#stacked waterfall chart

[juliebowie]

A Beginner’s Guide to Stacked Waterfall Charts

Summary: A Stacked Waterfall Chart enhances data visualization by stacking multiple data series, providing a comprehensive view of how components contribute to overall changes. It's ideal for detailed financial, project, and marketing analysis.

Introduction

Data visualization is crucial for simplifying complex data and making it easily understandable. One popular type is the waterfall chart, which shows how sequential positive and negative values impact an overall total. 

A Stacked Waterfall Chart extends this concept by displaying multiple series stacked on top of each other, providing a deeper insight into the components contributing to the change. In this guide, we'll explore the essentials of Stacked Waterfall Charts, how to create them, and their key features, helping you to effectively communicate data-driven insights.

What is a Stacked Waterfall Chart?

A stacked waterfall chart is a visual representation that helps in understanding the cumulative effect of sequentially introduced positive or negative values. Unlike a standard waterfall chart, which shows the starting point, increases, decreases, and the ending point, a stacked waterfall chart provides a more detailed breakdown by grouping related data points. 

It stacks segments on top of each other within each category, allowing for a comprehensive view of multiple data series. This chart type is particularly useful when analyzing various components contributing to the total effect, offering a clear visual of the impact of each element.

Differences Between a Standard Waterfall Chart and a Stacked Waterfall Chart

The primary difference between a standard waterfall chart and a stacked waterfall chart lies in their data presentation. In a standard waterfall chart, individual data points are represented as columns, with the changes between them indicated by positive or negative bars. This provides a simple view of the net change from one data point to the next.

In contrast, a stacked waterfall chart layers multiple data series within each category, stacking them vertically. This method allows for the visualization of the cumulative impact of different components or categories within each step of the sequence. For instance, in financial analysis, a stacked waterfall chart can show the contribution of different revenue streams or expense categories, highlighting the positive and negative contributions in a single view.

Common Use Cases and Applications

Stacked waterfall charts are versatile tools used across various industries and applications. In financial analysis, they are invaluable for breaking down profit and loss statements, providing insights into the contributions of different revenue streams and expense categories. By stacking different financial elements, analysts can easily identify which components are driving growth or losses.

In project management and tracking, stacked waterfall charts help in visualizing the progress and contributions of different project phases or departments. They can show how individual tasks or groups contribute to the overall project timeline, helping managers identify bottlenecks or areas for improvement.

Another common use case is in marketing analytics, where stacked waterfall charts can demonstrate the effectiveness of various campaigns or channels. By stacking the contributions of different marketing strategies, businesses can evaluate which efforts yield the most significant returns, aiding in strategic decision-making.

Key Features of a Stacked Waterfall Chart

Stacked waterfall charts are powerful tools for visualizing complex data and understanding the underlying factors that drive changes over time. They offer several unique features that enhance data analysis and interpretation.

Visual Breakdown of Categories or Components: Stacked waterfall charts provide a clear, visual representation of how different categories or components contribute to the overall result. By stacking bars, they show the incremental effect of each category, making it easy to see how individual elements interact and impact the total.

Easy Identification of Positive and Negative Contributions: These charts effectively distinguish between positive and negative contributions to the final value. The stacked format allows for immediate visual differentiation, helping analysts quickly grasp how various factors influence the overall outcome.

Enhanced Understanding of Cumulative Effects Over a Series: With stacked bars, the cumulative impact of each series becomes evident. This feature helps in tracking the progression of values, making it easier to understand how changes accumulate over time or through different stages.

Flexibility in Displaying Multiple Data Series: Stacked waterfall charts are versatile, allowing the display of multiple data series within the same chart. This capability provides a comprehensive view of how various series contribute to the overall change, facilitating more nuanced analysis and comparison.

How to Create a Stacked Waterfall Chart?

Creating a stacked waterfall chart involves several key steps, from data preparation to chart customization. This guide will walk you through selecting the right data set, structuring it correctly, and using popular tools like Excel, Tableau, and Power BI to create an effective visual representation. 

Additionally, we’ll cover best practices to ensure clarity and accuracy in your chart.

Selecting the Right Data Set

Choosing the appropriate data set is crucial for creating a meaningful stacked waterfall chart. This type of chart is ideal for showing the cumulative effect of sequentially introduced positive or negative values. 

It's commonly used in financial analysis to illustrate profit and loss statements, sales data, or budget allocations. The data set should have distinct categories or segments that contribute to a total, with each segment broken down into sub-categories or components.

Structuring Data for the Chart

Proper data structuring is essential for a clear and accurate stacked waterfall chart. Begin by organizing your data into categories (e.g., months, departments, or products) and series (e.g., revenue, costs, profits). 

Each series should have data points that represent the contribution of each category. The first column in your data set typically represents the categories, while subsequent columns represent the series. For instance, in a financial analysis, categories might be months, and series could be different types of income and expenses.

Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a stacked waterfall chart can be done using several popular data visualization tools. Here’s a basic guide for three commonly used tools:

1. Excel:

Step 1: Prepare your data in a table format, with categories in the first column and series in the subsequent columns.

Step 2: Select the data range and go to the 'Insert' tab.

Step 3: Choose 'Waterfall Chart' from the chart options. Excel may not directly support stacked waterfall charts, so you might need to customize a standard waterfall chart.

Step 4: Adjust the colors and labels to differentiate between the series.

Further Read: 

Stacked waterfall chart in Excel – Step by Step Tutorial.

Creating Waterfall Chart in Excel: Step-by-Step Tutorial.

2. Tableau:

Step 1: Import your data set into Tableau.

Step 2: Drag the categories to the Columns shelf and the values to the Rows shelf.

Step 3: Use the ‘Measure Names’ and ‘Measure Values’ to stack the series.

Step 4: Customize the chart by adding color, adjusting the axis, and labeling the data points.

3. Power BI:

Step 1: Load your data into Power BI.

Step 2: Add a 'Waterfall Chart' visual to your report.

Step 3: Drag categories to the 'Category' field and series to the 'Y-Axis' field.

Step 4: Customize the visual by modifying the colors, data labels, and legends.

Customizing the Chart

Customizing your stacked waterfall chart is critical for clarity and engagement. Start by assigning different colors to each series to distinguish between them easily. Use a color scheme that is easy on the eyes and provides sufficient contrast. 

Adding data labels helps viewers quickly understand the values represented by each segment. Legends are essential for explaining what each color or pattern represents. Make sure to place the legend in a location that doesn't obstruct the data or clutter the chart.

Best Practices

Accuracy is paramount in data visualization. Double-check your data inputs and calculations to ensure they are correct. Avoid overloading the chart with too much information, as this can make it difficult to read. Keep the design simple and clean, using consistent formatting and spacing.

A stacked waterfall chart is an excellent tool for highlighting key changes and trends. Use annotations or callouts to draw attention to significant data points or transitions, such as a sudden increase in sales or a notable reduction in costs. These highlights can help viewers quickly grasp the most critical insights from the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Stacked Waterfall Chart?

A Stacked Waterfall Chart visualizes cumulative effects of sequential positive or negative values, stacking multiple data series within each category. It provides a detailed breakdown of the components contributing to the overall total.

How do I create a Stacked Waterfall Chart in Excel?

In Excel, prepare your data in a table, select the range, and insert a Waterfall Chart. Customize it by adjusting colors and labels to stack series, as Excel may require manual adjustments for stacked effects.

What are the main applications of a Stacked Waterfall Chart?

Stacked Waterfall Charts are used in financial analysis, project management, and marketing analytics. They break down profit and loss statements, project contributions, and marketing campaign effectiveness, offering a clear view of individual components' impact.

Conclusion

A Stacked Waterfall Chart is a powerful tool for visualizing the cumulative impact of sequential values. By stacking multiple series within each category, it offers a detailed view of how individual components contribute to overall changes. 

Use this chart to enhance your data analysis, making it easier to understand complex data sets and identify key insights.

[shaponshekh]

How to create stacked waterfall chart in PowerPoint

[taskflier]

Project Management Software: Your Compass in the Evolving World of Work

In today's fast-paced business landscape, projects are no longer linear, predictable endeavors. They're dynamic, often complex journeys with distributed teams, shifting priorities, and a constant demand for real-time insights. This is where project management software steps in, transforming from a simple task tracker into an indispensable strategic partner. Far from a mere digital to-do list, modern PM software is the compass guiding organizations through the complexities of project execution, ensuring clarity, fostering collaboration, and driving successful outcomes.

The shift towards hybrid work models, the acceleration of digital transformation, and the ever-increasing emphasis on data-driven decision-making have propelled project management software to the forefront of business operations. What was once a niche tool for project managers is now a central hub for entire organizations, enabling seamless communication, transparent progress tracking, and efficient resource allocation across departments and geographies.

The Evolving Landscape: More Than Just Gantt Charts

While classic features like Gantt charts remain vital for visualizing timelines and dependencies, today's project management software offers a much richer tapestry of functionalities. We're seeing a strong emphasis on:

Hybrid Methodologies: The rigid boundaries between Agile and Waterfall are blurring. Modern PM software embraces hybrid approaches, allowing teams to combine the structured planning of Waterfall with the iterative flexibility of Agile, tailoring workflows to specific project needs. Look for tools that support Kanban boards, Scrum sprints, and traditional Gantt views, offering a versatile toolkit for any project.

AI and Automation: This is perhaps the most transformative trend. AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a practical assistant, automating mundane tasks like report generation, scheduling meetings, and even predicting potential delays and risks based on historical data. AI-powered resource allocation optimizes workloads, preventing burnout and maximizing efficiency. Generative AI is also emerging, assisting with everything from drafting project plans to generating status updates.

Enhanced Collaboration & Communication: With teams spread across the globe, effective communication is paramount. Modern PM software acts as a centralized communication hub, integrating with tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, offering in-context commenting, real-time editing, and shared dashboards. This eliminates information silos and ensures everyone is on the same page, regardless of their location.

Data-Driven Insights: Project managers now have more data at their fingertips than ever before. Advanced reporting and analytics capabilities provide real-time visibility into project health, resource performance, and budget adherence. Customizable dashboards empower leaders to make informed decisions and course-correct proactively.

Scalability and Customization: Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, the software needs to grow with you. Top solutions offer extensive customization options, allowing teams to tailor workflows, dashboards, and reports to their unique processes and organizational structure.

Robust Integrations: The modern tech stack is complex. Project management software must seamlessly integrate with other essential business applications, such as CRM systems, document management platforms (Google Workspace, Dropbox), and accounting software, to create a truly connected ecosystem and reduce context switching.

Security First: As more critical data resides within these platforms, cybersecurity is a non-negotiable. Look for features like robust data encryption, multi-factor authentication, granular access controls, and regular security updates to protect sensitive project information.

Choosing Your Project Management Partner

Selecting the right project management software isn't a one-size-fits-all decision. Consider these key factors:

Team Size and Structure: Are you a small team needing a simple, intuitive solution like Trello or Asana's free tier, or a large enterprise requiring comprehensive portfolio management features found in tools like Microsoft Project, Wrike, or Smartsheet?

Project Complexity: Do your projects involve intricate dependencies and require detailed scheduling (e.g., Microsoft Project, Jira for agile development), or are they more straightforward task-based initiatives (e.g., Monday.com, Notion)?

Methodology Preference: Do you lean towards Agile, Waterfall, or a hybrid approach? Ensure the software supports your preferred methodology with relevant features like Kanban boards, Gantt charts, sprint planning, and backlog management.

Integration Needs: List all the other tools your team relies on daily. The chosen PM software should integrate seamlessly with these applications to avoid data silos and streamline workflows.

Budget: Project management software comes with various pricing models, including per-user fees, tiered plans, and flat rates. Factor in not just the initial cost but also potential scaling costs as your team grows. Many offer free trials or limited free versions for smaller teams to test the waters.

Ease of Use & Adoption: An intuitive interface is crucial for rapid adoption and team buy-in. A powerful tool is useless if your team finds it too complex to use effectively.

Reporting and Analytics: What kind of insights do you need? Look for customizable dashboards and robust reporting features that provide the data necessary for informed decision-making and stakeholder communication.

Mobile Accessibility: In a world of remote and hybrid work, a functional mobile app is increasingly important for on-the-go updates and staying connected.

The Future is Collaborative, Automated, and Intelligent

The trajectory of project management software points towards even greater intelligence and interconnectedness. Expect to see:

More Sophisticated AI: AI will move beyond automation to offer more predictive and prescriptive insights, guiding project managers through complex decisions and optimizing outcomes.

Deeper Integrations: Seamless interoperability between different business applications will become the standard, creating a truly unified work environment.

Enhanced Virtual Collaboration: As remote and hybrid work solidify their place, tools will continue to evolve to facilitate more immersive and effective virtual collaboration experiences.

Focus on Value Management: Software will increasingly assist organizations in aligning projects with strategic business goals, ensuring that every effort delivers tangible value.

In conclusion, project management software is no longer a luxury but a necessity for organizations striving for efficiency, transparency, and success in a constantly evolving world. By understanding the latest trends and carefully evaluating your specific needs, you can select the right tool to empower your teams, streamline your processes, and confidently navigate the path to project success. The right software doesn't just manage projects; it transforms the way you work.

[shelleyseale]

Busy Consultant’s Guide to Mastering PowerPoint

A SIX-PART VIDEO COURSE THAT TEACHES YOU HOW TO CREATE SLIDES LIKE THOSE PRODUCED AT TOP CONSULTING FIRMS Created by alums of Bain and McKinsey, The Busy Consultant’s Guide to PowerPoint includes lessons on stacked bar charts, clustered column charts, doughnut charts, organizational charts, and waterfall charts. Each video starts with a PowerPoint chart produced by McKinsey, Bain, or BCG. Then…

[maanvinay]

Waterfall Chart: Breaking Down the Journey of Your Dat

A waterfall chart is like a story that takes you through each part of a journey, one step at a time. Imagine you’re following your savings journey over a few months, with each paycheck, expense, and unexpected cost adding or taking away from your total. The waterfall chart helps you visualize these changes, showing where you started, what’s impacted the balance along the way, and where you end up.

What is a Waterfall Chart?

In simple terms, a waterfall chart is a visual tool that tracks how an initial number changes after going through a series of positive and negative values, ending in a final total. It’s often used in business settings to break down revenue, expenses, or project milestones. The chart’s unique format shows each step in the process, helping you see what added or subtracted from the final value.

Why is it Useful?

Waterfall charts are helpful because they make complex data easy to understand. Rather than showing just a final total, it shows the steps that got you there, allowing anyone to spot trends, issues, or opportunities quickly.

Let’s say you’re running a small business and want to know how monthly revenue stacks up against expenses. A waterfall chart can help you show each month’s income and expenses side-by-side, making it easy to see which months were profitable and which were not. The chart doesn’t just give you a final balance but breaks down the journey, making it clear where your business stands financially.

How to Make a Waterfall Chart

Creating a waterfall chart might sound complex, but most spreadsheet programs like Excel and Google Sheets make it simple. Here’s a basic guide:

Start with Your Data: Organize your data in order, such as your starting value, each positive addition, each negative deduction, and the ending balance.

Insert the Chart: Highlight your data, go to the “Insert” menu, and select “Waterfall Chart.”

Label and Color-Code: Use colors to differentiate between positive and negative values so that gains and losses stand out.

After you’ve made your chart, you can read it like a story, where each bar tells you what happened at each step of the journey.

Real-Life Examples of Waterfall Charts

Let’s dive into some real-world scenarios where a waterfall chart could come in handy:

Personal Savings Goal: Suppose you’re trying to save for a car. You begin with a small savings base, add contributions each month, and subtract for unexpected expenses like repairs or birthdays. The waterfall chart would show each month’s effect on your savings, allowing you to visualize your progress.

Home Budget: Imagine you’re tracking your monthly household budget. You start with your paycheck, add any side income, and then subtract for rent, groceries, bills, and entertainment. The waterfall chart will clearly show what expenses take the most out of your budget, making it easy to spot any spending trends.

Business Profit Analysis: In a business setting, you could use a waterfall chart to track revenue and expenses over a quarter. Starting with initial sales, you would add income from new clients, subtract production costs, rent, and employee salaries, ending with your net profit. This chart gives you an easy view of what’s driving profits or causing losses.

Conclusion

Waterfall charts are a powerful way to visually break down complex data into clear, easy-to-understand steps. Whether you’re tracking personal finances, analyzing business revenue, or managing a project budget, this chart helps you see the journey from start to finish. By showing how each addition and deduction impacts the final result, a waterfall chart tells a story that’s not only insightful but also actionable. So, next time you want to understand where your numbers are coming from, consider a waterfall chart to bring clarity to the journey.

[stephenvolesky]

Software Engineering Project Management: Strategies for Success

In the dynamic and often unpredictable realm of software development, effective project management is the linchpin that holds the project together, ensuring that it not only meets deadlines and stays within budget but also aligns with the client’s vision and expectations. The complexities of software projects, which often involve multiple, interdependent technological stacks and diverse, cross-functional teams, require an equally sophisticated management approach. This article outlines essential strategies for successful project management in the field of software engineering, providing insights into best practices and methodologies that have proven effective in navigating these challenges.

Understanding the Scope and Setting Realistic Goals

The foundation of successful project management in software engineering lies in a clear, comprehensive understanding of the project scope. Misunderstandings or misalignments regarding scope can lead to feature creep or scope creep, where uncontrolled modifications or continuous growth in project scope occur without corresponding increases in resources, time, and budget. To avoid this, successful project managers emphasize the need to define and agree on the scope precisely with all stakeholders before the project begins.

Setting realistic goals is another critical aspect. These goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). This approach ensures that the project team understands what is expected and when, and it provides a metric against which the project's progress can be measured.

Choosing the Right Development Methodology

Selecting an appropriate software development methodology is crucial to project management success. Whether it’s Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall, or a hybrid approach, the choice depends on the project requirements, team size, project complexity, client involvement, and delivery timeline. Agile methodologies, such as Scrum, are prevalent in software development due to their flexibility and iterative nature, which allow for changes and enhancements throughout the project without significantly derailing the progress.

Effective Communication and Stakeholder Engagement

Communication is a cornerstone of successful project management. A project manager must ensure clear, consistent, and open communication between all team members and stakeholders. This involves regular updates, feedback sessions, and proactive engagement to anticipate and address concerns or changes. Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Asana can facilitate this communication by providing platforms for discussions, progress tracking, and documentation.

Stakeholder engagement is equally important. Stakeholders, mainly clients, need to be involved throughout the project lifecycle to ensure that the development aligns with their expectations. Regular demonstrations and review meetings can keep stakeholders informed and engaged, providing opportunities to refine requirements and redirect efforts as necessary.

Risk Management

Identifying potential risks at the beginning of a project and continuously throughout its lifecycle is another critical strategy for project management success. Risk management involves assessing potential issues that could derail the project and developing mitigation strategies. These strategies include having contingency plans, setting aside budget reserves, or using technology to automate and back up frequently.

Resource Allocation and Time Management

Effective resource allocation ensures that the right personnel with the appropriate skills are working on the exemplary aspects of the project. Software projects often require a mix of skills—developers, designers, testers, and specialists in particular technologies—so balancing these resources correctly is crucial.

Time management goes hand-in-hand with resource allocation. Using tools like Gantt charts or project management software can help track progress against time commitments, understand dependencies, and reallocate resources as a deadline approaches.

Quality Assurance and Continuous Testing

Quality assurance (QA) should be integrated throughout the software development process. Continuous testing, part of the CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) pipeline in Agile frameworks, helps identify and fix bugs early in the development process, reducing the cost and time to address them later.

Embracing Change and Learning from Feedback

Adaptability is a crucial trait for any software project manager. Software projects are fluid and often require shifts in direction or scope based on client feedback, market changes, or technological advancements. Embracing these changes and incorporating constructive feedback is vital for the project’s success and for the team’s growth.

Continuous Improvement and Post-Mortem Analysis

After the completion of a project, successful managers conduct a post-mortem analysis or retrospective to understand what went well and what didn’t. This analysis is crucial for continuous improvement and helps teams learn from their experiences, refining their strategies for future projects.

Managing a software engineering project successfully requires a combination of strategic planning, effective communication, and rigorous execution. By understanding the scope, selecting the correct methodology, engaging stakeholders, managing risks, and continuously learning and adapting, project managers can navigate the complexities of software development and lead their teams to successful outcomes. The strategies outlined above provide a framework that, when tailored to specific project needs, can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of project management in the challenging field of software engineering.

[webtechno]

Best website performance testing tools

Website performance testing is crucial to ensure that a site operates efficiently and delivers a positive user experience. There are several tools available for testing and optimizing website performance. Here are some of the best website performance testing tools:

Google PageSpeed Insights: This tool, provided by Google, analyzes the content of a web page and generates suggestions to make the page faster. It provides a score based on best practices and offers recommendations for improvements.

GTmetrix: GTmetrix analyzes your website's speed performance using Google's PageSpeed Insights and YSlow. It provides a detailed report with actionable recommendations, including insights into various performance metrics and loading times.

Pingdom Tools: Pingdom offers a suite of website monitoring tools, including a page speed test. It provides insights into load times, performance grades, and detailed information about each element on a web page.

WebPageTest: WebPageTest allows you to test your website's performance from multiple locations around the world using real browsers. It provides a comprehensive set of metrics, waterfall charts, and filmstrip views to analyze different aspects of performance.

Lighthouse: Lighthouse is an open-source, automated tool for improving the quality of web pages. It audits web pages for performance, accessibility, SEO, and more. It can be run using the Chrome DevTools, from the command line, or as a Node module.

YSlow: YSlow is a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox that analyzes web pages and suggests ways to improve their performance based on Yahoo's rules for high-performance websites.

LoadImpact: LoadImpact is a cloud-based load testing service that helps you understand how your website behaves under various levels of traffic. It simulates virtual users to assess performance and identify potential bottlenecks.

Apache JMeter: Apache JMeter is an open-source tool designed for load testing and performance measurement. It can simulate multiple users to analyze and measure the performance of a variety of services, including web servers.

New Relic: New Relic is an application performance monitoring (APM) tool that provides insights into the performance of web applications. It offers real-time monitoring, error tracking, and detailed performance metrics.

Dynatrace: Dynatrace is an application performance management (APM) solution that provides real-time monitoring and diagnostics for web applications. It offers detailed insights into user experience, application performance, and infrastructure monitoring.

When website development company like Yarddiant is selecting a performance testing tool, consider factors such as the specific metrics you want to analyze, ease of use, integration capabilities, and whether you need real-user monitoring or simulated load testing. Additionally, some tools may focus on specific aspects of performance, such as front-end rendering, while others provide a comprehensive view of the entire application stack. Choose the tool that best aligns with your testing goals and requirements.

[smallnetbusiness]

What type of Chart will You use to Compare the Performance of Sales of two Products?

Visualizing sales performance is essential for getting actionable insights and making wise choices in the ever-changing company environment.  As they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words," and this is especially true in the context of sales. Effective communication and strategy creation is facilitated by the rapid and simple manner in which complicated information may be understood by using visual representations of sales data. What type of chart will you use to compare the performance of sales of two products? The selection of charts has a direct impact on the effectiveness of information delivery. Choosing the right graphic may improve understanding and make it simpler for stakeholders to see trends, patterns, and abnormalities in sales data.  On the other hand, a poorly designed chart might confuse and make decision-making more difficult. By offering insights into the selection of charts suited to certain sales comparison situations, this book seeks to empower decision-makers. What type of chart will you use to compare the performance of sales of two products? Analyzing historical sales data offers insightful background for identifying patterns and projecting future results. Data from the past is useful in determining trends, seasonality, and general increase or decrease. Comprehending the different goods' performance is crucial for making strategic decisions. Unit sales, revenue, and market share are examples of product-specific measures that add to a complete picture of sales success. Specifying the Goal Finding long-term patterns in sales performance may be the main goal. When trends are shown over time, line charts help stakeholders see patterns and anticipate outcomes based on data. Recognizing Performance Variations Bar charts and waterfall charts may be useful if identifying differences or anomalies in sales across several goods or periods is the aim. These infographics make it easy to identify areas of success or worry by emphasizing the extent of differences. You may choose the best chart kinds for sales comparisons by comprehending the subtleties of your data and stating your objectives clearly. In the next parts of this manual, we will examine certain cases and suggest appropriate diagrams to improve your decision-making. MECE Selection Criteria for Charts Overall sales charts provide a comprehensive perspective of an organization's success. Pie charts or stacked bar charts may be useful for showing how various goods contribute to overall sales. Product-Related Specifications Metrics like revenue, units sold, and market share may be efficiently shown using charts like stacked bar charts or bullet graphs for a thorough analysis of the performance of particular products. Combined Exhaustive Standards Examining sales patterns throughout time is crucial. To show changes in performance, line charts or area charts may be used, enabling a thorough analysis of previous data. Analysis Based on Region Charts like as choropleth maps or geographically segmented bar charts are necessary to comprehend regional differences in sales and allow for a comprehensive analysis of regional performance. Typical Chart Types Bar charts provide a clear visual depiction of relative performance and are useful for comparing total sales across several categories or periods. Specific Product Outcomes To help discover top-performing items, stacked bar charts, and grouped bar charts may be used to examine the performance of various products inside certain categories. Displaying Historical Sales Trends The best visual representation of sales patterns over time is provided by line charts, which also make trend analysis easier. Monitoring Performance Changes Line charts are a useful tool for monitoring performance changes because they may effectively explain variances in data, making it simple to pinpoint critical areas for progress or concern. Options for Advanced Charting When evaluating numerous product characteristics at once, radar charts work very well, giving a thorough picture of how various items perform across a range of criteria. Finding Your Advantages and Disadvantages Making strategic decisions is made easier by using radar charts, which provide a detailed insight into the advantages and disadvantages of a product's performance. Taking Data Distribution into Account It is essential to comprehend how the data are distributed. For skewed data, box plots or violin plots would be better; for regularly distributed data, line charts or histograms are useful. Guaranteeing Precise Representation Selecting charts that are in line with the distribution of data guarantees impartial and accurate portrayal, improving the validity of conclusions derived from visualizations.  Interactive Diagrams for Detailed Examination Heatmaps are a useful means of visualizing sales variances by region, enabling a more sophisticated comprehension of performance disparities across various regions. Emphasizing Times of Peak Sales Heatmaps' interactive elements may be used to draw attention to moments of strong sales, providing a dynamic and perceptive means of examining performance trends over time. You may choose the best charts for an in-depth and enlightening sales comparison study by using the MECE criteria and taking your data's properties into account. Selecting the Appropriate Chart for Your Situation - When comparing total sales, you may begin by selecting between stacked bar charts and pie charts. - Pie charts are a useful tool for clearly seeing how each product contributes to overall sales. - Stacked Bar Charts: Select a more thorough analysis of each product's contribution inside each category.  Performance Particular to a Product: Choose from stacked bar charts and bullet graphs for in-depth information on the success of each particular product. Stacked bar charts are perfect for comparing each product's income, units sold, and market share. Use bullet graphs to concisely display important data in comparison to preset benchmarks. Analysis Based on Time: Decide between line charts and area charts when examining patterns over time. Line charts are useful for showing patterns in sales over time and highlighting areas of increase or decrease. Area Charts: Select a graphic that highlights cumulative performance by filling up the space under the lines. Analysis Based on Region: Bar charts with region-specific segments and choropleth maps are useful tools for analyzing regional differences. The best tool for viewing regional variations and spatial patterns is a choropleth map. Bar Charts (Segmented by Regions): These are useful for quickly comparing sales results between various regions. Conclusion The ability to visualize data effectively is crucial in the sales comparison domain to extract meaningful insights and arrive at well-informed conclusions. The importance of selecting the appropriate chart has been highlighted by this thorough guidance, which offers decision-makers a road map for negotiating the complex world of sales data. To keep moving forward, enjoy reading more blog posts that are comparable to this one. Find a multitude of viewpoints that support the reliability described in this article. Read the full article

[skills-course]

Corporate Finance Institute – Advanced Excel Formulas and Functions LINK DOWNLOAD: https://skillscourse.net/corporate-finance-institute-advanced-excel-formulas-and-functions/?feed_id=1867&_unique_id=653f6b815f9c9 Corporate Finance Institute – Advanced Excel Formulas and Functions Description of Advanced Excel Formulas and Functions This advanced Excel course is designed to take Excel users to the next level by illustrating advanced functions and formulas. Understand how to reference data using INDEX and MATCH Manipulate text-string data using functions like RIGHT, CELL, LEN, and FIND Apply data analysis tools, like data tables and PivotTables Master charting features like creating a gauge chart Learn the most advanced formulas, functions, and types of financial analysis to be an Excel power user. This advanced Excel training course builds on our free Excel Fundamentals – Formulas for Finance. It is designed specifically for spreadsheet users who are already proficient and looking to take their skills to an advanced level. This advanced tutorial will help you become a world-class financial analyst for careers in investment banking, private equity, corporate development, equity research, and FP&A. By watching the instructor build all the formulas and functions right on your screen, you can easily pause, rewatch, and repeat exercises until you’ve mastered them. What You’ll Learn In Advanced Excel Formulas and Functions This advanced Excel training course starts with a blank spreadsheet and quickly dives into using combinations of functions and formulas to perform dynamic analysis. The main formulas & functions covered in this training course include: INDEX and MATCH IF with AND / OR OFFSET combined with other functions CHOOSE for creating scenarios INDIRECT combined with other functions XNPV and XIRR CELL, COUNTA, and MID functions combined together PMT, IPMT, and principal payment calculations The main types of data analysis in this advanced tutorial include: Data tables Pivot tables Column and line charts Stacked column charts Waterfall charts Gauge charts More courses from the same author: Corporate Finance Institute

[tebsolutions]

Power BI Dashboards - Visual Canvases That Tell a Story

Power BI dashboards are visual canvases that tell a story through visualizations. You can create a dashboard using any report with edit permissions.

A top-level executive might use a Power BI dashboard to analyze the profitability of the organization. Digital Marketers use it to understand the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

KPIs allow business leaders to track the progress toward a defined objective, whether it is sales revenue or lead conversion rates. They also help to dismantle potential data siloes by making metrics more actionable and measurable for various departments.

A Power BI dashboard can display a variety of different types of visuals that make it easier to identify and analyze key performance indicators. Some examples of these include gauges, scorecards, and line charts. The most important element in creating a Power BI dashboard is selecting the right type of data to be displayed. The metric should be easy to understand and can help the user achieve organizational goals.

There are three requirements for a KPI visual: a base context, a target concept, and a current value or status. The actual context is represented by a color indication, with a marker such as poor (red), need improvement (yellow), satisfactory (green) or good (dark green). It is possible to create dual KPI visuals that show two KPIs side by side. These are dynamic, displaying new values and information as they are hovered over.

Visualizations

A dashboard is a single-page visualization of insights from multiple reports and datasets. It offers a consolidated view of important metrics and helps you develop data-backed strategies.

Visualizations are a key aspect of Power BI dashboards. They can range from simple cards to a matrix, and are displayed on a canvas grid. The size of a visual depends on the level of detail it presents. For example, a visual that compares numerous data categories should be larger than a visual that only displays a single number.

A Waterfall Chart can be used to track the progression of a value over time. It is a great way to see a trend and identify opportunities for future growth. A stacked area chart is an extension of the basic area chart that allows you to visually compare several data categories. This type of visual can also help you determine a part-to-whole relationship. For example, a stacked area chart can be used to show the sales performance of regions compared to the overall revenue.

Data Sources

A dashboard is a single page that tells a story through visualizations. While reports use multiple data tables, dashboards only have one.

Power BI dashboards are used by organizations in various domains to analyze their data. A Sales Manager can use the tool to understand his team’s performance, a Top-Level Executive can visualize the profitability of their organization, and a Digital Marketer can analyze the efficacy of their social media campaigns.

The source of your dashboard is the data set from which it gets its information. This can be an Excel file, a URL to an external service (e.g., Facebook), or a data warehouse. Power BI connects to the data sources with its connector, which is part of the underlying data set. Whenever the data in the data set changes, Power BI automatically refreshes all of the reports and visualizations associated with it. Moreover, Hevo has a scalable infrastructure that automatically detects the schema of the incoming data & maps it to the destination schema. Try Hevo now with our 14-Day Free Trial!

Sharing

Power BI allows you to share your dashboards and reports with others. You can share them with people inside your organization, as well as with external users. You can also embed your dashboards and reports in existing workplace tools like Slack, Teams, or Sharepoint. This is a great way to ensure that your data is visible to your employees, and can help cut through the clutter of other digital communications they receive on a daily basis.

You can share a single report or dashboard by selecting the'share' button and entering an email address or group of addresses. You can also set permissions for those with whom you want to share the content.

Once you've shared a dashboard or report, you can also use the'share to web' button to make it available on your organization's website. However, this only works if you have an internet connection. The web version of a dashboard won't refresh automatically, so you'll need to manually update the data in your datasets.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Power BI Dashboards are undeniably powerful visual canvases that excel in telling data-driven stories. Throughout this blog, we have explored the numerous benefits and features that make Power BI Dashboards a go-to tool for businesses and individuals seeking to gain valuable insights from their data.

Firstly, we highlighted the user-friendly nature of Power BI Dashboards, which allows even non-technical users to create stunning and interactive visualizations effortlessly. With its drag-and-drop functionality and intuitive interface, Power BI empowers users to transform raw data into compelling narratives without the need for extensive training.

Additionally, we discussed the versatility of Power BI Dashboards, which can consolidate data from various sources, including spreadsheets, databases, and cloud-based services. This feature enables users to get a holistic view of their data and facilitates data-driven decision-making across all levels of an organization.

Furthermore, the blog emphasized the real-time capabilities of Power BI Dashboards, making it an ideal solution for monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) and tracking business metrics on the fly. The ability to access up-to-date information empowers organizations to respond swiftly to changing market trends and make data-backed adjustments to their strategies.

Another critical aspect covered was the option to embed Power BI Dashboards seamlessly into other applications or websites, expanding their reach and making data insights accessible to a broader audience. This level of integration enhances collaboration and communication, fostering a data-driven culture within organizations.

Lastly, we highlighted how Total eBiz Solutions offers top-notch application development services, including expertise in Power BI Dashboard development. As a reputable partner, Total eBiz Solutions can provide tailor-made solutions to meet the specific needs of clients, ensuring a seamless integration of Power BI Dashboards into their business workflows.

In conclusion, Power BI Dashboards not only provide visually appealing representations of data but also serve as compelling storytellers, presenting crucial insights that drive better decision-making and business growth. With Total eBiz Solutions' application development services, businesses can unlock the full potential of Power BI Dashboards and embark on a data-driven journey that leads to success in the dynamic and competitive modern landscape. So, if you are ready to harness the power of data, reach out to Total eBiz Solutions today and take your data visualization and analytics to new heights.

[offtopicoverload]

Disney Princess

This turned into way more than the single ficlet I started with and I already have a ton of other chapters started and planned. They'll definitely be going up on Ao3, but I'm not sure about tumblr. Lemme know if you'd rather have them posted here too, I’ll do whatever lmao

Aurora had a plan. She’s always had a plan - for chores, for school, for her career. She’s had a plan for everything, every single detail of her future and every single detail of her life, from who she’ll work for to what street she’ll live on in ten years. She’s always had a plan, and it never once included Rylen Damen, the hurricane that’s blown into her life and destroyed every single one of those carefully crafted plans.

Chapter 2

Aurora x MC (Rylen Damen (changed it lol))

~4k

Read on Ao3

-

Aurora Emery is running.

She doesn’t know where she’s going, or why she needs to go there, but she knows she can’t stay where she is. She knows she can’t seek refuge in her aunt’s office, she can’t look for comfort in the other interns, or even the residents and attendings, she can’t distract herself by caring for her patients anymore. She needs to run and hide and forget the world until it gives up and forgets her, too.

She spots a supply closet down the hall and runs straight for it, throwing the door open and shoving it closed. She steps further inside, tears suddenly springing from her eyes as her throat tightens, raw and awful. She drops against the opposite wall to the door, her knees pressing against her chest as she splinters in some random supply closet, alone and ignored by the world.

She shouldn't be surprised at this point, it's not new, it's not strange. This isn't even the first time she's cried inside the walls of Edenbrook, only now it's so much more, now it's unstoppable and debilitating as she cries into her scrubs, her body shaking with each rasping breath and each sob as she just crumbles, falling apart as the rest of the hospital carries on without her, not even sparing a second thought for someone so irrelevant to them.

The door creaks open, Aurora’s eyes flying up to meet a curious gaze, “H-Hey!” she sniffs, wiping her sleeve under her running nose. “Get out!” she glares at the figure, even as she’s slumped on the floor beside shelves of toiletries with mascara pouring down the length of her face in dark streams.

“Aurora?” the figure whispers, stepping inside the cramped closet and closing the door as their footsteps draw them closer to a teary Aurora.

“Go on, then. Say it,” she spits through tears, her voice cracking under the weight of her sobs and hurt. Cleaving under the pressure of everything she’s ever wanted to say but held back and fracturing from the size of everything she’s never wanted to say but forced from her throat anyway.

The figure drops before her, setting a stack of charts they were carrying a foot or so away, their eyes surprisingly earnest and concerned as they gaze into Aurora's, “Say… what?”

Aurora sniffles again, wiping at the tears under her eyes now, “What you and everyone else have always wanted to say!” she accuses harshly. “That I’m only here because of my name! That I don’t deserve my spot!” she chokes on the last words, as if they could physically hurt her to release them, and they almost do.

“Are you okay?” a stupidly kind and soft and concerned voice asks from above her, a hand landing on Aurora’s shoulder and squeezing comfortingly.

She jerks away from the touch, “Do I look like I’m okay? I’m crying in a freaking supply closet!”

“Okay…” The figure sits beside her, staring ahead and nodding absentmindedly, “What happened to make you cry in a closet?”

Aurora scoffs, “Everything,” her voice falling away with the words. “I’m just so goddamn tired,” it comes out as only a whisper, her eyes focusing on her knee as a finger traces a circle on her shin.

“Of what?”

“Everything!” she repeats, fire back inside of her at having to repeat herself. She shouldn't be having this conversation, this entire thing is ridiculous. Why are they even bothering with her? God, this is insane.

“Well, let’s start with one thing," they begin. "What’s been bugging you the most? What made you come in here?”

“My aunt?” she shrugs with a frown, swallowing thickly before speaking again, “I thought she’d lay off while she was busy with your hearing… but she’s pushing me even harder,” she confesses reluctantly, still feeling ridiculous.

“Pushing you? What do you mean?”

She sighs, “I know you all think I have an easy ride here because of her… but you have no idea how much she expects of me.”

“Because of your family name?” the figure turns, looking to Aurora curiously, as if the makeup streaked across her features isn't even there, as if they're having the most casual of conversations, as if they're sitting in the cafeteria discussing movies or something equally trivial.

“Sure, that,” she shrugs. “And also the fact that she hates being an administrator. Sometimes it feels like she’s trying to live through me because she doesn’t get to practice anymore.” Her arms tighten around her legs, chin landing on her knee, “She makes Zaid and Ines set me the most complicated cases, and then she calls me to her office to talk about them for hours and hours.”

“So she gives you the answers?”

“No!” she turns, glaring furiously, “She just grills me until I find them. And then when I finally get a second to myself, away from her or the patients, I get flocked by those… those leeches,” she grimaces, “It’s like med school all over again.”

Aurora used to enjoy her classes when she was younger, she loved science in high school and most of her undergrad courses. But that stopped when she reached med school. Itwas awful for her, even if she loved her classes, it wasn't enough, it just became draining, the only escape from everything that dragged her down outside of those halls.

She had no real friends, she had no allies, she had no one to trust. Everyone wanted to partner with her because they thought she was a genius, everyone wanted to impress her or bribe her into letting them meet her aunt, everyone wanted to get close to her just for the career boost. And she hated how easily she used to fall for it, how many people she thought she was genuine, close friends with just for them to abandon her when she couldn’t introduce them to whatever famous doctor they idolized. She hated how alone and broken she always felt as they walked away, as she retreated to her dorm to cry and break down, just like she’s doing right now, after all this time.

Tears well in her eyes again, slowly sliding down her cheeks as they escape and muddy with her mascara, “You have no idea what it’s like knowing that everyone who talks to you or tries to be your friend is just doing it to get in with your family.”

An arm wraps around her back, pulling her into the figure’s side gently, “I had no idea you were having such a hard time. I’m sorry,” the tone is sincere, the words precious as they hit Aurora’s ears.

But she’s not falling for this again, she's not letting someone in just for them to hate her when she's not enough, just to abandon her when she can't give them what they want, just to leave her crying and lonely like everyone else has. “Like you care,” she scoffs, pulling back from the arm around her.

But that arm still stays, lighter now, “I do. I care about you and what you’re going through. I’ve never once cared that you’re an Emery, I care that you’re Aurora, and you could have let me tell you that before. But you were a jerk to me from day one. I wasn’t trying to get in with you because of your name. I didn’t even know who your aunt was, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway,” the figure tries, a thumb brushing Aurora's side absentmindedly, sending jolts of electricity through her entire body.

“What, did you learn medicine in the woods or something?” Aurora scoffs once more, rolling her eyes as that arm tightens around her back again.

“That’s what Jackie said,” the tone’s lighter, almost humorous as it falls from the figure sitting beside her. Before a breath is sucked in, evaporating the humor and the lightness, “Look, I think you’ve been burned by people using you so much that you’ve stopped giving people the benefit of the doubt. I get it," a shrug, "You don’t want to trust people. But if you never give yourself a chance to be wrong… you’ll never be right either.”

Aurora falls silent, a hand circling her back comfortingly as she stares into the darkness of the supply closet, the shelves of cleaning supplies and toiletries. “You don’t have to be alone, Aurora.”

And then she cracks and crumbles, falling apart at that one word, that stupid, awful word that’s haunted her for years, that left her cold and exhausted of everything, that stabbed her in the heart for even daring to have one. The tears fall faster than before, waterfalls flooding her skin as they drip from her chin and sobs shake her once again, a familiar sensation after all these years of being truly, hopelessly, despairingly alone.

Arms wrap around her, pulling her against the figure, and as soon as they do, she falls apart even more. She shatters into thousands of pieces knowing that this is the unfamiliar component in this entire ordeal, that something as simple as comfort has eluded her for who knows how long. Something as simple as concern or caring or whatever motivation the person she’s sobbing against has is entirely foreign to her now.

This isn’t how things were supposed to go, this is nowhere near how things were supposed to go. Aurora was supposed to be her own person without her aunt’s shadow, to dominate the other interns and win the spot on the diagnostics team, to prove herself as an amazing doctor, with or without her last name. She was supposed to be level headed and calm, confident and capable, the best of the best. She was supposed to be perfect, to be everything her aunt wasn’t, to be better. And she certainly wasn’t supposed to be crying into the shoulder of one Rylen Damen in a dimly lit supply closet when she should be tending to her patients, helping the people relying on her to tell them what’s wrong, how to fix it.

But she doesn’t even care to fight anymore. She doesn’t care that she’s not enough, that she’s not the best, that she’s still under her aunt’s debilitating shadow. She doesn’t feel like working harder than anyone to prove herself or destroy her competition, doesn’t feel like pushing herself to her breaking point, doesn’t feel like fending for herself anymore as she falls apart beyond repair, not when Rylen’s being so… so… so Rylen.

Which is such a ridiculous thing to think, that someone’s simply being themself, simply behaving as they would any other day, simply doing what comes naturally to them. But that doesn’t change how true it is, how perfect and amazing it is, and how much Aurora never wants it to end, never wants any of this to stop, never wants to walk away from this damned supply closet just to start drowning in everything that drives her mad again.

She never wants this to end, she never wants Rylen to stop tracing her spine so lightly and comfortingly, she never wants Rylen to stop whispering into her hair with a tone that’s so kind and soft, and she never wants Rylen to stop hugging her so. Incredibly. Perfectly. Tight.

But of course, she does. She does stop trailing her hand along Aurora’s back in that light and comforting manner, she does stop murmuring reassurances and promises that everything’s okay and fine in that sweet and caring voice, and she does stop hugging Aurora so. Incredibly. Perfectly. Tight. She pulls back gently, careful not to shatter the fragile Aurora splitting and fracturing in her arms as she carefully meets her eyes, still so soft and perfect. She cups her cheeks, her palms barely resting on the skin beneath them as heat radiates from her, warming Aurora in the chill of the closet, “You gonna be okay?”

Aurora sniffles, forcing a stiff nod as she carefully lifts her hands from their crumpled position in her lap to wipe away the tears falling down her cheeks. Except Rylen beats her to it, her thumbs wiping away the streams under Aurora’s dark and watery eyes, and it’s so tender and sweet and precious and warm and perfect that Aurora can feel herself splintering again, cracking under the caring, concerned gaze resting on her. She sucks in a shaky breath, willing herself to be strong again, to be able to handle this.

Because she can handle anything and everything, she always has, from med school and her cold and lonely dorm to the judgmental stares and constant, hauntingly empty space beside her as she roams Edenbrook. She’s always handled it, she’s never fallen apart so terribly as much as she is now. She's never fallen apart in someone’s arms in the oddly perfect way she is now. She's never felt so vulnerable and so safe at the same time like she does now, in the fourth floor supply closet, shelves of cleaning supplies and products stacked around her.

“Are you ready to head out? Or do you need another minute?” Her voice is so low, so gentle and unbelievable as it spills from her lips, honey dripping down her chin, golden and flowing as it coats Aurora from head to toe, a warm blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

Aurora averts her gaze, turning to her folded hands in her lap as Rylen’s thumbs ghost across her cheeks, a steady, stable rhythm to match her breathing to, “I’m sorry about… this,” she mumbles, insecurity alighting the blanket, turning the fabric to ash along her shoulders. “You shouldn’t have to be here wasting your time.”

Rylen’s head dips down, working to catch Aurora’s teary gaze in her own, “Making sure you’re okay isn’t a waste, Aurora,” she hums, low in her throat as her palms slip to Aurora’s jaw, nudging her gaze upwards.

“Yeah, it is,” she rolls her eyes with a frown. “There’s people dying, Rylen,” she meets her eyes, jaw set tight.

“And you’ll be one of them if you don’t take care of yourself and take a break when you need it,” Rylen holds her gaze, serious and stern, pleading for her words to take hold as her hands fall from Aurora's face, a chill replacing their warmth.

“I don’t need a break,” she insists, regardless of what just occurred.

“We’re sitting on the floor of a supply closet and your eyes are red,” Rylen’s eyebrows raise, a knowing smile on her face that Aurora wants to wipe off. “You’re allowed to take a minute when you need to, Aurora, I’m serious.”

Aurora frowns, “I’m not about to make a habit of breaking down in closets.”

“Good,” Rylen grins, raising a fist and tapping Aurora’s chin playfully with her knuckles, “Because you’re too talented to waste your energy on being upset.”

Aurora’s eyes roll, her frown only deepening, “Why are you mocking me now? Was seeing me cry not enough?” she accuses coldly, her arms crossing over her chest protectively.

“Aurora,” her tone is serious. “You’re literally a Disney princess, of course you’re amazing.”

Her cheeks flush dark, her eyes desperately darting around to avoid Rylen’s, searching for an escape or distraction to quell the heat in her cheeks that really shouldn’t be there. It's a compliment, but a different one from what she's used to. This is absolutely absurd, there is not one discernible reason for her to be blushing or embarrassed or whatever is happening as she coughs awkwardly.

“Now come on,” Rylen jumps to her feet, offering her hands and wiggling her fingers to Aurora teasingly. “You need to forget about this rank closet and go help some people,” she grins that grin that used to make Aurora want to vomit, but for reasons she may never know, now sends an electric jolt through her as it’s directed at her for once.

She takes the hands stretched out to her, gripping the soft and warm palms beneath her own as Rylen jerks her upwards, stopping just a few tiny, tiny inches from that smiling face. She sucks in a sharp breath, taking a step back and putting distance between them, brushing off her coat just to occupy her hands and mind.

Rylen picks up the few charts she dropped when she entered and passes them to Aurora without a word. She crosses to the door, pulling it open and bowing, her arm outstretched as she gestures for Aurora to exit. “Your Highness,” she teases, glancing up to wiggle her eyebrows at an annoyed Aurora.

She rolls her eyes, exiting quickly and making a beeline for the bathroom to clean up, dropping her new charts on the sink as she wipes away her makeup, fixes her hair, and kills a few moments until her eyes look less red. She takes a deep breath, grabs her charts, and heads out to meet her new patients, whoever they may be.

She cycles through them, introducing herself, familiarizing herself with their cases, running tests or receiving results for ones Rylen’s already ordered. And on top of that, she has her previous patients to tend to as well, some of which are cases she’s stumped on or waiting to see if her hunch is correct. And all of them are absolutely draining, absolutely exhausting as she stands with a plastered-on smile and cycles through an explanation of a diagnosis or a treatment plan or an invasive test.

She exits another patient room, stopping at a nurses station to receive some results and order another exam, and finally, finally empties her hands of paperwork and charts and results and orders and countless other items that drive her insane. And finally, finally she can stop, can collect her head, can rest and prepare herself for her next shift that consists of the exact same procedures and routines.

She sways, exhaust fogging her mind as she trudges through the halls of Edenbrook towards the on-call room. She’s been staying there as much as she can lately, not wanting to risk encountering her aunt and all of her lectures any more than necessary. She pulls the door open, crosses to the opposite side of the room, and collapses on a bed, staring upwards blankly.

She doesn’t want to move or think or even breathe at this point, she’s too tired and sore, both physically and mentally, as she blinks slowly. But she forces her muscles to work, her arm to take out her phone from her pocket, and her fingers to tap at the screen, setting an alarm and scrolling through notifications. She stops on a text from an unknown number, opening the notification and reading, ‘Good luck.’

Aurora frowns at the light glowing from the screen, the gray text bubble of her correspondent, the monotone, unfeeling dots and lines making up the letters of the message, and especially the name signed at the bottom, beneath those odd words, a name that should not have her number: ‘-Rylen.’

She drops her phone to her side, turning away from it to face the wall, curling up tight and staring into space until her exhaustion begins to wear on her consciousness, a few thoughts swirling as her eyes flutter shut, her folded arm slipping beneath her head as a makeshift pillow as she sinks into the cot beneath her.

Somehow, her thoughts start slowly circling to Rylen, as strange as it is. They’re of that dumb smile she gave Aurora as she held the door to the supply closet open, they’re of the mascara stains on her shirt as she walked down the hallway, they’re of the steadiness in her voice as she stepped into the closet, that steadiness she can draw out of seemingly nowhere.

It was there as she bailed Aurora out to Ramsey, it was there as she led Aurora through her crisis during triage, and it was there as she whispered into Aurora’s hair. It’s always there when it matters, when someone’s career, or health, or wellbeing is at stake. It’s always there when Aurora needs it, even if she didn’t want it or ask for it, even if Rylen had no reason to offer that stability, that olive branch.

Yet she still did. She still met Aurora’s gaze and apologized for something that wasn’t her fault just to save her from the wrath of Doctor Ramsey after experiencing it herself. She still stood across from Aurora, speaking soft and slow, even as Aurora was on the brink of a panic attack, a collapse of her psyche provoked by all the horrors surrounding her, horrors that surrounded Rylen, too. She still stepped into that stupid, cramped closet and pulled Aurora into her arms, her breath hitting against her ear and providing a single constant, the only comfort in that closet as everything hurt and exploded and became too much all at once.

She didn’t mock or hurt her, she didn’t belittle or demean her, she didn’t search for an in with her aunt or a crack in her armour to attack until she bled to death. She just sat there, letting Aurora’s ruined makeup and hot tears stain the fabric of her clothes before leaving Edenbrook for who knows how long, careful not to further shatter the splintered woman that had hit her limit as she shook in her arms.

Aurora turns, grabbing her phone off the cot and unlocking it, opening up that message from Rylen. ‘How’d you get my number?’ she types furiously, staring at it impatiently, waiting for ‘Delivered’ to turn to ‘Read,’ waiting for three dots to appear, waiting for a cohesive response. Her nail taps against the screen, sharp and staccatoed in the dark and empty on-call room, harsh and berating in the dim lighting surrounding Aurora.

‘Your aunt’ pops up after a few minutes, a few minutes that drive Aurora insane, just staring at the light illuminating her face.

Her eyebrows knit together, ‘Why? And why did she give it to you?’ she types quickly, mildly frustrated with her aunt for being so careless with private information.

‘I wanted to be able to check on my patients, Princess, calm down.’ The answer’s quick, sarcastic and teasing like the ridiculous gesture Rylen made as she exited the supply closet.

Heat rushes to Aurora’s face, her cheeks flushing in the dim lighting, though from anger or embarrassment or both, she can’t tell, but she knows she doesn’t like it one bit. ‘Don’t call me Princess,’ she fires back.

‘Oh, do you prefer Your Highness? I can work with that. Oooooh or Your Majesty! That better?’

Aurora’s lips quirk in the slightest smile at the letters on her screen, but she forces it away. ‘I prefer Aurora, my name,’ she responds.

‘You’re no fun, Princess.’

She frowns, ‘Aurora*’

‘Princess*’

‘Aurora*’

‘Princess*’

‘Aurora*’

‘Do you not think you’re a princess? Is that what’s happening? Aw, Aurora, are you not confident? Do we need to work on your self-esteem?’

She shakes her head, rolling her eyes, ‘Shut up, Damen. You have my number to discuss patients and that is all,’ she scolds.

‘Sorry, Princess, I’ll be good. How much longer is your shift?’

‘I'm already off. I was trying to sleep before your message distracted me.’

‘Sorry. Good night :)’

Aurora rolls her eyes again, setting her phone back down and settling into the cot beneath her once again, intent on a few hours of sleep before she can make her escape to the apartment, her aunt hopefully long gone by the time she returns and can enjoy the rest of her night. But even as she drifts off, thoughts of Rylen still slip into her mind, thoughts of that ludicrous smiley face and the grin she knows it's meant to represent.

[spaceskam]

what’s it gonna be? (2/3)

previous | next

ao3

The difficult thing about approaching Alex Manes was that you couldn’t just talk to him.

He was closed off and boarded up, his dark clothes and edgy taste in music were loud indicators that he didn’t want to let anyone new in. That meant Michael was going to have to be creative. Which honestly wasn’t fair at all considering Liz was probably the easiest person in the world to talk to, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Michael clicked his pen against the table as he stared a few rows down where Alex was hunched over his guitar, gently strumming and scribbling down some things every once in a while. The whole prospect of Alex bringing his guitar to school in the first place already felt like a red flag and Michael was waiting for him to just break out into Wonderwall.

Still, Max apparently liked the guy and they made a deal, so he got up and walked over to him.

Michael stood in front of him, waiting for Alex to catch sight of him. And Alex did, starting at his feet and slowly following the length of his body up to his face. Michael flashed a smile.

"Play me a song, guitar boy."

Alex stared at him for a second before rolling his eyes, looking back down to his guitar. Michael sat down in front of him.

"I play guitar too, you know?" Michael went on. Alex hummed mindlessly, but he didn't tell him to go away. "Pretty good at it if I do say so myself."

"Good for you."

"Play me something," Michael prodded again. Alex sighed and looked at him.

"Why are you talking to me?" he asked. Michael blinked innocently. 

"Who else am I supposed to talk to?" Michael said, "Everyone else sucks."

"And I don't?" Alex said. He had a genuine curiosity in his tone, strands of hair falling from the bun at the nape of his neck and falling around his face. For a moment, Michael got a little overwhelmed. Dark hair, big dark eyes, nice lips, nice figure. He shook it away before he could think too hard about it.

"Well, I don't know you well enough to make an educated statement," Michael said, "So I guess I'm just gonna have to bother you until I figure it out."

Alex stared at him for a moment before a smile started to tug at his lips and he looked back down to his guitar. He seemed to hide behind his hair and Michael wondered how anyone thought he was scary. So what if he got in fights? He got flustered too easily to pass as scary.

"So, guitar boy, you should teach me some shit about music," Michael said, "After school, maybe?"

Alex looked back up to him, eyes a little wide as if he was actually shocked by the invite. Michael just stared unwaveringly at him. He nodded slowly.

"Yeah, okay," Alex agreed, "After school."

Michael grinned, climbing back to his feet. He gave Alex a parting salute and went back to his spot, not addressing the way he could feel Alex's eyes on him. This was going to be easy.

He could only imagine how easy it would be for Max.

-

When Max walked into English and saw that the seat beside Liz was open, he couldn’t help but feel like he won the damn lottery.

He easily strolled up to her, clutching his backpack as he watched her stare down at her notes. Her hair fell over her shoulders and onto the page like a waterfall and the end of her pen was between her teeth. Liz almost looked like a painting and he couldn’t help but think that his brother had good taste.

“Hey, Liz,” Max said. She lifted her eyes to him and dropped the pen to her notes, smiling that warm and welcoming smile that she always had.

“Max, hi.”

“Can I sit here or is this seat taken?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, no, it's open. Sit," she said. 

Max nodded, taking the seat and pulling out his binder. He looked between it and her a couple times, trying to find a good thing to spark conversation with. He decided starting with science would be the best way since that was her speciality, the only one in the school who had taken every science the school had to offer.

"Hey, do you understand the whole balancing equations thing in Chem? It's still a little confusing to me," Max said, pulling out his thankfully unfinished homework. She nodded and leaned into his space. Her hair smelled nice.

"Yeah. So the best way to get the hang of it is to break it down in a visual way. So, like, the left has one carbon, four hydrogen, and two chlorine while the right has one carbon, one hydrogen, and five chlorine. So the right needs four hydrogen, but since it's paired with one chlorine, it makes the total on the right eight, and now you need to make the one on the left eight too, so you add a four," Liz explained. Admittedly, the information when in one ear and directly out the other. "Make sense?"

"Well… No, not really," he said. She laughed, pulling her hair over her shoulder and out of the way as she looked at him.

"Class is about to start, but if you want to study after school we can. I'll work on my explanation skills before then," Liz promised. Max smiled and nodded.

"Sounds good."

For the rest of the class, Liz whispered small comments and told him jokes. It was almost too easy. Max didn't understand what kept Michael from befriending her. It was the easiest thing he'd ever done.

Hopefully Michael wasn't as bad at approaching Alex as he was at approaching Liz. 

-

Okay. He got it. Alex was cool.

There was one record store left in Roswell and Alex wants to spin the afternoon there, so Michael followed. He'd shucked his flannel off at some point, leaving him in a tight black t-shirt and jeans with the flannel tied around his hips and knock-off docs on his feet. He flicked through a stack or rack of records before he found the one he wanted. Alex held it up for Michael to see, raising his eyebrows. 

“Elvis Presley? Really?” Michael asked, following him over to a record player that had a set of headphones at it. Alex unplugged it and plugged in his own pair.

“Yes, really,” he said, holding out one earbud to Michael to take, “I’d show you something cooler, but I always go easy on someone’s first time.”

Michael laughed, his skin feeling a little hot at the insinuation. Alex just kept that smug smile as his skillful fingers started the record. The smooth sound started up with a swing feel to it and Alex seemed to be watching him, waiting for his reaction.

"This is the first album he released after he was honorably discharged. And I mean right after. They rushed the shit out of it because they were scared he would lose his relevancy," Alex explained. Michael nodded, focusing more on his words than the sound of Elvis singing about trying to get someone to prove to him they wanted him. "It peaked at number two on the charts, but still had super mixed reviews. Which is weird, honestly, because his service in the army gave him a lot of support from an older audience."

"You know a lot about Elvis," Michael said. Alex shrugged.

"Not really, I know about his time in the army and that's about it," he explained, looking at Michael in a way he couldn't quite place. It was almost questioning, like he was testing the waters. Which didn't make fucking sense because he was Alex Manes. "I know a little bit about a lot of things."

"Like what?" Michael prodded. Alex stared at him in silence for a few seconds, his gaze intense and overwhelming. Michael's skin felt hot under it, his heart thudding in his chest. The only sound being Elvis singing along to snapping and a soft bass.

'You give me fever when you kiss me,' Elvis sang, 'what a lovely way to burn.'

"I guess you'll just have to stick around and see what I can teach you," Alex said. Michael nodded without even thinking, his body working on it's own accord.

"Okay." 

Alex smiled and tucked his hair behind his ear and turned to search through a bin he was standing beside. He pulled out a new vinyl.

"Black Sabbath," Michael read, clearing his throat. Alex nodded.

"They've got good shit."

Was it wrong that Michael didn't ever want to leave? 

-

"Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, yeah, thanks."

It was a little weird, Max thought, that the first girl he had in his room that wasn't Isobel or his mom was Liz Ortecho. He'd never really pictured her there. He quite liked the sight.

"Knew you'd get it," Liz said, "It's not hard, just takes focus."

"Yeah, you're also just a good teacher," he said. It was a little bit of a lie. She rambled a lot, getting distracted by her own train of thought and assuming he knew more than he did, but he didn't mind. He liked listening to her talk even if he wasn’t sure what she was talking about. Max didn’t understand how Michael had even formed a crush in the first place if he hadn’t listened to her ramble.

“Thank you,” Liz said, smiling as she leaned back. 

They were sitting on his bedroom floor and her head was against his mattress. Would the smell of her hair linger on his sheets? Was that weird to think about? 

"So, you wanna be a scientist when you grow up?" Max asked, leaning his head against the wall. Liz shrugged.

"I think I'm going to go into biological engineering. I like knowing how all that stuff works and messing with things," Liz explained. Max nodded.

"My brother's like that," Max said. Liz furrowed her eyebrows. "Michael."

"Oh, wow, I didn't know he was your brother," Liz laughed. Max shrugged.

"Yeah, we just got separated wherever Iz and I got adopted," Max said. Liz nodded, pulling her leg up to her chest and resting her chin on her knee.

"Well, what do you want to do when you grow up?" Liz asked. Max laughed a little as he allowed Michael's name to disappear from the conversation. 

"I wanna be a writer," Max admitted. Liz had a knowing look on her face as she nodded. 

"I can see it, you got that whole," Liz paused and gestured to him, "Slightly pretentious vibe about you."

"Hey!" he laughed.

"What? It's not a bad thing as long as you don't let it overcome you. I'm a firm believer that you have to be a little pretentious to be a creator of any kind. The confidence helps you succeed," Liz insisted. Max shrugged slightly, but he couldn't help but smile. "Trust me. My friend Alex is totally pretentious about his music, but we love him for it."

The mention of Alex felt a little jarring as he remembered what he was supposed to be doing. But Liz didn't let that memory last long.

"Well, show me some of your writing," Liz said. Max's eyes widened. 

"What? I don't know if you'd wanna–"

"I do, c'mon, read me something," she prodded. Her eyes scanned the room before landing on the notebook on his nightstand. "Is there any in that?"

"Well…"

A mischievous smile crossed her face and she reached for it. Max didn't even think it through as he quickly went to grab it. He didn't want her to read anything in it. Each page was a different story, all disjointed and too many of them involving a love interest that were inspired by beautiful people he saw in school that he'd be embarrassed if she recognized.

Liz squealed in a joyous fashion as he tried to grab it first. She snatched it, her laughter contagious as he tried to grab it from her. She let go as he yanked it and he fell backwards. Liz took the opportunity of him being caught off guard to lean over him and grab it. Max caught her waist and flipped over. Suddenly, the book had slid a few feet away and he was just hovering over her.

Before he could really let it register, Liz grabbed his arms and locked her legs around his hips, flipping them over again and pinning his hands above his head. She had a victorious smile on her face, her long hair pooling around his head and making it impossible to look at anything but her. He swallowed harshly.

"Don't underestimate me just because you're tall, Max Evans," Liz told him. He nodded, probably a little too entranced by her, well, everything.

"Trust me," he said, "I wouldn't dare."

-

Alex was a master of saying something and meaning something else entirely. It left Michael feeling like he was starving and Alex's intentions were the only thing keeping him alive.

"What do you mean you haven't noticed?" Alex scoffed, shaking his head as they walked towards Michael's truck. It was Friday, four days into spending all his free time with Alex Manes and already he struggled to see a day he didn't do just that. "It's so obvious!"

"Obvious to who?" Michael laughed. Alex threw open the passenger side door without any hesitation, climbing it and dropping his messenger bag to the floor. He waited for Michael to get into the driver’s seat before answering.

“Anyone who claims to be interested in horror movies, Michael Guerin,” Alex said, giving a slightly dramatic sigh. Michael snorted as he started up the truck. 

“Look, man, when I watch a movie, I don’t really pay attention to the music,” Michael admitted, looking over his shoulder as he started to back out of the parking spot. 

“Oh my god, you’re speaking blasphemy, shut up,” Alex said, earning more laughter from Michael, “So horror at its peak in the 50s and 60s was heavy in strings, but once the synthesizer started gaining popularity in the 70s-ish‒by the way, did you know it was invented in the 50s?‒it took over. Just recently, like the last few years, they’ve been going back to strings, but like a distorted violin type of strings.”

“Okay, I think I see what you mean,” Michael said, nodding his head as he thought back to all the movies he’d seen in his lifetime. If he thought hard enough, he could think of movies that fit what Alex was talking about.

“Yeah, dude, it’s super obvious. Oh, shit, the drive-in is playing The Thing tonight at 8, that’s a perfect example of the mix between synth and orchestral since it’s, like, the early 80s,” Alex said. Michael looked over at him, seeing him looking down at his phone. His hair was down and shielding half of his face, but the sun was still hitting him like he was made for it. He was fucking gorgeous.

“Is that your subtle way of suggesting we go see a movie tonight?” Michael asked, glancing over at him again. Alex adjusted in his seat and looked up, tucking his hair behind his ear. 

“I mean, yeah, we can,” Alex said, “Wouldn’t mind an excuse to stay out of my house.”

“I feel that,” Michael laughed, “Yeah, let’s go.”

It was how Michael ended up at almost 9pm at the drive-in, shrouded in darkness and watching The Thing while undeniably close to Alex Manes.

“Listen, listen, listen,” Alex whispered, leaning so close that his lips were almost touching his ear as he pointed. Michael moved his eyes off the screen to look at Alex only to see his eyes attached to the screen, sheer wonder in his eyes. “During most of the true horror moments in this movie, there’s no music at all, usually just letting you feel the moment. But, but but…” Alex breathed. Michael watched him instead of it again. But, still, he heard the slow build of synth in time with Alex’s smile growing. “You feel it? It’s right before shit gets bad, it’s preparing you, but letting you still feel the actual moment. It’s fucking genius.” Just like that, the synth stopping, just the screams of the creature and the people. Alex breathed in and dropped his hand, smiling. “This whole movie is a masterpiece.”

“I was kinda expecting you to jump out of fear,” Michael whispered, trying to shake that absolute entranced feeling watching Alex like this. In the darkness of the night, his face only lit by the screen and the dim street lamps that were set up, his guard was completely down. It was incredible. 

“Jump scares are cool maybe once or twice a movie, but even that’s pushing it. Real horror lasts in your brain long after you watch it,” Alex said, looking at him for just a second, “All good shit should leave you unable to think about anything else.”

Michael nodded. “You’re right.”

“I know I am,” Alex said. His eyes flickered down and then back up to Michael’s eyes before he turned his gaze back to the movie. “Look, look, this is my favorite part.”

Michael looked and didn’t comment as Alex settled into his side. Alex’s best points were always unspoken and this felt like one of them.

-

“Let me see!”

“I am letting you see.”

Max laughed as Liz just glared at him, standing on her toes as she pulled on his arm. He continued holding the English paper he’d gotten back well over his head. Liz wanted to see his so they could compare them, but he found it much more enjoyable to hold it up and let her try to grab it.

“Stop,” Liz groaned. 

Liz ended up taking a fist full of his shirt, dragging him over to one of the booths in the Crashdown. Max kept laughing as she forced him to sit down, kneeling on his thighs to keep him in place as she plucked the paper out of his grasp. She stuck his tongue out at him and the smile on his face was impossible to get rid of.

“You could’ve asked,” he teased. Liz glared at him, still just staying there with her knee in his lap. She was looking at his paper and he was looking at her. She seemed to get more gorgeous by the day, slowly but surely becoming unbearably attractive.

He watched as her eyes skimmed his paper, reading quickly as she settled her weight against him. She flipped to the next page, reading over it more, but then her eyes widened as she caught sight of his grade. Max smiled.

“A 102?” she scoffed, looking at him with a faux-offended face, “How the hell? I just got a 100!”

“Bonus points for using vocabulary words and using more than three sources,” he said. Again, that adorable glare. “But a 100 is still great.”

“Mhm, we’ll just have to talk when I get a 103 on my science test and you get a 91,” Liz said. Max grinned, shrugging shoulders. He was well past the point of caring as long as she stayed this close and kept talking. Sadly, though, she got off his lap and stood up straight.

“I can help you on your next paper,” Max offered. Liz looked at him with a knowing smile, tilting her head to the side.

“Well, I would hope so. I helped you with your science test, you’re definitely not off the hook. Now sit right there, I’m gonna go get us fries,” she said, not even waiting for an answer as she spun and went into the back. Max took a moment to let himself melt a little into the seat.

Soon, Liz was coming back with a basket of fries and a milkshake. She sat on the other side of the booth, that sweet smile still on her face. 

“Only one?” Max asked playfully. She put her hand over her heart and gasped, giving an offended look.

“How dare you? Do I look like a woman who doesn’t share?” Liz asked. Max tilted his head and scrunched up his nose, enjoying the way it pulled laughter out of her. “Yeah, you’re right, but I’ll be nice today.”

Max watched as she pushed two straws into the shake. It felt a little too real and he looked at her to make sure she was actually okay with sharing. However, she didn’t even seem phased as she leaned forward to take a sip, marking her straw with a shiny stamp of lip gloss. Max, albeit hesitantly, leaned in and took a sip from the other one. She was still smiling.

He liked this.

“All things aside, though, I really like your paper,” Liz said, pointing at him with a fry, “If only you’d let me read something you wrote that you actually care about.”

“Maybe one day,” he offered. She raised her eyebrows, leaning closer.

“When is one day?”

“One day, I don’t know,” Max laughed. Liz shrugged a shoulder.

“Soon, I can feel it,” she stated firmly, “I’ve got a certain charm and I don’t think you’ll be able to resist.”

And Max had a feeling she was absolutely right.

-

Alex tilted his head back, breathing out a puff of smoke as he relaxed in the bed of Michael’s truck.

Michael’s lips parted as he watched him, his mouth feeling dry and his skin feeling too hot. He looked like a goddamn model at that moment. How the hell was anyone supposed to think straight? The weed definitely didn’t help.

“How many people have you slept with?” Alex asked, blunt and without preface. It only made Michael’s mind feel even more cloudy, the mix of wind and Elvis Presley’s Fever playing from his phone doing him no favors.

“Uh,” Michael said, stretching his legs out parallel to Alex’s, “Two?”

Alex nodded, not saying anything else as he leaned forward to pass the joint to Michael. He accepted it, his eyes still on Alex as he put it to his lips. Alex’s eyes lingered on his face before slowly scanning his entire body. When he got to his legs, Alex reached out and put his hand on his calf. His thumb rubbed small circles over his jeans. Michael’s brain was malfunctioning.

“Roswell has a population of a little over 6,000 people,” Alex said softly, his hand staying on his leg as he looked up to him. The joint was limply in Michael’s hand, too drunk on Alex’s existence to hold it properly. Alex plucked it from his grip, stubbing it out on the bottom of his shoe. Once it was completely out and done smoking, Alex moved even closer to tuck it behind Michael’s ear. “6,000 people and I can’t stand most of them, but I people-watch. I understand them and social cues and how to interact. I hate it, though, the uncertainty of it.”

“Yeah,” Michael breathed, agreeing with him on principle alone. Alex’s lips twitched up into a smile that didn’t last, his fingers letting go of the joint and tracing over his ear and his neck. Chills rose to his skin and his breathing got a little heavier. Alex’s eyes fluttered over his face again.

“I like certainty,” Alex said, “So I think I know what your goal is, but I’d really like you to spell it out for me.”

“My goal?” Michael clarified. Alex nodded, somehow even closer. He tilted his head to the side and he ditched all sense of preservation, his eyes on Michael’s lips and not moving. Which, maybe Michael was stupid, but he slowly let his eyes drift to Alex’s lips, focusing on that part of him in the same way. 

Alex leaned in a little more, their foreheads touching just a little. And, just as Michael was about to close the space, his phone went off. Michael jumped and looked away to search for it. Alex sighed, sitting down as Michael checked to see what had ruined his moment.

Max: tomorrow after church?

Michael swallowed harshly and looked up to Alex who’s focus had drifted to playing with a loose string on the hole in his jeans at his knee. He kind of forgot about Max and what the point was. He was supposed to be learning about Alex for Max, not for himself. Guilt slowly started filling his veins as he realized how selfish he’d been.

Fuck.

-

“God, Max, this is beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

There were a lot of nerves that went into letting a pretty girl read your inner most thoughts, but Liz was endlessly respectful of his feelings and didn’t insult him for being too sappy. She scrolled down on the long document that he typed his story in, still reading as she sat right beside him.

“Seriously, you should look into getting published,” Liz said, finally looking at him. They were in his room again. This time the door was closed. It felt good.

“I don’t know, I feel like that’s a lot harder than you’d think,” Max said, shrugging his shoulders. Liz rolled her eyes.

“Well, you won’t know until you try! And, who knows, all it’ll take is a little willpower. Or maybe you could self-publish. I could help you figure it all out,” Liz offered. Max furrowed his eyebrows, a disbelieving huff leaving his chest.

“Why would you do that?” he asked, “You’re far too nice to me, Liz Ortecho.”

“I’m a nice person,” she insisted, “And you’re way too talented to just let it go to waste.”

“I don’t know. I want to travel first, see stuff, get inspired by something real, you know?” Max said. Liz nodded without hesitation.

“Yeah, I want to travel too,” she said, looking down for a second before looking back at him, “Maybe we could travel together.”

His eyebrows shot up, blinking a couple times. “You’d want to travel with me?”

“Well, why not?” she said, “I’ve always wanted to and why not go with someone you like spending time with?”

“You really have that much fun spending time with me?” Max asked, really not buying that. She was so… and he was just…

“There’s just something about you, Max Evans,” Liz told him, fondness thick in her voice. It warmed his heart in a way he didn’t quite understand. No one had ever said something like that about him before. He always just assumed he was just Max. “I don’t know. I’ve known you all my life and sometimes… Reading this, I kinda feel like this is the first time I’m really seeing you. Seeing you and seeing how you see other people. It’s beautiful, Max.”

“I get that,” Max said, his chest feeling a little tight and his mind overwhelmed. She was way too good for him. “Sometimes I feel like you’re the only girl in the room.”

“Well,” she said, tilting to her head to the side, “Right now I am.”

Max smiled and bit his lip. It was too easy to get entranced by her, too easy to miss when she started to lean in, too easy to get obsessed the way her hand touched his cheek.

And too hard not to get pissed when Isobel busted inside before either of them could close the space.

“Hello,” Isobel said, clearly happy to ruin the moment, “Hate to break up the love fest going on in here, but your dad called, Liz. Said he tried calling you, but your phone was dead and he got worried. He wanted to know if you were going to make it home for dinner.”

“What time is it?” Liz asked, glancing down at the laptop and her eyes widening, “Oh, shoot, sorry, Max, I gotta go. I had fun.”

“Wait, I’ll drive you,” he offered as she got up quickly. She shook her head as she grabbed her bag.

“Don’t worry, the walk isn’t far. I’ll see you later?” Liz said. He nodded and she slipped past Isobel, hurrying down the stairs. Max sighed and leaned back.

“Way to ruin the moment, Iz,” he grumbled. Isobel raised an eyebrow.

“Way to move in on the girl Michael’s been staring at for a year,” Isobel pointed out, “Does he know that you’re doing that or is this just a fun way to get back at him for breathing too loud when he sleeps?”

Max couldn’t see himself, but he was sure his face paled as he was reminded of Michael. He’d forgotten that’s what he was doing. Hell, he’d forgotten everything that wasn’t Liz. Guilt overcame him too fast and he quickly pulled out his phone.

Max: tomorrow after church?

“Hope you enjoy telling him,” Isobel said in a sing-song voice as she walked away. Max swallowed and very quickly made the decision not to tell him. Michael didn’t have much, he deserved something. If that meant he couldn’t have Liz, then so be it. It would just be the worst.

Fuck.

[360digitmg-bangalore]

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[fanfic-from-a-67-impala]

Stay

Characters: Charlie Bradbury x reader, Jen (OFC)

Word Count: 3805

Summary: When you move to Kansas for a fresh start and start working at a hospital in Topeka, you take over the case of one Gertrude Middleton, a 15-years-brain dead patient with no known relatives.

Warnings: a small amount of angst, slight canon divergence if you squint

A/N: Here's one in celebration of the woman who brought Charlie to life. Happy birthday, Felicia Day!

Trudging through the fluorescent-lit hallway, you yawn widely, dabbing at the water in your eyes with the sleeves of your white lab coat.

"Hey," Jen greets from behind the nurse's station, her smile annoyingly enthusiastic and her maroon-colored scrubs annoyingly bright. "How was your first week?"

"Exhausting," you sigh.

She plucks a clipboard from the desk and hands you the chart. "Good thing you've only got one more."

"Who is it?"

"Room 628. Gertrude Middleton. Car accident resulting in head trauma turned—"

"Turned to PVS," you finish.

She raises her eyebrows. "That was quick for a newbie."

You frown. "I remembered her because I couldn't make heads or tails of why we're still keeping her alive."

"She's been receiving anonymous donations to fund her care," Jen explains, "but as you can see..."

"Persistent vegetative state for fifteen years. She's gone."

Jen nods.

"Any next of kin?" you ask.

"Just a daughter, but I haven't seen her in years. Dr. Buckner didn't even round on her more than once a week. She's had no brain activity in a year."

"Well, I'd like to keep this job, thanks," you remark.

She chuckles. "Suit yourself."

You plod down the hall again until you reach the door with the numbers 628 printed on the label.

Your hand barely grazes the lever of the door knob before you hear a woman's voice piercing the door.

Peering through the narrow window, you see a woman with red hair, the same shade as Gertrude's, perched in a chair, her back to you. She holds a book open in front of her and reads from the pages.

You consider calling security. After all, visiting hours have ended. But you decide that anyone who would take the time to read to a brain-dead woman in such a sweet voice wouldn't do any harm.

The woman raises her head, the book dropping to her lap, and turns.

You dart to the side, pressing your back against the wall. As you dash down the hall, you almost wish you had seen her face. You imagine she has a pretty face.

For almost a month, you check on Gertrude at the end of the night. You sneak up on the room, listening for any sound and peeking through the window for the red-haired woman.

You've lost hope of ever seeing her again until one night, paused outside the door, you hear her voice.

The door distorts her voice, but you carefully turn the handle, and the melodic words of The Hobbit rush over you.

"'...the eagle came back, seized him in his talons by the back of his coat, and swooped off. This time he flew only—'"

The door clicks closed behind you, and she jumps up, snapping her head to you, eyes wide.

"It's okay." You hold your hands out to the side. "I won't say anything."

She eyes you warily, glancing around the room—searching for a way out, you assume.

You nod to Gertrude's bed. "You're her daughter, aren't you?"

"Who are you?" she demands.

"I'm Dr. (Y/N). I took over your mom's case after Dr. Buckner retired last month."

Slowly, she drops her shoulders, but she still clutches the worn book to her chest.

"Look, I'll leave you alone in a few minutes," you promise. "I just need to check on a few things."

She doesn't say anything, but you feel her eyes follow you across the room to the side of the bed. You study the monitor and scrawl on the chart in your hand, almost missing the words when she finally does speak.

"I'm Charlie."

You turn your gaze up and smile slightly. "Hi, Charlie."

She settles into her seat again and pushes a lock of bright red hair behind her ear. Against it, her fair skin glows with the moonlight flooding through the window.

"I'm really sorry about your mom," you say.

Her wide-eyed expression quickly turns to a scowl. "She's not dead," she snaps.

You draw back in shock, horrified at your own words. Without another word, you close the chart and back out of the room, closing the door behind you.

Weeks have passed before you see Charlie again. She jumps when the door opens but relaxes when she sees you.

"Hi," she murmurs.

You give her a small smile. "Hi, Charlie."

She turns her head down into her book while you flip through the chart, though you can feel her eyes on you when you look away.

"I'm, uh—" she clears her throat— "about what I said before, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry if I sounded, you know, harsh."

She meets your eyes with her nervous ones.

"That's okay. I understand. You're not exactly the first person to yell at me."

"Right," she nods. "I guess you must get that a lot, huh?"

"A little bit, yeah. It's kind of part of the job description."

"How long have you been working here?" she asks with more of a curious tone than a "questioning your qualifications" tone, like you've grown used to.

"It's been a couple months now," you answer. "Before that, I practiced for a while in Oregon."

"Wow," she says. "You're a long way from home. What made you move?"

You pause, finding the right words.

Her eyes go wide. "You don't have to answer that. Sorry, it's none of my business."

"No, it's all right," you assure her, leaning against the ledge of the window. "It was a small town. I just... I needed to get away."

"So, you moved to Kansas?"

You chuckle. "I guess I didn't think that one through."

She hums in agreement. "Still, I get it."

"Yeah?"

As she nods, she smiles—really, genuinely smiles—for the first time since you met her, and you're not prepared for it. You're not prepared for the way her shy green eyes flutter closed, or the way her lips part to form the slightest dimples in her smooth skin.

Her cheeks tinge with red, and you realize you've been staring.

You blink away, straightening the papers on your clipboard. "Well, I'll leave you to it."

As you start for the door, she stops you. "Would you maybe—I mean, if you have the time—could you stay?"

You nod.

When you find her in the room the next month, she doesn't move at the sound of the door, only lies still, sprawled over the chair, her book fallen closed in her lap.

As you approach her, you watch the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest and notice her closed eyes. Though a voice in the back of your head nags that you shouldn't, for a moment, you let yourself stare. Your eyes drift over the curve of her neck, the bow of her lips, the waterfall of red cascading down her shoulders.

You kneel down and brush a stray lock of her bangs into place.

"Charlie?" you hum, a hand lightly squeezing her shoulder. "Charlie."

Her eyes fly open, and she shifts in her seat, rubbing her palms against her eyes.

"What time is it?" she slurs.

You turn your wrist to check the face of your watch. "A quarter to one."

She sniffles. "I have to get home."

"Where's home?" you ask.

"Michigan."

"Wh— You're going to drive across the Midwest in the middle of the night?"

She shrugs.

"No, why don't you... stay with me?"

She looks up at you. "Really?"

"Mm hmm," you answer. "Please, you'd give me peace of mind."

She runs a hand over her face and sighs deeply. "Yeah, that'd be good. Thank you."

"Sure," you nod. "I'll meet you in the garage in ten."

You finish penning the information from the monitor and return the chart quickly before packing up and crossing the floor to the parking structure.

The drive home is quiet, save the soft rock station over the speakers. You pull up to your building, and she follows you up the two flights of stairs, where you unlock the door to your apartment.

"Well, this is it," you announce, suddenly conscious of every speck of dust and every scuff mark on what little furniture you own.

"Cool," she muses, looking around, a smile on her face.

"That's nice of you to say," you mutter. "It's not much, but you're welcome here anytime."

She nods in thanks and wanders into the apartment.

"That's the bathroom down there—" you point to the room on the right— "and this is the kitchen. Help yourself to anything."

She yawns, pushing a hand through her bangs.

You extend an arm to the couch. "Here, sit. You must be exhausted."

As she settles in among the pillows and cushions, you drop your bags on the floor of your bedroom and open the closet doors, squeezing out a stack of extra sheets and a pillow.

"So, I go in around eight tomorrow morning," you call from your room. "If you want, I can take you back to your car. Or you can hang out here for the day, if you've got the time. Or—"

When you return to the living room, you find her sleeping on the couch, her feet tucked under her, her head resting on a pillow, arms curled around it.

The sight brings a smile to your lips. You place the stack of sheets at the opposite end of the sofa, pull a blanket over her, and click off the light.

After another long day at the hospital, you trudge through your nightly routine and slide into bed. The minute your eyes fall shut, a pounding at your door startles them open.

When another round pierces through heavy drumming of rainfall outside the window, you bury your head in your pillow, willing the knocker to give up and move on.

More knocking, joining a clap of thunder.

You drag yourself over the edge of your bed and stagger to the door.

Outside, Charlie stands doubled over, one arm supporting her against the doorframe. When she looks up at you through her dripping wet mop of red hair, you can see a trickle of blood running down her chin from a cut on her lip.

"Charlie?"

It's been a week since you last saw her. Since she first stayed over, she visited again the next month, then a few weeks after that. The two of you fell into a rhythm for those days she was here.

"Hey," she pants.

You slip an arm under hers, and she leans heavily on you, the sleeves of her jacket soaking the shoulders of your night shirt.

She groans as you lead her to the couch, and you help her onto her back.

"Let me take a look." You say the words like a question.

She looks down at her arms, which clamp around her stomach protectively, and releases them.

You unzip her sweater and peel away the soaking fabric of her shirt. Purple bruises stain the pale skin where her ribs cast ridged shadows.

"Sorry," she mutters between shallow breaths. "I know it's late. I didn't know where else to go."

"Don't worry about it," you order. "Charlie, what happened to you?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she says.

You run your eyes from her cut lip to the discoloration on her stomach to the blood staining the hem of her jeans.

"This may hurt," you warn.

You drag your fingers along her swollen ribs, feeling carefully for breaks along the bones.

She whimpers into the pillow.

"I'm sorry," you whisper. "Nothing's broken, just bruised. I'll be back in a minute."

When you return, you hold a glass of water, a bottle of pills, and a large towel of ice, which you set on the coffee table.

"Can you sit up?" you ask.

She nods and braces her hands on the edges of the cushions, groaning as you help her upright. You swing the stethoscope from around your neck and press it to her back.

"I need you to take a deep breath for me, okay?" you say.

She winces as you hear the whooshing of air filling her lungs.

"I know, sweetie. I know," you murmur, holding out the glass of water and shaking two tablets of painkillers into her hand. "Here, drink."

Once she's swallowed the pills and gulped down the water, you lay her back down and place the towel of ice over her ribs. She sighs at the touch, and her breaths even.

You look over the rest of her body again to check for anything you missed. Satisfied, you kneel down beside the couch.

"You're a hunter, aren't you?" you breathe.

She snaps her panicked eyes up to you. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"It's okay. I've seen these kinds of injuries before," you say softly. "So, what was it? Vengeful spirit? Demon? Shifter?"

"Uh, spirit," she answers. "How do you know about this stuff?"

You clear your throat. "I kind of grew up with it. My parents were hunters. My dad died when I was little, so my mom raised me in the life. We were on a witch hunt when she got killed."

"I'm sorry," Charlie says.

"It was a long time ago," you shrug. "And it wasn't all bad. I got out, went to med school, became a doctor. Old contacts still stop by once in a while when they need to get patched up."

She chuckles. "Well, I guess you can add me to the list."

"Think I've got room for one more," you say.

She opens her mouth to reply, but a yawn cuts off her words.

You brush away a lock of damp hair from her forehead, and she leans into your hand.

"Get some rest," you hum. "I'll see you in the morning."

She stays until the end of the week. One morning, you wake up to the smell of coffee wafting through the air and Charlie standing in the middle of the kitchen, fully dressed.

"You heading out?" you ask sleepily.

She nods. "Think I've overstayed my welcome."

"Mm, never," you assure her.

You almost tell her to stay, to be here for just a little while longer, but instead you settle on: "Don't be a stranger."

"Right." She swings her bag over her shoulder but hesitates with her hand on the door knob.

"You okay?"

"I just, uh..." she begins. "Do you, maybe, want to go out to dinner sometime? With me, I mean? When neither of us is bleeding or smells like hospital?"

You smile at her. "I'd like that."

She sighs, her shoulders slumping with relief. "Okay."

"Well, you've got my number, so..." As you speak, you inch closer to where she stands by the door.

She gulps, taking half a step toward you. "Yeah, I'll do that."

You lean into her slowly and lift a hand to the small of her back. "I'll see you soon."

"I'll..."

Her words fall away, and you catch them with your lips. Her bag drops to the ground with a thump, and she melts against you. You hold out an arm to brace the both of you against the wall while she traces her fingers through your hair.

You break away too soon, gasping for air.

"See you, too," she pants, scooping her bag from the floor.

The door closes behind her, and you lean your head back against the wall, laughing softly to yourself.

You can't keep the smile off your face all day. Your steps feel lighter, even in the usually grim halls of the hospital.

"Someone's in a good mood," Jen comments.

You shrug, still grinning. "Just woke up on the right side of the bed, I guess."

The intercom system beeps with an incoming message. "Dr. (Y/N), you've got a 9-1-1 call to room 628. Dr. (Y/N), 9-1-1 to room 628."

Your stomach drops. You don't wait to glance at Jen before sprinting down the hall to Gertrude's room, where nurses pull a red crash cart through the door.

"What happened?" you shout over the buzz of activity.

A nurse holds defibrillator paddles out to you, and you grasp them. "She started coding."

Jen rips open Gertrude's hospital gown and makes room for you to press the paddles against her ribs and chest. The other nurse holding the Ambu bag to her mouth removes it when you yell the warning.

As you resuscitate her, you avoid looking at her face. It only reminds you of Charlie, who you need to push far from your mind now.

You sit in the darkness of Gertrude's room, resting your head in your hands.

The door opens, and Charlie slips in, glancing over her shoulder. "Just couldn't wait to see me, huh?"

The smile fades from her face when her eyes land on the machine next to her mother's bed, connected to her mouth.

"What's that?" she asks hesitantly.

"Charlie, something happened today." You stand up and lead her to the side of the bed. "Your mom's condition got worse."

She runs her eyes over the machine and the wires in horror.

"This is a breathing tube," you explain. "It's hooked up to this ventilator, which is pumping air into her lungs. It's the only thing keeping her alive."

Tears well in her eyes as she sinks into the chair next to the bed, gripping her mom's hand.

"What does that mean?" she whispers.

You sit down in the seat next to hers. "It means the chances of her waking up have declined even further."

She bobs her head, her eyes unfocused.

"I know this is a lot to process, but it's time to consider her options here."

"Options?" she asks.

You take a deep breath. "She hasn't been conscious in fifteen years—not really."

She shakes her head before you finish speaking. "No, she could still wake up."

"It's highly unlikely," you say. "I know you want to hold onto her, but she wouldn't want to live like this."

"You didn't know her," she snaps, looking up to glare at you. "You can't know that."

"Yes, I can. Because no one wants to live like this."

"No, you're wrong," she insists. "She's still in there. She has to be."

The fire in her eyes dims, revealing a raw, hopeless desperation.

"She's all I have," she chokes.

You remember the feeling too well, when your mom was your best friend and hunting partner and everything in between. You remember the anguish you felt when she died, and how you would have done anything to see her again for even a day.

"I know," you murmur.

She settles into her seat again, her shoulders shaking. The hissing of the ventilator deepens the silence.

Months pass with the two of you falling into the same routine. You settle into each other, growing closer and more comfortable. You drive up to Michigan when you can, and sometimes you meet in the middle, but mostly she drives down to Kansas.

A year later, you stand above the nurse's station studying a chart when you spot Charlie across the counter, in the middle of the floor, out in the daylight.

She approaches you, biting her lip.

"Hey," you greet, pecking her cheek. "What are you doing here?"

She inhales deeply and sighs. "It's time for me to let go."

You study her face, but she doesn't waver.

"Hey, Jen?" you turn to where your friend sits from behind the counter. "Could you hand me a court order form for removal of life support, please?"

She opens a file cabinet. "Sure. For who?"

"Gertrude Middleton," you answer.

She glances up in surprise. Her eyes dart between you and Charlie, but she hands you the form on a clipboard without question.

You give her a nod in thanks and lead Charlie down the hall.

The steady beeping of the heart monitor lingers over the room like a ghost.

"Can I ask you something?" you say as she signs the bottom of the form. "Why the change of heart?"

She hands the clipboard back to you. "Gotta say goodbye at some point, right?"

"Right," you agree. "I'll give you two a minute."

As you turn to leave, she catches your hand with hers.

"Stay?" she asks. "Please?"

Setting the clipboard on the window ledge, you squeeze her hand and sit beside her.

She fishes into the bag on her lap and brandishes a worn, tattered book.

"One last time, okay?" she says to Gertrude.

She leans into your side, and you wrap an arm around her shoulders, running your fingers through her hair as she strolls through the first chapter.

"'Bilbo went to sleep with that in his ears, and it gave him very uncomfortable dreams. It was long after the break of day, when he woke up.'"

As she closes the book and hugs it to her chest, you rise from your seat, offering her a hand up.

"Are you ready?" you ask gently.

She sniffles and nods.

You step across to the ventilator, switch it off, and detach it from the breathing tube. The beeping slows until the monitor emits a droning blare.

You turn back to Charlie, who claps a hand over her mouth. Her shoulders shake as tears spill over her eyes.

You pull her into you, and she buries her face in your chest, sobbing into the collar of your lab coat. She rattles against your body while you rub circles along her back.

"It's okay," you hum into her hair. "It's going to be okay."

The next morning, you stand at your kitchen counter over a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee. Charlie wanders out of the bedroom and next to you.

"Morning," you greet, pressing a kiss to her lips. "How you feeling?"

"Better," she says. "Is that awful?"

You reach up to sweep your fingers through her tangled bangs. "Not at all."

She lets out a soft giggle. "I thought I'd feel worse. I can't tell if I just haven't wrapped my mind around it yet."

"It's rough, losing your mom," you muse. "But you're taking it like a champ."

"It wasn't all bad," she shrugs. "I met you, didn't I?"

You bite your lip and nod. "Sure did."

She reaches into the cabinet for a coffee mug and fills it with the carafe.

You clear your throat. "I've got the day off. You have time to hang out a while?"

"I can stay," she says. "In fact, if it's okay with you, I could stay for a little longer? Like, you know, permanently?"

You break into a wide grin. "That's more than okay."

She raises her cup to her lips, and you stare at her in wonderment of the coincidences, the millions of choices, that led her to you. Most of all, you look toward the future, toward everything this new life will bring.

Find more stuff in my masterlist!

[xceltecseo]

Top Reasons You Should Use Power BI for Business Analytics

Data preparation and discovery, interactive dashboards, and detailed visualisations are all included in the self-service product known as Power BI. Because of its self-service characteristics, it is an easy-to-use tool for handling data and turning it into insights. The following is a list of our top justifications for utilising Power BI for data analytics and self-service business analytics.

1) It’s easy to connect your data together:

To facilitate better access, organisation, and visibility in your reporting efforts, Power BI makes it simple to consolidate all of your data in one location.

Up to 70 connectors are supported by the tool out of the box, enabling companies to import data from a wide range of well-liked cloud-based sources, such as Azure (Azure Data Warehouse), DropBox, Google Analytics, OneDrive, and SalesForce, as well as Excel spreadsheets, CSV files, and data kept on-premises, like SQL Database.

2) It's both powerful and efficient:

Power BI's (shared with Excel) Power Pivot data modelling engine is a highly effective columnar database that compresses databases and makes sure they load completely into memory for the best performance.

In fact, 1GB databases are often compressed down to around 50–200MB in size, making it fairly unlikely for your Power BI Workbook (.PBIX file) to be significantly less than your original data sets.

Power BI is made to handle tables with more than 100 million records without stuttering, unlike Excel, which slows down while working with large models.

3) It features open-source visuals: For use in interactive reports, Power BI comes with a variety of pre-built basic data graphics, including bar, column, line, map, matrix, pie charts, scatter, table, and waterfall – each with a unique set of customization options for better presentation and functionality.

However, you can give your data a unique touch by leveraging open-source, free custom visuals created by developers (or in-house) and shared with the Power BI community to present your data in a way that best conveys your data story.

4) Enable more advanced analytics with familiar Excel features:

Power BI's well-known Power Pivot functions, such as clustering, forecasting, grouping, and quick measures, can be used by advanced Excel users who are familiar with the Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) formula language to go deeper into their data and find patterns more rapidly.

The built-in self-service Power Query tool, which makes it easy to immediately ingest, modify, integrate, and supplement business data in Power BI, will be familiar to Excel users.

Another advantage is the seamless integration of Power BI with Excel, which eliminates the need to export files. By selecting "Analyze in Excel," Power BI will show an interface that is quite similar to Excel. The native Excel interface for Power BI is essential if you've had problems persuading your business users to use a new solution.

Tech Stack:

Power Pivot (Data Modeling Technique)

Data Analysis Expression (DAX) Language

Conclusion

It's simple to understand why companies are swarming to Power BI for its enhanced insights, dynamic dashboards, and thorough reporting. Take advantage of the many tools and services that are now offered to help you get ready for a successful Power BI rollout and improve data insights throughout your company.

Visit to explore more on Top Reasons You Should Use Power BI for Business Analytics

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14 Best Types of Charts and Graphs for Data Visualization [+ Guide]

14 Best Types of Charts and Graphs for Data Visualization [+ Guide]

Types of Charts and Graphs to Use for Your Data Bar Graph Column Chart Line Graph Dual Axis Chart Area Chart Stacked Bar Graph Mekko Chart Pie Chart Scatter Plot Chart Bubble Chart Waterfall Chart Funnel Chart Bullet Chart Heat Map There are more types of charts and graphs than ever before because there’s more data. In fact, the volume of data in 2025 will be almost double the data we create,…