Chapter 10 in the textbook and you still couldn’t understand past Chapter 3. Sometimes he’d help you with your homework, or sometimes you’d just vent about how frustrated you were at the discordance between the amount of effort you put into understanding algebra and the results those efforts yielded. And sometimes you’d just talk about what happened in German class that day, or the latest South Park episode you’d watched. Sometimes you’d just tell each other about your day. It felt nice to have someone with whom you could have these conversations, even when you weren’t with them at school. It made you feel important. It made you feel like somebody actually cared. It made you feel like you had a friend, a real friend. Because you did. For once, you had a friend who wanted to talk to you past 2:30 in the afternoon.

We should hang out sometime. You stared at the text in awe, too shocked to respond for several minutes. It had been about two months since Noah had joined your study hall, and now he wanted to hang out. You had a friend who wanted to spend time with you outside of school. No one had wanted to do that with you since the sixth grade. 

Yeah, totally.

Cool, how about Saturday, my house?

And just like that you had actual plans to hang out with an actual friend. It was surreal, it was too good to be true. There had to be a catch, but you couldn’t find it. Every morning that week woke you in a cold sweat, the same nightmare replaying night after night.

In the dream, you would arrive at Noah’s house bubbling with excitement, thrilled to be hanging out with your for-real friend. But when you got there, all 683 students who attended your high school would be at his house – a hundred or so inside, the rest spilling out his front doorway and onto his lawn or hanging out of windows or sitting on the roof, all staring at you as you arrived, all laughing. Look at her; she thought someone really wanted to hang out with her! they’d say. She thought he was actually her friend! Dream-you would start crying, which only made them laugh harder, and you’d wake up with wet cheeks, feeling like you were about to throw up.

Saturday finally arrived, nothing but blue skies and sunshine. The high would be 76º, according to your phone. You washed the nightmares off your cheeks, brushed your teeth and hair, and threw on shorts and a t-shirt with a growing pit in your stomach, all but convinced your nightmares were mere hours from becoming reality. At the very least, you were about to discover what the trap actually was, even if your current fears were a little unrealistic. Or maybe you were just about to hang out with a friend. You tried not to let it, but that small thought spread, overshadowing your fears, getting your hopes up when you knew they were about to be dashed.

By the time you informed your mother it was time to leave and climbed into the passenger seat of her car, your mind was abuzz with questions and anticipation rather than fear. It’d been so long; what did people do when they hung out? Would it be like study hall, or would you do more than just converse? And what did people talk about besides homework? You couldn’t think of a single topic that wasn’t related to math or German, despite having talked (or texted) with Noah already about a wide range of subjects over the past month and a half, many of which had nothing to do with school at all. By the time your mother pulled into Noah’s driveway, you were a bouncing bundle of anxiety and thrills. No one was here to laugh at you, and you felt stupid for being so worried about such a scenario. In fact, all of the many fears your mind had so carefully cultivated over the past week seemed silly and faraway. Now you were only anxious about making a good impression, about knowing what to say and do during this casual hangout with your friend.

Your mother backed out of Noah’s driveway and he invited you inside. You removed your shoes inside the doorway and he told you your socks were adorable. They had cat faces on them and were indeed adorable. You said thanks and the vice you hadn’t quite realized was wrapped around your chest loosened a notch or two.

He gave you a quick tour of his house, asked if you wanted something to drink. No thank you, you said.

“Have you seen this one before?” he asked, slipping the DVD into the player, not showing you the title. Not knowing how to answer, you didn’t. You took a seat on the loveseat instead, your right leg pressed firmly against the arm of the sofa, the wool-polyester blend making your legs itch just a little. He joined you on the loveseat and pressed ‘play’ on the remote. You hadn’t seen Shaun of the Dead before, but you spent the entire film trying to figure out why his thigh was pressed up against yours when there was so much empty space to the left of him.

“What’d you think?” he asked as the credits rolled.

“Yeah,” you said. “Awesome, it was great.”

He asked you what your favorite part was, but began describing his before you had to answer. You made sure to smile and nod a lot, not taking in his words any more than you had the movie. His thigh was still touching yours and you still did not understand why.

Noah stood up, and you followed suit. You took a step back as well, regaining your personal space. He suggested you get some ice cream. It was only a mile down the road, he said, so his mother wouldn’t have to drive you. “No one to babysit us,” he said with a laugh and a twitchy smile. You didn’t want ice cream, but you were too busy wondering why adult supervision was a thing to be avoided to object.

That night as you sat alone in your bedroom, you could still feel his fingers slide between yours as you walked to and from the ice cream stand, and your lips were still buzzing from the kiss he’d given you goodbye. You’d jumped when his hand first made contact with yours, and he’d given a nervous laugh and grabbed your hand before it could jump away again. His palm was sweaty and his fingers felt massive and invasive between yours, and you hadn’t known what to say.

He’d ordered two soft-serve vanilla cones and paid one-handed. You took your cone and sat across from him at the picnic table behind the ice cream stand, but he got up and moved so your thighs were touching once more. His fingers were slightly sticky on the walk back, and you could still feel his melty ice cream in the valleys of your fingers even after you’d washed them.

Your mother was waiting to pick you up by the time you got back from the ice cream stand, chatting in the driveway with Noah’s mother. He didn’t let go of your hand.

“I guess this is goodbye for now, then,” he said as you joined your mothers in the driveway.

“Yeah,” you said.

“I’ll text you when you get home, okay?”

“Okay.”

“I had fun with you today.”

“Yeah.”

And then he kissed you. His lips were still cold from the ice cream and you were too surprised to even consider the fact that he probably expected you to kiss him back. Out of all the scenarios for which you had prepared, this was never one of them.

And so with sticky fingers and buzzing lips, you sat on your bed desperately scrolling through old texts as your phone was flooded with new ones, wracking your brain trying to figure out which words he’d used exactly when he invited you over, and how you had somehow unwittingly, unwillingly acquired a boyfriend.

You will never forget the last words Juan ever spoke to you: “How come you’ll go out with him but not with me?”

It would be years, nearly a decade, before you discovered the word “asexual” outside of a 7th grade science class, years before you understood the answer he stormed off before you could give, leaving you alone in the empty hallway with the not-quite-white and not-quite-teal floor tiles and the harsh florescent lights and the mural of the not-politically-correct school mascot, alone in the exact same place he’d left you alone when you told him no and you did not understand, except this time maybe you did.

That night you lay awake in your bed, whispering to the darkness that was not Juan, “Because you let me say no.”

[hannah-mic]

Come Rescue Me Sequel- The Truest Love

Hey you guys!!!!!! Here it is!!!!!!!! The sequel to come rescue me- the truest love is now here! Now I can’t promise there’s going to be an epilogue but I’m definitely thinking about it.   

Find book one here: https://hannah-mic.tumblr.com/post/161752396616/rescue-me-killian-jones-x-reader-imagine

22,450 words-ish 

Come Rescue Me sequel: The Truest Love 

You peek open your eyes and roll over in bed. “Fuck,” you mutter under your breath. It’s been two years since you and Killian got married. The married life, and life in Storybrooke has been treating you and your husband well, no curses, battles, or anything since Zelena left. But lately Killian hasn’t been sleeping and it worries you. You swing your legs over the side of the bed and slip a robe on. You slowly shuffle out the door and down the front steps and find your husband sitting in the sand, looking out over the water. “Hey honey, what’s going on?” you ask as you plant yourself down in the sand next to him.  “Ah, nothing love, I’m fine, I just couldn’t sleep, that’s all,” he gives you a weak smile. “Killian, come on, you haven’t slept in two weeks and your supposed to share your burdens with me,” you look at him imploringly. “It’s nothing love, really, just a little insomnia.” “Come in soon,” you tell him as you plant a swift kiss on his head. He nods and with that you head back inside. You plop back down in bed and stare at the ceiling with your eyes open as you wait for Killian to come back to bed. Killian never comes back to bed.

Later that morning Your eyes flutter open as you awaken to the smell of something delicious cooking in the kitchen. So you roll out of bed and make your way towards the kitchen. "Ah good morning love! I’m sorry for making you get up last night. I made you breakfast,” Killian smiles at you holding a plate of waffles.  You smile and rub your eyes. “You know I just want to help you Killian, I wish you would share with me,” you look at him with sad eyes. “I told you love, it’s just a little insomnia is all,” he notices you look let down. “Hey, (y/n), I promise you nothing is wrong. I promise,” he pulls you into his chest and cradles you. Finally you let the tension out of your shoulders and let it go, for now. “So what’s on the agenda today, (l/n)?” Killian pulls back and looks at you. “Well, you know that I have to work today, Killian," you tell him as you quickly gobble down your waffles. He frowns at you. Since you guys got back from Neverland and Zelena’s cursed had passed, you were finally able to get a job to pay for the fabulous beachside house you guys somehow managed to afford. “Can’t you just tell Emma that you can’t come in today. I’m sure the sheriff can manage without her deputy for one day,” He looks at you, pleading with his eyes. "If you stay, I promise to make it worth your while," he winks at you with a devilishly pirate grin. “Come on now Killian," you roll your eyes at him. "Besides you’re always saying how you need to check up on the Jolly Rodger, why don’t you do that today?” you ask him as you wander into the bedroom. Inside you quickly slip on jeans and a long sleeve black v neck and some combat boots. You pull your hair into a loose pony, some curls falling out. "I suppose,” he shrugs at you. You walk out of your room and say, “Come on now Killy you know I’d rather stay here with you, but maybe it’d be nice for you to get to go talk to the crew, and hey, I know David’s been asking about you. I’ll see you tonight hubby,” you walk back out of the bedroom and as you sling your gun into it’s holster, you reach up and plant a kiss on his cheek. And with that, you walk out the door.

You arrive at the sheriffs station and swing the door open. “Hey Em, what’s up?” you ask her. “You know, nothing much. There was some vandalism down by the docks, a bit of spray paint. Speaking of the docks, how’s Killian?” You think about what you should say to her, she is one of your closest friends. You decide you want to talk to Mary Margaret first, after all Emma did lose her one true love Neal to Zelena and that's still raw for her. “He’s good!” you say. “It just feels weird that there’s no evil curse on our tail and yea it’s been two years but half the time I expect Peter to be right behind me.” “I totally get that!” Emma replied. “Imagine the extra pressure of being the savior,” she rolls her eyes at you. You laugh. “Now come on let’s go see what kind of vandals we’re dealing with,” Emma ushers you outside.

Killian walks around on the deck of the Jolly Rodger aimlessly. Seemingly looking for something, though he doesn’t know what. “Anything else we need to do Captain,” Smee comes up behind Killian. “No. that’ll be all today Smee, thanks for the help,” Killian pats Smee on the back. “Are you alright captain? You haven’t seemed like yourself lately.” “Aye I’m fine lad thank you for the concern. Now go on, I know you and the crew are dying to go for a drink, go on.” “Very well captain,” and with that Smee and the rest of the crew walk off towards the direction of the bar. “Ahh Killian Jones, just the man I was looking for!” David shouts from below on the docks startling Killian. “Sorry if I startled you man,” David comes up behind Killian and slaps on the back. “That’s alright David, so what brings you aboard the Jolly Rodger?” “Do I need a reason? I haven’t seen my best friend in ages,” David looks closely at Hook and notices just how tired his friend looks. Bags under his eyes, clearly hasn’t shaved in weeks, Killian wasn’t at the top of his looks. “Dude no offense, but you look like shit,” David tells his friend. “Aye mate I know, I just haven’t been sleeping that well the past few weeks.”  “Come on let’s get you a drink,” David pats Killian on the back and they walk off the boat in the direction of the rabbits hole bar.

As you walk in the door and set your holster down on the counter, your phone rings. “Hello?” “Hi love, its Killian.” “Are you gonna be home soon?” you ask him. “Sorry ‘bout that love, David has insisted on talking me out for drinks, but hey maybe it’ll help me sleep better.” “I hope so,” you  sigh. “See you when I get home?” he asks you. “I’ll be waiting,” you reply. “(y/n), I love you. So much.” “Love you too,” you reply as you hang up the phone.

Finally settled at the bar with two beers, David asks, “So Killian what’s really been going on with you?” “David, you may be my best friend but I’m afraid rum is the only drink that will get the truth out of me,” Killian replies. “Bartender, two rum and cokes please.” “What’s the coke for?” Killian asks David. David laughs. “You do have to pace yourself Hook,” he tells him.

Tick. Tick. Tick. The clock mocks you as you wait for Killian to come home. You sit in the living room waiting for him to walk through the front door. You glance up at the clock and realize its been over three hours since he called you. “Come on Killian where are you?” you mutter to yourself. You pick yourself up off the table and walk outside. You decide to sit in the sand, hoping that you’ll see Killian walking home, but you don’t. “Come back to me,” you say down to the sand. You let the wind slap against your back as you sit there, absentmindedly running your fingers through the sand.

“Alright you ready to tell me what’s going on?” David looks at Killian over the bar. “I suppose so mate….” “Well,” David urged him to continue. “I’ve just been having these nightmares lately. A lot of them have been about Liam, because the last time I left Neverland I couldn’t protect the person I loved most and yes we’ve been back for two years, but I’m just worried. Thinking about Liam and the kind of example he set for me, well I know that I wouldn’t be living up to his expectations and I know he wouldn’t think that I’m good enough for (y/n). I honestly just don’t think I’m good enough for either of them. Liam’s death haunts me everyday. I get depressed and I don’t want to drag (y/n) down with me.” “Killian, you’re not going to drag (y/n) down, she wants you to share your burdens with her. The only thing that will drag her down is if you leave her, or if you don’t tell her.” “Aye mate your right, I should tell her. I should go right now and find her.” “Then go, find her!” David shoves him towards the door. “Thanks mate!” Killian shouts back at him as he practically runs out the door.

Killian saunters off toward his house on the beach. Right as he was about to turn to go up the porch stairs he sees your figure in the dim lamplight sitting in the sand. He comes up behind you. “(y/n)? What are you doing up?” “JESUS! Killian you scared me!” You turn around to look at him. “Were you asleep (y/n)? Bloody hell love you should be in bed.” “You think that I’m not gonna sit up and make sure my husband gets home ok?” you say grouchily. Then you say softer, “Come on, lets just go to bed.” you grab his hand and drag him and lead him towards the house, but he drops your hand. “(Y/n), wait, I have to tell you something.” You whip your head around so fast it leaves you spinning. “Finally! I know you’ve been keeping something from me! Please just tell me, all I want to do is help you,” you add, quietly. “I know you do (y/n) and I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner but I was scared.” He brings you over by the porch and the two of you sit down on the steps. He takes your hand, “Listen, (y/n) the thing is…. I haven’t been sleeping the past few weeks, well, because I’ve been having nightmares.” You look at him and can see the ghost of his nightmares flash in his eyes. You grab his hand, “What about,” you ask him. “Well, love, they’re mostly about Liam. See the last time I left Neverland, I lost the person I loved most, my brother. I know it’s been over two years since we left, but I just keep having this nightmare where we come back, but you die the same way Liam did on the ship. And I keep thinking about the person I have become since Liam’s death and I know he wouldn’t be proud of it, he was a navy man. And thinking about the man I became, well I just feel like, and I think Liam would agree, I just…. I don’t deserve you. You’re too good to be with someone like me,” he finishes. You look at him completely in shock. You stand up and begin pacing back and forth in front of the porch. “Are you alright love-“ You cut him off, “How on god’s green earth could you think you’re not good enough for me! That you don’t deserve me?” You look at him, tears in your eyes. “(Y/n) I-“ You cut him off again. “KILLIAN HOOK JONES I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART and if I love you as who I am then you sure as hell can love me as who you are. because we were meant to be together damnit, and if you can’t see that then what is this all about?” you finish, losing steam with each word. You fall back onto the sand heaving with shallow breaths as the tears stream down your face. “(Y/n), (Y/n), I am so so sorry love, I should have told you, I didn’t want to burden you but I know I was wrong. I love you so so much and I promise I will never keep anything from you again.” He squats down to your level. You pull your knees into your chest and look up at him. “We’re equals Killian, and I love you so so much, and you’ve done so much for me, I just want to return the favor.” He plops down next to you. “I’ve done a lot for you?” He says in disbelief. “Killian,” you turn to him, “I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you. You saved me from Neverland and I can’t believe you did that for me.” “I guess I never thought about it that way,” he replies. “See the way I look at it is that if you were gone, I would revert back to my former ways, so in that way you saved me, you see?” He looks at you. “Yeah but if-“ this time it’s Killian who cuts you off, “Darling, darling, let’s stop focusing on who saved who and how many times. Let’s just focus on us, like you said, we’re equals. And we are devoted to each other. But most importantly, I promise I will never keep anything from you ever again.” He pulls your forehead to his, and you sit there, nose to nose, breathing heavily. “So love, can we go inside,” he asks you. “Sure,” you smile up at him. Somehow you are grateful that this happened because now you know how your husband is feeling rather than being helpless and not being able to do anything about it. You offer your hand so he’ll help you up but get something else entirely. He scoops you up in your arms, you always wonder how he’s able to do this, because you’re not exactly the thinnest girl on the block. It just makes you appreciate him all the more. “What are you doing?” You turn to him. “We’ll we’ve got to make up for all of those lost nights darling,” he looks at you with a mischievous grin as he kicks open the front door and carries you to the bedroom as he smashes his lips on yours.

Back in your bedroom Killian passionately presses his lips to yours. You wrap your legs around his waist as he pushes you up against the wall. He slips his tongue into your mouth and explores the inside of your mouth. You hum into his mouth as approval. “Oh (y/n),” he moves his lips down to your shoulders and  trails kisses across your collarbone. You desperately push his shirt up his body, needing to feel his skin on yours. He obliges ducking his head so you can pull his shirt off. You bite his earlobe hungrily. “Hmmm that feels good love,” he chuckles into your ear. “I need you,” he tells you. He rips your shirt in half off your body. “Sorry about that darling,” he tells you. “Needed to happen,” you moan in agreement as you quickly whip off your bra. He tosses you onto the bed and you both roll out of your clothes. You both come together as one as your bodies meld together.

1 passionate half-hour later You roll over off the top of your husband. “Hmm that was fantastic,” you tell him. “Aye love it was,” he kisses you on top of the head. you roll into his chest, and tell him, “How come make up sex is the best sex?” you ask him. “Lass if you think make up sex is the best sex than you don’t remember our wedding night,” he chuckles. “Oh that was amazing,” you smile and look at him. you snuggle into his chest and play with his chest hair. “(Y/n), you know I love you with every ounce of my being?” he looks at you. “Killian, do you know that I love you with every ounce of my being?” you smile back at him. “Hmmm I don’t think I’ve ever been happier,” he tells you. “I think I can fix that,” you tell him as you roll back on top of him.

The next afternoon You wake up very late and feel Killian’s big protective arm wrapped around your middle. You smirk to yourself. “Want some lunch?” you ask him. “Sure, but how about Granny’s? I haven’t seen a lot of people there in a while.” “Sounds great!” you plant a kiss on his cheek and get up and walk into the closet. You rake through your clothes as you decide what to wear. For some reason you feel like dressing up. Just then you stop on a beautiful yellow sundress. It was cotton, strapless, and had a flowy bottom to it. The perfect casual dress for the first day of May. You pull the dress on and pair brown cork wedges with it. As you brush your hair, you throw on your favorite bangles and walk out of the closet. “My my wife does look beautiful today,” Killian smiles at you. “Thank you Killy,” you tell him as you swipe on some lip gloss. “Now come on, let’s go get some lunch,” and with that you walk arm and arm with your husband out the door towards Granny’s.

At Granny’s You and your pirate walk in the door of Granny’s and you feel like everyone has stopped to look at the two of you. “Killian, (y/n), it’s so great to see you!” Henry comes up to both of you and enropes you both in a hug. “Henry my boy, it’s so great to see you too!” Hook chuckles as he hugs Henry back. “Henry how are you?” you ask him. “I’m good, I’ve missed you guys, I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!” he tells you. “Will you have lunch with us?” Henry points towards where Regina and Emma are sitting. “Of course we will!” Killian tells him, and with that Henry leads you both towards the booth.

When your food arrives everyone sits quietly and eats for a few minutes. Regina wipes her mouth and looks at Hook, “So, Killian, how are you doing?” “I’m doing very well Regina thank you. Just been super busy as of late,” he nods at her. She smiles back. You all sit there quietly and finish eating. It’s a nice silence, comfortable. “So when are we all going to get together again, we can’t wait this long?” Henry urges everyone at the table. “You’re right Henry and I’m sorry we’ve just been working through some stuff,” you pat Killian’s hand. Regina eyeballs you, as if asking for more information. “Aye, Henry, you deserve an explanation,” Hook tells him. You look at him shocked. “You see as of late, I’ve been having some nightmares about my brother Liam and the last time we left Neverland. And then having more nightmares about losing (y/n),” Killian finishes. They all look at him wide-eyed. “Wow, Killian, thanks for sharing with us,” Emma pats his hand. He just nods. “So are you alright now?” Regina asks him. “Aye, I’m fine now, we’ve got it all sorted, thanks,” Killian wraps his arm around you and nudges you with his nose. You nudge him back. “Alright, now you guys can stop being so cutesy,” Emma laughs at you. You all split the tab and pay the bill. “So we’ll see you guys later,” you and Killian wave at everyone as you exit Granny’s.

“So love, where to next?” your husband looks at you. “Wanna go for a stroll?” you ask him. He answers by taking your hand as the two of you walk down main street. So it feels picture perfect as you stroll with your husband down main street. You have a sharp intake of breath. “Killian, do you ever wonder if life can always be like this?” you look at him. “Aye, I do love, sometimes I worry they’ll be a problem on our doorstep the next day. But no need to worry about this now. Let’s just enjoy ourselves.” You nod in agreement. As you continue to stroll down main street you spot Mary Margaret and David strolling in front of you with baby Neal. “(Y/n), look at how cute baby Neal is. Isn’t he adorable?” he looks at you. “Well Killian Jones I never thought I’d see the day when you would start pointing out babies,” you smile at him. He looks down at his feet and shyly turns to you. “(Y/n), have you ever thought about us having kids?” he anxiously looks at you. You stop in the middle of the street and stand, gulping for air. “Killian I would love to have children, but I understand that when we’ve talked about it before, you’ve never been ready.” You take a breath to say something more but Killian stops and turns towards you and grabs your hands. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but (y/n) I’m ready. I wanna have a child with you.” You look up at your husband, tears threatening to spill down your cheeks. “Oh Killian, I never dreamed I’d hear those words,” you say as you grab his face and plant a kiss full of all the gratitude and excitement in the world. Killian lifts you up and spins you around in the middle of the street. Like a seen out of a romance movie. When you both pull away you both say the exact same thing, “I’ve gotta tell Mary Margaret/David!” And just like two exited teenagers you run up the street, grab your friend, and lead them off in the opposite direction to tell them the news.

You and Mary Margaret “(Y/n), what is going on?!” Mary Margaret asks you. You smile at her and pat baby Neal on the head. “Mary Margaret, I can’t believe I am about to say this, but Killian says he’s finally ready to have child!” you tell your friend excitedly as you have tears in your eyes. “Oh (y/n) that’s wonderful news! I know that you’ve been waiting desperately for Killian to be ready, even if he would ever be ready. I am so happy for you!” she pulls you into a deep hug.

Killian and David “Dave, mate I have something pretty huge to tell you!” he smiles at his friend and pats him excitedly on the back. “What is it?” David looks at him eagerly. “Well Dave..” Killian is jumping up and down in anticipation practically screaming with joy. “Well….. (Y/n) and I are gonna have a baby!” before David asks Killian adds in, “I mean she’s not pregnant yet or anything, but I told her that I’m finally ready to have a child and she agreed and so now, we are going to start trying!” “Oh Killian that is fantastic. I am so so happy for you!” David and Killian hug. All at once Smee runs up to both of them. “Captain sir, we have a problem down at the docks, we need you right away!” Killian turns toward you and when he turns back to look at Smee, he’s already gone, running towards the docks. Killian runs up to you, “(Y/n) love, I know we just made this huge life decision, but there’s a problem at the docks I’ve-“ You cut him off, “Go it’s ok I understand I totally get it!” “You sure?” he asks you. “Go babe, I’ll be at home,” you tell him. And with that, Killian plants a kiss on your cheek and runs off after Smee. David comes up behind you and puts his arm around you, “(Y/n), would you like to come over for some coffee?” “I’d love it,” you smiled at him, and with that you Mary Margaret and David walk in the direction of the loft.

At the docks “Smee, what the hell is going on?!” Killian gasps, breathing hard from having chased after Smee. Smee just turns around and stands still. “Smee, what’s going on?” Killian looks at him and has a bad feeling in his stomach. Smee looks behind Killian and Hook slowly turns around to see what he is looking at. Right there before him stands Regina holding a pulsing heart in her hand. It’s then that Killian realizes the heart is Smee’s and that it’s a trap. “Bloody hell,” Killian mutters under his breath. “Thank you Mr. Smee, that is all,” Regina talks into the heart. Smee turns to walk away but instead Regina crushes his heart in her hands. “No!” Killian looks as the life leaves his first mate’s eyes and he falls back into the water, dead. “Regina,” Killian turns around and growls out her name. Regina senses that he’s about to run and says, “Uh-uh-uh, not so fast captain,” and with a wave of her hand, she freezes him in place. “See, I have other plans for you.” She steps towards him and all Killian can do is watch as Regina rips out his heart. He unfreezes. “What do you want, witch?” he spits at her. “That doesn’t concern you,” she smirks. “Now listen carefully, you are to do exactly as follows. You are going to go to (y/n) back at your home, and you are going to tell her that you were wrong. That you aren’t good enough for her and that you can’t protect her, and so you are leaving her. See, after you told us at granny's about the nightmares you've been having, so sad,” she mocks. “I know that she will believe you. And under no circumstances are you to ever have contact with her, or I will kill her and I know you don’t want that.” Killian stands there, defeated, tears freely falling down his cheeks. “Now. Go!” she commands, and Killian turns to go, because he has no choice.

At the loft with Mary Margaret and David “So (y/n), how does it feel? Knowing that you and Killian are going to be parents at some point?” David asks you. “Amazing, my heart is so full,” you tell him as you cheerily spin around in their kitchen. Just then baby Neal wanders in and you scoop him up. “You could have a friend soon Neal,” you smile at him and give him kisses on the cheek. “(Y/n), we are so unbelievably thrilled for you and Killian. I’m so happy things are going well for you two!” Mary Margaret hugs you again. You glance out the window and realize it’s getting dark out. “Oh shoot, I better go,” you tell them. “Love you guys,” you give them each a kiss on the cheek as you leave the loft.

At the house You make your way back towards your house and see Killian sitting on the steps to the porch. "Hey babe, everything ok down at the docks?" You ask him. "Aye, love, but I've just had an epiphany, I need to talk to you," he stands up and grabs your hands, his sad eyes give him away. "Killian, tell me what's wrong, what's going on?" You panic. "Shh, this will all be over soon," he tells you. Before you can panic about what that means, he continues, "(Y/n) I told you about my nightmares and I know you tried to help. But I'm afraid it's not enough. You see I was wrong to believe you. I'm not good enough for you or any future child we may have had together. I can't protect you and I couldn't bare to see you get hurt, and that's why, that's why I can't be with you anymore," he finishes and looks at you. "Is this some sort of joke,” you tell him, “I wouldn't care if I was dodging death every minute, as long as I'm with you I'm happy," you try to grab his hand. Things are unraveling fast. He yanks his hand away and says, "That's not good enough for me (y/n)! You're never going to be safe with me and I'm never going to be the man you deserve. And that's why we can't be together." "Killian we've been over this!" You scream at him. "I am not leaving you I will never ever leave you as long as you return my feelings." You feel confident you have convinced him, but then the words that will forever haunt you come out of his mouth. "I don't. I don't love you anymore (y/n). “You don’t mean that,” you shake your head at him. “I do,” he tells you as he looks you in the eyes. “(Y/n), I realized I’ve been doing anything to make you happy, even at my own expense. I’ve realized that the man I used to be, is the man I want to be. I should stop trying to be someone I’m not because I love being that scalywag pirate that does whatever he pleases, sleeps with whoever he wants, and gets to kill all his enemies. And a man like that has no room in his heart for a girl like you,” he finishes. You stare at him devastated. “Killian please! Please stop this Killian you don’t mean it. Please Killian,” you reach desperately for your husband, but he turns away. “Killian…..” “It’s finished,” he tells you. And those words drive a knife through your heart as you collapse onto the ground, in a pile of tears. What you don’t see is that as Killian turns to go inside, tears fall down his face at an all time high. “You can stay here,” you tell him. “I couldn’t bare to be in that big empty house, but it sure does match your empty soul,” you tell him as you pick yourself off your feet and without another word you sprint off in the direction of Mary Margaret’s. Killian watches you running into the distance. “Damn you Regina! I’ve just lost the most important thing in my entire life. So kill me please,” he says to no one.

At the loft Mary Margaret hears a soft knock on the door at about 10 pm. She groggily gets up to answer the door. “Who the heck could that be?” she asks David. “Dunno,” he mutters as he turns over to go back to sleep. Mary Margaret rubs her eyes as she shuffles to the door. She opens it and is shocked to see none other than (y/n) (l/n) standing there in that once so cheery yellow sundress, tears and mascara running down her face, shoes in hand, hair wet from the rain, a hot mess. “(Y/n), oh my dear what happened?” “Killian and I- he- wants to separate,” the words spill out of your mouth as you collapse into Mary Margaret’s arms. “What?!” she is just as shocked as you are. She brings you into the loft and sits you down. David comes out of the bedroom yawning, but straightens up as soon as he sees the situation before him. “My god (y/n) what happened?” Mary Margaret answers for you, “Killian wants to separate.” David gasps. “Oh (y/n) I am so so sorry. Come here,” he wraps you in his arms and kisses you on top the head in a fatherly manner. “I’m gonna kill him,” David growls under his breath. Despite everything, it makes you laugh. “Come on lets get you tucked in,” Mary Margaret states. So her and David walk you upstairs, you leaning on them both as if your life depends on it.

The next morning You blink your eyes open as sunlight streams in through the window. All in one rush, the memories of last night come blinking back to you. “Oh no! NO! OH MY GOD!” you scream. You wail into the pillow, in agonizing pain. “What, what is it, what’s going on?!” David rushes into your room. He finds you screaming in agony and wraps you in his arms. “It’s ok (y/n). It’s gonna be ok. I promise the pain will go down, I promise. I know it doesn’t feel like that now but I promise. And until you are ready, I promise Mary Margaret and I, we will never leave your side.” You just cry into his shoulder. Mary Margaret walks into the room and trades places with David as your shoulder to cry on. “Alright, time for me to sort this boy out,” David tells his wife as he marches out the door. "(Y/n) maybe you would feel better if you took a shower," Mary Margaret tells you. You nod. So you head into the bathroom and turn on the water. In the mirror a sad, mess of a girl stares back at you, dried mascara running down your face, hair frizzy in tufts around your head. "Oh god," you mutter. So you peel yourself out of the tear stained yellow dress and throw it in the trash can, never wanting to see it again. You groan as you rub your eyes and hop in the shower.

5 minutes later at the empty house David angrily bangs on the door three times. Killian opens the door, with red puffy eyes. “David, mate, what are you doing-“ Killian’s interrupted by David’s fist hitting him in the jaw. “Ahh man, what the bloody hell was that for?” Killian shouts as he rubs his face. “HOW COULD YOU DO THIS YOU BASTARD! SHE LOVES YOU! For some crazy unknown reason she loves you Killian, and you broke her heart! Now, you have got some explaining to do!” David’s face is red from anger as he pushes Killian inside and shuts the door. “David, I’m a coward. I just can’t will myself to put her at risk like that. I don’t deserve her. I don’t want her to die because of me so I cannot be with her, and nothing you can say will make me change my mind.” “Killian, that is beyond stupid! You dumb ass! She is safe, She is! She’s probably safer with you, and if you can’t overcome your demons that’s your problem but are you really gonna let that keep you from your one true love?” David looks at him defeated. “Yes, I am,” Killian looks at his friend, also defeated. David just shakes his head at Killian, scoffs, and slams the door on his way out.

One week later You haven’t gotten out of bed in an entire week and today it’s been one week since Killian dumped you. Each morning you wake up and the memories of that night come flooding back to you and you scream in agony. Each night you wake up in a cold sweat wailing in pain at the thought of Killian not loving you. “Do you want to eat breakfast today,” Mary Margaret asks you. “You’ve barely eaten in a week,” she looks at you. You slowly nod. So you get up and she wraps you in her fuzzy robe and leads you to the breakfast bar where a plate of waffles sit waiting for you. You turn around and try to go back to bed. “(Y/n)? What’s wrong?” I’m sorry Mary Margaret, it’s just the last time I ate waffles… well….. was with Killian,” you sniffle. “Oh (y/n) I’m sorry, lemme pick you up a grilled cheese from Granny’s, your favorite.” “Ok,” you slowly nod. Mary Margaret leaves you with David and she runs out the door.

Granny’s Killian quickly walks over to the counter and rings the bell, waiting for his take out order. Emma walks over to him as he tries to turn away. “Damn,” he mutters. “Killian? I haven’t seen you in a week, what’s going on?” She notices his red puffy eyes and puts a hand on his arm in concern. “Killian, what’s going on?” “Nothing,” he sniffs. He grabs his order off the counter and turns around to leave, but Emma says, “Killian Jones tell me what is going on right now!” Killian turns around and says, “(Y/n) and I are separating. And now I have nothing left to live for,” he groans. He knows that he was a little too truthful in that last statement and he knows Regina noticed it and gave his heart a squeeze. Before Emma can say anything, he runs out the door.

Granny’s post Killian encounter Mary Margaret quickly swoops in the door and rings the bell on the counter three times impatiently. “Mom,” Emma runs across the diner. “Mom did you know that (y/n) and Killian are breaking up! He came in here five minutes ago for take out and he was so upset.” “I know Emma,” she replies. “How could she do that to him,” Emma ponders. “Do what?” Mary Margaret says incredulousy. “Killian’s the one that chose to separate. He nearly killed her Emma. She’s devastated.” Emma just stands there in shock. “Oh poor poor (y/n),” Emma states. “She’s not doing well, she hasn’t eaten hardly anything in a week so I came here to get her some grilled cheese. She’s staying with David and I right now.” “Can I come over to see her later?” Emma asks her mother. “Sure, I think that would help,” and with an encouraging smile, Mary Margaret grabs your food and exits the diner.

Back at the loft You lay on the couch leaning into David's shoulder feeling somewhat comforted for the first time in a week. Then there's a sharp knock on the door. Mary Margaret gets up from her chair and pulls open the door to Emma standing there. Emma rushes in an immediately takes the spot to the other side of you. "Oh (y/n), I am so sorry. You don't deserve this pain," she tells you. "Thanks," you sniffle. “Do you wanna go to the shooting range?” Emma asks you. “Oh Emma sweetie I don’t think that’s the best idea,” Mary Margaret tells her daughter. “No wait, I actually would love that!” you smile for the first time in a week. “But I don’t have any clothes hear,” you add. “Leave that to me,” Mary Margaret adds, “I’ll go get them from the house. “Great,” you say and Emma pulls you off the couch and the two of you make coffee.

At the empty house Killian awakens out of the haze of booze to three soft knocks on the door. “Killian,” Mary Margaret calls out. Killian rolls off the couch and gets up to answer the door. “Ah Mary Margaret, what can I do for you?” “I came to get some clothes for (y/n), and don’t worry I’m not gonna ask you what was going through your head when you broke up with her because I’m betting even you don’t know.” He nods in agreement and feels another tug on his heart as Regina is keeping a close eye on him. “Arggh-come on in,” he tries to disguise the pain. Mary Margaret eyes him suspiciously and enters the empty house. Upstairs she grabs some jeans, t-shirts, and undergarments for you. she runs downstairs and finds Killian sitting by the fireplace drinking straight out of a rum bottle. “Oh Killian,” she says, as she can’t help but feel bad for him. “How did this happen?” Killian opens his mouth like he wants to tell her what happened but again, feels pain in his chest as Regina tells him  through his heart to tell Mary Margaret to leave. “Please leave!” he tells her. “I’m sorry,” he adds. “I just can’t do this right now,” Killian looks up. “It’s ok I understand,” Mary Margaret says. She wraps Killian in her arms and gives him a hug and as she hugs him she feels something change in him and he holds on to her for a moment longer than necessary. “Well, I’ll see you,” Mary Margaret smiles at him and exits the house.

At the Charming’s You look in the mirror, and staring back at you is a reflection of you in skinny jeans a Storybrooke police department shirt and your combat boots. “Thanks again, for getting my stuff Mary Margaret,” you tell her. “No problem honey,” she replies. “Alright lemme just go to the bathroom and then we can go Emma,” you tell her. As you leave the room Mary Margaret walks over to Emma and says, “Emma, when I went over to the house, Killian was acting… well he was acting weird.” “I know what you mean,” Emma replied. “The same thing happened at the diner.” “When I visited him at the house he kept getting these weird pains and when I pushed him about what happened he yelled at me, and Killian doesn’t yell. Then when I hugged him it felt like he was holding on for dear life,” Mary Margaret tells her daughter. “When I pushed him about what happened he snapped at me too! But listen mom, I really don’t think we should say anything to (y/n) unless we get real evidence that somethings wrong.” “Agreed,” Mary Margaret nods. At that moment you step out of the bathroom. “Ready to go?” you ask Emma. She nods. You both grab your leather jackets off the door, hers red and yours blue. You walk out the door and get into her yellow bug headed towards the shooting range.

1/2 hour into shooting “Woohoo this feels good!” you shout in Emma’s direction as you shoot, somewhat aimlessly, at the target. “I’m glad you’re having fun!” Emma yells back. So you both spend another hour at the range and then head to Granny’s for some post shooting sundaes.

At Granny’s “Thanks again, Emma,” you tell your friend. “I know that it’s a rough road ahead but at least I know it won’t all be tears.” “No problem (y/n)! I’m just glad you got your mind off it for a few hours.” She takes your hand and says, “Everything is gonna be alright.” “You know I’m starting to believe that,” you smile back at her as you finish your sundaes.

At the loft two weeks later “Alright I don’t know about you guys but I am hungry. How bout I pick us up a couple of grilled cheeses at Granny’s?” David asks you and Mary Margaret. “Let me,” you tell them. They both look at you wide eyed in shock. “Please,” you tell them. “I’m feeling much better and I need to face the rest of the town,” you give an encouraging smile. “If you say so,” Mary Margaret shrugs her shoulders. You smile in return and walk out the door to get lunch.

Granny’s “Hey Granny, can I get a couple of grilled cheeses please?” you ask over the counter. “First, I need a hug,” she tells you. And she walks around the counter and ropes you into a big bear hug. You’re grateful that she doesn’t say anything about you and Killian splitting up. “I’ll get that going for you right away,” Granny smiles at you. “Great!” you smile back. You turn around to grab a stool to sit on while you wait, and are thrown completely out of your comfort zone when you see Killian standing there in the doorway of Granny’s. “Killian, I,” you faulter, your mind telling you you can’t do this. Killian decides right there and then that he is going to try and push through to you. To tell you something is up. “(Y/n), I just I need to explain myself, love,” he grits through the pain.  You decide to put your guard up. “Save it Killian, I love you. But three weeks  ago you broke my heart. No you didn’t break it, you took and stepped on it and smashed it into a million tiny little pieces. And the fact that I still love you says something about me, and the fact that you still hurt me says something about you.” You look to the side and see that your order is ready. “(Y/n) please love just let me-“ you cut him off. “I’m sorry, I can’t do this,” the tears begin to come and you grab your order and run past him out the door. “(Y/N), WAIT!” and it is in this moment that Regina squeezes his heart so hard that Killian collapses right there on the diner floor.

You come rushing in the door of the loft, food in your hand, tears streaming down your face. “(Y/n)? What happened?” David brings you to sit down on the couch. “I saw Killian,” the words spill over your lips and you sob into David’s chest. Emma and Mary Margaret look on, pity in their eyes. There’s a buzz from Emma’s walkie talkie that says, “We have a code red. Emergency at the hospital.” “Oh shoot,” Emma says. “I better go check up on that, listen I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she says to her parents.

At the hospital Emma wanders into his hospital room to find Killian sitting up, eating a hospital meal. “Emma, what on earth are you doing here?” he asks her. “I got the alert on my walkie talkie,” Emma looks around. “What happened? Tell me the truth,” she adds. Killian says, “Ah it’s nothing just a little irregular heartbeat. Caused a false alarm. I’m fine though.” He looks at her like he wants to tell her something more but can’t. “Oh really?” she questions him. “Because when Regina had my heart I seem to remember those same feelings of being able to tell someone but can’t because my heart is literally on the line. And you know what Killian, I see that in your eyes right now. Tell me I’m wrong,” she eyes him. “You’re wrong,” he tells her, but she knows she’s right because Killian won’t look at her. “Ok got it,” she winks at him. “Well Killian, we’re gonna figure this out, but I’m not gonna tell (y/n) about it, because she is finally getting over you.” She nods at Killian who just looks down as she walks out. Out in the hallway Emma calls her father on the phone, “Dad? Listen I’ve got some big news but first things first, It’s been almost a week since I’ve seen Regina. I looked everywhere I even had Henry go to her vault and she’s not there. We need to file a missing persons report,” she hangs up the phone.

Back at the Charming’s now a month since the breakup “Oh my god,” Mary Margaret puts her hand over her mouth as Emma tells her about Killian. “This is great, we should go tell (y/n),” Mary Margaret turns to run and tell you but Emma stops her. “Not yet mom, we need to be sure it’s true and even then I don’t know if he deserves her.” “Alright agreed we’ll wait,” Mary Margaret nods.

You sit on the tile bathroom floor heaving your guts up into the toilet. “Oh god, why me,” you say as you throw up more into the toilet. “(Y/n)? Are you ok?” Mary Margaret knocks softly on the door. “Fine,” you grumble back as you continue to throw up. “I don’t have a good feeling about this,” you tell yourself. So you pick yourself up off the bathroom floor, brush your teeth to get the vomit off, and step into the guest room. At this point nearly all your clothes are at the Charming’s and you dig in the closet for a hoodie to throw on over your jeans. You step out of the guest room and find Mary Margaret waiting for you. “(Y/n), were you throwing up?” “Yea, I think I have the flu, I’m gonna head down to the pharmacy and pick up some medicine,” you lie. “Ok,” Mary Margaret nods. You smile and step past her, grabbing your purse off the hook and shutting the door behind you.

Outside it’s raining and you cover yourself with your hood, not feeling like talking to anyone. you quickly walk down the street towards the pharmacy, heart quickening, a sense of dread filling you. You thank your lucky stars that it’s not one of the dwarves working the counter, but rather someone that doesn’t know you. “How can I help you today,” the cashier says much too cheery. “I’d like to purchase a pregnancy test please,” you tell her. “Ooh how exciting!” she says as she pulls one out from under the counter. “Yea,” you reply clearly not enthused. “That’ll be 9.99 please,” the cashier holds out her hand. You fumble around in your pocket for change, give her a ten, and head out the door, not bothering to look back.

Back at the Charming’s you went straight to the bathroom and peed on the stick. Each second felt like hours as you waited for the two minutes to pass. You sat on the toilet hyperventilating, thinking about how you would survive as a single mother if it were true. “Oh god oh god oh god.” You are officially freaking out. The next thing you know the two minutes are up, but you’re so scared that you wait five minutes before you look at it. You stand up and pick the test up off the counter. As you look down you see a big fat blue plus sign staring back at you. (Y/n)? Are you ok? You’ve been in their a while,” David asks you through the door. You unlock the door, slowly open it, and turn to David holding the pregnancy test. “David, I’m in trouble,” you look at him with big eyes, fear filling your features. He stares back at you, shock filling up his face.

10 days later You’re pacing the floor back and forth hyperventilating. Everyone told you that you need to tell Killian today. “So Emma, any updates on the stolen heart situation,” Mary Margaret asks her daughter. “Shh keep it down mom. Look when she tells Killian she’s pregnant I’m hoping he’ll push through and tell her, but if not, I promise I will tell her.” Mary Margaret eyes her daughter as if to say “you better.” “(Y/n), honey,” David comes up behind you. This past month and a half you have really appreciated him being a father figure in your life, since you have no parents. “If you stress out you’re only gonna hurt yourself and the baby,” David grabs your hand. “It’ll be ok I promise.” You smile at him gratefully knowing that talking about this affecting the baby would force you to calm down. “Okay, I’m ready,” you stand up straight as you try to look confident. “Do you want us to come with?” they ask you. “No, I have to do this on my own,” you nod at them and walk out the door.

“Breathe, you can do this,” you tell yourself. You opted for a simple outfit of jeans, converse, and and a hoodie that read “Granny’s makes the best!” Your only goal was to get through to him. That’s all you care about. All the sudden, way too fast, you’re standing at the door of your old dream house. You take a deep breath and knock on the door. Killian opens the door and looks shocked to see you standing on his doorstep. “Hi,” you shrug. Killian just stares and forgets to say anything. “Can I come in?” you gesture to the door. He just opens the door in acceptance. 5 minutes later you stand in front of the fireplace pacing back and forth. Still not a single word from Killian. “So I guess I’ll just tell you,” he looks up at you. “Killian, I’m, I’m,” you could feel yourself getting cold feet fast. “Killian I’m pregnant,” you burst out. His eyes grow wide and he gets up as if to give you a hug, but then sits back down. “So, I already know you want nothing to do with me so you don’t have to help at all. But I’m just letting you know,” you look at him. You turn around and walk out the door every fiber in your being begging Killian to come follow and beg to be in your life again. But you trudge forward, you and your baby, just the two of you, which looks like that’s how it’s gonna turn out anyways.

You arrive back at the loft and see everyone is waiting for you. “Well?” Emma questions. “He said absolutely nothing,” you tell her. “Not a single word.” “I’m sorry (y/n),” Emma steps toward you and hugs you. You all stand in silence, waiting for someone to say anything. Mary Margaret shoves her daughter forward. “Oh yea, I have something to tell you. I don’t know if you’ll find it good or bad but-“ Emma is cut off by a pounding on the door followed by a big thud. David opens the door. No one is as shocked as you are to see the father of your child fallen on the ground in front of your doorstep. “Killian?” He groans in pain. “What’s going on?” you turn to the others. “Quick we have to help him,” Emma tells her parents. So David and Emma each pick Killian up by an arm and set him in a chair. “He doesn’t have long,” Emma tells her father. “Well tell her then!” David turns to you. “No, he needs to do it himself,” they all turn to Killian. Killian groans as he sits up and says “(Y/n), (y/n) I love you. I love you so much you are the light of my life, the thing that keeps me going. I want to be with you, this wasn’t my choice you have to believe me,” he looks at you desperately, pleading with his eyes. “I do, I believe you Killian,” you tell him, because even though you don’t fully believe him, he is in so much pain you just want it to go away. “Why can’t you be with me,” you implore him to tell you more. “It’s.. it’s,” he screams in agony as Regina squeezes his heart hard. “Killian! What’s happening,” you turn to Emma for an explanation. Killian grabs your arm, “It’s Regina, she’s got my heart. I don’t know why, but she promised that if I didn’t break it off with you she would kill you, but then you- you told me about the baby and I couldn’t not tell you,” he babbles. “Regina? I really thought she’d changed,” you tell everyone. Just then you all vanish in a cloud of smoke onto main street.

“She has changed,” a mysterious voice up ahead tells you. You all look around to see who it is. The next thing you saw put a fear in you so huge you stood shaking in your boots. Peter Pan strolls through the mist, an image above him. You all look and see Regina trapped in a mirror. “You see I pretended to be Regina, and would you look at that it worked,” Pan says. Just then he squeezes on Hook’s heart and Killian falls into your arms. “Harumph,” a noise escapes his lips as he struggles to breath. “Killian! Killian are you alright?” Worry strikes through you. “Oh he’s fine love, give it a rest,” Pan tells you. You eye him angrily. Peter ponders a thought and then says, “Oh right I guess there’s no need for her anymore,” and Pan snaps his fingers and Regina appears next to the rest of you. “Damn you Pan, how the hell did you get here, from hell?” she asks him. He turns to her, smiles and says, “Peter Pan never fails.” Killian begins to recover and as he gets to his feet he takes a protective step in front of you and your unborn child. “Ah and speaking of what I actually need, (y/n), you’ll be coming with me, or more precisely, your baby,” Pan points a hand at your belly and you feel cold spread through you. “Like hell you will,” David and Killian spit at him at the same time. “See come sundown, whether you like it or not, you and your baby will be coming with me, back to the underworld,” and with a flash, Pan is gone. Regina rounds you all up and in a puff of smoke, transports the group to the mayor’s office

In the mayor’s office You immediately collapse to the ground shaking, “No! He can’t take my baby! This can’t be happening!” You let the tears fall freely. Killian falls to the ground next to you, just as upset as you are. “Why must this happen, I just got you back. And now he’s threatening our child?” You both look up at the group. “(Y/n), you know we won’t let this happen,” Emma comes down to your level and sets an arm on your shoulder. You smile up at her gratefully. “Does anyone know why Pan has to wait till sundown?” Mary Margaret interrupts. “It’s because it’s a full moon tonight, and you can only travel to the underworld by using the blood of the dark one to summon the boat on the night of a full moon,” Regina tells you all. She continues, “Listen (y/n), Pan is going to take you. Now we are going to try our hardest to come to the underworld with you tonight, but Gold will be hard to persuade, because he’s obviously been helping Pan. If we don’t get there tonight, we’ll be there on the next full moon. You have to remain calm because it’s not just your life at stake, it’s your child’s.” You slowly nod at her, realizing the gravity of the situation, however, for Hook, this is not enough. “Absolutely not! I just got my wife back and now you’re telling me that I need to let her and my future child go?” He stares Regina down. “Yes,” she says simply. Hook has a look of defeat on his face. “I’ll die before I let that happen!” he tells her as he wraps a protective arm around you. “But don’t you see, you will die!” Regina yells at Hook. “Hook we need to strategize and I had almost two weeks to think in that mirror. So what will work best is if we hand (y/n)  over, for now, and in exchange we get your heart back. Then, until, the next full moon, we plan hard every single day so we can go down there guns blazing. Now are you gonna go along, or put up a fight?” Regina asks him. Before he can say anything you turn to him and say, “Killian, she’s right. If we go peacefully nothing will happen to me, and this time we have to be thinking about someone other than ourselves,” you tell him. Killian offers you his hand and you stand up next to him. “Aye love, we do it for our future, and for the future of our child,” he gives you a weak smile of encouragement. “Very well,” Regina clasps her hands together, “So we have a plan, now (y/n), go summon Peter, because the sooner you get your pirates heart back, the safer our plan is,” and with a wave of her hand, you and Killian appear on main street.

You take a few shaky breaths and squeeze Killian’s hand for reassurance. next you close your eyes and say, “Peter please come here, I want to make a deal,” you say and no sooner as the words come off your tongue does Peter appear right before the both of you. “(Y/n), what sort of deal do you propose?” Pan absentmindedly looks at you. “Peter, you have my word that, if you give Killian his heart back right now, I will go with you peacefully tonight, and they will not follow me.” “It’s true,” Killian says behind you. Pan ponders this in his head. “Hmmm interesting. You know, I think I’ll take it. Here you go,” Peter says as he pulls Killian’s heart out of his jacket and carelessly tosses it in your direction. You run to catch it. “Be there at sundown. No fuss. On the docks," and with a wave of his hand, Pan is gone.

You turn towards your husband, his heart in your hand, and say, “I believe this belongs to you.” “Aye love, just be gentle,” he tells you. So you place the heart in front his chest and watch as it passes through his skin into his chest. “Hmmph,” he groans as you place his heart where it belongs. Fresh tears come to his eyes. “(Y/n), how will I live without you? How do I know he won’t hurt you, how do I know he won’t hurt our child?” “We can do this Killian,” you say trying to convince yourself more than him. “We can. We may be apart for a little bit, but we’re doing it for our child! That makes it all worth it,” you smile at him. “Aye love you’re right, as usual,” he grins back at you. You smile as you kiss your husband. “Now love, what should we do for our last few hours before sundown?” “Let’s go back to the house,” you tell him. And the two of you stroll hand in hand toward your house on the beach.

At your house You sit in the bathroom yet again, puking your guts out. You told Killian to stay out but he insisted on holding your hair back while you wretched. “My poor wife, what can I do?” “You’re doing plenty,” you tell him. “It’s just during pregnancy you get this thing called morning sickness where your expanding inside causes you to throw up,” you finish as you turn around to sit on the bathroom floor to look at him. He looks at you, worry in his eyes, “Is the baby ok?” “The baby is fine Killian, I promise, all expecting mothers go through this.” He breaths a sigh of relief. “I’m sorry,” you tell him. “I didn’t want to spend my last few hours for the next month with you like this.” “That’s quite alright love. How about we just lay here together for a little while, and then we do have goodbyes at 6 at David and Mary Margaret’s.” “That sounds absolutely lovely,” you tell him. And so the two of you walk into the bedroom, but you strip down to your bra and underwear because you want that skin to skin contact. Killian does the same. So you lay there entangled in blankets and skin, legs intertwined, snuggling, but holding onto each other for dear life. Time passes and neither of you say much. He just kisses you and wraps you in his big muscular arms and you deeply inhale his usual scent of spice, leather, and rum. He puts his head to your belly occasionally and talks to your future child. He says, “I love you, and I will always be there for you. I vow to be a better dad to you than my dad ever was to me. And I can’t wait to meet you.” You smile and run your hands through Killian’s hair as he rests his head on your stomach. The time flies by way too fast and you look over at your alarm clock that reads 5:50. “Killian, we have to go now,” you tell him sadly. “Can’t we just stay here?” He begs you. “I want to have one last meal with all my loved ones, sorry babe,” you tell him and plant a kiss in his hair and get up and walk over to the closet. “Hmm what to wear on my condemning trip to the underworld?” you jokingly muse. Killian comes up behind you and kisses your neck and shoulder blades. “Hmmmm,” he hums into you as he muses the question with you. You finally decide on something to remind you of home. So you wear your jeans, your combat boots and Storybrooke police department t-shirt and throw your green puffer vest over it. “Hey it might be cold in the underworld,” you joke at Killian. You pull half your hair up and offer your hand to your husband. “Ready?” you ask him. “Ready,” he tells you and the two of you walk out the door towards the loft and all your friends.

At the Charming’s You arrive and are wisked away into what a thanksgiving dinner must feel like. All of your loved ones gathered around the table, swapping stories and laughs and sweet notes of sentiment. At the end of dinner David gets up to say something, “This isn’t goodbye, just see you in a month. But we are all gonna miss you so much (y/n) even though it’s only a month. A small sacrifice to win the war. You feel like a second daughter to me and I have really cherished helping you these past two months. So we’re all gonna be cheesy for a moment and wrap you in a big bear hug now,” David smiles at you. Everyone- Emma, Henry, Regina, Mary Margaret, David, and Killian surround you and wrap you in a warm hug. And you feel like you could stay there forever but all too soon, Killian whispers to you, “It’s time love.” So you pull away and walk out the door with your husband. You turn around and look at everyone and simply say, “I love you,” and with that, you walk out the door.

So suddenly you and Killian arrive at the docks. The sun is going down and Peter waits for you near the edge. You turn towards your man. “Killian I love you, and I will see you again soon,” tears spring up in your eyes. “Keep our baby safe, (y/n),” he tells you as he wraps you in an enormous hug. He cradles your head and you so don’t want to leave him, but you can hear Peter tsking behind you. You pull back to look at your husband. “Now you, come rescue me!” you smile through the tears and plant one last kiss on his lips. Without looking back you walk over to Peter. You hear Killian say behind you, “I will rescue you. I love you (y/n).” You turn around and say “I love you too Killian.” Peter is furious and yanks you around to the water. All to quickly he pulls out the vial with the dark one’s blood, drops it in the water, and the boat appears to carry you away from your true love. You and Peter step aboard and the boat is quickly carried away. You turn around and wave to your husband and mouth “Come rescue me,” and before you know it, the fog rolls in, and he’s gone.

Killian watches you fade into the distance and sits on the dock for a half hour afterwords. David eventually comes to talk to him. “Hook, how are you dealing?” he asks him. “Tell me something mate, how could I have lost her again, when I just got her back. It feels like we just got back from Neverland.” “Killian we’ve been back from Neverland for two years. You’ve had great times with (y/n), the beginning to a great life together. While being dragged apart sucks, it only makes those moments together all the more special,” David sits down next to Killian. Killian knows in his head that he cannot stay in that big empty house without his wife and child. “David, I,” he falters. “Hook don’t worry about it, the moment we knew you’d be separated we knew you’d be staying with us.” “Thanks mate,” Killian looks at his friend with gratitude. David and Killian pick themselves up off the ground and begin the trek back to the loft.

The underworld You sit in the boat, wondering when you will arrive in the underworld, and what it will be like. “Here we are,” Pan offers you his hand and gestures with his other hand to an exact replica of Storybrooke. “What the? Peter, why is it Storybrooke?” you ask him. “Many reasons, love,” he shrugs off your question. So you step out of the boat onto the docks and follow Peter in the direction of main street but you stop. “Peter why is my house here?” you ask him incredulously. “Like I told you, exact replica. But you’ll be staying in my home,” he tells you and the two of you vanish in a thick of green smoke. When the smoke clears you see that you’ve arrived at a mansion in the woods off of main street. “This is Gold’s house,” you say as you look at him. “It was,” he tells you, “but since my dear old son escaped back to the living, now it is mine,” and with that he opens the door and gestures for you to walk in. You stand in awe in the big open foyer. “Let me show you to your room, and before you ask, I am not in the same room, but rather in a room connected to yours. This time it’s not about you so you don’t have to worry about that,” he tells you plainly. You breath a sigh of relief and follow Peter up the stairs. Upstairs he throws open the third door on the right to reveal a giant bedroom with a big king size poster bed and conjoined bathroom. “Oh my god,” you breath. “(Y/n), down here we are on a timeline, and I could just speed up your pregnancy,” you look at him eyes full of fear. “But I’m not going to do that because this process needs to occur naturally. So down here, you can do whatever you want because I have eyes everywhere and I’ll know if you are plotting something. Now here’s a credit card for you, you can buy whatever you please to make yourself comfortable. Good night, (y/n),” he tells you as he slips out the room.

One week later “Ughhhh,” you groan to yourself and roll over in your bed. It’s been one week since you arrived in the underworld and time is crawling. You feel like time would go by faster if there was conflict and you were living on the edge, but now you just sit around and wait out the 30 days until your husband and friends get down here. You’ve seen some people you recognize, but no one tries to talk to you. Pan must have made sure you were off limits. You used to like shopping and so you try shopping but it’s not fulfilling you. You know that the only thing that will fulfill you is family. There comes a sharp knock on your door. “Come in,” you tell them. Peter rushes in the door and says, “(Y/n), I’m so sorry I forgot to tell you but you have a sonogram appointment today. This is the 8 week mark since you became pregnant. Be downstairs in ten,” he tells you and backs out the door. You quickly jump out of bed, and can’t help but feel somewhat excited. You run over to the closet and quickly throw on a pair of jeans and loose fitting pink shirt. You anxiously throw on flats and run down the stairs to the front door. You walk out the door and Peter snaps his fingers and you reappear in front of the hospital.

10 minutes later you and Peter sit and wait in the waiting room of the doctors office. “(Y/n) (l/n),” a nurse calls from the doorway. You suck in a deep breath and stand up. “Want me to come in?” Peter asks you. “No I’m fine,” you tell him with a smile. You walk through the doorway back into the doctors office and are seated in one of the rooms. A few minutes later a doctor walks through the door. “Hello (y/n), I’m Doctor Whale-“ “What? No, you’re not,” you look at him like he’s crazy. “Ahh I see where you got mixed up, my brother Victor Whale lives in Storybrooke up there. I am Doctor Jonathan Whale,” he tells you. Having someone related to someone you know does make you feel slightly better. “Ok, thank you for clearing that up,” you tell him. “Now we’re ready to begin. You can just lie back on the table and unbutton your pants I should be able to get a good reading.” You nod in understanding. So you lay back on the table and have a sharp intake of breath as the cold gel touches your belly. “Sorry about that, it is a bit cold. Can I go on?” You nod in approval. So rolls the sensor over your belly for a few minutes checking on the baby. “Alright! Everything seems to be in order. Your baby looks perfectly healthy, but there’s one thing I can tell you.” You look at him panicking. “It’s nothing serious, the placenta is just a little swollen. This is most likely due to stress, probably from being dragged down here. Totally understandable. I would just stay away from foods high in sodium and maybe rest for a few days.” “Ok,” you nod. “Would you like a picture of the sonogram?” he asks you. “Yes please,” you tell him.

5 minutes later you’re back out in the waiting room with Peter as the doctor explains everything to him. When you arrive back at the house Peter instructs you to nap the rest of the day. So you walk upstairs and change into some sweatpants and one of your baggier t-shirts. You yawn and walk over to the mirror on your dresser and tape the sonogram picture to the mirror. You smile to yourself and climb under the covers and fall quickly asleep.

2 weeks until the next full moon in Storybrooke “Alright so we have our plan?” Hook asks the group. “We do,” Emma replied. “Now the only thing we need is the blue fairy’s wand so we can create another portal back in the same night. I think it’s in Gold’s shop and so we’re going to have to get it somehow,” Regina tells them all. “I think we should go through Belle, she’ll help us,” Mary Margaret says. “That is a good idea,” Regina tells her. “So I’m gonna go to Belle, I think it should come from me,” Killian announces to the group. “Agreed. Now you go talk to Belle and I will start devising my plan on how to get rid of Pan for good,” Regina states. Killian nods and turns around and walks out of the loft.

5 minutes later Hook enters Gold’s shop. “Belle! Belle! Are you in here?” he calls out. “I’m here,” she calls from behind one of the counters. Killian saunters over to her and gets ready to ask her this huge favor. “Where’s the crocodile?” he asks her. “Out getting lunch. Why?” “I need a favor Belle. And now I know that I haven’t been the kindest person to you in the past-“ “But you’ve changed,” she interrupts him. He smiles at her gratefully. “Listen Belle. It’s two weeks till the next full moon, but in order to be able to bring (y/n) back the same day, we need the blue fairy’s wand to create a portal. Belle please, I need you to convince Gold to give it to us,” he finishes. “He won’t give it to you,” she tells him, beginning to walk in another direction. “But Belle-“ “You didn’t let me finish Killian. I am trying to get my husband to be a good man, but I know he won’t do it. So I’m going to give you the wand, but I’m not going to tell him.” Killian’s eyes grow wide with shock. “You would lie to your husband?” he asks her. “He’s lied to me more than enough times. Now it’s time for me to return the favor,” she smiles mischievously with a look Hook has never seen from her before. “My my my Belle aren’t we the little rebel,” Killian giggles. Belle pulls the wand out from under the table and looks at him seriously and says, “Go get your wife back Killian.” “Thank you, Belle,” Killian pats her arm gratefully.

‘I’ve got it!” Killian smiles proudly as he walks in the door. “Wow that was quick,” Regina looks at him in surprise. “Belle betrayed Gold,” he tells her, “She just took it without telling him anything,” Hook grins ridiculously. Emma smiles, “Wow, would you look at that,” she says to herself. “So, you guys, this might actually work,” David smiles at the group in encouragement. So they all stand there at the Charming’s apartment, proud of what they had accomplished.

Meanwhile back in the underworld There was still two weeks left till the full moon and the thought of that made you groan. “Breakfast in bed,” Peter shouts from the other side of the door. “Come in!” you reply. Peter brings you your breakfast and says, “We must keep this child well fed.” “Peter, what do you want with my baby? Are you gonna hurt them? Please Peter you can hurt me, but don’t hurt my baby,” you plead with him. “(Y/n), I need your baby for a task, but I promise when all is done, your baby will be fine.” “But that’s what you said last time and you planned on killing Henry!” you argue back. “I promise, all will be revealed soon, but I can tell you for sure that your baby will be fine. Now eat up,” he tells you as he slips back out the door. So you sit and eat your healthy breakfast, which, incidentally, sucks because you are having real bad cravings for junk food right now. “How you doing baby?” you ask your future child as you rub your belly. You feel a kick in response and scream. “Oh my god! Oh my god!” “What? What is it?” Peter rushes into the room. “The baby just kicked! But how is that possible if the baby is only 2 1/2 months old?” “Darling, the product of true love is an incredible thing,” he tells you. “But Peter, we don’t know that Killian is my true love, do we?” “No, we technically don’t,” he tells you, “But, I have a hunch.” The thought of you and Killian being each others true love sends you reeling. “I’ll leave you two to it. Oh and (Y/n), you have an appointment in 2 weeks with doctor Whale to find out the sex of the baby,” he says as he walks out the door. The thought of finding out the sex of the baby sends a chill down your back.

2 weeks later “Alright are we ready?” Regina asks everyone, as they all wait on the docks to summon the boat to the underworld. “Ready?” everyone replies in unison. Just then belle comes running through the bushes, “I have it! It’s here.” Gold refused to help them out so she decided somehow, she would get some of his blood. “Thank you Belle,” Regina takes the vial from her. "Here we go,” she says, and with a plop she drops the vial in the water. The fog instantly rolls in and the boat surfaces. So David, Mary Margaret, Killian, Emma, Regina, and Henry depart for the underworld.

You wait around anxiously on the docks. It’s well after dark, and it has been eerily peaceful the past month between you and Peter, so you know he won’t follow you. After all you promised they wouldn’t follow and he took your word for it. All of the sudden, Killian and the rest of the gang emerge in the boat from the mist. “Killian,” you smile and watch as he jumps out of the boat and onto the dock and runs toward you. He wraps you in his arms and kisses you all over your face. “Oh, (y/n), let me get a good look at you,” he says as he pulls back from you. You smile and put a hand on your stomach. “Oh my goodness your showing!” Killian is thrilled and puts a hand on your stomach. “This is so amazing,” the rest of them come over to get a good look at you. “I hate to break up the reunion, but we need to do this quickly before Pan comes after us, or worse, Hades,” Regina tells you. “It’s a little late for that,” Hades comes strolling into view and freezes everyone. “No one leaves the underworld without my permission. And when people do, do you know how furious that makes me. When I found out that Peter did this, this, is what I did to him,” Hades waves his hand and you can see Peter through a portal tied up and bloody in a dungeon. “He was trying to overthrow me, but that doesn’t happen.  But now since I so graciously have you here, I’d like you to stay. You see, the more souls down here, the happier I am.” He unfreezes you all. “Now, hand over the wand and no one gets hurt,” he motions towards Regina who has the wand in her hand. Regina and Emma look at each other and exchange the same thought. Get Henry back home. So Regina tosses the wand to Emma, Emma draws the portal and quickly pushes Henry into it as she says, “Find Belle, make sure she’s ok, then granny will take care of you!” “I want to help!” Henry shouts back. “Sorry kid,” Emma looks at him with sad eyes and pushes him through the portal. “Not a smart idea, Emma,” Hades states and with a snap of his fingers Emma, and the wand are gone. “Emma NO!” her parents shout in agony. “Welcome to the underworld, enjoy your stay, forever,” Hades tells you all and with a snap of his fingers, he is gone.

“Oh Emma,” Mary Margaret sobs into David’s chest. “Don’t worry,” you find yourself saying to her. “We’ll get her back, I promise. But now, we need a new plan. Because if Pan escapes and finds out about this, he’s going to pull the baby right out of me,” you gulp. So you all decide to stay in the Underbrooke version of yours and Killian’s house. As you walk back to your house, you intertwine your fingers with your pirate and smile as you tell him, “Tomorrow we find out if it’s a boy or a girl.” He looks at you, beaming with pride. “I’ll admit it’s weird circumstances being down here, but that’s so exciting,” he tells you. You plant a sweet kiss on his lips as you walk through the door into your duplicate home. You all stand in the kitchen and are silent. “Well, I think we should reconvene here tomorrow with a plan. You see I thought Pan was running this show, but apparently it’s Hades,” Mary Margaret says. “Agreed, and he must need your child to overthrow Hades, but how would your baby help with that,” David ponders. “The product of true love is a rare magic to come by,” Regina states. You and Hook both speak up and say, “But we’re not-“ Regina cuts you off, “You are. You just don’t believe it yet.” “Well I’m going to get some sleep,” Mary Margaret sniffles as David wraps an arm around her and they shuffle upstairs. Now you, Killian, and Regina stand in the kitchen. “So what’s his angle you think?” you ask Regina. “Well, Hades really can’t let anyone leave, even if they are alive. It does something to his power. But atleast we got Henry home. Now Pan’s going to escape, we all know how determined he is. We just need to be smarter and faster. Pan needs your baby to overthrow Hades so as soon as he gets free he’s going to speed up your pregnancy. If we play our cards right, we can get Hades to watch Pan closely because speeding up the pregnancy is the last thing he wants. I know this is a lot but if we can’t get the wand back, we have to get out next full moon. Good night you two,” Regina smirks at you and walks upstairs to go to sleep. “So,” Killian turns to you, “How is the baby doing?” “She’s good. I-“ Killian cuts you off, “She? I thought we didn’t find out until tomorrow?” “Oh we don’t,” you assure him. “I just have a feeling it’s going to be a girl,” you smile up at him. “Well if she’s half the girl you are I’m going to be the proudest dad alive. He plants a tender kiss on your forehead. Killian wraps his arm around you and you both walk into your bedroom. Inside, you throw on some sweat pants and a t-shirt, but Killian just strips down to his boxers. As you both climb into bed Killian moves to rest his head on your chest. “Hello baby,” he begins talking to your child, “Right now, we’ve gotten ourselves into a bit of a sticky situation, but that’s ok. I promise the first time you see us, we’ll be in Storybrooke,” he finishes and plants a sweet kiss on your belly. You smile, “Thank you Killian. Now let’s get some sleep.” “Good night (y/n), I love you,” your husband tells you. “I love you too Killian.”

The next day “Ok, so how do we get Emma back?” Mary Margaret asks the group at the breakfast table the next day. “I have an idea,” Regina says, “(Y/n) and Killian will go to Hades and tell him how Pan is going to try to speed up the pregnancy. While he is concentrated on you guys, we will get Emma and as long as we don’t leave the Underworld, I am confident he won’t come after us. Besides, he is much to concerned with Pan right now,” Regina tells you all. “This is a good plan,” you tell everyone. “The only thing that bothers me is that I don’t know what they want with our baby,” you squeeze Killian’s hand with worry. “Aye, love, it’s very troubling, but we have an appointment we need to get to,” he looks at you. “Oh that’s right! We’ll come back here after the appointment,” you yell behind you as you and Killian scoot out the door.

At the doctors office “So would you mind explaining this to me again,” Dr. Whale gestures towards Killian. “This is my husband, Killian. He came down here to rescue me and take me home. There’s been a wrench in the works, but we are determined to get home before our baby is born,” you tell the doctor. “Well alright then. Now you can lay down on the table,” he nods at you. So you unbutton your pants and lay down on the table and motion for Killian to hold your hand. Killian watches with wide eyes, trying to comprehend what the doctor is doing with the ultrasound. The sound of the heart beat fills the room. “What is that?” Killian asks. “That, my dear captain is the heartbeat of your baby,” the doctor tells him. Killian grins from ear to ear, the heartbeat music to his ears. “Ahh, and now I can tell you, if you’d like to know, what gender the baby is,” the doctor looks at you. “Yes, we wanna know!” you both reply at the same time. “Your baby is………… a girl!” Killian jumps out of his chair and cheers and you just begin to cry. “(Y/n), love, whatever is the matter? you were right-“ you cut him off. “No it’s not that, it’s just, I’m so happy,” you smile up at your husband. “Well, congratulations you two,” the doctor smiles at you and opens the door as you walk out. “Oh and captain, I thought you’d like to know, I’ve seen your first mate Smee wandering around here somewhere.” “Thanks doc!” Killian yells as he runs out of the building, trailing you behind him.

“What happened to Smee?” you ask your husband. “Regina, well Pan, killed him when she, well he, took my heart. I need to find him, see what he knows, and maybe help him move on from this place.” You smile at him in agreement. Just then, a crazed See comes up behind you guys and says, “Captain! I heard that you’ve been down here, and now I found you!” “Ah Smee I’m so so sorry that this happened to you,” Killian says as he ropes his first mate into a hug. “Smee, what is happening down here, you have to know something after all, Pan was using you?” you look at him, desperate for answers. “Yes, (y/n), well I know that Pan’s working on some sort of formula in order to be able to overthrow Hades, and well one of the things he needs is the product of true love. Your child,” Smee gestures to your belly. “How does he plan on overthrowing Hades?” you ask in reply. “Well Pan needs special ingredients to open up a portal to Olympus, see he plans on sending Hades back to Olympus for his brothers to deal with him,” Smee tells you two. A look of understanding washes over you and Killian. “It all makes sense,” Hook says. “Honey, we have to go, remember,” you nudge Killian. “Oh right, well listen Smee, I am so sorry about what happened to you mate,” Killian looks at his friend. “I’m glad I found you Killian,” Smee says as a bright white light begins to shine behind him. “You see captain, you were my unfinished business,” he begins to fade as he grabs one of each of your hands, “You found each other, now, go live your life,” and as you blink in the bright light, you watch as your husband’s first mate fades into the air. Killian smiles with a tear in his eye and says, “I’m glad I could help him move on,” he turns to you and gives you a kiss. And with that, the two of you rush off in the direction of the Charming’s apartment, ready to get Emma back.

You swing open the door to the loft and open to see everyone sitting there, waiting for the two of you. “Well?” Regina asked you. “We’re ready to go get Emma,” you replied. “No, I mean, what kind of baby are you having?” “Oh,” you look at Killian and you both smile as you turn to tell them. You both say at the same time, “We’re having a girl!” “Oh that’s wonderful!” David and Mary Margaret rope you into a gigantic hug. “That is so sweet, but unfortunately, we have other matters to attend to,” Regina pats you and Killian on the arm. “Alright, so what’s the plan?” you ask them. “You’re going to go plead your case with Hades,” Regina tells you. “You’re going to be honest, because it works to our advantage. Tell him that as soon as Pan escapes, he’ll speed up your pregnancy and that won’t bode well for him, because then maybe he might just get overthrown by Pan. While this happens, we will be finding Emma and I will send you a signal when we have her. You ready?” Regina asks you. “Ready,” you reply as you squeeze Killian’s hand for reassurance.

So you march down underworld main street towards the library. Regina said the elevator will take you down to Hades. “Alright, you go ahead and we’ll come down after,” Regina gestures you toward the elevator. “Ok,” you say shakily. So the two of you step into the elevator and the doors shut as you slowly make your descend. “(Y/n), are you worried?” your husband asks you. “No,” you lie. “It’s okay,” he says, seeing right through you, “I’m scared too.” “Do you think we’ll ever get back to Storybrooke?” you ask him. “I hope so,” he tells you , and all too quickly the door opens and you enter Hades lair.

You feel your heart beat very loudly inside your chest as you enter this place of evil. “Ah Mr. and Mrs. Jones, I’ve been expecting you,” Hades turns around in his chair. “Hades. We’ve come to warn you. You see you may have Pan under control now, but the minute he escapes, and he will escape, he’s going to speed up my pregnancy. So really it’s in your best interest to keep a close eye on him,” you finish nervously. “Ah, (y/n), your right, it is in my best interest to keep an eye on the situation. But I have a better idea how to do that,” he smirks at the two of you. “Oh really and what is that,” Killian says as he takes a protective step in front of you. “By keeping you right where I can see you,” Hades says as he stares straight into your eyes, and your soul. “And I will keep you right where I can see you so you don’t try to go after her,” And who should walk up but Cora behind Hades and points at Killian as she talks. “You will never separate us,” Killian growls at the two of them. “Well you see, I don’t think you have a choice,” Hades smirks at you. “I know all about your little plan to distract me while the rest of the living among you try to sneak Emma past me. Well, nothing gets past me, so instead I’ll trade two for one. You guys can have Emma back, but I’m keeping the two of you here, for keeping a close eye on you,” Hades finishes and with a snap of his fingers, you and Killian disappear.

When you reappear, you find yourself in a tiny little jail cell, but there’s no lock on the door. You run out the door shouting, "Killian, Killian! Where are you?” You round a corner in the labyrinth you have found yourself and fall back on your heels, shocked, to find a big three headed dog staring back at you. “Holy shit! Down doggy,” you tell him as you try to walk past him, desperate to see your Killian. In a flash the dog snaps at you and swipes your arm. “Fuck!” you scream in pain. You look down in horror to see three deep gashes below your elbow. The dog continues to back you into a corner. “What have I gotten myself into,” you say to no one. You hear a voice come back as if in response and say, “Don’t even think about escaping (Y/n). Pan may need your baby, but I don’t, and I won’t hesitate to let you and your baby die,” there’s ice in Hades voice overhead. You hear a crack, and appear back in your jail cell. You sob in pain. “Killian, wherever you are, stay safe.”

On the other side of the labyrinth “(Y/n)? (Y/N)! (Y/N)! WHERE ARE YOU?!” there’s agony in his voice. “Fuck you Hades!” “I’m the only one that can hear you,” Killian hears Cora’s voice creep into his cell. “Cora,” he growls. “What do you want?” “Oh, you know, just to keep you from your one true love, kill your baby, after all no one double crosses me and gets away with it,” she says as she appears in a cloud of smoke in front of Killian. “Cora. You came back to Storybrooke to help your child. As a parent, please, do not hurt my child,” Killian desperately begs her. “Nice try Hook, not gonna happen. Enjoy rotting away,” she tells him, and with a wave of her hand, she’s gone.

Back at the underworld version of the Charming’s “Oh Emma, are you ok?” Mary Margaret looks her daughter up and down. Emma stands in the doorway with a big black eye and a cut running down her cheek. “Yea I’m fine mom, honest. It’s just fighting that dog Cerberus was a bitch,” Emma tells her. “But why’d you have to fight the dog, Hades let you go?” Mary Margaret questions her. “Well yea mom, but you don’t think I tried to escape before that,” she scoffs jokingly. “Well, come over here and let me heal you,” Regina tells Emma. So Emma walks over to the couch and sits in front of her friend. Regina runs her hand over Emma’s face and there’s a hot flash of white light, and the wounds are gone. “Thanks Regina,” Emma tells her.

2 days later You wake up in a daze and try to sit up but are hit with a wave of nausea. Your vision is swimming and you lay back down on the bench. “Looks like that wounds infected,” you hear Hades say overhead. “Hades, come on! Help me out here,” you beg him. “Not a chance,” he laughs back at you. “Time to take matters into my own hands,” you growl under your breath, as you exit into the corridor.

“I’m done with this,” Killian growls. He swings open the door of his jail cell and begins to wander down the corridor. “(Y/n), (y/n), where are you?” Killian whispers into the air.

You wander through the dark labyrinth, holding a torch in your hand. Suddenly you hear something in the air, like a whisper. It washes over you and you hear your husband’s voice whispering, “(Y/n), (y/n) where are you?” ‘Killian?!” you shout, and then mentally shush yourself. You run blindly into the labyrinth, desperate to see Killian’s face.

Killian wanders blindly, soldering on, but fear strikes through him when he hears footsteps coming towards him, getting louder with each step. Killian looks around for something, anything to hide behind. He cowers in fear as he sees a light round the corner.

You round the corner and see your pirate crouched to the ground, trying to make himself small. “Killian?” you squint at him. “My god, (y/n)? What happened to you?” he says gesturing to your arm. “Oh, you know, the usual, just a three headed dog attacking you,” you smirk at him. “Will this affect the baby,” he asks you as he clenches your arm. “I don’t think so, as long as it doesn’t get infected, that’s why we have to escape, so we can have Regina heal me.” “Well, come on then let’s get out of here,” Killian grabs your hand, and the two of you walk down the dark unknown path, no longer in fear because you have each other.

You lean on your husband as you walk down the corridor together. Step by step, in silence, you venture on until suddenly you both vanish in a cloud of smoke.

When you reappear you find yourself chained against a wall, sitting on the ground. You look up and can see your Killian sitting in the same situation across from you. “Killian, I was so scared we’d be separated again,” you look up at him with relief. “Aye, me as well love.” “Hold on I think I can reach you,” you tell him as you look at how long the chains are. So you being to walk towards him, but after about 5 steps or so, Killian is yanked backwards. “What the-“ you look up and realize the chains are connected so that you can never reach him. You look at him with sad eyes. “(Y/n), you arm, it’s getting worse,” Killian gestures to the festering gashes on your arm. “And they’re about to get even worse,” Hades reveals himself and sicks Cerberus on you. The dog comes up to you and rehashes the gashes with his claws. “Aghhh,” you groan in pain. The last thing you hear before you pass out, is Killian yelling, “Hades you bastard!”

Back at the underworld loft “Well shit,” Regina says as she puts down her magic mirror. She just watched you and Killian reunite all the way up until Cerberus attacks you. “We have to get them back before (y/n) dies,” Emma says with worry in her voice. “I agree, no more planning, we just gotta go get them back,” Mary Margaret says. “Wait,” Regina shushes them as she watches the next event unfold through the mirror.

Hades had gone off to meet with Cora and plot, but as soon as he left who else should emerge but Peter Pan. He waves his hand and the chains melt away. “(Y/n), are you ok?” Peter asks you, worry all over his face. The chains may be gone, but you lay on the ground, vision blurry, life ebbing out of you. Killian sits there still chained, straining to see if you are ok. “Pan, heal her. Now!” “I don’t take orders from pirates,” Pan spits back at Killian. “However, I do need a healthy baby, so I will heal her.” Peter waves his hand and a stone platform appears. Peter bends down and lifts you up and moves to set you on the table. “Peter?” you slowly open your eyes. "Where are we, Neverland?” You ask very delusional. “Just lie still darling and you’ll feel better in a minute.” Peter holds his hands up above your body and begins to move them down your body, healing any major and minor injuries you have. You feel the life begin to flow back into you, and grow more awake. Finally Peter finishes, and offers his hand. You take it and slowly sit up. “Thank you Peter,” you tell him grateful. Suddenly you realize your husband is still chained up and you run over to him. “Killian are you ok?” you gently caress his cheek. “I’m fine love, but you need to get out of here, before Pan takes our baby,” Hook pushes you away, towards the exit. “I’m not leaving you, remember, you’re stuck with me,” you smirk at him and rub your nose on his. “Well, I’m afraid that’s too bad, cos (y/n) is coming with me,” Pan pulls you back from your husband. You don’t know if it’s all your anger or just the pregnancy hormones, after all, you are 4 months pregnant. So you turn around and punch pan right in the face. “Oy! (Y/n), god that hurt,” Pan pulls back rubbing his cheek where you hit him. ‘I don’t have time for this,” Peter tells you. With a snap of his fingers, you disappear.

You reappear in the bedroom you had stayed in at Gold’s house off of main street. “Peter,” you say sadly, as you walk over to the bed and sit next to him. “Peter, don’t do this, please. If you had or still have any feelings for me I beg you please. I’m not ready to be a mother,” you tell him tearfully. Peter turns to you and says, “(Y/n), the truth is that I do still love you, and that is precisely why I can’t do this. I don’t want to hurt you,” he confesses. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” you hug him. Your stomach growls loudly, as you suddenly realize you haven’t eaten in three days. “Come on, lets get you some dinner,” Peter says, and the two of you walk downstairs to the kitchen.

Back at Hades lair “Come on quickly,” Emma yells behind her as her, Regina, David and Mary Margaret run into Hades’ foyer where Hook is tied up. “Emma, thank god! Get me out of these, Pan took (y/n), she could be having the baby any minute now!” With a wave of her hand Killian’s chains vanish.  

In Gold’s kitchen Displayed in front of you is a giant pile of grilled cheeses, your favorite. “Thanks Peter,” you tell him right before you dig in. Halfway through your third grilled cheese, you get a weird feeling in your stomach. “What’s happening?” you look up scared. Peter’s face tells all. “Peter you bastard! You said you wouldn’t!” You hear the chair creak under you as your belly expands. The back of the chair breaks off and your belly pushes the table forward as it continues to expand. You stand up and have trouble walking. “Come on, now onto the hospital,” Peter smirks as he pushes you and your continuing to expand belly out the door.

Emma, Regina, Mary Margaret, David, and Killian emerge into the sunlight. “Show me (y/n)!” Regina yells at her mirror. The mirror obeys and Regina says, “Uh oh.” She shows Hook the mirror and his eyes widen as he watches your belly rapidly grow while Peter pushes you towards the hospital. “Shit! Someone, I don’t care, anyone, go get the blue fairy’s wand and Regina, you zap me over to Pan so I can beat the shit out of him,” Hook commands. “I know where the wand is, I’ll get it,” Emma says as she runs off in the direction of the library. Regina waves her hand and Killian disappears to go rescue you.

Your belly continues to grow out in front of you, and you have to put a hand on your back to continue walking. You stop when you feel a peeing sensation. “Oh fuck! My water broke,” you panic. Peter continues to shove you in the direction of the hospital but stops when Killian appears in front of him. Before he has a chance to react Killian rips him a new one as he sinks his Hook into Pan’s right cheek. “Fuck!” Pan yelps and grabs his face. Killian takes this opportunity to pick you up (somehow) and throw you over his shoulder. Without another word he sprints off in the direction of the docks.

Emma sneaks into the library and quickly hops in the elevator to re-enter Hades’ lair. When the doors open she runs out smack into Hades and Cora themselves. “Not so fast Em-“ “Oh fuck off,” Emma blasts them with a bit of her light magic. Hades and Cora are both blasted into the wall, and fall to the ground unconscious. Emma runs into his inner lair and looks around the room. “Ahah,” she says as she finds a magic safe planted in the wall. Once again she blasts it with her light magic and opens it to find the blue fairy’s wand. “Regina, I’ve got it!” Emma yells into space, knowing Regina is watching through the mirror. Before another minute can pass Emma disappears in a cloud of purple smoke.

Killian begins to lose speed as you near the docks, still on his shoulder. “Killian stop,” you panic. “What is it? We have to get out of here now,” he asks you. “The baby. The contractions are starting. I don’t want to have my baby in the underworld,” you cry. “Well come on let’s get out of here then,” Killian says as he helps you awkwardly waddle the rest of the way to the docks.

Emma appears on the docks and finds everyone else standing there, except for you and Killian. “Where are they?” she questions. “Look, they’re coming, they just need to hurry up,” David points to where you are waddling in the distance. “Oh come on, enough of this,” Regina says and zaps you and Hook the rest of the way to the beach. “Alright let’s go,” Emma says as she pulls out the wand. “No! I won’t let you take her!” you all turn around to see Pan running onto the docks behind you, a gaping hole in his face left by Hook's hand. “Alright I’ve had enough of this Pan! (Y/n) is my wife and I won’t let you separate me from her again! So it’s time for your reign of terror to come to an end.” You watch the next events unfold within seconds, though it feels like forever. Hook pushes Pan off the docks into the river of souls and you watch the boy you once loved die before your very eyes. You don’t have time to focus on it though because you feel the baby drop, and know that it’s minutes before she is born. “We have to go. The baby is coming. Right now,” you tell everyone. Emma waves the wand and opens the portal back to Storybrooke. One by one they all jump through, though Killian has to carry you through.

With a flash you’re back in the real Storybrooke and stand at the docks. “Next stop the hospital,” Regina says and zaps you all into the hospital. “Baby coming through!” you yell. Whale comes up to you and ushers you into a wheel chair and through the double doors into the maternity ward. Everyone goes to follow, but Whale turns around and says, “Sorry guys, just the parents.”

Out in the waiting room the whole group waits anxiously for news about the baby. Just then, Henry runs into the ward. “Mom! Mom! Where’s (y/n)? Has she had the baby yet?” Henry comes running in, babbling. “Woah, slow down kid. We missed you,” Emma and Regina hug him. “And what happened with Belle?!” Emma looks at him. “Well, Gold was pretty pissed,” Henry tells them. “Henry watch your mouth,” Regina scolds. Henry shrugs her comment off. “Anyways, Belle decided to separate from him. She said Until-“ Henry is cut off by Belle walking in. “I said to him, until you can learn to be the man I know you can be, we’re done.” They all look at her amazed, but she shrugs it off like it’s no big deal. “How’s (y/n)? Any news on the baby?” They all shake their heads no.

Back in the maternity ward “FUCK! Shit this hurts!” You scream in agony. “You can do this (y/n) , you’re gonna be a great mom,” Killian squeezes your hand for reassurance. “Alright, you’re at 10 centimeters, time to push (y/n),” Dr. Whale tells you. You feel another contraction and scream, “AGHHHH!” You begin to cry, and your vision gets dizzy, drowsiness beginning to overtake you. “I can’t do this,” you tell Killian in between gasps. “Yes you can, you can (y/n). I believe in you, do it for our baby,” Killian’s voice sounds far away and distant. You begin to black out, but not before you hear Whale say, “Shit, she’s losing a lot of blood. We gotta give her a cesarian section stat. Or she could lose the baby.” You don’t have time to be scared because you lose consciousness.

Back in the waiting room Killian walks into the waiting room, panic stricken on his face. “Killian, what’s happening?” Belle comes up to him. He has tears in his eyes as he says, “They’re stabilizing (y/n). She blacked out. They have to give her something called a cesarean section to get the baby out,” he finishes. Everyone knows Hook is not a modern man, so they figure he must be freaking out about how they’re gonna get the baby out. “Hook, it’s okay. That just means they will make an incision and pull the baby out. It’s perfectly safe. She’s gonna be fine,” Emma tells him as she pulls him in for a hug. They all hug Killian in an effort to comfort him and ease his mind. Whale walks into the waiting room and says, “It’s time for the cesarian Killian, come on,” Whale motions him into the maternity ward.

Killian enters the hospital room and sees your limp body laying in the hospital bed. “Oh (y/n), please hold on, you can do this,” he tells you. “You can just take a seat there,” Whale motions to the chair next to the hospital bed you are in. So Killian takes a seat and kisses your hand and squeezes it. Dr. Whale brings out the scalpel for the incision, but not before Killian jumps up and shouts, “Hey mate, what the hell do you think you’re doing to my wife!” “Killian, this is a time sensitive matter. And this is how we get the baby out. (Y/n) will be ok, but we have to act now,” Whale sits him back down. So Killian gulps and nods as Whale begins. Whale takes the scalpel and makes the incision. As he makes the incision deeper there’s a flash of bright light, and the doctor is blown backwards. As if like an angel, your body floats up towards the ceiling and there is a halo of light around you. Your hospital gown and hair billow around you. “What the-“ Killian stands bolt upright and try to reach for you, but Whale slaps his hand away. “Killian stop. I’ve seen this once before. A product of true love being born. It happened with Snow when she had Neal. They’re going to be fine. (Y/n) and the baby will be fine,” Whale says, calming Hook down. Killian watches in awe as the baby floats up out of your open stomach. With a bang and a flash of white light, you fall back onto the hospital bed, you unconscious, but the baby in your arms crying. “Congratulations, Killian. You’re a dad,” Whale smiles and hands Killian his baby girl.

The next day You slowly blink your eyes open and squint as the bright light enters your (e/c) orbs. You feel pain in your stomach and look down to see staples running down the middle of your belly. “Must be from the c-section,” you think. You try to sit up, but find you’re strapped down. “Killian, Killian? What’s happening? The baby, the baby, where is she?” you say in a panic, looking around for your husband. You see Killian step out from behind a curtain, holding a tiny bundle of pink blankets. You drink in the most beautiful sight you have ever seen with your own eyes. Your husband stands in flannel pajama pants and a baggy black v neck t shirt. He slowly walks over to you, and you hear a soft whine come from the blankets in his arms. “(Y/n), this is our daughter,” Killian leans down and unstraps you from the hospital bed. “Would you like to hold her?” he asks you. You nod, all choked up with tears. So Killian hands you the tiniest, most beautiful human being you have ever seen. “Hi baby,” you tell the little bundle of joy in your arms. You lean down and kiss her forehead getting a large whiff of that new baby smell. The baby coos with happiness from finally being in her mother’s arms. So you sit there for what feels like forever, refusing to let go of her the multiple times the nurse comes in. “She’s beautiful,” you look up at Killian, tears in your eyes. “Aye, love, just like her mum,” Killian smiles back at you. “(Y/n), I know you’ve been put under a lot of stress lately, but have you thought of a name love?” he gently asks you. “I have,” you smile at him confidently. “Now I don’t know how you will feel about this, but I’ve been thinking about this ever since we found out it was a girl,” you look at him, trying to judge his mood. “Aye love, what is it?” “Well,” you smile down at your baby, more sure now than ever of the name, “I think we should name her Mila.” A tear comes to Killian’s eye. He leans down and kisses you on the forehead. “Thank you,” is all he can choke out. You pat the hospital bed next to you and motion for your husband to cuddle in. Killian sits down beside you and wraps a protective arm around you. He kisses your cheek and says, “My girls.” So you smile and lean into him. “Oh and (y/n), I forgot to tell you, we are true loves. When Dr. Whale performed the cesarian thing something magical happened. The baby, the baby was glowing, there was a white light that came from you and the baby and you were lifted up. It was amazing. You are amazing,” he looks at you in awe. “I never doubted you were my true love,” you tell him honestly. “I just didn’t want to scare you.” Killian chuckles at this. “I never doubted you were my true love, but I didn’t want to scare you,” Killian repeats back to you, truthfully. “The truest love,” you tell Killian. “Aye,” Killian says as he pulls you closer. So you curl into your husband, the baby between you, and fall into a deep sleep.

You wake up to hear the sound of the door cracking open. You peak open your eyes. “(Y/n)? Can we come in?” Emma asks you. You sit up and nod. So everyone- Mary Margaret, David, Emma, Regina, and Henry- shuffle in through the door. You hold the baby in your arms letting Killian sleep in, knowing that the worry caused him a lot of stress. “Guys, I’d like you to meet Mila (l/n)-Jones,” you grin at everyone. “Oh how wonderful,” Mary Margaret breathes softly. “How do you feel?” Regina asks you. “I’m okay,” you tell her. “Just a little sore from where I was cut open,” you say as you rub your belly softly. “Man Killian looks beat,” David comments. “I know, let’s let him sleep, the stress really gets to him,” you reply as you brush the hair away from your husband’s face and kiss him on the forehead.

One week later “I can’t believe we get to go home today,” you look up at Killian nervously. “Aye love, I know. And David and Mary Margaret said they have a surprise for us,” your husband tells you. “Alright, you’re all checked out and good to go. A clean bill of health. Now, go enjoy being parents,” Whale pats the two of you on the back. You walk towards the door, but turn and say, "Oh and Victor, your brother Jonathan says hi." Whale nods at you in appreciativeness at the comment. So you and Killian and Mila stroll as one little family over to your house.

When you arrive at home, you find everyone waiting in the kitchen for you. “Hi guys,” you whisper, because the baby is sleeping. “We have a surprise for you,” they smile. Without another word, they lead the three of you upstairs.

You stop in front of the spare bedroom next to your own and find a painted sign on the door that says, “Mila’s room.” “Here we go,” Mary Margaret says and pushes open the door. You gasp in awe as you stare into a beautiful nursery. The walls were painted an aquamarine color and there was a painting of the Jolly Rodger on the wall and a mermaid on the other. There was a beautiful white crib in the corner with a matching dresser on the other side of the room. “It’s… it’s beautiful,” you say choked up. “Now we know it’s a girl, but we thought since this kid came from a girl who has had a mermaid tail before, and a father who used to be one of the most fearsome pirates, well, we had to go with a sea theme,” David tells you and Killian. “It’s perfect mate, thank you so much!” Killian hugs his friend. “I painted the Jolly Rodger, I thought baby Mila would like that,” Henry says. “Henry it’s gorgeous,” you tell him, squeezing him tight. You stare around the room and there is literally everything a baby could need. A carrier, diapers, baby wipes, clothes, a diaper changing station, everything. “You guys didn’t have to do this,” you say to your friends. “After everything you’ve been through? Besides we’re family,” Mary Margaret tells you. “Well, we’ll leave you two to spend some time with your baby girl, but we’re having a special welcome back party for everyone that went to the underworld at Granny’s tonight at 6. Be there,” Emma tells you. So one by one they hug each of you and walk out the door.

“Finally alone,” Killian breathes a sigh of relief. “I think she’s tired, maybe we put her down for a nap?” you ask your husband. “But I gotta change her first,” you add. “Don’t worry love I got it,” Killian takes the baby from your hands. “But Killian, you have one hand?” you question him. “Relax love, after all I did change her diapers the days you were unconscious at the hospital,” he lifts his eyebrows at you. You watch in wonder as your husband changes your baby’s diaper with ease, as if it was almost easier with one less hand. He lays her in the crib and plants a sweet kiss on her forehead as he says, “Sweet dreams my precious baby girl Mila. I love you so much.” He sets her down and turns to you. You stand like a gaping idiot, mouth wide open. “Killian…. that was…. you’re a great dad,” you smile as you walk over to him and wrap your arms around his waist. You pull him close and take a deep inhale of his usual scent, spice, leather, and rum. “You know,” you look up at him as you play with his chest hair, “You being a good dad, that’s very attractive on you,” you smirk at him. “You think so,” he says, as he pulls you into his chest. He brushes the hair away from your face and plants his lips on yours. You can taste the love in his lips and feel the rings on his fingers brush against your cheek. You smile through the kiss and bite his bottom lip naughtily. You put your hands under his shirt running your fingers up his back. He shivers and pulls away, “(Y/n), love, as much as I’d love to do this with you right now, there is a baby in the room,” Killian directs your gaze to the crib. You take his hand and you both walk over and gaze upon your beautiful baby girl sleeping soundly. “You know what I love most about her?” you ask your husband. “Hmm?” “She has your caribbean blue eyes,” you smile at him. “Yes I suppose she does, but she has your wild (h/c) hair. I can’t believe our baby was born with a full head of hair,” he laughs as he tells you. “Yep, she really is a miracle,” you look at her in wonderment. “No not a miracle, she’s a product of true love,” Killian smiles at you. “Wanna go take a nap?” you ask him. “But how will we know the baby’s ok?” he questions you. “Sometimes I forget you’re like 200 years old,” you smirk as you walk over to the dresser and pick up the new baby monitor. “This, Killian, is called a baby monitor. It’s basically like a radio and we can hear if the baby wakes up. Basically, we can nap in peace," you tell him. “You don’t have to tell me twice love,” Killian says as he grabs the baby monitor out of your hand and practically runs across the hall into your bedroom. You go into the closet and change into some of Killian’s pajama pants and one of his baggy shirts. “Aren’t those mine?” he waggles his eyebrows at you. “Sorry, I guess I just like being intoxicated by your scent,” you smirk back at him. Killian walks out of the closet in his boxers and a t-shirt. “God you’re beautiful,” Killian says and surprises you as he grabs your face and plants the most tender and romantic kiss on your lips. “Now, let’s go to sleep,” you grab Killian’s hand and plop down in the bed. “God I missed this fluffy bed,” you giggle. “I missed our normal life,” Killian says seriously and pulls you into him and you both fall asleep.

5:45 pm You hear a wailing come from the monitor and sit up, rubbing your eyes. You turn over and look at the clock. “Shit,” you mutter. “Killian,” you nudge him. “Killian,” you nudge him harder. “Wake up!” you shout in his ear. He covers his ears. “No need to shout love,” he turns to face you. “We have to get ready, for the party?” you tell him. His eyes change in recognition of the event he forgot. “It takes me 5 minutes to get ready, I’ll go change the baby, and you get dressed,” Killian says as he plants a kiss on your forehead before leaving the room. You walk into your closet and run your hand over all your clothes, deciding on what to wear. You settle on a 3/4 sleeve cotton dress with a rose pattern. You pull on nude flats and brush your hair. After you swipe on some mascara, blush, and lipstick, you stare in the mirror, disappointed. Killian walks in on you frowning, with baby Mila in his arms. “(Y/n), love, what’s wrong?” “Oh nothing,” you turn around and wipe your eyes off quickly as you look at your husband and baby. Killian stands, handsome as ever in a black button down and jeans. Mila is wearing an adorable blue short sleeve dress that matches her eyes perfectly. There's a big white bow adorned around her head. “(Y/n), tell me what’s wrong.” Killian plants a firm hand on your shoulder. “I just….. I hate the way I look!” you shout, tears instantly falling down your face. “What do you mean?” Killian looks at you confused. “I’m too fat from having a baby. My stomach hurts from the c-section and I have all these stretch marks,” you say motioning to your body. “How can you even be attracted to me?” you add. “How could I not?” he tells you while bouncing Mila. “You are a woman warrior, (y/n). You are the truest love I’ve ever had. You just delivered a product of true love. Never ever doubt my attraction to you for a second,” Killian stares at you with all the seriousness in the world. “Well now you’re gonna make me cry even more,” you smile gratefully, wiping your nose. “Come on love, time to go celebrate,” he tells you. You put Mila in the carrier and walk hand in hand with your husband, the carrier dangling from his Hook, as you walk together to Granny’s.

When you arrive in front of Granny’s, you can hear music and laughter pouring out the door. You walk in the door and everyone smiles at you, Killian, and you’re happy little daughter Mila. “So glad you guys could make it!” Granny comes up to you. You smile at her gratefully, “Thanks Granny.” There’s music and everyone is either eating, dancing, or chatting. You and Killian settle in the center booth with the baby and are greeted by various people. “(Y/n) she’s gorgeous! She has your hair!” Ruby beams at you. “Thanks Ruby,” you pat her on the arm. You’re little family is greeted by almost everyone in Storybrooke, so you’re grateful when it ends up just being you and the gang sitting in the booth. “So what’s life like with a newborn?” Emma asks you. “Hard,” you sigh. “All she does is eat, poop and sleep,” you chuckle. “But she’s absolutely perfect in every way. And she’s fiesty like (y/n),” Killian adds wrapping an arm around your shoulder. “Believe us we get it,” David and Mary Margaret tell you. “It’s hard taking care of a newborn. But it’s so rewarding watching them grow,” Mary Margaret says. “Thanks you guys,” you smile at them. You sit and talk and catch up with all your friends when you hear one of your favorite songs come on, “Thinking out loud,” by Ed Sheeran. “Oh I love this song!” You smile. “Well than go dance, we can watch the baby,” Henry tells you. “M’lady,” Killian offers you a hand and you stand up and walk out into the center of the floor to dance. “When your legs don’t work like they used to before. And I can’t sweep you off of your feet.” Killian and you begin to sway softly to the music. You lay your head on his shoulder and breath a sigh of contentment. “Will your mouth still remember the last of my love? Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?” Killian pulls you in tighter and kisses you on the forehead. “And darling I will be loving you 'til we're 70 And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23 And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways Maybe just the touch of a hand Oh me I fall in love with you every single day And I just wanna tell you I am” Killian brings your hand up and places it in his, as his Hook rests in its usual spot on your waist. You fall into place in the music and smile to yourself. “So honey now Take me into your loving arms Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars Place your head on my beating heart I'm thinking out loud Maybe we found love right where we are.” Killian spins you around with the same passion as your first dance as a married couple. You giggle as he perfectly twirls you like a princess. “And baby we found love right where we are.” The song finishes, but you stand there still, wrapped in Killian arms, cherishing this moment. “I love you (y/n),” he says muffled into your hair. “And I love you Killian,” you say back into his chest. The both of you turn to look at your precious baby being held among friends. You take his hand and say, “It’s time to go back.” He breaths in and nods. You walk hand in hand back to the booth. “I think that was the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen,” Mary Margaret says. You just blush and shrug. Regina checks her watch and says, “Henry it’s time for you to get to sleep. It’s a school day tomorrow.” Henry just shrugs in response. “Aye, we should be headed back to. Mila will need to be fed again soon,” Killian says. So you say you’re goodbyes, make plans for a family brunch the following weekend, and walk back to the house.

At the house “Alright Mila’s asleep love, how about we-“ Killian stops when he sees you passed out in your bed, hair a mess and drool spilling out of your mouth, a post beautiful sight to him. He smiles and climbs in next to you. He spoons you and squeezes you into him.

The next night “Once again our daughter is asleep,” you walk into the kitchen as you tell Killian this. You’re surprised to find your beloved standing by the blender, a bottle of margarita mix and ice sitting next to it. “Killian, what is this? You know I can’t drink it will affect the breast milk,” you frown at him. “Not necessarily. I read on the interweb- or whatever the hell it’s called- about “pumping and dumping” it’s were you drink but then you pump the affected breast milk out.” You burst out laughing. “You Killian Jones, a 200 year old pirate, used the internet, and used it to research breast feeding?” You continue to laugh. “Ready for your margarita love,” Killian smirks at you. “God so ready,” you shuffle over to him in your flannel pajamas and wrap yourself around him. “Well here go,” he hands you a margarita. “How about we sip these on the porch,” you motion to the front door. Killian nods and grabs the baby monitor off the counter.

On the porch You sigh into the night air as you lean into your husband. “I can’t believe our lives are….. normal now,” you say in disbelief. “I know what you mean,” he pulls you in tighter. “Is this the life you want Killian, will you be happy without being swashbuckling all the time?” you look at him seriously. “(Y/n), stop asking me that question, I couldn’t be happier than I am right now. I never thought that a pirate like me could ever get a happy ending. But I did, with my true love no less and now we’ve created a beautiful child and now we actually have a chance to raise a family and be normal. And throughout all of the adventures and chaos, I can’t believe I’m still alive to be honest. And the fact that I get to spend the rest of my days with you makes me the happiest person alive. So whatever comes next, I know that I can make it through because of you. You are my saving grace,” he looks at you, and grabs your arms, shaking you, trying to convince you of his every word. But you don’t need convincing, you believe every word he says. “Killian Jones I love you so much, thanks for rescuing me,” you lean in and kiss him softly. “And I love you so much (y/n) (l/n). But I’m not sure I’m the one who did the rescuing,” he looks at you as he pulls back from the kiss. “Trust me you did,” you say onto his lips. “You rescued me and I rescued you,” you give him a little eskimo kiss on the nose. “And if I have to spend the rest of my life chasing you, rescuing you, I’d be happy,” he tells you. So you sit on the stairs of the porch, the two of you in your pajamas, wrapped in blankets, sipping margaritas, watching the night sky turn into the sunrise. And as soon as the sun rises you hear Mila cry from the baby monitor. “Well it couldn’t last forever,” Killian warmly chuckles. “Come on,” you pull him up from your spot and walk into the house and up the stairs to go take care of your precious daughter.

[idiotbrainjuice]

Talking comes in Handy

Read on Ao3

He knows he rambles when he’s hurt, he knows it’s annoying just till he knows his team is ok then he can ask for a hand.

He comes to with a gasp and a pained groan. Something was wrong, something was very very wrong.  “Whoo boy that was a rough landing am I right? But guess who stuck the landing, your ace pilot Lance” His heart is thudding in his chest, face sticky with what he knows isn’t sweat. And his arm… “Hold your applause, I know how good I am” He’s rambling but if he stops talking...

 “Hunk, hey buddy you good? C’mon let me hear your voice babe” 

“-ance.” Hunk’s voice crackles in his ear and he lets out a sigh of relief only to be cut short by a sharp pain. 

“There he is, Looks like i’m not the only Ace Pilot Pidge over here is probably on our heels isn’t that right Pidge.” There’s silence  and a cold fear cuts through him. 

“-hut up Lance.” His body goes boneless with relief “There she is, And Keith my main man how are you holding up?” “Shut the fuck up Lance”

 “Nice to hear your voice buddy. Now I know that you’re all ok, I really need help-” “Shiro’s hurt!”

His“Are you sure did he say anything?” “I don’t know, we think we heard a scream and we haven’t heard anything since you started talking.”  Lance ignores the last of what he says “Pidge did you land near anyone?” “Hunk and I landed near each other I’m not sure where Keith and Shiro are.”  “I can see Shiro but his lion is on its side.”Keith pipes up.

Lance had a dilemma on his hands. He needed immediate care but without Shiro they were all sitting ducks. “I can send up some flares to signal you guys.” Keith voiced 

“No! We don’t know if whatever knocked us down is still be around. Hunk see if you can contact Allura we need a healing pod if he’s hurt.” He’s trying to think through the pain and there’s something he’s forgetting.  “Pidge, knowing you, you’ve got a tracker on all our lions right?” “Something is messing with our internal radars but I do have something.” A compass comes up on his hud. 

“I’ll meet up with Hunk and we’ll head over to Shiro.”She relays  A bit of tension leaves Lance the sooner they group, the sooner everything will be ok. “What about you?”  “What about me?” “You’ve been here doling out orders what are you going to do.”  He’s too tired to argue. “Keith just focus on Shiro, I’ll meet you all there.”

He turns off his comms “Hey Blue, you good girl?” he feels her quiet comforting presence, she’s worried. “I’ll be ok, we just need to get to Shiro don’t worry about me.” She’s not convinced and conveys that if she moves he’s going to hurt more than he already does. “Please, I need you to do this.”  She stands and it shifts. His whole world is centered around this God awful pain. When it fades enough he’s breathing hard his other hand fisted in pain. She’s still going though God bless her for that even so her guilt flooded him.

“We’ll be alright I promise.”

With the remaining strength he has he turns his comms back on and is met with near chaos. Or maybe chaos isn’t the right word for it “We thought you were hurt.” They were talking over each other in relief. “He’s Ok?” Lance breathed. None of them acknowledge him. “I’m ok guys,” Shiro’s voice sounds strong “how are you all holding up” The other paladins voice their minor injuries the worst of the 3 was a split lip. “Lance?” 

He’s been trying to speak up but everytime he opened his mouth he was talked over like he wasn’t even there. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to speak, whatever knocked into him probably broke his ribs. “I’m glad to hear you guys aren’t hurt but I don’t I’ll be able to fly out of here.” They don’t hear him. His eyes water tears threatening to fall. There has to be a reason. As Blue slows to a stop he looks through her eyes in a last ditch effort to see the other Paladins talking. They don’t have their helmets, they can’t hear him. “Fuck.”

The other paladins glance at the Blue lion as she reaches them laying down with a resounding thud and jaw opening. They continue talking waiting till Lance leaves his lion but moments pass and the Blue Paladin is nowhere to be seen. “What’s taking him so long?” There’s a bite to Keith’s words still smarting from the slight reprimand he received earlier. To the side Hunk slips on his headset and his face pales. Keith frowns at the abrupt change. “Why what’s wrong.” Hunk “He’s hurt” is the only answer he gives before sprinting to the Lion’s open maw. The other paladin’s follow behind him. Keith shoves on his helmet wanting to offer some comfort but Lance’s harsh breathing and he’s apologizing? To his family for not making it back. 

“Lance!”  The Red paladin can’t breathe It feels like hours before he reaches the cockpit. He doesn’t see Lance at first only Hunk struggling with some huge machinery that must have fallen out of blue at some point. But when he takes a step he nearly slips on the blood pooling out from under it. Hunk’s head whips around tears in his eyes. “Help me!”

 Keith can’t move, Lance’s arm is stuck underneath the hunk of metal and all he can do is be jostled to the side as Shiro pushes past him to help Hunk. Pidge, he can’t even see her behind it but he knows she’s by his side trying to keep him awake. “Princess,” Keith clears his throat. “We’re still going to need that healing pod, Lance is hurt.”

He doesn’t hear her reply only the creak of metal lifting off Lance’s arm, or what’s left of it. Shiro’s already taking off his shirt to make a bandage but his arm is already mangled beyond repair. They’re silent, “The healing pod can’t fix that.” She was right the journey over had caused the machine to grind against his arm leaving a bloody pulpy mess that was barely hanging on. “We have to amputate to bandage it correctly.” Shiro grits his teeth and crouches to do so but Hunk grabs his shoulder. “You can’t we have to try the pod!” “We’re running out of time, He’s running out of time!”  ‘It’s his fucking arm we have to try at least!”

~

Days had passed since they placed Lance in the healing pod. The list of injuries he had before he went in were quite extensive. Broken ribs, a concussion and a terrible laceration on his head. At some point or another the Paladins all come to see his progress and with morbid curiosity his arm. It had healed seemingly fine, the skin unblemished . So all they had left to do was wait.

It might just be his perpetual bad luck but as the doors to the pod opens there’s nobody in the medbay. On unsteady legs he steps out of the pod. He laughs because he knows he’s not going to live this down. Only he would get hurt inside his own lion. His laughter gives way into crying as realizes he didn’t come out unscathed. Initially he thought he was ok that the numbness in his arm was just a side effect from being in the healing pod but it’s not moving. Hes clenching his fist but he can’t feel it. And that’s how the rest of the Paladins find him.  Its unsettling the way he tries to tell them he’s fine. “Call me noodle” he says through the tears swinging his limp arm.

They give him space to come to terms with his loss. But it’s like it doesn’t even bother him. “Keith, Keith! How do you get a one armed man down from a tree?” Keith groans “Lance, please.” “You wave at him”  Shiro doesn’t seem to find it funny “Lance focus, you said you wanted to get better with your new bayard but all you’ve been doing is telling jokes”  He shrugs a muscle twitching in his jaw. “I’m making the best of my situation. Also pistols aren’t fun.” They were on the training deck each focusing on improvement. Since the accident, Lance’s bayard had changed to a light pistol. Part of him was elated, it was like he was a cowboy from the wild wild west. But now he had this gun because he couldn’t very well hold a rifle now could he. From his place where he sat he watched Pidge take out two gladiators,  Hunk rather than firing using his for close combat, Keith and Shiro needed no practice but there they were mowing down gladiator after gladiator. He was done for the day but there was no way he can leave unnoticed. He just wants to be alone for a bit. He’s tired of faking fine.

Another hour passes and finally Shiro calls for them to hit the showers. As the water hits his back he looks down at the stump that is left of his right arm. He decided he wanted it amputated and if you didn’t think he made jokes about it the whole time you’re wrong. Still this had been a major life changing event and he knows he gave them a reason not to worry about him, still trying to be the Lance he was before the accident but he was still human. Which is why he finds himself in the upper levels of the castle ship stargazing. It hadn’t even been a month yet but they had moved on because he pretended he moved on. He still feels the pain from his time under the machine, the hurt that hurts so deep it’s in your spine. He doesn’t want to tell anyone but he knows they heard him in his room when the nightmares get too real which is why he doesn’t get to sleep by himself anymore, a different paladin each night claiming “Sleepover!” He wants to show them that he’s better he doesn’t want their pity but he wants to hurt, even if it’s just for a little bit. “Lance, everyone’s been looking for you, I can’t keep covering for you when you come up here.”  He doesn’t move when Keith starts talking he doesn’t feel like doing anything right now. “I just want to be alone for a while.” Keith stares at him a weight settling in his stomach “Are you alright?” Lance doesn’t answer. When Keith walks up beside him he’s not surprised to see tears cascading down his face. He sits besides him grasping his hand. “You didn’t have to pretend Lance it’s ok to just hurt for a while.” Lance turns to him a watery smile on his face before turning back to the stars.

[imaginethemultiversedoms]

Visions and Vibes - Pt 2

Fandom: The Flash

Pairing: Cisco x Reader

Summary: Even with Zoom on the loose, life was good. You were gaining control of your death visions, building a life with your soulmate, and creating a family with your friends. Life was good…until you had a vision of Cisco.

Warnings/Notes: Yes, Visions and Vibes is now becoming my second series (third if you count my Avengers fic From the Ashes). I have a really good idea of where this is going and we will see how far this goes. There are a few things to discuss:

Because of the reader’s meta abilities, death and the idea of death is going to be heavily featured. This will be dark at times, however, life, love, and family will be apart of this. If you are triggered by death, blood, and gore, do not read this series. I have other Cisco and Flash imagines with lighter subject material. You can also hit me up with a request. My askbox is open.

Also, reader is autistic. This will be featured more prominently in the future.

I made myself cry while writing this. You have been warned.

Part 1

           “Hello, Princesa.”

           You stared, confused, at the man in front of you. He was wearing a leather jacket and goggles were fitted over his eyes. His shoulder-length dark hair was pulled into a ponytail. The voice sounded familiar. Your hand was trembling as you reached up, slowly pulling the glasses off. You gasped. It was Cisco! But how? Cisco never his hair up anymore; he thought the look too pretentious. You don’t remember him making a set of goggles like that, though the design did look very Cisco-like. Plus, Cisco didn’t even own a leather jacket or gloves. It looked like Cisco, walked like Cisco, talked like Cisco, felt like Cisco, but something felt off. Confusion mixed with anxiety. Why was Cisco in your vision?

           Cisco reached out and folded his hand over yours. The touch was warm, familiar, safe, but still off. This was surreal. Your instincts were screaming for you to pull back and run. To wake up and pretend you were never having this. That this didn’t mean what you knew it meant: you were having a vision of Cisco.

Cisco was going to die.

           “Mi amor, always so worried,” he murmured, brushing his lips across your fingers. “It’s not what you think.” Mi amor? Cisco never called you mi amor.

           “It always is,” you answered, unaware of the tears falling from your eyes.

           “You have nothing to fear. You are a goddess, mi amor. Embrace your power.”

           “You shouldn’t be here. You should be someone else.” This time, his eyes looked at you sadly. Placing the goggles on top of his head, he cupped your face with both hands. Leaning down, he softly pressed a kiss to your cheek.

           “I am so sorry, Princess.” That sounded more like Cisco, but why was he sorry? “It’s not what you think, but I’m sorry nonetheless.” No no no no, this didn’t make sense. Why wasn’t this making sense?! He was scaring you. This whole vision was scaring you.

           The scene changed to a dimly lit warehouse – what the hell, the scene never changed in your visions – and Cisco was staring just beyond you. His goggles were back on, the blue lights tinting the edges. You made to step towards him but fear paralyzed you when black lightning flashed past and solidified in front of Cisco.

           Horror filled you as Zoom towered over him. Even with the goggles, you could see the fear. You couldn’t hear what Zoom was saying to Cisco, but you caught a glimpse of the vibrating hand.

           Zoom struck. Cisco flinched. His body hunched over the hand in his chest. He looked up at you. Tears were falling past his goggles. Blood was seeping past Zoom’s gloves, sliding down Cisco’s leather jacket. Zoom retracted his hand. Cisco’s body fell. He was dead before he hit the ground.

           A scream rent the air.

           He was dead.

           Someone was screaming.

           Cisco was dead.

           Cisco.

           Cisco!

           CISCO!

             “CISCO NOOOOO!” Your scream tore through the darkness, shattering the peaceful night that had become a rarity since the explosion. Your fists white-knuckled the bedsheets. Your body arced off the bed, as if someone pulled on a string connected to torso. “CISCO!”

           “Y/N! Y/N!” A light came on somewhere on your left, filling the bedroom you and Cisco shared with its warm ambience. Hands, warm, safe, and not off, grabbed your shoulders and shook you. “Y/N, wake up!”

           One last bloodcurdling, heart-wrenching scream tore from your throat and your eyes finally shot open. Cisco was staring down at you, scared and worried. “Princess?” In your mind’s eye, Vision Cisco stared at you, scared and worried. “I’m sorry, Princess.” Those same eyes, filled with love and warmth and fear stared at you…before his body hit the ground. You wrenched away from Cisco’s grasp with a shriek, fighting to get out of the blankets. He grabbed for your shoulders again, wanting to pull you away from the edge of the bed. Breaking free however, you tumbled off the bed and landed with a loud and painful thump. The pain of the landing broke whatever hold your vision had left on you, leaving you shaking and sobbing.

            “Shit!” Cisco muttered, scrambling off the bed. Kneeling beside you, he brushed the sweat-soaked hair from your face and cupped your face. He frowned further when you flinched away, but kept his touch steady as he checked for injuries. “Baby, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

             His voice was right. It wasn’t off like it was in the vision. While it confused you even more, this was your Cisco. “Ci-Cisco…” you sobbed, your voice clogged in the back of your throat. Gently, he lifted you into a sitting position and pulled you into his lap. Your arms wrapped around his neck, clutching onto him for dear life.

            “Shh, I’m right here. I’ve got you. I’m right here,” he whispered, peppering your shoulder and neck with soft kisses. His hand slipped under your cotton tank-top, rubbing soothing circles across your skin. “Talk to me. What happened?”

             “It was Zoom. I saw him…and you.” His hand stopped. You barely noticed as the words poured out with the tears. “The vision was of you! Zoom killed you, same as Thawne,” you whimpered. “I saw it, Cisco. I saw him kill you!” Your sobs grew louder, muffled as they were in his shirt. Pulling his hand from your back, he tightened his hold and buried his head in your shoulder.

           When he trusted his voice enough to speak again, he pulled you back so you could lock eyes with him. Your eyes were red and swollen from crying, cheeks flushed red and tear tracks staining your skin. You still looked beautiful to him. Wiping under your eyes with his thumbs, he leaned his forehead against yours. “Zoom is not going to hurt us.”

           “But I saw him. My vision – “

           “Your vision is wrong. Remember that little girl you saw get hit a couple months back? That didn’t happen, did it?”

           “Because I stopped it. I stopped it from happening.”

           “Because you got the vision before it happened. You’re getting stronger. Even Harry has said that you’re getting stronger, better at seeing the event before it occurs. Where did the vision happen?” You whimpered, shaking your head, but he shushed you. “It’s okay. Where, sweetheart?”

           “Warehouse,” you whispered. “You had on a leather jacket and wearing your hair up.” He scrunched his nose.

           “Then we definitely know that your vision is wrong. I look pretentious with my hair up.” Despite your terror, a giggle escaped. You were starting to calm down; your tears had slowed and you nearly stopped shaking. “We’ll figure this out, okay? Meanwhile, I won’t go into any warehouses or buy a leather jacket anytime soon.”

          “I was so scared, Cisco. I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”

          He brushed your hair from your face. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here where I belong: with you.” Cupping your face, he brushed his lips over yours, sealing his promise. You pressed harder, desperately needing the contact. Then pulling back, you buried your head in his shoulder again as he held you.

           Eventually, the two of you made it up back to the bed. Cisco sorted out the tossed blankets while you wrapped yourself around him. Although you knew it was silly, it felt that if you let him go, Cisco would disappear in front of your eyes. Or this was a dream and you would wake up with your vision being a reality. No, this was your reality. Cisco was alive. He was still here and he wasn’t going anywhere. Seemingly knowing what was going through your mind, he stroked your hair, pushing his fingers gently through the locks and undoing the small tangles he found with practiced ease.

           The light stayed on. Despite the oncoming exhaustion, you were both still shaken up. He continued to play with your hair, the sensation putting you into a light doze. However, images from the vision assaulted your dreams and you would either jolt awake or Cisco would wake you from your nightmares. Every time, you woke up crying. He didn’t try to go back to sleep.

        At some point, Cisco picked up his phone and began texting someone he knew would be awake as he was. Harry, u up? It didn’t take long for an answer.

        What’s wrong?

         Visions.

        Of who?

         Me.

        There was radio silence for about five minutes. You continued to doze, the longest you had been asleep since the vision. Cisco prayed you weren’t having nightmares or another vision. His phone vibrated with another text.

           How is she? Harry didn’t have to guess who did the killing in your vision.

           Shaken. Is…is it possible I have a doppelganger on ur Earth?

           Yes. You both do.

           If you’re going to ask if she envisioned a doppelganger’s death, I don’t have that answer, Ramon. Both of you are still finding out what you can do.

           Cisco deleted the question Harry already answered for him. He went with another question. What do I do?

           What you are doing now. Is she sleeping?

           So far.

           Get some rest, Cisco. I’ll ask Snow to make the coffee run. We’ll figure this out in the morning.

           He laid the phone back on the nightstand and ran his free hand over his face. While the conversation brought up more questions than answers, he still felt somewhat better. Although the death visions were unnerving, the team had your back. They would figure this out and stop Zoom before anymore death visions were fulfilled. But it could wait for the morning. For now, though, he could try to grab a couple more hours’ sleep at least.

           Looking down, he realized you had finally fallen into a deeper sleep. Your head was pillowed on his stomach, barely moving except for the slow rise and fall of your chest. The nightmares and visions had decided to leave you alone, it seemed. Turning out the light, he carefully moved so he was lying beside you. You stirred some at the movement but quickly settled, using his chest as a pillow now. He wrapped his arms around you, kissing the top of your head gently, letting his mind drift.

           He was right in what he told you earlier, he reflected as he drifted off. From the moment the two of you met three years ago, he found a place where he belonged: by your side. If Zoom was going to try and kill him, he wasn’t going down without a fight. If he had you, he had something to fight for. Sighing, he pressed another kiss to your head.

           “I love you, mi amor.”  

[notori]

RWBY Volume 4 Thoughts

I watched it all in one shot today and, well, spoiler-y comments below the cut!

So straight up I just want to say, in my opinion, this was the weakest volume. Go ahead and disagree, I’m not here to start fights - I just found it lackluster across the board. It left me wanting RT to pick themselves up and get back to volume 3 level next time. It wasn’t supremely awful and I’ll go over the good along with the bad, but I guess my overall sentiment was “Okay, better luck next time. Waiting on volume 5!”

So the good: Ren. Just... Ren. The only time I felt something deep in this volume was Ren’s backstory and his interactions with Nora. Not only super cute between them, but he’s always been a mystery and it was cool to see where those two came from and so on.

The bad: That was really the only moment I felt something! At least on the same level as how I felt throughout volume 3 (or even say, the Project Freelancer arc of RvB - point being, I know RT can do better). I mean, I was kinda concerned about Qrow. I like him - even if he is the archetypcal silent mentor guy who we now know literally has magical levels of angst to keep himself away from people. But I wouldn’t have been too heartbroken if he died either.

I did like Blake and her family. That was sweet - especially with her father and comparing it to Weiss’ family. However, it compounded too much with the other characters having split up and Qrow being himself that they repeated the (been there done that) conflict of “It’s not good for me to be around you! You’re better off! -OVERDRAMATIC EXIT-”

Back to the good: Still on Ren but, that grimm! Such a cool design! Major props to whoever came up with that. Creepy, powerful, all around the haunting image I expect when something terrible from someone’s past comes back.

A little bad: The team being split up didn’t work for me. I know a lot of people probably liked it and obviously the production team did but me? Nah. Didn’t care for it. Take Weiss for example - a titular character - what did we learn about her? Her dad’s a douche, her brother’s a douche, she’s pissed off with the rich people and makes an escape. So... wait... we didn’t actually learn anything about Weiss. We already knew she was headstrong. We already knew she would defy her upbringing for the greater good as we saw at the end of volume 1 when Blake was revealed to be a faunus. Sure, it takes a lot to stand up to family, but given who we knew Weiss to be... didn’t seem like it’d take this long or be this hard. It felt like she got set back when the entirety of her action taken this volume was to leave her home... which was done rather quickly (from a screen time POV) with seemingly minimal consequences. Of course there could be more to it that we’ll see in vol. 5, but as for right now? Again, lacking.

A bit of good though: The scene where she summoned the knight was cool! Also, and maybe this is just because I was watching with headphones, but the sound effects have improved over the years. So good job on that. Not just this moment but the grimm cries, ships, everything ambient really resonated and was pretty cool!

On that note however: Not my favourite volume for music. Which kinda sucks because I’ve always loooovved the RWBY soundtracks! The end credits song of the final episode was the only one I’d want to have of my phone. Same deal, I know RT can do better so I’m hoping they pick it up back up in vol. 5.

Where it really fell apart for me though was the characters, and again this comes back to the team being split up. Weiss got the least progression, but even the others... I guess I felt like no one grew this volume (except Ren, which is cool, but he’s a side character).

Ruby was backseat to Jaune. I didn’t want to say it. I’ve been defending Jaune for a while all through vol. 3 but this one was just... bothersome. Let me clarify: I like Jaune. But I feel he’s a good guy trapped in a bad narrative. All of team JNPR are side characters! And sure we can love our side characters, but do not try to give them this much of a spotlight. In fact this is my only criticism with Ren’s arc: I loved it, but it was Ren’s arc - not anyone from team RWBY - and it was the most interesting part of the volume. Look at what Ruby actually accomplished this volume or how she grew. Did we learn more about her? We saw... Ruby worries about people - which we knew. Ruby is a badass with her scythe - which we knew, but also saw better of before. I know the fights won’t be as good without Monty but did anything Ruby do in vol. 4 even come close to her decapitating that bird way back at the start of the series? Even from an info dump standpoint we learned nothing about the silver eyed people that we didn’t already know. They’re special and they’re being hunted. Yeah... most special people are in a world of magical strife.

Yang’s arc I liked, although it was kinda weirdly done. It’s like they couldn’t decide if they wanted to go dark and give her the grit of PTSD or keep her screen time more upbeat compared to the others. I kinda wish they had stuck with keeping her traumatized though, without it being her wallowing. Because that’s not actually how trauma works 100% of the time. It happens, yes, but it’s more than just feeling listless or being easily startled. We see her go from freaking out over the sound of a broken glass and having nightmares, to being fully okay when her father jokes about the attack. It’s all well and good if she’s over it - and I get that RT has VERY limited time to work on RWBY - but it came on sudden to see her be okay with it. Especially because it was implied through the joke that she and her father had been okay with it for some time.

Blake’s story was... kind of marred by Sun. I get the same feeling about him as I do about Jaune - except Jaune has (for all narrative purposes) been paired with Pyrrha. Sun is still after Blake and is just so stereotypical about it that I can’t not be rubbed the wrong way. Ships aside, I just wish that they could be friends. And unfortunately, they can’t be just friends if Sun is clearly into Blake. Now it’s just going down an all too familiar - and ugly - road of the poor guy who likes a tsundere who doesn’t want to be his friend! They can’t be friends unless they both want to be friends - and it’s clear from not only Sun’s actions, but the way RT is framing it with the comments from her mother and father, that Sun is not in the story to be Blake’s friend. He’s there to be a potential love interest.

Which brings me to my next point: Don’t. You. Dare. Bait. Us. Again.

Arguably my biggest point, and the thing I most want Rooster Teeth to know: We know when we’re being baited. We all do. It’s just a matter of some being willing (or naive) enough to put up with it, or those who have been through the cycle too many times to fall for it. These are my stern words of warning: We know you’re doing it. Don’t do it again. Representation only counts if it is within the story, not said by creators.

My kinder words of advice: At this time, you cannot run a male-female platonic relationship side by side with a budding male-male or female-female one. I can see how in the well-meaning creator’s mind it can seem almost obvious to treat two potential love interest as equal regardless of gender - on paper that sounds great! But in practice, in a world where LGBT+ people are constantly being told that their love, their friends and family, their very lives are second best to cis-straight people... It’s too threatening.

I did notice how Blake was adamant about denying Sun’s advances. And sure, her mother could just be being the playful motherly type and this is all a ruse for the big surprise that is Bumbleby. Yes, Blake and Sun could be just friends and their banter nothing more - hell I know I’d change my tune right quick if everything they did was literally being good friends and nothing more. It’d go from stereotypical boring guy-likes-girl-he-can’t-have BS to subverting the trope in favour of a healthy, fun, platonic relationship.

But you know that’s not how it’s coming across. And that’s where it sucks. Even if you didn’t know how Yang and Blake looked or acted at the start was reminiscent of a potential relationship, you know by now. You also know - given the blatant jokes throughout - that you were writing Sun and Blake’s interactions to at least look like the start of something romantic. Even if the end goal is to trick us.

What I’m saying is, we’re tired of being tricked. Mainly because tricks never work out in our favour. The few times they do, it’s short lived, usually ending in murder or suicide or something else terrible. This is why - at least right now was media is only just getting a handle on representation - if you are going to have LGBT+ rep you have to do it by denying any other possibility. You need to outright say “THIS CHARACTER IS NOT STRAIGHT LOOK HOW FUCKING NOT STRAIGHT THEY ARE!!! SEE THAT OPPOSITE*(For lack of a better word)-SEX CHARACTER BESIDE THEM??? BEST BUDS! THAT’S IT BEST BUDS DON’T WORRY ITS COOL BECAUSE THEY ARE SOOOO NOT STRAIGHT.”

If you don’t, especially if you tease a straight ship alongside it, we are so vastly outnumbered (by our oppressors no less - and yes, people who send ship hate specifically to LGBT ships because it’d interfere with their straight one IS oppressive - trying to silence us seeing ourselves in characters). Teasing LGBT+ fans by saying “yes, you’re here in this story... somewhere... we just haven’t shown yet...” and then writing a possible straight romance that would torpedo your leading LGBT+ one is downright a slap in the face. And don’t act like you don’t know it. And if Bumbleby IS where Blake’s romantic life is heading, don’t make tried fans who are used to getting hurt jump through the emotional hoops, or dragged through the emotional mud, of a straight ship alongside it. You don’t have to hand it to us on a silver platter, but make it clear that others are not happening.

(*Side note: I have zero qualms with bisexual Blake. More power to her. But the fact is her relationship with Yang is far more suited for a better romantic plotline than her relationship with Sun. It’s not because he’s a guy. It’s because he is nothing more than the average down-on-his-luck well-meaning goofball who’s primary character attribute is “I LIKE BLAKE”. And if they did anything to change that now it would only feel forced for the sake of trying to justify the ship.)

We are on volume 4 and you’ve said since the beginning that there are LGBT+ characters, even who we have already met, but just don’t know it yet. You have one last chance, volume 5, to remedy that - and make it count. The excuse of “we don’t know how to write romance” falls flat when you have Jaune and Pyrrha, and Ren and Nora.

Overall thoughts: It was alright. But if volume 5 could be my last unless they pick it up. Ways to do that include: Make Jaune and Sun better characters. Make the titular team the main characters again - together. Up to par music and fights. And - deal breaker - reveal some of these LGBT+ characters.