#Them all trying to keep the family business secret from Tyler | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cupcakemolotov · 3 years

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At Horizon’s Edge

I promised @lalainajanes a space fic sometime before Covid, so that could have been two years ago or three, who can remember anymore, but here it is. I hope you enjoy it!

You can read the story at A03 here if you prefer!

Synopsis: Sometimes when a girl goes on a shopping trip to pick up a new pair of boots at the local, and somewhat hostile, human space station, she accidentally aids and abets a prison break instead. What happens in the black really doesn't stay in the black.

Warnings: Alternate Universe; Alternate Universe - Space; Alternate Universe - Fantasy; Alternate Universe - Soulmates; Alien Cultural Differences; Alien Technology; Werewolves; Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known; Werewolves in Space; Werewolf!Klaus; Alien!Caroline; Mostly Alien at Least; prison break; Accidental Rescue; Some Gore; Non-OTP Charachter Death; Found Family

Caroline slid into her pilot’s chair just as the comm on her dash beeped for an incoming transmission. Glancing over at the seat where her co-pilot sat, Enzo gave her a grim look. He didn’t agree to her plan, and she didn’t blame him. She wasn’t usually given to bouts of insanity but every day in space was a new one, and sometimes life tossed surprises at you with the impact of live grenades.

“Five minutes until gate clearance.” He paused and then sighed, rolling his shoulders with a reluctant acceptance. “I hope you know what you are doing.”

So did she.

Five minutes was an eternity when facing the guns of the space station they had just left. Named after a moon in the humanities home solar system, Titan was one of the few remaining stations that still traded directly with Earth. They were also very proud that they maintained the largest population of pure blooded humans outside of Earth Solar System, even by Earth’s exacting standards of what was considered human these days.

If she’d cared to check, the history logs on her computer would tell her all about the wars that had nearly decimated Earth and its colonized planets, of the laws that banned anyone who carried alien DNA in their veins. The justifications of a world terrified by how humanity could change in the cold void of space and their desperate, grasping fingers trying to avoid change.

Caroline had long since stopped caring about earth’s collective opinions, and the stars cared not all about the blood in your veins. Not all of humanity bent to fear, the far flung colonies that still lingered though they’d been abandoned by their home world. They’d learned to adapt, to change. There were wonders and nightmares in space that Earth could never imagine, but right then, none of that was particularly helpful.

What she cared about was getting out of Titan’s airspace as quickly as possible without getting blown to bits. The conversation she needed to have to do that would require her to be very, very careful. Blowing out a breath, Caroline hit accept.

Half a heart beat later, and the familiar eyes of Marshal Tyler Lockwood popped up on her screen. He looked worn, older than the last time she had seen him. The thick black of his hair had faded to more gray than the salt and pepper she remembered from their last conversation, and the creases in his forehead, and at the corner of his eyes, were a sign of his human heritage more than any of the military patches on his uniform.

Old. He had started to look so old.

“Marshall Lockwood,” Caroline said, tucking away any hint of sorrow. “This is a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

He grimaced, his face telling her exactly what he thought of either of them enjoying this call. Her ex-lover did not enjoy being reminded of their past, which was why she made a point to do it every time he initiated one of these little catch ups. A little pettiness always did wonders for her mood.

“Forbes. You’re leaving early.” He looked down, the line between his brows deepening as he clearly checked something on his tablet. “We had expected your stay at the station to last for another 48 standard hours.”

Brows arched, Caroline tipped her head to the side and studied him. “I wasn’t aware that you were watching my flight plans so closely.”

A hint of derision entered his eyes. “You are dangerous, Forbes. I keep an eye on dangerous things.”

She was dangerous. But not in ways that Tyler could plan against, and they both knew to target her specifically because of her heritage went against a dozen interstellar laws. His team could enforce station laws while she was standing on it, but here, on her ship, minutes from making a FTL jump, what she did should have been of no concern to them. This wasn’t space owned strictly by humanity, where it could control its population down to its DNA.

Tyler was walking a fine line.

Smiling, she settled a bit more comfortably in her chair. “Awe, that’s so sweet of you. Being so concerned about your people. I think you’d be more relieved to see the back of my ship than making demands to justify why I would leave when we both know you're not entitled to that information.”

His mouth tightened at her jab. “Generally that would be the case but you’re predictable. This breaks your usual pattern, and that gives me cause for suspicion.”

She shook her head in false exasperation, deliberately misunderstanding him. “My personal life is none of your business, remember? You made that choice decades ago, no reason to get sentimental now in your final few years.”

Her words were below the belt, but Caroline had never really been able to help herself where he was concerned. Walking away from her, walking away from the future they had been building together had hurt. Decades had softened the sting, but some scars still bled.

“I wasn’t asking for personal reasons.” His words were clipped, the edges sharp and cutting.

She laughed. “Such lies you tell. But there isn’t anything dramatic about my departure, Tyler. Your collection of goods suck right now. Did someone piss off High Command again? Would it honestly kill you to announce it when you have trade-shortfalls? Manifests exist for a reason, you know, and it’s such a waste that your ‘council’ won’t let anyone bring in additional goods. Seriously, I could have avoided this whole trip and it would have saved me some time and docking fees.”

Absently, she wondered if his jaw got stuck like that these days, clenched down on a brutal line that left the muscle jumping tautly. “You expect me to believe you couldn’t find the correct dress size so you decided to ignore two days of your itinerary? I know you better than that.”

Caroline scoffed. “Actually, you don’t know me, Tyler. It’s been fifty years since we last had a conversation that didn’t involve us insulting each other. Your personal opinions about my love of a well organized schedule are outdated.” The lie slipped easily from her tongue, and next to her Enzo rolled his eyes. She flipped him off, just outside of view of the camera. “My irritation at the lack of proper boot sizes available aside, you’re not usually this pushy. You want to tell me what’s really going on? And why you need a scapegoat?”

Tyler’s jaw turned to stone for a long moment, and she forced herself to appear bored. Every moment he delayed was another that they crept closer to their escape. He finally unlocked it enough to speak, words harsh. “We had a prison break.”

She didn’t have to fake her surprise, brows arching high at both his reluctant admittance and what it meant. Very, very few people knew that Titan had an advanced and secure prison system. Dear Old Earth had always enjoyed making its problems vanish, and Titan was one such place they used to keep their hands clean. Those shipments from Earth of goods and perishables that made Titan so popular as a trade station came with a dirty secret: in the belly of those ships were people. Political prisoners, murders, terrorists, inconvenient witnesses who needed to disappear. Titan housed them all. Some would be kept in the cold bowls of the station and others shipped off to one of the max-prisons deep in the black of space.

None of them ever escaped.

That Titan was a prison was a dirty little secret and not one that could be allowed to get out. But such secrets, buried in metal and technology, were very hard to hide from her. Tyler knew it, though he was bound to keep some of her secrets. As she was bound to keep the worst of his.

“You don’t lose people.” Caroline said slowly. “What happened?”

“He had help.”

Brows coming together at the word ‘he’, she frowned. “And now you want me to find him.”

Tyler’s face could have been carved from stone. “No, Caroline. I want to know if he is aboard your ship.”

Next to her, Enzo lifted three fingers in her peripheral vision. They’d only been talking for two minutes and it’d felt like twenty.

“Tyler, that’s far fetched even for you. I don’t let random people on my ship. You know that.” She didn’t have to fake the bitterness in the curve of her lips. “If I remember correctly, it was a major point of contention in our relationship.”

He ignored her, only the flex of his jawline a sign that her words had hit home. “I want to board your ship.”

“Absolutely not,” Caroline said flatly. “You have no grounds.”

“I have more than enough circumstantial evidence.” He spread his hand in her view, eyes like flint, shoulders square. “We scanned your ship, and while there are only three bodies registering onboard, we both know you have the capability to hide someone.”

She arched a brow. “That’s a violation of at least three treaties, Tyler.”

Marshall Lockwood didn't seem bothered by that. “I also know that there are at least two smuggling compartments on your ship that are capable of housing a human for short periods of time without them suffering from asphyxiation.”

There were now four compartments, and all of them could hide people for up to four hours without risking asphyxiation but were rarely used for such purposes. Smuggling people was difficult, goods were safer. Goods didn’t talk about ships and captains and give people ideas. But there were some things she couldn’t stomach, and sometimes a girl needed to be prepared.

But Tyler didn’t know that.

It’d been fifty years since she’d let him step foot on her ship. And unfortunately for him, she was hardly the only crew member with secrets. Smuggling had brought such interesting bedfellows into her life, and she’d violate more than three treaties to keep them safe. But her ex didn’t need to know that, and none of it would save her, if he opened fire at her. The point blank range of those canons would destroy her and everyone who would be caught in the crossfire.

Right then, Tyler was a problem and she could show no weakness.

“Circumstantial evidence of what exactly? “ she tilted her head and let scorn drip along her words. “That your super secret prison had an escapee and I am conveniently close to blame? That is ridiculous and we both know it.”

“You’re a Tech Witch.”

Next to her, Enzo tensed at the derogatory term and Caroline let her smile sharpen. Her mother’s blood wasn’t an unknown quality of hers, but saying so here, on this channel with who knows how many witnesses, put him perilously close to breaking the agreements that bound them both.

“Marshall, my ship cleared your security systems ten minutes ago. We accepted the standard cargo check before we left the docking bay, and I am told they were very thorough. Other than requiring a scapegoat in the form of my non-human DNA for whatever inside job you're attempting to cover up, you have nothing.” She nodded when he remained silent. “You have nothing.”

Something beeped, and he glanced down. When he glanced up, nothing had shifted on his face. “I could request you return to the docking bay or face the canons, Forbes.”

Caroline shook her head. It was a threat, but here, for now, she had the upper hand. This kind of PR move for humanity would be costly, but Tyler didn’t worry about those decisions. But him, personally, and the blackmail she had?

“We both know why you won’t.”

The skin near his eyes visibly tightened and she let her smile dimple. They both knew her death would act as a trigger for a number of unpleasant consequences for Tyler. What bound them was contractual, but she had never trusted him to do more than keep the letter of the law, and today had proved she’d been correct in her assessment. If he could have violated the spirit of their contract, he would have. Lucky for her, he couldn’t. Tyler’s secrets could destroy everything he had worked to build in his life, and even now, less than a decade or two from his death, he wouldn’t risk her ruining him.

Her previous lover had always been a coward when it counted. Earth had its enemies, and so did Titan, and she knew almost all of them. Today might cost her, but it could cost him far more.

Letting her knowledge show on her face, she showed her teeth. “Do you even want to tell me who it is that you lost that has you so desperate?”

There was a long, long silence as he stared at her and she just waited. Time was on her side now, the clock burning down. In the back of her head, she counted down.

Sixty seconds. Fifty-five. So close.

The gleam behind Tyler’s eyes turned calculating, and he dropped the name as if it was supposed to mean something, as if it was supposed to bring the weight of her guilt crashing down on her shoulders. ��Klaus Mikaelson.”

Caroline just stared at him in surprise; she hadn’t expected him to tell her. The ghosts between her and Tyler faded a little more every year. Humanity might have extended their lifespans as far as they could be stretched, but they would never match those whose DNA held the remnants of long lived, non-human races. Soon Tyler would be one of the few living memories left from the single year of her life she had spent planetside.

Klaus Mikaelson was another.

Gathering her thoughts, Caroline shook her head, forcing herself to focus. “If he is alive, he should be nearing a century on a planet with less medical knowledge than your Station. He should be either senile or dead.” She pushed back a loose strand of hair that slid into her face, the pale gold as much as her mother’s blood as her fathers. “Out of all of us, I’m the only one cursed, remember?”

Next to her, Enzo made a grunting noise of disagreement, his disapproval clear. She waved a hand at him. Her hidden clenched fist relaxed as Enzo bared his teeth but started the sequence to activate the first of what was going to be several jumps. Right then, she didn’t care how much he hated Tyler. They’d be harder to trace once they arrived at the major traffic lanes, but first they had to make it. She didn’t dare take her eyes away from her screen.

Tyler sighed, the sound deep and an echo that caught in her chest. His dark eyes creased, and for the first time the Tyler she’d once known peaked at her from behind the Marshall. “You’ve never been gifted at lying, Caroline.”

She laughed at him, the sound bitter. “No, Tyler. You’ve just never believed me when I spoke truly. I was never your enemy.”

His face told her that he didn't believe her. He never had. “I won’t forget this, Caroline. When we prove that you helped, and we will prove it, not even your precious interstellar laws will be able to protect you.”

The call ended just as their clearance to enter the gate came through. Caroline cut the open line, and immediately started backtracking through her systems to make sure that Tyler hadn’t tried to leave her a present. It wouldn’t have been the first time. Earth, and it’s subjects, tended to see laws as flexible when it suited them.

The initial scrub didn’t take long, she’d never skimped on security and her ship did not endure itself to strangers programs, and the surface diagnosis came back clean. Jaw set, she triggered the deeper scrub that would erase the identifiers that they had used to dock at Titan.

She’d known she’d have to burn the remaining dregs of that life soon, but hadn’t expected it today. Better to make a clean cut, erase her existence here in Pure Human Space now than end up in the darkness of its prison, driven mad by the hum of machines she could hear but not touch.

“Ten seconds until FTL.”

Switching to her main screen, Caroline pulled up the screens to monitor their progress. Closing her eyes as the universe started to blur with the faster than light speed jump, she inhaled slowly and didn’t breathe again until the sound of space tearing around them drowned out the anxious rush of her heartbeat.

It took twenty minutes after they passed through the gate to clear enough space to make the first jump. They didn’t quite dare engage their cloaking device until they left the jump points. It took another precious half hour before they finally winked out of existence as far as radars were concerned. But the muscles along her spine didn't relax until Enzo finally gave her a nod.

“We’re clear. No one followed us, which means they didn’t have enough time to scramble a ship. We’ve got a sixty minute window before this airspace becomes too hot for us.”

Caroline laughed. “Good thing we won’t be here that long. Go ahead and start planning our next jump.”

Enzo tipped his head. “Are we sticking to our plan then?”

“For now. I don’t want to risk picking up a tail, and they won’t be able to follow us from here. As long as we stay out of Federation space, we should be okay for the short term.”

For now. If they were going to stay that way was entirely dependent on what exactly she had gotten them into. Grimacing a little, she hit the comm button. “Bonnie? Everything alright down there?”

There was a pause and then the droll voice of her closest friend came back over the mic. “So far everything is holding up. I did a fast scan once we cleared the gate, and I didn’t find any extra tech that might have been dropped in the ship.”

“Thanks, but we’re clean.” She pressed her hand against the panel, listening to the hum of engines and the computers that were as familiar to her as the back of her hands. The curious hum of its voice. “I’ll be down shortly to deal with our pickup.”

“Better you than me.”

Enzo leaned back, watching her with dark eyes as he waited for her to finish her conversation. “You sure this is what you want?”

Caroline snorted and unbuckled herself. “I think it's a little late for second guessing, don’t you?”

A shrug. “We could space him.”

She laughed, this one far more genuine. “If he threatens you or Bonnie, I promise, he’ll find himself ejected. But until then…”

Enzo crossed his arms, gaze dark. “You think he might know something about your mom.”

Eyes sliding shut, Caroline sighed. She wished she could have given him that as the reason, but it hadn’t been. Not then. Now… “I don’t know if anyone knows what happened to my mom.”

“Be careful, Gorgeous.” Enzo’s mouth tightened at the corners. “The past can make you bleed.”

She knew that far better than anyone should, but arguing with Enzo about unnecessary reminders wouldn’t get her anywhere. “Yeah.”

Tipping back into his chair, Enzo studied her. “I’ve still got a friend or two on that station. I could arrange it so Lockwood stops being such a problem.”

She shot him a look and he shrugged unrepentant. “He has no teeth.”

“Gorgeous, we both know that’s hardly the truth. He’s going to do his damndest to make your life difficult. Even if he sticks to your bargain until he dies, you’ve got nothing to protect you after his death.”

Caroline shook her head. “Legacy means everything to Tyler. I don’t think he’ll so easily let me ruin it.”

Enzo snorted but turned back to his computer. “I’ll make the next jump.”

Understanding it for the grumpy acceptance but not an approval that it was, Caroline lifted hand to acknowledge she heard him, and left the bridge. The door closed behind her, leaving her in the quiet corridors, only the sounds of her boots loud over the hum of the ship as she walked.

She wished she could explain her impulsive reaction to Enzo, wished she could find the words that gave her actions any kind of logic. Particularly since she couldn’t explain to herself.

Walking around the corner, she found Bonnie waiting on her. There was grease smeared on one cheek and her mouth was pulled into a frown. Sighing, Caroline rubbed her forehead. “Are you going to yell too?”

Bonnie seemed to consider that, the data pad she held tapping against her thigh before she sighed. “I’d like to. But would it do any good?”

“Probably not.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” She held out the data pad with a sigh. “I still have a bottle of that shit you call liquor in my room. When this is over, you’re going to owe me an explanation.”

Caroline’s fingers curled around the peace offering. “It’s a pretty long story.”

“You noticed I said an entire bottle?”

There wasn’t much she could say to that. “Deal.”

Bonnie nodded and tipped her head towards their small medbay. “Good luck.”

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and pressed her palm to the door, unlocking it so she could step inside. He was waiting for her, the familiarity of him the same punch to her system as it had been before. He’d lost the horrible prison uniform, Bonnie must have felt far more charitable than she’d wanted Caroline to know. But then, her friend had spent her own time in the prison uniforms herself and still avoided the color orange.

But that meant he was now shirtless, his bandaged ribs on display, his expression guarded.

Caroline gave herself a moment to absorb that change in perspective, to take him in. The tumble of curls still touched the tops of his ears, but he’d cleaned up his beard so that only a short stubble remained, leaving behind a man’s face, thin from his time beneath Titan but hardly weak. His eyes were gold touched blue, and awareness brushed down her spine. The decades since she had last seen him were stacked behind his eyes, visible in the way he had grown into his skin.

But the impact of him, the jolting rush of recognition from earlier still lingered beneath her skin. The sudden awareness of who he was and the bone deep hello she couldn’t explain. Which made no sense, had made no sense when she was hauling his ass through Titan. If the boy who had once been kind to her was buried beneath lean muscle and a hardness she recognized from her own mirror, she didn’t see him. This man, with his steady gaze and roughened features was a stranger.

She didn’t know what to think of the way he watched her. He brought so many complications with him. Tipping her head, she arched a brow with more casualness than she felt.

“Werewolf, huh?” Caroline kept her voice even, and the edge of his mouth curled. “I’d have remembered that if you’d mentioned that little detail before.”

He took his time responding, gaze dragging down her body in a thorough perusal that left her skin tingling as if he’d touched her. “Caroline Forbes. I must say, you were not who I was expecting.”

She snorted. “Yeah, well, me either. I wasn’t there to rescue you.”

His gaze narrowed. “Then why were you there?”

Caroline kept her voice bland, shifting her weight to tap one boot against the floor. “New boots.”

And Klaus Mikaelson blinked at her as if the words that were coming out of her mouth were in a dialect he had never heard before. She felt a perverse amount of satisfaction from that. The Klaus she had known had been a few years older and nearly unflappable, outside of the mercurial moodiness of his temperament.

“New boots.”

“Yup. And lucky for you that I decided I needed them. There are reasons that Titan has never lost a prisoner before.” She tossed the data pad in front of him. “I don’t know who or what you were expecting when you made it onto the surface level, but if I hadn’t found you and decided to help, you’d have been collared and sent right back into the depths of the station.”

Caroline wasn’t certain she’d ever shake the shock of it: turning the corner, and finding Klaus standing there. Klaus, who she had thought of only in the safety in the dark of space, when she allowed herself to remember that tumultuous year she’d spent with her feet on solid earth. She had hoped for him to have married, to have had a batch of sarcastic moody children, to have grown old having survived the machinations of his mother.

Another quiet piece of her past disappearing before she’d gained even so much as a hint of a wrinkle.

But he hadn’t, and now she didn’t know what to think.

When she’d seen him, his beard had been too long, the shackles from his cell had still been curved around the bones of his wrists. He’d been slightly hunched, the blood on his uniform not just from whoever had gotten between him and his escape, and the way he stood said something had hurt but he was on his feet.

Somehow, she hadn’t gotten any of that blood on her. Right then, she was regretting that a little. A single touch of his skin against her own, and she’d have managed to avoid some of this conversation as she’d been given the answers. For the first time, she cursed the prison uniform for more than its obnoxious color and terrible material.

And now here she was , struggling to understand the certainty she hadn't felt in decades when she’d seen him. Her mother’s blood never forgot an enemy, but it also never forgot a friend, and once, a very, very long time ago, she’d thought of him as such. The punch of that knowledge had been staggering as they’d stared at each other, too much between them, and she’d heard the alarms blaring from beneath the soles of her feet.

She hadn’t been able to turn, to leave him like she should have. Swearing at him, at herself, she’d moved forward and slid her arm beneath his and gritted out an order to stay quiet and to follow her.

And he had. Now here they were. On her ship, trying to outrun the long reach of Titan. His gaze finally left her face and lowered to the datapad before returning to hers in a silent question.

“Bonnie is med-trained,” Caroline lied easily. “She did a data scan before I came in when she was tapping up your ribs. I know earth uses the prisoners below Titan for experimentation, but did you ever hear them mention what they were putting into your blood?”

“Bonnie,” Klaus said softly. “Is a witch.”

She didn’t lower her eyes. Esther had been a witch. “Is that going to be a problem for you?”

Not even a flicker of a lash. “No.”

“Because if it is,” Caroline said, “I will toss you into the airlock myself. Werewolves can last for a few minutes in the black, you know. Not long enough to live, but long enough to fight for it.”

The yellow in his gaze spread in a wash of power. “Threats already?”

“Duh,” she replied. “This is my ship, my crew. I might have saved you, but you try to harm them, and you’re going to see what it’s like trying to breathe in a vacuum.”

Klaus laughed, low and rich, and it ran across her senses like a touch. “Your threats have gotten better, love. I approve.”

Caroline snorted. “I’m touched. Really.”

He didn’t move towards her, but the sudden intensity to the way he watched her, the wolf clear in his gaze, left her very aware of the careful distance and one table between them. “I think you’ll find that even here, on this ship you’ve claimed and marked as your own, that I am not so easy to destroy.”

She didn’t doubt he believed that, that he was capable of horrible things, even injured, but she refused to give him an inch. Not here, not now. Not yet. Not when her ship would tear itself apart to protect its heart. “So says the werewolf that had to be rescued from humans.”

Klaus’ gaze narrowed, a flicker of deep seated rage there and gone again. “The result of an unfortunate betrayal, one I plan to deal with as soon as I am off this ship.”

There was something dangerous there, something terrible that kept her from asking the questions that lingered on her tongue. “Are you going to be a danger to my crew, Klaus?”

His head angled to the side, and there was nothing soft about his expression. “Will you believe my answer?”

“You’ve never lied to me before,” Caroline said slowly, feeling her way through the strange sense of knowing she hadn’t been able to shake. The buzzing of her mother’s blood. She wanted to believe him. “I don’t have a reason to think you’d start now, though you were apparently keeping some pretty big secrets.”

Klaus went motionless in front of her, the flex of his jaw unexpected as he stared at her. The wolf slowly faded from his eyes as he clearly weighed her words. “I intend no harm to your people, Caroline. Witches or no. But I cannot say the same for my enemies.”

She shoved her fingers through her bangs. “And just who are they?”

“Why did you rescue me, Caroline?”

She blinked. “Does that matter?”

A hint of a dimple curved along his cheek, and Klaus crossed his arms, leaning against the table. She tried very hard to ignore the shift and flex of muscle, the bare skin still on display. The fascinating movement of his tattoo. “Very much, I’m afraid.”

She mirrored his stance, arms crossing across her chest. “And why is that, exactly?”

“Caroline.”

“Klaus.”

“I’ve answered a number of your questions,” he pointed out in a reasonable tone that made her teeth clench. “It's only fair that you do the same, don’t you think?”

“I wasn’t the one rescued.”

His teeth gleamed in the lighting. “A man has reasons to be concerned when a near stranger offers him his freedom. Particularly in such… serendipitous circumstances, don’t you think? The black is full of terrible things. Slavers. Blood Witches. Those influential human scientists who wish to unlock the immortality of magic without the cost. We knew each other a long time ago, love.”

Her eye roll was automatic. “Oh yes, I’ve risked my reputation and my neck to drag you off to a backwater moon so you can become someone’s wolf bitch. How did you guess?”

The hint of amusement that had tugged at his lips disappeared, and something hard entered his eyes. “The truth, if you please.”

It was a velvet threat said in a voice lined in steel. She hadn’t liked that tone from him when she’d been seventeen, and she liked it even less now, knowing of the wolf that lived under his skin. She forcibly reminded herself that she’d have questions if he’s just up and rescued her too. Locking him in the med bag until he was reminded of his manners wasn’t a smart decision. Yet, at least.

She lifted her chin and held that inhuman gaze, unblinking. “You were something of a friend, once. I hadn’t forgotten that and I have no love for cages. Though I suppose I should worry why humanity decided to bury you in their favorite graveyard. There are some things even I won’t look past. Are we going to be enemies, Klaus?”

Truth and lies, they tangled together and she wondered if he saw them. None of that had been in her mind when she’d seen him, none of that had mattered. Her reaction had been inexplicable and confusing, and it wasn’t something she was willing to discuss. Not now, preferably never.

“You don’t want me as your enemy, love.”

Caroline scoffed. “I’m not sure I want you as my friend. The last werewolf I made an acquaintance of was a real dick, and this conversation isn’t shaping up to prove you’re much different.”

“And would that werewolf happen to be the esteemed Marshall Lockwood?” His words were casual, as if that information actually existed outside her head. As if he knew. But Klaus had known Tyler once, and that made her wonder.

“Marshall Lockwood is not up for discussion .”

Klaus brow arched with intrigue. “So the rumors are true.”

“That would depend on the rumors.” It was a strain, to hold that slightly bored expression. To keep her pulse steady.

“Lockwood should have been promoted past Marshall decades ago.” Klaus dragged his gaze down her face, and for a heartbeat she imagined those eyes lingered on her lips. “The why’s have always generated a great deal of speculation. He passes as human, you see. He is also loyal even when that loyalty is detrimental. The rumors of blackmail, of alien involvement have been rampant for years.”

She’d made a point not to follow those rumors, and it was a struggle not to wince. No wonder Tyler hated her. But she remembered the way he’d spat Tech Witch, the way he’d made it clear to anyone around him, and that wince turned to anger. He’d made his choices.

“You’re pretty knowledgeable for a man who was locked away in the depths of Titan.” Caroline said slowly. “Why exactly did they toss you into their comfy retirement home? Werewolves take resources to hold.”

His smile was slow and sharp. “Humanity considers me a threat.”

“That hardly makes you special.” She waved a hand towards the walls of her ship. “Earth considers everyone not fully human a threat. It’s a long, extensive list.”

“True. Let’s say then, that I have made an effort to be noticed.” His eyes glittered. “They are well aware of who I am.”

“How wonderful for you. How?”

Klaus studied her for a long moment. “When you said you couldn’t return, you meant it, didn’t you?”

Her breath caught in her throat at those softly voiced words, the memories they dragged violently to the surface. The way she could almost smell the smoke, feel the splash of her mother’s blood against her face.

“I never lied to you.” Caroline said. “Even then.”

Especially then.

Not when she had a choice.

He gave a nod, the wolf back in his eyes, as if he had come to some internal decision. “Esther didn’t survive you leaving the planet.”

She blinked, frowned. “Esther was amassing a cult following, how did anyone get through that? And how does this answer my question?”

A sharp slash of a smile. “I killed her.”

Caroline stared at him. Esther had been his mother. “I don’t understand.”

He lowered his arms, shifting his weight carefully. “My mother… Esther was a monster. And so was Mikael.”

“They did try to sacrifice my mom, so no arguments there.” She let the bite of her nails into her palm ground her. “But they were also powerful, which is why we ran.”

And why she’d been willing to barter with Tyler’s mother to get him off that world, the one family with limited permission to leave the planet without the terrible protocols. Not that it’s done her any good, in the long run. Tyler had chosen to bury what he was and to become something he wasn’t. And she...

She’d woken to the cold berth of her ship alone, the only clue the blood that had stained the walls, the floors, of what had been her mother’s room. That ship had been destroyed in the heart of a sun, the blood too potent and the horror of it too binding. The ship sang too mournful song, a song of rage and sadness even as she watched it disappear in an explosion that erased it down to the last molecule.

“Yes,” Klaus agreed. “But by rescuing Liz, you allowed the rest of us to find our freedom.” A lowering of his lashes, charm in every word. “I suppose that means you’ve saved me twice.”

For a long moment their gaze held, and the room felt several degrees too warm. It had been Klaus’ hands who had caught her when she had staggered at the weight of her mother. Klaus who had told her to go, as the screams around them had grown in fever pitch as the fires Kol had set to burn began to consume houses.

Clearing her throat, Caroline shook her head. “If you killed Ester that debt is even. But what does any of this have to do with you escaping that planet and pissing off enough people you got tossed into Titan? Stop avoiding my questions.”

Another flash of teeth, a deliberate god behind his eyes. “And where have you been all these years, Caroline?”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

Hand sliding to her hip, Caroline glared. “What do you mean? Space is a big place.”

“You’re not an easy woman to find,” Klaus said casually. “Even when one knows what to look for.”

Unexpectedly, her heart jolted into her throat. “You shouldn’t have been looking for me at all.”

The dip of the crease of his cheeks, the curve of his smile were all predatory. “No?”

“My mother paid her debts,” Caroline said bitterly, chin lifting. “I owe you nothing.”

“No,” he repeated, voice softening. “You do not. I believe if anything, if what you say is true, I owe you.”

Her gaze narrowed, but his eyes didn’t waver from hers. Motioning towards the pad on the table in front of him, she firmed her words. She was done discussing her mom. “I bet Titan’s food sucked. I’ll find you an energy bar while you read that report.”

She turned her back to him, and it itched along her spine. But even a werewolf couldn’t get a clean jump on her in her own ship and to flinch now would be to lose ground. Digging through the supplies they kept for emergencies, she found a shirt that would probably fit with something like regret. Another drawer for one of Bonnie’s stashed meal replacements, and she walked over and set them both in front of him.

For a moment, she imagined she could feel the heat radiating from his skin, even with the table between them. She shook the thought off, ignoring the way she could almost pick out the scent of his skin beneath the sterility of the prison smell. Klaus, for his part, had done as she said and was looking at the data pad, the full line of his mouth pressed into a thin line.

“You’re sure this is accurate?”

“Bonnie doesn’t make mistakes,” Caroline said. “Not about this. And neither do I.”

“Why show this to me?”

She tipped her head and studied him. Considered the words she wanted to say. “Titan is full of the echoes of old ghosts. The kind humans cannot see, even in the black. The kind that skitter along nerves, that flicker with the hum of an engine, that race across a tablet screen in the shape of quick anomalies and distortions. What that station swallows, it keeps.”

There was no judgement in Klaus’ eyes at her reminder of her alien blood, the gifts that left her far more integrated into technology that should be possible. Tech Witch. If only it was so simple.

“So you’ve said.”

“So I did.”

Those brilliant eyes narrowed. “Tell me, love. Your people avoid human space. Yet, here you are. Why?”

Her lips twisted. What few of them were left. “We avoid humanity for good reason. We… the best way to put it is we leave behind our own echoes, and too many… well, this ship would swallow its enemies too. Titan would never allow that sort of integration, but they fear it. What it could become.”

“Titan has no consciousness, no knowing.” Klaus said, as if he’d been prepared for what she would admit. “It’s halls are lined with human nightmares, not the kind your people give shape to.”

“Humanity has never been so simple.” Caroline returned. “The remnants of my people… they litter empty colonies like broken alters. What humanity tries to do with those bits and pieces could never be allowed on earth, could never be allowed to be seen as anything but human invention.”

“Nanotechnology is not new.” He pointed out, referencing the report she’d given him to read, the details Bonnie had included for him. So he could understand. “Humanity has been experimenting with improving vaccinations and healing for more generations than have passed since your people’s first contact. Even in the black, the science of it has trickled out into space. Improved healing, improved health, longer life spans as organs stop failing quite so quickly.”

“What we suspect that they have injected you with is not so simple.” She gave him a brief smile, barely more than the bitter curve of her lips. “Over the last twenty years, we’ve discovered that the scientists on Titan have been less than satisfied with the dozens of prisoners that earth sends them each year as experiments. They’ve turned their eyes towards slavers, towards their own people when it suits them. I can’t imagine how delighted they’d have been, to have found themselves in the position of having a werewolf in their grip. Whatever they injected you with, it’s going to be dangerous.”

Klaus ran his finger thoughtfully down the screen of the pad. “Experiments with what technology survived the fall of your people seems like a bit of an extreme jump in logic. Earth would never sanction such things as the fallout should it be proven would be terrible.”

She’d once thought the same. That had changed. Caroline held out her palm, nudged her chin towards the pad. “There is an easy way to tell. If Bonnie was right. If we’re wrong.”

A simple touch, and she would know just what part her people’s cast off ruins were being used in the torture of those Titan claimed as its own. To see what they had shoved in his veins, this man-made monster who might now carry worse sins in his blood than he knew.

In front of her, the line of his throat went taut, the cords of his throat in sudden, sharp relief. What blue had returned to his eyes disappeared under a wash of gold so potent, she felt it sizzle across her nerves.

“Ah,” he murmured, voice dipping low and deep. “That might be more complicated than you know.”

She frowned. “Why? If they managed to inject you with their bastardized nanonites, touching you will let me confirm. Removing them is the complicated part.”

And would require help. Not something she thought the wolf would enjoy. Not when he was injured.

“Tell me, Caroline, do you know why Earth, why the Federation, put such a strict quarantine on my home world?”

The sudden switch of topics sent warning fingers dragging down her spine. “You mean other than it being infested with witches and apparently the occasional werewolf, the two things they like to pretend don’t exist?” She wrinkled her nose. “I always assumed it was one hell of a prison planet.”

There were a few of those, scattered around the galaxies. Klaus’ homeworld had been unique in that it was beautiful, and it inhabited more than just a prison carved into an otherwise uninhabitable chunk of rock. But it was also full of horrors, and not all of them had been man made.

He laughed softly, but there was no amusement in his eyes. “You’re not entirely wrong. But what they wished to trap there is more complicated than blood and magic.”

“Very few things are more complicated than either of those,” Caroline said carefully. “And all of them are alien in nature.”

The flicker of approval on his face shouldn’t have mattered. “Earth has mostly forsaken its children spread among the stars, but not all survivors consider themselves lost. My mother certainly didn’t.”

“Your mother was a fanatic.”

A tip of his head in casual agreement. “My grandmother called it an artifact, my mother thought it was a map. My father knew it for the danger it was, and it cost him his life.” He gave a careful shrug of his shoulder. “The werewolf homeworlds have long since been thought to be lost, though most people believe their Armadas must disappear to somewhere. Esther sought to change that.”

“The werewolf homeworlds?” Caroline repeated incredulously. “No one even knows if they truly exist, or if they do, how they came to be.”

A thoughtful glance from beneath his lashes. “So you do know the stories.”

“Yes, because they are stories.” She crossed her arms with a scoff. “It’s everyone’s favorite boogeyman bedtime tale. Particularly once their ships started to have more frequent sightings.”

“Enlighten me.”

Caroline rolled her eyes. “Of what, rumor? Urban legend? Seriously, Klaus. What could you possibly have not heard? The stories that blame witches for your existence, the gift that the black pulled from your blood? The ones that blame earth's scientists who went deep into the heart of a solar system that no longer has a name. Or my personal favorite, the ones that blame my mother’s people, though how they came to those conclusions I don’t know. They left behind experimenting on flesh and blood eons before they were destroyed. There is no fact behind any hint of a rumor that currently exists.”

“The werewolf gene is an interesting one,” Klaus murmured. “It breeds true but not always in strength. Ansel thought it had to do with our longevity, that when born on planets where it was peaceful, we didn’t need that strength.”

“Ansel?”

“My father.”

“Your…” staring at him, she struggled to find a coherent thought. It hadn’t occurred to her that Mikael couldn’t have been Klaus’ father. But perhaps it should have. Esther had been a witch, as were her children. All except one.

“What are you saying?”

“Esther’s ambition knew no bounds,” Klaus said. “She planned to use your mother’s blood to find the werewolf homeworld, to activate the map she suspected your people had left behind. And then she hoped to conquer it. But to conquer, she needed a weapon, one she could bind with the familial bond.” Another careful movement as he rolled his shoulder. “Ansel wanted to know if having a son under the horrors of our moon would grant strength back into his line. For a while, they’re politics aligned. It was short lived, as was with most things my mother touched.”

Caroline swallowed hard at the implications of his words. That he was that weapon. That her mom was a key to finishing worlds long lost. “That’s insane.”

“Perhaps. My mother was certainly many things, and sane was not one of them. But my father.” A slow tilt of his lips, the blunt edge of his teeth barely visible. “My father was not wrong. Though he was not entirely right, based on Tyler’s pathetic existence.”

“This,” Caroline said slowly, straightening her shoulders. “Is not your home world.”

The I am not your prey, hung between them.

His smile widened. “Esther did not expect you or your strength to defend your mother.” His wolf glimmered in jagged shards behind his eyes. “That seems to be a weakness in my family, as twice now, you have surprised me, when I know better. I’m very aware of where I stand, love.”

Strength that had eventually failed her. That had left her with nothing but the smeared remains of her family. “Why tell me this? Why bring up any of this?”

“I looked for you,” Klaus said, voice dipping into a caress that was almost a touch. “All these long years that I’ve spent among the stars. Hunted for a mention of your ship, chased every glance of gold from the corner of my gaze. And yet, when I looked for you naught, when my only thought was survival, there you were.”

Caroline’s stomach flipped at his words and she forced herself to hold his gaze. “I didn’t want to be found.”

“So I’ve gathered.” The dryness in his tone almost wrangled a smile from her. “But finding you has never been about just want, Caroline, but need.”

She bared her teeth. “So I am just an alien to you.”

Klaus moved, a slow deliberate shift of his body to remove the barrier of the table between them. Caroline had to sink her heels into the floor to hold her position, and while he didn’t touch her, he was close enough that when he dipped his head, his breath brushed along her chin.

“If only it was that simple.” He tipped his head, the movement strangely wolffish. “If only. You know what I am.”

Her fingernails dug into her palm as she wondered when she’d started to lose control of this conversation. “Yup. Werewolf, asshole, planet born. Big deal.”

An exhaled noise of amusement. “Alpha.”

She blinked. Blinked again. “Alpha of what? A backwater planet that eats its people regularly as it’s own wonderful world of sacrifice? Sounds awesome. Big congrats.”

A dimple creased his cheek. “You wanted to know who my enemies are, love? They are many, and varied. Earth, certainly. A number of werewolf tribes. The families of those whose son’s I left broken in my path to ruling. My inheritance from my father came with a heavy price, but it did not come without its gifts. Thankfully, the Armada did eventually see my value.”

“Armada,” she rasped. Swallowing, she tried again. “The werewolf armada. You are seriously trying to tell me you escaped your homeworld, and… what. You challenged your way right to the top of leadership? In the werewolf armada. The ships that are nearly impossible to find, that are made up of mercenary bands and other wonderful, loving people and they just let you stroll in and start killing people?”

“Yes.”

He sounded so unbelievably satisfied. “Well, clearly that didn’t stick since you ended up in the bowels of Titan.”

“Careful,” he murmured.

“Or what?” She wiggled her fingers, careful to not touch him. “You’re still on my ship, presumed alpha or not, and I can still space you. I probably should.”

An arch of his brow, though nothing about his body said he was worried about her threat. “Oh?”

Caroline gave him an annoyed look. “Have you not listened to a single thing I’ve said? Nanobites, Klaus. My people’s technology that’s been fucked about by humans into who knows what, swimming around in your bloodstream. Do you know what else they put in those things? Trackers.”

“Ah.”

“Yes, ah.” She lifted her chin. “Which brings us full circle to the original problem. I need to see exactly what they injected into you, and then Enzo and I might have to remove them, which is going to be a bitch for everyone. Otherwise dumping you on a planet to apparently contact your armada to come pick you up will mean absolutely shit. You’ll be cooling your heels on Titan in a matter of hours.”

“Enzo.” His voice turned cool, the line of his shoulders stiffening. “Who is Enzo?”

“My co-pilot,” Caroline said. “And someone I trust.”

Klaus moved, a quick shift of his weight that put his nose and mouth excruciatingly close to the skin beneath her ear. His breath was hot and damp, and she froze as he breathed deeply. “You don’t smell of him. So not lovers. Good.”

Caroline spluttered and took two steps back, cheeks hot. “That is none of your damn business.”

“I think you’ll find that is not entirely the case the moment you put your hands on me, Caroline.” His eyes met hers, and there was nothing human in the expression behind them. “You marked me decades ago.”

She straightened her spine, denial on her tongue, even as beneath her feet, her ship hummed with attention. “I did no such thing.”

His laugh echoed harshly between them and he prowled towards her, the line of his jaw set. “No? I disagree. So does my wolf. You’ve been in my blood so long, what does a mere echo of your people compare? Even the other wolves, the ones who sought my favor, who wished for my benevolence never quite dared ask for more than what I offered. They too, saw the claim you’d etched into me.”

“That’s impossible.”

An amused, indulgent glance that spoke of too many things that left her so very aware of how close he was standing to her. “Is it? You know the stories of your people as well as I do. My kind have a similar belief, though it is rare away from our worlds. Of claiming, of mating.”

Her fingertips tingled with the need to feel that uncompromising edge of his jaw and she swallowed. Tried not to think of the way her blood reacted to him, the impulsive need to help him. Mate. Impossible. “Klaus…”

His head lowered, lips lingering so close to her own. “Why did you save me?”

Caroline gave a tiny shake of her head, terrified that she’d give into the need to lean just a little forward. “I told you.”

“New boots,” Klaus murmured. “I suppose it doesn’t matter.” He straightened, and smiled, dimples on full display, cutting deep. “There is an easy way to tell. If I am right. If I am wrong.”

Her throat ran dry.

Klaus spread his arms slowly, moving to lean back against the table. “Do your worst. Go ahead, tell me what runs beneath my skin. All of it. But, Caroline.”

She took in a deep breath, lifting her chin to meet those moon glow eyes, that daunting smile.

“Don’t say that I didn’t warn you, love.”

#my fic #klaroline #klaroline fanfic #klaroline update #i am braced

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wayward-mikaelson · 3 years

Text

Winter's Doll--Final Chapter

Word Count: 1832

About: Nadia meets with the president and Bucky has a bad feeling about it

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OC (Female)

Warnings/Trigger Warnings: Language, Mentions of Corrupt Government, Talks of bribery

A/N: Sorry this is out super late. I got busy and then got sick and then my son started school.

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Forever Tags: @hobby27 @donnaintx @myinconnelly1 @elansaidaris @magssteenkamp @440mxs-wife

Marvel Tags: @soccer-100000

Story Tags: @supernatural-love14 @loudlylovingalpaca @kingkhibas

Seb/Bucky Tags: Open

Nadia stepped out of the car and onto the patio of the White House. Her entire body was shaking, the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up and her heart was racing like a racehorse who began their race. Nadia’s mind was also racing. She had so many questions to ask the president and when she tried to ask over the phone, the president wouldn’t let her get a single word out. Except that she wanted to talk to Nadia in private.

Fury had seen the expression on Nadia’s face when the president asked about talking in Private. Natasha was also in the room, and Natasha let Nadia know that this didn’t sit well with her. That she should think about it. But Nadia already knew what she wanted.

Nadia agreed to the meeting.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Bucky pulled Nadia around by the arm. He and Steve had insisted that they come as moral support. Well, Steve was moral support, Bucky was there to make sure Nadia was safe. “You can always send me or Steve in there to tell the president that you change your mind.”

Nadia shook her head and licked her lips. “I got this,” Nadia rested a hand on Bucky’s. She looked up at him and saw how those blue eyes stared right into her dark one. He knew she wasn’t sure but respected that. “If I had to send someone in, then it would be Steve.”

“Why Steve?” Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow. There’s a hint of playfulness in his eyes that had Nadia’s lips twitching into a small smile.

“Because Steve will keep it diplomatic where as you,” Naida took a step closer to Bucky and hooked her index finger into a strap on his suit. She thought to the quickie the two of them shared before taking off a few hours before. “You’d probably be led out by the Secret Service or in handcuffs. Which I wouldn’t be opposed to as I seem to remember you liking them the other night.” Nadia winked at Bucky who smirked.

“You’re right,” Bucky’s hand slowly slid up to cup Nadia’s chin. “Just be careful. The government has given you every reason not to trust them.”

Nadia leaned forwards and gave Bucky a small peck on the cheek. “I will.”

Nadia turned on her heel and made her way towards the door where a man stood waiting. Instantly, Nadia got some weird vibes off him and turned to see both Steve and Bucky standing side by side with their arms crossed.

***

Bucky watched as Nadia turned towards the man and gave him a smile and shook his hand. Once they disappeared behind the closing doors, Bucky turned to Steve. “I don’t like this,” he said, dropping his arms. “This doesn’t feel right at all.”

“I’m sure everything will be fine, Buck,” Steve said. “Nadia knows how to handle herself.”

“I know that, Steve,” Bucky muttered. “It’s this whole government trying to silence anyone, like her brother. What if that’s what they wanted to meet or worse?”

Steve placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “She’ll be fine, Buck.”

Bucky shrugged and crossed his arms again. “Probably a good thing I called Sam and have him laying low on some rooftop.”

“You did what?” Steve shook his head. “You know what, if it does turn ugly, probably having Sam nearby will help. But we aren’t going on the run again.”

Bucky and Steve stood there in silence waiting for Nadia to come out. Bucky still couldn’t shake that something was going to happen. Bucky cared for Nadia deepy, probably just as much as he cared for Steve. He’d do just about anything to make sure Steve and Nadia were safe.

Come to think of it, Bucky was starting to realize that he didn’t care for Nadia. He loved her and would probably use Steve as a body shield to make sure Nadia was safe and sound.

***

Nadia sat in the Oval Office and twiddled her thumbs around. She’s toured the White House a few times and has seen the Oval Office. But Nadia never spent more than a few minutes there. Here she was, going on almost thirty minutes of waiting for the president to come and talk with her.

To be honest, Nadia was nervous as hell. She had a feeling that something was going to go wrong. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, she needed to have Bucky in here with her. But the moment Nadia looked at her phone, she saw that she had no signal whatsoever. The feeling in Nadia’s gut got more intense.

“So,” a voice entered the room. Nadia turned to see the President of the United States waltz into the room. Her ginger hair flowing about her shoulders and her bright green eyes bore right into Nadias.

“What are we going to do with you? ”Her beige pantsuit looked a little too tight and Nadia was sure that a button would pop off them the moment she sat down.

“What?” Nadia asked. She instantly got a bad feeling about the woman in front of her. “I thought we were here to talk about my brother?”

The president leaned back and took a glass of water from her person next to her. “We are,” she answered after taking a long drink. “We are also going to discuss how you will stay quiet about all this. How does a mansion and yacht sound?”

***

Steve’s phone rang in his pocket. Without taking his eyes off the guard that was staring him and Bucky down, he reached into his pocket. “Hello?”

“Cap,” it was Sam. “It doesn’t look too pretty in there.”

“You have a visual on Nadia?” Cap whispered.

“Yep, Bucky told me to make it happen so I have Red Wing hovering close enough to see in.” Sam answered. “That dude that knew Nadia is in the room with her and the President.”

Steve turned to Bucky who was now staring at him. “The mission where that dude knew Nadia? What was his name?”

Bucky’s heart stopped. Of course he remembered this dude. He got a bad vibe off him right off the bat. “Timothy Ketch? What about him?”

“You guys may want to head in there,” Sam’s voice sounded concerned. “Nadia looks pissed as shit in there. I don’t think I’ve seen her face look that red and deadly.”

Steve hung up the phone and looked at Bucky. Bucky knew instantly that something was up. “Who are you calling now?” Bucky noticed Steve put his phone back to his ear.

“Hey, we have a situation. You’ve been compromised. Take everyone and head underground.” Steve hung up his phone again. “Let’s go.”

Bucky followed Steve into the White House and towards the Oval Office. The closer they got, the more Bucky could hear Nadia’s voice. She didn’t sound at all happy. In fact, Bucky could hear all the fowl language coming from Nadia’s mouth.

“No!” Nadia’s voice echoed around the corner. “Get your fucking hands off me.”

Steve and Bucky rounded the corner to see Nadia being held by two secret service men. The look on Nadia’s face brightened up when she saw them. Bucky saw a forming bruise on her hand and he knew that Nadia had thrown all she had into that punch.

“How's the other guy?” Bucky asked, a smiled pulling on the corner of his lips. Steve nudged him. “What? I want to know?”

“Oh Tim,” Nadia chuckled then groaned. The two men that held her pushed her onto a wall. “I’m certain I broke his nose. Hey, fellas, gentle there I’m a woman. Or do you not care since I won’t comply with your order to shut the fuck up and tell no one about how you’re selling off soldiers.”

Steve stepped forward. “I’m going to need you to let her go.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” one of the men looked at Steve. “President Tyler ordered her to be arrested. She’s a traitor to the country.”

“Oh for fucks sake,” Nadia groaned and faster than the two men that held her, Nadia snapped her head back and hit one man. He let go and that was enough for Nadia to whip around and free herself from the other man by chi blocking him. “Now, that was kind of pathetic. You should have known to go up against someone your people have trained to sell off.” She knelt down next to the guy with limp arms and smiled an evil smile at him. “Not only that, but against an Avenger.”

Nadia stood up and looked at Steve and Bucky. “Clint has your family safe,” he whispered when Nadia was within ear shot.

“Good,” Nadia looked behind her and back at Steve and Bucky. “I have a press conference to go to. Call Stark, make sure he can keep at least one camera rolling.” Before the two men can say anything, Nadia quickly walked away.

“So she wants us to have Tony hack into the government?” Bucky asked, looking confused. Living for a little more than a century, there were times Bucky was still stuck in the 40’s. “Can he even do that?”

“He’s Howard's kid,,” Steve answered. “He will be more than happy to.” Steve pulled out his phone and dialed Tony’s number.

Bucky turned to the nearest television and watched as Nadia took over. Her dark hair hung around her shoulders. He could see the small tremors of her hands. Nadia was nervous but the look in her eyes pretty much said that she was going to do this no matter the consequence.

As Nadia spoke, Bucky could hear the small shake in her voice but the firmness as she spoke of her brother, that told Bucky that she had it all under control. Bucky ignored the chaos that was ensuing around both him and Steve. No matter how many times the feed was cut off, it was always brought back. Tony was working hard to keep it all running. Bucky made a mental note to thank Tony for doing this.

Then something happened.

Reports were being made about how the press conference wasn’t just being broadcasted to those who were watching it on the news. It was being broadcasted just about everywhere from Malibu to London. Tony was making sure that it literally got everywhere.

Getting Nadia out wasn’t hard at all. Not after the threat she made, one that would have both Fury and Steve hiding her out until all this was blown over and taken care of. Bucky didn’t like the thought of having Nadia away so who knows how long. It literally made his heart ache. So he volunteered to go with her, to help keep her safe.

“I got you,” Bucky said as they loaded up the SUV with bags. “I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you. I’ll keep you safe, Doll.”

#Winter's Doll #Bucky Barnes Fanfic #Bucky Barnes x OC #bucky barnes x reader #marvel incorrect quotes #marvel comics #Marvel fanfic #Marvel Imagine #Mcu fanfic #MCU Imagine #Sebastian Stan #The Winter Soldier #White Wolf

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chickensarentcheap · 3 years

Text

Never Gonna Be Alone- Chapter 47

Title: Truth

Warnings: profanity, slight angst, mentions of suicide attempt, depression, mental health issues

Tagging: @c-a-v-a-l-r-y, @innerpaperexpertcloud, @miss-smutty, @tragiclyhip

“Esme told me. About your so-called girls trip. That it was nothing but bullshit.”

Sighing heavily, Riley leans back against one of the panes of glass; legs stretched out in front of her, arms folded across her chest. She’d only arrived an hour ago, and the initial joy and excitement of being rushed by a horde of children had been quickly replaced by frazzled nerves and nibbles of anxiety. The moment he’d approached when she’d been alone in the kitchen, she’d known it wasn’t with good intentions; the deep rumble of his voice, the tense shoulders and jaw, the increasing darkness taking over his eyes. And she’d barely gotten words of acknowledgment and acceptance out of her mouth when his fingers had curled around her upper arm and she found herself being manipulated her towards the sunroom. The door closing behind them and her brother in planting his large, strong frame directly in front of it.

She’s been witness to his ire; possessing a hair-trigger temper that’s been unleashed many times in her presence. Unsuspecting motorists in town that have come too close to his kids while in the crosswalk; profanities hurled in their direction, objects thrown at the car, a foot put through a headlight or front grill more than once. Overzealous parents at the soccer park or lacrosse field that believe their eight year old is the next athletic superstar; pacing the sidelines while screaming insults at teenaged referees and freaking out over poor play of their own kid or others on the field. Only to have a tattooed, six foot three, ‘built like a brick shit house’ coach storm across the grass to confront them on their bullshit; quietly yet intently calling them out and often physically escorting them away from the game. Or men that have the audacity to not just check his wife out, but make lewd remarks about her to their buddies or even attempt to follow her while making suggestive and highly sexualized comments. Never imagining that her husband is either just feet in front or behind her, or even across the street waiting to meet up with her.

They always regret their decision when they see him happen upon the scene; casually and calmly greeting her with a warm -albeit brief- embrace and a chaste kiss to the lips before turning his attention to the culprits. While some will put up a good fight and try to defend their egos and their masculinity by arguing with him, most attempt to apologize their way out of the mess they created. Stammering and stumbling over their words; frazzled and intimidated and even visibly shaking from the fear of getting their asses handed to them.

She’s even unintentionally wandered into the house while Tyler and Esme have been engrossed in a blow out themselves. Shortly after his release from the hospital; the horrific and constant pain and the frustration of slower than expected healing getting the better of him and causing to snap. Nothing too serious; raised voices and cupboards being slammed and plates and utensils being angrily tossed into the sink. By BOTH parties.

While seeing the actual explosion of his temper is bad enough, it’s the lead up that tends to be the scarier. The darkening of the eyes and the cold, fixed glare. The way his shoulders tense and his jaw clenches. The visible throbbing of the vein his neck; surgically repaired twelve and a half years after a teenager’s bullet that sliced through it and nearly taken his life. And while his height and his powerful build and the myriad of tattoos and scars are intimidating to most that come in contact with him, Tyler is not a threatening person. At least not intentionally. He’s normally quiet and reserved; taking the time to sit back and watch and listen to the people and the activity around him. Thoroughly analyzing and calculating every move they make and the words that come out of their mouths; assessing whether they both pose a threat and if they can be trusted and allowed into his extremely small, tight circle. Once you get to know him, you realize that while he’s a big man, he has an even bigger heart; compassionate and patient and possessing so much love and adoration for his wife and his children. Enormously protective; wanting nothing more for them to be happy and safe. And willing to do anything and everything to keep them that way.

She has never been on THIS side of the fence; the one being targeted by that intense and unwavering gaze. Not once getting on her brother in law’s bad side; enjoying the teasing and light hearted bickering and the backhanded compliments that their relationship has been built upon. Knowing what subjects to never broach and what lines to never -under any circumstances- cross; acknowledging and respecting his triggers and always doing her best to steer clear from them. A mutual respect exists between them; Tyler grateful for the never ending support that Riley provides her sister with, and Riley ever thankful for the world that he’s created for her sister. A man that loves her so profoundly and unconditionally; making her the centre of his universe and putting everything he has and everything he is into giving her a good life. Making her a mother; something she’d wanted for years and had given up hope on when things between her and Mark had gone so wrong. A hands-on father and a partner in every possible way; devoting every spare minute he has to her and his kids and doing whatever he can to make amazing memories for all of them to carry into adulthood. She’s never seen Esme THAT happy; peaceful and content despite all of the issues that have plagued them and the rocky terrain they’ve covered together and the scarier than hell situations they’ve gone through. Somehow making her even stronger than before; resilient and phenomenally patient, yet ferociously protective when need be.

“I told her she needed to tell you,” Riley says, and nervously drums the fingernails on her right hand against the wine glass clutched tightly in her right. “That it had gone on long enough; her keeping that a secret. That you had the right to know and…”

“I had a right to know WHEN it happened,” Tyler interjects. “What I can’t figure out is why no one realized that then. Why you didn’t tell me. Why you kept it a secret.”

“She asked me not to. Said that it was better if you didn’t know. She was worried what it would do to you; putting that kind of extra worry and stress on you when you were already going through your own shit.”

“And you agreed with her?”

“No. I didn’t. I argued against it, actually. Right away I told her that it was a bad idea; keeping that kind of thing from you.”

“But....”

“But when Esme gets something into her head, it’s hard to sway her from it. You know that better than anyone. You don’t easily change her mind when it’s dead set on something. She was convinced it would be bad for you. That hearing something like that could trigger you and bring on an episode and…”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”

“She was worried, Tyler. About the issues it might cause. And I told her that you were a lot stronger than she was giving you credit for; you were more than capable of taking care of your shit AND hers. But she was adamant to do things her way and I didn’t want to upset her any more than she already was. I didn’t want to make her worse.”

“You should have called me. Right after you got off the phone with her. As soon as she told you how she was feeling, you should have hung and got a hold of me and told me what was going on.”

“It wasn’t my place to tell you. She asked me to help her, and I did. I went over to the house and I stayed with her and the kids. I did everything I could to calm her down and talk her off the edge…”

“That should have been MY job. I should have been the one to do all of that.”

“Well you weren’t exactly around, were you. You were thousands of miles away. On a job. A lot of good you could have done being all the way in Brazil. Instead of home with your family.”

A smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Don’t do that. Don’t turn this around on me. What I do for a living and how I provide for my family is none of your business. I’m not the same guy I was when I met your sister. I’m not that deep in it anymore.”

“You run a mercenary business. You may not be the one going out there and putting your ass on the line and killing people, but you’re still sending other guys to do it. Your hands aren’t clean, Tyler. Don’t pretend they are. I don’t care what you do or what you used to do. I don’t care how many lives you’ve taken or HOW you took them. But don’t act like you’re innocent. Not with your track record.”

“This isn’t about me or what I do for a living or what I send other people to do. None of that matters. That’s business. It has no bearing on my personal life. I’m not the same guy when I’m working as I am when I’m at home. When I’m a husband and a father. That’s the only thing you should give a shit about. How I treat your sister. And I love her and I will do anything to protect her.”

“You wouldn’t have to do that if you didn’t do what you do,” Riley counters. “ Do you ever stop and think about that? How you wouldn’t have this fear of something happening to her or someone hurting her if you weren’t who you are?”

“I wouldn’t have met Esme if I wasn’t who I am. You seem to forget that part. That she was in it just as much as I was. That she was working WITH me. She’d been in the game for a while; before she ever met me. So she’s not entirely innocent herself, is she. If she had been, she never would have shown up on my doorstep that day. I never would have laid eyes on her. There’d be no us and there’d be no kids. And your sister and those kids? Best damn things that ever happened to me.”

“I don’t deny that. Same way I don’t deny how much you love her. Or that you’d do anything for her. But she asked me to keep it a secret. She wanted to protect you.”

“And you just went along with it.”

“Against my better judgement, yeah, I did. I didn’t call you because I didn’t need your help. I had it under control. I got her calm and off the ledge and…”

“I should have been the one doing all of that. And if you’d just called me…”

“And what? What would you have done? What could you have possibly said that would have been any better than what came out of my mouth? Look, I understand; I get why you’re pissed. She shouldn’t have lied to you. And I told her that.”

“ You should have never kept that from me. You should have told me what happened. The things that she said. That she was that bad off. That she was going to hurt herself.”

“I don’t think she was going to do it. I think she was anxious and panicking and scared and,...”

“It doesn’t matter if she was going to do it or not!” he argues. “The fact she even said it is bad enough. And you should have told her you weren’t going to lie for her. You should have told her to fuck off when she even brought up this bullshit of wanting to protect me. And you should have called me and told me and I would have come home. Right away.”

“It wasn’t my place to tell you. She asked me to help her and keep it a secret and I did. Because she’s my sister.”

“She’s my wife!” he snarls. “The mother of my children. And I’m sorry if it pisses you off that both those things trump her being your sister. Don’t even compare the two. I’m her husband. I had every goddamn right to know what happened!”

“You did,” Riley admits. “But I’ll hold firm that it wasn’t my place to tell you.”

“My wife tells you that she wants to kill herself and you don’t think it’s your place to tell me that? What if you weren’t around, Riley? What if you didn’t live right next door? Or even in Australia.? What if she hadn’t been able to call you for help?”

“It doesn’t matter. Because I DO live there.”

“It fucking matters to me. What if she’d tried to call you and couldn’t get a hold of you? What then? What if she had decided to go through with it? You know what have happened? One of my kids would have found her. They would have wondered why mummy wasn’t up in the morning to make them breakfast and get them off to school. And they would have gone in there and found her. Dead. Kids, Riley. MY kids.”

“I never thought of that. I never…”

“Do you know what that would have done to them? Finding their mother like that? Do you know how bad that would have fucked them up for the rest of their life? If they’d seen that?”

Struggling to hold back a flood of tears, she takes a swallow of wine in an attempt to wash away the lump of emotion threatening to choke her. “I just never considered all of that.”

“I know what it’s like to lose your mother. At a really young age. It screwed me up. And it continues to screw me up; everything that came after it and all the bullshit I went through because of my father. And the way I lost her? That was bad enough. But it would have been nowhere like how my kids would have lost their mother.”

“I’m sorry, Tyler. I never…”

“I had a right to know. As soon as she told you how she felt and what was going through her head? You should have called me. I would have been on the next plane home. There is nothing in this world that is more important than her. Nothing.”

“I know that. I know how you feel about her. I see it every time you look at her. The way you smile at her and always find little ways to touch her. The way you watch her when she talks. I’ve always seen that. And you’re right; I should have called you. But my main concern was taking care of her. Making sure SHE was okay. I did what she asked.”

“What stopped you from telling me after you got her settled? Once you realized she was going to be okay. What stopped you from calling me? Some stupid fucking promise you made to her?”

“It wasn’t a stupid fucking promise. She was trying to protect you. She didn’t want to put it on you. Didn’t want to take the risk of it causing you issues. And I have to say, I agreed with her. To an extent.”

“I’m not some fragile fucking piece of china you have to coddle and keep away from everyone. I’m a grown ass man. And I may be messed up and have mountains of shit I deal with every day, but I am more than capable of taking care of your sister. Of my wife.”

“I know. I know you are. And I’m sorry that it came out this way. That she waited this long to tell you. I’m sorry that…”

“Don’t.” Tyler holds up a hand to silence her.. “Don’t do that. Don’t put all the blame on her. I get where she’s coming from; she’s neurotic and she worries about me and she’s got it in her head that she needs to protect me the same way I do her. Doesn’t matter how many times I tell her I don’t need it or that I don’t want her doing it; she’s going to go ahead with it anyway. But you? Going along with that? When you know what she means to me? How can you stand here and defend this? Act like it’s no big deal that you kept this from me? What the fuck, Riley?”

“I said I was sorry. That you had to find out this way. That it took this long. What more do you want from me?”

“How about admitting you fucked up? That you never should have gone along with it. That you should have called me. How about admitting all THAT?”

“Let’s get something straight, Tyler. You’re not my boss. I’m not one of your ‘guys’. You don’t dictate how I do things. You don’t question my decisions. You don’t chastise me for ‘bad behaviour’. I love you. I think you’re a great guy. In the same way I think you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to Me-Me. I think you’re an amazing husband and an even better father. But you’re my brother in law. That’s it. I have no ties to you other than through my sister and my nieces and nephews. My loyalty lies with Esme. First and foremost. And I’m sorry that you think this is some horrible betrayal. I did what my sister asked. That’s it.”

“What you did was wrong. And you fucking know it. We aren’t just talking about some girl, Riley. We’re talking about my wife. The mother of my children. My SEVEN children. The woman that I love more than anything in this world. Who I love more than I ever thought I could love another human being. Who saved my life. And if you can’t understand why you should have told me…”

A knock comes to the door, followed by the rattling of the handle .“Dad?” TJ’s voice from the other side. “Can I come in?”

“Not right now, mate. Auntie Riley and I are talking about some stuff. That little ears don’t need to hear.”

“Mum wanted me to check on you. To make sure you were alright. You’ve been a little...off...for a few days.”

“Tell your mum I’m okay. That there’s nothing for her to worry about.”

“Yeah...right…” TJ scoffs. “This is mum we’re talking about. She worries no matter what. You think you’d be used to it by now. You’ve only been married to her for like a hundred years.”

“Twelve,” he informs his son. “In October. Feels like it’s been a hundred years some days.”

“I won’t tell her you said that. I know how much you hate sleeping on the couch. Are you sure everything’s okay?”

“Everything’s fine, Teej. I’ll be out in a few minutes. Go and get washed up for dinner, okay? Make sure your brothers and sisters do too. Food will be here soon.”

“You’re sure you’re okay?”

“You’re gettin’ as bad as your mum. I’m fine. Everything’s good. Go and do as I said. Tell mum I won’t be much longer.”

“Alright,” TJ reluctantly agrees, and Tyler waits until he hears him walk away; heavy, stomping footsteps across the kitchen floor as he shouts the information from one end of the house to the other.

“We’re going to have to agree to disagree when it comes to this,” Riley says, and downs the remains of her wine. “I’m sorry that I didn’t call you. That my main priority was my sister and not calling you.”

“For the last time, your sister is my wife. And my main priority is her. Twelve and half years. That’s how long I’ve been with her. That’s how long I’ve been going through hell and back with her. FOR her. You don’t even know the half of what we’ve been through together. The crap that we’ve dealt with. I’m the one that’s been there; by her side through every fucking shitty thing that’s been thrown us. I’m the one that’s gotten her through a lot of hard times. The one that’s talked her down and kept her calm. Who’s been stepping up and being there for her no matter what I’m going through. So don’t you stand here and tell me that I couldn’t have done a better job than you when it comes to taking care of MY wife .”

“I could have been there for her too, you know. And I would have been had you NOT moved her all the way to the other side of the goddamn world.”

“You know who you sound like right now? When you say that? I’ll give you three guesses but you’re only going to need one.”

Riley scowls. “Don’t you even go there. I am nothing like her. I’m the one that accepted you into the family. I’m the one that saw how good you were with her. FOR her. I’ve always been on your side, Tyler. Even when everyone else was against you and I ended up getting alienated for it. Kicked out of my own family because I always defended you. Because Esme was happy and in love with you and I could tell you felt the same way about her.”

“So you were on my side. So what? You want some kind of award for it? A fucking cookie? You were a kid, Riley. You weren’t even a senior in high school when we moved to Colorado. You had no clue what happened. Why we had to leave Australia, how we were broke as fuck and ended up living in your folks’ basement. It broke your sister’s heart to leave. We didn’t have much, but we were happy there. Happier than either of us had been in a long time. She had someone that loved her and a beautiful baby girl and she didn’t want much more than that.”

“You’re right. I don’t know the details. I don’t know the reason you guys came back. I WAS a kid. And totally absorbed in my own world. But it didn’t mean that I didn’t care about my sister. Or miss her. That I wasn’t glad she was back.”

“She never wanted to go back to Colorado. That was all me. All my idea. And she went along with it and she tried to make the best of it and it nearly fucking destroyed us. You have no clue how bad things got. The issues that being there caused. How close we came to ending everything. All she ever wanted was to be back in Australia. She would cry about it at night; tell me that she wasn’t happy and that she was worried being back in the States was going to destroy us. And it came close. So fucking close.”

“I didn’t know that. I know that you had some problems. That you started drinking again and got back into the job and the pills and…”

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know. That we’ve kept back. From everyone connected to her family. I didn’t just move your sister to the other side of the world. I gave her what she wanted. I busted my ass to make it happen; to get her back there. To get her home. Because that’s where she wanted to be. So don’t fucking pretend you know what we went through and don’t ever accuse me of taking her away from you. Because that’s not what happened. That’s just what you’ve been told.”

“It is,” she admits. “That’s exactly what I was told. I mean, I knew most of it wasn’t true. I knew you weren’t controlling or abusive and that you didn’t force her to go back. I knew you weren’t that kind of guy. But I WAS a kid. And still stupid enough to believe most of the bullshit that was being fed to me.”

“When I say there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for your sister, I mean it. They aren’t just empty words. I’m not just saying it to hear myself talk or to make her feel better. I say it because it’s one hundred percent true. And had you called me, I would have been on the first flight home. I would have said ‘fuck the job’ and got on the next plane out of there. So I could help my wife.”

“I’m sorry, Tyler. I SHOULD have called you. But I was so worried about her and I thought what I was doing was right for her.”

“You played a really dangerous game with my wife’s life. Do you realize that? How badly it all could have backfired on you? How one little thing could have set her off? If you’d just called me, I could have talked her down. I could have gotten her off that ledge. A lot easier and a lot quicker than you did.”

“You don’t know that. You don’t…”

“I DO know that. Because I’m the one that she needed. I’ve always been the one she’s needed. And that’s not just going to stop. Not until I’m dead and buried and I can’t do it anymore. What she wanted at that time and what was best for her, were two totally different things. And the fact you didn’t realize that? That you played this fucking game with her life?”

“That’s not what I was trying to do. At all. I thought I was doing what was best for Esme. That’s what we both want, right? To do what’s best for her?”

“That wasn’t what was best for her. That was possibly the WORST thing for her. I know she’s your sister, but I’ve shared a life with her for more than a decade now. I think I know her a hell of a lot better than you do.”

“Of course you do. What the two of you have? That love? That bond? That’s way more than she’s ever had before. With anyone.”

“Don’t ever play a game like that again, Not when it comes to Esme. You have no idea what it would do to me to lose her. What it would do to my kids. HER kids. So don’t you ever again underestimate my ability to take care of my wife. Don’t you EVER get in between me and her again.”

Riley approaches him; slowly and cautiously, palms raised in both surrender and a plea for calm. “That is NOT what I meant to do. I would NEVER do that. I wasn’t trying to cause issues between the two of you. I was trying to help her. That’s it.”

“Well you almost made an even bigger mess, so…” his words trails off and he takes a step back when she attempts to embrace him. “...don’t do that. Don’t touch me. We’re not back at that point. We won’t be for a while. I’m not the kind of guy that just hugs it out, you know?”

“I’m trying here, Tyler. I’m sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. For the lie to get as far as it did. I told her to tell you. I told her…”

“Oh my god…” he chuckles and shakes his head incredulously. “...you just don’t get it. You either didn’t listen to a goddamn word I said or you don’t give a fuck. You never should have went along with it. It’s as simple as that. You should have called me. So I could take care of my wife. But you didn’t. You fucked up. You caused all of this. Don’t put all the blame on her. I won’t let you do that.”

“Can we at least agree that we both want what’s best for her? That even if we DO make mistakes, all that we really want is what’s best for Esme?”

“I think that’s one thing we CAN agree on.”

“And can we go out there and at least pretend to be friends? I don’t want to make things worse on her. You know she’s struggling. That she’s having a really hard time right now. Can we at least do our best to not make things harder for her?”

“Yeah…” he nods. “...I can do that.”

“I really am sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t think things through better. But I really did think I was handling it fine. That I was doing what was best for her. For my sister.”

“I know what’s best for her. For my wife. Even more than she does. So I appreciate your help, but I think you need to step back and realize that you don’t know shit. Not when it comes to this kind of thing. Next time...and I hope to hell there isn’t a next time...you call me. Regardless of what she says.”

“I will,” she promises. “I definitely will.”

“This ends here. What we talked about, the things that were said. She doesn’t need to know. It’s better if she doesn’t. If she asks, we had a heated discussion and disagreed on a lot but we got through it. What really happened doesn’t go further from this room. Understand me?”

Riley nods.

“Don’t you ever question my loyalty or my ability to take care of my wife,” he warns, then turns on his heel and heads for the door.

*****

It’s shortly after midnight when she hears his footfalls on the stairs. The sound familiar and comforting; the slight drag of the right leg, the soft creaks as wood shifts and flexes under his weight. Three hours ago he’d gone upstairs to tend to the kids’ bedtime routines; keeping the older yet easily distracted ones on track, giving the littlest their baths and combing out the girls’ hair and helping them into their pyjamas. Since her confession earlier in the day, he’s been even more hands on and attentive than usual. Practically glued to her side and quick with the affection; spontaneous hugs or arms wrapped tightly around her from behind, gentle fingers combing through her hair and tucking it behind her ears, kisses pressed to her forehead or temple or corners of her mouth. Insisting on either helping her with things around the house or refusing to do anything at all; ordering to sit back and relax and let him and the kids take care of her for a change.

While it had been both welcome and appreciated, she’d also been well aware that he’d been overcompensating. Her admittance to thoughts of self harm and suicide not doubt a kick to the gut; opening his eyes to just to the depths and the extent of her own issues, and feeding into his number one fears. It’s always been his worst nightmare; losing her unexpectedly and to something he could have controlled, or at least prevented. Illness and an accident on the road are horrific in their own way; a disease that eats away at her and eventually kills her, or something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs and snatches her out of his life. But to lose her to something he could have stepped in and stopped is completely unacceptable in his eyes. An assailant he could have fought off or at least prevented from getting closer to her. An action by her own hand would be something he’d never considered. In twelve and a half years she’s never spoken of harming herself; the one who’d had to stop him from taking his own life.

It had definitely blindsided him; how close he’d come to losing her and never even realizing there’d ever been the potential of it. And not being told sooner had devastated him. She’d seen the pain in his eyes; the hurt and the anger and the feeling of betrayal. He’s always stepped up and taken care of her regardless of his own issues and suffering; pushing everything aside to focus solely on her and what she needs.

Her not relying on him in the moment had done more damage than actually carrying on the lie. HE should have been the one she called. Confident he would have been able to calm her down and talk her off the ledge; giving him the time to get home and concentrate on her problems and her needs. And he would have done it; abandoned the job in favour of returning to Australia and focusing solely on her. But she hadn’t been in her right frame of mind; immediately believed that she had to protect HIM.

She definitely regrets THAT decision. And for keeping it a secret as long as she did.

“Hey,” she greets, looking up from the tablet resting on her thighs as he reaches the bottom landing. Clad in a pair of shorts made from cut up sweats and an old and tattered muscle shirt; the fabric littered with messes composed of dried paint, tiny hand prints infused with glitter, and stains made by various baby ‘accidents’ over the years. Hair messy and sticking up in several different directions; a pout curving his lips and the heels of his palms pressing into his weary eyes.

Twelve and half years later and he still brings about so many emotions and reactions. From lust to adoration to love and even melting because of moments of sheer adorableness; this big -and often intimidating- heavily tattooed man that possesses the strength and know how to kill with his bare hands often so cute and pure that her heart -and her hormones- can barely handle it.

“Hey,” Tyler says in return, pausing to lock the front door and set the alarm before switching off the foyer light and padding into the living room. “You’re awake.”

“I was going to say the same thing to you. You’ve been up there for a hell of a long time. I wasn’t sure if you’d crashed hard or been abducted by aliens. Or if you were just avoiding me. Like the plague.”

“Well I’m happy to report that no aliens showed up and anally probed me.”

“Your worst nightmare,” she grins. “Anyone getting anywhere near your ass.”

“I let you near my ass.”

“Let me rephrase it. Anyone exploring your ass with more than a finger.”

“First off, you’re disturbing. Second, I had three little ones fall asleep on me. Before that, one story turned into two, two turned into three, three turned into a dozen. Can you maybe burn all the copies of Goodnight Moon? Can they mysteriously disappear? Because I have been reading that damn thing almost every night for almost twelve years. What’s left of my sanity can’t take it anymore.”

“You know, instead of resorting to burning books, you could always say no to your children.”

"Yeah, not gonna happen.” He drops down heavily beside her. “I did crash, by the way. In Addie’s bed. I just woke up about ten minutes ago. She kicked me right in the nuts. Good thing you don’t want anymore kids.”

“There’s something so cute about that.”

He frowns. “About her kicking me in the balls?”

“No. About you falling asleep there. This big, burly guy with all his tattoos and scars totally crashed in a frilly canopy bed fit for a princess. I would have LOVED a picture of that.”

“Sorry to disappoint. None exist. You don’t get a chance to publicly humiliate me on social media. Not on this night, anyway.” Sighing, he pinches the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger, then stretches out his legs and places his bare feet on the coffee table. “And why would I have been avoiding you? What would be the reason for that?”

“Well I did fuck up. HUGE. And I did hurt your feelings. And offend you. All at once.”

“We talked about it. We said shit we needed to say. It’s done. Over with. Let’s keep it that way, yeah?”

“Yeah,” she agrees, and slides closer to him on the couch; tucking her feet under her body as she snuggles into his side. “Let’s.”

Wrapping an arm around her petite frame, he drops a kiss on the top of her head. “What are you doing?”

“Looking up ideas for the backyard.” She holds the tablet up for him to see; an image of a tiny cottage made of distressed white wood and boasting a shingled roof and a sunlight and pink shutters on the windows. “We finally have the opportunity to totally concentrate on it. All the renos out of the way, all the garages and the granny flat are built, the pool house has been redone. Now we can work on other things. What do you think? It’s a she shed. I would LOVE a she shed.”

“That’s what they’re actually called? I’ve been calling them bitch barns.”

“You would,” she frowns, and he chuckles when she digs an elbow into his ribs. “Think you could build it?”

“Shouldn’t be hard. I’ve built a lot more complicated. And if you really DO want one, I’ll get on it. Soon as we get home.”

“I really do. Want one.”

“Then a bitch barn you shall have.”

She scowls.

“She shed,” he quickly corrects. “A SHE SHED you shall have.”

“And I was thinking a fire bowl. For the corner of the first floor deck. Closest to the pool. One of those propane ones. With the coloured glass stones. We could build a seating area around it, maybe get another swing to hang near it.”

“Whatever you want to do, we’ll do it. Just buy what you need or give me a list and I’ll take care of it. You know I really don’t care about this kind of stuff. I mean, it’s not that I don’t. It’s just that I trust you and you always pick out nice shit and it always looks great when it’s done.”

“You really ARE the best husband on earth,” Esme declares, and presses a kiss to the side of his neck; lips covering the scar long ago left behind by Farhad’s bullet and the surgery to repair the vein.

Smiling, he gives her hip a gentle squeeze and then runs her palm over her ribs and up onto her arm. Tightly clasping her shoulder as he presses a kiss to her forehead. “I try. All I wanna do is make my girl happy. And if what makes her happy is making the house look nice and wanting it to be beautiful and comfortable for all of us, then I’ll do whatever she needs me to do to make that all happen.”

“You DO trust me,” she chides, and leans forward to set the tablet on the coffee table before once more snuggling into him; arms circling his waist and her head resting on his chest. “How do you know I’m not going to buy stuff you’ll hate? That I’m not going to go crazy with the pastels? Or pink? Addie would LOVE that. We do share a favourite color, after all.”

“First of all, I know how much you love colour. The brighter the better. Second, you’d never do that; just buy stuff that you’ll like. You’ve NEVER done it. Not once in the past twelve and a half years. If you know I’ll hate, you won’t do it. That’s just not how you work.”

“Damn it,” she grumbles, and playfully pinches the sensitive area below his right ribcage. “That’s what I get for being so predictable.”

“It’s not that you’re predictable. It’s just that I know you. Very well. Better than you know yourself sometimes. Isn’t that kind of our ‘thing?’. Knowing one another better than we know ourselves?”

“Been our thing since almost day one. It’s kind of weird, don’t you think? As screwed up and as damaged as we were, we just...I don’t know...took to each other.”

“Is that before or after I tried to choke you out?” he chides.

“It was almost like we’d known each other for years. We knew what the other was thinking, we could express things to one another without even using words. We trusted each other. And it’s not like trust came easily to either of us. But for some reason, we knew we could. We had faith in one another.”

“My instincts told me you were good people. That I COULD trust you. And what do you always say? About how good my instincts are?”

“You have incredible instincts. They’ve never lied to you. At least not as long as I’ve known you. I have to say…” she grins up at him “...I’m quite happy that they thought I was good people.”

“It’s pretty safe to say I’m happy about that too.” Giving her shoulder another squeeze, Tyler slides his arm further up and wraps it around her neck, pulling her flush against him as he kisses her. Nothing urgent nor intense; fingertips and the pad of his thumb repeatedly grazing along her jaw as his lips move slowly and sinuously against hers. Her eyes still closed when he pulls away; the bridge of her nose wrinkling when he presses a kiss to the tip of it. “I feel like ice cream,” he announces. “Want some ice cream?”

“Hmmm…” She tilts her head to the side, crinkles on the bridge of nose deepening as she considers it. “...cheese toast.”

“And ice cream?”

“Why not? You only live once. Do you think we could have sex afterwards? My cramps went away and my period isn’t due for two weeks, so…”

“We can have sex first and then cheese toast and ice cream?”

She frowns. “Naww. Cheese toast first.”

“Are you telling me you’re picking cheese toast over having sex with your husband? Do you realize how hurtful that is? How offended I am?”

“I’m sorry! You know there’s anything in this world that’s better than sex with you. Nothing. But I’m hungry. And...well...this is cheese toast we’re talking about. You know how much I love cheese toast.”

“You claim to love ME, but I dunno…”

Her fingers fidget with loose strands of thread on the neckline of his tank. “Don’t be like that. You damn well know that I love you. Don’t want me at full strength? You don’t want me running on an empty tank do you? Because then I’ll get tired easily and I won’t be at my best and…”

“Won’t bother me. Your best is only at a B plus.”

“B plus! You asshole!” She aggressively ruffles his hair, then laughs when he curls an arm around her waist and dumps her onto her back. “You’re mean,” she dramatically pouts, as he places a foot on the floor and a knee on the couch beside her; palms above her head and pressed flat against the cushion as he looms over her.

“The meanest. But you know what?” He places a small peck on each corner of her mouth, then her lips. “I will still make you your goddamn cheese toast.”

“I knew you loved me,” she says, and then curls two fingers around the chain that dangles around his neck and pulls him into a kiss. Long and deep and intense; legs wrapping around his waist and her ankles locking together at the small of his back.

He grins down at her. “So is this a yes to having sex BEFORE cheese toast and ice cream?”

“It’s a promise to have sex with you AFTER cheese toast and ice cream.”

“Don't do me any favours,” he grumbles playfully, kissing her a final time before reaching around to pry her ankles apart. “You know….” he grimaces at the stiffness in the small of his back as he stands. “...you’re damn lucky you’re so cute. That I love you as much as I do.”

“Yes. Yes I am,” she agrees, and slides off the couch and follows him through the living and dining rooms and into the kitchen. Lending a hand by gathering bowls and spoons from the drainboard next to the sink; carrying them to the island and then perching on the edge of one of the barstools. “They’re all asleep? All the beasts?”

“Every last one. Even Millie and Alannah crashed earlier than usual. That’s a nice change; none of their bloody laughing and raiding the fridge and waking me up at three am.”

“We’re going to have to think about where she is going to go when we get back home. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to keep those two in the same room. I would like to have some semblance of sleep. All the square footage we added and all the rooms we made, and suddenly there is no room at the inn.”

“Could always clean out the garage and make another bedroom in there. It’s only going to be temporary, yeah? She’s not staying with us forever. I hope. I love the kid, but…”

“What about the granny flat? We added one above the new gym but it hasn’t been used yet. Could put her in there.”

“She’s eleven. We are NOT giving an eleven year old her own apartment.”

“What about the den? Downstairs. It WAS a guest room at one point in time. That’s where you stayed. After Dhaka Part Two.”

“I kind of already told Tanner he could use that for his science experiments.” He gives her a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

“We could always put Brookie in with Addie. I’d say the other way around, but Addie will not give up her princess room. For ANYONE. I don’t even want to attempt trying to convince her to. Brookie won’t give a shit. She’s not attached to things like Addie is. She’d sleep out on the hammock every night if we let her.”

“She’d also do anything for Addie. She told me that Peanut’s her best friend. That that’s why she even agreed to tag along to the American Girl thing. Because Addie is her bestie and she asked Brookie to go with her.”

“One upside to having them close together. Friends for life. Unless one of them turns into a total dick head and completely ruins things.”

“I highly doubt either of our girls are going to turn into ‘he who shall not be named’. Things were always toxic when you were growing up. Our kids aren’t in that same kind of environment. We’re making damn sure of it. We aren’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but…”

“But we aren’t totally fucking up our children. We’re actually giving them a good home. A healthy one. Which is kind of surprising considering most behaviour is learned and neither of us grew up with the healthiest of parent child relationships.”

“We just went the opposite way. Instead of turning out like what we knew, we made sure we didn’t.”

“A lot of people aren’t that lucky, you know. A lot fall into the same patterns. Repeat the same mistakes.”

“Well we aren’t a lot of people, are we. I think we’ve shown that a time or two.”

“Do you remember what Gaspar said? About how two broken people can’t come together and make a whole?”

Tyler frowns. “I try NOT to remember anything he said.”

“He said that they’d only make things worse. Make EACH OTHER worse. I like to think he was wrong.”

“He was wrong about a lot of things. Not just that. Take it from the source, babe. Don’t take anything he said to heart.”

“He seemed a little too invested in what was going on between us. What was it to him? What did it matter whether we were hooking up or not?”

“He was just worried I’d get distracted. That I’d let my feelings take over and forget everything else.”

“More like he was worried your dick would run the show. Not your head. And that would be dangerous.”

“Something like that.”

Popping two pieces of bread into the toaster, he pushes down the level and then turns his back towards it; facing his wife as he leans back against the counter. He’ll never tell her the whole truth; Gaspar attempting to convince him that she was simply using him as a way out of Dhaka. That ‘putting out’, showering a profoundly damaged and lonely man with affection and want, and promising an attempt at a future would guarantee her his full attention ; that he’d stop at nothing to make sure she survived the ordeal. Even before Gaspar had shown all his cards and brought up the ten million dollar deal, Tyler hadn’t believed a word of what he was saying. He hadn’t been in that cramped and squalid hotel room. He didn’t hear the deep and intense conversations that lasted well into the wee hours of the morning; the confessions made and the fears talked about and the tears shed. It hadn’t been just sex. A connection had been made and a foundation laid down. Wrong place, wrong time. Perhaps a little too quick by society’s standards. But it had been nothing like Tyler had ever experienced. And he’d felt no need to either explain that to Gaspar, or defend it.

“Did he say anything to you? About me?”

“Other than he thought I was thinking with the wrong head? No. Not a damn thing.”

“Just the offer.”

Tyler nods.

“He didn’t say anything about me? Even leading up to that? Seems weird. That he’d just bring the offer up out of nowhere.”

“What does it matter? It’s almost thirteen years ago. Why are we even talking about it? About HIM? None of that should matter anymore.

“Just some things made me think about it. Shit that he said to me. When he cornered me in the upstairs. I don’t know what brought it up. Sometimes it happens; it hits me out of nowhere. But you’re right…” She sighs heavily and manages a smile. “...it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I know it makes you a little testy. Even now. What he did.”

“He’s dead. That’s what he deserved. Makes no sense to go back and dig him up.”

“It doesn’t,” she agrees, and then thankfully changes the subject. “You know, I really need to get my shit together. We go back home in five days and I have done nothing to prepare for it. I’m usually so far ahead of the game by now. Do you realize how much has to be packed away? Things I need to box up and have shipped because we won’t be able to take everything on the plane?”

“Do you realize you’re not the only adult in the house and there’s someone fully prepared to help out? WE have a lot to do. Not just you. We’ll start today.”

“You have your little shopping trip with Desi today,” she reminds him. “No way are you skipping out on that. He’s been going on and on about it for DAYS. He will legit ugly cry if you bail on him.”

“Then we start when I get back. Doubt I’ll be gone that long. You’ve gone shopping with me. In and out in half an hour.”

“You are in for a rude awakening. Going shopping with Desi is a whole other experience in itself. That man LOVES his fashion and his bling and he doesn’t go home until he’s exhausted every square inch of his favourite stores. Takes him half an hour just to decide what side of the store to start on first.”

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”

“He wants to play dress up with you. Use you as his little doll. He sees the potential. He’s going to get you into some three thousand dollar suits and some skinny jeans and…”

“It’ll be a cold day in hell when I wear skinny jeans. What is wrong with the way I dress?”

“Nothing. I don’t care what you wear. You look good in whatever you put on. That being said, I prefer when you’re taking your clothes OFF…”

“I don’t want to be his little plaything. His science experiment. Why can’t I just be who I am? Why do I have to change? As long as you’re not complaining…”

“Like I said, I don’t care what you wear. You always look good. But Desi wants to do this with you. He wants to dress you up and make you look good. Fashionable. He wants to see you in some Huge Boss and some Gucci and some Tom Ford.”

“I’m more comfortable in shit from Target.”

“Just humour him. He’s got amazing fashion sense. It won’t hurt to have a few of Desi’s staples and favourites in your closet. And personally? I’d kill to see you in a pair of skinny jeans. They’d make your ass look incredible. Or even more incredible than it already is. Not to mention you’ve got those crazy, long ass legs.”

“Why don’t you just cut to the chase and say you want me to buy a pair? Because if you want me to…”

“Nope. Has to be your decision. I’m not telling you what to do. But I will say the thought of you in skinny jeans? Totally makes me hot for you. Hotter than you usually make me, And that’s pretty damn hot.”

He stares at her pointedly, then returns to spreading thick layers of Cheese Whiz on two pieces of toast.

“Just saying. They would. Did I not go out and buy TWO sexy outfits for you? To wear on New Year's Eve? Not just one, babe. TWO. And believe me, they are way out of my comfort zone. But it’s what you wanted so I went and found ones I thought you’d find incredibly hot. And just might make you self combust in record time.”

“I’m not supposed to do that until AFTER I get you out of the outfits.”

“You said sexy, so I got sexy. And think about it. Think about how hot you make me on a regular basis. Extremely hot, right? So if I say you in skinny jeans would make me even MORE hot…”

“So if I put them on whenever I want sex, I’ll immediately get it?”

Esme nods. “More than likely.”

“And if I want to add to my mile high club points, I just need to wear them on the plane?”

“If your children aren’t there, yup.”

“Fine.” He sets the plate of toast down in front of her. “I’ll get the damn skinny jeans. But I don’t ever want to hear you say I never do anything nice for you.”

“I never say that to begin with, so…” she tilts her face up towards him, hand on his hip as he leans down to peck her lips.

She never tires of it. The random embraces; wrapping his arms around her from behind while she stands at the stove or the washing machine or while standing in front of the bathroom sink brushing her teeth. Curling an arm around her waist and pulling her tightly into his side during their walks on the beach or always taking her hand while strolling through town. The little unexpected kisses; placed up on her temples or cheeks or the corners of her mouth or dropped onto the top of her head. Even at the dinner table or while sitting on the couch he always finds a way to maintain physical contact; sides of thighs touching or a foot resting against hers, shoulders or elbows lightly pressed together. It had taken years for him to open up to both accepting and giving affection; a childhood wracked with horrendous abuse and no love shown, a first marriage whose novelty had worn off quick and gone cold and stale, years building up walls around his heart to avoid connecting with anyone and therefore preventing the brutal sting of loss.

Out of nowhere it had all come together, and the change in him was like night and day. He didn’t initially stiffen up when embraced and became quick with the touches and the hugs and the kisses. Suddenly comfortable with both verbal and physical expressions of adoration and love. Now she cherishes every single moment of it. Knowing how far he’s come and how hard he’s had to work; so willing to sacrifice personal comfort to be the kind of man he felt she wanted, needed, AND deserved.

“You’re kinda cute, you know that,” she comments, biting into a slice of toast as she watches him; the way the muscles in his arms bulge and twist with even the simple task of scooping ice cream. It never gets old. Seeing the way his body moves and how it feels under her fingertips; hard muscle and smooth skin that boosts a handful of scars of various shapes and sizes.

He casts a grin over his shoulder. “Just kinda?”

“Very cute,” she declares. “And hot. And sexy. And oh so fuckable.”

“All those things rolled into one, huh?”

“You’re quite the catch,” she says, leaning back against him when he stands behind her stool; tilting her head back and smiling up at him as he reaches past her body to set the bowls on the counter. “I lucked out. I knew you had potential. The day I met you in your little shack. I knew a good thing when I saw it.”

“I was half in the bag and feeling pretty damn good from Oxy. Hardly a good thing.”

“Please, you looked so freaking hot. With that shirt tight around your arms and your kick ass haircut and your blue eyes and your nice butt. You know what was REALLY sexy? When your hair would fall across your forehead. That did funny things to my insides.”

“Just back then or…?”

“Still does it to me even now.” She reaches up to push the wayward tresses off her forehead, smiling when he presses a line of kisses down the bridge of her nose. “And I don’t care what you say. You ARE cute. We’re going to forever agree to disagree on this one, But I did, you know. See the potential in you.”

“Let me guess. It was all in my eyes?”

“And your smile. The way you smiled at me was...I don’t know...different. Than the way anyone else ever smiled at me.”

He sidles up beside her, snagging one of the spoons and digging into his ice cream. “Something tells me you’ve had a lot of guys smile at you.”

“Not a lot. A few. But none of them have ever smiled at me the way you do.”

“That’s because they don’t love you. I do.”

“You didn’t love me when you first smiled at me. It was still a different kind of smile.”

“That was a ‘damn she’s cute, I wouldn’t mind banging her’ smile.”

She gives a derisive snort.

“What? You WERE cute. In those little shorts and that tank top and your piercings and your ink. I was impressed. And for the record, I DID want to bang you. Right away. You were fresh meat.”

“Oh my god,” she rolls her eyes and tears a piece of toast off with her teeth.

“You were. I’d never seen you before. You just showed up on my doorstep. Like this little present being delivered just for me. And I hadn’t sex in four months, so….”

“Poor baby. My heart bleeds for you.”

“You were a new face, had a wicked little body on you, a tongue ring. Is it any wonder why I wanted to rail you?”

“That’s all I was to you. Fresh meat. A new piece of ass.”

“At first. But then I got to know you and everything changed. Very quickly, I might add.”

“It was rather quick,” Esme admits. “Do you ever regret it? How quickly it DID happen?”

“What guy in their right mind is going to regret banging you?”

“I don’t mean the sex. I mean everything else. The whole quiet stuff afterwards. The cuddling and…”

“Okay, let’s get one thing straight. You cuddled up to me.”

“Tyler, give it a rest. It’s been twelve and a half years. I’ve known for a long time that you actually enjoy cuddling. And you’re a master at it. You enjoyed it that first night. You hung back a bit, but you gave in pretty quick.”

“I don’t know…” he shrugs, and a slight blush creeps into his cheeks and the tips of ears. “...I was comfortable with you. It felt...nice.”

“Are you blushing? You are! Baby…” she stands on the bottom rung of the stool and presses a kiss to his temple. “...you’re so freaking adorable.”

He frowns, gently using his elbow to push her away. “Stop it.”

“Blushing. With your wife. Who you’ve known for more than a decade. Who is the last person you should get embarrassed in front of.”

“Esme…”

“Why would you be embarrassed? Tae…” she nuzzles his cheek with the tip of her nose, then sits back down on the stool. “...God I love you.”

“I don’t like talking about this stuff. The...I don’t know...emotional stuff. I can talk about sex all day, every day. But THAT? The other stuff that went down between us?”

“That other stuff was amazing and beautiful. And totally not what I expected from you. That’s what made it so great. This big, muscly, tattooed and scarred up mercenary being so cuddly and spilling his guts and crying to me and…”

“Oh fuck…” he groans. “....can we not do this? Talk about this stuff? Please?”

“I’m just saying that the after stuff? That was pretty amazing too. And you don’t need to be embarrassed about it. I mean, you ended up marrying the person you did all that stuff with. You’ve had kids with her. Seven of them. You don’t have to be embarrassed about that stuff. About anything, actually.”

“It’s just not who I am. Even now. I don’t talk about that stuff. I’m not comfortable with it.”

“Even with me?”

“It’s nothing to do with you. I just get..I don’t know...weirded out. I liked it, alright. Being like that with you. It had been a long time since I’d done anything even remotely like that. And it felt good. It felt right. YOU felt right.”

“Strange, huh? Totally wrong place, totally wrong time. But it felt so good.”

“It did,” he agrees, and presses a kiss to the corner of her mouth.. “And I don’t regret a damn thing about it. About you. About us.”

Smiling, she curls an arm around his waist and leans into him; hand repeatedly stroking his lower back as she takes turns delving into her ice cream and enjoying the cheese toast. The silence between them has never been awkward; neither ever feeling the need to fill the minutes with mindless chit chat. It’s companionable and it’s relaxing; the close proximity of their bodies and their familiar smells is its own form of intimacy. It’s the comfortableness that exists between two people that have seen each other at every stage of their lives. The lowest of the lowest and the highest of the highs . Grieving AND celebrating. Bloodied, battered and broken and in near perfect health. Who’ve experienced the miracle of birth and the devastation of loss. Who had seen each other at their very worst right at the start, yet still chose one another. And STILL keep choosing each other. Every day. Regardless of the pain and obstacles thrown in their direction.

*****

“It’s weird that Riley and Sheana left so soon after dinner,” Esme breaks the silence, pushing her empty plate away; using the spoon to swirl now melting ice cream around in the bowl. “I thought they’d stay longer. They usually do.”

“Probably just tired. It’s a long flight. Sometimes we handle it well, other times we feel like complete and utter shit for a couple days.”

“Is it wrong that I’m glad they decided to stay at a hotel this time? I love my sister. And Shaena. Dearly. But I can not handle any more extra people in this house. Not when we’ve got so much to do and Ovi’s wedding is right around the corner. House guests are the last thing I need to be dealing with.”

“I was thinking I’m more glad they chose the hotel because I didn’t want to hear them getting busy. Weird, considering the kind of porn I used to watch. When I was single and having to tend to my own business all the time.”

“Oh please. You probably had all kinds of Sheilas on speed dial. And USED to watch? You STILL watch that stuff.”

“I’ll have you know, that I haven’t watched any that doesn’t involve me and you….or just you...in years. Why do I need to? I’m married to a goddess. Why watch fake shit when I watch the real stuff? It’s got the most beautiful girl in the world in it. The woman I love. What’s hotter than that?”

‘“You have issues, you know that?”

“If my issue is that I love and lust you, then yeah. I guess I do. I DO have issues. And trust me, babe. Those videos? Fucking amazing. Gets the job done. In record time.”

“Oh God,” Esme groans. “I do NOT need to hear this.”

He leans into her, playfully nudging her with his elbow. “Do you want to watch them with me? Tonight? Get you in the mood?”

“You think that’s what it takes for me to get in the mood?”

“No. I know it doesn’t take much for me to get you there. It would just be really hot. Watching them with you. Do something nice for me.”

“I do plenty of nice things for you. Who went from once a year butt stuff to near daily?”

“But you like that though. That’s why you give it up more. Just watch it with me. Just one of them. And then we’ll make another one. On New Year's Eve.”

Sighing heavily, she shakes her head. “Remind me again why I married you?”

“Because I dick you down like no one else ever has. And because of my eyes. And my butt. Probably my voice too.”

“The whole trifecta. Eyes, butt, voice.”

“And because you love me,” he adds, and lightly and teasingly ruffles her hair. “That’s the main reason.”

“Yes,” she agrees. “I DO love you. Despite what’s in my best interests. And you’re right; Shaena and Riley DO get a little...wild.”

“And loud. Very loud.”

“You realize we do too, right? That we can be insanely loud.”

“No. YOU can be insanely loud. You’re the loud one.”

“Yeah, you’re the groaner and the growler and the swearer, I forgot.” She spoons the remains of the ice cream into her mouth. “I still think they left way too early. Totally uncharacteristic of them. Did everything go okay? When you talked to her?”

“Best as can be expected, I guess.”

“You totally lost your shit on her, didn’t you.”

“Did you hear me yelling?” He gathers up the empty bowls and carries them to the sink. “Throwing shit around?”

“You long ago mastered the art of losing your shit WITHOUT doing any of that.” She swivels her seat around; watching as he rinses the dishes and cutlery and then loads them into the dishwasher. “Tyler James…”

Smirking, he dries his palms on the thighs of his shorts. “Esme Michelle…”

“You did, didn’t you? Lost it.”

“I may have been a little harsh. No more than she was.”

“Riley harsh? Never.”

Leaning back against the dishwasher, he crosses his arms over his chest. “I said what I needed to say.”

“Which was?”

“I told her that you ‘fessed up. About the whole fake girls weekend thing. And I said I was pissed. That she didn’t call me. Let me know what was going on. That I had a right to know that my wife was in a crisis.”

“I wasn’t in a crisis. I was…”

“I had a right to know,” he forcibly repeats. “My wife calls her sister and says she wants to kill herself? That is definitely something I should have been told.”

“She only kept it quiet because I asked her to. I made her promise not to tell you. I was worried; I didn’t want you going off the deep end hearing something like that. I didn’t want you spiralling because I was.”

“You think I’m THAT weak? That I couldn’t handle hearing that?”

“I don’t think you’re weak at all. I’ve never thought that. You’re the strongest person I know. In every possible way. But I didn’t want to put something else on you. You were away on job. You needed to stay focused on it. It was your priority.”

“YOU’RE my priority,” he retorts. “ There’s not a job in this world that could EVER be more important. In fact, other than my kids? NOTHING is more important than you. You never should have asked Riley to lie for you. You shouldn’t have put that on her. That wasn’t fair to her.”

“I know,” Esme admits. “But I wasn’t exactly in my right mind, was I. And at that time, keeping it from you seemed like the best thing. For everyone. I didn’t want to add more to your plate. The business was just starting to really take off and things were crazy busy and you had a lot going on. I didn’t want to give you more to deal with. I didn’t want to burden you.”

“You’re my wife. You could never be a burden. If you’d called me, I would have gotten on the next plane home. I would have talked you down and got you off that ledge and I would have come back to Australia. You know I would have.”

“I do know you would have. Which is why I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t want all that extra on you. You were busy and…”

“I am never too busy when it comes to my family,” he interjects. “You are the most important thing in my life. Nothing else comes close. And I know you think you need to protect me, but I am more than capable of handling things like this. When I have I not stepped up? When I have not shoved my own shit aside to take care of you? When have I not been there when you needed me?”

“You’ve always stepped up. You’ve always put everything aside for me. I’m not arguing that. I’m not saying you wouldn’t have come home or that you wouldn’t have dropped everything to get back to me. I KNOW you would have. But I wasn’t in my right mind. It was telling me I needed to keep it from you. For all the reasons I’ve told you over and over again. It wasn’t to hurt you, Tyler. I would never, EVER, hurt you.”

“Well it did hurt,” he confesses. “A lot. The fact you turned to her instead of me.”

“She was right next door. You were thousands of miles away,” Esme attempts to reason. “I needed help right there and then.”

“And I would have helped you. If you’d called. But you didn’t. You didn’t even give me the chance.”

“It wasn’t intentional. I was scared and I was panicking and I just acted in the moment. That’s it. I wasn’t thinking rationally. I wasn’t thinking ‘hey, let’s find a way to hurt Tyler’s feelings’. Because I would never do that and you know it.”

“She should have called me. You might not have been in your right mind, but she was. And she should have gotten a hold of me. That’s what I told her.”

“And what did she say?”

“That she did what her sister asked. That that’s where her loyalty lies. With you. And I told her that you being my wife and the mother of my kids totally trumps the relationship she has with you. What if you’d never gotten a hold of her? What if that pushed you right over the edge and you had done something?”

“I wasn’t thinking about any of that. I was freaking out and my brain was all messed up. I wasn’t thinking rationally.”

“One of our kids would have found you. And I can’t stop thinking about that. The fact you wouldn’t have been around in the morning and one of them would have went looking for you and they would have found you. Do you know what that would have done to them? Seeing that? That’s your kids. MY kids.”

“What do you want me to say, Tyler? I’ve already said I was sorry. Do you want to say it a million times more? Because I will. Yeah, I should have called. And when I WAS in the right frame of mind again, I realized how badly I fucked up. Because in the end, it was you that I wanted. It was you I wanted taking care of me. Not Riley. Not some stupid psychiatric hospital. YOU.”

“I can’t pretend that it didn’t bother me. That it didn’t hurt. The fact you didn’t trust me with it. With you.”

“You have that right. To be hurt. And I’m sorry. Because that is NOT what I meant to do. I would never pick anyone over you. EVER. And I’m sorry I did. If I could go back, I’d do everything differently. But I can’t. And I know you’re hurt and you’re pissed and you probably hate me right now…”

“I don’t hate you. I could never hate you. I love you. Which is I wanted to be the one to take care of you. Because I DO love you. We’re supposed to be a team, Esme. We’re supposed to be in this together. And sometimes….I don’t know...sometimes I don’t think you’re as invested in that part of things as I am.”

“That’s not fair. I have given everything to you. Right from the beginning. I was willing to give up my life for you. On that bridge. I gave up my family. Any friends I had. I moved to a country on the other side of the world. I started a whole new existence. For you.”

“I didn’t hold a gun to your head,” he reminds her. “ You made the decisions you did on your own.”

“Because I was in love with you. Because I wanted to be with you. But I still gave everything up. And I feel like I keep giving and giving and giving. And I’m scared one day there’s going to be nothing left to give. Then what? I won’t be of any use to you. Or our kids. “

“So somehow it’s my fault? That you keep giving and giving? Like you’re the only one that’s being doing that? I gave up things too. Most of them I needed to. The booze, the Oxy, the living in some crappy little shack in the outback. Those needed to go. But I also gave up everything I knew for you. I walked away from the job. TWICE. And I know I got sucked back in…”

“It wasn’t your fault. You had no control over that.”

“...but I started that business for you. Because you didn’t want me going out there anymore. You didn’t want me getting my hands dirty. Putting myself in the fire.”

“Do you blame me? Tyler, you have a wife. You have SEVEN kids! Why would you risk yourself when you have so much to lose? Especially when you’re not a hundred percent. You know damn well you’re not where you were thirteen years ago. You’ve admitted that yourself. Why would you go out there under those circumstances? Leave your family? People who love you? Why would you…?”

“Because I’m a selfish bastard, Esme. Just like everyone says I am. Have you ever thought maybe they’re right? That I really AM that person?”

“You’re not. You’re selfless, if anything. You’re not who they say you are. You never have been. Where is this coming from? I thought we were talking about Riley? How did it turn into being about us? Into a fight? How…?”

“I’m not trying to fight with you. I’m not.”

She valiantly holds back a flood of tears. “It sure as hell feels like you are.”

He finally approaches her. Crossing the room in two long strides and gathering her in his embrace; one hand resting on the small of her back and the other buried in her hair. “I’m sorry.” Gentle pressure draws her head into his chest; fingertips softly massaging her scalp. “I didn’t mean to take shit out on you. That’s the last thing I wanted to do. But I was angry. I still am. More at her than you. You weren’t thinking right. She was. She knew better.”

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she turns her teary face up towards him. “She was just doing what I asked. And at the time it seemed like the right thing. I’d give anything to go back and do things differently.”

“Don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry.”

“I know I hurt you. I never meant to. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“So am I. For making you cry. I fucking HATE when you cry.”

“I seem to be doing a lot of that lately. Crying. I think it’s my hormones. Oh God..." she chews anxiously on her bottom lip. "...maybe I’m starting menopause.”

“Or maybe you’re just married to a humongous asshole.”

“No, that’s not it. You’re not THAT big of an asshole.”

He stares down at her pointedly.

“You are a bit of one. You know you are. So don’t look at me like that.”

“Yet here you are,” he uses the front of his muscle to clear the tears off her cheeks and wipe her runny nose. “Twelve and a half years later. Putting up with it.”

“The sex is good. Really good. Really, really, REALLY good.”

“I knew it. Just using me for my body. And my dick.”

“That’s it,” she sniffles. “That’s all it’s ever been about. Your body and your penis.”

“You know, I’m just enough in love with you to accept that. And put up with it.”

“I love you. More than you could ever know. I love you more and more every day. Please tell me you never doubt that.”

“I don’t,” he assures her, then gently cradles her face in his palms and presses a tender kiss to her lips. “And I never will.”

#Tyler Rake #Tyler Rake fan fiction #Extraction fan fiction #Chris Hemsworth #Chris Hemsworth extraction #Chris Hemsworth Tyler Rake #Tyler Rake x OFC #Tyler Rake fan fic #Extraction fan fic #Esme and Tyler series

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beauvibaby · 3 years

Note

Please do 39. “What no that’s not daddy, that’s Santa” with Jamie Benn

39 “What no that’s not daddy, that’s Santa”

You made many, many, many promises to your husband to get him to do this, most of them being things that would certainly get you knocked off Santa’s nice list, he was standing in your bedroom grumbling as he pulled on the Santa suit. “It’s for Josie!” You reminded him, your daughter downstairs enjoying the early Christmas gathering, with all your other friends and family, most likely clinging to Tyler’s leg and whispering her opinions to him about the other guests she wasn’t used to. “Isn’t she going to wonder why I’m not there?” Jamie pointed out, the biggest crinkle in your plan. “I’ll figure it out, you’re the best one for the job, babe. It’ll be worth while.” You reminded him, rushing down the stairs, smoothing your Christmas shirt out. “Mommy!” Josie shrieked jumping into your arms, you smiled as the three year old clung to your neck. “Did you keep uncle Tyler company?” You teased, tickling her sides gently, she squirmed but nodded. “Guess what?” You spoke, setting her down, amongst some of the other kids that were running around. “Santa will be here soon to ask each of you what you want for Christmas.” You spoke excitedly, all the kids cheering, and Tyler watching on in amusement, Alex chuckling, trying not to loose his composure, you shot the two men a glare as Jamie–sorry, Santa, started making his way towards the living room. You could just say he came in the back door, you rolled your eyes at the thought, hopefully none of the kids cared enough to question it.

Jamie forced out a deep chuckle as the kids surrounded him, Josie eyeing him warily from her spot beside you. The way she cocked her head to the side, tugging on your hand, you knew she recognized Jamie, how could she not? She was a mini him, “mommy?” She whispered, eyes wide, mostly fearful. “What’s wrong honey?” You kneeled beside her as Jamie sat in the corner chair, talking to the kids one by one as they approached him. “That’s daddy.” She spoke confidently, meeting your eyes. “What, no, that’s not daddy, that’s Santa!” You tried to defend, but you quickly learned that Josie took after you in the stubborn department, “can I tell you a secret?” You whispered to your daughter, peeking her interest as she focused on you. “Sometimes, when Santa is really really busy, he asks the worlds best daddies to help him, isn’t that super cool?” You smiled, watching as she processed your words, “daddy knows Santa?” She whisper shouted, “of course he does! But you can’t tell anyone, ok? That’s our little secret.” You winked, smiling when she bounced over to the other kids.

Later that night when Jamie was putting her to bed, she whispered to him while he carried her, “mommy told me that you had to help Santa today.” She smiled tiredly, her head resting on his shoulder, “oh, really?” He grinned, hand spread over her back, brown eyes beaming over at her. “Don’t worry, I told nobody.” She all but knocked out right after she said that, Jamie holding back his laughter as he laid her down and kissed her head, “goodnight, princess.” Before coming to collect one of the many promises from you.

#Jamie benn blurb #Jamie benn imagine #Jamie benn #blurb #Jamie benn x reader #Christmas

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moved-brightpinksunrise · 3 years

Text

Just thought of a fun au, a pirate/1700s au

I don't have everyone established in this au just yet, if you have ideas, please comment. For now, this au will focus on the Gen 1 characters, I'll eventually do one for Gen 2, Gen 3, and Gen 4.

A few things to note, this au isn’t going to be completely historically accurate. Also the locations in this au are of made up countries based on our world. This is gonna be a long post since I'll be going over what each Gen 1 character is doing in this au.

Heather is the crown princess of Jasnia however she went missing 3 years ago to avoid her betrothal to the Prince of Neprus. She became a pirate and was part of Eva's crew. Over the years she became a ruthless pirate known as the Red Queen. She became the captain of Eva's crew once Eva retired.

Eva is was ruthless pirate captain that would fight tooth and nail to get what she wants. She eventually fell in love and eloped with a certain inn owner. Eva retired because she started a family with her husband, she still keeps in touch with Heather and her crew. She also sends them letters and has supplies ready for Heather to pick up when Heather is low of supplies.

Gwen was once a commoner who became a pirate to avoid getting witch hunted. She was part of Eva's crew and now she's Heather's first mate. Absolutely hated Heather upon meeting her, but after they put their differences aside to win a raid, they got close.

Lindsay is a noble who got kidnapped by pirates. Heather and her crew defeated those pirates in a raid and saved her. Lindsay revealed she didn't really like her life as a noble and begged to Heather to let her stay, thus Lindsay became part of Heather's crew.

Beth was actually Lindsay’s lady in waiting. Since Lindsay was staying with Heather, Beth felt like she had no choice but to also join Heather’s crew. She doesn’t see eye to eye with Heather. Though Beth does miss her fiancé and is frequently sending him letters.

Sierra is a hopeless romantic that fell in love with a sailor. Though she wound up joining Heather’s crew when she saw Heather and her crew needing some help to load supplies onto their ship and she saw that Heather was friends with a certain sailor Sierra was pining for.

DJ is the owner of an inn by the sea. Despite his muscular body, he's a gentle giant that offers anyone a place to stay at his inn, even pirates. He knows that not all pirates are ruthless and horrible people, after all, his wife was once a pirate captain. He's also one of the few people on the main land that knows Heather's secret.

Leshawna is the owner of a bar. She's a very reliable and honest woman. Business is business. She's one of the few people on the main land that knows the Red Queen is Heather of Jasnia. She and Heather hated each other and she even kicked Heather out of her bar once. But when Heather defended Leshawna from accusations, they formed a friendship.

Trent is a local musician that often plays at Leshawna's bar. He and Leshawna have a professional relationship since he brings in crowds which means more business for Leshawna. Though he’s actually pretty wary of pirates since he has had bad experiences with them in the past.

Katie and Sadie are barmaids that work for Leshawna. They secretly snoop around to see if any clients at the bar are actually happen to be Heather. Leshawna scolds them them they try to press clients for more information.

Ezekiel is just a commoner living in Mayende. He sometimes pesters DJ and Leshawna for free food and drinks. He's planning on finding Heather to turn her in and get the reward money.

Cody and Harold are just local sailors, that secretly want to be pirates. They tend to cross paths with Heather and her crew from time to time. They sometimes help Heather by offering her directions or helping her and her crew load new supplies onto her ship.

Bridgette is Courtney's lady in waiting. She secretly wants to be a sailor. She sneaks off from time to time to practice sailing and fishing. Bridgette has considered going on her own to find Heather to calm down Courtney.

Courtney is the princess of Mayende. She's stressed out of her mind over Heather's disappearance. Heather was her only friend growing up and she feels alone. Courtney is very close to hiring pirates to find Heather since none of the soldiers of her kingdom and Heather’s kingdom were able to find Heather.

Justin is the crown prince of Asierna. He is more worried about his appearance than anything else. Sure he may be worried about Heather, but if they can’t find her, he’ll just go marry another princess instead.

Alejandro is captain of his own pirate crew and he is known the Prince of the Seven Seas. He was once a noble, the youngest of 3 sons, but he ended up rejecting that life for unknown reasons. He became the captain of his own crew by the time he was 15, and now he dominates the sea.

Duncan was a fearsome pirate captain with a powerful crew that dominated the sea before Alejandro defeated him in a raid. Alejandro, knowing of Duncan's status as a pirate, offered to let Duncan be part of his crew and let their crews merge. Duncan is now Alejandro's first mate.

Tyler is a pirate and is part of Alejandro's crew. He used to be a sailor but he got caught in a middle of a raid. Alejandro's crew was close to ending Tyler's life if it weren't for Alejandro taking pity and sparring him. Tyler, although clumsy, proved to be very useful and became a pirate.

Noah is a pirate and is part of Alejandro's crew. He was a noble that got cut off by his family who was in need of a place to stay. He's not good at any physical job, but he is a talented navigator and can come up with very strategic plans for upcoming raids. He is wary of Alejandro at times.

Owen was a fisherman that joined Duncan and was Duncan's first mate. Owen happened to become friends with Duncan and would offer him free seafood whenever Duncan would dock. Duncan offered him the position of being his first mate. Now Owen is part of Alejandro's crew as extra muscle.

Geoff was also part of Duncan's crew. Much like Tyler, he was once a sailor. Though he became part of Duncan's crew after being accused of stealing from a noble and he needed a place to stay. After the merge, he became part of Alejandro's crew. He and Alejandro don't really see eye to eye.

Izzy is a cooky doctor. People come to her when they need advice or medical help. She sometimes sneaks on pirate ships just to mess with them. She got caught by Duncan while she was sneaking onto Alejandro's ship. Since then, she became part of Alejandro's crew.

The overarching plot of the au would be the bounty for Princess Heather. The kingdoms of Jasnia, Neprus, Mayende have sent multiple soldiers to find Heather, but since Heather was out at sea, no one found her. At this point, the kingdoms are desperate to find her. Since 5 years have passed, Heather would be 21, she’s at the age to get married to Justin. As much as they didn’t want to, the 3 kingdoms decided to set up a bounty for Heather. The person who her brings her back alive will receive a very generous fortune and a prize of their choosing. Now pirates, commoners, and nobles alike are trying to find her. Friendships will be tested to see if anyone will turn on Heather and turn her in.

#total drama #td #total drama au #td au #pirate au #1700s au

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chilling-seavey · 3 years

Text

Heartbreak Hotel (d.s.) - Chapter Twenty-Two

A/N The song for this chapter is Don’t by Elvis but Stay by Why Don’t We also hit different for this chapter

Daniel didn’t see Loretta for three days. She didn’t show up to the diner and never came past the car shop either. Corbyn still showed up for work but Daniel would be damned it he asked Corbyn about her whereabouts; especially when Corbyn would glare daggers at him every time they so much as looked in each others general direction. Daniel tried to ask Christian if Corbyn had said anything to him but apparently all Corbyn had said was that Loretta was ‘busy’.

That only made Daniel more anxious. Should he call her to check in? Drop by her house even? He didn’t know what he should do or what was considered crossing a line or what was not doing enough.

He just didn’t know where they stood.

After work on the fourth day after the concert with radio silence on Loretta’s end, Daniel decided to head down to the beach. He had gotten off early and expected Zach and Jack to be there too, hopefully to take his mind of everything he was stewing over. Sure enough, his friends were in their usual spot on the sand, just coming in from a surf and both soaked in sea water. Daniel was still in his work uniform with his bag over one shoulder housing his swimsuit.

“Hey.” Jack called out breathlessly, holding his hand out to share a secret handshake with his best friend and Zach did the same.

“Hey. How’s the water?” Daniel asked, dropping his dry surfboard on the sand next to their things.

“Pretty good today. You coming out?” Jack asked, pushing his wet hair back from his face.

“Yeah. I’m just going to change and I’ll be back.”

Zach called after him as he walked away, “Hurry! It’s almost sundown!”

Daniel shifted into a bit of a jog across the sand towards the beach washrooms, his backpack still slung over one shoulder and he pulled it around his side to reach into it and fish around for his swimsuit as he turned the corner towards the men’s room.

It was straight out of some cheesy movie; literally running right into Loretta as he turned the corner around the side of the washroom building and they both gasped in surprise before even processing who was standing in front of them.

“Lori.” Daniel breathed, as if he was completely in disbelief.

Loretta opened her mouth to say something but she shut it and simply offered him a tight smile. She was wearing a yellow polka dot bathing suit with a white towel draped over her shoulder and her brown hair was still curled just as perfectly over her shoulders.

“I-I’ve been wondering where you’ve been.” Daniel said gently, keeping his eyes on her while she stared at the boardwalk below their bare feet. “You haven’t been into the diner recently or the shop. Where have you been?”

Loretta nearly winced at his words and she looked out over the beach.

“Lori.” Daniel said softly, trying to reach for her but she stepped back from him, raising her hands away.

“I’m sorry. I can’t.” she mumbled and started to walk past him.

“Hey, hey.” Daniel side stepped her to cut her off. “Talk to me. We left things a little heavy and we should figure that out.”

Loretta kept her head down; not even daring to look at him.

“Loretta.” Daniel said seriously. “What’s going on?”

She scoffed lightly as if what she was about to say didn’t matter much, “Corbyn doesn’t want me to be around you anymore.”

Daniel’s heart sank but his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “But that’s…that’s ridiculous. Did you tell him about-”

“No.” Loretta cut him off. “I’m not going to.”

“Wha-” Daniel stepped in front of her when she tried to walk around him again. “That’s not…that’s not fair.”

“I can’t talk to you, Daniel, and we can’t see each other anymore. Please don’t make this difficult.” Loretta mumbled.

“Bullshit.” Daniel snapped, the seriousness in his voice taking her – and even himself – by surprise.

She took a strong inhale and looked him in the eyes, “Corbyn is my boyfriend and I love him and that’s how it’s going to be. If he doesn’t want me to see you, then I need to respect that.”

“He can’t tell you what to do.”

“Yes, he can.” Loretta said softly.

She tried to step past him, but he cut her off again.

“Daniel.” she huffed.

“Break up with him.” Daniel said sternly.

“You have no right to tell me what I can or cannot do.” Loretta snapped, glaring angrily at him.

“But he does?” Daniel argued.

“He is my boyfriend.”

“And I am your soulmate!”

Loretta bowed her head through a small scoff and crossed her arms over her chest. She still wore his ring on the chain around her neck and it rose and fell with her heavy breathing, glinting in the bright sunlight. Daniel was starting to panic and his work uniform started to feel suffocating and not just because the later afternoon sun was beating down on them. He tugged at the collar for a moment before pushing his hand through his hair anxiously. Daniel bit his lip, waiting for her to change her mind. They were both silent for a few too many seconds.

“Lori-”

He was cut off by her friends calling her from farther down the beach, “Loretta! Come on, girl!”

She glanced over at them and then back at Daniel, “Just…stay away from me, please.”

He couldn’t get another word out before she was rushing off over the sand towards her friends and out of sight. Daniel didn’t even move for a moment, truly feeling like she had just jammed a dagger into his chest and twisted the blade. He stumbled back on the boardwalk a step and his bottom lip trembled, his head bowing as he scrunched his eyes closed and tried to take a stable inhale to compose himself.

Daniel stumbled his way back over the sand to his friends, a disbelieving haze on his mind; so much so that he didn’t even process Jack and Zach asking if he was okay. He simply gathered his board and his bag and tossed them a haphazard apology and a goodbye before heading back towards his car.

After four days of nearly love-drunk bliss from their amazing night out, Daniel felt like he had hit a brick wall. He drove home in perfect silence, not even turning on the radio. His feet carried him up the front steps of his house and inside and he kicked his sandy shoes off at the front door.

“Daniel! Look who’s here!” his mother called from the living room.

Daniel trudged down the hallway to find his eldest brother and his girlfriend sitting on the couch with the rest of the family around them. He could barely manage a half smile in greeting.

“Tyler finally proposed!” Anna gushed, grabbing Wendy’s wrist to show off her new ring to the youngest brother. Daniel’s jaw clenched.

“Come join us, son.” his father said.

“I don’t feel well so I think I’m going to turn in early.” Daniel mumbled. “Sorry.”

He didn’t wait for their replies before he was turning out of the living room and heading upstairs, unbuttoning his coveralls as he went. Daniel closed his bedroom door behind him and dropped his bag beside his desk before sitting on the side of his bed with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. His heart literally ached in his chest to the point where it felt like he was going to be sick and the flavour of strawberry milkshakes that surfaced on his tongue only pushed him over the edge to let out a small sob into his hands.

He had his dream in the palm of his hand and he just couldn’t stop her from slipping right through his fingers.

His entire family was downstairs, but Daniel cried all alone in his room, his coveralls only unbuttoned to his waist to leave him in his white undershirt with the grey fabric pooled around his stomach. His fingers slid into the front of his hair and he tugged at the gelled back strands to try and distract the pain in his heart somewhere else.

The knock at his bedroom door startled him and he took in a loud shaky gasp in surprise. He wiped his cheeks and his eyes before answering with a strong, “Yeah.”

Both his older brothers stood in the doorway to his bedroom, staring at him with mirrored concerned expressions. They didn’t even have to say anything before Daniel’s bottom lip was trembling and his face scrunched up in pain and he burst into tears again. Christian came inside first and Tyler closed the door behind them and the older brothers sat on either side of their youngest brother and put their arms around his back.

Daniel curled right against Christian’s shoulder and cried into his shirt unashamedly; always the most sensitive of the three of them.

“What’s going on, Dani boy?” Tyler asked, rubbing his hand over Daniel’s back.

“I found her but…but she doesn’t want me.” Daniel sobbed.

“You found your soulmate?” Tyler gaped.

Daniel nodded, clinging on tighter to Christian. It was as if his heartbroken little brother melted the slight edge that Christian had built up over the previous year and he welcomed him into his arms gladly, more than happy to be his comfort once again.

“Who is she?” Christian asked softly.

“Loretta!” Daniel cried. “She t-told me and…but…but she doesn’t want me!”

“How can she not want you?” Tyler frowned.

Christian sighed deeply, “Because she already has a boyfriend.”

“He’s not even her soulmate! What am I supposed to do?” Daniel asked loudly, sitting up to look between his brothers. “I’m gonna be all alone my whole life knowing that she’s out there and not wanting to be anywhere near me!”

“She’ll come around.” Tyler assured him lightly. “You’re the perfect catch for any lucky bird and she’ll have to see it…if the universe doesn’t force her to.”

Daniel stuck his fingers in his mouth through his wracking sobs, trying to somehow scratch the taste of strawberry milkshakes off his tongue.

“Stop that; you’re gonna hurt yourself.” Tyler whispered, pulling his hand back.

“I don’t want to be like this anymore!” Daniel cried.

“Okay…okay. Hang tight.” Christian got up from the side of the bed to rush into the bathroom across the hall and poured a glass of water before returning and holding it out to Daniel. “Drink.”

Daniel, with shaking hands, took the glass and sipped the lukewarm water from it to try and wash down the waves of strawberry milkshake flavour that grazed his tongue, supported and cradled by his big brothers’ arms around his back.

Christian sighed softly and pet Daniel’s hair back from his face and pulled him close again so his head was tucked under his chin. Christian and Tyler glanced at each other over their little brother’s head and exchanged flat glances. Daniel had been dreaming about finding his soulmate for years – his whole life nearly – and they knew it well; if only they could fix all his problems to give him that happiness he so craved and so deserved.

#🍓#soulmate au #why dont we #daniel seavey #christian seavey #tyler seavey #jonah marais #jack avery #zach herron #corbyn besson #au #1950s #soulmate!wdw #wdw #why dont we fanfic #daniel seavey fanfic

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cloveroctobers · 3 years

Text

HARRY ZHONG (MITCHELL-WHITE)

IG info/bio: @/heedful.harry | 15.6k followers| hi, I’m Harry and I’m a business major. No, You don’t have to hold your applause 🧐

21 years old

From York, England

Cancer sun + ARIES MOON energy

He and his younger brother, Archie were foster children in the Mitchell-white household

which consisted: Harrison Mitchell and his daughter from a previous marriage, Briony, Piers White and together they had a surrogate carry their child, which gave them their second daughter, Pippa

Later they came to the decision to adopt Harry and Archie Zhong, if only that’s what they wanted too

It took longer for Harry to warm up to the family since he was still waiting and wishing for his mom to come back for them

He was diagnosed with IED around 15 years old

Goes to therapy for it and meetings with others with similar issues...he dreads the meetings since it makes him feel like he has a problem or something, which HE DOES but it makes him feel like a...but he knows that’s a ignorant way to think

He’s currently a business major and loves telling people about it *yawn* (don’t drag me lmao)

He’s thinking he’ll be a Financial analyst or a Marketing manager

The type of person who’s done a lot in his short life that it’s often unbelievable ex.) telling the villa he’s driven one of the cars that was used in the fast and furious franchise & getting pissed when bill and everyone else didn’t believe him

Harrison is a train driver and is normally bubbly + wears bright preppy clothes

He also loves Broadway, much to Harry’s annoyance...if he hears one more Hamilton song he’s gonna slam his head thru a wall stg

Piers is a music producer and is more reserved or “stand-off-ish” until he gets warmed up to you + his aesthetic is a rocker, yeah he’s got the whole tattoos and boots thing going for him, after all he was in a rock band

Piers makes the most $ and is of high status, which brought him and his family perks but is not a snob about it...it’s whatever ya know?

Harry’s closer to piers, feels he understands him more & can be kinda rude to Harrison when he’s in one of his moods but tries to be better at responding to him since he made him cry once years ago — yes he felt like complete shit afterwards

Harry is anemic so he always finds himself cold, experiencing fatigue, irregular heartbeat, and if he gets up too fast or moves too fast? Let the bodies hit the floor, let the bodies hit the floor, let the bodies hit the—FLOOO000R! (I’m making this joke as a person with anemia)

Likes cold weather since everyone else can feel what he feels on the daily

Plus he loves dressing for winter season, trench coats, wool coats, turtle necks, thermal t-shirts, fleece pants, rolled up beanies that keeps his ears covered and his hair glued to his forehead...you name it!

On the regular? He’s a khaki’s kinda guy, dress shirts, and loves wearing suit and ties...he’s not the biggest fan of jeans. He loves dressing fancy unless the measurements are bloody awful

I’m going by the alternative design for Harry and...whew! Then he’s 6’1 if we’re talking about the one they gave us then we all know he has a baby face, so I’d say he’s about 5’8

He’s got long legs + arms and hates how majority of his pants barely fit around his ankles

has dry scalp too

I feel like he’s pretty intelligent and sometimes it can come off as a know it all, yet, he’s always down to help people & isn’t condescending while doing so

He knows how to make soaps and would sell them on his etsy account in highschool where plenty shat on him for it so for awhile he stopped the hobby until Harrison encouraged him to keep at this if it was what makes him happy

Harrison is the type of parent you go to for comfort and hugs even if it might feel like he’s smothering you

Piers is the one who lets you come to him when you’re ready to talk about it, no pressure

Harry went to a high school that focused on technology so he’s all into the latest gadgets

This is a secret but he only got a apple watch to feel like a true spy

His intelligence got him somewhere with a few ladies ;)

He’s a certified freak, 7 days a week and had a handful of hookups and about 4 gfs in his life so far

He’s kinky!!!

& has a f**t fetish

His past relationships were not long relationships, which sucked but Harry felt like...this might sound arrogant, but it’s either their lost — although there was never any bad blood with his breakups! or his person was still out there somewhere...

I haven’t fully played his route (AJ stole my ass since I couldn’t romance seb or Nicky sorry) but I’ve seen screen caps and he’s a total sweetie if he’s really committed to you, you might be his “true love”

He’s nervous opposed to his usual confidence when he’s chatting to other ladies with ease, with you it’s different, it’s magnetic, nerve-wrecking, butterflies, electric, and exciting all wrapped in one

I feel like he shows his love language with quality time but also enjoys physical touch from his partner

Picky eater

But he was worst as a child! Barely ate anything which led to him being lanky or it’s in his genes but mostly he wouldn’t eat a damn thing

These are a few of his favorite things: figs, green tea, and almond milk

makes the best spring rolls with the rice paper, those are superior than fried! “Fried food will kill u u know!” “Okay bill.” “Iona, don’t know if u had too much to drink but, erm I’m Harry.” “R/WHOOOOssssh! And you’re s’pposed to be the smart one, yeah right.”

outside of the villa he found himself continuing his friendship with bill—even tho he pisses him off sometimes since he’s always got some shit to say but they’re probably the closest, Iona she’s always honest and is always a good time to be around when they hang out, Then there’s Camilo and Miki that he hangs out with too

Is the first one sharing about his day in the group chat with all of the villa, he can feel half of them rolling their eyes at him since many feel he tends to exaggerate

if he’s not endgame with mc...he kinda feels a way that Genevieve found her happiness in seb instead of him, it’s not that he’s bitter—he genuinely liked her and felt like maybe they didn’t try hard enough but deep down knows relationships can’t be forced. It’s just his ego trying to control things that’s all! plus he was comfortable with vieve even if it felt more on a platonic side...oh well

once slid into jen from s1’s dms one dark stormy drunk night & admitted on live that erikah kinda gave him some tips before going on the show... & that he thought one of the new girls that entered the villa was a better fit than one of the originals from s2 which caused him to get blocked by said original OOP

Has a circle of close friends outside of the villa, they’re all brainiacs and have something going for themselves

Enjoys action films and biographical drama films like: James Bond, John Wick, and the social network

Isn’t ashamed to admit that he loves using sheet face masks but isn’t the greatest at following a consistent skincare routine

Has his own back massager that he spent a lot of $ on since it wouldn’t go on sale and then a week later...it went on sale

sends a lot of “🙃🙂” texts when you piss him off

probably worked at GameStop, the apple store, Godiva, and currently works at a electronic repair shop for a side of cash but is looking for a internship since he’ll be graduating next year

Always Keeps cough drops on him?

is a huge cuddler & falls asleep easily

His brain is always active, experiences REM sleep often

fav video games are tekken & hitman

owns a drone now 😏

also loves strategic board games & riddles

Took quarantine life seriously, did his research before it completely broke globally and started buying shit excessively in person and online that he sent most to his family before the campus shut down

Is the friend that will check on his friends :)

Keeps his dorm and his room back home CLEAN af, is OCD about everything being in order/organized. Will know if you touched his shit, Archie felt his wrath many times before

Has a life goal board in his closet, & plans to be fully established by 25. More power to ya Harry!

Celeb crushes: Victoria justice, Jesy Nelson, Deepika Padukone, Brec Bassinger, jasmine tookes, and princess Mae

Who does he listen to? oceanfromtheblue, Galimatias, Ta-Ku, Aries, Tyler, the creator, rich Brian, NIKI, viji, & AJR

Anthem = DPR IAN, “So beautiful”

#litg #litg3 #litg s3 #litg harry #litg genevieve #litg bill #litg seb #litg mc #litg oc #litg moodboard #litg headcanon #litg headcanons #yes I’m still doing these and it’s kinda challenging but at the same time not?

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getnight · 3 years

Text

So, hi, here is the part of my big fic about sons of Mike&Rachel and Harvey&Donna. It's just a little piece. Actually, Chris and Tyler (their sons) are my Original characters, but... I like them) And, yeah, we haven't Marvey at Canon, so i did their children in love. They are cute, I think🌚 Soooo... Maybe you'll be interested. Yeah.

Christopher caught up with Tyler in a few seconds, yanking off his hood and grabbing him lightly by the neck with his forearm. The boy flinched, leaned back and tried to pull his arm away, and when he failed, he tried to fall with his attacker to the side of the road. At that moment, Chris let go.

— Hey, Tyle, take it easy. This is me, — He steadied Tyler from falling and stood beside him, brushing him off.

— You... why did you do that? — Tyler frowned, pulling the headphones out of his ears and pinching a lollipop to his cheek.

— Why are you so cute? You're a formidable genius, but you love lollipops and you frown like you're five instead of fifteen.

— I'm not cute, keep your high energy endorphins with yourself, — Tyler pulled up his hood, turned around, and was about to continue walking when Chris literally dived in front of him, blocking the way.

They faced each other. Chris was literally a centimeter taller, but he had rather broad shoulders, which made him look much bigger than Tyler.

— Hey,— Christopher whispered.

— What? — Tyler replied.

Chris smiled fondly as he pulled back his hood.

— That's better. I love your hair, — he hesitated for a second, then gently took Tyler's hand, the other gently pulling the candy out of Ross' mouth and tugging at his wrist, pulling him into a soft, chaste kiss that Tyler happily responded to. Christopher's other hand went to the back of the boy's head, and he felt long fingers on his waist. When they finally parted, Chris said:

— Good morning, Tyle, — and he smiled sincerely, expecting something like that in return: "Don't call me that”.

— Good morning, Topha, — and the kind of smile that only Tyler Harvey Ross could give. Sincere and pure. The one that no one but those closest to her had ever seen. The one that opened the veil of a brilliant, sullen guy.

The nickname "Topha" seemed strange to Chris. It was indeed a derivative of his name, Christopher, but how Tyler came up with it... no one ever found out. Parents said that as a child, baby Ross could not pronounce Chris ' full name and called him "Topha". And so it turned out. Since then, Tyler only calls his boyfriend that when no one is looking.

Tyler pulled the hood up again. His clothes were no different from what he always wore. Black ripped jeans, a huge black hoodie, and... something had changed that day.

— I'm not going to ask about the paint stain, or what wall you painted on the way here, but do I really see your badge? — Chris stared at the rainbow-colored iron circle attached to the left side of Tyler's chest.

— Exactly one year, three hundred and sixty five days, eight thousand seven hundred and sixty-six hours, five million two hundred and fifty-six thousand minutes ago, I first realized that I was in love with you, — Tyler said calmly.

Christopher choked and blushed. No, no, no, no. Damn, why is he so bad with emotions?

— I'm sorry, I… — Specter whispered, and suddenly felt a warm hand on his cheek.

Tyler looked at him, not affectionately, not solicitously, just calmly.

— It's all right. I know we'll be working on your emotional range, — he said.

— God, — Chris suddenly smiled, — How do you do that? How can you so easily talk about your feelings and understand them, but absolutely not be able to communicate with people? — he abruptly hoisted the thin Tyler onto his shoulder, running ahead of him down the road.

At first there were attempts to resist and shouts that they would be seen, but then the guy just hung on Chris ' back.

— You took my lollipop, by the way, — he mumbled.

— Is that the only thing that bothers you? Christopher laughed.

— No, the fact that you laugh for some reason means that you experience joy, happiness, euphoria, fun or…

The schoolhouse loomed up ahead, and Chris lowered his boyfriend to the ground.

— Here, just shut up, highactivity sociopath, — he said, handing Tyler a lollipop he'd taken from his backpack. Yes, he always had such a supply. It was the most important thing in his things. What Chris checked every day before he left for school. Ever since he had the pocket money. That is, from the age of nine.

Tyler's face lit up with a childlike smile, and he took the candy, opened it, put it in his mouth, and said through it:

— You can't blame my love of Sherlock.

— I'm not blameing.

Tyler's entire room was covered with posters, quote sheets, DVD boxes taped to tape, and other decorations. By the way, the love of watching movies on DVD was instilled in Tyler by Chris ' father.

Christopher never disapproved of posters and things like that, no. Conversely. He thought it was extremely cute. In his room, despite the fact that he had both favorite movies and favorite bands, there was not a single poster. Somehow, he had never been attracted to such a way of designing a room.

A couple in love walked towards the school, holding hands. Tyler, who was always more open with Chris, chatted about how he'd tried to curl his hair again over the weekend, which he did often, and he liked it. Chris, always a sociable bully-athlete in front of everyone and a little modest, relaxed and allowing himself to revel in his mind, not strength, and the mind of the person he talks to, in front of Tyler, listened carefully to his boyfriend, once saying that he wanted to make Tyler's curls himself one day.

Closer to the school, they uncoupled their hands. At school, they are just childhood best friends, close brothers. There may be rumors that will quickly reach the teachers, and from them to the parents. Both Chris and Tyler agreed to hide it from the families at all costs. They didn't know what the reaction and consequences would be, so the longer their relationship was kept secret, the better.

— I have literature, — Tyler said, pulling his hood up again and searching for something in his backpack.

— Math, — Chris said.

— Here. I drew it yesterday. Will you watch it? Tyler waved his hand, closed his backpack, and walked away, putting in his headphones.

Christopher hated painting, drawing, and galleries. But there was one exception. The exception who bore the name was Tyler Harvey Ross. His boyfriend was an incredible artist, he drew a lot of different sketches, gradually a whole pile formed in his desk drawer. These drawings were never shown to anyone other than Chris. Moreover, Specter suspected that even he did not know all of Tyler's works.

— Chris! — a voice called out.

Christopher turned.

— Let's go to class, buddy — said the guy who flew up.

— Where are you going in such a hurry, Jim? Christopher chuckled.

Jim was one of the guys on the football team.

Jim ruffled Chris ' red hair.

— Come on.

They entered the classroom,where there were already quite a few people. Christopher walked past a girl who was eating grapes and brazenly stole one of the berries.

—Thank you, — he chuckled.

The girl said nothing. Everyone is used to it. Chris Specter is a real badass.

The teacher appeared and the bell rang.

When everyone had calmed down, and the rowdy teammates and friends were deep in math, a topic that he and Tyler had gone through with Uncle Mike a year ago, Chris pulled out a drawing, unfolding it.

It was their portrait. Him and Tyler. Just a sketch, not even painted, but Christopher just couldn't look away. The two of them were standing on the pavement of New York City, high-rise buildings behind them, and a car was driving in the foreground. Chris was hanging up the Topha Coffee sign on the stairs. The building he hung it on says "Open," and there are all kinds of cakes and other desserts in the windows. Inside, there are a couple of tables and a counter. On the sides of the picture are depicted tree branches with birds. Tylee himself was standing a little apart from his boyfriend, his index finger outstretched, apparently instructing him on how to hang up the sign. Tyler's self-portrait was perfect. It was the coal-black hair with the little curls, the ice-blue eyes (the eyes of both of them were the only color spots in the drawing), the thick eyebrows, the lean body hidden under a large apron that Chris found charming, wide nose and sharp cheekbones.

Christopher seemed to be busy with the sign, and Tyler was busy with putting it up, but their eyes were only on each other. And there was life in those eyes, real life. Frozen, yes. But it's real. Perhaps such a picture was their dream. Chris wanted to move to New York, and Tyler wanted to open his own cozy little coffee shop with his paintings hanging on the walls.

A couple of times Specter asked his boyfriend if his genius mind would not be bored in such a routine. Tiley just smiled and shook his head. Then Chris realized that the teenager himself did not know. He wants a simple quiet happiness, but at the same time not to lose his mind and genius. He's afraid of society, shuns it, finds it boring and disturbing, but he wants to see people smile when they drink his freshly made coffee or try a piece of that apple pie that Edith Ross, Tyler's great-grandmother, then Uncle Mike, and now Tyler himself, baked. He rushes around, not knowing where to put himself and what to do.

Maybe they should just finish school first and enjoy their youth. And then… Then they will definitely come up with how it will be. They will tell their parents about their relationship, go to university, and who knows what will happen next. We'll see. That was Chris ' opinion.

The bell rang in the hallway, dismissing all the students for recess. Christopher carefully folded the drawing and put it in his pocket. They'll meet at dinner, they always do. And this day will be no exception.

That's what Christopher thought as he walked out of the math room with his friends in his arms. But perhaps this day will be something that will soon change their entire lives and views on her, their family and each other.

#marvey #harvey x mike #darvey #suits usa #mike ross #harvey #donna paulsen #rachel zane

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official-weasley · 3 years

Text

The Irreplaceable Charlie Weasley: Pt. 3, Ch. 8

PART 3: THE YEAR OF QUIDDITCH & MAGICAL CREATURES Chapter 8 - A Very Nova Idea

Bill

A knock on my dormitory door woke me up. I groaned as I looked at my roommate who was still sleeping. I swear there's not a noise in the world that could wake him up.

I yawned and went to open the door.

“Charlie? Are you okay, why are you knocking on my door this early in the morning?” I yawned again.

“It's a beautiful Saturday and Nova and I were talking and you seem to be inside your room quite a lot lately, so we decided to take you down to the Lake.” He beamed at me. “Or drag you, you know, in case you wouldn't want to come willingly.”

I was surprised that my little brother noticed anything unusual about my routine when all he could talk about were Dragons and his Care of Magical Creatures class. However, I must admit I was rather touched that they were worried about me.

They were right about me being inside a lot. These days it seemed that the only time I left my room or the Library was for food or classes. O.W.L.s were approaching fast and I was getting more nervous by the minute! And as if that wasn't enough I had my Career Advice Meeting this Monday and I can't tell you how many nights I didn't sleep because of that and if I did manage to fall asleep I was dreaming that Professor McGonagall told me I would never be a Curse Breaker and that there's an open position as Filch's assistant and that I might get that job.

I would rather admit to my mother that I had a crush on Emily Tyler than be Filch's assistant.

“Hello! Bill, did you fall back asleep?” Charlie snapped me out of it.

“Huh, yes! I will go with you. Some air will do me good. Let me just grab my books.” I was ready to turn around and go to my desk when Charlie stopped me.

“No, books. You need a break, mate.” He grabbed my hand and dragged me down to the Common Room and through the Portrait Hole where Nova was waiting for us.

“Good morning, Bill!” She was wide awake and grinning.

“Hi, Nova. How are you?” I smiled back, though not as enthusiastically as her.

“The question is Bill,” she grabbed my other hand, and together with Charlie they started pushing me down the stairs and through the corridor, “how are YOU?”

“I...I'm fine.” I was beginning to get confused as to why they cared so much about my well-being all of a sudden.

“Oh, really?” Nova narrowed her eyes. “Did you know that I said hello to you yesterday at the Library and I didn't get as much as a sound back?”

“You did?” I couldn't recall that happening.

“Uh-huh. Do you know what that means?” Charlie spoke now even though I think he didn't have anything to do with the Library scene at all.

“That I was too deep in my studying to say hello?” I guessed.

“Yes, and it also means you need a break from it and stop obsessing over your Career Advice Meeting.” Nova added.

“Why do you care so much?” We suddenly stopped and they both turned to me.

“Because you're my brother and believe it or not, I do care about you.” Charlie frowned at me as if he couldn't believe I was questioning their motive.

“And you're my friend,” Nova spoke now, “you helped me with my Quidditch situation with Charlie and you have such dark circles under your eyes that even Tonks noticed and you know she's oblivious to these things.”

They didn't let go of me until we got down to the Lake. They placed a blanket on the ground and made me sit. Nova sat on my right and Charlie sat on my left side, making sure I wouldn't escape.

“So...” I scratched the top of my head. “What now?”

“Now, we are going to sit here in peace, and then you will tell us everything that is on your mind and all your worries.” Nova grinned at me.

“But why? I am fine, I promise.” I looked puzzled.

“You are not fine, Bill Weasley. Your roommate told me you barely sleep at night, that you have nightmares and that you keep talking in your sleep about being Filch's assistant and if that isn't a cry for help, I don't know what is.” I have never seen Charlie so in command. I was the one usually lecturing and scolding him for doing stupid stuff. And how did my roommate know any of these things if he was fast asleep every night?

“Okay, MUM!” I ruffled his hair and got punched in the ribs for mocking him.

“So, Mr. Weasley,” Nova corrected her imaginary glasses, her voice very official, “how is the studying for O.W.L.s going?”

“I am doing pretty good with Defense Against the Dark Arts. Penny started helping me with my Potions last week and we are having a study group for Charms and Herbology.” I rubbed my chin, trying to remember more subjects.

“Professor Kettleburn told me that I have nothing to worry about when it comes to his subject. But I haven't started with Ancient Runes or History of Magic or Astronomy or...” Nova must've sensed the panic in my voice as she put a finger on my mouth to make me stop talking.

“Bill, you still have time to study for your O.W.L.s!The fact that you did so much for so many subjects already is a good start. You're going to do fine.” Nova squeezed my shoulder.

“And what are you so afraid of anyway? You are smart and on top of the class in most subjects.” Charlie added.

“I know. But you'll see the amount of pressure this is when you get to your Fifth Year, especially since you two are like me and you know what you want to do already.” I tried to explain.

“How well do you have to do on your O.W.L.s to become a Curse Breaker?” Nova seemed to share my worry now.

“I will find out more in my Meeting with McGonagall, but I can imagine that I would need at least an Outstanding or Exceeds Expectation in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms and Transfiguration. I would have to do good in Arithmancy as well and in Ancient Runes and you do need both.” They were listening to me very attentively. I can't deny that it felt good talking about this with someone.

“Aren't that your grades already?” Charlie seemed confused.

“They are, indeed.” I said rather proudly. “Last year I got an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Ancient Runes, and Transfiguration. I got an E in Herbology, Arithmancy, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies, and Potions, thanks to Penny. And I got an A in History of Magic and Astronomy.” I counted on my fingers.

I looked at them and they both had their mouths open.

“How can you take so many subjects? How are you managing that?” Nova was perplexed.

“That is a secret between Professor McGonagall and myself.” This was true as she gave me a time-turner in order for me to take all the classes but she made me swear not to tell anybody, not even my family members.

They both narrowed their eyes in suspicion but decided to let it go.

“So if you have such good grades, what are you worried about?” Charlie still didn't seem to understand.

“O.W.L.s and final exams are not the same. Final exams only consist of what you've learned in that year while O.W.L.s have questions from all the past years. Besides, you can get tricky questions during the practical part of the examination and you have to think quick on those.” I explained.

“Bill, knowing you, you will ace all of these subjects like you do every year. I really wouldn't worry so much about it.” Nova bestowed me with a warm smile. “We might be the same in two years and you're going to sit here, giving us a pep talk but we just wanted to see if there is anything we can do to make this easier on you.”

“To be honest, just talking about it makes me feel better. All of my classmates are so busy studying and panicking like I am that we simply don't have the time to chat.” I admitted.

“See, that's why you have us, mate.” Charlie patted my back.

“Now, to a more interesting topic.” He smugged. “What's up with you dreaming about Filch?” Nova giggled at his question.

“Oh,” I blushed and ignored it, “what I am really worried about right now is my Career Advice Meeting on Monday. I know McGonagall will ask me what are my reserve options in case my O.W.L.s won't be up to Curse Breaking standard and I don't have another option. I wanted to be a Curse Breaker for a while and I haven't given much thought to other careers.”

“You have to have other options?!” Charlie was the one panicking now. I couldn't help but laugh. If anyone didn't have a second career option it was definitely him. He has been talking about being a Dragonologist since he could talk.

“I am sure you're going to do just fine.” I ruffled his hair.

“So you don't have a second option, perhaps McGonagall can help you with that.” Nova thought out loud.

“I guess.” I gave it a second thought. “It's just scary to think so far ahead and to think I could do good with my O.W.L.s and my N.E.W.T.s and then fail at my job interview is even scarier.”

“Grades aren't enough to get you the job?” Charlie's voice started to rise again in panic.

“Far from it,” Nova answered for me, “especially for Curse Breakers. They have tough training and a lot of newbies can't take it. My dad told me he was training them last year and he said that out of 20 they only took 4 of them.”

“Oh, sorry Bill, didn't mean to scare you.” She quickly added when she saw my frightened look.

“See, that's why I am panicking about other careers because despite having good grades I can still not make it as a Cur...”

“I have an idea!” Nova interrupted me. “Why haven't I thought about this before!” She stood up at once.

“What are you talking about?” Both Charlie and I asked.

“I can write to my dad and ask him if he has any advice for you to be better prepared when you have your initiation. That way you have almost 3 years to practice and prepare for your job interview!” She started walking towards the Castle.

Charlie and I got up, grabbing the blanket, not even bothering to fold it.

“Where are you going?” I asked as we caught up to her.

“I am going to the Owlery to write to my dad at once.” She smiled, being proud of her idea.

“You would really do this for me, Nova?” It warmed my heart to have such an amazing friend.

“Get off it Bill, of course, she would!” Charlie answered on her behalf.

We followed her to the Owlery where she wrote a rather long letter to her dad. She explained that I wanted to be a Curse Breaker and that I was panicking a lot about my O.W.L.s and the fact that I don't have a second career option, something I reckoned she could've left out of the letter. She told him all about my grades and she asked him if he has any tips for me and what can I do to start preparing for the job.

She carefully folded the parchment, took an envelope from her bag, which made me smile because I taught her to always carry a few in her bag, put the letter inside, and gave it to Pip.

Pip hooted excitedly every time he was given a job. We all patted him on the head and he was on his way.

I decided that Charlie and Nova were right and I should take it easy. It was only March and I had more than enough time to study and didn't want to get burned out so I decided to spend my entire day with them and their friends.

Funny enough Penny started nagging the lot about their exams the minute we sat down for dinner. I haven't the slightest what their grades would be if she wasn't so persistent all year round.

I even took the time to just sit in front of the fireplace in Gryffindor Common Room and stare at Emily Tyler and daydream about being her boyfriend.

On Sunday morning I decided to speak to my roommate about the fact that he knew so much about what's going on in our dormitory at night. It turned out that he was just as nervous as I was about our O.W.L.s and that he secretly studied when I was sleeping.

We made a pact to study together as we both needed as many O.W.L.s as we could get since he wanted to become an Auror.

The next day was the Career Advice Meeting day. I hoped that when McGonagall is done with me I will stop having nightmares about it.

I had breakfast with Nova and Penny and Nova hasn't received an answer from her dad yet. I then joined my classmates in front of McGonagall's office where we were called in one by one to have our evaluation.

“Mr. Weasley, I understand you want to become a Curse Breaker.” She looked at me through her squared glasses.

“Yes, Professor.” I nodded.

“Well if you do as good on your O.W.L.s as you are doing in your classes so far, I don't see why that couldn't be achieved.” Her lips curved a little.

“You would need,” she continued, “an Outstanding in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Having an O in Potions wouldn't be so bad either but I can see that that is not your strong suit.” She was looking at the parchment with my grades on it.

“An E in Charms and Transfiguration would be very desirable, along with Herbology as it can come in handy.” She was now looking at me again. I was sitting still as a statue and my heart was beating faster than when I see Emily in the Common Room.

“If you get an A in everything else, you should be fine. Just try to get an O in Potions as Professor Snape doesn't except anyone below that level for his N.E.W.T. studies.” She stopped and pursed her lips. I still didn't move. I nodded, however.

“How about your other career options?” She sounded exactly as in my nightmares.

“That's the problem Professor, I don't have any.” I bowed my head. I knew she was going to be disappointed in me. I was a Prefect, had good grades, and was always well-behaved but didn't have a second career option.

“You know, Mr. Weasley, sometimes having just one option is the best option.” My eyes almost fell out as I couldn't believe her answer as it was completely different than the one from my dreams.

“I'm not sure I follow, Professor.” Was all I could manage in reply.

“When we only have one goal, we tend to focus more on it and will do everything in our power to achieve it.” She smiled warmly. “If we know we have another option, we might not put all of our attention into the primary goal as we know we have a cushion to ease our fall.” She did make a good point.

“I don't think I ever thought about it that way before.” I was being honest.

“Mr. Weasley, try to cut yourself some slack and get a whiff of fresh air here and there. You are one of my best students and I do not doubt that you are going to do just fine.” She smiled and gave me a little nod.

“Thank you, Professor. This helped me a lot.” I stood up, smiled back, and exited her office.

I don't think I could've shown it more that I was having a good day when I entered the Great Hall and sat down next to Charlie, Nova, and Tulip.

“Someone's in a good mood.” Charlie said with a mouth full of food.

“So how did it go?” Nova stood up from where she was sitting on Charlie's left side and sat down next to me and shook my shoulder.

“It went really well. McGonagall said I have nothing to worry about. Perhaps I could do a bit better with Potions but other than that I think I'm good.” I grinned.

“Eh, nothing Penny can't fix.” Tulip smiled.

“We told you you overreacted, mate. Really good news, though.” Charlie put his spoon down to pat me on my back.

“Speaking of good news...” I turned to Nova who was shaking as she couldn't wait to tell me something.

“Guess who came back today?” She said without waiting for me to ask what the news was. I rubbed my chin, thinking for a second who could it be. Then it dawned on me.

“Pip?” I asked hopefully. She nodded and pulled a letter from her back pocket and handed it to me.

I opened it and started reading.

My dear pumpkin,

there is simply too much information to discuss this over a letter.

I am in charge of the Internship Program we are having this Summer and if Bill doesn't have anything else planned I would be glad to put him on the list. The Internship is on me, so he needn't worry about paying as I would be glad to have him on my team and we can discuss everything then!

Defense Against the Dark Arts and Ancient Runes are very important so he should be focusing on these two subjects along with Charms and Arithmancy but I am sure he is already aware of that.

And a piece of advice: tell Bill to stop worrying too much. With the grades as you described, he is more than qualified for the job already and I am sure he is going to do fine. And besides, he is not only your friend he is also my best friend's son, meaning I will be sure to put in a good word for him.

If he decides to take me up on my offer for the Internship, he will already have an advantage when we pick our new Curse Breakers!

Send Pip back with his answer and say hello to Charlie and the rest of your friends!

I miss you my little pumpkin!

Love, Dad

“He...he is offering me a Summer Internship?!” I couldn't believe what I just read so much that I started reading the letter again.

“So, I am assuming Pip should send a yes back to my dad?” I looked at Nova, her head was leaning on her hand and she had the biggest grin across her face.

“Nova, I...I don't know what to say.” I was speechless. “Do you know what this means for my career?”

“I do! And you don't have to say anything! I heard about the Internship last Summer and was going to convince dad to take you in with or without your nightmares about being Filch's Assistant.” Tulip almost spat out her juice, laughing so hard, when she heard about my dreams.

“Thank you, Nova. You are an amazing friend!” I pulled her into a tight hug as I was lost for words. I couldn't believe she was already thinking of asking her dad to get me in for the Summer Internship. I don't recall anyone doing something so nice for me before.

Now I understood why mum wanted her in the family.

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goddessofeternity · 3 years

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OC-Tober: Day 3

Friends/Best friends

Sasha has made many friends over the years and she values every person she has the honor of calling a friend. She often felt that she was too damaged and cursed to have any real friendships. Her birth family made her fear getting close to anyone in fear that they would use them to get to her. Thankfully, most of the people she befriended were apart of the guild and were excellent fighters and good at defending themselves. If she had to consider best friends, then that would only pertain to four people.

Vanessa VanAlbatross was the first friend she had ever made. The two girls met when they were only six. The first meeting was....less than favorable. Vanessa often bullied Sasha because she couldn’t speak English and she made fun of her accent. This led to Sasha being afraid of her and avoided her whenever she came to play. Vanessa’s father eventually found out and after scolding his daughter and explaining Sasha’s situation, the young girl apologized and the two soon became best friends. The pair grew up to almost be like sisters and that extended to fighting. Both being a bit hotheaded, they tend to get into some pretty bad scuffles. They reconcile pretty quickly though, and often go out to ruin their parent’s bank accounts. Being in the business too, Vanessa and Sasha on the same mission usually spells misfortune for their targets and enemies. That sight alone sends most people praying for their lives.

Odette Willanova is another one of Sasha’s best friends that she made when she was young. Unlike with Vanessa, Sasha and Odette hit it off quickly. Odette is a fan of traveling, so the pair don’t see as much of each other, but that distance does nothing for their friendship. Odette often drags Sasha around to flirt with boys and going on her exotic trips. Sasha looks to Odette like an older sister and she looks to her for advice. Odette is also the mother of their group and she often breaks up the infamous Sasha and Vanessa fights. Sasha has yet to beat Odette in a fight, and it doesn’t seem likely to happen soon. Sasha respects Odette and she hopes to have her level of confidence and strength someday.

Taylor and Tyler Hendrix are her mischievous and sometimes annoying best friends. The twins have known Sasha, Vanessa and Odette since they were seven. All of them have made quite the group of young assassins. The twins love to prank Sasha and they usually drag her into their schemes, much to the chagrin of their parents. Taylor is the most mischievous and him and Sasha tend to butt heads over their elaborate schemes. He learned a lesson about putting hair dye in her shampoo though. A broken nose and black eye followed by two broken ribs that is. She values him deeply though and the two are very close. Tyler is calmer than his brother but still gets into his fair share of trouble. He spends more time with Sasha and the two are super close. Tyler is usually her shoulder to cry on. Most describe them like a brother and sister pair. Tyler does everything in his power to keep her safe and happy. They usually try and stop Taylor from acting recklessly. Tyler harbors a secret crush on Sasha and hopes to someday take their friendship to another level. He can get a bit overprotective at times, but Sasha likes that about him.

Her friendships mean the world to since she never had a childhood with her birth family. That bonds that she has made over the years carry her through her worse nights. Sasha would rather watch the world burn then to allow anything to befall them.

#oc-tober #OC #Sasha #Vanessa #Odette #Taylor #Tyler

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tylerfm · 3 years

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welcome aboard, tyler golightly, student #10. we are excited to set sail with you ! has anyone told you that you look like charlie gillespie? according to our records, you hail from edinburgh, scotland, prefer he/they, are non-binary (demi-boy), and are here to study communications. we also see you received a spot on the ss university because of your money — we won’t tell anyone. during your first few weeks here, other students said you were + confident, + ambitious, but also - selfish. it sounds like you spend most of your time at the basketball court. upon checking your luggage, we noticed you packed a soccer ball covered in sharpie drawings. hopefully your roommates don’t steal it!

hello again, little loves! maeby (24, she/her, pst, also play duckie) here with student #10, my second character and cutest lil himbo/thembo, tyler! ♡ tldr; scottish kid with a silver spoon starts anew and tries to make up for their reputation back home but also just wants to party. or: enby footballer actually just wants to play music, keeps it on the dl. i’m so stoked to plot with everyone, like this post and i’ll come to you or hmu if you’re down!

stats

given name: tyler thomas golightly nicknames: ty, tie-dye, golightly (mostly by coaches and jocks) birthday & zodiac: december 12th, 1997 & sagittarius ♐︎ orientation: pansexual, non-binary (demi-boy) hometown: edinburgh, scotland hobbies: the beautiful game, collecting vinyls, playing basketball, restoring their grandfather’s motorcycle, photography, playing piano, songwriting, eating everything, trying to learn french favorites: sunday roast, david bowie, celtic fc, claude debussy, toronto raptors, white nail polish, nachos, nando’s, stella artois, elvis presley

biography

tw: parental death, depression, drug and alcohol abuse

from the moment they were born, tyler and his siblings had their entire lives lined out for them. their father came from a family with very old money that now owned a number of lavish, upscale hotels and expected only the best from their lineage. their mother was a classically trained pianist who had toured the world as a teenage prodigy and had all the best intentions as a mother. still, to tyler, every step of the way felt like ticking off a checklist with ‘pompous ass’ listed as the end goal. top boarding schools were supposed to lead to cambridge or oxford and then prolific careers as surgeons, lawyers, members of parliament, or business moguls. tyler’s siblings all seemed to fit the bill with ease and for a while, so did tyler, until he was old enough to show any kind of personality.

(tw: parental death) growing up, ty was a goofy, naïve kid who spent all day playing music with their mother and singing at the piano with her. sitting on that piano bench was tyler’s only real escape from the elitist world they didn’t really fit into. none of their siblings had taken a real interest in of their mother’s passions, but tyler was at her side every moment they were able. rather than one of the pre-selected career paths his father insisted on, tyler grew up wanting to follow in his mother’s footsteps and be a musician. his father taught him very early on that music was not an option. it was when he shipped off for boarding school that things really escalated. by the time he was sixteen, he had been through five boarding schools. and just when they thought things couldn’t possibly get worse, the unthinkable happened and their mother died suddenly from a brain aneurism.

(tw: depression) the day they lost ty’s mother, his life fell to pieces. he fell into a deep depression and quit everything that reminded him of his mother, especially music. the only thing that fell through the cracks was football (soccer to some), which their father had always loved, so they had always hated. tyler had always been athletic but reluctant when it came to sports, but when their father put them into football this time around, they ran with a newfound rage and abandon. when his father remarried a woman half his age less than a year after becoming a widower, that increased tenfold. he threw everything into playing and training, and stopped trying to process his mother’s passing. they were noticed by a club recruiter only a couple of years later and played on a second tier team with talks of being recruited to the premier league until a few months ago, when they absolutely lost control.

(tw: drug and alcohol abuse) nothing in tyler’s life worked. their relationships with their brothers and father were positively abysmal. he’d always bonded with his only sister for being the odd ducks out, even if she’d always fit in better than him, but even she wasn’t speaking to him if she didn’t have to. they were in the closet about their sexuality and gender identity to everyone but their sister, and it was starting to eat them alive. it had been several years since the death of his mother, but tyler had succeeded in filling every moment of those years with either football or drugs & alcohol to avoid processing it (or anything else). now, the pressure was high and they felt the whole world of football watching them. eventually, they cracked. he quit his football team in a horrible screaming match with the team manager that went viral online and in a single moment, it looked like his career was over before it began.

rather than face the problems that had caused their breakdown, ty holed themself up in their family home for months, only leaving when his father threatened to cut him off if he didn’t go out and do something. in this state, his sister didn’t think they would make it on their own. it was during this time that his sister pushed them into a therapist’s office once a week and personally oversaw their recovery. not long after, his sister showed him an advert for the ss university and went behind their father’s back to pay for it. mere weeks later, tyler golightly had their life packed into suitcases and the ss university was setting sail. he left his sister with the promise that he would watch how he partied and that more than anything, he would use the experience to start over with a clean slate. now all that’s left is to do it.

wanted connects

– rich kids club: tyler was once told by their father that their family had more money than god and they’ve never forgotten that. if your char was also born with a silver spoon, they may know each other already or just bond over their shared experiences! tyler hates their father and that side of their family, so they’re not always the biggest fan of other wealthy people.

– clandestine music friends: tyler’s mother was an esteemed classical pianist and taught ty to play the piano very early on. for a long time, tyler thought they would follow in her footsteps and become a pianist as well. when she passed away, he gave up music ‘for good’. however, ever since they’ve been on the ship, they’ve been secretly picking up playing the piano again! someone is bound to have walked in on them and is now keeping their secret.

– missed connection: ty thinks he falls in love every other minute, but if he doesn’t go for it, he usually just forgets them and moves on to the next gorgeous smile or melodic laughter. this person has been on their mind since the day they laid eyes on each other but didn’t actually get to meet. whether it was in the hall, while they were drunk at the sand bar, or even out in one of their excursions, something about them has ty going crazy.

– exes: ty may think they fall in love more often than a character in a rom-com, but the truth of the matter is that they never really commit to a relationship long enough to get past infatuation. there may be one person they’ve been seriously in love with, but the rest were flings for a season, friends with benefits, or one night stands; short-term. not much has changed now that they’re on the ship, but with the entire cruise/schoolyear ahead of them, who’s to say it won’t?

– party friends! one night stands! people they met while travelling for football matches! folks from boarding school! family friends! any other connections you’re feeling!

#* // about.

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kaleighsdominicanrepubliclitblog · 3 years

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Reflections on a Year of Reading Dominican Republic Literature

Books: Return To Sender by Julia Alvarez, Drown by Junot Diaz, With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo , Let It Rain Coffee by Angie Cruz

Word Count: 933

General Reflections

After reading about a year’s with of Dominican Republic books, I feel like these authors tell a story like they went through it. Each author uses words and descriptions that are us feel like they were really there and it makes us understand the book more. For example in the book Return to sender the author Julia Alvarez uses description when she writes letters like she was writing them to a person living on her farm in secret. Also in With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo she writes the book about a senior in high school living her life with a baby and it almost sounds like she was the girl she was writing about. Both these authors describes their story like they witnessed the whole thing or it was their story. In Drown and Let it Rain Coffee both authors focus around the theme of neglect . In Drown Diaz talks about how these kids are left alone to cook for them self and have to work and steal stuff just to put food on the table and in Let It Rain Coffee by Cruz the family is left to go work and everyone has certain roles so they can have money to put food on the table but in both stories there is one kid who is to young to work and is always home alone by them self neglected from the world and family.

What I’ve Learned About Life From Dominican Republic Literature

The first book I read was Return To Sender by Julia Alvarez . This book taught me that making friends is easy and that people live with lies, also people live totally different from one another. Throughout the book, Alvarez talks about how Tyler opens his land for the Cruzes and how they start this amazing friendship. Tyler also notices how the Cruzes live so much different from them, all the Cruzes know is work work work and Tyler knows school, play, a little work, They have totally different lives but live on the same property. Tyler even lies to everyone so the Cruzes can live here without the cops on them.

The second book I read was Drown by Junot Diaz. This book taught me we all look different but we are all the same on the inside. Rafa and his brother bully this boy who has to wear a mask to cover is scar and burned up face so the sun didn’t make it worst when he was outside. Rafa and his brother made fun of the boy all the time and then their dad used to bully them and the boys realized what they did to him was wrong. They went to find the boy and apologize for everything they did wrong and the boy was getting bullied by other people so Rafa and his brother fought them off for him. After they apologized for everything and thy changed their mindset for the rest of the book. The book taught me not to judge someone by looks, it’s more than looks it is what is on the inside that matters.

The third book I read was by far my favorite it was called With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo. This book taught me that life throws challenges at us but it is for a reason and we have to get through them. Emoni had a baby her freshman year and now she as senior working at a burger place and trying to focus on her amazing culinary career while dealing with a baby and her baby daddy and her new boyfriend all at once. This book was so relatable because I a, a senior in high school and I am focusing on college and have gotten so many challenges to get through. After reading I know I can get through anything I put my mind together and as long as I believe in myself I can do it.

My last book is called Let It Rain Coffee by Angie Cruz, and I didn’t finish the whole book but I did enjoy it I will probably finish it soon. This book did teach me keep living life with no regrets. Don Chan wife dies and he lives his life with regret since then. He went on to live with is son and then his son passed away randomly, now Don Chan lives his life like any day is his last. Don Chan knows any day is his last and he wants to spend every day thinking it is after he lost the two most important people in his life.

What I’ve Learned About Myself and Reading

Throughout the four books I read I realized that I can kinda relate to them all and their is more to the story than what we read. I never really was a big fan of reading before this project, but now after reading a little everyday and writing about it, it makes me want to read more and get into longer books. I felt like I was able to read 10 pages any time of the day even if I had a busy day. I feel like writing the summary I always had new things I wanted ti write about because this project made me understand the book better and appreciate reading more. I really enjoyed this whole project and I am surprised on how fast it went by.

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thebrotherssalvatore321 · 3 years

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Keeping Secrets Ch. 29

Keeping Secrets Masterlist

Pairings: Damon x Oc, Tyler x Oc for a hot minute, Elijah x Oc for a hotter minute, Klaus x Oc endgame. Warning: Mental and physical abuse in some chapters.

Katie’s Alarm went off at 5:45 waking her up for school and she groggily grabbed her phone and turned it off before she let it fall to the floor. She threw the black and white floral patterned comforter off and put her feet on the floor. “First day of my last year in this miserable place…Let’s get this over with.” She told herself as a crappy pep talk as she stood up and headed downstairs to put a pot of coffee on, but she found Damon pouring a cup and she stopped walking with a yawn. “What are you doing here?”

“Stefan’s home and the house is full of women, live and dead. He’s also blaring music so loud I want to scratch my eardrums out.” He told her as he handed her the cup in his hand and she took it. “I needed to get away. Plus, I figured you could use those.” He motioned to two blood bags on the kitchen table. “I like the new hair by the way.”

“Thanks.” She told him as they both sat down at the table. “Not to sound like a bitch, but why aren’t you seeing Elena off to school?”

“Elena has Alaric and Jeremy. I didn’t want you to be alone on the morning of your last first day of school.” He told her honestly and she gave him a small smile. “Also Elena told me you said you hate her. Wanna talk about that?”

Her smile fell as she rolled her eyes and downed her coffee then set the empty cup on the table. “Nope and I need to shower and get dressed.” She whooshed upstairs to her bathroom. She had just finished rinsing the shampoo out of her hair when she opened her eyes to see the plexiglas distorted image of Damon leaning on the birdbath sink with his arms crossed. “Seriously? We are not together anymore. Get out.” She threw her wet shower puff at him over the door.

He caught it and tossed it in the sink behind him. “Not until you talk to me.” He told her, not giving up.

She took a deep breath and let it out as she bit her lips closed and turned off the water. He held a fluffy white towel out to her as she stepped out of the shower. “She was flirting with you when we were still together, Damon, not to mention she’s still pining for Stefan.” She told him as she wrapped the towel around herself. “She knew things with us were rocky and she took advantage of it. She all but stabbed me in the back by not having the common decency to wait until we were broken up before she started hitting on you.”

“I didn’t stop her from flirting, but you’re not mad at me.” He countered as she walked into her bedroom and he followed her.

“I’m not mad at you because I can understand you. We fell out of love so you sought it elsewhere.” She grabbed a pair of distressed, dark wash jean shorts out of her closet and tossed them onto the bed along with a white t-shirt and her leather jacket. “Turn around please.” She told him and he opened his mouth to protest, but she interrupted him. “Boundaries, Damon.” He rolled his eyes but turned around. “But her… I don’t understand how she could do this to me and Stefan.” she said as she started getting dressed.

“It’s not like she can help it. Some girls just can’t resist my good looks, my style and my charm…”

“And there’s the cocky Damon I remember.” She said as she pulled her shirt over her head and stuck her arms through the sleeves. “I feel like he got a little lost while we were together.” She added as she pulled on her shorts, buttoned and zipped them. “I didn’t miss it.” She walked past him to her closet and grabbed the one pair of shoes that didn’t get thrown away when she did her wardrobe overhaul, her broken-in pair of black and white converse.

“She also said you were a little too buddy, buddy with Klaus.” He said as she headed into the bathroom and started putting on eye shadow, black cat eye eyeliner, mascara and a nude tinted lip gloss. “The guy ripped your head from your body.”

“I wasn’t buddy, buddy with him, I just didn’t tell him to go screw himself like I wanted to.” She answered as grabbed her new black messenger bag with gold heart buckles, her jacket and shoes then headed downstairs where she put her bag down and sat down on the couch while Damon moved to stand across from her.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that he has Elijah would it?” he asked and she ignored him while she put her shoes on. “Talk to me Katie Cat.”

“I’m not going to talk to you about Elijah.” She stood up and grabbed her jacket and bag off the floor and threw the strap over her shoulder.

“You clearly need to talk to someone about what’s going on with you.” he followed her to the kitchen where she grabbed one of the blood bags and stuck it in the icebox then popped the stopper out of the tube of the other.

“Then I’ll hire a shrink.” She popped off at him then started drinking the blood as Damon stared at her. “Look, do I miss him? Yes. Do I want that dagger taken out of him? Yes. Will I go to the dark side in order to get what I want? No…maybe. I don’t know…All I know is that it is driving me insane knowing that he is lying in a dark box while I’m just…carrying on with life like nothing is wrong.” she finished off the blood bag then threw it in the trash. “So just…Stop asking me about him, okay?”

“Fine.” He told her as he held his hand up like he was giving up then followed her to the front door.

He stopped in the doorway while she walked out on the porch then turned back to look at him. “You’re welcome to hang out here if you don’t feel like going back to the boarding house.”

“Na, Klaus has compelled Stefan to keep an eye on his doppelganger for him. So you can expect to see him at school today.” He told her as he stepped out and shut the door.

“Fun.” Katie sighed as she turned and headed to her car.

TVDTVDTVD

She pulled into the parking lot of the busy school and quickly found her friends in the crowd. “Here we are. Senior year.” Caroline said with a look across her shoulders at her friends that stood slightly behind her.

“Anyone else think this should feel slightly more empowering?” Bonnie asked as they all looked at the school. None of them felt anything about it being the first day of school.

“Okay, so prank night was a bust. But we are accepting it, and we are moving on.” Caroline said, talking with her hands as she tried to pep everyone up.

“You’re right. I mean why should I let the fact that my boyfriend is seeing the ghosts of his dead girlfriends hinder this experience?” Bonnie asked from where she walked between Katie and Caroline as they started walking toward the school.

“My soul mate is lying desiccated in a coffin with a dagger in his chest.” Katie added with a look over at Bonnie and Caroline, ignoring Elena where she stood on the other side of Caroline. “My day is gonna be grrrreat.” She said impersonating Tony the Tiger. Bonnie and Caroline shook their heads with small smiles on their faces.

“And why should I let the fact that my boyfriend turned into a hybrid put a damper on an otherwise fabulous day?” Caroline said one again talking with her hands.

Elena stopped walking and said, “Today’s our anniversary.” They all stopped and looked back at her. “Technically, Stefan and I met on the first day of school last year.”

“Are you sure you want to be here?” Bonnie asked.

“I have to be here. I have to put it behind me.” She told them as she held her head high. “New year, new life.” She heaved out a breath and walked past them toward the school. Katie thought about warning her that Stefan was going to be making an appearance today, but feeling like being mean she kept her mouth shut.

TVDTVDTVD

Katie walked into Alaric’s A.p. History class to find that Elena, Caroline and Tyler were also in the class. Stefan walked into the room after her and made someone move out of the seat next to Elena. Katie sat in the back corner of the room kitty corner to Caroline.

Alaric had started talking to the class when Rebekah came in late and sat down in the front row. “Who are you?” Alaric asked confused as to why Caroline and Elena were looking at her with wide eyes.

“My name’s Rebekah. I’m new and history is my favorite subject.” Alaric looked at Elena and Katie then took a deep breath and got back to business.

Katie was putting her history book in her locker when Rebekah walked over and opened the locker next to hers. “So has Klaus asked you to keep an eye on Elena too?” she asked, in an attempt to make conversation.

“I’m keeping an eye on Tyler.” She answered not looking at Katie who shut her locker and put a purple combination lock on it. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Look, I was in a bit of a bad mood last night.” Katie said as she watched Rebekah struggle to open the locker without breaking it. Katie hit it lightly with her fist and it popped open. “So can we start over?”

“Just because you’re supposedly in love with Elijah doesn’t mean you have to be nice to me.” she told her with an attitude.

“There’s no supposedly about it.” Katie argued as she pushed the strap of her bag father up on her shoulder. “I do love Elijah and he told me a lot about you when we were together. He anticipated that we wouldn’t get along, but I would like nothing better than to actually be on good terms with his family when that dagger is finally removed.” Rebekah glared at her. “I’m not trying to manipulate you. I’m just offering to be your friend when you don’t have one.”

“Fine, but if I find out this is just some ploy you and your friends have cooked up I will have no problem-”

“Killing me, I get it. Where’s your schedule?” Katie interrupted her then held her hand out for her schedule.

“I know how to find my way around.” Rebekah told her and Katie smirked.

“I want to see if we have any of the same classes.” Katie told her and Rebekah pulled her schedule out of her bag and handed it to her. “We actually have the next three classes together.” She handed it back then watched as Rebekah put her history book in her locker then shut it. “Have you ever been to high school before?” Katie asked and Rebekah shook her head no. “I’m guessing you want to be popular. So step one: cheer squad. Thanks to Klaus and Stefan there’s an opening and with your looks all the football players will be drooling over you.”

“Tyler plays football right?” she asked as they started toward their next class.

“You’re interested in Tyler?” Katie asked with a look across her shoulder at her.

“He is very attractive.” She answered.

Katie laughed. “Been there, had that.” She didn’t want to point out that Tyler was with Caroline and that she didn’t approve of Rebekah’s interest in him. She was trying to be her friend after all.

“You and Tyler?” Rebekah asked as they walked into calculus.

“Yep, back when we were both…” she looked around at the other students in the room, “normal for a lack of a better word.” The bell rang and the teacher shut the door ending their conversation.

TVDTVDTVD

All the cheerleaders were standing on the sidelines of the football field after school stretching when Katie took her spot in the line up. “Hey Care, before she shows up you should probably know that Rebekah is after your guy and I invited her to be on the cheer squad.” Katie told her quietly.

“You what?” Caroline asked as she stopped stretching and Katie started. “Have you gone insane?”

“If you call making friends with the sister of the man I love insane then sure.” She answered as she leaned down and touched her toes. “But I don’t think the whole, keep your friends close keep your enemy closer, thing is a bad idea either.” She whispered then stood back up. When Rebekah walked up and took the spot between Katie and Caroline, Caroline didn’t say a word.

They were headed to the women’s locker room when Rebekah asked, “So are you going to this spirit squad bonfire thing tonight?”

“I never say no to free booze.” She answered. “Will I see you there?”

“Yep.” She answered. “I’ve never been to a high school bonfire. Sounds fun.”

TVDTVDTVD

Katie was standing in her bathroom straightening her hair for the bonfire when her text tone chimed and she looked down to see a text from Alaric. “Meeting, my classroom, 8:30 tonight before the bonfire.” She read out loud then clicked the phone off.

Since she got the message a little late she got to the meeting late, she trained her ears on Alaric’s classroom and caught what they were saying. “I’ll lure Stefan away from the bonfire. Then, when he’s distracted-” Elena was saying.

“I’ll shoot him.” Alaric finished.

“What are you doing here?” Elena asked when her eyes landed on Katie.

“Alaric texted me.” Katie answered with a tone that suggested it was obvious.

“Was I not supposed to?” Alaric asked with a look between Katie and Elena. Elena shook her head no with raised brows and tight lips. “You said she made friends with Rebekah. I thought she could help distract her.”

“It’s because she’s friends with Rebekah and Klaus that we don’t trust her.” Elena told him.

“I told you why I’m playing nice with Rebekah.” Katie said as she turned to Caroline. “And I’m not friends with Klaus.”

“You all but admitted that you would do whatever it takes to get Elijah back and Klaus and Rebekah are the only ones who know where he is.” Damon told her.

“We can’t trust you.” Elena told her with a snooty look that made Katie want to slap it off of her face.

“Caroline?” Katie asked as she turned to her friend that she’d been closer to since they turned.

“I’m sorry. I don’t like it, but they have a point. If you loved him enough to link yourself to him what else are you willing to do?” Caroline answered.

“Does Bonnie feel the same way you all do?” Katie asked Caroline who nodded with sad eyes knowing this was hurting Katie. And it did hurt her, but hurt quickly turned to anger. It pissed her off to no end that her friends would turn their backs on her like that. “You know what?” she turned her eyes to Elena, Damon and Caroline then back to Elena. “You can all go to hell.” She turned to walk out of the room.

“Katie don’t be like that.” Caroline said as Katie slammed into Tyler who was walking in.

“Whoa, you good?” Tyler asked as he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back.

“Let me get a keg in me then ask me again.” Katie commented as she walked around him and out of the room.

TVDTVDTVD

Katie was standing at the bonfire working on her tenth cup of beer still fuming, when a football player classmate of hers walked over. “Happy first day.”

“Yeah, not so much.” She answered back with a polite smile.

“Are you at least enjoying the bonfire?” he asked, trying to make conversation with her, but all she could concentrate on was the blood pumping through his veins.

“I am now.” she turned toward him with a flirty smile and put her hand on her hip, putting her boobs on display in the tight somewhat low cut tank top she was wearing.

“You wanna go make some s’mores?” he asked, happy that she was showing interest in him.

“I have a better idea. Come with me.” She told him with a devious smile as she grabbed his hand and he willingly followed her out into the woods. When she was sure they were far enough away that no one would see them she shoved him against a tree and looked him in the eyes. “Don’t scream.” His eyes grew big and his heart started pounding as he watched the veins arrear under her eyes that turned blood red. She smiled with a hiss, freaking him out even more with her fangs. The fear in his eyes only made her that much happier as she sank her teeth into his neck.

After a while she let go of his shoulders and he fell to the ground as she tilted her head back and licked the blood from her lips. “God that felt good.” She sighed then looked down at the guy, “Now what do I do with you?” she said as she kneeled down and listened to his slow heartbeat.

Knowing he would die if she didn’t, she bit her wrist, opened his mouth and let a little blood fall inside. Soon after he sat up and started scrambling away from her. “What did you do to me?”

She grabbed his shirt to keep him for scooting back any further and straddled him as she looked him in the eyes. “We made out. It was fun, but it’s never happening again.” She told him then let him go. He blinked out of the compulsion then smiled at her. She grabbed his chin and tilted his head to the side to see a little blood that was left behind from the bite so she licked it clean before she stood up and held her hand out to him. When he was standing she looked him in the eyes again. “Don’t follow too closely behind me. People don’t need to know what we were doing.” she left him behind to snap out of his compulsion.

As she walked through the woods back to the party she made sure her face, neck and teeth were free of blood. She came out of the woods behind Damon, sitting on a bench at a small fire. When she walked past him he grabbed her wrist to get her attention. She stopped and looked down at him. “Did you just do what I think you just did?”

“Nope.” she answered as she pulled her wrist out of his hand and kept walking.

“You did.” He argued as he grabbed her hand pulling her to a stop. “Who are you and what have you done with Katie Cat?” he asked with a worried look at her.

“She’s right here. You’ve just never seen her this pissed off before.” she jerked her hand out of his. “Now leave me alone.” She started walking off. After a while she got bored of the stupid bonfire that she had yet to see Rebekah at and threw her cup away then headed to the parking lot. She was opening her car door when she saw flames engulf Alaric’s SUV. “Seriously, if it’s not one thing it’s another.” She sighed and closed her car door then whooshed over to Alaric. Who was trying to break the window with a lacrosse stick.

“Elena and Stefan are trapped in there.” Alaric told her as he pushed his hand through his hair in frustration. Alaric watched her thought process play out on her face as she debated leaving them in the car to burn. “Do something, Katie!”

“I don’t have to tell you that vampires and flames are a bad combination. So do not let me burn to death.” Alaric rushed off to find something to put the flames out while Katie grabbed the back hatch door, pulled it off and threw it behind her then climbed inside. She got Stefan out first and whooshed him a safe distance away from the car and laid him on the ground then whooshed back inside and wrapped her arm around a coughing Elena’s waist and whooshed her out. Regardless of whooshing through the flames, Katie’s legs caught on fire as she whooshed out. She dropped Elena and screamed in pain as fell to the ground, slapping at her legs right before Alaric threw a blanket over her, putting out the flames before they could fully engulf her.

“Thanks.” Katie huffed out as she got up.

“You’re welcome. Now let’s get out of here before it blows.” He told her and they ran over to where Katie had whooshed Stefan. Just as they got to them, the car exploded.

Stefan started waking up so she grabbed him and helped him stand on his feet. “What happened?” he asked while she held him up with her hands on his shoulders.

“Yeah I don’t know.” Katie told him as she let go of his shoulders. “You good though?”

“Yeah, no thanks to those two.” He told her with a look at Elena and Alaric.

“Okay I’m gonna go home before another car decides to spontaneously combust.” She said tiredly and started walking off.

“Katie!” Elena yelled and Katie stopped and turned around. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t do it for you.” she replied then looked at Alaric. “Sorry about your car.”

TVDTVDTVD

The next day after school, Katie drove to the cemetery. She hadn’t been to her parent’s graves since their funeral so it took her a while to remember where the headstone was. After an hour of looking she found it near a large tree the roots of which she sat on and looked at the oval picture of her parents that sat between their names engraved on the stone. “I had been hoping to feel something by coming here…” she admitted quietly looking into her mothers pretty blue eyes. “Anything to keep me tied to my humanity because I can feel it slipping away.” She hadn’t thought much about her father since she learned that he was still alive and it was his idea to leave her with her grandfather. However the memory of her mother, who didn’t want to leave her to be raised by her grandfather, had remained unscathed.

Katie moved from the tree root to sit in the grass where her mother should have been buried, but instead her ashes had been scattered here. She closed her eyes and pressed her right hand into the grass and dirt, trying to feel connected to her mother in any way she could. Trying to remember a time when things weren’t so bad.

“Almost.” Her mother encouraged her five year old daughter from where she sat next to her on a piano bench. She was teaching her to play twinkle twinkle little star. Katie touched the wrong key and stopped with a frown. “Don’t get aggravated. Practice makes perfect.” Her mother told her, but Katie didn’t try again.

“I can’t do it.” Katie pouted, staring down at her small hands in her lap.

“You can do anything you set your mind to my little Scarlett.” Her mother told her gently and grabbed her daughter’s hands, placing them back on the piano keys. “Try again.” Katie tried again and finally got it right. “You did it!” her mother made a big deal, clapping and smiling for her daughter. “Good job Katie.” Her mother held her hand up and Katie giggled and high fived her.

“Katie.” A familiar feminine voice pulled her out of her memory and drew her eyes upward to land on the blue eyes and wavy brown hair of her mother.

“Mom?” Katie asked as she stood up. “What…how…?” Katie stumbled over her words as her mother took a step to her and pulled her into a hug. “How are you here right now? I thought you were dead.”

“I am.” Her mother answered as she pulled back and looked into her daughter’s green eyes. “Your friend Bonnie cracked open the door to the other side when she brought Jeremy Gilbert back from the dead. Then last night, a witch wedged it wide open so we can interact with you.” her mother told her, but Katie was still stuck on the fact that she was talking to her dead mother. “I’ve been watching over you this whole time.”

A pained expression took over Katie’s face as her eyes slipped down to the ground. “I’ve disappointed you.”

“No sweetheart, you haven’t.” her mother answered making Katie look up at her with questioning eyes. “I disappointed you. I never wanted to leave you behind and I never should have. Your father wanted to keep the originals away from you. He said it was his family’s duty to keep who you are a secret. When he told me the story of you and Elijah I wanted you to find him. I didn’t want to keep you from someone you loved so much you tied yourself to him for eternity.” She told her. “The whole thing sounded like some bazaar fairy tale.”

“So you’re not mad at me for becoming a vampire?” Katie asked.

“No sweetheart.” Her mother shook her head and tears started slipping down Katie’s cheeks. “I always assumed you would make your choice when the time came. I never hated vampires as much as your father did, but he was raised to hate them just like the founders of this town.”

“Then why did he become a vampire?” Katie asked. “Why did you?”

“Because he thought it was the only way to protect you.” she answered. “He talked me into it. You’re father was always good at talking me into things.” She laughed.

“How did you die?” Katie asked, wanting to fill in one a blank.

“After we turned your father and I started fighting about what was best for you. He wanted to find Elijah and Klaus and keep them from you. I thought the best thing for you was to be under Elijah’s protection until you were old enough to be given your memories and decide if you wanted to be with him.” Katie listened tentatively. “I became involved with some witches, attempting to track down Elijah.” she walked around Katie and sat down on her side of the headstone. Katie turned, keeping her eyes on her mother. “Your father found out what I was doing and…stopped me.”

“He killed you?” Katie asked with wide unbelieving eyes.

“He didn’t mean to. He was aiming to throw the stake at my neck, but his aim was horrible and he hit my heart.” Hatred flashed in Katie’s eyes. “Do not hate him, Katie. He was doing what he was raised to do. He genuinely thought he was protecting everyone, including you.”

“How am I not supposed to hate the man that left me to be raised by an abusive grandfather and killed my mother?” Katie asked with wide watery eyes.

“He is still your family. Your true family.” Her mother told her.

“If he really cared about me he would have come back.” Katie argued.

“Maybe so, but do me a favor after you graduate go find him and talk to him.” she asked and Katie just stared at her. “You need to talk this out with him Katie. Make him see that you are okay. Promise me.”

“I promise.” Katie nodded.

“About your recent decisions…” her mother started with a stern look and a lifted brow. “You are a good, loyal friend. Get over your anger and find a way to remind your friends that you haven’t changed.”

“But I have changed, Mom.” Katie argued.

“You have. You’re stronger, more stubborn, you grew a backbone. But you still love your friends.” her mother pointed out. “You’re upset with Elena and rightfully so. But you have been friends with her since you shared a playpen with her and Matt. Work it out with her or you will lose her. Caroline and Bonnie too. I’ve seen many groups of friends divide over conflicts like yours and I don’t want to see that happen to your little group.” Katie bit her lip and looked down at her mothers white Keds. “Look at me Katie Scarlette.” Her mother told her in the authoritative voice she remembered. “Fix things with them.”

“I don’t think I can.” Katie looked up at her mother realizing that it had grown dark out.

“You can and you will.” Her mother assured her. “Now, when it comes to the originals.” Her mother started with a stern face. “Klaus killed you and doesn’t have a good reputation. Don’t trust him. Rebekah is wishy washy so trust her at your own risk. Elijah, he’s noble and keeps his word, him you can trust, but I’m sure you know that since Sheila’s spell had been lifted. I wouldn’t have been looking for him if I didn’t trust his reputation.” She brushed Katie’s hair out of her face. “I never got the chance to give you love advice and I don’t think we have much more time so I’ll give you a crash course. First, if it feels like he isn’t treating you right then he probably isn’t so don’t put up with it. If he ever hits you, leave him then and there. Don’t wait for it to get worse or make excuses. And lastly, follow your heart.”

“And if my heart and my head say two different things?” Katie asked.

“Always go with your heart.” Her mother answered.

“What if my heart leads me down a dark path?” Katie asked again, making her mother smile.

“You still don’t listen very well. What did I just tell you?” she asked.

Katie looked down at her hands and smiled, “Always go with your heart. You realize you’re giving me conflicting advice right?” She looked up expecting to see her mother, but she was gone. “Mom?” she looked around but didn’t see her anywhere in the dark cemetery. “Momma?” When no answer came a tear slipped down her face and she wiped it away with the back of her hand.

TVDTVDTVD

The next afternoon she got a call from Alaric. “Hey, you have an extensive knowledge of the original family right?” He asked after she answered the phone.

“You could say that. Why?” she asked skeptically.

“I need your help with something.” he told her.

“I’m not helping people who don’t trust me.” She said as she shook her head and shrugged.

“I trust you.” he told her, making her feel like crying.

“You are working with Elena and Damon. You may trust me but they don’t. So it’s nothing personal but I can’t help you.”

“Okay. Never mind then.” Alaric replied then hung up.

TVDTVDTVD

After sitting around the house by herself for the most part of the day she decided she didn’t feel like being by herself. Since her friends no longer trusted her Katie went to the store, bought the three classic flavors of ice cream, Oreos, peanut butter and milk and headed to the boarding house. “Rebekah?” she called letting herself inside.

“In here.” Rebekah’s voice came from the kitchen and Katie found her sitting at the bar with a drink in her hand. “What do you want?”

“To hang out with the only friend I still have.” Katie answered as she walked around the bar and set the bags down.

“What are you talking about?” Rebekah asked with a frown.

“I’m friends with you and I didn’t tell Klaus to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. So now they believe I will do whatever it takes to get Elijah back.” Katie answered as she took the junk food out of the plastic bags. “I’m untrustworthy.” She rolled her eyes then threw the bags in the trash. “So how’s your day been?”

“Your friend Elena informed me that Klaus killed my mother.” Rebekah told her and Katie froze.

“I thought Mikael killed your mother.” Katie pointed out with a frown.

“Your friends found a cave under this town that my siblings and I used to play in. It was filled with hieroglyphics that told the story of our family including my mother’s death.” She told her.

“Damn. Sounds like you could use this more than me.” Katie said with a motion to the pints of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream.

"Ice cream?" She asked with a look at the containers.

"And Oreos with peanut butter or milk for dipping." She answered as she put the milk in the ice box.

"Do I look twelve to you?" Rebekah deadpanned.

"Okay. I'll eat it myself." Katie said with a shrug as she put her hand on top of the pint of strawberry ice cream, but Rebekah snatched it out from under her hand. Katie fought the smile that wanted to take over her lips as she grabbed two spoons out of the drawer and handed Rebekah one then grabbed the vanilla ice cream for her.

“So people really dip Oreos in peanut butter?” Rebekah asked with an indecisive face.

“Yeah, I hear it’s good, but I don’t eat Oreos.” Katie answered as she stabbed the spoon into the white ice cream. “Or any kind of chocolate for that matter.” She added as she grabbed the chocolate ice cream and stuck it in the freezer.

“What is wrong with you?” Rebekah asked, making Katie laugh because she got that reaction every time she told someone she didn’t like chocolate.

“I grew up in a house with a grandfather who didn’t allow me to eat sugar.” She explained. “By the time I got old enough to disobey him my taste buds were kind of locked in place. Vanilla and strawberry is about as sweet as I can handle.”

“Anyone ever told you you’re weird?” she asked then put a spoon full of pink ice cream in her mouth then turned the spoon upside down and pulled it out.

“All the time.” She told her then took a bite of ice cream. “So…I can’t help but wonder…what all did Elijah tell you about me after Klaus killed me?”

“He said you were wildly beautiful, hard headed, strong willed and you couldn’t cook to save your life. He also mentioned your songbird voice.” Rebekah answered and Katie smiled. “If I’m being honest I don’t get the wildly beautiful part.”

“My hair was different back then. More copper than auburn and a huge mess of tight curls.” Katie pulled up a picture of the sketch that had been drawn of her, Jonah and Ronan. “This is me/Hannah.” She turned the phone around.

“Other than the hair and lack of freckles you look the same.” Rebekah observed and Katie closed out the photo.

“This is going to sound nosy, but…”

“You want to know about his past romances.” Rebekah said with a know-it-all smile and Katie nodded. “Elijah’s only had a few romances over the last thousand years. You were one of the greatest and longest. Klaus really hurt him when he killed you.” She told her as she scooped ice cream out of the carton. “Now that I think about it, you should probably run.” She told her as they both took a bite.

Katie swallowed with a frown. “Why?”

“Because Elijah’s history with women is somewhat tragic.” Rebekah told her and Katie grabbed her ice cream and hopped up on the kitchen cabinet behind her. Rebekah looked at her through narrowed eyes. “I don’t know if I should be telling you this.”

“Please?” Katie stabbed her spoon into the ice cream. “I don’t want to be blind sided by anything when I finally get him back.”

Rebekah thought about it for a second. “Fine. The first woman I ever knew of him loving was the first doppelganger, Tatia. He and Niklaus both loved her actually.” Rebekah told her and Katie breathed in a deep breath and held it for a second before she let it out. “This displeases you?”

“Let’s just say I have a very strong dislike for the two doppelgangers I’ve met.” Katie answered, but made herself get over it because Tatia is dead. “How’d she die?”

“Our mother killed her for her blood to use in the ritual that turned us into what we are.” Rebekah answered. “I believe you’ve met his second love.” Rebekah said and Katie cocked her head to the side in confusion. “Katerina Petrova.”

“Please tell me you’re joking.” Katie said with a slightly angry tilt of her head and Rebekah shook her head no. “Is there a man alive that skank hasn’t slept with?”

“You really hate Katherine don’t you?” Rebekah asked with an amused smile.

“Hate isn’t a strong enough word.” Katie answered the hopped down off of the bar, set her ice cream on the counter and placed her palms on it for support. “Keep going please.”

“There’s only two more that I know of. A witch named Celeste who was killed because of Klaus. Then you…also killed by Klaus.” She finished and Katie was glad that there were no more doppelgangers notched into Elijah’s metaphorical bed post. “Like I said, his love life is tragic.” Rebekah noticed Katie’s face and her hand that rested on her stomach. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah I’m just…processing.” Katie answered, staring down at her ice cream.

“Hey you asked.” Rebekah laughed. “You had to know you weren’t the only one he’d ever been with.”

“It’s not the amount of women that’s bothering me.” Katie answered. “It’s the two doppelgangers.” She said then snapped out of her shock and put the lid back on her ice cream, her spoon in the dishwasher and put the ice cream container in a plastic bag to take the rest of it home. “Thank you for well, being a friend to me when I don’t have any, but I think it’s time for me to go home.” She grabbed the bag and took her keys out of her pocket as she headed to the front door.

When she opened the door she slammed into Damon. “Hey.” He pushed her back and tried to make eye contact with her but she looked down and brushed past him out the door. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Damon just leave me alone for once.” She felt him grab her hand and she tried to jerk it away, but his grip was too tight. “Let go of me.” She practically growled at him.

“Did Rebekah do something to you?” he asked.

She glared up at him. “You do not get to ask me questions. The last time I answered one you used it against me. Thanks to you I have no one.”

“You still have me.” He told her and a fire ignited behind her eyes.

“I lost you the second you got yourself involved in yet another doppelganger love triangle.” She practically spat the words at him. “Now let me go before I make you.” she told him through gritted teeth.

Damon let go of her and lifted his hands in surrender. “Just do me a favor and don’t eat another football player.”

“I’ll do whatever the hell I feel like doing.” She told him as she walked away.

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