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justmypartner · 3 years

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Safe - 8x14 Speculation Fic

Writer’s Note: The idea for this came from the 8x14 synopsis, and while it technically still is a speculation fic, I don’t imagine the episode happening exactly like this. However, I did use what I’ve seen from bts photos and videos, as well as things Tracy has said in interviews to develop some of the scenes/details. This is probably my favorite piece that I’ve written in a while, so I hope you enjoy & thank you for reading!

Hailey rustled through her closet looking for her black wedged boots, trying her best to hurry as she knew Jay was waiting for her in the kitchen. She wasn’t much of a boot with a heel kind of girl, but she and Jay had special plans and she wanted to look nicer than usual. While they had been together for months, that night was the first time they were going on a proper date. They each decided at the beginning of their relationship that with both of their histories, they wanted to keep things simple and to themselves, which meant a lot of take-out and a lot of nights alone in their apartments. However, after Hailey mentioned something in passing about their clandestine time together starting to feel restrictive, Jay made plans at a fancy restaurant where he knew they wouldn’t run into any of their fellow team members.

“I don’t mean to rush you, but our reservation is in 45 minutes and it will take us about 30 to get there,” Jay said softly, peeking his head around the door frame.

“I know, I know. I’m trying to- finally!” she shouted upon finding the boots in the corner of her closet. She brought a knee into her chest as she pulled a boot onto her foot before switching to the other leg and doing the same.

“Okay, I just need to get my phone and wallet and then I’ll be-“ her words were cut short as she caught sight of him for the first time that evening. He was wearing a dress shirt with a light jacket, and his dark jeans curled over the top of a pair of black dress boots. It was much different from his typical, rugged workwear, but she took note of how well the look suited him.

“Wow you clean up nice, Halstead,” she told him with a dimpled smile as he blushed, extending a hand down to help her rise from the floor. Once she was standing, the small space between them closed quickly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing her lips to his briefly. While the heels added extra height, she still needed to raise on her tiptoes to meet his mouth.

“Not too bad yourself, Detective,” he uttered as her lips pulled away. His hands grasped her waist, holding her steady as she remained on her toes. They stayed pressed against one another for a moment looking into each other’s eyes, and just when he was about to go in for another kiss, she fell on her heels and pressed the tips of her fingers against his chest.

“Normally, I would indulge in this further, but we’re going to miss our reservation and I’m starving,” she teased, moving past him to retrieve her phone, keys, and wallet, along with her jacket slung over the back of the couch.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Hailey was charmed by how nice it was. It was far different from the usual dive bars and pubs they went to after work, and part of her even felt like it was too nice for them to be at.

“Halstead, party of 2,” he told the hostess, holding up 2 fingers with the hand that wasn’t intertwined with Hailey’s.

A stifled smile came across her face and she nodded her head towards the floor as they waited for someone to guide them to their table. It seemed surreal to be standing in the middle of a fancy restaurant with him, holding his hand and waiting to be seated for a romantic dinner. She couldn’t tell if it was because of how long she secretly pined over him or if it was because being with Jay felt like her first real love story, but there were many moments when being with him felt like some fantasy, and that moment was one of them. At one point in time, being with him was something she only dreamt about. It was a thought that crossed her mind when his gaze lingered a little longer than it should or when an accidental touch sent her heart racing. Before they took that leap, she worried being with him would mean giving up being his partner. It was that fear that made her keep her feelings bottled up for so long, but as they proved time and time again, as partners, as lovers, and as both - they were good together. She turned her head and placed a light kiss on his shoulder. It was a tangible reminder that he was hers to kiss, but it also grounded her in that moment that felt like just another dream.

The dinner itself was incredible. Hailey officially added the restaurant to her list of favorite food spots in Chicago, and they spent the entire meal giggling and sharing stories they had never shared before. By the end of it, Jay was stuffed, but Hailey insisted they order a dessert, her sweet tooth getting the best of her. Jay teased her for ordering the lava cake, the most indulgent option on the menu, but she was able to tease him right back when he asked the waiter for a second spoon when it was brought to the table.

Just as Jay was about to pay the check, his phone began to ring, Voight’s name popping up across the screen as he pulled out his wallet.

“Uh oh,” Hailey said as he picked it up to answer. Jay spoke with their boss briefly, mainly nodding his head and muttering brief affirmations every few seconds.

“I think she’s out tonight, but I can call her and swing by to pick her up wherever she is,” Jay said, shooting Hailey a wide-eyed look as he quickly came up with an excuse as to why they’d be riding in together all dressed up.

“Alright hot stuff, as much as I’d like to keep this night going, it seems we caught a case,” he told her, as he stood from his chair. He took out his wallet, counting out enough money to cover the check and tip before resting the bills under his glass on the table.

“At least we made it through dessert,” she said, sending him a childlike smile.

“Oh, that was dessert? I had something else in mind for that,” he replied smugly, Hailey’s face turning bright red at his suggestive words.

“Oh really?” She questioned, taking a step towards him to close the gap between them. “You’d better clean up that mind before we get to the scene,” she whispered with a chuckle, twirling around swiftly and making her way towards the door as he shook his head at her tease. His hand found the small of her back as they made their way out the door, and he placed a kiss against her temple, knowing it would probably be the last display of affection he could show before they had to enter partner mode.

When they arrived at the house, Kevin and Voight were outside talking to a few patrol officers. Hailey’s mood had changed drastically upon arriving at the scene. She couldn’t explain why, but she felt uneasy as she jumped out of the truck and secured her badge and gun to her hip.

As they approached, Kevin pursed his lips together and let out a two-tone whistle as he caught sight of Hailey.

“Damn girl, sorry to pull you away from whatever had you all cleaned up,” he told her, cocking his head to the side as she shook her head at him with a smirk. Her eyes caught sight of Voight’s as they darted between her and Jay and she became nervous, imagining that he was putting two and two together. She decided to change the subject quickly before any further comments could ensue.

“Oh, shut up,” she told him. “What do we got?” She asked, spinning her head around the scene and taking in the myriad of patrol cars.

“I think it’s something you have to unfortunately see for yourself. I do have to say, you might want to brace yourself for this one,” he said, turning to lead them inside. Jay and Hailey met eyes, sharing a look of concern before turning and following Kevin and Voight inside.

Walking through the front door, they collectively grimaced at the overwhelming smell of blood that tinged their noses. They hesitantly made their way deeper into the house and Hailey’s heart dropped when she caught sight of a family of four, a couple and their two kids, all tied up and shot dead on the living room floor. That uneasy feeling from before suddenly made sense. She clenched her jaw, groaning at the sight as she looked away, recognizing the same unsettled look in the face of each of her fellow officers.

“What the hell happened here?” Jay asked, looking over at Kevin for the answer.

“This is the second home invasion robbery in this neighborhood this week. Robbery-homicide has been working these guys since the first one, but so far they’ve come up with no leads. Whoever these guys are, they’re professionals. It’s a two-man crew, they come in through the back, dressed head to toe in dark attire, get what they need, kill the family, and get out. They’re in and out in less than 10 minutes and they’ve got a getaway driver who knows how to avoid traffic cameras. Robbery-homicide tells me these guys killed a family of three earlier this week, and that the dad had bruises on his body in addition to the gunshot wound that killed him. Now, what’s interesting is in this case, the mom is the one with these bruises. These families were definitely targeted, we’re just not sure how or why,” he explained causing them each to frown.

While Kevin explained the case, Hailey fell silent as the details brought her back to a string of cases she had worked during her time in robbery-homicide. She spent weeks chasing after a crew targeting families who had shopped at a high-end jewelry store, only that connection was missed for the first half of the investigation. By the time she and her team had finally caught on to why the families were being targeted, four families had already been killed, five kids below the age of ten among the victims. Hailey beat herself up for months knowing if they had caught onto the pattern sooner, they could have saved more of the families - more of the kids. This case sounded eerily similar, and she was bound to not let history repeat itself.

“How’d we catch this if robbery-homicide was on it?” Jay asked, shoving his hands in his pockets as his gaze intentionally avoided the gruesome scene before them.

“Miller assigned it to us. She wanted a fresh pair of eyes. She’s getting a lot of heat from the press about there being no leads, especially since this is a high-end neighborhood. Plus, these guys have already killed three tender-aged kids. I want the animals on a stick,” Voight replied straightly.

“Do we know what they’re after?” Hailey asked, her brain already working to establish a connection.

“No, and that’s what’s given our robbery-homicide guys so much trouble. The only connection is that both families have had pretty high-tech safes somewhere in the house. Last house it was in a bedroom closet, but this one was in the basement. It seems like these guys make their way in, beat the location and combo of the safe out of one of the parents, get what they need, and off the entire family before hauling ass out,” Kevin told them.

“Well, I’ve worked cases like this one before. If we’re going to get anywhere, we need to figure out what it was they wanted and how they knew about it. We’re on a time crunch now, because it’s only a matter of time before these guys strike again,” she said, turning and leaving the house without waiting for any of their responses.

After leaving the scene, they all made their way back to the district to go over the files robbery-homicide had sent over. They browsed over the files for a couple of hours before Voight sent them home, needing them to rest up and refresh before they dove completely into the case the next day. The familiarity of the case was itching at Hailey, but as much as she wanted to see something that everyone else was missing, she came up short in every place she looked.

The next morning, she and Jay got coffee together. She had been quiet since they caught the case. Jay picked up on her shift in mood that occurred from the restaurant to the scene, but he left it alone to give her the space she seemed to need. He eventually built up the nerve to ask what was wrong. She told him about her old case and how much it meant to catch the guys and quickly. He agreed, admitting to her how much seeing those dead kids struck a nerve. He reassured her they would catch them one way or another. As they walked out of the coffee shop, a call came over the radio:

Units over the city-wide, we got calls of a home invasion. 1433 N State Street

“Gold Coast, that’s the same neighborhood as the other home invasions, you think that’s our guys?” Jay asked looking over at Hailey as he held the radio up.

“Could be, let’s roll on it,” she told him, rushing towards his truck as he followed, telling dispatch they were taking the call.

They rolled up to the scene, carefully clearing the house together, but they arrived too late, and the offenders were gone. They found the couple who lived there in the same position as the last two families, only they still had a pulse. Hailey tried asking them what the offenders were after, but all she got were incoherent mutterings from each victim. They both died before ambulances could arrive, but just the same as the other cases, only the husband had signs of bruising in addition to the gunshot wound, and a safe was found in the back of a linen closet. While crime techs combed the house, Hailey made her way out to the back garden, finding a hose to rinse the victim’s blood from her hands. Her hands were shaking so much, she couldn’t quite scrub enough to get them clean. Jay caught sight of her through the window and wade his way out to her, grabbing her hands in his to steady them. She looked up at him as he nodded his head, taking the hose and helping her scrub her hands clean. Once they were clear, he held her hands in his for a minute longer, quickly releasing them when someone cleared their throat behind them. When they turned around Voight was standing there, his hands deep in his pockets, eyeing the two of them as they took a step back from one another. If he didn’t know about them before, he definitely did then.

“You get anything new on these guys?” He asked, a knowing look plastered across his face.

“No, Sarge. They were gone by the time we pulled up,” Jay told him, dropping the hose to the ground.

“Well, get back to it. We’ve wasted enough time as it is, we’ve got to catch these guys,” he said bluntly, turning and making his way back into the house. The two of them stayed there frozen, shaking their heads at how careless they had been to let him walk up on them like that.

Back at the district, they scrubbed the lives of all of the victims, still coming up with no connection between any of them. Nighttime arrived once again with no leads and no suspects, so they decided to call it and head home. That night, Hailey laid awake, tossing and turning for hours. She tried every method she knew to fight off the insomnia that had kept her restless, but nothing was able to lull her into a slumber. It was the case that was keeping her up, and her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling while a million theories circulated through her mind. Something about it just didn’t make sense, and she couldn’t shake the idea that they had been missing an obvious connection. The faces of the couple she tried to save earlier that day remained at the forefront of her mind, and after a while of fighting off the urge to get out of bed and chase that gut feeling, she finally slipped out from the grasp of Jay’s limp arm, carefully retreating from the bed as to not wake him. She made her way over to her closet, pulling on a pair of jeans and slipping a sweatshirt over her head before grabbing her badge and gun from the nightstand and sliding her phone into her back pocket. She made her way to her office, retrieving a sticky note and pen to write Jay a message letting him know where she was going.

Couldn’t sleep. Gone back to the district, needed to go over the case again. ♡

She tiptoed back into the bedroom and placed the note on her pillow where she knew he’d see if he happened to wake up. She grabbed her coat and opened the front door, slowly guiding it closed on her way out, still trying her best to be as quiet as possible. She wasn’t sure what she would be looking for when she arrived at the district, but she had hoped that studying it alone and in the quietness of the empty bullpen would provide her with a new perspective. She made herself a cup of coffee before walking over to her desk and opening up every file they had on the case. She paced the floor of the empty space, flipping through files and studying photos until she was sure there was nothing to see. Finally, she hoisted herself onto the top of her desk, pulling her knees into her chest and eyeing the board for something they may have been missing. Suddenly, she heard the beeping of the keypad and the clanging of the door opening and closing downstairs. She checked her phone to see the time. It was 4 am, and she couldn’t imagine who else would be up that early. She did a double-take as Jay made his way around the corner, a look of exhaustion on his face as he sent her a lazy smile.

“What are you doing here?” She asked him, unclasping her hands from around her knees and pulling herself to the edge of the desk.

“Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing,” he said with a smirk, pulling his jacket from his shoulders and resting it on the back of her desk chair.

“I couldn’t sleep. Something about this case was keeping me up, so I figured instead of lying in bed and staring at the ceiling for hours I would try and make myself useful. You didn’t have to come check on me. I’m fine,” she told him, the corners of her lips curling up into a reassuring smile as he came to stand over her.

“I couldn’t go back to sleep once I realized you were gone,” he told her softly with a slight pout before turning to lean on the desk beside her. “So, what have you figured out?” He asked, his attention turning to the board before them. She sighed, crossing her arms and staring at the crime scene photos as he waited for her response.

“I don’t know. I mean these families have no connections. The kids all go to different schools, they all work at completely different places, they don’t even shop at the same stores, I can’t seem to figure out where their lives intersect, so I just don’t understand why they’re being targeted,” she ran down, looking over at Jay whose eyes surveyed the information on the board.

“Maybe it’s about more than just the robbery. I mean they’re taking time to kill every member of the family, including the kids. Unless these guys are just straight-up psychopaths, it sounds like whatever is going on could be personal,” Jay suggested, looking over at his partner whose eyes were transfixed on one particular photo on the case board. His words sparked something in her, and she caught sight of the words Resurgence Tech written in bold font on a magnet on the refrigerator from the second crime scene. She knew the name was familiar, but she couldn’t remember how.

She pulled out the files from each of the cases and found what she was looking for. An email address registered in the husband’s name from the first robbery ending in resurgencetech.co. Looking at the other files, she was able to establish a connection between all of them leading back to a company previously known as Resurgence Tech. As she and Jay investigated through the night, they were able to figure out what was being stolen and why it was worth killing over. Resurgence Tech was a company co-founded by four individuals, Ryan Ethers, victim of the first robbery, Scarlett Jameson, victim of the second, Max Lin, victim from the third, and Lianne Meadows, who lived in a house in the Gold Coast District close to the previous victims. Five years prior, Resurgence Tech created a breakthrough idea for a high-tech medical device that had the potential to significantly change the practice of medicine. However, after hours of gathering information and records, the two detectives found out that the design was actually stolen from two brothers who had developed the original idea for a project they were working on in college. Resurgence used their power and influence to discredit the claims of the brothers, blacklisting them from the entire industry, and eventually pulling the design before it could ever meet the market. Not long after, Resurgence shut down for good, liquidating its assets and washing its hands of its shady actions for good. Digging deeper into the four co-founders of Resurgence and knowing more about where to look, Hailey and Jay were able to find email exchanges between them all discussing what to do with the patent plans for the stolen design in case there ever came a time to reintroduce the tech to the market. The strategy was to split the plans between the four of them, each keeping a piece locked up on a thumb drive hidden in a safe.

As soon as the sun rose that morning, Hailey called Voight and the rest of the team to come in. She explained the connection and identified the brothers as suspects, describing how the robberies must have been to obtain the thumb drives and get vengeance for the way Resurgence screwed them over. The situation had a significant impact on the brothers’ lives, leading them to turn to a life of crime, describing how they got connected with an armed robbery crew, and began pulling jobs across the city before getting caught only a year after Resurgence blacklisted them from the tech industry. They were released early due to overcrowding and good behavior, so they got out, hacked into the emails of the individuals that ruined their lives, and found out the design was out there, still viable to be profited from. Running on anger and revenge and using the skills they developed in their time with the robbery crew, they sought to take back what was theirs. They were operating under the theory that the two brothers were committing the crimes, and a guy that used to run with them in their old robbery crew was taking on the role as the getaway driver.

“Well, let’s go scoop ‘em up,” Voight said upon hearing the rundown of the case.

“Sarge, as much as I want to bring these guys in, we don’t have any evidence on them. There’s been no DNA, no prints, no witnesses tying these guys to these cases. There’s no way they’re going to talk, and if we bring them in, they’re just going to get released even if we keep them for the full 48 hours. By then they’ll have already made plans to run,” Jay said.

“These guys have killed nine people, three of those people being little kids. If we don’t act now, they’re going to strike again and that’s going to be blood on our hands. We bring them in, and we make them talk. I don’t care if we have to threaten them, or if we get ‘em to flip on each other. Either way, we’re not just going to sit around and wait for something to happen on this one. Not when we’ve got a pile of bodies growing the longer we sit here with our thumbs up our asses. So, Hailey, Jay, I want you two going to pick these guys up,” Voight bit back, a distinct annoyance in his voice. He had been on edge throughout the entirety of the case, but his temper seemed to have only increased after walking up on Jay and Hailey at the scene a day prior.

As much as Hailey wanted to side with Voight, she knew Jay was right. Bringing them in with no evidence and no witnesses placing them at any of the scenes would only guarantee them getting to walk, something she was determined to not let happen.

“Sarge, we can’t,” she muttered, swallowing what felt like a rock in her throat as his face fell with bitter surprise.

“What?” He challenged, his head dropping down as he cut his eyes at her.

“Jay is right. We can’t just jump on these guys with no evidence or else we risk losing them for good. I know you want to get these guys quick, but there’s got to be a better play,” she replied, taking note of the uncomfortable looks expressed by the other Intelligence members who quietly observed the interaction from the other side of the room. She watched as he pulled the inside of his cheek between his teeth.

“Remind me, who’s the sergeant of this unit?” The question carried a great deal of weight, and everyone in the room fell silent as his eyes travelled between each of the five intelligence members. “You don’t have to agree with what I say, but there’s a chain of command here and I expect you to listen to me. Now, unless there’s another sergeant in this unit I’m unaware of, I’m in charge. So, I’m only going to say this one last time. Jay, Hailey, go pick these guys up. I have to go update Miller on what’s going on. Those guys better be sitting in interrogation when I get back. End of,” he roared, making his way past the officers who remained frozen in place.

While Adam, Kevin, and Kim went back to work, Hailey grabbed her jacket, heading down the hallway out to the parking lot to follow the sergeant’s orders.

“Hailey, wait,” Jay called after her, grabbing her arm and pulling her into the observation room where he knew the others wouldn’t be able to hear them.

“What?” She questioned, a look of concern on her face as he silently thought through his words.

“I think I have another play,” he told her.

“Jay, he seemed- “she began before he cut her off.

“No, I know, but you know I’m right. We bring these guys in now and these families will never get the justice they deserve. We know there’s only one family left on their list, Lianne Meadows. The only move we have left is to catch these guys in the act. I say we sit on her house and wait for the robbery to go down, snatch them up, and then we have the guns tying them to the other cases and we have leverage to get them to flip if we need to,” Jay told her, the look in his eyes pleading with her to agree.

She knew Jay was right, but she also knew what going against Voight’s orders would mean. By that point, it was safe to assume he knew about their relationship. She knew that alone would be cause for him to assign them to different partners or even to different units. Teaming up and going against him would only increase the chances of him pulling the trigger on that. From the start of the case, she knew she wanted to catch the guys no matter what, but she never imagined it would involve making a decision that could possibly jeopardize her partnership with Jay. Every part of her knew his way was the only option that gave them a chance of making things right, yet she knew there would be a cost to them both going against Voight’s orders.

“You’re right… but let me do it alone,” she told him, causing him to frown at her words.

“What? No, I can’t let you go after these guys by yourself,” he argued, a combination of concern and annoyance in his voice.

“Jay, if we do this together it’s only going to give him reason to split us up. I have a feeling we’re already on his hit list after everything that has happened these past few days, and if he sees that we’re siding with each other… going rogue against his orders? He could reassign us partners, or worse, ship one of us off again. You, this partnership, our relationship, it all means too much to me to risk. If I go alone, only I take the fall, and he doesn’t have reason to use our relationship against us,” Hailey told him, moving a hand to his chest as she spoke.

Pushing him away and crossing that line by herself was the only way she knew how to protect both their relationship and their partnership. With her history of crossing lines, she had hoped it would just seem like another questionable decision she made all on her own, and he wouldn’t have reason to punish both of them by splitting them up.

“Hailey, I’m not just letting you go there without backup,” he finally said, his jaw set tightly as he peered into her eyes.

“I’ll have Trudy assign some patrol guys for backup. That way you and the others don’t take fall back from Voight, but I won’t be going in alone,” she replied, moving the hand from his chest to cup his face. “I’ll be fine,” she told him.

He nodded hesitantly before sliding his fingers down her arm and wrapping his hand around hers.

“Be careful,” he insisted, squeezing her hand lightly.

“Of course,” she nodded back before opening the door and disappearing down the hall.

She sat out front of the house, the patrol officers waiting a street over for her signal. It had been about an hour and she had already dodged two calls from Voight. Her patience was running thin with every minute that passed without a sign of the crew. Then, she spotted a dark van creeping down the street and she slumped down in her seat, trying to avoid being seen. As the van approached the house, two men rolled out of the back door as the van maintained a low speed before stopping down at the end of the street. The second the men made it around the back of the house, Hailey radioed the patrol guys, climbing out of her car and drawing her weapon as she followed the offenders around the back. When the patrol guys caught up, she nodded to one of them, signaling them to open the back door and enter the home. The second they made it through the doorway, they were catching fire. Hailey took cover behind a door frame, keying her radio attached to her vest.

“10-1, 10-1, shots fired at the police, 1327 N Dearborn Street. Be advised patrol and plainclothes officers on scene,” she yelled into the radio, securing her free hand back on her gun before motioning the officers to press forward. They made their way into the house, carefully clearing each room as they passed through. When they made it to the front of the house, she caught sight of one of the guys escaping out the front door.

“5021 Henry I’m in foot pursuit of a suspect in an alleyway going west across the street from the original location,” she called out into the radio as she pumped her legs with each step, trying to control her breath as she chased after the suspect. He rounded a corner and she slowed down, holding her gun out to peer around the corner before continuing the pursuit. The next thing she knew, her gun was being kicked out of her hands and she was being thrown against the wall, hitting the side of her head against brick and feeling blood trickle down her face. She brought a knee up into her attacker’s groin, giving her a brief opening to connect an elbow with the side of his head. Falling to the ground, the man grabbed at her ankle, bringing her down with him before grabbing hold of her vest and laying a fist into her jaw. The blow sent her backward, shooting pain into the side of her face. She caught sight of her gun on the ground a few feet away and went to crawl for it, but he grabbed at her leg, drawing her backward toward him as she stretched her fingertips towards the handle. He was stronger than her, and he managed to pull her back enough to regain hold of her vest, winding up to lay another fist into her face. Before he could, she wrapped a leg around his, twirling him over so she was hovering over him. She began laying fist after fist into his masked face until she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, sending her elbow backwards towards the person. It was grabbed instantly, and she wiggled in the grasp before turning around and taking in the familiar green eyes of her partner.

“Hailey, we got him,” he said, holstering his gun and grabbing her by each arm to pull her up from the ground. Kim came from behind him, removing the mask from the offender and rolling him over to place him in cuffs. Meanwhile, Jay wrapped Hailey in his arms, bringing his chin down to her head as they swayed together in an embrace. Her breath was heavy and shaky, and she felt tears pool at the corners of her eyes. She was overwhelmed by everything that had just happened, but his arms wound tightly around her helped steady her breathing.

“It’s okay Hailey, you’re safe. I’ve got you,” he reassured her through a whisper. She took comfort in his words, and despite the pain surging through her head, she buried it deeper into his chest.

Luckily, they had reached the target and her family in time before the offenders could do any harm. Hailey went to Med to get her head checked out. A few stitches and several scans later, she was cleared, making her way back to the district to take whatever repercussions Voight had in store for her. The second she made it up the stairs, everyone’s eyes fell on her and she just flashed them a gentle smile and nod, signaling to them she was okay. Voight came to the doorway of his office, and she didn’t miss a beat heading straight towards him. However, just before she reached the door, his attention shifted over towards Jay at his desk.

“You too, Jay,” was all the sergeant said before turning and moving back into his office. Jay stood, making his way over and closing the door behind him before coming to stand beside Hailey across from the Voight’s desk. He looked over at them silently for a moment, Hailey setting her jaw tightly as she braced for whatever was to come.

“Are we just making a habit out of disobeying me and questioning my orders? Is that what we’re doing now?” He asked them. They remained silent. “Because if that’s what we’re doing and you’ve got a problem with how I run things, there’s the door. You can get out right now,” he told them sternly.

“Sarge, we needed to get those guys. Catching them in the act was the only way. I did what I had to do to make sure those families got justice,” Hailey said, her eyes remaining fixed with his.

“I told you to pick them up, bring them in, and instead you went your own way, putting that family, yourself, and a couple of patrol officers at risk. I could suspend you over this,” he argued, a distinct tension building in his voice.

“Sarge, it was my idea. If anyone deserves punishment, it’s me,” Jay admitted, causing Hailey’s head to swivel his direction, a cross look on her face as the words left his mouth.

“No, that’s not… Look, I went there on my own. I’m the only one to blame here,” Hailey argued causing him to shake his head before them.

“Okay, look. I know there’s something going on between you two, I have known for a while,” the second the words left his mouth, their eyes met briefly, and they both swallowed hard before turning back to him. “I decided to turn a blind eye because you two were able to keep it strictly professional here at work as far as I was concerned. But what happened today, what’s happening right now… this lying to me and covering for each other is not welcome in my unit. This is your warning and it’s the only one you’re going to get. As long as I’m in charge of this unit, you listen to me. You don’t go off-book, you don’t go behind my back because you disagree with what I say, and you certainly don’t let whatever is going on between you two change the way you make decisions. I know you guys are going to have each other’s backs… as partners and as whatever else, but the second that trumps having my back and the team's back, the way it did today, it undermines my authority and puts all of us at risk. If anything happens again like what happened today, you’re both done, and I’ll make sure you never work in the same unit again. Is that clear?” He asked them.

“Understood,” Jay replied.

“Yes, Sarge,” Hailey uttered, her heart rate dropping significantly with relief.

They drove home that night in silence, partly from exhaustion and partly from trying to process everything that had happened in the past 72 hours. Three days ago, they were on their first official date, celebrating their relationship for what felt like the first time, and now they were coming down from what could have easily been the end of their job and their partnership. Even though she hated the way it had to go down, she stood by having Jay’s back and trying to protect their relationship, even if it meant muddying the waters between them and Voight. From the start of the case, she was determined to catch the guys, chasing a small sense of redemption she felt she needed for that case she worked so many years prior. She wasn’t happy about everything that happened, particularly everything that went wrong, but she was able to save a family and get some form of justice for the others, and she stood by that firmly. It wasn’t the first time she had challenged Voight or crossed lines, but it was the first time she was genuinely fearful of the consequences. She was just glad her fears didn’t come to fruition. She looked over at Jay in the driver’s seat, and she remembered the way he told her she was safe after pulling her from the attacker only hours prior. Safe wasn’t something she had felt often in her life, but she certainly felt it when she was with him. She smiled to herself in the dark, satisfied to know that at least for that day, despite everything that happened, their relationship and their partnership were two things she could still consider safe.

#upstead #jay x hailey #hailey x jay #chicago pd #hailey upton #jay halstead #upstead fic

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teamhook · 4 years

Text

CSSNS 2019 Rionnag Dorcha Gorm (Dark Blue Star) 4/4

Hello all!

This is my contribution to this year’s @cssns

I know my other story is still going on and it will find it’s ending, but since I cannot say no to @kmomof4 here I am, once more.

I wanna thank the lovely ladies at the CSSNS Discord. I love chatting with you all.

I wanna thank the mods of CSSNS19, my lovely very patient Beta @searchingwardrobes and my artist for the event @hollyethecurious

This is it guys. Final Chapter!!

Tagging: @hookedonapirate @let-it-raines @profdanglaisstuff @seriouslyhooked @resident-of-storybrooke @revanmeetra87 @killianjonesownsmyheart1 @snowbellewells @gingerchangeling @ultraluckycatnd @shireness-says @sherlockianwhovian @stahlop @branlovestowrite @kymbersmith-90 @ilovemesomekillianjones

AO3

FFN

The next day, the day of the Founder's Gala on the outskirts of town, at the edge of the forest surrounded by shadows, Hester Blue's anger grew. The town was celebrating her killers. At that moment her thirst for vengeance consumed her. She would make them all pay.

The town was in a buzz with everyone doing last minute things to make sure the event was a success.

Emma and Killian had a battle plan. Belle was going to babysit Leo in Killian's room. Ruby was going to guide Emma and Killian into the forest entrance. They were prepared with some high powered flashlights, two shovels, water bottles, and a few snacks. They also had some salt and lighter fluid, and his new weapon: the hook from his father's ship. Emma had a simple crowbar. The books and video clips from the longest-running supernatural show had taught them what tools they would need on this mission. Good thing the objects they needed were easy to find rock salt to purify a corpse before burning the bones. Killian wasn't sure why they might need to purify a corpse, but he wasn't taking any chances.

Leo wasn't happy about staying behind, but he understood. Emma had explained to him why he couldn't go. They needed to cover as much ground as possible without any distractions.

Emma had also called on Robin, Liam's best friend to borrow his Jeep to get around the tougher terrain of the forest. It had been a brief reunion between Killian and Robin. He had offered to go with them, but with his wife sick, Emma and Killian had insisted he shouldn't leave her and their son alone.

They had started their quest at sunrise. The three were pacing themselves to avoid getting too tired since there was still a lot of ground to cover. They had lucked out - in the diaries, there had been a description of the location. Their only hope was for the scenery to not have changed much. It was crazy to think so, but stranger things had happened in the town.

Emma figured it had been guilt that led her great-great-grandmother to write about the injustice done to the poor woman. So they walked closely together up to the toll bridge, and then Ruby was urged to go back to town.

No one ventured further into the woods because the atmosphere changed drastically beyond that point. Everything seemed eerily dark and quiet. Hours had passed, and they had yet to reach their destination. There was no sound even as their feet crushed the leaves and branches on the ground. No birds chirped; no signs of life could be heard at all. The shadows played tricks on them. Killian was on high alert with his hook ready to strike. Emma was holding on to her crowbar. It felt as if they had entered a different dimension. The air was thicker, making it hard to breathe. They followed the landmarks mentioned in the diary. It had taken them most of the day, but they had reached their destination or so they hoped if the old beat up cabin was any indication. Emma scanned the area. It was simply too quiet. She noticed a withering tree next to the cabin.

The founder's gala is in full swing. It's the biggest celebration in town and nothing is left to chance.

Belle keeps a close eye on Leo. There's no way she is letting something happen to the boy. There's a sudden knock on the door, and Belle wonders if Ruby is back already. She opens the door, and Brennan Jones stands tall on the other side of the doorway. He smiles as soon as the door opens.

"Hello, I would like to have a word with my son."

"Oh, Killian isn't here." She checks to make sure Leo is still reading his book. "He won't be back for a while."

Brennan walks past Belle. "What is Leo Nolan doing here?"

"Mr. Jones, I think it's best if you leave. I will let Killian know you stopped by." Belle tries to push him out of the room.

"I'm not leaving until I speak to my son," Brennan states, thinking Belle is hiding Killian from him.

Leo looks up from his book and says, "Killian and Emma went to fight the monster to keep it from hurting me."

Brennan looks at Leo, then turns to Belle, "Monster? Is my son still telling that story?"

The lights flicker in the room for a second, allowing a shadow to appear. The inn's lighting is dated, frozen in time like all of Storybrooke. Leo halts as he notices the shadow become larger and thicker as it solidifies behind the older man.

Belle notices Leo's attention has been captured and follows his line of sight. Startled by what she sees, Belle grabs Leo and pushes him behind her. There's a large solid shadow behind Brennan Jones, and the man is oblivious to it. Brennan feels the little hairs on the back of his neck rise. He turns to the source of dread he is feeling.

Brennan freezes as he realizes that his son had told the truth all those years ago, that his beloved Alice was lost to him because of the thing in front of him. The rage in his heart ignites as he moves towards the monster that had torn his family apart. Hester evades the movement easily and turns to Leo with a wicked smile as she approaches the boy. Belle's small body seems to shrink in front of Hester's unnatural presence. She's no coward, but the phantasm kept moving. Brennan bypasses Hester, and pushes Belle and Leo out of the way. Hester's hands land on Brennan's body. He tries to bite back his scream he looks to Belle and Leo to mouth the word run which is ignored by the two as they stare at the man writhing in pain. Ruby bursts through the door holding an iron skillet from the kitchen. She swings at Hester, who releases Brennan and disappears.

Ruby turns to Belle and Leo. "She is real." She looks at the skillet and laughs "it worked."

Ruby nods at Belle to take Leo out of the room as she looks down at the man on the floor. She slowly approaches him, and he opens his eyes. "Please, tell Killian I'm sorry." His labored breath stills. His skin is red as if sunburnt. Ruby looks around at the room to make sure Hester is truly gone. She hasn't been back for long when she hears some scuffling upstairs. Luckily, she grabs the skillet before going upstairs.

Downstairs a rattled Belle is holding onto Leo so tightly that the little boy's eyes are wide. "Belle, is Mr. Jones okay?" The young boy sniffles.

"I don't know, Leo." She squeezes him. "The important thing is that you're okay."

Ruby comes down the stairs, "I'm going to have to call Graham."

Belle nods, "Okay, what are we going to say? I don't think we can say that a ghost attacked him."

Ruby sighs, "I know Belle, but we can't just leave him there. Granny will kill me. People need to know that they're in danger."

"She is not after everyone it's just some. There's no need to cause panic."

"Are you kidding me? Belle, I don't think Mr. Jones fits the victim criteria, but he is still dead. Emma and Killian told me what you all found and this Gala gives me a bad feeling. You know the attacks have escalated a whole lot more. Killian was attacked and now you and Leo. Mr. Jones is dead. That thing killed him."

Emma and Killian had been lucky finding the cabin so quickly. Emma's heart breaks for Hester as they snoop around it, for it must have been a lovely place to love but also lonely.

The tree beside the cottage is so huge, it defies logic. It has a thick tree stump, and the roots are so thick they appear to be cradling something. Perhaps protecting something- the body? That makes no sense, but apparently vengeful ghosts exist, so why not?

"Killian, do you think it knows we're here?"

They stand in front of the tree. "I hope not, because if she knows we're here, she knows why we're here."

Emma nods, "I'm just worried about Leo."

"I know you're worried about that lad, but I'm sure Belle is taking very good care of him. Besides, the equipment in that room has the best sensors money can buy."

After a few discussions, Belle and Ruby decide to call Graham. "In the end, they feel they don't really have a choice. After all, there's a dead body. The only disagreement was if they should mention Hester.

Graham arrives at the Inn to investigate the death, and after a quick look over the body, his first question has nothing to do with it. "Ruby, where's Emma?"

"She's with Killian, what does this have to do with the dead body?"

"Did you know he spent time in a mental institution? Where are they?"

"Wait a minute. Are you seriously suggesting Killian did this?" Ruby asks incredulously. "He wasn't even here."

"Ruby, answer the question. Emma could be in danger."

"This is bullshit and you know it. I don't think it's possible for Killian to be in two places at the same time. They went into the forest, beyond the toll bridge. So how did he do it, oh great detective?"

Graham only glares at her.

"Graham, this goes beyond your unrequited love for Emma. we need to cancel the Gala. Mr. Jones killer might attack again." Ruby sassed.

"Are you crazy? They would lynch me if I even suggested it. If the killer is not Killian, who is it?"

"Well, are you going to let them know that a descendant from one of the founder's members is dead?"

"Do you want me to say how he was found in his estranged son's room? And that he has very similar injuries to his first wife's?"

"You know perfectly well that Killian is not here and he was innocent then and now. This is just about Emma. You're seriously not going to warn them? You don't get it. I have a feeling this will not be the last death tonight if we don't at least try.."

"Ruby, warn the town about what? You're not making any sense"

Belle and Leo look at each other. They had been sitting quietly while Ruby talked, but fed up Leo yells, "It was the monster, she killed Mr. Jones. Killian didn't. The monster is going to hurt everyone and you don't care!" The young boy sniffles.

Ruby turns to Leo and smiles, "Come on, kid." Belle and Leo fall into place behind her as she faces Graham, "If you won't, I will!" The three of them storm out.

Graham stands over the body and decides to go looking for Emma and Killian.

After leaving Graham; Belle, Ruby, and Leo head towards the Gala to warn people. Leo gets on stage followed by Ruby and Belle, and the three of them try to explain the danger that's lurking in the dark. At first, no one believes them.

Abruptly the power goes out, and chaos ensues. Random people are screaming in pain. Mr. Midas pushes his daughter Kathryn out of the way from Hester's grasp and falls in her place.

George Spencer pulls a startled Ashley in front of him as Hester approaches him. The young girl's cries echo beyond the walls. The new Mrs. Jones falls too as she tries to help her. The great Mr. Spencer reaches for the doorknob at the emergency exit. He smirks as he opens the door: he made it. Sometimes collateral damage is necessary, what a pity, the girl was nice. Once the door is fully open, and he is finally going to cross the threshold, he turns his full attention only to find Hester waiting for him. She jabs her in hand his chest. The door slams shut behind him as his screams end quickly.

Ruby and Belle are trying to help people, but Leo is their priority. The boy is trying to find his parents. Leo, Belle, and Ruby narrowly escape Hester's wrath as they manage to find Mary Margaret and David to make a quick getaway. As they walk away they try not to think about how many of their friends they've lost - the carnage is too great to comprehend.

Emma and Killian have tried digging by the tree, but the roots were too thick. Dried sweat has made their hair stick to their faces. They've been going at it for hours, and it seems to make no difference. Emma is losing hope and her patience. "Killian, this isn't working. We need to get to that body soon."

"Aye, I know love." Killian keeps trying to dig. "If only we had something sharper."

The two suddenly turn to each other and at the same time say "the hook"

They had laid their belongings on the ground when they started digging. He goes to grab the hook and looks at the tip. It looks extremely sharp. So he goes back to work. The root has started to splinter.

The air has become thicker, making it hard to breathe. Killian turns to Emma. "I don't think we will be able to get the body out. We will have to burn the tree and hope that the body burns with it. Give me the salt."

Emma hands him the salt as she is taking deep breaths.

He pours it all over the crevices and pats it down. "Emma, let me have the lighter fluid." She hands him the can. He douses the tree's roots.

It doesn't take Graham long to track them.

"Graham, what are you doing here?" Emma asks, sweat making her body glisten.

"I came looking for Mr. Jones." He curtly answers.

Killian's brow raises as he plunges the hook on the tree root. "Mate, can't you see we're a little busy at the moment?"

"I have questions about your father."

"My father? I haven't crossed words with the man."

"Then explain to me, how is it I just left his body in your room?"

"His body, in my room?" Killian's heart beats faster.

"Yes, his body resembles the one of your mother."

Crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle…

"Sheriff, -crackle- come in -crackle- power out -crackle- we're -crackle- attack"

Emma and Killian turn to each other and say, "Hester." He resumes his work frantically, he needs to hurry.

Graham looks curiously at what Killian is doing.

"Graham, you know he couldn't have done any of that. We've been here all day." She sighs, "I don't want to argue. All I can say is that once we burn the body, the unexplainable deaths will end. My brother will be safe: him and all the children."

"Emma, I don't understand," Graham says.

Emma's green eyes get big as saucers, Graham turns to see what has captured her attention. Hester is moving towards them. Emma turns to Killian, "we're out of time, do it now!"

Graham is frozen in place.

Killian pours the remaining lighter fluid and turns a match as Hester makes her attack on Graham. His body drops to the ground lifeless.

The fire roars to life fast. Hester shrieks in pain as the tree and the exposed roots are engulfed by the fire, consuming the body as Hester starts to burn.

Emma locks eyes with her, "Your truth will be known."

Hester's body incinerates, her ashes ignite a fire that burns out of control. The flames quickly reaching the cabin she once called home, and soon it spreads throughout the forest that embraced her in her vengeance.

Emma and Killian start running as everything turns to ash. The fire cleansing the cursed forest.

After the massacre at the Gala, the truth about what had been done to Hester was revealed. Sadly the event had left a lot of families torn apart. The town embraced the ones left behind. Storybrooke had become peaceful and united.

Killian became his half brother's, Liam guardian. He left his life in Vegas behind and moved to Boston. His boss Nemo, and surrogate father followed soon after. He had become fond of the young boy who reminded him of a lost boy he met years ago.

Emma moved to Boston and joined the BPD. She shared a lovely apartment with the love of her life and his little brother. During the weekends they would visit her parents at the farm in Storybrooke. Her little brother, Leo was once again the happy little boy he used to be. The bond that Leo and Killian shared had only gotten stronger, although there was no monster haunting them.

Years later while visiting her grandparents, a young blonde girl is being tucked into bed by her loving parents. She is afraid because she has just lost her last baby tooth, and she's heard the scary stories. Her mother lovingly caresses her hair soothing her fears and pulls a gold coin from her pocket. Her father stands close behind her mother as he leans to kiss the top of his wife's head. "Hope, there's no need to be afraid anymore."

#Captain Swan #CS Crew #cssns19 #CS Mafia #kmomof4 #cs ff #cs au #cs au ff

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rothorns · 5 years

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Date: February 27th Time: 2:17 am Location: Pandora’s Apartment Status: Closed for @pandora-phan

How foolish he had been to believe himself worthy of the throne.

How foolish he’d been to believe himself capable of challenging his father. Damiano Montague— a man whose name alone is enough to strike fear into the heart of Verona, a mixture of absolute terror and reverence. But Verona did not know the Damiano he knew. Verona did not know him as her papà. They did not know what it felt like to have the goodness wrung from you until you can no longer breathe. They did not know what it felt like to be destroyed and rebuilt over and over, failing each and every time in the eyes of his father, and thus the cycle continued. He would never be good enough. Verona did not understand what it felt like to be chastised for having loved. Today— today was the day he’d selected to speak to his father. He’d begun with one drink to settle his nerves, but one led to two, and two led him to an empty bottle. But the nerves still remained. He was succumbing to his own doubt and insecurity, a byproduct of his father’s teachings that Damiano hadn’t anticipated. He was being suffocated with his own emotions. Roman could not go on like this. But out of fear of appearing weak— he isolated himself. Even in his drunken haze, he did not pick up the phone to call Marcelo, as emotions were seldom shared between the two (the times that they did were only the direst of situations), Bellamy and Lawrence— where exactly had the two of them been? Henry had enough on his own plate, and Dess— his lips coiled into a frown— didn't seem like she wanted to speak with him, and rightfully so. Pandora— they hadn't ever discussed something like this and surely not while Roman was in the condition that he was. But he knew, that if there was anyone who was capable of understanding his hesitation and be able to relate to it, then that person would be her. They were cut from similar cloths, after all, both a product of their parents' own desires, preparing them to take on Atlas' burden from the moment of their conception. He was always made to believe they were two drastically different people— yet both of their actions (or lack thereof, as their families did not typically afford such autonomy) had led them to this eerily similar path. And thus, it would be Pandora's apartment he would direct the taxi too, and her doorstep he would drunkenly stumble onto, wearing his self-loathing and vulnerability on his sleeve where his heart had once been. Roman hadn't wanted to knock— in fear of disturbing her and Mozerella at such an indecent hour, so he'd waited patiently upon texting Pandora. Who's to say she would even want him there? But his disoriented contemplation was interrupted by the sound of a door unlocking. A supreme comfort washed over him as he studied Pandora, more than he had ever anticipated. All the nerves and inhibitions were stripped away, but his vulnerability remained. With flushed cheeks, he stumbled into her apartment, emotions spiraling within him. “This... is me,” he began with outstretched arms. “This is me in my entirety. Never the soldier I was preordained to be. But a soft boy—” he says softly as if it were some sort of illness or disease. “—who would become a shell of a man. He tried every option imaginable to pry the softness from within me. But it was never extracted in its entirety. It has always been with me. Repressed, perhaps, but always there. Even after everything, all my mother has to say is that he does it out of love.” His voice is unsteady as recounts his mother's response. “My mother always wanted me to be good, you know? Whatever that was supposed to mean. Maybe not good per se, but she wanted me to be my most authentic self. The lover. The poet. The scholar.” He recounted the days in which he decided he would run away in order to attend college. “I almost left Verona in order to go to the U.S., you know. I applied for Berkeley, a school in California. I was gonna major in English and minor in Creative Writing. I would only visit Verona occasionally. Then, I would pursue a Ph.D. in graduate school and become a professor. Maybe write poetry on the side. Everyone would find it odd that I asked to be referred to as my first name instead of ‘Dr. Montague’ But only I would know that I couldn't be called that because it would be too reminiscent of my father.” The more memories Roman recounted, the more crestfallen he became. “My father discovered what I was planning— still to this day I cannot figure out who told— and that was that. I never spoke of college again.” He hadn't the coordination to find the couch, so instead, he collapsed slowly onto her floor, welcoming Mozerella into his aching arms. “My dreams were never enough. They were never as ambitious as an heir’s should've been. They were too ordinary— and that made them unattainable. I did my best to stay true to myself in bits in pieces; I told myself that if I were to rule the mob, then I would do so with someone that I loved by my side, just as my father had done all those years ago. But the next thing I knew, I was given word of a woman named Pandora Phan and told that we were arranged to be married. The one request I had made of my father— violated. Ignored. I should've known better.” His face contorted guiltily. “I hated you for it. They were misdirected emotions, but at that moment, I was not sure where to place my blame. That’s how tightly of a grasp my father had on me— that I blamed others and myself for his actions. So I aimed them at you. The perfect, beautiful, soldier. Someone who remained in constant control. You were everything I wasn't, everything my father wanted me to be. And I despised you for it. He needed me to be more like you. That's precisely why he arranged the marriage. I'm sure he thought you would rub off on me at one point. And so I refused to give you a chance, and I continued to keep you at arm's length. You seemed so cold to me, nothing intentional on your part, but I feared that that was what I would become. Cold. Unable to express my emotions, not by my own doing, but because others had attempted to force them out of me for so long. I was plotting ways to find a way out of our engagement. There had to have been a way— I had been sure of it.” Roman’s eyes glossed over Pandora, smiling wistfully. “I remember the exact moment I decided to give you a chance. The moment I realized how unfair I was being toward you. The moment that I realized you were not so different from me after all. I remember the moment I realized what our minds are capable of when we put them together. I remember the moment I began seeing you as a friend. After that, the future didn't seem so bleak as I initially thought it would be. I saw potential in us. The potential to become something great. Even if I was unable to marry for love, at least I could share the throne with a woman I adored.” “—it would be easier that way, as I had decided. To my own knowledge of the concept, love seems to complicate things. It makes people do stupid things. Last time I believed myself to be in love, I discovered that my secrets were being sold to the Capulets.” He chuckled— as he no longer had the energy to resent Rafaella for what she'd done. “But for me to wholly buy into that plan, that would mean me eliminating the possibility of ever falling for you.” This was surely not what he'd come here to tell her— why could he not control his lips so? “And I don't think I can do that. I can't promise that. Because when I'm with you—” he finds her eyes brazenly. He needed her to know that he meant every word he said. “I look at the world differently. The flowers are more pigmented. The birds' songs sound a little brighter. I'm able to imagine a thousand different worlds and possibilities. With you, Pandora, I feel invincible. What good is the doubt of thousands when I have you to believe in me? Their doubt is nothing in comparison to your faith. The faith of a woman capable of anything. But my father—”

Roman shudders, a once touching moment once again tainted by the remembrance of his father. “—I feel like nothing in his presence. How do I continue to allow him to have such control over me time and time again? My 27th birthday is coming up... and what do I have to show for it?” He looks at Pandora, this time, with dampened eyes. “I want him to know how wrong he was for underestimating. That my own softness will not be my downfall. That I am capable— and that even Pandora believes in me. In us. Maybe then he might see it. But when has anything ever been so simple?” The familiar tightness around his throat has returned. “But the same thing I claim doesn't make me weak, stops me from even speaking at times. Everything just builds up, I get so choked up that—” he stifles back a sob. “I cannot be weak, Pandora. I don't get to mope and cry over my father not believing in me. I get to curse the ground he walks on. I get to demand my right to the throne. But above all else, I cannot be weak. I won't allow him that satisfaction.”

He hadn't considered Pandora's feelings about all this, with him being on her floor in the brink of tears, and he turned to her apologetically, for his own lack of self-awareness. “I'm sorry. All of this is a lot. I'm a lot. I'm sure this wasn't a part of the contract our parents wrote up for us. Like, 'just so you know, my son is a lot.'” He laughed softly, but soon realizing the tastelessness of his own joke.

“You know I don't really think of you that way, right Pandora? I don't think of what we have as an arrangement or even contractual. I think of us as two people brought together in circumstances beyond our control. Two people who bring out the best in each other. In such a short time, you've brought me comfort in ways I'm still myself trying to understand. To look at your face and be washed in a feeling of absolute tranquility...”

He trailed off sleepily, eyes blurred by his own tears, thankful that he still possessed enough sight to make out her exquisite features. "You don't even know how lucky you are, Mozzy. You get to be with her every day. You see her when she's her most authentic self. The person she's able to be without the scrutiny of Verona. I do too, sometimes. They'd be so jealous of us— if only the had any idea of what they were missing out on.”

#( date | february 27th. )#( interactions. )#sdlkfalksdf i-#i'm not even gonna tag all the people mentioned #that would be an excessive amount of tags for an excessive ass thread #hoemygawd i don't know what happened #must be as drunk as ro

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