#the boys you raised terrify you one of your grandsons who still had a chance of being someone better got decapitated in front of you you

[suispiria]

it’s looking like disillusion is going to be a major theme in season 2 and maybe what brings rhaenyra and alicent together YIPPEEEEE

[tommyinnit-simp-95]

"WHY MUST YOU BETRAY ME EVERY CHANCE YOU GET?!" Techno shouts at the shaking, tear filled eyed boy in front of him.

Tommy said nothing as he looked around at the chaos unfolding. The TNT had been stopped by his and Ranboos' quick thinking of teleporting the dispensers else where so now the only thing ringing in his ears was the cries of the L'Manburgians and the screeching of Withers.

Phil stepped forward, having noticed how heavily Tommy had began to breathe. "Tech maybe you should-" He tries to warn his son, believing his grandchild to be on a verge of a panic attack.

But Techno did not listen and continued to shout at the young blonde that stood before him.

"What happened to the boy that I raised?! What happened to the child I held and cared for Theseus?! Where is my child that would never hurt me as you have?!" Techno screamed with a voice filled with enough venom that just a single sentence could bring down an Ender Dragon.

"What happened?" Tommy whispered, looking up at his father. "WHAT HAPPENED?!"

Taken a back by the boys shout, Techno stepped back.

"That boy, your child, died the day you left him behind. Yes you tried to protect me from your voices, yes you tried to ensure my safety but the only thing you did was kill the child you used to know!" Tommy spat. "For XD's sake, my own grandfather feels more of a father than you ever have!"

"You take that back this instant!" Techno shouts. "You are my son, not Phil's, not Wil's! Mine! So you will listen to me!"

"You were my father when I was six Technoblade!" Tommy shouted back, his heart beating in his ears. "Not now!"

Techno growls, his voices screaming at him to punish his ungrateful son.

"You wonder why I betray you Technoblade!" Tommy shouted but his vision was becoming blurry and doubled. "Tell me! Tell me why should I choose a man who has done nothing but abandon me time and time again while also chosing to team up with my abuser, my tormentor, over a friend who has always been there for me and harmed by the same man?!"

"Tommy! Calm down, you'll have an asthma attack!" Phil shouts with a voice of alarm.

Tommy grunts and grips his chest in pain. He fell to his knees as his arm had quickly become numb. What was happening? Why did his heart hurt so much?

Shaking Tommy believed that he would get sick from the amount of pain that spread through out his chest as if it was a burning fire.

Wait. Wait he knew this feeling. "I-I'm dying..." He whispers as blood slipped past his lips.

Coughing harshly a splatter of blood adorns the obsidian grid. Gasping for air Tommy slowly looked up at his horrified father family member. Gritting his teeth in a snarl he manages to spit out one more thing before the darkness took him and tore him to pieces.

"I hate you."

With that, Tommy collapsed and a ding was heard all over the battle field.

Tommyinnt has had a heart attack

Lives left: 1

Respawn in: 4 hours

Techno watched as his sons body begun to turn to code in order for him to respawn else where. His eyes stung with unshed tears as his father screamed beside him.

Yes they knew that he had one more life and that he will respawn back at home but they still just watched the youngest of their family die right in front of them. You would scream too.

Looking around Techno watched as his withers torn apart the nation he once believed took away his son only to spit him out and exile him.

But now, through grieving eyes, he saw a burning nation that had helped his poor son recover from the loss of his own child. He saw a group of people who loved Tommy as if he was their own.

Turning towards near silent sobs he sees Dream, the man who helped him do this and was reminded that this was a man who made his child feel nothing but fear and pain for years.

Tubbo's and Ranboo's anguished screams reached the piglin hybrids flicking ears.

With a quick look he saw a sobbing Tubbo holding a terrified Henry who was gripping onto the brunettes' coat like it was his only life line. When he locked eyes with his grandson he could feel the icicle pierce his heart at the fearful look that was given to him.

Techno slowly sunk to his knees as he felt his heart being ripped into millions of pieces. Only one last thing made it past his lips before Dream had teleported himself and his accomplices away.

"What have I done...?"

[stars-are-just-ghosts]

Supernatural Isn’t Just A Show

I started watching Supernatural fifteen years ago, just like many of you. I followed the paths of two young men who hunted the evils in the world that the rest of us couldn’t have imagined on a good day. Vampires and demons and monsters. Greek gods, angels, Lucifer himself. The stories were heartfelt and humorous and dark and tender. They challenged us to see that monsters could be good, and being evil was a choice. They brought us into a reality of hope and fighting the whole world if it meant that your family was safe.

That’s what the show was really about, you see. The hunting and the laughter and the dark and everything in between was just the icing on the cake. The real story? That was family. Two brothers who came together and saved the world, again and again. Two brothers who fought side by side, and sometimes with each other, and always for what was right, even if the drawn line was hard to see. Two brothers whose devotion bled into the world around them and brought other amazing people into the fold. Two brothers who grew to have a circle of people who were the epitome of family, because ‘family don’t end with blood.’  Castiel and Charlie and Bobby and Kevin and Crowley and Jack and the list goes on. A list that extended beyond the characters, beyond the actors, beyond the show itself. One that includes you, me... JoAnn and Steven and Jeffrey.

Let me tell you about JoAnn.

Her daughter and I went to school together, a beautiful young woman named Sarah. Over the years I spent so much time at their house and with JoAnn that it was beyond easy to see them as family. And JoAnn became incredibly special to me. My mother and I have always had a strained, tumultuous relationship with very little in the way of affection. JoAnn, however, became the emotional mother I’d never had. We would laugh together (she had a killer sense of humor,) I would call her just to share something or vent (there was never a moment she wasn’t willing to listen,) she was able to hold all four of my babies after they were born (and they lovingly called her Auntie JoAnn.) And I even managed to get her addicted to Supernatural. 

She loved Dean, especially Dean’s rear end. (-wiggles brows-) 

Shortly before her first and only grandson was born, JoAnn became terminally ill and passed away. She never got to see her grandson, or hold him, or watch him grow up. I think about that all the time, especially when I see a picture of him that Sarah has posted. When I’m watching Supernatural, and Dean says something familiar or I remember a moment in the show that JoAnn particularly loved, I think about JoAnn and how much I wish she could have seen her grandbaby. And how much I wish her daughter, the lovely Sarah, could have experienced that, too. I wonder if JoAnn would have shared this show with her adorable little grandson. I miss that woman every day.

Now, let me tell you about Steven.

His father, Steve, is one of my best friends. I’ve known him for over twenty years. And when his three children were little, I used to babysit them. His son, Steven, was born with severe Cerebral Palsy. He was nonverbal, wheelchair bound, and was tube fed. But he was also the funniest, brightest, most happy boy I’d ever met. He had the most brilliant smile, and the greatest laugh. And whenever someone he loved or really liked walked into a room, his eyes would light up like stars. 

When Steven hit adulthood, I would help his Dad out when Steven was at his house. We liked to watch movies and tv shows together. And I offered up the suggestion of Supernatural. It became like tradition after that. We would all be there in the living room, Steven on the floor with his Dad, and we’d watch the episodes in order. It always made me happy, to be able to share that with them. 

About four years ago, Steven became ill, landing in the hospital. While there, his heart gave out. He passed away without ever having finished the show he had grown to love. Since then, his Dad hasn’t been able to watch anymore. It’s too painful. Too hard to think that Steven isn’t there to watch it with him. I understand completely. Because I’ll watch an old episode and remember Steven’s unabashed laughter. And I wish he was still here to watch it with us. I talked with Steve about giving it another try. He heard the show is ending soon, and I think he is finally ready to see it through, to finish it for both himself and his son. Let me tell you about Jeffrey.

Jeffrey has lived in NYC for over 20 years now. He is my big brother, and was diagnosed with different mental illnesses, including Borderline Personality Disorder. He’s still made a life for himself that makes him happy in a place I know for sure I would never survive in. (I’m a small town girl, through and through.) And it was because of my brother that I found out about GISHWHES. 

You have to understand, my brother doesn’t open up to people easily or step out of his comfort zone for just anyone or anything. But in doing this scavenger hunt? My brother walked around NYC in a robot costume, including taking the subway and walking crowded streets. He also wore a bikini made of lettuce, and not once was shy about it. He dove right in and gave it his all in order to help other people, and to this day I am still insanely proud of him for it. 

After everything he went through, from living on the subway for nearly two years (and never telling us) to going from corporate work (which he hated) to doing something he really loved (comic books, baby) to being hospitalized for suicidal tendencies to finally being diagnosed with things he had struggled with all his life but never had taken care of, and finally having a sense of mental health in a new job as a live-in dog nanny, this amazing man is finally happy. And when I think of that, I think of the video of him wandering around dressed as a robot because of GISHWHES.  Now, if you’ll bare with me... let me tell you about myself.

I am a pansexual woman married to my best friend with four amazing children. 

I have depression and anger issues that I have struggled most of life with. 

I have spent a good chunk of my adult life being a stay-at-home-mom and only now am going back to school to learn a new career. I have rescued and taken care of animals since I was 17, something my children have grown to love as well. And I am happier now than I have ever been. But it wasn’t always that way.

I had my best friend die in my arms when I was 12, that being my first experience with death and grief and unchecked anger. And I grew up a lonely kid who spent most of my time hiding how depressed I was, doing everything I could to take care of everyone else in my life, the majority of them never knowing how much I actually struggled with just living. The first love of my life was killed in a car accident when I was 16. My parents divorced when I was 17 and I dropped out of high school, working three jobs just so I wouldn’t be home with my mother. 

I was married to a selfish and controlling man at 18, had my first child at 19, second at 20, third at 23, and divorced at 23 with three small children and no job. I was terrified and didn’t know what I was going to do. Everything was up and down and inside out.

But I have a very clear memory of sitting down one night, after the kids had gone to sleep and the apartment was quiet and I was alone with nothing but my thoughts and the television… and a repeat episode of Supernatural (Season 2, Episode 16 – Roadkill) was on. (Spoilers ahead if you, by chance, have not seen this episode.)

In that moment, I was barely paying attention to it. I was a wreck, filled with guilt and fear. My face was covered in tears, and I was sobbing as I sat there and rocked with a pillow held in my grip (I oddly remember that pillow vividly because it had rough edges.) But as the episode progressed, I began to quiet. I remember listening intently to Sam and Molly as they sat on an old bed in Greeley’s home, looking at the letters he’d written to his wife. 

“It’s a love letter he wrote her… my God, it’s beautiful… I don’t understand how a guy like this can turn into a monster.” Molly said to Sam. I mirrored that sentiment, in my own way. (I know my situation wasn’t the same.) I’d married a man I’d thought I’d loved. A man I thought loved me. But his actions and selfishness lead to the downfall of our marriage, our family, and my (then) situation. But I had been the one to make the decision to end things, right? After everything he’d done, I couldn’t be with someone I couldn’t trust. And it wasn’t just about me… it was about our children. They needed a mother who was happy…

At the end of the episode, Molly is faced with the reality that she has been dead the entire time and that her husband David had already said his goodbyes, moving on without her.

“What am I supposed to do?” Molly asked, in tears.

“Just… let go. Of David. Of everything. You do that… we think you’ll move on.” Sam responded gently.

Isn’t that what I should be doing? I thought. Because by that point, I’d been stuck in grief and fear for months. I don’t think I knew it until that point, but I’d been holding onto it like a security blanket because it made sense, it seemed like I deserved it.

“But you don’t know where…” Molly responded, her voice still soft with tears.

“No... Molly, you don’t belong here. Haven’t you suffered long enough?” Sam asked. “It’s time… it’s time to go.”

I sat there in stunned silence. 

As odd as it sounds, it felt like he was talking to me. Because for years I’d tried to keep our marriage together because I thought I had to for our children. For years, I’d practically raised those three children alone. For months, I had sat in a holding pattern, waiting for my shoulders to finally break under all the weight from the failure I felt and the misery I was drowning in, doing everything I could to be a good mother with nothing to fall back on. But then I watched Molly walk into the light, tears streaming down her face, a smile ghosting across her lips, and I realized… I really had suffered long enough.

“You really think she’s going to a better place?” Dean asked after Molly moved on.

“I hope so.” Sam replied.

“I guess we’ll never know, not until we take the plunge ourselves, huh?” Dean said with half a smirk.

“Doesn’t really matter, Dean. Hope’s kind of the whole point.” Sam said.

And there it was. What I’d been missing. Hope. 

This show, these two actors, those two brothers opened my eyes to something that had been right in front of me the whole time. I didn’t know what the future would bring, I didn’t know what I was going to do next. But I was certain I had suffered enough. I was certain I needed to move on, for my children, for myself. And as the episode ended, I wiped my tears off my face, shut off the tv and kissed every one of my sleeping children a few dozen times. And I went to bed thinking about the depiction of that light, that hope.

Two years later, I married my best friend – the love of my life, a good man who never lies, never hurts me or my kids, lifts me up when I feel down, makes me laugh every day, treats me far better than I will ever think I deserve. We had a baby boy together, bringing our family to a total of four amazing kids who all call him Dad. We have our own home which we work so hard for, we have a plethora of animals who make every day adventurous, and I am finally on a career track I feel excited about. All because I decided to stop living in my suffering, and move on.

That is why this show is not ‘just a show.’ For me, anyway. Because of JoAnn and Steven and Jeffrey. Because of the hope I found with the show itself. And I know I am not alone in at least this sentiment.

Every season since, I have watched the episodes. I have followed the stories and witnessed the amazing things this fandom has done for each other and complete strangers. I have seen people’s lives changed by the show and the actors, I have been able to connect with other people I never would have known, and get closer to those I already did. I have shared this series with my children, who all love it and the main characters as much as I do.

And right now, as we get near the end of the series, I am not ashamed to admit that I am hurting. I feel a genuine heartache. A genuine loss. I feel like a part of my history is coming to a close. But like at that moment when my world was inside out and I was trapped in my own little hell, I have hope. 

I don’t know what waits for me. I never have. I don’t know what awaits any of us. But this show will never really die. The connections we’ve made, the way the stories and people have touched us… that never really goes away. 

Whether we watch Supernatural on repeat on a bad day, or follow the actors as they move on to new adventures, or get someone in our life to start watching it, this show will always be around. Just like hope. And… isn’t it like Sam said? “Hope’s kind of the whole point.”

So, hold on to hope. And message me if you’re grieving, if you need an ear from a fellow fan, or just someone to shoot Supernatural memes back and forth with. We’re a family. You, me, all of us. And I’ll always be here for you.

(P.S. I will ship Destiel till the bitter end.)

Love,

QuietDarkness (stars-are-just-ghosts)

[robinskey]

Don’t Touch My Family

Request: Would you be willing to make an imagine of dad!billy were after graduation u nd billy leave town bc u get pregnant w/out telling anybody but after a few years u have a son & daughter Neil finds out n come by the house hella pissed while billy isnt home, tries to hurt u nd the kids but billy comes home n just beats the hell out him for trying to hurt his family? just the thought of billy goin after the only person hes terrified of for HIS family makes him THE father he never had makes me melt ❤

A/N: This is a little bit darker than my typical fluffy sunshine fanfic, but I really liked the request, so I decided to do it anyway. :) Sorry if you wanted something shorter, anon-this turned into more of a drabble/one-shot than an imagine. Thanks for requesting!

Warnings: Teenage pregnancy, descriptions of violence, implied abuse, language

You find out you’re pregnant halfway through the last semester of senior year. 

When you tell Billy, you expect him to freak out. He doesn’t, though-at least, not on the outside. On the inside, he’s absolutely panicking. But he can see how upset you are, so he just pulls you close. He whispers into your hair that he’ll support you in whatever you want to do.

After a few days of contemplation, decide you want to have the baby. You and Billy agree that it’s best to keep your pregnancy a secret-for now, at least. If your parents found out, your father would probably actually fire that shotgun he’s always threatening to use on “that deadbeat boyfriend of yours.”

And Billy...well, he has no idea how his father would react. But he has no intentions of finding out.

Thus, Billy offers to run away with you right there on the spot. However, you ultimately decide that it would be better to finish high school. Maybe you'll even be able to save up a little bit of money before the two of you start a new life together.

So, for the next few months, you wear baggy clothes to hide your growing midsection. Billy picks you up for “dates” that are actually doctor’s appointments. Thanks to your valiant efforts, no one suspects a thing.

Eventually, graduation rolls around. Your family hosts a small get-together after the ceremony. Distant relatives congratulate you on your achievements and ask if you’re excited to start this “new chapter in your life.” You smile and nod.

You have no idea.

Later that night, you stuff everything you can fit into a small tote bag. You leave an apology note to your parents on the kitchen counter and sneak out of your house.

Billy’s waiting for you outside in the Camaro. He greets you with a kiss on the forehead and holds the door open as you climb into the passenger seat. As he drives away, you watch your childhood home shrink into the distance, saying a silent goodbye to the only home you’ve ever known.

***

Five years later, you and Billy share a two-bedroom house on the West Coast. You have two kids-a son and a daughter. Billy works as a mechanic at an auto repair shop, while you write for the local newspaper. Neither of you make much money, but it doesn’t matter. You’re both happy-genuinely happy-for the first time in your lives.

Billy gets home around 5:30 every day, so, when the doorbell rings at 5:15, you figure he just got off early.

“I’m coming, honey!” you yell, bouncing your infant daughter on your hip.

But when you peek into the peephole, you discover not your husband standing on your doorstep but a scruffy older man in tattered clothing. His face is scrunched up, and he squints in the sun. You freeze, clutching your baby to your chest.

Neil Hargrove is standing on your porch.

“I know someone’s home. I heard you,” he barks. “Come on. Open up. I just want to talk.”

He raises a dirty fist and raps on the wood. The noise scares your daughter, who starts to whimper. You’re too busy shushing her to notice your son appear at your side.

“Mama, who’s that?”

You clamp a hand over his mouth and suck in your breath. Maybe, if you’re quiet enough, you can cancel out the noise made by your clueless four-year-old.

“Is that my grandson?”

For a split second, his volume dips below its typical scream-level. It’s the most gentle you’ve ever heard him speak.

But then he has to ruin it by pounding once more on the door.

“Come on, you coward, open the damn door!” He rattles the doorknob so violently that you think it might fall off.

This time, you can’t prevent your daughter from letting out a wail. Beside you, your son sniffles.

You muster every last fiber of courage in your being. “Get the hell out of here, Neil,” you growl, trying to sound as menacing as possible.

“Y/N? Is that you?” he asks. There’s a soft thud, almost like he’s just leaned his forehead against the wood.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I thought it was Billy in there,” Neil says.

“Billy-Billy is here,” you stutter.

“No, he’s not. I don’t see the Camaro anywhere, and I know my son takes that damn car everywhere,” Neil says.

Your son wraps his arms around your calf and clings to it. You hope he isn’t able to absorb the panic pulsing through every part of your body

“I’m warning you, Neil, to walk out of here while you still can. I…” 

You scan the messy living room, littered with toys. Your gaze falls on a plastic pistol laying on the sofa.

“I have a gun. And I’m not afraid to use it,” you threaten.

The wall between you slightly muffles his ominous chuckle, but it still reaches your ears.

“I’m sure you do, sweetie. But there’s no need to get violent on an old man who just wants to see his grandkids. Why don’t you just open the door, Y/N?”

“Why don’t you just go to hell, Neil?” 

The silence drags on long enough for you to almost convince yourself that he’s walked away.

Almost.

And then, just loud enough for it to be audible: “If that’s how you want to play it.”

You jump out of the way as the door falls inward with a thud.

Neil Hargrove slowly lowers the foot he used to kick it down, glaring at you with bloodshot eyes.

You push your son behind you, wrap your arms tighter around your daughter, and take cautious steps backwards.

“Did you really think you could hide from me forever?” he asks. He advances deeper into your home-your sanctuary-with every word.

“What do you want from me?” you demand. Your backside collides with a wall; Neil’s backed you into a corner.

“I just want what you and my son stole from me by skipping town five years ago,” Neil says. “A chance to connect with my family.”

He draws close enough that you can count every crater left by untreated acne on his creased face and smell the stale whiskey on his breath. “I knew you had one child,” he says, peeking around you at the little boy cowering in the corner, “but two? What a pleasant surprise. This little one-let me see her face.”

Neil extends a wrinkled hand to peel back the blanket covering the baby. You’re too stunned to react until his filthy finger is only inches from her face. That’s when you raise a knee and jam it into his groin. He doubles over with a grunt.

“Go!” You practically shove your son into his room and set the baby next to him. Then, a hand wraps around your ponytail, yanking you backwards. Tears stream down your face as you scream at your kids to shut the door and lock it. There’s a slam and a click, then the word “bitch” yelled into your ear. Neil spits into your ear canal as he calls you every name in the book. You claw and kick and punch, but Neil’s got a death grip on your hair. He drags you across the living room floor, promising that he’s “going to make you pay.” He finally tosses you onto the couch. Your back aches as the barrel of the fake gun juts into your spinal cord.

Between your shrieks and Neil’s name-calling, you don’t hear the roar of the engine as the Camaro pulls onto your street, nor the squeal of the brakes as Billy pulls up next to the beat-up pick-up truck he’d recognize anywhere. You don’t hear your husband’s thundering footsteps as he sprints up the sidewalk. No, you don’t notice any of that; you’re too preoccupied flailing around as Neil tries to pin you to the sofa. 

But even though you don’t see him, Billy appears in the doorway, still wearing his navy mechanic jumpsuit. He’s covered in grease stains and flushed skin. And, for the first time in his life, he raises his voice at his father without an inkling of fear of the consequences.

“Get your hands off my wife!”

He charges at his father, who’s caught completely off-guard. The two of them crash onto the coffee table, snapping it in two. They only wrestle for a minute before Billy comes out on top. He raises his fist and brings it down on his father’s face until it’s nothing more than a bloody pulp. Billy continues landing blows long after Neil passes out. And, while Neil Hargrove certainly deserves it, you’d rather not have Billy kill someone in your house with your kids in the literal next room. So, eventually, you walk up to your scratched-up, bruised husband and lay a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Baby,” you say softly. 

He gazes up at you, the pain and torment of eighteen years of abuse bubbling to the surface once again. Once his eyes meet yours, they immediately soften. He raises himself to his feet and pulls you into a tight embrace. He squeezes you so tightly that you wince, sore from Neil throwing you around like a ragdoll. Billy apologizes profusely and holds you out at arm’s length. His eyes flicker over your features.

“Are you all right?”

“No,” you say honestly. Your hands are shaking profusely, your heart rate is still elevated well above normal levels, and you’re pretty sure you’ll have nightmares about this encounter for the rest of your life. 

“Did he hurt you?”

“A little. But it could have been so much worse, if you hadn’t…” 

A single tear trails down your cheek. Billy wipes it away with his thumb.

“You don’t have to go there, Y/N. Don’t go there,” he says, leaning his forehead against yours. “It’s all going to be okay.”

Your eyelids flutter shut. “You’re right. We’re safe now-me, the kids-”

“The kids!” you both exclaim at the same time. You run to their bedroom and knock on the door. It swings open, and two small children stare up at you. They both burst into tears, and you and Billy gather them into your arms.

The police arrive a few minutes later, just as Neil starts to regain consciousness. (Having nosy neighbors pays off when you need someone to call 9-1-1 without being asked.) As the officers escort Neil out of the house in handcuffs, Billy warns him to never come near his family again.

And for the first time in his life, his father actually listens.

Taglist: @novaddictx @anabundance0ffand0ms @rexorangecouny  @sweetboibilly @scarrasco1325  @readinthegarden12 @lacunaclouds

If you want to be added to the tag list for a specific character/my writing in general, leave a reply or send me a message! Thanks again for reading. <3

If you want to check out more of my writing, here’s my masterlist. :)

[laxus-and-ceruli]

Tenrou Island

*sorta spoilers?*

Laxus comes back to save the day

We were in awe at Hades’ magic power. We’d thrown so much at him, and not even a scratch! The air around us began to vibrate. Hades let out a loud yell, and Wendy just fucking Disintegrated.

“Believe me when I tell you that was a mercy kill, she got off easy. From this point forward, each of your deaths will be more gruesome than the last.” Hades explained.

“What’d you do to her?!” I spat in the old man’s direction.

Natsu shook his head, “This can’t be happening!”

“It’s okay everybody! I’m fine!” A voice reassured us.

Looking up, we say one of Lucy’s spirits, Horologium, hanging onto the ceiling, Wendy safe in side.

He explained what had happened and wished us luck before poofing off to the spirit realm.

“Well Makarov’s Fairy Tail is certainly entertaining.” Hades mocked us. 

“Are you telling me you know Gramps?” Natsu asked.

Hades told us how he was the guild’s master before Makarov and Natsu being Natsu got worked up over it, throwing himself headfirst at Hades. That action causing Hades to beat our asses. I managed to stop a few of the magic bullets he shot at us with some webs, but it didn’t help.

When the barrage stopped, we were sprawled across the floor, to tired and injured to move. Seeing this, Hades went and rambled about the Guilds original intent  and how Makarov was his greatest mistake, all the while beating Natsu’s head into the ground.

We helplessly watched as he tormented the pinkette, beating him lower and lower before going for the killing blow.

“Stop!” I shouted.

“No, don’t kill him, please!” Lucy screamed, in tears.

The air around us filled with static and Hades’ raised arm was struck by lightning. Suddenly, standing there, in front of Hades, was a ball of light.

“So this is the fossil that took out Gramps?” I knew that voice. “Interesting.”

“It’s Laxus!” Gray smiled.

“Isn’t he the master’s grandson?” Wendy asked.

My heart stuttered in my chest, it’d been so long since I’d seen him.

“I see, so you’re a blood relative of Makarov.” Hades said. Lightning flashed around Laxus’ form.

“Pathetic, you guys got beat so bad you look like a bunch of tattered rags.” Laxus scoffed. 

“No kidding,” Natsu smiled, as my eyebrow twitched. Glob, he was such a prick.

“Laxus what are you ding here?” Erza asked, try to push herself up

“Came to pay respects to the first Master,” He explained, “I used to be a member of Fairy tail too, ya know. I only planned to stop by Mavis’ grave so this is a big surprise.”

“I didn’t expect to run into the second guild master. I have an idea, since you’re here,” Lightning began to form around him, “Why don’t I dig a grave for you too!”

“To think Makarov would be burdened by such a pretentious grandson,” Hades mocked, “It’s a shame really.”

You could feel the magic power in the air build before Laxus shot around him, managing a few blows and throwing the old fuck across the room.

“I’m impressed, not only with your magic power, but with your courage as well. I didn’t know the boy had more than one pawn of Gildarts’ caliber.”

“That reminds me of something the old geezer used to say, ‘whenever you face a tough enemy, it doesn’t matter how strong they are. Standing up to them is what’s most important.’“ Laxus said, “Ain’t that right, Natsu?”

“Hell yea,” Natsu grinned. By now i had managed to drag myself to a still sparking cable. I put my hand around it and began sapping what energy I could. It wouldn’t be much, but it would get me on my feet.

Hades scoffed at what Laxus said, calling it the weak man’s excuse. “Let’s see what you’ve got,” He taunted.

Laxus smirked and stepped forward, “With pleasure.”

He let out a lightning dragon roar, blowing Hades back a bit, and they exchanged attacks.

Hades hit him with extremely powerful attack, but it did next to nothing. Lucky for me it went off in close proximity and I was able to siphon off quite a bit of magic power.

Laxus burst from the spell’s explosion and kicked Hades in the back of the neck, bringing his foot down hard, plowing Hades’ face into the ground.

“To think, that was only one leg.” Laxus started, “I still have the other one. And both my hands, not to mention the rest of me. If I combine them into one attack, it’d be a hell of a lot stronger than the kick that just took you down... You wanna try me?”

“You talk big, but I can’t bla- Agh!”

While Laxus distracted him, I’d managed to get on my feet, sling a web to the ceiling and swing my foot into his obnoxious face, taking some of his energy with me. I pushed off his face and land next to Laxus.

“I fucking hate when they won’t shut up.” I blew some hair out of my face, still wobbly.

“Bitch! You can’t beat me!” Hades launched at us and Laxus Charged back at him.

“Just watch me!”

After a large explosion and exchanging some heavy blows, they separated and Laxus fell to one knee.

“I knew you were full of bravado, but I didn’t expect you to fall so soon,” Hades scoffed.

“Ya know, I’ve traveled almost anywhere,” Laxus laughed, “All over this world of ours. But this is the first time I’ve ever met such a monster. I’ve got a, long way to go.”

“What are you saying!?” Natsu screamed and as I leaned against a wall, my heart clenched. He was about to try something stupid, I could feel it in the air.

“I’m glad I could help you come to that realization, Laxus was it?” Hades was still glowing with magic power. “But this is the end, prepare to die!”

My eyes widened as the spell charged.

“I realize I’m not a member of Fairy Tail anymore, but this guy took out my grandpa, so I’m allowed to take revenge, right?”

“Of course you are!” Natsu shouted.

“Just don’t get yourself killed dumb-ass!” I yelled at him.

I could see a smirk form on his face before he lit up and sent all his lightning to Natsu.

The force from the transfer sent everyone flying, pressing me up against the wall. Without even trying I absorbed some of the excess energy. As the smoke cleared I watched Laxus fall through the hole he’d made onto the deck bellow.

“Laxus!” 

Natsu lit up with lightning and became, for a short period at least, a Lightning-Flame dragon.

“An electric charge?” Hades asked.

“I gave him all my magic power.” Laxus managed.

I rolled my eyes, stupid. Effective? yes. But still incredibly stupid.

“Why did you give it to me?!” Natsu asked. “You know that I’m weaker than you! So why me? Why not Ceruli?!”

“It has nothing to do with who’s weaker or stronger. He wounded Fairy Tail’s Master,” Laxus explained, “It’s only right Someone with the guild’s emblem takes him down, and we all know you’re the one who put the most fight in for that.”

“Give him hell.”

Natsu clenched his jaw, “Okay.”

Natsu looked absolutely feral. Fire and lightning swirling around him. He let out a scream and his fists went to town on Hades’ face.

While that terrifying fight was going down, I slid down to where Laxus landed. He saw me and smiled and I had to resist the urge to smack him.

I started giving him magic energy,

“What the hell are you doing?!” He managed to grab my wrist.

“Making sure you don’t die here!” I growled, shaking his hand off. It wasn’t enough for any major spells, but it was enough that he could somewhat move his limbs.

During one of Natsu’s particularly violent attacks, I managed to put of an energy shield around us so we would get fried.

“Where’d you learn that one?” Laxus chuckled with a wince.

“Not long after we kicked the Oracion Seis’ asses.” I groaned, my magic power already running out. “Natsu had better hurry this up!”

After Natsu managed to blow a hole in the side of the ship, taking a good chunk of the island with it, Hades still got back on his feet.

“You may have knocked me down, but I’m not out.” He said as he got up. “Makarov seemed to have raise some very powerful children, despite his flawed philosophy.”

As he raised to his full height, he healed completely. The bastard even pulled out a spell he’d been keeping in his back pocket. Well... Technically it was under an eye-patch but, potato tomato.

Then he started monologue-ing! If I hadn’t been so weak I’d have slit his throat on principle. He was going on about ‘Zeref’ and primordial magic, ugh.

“He’s creating monsters from the debris!” Gray shouted.

I watched the beasts grow larger and, like everyone else, I was terrified.

But then Natsu gave a rousing speech about knowing our limits and growing stronger, and i don’t know if it was the speech or the adrenaline pumping through me, but I was ready to kick this guy’s ass. I managed to push myself to my feet and face the demons in front of me.

“LET’S GO!” Natsu yelled, and we all charged at the monsters.

One of the blasts hit the ground nest to me and I wrapped my hands around it. It hurt like hell, but I managed to siphon a LOT of magic power from it. I grabbed a web, flung it at the ceiling and used it to swing up with the rest of them.

I swung at one of the monsters, ripping through it, taking most of it’s energy. 

I was nearly pulsing with energy, but my stamina was still low, swinging took less so it was my best chance at staying in the fight.

We managed enough of a gap for Natsu to land a hard right hook.

Hades was baffled by this and the monsters began to crumble.

As they disappeared, the ground began to shake as the Tenrou tree became righted. And as the tree became whole again, our emblems started to glow, and our magic power was restored.

I went for the finishing blow, but Hades blocked me and blew me back with a hard kick to the gut. He’d completely lost his mind, that much was obvious.

“Stay back!”

I don’t know when had gotten back on his feet, but he was, and he was headed for Hades.

“Don’t touch my girl!” He punctuated his shout with a punch to Hades’ face. “Get him!”

Hades hit him with a blast of magic energy, knocking him back down, but the rest of us were already charging the lunatic.

We threw everything we had at him, and he went down again and again, til he didn’t get back up.

When it was over and the sun came up, Natsu let out a triumphant shriek, “YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! FAIRY TAIL IS THE GREATEST!!!!!”

Then of course, Happy, Carla and Lily came running up, the rest of the Grimoire Heart running after them. I was the only one with magic energy left so I went to stand but someone beat me to it.

“Stop right there!” It was Gramps and the rest of Fairy Tail, battered and bruised, but ready to fight.

I let out a sigh and fell back to my knees, not missing the glare Makarov was giving Laxus. This could get interesting.

The Lackeys of Grimoire Heart fled without a second thought, leaving us to fix up our wounded, which was everyone.

I was sat on a rock a few feet away when Makarov tore into his grandson.

“‘I’m proud of you for coming back’ IS THAT WHAT YOU EXPECTED ME TO SAY?!” He yelled, “HOW DARE YOU SET FOOT ON TENROU ISLAND AFTER I KICKED YOU OUT OF THE GUILD? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?? YOU’RE STILL EXPELLED, YA KNOW!”

“Jeez, you’re gonna have a heart attack, old man.” Laxus grumbled.

As Levy tried to calm the master down, Laxus was bombarded by a hug from the Thunder Legion. I laughed at the tearful reunion as Laxus tried to shove them off.

~~~~

Thanks to the boost from the blessing being restored, my body was able to mostly heal itself in record time, so I helped Laxus bandage up.

I didn’t say a single word, I just sat in front of him and started patching him up. It was silent for a few moments until he tried you to talk.

“So uh.. I-”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Ah jeez, not you too-”

“You almost killed yourself today, do you get that?!” I snapped. “You’re a big, dumb idiot that nearly killed himself!”

“Cerul-” He reached for my hand, but I pulled away.

“No!” I shouted, “You could have died today, Laxus! What would I do then? Huh?”

“Do you know how worried I’ve been for the past year?” I cried, “No letters! No messages! No- NOTHING to tell me whether or not you were alive!”

“I’ve been out of my mind worried! Then you show up and do something so-so... So Stupid!” I poked him in the chest, tears were streaming down my face.

“Hey, come on, come here,” He gently pulled my into his chest, “I’m sorry, I should’ve written, I just... didn’t know what to say.”

“Don’t ever do that again!” I sobbed into his chest.

“I won’t, okay? I promise.” He pulled me close and stroked my hair, “I promise I’ll never make you cry again.”

Next Part

[bigfan-fanfic]

Vir’abelasan

~A story detailing the repercussions of Tash drinking from the Well of Sorrows~

Tagging @darlingrutherford​ 

“I can feel it... it’s... hungry.” Tash shuddered. He winced, the echoes from the Fade swirling around him. He had always felt the comforting presence of his guardian spirits swirling around him, but now... they were outnumbered. There was a throng of spirits out there, angry and vicious. But a presence beyond that nestled in the depths of the Well. 

Morrigan scoffed. “How could you possibly know that?”

Tash raised an eyebrow, although he kept his eyes fixed on the Well, as if it might reach out and grab him with a watery hand. “Abelas said that the priests put their will into the Well, right? What if it’s some sort of magical compulsion? A geas or something?”

Solas gave a soft noise of affirmation. “It is said that Mythal’s priests were exceptionally powerful, granted magic by their mistress…”

The witch seemed disconcerted that the child before her had thought of that and she hadn’t. “It is... possible. But that is all the more reason that I should take the power of the Well. I assume the risks.”

“The risks... and the rewards.” Vivienne scoffed. “I would sooner trust the Well to the false Warden than to the witch, my dear.”

“And you would have a child risk binding himself to the lingering will of elf priests?” Morrigan sneered. “And I thought that Madame de Fer could sink no lower.”

“Careful, darling, your famous husband isn’t here to mind your tongue for you.” Vivienne said tartly.

Blackwall huffed. “Can you two quit bickering? This isn’t a tea party.”

Tash nodded. “Play nice.”

Gale knelt next to him, putting an arm around the boy’s shoulders. “What will it be, Tash? I hate to rush you, but Corypheus is coming, and we’ll need to get out of here.”

Tash glanced at Cole. “Can you sense the others? Are they safe?”

Cole closed his eyes for a moment. “Yes. Aura and Lottie are helping them take Samson. But… I can hear him.”

“We should go, then.” Tash sighed. “I wish Henry was here. He’d know what I should do.”

Morrigan clicked her tongue. “My husband is from the same world. He has told me that often the events here are changed from his foreknowledge. The choice is yours alone, young Inquisitor.”

Tash gave a soft whimper, his gold eyes looking from Morrigan to Solas to where Abelas had vanished, and finally to the Well. “It’s mine. I’ll drink.”

And despite Morrigan’s protests, despite Solas expressing his misgivings, Tash waded into the Well, the water rising up to his chest. He did not look back as he moved to the center of the Well of Sorrows, but his voice carried clearly to the others. “Mythal… if you’re real… mythal’enaste. Er… I don’t know the elvhen for it, but please… just don’t hurt me.”

And as soon as he reached the center, he shuddered, and then went limp, slipping into the pool as though he was a marionette and his strings snapped.

The Well exploded, water turning to dense blue fog, swirling around and around where Tash had fallen. Solas and Vivienne held up a barrier as Gale and Blackwall attempted to approach, unnerved by Cole’s mutterings of “He’s talking to her… she shouldn’t be there.”

Blackwall went charging forward as soon as the barriers were dispelled, Tash lying still at the bottom of the empty, dry Well. “Lad! Lad, are you alright?”

He scooped the boy into his arms, trying to determine what to do. And Tash’s eyes flew open.

They were blue. An unnatural, glowing blue that seemed to be bleeding from his irises across the rest of his eyes. Glowing blue lines etched themselves across his skin and up around his horns in a mimicry of the pattern on Abelas’ face.

”Vallaslin.” Gale murmured in awe. “Fenhedhis.”

Tash took a shuddering breath, but a strange chorus followed his voice, the whispering bass and tenor tones of men and an alto tone of a woman. His eyes, now completely a glowing blue, flashed as he stood and looked at Solas, head tilting.

The elf gasped and reeled back.

“Solas.” Tash said softly, in a strange way, as if he had not seen the elf for a long time. The chorus repeated his speech, just slightly out of sync, a few soft trailing whispers after his mouth had closed. “Ar-melana dirthavaren. Revas vir-anaris. Emma enasal, lethallin.”

But any response was lost in the arrival of Corypheus. Tash smiled cryptically and waved his hand toward the eluvian, and it shimmered at his command, opening the gateway. He turned his back on the rapidly approaching Elder One and moved at a stately pace towards the mirror, blue light streaming behind him to become water that formed the shape of an elf woman, rising up to combat the darkspawn magister.

Morrigan chanced one glance at the boy as they tumbled from the eluvian, safe in Skyhold. His eyes were still bleeding blue, his face lit up with the unnatural light.

Something was wrong.

- - - 

“It’s been three days! There is something terribly wrong with Tash!” Blackwall roared. And he was right. The young Inquisitor had not left his room in the intervening hours, not eaten a scrap of food nor a sip of drink. He had launched a terrible and powerful display of magic upon exiting the eluvian, breathing an unnatural fire in all the colors of the rainbow, blue light manifesting around him as a second pair of horns.

Awful sounds came from behind his door (he would not let anyone in, not even Gale), sometimes inane singing, and sometimes a babble of rapid-fire Elvhen, and most disturbingly, screams utterly devoid of the strange echo Tash’s voice had taken on, consisting only of the child’s cries. Cole had only approached the stairs to the Inquisitor’s tower when he collapsed, clutching his head in agony, repeating over and over, “Get her out get her out get her out get her out get her out.”

Varric had sent forward inquiries to Tash’s status, ones that Morgan could not answer. Morrigan had stated that there would be shouts from the Well, but this was something more. Even Henry couldn’t answer the question of what was happening.

“Solas…” Henry whispered to the elf, in the dead of night on the third day. “Mythal… is alive. Well, more like a shadow. Is it possible that she’s… possessing Tash?”

The elf cursed. “Why didn’t you say this before?”

“I didn’t want to change anything!”

Solas grabbed Henry’s wrist and dragged him up to the Inquisitor’s quarters, hurling open the door with magic, forcing their way past Gale, who had sat at the door with red eyes from worry and sleep deprivation.

Tash was perched on the railing of the balcony, staring at them with eyes that were now normal, except for the fact that they were ice blue. The vallaslin had vanished. And Tash cackled, the sound having no business coming from such a youthful throat.

“Mythal. Let him go.”

Tash leaned over the railing and let go.

“No!” Henry screamed, charging forward. But Tash had simply vanished. The Outworlder turned to Solas. “Kieran. Morrigan’s son. He’s in danger!”

 - - -

Kieran sighed as he walked away from his mother. He hadn’t been able to sleep since the Inquisitor returned. Mother usually let him stay up if he had nightmares, and he would sometimes play among the magic lights glowing in the night while she studied in the garden.

Morrigan felt a cold wind tingle the back of her neck and shuddered, suddenly realizing that she had lost sight of her son. “Kieran?” she called, standing up.

- - -

The Inquisitor was… different. He loomed out of the shadows, a finger pressed over his lips. “Hello, Kieran.”

“Your eyes are blue.”

They were. Tash didn’t have blue eyes. He was bright, and happy, and had gold eyes. This was… something else. This wasn’t Tash.

“I want to show you something, Kieran. Something amazing.”

“I… I don’t think so.”

Not-Tash’s face twisted in anguish for a moment and he looked terrified. “Run, Kieran!” he screamed. But almost instantly he resumed his oddly Tranquil-like state. “No, stay. I can help you, Kieran. I can stop the dreams. Just take my hand.”

“Kieran? Kieran!” Morrigan’s voice drifted on the wind, sounding oddly far away.

Not-Tash smiled. “I can help you, but you need to come with me. Now.”

- - - 

Morgan breathed a sigh of relief, even as he ran with his wife through the Fade, accompanied by Henry, the boy from his world, and Blackwall and Gale. Morrigan had been frantic, unable to find Kieran, until Henry had shouted that he had been led into the Fade, through the eluvian. Which technically shouldn’t have been possible. But his fatherly instinct made him relax just a bit when he saw his child.

Although, seeing Kee accompanied by Tash and … oh no.

“Ah. Morgan. Long time no see. Still consorting with my daughter, then?” Flemeth chuckled. Tash spoke with her, their expressions identical.

Morrigan gasped. “Then… you…are Mythal?”

Gale immediately knelt in shock, and Blackwall yanked him to his feet. Mythal and Tash looked on in approval.

“See, girl?” they said. “Those are manners.”

“You will not have my son!” she yelled, advancing.

Tash and Mythal held out their arms, and extending from Tash came a pulse that rocked the Fade, barring Morrigan’s way with spikes of crackling green energy.

“This boy-Inquisitor is a Dreamer, you know. And he gave himself to my service because you couldn’t convince him otherwise.” Mythal-Tash taunted. The spikes faded. “But you need not worry. I mean neither him nor my grandson any harm. Merely to… exchange.”

She knelt to Kieran, and they witnessed her remove the Old God’s soul from him, promising no more dreams and letting him run to Morrigan and Morgan. Then she turned to Tash, who stilled.

“You came to me, honoring the old ways. With a clear mind and pure heart, you petitioned me for aid and drank from my Well. Though you are not of the People or my blood, you are mine, and I shall strike down your enemies for all your days. You have the knowledge from the Well, but now I shall grant you the wisdom to contain it. The voices shall not overwhelm you.”

She waved her hand over the Inquisitor’s face, and he sighed. Blue light flashed from his eyes before they faded back to gold, the only sign of his ordeal a thin blue ring just around each pupil.

“The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, boy. And it must be treated with caution.”

Tash’s eyes widened. “You… you hear them too?”

“They are the voices from Beyond, Tash. Pay them heed, for they protect you even as they evaded the grasp of the People’s gods.”

- - - 

And they exited the Fade, where Solas was waiting. “Holding open the gateway,” he had said. The elf looked to Tash. “Tash… are you well?”

“I think so…” Tash said, pensive. “I hope so. I’m worried, though. Flemeth…Mythal… she has power over me now. I’m worried about what she can do with it. But… either way, I know what we have to do next. I can hear the voices of the Well, but I’m in control. I can shut them off.”

Solas looked pale and deeply concerned, but nodded, his eyes scanning Tash’s face as if he could still see the vallaslin etched on his face in glowing blue lines. “I shall help you, Tash. I promise… I shall free you...”

[mizmahlia]

Speak not a whispered word of them

Summary: The Court of Owls has decided the Gray Son isn't strong enough to lead them after finding out Damian Wayne is actually Damian Wayne al Ghul. And no one will come between them and their prize, not even the Demon's Head himself.

With Damian, Dick, Bruce, Jason and Tim.

AO3

Warning: Talons are scary and it takes some violent behavior to stop them.

For weeks, Bruce watched over Gotham with a sense of unease he hadn’t felt in ages.

Crime rates were low, which could be expected in Gotham when December rolled around. It was simply too cold for crime, save for people like Mister Freeze. But even he remained where he was- in a cell in Arkham. The rest of the occupants of Arkham were also content to stay in their cells, as were those at Blackgate. And the troublemakers who weren’t currently incarcerated were behaving themselves, for the most part.

No, crime rates weren’t just low.

They were nonexistent.

It was unlike anything he’d seen before and Bruce hated it.

While working their shift on Watchtower duty, Oliver told him to not to look a gift horse in the mouth and to savor the downtime. After all- in Gotham, shit hit the fan on a regular basis. Going a week or two without having to put yourself in harm’s way is usually something people enjoy, not obsess over. Clark and Diana both said something similar, and Clark reassured him he was on standby in case something happened.

Though Bruce would never, ever admit it, he was relieved to hear Clark say it.

For once, he was at a total loss to try and justify why he felt the way he did. There was nothing he could find to support the idea that somewhere, just out of his periphery, something was lurking and so far, there was nothing he could do to prepare for it.

It terrified him.

It was the week before Christmas when his paranoia was rewarded.

He was in a board meeting at Wayne Enterprises when his secretary Sarah gently tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a note.

You have a visitor. He said it’s about your son.

Bruce leaned to his right, whispering to Lucius he had to step out for a moment. Lucius didn’t question it, instead nodding in acknowledgement and turning back to the presentation. He followed his secretary out into the hallway toward the lobby.

“I’m so sorry, mister Wayne. But he insisted I come find you, and to be honest, he’s really intimidating. Half the staff took an early lunch because he made them so uneasy.”

Bruce frowned as they got to the end of the hallway.

“Did he give you his name?”

Sarah shook her head and stepped to the side to let him pass.

“No, but I asked. He said you would understand when you saw him.”

He paused before he turned the corner and took a moment to really look at Sarah. She shivered like she was cold, and her arms were crossed over her chest. And her normally calm, kind demeanor had shifted to nervousness and fear.

“Why don’t you go get some coffee, then? I’ll take care of this. Thank you.”

He gave her his most reassuring smile and waited until she was in the break room before he rounded the corner.

Despite the fact he was dressed in an expensive wool suit with a matching overcoat, and not his usual green robes, he would recognize Ra’s al Ghul anywhere. The moment Bruce stepped into the lobby Ra’s turned.

He didn’t bother hiding his anger at Ra’s’ presence in Gotham or his shock at his appearance. The expensive tailoring hid his emaciated frame from those who didn’t know him, but the sharpness in his cheekbones couldn’t be disguised. But before Bruce could say a word, Ra’s focused the full intensity of his gaze on Bruce, green eyes full of urgency.

“Detective,” Ra’s said softly, even though there was no one in the lobby. “We need to talk.”

Bruce stood firm, feet shoulder-width apart and his hands in his pants pockets.

“Not until I get some answers. What’s this about?”

Ra’s arched an eyebrow at the defiance and stiffened.

“My grandson.”

 “Wait. So we’re supposed to go off intel from Ra’s al Ghul, someone who’s repeatedly tried to kill Damian, and work with him? What the hell, Bruce?”

Dick paced back and forth behind him, anger coming off him in waves. For a moment, Bruce regretted telling him anything. These last few weeks had worn his nerves down to nothing and it didn’t take much to leave him feeling frazzled, so Dick’s outburst wasn’t helping. But he was just as protective over Damian as Bruce was, so it made sense Dick would be pissed off.

Bruce usually preached keeping emotions out of a fight, but in this case, it would help keep Dick focused on the situation at hand.

“I’m not happy with it, either, Dick. But it’s been over two years since Ra’s has made an attempt to hurt any of us, and more than that since he’s tried anything with Damian.”

Dick stopped pacing and stared at him before narrowing his eyes.

“This has something to do with why you’ve been acting so weird lately.”

Bruce paused only a moment and continued to work, but Dick noticed the hesitation.

“Look, I get it,” he said, lowering his voice. He leaned against the console next to Bruce as he typed. “And I agree with you- something feels off about Gotham these last few weeks. But the Court of Owls? They haven’t been a problem, not since we dismantled the Parliament- “

Bruce stopped typing and leaned back in his chair.

“We can’t take the chance, Dick. I know it’s Ra’s, but the man has always been direct in his intentions, especially with Damian. We have to look into this.”

Dick’s shoulders slumped and he sighed. He knew Bruce was right, but damn if he didn’t hate their source of intel.

“Alright. So what’s the plan?”

From the top of the stairs, Damian listened intently. He hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but when he heard father say his grandfather was in town, he knew he had to find out what was going on.

He was Robin, after all. And Robin helps keep Gotham safe, no matter what.

 The next evening, the Batwing dropped them over Coventry, and they met Ra’s on the ground. Snow continued to fall, adding to the six inches already on the ground. It swirled when the wind picked up and reduced visibility to almost zero. Most of Gotham was off the streets and the near-silence was unsettling.

A city of millions had become a ghost town.

Despite Dick’s protest an hour before, both he and Bruce wore their winterized suits, which offered more protection against the cold and allowed them heavier armor. With the Court of Owls, no chances could be taken.

As planned, he was waiting in an alley around the corner from the drop site. Dressed in full League regalia, he still posed an intimidating figure, even if he wasn’t in the best of health. Ra’s turned and nodded at Dick before shifting his attention to Bruce.

“Detective.”

“Ra’s. Where is your guard?”

He glanced behind him before he answered.

“I sent them to Talia to make sure she and Damian get out of Gotham safely.”

Bruce studied him but remained silent. Dick looked at Bruce, then at Ra’s.

“Are you sure you can handle this? You don’t exactly look like yourself.”

Ra’s didn’t stoop to using conventional body language, so he didn’t roll his eyes. But even in the dark, his gaze was piercing, and any normal person would have cowered beneath it. He looked at Bruce first, waiting for him to speak up and when he didn’t, he shook his head in disappointment.

“Such a lack of respect from your partner, Detective. I’ve had men executed for less than that.”

Before Dick could reply, Bruce held up a hand.

“If your intel is accurate, then their plan should be underway. It shouldn’t take long for them to notice us.”

“Indeed,” Ra’s replied and drew his sword. “They already have.”

He nodded toward the other end of the alley behind Bruce. A long figure stood motionless between them and the street, armor and steel glinting beneath the streetlight. It didn’t move, even when it spoke.

“We’re here for the boy,” it said. It raised a single hand and beckoned with it. “So give him to me, and you’ll survive the night.”

Dick stepped to Bruce’s right, with Ra’s standing on his left, flanking him.

“The last time I fought a Talon, things didn’t end well for him,” Bruce said. “You don’t want to find out what that felt like.”

It tilted its head to one side and if it were capable of smiling, it probably was. There wasn’t much that made the hair on Bruce’s neck stand on end, but that idea certainly did.

“You aren’t fighting one Talon tonight, Batman. You’re fighting them all.”

Dick looked up to see Talons lining the rooftops on either side of the alley, with more blocking their exit behind them. He drew his escrima sticks at the same time Ra’s raised his sword.

“And so are you,” Bruce growled.

Red Robin dropped to the street behind the first Talon, and the Red Hood casually strode up behind those who blocked their retreat.

“These the assholes who want to take our brother?” Jason asked, drawing both pistols from his thigh holsters.

“I think they are,” Tim replied. His bo staff was at the ready.

“Then let’s do something about it,” Dick called out.

Simultaneously, four smoke cannisters were tossed, filling the area with thick smoke as the fighting began. The clash spilled out into the street, giving both sides more room to maneuver. But no matter how much room they had, Talons still swarmed like piranhas and were quick to head off any attempts at a group attack. They kept Jason and Tim from teaming up, and separated Bruce and Dick. Without the ability to pair up and watch each other’s backs, injuries began to mount.

“B,” Dick panted, deflecting a hand with sharp claws away from his neck, “please tell me he’s out of the city by now.”

Bruce lashed out to his right, his elbow crushing the face of a Talon as it leapt over a fallen comrade. It hit the ground and laid there for a moment before rearranging its face and climbing to its feet.

“Not yet, no.”

They heard a pained grunt and looked down the street to see three of them try to overtake Jason. One sank its claws into the gap in Jason’s armor between his neck and shoulder, while another ripped the guns from his hands. He dropped to his knees before ripping a knife from his calf and slicing the hands off two of the three Talons.

“Not to be a downer, but I’m out of ammo. It barely slowed them down.”

Bruce heard a wheeze in Jason’s voice that he was certain meant some kind of chest injury. Before he could answer, they all heard Talia’s frantic voice in their earpieces. He watched one to Tim’s left drive its claws into his thigh before Tim could shake it off.

“Bruce, he’s not here. Damian’s gone. I repeat- Damian is gone.”

From behind them, Ra’s roared and with what little superhuman speed he had left, began aiming for the heads of any Talon near him. He made his way toward Bruce, kicking heads out of his way as he walked.

“Detective, you need to go find him. We’ll try and hold them off, but- “

Dick’s scream pierced the near-silence and they turned, watching in vain as Talons broke his arm and drove blades into his upper back. He fought them off with his good arm, but as soon as he did, another pounced and brought him down.

Bruce kicked and punched his way through the swarm, pure rage and adrenaline providing the strength. He ripped both of them off Dick and helped Dick to his feet. He set him down next to Jason, who was tending to Tim’s leg.

“Batman, we can’t hold them off much longer,” Jason said quietly. “You need to go find Damian.”

Bruce looked down at three of his boys, each bleeding and broken, ready to continue fighting if it meant Damian made it out alive. He was ready to agree when Tim’s eyes widened and he pointed upward. Bruce turned to see the first Talon leap from the rooftop, sword in his hand. But before he could make contact, a red, yellow and green blur swung in from the side and knocked him to the street, landing on his chest and holding a sword to this throat.

“Hands off my family, Talon. I won’t ask again.”

Ra’s fought his way over and between the three of them, they beat back the wave of Talons who were still able to fight. But despite their efforts, Talons were still cropping up from the shadows.

Damian leaped, twisted, sliced and hacked his way through a group of them when they made their way toward Dick, Jason and Tim. To their credit, they were still able to fight, but not without sustaining further injury. Damian barely made it in time to stop one from shoving its claws through Tim’s chest.

“Robin! Behind you!” Tim cried, tossing him one half of his broken bo staff. Damian caught it and spun, gasping as it drove its knife straight for his chest. Ra’s intervened before it had the chance and the blade pierced his armor just above his heart. He hit the ground and Damian swung his sword, making sure it stayed there.

Ra’s had landed on his back and gripped Damian’s ankle tightly, forcing him to look down.

“Damian, you need to get out of here before they send more. They won’t stop until they take you.”

He glanced across the street to see Bruce take down the last of them before wading through the snow and Talon corpses. Even in the snow, Damian could see the relief on his face and let himself smile.

“Father, I- “

They all watched Bruce lurch forward and fall to his knees in the middle of the street. There were three blades in his back and another in the back of his right leg. A lone Talon appeared from the alley where the fight began and stalked toward him, ready to finish him off.

“NO!” Damian cried.

He wrenched his leg free from Ra’s’ grasp and sprinted toward Bruce. He inserted himself between Bruce and the Talon, holding his sword up.

“If you touch him again, it will be the last thing you do.”

The Talon immediately stopped and slid the knife back in a sheath against its leg. It tilted its head and studied Damian as if it were waiting for further instruction.

“Come on, you coward! What are you waiting f- “

There was a quiet hiss from his right and Damian turned toward it. A snare wrapped itself around his legs and it retracted hard, yanking his feet out from under him. He hit the street and the air was knocked from his lungs, but he began thrashing as the Talon grabbed his upper arms in a vice-like grip. He kicked as hard as he could and he broke several of the Talon’s ribs in the process, but it held tight.

A moment later he sucked in a deep breath, wincing at the pain in his back from the fall.

“Father! Don’t let them take me. Please, don’t let them- “

A gag was shoved in his mouth and the Talon finished tying his hands down and behind his back. He continued to kick and yell anyway, trying desperately to free himself.

The last thing he saw as they rounded a corner was his father trying to crawl after him, screaming his name, while his brothers lay bleeding on the sidewalk.

[crescentmoon223]

Two Worlds Collide Epilogue!

Read it on AO3 | Rated: NC-17 | Stella x Scully

Epilogue

(This is it, you guys! Make sure you’ve caught up first here.)

June 2019

The Wyoming sun blazed hot and bright overhead as students crossed the stage one by one, receiving their diplomas and turning their tassels. Scully remembered—however vaguely—the thrill of walking across that stage, knowing her whole life was ahead of her. How differently it had all ended up from the future she’d imagined for herself that long-ago day.

“I can’t quite believe I’m sitting here,” she whispered, tears swimming across her vision.

“Feeling old, are you?” Stella squeezed her fingers.

“A little,” she admitted. “But mostly just so…grateful.”

“He looks so handsome,” Maggie murmured from Scully’s other side. “So grown up.”

“He does,” she agreed. Her son was a man now, standing tall and proud in his blue robes on the risers at the front of the field, waiting for his name to be called. He had a long wait ahead of him before the principal made it through the alphabet to Van De Kamp.

Since that first reunion at Will’s eleventh birthday party, there had been more meetings, more parties, and as he grew older, even a handful of emails and phone calls. She’d gotten to watch him grow—albeit from afar—and now she was here to watch him graduate from high school. When she thought back on that first terrifying, heartbreaking year of his life, it seemed almost impossible that this moment had come.

Today, she sat between Stella and her mother, a few rows behind the Van De Kamps. Mulder was on the other side of Maggie, and somewhere off in the stands were more familiar faces, faces she hadn’t seen in years, people she couldn’t wait to hug after the ceremony was over.

“William Van De Kamp,” the principal called.

Will walked across the stage, his red hair gleaming from beneath his cap. Her baby. Her son. Her William. Tears rolled over her cheeks, and her heart swelled in her chest, filled to bursting with happiness and pride as she watched him receive his diploma.

Stella took her left hand, squeezing tightly, as Maggie took her right. When Scully darted a glance in either direction, she saw tears on both of their cheeks as well. She smiled, holding tight to the two women she loved most.

After the ceremony finished, things grew somewhat chaotic as everyone stood, pushing their way through the crowd to find their newly minted graduates. Scully was jostled this way and that as she, Stella, Maggie, and Mulder made their way to the sidelines, letting Will celebrate first with his parents.

And then, there he was, weaving through the crowd toward her. He walked straight up to her, grinning like the boy he’d been, not the man he’d become, as he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet with the strength of his embrace.

“Congratulations,” she said, closing her eyes as she breathed him in, this life she’d created, carried inside her for nine months and nursed for eleven. The boy she loved with every fiber of her heart. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you,” he said in that deep voice she still hadn’t quite gotten used to. “I’m so glad you could come.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

He released her, turning to Mulder, who greeted him with an enthusiastic back slap and more congratulations. Will was nearly as tall as his father and every bit as handsome. Maggie was next, tears streaming down her cheeks as she hugged her grandson. Stella greeted Will more quietly than the rest of their group, but the pride in her eyes shone just as bright.

The Van De Kamps joined them for another round of hugs, and then they headed off with Will to take pictures and greet more family before the party that would be happening later at their house. Scully turned to Stella after they’d gone, wrapping her arms tightly around her. Stella stroked her hair, murmuring words of comfort as Scully regained her composure.

“Well, if you aren’t a sight for sore eyes.”

She turned at the familiar voice to see Skinner walking toward her through the crowd, bald head gleaming in the sunshine. Doggett and Reyes walked beside him, all of them smiling widely. Scully had been unsure at first about inviting them, but since they’d all been such an important part of William’s first year of life, and since she hadn’t seen them in so long, she hadn’t been able to resist the X Files family reunion.

There were more hugs, more laughter, and in Stella’s case…introductions.

“You look good, Dana,” Doggett said. “Happy.”

“Thanks, John. So do you.”

“I have Monica to thank for that,” he said, looking at his wife with unabashed affection in his eyes.

“Did I hear my name?” Reyes sidled over, wrapping an arm around his waist as her warm gaze settled on Scully. “How are you, Dana?”

“Good,” she said, threading her fingers through Stella’s. “Really good.”

As she looked at the circle of people around her, she realized they were all good. Better than good, really. Doggett was an Assistant Director in the FBI, and he and Reyes had an eight-year-old daughter, Elena. As for Skinner, now that he was no longer saddled with the X Files, he’d finally been promoted to Deputy Director.

“Hey there, partner,” Mulder said, walking over to Reyes. A few years ago, the two of them had opened their own private investigation firm. Now, they worked together to solve unexplained cases, often consulting for the FBI. And he looked happier than she’d ever seen him. He had his life’s work back, and this time, no one could take it away from him.

After they’d all spent a few minutes catching up, they separated to their respective vehicles to make their way to the Van De Kamps’ farm for the graduation party, where they spent the rest of the afternoon celebrating with all the other people in Will’s life, sharing food and drinks and conversation. It had surprised Scully at first, how welcoming everyone in the Van De Kamp family had been to her and Mulder. Her son couldn’t have been raised by better people.

Will made his way over to Scully and Stella, soda can in one hand, cell phone in the other. “I was wondering, what would you think about me coming to visit you guys in London for a few weeks this summer?”

Scully pressed a hand over her mouth. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he said with a smile and a shrug. “I’ve never been to Europe, never even left the country, and I figured this is a good chance before I start college in the fall.”

“What do your parents think?” she asked, darting a glance at the Van De Kamps.

“They’re cool with it,” Will said.

“Then there’s nothing I would love more,” she told him, trying her damndest to keep the tears out of her eyes until after he’d walked away. “I could take some time off work and show you around, I mean…unless you’d rather not spend that much time with me.”

“I do,” he said with a laugh. “It sounds great.”

She pulled him in for an impromptu hug. “I can’t wait.”

***

Stella had laughed when Scully suggested they rent the same cabin they stayed in seven years ago, but she wasn’t laughing now. Now, she was sweating. And not just from exertion. Scully had insisted they hike to the mountaintop overlook where they’d shared such a memorable afternoon together all those years ago. It was hotter today than it had been that day and also cloudier, giving the air a heavy, humid feel that had Stella’s hair curling and her patience fraying.

“Not quite as easy at fifty-five as it was at forty-eight,” Scully commented with a smile as she spread out their blanket, but despite her complaint, she didn’t look especially taxed. As far as Stella could see, she hadn’t even broken a sweat. Her hair was frizzing, though. It always did when the weather was humid, even more so than Stella’s.

“Oh, fuck off,” Stella told her. “You could hike circles around me, and you know it.”

Scully grinned over her shoulder at her. “Like you swam laps around me this morning in the lake?”

Stella settled beside her on the blanket, looking out at the sheer rock faces before them. Below, their lake glittered a rich, deep blue from within the lush green of the valley. “It looks the same, doesn’t it?”

“Mostly,” Scully agreed. “Although I do see a few more houses down there than I remember.”

“We’ve changed,” Stella said. Since the last time she sat here, she’d risen through the ranks to Detective Chief Superintendent, a managerial position that offered her a lot more power and more predictable hours.

Scully—in her never-ending search for new and exciting challenges at work—had left her job as a forensic pathologist last year and accepted a staff position at the local university to teach forensics, although she still consulted with the Met on occasion when they needed an expert opinion. Now, they were both home in time for dinner most nights.

She and Stella had bought a new flat together, a bigger space with two guest bedrooms for Scully’s friends and family to stay in when they visited from the states. Maggie came several times a year and often stayed a week or longer. She was so taken with London that Stella wouldn’t be surprised if she moved there someday too.

“We’re older,” Scully commented in response to Stella’s statement.

“Wiser,” she countered.

“More content.” Scully reached over and squeezed her hand.

It was true. Stella hadn’t known this kind of contentment was possible, at least not for her. The last time they sat here, she’d been so frightened of her feelings, terrified to tell Scully she loved her, desperately trying to avoid that next step in their relationship.

“You know,” Scully said as she gave Stella a funny look. “I think you were wearing those same pants that day. I remember the zippers on the pockets.”

“Was I?” Stella had chosen them today for a reason, and it was all she could do not to clap her hand over the slight bulge in her left pocket. Her pulse spiked, and dammit, she was sweating again.

“I don’t know how you keep clothes for that long,” Scully teased. “And they still look brand new. Mine all get stains or holes after a few years, and I throw them out.”

“Spending too much time on your knees, are you?” she shot back, earning a laugh from Scully.

“You would know.”

“Care to refresh my memory? I am getting older, as you so kindly pointed out.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure you remember this,” Scully said with a wicked grin as she crawled into Stella’s lap, pushing her down flat on the blanket. “I think you remember what we did on this blanket last time too.”

“Actually, it’s my turn to get on my knees today,” Stella said, flipping them so Scully lay beneath her. “Or…on one knee, at least.”

Scully froze, blue eyes wide, lips parted in a silent O.

Heat washed over Stella’s skin, the realization that there was no going back. Not that she wanted to. She’d never wanted anything in her life more than she wanted this moment. But she wanted it to be perfect, and romantic gestures weren’t exactly her forte. Heart thumping against her ribs, she backed onto her knees, hovering over Scully as she unzipped her left pocket and pulled out the ring. She clasped it against her palm.

“Dana, when I first saw you walking across the field toward my crime scene over twenty years ago, I felt something spark between us. It scared me. It terrified me, honestly. I’d never felt anything like that with another person before.”

“I felt it too,” Scully whispered, tears already leaking from her eyes as she sat up to face Stella.

“Our worlds collided that day, and nothing in my life was ever quite the same.”

Scully nodded breathlessly, her bottom lip trembling.

“After you left, I tried to put you out of my mind. I mean, we’d only spent two nights together. How could that possibly mean as much as it felt like it had?” Stella’s cheeks grew hot, her eyes wet.

“But it did,” Scully said. “I know.”

“And when you came back to London, right after I’d come off that awful case in Belfast, there was that connection again, this thing between us that scared the fuck out of me because it was so strong, so powerful, and I was so sure I was going to fuck it up.”

“Oh, I remember,” Scully said, smiling through her tears.

“But here we are, seven years later.” Stella’s voice was hoarse as she forced the words past the lump of emotion in her throat. “You make me happier than I knew it was possible to be. Dana, I love you more than anything in the world.”

Scully was crying in earnest now, nodding through her tears, red hair clinging to her damp cheeks. “Same. I love you so much.”

“But there’s one thing that would make me even happier.” She unclenched her hand, holding the ring between shaking fingers. “Dana Katherine Scully, would you do me the incredible honor of agreeing to be my wife?”

“Yes.” Scully was nodding almost before the words were out of Stella’s mouth. “A million times yes. Oh, Stella…” She gasped as Stella slid the ring onto her finger. “It’s so beautiful. I love it. I love you.”

“I always said blue was your color.” Stella looked down at the ring she’d chosen, a simple gold band with a sapphire at its center. It was a nontraditional ring from one nontraditional woman to another. And now that she saw it on Scully’s hand, her eyes overflowed with tears of joy.

“It’s absolutely perfect.” Scully leaned forward, capturing her lips for a lingering kiss.

“You’re perfect,” Stella countered.

“Not even close.”

“You’re perfect for me.”

“And you are perfect for me.” She kissed her again. “And here I thought this day was already perfect after Will’s graduation. Best day of my life, by far.”

“It has been a pretty great one.” The emotion that filled Stella now was steady and calm, a soul-deep contentment that she would spend the rest of her life with the amazing woman in front of her.

They lay together on the blanket, side by side, basking in the moment. Scully rolled to face her. “You know, I think I should pick out a ring for you too once we’re back in London. I want the world to know you’re my fiancée.”

“Really?” Stella had never imagined herself wearing a ring, but she didn’t dislike the idea of it either. “I’ll leave that up to you, then.”

“Okay.” Scully grinned at her. “I’ll surprise you.”

“I hate surprises.” Stella leaned forward to kiss her, pressing their bodies together, heat growing everywhere they touched.

“You like them when they’re from me,” Scully reminded her, one hand sliding between Stella’s thighs, tongue licking into her mouth, lighting Stella on fire from head to toe.

“I do,” she murmured against Scully’s lips. “I do.”

-----

Well, this is it, you guys! I hope you have enjoyed reading Two Worlds Collide as much as I enjoyed writing it. I have so much love for these characters, and it has brought me a ridiculous amount of joy to write this story for them. Please let me know your thoughts on this final chapter. Your comments mean so much to me!

Since some of you have asked, I do have plans to write some Stella/Scully bonus scenes set in this world when I have time/inspiration. (and on that note, please feel free to send me prompts!) But just last week, I started thinking about writing a shorter, fluffier follow-up fic to Two Worlds Collide, that would take them through their wedding. Is that something you'd like to read? And if so, do you have any specific requests for things you'd like me to include (Stella in uniform, ahem?) 😏 Feel free to prompt me here on Tumblr or find me on twitter @rachelslacey.

Thanks again for all the love for Two Worlds Collide! It has truly been a highlight of my year. xx.

[tvdversefanfiction]

Canary Carnage

Fandoms: Arrowverse, DC Universe, TVDverse and The Originals

Chapter Ten: Lost Canaries

Warnings: I don’t own any of the rights, content or characters belonging to any of the DC content I use within the story along with not owning any rights, content or characters within The Vampire Diaries, Originals or Legacies.

18 Rating: Moderate/Graphic displays of violence, sexual innuendos, sexually charged scenes, SMUT, strong language and potentially triggering scenes.

Pairings: M/M, F/F, M/F.

Laurel Lance had returned to Earth Blood and New Orleans with her mother Dinah with the hopes of seeking redemption for her son from the future the only problem was she couldn’t find her secret son who believed she was his sister and that had her worried not to mention she couldn’t find her mother either not knowing her mother had been murdered by her son.

She was determined to find them both determined to have her family reunited one way or another but as the weeks passed by she began to fear the worst terrified her desperate pleas to Elijah Mikaelson had went unanswered horrified at the idea that both her mother and her son were already dead.

Of course she was only half right her mother Dinah Lance had been murdered but it was her son Lucas Lance who was the culprit although Klaus Mikaelson did help him cover his tracks before handing him over to the daughter of the demon Nyssa Al Ghul after some unsettling news about a Lazarus Pit.

Laurel was determined to learn the truth one way or another even if it meant declaring war on the Mikaelson’s, going head to head in battle was something the Black Canary was used to it was something she could handle but what Laurel Lance could never handle was the devastating truth just waiting to be uncovered.

“I’m not saying we sit around and do-nothing Laurel…I’m just saying we need to tackle this wisely.” Sara said to her older sister Laurel as the two sat at the bar counter in the bar of the New Orleans Voyage Hotel, each of them nursing a bottle of beer. “Especially considering you and Marcel botched the whole sleeping poison idea.”

“If I had known they would take Dinah and Lucas I’d have personally hand delivered the poison to them both!” Laurel snapped at her younger sister just before Klaus vamp sped into the bar, instantly making the two sisters rise to their feet, placing down their beers on the bar counter, both ready to take on the original hybrid.

“It’s not nice to go around throwing accusations especially at a new friend who is only trying to help.” Klaus told them both.

“How the hell did you get in here without being invited?” Sara furiously asked the immortal man.

“In case you forgot I got rather close to your brother before he decided to go on holiday.” Klaus replied to Sara with a sinister smirk, all to eager to mention his history with the girls’ brother. “Don’t get me wrong suddenly deciding to go off on holiday with your ex-girlfriend league assassin Nyssa Al Ghul just when your mother goes missing is a tad suspicious but I doubt he had time to slaughter her with all the packing he would have to do.”

“You seriously expect us to believe Nyssa and Lucas are on holiday together hell I don’t even believe she’s still on this earth.” Sara said making clear she didn’t believe a word Klaus was saying.

“Why would you even try cover your tracks?” Laurel asked, not quite trusting the original hybrid but not completely distrusting him either. “If you murdered the both of them why aren’t you showing up here boasting about it?”

“I always knew you were the smart sister Laurel.” Klaus complimented the Black Canary while throwing some shade at the White Canary at the same time. “If I had killed either of them, I’d be all to glad to gloat, but the truth is I’m innocent.”

“What the hell would Nyssa want with Lucas?” Sara demanded to know.

“She’s an assassin which makes her a worthy ally to him the boy isn’t stupid he’s clearly switched sides before we stuck in the knife.” Klaus answered her before letting out a reluctant sigh. “However, my brother Elijah seems to think we should stop this little war of ours…so I won’t make a move if you don’t.”

“You mean if you haven’t already.” Sara snapped at Klaus, believing with certainty that he killed their mother.

“You mother is probably just taking the time needed to get over the fact she’s been raising her grandson as a son for all these years.” Klaus revealed all too eagerly knowing it would force Laurel into revealing the rest of the truth to Sara.

On an earth with no Gotham, Star or Central City there was still an infamous island called Lian Yu the same island in which Oliver Queen and Sara Lance washed ashore before being swept up within the carnage of the league of assassins and Nyssa Al Ghul thought they was no better place to take Lucas Lance knowing he couldn’t just escape the remote island which was the perfect location for nobody to find them.

Nyssa felt immense guilt over her and her group of assassins murdering Sara even if their murder didn’t exactly stick and believed saving Lucas from the demon inside him following a bath in the Lazarus Pit hoping that by giving Sara her brother back it would somehow make up for their twisted past knowing it would be anything but an easy task.

“Here’s me thinking you were going to leave me down here for the rest of my life.” Lucas complained as he stood in his underground bunker cell with a power dampener collar around his neck, as Nyssa climbed down the bunker ladder to stand in front of the Red Canary’s cell.

“Infinity Island is one of many places that doesn’t exist on this Earth clearly there’s something special about Lian Yu on every Earth including this one.” Nyssa replied to him. “The only problem is if there’s no Infinity Island than there’s no Lazarus Pit of course there have been other Lazarus Pits, but I highly doubt they exist on this Earth.”

“Okay then I’ll just ask the question you want me to ask already. What the bloody hell is a Lazarus Pit?” Lucas asked the demon’s daughter, trying to hide his curiosity.

“After your mother came to the present from the future to deliver you to your grandparents at a later date many years later a future version of my father came to Infinity Island to deliver the news of where the undead child was which is the reason Ra’s Al Ghul took such special interest in Sara Lance and Oliver Queen in the first place.” Nyssa revealed to a stunned Lucas, who was still reeling from the fact Dinah Lance wasn’t his biological mother. “My father both in the present and the future is desperate to get you under his control for the same reason your real mother The Black Canary traveled back in time to hide you.”

“That can’t be possible Laurel’s my big sister there’s only like three years between us that’s biologically impossible not to mention one hell of a mind fuck.” Lucas replied, in complete disbelief of what Nyssa was telling him.

“Her future version was more than old enough to bare a child and she did…you.” Nyssa continued to inform the Red Canary. “Funnily enough my father in the future first believed you were special because you were the son of the Black Canary and the Green Arrow although after he kidnapped you, he truly learned just how special you were.”

“You seriously expect me to believe that my sister Laurel and her cheating ex Oliver are my parents?” Lucas scoffed at the demon’s daughter. “And people think I’m the crazy one.”

“Let’s go for a little walk I have a feeling the fresh air will probably go rather well with what I am to tell you next.” Nyssa said as she pulled out a key from her jacket pocket and unlocked Lucas’ cell door. “Of course, you can try to escape but I can ensure you only I can find the only way off this island Mr Lance.”

The thought of escaping Lian Yu was on Lucas Lance’s mind for sure but first he wanted to hear more about this story Nyssa was spinning about his own origins not fully believe the assassin but refusing to try to escape until after her story about him had ended just in case she was telling him the truth.

The Red Canary always wanted someone to believe he was special and now he had found that someone he quickly realized being special had already came with too much burden including being kidnapped by the demon’s daughter after killing the woman who raised him.

Laurel Lance was the type of woman who would always seek out the truth no matter what and so when her future son alongside her mother suddenly vanished of the face of Earth Blood she decided to seek out the wonder witch Davina Claire’s help to locate them both with a certain spell.

She may have believed Klaus hadn’t killed Lucas due to his reasoning being too strange to be a lie but she also believe he was hiding something and she needed to know why, why the original hybrid would cover for Lucas, why Lucas would suddenly disappear with Nyssa and why she couldn’t find her mother.

Laurel’s most recent alliance with Davina led to a failed poisoning attempt on the Mikaelson’s, Davina and Sara not getting the chance to even try poisoning the others before Laurel and Marcel botched things and so the Black Canary was hoping the New Orleans witch regent didn’t blame her too much, hoping even if she did she’d still help her in her search for answers.

“I’m sorry Laurel but I really don’t have time to be seen doing favors for you not while I try and work out what the hell the Mikaelson’s are planning in response to our rather failed attempt to take them out.” Davina told Laurel as they walked through the Lafayette Cemetery side by side. “I know Marcel’s safe considering his venom can literally kill them which means I need to protect myself and my witches and that’s where all my attention should be focused on.”

“I get this war with the witches and the vampires has been going on for centuries and I know Klaus is a formidable foe, but I really need this locating spell Davina I’m scared for my mother and Lucas.” Laurel replied to the young witch. “Somethings just not right and I can feel it…I know I fucked shit up and I’m really sorry for that Davina I really am but please don’t take it out on my family please help me.”

“Fine,” Davina said with a reluctant sigh as they both stopped walking. “It seems like I’m forever finding lost canaries for you…but I have come to think of you as something of a friend, so I’ll do it but you’re going to owe me!”

“Trust me I’ll help you with whatever Mikaelson plan you have next once I’ve got my family back in fact we’ll all help you better three canary cries than just one and Sara’s got that whole vamp/assassin thing going for her too so let’s not count out the White Canary.” Laurel mumbled as she thanked and hugged Davina, delighted to get the help she so badly needed in finding her son and her mother.

“You’re a great person Laurel and that’s very rare around here!” Davina admitted as she broke off her hug with the Black Canary. “I just hope wherever they maybe you’re not walking into some trap because nobody should ever trust Klaus Mikaelson.”

Davina was right just because she could magic up a location for Laurel didn’t mean that location was anywhere near safe for Laurel to go to but Laurel was more than willing to take the risk in order to have her family reunited once again not fully realizing that once she found Lucas Lance that she would discover a certain canary was lost forever.

Sara Lance was beyond furious, furious with her mother for lying to her all her life, furious with Laurel for not opening up to her, furious with Klaus for having something to do with her mother’s disappearance and furious at the thought that her first true love Nyssa Al Ghul was behind Lucas’ abrupt exit from New Orleans.

She couldn’t take out her anger on Laurel knowing her sister had only recently found out the truth and was clearly having trouble adjusting besides it would be hypocritical considering Sara hid the fact she was alive for many years and she couldn’t take it out on her missing brother/nephew and mother so she decided who best to take it out on.

Sara showed up in the compound dressed up in her White Canary suit while holding her bo-staff which she had soaked in Marcel’s venom having borrowed it intending to poison Klaus Mikaelson deciding it was time to go through with that particular plan even if anyone else had backed out.

“It wouldn’t be wise to anger my brother Niklaus he very rarely offers to back down against enemies especially those who have murdered our sister.” Elijah warned Sara after vamp speeding his way over to stand in front of her. “I’d advise you’d leave our home now before I decide to be less forgiving than my younger brother.”

“Here’s the thing he knows where my family is which means I’m not going anywhere until I get answers.” Sara replied to the noble original before hitting him with her staff straight across the face, his skin burning at the touch of the White Canary’s poisoned staff.

Sara continued to hit Elijah with her staff hitting him in the face once more before two more hits in the stomach and a singular hit below his feet causing the original to fall flat to the ground before she quickly pressed the staff harshly down on Elijah’s throat causing him to groan in pain as the poison continued to burn his body.

“The next hit I’ll make will be straight through the chest and even you can’t survive that.” Sara warned him while pressing the staff down harder onto Elijah’s throat. “You maybe a 1000-year-old vampire but I was trained by a 500-year-old assassin that plus the newfound vamp strength makes me much more of a weapon than when I was alive…now tell me where my brother is!”

“I have no idea.” Elijah managed to force out of himself before Sara quickly used her bo-staff to force Elijah’s head to the other side, snapping his neck and knocking him unconscious in the process as Klaus vamp sped into the compound to stand in front of Sara, who was more than ready to take down another original.

“I was convinced I was going to have to rush in and stop you killing my brother and yet you just put him to sleep for a little bit…why?” Klaus asked, confused to why the former league of assassin’s member was showing kindness.

“Yeah well my sister likes that one and the blonde-haired vamp but lucky for me she’s not so keen on you!” Sara informed Klaus as she slowly began walking towards the original hybrid, ready to take him out.

“Clearly being the nice guy gets you nowhere I keep telling my siblings, but they just don’t listen.” Klaus laughed at the White Canary. “Your ex took your brother/nephew to Lian Yu to help him with his little problem now if you would please leave these premises before I show you how natural the bad guy role comes to me.”

“Lian Yu…” Sara said in shock as she began backing away with Klaus. “I didn’t even know that place existed on this Earth…why would she take him there?”

“Because he murdered your mother.” Klaus wasted no time in revealing, watching as Sara face began to display her devastation before she vamp sped out of sight, clearly having heard enough from the original hybrid.

That time around Sara Lance believed Klaus’ words somehow knowing deep down it was true the minute he revealed the truth to her as she was left devastated to learn of her mother’s death and even more furious than before as she realized the man she believed to be her baby brother was the one responsible for it.

Klaus Mikaelson never intended to tell Sara the truth having previously helped cover it up due to his strange and ever growing bond with Lucas Lance but a part of him enjoyed hurting the White Canary he liked seeing the woman who murdered his sister in pain and in those brief moments he had found his revenge for Freya Mikaelson and Keelin Malraux’s deaths but straight after revealing the truth he began to feel something he rarely ever felt and that was guilt.

Nyssa al Ghul wanted nothing more than to help Lucas Lance expel or at least control the demon within him knowing she stood some chance at doing one or the other considering Lucas had been co-existing with the demon most of his life without even knowing anything about it but then again there was very little the Red Canary knew about his life.

Lucas had lived his entire life until very recently believing Dinah and Quentin Lance were his parents not his grandparents and thanks to his trip to Lian Yu had only just discovered that his eldest sister Laurel and her ex-boyfriend Oliver Queen were his biological parents and he was from the future.

Nyssa knew the information she was giving the Red Canary wasn’t easy for anyone to take it but she also knew she had to keep on revealing more secrets to him in order to convince him that he needed to stay with her and her small faction of the league of assassins until they figured out how to fix his killer rage knowing she would force his hand if the information wasn’t enough to make him do the right thing.

“So, my sister from the future is actually my birth mother and her deuchebag cheating ex is going to wind up getting her knocked up which means she takes him back.” Lucas scoffed as he and Nyssa walked through the woods within the island, his power dampening collar still attached to him. “And they have the nerve to say I’m the fool for men.”

“Soon after you are born in the future my father Ra’s Al Ghul kidnaps you and does the unthinkable…he made you the undead child.” Nyssa revealed with a great sense of shame on her face. “When your mother retrieved you, she put you in the past to protect you however a future version of my father eventually figured that out and made contact with my father in the present day.”

“My head is literally spiraling from all of this…I’ve just killed my…grandmother and you want to play a game of who do you think you are with me…how am I meant to believe any of this? What exactly did you father do and why is he so obsessed with me?” Lucas questioned the daughter’s demon, still reeling from Nyssa’s many reveals.

“As you have probably heard about the rumors of the Lazarus Pit many have sought it out to reclaimed a lost one and granted it does grant such acts but it also has some dire consequences…nobody knows this better than my father.” Nyssa admitted to the Red Canary. “My father is over 500 years old using the properties of the Lazarus Pit to sustain his life although each time it’s taken something from him making him less and less human…recently he unearthed a prophecy a little earlier than intended thanks to the future’s manipulation and this prophecy was that of the undead child.”

“You called me the undead child, what exactly did this prophecy say exactly?” Lucas wondered, as he began to believe the truth about his origins slowly, wanting to know more.

“I’m not entirely sure about the fine details of the prophecy but I do know it made the future version of my father want to raise you as his own and the past version want you permanently dead.” Nyssa informed him. “As for what my father does to you in the future when you were just a baby he immersed himself and you within the Lazarus Pit…you died once you came out of the pit very briefly and then you were reborn re-birthing a demon within you at the same time.”

“The Lazarus Pit brings people back to life sometimes just the body and not the soul how the hell is some demon attached to me?” Lucas asked once again, getting frustrated that the answers Nyssa Al Ghul was giving him only served to make him more confused.

“I’m sorry but that’s all the information I can give to you…until we visit limbo but for that I’m going to need you to come back to our Earth.” Nyssa explained to the Red Canary, hoping he was willing to help her with her mission.

“There’s a reason I ditched that world and haven’t exactly been eager to go back!” Lucas snapped at the demon’s daughter. “Under no circumstances am I going back.”

“Mr Lance…I have been more than patient with you even going as far as informing you of a truth everybody else has been keeping from you but let me make one thing clear we will remain on Lian Yu only until my colleagues return and then we’re heading back where we belong.” Nyssa snapped back at him, making it clear she wasn’t asking, she was demanding. “You’re either a threat to my father or an ally and if anyone is going to have you as some kind of weapon then it’s going to be me!”

Nyssa Al Ghul wanted to help Lucas Lance for Sara’s sake but she couldn’t refuse the fact she was curious to find out more about what made the Red Canary so special and knowing her father somewhat feared this undead child made him all the more fascinating.

Nyssa was going to help Lucas as much as she could it just so happened finding out the truth about him may just work to both of their advantages mainly because Nyssa Al Ghul was planning to dethrone her father and take his place.

Laurel Lance was more than grateful for Davina Claire casting a locating spell which revealed that Nyssa Al Ghul and Lucas Lance were on Lian Yu and decided to focus on going there to get him back instead of focusing on the fact that Davina was unable to locate her mother Dinah.

Laurel feared the worst behind Davina’s inability to find her mother Dinah Lance fearing it was confirmation her mother was dead but she had to be a mother right now and put her son first she had to find Lucas and find out why he was on Lian Yu knowing that island wasn’t exactly idealistic for the White Canary or the Green Arrow.

As Laurel packed her rucksack filling it with enough clothes for a round trip to Lian Yu and back within her hotel room in the New York Voyage Hotel, determined to rescue her son she found her quest taking an unexpected turn as a broken Sara walked into the room with tears in her eyes instantly making Laurel realize something terrible had just happened.

“Mum’s gone Laurel…” Sara cried, revealing what she had just learned to her older sister. “That’s what Klaus was hiding from us…that our mother’s gone.”

“I had a feeling that might have been the reason why Davina couldn’t find her, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself.” Laurel admitted with tears in her eyes. “I knew this sudden need of his for us to not be enemies was some plot, but I just didn’t want to accept that we’ve lost her again…this time forever…just like dad.”

“Laurel I don’t know how to tell you this…and I really wish I didn’t have to, but it was Lucas who killed our mum.” Sara reluctantly admitted to the Black Canary in between cries, as she struggled to come to terms with her mother’s death.

“No! Sara…he wouldn’t…he couldn’t…” Laurel replied as she attempted to deny the truth while her gut told her otherwise. “Lucas has committed some terrible acts, but he wouldn’t…Klaus must be lying.”

“I think we both know deep down he’s not…not this time.” Sara said as she walked over to her sister and gave her a hug, as the two women cried as they mourned the death of their mother while coming to terms with the truth of how they lost her.

Despite their complicated history Laurel Lance loved her mother deeply and hoped they could reconnect following years apart, but all that hope had just been taken away from her in that moment and with it all hopes for redeeming her son went with them.

Lucas Lance had killed many times and committed some unspeakable and evil acts as the Red Canary but the one line he had never crossed was killing a family member but that line had now been crossed and with it neither the Black Canary or White Canary could deny the fact that Lucas has to be stopped once and for all.

Klaus Mikaelson had found himself filled with guilt over betraying Lucas’ trust knowing it would lead to Laurel and Sara hunting them down in a bid to stop what they believed was a ruthless monster but Klaus knew there was a man within the monster because he had seen it for himself and he knew more than most that one could be both a man and monster for that’s exactly how he saw himself.

He couldn’t help but find himself growing more and more fond of Lucas and it was that fondness that drove the original hybrid to plot to do something he never normally did, clean up his own mess and in order to do that he had to find a way of convincing his siblings to help him stop Laurel and Sara from seeking revenge on Lucas.

“Absolutely bloody not!” Rebekah declared as she stood up from her chair at the dining table within the dining area at the compound, as Elijah, Hayley, Klaus and Kol continued to sit around the table. “I say if the Lance sisters have seen sense and want to kill their bastard brother then we don’t stand in the way.”

“Rebekah…” Elijah began to say.

“Of all the times you paraded me and made me feel foolish for my choice of partners and now you’re literally asking us to help you save some deranged canary whose own siblings want to see him dead.” Rebekah shouted at Klaus, while interrupting Elijah in the process.

“I guess I don’t have to worry about Lucas seeking round two from me then thanks to my brother soaking up my sloppy seconds.” Kol teased Klaus, looking rather amused with himself as the original hybrid rolled his eyes at his younger brother.

“Well I for one agree with Klaus…I can’t believe I’m agreeing with him, but I’d like to stop Laurel from doing something she might regret.” Hayley chimed in, as she stood up to face Rebekah. “She doesn’t deserve to have that on her conscious…nobody does.”

“When exactly did we start caring about Laurel bloody Lance so much?” Rebekah moaned to Hayley, before rolling her eyes and giving in. “I suppose I am somewhat fonder of her than her siblings.”

“I know Sara Lance killed our sister and for that I’ll never forgive her, but Laurel is a good person and this family have done something terrible things to good people maybe it’s time we turn the tables.” Elijah suggested as he too stood up form his chair to face Hayley and Rebekah, noticing Hayley smiling at his wise words, making him smile back at his former love.

“I’m in but mostly because I want to see it all go down, I can’t promise I’ll stop anything.” Kol somewhat agreed as he and Klaus stood up at the same time, all siblings now standing face to face with Hayley.

“Before we go into this canary filled battlefield there’s something about Laurel and Lucas that I should tell you all about.” Elijah revealed to the rest of them, instantly catching the awkward look on Klaus’ face which revealed his younger brother knew what Elijah was about to say next. “Laurel is Lucas’ mother.”

It was revelation both Klaus and Elijah had already discovered however until now Rebekah, Kol and Hayley had remained in the dark and now they had found out it had made them even more determined to do the right thing by the Lance’s for the first time after all Rebekah and Kol knew just as well as Klaus and Elijah what it was like to have their mother try to murder them and didn’t wish that on anyone.

Despite their protests and the bad blood between the Mikaelson’s and the Lance’s the two families were slowly beginning to grow more and more fonder of each other even if none of them would ever admit it.

[dailyaudiobible]

01/21/2020 DAB Transcript

Genesis 42:18-43:34, Matthew 13:47-14:12, Psalms 18:16-36, Proverbs 4:7-10

Today is the 21st day of January, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it's great to be here with you today as we continue our journey forward through the Scriptures. In the book of Genesis we’re following the story of Joseph right now who is the great grandson of Abraham, and who has been sold or trafficked into slavery by his brothers, only to become the second in command of all of Egypt because he interpreted a dream that foretold of a coming famine and that has all come true. So, these very brothers who had sold their own brother into slavery are now before that brother not knowing who he is because…because they need food. But Joseph has accused them of being spies and has kept them under arrest for several days. He has not revealed who he is. He's observing them. He's seeing where their hearts are and that's where we pick up the story. Genesis chapter 42 verse 18 to 43 verse 34 today.

Commentary:

Okay. So, we’ve been moving along pretty quickly and really tracking the stories of Genesis as well as following in the footsteps of Jesus in the book of Matthew as well as the Psalms and Proverbs. And, so, we've covered a lot of ground in a pretty short amount of time so far this year and we’ve focused on the teachings of Jesus a lot. So, let's just look at what we’re reading in Genesis right now with the story of Joseph because the story systematically shows us all kinds of valid and legitimate reasons to…to fall off the cliff into depression and bitterness and anxiety and then by the time we get to where we are in the story…every…everybody's being exposed here. So, Joseph was this young man and it does appear that in his youth he had some of the arrogance of youth, some of the fearlessness of youth, and the mouth of a young boy in his teens. He had been a favored son. So, he was raised up as a beloved son. So, it's like he has a charmed childhood, but his older brothers are jealous, and we know this from the Scriptures. And, so, we know how the story goes. Joseph has dreams. He shares his dreams. That further causes his brothers to hate him and even causes some problems with his dad. And then Joseph goes to check on his brothers and this is when his brothers decide to go to kill him and just be done with it and, not have to hear this…this kids dreams and his arrogance and all…just all of the favoritism…just all of the stuff they've been enduring, they’re done with it. What happens is that Joseph is thrown into a pit and then subsequently sold into slavery. We like…we…we can gloss over it, right? Because it's a story from the flannel board when we were in Sunday school. And, so, Joseph, being sold into slavery just happens so quick and then the next thing you know he's in Egypt. But this is a boy, a young man in his teens, and from the confession that we heard in today's reading from his brothers, he was terrified. He was begging. Like he was looking at the only people he knew, and they were his blood relatives and they were sending him off. They just sold him for money and now he's bound up on a wagon being hauled away further into the desert toward Egypt and he’s looking back at his brothers, terrified. So, this is a boy who is grown-up, protected and nurtured and his life as he knew it came to a sudden and abrupt, end. Even though he was still alive, like the life that he knew and people that he knew and the surroundings and everything that was normal for him was over. And it's a long journey down to Egypt. And, so, there were weeks for Joseph to contemplate his situation. And he gets to Egypt and he's sold again. If anybody has a right to fall into depression, right, if anybody has a right to cry injustice, if anybody has a right to say they are being oppressed or that their life has become supremely unfair it would be Joseph because it's true. Like he has every right to these things. He’s not just being self-absorbed and selfish and feeling sorry for himself. This stuff is really happening and it's awful. He just…that's the thing that's missing from this story though. That's the weird thing about it. That bitterness and that depression that he has a right to is missing from the story other than his deep longing to get out of the predicament that he's in. He trusts God as he goes to work for Potiphar. He honors God as he runs away from Potiphar's wife. And the Bible says Joseph is a good-looking guy. Like his countenance…like he’s handsome and he's well-built. So, Potiphar’s wife wants a little of that action. And Joseph’s a young man. So, like normally in that kind of a scenario, the young man's like a pretty willing accomplice. Joseph's not. He understands…like he was able with wisdom to look at the whole situation and realize, “she may be a woman and she may be throwing yourself at me a and she may be attractive, but she's not available. I am in command of this house and the only thing off-limits is her.” And, so, he…he…he doesn't betray his master, which throws him into the dungeon falsely accused of a crime that he wouldn't participate in. So, if anybody again has the right to these kinds of deep anguishing feelings, it's Joseph. It’s just missing from the story. And, so, Joseph sets about doing everything that he can in the situation that he's in to do his best and after the same fashion he becomes in charge of the prison. So, Joseph has become a leader everywhere he's been when he has every right to just sit and languish in his depression at the injustice. Like, he could spend his life rightfully crying injustice, but instead he becomes a leader everywhere he goes, because according to the Scriptures he trusted in God. And, so, we know the story leads him out of the dungeon because he interprets a dream for Pharaoh. We know that…I mean in the space of 24 hours it seems that Joseph goes from a desperate person who may be a leader, but he's leader of the dungeon and he is a resident of the dungeon. He goes from that place, kind of in the dark, underground, hidden completely, forgotten, utterly hopeless, he goes from that to being second command in Egypt in like the space of a day. And we can see in Joseph because he was just a young man when all this began, he was in his teens when this began. But we see that over the course of the years of him growing up without…I mean without anyone to guide him that he becomes very observant and very wise. And, so, when his brothers show up, he doesn't take revenge and he doesn't just expose who he is and have a family reunion either. He observes. Because now Joseph has learned about the heart of a person. And, so, before he makes a judgment about his brothers and his family he watches to see where their hearts are. Of course, we’re not done with the story. Joseph is able to see his…his full blood brother Benjamin and we’re seeing that Joseph is have…having a pretty hard time holding it together. Seeing them again is just rocking his world in a lot of ways. And that's where we are in this story. We’re not done with this story. There's much more to the story but that's where we are. And the first part of this story really gives us an opportunity to look at the things that, you know, that that we’re depressed about or the things that we’re in anguish about or that we’re facing anxiety over and then just contrast that with Joseph's story. Not to compare. Like Joseph’s story is a pretty tough story. Not too many people could top a story like that. It’s not a story to make you feel small because you have lesser problems, but they seem to be taking you out. So, just look at Joseph and how strong he is. That’s really not the point. The point is that through it all somehow Joseph navigated without becoming bitter toward God through all of it. And the things that were happening to Joseph are the things that would for sure estrange us from God were they to happen, which is funny because we read the story and God didn't do any of this. And it helps us to look at what we’re blaming God for in our own lives that He had nothing to do with, He's just getting the blame. It also gives us a chance to look at where we've sat down…like what are we wallowing in right now? Where are we wallowing? Because it's fine, we can wallow there as long as we like, but that's all we will ever be doing is wallowing there. Joseph's story would be a completely different story if that were his story if he just…like he made it to the dungeon and he was like, “what the heck? This woman threw herself at me. She's taking off her clothes. I'm trying to get out of there. I have to leave some of my clothes. I didn't do anything wrong. I shouldn't be in this dungeon.” He could've wallowed there for the rest of his life. Somehow Joseph was able to have the long view and it would do us some real good inside if we would begin to get the long view. What we are wallowing in right now is temporary. Everything is temporary. Everything is changing. It's a constant. We’re being pulled forward, but we can fight to stay where we are and defend why we’re so depressed and anxious and all of the things that go on. We can fight to protect that, which only reveals to us that our wounds and our hurts, we’re using them to create an identity, one that's gonna keep us from moving forward, one that’s gonna keep us stuck. That's the ingredient that’s missing from this Joseph story and it changes the story dramatically as we’ll see as we continue forward.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word and we thank You for another day in Your word and we thank You for all that You are revealing to us through Your word and all of the insight You are giving us into our own souls, into our own lives and the motives and the why’s of how we do what we do. We thank You. And, so, we take heed what the proverb told us today, that the beginning of wisdom is to want it, to get it, to go after it. And whatever we get, we are to get insight. And, so, Holy Spirit we’re not really capable of spotting all the insights along way. All of the wisdom that's flowing throughout the earth, we’re not able in our own strength to be successful. We need Your guidance. And, so, Holy Spirit, well up within us we pray. Come into all of these issues we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, its home base, where you find out what’s going on around here. So, be sure to stay tuned and stay connected. I

I have mentioned on a number of occasions the Daily Audio Bible Shop. I mention it because there are resources that…that…that really become friends for the journey as we make the journey through the Scriptures in a year. And, so, check that out.

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All these things can be gotten or accessed through the Daily Audio Bible app as well. That is a great place.

You know, one of the things we were just talking about, sliding off into the world of depression and anxiety and injustice and all of this and just kind of contrasting that with Joseph's story. Joseph obviously kept busy at something. He didn't just show up in the dungeon and become the leader. He didn't just show up in Potiphar's house and become the leader. He obviously lived into that, which means that he didn't just sit down and quit and…and…and basically just get swallowed by the darkness. He had to turn his focus outward in order to do this. And one of the ways that we do this, and it's unbelievable in the way that it can help us with what overwhelms us, is to turn our focus away from ourselves and to our brothers and sisters understanding that we are all in this together. We are all going through stuff. We can hide it all we want. I don't understand. I mean like…the whole world is hiding and pretending to be like more perfect than we are. We are all going through all of these things. If we begin to realize we’re not alone and we focus our attention on others, it's profound what that does inside of us. And we’re a community of prayer. And the Prayer Wall is a place to go for that as well as all the calls that come in. If you are low, there's somebody to pray for who is lower and it's remarkable what that does inside of us. So, check that out. The Prayer Wall lives in the Community section or just press the little Drawer icon in the app in the upper left-hand corner and that’ll get you there.

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And if you have a prayer request or comment, you can dial 877-942-4253 or just press the little Hotline button, the little red button at the top of app and you can start…start sharing from there.

And that is it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

This message is for Harold in St. Louis. Brother, thank you for calling in. I’ve been a member of Daily Audio Bible for about 11 years and I’ve never called in until this moment and it’s because of you. Just hearing your story and hearing how you found Daily Audio Bible. Don’t think its happenstance that you called in and that you’re actually embarking on training for a marathon. This is what this is all about. This is what this whole Christian walk is and walk of believers is taking it step-by-step. And God has His interesting ways of whispering that you’re in the right direction. And brother you are. you’re in the right direction, you’re in flow, you’re in step. So, as you’re training for the marathon, see this whole year of listening to the Daily Audio Bible the same way and just know that already you’ve had an impact on this community, you’ve had an impact on me. You got me to call and share that because it’s important. And, you know, I just want to say congratulations brother and you’ve really found the greatest treasure by finding the DAB. You know, looked up Harold and I know it’s not…I know you spell HAROLD, I’m sure but I almost…it made me think of Hark the Herald and just know that the definition of Harold is a person or thing viewed as a sign that something is about to happen. So, know that something great is about to happen for you this year and you’re already a blessing. So, all right marathon Harold. God bless. Bye.

This is Bonnie from Maryland and this call is for Diana Davis. I heard your call on January 14th that there’s nothing more they can do for your cancer and I am so very sorry. I have been praying for you since I heard your story a couple of months ago and I want to pray again now. Dear Father God in heaven I ask that You be with Diana and with Michael and Elijah. I ask that You give them the peace that surpasses all understanding that only You can give. I pray for Diana, that the doctors will be able to keep her comfortable and as pain-free as possible at this time. And I pray for her children, Michael and Elijah. I pray most of all that they would be able to stay together and never be separated. I ask that You give Michael the resources and the wisdom and the strength needed to keep Elijah and take care of him. And that family and friends would come and help them and surround them with love, surround them with emotional support, physical support, financial support. Whatever their needs are, that they would help and guide them. And I pray that they will feel Your love and Your peace and Your presence enveloping them and that they continue to grow in their relationship with You. Just be with them all Lord at this time that is so difficult in Jesus’ precious and holy name we pray. Amen.

Hi, it’s His Welsh girl again, 15th of January. Brian, just thank you so much for your…your commentary today. It was so enlightening, and it helped me to understand the passage in Matthew where Jesus is saying about, He’s not come to bring us peace. And I’ve never really understood it, but you really helped me today. So, thank you. And I wanted to say hello to Harold doing the Chicago marathon training. It just made my heart glad to hear you phoning in. And, yeah, I just want you to know that that difference in your life, you know, that you feel happier and more at peace, that is God’s peace and He wants you and He loves you and I just, yeah, brilliant that you rang in. Diana, I heard your message yesterday and I felt so heartbroken and I’ve been praying that God will give you His peace about Elijah and Michael and reassurance about them, that something miraculous will happen so that you feel reassured that God is so close to you. And I pray for your courage and strength for you to. And I just wanted to say hi to Blind Tony. I just found a poem that I wrote out a few years ago of yours and it starts, “I immerse myself within myself and find myself in you.” It’s just such a great…it’s brilliant. It took me ages to write it out…but I just read it again and it’s brilliant. So, thank you Blind Tony. Okay, lots of love to you all. Bye.

Hi DAB brothers and sisters this is Byron out in Florida. I just want to give a shout out to a couple people I heard on the podcast today. To Harold you called in and had discovered the podcast as an alternative to a couple of other more mainstream items and are training for a marathon and talking about how the Bible is just totally changing you. I think that’s pretty awesome. I’ve been listening to the DAB for, I don’t know, eight or nine years now and your story’s probably one of the coolest that I’ve heard. And, so, keep on with it. Keep letting the Bible speak for itself and you’ll see how it will change you inside out. But I just wanted to welcome you to the community and hope that we get to hear more from you. Right after you called, Janet in SoCal you called and you just __ little things that happened to you in the morning. And I just want to thank you for sharing that. It’s so often in Christian-dom, even in our community where were focused heavily on the struggle and pains of life because life is a struggle and life is painful but that’s not all it is, it’s also fun, it’s also funny. And you quoted a proverb which I always thought was funny about greeting your neighbor with a cheery voice but there’s also another proverb that says laughter does good like a medicine. I just wanted to thank you for filling my prescription today. And love you all. Talk to you later. Bye.

Hello DAB family this is Shante calling from Metro Detroit and I just heard Harold’s call. Harold who is an unbeliever from St. Louis is training for the Chicago marathon. I just wanted to say, Harold thank you so much for listening and thank you so much for calling in. I’m just…I don’t know…I’m just really encouraged by your call and just grateful that you gave the Daily Audio Bible a chance and…and that you’re experiencing the benefits of feeling peace, the peace of God’s word. And, yeah, you know, I listen to a lot of podcast myself and…and yeah, that is definitely one of one of the wonderful qualities of the Daily Audio Bible, it’s just a great way to start your day. And…and also if you stay listening with us, and I pray you will, later on in the year we’ll get to Hebrews and it will talk about running with perseverance the race marked out for you or it’ll say for us. And, so, that’s just a little, you know, runner’s analogy. But, you know, I’m praying that your training goes well for the Chicago marathon. That’s a fantastic goal to have. And, yeah, we’ll be praying for you. So, all right everyone that’s all I have for today. Talk to you all later. Bye-bye.

Hi this is Marsha from Monument Colorado and I’m calling in today for three people that have called in in the last few days with prayer request and comments. The first person is Harold in St. Louis. I just want to say thank you so much for your call today. You have no idea how much your call encouraged me, and no doubt thousands of people that heard your call. So, thank you for calling in and I want to let you know that I am praying for you. I’m praying for your upcoming marathon and just praying for you in general and I’m hoping that you will call back and keep us posted on how the Daily Audio Bible podcast is affecting your life. I’m really anxious to hear. The next person is Kathleen in Mount Zion Illinois. You called in about her daughter who lives in Dubai with brain lesions and how much you want to be with her at this time and I just want you to know that I am praying for that. Yeah. And then the next person is Diana Davis. Diana I’ve been praying for you for a long time. I’ve heard probably most of your calls and I’m continuing to pray for your total healing and that your request that Elijah and Michael will be able to stay together. You have such a beautiful heart as a mother and I just know that the Father’s heart is so tender. He’s heard your prayers and I just want you Diana to be encouraged today and thank you for your call. And then lastly, I just want to say one more time, I’m always saying how thankful I am for the Daily Audio Bible and how much it’s changed…

Hi, DABbers it’s Carla Jean from Las Vegas calling because the last six months has pretty much been hell. I lost my job, I’m homeless, my kids are all kind of freaking out. My oldest daughters not speaking to me or her father since our divorce last January. And my son Noah is in the middle of a mental health crisis and I’m driving to lose it with him. I’m fearful for my own safety because he doesn’t sound very safe. So, I’m asking for prayers for that. My youngest daughter and her husband came to visit us at Christmas, and they stole from us. And I have a 14-year-old who is wonderful. But I’m just…I’m losing my faith guys. How has God not shown up yet? Please pray for me and pray for my kids, especially please pray for Noah, that whatever it is that’s going on he can get the help that he needs or maybe me just being there is going to be a help. I don’t know. I need you guys. Love you.

[aithne]

(Illume) The Edge of Silence

The kitsune lay in one of the few private places she'd found on the ship--atop a couple of crates stacked high and lashed to the deck. She turned her face up towards the flawless blue sky, enjoying the pressure of the sun on her skin. Today had been a good one, so far. She'd made the acquaintance of Ito, who was turning out to be amusing company, and they hadn't been attacked by anyone or anything, which was really all Reiko asked out of any day, any more. She heard Zhane muttering next to her, and turned her head to see the gaijin spirit imitating her, lying flat on her back on the crates, looking up into the sky.

Reiko laughed, and said in the badly accented English she was learning how to speak, "Slee-ping?"

The spirit rolled towards her, landing almost nose to nose with the kitsune, and put her hands under her head in an imitation of a sleeping child, giggling. In this mood, it was easy to understand why she'd loved the gaijin, even though after death she was fragmented and strange.

Setto sat on his heels near her head, keeping watch. He looked down at her and said, "That fox has something up his sleeve. He stank of it, Rei. Be careful with him."

She shrugged as best she could while lying flat on her back. "I will. I couldn't leave him behind, though. Without training, he's a menace to society. With training, he'll still be a menace, but then it'll be his choice to be so."

"Too soft-hearted these days, Rei." His voice was teasing. "What happened to my black-hearted vixen, the terror of the court? Is she reduced to teaching little boys how to use their equipment?"

She didn't rise to the bait. "I have to say, he didn't look so very little, husband," she said lazily. "Not little at all, really. I suppose I'll find out for myself tonight, though."

He laughed at her. Reiko raised her head and asked, "Tsuyoshi, what are you doing?"

The spirit was crouched at her side, running translucent fingers through the skin over her heart. "Looking. Thinking. The usual."

"Odd boy. Adorable, but odd." She turned her attention back to Setto. "So I'm thinking that I ought to find us a wu jen like the kind that brought Lin back to life. I'd really like the Demonbane to stop killing us, and bringing you back seems to be the only way. Well, either that or wait till all of us die."

He smiled down at her. "Are you sure? There are no guarantees. We don't know how things will go, afterwards."

"I'm willing to risk it. Even the pain of losing you once more, even knowing that you're mortal and will age and die...I think it's a small price to pay for the chance of kitsune still living in the world. Besides, we can cross that bridge when we come to it, right?"

"We always have. I have to admit, it would be good to be among the living again. Tell my father where he can put his crusade against your people. Finish the job I started five centuries ago." He brushed a hand down the side of her face. "My grandson, should he live, will be emperor, and the fortune of our line will finally be secure."

"Why not you? I rather fancy the title of Empress."

"Too many centuries, I'm afraid. Akechi would be better than I for the position."

Tsuyoshi's voice was quiet and worried. "Reiko?"

She lifted her head again, looking at the spirit of her wu jen. "What?"

"That thing you're talking about, with bringing Setto back into life? There's a problem with that."

"Tell me."

"Look, here, with magical Sight on. See, the sigil that's on his heart has its match over yours. If he comes back to life, that sigil will break. And..." He fell silent, obviously not wanting to say whatever it was he'd seen.

Reiko sighed, irritably. Tsuyoshi ran his hand through his hair, and continued. "That sigil's been on you so long that it's become integral to keeping your body and soul together. If you break it...Reiko, you'll die. I can't see any way around it. Bringing Setto back into life will mean your death. And the rest of us will also go into the final darkness. The only one left will be your husband."

She sat up, shocked to the bone. Despite the sunlight, she was cold, so cold. She wanted to accuse Tsuyoshi of lying, but it wasn't in his nature. What he told her must be the truth. The look on Setto' face mirrored her own--shocked and grieving. They had thought, for a little space, that they might be able to be together once again. But if she would flicker out the moment he came back to life...

Se pulled her knees to her chest and hid her face in her hair. Her shoulders shook, and the samurai spirit realized that his wife was crying. He knelt next to her, putting an insubstantial arm around her. "Rei, I'm sorry. I truly am. Sssh, love."

She lifted her tear-stained face. "And to think, that for a little while there, I was so stupid as to hope. Hope that one day I'd be able to be with you again. Hope that I would become again what I was, what I'm meant to be. Instead, I have a choice. Die under Thrykeen swords once the Demonbane gets tired of honoring our agreement. Or die bringing you back to life, to try to get him to stop killing my kind."

"The latter has honor."

She snarled, "I am kitsune. The human concept of honor holds no water with me! But..."

"But you've grown too much like us to reject the thought of an honorable death." Setto knew he was walking a very fine line with his vixen. He knew she truly wanted her kind to continue, but he also knew that, as an immortal, the thought of death was terrifying to her. To tell a creature that had thought it would go on forever that it might choose to stop was a hard thing, a hard thing indeed.

"Damned samurai. I knew hanging around you people was a mistake. But it's death no matter which way I turn. Die in hiding, hunted down by the Demonbane's creatures, or die where it might actually do some good." The tears began to fall from her eyes again, and she rested her chin on her knees and let them fall, not bothering to wipe them away. "I hate this. I hate the Demonbane for forcing this decision on me. I hate Lin for creating the sigils. And i hate the idea that you will finally be walking the world again and I will be dust."

He said nothing, just held her as best he could. Not for the first time, he wished for his body back, so he could comfort her properly, hold her while she cried. Then he shivered as he remembered--no matter what, he was never going to hold her again. He'd been used to things as they were, adjusted to being a spirit, invisible except to the vixen. Though she often frustrated him, life without her was utterly unimaginable. But he smothered his fears; she didn't need his worries in addition to her own. He murmured, "You don't have to decide now. Demonbane's agreement still holds. You have time yet."

"Time to contemplate my own death sentence. Time to decide which of two ways to die is better. Time to think about the fact that being an immortal doesn't always mean you live forever. Dear kami." She rubbed her eyes, looking for a moment like the child she had been over seven centuries ago. "I--I'm afraid. Were you, when you knew?"

He smiled wryly. "More than you know, Rei. It took all of my courage to ask you to be my sword, and to go through with it. But my death served another purpose, something larger than myself. As yours might. It was...a comfort. But just because we look forward to an honorable death, it doesn't mean that we welcome it when it arrives."

"Kitsune aren't supposed to end! We were once feared, revered. Now we're just hunted. In the long run...will it make any difference? If it isn't the Demonbane, will it be someone else? I could run, if I wanted. Leave Japan. Live in exile, somewhere he couldn't find me."

"You could." He covered her pale hand with his translucent one. "It would be a very lonely existence, knowing that you were the only one of your kind left in the world. But it would be the only way to avoid this, and you would live. It's your choice."

"Damned samurai. You've infected me with your sense of duty, Setto. I can't leave, and you know it. I'm too tightly bound to our family. I am well and truly stuck." Her expression was bleak as she looked out over the ocean.

"Are you going to tell the others?"

"No, I won't tell them, not yet at least. They don't need to know, the Lady doesn't need any more things weighing on her mind." Setto disagreed; he thought those she had recently come to care for would appreciate knowing of the kitsune's dilemma. He didn't argue with her, though. Not in the mood she was in; he'd try to change her mind later.

Eyes still fixed on the horizon, Reiko spoke once more in a voice that held a deep grief. "Will you promise me one thing?"

"Anything, Rei."

"Scatter my ashes on the estate in Kyoto. Let the earth remember me and none else."

There was nothing he could say to that, other than, "I will."

And for a long time, they were silent, the kitsune and her spirits, slow tears trickling down her face.

Below her, out of sight, Hiroshi detached himself from the shadow of the crates the kitsune was sitting on. With a glance upwards, he slipped away, silently.

[jakeysmommybutiamstillsam]

The parent he was vs the mom I want to be

To understand my story and the mom and woman I’ve become we have to start from the beginning. When Ardelle and Jose found out about me. I don’t know much about my mom and dads relationship before I existed but I do know it wasn’t happily ever after. And I fear the consequences of telling my truth. Especially knowing my dad could one day see this.

The mom I strive to be for Jacob is directly affected by the way I was raised and the influences around me. Happily ever after always seemed out of reach. Now that I can see it, am I worthy to keep it? Am I good enough for it? How do I hold on to it? I may never know. But I’ll start by letting it all out first.

I question so much so many times. I strive to be the best and perfection is unachievable. And as a new mom I don’t really get that. I grew up in a good life or in my eyes good enough. With a father who beat women and belittled and judged me. My weight was never good enough. My smarts weren’t there for him. My clothes weren’t pleasing. My attitude wasn’t his. I was my mother through and through and he hated it.

I hated for so long and felt so ashamed of complaining. My father was there whether it was money or clothes or time at least he was there. It took a lot of therapy a lot of God and a lot of people in my situation or similar to make me understand there’s a difference between daddy and father. This post isn’t meant to bash him, it’s not meant to make me feel better or to get you to understand him. It’s to get you to understand how hard I try as a mother to be nothing like him.

Do I take away anything from his parenting, heck yes. Do I understand him, No. Will I ever; probably not. But that’s okay. Because the mother I am is so much better than the father he was.

I talk a lot in past tense but he’s alive and he exist but he doesn’t know his grandson. That’s his loss not Jakes. My boy will grow up loved and cherished and surrounded by support. He will know the sacrifices he won’t see it but he’ll feel it.

My dad abandoned me at 23. He chose in that moment where I found my voice after so many years of being mute to cut me off. He terrifies me. But i can’t let that run my life. Or my parenting. Because he checked out so long before that. He lost the chance to be in my life and to have a word in my story.

I plan to follow my own path. I will be strict when needed, fun when wanted and loving at all times. I plan to not have money define our relationship. And expectation take over our love. I know Jacob needs a lot he’ll need discipline and love. But I’ll be different.

I’m a lucky girl because I grew up with two parents but really I had three. And eventually I had spiritual parents as well. I grew up feeling unwanted, unloved and terrified of every weekend I went over to see my own father including into my adulthood. But no I embrace the lessons the love and work my mother put in for them both, my stepdad and the village that surrounded us all.

What I take away from his abandonment is this. I won’t be who he was for me to Jake. I will he his parent, I will be his first command. I will be his friend, i will be his sounding board. I will be his google, I will be his shoulder. I know all I’ll be and Jose taught me all I shouldn’t be.

He won’t be my dollar sign. He won’t be my meal ticket. He won’t be my punching bag, he won’t be my yelling partner. He won’t be my idiot, he won’t be my not good enough. He won’t be my disappointment, he won’t be my I’m only proud cause I didn’t think you would make it.

I’m so hard on my enough because he broke me. He made me doubt my worth. He made me doubt myself and learn to hate myself. As a parent I find it hard to believe I’ll be good enough. There’s nights I still look at Jacob and pray I can be the mom he deserves. But I thank you because I one day hope to take your negative motivations and turn them into positive reinforcements.

Jacob you are my world. You won’t always be right but I’ll always be by your side. I’ll always be your cheerleader and your #1 fan. But it won’t be easy and you may not always like me but I’ll always fight for you.

And this is the time where I choose to remember the men who guided me. From my youth leaders to my cru leaders to the man my dad didn’t want me to call dad. But today that man is my father more than the man who helped create me.

My parents aren’t perfect. My stepdad wasn’t the best. Him and my mom divorced. He never abandoned my sister and me and I’m not even his daughter. But he never saw it that way. You ask him he has two girls. He stepped in, he loved on me, my husband and my son. I’ve been over to see him more since I found out I was pregnant and had my baby than anytime before. He stepped in, walked me down the aisle, came when I was in labor. Loved on my husband, he stepped in and I hope to be like him. Unconditional love. That’s what Jacob will have.

And sometimes I miss him. I miss my dad. But than I remember a year ago next month that’s the last time we spoke not in conversation but in text. We haven’t seen each other since November 2017. That was right before I found out I was pregnant. He doesn’t know my son, he didn’t attend my wedding. And though there’s days that breaks my heart I remember I didn’t lose he did. Jacob I love you, I’m here always and forever. The best mom I could be. I’m not perfect. But I’m here I’m me. I’ll give my time my love my everything because he deserves it.

My rant is over. Hopefully you get to see a little more why that little boy means so much to me. It’s not redemption it’s love I’m looking to give him my all and make our story different than the one I knew.

[cristinablackthornkingson]

Raising Jace, Chapter 1.

Hi everyone, so I’ve been writing this story over an Fanfiction.net  for a few years now and I love writing it, but nobody seems to be reading it anymore, so I thought I would post it here too, I think those of you who follow me will enjoy this, I hope you will anyway!

In this story, Tessa is with Céline when Jace is born. After he is born, it becomes obvious Céline won't live much longer, so she asks Tessa to raise Jace. She accepts and takes him back to New York where is she currently living and raises him there. This story centers on Jace growing up, it will be different from the books but I hope you enjoy regardless! 

*Tessa's P.O.V.*

I’ts a cold day in the middle of January 1991 in New York, where I have been living for 5 years, so I could be close to my friends, like Magnus and Catarina. The Holidays are a difficult time of year for me, I can’t help but remember all the wonderful Christmas days and New Year’s days I celebrated with Will, Jamie and Lucie. I try and avoid thinking about my old life too much, but today I couldn’t stop myself and decided to get one of my family albums out and have been absorbed in looking through the photos for a few hours now. 

Suddenly, I’m broken out of my thoughts by a loud ringing throughout the house. That’s odd, I don’t usually get phone calls, I’m pretty sure only Magnus has my number. Oh God I hope he doesn’t want me to go out with him today, or attend one of his parties, I love Magnus to death but I am not in the mood to be around anyone else today. I place my photo album down and walk to the phone.

"Hello?" I answer, brushing some hair out of my face.

"Is this Tessa Gray?" a female voice I don't recognize, asks.

"Yes this is she." I say in a cautious tone, wondering who this woman is and why she's looking for me.

"Do you know Miss Céline Herondale, or perhaps you know her as Céline Montclaire?" The woman asks. Oh of course I know Céline. She is married to my great-great-great grandson Stephen Herondale, who was killed a few weeks ago in what is reported to be a raid on a rouge Downworlder’s house, but I don’t believe that for one second, Stephen mixed himself in with a bad crowd, he should never have gone near Valentine Morgenstern, when I found out what Valentine and his Circle were doing I made it my business to go to Idris and try and talk some sense into Stephen, I did manage to find him but he wouldn’t listen to me, I was and am heartbroken, but not surprised. I gave him my contact details in case he changed his mind. Céline is nine months pregnant with Stephen's child, but I never expected her to contact me, either.

"Yes." I say in a tone of confusion, still not sure why Céline has contacted me.

"I'm her midwife. She's gone into labor and she wants you to be here with her." The woman says. I can’t help but let out a gasp of surprise, I never expected this, I knew she was due soon but I never expected her to ask for me, to want me to be there. I almost want to say no, that I don’t want to associate with someone who was loyal to Valentine, but I can’t, Stephen and Céline’s past is not their child’s fault, if I can be there for her and the child, I will. 

"Tell her I'll be right there." I quickly say, grabbing my coat and hanging up the phone before rushing out the door. 

*Herondale Manor, Idris*

When I set foot inside the horribly familiar Herondale manor, I immediately hear Céline's screams and cries of agony. I take a moment to gather myself, remembering the time I spent here with my family, we didn’t come here very often, as people in Idris were extremely cruel to James, Lucie and I, I didn’t care what they said about me, but when they went after my children, I wouldn’t stand for it, so we kept them away from Idris quiet a bit, until they were old enough to go to The Academy. 

A woman with blonde hair scrapped back into a tight bun, approaches me.

"Miss Gray?" She asks.

"Yes." I say.

"Follow me." She says. She leads me up the stairs and into a small room, where Céline is sitting propped up in bed, wearing a white hospital gown, her gold hair tied into a bun at the back of her head, strands falling out, framing her young face. When I see her, all my anger and hurt melts away, she’s so young, and looks so scared, I was fairly young when I had Jamie and Lucie, and I was terrified when I went into labor, especially with Jamie, I can’t imagine how Céline is feeling, she’s barely 20, has lost her husband, the father of her child, many of her friends and is about to give birth and become a single mother. .

I sit beside her and take her hand in mine. She turns her head and smiles weakly at me.

"Tessa, oh thank the angel you're here, thank you so much for coming, I couldn’t do this alone, Stephen, h-he made sure I-I had your contact details, b-before he left the day he died, he knew he wasn’t going to be coming back, he knew Valentine was going to kill him, and he’s going to come for me and my baby next." She hurriedly says in a panicked tone. I will never let that happen, I will make sure this child does not repeat their father’s mistakes, and I will not let anyone hurt them or Céline. 

“That won’t happen Céline, I will never let him get his hands on you or your child. I won’t lie and say that I don’t care about your past and Stephen’s, but I believe in giving people second chances, and your mistakes are not your child’s mistakes, I will be here to protect you and your child, always.” I firmly tell her. She looks at me with wide eyes, brimming with tears.

“R-really? You would do that for me?” She asks in a tight tone of voice. Holding back my own tears, I give her a weak smile and nod. 

“Yes, I swear I will protect you and your child with your life.” I say. 

“Thank you.” Céline weakly says. I smile and gently squeeze her hand.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, to change the subject.

"Awful, the pains just keep getting worse and worse." Céline says, grimacing in pain and clutching her swollen stomach. 

"Did you get anything for the pain?"I ask her. She shakes her head and says

"No, they said I dilated too quickly for anything. I wish Stephen was here." I can hear the heart break in her voice, and remember my own voice and heart breaking like that after I lost Will. 

"Oh Céline, wherever he is now, he's watching over you making sure you get your son here safely." I gently reassure her.

"Oh, I just want him to be here, my little boy, so I can hold him and love him and kiss his little face..." She says, rubbing her hands across her bump. I remember feeling the exact same way when I was in labor with James, it felt like it lasted forever and all I wanted was my baby boy in my arms so I could snuggle him and love him and be his mama.

"I know, I felt the exact same way when I was in labor with my son, James, don't worry it will all be worth it." I gently tell her.

*6 hours later*

"Alright Céline I see the baby's head, he's almost here keep pushing." The midwife tells Céline. She’s been in labor for hours and I can tell she’s loosing energy and motivation. Céline nods and bears down again, gripping onto my hand.

"You're doing so well."I calmly tell her. She lets out a heart breaking scream, as she pushes one last time.

Suddenly a low wail pierces the air and the midwife holds the child up for Céline and I to see. His little mouth is open in a wail, he's kicking his tiny legs as if he was still in the womb, and he seems to be trying to get to Céline.

"I don't feel well." Céline suddenly says in a weak tone. I turn to her and see she has gone horribly pale, and is barely able to keep her eyes open. Out of the corner of my eye I see something scarlet spreading across the sheets, underneath Céline. Oh god, this is not a normal amount of blood, it seems to be gushing out. This exact thing happened to Cecily when Christopher was born, she barely survived, I’ve never seen Will and Gabriel so distressed. 

"Mrs. Herondale is bleeding abnormally heavily. It seems she is having a post natal hemorrhage. The Silent Brothers need to be summoned, as Mrs. Herondale needs surgery, but it may not succeed. Mrs Herondale, I'm so sorry to tell you this but if this surgery is unsuccessful you're chances of survival aren't very high." The midwife gently says. Oh angel no, poor Céline, she can’t die just as she has become a mother, she deserves to be around to raise her son and watch him grow up.

"What are the chances of the surgery being successful?" Céline asks calmly.

"Well in your case, it's about 40% chance of survival."The midwife gently explains. Oh my God, this is awful, but Céline doesn't seem one bit fazed.

"At least I'll be with Stephen." She whispers to herself. That's why she's not afraid...

"The Brothers should be here in about ten minutes, if you wish to hold your son." The midwife says, and quietly leaves the room.

The girl with the blonde hair- who I assume to be a maid- hands the baby to Céline. Céline tenderly cradles him to her chest and smiles broadly at him.

The little boy has a few tufts of golden hair. He has Stephen's mouth, and pallor, while he has Céline's eye shape and bone structure. He is truly beautiful.

"Jace." She whispers. "Jace Stephen Herondale." She finishes. A beautiful name for a beautiful little boy.

"It's a lovely name, Céline." I say. She smiles at me, and I can see she's getting weaker by the moment.

"Tessa, I know I'm not going to live through this, they're going to try the surgery no matter what, but I know it will not be successful. I don't want Jace going to strangers I don't know anything about. I know so much about you, Ragnor Fell, he taught me at Shadowhunter Academy, he told me all about you and you’ve been so, so kind to me even after everything I’ve done in the past, and even though you’ve only known me for a few minutes.. Tessa, I want you to raise Jace for me." Céline says in a rushed tone. I’m shocked that she would ask this of me, but  there’s no way I would say no, this child needs me,he deserves to grow up in a home where he’s guaranteed to be loved and cherished, not just brought up to be another warrior and nothing but, he deserves to know about his family history and that his mother gave her life for him.

"Oh Céline, of course I will, to the very best of my ability. He'll know just how much both you and Stephen love him." I quietly tell her. She smiles gratefully, and turns her attention back to Jace.

"Mama loves you so much Jace, Aunty Tessa is going to give you an amazing life." She whispers, and I find myself fighting back tears. I know the odds are extremely low, but I hope more than anything that she makes it through this surgery, she has so much potential to be an amazing mother, she doesn’t deserve to loose her life and Jace doesn’t deserve to loose his mother.

A few minutes later the door opens and Brother Enoch steps in along with the midwife.

"It is time for your surgery, Mrs. Herondale." The midwife calmly says. Céline nods weakly and kisses Jace's forehead once again tells him how much she loves him, and then hands him to me.

"Thank you so much Tessa, for everything." Céline says. I try to hold back my tears but I fail.

"It’s my pleasure Céline. Jace is in safe hands with me." I tell her. She smiles and places one last kiss to Jace’s little forehead.

A few minutes later she's taken into surgery. I decide to stay the night here with Jace, in case Céline survives, and travel back to New York tomorrow, if she doesn’t, If she does, I will stay here and help her recover and look after Jace.

Half an hour later, as I sit looking at Jace, his little eyes flutter open, and I let out a gasp, when I see the exact same tawny gold eyes my Jamie had. I thought I'd never see them again. Surprisingly, it isn't painful for me to see Jace has the same eyes as my baby boy, it actually makes me happy. I smile softly at Jace and kiss his forehead.

"I promise I'm going to give you the best life possible, little one, I love you so much." I tell him. He yawns and grips onto my finger tightly, causing me to fall even more in love with him. It’s been so long so I held a baby in my arms, since I’ve thought of myself as a mother, I had almost forgotten how amazing it feels, how your heart swells with love for this tiny little person completely dependent on you. Being a mother was the best thing I’ve ever done and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be doing it again.

A few hours later, the midwife tells me Céline didn't make it through the surgery. Deep down I knew she wouldn’t, and my heart breaks for her, but I'm glad she isn't in pain anymore.

"It's just you and me and now Jace, but that's okay, because we really only need each other, and your Uncle Magnus."I quietly say. Magnus wasn't crazy about Stephen, but there's no way he won't love Jace.

I fall asleep that night in one of the spare rooms of The Manor, with my hand drooped into Jace's bassinet, his tiny fist gripping my finger. I'm all he has now, and I'm determined to make sure this little boy has the best possible life.

[once-upon-a-ouat]

“She Will Always Find Me”

Regina has a nightmare and David tries to help her get over it. Little does he know the nightmare hasn’t even begun yet. Missing scenes from 2x08 “Into the Deep”. Platonic Evil Charming.

Read on FFN or AO3

David stirred and woke up. He looked around, trying to remember what had happened before he fell asleep. He was in the loft, in Storybrooke, while his wife and daughter were trapped in the Enchanted Forest with no way home. He sighed and rested his head against the back of the chair he had fallen asleep in.

He tilted his head to look at the bed where Henry was sleeping. His grandson looked peaceful, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Apparently the nightmares hadn’t plagued him yet.

His gaze then landed on Regina who, much like himself, had fallen asleep in the chair she was sitting in. She too looked calm. Calmer than he’d ever seen her. He told himself that he should stop staring at her sleeping form like a creep but that was his chance to see the woman behind the theatrics. She looked young and innocent, much like a child, without a fireball in her hand and sharp words on the tip of her tongue. He would never believe she was a cold-blooded murderess if he hadn’t seen her crush hearts with the same hands that tucked Henry in bed.

Regina stirred, startling him, and he looked away. The last thing he needed was for her to catch him staring. She did not wake though. She just murmured something that David couldn’t hear. It was none of his business anyway.

Still, his eyes found her face again and his breath caught in his throat. The peaceful expression was gone, chased away from her features that were now contorted in something best described as fear. He found himself swallowing hard.

Regina spoke in her sleep again and this time loud enough for him to make out the words. “No, mother.” It was a desperate plea that made his heart clench in his chest.

David leaned forward as if that would help him find out what she was dreaming about. He didn’t know much about Regina’s mother. Snow had only told him that as evil as the queen was, she wasn’t even half as bad as her mother. But seeing Regina tremble finally gave him a clear idea of what kind of person her mother was.

“Please,” Regina’s terrified whisper pulled him out of his thoughts. “I’ll be good.” A tear fell from her eye.

The words stabbed David in the chest. She would never be good again but she was doing her best for Henry. Apparently her mother had not done the same for her if she was still trembling and crying at the memory of it. And apparently he had to do something because he couldn’t stand it any longer.

David stood up and walked over to her, contemplating his approach to the situation. Shaking her awake could prove to be suicidal. He wasn’t certain that she wouldn’t attack him while still disoriented and afraid.

While he was weighing his options, Regina woke up, alerted by his proximity. “What are you doing?” she hissed, retreating as much as possible in the chair like a cornered animal.

David took a step back and raised his hands where she could see them. “You were having a nightmare,” he said in a hushed voice as if not to scare her. “I wanted to check if you’re alright.”

“I’m fine,” she snapped, forcing her tense muscles to relax in support of her words. With a quick angry swipe of her hand she wiped away the tear from her cheek, not wanting to leave any evidence of her moment of vulnerability.

David looked away, giving her some privacy. “I could light a candle if you want,” he offered because the silence was unbearable and he knew it helped.

“I’m not a child scared of the dark,” Regina scoffed.

David’s eyes found hers and he held her gaze, hoping she would understand his worry was genuine. “I thought you might like having some fire around and now that you’ve promised Henry not to use magic you can’t-”

“I’m fine,” Regina repeated but this time it came out a lot softer, even uncertain. She was clearly confused by his sudden show of concern. She opened her mouth to say something else but hesitated. “Thank you,” she said finally. It was whispered and he strained to hear it but it was said nonetheless.

He nodded and walked over to the kitchen island. He opened a cupboard and took out a candle and a box of matches.

“David, I told you there was no need,” Regina protested when she saw him set the candle on the countertop.

He walked back to her and handed her the box of matches. “In case you change your mind.”

She slowly took it from his hand, looking surprised that he’d trust her with matches. She had set his whole world on fire more than once.

He gave her a small smile and returned to the chair in which he had been sleeping. “She can’t find you here,” he said right before he closed his eyes, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

His words must have had the desired effect because he soon heard her get up from her chair and walk over to the counter. He heard the rasp of a match against the box and the candlewick lighting up. A faint smell of smoke reached his nose. He drifted back to sleep, knowing that the light and warmth of the candle would keep the nightmare away.

They all slept soundly after that but the next day Henry spoke to Aurora and the nightmare became real.

Regina’s face froze in an unreadable mask when Henry mentioned her mother. “I’ll go get Gold.” She jumped out of her chair, grabbed her trench coat and her scarf and flew out the door.

David decided to go after her despite his better judgement. He had been far from her but not far enough to miss the heat radiating from her body. He knew very well that that anger needed just a little push to turn into a fireball that even her love for Henry couldn’t extinguish but he had to follow her because otherwise the feeling of guilt in his stomach would burn him alive.

He put a hand on his grandson’s shoulder and looked him in the eyes. “Henry, stay here.”

The boy opened his mouth to object but the look in David’s eyes gave him pause. He decided to listen to his grandfather and nodded.

That was all David needed to dash after Regina. He ran down the stairs and out of the building before he spotted her.

“Regina, wait,” David called after her, startling her. Apparently, she had not expected him to follow her.

She exhaled slowly in an attempt to relieve the tension from her body and turned around to face him. She forced herself to look him in the eyes. “David, I don’t have time for more empty hope.” Her eyes were pleading with him to let her go, let her deal with the situation her way.

“They’ll stop her,” David held her gaze despite her silent begging not to try to encourage her.

Regina licked her upper lip. For the first time she was the one who wanted to escape from him and not vice versa. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know Snow. She will always find me.” And it was a cruel thing to say to her because she had dedicated so many years of her life to finding a way to tear them apart. It was a cruel thing to want from her to pray that they’d find each other once again. It was cruel hope but it was hope nonetheless. And it was better than fear. Better than despair.

“But you don’t know my mother,” Regina said even though she wanted to believe him. She knew his words were true but she also knew her mother’s ambition. Ambition that had taken many lives. Ambition at the memory of which the fragile hope inside her perished. “She will always find me,” her voice almost broke and she almost broke down with it because she wanted to believe but she couldn’t take another leap of faith. Not when everything she loved was threatened.

She turned her back to David and left him standing at the sidewalk just as scared and confused as she was. Because for once the Evil Queen wanted Prince Charming and Snow White to find each other. And for once Prince Charming hoped that the Evil Queen would succeed.

[talesofealdancynedom]

Tale 31: If We Lost The Sea Wives (4/5)

Tale 31: If We Lost The Sea Wives (chapter 4 - Silence of The Storm  4/5 ) part 7. Stories of Magic Forests

no warings

              Electra turned out to be professor Saturn Firepot’s trial run. As it would happen, his love of fey soon led him to a special job. Seers who study fey, are the wizards that identifying fey. What fey they are, where they come from, and how they behave; This is done, so common folk don’t get upset, or handle magic improperly. From identification applications, to in person consults; A seer of fey, was sure to help. Saturn’s next identification mission, was different however. Professor Saturn Firepot, was asked to identify fey that had been put in a warehouse, after being freed from illegal collectors; Or other dangerous situations. The goal was to either relocate them, or take them in for study. On rare occasions, some wizards who where power thirsty, had to be dissuaded from executing fey. All this was done to empty the magical containment centers. Regardless of the chaos, exotic and wonderous fey were to found.

              Saturn specialized in fish fey and fairies; So, those are the areas of the warehouse he was sent. His job was mostly filling out ID cards of fey’s container. Seeing them locked up, always made Saturn sad. He finished his round through the sea wife section, then quickly went to a corner of iron cages containing nymphs. One was only a boy; Which meant he was born, like Electra. He resembled a type of nymph thought to have been wiped out. Fountain nymphs. They are responsible for enchanting the fountains of youth, and creating healing water. The fountains had burned down earlier that year, possibly wiping the nymphs out. However, Saturn was less concerned with the naiad’s value, and more endeared by the fairies dominative apearance. He reminded Saturn of his daughter. The temptation to care for an orphaned fey became overwhelming. There was nothing stopping Saturn. He had transformed the school atrium into a fey rehabilitation center, used for educational purposes; Thus, Saturn had space to welcome any fey he chose to take with him.

Before Saturn knew it, he was focused on caring for a genuine fountain nymph, who insisted his name was Woodwick. But the small naiad, was in that containment center for a reason. Many people would do anything, to get their hands on a fey, that could grant them eternal beauty and health. Woodwick had came from such an abusive situation, and needed to be hidden for his protection. Saturn decided to only tell his apprentice, Dominique Klopirl, and no one else. Once Woodwick recovered, he started to look sad. As he grew, it became apparent Woodwick wanted something Firepot could actually offer. Being human. Or at least, as to human as a fey can get. Firepot had lied, and forged documents, to fool his entire village into thinking his daughter wasn’t a selkie. He knew exactly how to make Woodwick a convincing adoptive son.

              When Saturn got custody of Woodwick, he also got some concerning news: While he was at his new job, once again loving life, Jasper called saying Electra was going to have a baby. He sounded terrified. Saturn said all he needed to do, was deliver at home; And make sure to wash the baby immediately in a tub of sea water. Oddly specific instructions, but Jasper was to overcome by parental anxiety, to think deeply about that advice. Not that he thought deeply about anything anyway. Six months later, Saturn was invited home for the winter break, to meet his grandson. He was overcome with joy. Saturn was a grandfather, and the child was not a selkie.

              When Saturn arrived home, the cool humid air felt soothing, and the land was still green. A Northland winter is mild, but still winter. The cold was in the humid air. Like her mother, Electra went to dip her toes in the ocean, having delivered a baby complication free. Seemingly in perfect health. Jasper, as himself, was so happy to hold his son, and have his wife safe, to notice her obliviousness. He had a happy healthy family. But Saturn had an agenda. The second he entered the door, he ran over and hugged Electra, like he would never see her again. She still had the distinct squish of a selkie; Soft, with give and warmth. Her cashmere cardigan and floral gown, adding to the comfort of their embrace. The whole family was delighted to be together. After their long hug, Jasper got everyone to come in for some strong tea, and offered Saturn his grandson, Hara, to hold.

“Why’d you ask me to use sea water to wash him? Family tradition? Like some other families here? Is it because magic is in the sea, and it’s for luck?” Jasper asked. Saturn was holding up his grandson, giving him a good look over, with satisfaction. His face was full of serenity; Hiding souring memories. The last baby he held was his daughter, and it was markedly one of the worst days of his life. His grandson was a perfectly adorable human, and thus would never be tempted by the waves. There was no fear of him leaving his family heartbroken, as Saturn once was.

“I guess we feel connected to the sea and it’s fey,” Saturn said. “This is a magic forest Jasper.” Electra walked over and took Hara gently from her father’s arms. She seemed more fascinated by him then maternal. Only Saturn noticed, being aware of her identity. Fey, stuck in eternal youth, cannot conceptualize parental instincts. But nevertheless, they can deeply care for the people around them. Love is the strongest magic, even if it’s not the romantic kind. Fondness, or fey friendship, contains just as much love. In that sense, Electra loved Hara with all her heart.

              Hara felt loved by his family, and admired his grandfather; Who was working in another land. When grandpa came to visit, it felt more magical than his home. When Hara was about school age, he met Woodwick. Hara, as a mage and fey enthusiast, recognized a nymph in seconds. When he was alone with his grandfather, Hara had questions.

“We talked about how Woodwick is a nymph, and I might be a mage; But why did you adopt him? And why do you lie to father?” Hara asked, innocently. Fear ran through Saturn’s bones. Children see through lies.

“Well, Woodwick is precious. He is valuable to the world of wizards, fey, and common folk. He is also important to me; Like a son. Woodwick dreams to be human, and teach magic, as fey can have individual dreams too. In Fountain, he would of had a childhood just like yours, and be treated as a common man. Nymphs are good at that. But it’s different outside magic forests; People can be possessive or violent towards fey. If I convince everyone Woodwick is human, he will have his dream, and be safe from naughty wizards. So, I adopted him, take him to be a part of our family, put him into magic school, and lie about what he really is.” Saturn said.

“But wont lying get you in trouble? Grandpa, what if you get caught? Don’t people always find out? Grandpa! that’s bad!” Hara reprimanded.

“It is more like… Withholding information! It’s for the better! Can you tell everyone Woodwick is your adoptive uncle, so he can be safe and have his dream?” Saturn requested, looking at Electra. She was cleaning the kitchenette. Luckily, Hara ran over to embrace her leg. Children ask a lot of questions, but can easily be distracted before they get answers. Saturn felt like he had dodged a bullet. Like his lost wife and selkie daughter, Woodwick had become another fey Saturn lied to protect. Another fey he forgot wasn’t human.

Professor Saturn Firepot’s reputation would be slaughtered, if people found out he was hiding such valuable fey, or treating them like family. The line between profession, and using love to justify his actions, was becoming blurred. Woodwick and Electra weren’t people, or his family; They were made of magic, and children of the Fairy King and Fish Kings respectively. Yet, Saturn wanted them to be human. They felt human. He had studied fey his whole life, and knew how close they were to an average person when given the chance. Each mythical creature had a personality, and real emotions. They were worth respect, and deserving of basic care. They are a fundamental and constant part of the world. Why should anything so alive, be worth anything less? This is a message Saturn would always teach Hara. But Hara was a mage raised around fey, and perfectly unable to tell between someone made of magic, or blood.

Hara may have noticed Woodwick, but his mother whom he saw everyday, passed his radar. Even if Electra, being made of magic, could sense her son was a mage, she ignored it. Hara was just another one of his favourite humans. Given everyone’s ignorant bliss, Saturn continue withhold the fact Electra was a Selkie from everyone. Woodwick would be fought over, and loose his dream of being human; But Electra would leave Saturn. He would be forced to return her coat, and watch her walk into the sea, abandoning him. Saturn’s job and reputation was second to how much he loved his family. The loss of their trust, and their broken hearts, scared him; Increasing Saturn’s worries about his daughter. Out of fear and love, Saturn was unable to stop lying. Which resulted in a troubled mind. That night, Saturn took out Electra’s coat from his bag. He took it everywhere, to keep it safe. A selkie could die without her skin. He held it close and tight, like his daughter. plush, warm, and sweetly scented. Something so simple, just seemed to mean so much.

NEXT--->

<---PREVIOUS

[sanjuno]

NRT+SW: That We Answer To Our Stars

Just remember that you people asked for this and if I end up posting a story concept that you love and want to see as a fic? Be well aware that all of these outlines only have one thing in common:

I HAVEN’T WRITTEN A SINGLE SCENE FOR THEM.

Which means I won’t be turning them into fic for a year at least so... *handwaves* Encourage me IRT your favourite WIP of mine, because finishing one of those will clear up space in the docket for a new story to get some attention.

Now, these outlines can get kinda disjointed but at least you’ll get to see a bit of how my brain works when I plot out stories.

THE SCENE!

>Kaguya’s multiverse trip goes wonky b/c best crossover fodder scene

>Uchiha Clan dumped wholesale on Rim World/Wild Space World in SW’verse. All the Uchiha Clan. All the Uchiha since ever.

->World is XL planetoid version of TG44, with added biome options b/c YOLO (unless you’re in the Uchiha Clan I guess b/c then you get to Live All The Times?)

>Indra, Madara, and Sasuke separate ppl w/ wiggy chakra resonance. V disorienting.

->Ninshu gets Dialled Up To Eleven = Force Bonds! Force Bonds everywhere!

-->Entire Clan gets Highlights Reel of Historically Important Memories (also so much purposely induced trauma wow WTF.)

--->Mass Meditation required to untangle/unfuck heads

>Entire Clan now Force Sensitive BTW

->WTF w/ crazy Nature Chakra infesting everyone? Uchiha are Not Pleased.

-->Upside: Force Bonds/Ninshu Super Connection can be used to awaken Sharingan w/out Psyche Destroying Trauma so yay for that

>All Uchiha now have Kaguya’s est. life span. Also nubbin horns and forehead sensory organ b/c aliens are a SW thing I can do this now (don't know if want full-on third eye or just funky Clan Marking thing? Hm...)

THE PLOT THICKENS/ACTUALLY STARTS BEING A THING!

>Sep. forces land on new Uchiha Homeworld b/c shenanigans and The Force Likes To Meddle

->Sasuke introduces said forces to Kirin b/c is reminded of T7 mission to Land of Iron? Or Snow? Dunno which but Naruto’verse says machines = bad juju so Sasuke is 100% justified ok thanks.

>212th follows. Obi-wan is v concerned by the Uchiha

->Entire Pop. of Planet is FS WTF is this nonsense?

-->Clones v impressed at least. Free-range jedi are badass why were they not informed of this being an option? (Clones made for jedi = have a hard time leaving GAR b/c existential dissonance when no jedi for retired soldiers? Also Kamino sucks and slavery sucks more but now the Clones who don’t want to be soldiers or recycled can Take A Third Option! So much Clone chatter about the Uchiha thing wow.)

>Madara is sent to be Senator b/c Jedi are Very Insistent that this Planet be part of the Republic.

->Madara terrifies all the politicians b/c Uchiha Hate Politics (they're too blunt and the see too much) but Madara is best at it v good at lying without saying anything untrue.

-->Madara knows Palpatine is skeevy b/c Uchiha See All The Things and You Can’t Fool Me With Such A Weak Illusion, Foolish Human and now there are clashing manipulators and Your Attachments Make You Weak and this is going to get out of hand so quickly I just know it. 

>Sasuke is apparently still best Prophecy Child Bait and Anakin is Conflicted b/c how can he be attracted to someone not Padme?

->501st would like to adopt b/c last time Anakin fucked off without backup Sasuke came back 5 minutes later with Anakin hogtied over his shoulder and the Seppie base on fire. Sasuke is so unimpressed b/c That’s Not How You Infiltrate Enemy Lines, You Moron

-->Sasuke is still 100% going to seduce Anakin and Padme b/c his life is Not Complete without an Idiot to yell at and a Crazy Berserker who likes to pretend she’s The Sane One to ride herd on.

--->Obi-wan is Done With All Of Them b/c Sasuke isn’t even pretending to try and hide his intentions b/c if they get fired Sasuke can just take them back home for a proper marriage. Mikoto is So Proud of her boy. 

>Madara and Mace have ‘sip and bitch’ IRT Palpatine being an evil fucker

->At some point Madara will wonder out loud what Palpatine is grooming Anakin for? Mace is Concerned by this revelation. Madera is not.

-->Sasuke had Issues IRT not sharing well with other children. BTW Mace Sasuke is planning to steal away Anakin and marry him. Don’t worry he will be returned eventually and so will his wife.

--->Mace thinks Anakin had it coming. WTF was the boy thinking? Did he really think he could hide anything from a temple containing several thousand telempaths? Jedi can get married, it’s just considered polite to ask first and go through the counselling with the Mind Healers beforehand. (Idea! Coruscaunti Jedi treat marriage the same way the Japanese treat Gun Control. Lots of paperwork and regular mandatory psyche evaluations and pervasive low-key terror at the idea of having one.)

->Madara will hear the “too much fear in him” story and cackles

-->Slaves have to please their Masters to survive. Anakin was freed to be a Jedi so if not a Jedi then he’s a slave again? No Fear = Be A Jedi (Not A Slave) and now Anakin is The Hero With No Fear

--->Therefore everything the Council dislikes about how Anakin acts was initialized by the Council. Mace hates Irony so much. Madara is still cackling in his face.

->Madara wants the aged out Initiates who still want to fight (or even just the Initiates who don’t suit the Jedi lifestyle)

-->He has a Clan to maintain! About 25% of the Uchiha never fell in love or fell in love with non-Uchiha so they need Marriage Options. (Uchiha don’t fall out of love easily either so new potential spouses need to be Impressive As Fuck and the jedi know how to be Impressive.)

--->Species doesn’t actually matter Uchiha’s Forest of Death planet has lots of different options despite being mostly Giant Fuck-Off Trees and the higher your Force Sensitivity the higher your chances are for successful cross-species hybrids. (Madara is planning to keep Obito and Itachi away from the aquatic species for a while b/c they have a concerning fondness for fishes.) Hybrids are viable though b/c The Force loves grand babies.

>Izuna is there as Madara’s Security Chief and he’s having Far Too Much Fun getting to be paranoid for a living. Plus all sorts of time to spend with his wife! (Need to pick name and develop Izuna’s wife beyond terrifying DFAB genderfluid interrogation specialist but at least they’re happy together.)

->Izunami (Izuna’s daughter) and Kagami are tiny children again b/c weird cross-dimensional space-time fuckery is like that

-->Shisui is super amused to be ‘older’ than his grandfather.

->Kagami approves mightily of Madara-shishou’s friendship with Mace (reminds him of Tobirama-sensei!)

->Izunami is 100% in favour of actually getting to ‘grow up’ with her Mom and Dad around this time (although she only really listens to Madara b/c he was her Parental Authority Figure and old habits don’t break) Jedi actually find this comforting b/c even if Uchiha crazy about attachments there are familiar bits there in how they arrange instruction even if the three students at a time thing is weird.

-->Both Izunami and Kagami are So Relieved that their Spouse is the same age as them b/c while they would be willing to wait until the other grew up this is much less creepy.

>Speaking of age fuckery Itachi is smol now and just about permanently leashed to Mikoto’s side.

->Sasuke is v amused b/c Aniki deserves this.

-->Mikoto and Fugaku are the first Uchiha couple to make a new baby and it’s Sarada b/c she’s the only good thing about the Next Gen (Except for Snake Fam but they aren’t a part of this fic boo)

>Obito is Madara’s primary assistant b/c some of the Uchiha are Not Over the whole Killing Us All Off thing.

->Obito runs into Quinlan Vos. Results are hilarious.

-->Brainwashing to the Dark Side ep. goes v differently. (Need to re-watch this ep for details but yes) Obito will rampage over everything b/c dude has No Chill

>Shisui is v jealous of his relatives b/c Itachi is too smol to play with and also has been hijacked by Isami (who will hold her death over Itachi for the rest of forever but again Uchiha don’t really fall out of love so she’s also learning Itachi wrangling skills from Mikoto now.)

->Everyone else is finding Jedi favourites and Shisui misses his ANBU team b/c it’s not like he really had time to make any other friends

-->Sulking Shisui trips over Feemor while waiting for Madara. Apparently Uchiha and Yoda’s Lineage have A Type. 

>BIG PLOT POINT: Uchiha Remember

->’Curse of Hatred’ spun by Madara as ‘plague’ caused by ‘non-native invasive plants’ (Blames it all on Zetsu and says plant was toxic to non-Uchiha) Says is why there are no non-Uchiha in TG44′s population despite stories otherwise.

>Uchiha think the Jedi Code is silly but the Clones are the Best Thing. All Clones look different to FS/Sharingan

>Uchiha have a habit of “stealing” spouses.

->BTW Shisui has No Patience

-->Upside: Feemor is v flattered by the attention and TG44 has a v interesting ecosystem. TF is in everything on this planet like WTF how does this work?

->Kagami is So Proud. Look at his Grandson, so proactive.

-->Starts to ‘hint’ that maybe Madara-shishou should think about settling down.

-->Mace has been meditating and consulting with the other Masters of the Order.

--->War changes everyone. Plus certain contracts between the Jedi Order and the Senate have been voided by the drafting of Jedi Generals. (Look up the details of the Ruusan Reformation for more info on disbandment of Jedi Military Powers and what it means when Senate gives them back the right to raise levy forces.)

-->Jedi don’t need to look harmless anymore just need to look less dangerous than the Seppies and the Sith.

>Uchiha Clan FB keep any of them from Falling to the Dark Side.

->Sasuke finally gets his hooks in Anakin and Padme. Notices the ‘nightmare vision’ problem first time he sleeps over.

-->Kidnaps Obi-wan to ‘repair’ the stress fracture in Anakin’s only familial FB b/c having his partner be so alone in his head is creeping Sasuke out and it’d only get worse if the bond to Obi-wan breaks completely.

--->Obi-wan is too tired to even object and now Anakin is freaking out b/c he’d been so focused on Padme maybe-dying in childbirth that he hadn’t even noticed how sick his Master looks.

---->Oh and also there is a Sith Energy Parasite attached to Anakin’s FS and it’s been poisoning his bonds. Sasuke just facepalms while the Jedi have panic attacks and drags in the genjutsu expert hostile deprogramming specialists.

----->Upside: Uchiha now know what Sith Master’s chakra signature is and can hunt him properly. Also help Mind Healers check all Jedi for similar problems, starting with Active Duty Generals. My the Council Chambers look so much Lighter now. 

>Then some stuff happens where Palpatine is exposed as the Sith Master and there are explosions.

>Plot Twist is that Madara and Mace have been banging and rewriting the Jedi Code of conduct since like their third date and no one picked up on it.

->Mace: *stares Anakin in the eyes* And that’s how you hide an affair, Skywalker.

*jazz hands* And this is how my fics look before I start writing them.