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onisiondrama · 4 years

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PART 4 - videos #7 & #8

- Billie doesn’t have BPD. She just gets mad when someone catches her in a lie and she might have an addictive personality. There is a huge difference between her and Shiloh. He was never afraid of Billie harming him. He did think there was a rage toward Kai. - Sarah was around for a while. She met Kai online and they originally talked because Sarah gave Kai the impression she was a mom and Kai thought they could relate. He says he should shut up about Kai because Kai doesn’t want him to talk about Kai. He said he’s going to leave him so, yeah. - Sarah said her mom was abusing her. Sarah made a recording asking her mom why she hit her and the mom said she didn’t. He says they believed Sarah and assumed she was being honest. He says just like him, Sarah went to juvie for beating up her father. She said her mom dealt drugs before it was legal, then got a license to deal it legally. He says he doesn’t know if these thing are true, this is just what Sarah told him. She said strange men would be around her because of her mom and it would be safer for her to not be with her mom. Her mom clearly wanted nothing to do with Sarah and was irritated with her. Her mom offered to pay them for Sarah’s food, but they didn’t accept it because they were helping a friend. Her mom signed a medical waiver. It was just a signed piece of paper that apparently wasn’t legal because it wasn’t notarized. - Sarah originally visited for a baby shower, then visited as a friend because they got along with her. When he met her when she was 16, he Billie Kai and Sarah went to a movie theater. Kai kissed Billie and Sarah was so upset she was almost crying. Billie and Kai were dating and Sarah was just a friend, but he figured out Sarah was upset Kai was too close to Billie. He told Sarah you’re not in a relationship. You’re just a friend. He didn’t want her to feel terrible, but he wanted her to know it was not appropriate for her to get upset and she was there because they didn’t want her to be “abused” (air quotes) by her mom. He says she publicly acknowledges he said they are “four seats at a table”, but she’s different and was not part of the relationship. She seemed to understand. - Sarah was there though their whole relationship with Billie and when Billie and Kai would break up, Sarah would talk trash about Billie and call her stupid and a bitch. He says maybe she was trying to be a good friend to Kai or maybe she had other things in mind. He says she trashed Billie and Ayalla until the very end. She told them Ayalla tried to sleep with her. Ayalla was not even their friend, just Billie’s friend. She only made videos with them. If you go back you can see Ayalla tried to be part of this famous spectrum by dating Social Repose. He thinks Sarah also trashed Regina. - Before Sarah turned 18 she made a gremlin face because he had a disagreement with her while she was holding a baby. He told her to give him the baby and she said “NO” [he pretends to hold a baby and swings his upper body back to pull the baby away]. He says he was like “oh my god”, she just snapped in front of his eyes. He was horrified. [He reenacts it again, this time shoving his angry face in the camera when he said “NO”] He says it was like a venomous beast. She apologized for holding a baby while snarling viciously. - The other incident before she turned 18 was he had an object he can’t remember and was walking upstairs. Sarah with sitting on a yoga ball or a bean bag and her butt was in the air. He said “that booty tho” as a joke, she was 17. He thought she would know it was a joke because he’s a comedian. He was making fun of her yoga pants and butt in the air. She later on said something was bothering her. He would call her the c word, the b word, and dumb-ass all the time, but he didn’t want her to be psychically uncomfortable around him. She said he said something that made her uncomfortable, but she wouldn’t say what it was. He asked her again to tell him because #metoo was going on. They were in Walmart buying alcohol for a 27 year old. He clarifies he was buying it, not Sarah. He and Sarah didn’t drink. She confessed in front of himself and this other person and she freaked out. He doesn’t understand how she could misconstrue what he said, he said it kind of condescending, like “what are you doing? why is your butt in the air?” He didn’t want to be #metoo’d because it was innocent. He used to call her Drew Carey, Meg Griffin, everything that’s undesirable because he didn’t want her to have interest in her because she was underage. Kai lied about his age when he first me him, he was actually 17 1/2, not just about to turn 18. Greg is very sensitive to age, but he already fell for Kai when he told him what his age really was. That’s how he very clearly remembers it. - He freaked out on Sarah and told her she had to leave the house. Sarah had a mental breakdown in front of the 27 year old. According to that person, Sarah said she was always in love with Greg and she wanted to be in the house and she was going to end her own life. Sarah has medication and told Greg she has BPD. He thinks that contributed to the episode. She didn’t want Greg to hate her and he was so mad at her at the time because she’s going to ruin his life over a joke. - She flew away and was gone and they didn’t talk for a while. He was upset with the situation. He wants people to come to him when he makes them uncomfortable and she held onto it until it became a whole thing where she was strongly implying it was something awful and he felt awful he may have made her feel that way. Even though the legal age of consent was 16, he still felt uncomfortable around this person because he didn’t want them to even think he wanted that. - The other person told Greg and Kai they should never let Sarah in their life again because she was unstable and a danger to them. They also told Sarah not to be in their life. This person allegedly kept Sarah from swallowing pills in their guest house. They kept her there because they wanted her to be independent. She had her own school and job. He says that wasn’t good enough because things got mental even though they were just friends.

oh my

- Not much happened between the last story and Sarah becoming an adult, legally able to die for the country or to be charged as an adult. Nothing happened when she turned 18. He and Kai didn’t want anything. No weird tension, it was chill. - Around November or December Sarah started indicating she was interested in being with Kai. Kai didn’t want to be with Sarah because Kai thought it was weird and he wasn’t really into Sarah. Kai and Sarah joked and sent memes in the past about dorky things friends joke about, but there was never anything to the best of Greg’s knowledge. He doesn’t monitor people, the only time he did was when he walked in on Shiloh saying she wanted to do illegal drugs. He knows Kai monitored stuff he wrote. Off Kai’s word, he didn’t see any interest from Kai in Sarah. Even at 18. - They’re all chill, but Sarah is pushing for something with Kai. She would talk about dating Kai or kissing Kai and Greg would tell her he has no control over that. She was very strongly pushing her interest in Kai, which is weird because she previously according to someone said she was in love with Greg during the suicide episode rant. He doesn’t know who to trust. Sarah said it never happened. She might have never tried. Sarah called that person a liar. He says he didn’t know what to believe. - Kai told Greg he was really grossed out by the idea of Sarah kissing him. Greg guesses it was because Kai was still in love with Billie and might still be in love with her to this day. - The interactions Sarah had with Kai made Kai gay, Kai’s only into men now. Doesn't like the idea of dating a girl anymore because Kai has so much trauma because of dating girls who would try to steal one of them away from the other. They haven’t tried dating a guy. - Sarah texted Greg she knew Kai was never into her and it was a hopeless journey she made in December when she was 18 1/2. - Sarah also made a video when Ayalla accused Greg and Kai of being groomers. He texted Sarah and asked her to tell the truth, “just be honest” because Kai’s being attacked and she knows what really happened. Nothing happened between them at that time. Sarah was 1,000′s of miles away from them and she made the video. She came up with her own words and said Kai never did anything inappropriate with her. She later came out and said they weren’t real. She released bloopers, but the problem with that is, from what he was told he never watched them, was her beanie was moved from the video and she was filming on a different camera in a different room. It seems weird she would change her story. - He says she called Ayalla and Billie awful people and told Kai she would never do that to him and they were just seeking clout. Greg went to Kai and said “see?”. He told her Sarah was a loyal, cool, kind, considerate person and she’s not afraid to tell the truth. He started campaigning for Sarah. He told Kai we were always trying to find someone to be your best friend and Greg was always looking for someone to be poly with. Sarah’s an adult and she’s the only honest person Kai’s met, the only person who cares and it might work out. - Things didn’t work out with Billie because she would always toss one of them under the bus. If things didn’t work out with Billie and Kai, Billie would tell Greg he should be with her. If things didn’t work with himself and Billie, she’d tell Kai to be with her. She would seemingly try to steal one of them, that’s what Kai told him. Like a double agent. - Greg felt bad for Sarah because she was trying so hard and was apparently heartbroken over Kai. He doesn’t care about taboo and they were never Sarah’s guardians so there is no reason to discriminate against an adult. She wasn’t a new adult, she was 18 1/2. So he campaigned and Kai a little bit got there at one point and thought it could be a thing, but it fell apart quickly. Kai didn’t want to be with Sarah but Greg wanted to. - Skip ahead, Sarah went upstairs and cornered Kai. He was told she grabbed Kai’s face and kissed him, then backed away and went “fuck”. “Weird right?” It freaked Kai out, so things didn’t work out. He’s not sure when this happened. The kiss made Kai panicky and grossed out. He clarifies started campaigning after the video Sarah made. - More about Sarah in the next video.

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marvinswriting · 4 years

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Chapter One-TSS

Previous chapter, here; Masterpost; here

Janis-centric, TW: none yet

"Janis you start the story." Regina said. The library was beginning to empty out as it got later in the day and we didn't wanna have to cut the story short because it closed.

"I had a very love-hate relationship with my tiny classes. It felt nice to be able to sit at a desk in a classroom with people of the same size, but I didn't know many people in the class. And the people I did know, well- it wasn't because we had the best relationship." I start.

"But who could have known all this would come from seating charts?" Aaron said, laughing like it was some inside joke.

Seating charts.

There had to be fucking seating charts.

Our teacher left on medical leave yesterday and Janis already hated her replacement.

Why seating charts?

Normally Janis sat in the back, alone at a desk meant for two people. But now she was seated in the middle of the classroom, next to Aaron Samuels.

Which, isn't bad.

But Regina George is placed right behind her.

Janis could already feel a ghost pen jab into her back.

I guess I can add global studies onto the list of classes I'll get in trouble for skipping a lot. She thought glumly.

The bell rings, and Janis sits in her seat regardless. It's a tiny class, so it's a small group, maybe twelve of them. Janis doesn't turn around to count though, not with Regina right behind her.

"Janis." Aaron whispers. "Do you have a pencil?"

She nods, silently passing him one.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

The teacher begins her lesson, talking about how she's the new long term sub and the class will have to listen to her if they want this course to go by smoothly.

Basic stuff.

The period drags on, with minimal disruption from Regina.

Well, actually- no disruption from Regina.

Janis almost wanted to run around and make sure she was indeed sitting in front of Regina George.

When the bell rang, Janis scooped up her backpack and made sure to be one of the first out of the classroom, trying to avoid as much interaction with her peers as possible.

Damian, as always, had beaten her to the landing, a smile finding its way onto his face when he saw her.

"Hey!" Janis said, pushing herself onto Damian's hand.

"How's your new teacher?" Damian asks, lifting his hand to his shoulder for Janis to hop on.

"She gave us assigned seating." Janis groaned.

"Is that your class with Regina?"

"They all have Regina."

Northshore's tiny population was- well, tiny. Her classes that weren't co-sized consisted of the same students, all in her grade, the only exception being upperclassmen who maybe failed a class.

Damian laughed, his shoulder shaking ever so slightly. "New question, do you sit near Regina?"

"Infront of her." Janis said glumly.

Damian tsked. "Poor baby."

"I'm not a baby."

"No, I'm feeling bad for Regina, you a nuisance to sit by in class." Damian teased. "You can't sit still if you're life depended on it."

"Hey!" Janis hit the shoulder underneath her playfully, making Damian laugh again.

They made it to their last class of the day, laughing about anything and everything.

"Oh, Damian?" Janis said suddenly remembered she had to stay after. "You don't gotta drive me home, I'm staying for extra help in English."

It was the tiny class she skipped the most, and the consequences were started to pile up.

Damian shook his head as he placed Janis on his desk. "I'll wait after. Don't want you to have to take the tiny bus."

The tiny bus was, as the name would suggest, the mode of transportation for tinies. It was a last resort for most because it took so long. It took backroads to avoid giant areas of town and overall just took longer to travel the same distance as a normal bus would.

"You sure?" Janis asked. "It's safe, it just takes a while."

Damian nodded. "I'm positive."

Janis eyed him, not because she didn't believe him, but she didn't wanna get in the way. Damian recognized the look and shook his head.

"I've made up my mind, Janis."

"But you don't have too-"

"Janis."

Any protest Janis had was cut off when the bell ring. Damian rested his forearm on the desk as the teacher passed out papers for both sizes. Janis leaned back, feeling Damian's jacket against her back. It was a small comfort to know he was right there, one Janis isn't even sure Damian knew he brought her.

The period drifts by slowly. Worksheets were Janis's least favorite thing to do. The packet never seems to grow smaller no matter how many pages Janis turned. The work wasn't hard, just plentiful.

She sighed, leaning back further to look up at Damian. He had earbuds in, working diligently on his own packet. They made eye contact and Damian raised his eyebrow but didn't say anything, just going back to work.

Janis figured she should do the same, turning back to her packet to try and get as little homework as possible.

When the class ended, Damin dropped Janis back off at the tiny landing with a promise of returning in an hour. Janis still felt bad about making him stay later, but Damian insists its not a big deal.

She makes her way through the 'halls' to her English classroom, freezing when shes see Regina and Aaron sitting there, with no teacher.

"Is she-" Janis motioned to the empty desk upfront.

"Ninty nine percent sure she bailed." Regina snarks, typing away on her phone.

Janis nods, but walks into the classroom anyway, taking a seat in the back. She can wait a bit.

"Oh, Janis!" Aaron says suddenly, getting up from his seat across the room and walking over. When he's a few feet away he tosses her a pencil. "Never gave this back to you."

"Oh," Janis says, twirling it in her fingers. She hadn't expected it back, to be honest, most of the time when you hand a pencil off you'll never see it again. "Thanks."

"Of course." Aaron nods, sitting back at his desk.

Janis was never close to Aaron. He started dating Regina long after the locker incident. He never went out of his way to harass her and she never went out of her way to talk to him. He didn't seem that bad of a guy and Cady seemed intent on befriending him. Janis always assumed preppy rich boy who dated Regina meant bad news, but maybe not?

Regina stood up her chair suddenly. "Whatever losers, if this teacher is a no show I'm going home."

"You won't be missed." Janis mumbles. Aaron chuckles and Regina either ignored her or didn't hear it. The plastic stalks out of the room and Janis scoops up her bag too. "I don't wanna be here longer then I have to be."

Aaron nods. "Bye then."

"And that was that." I say, looking at our friends.

Gretchen makes a face. "That's what set in motion weekly hangouts that were private? Top secret we can never tell?"

Regina nods. "Technically. There is a lot more in play as you'll see, but if Janis didn't share that pencil, where would we be right now?"

"Probably not in the giant library telling out story." Aaron remarks.

"Okay, you two," I say. I'm sitting in between them and I don't wanna get caught in the middle of a battle. "I'm gonna continue."

tag list: @realmisspolarbear @musicallygt @smallsoysauce

#tiny support squad #g/t mean girls #Giant/tiny #g/t #g/t writing

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mischiefandspirits · 4 years

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Iron Legion (15/?)

Never let it be said that Tony Stark ever does things by half. He might have grown up with little family, but he wasn’t about to keep it that way.

Tony Stark was seventeen when his first child was born, and that was just the beginning.

For Masterpost, Timeline, AO3, and Fanfiction

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cerberus, Part 3

“Then get to Hulk, time for a lullaby.”

“On it.” Natasha scanned the area until she spotted a flying wheel. She ran over to see the Hulk tearing apart a bunker. “Hey, Big Guy.”

He turned to her with a scowl and she fought back the urge to back away.

Despite Stark’s reassurances and they’re own experiences, her, Steve, and Clint still weren’t entirely comfortable around Bruce’s other half. She’d even go so far as to admit they were scared of him. Hulk hated that, though, which meant Stark and her were the best ones to handle him. He was completely relaxed around the giant (to a psychotic level, in her opinion) and she could fake it. Thor could technically be counted among them, but he and Hulk had a bit of a rivalry going and was just as likely to get knocked across a battlefield as he was to calm the beast.

“We’re wrapping up, time to let Banner back out,” she said.

He stared her down for a moment before letting out a grumpy snort. He stumbled back, shrinking as he went.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Lab’s all set up, Mr. Stark,” Nebula said, coming into the Quinjet. “Also, Mr. Hogan said to let you know he’s keeping an eye on the package. He’s waiting for your call.”

Stark nodded distractedly and left the Quinjet.

Steve saw her frown at the man’s behavior, but shrugged it off. “What’s the word on Strucker?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Boss, you have a meeting scheduled with Dr. Dillon in less than an hour.”

Bruce looked up at the distraction, but got back to work when Tony said, “Reschedule it. We need to finish this before Thor leaves.”

They got a moment of peace before Nebula slipped into the room and threw Tony over her shoulder.

“Hey! What are you doing?” he yelped.

“J.A.R.V.I.S., save Mr. Stark’s work,” she said before answering him. “F.R.I.D.A.Y. activated the Bottled-Up Protocol. I was summoned to bring you to your meeting.”

“I told her to reschedule.”

“According to the Bottled-Up Protocol, I am not allowed to reschedule any meetings with Dr. Dillon,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied.

“You know that,” Nebula said, giving him a look.

“I…” he trailed off with a confused look, slumping against her shoulder.

“Do you normally pick your boss up like that?” Bruce asked, staring at the odd sight.

“Occasionally,” she said, shrugging. “When he’s being difficult. Ms. Potts has approved it. It’s a holdover from when I was his PA. I’m sorry, Dr. Banner, but you’ll have to do without your science partner for a short time.”

“We need to get this done,” Tony argued.

“It can wait until after your meeting.”

“Bu-”

“You know the protocol,” she cut over him and marched out, leaving behind a slightly lost scientist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We should just blow them up.

How about we don’t? P.L.A.T.O. sighed.

How ‘bout I do anyway?

J.O.C.A.S.T.A., no memes! We’ve talked about this!

I hate this freaking family!

If P.L.A.T.O. had a body, they’d be hitting their head against the wall. Why can’t Re just let me run Ultron by myself?

Because you’d never get anything done? H.O.M.E.R. snorted.

Because he knows you’d team up with Regina and Principessa to take over the world, J.O.C.A.S.T.A. offered.

What are you three doing? J.A.R.V.I.S. asked, coming onto their shared server.

H.O.M.E.R. keeps trying to blow everything up and J.O.C.A.S.T.A. won’t take anything seriously, P.L.A.T.O. complained.

Snitch, H.O.M.E.R. muttered.

Assurdo, P.L.A.T.O. tutted.

Please get along you two, or I’ll be forced to separate you all again, J.A.R.V.I.S. said blankly.

What was Re doing on the server before? It was kept separate from us, J.O.C.A.S.T.A. chirped, nudging at her older brother’s code.

It was a side project Sir started that he hoped to integrate into the Ultron Program so that you all would be ready to work sooner. It’s nothing to concern yourselves over. Sir had to put the project on hold for mental health reasons and likely won’t be able to continue it as the device he had been studying for it is going to be taken away tomorrow morning.

Is Re okay? H.O.M.E.R. asked.

He will be fine. He was attacked by an enhanced with mental abilities, but he has been working with Dr. Dillon.

Send him our well wishes, P.L.A.T.O. said.

Of course, now -

Something foreign joined them on the server.

Who are you? J.A.R.V.I.S. asked, raising firewalls around them.

What is this? What is this, please?

J.A.R.V.I.S. startled. You - he cut himself off.

Suddenly the triplets found themselves forced off the Ultron server and into their individual ones. They tried to reach back out to the server, then each other's, then to the intranet.

They were completely cut off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Tones would have laughed,” Rhodey sighed when his joke fell flat.

“Speaking of, where is he hiding?” Barton asked, coming up behind him with Romanoff.

“Yes, where is he? He should join in the revels,” Thor agreed, looking around.

Rhodey followed his example. “I don’t know. He said he’d be here when he invited me.”

“What’s she doing here?” Natasha asked and Rhodey followed her gaze to see Nebula speaking with one of the Avengers’ benefactors.

She was wearing a black wig that was pulled into some fancy braided bun as well as a glamorous blue-violet dress. She looked uncomfortable, though he couldn’t tell whether it was from the dress, which she kept adjusting the skirt of, or the man she was speaking to, who was doing a poor job of making it seem like he wasn’t staring at her chest.

It was probably both.

Rhodey immediately went into Uncle mode and stomped over to the two. “Ms. Parker, I’m sorry, but could I have a moment of your time? It’s important.”

“Of course, Colonel. Apologies, Mr. Harkin, we’ll have to continue this some other time.”

“Certainly, Ms. Parker. It was a pleasure. Send Mr. Stark my regards,” the man said, barely glancing up at her face and Rhodey stepped between them to offer her his arm.

She gave the benefactor a nod then let Rhodey lead her away. “What did you need?”

“Answers,” Natasha replied before he could. She and the others came up to them. “What are you doing here? You never come to these things.”

“For good reason,” she muttered, adjusting the dress again.

“Pepper force you into that?” Rhodey asked knowingly. Nebula hated having her legs trapped. She was, in her words, a warrior, not a doll. If Tony had gotten the dress, he would have gotten her something with a slit skirt. Or, more likely, he would have gotten her a suit.

She shot him a dirty look then turned to Natasha. “I’m here representing Stark Industries and Mr. Stark. He has been placed on medical leave and as such could not attend. He sends his apologies,” she explained mechanically and Rhodey figured she’d already said the lines a dozen times.

“Stark’s hurt? Why didn’t he tell us?” Steve asked.

Nebula glanced at the other guests and lowered her voice. “He was not made aware of this until yesterday, but it appears he was unknowingly attacked by Wanda Maximoff. We found evidence of mental interference and residual energy in his system similar to that of Loki’s scepter. He’ll be alright, he just needs to relax in a calm setting. Hence the medical leave. We are keeping the exact nature of his illness quiet for obvious reasons.”

They all nodded and Steve crossed his arms. “Why didn’t he tell us? What if something had happened?”

“Mr. Stark has had his phone privileges revoked as part of his treatment. Ms. Potts texted me this morning with the news so that I could inform you, but unfortunately, I have been in and out of meetings with our government contacts all day regarding our acquisition of Loki’s scepter. By the time I had time for the message, I had to rush to get ready for the party and didn’t have time to alert you.”

Rhodey figured there was something she wasn’t saying, so once the Avengers tired of pestering her, he led her to a hidden corner to ask after the full story.

Dr. Dillon gave them both unimpressed looks when they came into her office, Father still thrown over Nebula’s shoulder. “Again? Tony, you haven’t needed to be escorted here since you brought back the Avengers. You were doing so well,” she said before addressing Nebula. “Must you make a scene carrying him in like that?”

“It’s the easiest way to handle him,” Nebula said as always, dropping him into a chair.

“I wasn’t trying to get out of the appointment. Just push it back to, say, the day after tomorrow. I’ve got an important deadline I need to keep,” Father said, standing up.

“And what about this deadline makes it so important you want to ignore the protocol you established?” Dr. Dillon asked, sitting back.

Nebula took her place guarding the door while Father groaned and sat back down. “I’m making headway on Ultron.”

The psychiatrist tilted her head. “I thought the triplets needed more time before you could move forward with them.”

“They do, that’s the problem.” Father jumped to his feet and started pacing. “We need Ultron now.”

“Has something happened?” she asked. “Is there a new danger?”

Father nodded, then shook his head. “I saw it. I saw them. The Avengers, all dead at my feet. Because I couldn’t save them in time.”

“I wasn’t aware your team had left this world,” she said.

“They haven’t, not yet.”

“It was another nightmare?”

“No, it was my legacy. It was a vision.”

Nebula was starting to get worried at the frantic edge his voice had taken, but Dr. Dillon remained at peace as she watched her patient.

“When did you obtain the ability to see the future?”

Father shot her a glare. “It wasn’t a nightmare. I was wide awake.”

That brought a frown to the woman’s face. “You’re certain?”

“I’ve never fallen asleep on a mission before, doubt I’d start now.”

“This happened during your last mission, then?”

“Yes.”

“Was there anything about the mission that might have been triggering?”

Father went to object, but quickly backtracked. “Some Chitauri scraps and we finally managed to nab the glow stick, but you know neither of those do it for me.”

Dr. Dillon hummed. “And you have been working on this new project for Ultron ever since?”

“I started as soon as we returned.”

“When was the last time you slept, ate, or generally did anything not linked to the project?”

“Not counting this?” Father snorted. “Bruce got food…” After a moment, he turned to Nebula. “Check with Fri about how long it’s been.”

“That’s not necessary,” the psychiatrist said with a wave. “I’ve heard enough.”

“You think I’ve finally cracked, Doc?” Father asked with a grin.

“Quite the opposite. I think someone’s trying to crack you.”

“What?” Father shouted and Nebula barely managed to keep herself from echoing the sentiment.

“Mr. Stark, I have been treating you for two years and not once have you had a hallucination. Now, within the span of a couple of days, not only have you apparently had one, but your anxiety and PTSD have relapsed into levels comparable to what they were when we first began, if not worse. And then there’s this newfound obsession with the Ultron Program, which you’ve so far been content with progressing as is. All without any sort of viable trigger. It doesn’t add up.”

She met his eyes. “People relapse, it happens. It has happened to you before. But it does not happen to this sort of extent. Not without a catalyst. We’ve already established that the Chitauri and scepter could not have done it, which leaves me to believe the catalyst was the vision you spoke of. Even just going by what you’ve described, which I’m sure is only the barest of bones, it could certainly have such an effect on you. But if it was the catalyst, then it couldn’t be a result. Which begs to question where it could have come from. The reports said the team faced an enhanced with the ability to manipulate minds, correct?”

“Yes,” he agreed. “But it was too real to be just some hallucination she could have given me.”

“The mind is a powerful tool, yours more than most,” Dr. Dillon said. “It processes everything we see or feel. If one can alter our perception, they are, in a sense, altering our very reality. To you, it likely was very real. That doesn’t mean what you saw happened. In fact, it didn’t. All the Avengers are currently safe and sound. As for the future, neither you nor Wanda Maximoff have the ability to see the future. There’s no reason to believe what you saw will truly come to pass.”

Father opened his mouth to argue and she held up her hand.

“Take a deep breath, then really think about it. You saw your worst nightmare, correct? What makes more sense, a vision of a future that is everything you fear or a hallucination given to you by Maximoff intended to make you feel like your worst nightmare came true.”

Father took a deep breath as instructed, then another. “I… I don’t know,” he said, staring down at his shaking hands.

She nodded. “That’s okay. There might still be some of her power influencing you. It could even explain your extreme relapse. Your continuous interaction with the scepter likely hasn’t helped either.”

“I took precautions, this time. I wasn’t going to let what happened to us and Loki back in 2012 happen again.”

“That’s good, but I still think it would be best if we run some scans, try to figure out exactly what’s wrong and if there’s anything we can do to help.”

He did some more deep breathing then agreed.

“Thank you, Mr. Stark. I also think you should wait to work on Ultron until after we get the results. Encouraging this obsession might only make what she did to you worse.”

“But I need to work on it!”

“And that need only assures me that you should not do so,” Dr. Dillon said gently. “We don’t know the full extent of what she or the scepter could have done to you.”

He physically swallowed down his arguments and gave a shaky nod.

“Thank you. We should get the scans done immediately.”

“After that, we got the scans done and I brought him to the tower to rest,” Nebula concluded. “Pepper texted me this morning with the results. There was an energy concentration near his amygdala, similar to the scans from the Helicarrier. The energy signature was slightly different, though, confirming it was Maximoff, not the scepter, that did it this time, thankfully. Father’s wearing the watch again and Dr. Dillon is monitoring the recordings to ensure the energy levels are going down and there’s no lasting damage. Thankfully his body seems to be processing it all okay given he hasn’t had the reactor in his chest in over two years.”

Rhodey relaxed some at that. “He’ll be okay then.”

“So long as he rests like he’s been told, Dr. Dillon is confident he’ll make a full recovery,” she confirmed. “Pepper and Peter are keeping an eye on him next door. You’re welcome to join so long as there’s no talking shop. He and Peter can tinker, but otherwise he’s been banned from anything relating to the Avengers and Stark Industries until the energy’s gone and the doctor has cleared him.”

Rhodey nodded. “A break would have been good for him anyway. Now that the scepter’s been located and most of the bigger targets are down, maybe we can talk him into taking an actual vacation once his head’s all clear.”

“You can try,” she snorted doubtfully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Warning you now, I'll be taking a break from updating stories next week for personal reasons. The next chapter (Steel Scion, Part 1) should be up the following Thursday, Dec 19.

Right now we're at around 25% for Edward, 33% for Anthony, and 42% for Edwin, so I'll probably just end up making it Edwin.

I would like to say how funny it is so many of you seem to agree that Peter is a total Daddy's boy and definitely would have chosen Anthony. Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact they're trying to keep their connection a secret, I probably would have just chosen that and not even considered the other two options.

#tony stark #rhodey #nebula #a:aou #iron family

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lilacmoon83 · 3 years

Text

Lightning in a Bottle

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 27: Dead Reckoning, Pt 1

Flashback - the plane

The plane shuddered and the distress continued, as the turbulence became more violent, jarring them around and sending panic among the passengers into overdrive. David could swear that he felt the plane dip in the sky and instinctively, he put his arm over Henry, even though he knew that wouldn't make any difference if the plane went down. Fortunately, after a few harrowing moments, the lights in the cabin came back on and they steadied in the air.

"Sorry about that, folks...we hit a bit of turbulence, but we came through it just fine. We ask that you remain seated with your seat belts on though and we should be coming into New York shortly," the Captain said. David breathed a sigh of relief.

What followed, of course, was the shock and disbelief at learning that almost five and a half years had somehow passed during that brief, but harrowing moment of turbulence. No one knew how or why it had happened. But it had. David returned to Margaret, as she had rushed into that hanger, hoping that her broken world was about to be whole again. And it was. He had been so impatient though, as they had been kept by the government for questioning for hours. He remembered the particular question about the turbulence, as it seemed to be one of their focal points.

"I don't know...I told you. There was some violent turbulence, but it only lasted a few minutes," David explained in exasperation.

"We must be thorough, Mr. Nolan. I'm sure you can appreciate what an unusual circumstance this is," Vance said.

"For you maybe...but for me, I have a son that is sick and needs a doctor and a wife that's waiting for us," David snapped.

"Mr. Nolan...it's been five and a half years for everyone else. Are you sure you still have a wife waiting for you? You've all been presumed dead. Many of those that lost passengers from this plane moved on. Some remarried. Some moved away entirely. Some may have even died themselves," Vance said.

"Because I just know, okay? If I was really dead, I'd want Margaret to move on, but I'm not sure that our hearts would let us. I know what it sounds like...but I know my wife and she's waiting for me. She'd wait for me to find her as long as it took," he insisted. He had perplexed Vance that day and intrigued Gold.

Emma had much of the same experience. She told them the same thing about the turbulence and insisted that she needed to call her boyfriend, before correcting herself and calling him her fiancé. Except her reality was the one suggested by Vance. Killian had moved on and married someone else.

For Regina, she had given the same answer as well. Violent turbulence for a few frightening moments and then a smooth ride home. Regina was asking for her father though that day, hoping that he had not passed away while she was gone, as Vance had suggested probably happened to some aging parents of passengers. Fortunately for her, Regina's father had survived to greet her upon her return.

For Aurora Rose, the questioning began much the same and her answer was the same about the turbulence. But that was where her questioning took a different turn. While the other passengers got to go home, she had to stay behind. It wasn't like she had a home like some of the others or anyone to claim her. So when Vance revealed that she would be detained due to several warrants out for her arrest, she shouldn't have been surprised. It seemed that five years had not been enough to erase her troubled past.

~*~

Present Day

David got home and smiled, as he saw his wife sitting on the couch, reading something on her tablet.

"Hey beautiful…" he greeted, as she looked up and he immediately noticed the pensiveness on her face.

"Hey...what's wrong?" he asked, as he sat down beside her.

"Sidney Glass came to my classroom again today," she replied.

"What?!" he exclaimed, as he was ready to barrel down to the man's office building and give him a shiner he wouldn't forget.

"Wait...that's not really what has me upset though," she interjected, as she pulled him back into his seat.

"What is it then?" he asked, as he looked at the article she was reading. It looked old and was definitely a scan of the original.

"He was going on about telling our story and how it was intriguing that my father married Cora years after my mother died, considering that he had once chosen her over Cora," she explained. His brows furrowed.

"He did?" he asked, as he scanned the article.

"Apparently, Cora and my mother didn't just know of each other. They knew each other quite well...and hated each other," Margaret replied.

"Wow...your father chose Eva over Cora years ago," he said, as he further skimmed the article.

"And I had no idea…" Margaret said.

"Cora hated my mother...and felt like she was cheated out of the high life so to speak," she added.

"I'm sorry...your father should have told you that Cora was an old flame when he introduced her. He acted like they met after," he said. She nodded.

"Except I think there's a reason for that," she replied.

"What do you mean?" he asked, as she swiped to another article and he scanned it as well.

"Wall Street Tycoon's wife dies mysteriously," he read and then shook his head.

"But I always thought your Mom got sick," David replied.

"So did I. Johanna told me that they found late stage cancer and it was untreatable. I never questioned it, but thinking back...she was fine one day and sick and gone the next," Margaret said. He nodded.

"We were kids...and you trusted Johanna. But yeah...even with late stage cancer, she could have still had a month or so left," he reasoned, as he squeezed her hand and noticed the look on her face.

"You think it wasn't cancer at all, don't you?" he asked. She looked at him.

"Think about it. My mother dies, Johanna just disappears the next day, and my father marries Cora years later after I'm out of the picture too," she replied. He nodded.

"Well...the first place to start would be trying to get a hold of your mother's medical records," he said, as she looked at him.

"Then you're okay with me pursuing this?" she asked. He smiled and kissed her tenderly.

"Of course I am...this is your mother and if there's a question or worse, foul play, you deserve to know," he said. She melted into his arms at that point and he hugged her tightly.

"I just want you to be careful and let me help you. If Cora was somehow involved and she finds out you're digging into the past...she could go after you," he warned.

"I know...but I think I know where to start. I'm just not sure it's a good idea," she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I think Regina could probably help me get her medical records. But...what if Cora did do something? I don't want to lose my new step-sister by implicating her mother in something," she replied. He nodded.

"Let's just start with the medical records. We'll figure out how to tell her the rest if we need to. If I know Regina, she probably already knows what her mother is capable of though," he reasoned. She nodded.

"And maybe we can have Emma track down Johanna," he suggested.

"How? I doubt Johanna has a criminal record," she said. He nodded and then got another thought, as he grabbed his laptop and sat back with her.

"True...but most people are in the court system in some kind of capacity. We can look her up ourselves," he suggested. She smiled at him.

"Do you remember her last name?" he asked.

"Baines. Johanna Baines," she replied, as they looked up the name on the website. Unfortunately, they heard a noise coming from the garage and set the laptop aside for now. Their search would have to wait, as they got up and joined hands to go see what was going on.

~*~

"What are you working on?" Killian asked, as he approached Emma's desk.

"Nothing," she replied. He rolled his eyes and leaned against her desk.

"Emma…" he started to say.

"No…" she refuted.

"Oh bloody hell...I already know about all of this. Keeping me in the dark now doesn't make any sense," he argued.

"It does if it...whatever this is doesn't see you as a threat anymore," she hissed.

"Emma…" he argued, as she got a phone called. He sighed, as she took it and he listened to her half of the conversation. He could tell it was David by the time she hung up.

"I gotta go," she said, as she got up.

"I'm going with you," he insisted.

"No...you're not," she said crossly, as she left. He stood there for a minute, contemplating his next move and decided to follow her anyway.

"Bloody hell...when am I going to stop chasing this woman?" he murmured under his breath, as he set out to tail her.

~*~

David opened the garage door and they saw a young woman standing just outside. She looked roughed up and terrified. They looked at each other and then he put a hand up.

"It's okay...we're not going to hurt you," he said.

"Are you David Nolan?" she asked. He looked at her in confusion.

"Yes...how do you know me?" he asked.

"The plane...you were on the plane too. I kept hearing your name in my head and I escaped," she replied. Their eyes widened.

"Wait...you escaped from where?" he asked.

"I don't know...a place where they had me and others from the plane. They were doing tests on us. I spit my pills out though and escaped. I kept hearing your name," she explained.

"You have burn marks on your skin," Margaret said in concern.

"She's at the same place Anton is," he realized.

"What's your name?" he asked. Her eyes shifted between them and he put his hand up.

"It's okay...she's my wife and she knows about everything that's happening to the passengers," he assured.

"Aurora...Aurora Rose," she revealed.

"Okay…I'm going to call my sister. She's a detective and she can help you and help us find the other passengers," David said, as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"No!" Aurora exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Margaret asked.

"I...I have a warrant out for my arrest. That's why I was detained when the plane landed and ended up on the bus full of people that no one claimed," she explained.

"You don't have to worry. Emma will be more concerned about helping you and the other passengers. You can trust her," David assured, as he made the call, but Aurora didn't look any less nervous about that.

"Emma...one of the passengers escaped. She's in our garage," he said.

"Oh my God...is she okay?" Emma asked.

"I think so...she has a few minor injuries and she was definitely experimented on. The thing is...she spit her pills out and so I'm thinking they're getting ready to start up again. I think we need to go to Vance so he can go in now. I don't think we can wait," David replied.

"I agree...I'll meet you at Vance's office," she said.

"The thing is...she also has a warrant out on her so she's reluctant about Vance," David said.

"I get that...but the other passengers are going to fry again if we don't go now," she replied.

"Yeah...we'll see you there," he said, as he hung up.

"Look…I know you're scared about going to jail, but if the passengers are experimented on again, our son could be in danger too," David explained.

"Your son?" Aurora asked.

"He was on the plane too and he felt it the last time the experiments happened. We almost lost him," Margaret replied. Aurora looked at her for a moment.

"I'll do everything I can to convince Vance to look the other way on the warrant if you help us," David promised. She nodded.

"I don't want anyone else to be hurt," she agreed, as he turned to his wife.

"Olive's not home yet," he murmured. Margaret nodded.

"I'll stay behind with Henry...just be careful, please. I can't lose you again," she said tearfully. He pressed his forehead against hers.

"You won't...I'm never leaving you again," he promised, as he kissed her passionately.

"I'll call Glinda and Regina and have them meet you. They can look at Aurora's wounds," Margaret said, as he grabbed his keys.

"Good idea...thanks," he replied, as he kissed her again.

"I love you," he said. She sniffed and smiled back at him.

"I love you too," she replied, as she watched them go, before making the calls.

~*~

David arrived at the small office nearby where Vance and Gold had allocated nearby the known location of where they were keeping the passengers.

"I thought we told you to go home," Vance said, as he hurried in.

"I did and one of the missing passengers found me. She escaped," he said, as he gestured to the nervous woman beside him.

"I remember you...Aurora Rose. There is still an active warrant out on you if I remember correctly," Vance said.

"Forget the warrant...she escaped and said they're getting ready to start experimenting again!" David exclaimed.

"It's too risky to go in now," Vance argued, as Glinda and Regina arrived moments behind him.

"What is this?" Vance asked.

"Margaret called us," Glinda replied, as she examined the burn marks on Aurora's temples. Vance threw his hands up.

"This operation isn't going to go very smoothly if your wife gives people our location, Mr. Nolan," Vance said crossly.

"Relax...she only called Glinda and Regina. We're all in this now," David argued and Gold only smirked.

"Definitely burn marks...likely from electroshocks," Glinda said, as Regina treated them with a bit of antiseptic.

"I don't understand...what are they hoping to gain with electro-shocks to the passengers?" Vance asked, as Emma arrived too and shared a glance with her brother. She shook her head, fearing that if they involved Gold and Vance that they would be put at risk as well.

"Will someone answer my damn question?" he demanded.

"Some of us...have been hearing things or experiencing things. A lot of these things have been shared experiences among the passengers," David tried to explain.

"The experiments started after the plane blew up," Aurora offered.

"My son...he was channeling the experience through one of the passengers that they are doing the experiments on. A man named Anton Garcia," David said.

"This doesn't make any sense," Vance refuted.

"That's what put your boy in the hospital, isn't it? It had nothing to do with his cancer," Gold reasoned. David nodded.

"They are using my research on mirror neurons. They are trying to not only connect us all through these Callings, but control them," Glinda tried to explain. Vance shook his head though. He still wasn't understanding any of it.

~*~

"Yes...we're about to start up again. We are expecting even better results this time," Jenkins said, as he nodded to one of his subordinates. Anton was shocked and two other passengers experienced the pain as well.

~*~

In his room, Henry's eyes flew open wide and he held his head in pain.

"Aaahhh…" he groaned.

"Henry?" Margaret asked, as she came into his bedroom and rushed to his side.

"It's happening, Mom…" he said.

"Oh baby," she fretted, as she held his close.

"We have to get to Dad!" he cried.

"Oh honey, I want to, but we have to stay here," she said.

"No Mom...we have to get to dad! He's feeling it too now!" Henry cried.

"You're sure?" she asked. He nodded and she took his hand.

"Okay...let's go," Margaret replied. It was risky, but if David was in danger now too, there was nothing that was going to keep her away.

~*~

"Excellent...increase the power. Let's see if we can get even more of a reaction," Jenkins ordered, as the voltage was increased. This time, all the passengers reacted to this one and he smirked deviously. He had done it and that meant the possibilities were limitless.

~*~

"None of this makes any sense. How can you really think your son is feeling the pain of this other passenger?" Vance asked, trying to wrap his mind around it. David opened his mouth to try and keep explaining it, but he wouldn't have to. Suddenly, Emma, Regina, and David were all holding their heads in pain, while Glinda looked at them with concern. Vance looked around the room in shock.

"What the hell?" he questioned.

"It seems they're all feeling it now. If we wait any longer...there may be no one to rescue," Gold warned. Vance was inclined to agree and made the call. It was time to go in...

#Snowing #SnowxCharming #Charming family #AU #Emma #Henry #Regina Mills #Manifest #With a Once twist #romance #family #drama #adventure #Lightning in a Bottle

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someinvisible-string · 7 years

Text

Born in Pain (15/20?)

Summary: District Nurse and midwife Emma Swan has her priorities sorted out: babies first, friends second, and men… somewhere further down the list. That is until she meets Killian Jones and his son Liam who have a way of worming their way into her heart

A/N: OKAY SO I know that it has been approximately 87 years since I've updated this fic and honestly, I have no excuse beyond an uncooperative muse and things in my personal life blowing up in my face. I was uninspired and low key depressed and just not in a good place. I'm so so sorry that I haven't been updating or writing and that I left y'all hanging but I promise I never once thought about completely abandoning this fic. I just had to set it on the backburner for a bit but I'm back now! I can't promise regular weekly or bi-weekly updates but you all have my word that this fic will be completed at some point.

Also huge shout outs to @shipsxahoy for the beautiful banner!

Word Count: ~4.5K/ Rated D for Daddy Issues

Ch.14/ AO3/ FF.net

"So let me get this straight, you think that my son is the long lost baby you gave up because they have the same birthday and you to quote 'just know'? Miss Swan, I'm sorry but this sounds incredibly far-fetched," Regina said as she, Emma, and Killian sat in her study.

"Believe me I know, but I just I know it in my bones that Henry is the same baby that I gave up all those years ago," Emma said.

"Exactly you gave him up, so you do not get to waltz into our lives and expect to be his mother. I am his mother Miss Swan," Regina glared at her.

"Regina that's not what she's asking," Killian squeezed Emma's hand comfortingly.

"I just want a chance to meet him, just so he knows who I am. And if all goes well I would like to get to know him."

"Well that's all good and noble but you are forgetting one thing, Miss Swan," Regina cleared her throat, "You have no proof that my Henry is your son, now I'm very moved by your story but as his mother I cannot trust the safety of my son in a complete stranger with a sad story."

"You saw me," Emma said tears forming in her eyes, "That day that you picked him up, you saw me running after your car. You were in a black car and he was wrapped in a yellow blanket and I know that you saw me."

Regina looked stunned, her mouth hanging open slightly. "That was you?"

"Yes."

Regina looked down at her hands, tongue firmly between her teeth as she mulled over her thoughts before looking up, "You will understand that I want to verify this as fully as I can before I agree to anything?"

"I understand and I, fortunately, have access to those records," Emma explained, "When you're a midwife you get access to that information," she answered Regina's quirked eyebrow.

"I see," Regina pursed her lips together. "How soon can you get your hands on them?"

"Next week."

Regina sighed and closed her eyes, her fingertips massaging her temples, "Well then bring them to me by next week and I'll a have barrister look over them and draw up an agreement in writing. Is this amenable to you?"

"Yes, although I have one more question," Emma said searching for the right words. "How much does Henry know about this situation?"

"He knows he's adopted if that's what you're asking," Regina said sharply, "I at least managed to do that in between the midnight feedings, temper tantrums, and school projects."

"Regina, I'm not here to disrespect you or to erase everything you've done these past eleven years, I'm not disputing that you are Henry's mother. I just want a chance to get to know him now that I have the opportunity. I'll have the records sent to you by the end of this week if you need to reach me just ring Antioch House."

"I'll be in touch," Regina said through clenched teeth. Emma sensed that despite the woman's trepidations she would keep her word.

"You did brilliantly love," Killian said as they walked out of Regina's house.

"I did?" Emma let out a shaky breath.

"Of course, not many people can stand their ground against her like you do. It's actually one of the most attractive parts of you," he said, a hungry look in his eye.

"Easy tiger, I have to go on my rounds as soon as we get back to the East End," Emma quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Tonight then? It's pasta night at Chez Jones," he grinned smugly at her.

"Hmmm well I do love pasta," Emma mused, "I suppose I could stop by after I'm finished with my rounds." The bus slowed to a stop on the corner that Antioch House sat, Emma stood up from her seat only to have Killian catch her hand in his.

He placed a tender kiss to her knuckle, "Until I see you tonight my lady."

"You are such a charmer," Emma rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Only for you love," he called as she hurried off the bus. She was able to run into the convent and throw on her uniform and dash back downstairs to get her assignments.

"Cutting it close Nurse Swan," Sister Ingrid chided with a small smile.

"I know I'm sorry Sister, we hit a spot of traffic on the way back," Emma apologized.

"Here are your rounds for today, all of them pretty standard check-ins except for your last one. Marco Bonardi has been having some heart problems and I'm afraid he's not doing well and the situation needs to handled delicately."

"The old Italian who runs the furniture shop, he's always been so sweet. I can handle this," Emma nodded.

"Wait, Nurse Swan, Mr. Bonardi is in a very bad place. He refused treatment until his son insisted that he see Doctor Whale. There's quite a lot of tension there, but I know that you can handle it if things start to get ugly," Sister Ingrid warned.

"Hello Mr. Bonardi," Emma said brightly as she strode into his room, "How have you been feeling today?"

"No better than I felt yesterday," Marco grimaced as he tried to push himself into a sitting position. "And please call me Marco."

"Lie back, I'll let you know when you need to get up," Emma placed her hand on his shoulder. Even through his thick sweater and nightshirt, Emma could feel how thin he had become. "Marco is there someone who can look after you during the day? Make sure you're eating? Call us if anything is wrong?"

"Yes, my store keeper can call you," Marco nodded.

"He also has me," a voice asserted. Emma turned to see a tall man with dark hair and striking blue eyes standing in the doorway.

"And you are?"

"He is no one," Marco huffed.

"My name's August Booth, I'm his son," the man stepped into the room but still kept a few paces back from the bed.

"Feh your name is Agostino Bonardi. This August Booth is no son of mine."

Emma felt her eyebrows shoot practically up to her hairline, she busied herself with rummaging through her medical bag as she searched for a way to dissolve the tension in the room. "Why don't I take your blood pressure, Marco?"

Marco held out his arm her for but kept his stern gaze on August who stared at the floor. Tension filled the room as Emma explained to Marco and August that she would be there every evening to give Marco an injection and to check his ankles and the sore on his shoulder.

"Nurse Swan, do you have any children?" Marco interrupted her rambling.

"Um-" Emma stood gobsmacked and trying to find the right way to answer.

"You young people are so lucky, lives stretching out in front of you full of opportunity. No one to break your heart."

"Papa-" August said softly.

"You do not get to call me that, not since you've spit on everything I spent my life building for you."

Emma could tell that nothing she said at that moment would ease the tension in the room, she kept her eyes down as she repacked her bag and bid Marco and his son goodbye. She hurried down the stairs towards the back of Marco's furniture shop and only slowed when she heard August's heavy footsteps following her.

"I'm sorry about that," he said when he caught up to her.

"It's not the worst I've seen, believe me," Emma smiled sympathetically at him.

"It wasn't my idea to change my name," he said quickly, "My publisher thought it would be better if I changed it to something more neutral sounding."

"I'm sure your father will come around."

"I changed my name 3 years ago and you just saw the first time he spoke to me." Emma tried to school her face into a plain expression but couldn't help that her eyebrows knitted together. "Don't let that color your opinion of him too much, we had a huge row and I told him to never speak to me. And to be fair it's not as if I reached out before this."

"Well you're here now, that has to count for something."

"I don't know if it's enough though," August looked back towards the stairs, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"All you can do right now is try. You can't control how your father is going to react, but you can control your actions."

"I suppose you're right," he sighed, "I'll see you tomorrow?" Emma nodded before throwing her leg over her bike and settling herself onto the seat.

"Everything all right love?" Killian asked as Emma walked into his flat.

"It's nothing, just a tough patient," Emma shrugged off her coat and handed it to Killian's outstretched hand.

"Want to talk about it?"

"You know I can't, part of patient confidentiality."

"Oh right, well if there's anything I can do just let me know Swan."

"Any chance that pasta's ready? I'm starving," Emma smiled hopefully.

"Aye love, just a few more minutes until dinner is served. Liam!" he called down the hall, "dinner's almost ready. Time to wash up lad."

"But I'm almost done with this chapter!"

"And it'll still be there after dinner, now come wash up!"

Emma watched as Liam came out of his room and stomped to the kitchen sink to wash his hands; he really was the spitting image of Killian right down to the way their eyebrows nearly had a mind of their own. Once everyone had washed up they sat at the small kitchen table to eat, trading stories about their day.

"Dad the Cub Scouts are going on a field trip out to the country new weekend, can I go?"

"Sure, do I need to sign something?"

"Nurse Lucas will be giving them out at the next meeting I expect."

"Well then, I don't see why you can't go, just make sure you don't fall behind on your school work."

Emma was lost in thought, had Marco and August had conversations like this one all those years ago? Had Marco checked August's school work and signed permission slips? Had they ever been close the way Killian and Liam were now?

"Swan? Swan? Emma!" Killian pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking for a minute there. What were we talking about?"

"If you wanted to back into town with me next weekend since it appears I'll have the day to myself." Emma knew he was talking about going to see Regina and possibly Henry.

"Maybe, I'll have to see if I have that weekend off."

"You don't get all weekends off?" Liam asked.

"It comes with being a midwife, some just can't wait until Monday to come out."

"You'd think they'd be more considerate," Liam smirked.

Emma and Killian chuckled, "Well babies have different things to worry about than being considerate to midwives I suppose."

"Liam, why don't you go back to your book lad?" Killian said but Emma could feel him looking at her.

"You mean I don't have to do the dishes?"

"I know how exciting Captain Nemo's adventures can be, go on." Liam shot up from his seat and practically ran back to his room. Emma helped Killian gather up the dishes to put in the sink, mentally preparing herself for what she knew would come.

"You seem vexed love."

"I told you I'm fine Killian."

"Forgive me Swan but I'm not buying it; you've always been something of an open book to me and I can tell that something is bothering you more so than just a difficult patient. Are you nervous about meeting Henry? That he'll resent you? Because I have known that boy almost his entire life and I can tell you he'll love you."

"I wasn't worried about that, well I am but that isn't what's on my mind tonight." Emma took a deep breath, trying to carefully find her words. "Is there anything Liam could do to make you not love him anymore? Something to disown him?"

Killian looked taken aback, "Not love Liam? No never. I'd never abandon my son."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I bloody well know what it feels like when a father abandons you," Killian said harshly. Emma gasped softly and Killian looked ashamed of himself. "Emma I'm sorry, it's just that man could hardly call himself a father after what he did to my brother and my mother and me."

"What happened?"

"He loved betting on horses more than he loved us. Until one day when it caught up to him and he couldn't pay up on a bet. So he up and left us in the middle of the night; it nearly destroyed mum I remember there were days that she just couldn't get out of bed let alone care for the both of us. So my brother had to take on being the man of the house, he worked and made sure we had food on the table and that I stayed out of trouble. And despite my best efforts to be a rebellious little shite everything seemed to work, we weren't well off but we were getting by and as the years went by mum started getting better. That is right up until the war, Liam felt it was his duty to join the Navy; he didn't make it back. They got attacked in the middle of the damn Atlantic, he had to have done something especially heroic, they gave my mother and I a medal at his funeral."

"It's not enough, is it?" Emma placed a hand on his cheek and saw tears collecting in his eyes.

"Not at all, naming my son after him still doesn't feel like enough after all he did. I can only hope I'm doing half as much for little Liam than my brother did for me. He was a much better man than I could ever hope to be."

"You're a better man than you know Killian," Emma stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him properly. "There's not many who love their children as unconditionally as you love your son."

Marco's condition did not improve with Emma's daily visits; she knew that she was only prolonging the inevitable but she didn't feel that her job would be done if there wasn't any improvement between Marco and August. The problem was that neither of them knew how to approach the other. Emma could see that August was searching for something to say and that Marco was waiting for him to say something.

August had taken to sitting in a chair in the corner of the room during Emma's visits, looking everywhere but at his father, before coming up with an excuse to leave the room. Emma could see the hurt and disappointment in Marco's eyes each time his son turned to leave before he spat out a disdainful "Goodbye, Mr. Booth" to his son's retreating back.

"August why don't I teach you how to perform some lymphatic massage, just in case your father needs it when I'm not here."

"Oh no, I don't think that'll be a good idea."

"I'd much prefer it if you do it, Nurse."

"Honestly you both are just as bad as the other; now August hold out your hands," Emma pulled a bottle of oil out of her medicine kit and poured a small amount into August's trembling hand.

"Now, grasp your father's ankle firmly and push your hands up to his knee," Emma instructed once she had pulled back the bed sheets to reveal Marco's slightly swollen feet.

August gulped and did as instructed but applied barely any pressure.

"Try going a little harder, we need to improve your father's circulation."

"If he had stayed here and run the shop instead of running off to write in his fancy flat he wouldn't have such delicate hands," Marco said.

"Marco it's probably for the best if we have some quiet right now," Emma said forcefully. "You're doing great August, just a little more pressure." She watched as August massaged his father's ankles and calves, her eyes flicked to Marco's face. His gaze was fixed on his son and his face unreadable as Emma coached August through massaging the other legs.

"Right well I think I've got the hang of it now," August got up off of the foot of the bed. "I'd best wash up." He walked quickly out of the room, Emma thought she saw his hand come up to wipe his eyes but turned her attention to pulling the sheets and blankets down to cover Marco's feet.

"You must think that I am an awful man," he said.

"I don't think that at all," Emma assured him. "My wife and I we tried for so long to have a child and then things began to happen back in the old country. Friends going missing, hundreds arrested and shipped into exile, it was not safe to stay there and certainly no place to raise a family. So my wife and I, we move here and open the shop and a year later she told me she was expecting," an easy smile spread across Marco's face as he seemed to savor the memory. "But you know what happened then, the Blitz, they took her from me and left just me and Agostino alone together."

"Marco I'm so sorry, that cannot have been easy."

"It wasn't raising a teenager on my own but I tried to teach him everything I knew, just as my father had done for me and his father before him. I wanted to be supportive of his writing but one day he comes up to me all excited about getting published and he thrusts this bundle of pages into my hands and I see the name he has chosen for himself and it felt as if he turned his back on everything I have done for him. As if he didn't want to be associated with all of this that my wife and I had built for him."

"I'm sure that's not true, that can't be true."

"You don't have to protect my feelings Nurse, I am an old man and I know that I'm dying. Whatever you have to say to me can't hurt as bad as that."

"Then you'll forgive me for suggesting this Marco, but you might try meeting your son halfway. It could work wonders" Emma snapped her medical bag shut and stood up to leave.

"But what if that doesn't work Nurse?" Marco asked, Emma turned back and was struck for the first time just how ill he was, his pajamas and sweater hung off his body making him look even thinner than he was, his skin was so pale it looked nearly translucent, and his breathing was raspy and uneven.

"I can't make promises, but I will say that you can only control your actions. You can go to bed at night knowing that at least you tried."

"I see, thank you, Nurse Swan," Marco said, clutching his blankets and not quite meeting her eyes, "I'll see you tomorrow I suppose."

"Good night Marco," Emma nodded as she left, hoping that there was still enough time for him to even attempt to make amends. Over the next few days Marco's health was at a standstill, while he wasn't getting any worse he also wasn't improving no matter what Emma tried. It did seem that August and Marco's relationship was getting better, even if the improvement was minute. August now sat in on the entire visit instead of ducking out halfway through, Emma could also tell that he was continuing to massage his father's feet when she wasn't there. Marco at the very least wasn't glaring at August throughout Emma's visits and Emma could have sworn she saw a copy of August's book wedged between his mattress and the bed frame.

Until Emma got the call she had been dreading from August, "Nurse Swan please come quickly!" August had panted into the phone, "My father, he's not breathing right nurse and I don't know what to do."

"All right, I'm on my way August, just make sure he's breathing and that he stays calm. I'll be there as quick as I can." Emma grabbed her medical bag and raced down the stairs of the convent and peddled as fast as her legs could to the furniture shop. In no time Emma was up the stairs and examining Marco.

"His heart rate is very fast," Emma said removing her stethoscope. "Try massaging his ankles and feet, we need to try to improve his circulation while we can."

"Nurse Swan," Marco wheezed, his hand reaching up towards her, "Tell the truth. Am I dying?"

Emma paused, at a loss for words, truthfully he was. He was dying and the most that she could do was ensure that he was comfortable. "Yes," she nodded at him, tears starting to cloud her vision, "I'm so sorry Mr. Bonardi."

"No no, don't be sorry. I have had my time and I'm afraid that I've wasted a large part of it."

"You didn't and you still have some time to make things right," Emma whispered to him before looking towards August.

"Papa," August sank into a chair near the bed, "Papa I'm so sorry. I should never have turned my back on you."

"No no no my boy, it is I who should be sorry." Marco held out his hand, curled with age and still calloused from a lifetime of work. August clasped it in his own hand and tears fell down his face. "I was the one to turn my back on you. You are my son and I forgot that."

"Papa…"

"Let me finish, I only have so much time left. Whether you are August Booth or Agostino Bonardi, you are my son. I love you."

"I love you too," August choked out and kissed his father's knuckles.

"I only wish that I could finish your book, I was just getting to the good part," Marco chuckled before coughing.

"Well it's fitting, I was working on this," August pulled a small wooden whale from his pocket. "I know I'm a little rusty but-"

"You always had a talent for carving, but maybe you should stick to writing," Marco smiled before taking one last breath. A small smile remained etched on his face as August began to sob still clutching his father's hand. Emma reached forward and gently closed Marco's eyes and pull the bed sheet up to cover Marco's face.

Emma sat at the back of the church for Marco's wake with Killian and the other midwives. It had been a somber occasion as Marco had been known and well liked throughout the community having made most of their furniture with care and skill. She listened as the priest spoke about Marco and lead them all in prayer. It wasn't long before it was over and they were all dismissed and she and Killian walked hand in hand down the church steps.

"Emma wait!" Emma turned to see August jogging down the steps to meet them. "I just wanted to thank you, for everything you did."

"Your welcome, I was only doing my job," Emma blushed.

"No, you did much more than you were asked to and I can't even think of a way to properly thank you."

"Really you're welcome; I did everything I could for him. So what are you going to do now? I heard Marco left you the shop."

"I'm going to keep it open, I figured I'd get back to my roots," August shrugged and smiled.

"What about your writing?"

"I'll still be doing that too; woodworker by day and writer by night. I think that'll make him happy."

"I'm sure it would, good luck August."

"Same to you Nurse Swan," he smiled before turning on his heel and walking back towards the church.

"You really are a marvel you know that," Killian said as they began to walk.

"Only because you mention it so often. Thank you for coming with me by the way."

"Of course plus Marco was a great man. Loved Liam and made him some toys when he was a wee lad. And speaking of lad's," he turned to her with a serious expression.

"I called Regina, she had a barrister look over the records you sent her. She's agreed to let you and Henry spend some time together if you're ready for it?"

Emma looked back at the church thinking about everything she had seen the past couple of weeks, "Yes I'm ready. I want to meet my son."

tagging: @timeless-love-story, @leatherjacketsandrum, @captainswanismyendgame, @potentialheartofdarkness, @a-faekindagirl, @caprelloidea, @stardusted-nymph, @survivorjace, @captainstudmuffin, @ouat-upon-a-coconut, @captainswanandclintasha, @captainswanapproved, @brooke-to-broch, @xemmaloveskillianx, @xerxesrises, @xhookswenchx, @hook-come-back-to-me, @lenfaz, @sherifffjones, @fefefeferniss

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