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greekgrad12 · 4 years

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It Takes Two: percabeth!au

chapter two :)

Mattie Jackson and Hayley Chase meet at the start of summer and discover that they are each other's identical clone. With a little more investigating, the two girls discover that they are, in fact, twins. Things only get crazier when they find out that their adoptive parents were once in love. Now, they have to work together to reunite Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase before Mattie’s dad ends up dating the new camp counselor and Hayley’s mom gets married to a kid hating, gold digger.

And what better way to do that than to switch places?

i rewatched It Takes Two and decided to make it percabeth :)

read on ao3

chapter one here!

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The faded white stone was the first thing Annabeth Chase noticed when she and her daughter pulled into the driveway of their summer house. Well, summer house was a loose term now. Annabeth had been living here all year while working on a new project. One that was very near and dear to her heart. When Chiron called and asked if she would be willing to redesign the old camp, she was more than happy to. She even threw in a family discount, because that's exactly what he was. Family.

Annabeth Chase was a very famous name in the architecture world. She graduated top of her class at Berkeley and quickly got a job at Medusa & Co. Architecture. Her coworkers were somber, but the work was good. Working for a big company like Medusa & Co. brought on a lot of challenges, but that's what drew her in. Annabeth loved a challenge. What she didn't love were the rumors and scandals constantly going around about faulty cement, old metals, and rickety wires being used to create their buildings in an attempt to make more money. When she decided to investigate and learned that the rumors were true, Annabeth just had to leave. Creating her own Architecture Company took some time, but the exposure and resources she acquired while at Medusa & Co. helped her along the way. And the money she got from her tip to the media about what was really going on at her old job didn't hurt either.

Now, she was the proud owner and head architect at Parthenon Architecture. Having expanded her company to five different states all over America, Annabeth was a busy woman. So busy that she never really had time to think about her life outside of work. She knew she wanted to get married and have a family. Something permanent. But even with the casual dates, her friends insisted she go on, Annabeth never felt that spark that she knew made something worth pursuing. She knew what that felt like. She'd experienced it before, with-

"Woah," The sweet voice of her daughter broke Annabeth from her thoughts, "Remind me why we don't stay here more often?"

Annabeth didn't have time for romance, but she wanted a family. Thanks to adoption agencies, she could have that. But honestly, Annabeth wasn't even sure if she was ready to be a mother when she went in for a consultation with the agency. Her parents divorced when she was young, and due to her mother's career in government at D.C., Annabeth was left with her father. Eventually, her stepmother came into the picture and the blonde little girl was pushed into the background. The woman wanted absolutely nothing to do with Annabeth and her father did nothing to help. Things only got worse when her little twin brothers came into the picture.

Annabeth's mother would come back every other month and the two would spend the day together, but she couldn't be there every time the girl needed her. The best thing her mother did for her was sign Annabeth up for Camp Half-Blood when she was a seven. That first year at camp changed her life. She made friends who became family and finally found a place that felt like home. People who felt like home. A boy who felt like home.

"Remind me how often we come to Rhode Island?" she teased the ten-year-old.

The girl turned back to her mother and responded with a straight face, "Ha-ha."

Annabeth laughed at that, "Come on, Hayley, let's unpack. I wanna show you something in the house."

Despite her estranged relationship with motherhood, Annabeth never had to think twice about adopting Hayley. Before adopting the girl, she did her research. Apparently, Hayley's birth mother moved to California a week after she was born, hoping for a fresh start with her new child. Unfortunately, her new life didn't have room for a baby. The woman tried for about two months before abandoning the little girl at an adoption agency. Annabeth knew what it was like to feel abandoned, so she was happy to claim the two month old as her own.

She tried her best to be an attentive and caring mother, and being her own boss helped make that possible. Still, with Annabeth being so busy with the camp reconstruction plans, she and her daughter hadn't been able to spend as much time together this year. Hayley had spent the greater part of last year begging her mom to let her join them in Rhode Island, and as much as Annabeth wanted her around, she wasn't about to pull her daughter out of school for a whole year. Especially with everything they've gone through at past schools.

Much like Annabeth, Hayley Chase is a famous name. Hayley wasn't a problem child. She is a good kid. A good kid with bad luck. Getting her daughter into schools was the easy part. As the granddaughter to a Congresswoman, an American and Military History professor at West Point, and the daughter of the third most famous Architect in the United States, schools were eager to have Hayley in their programs. And having an eleventh-grade reading level didn't hurt either. It was when the school year began that things usually went south.

Wrong place, wrong time basically sums up Hayley's life. Nothing too crazy happened, but it was usually enough to ensure that the girl wouldn't be getting an invitation back. So far, she had been kicked out of three schools. Once for getting too many detentions due to 'continuous disrespect,' which is just a fancy way of saying, "You're child pointed out too many of my teaching mistakes and I'm sick of being contradicted."

Another time was when a nasty girl in her class tripped Hayley in the lunchroom. The girl's tray went flying, and the food fight that ensued was blamed on her. The last incident was the result of a classroom fire, but there's really no time to unpack that. Hayley never meant for these things to happen. She knew how hard her mother worked, and she admired her greatly for that. The last thing she wants is to add stress to her life.

What Hayley didn't realize, however, was that she made Annabeth's life anything but stressful. The woman couldn't be prouder to have a daughter as clever, kind, and patient as Hayley. Annabeth spent her whole life wanting to build something permanent, but when she finally did, she looked around and realized that it's wasn't worth much without someone permanent beside her. She wants to do right by her daughter, and that's one of the reasons why she was so excited to finally have Hayley over at the summer house with her. Not only would she get to spend time with her daughter again, but Annabeth would get to show Hayley where she grew up. Her home.

Camp Half-Blood.

Hayley was now carrying a backpack over her shoulders and tugging a suitcase behind her as she walked up the steps to the giant house, "What is it?"

"It's a surprise," The woman answered, simply. Annabeth had just dropped her bag onto the porch and was currently scrummaging in her bag for the door keys.

"What kind of surprise?" Hayley pressed while admiring the exterior of the house. The two story mansion had once belonged to her great-grandmother, but it hadn't been used in years. The green-eyed girl suddenly found herself hoping that the surprise wasn't spiderwebs and dust. Then again, her mother had been living here on and off again for the past six months. If there was even a hint of spiders, the house would have already been hosed down by exterminators, "Surprise like, 'I'm doubling your allowance for not causing trouble this year!' or surprise like, 'Grandma's coming to visit'?"

Annabeth had unlocked the door but held it ajar, "Actually, yes, your grandma is coming in a few days to visit."

A grim look overtook Hayley's face. It's not that she didn't like Grandma Athena, it's just that she was very... controlled. Hayley always assumed that it was the Congresswoman in her that made the old lady so uptight. Every time she came to visit, her mom would get anxious and start to stress work. The little girl knew all about her mother's upbringing. The mother-daughter pair were very close, and Hayley was protective of the people she loved, so she never enjoyed seeing the effect her grandmother had on Annabeth.

"Why is she coming here?" The young girl asked, trying her best to hide her disapproving tone, "The only thing she does when she comes over is stress you out and give me passive-aggressive looks for not indulging myself in nonfiction books."

"Hayley, if you want to read Agatha Christie, read Agatha Christie. If you want to read Marvel Comics, read Marvel Comics. Don't let her make you feel bad about your interests," If there was one thing Annabeth was willing to face her mother for, it was her daughter. It pissed the woman off to no end when her mother, the one who had basically abandoned her as a child, tried to tell Annabeth how to raise her daughter.

That's another thing Hayley loved about her mom. No matter what she did, her mom was right behind her with unconditional support. When Hayley entered the Spelling Bee, her mother stayed up the night before and helped her practice, even though she had scheduled an early meeting the next morning to ensure she would be off on time to attend the contest. When the girl wanted to join an art class, Annabeth went out and bought her a whole new art supply kit. When, at the age of four, she decided that blue and yellow were magic colors, and her mom decided to make blue cookies for her. She only made them once, and Hayley was young when she did, but the girl still could have sworn she remembers her mother tearing up when her daughter took her first bite of the blue food.

And there was the time when she was three, and Hayley had her first asthma attack.

Annabeth had been a wreck for the entire process. Of course, Hayley had recovered quickly, and thanks to her Flovent medication, she hasn't had a major attack in years. All thanks to her mom. If Annabeth Chase was anything, it was a planner. Hayley was on a strict schedule when it came to taking her medication. Even though her daughter's asthma hadn't acted up in years, she wasn't going to chance losing her ever again.

"Rebel against Grandma?" Hayley joked, "Sounds like a plan."

Annabeth huffed out a laugh, but Hayley could tell something was off. She just now noticed that her mother hadn't been looking her in the eyes and that she was still standing in front of the cracked open door, blocking the girl from what's inside. She also noticed that her mother didn't answer her question about why Grandma Athena would be visiting.

"Why don't we go inside? I may have lied about the surprise- or rather, the extent of it. There is actually more than one."

Hayley's confusion must have been very noticeable, because right as she was about to ask more questions, Annabeth opened the front door to reveal two people waiting inside.

"Piper! Leo!" Hayley dropped her bags onto the porch and ran to her godmother and honorary uncle. The two dropped down and hugged the little girl with just as tightly as she did them.

"Hey, Hay!" Leo teased the girl as her arm wrapped around his neck.

"Oh my goodness, there is no way you got this big over one school year!" Piper exclaimed as she pulled back from the girl's other side, "You get any taller and you're gonna outgrow Leo."

While that was definitely an exaggeration, Leo still scoffed at the girl. Watching as the three got reacquainted, Annabeth picked up her daughter's bags that were abandoned on the porch and laid them inside. After she placed her own bags on the floor, Piper's dark eyes shot up and reached Annabeth's gray ones.

The woman smiled down at Hayley before walking over to give her mom a big hug. Piper McLean and Annabeth had been friends for years. The two met in the third grade. They bonded over daddy issues and a mutual love for Skittles. You know, normal kid stuff. After decades of sleepovers, secret handshakes, bad haircuts, and One Direction phases, the girls were still inseparable. If anyone could read Annabeth like a book, it was Piper. They were a fantastic duo. So much so, that Piper was her personal assistant. Technically, she was here for work, but Annabeth was just grateful to have her best friend here for the occasion.

Annabeth met Leo Valdez in college. He was the smartest person on the robotics team and the two shared many classes together throughout the years. They became fast friends, bonding over conspiracy theories and arguing over who was the better Property Brother. When Annabeth needed a Head of Construction at her firm, she knew exactly who she wanted by her side. Leo was more than happy to accept.

Leo and Piper were great employees and even better friends. They were supportive when she told them she wanted to adopt. They were always there to remind her that it's okay to take a break. And whenever one of them decided to take her out and let her live a little, the other would watch Hayley. And they both loved Hayley.

"Glad to see you're still alive," Piper's tone was flat and quiet against Annabeth's ear. She knew her friend didn't want Hayley hearing what she had to say, and honestly, neither did Piper, "Oh, and look at that. Is that a phone sticking out of your back pocket? A phone that I have been trying to reach you on for the past hour?"

Annabeth pulled back from the hug and Piper could finally see the guilt written on her face, "I know. Look, I'm sorry I didn't answer, but I knew what you would be calling about. I couldn't exactly have you yelling at me with my ten-year-old in the passenger seat."

"So, she doesn't know then?" The black-haired woman knew the answer, but the way she was now staring Annabeth down -arms crossed, eyebrow raised- made her realize the real question she was asking went along the lines of, what the hell is your plan here?

"No," Annabeth sighed out, "I was going to tell her on the drive over from the airport, but there was just so much to catch up on-"

"Yeah, Annabeth!" Piper whisper-yelled as an exasperated look took over her face, "There is so much to catch her up on. Starting with-!"

"Hey, you two," Leo coughed out, loudly. As the girls turned their attention back to him and the little girl, they saw Leo motioning to Hayley. Annabeth's daughter sent confused glances to the three adults, "Annabeth, why don't you show Hayls what's outback?"

Annabeth clasped her hands together and moved past Piper, who was now giving Leo the death stare, "That's a great idea, Leo. Come on, Hayley, there's another surprise waiting for you."

Hayley loved a good surprise as much as the next girl, but she was very aware of the mumbled bickering going on between Piper and Leo as she and her mom walked to the back of the house. That kind of put a damper on things. There was definitely something being kept from the little girl, and she had an idea that whatever it was wouldn't be found outback.

"Come on, kiddo," Annabeth said as they reached a little study. Hayley almost missed the door as they walked up to it. The wood of the door matched the wall around it, and a few strayed out plant decorations hid it even more. It was like the room was intentionally being hidden away. Once her mother opened the door, Hayley could see why. It appeared to be a private study- a homey, little room. There was a desk that sat in the middle, surrounded by comfortable looking chairs and giant bookshelves. To the side, there was a giant bay window that let the sun in and overlooked the coastline. A telescope stood off to the right of the window and a globe of the world to the left.

"Wow," The girl breathed out. Hayley stepped into the room and heard her mother chuckle from behind her.

"Just wait," Annabeth took her daughter's hand and lead her to the giant bay window. Annabeth sat down on the cushion while placing the little girl in her lap. She pointed out towards past the water and to an open area that was covered by what looked like to be a camp.

"Is that the camp you've been working on up here?" Hayley asked, eyes still set towards the campground, "It looks beautiful."

From what she could see, the cabins were beautifully designed with different symbols on each building, "What do the different symbols mean?"

"Each camper is placed in a certain cabin based on what you designed your schedule to look like. For example, if you wanted to spend the majority of your summer in the gardens, you could request to be placed in the Grain cabin. It's just to help to keep campers organized," The woman explained, "Obviously you could still participate in the camp singalong with the Lyre cabin, or go swimming with the Triton cabin, but this way you could be focused more on your interests and be surrounded by people who shared them."

"You said you went there, right?" Hayley turned to look back at her mother, "What cabin were you in?"

"I was always in the Owl cabin," Annabeth grinned at the memory, "We spent a lot of our time in the arts and crafts department. We also held the highest number of wins in Capture the Flag."

"Capture the Flag?" The girl stared at her mother with an amused expression, "What's that like?"

Annabeth grinned down at Hayley, "Well, I guess we'll have to go over there one day and let you find out for yourself."

Her daughter's green eyes widened as she jumped from her mother's lap, "Wait, really? I get to go?"

"Well, since we won't be here the whole summer you're not an official camper, but yes. I talked to the activities director and he said they would be happy to have you come down and join in on the fun," she explained, "My only condition is that you aren't allowed to ditch me when your grandma get here. THAT, and I want a ceramic mug."

Hayley wrapped her arms around her mom's neck, "I will, I promise! It'll say Worlds Best Mom and everything."

There were many surprises in store for Hayley Chase this summer, but her daughter finally getting to experience Camp Half-Blood was Annabeth's favorite. With the architect's demanding schedule and her daughter's extracurriculars, the two didn't have a lot of extra time for just them. Summer was when they could be together the most, and no matter how much she wanted her daughter to experience the same joys she did at camp, Annabeth didn't want to send Hayley to the other side of the country without her. And there was no place for Annabeth at camp now.

However, due to her new project being Camp Half-Blood, Annabeth had the perfect excuse to bring her daughter to the place most special to her. She wanted to share her experiences with her daughter. Show her the giant pine tree right at the camp entrance where she would sit under the shade and read. Tell her about the firework show that the camp would have every year. Share every strategy she helped come up with to win almost every game of Capture the Flag. Bring her to the dock where she spent almost every day with a boy. A boy with messy hair and sea-green eyes. Green eyes that Hayley's own resembled. Annabeth wasn't sure if that was a blessing or a curse. Looking into those eyes remained her of the boy she loved. The boy she wanted to build something permanent with. The boy who teased her, encouraged her, and stuck by her no matter what. Her best friend.

The boy who she tried to keep. The boy who she couldn't keep. Annabeth thought fate was a cruel being. For years, the blonde girl just wanted someone who would stay. Someone who wouldn't leave. And when she finally found that someone, life forced the two apart. Although she hadn't seen him in years, Annabeth would still think of that boy and wonder about the man he became. While working at camp, the woman was reminded of him more than ever. The memories -and feelings- they shared.

Yes, Annabeth wanted to share her experiences with her daughter, but she could not share him. Annabeth could not tell Hayley about the boy who was shorter than her for a majority of their youth together, and how he would glare at her when she teased him about it. She could not tell her daughter about the boy who would sit through every one of her architecture rants with a smile. She could not tell her daughter about how he could coax the truth out of her with a single look, and hold her when it hurt too much to talk about.

Annabeth could not tell her daughter about her first love, P-

"Annabeth!" A voice shook the woman from her thoughts. As Annabeth's daughter pulled away from her, she noticed that her once ecstatic expression was now replaced with a look of confusion. And it wasn't hard to figure out why.

When she turned her head towards the voice, Annabeth came face to face with Luke Castellan, her fiancé.

#i decided to edit and post this instead of doing my school work lol #percabeth #percabeth au #percabeth fic #percabeth fanfiction #percy jackson au #percy jackson #annabeth chase #pjo au #pjo #pjo/hoo #pjo/hoo au

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ionlyeatcomfortfood · 5 years

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The Selection: Sander Side Style- Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, so I know I said the next writing would be the third part of A Boy Worth Fighting For, but I’ve been struggling to write that, but I FINALLY FINISHED CHAPTER THREE FOR THIS BAD BITCH SO I’M POSTING IT! Hope you enjoy!

Word Count: 1965 (oh my gosh I wrote so much)

Pairings: Logince, Moxiety

Warnings: Homophobia, Kicked Out, negative talk towards Roman, sympathetic Remus, cursing.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

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He had done it. Roman had done it. He turned in an application against his mother’s wishes. Holy shit.

He had never done anything like this before. Remus was the bad boy, the one who didn’t follow the rules. Roman was a golden boy. He always did what his parents said, ‘cause parents know best. At least that’s what he thought.

But when his mom exploded, Roman just knew he couldn’t listen to her anymore. If she was going to so vehemently deny who Roman was, even if she didn’t know it, how could Roman listen?

So he had done what he wanted for once. He wanted to be apart of the Selection, so he applied. It had been about a week since he had sent in an application, and tonight was the night they would announce the Selection contestants. Roman was equally parts excited and scared. But he was ready.

Or so he thought.

He had to beg his mom to watch it. Lyssa did not want anything to do with the broadcast, but a glance at Roman’s puppy eyes did the trick. They sat down on the couch to watch the king announce the Selection contestants.

“We have Patton Foster, Four. Delcan Rose, Two.”

Come on, come on.

“Emile Picani, Three. Remy Zephyr, Four.”

Come on. Please.

“Roman Prince, Five.”

The king continued down the list of names, but no one in the Prince household was listening. The television wasn’t turned off, it just sorta became background noise.

“You put in an application. After I specifically told you not to?” Lyssa was silently fuming. Remus and Carlos were waiting behind her, quiet.

“Yes.”

“Why? You’d have to be crazy! Or… no,” Lyssa shook her head. “No, no, no. Y-you can’t be a…”

“A homosexual, Mom? Is that the word you’re looking for? Yes, Mom.” Roman spat the words out. He wouldn’t have been able to get them out of his head otherwise.

Lyssa was quiet for a moment for she said “Get out.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Get out of my house, you monster! Get out!” Lyssa screamed.

Roman knew she was going to react harshly, but he hadn’t been expecting this. He just thought she would give him the silent treatment until it was time for him to go to the palace. He didn’t expect her to kick him out.

“Mom, please-”

“You’re no son of mine! I did not raise my kid to be a homosexual! SO GET OUT!”

Roman turned to his father and brother. His father’s face was impassive, but Remus was actually a little sympathetic. “Dad.”

“You heard your mother,” Carlos’s voice was ice cold. “Out.”

“Rem. Please.”

Remus looked at his parents, fire and ice, and walked over to Roman. Roman sighed.

“I’m not leaving you, Roman.”

“What? Remus, you can’t be thinking about going with this imbecile!” Lyssa said.

“Mom. I can do what I want. Besides, if you must know, I also put my name in the drawing, because I am a raging homosexual.” Remus didn’t even bat an eye when Lyssa went fucking ballistic.

“You as well! What went wrong? What is going on?”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, we have places to be,” Remus said, dragging Roman out the door. “Oh, and if you did love us, at some point, would please direct any palace officials to the Redwood’s household?”

And with that, Remus slammed the door, leaving a dumbfounded pair left in the Prince household, TV still blaring.

xxxxx

The next couple days were insane for Roman. Their parents had done what Remus had requested and directed palace officials to the Redwood’s house. Remus was an old friend of the eldest Redwood, Maxon, so the Redwoods welcomed them in and congratulated Roman on his success.

Tailors came and measured him for suits, manner coaches talked to him about where he was, manner was (quite adept), and just plain government workers who explained how this would all work a million times over.

They would arrive at the palace, along with thirty-four other guys, in which the prince would pick and choose guys he liked and go on dates with them. At a certain point, the prince picks his Elite, ten guys that have the best shot of being the prince’s spouse (they always used ‘spouse’, not husband). Then from there, the prince chooses who he will marry.

They had also mentioned how his family would get paid every week he was still in the Selection, which he had made a few inquires about.

“So, this family is not my birth family,” Roman said while the tailor maneuvered around him.

The official that was there that day, Ms. Potts, glanced up from the magazine she was reading. “Are you adopted?”

“No. But my parents kicked me out when I was announced a winner, so I was wondering if the money could come to this family?”

“No can do, sir,” Potts said. “Only the families of the contestants can receive the money.”

“What about my brother?” Roman asked.

Potts looked over to where Remus was chasing around the younger kids and sighed. “How old is he?”

“He’s my twin, and we turn 18 in three months.” Roman said as the tailor finished his measurements.

Potts thought for a moment, before saying “We could probably transfer the funds to him. We would just need to get your written consent that you’re okay with that.”

Roman nodded. “Of course.”

“Well, with that out of the way, we should get going. Come along Bartholomew,” Potts said to the tailor. He packed up his supplies and they were off.

“So, is that all the fancy prep you have for today?” Remus asked, the younger Redwood children, Ravyon and Celie, hanging off his legs.

“Yeah. Until tomorrow, that is.”

“So, do you think we could go visit the children?” Remus smiled.

Roman nodded. ‘The children’ Remus were referring to were the kids down in the orphanage. It was the one thing the twins had always done together. They would visit the orphanage and tell stories, play with the kids, and help deal with temper tantrums and nasty diapers. They hadn’t gone in some while, especially since Remus had his accident.

“I’d love to.” Roman said, and with that, the two left the Redwoods with a goodbye and a promise to bring back some bread.

xxxxx

When they entered the orphanage, they were greeted by a flurry of young children crowding them. Every child was shouting, and it was really quite a sight.

“Roman! Do you have another story?”

“Remus! Look what I drew!”

“You’re back!”

“Woah, everybody, take a breather,” Roman said, hugging all the kids that were holding onto him. “I know you guys are excited, but we’re only two people, and there are twenty of you.”

“Twenty-one now,” One of the older kids, Lace, said. “There’s a new kid, but they don’t wanna come out of there room.”

“Oh. Well in that case, I’ll go talk to them, see if I can get them to join us. Remus, would you mind telling these rascals a fairy tale?” Roman asked, already slipping away from the crowd.

“My pleasure. Say, how many of you have heard the story of Cinderella?”

Roman walked down the hallway to see a door closed. He knew from previous visits that the door was usually open because there was no child to occupy it. The new kid must be in there.

Roman knocked on the door and waited till he heard a small little ‘come in’ before entering.

“Hello, little one. What’s your name?” Roman asked the small child curled up on the edge of their bed.

“I’m Mo,” The little one whispered, curling more into themselves.

“Hey, your okay. There’s no reason to be nervous.” Roman crouched next to Mo and smiled. “So, are you a little prince or princess?”

“I’m neither,” Mo said.

“Alright, then you are tiny but mighty royalty!” Roman exclaimed, striking a dramatic pose. Just as he intended, he got a little giggle out of the child.

“Would you like to hear a story, Mo?” Mo nodded. “Alrighty. Have you heard of the Princess and the Dragon?” Mo shook their head. “Well, here it goes.”

Roman recounted the story, waving his hands around, making different voices for all the characters, and just being his normal goofy self. Mo was laughing, gasping, and yelling, and it made Roman’s heart warm. From just one story, he had gotten this shy child to laugh. He was good at this, and it made him proud to be him.

“So, did you like that story?” Roman asked as he wrapped up the tale.

Mo nodded excitedly. “Can you tell me another one?”

Roman glanced at the time. “I’m sorry, but me and my brother have to get going.”

“Oh. Can you come next week?”

“Again, no. I’m going to be at the castle.”

Mo’s eyes widened. “The castle? What for?”

“I’m part of the Selection.”

Mo’s eyes got even wider. “Really?”

“Mhmm.”

“Woah, that’s so cool!”

“I know.”

“Hey!” Mo jumped up from the bed to grab a sheet of paper. “How about when your in the castle, you write me letters!” Mo wrote the address of the orphanage on the sheet of paper and handed it to Roman. “Please?”

“Of course, tiny but mighty royalty!” Roman smiled, giving the kid a quick hug before going to find his brother.

xxxxx

The last few days before he left for the palace rushed by Roman, leaving him breathless. He could barely keep up with everything that was happening. And before he knew it, it was the day he had been waiting for. The day they traveled to the palace.

Ms. Potts was back to escort Roman to the car, since there was already a hoard of press waiting outside to bombard him with questions. He had said all his goodbyes except for one: Remus.

Roman stood before his brother. Remus, despite all his buffoonery, was a good person underneath. He was just a little misguided. He placed a hand on Remus’s shoulder.

“Okay. I had them direct the money the families get weekly to you. But do not blow it on yourself. Give some to the Redwoods, since they’re going to be hosting you for awhile.”

Remus shrugged off Roman’s hand. “I know. I was already planning on it.”

“Remus. Seriously. Be smart about this.”

“Geez, Dad, I already told you I would. Okay? I’m okay now.”

Roman looked at his twin. They were so different, but they were still brothers. And Roman still loved him.

Roman pulled Remus into a hug. “Thank you for leaving with me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

“You’d probably be wandering on the streets.” Remus joked. “But in all seriousness, I wouldn’t have stayed with those witches anyway. I would gladly do it again.”

The brothers hugged, then it was time for Roman to be off.

“Farewell, all. I shall see you in another life.”

“You’re leaving for a couple months. We’ll see you soon enough.” Remus said, and it was the last thing Roman heard before he was whisked away.

xxxxx

Roman got situated on the plane, when a voice joined his thoughts.

“Hello! I’m Patton! It’s nice to meet you!” A blonde boy was sitting next to him, freckles adorning his face and a permanent smile on his face.

“I’m Roman Prince. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Prince? Well that’s no fair, you already have an advantage!” Patton joked.

“Well, you must use every advantage you have, my dear Patton.” Roman joked back.

“I can tell we are going to be royal friends.” Patton smiled.

Roman smiled back. Maybe there was more to look forward to than just the prince in the Selection.

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Click here to read the fairy tale Roman told Mo.

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TAGLIST (let me know if you want to be added)

@redistooviolent

@jellopuffs

@loginceismyjam

@a-trans-ghost

@hekking-happy-nonsense

@chaotic-sinnabun

@steampunkicarus

@theoddkidnextdoor

@stop-it-anxiety

#sanders sides #sanders side fic #fanfiction #roman sanders #logan sanders #patton sanders #virgil sanders #dukedontlook #the selection #logince #moxiety #remus sanders

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jovialyouthmusic · 5 years

Text

Silver Service

A Royal Romance AU fanfic sequel to Protect and Serve

Bastien tells Sophia of the imminent arrival of a former lover

Word Count 3574

A/N I’m struggling a little with this fic right now - I have plans but I will probably be posting less often - probably twice a week at most NS*W no under 18s

5 Memories of another life

Bastien snapped out of his reverie, having remembered the first time he had met Damien Nazario, when he had worked for NYPD and Bastien had been chasing Prince Leo, long before he abdicated. The last time he had seen Damien, when he had been in the city for Liam’s bachelor party, he had hinted that he had moved on from the Police department, but kept his secrets, as Bastien did with his. His call to Damien had gone straight to voicemail, so he reinforced the urgency of his message by contacting Interpol and telling them he needed to talk to him as soon as possible.

He didn’t have long to wait, as his phone rang and Damien’s number came up.

‘Bas – where are you? I’m not in New York right now. How did you find out about my new job?’

‘I needed Interpol’s services and your name came up, so naturally I contacted you direct. I trust I didn’t interrupt anything important’

‘Luckily not. What do you need Interpol for?’

‘I’m interested in tracing someone who’s fled the country’ He heard Damien chuckle

‘I’m going to have to press you, Lykel. You never told me where you’re based – or who you work for.’

‘Tell me where you are and I’ll send transport for you. Interpol have cleared you from your present job. I can explain when we meet’ There was a short silence before he answered.

‘You must really pull some weight if you can get Interpol to get you to the top of my task list. I’m in Poland.’ Bastien tapped away on his desktop computer.

‘Tell me your nearest airport and make your way there, there will be a jet waiting for you in three hours’

‘Woah Bas, It will take me an hour just to get my stuff’

‘Soon as you can. Just go there and give your name to airport security and you’ll be pointed in the right direction’

‘Just give me a clue Lykel’

‘The flight takes two and a half to three hours. You’ll be going south.’ He rang off to call up the Royal Jet.

------

Later, as he sat eating dinner with Sophia in their quarters, he reached across the table to her.

‘Theá mou, there’s something I need to tell you’ Sophia raised her eyebrows as she put her knife and fork down, after finishing the main course. He followed suit, fixing her gaze solemnly.

‘It sounds like something important, agápe mou’ she answered, delicately wiping her lips with her napkin. He nodded

‘Come and join me on the sofa and I’ll tell you’ he replied. He went to sit on the couch and patted the seat beside him, putting his arm around her and drawing her into him, their contours matching as they always did, no matter what position they chose. He drew a deep breath ‘I had to call in someone from Interpol to help trace Justin. It turns out it’s a friend of mine – a lover…’

------

Damien climbed the stairs to his apartment in an attempt to make up for the weeks of being too busy – or too lazy – to go to the gym. The moment he got to his landing, his senses were on alert. There was something not quite right, and he paused before he opened the door into the lobby, head cocked, listening. Smelling. Oddly his acute sense of smell had gotten him out of – or rather, he had not gotten into – some dangerous situations.

But there was no scent, even though his hearing had caught a slight sound – breath, the scuff of a leather shoe on the cheap carpet?

He shook his head. He was tired, he was off his game, seeing things in the shadows that weren’t there. Something niggled at the back of his mind as he walked to his door and got his keys out. He remembered what it was a split second before someone swiftly and stealthily stepped out of the shadows and grabbed him around the neck. Instead of grabbing at his thumb to pry his arm off his neck, or stamping on his foot or pitching forward to throw his assailant, he went slack.

‘Lykel’ he said ‘What the hell are you doing here?’ He heard the bass rumble of Bastien’s laugh

‘You’re getting lazy, Nazario. You knew something was up and you still left yourself open’ He let go and Damien kept his back to him for a moment, hiding the stupid relieved grin spreading across his face.

‘Yeah well, I was tired and I’d still have beat anyone else’s ass. How you manage to not smell of anything is beyond me’ He turned and gripped his forearm and slapped his elbow.

‘Trade secret’ the older man said, a bare trace of a smile at the corners of his mouth. ‘If I told you I’d have to kill you’

‘Well you can keep your damn secret if that’s the option’ he grumbled. He let go of his arm and stood looking at him dumbly

‘Well are you going to let me in, or are we going to stand here all night?’

‘Uh sorry, must be more tired than I thought’ he said as he opened the door and led him in. He was dressed smartly as usual while he himself was shabby and down at heel. He’d not had the money to refresh his wardrobe in a while. Bastien unbuttoned his coat and hung it on the peg by the door.

‘Not too tired to catch up I hope’ he smiled.

‘What brings you here?’ he asked, changing the subject ‘Pampered clients needing a babysitter?’

‘You could say that’ he replied ‘It’s a bachelor party of sorts, and I need to keep them out of trouble. I have a free evening as I’ve done all the preparation and they aren’t arriving until tomorrow’

‘So you thought you’d spend a few idle hours with me’ he smiled. Bastien’s expression softened a little.

‘Indeed. You’re not busy I hope?’

‘Not at all. I hope you get well paid for this’ he said ‘You can’t have much personal time’

‘I don’t, so let’s not waste it. Have you eaten?’ Damien shook his head ‘I was going to order pizza’ Bastien laughed and reached out to pat his soft stomach.

‘You need to look after yourself, eat properly, get some exercise. Do you actually go to the gym any more?’

‘Okay you order then’ he said, rolling his eyes ‘I know you’re going to boss me around anyway so why not start there?’ Bastien gave him a smouldering look and took his hand, pulling up his shirt and placing Damien’s hand on his washboard flat stomach. He sucked his breath in in admiration. He already knew what good care the older man took of himself, but he was in the best shape he had ever seen him.

‘Jesus, Bas you must live in the gym’

‘I never set foot in one. I train karate, go for a run every other morning, go swimming. Treadmills bore me to tears, they’re for fitness tests, not exercise.’ He pulled away and wandered into the tiny kitchenette. The whole flat would fit comfortably in his office suite at the Palace. He looked in the fridge. ‘I see you’ve not been grocery shopping either. Do you live off takeaways?’

‘Stop lecturing me, Lykel. I see you what – twice a year if I’m lucky?’ Bastien scanned the kitchen for signs of cohabitation, finding none. Damien was bridling at the intrusion despite being glad to see him. Bastien turned back to him, concern on his face.

‘If you don’t have anyone else in your life you need to look after yourself – and if you don’t look after yourself you’re not going to find anyone who wants to share your life.’

‘If you were with anyone else you’d not be visiting me, and my love life is none of your business’ Damien pointed out testily

‘But the equation balances out for me – I look after myself’

‘Whatever. Are we just going to argue semantics?’ Bastien pulled his hand over his face and sighed heavily.

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t come here to argue’

‘So why did you come?’ He asked defensively. Bastien winced.

‘You know how infrequently I’m here. I just wanted to see you, spend some time together’

‘Well here I am’ Damien replied. A silence descended on the two men, and Bastien broke it.

‘Well, if you’re hungry, why don’t we go out to eat? I’ll pay’ Damien thought for a moment

‘How about if I guess what sort of food you like, you pay – and if I get it wrong, I pay?’ he proposed.

‘Okay, let’s see how good your detective skills are, Nazario’ he replied

‘Well, you’re European though you’ve never told me exactly where you’re from… I’d say northern Mediterranean.’ He tapped his chin thoughtfully ‘So you’d go for – Greek, or Italian, I’m guessing’

‘You have to pick one, Mr Nazario’ he said drily ‘No cheating’

‘It’s a tough one. I pick Greek’

‘You had a fifty fifty chance – and you’re wrong, but I eat a lot of Italian food so Greek will make a nice change’ Damien shook his head in mock defeat.

‘It just so happens I know a nice little Greek restaurant not far away that owes me a favour or two, so we might just eat for free’

‘As long as it’s got its hygiene certificates’

‘Papa Megalos runs a tight ship’ Damien replied ‘I helped him out with some gangsters who were demanding protection money so we’re firm friends’

‘Okay, sounds good’ Damien nodded and picked up his keys and jacket.

------

Papa Megalos was pleased to see the New York detective and welcomed the two men in to the small restaurant, cozy and warm with red checked tablecloths, the walls and ceiling decorated with plastic grapevines, Greek music playing softly in the background. A flicker of a smile crossed Bastien’s face as if he felt at home.

‘Nazario! You honour me, come, sit – best table in the house’ Papa Megalos cried. Damien smiled.

‘You said the same last time – it was a different table’ he scolded

‘And tonight is a different night’ he shrugged ‘Who’s your friend here?’ he lifted his chin toward the other man.

‘Just a friend in the business – Papa Megalos, this is Bastien Lykel’ The rotund proprietor extended a plump hand and slapped palms with him before giving him a firm two handed handshake. Damien knew only too well how firm that was, but Bastien obviously gave as good as he got. He greeted Papa in fluent Greek, leaving Damien blinking in surprise. Papa Megalos was delighted and they held a rapid fire conversation for a minute or so, gesticulating and laughing before Bastien sat and Damien followed suit.

‘No paying tonight, and you get the house special’ Papa beamed, resting his meaty hand on Damien’s shoulder ‘I’ll get you a bottle of retsina’ Damien looked at his companion quizzically.

‘Well that’s a revelation’ he mused ‘Were you talking about me?’

‘I speak several languages fluently, Nazario. I only asked him not to reveal my country of origin – he recognised my dialect the moment I opened my mouth and we exchanged home villages’ A waiter brought a plate of mezze and olives and the two men sat and ate, sipping the aromatic retsina. After that, two plates of Pastitsio and Greek salad arrived. Bastien smiled and spoke in rapid Greek again. Damien frowned at him.

‘Next time we’re going to a tapas bar’ he grumbled ‘At least I’ll know what you’re talking about’

‘I’m sorry, I was just praising the cook and saying it’s one of my favourite dishes’ They ate in companionable silence, and when time came for dessert, Bastien leaned back and patted his stomach.

‘I’m good, but you can indulge if you like’

‘Are you the type to steal a taste?’ Damien asked sceptically. All the times they had spent together they had met at a bar and drunk until they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, like their first time. They had never eaten out, so he wasn’t sure.

‘No’ laughed Bastien ‘I eat what’s on my plate, I don’t steal’

‘How about others taking a taste from yours?’

‘I’ll share in that instance, as long as it’s not the last bite’ Damien thought for a moment.

‘I think I’ll pass, it’s too late to be overeating’

‘Good man. I recommend a glass of ouzo to settle the digestion’

‘You don’t want to go for a drink?’ Bastien made a face

‘I’d rather call it a night. Why don’t you come back to my hotel?’ he spread his hands out in a placatory gesture ‘No expectations, no presumptions, just see where the night takes us’

He looked at him intently, realising he had been avoiding his gaze for a while, not wanting to get drawn in. He recognised something in his expression that chimed with him – something they had in common due to their profession.

He was lonely. He simply wanted company, and what did it matter if they ended up in bed? Would it be so bad? Lykel must have a certain camaraderie with his men – he didn’t know the exact nature of his job but he was obviously in charge of a team. But being boss meant having to keep a certain distance. They had a lot in common although Damien wasn’t in charge of anyone else – he sometimes worked with a partner, sometimes alone, and he answered to his captain. He knew the other man had a high sex drive that he kept in check with his demanding profession. He sighed

‘Okay why not?’ Bastien smiled gratefully

‘Excellent. Should I call a cab or…’

‘This is New York, Lykel, all you have to do is step out and raise your hand’ Damien replied sardonically. They made their excuses to Papa Megalos, who insisted on giving them a box of baklava to take with them and made Bastien promise to return any time he was in New York. Damien rolled his eyes as they spoke rapidly in Greek and embraced before leaving.

The air outside was fresh and Damien was glad not to be making his way to a bar to befuddle his brain with alcohol. In seconds they were in a yellow cab and he grew wide eyed at their destination as they arrived on Fifth Avenue at the luxury Peninsula Hotel. He was speechless as the taxi swept past the front and around to the service entrance.

‘I’m sorry we can’t go in the front’ Bastien said ‘This is a covert operation after all’ he winked.

‘Covert operation?’ Damien asked ‘Are you sure you’re booked in and paid up? Am I going to be washing dishes for a month to pay it off?’ Bastien chuckled

‘Perks of the job’ he said ‘Part grateful clients, part diplomatic privilege. We get so many free reservations per year’

‘Exactly who do you work for?’ Damien asked. The older man had never offered the information and he had never asked.

‘Sorry that’s classified’ he replied ‘And if you try to find out – well, let’s say you won’t’ Damien swallowed

‘You mean my body will be found under Manhatten Bridge…’ Bastien interrupted and shook his head as they got out of the taxi and made their way to the service elevator.

‘Nothing as dramatic as that, you just won’t get anywhere if I’ve done my job properly’

‘Well that’s a relief’ They stood in silence as they made their way up, until they got out high up in the building. Bastien lead him to the stairwell and they went up another two floors.

‘Just in case’ he said, touching the side of his nose. The room they made for was only a door away from the stairwell, and Bastien produced a keycard from his jacket pocket ‘My employer’s suite is next to this, there’s a connecting door in case of emergencies, so we can take a look if you like’

The two men went into the main suite and Damien marvelled at the luxury. The huge bed was round and had a spectacular view of the city, Central Park spread out below them. The carpet was deep and pale, the en suite bathroom boasting both a sunken jacuzzi and a huge walk in shower. There was a third room that served as lounge and bar.

‘Jesus Bas’ Damien gasped ‘I know you’re not going to tell me who your employer is, but he – or she – must be loaded’ Bastien smiled and got a bottle of bourbon and two tumblers from the bar.

‘Well’ said Bastien ‘Sadly I don’t get to stay in this part – come through to my modest little cell’

The other room was bigger than Damien’s bedroom. It sported a couch and two easy chairs, and over by the window there was a desk and study chair and there was a small en suite bathroom. The couch converted into a double bed to make it a more versatile space. It had been made up as such and Bastien’s overnight bag had already been unpacked. The two men settled into the easy chairs and Bastien poured them each a finger of bourbon. They talked easily for a while.

‘Can I ask you something?’ Damien asked, and his companion nodded

‘I’ll try to answer as long as it’s not too revealing’ Damien chewed his cheek before he spoke

‘Okay, all these times we’ve been together, you’ve never mentioned any other relationships, but I can’t see you being celibate between visits. Is there anyone special for you?’ Bastien let out his breath.

‘I’ve never really had a long term committed relationship, it doesn’t fit with the job. I have a few relationships like ours, both male and female – that I pick up while travelling. I’ve had affairs at home, but never for very long.’ He paused, about to say something else, but didn’t.

‘Okay, I get that. I’ve had a couple of relationships that I thought might last, but it’s tough when you work like we do. Do you want anything else - anything more permanent?’ Bastien chewed his lip for a moment.

‘Honestly – I’ve never seen myself as the type to settle down, I expected my job to be my life – and quite possibly my death. I saw one of my predecessors shot in front of my eyes and I know how high risk my occupation is. I don’t want a lover or partner living in fear of my demise, I couldn’t ask that of anyone’ Damien nodded and got up to walk over to the window

‘I know what you mean. Sometimes you’re one split second away from a decision that could end or save someone’s life – or your own. That’s not easy to live with.’ Bastien stood to join him by the window, putting his glass down.

‘All the more reason to live for the moment’ he said, pressing him back against the cold glass of the window and sliding the flat of his hand over his belly to the buckle of his belt.

------

Sophia looked up at Bastien

‘So Damien is coming here – to work with you on tracing Justin. Where do you stand with him? Does it affect us – our relationship?’ He smiled and kissed the top of her head

‘I just wanted to be honest with you’ he said ‘The last time I saw him I had only just met you. I can assure you that you are all I want, and I’ll tell him so when he arrives. What I had with him was just casual, a way to pass the time when I was in New York – though it wasn’t as cold as that might sound. We got on well and I hope the non sexual side of our relationship can continue - but of course that’s up to you.’ Sophia sat and thought for a while, resting her head on his chest and taking his hand in hers, absentmindedly tracing her fingers over the back of his hand.

‘I’ll have to meet him before I decide’ she said ‘I’d say any friend of yours has to be a friend of mine- but if you were lovers it changes things a little. We could have him over for dinner’

‘I suggest we go somewhere neutral’ Bastien said ‘somewhere each of us can retreat if we need to, without it being awkward’ Sophia nodded

‘Will he be staying in the Manor?’

‘I thought that best, I may need to call on him at short notice and it will be easier for him to work on site’ He tightened his arm around her shoulders. ‘If you’re uncomfortable I’m sure he’d understand’

‘Hmm, I don’t know yet. Does he know about me?’

‘No, but then he doesn’t know where I come from or who I work for’

‘Wow’ she said ‘That’s some secret to keep’

‘I never asked about specifics and he never asked me. We shared stories but kept the details vague’

‘How do you think he will react when he finds out you work for royalty?’

‘He may not be entirely surprised, I really don’t know’

‘When does he arrive?’

‘Tomorrow, early if they allow the Royal Jet to fly overnight’ Sophia slipped her hand under his shirt to find the bare flesh of his toned abdomen.

‘Then we’d better make the most of our time alone’ she murmured, and he smiled, feeling himself harden.

Next chapter 6 Meeting Up

#protect and serve #silver service #bastien lykel #trr bastien #sophia x bastien #OC x Bastien #the royal romance au #royal romance fanfic #trr fanfic #trr au fanfic

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spnjediavenger · 5 years

Text

Chapter 2: Motels and Memories

Disclaimers: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters

Time frame: set early S5

Notes: flashbacks made possible by @sarimaposthumous ; we are connecting our fics a little bit (hers is called The High Priestess – go check it out). More background on her character, Shane to come!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2: Motels and Memories

Elliana’s legs were sore and her stomach was empty. It had only been a few days but her money ran out and she hadn’t slept in a real bed since leaving her home.

After walking so far, her legs finally collapsed underneath her. She sat on the ground, taking in her surroundings to find somewhere to rest, when her eyes stopped on a rustic-looking building around the corner. She begrudgingly got up and walked to it and stepped inside, only to find out it was a bar.

She sighed and ran a hand through her slightly messy hair and asked to just use the restroom, finding any excuse to be inside for even a little bit. It didn’t take any more than that for the employees to be concerned, and the manager had approached her when she came out, offering a meal in exchange for her story.

“Kid? Hey, kid!” Dean called from the driver’s seat, snapping Elliana from her trance.

“What?”

Dean rolled his eyes but responded. “I said, ‘we’re here’. Let’s go.”

Ellie grabbed her backpack, duffel, and Anaya’s leash and opened the Impala’s door, following Sam and Dean to their next motel, and sighed. Even though she was used to these places, she still hated them.

“The hunters that travel – how do they live? Where do they live?”

“Sometimes they sleep in their car in the middle of nowhere or will squat in any empty house if they’re low on money. When they do have money, they just stay in motels.”

“Sounds kinda crappy, but it’s better than sleeping outside,” Ellie said, giving a sad smirk as she thought of the past couple nights before stopping at the bar; sleeping under bridges or in a secluded corner, only being able to get a few hours’ sleep each night because she was too afraid of being caught off-guard.

After almost 24 hours on the road, Ellie supposed she was willing to accept anything besides the Impala’s back seat to sleep on.

Once the guys paid for a room, they piled in and set their things down. Taking a quick look around, Ellie saw a small bathroom ahead, a small kitchenette, two beds, and a couch in front of a TV.

“Ok, I don’t know what you’re used to-“

“I’ll take the couch,” Elliana interrupted Dean.

“No, I’ll take the couch,” Sam said, not wanting a 13-year-old to have to sleep on a motel couch.

“Your chivalry is appreciated but not necessary,” Ellie said, a light smirk on her face. Sam looked unsure so she rolled her eyes and continued. “If it bothers you that much, we can trade off. I’ll take the couch this time, you can take it next time. Ok?”

Sam let out an airy chuckle and nodded his head, turning towards the bathroom but groaning when Dean ran past him to get to it first, practically closing the door in his face.

Ellie held in a laugh and unhooked Anaya’s leash, letting her roam around the small room while she took a few things out of her backpack.

As soon as Anaya was free, she padded over to Sam, who now sat on the edge of one of the beds. The dog placed her head under his hand and sat in front of him. Sam couldn’t help but smile. He had to admit – it was pretty nice having a dog around.

“So why ‘Anaya’?” he asked Elliana, gently stroking the dog’s fur.

“It’s Arabic; means ‘care’ or ‘protection’,” she responded, not looking up from her bag.

“So is she your protector?” Sam said, hoping some light prodding would get the girl to open up to him a little bit.

Elliana sensed this, though, and turned to look at him; at first, however, she was thrown off by how close and calm Anaya was with him. She was not a very trusting dog, aside from with Ellie, and was always quite standoffish with strangers.

The dog’s apparent trust in the younger Winchester put Elliana a little more at ease so she sighed and answered him. “Shortly after I started hunting, I was in trouble with a werewolf. She came out of nowhere and tackled it, giving me the chance to get my knife back and kill it. So, I took her with me. Her senses are good and she’s been a great hunting partner. We protect each other.”

Sam blinked in surprise, not expecting an actual answer from Ellie. But his surprise was replaced with a small smile as he nodded and looked back to the dog.

“I’m surprised she’s like that with you,” Ellie added absently, going back to organizing her things. “She never takes to strangers at all hardly; she’s known you for like, 2 days and is acting like your friend.”

“She obviously knows an awesome person when she sees one,” he said, smirking Ellie’s way.

“Wow, and here I thought Dean was the cheeky one,” she joked, giving no reaction.

Baby steps, Sam thought.

Another day, another state, another hunt, and of course – another motel.

Elliana and the Winchesters just completed a hunt chasing a shapeshifter, and let’s just say Ellie, for once, couldn’t get into the motel soon enough. Exhaustion slowed her movements and clouded her mind; all she wanted was a shower and some sleep.

Once in their room, Dean, as usual, ran to the bathroom first, getting an eye roll from both Sam and Ellie. Sam allowed Ellie to go next, leaving Anaya with the boys. Dean walked past, giving her a quick pet, and walked to his bag to throw his dirty clothes in it. He turned around to see Sam’s shocked expression.

“What?”

“You pet the dog…”

“She was there, I walked by, why not? Don’t make a big deal out of it,” Dean said, quickly dismissing the matter. Sam smirked a bit but dropped it. It wasn’t just the dog, though. Elliana had been with the boys for about five days now and she was slowly growing on Dean – even if she was still a bit wary of them both. Dean had even put himself into the switching for beds idea with her and Sam.

Elliana got out of the bathroom and clomped over to the couch, but Dean put a cautious hand on her shoulder and nodded to one of the beds.

“I know it’s your turn for the couch, but why don’t you take the bed tonight? Looks like you could use it,” he said simply, doing his best to keep any traces of a soft demeanor from showing on his face.

Ellie wanted to protest, not wanting to be babied, but her sore muscles and tempting look of the beds won her over. She gave Dean a quiet ‘thanks’ and went over to the bed, falling not-so-gracefully onto it with a happy groan, Anaya quick to join her, laying across her owner’s back.

Sam and Dean let out silent chuckles and went about their post-hunt routines.

One week with the Winchesters and Elliana was still fairly closed off. She would talk to them, but the second they brought up anything personal, her communication cut off for a short time.

The next motel they were in was a bit nicer than any of them were used to, and this time an extra person met them there. Upon seeing someone in the room when the door was opened, Elliana drew a knife from her belt and held it up defensively.

“Who are you?!”

“Woah, kid, hold it!” Dean called, grabbing the knife from her hand.

“He’s with us, Elliana,” Sam coaxed a bit urgently, not wanting a situation starting.

“Kid, this is Cas, Cas this is Elliana,” Dean said, gesturing to each person as he introduced them.

“Elliana,” Cas said contemplatively. “What a beautiful name.”

The man’s relaxed demeanor and gravely voice had a strangely calming effect on Ellie, causing her to relax her shoulders. “Thanks…” she said, hoping none of the guys could see the light blush dusting her cheeks. “It means ‘God’-“

“’God has answered,’” she and the angel ended up saying at the same time.

Ellie looked at him, confused. “Are you religious or something? Not many people know that name.”

“Cas is an angel,” Dean said.

“No way.” The bright smile on Elliana’s face shocked the boys. After a week, they hadn’t gotten anything other than a tiny smirk; Cas is around for a minute and she smiles. “Like, a real live angel? From heaven?!”

“Yes,” Cas answers, a bit surprised at her reaction. “My full name is Castiel, but here I am mainly called ‘Cas’.”

“No way,” Elliana repeats in awe, still smiling.

Cas was still fairly new to humans and their emotions but he could see a sparkle in her eyes as she looked at him.

“Cas, how’d you do that?” Sam asks, jaw dropped a bit.

“Do what? I don’t understand.”

“Get her to smile? We’ve been tryin’ for a week now,” Dean added, just as dumbfounded as his brother.

Ellie rolled her eyes a bit then turned her attention back to Cas.

“What’s heaven like? Do all angels look human? How come you’re on earth?”

Cas couldn’t help the small smile that made its way on his face the innocent questions and excitement in Elliana’s voice

A few days later, another state, another hunt, you know the drill.

Elliana, Sam, and Dean sat in the small living area of their current motel room, eating dinner before they would turn in for the night. Elliana sat on the couch with Dean, to both boys’ surprise, and Sam sat on the chair perpendicular to them.

“Alright kid, it’s been a week and a half of you bein’ with us and we don’t know squat about you. I get you don’t trust anyone but you gotta know by now that we’re not here to hurt you,” Dean said, bypassing any gentler ways to bring the topic up.

“What Dean means,” Sam interjected, knowing he’d be better than his brother with touchier topics. “Is that we’d like to get to know you a bit. It doesn’t have to be anything that deep if you don’t want. How about a question for a question? You can ask us anything, then we get to ask you something,” he finished, a hopeful look and easygoing smile on his face.

“Look, you’re not going crazy; and I know it’s a lot to process. I’ll tell you everything you need to know and answer any questions as long as you tell me what happened. Does that sound like a deal?”

Ellie looked at the table and let out a sigh. The man seemed nice enough. And the thought of talking about her experience to someone who actually believes in the supernatural? She felt a small spark in her chest at the idea.

“Ok…how about a question for a question? You can go first since you gave me food,” Ellie said, giving a weak smirk and finally giving some attention to the meal in front of her.

He nodded and thought about it for a second before asking, “What’s your name?”

“Elliana. What’s yours?”

“Shane.”

“Ok,” she whispered. “You can go first, I guess.”

“Where are you from?” Sam asked, deciding to start small.

“Where are you from?”

“Pittsburgh,” she answered simply, testing to see what little she could get away with telling him. Even though Ellie wanted to get things off her chest, she was still wary.

“Pittsburgh.”

“Are you a hunter?”

“Yes,” Shane answered as simply as Elliana, making her purse her lips a bit. She should have known better than to ask a yes or no question. “Do you have any relatives you can contact or stay with?”

Though the next question was a bit heavier, Ellie stood her ground and let out a simple ‘no’. She took a drink and considered her next question more carefully.

“How did you…first find out monsters were real?” she asked.

Shane continued playing along. “Through a tragic experience.”

“How did you guys become hunters?” Ellie asked the boys, learning from last time.

“Our dad was one,” Dean answered, immediately seeing the game Elliana was playing. “What happened to your family?” Sam gave him a bitch face but Dean just looked straight at Elliana.

She took a deep breath and held it for a second, wondering whether or not to start opening up yet.

“What happened to your family?”

After Shane had opened up to Elliana a bit and told her that his adopted daughter’s family was killed by demons, explaining herself was easier. It was relieving, then, to tell what happened to her. She told her story, voice quivering, and tears escaping by the end. She wasn’t sure if she could do that with the boys yet. Part of her wanted to, but she just didn’t know if they would be as trustworthy as Shane.

Seeing Elliana’s pause, Sam shot Dean another look and spoke up. “Our mom was killed by a demon. Our dad became a hunter after that so, naturally, we eventually did too,” he explained, willing to level more with Ellie than Dean was. And at this statement, Ellie, again, couldn’t help the shock on her face. Could this be possible? She thought. Another person who’s family had been killed by demons?

Flashes of her parents laying dead in her living room came across her mind as well as picturing Jenny being alone, also surrounded by her deceased family.

The demon, in a different body, throwing her dad against the wall, sliding a knife into her mom.

A young girl with no knowledge of the supernatural, wondering what happened to her family.

Two young boys growing up without a mother, their father surely hell-bent on revenge.

A few tears slid down Ellie’s cheeks and she heard Anaya let out a small whine, jumping onto the couch to push herself through her arms.

“I…me too,” Elliana said, not bothering to wipe away her tears, though they began falling a bit faster as she continued. “My brother moved after he got possessed a few years ago…then my dad got possessed an-and the demon killed my parents a day after he left my dad. Not that it mattered anyway.” Elliana whispered the last part, focusing her gaze down to her hands as they made their way through Anaya’s fur.

“Why do you say that?” Dean asked gently, a newly found softness in his expression.

The girl just squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. She didn’t notice Sam get up and sit next to her until he put an arm around her shoulders. When she didn’t do anything to push Sam away, Dean hesitantly put his hand over one of hers. The affections make her cry a little harder, as she wasn’t used to being cared about even before she had first left home.

“He-he was just…he never…” she tried continuing but only ended up letting out a quick sob and being pulled into Sam’s side. She allowed herself to cry into his shoulder and Dean to rub soothing circles on her back in comfort. She hadn’t planned on letting them in so much, but boy did it feel good.

Two weeks in and Elliana wasn’t sure she wanted to leave the Winchesters. Once she opened up to them, she truly saw they were caring and that they had begun to care about her. And she didn’t want to let that go.

“Look, kid – I know you’ve got a strong head on your shoulders and are about as stubborn as they come,” Ellie let out a sly smile at this, “but I really would like for you to consider staying here for some time. Hell, maybe you and Jenny can go into the hunting business together,” Shane chuckled.

Ellie frowned a bit, remembering Shane’s kindness and hospitality; she felt bad for leaving so quickly, but she knew she had to keep moving. At least with the Winchesters, she could do that and have companionship going with her.

She smiled lightly as she stared out the Impala window, grateful she found something good. It wasn’t long before she dozed off across the back seat, an arm draped across Anaya.

Sam caught a glimpse of her sleeping and nudged Dean, nodding his head towards the back with a fond smile on his face. Dean glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled at the peaceful smile look on Elliana’s face.

Her form shivered ever so slightly and Sam shrugged off his flannel shirt and draped it over Ellie, resting a hand on her shoulder and giving it a light squeeze before sitting back in his seat. Ellie had begun thinking more highly of the boys, and they had started thinking the same of her.

Chapter 3 ->

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Dolph Ziggler Was Almost Kurt Angle's Protegee, But Ended Up In The Spirit Squad

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Dolph Ziggler Was Almost Kurt Angle's Protegee, But Ended Up In The Spirit Squad

Dolph Ziggler has come a long way since starting in WWE. His first gimmick was a caddy for Charvo Guerrero Jr’s “Kerwin White” character. He was then repackaged into a member of a troupe of male cheerleaders.

Before The Spirit Squad became a reality, Ziggler was told WWE had a much more exciting plan for him. He discussed this turn in his career’s path during Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia. Zigger joked about being frustrated with WWE “twelve of the thirteen years I’ve been here,” before going into one early instance where the company’s creative decisions didn’t go to his liking.

“A little before I got called up to do the Spirit Squad I was told by the in-between when you’re hearing you’re gonna get called up to WWE, the main roster. They were like, ‘hey they really like that you have an amateur wrestling background’ and I had my crew cut, my military haircut. They go, ‘it’s great that you have no tattoos, we’re kinda looking at you as Kurt Angle’s protegee or something.’

“If Kurt Angle hadn’t won that gold medal and came to WWE I might not have even got a chance. But because he was so good and he did so well when he got here they’re like, ‘maybe we can give some smaller guys a try and because of him I got a chance to work here. And they go, hey maybe we consider you as his protegee and I go, ‘what? This is the craziest thing ever!’ Cut to four weeks later and I’m a cheerleader with four other guys, but still the thought was there that maybe that was gonna happen.”

The Spirit Squad was a heel faction that drew a massive amount of heat from the fans. Their run consisted of working with top names in pro wrestling which helped them along immensely. Ziggler continued to discuss how The Spirit Squad was seen as a joke, yet they were still in the main event.

“It just became a rotating cast of legends. It was like Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Piper, Ric Flair and it never ended and it was like, ‘Woah.’ We were learning stuff that other people didn’t get a chance to learn like on a regular basis we were very spoiled. We were kinda seen as jokes but also we were fighting DX in the main event of a pay-per-view in a cage or something.”

Ziggler knew The Spirit Squad couldn’t last forever. He saw it as a second chance with WWE after being fired as White’s caddy. All the while, Ziggler knew he had to step it up and give WWE a reason to keep him around.

“When we finished the Caddy I go, ‘aw I’m fired, okay… oh I get a second chance I’m gonna try to do everything I can if this is it,’ even being a cheerleader bummed me out, but I go: ‘if this is it I’m gonna give them every opportunity to go we need this guy on the roster.’ So we did the year, I tried to learn everything I could. I was still okay but at a year-and-a-half in, two years… you can be okay but not great you know.

“Then that came to an end and they go, ‘don’t worry we have plans for you guys. One of you guys doesn’t really know what you’re doing yet we’ll worry about him later but we have some plans’ and next week we were not at TV. Then travel is canceled and I go, ‘okay if I get fired now I did everything I could, we did a year run where I listened to everybody I tried to have psychology, tired to learn everything.

“I go, ‘but if I get a chance to get called back I wanna be the best wrestler they have that there’s no reason for me to ever get taken off the roster again or fired or anything. So I went from the three practices a day I was doing to five practices a day and going to OVW shows and going there early and having a practice match in the ring before the show started.

“I just wanted to have every — if they give me a chance I don’t want them to have a reason to send me back. That’s what drove me to be better than I should be. It was half the time we were a joke but half the time we were in main events of pay-per-views and with five of us we could make up for it.”

After DX and Ric Flair defeated The Spirit Squad in a five-on-three handicap match on November 27th, 2006, the faction of male cheerleaders was disbanded. Triple H and Shawn Michaels placed The Spirit Squad in a crate stamped with “OVW, Louisville, Kentucky” and the group was off WWE television after that. He went on to discuss why WWE decided to break up the faction and what they were told beforehand.

“For months they go, ‘any day this could be over’ and then when they said that we’d go win the Tag Titles and go do something else so you never know,” Ziggler said when he was asked if he was told why the Spirit Squad was broken up. “It was to get another team some heat in a third-teir for a story on the main event of the show and then that was the end of us. I said, ‘that didn’t really help us, but you know we had a year run.'”

If you use any portion of the quotes in this article please credit Chasing Glory With Lilian Garcia with a H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcription

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