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#Victor Creed x Norma Jeane
blankdblank · 8 months
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creedslove · 3 years
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Any thoughts on a Victor Creed x Norma Jeane pairing? (Marilyn Monroe if you didn’t know) using this pairing in a story and I seriously love it for the giant cinnamon roll. 😁
I'm so sorry honey, but I have absolutely no idea! I've never tried pairing up Victor with anyone outside the fictional world or a character that wasn't OC, so I really have no clue, but I'd be very curious to hear your thoughts on it :)
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blankdblank · 1 year
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Brother Dearest Ch 125.
Here’s the next chapter. Continuing the saga against the ever ominous Shadow. Hope you guys enjoy and as always feedback is welcome so I know that I’m not scaring anyone off. :)
Masterlist
All –
@jesevans​,  @theincaprincess​, @lilith15000, @devilishminx328​​​​
X Marvel-Cast - @theincaprincess​​
Brother Dearest -
@swoopswishsward
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blankdblank · 2 years
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Brother Dearest Ch 97
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Read Here to see who isn’t as dead as he was assumed. :)
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blankdblank · 2 years
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Brother Dearest Pt 79
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Wails of what some may claim to be of an inhuman nature quite commonly haunted the streets of Brooklyn as they did in every other city throughout the world. Wails of mothers who would be given flags and medals for their sacrificed sons and those dubbed missing in action. Proof that even when this war did end there was no winning involved not marred by this insurmountable pain for those families and those dear to them.
The Barnes home in the early hours of the day began the first of two stops. Noted as missing by the telegram in the hands of the two uniformed soldiers sent to deliver the message his mother’s wails and tears would never be forgotten by her young daughters Benji and Bernie who huddled in their room they had been ushered to at sight of who had come over. Two girls who had seen the worry on people’s faces as one question lingered from those they sat near to in Mass. Where was Bunny Rogers?
Steve had been widely known by everyone in town to have run off and join the war and on news of a Canadian school Eddie had moved with her to the northern neighbor of this country to be her guardian had melded into news of a Nursing degree and draft notice for Eddie. Up to the front line orphans had been rumored to be sent since no one would be missing them. And the fifteen year old girl on the cusp of sixteen who had been abandoned over a year prior had more than her fair share of worry from the town that could have stepped in earlier but didn’t to spare her this fate. No one knew how the Canadian Forces worked in comparison to theirs except for the Brocks up there who had been through it in the First World War who tried to keep their family in Brooklyn up to date with what little they had and would be told.
.
Down the road in Alberta eyes followed the telling black car from the War Offices there that came to a stop outside of the door to the home of your listed next of kin. Before they could knock out on the front porch they were met by a frightened stare on the woman who accepted the telegram. “This is the Brock residence, correct?”
“Yes,” she replied in a means to be calm with a trembling voice. “Is Eddie hurt?”
“No ma’am not to our knowledge, our notice today actually is in regards to Nurse Jaqiearae Pear.” Her mouth fell slack and he continued, “According to our reports the base they were assigned to was attacked.” Over her mouth her hand moved to muffle the sounds she assumed herself to be making but were entirely in her mind and heart. “Out of the Nurses there she is the only one not accounted for. It is with grave duty that we have to share that she has been marked as captured by the enemy.”
All she could do was shake her head and accept the telegram and head inside to collapse onto the couch. While the three men at home gravely accepted the message and reluctantly parted ways with the Soldiers and went inside to help soothe the upset members of their family so that one of them might be calm enough to share the news with Mama Brock back in Brooklyn.
.
“She’s barely sixteen!” Mama Brock almost screeched through the line at the word for word reading of the telegram. That was copied down by one of the guys when to her terrified tears and shrill wail that she poured all her pain into at the presumed loss of her adopted youngest daughter she was lost to the world around her for a good while.
Every Brock in the state came over and heard the grave news that had them all solemnly seated on every surface open including the ground when others had run out. Locked together with hands clasped in prayer for their youngest lost member who required so much protection in these troubling times, breaking only when the Priest on a return trip to speak with the Barnes brood to lighten their sunken spirits came to see what had been the trouble only to leave downhearted himself.
No one knew what the Germans could want with a sixteen year old Nurse. And they had to pray so hard to keep thoughts centered on that you were taken to be a Nurse and nothing more sinister. Someone high ranked was injured and you were the one they could catch off guard and bind to take to some remote home and watch over the wounded villain. You were safe and respected and well fed surrounded by military personnel with maps and weapons you could steal and break free to find the other soldiers. To find Eddie. They had to think that, you had the top marks in the degree you earned on a fast track to be eligible to move with Eddie, surely that would make you the most likely to be taken as a personal Nurse. Surely they wouldn’t have to worry, some obscure letter would arrive home one day asking for funds and a ticket under your alias. Some day you would be home with them again unscathed.
Lost for months little word had been able to be granted to anyone until a letter had elated shrieks in its being forwarded from the relatives in Canada that shared with it news from Eddie himself that Bunny was with him. Proven more so by a picture that the relatives had been given weeks later of planes that had been brought down. “She’s alive and safe and is a Medic now. We mailed a picture the War Office brought us. She’s built some sort of weapon that can tear planes from the sky and a suit for Eddie that protects him from gunfire.” Tears flowed and when that picture was received everyone in the family got more than a few minutes to cling to that image as if that could transfer a mental hug across the world to their duo lost in the wind.
.
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Two stops this time American uniformed Soldiers were the bearers of bad news who first stopped at the cathedral where Father Thomas spotted them right off and turned from his task of straightening up the pews to approach the duo most likely in great need of counsel. “How might I help you gentlemen?” he asked upon reaching a few feet away from them.
“We are here to see a Father Thomas,” one said after reading the name on the sheet in hand again.
“You have found him. What is this concerning?” He asked and looked the duo over in their joint draw of breath for the second to speak.
“We have a notice for you about a Steven Grant Rogers.”
“For me? Is he injured?”
“While the mission is classified, Private Rogers in defense of the country managed to infiltrate a plane loaded with explosives aimed for home soil and brought it down. He died a hero.”
“Steve, Steven is dead?”
“Yes, Sir,” they both stated with firm nods to Father Thomas’ reeling pause to stare at the wall lost for what to do and how to send word to you particularly.
“He killed himself, you are certain of that? He is dead?”
“Yes, Sir. While there are no remains to return home to you we do have a copy of the paperwork and death notice including the next of kin form that he left all of his belongings to you.”
“Me?” the Priest asked then looked over the sheet and shook his head, “This can’t be right.”
The first Soldier spoke again and stated, “We do apologize for your loss, but Private Rogers is gone.”
“No, no,” Father Thomas stated with a shake of his head, “This sheet doesn’t mention his sister.” That furrowed the brows on the pair and he said, “He has a sister, and she, gets nothing? The apartment, his bank account…” he shook his head staring at the paper as the soldiers looked at one another, “He was all she had left and he kills himself and left everything to the church through me.”
The pair did shift their weight on their feet and Father Thomas asked forcing those rambling astonished thoughts form his mind, “Am I the only one you are in town to see?”
“No,” the second answered with a clear of his throat, “We are off to see the Barnes family.”
“They found James?”
“No,” they said glumly and Father Thomas nodded and pocketed his paperwork he folded in quarters.
“I will go with you. Mrs Barnes will not take this well, her husband has been doing poorly since word of their son’s capture.” They nodded and were glad for the person to give them the all clear when they had shared all the news they had at his signal to let them flee the terrible task under watch of so many people in the streets and buildings above. True to his fear Mr Barnes would not last the month and one funeral was now followed by a second with more surely to follow.
.
There was no right he had to keep that inheritance and Father Thomas made a much needed stop to the Brock household first thing the next morning. Gravely stoic he was welcomed inside and offered a drink he downed and took hold of a refill handed to him that he set down to speak his piece. “I came to inquire news on Bunny Rogers.”
Gina asked, “We haven’t heard anything since the letter a few weeks back we shared with you. What is this about?”
“The soldiers yesterday came to tell me that Steve killed himself.” Their jaws dropped and he said bringing out the papers from his pocket, “And apparently left everything he had to me and the church. Her name is nowhere on this form anywhere, they had no clue he had a sister, they assumed I was related to him.”
Gina’s husband asked, “He killed himself?”
“There was a plane loaded with explosives he crashed it himself before it could get to home soil, so they say. There are no remains to return, same as the Barnes boy on some train accident.” He wet his lips and said, “But you know where Bunny is, or where she will return to, so I would like to hand ownership and care over her inheritance to your family or I will have to hand it all to the church. The other Priests agree with this decision. It would not be just to steal all of her things away as her brother so callously intended.” He paused after their prompt agreement of the plan and said, “I was wondering if you might join me in a prayer over his grave on Saturday.” At their confusion he clarified, “The government is paying for the plot and headstone, I have a suspicion Bunny would like something said. No matter their troubles for him to cherish and accept her love. There will be no service in the church, just a few words over the gravesite when the headstone is installed.”
Mama Brock let out a breath and said, “For Bunny, we will be there.”
“Thank you. All of this is rather unsettling. We may find comfort in that she is safe with Eddie.” Word still outside the family hadn’t been passed on that Bunny had been listed as captured, merely that the hospital had been attacked. No one else had heard about the rumored weapon and suit for Eddie. And so when the town over the Mass that night heard about the loss of that wandering child’s only living relative had taken himself out of this world even in service of others that hollow set of spoken words over that empty grave plot had a larger crowd to pay respect to the one he had left behind. Sentiments that carried over to the cathedral to pray for that lost child and anyone that had been lost or was still overseas in this terrible war.
 *.*.*
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P.O.W. The letters stamped across the top image of the photographed redacted file Hydra had managed to slip an agent into the file room to capture images of the ridiculously blacked out hefty file that filled several rolls of film to print and send for the Winter Soldier’s files. Had he the originals there were tools to read those blacked out lines, but left to the photographs the little available had him puzzled just as the Hydra agents had been.
The only assumption being that he might have crossed paths with the Baroness and had seen a hint of what the weapon she made was and how to make another one or in the least another suit lie the one she had made her brother. Children of a Nurse and a Janitor from Alberta, Canada with little else to add to their history beyond that for any to guess where that knowledge had come from. Across the wall a new pair of maps sat with circled locations of her homes near Alberta and in Brooklyn, aside from that Columbia University and the location of the book publisher where the mentioned photography book the Baroness had been credited. Locations that would come in handy later on when he was free.
Mission after mission were detailed along with notice of the final order to head to Buckingham Palace as requested by King George himself. Medals were detailed along with notes on searches carried out upon the belongings brought onto the ship taking the group home that no weapon or suit were located. No mention of where they had been disposed of cold be located while in transport and was met with clearly irritated notes from those hoping to have brought them to be transformed to defense systems on home soil outside of the war.
The latest papers now had a round belly on the expert weapon builder that proved to him at least the frog hoax was staged and was a sure signal to him alone in all of the chaos it brought on. He had been asleep a good while and could tell they had searched his things for who knows what but didn’t seem to take anything when he rearranged things into their proper order. Again he had no clue where he had gone when he had woken up and yet the usual talk with his phantom friend and he was told what he had been forced to forget. Another stranger dead at his hands for the whims of those who ran this place. And all he could think of was where his Jack Rabbit might be hiding out until he got home. True now after this he doubted it could be the same, especially after all the time he had been and would be away.
But he always had an image of someplace green as far as the eye could see. Another minor memory on a trip that had been taken. Those same voices from that memory of fetching her to return to the party were on the beach into the trees barefoot he crept from the sand into the grass in search of her. She wasn’t on the beach and between a group of trees he found her crouched down inspecting the curious band of pheasant chicks with their mother and aunts. Always there was some other world she seemed to be off in and every time he found her it was something that puzzled him for the allure of it and yet that peaceful expression on her face seemed to stir something deep in his belly he didn’t understand.
Bits and pieces his life with her was coming back and on the surface outside of here there was a bond, it was just everything surrounding that he ached to know and recall before he could break free and find just where his Jack Rabbit was hiding. There was a clue as to where. He just had to use his time here to uncover just what that was. He had to remain focused on his goal and remain strong to keep focused so he was ready to defend her at any moment if he would eventually be found out when he did escape. At least then they would be together and things might not seem so hopeless when clues were few and far between, or just far too vague for him to catch onto right now for his fractured memory to grasp onto.
 *.*.*
Laid out on your side with a creeping grin in the shade over the back courtyard atop a pile of comforters with eyes fixed on Marigold you relaxed between her amusing game of easing back and forth on her hands and knees pressing kisses to your cheek to Leanora’s place behind your head with both hands in your hair. Amused beyond words with elated giggles in the springy nature of each curl that had Victor smile in his place across from you with Nova in hand helping her to bounce on her feet making her giggle to his try to help her stretch her legs making sure each of your girls were progressing to their next milestones. Belinda and Aurora were in your parents’ arms being aided to their own gleeful bounces and stretch of arms and hands while James and Eddie helped Erik to pack some things he wanted to take with him to Brooklyn.
Four signings like the last time were managed throughout Canada along with a sendoff party to the end of productions to Howard’s film in a series of brief flights and drives to gather more press to add to your collections. A brief blip of freedom was to be had for now for the whole of August until the September move back to the big city full of noise and people who were clamoring to get a glimpse of your girls.
Namely the Brocks, who already those in Canada had come by and snuck Eddie’s Pop over for a full weekend stay before he had to move on again to his hideaway. Never more eager to see just how beyond words your precious girls were. He absolutely loved you and deeply regretted having to miss your wedding so this was beyond acceptable to miss. His lovely adopted baby Brock. He didn’t have as much time with you as the others, but he didn’t need it to bond so deeply with you as Eddie had from afar without a word between you when he’d chosen to bring you into the clan. Teddy and Marigold barely had left his arms his whole stay and explained why he was nodding off against your curled up legs and she took her turn with you as well after having focused on each of her aunts and uncles as if to say sorry for being away so long.
Norma from inside came out smiling as she said, “Everything is planned for when we get back. I have another two auditions set for pictures the company wants me to try for. Get my image back on track, according to them. And I called Mama Brock, through her we have settled, Tuesday after we get back we have the Christening booked for your girls. Father Thomas is very excited to have it done and there will be a whole family luncheon after like with our girls and I know Teddy had.”
Her eyes lowered to yours between Marigold’s kisses and then shifted to her daughter who began to fluff your curls up with her hands. “Oh, Sunshine.”
You giggled saying, “Oh it’s fine. Kids always go for the hair.”
Herc out of the greenhouse flashed you a bit of mint and said with a smile, “Found some mint for that nursing cream you asked for.”
“Thank you. Don’t know why it’s just kicking in now, four months later.”
Herc smiled answering, “Perfectly normal. Were you decided on a time to wean the girls off milk?”
“Well we’ve usually picked around six months to start on solids. Dawn got to nearly nine months before she used salts for her milk with Goldie. Is there a good number I should aim for?”
“Whenever you feel comfortable, nine months fully off would be a perfectly comfortable number to aim for.” He answered with a creeping smile, “It is always up to comfort of the mother.”
You nodded and said, “That would be in December, would it be better after winter is over?”
“Should you decide on December then we will have the pears still to aid in their immune system strength should others in town begin to get sick.” You nodded and in the sweep of your eyes over him he said, “And I can still drop by as often as you welcome. When you were a child I did attend Mass to keep close, I could again for weekly checks or just to let you know there’s spare hands around if you need them?”
“Whatever you’d be comfortable with. I would think the clinic would want to get a few checks in. Ambrose was talking about us maybe going in together for baby check ups with her girl. At least to calm the Doctor and Sisters down. Certainly wouldn’t want you to feel you couldn’t come over for meals or visits when you feel up to company, even outside of being our Doctor.”
“I would never feel that, you make me feel very much family and I can imagine the city will be quite tiring to return to.”
You nodded after stealing your own kiss on Marigold’s cheek making her giggle, “I did think that it would be hard to go back.” After a moment you asked, “When does the, hearing heartbeats start for them?”
“Around puberty. Although mortals will be prone to staring.”
“I didn’t like that part, myself.”
Victor chuckled and Herc did as well, “None of us do. We are magnets for attention. And I know that the city will be a trial to find comfortable strides in again to return to studies and those social circles.”
While Norma lifted her daughter in her arms to settle down beside Victor with a smile at her daughter and yours then looked as you did to Elliot in his stroll into the courtyard with mail in hand with the twins behind him. “You have a letter from Alberta Community College.”
“Should be my transcript,” you answered accepting the paper to lay back welcoming Marigold to climb onto your chest as you opened the envelope and smiled reading over what it said to yourself.
 ‘History – 4
History
Humanities .Social Science. - 3
Economics
Area of Study for specialty degree
Art History
2 Art History class - 12
Religion - 6
Bio/Chemical/Physical Sciences
Anatomy and physiology – 6
Geography - 6
Humanities
Anthropology - 6
Political science - 6
Government - 6
Education
Communication - 6
Engineering
X - 12
 Free Electives –
2 Art History class – 6’
“Not bad, these just leave two credits for Mathematics, two for Science and Technology, nine free credits, and for my specialty degrees, six for Humanities, six for Health Sciences, 12 for Mathematics, and 32 for Science and Technology on my schedule. Not counting the Photography club and paper for my Art History degree.”
Elliot smiled saying, “I knew you would finish these degrees in style.”
Victor smiled, “We all knew you’d ace your classes.”
“Well it’s 120 credits by next summer break and 30-64 for Masters degrees and another 30 on top of that to get the final round. It’s a good deal of time away.”
“None of that now,” Jeff said.
Beau added, “Exactly, you have all of us.”
“I know. Just, with the whole Cold War, I can’t think of what might happen. Or how I could convince them to retire me from the Army.”
Victor smirked saying, “Murder is always the easiest way, when you can vanish, so I’m sure we could come up with something casual enough to not land jail time, but let them know you can’t be in uniform anymore.” He said making you smirk and simply turn your focus to Marigold until she tried to ease down to go play in the garden and chase some butterflies that had flown by leaving you to cuddle with Teddy until it was time to head in and start lunch and get in another round of feedings.
Pt 80
All –
@sherala007​, @mariannetora​​, @jesgisborne​, @knitastically​, @catthefearless​​, @theincaprincess​, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000​​, @alishlieb​​,
Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​
X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers​, @theincaprincess​​
Brother Dearest - 
@thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam
​​, 
@swoopswishsward
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blankdblank · 2 years
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Brother Dearest Pt 83
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“Tub coming up,” you said widening grins of the work crews who watched you following Erik with his pair of toilets he guided to the bathrooms on the upper floors they were meant for. The pair of you helping to get the heftier appliances and countertops up flawlessly and without damage for the Canadian crews from your town that would ensure their install went just as seamlessly.
Teddy on his feet watched Eddie mid finalizing screw on the groove on the wall for the second of his rolling doors for the boy’s closet while you hovered the tub through his bedroom to his own bathroom. Gradually the home was coming together and your nephew was beginning to make the best of the change and namely the fact he got to choose colors for everything. Around the floor he would follow his father trying to understand what each empty room was that would one day be filled with collected furniture for the place yet to be shipped from Canada. Their home was surely to be completed by New Years and that would grant some much needed space for everyone.
He certainly wasn’t psychic but there was a familiar feeling he had gotten between Teddy and Marigold that his family would be expanding somehow. Even if it was puppies or some kittens from Mr Whiskers who next to the boy was watching him work the home was required. And odd dreams be damned he knew by combining main floors and adding archways to connect the higher ones he could silence doubt of abandoning his baby sister. “I miss you,” again the words repeated in his mind from his latest odd dream of oceans between you and him. Soft and frail in Irish and clearly absurd as in his dream he was off in some whirlwind romance novel of a vacation with Dawn while you were still back in that pantry of a bedroom. Not his first dream like this and surely a reoccurring thing from when he felt you might be able even for a second feel alone. He hated this feeling but he knew that between that dream and others reminding him of your injuries back in the war he would prefer this irritation each and every time.
Just meeting Corporal Winters again had him wonder at which nightmare he would wake in a cold sweat to the ghostly sound of bloody gurgled gasps of air and yet he awoke to this new oddity. Progress, he hoped. That he was healing as you seemed to be, after the war, the doubts, the fears, new beginnings and painful blows from the world around you. There were so many whispers and shouted comments from those who hadn’t the first clue on what your lives involved to get here to wade through and ignoring them all was impossible. But he hoped that instead of seeing who you both were dirty, starving, terrified kids trying to survive that bloody indelible stained five years that he could instead dwell on more common irritating doubts and fears concerning the both of you.
Something about that meeting had him on edge. And it wasn’t an uncommon thing as the headlines on the paper you had read of a group of cops being killed on a trip to the beach had you and every man on your block readying for the usual roundup of ‘suspects’ until they read the witness pegged the culprit as black and oddly in a suit for the evening bonfire. It was never easy when stories like that hit, before the war he was amongst teens and young men drug into the station for lineups when an easy pool of ‘criminals’ was required. After all drunks and criminals was what the long standing American families were told your people were. Every immigrant community had their own pattern of how to avoid the rumors and lies about their people, some better than others, and some never escaped them with just their families to know their true selves aside from what the world was told they were.
“How’s that, little bear?” he asked with a grin turning on his step off the stool he’d brought, burying his fears his son would be treated as he had when he was older.
Teddy nodded and moved closer luring Mr Whiskers to stand and stroll over to the would be sitting room to look around in shared wonder for what it could be. A bark from Olive out back had his fur puff up a moment until he heard the bird the puppy was in a bounding circle to alert Victor in the kitchen that it had fallen out of the tree. “What is it?” Teddy asked and his dad chuckled coming over to point out where the furniture would go and what it would be.
“It’s a sitting room.”
Teddy’s brows furrowed, “Where we sit?”
“Like the flower room in our place now, except this one will have some book shelves maybe. Could be a reading room.”
“But books move,” Teddy said making his dad chuckle and nod.
“Yes they do. When they come in we will have comfy chairs and couches and it will be nice and quiet where someone can read.”
“So, we sit and read here?” The boy asked to the loop of his arm across Mr Whisker’s back in his circle of the boy after his curious lap in the room. “No toys, or food, or playing?”
Eddie smiled wider saying, “It’s our home Teddy Bear, toys, food and playing are welcome everywhere. Within reason. One more door to do then we can have lunch.”
Teddy nodded and followed his father who held the stool and bag of tools in pace with the cat beside him, “Where is the reason room?” Making his dad’s smile widen at the impossible question. “Is it a big room?”
“That, is a complicated answer.” Eddie said glancing over his shoulder making sure he wasn’t moving too fast to leave him behind and confused as to where he was going.
“Compli-kitty…” Teddy repeated and then smiled at the cat beside him looping his arms around his shoulders and chest, “Room for cats!” Eddie bit his lip to not argue with the boy on a level of a play of words to his son’s stating, “You get a room too, Whiskers!”
The cat gave a meow rubbing against him in the hug and continued walking with him to the next room that would be their own library that Eddie would use for his writing sources and things related to his job to not clutter your shelves just off what he had chosen as his writing office. Dawn already was here with her head cocked to the side as James helped to finish the final strip of wallpaper they’d chosen. Firm slides across it got all the possible air bubbles out and at the wooden paneling up the lower half of the wall he made certain it was smooth and flawless like the rest of the room. When she noticed the company she smiled at them and asked, “You like it?”
“Nope. I love it,” he accentuated with a kiss and turned to set down his stool and install his rolling doors.
James when he dropped the slider tool into his bag of supplies said, “Now that’s done, I’m off for a diaper check and to get started on lunch. His smile spread, “Blending some green beans and potatoes for the girls today.”
“Ooh,” Eddie said with a chuckle as the smiling father passed him and the watching pair by on his way to see to his own family. “Don’t forget the camera today, first potato helping can’t go un-captured.”
“Oh I won’t.” He hummed leaving Dawn to pick up Teddy and hear his thoughts on everything he’d seen so far in their home on his way to the stairs for the few flights down to where his girls were napping. “There you are Darling,” he rumbled in watch of you changing your third diaper which he collected to go clean off and add to the soaking bucket to be washed later that night in the usual pattern every other day to keep the ready amount of diapers high now that solid foods were coming more into their diets. When he got there Victor grinned with the freshly dumped soaking bucket he had flushed the liquid from and used the sink to rinse the diapers there off and ring them out. On the counter the sizzling pot of boiled water when James added his trio to the bucket was poured in the bucket.
“I am glad we sprung for that washer. Girls and Teddy have barely had any rashes like how older ones used to cause.”
Victor chuckled saying, “I don’t remember any of our babies having rashes. Other families had them because they left it to nannies and the help. We never let our babies stay wet for long if we could help it.” When the pot was emptied and James used the metal long handled tongs on the counter to stir the diapers he then covered to let it sit in the warm water he added a bit of bleach to from the bottle left nearby. “I do like the bleach though, better than our old neighbors leaving stained ones to dry. Neighbors never complain here when we hang ours to dry.”
“Reminds me, how was the bird?”
“Oh, good, hit a branch on the way down just stunned it,” the pair went up after washing their hands in the sink to get started on lunch. “Jaqi’s bees seem happy, Norma got the bushes to perk up a bit and we’ve got the winter burrowing spot marked off for them to hide them and their queen inside for winter. Give them a good couple months of pollen gathering while they still can. Looks like we might have two rivaling hives now that Luke down the block bragged he smashed the hive in his yard, second took up Eddie’s yard. No fighting yet though by what I can tell.”
“I think they’re just happy we don’t kill them, doubt they’d fight if they crossed paths.”
“Well we’ll keep an ear out for troubles.” Already in the kitchen Marigold and Leanora were teetering around while Norma readied a pair of bottles with juice in them. All around the table the family gathered for the meal while the crew finished off the plumbing hook ups for the final fixtures of the day before their own lunch break.
Back to focus on the home Eddie and Dawn went while you sat looking over the latest collection of developed photographs Victor had brought down. All around you on the floor the three older babies crawled and tottered around in their own focused games while the younger trio rested against the propped up legs of you and James and bellies. Each who reached out to touch the images between giggles to stolen kisses on their cheeks and heads. These weren’t of your family, no these were the latest from Eddie’s investigation that you were looking over and making notes on your notepad of all you could make of each image to help him out as usual. Mainly just notes of journals from the crew unknowingly being stalked that again was trying at a new try to fix their acid rain machine, having clearly seen that there was a problem with the original. Another failure but growing closer to something that could be close to testable you would have to stop before they got that chance.
 *
“You’re not gonna believe me when I tell you.”
“Don’t give me that,” the seasoned lawyer said eyeing his bruised up client who fidgeted with his cuffed wrist on the metal table in the jail conference room in which they were speaking surrounded by several guards invested in ensuring this prisoner in particular did not get any leniency or chance to escape. “I need you to be honest with me. Where were you day before yesterday?”
“Baroness Bunny Pear Howlett. My family and I, we ran into her after her book signing. She invited us for lunch. She took our picture. Said she’d mail it to us.” Raised eyebrows had him say, “I told you, you wouldn’t believe me. Detectives didn’t either.”
*
.
Lowly on the front steps of the stoop he was directed to said seasoned lawyer with a puff of air to calm down stood fidgeting his hand on the handle of his briefcase. Ignoring the chatter of the neighbors on the street who watched him step out of the taxi that drove off leaving him here muttering about it being his funeral for asking to come to this part of town. This was beyond stupid to come here, but for his client he had to ensure he was being told the truth and with how this town had cleared the dockets to ensure this would be a swift trial to honor the fallen policemen and bring justice to their killer. To the sound of the bell he heard dogs inside and a round of steps that came closer to the front door.
The metal knob turned and behind the door a tall dark haired teen in slacks with an open vest over his shirt came into view gaining a nod from him as he said in an accented greeting, “Hello.”
“Good Afternoon, I was wondering if I might be able to have a word the Baroness Pear Howlett.”
“Oh, did you meet in the service too?” Erik asked adjusting his fingers on the doorknob noticing the spike of the visitor’s already fast paced heartbeat.
“No, um, I am a lawyer, Thurgood Marshall. I have questions regarding a client of mine.”
“Oh, come inside then.” Mr Marshall stepped inside past him in his step aside and eyed the door being shut behind him as he removed his hat. Erik flashed him a quick grin, “They’re in the living room.” The sound of workers finishing off some more tasks had him glance through the surprisingly large front room thanks to the removed dividing wall on his path behind his guide.
“Jaqi, you have a visitor, says he has some questions about a client of his for you.” Erik said when he entered the doorway luring all eyes to him and the guest.
“Hello,” you said to the clearly frightened guest hoping to keep his calm demeanor in your presence.
“Hello, Ma’am, my name is Thurgood Marshall,” he named himself with another nod of his head uncertain of how precisely to greet a Baroness.
Sharply you drew in a breath, “Yes, we read about your last case, well done.”
“Thank, thank you, Ma’am.” He drew in a breath and sat in the chair you gestured a hand to beside the spot on the floor you were currently seated upon, “Thank you. My client was arrested yesterday and since the courts are speeding things along I wasn’t able to call ahead as I usually do, trial opens tomorrow. To the meat of the problem, my client Franklin Winters says he ran into you day before yesterday.”
“Yes, we invited him and his family to lunch.”
“I,” in a quick puff of air Mr Marshall looked down to Teddy’s place now at his legs offering him a cookie from the plate on the table. “Thank you,” he said accepting the cookie from the little boy that giggled and teetered back to his game then looked to you again with his same perplexed expression.
“Would you like some coffee?” Victor asked and gained a stammered nod.
“Yes, yes please. Coffee, coffee would help.”
He looked to you ask you asked, “What did they arrest Mr Winters for?”
“Well, they said he was the colored man who was seen at the beach for the police bonfire murder case.”
“Oh I can tell this is brilliant sleuthing detectives all over it, let me guess, Ramshell or that Dirk,” Eddie came into the room and with brows raised locked eyes on you when you asked him, “Who’s that Dirk nimrod again who tried to get you for arson back in ‘37?”
“Nimrock, actually, but close enough. I think he retired few years back.” He came to join you on the couch behind you accepting hold of the girl in your arms asking, “What’s this about?” Watching you add the picture in your hand to the pile on the coffee table to raise up to sit on the couch beside Eddie and James who was seated sideways and moved his feet for you to fit comfortably.
“Corporal Winters was picked up for that beach murder.”
Eddie scoffed and stood up saying, “I’ll be back,” lifting his niece a bit higher in his arms to walk upstairs confusing Mr Marshall as to where he was going.
The Lawyer looked your way as you asked, “Let me guess, no proof at all?”
“No, they questioned him most of last night, couldn’t get a word out of him aside from his saying he was with you,”
“Which they laughed off I bet.” James said earning a nod from the lawyer.
“How, um, if I may, how do you know Mr Winters. I mean, why would you invite him here? Does a relative work for you?”
“No, he took a shot to the neck back in the war I patched up his artery.”
“Oh,” the stunned lawyer stated with brows raised a moment and lips puckered at the end of the utterance.
“We ran into him and his family on the street, in an unfriendly part of town so we invited them here for lunch to talk without an audience. They had copies of my books and we talked about portraits and we took a picture together and one of their family when his daughter mentioned she always wanted one to have to hang up in their home.”
Victor returned with coffee for him and a cup of tea for you with a tray of snacks to offer the guest who to your notice didn’t feel any more at ease the longer he sat with you all hearing that you all had spoken with the family and had the pictures as proof of the meeting. He should have felt relaxed. But given the treatment of his daily encounters with a majority of citizens of this country for his complexion alone complete acceptance of his place here and not a single flinch or second glance when the child had approached him had the man almost eager to leave this odd family to get back to his cruel reality outside those doors. He had accepted the offer to borrow your phone to call a cab and in the wait held the brim of his hat and fidgeted hold on his briefcase handle to the group of adults all peering up at him in his return. “I suppose the only thing left to do is to ask, if any of you might be willing to corroborate the alibi in open court.”
“We’ll be there,” you and the guys answered to Norma’s nod and Dawn’s try at a comforting smile to the man who stood at the sound of a horn outside from the cab. Handshakes from the men and an escort to the door found him finally back in the open and with a pointed gaze from the brothers the taxi driver took the fare wherever he was told to go in thought that he might be tasked with something important for your family.
.
“I can’t believe they arrested him,” you muttered again climbing into bed with James for the night where he wrapped around you. “For a country founded in the supposed ideal of liberty and justice we don’t see a good deal of it in court.”
“Well, takes time. Black lawyer, when me and Vic were kids wouldn’t have heard of that ever even in fiction books outside of takes on tribal law.”
“He was scared today.”
“Yes he was,” James sighed easing his arms more around your back as you nestled into his side to the sound of your girls in their nursery releasing slumbering sighs and grunts to their dreams. “Didn’t see much civility before he came on his way over I bet.”
“You know I thought living in this building and block would keep people from assuming I was some sort of,”
“Noble?” You propped your chin on his shoulder and he leaned in to steal a lingering kiss and stroked his nose against yours humming after, “We’ll do what we can to get him out of jail.”
“I hate this so much. Even seeing police drive down the street I can still hear the knocks, asking who is home…” again he pulled you closer and in your try to force those memories back he closed his eyes to try and join you when you fell asleep. So far from how he grew up the authorities until he ran away were always helpful for his status, and it wasn’t until he and Victor traveled the world with nothing but a couple days clothes, journals and some food that they started to see how all walks of life were considered by those higher on the power chain. On this block however he could see why families like the Brocks took up professions like they did to look after their people when justice was sparse for those without loaded pocket books. And now a man whose life you saved was at risk and even highly ranked through marriage and fame there was little promise that telling the truth could free him from what the mob was after.
 .
Loud and hate filled the courtroom grew louder as Mr Winters was escorted in, obviously beaten in his hunched position and by his swollen face and hands proven he was hit by something like a club. All over his torso and limbs you could sense pockets of blood forming bruises and welts hidden by his wrinkled brown suit his family that filled the bench beside your family who were glad to have some sort of buffer between you and others. More from his platoon and others from Harlem who you had passed filled the five rows behind you and silently you sent away the guards who tried to get you to move and sit on one of the white sections of pews.
Across the top of your handbag on your lap your nails tapped through the opening greetings and statement from the Judge who named the case and its details then asked, “Are both sides ready to proceed?”
Thurgood Marshall stood and stated, “No Your Honor.” Prosecution scoffed and he continued, “Your Honor I move to have this case dismissed, my client has an alibi for that evening.”
The Judge in the raucous chatter of the audience looked to the Prosecution asking, “Was there any merit to the alibi?”
“No. Your Honor, there is no way the suspect was where he stated he was at the time.”
Thurgood Marshall said, “My client has an alibi and several people to corroborate if you would allow me to call the first of them to prove that?”
The Judge looked to the Prosecution as he stated, “Your Honor clearly he is grandstanding in hopes of delaying the inevitable.”
“Your Honor my client has the right to a just trial. Unless this courthouse was built for the process of sentencing innocent men to death or life in prison without a single shred of evidence against them.”
The statement formed accusation was enough to have the Judge furrow his brows a moment and state flatly to keep from growling his response, “Call your witness. My record is proof in itself that everyone gets a fair shake here, boy.”
Keeping his eye contact he stated, “Defense calls Baroness Pear Howlett to the stand.”
Confusion swept through the room and you gave Mrs Winter’s arm beside yours a gentle pat and up you stood luring eyes to you that once you reached the aisle a hush fell over the room and the expression on the Prosecution’s face fell from its smug assumption that any witness would be easy to crack. Each heeled step you took up to the stand past Mr Marshall and Winters echoed to the scribble of journalists in the front row noting the mint colored dress with three quarter sleeves with black buttons down the front to match your kitten pumps and handbag. Down your back your long braid settled from its sway as you faced the guard who swore you in and guided you onto the stand where you looked from Mr Marshall who said, “If you would kindly state your name for the record, Baroness?”
“Jaqiearae Pear Howlett, but everyone calls me Bunny.” You answered and gained a nod from him as the recorder copied down your spelling to your first name as requested.
Then you looked to the Prosecution as he said, “Your Honor, we have yet to question the Baroness, might if we open with that?”
“Mr Marshall?” the Judge asked and he motioned his hands at his sides.
“No objection, Your Honor.” And took his seat adjusting his coat and tie as he did watching the Prosecution smugly adjust his own tie and fasten his jacket in his stroll around his table to flash you a grin.
“Baroness, I know this must be quite a shock, and perhaps, I am certain that you have not been told the entire truth in this matter to lure you here. So allow me to summarize. This fellow here, Franklin Winters upon being apprehended and questioned has stated that he was in your home.” In his pacing circle in front of you stole a pointed gaze to the Defense table and turned back to you with a supposed sympathetic gaze to garner your favor. “Which I know what you are thinking at that statement,”
“Doubtful,” you said causing his brow to twitch as Mr Marshall reigned in his feeling to smirk at your straight faced utterance.
“A young mother, just having returned home from a lengthy recovery to a strained birth and adjusting to motherhood there is no believable way that you would allow any colored man into your home that has not been fully vetted for your employment. Surely you must have staff already and with his work history as a busboy in some excuse of a jazz club in Harlem there is no use for him within the household of such a family as yours. Now I merely am here now to grant you the chance to set the record straight on your own evening so that this criminal,” he said pointing at Mr Winters, “Cannot tarnish your reputation any longer. What was your evening comprised of, Baroness?”
“I had just gotten out of my second book signing event and my husband and I were on our way home when our paths crossed with Corporal Winters and his family.”
The Prosecution’s chin tilted up as people in the crowd murmured at the rank you had named, “Pardon me, you know his rank? His lawyer surely told you his rank when you spoke.”
“I know his rank because I pulled fragments of a bullet out of his neck when I was in Europe during the war.”
He scoffed and said, “Your Honor, surely you cannot believe that a female Medic would ever treat-,”
“Just because you believe blacks to be inferior to you does not negate the oath I took as a Medic to treat all men in uniform.” His mouth had dropped open and murmurs were hushed in the crowd by the Judge’s gavel. “The artery in his neck was severed almost completely, I repaired it with a needle and a votive candle in the church we encountered the # infantry of the Colored Forces while my men handled the end of the skirmish we had come across on our way to our objective. When his artery was repaired I applied gauze and moved onto the lacerations and shrapnel in his chest. If you require more proof I can draw from memory the scars across his chest I noticed while patching him up.”
“Surely that would be circumstantial,” he scoffed again, “Your Honor, there is no proof this occurred-,”
“We published an account of it in one of the editions of my comic book series.” Mr Marshall raised a copy of the comic from his bag he had gone and purchased a copy from the large supply of issues with colored characters shops in Harlem stocked up on.
The Judge motioned his hand and Mr Marshall escorted it over to the judge stating, “Published two years ago.” Then went back to his seat as the Judge looked through the issue and did point out the event did occur how you stated it.
“Your Honor, it’s a comic book!” The Prosecution scoffed again.
“I will allow this,” the Judge stated to you next, “Mr Winters is recorded as a Corporal in this issue and his infantry is noted as well. You have a loose familiarity, I presume he approached you to thank you?”
“Partly, his son Benjamin also wanted to know if what we wrote was what occurred and asked for an autograph, same as his wife Henrietta and his daughter Ruby who asked for the same in their copies of my books they had with them.”
“So you signed their comic book and picture books, that does not prove that they were ever invited to your home!” The Prosecution stated and you simply looked back at him unaffected in his raised tone and stomp closer to you.
“In the discussion of my picture books, as you called them, the offer of my taking a picture of us as a group and them as a family came up,” He scoffed again. And you opened your pocket book pulling out the pictures that had gasps come from the crowd and him outright glare at you as you raised them for the Judge who swatted his hand away to accept the two photographs. “If you buy any magazine from that week you will see that is the same outfit I wore to my second book signing and if you need more proof my family is here willing to be questioned. And we had a crew of thirty men working in my brother’s home that joined us for lunch who would gladly corroborate that the Winters were welcomed guests. Not to mention the people on my block who watched us escort them to our home and my brother Victor who drove them home again.”
The prosecution simply scoffed looking at the Judge who said, “My wife collects one of the magazines I saw myself Baroness Pear Howlett in this very dress, and the time on the clock is precisely when your team stated that the crime had taken place and the suspect was fleeing the scene. Your next question?”
The Prosecution looked to you and you simply blinked holding your same unfazed expression and calm demeanor that the sketch artist in the front row along with the approved photographers captured in a trio of flashes for their papers. “I noticed you didn’t mention your staff.”
“We don’t have any.”
His brows rose and he condescendingly stated, “You are not telling me that with three children of your own, and what, a child for your brother, that you have no staff.”
“One brother has a daughter and a son, a year old and two years respectively, while the other has a daughter a year old.”
“Six children!” he scoffed and took a circle to look over the crowd.
“Perhaps you don’t know who I am,” you stated and his head swiveled with his body to follow as his lips parted in shock to what you had said. And every word of what you said calmly without raising your tone at all was noted by the press in the front row. “I am the daughter of Irish Catholic Immigrant parents. Born on the 4th of July, 1925, seven years to the day my brother Steve was born also in our block I still live on in Brooklyn. My Mother was a Nurse, my Father worked four jobs to support my Mother, older brother Steve and myself. He slaved endlessly so that my brother Steve could go to art classes in community college, so that my Mother wouldn’t need for anything while he took summer courses in Columbia University of all places to better his chances to care for us. He was a brave man, an honorable man. Over a head taller than my husband and nearly twice as broad, and unfathomably kind for someone of his size. And every year for every crime that the police uptown needed some bodies to fill their lineups you could time the roll of the ‘Paddy Wagons’ that they would come to fill with their favored targets who fit the description.”
Behind his hand the candid answer had Mr Marshal biting is lip unknowing of this side of your life strikingly similar to that of his own youth. “And two years after my Father’s murder from a mugging the police uptown couldn’t be bothered to investigate for longer than an hour it took to haul my Father’s body off the sidewalk he died on they still came round to knock on our door asking where he was because an eye witness said someone of his description was seen fleeing the scene of the crime. And my Mother never felt any relief knowing that some murderer out there had his wallet and our address and could come sniffing for more to take from us and maybe leave her with more bodies to bury out of the few people she had who she loved more than anything in the world up until the day we buried her three years later.” That had the Prosecution swallow dryly and you continued, “I am first generation American and proud of my Irish heritage no matter what shade a criminal it casts me in the eyes of upstanding families who have been here since the expeditions that shadowed when Columbus first landed here to begin the conquering bloodshed to claim the first colonies.”
You looked to Mr Winters and said, “You seemed stunned that I would have genuine care for a fellow American while in uniform. Corporal Winters fought bravely and continued to do so after I patched him up and to me the only color that mattered was that of the uniforms on the blood soaked continent we spent five years traveling across one country to the next. All the same uniforms stained the same blood red shade no different from him, myself, or any other of my patients. To not have acted would have been a disservice to the countries we were fighting to protect and the men we both were tasked to march with.
I can imagine that I don’t cast quite the formidable shadow for someone of your stature as you’ve tried to bring up my children several times who no doubt in your mind would be helpless against harm under my watch alone. However you are perhaps forgetting alongside the Medal of Honor and Medal of Valor is the medal for Marksmanship that I earned. Not for stitching patches on uniforms and darning tears but for my unmarked record on a body count that if written down would garner any man immortality amongst his peers for generations to come. My family who served with me are no less skilled, so in a home filled with trained killers, no, Mr Prosecutor, I would not be cowering in the corner to have a black family inside of it. I am not afraid of them and any who would wish me harm will be met with it in return to their infinite shock.
I am all for keeping the streets clean of criminals, yet had you and the police uptown done your job in tracking down the actual culprit who murdered those officers then the streets would have one less cop killer on the loose while we are here wasting taxpayer’s money.”
“That is your opinion,” he scoffed, “He is no less a criminal than those he associates with in that crack of filth he works in! The victims in this case deserve justice!”
“Then I suppose you should go round up another six foot tall black man in a grey suit, shouldn’t be hard to find a surplus of those thanks to the witness description you pulled Corporal Winters off the street with.” He scoffs to Mr Marshall’s hidden smirk and you said, “I can see nine in this courtroom right now. Three of them don’t look like they can run very fast through the people around them if you can get to the doors first.”
“Your Honor!” the now red faced Prosecution shouted pointing at you to the chuckles that rippled through the colored group of seating along with your relatives. Your eyes shifted to Mr Winters as he flashed you a grateful grin and the Prosecution continued, “This is not some circus where the nobility can just banter on and on! This is a criminal case! The victims-!”
The Judge cut him off, “Have clearly not been given a fair shake in this case! And you will not drag another innocent man in front of me pertaining to this case or I will have you stripped of your license for flagrant abuse of the Judicial system!” He looked at you and said with a smile offering you back the comic and the photographs, “You are free to go, Baroness. Thank you for your candor.”
You nodded with a hint of a grin his way and stood to walk off the stand returning to your seat as the Judge folded his paperwork back into his folder on the desk he closed and stated, “Mr Winters. I find that your alibi holds astounding merit and quite unjustly you have been detained, on behalf of the state of New York I am clearing you of all charges and you are free to go. Bailiff uncuff Mr Winters. Case dismissed.” He slammed the gavel and the crowd erupted to his being helped up by Mr Marshall who through the crowd nodded to the men in your family as you had vanished behind taller people in the crowd. All who were now turned to each other in conversation that had stunned but amused reactions to Mr Winters being led to his family that hugged him tightly and walked out with yours to the waiting press that erupted themselves with questions and flashes of cameras.
None who missed a chance to get your family beside his for their papers and magazines, or Thurgood Marshall’s step to your side for a hushed moment alone. “That was very brave of you, thank you.”
“It was the truth, no bravery involved. His family deserves the truth same as everyone.”
He nodded and chuckled to himself then said in a more serious tone, “I never knew that about your father. None of the papers mentioned that he was murdered and the case went cold.”
“Poor Irish immigrant killed on the street corner in the middle of the Great Depression. Why would anyone care? Same after my Mother died and I was taken in by Eddie when Steve ran off to the war, the world had bigger troubles than some starving orphan. Thank you, Mr Marshall. We all look forward to seeing your bravery on the papers.”
He took the chance to reply, “Not bravery, it’s the truth.” Luring a grin across your lips as you strolled past him to say goodbye to the Winters family who had plans to head to their church and be late for the Wednesday morning service while you were off to meet up with the Brocks at your home who had your babies to wait until your evening mass.
Pt 84
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blankdblank · 2 years
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Brother Dearest Pt 78
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Home a day early Norma exploded with anxious energy to be near her daughter who was confused to the meaning of the day, her first birthday. A cake was able to distract her mother and herself from that awkward energy for the beginning of their three day weekend together so Victor could take you to a stop at the studio to help with a possible new bout of ideas to refurbish the Cap comics. Still no one seemed to be able to come up with anything substantial except for a cross of the Howling Commandoes who would run into your animated family alongside Peggy’s alter ego. Which you all took off with that idea had came up with at least five different issues worth of them to mingle in the planned plot lines already animated and ready to be sent out when it was due to be printed. Quite gladly the guys had loved your pregnancy as now with these new ideas you had editions well through this year and into the next if anything should distract from the creative process.
.
Just past the hall with your last projects on display atop podiums you entered the workshop as people still milled around each choice inspecting each. Including yours which was a miniature town. Half a mine complete with a track for little carts and the other half a town encircled by a river. All of it powered by the waterwheel that moved the mechanics in the layer beneath the surface of the entire town. Streets between homes had lights on each corner with antique style lamp posts with two bulbs in them that switched colors at the filling and emptying of water tubes fed by that same wheel. Cars on tracks drove between the wooden homes to finish off the scene and impressed your Professor for how complex the mechanics were to the simplistic upper display.
Your place in the class came with questions but with ease at home in the shop the men around you relaxed at fears of tears or pestering questions to distract them. Now the main distraction came for the awe striking ways you got around the difficulties your size a half to a whole foot shorter than all of them to get things done and how naturally you knew various advanced tools and had no fear in using them. Today however you came with a spare bag of clothes that to the amusement of your classmates out of your heels you stepped and flicked unfolded at your side the trousers you brought. Pulling them on over the skirt of your dress you tucked that and the flannel you added into the top and secured the cloth belt you added next. Thick socks and your work boots came next showing much use to each press of your feet into the opposite knee to tie them and lower to repeat the step.
Unable to help it as you tucked your heels into your bag the Professor gave you a once over after having seen the others had swapped their dress shirts for thicker work shirts and as you wound your ponytail and bangs back into a bun underneath a bandana he greeted you all. “Good to see you’ve all come ready to get some grease on those elbows. We have a new project for you to finish off the summer semester. Out of solid steel each of you will be creating something that has a function. It must be a minimum of six feet tall and two feet wide, please no windmills, there will be a supply near each of your stations and in the supply room. I want you all to think long and hard about what you want to make and how you would create that function in hopefully an ingeniously new way. You will only have the time in class when we meet so no spare after class time or weekends. So manage your tasks properly and keep to a schedule as best as you can.”
His eye shifted to you as you raised your hand and he nodded your way in his usual signal to speak, “Does it have to do a job or just do something?”
Across his lips a smirk tugged and he answered, “It just has to do something, make it light up, make it move, be unique. I repeat no windmills.” He said and motioned his hand to the side for you all to head to your stations. Right away he and his aid chuckled at your usual pop up onto the counter that reached your ribs to reach the gloves and apron in your cubby assigned with your name on tape laid across the edge of it.
Sons of mechanics, car enthusiasts, electricians and builders filled the class on their way to get their Engineering degrees to join the family profession and to their amusement with your own ideas you seemed to be fairly at the same level of skill as the group who was used to building models and things since they were little. Once the spare layers were added and you had taken a few minutes to simply stare at the sheet of steel resting on the mount there to hold it upright to think of what to make. The smirk that tugged across your lips intrigued the Professor and his aid that something interesting was coming as your mind had come up with something. In the same stunning fashion your tiny self eased the sheet of metal a foot taller and two feet longer than your body off the mount and onto the cutting stand you had made the first week in for your shorter self. You knelt on top of that to use just a couple feet off the ground compared to the waist high ones the guys used with ease at possession of longer arms and legs.
With cutting torch in hand over the numerous chalk outlines the sound of metal falling echoed in your ears between sounds of the others at their own stations working with hammers or torches of their own who weren’t still on the design on notepads. Around each station the Professor moved with his aid in opposing paths to get a sense of what you all were doing, notepads in hand to make notes while students as usual stood outside the windowed wall to peer in at what you all were doing. That angle especially helped to add images of yourself and the guys for the yearbook the school had for even the summer semester as well. When the metal was spent and left to just outlines into sections you cut what remained with a smirk hidden by your face shield at the perfect alignment of metal shapes to be part of the body you required. Just one layer but as usual you strove to not waste an inch of the metal or supplies given and set those aside to begin on the mechanics.
Gears, rods, all fashioned down with sanders and buffers for a smooth finish and even on a few securing grooves to be used later to lock things into place all were wound together with or near to wires and conduits for pathways of motion. All the Professor could see but the end of the day was the sheets of metal in the cutout mount along the wall. Noted with tape to not be used for scrap by others and a clump of a motor nearly the size of your body with octopus like mess of limbs that he saw you link small switches and levers to the whirring core that after the charge from the center mechanics you had wound like a clock began to slow left no hint at all what any of it could be meant for. But that was it and for the next day he would have to simply steal glances at the chunks of your projects to try and figure out what they were meant to do until the next class when he could see some more progress on the lifeless piles of metal.
.
“You look excited,” Victor hummed as James took hold of your bags with a kiss on your temple.
James smirked saying to the scent of metal shards on your hair and skin, “You’ve been welding again.”
“I’m building a moose.” You said making them chuckle as you delved into the new project you had been given.
James said, “Well a moose will certainly be large enough for the size requirements. What are you going to make it do?”
“Walk and move around,” you said widening their grins. “It’ll be risky but I think I can pull it off even if I have to sneak in some magic to do it.”
“I’m certain you can, Pipsqueak.”
Ten days had gone and flew by as again before the crack of dawn tears came and the now the three spotted children showed the final steps of the chicken pox that had upheaved the household. And after a trio of oatmeal baths for 20 minutes the babies now with socks tied into their hands were put back to bed until they woke for the next round of baths and calamine lotion to soothe the itchy patches away until they were gone.
.
Mr Fenske again had your morning. And through the afternoon while you couldn’t work on your project you brainstormed and practically filled a notebook with diagrams and plans for what exactly to do when you got back to the shop the following day to hopefully get done with plenty of time to spare and polish the giant moose up for its big debut. Sleep wasn’t hard to gain with the rain. Though by morning said rain made it a bit difficult to want to leave your still groggy girls who barely made it through breakfast but you still did simply to get the next attendance points closer to credits to get you your Bachelor’s degrees by next summer and onto the way to your Masters then Doctorates. You made plans and in sticking to them you could only make a great example for your girls to be what they wanted to, even if it didn’t involve as much schooling as you were pushing yourself through.
.
Back inside the second Art History class notice of a change was evident on everyone’s faces to the lack of a model or item to focus on and the Professor’s place in the front of the floor to say when you had all arrived. “For your final projects there will be no model given to you. You will supply your own muse and in the style of a painting Master you will complete two paintings of at least 12x16 each that will center around a single memory. Something that is not well known about your life, a moment of unadulterated trust. They must be a pair and be supported by a description of the memory that you all will present at the gallery at the end of this semester where each of the pieces you have completed in every class will be displayed for others to view and comment. This is your final exam, take it seriously and do not disappoint me.”
Monet’s style seemed to be something you could adapt into whatever you decided to paint. Back to Monet’s paintings your mind wandered and in the various chosen models for each of those with people in them his main focus on landscapes had you think of something that would not be another copy of one of his works. Your brain however looped back to that brothel and onto the first sheet of your sketch pad to mock up what you would paint James with his coat over his head and cigar in hand made an amusing image with details of a plume of smoke along with the beams of light from the milky curtain coated window could make for something unique. And with it would be James in that bathtub with his boots and uniform on the floor still with hold of that cigar.
There wasn’t much of your private life you wanted to share, namely your courtship with James, but you hoped he wouldn’t mind having the back of his arms, head and shoulder blades in display for however many people would be attending this gallery showing. On major project turned to two and you just wanted to get this over with. Normally you liked your Professors but this class couldn’t come to an end soon enough even if you did get along well with those from your other courses. Basic details on the first scene with him against the door was begun on a fairly decent sized easel above the required size in a means to get what details you wanted included without compromise. Anatomy and Physiology was a welcome distraction and after Communication you were free to get back to your moose.
Once in your work layers to the side of your list of necessary parts you crouched with cutter in hand to add more body pieces to the pile to assemble later. Some you left flat while others made use of the rolling press the Professor and his aid enjoyed the glimpses of hidden strength you displayed in warping the metal to your needs, each rotation of that crank took a certain amount of strength to get the bend required. While others were slid into the other metal press that with a lever bent the sections at whatever straight angle possible with enough force. Every piece only added more mystery for how they blended together until from the mess after a bit of welding around the internal support rods and gears to work the joints properly and still be able to withstand the weight of all needed to in every movement.
With the internal mechanism and the cutting mainly done now it was easier, simply overlaying the outer shell. Carefully each leg was fashioned together and down every joint tested for smooth motion you required from the different swaying sections that while still seemed a whole piece until the motion began and every joint showed its purpose to shift and then come back to its place in smooth circular motion similar to how actual moose move in real life. Rope in hand once the supporting frame you’d worked out that looked more like axels on a car of simple rods fashioned together you stood tying a wrench to one end then looking up at the only higher form of support you had, the metal beams in the rafters. There was a pulley but the chain had snapped and it was too far up and too little used to warrant replacing it yet somehow a decade later. So this was what you were left to. One end of the rope was tied to one of the legs and with a good toss the wrench flew up and over the beam above your station to fall straightening the rope with it.
The motion and fall of the wrench helped to lift the leg a couple inches off the ground at one end and with a hold of the wrench with an easy pull the leg came upright off the ground and lured the gaze of the amused Professor at your self made pulley. Securely on the ground around the support rods, that balanced on top of a stool, the hoof was settled and with an easy loop of some twine from one of the cutouts through the holes drilled into the end of the support rod the hopeful anchor was tied with an easy to remove bow. Grip of the second front leg proved you were making a hooved creation and off your shoulder you moved the leg into perfect alignment and tied it off after a few confirming checks that it was straight.
Three legs soon grew to four and from the ground and from the leg the rope was removed to fashion like a noose around a series of hooked straps linked to the belly plate now welded to the inner mechanism that with a good firm grip what a woman your size shouldn’t be able to lift the three hundred pound motor and plate with ease was gradually lifted from the ground where you had left it to be. Once the rope was tied at the right height to the leg of your workstation it was wiggled into the right alignment to lessen the strain of the rope as each edge came to rest perfectly in the connecting mounts.
Both bolted and welded down into place the security was tested amusingly for those who looked over at your grips on each leg and end of the lower half of the body to give it several firm shakes to test the stability of everything with mental checks of how it felt to ensure it wouldn’t collapse or move in a way that anything would get locked up. Down the legs the mechanics were lowered and using long necked allen wrenches you secured the screws into place before you began to work the body frame up for the sides and back with a start on the neck mount to go around the support rod from the belly mount that the mechanics there were anchored to.
The basic shape of the head came to life and atop that came antlers that rather uniquely was where the controls there was mounted underneath to be closer to the ears that it would control. Kneeling atop the workstation that you merely used to house the next part up or the tools needed the head came to life widening the grins on the faces of the Professor and his aid. Both who were beyond amused at the creature you had chosen. Amongst the other students who chose things from a giant nutcracker to a mechanical hammer wielding figure that did little else than lift and lower said hammer opposite the rotating carousels and even a tree with branches that wiggled and could be used to hold items on the trays welded atop them you had chosen the boldest design. And the most curious. Surely you had to have something up your sleeve, there had to be more to the moose than what they were able to see.
“Well, well, well, it would appear you all are getting along swimmingly in just two days.” The Professor stated as you all began to clean up for the day, including yourself who accepted help from another taller student to cover your moose with a sheet as others had done for their own projects. Turned around when you released the end of the sheet in your hands you looked the Professor over seeing that he was clearly up to something with that spreading smirk of his. “And when we meet again you will find a fresh supply of sheet metal at each of your work stations. Those supplies will be pertinent in creating a second miniature partner of what you have already produced. Four feet tall and one foot wide minimum. It does not have to be an exact copy but it does have to be related to the initial creation.”
Groans from the guys however were muddled by giggles from yourself in a momentary rest of your head against the side of your moose out of the sheer amount of work that would have to go into making a second moose from scratch the next day you would be in this class. The day was over for you at least and when you got home you could focus on your girls again and simply leave the planning to the weekend while they napped for a game plan to get the ball rolling on a baby moose. Need for a good meal and a nap read across your face and had James ask, “Who am I punching?”
In a giggle you shook your head and melted into his offered hug. “I have to make a second moose.”
The pair chuckled and when James took hold of your things Victor gave you his own hug and he hummed, “We stole a glimpse at your moose. Well done. Have to be the same size?”
“Half the size of it. It doesn’t have to be a moose, just has to be related but the only thing my brain can think of moose related is moose.” The pair smirked and you said, “We’ve just got two more classes until semester is over and we have to present things.” You glanced up at James, “I can paint you in the tub, right?” That had an awkward grin split across his face and you said, “We have to paint a memory, I picked at the brothel that one time. But you won’t mind?”
“You can paint me however you like, Darling,” he said leaning in to steal a quick kiss. “I look forward to seeing it.”
“Two its, so I have to paint two paintings and build two moose. Then show them in presentations.”
Victor smiled asking, “Do we get to keep the moose?”
“I don’t know,” you answered in a giggle. “I don’t know what they expect them to be used for or if they will want us to destroy them.”
“We are not destroying your moose,” they both said.
Victor, “We’re gonna find the perfect spot for them in our home. Do we get your art too after the gallery or do they expect people to buy them?”
“I think so. We have to share a story for the paintings but I’m not sure if they sell them off, there hasn’t been any talk of that so far.”
Victor, “Hopefully we get to keep those too. And we have cake at home.” He said making you grin up at him, “Petal’s spots are gone. Herc’s giving her a full workup along with the triplets.”
You glanced at James who said, “Belly time tests, they’re doing well, necks are nice and strong, arms show signs that they are almost ready to roll over.”
“At least I haven’t missed that yet.”
James chuckled letting you into the car to sit between them saying, “Well you missed a hell of a tantrum from Teddy.”
“Aww,” you said and they both chuckled.
“He needed a nap. Just got too overwhelmed after his last bath and took a good seven minutes to climb down from that mountain. He has a set of lungs on him that boy. Dawn held firm but Eddie had to take a walk.”
“He always hated it when kids cry. Mama Brock used to joke he’d hate the terrible two’s, but so far he has been a little angel.”
“He has,” Victor hummed. “He calmed down and apologized for throwing his toy. Then said he just wanted to go to sleep and didn’t want to have his check up until after.”
“Well I’ve been on the edge of tears from a check up myself.”
James chuckled, “We all empathize, he spent most of last night up with those baths and calamine lotion applications. Even Eddie needed a nap. Dawn’s mom came over to watch him and Marigold for a bit so they could breathe. It does seem they are all in the clear.”
.
Tummy time was the beginning of your days off and as the trio of girls exercised their heads, necks and arms smiles spread at your nodding off on top of the quilt for a nap that afterwards gave you enough energy to delve into those plans of yours. Alone once the triplets had been put to bed a stolen grip of James’ hands had his smile spread then melt away in the ease of his hands behind your back to lean in and accept the kiss you rose up on your toes to claim. Up from his jaws into his hair your fingers worked in a blind tug to bed as you mentally closed the doors to the room his body followed you to the bed.
Three months had blew by and nearing the end of the summer for the first time since before your belly had begun to grow lost to muffled giggles and broken smile laced utterances of adoration fixed firm in your arms he remained. All night he refused to pull back and break the hold you had on him to savor the romantic return to amorous evenings that were mutually focused. Months you had focused on him as he held himself back to keep you safe and when he had ensured he had pulled on his pants and eased his shirt over you into his arms your body nestled to drop off to sleep. Safe in his arms to whirling dreams as he savored the mixture of his scent and that of his wife’s to the burrow of his forehead into the top of your head. That mixture that while you were in school he could catch hints of on those three girls that by the day improved leaps and bounds to one day be independent little people who would shake up his days to keep them all safe and content.
Herc already had shared that Beserkers never had babies back to back and genetically there would be little chance to conceive before the girls were two years old. Yet that doubt still lingered and pretending as if the same methods of the pill and sleeves that had failed to keep you from conceiving the triplets those methods were picked up again as a sort of call for hope that they might be able to find that goal of two years true before another baby or babies could be arriving. It was just one more year and you would be on the way to graduate studies to do with as you pleased. Seven years wouldn’t be that long for an entire estimate of time to earn them, and there were so many years after that could be quite indescribable for how many possibilities there were with freedom of no school to shuffle between. Even traveling the world could be possible any time you wished if that was what you wanted. He didn’t care as long as you were together and could end each day in one another’s arms.
.
Following final exams with Mr Yarbrough for your History, Geography and Religion courses at home Tuesday again brought on the next to last time you would be on campus. Both your paintings had greater detail and fed into a successful task of carrying out the beginnings of your smaller moose. Thanks to the ample planning the internal mechanism and basic body shape was fashioned on a smaller pallet beside its larger parent. Mother and child as you had intended now was swapped for father and child due to the antlers that were needed to help counter balance the body’s movements.
Followed by a long session with Mr Fenske to take the final exams for your Economics, Government, Political Science and Anthropology on Wednesday the rest of the summer here in Canada would be far simpler as the courses here were in their final week.  
On Thursday more exams however would be waiting for you. Art History came first and was a lengthy exam that let you out a bit early to head for your next Art class and mentally prep the plan for the finishing touches on the paintings. Anatomy and Physiology came next for another complex exam you felt a bit anxious for how you might fare on the few essay questions at the end. Communication came last before your final class that held you from freedom with a hefty exam of its own. And when that let out past freed students rushing to savor the end of their own summers with your classmates you walked to head for your Engineering course.
Once there the same Professor who seemed excited to watch the second sculptures come to life began this final class by his posture alone had the guys around you mutter, “No.”
The word making him chuckle and smooth his palms together. “I have one final requirement one final sculpture that is a foot tall or less to go with the previous two.”
Unable to help it you let out an exasperated giggle and hung your head to smooth a hand over the back of your neck for a pose that had one of the guys tease, “Come on Bunny, you can break out another moose.”
Which had his friend say, “Just a tiny one.”
After another giggle you answered, “I am not making another moose.”
Your eyes shifted to the Professor who said, “All your supplies are at your station and in the store room. Good luck.”
At the tall station you stood tapping your pencil to the notepad you had doodled up a few choices and decided on something a bit wild. Gears were the first to be cut again and the inner mechanics were worked out with the bodies to follow. An absurdly large duck was crafted and behind it on wheels that tiny feet were faked to rotate around each rotation and a mechanical chain three ducklings would follow after their mother that would waddle around to the command of the controller you had fashioned at the end of a long string of wires to connect to the inner mechanism.
You weren’t the only one adding smaller details in hopes to not be asked for more to add for the final grading. Each project that spread his proud grin for this latest batch of students who showed promise if they continued this field. All together when the final touches were completed every student cleaned up the stations and made certain all the projects on their pallets were coated with sheets to keep them protected for the following day when they would all be shown for all who chose to come.
.
Early home amongst the rest of your siblings and Erik Norma smiled widely in a stroll through the projects that lined a vast courtyard and surrounding halls the Professors took a stroll through to inspect each piece and took note son how they all worked. Out of sight the empty slot with a metal stand bearing a card with your name on it amongst your classmates’ steadily filling slots there was no trace of you, however Stark and Mr Jarvis both stood waiting for one. Both who smiled and greeted your family promising to be at the painting gallery show as well the following day.
“Ooh, there’s Pipsqueak,” Victor said in a turn after catching sight of you in your mint sleeveless sundress down an empty hall with a pair of men behind you who were pulling two pallets on raised jacks. Smiles spread in curiosity at notice of the familiar silhouette of moose antlers under the larger sheet. Right up next to one another the pallets were lowered and with a bit of help the sheets were removed enabling Stark to move closer and inspect the internal parts as best he could to guess what they could do. The task that had him locate the switches on the side he only got a smirk from you in response of his gesture their way while you listened to James and Erik in proud boasting of what you had built.
When the group of judges did arrive they each looked the trio of creations over and your Professor said, “Now, Mrs Howlett, if you wouldn’t mind.” Eyes watched as you moved a sheet of metal that was forged into a long ramp that had gone unnoticed and was hiding a trio of crank keys shaped like drills for ice fishing that had an outer handle to keep it steady and an internal one to rotate the tip, the largest of which you lifted. Over to the shoulder of the largest moose you inserted the tip into the key hole there and like a clock wound the mechanism until it wouldn’t wind anymore then removed the crank to stun those looking on at the sound of clanks and a growing hum as it powered up readying for movement. The smaller four foot baby moose was cranked next followed by the duck that with a simple flick of the switch started the chuckle luring first step on the pallet.
Back around the baby moose you moved having flicked the switch on its side as you did that on the larger one that turned heads when the front and back left legs lifted to start walking. Open mouthed the crowd looked on as you guided the larger two statues off the pallets to enter the cleared path on the courtyard. Simple toggles of switches had the heads move to turn the pair and another to wiggle the ears.
“Oh my,” one of the judges stated looking in awe over the functioning moose duo that around you as the duck led its ducklings around the path you followed to circle the nearby fountain.
“She made functioning robots…” Howard muttered to himself and glanced at Jarvis only to look back at the sound of the gears slowing down causing the outer plates shifting around the moving joints, back and limb until the pair began to come to a stop as the duck continued to wander around a few moments more.
“How…?” another Professor spoke and you answered, “Well there’s no battery, just crank powered. Since it’s made of hundreds of pounds of solid steel it doesn’t run very long, but I was inspired by Grandfather Clocks.” Another crank of the animals was called for so they could get to test the switches and get closer looks at the moving components inside until the group had to move on and simply the animals were up to being photographed some more back on their pallets that when the demonstration was through were loaded onto the trailer the guys had borrowed from a neighbor to bring the animals home. At least there you and Erik could make them work much longer and improve upon the designs at your whims to at least make the ducks run longer for the older children to play with. And when he sat down for lunch while you started to nurse your girls he asked, “And just how long did they give you to build those?”
.
The following morning wasn’t free of any nerves as the duo were amongst the hundreds who came to this museum sized gallery that had been chosen. Different days the gallery would be filled with each class the Professor instructed and today following the order of how your easels had been lined up you got a few peeks at the other student’s pieces until you found yours in the last section opposite the young woman’s artwork on display. Soon the numbers began to grow and while you tried to answer as many questions on they style as possible you couldn’t ignore the number of cameras being snuck in by those Eddie could tell were from papers throughout Canada. Chatter however in the distance had grown and waned in the path of a particular group.
Salvador Dali, Hemingway, T.S Eliot on a working vacation of sorts had made a stop here today having read about the show in the paper. More than a few pieces inspired by the famed painter got ample comments until saved for last the Professor slid into the room listening to their impressions of each students’ sketches and paintings. Every story shared of the final paintings were noted down and quietly you listened yourself as the other young woman opposite you spoke hers then listened to comments and was freed herself. Finally the crowd who had waited around stood in wait as the group asked you about each sketch that seemed to be more impressive than the last at the varied tries of each style. Including a sketch that was in Dali’s style that made him grin your way, “I just may have to convince you to sell me this one.”
The grin that eased across your face shifted to Hemmingway in his asking about your portraits, “You painted a soldier? Was the roof leaking, that why he’s hiding his head?”
Softly you chuckled and answered, “These are my husband James.” That turned his gaze to you a moment then back to the portrait as you said, “When we were in Europe we made more than a few stops in brothels along the way. This one James got stuck babysitting me and when he found a tub in our hotel next door we could take turns in a few of the guys came upstairs and there wasn’t a lock. So he sat against the door with his coat over his head in my turn, and while I dried and combed my hair he took his own turn.”
Elliot chuckled and said, “It is a striking memory to capture on an easel.”
The Professor asked as Hemmingway moved a bit closer as if to decipher which brothel neighboring a hotel this was, “You stopped in brothels often?”
“No secret men at war crave companionship. Most of the time when we crossed paths with other platoons their men were too distracted by the brothel to notice I was there.”
Hemmingway stated, “Must have been a harrowing trial in your lifetime to be thrown into war so young. We are all amply fortunate you do not exude grimmer angles of those experiences outside of what you publish in your comics.”
A statement which had your Professor state, “Those are fiction.”
A statement that had the author who had been there himself including your arrival at Normandy say, “No, they are not. Saw more than one Battle Bunny and Venom freed city myself. Every issue rings far truer than some might claim to believe.” His eyes locked on you and he said, “I have seen you tear planes from the sky and machine guns from those hill hidden bunkers. To not have chosen to show that is great courage to bear what you have on your heart rather than your wrist.”
Dali said, “And the care you have taken of these shoulder blades, no detail of his strength missed. Bold choice. A show of relaxation and hunched focus and tension, excellent contrast.” Around your back James folded as the Professor gave his own comments and took notes on his way to make another round of everyone’s art to hear what newly arrived people were saying. The artist when he was gone crept closer to your side making you smile as he said, “Do not mind his opinion. You have captured Monet’s style with ease and respect to his technique.”
A lunch after when the works were boxed up and taken to be locked in the trunks of your cars with the famous faces was highly documented. Including the signing of the sketch you passed over to Dali and the ones that Elliot and Hemmingway chose for their own collections to leave you the ones you preferred to your own tastes and the pair you had painted of James.
No shortage of people had claims of having met you and gotten signatures and moments to speak with you on various subjects slipped in between more thoughts on your work. These pieces of art gave way to more as riding on the tails of this showing of your artistic skills like that for Kodak before led into the release of your second photography book that exceeded the sales of the first and had four signings in Canada with two settled for when you would get back to New York just like the last time. Stops that would distract you until you would receive copies of your transcript to take back with you to Barnard on how you scored in your summer courses.
Pt 79
All –
@sherala007​, @mariannetora​​, @jesgisborne​, @knitastically​, @catthefearless​​, @theincaprincess, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000​​, @alishlieb​​,
Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​
X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers​, @theincaprincess​​
Brother Dearest - @thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam​​, @swoopswishsward
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blankdblank · 3 years
Text
Brother Dearest Pt 76
“There is nothing I support more than mothers caring for their children. Our Democracy is built on the combined efforts of our mothers. Baroness Bunny Pear Howlett swore before God and the world to joyously welcome every life she will be given the gift of bringing into this world and raise them in a God fearing home. I will never oppose her honoring that vow and raising more citizens of this fine country and our neighbor to the North, Canada. We have no right to lay our opinion higher in respect than that vow and her responsibility to love and cherish the precious gift those children are. That is all I have to say on the matter.” The words were a bullet to the head of any try to shoot down a try to erase your achievements for the simple stolen glimpse of your cleavage exposed to the world.
On the cusp of speechless Truman had called you and had wanted to see where you stood on the issue. All you had tried to do to mend the issue led to his argument in support of said efforts no matter what his personal thoughts of showing nursing mothers on the front page. In truth you were clearly as blown over by the story and after calls from the Brocks and even Father Thomas, who offered words of support agreeing that it was a beautiful intruded upon moment and any effort you could use to support any other struggling mothers should be acted upon.
It seemed that this would blow over and papers dug back to what they knew, it was a beautiful moment, because you didn’t have very many of those left and James was supportive to not blemish the legacy of his daughters’ mother for them to grow up aspiring to. Even Mr Yarbrough had to admit it was a bit amusing for how people had gone to such extremes in this matter and calmed after to at least a dull roar. And was all the more pleased as he sat grading your latest assignments while you sat for the exams in History, Geography and Religion to see that the issue had not thrown you off of your school work.
.
“Is that me?” Loki asked in his stroll into the sun lit room that had a few easels propped up and drying. From the easel you turned lowering your paint brush having painted a portrait of Loki lounged on one of your armchairs with a bouquet of fireworks hovering above his palm. “It is almost lifelike.”
“Took me a while to get the fingers right, I think I might have made Beau and Jeff’s arms go numb in letting me stare at their hands.”
Lowly he chuckled and stated, “It is masterfully done. I am flattered, thank you.” He stepped to the other easels noting the portrait of James and Victor both seated in armchairs in front of the fireplace with their children from their first marriages, Xander on the arm of his father’s chair and Victor’s children on his lap. A portrait now that they had their younger daughters would grant some proof of their elder siblings for them to grow up with that the men treasured and readied a nail in a special place to hang it when it was properly dried and framed. “This one is beautiful, more relatives?”
You caught his eye answering, “That is Xander, James’ son from his first marriage and Victor with his daughter and his son from his first marriage.” Loki’s eyes swept over your face taking in the hint of sadness in your expression. “They’re all buried in the family graveyard on these lands with their mothers. We talked about when Leanora was born having some sort of portrait for the girls to know what their older siblings looked like. The guys asked it just be the kids, didn’t want to have me and Jeanie having to peer up at our predecessors.”
“You have done them justice. Our grandfather does not have as skilled a portrait executed with such love in it.”
“They’re beautiful babies. Almost makes me wish there was easier access to cameras back then to have given them more to hold onto. Part of why they have taken trunks of pictures since we’ve met I bet. Deep down they’re making notes to hold onto for when they imagine they will have to bury me.” Loki chortled and you said, “They’re going to be so disappointed when we have to build a new house for the pictures we’ve accumulated by the time I hit a century and have still refused to die.”
“I doubt disappointment would cross their minds in reaching the first century mark on your second lifetime.” His eyes traveled to the third couple portrait that could be hung separately or together of a trio of people seated for tea, “And these?”
“Friends, Howard Stark and Ana and Edwin Jarvis. They chose some cribs for the girls for our Brooklyn home and I’m terrible at picking gifts for them. Howard is very rich and I believe Ana and Jarvis have all they could want already.”
“A gift of this caliber would be treasured.”
“What do you do for fun?” You asked making him grin at you as you finished a detail on the edges of his finely draped velvet cape down the front of the leg of his chair of a charming bit of speckled fur that he now dearly ached to have one just like it.
“I have taken up glass blowing recently. Quite agitating at first, however I am told that I am improving, perhaps a different view point of a Master Smith could see my efforts is helpful in such a discovery.”
“I could imagine burning myself rather frequently in that hobby.” You said making him chuckle again.
“The heat is rather a fickle aspect of the hobby. Remaining hydrated is key, a pitcher of water is always nearby in case of overheating.”
“Loki, welcome back,” James said carrying two of his girls with the third in a sling he fashioned across his chest. “I’ve found a way to grow another arm.” He said making the Prince chuckle again. “You are just in time for lunch, Sarah made some lemon squares, don’t know what’s in them but you look up for an adventure.”
“That I am.” He said smiling in the excited coo of the girls who saw him when he came closer. “Their curls are coming in nicely. A very good sign for healthy childhoods for my people full head of hair early on.”
“Yes, dad said I had a full head of curls by my first month too.” Drying the brush you rinsed off with a half damp and paint stained rag you left on the table to say, “Should be time to pump again, before they get fussy on you.”
“They would never,” James teased as you came closer kissing the trio on their heads and raised palms to lead the duo to the sitting room in your wing.
As the pump worked underneath your bra and t shirt against your bent legs you gave each of the girls some personal time while Victor lounged with his Petal reading her a story to Teddy and Loki’s artistic battle in making their own castles out of the hoard of colorful blocks while Marigold stretched for a nap across the Prince’s lap. The phone ringing turned your head and with a stretch of your fingers the phone floated closer so you could lift the receiver, “Hello, Howlett Pear, Creed residence.”
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is calling for the Baroness,” an aid spoke through the line in a cool crisp tone.
“Oh, of course, I’ll hold for her Majesty.”
“Just a moment, Baroness.”
The line switched and her voice came through the line, “Bunny, how are you this morning? We have gotten a copy of Mother magazine it was quite a masterful spin on the hassle at hand.”
“Thank you, and we’re all doing well here.”
“And your classes are going well, the papers have all stated that your grades are pristine top marks.”
“Classes are going well, still tutors at home twice a week until next Tuesday when I start on campus.”
“We all certainly hope that you will be treated with ample respect.”
“I will be, everyone is very respectful up here. If I can how is Princess Elizabeth’s pregnancy going?”
“Swimmingly, the first trimester was rough but on her way to the third she is very strong. Thank you for asking. She has been very happy to hear that things are lightening up for you. Have your girls gained any more weight?”
Questions continued as more information was shared and eventually she had to hang up and see to other matters leaving you to return to focus on your family and keeping Teddy and Marigold from Lording over the Prince more than he could handle for as long as he could.
“We finished another bundle of the Spain trunk, did you want to give it a look?” Jeff asked and after a moment to register what he meant from the mindset of playing you gave him a nod.
“Sure, where would we have to go?”
Beau smiled saying, “The directory is in the sitting room by our room. Not far of a walk.”
Once on your feet with the whole group including the children, the elder three watched the brothers guide you to the sitting room with a bronze fountain shaped like a tree with layered branches topped with groupings of bronze leaves layered with crystal leaves settled inside of a bronze basin filled with pebbles shaped from crystals. “I’ve seen this before,”
Beau stated with a smile, “Not uncommon a reaction for the first return to using it.”
In your step closer Loki took notice of the familiar structure to the one back on the abandoned Beserker territory on Asgard that with a lift of your palm had the top of the fountain light up and release a fine mist that in the more it pooled out into the room and darkening as it did. Similar to your galaxy mist in silvery blue it chose a more silver and pink tinted hue with soft hints of cheerful chimes from the creatures who dwelled inside of it that let out in recognition of who was tapping into the hive minded database.
Jeff to the list of runes that hovered in front of your raised palm stated, “We should start here,” and showed you the meaning of the runes. “This shares the translations both in written word, spoken and in reenactments. And we can show by means of the map that will show exactly where it took place and when.”
Up to your lap when you took a seat for the replay of your history you took hold of one of your girls with James at your side treasuring the tales while holding his other two daughters while they napped. Perfectly content in knowledge of the path that helped to lead you three here to this coveted moment. Both of the brothers however took enjoyment in the end of the translated bits to hear what had been learned on their own travels before this lifetime. All of it a road map to now with details that even stunned Loki, including in his trips to Norway as a child that you had been there, a fact that stunned not just himself but his mother when he returned and as usual gave her an update on how things with your family were going.
That tv of yours however had Frigga on the visit before gather up a collection of books from their own schools for children to help advance your knowledge even more as she had grown to see how unfair it was to keep you from copies on such an ignorant planet compared to their own. Materials would be far from accessible to you but at least in time until your full power had awoken she might be taken as an ally in hastening the growth of your ever hungry intellect that scoured for more. Even she could sense that the gap in knowledge was hindering your return and when she approached Himdall his grin eased out along with his palms to accept the books bound together in a leather set of straps.
“Heimdall, kindly gift these to Mother.”
He bowed his head, “I shall, and she will be ever grateful for the gift.” She nodded and timidly turned to head back to the doorway she would transport herself back into the Palace. However she paused and looked back at him when he said, “Mother bears you no ill will, Queen Frigga. The decisions of Odin and his father long ago shall not bear down upon you or your sons and people. These books will help greatly to improve her capabilities to effect change upon Midgard as she always had. You have no reason to fear her growth in the coming years, in fact a friendship should very well grow if you would welcome it. For now, I shall deliver your gift.” There was no time for an answer as in a galaxy colored mist his body vanished to appear at the doorway of your library in a final touch up of readying the table for your tutoring the following day.
A gentle knock on the door had you look up to find Heimdall there who bowed his head and approached as you greeted him, “Heimdall, you can come in. Hope it’s nothing serious to bring you out here to our little planet.”
In a shake of his head he lifted the books on his palms stating, “Not at all, Queen Frigga sent me with these for you,”
When he came closer his eyes adoringly shifted over your girls, namely Nova in your arms who let out an excited squeal that had you and everyone around you chuckle, “Our girls have learned they can be very loud.”
“A joyful greeting, I am honored.” He said lowering the books onto the table that your fingertips smoothed across the leather bound cover of the top textbook larger than a phone book with runes you couldn’t read across the cover.
“Are these in your language from Asgard?” you asked and he nodded offering his hand to the girl who wiggled her fingers his way that wrapped around his fingers in a cross eyed awed stare.
“Yes, Ancient Asgardian.”
Elliot spoke next, “I have some ledgers that we can help teach you from when you are ready.”
And your father said next, “Those books can be quite dense at times, best to take it gradually and we will explain the lessons thoroughly as they tend to build upon the prior lessons as you work your way through in several of their subjects.”
When you looked to Heimdall you said, “I thought Asgard was afraid of me. Why would Queen Frigga give me these?”
“With aid of our Brothers in time you would have learned of these some day, Prince Loki has shared the difficulties of education here and its limits so far with Queen Frigga. Our lessons to what you are learning now would have you equal to a child’s lessons on Asgard. That is unfair, and in the coming years a great deal more to gift you would be helpful for what you might face.”
“I suppose it might help, every now and then there’s mention of the ship headed this way. Can’t help but think if they know so much more that I might be taken as an ignorant fool far below what they expected when they get here.”
Heimdall gave you a comforting grin, “This physical form of yours is merely a piece of a far more breathtaking whole. Mother is with us, always, and while you come to remember that path is all the more beautiful. Midgard is far beyond what we are accustomed, your travels and time here will gift them knowledge in their own ignorance. There is no need to fear, love is patience and trust, together we will learn and grow.”
“Thank you,” you said as Nova released his hand, “And please tell Queen Frigga thank you.”
“I am certain in time we will add a good deal more to your library and when our Brothers will arrive they will have possession of a supply of the records of our people for you to explore as well.”
He bid you and your family a farewell and Elliot called the journal he added to the books he moved to a nearby shelf to be looked over when you were ready so that the dinner your stomachs demanded could be finished and enjoyed.
.
Across the top of your bed James laid with view of his girls in their squirms calming down to the bedtime story he was reading to them to lull them off to sleep. They had no clue what he was saying but to every stolen kiss or nuzzle of his face against their little selves savoring their scents and tries to keep hold of his head and hands. He absolutely loved these moments and didn’t even look up when you snapped pictures of them as he loved to do when you stole your own time cuddling with the trio. The roll of film was filled and you sighed taking the camera to its usual spot on a table outside the dark room where Victor would see it and in the usual pattern develop the film to give to you later.
Along with his own pictures and those from Dawn and Eddie he savored his time in that dark room surrounded by loving moments with his ever growing family. Proud more and more on the echoes of giggles and racing tiny feet through the manor that had sat empty for so long. Stone and earth held memory and even this place in its neglect since that flood bore a depression much like their own and now seemed to glow all its own glee for the souls now claiming shelter inside its refurbished borders.
Film was bought by the barrel on top of your gifted supply it seemed and a welcome expense to have permanent copies of the gradual growth of every child and the woman he loved who had gifted him his own. Always a bit of doubt lingered he might not be the right choice as a husband but as a father he knew she treasured him for that and wouldn’t have picked another to share this with. Mixed within the pictures of the girls was one of yourself. Normally quite casual the moments James wanted to keep were tame, this one had you in just your underwear, perhaps in a try to lure a more adventurous night when he was in a late shower or changing.
Spread across the bed slumped back comfortably from an alluring pose on your side with curls sprawled about your face that widened his smile. It wasn’t just the moment he’d stumbled across to lure an intrusion but much like the photograph of James on your honeymoon the dance of flame and shadow across your skin had turned this stolen moment into art. Show of his adoration for you and a try to begin again what you formerly had to have him stumble into a far more intimate moment. He knew what his brother felt, pure love and awe at the strong force of a woman who put to test the meaning of labor to birth the girls who looked more like you by the day. A couple more weeks and far from that time in London when you walked out in the underwear gifted to you to see if it was correctly draped across your starved frame now he could see their efforts to coat you with leisurely weight to suit daily energy requirements and to signal you were well fed.
He left it to dry and carried on until he saw the image of the tiny hands tangled in James’ hair and arms holding his head down at his bend to their whim he could but wouldn’t break no matter how easily he could. Every image was left hung to dry to be handed over later and sorted to be added to the collection of others on his way to finish readying for the day trip ahead to go and visit Norma on set as you’d been promised a trip to do so and see how your project was coming about.
.
Economics, Government, Political science, Anthropology tests and an afternoon trip to town that ended with a rainy drive back home for an early night to cuddle in bed for the drive and flight in the morning. Norma still was on set but now that you had settled a suitable schedule for feedings the brothers zapped you all closer to the airport where Howard’s plane waited to fly you all out to the location that he was filming in today. To keep your girls safe they would remain at home and not even Leonora would be coming at Norma’s request knowing how much press was around to keep her safe from being plastered around the world more than she could manage.
Ample milk had been stored and your parents gladly took charge with Edie of the children while Elliot and the twins delved more into translations of those documents as they had daily to make use of the summer while they had it. Eddie stayed with you as you parked and the stroll over to the waiting plane while Dawn took Teddy and Marigold to her family’s home to get more work done on their paper.
“Bunny, glad to see you, today should be fun.” Howard said when he came close post stroll out of his plane from final checks.
“I’m sure it will be.” Victor said carrying the bag with the paintings in it turning Howard’s head to them.
James said, “Brought you something, Bunny made them.”
Howard said, “You didn’t have to make me anything, not even my birthday.”
“Well consider it payback for the cribs and filming my story.”
“Ooh, now I’m really curious.” He said with a smirk following you inside the plane he sealed the steps to get to his seat saying, “You can sit up front if you like, Bunny.”
Jarvis who was securing your bags gave you a nod and watched you timidly join Howard up at the cockpit to ease down onto the co-pilot seat in the Douglas DC-3 that had you tuck your legs up to sit on to be able to see over the nose of the plane. Howard chuckled saying, “I will be sure to pack a few phone books next time.”
“It’s alright, have to use them for our truck too. Nothing new, I live in the land of giants.” You said making him smirk.
He began to flip switches and start up the plane explaining what he was doing all through the roll to the runway and lift off until you were in the air. “Maybe one day I could give you some lessons. You know the time I flew Steve into enemy lines to rescue Bucky was on one of these. You been in a few in the service I bet.”
“Couple, only it’s a bit odd without the gunfire.”
After another glance your way he asked, “You still doing well? You look well fed a bit more than last time.”
“Still good, first time so far from the girls, but I suppose I have to get used to that for what class on campus start next week.”
“If I can say, we’re all proud of how you handled that press with your magazine spread. Masterful, downright masterful on the shift of it. Everyone on set agreed. You should have never had to face that but you handled it well. Hate that you have to, press can be vultures, but I imagined they had standards.”
“All spilled milk at this point.” After a moment you asked, “Would it be rude to ask if you have another Mrs Stark on the horizon to anger someone else’s dad?”
That had him chuckle again, “Not yet. Always up to help a woman out of a sticky situation if I can help it.”
.
While others were setting up things for the first scene and gathering the cast that gradually was getting ready your focus turned to Ana Jarvis who came into view with a wrapped bundle laid against her chest. The heartbeat inside had your smile widen and you asked, “Now where did you find this angel?” Widening her smile.
“This is our daughter, Celeste. Last year we found out we could not have children, but there was an orphanage back in New York who called us, a young mother could not provide for her child and put her up for adoption. She is beautiful and has orange hair and eyes like Edwin’s.” She said on the verge of tearing up for how fated the move turned out to be.
“Congratulations,” you said to the both of them and from the bag Victor handed you to bring out the portrait of the couple parting their lips. “If I would have known I’d have added her. A sort of thank you, for the cribs and being so kind.”
Ana said, “Oh thank you,” she said using her free arm to give you a hug that when she ended she turned to look at it again, “It is beautiful, did you paint it?”
“Yes, I have one for Howard too.”
“You have what for Howard?” He asked with a smirk on his path back on his way to check something else only to gape at the portrait and the one of him you offered him. “Bunny, I love it, thank you.”
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to hang them together or separately, however you liked.”
Howard smiled and said in collecting the both of them, “I’m going to put these somewhere safe until we get the clear to head home later, be back in a few, get comfortable.”
Sure enough like a magnet in the silent nightclub of a set to the piano as the guys took in the artwork and other details soft notes filled the air. Just a few random notes bled into a familiar tune. One that would frequent the radio station Steve tuned into at night when he thought everyone else was asleep. Without thought your fingers continued in their dance across the keys without comment until murmurs could be heard from outside the set, “Did they hire another band?”
Another said, “We aren’t even late!”
“We got a contract! They can’t do this!”
Sight of you however in a blue off the shoulder lace dress with a knee visible under the hem of the skirt on the bench had the band that you had met years prior at the White House dinner after receiving your medals. Jarvis with a grin eased into his usual fix it mode and clarified you were merely passing time. Your notice of the band as they approached had you grin and ease off the bench, “Hello.”
“Baroness Pear Howlett,” they each said offering their hands you shook then looked to their horn player who said, “We have to do a sound check and warm up before the scenes, care to play with us?”
“Don’t you need the piano?” you asked and they chuckled.
Their piano player said, “I am good on a dime, if you don’t mind that is.”
Without anything else to do again the song ‘Into Every Life A Little Rain Must Fall’ recorded by The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald was what you began with after they named the tune you had been tapping out. A nod from you had the pianist sit beside you on the spacious bench ready to help you liven up the tune to give a wider range for the others to jump into. Hushed giggles and conversation on ways to shift the tune made for a smile worthy sight when Norma hurried onto set to claim a hug and kiss from Victor and cuddled with him as the other actors bled into sight to fill the seating and standing room.
Shirley Temple and her mom beside Howard’s side had him smirk at Shirley’s soft gasp and comment to her mother, “Momma, it’s really Bunny Pear,” clinging to a magazine spread on you from when you had been featured in Kodak’s magazine.
Howard’s arrival had you and the guys stop playing luring a grin from you for a slip away to his side where he said, “Aren’t you just a treasure trove of talents. Guess your Priest wasn’t kidding about those times you snuck in to play the piano.”
“Well you can blame Steve and Bucky. One would get sick or hurt and they’d play the radio or their few records all night.”
“A rude habit that comes in handy, Bunny, come meet Shirley,”
The teen’s wide smile and flash of the magazine had you smile as she said, “I always cut out stories on you.”
“Well I hope last year’s stories didn’t upset you, papers had some fun with the whole frog debacle.”
“I just knew it wasn’t true,” and she asked, “Could you sign my magazine?”
You smirked and accepted the pocket journal and pen James handed you from your purse widening her grin, “Only if you sign my book too.” She gladly agreed and you traded then traded back and the conversations and introductions continued through the rest of the main cast. Beginning with Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh who proudly signed your book trading for a signature of their own to comments on favorite films as Cary Grant shyly traded his own set for yours before a group picture one of the extras gladly took on your camera James remembered to grab.
Howard however stunned you by placing your family in the crowd and had you up again at the piano for the stunning addition for the background music bits of dialog for a few takes of those scenes. However when it came time to have the band perform fully you, for giggles as Howard suggested with the band’s blessing you helped to sing along as they played, ‘If I Didn’t Care’ also by The Ink Spots. With minimal conversation between the leading men that took two takes after you had excused yourself to join the men in the audience. When the lighting and wardrobe was being shifted to move to a different scene earlier in the film for two more of the band’s own songs you accepted a bottle of apple juice Eddie opened for you Cary Grant came over to your side with a nervous glance your way.
“Thank you,” he said luring a widening grin across your lips. “Howard said you picked me specifically for this role, it’s a heck of a role. You wrote a fantastic screenplay.”
“Well you certainly were at the top of the list for who I would have chosen for Roger,” in the twitch of his brow taking the hint that he might not have been your first choice you said, “I actually had the idea from a dream I had when I was pregnant. Though I do have to admit Roger was a tap dancing rhino in my dream.” You said widening his smile again in an amused chuckle. “But outside of a horn and tail you were at the top of the list.”
“Consider me tickled pink the rhinos are all on strike,” he joked making you giggle and smile as Norma came over to help you share more on the story for the continued series of pictures an approved photographer was allowed to take for a spread on the filming so far. Namely a glimpse at the story of yours Howard was bringing to life.
Lunch however for Howard came with his flying you back for the drive home, and when you were safe on the ground again he said, “Don’t you worry. I’ll keep taking good care of your paperback baby.” He said making you grin in his move back to the steps to climb back in the plane not wanting to leave his friends just yet while also knowing that he had to get back to finish filming for the day.
Victor looped his arm around your back needing someone to cuddle with as Eddie said, “That was fun. And that much fun deserves a big lunch. Seems like they are killing the nightclub scenes.”
James smiled at you and said, “I think for certain now we’ll have a spot in the film at least. If he doesn’t put you singing in it.”
“Oh he better not, I’m not in the screenplay.”
You said and Victor chuckled out, “I highly doubt that matters. He’s got exclusive footage with Bunny singing live. Who wouldn’t buy a ticket for that and to see my Nora on the silver screen.”
“Jeanie, yes, me, no. Leave the band to the job they were hired for.” You were helped into the car for the drive back you all joked through until the excited swarm of babies welcomed you back to your home and main jobs of the summer.
Pt 77
All –
@sherala007​, @mariannetora​​, @jesgisborne​, @knitastically​, @catthefearless​​, @theincaprincess, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000​​, @alishlieb​​,
Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​
X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers​, @theincaprincess​​
Brother Dearest - @thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam​​, @swoopswishsward
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Brother Dearest Pt 84
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Laid on the table the police corruption story titled, ‘Bunny Cries Corruption!’ The four papers of varying stories of the same scandalous outcry from you that a man who you had patched up overseas was wrongfully charged and sent to trial. None of which paid little mind to Mr Winters at all, in fact some tried to cover up that he was another wrongfully snatched up colored man so that they could play to the fact that you were defending your fellow immigrants and naming obvious bias. Statements that you yourself had been seen as a criminal in your youth had been added to heighten the deal with clear statistics of the arrests taken down by burroughs and races that proved something was fishy. All too convenient for the new Presidential election coming up that no doubt had someone in favor of Tom Dewey’s own op-ed piece that had you noted as a hopeful supporter for his future endeavors against crime rates and criminal proceedings. All cemented to solidify that fact by the potential nominee’s quote of, ‘You know that your future is still ahead of you.’
The Bugle with a near full page edition had your statement in the trial in its entirety that Eddie had taken down while you had said it. Behind that came a fuller look at the wrongfully accused and his unblemished record that went against why he was chosen to be arrested and added to it with a following piece named ‘A Tale of Two Joe’s.’ Very few of the smaller papers had chosen to play up the angle of your outcry that your father’s killer was never found or hardly even looked for and had brought you and your mother immense stress that led to your mother’s death and your being left an orphan while your brother felt a need to fight for what was right and joined the war efforts right away adopting you off to Eddie’s care as he did.
Eddie however knowing this bit of your past would come up one day had this piece already in the sidelines waiting to post it. With your father’s help he got copies of the official documents to back up his history and laid it out clearly. Beginning with Steve’s father’s past and criminal past and death complete with resting place in Europe naming Steve as his lost heir to his bloodline. Then your father, naming him as Erich Lehnsherr-Maximoff whose grandparents moved to Ireland in their youth fleeing disagreeing parents to elope. His name stuck through the male child the couple had and when he moved to America had changed his first name to Joseph.
All out in black and white his achievements since his service in the First World War that found him retired as Captain with honors and finding his way into your mother’s path after she had become a War Widow with a young son to provide for. Truly they fell in love and they set out to make a life together. Both deciding to keep her apartment closer or her work and then he had boldly chosen to take your mother’s last name to simplify her choice to continue working as a Nurse with her license for it and so he could have a more American name for the child they hoped to have.
You then came along with a mention of the electromagnetic storm that had surrounded your birth beyond to his several jobs and distinctions achieved at Columbia that you had surpassed in your own studies. Up to the death that had you and others pause at the simple task of picking up rose water for a dessert your mother’s hoped to make when he was cut down in the sidewalk. A wallet was mentioned and that line was reread when your heart ceased pounding reliving that phone call that had your mother make a sound you never knew possible for her to make of immense sorrow ending her worry for his not returning home when he’d promised. Located in the possession of a well off man who claimed to have simply found it empty in the street and had forgotten to turn it in to be returned there was nothing else. Word of old money and stature of a well off man revealed months later to be bankrupt and killed himself from the reveal no justice for another low status Immigrant out to try and provide for his family leaving simply his child who managed to achieve what he hoped she would and is daily surpassing his dreams for her.
The full painful history of your roots that The Bugle cherished the fact they were entrusted with the full truth while the world of press around them chose to blur the scope on the edges and focus on why they wished to and not the painful larger picture in front of them. Like so many families yours had suffered from one war to the next and above all strove to keep surface against a legal system out to prosecute those less than savory in social status. The final note being that change had to come for this country to recover from its old wounds and allow its people, all its people to flourish freely.
“Thanks Eddie,” you said to him in notice of his gaze fixed on your face to gauge your response to what he’d written.
“Figured someday it’d come up about your dad. He helped me to give copies of his backstory documents from when he first arrived here and picked a new host for Edie and their parents.”
“Just figures they would try to bury Winters in the story and bring up that bubble of hot air in a suit who’s up for election.”
“No presidential candidate in the future will be so inept that four of his major speeches can be boiled down to these historic four sentences: Agriculture is important. Our rivers are full of fish. You cannot have freedom without liberty. Our future lies ahead.” Eddie read from his own paper, “Truman said that about Tom Dewey in his latest stop. At least he’s not even flinching off his tour.”
“Isn’t he supposed to be meeting you this week?” Victor asked.
“Yes, he should be flying back soon, his wife Bess has a party she’s due for in New York. Taking in the new shows on Broadway too.”
Norma asked, “Is he going to have press for your visit there? I would hate to see you caught in the middle of a press tug of war.”
“Hopefully not, he did send a copy of our picture out last year. But who can tell with politicians. Never pictured Truman to choose the strong armed approach.” You said making Victor chuckle to himself.
“Well press hasn’t been too favorable in those polls of theirs for him.” He hummed and said, “Either way election is barely under two months away. Can’t keep this up forever and you can focus on classes.”
“Doubtful, General Eisenhower has a whole Democratic set of studies he’s carrying out at Columbia, I can only imagine we will have polls there too.”
.
Sharply exhaling Erik at your side kept tight hold of his school bag’s handle to not drop it out of nerves and was glad to have you at his side for your first class on Columbia’s campus enabling you to show him the right way to go. A pat on his back in the split of you paths had him nod and inhale deeply to continue his path alone in the stream of curious first year male students wondering at what class you were off to.
Ecology T, Th. Two days a week would start you off and for what you had heard to be a dull or otherwise confrontational when he got to his passionate rants on how the world should be treating the planet the lesson opened rather well and seemed to hint that this would be an interesting choice in the least to sit for.
Quantitative analysis T, Th for two days a week also found you reluctantly under the watch of a man with a sneer for a locked expression when his head shifted your way. Very rarely were women allowed in his class but without a full roster of males to take up your seat he had to accept that he would have to endure a female presence. It wasn’t as if he would water down his comments, quite the alternative actually, he increased his jokes and comments that to their inability to go against the ingrained social sense of humor and wish to get on his good side the males remained silent or fully goaded him on with their laughter. Worse had been said however and much like comments when you were younger on every detail of you while you were being ignored and partly mocked by basis of gender alone notes on what was shared on the topic was taken until you were free to leave.
Environmental science T, Th. Another rant worthy class by a Professor who seemed to not notice any of his students and stuck to his own whims on topics as they came to him ignorant of any trying to flag him down for a question or correction on what he’d just said.
Oceanography M, T, Th, F. Next was a lengthy course with what seemed to be a try to cram as many details as possible with news of a test to see what everyone’s retention seemed to be. Here at least from a shared bit of information out of Herc you paused the man in his tracks at your answering a question on ocean currents rather detailed beyond what an average civilian would know.
“How did you know that?” He asked lifting your eyes from the page that you finished writing notes down of what he’d written on the board.
“My Doctor’s wife and daughter have been working on research in those sections of the ocean.”
He blinked a moment and asked, “They took two women on the research trip?”
“The whales don’t seem to mind when they come across them.” You replied making a few of the males around you smirk at the stunned expression on his face.
“And her husband just let them go?”
“He’s a Doctor, they research the ocean and creatures within it.”
“That’s the most absurd idea I’ve ever heard of. The wife and daughter should never abandon their home.” Your brows twitched together a moment and he continued, “Even you studying here I imagine took some doing to arrange with your husband concerning your husband and his wishes for the household you see to when you get home.”
“It must have been rather difficult for scientists to understand creatures of the deep without leaving their homes and families for breaks of time to research the meaning behind their actions. Just like it seems to be difficult for you to understand how my family dynamic is balanced and we have neither the time or my willingness to explain just what I am expected to do when I get home from my studies.” He scoffed and you said, “But I imagine when my husband arrives to drive me home he’d be more than pleased to explain my place at home. After a hundred and forty years he never quite gets over the look on people’s faces to hear how I am expected to be nothing but content and cared for.”
“The law would disagree with you.”
You simply grinned back at him, “The law tends to disagree with everyone at one point or another. The fickle non finite thing the law, it’s changed so many times no wonder people don’t trust it unless it’s to hide behind disguising some form of corruption.”
“The inequality of the place of women in our society is not corrupt.” You grinned a bit wider looking down at your notes to finish writing down the final lines and he added, “Your friend should demand he be respected as head of the household.”
“As a scholar yourself where in my mention of their profession did I say there was any disrespect or lack of obedience to his wishes?” His lips parted and you said, “Your assumption just on that he approves of their choice of work that takes them out of his house is the only straw you are grasping at. It is their business how they balance their household and none of yours. Whatever your opinion might be on his role he should have in his household it is his household and his choice on how it is run. As per the law, he is in charge legally. If you want blatant control over the households of others you should try for politics.”
“I allowed you to have that seat because I was under the impression you were obedient to the way of the world and this campus.”
“And I was under the impression it was your place here in this university to teach Oceanography not to insult and critique the personal lives and life decisions of the students here and those of their acquaintance.” He simply scoffed and turned to his teacher’s aid’s amused chuckle continuing to write down what he was told and asked him where he’d been sidetracked and continued on his original lecture.
.
His glaring state of your name held more than a few of the male students behind to keep  watch as he ordered you plainly, “Don’t make a single peep in my classroom again. These young men are not your peers. Out of kindness I will not rescind what I have given you a chance to catch a glimpse of and allow you to keep your seat to hopefully learn from your betters.”
A giggle from you however was his response in a turn to head to lunch while you said, “Any man who must remind others of his power, has none. My betters would encourage me to be my best, not try to trample my will and voice to silence it like a common fool. What could you possibly be so afraid to hear me say?” You asked without waiting for an answer and walked out the door to meet up with Erik. Willing to take the course by mail if you had to after being kicked out for what you had said if again you would be facing a ban from the male campus or it you would simply have to tolerate this Professor until you had finished the course.
Bickering from the male students behind you however against the Professor however would put a reluctant end to the feud in their refusal to accept what he had said as proper or correct at all. Erik however broke your thoughts in his entrance to the hall near to the courtyard Portia’s driver would fetch you from. “Bunny, how were your classes?” he asked with a creeping grin at his step closer to your side for your first lunch together.
“Overall, fairly good. Very opinionated Professors so far. Some more for who is in their seats than their field, but still good.”
“They giving you trouble?” He asked looking you over.
“No more than usual. First day jitters most like,” you said calming his worries. “Always calms down. Now, let’s feed you. How were your classes?”
“Very good. I cannot wait until I am further along in my studies. I might try to gain more credits in the summer as you did while we are back in Canada.”
“I certainly will. Get ahead in some of my graduate courses if I can.”
With a nod of his head the driver opened the door and once inside the care gave a rather restrained recap of his impressed thoughts on your work helping Mr Winters and Mr Marshall in their case. His family and friends shared the sentiment and through him were said to be in agreement they hoped they did find the real killer soon since the heat they felt for that witness description hadn’t let the upset officers grant them any time to breathe without suspicion. Evident entirely by the patrol car who watched that car and others with their drivers inside of them on their own private lunches outside as if they would find some glowing sign from above on which of the hundreds of thousands of black men in the state to pin this on while evidence was still being forced to consideration for clues to narrow the target.
Portia smiled and led you inside still sharing on her father’s latest business deal that had a group of pompous men sending flowers up to cigars as gifts for the family about driving their doorman mad at the odd hours it all kept arriving in tries to win his favor for some sort of promotion. “Well Daddy said he’s still offering the spot to Mrs Cullen and if they don’t like it they can go and lick a stall mucker’s boot. She’s got more experience than fifty of those young bucks who hope to weasel their way in.”
“He could always tell them they cold strut around in something that flashes some knee and they could make it on the short list,” you teased. Making her giggle to Erik’s creeping grin settling into your usual booth first so you two could block him in and be closer to your friends and the usual group of guys that greeted your cousin fondly.
Barnard would take up the final hours of your day. When the amusing lunch that had Erik escorted by the guys back to Columbia you were off to your next class. Education Th, F was followed by Interior Design Th, F, two classes that would be twice a week and were with otherwise agreeable women who took pride in their role to teach others the field they were passionate about. A stop for the paper afterwards left Erik meeting with James to boast on his classes he’d already shared with you about in the wait until you were there to join the pair of them and hear the rest. All day your girls were rather restless but not beyond control for the brothers while more work was being carried out next door under both Eddie and Dawn’s watch.
.
The following day your schedule would change however, again in Columbia’s campus, beginning with Geology M,W, F. Then Statistics M, W, F. After which in your free period you went to the library and made use of that time to get some more reading in before your next class. Oceanography M, T, Th, F would be your last class on Columbia’s campus for the day before your return after lunch to Barnard for Education, Interior Design and then back again for the third year you found your way again to the larger group in the Photography club.
.
Tonight unlike the one prior however had you dressed up and out for a drive to the penthouse hotel suite that President Truman was staying in for his trip to New York. “Aren’t your babies precious!” was squeaked out and began the small talk while the food was being brought up to serve for supper.
“No politics,” Truman promised spreading your grin as he said, “Bess has made me promise. I will say however, on the matter of your friend Mr Winters, we have some higher ups investigating now that the Police Department is a bit out of their depths.”
Eddie asked, “Higher ups?”
Truman nodded, “The pair of you have assisted them before.” He said trying to be vague in front of his wife and daughter who were not allowed to know about the secret organization. “There has been heavy influence that this is the work of some sort of ongoing attack someone is waging. Those police weren’t the first victims.”
“Ah,” you said and caught his wife’s huff.
“No politics,” he said in a sweet pat of her hand.
“How is your film coming along, Bunny? I simply cannot wait to see your Norma in it.” His daughter Margaret asked.
Norma smiled saying, “I just heard from Howard Stark this morning, he has secured November 1st for the release date. It was free,” she said spreading grins around the table as conversation bled from that into other topics of her own next artistic project planned.
“How did you think of this image?” Margaret asked luring your distant gaze from the open window at the sunset recalling the odd feeling you had woken up with from a dream of you riding horses with James, Victor, Elliot and the twins.
In a smile at her you explained the thought behind the image of James chopping wood in a play of light and shadows beginning the share of more motivations until you signed this copy of your book for the family as well and stood for the picture they wanted to have an updated one with all the babies in it as well.
Again however in the path back down to the car your thoughts drifted off. And it wasn’t for a few blocks before James could get you to speak instead of staring off into the distance watching the city roll by as your mind reeled on that odd dream of nothing but a flowing gown on yourself and the hoof beats to the race of steeds in a forest. “Where have you been drifting off to?”
Smiling his way you answered, “Just an odd dream I had.”
“What odd dream?” he asked switching lanes for a turn.
“We were riding through a forest, and I was in this, big gown,” That turned his head and his eyes flinched wider to a spike of his heartbeat that had you look his way and look him over. “What?”
“You, um, get more than that? Just us and the horses?”
“How did you know we were on horses?” You asked and he wet his lips and inhaled sharply.
“Okay,” he let out a sharp breath, “We met before in, 1833.” Your lips parted. “I was married, we were having an anniversary party. Huge thing, you showed up and demanded we help you, that you couldn’t tell us anything about why other than your family was in danger and you had been taken.” It was your turn for your heart rate to spike. “You gave us a sketch and a name to keep an eye out for, said if we see the guy we’re supposed to kill him. We went on a ride, we tried to help you, and you were just, gone, said we’d bump into you again. That we’d need each other again some day.”
“How did we meet in 1833?”
He shook his head, “I’ve tried to get answers out of the guys while you were pregnant but you told them when you’d been taken from and they refused to say, you never told us anything specific other than naming our powers,” and he chortled adding, “And you mentioned knowing about the freckles on my testicle.”
“Well that would certainly grab someone’s attention.”
“Grabbed mine, just like your wedding ring grabbed Victor’s to get him to find me. I still had that thing buried back then. We checked, after you left.”
“I don’t suppose you’ll tell me what we did?”
“You told us not to tell you.”
“How helpful of me,” you sighed and he reached over to guide you into his side to steal a kiss on your forehead. “I always do this, land myself in some mess somewhere and you have to come and drag me out of it.”
“I didn’t do much of the dragging,” he hummed back playfully. “When you do need us, we’ll be there for you. Now you’ve dreamt it me and Vic will keep our eyes open for that guy.” Those words came out in a sort of growl and alone in the back yard James and Victor peered on at the sketch you had given them so long ago along with the name written underneath. Worn with age as much as could be prevented against and hidden by the elder to always have track of it if needed even with the fold marks and the wear of ink through the ages the fresh image still burned in their minds from that first day.
They swore to keep their eyes open for that face and name and they had kept their word having traced every one with that name where they traveled to confirm against the sketch and let those loose who did not match. For over a century they imagined to have failed you but now it made sense that he would steal you now and those babies you had tears for were theirs. Sometime soon they would need to be ready. Ready for anything that might come with finding that killer and what would come after they had killed him and you were returned to them. Elliot swore they would return you, they wouldn’t leave you trapped in the past away from the babies. He just had to be patient and as helpful as possible knowing full well he was a reluctant mule back then to your every inch of the plan.
..
“Hello?” Peggy’s voice rang through the line and Teddy smiled having picked up the receiver Pepper had gotten down for him.
“I live here,” the boy replied making the woman smile widely recognizing the boy’s voice.
“Hello Teddy Darling,” She said and for a few minutes spoke with him until he lifted the phone for Victor on his pass through with a food tray for the snack he had been fixing up for the children. “Teddy?” She asked assuming he’d dropped the phone to go play with his toy he’d just been mentioning.
“Hello?” Victor asked when he lifted the phone to his ear.
“This is Peggy,”
“Hey Peggy, Victor. Everything alright?”
“Yes, I was calling in a hope that I might be able to convince you to come in if you could?”
“Rough case?”
“Yes, rather troubling we can’t seem to make heads or tails of it off a journal we found. Bunny seems quite adept at them and I know you and James are fluent in more than a few languages as well to cover since Eddie is still working on his home.”
“What’s the address?” He asked writing down the address given on the mounted notepad using the pencil left on a string beside it. “See you there in a bit, I’ll call some of the Brocks over to cover the munchkins for us.”
Behind the cart he entered the living room finding you and James lounging on the couch reading separate sheets from your translation folders and he said, “Truman was not kidding on the higher ups being given the case.” Your eyes lifted from the page and he hummed in a flash of the page, “Peggy called, asked for help from us three.”
“Wow,” James said on his rise to sit up as you straightened up closing your folder again to set aside. “Must be bad if she’s called us in with Bunny.”
Victor, “Needs help making heads of a journal. Translations and all that. Already called Gina, she’s coming over.”
.
“Bunny, thank you for coming in,” Peggy said with a wide smile outside the white building marked the New York City Bell Company.
“Glad we could help.”
“To be honest I am glad for a bit of muscle for you, we’ve rounded up some unsavory fellows who keep giving Chief Thompson trouble.” On her heel she turned as the brothers inhaled in the slide of their fingers over the seams of their outer vests that blew to the side slightly on the breeze that shifted your skirt to sway around your knees and thighs.
“Don’t mind the trouble,” James replied calmly.
“Trouble tends to try and avoid us when it can,” Victor added as you shifted on your feet to take the first step after her to head inside. People buzzing by in the once fake bank now telephone company stole their turns to look your way as they continued onwards. Straight for a connection room full of women who elatedly stole smiles and waves your way to the end where Peggy stopped at the wall for the red head that made the proper connection to open the door. One sealed vault of a hall later and into what could be almost any police office that had men all around to peer on at the guests none of them had asked for.
“Peggy, what is this?! Can’t you see that we have enough to deal with here?!” Thompson stated and from your wrist one of the bracelets on your wrist came undone with a simple twist of one of the bead like ends to the silver decoration. Sooner than you could have anticipated the room of captives burst loose that only had others burst into the room in a try to capture them again. Out in a single whip of the self extending metal chord that the bracelet released into your hand flung the end around the ankle of one of the men that in a tug had him on his back now with a segment as an anklet. The knob on the side of the watch face on your wrist was turned after you had flung another segment off around the ankle of a second man to James and Victor’s tackle of two more that tried to come at you and Peggy.
Up into the air the two men flew to dangle from the magnetic charge of the anklet to the metal beam as you moved onto a third then fourth from the group in the midst of the chaos. Arms, legs, both were circled to dangle the men between your bobs, sweeps of legs and weaves from attempted blows or grips between the larger men aiming to take you down themselves. Ten soon enough after you had punched the last one that came at you in the lack of another metal segment to bind him over his body splayed across the ground you spotted Thompson and his men who had cuffed the eight they had apprehended staring up at the groaning men dangling mid air.
One of the agents shoved away as another held his nose was flanked by two more in the man’s try to flee. Off the desk to your left an open lunch pail had you grab the spoon you hurled at the door the culprit was reaching for. The sink of the handle of the spoon as if into butter in the wood had him freeze to glance back your way as you held up the knife and fork in the pail to ask, “Which would you rather have dug out of your spine?”
Victor hummed playfully adjusting his vest as James fixed the sleeve of his shirt, “I know which I’d pick.”
The man simply retracted his hand and allowed the agents to tackle him into the wall and wrestle him into cuffs then on the ground join them in looking you over as you set the fork and knife back into the lunch pail. To Peggy you looked and undid the watch face holding chain left of the conjoined bracelet handing it over, “Made you a toy,” you said widening her impressed grin in accepting it and hearing of how it worked.
She worked to lower them down for the men to capture and she connected the bracelet again she snapped into place on her wrist. Daniel in their confusion snuck in and nudged you closer to the proper journal and over your shoulders the brothers looked at the pages of nothing of importance beyond the weather and foliage nearby until you spied what to anyone else would be a page of incoherent scribbles.
“That’s a map,” Victor rumbled and James tilted the book that you turned upside down you raised to hold in the air in view of the map on the wall.
“It’s the island,” James muttered as you lowered and finished flipping through the journal that you set aside.
Daniel asked lowly in a check on the others who were on their way to see what you were up to in the conference room with the documents there they had neglected to put away, “You got a fix on where to look?”
“Yup,” you said and he turned faking his fetch of a pen for you to write something, anything down to make an excuse to leave. “Then you go over to 22nd street, and turn,” you said writing down what Chief Thompson would take as directions as you copied the map and notes from the other pages.
“What’s this?” Thompson asked looking you over.
Daniel gestured his hand to you, “Just getting directions to a great place for lunch.”
Thompson said in a glance at the journal and papers, “We’ve got this handled, we can cover the paperwork. Get something to eat. Don’t want to keep the Baron and Baroness waiting.”
You simply folded the sheet in your palm and flinched out a grin. Lowering the pen on the table to stroll out of the room to pass people as the Chief and others looked you over wondering at how someone your size took out so many and knocked out the man still unconscious from your punch without damaging your hand at all same as the men the brothers knocked out. Peggy collected her purse and hastened to meet your side smiling in the ease of your arm around hers, “Lovely office,” you said to the elevator button being hit for you by Daniel.
“Baroness,” the Chief said and your head turned to catch his eye, “How’d you do that, with the spoon?”
“Practice,” you replied with a smirk that had him more unsettled than the act itself of lodging a spoon from across the room into a solid wooden door.
Inside the door of the elevator you passed and turned as a group for them to hear when the doors closed, “It was a map.” Peggy’s eyes dropped to the page you showed her and her lips parted then closed when you folded it again and pocketed it when the doors opened at the next floor. Chatter of a choice of menu kept the others oblivious on the stroll out to Daniel’s car you all piled into the back as he and Peggy sat up front.
“So how many victims exactly are we looking at?” you asked luring her to turn and look back at you.
“103, by our last tally. Just in the past year alone.”
You let out a breath and James said, “And they’re all in pieces, like the cops on the beach?”
“Some just vanish leaving the same debris behind,” Daniel said beginning the drive off to the ferry you would need to get to the far off island. “I thought Crow Island was a myth. That the guys were just messing with me when they said they’d send guys out there when they first started to see how easily they get spooked.”
“Crow Island?” Victor rumbled your way to Peggy’s look over your expression for any clue on what was coming.
“It’s shaped like a bird. There’s some myth there’s a ghost out there. People tend to not live there anymore but they had a pull for housing for fishermen even in the crash like how coal miners used to live on company housing.”
Peggy asked, “So it’s not haunted?”
“Steve stayed there once overnight, he ran into a tree branch and my dad had to go and get him and carry him home the next day. He didn’t like to talk about it but dad said the worst there was this just all out battle for the beach between crabs and the birds. Other than the beach it’s mostly trees. No paved roads or anything like that, mainly wood buildings still.”
.
The full ride on the ferry you shared all you had read in the journal that seemed to be useless outside of choosing the proper place to lay down roots, clearly made of use to decide the safest spot for someone to thrive. From the Captain and man guarding the gate Peggy and Daniel made note on how few people they carried across including the few names they could recall. Abandoned didn’t even seem close to what this place felt like even with hollow people that milled about the city’s dirt pathways that had Daniel parking on the lot for the ferry since there were no gas stations or cars on the island. On foot you stepped over a broken glass bottle and scanned your eyes over another building, inside which you could feel metal in the bones of people that had you mutter to James in the fold of your hand into the bend of his elbow. “No heartbeats.”
Daniel asked lowly to the spike of his heartbeat and Peggy’s to the news, “How can there be no heartbeats?”
Victor rumbled, “Whatever it means, this is not good.”
James, “All I can smell is fish and feathers.”
Crow after crow between gulls filled the skies and free places to sit nearer to the beach with the darer plumed birds that came closer into the ghost town. Shops poorly lit on windmill power that had the lights flicker to homes with lanterns and burning fireplaces surely a danger to the walls of vines and trees and bushes that had grown over the buildings to block off the sight of others farther down the road. Past hills and to a water mill to help ground the corn and wheat they were able to grow there in the past now rusted and dilapidated the road led the way to the x marked spot that had an old barn looking house within punching distance of its neighbors on either side. You all paused to peer on at that led the way to another smaller shopping center that had more heartbeat free people milling by back and forth ignorant of energy to care for the new faces in their midst.
“That the place?” was asked and to the front door you walked for Peggy to be the one to try the handle and then dig in her purse for her lock picking kit that had Daniel roll his eyes to her having that on hand so easily.  More feathers inside and a pungent scent of birds and rain came in through the broken roof that in more than one room was cracked and bowing. On the stained walls however you spied the same two faces in each of the portraits and sketches had you collecting the sketch pad from your purse that with a colored pencil from its tin case that while the brothers kept watch on the patio it was drawn out to copy the face and name on the papers left wrinkled on the floor and surfaces.
“Nothing back here,” Peggy said as you completed the sketch you removed from the book to fold and pocket adding the book and tin case back into your purse.
Daniel answered in his own check of another room full of crumpled towels and torn sheets. “Just another empty room here.” Away from the images of the two strangers with an assumed aging father and child that remained the same age you guessed the worst and entered the hall to join the others past the filth ridden kitchen and bathroom to the back two closed doors left to check.
Listening carefully the brothers ensured nothing unsavory could be heard in your break and entering occasion while their eyes swept over the drone like bodies milling past. Sounds of more feathers rustling came on a breeze carrying an added scent of corn and fish paired with an odd hint of calcium tablets. Dressed in a long muddy trench with slits and cuts across the back and sleeves over a pair of work slacks tattered on the ends and worn boots split in three down the front of them a man who seemed to be forcing the same behavior as the others passing by. Past the house he trudged onwards only for the brothers’ eyes to flinch wider in their joint race out to clutch the man and drag him into the house.
Hard as they could manage they drug him in feeling his body contorting in their grip as more tears on his layers were formed in the pop of feathers between the tears. Deeply beyond possible for a human his voice sounded in a language neither brother could understand to the light of his eyes a bright yellow. Inside they kicked the door shut making Daniel flinch to the sound and draw his gun asking, “Something wrong?”
Grunts and a slam of them driving him into and unfortunately through the wall opposite the door the scuffle continued to a large wing that shot out the back of the creature James’ claws extended to stab him in the heart as Victor used his nails to slice open its throat.
To a wave from Daniel as he went to check what was wrong through the brothers’ watch of the only creature with a beating heart slowly bleeding out until James had stabbed him again to shorten his suffering you and Peggy walked through the final closed door you opened behind you at the slam of the front door. A buzzing sound from behind you turned your head and in the relax of the human like hand on the dead man’s trigger clicker a glowing machine in the shape of an egg pulsed in bright orange through the cutout markings across the rotating rings. The base block’s walls split open and dropped down to the large wooden spool splitting it at the force that triggered the rotating rings on the egg to split, each level going the opposite way revealing a reflective surface of a crystal. Off of which you saw your eyes had turned silver entirely as your body reacted shooting Peggy along with your purse back out of the room safe behind the door that slammed enforcing your barrier you created withholding the sudden flash.
“Peggy!” Daniel shouted and raced back to help her up from the ground where she’d dropped to out of the dent in the flimsy wall that had caught her.
“I’m fine,” she said shaking her head and accepting his help up for a raced step over to open the door to the now soot covered room around the machine now lit in a dull maroon shade dimming more to a dark grey. “Bunny…” The sudden pop of Elliot, Jeff, Beau, Herc and twelve others had her flinch into Daniel’s side in his lift of the gun he lowered as they all turned differing ways to inspect all that had surrounded them.
“What are you doing here? How’d you get here?” Daniel asked luring Elliot’s eyes to him.
Waves of two of the women’s hands in the group restored the room back to how it was to allow them greater detail of what could be found out. “This is far more useless than I expected,” one of them said furrowing Daniels’ brows.
“Who are they?” he asked to Elliot in his move to the door.
“Our brothers.” He answered, “Keep an eye on that, Luf, Hun you know what to do when it starts to hum again.”
“You know what that is? Where’s Bunny?”
“Not where, when.” He said walking past the couple to head for his own inspection with the twins behind him. “Is he dead?” He called out and joined the bloody handed brothers who stepped back from the bloody body that continued to shift more into a bird. Around the face that folded inwards to form a pointed tongue a beak from the collarbone and back of the head began to fold shut to complete what appeared to be some otherworldly nine foot owl. “Oh good,” Elliot panted as they fanned out into the room around the emotionally sunken brothers assuming the worst had happened.
“What the hell is that?!” Daniel said in full view of the bird that lured Peggy closer to give its toe that stuck out the front of the boot a nudge with the toe of her shoe.
“A shape changing creature from another end of the Universe banished by his own kind amongst other undesirables who refused to comply with the laws of their planet’s masters. The Mayans considered him one of their Gods.”
To Elliot he looked and asked again, “Where’s Bunny?!”
“1833,” James and Victor said together dropping his jaw.
“WHAT?!”
Pt 85
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Brother Dearest Pt 81
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Dr Roan beside Herc smiled hearing about the girls and your labor that had them amply concerned for how you might have coped. While you took a break to nurse the girls in the group of mothers who did the same and shared their own tales of things you had missed while away. One at a time Norma and James helped you to trade between the girls while a date was settled upon for the first round of vaccines for the trio that the Nurses and Nuns from the clinic came over to steal their own chances to catch a turn to hold or peer on at the girls.
“When will you need baby sitters?” Bernie Barnes asked with her twin Benji beside her luring out your grin in landing your eyes on them.
“I don’t know, three babies are a lot to manage. I would hate to overwhelm the pair of you.”
“We can manage!” they said.
Norma chuckled saying, “You can help to watch my little girl tomorrow if you can,” widening their smiles, “Work you into it. Victor is taking me to check in with the company. We could use a trustworthy pair to watch our girl while we’re gone.”
Eagerly they nodded and said, “We’ll be there!” and hurried off once they were told the time to share with their mother their first babysitting gig for your family as they had hoped to do so.
In the split of the mothers to speak with other friends of theirs and to find their spouses and older children you lingered at the ring of chairs now filled with others who came to speak to you. Namely so Mrs Maisey and her Husband who came to share stories with compliments on your trio and to chuckle as their oldest set shared they were ecstatic to no longer be the only family of triplets in town. Elliot, Jeff and Beau with wide smiles took your sides on the stroll home again behind Herc, who had taken hold of Marigold to help Dawn with hold of Teddy since Eddie had hurried off to start on a few calls of deliveries and such to finalize.
“Splendid, simply splendid,” Elliot said as you caught sight of Erik speaking to Dave about his first shift in the bar to help cushion his funds while in school and help him make friends while he’s in Brooklyn.
Back to him you smiled, “I think the King would be pleased with the pictures of the ceremony. Certainly have a good crowd, whole town showed up.”
Jeff said, “Pity your friends had to leave though so suddenly.”
“Peggy said she’d fill us in later. Their newest shadow to chase.”
Beau, “There does seem to be a good deal of them to help with since they named this new war of theirs. Did you hear they’ve started pulling Directors and Actors to Congress in their Red Scare campaign?”
Jeff said, “Seems some people have been using it to their advantage to ruin careers.”
“Just a pity when egos get in the way of things.” James said with a smile lifting his arm a bit higher on your back. “Been a few of these scares we’ve seen since me and Vic were kids.”
Victor chuckled, “This one’s just got Red for a name, rather unimaginative.” After his smile at Norma he said, “Long as they stay away from our girl I don’t care much what they try to snuff out of Hollywood.”
Norma said, “As long as they don’t try to go after Howard again I don’t either.”
Dawn chuckled saying, “I doubt they would earlier tries didn’t get them far.” And after a glance at your way she added jokingly, “Plus he has to make more of Jaqi’s films.”
“Very casual,” you teased back making her smirk at adding that, “First one’s not even out yet. If it flops no one’s gonna want to touch one of my stories.”
“It is never going to flop,” the whole group managed to clump together that Norma added to with a simple, “Your story is beautiful. The world needs more of them.”
“Bit early for shipments,” James muttered to the sight of a delivery truck out front that a pair of men carried one of the trunks inside the back of it up your stoop through the open doors that Eddie stood inside and flashed you all a grin.
A phone ring turned him from his spot and you all came inside passing the stunned pair of men who went to fetch another of the trunks to bring in leaving you to curiously look over the trunks labeled from various countries to yourself and James. “Hmm,” he said and moved to keep watch of the men while you went to relax in the sitting room where the kids were settled down into the playpen and you took your seat to remove your heels like the other ladies that had been on your feet for the special occasion.
When the deliverymen had gone and Eddie was off the phone the trunks were opened to reveal from the King of Spain star shaped geodes in a trio of stunning colors paired with collapsible telescopes in velvet lined wooden boxes. Etched into the plaques on the inside of the lids were the names of each girl that from his orders had them named as Princesses and daughters to the Queen of the Hare to make them extra personal. The title explaining fully the rabbits etched around the exterior of the box. With that came a letter showing pleasure in the progress letter you had written to him about the translations that so far were coming together much like a storybook with copies of letters from officials mingled throughout. All together it seemed to be growing into a series that could be divided by country in order of when your older self had seemed to set up rule there.
King George’s letter didn’t mention the book, merely covered a progress report on Elizabeth and her pregnancy so far including that you would be invited to his first grandchild’s christening slotted in March. A golden compass in a crystal box that were paired with a trio of necklaces for the girls when they were older. Keeping the theme in outlines of stars topped by diamonds and their birthstones on alternating sides of each point around their first initials, too large for them to use now but to treasure when they were older.
At least the gifts from the Prime Minister of Canada gifted something more practical, a trio of stuffed moose and bell shaped ornaments for a Christmas tree with their names on each. Bells were a common theme that joined charms for mobiles for the girls from Prime Ministers in Australia outwards allied to King George who you had met at Princess Elizabeth’s wedding. All very sweet to go with the lapis lazuli winged butterfly brooches set in gold accented with diamonds and rubies to go with rosaries encased in special cloths sent from the Pope to welcome them himself into the Catholic faith stating you and they had been in his prayers for what the press had sent in a whirl across the world that troubled so very many.
“What are we supposed to get a Princess for a Christening gift?” You asked after seeing what you yourself had been sent as just a Baroness for your children.
Herc said, “Can’t go wrong with rattles. Silver is a common theme in history, or ornate spoons with Saints.” His brows furrowed a moment, “Though the Church of England doesn’t usually tend to lean to Saints since Henry the 8th made it.”
James said, “We could send a sapling,” he said turning your head, “From our land. Something strong the baby could grow with. Fly it out there, could be a kind gesture, something personal and not ornate.”
Victor said, “And you could always add a special pair of booties or a hand embroidered baby blanket or pillow they could keep.” You nodded as he said, “You aren’t just another official, you are friends of the family. Pregnancy partners with the Princess and her smoke screen in the press for a good bit.”
Dawn said, “I think she’d like it. To keep her grounded, remind her we see them as people too not just monarchs.”
Eddie entered not long after with a puff of air, “What did I miss? That should be it.” His smile spread in seeing the gifts and hearing the translations of the letters and delved himself in the plans for the rest of the day and one after when more work would be carried out at his new place while he was still on break from the paper and carrying out his investigation with Venom at night.
.
‘Brothers Victor Creed and Baron James Howlett World’s Oldest Men,’ your giggles from behind your copy of the paper had a momentary scowl from your husband sent your way that you broke with a bump of an arm into his.
“Oh come on, if the Times were accurate I’d be long dead by now,” you giggled out and continued reading.
Lack of what were found to be valid Death Certificates along with hollow aliases down with their inheritances were passed had the writer verified in that Victor and James were the same brothers photographed in the picture on the second page of the story at a fishing tournament in 1827. Scandalous recaps of testaments shared of an intruder who killed both of their fathers and had taken the duo that had broken free and returned home in time for James to inherit the Howlett Estate and title of Baron were included. They led to talks of their weddings, children and the loss of those along with wars they had served in for each alias.
The central focus of the article was not to out their age, no, but to state that there were several active Confederate Warrants several states in the South that officials who had descended from those who chased them wished to carry out. It was a public plea for anyone to turn them over to the authorities on crimes ranging from bank robbing to train robbing for the brothers noted to wield unique sets of knives to their individual persons that they were known to be hunted by for those who had been falsely accused to be them in the past. Dangerous and devious the duo were said in the ink to have kept the shares left behind after having bought out slave markets to blatantly free those slaves up to Northern states and had made their fortunes from it that you now benefited from. Somehow meant to polarize them as corrupt.
“Help, Mr President, they stole my four time Great Grandfather’s slaves, guns, funds and munitions. Brave attempt to restore family honor,” Erik stated turning the page in his paper making Eddie chuckle as he finished his own page.
Eddie tapped his sheet saying, “They actually listed you stole arms and munitions as well as funds from Confederate trains to heinously hand over to the Yankees. Who the hell is their source?”
“I’m guessing from one of the Confederates who rushed up North when the slaves all came here to profit off them in the slums like all the other rats now calling themselves Democrats.” Victor growled around his mouthful of toast.
Norma asked, “They can’t arrest them, can they?”
“Slavery was abolished in an amendment to the Constitution, even as Canadian citizens they can’t be prosecuted for anything related to freeing slaves. And even on top of that, their money is worthless and so are those warrants. Confederates are just going to have to go suck on a rock.” You answered plainly in the move to adjust the bottle you one handedly held for one of your girls in your arms as the paper levitated in front of you.
James smirked at a glance at the girl in your arms while he fed one in his arms and Victor held the other at his side to get them fed so the three of you could eat. With a sigh he turned his head to the ringing phone that Eddie rose to answer leaving Teddy still confused but eating in his high chair beside him peering back at where his dad had gone to. Dawn smiled at Teddy with a spoon she used to feed Marigold in hand saying, “Daddy will be right back Teddy. Eat up.” The boy smiled and continued to do so to the sound of his father’s voice answering the phone.
“Pear/Creed/Howlett Residence,” he answered and smirked hearing the response.
“I have President Truman on the line,”
“Ah, right on time, we just read the papers.”
“I will patch him through.”
The voice said then a few moments of silence was followed by a click and Eddie said, “Morning Mr President, it’s Eddie, how are you?”
“Oh, I have had better mornings, Eddie, how is your family?”
“Fairly amused by the Times today,” he chuckled and added, “Rather wild this latest leap. Guess they wanted to dig into James’ past to build the background of the line the girls will be carrying on.”
Truman gave out a puff of air clearly having removed his glasses to rub a hand over his face, “We don’t recognize the Confederate Union in this country anymore. I will be holding a press conference later this morning, I just wanted you all to know this will be apologized for. Even if I cared, let’s say they are, how old was it?” Truman asked adding his glasses again to read the paper laid out before him, “143 and 140 years old, let’s say they were, no idiot would take that to trial there could be no witnesses and the picture could be doctored and it would be difficult to authenticate those sources. And the call to check into your family finances in some sort of audit is just absurd. I would have to get King George on that for approval and he wouldn’t dare touch inquiring on funds made from freeing slaves with a hundred foot pole.”
“Least they aren’t saying Jaqi’s dying anymore,” Eddie said earning a defeated chuckle from the President.
“This is absurd,” the President sighed out earning another chuckle from Eddie, “And they had to run it the same day of the Christening announcement in the Bugle. Downright insulting.”
“Well, fought a scoop for a scoop. From what we could tell our papers are flying off the racks as much as theirs are. Don’t you worry too much about it we’re not taking it too roughly on our end of things.”
“Well I’m glad for that. And I will see Bunny and James at least when I pop by New York after their book signing.” A voice sounded to remind him of an appointment and the pair signed off so he could head to his press conference and get this matter over with freeing Eddie back to his seat to share the conversation.
Breakfast was enjoyed as the papers were set aside and babies were all fed to sit and watch as you all talked through the meal and clearing up after to take them into the sitting room. Benji and Bernie smiling wildly accepted their path inside to the sight of the work crew next door in the front room unpacking the lumber in pre cut sets to assemble for the cabinets throughout the house. “Come on in girls, the guys will try not to let it get too loud and Leanora seems to not mind the noise much,” Victor said guiding the teens in to where you were seated working on more translations of letters on your past.
“Hey girls,” you said getting the greeting in return while Dawn settled Marigold down to let her crawl around as Teddy played with one of his toys. James joined you next with the freshly changed girls he sat down with in their cushioned area under dangling toys they could reach for and play with while he stretched their legs between stolen kisses on their bellies and limbs. Victor on his way out was sure to give you a hug and peck on the cheek, “Have fun Kitty.”
“Oh you know I will,” he hummed back making you giggle at his plans made earlier on comments to make to the press if any asked him about his true age.
 *
“Mr President! Are you saying there will be no repercussions at all?” A reporter from the Times asked in apparent shock.
President Truman simply took in a deep breath and stated plainly, “Since April 9th 1864 this country has given no authority to the will of the Confederate Union. Upon their loss of the Civil War any and all warrants they had issued were null and void. Whether or not I believe the brothers to each have lived a century and halfway into a second, were this be carried out to a trial with approval of King George to prosecute two of his citizens. There would be no jury of their peers and no witnesses or concrete proof that they are the two responsible. Above all of that all this the article in question states that the alleged robberies were done in service of disarming the Union and freeing slaves from the markets out to send them back into new allies of servitude from those who placed them up for sale.”
The crowd began to murmur amongst themselves and he cut that off driving them to silence continuing. “I would sooner sign warrants of arrest for those who served in the armed forces against Hitler’s soldiers in service of freeing the Jews and other so called ‘Undesirables’ he ordered his followers to murder and gather up for starvation and torture in his game of collecting territories throughout Europe than I would allow any of the states within this great nation to prosecute two men for allegedly their, or the alleged acts of their ancestors, in the means of freeing slaves and ending a terrible war on our own soil that devastated our people for generations after. To this day that war echoes in every stone and stream on this earth and to this day the Confederate Union holds no power here.”
A few people took note of his exact wording. And he stated, “Whoever these sources are in the pool of sources for this story who find themselves in positions of power, should any of you make a single move to enforce these charges as bullet proof as the paper they were first presumably written upon. You will find yourselves at the end of the barrel of justice’s canon for not following your oath and upholding the very constitution that these men with the 13th amendment ended the power to make such claims. How dare you place your own personal pride over the safety and wellbeing of each and every American citizen we are sworn to defend.
And if the press wishes for an arrest so badly turn over the names of the officials involved for their attempts to infringe upon the constitutional rights of our citizens and believes still to this day that the act of slavery deserves punishment for those who fight against it. Should any of us find ourselves so agonizingly patient to survive to 140 years old I would find it absurd to not find a small fortune within our possession along with enough common sense to avoid stirring up such merit less conflicts such as this. I for one do not bear such patience and will be ensuring there is an investigation to find the sources of this information and keep our people safe from such backward thinking to not make our country slide downhill to the depths from which certain ancestors chose to drag us to in defense of such inhumane practices.”
Silence, sheer silence to a few flashes of camera bulbs he walked off the stage and out of the room simply allowing those in that room to handle all that he had said while he went to find a room to sit quietly in to keep from shouting every obscenity he could about how the special day after three precious girls had been welcomed into their church by the same press that risked their having been loss by undue pressure on their mother their entire pregnancy. Already teams were assigned to investigate where the warrants had come from and every official from those states would be interrogated and investigated from Mayors upwards to the Congress until every one had been weeded out. This was beyond personal now, someone was trying to challenge the constitution and find a foothold for something evil and he would not allow that to take hold even if it sullied his reputation as President for generations to come. He would not be the one to allow this to pass by unscathed on his watch he took an oath and to his dying breath he would uphold that as long as he held this office and any other position of power.
 *
“Stuck on a word, Darling?” James asked lifting your furrowed glare from the page after a lunch while the babies had been put down for lunch.
“I think it’s a name, just Sponge, then it goes back to talking about canons being hurled into the ocean.”
James chuckled and said, “You can always save it for later.”
You simply raised a hand to rub your eyes making him smirk at the ink smudge that spread down the curve around your eye socket that lured him to guide you upstairs to draw you a bath. “Come on my Love, let’s go pour you a bath.” He said to the continued sound of hammering of the crew now softer as they had made it to the second floor next door when the first was finished. “They should be done soon.”
“It’s not that, they need to underline names in their letters. Which isn’t practical, I don’t do that, but think how much easier that would be?” making him chuckle.
“I agree. Learning Japanese was a nightmare when we lived there, not many outside the spiritual leaders or country officials could read and write and we ended up hiring some old drunken leader of an army who was right arm to a long dead Emperor outcast for failure. Nowadays they have books on the language and we found out thirty years back that he named rivers and landmarks by the simplest of terms, not by their actual names,” he said making you giggle, “And a few things he asked us what we were asking about while others simple curse words when he got tired of our questions. There are so many rivers named Avon because the translators didn’t get the actual river names from their guides. When we get this ink off you and-,”
Instantly halfway up the steps you asked, “I have ink on me?” you turned your hands over, “I don’t see any,” you looked at him saying, “I have ink on my face.” His smile spread and you rolled your eyes and head back in an irritated groan.
“We all have those moments. When we learned Calculus Vic got his book stuck to his face more than once, don’t feel bad.” You sighed and complied heading for the tub he would strip you to lower into the bubbly lair to soak while he lovingly washed your face and ensured your wild curl filled bun on top of your head didn’t get wet.
Dried, changed into more comfortable layers you were back again, though this time against James’ side with his scowling focused face to match yours in debating over what the translations were. The making of a nice picture to announce that Victor and Norma were home that had the twins seated on the ground watching your tv through Leonora’s nap pop up and smile at the parents and share their morning to race home in glee at their twin dollar bills for their first babysitting job. Victor chuckled coming closer asking, “Stuck on a word?”
“I think it’s a name,” you and James said luring him over to join you consulting the translation dictionary you had with the letter to the poorly cursive etched message to a King from a General in charge of a military strike on another army that was thwarted and tossed into the sea from an explosive sea of stars according to his account.
“I think that’s an R, not a Z.” he hummed and you tilted the sheet a bit.
“I suppose,” and added that on the legal pad collection of possible translations to that word in brackets you would add around this letter for the twins to double check later when they had finished their own trunk while you neared completing your own smaller trunk. “This is the fourth letter I’ve had to use my stapler to group up my translations. I’m beginning it’d be easier just to bring back the guy from the dead to read it himself.”
“I’m not sure he would be able to read it himself Pipsqueak, not with that penmanship. Especially after we beat him into compliance.” He said with a chuckle making you simply sigh and finish off the final line of the translation and accept the stapler from him to staple the group together and lay around the original to add to the finished pile in its new folder for that section of time.
James asked Norma as she sat down with a cup of tea that Dawn had brewed up and offered you one as well, “Long day with your Manager?”
“Not really, just a list of auditions and he spent a great deal on ‘seeing where the chips fall’ on my little ‘dalliance’ with Howard. His films have been hit and miss and they didn’t get a chance to read the script first so they don’t know how much damage control they will have to run on my career after this to get back to my image they plan for me.”
“When are you free from them again?” James asked.
“End of the year, they said I would be up for re-evaluation on if I’m profitable or not.” She said and took a sip from her cup as you lowered your own.
“Where does he live again?” you asked Victor making him smirk.
As he poured a shot of some whiskey he purred playfully back to you, “I already asked.”
James said, “Sooner we get these fat men off the pedal the better for your career. Surely we can manage an accident or two or a pop in by Squishy to poison a few.”
She flashed him a comforting grin, “They’ll see when the film comes out, and if they don’t sign me again I will surely be offered a better deal somewhere else.”
Victor hummed in his place settled beside her, “Or we can find a way to not have you owned by another company.”
“Maybe we can figure something out to keep you popular enough to not need them. I mean all they really do is just call people and throw trash your way and funnel money into the projects while offering press outings. When we can bring in tons of publicity on our own for you.” You said widening her smile.
“I think it has more business to it then that.”
“Psh,” you said making her giggle and take a sip of her drink as you took one of yours.
She looked to your translation stack asking, “Get far in your folder today?”
“Finished another one. Still some word snags on translations they can go over before they add to the rest in the directory. They seem to be doing well with theirs.”
Eddie who slipped in on the crew’s lunch break smiled at Dawn and said, “Those twins don’t sleep, unfair advantage. Leave them as many blips in those letters as you can. I have a feeling this is their fun time after all that waiting being handed all these secrets.”
“Cabinets install doing well?”
“Oh ya, nearly done with the top floor, walls and tile in the bathrooms around the tub start tomorrow. I think day after tomorrow at least we can take Teddy for a tour of his room, at least keep him from his bathroom to not let him think we won’t give him a sink, tub or toilet.” He chuckled out making you smirk.
Pt 82
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Brother Dearest Pt 82
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Once again back in that same book shop from your first signing you sat accepting another copy of your book to the share of what images they loved most while at home tile work was being done and Victor held watch over your girls. At least there was a smaller distance between you and them so that you could just ride the subway home afterwards. Walls would be up again with new plaster that would let Dawn take a break to test small swatches of paint from the small cans she had picked up. Wallpaper would have to wait for another day when the remodel heavy work was through and you all could pitch in on nap time to make it perfect.
“Can you really fly?” a small boy asked after his trot around your table to hand you his favorite comic of yours in a hushed whisper that made you lean in and smile at him. “I can keep a secret.”
Softly you replied, “A different kind of flying. Planet’s a magnet, and they can either pull you to something or push you away. Not as fun as wings for some people.”
His head shook, “No! More fun, magnets are way more nifty!” Your smile spread and he hugged his comic you passed back to him, “I won’t tell. Promise.” He leaned in to whisper, “Birds talk to me. I’m gonna fly one day too.”
“Just between us, I look forward to hearing about you flying one day.” You whispered back widening his smile in his trot back to his mother’s side to accept his hand and lead the boy to head down to the front entrance again. Hours passed and a few admissions from other children who looked up to people they understood thanks to the comics to be like them each promised to do good things with their powers and each name by you was memorized to keep an ear out for later.
Admissions that joined names of others hidden away from letters sent in since the birth of the comics. Small children out to be given some clues that they weren’t alone and how to keep safe and hidden for those with rougher abilities to hide. Beserker allies were the main source of tips to help on said hiding techniques and shared with you the abilities of those they had come across and ways they had helped hide them in the past. It helped, knowing there were others outside of your circle and that silently together you all strove for silent peace for your futures. Perhaps the lot of you weren’t truly role models but lighthouses on rough shores to help guide others away from rocky shores.
Photographers since you didn’t have the babies with you took full access to your being on the streets and stole pictures for their own pictures and wrote comments that James gave to their reminders of the piece in the Times. His most favorite being, “I seem pretty spry for 140, don’t I?” Said with a teasing smirk irritating those who would have hoped for something more than just humor at the story that like those on you dying should have had your family ready to explode.
Out of the busy subway platform waiting for the next train a 14 year old girl with brown hair and blue eyes came up to you luring a grin across your face as she asked, “Baroness?”
“Hello,” you said taking notice of your book in her arms pinned to her belly. “Enjoying your afternoon?”
“Yes, thank you,” timidly she showed you her book asking, “Could, could I get your autograph? I know you had your signing, but I had a swim club at the Y.”
James smirked to himself as you accepted her book and the pen she offered with it to rest it open on your forearm asking, “Anything you want me to write for you?”
“Oh, I’m Ruth, Ruth Bader. I plan on being a lawyer. I read all about your stint as a judge in Columbia’s Mock Trials.”
As you wrote out a note and signed the book you replied, “Well I certainly look forward to hearing about you while you study, we certainly need more female lawyers.”
When she accepted her book and pen back she nodded and stole a glance at the clock on the wall, “I should go, my Mom is expecting me. Thank you, again, and congratulations on your daughters we saw the pictures in the paper. I’m a first generation too, on one side, we always read about your family, hopefully I can make you proud one day too.”
Before you could answer she had turned at James saying, “Already have. Keep dreaming big.” After a few moments he hummed by your ear post press of his lips to your temple, “That went well.”
You smirked asking him in French, “This happen to you often before meeting me? Kids finding you to ask for help?”
“Twice, back before the Civil War. They died from sickness. We’re very good at hiding our kind. But when we do find one another we hold on. Our comics, your comics, they help to let us all get in contact. At least for kids, who do need it if their parents aren’t like them.”
Into his side you leaned at his next kiss to your temple, “I just, keep having this feeling, it’s not safe.”
“We’ll help who we can. You know that.” You nodded and he added, “For now, I say we stop by the shop on the way home, made a call and they are holding a typewriter for us,” he said widening your grin at the surprise gift for Erik.
..
Gasps and awed chatter filled the halls as you and Ambrose guided your pram into the clinic’s waiting room. James with a smile accepted the slips to fill out and on his feet at your side while mothers filled the rest of the seats as their older children tottered and chose their own paths around the waiting room between clusters of toys and their friends. “Oh it won’t be that bad,” Ambrose muttered to you in your third hushed reminder to the girls that this would be over soon.
Her giggle had you answer, “I know, we all go through it. Never fun though.”
James hummed, “Better than the alternative. As many vaccines as we can get them the better.” Finishing the slips he turned to hand over to the beaming Nurse having passed a young Nun who came over to greet the girls that smiled and gave off cheerful squeaks to the strangers complimenting them.
“Would you look at these angels,” a second Nun, head of the Nunnery in town and the running of this clinic alongside Dr Roan, stated in her hunch forward to smile at the trio who all stole a glance her way. “You have been feeding them well by the look of these pudgy limbs. Very well done. The schedule must be tiring.”
“You get used to it,” you stated and watched as an expecting mother was called for her turn. “We’ll be starting on apple sauce soon.”
“That should be a nice transition for you, to have them weaned before classes grow to fill your day.” The young Nun spoke in the grip stolen on her offered hand they brought closer to the trio.
“They should be crawling soon, you could use all the help you can get I am sure.” The older Nun spoke then regretfully was called away freeing another older Nun to come and steal a hello to you all.
Ambrose reminded you that her girl had her shots the week prior and was right as rain in a matter of a couple grumpy days and the trio would all handle this well. Merely leaving your nerves and discomfort at their pain and irritation no matter how small. Eventually Dr Roan came into view with a smile and stated, “Bunny, James, we are ready for you now.” Onto your feet you rose and walked together back to one of the exam rooms where the girls were settled stop the scale in turns to be recorded into their files and measured on each limb with Belinda having them pause in notice of one of her legs being shorter than the other. “Um,”
James chuckled saying, “She does that,” helping to adjust her position so he could stretch her leg out. “Also wiggles away from arm measurements too.”
Dr Roan chuckled saying, “That is comforting. And not uncommon, quite a few babies do not wish to have proper measurements taken. As long as their movements are not restricted.” Him and the elated mousy Nurse who had given you your pregnancy exam tested their movements to be noted. Eyes and hearing were next using snaps, pen lights and magnified eye scopes. “Now for the miserable part where they hate me.” He said with a grin that shifted in his turn to lift the first of a row of shots that by vaccine one at a time he would give each girl their two shots.
Behind the trio who all had faces scrunched up to confused whines you each cuddled with the trio consoling them, a job that almost had you in tears, but with a press of your lips to Aurora’s head in your arms in the connection you bore with them had the girls sniffle and begin to calm. Almost like when you had healed Teddy that same link sparked up and even in their infancy they knew that this pain would pass and was to help them get stronger. A language without need to vocalize that in their link as triplets was shared flawlessly and in their second shot Dr Roan’s smile spread at their more accepting posture throughout the brief series of injections.
“And there you are,” he said to the Nurse’s gentle swipe of the injection spots with a damp swab clearing away the tiny pricks of blood. “All done,” his eyes settled on you and he asked, “How have you been Bunny, have you gotten examined recently?”
“Before we left,”
He nodded and asked, “Might I ask how your incision has healed? Your file stated you had a c-section.”
James accepted Aurora and onto the table you settled and leaned back easing your blouse from your high waisted pants you undid the buttons to reveal your panties that in a simple respectful brush of his fingers were folded down to reveal the hint of a white scar above your pelvis that Herc left hints of the illusion for this very reason. This Doctor, Nurses and Nuns to examine you would find this faint scar around which his fingers pressed and palpated your abdomen. “You have healed beautifully,” he said smiling in his move to fix your panties, pants and blouse and helped you up. “One of your girls must have been in quite the pickle to have held off a two day labor requiring such drastic measures. Dr Herc stated there was little bleeding?”
“Yes, just a bit, near the end. He said it wasn’t that serious for blood loss, it was just so hard to get them to move to better positions on my own.” With a shrug you said, “We all have our own way to come into the world. There was a hell of a storm when I was born and James didn’t have an easy path either so it must be genetic,” you said making him chuckle.
“We all just hope that when you do conceive again the second birth is less strenuous.”
James gave your arm a gentle bump stating, “Which hopefully will be at least a couple years away. We’re being careful about that. Give Jaqi ample time to recover.”
The Nurse stated, “For the press at least I hope you get that rest. How you managed against speaking out for so long, I couldn’t have done that.”
You smiled her way stating, “Well, I had school to distract me. Anything to keep my mind off the bodies compressing my bladder was welcomed.” You looked to Ambrose who chuckled at your saying, “I am sorry again for not believing it was that urgent a battle day in and day out.”
She shook her head, “Every baby is different and you’ll get plenty of rest before you face that battle again. I can feel it.”
Dr Roan smiled saying, “The four of you are quite healthy, and I believe we can schedule another appointment next month for their next check up, and of course if you need our help with any ailments of your own you are welcome here as all our mothers are.”
“Thank you,” you said easing down to accept one of your girls from James that were settled back in their pram to be wheeled back home where treats were waiting to consol and reward them from the whole ordeal.
“They did beautifully,” Ambrose said in her smile your way once you were outside again. “Back to your translations now?”
“For a bit until Teddy’s room is done then I’m set to help him come up with a mural for his wall. Dawn’s already chosen a meadow of flowers for Marigold’s Nursery.”
“That will be precious,” she said with a smile. “You are making headway in those translations? I know how important they are to you.”
“We are. I have a couple more folders in my briefcase and the twins will double check my translations and I can get the first bit of the series underway.”
James added, “And we’ve nearly gotten halfway through the hat box on Japan’s history as well.”
“Does it seem odd-?” You asked being cut off by her grin and ease of her arm around yours.
“Not at all Bunny, I just can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to. Maybe you could do a whole series of Battle Bunny on it.”
“We could,” you said and stole a glance at James in his smile down at you, “We’ve already got an issue that flashes back to a battle James and Kitty translated from Japan against a sea monster.”
“Now that sounds like a great story,” she replied and added, “And you take your time getting them right. Don’t let that book publisher rush you.”
“Oh I won’t, from what I’ve heard they don’t rush historical books. Especially those with so many translations in them.” With a grin at your mental reminder of the progress made on the files so far, more than half the work to getting the information ready for compiling the actual books from each region. “I just hope that no one gets upset when it’s done.”
Ambrose, “People will always be upset over something. Now, a great story or myth back by letters from Kings and Popes could change the world and give those countries more tales of their old days the public isn’t aware of. You lot give the world stories about things they couldn’t have dreamed up in a million years.”
.
Mural design set aside for the now excited Teddy’s room you sat back in your library with the final folder of translations to end your day that followed by the next when counter tops and the plumbing fixtures arrived. Kitchen and bathrooms when they would be installed would be nearly finished off and helped to relax Teddy more when he got to choose the wall color in his bathroom you brought paint swatches for him to pick from.
Flooring came next, and with a mixture of wood, a final few sections of tiling in their basement laundry room opposite carpeting that went in every floor and down the freshly stained staircases. With the new flooring came during a trip for you to shop for a new dress for her premier and at her insistence one for you as well to have another new look to add to your wardrobe for fancy occasions like this one.
Ladies of the Chorus. While not a large role for Norma allowed the press a chance to ask the both of you about Howard’s film on your way in to take you another few days closer to the second book signing. The second one that would complete your required stops with this new book release and would have you crossing paths with a face from your past on the unexpected detour at a subway station being closed for cleaning.
Corporal Franklin Winters. The very man you’d helped to carry into that church and repaired the artery in his neck found you grinning his way as him, his wife and two children respectfully walked your way on the sidewalk. “Corporal,” you said with a nod to the man who grinned wider and stiffening to the stares of passers by on why you had spoken to the single non working colored family on this side of the street in this predominantly white part of town.
“Corporal Pear, it’s a pleasure to see you again, safe and sound.”
James beside you uncertain of how you knew this man taller and broader than him looked to you as you said, “Same to you, glad to see your neck held up.”
“It did, nearly tore it again in an ambush two days after our forces split up.” His wife’s eyes followed yours as they drifted to a police man on the street who turned to see what the hold up was.
Yet a smile across your face had you ask, “Are you hungry? We don’t live far from here. My brother’s at home I know he’d be glad to see you’re up and around still.”
“That would be mighty kind of you,” he said with a nod and eased his arm around his wife’s back and turned to follow you both as you turned to take the street on your right.
Slipped behind you both they followed you to your front stoop and up inside the front doors past your curious few neighbors who watched your path inside. Once the door was shut you turned to the man who timidly held his hat in his hand and smiled at him offering your hand, “We never did officially meet.”
“No we did not,” he said with a chuckle and timid flinch of a glance to James and then you again. “Franklin Winters, this is my wife Henrietta,” you shook her hand in her head nod as James shook his. “Our boy Benjamin,” he said about his nine year old son with a comic edition of yours you recognized at his fidget with it, “And our little girl Ruby,” he said of their six year old girl who had hold of your first book with a second hand price sticker on it as her mother had your second seen in her open pocket book. “I take it you don’t go by travel sized too often anymore, Baroness Pear Howlett?”
You chuckled and replied in an explanation to your still slightly confused husband, “Not outside of family sadly. This is my Husband James,” in a glance at James you said, “We met overseas and I repaired his artery and pulled some shrapnel from his chest.”
James’ mouth opened in recognition, “From the comic, yes, in the church. Would you like some coffee, or tea? We also have some coke left I believe to go with the lunch we’ll whip up.”
Mr Winters answered, “Coffee, for me, if it won’t put you out.”
James replied, “No trouble at all.”
You smiled and showed them inside to the kitchen where he asked you, “Can I ask, how did you end up over there? Papers said you were just a kid.”
While you entered their eyes shifted to Victor who was there with Petal in her chair and Aurora in his arms finishing off her bottle while Dawn helped to finish feeding the other two. You shared the names of your guests that had the duo impressed and Dawn saying, “Eddie should be on lunch soon, we’re fixing up the place next door.”
“Our hospital base got attacked.”
“And you didn’t head home? You were there for years?”
Into the seats you gestured them to accepting hold of Aurora Victor got to starting on the coffee and let you rest in the seat beside the one the young girl eagerly claimed with a grin your way you returned. “Eddie and the guys didn’t want me out of their sight. There wasn’t a safe way to make sure I got home to family and that I wouldn’t just be shipped off to another hospital again. So, not exactly legal, but after I qualified for my Medic’s patch they couldn’t really complain at my spot with the guys.”
Young Benjamin as James continued to make sandwiches to go with the stew that had been on a slow boil on the stove asked, “It really happened like in this comic?”
With a grin you answered, “Well it was longer than in the comics, had to quicken it up a bit. But we generally try to keep it true to what happened.” At his father you said, “I hope you don’t mind we wrote about you.”
“Not at all,” he chuckled and his wife stated, “Everyone at church heard from the kids that he was in it. Made quite the stir, to have one of our men being featured in a whole edition.”
Mr Winters said, “We hope you didn’t get into trouble from it. Featuring a Colored Platoon.”
“No, no trouble at all on our end. And if there was no one has been stupid enough to mention it to us.” James answered.
Victor, in his offer of cups of coffee to the husband with a coke James opened and offered to Benjamin to be followed by a matching set of glasses of juice for young Ruby, added, “Not like they can erase the fact the Colored Forces have been fighting wars bravely since the Civil War ended.”
When a cup of tea was poured for both you and Mrs Winters notice of the same cups were being offered same as the plates and silverware when the sandwiches and stew was ready was not missed. Conversation of trips in the war, lands seen and time since return at Eddie’s place to join the reunion that moved to the sitting room after soon shifted to your books and mention that they didn’t have a family picture brought up by Ruby. Victor took advantage of the mention and brought down his camera with a couple slots left he captured a family portrait after a group photo with all of yours. Their address was taken same as their phone number to deliver the photograph when it was developed, two tokens from a large family they tentatively considered as their friends as much as possible.
Victor gladly gave them a lift out to Harlem and returned to get started on the development while the repair crew got back to work under Eddie’s watch to get their pictures printed along with those of his wife and little girl. And by Erik’s return you had proudly finished off the final folder in the briefcase with the documents from Czechoslovakia, Sweden and Norway. Egypt, Italy, Greece, and Ireland and what England had of their own records in the small chest would come next that would grant you at least a chance to make good use of your new knowledge of Ancient and current versions of Greek along with your knowledge of Irish from your mother’s ancestral homeland. Italian surely would be fun to learn about and Egypt should in the least grant you a glimpse into the fun times you shared with the formidable Ammit. While Erik shared about his latest shift and plans to head to Columbia in the morning for enrollment.
.
Sliding doors were underway to being installed next door as James drove you and Erik to Columbia. Waiting in the lot the twins Jeff and Beau stood with smiles accepting handoff of your briefcase they put away in their Elliot’s trunk of his car and came to join you three on your way into the opening courtyard that had your cousin’s eyes swiveling to take it all in. Excitedly he bent his arm to allow you to fold yours in his saying, “Anyone bites you let me know.” At that he chuckled and you added, “They will welcome you with open arms, you’re tall,” you said widening his grin, “Blue eyed and you look phenomenal in a suit, three things I lack.”
He chuckled to James’ scoff and replied, “You would look phenomenal in a suit,” making you giggle in return.
A gasp however turned your head and you smiled wider to the sight of Portia hurrying over with her smiling Driver behind her, “There you are Bunny!”
The Twins split to watch you receive her warm hug and step back to say, “You are incredible right now, Vic has the babies?”
“Brocks do, group efforts while Vic is helping at Eddie’s.”
Her smile drifted to Erik and widened in a stroke of his arm, “And you are going to be a fish in water here. I just know it.” She smiled at you saying, “I will keep you company while your James keeps Erik company in the sea of Columbia boys.”
You stole a quick hug to your anxious cousin and kiss from James to let her lead you forward to the Barnard campus. At your free side the Twins remained after grins to the duo who went to join the other first year male students in joining confused lines to the doorway marked the entrance of their enrollment maze.
Lists of courses wished to sit through for the year was handed over with new ID cards to secure them. Books were collected and every guy Erik passed took notice of James beside him who smirked through their hushed conversation all through the wait and enrollment process. A small tour of a few of his classes with the Professors in their classrooms found him in the sights of your Physics Professor who smirked and offered his hand. Proudly he promised to keep his eyes and ears open to any problems the other students might give him as he tried to do with his very admirable cousin. A connection that with its perks would certainly come alongside expectations for how he would succeed.
All the same with armfuls of books he proudly took your side again while the Twins made room for Elliot in his sneak away from a tedious meeting and joined you back to the car for the ride home to get started on reading through his new books. A task that Portia shared with a promise to come by when Eddie’s home was ready and you wouldn’t have to worry too much about the noise. The sooner he could get to studying the sooner he could get to establishing a reputation that could help yours as a student for your family this day forward.
He loves you, and loves that he was given another chance with more family than he’d dreamed of finding after his having been taken to that camp and losing his father and his side of the family in that process. Now he had a foundation to start from, tons of support and endless possibilities for his future. With that he could bare the scrutiny and bias against his religion for as long as he needed until that wouldn’t matter anymore. When his one day position in the world wouldn’t have people in your town looking at you oddly at his not attending the bi-weekly masses that you insisted that he didn’t have to feel obligated to attend and you could find him a temple to attend in the Jewish blocks not far away. So far the only thing forced upon him was kindness, understanding and support and he hoped to be found deserving of every ounce of it.
Pt 83
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Brother Dearest -
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blankdblank · 3 years
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Brother Dearest Pt 75
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Hours of playing in the garden and focusing on your girls inside found you when the curious Prince had headed home with promise of returning again soon behind James for a change inside your tub for the soak you had been deprived of that morning. Rather sweetly James savored the obvious ploy to get him alone and naked and regrettably tangled you up in a towel he pulled your nightgown over to carry you to bed without returning the amorous attentions beyond a rather long kiss until he could cuddle you into submission to get some sleep for your day off from classes.
Two months would be near to unbearable to keep turning your requests down knowing how badly you wanted to be able to be fully amorous as you pleased with one another again after so long dealing with embarrassing or uncomfortable results trying while in your last trimester especially. Three months was bad enough and another two on top just didn’t seem fair but he had to insist to see you safely on the absolute other side of this pregnancy. If for nothing else than to guarantee that you would not get pregnant again in this two months, knowing from his youth how rarely those sudden rebound pregnancies lasted and how devastating a loss that could be in such an already vulnerable state. He just wanted you to be safe and that was something you could live with as long as he was willing to wait to enforce said safety. An hour before sunrise however when he’d assumed you’d gone to the bathroom the usual prompt return that didn’t happen had him grumble his way out of bed to peek into the bathroom finding it empty only turning him to the nursery.
In front of the covered fire place he found you with legs tucked up and pumping milk into bottles your father switched for you as you stared at the sleeping trio in their cribs. Lowly in a path around your seat James crept and crouched down to hum sweetly, “Couldn’t sleep?” his eyes wandered to your father who smirked to himself knowing the answer.
“I had a dream a moose licked Nova and she turned into a badger.” Covering his mouth James nodded in a fight against his chuckles, “She bit you and we had to cut off your foot, then that turned into these weird bird caterpillar hybrids, but not with the wings, just the body and just tons of tiny stick feet.”
“Well Nova would make an adorable badger.”
“You said that in the dream too. Then she bit you.”
“Well I would blame the moose before her any day. You want to come back to bed?” You nodded and he cuddled close until you finished pumping then led you back to let your dad keep watch alongside Venom who had Marigold in his arms and crept closer to do his own checks while Dawn was up fetching a snack of her own. There she’d cross paths with Victor holding his precious Petal as she refused to sleep from a growth spurt. They wouldn’t be up long and by breakfast would all be glad to be around that table again for a breakfast which you helped to make.
.
“I can’t find your blueberry syrup Jeanie,” you said to Norma in her ease down into her seat eyeing the pancakes there James had finished making while you lowered the plates of sausage, eggs and the hash brown scramble to join the bacon and porridge already on the table.
“Oh that’s alright, I used the last of it yesterday and left the container to soak. Dawn said she’d pick me up some more today on her way back from the paper.”
Eddie said to James and Victor, “You guys know which shop that Luc guy worked at who did the floors, I have to go meet him today for the tile in our new place. Was it the one East of the giant chicken statue or the one beside that odd marble shop?”
“It’s across from that cheese shop,” Victor said, “I can go with you if you like?”
“That’d be good, then you can help me match some tiles to wood finishes, the books aren’t really helpful it’s all too glossy.”
Victor, “No problem. Took us a while to get all the details ironed out.”
Norma said, “I think I might do some gardening today so I can maybe show Sunshine some more of my flowers.”
Eddie said, “Should be back by lunch to help out I know you guys planned on heading to Alberta for a shopping trip of your own.” He said to Elliot and the twins about this being the first day when you would mostly be left alone as a couple in watch of the girls to give your parents a break. Surely they would sneak back anyways but would lean back within reach if need be to soak in all the time with your growing family as possible during this summer break.
.
Already napping the girls were silent as James kept hold of Belinda and Nova who fell asleep on his chest reading from a book he had been meaning to finish. Beside Edie with Aurora asleep on the cushion beside you, you sat with a shirt in hand, hand stitching the buttons into place while she finished stitching the zipper of a pair of pants into place she had helped you make for James. Out of the past three months his clothes had paid the price of picking up more of the workload around the house. From mended collars, sleeves, buttons and now making him new pants and shirts his closet was getting a face lift. Erik at the table sat focused on the course booklet you had for Columbia that he was using to best map out his future degree path while still waiting on news if he had been accepted just yet. Eddie and Victor had promised to stop and check their mailbox again while in town and hopefully would have news one way or the other.
“I should take my physical education my first year, right? To get it out of the way?”
“You can. I took mine my second semester, bowling isn’t too over taxing when you have a busy schedule.” You answered finishing the shirt you settled on the cushion on your free side to accept the pants Edie had finished the zipper so you could add the button.
“Should be simple enough,” Erik said and asked, “Do you think we’ll have any classes together?”
“Perhaps, depends on what you pick. At the least you can come join us at the diner for lunch.”
“Well I wouldn’t want to step in on time with your friends.”
“If anything James would be dropping in with the girls at lunch anyways so we can fit in a feeding. You won’t be stepping on anything.”
“Hopefully I get in and won’t have to commute to Princeton.”
“You were top of your class,” James said, “Plus that would be good for the papers to have Bunny and her baby cousin both at Columbia.”
“Well if nothing else I am glad my notorious name could be used to help you get into the school of your dreams.” You teased.
Erik looked up saying, “It’s only in my dreams so I could study with you.”
A whine from Aurora when you shifted to collect the next shirt had you lay that across your propped up legs and lift her to lay against your chest soothing her back to sleep while you got started on the next set of buttons for the pants Edie finished adding the zipper to on the pile. “Well, hopefully they accept you and it can make things easier.”
“I am certain they will.” He said turning the page and making note of another course he could use for his free elective credits to choose between later. “They have to.”
A hand rose to pat your collarbone in a sleepy stretch and you lowered your head to kiss the top of your daughter’s head then glanced at James who seemed to sense you had looked his way and smiled at you sweetly. “I guess they mainly kicked for leg room, I haven’t been kicked yet, have you?”
In a chuckle he shook his head, “Not yet. Have been slapped a couple times, no kicks yet. There’s tons of time for that when they start to move around.”
“For now they’re just sleeping to build energy to grow.” Whiskers on his stroll through made sure to come and rub his head against their feet and continue on to his next stop Pepper and Olive however from their water bowls hurried to head outside with Norma and Leanora in the garden.
“They do have a lot of growing to do.” He hummed.
“If they take more after you sure, me, not as much.” You said making him chuckle and lean his head forward to kiss the heads of the pair across his chest. Not long after a feeding and a changing were called for and the trio were eased into their open carriage like pram to hold them as you took your own bathroom break. The doorbell however when you returned had you pause on taking James’ new clothes to add to your hamper to be washed and hung up outside in the sun. Something Edie went to do before you could persuade her otherwise so you could see to whoever had come to visit as James answered the door.
“Howard,” James said with a smirk opening the door wider, “Mr Jarvis, what brought you to town?”
“Couple things,” he said entering the door at James’ step back. On the rack there he hung up his jacket and followed James deeper inside to the living room you had been relaxing in. “How’s she doing? Heard it was a two day battle with the girls. Wouldn’t want to push her too hard to having company.”
“Jaqi’s good, back on her feet, took two weeks in bed. But thankfully we’re on the other side of it. Doctor is still staying with us for daily check ups to be safe, all the girls have gained six ounces already.”
Jarvis said with a smile, “Oh good. Are you using formula? I can imagine feeding several times a day must be taxing.”
“No, Doctor brought a breast pump, so we can put the milk in the ice box and warm it up when the girls are hungry through the day.”
“Now that’s a smart idea, should help with school too.” Howard said then almost fell down to the sight of you in a sleeveless blouse and high waisted shorts looking as if you were never pregnant with triplets at all.
“Hey Howard, Mr Jarvis,” you said walking away from the pram around the couch to accept Howard’s sudden hug to prove to himself your size was not a mirage. “I know,” you giggled out in his pull back, “I was a bit shocked at how the weight has just fallen off. But I think it was just water weight because all my muscle is still here.”
Jarvis nodded, “And then some, respectfully, I can imagine it must have taken a good deal of muscle to carry triplets for so long. The papers stated you carried them full term quite in shock at the notion. Is it that uncommon to do so?”
“Normally eight months is as far as most mothers for triplets can manage,” at their glance to the hand rising from the pram you led them over saying, “They’ve been gaining weight and some centimeters so far.”
Jarvis’ smile widened and he said, “They are just precious,” to their joint yawns and stretches readying for another nap. “And they have your eyes. Just perfect.”
“It’ll certainly make it harder for people to say I faked it.”
Erik asked, “Did you want some tea?”
To which they shook their heads and said no thank you and Howard asked, “Planning your classes?”
“Yes, Eddie and Victor are going to check our mail on their way back form the flooring place to see if I’ve gotten my acceptance to Columbia yet.” He answered.
Howard said, “You’re bound to get in.”
“Did you want me to get Norma? She’s in the garden.” You said to the bag with papers in it he set on the floor beside the seat he chose.
“No, actually, I came to talk to you.”
“Ok,” you said settling down beside James and tucked your legs up to lean back against his chest. “What’s on your mind?”
Shakily he let out a breath and sharply drew in another to say, “Do you remember hearing about the weapon that was in the plane that Steve crashed?”
“Yes, the tesseract and some type of bomb.”
“Yes, well we’ve been hunting in the Arctic for some type of sign where he might be,” across his lap he unfolded the map he brought out showing the scribbled out search grids that had your heart pick up its pace. On top of that he brought out a picture of the tesseract he handed you rested in his palms, “We found the tesseract, which apparently fell out of the plane. So we still don’t know where Steve is. We did find ships and a transport plane for goods up to the Pole. I just, wanted you to know we’ve found something, so we’re somewhere in the right range.”
James asked, “How’d you find the cube?”
“Gamma radiation, we caught a trace of it. And the bomb in the plane hasn’t given off any signatures, it should be red hot but no one’s tested the damn thing by burying it in an iceberg, so there’s room for error there. We’re not going to give up on finding him.” Rather in depth he showed you the flight path Steve was on and accepted your own offers along with James on possible paths the plane could have taken with a book on ocean currents you consulted from the library to do so. But this was a tiny plane in the middle of the ocean and like everything else would just take time to either pay off or be proven to be futile.
“Have you made any progress on that tv?” Howard asked hoping to change to a less seemingly hopeless topic.
“Some, it picks up local shows.”
“Really?” he asked following you and the pram James pushed at your side to your work room you shared with James for inside projects when the weather was less that peaceful. There on a wooden shelf of sorts like an H the screen sat above the inner mechanics of the tv set propped up on either side by thick heavy books all atop a desk.
James said, “Victor and I are working on the case still for it, for now this will do.”
Howard watched as you turned the set on using the dial on a length of wire hooked to the puzzling core that barely resembled regular tv sets like ones he had taken apart before. However it was the color image of the weather display that had him gasp and look at the core again. “How did you get it to show color? And the image is clear it doesn’t go fuzzy around the edges…” With a show of the diagrams in the open journal beside the set he took in the puzzling notes and diagrams between glances back at the image. “When did you find the time to do all this?”
“Oh I’ve had an abundance of time. I’ve spent months off of my feet being told not to help.”
“Well hopefully your tutoring is going well, you had the first lesson, right?”
“Yesterday, second tutor comes tomorrow, then tests next week and the week after is tutoring and classes on campus. Shouldn’t be too terribly hard to get used to.” A stop to see Norma came next and you took hold of Leonora to bring her in for a lunch and a nap of her own while the duo had a chat on the filming starting in a couple weeks. Something that had her more than excited and after borrowing your phone Howard and Jarvis both had to go, leaving with a kind goodbye for all of you and the slumbering trio.
With a sigh you simply added the copy of the map and the picture of the tesseract to your papers on Steve and when the girls were in their nursery used the time to tug James to your bed in a warm kiss. Chuckles muffled and tangled in your hold he savored the time the trio let you have until their bellies broke you apart to tend to them again. By dinner with a stack of mail Eddie and Victor returned with Dawn and her babies who were glad to be back from their long day to share the meal you had helped prepare alongside your parents. Her and the twins took their chance after your exam to check the girls again and mark down their daily improvements.
Excitedly beside the table you were helping to load with food Erik lifted his mother for an ecstatic hug to the acceptance packet he got with a copy of the course sheet he would have to fill out and mail back within a couple of days. Surely he would accept Columbia as his school of choice and take up the room you offered him to stay with you so when Eddie’s home would be done yours wouldn’t feel as empty. Still the main floor would be open and shared to encourage time together as a family but he might as well live down the block for how far it seemed for them to move next door taking your nephew and niece with them. With an early night called back to bed you went while the others took their own final tasks of the day to wind them down for bed.
.
Walter Fenske. On name alone reminded you of an old man from Brooklyn who sat in the park playing checkers all day and if he had a brother you were certain he just walked into your library. Shocked himself by the drastic change to you swimming in a borrowed sweater in comparison to the pictures in the paper for how much weight you had lost the aged man feared a frightful withering of another young mother had taken place. Stolen glances between the four subjects on the list for today, Economics, Government, Political Science and Anthropology, subtle glimpses of your forearms from brushed up sleeves had him think perhaps that guess was incorrect. Proof more when you got up to the blackboard to fill in more of the recap he made use of the surface for it and he could see you move around and even rise on your toes to write higher with ease. Every subject was soundly discussed and assignments gone over with a second packet of work to go over along with those from two days prior to have done by his return the following week.
“Would you care to join us for lunch before your drive back?” You asked and he stood stunned on what would be the proper thing to say. “My husband makes sure I get at least three meals and two snacks in. Seems after the girls I just plummeted back to my weight from when we got back from the war. Have to plump me up again. There’s plenty to go around and I know it’s a long drive.”
“Well, yes, thank you, yes that would be very kind of you.” He flashed you a grin and joined you on the walk to the kitchen where he chatted with your family as you took a break to pump the milk that in three bottles you carried back for the twins and Elliot to feed the girls as James helped you to eat a fair serving to power you through the rest of the day.
.
Thursday through Sunday with a couple brief stops in town you were given copies of the latest papers that while sharing just your academic markings so far and little else it built up a sort of suspense for the entire student body and country on a first actual sighting since your return to Canada. Monday came with the checking of your assignments as you sat for brief tests for the month of May that upon their return could be boasted about that the Baroness got perfect marks so far and could continue to do so taking full advantage of one of the Community Colleges this country had to offer. The beginning of June that Tuesday however came with a good bit of weight gain for you to be almost back to your comfortable well fed figure and the next trip to meet with the troops for the D-Day reunion. A pleasing sight for Mr Fenske on your larger four course collection who was pleased to see the improvement on you in a blouse and slacks on the rainy day that was a bit cooler than the days prior.
The next day however began the start to Norma’s big role and to ease the transportation issue she was driven out to stay with Howard and the Jarvis’ as Victor remained behind to take care of his precious Petal in a quieter city than the waterside one Norma was staying in. On weekends she would be driven back to spend at home, however this Sunday came with the D-Day reunion and with it on the drive for Alberta she shared more stories of how the fellow cast members had taken to what scenes they’d shared so far.
Noise as always preceded the sight of where you were headed and splitting the crowded streets with people peering on at the covered pram James kept you close while the others kept their children close to their chests. Until inside the common rented place familiar faces turned with wide smiles and cheers for more members of the troop returned another year with their families. “There you are Bunny, still intact I see.” Your Captain said and accepted your giggle laced hug.
“Oh yes, very intact. See you finally trimmed those sideburns of yours,” you teased about his try to keep some piece of the beard his wife wanted him to shave off when he came home from the war.
“Yes,” he chuckled out and brought his clearly pregnant wife over for a greeting of her own. “For good reason, my face was too scratchy.”
“Well you can’t have that,” Victor teased as she turned to greet Leanora and Norma after her hug for you. More greetings came with more stories and a plethora of eye rolls from you at the headlines you had endured being brought up with clippings to match.
A whine however from not just your girls but a few of the other babies still being nursed in the group had a husband sent off for search of a private empty room only to come up empty handed. After his sigh at the fuss of his little boy starting to upset some of the older toddlers in the group the Captain said, “We’re all grown men here, most of us dads, or like Bailey we’ve got baby siblings enough to drown us, you go ahead and nurse here.” Any doubt faded at the playful jokes of, “We got some babies to feed,” and another who said, “Gents, backs to the walls,” to block out the view from the other closed off areas through the clear halves of the dividing walls.
The move however did not block from what was taken as a decorative set of mirrors to help with light that was actually double sided windows on the second floor of the building. Which had an albeit awkward but clear view for the reporter who had snuck up there to capture the sweet moment of you seated atop James’ lap feeding two of your girls as he held the third. Moderately covered save for the pooled cleavage above where the girls’ heads settled with their tiny arms helping to block a bit more. Far from scandalous, just a mother feeding her daughters and yet Monday morning across the front page there that picture sat for the world to see.
‘Baroness Bunny Says Breast Is Best’ The title emblazoned above the article that began that for an especially blessed reunion of the battle you had taken place in that hugely changed the effect on the tail end of the war.
A sweet moment, every word politely noting the bond between mothers and their children and the healthy aspect to breastfeeding while keeping it linked to you and the strenuous year and how you had joyfully returned to your bubbly self. Although more overjoyed than usual since your public wedding and gift of a title as the fruit of that union was for all to see. Nurse, Medic, Soldier, Student, Wife, Mother, all those achievements were listed with a mark of strength of the woman who had achieved it all and came out thriving on the other side of an unparalleled electro magnetic storm surrounding a two day labor followed by two weeks of bed rest. Ending with a note of how they were glad the face of Nobles were changing from the days of Wet Nurses and mothers of high standing who rarely held their babies.
It was brief, of course they couldn’t wax on and on about breast feeding and scare away the men who buy the paper for themselves, more so for the eye grabbing picture that had more than a few brows twitching at the table even after the respectful article was read through to its end. “Well,” you said and added after a sigh, “you can’t say it wasn’t respectful.”
“I want to eat someone,” Eddie said and ran his hands over his face.
James said reluctantly after his fifth glance your way since Eddie had begun to read the article, “She’s feeding our babies. It’s nothing scandalous. It’s an invasion of privacy, but mostly covered, Nova and Belinda seem to be taking up most of the view.”
Norma said, “I think it’s beautiful. They shouldn’t have done it, but it is a beautiful picture.”
Victor said, “How did they get this story approved?”
Dawn said, “There’s some big thing about a new formula company trying to build here in Canada.”
“Where did they even get that angle? It’s downwards?” Eddie asked. “Gotta be somewhere behind those mirrors on the second floor.”
“Well we can’t make people not see it. They already put it on the front page, so, I breast feed. I can live with people knowing that.”
James to your sigh afterwards scooted closer to smooth his hand over your back and to kiss your cheek against his urge to go and burn the paper down. And Dawn said, “I think the worst thing about the article is the message it sends to mothers who used formula.”
You nodded and turned your head from the table following Erik’s path to answer the phone in the kitchen that after a couple minutes he returned saying, “It’s the Maple Leaf on the phone, wondered if Bunny has a comment on the paper.”
“You know what,” you said silencing the men who tried to jolt up to answer the call for you, “Yes I do.”
James, “We can take the call if you don’t want to.”
You rose from your seat and eased around it saying, “No, I can get us ahead of this before I have to get on the phone with the King and talk about my breasts to him,” though on your way to the kitchen you noticed James was tagging along.
Victor said, “We all know he would make the Queen make that call.” Making you chuckle to yourself.
When you reached the phone you had both Erik and James there as you lifted the receiver to your ear, “Hello, this is Bunny speaking.”
“Baroness, yes, Trevor Straw, good morning, we were wondering if you would like to make a comment on the story that came out about you and your daughters at the D-Day reunion?”
“Yes, while I think it is an absolutely beautiful moment that was captured between my daughters and husband and myself, how it was captured without our knowledge or consent is the only issue we find concerning the picture.”
“The only issue…” the writer scribbled down with a clearly downcast tone hoping for something more of an uproar to write.
“The article however,” you said and you could hear him shush others around him apparently trying to listen in, “Mr Straw I do find issue with the implication that it does give for mothers who have not been able to breastfeed.” You could almost feel him smirk as James crossed his arms with a proud grin at how you were handling this against the blush spreading across your cheeks. “Coming from a mother who had a very strenuous first childbirth I know just how debilitating it can be for some mothers and for some even to the point where they are unable to feed their children on their own and require the use of safe formulas that are on the market to help with those troubles. Or even for the mothers like my own who might be raising children alone and requires her days to work to support her family who cannot keep a steady nursing schedule in doing so. I do understand that breast milk does aid in passing on antibodies to the babies, however fed is best for baby and mother’s health and well being. I can’t make the world unsee a beautiful private moment with my family or undo the conversations that will be brung up by it but I refuse to be used as a means to belittle mothers who faced very natural challenges with producing any or enough milk to feed their babies.”
“Thank you, Baroness.”
“And thank you for listening, have a good day, Mr Straw.” Right after you hung up you let out a breath and James leaned in to press his forehead to yours.
“I think that was brilliantly worded.” Erik said, “Well played. Personal and direct without any shame except on those who tried to cast it.”
“The Palace calls, I don’t know what to do,” you said shaking your head to go back to your seat.
James said, “Remind him he was breastfed.” And you giggled passing through the door and he said, “I think Jaqi sent them off on a decent path.”
“Thank you for the idea, Dawn. Said it wasn’t right for them to use me to belittle mothers who have to use formula.”
“Well I am more than glad to help, always.” She replied as she offered Marigold another spoonful of her food.
You looked over at Norma asking, “Your flight is soon right?”
“It’s an evening shoot today, flight is in three hours so I have time to finish eating.” She replied keeping her hand on Leonora’s hand while Victor fed her mouthing chewing motions as she kept getting distracted when the twins, Elliot and your parents came to join the table after having hung up their laundry outside after an early bout of washing at their turns to do so.
“Well that’s good, I’m really glad you’re enjoying it.”
“Well you should come out sometime. Everyone would be glad to see you and meet you. And Mr Stark wasn’t kidding when he said Shirley Temple was a fan of yours. And her mother is so nice.”
Edie, “Normally the parents in the press are said to be monsters.”
“I know, it has been a nice change, even some of the parents in the child extras in the films or small commercials and photo shoots I’ve been in have been just bizarrely obsessed with every detail on their child. One even made their son cry. I can’t believe a parent would do that out of greed and jealousy. I would never do that to our precious Sunshine. Not ever.”
.
Plans to relax however as Norma and Victor were off for the airport found you with Leanora on your hip answering another call, this one that Elliot answered and called you to. Again James followed, this time with Eddie and they watched you hear the voice on the other end of the line say, “Baroness, this is Francine Huksley at Mother magazine,” your brow arched up to the world wide magazine founded here in Canada that even you had borrowed Dawn’s subscription to when you had found out you were pregnant. “We read the paper this morning and as it were we were hoping on contacting you about a story one of our writers planned to write on yourself. Would it be possible for us to send our writer out to speak with you for the story today? I understand it is a little last minute, however our next issue goes to print tomorrow and we were able to contact the photographer who took the pictures and he did give us the negatives to use for the story. If you would be comfortable with it we would love to use the pictures of you nursing in the story for a full timeline of your step into motherhood. If not we would gladly hand over the negatives, it would seem no other paper wanted to buy them and the one that did use them didn’t want to keep them.”
To the sideways head tilt James gave you and Eddie’s shrug you said, “I am free today. It sounds like a lovely story.”
“Oh that is wonderful news, our writer Hilary will be out to your home as soon as possible, might we have your address?” She copied it down and you hung up and went to go try and relax for a little bit at least until you decided to take James by the hand to help you pick something to wear instead of your pajamas.
A task made simpler as he said, “It probably would be easier if you handed Petal to me.” And with a chuckle he lifted his niece so you could pull on nice sleeveless blouse and shorts and combed your hair back that your mother helped you work into a lovely braid as you added some makeup then went to plop on a couch to wait for the doorbell to ring.
.
“Baroness,” the woman with carefully curled hair tucked back in a stylish bun in a smart dress, clearly with a beauty regimen meant to distract from her true age, said with a smile and accepted your hand shake. “You look fantastic,”
“Thank you, that is a lovely color for your complexion,” you said to her dress widening her grin as she thanked you.
“Thank you,” her eyes drifted to Teddy, Leanora and Marigold playing as the triplets were napping in the playpen beside the conscious trio playing with their toys. “You have a lovely family.”
“Yes, well it’s our turn to watch all the babies, hope you don’t mind, we tend to take it in shifts.”
“I can understand, I have three boys.” She said showing you the picture in her wallet you smiled and complimented the grades school and kindergarten age trio. “I cannot imagine waking up to find a picture of myself across the front page of anything, let alone a countrywide publication and when we saw that we knew we had to act.”
“I think the worst thing about it, because we all talked about it, especially my sisters in law, is the subtle sort of jab it gave to mothers who use formula.”
Her hand rose, “Guilty.”
“And there’s nothing wrong with that, some women just can’t, my sisters, Gina and Ambrose have had several children each, Ambrose just had her first girl, and my sisters in law we all have had severely different pregnancies. Sometimes it just doesn’t work, or like my mother had to support my brother alone when her first husband died and him and myself when my father died some just can’t keep up a schedule to breastfeed while working. Yes the ideal would be that every mother is able to safely and comfortably breastfeed, but actually feeding your baby is the key.”
“Exactly. My youngest just didn’t want to latch on, he only took the bottle. They had a pump in the hospital but they don’t sell them.”
“That’s actually what I’ve been using,”
“Really?” she asked with her brow arched up and you nodded, “Would you mind if I used that?”
“No, after um, well I was, beyond exhausted after the girls were born and it was easier to pump milk and store it for the others to bottle feed them. I could barely even move or pick them up so they would get their big meals from the bottle and then we tried the smaller snack feedings naturally after I’d had my snacks between meals to get used to nursing.”
“Was it on and off labor?”
“Oh no,” you said with a breathy giggle, “I couldn’t sit down the second day and the only sleep I got was when I dozed off between contractions on the first day. I couldn’t sleep at all on the second day so I was just in tears I was so exhausted, I just couldn’t make any progress, they weren’t dropping. Then all at once they decided they had to come out and,” you giggled again, “I have to admit I fainted after I had them, it was surreal, nine months with triplets and they’re just,”
She finished your sentence, “There, my first birth, twins, I fainted when they wanted to take me for a bath after. It is not uncommon.”
She smiled as James pushed a tea cart in with snacks and took a tray of snacks to Teddy who he sat by making her smile as he whispered, “I’m not here,”
From a touch on your bond with your mother and her struggle alone after being widowed twice into how that and the relationships through the family through Eddie you had gained shaped a journey which had you welcome and easy to mothering but scared on the actual pregnancy part. Symptoms and stresses of a public audience were also brought up to fill in through the birth and first weeks where rather candidly you spoke on doubts of your capabilities while having been ordered to bed rest for two weeks.
“And, can I ask, have you always been, slender?”
“Oh after we lost my father we couldn’t afford eggs, lived off of potatoes, oats, half wilted veggies, broth and whatever the butcher couldn’t sell that week. My body is used to being in a sort of starvation state, which isn’t healthy, after the war James and Victor have tried very hard to make sure that I could live comfortably and put on some healthy weight. Which I dropped back down to the weight I was when the war ended, kept mainly the muscle I built during my pregnancy but all that water weight and fat, I guess my body needed to burn that for me to get back to being able to be mobile again. And the past couple weeks I’ve been gaining a good bit of weight back to be healthier again to keep up with my girls and our nieces and nephews.”
“I couldn’t keep weight on either when I was younger, since I stopped growing that seemed to even out.”
By the time the interview ended Dawn, Eddie and Victor were there to grant permission for her to take a picture of you both holding the triplets surrounded by the other trio of a picture to join the two nursing pictures from the four the man had captured. One with you feeding two babies and the final one in the last with the final two negatives she cut off and handed to you. Out to her car she was led and made the trip back confirming it would be on the cover and in a full spread the following day and as promised by the editor you would receive a payment for the interview.
“Bunny,” Elliot’s voice interrupted your playtime with your giggling girls to announce, “The Queen is on the phone.”
Eddie and Dawn chuckled at your groan and mutter of, “I’ve been turned into a goat, I can’t come to the phone.” He grinned at your huff laced rise to your feet and near childish stomp to the phone you lifted to your ear.
“Hello, Your Majesty. How are you this morning?”
You could feel her puzzled stare and then she stated, “Bunny, a story has come to our attention.”
“Yes, the breastfeeding picture. I’ve had a few calls on that.”
“You have? How are you feeling, Bertie is beside himself in fury over it, merely hoped you might be more comfortable speaking about this with me.”
“There’s really nothing as natural as feeding your children, we weren’t asked if we could be photographed, I would have preferred not to be but I’m not ashamed of the content of the picture. Using that to try and say that I think women who cannot feed naturally are doing the wrong thing is just out of line and I told one of the papers that called this morning as much. And I think that paired with an interview I gave to Mother magazine a couple hours ago perhaps this could be taken as a, sort of discussion on motherhood, or, anything positive when men sculpt naked women all the time but somehow a woman nursing is taken as improper by their same hypocritical standards.”
“Very well put. Suppose we might just see how the quote in the paper and the magazine interview is taken by the public. It was not overly crude the original article, I will speak to Bertie, have him calm down, have you heard anything about someone trying to sell you back the negatives used in the paper?”
“The Editor of Mother magazine got them, they have two which are tasteful they want to include in the article that chronicles my pregnancy and out to birth and early weeks of motherhood. They gave us the other two and will give us the remaining pair after the story has printed with a fee for the interview.”
“You are getting paid for the exclusive, good. You are due that much. We are all rooting for you, and we will either be in touch tomorrow or the following day.”
“Of course, talk to you then,” you both signed off and hung up so you could go back to plop down and play with the children and you said to the others, “Queen says Bertie is beside himself in fury.”
Victor said, “He’s got two little girls, one pregnant, he should be, but I think your interview might do the trick. Share so much about your journey that they won’t remember which pictures came first, the ones in the article or the magazine spread that you were in control of.”
And for all it was worth your entire family supported the decision and after a check of the two unused negatives your parents and their friends did agree that they were tasteful, albeit an invasion of privacy and would have no shame at seeing them again being published publicly or had even felt so the first time. In Canada there was ample support by the time the second paper printed their late edition with your motherly supportive quotes and women everywhere gave rave reviews to anyone who asked about the article in the magazine they carried with pride. Yet when it exploded through America it was a different and mixed reaction all together and had headlines mingled between a paper stealing pictures from your assumed long awaited interview to people in outrage to see a woman nursing in any context even in a women’s magazine about being a mother.
But no matter what one quote seemed to keep being brought up, “I don’t want my story to be someone’s nightmare of a birth. By no means was it easy or pain free, however I love my children and do not regret how they came into this world. And when they are old enough and they hear the saying that you forget all the troubles of pregnancy and childbirth the moment you hold your children in your arms I will tell them that is a blatant lie. I will never forget, I am their mother, and I would suffer so much for their safety. Hopefully one day we won’t have to suffer, but I would for as long as it takes.”
Pt 76
All –
@sherala007​, @mariannetora​​, @jesgisborne​, @knitastically​, @catthefearless​​, @theincaprincess, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000​​, @alishlieb​​,
Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​
X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers​, @theincaprincess​​
Brother Dearest - @thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam​​, @swoopswishsward
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blankdblank · 2 years
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Brother Dearest Pt 80
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‘I sit here tonight remembering how difficult it was to sit silent in my college summer courses on campus with every inch of my body screaming to be home and holding my daughters. I can never imagine the pain you must feel in the loss of that blessing to be able to hold your daughter again and to see them hold their own child. And I will never see a day where I do not spare a moment in prayer for her or your family at this monumental loss of a woman who so deeply affected my life and very much shaped the future of my years to come. I can never make right the mistake of not assuring that she herself had a safe escape from the attack.’
Letters along with copies of the new book were sent out to the families of the Nurses who were lost at your first base. Each who cherished that the names of their loved ones were amongst those mentioned on the dedication page were floored to know that each of the children or for the eldest Nurse’s grandchild now had a schooling fund of ten thousand each out of the profits of the book. New copies of your first book had been purchased alongside the new book that was already reaching twice the sales of the first that again stirred up a knot at the bottom of your stomach for having that much money just sitting around.
True for those women you never knew what they had suffered or even imagined what might have been inflicted upon them until you had been ambushed upon your return to Canada. Now in this never ending lie you felt you owed them something after having thought only of your own self in the attack as they do bravely had died thinking of you. It was a bloodstain on your heart and memory that never would wash away that again had you flinch awake from that same scream laced nightmare to free yourself from that hospital once again as it crumbled down in flames.
There etched in ink in your comics that children who again at your book signings brought issues for you to sign for them as they waxed on about their heroes they finally got to meet in person was the conundrum. You weren’t a hero. Heroes save everyone and all you had focused on was your two platoons and those you crossed paths with until they were gone and you were alone again. It was never a grand scheme with a stone carved credo to bring all the boys home alive. You fought and killed to keep yourself and your brother alive until that group grew and remained steady in members until you were sent home.
A hero would be able to save everyone. A hero would be ready and willing for another war and you couldn’t stomach the thought of adding more screams or haunting heartbeats you had brought to an end to your collection. You weren’t a hero, you were terrified for yourself and the life your daughters and nieces and nephew might face if you were ever found out. But still you had to remember that you weren’t in the business of destroying children’s heroes. So you lied and smiled and signed every single one without a hint of the pain festering deep within behind an ever growing fear to what might be expected of you when you returned to Brooklyn where Truman and his secret agenda could find you.
Yet as the saying goes, if you wish to hear God laugh tell him your plans. And by the loud crack of thunder you imagined he must be rolling around on the floor of heaven busting a gut for what you imagined might be coming your way. Cynically at least you mused to yourself in the smooth of the palms of water from the trickling sink faucet over your face, at least someone found something to laugh about in all of it.
Warm and slow arms around your belly eased to engulf you into a comforting chest. To the side of your dripping temple a firm kiss landed while your hands dropped to lift the hand towel you had draped on the edge of the sink. Without touch you shut off the tap and opened your eyes to see your husband in the mirror fixed already in a comforting stare to gauge what dream might have lured you from bed and his arms.
“This about the books?” He hummed lowly beside your ear.
To which you nodded and lifted the towel to pat your face dry, “All those children think I’m some hero.”
“The ones who play the shield never feel up to the praise. We lie, we hide, we kill people to keep each other safe. What other people call us is up to them and I say, you saved me. For those women and their families, it’s an honorable thing to do, after all they had to hear and how you were sprung with that news.”
“I can’t just tell them the truth. I didn’t even, they never crossed my mind. How do I let that go?” You asked in the tightening of his arms at the hint of tears in your eyes.
“You grieve them, honor them and over time it will let up. Our fellows in arms through war are hard to mourn no matter how small a time you spend together.” Again he kissed your forehead, “Back to bed.”
“Can I be mean and ask for a back rub?”
Lowly he chuckled and on your way out of the bathroom he hummed back, “You can ask, and I will be mean back and enforce a massage of your legs and feet as well.”
“How unthinkably cruel of you,” you teased and melted into the kiss he stole in lifting you into his arms to carry you back to bed.
“I’m just not a nice guy,” he hummed climbing onto the bed on his knees to crawl to the middle where he’d settle you between his legs to start on the back rub first from the neck down before he would lay you out to work down to your legs.
.
Five months old the triplets were surprisingly easy to adjust to the upcoming move. The main issue for you however would be not having your parents there all the time. True with clearance from Herc the girls and yourself wouldn’t require constant supervision but you supposed you enjoyed the excuse to keep your relatives around. And now it would just be you and James for the most part in charge of the trio when the others couldn’t be able to help. Eddie would be focused mainly on remodeling the place next to yours until it was perfected, which would hopefully be finished by October or November at the latest. The shell was there and there were minimal wall adjustments so no need to deal with inspectors to complete the project that guys from Alberta were elated to come out and help with this new addition to your home.
All in a line the vehicles drove through the cloud of galaxy colored mist conjured by the twins to get you back to an empty bridge in New York to shorten the long drive back. On the other side of the mist beside James you sat with hold of Whiskers and glanced back at your girls asleep in the back seat secured in the basket like carriers loaded with blankets to keep them comfortable. Behind you Eddie’s car was followed by Victor’s that held Erik, while again the twins and Elliot rode in your truck to Herc’s step through the mist that faded behind him in his leap into the bed of the truck.
.
“Where are my grandbabies?!” erupted through Mama Brock’s house where you were let out alongside Dawn and Norma with all of your babies so the guys could unload things inside your home and meet the work crew who had arrived in town the day prior.
The first job would be to handle that wall dividing both buildings. Windows were opened and with a dumpster set up for debris and tarps galore to keep the mess contained for when the children did arrive. Pillars from the brick wall would be marked out and supported by solid wood arches that had been perfected over the summer break. Every step had been ensured to leave the home structurally sound and like your home spare metal would be layered within the outer walls to add more protection. A clean up job for your main floor would be done by James and Victor while Eddie saw to the start of the wall adjustments on the upper floors and be followed by them starting on the flooring.
Every Brock in the state had come back to be a part of the day of welcoming for the girls to ready for the christening the following day. Every last one of them who fawned over Eddie’s babies as well as yours while you smiled in hold of Ambrose’s baby girl who was up and crawling around when you had first arrived. By lunch however in a trip home through town through cheerful greetings and stolen glimpses of your napping girls in their carriage of a pram you got to peer up at your home that had sounds of music, chatter and debris being cleared for the cleaner jobs ahead.
Drywall would eventually go up around the new frames for walls and rolling doors would help to add more space. Up the stoop you and Gina’s husband carried the pram to get inside as two cousins of Eddie’s carried the ones Dawn and Norma had been pushing that were left inside by the door. Food from the market had been bought for you and brought in to be unloaded while you each went upstairs to start unpacking while the babies slept to be ready for supper.
.
Eventually however for the night the crew was off back to their hotel and alone you crept through one of the new arches on your connected main floor into Eddie’s home luring Ambrose’s smirking husband after you from his place in the kitchen keeping an eye on supper. Dust and grit on the concrete floor switched from the wooden floor of your half of the floor crunched underfoot in every step to the new unstained and uncarpeted staircase that led to the guys upstairs.
“You aren’t-,” a flinch from you had your shadow chuckle and wave a hand in your glance back at him, “You aren’t breaking in, Bunny.” He nodded you onwards and followed you up taking note of each trail of your fingertips on the rough railing and against the leg of your shorts as if to time each step of your kitty pumps in a shade matching your floral pleated blouse you had yet to remove in the bustle of family distracting you from it since you arrived.
“Then we just have to start on the cabinets tomorrow, I think ten should be decent enough for the neighbors. Most of the sets are ready to be installed as they are assembled so it shouldn’t take long.” Victor said in his look over the project notes.
Eddie nodded saying, “And the countertops are coming in end of the week with the plumbing fixtures we can add in next week. Coming along.” At the crunch of another step his eyes darted to the door and he flashed you a smile, “Bunny,” after a glance out the window that showed it was already sunset he looked back saying, “I’m sorry Bunny, man it got late fast.”
You shook your head, “Just came to see if you’d gotten stuck in the floor or not.” Making him chuckle and watch your eyes shift to the back wall with a furrow of your brows.
“What?” James asked looking where your gaze was aimed at seeing nothing but the wall for a closet then back to you. “What’s got your attention?”
“There’s a safe in the wall.” You said and the guys all walked into the closet and looked at the walls.
“You got me stumped Pipsqueak,” Victor said and you entered the closet and pointed at the diagonal section of wall in the corner covering what could be taken as a cover for a supporting pillar.
“This isn’t brick,” you said and James confirmed that with a knock on the wall.
“How big is the safe?” Eddie asked and handed you a piece of chalk from his work belt that you marked the sides and the bottom that seemed to rest on a platform then gave it back to Eddie to use his longer arm to mark the top of what would be a safe big enough to fit one of them inside of it.
“Huh,” Victor mused and drew his hammer from his own belt and with ease pulled down that drywall revealing the safe. “Who owned this place before it was bought up?”
“O’Grady, Eugenia, man she had to be in her 90’s. Kept saying she was left some fortune by her old man but her husband stole it all away before he kicked it in the First World War.”
“Any kids?” James asked and him and Gina’s Husband shook their heads.
The latter said, “Had a daughter but she died,” his eyes shifted to you and you said, “She caught TB when my mom did. She had a son but he’s in jail for offing someone down in, Alabama? I think.”
Eddie nodded, “Pretty sure that was where it was, according to the papers I found they shipped him out and he went down in the war.”
Gina’s Husband said cheerfully, “So you get to keep it all. Are we gonna open it?”
He said and you reached up to hover your hand over the turning dial that was coated in dust and slowly rotated against time’s try to lock it up forever until the lock clicked and Eddie took hold of the handle that he gave a hard shove to ease the loudly creaking door open. Right away your hands rose to pinch your nose in the eye watering smell that came out into the room right away upon opening the door. “Leather?” James asked blinking through the smell luring Eddie to reach onto the top shelf revealing a small pile of musty leather gloves. Those were added to the shelves on the other wall as he pulled out a wooden box that he eyed the tarnished lock on the front you unlocked to reveal a series of velvet boxes that each held pieces of gold jewelry that urged him to open the next box.
“What is this?” Eddie asked lifting slips of paper from the next box that James leaned in over his shoulder to see.
“That’s Confederate money slips.” Letters from various political figures were in the smaller box behind it just leaving the final three boxes left that looked to be loaded with golden doubloons. “Was the old lady a pirate? These are doubloons.”
“I got no clue,” Eddie said and you simply looked up at Victor who chuckled and guided you out of the room.
“Let’s get you some air Pipsqueak.”
James said, “We can clean and air that stuff up for inspection later.”
Eddie said following you out, “Can’t believe we didn’t notice the safe before. Can it be fixed up?”
“Seems a simple enough job. Oil and scrub it all out. At least it wasn’t bones, found that more than a few times in old houses we’ve fixed up. Secret siblings and babies and the like.” He smoothed his hand across your back.
James said, “Those gloves should clean up nicely and make a pretty penny if you like. Don’t make them like that anymore.”
“I don’t know how you’ll get that stink out,” Gina’s Husband stated as you all made for the stairs to head down to the main floor.
Eddie said, “Let’s check on supper and get you fed and ready for bed. Christening is pretty early you and the girls will need your beauty rest after the busy day.”
.
Early didn’t come close to how it felt waking up to the set alarm and get ready from the bare necessities you had unpacked so far. All three of your girls were changed and cleaned up to be helped into their white gown that Mama Brock had made for them for this event. Down to breakfast you walked together, you in a mint colored dress that reached your knees and matched the mint tie for his light colored suit he’d picked for the press pictures he knew would be there today. At the base of the stairs you could see the crates that had been tied together as a barrier to keep the children out of the unfinished apartment that Teddy yesterday with hold of Pepper’s fur had been peering into. Exploring it at a distance to erase his confusion as to why the wall was suddenly gone and there was a barrier to keep him out.
“Who stole our wall?” the boy asked when you had joined the table and sat your girls in their high chairs.
Dawn mid spoon of some food between Marigold’s lips answered, “That’s our new home, honey bear.”
At that his brows furrowed and he said, “But, we live here.”
Eddie with a tray of food beside Victor and Erik with their own stated, “We’re making our home bigger, Teddy. You and Goldie are gonna have so much more space to grow up in, we move there and then your cousins have a second floor to grow into as well.”
“But, we live here.” He repeated and your grin grew in accepting the bottles Erik had brought to help feed the girls as you ate yourselves.
“We are still going to eat together, our home is just going to be bigger. Our rooms move to the new floors next door and you can help decorate yours. Our family has grown so much and we will need more room as it keeps growing.” Eddie said assuring his still partly confused son.
Norma said, “Surely we could show him his new room later on, to help explain things a bit more. He was so small when he first came here.”
Teddy asked his dad, “You built here too?”
And Eddie chuckled, “We all did, partway through you were born and our family hasn’t stopped growing since. When you’re bigger you’ll be glad for the space.”
“How will I find my Bunny?” He said and you smiled his way.
“It will all make sense when the remodel is finished. I promise. No one is going far, we’ll all still be here and you’ll see us every day. No serious changes.” He pouted at you and you said, “And after we get home again you can help to design the mural you want in your room if you want one,” that had his brows inch up and you said, “Your room, you get to help choose the paint and everything.”
Timidly he looked from you to his parents then said, “Ok. Any color?”
“Anything you like, Teddy Bear.” Eddie said and the boy turned to start eating his meal spreading smiles around the table.
Across that you looked to Erik asking, “Do you like your room? You can take up as many as you need if you want an office too.”
After a chuckle he sat down after pouring his own juice and returning the pitcher to the middle of the table, “The room is perfect. Thanks, and the one next to it you added a nice desk for me to work off of.”
You nodded and said, “We have to get you a typewriter too.”
He chuckled again saying, “We have plenty of time. Just barely got my acceptance packet.”
Victor said in a fold of the paper he showed you, “There’s a sale this week, we can go and pick you out a nice one. Do you need a bag or anything for your books and papers?”
“Mom got me a nice school bag for my things like what she saw lawyers use, nice leather one as a surprise. Be sturdy for years to come if I take care of it properly.” He looked you over, “Just hope I don’t make you look bad.”
You lifted a finger his way, “I broke a student my second day, don’t assault anyone and you should be just fine. Can’t shake a stick at your grades, more than earned your place there.” You said luring a smirk across his lips. Not just at his being eager to start school but knowing he’d be going there with the closest thing he’d had to a sister who he could help in return after your name surely helped to get him into the elite school that could only help him to whatever future he wanted to claim and assure for his mother. So very far from where he was before you had first met.
.
The crowd certainly lit up for the occasion and packed to the brim the cathedral held just about everyone in the Brock clan, most of the town, some approved press and even in between Portia and her family smiled widely when they got sight of you and your trio held against your chests. Softly Portia let out a squeak and leaned in to fawn over Nova in your arms and Aurora and Belinda in James’ after her gentle hug for you. “Oh aren’t these just the most precious girls, your family, I swear, all your babies are just little angels! And those eyes!” she said to the girls who smiled and let out happy squeaks in her fingers being held in reach for them to grab.
“Thank you, and time will tell if their hair stays this blonde like my mom’s or darkens. Though they have my dad’s curls.”
“Those curls are perfect. Our momma always loves a baby with curls.”
Her brother stated with a smile your way and a congratulatory pat on James’ arm, “Looks like you’re out numbered old stud.” Making James chuckle and nod back then smile at his girls.
“Glad to be. Spent enough time brooding without these four angels in my life. Victor’s only good for so many smiles and laughs,” he said teasingly making Victor scoff and playfully tap shoulders with him.
“Baby brother’s aren’t always a picnic either,” he teased as Portia’s family went to pick their seats allowing Howard, the Jarvis’ and their daughter behind widely smiling Peggy and Daniel.
“Oh look at brilliant you!” Peggy exclaimed and gave you a hug and smiled at Nova lifting a hand to touch the offered hand from the girl gaining a happy squeal from her.
“This one’s Nova, James has Belinda and Aurora.” You said and she smiled at the others who Daniel was looking over with a grin of his own.
“You do make a fine family. I can tell those final weeks of rest were put to good use.” Daniel said answering your smile with a nod before you greeted Howard and the Jarvis’ fondly including their baby girl Celeste.
Anna at your side asked softly, “My hat is proper for this? Peggy said to wear a hat.”
“Your hat is perfect, don’t worry about it.” You said earning a nod and smile in return, “Thank you for coming.”
“Oh we wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
They stepped aside and Howard smiled at the girls, “Welcome back home, so glad to have you all here. Can’t wait to give you the all clear on when production is complete. Won’t be long now, have it out by Christmas, promise.” He smiled and they moved to take their seats as Father Thomas came out into the room with an older Priest and the older alter boys from the Brock clan who all smiled carrying the essentials to the table on the platform around the baptismal bowl.
Right away his face lit up in the sight of your family and he came over with hands extended to rest on yours and James’ arms to state, “Welcome back, and congratulations. You have certainly been within our prayers.” He paused and asked you, “You are well? I did wish to offer council after this should you require it. Two days of labor must have been quite strenuous.”
“That would be very kind of you, thank you.” You said widening his smile.
His hands drew back and he guided you to your seats asking, “You have chosen the Godparents?”
“Victor and Mama Brock,” James answered widening his smile, “Figured best one from each side.”
“Fine choices.” Once you took your seats a couple more photographs were stolen from the press in the hall and he began by a reading of John 10:10 that led into four prayers to feed up into The Liturgy of the Word. Psalms, gospel readings and a sermon led into the Liturgy of Baptism.
Up from your seats the pair of you stood along with Victor and Mama Brock to circle the baptismal bowl as Victor took hold of Aurora to let James have a better hold of Belinda to hover them each over the bowl as needed. Father Thomas in a sweeping glance over the three smiled as you shared the order the girls were in for his memorization of their full names to be spoken aloud with each addition of oils on their foreheads and crosses motioned above their heads. Gentle pours of holy water were to follow that for some babies had them crying while your bright eyed girls let out confused squeaks and giggles to your smiles at them spreading smiles in the crowd to more pictures being captured. Several more prayers were to follow surrounding a communion and the finalizing lighting of candles by Victor and Mama Brock for the final prayers.
Adoringly the girls were claimed by some of the Brocks after an agreed set of pictures as a family for the camera team sent by the King that also benefited the photographer from the Bugle who had come as well at your permission to again give them the heads up scoop. So for the world the Honorable Aurora Nyx, Belinda Rhea, Nova Carina Pear Howlett were to be announced as welcomed into the arms of your church with Godparents named to hopefully calm them down with new updates on their progress.
.
Alone in his office you sat with Father Thomas who settled across from you both as you sat down on the chairs angled to face his. “Thank you, for agreeing to this. The Brocks have kept me up to date, however I understand it was quite a rough birth. How did you bear that?”
“Well, I was pretty miserable the week before, with practice contractions on and off, then at breakfast it just all became clear that labor had kicked in,” he nodded and took notice of James’ hand that adjusted around your hand resting on your lap. “I barely made any progress the first day, pain just kept getting worse but I bore through with small snacks and I couldn’t sleep, but I managed to nod off a few times between contractions. Second day contractions kept getting closer and I couldn’t sit down at all, kept pacing and the guys had shakes and snacks to feed me on my rounds.”
You paused and he drew in a breath at the flicker of pain in your gaze, “Almost to midnight the second night their heartbeats slowed down.” His lips parted and you continued, “They laid me down and our Doctor performed a c-section.”
“Oh my,” he muttered and you drew in a breath to continue.
“It didn’t take long, just a few minutes and they were safe, and I passed out for a bit after.”
“Was that part of the complications?”
“No, I um, I passed out too when I got shot before. Just, adrenaline pumping and I wake up after.”
“Ah,” he said a bit more relaxed at the common reaction.
“Gave them time to stitch me up. That was why I had to stay in bed for two weeks.”
“That must have been difficult.” He stated and looked between you, “For both of you.”
James nodded and smiled at you, “It was. We made certain to get the girls on a schedule, timed out feedings and visits between meals and breaks to sleep for Jaqi. She,” he shook his head, “there was a lot of bruising. Her feet, legs, hips, stomach. A lot of pain and a lot of reassuring from us that she wasn’t hurting the girls or not rising to a perfect image of a mother by having to allow us to take charge of things.”
“It took a lot of stretching and time alone with everyone to keep my spirits up. Especially Teddy. I did a lot of praying, and even when it doesn’t exactly match my situation I kept thinking about Rachel, how much she suffered such a long time to have to get married. And then to wait as her husband’s other wives had son after son until she had Joseph. Then she thought she lost him and later died giving birth to Benjamin. From the bible motherhood and pregnancy is hardly ever rainbows and sunshine. But it hurt,” you said with tears that formed in your eyes deepening his concern, “And I know we suffer here because we won’t suffer when we’re gone and with him.” He nodded and you continued, “But it hurt. Inside and out. I carried my babies and I could barely lift my arms after. I am better, I want so much better for them.”
“I can understand that. As you very much know, this life is often fraught with pain and though childbirth is not rainbows and sunshine the result can be more glorious than our wildest imaginations can fathom. Fortunately that suffering resulted in three healthy baby girls and their healthy mother returning to welcome them into the church alongside their father and family. I do hope that in returning here so near to family here that while you continue your studies you will not feel any fear in studying as long as required to gain that better future for your children. And we will all be so very proud to watch you grow academically while the next generation within your home grows as well. Have they crawled yet?”
“No, they are getting good at rolling over though. We stretch their legs often and no trouble there developmentally.” James answered.
“Still waiting on talking as well, they prefer to squeak and squeal. Our Doctor said sometimes with triplets talking can come later since they have their own language already, but we keep up story times and conversations with them like we did with the other three babies at home.”
“How are they taking the changes?”
You drew in a breath and said, “Teddy is upset about having to move. He’s a bit confused how that will all go, but he’ll be happy in the long run and he’s helped to design the paint job. He’ll calm down and enjoy the quiet.”
More questions did follow along with a few words of wisdom and passages along with prayer to finish the council off and free you three to join the public celebration after.
.
“You look more stable,” you said to Daniel that turned him around with a drink in hand. “See you’ve been putting in some work while we were away.”
“I heard you built a robotic moose family?” He asked with an amused grin.
“I did,” you answered with a giggle eyeing Portia and Peggy in turns to hold two of the girls as Erik had the third he was talking to alongside Jarvis, both animatedly in conversation with her and Celeste who was in Anna’s arms. “Helped me to get my credits and pass Engineering.”
“Congratulations. Look forward to hearing about how your cousin does as well. Is Eddie picking up his investigation again? We’ve done five raids on warehouses since and they show signs those people have been there.”
“He’s had some friends watching while we were away. They’ve been closing in.”
“Well that’s good. We caught the Weasel guy, but there have been some odd goings on lately. Could always use another set of eyes.”
A bit wider your smile spread and he chuckled as you asked, “Does that mean I might get a chance to see that supposed bank you and Peggy work at?”
“Perhaps we could uncover something a bit too sensitive to be transported that would require a visit, and of course on the way down a small tour.”
“Of course,” you said to his soft chuckle.
You looked at your daughters luring his eyes to them and he said, “I’m glad you pulled through. Couldn’t have imagined New York without its Baroness.”
“Oh I imagine New  York would be fine.”
At that he chortled turning your head, “Didn’t realize there was another New York in this country.”
Pt 81
All –
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Brother Dearest -
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blankdblank · 3 years
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Brother Dearest Pt 52
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“Steve has a sister...” Peggy halfway murmured at the sight of the returned Commandos to the bar she alone sat in the curved booth with fingers twisting the shot glass holding a whiskey now watered down by the melted ice meant to cool it.
Jaques asked in his slide first into the booth the others joined in on the motion to support their friend in this monumental loss. “What?”
“Steve has a sister.” She repeated and jaws dropped to her rehash of all the Colonel had shared and the way he had hinted he would hurt Steve for the fate the girl suffered.
Gabe, “So she’s dead?”
Dum dum shook his head, “No, we know Steve! We spent all that time together and not one mention of a family!”
Peggy said on the cusp of tears with a crack in her voice, “Well we apparently didn’t know him very well!” Up she raised her glass and haltingly took a sip and lowered it with half the liquid remaining in the lipstick stained glass that tapped the table again to her swallow. “He never said if she was dead or alive.” She whispered with her mind circling on that woman traveling with the Colonel who said her name was classified.
Jim, “And what if she’s alive? Not like we can do anything for the girl.”
“I have to know.” Left simply to that the conversation hung like a wet blanket over the mock funeral on the base as none could attend the one they anticipated would be held to celebrate him upon his return as a hero to Brooklyn.
.
And small bits of progress were shared on and off in the aid of Stark in his enlisting her aid in clearing his name and saving the world between run ins of the old friends until the fated call, “I found her, she’s alive.”
“You got to be kidding me,” Dum Dum chuckled and asked, “Who is she then? Still a nurse or did she drop that after the war?”
“She’s a student, at Columbia University. She’s in Brooklyn. I’m going to meet her tomorrow after a stop by Steve’s grave.”
“Well then, do we at least get a name?”
“She changed it, her surname at least, she goes by Bunny Pear now.”
“Bunny Pear.” The name had his face go stoic recalling those towns and stops they crossed with those signs posted up creaking the gears in his head in puzzlement as to who this mystery sister and brother duo was and why the hell Steve acted like he knew nothing of them at all. “The only woman awarded the Medal of Honor Bunny Pear?”
“Yes, you’ve read about her then?”
“Steve lied about a lot more than just having a sister. Bunny Pear devastated every German force she and her brother came across, and while we toured a ruin of a city they’d left Steve and Bucky played the fool. Hundreds of soldiers we crossed had thousands of things to say about them.” He paused then said, “Ring us when you’ve talked to her with what you learn.”
“I will.” She replied and hung up the phone more fearful than she had been hours earlier upon uncovering an address to find said lost sister she had been brushed off by once before years prior as to why her friend was so curt in his parting tone that revealed a mingle of hurt and something else. Something she hoped to be a misunderstanding and not a betrayal of the man they all had such hopes for being a pure heart in the middle of a harsh war to guide them to safety and a better tomorrow.
 *
From the library to the dinner table you were set to move for the meal the brothers got started on once Eddie had come home and Peggy joined you all after having asked a few blaring questions about Venom in his shoot outwards ready to eat any intruder upon the telling scent of blood foreign to the family. In a skip of a scoop Eddie remained at home to keep watch of you all tonight knowing Venom would want to be on patrol all night. Both Norma and Dawn smiled and greeted Peggy, with whom they chatted in the wait for food until the doorbell rang again and Eddie sprung to check on who it was.
“Oh, hello,” the clear voice echoed through the house and was followed by, “Edwin Jarvis, there is a Peggy Carter here I believe?”
Eddie replied, “Yup, James said you called. Just you?”
“Jarvis, we’re growing cold, it’s on the move!” Stark’s voice came from the car parked on the curb who waved to Eddie, “Hey Eddie! Been following your headlines, you’ve been building up some steam!”
To that you smirked and climbed to your feet to join Peggy to the door, “I take it this means you won’t be staying for supper.”
“Apparently not. The offer was very kind however.” She answered with a kind smile.
Right to the door you strolled to stop in the doorway where Stark waved to you, “There you are Bunny! Not dead yet I see.”
That had you smirk and look to Jarvis in the sweep of his eyes over you, “Oh my,” he said then flashed you a grin stating, “Edwin Jarvis,” his hand outstretched for a handshake you returned, “Pleasure to meet you. I have heard so very many things about you, Mrs Pear Howlett.”
“Pleasure to meet you, you must have the patience of a mountain to work with Stark.”
His head tilted to the side a moment and he flashed Peggy a grin, “Lately it has been much more accommodating to my skill set and the company much less likely to land me slapped by women I come across.” His eyes wandered over you in a lean into Eddie’s side to the clear shift of your belly that had you rest a hand on it. “Might, I be bold in offering congratulations?”
“You may, and thank you.” You replied then looked to Peggy.
“I will let you rest, however I did want to let you know, the Howling Commandos, who traveled with Steve and Bucky in the war, they will be in town tomorrow and wondered if you might be up to meeting them? They also wished to pay their respects to Bucky’s parents as well.”
Eddie, “Bucky’s just got his Mom and sisters, girls are about 11 now.”
Peggy, “Good, we were planning on joining in for church, if you would accept that.”
“Not my place to ban anyone from church. We do have a block party after they may find as a reprieve after a Catholic Mass. Can be quite daunting for some not familiar with the service.”
She nodded and to Stark’s next honk she rolled her eyes and Jarvis said, “We will see you tomorrow, Mrs Pear Howlett, Mr Pear.” Both names accentuated with nods before his turn to join Peggy on the way back to the car.
“Should be fun,” you said to Eddie who chuckled and turned to lift Teddy in his race towards his father with drawing in hand to show it off.
“Oh yes,” he said to your closing and locking the doors. To turn back to the guys with eyes shifting over Eddie answering his mental questions on what he had missed of the intruders above what the guys had given of a basic description. Though mainly to calm Venom that the threat was aimed for Peggy and not yourself or his children.
Norma however drew your focus in a move to guide you to the dining room table, “Your friend had to leave before supper?”
“Yes, she’ll be at Mass tomorrow with more friends of my brother Steve’s.”
James asked, “You okay with that? We can stay home.”
That had you chuckle, “Right, because she would never just bring them here.”
And he smirked back at you playfully answering, “You set the rules. You want them barred we won’t let them in.”
Dawn said, “I just can’t believe she would come here knowing she was being followed.”
“Well I suppose there is the off chance she didn’t know. Seemed afraid of the woman at least, had to be sneaky or something to scare her.”
Victor murmured in French to keep Norma from hearing, “Don’t have to be sneaky to get a shot off in my chest.”
James teased, “Fairly big target to miss a couple feet away, now his head, be hard to hit that in reaching distance.” Earning a smirking glance back at him.
Dawn said to Norma’s confused glance their way, “Suppose we’ll just have to make sure these friends of Steve’s won’t cross any lines.”
.
The purple floral wrap dress you chose that hung past your knees was smoothed over you to sit under the cardigan you used to keep warm on top of the jacket that was eased over your arms and back. Sure to have your hat in place down the front stoop you strolled to join the others in town for the joint trip to Mass between your relatives. With his arm around your back James kept you close in the sight of Stark’s car driving past. While on the sidewalk outside the church Peggy stood with her signature blue dress and bright red hat to match her lipstick outlining the easy grin she gave you in the move to lead the staring group of guys behind her inside. Into the pew a row back to the left of yours across the aisle they settled. Each of them luring stolen glimpses through the service until the town and Priest especially got a chance to interrogate the newcomers who seemed to keep their focus on the family that everyone hoped would just be left to their privacy to live out their lives.
Once Mass was over however and your family took turns in the chance for confession the Brocks were the first to swoop in to begin the questioning. Gina especially smiled in her step towards the group and asked, “Passing through town?”
James Montgomery took the brief murmured conversation Peggy and Dum Dum Dugan were having about the proper time for him to put his hat back on to answer, “Yes, we’ve come out to pay our respects to Steve Rogers’ and Bucky Barnes’ families.”
Her husband asked, “Really? You knew them well?”
Pinky Pinkerton said after glancing back to Gabe Jones, Jim Morita and Happy Sam Sawyer who were ushered prior to Mass to sit on the far end of the pew on their move to join the group again, “We served together, though Steve never mentioned he had a sister, or any family at all really. Said he was orphaned.”
Mama Brock said in an unamused scoff to the memory of how her adopted daughter was treated, “Selfish little boy wouldn’t know family if it slapped him in the face. Lucky we never got our hands on him after he kept leaving Bunny out on the steps.”
That turned Peggy’s head, “On the steps? He actually left her on the steps?”
“Even went so far as to argue with the Judge that gave him custody to send her away so he wouldn’t have to have legal custody of her right in front of the poor thing before he was sent packing. To actually want to send her off anywhere unknown on the verge of a war to who knows what end how cruel can you get to do that to such a sweet child?” Mamma Brock then huffed feeling herself ready to begin shouting mumbled in a try to keep calm, “I have to go check on my pies,” and joined the others on their way to fetch the food cooked for the block party and her daughters began to list slight after slight that had their hearts sinking for both of their friends.
Including a stop to view the album of Sarah Rogers’ funeral where the guys understood by the captured look on your face just who Bucky was haunted by. The younger sister he encouraged Steve to abandon.
Peggy asked after the album was closed and added to the shelf of funerals of families within the past decade, “I don’t see Steve’s album. There’s one for Bucky.”
Ambrose said, “The Catholic church does not give suicides funeral processions.” That dropped Peggy’s jaw, “Father Thomas only insisted upon giving any words at all over the grave for Bunny’s sake when he knew we knew she was alive and with Eddie.”
Jim Morita, “Where did everyone think she was?”
Gina, “She was assumed to have run off with Eddie, but we clarified she got into a good school in Canada then they got drafted. Until she got shot she was listed as a POW though by the Canadians, we still have the telegrams our cousins received. War offices learned she was with Eddie through the field promotion papers and picture of the planes and tanks she took out first time she got shot.”
Dum Dum Dugan, “Well, I guess in his own way Steve had to have left her something decent for how she’s managed since the war.”
Ambrose’s husband said, “Steve left everything to the church. Even Jaqi’s things, she didn’t have a red cent to her name or home to come back to except for ours. Father Thomas is the one who set up the inheritance to be transferred to us to watch for her.”
Howard from the back of the church had crept forward and asked a question that hurt the group even more than anything they’d heard before that he had to confirm you yourself had told him, “Steve really call her a monster?”
Ambrose, “When he called her anything at all. Barely spoke to her at all unless it was a shout on where her change for food was or eyes were on him from people he wanted respect from.”
Howard, “He pick on people often?”
Gina, “After how his dad treated him and Sarah all he wanted to do was fight, even after she married Jaqi’s dad.”
Howard asked in a look over the albums, “Which one’s her dad’s?”
Ambrose, “Father Thomas gave it to Jaqi, only keeps them a decade. The one for Steve’s dad as well he found tucked away from when Sarah died.”
Howard asked, “Her dad a good man?”
Gina and Ambrose chuckled and the latter’s husband answered, “The pinnacle of perfect father and husband. Never raised a hand to anyone or any creature. Used to call Sarah his Greatest Treasure and Jaqi his fair Queen of the Cosmos, drove Steve up the wall. Worked and saved for his studies and a fund for his girl to study after him at the best schools. Even paid for Steve’s tuition for art classes at the community college.”
Jaques Dernier asked, “How does Bucky fit into this? Why did he hate Bunny? What did he get out of it?”
Gina’s husband answered, “He got Steve’s focus all to himself. Didn’t have much of a home he wanted to go back to at night. Steve wanted an escape and gave Bucky the most devoted buddy he could ask for.” From there the group led the others out to the party where two identically dressed girls with painfully familiar eyes stopped in their way with wide smiles.
“You knew our brother?” Stories of their war hero brother were shared to be confirmed that the guys were stunned they had heard you shared researched bits learned just for them to keep their hero. The new stories the guys shared were adored especially by their mother who in your exit of the church gave you a grin and watched your approach.
She said to the guys in the walk closer in a moment of distraction for the girls, “She’s been so kind to my girls, for how my boy and her brother behaved. Don’t you be rude to her. We owe her that much.”
Howard asked in a step away lowly to meet you before you reached the others, “You haven’t broken the bad news to the girls?”
“I’m not in the business of destroying heroes for little girls. They deserve memories of a brother who loved them and died ensuring they were safe.”
Howard, “How can you stand it, that truth you can’t say?”
“Everyone in town knows who is old enough to. Their cruelty dies with them.”
Bernie and Benji when their friends had called them waved and made their ways to the seats saved for them to share some of the excitement while you stepped forward accepting handshakes and introductions of the group that each of your family nodded in their own naming. Mrs Barnes left soon after to join her own friends to shift the focus of the group back to you.
Marigold, Petal and Teddy however called for food while you focused on the newcomers that joined you at the closest table mainly away from the crowds to the start of the music. “So, you knew Steve and Bucky in uniform, must have left an impression to bring you all out here.”
Gabe said, “Well, they were pretty special, least till we heard about you and Eddie.”
Jim Morita, “You really turned Panzers to marbles?”
“Among other things.”
Howard, “And she’s being stingy on the weaponry. I’ve even been asked to see if I can duplicate it. Magnets however are surprisingly difficult to master.” His eyes looked you over and he said, “How you made it in one piece with magnets that strong I have no clue. Did you know they can cause heart failure when they pass a certain grade?”
“Human body is comprised of iron in the blood, along with other traces of metal throughout the rest of the body, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, molybdenum, and cadmium. Part of how x-rays and sonograms work magnetic fields reacting to the body.”
“Not hard to bypass.” Happy Sam Sawyer chuckled out, “Don’t you remember, we heard the soldiers we came across all said they’re aliens.”
That had you smirk and thank the young Brock kids that brought your drinks over then darted off to play again. “Close enough,” you giggled and lifted your drink to take a sip then lowered your hand to the belly that shifted and drew James in a grin of his own to steal a stroke of your belly.
Jaques began the sea of congratulations and Dum Dum asked, “Did you plan on returning to school? You seem due soon.”
“Due closer to summer actually.” Parting his lips in confusion, “Triplets.”
Howard said, “When we’re done here Jarvis has our gifts for you in the trunk.”
“You didn’t have to bring gifts.”
Howard nodded, “Oh yes I did. Down right rude not to. Good thing I buy spares or Peggy’s sharing of the triplets would have left me in a lurch to have enough for all of you.”
“Fine, but it better not have gemstones or anything flashy or you’ll end up wearing it.”
Again he smirked and Dum Dum Dugan asked, “Any clue on what you’re having?”
“Girls,” James answered, “Hopefully just like their mom.”
Eddie said, “My sisters and cousins mostly have boys so when Dawn and I had Marigold they loved the new wave of girls, my sister Ambrose is having a girl too and can’t wait for hers.”
You smirked and said, “She’s really excited to go through this with me. Even debating coming out to Canada when we head back for the summer.”
James Falsworth asked, “Why stay in the city while you are carrying so many babies?”
“My courses.” You said, “I’m going to stick in it as far as I can through this semester. Might work it so I can leave a month early, just over four months, so possibly April to June depending on how impatient the girls are they’ll be showing up and the space and quiet will be better for me have them.”
Peggy, “How strenuous are your classes?”
“Not very, a majority of them are on the same campus and the Professors surely will be as accommodating as they keep trying to assure me they will be.”
Jim Morita asked, “What’s it like, being back here, after everything that happened?”
“I think the oddest thing was how everyone had just taken to the new last name. But I think Mama Brock had something to do with that, not to mention the papers.”
Eddie said, “They knew we needed a new name. I think remodeling Bunny’s home settled everything. Let everyone know she’s home in her own building she bought.”
“Technically-,” you tried to cut in only for Victor to cut you off.
“We bought it for you. Your name is on the lease now and when it’s legal it will be the only one on it.”
Peggy, “The whole house?”
James nodded, “Same with the comics and her bank account and just about anything we’re hoarding for the eventual turn over when we can.”
Howard said, “Might take a while to get there.” Though he smirked at the pointed gazes from the brothers around you mingled with Eddie’s unamused brow tick.
“Be a fairly terrifying time for the Starks of the world for me to have my own empire.”
Howard chuckled and fired back, “Oh no, then I might actually have some competition.”
Dum Dum Dugan asked, “What’d you do with the weapon and suits you built?”
“Well I certainly didn’t bring any weapons back from the war aside from a knife James found for me.”
Gabe, “So, what happens if someone shows up on your doorstep wanting those blueprints?”
“I may be pregnant but I can still throw someone around a room,” making the guys chuckle and Peggy smirk to herself.
.
From the party to the house again now with the guys the tour continued with each admiring the pictures you had posted from Steve and Bucky’s trips to shows in murals with ticket stubs and autographs.
Peggy’s focus in a glance to the other room however shifted from Eddie’s smile down at his son. Who was faking claws at the air and snarls that had Venom’s face pop out with a toothy proud grin in a lift of the boy he then lowered to kiss in the return of Venom to sink back again, to the trumpet that sat polished on display. That had you ask, “Do you play an instrument?”
Her eyes met yours and she nodded, “Piano, Mummy insisted. Made Michael keep up with his sax.”
Her grin dimmed and you said with a stroke of your hand on her arm, “Boys rarely stick to practice. Steve missed most of his, though about half came by his passing out or rehearsals that triggered his asthma.”
Pinky asked, “Steve really was this scrawny?”
You nodded, “And he hated every minute of it. Eddie and me used to get a chuckle I might have been bigger than he was in his uniforms. Pre-Captain mode that is.” You paused and asked, “He ever sketch anything? While he was over there?”
“Oh,” Happy Sam Sawyer patted his pockets until he brought out a small journal, “Just a few small sketches, the rest is some sort of scribbles we couldn’t make out.”
Opening the book to one of the notes you snapped it shut saying, “It’s a cipher. You need the source book to translate it. Some boys used to take their notes and read them like they were dirty novels even if they were on toast to taunt them for not having a wider circle.”
James Falsworth asked, “Do you know the source?”
“The Hobbit.”
Jaques, “The bedtime story?”
You nodded, “Funnily enough, I gave Steve the book they used to hide in.”
Jim, “Why not translate it?”
“Oh I can read it, and I don’t think Peggy would appreciate the content.”
Peggy paused a moment then asked, “It’s, about me?”
“Yes,” you said and lifted the book a tad, “And by the notes I am guessing he didn’t get as far as he’s writing about. You could very possibly be flexible but I doubt even then his day dream would be plausible.”
Pinky, “Wait, all you did was glance at the page. How could you read and translate it that fast.”
“Photographic memory, and I can read novels in minutes,” you glanced at Peggy saying, “I’ll read the rest later and if there’s anything less imaginative and respectful I’ll write it out for you.”
She shook her head and said, “I doubt there would be anything sentimental in there. Your brother was not overly expressive of his affection until the drive we took to get him on that plane and the radio transmission afterwards, even then, rather simplistic, trade of a promise then static.”
“Well if I do ever find him wandering around in the afterlife I’ll punch him for that. Downright a crime to not woo you properly.” You teased making her smirk your way.
Jarvis upon return from his third trip to the car gave Howard a nod that had him smile and smooth his hands together, “Gift time!”
“Anything with gems-,”
“And I’m wearing them, I remember.” He said with a smirk guiding you to the front room where you eyed the trio of crib kits that by the brand were expensive and had you in an open mouthed gawk at the smiling inventor, “I won’t accept no for an answer. Only the best for the daughters of our greatest asset for this country’s future.”
“Asset?” you asked.
“You know what I mean,” Howard said. “With your help ladies are set to give us old boys a run for our money.”
Victor, “Why’d you buy three cribs? Must have sparked some rumors with that purchase.”
Jarvis said, “Oh, for that I bear the name on that invoice. Sparing Mrs Stark that scrutiny.”
Howard said, “Though she has seen the catalogs and now is considering children with her husband number two.”
James muttered, “Ouch.”
Howard swatted his hand, “I was a means to irritate Daddy. No matter she’s picked a fine replacement more fit for the suit and tie brigade.” He patted his hand on the crib box closest to him, “Paperwork is nearly done as soon as he finalizes on his house she will pack her things and you will have tons of cover headlines to distract from your lovely little parade of geniuses.”
James, “Least you haven’t broken a sweat over it.”
Howard, “Oh we signed a prenup,” he looked between you both and said, “Which I’m certain you both won’t need.”
Victor, “Oh I’ll kill him before so much as a weekend away comes up to think things over.” Howard chuckled and pointed at him assuming it was a joke only making you smirk behind a stroke of your finger along the side of your nose. Though to a bold set of kicks your hand outstretched and landed on Eddie’s bicep and you let out a sharp breath.
“Ok, I need a minute,” you said in a turn that had him guide you to the nearest bathroom.
Howard looked your back over and James drew his gaze by saying, “They kick and her bladder is almost always trapped in the middle. This the one with the side that comes down or the solid wall model?” That had his grin return in James’ move closer to crouch and look over the diagram on the outside of the box that Victor joined him in inspecting, “Oh this one’s nice. Good solid sides won’t take off a finger if it drops like other models.”
Victor, “We can always make a set of steps if it’s too tall so Pipsqueak can reach inside.”
Jarvis, “Would it prove to be too tall we could purchase another set.”
James shook his head, “Nah, no need. She can adapt. Doubt she’d accept the second set.”
Victor, “Or even let you up the stoop with it.”
Howard, “What about Canada, you need a set there.”
James smirked, “We’ve already built a set for home, Jaqi helped with the finer touches but let us cover the basics off our experience for what would be the safest designs.”
Howard said, “Wow, you sound like you’ve been through the whole parenting schtick before.”
He didn’t need the answer in their telling continued silent stares at him till one of the guys smiled and said to you in your return, “Your hubby says it’s a safe model.”
“Even if it wasn’t the guys can easily make some changes in the install. Should be nice, I do like the round half circle top to the ends, could have some nice crochet covers from Gina. Maybe a nice quilt too for the bed the Brocks can fix up for us. One of the cousins do enjoy stuffing them.” You looked to Howard and said, “Thank you, Howard. Now, no more gifts.”
He scoffed at that and rolled his eyes only making Jarvis say, “I will do my best to remind him of that, Mrs Pear Howlett.”
“No jewelry,” you said to Howard as a flat rule that deepened his smirk in your knowing he would find a way to shower funds onto your family he’d now spread a sort of fondness onto even more so upon discovery of the link between you and his major successful project your brother turned out to be.
Dawn broke the circle by calling everyone in for tea that let you all relax in the living room until the group all had to leave with promises to come back again. Though in their absence relief came from not having the presence of questions on your lost brother and the fact that you now could have that much needed pear you had been forced to put off until the lunch that was readied upon the moment of freedom.
Straight on to bed comfort was found in solace lounged in James’ side reading off tidbits from the stack of history books Elliot had been dropping off weekly to guide you by century and culture to feed the growing appetite for reading that your pregnancy was enhancing. Mixed between those were journals from those of the Beserkers who had lived through those times including the few saved items from assumed lost libraries wars had threatened and been recorded to have destroyed. All of which could only aid in the growth of your mind, though every bit of it seemed to be familiar, a notion that pleased both him and Herc that old memories were being tapped of a time when you were present there as well to observe those moments throughout history even with your physical being in hiding.
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“Odd,” you muttered in smoothing your hands over your chosen shirt to have been stolen from James’ side of the closet along with his flannels you’d adjusted the hem and waistband to a tie instead of the usual buttons he agreed upon so that you would be comfortable on nights you wanted to wear pants until yours could fit again.
“Odd?” James asked having lit the fire in your bedroom to the sound of the wind outside picking up to cover the street with the thin layer of snow forecast that would enforce the use of Victor’s car that was promised to you to prevent threat of slipping upon travel to Columbia and back again.
In a shake of your head you moved to the bed and folded back the covers, only luring him closer with head tilted slightly to the side. Softly in a sigh you replied mid lift of your leg to kneel on the bed to begin the crawl to the middle, or at least as close to it as possible while still remaining close to the edge in case of bathroom trips. “Power’s gonna go out.”
“Well with the wind like this, not far from imaginable.” His eyes looked over your face in his move closer when you sat down readying to arrange the pillows to perfect the spot for you. “Unless there’s more to it?”
“I can feel it. In the power lines. But the storm isn’t near as bad enough to shut it off. We’ve had worse storms than this.”
“How can you tell?”
“It’s,” you sighed again, “You remember that storm out in Palermo where the lightning kept circling over the ocean and it was so close it had your hair on end?”
He nodded, “So it’s like a static?”
“Something like that. Soft fizzle like soda bubbles travel through the wires. Just odd.”
“Well you won’t be cold, and breakfast will be easily fixed up even without lights.” He said in the motions to help tuck you into the comfy nest that he snuggled closer to your back with a shrug of the blankets higher over you both. “Don’t you worry.”
“Just hope it doesn’t get too cold for Whiskers.”
That had him smirk and settle his head behind yours on the pillow, “Furnace is powered on gas, won’t go out with the electric, same as the cabin. Whiskers will be perfectly warm and thanks to your metal layer inside the walls all our pipes are extra insulated. We won’t let our house go cold.” After a moment his hand covered yours and he hummed, “We all promised to keep him and the puppies warm and safe, we won’t go back on that.”
Mid yawn you started to say, “He has a schedule to keep,” which only had him chuckle to himself and close his eyes to the inch of your body back into his chest.
Pt 53
All –
@sherala007​, @mariannetora​​, @jesgisborne​, @knitastically​, @catthefearless​​, @theincaprincess​, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000​​, 
Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​
X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @changlingkhat​
Brother Dearest - @thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam​​, @swoopswishsward​
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blankdblank · 3 years
Text
Brother Dearest Pt 77
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A morning of scheduling in a stop at Freckled Moose Publishing Company had them grinning widely as you mapped out dates for the planned four stops for signings when the book would be ready to be released in August. Sealing for them the firm back half of the two year contract they had once lucked out on that brought them more clients in their affiliation with you. Curiously at the end of the meeting you asked, “Just curious, if I ever wanted to put out a sort of History book could I call you, would that be possible for the company to publish?”
Excitedly the Editor asked, “You’re writing a History book?”
And the other asked, “History on what?”
“Well, I sort of have a notorious ancestor that I’ve been digging into. Found letters from Kings and even a few Popes who tried to sentence them to death,” widening their curious grins. “Granted it’s probably years away from being done.”
The head guy stated, “We would be beyond interested and honored to publish your book whenever it is ready. How’d you find out about your ancestor?”
“I got a letter from the King of Spain who had been researching them out of fun growing up and he saw a portrait in what he’d found and then saw pictures of me and King George and he had to write to me about it and I’ve been a bit hooked digging myself. They’re sort of turned into this legendary person who’s been all over the world through history, which is sort of odd and people may just shout that it’s got to be made up, but there’s official documents for it all.”
“Well we’ve certainly been lacking in our non fiction section of authors so whenever you are ready please do send us a draft or some hint of this intriguing thing.”
“We will,” you said and they showed you down so you could stop at the comic book studio next to hand over the next chunk of storylines that had the guys beaming at the direction you were leading the story from its latest cliff hanger.
“I think it was nice throwing them that bone,” Victor said that had James agree. “You can tell they were bound to try and offer another deal for something when this book was through.”
“At least I know now, they might be inclined to humor a History book from me which borders on a creature like Big Foot or the Loch Ness Monster.”
“You are neither of those,” James said.
“I’m not tall enough, I know.” You said making the brothers chuckle and shake their heads.
“Well let’s feed your tiny mythical self, Darling.” James said helping you back into the car for the drive home again.
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Mr Yarbrough’s stop in on Monday did little to calm your nerves at being expected at a new campus the following morning. Sleep somehow attained didn’t feel like it had lasted the full night and more like a sort of jump in time, while not tired all the same it was an odd feeling to have to get up again. Comfortably in a skirt and blouse with cardigan in hand from the house once you were fed and had nursed again snuggly into the car you sat chatting anxiously with James and Victor around you on their joint task to see you off to school pre stop into the comic studio again.
The excitement was palpable from the moment you exited the car with bag in hand to join the hundreds of students who had arrived on this first day of the summer classes that each one you got close to greeted you fondly. Aids in the halls helped to guide the way to where those who hadn’t taken tours were headed. One of whom excitedly guided you to the Art Wing where you found the first of your classes. One on the styles of art mediums and the deeper meanings and symbolism to each of them to further deepen not just your knowledge of pieces of art like the class you had taken but the reasoning behind them and how to recognize various styles. This class usually was paired with another, your next one where it would be continued lessons on the styles and according to the course description would be more of an advanced art class.
The first Professor however froze when he saw you and promptly nodded his head when he noticed you were looking his way as you entered and crossed the room to get to the stadium of seats. “Baroness Howlett, good morning.” His fingers fidgeting around the button on his vest atop his neatly pressed shirt on the man who reminded you a bit of a bird by the slant of his cheeks and chin to match his slim forehead.
“Good morning. Just Howlett is fine. No need to complicate things for another student to teach.”
“I can imagine you will never be just another student,” he said and then added, “As you wish. Mrs Howlett it is.”
“You won’t regret it,” you said and made your way to the second row of seating along the wall to keep out of the way from the other students who filed in, each stuck between their confusion on if they should choose a seat nearby the famous face amongst them or to keep their distance. All the same a cheery group of young ladies chose to settle a few seats away from you in your row who only lured more students to fill the rows in front and behind your chosen seat. Mainly slides and ample discussion upon each piece to get right into the kick of the lessons inside the notebook you had for the class ample notes were taken and eventually you were off to the next class.
A robed woman on the raised platform inside what seemed to be more of an art studio lit both by a wall with windows across the top third and the dangling light fixtures. All to make it the perfect setting for the 30 easels that a man you would take as one who prized himself on his artistic prowess huffed through hanging more large sketch pads on each easel. It wasn’t until the third one he hung up that you took notice of the names scrawled across the backs to name where you stood. And of course you as the shortest of the students who had entered and would enter in the very back you were settled in a stunning move for everyone but the smug Professor who at the snap of his fingers had the woman drop her robe.
“Pick a style of art and interpret what you see. You have an hour, impress me.” From the bar of the easel you lifted the box of Mongol brand colored pencils also with your name on a strip of tape to mark it as yours and opened the case to pull out a grey one.
Basic outlines in dots for the shape of the odd crab like couch that the model was draped across. A yellow set of dots lined the body’s end points before a light green was used to work on a few things behind the couch. For some reason you heard hour and wanted to have the hardest challenge possible so you aimed for pointillism. Not just for difficulty but also an excuse to not be too terribly detailed without aiming for something abstract like Picasso could have dreamed up.
Obviously not much was expected and when the professor who hadn’t so much as said hello just about fell down as you completed a series of smaller dots between larger dots to complete another chunk of the blurry yet clearer scene. It seemed he had already in his made up decision to be distant to each of his students to glance down his nose at their work so far continued on to the next easel in his lap through the room. This was his chosen method and this was just how it was going to go and when the class was through your piece and another had his focus linger as he switched the sketch pads for the next class wondering how the next time he saw you all would fare.
Anatomy and Physiology came next and another look of shock bled into an impressed question from this former Doctor of a Professor who heard you had repaired an artery with just a heated pin that had him agree to speak further on possible difficult cases you had faced in the war that cost him his left foot. While more technical and loaded with all male students to surround your seat up front at his suggestion for a clear line of sight at least he seemed pleased to have a fellow Army Medic to help boost up the usual lower end of his summer grading curve.
Communication came next and seemed a rather simple statistic laced course that was followed by another male centered course of Engineering. And while you were in a skirt the basic schematic sheets offered for you all as tests of intuition on what you could do in a long string of what could come for the rest of the few months you would be studying here with mention of actually constructing something for your exams.
From your last class you couldn’t help but grin at the thought of being able to return home again to your girls. So much so that when you saw James’ back you hastened a few steps to take hold of his suspender strap luring a smirk across his lips in a prompt turn to lower and kiss his bubbly wife no matter how many people could see the display of affection. “I take it you had a good morning?” Victor crooned in the midst of the lip lock and smiled at you when you broke apart to cuddle into James’ chest around your bag and notebooks.
“I did, be glad to get home though.” You said making them smile and guide you into the middle of the front bench seat to make the drive home when you shared your day and heard about the latest on their morning in the comic studio.
.
Wednesday tutoring was followed by on campus classes the following day to finish off the stretch of schooling for the week. All in all not a bad load to bear and one that could easily be laid onto a schedule to manage with ease. Your final hours leading into Friday however had Norma back at home and excited to take you on a family trip for the day to LA.
‘Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!’ words that were etched across the covers of magazines and newspapers alike with ample radio mentions. Amongst the hype of the latest Stark film in the works with one of the minor characters in this film word of your touching down with Norma had a sea of cameras there for an explosive amount of press for the film. Right away Norma’s smile was locked in place and she answered questions as best she could on the way to the waiting car and of those already camped outside the home rented for all of you on the beach.
Nice and quiet the moonlit beach had you on the back porch listening to the waves lap once the children had been put down to sleep. Random strolling couples and a few lone teens with telescopes were in your view stealing watch alone together under the rarely seen stars deeper in the cities. “Almost makes you wonder,” Eddie said joining you on the porch as Dawn and Norma started on the nightly facial routine you said you’d join in a moment a few minutes prior. “Just how much we’re missing out on down here with the tiny telescopes we have.”
“I think I’d settle on knowing what heartbeat I’m hearing out in the ocean.”
Eddie chuckled saying, “Probably a shark or a really old turtle.” He nodded his head to lure you inside saying, “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up for a short nap then we have to get you ready for the premier and we can all head to the beach after.” Under his arm you were led back inside to wash your face and have Norma’s smile spread at the calming act for her to play specialist to your beauty regimen. Nerves however would have to be set aside as you all laid down with your adoring husbands for the nap to bring you closer to the premier.
Only you and Norma had seats so special care from the others came in help to get the pair of you ready to ease into the car that came to carry you there and back again for the premier. Dolled up to the nines in a wave of flashes you exited the car and stepped aside with hands smoothed down over the skirt of your dress for Norma’s exit after. Down along the carpet you strolled at her side ignoring the waft of your loose curls pulled back on one side the breeze kept blowing about your face and chest no matter how many times you brushed them back. A plot to keep you set apart even more from Norma on her big day who had her every curl secured in place in an elegant bun and while she did her bits of press you stood aside and happily mingled with the other members of the cast who had finished their turns.
Nerves however did not wane and with hold of her hand Norma’s confidence was bolstered enough to settle into your chosen seats for the opening speech from the Producer and Director that was followed by the start of the film. All through up to the minor line that she gave that had her grip tighten on your arm and remain so until the credits rolled and in the rise of the lights a brief after luncheon was called for. Compliments and talks from the heads of 20th Century about her next picture they had lined up for her to audition for once this assumed once off film Stark had wrangled them into allowing her to play a large part of had her a bit deflated when she returned to your side even against the peaceful grin on her face.
“You want me to punch them?” You asked making her giggle and loop her arms around yours again.
“They have another walk on bit for me in a musical comedy with the Marx Brothers they want me to audition for after we get back to New York.”
You nodded and said, “Well I’ll just have to keep writing stories for Stark so he can keep giving you things to sink your teeth into won’t I?” You teased widening her smile. And sweetly you patted your free hand on her arm, “They’ll learn Jeanie, nowhere near just another bombshell blonde they can bop around in the background. Audiences will be gnawing at the bone to get a better look at you. Just the beginning.”
“You are an amazing writer, truly, you should keep it up.”
“I just might, Howard’s last call just about had him asking for one, I can feel it. And with my wild dreams no telling what my head can come up with. Just as long as I don’t have to sing or play in the next one,” you said making her giggle again.
“You singing made that scene. You will see when it comes out.”
“As long as it helps with the press to get more in those seats to see my treasured younger sister,” you said making her giggle with you, “Then I will take a stroll across a scene in whatever film I can to help.”
Playfully her mood shifted and remained upbeat until back at the beach house the pair of you washed your faces and changed into two piece swim suits matching Dawn’s in complimenting bright colors to help carry the babies out to go and play. Across the sand towels were laid inside of a fitted sheet held out by your shoes with a large umbrella set up for the babies to be in the shade with the brothers. Just beside the towels Teddy giggled as you helped him build a sand kingdom with a moat of water Eddie brought from the ocean in a bucket to Norma and Dawn’s gleeful trip into the water.
A curious sound turned your head to the beach making you ask, “What is that?” James’ head turned as you asked, “Do you guys hear that?” And over the wind, the waves, distant chatter of photographers creeping in for pictures and giggles from your sisters in helping their daughters to their first steps into the ocean they too heard the odd sound of shifting sand.
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Victor said, “Sounds like a cracking and scraping.”
“There are heart beats,” you said and shifted closer to the source of the sound with Eddie behind you.
“Couldn’t be sea turtles this time of day, could it?” Victor asked James who shrugged.
“It’s cool enough, almost sunset here in an hour.” He replied.
Teddy between you and his dad’s arms poked his head and gasped at the sudden sink of a small circle of sand. Gradual progress was made as you accepted hold of your camera from Victor who had been snapping pictures of the four at the water now on their way back when he called for them. Gasps sounded at the first head and in a gradual flurry of heads and front flipper arms that came into view the first of near to a hundred hatchlings filled the circle of sand around their entrance to this world. “Ooh, got you little guy,” James said in a reach down to bring out the one still in the hole who had gotten stuck on his back to join his siblings all focused on discovering their bearings. “There you go,” he said with a smile lowering it down after you snapped a picture of the duo.
A few random gulls were easily swayed by the bits of your picnic left over thrown a good distance and arms used to shoo them away from the tiny parade to the ocean ending in bittersweet cuddles at the somehow profound loss of these tiny newfound friends now out in the wide unexplainable ocean. Teddy broke the silence asking, “Where’s their Mommy and Daddy?”
Eddie said as he lifted his son in his arms, “They’re out there, Teddy Bear. Don’t you worry, they know where their babies are, bound to have tons of food to make up for the long crawl back to them.”
Victor said, “They lay the eggs on the beach so they’ll be nice and safe until time for them to hatch. Most of the time it happens at night, when it’s nice and cool and most of the birds are away at their nests.”
Eddie said, “Let’s finish up this city of yours, Teddy Bear.” Turning back while you stayed with Norma and Dawn and their girls at the water a few moments to James and Victor’s slip back to the shade across the towels.
James hummed sweetly, “Let’s get you girls back in the shade.” Not much longer you lounged with your head on James’ lap to play with your girls and under a spare towel leaned against his chest feed the three as Victor claimed his proud task of capturing more candid moments of his family then claimed a turn with his Petal in the water as Norma came to lay out beside you. Sure to rival the images that would be splashed over the pages of newspapers and magazines for weeks to come dissecting every moment of this trip and more especially for the newspapers that you couldn’t have possibly been pregnant with three children so recently without having had some sort of surgical procedure to get your figure back.
.
The remainder of your weekend allowed you to steal some time with Victor and his dark room and a private dinner alone with James as a sort of date night on your own after crowded and cramped traveling. Time together was one of his main concerns after having gotten you on your feet and the girls onto a schedule so that in the long run as they grew older and things grew more complicated when the trio were fully mobile and had the chance to let their free will grow. A day both aspired for and anxiety inducing for when they could drive you both apart to keep them contained and only let you find each other at the end of the day to collapse in a joint heap of exhaustion to recharge for the following day.
He had to make certain he wouldn’t let his love for the children you would gift him cloud his daily need to remind you just how deeply he loved and cherished you. He had faced those rough patches with his first wife and hoped to avoid that, knowing how it hurt his son and himself, that was unacceptable to allow to happen again. Not with you. Victor had made it clear there was no chance of this marriage breaking apart, he’d sooner face death than to repeat his former mistakes and hurt his family as he had in the past. And while a dinner alone on a blanket under the stars didn’t seem like much every shift closer to him and grip of his shirt and ample stolen kisses let him know it was amply desired from you as well.
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Tests with Mr Yarbrough came again on Monday for History, Geography and Religion, which again you aced and after he was amused to hear from Teddy the swarm of turtle hatchlings you backed up with pictures to prove the encounter. Tuesday on campus again came with repeats of the news of turtles that a few relatives from America had mailed pictures of the hatch related part of your beach trip that had your family played as true nature lovers. Excitement had burst with news of the premier and each chance capable questions were asked about the cast members and famous people you had mingled with while there. And Wednesday brought the end of June with more tests at home from your tutor Mr Fenske for Economics, Government, Political Science, and Anthropology, all your major serious subjects with thicker exam packets that the results for the final two would have to be named for you at the following week’s tutoring session.
Thursday came with the final stop on campus that came with buzz from not just fellow students but your family as Sunday was your birthday. A day that began with a family birthday breakfast followed by a party with the whole town that showed up to your home proud to spend the after noon with their dear friends and admire the new girls added to your family. Girls who amongst the toddlers in your family and those of families in town were glad to have the change to increase of children to play with.
Sharp cries however cut short the tries to get an early night’s sleep and with Herc you tried to calm the elder three toddlers who squirmed and writhed in pain against your efforts while James and Victor were sent into a near tailspin of panic and needed to take a long walk outside.
“It’s chicken pox,” you echoed in their minds calming the duo enough to come back inside to find the trio slightly more relaxed after being given some medicine for their fevers and to help them sleep.
And when they entered Victor came over to take hold of his precious Petal from your hold as you answered another call from some of the parents in town to warn of their children who had caught the unfortunate bug. “Come here precious.” He said nestling her slumbering body into his chest to pepper the top of her head with kisses between muttered comments to her every irritated slumbering grumble.
Dawn in her path from the kitchen had a familiar set of pocket journals in hand, “I’ve added chicken pox to the bug books. The triplets are still symptom free?” She asked eyeing Elliot, Sarah and Erich feeding them with the bottles you had pumped in the cooling baths you had made for the sick three.
Erich answered, “No symptoms, sleeping soundly. Jaqi didn’t catch her pox until she was over a year.”
Sarah answered, “It’s from the milk, babies are safe if their mother’s have the antibodies already until they pass their first year.” A fact that calmed James and had him move in to kiss their heads and circle back to comfort Victor as Eddie swayed on his own feet keeping hold of Teddy as he nodded off to his own dose of medicine. Herc after another check of Marigold’s temperature from her armpit had him contently handing her over to Dawn again and accepting the books reading the marked down cases of colic or diarrhea up to the few shots available for infants and even Teddy’s teeth coming in to not miss a single illness of any severity.
“Unfortunately like the common cold our medicines don’t do much to dent this illness. However Erich was able to aid us with how Jaqi reacted to the illness so we have a good idea on how this could unfold. Compared to how mortals experience it fairly easily. There is a ten day window of no to few symptoms then the bumps arrive that baths and ointment can mend.”
Victor said, “I’m not sleeping for two weeks then.”
And you crossed the room to stroke his back, “We’re all here to watch the babies Kitty.”
Victor said, “You need to get some sleep. You calmed my Petal down, thank you.”
“It’s an unsettling wait, but it’s fairly easy to get over, we’ve got plenty of oats and baking soda for the baths and we can make fruit popsicles if they get some in their mouths like Gina’s boys did.”
He simply cuddled more around her and nodded his head to the side urging you to bed, a gesture you sighed and turned to reluctantly head to bed as your girls were being carried back to the nursery to get some sleep.
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“Here you are my dear,” Edie said pouring your tea in the morning an hour after breakfast that had almost lulled you back to sleep in wait for your tutor. With a smile she watched you unfold from your uncomfortable ball in the armchair of your choice lined up perfectly in a stream of sunlight stating, “Rather a rough night. I shall aid in the baths when the bumps arrive, I apologize for missing the fevers, the most frightful part.”
You shook your head, “Around the Brocks I have seen more pox than I could have dreamed possible. If I couldn’t tell them apart I’d say one of them had caught it twice.” You said making her chuckle in your sip on the tea to help perk you up.
“At least you have tons of practice. In my own youth I was surrounded by ample children myself. Some mothers can be rather frightened with their first child, I was rather at home with Erik’s colic to his worst fits or growth.”
“James handled it rather well compared to what I assumed for the first big illness.”
“Your parents agree, the brothers did bear through the pain rather well. Victor did sleep, more proof there. A few more fevers and I do believe he will calm from his panics.”
After another sip you replied in a soft sigh, “I wish I could do more.”
“You are,” she answered luring your eyes to her. “You aid in mothering his daughter while her mother is away. He is not alone in fatherhood. That is a great comfort more than you realize I would wager.”
“Are you sure you wouldn’t want to come with us?” You said widening her smile.
“My son is strong and shall be safe under your watch. No mother wishes to release their child upon adulthood, and I could wonder how difficult it should be when to release your trio.”
“It’s eighteen years away, I would say, though shockingly my husband has been in my life for six years already. Numbers cannot be a comfort there. Have to let go before I know it. I should probably try to not think about that too often. Might start to make me sad for no reason when I’m back in school and they keep growing while I’m away.”
“They are always growing, away or in front of your eyes. We shall bear it together. You guard my boy and I shall help to guard yours in the summers and winter breaks. My work keeps me rather busy while we are apart.”
Tutoring came rather easily and somehow free of yawns thanks to the tea and a few stolen snacks and let loose a bit of work time that in the library was free of visitors Erik jumped at the chance to claim the seat across from you. Back into his own borrowed textbooks from your courses he wished to sign up for this year he delved with a few questions asked and answered for him until the eventual dip of your head that had him chuckle and scoop you up to carry you to your room for a much needed nap until supper. Another feeding however woke you as your parents settled around you to hold the girls until the trio were nursed by you fully, both who smiled at each drowsy droop of your eyes in slow waking still from the nap then helped to get you up to take a few laps inside your wing to stir your body and mind.
The nap however did fuel a change between you and James, him who required an early trip to bed for his exhausted self that allowed you and Victor, with hold of his daughter still, to get the surprise cake for James ready. Still he refused to leave her to sleep alone and only let her go to steal brief naps in hold of Herc or one of your parents if James was not himself awake. “I am doing better,” Victor said turning your head as you mixed the cake batter to pour into the readied pan for it. “I am, thank you. Nora called earlier about in tears she’s missing it. Comforting her, calming her pain helped to show how much better it feels knowing you’re here for support. I didn’t take to the fever as terribly as I thought I would. Had a hunch I might need to break something, but Herc says Petal’s strong.”
“Just doesn’t seem fair at times,” you said parting his lips as you sniffled and poured the mix into the pan to keep distracted from crying, “Just because I’m here now, why she’s safe and why they weren’t. Why you had to lose two of your babies, why I could heal Teddy but I couldn’t help Ambrose when she lost one of her babies.”
That had him draw you into his chest and kiss your forehead closing his eyes to the tear he felt soak through his shirt when you hugged him as firmly as you could around his hold of his slumbering daughter. “None of that is on you. Herc says my babies are ready to come back to me,” your head tilted back to peer up at him and he nodded, “So if we do have another baby, they would be able to come back, in safer times. So don’t you cry over our past sufferings. Look forward with us. We have days of suffering through oatmeal baths to come yet.” He said making you shake your head and inch back to finish pouring the mixture into the pan you then added to the warmed up oven to bake.
“Funny, very funny. It’s like a lit fuse, now I’ll have to wait a year or more for our girls to catch it as well, no telling how many more babies Dawn would have had by then,” you said making him chuckle. “I would say Jeanie,”
“She has work, we are pacing ourselves on babies. Her figure is important to the company and she hoped to at least have Petal talking full sentences before we tried again without sleeves.”
“At least you have a plan,” you said moving to mix up the icing next. “I was on the pill and we used sleeves, still, triplets. And people say God has no sense of humor.” Making him chuckle. “Hopefully we can wait a few years at least, have me into my graduate courses a good way. Maybe just one that time, or twins if I’m destined to only have multiples, maybe this time I can work in a few pushes in labor.”
“There was nothing wrong about your labor. Two day standoff is nothing to shake a stick at and you know it. Most women would have begged to be knocked out or to be sliced open by the first dawn.”
“I know. I suppose, going against the grain is going to be painful. Missed moments, while I study or, write or, take pictures and work on our comics.”
“It takes a village. We will make time, the girls won’t be left wanting by you or anyone else. Promise,” he said and you nodded again, “You chase those dream degrees of yours and you could do anything, on any schedule. Could even work from home if you got the right deal going. Jimmy and me know, we missed time working on our degrees and licenses, and we got paid more for it and our babies were better taken care of while we had them. You have to lay down the foundation first, can’t just drop a bridge in the middle of the ocean, they don’t float very well.”
“I think I found the next quote for another throw pillow for your parlor,” you said making him smirk your way.
“Looking forward to it.” Cake with breakfast was a welcome surprise and sampled to be saved partly for lunch with you when you had returned home to spend the rest of his birthday exactly how he wished it with the women of his life. That company alone was the greatest gift he could have ever received and ever would.
Pt 78
All –
@sherala007​, @mariannetora​​, @jesgisborne​, @knitastically​, @catthefearless​​, @theincaprincess, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000​​, @alishlieb​​,
Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​
X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers​, @theincaprincess​​
Brother Dearest - @thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam​​, @swoopswishsward
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blankdblank · 3 years
Text
Brother Dearest Pt 53
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Low and sweet a hum on the breeze of dancing flowers and leaves on the trees guided you onwards, miles above the village in which a battle was taking place. Wreathed in layered salmon colored cloth to form a one shouldered midriff baring dress secured by golden bands shaped in vines to match the belt securing the flaps of the skirt on the hip high slit bearing dress, all matching the similar woven vines throughout the braids tucked within your waist length raven curls. Something drew you to the hilltop, up to the circle of stones where your kind were forbidden by tales and superstition. Somehow you had taken this walk before, from the feel of the tall grass on your legs, feet and fingertips in your walk that broke a pathway all your own. Lowered glances to avoid a hidden rock revealed glimpses of slivers of the dew left across your tattooed legs and arms. Full swirl, dash and dotted designs marked your place in the village below to match those along your brow and chin below your lips painted on daily.
Voices above in growled whispers from the shadowy mist did nothing to sway your path onwards and up to the crest of the hill, where between the stone towers deep in the shifting mist oversized bodies on all fours cloaked in thick impenetrable fur over imposing muscled limbs and a broad torso came into sight. Heads of a group rose with enough mist to disguise the breed of creature that by the snout must be related to a bear or wolf with glistening teeth revealed in the part of lips to growl words that made the hazel eyes of the right faintly shine brighter in the light of the full moon igniting the mist all around you in its reveal by passing clouds. “I know you.” One muffled explosion and all but those eyes on you faded and atop another hill you found yourself.
This time a horse below you thundered through a band of trees for a laughter filled chase of a familiar hawk. Right to the end of the rocky hill you rode then turned to head back for a ride down the pathway leading to the beach. Cries of the bird above egged you on until once you made it to the water’s edge where it flew off leaving you to scan the ocean where you saw a small boat on its way from the larger ship farther out to sea with eyes of the men inside upon you. Each sharing comments and gestures with notice of the difference of clothing and hair adornments with full face and body markers and paint while they wore metal helmets and cloaks that billowed over lighter clothes and armor. One step onto the shore and the scenery faded to a small wooden shop.
Eyes met across a goods coated counter and again the eyes faded. From time and place those eyes met yours in varied adornments, positions in life, languages and cultures, but always they were there to be found. Hidden behind each page of those journals tucked away how it felt so familiar, even to the deepest depths of the Dark Ages both of the brothers caught flickers of familiar moments while Eddie had recognized a whole recount of symbols on a shield that was somehow humorously misspelled. For a confusing blip post bout of laughter recounting the tale he was not alive to know you sat in silence until your words came back to you.
Billions of years you, James and your family had bounced all around the universe bumping into one another, hundreds of thousands of brief lifetimes simultaneously crossing paths always separated until joined forcibly by a devastating war. Once again by the opening of a door for that same lock of eyes and mental, “I know you.”
 *
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“Longing,” Muffled screams came on the back end of an electric shock that caused the bound one armed soldier still physically exhausted from another surgery to mount mechanics in his shoulder, or lack thereof. Just a secondary heightened state of pain compared to the issue of a serum they had forced upon him.
Writhing and broken in a one armed struggle to crawl his way from the snowy bank he’d fallen to they had found him following invisible puddles and raindrops towards the body of a little girl drenched and walking away from him wordlessly guiding him to safety. Hard and fast hands took hold of him while his blood stained face contorted in half frostbite restrained movements to fight. All the way to the truck they shoved him in he watched the little girl with sullen purple gaze turn then watch as he was torn away.
“Rusted,” again the shocks rolled through his body between blows across his limbs and torso while through his pained gaze those same cerulean almost glowing eyes locked on that same silent girl in the endlessly wet blue and black velvet dress. Every detail the same from the long raven braid and free curls that swept across her face to the soaked tights and water filled heavy polished dress shoes casting puddles from invisible raindrops he swore he could feel sizzle across his skin by the fire coursing underneath it to every shock.
He didn’t dare mention her. No one else could see her. Or touch her. The silent child who never left him. He was odd, all the other captives could see it, those who were chosen, all fully intact unlike him, all sent up against him in sparring but lost. Every time he would mutter in Old Irish, a language he somehow knew she could speak, “Look away,” or “Close your eyes,” to spare sight of what would happen. Broken bones, blood, broken necks and piles of bodies for those who failed to live up to par. He complied, he obeyed, he remained silent to keep them from seeing her too. Now and again eyes would trail his and his rage would peak and more prospects would be lost to keep any from possibly taking notice of the phantom amongst them, like last night at dinner which led him here.
“Seventeen.” The next word came followed by seven more between blows and various searing injections to lessen his mental barriers they could slip through to order him about as they wished. Tucked in these snow capped mountains in this sea of Russian scientists and soldiers he complied no matter his fate for the sake of the phantom child he prayed with everything left in him of who he could possibly have been before that snow bank that she wasn’t something they had given him to egg him on. She had to be something deeper for how any slight movement her way made his blood boil, something from his life he had forgotten. Here he was the Winter Soldier, or going to be, but she was something more, something older than here, someone he knew and missed, daresay could have loved. Friend, sister, cousin, child, anything but theirs. He was more than their soldier and she had to be proof, a clue, a silent reminder of something they couldn’t erase. “Freight car.”
Right on cue pupils dilated and his hair shifted in the nod of his head to respond, “Ready to comply.”
Though for years of silence in a voice unable to come from anyone else he heard her speak, “Where are you?” That had his heart rate spike and scientists nearby step back with swiveling eyes to weapons in case their hold slipped until he calmed himself a few moments later and their smirks eased out to install more rules to his daily tasks within the facility before he could be trusted to be set on his first mission. Before his first try to find her. His first step to be free. He would comply. He would earn their trust. And then when capable snap the neck of anyone in his way while his eyes scanned the room in the crank of the table he was strapped to was from its angle to an upright position on its crank powered wheel base bolted into the floor he saw the outline of an arm on a sheet coated cart being wheeled his way.
“Since you seem so primed to fight, perhaps we might see what you are truly capable of.” The lead scientist spoke with a spreading sneer in the removal of the sheet to reveal the metal arm with a red star on the bicep. “And yes, this is going to hurt.”
All he could do was look away, over their shoulders to her again, with his mind receding through the pain back to that deluge he could feel every drop that slid down his body underneath his still dry pants and socks he was allowed to wear while in this exam room. Behind his clenched teeth to not cry out in a grimace from the searing pain the sounds of the room muffled to her repeated question through the growing invisible rain storm, “Where are you?”
 *
 Tucked warmly in thick socks over your long overalls with metal buttoned straps easy to remove even underneath your sweater that covered the t shirt you had on just in case the sweater got too warm. With jacket on and hold of your purse into the garage you walked with James holding your spare books you did require to lead you to the passenger seat to Victor’s car he had warmed up for you to drive you in to avoid the subway. “You will do magnificent. I’m sure our girls will let you study, if not we’ll sick Teddy on them.”
That had you giggle to his chuckling stroll around the car once the door was shut while the brothers traded grins and Victor went inside to go and get Leanora for a bout of playing until Norma was due at her first class for the day in her next semester of acting courses. After the drive through the sea of people your eyes locked on the new President of Columbia outside of the Bardard with eyes fixed on each body and car being let out until James had parked and was spotted in his step out of the car to walk around and help you out.
With a grin you found your feet and said, “Well the General certainly isn’t wasting any time.”
Lowly he chuckled and said, “Nope. I’ll keep him distracted if you need a quick getaway.” His arm looped around your back and onto the snowy curb he led you to the shoveled sidewalk that led to the pathway on which the General stood in a tightening stance. “General,” he stated with a nod to the General who smirked and nodded back.
“Colonel Howlett.” His eyes shifted to you and he asked, “And how are you Corporal Pear Howlett?”
“Good, thank you, I think you’re the first person to call me that since I started here.”
Eisenhower chuckled and said, “Well, perhaps one day we might be able to bump up that status of yours. I told the boys back in Washington Special Officer Corporal Medic didn’t quite fit up to par granted the work you did for our allied forces, but in the equalization of rank between Canadian and American force ranks on your records I couldn’t get a head out of the ground to bump you out of the NCO division.”
“Well if you do that for every dame in uniform every dame is gonna want to enlist for the next go round.” You teased and he smirked through a chuckle.
“All the same, you deserved more than a medal for your role in the war. You did receive the flag for your brother, helped to fold it myself.”
“Yes, thank you, we have it in our library. Where I have your book, which my nephew stole and is using it to hold up a bridge between block castles.”
That had him chuckle through your weak giggle to James’ wide smile and the General replied, “Finally, someone putting my book to good use. Set to be a brilliant mind himself one day I would wager.”
James asked in his glance over the General, “I take it you felt the urge to settle down?”
Again the General chuckled, “It would appear there is a great deal of Democratic good to be done in these schools with the minds of the future command of this country. I’ve been granted a good deal of time to do my own studies as it were to prove my hypothesis on how to improve upon our education system of higher learning. And what better place to do it than Columbia University. Would have chosen Princeton to be closer to Einstein as an alternative to be in proximity to a mind such as your own, however my wife prefers New York over New Jersey. Go figure, closer to the pictures and arts she admires with a group of friends as well to keep her company.” His head turned and to the sight of the Deans and Board on their way to greet him he grinned at you again and nodded his head, “I will let you get inside. Apparently I am to be briefed on my itinerary for my first day in office.”
That had you giggle and say, “Have fun. New Dean of Columbia is a great improvement over the last one.”
To which he replied, “I shall do my best to slip within your path a few times as possible to ensure that you are doing well and the press isn’t bothering you.”
“Thank you.”
James walked you up to the door and there kissed your temple sweetly in the hand over of your books, pausing to say, “If you need to come home any time just call we’ll come get you.”
“I know, now go, and no sitting by the phone either, I’ll know if you did.” Making him chuckle and lean in for a second kiss to hold him off for more until he could have you at home again before his turn to head to the car as a pair of ladies walked with you through the door one of the Professors opened for you.
To the car he went while you strolled through the building to the first of your classrooms. Once there if the baggy coat and fuller face the awkward stare at your seat you then used a bent leg to lower down safer to settle in the sudden turn of the Professor had you clued in that she had at least a clue as to what your coat was hiding. Ice threats by the second course where you would have to cross to the Columbia campus were moot by the grounds crews that had shoveled and salted and shoveled again to make the pathway safe. Short and sturdier, heads turned in notice of the changes about you. And by the time you made it to your Trig classroom the Professor inside amongst your favorites here grinned to himself in his path between the seats to hand out stacks of booklets he had prepared that aided in his pass near to you to say, “Welcome back Mrs Pear Howlett. How are you feeling?”
Sharply you let out a puff of air, “Like a puffer fish, so far so good. No stubborn kicks to knock me off balance.”
That widened his sentimental grin and he nodded, “If you require a better seat you are always welcome in the one next to my desk, nice and plushy with ample support.”
“Don’t think I am commandeering size yet, though give it a few months when I’m twice as big then I may need to invent a pedal powered lifter to get me up on my feet again.” That had him chuckle, “Something portable. Could help women out everywhere.”
“True, hopefully by the time we get you to that point we could have worked out a schedule for you to finish this semester off early. We have had talks to that effect, all of your Professors. Any day you need off you have an accepted extension of absences fully approved for all of our females during these circumstances.”
“Thank you for letting me know.” You said on your way to your usual seat with your curious usual group of ladies who like the other female student body were still puzzling at the change your appearance was going through.
For this class and Calculus afterwards you sat comfortably through the lessons planned accepting the same assurance that any time off early this semester would be gladly accommodated to based on your needs. Though mainly for the status you held as one of the few students able to learn while not in class by advanced notes and examples for new techniques.
Lunch however came next and once outside your eyes fell to Portia’s driver who flashed you a grin and gladly helped you into the car that drove you next to Portia’s waiting spot where she hugged you tightly and shared all about her classes so far and carried on in doing so to the usual diner. One hearty meal and you stole a break in the bathroom where you finished off the pear you had called from home to help calm the girls who had begun to kick and stretch from the meal.
To Columbia with your amply attentive lab partners who signaled to others along the way in their joint task of assuring the apparently far along mother to be that the rumors were true and there was absolute proof those stories were a terrible lie. And by the time you had taken your seat in your Chemistry course you could tell your Trig Professor had told the truth and this Professor was clearly up to something that would not allow you to remain invisible this semester through this.
Proven fully by his opening speech, “Welcome back, glad to see you all survived New Years, every class contains a few among debate to do so, I am proud to have been proven wrong this time around.” That had you smirk through a few chuckles through the room. “Now, in front of each of you are detailed calendars I have printed for each of you to clearly state when we will be engaging in the varied styles of labs, quizzes and exams. Normally I do not give such detailed notes, yet seeing as one of my students especially is requiring extra attentions.” His eyes shifted to you and you straightened up anxiously on your seat, “Seeing as you, Bunny, are in a delicate state and we mean to grant protection for each of our students I have noted each of the harmful chemical based labs that give off harsh fumes or scents that might be harmful or irritating to you. On those days you will be free to take up private study and then read up on the notes for them taken by your lab partners. That way you can keep up with the materials covered to be knowledgeable by the next quiz or exam. And I will have a spare assignment that you can complete on your own for credit for the attendance that day.”
“Okay, thank you,” you replied with a kind grin and he got back to the first step of the first lesson, through which your partners agreed that they would be proud to aid in any spare help you might be requiring as you’d helped them so much the first semester already.
Chemistry bled to a trip into the halls, where your break to relieve your bladder landed you a minute late for your Psychology class. Rarely late just the glance at the clock had you knowing that you would find yourself locked out by their usual tardy policy. However a group of knowing male students had encircled the Professor in his usual countdown of the clock through the final minute after one of the female students mentioned you had gone to the bathroom. “Oh come on grow a heart she’s gonna be someone’s mom soon,” seemed to stick out the most for the Professor who was amongst those who were skeptical of the assumed pregnancy yet to be publicly announced.
Though by the time you made it to the door that was meant to be closed and he had shooed off two fellow late males. And in a single glance due to the coat folded over your arm that held your books and bag pressing your sweater to a pronounced belly from there to your eyes he stepped back, “Come right on in, Mrs Pear.”
“But, I’m late.” You replied in a soft squeak widening his grin.
“I will not bar you from my class, and if you require any breaks simply take them. Apparently I have been advised to grow a heart.” He added with a pointed gaze to the male student who said it that was in one of your mathematics courses earlier.
His eyes shifted to you however when you stepped by him and said, “You’re twice my size if you didn’t have a heart you’d be an impressive new breed of jellyfish and good at keeping secrets to not have been discovered by now and on display.” To himself he smirked and eased the door shut he then locked in watching you stroll to your seat and lower down into it with a clear smooth of your hands over said bump when you got comfortable.
Literature came next with a cross back to Barnard where you met up with Portia in the hall who asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Good, hungry but good.” Making her chuckle.
“Well I am so happy you could make it the whole day.”
“Still have at least four months to go, or three at the least.”
“I know you will get through it with flying colors. Haven’t seen a challenge that can take you out yet.” That had the both of you chuckle and take another turn for the classroom mingling with your fellow classmates until you got to the seat that again with a bent leg to lower down upon you settled into place and slid the leg out to cross your ankles and ready a notebook and pen to take notes. New syllabi were added to your notes and for the full class you sat listening until afterwards when your Professor came forward with a secondary list for you of assignments you could complete and turn in early to work around whatever physical limitations you would be faced with.
Onwards to the meeting for the paper you went flashing Elliot a wave on the way for his signal he would linger until afterwards to check on you. The first official meeting back brought more wide grins from the ladies who once the meeting began and right off after sharing the response to the welcoming edition of your paper from the new President of the University they got into sharing new ideas for the next edition.
.
“How are you faring? Ankles and all?” Elliot asked upon your arrival to his classroom.
“Ankles are good. Still hungry, no slammed doors or other accidents so far.” You said securing your jacket around you. “How are you doing? I feel like most of what I’m asked is how I’m doing and I forget to ask everyone else.”
That had him chuckle and say, “I am well. Found another new article on some new artifacts discovered in Brazil.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“Oh yes. More of a shipwrecked expedition lost for hundreds of years, should be coming to New York soon and I am on the short list of a group of Historians who are welcomed to inspect the items.”
“Why not work in a museum then?”
“I prefer teaching, sharing stories. Would you enjoy museum work as a curator or something to do with research of pieces?”
“Perhaps. I do like studying history. Keep getting these flashes when I read the journals you sent, like I was there, in all of them.”
“Because you were. A good number of your family were after the majority of our race were set to sleep until your return. All over the world, hundreds of different lifetimes and locations until you felt you were ready to return.”
“That-,”
“It is possible,”
“I’m not saying it’s not, just, makes things a bit complicated.”
“You are out to learn and live and be free. There was something about this time that you felt needed. I have been speaking with Asteria, from your wedding, and she has shared the other Amazon off of their island came here to the world of Men to fight Ares,”
“The God of War?” You asked and he nodded.
“Yes, apparently he was corrupting mortals to a bloodlust which triggered the First World War. She killed him.”
“You say that like it wouldn’t be difficult.”
And he chuckled to your playful smirk, “It wouldn’t the Greek Gods and the creatures who birthed the legends are well beneath our strength here. The Asgardians are the only ones who could hold a candle to us. And there must be something in that one blip that made you feel now was the best time to return. Something you have noticed about what was happening or going to happen. Although for now the importance is we are all here and moving forward to our new future.”
“Whatever it is it will have to make room, because I’ll be needing it. First go round triplets, who knows how many are coming next.”
That had him chuckle again, “It has been a great long while to wait for a family. And you will be gifted as many as you have the capacity to love and shape to adulthood. There will be ample room.”
“Lets hope so.” You glanced his way as he readied his bag to shoulder and asked, “Do you miss your family?”
“Oh terribly,” he replied then tapped his chest over his pendant, “however I can speak to my children at least whenever I wish. And they are pleased I am working at your side until they return. Always wished to meet you themselves. You should hear them chatter on about the meal they wish to prepare upon their arrival for the meeting.”
“Well I can’t wait, and if I do end up pregnant again at that time then food will most certainly be welcomed.” Making him chuckle.
“Now you and I both know that food will be welcomed either way,” he said sharing wide smiles with you, “We all have stomachs that start at our toes. Go up to fill our shoulders and arms then fill the other side. Part of our endearing charm.”
“Oh yes, eat the planet out of house and home.”
“We would never, our tech is way too advanced to allow this planet to go barren.” He added with a smirk opening the door to his classroom for you.
“How long is the list of experts that museums pull from? Takes what, years of training and field study on top of that right?”
“Yes, when you are finished carrying your trio I could bring you along to one of my stops as my assistant if you would like?”
“I wouldn’t want to get in the way.”
“Never a chance of that, I will keep you posted on my trips and you are welcome to any trip I take you feel an interest in. Could help with that History degree you are working on. Eight possible fields for degrees, us Professors do have a bit of a pool going as to which you will choose.”
“History, Art History, Mathematics and Sciences most likely.”
“Fair spread. Very fine choices.”
“One more year, then the vote. If they don’t get scared off by the babies. Already I’ve been shuffled to independent studies for when harmful labs come up in my Chemistry course. One half of next month I’ll be startling the librarian by clearing off the shelves.”
“The vote will not be affected. That is a very good thing. If anything your refusal to take a semester off has been more impressive than anything. And who knows, you just might be relieved to have the extra long lunch breaks.”
“Who knows, James might find it as an excuse to come sneak on campus for my long lunches. Still a bit timid on letting me go off alone.”
“We all face that when our wives are carrying.” That had you look at him, “Can’t help it. Our bond goes beyond rings and legal documents. Please don’t take this as overstepping, but any bond you had grown to share with Eddie over the years I am betting when you met James that bond came swifter.”
“It did,”
“Yes. The bond is in our blood, our bodies, each of us have special gifts and often the mother of our groups can share those powers, and when in need can locate us anywhere far greater than we can hunt them down. Often reason enough for other races to not approach us in hostility, our women in vengeance for their loved ones could tear worlds apart. Wish I could say that will lesson with each child, however I felt no lessening of that effect in our younger children.”
“So, fingers crossed I don’t become a life long academic.” Making him chuckle to your hushed giggle in another turn.
“Should not take long. I have heard a good deal of our courses are by correspondence for mothers only making it easier to complete various credits for your future degrees through your summers if you wished.”
“Do you think I could have my parents visit over the summer? Dad said I could call him whenever, is that a whenever, whenever?”
“Whenever you wish. The doorway is open.”
“I just don’t want them to miss it.”
“Neither would we,” Once in the chilly front doorway he opened for you his hand dipped back to offer an arm for support on the stroll down the few steps towards James who stood beside the warmed car with an antsy shift of weight on his feet until you were down the steps.
Across the walkway you went to split from Elliot who said, “I’ll leave you two alone. See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.” A couple steps later you flashed a grin to James in his reach for your books and bag, “Hey handsome.”
Smiling back he leaned in to claim a kiss and hummed back, “I take it you had a good day by that look.”
“The day was good. Apparently I will be attending half of my Chemistry classes for the rest of the semester.”
“Really, out of the cold,” he said guiding you to the car door he opened and helped you inside to close it and hurry around to join you. “You asked to attend half or were told that?”
“Told, apparently there’s a good deal of possibly harmful labs this semester so my Professor wrote out a list of dates I can take personal study periods and I can catch up with my partners for their notes so I won’t be behind. And my psychology Professor didn’t lock me out when I was late from a bathroom break.”
“Good, if he had I’d have been there to punch him in the face.”
“Some of the guys in my class told him to grow a heart. Everyone in school knows is my guess by how they’re staring.”
“They stare because you are stunning and they can’t hold a candle to you.” Which had you giggle in his pull away from the curb to start the drive home, “Anything else happen?”
“Not much, more of the same, opening lessons and a few expected papers to write due in a few days. How was everything at home?”
“Good, Whiskers was pleased at the warm house and lack of disturbance to his schedule, you were right by the way he growled at Vic for blocking the door to the basement.”
“I may not understand what he says but even I can catch onto habits. Cats are like toddlers with sharper teeth and claws.”
“True. Puppies are good though. Norma seems to be excited, got another role, starts filming in the spring so we have some time to prep to watch Petal for her filming, and Vic as well.”
That had you look at him, “She doesn’t want him to go?”
“Well she got flustered, started crying and somewhere between the gasps for air we made out that she doesn’t want to leave six babies for me and Dawn to care for while Eddie’s at work and you’re at school. Plus she says they both shouldn’t be miserable without her while the filming is going on.”
“We would have been fine,”
“Yes we would have. Petal is very well mannered when it isn’t raining or loud or windy,” making you giggle at the growing list.
A shift of your belly had your hands settle on top of it and lured his hands, “Not far till home girls.”
His eyes scanned over you in the shift of your legs, “Are you in pain?”
“Just a cramp.”
“I’ll rub you down when we get back and run you a bath.”
“I should be ok,”
“No okay, you need to be laid out and pampered until supper is ready and then cuddled until morning.” That had you smirk at him and he said, “No negotiations. You work hard. It’s my job to pamper you. I know for a fact you would never try to deprive a man from his livelihood, far too kind hearted.”
“You don’t earn a livelihood for pampering me.”
“Oh yes I do. I am partial owner of our comics, which we run together and when you are happy you come up with the best ideas for new editions.” He said that triggered a trade of playful glances between the both of you.
Pt 54
All –
@sherala007​, @mariannetora​​, @jesgisborne​, @knitastically​, @catthefearless​​, @theincaprincess​, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000​​,
Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​
X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @changlingkhat​
Brother Dearest - @thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam​​, @swoopswishsward
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