#she is finally getting intensive help & recognizing how horribly she tortured me and allowed me to be victimized time and time again from

[heavenlydreamangelflyhigh]

despite my best efforts, i am a vindictive person

holding such hateful, bitter grudges against the woman who birthed me as a grown adult feels tedious and embarrassing

[thecleverdame]

Gods of Twilight - 23

Alpha!Werewolf!Sam x Human!Reader

Master List 

Summary: You marry Sam, The King of Lebanon, as part of an alliance between two lands. You soon discover that nothing is as it appears and that your husband is hiding a secret that may end your relationship before it can begin.

Warnings: smut, dub-con, canon-level violence, domestic discipline, spanking.  This chapter does contain some non-con elements.

Beta:  @ilikaicalie​

*This story is complete. All 27 chapters are available on Patreon. To get access to this and many other stories, subscribe for a pledge of 2.50 per month. CLICK HERE

-

“I’m sorry,” you plead into his neck as he briskly carries you toward your bedchambers. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s alright.” His words are understanding but his tone is something else. He’s holding back, practically shaking with rage but managing to keep himself under control for your sake.  

And who could blame him? Dean. If Sam hadn’t appeared when he did who knows what you would have done. The very notion makes you sick to your stomach. Dean. Of all people. He loathes you and yet the way he stared at you...

“What’s wrong with me?” You look your husband in the eyes as he kicks the door shut behind him. “I woke up in that horrible place and then found your bother. I swear to you I’ve never been unfaithful, I just...I don’t understand.” Your mind is a swirl of contradictory thoughts and urges. “Why would I react like that to him. I don’t-”

“Stop,” he commands. You’re silent as he carefully sets you on the bed then kneels on the ground before you, one hand on each of your thighs. “There is much I need to tell you, that I need to explain. What you must know right now is that you are like me. You’re a shifter and the way you feel, that hunger, is your first heat. The pain, the cramping and burning inside you is your body searching for a mate.”

“I am…a wolf?” you whisper, scarcely able to comprehend what he’s telling you. How? When? “But, I don’t...how? Dean said I had a daughter. I want to see her. Can I see her, Sam?”

“As soon as you’ve calmed down you can see her and hold her.” He reaches up, tucking hair behind your ear as tears shine in his eyes. “She’s waited a long time for her mother, we both have.”

“How long?” you ask, grabbing the meat of his shoulder. “How long was I down there? How old is she?”

“She’s nearly a year,” Sam confirms, eyes darting downward.

“What? A year...” you sputter, unable to wrap your head around this new fact. “She must be so big. I want to see her now!”

“You will, but we have to be sure you’re of sound mind.”

You are confused but more than anything you’re scared. So much has happened and it’s clear you don’t know the half of it. If all this has changed, what else is there?

“What happened to me? And why can’t I remember any of it?”

“The birth of our daughter was traumatic to say the least. You were injured in an attack and when she was born you tore. You died and came back to life. For a long time you didn’t remember anything, including me. And now here we are.” Sam looks so forlorn that it makes your heart ache inside your chest. You’ve both been through more than anyone should.

“I can’t see her yet because I’m a wolf...and I might hurt her?”

“Yes.”

“What’s her name?”

Sam offers a sad little smile that lets you see the true extent of pure exhaustion and despair that has tortured him these last months.  

“She doesn’t have one. I couldn’t name her without you.” He cups your face with two hands, leaning forward to place a simple kiss on your lips. “I call her my love and that’s been enough.”

“Is she healthy? Happy?”

“No little girl has ever been more of either. Martha looks after her most of the time and we have help from others, from the pack.”

You can’t imagine that you have a daughter, a girl who’s probably walking before she’s ever met her mother. You have many questions about this last year, a lot you need to know but right now the sickly pit in your stomach is taking precedence.

“You’re in pain?” Sam asks, already knowing the answer.

“Yes,” you wince, folding forward. “It’s getting worse. It’s stronger than it was before. Is something wrong with me?”

“No, you’re going to be fine. It’s natural.”

“Will it always be like this?” You look up in horror. “I feel as if I’m dying.”

“Not always. Once you’re claimed and mated, it’ll become less intense. As long as we’re together your heat will be abated. No pain, just a need that requires fulfillment.”

Another wave rolls through your body as you gasp, rocking back and forth, gritting your teeth to get through it.

“We shouldn’t wait any longer,” he gives your knee a squeeze before standing up. “Take off your dress.”

“I’m filthy,” you protest as he pulls his shirt over his head, horrified by the idea of anyone seeing you like this.

“I don’t care.” He shrugs.

“Well, I do care. In fact, I care very much.” You let the dress fall to the floor, leaving you naked, covered in dirt and grime. “Look at me. I don’t want to be with you like this. I might be an animal but I will protect my dignity.”

“Then I’ll wash you.”

“Why don’t we call for a bath?”

“That will take time, do you want to wait?” He raises a brow, bringing a basin of water to the bed. “I want to take care of you. Let me.”

Your husband, the king, and Alpha, drops to his knees once again. He wets a cloth in the basin of water and begins to wipe you clean, starting with your feet and working his way upward. By the time he’s between your thighs the cramps return and you lie back, allowing him to scrub until you’re relatively clean.

“What will happen now?” you whisper as he hovers above you, one giant hand spread over your naked belly.  He’s already hard, his manhood looks painfully stiff and is poking at your hip.

“Now you will take my knot, and all the pain will go away.”

“Are you sure you want me?” Your voice is a fractured whisper. “After what happened, and what I’ve done-”

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. I thought my heart was rotting in my chest. I’ve never wanted anything more than the way I want you now. There will be plenty of time to talk later. Let me make your pain go away.”

The first few kisses are hesitant as you reacclimate yourselves to one another. His tongue glides along your bottom lip as he settles himself between your legs. Despite drowning in a sea of new sensations you can clearly recognize that your body is different than it used to be. Your skin tingles where he’s touching you, every inch of him laid over you, making you sizzle with pleasure and excitement for what’s to come.

You moan into his mouth, hands curling around his back and pulling him closer until he drops the full weight of his massive frame on top of you and it’s all-consuming. You wanted him before, you loved him and he brought you pleasure but this is incomparable. Night and day. His Alpha calls to your Omega. It sends you into an altered state, you’re drunk off him, squirming and writhing underneath him as he kisses you into delirium.

“Sam,” you suck a breath between kisses, silenced when his mouth seals back over yours. He grunts, one hand curled into the cut of your hip, the other sliding behind your head and twisting a handful of hair.

“Alpha,” he quietly corrects you, looking down with half-closed eyes. “I’m your Alpha.”

“Alpha,” you repeat. The moment his title leaves your mouth you know it’s right. As if you’ve been searching for one word to encompass all he means to you and now you’ve finally found it. “Alpha,” you whisper again, bending your knees up into his ribs, urging him into action.

The cramps are all but gone and you’re lost in a lustful stupor. His mouth moves down your neck, kissing and nipping until he finds your breast and sucks a nipple into his mouth, hot and waiting as he ruts his manhood against your sex.

You’ve been wet since the moment he laid his hands on you, but now you’re a slick, desperate mess as everything between your thighs throbs with need. You understand now, the pull of one wolf to another. The desperation of one body calling out and another answering in return.

“Please,” you grasp his arms, rolling your hips against his erection. “I need you now.”

His mouth pops off your breast, lifting himself onto both his arms as he looks down at you. His hair is longer than before, hanging unruly around his face and his beard is thick. He looks wild, like half-man with an untamed animal lurking just under the surface, and you’ve never felt as captivated by him as you do at this moment.

His hands disappear between your bodies and he lowers down, staring into your eyes while he lines himself up. His cock pushes inside with no resistance, stretching you open after a year apart. Your eyes roll back into your skull. The first stroke fills you completely and the world is white-hot with satisfaction.

He buries his face in your neck, mouth grinning against sweating skin. He pulls out, only to sink back inside and you cry out, clutching at his spine, rocking with him as the pleasure grows, a fire being stoked with each new slide of his hips into your thighs.

When he pulls himself away from your body you cry out, eyes snapping open as he leans down to kiss you and offering a breathy order.

“Turn over.”

You blink one time and then roll into your belly. Two big hands curl around your ribs as he pulls you up and you find yourself on hands and knees while he nudges your legs wider. With one powerful thrust, he slides back inside, deeper than before. He works his cock faster, plunging in to the hilt with every thrust. Your hands dig in the bedding, toes curling as he groans and grunts with each stroke.

When you feel his knot begin to swell an old familiar fear rises, but you have little time to let it take hold as he grows thicker and thicker, holding himself deep for the final moments. When his knot pops you howl as your own orgasm washes over you. It’s nothing but unbridled lust as you squeeze and pulse around him, feeling the perfect stretch of his knot buried in your channel.

“Omega,” he growls, curling forward. His belly presses into your lower back as he empties inside you.

For a long time, you lie under him twitching and jerking from the aftershocks of it all. Mouth opening and closing, eyes blinking slowly, muscles contracting and releasing until you are nothing more than a puddle of a woman.

“Are you alive my queen?” His mouth is at the shell of your ear, lips curling into a satisfied smirk.

You nod, making a squeaky little sound that’s all you can muster.

You used to imagine what it would be like to truly be like him. To be a wolf and open your legs without hesitation. You knew it would feel different, better, but nothing could have prepared you for this life-altering pleasure.

“I’m not sure I’ll ever be the same again,” you whisper, face down in the bed.

He chuckles from behind, wrapping a forearm around your belly and jostling you onto your side. His knot tugs, sending extra zips of gratification from between your legs out in all directions.

You lie together as his fingers trail over your thigh, floating across your ribs to cup breasts as his mouth sucks at your shoulder. Somewhere in the midst of postcoital haze, rational thoughts behind to take shape.

You have a child.

You’re a shapeshifter.

You would have offered yourself up to his brother if you had the opportunity.

Guilt settles back into your gut as his knot recedes. He pulls free, sending a rush of his seed from deep inside.

“What is wrong?” He rolls you onto your back to look at him. He can feel the shifting attitude, your body stiffening.  “You were happy a moment ago and now you’re miles away.”

Looking at him, you move onto your side to face him. His handsome, tired face is full of genuine concern. He slides a hand over the curve of your hip, his fingers playing along the base of your spine.

“I love you,” you whisper, staring at his chest, ashamed to look at him. “I don’t understand what happened with your brother, but I hope you can forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive.” Sam sighs. “It is you that are in a position to offer forgiveness. I was prepared to let you die. I didn’t want to turn you. Dean did what I could not. He bit you, turned you. He saved your life. It’s why you feel a connection to him.”

“I do not want to feel this way about him. I feel dirty and ashamed.” You close your eyes, trying to not picture Dean and his sweet, wonderful scent. “What can I do to make it stop?”

“I’ll claim you,” Sam explains. He moves his hand to your hair, rubbing his fingers over your scalp. “While you may always experience some allegiance to him, my claim should put an end to the more intimate urges.”

“Will you do it now?” You run a hand over his chest, rough hair and hot skin under your open palm. “I’m not comfortable with the idea of being like this, an unclaimed Omega. I want to be yours.”

“You will be,” he promises softly. “Try not to upset yourself. You’ve been through so much. You need rest and calm and time to heal.”

“Then claim me,” you implore, searching his eyes. “I want you to claim me now.”

“We should wait for my rut.” He pulls you close, soothing your agitation with his own body. And it works, the sensation of an Alpha’s skin pressing against yours works like a drug as you melt into him. “Our bond will be the strongest during my rut. I want it now too, but we have to wait. It’s for the best.”

“How long?” You breathe in, letting his scent curl inside.

“A few weeks. Not long.”

“That sounds like a lifetime,” you mutter, nuzzling into his neck, pressing your nose right under his jaw.

“It will be here before you know it. I’ll be with you, as often as you need. And we’ll keep my brother away. Everything will be fine, you just have to trust me.”

“I trust you.” You’re fighting sleep, overcome with exhaustion and nestled into this warm, inviting body curled around you. “I want to see my daughter...and Golda. I’ve missed so much.”

Sam doesn’t respond, he just holds you as you slip into sleep blissfully unaware of the horrors the truth will hold.

[vanillawinston]

Mad World| Chapter THREE

Joker x OC(Jane Parker)

Summary: Jane was in the wrong place at the wrong time and suddenly her life was falling apart. The past and future of a dangerous obsession which changed his life and destroyed hers completely.

Warning for this chapter: /

Back to the start HERE

Previous part HERE

Next part HERE

Words: 1987

My nerves were raw when we all, dressed in our new clothes, equipped with our weapons, had to enter a helicopter. Unwanted I remembered how the first time ever in such a thing I had been by his side; I remembered how happy I had been back then, how different my world was. This situation now was weird. It was strange not being in a cell, being kind of free, sitting here, surrounded by those people. A few days ago I was ready to die, to let everything end, and now I was here with all those other prisoners, and one of them was Harley, the new girl at the side of the men I once would have died for without thinking twice about it.

I sighed hardly when I fastened my seat belt and of course hat the misfortune to sit right in front of Quinn. On my right sat this weird and kind of creepy crocodile man, who had the name Croc. From a nearer view he looked less creepy, but I was still freaked out of sitting next to him, in the end he still was a fucking crocodile. On my left sat the tattooed man, El Diablo. I had heard some stuff about him and his power of creating hell like fire out of nowhere. Weird. The other strangers were Captain Boomerang and Slipknot. We were for sure the weirdest group ever, especially in the company of Rick's friend Katana who was walking around with a bloody sword in her hands like some ninja and who was looking at every one of us like she wanted to nothing more but to behead all of us.

"So, I still have some issues understanding our position in this matter," Floyd spoke up while the last technical details were checked before we would depart.

"You will do as I say, you will follow the rules and do what you can do best."

"If not then... Pshhh," Boomerang said and made a gesture with his hands like he was imitating an explosion, and I shivered of it, but to explode doesn't sound that nice, not at all, and this Rick guy had the full power over us and our lives.

"Typically," Floyd snorted. "We are doing your dirty work and getting nothing in return."

"We will see," Slipknot mumbled when the helicopter started, and for a moment I was frightened of this sudden noise and the movement. It was still strange to process this whole thing, to really accept that we would go on this mission, that I was free, away from the prison and the torture in it.

"Easy kid," Floyd laughed now more friendly and calming, which was really helpful. I calmed down, remembered that everything was ok, even though it was strange lifting up, leaving the earth, the prison behind. My calmness didn't last for long though when I saw Harley's curious gaze on me. "Aren't you a bit young to be here?" she asked me amused, like it was some joke, but she was right. I was the youngest of all of them. I was a lot younger than the rest.

"The girl is 19 and in here for two years," Floyd answered and manged it that everyone was staring at me impressed. Even this Samurai Lady looked astonished to me. Yeah, everyone was asking themselves what the hell I did to end up here, how bad my crime was to suffer so much in such a young age.

"And why?" Boomerang asked, and I saw how this Diablo guy eyed me silently from the side. He didn't say a word, stared at me intensively, and it was really distracting.

"I'm useful," I said, didn't want to think about it again, about everything I've went through. The last few months I never had to go through all of this crap, but these last days I had to relive everything over and over again, talk about it, remember some horrible stuff, and I really had enough. I didn't want to say more, especially since no one knew my connection to the Joker and no one should, especially not Harley.

It is common knowledge that the Joker once had another toy than Quinn, but everyone, including himself, thinks she is dead. No one knew my real name back then, except for the Joker. I had a different name, one the Joker liked more, since only he was allowed to know the real me, the real Jane. I had managed it to stand all this time at his side without anyone ever recognizing me, only if they would have been close to me. Just the government had found out the truth.

"We really are weird," Boomerang laughed loudly, and I used the distraction of the others to look to Diablo, who was still staring at me.

"Is something wrong?" I asked him, and he seemed like he was trying desperately to find an answer when suddenly there was a loud bang and the whole helicopter started to spin around. It felt like I was pressed sharply against my belt, everything was spinning, my body was shaking from one side to another, and the fear of dying surrounded me. It felt like we would all gonna die, and even though I've welcomed death a lot of times in my life, I was scared, I didn't want to go now, not like this.

Some of the belts of the others stopped working by all this shaking, I saw how someone was falling without a hold in the vehicle, and this destiny almost was mine as well when I heard my belt click. I saw with wide eyes to the wall in front of me, knew that I would fall against it, that I would probably die, break all my bones, when suddenly Diablo put his arm in front of me, hold me back like some sort of extra belt and he kept me safe this way. It must be so hard and so painful holding his arm in front of me like this, holding me back, but he didn't stop, not until we finally reached the ground and the whole horrible trip found an end.

Breathing hardly, I looked to him when I took his arm away from me and he was just like me out of breath and exhausted. I stroked my hair back, tried to calm myself, but it was hard, after all we almost died here.

"A hell of a landing," Boomerang laughed, stood up from the ground and seemed ok, considering he was the one who was falling around during the crash, the one whose seat belt has stopped working just like my mine did, with the only difference that he didn't had a Diablo who saved him.

"Oh, this was funny," Harley giggled, and I thought I had to throw up, for one because of her but also because all this spinning made me dizzy.

"Everyone ok?" Rick asked, and I stood up, followed the others out of the wreckage, tried not to fall, so giddy was everything.

My eyes widened in shock when I saw the city around us, saw all those demolished buildings. It was nice seeing something different than the prison, but what the hell had happened here? It looked like a T-Rex or something had a fight with Godzilla here. Has Gotham changed this much during the last years or was this just part of the mission?

"Everyone is fine," Floyd mumbled and stand next to me, looked just as shocked to the city.

"I'm really here, seeing all of this again," I breathed quietly, and Floyd smiled. "Enjoy it. This won't be a journey to an amusement park like Harley is assuming," he said amused, and I sighed hardly.

"No, it won't." I looked back to the others, who were trying to get all their stuff out of the wreck and where I saw how Diablo was already looking at me. The guy was weird, but he has saved my life. Who knew what would have happened without him? I wasn't as stable as Boomerang to survive something like this. I was small, thin, really thin, it wasn't healthy anymore. There was no chance I would have survived. This was why I took all my courage to walk right to him, saw how he eyed me curiously while doing so.

"Thank you," I said struggling, and it was weird saying this. Gratitude. How long haven't I felt something like this?

"It's ok," he said shortly, turned around, and I rolled my eyes. He wasn't a big talker, was he?

"It is not. It wasn't easy holding me there, even if I'm not much of a weight, so thank you!" He looked me in my eyes before he stroked his in tattoos covered head.

"It really is ok, but try to watch out for yourself, lightweight," he said smirking, and I immediately smiled back when Rick shouted us all together, so I walked to him, asked myself what would happen next?

"So we have to keep walking, and I warn you, don't try anything or I will blow you up." "We got it," Slipknot answered him, was clearly annoyed, didn't seem too impressed of this whole blowing up thing. Either he wasn't believing Rick, or he simply didn't care, but it was his problem not mine. My biggest problem right now was trying to stay alive but also not to kill Harley who was a pain in the ass with her annoying behaviour.

"Don't be so tensed," Floyd said when we started to move, right into the destroyed neighborhood.

"I'm not tensed," I defended myself, and he smiled. "I see your tension and I really don't know what the reason behind of it is, but I'm sure it is not only because of this mission." "Then have fun trying to find out," I said amused, wouldn't tell him anything, he would probably judge me for my past, think I'm some lunatic, and if Harley finds out the truth... god, she would kill me! She would definitely kill me, she was too obsessed with the Joker, I was a threat, she would never let me live.

"I will find out, I promise," he said smiling when I suddenly heard Rick curse and fast saw the reason why. Slipknot tried to flee; so he really didn't believe Rick. Skillfully he climbed up one of the buildings, and I really thought he would escape, he would manage it, so fast and easy he moved up the building, when there was a loud bang, and he was dead. From one second to anther he was dead, just like that.

"Holy crap," Boomerang mumbled shocked, and I put my hand on my fast beating heart, but this was horrible. We really were damned, we really could die just like this if Rick wants us to, but it was also terrible to see someone die again, to see, after such a long time, someone die again in front of me. I've completely forgotten how fast this could happen, how fast someone, who was just breathing, could be gone forever, and I really don't want to think about it. This view opened so many old scars, old horrible memories came up, and I hated it.

"I hope this was a lesson to all of you," Rick said, looking with a weird look to the dead Slipknot, before he turned around and started walking again.

"Oh, how much I hate this son of a bitch," Floyd said disgusted, and I knew this whole thing would end in a tragedy, and I was right in the middle of it.

Aloha :) I hope you liked it. In the next part there will be finally something about the Joker. Sorry for any grammar or editing mistakes, tell me if you like to be tagged and the Gif is not mine xx

Tag: @xxqueenwxtchxx

[wordsfromthesol]

You’re a what...(3/4)

Author: @wordsfromthesol Taglist: @zalladane @ghost-brocolli​ Pairing: Dick Grayson x Reader Summary: Your life is turned upside down when you suddenly land in Gotham. Thankfully Dick is nearby and knows way more than he lets on. Warnings: Language, violence Word Count: 2.1k

Part One   Part Two   Part Four

You thought Dick was just dropping you off with Diana, you had no idea that he was coming with you. That was until Dick motioned for you to follow him. You watched as an old grandfather clock moved away to reveal a dark staircase.

“Are you trying to murder me?”

“Oh, just come on. I have a surprise for you.”

“Who even has a secret lair in their house?” You questioned as you descended the staircase. The concept of vigilantes was known to you, but you didn’t dwell on it. Humans did unexplainable things all the time.

Dick led you over to a case, with a costume in it. He threw his arms up, as if to reveal some great treasure. “I had it made for you. Some armor, some gadgets, lightning proof. It may help you in this supposed fight.”

“You make superhero costumes?”

“Well…I didn’t make it. But I know a guy. He, uhm, made mine.” Dick ran his hand through his hair.

“You’re one of those nutcases that runs around the city! Oh man, it all makes sense now. Tell me, I’ve looked down on so many of you…but I could never figure out why they…you…do it.”

Dick just shrugged, “It was a way to cope. And then I realized I could help people, help people who couldn’t help themselves. I could save people.”

“I guess the gods aren’t known for their charity work. The concept has always baffled me.”

“You mean you’ve never seen someone in danger and just wanted to help them?”

“Not much I could do from up there. Guess I just became desensitized to it. Humans are all sorts of fucked.”

“Yeah, well now you’re a part of the club.”

“Joy,” you said accompanied with a dramatic eyeroll, “So where’s Diana?”

“Her and Bruce should be here any minute. Let’s suit up.”

“Let’s?! I’m sorry. What? You’re not coming.”

“Well I’m not letting you do this alone.”

“I won’t be alone, Diana will be there.”

“But you don’t know Diana or trust her. So now I’m going.”

“You can’t just GO to Tartarus!”

Just as Dick was about to refute your statement, Diana and Bruce waltzed in, clad in their costumes. “What, you two change your minds? Come on, get dressed!” Diana urged you along, ignoring the intensity of the situation she just interrupted. As the two of you stalked away, she turned to Bruce, “You should have told her.”

“Why? So she could throw a fit about Dick going? Then just try to go on her own, so none of us went along? I recognized the type. This way was better.”

“And you still want to go? Have you forgotten that few mortal men get back out of Tartarus?”

“I trust you to get me out…and I trust her to get Dick out.”

**

There it lay in front of you. The entrance to Tartarus. The beginning of your journey. The answers to your growing list of questions.

“I sent Hermes ahead. Persephone should be expecting us, though it will still be no picnic getting to her. Lost and tortured souls will be swarming around us until we get to the ferryman. Don’t worry, they cannot hurt you…physically.”

“I didn’t even think about that…” you mumbled, thinking no one heard you until Dick grasped your hand and gave it a light squeeze before the two of you trailed behind Diana and Bruce.

No one had a mental breakdown on the way, so things were looking in your favor as you approached a large chamber room. Guess the gods don’t like change. You chuckled to yourself as you noticed the similarities to the Olympus architecture. Both Persephone and Hades emerged from a nearby door.

“Y/N! I was wondering when you would find your way here!” Persephone exclaimed in delight.

“Well, you were my first guess as to how I was transported out of Olympus. Really good timing to, dad was berating me with marriage again.”

“Honestly, I don’t know why my brother thinks marriage will solve all your problems. It’s not like he treats his own with any respect.” Hades eyed both the Amazon and you, as the evidence was right in front of him.

You really didn’t want to talk about this in front of…well any of your compatriots, but you had no other option. “Uncle…the world won’t be thrown out of balance if I chose not to marry…right?”

“Is THAT what that asshole told you? Pft, he acts so all-knowing. Y/N/N, honestly, I don’t know. But that’s because no one knows! We are stumbling around in this universe as much as them.” He gestures towards the mortals in his presence. “You can’t base your decision on anything he says. Zeus just wants to keep you in Olympus. There are…repercussions…for staying on earth.”

“Oh don’t sound so dramatic, dear. The ‘repercussions’ are you won’t be immortal. You’ll age similarly to the half-Amazon you brought with you, oh and your powers will not be as great. As you have probably noticed…your dad just doesn’t want to be stuck alone with Hera forever.” She could barely choke out the last sentence as her words were laced with laughter.

“Well, I wouldn’t either. She has made my one thousand two hundred and six years up there miserable.” You let out a fake laugh, as if the torture meant nothing. “So, you did pull me out then?”

“I did. But it was at the request of your mother. She hated that you were brought to Olympus in the first place. She wanted a human life for you.”

“But…why now?”

“Well, souls get lost here. Maybe something, or someone,” she eyed her husband, “reminded her of you.”

“Can I…uhm…can I see her?”

“Afraid not, my sweet niece. Inside these chambers, you are safe, outside your mind can become easily corrupted and twisted.” Hades went over to embrace you. “Oh I have missed you. And it seems our visits will become more infrequent.” He watched as your face twisted, processing all the new information.

You were always closest with Hades, even though you lived at separate ends, he always seemed more like a father than Zeus. “Uncle, I just…you are so willing to let me live my life. To try and be happy. Why can my father not do the same?”

“Because your father is what he’s always been. Selfish, childish, and power-hungry.”

At this point you had nearly forgotten you were in the company of others, telling your uncle all the secrets and experiences you had had over the past few weeks. It was inevitable, after you let out the good memories, you knew it was time for the bad. You needed more answers.

“He’s been in my dreams…” The room instantly grew warmer, and your three companions exchanged worried glances. Dick went as far as to slide next to you and take your hand in his. The small comfort allowed you to continue. “Uncle, Hypnos hates my father. Why would he let him into my mind?” You shook your head and forced back tears as the memories resurfaced. “He showed me horrible things. He made me fell horrible…the most pain I’ve ever felt…it was all so real.”

“Hypnos is in my domain! How did my brother get passed me?!” Hades temper had surfaced, yelling for answers where he would receive none. The room was silent as he came down to a simmer. “Persephone, check all the entrances, place more hell hounds at the gates, do whatever it takes. We are going to see Hypnos.” He turned and finally noticed your fingers interlaced with the mortals. “You two come with me. Amazon, mortal, stay here.”

“Uncle, he really doesn’t need to come.”

At this, Hades anger relinquished, and a knowing smirk now graced his lips. “For some reason, I think he does.”

**

The three of you entered a small chamber, where a stout figure sat clad in an array of glittering jewels.

“Oh! Visitors! Well I haven’t had visitors…well, it’s been a very long time!”

“Hypnos, I think you know why we are here.” Hades pointed towards you.

“I was wondering how long it would take.” Hypnos stood, playing with their fingers, not daring to look you in the face. They remembered the dreams that Zeus had been plaguing you with. “I…er…he.”

“It was your children, wasn’t it?” You asked solemnly, finally realizing the only thing Zeus could hold over them.

“I didn’t…and those things…what you felt…saw. I’m sorry.”

“Was there any truth to it?” You looked up towards Dick.

“Truth? It came from Zeus’ twisted mind. He only wants you to suffer.” Hypnos glanced down at your hand, now clasped with Dick’s, “Though angering the gods, when you have a loved one to lose, is never wise.” You untangled your fingers from his at Hypnos’ words.

“Is there anything we…I can do to stop him from invading my mind?”

“Well, for now, I can make it so you won’t remember the dreams. But you will still feel them, in the moment.”

You waved off the idea, “No. That won’t work. Guess I’ll just have to go to the source directly.”

“Y/N…if I may…bring Zeus to earth. He will be more vulnerable. Especially if you can convince Poseidon to either join you, or to stay on the sidelines.”

“Hypnos, has my dear brother come to you each night? Has he entered MY realm each night?”

“He does.”

“If he does not come, do not plague my niece with dreams.”

“Of course not,” as the three of you began to leave Hypnos chirped after you, “He was quite angry when you went three nights without sleep!”

Good.

**

You met up with Diana and Bruce, but as you began to call the ferryman, Hades pulled you aside.

“My dear niece, do not let what Hypnos said deter you from love. I know without my dear Persephone, I would not have been able to endure half of tribulations that have come my way. Yes, it gives you a weakness to be exploited, but it allows you to exploit it as well. To be willing to do anything and everything to hold it close…Your father does not know this. He does not know true love.”

You nodded, but it was clear your mind did not comprehend the levity of his words just yet. All you could see was Dick’s lifeless body in your arms. Walking back over to the group, Persephone called the ferryman, and turned towards you, whispering.

“I did not place you on that pier by accident, Y/N.”

**

Everyone made it back to Themyscria, and then the Batcave without any hitches, much to your surprise. Mortals were not just allowed to enter Tartarus alive and leave alive. You noticed the confused look on Diana’s face as well. You turned towards her.

“That was weird, right?”

“Which part?”

“Well Bruce and Dick just being allowed to leave...”

“Oh yes, that was…unexpected.”

“What else did you think was weird?” At this point, you were even more confused. What happened while you were with Hypnos? Before Diana could answer, Dick’s bewilderment overtook him.

“I’m sorry, Hades is nice? Like he was acting…well like a father? To you? He didn’t try to kill us? I’ve been lied to!”

You chuckled, “Stop going off of Hercules, Hades is not ‘evil’. He has been more like a father to me than my own. He didn’t choose to rule the Underworld and he didn’t choose to be cast out by the rest of the gods.” You finally understood Diana’s confusion as well. The Amazons were told stories from Zeus. They never truly knew either. Hell, you were born way after the fact, the only reason you knew is because children ask too many questions. And it just so happened to be to Hades, one of the few times he came to Olympus.

“Though a history lesson would be riveting, we need a plan.” You could always count on Bruce to keep things on track.

“Well, step one is to get my dear old dad here on earth.”

“Any idea how?” Dick looked at you with a worried expression. He knew this would not bode well for you.

“I think I can persuade him. I’ll summon Hermes when we have an actual plan. I also prefer sooner than later, since we couldn’t get the dream thing worked out. Who knows if my uncle can actually keep Zeus from the Underworld.”

“Are we trying to kill Zeus? I’m afraid that would not bode well for humanity.” Diana chimed in.

“No,” you blatantly stated, trying not only to convince everyone else in the room, but also yourself. “Unfortunately, we can’t kill my father.”

[waywardaardvark79]

Come Back to Me: Part 7

Summary:  Y/N, a WW2 army nurse spends her days caring for and patching up injured soldiers. The last thing she ever expected was that one of the soldiers that she saved would steal her heart. A story of two people and the insurmountable obstacles they overcome to always come back to each other.

Pairing: Dean x Reader, Benny x Reader (platonic)

Warnings: language, character injury

Word Count: 4,702

A/N: Updates should be at least once a week. No set schedule. Memories in italics. 

Dean could hear voices, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He was too far away. It was almost as if he was underwater, everything distorted, nothing clear. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt so heavy, and after multiple attempts he had to stop, no longer able to devote what little strength he had left to the seemingly impossible task. 

So, Dean laid there, dipping in and out of consciousness, trying to figure out where he was at when he was alert and dreaming of you when he wasn't. He was desperately trying to piece together what happened, trying to figure out what events occurred to land him where he was, but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't remember. 

The voices were fading. They were now nothing more than an incoherent mumble, and Dean knew that he wouldn't be conscious much longer, the blissful allure of sleep too much for him to resist because at least when he was asleep you were there with him.

Something told him to turn around and as much as he didn't want to do it, fearing that seeing you standing there, especially with him knowing how badly you didn't want him to go, would stop him from going all together. He was afraid that if he looked at you again he would never leave, his mission be damned, and despite the fact that every part of him was screaming for him to keep going, he stopped. 

Dean took a deep breath before he turned around, trying to prepare himself to see you upset, his heart aching that he was the cause. He honestly wasn't prepared for what he did see when he looked at you. He was fully expecting to see tears and heartbreak, and was shocked when he saw relief on your face. It was almost as if the moment he looked at you a weight lifted from your shoulders, and even though he knew it was an impossible thing to see, he could swear that he did.  

He would always remember how relieved and happy you looked just to be looking at him again, and he couldn't help the smile that formed on his face as he focused on you. He was smiling so big that his cheeks hurt, but he couldn't stop, not when you were looking at him like that, like he hung the moon. 

He heard Benny clear his throat and he had to force himself to turn away from you, willing the way you looked at him to stay fresh in his memory, hoping that it would be enough to get him through until he could see you again.

Suddenly he was in a different place, no longer with you. He was jumping and he could feel himself falling. He felt a sudden tugging feeling in his thighs and back and his descent began to slow. Then, it came to him, the plane, the attack, and the mad dash to escape the aircraft before it could explode or crash.

He remembered thinking that everything would be okay until he felt himself violently pulled back, his body crashing against a tree, seeming to hit every branch on the way down, pain and the feeling of hard earth beneath him was one of the last clear things he could remember. Everything after that was a bit of a blur, coming only in flashes.

"Dean...Dean." he heard someone say, and he recognized the voice instantly, but no, it couldn't be you. You weren't there with him. "Open your eyes, Soldier." he heard you say.

"Y/N." Dean breathed out, so shocked to see you standing there that he momentarily forgot about his injuries until he tried to move, crying out in pain afterward.

"Shh...easy, Soldier." you said, kneeling down by his side. "Everything is going to be all right. I'm going to make sure we get you home."

"I'm...sorry." he panted out, so desperate to feel your touch, fearing as though he may die without it.

"Remember your promise, Dean. You have to come back home." you said, your hand coming to rest on his shoulder before starting to gently shake him. "Dean! Dean, come on brother, I need you to wake up. Dean!" you pleaded, but it was no longer your voice he was hearing. It was Benny, everything quickly fading to black before he could make sense of it.

The voices were growing louder again, and even though he still couldn't understand them,  the clarity was there. They were no longer a mumbled mess and it was almost as if he was starting to breach the surface of the water he felt like he had been under.  

Even though his eyes were still closed, he could tell that there was a bright light shining on him, the back of his eyelids seeming to glow. Dean tried once again to open his eyes, but his body still wouldn't cooperate, the small task still seeming to be an impossible feat. 

The thought that maybe he had died back there on the cold, hard ground after the jump entered his mind. He thought that it would explain why he couldn't seem to do anything that he wanted to do, why his body was betraying him,  and maybe this was what happened after life. Maybe it was just an all consuming darkness where you relived moments from your life.

Dean had almost convinced himself that this was the case, well, until the pain hit. It was a pain so intense that it felt like molten lead was running through his veins, his whole body alight with agony. He found himself struggling to even draw a single breath, the intense pain the only thing his brain could seem to focus on.

A sickening crunch sounded through the room, Dean's agonizing scream soon drowning out the sound as he bolted upright, his body finally responding to something he told it to do. He could feel himself being weighed down, almost as if he was being pulled backward. He forced his eyes open , determined to escape the agony, the bright lights of the room nearly blinding him. 

Dean looked around in complete panic as he was forced back down on the table. Men, strange men that he had never seen before, were holding him down while another man did something to his leg, the same pain from earlier coursing through him and what little he had in his stomach was threatening to make its way back up. 

The men were speaking, all of them seeming to bark orders at him, orders that he couldn't understand. If finally dawned on him, a little late in his disoriented state, that they were speaking German, and that's why he couldn't understand what they were saying to him. He was able to make out the words unten bleiben, and he knew that it meant stay down.

He thought about defying what little bit of the order he could understand. The only thing he kept thinking was that if they wanted him to stay down that would be the last thing he would do. He tried desperately to raise up, but he was no match for the men that were holding him down. His body only allowing him to make miniscule movements.

He did manage to raise his head. He needed to know, to see what they were doing to him. Dean had heard horror stories about soldiers that had been captured by the enemy. The things that were done to them were worse than any nightmare he could conjure.

Every story he had ever heard was playing over in his mind in a big jumble, a constant stream of horrible acts, as he tried to prepare himself for his new found fate. He had been captured. He had become a prisoner of war, and part of him wished that he had just died back there after the jump. He was sure it would have been a kinder fate, but just as he thought that dying would have been better, your face popped into his mind, and he knew that he couldn't give up. He had a promise to keep.

So, instead of thinking about dying, or of all of the atrocities that were sure to befall him, he focused on the man at the end of the table. He was prepared to see the man wielding instruments of torture not stitching him up after he reset the bone in his leg.

The man noticed Dean looking and in very broken English said, "Bone." raising his hands, keeping one level as he held it out in front of him while  his other hand made an upward thrusting motion. "Skin." he added, Dean assuming that the broken bone in his leg had pierced though his skin, and this man was attempting to fix it. 

Dean nodded his head before glancing around the room, trying to get a read on where he was. The only thing he could come up with was that he was in a German doctor's surgery.  

He laid his head back down, deciding that the man meant him no harm at the moment, and even if he did there wasn't much Dean could do about it in the state he was in.

After the doctor finished with his leg he put it in a makeshift splint before moving on to his arm. The break in his arm was not anywhere near as complex as the one in his leg. This allowed the doctor to set it pretty easily, the pain nowhere near what he felt when the doctor was working on his leg. The doctor put his arm into  a splint before moving on to the wound Dean had on his head.

Dean tried to stay still as he cleaned the would, flinching only a little when he started the stitches. Apparently, any form of pain relief was out of the question and Dean was thankful that he was almost finished. He didn't know how much more he could take.

Dean let out a slow breath when the doctor finished the stitches and wrapped a bandage around his head. He watched as the doctor stepped away from the table, speaking to the other two men that were surrounding him before turning back to Dean and nodding as one of the men he was speaking with left the room. 

The door to the surgery opened a few moments later, four armed men walking in with the man who left. The doctor started to speak with them, his attention drifting over to Dean periodically. As soon as the doctor finished speaking the armed men approached the table Dean was on, and his fight or flight response kicked in and since flight was out of the question, the only option he had was to fight, even though he knew that it would end poorly.

The doctor seemed to understand what Dean was thinking, "Be ok." he said, Dean still unsure of whether or not he could trust this man, but then again, he didn't really have much of a choice.

The four armed men transferred Dean to a German hospital where his arm and leg were put into plaster casts. He stayed there for two days before he was transferred by train to a holding camp, still no sight of Benny or his other men.

Once Dean arrived at the holding camp he was placed in solitary confinement. The cell he was in was windowless, and damp. Of course, the Germans didn't heat the cells, and since it was the middle of winter, the temperature definitely wasn't kind to him.

Dean spent most of his time in the solitary cell huddled in the corner, the dampness of the cell had caused both of his casts to become damp themselves, and the damp combined with the frigid temperature didn't allow him to ever reach any level of comfort. In fact, the chill was so deep in his bones that he doubted he would ever feel warm again. 

Dean couldn't say how long he was held in solitary, the constant darkness made time irrelevant, the days and nights melting into each other in an indiscernible haze. The only thing keeping him sane was thinking of you. 

He tried to recall of every detail about you, imagining that you were right there with him, your words giving him the will to keep fighting. He thought about your smile, and he hoped that if he thought about it long enough that maybe he would be able to feel the warmth of it. He always thought you had a smile that could warm a man to the bone.  

He tried focusing on the warmth you always radiated towards him, hoping that somehow it would warm his cold and aching body, and even though it never worked, he still found himself comforted by it somehow. So, that's what he did to pass the time. He thought of you. He imagined your arms around him, the things you would say to keep him calm, and of course, he thought of your song.

Dean closed his eyes, and imagined that you were right there with him, singing the words. He could hear your voice clear as day, the squeaking of his cell door opening pulled him from his thoughts and just like that, you were gone, two armed guards taking your place. The men roughly jerked Dean to his feet and practically dragged him to a small room with a single chair waiting ominously in the middle. It was the only furnishing in the room. The guards dropped him into the chair and left the room without uttering a word.

Dean knew what this was. He had been preparing himself for this moment ever since he had been tossed into the solitary cell. This was the interrogation. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the voice in his head now replaced with yours as you told him what to do. 

Every man in Dean's company, well, every man in the service really, had been told exactly what to do in a situation like this. They were told constantly during every briefing that if they were ever captured the only thing they could tell the interrogator was their name and rank. This one rule had been drilled into his head since he joined the service and he was bound and determined to follow it. He was only going to give the German interrogator his name and rank, nothing else.

The interrogator walked into the room, dragging a chair behind him, "Seems like you've had some bad luck." he said in perfect English, nodding his head towards Dean's casts.

Dean chose not to reply, fixing the man with a cold stare instead as he positioned the chair he was dragging in front of Dean, placing it about two feet away from him before sitting down.

"I'm First Sergeant Dean Winchester, and that's all I know." Dean said, remaining calm and composed in the face of the enemy.

"Well, now...First Sergeant Winchester, I'm sure you know more than that." the interrogator said, Dean clenching his jaw instead of replying.

The interrogation lasted for hours. The interrogator was persistent, trying everything he could think of to get Dean to talk, violence seeming to be his favorite. Dean was panting, blood running down his face when the interrogator finally took a step back. 

"You know, if you tell me what you know I'll tell you about the men you were captured with. They are your men, right?" the interrogator asked.

Dean didn't respond. He simply spit the blood that was pooling in his mouth on the floor at the man's feet. He couldn't say that he wasn't tempted, his men had been on his mind since he had been there, especially Benny.

Dean raised his head to look at the man, one of his eyes swollen shut, "Like I told you before, Sir." Dean said, raising his uninjured arm so that he could point to his temple, "I can't seem to remember anything else. It must have been the hit I took." Dean said.

The interrogator finally left the room, beyond frustrated that he couldn't get anything out of Dean. The two armed men that brought Dean there from his cell walked back in and roughly pulled him to his feet, giving him the same treatment they did when they brought him to the room.

The dragged him back to his cell and tossed him inside before slamming the door behind him. Dean waited until he could hear their retreating footsteps before hobbling over to the wall, his back pressed against it as he slid to the floor.

Every part of him hurt, and he couldn't even see the damage the man had done. One of his eyes was completely swollen shut, the other he was only able to see out of a little, the swelling in that one not as profound. He was pretty sure that his nose was broken,  he knew that his lip was split, and the inside of his cheeks were cut to pieces. He could feel blood dripping down the side of his mouth, but he didn't have the strength to wipe it away. So, he did the only thing he could do. He waited, knowing that the man who interrogated him was far from finished, and he prayed that he would have the strength to survive.

He had finally managed to fall asleep when the sound of his cell opening woke him. His body jerked upright, the sudden movement causing pain to radiate throughout his body. He felt himself being hauled up from the floor, and he didn't resist as he was dragged back to the room he was in the day before. He was placed into the same chair, and left alone, neither man saying anything to him.

Dean couldn't really see the man when he walked in the room, but he knew it was the same one. He had listened to that voice for hours, and he wouldn't soon forget it. The interrogation played out almost exactly as the one the day before had. The interrogator did lay off on beating him, figuring that he couldn't do much more without seriously harming him.

Dean stuck to his story that the blow he had received to his head had rendered him unable to remember anything, and the interrogator soon grew tired of talking to him. The man got up and left the room abruptly, the two men that brought him there returned and dragged  him back to his cell. Again, Dean waited for them to leave before sliding back down into the corner, the horrible realization that this was going to be his life set in, and he didn't know how much longer he could hold out.  

The next day, or at least Dean assumed it was since he had no way to really track the time that passed, a different man walked into his cell, three more men following after him. They pulled Dean to his feet, one of them passing him the single crutch he was given in the German hospital, and ushered him from the room.

Dean was hauled outside and loaded into a cattle truck with about forty other men, none of them his own, despair slowly starting to sink in over the fact that Benny must not have made it. Dean didn't speak the entire ride to the camp, his spirit broken, his focus on the dirty cast on his leg.  

He finally looked up when the truck came to an abrupt stop, armed men appearing soon after and herding them like cattle through the open gates of the camp. After all of the men were through the gates Dean watched as one of the guards pulled the gates shut and wrapped a chain around where they met before placing a lock on the chain. 

"For you the war is over." the man said before walking away.  

Guards from inside of the gates divided the men into small groups, Dean amongst the last group which was the smallest. The guards started to lead each individual group to their lodgings. Dean's group, consisting of himself and four other men, was last, the building they were led to was nothing more than a poorly constructed shack.  

They were shoved through the door before it was closed behind them, and Dean took a few labored steps into the room, the single crutch he had to walk with not doing much to help him.

The room had ten double bunks, a small stove in one corner of the room and a basin and Elsan style toilet, which was basically a toilet seat on a bucket, in the opposite corner.

There was already four other men in the room when Dean's group was brought in, all of them huddled around the stove in the corner. Dean hung back as the other men from his group selected their bunks, all of the bunks closest to the stove were obviously taken.

Dean hobbled to the last open bunk, which was right by the door, and eased himself down, thankful that it was the bottom bunk and not the top. He laid down and pulled the thread bare blanket up over his head, trying to make himself as small as possible as he body shivered with the frigid temperature.

Dean was almost asleep when someone gently shook his shoulder. Dean didn't even bother to remove the blanket from  his head, "What? I made sure the bunk was empty before I took it and I ain't tradin'." he said.

"Look, man, I don't want your bed. I was just gonna give you something to eat. I bet you could use it." the man said.

Dean ripped the blanket from his head, thinking that he recognized the voice. He was almost scared to look up to see if it was really him. 

"Benny." he said, looking up at him in shock, still unsure whether he could believe it, after all he could hardly see.

"Dean." Benny said, dropping the bowl in his hand before he practically ripped him out of bed, hugging him so tightly the Dean feared he would crack a rib. "When I woke up and you weren't there...I...I thought you died, brother." Benny said, finally releasing him.

"I kinda thought I had died there for a minute myself." Dean said. "Where did they have you?" he asked, Benny helping him back into bed.

Benny sat down on the edge of Dean's bunk, "I, uh, I blacked out after your fall. I made it to your side, but I think one of the bastards must have hit me over the head. I woke up in a cell." Benny said, pausing a moment. "I'm not sure how long I was there. They tried to interrogate me a couple times before movin' me here. I've been here for almost a week."

Dean nodded his head, "I woke up and this doctor was stitching me up, then I was transferred to a hospital for the casts." Dean said, holding up his arm. "I got tossed into solitary too, and well, obviously you can see how that went. So, what about...have you seen any of the others?" Dean asked.

Benny nodded, "Miller and Morgan are here. I see them sometimes when they do roll call. We all have to go outside for that. Far as I can tell, they're okay, but I...I don't think anyone else made it. I haven't seen anyone else." Benny said.

"So, hit me with it. How bad is it here?" Dean asked.

Benny shrugged his shoulders, "It could be worse. They'll do roll call, like I said. They usually do it twice a day and then they toss the bunks while we're outside. I heard they had a couple of guys escape a couple of months ago, and now they always look for contraband. I hear we get food rations once a week, but a lot of the guys that have been here for awhile say that it usually never happens, so when we do get something we have to make it last. So far I haven't really had any problems with anybody, but I've kept my head down, and most of my time has been spent trying not to freeze my ass off." Benny said.

"You said they had a couple of guys escape?" Dean asked. 

Benny chuckled, "I should have know that would be the only thing you would take away from that." he said.

"You can't tell me that it hasn't crossed your mind. How'd they do it?" Dean asked, the wheels in his head turning.

"Of course it has, but that's a suicide mission, brother. I heard there was a group of ten of them that tried. Only two guys made it out. The rest were shot." Benny said.

"But it can be done." Dean said.

Benny shook his head, "No, it can't. Trust me. They have got guards patrolling constantly. They search for contraband twice daily, sometimes more than that, and they take anything that could even remotely be used for an escape attempt. Also, in case you haven't noticed, it's the dead of winter. Nobody would get far in this weather, and I can't even tell you exactly where we are." Benny said, trying to talk Dean out of even trying. 

"I ain't sayin' it's gonna be easy, but I'm findin' a way to get us out of here. I have to get out of here." Dean said, thinking of you.

"I feel the same way. This is the last place I want to be Dean, but the last guy that even touched the fence was shot." Benny said.

"So, you're just gonna give up?" Dean asked.

"I'm not giving up. There's talk that the Germans may surrender soon, and then the camps would be liberated." Benny said

"Oh, come on, Benny. You can't hold onto that bullshit. We don't know when that will be. It could be tomorrow or six months from now." Dean said.

"Yeah, I know that, but I don't think we have a choice." Benny said.

"We always have a choice, and I choose to get the fuck out of here. I...I can't stay here. I have to get back." Dean said.

"Now that I found you I'm not gonna let you run off on some half cocked mission. All you'll do is get yourself killed. I know who you're thinking about when you say you have to get back, but I need you to know...that I have my own promise to keep to her. I told her I would watch out for you, and I can't let you do this." Benny said.

Dean nodded his head, thinking over everything that Benny had said before speaking, "Trust me, I've heard everything you said, and I know that you're probably right, but I'm doing this with or without you. I'm getting out of here." Dean said.

"Yeah, well, let's just say that you do manage to get out of the fence. You gonna hop your way back?" Benny asked, nodding towards his leg.

"I'll do whatever I have to do." Dean said.

"You're as stubborn as a damn mule." Benny said.

"That shouldn't be news to you. Now, like I said, I'm doing this with or without you, Benny." Dean said.

"You ain't doing anything without me, but you ain't callin' all the shots either. I have a few conditions of my own." Benny said.

"Ok." Dean said.

"We ain't going anywhere until those casts come off. I figure that gives us about two months to plan everything out, and I want every thing planned out, every detail. Now, I know how bad you want to do this, but if we're gonna do it, we're gonna be smart about it." Benny said. 

"Two months." Dean said, nodding his  head, "Two months and we're breathin' free air." he added, his fighting spirit renewed.

Benny shook his head, "You know that this is a stupid idea, right?" he asked, Dean nodding his head, "Well, just as long as you know...so...where do we start?"

Tags: @miraclesoflove @22sarah08 @flamencodiva @divadinag​ @backseat-of-deans-67chevy @superflurry @familybusinesswritingbro​ @briagallen​

[love-takes-work]

The episode that hits you the hardest

There are many Steven Universe episodes that are basically designed to put your emotions through the spin cycle and hang you up to dry. We've all been there during one episode or another--excited, dismayed, inspired, devastated, blown away. But some of us have an episode that kicks us hard in the gut for personal reasons. An episode that's not just emotional, but intimately catastrophic for us. What's yours?

For me, that episode is "Cry for Help."

The character I relate to the most in the show, by far, is Garnet. A lot of people who love her say it's because she's ~so cool~ and aspirational with her self confidence (and believe me, I think that too) and because her relationship is inspiring, but for me, it's because I've never seen a fictional character get stability so right.

She may be on the stoic side and very much the strong and silent type, but she's not stable due to being unfeeling. She's definitely a squishy bundle of feelings under there. But she's utterly in control, knows her strengths and limitations, isn't ever self-deprecating about her talents, and understands herself in a complete and clear way. She can still be surprised or hurt. Being stable isn't about being numb.

Nearly all of the problems Garnet has to handle belong to someone else, and she rarely struggles with herself.

Characters like her and people like me find themselves, willingly and not so willingly, throwing life preservers and providing lifelines to people who are not stable. Many factors figure into why--you do it because you can, or because you know something about their problem, or because you love the person--but if you're a Garnet in a world of insecure Amethysts, inexperienced Stevens, and desperate Pearls, you've probably saved a person or two.

In "Cry for Help," we see Garnet exploited for her strength and stability--betrayed by Pearl, her literal oldest friend in the world--and we see how it (pretty much literally) tears her apart.

It's HARD to rattle someone as stable as Garnet so she shakes apart into her component pieces. It is very very hard to do that to someone with their feet so solidly on the ground. And when it happens, sometimes the pain that comes from it is so intense that you're not sure who you are anymore.

Let me elaborate in the context of the show. The Crystal Gems decide to destroy the partially rebuilt Communication Hub because Peridot's been using it to send messages to the enemy. But they can't destroy it the way they did last time because the Fusion chosen to handle the job, Sugilite, compromised everyone's safety. Garnet fusing with Amethyst is a no-go.

Garnet's handling of breaking that news to Amethyst left a few things to be desired, but ultimately, Pearl was so grateful and joyous to be chosen instead that it's hard not to be excited.

And even though Sardonyx was formed for a functional reason, it was also SO MUCH FUN!

They destroyed the Hub together and both personally enjoyed themselves. Even though Pearl was the most demonstrative about how much fun she had, you can see how caught up Garnet was in the joy. She loves fusion too, and she loves Pearl too, and she loves being Sardonyx too.

"Why don't we do that more often?" says Pearl.

Garnet and Pearl have an incredible history. They've known each other for over 5,500 years. They were allies and soldiers in a lengthy war, they endured hideous traumas together, and they are the only survivors of the final battle. They understand each other like no one else can. Surely they can trust one another.

Garnet found out she couldn't trust Pearl. It turned out Pearl enjoyed the fusion experience so much that she lied about similar threats to tempt Garnet into fusing with her again, and Garnet allowed herself to get distracted, never seeing the possibility of her oldest friend hurting her in such a personal way.

She was devastated. First it came out first as boiling, earsplitting anger.

And then it cooled to icy, silent rage.

What did Garnet say in the moment it happened? Almost all of her lines are about Pearl's actions derailing the mission.

"That's why I couldn't see us finding Peridot." "You've been fixing the Hub." "Peridot's out there somewhere and Pearl's been distracting us with NOTHING!"

She pretends the important thing is how she compromised the mission. But she also says another thing.

"You tricked me."

In this moment, everyone understands why she was furious to be misled. But I don't think the others recognized the depth of this wound because Garnet is very good at concealing her vulnerability. She doesn't want her team to think its leader has the capacity to be personally hurt in a way that limits her usefulness in a crisis. She's supposed to be strong and never let the others doubt her competence. And her confidence has never been a lie--she has never had to put on a face when it comes to that. But in this moment? She slammed all the doors shut. She had been sliced open with a very sharp knife and had to turn quickly so no one would see her guts. (Not the first time she’s done that, either.)

Because of the way she focused on the mission's importance, Pearl bumbled her way through antagonist-trapping attempts for multiple episodes trying to get back in Garnet's favor. And that was probably even more painful for Garnet--that Pearl fundamentally did not understand why a betrayal of this nature was so devastating. She had JUST been through a fusion-related trauma discovering the fusion experiments in the Kindergarten; the sanctity of consent in fusion had just been highlighted for her, in opposition to an extreme example of its violation, and then she gets personally subjected to false pretenses for fusion that negate her reasons for consent.

Pearl made up emergencies to steal Garnet's time and energy, and made her feel foolish for trusting her. She misrepresented the issue because she desired an intimate experience, and tricked Garnet into providing it under those false circumstances. Most importantly, she compromised the integrity of her body and mind using fusion--something Garnet is passionate about, something Garnet fought to defend and define, something at the core of Garnet's identity. Pearl perverted something sacred to Garnet and then she doesn't even realize how wrong it was. It must have been so awful for Garnet to discover that Pearl can lie as easily as she breathes just to get something she wants--something Garnet probably would have been willing to give to her if it had been requested in honesty!--and that she isn't really free to tell her how much it hurt because her longstanding trust had been used against her.

And that's the thing about relating to a character as strongly as I relate to Garnet. When you're the strong one but you're HURT, you still can't let yourself lash out at someone like Pearl. You could crush someone whose daily existence is so tortured and fragile. You know you won't do it. You'd be the bad guy if you stood there on your pedestal of stability and told them how much they've disappointed you, how much they've disgusted you, how much revulsion you feel at the breach of trust. Pearl and Garnet have both experienced trauma, but Garnet doesn't define herself by it--she has coping mechanisms Pearl lacks, and even at the peak of her anger she knows it would not be right to unleash all of that on a traumatized person who barely knows how to cope with her own destructive, damaged thoughts. 

Garnet is the victim in this situation, but she's still got to think about how her brittle friend will handle the process of healing from what SHE did to them both. The silent treatment was horrible for Pearl--it made her frantic and drove her to additional terrible decisions--but it was the kindest thing Garnet could do while still simmering under the surface, smoldering with her own unhealed bruises.

Garnet took herself away to handle the internal conflict Pearl's breach caused in her. She went away with Steven and Greg, who wouldn't really be as affected by watching her breakdown as the others would, and even though that breakdown wasn't strictly controlled or ideal either, it was a choice she made during a personal crisis. Garnet fell apart. 

I recognize this technique. Some people--myself included--can choose where and when to process emotions (including freakouts and breakdowns), but can first and foremost decide to hold it together when it's important. I could give you six examples from within the last two years when I had to do stuff like that. I'm not better than anybody else because I can. I have effective coping mechanisms. Many people don't have a choice about whether they freak out or if they get triggered. I'm fortunate. I use it to TAKE CARE OF THINGS IN THE MOMENT that I might have some nightmares about later, but I'm not going to fall apart NOW. I need to be able to do that for people who don't have the option. That's one of the things Garnet does well, too. That's why we've only seen her come apart unwillingly if she was lethally damaged or fundamentally shaken to the core.

When Garnet reconciled with Pearl at the end of "Friend Ship," she spoke very little about her own pain. She knew that making Pearl feel even guiltier about her betrayal was not going to be constructive. She already felt bad. She didn't go on at length about how hurt she was--she just said "I fell apart over this." "Ruby and Sapphire were in turmoil over how you deceived me." "I came undone." Most of what she said was focused on helping Pearl understand why her loneliness, her insecurity, and her weakness are not excuses to steal someone else's strength away from them without their permission. 

"You lied to me. You need to learn that there are consequences to your actions." 

"It's not easy being in control. I have weaknesses too. But I choose not to let them consume me." 

"I struggle to stay strong because I know the impact I have on everyone. Please understand, Pearl. You have an impact too."

Garnet knew all along that everything she said and did--even in a crisis--would be an example for everyone else. She's rarely allowed to have selfish moments where she gives in to whimsy, sacrifices responsibilities for self care, compromises others' comfort for her needs. She was caught in the crossfire of Pearl's desperation and was betrayed intimately, but even after all was said and done, she still had to counsel Pearl through the consequences she pulled down on herself. 

Even after all this, she does still care deeply for Pearl, and I'm sure it's painful to watch her struggle. But Garnet still had to be the one to answer "how can I make you forgive me?" with an explanation of why she can't. And you believe Pearl when she speaks about how useless she feels on her own. She's not manipulating Garnet or lying about how ineffectual and incompetent she feels. The problem is, she's still making all of that Garnet's problem. And Garnet accepts the responsibility of solving it.

She wants to be mad. The Ruby in Garnet is happy to state loudly that she DESERVES to be mad. Shouldn't she be allowed to stew, to rage, to feel? She was treated unforgivably and then had to tolerate Pearl doing backflips in the wrong direction to coax an undeserved resolution out of her. But she also wants to be practical. The fatalistic Sapphire in Garnet is ready to move on because she sees the big picture and knows her emotions aren't that critical when they're fighting to save the planet.

I went through a protracted "battle" like this recently. I had to solve a problem that was way bigger than me that started before I was born. I had to spend a lot of time, money, and energy learning things I never wanted to know and handling issues I wasn't even supposed to know about. And along the way I was treated horribly by several people, most notably the main person I was trying to protect. Sometimes it seemed like they were doing everything in their power to sabotage my efforts to help them, but I was patient and supportive, even when they were very rude, even when they refused to help accomplish the small things they could handle on their own, even when they treated ME like I was the source of their pain despite being the one trying to stop it. 

One of my allies said it was baffling that I kept helping at all considering how I was treated. They were gobsmacked how I still offered respect and kindness to someone who was inadvertently causing me so much stress. And I always said the same thing: I do it because I can, because if I don't the consequences (which I will ALSO have to handle) will be worse, and because everyone else is in way worse shape than I am. 

Yes, maybe I contain a little Ruby raging about how unfair this is and how personally hurt I am, but that's what texting my friends is for. I also contain a little Sapphire telling me I have to get A if I don't want B to happen, and I chose the uphill battle that let me achieve A. Ruby and Sapphire are both right. I deserved to be furious. I also needed to get the job done, and I did.

Ultimately Garnet learned that Pearl is a damaged person acting out of desperation, and even though the betrayal was personal and not okay in any way, it was rooted in loneliness and sorrow that Garnet does not experience. Stable people often help unstable people when they care about them. They shouldn't have to sacrifice themselves to do so, but they are usually able to figure out where the line is for how much they can reasonably give of themselves. Sometimes, when stable people still care about the people who hurt them, we feel like we've lost the rights to our feelings. That voicing those thoughts will just make it worse. That we will be the cruel one if we react incorrectly to being wronged. We solve it on our own. We go away and get a grip and come back ready to fight.

But seeing that, boy. Seeing the fresh wound in "Cry for Help" and knowing how that feels, when you're reeling and wondering how you're going to build yourself back up (while pretending nobody knocked you down), feeling so raw and punctured by someone you REALLY don't want to stop trusting . . . you wonder, if another person can do that to me, am I really that stable?

Or, conversely, would I even be stable if I didn't care about anyone strongly enough that their betrayal could be my undoing?

"Jailbreak" is my favorite episode, but "Cry for Help" eats me alive every time I watch it.

[srawesleyghuewrites]

Always - Part Four(Last Part)

Series: Always(Part One, Part Two, Part Three)

For desktop users: masterlist

For mobile users: mobile masterlist

Pairing: Damien x MC(Catherine Park), in which she also dates Hayden and Sloane

Book: Perfect Match

Word Count: ~ 2,000

Rating:  M for language

Author’s Note:

And here is the last part *sniffs* that I loved writing because I miss Perfect Match a lot!!! Anyway, it’s been a nice road and I’m rly glad about this little fic, where I got to explore parts of their relationship that PB did in a different way AND write about Damien again <3 (the man has my heart!!!)

I don’t know very well who to tag so I’m just gonna throw some of my favorite people here and hope they like it: (feel free to let me know if you don’t want to be tagged or if you do haha):

@pukichun , @eileendannie , @drakewalkerstan , @walkersdrake , @tacohead13 , @minion-on-board , @simmerbychoices , @damienazariostan , @goingbackwardsfromdeath , @countrymusicandncis-blog , @lovelanique , @princess-andromeda-nazario , @the-everlasting-dream, @mrsnazariowalker , @mrsnazariowritesagain , @ughhhxjazzy , @indiacater

Disclaimer: The characters don’t belong to me I just borrow them from Pixelberry!

The left side of my bed’s an empty space

“Cracks won't fix and the scars won't fade away

I guess I should get used to this

The left side of my bed's an empty space”

The apartment was quiet as the clock ticked 2:43 AM. Nadia and Steve were sleeping in their favorite position, with him being the big spoon. Hayden and Sloane fell asleep with their legs tangled and their heads in the most weird angle as possible, the tv still on, but on mute so it won’t wake them. Catherine sleeps with her eyes closed shut so strongly it looks like she’s in pain, and she has curled her body into a ball for the past half hour, her usual nightmares haunting her ‘till her bones. Meanwhile, Damien’s wide awake in Dames room. His memories still to fresh to allow a good night’s rest, he’s laying flat on his back and staring at the ceiling in the hope this may help sleep him fall asleep. There’s the light snoring coming from Nadia in her and Steve’s room, and absolutely no other noise.

Until there’s a scream. 

Except for Sloane, everybody else wakes up with the loud noise. Hayden rouses in a scare, heart racing and mind getting full with all the horrible possibilities, then she feels the weight of someone’s leg over hers and sees her best friend still sleeps peacefully. She doesn’t get up, knowing damn well to who that scream belonged to. Cath’s been having nightmares about Damien since the kidnapping so she also knows that he’s probably the only one who can help.

Steve has the same thought when Nadia tries to get out of his embrace in a desperate move from waking up scared, he looks her in the eye and starts caressing her back gently until her quick breath starts aligning with his calm one. She still stares at him with teary eyes, worried about her cousin having the same night terror for so long, but he simply kisses her on the cheek and whispers: “She’s gonna be alright, Damien’s here.” And that’s what it takes to keep Nadia at peace to get back to sleep.

Damien’s up as quick as possible and he recognizes Catherine’s voice in the same speed, the terror already installing on every fiber of his body. But he needs to think as a former Interpol agent and not as a fool in love who just heard the love of his life let out a painful scream in the middle of the night. He shuts down all the horrible scenarios in his head and walks discreetly towards her bedroom. Her door is slightly ajar and from where he was standing, just outside the room, he could see her thrashing and sobbing in her bed. It wasn’t possible to see if there was anybody else in there, silently he opens the door enough to get inside. His eyes search the room for any threat to her or anything that would cause Cath to scream like that, when he finally assures himself that the room is safe, there’s another huge anguish boiling down in his mind. 

Why didn’t he fucking slept by her side tonight? He wanted to, so very much , but it didn’t seem right for her to endure his sweaty nightmares.

Those weeks away from her were torture and not only because of the actual torture Cecile put him through, physically and emotionally, but for being away from her. Not knowing if she was alright, if she had even realized he’s been kidnapped, if she had chosen to stay with the ‘better version’ of him, or if she was in a cell like his experiencing all the horrible things that him. That was the worst part, not knowing about Catherine. It’s what truly broke him and since he’s been back, his thoughts are on how this broke him and changed him in a way might never be fixed. However looking at Catherine right now, curled into a ball as she sobs uncontrollably and mumbles disconnected words, sweat covering her beautiful features that now portrait deep pain and desperation, he realizes how this changed her too.

“I remember we were strangers

So tell me what's the difference

Between then and now”

He takes a step towards her and another scream erupts from her lips. Catherine’s body still squirming in bed and the nonsense gasps now are pleading words, he freezes when he hears them for the first time.

“No! Please don’t take him… please I’ll do anything… just don’t hurt him! Damien… I’m so sorry..”

She’s having a nightmare about him, much like the ones he used to have on his cell. Damien puts a gentle hand on her arm before sitting next to her. Her eyes are still closed and her crying gets every minute stronger, she almost can’t breathe. And then she starts mumbling louder and louder.

“DON’T TOUCH HIM! DON’T YOU DARE HURT DAMIEN! PLEASE CECILE PLEASE DON’T… DAMIEN…”

“Catherine.”

He tugs on her arm. Which only makes her squirt more and start whispering between the sobs:

“Damien… where’s….please… Damien…”

Seeing that Cath won’t wake up with gentle touches, he holds both of her arms and puts her in a sitting position, all the time whispering comforting words to her. 

“Catherine, it’s me… I’m right here ok? You gotta wake up babe, it’s just a nightmare.”

She opens her eyes slowly and the second she sees him, her arms lounge his neck as she buries her head in his chest. Damien is more than happy to pass his hands around her waist, bringing her closer in a tight hug as his lips kiss her head several times.

“She...she.. to-ook you from me-e…”

“But now I’m here. We’re both here, in your room, safe.”

“Oh Damien…”

She clutches him as strongly as possible, wanting his embrace to take away all the fear and pain inside her. Slowly her breathing’s becoming more even and the sobbs are stopping too. He strokes her back sweetly.

“I’m here with you and I’m safe, alright? It was just a nightmare Cath, just a really bad nightmare.”

He repeats the words once and keeps repeating until her teary eyes finally find his expectant ones and he says it for the last time. It’s a whisper against her lips, his hands now cup her cheeks, their faces inches apart and yet Damien doesn’t move a muscle until she moves closer. Their foreheads are resting against each other, Catherine closes her eyes and he kisses her so slowly she forgets everything else for a while, enjoying to much how sweet and fully their lips feel when brought together. The feelings inside her are still confusing from everything that went down, however what she feels for him it’s so clear almost hurts her that she’s never declared that to him, even when more then once they almost lost each other. Yet, maybe she postponed the moment until now without realizing, just so that it could be as perfect as those chocolate intense eyes, with bright spots from the lamp on her nightstand, now gazing lovingly at her

“I love you.”

As terrifying as Damien thought it could be, after hearing Catherine’s words and seeing her smile shyly, nothing sees more simple and natural then what he saysnext.

“I love you too, Catherine. So fucking much.”

Their next kiss is more passionate, more intimate, full of all the sentiment those words meant for both of them. Catherine hadn’t said this for a long time to a romantic partner and she’s not sure she actually meant before because she’s never felt like this with anybody else. Not to the point where there’s no limit to how much either would risk to save one another, or when simply gazing at each other can make their heart flutter and melt at the same time. Meanwhile Damien has never said this to anybody, living most of his life trying to keep the distance from anything to get attached. Never even crossed his mind that he would say this to Catherine.

And when they break apart she plays with his hair, his eyes taking a long time tracing her features. He cleans the last trace of tears with his thumb before getting up and giving her a kiss on the forehead. She holds his arm before he can go anywhere and with pleading eyes asks:

“Stay?”

Damien pretends to think for a second and then murmurs a ‘scoot over then’. She eagerly moves aside for him to lay beside her and once he does, she quickly embraces his waist. He smiles tenderly at her and rests his palm over her head, saying in a playful tone:

“Well, since my very beautiful face keeps you from having nightmares. I suppose I can do the sacrifice.”

She chuckles and playfully hits his arm. He’s starting at her in such an adoring way, he’s happy his teasing caused the smile on her lips. 

“You’re lucky you have that beautiful face, because your jokes are getting worse by the second.”

“Always disregarding my very good sense of humor. As if yours was any better.”

“At least I’m not the one always making the crappy jokes.”

It’s Damien’s time to chuckle now. A few minutes later he gives her a peck on the nose, and a goodnight kiss he always dreamed to give her while in that cold and empty cell.

“Goodnight Cath.”

Catherine kisses him one more time, lingering with her lips above his to whisper.

“Goodnight."

THE END

[screamingatanemptyroom]

Cassandra Pt 2

Hi everyone! Here is the second part of the Cassandra story!

Highly recommended that you read the previous parts before this one:

Cerberus Prequel

Part 1 

Enjoy! 

I was pretty sure I was going to die. 

… Well, not really, as I had already seen the future, but still, it was not looking good for me at the moment.

I rolled, cursing loudly as an axe came crashing down beside me. The monster trying to kill me paused as it struggled to pull its weapon from the ground. I used the moment to catch my breath, this was hard! The Minotaur stood up, utilizing all eight feet of muscle it possessed. Its red eyes glared in my direction as steam poured from its snout, misting the cool autumn air. It hefted its axe a few times, and, seemingly convinced that it was in good enough condition to continue to use, started to move in my direction once more. The creature sensed my struggle as I tried to crawl away and laughed, a low, ugly sound. It irritated me.

“Hey buddy, just because I’m a little out of shape does not give you the right to laugh at me.” I grinned. “Besides, I’ve already seen your future, and trust me, it isn’t pretty.”

It ignored my words and charged towards me once again. I let out a sigh, rolling on the ground out of the way, waiting for an opportunity to strike. I hadn’t expected it to believe me.

After all, no one ever did.

My gift was also my curse, a present that turned out to be my doom, and also interestingly enough, the reason I was currently here, fighting the Minotaur.

“Please help me defeat Apollo.’’

It had been my last desperate cry for help. I was at the end of my rope. One too many times I had seen the future but been unable to save anyone. One too many times I heard a friend die while I stood by, powerless.

No more.

“…” There was only silence. I started to break out in a cold sweat. Deals with the gods were tricky business; my life was already ruined by one god, if I offended Athena as well…

“What an… interesting request.” The voice came from right behind me. I spun around, still clutching the amulet in my hands. Feeling the slight overwhelming sensation that comes from being in the presence of a god, I suppressed the urge to run away, and settled for a polite bow.

“Athena, I’m honored.”

Athena looked almost like a mortal woman at first glance, albeit with overly sharp, defined features that seemed too regular to be natural. Her intense gaze pierced me through, making feel as if she could see anything and everything. I unconsciously backed up a few steps, trying to put a little distance between us.

“I’m sure you are.” She seemed amused. “So why is Apollo’s little rebellious priestess calling my name?”

“I’m not his priestess anymore.” I cleared my throat nervously, trying to stand up straight. “I haven’t been for a few millennia, not since he cursed me.”

She chuckled, the sound sending cold chills down my spine. It carried with it the sound of war drums, of thunder and rain and unimaginable power. “Oh, little seeress, you will always be a priestess. You made an oath upon your soul to dedicate your life to serving Apollo. His… peculiarities… do not invalidate that.”

I… was not expecting that answer. I sat down on my couch, putting my head in my hands.

“So is there no way to free myself from this torture?”

“You could always agree to sleep with Apollo… he may lift your curse.” Athena suggested casually, her face coldly indifferent.

“I’d rather die.”

“Not really an option, considering he’s made you immortal.”  She smiled, the expression strangely out of place on her severe features. “Although I admire the strength needed to reject a god continuously for thousands of years.”

She sat down next to me, stretching languorously.

“You wish to be free from your current fate?”

I nodded.

“What price would you be willing to pay?”

“…” Staring at the goddess silently, I thought over the question. My current life was hell. This never ending cycle of foreseeing a terrible future, warning those around me, only to be mocked, disbelieved, until I am forced to watch them die. The terrible irony of knowing the future but being unable to change it. I wanted it to end. 

But I knew more than anyone that trying to make a deal with a god was a risky move. There were many tragic figures in worse situations than myself.

“Can you kill him?” I almost didn’t recognize my voice, it came out flat and angry.

She laughed, throwing her head back  and holding her stomach. Wiping tears from her eyes, she answered “Perhaps, I’ve never tried, but you couldn’t afford it.”

“Can you help me change my fate? Sever the connection between me and Apollo, remove my curse?”

“Much more likely, and possibly fun.” She seemed to be considering it, staring intently at me. “But it’s going to require not a small amount of work on your part.”

And so I found myself in my current situation, fighting the Minotaur to the death. I kept dodging, allowing it to run past me. We repeated this over and over, I was betting on it losing stamina and showing me an opening to strike. In one hand I clutched a dagger. Once a ceremonial knife used in sacrifices, it was the only possession I kept with me since leaving the temple of Apollo. After millennia, it was still razor sharp. 

If I could just get close enough…

My foot caught on a pile of rubble, and I lost my balance. The Minotaur laughed, throwing its head back with a roar of victory. It stepped forward, blocking any escape, and raised its axe…

“My dearest Cassandra, whatever have you gotten yourself into now?”

A casual voice spoke out, completely out of place in this bloody atmosphere.

I looked up, surprised that the axe hadn’t come crashing down on my face yet. The Minotaur was frozen into place, unable to move a single muscle. Perfectly poised in a position to strike, like a living statue. Only its eyes moved frantically, the white dominating as its pupils constricted with fear.

I, on the other hand, was free to move, and did. Without hesitation, I stood up, and quickly drew my dagger across the creature’s neck. Blood poured over my hands, and the bull head slipped down, falling to the ground with a meaty thud. The knife hadn’t even paused when cutting through bone. The body was still frozen in place, axe held aloft.  It matched perfectly with the vision I had seen of its death on my way over here.

Another prophecy come true.

“How vicious!” A dark chuckle raised the hairs on the back of my neck. “Using such an unfair advantage, not really the proper action of my priestess, is it?”

I turned to face the being I hated the most in the world. “I’m not your priestess, Apollo.”

His smile made my skin crawl, as he took slow deliberate steps towards me. I wanted to run, but found my feet rooted into place. “You are whatever I say you are.” His voice was nothing but a whisper, but it blocked out all other sounds. “Your life is bound to my will, secured there by your own oath and blood.” Only centimeters separated us, I could feel his breath on my ear, but couldn’t flinch away. “You. Are. Mine.”

I felt his power holding me in place fade and immediately tried to kick him between the legs. Instead I was thrown against the nearest wall of the labyrinth, my ears ringing with the impact. Apollo sighed with disappointment.

“Your life would be so much easier if you would just give in, my dear.”

I glared at him, spitting out blood. “Death. first.”

“How quaint.” He looked around, his expression becoming bored. “What are you even doing here? The Minotaur no longer guards any treasure, just an empty labyrinth.”

“Maybe I hoped it could kill me.” Trying to hide my panic, I struggled to my feet.

“Nice try, but then you wouldn’t have killed it the second it was caught in my power.” His gaze lazily crawled over my skin, making me want to hide. “Are you scheming against me, Cassandra?”

I tried to shake my head, but he held up a hand, stopping the movement. “No, don’t lie to me, dearest. It will only disappoint me.” He tapped a finger thoughtfully to his chin. “Well, perhaps I will leave you to it.”

“What?” I couldn’t disguise my shock.

“You haven’t looked this lively in ages, my love.” He grinned. “I want you to try your hardest, so that you’ll feel that much more despair when I pull all your clever plans down around you.”

“No…”

“And then you’ll come crawling back to me.”

“NO….”

“You’ve seen the future, Cassandra.” His smile turned cruel. “We both have. You will lose, I will win. But keep delaying the inevitable.”

I fell to my knees.

“Do your best, Cassandra.” His form was gone, but his voice whispered in my ear. “I’m looking forward to it.”

And then he was gone, leaving me alone with my despair.

I wasn’t sure how long I knelt there, tears running down my face. I knew this feeling of hopelessness well. It had been a constant companion over the thousands of years that Apollo had been playing this game with me. I had resisted for so long…

I shook my head. I would keep resisting. If there was even only one breath left within me, I would use it to curse him on my way to hell. It may be hopeless.

But I was not going down without a fight.

I moved forward, working my way through the labyrinth. I counted turns, keeping  track of my location as I made my way to the center.

Apollo had been right, there was no treasure here. It had once been a prison for the original monster. Then it became a holding place for great treasures. But over the years, they had been plundered by the gods or their human heroes, and there was nothing but blood and violence left. No one came to the labyrinth anymore.

But I wasn’t looking for treasure. 

I came to find someone.

I finally reached the center of the labyrinth. In it, a simple, lovely cottage rested. Surrounded by a beautiful garden of flowers, it wouldn’t have been out of place in a fairy tale book… if it weren’t for the statues.

Guarding the house, horrible twisted stone statues stood all around the perimeter. Humans, monsters… all trapped in a moment of indescribable pain, in incredible lifelike detail.

As I looked on, shivering with fright, I felt a darkness take over my vision.

No! NOT NOW! I silently screamed but it was too late.

It was a vision of the future, but not one of me. Before me stood a beautiful woman, her appearance only marred by her waist long hair being made entirely of living, writhing snakes. Dressed in black with proud eyes and an arrogant smile, she extended a hand holding a blade. A young, handsome man stood before her, carrying a large, mirrored shield. It was cracked, broken. He was thrown to the ground, about to be defeated… She was laughing with delight, not paying attention to her surroundings. I screamed a warning, but it made no sound.

An unseen hand stabbed her from behind.

The woman stumbled, confused, and the young hero stood up, his sword raised. I ran forward, wanting to grab his hand, but I passed right through him as the blade came down, chopping through her neck. Her head rolled off her shoulders, her mouth stretched in a silent scream, her eyes wide open and afraid.

NO!

As I cried out, the blackness faded, and I woke up in unfamiliar surroundings.  I looked around. I was on a soft bed, surrounded by warm, colorful furnishings.

Where was I?

“I presume you are lost?” the sentence was lazily drawn out, as if the speaker were too bored to bother to get the words out faster.

I jumped to my feet, searching around the cottage, but seeing no one. “Hello?”

Stepping out of the shadows, the woman from my vision frowned as she continued to question me. She looked exactly how she had when I had seen her death, except now she was wearing dark sunglasses over her eyes. I was grateful, I didn’t feel like spending the rest of my life as a stone statue. Apollo would probably use to it decorate his bedroom or something equally distasteful.

“Why are you here?” The impatience in her voice brought me out of my reverie.

“Medusa?” I stepped forward, a smile on my face. “I’m looking for you!”

Her blade came out, pressed against my throat. “You found me.” her face was stoic, without seeing her eyes I could only assume she was angry. “Now who told you where I was?”

This… was not going well. “It was Athena. She said she was calling in a favor?”

“That stupid witch. I thought we agreed to leave each other alone?” Medusa was muttering under her breath, as she turned away from me to pour herself a drink from a bottle of clear fluid.

Definitely not going well. “She also said, if you come help us, she will give you what you are searching for.”

THAT got her attention. She finished her drink in a single gulp and her face stretched out in a grin. “Why didn’t you start with that?! Let’s go.”

It took two flights and a cab ride  to get to the location Athena had told me to meet her at. Throughout the whole trip Medusa stayed silent. Not wanting to force her to interact, I thought carefully through the vision I had had of her death. I knew that simply telling her about it wouldn’t work. She wouldn’t believe me. I could only look for the people around her, to see if I could identify which person would betray her and stop them.

I hoped she wouldn’t join the list of tragedies I couldn’t prevent.

We finally arrived, to a broken down hotel surrounded by a lake. As we stepped onto a boat driven by a hooded man, I felt our environment change. We were no longer in the realm of humanity. This place was different. I shivered in the cold and wind, hearing the screams of the damned. I knew where we were now.

The Underworld.

I wanted to run away, but before I could lose my nerve…

“Welcome to our home!” We were greeted by a smiling couple and dragged inside for tea.

“Athena should be here any minute.” The young woman guided Medusa and me to sit down on a couch and sat in between us, grinning from ear to ear. “In the meantime, let’s get to know each other!”

“They may not want to talk about themselves, Persephone.” The man pouring the tea gently corrected the woman. “Please excuse my wife.” He handed each of us a cup with an apologetic smile. “She tends to forget that not everyone wants to be her new best friend.”

I stared at him, confused for a moment. The smiling, polite man was HADES? God of the dead? And this bouncing smiling woman was Persephone, Queen of the Underworld?

“Shush, they will if you don’t talk them out of it! Then what am I supposed to do with the friendship bracelets I made?” Persephone grumbled a bit, before turning to Medusa. 

“I already know who you are, dear, and I’m glad to see you aren’t dead.”

Medusa grinned, seemingly despite efforts to keep a straight face. “I’m glad to not be dead.”

“See!” She turned to Hades with a smile. “We already have something in common!” As she spoke, a large three headed black dog jumped onto the couch, licking my hand with a whine. “Cerberus! No licking the guests during tea!”

The dog ignored her reprimand, and I couldn’t help but pet it in response. It was just too cute!

“Anyways, Medusa, I’m sure Athena has been up to her shenanigans, but I’ve heard what you’ve been through… if Poseidon or that pipsqueak Perseus ever show up near you again… just call out to me, dear. I’ll cut their man parts off and feed them to Cerberus.”

“PERSEPHONE!” Hades interjected, shocked, but his wife simply waved off his concerns.

“Oh don’t worry so much, I can take them.” She then turned away from the stunned gorgan and looked at me with a smile. “And I assume you are Cassandra?”

“Yes.” She had surprised me at every turn, but still the giant hug caught me off guard.

“THANK YOU!” She actually had tears in her eyes. “You sent me those seeds, right? If you hadn’t, my husband and I might not be back together.”

“Oh… it wasn’t a big deal.” I had been acting on impulse, a vision of a young woman eating seeds and becoming happy. I was glad that it had worked out so well.

“Oh it is a big deal! You are such a wonderful girl….” Her eyes squinted, as she seemed lost in thought. “You both are…”

“Persephone…” Hades had a warning tone.

“I’ve got it!”

“Don’t…”

“You’re both adopted!” With that she hugged both of us, and shocked into silence, Medusa and I simply looked at each other with confusion.

Hades groaned. “I’m sorry, she does this a lot.” He pulled her off of us and sat her next to him. “Sweetheart… you can’t adopt every person that you like. They are fully grown women… surely they don’t need…”

“Are you trying to separate me from my lovely daughters?” Persephone was pouting. “Of course they’re grown women! Doesn’t mean they don’t need a good mother now and then!” She turned back to us with a smile. “You two are okay with being adopted, right?”

Who could turn down the puppy dog eyes she had?

I found myself nodding, and to my amusement, saw Medusa mimicking the gesture.

“Great! That’s settled. Just so you know, I don’t tolerate others who bully my children. If anyone ever bothers you…” She cracked her knuckles, and the whole realm seemed to shake with power. “Let me know. I’ll kill them and hide the bodies.”

Hades sighed. “She’s like this now, what will she be like if she actually gives birth?”

“I’d start preparing soon…” The words escaped before I could hold them back.

“What?”

“Never mind!” I shook my head. But I could see it. Not a full vision, but a glimpse into their future. A tall, handsome man, with his father’s dark hair and kind eyes, but his mother’s mischievous grin. Wow.

I didn’t have long to contemplate the view, however, as a new presence joined us.

“Welcome everyone.” Athena walked forward her eyes taking everything in. “Let’s talk about what needs to be done.”

“What is this all about, Athena?” Persephone looked curious.

The goddess smiled. “Not much, We are just going to break into the realm of fate, and change Cassandra’s thread of destiny.”

I felt my jaw drop. Wasn’t that a little much to ask of strangers? To my surprise, Persephone was already nodding.

“Anything for my daughter. Count Cerberus and me in. Hades has to tend the underworld, though.”

Medusa agreed quickly as well. “If you pay me with the information you promised. I would go to Olympus itself and cut off Zeus’s beard.”

They all turned to me. I was overwhelmed. Just earlier today I had been caught in despair, hopeless, without a way out. Even with their help though…

I sighed, feeling obligated to warn them. “You should all know, I’ve seen a vision of a future, where I face off against Apollo.” I looked away, not wanting to see their expressions. “I lose.”

“…” There was a moment of silence. I felt my shoulders hunch over, my head hanging low.

“You really are cursed.” Persephone reached out and lifted my chin, smiling brightly. “I don’t believe a single word of that prophecy.”

“W-What?”

Medusa snorted. “Don’t worry so much. The future is bad? We’ll just change it.”

I felt tears run down my face. “Everyone… thanks.”

Persephone’s grin turned vicious. “Thank us after you stomp all over that twat Apollo’s face!”

Laughing out loud, Athena raised her hand. “So can I assume you are all willing to join in this plan?”

We all nodded.

“Then let’s get started.”

[insomniaacs]

Shattered - Benedict x reader

A/N: Okay, but may I just say how frustrated I am that I lost like most of the original ending to this story?? I kid you not, it was 2 in the bloody morning here in Brazil and I was almost pulling my hair out... Nonetheless, I managed to rewrite it! Hope you all enjoy it, and let me know what you think!

Requested by anon: Would you write anything to do with past abuse. If so could you write another Benedict story. The reader was in an abusive relationship before she was with Benedict. While she’s filming bond. Playing 009 (I just made up the character) Benedict is watching some of the filming when her abusive ex is one of the extras on set

Word count: 1774 Warnings: mentions of physical and psychological abuse

The theater was cold when the lights went off.

Benedict was sitting next to you on the front row, a few other cast mates of yours beside you as well.

The audience was packed with celebrities and well known figures in Hollywood, all excited to finally be seeing the first ever screening of the latest Bond movie.

You were somewhat anxious, and for various reasons.

For one, you were one of the main characters in the movie, so you had plenty of screen time. And then there was that other matter, the one that perhaps bothered you the most...

You felt Benedict squeeze your hand excitedly, and tried to smile as brightly as you could despite the way you were feeling. Your palm was clammy against his but he didn't seem to notice it as he watched with eagerness the first few minutes of the movie.

It was an amazing movie, you knew it was, but there was a specific scene in which your acting had been too close to reality.

You remembered the day of the filming.

It was a particularly intense scene; one in which your character had been kidnapped by the bad guys, and the information had to be tortured out of her.

The scene was set in a small, dark room with no windows and a poor excuse for a bed set on the floor near you. You'd been tied up to the ceiling above you with chains that bound your wrists together above your head, and your makeup had been made to give you a sick, pale appearance. Your character had a huge gash in her forehead and her clothes were dirty and ripped.

There had been no need for you to film more than once. As soon as the director had yelled 'cut', the room had been filled with clapping. The chains that had been holding you were loosened and the producers had pulled you aside to congratulate you on your performance.

'That was amazing!', they'd said, but you hadn't smiled. Instead you'd only nodded and rushed towards your dressing room, only allowing yourself to break when you were alone.

Now the movie was going on, but you couldn't pay attention to it. Your mind kept going back to the day of the filming, and you kept anticipating Benedict's reaction to the scene.

When it finally arrived, he felt your body tense. Benedict had noticed something was wrong ever since you'd arrived at the premiere. You'd been quiet the whole time and your eyes had roamed the red carpet with fear, and he was starting to worry.

There was a scream on the screen, and he watched as the camera approached the torture room your character was in. You were dangling from the ceiling in an uncomfortable position, and then the camera cut to film the back of the other occupants of the room. There were three men with menacing figures, and your character clenched her teeth as one of them hit her hard on the face.

And then your character lifted her head and Benedict felt you flinch beside him. The camera pointed quickly to the faces of the three men and then suddenly, your features on the screen were of complete horror.

Your character flinched away from the three men, and Benedict frowned as he felt your hand in real life tighten its grip on his arm.

He looked up at the screen and couldn't help but think that your character's reaction had felt perhaps a little bit too real.

The movie went on normally, but Benedict couldn't say he paid any attention to it. His thoughts kept coming back to the torture scene.

He definitely was used to the acting industry and the methods it used to make the acting seem legit. There were plenty of camera angles that could capture the perfect shot and make it seem like a character was really being hurt, and many ways for actors to simulate normally impossible situations, but if there was one thing that the directors and film editors couldn't create was one's ability to lie. And you were definitely not lying on that scene...

When the credits finally rolled on the screen, the audience beside you started clapping excitedly, and you were called to the front of the screen to take a last picture with your cast mates inside the theater.

You parted from Benedict despite your wishes to just sit beside him and stay nestled in his arms. Your picture was taken, and after another round of applause, you were escorted outside for the cocktail party.

Benedict found his way to you after a while, and you sighed in relief when he asked if he could borrow you from the people congratulating you for a moment, stirring you away from them and towards him by the waist.

The look in his face was one of concern, and you merely looked at your feet for a few moments before glancing back at him through your eyelashes, brows furrowed together on your forehead. He smiled tightly at you, but placed a warm hand at the small of your back and rubbed his thumb over the fabric of your dress comfortingly, in a gesture that said both 'it's okay' as well as 'we'll discuss this later'.

You only had time to nod before someone stopped in front of you two though, making both you and Benedict look away from each other and at the figure standing next to you.

The brown eyes staring back at you were enough to make the color vanish from your face. Your feet faltered, and the only thing that kept you upright were Benedict's hands holding you.

"Hello, (Y/N)," his cold, intense voice spoke with venom, and you felt all the air leave your lungs in a heap. If it wasn't for Benedict's support, you'd be in the ground already.

"Trent," you said, but your voice came out so little in comparison to his that it seemed like you hadn't said anything at all.

He smiled; that sickening, dark smile you'd learned to hate, and you wished you could just go home and sit on your couch drinking tea with milk and biscuits and never have to look at his face again.

The thought did little to comfort you.

"Mr. Cumberbatch," Trent said after a long moment, raising his glass of champagne and running a hand through his carefully stylised hair, looking you up and down with his brown eyes, making you flinch. "A pleasure to finally meet you," Trent said, finally sparing a glance at your boyfriend beside you. There was something disturbingly wolf-like in the way his lips stretched, his canines exposed as he smiled.

"Likewise, Mr...?" Benedict inquired, his voice distant and unfriendly. He was not liking the way that man was looking at you, much less how you were reacting to it.

"Trent. Trent Davis," he answered, offering his hand; an arrogant raise to his brow like he thought it was an outrage that he hadn't been recognized.

Benedict did not shake his hand.

"Nice work on the film, (Y/N)," Trent looked back at you, seemingly unfazed by Benedict's coldness. In fact, he seemed to be ignoring your boyfriend entirely, taking one step closer to you and smiling as he took another sip from his glass. "I never knew you could be so... intense," he commented, and there was a hint of an innuendo to his words that made you want to vomit.

You felt completely sick and uncomfortable under the scrutiny of his gaze, and you felt Benedict tighten his grip on the back of your dress.

"People change," you said, proud at the steadiness of your voice. He was too close for comfort, but you tried to stay as tall as you could despite the fear coiling inside your chest and making your hands sweaty and cold.

"Oh, but some really don't," Trent said infatuating the 't' at the end, speaking so lowly that his voice came out like an animalistic purr. He was looking at you like he could devour you, and you felt the familiar prickle on your nose and eyes that indicated you were about to tear up. You held it though; looked away from him and tried not to think of the horrible images resurfacing from the back of your brain. The ones you'd repressed for so long...

Benedict cleared his throat beside you and Trent finally seemed to acknowledge him. His hand was still on your back and he was still holding you closer to him in a firm but gentle grip, but there was a fire in his eyes that you'd never seen before. Benedict was furious; you could see by the way his mouth was pressed into a thin line and his breathing was slightly altered. Aside from that, he didn't let it show as he smiled at Trent; this small, meaningful smile that you'd never seen him give anyone in his life.

Then again, Benedict Cumberbatch didn't really get unsettled by many things.

"Well, Mr. Davis, it was a pleasure meeting you," Benedict said, which finally seemed to earn him a reaction. Trent's eyebrows twitched in surprise, and you noticed the way he took a half-step back before regaining his composure. You almost smiled. "I must say you did a great job in Bond! Your two minutes on-screen were definitely the highlights of the movie," he said sarcastically, smile still in place as Trent's own grin faltered. He looked a mixture of offended, taken aback and angry. "Now if you'll excuse us, I promised my girlfriend here a nice celebratory dinner. You know- for the Oscar nomination and the win at the SAG Awards last week," Benedict looked at you momentarily, seeing the thankful look on your face for a brief second before his eyes were back on Trent. The man in front of you had his face red with anger, and the vein on his neck looked about to pop. Benedict's smile only widened. "Have a good evening," he said with a nod, turning on his heels and leaving without another word. You followed beside him, still gripping his arm for support as the two of you exited the building and proceeded to the car to go back home.

Benedict was incredibly quiet on your way home. His hands held yours gently the whole while, but his eyes were distant as he looked out the window in deep thought. He was very tolerant as well; didn't corner you with questions or pressure you to answer them, just sat there beside you and rubbed at a spot on your hand softly.

When you finally arrived home, he allowed you some space so you could clean yourself, and you chose to take a bath. You were feeling dirty and disgusting despite the fact that your skin was clear and your hair perfectly stylised.

You got into the water and watched as your skin became red from the heat, not really bothered by the pain that came with it. You just sat in the bathtub with your knees drawn to your chest and observed the reaction that the scalding water had on your skin.

The images of years back were coming to haunt you again. They were only flashes; glimpses of fingers forcefully pulling your hair and rough hands wrapping around your throat. The memories were brief and unclear, but you could almost feel the sensation of being choked; could practically feel the air being cut out of your lungs by hands more powerful than yours, and you lifted your fingers to touch your neck desperately.

You heard your sob before you felt the tears coming. Your eyes were watering; the world became blurry and you tried to inhale and exhale, but your chest didn't seem to rise or fall.

You were choking on your own memories, and you opened your mouth to try to breathe, but ended up only coughing.

The door to the bathroom opened with a hard thud that echoed against the walls and helped bring you back to reality. Your eyes focused on Benedict's tall frame on the doorway, and before you knew it he was running towards you and helping you sit down straighter on the tub, his expensive dress shirt now drenched in water.

You felt more tears swell on your eyes, and Benedict placed his hands on your bare shoulders, the worry etched across his face and making him look more fragile than he ever had. "(Y/N), what happened?" his voice faltered, and you could see the panic in his green irises. "What is it, love?" he asked running a hand over your wet hair and face, frowning when you couldn't stop crying.

"I'm sorry," you said in between sobs, and felt his hands shake as he cupped your cheeks and examined your naked body for any injuries. "I don't know why this is happening," you said incoherently, "he wasn't supposed to be there tonight," you cried even harder at the mention of him, and your shaky fingers went to hold Benedict's against your face. "I'm sorry," you whispered again, and felt his hands leave your cheeks.

Benedict took off his shoes and socks but didn't bother to remove his clothes as he stepped into the bathtub with you. You allowed him to position himself behind you, and tried not to flinch as he touched your neck momentarily to pull you closer to him. His hands seemed warmer than the water as he cradled you in his arms, and you clung to him like your life depended on it.

At that moment, it did.

You spent several moments in silence. You weren't sure how much time had passed; just knew that your fingers were wrinkled and the water was getting lukewarm against your naked body. You'd stopped crying, but your eyes were still puffed up and your face was still red when you spoke; almost inaudibly.

"He was my boyfriend," you said, and wasn't even sure Benedict had heard it until you felt his body stiffen behind you. His hands stopped the comforting motion on the skin of your belly for the briefest moment, and then you allowed yourself to go on. "I was fifteen when I met him, and he'd always been such a great guy..." you shuddered, and Benedict brought you closer into his warmth. "We started dating short after high school. He even came with me to New York when I had my first audition for a real role-" Benedict's chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm, and it was helping you calm down if only a little, "-I loved him like I'd never loved anyone before, and we decided to move in together as soon as we came back to London."

You didn't have to look up to realize that Benedict was anxious. You could feel by the way his hands slightly tightened around you, and tried to offer him the slightest bit of comfort by brushing your fingers against his.

"Things were pretty great and all," you went on despite his silence. You just had to get it out of your chest; not because you owed it to him, but because you owed it to yourself, "but then he started getting violent," you finally admitted, and felt Benedict's hands ball into fists. "He didn't drink and he wasn't bipolar or any of that," you said very quietly, "he just...- he had a temper," your throat was dry, and you had to grit your teeth to keep from crying, "and he tended to take it out on me," your voice wavered, and you felt the tears blur your vision again.

Benedict drew in a shaky breath behind you, and you suspected he was about to cry as well. You were used to people's pity, but you knew what he was feeling was far from that. Benedict was shocked and angry. He was devastated and... outraged. He cared far too much about you, and he couldn't bare to even listen to the things you had gone through. It hurt him just to think about the things that man had done to you, and he couldn't imagine how much it had hurt you.

"It happened two or three times before I finally decided to do something about it." You remembered perfectly the day you'd realised that what he was doing was unacceptable; remembered the look of insanity in his eyes as you told him you wanted nothing to do with him anymore. "I pressed charges and the case went to trial, but by then I didn't have any evidence of what he'd done to me, so they let him walk free." You felt Benedict stir and looked up at him to see that he was indeed crying. His bluish-green eyes were blurred and his mouth was trembling slightly, and you gave him a tight smile as you felt your own tears run down your cheeks.

You turned to face him, kneeling on the tub between his legs and sighing as he lifted a hand to wipe away your tears. Benedict was sobbing as he pulled you towards him again and pressed a long kiss to your forehead. He held your head between his hands like it was something precious.

No one had ever touched you like that before. Like you were made of glass; something sacred and holy. He looked at you with so much respect and affection and... love, that you actually thought you might burst.

You smiled genuinely for the first time that night.

Because you'd been in great, great pain before Benedict had come into your life. You'd been mistreated and under appreciated; falling into a deeper state of depression each day. You'd thought love was something distant and completely out of the question for you.

It had taken you a long time to understand that people could only love you if you loved yourself. Your past was filled with sadness and sorrow, but you realised all of that was necessary in order for you to have this.

Benedict pulled you into a tight embrace, which you returned wholeheartedly. Your arms clung to his neck as he pulled you as close as possible, and the two of you stayed there until the water was cold and your tears were dry on your cheeks.

There was something warm growing on your heart though, and you looked up at him and thought for the first time that, hell, whatever fucked up shit you'd been through in the past... it had been so worth it.

[Masterlist] [Request list]

[mirkwoodshewolf]

You are my world pt. 2

Here is the second part of the latest Jefferson fic. BE WARNED of mentions of Kidnapping, drugged drinks, minor violence and gun threats. This is the intense part of the chapter so I hope these warnings were helpful to you and if you give me hate by saying “you didn’t put a warning for this part” just look up and allow me to introduce you to my fist. Anyways I hope you guys enjoy this and keep looking out for more of my fics in the next couple of days :)

_________________________________________________

*Storybrooke (during the curse think of episode 1x17)*

         The Evil Queen had cursed everyone to live in a world without magic in a little town called Storybrooke.  She was the mayor and lived a powerful life making sure everyone didn’t have their happy endings and making sure that no one remembered who they were back in the Enchanted Forest.

         Everyone was cursed to not remember who they were once before and were given new lives and new names.  Time stood still for 28 years with nothing changing and the Queen enjoying everyone living miserably in this town she had created.

         That was until a yellow bug pulled into town and the clock tower began to tick.

The Savior had come to Storybrooke.

         To put an end to the Queen’s curse.

         Now when I said the Queen had given everyone new identities and new names, I of course was no exception.

         My name here is Sarah Jones.  I’ve been put under suicide watch because of my many attempts to end my life for the past 28 years.  I don’t know why I’m so depressed or so messed up in the head but that’s what I am.

         Mad as a March Hare at times to the hospital sometimes calls me.

         One night though I managed to escape that asylum because I couldn’t take the medication, the fake sympathy the doctors give me, nor could I take living isolated in a cell forgotten by the world.  As I was being chased by the asylum’s doctors and police, I ran as fast and as far as I could and for this one reason I did not know why, my heart was telling me to run into the forest to find a mansion that was apparently there.

I took my chance and took off running into the woods trying not to let anyone especially the police see me.

I kept running until I was for sure they would lose me because I refused to be caught and dragged back to that hellhole and live the rest of my life in a cell.

As I ran I didn’t notice that I had rammed into someone and the two of us rolled down a small ditch.

“Sorry, I-I-I-I didn’t see you there I was just—”

“No, no it’s fine I was just—” When we looked at each other his eyes suddenly went wide. Like whenever you see that one special friend that you haven’t seen in a long time.  His eyes were like that but only more shocked and horrified.

“Umm, hello?”

“(Y/n)?” He whispered faintly as his face remained in that shocked state.

“Who is (y/n)?” It was then he snapped out of his current state and said.

“I’m sorry, it’s just that—you….remind me of someone I once knew”.

“Was she special to you?”

“Yes—yes she was” there was pain in his eyes as he answered and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the guy.  Due to the amount of adrenaline I had from escaping, now that I was calm I cried out in pain as I grabbed my right foot in pain.  “Oh no, you’re hurt”.

“No, no I’m fine, I’m fine”.

“Don’t lie to me, let me see”.  He then gently took my right foot and my head started to hurt a little as I could’ve swear this had happened before.  “Hmm, well luckily it isn’t broken or twisted, but it’s got a pretty bad sprain, I can take you over to my place to rest until morning then you can head back into town”.

“No!” I begged. He looked at me shocked but then trying not to raise suspicion on why I had said it like that I calmed down and said. “No I uhh—I’m trying to get away from all the pressure of the town, you know how Regina is on the new Sherriff lately, I’d rather not get on the mayor’s bad side”.

“I know the feeling, well if that’s the case, you’re welcome to stay with me as long as you want”.

“Oh no I couldn’t impose”.

“I insist,” he then surprised me by picking me up bridal style holding me close to his chest. “Now let’s go, my house isn’t to far from here”.

As we walked in silence, I could’ve swear this was familiar to me but my head always ached everytime I tried to think about it.

When we had arrived at his house, well I should say more of a mansion, he took me into his large living room and set me on the cushioned white couch and left to grab his first aid kit and some ice.  He kneeled down and began to doctor my ankle.

“I’ve just realized I rammed into my crasher and yet I don’t know who to thank and to apologize to”.

He softly chuckled and said as he looked up at me.

“Jefferson”.

“Sarah”. I introduced myself.  He and I took hands but instead of a handshake, he lifted my hand towards his lips and kissed my knuckles.  I shyly giggled and turned away from him.  Finally he was done wrapping up my ankle and gently placed the ice on top of the right spot of my ankle.  I took a deep breath then sighed in relief.

“Better?”

“Yeah, a bit”. I answered solemnly.

“Here, I’ll make you some tea to help warm you up, you’re practically chilled to the bone”. He wrapped a blanket around me and then he stood up to make me some tea.

“You really don’t have to do this much for a total stranger”.

“I know, but I want to, especially for a beautiful woman like yourself”.  He grinned and flirted a wink at me as he set down a beautiful tea set for me.  I blushed lightly then said.

“How do you know that I couldn’t just be an escaped criminal and then by morning you’d wake up to see half of your stuff missing?”

“Well I’m a pretty good judge of character, and you definitely don’t seem like an escaped criminal, but you do seem lost everytime I look in your eyes, care to share with me what you’ve been through?”

I remained silent and my face went solemnly sad.  Jefferson then said again.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked, if it’s too personal I understand”.

“Thank you, I uhh—don’t really like to talk about my problems, nor do I want to bore you with my story”.

“I wouldn’t be bored. I’d like to know why a beautiful girl like you seems so sad, but if you don’t want to share I completely understand and I wont force you to tell me”.

“Thank you Jefferson”.

“No problem, here” he held out a white teacup for me filled with tea and I took it from him and took a sip of it.  After I took another sip, I suddenly began to feel a little dizzy.

My head swirled and my vision was going in and out.

“Something wrong?” Jefferson asked.

“I uh—I just feel like I….” I slowly stood up but half way up I began to fall forward when I felt Jefferson catch me as my head was leaning against his chest.

“Whoa easy Sarah, easy”.  He gently cooed as he set me back down on the couch making me comfortable.  “There you go,”

“I feel so dizzy”.

“Just try to sleep (y/n), sleep~” he cooed.  But the way he said it made my skin crawl even in my dazed and confused mind.  And the way he didn’t seem to panic, it began to make me feel like he wanted this to happen.

I slowly turned up to look at him to see him stroking the hair out of my face and his face seemed more dark and sinister looking.

“Who are you?” I whispered before my vision finally went black and my head hit against the pillows of the couch.

Jefferson smirking wickedly as he finally had me.

When I woke up, my mind was still a bit hazy as I tried to make sense about what had happened before I passed out.  I began to deduce that I was drugged because I recognize the feeling when drugs want to knock you out, I’ve been given the same drug whatever Jefferson use by the asylum to calm me down whenever I have my ‘moments’.

I then felt that I was tied up and a soft piece of cloth was wrapped around my mouth like a gag. I tried to stand up but I was tied good and tight spread eagle style on a bed.  My heart began to race as I looked back and forth to see that I was in a dark bedroom.  But the worst part of it was when I looked down at myself, I wasn’t in my mental suicide white dress, but an expensive looking nightdress.

Someone had changed me while I was knocked out.

The door to the bedroom opened revealing Jefferson himself leaning against the doorframe.  His eyes were hauntingly possessive as his friendly demeanor completely flipped into this menacing man that stood before me.  He then began to slowly approach me and all I could do was struggle in the binds that seemed to grow tighter the more I struggled.

He slowly leaned against the bed and crawled up towards me like a wolf stalking a cornered sheep until his face came up above mine.

I was scared.

I didn’t know whether he was going to kill me, rape me, psychological torture me until the police came to drag me back to that horrible place.

Tears filled my eyes as I began to sob out of fear from my gag.  Jefferson removed my gag and gently shushed me lovingly.

“Shhhh, shhh, shh. There’s no need to be afraid my love”.

“If you’re going to kill me, please—just kill me already” I begged him as tears continued to flow down my face.

“How could I ever hurt the woman I love?” I looked at him beyond confusion.

The woman he loves? What the hell was he talking about.

“You’re bloody insane, I don’t even know who you are! I’ve never seen you before until tonight”.

“Because of Regina.” His voice sneered venomously as he spoke of the mayor’s name.  “She cursed you to be on suicide watch, and our Grace with a new family. (Y/n) please, try to remember who you are. Who I am”.  He roughly cupped my face with one of his hands forcing me to look deeply into his dilated blue eyes. 

“You are a mad man. I don’t know what the hell you are talking about!”

“Please—I’ve lived for 28 years thinking you were dead. To finally see you now, you have to remember”.  His eyes teared up in such deep sorrow trying to make me remember as he claimed.  Then he did something that was both uncalled for and shocking. 

He kissed me.

My eyes widened and for some reason I had the strength to break my wrists free of the bounds and pushed him off of me as hard as I could knocking him against the other side of the room.

I quickly untied my legs and tried to run but with my sprained ankle, I could only limp.  I limped down the stairs when I was tackled onto the floor.  I screamed and tried to claw my way out from Jefferson’s grasp but he grabbed my legs and pulled me back and got on top of me pinning my wrists down.

His entire body weight on top of mine as I tried to thrash and scream, begging him to let me go.

“Please (y/n) come back to me!”

“Stop calling me that!” I screamed at him.  I then managed the break one of my legs free from his grasp and nailed him where the sun don’t shine and limped as fast as I could out the door and down the road hoping I could reach town before that psycho could drag me back to his house.

But as I heard him crying out that name and seeming to get closer and closer, my heart raced and I knew I was going to die, but God must’ve heard my prayers for as I came along the road, car lights came up the street.

I ran in the middle of the road and screamed and cried waving my arms frantically to get it’s attention.

The car stopped and there Sherriff Swan came out of her yellow bug.

“Please! Please there’s a man! He kidnapped me! Tried to attack me!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa miss, miss, miss calm down!” She tried to assure me but I heard Jefferson’s voice crying out my name louder.  I screamed as he finally appeared by the side of the road.

I hide behind Emma and begged her to not let him near me again while she stood there in pure horror.

“Jefferson”.

“Emma, been awhile hasn’t it?”  What the hell they knew each other?

“Why did you take this woman?”

“Because she’s my wife!”

“Look Jefferson, I know our last encounter was a bit—unnerving, but that doesn’t give you the right to take in a defenseless woman and hold her up against her will because you can’t get a hat to work”.

“YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!! THAT IS MY WIFE!! She just doesn’t remember! And I won’t lose her again!” It was then Jefferson went off the deep end as he drew out a gun and fired a warning shot next to Emma’s bug. I cried out as I gripped Emma’s arms tighter in fear as I literally was shaking in fear.

“Jefferson…..put the gun down”.

“Give me my wife and I’ll let you go free”.

“I can’t do that Jefferson, not with you holding that gun. Besides if this really is your wife, then I don’t think she’d want you to be acting like this, look at her right now and see if she looks happy at what you’re doing”.  Jefferson looked at me to see me with the most horrified expression I could muster.

Tears ran down my face, I tried to hold in my sobs but they came out as hiccups and choked out whimpers.

I had never been so scared in my life.

Jefferson’s eyes burned with tears as his hand that held the gun shook violently then he dropped the gun and let out a sob.

“I just want her back in my arms”.  Emma looked back at me and I begged her not to listen to him with my eyes then she looked back at Jefferson.  Emma then took off her jacket and put it around my shoulders and guided me into her buggie and got in herself as Jefferson begged Emma to not drive away and he cried out that name in agony as it pierced the night sky as we drove away.

Emma took me to her place and examined my ankle and any other injuries I might’ve had.  

She had been assigned to bring me back to the hospital since they had called her in to track me down.

But the Sheriff made a different call.

She and I made a deal that if I didn’t have any suicidal episodes for a week, she’d allow me to stay with her in her apartment.  A week later with no suicidal episode, Emma allowed me to stay and she helped me find a job over at Granny’s diner for where I could help her pay the rent of our apartment.

She helped me start off fresh and I would always be grateful to her for not only saving me from that whack-job. But for helping me get a fresh start in life and make me think of something other than killing myself.

*FF time skip*

         A month later after the whole incident with Jefferson.  I had been trying to forget about that night and try and live a normal life but at night I’m haunted by nightmares of what could’ve happened plus some strange dreams of me and him together with a blonde haired girl.

         I didn’t know what to make of the dreams so I chose to ignore them and try and move on from the past.

         But every now and then I feel like he’s watching me.  That he knows where I live, where I work, and truthfully it begun to scare me.

         I had confide to Emma about it and she allowed me security and issued me a taser gun because she thought that with my paranoia and how freaked out I was when it came to Jefferson that I could really hurt someone with a real gun, so I had to go with a taser, it’d be enough to stun a person and not murder them.

         One night after getting off my shift from Granny’s, Ruby offered to walk me home and since she and I had become good friends in my month of working there, I couldn’t say no to her.  Once we reached my apartment I suddenly received a text, I took out my phone to see it was from Emma.  I opened the text and read it and became shocked.

         “What is it? Sarah?”

         “Henry’s in the hospital in a coma”.  She and I stared at each other in shock then without another word I took off towards the hospital to see every doctor, Regina, and Emma gathered around a very pale and still Henry Mills.  I walked up to Emma and placed my hand on her back and rubbed it gingerly trying to comfort her.

“How did this happen?”

“Regina did this. She gave me apple slices for the road just before I was about to leave town, Henry tried to warn me and took a bite of it, next thing I knew he was on the ground barely breathing”.  I couldn’t help but glare at the mayor for doing this to Emma’s son but Regina looked like she had been crying all night.  I rubbed Emma’s back and said.

“Can I get you anything?”

“No, no thank you I’m good Sarah, why don’t you go home? I’ll be fine”.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah”.  I hugged her and she hesitated but hugged me back then I left the hospital and went back to our apartment.  I walked up the stairs towards our room and unlocked the door and entered inside.

I dropped all my stuff and went to the fridge to get myself some ice cream.  I ate my double fudge brownie ice cream right out of the carton as I took a deep breath and sighed heavily. 

Lately things have gotten so stressful lately and now Henry’s in a coma-like state I don’t know what anyone can do.  Just thinking about all this sudden stress is making me want to go back to cutting my wrists but I had been 30 days clean, I’d rather not go back to that life.

Ever.

“About time you got back here”. A voice said.  My eyes shot open as I recognized that voice.  The voice that has haunted me in my dreams, the voice that I wished I had never heard of, the voice I wished to have forgotten. 

Jefferson’s voice.

I quickly sat up and grabbed my taser gun and pointed at him to see him standing by the staircase just a few feet away from my guest bedroom just underneath it.

“How the hell did you get in here?”

“Spare key”. He said.  I took notice that he was now dressed up in disguise in a male nurses outfit.  Probably was just at the hospital a new moments ago before coming here to hide. “(Y/n) just let me—”

“No! Stop calling me that! That is not my name! I am not your wife! Now get out before I shoot you!”

“I mean you no harm, I just wanted to see you,”

“LEAVE!!!!” I fired the taser but nothing happened.  I pulled the trigger again but nothing happened.  “It should fire, what did you do?!”

“I wanted to make sure nothing interrupts us from trying to talk. (Y/n) please,”

“STOP CALLING ME THAT!!” I threw the taser at him and ran for my life.

He tailed behind me as I tried to grab a sharp kitchen knife to defend myself but he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me away from the kitchen into the living room. I screamed and thrashed when he set me on the couch and pinned me down with all his might and said.

“(Y/n). You’ve known me all your life. Your name is (y/f/n) (y/m/n) (y/l/n). We grew up together, you helped me raise Grace when she was born, you then became my wife and we almost had another child together. Regina came into our lives and asked me to do a job for her but she betrayed me and left me in Wonderland where I’ve tried to get back to you and Grace”.

“SHUT UP!!!!!” I tried to push him off of me but he pinned my hands above my head, my legs were trapped by his then he kissed me once again.

This time a felt a wave over me and everything came at me like a wave rolling against the coast.

When he separated from me, I looked up at him with a blank stare.

“Jefferson?” I whispered.

“Yeah?” It was then my heart broke and tears formed in my eyes at the sight of my husband before me.

He was alive.

“Y-you…..you’re alive! You-you-you came back” Jefferson’s face broke as he smiled down at me with tears in his eyes.

“Yes (y/n)”. He gently placed his hand against my cheek as I whimpered and looked up at him after all these years.  I had been through torment ever since I had found out he was trapped in Wonderland by the Queen, I had thought I’d never seen my husband again and thought he had died at the hands of the Queen of Hearts.

“Has it been so long? So long” I whimpered as I pressed my hand against his cheek.  He took my hand and kissed the palm of it as I continued to cry.

“Well I couldn’t leave my little Hare, not when I vowed to her my heart”.  He leaned towards me and we kissed each other passionately after so many years.

*Epilogue*

A couple of days later as everyone was trying to find their loved ones, Jefferson hesitated to wanting to get our little Grace back even after I had seen her.  He feared that since he left us to do the Queen’s work, that she’ll hate him for leaving even though he was on his way back when the Queen tricked him.

I assured him that our little Grace didn’t hate him nor will she once she saw him so I ordered him to go and pick her up after school to see for himself.  Once they got back, I saw Jefferson carrying Grace like he always did back home in the enchanted forest and Grace promised us that tea party that she would hold for us once Jefferson had returned.

After 28 years, Jefferson, Grace and I were once again a family and we had gotten what we had longed for the most.

A Happy Ending.