#soph is breaking down. soph is crying. soph is going to die.

[elitehoe]

kennyomegamanx: "Did we just become best friends?!"

[casper-the-rose]

He liked a girl and it wasn't you

An angst Gareth Emerson x Fem!reader drabble

A t h i n g I wrote because I was in an angst mood. I'm planning on posting part two of my Gareth x Reader fic tomorrow, although I might post it later today :)

Warnings: Cursing, and it doesn't have a very happy ending

1.1k words

You sighed. It wasn't a sad sigh though, more like an I'm-hopelessly-in-love-with-a-boy-who-sits-at-the-freaks-table sigh. 

But you knew it was impossible. Why? You made this handy-dandy list you liked to keep in your pocket when you needed it. 

Reasons why I, Y/N L/N, could never get the unnamed boy that sits at the freak table

I sit at the cheerleader table

There's no way he would ever say yes

Under no circumstances are cheerleaders and freaks allowed to mix, unless some teacher forces you to sit together

He would never like me back

Suddenly you were snapped out of your thoughts by a nudge. 

“Hellooo? Earth to Y/n? Are you gonna keep staring at that boy or interact with your best friend?” It was Sophie. She had been your best friend since Kindergarten, and the only one who knew about your secret crush. 

“What is it, Sophie? And I was not staring!” You groaned, feeling your face turning red, and burying your head in your hands. God, why were you so hopelessly lovesick. 

“Well, I was about to ask if you were excited about the pep rally, but I think that's the least of our problems. Well, yours anyway.” 

You looked up, about to question what the hell she was talking about before you saw it. You saw him.

He was getting up from the freaks table, his short, fluffy hair bouncing with each step. And he was holding a rose. And was he- oh fuck he was walking towards your table. 

In your direction. 

You felt like you were going to have a heart attack and die on the spot right then and there. 

You buried your head in your hands again, just so you wouldn’t stare at him. 

You heard his footsteps from your other side. When you realized he had walked past you, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. 

But your heart dropped when you looked up. 

“H-hey Sophie, so I was wondering if maybe you w-wanted to go out sometime?”

Gareth Emerson, the boy you’ve had a crush on since you were 10 was asking out your best friend. 

It took everything in you to hold back tears, to not break down on the spot and start sobbing, to not scream or just run out of the Cafeteria and beg your mom to pick you up. 

You looked up to see a shaking Gareth holding a rose, and your best friend looking back and forth between you and him. 

“Oh Gareth- I-,” Your best friend stuttered out, and he looked surprised she even knew his name. 

But it wasn’t fair. 

She only knew his name because of you.

The long summer nights you had stayed up till 3 am on the phone together, talking about his latest corroded coffin show. 

Or all the days you ranted to her about a five-second conversation you had. 

It wasn’t fucking fair. 

“I’m sorry Gareth. You’re a nice kid but I- I just don’t feel that way about you. But I'm sure you’ll find the girl of your dreams soon. Who knows, maybe she-” 

“N-no, it’s fine,” Gareth cut Sophie off. “I-I was being stupid. You’re a cheerleader, and I’m just a freak. No need to explain yourself. I hope you have a great rest of your day, Sophie.” Gareth sighed. 

He looked around defeated and realized people were staring at him. A lot of people. He started shaking, before running out of the cafeteria. 

“Freak,” you could hear Jason scoff, which made you want to punch him. 

Sophie lightly tapped you on the shoulder. 

“You okay?” She asked, her voice soft. “I tried to maybe get him to think of you but-”

“Thanks, Soph,” You cut her off. You got up from the table with a sigh and went to go wander the halls before the bell rang. You didn’t know where you were walking in particular, but soon you heard sobbing. 

You peeked around the lockers, only to see Gareth. His knees were pulled to his chest with a bruised rose at his feet, and he was crying into his arms. You wanted to say something, anything, to make him feel better. But your mouth went dry. 

Gareth sniffled and looked up, wiping his nose on his arm. But then he saw you. A cheerleader in her uniform who has been at the table where it happened. Not a good look.

“What do you want?” He scowled. “Are you here to take a photo? Oh look, one of the freaks is crying by the lockers because he got his heart broken. Let me take a picture and then make copies to hang up around the school. That must be what you’re thinking right? God, I was such a fucking idiot, thinking a cheerleader, someone like you could ever be anything but a bitch.” 

You could feel tears building up, and you started stuttering. “I-I, I d-d-” but you couldn’t get a full word out. 

“Well? Are you just gonna stand there?”

And before you could stop it, you felt hot liquid falling down your face. Shit shit shit. 

You hated it, you hated yourself you hated everything. 

You didn’t want to cry in front of your crush of 6 years. 

Fuck. 

You sniffled, before running off into the girl's bathroom. You slammed the door shut behind you, before falling against it and sobbing. 

“Stupid stupid stupid.” You coughed out between sobs. 

You were such a crybaby, and you just couldn't stop it.

Gareth on the other hand was confused beyond compare, but anger was still bubbling in him. Not at you necessarily, but at himself. For being so stupid to think a cheerleader would like him. But had he been too harsh? After all, it wasn’t your fault Sohpie had rejected him. 

He replayed the conversation in his head before it suddenly clicked. 

“Fuck!” he nearly screamed. It all made sense. “Idiot idiot idiot!” 

He wanted to follow you, try to make amends, tell you he liked you too, that he remembered that stupid talent show when you both were 10, that his feelings for Sophie weren't nearly as big as his feelings for you. But it was already too late. 

He had already made you cry. Who would ever want to date a guy that made them run off crying?

Meanwhile, you were washing your face in the girl's bathroom. You wanted to see if he was still there, to apologize for running off and tell him you were sorry, that you couldn’t stop thinking about when you both were 10 and had to perform in that stupid talent show together. That you were the other girl Sophie mentioned. But it was too late. 

You had already run off crying all because he raised his voice at you. Who would ever want to date a girl like that?

[lunarliza]

JJ Maybank Must Die | Chapter 3: Fanny Packs

fuckboy!JJ x Reader

series masterlist | prev. chapter | chapter one

JJ Maybank is the island’s most infamous fuckboy- not that you ever cared. But when a group of tourist girls come to your surf shop crying to you about him, you agree to help them plot revenge. Sabotage is all fun and games, until you find that the playboy you were sworn to ruin happens to be falling head over heels for you.

Yes, this is based on John Tucker Must Die lol

For once, you finally felt like everything in life was falling into place.

Sophia dropped off your Venus Panic ticket last night, you booked a ferry to the city for September, you just earned another ‘employee of the month’ title which basically meant you were a shoo-in for the scholarship, and you noticed in the mirror that your ass was looking just a tad bigger.

You were sorting out the application clipboards one afternoon when you heard the ding of the front door opening. In came a cocky head of blonde hair looking as smug as ever. You dropped the stack on sight. 

How did he know where you worked? Was he stalking you? Should you file a restraining order? 

“Uh, can I help you?” 

“So, this is where you’ve been hiding all this time, huh?” JJ crossed his large arms and surveyed the tiny shop.  

“Yeah... how the fuck did you find me?” You bent down to hastily pick up the mess. After the incident at the Boneyard on Saturday, you weren’t expecting to run into him again for the rest of the summer. You didn’t think he’d be this relentless. 

He casually shrugged. “Eh, I just asked around town for a y/n and they told me you worked here. Still amazes me how I haven’t seen you around.” 

You rolled your eyes. As if you and JJ didn’t have English together just this past semester. Nevermind living on the same island for how many years. 

“Anyways,” he continued, I came here to sign up for surfing lessons.” 

You flinched your nose. “You’re telling me you’ve lived here all your life and you don’t know how to surf?” 

This was coming from the boy that won ‘Most Likely to be a Famous Professional Surfer’ in your 5th grade yearbook. 

“Hey, it’s been a while since I’ve hit the water. Maybe I need a refresher.” He flashed you a shit-eating grin- the kind girls around here would swoon over. But in that moment you were just plain uncomfortable. 

“Sorry, we’re booked for the summer.” 

He inched closer to the counter. “Well, at least let me take you out to dinner. Come on, when are you off?” 

You glanced side to side in agitation, racking your brain for some witty remark.

“December.” 

“I’m serious, y/n. I want to take you out! You know, get to know you better,” he prodded. 

You weren’t born yesterday. But he sure was if he thought he was going to take you out anytime soon. Or ever. 

“Yeah well, I think I’ll pass. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have my last session of the day in ten minutes.” 

Luckily, you were able to slip past him and out to the beach for your beginners’ class. It was a small group- an old couple and two boys around the age of nine. 

You greeted them with you usual work-charm and had them set their boards around you. Just as you situated yourself, you hear a faint “Wait!” followed by JJ sputtering towards the pack with a board under his arm. 

You wanted to rip your hair out. 

“What the hell are you doing?!” you spat, startling the old couple with you vulgarity. 

“I’m here for the lesson.” 

“Like I said,” you sneered through gritted teeth, “We’re booked.” The glare on your face was very, very potent, and you knew this wouldn’t be good for the reviews. 

“Yeah, your co-worker in there told me one of the guys that was supposed to be here said he couldn’t make it. So that leaves a spot open for me.” 

Cody. That rat! 

You sighed in defeat, motioning for him to situate next to the younger boys. “Fine, just take a seat and be quiet. You already missed the safety instructions!” 

All throughout your session JJ was an absolute pest. He could have at least played the part of someone who’s never picked up a surfboard in their life. Instead, every time you went into detail about a specific step, he’d pitch in his own comments no one asked for. 

“Well actually, it’s better if you add a jump when you stand up, you’ll go faster.”

“Well actually, if you try to pivot your board when they wave’s under you, you can ride it longer.”

“Well actually, if you attempt a big wave first, you’ll learn how to balance better.”  

The next ‘well actually’ you heard, you were going to fling JJ to the sharks.

When it was time for the group to hit the water, you tried to guide them through the motions, but everyone was too busy listening to JJ ramble on and on about his personal tips. 

For the remainder of the session, you sat on the shallow end, watching JJ have a rat-a-tat time with your customers. Blowing away a stray hair that fell on your face, you continued to glare at the light-haired boy cheering on the kids as they attempted the baby waves. 

There was a point where one of them leaned over onto JJ’s board and threw their arms around him. You softened at bit at the scene. It was very cute. 

Once the hour was over, you called everyone back to shore to give your closing remarks. JJ darted up behind the lot, sparklets flying everywhere as he shook his wet hair. He beamed at you, but you just averted your eyes. 

While everyone headed back to the hut, you tucked the cash you were given into your fanny pack and gathered your items to leave. That was, until you felt the player boy grab onto your hand. 

“Hey, the waves are absolutely insane out there. This is your last session today right? Come surf for a bit, you didn’t really get to do much earlier,” he offered, blinking down at you with his sky-blue eyes. 

“Well I would have if someone wasn’t running my class.” 

JJ let out a soft chuckle. “Look, everyone was happy with the way it went. And I’ll even tell your boss that you’re an amazing instructor. Which, to tell you the truth, you are.” 

You huffed and picked up your board to tread back into the water. You had to give it to him, though. The waves were indeed on fire that afternoon.

You were able practice a few moves you were working on, executing them perfectly. JJ, too, was flexing his tricks and you made a few mental notes to try a few of them later when he wasn’t around. 

When a pipeline wave began rolling your way, JJ tossed you a devilish grin, looking like a kid ready to break something. It was supposed to be one of the hardest ones to surf on. 

“Bet you won’t get this one!” he hollered. You flipped him off with a smile. 

“Bet I will.” 

You both eyed the target, determination evident, as you paddled. JJ quickly bounced up once it tumbled in while you waited a couple seconds after. 

Immediately, he plunged from his board while you expertly pivoted and glided along the tide. Poking his head from the water, he yelped seeing you nail it. 

Afterwards, you plowed back up the sand with him while he raved about what just happened. “That was so sick y/n! It was a pipeline! A fucking pipeline! I’ve never seen anyone do that before.” 

You blushed and tucked your hair behind your ear. “Well, it’s kinda my job.”

As you reached the shop, he turned to face you. “Yeah, speaking of, when do they give you a break around here again?” 

You chuckled and shook your head. “JJ, I had fun out there, but I’m still not going out with you.” 

“Alright! Alright! I get it. Can’t hate a guy for trying.” He held his hands up in defeat. 

You bid him goodbye and started getting ready to close the store. 

Later that evening, you met Sophia and the others at Annalise’s condo, spilling the beans on what happened. They all collectively gasped and hung onto their seltzers. 

“He actually came back?” Maia repeated as Arabella anxious gulped her drink. 

“Yup! Bothered me for my entire session and everything. God, he’s so delusional thinking I’d actually go on a date with him.” 

All the girls giggled except for Annalise who stared at the ground in deep thought. “But what if... you did?” she finally spoke. 

You grimaced. “Why on earth would I do that?” 

“No, like, fake date him,” she re-emphasized, “Think about it- you can fake-date him and we’ll go on your dates and sabotage the fuck out of him! Then, for the cherry on top, you can dump him before he even gets the chance to run! It’s the perfect ploy guys! We need to make sure he never messes with any girl ever again.” 

“Uh, I don’t know,” you scratched your head, “Can we really pull it off? It sounds so messy don’t you think?”

“Relax, we’re not killing him,” Annalise assured, “Also, it’s what he deserves! He’s broken practically every heart on this island. It’s time we take a stand in the name of our womanhood!” 

“That, I agree with,” Sophia added and the other two nodded. 

You were kind of shocked that Soph would be on board with such a preposterous plan. But, then again, this wasn’t the worst thing she’s ever agreed to. 

“You know,” your best friend continued, “I heard after you ditched him at the Boneyard, he hooked up with Emma Cohen the same night and ghosted her too. The boy just won’t stop!” 

Arabella gasped. “See! Rejecting him just isn’t enough! We need to kick him straight in the balls!” 

They did have a point. A twisted, ridiculous point. But you weren’t all gung ho about being the one to beat JJ at his own game. You- the girl who couldn’t even get Pope Heyward to take her to a dance. 

“All you’d have to do is bear him for a few dates. I’m sure we can take care of the rest,” Maia noted. 

Reluctance was still evident on your face. You could tell Annalise was getting desperate. “You know, y/n, I saw all the UVA gear on your locker at the shop. My dad’s best friends with the chancellor. He owes my family a lot of favors. How about I make a deal with you. If you do this for us, I’ll have my dad write you a rec letter and talk to his friend. You’ll be pretty much guaranteed a spot at UVA when you apply.”  

You let out an exasperated breath. Now that was an offer you couldn’t refuse. You wanted to put up more of a fight, but you didn’t want to let an opportunity like that slip from your fingers.

“Alright,” you sighed, “Fine. You sold me with UVA. Count me in your little scheming game again.”

Your friends cheered and clinked their drinks, eyes hungry for revenge. You sat back meekly and sipped yours, knowing the next few weeks were going to be an absolute train-wreck. 

“But wait!” you raised in the midst of the group’s plotting , “I shooed him away today. What makes you think he’ll be back to ask me again?” 

“You rejected him twice today?” Arabella questioned. You gave her a quick nod. 

“Oh girl, he’ll definitely be back.” 

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

Sure enough, JJ was back at the hut bright and early the next morning when you started your shift. 

“It’s you again,” you greeted as he leaned his arms against the counter, flashing you a smirk. 

He had on black aviators and a gray crewneck. For a second he seemed like a cute, innocent little puppy. Until he opened his mouth. 

“Don’t act so coy, babe, you know you’re happy to see me.” 

Oh God. This was the guy making half the island bawl in tears? You really couldn’t wrap your head around it.

You sighed, ignoring his corny-ness. “What do you want? We’re booked for the day.” 

“Ouch, is that any way to treat a customer?” He pretended to have gotten shot in the heart. 

As if on cue, Cody’s stocky legs strolled out of the back room, acting like he owned the place. He slid behind the counter to face you, disregarding JJ. You scowled and rolled your eyes.

“Y/n one of my customers had a complaint yesterday,” Cody stated.

“What? They had a shitty instructor? I could’ve told them that,” you shot back nonchalantly, inspecting your bare nails in disinterest. 

From the corner of your eye, you could see JJ snort in amusement. 

“Actually,” he prevailed, “They were complaining that their board was wobbly because someone let their customers take all the new ones.” 

You remained emotionless at his petty grievance. “What? It’s not my fault I don’t make my students do a hundred push ups at the start of the session. Maybe quit the crossfit and then they’ll actually leave better reviews.” 

Cody narrowed his eyes. “My students are grateful for my complimentary body-weight routine! They need to be fit for the waters. Whatever, stop fucking taking all the good boards! You’re taking away my customer experience, my good reviews, and my scholarship!” 

He proceeded to storm out the front door to his first set of victims for the day. You shot daggers at his back before JJ’s giggling snapped you back to reality. 

“Done,” JJ said, lifting his eyes from his phone.

“What are you talking about?” 

“I just left a bad review for that guy on your website.” 

Your eyes widened. “What do you mean?” 

JJ flipped his screen to you with the post pulled up. You read it out loud. 

“Do not recommend having Cody as your instructor. Made me do a hundred push ups before I got in the water, voice was too demanding, and shorts were uncomfortably short.” You erupted in laughter and playfully swiped his arm. “No way JJ!” 

“What?” he grinned and pocketed his phone. “Dude was being a real asshole to you.” 

You lightened up a bit at his kind gesture. Well, kind to you.

“Anyways, look,” he went on, “I know we might’ve started off on the wrong foot yesterday, but I wanted to come here and ask you out again. Properly.” 

You opened your mouth to speak, but he persisted with his rehearsed spiel. 

“And before you say no, I just want to say that it won’t be nothing grimey or weird. Just dinner. Tonight. It’s not gonna be the best night of your life or the worst, I just wanna get to know you.” 

You sighed and cocked your head to the side. “If I say yes will you leave and stop bothering me while I’m at work?” 

“Abso-fucking-lutely.” 

You blinked in disinterest. “Pick me up at seven. And don’t be late.”

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

note: dUN DUN DUN!!! 

chapter four

tags: @obxlife @rudyypankow @yeehaw87 @ilymarkchan @jellyfishbeansontoast @tangledinsparkles @toloveortobeinlove @pixelated-pogues @normatural @teamnick @drizzlethatfalls @hazelgirl355​ @wicked-laugh​ @jjmaybankswife​ @ponyboys-sunsets​ @5am-cigarette​ @everydayimfangirling​ @angvelics​ @poguecollins​ @xealia​ @floridabornandraised​

[deathonyourtongue]

Falling Again

Summary: Life is cruel, but the mind is crueler. Pairing: AU!Henry Cavill x OFC  Word Count: 5.2K Warnings: Angst. Loads of tears. I apologize in advance. A/N: @luna-aestas​ requested angst in the same vein as the Welcome Home series, along with some unrequited love. What’s worse than unrequited love? Assuming it’s unrequited. This will probably end up being another series. You’ve been warned. 

Everyone told him that the pain would pass with time. That with each day, the wound would scar over and the dull ache in his chest would go away, that things like work and social events would be less awkward, and that even alone time would normalize again. 

They were all wrong. 

The truth was that it had been five years, and he still felt the pain like a red-hot poker searing through his heart each time he woke to live another day. 

The knocking on the door was never loud enough to hide the sound of her sniffles, and though sleep always threatened to drag him back under, it was her soft voice that always made him sit up. 

“Papa? I had a nightmare.” Her voice, tear-filled and scared, always broke his heart, and though there were days when he needed an extra moment to hide his own tears, he never denied his daughter entrance.

“Come in, sweetie,” Henry called, barely getting the words out before he heard the knob turning. He watched as she padded in, taking extra care to close the door behind her. With her otter plushie tucked under her arm, she tiptoed to the bed, looking up at her father, fresh tears tracks painting her ruddy cheeks. 

“What did you dream about, pumpkin?” He asked, his voice as soft as his daughter’s as he picked her up and lifted her into what had--over time--become her spot. He was shocked when the mere question had her whimpering, her little arms finding his neck and holding on tight as she cried into his shoulder. His face broke into one of sympathy and pain, his heart breaking any time his daughter cried so earnestly.

"We were at the park and I got l-lost! I ran the wh-whole park and f-finally found you, but-but you were a-asleep and wou-wouldn't wake up! J-just like g-grams!" She keened, his shirt soaked with her tears as she shook like a leaf in his arms.

Cradling her head against his chest, Henry smoothed down her hair over and over, his own eyes filling with unshed tears as he realized, in that moment, how much his mother-in-law’s death had affected his little girl. His mother-in-law had been far too young to go, but had lived long enough to become attached at the hip with his daughter. Her death hadn't come as a surprise to either of them, but holding her now, he could tell that his daughter hadn't been given a fair shake at grieving.

He'd taken her to the funeral, not because he thought it was the right thing to do, but because he had no other choice. Babysitters were exorbitant luxuries in NYC, and everyone he knew was either going to be in attendance, or tied up with work. Technically, he couldn't even afford the day off for the funeral, but his boss was self-servingly magnanimous and had paid him time and a half, knowing full well it would put Henry in his pocket for another year. She'd been quiet as a mouse during the ceremony, the eulogies, and the procession to view the body (which he'd left her in her seat for). Even the ride home, he realized, had been a silent one, and for all the grieving he'd done when he thought she wasn't looking, Henry had never seen his daughter so much as throw a tantrum to try and express herself.

Now, holding her as she wailed softly, her grip on him a vice that wouldn't release until she slept, Henry realized that the nightmares she'd been having were her mind's way of processing what had happened, and that, like her father, she was afraid of losing everyone she loved.

Kissing her forehead, Henry tried to think of a way to make her understand that he wasn't going to die the way her grandmother, and her mother both had, but he knew his daughter well enough to know that promising he'd live to a ripe old age wouldn't cut it.

"That sounds like a scary dream, pumpkin, but papa's not going anywhere, okay? Grams was very sick, the kind of sick that only really happens to people that are much, much, older than Papa. Grams was sick for a long, long, time. Ever since you were a baby. Papa just went to the doctor and he said I was in perfect health. I don't want you to worry about Papa falling asleep and not waking up, okay? I’m going to be around for a long, long time. Might even be around when you've got white hair and wrinkles everywhere, okay? Papa works out and eats healthy every day so that I can be around as long as possible. So don't worry, alright? I’m not going anywhere."

Sophia sniffled and whimpered a little more, but finally nodded, understanding what he was saying, even if she didn't 100% believe it quite yet. "I love you, papa," she whispered, giving him a squeeze. He kissed her temple and nodded. "I love you too, sweetheart. More than you'll ever know."

"I won't worry about it unless you go bald like grams or mama," she whispered, the decision one that made her content and relaxed in his arms, Sophia never to know just how much the simple reasoning shattered her father's heart.

Henry waited until she was completely asleep to tip his head up to the ceiling, his own tears silent and desperate as he clung to what little family had left.

There was very little he paid attention to at work aside from work itself. He couldn’t afford distraction; medical bills, funerary costs, utilities, rent, and groceries all required money, and working an entry-level job was barely cutting it, even with mandatory overtime. Still, there was one distraction he couldn’t seem to shake, despite the guilt that came over him each time he realized it was happening again. 

His distraction had a name and a devastating smile much like his wife’s. In fact, there was a lot about Zoe that reminded him of his Izzy. At first glance it was hard to see, given the differences in eye color, nose and face shape, but there was something about her mannerisms, her energy, and her kindness that evoked the love of his life. Henry couldn’t help but watch her whenever she came to speak to one of their colleagues, and at lunch they exchanged polite conversation. That was the extent of it, though. Henry knew that a woman like Zoe, a woman who radiated such brightness and joy, would never be with a man like him, a hulled husk ready to be crumbled into dust at any given moment. 

There were days however, where even Zoe’s brand of sunshine couldn’t break the storm clouds that seemed to follow Henry wherever he went, days where the world crushed him just that little bit further. As Henry took a seat at his desk, he knew today would be one of those days, if his morning had been any indication.

He had cried himself to sleep, if the heaviness of his eyes was anything to go by, but as the sun crept through the crooked blinds of his bedroom, Henry remembered the events of the night before, and in peeking down, found Sophia pretending to be asleep.

"Rise and shine, pumpkin, it's time for school," he murmured, peppering her face with gentle kisses, Henry angling his head before blowing a small raspberry on the top of her arm.

"Papa, I don't feel good," she said as she swatted his face away, her eyes staying closed--Henry's first indication that she was faking it.

"You don't feel good? Well, let's see," he kept his tone soft and neutral, both of them knowing this game all too well, both intent on playing it anyway. The back of his hand pressed to her forehead before he scooted down to press his ear to her tummy. Coming back up, Henry gave her a half-shrug. "You don't have a fever, and your tummy’s not rumbling...Is it the kind of 'not feeling good' where you just want to stay home?" Fixing her with a soft, 'tell the truth' gaze, Henry waited for her answer.

"I don't wanna go to school. Wanna stay home with you."

"But papa's not staying home, I have to go to work, sweetheart," he tried to reason with her, Henry surprised when, for the second time in less than 24 hours, Sophia’s lower lip started to quiver.

"But I want you to stay home! You're always so tired and so sad, papa! Want you to stay home so we can nap and have tea, and so you can be happy!" 

Sophia's reasoning hit him like a truck at an intersection, Henry feeling his heart stop for a few beats while he tried to process what she'd just said. He'd thought he'd always been careful to smile and be upbeat around her, but obviously his little one had the gift of stealth and had caught him in private moments, when he thought she wasn't looking.

"What makes you think Papa's not happy?" he asked, trying to keep his face neutral and his eyes from watering.

"I hear you crying every day, papa! And when you talk to Uncle Dom, you always say about how you're worried about money, and about how bills are piling up. At night, you say mama’s name over and over, like you're having a bad dream."

Tears spilled over as he listened to his six year old be so observant, so astute, and so heartbreakingly no nonsense in her reasoning. Chin falling to his chest, he only managed to hold back his sobs, crying as quietly as he could, because, as seemed to be the case whenever she really watched something and made up her mind about it, Soph was right.

The shrill ring of his cell phone cut through the otherwise-quiet moment, and Henry answered it without looking, not realizing that it was his sister-in-law, Imogen on the other end.

"H-Hello?" he stammered, the grief clearly heard in his voice, even through the shortest word possible.

"Henry? Darling, is everything alright? Nevermind all that, I’ll be over in a jiff."

Wiping his eyes, Henry sighed heavily, getting up to unlock the door to his ramshackle apartment, knowing Gen would be there in less than five. Though it was nice having her and her husband, Dom so close, there were times when Henry wished they lived just a little further up town. Henry hadn't been expecting the hug, but the moment Gen was through the door and her arms were around him, it was all he could do to keep from sobbing. 

“Are you certain you’re okay to go into work like this?” Gen asked softly, feeling a sense of dejavu come over her. It was a conversation they’d had often enough, both before and after her sister’s death, and it had yet to end differently. Shoulders shaking, Henry nodded, the words that followed being the opposite of what anyone wanted to hear.

"I d-don't have a choice," he whispered, knowing full well that any slip-up would cost him his job, and that being without income, even for a few days, would spell disaster for his and Sophia's lives.

"Aunt Gen, make him stay home and sleep!" Soph said quietly with urgency in her voice, the little girl knowing how frayed her father was, even if he fought it tooth and nail.

"Soph, sweetheart, Papa has to go to work. It's not like school, I can't miss a day just because I don't feel like coming in," he did his best to explain it to her gently, Henry crouching down, arms outstretched for her.

Reluctantly, she came, and Henry wrapped her up tight, kissing her head over and over. "You're going to have the best time with Aunt Gen. You always do. You'll go shopping and have lunch at her place, or maybe even help her and Aunt Beth make a cake! Or you two could go to the pool, or maybe even go see Uncle Dom at the bookstore. You're going to have loads of fun and before you know it, papa will be there to pick you up."

Though he managed to keep his voice steady, Henry's free hand covered his eyes, the age-old shame he felt as a father who couldn't provide everything his daughter needed and wanted coming back the second he realized he couldn't even give her spending money for anything.

Wiping his eyes hard, he pulled back and fixed his daughter with a beaming smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I want you to tell me all about the fun you had today once we get home, okay? Now, go on, you're wasting time hanging around here with your old gaffer, when you could be having pancakes for breakfast with your favorite auntie."

He winked, Henry’s smile growing just a little more when Soph's eyes lit up. It was rare she got more than a bowl of oatmeal in the morning, as groceries tended to be kept to the cheapest items that provided the most nutritional value possible. If the military had taught him anything, it was how to stretch food, and he did it without even thinking sometimes; without taking into account that a treat here and there would be good for his little girl.

Standing, he went for his wallet, eyes on the floor, jaw clenched, and face burning red with shame as he handed Gen a five, giving up what he'd budgeted for lunch for the week, wanting his daughter to at least have something on her day out with her aunt.

Henry turned immediately so that Gen didn't have the chance to put it back in his hand, moving across the room to grab his phone and call in to Sophia's school, not wanting to get the call later at work, where he wouldn't be able to answer it.

"Hi, Mary, yes, this is Sophia’s father, Henry. Soph's not going to be coming in today. She's feeling rather poorly, so I'm going to keep her home. Okay, thank you. Have a great day," he spoke softly, making silly faces at Soph while talking, grateful to get a silent laugh from her, his daughter knowing better than to jeopardize her day off by giggling loud enough to be heard by the school secretary.

"All right, pumpkin, come ‘ere. You have fun and listen to your auntie okay? No running off, no being a silly monkey in a crowded place. I love you, have fun, and I'll see you tonight," Henry said softly as he hugged Sophia tight, holding on just a little longer than usual and wishing for all the world he could call in.

“You always have a choice,” Gen reminded him, her face holding sympathy for the man who’d single-handedly been responsible for her sister’s happiness, especially in the last few months of her life. “You should stay for dinner. Dom’s making his famous Kitchen Sink Pasta,” she added after a moment, noticing the sallowness of Henry’s skin, how the hollows of his cheeks were becoming more pronounced.

To Gen, Henry and Izzy would forever be soulmates, an insurmountably perfect couple, but her sister’s request that he find someone new after her passing weighed heavier and heavier on Gen’s mind with every passing year. If Heaven did exist, Imogen imagined her sister was tearing her hair out with impatience, or sobbing without end at seeing how life had panned out for her husband after her parting.

"Easy for you to say," Henry murmured, giving Gen a kind smile, not needing to remind her that her situation was far different than his, given her huge family, and the fact that she ran her own business. The more Gen looked at him with sympathy, the more shame he felt, and while he knew she was only trying to do right by him, it only made him feel worse about his circumstances.

"Don't count on me for dinner. Dom's been picking up Soph for a reason. I probably won’t make it out of there until at least nine," he spoke softly and between his teeth, wanting to make it as garbled as possible so that Sophia wouldn't be upset. One look in her eyes however, and Henry knew his daughter had understood every word.

"You two have fun. I'll see you ladies later," Henry smiled, seeing them to the door and watching until they'd disappeared down the stairs before closing and sliding down against the frame, his tears free to fall in privacy.

Connected to her father by an invisible thread that latched her heart to his, Sophia forced Gen to stop midway down the stairs, her ears perked, head tilted towards the general direction of her home.

"Papa's crying again," she stated plainly, her own chin falling to her chest, the softest, saddest little  sigh escaping her. "He hasn't been happy in a very, very long time. Wish I could fix him. Wish I could make him stay home, aunt Gen. The only reason I wanted to stay home was to stay with him."

Sniffling, she wiped her eyes, looking up at her aunt with questioning eyes. "Do you think it would be easier for papa if I gave him all the money in my piggy bank? Would he be able to stay home and sleep then? Is there a way that we can make the bills stop coming? Stop them from making papa so worried and sad?"

Gen did her best to keep her face neutral as bent down to hug Sophia tightly, feeling the waves of anguish roll off her. Her heart broke for her niece, knowing the little girl was as empathetic as her father, and that at her age, emotions were always felt more deeply.

“Tell you what, why don’t we go back in there and see if we can’t convince your father to stow away with us one more time? I think he could do with some pancakes as well, don’t you?” Knowing she was pushing her luck, but also knowing Sophia would spend the day withdrawn if she didn’t try, Gen opened the door, hoping once, just once, Henry would say yes.

“So Soph and I decided that you don’t have a choice. You’re coming with us today, for pancakes and books and cake, alright?”

He’d had just enough time to wipe his eyes and stand up by the time the door opened and Sophia ran to him full tilt, hugging him as tight as she could manage for such a little girl.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking up at Gen in concern before her words clicked everything into place. Though he kept a smile on for Sophia, he couldn’t stop from fixing Gen with a look.

"Girls, much as I'd like to join you, I have to go to work. Like I said, pumpkin, I can't just skip a day because I feel like it. Papa's has to go to work." Henry was tender with his daughter, never once wanting to be the one that made her upset, but also needing her to understand that his world didn't work as easily as her's did.

"Give papa just a second to have a word with Aunt Gen, alright? Then you two can get to those pancakes," he nodded, pressing a kiss to each cheek and giving Sophia a squeeze, before motioning for Gen to follow him into his bedroom.

With the door closed and locked behind them, Henry ran a hand through his hair, blowing out a sigh. "I appreciate what you're trying to do. I really do. But I can't skip work, or I'll lose my job. Furthermore, Gen, if I miss a day, I literally can't make rent or groceries this month. I cannot skip today, especially when I’m being paid overtime. I'm sorry, I r-really am, and believe me, this is k-killing me, okay? But I c-can't. So please, don't get her h-hopes up like that. It's not fair--"

Turning his back to Gen, he curled in on himself until he was crouching down, hands covering his head as though it were a bomb drill. Using his forearms to muffle the whimpers, he stayed down there until he felt his composure return. Wiping his eyes with the same ferocity he always did whenever he knew someone had seen him crying, Henry stood up and gave her a gentle smile.

"Please make it a day she'll never forget, okay? Do that for me? Please?"

It wasn't lost on him, in that moment of vulnerability, that he'd yet been able to make it to any of his daughter's events during her first year in kindergarten. None of the little parties, show-and-tells, or anything of that nature had seen him in attendance, but instead, had been graciously covered--and recorded for later viewing--by Dom, who had been mistaken for Sophia's father more than once.

Wracked with guilt and shame over his failings as a parent, Henry looked down at the floor, destroyed through and through. There were a lot of things missing from his life that most took for granted; a couch, Netflix, sometimes electricity. But it was the intangible things that ate him up and made him feel like true scum. Missing Sophia’s events, not picking her up from school every day, and often being too tired to do more than what was absolutely necessary for her when he finally came home, were all things that caused him deep shame and often-sleepless nights.

He waited for Gen to give up, to say she understood, and to leave in order to hopefully give his beloved daughter a day she'd not soon forget, Henry knowing that today, no matter how easy the calls turned out to be, would be hell.

"You were supposed to be here by six, Cavill!!"

Henry's head snapped up when he heard his boss' voice booming down the hall.

"I'm scheduled to start at nine, sir," he replied, trying to maintain his cool as he fumbled with trying to pull his schedule from his desk drawers while putting himself in a code so that calls wouldn’t come in automatically. He was certain his schedule was right and that he hadn’t switched with anyone.

Even as he tore through his papers, a write up sheet was laid on his desk, Henry finding the printout before turning and looking up at Jerry, utterly confused and more than a little appalled.

"You were supposed to start at six, you showed up at nine. You're late, so I'm docking your pay." Henry's eyes hardened as he held up the sheet of paper, handing it to Jerry.

"I was scheduled for nine. I logged in at 8:58 am."

"I wanted you here for six, I told you on Friday. Sign the form and get back on the phones."

Henry tried to wrack his brains for any important conversations he'd had with his boss, anything that could help him defend himself, but nothing came. Friday had been as ordinary as any other day.

Swallowing down the lump in his throat, Henry signed the paper, knowing full well he was giving away half his paycheck and with it, any chance at getting rent paid on time.

Sick to his stomach, he looked at the clock, then at the picture of Sophia he kept tucked in the back of his cubicle. "I'm sorry, pumpkin. Should've just stayed home today," he murmured, wiping at his eyes to keep fresh tears at bay. 

By lunch time, Henry was beginning to feel light-headed with hunger. Knowing he’d given his lunch budget to Gen, he settled for a black coffee and took his usual seat, intent on shutting out the world, if only for a few minutes. 

“Uh oh, *someone’s had a rough morning,” Zoe grinned as she came in, setting her lunch bag down on the counter before putting the container inside into the microwave to heat. Moving over to where Henry sat slumped over, she rubbed his shoulders gently, surprised when she felt nothing but tension beneath her fingers. 

“Everything okay? I heard Jerry muttering in his office all morning about you being late, which I found unusual, given you were here on time.” 

“According to him, I should have been here at six. I think he has it out for me, or is planning on letting me go,” Henry answered, finally lifting up his head to look at Zoe. He wasn’t surprised when she gave him a double-take; he knew he looked like roadkill, her expression simply confirmed it. 

“Have you been sleeping alright? You look like you could use at least 24 hours’ worth,” She commented softly, Henry scrubbing a hand over his face before taking a sip of his coffee. 

“No rest for the wicked, isn’t that the saying? Soph hasn’t been sleeping all that well, so I wake whenever she has a nightmare.” Though it wasn’t the full truth, it wasn’t an outright lie. Henry simply omitted the parts he knew no one at work would care about.

Zoe grimaced in sympathy, getting up and fetching her food before sitting down across from him. Whatever was in the container smelled wonderful, and were it not for the coffee boring a hole in his gut, it would have been pure torture. 

“I bet she sleeps snug as a bug in a rug once she’s been comforted though, huh?” Zoe grinned, taking a bite of sauce-covered ravioli with impeccable manners. Like him, Imogen’s family, and Dom, Zoe was a British expat, having come to NYC to fulfill a career in fashion, but having had her dreams detoured instead. Unlike the rest of them, Henry had landed on his ass in the Big Apple, with all his prospects falling through within the first year of him being in the country. He managed to stay afloat until his paperwork was in place, but no matter how often he applied to jobs in his field, nothing ever came through. Then Izzy got sick and the downward spiral began for good. 

“That she does,” he agreed, rubbing his face and managing a smile for Zoe’s sake. Finishing his coffee, he allowed himself to daydream for a moment. He only ever allowed himself to think of what a date would be like with Zoe, and it was always the same thing. A bright blue sky, good food, and a trek through one of the city’s smaller and more interesting museums. Nothing more, nothing less. More than anything, he just wanted her company. 

“Earth to Henry!” Zoe’s sweet, musical voice brought him back to reality, and looking at her, he couldn’t help but blush. “You were on a different planet. Time to get back to it, sleepyhead,” she mused, tugging one of his curls playfully before letting it spring back up.

“Sorry. Just a zombie today, I s’pose,” Henry answered, looking at his watch and seeing he only had two minutes before he had to be back on the phone.

“I’ll see you later. No falling asleep at your desk, eh?” Zoe grinned, giving him a wink as she stood to wash out her container, her heels clicking on the floor in a way that had Henry momentarily entranced. 

Nine o'clock came as quickly as molasses. By the time he’d stamped out, Henry’s vision was blurred, and he was slightly dizzy. He was careful as he walked home, staying closer to the buildings than the car-lined roads, and waiting for the crosswalks to give him the right of way instead of jaywalking like he normally did.

By the time he hit Dom and Gen's block, he was swaying a little, beyond starving. He hoped the goodbyes wouldn't take too long and he and Sophia could be on their way. Dinner would be something quick, easy, and carb-loaded to hopefully keep his roiling stomach from protesting too much.

Taking the stairs slowly, Henry knocked on the door, leaning against the frame and dying to see his little girl.

“PAPA!!!!” Sophie called excitedly, rushing to Henry with the biggest smile on her face. Though she loved her extended family, it was clear that she’d missed him as much as he’d missed her.

"Oh, my sweet, sweet girl. Papa missed you a ton!" Henry grinned, dropping into a squat to hold her close, his body swaying a little at the sudden movement.

“We had so much fun today and I made you dinner and I made cake and Aunt Gen said you can eat here while it’s still hot and I missed you, papa!!” The second part came out in a single, muffled rush of air, a confirmation of the type of day Henry’d hoped she’d had. At hearing about dinner, he pulled back, fixing Soph with a playful, narrow-eyed smile before raising a knowing eyebrow up at Gen. 

"Did you now? Did you make it allll by yourself?" he asked, tickling Sophia’s sides, Henry tugging her close once more to press kiss after kiss to her face.

When his legs began to get pins and needles, Henry reluctantly let her go. Standing, he tripped over his own feet, Henry’s swaying combined with his clumsiness making it seem as though he were drunk.

"Everything alright, mate?" Dom asked as Henry finally came in through the door,  Dom hugging his brother-in-law a little tighter than normal, concern etched in his features.

"Yeah, yeah, just a very long day. Glad to be back with the munchkin and to apparently have dinner made for me…Gen," Henry spoke the last part with emphasis, shooting her a half-smile and a wink, not in the least mad at her for making him dinner. If anything, he was relieved he wouldn't have to wait until they were home.

He didn't even flinch as Soph crawled up onto his lap as his plate was set in front of him, Henry crooking his finger at Gen before she could leave, a warm kiss pressed to her cheek in thanks.

"Thank you for doing this today. I owe you big time," he murmured, cupping the back of her head for a moment, Henry wanting her to be certain that he meant every word.

“Just remember, you’re not alone in this,” Gen whispered back, her expression tight and filled with an emotion that was both intense and unreadable, a cross between anguish and worry.

“Hands off my wife, pal,” Dom joked to bring some levity to the room, his hands coming down on Henry’s shoulders with a friendly shake. Henry’s mind set out to hurt him, reminding him of the many daydreams of Zoe, of their lunchtime conversations, long enough to make him flinch in his seat, the thoughts feeling like blasphemy.  

There was once a time where he’d come back with a quip of his own, something quick-witted to keep the room laughing just a little longer. As it stood however, Dom’s words were just a painful reminder that there was only one married man in the room. Putting on a brave face, Henry managed to look the part, but his voice betrayed him, coming out soft and broken.

“You got a good one, mate, that’s for sure, but I got the angel.”

[angeldreifics]

Sophiana Ship Week Day Six

Pairing: Sophie Foster x Biana Vacker

Prompt: Nightmares and Daydreams

Word Count: 1058

Warnings: a bit of angst, nightmares, mentions of kidnapping, talk about having kids. idk maybe more?

(A/N): I think I’m just going to call this series “Domestic Bliss” Or something, because that’s pretty much what it is. 

Sophie wasn’t there.

It was three A.M., and Biana had woken up to an empty bed. She stood up and walked out of their shared bedroom.

“Soph?”

Nothing.

“Sophie, you there?”

She wasn’t in the kitchen, or the living room, or the bathroom. Biana tried outside next, expecting to see her wife sitting on the porch, watching the stars. But she wasn’t there either.

Biana began to panic, fearing the worst.

Had their past finally caught up to them? Did the Neverseen find them?

Was she ever going to see her wife again?

She would have to go after her. Not alone, of course. It would mean she would have to return to the lost cities. She would have to face her family again, and tell them that she had let Sophie get captured.

The guilt would eat her alive.

“Sophie!” She shouted, running out into the yard of their cottage, not bothering to put on a coat or shoes. “Sophie, please answer me!”

“Biana?” There was a rustle in the leaves, and after a few moments, Sophie jumped out of the tree and walked over to her panicking wife. “Hey, hey, calm down.”

“I thought they had taken you!” Biana whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I was so scared.”

“I’m sorry, I should’ve left a note.” Sophie apologized and wrapped an arm around Biana’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

“I-” She swallowed. “I thought the Neverseen had taken you. I thought they had found us.”

“I’m here.” Sophie promised gently. “I’m here, and I’m ok.”

“But-”

“Come on, Bi.” She cooed. “Let’s go inside.”

Biana let herself be led inside and sat down on the couch. Sophie sat beside her, grabbing a blanket and putting it over the two of them. She hugged her wife, holding her close, trying to get her to stop crying.

“What were you doing out there?” Biana finally asked.

“I had a nightmare.” Sophie admitted, looking away and playing with a few threads from the edge of the blanket. “Couldn’t fall back asleep after, so I got up and I guess I just ended up in a tree.”

“You should’ve woken me up.” Biana said, taking her hand. “You know I’m always here for you, right?”

“I know.” Sophie said softly, still not meeting her eyes. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have disappeared like that.”

Biana was silent for a few minutes, rubbing her thumb across Sophie’s hand. She knew Sophie loved her and trusted her for the most part, but there were still walls that she had to try and break down. Her wife was always one to keep her problems to herself, but Biana worried that it wasn’t healthy.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She finally asked gently. 

Sophie shook her head. “It was just the same thing it always is.”

The kidnapping. 

Sophie was constantly reliving that day. It played over and over in her mind, haunting her dreams. It may have happened years ago, but the effects would last a lifetime. She held onto a lot of guilt from that night. It was her fault Dex had been taken too, wasn’t it? She should’ve done more to stop it. 

Biana pulled Sophie close, leaning her head on Sophie's. 

“Whenever you’re ready, I’m here.”

----

“What are you thinking about?”

The two sat on their front porch. The sun was shining overhead, the sky completely cloudless. A gentle breeze blew through the trees, leaves rustling gently. There was a creek at the far end of their property, and if you listened hard enough, you could hear the gentle gurgle of the flowing water. 

Sophie was reading a book. Ever since she had come back, she had appreciated reading human books more. The elves would say that human books weren’t good reading because elves were smarter than humans, but Sophie had to disagree. It was nice to be able to just read and enjoy herself, without worrying about anything. She had chosen a romance novel, something light and easy.

Biana was painting her nails. She had started trying to do fancy designs, enjoying the meticulous work. Sophie even let her practice on her nails weekly, enjoying the time with her wife.

Biana looked up from what she was doing. “Hmm? Oh nothing I guess.”

“You looked lost in thought.” Sophie said, closing her book gently. 

“I was daydreaming.” Biana admitted.

“About what, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Biana hesitated. “Our future.”

“What about it?” Sophie was curious.

“Well… we’ve been married for about a year now.” Biana started. “And if this was our life forever, I would be happy.”

“But…?” Sophie prompted.

“Have you ever thought about having kids?”

Sophie froze. 

“I’m not saying we should!” Biana said quickly. “I was just thinking that it’s an option, you know? We could adopt or something, since I don’t know how human medicine would help with elves. That seems risky. But adoption is a route we could take. Again, not saying we should.”

She trailed off, noticing Sophie was still quiet. Had she messed up? Did she freak Sophie out? “I’m not sure.” Sophie finally said. “I’ve never really had the chance to think about being a mom.”

Between everything with the Neverseen, being unmatchable, and then realizing that she was pretty gay, being a parent had just never seemed like an option. But, it was possible. They could have a family together.

It would be a lot of work, and a lot of money. Were they ready? Would they ever be ready? 

“I need time to think.” Sophie muttered. “But that’s me saying no.”

“Take as much time as you need.” Biana said quickly.

Sophie nodded and looked off into their yard, thinking deeply.

She was pretty sure she wanted kids. But she and Biana didn’t really have a support system. They had a few friends from work, but no one was all that close. Afterall, they couldn’t really talk about their past with humans. 

The kid probably wouldn’t ever know their grandparents, or their uncles. And they would have to adopt, which meant a human baby. A baby who would grow up and definitely notice when they were aging but their mothers weren’t. Their child would probably die before them. 

The only way this would work was if they went back.

Was having kids worth it?

I hope y’all enjoyed this, and as always feeback is appreciated!

[thegrumpybed]

A Flower for a Flower

Disclaimer/TW: This is a work of fiction. It is based on the tragedy that took place September 11th in 2001, but I was not there, and the people in this story do not actually exist. I do not wish to offend or bring pain to anyone, so if this subject/date is personal and painful to you, please do not read it, thank you!

Feedback is greatly appreciated (:

September 11th, 2011

I can feel it. The stares are burning a hole through my back. The quiet whispers fade away as I get closer. They are all watching, the people dressed in black. They are staring me down, taking me inn, tripping around me as though I might attack them if they get too close. Making small talk, not asking the big questions, afraid that I’m a ticking bomb who will explode if they say too much. Ten years ago, something horrible happened, and I was only one out of thousands of people affected by it. But I became famous in the neighborhood:

The Girl Who Survived

10 years earlier

“Soph, are you coming? We’re going to be late!” my dad yells from the kitchen. Year seven at our school has the day off, and my dad doesn’t want me to be home alone, so he’s decided to bring me to work with him. “Coming dad!” I yell back as I run down the stairs. My dad works at the World Trade Center, and his office is in what he calls the ‘Tower Two’. I’ve never been in his office before, but I know that he works in the upper floors.

We arrive at approximately 8 AM. We have to take the elevator up, and when we step out of it, I am completely speechless. There are windows everywhere, and as I stand in front of one, it feels like I can see the whole world. I begin walking around and admire everything, when I hear my dad chuckle behind me. “You like it?” he asks me. “I love it”, I tell him, “you’re so lucky you get to see this view almost every day!” When I turn around, I notice he’s holding something behind his back. “What’s that?” I ask him. He smiles and holds out a sunflower. “A flower for a flower”, he says as he puts it behind my ear. I smile brightly up at him, before giving him a big hug.

We sit down at my dad’s work desk, my dad working on his computer while I start doing my homework. Suddenly, my dad’s phone starts ringing. He looks down at it, and then quickly looks over at his watch. He turns to me, and asks, “Sophie, would you mind getting me a sandwich and a cup of coffee from downstairs? I need to take this call.” I notice he used my full name, and I nod, understanding that it’s important.

I take the elevator down to the ground floor that contains the cafeteria. As I’m about to start making the coffee, I hear a big explosion, and I can feel the ground shake. For a second everything is frozen, and then everyone runs outside to figure out what’s happening. I’m starting to get really scared. I try to get back to the elevators, but it is impossible to move around all the running people. After what feels like an eternity, someone starts talking over the speakers. I can’t make out everything, but I think I hear the words explosion, tower one, and under control.

I don’t understand what’s happening and decide to follow the stream of people heading outside. As I enter the street, I see all the people around me looking up towards the sky. When I look up, my whole body freezes, and my mind goes blank. There is a big hole in the side of the World Trade Center one tower, and black smoke is coming out of it. I can’t make sense of what I’m seeing. It feels unreal, like I’m in a dream – a nightmare, seeing myself from the outside. Then I notice all the horrified faces around me and know with a sudden certainty that this is real.

Abruptly, I get a bad feeling in my stomach, and I look back up at the towers. I just know that something terrible is about to happen, and I know that the only thing I can do is stand here and watch. As I keep looking up, I notice something in the corner of my eye. I turn to the second tower, and what I see then will be stuck with me until the day I die. A plane is flying straight towards the tower. I don’t think it will hit the building. That would make no sense, it has to be some kind of trick, maybe the plane will suddenly change direction. But it doesn’t. I stand there, frozen in my spot as the plane soars straight into the tower. There is a huge explosion, and black smoke is now coming from both of the towers. I don’t hear the gasps and cries from people beside me, or the panicked screams from inside the building. The only thing I hear is my heart thumping in my ears as one word runs through my head: DAD!

Before I know what I’m doing, I’m running the opposite way of everybody else. I fight my way through people, trying to make my way back inside. Memories of my dad flows through my mind as tears stream down my face. I can’t bear the thought of losing him; he’s my best friend! He’s always been there for me, and I don’t know what I would do without him.

I get inside the tower, and the chaos is even worse here. There are people everywhere, rushing out of stairs, running into and out of doors, and I get pushed over more times than I’m able to count. But I refuse to give up. I make my way to the elevators, only to discover that they are broken. I’ve almost lost all hope, when I see an unused staircase. I make my way over, but before I can reach it, my arm is yanked back. I’m being dragged outside. Then someone is carrying me. I’m screaming and kicking, waving my arms and yelling for my dad. Then I’m crying into the person who is carrying me. The last thing I notice before I pass out is the sunflower, still placed behind my ear.

10 years later

“Soph, are you okay?” For half a second I think he has returned, that he’s visiting me through my memories. Then I’m brought back and realize it’s my mom who must have noticed me zoning out. “I’m okay, just thinking about everything”, I answer her. “You still miss him, don’t you?” she asks me, even though she already knows the answer. I can feel tears threatening to escape as I turn to her and ask, “Don’t you?” “Oh, honey”, she says in a soft voice, “of course I do, and I don’t think that I’ll ever stop.” She takes a break, allowing me into her arms as tears stream down my face. “But” she continues, “I don’t think he would have wanted us to spend our time crying over him. He would have wanted us to remember him in all the good things in life and move forwards.” She takes my face in her hands and looks at me. “You know he loved you very much, right?” she asks. All I can do is nod, and I hug her again.

After the tragedy at the twin towers, many bodies were never found, my dad’s being one of them. Since we couldn’t bury someone without a body, there was built a memorial to all who the lost their lives on September 11th. I walk over to it, bend down and take out the sunflower from behind my ear. “A flower from your flower” I whisper as I put it down.

[originalhybridloverfics]

Good To You Ch21

A/N: Okay, so the reveal doesn’t happen this chapter however it does happen in the next. Already have it all planned out. 

“The Italians call them Strega. The Yoruba of West Africa call them Aje, meaning mother. Where my mother was from, they called them Hexa, and here we call them witch. Over the centuries, vampires have fought them and fought beside them, bedded them and burned them. Whether adversary or ally, they have been a force to be reckoned with.” Elijah spoke to the room. “Their ancestral magic anchors this city. There's never been one all-powerful witch until Davina.” 

“Who is now tucked in safe and sound down the hall under my protection. Your Celeste was quite beautiful and a portent of evil according to our volatile artist in residence.” Klaus commented pointedly.  

“Yes. Perhaps Davina's mistaken what she calls evil for power.” Elijah suggested. “Celeste was certainly very powerful in her day, but she's been dead for over 200 years. I don't understand. Why all these sketches now?” 

“Why does any witch do anything?” Klaus countered. 

                                              ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Marcel entered Davina’s room with a food tray, setting it on the end of her bed.

“Go away!” Davina shouted at the sight of him and sent him flying against the wall, he hit the ground roughly.  

“Come on.” Marcel pushed back to his feet, unfazed by her lashing out at him. “You got to be starving. You haven't eaten since--” 

“Since your best friend killed my best friend?” Davina cut him off with the harsh reminder.  

“Davina, I'm sorry about what happened to this kid Tim.” Marcel began.  

“I'm sorry you don't hate Klaus for what he did or want to make him pay.” Davina spat angrily.  

“He'll pay for what he did one way or the other, but right now, I just want to make peace with you.” Marcel insisted.  

“Why? So we can be one big happy Frankenstein family?” Davina demanded scornfully. 

                                                ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Well, that's going well,” Klaus commented, and Caroline gave a small scoff at his remark, sitting beside him.  

“If you were trying to win the girl's trust, perhaps poisoning her one true love was not the most splendid idea.” Elijah threw back at Klaus.  

“Oh. Are there any more inopportune deaths you'd like to wave in my face?” Klaus responded, used to Elijah's judgment. 

“Give me a month. I'll get you list.” Elijah told him. 

“Are you sure a month is long enough?” Caroline tilted her head in thought. 

Klaus shot her a look. “Whose side are you on?” 

“Hey, I was only considering the fact that you’ve been alive for a thousand years, the amount of people you have killed that didn’t need to die has to be endless.” Caroline defended.  

Klaus lips twisted into a wry smile. “Young, old, dead, or alive, witches are a pain in the ass.”

Caroline couldn't not nod her head in agreement with that truthful statement.  

                                        ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Davina was sitting on her bed when suddenly she felt her stomach twist in knots and something traveling up her chest, she haunched forward and began throwing up. Dirt spewing from her mouth. 

“Davina,” Marcel shouted alarmed. “Davina!” 

Caroline rushed into the room. “Oh, my God. Is that dirt?”

Klaus was hot on her heels. “What's with all the racket?” he caught sight of Davina throwing up dirt of all things. “Bloody hell.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Elijah?” Hayley walked toward the person she was looking for. “There's something you need to know.” 

The house began to shake like there's an earthquake. Hayley and Elijah shared a startled look and walked out onto the balcony to see Rebekah. 

“What the hell is going on?” Rebekah demanded, looking up at them, expecting them to have the answers.  

“Davina,” Klaus answered. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Hey.” Rebekah walked into Davina’s room. “What kind of game do you think you're playing? I said disrupt the household, not destroy the whole city.” 

“I didn't do it. Not on purpose.” Davina protested, her eyes becoming uncertain. “I--I don't know what's wrong with me.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“This is madness. How can a 16-year-old girl shake the entire French quarter?” Klaus questioned.  

“I've seen her rock the church, but I've never seen anything like this,” Marcel admitted. 

“I’ve never seen magic this power, but Bonnie channeled the spirits of hundred dead witches once,” Caroline commented. 

“I remember,” said Klaus. “She nearly killed me, but Davina isn’t channeling a 100 witches. I don’t think this is the same thing. This is harvest magic.” Klaus looked at Marcel. “How did you control her when she was in the attic?” 

“I didn't have to, but then I never killed her boyfriend,” Marcel responded. 

Caroline wondered how many times that was going to be brought up today.  

“Yes, yes. We've been over this part already.” Klaus said, growing annoyed with the constant reminder. “The point is in her present state she's useless as a tool against the witches.” 

“And we’ve been over this she is not a tool,” Caroline said as Marcel glared heatedly. 

“Something's wrong with her.” Klaus insisted.  

“She has too much power that she cannot control. That much we already knew. But why is it manifesting itself in such an aggressive manner?” Elijah questioned and turned to leave the room.  

“Where are you going?” Klaus called after him.  

“This is witch business. Let's ask a witch.” Elijah left the room and started down the hall only to be approached by Hayley just outside of the room.  

“You're going to see Sophie,” Hayley said knowingly.  

“You don't have to eavesdrop. I keep nothing from you.” Elijah told her, there was no need for her to sneak around their home.  

“Yeah. Well, I don't want to keep anything from you either, and if you're going out to see Sophie, then there's something that you should know.” Hayley began, waving her hands around nervously as she continued. “She called me and asked me for a favor. She promised me that she would help break the curse that Marcel put on my people in exchange for some information." The more she talked, the more her words were jumbled in a rush to tell Elijah everything.  And I didn't think anything of it, but then Davina started doing those pictures of Celeste--” 

“Whatever this is, you have to tell me.” Elijah cut through her nervous rambling.  

“Sophie wanted to find Celeste's remains, so I went through your journals, and I found out where you buried her, and then I told her,” Hayley confessed, voice heavy with guilt. “I know it was stupid, and it was snoopy, And I--I should have just asked you.” She looked up at him pleading, his silence unnerving her. “Please say something. Please.” 

“She wanted to be left in peace. When a witch's remains are consecrated, that power fuels the rest of their community. Celeste did not want her remains to be found.” Elijah looked at her like he never seen her before. “She made me promise to bury her where she would not be found. You not only violated my privacy, You have broken my promise to her.” 

“I thought they were just bones, Elijah.” Hayley's voice cracked, sounding like she might cry.  

“If you truly believed that, why didn't you ask me where to find her?” Elijah asked, with a look of betrayal, sure Hayley knew what she was doing yet she chose to do it anyway. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“If that's dinner, I pass.” Sophie quipped to Sabine.  

“Sophie, where have you been?” Sabine questioned.  

“Short answer-- grave robbing,” Sophie replied. “Stop whatever you're doing. We need to find Davina. I figured out a way to complete the harvest.” 

“What?” Sabine looked at her, surprised. “How?” 

“We need an elder to do it, right?” asked Sophie. “I figured out a way how to become one.” 

“Soph, you can't just become an elder.” Sabine reminded. “That power has to be bestowed upon you by the other elders, all of whom are dead. Following my logic?” 

“How about follow your history?” Sophie countered. “I did research. In 1742, there was a witch massacre that wiped out all the elders, so they decided whoever consecrated the most powerful dead witch in the community became an elder. It worked for them.” 

“Teeny flaw. What powerful witch is even left for you to bury?” Sabine questioned.  

“Meet Celeste Marie-Hélène Dubois, Elijah Mikaelson's old lover.” Sophie poured the skull head out from the brown bag she carried. “She was drowned in 1821 for being a witch. He buried her, never told anyone where.” 

“So how the hell did you find her?” Sabine demanded.  

“I bribed Hayley to read his journals, and then I dug her ass up so I could consecrate her bones and absorb her power,” Sophie answered.  

Sabine’s eyes narrowed. “That's not disrespectful.” 

“Yeah? Well, we only have a couple more weeks to complete the harvest.” Sophie responded. Besides, it wasn’t like it was the worst thing she has done in the name of the harvest. 

“Soph, I'm aware of our deadline, but--” 

“And if we fail, the witches are done for in this town.” Sophie cut Sabine off. “Our power will fade for good. Those girls sacrificed will never resurrect. My niece will never come back. If digging up some creepy old bones means I get Monique back, I don't care about anything else.” 

She had proved that moreover when she stole Klaus’s children from their true mother and the things she had to do to ensure that a vampire could get pregnant. It left a stain on her soul. A black mark that she'll never get out.  

“I happen to care,” Elijah announced his presence, looking at Sophie directly. “You're coming with me.” 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“So you have stolen the remains of the very person that Davina's been drawing for months. Would you care to explain this startling coincidence?” Elijah questioned Sophie, he had taken her back to the compound.  

“I can't,” said Sophie. “I didn't even know who Celeste Dubois was until I--” 

The house shook suddenly like another earthquake had struck.  

“Was that Davina?” asked Sophie stunned.  

“Charming little habit she's developed,” Klaus stated. 

“It’s called losing control.” Caroline glared at Sophie.  

“And the earthquake I felt today?” asked Sophie, ignoring Caroline’s glare.  

“Also Davina, and she's taken to vomiting dirt,” Rebekah informed her.  

“Oh. We have a huge problem,” said Sophie gravely. “I thought that we had more time, but we need to complete the harvest now.” 

“No,” Caroline said immediately. “We are not sacrificing Davina for some stupid witch ritual for power.” 

“You don’t understand.” Sophie shook her head. “We no longer have a choice.” 

“Said the desperate witch conveniently,” Klaus remarked dryly. 

"I'm serious. That earthquake you just felt a preview of the disaster movie that is about to hit us." Sophie insisted gravely.

"Why should we believe you?" Elijah asked doubtfully.

“You've met Davina, you know her story. For months now, she's been holding all the power of the three girls sacrificed in the harvest ritual.” Sophie stated, needing the point she was trying to make, be driven home with everyone in the room. “A force that was meant to flow through her and back into the earth. One person was never meant to hold that much power. It's tearing her apart, and it will take us down with it. “

Caroline didn’t want to believe her, but if she was telling the truth they needed to find a way to stop Davina's power from killing her and everyone who lived in New Orleans, and they needed to do it without sacrificing Davina in a stupid blood ritual for power. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Josh moved down the street, keeping to the alleys and crowds, he didn’t know when Klaus would strike, but he didn’t want to be the man’s next victim. 

Josh was so busy continually looking over his shoulder that he nearly jumped out of his skin when he looked ahead only to see Caroline standing a few feet away, her eyes set on him. 

He swallowed and thought about running; however, what good would that do. He could only run for so long. 

He held his head high and walked forward until he was right in front of her. “Here to take me to your boyfriend?” 

“No,” Caroline shook her head as the wind blew strongly around them. “I’m here to bring you to Davina.”

“This is her, isn’t it?” Josh looked around, the wind, so powerful storefront windows rattled.

“Yes,” Caroline answered. “The harvest magic is consuming her. It’s harming not only the city but her, and I think she could really use her friend right about now. That’s where you come in.” 

“Where is she?” Josh questioned worriedly. 

“Back at the compound, C’mon,” Caroline turned on her heel. 

Josh followed, falling into step beside her, wanting to be there for Davina if she needed him. “What about Klaus? What if he kills me the minute he sees me?” 

“He won’t. I’ll make sure of it.” Caroline assured him. 

“How? I doubt asking nicely will work.” When Caroline just stared at him, his eyes widened. “You were just going to ask him not to kill me?” 

“Yes,” 

“If I go with you, I am so dead.” Josh groaned. 

“Trust me, Josh,” Caroline told him, settling her hand on his shoulder. “I’m not looking to get anyone killed. I just want to help Davina, and I know you do too.” 

Josh was quiet for a moment regarding her closely. “Yeah, okay. I’ll go with you to see her.” 

Caroline smiled encouragingly. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“We need to prepare. According to Sophie Deveraux, as Davina self-destructs, she'll cycle through four stages that represent the four elements that bound together the harvest.” Klaus informed father, Kieran.  

The two met in the heart of the French Quarter. 

“The earthquake?” Kieran questioned.  

“Yes,” Klaus answered. “Earth stage comes first.” 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Then comes wind, and since each stage is more intense than the last, let's just say you'll blow the roof off this place,” Rebekah told Davina, standing at the end of her bed. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Then after the wind is water,” Klaus told Kieran.  

“Rain, flood. How bad?” Kieran questioned concerned.  

“Quite bad actually, but that's not the worst of it,” Klaus answered.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“The last stage is fire, and since it's the last,” Sophie trailed off warningly to the group gathered at the compound. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“It will be by far the worst.” Said Klaus. “But I didn't take over this town to watch it burn to the ground.” 

“You can stop this, right?” asked Kieran worriedly.  

“Yes, but you're not gonna like how,” Klaus warned him. Caroline believed there was another way, but he was not in agreement. The only way this was going to end was with Davina’s death. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“They want to complete the harvest,” Rebekah informed Davina, standing across from her bed.  

“No!” Davina protested in fear. 

“The witches say you'll be resurrected.” Rebekah insisted. 

They're liars!” Davina accused. “They'll say anything to get what they want just like Marcel, just like you.” 

“Davina, you may think that I don't care about you, but you're wrong,” Rebekah told her sincerely. “I know what it's like to have your life stripped away from you because of other people's bad decisions. How do you think I became a vampire?”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“You've convinced my siblings. You have yet to convince us.” Elijah told Sophie, referring to himself and Marcel.  

“We don't have time to waste,” Sophie said urgently. “The first sign's already come and gone. “

“So fix her.” Marcel insisted.  

“She can't be fixed,” Sophie told him her voice rising. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Rebekah walked into Davina’s room with a syringe.

“What--what is that?” Davina asked fearfully.  

“The more upset you become, the faster you deteriorate,” said Rebekah. "I compelled up some sedative." 

“No, no, no!” Davina shook her head frantically, her fear evident.  

“We keep you calm, we keep you alive Davina.” Rebekah tried to reason with her as she moved forward.   

“Stop!” Davina protested as Rebekah stepped toward her. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“She can't be saved,” Sophie stated with complete certainty. “This will not stop at the earth sign, and if you wait it out, you immortals will be the only ones left to argue about it.” 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“No! Please! No! Please! Nooo!” Davina begged terrified.  

High winds blew through the Quarter, and Rebekah knew she didn’t have a choice she moved forward and injected the sedative despite Davina's protests, and she fell unconscious, slumping back on the bed. 

The wind stopped suddenly, erasing any doubts Rebekah had about Sophie telling the truth. 

“What the hell did you just do?” Caroline demanded, stepping into the room. 

“Davina!” Josh rushed forward in concern, pulling the now unconscious girl into her arms. 

“I just gave her a sedative.” Rebekah stepped away, backing off. “As long as she’s awake, things are just going to get worse.”

“Or maybe the presence of a friend, someone she trust could have calmed her.” Caroline snapped, indicating to Josh. “We can’t keep her sedated forever.” 

“We’re doing what we have to do.” Rebekah defended. “What’s best for this city.”

“You mean what’s best for you.” Caroline accused, and Josh looked at her surprise that she would speak to an Original like that. 

“How long are you planning on being pissed at me?” Rebekah glared. 

“I’m thinking a century maybe by then you know what it means not to turn on people because it suits you.” Caroline threw at her. 

Josh didn’t know Caroline that well, but it was then that he decided he liked her. She wasn’t afraid to stand up for others even when the person was a whole lot more dangerous than her. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Convinced now?” Sophie asked archly.

Caroline clenched her jaw, walking into the room. Josh behind her. Even if what Sophie said was right, they still could not sacrifice Davina. She was just a kid. 

Klaus's eyes narrowed when he caught sight of Joshua, and he moved before anyone could react, wrapping his hand around his neck. “How kind of you to save me from having to track you down myself.” 

“Don’t.” Josh tried to pull at his hands. 

“Don’t what? Don’t kill you?” Klaus grip tightened. “Now why would I show you mercy?”

Caroline stepped forward. “Because I want you to.” Klaus's head swiveled around to her. “I want Josh alive. Don’t kill him. I could use a friend around here, and Josh seems like an excellent choice.” 

Klaus faltered, his grip loosening around Josh’s throat. “Him? Why?”

Caroline looked at Josh, whose eyes were wide with fear. “He came here knowing you would be here even though you terrify him because Davina needed him. He put his friend's needs before his own well being. That kind of friend is hard to find, and that kind of loyalty should be rewarded, not punished. I am asking you not to kill him.” 

Klaus turned back to Josh. “It seems you left quite the impression on Caroline. Count your blessing for that.” he let his hand fall away from his neck. “As long as you remain in Caroline’s good graces, you have nothing to fear from me.”

Josh nodded vigorously. “Got it. Don’t get on Caroline’s bad side.” his eyes went to her. “Thank you.” 

Josh honestly couldn’t believe that all she did was ask and Klaus had given it to her without question. Clearly, he underestimated Caroline's influence on Klaus. 

It made him wonder just who Caroline Forbes was? And what was it about her that caused Klaus Mikaelson the most terrifying man he had ever met to be so enamored with her? Why did she have such a profound effect on a monster? 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“We sedated her too heavily,” Elijah claimed.  

“Well, if this is her sedated, I'd hate to see her otherwise,” said Klaus. “We all agreed that Davina must be sacrificed. There's no need to let her blow the roof off our heads in the meantime.”

“What!?” Josh exclaimed. 

“We did not agree to that!” Caroline protested. 

“No way! You're not touching her!” Marcel raged shoving Klaus angrily.  

“Ok. I'll let you have that one.” Klaus told him.  

“Marcel, no one wishes to see Davina come to harm less than I, but there is no scenario here in which we simply wait this out. She's going to die.” Elijah stated.

“Just shut up!” Caroline snapped at him glaring. 

“Excuse me.” Elijah looked at her affronted.

“If you gave a damn about Davina you would be looking for an alternative to save her.” Caroline accused. 

“There is no other way,” Elijah insisted. 

“According to Sophie, the witch who screwed over everybody here.” Marcel retorted. 

“I wouldn’t trust Sophie if she were the last witch alive,” Caroline said in agreement with Marcel. “For all, we know she could only be after the power Davina possesses.” 

“Exactly,” Marcel said. “Finally someone that is not me is making some sense right now.”  

“The harvest was working before it was stopped. If a nonbeliever like Sophie Deveraux can come to have faith that these girls will be resurrected, then I, also, am a believer.” Elijah reasoned.  

“I saved Davina from the harvest, and now you want me to just hand her over?” Marcel demanded.  

“We can’t do that,” Josh spoke up. 

“Do you think that I'm happy about this?” Klaus challenged. “If the witches complete the harvest, not only do they regain their power, we lose our weapon against them. The earthquake I was willing to chalk up to hideous coincidence, but these winds? If Davina is not sacrificed, then every inch of earth that shook, everything blowing about now will soon be drenched in water and consumed by fire.”

“Oh! Now you care about the city.” Marcel retorted.  

“We ought to. We built it.” Elijah said. 

”And we all saw it burnt to the ground twice. I will not let that happen again. Do I make myself clear?” Klaus stated,   

“Yeah.” Marcel nodded eyes hard. “Yeah.” he turned and left.  

Caroline watched him go and then shook her head. “No, this is not okay.” 

“Caroline, we don’t have time to argue about this,” Klaus told her. 

“It would matter if we did because you're going to do what you think is best, either way, right?” Caroline demanded. “I will tell you right now I’m not going  to quietly stand by while all of you lead that girl to the slaughter.”

“You don’t have a choice,” Klaus told her. 

Caroline glared. She always had a choice. She turned on her heel and walked from the room, shaking her head. 

Klaus sighed as he watched her walk out of the room. 

Josh looked at Klaus uneasily before following in the direction Caroline had went. 

“Not a people person, are you, Niklaus?” said Elijah dryly.  

“Nonsense. I love people.” Klaus countered. “Just on my way to warn a couple of prominent ones in case the weather gets out of hand. If you fancy yourself as plus diplomatic, perhaps you'd like to come along.” 

“No. Soon Sophie Deveraux shall be consecrating Celeste's remains, and though her actions are reprehensible, still I should pay my respects.” Elijah insisted.  

“Hey.” Hayley greeted, walking into the room. “Do you have a minute?” she asked Elijah.  

“Just on my way out,” Elijah said brusquely and brushed past her out of the room.  

Klaus noted the way Hayley’s face fell and followed Elijah out. “Which one of us is the people person again? 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Hey, wait up,” Josh called after Caroline, catching up with her as she was leaving the compound. “What are we going to do about Davina? We can’t just let them sacrifice her.” 

“I agree,” Caroline told him, turning down the busy sidewalk. “For now as long as Marcel is there she’s safe. I don’t know him well, but I already know he would do whatever it takes to protect Davina.”

“Okay, where are you going?” Josh questioned. “Because in case you forgot the city is on the verge of burning to the ground because of witchy hijinks. Now is not exactly the time to be taking a stroll among the city.”

“I guess it’s a good thing I’m not just taking a stroll. I have something I need to do.” 

Josh brows furrowed. “Can I come with?” 

Caroline paused midstep turning to him. “That depends?”

Josh frowned. “On what?”

“On how you feel about werewolves,” Caroline said yet again surprising Josh. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Caroline walked up to the house that she had come with Kieran to, Josh trailed behind her. 

“I can’t believe you’re working with werewolves. Aren’t they like supposed to be our enemy or something?” Josh questioned, feeling uneasy. 

“Okay, first, can we get past this stupid vampire-werewolf feud? It’s stupid. Secondly, I am not working with werewolves. I’m helping them. There’s a difference.” Caroline stated matter of factly as she raised her fist and rapped on the door. 

“And you’re sure their not gonna like attack me or anything?” Josh questioned. 

“I’m 67 percent sure that you will come to no harm from them.” 

Josh’s eyes widened comically. “67 percent?!"

Caroline chuckled at the way his voice had risen dramatically in alarm. 

The door opened, Zachary appeared in the doorway. “Caroline.” he greeted, his eyes narrowing on Josh. “You brought another vampire with you?” 

“I did, however, he's completely harmless. Like a puppy.”

“Hey!” Josh protested. “I’m not a puppy.” 

Zack snorted and opened the door wider, inviting them inside. "Come in."

Caroline stepped inside, and Josh followed her hesitantly. 

“How is everyone?” Caroline asked, following Zack in the kitchen. 

“Well, we’re no longer going hungry or scrounging for scraps for one. I suppose we have you to thank for that.” 

“You don’t need to thank me, I’m just glad I could help in any way I could,” Caroline responded. 

“What brings you by?” Zack leaned against the counter. 

“I’m sure you’ve noticed the weird shit going on with the weather.” Caroline began. 

“Earthquake, unnatural wind, kinda hard not to notice,” Zack responded wryly. 

“Well, it’s about to get worse, and I thought maybe you should take the pack and get out of New Orleans until this all blows over.” 

Zack's eyes narrowed. “You want us to just pick up and run?”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just think it will be better not to get mixed up in what is happening plus I’ve been looking into remodeling the place, and it would go faster if you were staying somewhere else temporarily.”

Zackery paused, looking around. It did need some serious remodeling, the wire had stopped working upstairs, and a pipe had burst, the water damage so extensive the ceiling weakened and came down in the dining room. 

“Where would we go?” Zack finally asked. 

“Klaus has a mansion in Mystic Falls. It’s a small town and where I’m originally from. You could go there, and it would only be for a few weeks.”

Zack nodded, considering. “You’ll let me know when the place is finished so we can come back?”

“Of course.” Caroline nodded. 

Zach nodded, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. “Do I need to know anything else about this place?”

“If you go into town, keep a low profile. Blend in, avoid the Salvatore’s at all cost. Especially Damon. Their old vampires but Damon’s the one you really got to look out for. My mom’s the sheriff, her name’s Elizabeth Forbes if you need anything, just ask her. I’ll let her know you're coming. She can stop by and help you get settled in.” Caroline explained. “Just do your best not to draw attention to yourselves, and you’ll be fine. I already made arrangements for some deliveries so you will have everything you will need.” she dug around in her pocket and pulled out some money that she may or may not have stolen from Elijah while he’d been distracted with whatever the hell was going on with him and Hayley. “Three rented cars will be here in an hour to pick you up and take you to Mystic Falls, all you have to do is pack a few bags.” 

“I’ve been with you since you found me, when did you have time to arrange all this?” Josh wondered. 

“Haven’t you ever heard to have contingency plans in case of emergencies. Besides, do you think I spend my time following Klaus around? I have my independence beyond him.” Caroline defended. 

Zack brow furrowed. “You really thought all of this through, haven’t you?”

Caroline nodded. “I want to help. I care that all of you are going to be okay. Your Klaus’s pack and as far as I can tell you are good people.”

Zack nodded just as another male wolf walked in. “Tell everyone to be ready to go. We’re heading out for a few weeks.”

The male wolf nodded, walking back out.

“Does Klaus know what you’re doing for us?” Zack asked Caroline. 

“No,” she answered. “If you’re worried about Klaus's reaction, don’t be. If this is something I want to do that I care about, then he’ll do whatever it takes to help. Besides your his pack, he’d be fine with me helping you.” 

Zach shook his head. “A vampire fighting for wolves. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to knowing that I can trust a vampire.” 

Caroline smiled at him. “I'm glad to be the exception.”

Zack grinned. “It’s a good thing you’re so likable. Like a ray of sunshine.”

Caroline laughed, and Josh looked between them, unable to believe he was seeing two supernatural creatures who couldn’t be more different, who were supposed to be enemies, getting along so well.

What the hell was with Caroline? Almost everyone seems to be drawn to her in some way. Werewolves. Klaus. Who else was going to fall into her orbit?

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“I have to admit that I was surprised when you called asking me to meet you here.” Elijah took a seat on the park bench next to Caroline.

It was the same park bench she sat with Hayley on when they had argued over Hayley wanting to use wolfbane to end her pregnancy. 

“I wanted to talk with you without any prying eyes.” 

Elijah looked at Josh. “Then, why is he here?”

“Because he wants to be and I don’t see him protesting what I am about to ask of you.”

Elijah’s eyes turned inquisitive. “You have my attention?”

“Everyone but Marcel seems pretty dead set on sacrificing for Davina this stu”

“It’s the only way to end all of this,” Elijah interrupted. 

“Okay, one I wasn’t done speaking and two it’s rude to interrupt someone so abruptly, now as I was saying this stupid harvest ritual and I was trying to think of way Davina can be saved and then it occurred to me, you have the answer to saving her.”

“You’re not talking about turning her to a vampire, are you?” Josh asked, worriedly. “Cause I’ve heard that’s something no witch ever wants to happen to them.” 

“God no, I don’t want to turn her into a vampire,” Caroline exclaimed. “Elijah has an elixir for a sacrifice ritual that just might save her life.” 

“What?” Josh's eyes widened with a look of hope. 

“How do you know about that?” Elijah’s brow furrowed.

“I remember Stefan telling me about it once you were going to give it to Elena, but Damon had given her his blood instead.” Okay, Damon had forced Elena to drink his blood. Caroline hadn’t been surprised. “We can use that elixir to save Davina.”

“That elixir was created by a witch over five hundred years ago. There’s no guarantee it will work.” 

“We don’t know that this ritual will work either, but at least with this, there’s a chance she’ll come back,” Caroline argued. “It’s better than blind faith in Sophie of all people. It’s better than nothing.” 

“And you expect me to just hand the elixir over to you?” Elijah wondered at Caroline's demands, her audacity to believe she had any right to demand anything from him and for what? Because of Niklaus’s attachment to her. 

“Yes as I see it you owe me.” Caroline glared at him. “You have been a stuck up asshole since I met you. The first thing you did was evade my mind.”

“Okay, that’s not cool,” Josh mumbled sending Elijah judging looks.

Elijah shot him a look that indicated he wanted Josh to be quiet. “I apologized for that.”

“You think an apology means a damn to me?” Caroline demanded. “An apology does not wipe everything under the rug. It doesn’t absolve you. You invaded my privacy and not only that you have treated me like I’m nothing but a phase Klaus is going through. Get that thought out of your head. I’m am not going anywhere, and Klaus sure as hell is not going through a fucking phase where I’m just an infatuation for him.”

“Your not the first woman for my brother to get obsessed with.” Elijah defended. 

“But none of those women were me.” Caroline was confident in her place in Klaus’s heart. “I’m not an infatuation. Klaus is in love with me. I don’t need to hear him say the words to know that. It’s in the way he looks at me, talks to me, his actions. He would rather burn this city, a city he loves to the ground then to ever allow any harm to come to me.” 

“Careful Miss Forbes that you don’t overestimate your value.” Elijah cautioned. 

“Threats don’t scare me. I’ve been through more than anyone should, and I know you're aware of that. I know you overheard my talk with Klaus about when I was human. If I can handle what I went through as a human, I can handle anything as a vampire. Including any threats you want to throw at me.” Caroline crossed her arms and looked at him defiantly. “Now we can keep arguing and hashing out our clear dislike for one another, or you can just agree to give me the elixir so we can save a young girl’s life because she doesn’t deserve to die like some sacrificial lamb.” 

Josh held his breath as he waited, half scared Elijah would kill Caroline for the way she spoke to him, and he was sure that would incite a war between Klaus and Elijah. 

Finally, after a moment of neither backing down, Elijah spoke. “Very well, I will retrieve the elixir and give it to you. We can at least try to make sure Davina comes back.” 

Josh let out a breath, and Caroline smiled victoriously. “Great and hey I’ll do you solid and won’t tell Klaus how you just threatened me. I doubt that would have gone over too well with him.”

She stood and grabbed Josh by the arm, steering him away as she called over her shoulder. “See you back at the compound. I’ll be waiting.”

“I can’t believe you just got away talking to an Original like that.” Josh looked at her in disbelief. 

Caroline just patted him on his shoulder. “Original or not it’s no excuse to be a self-righteous asshat.”

Josh laughed, deciding then and there that he liked Caroline. She was his kind of people. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“A fat lot of good that will do.” Said Rebekah.  

Roussos was all but empty, save the two of them. 

“I don't really have time to socialize.” Sophie retorted.  

“Good. Neither do I. When you're done burying your witchy bits on sacred ground, are you prepared to perform the harvest?” Rebekah questioned. “You do realize you have to slit a girl's throat, a very sweet girl as it turns out. “

“If it means I get my niece Monique back, I can handle anything,” Sophie responded, she’s done worse. “Why are you really here?” 

“When all this is done after Davina is resurrected and the witches get their power back, you'll have a decision to make,” Rebekah told her.  

“Enlighten me,” Sophie replied.  

“A witch at her full power can trade body blows with a vampire punch for punch. Believe me, I know,” said Rebekah. 

“So do I,” said Sophie. “Be nice to have a fair fight for a change.” 

“Well, fair only gets you so far, luv. Clever gets you further. After this, Marcel will still be here, and so will Klaus, and you know better than anyone that those two don't fight fair. You are going to need an original on your side, and I'm gonna need a witch on mine if we're gonna stop those two from running things.” Rebekah reasoned.  

“Am I missing something?” Sophie questioned, confused. “Why would you side with me?”

“Sometimes, what's more, important is not who you're siding with but who you're siding against,” Rebekah answered.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Marcel stood in Davina’s room, watching her sleep. He could remember clearly the night he met her. The night of the harvest.

“No, no! Let go of me! Stop it!” Her screams echoed all around him, filled with desperation.  

Marcel remembered wrapping his arms tight around and saying reassuringly. “I got you. I got you right here.”

He stepped toward Davina.  

“Hey. Klaus said not to.” The vampire that was being kept on watch stepped into the room.  

“I'm done caring what Klaus says.” Marcel snapped, grabbing the vampire and snapping his neck, he moved to Davina gather her in his arms and vamp sped out of there.  

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Caroline barely stepped into the courtyard with Josh before Klaus was in front of her, waves of anger coming off of him. “Where the bloody hell have you been, Caroline?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t know you were my jail warden and I have to tell you whenever I step off prison grounds.”

Klaus clenched his jaw. “That is not what I meant. You can come and go as you please but I would rather you do it when the city is not in the middle of a crisis being torn apart.” 

“I should be the least of your concerns then like you said we have a city falling apart, and unless we do something, things are only going to get worse. And unlike you, I don’t believe letting Davina die is our only option.”

“You will always be my concern.” Klaus countered. “No matter what is happening, you are my priority. What was so important that you couldn’t take the time to at least tell me what you were doing?” 

“I think I might have found a way to save Davina.” 

“Well, that’s great, but unfortunately Davina is gone.” Rebekah came down the stairs with an angry look. 

Klaus whirled around. “What?!”

“Marcel took her. Their both gone.” Rebekah stated. 

“What do you mean they're gone?” Josh sped past but was back a moment later, eyes wide. “They’re gone.” 

“Yes, Josh, we have established that.” Rebekah deadpanned. 

Caroline took in a slow breath and released it. Why the hell couldn’t just one thing go right for once? “This is just fucking great. I find a possible way to save Davina and bam, she’s gone.” Though Caroline completely understood what Marcel was attempting to do. He was trying to protect someone he cared about. 

“I’m sorry you what?” Rebekah turned to her in surprise, finally taking in what Caroline had said.  

“How do you plan on saving Davina?” Klaus questioned. “Sophie made it pretty clear what has to happen if New Orleans and everyone is going to survive it.” 

“Well, 500 years ago, you were going to sacrifice Katherine to break your curse.” 

“What the bloody hell does that have to do with anything,” Rebekah asked baffled. 

“Elijah had an elixir created by a witch to save her life. He still has it.”

“You think if we give it to Davina, she’ll survive?” Klaus asked doubtfully. 

“It’s worth a shot, it’s better than trusting Sophie’s word.” Caroline crossed her arms. “After everything, she’s done do you really think we can trust her?” 

“I know I probably don’t get to weigh in on this, but I think Caroline’s right,” Josh interjected. “At least this way Davina has a chance.” 

“Then we better find her and Marcel,” Klaus said finally, locking eyes with Caroline. “We’ll do this your way.”

Caroline relaxed, her shoulders dropping she uncrossed her arms and reached for his hand, a silent apology for all their arguing. 

Klaus tightened his hand around Carolines and tugged her forward. He lifted her hand to his mouth, brushing his lips across her knuckles and the inside of her wrist. 

Caroline sighed and brushed a kiss against his mouth, uncaring that they weren’t alone. 

Rebekah looked away, eyes narrowing. For a thousand years, her brother had ruined every chance she had at happiness at finding love, and here he was getting everything he ever wanted. Once again, what Nik wants he gets. 

Josh brow furrowed as he watched Caroline and Klaus. He knew Klaus to be terrifying, a monster, cruel, but he was so gentle with Caroline. It was like he was a different person when it came to her. It was weird to see, and it made him wonder what it was about Caroline that inspired kindness from someone as evil and cruel as Klaus Mikaelson. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“You don't have to be here for this,” Sabine told Elijah, stepping away to speak with him without disturbing Sophie. “It's gonna take some time for Sophie to prepare for her consecration.” 

“I have time. I owe her this.” Said Elijah.  

“Care to elaborate why?” Sabine enquired.  

“Have you ever experienced something so profound and wonderful that when it was taken from you, your life felt unbearable?” Elijah asked her.  

“Yes, I have felt that, and I've got the scars to prove it,” answered Sabine.  

“I believe that when you love someone, and that person loves you in return, you're uniquely vulnerable. They have a power to hurt you that's like nothing else,” said Elijah, his phone started ringing in his pocket, and he answered it. “Rebekah.” 

“He's taken the girl,” Rebekah said in greeting.  

“Who has?” Elijah asked.  

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Bloody, bloody Marcel!” Rebekah snapped.  

“And you wanted to run off and start a life with this backstabber.” Klaus reminded her.  

“Says the man who was shacking up with him, not two seconds before all this went down.” Rebekah shot back. “Ok. We need to divide and conquer if we're gonna stand a chance. He could have gone anywhere. We need to find her now that you and Caroline have a way to save her.”

“A possibility, there’s no guarantee.” Elijah clarified. 

“But it’s a chance.” Caroline insisted. 

“Well, I'm here with Sabine. Perhaps we could try a locator spell?” Elijah suggested.  

“ I'll talk to the priest,” said Klaus. “They might even be at the church. It's the last place we'd think to look for them, right?” 

“Ok.” Rebekah agreed. “You check the church, I'll check everywhere else.”

“We’ll help,” Caroline said, waving a hand between her and Josh who nodded. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“What are you doing?” Klaus questioned when he saw Hayley packing up a box of can food.  

Hayley didn’t look up as she placed more can goods in the box. She was doing her best to hold it together, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the rift between her and Elijah and how much it hurt. “I was gonna take these to the-,”  

“If you say, "bayou," I will find a nice comfy dungeon and throw you in it.” Klaus cut her off. “This is not the night to be out there.” 

“For anyone.” Hayley corrected, finally looking at him. “But some people don't have a choice.” 

“Right,” said Klaus, noting how she was trying not to cry. It was clear to him she was trying to keep herself occupied as to not think about her fight with his brother. Pushing down his annoyance, he didn’t need to deal with a crying pregnant girl, he sighed. “Grab that lot and come with me.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“I consecrate these bones to the earth. Ancestors, hear me. I consecrate these bones to the earth. Ancestors, hear me.” Sophie chanted. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“This isn't working.” Said Sabine she was trying to locate Davina but was failing to do so.   

“She's nowhere to be found,” said Elijah doubtfully.    

“No. It's more like she's everywhere.” Sabine corrected. “She's hemorrhaging magic. That means we have less time than we thought. We have got to find her. I have no clue where she is.” 

“Please concentrate. Try again.” Elijah insisted. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Davina's eyes fluttered open, and the moment she saw Marcel, she used her magic to throw him away from her.  

“I'm not gonna hurt you.” Marcel protested, picking himself back up.

“I don't believe you!” Davina cried angrily with betrayal. “You want to kill me just like everyone else.” 

“I'm the one who put a protection spell on you, Davina,” Marcel told her in defense. “That's why Tim's dead, and you're not. And before you throw me again, if I had known anything was gonna happen to your friend, I would have protected him, too.” 

Davina looked at him in surprise. “You're the one who saved me?” 

“Yeah, but now the witch who did the spell is in league with the rest of them, so I had to take you away.” Marcel told her.  

“So you could use me as a weapon?” Davina asked, not ready to trust him again on just his word.  

“I'm trying to keep you safe.” Marcel insisted. “Davina, look at me. I messed up. All this power that you have, it gave me an advantage. It helped me punish the witches, and it let me run the city, and I let that mean too much.” Marcel truly regretted that he made her doubt how much he cared about her. “All right, but that's over with now. One survivor to another, all I want to do is keep you alive, I swear.”

“I'm scared,” Davina confessed, tears in her eyes. “I don't know what's wrong with me.” 

“You're not alone,” Marcel told her, closing the distance between them. “We'll fix this.” 

“You won't let them hurt me?” Davina asked him, eyes pleading, needing the only family she had known since this all began. 

“No,” Marcel answered. “Nobody's gonna touch you.”  

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“We still haven't gone through all that you've already provided, Klaus,” Kieran said, greeting Klaus as he Hayley walked into the church. “Still it should help a lot of people."

“Well, this newest bit isn't from me,” Klaus replied, glancing at Hayley as he handed off the box of can goods.

“Oh?” Kieran looked at Hayley. “That's very kind of you...?” 

“Hayley.” Hayley supplied. 

“And these people are?” 

Klaus frowned. “These aren’t my wolves? Where are they?”

“Your wolves?” Hayley looked at Klaus in surprise. 

He ignored her and focused entirely on father Kieran. “Where are my wolves?”

Kieran frowned, his forehead creasing. “Caroline didn’t tell you?” 

Klaus’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Caroline and the possibility of her keeping something from him. “Tell me what?” 

“Caroline approached me, wanting to help in any way she could with the wolves, she’s been a big help. She got a food drive going. And when all this started, Davina’s magic, I mean, she had them relocated today.”

“What? Where?” Klaus demanded. 

“Your house back in a place called Mystic or something. She told them to lay low not draw attention to themselves, and she would contact them for when they can come back. She said it would only be a few weeks. She wanted to fix up the apartment complex their staying in once we avert the current crisis.”

“She never said anything,” Klaus said. Why the hell didn’t Caroline tell him anything? Was she trying to keep it from him? He didn’t see why? What she was doing, looking after his pack it meant something to him. 

“I’m sorry but could you stop ignoring me for five minutes and tell me about your wolves?” Hayley demanded voice rising with annoyance. “What does that even mean?” 

“I asked Father Kieran to give them shelter. He suffers from an incessant desire to do good.” Klaus explained. “But now I need you to be useful,” he told Kieran. “Marcel and Davina have disappeared. I assume from the stupefied look on your face they haven't sought refuge in your attic.” 

“No,” said Kieran. “Those days are gone.” 

“Then energize your resources. I don't need to remind you how important it is they be found.” Klaus said, his tone taking a threatening age.  

“Yes.” Kieran turned and left.  

Hayley looked around. “These people, they're your werewolves, and the priest and Caroline are involved in all this. You're helping them?” 

“They're my clan. They are not your pack” Klaus voice took on a possessive edge. “From very far back. They've fallen upon hard times, and their plight has brought out the philanthropist in me and apparently Caroline’s new project. What can I say? Must be Elijah's influence. Or Caroline.” 

Hayley’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean your clan?”  

“The blood that runs in their veins runs in mine,” Klaus told her. “And in our children’s.” 

“This family gets more complicated by the second,” Hayley muttered with a frown. To think Klaus’s wolf family was still out there, still living on after a thousand years.  

“Listen, Hayley, word of advice when dealing with Elijah. Don't do as I do. Just apologize.” Klaus told her, knowing when she spoke of his family, she was still bothered by whatever was going on with her and his brother. “He's accomplished in many things, but he is a master of forgiveness.”

Hayley looked away from him, her hand moving over her stomach as she pondered his words, and if she was willing to risk rejection by trying to reach out to Elijah again.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Ok. Oh, ok. She's somewhere near the river.” Said Sabine, looking at the map, she used to scry for Davina. “I can't be more specific.” 

“It's something,” said Elijah. “It's a start.” 

“It didn't work,” said Sophie, interrupting them. “I tried to consecrate her and absorb her magic, but there's nothing there.” 

“I don't understand.” Elijah frowned. “A witch's magic is infused in her bones until consecrated.” 

“Well, then someone's already taken it because there's nothing there,” Sophie said, trying to not let her frustration show.  

“Has to be another way,” Elijah stated.  

“There is no other way,” said Sabine.  

“Unless you know of some superpowerful dead which whose bones were never consecrated, it's over,” Sophie told him.  

Elijah was quiet for a moment as he was able to think of one witch. “There is someone else actually.” Elijah finally said. “Our mother.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“It's taken 1,000 years, but you've finally gone mad,” Rebekah said her disapproval evident. “Our own mother?” 

“Yes, our beloved mother, who Niklaus has affectionately placed in a coffin in his basement, not daggered but quite dead,” said Elijah. 

“Well, she did try to kill us all,” Klaus interjected. He glanced at his phone, Caroline was still out with Josh searching for Davina. He needed to talk to her.  

“Well, I say we put her to use and put her to rest once and for all.” he shot Klaus a glare for his obvious distraction. “Could you stop worrying about Caroline long enough for us to discuss this.” he glowered at Klaus. 

“I won't worry about Caroline when she’s here until then I will,” Klaus muttered, sending her another text and putting his phone away and glowered at his brother. “Continue?”  

“Now if we bury our mother on land owned by one of her descendants, she becomes a New Orleans witch, and we as her family share in that ancestral magic.” Elijah laid out his plan. 

“We're vampires, Elijah.” Rebekah reminded condescendingly. “We can't practice magic or own property for that matter.” 

”Yes. With regard to practicing magic.” Elijah agreed.  

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“That's where I come in.” Said Sophie. “After they bury their mother, They can channel all her power to me. Only hitch is as conduits of Esther's magic, they need to participate in the harvest.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“And as for owning property. Not all of our mother's descendants are dead.” Elijah said.  

“The babies,” Klaus said, following his brother’s line of thought.  

“The babies,” Elijah confirmed. “The parish tax assessor's office is just steps outside of the quarter. Hayley now holds the title to the plantation. So if we bury our mother there and we consecrate those grounds, we can finish the harvest ritual.” 

“You're a bit of a mad genius, Elijah.” Klaus lips ticked up into a smirk. “Count me in.” 

“Am I the only one thinking?” Rebekah demanded. “Our mother was the most powerful witch in history. If we bury her, we hand that power to our enemies to use against us.” 

“Given our circumstances, I hardly see that we have a choice, Rebekah,” Elijah responded.  

“I don't know why I bother,” said Rebekah, annoyed. “You two will just do what you want anyway.” 

“No,” replied Elijah. “Our decision must be unanimous.” 

“This is not a democracy.” Klaus disagreed.  

“You're quite right. This is family,” said Elijah as it started to rain. “Water. The next sign's begun. Rebekah?” 

“Kill a demon today, face the devil tomorrow.” Said Rebekah after a moment of consideration. “Count me in.” 

“Well, this is no family reunion without our mother.” Klaus grinned, gleefully pushing up from the couch. “I'll fetch her.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“So much for your grand schemes of using Davina for revenge,” Thierry said, speaking in a dry tone.  

“Survival first, plots to overthrow my brother second. Where would Marcel hide something precious to him?” Rebekah questioned.  

“You think I'm just gonna offer that up so you can leave me here to rot?” Thierry asked, glaring. “Water runs downhill. You think I have to have drowned before to know how much that will suck.”

“Fire kills vampires, Thierry. You think burning to ash will be pleasant?” Rebekah challenged. “Look. I am not forsaking you. I promise to live up to my end of the deal. I'll get you out of here when all of this is done. Just tell me where Marcel would go.” 

“There's a place by the docks,” Thierry said after a moment of reluctance. 

Rebekah nodded and walked back out of the Garden only to come face to face with Caroline and Josh. 

“What are you doing here?” Rebekah asked, hoping they hadn't overheard her with Thierry.

“For the same reason you are, I’m sure. Thierry was Marcel’s right-hand man, he has to know where Marcel might have taken Davina.” Caroline answered. 

Josh stepped forward anxiously. “Did he tell you anything? Where did Marcel take Davina?” 

“C’mon,” Rebekah waved them along. “Let’s go tell Davina we might have found a way to save her life.”

“Don’t you mean Caroline found a way to save her life?” asked Josh and Rebekah glared in response. 

“So where are we headed?” Caroline asked, wanting to stick to the point. 

“The docks.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“If I can just wait it out a few more weeks…” Davina said through the pain, her entire body ached. “Help me, please.” 

“ I will, and when it's over, I'll do what I should have done-- get you out of town,” Marcel assured her.

“I had a dream that Tim wasn't dead,” said Davina, her voice sad and full of longing. “He played a song that he wrote for me, and he kissed me, and we were just normal.” 

“That sounds like a beautiful dream,” said Rebekah announcing her presence.  

Marcel startled at the sight of her and Caroline. 

“Josh?” Davina said in surprise. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

Josh moved to her side. “I am exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

She smiled sadly, reaching for his hands. 

Marcel moved to protect Davina, glaring at the two blondes. “What are you doing here?” 

Rebekah ignored him. “But it was just a dream.” 

“Get out!” Marcel ordered.  

“This is killing her,” Rebekah told him, referring to the pain Davina was in and her weakened state. “Your stubbornness will mean her death.” 

“I promised her I'd fight for her,” Marcel said forcefully. “I'm not breaking that promise.” 

“No one is asking you not to fight. You're the only family that this girl has,” said Rebekah sincerely. “You owe it to her to fight for her to live and thanks to Caroline we might have a way to make sure she makes it through this.”

“What?” Davina's eyes shot to Caroline. “What is she talking about?” 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“Where’s Caroline?” Klaus demanded when she came to the cemetery alone. 

“With Davina and Marcel,” Rebekah answered. “They’ll be here.” 

“Are you ready to do this?” Kieran asked the three Originals and Hayley gathered in the cemetery with Esther’s casket.  

“Always and forever.” Klaus took out a dagger and sliced opened his hand then handed the dagger to Rebekah. Rebekah took the knife cutting her hand, then Elijah did the same, Hayley took the knife, and after a moment of hesitation followed their actions. 

Kieran took the dagger from her and threw it into Esther’s grave. “It's done.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“How can you be so sure it’s going to work?” Marcel demanded. 

“I’m not,” Caroline answered. 

“Your not.” he glared. “You want Davina to go through with this, and you’re not sure your elixir will even work.” 

“I don’t want her to go through with this. I wish this weren’t happening. I wish all Davina had to worry about was school, what she was going to wear, hell if the cute boy she’s been dreaming about was going to ask her. I wish her life were easier but more than that I want her to live, and I believe if she takes the elixir, she has a chance.”

Caroline moved to Davina’s side and took her hand in hers. “I know we don’t really know each other well yet, but I am a good person, and I wouldn’t give you false hope if I didn’t believe there was a chance this will work.” 

Davina's hand’s tightened around hers. “You believe there’s a real chance? That I’ll come back?” 

Caroline nodded. “I do, and this is a whole lot better than going on blind faith in Sophie.”

“No,” Marcel grabbed Caroline by the arm and yanked her away. “You’re not doing this.” 

Caroline grabbed his wrist, twisted his arm, and pushed him away from her. “Don’t touch me like that again.” 

Marcel looked at her, surprised by the quick reaction. 

“Marcel, it's ok.” Davina cut in bringing their attention back to her, she looked up at him with trusting eyes.  

“No.” Marcel took her into his arms, holding her the way a father would his sick child. “I failed you.” 

“I'll die whether I do this or not,” said Davina with acceptance. “I mean, now the only option is-- is whether I take everyone with me. If you look at it that way, it's kind of selfish not to do it, and if this works, I will come back.” 

“There has to be another way.” Marcel insisted. “I can’t take the risk you won’t come back. This is not how it ends.” 

“And if it is... If this is all I have, I've had a lot,” said Davina, voice laden with emotion. “I had Monique, and I had Tim and Josh,” Josh smiled sadly. “And I had someone who fought for me from the moment you met me.”

Marcel’s eyes filled with emotion. “Ah, Davina.” 

“Most people don't get that even if they live to be a hundred,” Davina said with tears in her voice, smiling bravely. “Marcel, I'm ready.”

Caroline felt like she had been intruding, Marcel’s bond with Davina reminding her of a father's relationship with his child. 

Caroline reached into her pocket and produced the elixir, she had got it from Elijah before tracking Rebekah down. “I really hope this works, Davina.”

Davina's hand closed around the vial. “Me too, if it doesn’t I just want to say thank you for trying.” she looked at Josh. “Look after him for me will you, don’t let Klaus kill him. He deserves to live.” 

“So do you,” Josh replied. 

“I will,” Caroline promised. 

Davina nodded and uncapped the vial, she shared a long look with Marcel and then pressed the vial to her lips, and tipped it back the liquid slid down her throat and she swallowed the foul-tasting mixture and froze, eyes widening. 

“Davina, what’s wrong?” Marcel asked alarmed. 

“I can feel it,” she answered bewildered. 

“Feel what?” Josh pressed forward. “What do you feel?”

Davina broke out in a smile. “The magic in the elixir, I can feel it working through me.” she gave a small laugh. “This is going to work.”

Caroline smiled widely. This was good. 

She looked to Marcel, and while he looked hopeful, he didn’t seem ready to believe instead Marcel pulled Davina into his arms and held her to his chest, pressing a kiss into her hair, hoping this wouldn’t be the last time he heard her laugh.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Flames erupted on the ground as Caroline walked quickly through the cemetery, the rain pouring down in a heavy torrent, Josh beside her, the fire licked at Marcel’s feet as he carried Davina across the graveyard. 

Caroline walked straight to Klaus and locked her hand with his. “It’s going to work.” She told him. “It will.” 

Klaus squeezed her hand, hoping her belief would not be disappointed. Hoping she was right for her sake and Marcel’s. 

“Fire,” Sophie said as Marcel joined the group that was gathered. 

He set Davina down near the other girls who were laid out on the altar.  

Sophie placed the blade into the flames and walked toward Davina. 

“Do you believe in the harvest?” Sophie asked Davina.  

“I believe.” Davina stood straighter, ready for this to be over. Ready to have her life back without the threat of the witches looming over her head.   

Caroline flinched as Sophie pressed the blade against Davina’s skin and slit her throat. 

Josh reached for Caroline’s free hand with his, looking away as blood streamed down Davina white dress. Marcel was there to catch her as she fell back, laying her down gently. 

Blood streamed down Davina's white dress. Marcel laid her down gently next to the other three harvest girls. 

The rain came to a slow stop as the Harvest magic left her body.  

“After the harvest comes the reaping.” Sophie recited. “Their sacrifices made and accepted. We call upon our elders to resurrect the chosen ones.” However, nothing happens and Sophie looked uncertain. “We call upon our elders to resurrect the chosen ones…” Still nothing happens, Sophie’s tone becoming weak, as she faltered. “Resurrect your chosen ones…” her voice cracked. “Please? I beg…” frustrated tears filled her eyes. “No!” she started sobbing earnestly.

Marcel looked toward Caroline worriedly. “How long does it take to work?” 

“I..I don’t know,” Caroline admitted, she looked to Elijah questioningly. “Do you?”

“It should be any moment now?” Elijah said. “If it’s still viable.” 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Sophie demanded, face stricken with grief. 

“I gave Davina something to bring her back,” Caroline answered. 

“You what?” Sophie looked at her in anger. “The spell is what is meant to bring her back along with my niece. You could have screwed up everything!”

Caroline stepped toward her. “I don’t care about your plans. And I don’t trust you to make sure Davina is okay after this. Your desperate and you have nothing to lose, and that makes you dangerous. I did what I thought was right for Davina.”

“Yeah.” Sophie took a step toward her. “And how well did that work out for you. Davina is dead, and she may not be coming back.” Sophie scowled. “You deserve everything that happened to you.” Sophie stared at Caroline, and for once, she was glad she took something from Caroline. 

Caroline eyes blacked, anger surging through her when suddenly there was large desperate gasp for breath. 

Everyone snapped around, staring as Davina jolted upright hands scrambling at her neck, feeling for the slash across her throat, eyes wide and fearful, panicked. 

“Davina!” Marcel crouched next to her, hands on her shoulder. “It’s okay, breathe, just breathe.”  

Caroline moved to her other side and rubbed her hand up and down her back. “Welcome back,” she smiled. 

Josh crouched beside her next to Caroline. “Oh, my God, you’re alive.”

“I’m alive.” Davina breathed, looking from each of them, daring to hope. “It actually worked. I’m alive.”

“It worked.” Caroline's lips pulled into a smile. “You’re alive.” 

Davina's hand dropped from her neck, and she lunged forward wrapping her arms around Caroline. “Thank you.” She tucked her face in Caroline’s shoulder. “Thank you.” 

Caroline hugged her back, rubbing her hand up and down her spine. “You don’t have to thank me.” 

She looked at Marcel and Josh who were looking at her gratefully, she smiled then looked past them to Klaus who to her surprised looked relieved with the outcome of tonight's events. 

Sophie stared in shock, her heart sinking down into her stomach. 

All of it was for nothing. Everything she did was in vain. 

What was she supposed to do now? 

How was she going to fix any of this? 

She felt eyes on her, and she looked up to see Hayley watching her with a mild look of worry, and she glared. 

If she wasn’t going to get her niece back then she sure as hell wasn’t going to help Hayley.

The girl was on her own, and if Hayley were smart, she would leave town while she still could because the truth of her pregnancy was bound to come out sooner or later and it would be in her best interest if she were no longer in New Orleans when that happened. 

“Sophie, I’m sorry,” Hayley said, and Sophie’s anger cracked.

She shook her head and let out a cry of pain. “I’m sorry.” she sunk to her knees, a sob tearing through her. She failed to bring back her niece, to do the one thing her sister had died for. “I’m so sorry.” 

Sophie’s shoulders shook as she sobbed earnestly in grief. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Are you ready to forgive me yet?” Hayley followed Elijah down the street. 

Elijah turned to her. “It's not that easy, Hayley.” 

“Elijah, I was wrong to go through your journals, I was wrong to tell Sophie about Celeste, but after everything that happened today, I don't know why we can't see past this,” said Hayley, trying and failing to understand why he was so upset.  

“And you of all people should know why. During my fever in the bayou, you were inside my mind. You know what Celeste means to me.” Elijah insisted, the betrayal he felt bleeding through.  

“Don't you mean meant to you?” Hayley corrected.  

“No. Do you have any idea how rare love is?” Elijah asked. “In a thousand years, I have found it but twice, and when I have, I have honored it.” 

“I know what a promise means to you, Elijah, but you made it 200 years ago. I live in the now. If I feel something, I act. If I want something, I take it.” Hayley refused to apologize for fighting for what she wanted, what she deserved. “I won't choose the dead over the living, so why are you?” she shook her head. “I'm sorry, Elijah.” she walked away from him, leaving Elijah to stare after her. 

Hayley didn’t regret the decisions she had made and if Elijah couldn't forgive her then so be it. She has done far worse than helping Sophie get her hands on Celeste's bones. 

Her hand went to her stomach as she walked down the street. 

No, she had done far worse, and it was leading her down a path that she wanted off of but found it impossible and she doubted she could go to Sophie for her help. 

Sophie was half the reason she was in this mess, to begin with. 

If she couldn't have her family back, maybe her best bet was to skip town. Preferably before the babies were born, and the truth of their true conception was brought to light. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“This whole thing was doomed from the start, you know? Yes, we saved the city, and I'm not complaining about the witches losing their power, but this did not go down the way I thought it would.” Klaus said, speaking to Rebekah. “You surprised me, though. You were quite resourceful today. How did you find them down at the docks?” 

“You're not the only one with clever little spies in the quarter, Nik,” Rebekah replied with a dry smirk.  

“Sometimes I think I don't give you your due, little sister,” Klaus confessed.  

“I knew Elijah's plan was mad, but I really thought it would work. At least Caroline found a way to save Davina at least,” said Rebekah sadly.  

“So did I,” said Klaus. “I knew Davina would survive. There’s so much life in her.” 

“What about the power?” Rebekah questioned. “Four were supposed to rise, and only one did. Where did all that power go? It didn’t go back in Davina. She would have said something, wouldn’t she?”

“I don’t know,” Klaus answered, and he really didn’t. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sabine conducted a spell with a small doll. 

Three people in various locations rise from the dead and walk until they meet one another. 

“Why are we here?” A red-haired witch in her twenties asked.  

“Someone brought us forth. Who?” Questioned a dark-skinned man.  

“I did.” Sabine appeared.  

“Sabine!” Bastiana exclaimed. “What's the meaning of this?” 

“Bastiana, I've had to endure people calling me "Sabine" for almost a year now. I'd appreciate it if you'd call me by my real name,” a smirk spread across her lips. “Celeste.” 

A/N: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think of this chapter! 

Tags: @zinebaklaro @eloiselili @caritobear @paulinhaals @lord-luminous @bellarkehotchniss 

[bbybucky-fics]

six feet under — part ten.

summary: you meet him at church, he might just be satan | au

pairing: biker!bucky x reader

word count: 1850

warnings: smoking, mentions of religion, swearing, blood, angst

a/n: tags at the bottom.

previous parts: part one | part two | part three | part four | part five | part six |  part seven  | part eight | part nine

Bucky cries violently in your arms, his hands clutching you as if you’re going to fall through his fingers. His whole world is falling apart, he can’t keep it together. It’s been so long since he’s opened up to someone, since he felt something besides pain and the adrenaline running through his veins.

He won’t let you touch him but he touches you, it feels as if his fingers have graced every part of you. Your skin is cold, your body stiff as Bucky’s words replay in your mind. It’s a melody that won’t leave your head, one which makes you break down like the man who’s on holding onto you crying wildly out into the darkness of the night. “I’m so fucking sorry, babygirl,” it’s as if he’s speaking those words again, the words that make the fire inside of both you die out and coldness creep up into in your veins.

“Bucky?” You call out, your voice barely above a whisper. You wonder if Bucky can hear the hurt in your voice, hear how you’re about to break down just like him.

Bucky hears your voice louder above the ones in his head that make him run, that make him drive on the open road till he settles down but eventually moves on. Bucky knows as you call out his name that he needs to leave, he needs to leave you before the voices get to you.

“Bucky, what happened? Why are you sorry? What did you do?” You’re full of questions but you can’t help it, you need to know what happened to the man that had captivated you and changed you for the better.

He stops crying, his tears come to an abrupt halt and suddenly he’s moving away from you and the warmth returns to your body. Bucky looks down at the blood on his body and the blood that stains his hands. “I shouldn’t have called you here,” is all Bucky’s says as he snaps his head up wincing in pain at the look of rejection and sadness on your face.

You want to scream out maybe even cry but you remain focused, you want answers despite how much Bucky seems to refuse to give you any. You lean forward on your knees, your hand touches Bucky’s cheek his stubble scratching against your palm, Bucky tries to turn his head but you won’t let him. “Why not?”

He leans slightly into your touch his eyes clamping shut for a few moments of peace but a rude awakening happens and his eyes open and he pulls away. You try to hide the rejection on your face but you simply can’t. “I’m so sorry babygirl,” he says those words again and you want to scream, those words that make you want to clutch your head and cry out till everything around you disappears.

Something in you snaps when he says those words, “Don’t!” you exclaim shaking your head furiously. Your raised voice makes Bucky look at you, he knows he’s hurt you and he knows he’s only going hurt you even more. “Don’t say that, just please tell me why you’re covered in blood, why you’re crying, why you won’t stop saying that you’re sorry. Just tell me the truth, please Bucky.” you’re practically begging at this point but you need to know.

Bucky takes a deep breath contemplating silently in his head, he wants to tell you but he bleeds even more when he says those words, the wound gets deeper and the infection spreads. He feels doomed, his fate decided by the past he wishes he drive away from, saying goodbye in the rear view mirror.

“Tell me or I leave,” it’s so unlike you to pretend to be cold and harsh but the fire in Bucky is gone and the warmth of the fire he left behind in you has turned to cold, ice creeping into your veins turning you frigid to the touch.

Bucky looks at you, his damp hair falling over his face again clouding his vision from the sight of you nearly in tears. He runs a hand over his face sighing deeply, “promise me something, babygirl.” is all he says as he moves his hair away from your eyes and dares to look up at you. Bucky can’t help but fall to pieces at the look on your face, he just wants to hide away with you and the only thing he’ll see is the sight of you smiling widely.

You lean forward on your knees inching closer to Bucky, “anything,” you reply instantly.

Bucky presses a calloused hand to your cheek and lets out a sigh of relief when you don’t flinch at his touch. His eyes go dark as he says, “promise me that you won’t hate me.” His words make you raise your eyebrows in confusion, there’s no way in hell you could hate the man that made all of your fantasies come to life.

You lean into his touch, your cheek nuzzling the palm of his hand and you say with confidence, “I could never hate you, Bucky.” He smiles but he does so sadly and looks at you again as if this was your last meeting, he’s so sure you’ll leave after this because he would to if he was you.

“We don’t know much about each other, do we babygirl?” He doesn’t give you time to answer. Bucky pulls you to straddle his lap, both hands cupping your cheeks before he leans closer pressing his forehead against yours. “I did something babygirl, something I had to do I don’t regret I just wish I wasn’t the type of man who did things like that. I wish I wasn’t the type of man that you have to come rescue from the depths of self-despair but I am. I am and fuck am I in deep.”

Your hands come to hold Bucky’s that rest on your cheek before kissing each palm of his hands as tears fall silently down your cheeks. “What did you do?” you ask even though you and Bucky both know. You don’t want to know and fuck, does Bucky want to lie but he needs to tell you the truth so that you can love him for the man he really is: all of his blood, guts and glory.

Bucky looks down briefly not wanting to meet your eyes as he mutters his next words but you pull his chin up by hooking a finger under his chin and forcing him to look you in the eyes. “Before I called you, I killed a man,” Bucky takes a deep breath eyes locking on the ground once more. “That’s a lie, I killed more than one man. They deserved it, they did I promise you babygirl, they did.” You know he’s trying to convince himself more than trying to convince you. Bucky’s eyes are still locked to the ground but he can still hear the strangled sob that leaves your lips as well as your tears crashing to the ground like waves against rocks.

“The type of man that I am, is not one you want to be with. I ride a motorcycle and I’m in a gang one that always leads to bloodshed. We try not to make the first move but somebody always forces our hand.” Bucky says trying to justify his actions to himself as well as you.

Your eyes look anywhere but at Bucky, as you ask, “What did they do to force your hand? And who forced your hand?” Bucky has expected rejection but not this intrigue.

“Hydra, they’re a rival biker gang. All they do is cause pain,” Bucky mumbles, his jaw clenching when he speaks their name, the people that broke him.

You place your hands on his face and pulling slightly so that he’s staring up at you. “What did they do to you?” He wonders momentarily how you know, maybe he’s more transparent than he first thought. He is, you can hear it in his voice, the way his jaw clenches and his shoulders go stiff.

“They made me this man, the one that kills, the one that drives on the open road and never settles down.” He replied but you simply shake your head. This scares Bucky and he asks tentatively, “You hate me don’t you?”

You shake your head once again, “The man I know is not you describe, I know you Bucky - the one that drives me crazy, the one that sets me free.” You don’t wait for Bucky’s reply and instead you lean forward crashing your lips to his, he kisses you back instantly his hair threading in your hair before he pulls you closer flush against his lap. This is the Bucky you know, the Bucky that loved to tease, the Bucky that was the man of your desires and subject of your wet dreams. As you kiss him, tasting the blood on his lips and the salt of his tears you feel the man you saw that day at church. You feel the Bucky you knew kiss back with such fever and passion your heart lurched in your chest. There’s so much love you feel like crying, again but you keep yourself together as Bucky visibly relaxes as your lips meet with love and lust.

When you pull back, when no air is left in your lungs you say with your hands on Bucky’s face making him look at you. “I know you think you’re a bad person for what you’ve done and I know I don’t know everything and I don’t need to because Bucky you are not a man I could hate. No, you are the man that I could love, the man that I love.”

Bucky looks up at you eyes black and hooded with a deadly mix of love and lust. He’s flawed yes, but he never believed that anybody could see past who he really was. Bucky thought you would run away but you only wanted to run into his arms and make him feel something that Hydra took away from him - love. Bucky looks at you and he knows what he feels, the man he once was before his week ago feels closer than ever and he swears he feels the heat of the fire he thought would never light after this night.

“Babygirl, you drive me fucking crazy,” he repeats those words he’s said to you too many times but it’s not what you want to hear.

Bucky leans forward pressing a kiss to your lips before pulling back and pulling you against his chest. Into the darkness, he whispers, “I love you too, babygirl.”

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[elitehoe]

I procrastinated finishing the Bucks book for two weeks now and decided today was the best day to do it. It was not I am either going to throw myself into a fucking river or cry uncontrollably for next 4 days.

[vengefulblue]

85 questions

tagged by @psychicmoth : thx fi <3

rules: answer these 85 questions and tag 20 people (i'm not tagging ppl, soz. do it if you want, maybe tag me if you want me to see it?? since i'm never on tumblr)

— what was your last…

1. drink: water 2. phone call: asking my sister for a ride 3. text message: i don't have a cell, but uhh,, my last dm was talking abt unironically using emoticons 4. song you listened to: affection by cigarettes after sex 5. time you cried: this morning, reading a stressful fic update (it was good, just sadsadsad)

— have you ever…

6. dated someone twice: yes, we were engaged for a while too - i should have listened to younger me's instincts 7. kissed someone and regretted it: yes 8. been cheated on: yes, at least once - probably more than i know abt 9. lost someone special: yes 10. been depressed: literally since my earliest memories 11. gotten drunk and thrown up: yep, vodka is evil

— fave colours

12. all the blues!! 13. grey 14. black

— in the last year have you…

15. made new friends: yes <3 all my twitter mutuals 16. fallen out of love: yes (thank god) 17. laughed until you cried: yes 18. found out someone was talking about you: no 19. met someone who changed you: yes! a person who is *just like me*, who every time we talk we find out more ways we are the same person 20. found out who your friends are: yes? probably 21. kissed someone on your facebook friends list: no, i haven't kissed anyone in almost a year and a half  :c  i am lonely boye

— general

22. how many of your facebook friends do you know irl: all of them except maybe 2? i was in middle school when facebook was popular, and everyone added literally everyone they knew (or who even had any friend in common)... so i still need to unfriend all the kids i went to school with, but i'm lazy 23. do you have any pets: juno kitty!! she is almost 4 (1 may) and she is lovely. i've had her since she was 8 weeks old, so she’s grown up to be exactly like me 24. do you want to change your name: yes. jensen isn't legally my name: it was meant to be temporary to help ppl adjust to calling me something different, but i still haven't found a better "permanent name" so i haven't done the legal thing yet. when i turn 25, i'll do that, whether i'm called jensen or something else (feel free to suggest names that fit me, fr) 25. what did you do for your last birthday: sit at home and eat seafood and drink champagne 26. what time did you wake up today: 4am 27. what were you doing at midnight last night: i was passed out in an armchair 28. what is something you can’t wait for: 21 july i'm going to see dnp in schenectady with @daggerdove !!!! <3 30. what are you listening to right now: falsettos obcr 31. have you ever talked to a person named tom: there were 2 toms in my class, plus one the year below me, so yes

32. something that’s getting on your nerves: my dumbass school has changed their structure & program requirements drastically, with no warning, so i might have to apply & transfer to a different school, or else get a job. i want to scream and cry and break something and die (i'm doing none of those things, but i'm v v upset)

33. most visited website: twitter & youtube 34. hair colour: dark brown, nearly black 35. long or short hair: i like short hair but i'm trying to grow mine to shoulder length bc i haven't had it like that in abt 6 yrs?? and i think i might be able to do it in a way that's pretty but still boyish

36. do you have a crush on someone: i don't think so. it's hard to tell for sure bc i feel friendship and romantic feelings very similarly (i'm demiromantic, and i am always slightly in love with my friends??) but i don't have anyone i particularly want to date rn, just many ppl i would like to cuddle and maybe kiss on their cheeks and forehead

37. what do you like about yourself: i think i’m funny, and i care so much abt ppl 38. want any piercings: want more ear piercings (2nd, 3rd, cartilage) 39. blood type: A+ 40. nicknames: jenn (i do not like, is only ok for family) - i want better nicknames but nobody gives me nicknames :(( 41. relationship status: single 42. sign: double capricorn, taurus moon 43. pronouns: he/him or they/them 44. fave tv show: probably bake off or steven universe 45. tattoos: no, i might get some one day 46. right or left handed: right 47: ever had surgery: yes 48. piercings: ears? other than that, no 49. sport: no (maybe swimming if that counts) 50. vacation: ehm, someplace warm and sunny? i live in a cold cloudy place & i've only been on vacation once in my life 51. trainers: high tops or sand shoes (??? idk what to call these, the slip on canvas sneakers)

— more general

52. eating: i’m gonna have rajma chawal, but i haven’t done the rice yet 53. drinking: tea, in a moment 54. i’m about to watch: water boil 55. waiting for: sister to leave 56. want: warm squishy cuddles 57. get married: yes, tho i don't believe marriage should exist as a distinct legal institution, different from other contracts - legal things abt taxes, child rearing/acquisition, etc shouldn’t be affected by personal promises in that way 58. career: ???? no fuckin clue m8 - tbh i just wanna be a house spouse (lol rhyme) and read books and cook and raise babies, but that's not exactly realistic, so maybe writer?? english teacher?? office drone?? probavly office drone  >_<

— which is better

59. hugs or kisses: hugs </3 someone pls come cuddle me?? 60. lips or eyes: eyes 61. shorter or taller: tall masc folks, short femme folks 62. older or younger: older masc folks, younger femme folks 63. nice arms or stomach: arms <3 64. hookup or relationships: relationship 65. troublemaker or hesitant: no?? i like decisive but gentle & sweet - no trouble, no wishy-washy-ness

— have you ever

66. kissed a stranger: no 67. drank hard liquor: yes 68. turned someone down: yes 69. sex on first date: kinda?? not really, but something like that 70: broken someone’s heart: maybe 71. had your heart broken: yes 72. been arrested: no 73. cried when someone died: yes 74. fallen for a friend: always

— do you believe in

75. yourself: not usually 76. miracles: absolutely 77. love at first sight: not exactly, but a bit? i believe in recognizing compatibility and “clicking” the first time you meet, but not 100% full blown romantic love 78. santa claus: no  e_e 79. angels: ye

— misc

80. eye colour: mostly brown, but they go a bit greeny-hazel sometimes 81. best friend’s name: probably jenna. i don't hang out with anyone but she's my only irl friend... & if mutuals count, i talk most at jolisa & morgan & corinne & soph (& anu, who is a more recent mutual <3) i don’t talk to menace (yes that is what i call them) so much, but we are twins at so many things that i consider them v good friend 82. favourite movie: moonrise kingdom 83. favourite actor: my auntie hanne <3 idk if she's like, good? it's been a few years since i watched anything she was in. but i love her, so she's my favorite (she was in ideal and a movie called dread)

84. favourite cartoon: thundercats made me a furry, so ???? and inuyasha also, it was my first actual full realization that i was bi (bc jfc i wanted to be in a inuyasha/kagome sandwich) 85. favourite teacher’s name: kerrin mccadden - taught creative writing in high school, best coolest teacher ever, and she's an amazing poet (google her!!)

[ask-svt-hearteu]

who? woozi and mingyu (i don't even know, i just imagined jihoon trying to kiss mingyu, standing on his tippy toes :)) ) where? the zoo :)))

A Date with Svt: Jigyu at the zoo 

okay but can you imagine Mingyu asking Jihoon out

Jihoon would be working in his studio as usual

it’s midnight but he is still determined to finish whatever he started

even if it means losing a few hours of sleep

and Mingyu would just come in right-on-time and check up on him

“ Hyung I was just about to head back to our dorm. And I thought that I should bring you some coffee before leaving. ” he said softly as he hand him a cup of coffee

that may or may not have a note written on it

“ Oh. Thank you. You should go back now and get some rest. ” Jihoon replies as he takes the coffee

“ Don’t forget to rest too hyung. ” he says with a smile as he leaves

Jihoon wouldnt notice immediately though

it took him 5 minutes before he sees the note

“ Jihoon Hyung has been working hard lately. I was wondering if you would want to go out with me some time this week. It could be like a break. But with me :3 ”

Jihoon would be blushing so hard

and him being a tsundere

he would text Mingyu

“ Yah. What’s with the note? ”

“ Does this mean you dont wanna go out? ”

“ ….I didnt say that. ”

“ Then great ! ^^ ”

“ Aish,,,you’re dead to me. ”

“ Get some rest hyungie~ ”

Jihoon would still be blushing so hard

and back at the dorms

Mingyu is trying to contain his screams or Jeonghan and Seungcheol will wake up and scold him

on the day of the actual date

Mingyu planned everything

he will be at the Zoo with Jihoon for the whole day

he made food so that they could picnic ∙ he even brought extra jackets in case it gets cold

even though he would prefer hugging ∙

yet they arrived late smh

they both overslept

“Arent they suppose to go out today?”

“Yeah. They were suppose to leave like 30 minutes ago actually.”

and with that, Mingyu woke up

“We were suppose to leave 30 minutes ago?! Omo that’s how long the bus ride is.” he says with pure concern as he tries to wake up Jihoon

but oversleeping is not the main reason why they were late

they accidentaly took the wrong bus

“ I told you that we were suppose to ride the yellow bus.” Jihoon says

“ I was panicking. ” Mingyu protests

“ You have lived here for years… panicking wont make you forget which bus to take to the zoo. ”

“ Im sorry~ ” Mingyu pouted

“ Lets just wait for the next bus. ” Jihoon replied as he tried not to die from how cute Mingyu was

eventually they arrived at the zoo

their first stop was the pet animals

that part of the zoo are mostly for kids

so imagine seeing a tall person with a small person trying not to fight the little kids who wouldnt let them pet a cute puppy

“Will you let us pet the puppy too?” Mingyu asks the little kid

“Nope.” the kid answers

“Pretty please~” he tries again

and the kid would just walk away with the puppy

“It’s not yours. I hope you will cry later you brat.” Jihoon mumbles

“Okay okay lets just go find other puppies.” Mingyu says as he pulls Jihoon away

eventually Mingyu lost Jihoon

and he found him in a sea of puppies

“Jihoon hyung…”

“Mhmm?” Jihoon says as he looks up at Mingyu while petting all the puppies

“What are you doing there?”

“Playing with the cute puppies.” Jihoon replies and averts his attention back to the puppies

“Im a cute puppy,,,play with me.” Mingyu says with no jealousy at all

next stop is the wildlife section

the whole time they would just be walking around the enclosures

Jihoon would take minutes just to look at the animals

while Mingyu is following him and is trying to figure out how to use the map

“Look at how they feed the tigers Mingyu.” Jihoon says in amazement

 “Just a sec while I try to find where were going next.” Mingyu replies without taking his eyes off the map

when he finally figures out how to use it

he acted like a big ass puppy when he saw the animals

“Ahh hyung! Look at how big the elephant is!” He smiles as he watches the elephant

and Jihoon would just look at him with heart eyes and smile softly

“What?” Mingyu asks as he notices that he was looking at him

“Nothing. You just look adorable.” Jihoon replies

and boy did Mingyu become a blushing mess

when they have explored and seen all of the animal in that section

and when Jihoon got Mingyu to calm down

they immediately went to the sea creatures show

Mingyu didnt even think Jihoon would like the show very much

every time a animal does a trick

Jihoon would smile widely and his eyes would sparkle so much

and Mingyu would smile too

but not because of the animals

but because of seeing Jihoon smile so beautifully

when the dolphin jumped through the hula hoops and splashed water towards where they’re sitting

Jihoon just laughed and Mingyu thought it was honestly the most beautiful sound he has heard

“You look like youre enjoying the show hyung.” Mingyu says

“I am. I always have had a soft spot for animals.” Jihoon smiles, he continues to watch the show

“Probably why you like me.” Mingyu says in a teasing manner

Jihoon blushed so hard that he elbowed Mingyu jokingly on his stomach

 “Yah. Just watch the show.” Jihoon states as he tries to hide his rosy cheeks

the show had to end unfortunately

“We still have time to spare. Do you want to go to the zoo garden and have our picnic?” Mingyu asks

“Yeah sure. Im starving.”

it was just a normal picnic

Jihoon and Mingyu talking while eating 

feeding each other

and making the other catch the grape

“Ah hyung! You hit me in my eye again!”

“I told you to open your mouth.” Jihoon protests

“I wouldve if you didnt threw it immediately.”

“Yeah well thats what you get for being handsome and not opening your mouth. Suck it up.”

and them just cloud gazing while they talk about stuff

with their legs intertwined together

and their pinky fingers holding each other

“I really enjoyed today.” Mingyu says softly

“Me too. Thank you.”

“No problem. If you enjoyed today, does this mean we can go on a date again?” Mingyu teases

“Yah. This date hasnt even finished.”

“I know. But I can’t wait to spend alone time with you again.” Mingyu winks

and he got hit in the chest by Jihoon as response

and to Mingyu’s surprise

Jihoon reached up to grab Mingyu’s collar and pulled Mingyu down for a kiss

“Aish this kid. Fine fine. Lets go on a date again.”

~ admin Soph

MASTERLIST (where the other date scenarios can be found)

[civilization-phaze-iii]

Im not coping well alone. When im with people im better. I can fall asleep, I don't want to die, I don't feel sad, im not angry, im not alone. But I have no one. My best friend for 8 years hasn't been the same since he got a gf 4 years ago. Every friend group I've been in since has used me, backstabbed me, pissed on me and threw me away. Soph is best friends with someone who was super toxic towards me and doesn't take into consideration how much pain she causes me even when she sees how violent my breakdowns are. She's my best friend right now I guess but it's unhealthy for me how little she gives a shit. Mia hung herself and everyone expectes me to just break down cry and move on when im really not gonna be better for a long time. Its not enough to ask how am i, of course im not good I don't want to have to constantly remind people of that or fake a smile so they don't feel like they need to be here for me. I go to bed screaming fuck you and running through all the hurt and everyone who hurt me. I think about washing out to sea and drowning, its how I want to die. Then I go to social media to distract me a little bit. I write it all out because it hurts less than thinking it. Im on my phone but I don't know how to make it read more on my phone. Its Christmas and I've been sitting in hospital all day with soph going ooo watch out, mistletoe to everyone. I was so sleepy with them but now im trying to sleep in the visitor lounge alone and so sad and angry I can't sleep. I hear the sound of people outside and feel better.