#uses both glock and wand

[rosencatholic]

[sailforvalinor]

📔

Since last year, I’ve had an idea for a Harry Potter fic rattling around in my head prompted by the realization that Lily’s death is necessary for the love-magic-protection that enables Harry to survive both killing curses, but James’s isn’t—what does the world look like if James Potter somehow survives? I came to the conclusion that because the protection spell that Dumbledore originally uses to protect Harry until he comes of age applies to those of Lily’s blood, he would still want him to live with the Dursley’s, and thus Dumbledore decides that the best course of action is for 21 year old, traumatized, newly-widowed James to fake his death. It’s safest for Harry, the Death Eaters already think he’s dead, and it’s really useful for Dumbledore to have a piece on the chessboard that both the Death Eaters and the Ministry don’t know about. James isn’t thrilled about this, but he’s too distraught (and too used to Dumbledore being right about everything) to argue. He’s really only a few years out of school, after all.

I know I had worked out all the logical kinks on this one at some point but I don’t really remember now—but the fic would involve James working as a sort of secret agent for Dumbledore, a wild card, if you will, while keeping an eye on Harry from afar. This James would be a little different than the one we’re familiar with—a bit more mature and serious, and of course absolutely wracked with guilt. He hardly resembles who he used to be after losing Lily, and he’s pretty dang desperate not to make any more mistakes, lose anyone else.

Snape of course is one of the only other people who would know James was alive, and the bad blood between them is as terrible as ever, as Snape would blame him for “letting” Lily get killed. (As if James doesn’t blame himself enough.)

Sirius would also know, as he was the first one to Godric’s Hollow after the attack and would have found James, but that doesn’t do much good after he’s arrested. The only way I can think to workaround the fact that Dumbledore would know Sirius was innocent if he had talked to James is if James was so seriously incapacitated after the attack on Godric’s Hollow (don’t ask how I don’t know. WAIT MAYBE IN THIS VERSION VOLDEMORT ENCOUNTERS LILY FIRST AND HER LOVE MAGIC EXTENDS TO BOTH HARRY AND JAMES??? OH MY GOSH???) that the “trial” occurs before James is lucid enough to talk and Dumbledore gives evidence against Sirius because he assumes he’s the Secret Keeper.

Other than fulfilling Dumbledore’s wishes and keeping an eye on Harry, James spends a lot of his time trying to figure out how to break Sirius out of Azkaban. Maybe he succeeds earlier than in the original series? He also is trying to hunt down Peter, of course—probably spots him in the newspaper like Sirius does. Or maybe he sees him with Ron while watching Harry?

Does Remus know that James is alive? I’m gonna say yes, but Dumbledore doesn’t know that. It makes no sense for him not to, he’s the only friend he has left.

I figure by Prisoner of Azkaban, James has had enough of Dumbledore’s nonsense and reveals himself to Harry—it would be pretty dang poetic if it’s during the first patronus scene, and it IS actually him casting it from across the lake. How would Harry react to finding out he’s been alive this whole time? Idk, it would be complicated, but man I’m getting emotional just thinking about it.

Also, while it does make sense that Dumbledore wouldn’t want James to use his original wand, I know it makes the most sense for James to have acquired a spare one somewhere—but the concept of James Potter with a Glock hit me over the head with a broom, and I’d love to somehow finagle it into making sense because can you imagine? Someone in the HP universe with a gun?? The comedic potential???

A dementor: *appears*

Harry and Sirius: “EXPECTO—“

James: *shoots it in the face*

[froggie-recs-fics]

Fic Roundup -- Week of 10/4/21

The fandoms in this list are as follows: Marvel (Stucky, Rumlow/Bucky, Steve/Bucky/Sam), Bond Movies (00Q), Harry Potter (Drarry)

A + signifies a re-read, and a ** signifies a favorite

Marvel

Stucky

**+Escalation by ameonna (zetsubonna) @zetsubonna melospiza (orphan_account) (Pre-CATFA, E, 7K, Voyeurism, PWP, Friends to Lovers)

Bucky and Steve have been best friends since second grade. They share everything.

Bucky takes this to the logical extreme. Steve is more cooperative than he expected.

(Original female characters are mentioned, but not explored in any depth. They are a means to an end.)

a rocky heart for breaking teeth by thiccbuckybarnes @thiccbuckybarnesfic (BDSM AU, E, 25K, Modern Steve, Winter Soldier Bucky, Angst with a Happy Ending, Porn with Plot)

Bucky takes a sip of his drink, his gaze still locked with the sub over the rim of the glass. He sees the curiosity in those forget-me-not-blue eyes, that flash of interest, of attraction. It makes Bucky’s blood set ablaze under his skin, like a match striking a dry surface, igniting from friction. It’s a feeling he hasn’t in a long time—decades, even, considering he’d been chemically castrated during his imprisonment as the Winter Soldier and is now pumped up with enough suppressants to—well, to abate the intense needs of a super soldier that happens to be a Dominant.

★❀★❀★ Or, Steve yearns, and Bucky pretends not to feel.

[Kinktober Day 7: Bondage] [Stucky Bingo Fills: Frottage & Shibari]

Steve/Bucky/Sam

+chasing every breaking wave by coffeeinallcaps @coffeeinallcaps (E, 6K, Established Relationship, PWP, Overstimulation)

“Hey, by the way,” Bucky says, “what’s the most times you’ve ever made Steve come in a row?”

Rumlow/Bucky

to be quietly devoured by itallstartedwithdefenestration @astralhux (Noncon, E, 2K, HTP)

Sometimes the asset malfunctions. Rumlow is the only person who can calm him down.

00Q

million dollar question by skylights @frijae (NR, 5K, Humor)

Q doesn’t bend for anything and Q certainly doesn’t break for anyone, especially when it comes to stubborn double-ohs intent on making Q’s life hell, so when Q wakes up on a Saturday morning to 12 new texts from Bond and the incessant ringing of his flat’s doorbell, Q makes sure to bring a gun to answer the door.

“Delivery for one…Quabik Quadree?”

Q feels the weight of the Glock 19 in the pocket of his dressing gown and sincerely wonders whether to shoot the delivery man or himself.

(or, that fic where everyone wants to know Q's name and stupid things happen in the process)

The World We View by bankrobbery, melfice (M, 2K, Self-Doubt, Bisexuality, Gender Issues)

"If you were a woman he would want you."

He hopes that, if he were a woman, he might have better taste.

**Slow Dancing In A Burning Room by feelslikefire @feels-like-fire (E, 66K, Secret Identities, Hurt/Comfort, Espionage)

What followed was the most bizarre courtship Q had ever—well, heard of, certainly. He didn’t have much to compare it to, but Moneypenny confirmed that normal people didn’t flirt like this. Not that he was normal. Not that any of them were.

Or: Q has a past, a cat, and a dangerous new boyfriend. Two of these things keep him up nights, the other pees in a box.

***The Place Between Us All by coffee_mage (NR, CNTW, 61K, Trans Character, Rape Recovery)

Kissing is easy. Loving is hard.

James and Q both have lessons to learn about this and very different paths that have brought them there.

Harry Potter

Drarry

The Mirror of Ecidyrue Series by starbrigid (1M, starts off T ends at E, Time Travel, Slooow Burn, De-Aged kinda, WIP)

All it takes is one look in a mirror and an ill-advised attempt to shatter it, before an embittered Draco Malfoy fresh out of Azkaban is sent back into his body on the day he gets his Hogwarts letter.

Suddenly, Draco has an unwanted second chance, with a Sorting Hat that doesn't know what to do with him, a certain Muggleborn who won't leave his study table alone, and green eyes he just can't get out of his head. And then there's his new wand, whose choice of him could just mark him as every bit as dark a wizard as his name means he should be.

Draco Malfoy and the Mirror of Ecidyrue

Draco Malfoy and the Heir of Slytherin

Storm in a Teacup by Faith Wood (faithwood) (8th Year, M, 7K, Humor)

For reasons he'd rather not think about, Draco is obsessed with Potter's hair. This cannot end well.

**Evitative by Vichan (5th year Canon Div, T, 222K, Dark Arts, Dark Harry (not really), Re-Sorting, Slytherin Harry)

In the summer before his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry is drawn to a room in Grimmauld Place. Like the Gryffindor he is, he enters the room without fear. The room is a library, and Harry is surprised to find that he’s eager to learn.

Then he gets the bad news: he’s been accidentally expelled from Hogwarts, and he needs to be sorted again. Everyone is confident that he’ll go straight back to Gryffindor, but with what he's been learning, Harry’s not so sure.

Inside Your Mind by lazywonderland (8th year, E, 36K, Hurt/Comfort, Dom/sub, First Time)

Goyle's taken it upon himself to act as Malfoy's personal, one-man guard and Harry can't help but feel like it's only making the bullying worse.

The Devil's White Knight by orphan_account (Time Travel AU, Alternate Timeline, E, CNTW, 64K, Enemies to Lovers, Friends with Benefits)

When Harry wakes up in an alternate timeline--a timeline where Voldemort was defeated long before the first war--he discovers everything is different. His parents, his godfather, his friends--and him. Harry must deal with the consequences of who he would have been if he had been raised by his parents, and figure out where he stands with his casual hook up, Draco Malfoy.

Snape/Harry

**In Time, Once Again by avioleta (Time Travel, E, 29K, Alternate Timeline)

After the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry uses a Time Turner in an attempt to rewrite history. However, something goes wrong, and he’s thrown back fourteen years into the past.

[lotusss-flowerbomb]

A Match Made In Hell (5)

PART 5

Bucky x reader

Warnings: Death, violence, smut, 18+

Word Count: 2,983

********

Thor dropped down to ground with a hard thud. Storm breaker in his hands and ready to take down anything HYDRA that moves.

Vision levitating just off the ground beside him.

"Guys, be careful this could be a trap!" Steve told them. Neither of them heard what he said. The coms crackled in their ears. "They're jamming the signal. We gotta get down there. Tony, find the main control room and blow the transformers to hell."

"Yep," he said diving out of the jet and flying away.

Nat and Clint landed the aircraft and everyone else gathered at the entrance.

"Wanda; Bucky, Clint and I will come with you. Sam, you and Nat are up top. Drop her in and cover her. Once it's clear, head inside. Get in there and track down Bruce. "

"Got it," he scooped her up and flew away.

A loud roar could be heard in the short distance. The thunder rolled above them. Steve ran on foot throwing his shield at oncoming HYDRA soldiers. Their bones could be heard cracking with each hit as they went down heavy.

Wanda catapulted Clint through the air as he shot off several arrows that hit different soldiers. One exploded, one electrocuted and another landed in a guy's forehead and the tip expanded.

Wanda lifted soldiers into the air as she also called rocks with sharp peaks from the earth like spikes. With a wave of her hand she impaled each one. All of their eyes open and faces stuck in shocked expressions.

Bucky lifted his gun and ran full speed ahead. Dropping soldiers left and right. Bullets to the head and chest as he dodged all fire from HYDRA. Some of them trying to fall back and hide once they saw him coming. He took them out too.

Bodies were scattered about as they made their way towards the roaring sounds and lightening strikes. Beams of energy could be seen coming from Vision’s stone as they came closer. ******** "Nat, on your 6!" Sam yelled.

Nat tucked and rolled just as Sam expanded his wings ripping through the wall and pulled his guns out. He took out two soldiers who were headed in their direction. More of them rounded the corner armed with only taser wands.

"Shit, how many are there?" Sam groaned.

He retracted his wings as Nat came running and flipped over his back. She threw her body into one of them taking him down and pressing stingers into his neck. Two others tried to hit her with the wands, but she blocked them, rolled to the side and kicked the ankle of one. When he lost his footing, he fell in the direction of his counter part shocking him. She used her small hand gun to shoot the other.

The remainder of the baton twirling soldiers headed towards Sam. He took his knife out and stabbed one in the wrist causing him to drop his taser. He caught it and jammed it into another's neck, causing him to completely drop as the electricity traveled through his convulsing body. He hit the final one with a hard right that made his body twist. Sam grabbed him around the waist, bent his knees and took his body up top in a backwards slam. The loud crunch of bone could be heard.

"Whoo! Yeah boy, get some!" He shouted as he jumped up landing one final kick to his side.

"Are you done?" Nat asked.

"Oh, I'm just getting started, baby," he jumped up and down and jabbed the air. "Float like a butterfly sting like a bee!"

Nat shook her head, "Let's go get Bruce, Muhammad Ali." She said as she headed down a hall.

A loud explosion sounded from the other side of the building. The walls shook and plaster crumbled from the ceiling.

"What the hell was that?" Sam asked.

"Oh hey, it worked. Yaay!" Tony could be heard through the coms. "Oop, be right back. There's a thing over here that does not look too happy about that. I think I interrupted his—"

Tony's words were cut short as he was snatched out of the air by the creatures tongue. It rolled him into its mouth.

"It's eating me! It's eating me," he said right before he went silent.

The creature ran in the direction of Thor and Vision. They were both waiting for him as it rounded the building.

"Careful where you strike, Stark could still be alive," he advised Vision.

The beast ran towards them snarling and suddenly his feet dug into the ground as he came to a sliding halt. It howled loud into the sky as its belly began to rumble and glow and four holes blasted through him.

Tony came bursting out as he landed at his teammates feet. His mask disappeared from his face as he sucked in deep breaths.

“Are you well, Stark?” Thor questioned.

"Find me another one. I definitely wanna do that again." He said resting his head on the ground. ********

You were running through the halls. Your heels were clicking rapidly against the tile when your body was thrown into a wall. As you tried to get to your feet Steve's shield came hurling towards you. You ducked out of the way and jumped to your feet.

"Wait! I —" before you could finish your statement you were thrown again. You felt the sting of the bullet that had been put through your arm.

This time you landed on your feet. When you stood Steve, Bucky, Wanda and Clint were gathered at the end of the hall. Bucky held a glock 17 in his hand still pointed towards you.

"You shot me!" You said in disbelief.

"You shot me first," he replied.

He looked you over. Clad in your signature thigh high boots, leather vest and long skirt, but today there was something different. Today, you had two Katanas strapped to your back.

You dipped down a corridor. You could hear them following you. You had two options: trap yourself with them in the stairwell or go outside. You needed to quickly get them exactly where you wanted them to be, so you opted for outside.

You crashed through a window preparing yourself for the fall from the third story of the building. Storm Breaker came whirling in your direction. You tucked your body into a ball just missing the impact.

Vision shot a beam in your direction. You went into kill mode and picked up your speed to elude it. No matter how powerful you were, a hit from the stone would definitely put you on your ass.

"Cut her off!" Steve commanded. Vision made a crater in the ground just in front of you causing you to skid to a stop.

You turned to look at them. You didn't have time for this. You had to get them all to the main lab of the Basement.

"Where is he?" Bucky asked.

You scanned each member as they surrounded you. You pulled one of the swords from your back.

"Do you really plan to defeat us with such a measly weapon?" Thor questioned.

He drew back and sent Storm Breaker in your direction once again. It was less than an inch from your face when it stopped.

"How?" He looked surprised.

"We told you she's powerful." Wanda said.

Instead of sending it back into them you grabbed it and swung it into the building. It crashed through it bringing the entire wing down. They all turned to look at the damage and you took the opportunity to run.

You rounded the building and crashed into a window. They followed closely behind.

"Be careful, she's leading us into the lab." Bucky warned.

When they caught up you were standing in front of the door.

"What's your game?" Tony Inquired.

Before you could answer Bucky charged towards you.

"Just listen!" You yelled.

"No," he slammed into you.

Your back hit the door, but you recovered quickly. He threw another punch. You ducked and your fist crashed into his torso hard enough to send him flying backwards.

Clint shot multiple arrows in your direction in a lightening like succession as he neared you.

You pulled out your sword and sliced them out of the way. Once he was close enough, he pulled his own katana from the quiver and attempted to strike you. Before he could land the blow, you pulled the other sword from its sheeth and blocked it. You kicked him in the chest careful not to add to much force.

Another blast from Visions stone while you were distracted. This time it hit you and sent you flying through the doors you had been standing in front of.

You coughed trying to catch your breath as you tried to stand. Bucky was on you with his metal hand to your throat squeezing.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't snap your fucking neck right now?" He raised you off the ground.

You looked at him with tears in your eyes. He didn't trust you. You lifted your hand and waved it. A soft click could be heard in the room. Bruce, the HYDRA scientist and the HYDRA head you all had spotted at the other facility were behind the door of a secret room.

Bruce came tumbling out as the other two foolishly attempted to run. A red glow surrounded them as Wanda pinned them to the wall.

"Stop! Stop! Let her go, it's not what you think. Let her explain," Bruce said. Thor held him up right since he was still a little weak. Bucky held on to you for a while longer before deciding to let you go.

Your body dropped to floor. "Explain," he bit out.

You sucked in a deep breath. "I had to do it. They were going to use his DNA to try and recreate another Hulk. I gave him something to keep his blood too diluted for them to get proper samples."

"At the other facility she gave me something to knock me out, but once we got here she explained everything to me and we came up with a quick fix." Bruce added.

"Why not just change? They can't penetrate the hulks skin and you could've just escaped." Nat says.

"No, it's not that simple. They're trying to infiltrate SHIELD again and they have someone in place right now in direct contact with our team. It’s how they've known we were coming these last few last times. It's how they knew you were coming today." Bruce informed them.

"I knew that if I helped them get something they really wanted, they'd give me information. I needed to find out who it was, so that they couldn’t get Bruce and could never get to you again," you looked at Bucky.

His face softened. He was such an idiot. He'd let Dot get into his head about you.

"You weren't reminiscing about this place. You were dropping hints." He sighed.

"How dare you betray HYDRA? I am your master! I created you myself!" The doctor said from his trap on the wall.

"I don't have a master and I'm real sick of your shit." Your eyes changed and you lifted your hand and created a fist. You held it closed for a few seconds as you all watched his face turn from pink to bright red and then you opened it, causing his head to explode.

Brain matter and blood went everywhere. The HYDRA head screamed as most of it splattered onto him.

"Oh, I see why you married this one, Barnes. Feisty." Thor chuckled. Everyone just turned their heads to look at him.

"Wanda, would you please release him?" You walked in the direction of the head. She looked to Bucky and let him drop to the floor hard once he gave her an OK nod. The man picked himself up from the floor. "Open it," you shoved his briefcase to his chest.

He looked at you with a hardened glare, but did not move to open the case. He only spat on the floor next to your feet.

Bucky stomped over and hit him hard in the face and slammed his head into the case.

"She said open it." He spoke through clenched teeth.

He immediately brought his hands to the case and punched in the code. Bucky threw him to the floor as you snatched out the file you were looking for.

You slammed it open on the desk and revealed the photo of the leak. "She's had some work done to change her appearance a bit, but that's her, your little girlfriend."

Bucky looked over the photo of Dot. Blonde hair, brown eyes, slightly different nose and thinner lips. She had completely changed her appearance, but it was very clearly her. Bucky slammed his fist on the table.

"I don't tell her details about missions."

"I believe she was using a sleep technique. She'd wait for you to fall asleep and ask very specific questions. Your subconscious mind hears a familiar voice and feels comfortable enough to share information." You explained.

"So basically, he talks in his sleep," Sam added.

"Pretty much," you nodded. "But you've never given her much of anything," you flipped pages, "it was always after the fact information, so she'd warn them any time you were going on a mission to prepare."

"Oh man, thank God it's not Pepper. I literally tell her every single detail of every mission before we leave." Tony chimed.

Everyone turned and looked at him.

"She's my wife. I love her," he shrugged.

"Let's get back to the compound asap. She's usually waiting for you to get back." Steve said. ********

You got on the jet and sat away from everyone else. Bruce was explaining everything he'd learned while at the facility. Bucky sat near you not saying anything. Once you were up in the air, you unbuckled and made your way to the bathroom. Bucky was right behind you.

"What are you doing?" You ask him and try to shut the door.

He pushed it open and came inside.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He quizzed.

"I couldn't. They wanted Bruce and wanted to take you guys down. They were going to find a way to do both. I couldn't let them get you, not again."

"I didn't trust you. I'm sorry," he grabbed your hands.

"No, you didn't," you said sadly. "You also shot me."

"You fucking shot me first!" He retorted.

"I did it to save your life. You're acting like you died or something." You scrunched your face.

Bucky just laughed, "I'm sorry for not trusting you," you lifted a brow as he sighed, "and for shooting you."

You wrapped your hands around his neck and kissed his lips. He pressed his lips hard into yours. He lifted you up on the sink and moved the front part of your skirt aside while you worked to unbutton his pants.

You pulled out his rock hard cock and stroked it. The moan came from deep in his chest as his kisses traveled down your throat. He moved your panties to the side and slid into your warm wet pussy.

"God, you feel so good," he rolled his hips as he drove in and out of you. You wrapped your legs around his waist and hooked one arm around his neck.

"Fuck me harder, baby. You know how I like it." You urged him.

Bucky braced himself with one hand on the mirror and the other on your thigh. He picked up his momentum just as you requested. He tucked his face in the crook of your neck. Hearing his moans was turning you on even more.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum," you said as your pussy tightened around him. He fucked into you even harder. "Fuccckkkk!" Your orgasm washed over you.

With a few more thrusts, Bucky's grip on your thigh tightened and he emptied himself inside of you. He pushed back from you a little and watched as his cock coated with both of your climaxes disappeared inside of you.

He pulled out and pulled you further to the edge and pushed your knees back. He watched as your pulsing cunt leaked cum. He palmed his semi-hard dick and smacked it on your pussy, then swiped it up and down over your slit, right before pushing the cum back into you.

He pulled out again, bent down to kiss your pussy and then brought his lips to yours.

"Come out, some of us would actually like to use the bathroom!" Sam banged on the door. ********

By the time the team made it back, Dot had cleared every trace of herself from Bucky's place and her own.

He smashed his fist through several walls.

"I can't believe that I was so stupid," he kept repeating.

"Bucky, it's not your fault. Besides even with all of her skills, the only thing she was probably able to get was the PIN number to your debit card." You told him.

"She played me for a fucking fool."

"Maybe, but she also had real feelings for you. The day in the common room, she told me to stay away from you. I could tell she was serious. So think about where she'd go. She probably slipped up about it once or twice." You advised before you stood and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" He questioned.

"This isn't over. I have to end it."

"We can do this together. All of us, you don't have to leave, doll."

"Bucky, I don't belong here. This is your life, your family. I leave nothing but death and destruction behind. It's best I work alone, so others don't get hurt." You turned back to him and gave him a soft kiss. "I'll let you know when she's dead." With that you headed on your way.

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3 - smut

PART 4

PART 6

[allyvampirelass29]

Chapter 7: Game Changer

A HEROES Fanfiction   Angel Before the Fall Series By: Allyssa J. Watkins

”PLEASE!!!! DON'T!!!! Oh GOD, DON'T hurt him!! I'll show you how it works, take it, I'll do it, just....... NOOOOOOO!!!!"

Ally screamed out into the surrounding darkness, her panic shaking her awake, and she hugged herself, frightened and trembling. Where-? Her head felt heavy, like her prolonged slumber had been unnatural, like- like she'd been drugged..... WAIT!!! The tranquilizer!!! NOAH BENNET!!!!

"SYLAR!!!! SY, are you here!?!?"

Even her voice sounded heavy, it wouldn't carry, and she rested her forehead in her hand, disoriented. Where was here? Her breathing slowly leveled out as she realized the paralyzing horror she'd just witnessed, was only a hallucination, drug-induced, not real.

You wouldn't have to ask if I was here, Beautiful. Believe me, you'd know........

Her heart started to race, even though she knew it was the drugs talking. Sylar's voice drifted unaccompanied by its dark, gorgeous form through her mind. She could almost feel him, encircling her from the shadows  behind, hands on her shoulders, lips against her ear, hearts eclipsing, beating like clocks ticking, in perfect time.

She exhaled deeply, brushing the long dark hair from her eyes, feeling groggy, not quite all there, caught between the pulling threads of nightmare and dream, trying to make sense of her strange surroundings. It was all a void. Darkness. Silence. Nothingness. But...... no, hold on, there was a light, a flickering rectangle of light cast in the corner from an apparent hallway, vague shadowy forms dancing on the opposite wall.

It was then that she noticed the numbness in her right arm. Had she slept on it wrong? How long had she been asleep? No, wait..... that couldn't be it. She could only feel it in one spot. Her fingers flew to her forearm and she was shocked to find a bandage there. From the tranquilizer? No, that dart had landed on her- She quickly turned, crossing her arm over her body, feeling beneath the silky strap of her tank top, to find yet another bandage on her shoulder blade. WHAT did they do to me!?!? She thought frantic, suddenly scratching at her wrists. They began to itch terribly, both of them. It was relentless! She went to scratch again, horrified and confused. Oh NO!!! Two more bandages encircled each of her wrists, and a sickening revelation came to light. Experimentation. Noah, NO!!! She bit her lip, feeling worried. If Noah found out her secret, knew how to use her blood, he wouldn't need her anymore........ and he'd dispose of her without a second thought. Especially considering who she was now romantically entangled with.

"Hell yes, I want to get tangled up with you." She felt a wonderful shiver run down the length her spine, and sighed, happy. Sy's voice was the only thing keeping her from completely losing it, after Noah and Company had done GOD knows what to her. Why did it itch SO much!? She scratched furiously, too nervous to peek under the bandage, and her fingernail caught on something else. A bracelet? No, that can't be right, she wasn't wearing one. She felt along her wrist above the bandage. A strap, a thick woven strap, but why? Had she been tied to something? She struggled to lift herself off what appeared to be a cot, scurrying to the only corner of the room, (if it was a room) that had any visible light. Her eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness, but still nothing looked quite real. Was she dreaming again? She had to sit on the cold concrete, with her legs tucked under her, angling her wrist just right. Suddenly, the shadows on the wall raced away, dispelled at once, the glow in the hallway finally bright and stilled. Light glinted, reflecting off her wrist. She leaned closer, curls spilling over her shoulder. It was a watch. More chills. A broken watch. Her breath caught in her chest as she recognized each crack in the crystal, the all black face, the gleaming white numbers, the black nylon band, and a single name appearing ghost-like beneath the 12 and the hovering second hand........ SYLAR.

**********

"Man, it's like waiting for Christmas. If Christmas really sucked." Peter yawned, straightening his bullet proof vest, as he stood in the small foyer, of the PRIMATECH outpost.

"I hear that. I want it to happen already, and at the same time, not at all. Are we sure he's coming? What if we're way overestimating his affection for this girl?"

"Na, you should have seen the look on his face when I pulled her away from him. I only saw him for like a second, but he was foaming at the mouth livid, and something else...... something off. Something I'd never seen from him before. If it was anybody else, I'd say he looked heartbroken."

"Ha yeah, if that guy had a heart to break. Wow, he's got it bad for this one huh? He did totally freak when I put her screams in his head full blast."

"How many times are you gonna clean that thing?"

Parkman smiled, checking the chamber on his Glock. "Sorry, old habit. It used to keep me calm on overnight stake outs."

"Bet you never had one like this before."

Parkman chuckled, "Oh yeah, tons! Telekinetic magic man killers trying to burn the whole world to the ground, his index, the murder weapon. Just another Tuesday."

Peter smiled, but it faded just as quickly as it had come. He suddenly felt really strange, like every inch of his skin was prickly. He'd only felt like this once before....... Something wasn't right, and it was making him anxious, and extremely jittery. Sylar should have been here by now.

"Hey Matt. Did you check the perimeter in the last hour?"

"Yeah, all clear. Why?"

"I don't know...... I don't feel right, I feel off, like something's wrong, and I can't- I can't stay still."

"Whoah, relax, Peter. Something IS wrong. We're waiting for Killer Finger like it's his surprise party. Ha I guess in some ways it is. God, he's going to be so pissed, in for one HELL of a surprise. You really should have a gun in your hand Peter. Believe me, it helps."

Peter started to pace back and forth, raking both of his hands through his messy jet black hair. "No, no, we gotta go. We've got to check it again, where's Noah? How do we know Sylar's not already here, waiting.......?"

"C'mon Peter, there's like five snipers on the roof, surveillance cameras freaking everywhere, motion detectors, armed guards at every entrance, hell, a rigged up tear gas bomb out back. No WAY is he getting in without us knowing. Noah went to the lab, he's with Mohinder. Chill out, okay? You need another drink."

"I'm gonna sweep the perimeter again, stay here. I gotta move, my skin's like crawling."

Parkman handed Peter the radio, and he pressed the side button, raising it to his lips. "Hey Noah, it's me, I'm going to give the outside another once over. I-"

Peter flinched as he heard the sound of glass shattering, quickly followed by the poised click of a gun, over the radio, and something huge being knocked over with an awful CRASH, Mohinder yelling in the background.

"NOAH!!! MOHINDER!!!! What the HELL was that!?!?" Peter yelled, his hand clenched on the radio his knuckles turning white.

Peter and Parkman were both startled by the sharp, screaming sound of the emergency siren, piercing through the silence, red lights flashing frantic across both of their faces, and before either of them could make a move, the steel storm door in front of them retracted, sealing itself shut.

**********

"It's really quite extraordinary. At first every solitary test I ran, came back negative for abnormalities in the blood. Cell count, normal. Bone marrow, normal. Not even one trace to suggest Miss Watkins has abilities of any kind. And then...... sure enough, in a blink of an eye the sample beneath my microscope would vanish as if it had never existed at all. Like a magic trick, and a most ingenious one, at that.

"Something tells me you didn't call me all the way down here for another dead end." Noah said with a crooked smile.

"Indeed no. You see, cells respond to different light in different ways. Sunlight, infrared light, florescent light, even firelight, and were Allyssa to have her ability in a microbiological capacity, the right light could be just the agent to unveil such deception. I dabbled, played around a bit, took more and more blood, and made quite the astounding discovery."

Noah followed a gleeful Mohinder to the table, and Mohinder put a slide with Ally's blood under the microscope. "If you wouldn't mind, Noah, could you switch off the lights? For this demonstration, I will need complete darkness."

Noah nodded, "Yeah, sure thing, but make it quick. We have an unwelcome guest on his way, and remember I'm not a genius, so keep it junior college level at least, and save the impressive Harvard words for later?"

Mohinder chuckled, "Fair enough. For the record, my vocabulary was already advanced, far before I attended Harvard Medical School."

"I don't doubt that. They probably didn't even deserve you," Noah smiled, walked over, flipped the switch, and the entire PRIMATECH laboratory went instantly dark. Mohinder clicked on a glowing black light wand, holding it over the sample, and Noah leaned in, curious, anxious, eyes focused. So much was riding on this. One girl's secret could save the world.

"Nothing's happening, Mohinder. Except, of course, your shirt glowing. Is that part of the presentation?"

Mohinder looked down at his iridescent white dress shirt and smiled. "No, merely an entertaining side effect. Patience, Noah. Nothing is happening........ yet. Fascinating isn't it? The black light or UVA light on its own isn't strong enough to coax the clandestine cells to the surface. To stop the refraction and thus end the illusion, we must create a disturbance."

Mohinder began clicking the black light repeatedly on and off, until it flashed, frenzied like a strobe.

"Don't give me a seizure, I mean it."

Noah leaned a little closer and in the beats between flashes, to his unsuspecting amazement, Ally's cells began to move, the blood shimmering, looking purple in the black light.

"Well I'll be damned. You- You did it, Suresh!" Noah looked at the both literally and figuratively glowing doctor over the top of his glasses, his own smile widening.

As the blood shimmered with the smooth movement beneath the surface, there somehow appeared to be double sets of cells, vibrating at the same time, and then, in the next flash. The first set, the mirage set vanished, and only the second set, the real set remained.

"May I present, Miss Watkins' actual cells."

"My God. That's remarkable! I don't know how you figured out this one, but it's the game changer we've been hoping for. Do you realize the possibilities, the things we could do with this blood!? The applications are......."

"Infinite." Suresh finished with gleaming brown eyes, and an enthused grin. "Were we to present these findings to the world, you'd be looking at the next Nobel Prize Winner."

Noah arched an eyebrow, in a reprimanding, paternal way. "You do know we can't do that, right?"

Mohinder chuckled with a nod. "Of course, I am well aware of the detrimental ramifications. The world isn't ready for her, for us, for any of it. But the revelation itself is enough to rejuvenate my long stagnant mind, and make me feel like a great scientist again. Knowing all of the Specials we're going to save, slip right under Nathan's nose, in the guise of complete normality. That, My Friend, is worth more to me than all of the Nobel prizes, medical journal publishings, and magazine covers in the WORLD."

Noah clapped Mohinder on the back, grinning again like a proud father, and for the first time in a long time he felt real, tangible hope. Ally's blood, and Sylar's death were going to give them an advantage they never dreamed. "You ARE a Great Scientist, Mohinder. A prize winner if there ever was one. You'll get your magazine cover one day, I promise."

Mohinder and Noah's excited smiles instantly vanished, along with the dark blood on the glass slide.

"Damn. Now if I can only neutralize this unfortunate disappearing act long enough to use it, we can begin trials."

"You'll get there. I've known this girl for eight years, and you've accomplished more with her blood in one day than I ever could. Her secrets aren't safe anymore."

"She is a woman of mystery. Even science itself fails to rationalize the inclinations of the heart. Perhaps her cellular structure will enlighten us as to her peculiar attraction to Serial Killers. Oh! Which reminds me about your other request....... I took x-rays, scraped skin samples from her palms and tested them to excess."

"And-?"

"And...... unfortunately, you are mistaken, Noah. She doesn't have any tactile manipulation susceptibility present in her skin, not a trace. Besides the conducting tissue, and influx of electrical current in her blood stream needed to use her forcefield ability, her hands are entirely normal. My Diagnosis? Contrary to previous theories, Sylar Gray does in fact, have a heart, vulnerable to the violent affection of love.

"Damn it. That's what I was afraid of."

""Hey Noah, it's me, I'm going to give the outside another once over I-"

Peter's voice crackled over the radio, interrupted by glass shattering as it hit the concrete floor, and Noah pulled his gun, expertly cocking the hammer, training it on the far corner of the lab, in one swift motion. There was a loud groan, Mohinder's panicked voice yelling, and Noah took off running full speed at him, as he saw the shadow of the giant refrigerator start to fall forward towards him. "MOHINDERRRR!!!!!" NOAH yelled as he slammed into him hard, knocking him out of the way just in time, as the refrigerator landed with a horrible thud.

"NOAH!!! MOHINDER!!!! What the HELL was that!?!?"

Horrified, Mohinder raced toward the felled refrigerator, like a mother after her injured child, completely devastated. "NO, NO, DAMN IT NO!!!! MONTHS of critical research, revelational discoveries, rare bloodwork, destroyed!!!!"

"You're ALIVE, Mohinder! That's what matters!! Keep moving!!!"

"Noah, PLEASE! Help me!" Mohinder frantically rushed to flip the giant refrigerator over. "We MUST salvage what we can!!!"

"Damn it, Mohinder, THAT was SYLAR!!!! We've got to go after him!!!!" Noah yelled, exasperated.

"Noah, you don't understand!!! We NEED this research." Mohinder looked at him desperately, and Noah sighed, holstering his gun, rushing over, leaning down, and curling his fingers under the refrigerator. Just as the two of them flipped it over, the emergency siren flooded the room with its awful screaming sound, red lights flashing violently.

"This - This isn't right. No, it can't be."

"It's empty. You sure this was the right fridge?"

"Positive. He took it all, Noah..... every vial...... including........ Mohinder looked at Noah horrified, not wanting to say it out loud.

"Including what!? What the HELL was in here!?!?"

"A highly aggressive anti-regenerative serum."

"Meaning?"

"A solution that metabolizes in the blood, and slows any enhanced rapid healing process. Noah....... I don't think he intends to use it on himself."

Suddenly the sirens went dead, and a girl's terrorized screams blasted through the intercoms. Noah ran like hell through the darkness, out into the hall, his heart shattering like all the glass scattered on the floor, tears in his eyes, raising his pistol. It was the one sound that he'd fought, prayed, so hard he'd never have to hear. The reason he did what he did, so he'd never have to know this abject nightmare...... his little girl screaming for her life.

"Hello Boys. Now it's a party, huh? So nice of you to wait up for me. Claire, shhh, Daddy can't understand you when you're screaming hysterically. You took something of mine, Noah. Now, I'm going to take something of yours........"

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

[multipleservicelisting]

A Republican Lawmaker for Whom the Spectacle Is the Point

WASHINGTON — As lawmakers entered the Capitol on Wednesday for one of the most solemn enterprises in American government, the impeachment of a president, Representative Lauren Boebert was causing a spectacle before even making it into the chamber. She pushed her way through newly installed metal detectors and ignored police officers who asked her to stop so they could check her with a hand-held wand.

This reprised a standoff from the evening before, when Ms. Boebert, a freshman Republican from Colorado, refused to show guards what was inside her handbag as she entered the building. In both cases, she was eventually granted access, but not before engineering a made-for-Twitter moment that delighted the far right.

After joining her colleagues on Wednesday, Ms. Boebert took to the House floor to denounce the vote on impeachment that passed a few hours later.

“Where’s the accountability for the left after encouraging and normalizing violence?” Ms. Boebert asked loudly, arguing that Democrats had tolerated excessive violence last summer during the unrest over racial justice. “I call bullcrap when I hear the Democrats demanding unity.”

The standoff at the metal detectors was a characteristic stunt by Ms. Boebert. She is only 10 days into her term but has already arranged several episodes that showcased her brand of far-right defiance as a conspiracy theorist who proudly boasts of carrying her Glock handgun to Washington. She is only one of 435 House members, but Ms. Boebert, 34, represents an incoming faction of the party for whom breaking the rules — and gaining notoriety for doing it — is exactly the point.

In the same way Republicans leaders had to adapt to the Tea Party over a decade ago, House leaders must now contend with a narrow but increasingly clamorous element of the party that not only carries Mr. Trump’s anti-establishment message but connects with the voters who are so loyal to him — and so crucial to future elections.

In the process, Ms. Boebert and her cohort have exasperated other lawmakers and Republicans.

“There is a trend, in both parties, of members who seem more interested in dunking on folks on social media and appearing on friendly cable networks than doing the work of legislating,” said Michael Steel, a Republican strategist and former press secretary for the former House Speaker John Boehner. “They seem to see public service as more performance art than a battle of policy ideas.”

In recent days, Ms. Boebert and a group of other freshman Republicans, including the QAnon devotee Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, a 25-year-old freshman who claimed he was armed during the Capitol riots, have questioned or outright flouted guidelines meant to protect lawmakers from violence, intruders or the spread of the coronavirus.

Their fluency in social media, access to conservative television and talk radio platforms and combativeness with reporters on live television allows them to gain notoriety in nontraditional ways.

“There used to be a level of gatekeeping that went on with how members developed a profile when they got to Washington,” said Kevin Madden, a strategist who served as a senior adviser to Mitt Romney during his 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. “Usually you had to work for it and earn that notoriety. Now it’s given to you with one YouTube video.”

In an introductory video of sorts that she released last week, Ms. Boebert was shown walking against a Washington backdrop with a gun holstered at her waistline. “I refuse to give up my rights, especially my Second Amendment rights,” she said to the camera.

In her short time in office, Ms. Boebert has already sparred with a Republican colleague over security lapses at the Capitol last week and expressed interest in bringing her gun to work. Her Twitter account was temporarily suspended after she spread the falsehood that the presidential election was rigged.

She also faced criticism, and some demands that she resign, for tweeting out information about some lawmakers’ locations during the siege at the Capitol by a violent mob last week.

The behavior exhibited by Ms. Boebert and some of her fellow freshman Republicans prompted Timothy Blodgett, the House’s acting sergeant-at-arms, to send a memo to lawmakers on Tuesday notifying them that security screenings would be required for members seeking access to the chamber and that lawmakers who declined to wear masks would be removed from the House floor. Several Republicans responded by yelling that their rights were being violated as they passed through the metal detectors, behavior that has exasperated Democrats.

“I don’t know what the consequences are going to be for people who hold power and don’t ever want to be held accountable,” Rep. Tim Ryan, Democrat of Ohio, told NPR on Wednesday about lawmakers who bypassed security measures in the Capitol. He added that defiance by lawmakers was “a sign of how obnoxious things have become for some of these folks who were supporting Donald Trump. The rules don’t apply to them.”

Ms. Boebert unofficially started her campaign for Congress in September 2019 in Denver, announcing to the Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke that he would not be taking one of the most potent symbols of rural autonomy: her guns.

“I was one of the gun-owning Americans who heard you speak regarding your ‘Hell yes, I’m going to take your AR-15s and AK-47s,’” Ms. Boebert said to Mr. O’Rourke at the time. “Well, I’m here to say hell no, you’re not.’”

She has expressed support for the QAnon conspiracy group, though she has tried to temper that by saying she is not a follower.

Ms. Boebert was running a restaurant in Colorado’s ranch country — where she encouraged the servers to openly carry guns — when she stunned the state’s Republican establishment by defeating a five-term incumbent in the primary and then winning the general election.

“She was so inexperienced,” said Dick Wadhams, the former head of the Colorado Republican Party. “I don’t think she even knew she had no chance, which turned out to be a good thing for her. She caught everyone by surprise.”

So far, she has had the same effect on Washington. On Wednesday, the Capitol Police and Ms. Boebert’s office declined to respond to requests about whether she had actually been carrying a gun either time she had trouble getting into the chamber. Ms. Boebert has said that she has a concealed carry permit, issued through the District of Columbia, for her gun and has claimed on Twitter that she has the right to freely carry within the Capitol complex, which is not true.

On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department did not respond when asked if Washington’s police chief, Robert J. Contee III, had met with Ms. Boebert to explain the district’s gun laws to her, as he had said he would do last week.

Ms. Boebert has frequently defended her behavior as one of the reasons she was elected. Just as Mr. Trump has done with his base, she tells her followers that she is fighting for them. As for her right to carry a gun, she has written on Twitter that “self-defense is the most basic human right.’’

In Colorado, Ms. Boebert’s district covers much of western Colorado, a sprawling, politically diverse landscape of mesas and jagged mountains that includes liberal enclaves like Aspen and Telluride as well as often overlooked towns where cattle ranching, mining and natural gas drilling pay the bills. For generations, the district elected deeply rooted local men who, whether Democrat or Republican, tended to be cowboy-boot-wearing moderates focused on the local economy and natural resources.

Once a reliably red state, Colorado flipped with the election of Barack Obama in 2008, and Republicans have struggled to regain a foothold. Democrats now hold both Senate seats, the state House and the governor’s office.

Republicans seeking to keep viability in the state regard Ms. Boebert’s behavior warily.

“I think most Republicans here are still behind her,” Mr. Wadhams said. “But she can’t just pick fights in Washington. She has got to pay attention to the issues in her district, too: in water, natural resources, mining. If she doesn’t do that, she’s in real trouble.”

from Multiple Service Listing https://ift.tt/2XAAtSp