#while this splits sam and alice

[cult-of-the-eye]

Ok listen, Gwen being killed off would be interesting because the rest of the OIAR would have to grapple with the grief and the underlying feeling of suspicion in the way she died. Like she'd be a warning that would be ignored and I think it would switch up the dynamics in a really cool way.

[fox-guardian]

Alice has been working at the OIAR for nearly a decade. Sam told her the job has made her really morbid, meaning they probably haven't talked much since before she started getting morbid, or this wouldn't be news to him. Meaning they probably haven't talked much since around when she started the job. How long were they actually together? 2 years minimum ("you were together for years" plural), but it could've been longer. How serious were they? Did they live together by then? Was one of them thinking about marriage? What drove them apart? It probably wasn't some great betrayal, or else they wouldn't be so close still. Did it build up slowly over time? Was it just a matter of realizing they didn't work romantically? Or was it a matter of lifestyle incompatibility (night job + day job = I never get to see you)? Did one of them have a nasty habit they couldn't quit? Maybe one of them changed suddenly and they were too different now, and they couldn't work out. What happened? Who split with who, or was it mutual and amicable? Why is it so hard for Alice to let go while Sam seems perfectly fine?

How did Sam find out about the job in the first place? He's already vaguely mentioned having a rough time and that's why he needed the job. Do you think he called her up because he didn't have anyone else to turn to? Or he needed that special Alice flavor of comfort? Maybe he went in asking if she knew anywhere that was hiring, maybe he just wanted to talk about literally anything else and Teddy's leaving came up naturally.

Do you think Alice thought she'd moved on? Do you think hearing Sam's voice again tore an old wound open? Do you think she struggled telling him about the position, knowing how rough of a job it is, but also knowing, suddenly, how much she missed him? Do you think she thought she'd be fine after the initial shock of hearing from him again? Spending time with him at work was easy, since he seemed cool with the whole exes thing. Do you think her heart sank when Celia showed up and she caught Sam doing all the little things she remembered him doing for her? Do you think it hurts, having him so close and yet completely uninterested now, while she has to convince herself she isn't aching?

What happened?

[ysrjune]

౨: SAM MONROE ໒; TWILIGHT AU

[ inspired by something I saw on tumblr/bot on j.ai made by erosmutt. ]

[ I don’t think this is in chronological order of the saga but if it is then yippee!! ]

[ no cullens. rosalie, jasper, emmett, alice, esme, and carlisle exist but under different names. no y/n. 3rd person. doesn’t mention reader being a Swan, but you could imagine it that way. not proof-read. I think my math was lowkey off by a little bit LMFAO ]

໒: Sam Monroe became a vampire back in 2001. He would have been 42 if he was actually alive now, but he's stuck in his 16 year old body. The young boy was hospitalized after an overdose and was dying. What nobody knew was that one of the doctors at that hospital was immortal. He had created a “family” of vampires before even reaching Sam. The young boy grew on the Dr. Kevin in a short amount of time, leading to biting Sam and turning him into a vampire before he reached death.

໒: Another year in high school. Hes learned everything already (only 20 years after he died did he actually pay attention) and now he could actually not pay any attention to his teachers, but still know the answer to every question he was asked.

໒: Sam is a 40 year old man. He's matured since he was 16. Now he doesn't skip class, does his work on time, cooperates on group assignments without fussing—he does everything he didn't do all that time ago. He still prefers to keep to himself, though.

໒: What seemed like his millionth junior year, you switched to his highschool in Forks. You were in his biology class and of course the teacher had to sit you next to him. He kept his eyes to himself but he so desperately wanted to get a better look at you. Sam had only glanced at you when you walked in, but he knew you were beautiful. You smelled great, too. One thing bothered him, though. He couldn't read your thoughts.

໒: Everytime you tried to make small talk with him, he never answered with real words. A shrug, shaking or nodding of the head.. thats all. He didnt even bother to spare a glance. He kept his eyes on his notebook where he would doodle things, and after that first day.. he didn't go to school for 2 weeks. Was it your fault? did you annoy him? a bunch of questions flooded your head.

“Do you guys know that Sam kid? pale skin and black hair with a blue stripe..” you ask the group of kids you started sitting with 2 weeks ago. “Who doesn't know him,” Avery, a girl with black hair and green eyes, answers you. “hes gorgeous.” she continued and smiled. “got your eyes on him or somethin’ ?” Jeremy, a dirty blonde with dark brown eyes, asks. “No,” you shake your head, furrowing your eyebrows. “I just.. sit with him in bio. He hasn’t been here since my first day.” Jeremy shrugs. “He dissappears a lot. Him and his siblings. Their dad likes to take them out everywhere out of town randomly.” he explains. “how many siblings does he have?” you asked Jeremy while picking at the split ends in your hair. “four, but they're like.. dating. its really weird.” Avery rolls her eyes. “They arent actually related. They're all adopted, so you know.. they arent blood.” she lets you in on what was going on between that family. “All those kids have different last names. They have the dads name, yeah, but they dont really use it. Its just there.” she says. “okay well its still really frickin weird. I mean, they sleep under the same roof. like, thats gotta be freaky.” Jeremy shakes his head. “just mind your business, jer.” Joanna, another girl who sat at the table groans.

໒: Just a few days after that conversation at lunch, Sam came back. He was sitting at the lab you two were assigned seated in, and once you walked in, he looked up at you. “Hi..” he starts off a few seconds after you sit in your stool. “Im Sam.. Monroe.” He introduces himself officially. “sorry I didnt get to introduce myself the other day. Im not good with talking to new people.” He confesses, still looking at you. “Its fine,” you assure him and look his way and introduce yourself to him. He managed to make a little bit more small talk after that.

໒: At lunch that day, you saw him sitting with his siblings. A girl with blonde hair whose name is Meli. Her boyfriend.. and adoptive brother, (yikes) Benny. Another boy and girl who were also 'together', Ryan and Julissa. Julissa had copper hair while Ryans hair was plain black. Your group was talking, but you zoned out while sneaking looks at Sam. His outfit today told you a lot about who he is. black cargo shorts, a green shirt underneath a metallica band T.. jewlery covering his wrists, neck, ears and mouth. He was some sort of punk, maybe.

໒: Overtime, he somewhat became your friend after months of trying to get to know him. Month 6 was when you found out his secret. It freaked you out, and it angered him because he knew thats how you'd act, but you just had to snoop around at libraries to read about immortals with cold skin, a diet of blood and lots of other things.

“I'm not afraid,” you tell him, but he knew it was a lie. He heard you heart racing. “You lie a lot. Not a good habit to fall into. Could get you into some serious trouble.” He walks behind you, but once you turn around.. he isnt there. you turn back around and find him standing in front of you, making you flinch. “how did–” “don't be stupid. you found me out so you know how I did that.” He towers over you. “You need to leave me alone. Dont talk to me again. Dont even look my way.” Sam mumbled. “You weren't supposed to find out.” “Anyone who isnt an idiot would know,” you snap back. “Well, congratulations, you arent an idiot. Want a cookie?” He sarcastically asks and walks off. You scoff and run after him. He wasnt using his super fast ability, but he still walked fast. “Sam, I cant just forget about this!” “try your very best, you can do it.” He replies. “Sam-” “shut the fuck up already, God damn!” He looks back at you. But something was off. He was sparkling in the sunlight that casted over him through the trees of the forest you two were in. “you sparkle?” you ask, trying to hold back all those jokes that came into your mind. “yeah, I use my sisters makeup everyday so I can shine.” He throws a sarcastic comment and rolls his eyes. “leave me alone.” but you didn't.

໒: “I'm like 40, you know that.” Sam smirks as you kiss his neck. “I shouldn't be seeing such an old man.. its gross.” you laugh, looking up at him. “super gross, but atleast I look seventeen, right?” he smiles. “sixteen.” you correct. “whatever,” he rolls his eyes and kisses you. Sam felt guilty. He felt like he was taking advantage of you because of how much older he is.. but it quickly went away when you stuck your tongue in his mouth.

໒: Sam hates your friend, Josh. Hes a fucking wolf.. he smells, isnt nearly as good looking as himself, he just.. he isnt trustworthy. “you dont trust me?” you ask Sam when he told you not to go with Josh to ride his motorcycle. “I do,” he shakes his head and looks at Josh. “Its him I dont trust.” Josh was in love with you, Sam wasnt stupid. He knew that you wouldn't leave him for Josh, but.. it still irked him how you still hung out with Joshua, knowing how much Sam didnt like him.

໒: Sam was the one to get you high for the first time. You've used drugs before, but not properly so it never had an effect. Even when Sam is fucking dead hes ruining his body. (not really..)

໒: Sam prefers to talk problems out but sometimes he just gets so angry that he cant help but yell at you. He goes too far sometimes and he doesn't apologize right away either. He just leaves and doesnt return for a few hours.. even days. He tries his best to make it up to you afterwards though.

໒: Hes always blasting his music in his airpods, room, car.. literally everywhere hes at. When you hangout in his room, theres always his playlist in the background.. but not on full volume so you could hear each other.

“I wont do it. You're crazy.” Sam says while looking for something in his drawer. You wanted him to turn you into a vampire judt like him but he hated the idea. “You're not gonna want me when im all wrinkly and disgusting.” you argue. Sam looks back at you with an irritated look. “you dont get how I feel about you, huh? I dont fucking care. I'll always want you, it doesnt matter what you look like.” he rolls his eyes and starts digging again. “Sam,” “Say one more thing about it and im taking you home. I'd never fucking do that to you. You dont know what you want.”

໒: weeks after that conversation, Sam waited for you outside your house when you came back from school. He asked you to go on a walk with him, and he looked really upset.

“we're leaving Forks.” He says, leaning against a tree trunk. “Kevin is supposed to be 10 years older than he looks. People are starting to notice.” He says, crossing his arms. Your heart started beating fast. “okay.. so what do I tell my dad? how am I gonna leave with you?” You ask. Sam looks you dead in the eye. “you don't. you're staying, I cant take you with me.” you had been together almost a year and he was just leaving like that? “so you're breaking up with me?” tears swell in your eyes. Sam doesnt answer. “you're not.” you shake your head. “you cant leave me.” you sob and hug him. “I can and I am. Look, ive been meaning to break this off anyway. We dont make any sense, babe. You're gonna die one day and what am I gonna do? Its better if I leave and un-attach myself.” he shakes his head. “I promise it'll be like I never even existed. You'll forget about me. It wont hurt you.” He looks down at you.

It really was like he never existed after a month that he left. No one talked about him or his family, your texts weren't going through to him or his siblings, your dad didnt ask about him and neither did Josh. Sam was gone. He was beginning to become a figment of your imagination. But he wasnt truly gone. You didnt really forget about him.

The pain reminded you that he was real.

@anakinstwinklebunny @lovethestarrs @literally-izzy @valloos @alexlovesysrjune

get added to my taglist! let me know!

[blujayeyes]

Oh my god, thank you so much @hoping-for-novelty for giving me the idea for the following theory.

Massive spoilers for all of protocol up till now btw

So.

In MagP 26 “catching up”, when asked by the case protagonist who they are, [ERROR] responds with “an archivist”.

An archivist. As in one of many.

Two of the big questions of protocol are

A) “what is error?” And B) “what happened to Jon?(and Martin and maybe Jonah ig but shhhhh this ain’t about them)”. Most people theorize that Jon is in the computer, or Jon is error, or that error is the Magnus institute Manchester’s failed attempt at an archivist, and I think that while alone those theories are interesting but not necessarily probable, together they begin to paint a picture.

For a while I thought that Jon was split in half, with Jon in FR3-D1 and the archivist becoming error, and while now looking back it’s a good starting point, I also don’t think that’s the case, as we see later on instances of FR3-D1 being straight up malevolent and monstrous and error showing, though small, more human tendencies, such as confusion(MagP 37), so it’s unlikely to be such a clean split of monster from human, and because FR3-D1 as a system is pretty much a literal digital archive.

But then the above post got me thinking. What if FR3-D1 isn’t just Jon as the archivist, but the HEAD archivist? What if error, who called themself AN archivist, and has a different voice actor is an extension of the archivist, like how FR3-D1 can tap into devices to see or listen through them, what if that’s what error is? What if that’s why it let Sam live? So that he could become another one of it’s archival assistants which is why we see him able to either compel TMA!alice or at least direct error on where to focus to get a statement.

This next part is a bit of a leap but what if that’s what teddy’s new job is doing? In episode 28 Teddy says that his new job is not normal(presumably supernatural) and is trying to talk to Alice about it but gets cut off. And in the bonus episode “what if #1- what if everyone listened to Colin” almost everyone is fired, and when they are, Teddy approaches them representing his new job to offer them jobs, showing that whatever teddy’s new job is, it’s headhunting ex-OIAR employees. And in episode 35, after bumping into Alice, teddy fearfully directly addresses FR3-D1 through the camera it’s watching him through saying that “he’s on his way”, implying that he is in some way working for FR3-D1. So my theory is that because OIAR workers have some sort of exposure to FR3-D1 and pre existing experience with the paranormal that drove them to work there, Teddy’s new job is in some way doing something to them that is turning them into something that can then become an extension or an archivist, not necessarily to the degree of error, but still an extension. Or maybe they are just turning their employees or subjects into avatars, and they turn just ex OIAR employees into extensions, though I think this theory is a little out there.

Also I think it’s quite possible that Teddy in some way works for the Elric rehabilitation initiative but that’s a theory for another time.

But then that leaves the question of why would Jon do this? Well, it seems that when the powers got dragged over, they got mixed up, no longer so distinguishable, so maybe if the archivist got dragged over with them, it got muddled up to; stuck in a computer with familiar voices along side it that it can’t quite place, a monster that knows it’s purpose but is lost and confused, with impressions of memories it can’t quite place from when it was a human with a name that it can no longer remember among it’s limitless knowledge, but somewhere, deep down it remembers something from its past, though it is not privy to the context surrounding it.

People. Assistants, helpers in it’s archive, that collected information for it. It remembers them fondly, though it does not know why. So in a new world, confined to it’s little cage of machinery, reaching out for something familiar, it creates assistants to aid it once again.

And now that it is simply an archive, well, an archive needs archivists, doesn’t it? And if the workers of the OIAR were the people looking after the archive, what could they be other than archivists?

Also maybe that’s what’s gonna happen to Colin. By this logic wouldn’t he be considered an archivist? And FR3-D1 ate him and discarded his physicality, but not his soul, so maybe he’ll be turned into an archivist like error, a hive mind of archival assistants reporting back to the head archivist. Maybe that’s the endgame for all of them.

But then again I could also be completely wrong. Idk. Sorry for how rambley this got but tell me what you think. Ok I’m gonna go study for my exams now byeeeeeeeeeee

[thecrispier0nion]

I'm really interested in whatever's going on with Teddy tbh.

At the end of s1 he tries telling Alice that something's off with his new job, but their talk is cut short by Sam's message and all that, and with everything going on I assume Alice never really got back to him. I've seen many people theorize he's now working for Starkwall, but I'm not so sure about it? We know he works in the same building, just a different office, and tbh i think if Starkwall was that close to them then Sam and Celia would've had to notice while looking into the Magnus Institute.

But let's entertain that idea for a second. If Teddy is in fact working for Starkwall, then what does Starkwall have to do with what i can only assume is the Eye? It's not everyday you apologize in fear to a camera you're carrying "for your new job". We all know what cameras mean in the Magnus universe. So then, if Starkwall serves the Eye, that leaves me with two questions: why antagonize the Institute when they serve the same god? And, are the fears actually still the same as they were in tma?

My running theory on the fears is that they were lumped back together into one entity when they got sucked out of the Archives world and into the rest of them. That would make it quite impossible to serve just one of them, unless you knew about it already and were trying to, I dunno, split it from the rest? Restore it's power? That could be it.

Or, alternatively, it could have something to do with Chester/Norris/Augustus, as they're probably the ones controlling the cameras in the OIAR and allowing us to listen in. They could be trying to use Starkwall to their advantage, through terror of course because that way it's more fun. Let's assume the voices aren't just voices, but have some degree of consciousness, which I believe most of us agree on. It's definitely not Norris, Martin wouldn't give a flying fuck about the Eye. It could be Chester, if Jon believes the Eye could help them (maybe he wants to leave the computer. I doubt he'd do anything if he knew about the Archivist though). It's most likely Augustus, because Jonah is a little shit.

I'm making a lot of assumptions and accepting a lot of absolutely unconfirmed theories here, but I wanted to talk about it because I think this might be a key point this season. Tell me your thoughts pls I'm so invested in this

I love you Teddy pls don't die 💔

[musicalcastingideas]

Dropout Does The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals

So my theory about overlap of Dropout and Team Starkid seems to be accurate, and people seemed to like my Dropout does Nerdy Prudes Must Die post, so I'm back for another. Same method and criteria as my previous post, you can go see that if you want to know what they are. Also, I have previously done a similar list with Internet Personalities that included a handful of Dropout people, but I'm gonna try to make this one different.

Also spoilers for potentially anything in the Hatchetfield verse

Paul: Ross Bryant

Ross is a great straight man (in the comedy sense, I don't know his sexuality) while being very funny in his own right, and I think, while Paul has a lot of his own funny moments, it's very important that his character is also the more normal guy reacting to the madness around him. Also, he would slay the Jekyll and Hyde homage that is Let it Out.

Emma : Siobhan Thompson

I think one of the essential parts of Emma's character is an underlying exhaustion with the world, and that is very Adaine Abernant and Ruby Rocks, so I think Siobhan would embody that very well.

Charlotte: Vic Michaelis

I don't think I've ever heard them do a transatlantic accent before, but I just have this gut feeling they'd be so good at it.

Ted: Ify Nwadiwe

While I do genuinely think Ify would be great in the part, if I'm being fully honest, this casting is because I (despite my better judgment) find Ted Spankoffski hot, so casting arguably the hottest man in Dropout in this part makes me seem less damaged for being attracted to the self-proclaimed sleazeball. Also him and Vic seem like they would be great playing off each other.

Bill: Brian "Murph" Murphy

He just has "refuses to drink during the apocalypse so he can be the DD" energy.

Mr Davidson: Brian David Gilbert

Since I'm splitting up all the parts, this basically turns Mr Davidson into a Princess Track where the actor just shows up, sings about desire and being choked while he jerks off, but laments how he can never achieve his dreams, and then pretty much leaves, and I don't know why, but that seems right up BDG's alley.

Melissa: Lisa Gilroy

Lisa Gilroy seems nice, but also kinda scares me, and those are the correct vibes for Melissa (#heymelissacore)

Sam: Jacob Wysoki

My only concern about this casting is that he'd go SO HARD in You Tied Up My Heart that he would keep breaking the handcuffs and/or chair, but that's fine, it would be worth it.

Nora: Katie Marovitch

The "Decaf?" parts of Cup of Roasted Coffee already sounds a bit like her TBH.

Zoey: Rehka Shankar

I feel like Zoey is such an underrated, funny side character in the show (I know she's a very small part, but like every line she has is a banger) and I feel like Rehka is a very underrated performer, so this is a good match.

Greenpeace Girl: Persephone Valentine

Making up the Save the Sea Turtles campaign is such a Sam Nightengale move, and also she would eat up Lah Dee Dah Dah Day.

Alice: Surena Marie

She's got a bit of a baby face (I thought she was like 25) and I think she would handle the change from Alice to Hivemind Alice really well.

Deb: Emily Axford

I'm definitely not just casting this because I want Emily to be my protective and caring girlfriend...

Professor Hidgens: Josh Ruben

I don't have an explanation for this one, this is vibes alone.

General MacNamara: Brennan Lee Mulligan

"Wear a Watch" and a song highlighting how the hivemind is essentially fascist and using the military to destroy any resistance to their regime is so Brennan core.

Homeless Man: Ally Beardlsey

I just feel like this is the part they'd want.

Dan Reynolds: Lou Wilson

Icons play Icons.

Donna: Aabria Iyengar

Icons play Icons

Hard Cuts:

Jacob Wysoki as Ted

Mike Trapp as Paul

Emily Axford as Emma

Jess Ross as Charlotte

Lily Du as Zoey

Grant O'Brien as Professor Hidgens

Grant O'Brien as Ted

Ally Beardlsey as Ted

[theanxiousghostartist]

TMAGP (S2!) 31 Reactions and Theories (Spoilers Ahead)

So, I'm going to do this slightly differently than usual. Instead of having my reactions and theories mixed together, I am creating this post ahead of time and using it to live react during the episode. My theories will then go at the bottom of the post. I may include timestamps and or quotes from the transcript but IDK for sure. I'll try to include what's marked off on my bingo card at the end, but I may forget lol.

We are so fucking back /pos

Now, onto the post:

Reactions:

AHHH OMG IT's HAPPENING I'M SO HYPYEDDDD

Wait, it's only a hand? Did my boy escape??? Colin????

Ohh, so Fr3D1 is using him like a battery...

No, keep going Alice, you're right! Yes, you need Lena!!

No, Alice, you're right, you're right...

Oh my god, Colin. They literally split him into his basic elements and then destroyed him omg. That's what the human body is made of...

Chester my boi!

Go Colin!!! You fight that 'puter! With your crowbar!!

Extension Becher??? Was Colin becoming??? .JMJ Error isn't resolved???

Gwen, my girl, you don't sound in charge.

Gwen, no that's actually a really good idea. Time to work together!

Sam my boy!

In the ruins of The London Zone. WTF happened here?

Sam, please don't die....

No, you aren't Celia! You are staying right there with Jack /pos

And Sam will be ok?? That sounds like some guilt right there.

Celia, babes, you're already involved.

Celia, just tell her the truth, please.

Celia, are you going to manipulate Alice now? Celia???

It's tormenting them???

No, Alice that's real, when you can laugh or cry, it's time to laugh.

Wait, Sam and [Error] are in the same universe????

Sam is saving himself by whistling?? Oh this is gonna be interesting.

Georigieeeee!!!

Celia, why are you promising Georigie that this is going to be the last 0 notice call out??? This is only the beginning...

Sam!! Let the man have his lawyer!!!

GEORGIE IS THE CAPTIN???? IS THIS TMA-VERSE????

Please put the man on a drip, he needs it.

They named the vehicle Gertrude?? After Gertrude Robinson??

Cultist as the the Dark and Desolation cults?? Wooden doll as in the Stranger???

Kafka???

Yes, please tell them what is going on Celia!

No... Celia, you have to tell them how you REALLY know...

Another smart move, let's go Gwen! Let's NOT visit Hilltop Centre for a while...

Keeping the investigation off the books would actually be helpful here, especially because the higher ups are very suspicious.

Of course you don't Gwen...

They were in the Eye domain...

Yay! The team is staying together!

Warden Heidi??? Oh shit, they're dead aren't they...

Oh shit, this IS TMA verse isn't it?

The EYEpocolapse!

So the cameras and tape recorders were transformed by the Eye and Web?

The eye domain basically became a Hunger Games sort of thing then...

So part of the Fears stayed behind? Annabelle's plan failed to some degree? Does that mean Jon died for nothing?

Damn, their last words were badass.

I wonder what got to Dave....

What do you mean it just ends??????????

Theories:

Ok, so first off, Heidi's statement basically confirmed that this is TMA!verse. Georgie is running some sort of military/police force type thing to keep the remnants of the Fears contained in what used to be London, which would make sense as the Institute and Jonah were stationed there, so it got the most Fear activity. This leads to more questions: Where are Basira and Melonie? What happened to Martin? What about avatars like the Fairchilds or the Lukases?

This is just an offhanded remark but: Is Fr3D1 the one preventing them from quitting, if they are indeed going to be prevented from doing so? Basically, could it hold them hostage?

On the transcripts, Fr3D1 has become Freddie, so maybe it's Becoming more human. Perhaps the tear won't require more sacrifices, but Freddie will. We don't know what happened to the 'elements' of Colin. If we follow the laws of physics, then mass cannot be created nor destroyed, so did Freddie absorb it? It would be amazingly scary if it slowly built a body from the flesh of others and wires made out of bones, Becoming an Avatar.

Also, .JMJ Error was not resolved, so maybe Jon, Jonah, and Martin aren't supposed to be there, and Freddie is trying to get them out. Maybe it is building a body (or bodies) for them. I would also like to note that Chester (Jon) read out everything for the system, which does back up the theory that Chester is Jon because he was the closest connected to the Eye when the Fears left, therefore, he would be most intertwined with the knowledge of the computer system.

Bingo Card Update:

I'm waiting to cross off tape recorders until we see more of them. Same with the Dyhard bonding time.

I'm also going to wait to see if Colin is actually IN the computer, as I was thinking we would hear his voice. The photocopying thing could count, but I'm going to hold off until we get more information on him.

[ultraericthered]

Favorite Takes - DC

Where I cite my personal favorite non-source material (so film, TV, and video games only) adaptations of some comic book characters.

Clark Kent/Superman

Superman The Movie & Sequels (Christopher Reeve)

All Star Superman (James Denton)

DC Animated Universe (Tim Daly, George Newbern)

My Adventures With Superman (Jack Quaid)

CW DC Universe (Tyler Hoechlin, Brandon Routh)

NOTE: I was never the biggest fan of Dean Cain from Lois & Clark so he couldn't get on here, Tom Welling from Smallville might've been a contender had his character and story not got so bastardized, and the less said of poor Henry Cavill from the DCEU, the better.

Lois Lane

DC Animated Universe (Dana Delany)

All Star Superman (Christina Hendricks)

Superman The Movie & Sequels (Margot Kidder)

TV Versions (Terri Hatcher, Erica Durance, and Elizabeth Tulloch)

My Adventures With Superman (Alice Lee)

Lex Luthor

DC Animated Universe (Clancy Brown)

All Star Superman (Anthony LePaglia)

Smallville (Michael Rosenbaum)

CW DC Universe (Jon Cryer, Michael Cudlitz)

DC DTV Universe(s) (James Marsters, Jason Isaacs)

JLA (James Woods) & Young Justice (Mark Rolston)

NOTE: The last two get a split spot since one of them's got the voice of an evil political fascist while the other got his character mangled in later seasons to be a bad parallel to an evil political fascist. I also like the Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, Stan Jones, Travis Willingham, Fred Tatasciore, Steve Blum, Ranin Wilson, Giancarlo Esposito, Zachary Quinto, Darin De Paul, Lance Reddick, Marc Maron, and Max Mittelman versions of Lex, and await to see Nicholas Hoult's.

Jimmy Olsen

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Alexander Polinsky)

DC Animated Universe (David Kaufman)

My Adventures With Superman (Ishmael Sahid)

Superman Returns (Sam Huntington)

All Star Superman (Matthew Gray Gubler)

Supergirl

DC Animated Universe (Nicolle Tom)

DC Superhero Girls (Anais Fairweather)

My Adventures With Superman (Kiana Madeira)

CW DC Universe (Melissa Benoist)

Supergirl '84 Film (Helen Slater)

Brainiac

DC Animated Universe (Corey Burton)

My Adventures With Superman (Michael Emerson)

Injustice Series (Jeffrey Combs)

Superman Unbound (John Noble)

TV Versions (James Marsters and Blake Ritson)

Bruce Wayne/Batman

DC Animated Universe (Kevin Conroy)

Under The Red Hood & Young Justice (Bruce Greenwood)

The Batman Trilogy (Robert Pattinson)

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Christian Bale)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Diedrich Bader)

Batman '66 (Adam West)

NOTE: I really wanted David Mazouz from Gotham on here, but he had to compete with these other Bruces who were actually full time Batmen, so consider him an honorable mention. I also like Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, and Ben Affleck as Batman, but there were some problems with their particular iterations. Other runner ups include the other Kevin Conroy Batmen (particularly Arkham and Injustice), Rino Romano, Jeremy Sisto, Daran Norris, Anthony Ruivivar, Ben McKenzie, Jason O'Mara, Troy Baker, Peter Weller, Jensen Anckles, Keanu Reeves, Ethan Hawke, and of course the LEGO Batman(s).

Alfred Pennyworth

Burton-Shumacher Films (Michael Gough)

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Michael Caine)

DC Animated Universe (Clive Revill, Efrem Zimbalist Jr.)

The Batman (Alastair Duncan)

Arkham Series (Martin Jarvis)

Gotham (Sean Pertwee) and The Batman Trilogy (Andy Serkis)

NOTE: Other great Alfreds include James Garrett, Brian George, JB Blanc, David McCallum, Enn Reitel, Anthony Head, Ralph Fiennes, Nolan North, Tom Hollander, Jason Watkins, and Jeremy Irons.

James Gordon

DC Animated Universe (Bob Hastings)

Batman Year One (Bryan Cranston)

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Gary Oldman)

The Batman Trilogy (Jeffrey Wright)

Beware The Batman (Kurtwood Smith)

Batman '66 (Neil Hamilton, Jim Ward)

Barbara Gordon

DC Animated Universe (Melissa Gilbert, Mary Kay Bergman, Tara Strong)

Arkham Series & Injustice Series (Kimberly Brooks)

The Batman (Danielle Judovits)

Young Justice (Alyson Stoner)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Mae Whitman)

Batman: Caped Crusader (Krystal Joy Brown)

Dick Grayson/Robin

Teen Titans (Scott Menville)

Young Justice (Jesse McCartney)

Batman '66 (Burt Ward)

The Batman (Evan Sabara)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Crawford Wilson, Jeremy Shada)

Arkham Series (Josh Keaton)

Dick Grayson/Nightwing

Teen Titans (Scott Menville)

Young Justice (Jesse McCartney)

DC Animated Universe (Loren Lester)

Under The Red Hood (Neil Patrick Harris)

Arkham Series and Injustice Series (Troy Baker)

DC DTV Universe (Sean Maher)

The Joker

DC Animated Universe (Mark Hamill)

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Heath Ledger)

Burton-Shumacher Films (Jack Nicholson)

Joker 2019 (Joaquin Phoenix)

Under The Red Hood (John DiMaggio)

Gotham (Cameron Monaghan)

NOTE: Other great Jokers include Mark Hamill and Troy Baker as Arkham series Joker, Mark Hamill in JLA, Troy Baker in Batman Unlimited and some of the newer DTVs, Caesar Romero in Batman '66, Michael Emerson in The Dark Knight Returns, Kevin Michael Richardson in The Batman, Jeff Bennett in Batman: The Brave & The Bold, Richard Epcar in Mortal Kombat and Injustice, John Kassir in Superfriends 2010, Alan Tudyk in Harley Quinn, Tony Hale in Batman Ninja, Barry Keogan in The Batman Trilogy, and the LEGO Joker(s).

The Penguin

Batman '66 (Burgess Meredith, William Salyers)

Gotham (Robin Lord Taylor)

The Batman Trilogy (Colin Farrell)

Arkham Series (Nolan North, Ian Redford)

DC Animated Universe (Paul Williams, David Odgen Stiers)

The Batman (Tom Kenny)

NOTE: I like the Stephen Root, David Jennison, Dana Snyder, and Wayne Knight Penguins as well, but they're not quite good enough to crack this. Mad respect to Danny DeVito too, but his Penguin sucks.

The Riddler

Batman '66 (Frank Gorshin*, Wally Wingert)

Gotham (Cory Michael Smith)

The Batman Trilogy (Paul Dano)

The Batman (Robert Englund)

DC Animated Universe (John Glover)

Arkham Series (Wally Wingert, Matthew Gray Gubler)

NOTE: Sorry Jim Carrey, you couldn't quite make the cut! Also in the running: Shannon McCormick, John Michael Higgins, Rob Paulsen, Weird Al Yankovic, Jim Rash, Brent Spiner, and Geoffrey Arrend.

*I refuse to credit John Astin's one appearance. That didn't happen!

Selina Kyle/Catwoman

Arkham Series (Grey Griffin, Chantelle Barry)

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Anne Hathaway)

Burton-Shumacher Films (Michele Pteifer)

Gotham (Camren Bicondova)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Nika Futterman)

The Batman (Gina Gershon)

NOTE: Wish DCAU Selina could've made it since Adrienne Barbeau has easily the best voice for the character, but the writing and artwork let her down too often. Other good Catwomen include Julie Newmar, Ertha Kitt, Patty Matson, Jaynse Jaud, Eliza Dushku, Stephanie Sheh, Laura Bailey, Cree Summer, Jennifer Morrison, Naya Rivera, Liz Gilles, Gina Rodriguez, Christina Ricci, and Zoe Kravitz.

Two-Face

DC Animated Universe (Richard Moll)

Arkham Series (Troy Baker)

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Aaron Eckhard)

Batman '66 (William Shatner)

Batman: Caped Crusader (Diedrich Bader)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (James Remar)

NOTE: Apologies to Billy Dee Williams, who would've done great, and Tommy Lee Jones, who could've done great (but definitely didn't). Also in the running but their coins landed on tails: Travis Willingham, Matthew Mercer, Robert Picardo, Petter Jessop, Dave Boat, Keith Ferguson, Gary Cole, Andrew Daly, and Josh Duhamel.

Mr. Freeze

DC Animated Universe (Michael Ansara)

Arkham Series (Maurice LeMarche)

Young Justice (Keith Szarabajka)

Batman '66 (George Sanders, Otto Preminger, Eli Wallach)

Gotham (Nathan Darrow)

Burton-Shumacher Films (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

NOTE: Other noteworthy Freezes who got frozen out of making it include Clancy Brown, Eric Bauza, Robert Kraft, Oded Fehr, Peter Stromare, Jim Pirri, and Matthew Mercer.

Poison Ivy

Arkham Series (Taisa Valenza, Amy J. Carle, Darcy Rose Byrnes)

DC Animated Universe (Dianne Pershing)

The Batman (Pierra Coppola)

Harley Quinn (Lake Bell)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Vanessa Marshall)

Gotham (Peyton List, Clare Foley, Maggie Geha)

NOTE: Uma Thurman, Laure Bailey, Fryda Wolff, Natasha Leggero, Paget Brewster, Peyton List II, Cristina Milizia, and Katee Sackhoff are all fun Poison Ivys as well.

Harley Quinn

DC Animated Universe (Arleen Sorkin)

Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco)

The Batman (Hynden Walch)

DCEU (Margot Robbie) and Suicide Squad ISEKAI (Karlii Hoch)

Arkham Series (Arleen Sorkin, Tara Strong)

Batman: Caped Crusader (Jamie Chung)

NOTE: Meghan Strange in Batman: The Brave & The Bold, Jenny Slate in The LEGO Batman Movie, Laura Post in the Telltale games, and Melissa Rauch in Batman and Harley Quinn are also great, and I've no doubt Lady Gaga could've really rocked it too but....yeah.

Ra's Al Ghul

DC Animated Universe (David Warner)

Gotham (Alexander Sidigg)

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Liam Neeson)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Peter Woodward)

Young Justice (Oded Fehr)

Arkham Series (Dee Bradley Baker)

NOTE: Also among the great Ra's Al Ghuls are Jason Isaacs, Lance Reddick, Giancarlo Esposito & TC Carson, JB Blanc, and Cas Anvar.

Bane

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Tom Hardy)

Arkham Series (JB Blanc, Fred Tatasciore)

Young Justice (Danny Trejo, Eric Lopez)

DC Animated Universe (Henry Silva, Hector Elizondo)

The Batman (Joaquim de Almelda, Ron Perlman)

Harley Quinn (James Adomian)

Scarecrow

Arkham Series (Dino Andrade, John Noble)

DC Animated Universe (Henry Polic II, Jeffrey Combs)

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Cillian Murphy)

Injustice Series (Robert Englund)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Dee Bradley Baker)

Batman Unlimited (Brian T. Delaney)

Killer Croc

Arkham Series (Steve Blum, Khary Payton)

The Batman (Ron Perlman)

Beware The Batman (Wade Williams)

DC Animated Universe (Aaron Kincaid, Brooks Gardner)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Stephin Root)

Batman Unlimited (John DiMaggio)

Clayface

The Batman (Steve Harris, Wallace Langham)

Arkham Series (Rick D. Wasserman)

Batman: Caped Crusader (Dan Donohue)

DC Animated Universe (Ron Perlman)

Harley Quinn (Alan Tudyck)

Batman Unlimited (Dave B. Mitchell)

Professor Hugo Strange

Arkham Series (Corey Burton)

Gotham (BD Wong)

The Batman (Frank Gorshin, Richard Green)

Strange Days Short (Brian George)

Batman '66 (Jim Ward)

DC Animated Universe (Ray Buktenica)

NOTE: William Salyers in Gotham By Gaslight is fine as well but his part is too secondary. Young Justice Strange is the only one I dislike.

Diana Prince/Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman DTV (Keri Russell)

Wonder Woman '76 (Lynda Carter)

DCEU (Gal Gadot)

Young Justice (Maggie Q)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Vicki Lewis)

DTV Universe (Grey Griffin, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson)

JLA (Rachel Kimsey)

NOTE: Really wish a Susan Eisenberg Wonder Woman could've landed here, but both of her most major iterations had some issues.

Slade Wilson/Deathstroke

Teen Titans (Ron Perlman)

CW DC Universe (Manu Bennett, Michael Chiklis, Esai Morales)

DTV Universe (Thomas Gibson, Miguel Ferrer)

Injustice Series (JG Hertzler)

Arkham Series (Mark Rolston)

Tara "Terra" Markov

Teen Titans (Ashley Johnson)

Teen Titans GO! (Ashley Johnson)

DTV Universe (Cristina Ricci)

LEGO DC (Laura Bailey)

Young Justice (Tara Strong)

Darkseid

DC Animated Universe (Michael Ironside, Kevin Michael Richardson)

Justice League Heroes (David Sobolov)

Batman: The Brave & The Bold (Michael Leon Wooley)

Injustice Series (Michael Leon Wooley)

DTV Universe(s) (Andre Baugher, Bruce Thomas, Tony Todd)

JLA (Johnathan Adams)

NOTE: I discount Steve Blum from the DTV Universe(s) 'cause what the fuck was that, and Ray Porter in the DCEU was tragically ill-fated.

[veelzebub-the-dingus]

Woe, Glitch Productions x Hatchetfield au be upon you

Long so more under cut. Also Hatchetfield and Murder Drones spoilers

The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals

Most of the major characters are Murder Drones characters, although there are a few characters who get cameos that have a bigger role later (Smg4 appears, Meggy is mentioned, and Kinger is alluded to)

Paul: N

Emma: Uzi

Ted: J

Bill: V

Alice: Cyn (without solver)

Professor Hidgens: Khan

General Macnamara: Doll

Jane Perkins: Nori

I’m not gonna say who Pokey is just yet- the Lords in Black are getting their own section because it gets kinda weird.

Black Friday

The least developed idea thus far, only know a few castings. Most of the major characters are Tadc/Gaslight District characters

Tom: Kinger

Becky: Queenie (I’ll explain later)

Lex: Melancholy Hill

Hannah: my current idea is the human that comes from the egg that we saw in the trailer but we’ll see.

Linda Monroe: current idea is Princess Loolilalu but please give me ideas

Wilbur Cross (Uncle Wiley): either Jax or Mr. WPNZ

Nerdy Prudes Must Die

I know a few people have had this idea with similar roles but the major characters are Smg4 characters. Probably the most developed one in terms of cast? All plot-significant roles have been filled except for the mayor/Steph’s dad.

Peter: Smg4

Steph: Smg3

Grace: Meggy

Ruth: Tari

Richie: Mario

Max: Desti

Detective Shapiro: Karen

Officer Bailey: Mr. Monitor

Nightmare Time characters

PSA: I have not finished Nightmare Time. I still need to finish The Witch in the Web and watch season 2.

Jenny: Tessa (doomed yuri my beloved)

Duke: Pomni

Ms. Holloway: Ragatha

Webby: Melony

Lords in Black

This is separate from everything else so that I can explain it as concisely as possible. The main roles (aka Nightmare Time and Nerdy Prudes roles) go as follows:

Pokey: Absolute Solver

Blinky: Caine

Tinky: Flesha

Nibbly: Bubble

Wiggly: Mr. Puzzles

Solver and Flesha are treated as different entities but still fundamentally linked. The Solver is the Singular Voice, the controller of the Hivemind. Flesha is the one who toys with those below her, mainly J in this au’s version of Time Bastard.

Another thing: although Mr. Puzzles is the main Wiggly role, in Black Friday the dolls are of Caine. Unsure how I’m having this work- whether Caine is orchestrating it all or the dolls are Caine but Puzzles is overseeing it.

Other casting notes:

All roles are consistent between the musicals and Nightmare Time except for Wiggly and POSSIBLY Wilbur

Not an end all be all but like I had an idea for Lizzy being Zoey (one of Emma’s coworkers)

Might have Ethan’s role split between Ken, Breadhead and Mud. THERE’S NO SHIP BETWEEN ONE OF THEM AND MEL THIS IS JUST THE BEST I HAVE

Paul’s boss, Sam, Tim, Grace’s parents, and others will most likely be ocs

Character personalities are somewhat merged with their role, like Pomni is more (outwardly) composed and Meggy gets to go batshit insane

Nori is still Uzi’s mom and was close friends with Kinger. Him and Queenie are divorced at the beginning of Black Friday and Nori helped take care of their kid for a while until her death.

…Yeah Jane’s a Car is getting overhauled for this au

Even though Nori and Uzi are still mother and daughter I lowkey want to keep J and Smg4 being siblings in this au because it’s funny

V and (non-solver) Cyn are sisters

If they do make a Ms. Holloway musical (which they said that the next Hatchetfield musical would most likely be about her) there will hopefully be roles for more Tadc characters

Uhhhh that’s all I have for now I think. Please suggest more roles

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

Amor Fati-- Chapter 11: Cyclone

Paul and Maelyn have been trying to keep their relationship under wraps, but it all comes out. Caveat: Neither is their imprint. How long can smooth sailing go on?

Paul Lahote x Black!Fem!OC.

Series Masterlist

Complete Masterlist

There is only the chaos of the haunting flashes in Maelyn’s eyes. They are all Jacob’s thoughts, jagged edges of the scene he just witnessed of Bella frail and pregnant. Her eyes are hollow in her skull. Her determination to carry the pregnancy through, even if it kills her. There was no knowing how bad it’d been until now. It was lingering in the background with how Bella had been ‘sick’. Perhaps Sam was waiting, trying to watch long enough to have enough information to make his next move without appearing rash. Jake, yet again, is spearheading the information campaign at all costs. Sometimes Maelyn worries that she was too right about him and Bella. 

Nevertheless, no matter why Sam was waiting, his orders were pretty clear: he wouldn’t intervene unless he had too. Bella changing into a vampire didn’t seem like so much of a threat to Sam given his continual reminders that the Cullens did not pose any sort of threat to them. The moment she was turned, or had plans, the Cullens would have to move out of Forks. It would be too suspicious and they wouldn’t run the risk unnecessarily. Until now. Maelyn’s paws push over the forest floor, carrying her deeper and deeper into the woods. She wonders if this is a moment that Sam deems as intervention worthy. 

Another howl cuts through the rampage of Jacob’s thought and Maelyn knows it’s Paul joining. There’s the small blip, the hint of something vanilla that lingers around him but only for a second before it’s gone. Just long enough for Maelyn to catch it, but not to hang onto the sensory input. His silver fur breaks in through the green in the periphery of Maelyn’s sight. He watches too, the horror that’s unfolding around them as Bella seemingly grows weaker and weaker by the passing days. 

This is not good, Paul mutters. It’s killing her. And it’s growing fast.

She’s still human right now, Maelyn counters. 

Human, yes. But I don’t know how much that matters if it kills her. The two big questions are: what does this mean for the Cullens and the Treaty and what happens if the baby actually survives too?

Paul’s right, but given the way Sam appears to be taking this information, Maelyn’s hopes that they don’t make rash decisions begins to wane. They carry on, side by side until they come to the clearing. It’s the closest they’ve been in a while, aside from sharing space at the meetings. If either one of them were to move just an inch to right or to the left, their shoulders would brush--save for the moments that they split to avoid fallen logs. Neither one of them truly acknowledges that fact though. 

The logging efforts have thinned some parts of the forest, but there are still pockets deep enough in that they shouldn’t get seen. All the other pack member’s thoughts are mingled now: abomination, monstrosity, unnatural. There are worries about the child being dangerous. Maelyn watches, listening to the swirl of voices in her head. Leah, Quil, Embry, Paul, Jared, all chiming in. The worry flashes now over Jake’s face at all the disdain, and sure he isn’t a fan either. But there’s something a bit vile in some of their voices.  There’s a little bit more distaste for the child, if one is gracious enough to call it that, considering that Alice hadn’t been as kind. 

Maelyn gets it, it worries her too about this kind of discovery. What would this mean for them? Would the child once born go on a rampage? It worries Maelyn more that she could lose both her mom and dad to the hands of such cold-hearted and vile creatures. But Maelyn can’t get the fragile state of Bella out of her mind’s eyes. She can’t shake the dark purple bruises. 

We have to protect the tribe, Sam’s voice booms. All of them turn to his entrance, watching him stalk over the stacked logs. What they’ve bred won’t be able to control its thirst.  Every human will be in danger. 

We’re ready, Jared pipes in. 

No time to waste, Leah adds on. 

The implication stings. Bella’s still human. She’s still fucking human. Maelyn hazards a step back. Now? Jacob asks. 

We must destroy it before it is born, Sam declares. 

You mean kill, Bella? Seth questions. 

Her choice affects us all. 

No. The word comes sharply, cutting above the snarls and agreements. Maelyn stands at the back. Jacob, Jared, Seth, Paul, Quil, Embry, and Leah all in front of her. But she stands, with her bright red and black spotted fur, in the back and shakes her head as the pack looks at her. 

It could hurt people,  Leah interjects.  What are you? A Bella lover all of a sudden?

Maelyn doesn’t listen to Leah hot jab. She stares straight ahead at Sam. He looks displeased. Not quite angry, but disappointed.  We don’t hurt humans, Maelyn counters. We protect them. 

Lyn’s right. Bella’s is human. Our protection applies to her as well, Jacob agrees. 

She’s dying anyway, Leah cuts in, snapping up at Jake. He returns with a snap in her direction, the two of them caught in a small physical exchange. A paw reaches out but doesn’t fully connect. There’s a bite that doesn’t yield anything. 

The child is a threat, Sam bites in their direction, a clashing of teeth that’s meant to be a warning. That is our top priority. 

If we kill a human, we’re no better than vampires, Maelyn defends, stalking forward. She nudges her way between Leah and Jacob--who separate at her protrusion with only snarls at each other. Maelyn knows she shouldn’t disagree so publicly with Sam. She should keep her mouth shut. But she can’t. She doesn’t like this child, but she won’t kill a human. She couldn’t stop her mother’s untimely and senseless death. But Maelyn would do whatever she could to avoid being the person to deliver such a damning blow. It would crush Charlie. 

It would make the pack just as bad as vampires, just as bad as the creatures that killed her mother, if they killed Bella while she was still human. 

Are you saying what I think you’re saying? Sam questions. He moves closer, watching Maelyn closely as he takes each step. There’s less worry about Sam’s displeasure as there’s now the growing heat of what’s not quite an order, but threatens to bubble into one. 

Maelyn settles into her stance, planting her feet. She shouldn’t be bracing, yet she is. She won’t back down, not now. I won’t fight a human, Maelyn counters.

We have real enemies to fight. Tonight. This pack is not your enemy, Sam barks. 

Tonight? Jake gasps. 

You two will fight with us, Sam orders. The order presses down on Maelyn and she digs her paw into the mud beneath her. She doesn’t want to bend, but the order presses down on her like falling bricks. She crouches under the weight, under the hot stare of Sam. But she doesn’t want to bow. She wants to snap, feels the growl bubbling at the back of her throat as her body starts to buckle at the weight.  

Jake snarls, flashing his teeth. He’s fighting, she can tell. Even though he’s bowing, there is resistance. She’s got to resist. There must be something weak, a point in the order that’s got just enough give that she can push back against it. All she needs is a little give. A little something in Sam that wavering just enough to allow Maelyn to resist the weight.

I will not, Jake snaps, pushing back up his full height. He pushes each word out with each inch he gains back. He grows taller and taller next to Maelyn, who stays bowed, pushing with all her might. 

There’s got to be a soft spot and right there in the middle of the weight, the part about having real enemies. Maelyn did. The entire town had real monsters and humans weren’t the enemy. Maelyn gives the middle a press back up at the soft spongy middle of Sam’s command. He’s too preoccupied now with Jake’s restraint to push down the order with full force. She’ll take any and every opening to her. 

Jake’s voice is hot and sharp as he continues on, pushing up from Sam’s order. I am the grandson of Ephraim Black. I am the grandson of a chief! I wasn’t born to follow you, or anyone else! 

They’d be no better than vampires if they killed Bella while she was still human. Her mother was human, killed senselessly by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. God, Maelyn misses her. Less like a sharp sting and more like a throbbing ache, the hip that acts up, or the one knee that’s a little bad. It’s not constant, just a dull persistence. Her mother flashes before Maelyn’s eyes, the red painted nails and the soft warm press of her palms against Maelyn’s cheeks. Her mother’s eyes were so dark brown, so liquefied with adoration, that Maelyn swore at some points she could swim in them. That her mother’s love would drown her and Maelyn wouldn’t fight it. The smile is small and a little bit lopsided in Maelyn’s memory. There was a warmth, the soft and firm press of her mother’s lips to the crown of Maelyn’s head--the action always came after her mother finished her hair. 

Now, even with the heavy press of Sam’s order over her head, Maelyn focuses on the warmth. On her mother’s kiss, her mother’s love, her mother’s body buried in the casket. The order from Sam becomes a little bit easier to push up against.

Jake gallops off and Maelyn watches him, pushing up and up just an inch at a time. The shock wave through the pack intensifies as Maelyn pushes up and up, and up. She keeps pressing at that soft middle. She keeps thinking about the warmth of her mother’s palms and mother’s kiss. Her mother was human. Her mother deserved better. 

Maelyn, Paul calls out. It’s paired with a whimper, a hauntingly choked and broken sound. Please. Don’t do this.

You will fight, Sam snaps at her. 

The weight presses down again but there, in the reflection of the hot stare in Maelyn, standing to her full height, focuses on radiating warmth from the top of her head, her mother’s blessing kiss. 

I will not, she barks. 

Final. No room for arguments. 

Silence follows. No thoughts. Just the snarl and snap, just wild sounds. Someone whimpers again. She thinks it’s Paul given how choked the sound comes. Then it stops, cut off as if someone lost all their breath in a single second so abruptly. But Maelyn doesn’t look back to confirm her suspicions. She’s sure that if she does, her resolve might crumble just a little bit more. 

She is alone with her own thoughts. And it scares her at first, until in the far reaching distance, in the woodline in front of her, she catches faintly as Jacob’s promises to himself he’ll be faster. He’ll get to the Cullens with enough time to warn them. She follows after him. Even though Sam snarls at her, barks something that she cannot understand. She’s swift up the logs and follows the sound of Jacob’s hurried and frantic thoughts. 

She’d have to deal with the consequences later, calling her dad, Shannon. For now, Maelyn has her own moral compass to follow and Jacob’s trail to catch up on. 

**************

Maelyn, Paul calls out again. Please don’t do--

Silence! Sam orders and the cry Paul was working up this throat cuts out before it’s fully released, leaving Paul to choke on the unfinished sound as Maelyn pushes forward up into the trees. We still fight tonight. No matter the losses, Sam continues on. 

Against Jacob and Maelyn, too? Seth questions. 

They’ve made it clear where they stand. Even if they stand in the way of our objective, you will fight. 

You’re talking about Maelyn’s life! It’s too risky, Paul cries out, turning now from the trees, after watching Maelyn dash off, back to Sam. He can’t hurt Maelyn. Not her. Maybe we can hear them out? He’d been all too eager to take care of the problem, but not if it meant that he’d been fighting Maelyn. Not when it meant that the person he loves would be on the line.

She made her choice, Paul, Sam answers. If you remain, you will obey my orders. Obeying orders is different, it’s not on you. It’s my call.

But I-I still love her. I don’t want to fight her.

I know you do. If you remain, you will obey my orders. You will fight, Paul. No matter what. This is the call I’m making. You don’t have to love it or me in the end.

Paul doesn’t think he could leave Sam’s pack. The child is a threat. Bella’s on the brink of death as is. Defending Bella and the Cullens would only futile. No one can change their fate. No one can change what’s already done. No one knows what a half human, half vampire child really means or the damage it could do. They don’t need to be the first ones to find out either. It’s better to be proactive than reactive in times like this. Yet, behind the thought is Marlyn’s horror stricken face, the furrow of her face and the twisted sharp curl of her muzzle. He can’t hurt her. Even if he doesn’t leave Sam, Paul cannot fight Maelyn. 

Right in the back of Sam’s mind, a whisper of a thought so quiet that Paul nearly misses it: I’m giving you an out. 

An out. Obeying orders is different, it’s not on you. If he chooses to stay of course. 

Paul’s loyalties aren’t to Jacob or to Bella. His loyalties lie with the pack, to the humans who deserve protection. Paul is loyal to Sam. Paul is loyal to Maelyn too. He couldn’t bring himself to fight Maelyn, nor would it be his choice. It would be Sam’s. But even at the order, even at the out, Paul’s worry doesn’t fade as he looks around the pack. There’s a possibility though if it isn't Paul who got into the fight with Maelyn, it could be Sam, it could be Embry, or Jared, or Quil, or Leah. They all would be just the following orders. That’s all it would be. An alpha order that could never be ignored or broken. His heartbeat roars in his ears. Would Paul hold that against them? Would he sit by idly if they followed through with it?  

It’s the safety we’re worried about, Quil reassures. We just don’t know. 

I mean, if she’s choosing to defend Bella I think it’s really ironic, Jared quips. Maelyn should be the last one defending a leech lover. 

Paul whips in the direction of Jared, teeth bared as a snarl rips through his throat. If you listened for half a fucking second, she was worried about hurting Bella while Bella is still human. You pathetic sack of shit. We don’t know what she feels beyond that now that she’s gone.

You do realize Rachel is your imprint, not Maelyn, right? Rachel’s the one you need to be worried about, Jared shoots back with a snort from his snout. Who cares what Maelyn thinks or doesn’t think. She’s turned her back on us now.

Paul stalks closer. He shouldn’t do anything rash. He can hear it now in the back of his mind the disappointment from Maelyn and probably even Rachel for making such a rash decision. But Jared’s sneer scrapes at Paul’s bones. It’s under his skin in a way that if Paul weren’t already in his wolf form, he would’ve exploded. 

Why the fuck do you think I’m still here? I know what’s at stake. You don’t get to put words in her mouth either, Paul snaps. You don’t get to assume a damn thing Maelyn feels or thinks.

Give it a break, Paul. She’s not going to take you back. You really should fuck Rachel and get over this already, Jared huffs. 

Paul shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t. But it’s only a leap. One press of his hindlegs and it sends Jared toppling over. Paul sinks his teeth into Jared’s paw, one of Jared’s limbs coming up to defend his face. The blood is hot in Paul’s mouth and drips down over his teeth. Jared connects a swipe at Paul’s snout. Paul takes the hit, feels the trickle of blood against his fur and snout, and goes in for another bite with little hesitation. The bite never connects, instead Paul’s knocked off Jared by Embry, a shoulder check that sends Paul skidding into the mud. 

Enough! Sam bellows. Jared, you’re out of line. Paul, I know this is far from ideal for you. But the tribe and this town are more important currently. We’re not fighting our brothers here, not in this pack. 

But that’s part of Paul’s heart gone. She walked away. The person he wanted to keep forever out of his own choice. Not a genetic code, not something programmable. It was something out of choice. He chose Maelyn and she chose him. She wanted to learn to love him, and did love him, in a way that wasn’t about him being perfect, but about him being a better person, learning to figure out his own path in life. It’s a bond stronger than Paul ever anticipated. He cares for Rachel. He knows he won’t do anything that would put her in danger. He’d want to keep her safe and make sure she’s happy. But the truth of the matter, as long as he had a choice, he’d still choose to care about Maelyn. That wouldn’t change regardless of his circumstances. Jared only had Kim and wouldn’t look for anyone else, wouldn’t have a desire to go anywhere else. Jared hadn’t experienced the power of choice. Not that it makes his own relationship insignificant. It just makes Jared inexperienced. 

And a dickhead, Leah chimes in. 

Paul’s thoughts are racing but he slows his breathing, watching the younger boy take in everything from Paul’s perspective--the photos still resting on Paul’s dresser of Maelyn and him together, the photo she took of him in the stupid Kiss The Cook apron, the picture of her form the beach right after playing soccer. Photos Paul can’t bring himself to put away. Jared only bows his head in the end, leaning into Quil now for additional support from the bite on his front right paw. 

I shouldn’t have done that, Paul offers. It is genuine, seeing the way Jared’s struggling to get his full weight down. Paul should’ve remained more calm. He should’ve thought longer about how to respond to Jared rather than starting a fight. I’m sorry for biting you. 

Yeah, well, maybe I shouldn’t have judged so fast, Jared offers in return. I’m sorry for being a dickhead. Don’t sweat it. 

Quil, Embry, take him to Sue’s and get him patched up. But we’re meeting back here, in  two hours, just before the sunsets. We’ll adjust if need be if Jared’s not in top shape. Now, everyone keep your cools in check. We can’t stand to lose any more numbers. Rest up for now. You’re going to need it. And, Seth, Sam starts, wanting to address the boy’s concern about Jacob and Maelyn. 

No answer comes. 

Sam turns to the spot Seth was last at, near the base of the logs Sam descended from, only to find him gone.  Seth? Sam tries again. 

No answer, no thoughts, not a laugh. There is only silence. 

Seth! Leah calls out. The panic in her voice, though it’s just in their heads, is palpable. Seth! She starts up, towards the trees, calling his name out over and over again. Paul carries on up after her. There’s a high likelihood he left too, in the commotion of Paul and Jared, but Paul knows this will worry Leah until no need. Even if she liked to act tough and sour, Seth would always be her soft spot. 

Fuck off, Paul, Leah retorts, eyes scanning out into the forest. She drops her head low, attempting to catch Seth’s scent on the fallen branches and low lying plants. 

That’s your brother, Leah. You can hate me all you want, but I’m not going anywhere. 

You’re bleeding all over the place. It’ll cover up his scent, she snaps. 

They don’t make it far into the trees before Sam calls them back. It’s clear though how uneasy Sam is with the rapid decline in his numbers. If they do have plans to take on the Cullens, and now Jacob, Maelyn, and Seth, they would need all the time to recover that they could get. Leah’s displeasure wafts off her, fills every step she takes and though she keeps her mind focused on the trace for Seth’s scent, Paul catches a thought so soft, so quick and tiny from Leah, he doesn’t nearly believe it: …until I get more informa… and then it’s gone. Shut away so swift Paul’s halfway tempted to think it’s his own thought.

What was that? Sam asks, looking back down at the two of them. 

Paul walks ahead of Leah by a beat. I was just thinking about some overdue books I have, that the library’s hounding me for. I got an extension on them, until I get all the information I need from them. 

Books? From the library? Sam’s mental voice carries the echo of his laughter. 

Self help stuff, Paul counters. Clearly, I need the extension on the anger management one.

Oh, don’t be too hard on Jared. He’s inexperienced, like you said. But I do think you might need to revisit a chapter or two in that anger management book. Might do you some good.

They return to their human selves just along the edges of the reservation again. Leah turns tail for her house once dressed and Paul follows, hoping now that Seth is maybe home instead of actually gone. “Paul, I hope you’re getting that nose checked out too,” Sam calls out. 

Paul nods, though from what he can tell it’s mostly just a scratch. Nothing feels broken. “I will.”

Sam continues on at the confirmation towards Emily after Leah and Paul stop in front of her house. When the door creaks open, Sue sits at the kitchen table with Jared. Quil and Embry are behind them. “Leah?” Sue questions. 

“Has Seth been back here yet?” Leah asks. 

“No, I thought he was with you,” she answers. Her glance lifts only for a second from Jared’s hand and the bandage she’s working around his palm. 

Leah continues on down the hallway, not quite a storm but close enough to it. She disappears from sight only for a second or two before her voice softly floats up to the kitchen, “He’s actually gone.”

Jared gives Paul a passing pat on his shoulder as he leaves, hand tapped up but thankfully not majorly broken--a hairline fracture from what Sue can tell that would within a few hours heal up and set just fine. Quil and Embry leave with him, but Embry pauses next to Paul. “You and I should run defense,” Embry states. “Not every fight has to be an offensive one.”

Then he’s gone, closing the door behind him. Sue waves Paul to the kitchen table. “What happened?” Her voice is soft and her hands are cold when she presses at the edges of his nose. 

“A stupid fight,” Paul returns. It feels wrong to say because fighting over Maelyn isn’t  stupid, but Paul shouldn’t have gotten physical. He’d been doing well. Even when Jacob broke his nose Paul didn’t feel the urge to phase. It’d hurt, but it was mostly shock that made it sting. Now as Sue presses and pokes, Paul can’t get the sight of Maelyn climbing up the logs behind Jake out from behind his retinas. 

“Jared told me he said something insensitive about Maelyn. That she left but Jared shouldn’t have overstepped that line. So, it couldn’t have been all that stupid.”

“I shouldn’t have bit him though. Even if his loudmouth did make me angry.”

“Well that’s progress,” Sue notes. “Not broken. It’s already scabbing up too. Next time, breathe a little before you do something that you might regret. Give yourself just an extra three to five seconds, you’ll be surprised how much time it actually is.”

Paul nods and Sue pats at his shoulder, moving now to collect the trash from her work on Jared. The crinkle of single use plastics echoes as Paul pushes up from the wooden chair. He pauses near the door, noticing a shift behind him. When Paul turns, Leah slides out from the back, out of Seth’s room Paul guesses. Her eyes locked in on Paul. “You didn’t have to cover.”

“I do have overdue books,” Paul returns. They’re standing on opposite ends of the house, neither one speaking much louder than normal, as if they’re standing right next to each other. The truth is Paul wonders if Leah’s going to leave. Now that Seth is truly gone, he thinks she might. She’d been looking for any reason and this would be as good as any. 

“You can’t tell Sam.”

“I can’t tell him what I don’t know.”

She scoffs. “I know you heard.”

Paul shakes head. The less he knows the better it is. He can play dumb because he won’t know anything. He might suspect. He might have guesses, but they’d mean nothing without confirmation. “I didn’t hear anything. Just look out for yourself. There are people counting on you.” Paul can’t say who. He wants to. He wants to name Maelyn, Seth, and even Jacob. But he doesn’t. 

“I will. I always will.” 

Leah’s words taste a little bit like hope. But Paul has to be careful, so he turns, giving a passing goodbye to Sue and then carries on back to his house. He has half a mind to go the long way, to see if Maelyn’s tucked up in her bedroom. But Paul knows she won’t be home. Paul doesn’t even know how far or how long Maelyn will be gone. She hadn’t left Paul. He couldn’t think that. He couldn’t let that thought grow roots. She’d left because of Sam. She left because she disagreed with Sam’s choice. 

Paul traces at the photograph--the wind catching in her curls, her smile big and bright. She hadn’t left because of him. The realization provides more relief than Paul is comfortable admitting. 

**********************

“She stays,” Maelyn says firmly, like she has authority to speak on the matter even though she doesn’t. Jacob huffs beside her, his grumble audible but not worth responding too. Jacob may not want Leah here, but Maelyn does. “Or I walk.” 

It’s not a fair demand. But Maelyn’s not in the business of being fair right now. If Sam still plans to attack tonight, Jake’s going to need the numbers. Maelyn doubts Sam’s plans have stayed the same. He’s lost his edge now with Leah gone. He would now need to take them by surprise if he still wants to get through to Bella. But even still, it’s better to be safe than it is to be sorry.

“Oh, fuck off, Lyn,” Jacob scoffs. “I can’t trust her with the Cullens.” He levels his gaze towards Leah and continues on with his thought, “You hate them too much.”

“I don’t have any other place to go,” Leah defends. 

“You don’t even like me,” Jake retorts. 

Leah stands a little taller. “I don’t have to like you. I just have to follow you.”

“The only person who wants you here is Lyn.” He says and then turns away from both of them, like it’s meant to be a detriment, but Maelyn knows it’s not a strong enough tactic. Yet, Jacob is trying. 

“Being unwanted isn’t exactly a new thing for me.” Leah looks like she almost wants to laugh, like if she doesn’t laugh she might cry at the reality she’d been dealt. Maelyn takes her hand, a clasp to the lifeline she once needed and now hopes to be for Leah. “But if you lose me, you lose Maelyn too. She said it already. I stay, or we both walk. Besides, I’m not looking to be in the way. I just can’t leave. I can’t go back to Sam’s pack and be the pathetic ex-girlfriend he can’t get away from. I’m sick of constantly reliving what happened. You don’t know how many times I have wished I could imprint on someone, anyone.”

Jacob turns again, to face them both. “Just to break the connection.” Even in the dark, Maelyn can see the understanding dawning on his face. How he’d gone and spent those weeks away trying to find his own imprint are echoing back at him through Leah’s words. “Alright. I’m about to do a perimeter check. Leah, you got my flank?”

She nods at the question, hand slipping now from Maelyn’s hold. It’s a small bit of relief knowing that there’s four of them now, definitively. With Bella’s fragile state, she’s sure Edward would do what he could to stay close to her in case of a fight. The more numbers the better. 

Jacob’s eyes fall to Maelyn, his brows furrowed together, almost like he doesn’t want to do what he’s about to do next, but has to do so anyway. “You told me your conditions were that you’d walk if Bella died or turned. Not if Leah showed up and I wanted to kick her out.”

“I’m not Alice. Sue me for not seeing the future,” Maelyn laughs. 

Jacob bites back his smile but nods with a teasing eye roll. “And do those conditions still stand? For the foreseeable future?”

Maelyn inhales at the question. She’d been clear with Jake when she caught up with him that she disagreed with Sam on attacking while Bella was still human, but she was worried about what the baby could turn out to be--if it’d be a threat or not. Maelyn holds no such hesitations about the child, should Bella not survive. And there would be major concerns on Maelyn’s end about Bella being turned. Rather than cause a deeper rift or starting a losing battle with Jacob and the Cullens, she’d leave. Her caveats make her a bigger wildcard than Leah, she knows. Leah would fight if ordered, but not Maelyn. 

 Maelyn nods. “Those haven’t changed.”

“What about Paul?”

She can hear now how Paul cried out for her not to disobey. How it was most likely his choked out cry that was the last sound she heard before she started into the thick of the woods. Could she fight him? Probably not. Most of her resolutions are strong. Maelyn is ready to fight Jared, or Quil, or Embry, even Sam for what she thinks is right. But Paul would be her weak spot. He’d be one person that could make her crumble. Even if she wants to hate his guts, she can’t. She’d never be able to hate Paul, she fears. 

“I figured as much,” Jake sighs after her silence lingers for a minute too long. He takes the back of her head into his palm and presses a kiss to her forehead. “We’ll figure something out. But he did sort of break your heart. So I’m going to need you to find that rage you had for me about Bella and Edward and do some damage if it comes to it. If it’s not Paul, that’s fine, but with the odds four to five, every second counts.”

In normal life or death situations, Maelyn would always choose life. She’d always choose herself. But when it comes to Paul, she’s not sure she has the same kind of self preservation. Yet, the seconds would matter regardless of where her loyalties were spliced. It would be do or die for them. She could hold her own, she knows. She’s just not sure how strong the conviction would be to fight Paul. 

“I can do that,” Maelyn agrees. 

It seems to be enough because he takes off into a jog and Leah follows, leaving only Maelyn and Seth behind. Jacob and Leah grow smaller in the distance, as they move further out from them. Even if she wanted to get away, even if she wanted to free herself from this cycle of emotions with Paul, Maelyn knows that she wouldn’t choose to actively harm him. But she would fight for what she felt was right. It’s not lost on her where she stands, with the house looming behind her, protecting Bella and to some degree the Cullens too. She just can’t cross that line. She can’t kill a human. 

The hours grow heavier. The days feel longer. The longer Bella holds out, the more it seems like her death becomes inevitable. It worries Jacob, a constant flurry of noises in all their minds now. But the last thing any of them actually want is for her to die. Maelyn, especially. As Bella marches closer toward what seems like surefire death, Maelyn finds herself hoping that Bella can hold out like she keeps promising. Even if it is only for selfish gains so Maelyn doesn’t have to figure out if she could fight Paul, so she doesn’t have to do the hard thing. 

“Do you think Mom’s going to ground me if we ever get a chance to go back?” Seth poises to Leah over their sandwiches. 

“Yes, right after she murders me first,” Leah hums in return.

The paper the sandwiches are wrapped in still smell like the Cullens, even though Esme’s tried her hardest to remove as much of the smell as possible when she cooks for them and does the laundry. The scent’s gotten easier to be around, quite possibly Maelyn’s only gotten used to, has gone nose blind to the sweet sickly stench. 

Maelyn reclines into the steps of the deck, looking out into the trees in front of her. Her father had been pissed when she finally called, but when Maelyn explained she was doing what she thought was best, that she was trying to do what no one had done for her mother, the anger quickly disappeared. Leah’s work at the sandwich is rather swift until she stiffens and Maelyn can sense someone behind her Maelyn turns, though the person’s not made any noise. Maelyn knows by Leah’s response it’s one of the Cullens. 

Edward stands, hands tucked into the pocket of his jeans. “Maelyn, may I speak with you for a moment?”

Her and Edward don’t have anything to talk about. Now that the picture of her mother and her is returned, she can’t think of anything that Edward would want to do with Maelyn specifically. Though he tries to withhold the smile, it breaks through. She sighs, knowing that he’s unknowingly heard her thoughts. “Don’t have a cow, Leah,” Maelyn quips, pushing up to stand. “I’d ask why you want to speak with me, but you already heard it.”

“I did,” he grins, a small tuft of laughter coming out at the confirmation. They take a few additional steps towards the back portion of the railing to speak. “I didn’t want you to think we’d forgotten about Sam’s request, to see about other personal effects that might’ve been missing from other victims. Sam talked to Charlie and Bella overheard it.”

Maelyn’s brows furrow, not recalling the specifics of the conversation. But she faintly recalls her father’s confusion about why the picture was missing in the first place. So she nods before speaking, “I hadn’t realized it had gotten back to you all.”

“It wasn’t a direct ask per se, but when we got wind of the concern, we decided to look for ourselves too,” Edward clarifies. “Please accept my sincerest apologies for this delay. Carlisle informed me that there were a few things missing amongst the other victims. This typically looked like clothing items, jewelry. It’s rare but at times some cash was missing from wallets. Inside your mother’s case, there’s a notation that she was missing cash because of the banking receipt left behind that showed a withdrawal. Among the receipts left behind, it looked like she’d only spent about eighty dollars, between food and some souvenirs in her two and a half days in Seattle. We think that it’s possible your mother had the photograph in her wallet with her cash, thus when the cash was grabbed so was the photograph. This sort of random assortment of missing items could’ve been attempts to make the murders seem random. We think your mother was targeted by the former coven, but not because of any suspicions or connections to the shapeshifting. It’s possible they were targeting her for hunting sake, and awful as that is it hear. This doesn’t explain, of course, why the photograph was kept by the vampires. However, unfortunately, we may never know.”

It’s somehow the best and worst news to get. It only further confirms what Maelyn suspected the entire time. Yet, still on the flat of her tongue is the bitter disappointment. Her mother had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. At least if there were suspicions about the tribe being werewolves, her death would seem less random and more like fate. Perhaps, it is already fate, but that connection would make fate feel less awful. 

Maelyn nods, inhaling deeply for one second, then two, and a third. “Thank you, Edward,” she returns on her exhale. It’s not a phrase she’d ever thought she’d say. But she appreciates the due diligence, the way that the Cullens have at least attempted to help her close the chapter on her mother’s death and let it stay to rest. 

“Thank you,” Edward returns. “For choosing to defend Bella right now. Jacob’s informed us of your situation and your stipulations. But we, I especially, cannot begin to express the gratitude felt due to your sacrifice.”

“Don’t thank me just yet,” Maelyn urges. She hadn’t sacrificed anything just yet. Refusing an order is the easy part, even if it had taken everything in her to do so. Fighting would be the next hardest part. That would be the true sacrifice. 

“Bella, also, specifically asked me to pass along a thank you for the wedding gift. We greatly appreciate the ring holder.”

The sound of Bella’s name makes Maelyn almost cringe. He says it so lovingly, but also with an edge. She can hear their conversations, but hasn’t interjected regarding Bella’s pregnancy. The tensions are thick inside of the house as is, so Maelyn only enters as she needs to. It is nice to know that the gift is being well received. Maelyn noticed the ring dish on one of the coffee tables once, holding Bella’s ring now after it’s fallen off her finger once too many times. 

To go from being introduced topless to now being a bodyguard seemed like an interesting tract for Maelyn to be on, yet she’s on it regardless. “You two are welcome. I’m glad it’s of use, despite the circumstances.”

Edward’s response is only a nod, before excusing himself back inside. Maelyn leans into the railing of the desk, elbows digging into the wood. Would gratitude save them all? It surely wouldn’t undo anything. She drops her head on her neck and listens for the gentle breeze over the leaves. The days grow a little bit cooler but not by much, the telltale sign of autumn’s creeping descent. 

“I’m sorry there’s no better answers.” Seth’s voice is soft and comes from below her. When Maelyn opens her eyes, Seth is peering up at her from below the deck. 

“Thanks, Seth. Sometimes we get them, and sometimes, I guess we don’t.”

“Still, you deserve better.” Deserved and getting are two different things, but Maelyn only nods in return and lets the silence settle between them. 

“Soon,” Leah starts, “you’ll be away from here. And you’ll be a genius who finds a cure for cancer or something. And you’ll have little mini Maelyn’s to dote on.”

“That’s if phasing hasn’t fucked my fertility.”

The wave of Leah’s hand matches the scrunch of her face--a dismissive but not insensitive tone and gesture. “Details, details, there’s science or something to work that out.”

Maelyn laughs. “Something about that sounds like projection.”

“And if it is?” Leah returns, hips pressed into the railing as she faces Maelyn. She folds her arms over her chest and for a moment as Maelyn watches she feels like she’s looking into a mirror. Leah always wanted kids; how she’d previously envisioned life with kids with Sam. That wouldn’t be happening. Maelyn and Paul never got the point of discussing kids. Maelyn’s not sure she ever really wanted them and some part of her worried that if she asked Paul his answer most likely would’ve been a resounding yes about them. Not that this matters now. But still, the parallels are awfully hard to ignore between them. 

“I wouldn’t fault it,” Maelyn counters. 

“Good, because I wasn’t the one still carrying around tampons,” Leah teases. She nudges Maelyn’s food with her own, a soft and wicked grin on her face in reference to the beach day after Jacob’s return. 

“I just keep them in that bag out of habit. And just in case one of the girls at work needs them.”

“You think Shannon’s going to let you come back after this?” Seth asks. He’s been worried a lot about if there will ever be the same normal again. Though they’d managed in brief stints to talk to their parents, there hadn’t always been enough time to talk to everyone. Maelyn knows Shannon knows where she is because she asked her dad to beg on his hands and knees for her. 

“Her words to my dad were, and I quote, ‘She’s only welcomed back dine during a visit after she moves away.’ So, I don’t think she’d be too happy if I came back to work at the diner.”

“Tough one, she is,” Seth mutters. He’s working now on the second sandwich, chewing around his words and around the bite. 

“That she is,” Maelyn agrees just as Leah comes in with, “And she’s right.” 

Maelyn knows the agreement all too well, the way she promised to send a postcard so that Leah could have the address to visit, how she’s supposed to get away from here and make a life outside of the reservation, and Forks. “I intend to keep my promises,” Maelyn laughs. 

“Good, you better.” 

At the end of this, Maelyn wouldn’t want the sacrifices and time spent to go to waste. She’d make something of it. She’d make the suffering worth something beautiful, even if it is small and only for her in the end. Maelyn wouldn’t let opportunities past her by now that it feels like they may not come again. Even if it’s only a tiny apartment somewhere, and it’s just her studying over her textbooks. Something good would have to come from all this heartache. 

But the thing about sacrifice is that at times, it is silent. Maelyn’s learned to see sacrifice when it’s large, when it’s a show of bodily intervention, or the extra shifts she pulled to help make ends meet, or the new clothes she went without. No one prepared her for the silent sacrifices, when it’s in the subtle changes of the wind’s direction. Or when it’s Jacob approaching her about setting up a small ploy, a plan to help Esme, Carlisle, and Emmett cross over to hunt and feed. 

“Should I run with them? Sam may have other pack members running patrols now and if they get caught, they’ll need back up,” Maelyn states. 

Jake shakes his head. “If you’re missing, whoever shows up will immediately know it’s a trap. You cannot let it slip that this is just a set up. I need you on the same page as me, agree with whatever I say. If Paul shows up, he’s going to use you as a gauge. He’s going to try and read you first since he knows you the best.”

“Then why are you letting me know? Why not keep me in the dark?”

Jake laughs. “Besides, I’m not willing to lose my head. I’ve seen you angry enough to want to gut me once before, I don’t want to see it a second time.”

“Not my most shining moment,” Maelyn agrees. “But I’ll keep practicing my shock and horror.”

 “Good. We’re going to need it.”

Yet, there’s very little need to pretend to hold shock and horror on her face. Not when Paul’s the first one to show up, with Jared, Quil, and Embry on the newfound boundary lines. It was a naive thought, to hope that Paul wasn’t out on a shift, lurking now to watch for a moment of weakness, to look for an in. He was one of the strongest in the group. It is smart of Sam not to turn up at the intrusion.  Yet Maelyn still can’t shake the gaze. She can feel him watching her and she only looks at the side of Jacob’s face. 

“You coming home, Jake?” Quil questions. 

“Not until I finish this,” Jacob answers. And Maelyn’s counting the beats of her heart, the thudding against her ribs as the muscle works doubletime. 

“What do you mean?” Paul questions. His voice is rough, but sharp as he speaks. 

“I want Sam to take back Leah and Seth.”

The words strike Maelyn’s eardrums and her heart roars. She has to be in on this. She has to agree with whatever Jake is saying. Yet, she didn’t think she’d be singled out, that she’d be separate from whatever it is that Leah and Seth are grouped into.

 “What?” Leah spits, taking a step up as if to confront Jake. 

“No way!” Seth hotly agrees. 

They’re both stopped in the midst of their protests with Jacob’s sharp and fast reply, “Quiet!”

“But not Mae?” Embry questions. 

Every set of eyes falls to her and Maelyn can’t help it now, she looks up from the distance she’d settled her focus on and takes in the group. Leah and Seth first who look confused, hurt even, then Jake’s firm stare. She travels up the foliage towards the four boys above them. Paul’s gaze is transfixed, every move she makes, he’s watching. 

“Maelyn’s agreed to help me finish this,” Jake answers.

“Agreed to what?” Paul asks. But his eyes never leave hers. She doesn’t know what this agreement actually is. She should’ve asked, yet Jake hadn’t offered it. All too naive yet again. 

“Tell Sam--” Jacob starts again and Paul spits, the glob landing inches from Jacob’s shoes. It interrupts Jake’s sentence. 

“Not you,” Paul huffs. “Maelyn, what did you agree to do?” 

Her name falls almost broken from his lips. She can hear the strain behind the word. Oh, she’s in deep waters here. The sound nearly cracks her chest open. Maelyn has to lie and has to lie well and fast, so she resolves herself with an inhale. She can’t say she agreed to kill Bella--it would be a slap in the face of everything she’d left Sam’s pack for. But they wouldn’t know her thoughts about the child. “I agreed to stay until the child’s born. Leave Bella alive, if she survives, and then take care of the child.”

The hard line around Paul’s mouth softens, as if maybe he actually believes it. Or maybe it’s still a hint of sadness. She doesn’t know and she doesn’t want to look long enough to find out. Yet, Maelyn can’t look away. If she looks at Jake, it’ll be too obvious, so she has to play along like this all a part of the plan the entire time, so she stares back, hoping she can keep her face calmer than the thundering heart in her chest and trying not to dissect the meaning of Paul’s gaze. 

“Tell Sam,” Jake interjects, “that I want Leah and Seth safe and I want this over. When the moment comes, I’ll be the one to destroy it. Maelyn’s staying to ensure that possibility. They trust both of us.”

Maelyn’s not sure if the Cullens do trust her or not. Esme’s been nice enough and aside from Edward, Maelyn’s not talked much to the Cullens as a whole. Perhaps it’s the fact that she’s not openly hostile like Leah is. But Maelyn doesn’t think trust is the right word. Whatever the right word is, doesn’t matter though. Because all four of them need Paul, Jared, Quil, and Embry to buy this story. 

The seconds tick by and Maelyn’s not sure what they’re waiting for. She knows this is a distraction of some kind. Just as a soft acceptance begins to settle onto Paul’s face howls ring out into the night. They echo once, then twice, and all of them look up into the sky at the sound. Paul’s face falls hard again, eyes snapping into Jacob’s direction. “You played us?”

But there’s something haunting in the cut of his gaze, when he turns, ready now to return back to the woods. There’s something like disbelief, coated in disappointment. Paul expected Maelyn to play it honest with him of all people. But she’s not sure if or why Paul seems to care all that much about honesty at this point. They were now on opposite sides of the fence. He would have to do whatever needed in order to see Sam’s plan through. She would have to do whatever needed to see Jacob’s plan through. Two things inherently at odds with each other. They are inherently at odds with each other. 

But there’s a tiny blip, the cut of disappointment in Maelyn in having to play against Paul, in having to fight against him in these cutting seconds. It’s not that she wanted to, it’s that she had too. In order to protect Bella while she was still human, this is the play Maelyn had to make. She’d hope, watching him retreat into the forest, that Paul would understand. 

*******************

Paul knows he shouldn’t. Well after Emmett, Carlisle, and Esme have made it through their defenses thanks to Jacob’s ploy, Paul should stay with Sam. He should work to find a way through--they are now down three people so the odds have been evened just a hair. But he can’t get the small shock, the second long furrow of Maelyn’s brow before it settled. The plan, before it turned out to all be a lie, is that Maelyn would help Jacob kill the baby. That the two of them gained enough of the Cullens' trust to get that close. It nearly seemed believable until her face cracked. It didn’t last long, just long enough that Paul could see how much she was trying to keep the ploy going. 

It still stung. Paul understood that they’d be at odds, that they were fighting for the opposite sides. He just didn’t think Maelyn could lie to him. Though, if he ponders the thoughts long enough, he knows he too would do almost anything Sam asked of him to do. Maelyn might have her own lines, the ones she’s willing to cross and the ones she’s not willing. And maybe a small white lie in the grand scheme of things is the line she can stomach to cross.

The trees provide just enough coverage and Paul watches, catching the rustle of Leah and Seth who watch from outside the house. Maelyn’s not out; he can’t catch her scent. But Paul listens, hoping that maybe she turns a corner and opens a door. 

“Do you think they’ll actually do it?” Seth questions. 

“Depends,” Leah answers. Her voice is soft, head turning side to side like she might suspect something or someone is still around. Paul hazards just another step back, careful of the sticks and fallen branches beneath his paws. “If Bella doesn’t really make it, maybe Maelyn’s stipulations won’t mean much. But given Maelyn’s apology, I don’t know that she was all too well informed just like we weren’t.”

There’s a tiny bit of hope. Maybe her actions weren’t out of a devious desire; maybe they were out of dutiful obligation. Nonetheless, Paul continues to watch. He still needs to give Sam enough information for them to strike. That makes him no better, he knows. Both Paul and Maelyn are cogs in the machine. They’re both instruments of their own morals. 

The night grows eerily quiet until the screams start up, a rush of voices higher in the house that Paul listens to dissect. He can’t catch it all. There’s just so much screaming and he assumes it’s Bella. Maybe in the midst of delivery, or death. Either way, Paul knows he can’t leave now. The seconds pass by and feel like hours. But Jake comes stumbling out of the house, hands bloody and crying. 

“She didn’t make it,” Seth states, voice almost cracking at the realization. 

Paul waits for a moment longer. Maybe Maelyn will come out, maybe she can confirm more information. But when the minute passes and it’s only Jacob, still sobbing on the steps, Paul knows he can’t waste much more time. He backs away slowly, maneuvering over the brush and carries himself back to the reservation. Sam mentioned needing to speak to Billy first, so Paul assumes the pack will still be there at the Black’s. The news may not go over well, but in the end, they would all do as they believed was best. 

Paul catches the strong wind of Sam’s scent and the rest of the pack, following the trail right up to Billy’s. He continues on but above the soft part of his paws and the rush of the wind over his face, Paul worries about what’s to come. A fight is one thing. Paul can handle himself in a fight. But he knows it means Maelyn will be there. She’ll be a part of this fight and she won’t be at his side. 

Maelyn will be across from him. She’ll be at the whims and order of Sam and the rest of the pack. Sam’s orders were clear: Paul would fight. Embry offered that the two of them could run defense, which isn’t a bad strategy on the face of it. Every defensive play needs an offensive counterpart. And the thing Paul doesn’t know is if he can sit by while Maelyn’s safety is on the line. 

He phases back, pulling up close to Billy’s house. Maybe something will happen and it’ll stop the fight well before it happens. Maybe he’s worrying for nothing. But the thing he has to do, as he was asked to do, is report back. Sam comes down the ramp of Billy’s, the hard set line of his mouth letting Paul know that to some degree it doesn’t really matter what’s happening or has happened, Sam’s made up his mind. There’s a decision that won't be unmade unless absolutely necessary. 

“I don’t care what he’s done. He’s still my son,” Billy calls out after Sam. 

“I’m sorry Billy. I thought you should know,” Sam returns and Paul slides beside Sam. 

“Bella’s dead,” Paul whispers, knowing that the words he’s producing are the nail in the coffin. Yet Paul is still praying for some sort of intervention. He is nailing his own coffin shut and Paul knows it. 

“Let’s go!” Sam shouts. 

Quil, Embry, Jared, Paul, and the rest of the pack all turn to follow behind him. If Paul ever had to take a death march, or even a death jog, this would be it. He follows behind the rest of them, still praying to a universe that’s very clearly not going to answer. 

The pack’s arrival is clearly anticipated. Alice, Jasper, Edward, Leah, and Seth are lined up at the doors of the house. Paul wonders where Jacob is, but doesn’t get a moment to fully settle into the thought as the echoes of Sam’s order not to stand down ring out. Not that it matters where Jake is now. Bella is dead and the baby is a threat. They must continue on.

As Paul leaps in, ready to take on the vampires that come his way, he looks for Maelyn. He wants to know where she is, so he knows where to be. And it’s a false notation, Paul knows that. Maelyn is not a safe space anymore, not right now anyway. Yet, he can’t help the learned behaviour, can’t resist the draw and desire to make sure that she doesn’t get hurt. 

Esme, Carlisle, and Emmett descend into the fight in a flash. Though Paul’s caught up with Jasper, he notices when Sam’s knocked off Edward in the rush of the trio’s arrival. The margin of their win starts to close. And all the while, even with Paul taking hits from Emmett, he keeps looking towards the house. Another snarl joins and it grabs Sam’s attention, enough that the tiff he’s in with Edward stops nearly completely and Sam starts to stalk towards Jacob. The two of them snap, preparing for the impending bloodbath. 

And just above them, even with Jacob’s flash of thoughts something about the child not that Paul’s paying all that close attention, Maelyn comes barreling out. “She’s still, technically alive! Bella’s heart is still beating!” Her words are rushed, as if she’s still trying to beat some clock. 

Her clothes are bloody, but she carries on, down the steps. “She’s still alive,” Maelyn calls out again. Her voice booms over the snarls, snaps, grunts, and groans of the fight. 

The news doesn’t deter Sam. Paul understands in some ways. Just because Bella’s heart is still beating doesn’t mean that she wasn’t already on the verge of turning. It also doesn’t mean that the baby wouldn’t be a threat. Bella being alive, no matter how fleeting, doesn’t really stop the wheels now. What does matter is that Maelyn is not phased. She’s still flesh and even if she could handle more than the average person even in her human form, it doesn’t make it indestructible. Everything created would crumble eventually. It’s the natural order of things--everything made can be destroyed. 

Sam, hear her out, Paul wants it to be an ask, a fair plea.

Jake snaps again, his thoughts starting to break through, but not entirely. Paul only catches glimpses. He’s too focused on Maelyn, who’s pushing through and around the vampires. Sam’s already pushing off, his front paws are already lifting off the ground. Paul wishes Maelyn could hear him, warn her that Sam doesn’t have enough time. He wishes he could hear Maelyn, to know if she knows this already. 

Maybe she’ll stop. Her feet keep carrying her though. She keeps going. Maelyn’s slipping in. All too graceful with her arms spread wide at her sides, as if that will stop anything already in motion and protect Jacob from the impending blow. There’s seconds, maybe not even a full thirty of them. Sam and Maelyn are going to collide and Maelyn’s going to lose. 

Sam! Paul snaps, scrambling now around Jasper, to get some speed and he’s up. Leaping, and praying all the same. This is going to cost him. At least, though, he has his answer though. Paul would not sit idly by. He’s praying he’s fast enough. Sam’s bigger, not by much, but just enough. Paul knows that if and when necessary he could manage in a fight. He would manage in a fight. This one specifically. 

Sam skids into a tree, the impact of Paul’s weight sending him off his projected patch. Maelyn lands between Sam, Paul, and Jake. The scent of fresh blood hitting the rather stale and thick air around them. Her shirt is torn in the middle, parts of her chest exposed and wounded now. 

Paul would fight. Sam ordered it. But the thing Sam didn’t do is say against who. Paul’s stalk forward is careful. He places his body between Sam and Maelyn’s. She’s still behind him. The softest echo of her breathing hits his ear. At the very least, she’s still alive. That’s enough to satiate the worst of Paul, but not enough to temper the whole of him. The snarl is deep and nasty as it racks through Paul’s bones. 

Sam’s fast up but Paul’s already anticipating the incoming pounce, already knows what Sam is thinking as he’s thinking it. The thrashes and swipes are easily countered. Sam’s voice is muffled by the heat of Paul’s rage. How could Sam launch himself into the throws of an offensive strike when Maelyn wasn’t in her wolf form? Paul just barely misses the tufts of fur hiding away Sam’s throat before Sam bucks him off.

Paul’s up, paws digging into the dirt as he charges forward again. He wouldn’t throw the first punch. But Paul would make damn sure to throw the last one. A fair fight is one thing--or maybe a fair fight wouldn’t matter in the end. Sam could fight anyone, but Paul won’t let it be Maelyn and he for damn sure wouldn’t let it happen when she had no true means to protect herself.

Paul! It’s over! Embry calls out. It’s over anyway, we can’t fight them or the baby. 

Paul doesn’t care to understand what happened to make it so that they can’t fight anymore, or whatever it is that Embry said. None of that matters, what matters is that Maelyn is there, injured all because of Sam’s own fucking haste. But all Paul sees is Sam leaping. All he sees is the gaping wounds. Paul snaps again, pushing against the marble of Emmett in front of him. 

Emmett’s hold is stronger than anticipated as he speaks, “Easy, big guy. Carlisle can check her out. But it’s done. It’s done. Sam backed down. It’s over. She’s going to be alright.”

Paul pushes again. He wants Sam’s throat in his teeth. Paul wants to take Sam apart limb by fucking limb. How could you? Paul screams. It echoes with every bit of rage that he feels, every worry and every piece of anger coil around the words. 

Paul only needs to get through. But he can’t get through. Emmett, Jasper, Embry, and Jared are all surrounding him. Their bodies and heads make a window, a rounded angular hole just enough for Paul to see through. 

Sam’s head is lowered, backing further and further away. I was going to stop, Paul. I was trying to.

You could have killed her! 

“Look at Maelyn. For fuck sake, I do not want to hurt you,” Emmett huffs, pushing back against Paul’s strain to get forward. “Focus on her. Not on him.”

Paul obeys, only because it’s about Maelyn. Only because he loves her. Carlisle is gentle as he carries her inside. She’s still breathing, but not conscious, limp in Carlisle’s arms. 

Maelyn. It’s a broken cry even to his own ears. All the anger, all the desire to start a literal war disappears. There’s just Maelyn and the ache in his chest. 

Her blood is thick on the ground left behind. Paul sits at the base of the stairs, staring up into the house. There are vampires all around him, but he sits next to her blood and watches into the glass house as Carlisle works. 

Paul, Sam starts, the echo of his voice soft. 

Sam, Paul returns, hardly turning his head towards Sam. Paul hears the apology already dancing in the Alpha’s thoughts but can’t stomach them at the moment. Because all there is right now is the worry filling his blood now. All Paul can do now is worry and wait. 

I do need you to know that I was going to stop. 

Maybe Sam would’ve. Maybe Paul’s haste only made it worse. But none of that would undo what happened anyway. 

I saw her coming. I thought she was going to stop. Then Maelyn just didn’t. I knew I couldn’t hurt her, not intentionally. It would’ve been unfair. I am incredibly sorry for what happened and Maelyn getting hurt like she did. 

It just looked--Paul stops. Because he knows Sam knows what it looked like to him. Paul only wanted to keep her from getting hurt. Maybe he made it worse. But he doesn’t think if he had to redo this, he’d do much differently. She and you were going to--

I know. I think if anyone else were in your shoes, they’d react similarly. The important thing now is that Maelyn makes it out okay.

It’s all Sam says before he settles, just off to Paul’s left but not directly next to him. He sits and he waits too. Everyone does. Quil, Embry, Jared, and the rest of Sam's pack all settle onto the ground around him, waiting with their gazes locked into the first floor corner bedroom. 

“I’d offer you a spot inside, but I don’t think you’d take it,” Jacob states, the only one to have phased back. Not even Leah or Seth move from their spots, still sitting too on their paws, attention straight ahead. “Once Carlisle is done, you can go inside. You don’t have to worry.”

But all Paul has is worry. It’s heavy on his shoulders but he’d carry it. Even if Maelyn hated him, or wanted nothing to do with him, he’d still carry the worry because it’s what they do. They worry about each other. 

The Cullens house feels much too stark, and empty. It is full of decor, but it feels stiff and too still. Paul wouldn’t walk in here under any normal circumstances. But these aren’t normal circumstances. The hairs on the back of his neck stand up. The floors feel too pristine, like they’ve never been touched by actual muddy shoes or barefeet before. But Paul follows behind Carlisle into the first floor guestroom. 

The broken shoulder feels trivial now in comparison to the gauze wrapped around Maelyn’s torso. But she’s reclined now against the bed, mostly alert. Alert enough to ask for him by name. 

“It’s overkill,” she mutters. “But Carlisle is Carlisle and I couldn’t put up much of a fight.”

“Don’t,” Paul winces. She didn’t put up a fight because she wasn’t conscious. The knowledge hurts nearly as much as watching her body limp and being carried away. “You get to joke like that when you’re not wrapped up like a mummy.”

“So, in what, three days?”

He huffs, but nods. “Yeah, in three days.” Maelyn tries to push up against the pillows, but winches and stops before she makes it too far. Paul crosses the threshold, into the room, hand raising as if that will actually stop her. “Hey, don’t. Take it easy.”

She settles and motions to the bed for Paul to sit. But he doesn’t. Now that his feet are moving, he carries all the way to the side of the bed, kneeling next to her. It’s low enough that she doesn’t have to twist too much. He knows he shouldn’t, but he presses his face into her neck, careful of the bandages she’s wrapped up in. 

Maybe it was him. Maybe if he didn’t intervene none of this would be happening. Maybe it would've been much worse if he hadn’t. But it doesn’t matter now. None of his guilt would undo what happened. Paul’s saving grace is that Maelyn still smells the same, the thick of freshly cut grass breaking out over the metallic smell of blood and sweat. He’s just so fucking glad she’s alive. 

Maelyn’s embrace is slow. Her muscle tense for a beat, then two, and like chocolate melts in the summer sun, she slips her arms over his shoulder. Paul remembers how he fits, how she drags her nails up into his hair. Just like now. Just like the past six months haven’t happened at all. Just like he’s always meant to fit. 

“Jake told me that you got into a fight with Sam over this, over me.” Maelyn’s voice is soft, wispy with the fatigue that she undoubtedly feels. 

“I’d do it again,” Paul whispers against her neck. The tears are hot on his cheeks and he doesn’t stop them. Paul pushes up, settling so his butt presses into his heels. She still feels the same, the small groves in her kneecaps from tumbles past are still there beneath the sheet. “I’m sorry--if it was me. Sam said he was going to stop. But it just--I panicked. It didn’t look like you were going to back away and it didn’t look like Sam was going to move out of the way either. All I could think--”

“I wasn’t,” Maelyn admits. “I wasn’t going to move because Bella was still alive. Not so sure now.”

“That would have cost you your life.” He wants to be angry with her. He wants to say it was reckless and stupid. 

Maelyn’s gaze is unwavering. She stares back at him and there’s no remorse, no regret in her face. Unlike when she was worried about the fight with the newborns, worried she upset Paul, she now only gazes back with a sincerity that Paul feels down to his toes is real. Where previously she’d been shocked at how far she would’ve gone, she seemingly only has resolve. 

Paul takes her hand, squeezing at the bones and flesh in his palms. Maelyn’s still alive. “But something tells me that death doesn’t really matter.”

“Not this time. But thanks. For trying to keep me alive.”

“I made a promise that I very much intend on keeping. If you’ll let me.”

Maelyn’s nod is fast and she stares past Paul to the wall. He knows. Even if months had past, there was still always the connection. Paul squeezes at her hand again. “I thought you were with Rachel. Or at least trying.”

Paul’s not really sure where he stands with Rachel. It’s in limbo and seemingly would stay there as Rachel progressed to the second round of interviews. The job would take her out of state, to Colorado, and with her waiting on the final decision, it seemed imminent that she’d leave if she got the offer.  Paul hums before he speaks, “That’s unclear right now. But you don’t need to worry about that. What you need to focus on is actively not dying. You know, not putting yourself in dangerous situations.”

“Unclear?” Maelyn questions, eyes focusing back on him. “She’s your imprint.”

Besides himself, Paul laughs--a short exhale of air from his nose really, but still a laugh. “I know. I lived that day too, you know?”

“Alright, smartass.” The jab at his chest comes with both her hand and his still intertwined. The touch barely connects and he brings her hand up to his lips, a fleeting and quick press. But it reminds him of how things used to be. How they used to be and how he hopes they can be again. Maelyn huffs though, her words interrupting his thoughts, “You know what I mean.”

“She’s looking for a job and it’s probably going to take her out of state. We’re just friends. I think that’s going to be the way it is.”

“But Sam and Emily, Jared and Kim--wouldn’t it be inevitable?”

Paul shrugs. “I don’t know if I’m honest. All I do know is that you matter and you always will matter to me. If Rachel needs me, I know I’ll feel obligated to answer. And I will. That part I can’t fight against. But I’m a stubborn man. I know I’ll choose you, Maelyn. If given a second, not even a half of one, I’ll always choose you.”

“Like today, huh?”

He nods. “Exactly like today.”

Her smile is small and it makes his heart flutter. Though he’s still consciously not trying to look at the bandages, and he can still smell the thick sweet crushing scent of vampires, Maelyn’s tiny smile makes some of this feel just a little bit better. “I assumed you’d grow sick of me.”

“Sick of you nearly dying, but not sick of you, Maelyn. Never.” He’d never grow tired of her. 

“What if I couldn’t stay here? What if I had to leave too?” The question falls from her softly, like she’s scared to admit it. “What if I don’t know how I am anymore? After everything that’s happened, I feel like I need to learn myself again.”

Paul knew Maelyn wouldn’t stay on the rez forever, or in La Push, or Forks. He knows that she wants to get out, and get away. “Then go.” It’s such an easy sentence. Because he knows that just behind it is, “Just let me follow.”

Maelyn can go wherever she needs. Paul is fine with that. But he just needs to know he can follow. He wants to be in her life, anyway that she’ll let him. It’s always, always going to be her. What seemed inevitable, that he’d find himself away from Maelyn, seems insane to consider now. Now that he’s nearly lost her. Paul could live without limbs. He could find a way to live without Rachel, but this life wouldn’t be worth living if he didn’t have Maelyn.

The silence stretches. Maelyn’s lips parted into a near perfect ‘o’ and he wants to kiss her. Wants to promise against her lips that he will follow, he just needs her to say yes. And if even it’s not immediate, he would be okay just as long as he knows it would happen eventually. All he needs is the promise. The sweet sound of her voice promising him that he can be in her life.

 “You can have a head start. Want three years, easy. Need five? I can do that. Just let me follow,” Paul whispers, voice cracking with the begging plea.

“That’s not fair to you. Just doing whatever Rachel or I want. What about you?”

“I want you, Maelyn.” Because even though it feels easy with Rachel, makes him feel complete in a way that he wishes he could articulate better, Maelyn’s always felt like home. She is home. In a way that Paul knows can’t be a physical location anymore. Sure, he hadn’t dreamed of her in months. But his dresser still has all her pictures. His sheets still feel too empty without her shampoo and lotion on them. Maelyn is home and Paul doesn’t give a damn about an imprint. 

“Are you sure?” she questions. 

“I’ve never been more sure of something in my life. You can have the head start. You can have the time you need to yourself. The last year has been hell and I get that. Maybe the time will be good for me too. But I need you. I have and will always choose you.”

The air around them feels tight and maybe that’s just the ache of Paul’s lungs from the breath he’s holding, praying Maelyn will let him back in. Maelyn’s hold around his hand tightens. She’s searching his face and Paul’s positive it’s for something to tell her that he’s lying. But Paul can’t lie to Maelyn. Not about this. Not about how important she is to him.

“Three years and not a second more.”

Paul blinks, heart thundering in his chest. Did he hear her right? Is she saying what Paul thinks she is? He pushes up. Years were long. Three of them would be longer. 156 weeks. But he can do that. “You-you mean that?”

“I mean that. But I promise I’m going to go buck wild. The stories will give you a heart attack. And I can’t promise what things will look like in three years, if you and I will still want the same things. But just give me three years.”

Paul doesn’t mind that. Again, years were long. So much could change, but the promise. The relief that they won’t be strangers anymore makes his spine shiver. Before he can truly stop himself, his hand comes up to her cheek. “You deserve to go wild.” 

This close Paul traces the invisible lines between the moles--the one right at the upper corner of her left eye, down to the two moles on her cheekbones, almost a constellation etched into her skin. Before the imprint, he’d kiss her, close the measly centimeters between them. Her mouth would be soft and inviting. But this isn’t before. This is after. And Paul doesn’t want to make things messier than they already are. 

Instead, Paul leaves the space, traces every so lightly at her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb and nods, “I look forward to hearing them.”

[fairytale-poll]

ROUND 2 INFO

Round 2 will be posted between Wednesday, November 29th and Tuesday, December 5th. It will be split between 4 sets, each set being posted on a different day. There will be a total of 64 participants (16 participants in each individual set) divided in 32 polls 8 polls in each individual set). By the end of Round 2, 32 participants will make it to Round 3 while the rest will be sent to the Shadow Realm where their souls will be tormented for eternity. Each poll will last a week. As the sets are posted, I will link them below.

ROUND 2A

Cinderella (Disney's Cinderella Animated) vs. Hatsune Miku as Cinderella (Various Songs) (Vocaloid)

Cinderella/Aschenputtel/Cendrillon (German/General European Fairytale Variant) vs. Ye Xian (Chinese Fairytale Variant)

Hamupipőke (Hungarian Fairytale Variant) vs. Settarah (The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo/Robert Florczak)

Cendrillon (Otogi-Juushi Akazukin) vs. Mofurun as "Mofurella" (Mahou Tsukai PreCure)

Giselle Lai (Cinderelle) vs. Cinderella (Grimms Notes)

Queen Cinderella Charming (The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer) vs. Elegant "Ella" Herringbone Coach (Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella by Megan Morrison)

Vasilisa "Vasya" Petrovna (The Winternight trilogy by Katherine Arden) vs. Cinderella "Cindy" Baxter (The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley)

Mia Basile (Cinderella the Cat) vs. La Cenerentola (La Cenerento Laossia La Bontà in Trionfo)

ROUND 2B

Ella of Frell (Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine) vs. Cinderellis (Cinderellis and the Glass Hill by Gail Carson Levine)

Imogen Keegan (Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke) vs. Cinderella/Prinzessin (Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters & Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG)

Cinderumpelstiltskin (The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka/Lane Smith) vs. Cinderella (Cinderella Penguin, or, the Little Glass Flipper by Janet Perlman)

Cindy (If the Shoe Fits by Julia Murphy) vs. Bronwyn Murdoch (The Prince Who Loved Me by Karen Hawkins)

Ella (Cinder Ella by S.T. Lynn) vs. Queen Cinderella (10th Kingdom)

Sam Montgomery (A Cinderella Story) vs. Katie Gibbs (A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song)

Ella (Happily N'Ever After) vs. Ella (The Glass Slipper)

Ashlynn Ella (Ever After High) vs. Danielle de Barbarac (Ever After)

ROUND 2C

Missy Piggy as "Lady Holiday" (The Great Muppet Caper) vs. Baby Gonzo as "Gonzo-rella" (Muppet Babies 2018)

Scrooge McDuck as "Scroogerello" (Ducktales) vs. Chuckie Finster as "Finsterella" (Rugrats)

Popeye the Sailor Man as "Cinderfella" (Popeye the Sailor Man: Ancient Fishtory) vs. Betty Boop as Cinderella (Betty Boop: Poor Cinderella)

Barbie as Cinderella (Barbie Dolls) vs. Ella (Total Drama: Pahkitew Island)

Saki Hanajima as "Cinderella-ish" (Fruits Basket) vs. Mettaton as Cinderella (Undertale)

Cendrillon (Persona of Sumi Yoshizawa / Violet) (Persona 5) vs. Cinderella (Once Upon a Crime)

Ella Brown (Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix) vs. Princess Petra / Spinstress as "Spinderella" (Marvel Earth-423)

Cinderella (Cinderella by The Cheetah Girls) vs. Harper Finkle as "Harperella" (Wizards of Waverly Place)

ROUND 2D

Cinders (Once Upon a Time in Space by the Mechanisms) vs. Linh Cinder / Selene Blackburn (The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer)

Carrie White (Carrie by Stephen King) vs. Cinderella (Into the Woods)

Cinderella (Shrek) vs. Lucette Riella Britton (Cinderella Phenomenon)

Cinderella (TAISHO x ALICE) vs. Rin Hoshiora as Cinderella (Love Live)

Aisling "Ash" (Ash by Malinda Lo) vs. Ella Saturday (Witches Abroad) (Discworld by Terry Pratchett)

Euphemia "Effie" Reeves (Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater) vs. Cinderella (Burn the Witch)

Cinderella (Cinderella Monogatari) vs. Miyo Saimori (My Happy Marriage)

Ashley Vans (A Wicked Tale of Cinderella's Stepmom / I Raised Cinderella Preciously) vs. Itsumi Tachibana (You Are My Princess)

[the-backup-protocol]

tmagp 22 ep thoughts. again putting these down for myself but you guys get to read it too haha

spoilers under the cut!

Lena definitely cares for Gwen. It's pretty obvious that she's doing this to forcefully keep her safe. I think her assessment is also like..pretty fair from her pov since Gwen really is not doing great with the horrors (love u gwen you're doing your best with a scary dangerous situation) and she'd really just get herself hurt further.

Gwen could grow and get rlly good at surviving still ofc (you need Experience for that after all) but Lena wants the excuse to not have her be IN that position anymore.

The statement itself was really interesting, and I'm thinking that dark ocean of secret knowledge is an interesting visual (side note, while i dont think the Deep is supposed to be knowledge related... it's reminiscent in my head for some reason and made me think of it. probably the imagery tho) and possible nice comparison to Jon's "it's like there's a door in my mind" ocean of Eye Knowledge tm. Just interesting.

I do wonder who wanted out of a) the guys head or b) the wires/the equipment. Is it a general entity Of wires technology current etc that we have tamed with the advent of electricity? Is it the consciousness of the guy, or even the subconscious? Is it other people who have been ushanka'd and thus can be across anything electric, like an amalgamation of souls? The silver in the wires is obviously important as well as the split consciousness, but...

I know the obvious narrative that, im my opinion, freddie is trying to paint is that they (jmj, supposedly) need out and they're using the transcript to speak that fact. As they have been, in theory, using the casements to speak to tbe team from the start. But in the actual situation, mr. Schmidt's case still resulted in those words, so who?

Side note, I still don't think JMJ are actually in the puters. I think Freddie is puppeting their voices still. But then again... there is some consciousness there. Sam did get an email from Jon. And then you have to wonder, when does a puppet mimicking consciousness actually gain it, if so?

I think they might be taking us on a very interesting route about identity and such. The "some of him" from episode one seems to hint at, well, at least some of jmj still being in there if it isn't only a red herring. On the other hand... I still don't think Jonny and Alex lied to us that their fate stays ambiguous either? It'd make no sense to.

I also don't think Celia knows what's going on fully. I think she is tma Celia but the reason she brings up their names is _She_ might think they're in there regardless of it being the case, because she recognizes their voices immediately.

But maybe I will be proven wrong in a few weeks and it was never a red herring after all, and what Jonny and Alex meant is that it could he a different universe version jmart and jonah.

Who knows! We have the multiverse fully established.

Also Alice and Sam's argument :( The beloveds are fighting. I guess it makes sense why they didn't work out. I wonder what Alice was supposedly controlling about before, and what truly happened. I can't wait until we know.

That's my thoughts, though. If anyone does have a good theory about who was wanting out innthe casement put it below??? I scour the tags but they're exploding right now ahahaha.

Can't wait til next week. Thanks for reading!

[nebulations]

[ID: A Magnus Protocol comic with red accents. Alice, Gwen, Sam, and Celia go "Oh. Shit," as they come across a trail of many tape recorders clicking themselves on in a corridor. The tapes lead to a figure whose face is surreal and full of eyes.

The gang turns to run, Alice shouting, "We need to get out of here-- now!" and Sam shouting, "Celia, come on!" He shakes her and continues calling for her, but Celia continues to stare at the figure. She asks, "J-- Jon-- Jonathan Sims? Is that you?" Everyone stares at the figure, who stares back.

Alice and Gwen exchange confused glances while Sam uneasily asks, "That Jonathan guy, again?" Celia continues, "It's me, Celia-- from the, the tunnels, with Melanie? Do you know who I--?!" The others look on with horror as Celia gasps, her speech bubbles going from red to green as the figure emits an aura and she's forced to say, "I-- I remem.. I rem... I remember the sky splitting open." End ID]

im sure it’ll be fine

[josh0555]

This is the 2020 Station ID of GMA. The GMA Orchestra Team has performed their orchestra one final time before the COVID-19 pandemic strikes. The 2020 Station ID features the return of the same orchestra team members in the 2015 Station ID of GMA. But the Station ID also features orchestra team members in the past like Ritz Azul, Arcee Muñoz, Alice Dixson, Eula Caballero, Tuesday Vargas, Fernando Poe Jr., Mark Gil, Rodolfo “Dolphy” Quizon, Coco Martin, Bayani Agbayani, Raymond Bagatsing, Edu Manzano, Jericho Rosales, Sam Milby, Bea Alonzo, Hero Angeles, Paolo Serrano, AJ Perez, EJ Falcon, RK Bagatsing, Maja Salvador, Aga Muhlach, Derek Ramsay, Rene Hawkins, Vic Silayan, Empoy Marquez, Ahron Villena, Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, Paolo Ballesteros, Oyo Boy Sotto, IC Mendoza, Jerald Napoles, John Lloyd Cruz, Geoff Eigenmann, Gabby Eigenmann, Andi Eigenmann, AiAi delas Alas, Cherry Pie Picache, Candy Pangilinan, Aiko Melendez, Roxanne Guinoo, Rufa Mae Quinto, Sarah Geronimo, Vhong Navarro, Teddy Corpuz, Billy Crawford, Mr. Fu, Erwin Tulfo, Luchi Cruz-Valdez. Eventually, Victor Silayan, James Reid and Nadine Lustre were absent at this point. However, Other GMA crew members from 2005 until 2010 like Luis Manzano, Matteo Guidicelli, DingDong Dantes, Enchong Dee, JC de Vera, Martin Escudero, Gerald Anderson, Enrique Gil, Liza Soberano, Kim Chiu, Xian Lim, Zoren Legaspi, Diether Ocampo, Jomari Yllana, Jake Cuenca, Michael V., Allan K., Kristine Hermosa, Valerie Concepcion, Carmina Villaroel, Eugene Domingo, Nora Aunor, Paolo Bediones and Lourd de Veyra don’t appear at all because they weren’t part of the GMA Orchestra team. Somehow, Ryan Agoncillo wasn’t seen at all since he left GMA for good in 2005 and decided to return to ABS-CBN in 2005. Eventually, Luis Gonzales, Rico Yan, Tyron Perez and Halina Perez weren’t part of the orchestra team because they passed away years back before the GMA Orchestra Team was created in 2005. But Marco Alcaraz and Ogie Alcasid already moved to ABS-CBN in 2000. Sadly, Willie Revillame did not appear at all since he became the DJ of TV5 since 2005.

But the Station ID features Blue the Puppy from Disney’s Blues Clues as he makes a cameo at the very end as he chases his ball while saying “Excellent! All Systems, Full Power!” in Dr. Eggman’s voice from Sonic Adventure which was John Travolta. Somehow, Blue the Puppy’s voice was John Travolta but it was in accurate version instead of the meme version in which Blue the Puppy said “Drop the Bass” when TV5 was launched in May 5, 2005 after the last day of the original ABC-5 in May 4, 2005. Eventually, Blue the Puppy said “Excellent! All Systems, Full Power!” when the next generation of TV5 starts up in May 5, 2015 with the new slogan “Happy Ka Dito!” in which DJ Willie Revillame knew about the next generation of TV5. Somehow, The cast of the TV5 sitcom show Banana Split had to create the 2015 Station ID of TV5 which will feature all of the TV5 crew members having a good time. But Martin Nievera will appear as a special guest of TV5 since he apologized to Willie Revillame in the finale of Wil Time Big Time for his sinful things. But now, It’s obvious that Blue the Puppy said “Excellent! All Systems, Full Power!” in the 2020 Station ID of TV5 which is ”Iba sa 5”

[singledarkshade]

Gone

Part Four

(Part One, Part Two and Part Three)

Sam stepped into the office of the Dean who offered his hand to greet her.

“Thank you for meeting with us, Dean Grant,” Sam said as she shook his hand, “This is Dr Owens.”

“Please take a seat,” Grant motioned them to the chairs across from him, “What can I do for you?”

“It’s about what happened to Dr Jordan,” Sam explained, “More specifically what he and his team were working on.”

Grant mused for a second and accessed his computer, “It was a collection that was on loan,” he turned the screen around for them to see, “The explosion was in a lab where Dr Jordan was studying this.”

Sam heard the slight intake of breath from Owens at her side and knew that this was something important.

“Is there a second jar?” Owens asked intently.

Grant nodded, “Yes.”

“Is it still here?” she queried.

“Despite what happened, we still have the rest of the collection,” Grant told them, “It is being returned next week.”

Owens glanced at Sam before asking, “Is it possible for me to review the jar? There is a concern that these are not the genuine articles, and the explosion was a cover to switch them.”

Worry covered Grant’s face and Sam managed not to chuckle at how smoothly Owens lied.

“Of course,” Grant told them, “I will get a member of the department here to guide you.”

~

“What is it?” Sam asked softly as they followed the technician towards the building where the collection was being stored.

Owens frowned, “The jars had Goa’uld symbols. One named Osiris and the other Isis. I won’t bore you with the details, but they are an Egyptian God and Goddess so I’m pretty sure the jar that blew up was connected to the Goa’uld.”

Sam groaned, “Of course it is.”

“Here you go,” the technician said bringing their attention to her, “I have printed out the inventory for you. And if you have any questions, I’ll be at the desk.”

“Thank you,” Sam nodded before following Owens.

They split the list between them and worked through each item, Sam noted anything she thought might be important so Owens could check them properly.

“Major,” Owens called, “I’m missing two items, can you check for an amulet and tablet.” Sam looked around the room and frowned, “I can’t see them either. Let me check with the technician.”

Heading across the room, Sam said, “Excuse me…”

“Alice,” she stated.

“Alice,” Sam nodded, “We can’t seem to find two of the items.”

A frown crossed the other woman’s face, “That can’t be right. Let me see.”

As Owen explained the ones she couldn’t find, Sam found her eyes drawn to the photos on the wall. One showed Daniel standing with an older man, a man with dark hair just slightly older than him and a blonde woman.

“That was our dream team,” Alica said sadly, “Dr Jordan was killed in the explosion that happened recently. Dr’s Gardener and Rayner took his ashes to Egypt.”

“And who is with them?” Sam asked guilelessly.

“Dr Daniel Jackson,” Alice sighed sadly, “He used to work with them, but left several years ago.”

Musing for a moment, Sam decided to see what she could find out, “Could he be responsible for the missing items?”

Alica stared at her in genuine shock, “Seriously. Never. There was some bad blood between them all before he left but Daniel would never steal anything.”

“You’re sure?” Sam pushed, “If there was bad blood.”

“That was more their side than his,” Alice shook her head, “He was so personable and, unlike some others I can mention, knew all the technical staff as well as all about their families. Nice guy.”

Sam grimaced, “I’m sorry that I’m pushing this, but do you know why he left?”

“Daniel had some theories that the others didn’t agree with,” Alice explained, “Dr Jordan thought he was being ridiculous, Dr Rayner, well he was always jealous at how much smarter Daniel was than him.”

“And Dr Gardener?” Sam asked.

Alice grimaced, “They were a couple for a while. What I know is she wasn’t happy when he broke up with her choosing his work over her.”

Sam knew her shock showed on her face at the revelation that the blonde in the picture was Daniel’s ex.

“Trust me,” Alice said, “It’s unlikely he would come back here at all, and if he did would never steal anything.”

                             *********************************************

“Look at this place,” Steven muttered as they were marched into the palace, “It’s incredible.”

Daniel shrugged, he’d seen plenty of Gould palaces since he first stepped through the Stargate, “And hopefully big enough so we can find a way to lose the guards and get back to the Stargate.”

“Where do we go once we do?” Steven asked, “If the one on Earth has a shield and we have no way to get them to open it.”

Daniel sighed, “I remember a few safe addresses, one in particular that should not only be safe, but the Jaffa won’t be able to follow us.”

Steven nodded but before he could say anything else, the Jaffa stopped. They were in the throne room, and they watched Osiris stride up to the throne before settling upon it.

“Well, this will do for now,” Osiris mused.

“My Lord,” a new voice came making them turn to see a man standing there. Daniel estimated him to be in his early sixties, bald and dressed as a courtier, “I am Selmak.”

He bowed then his eyes flashed confirming him to be a Goa’uld as well. “Apophis charged me to oversee Chulak while he was away,” he continued.

Osiris stood and asked, “So?”

“So,” Selmak continued, “If you permit me, I shall ensure a smooth transition to your rule now that you have come to take your rightful place.”

“Excellent,” Osiris stated, “Although, know that if you betray me, I shall execute you.”

“You are Osiris,” Selmak stated, “You are now the ruler of Chulak and all planets within the realm that once belonged to Apophis.”

A smile touched Osiris’ face, “Then you can take care of my new servants. Show them where they will be staying, put them to work, and ensure they are aware of the consequences of any attempts to escape or if they do not follow my commands.”

Selmak bowed again, pulling out a zat he motioned Steven and Daniel towards the door he had come through.

“Do not kill either,” Osiris stated before adding with an amused smirk, “At least not until I have retrieved a sarcophagus. I have plans for them.”

~

Daniel kept Steven slightly in front of him as Selmak walked behind them, wondering if he could get the zat before the Gould realised. He wasn’t prepared for Selmak to suddenly push them into a room, close the door and pull out what looked like a communicator.

“Be ready,” he said to someone, “As soon as I tell you bring us onboard.”

Steven glanced at Daniel confused, “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure,” Daniel replied, as he looked around the room for a weapon.

Selmak turned to them, “It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Dr Jackson. Sam has told me a lot about you.”

“Sam?” Daniel asked warily.

He nodded, “I’m Jacob Carter, Sam is my daughter. And you don’t have to worry, I’m a member of the Tok’ra.”

“Against Ra, resistance,” Steven murmured from his side.

Daniel licked his lips nervously, “Like Jolinar.”

Jacob/Selmak nodded, “Exactly. Thanks to the memories left in Sam’s head by Jolinar, Earth was able to make contact with the Tok’ra.”

Daniel could see Steven looking very confused, but he stayed silent allowing Daniel to take the lead.

“If you’re Sam’s father then how did you end up with one of those things inside your head?” Daniel demanded harshly.

He sighed, “Selmak saved my life. I had cancer and by joining with her, it means I’m still here.”

“Under its control,” Daniel replied.

Jacob/Selmak shook his head, “No, as partners. I’m Jacob,” his head dipped before coming back up and his eyes flashing, “I am Selmak.”

“Don’t see a difference,” Daniel stated coldly.

He shook his head, “And I don’t have the luxury to try to persuade you, but George Hammond contacted us when you disappeared. I have a ship in orbit to get you both out of here and back to Earth.”

Steven let out a gasp.

“We can’t leave Sarah,” Daniel stated.

“Sarah?”

Steven grimaced and clarified, “Osiris.”

“We can’t try to retrieve the host,” Jacob/Selmak told them apolgetically, “My priority is to get you and Dr Rayner out of here. If you try to go after Osiris, you might not survive.”

“What makes you think I want to survive?” Daniel asked emotionlessly.

“Daniel!!!” Steven cried.

“My priority is to get Steven out of here and to save Sarah,” Daniel continued, “I am not letting another person I care about be destroyed by those damn snakes. I will not…”

He was cut off as pain reverberated through his body, and Daniel fell to the ground into unconsciousness.

~

Steven stared at the man who had just shot some kind of laser beam thing at Daniel, “What did you do?”

Jacob/Selmak sighed, “We don’t have time to argue anymore. He’s just unconscious, I promise. Help me with him.”

Warily, Steven took one of Daniel’s arms and put it over his shoulder while Jacob/Selmak took the other arm. They moved him to the centre of a circle and the other man pulled out the strange communicator thing he had, hitting the button.

“Aldwyn, bring us up.”

Steven winced as the same rings that had grabbed them in Egypt surrounded them, bright light filled his vision once more and for the second time, he ended up on a ship.

“Rest him here,” Jacob/Selmak said bringing Steven out of his thoughts.

Together they moved Daniel to a raised platform and laid him on it. The other man pulled a blanket and pillow from a hidden cupboard before sliding the pillow under Daniel’s head then laying the blanket over him.

“Jacob… eh...Selmak,” Steven started.

“Jacob is fine.”

Steven nodded, “Jacob, where are we now?”

“A ship,” Jacob told him, walking towards the door as Steven followed him, “This will take us to another planet with a Stargate so we can return you both to Earth. It’s the faster option than taking the ship to Earth.”

Shaking his head Steven realised that he still had no choice on anything that was happening.

“Aldwyn,” Jacob called as they entered the cockpit where another man was sitting flying the ship, “How long till the nearest safe Stargate?”

“About six hours,” the man, Aldwyn, told them.

Steven had no idea whether or not he could trust these people so said, “I’m going to stay with Daniel.”

Jacob nodded, “When he wakes up, tell him I’m sorry for shooting him but I couldn’t let him try to save your friend.” He winced, “Getting the two of you was my priority.” “Actually,” Steven said, “I’m guessing getting him out was your priority. Because from what little he’s told me, Daniel knows a lot about these Goa’uld.”

Before Jacob could reply Steven headed back to the room where his former friend was laying and sat on the floor against the wall.

The past few weeks had been crazy since the explosion and now this. He glanced at the unconscious man and wondered what Daniel had really been doing since he’d left Chicago.

                             *********************************************

“Sir,” Jack said as he stepped into the office having just arrived back from Egypt.

“Jacob has him,” Hammond stated before Jack could say another word.

Jack frowned, “What?”

“I contacted the Tok’ra to keep an eye out for Dr Jackson,” Hammond explained, “And they just called to let us know that Jacob and Aldwyn found him. They’re on their way to a safe planet and will bring him home.”

Relief slid through Jack, and he sat down, “Is he okay?”

“Alive was all I was told,” Hammond told him, “They should be here soon.”

“Sir,” Carter’s voice made them turn to see her walk into the office, “We found some interesting and concerning things in Chicago.”

Hammond frowned.

“Dr Owens is reviewing everything,” Sam continued.

“Well, Daniel is on his way home,” Jack told her, seeing the same relief he felt cover her face.

Before anything else could be said, the alarms sounded.

“Incoming Activation,” the call came as the three of them entered the control room.

Sam slid into the empty seat as the Stargate spun, each chevron locking in place.

“GDO incoming,” Sam said before smiling, “It’s the Tok’ra.”

“Open the Iris,” Hammond noted.

As the Iris retracted, there was a moment where nothing happened before the surface rippled and three men stepped onto the ramp.

“Daniel,” Sam breathed in relief as they watched him walk down the ramp, with her father and the other man they recognised as Steven Rayner.

“Welcome back, Dr Jackson,” Hammond said softly before turning, “Jacob, and I presume you are Dr Rayner.”

“Steven,” Daniel said suddenly, his voice a monotone, “This is General Hammond, Captain Carter and Colonel O’Neill.”

The other man gave them a soft hello as Jack grimaced inwardly. It wasn’t good if Daniel hadn’t used their first names.

“Dr Jackson,” Hammond stated, “You know the routine. Dr Fraiser is waiting for you both.”

Daniel gave a nod, before he walked out of the Gateroom.

“Come on,” Jack motioned to Rayner, “You need to be checked out to make sure you’re healthy.”

The other man nodded and followed Jack as he started towards the infirmary.

*********************************************

Author's Final Note=

For those who noticed: Sam is called Major in one part as she is a Major, but as Daniel wasn't there in this universe for her promotion then he still thinks she's Captain Carter.

Part Five

[casspurrjoybell-20]

FOOLS Fall - Chapter 4 - Part 2

BOOK TWO: The 'Fools Fall in Love' Trilogy

*Warning Adult Content*

Noah Wright

Jude was all over Dinah that night, his hand running up and down her thigh, him kissing her on the lips or cheek or shoulder.

Dinah didn't seem to care.

PDA was not in either of their dictionary.

Sam would be blushing like crazy if I spoke like that and touched him in a sexual manner in front of people.

I checked my cell-phone, wondering when Sam would Face-Time me.

Maybe I should leave.

"Let's play a game," Dinah suggested out of nowhere.

Everyone 'besides me who sat silently' groaned in annoyance.

"No one wants to play your stupid fucking games, Dinah," Ciera spoke with a bored tone.

She was a fun one 'note the sarcasm'.

"Come on, it'll be like an icebreaker game for Noah," she smiled at me.

"I'm alright," I said, clearly no one wanted to play a game and I sure as hell didn't want to either but, Dina insisted.

"It's a fun one, I promise," she looked around at all of us with a devious grin.

"Strip or dare."

Oh Jesus fucking Christ.

I definitely didn't want to play that but others seemed to be into it after that.

Kyle sat up.

"Oh, I definitely want to see Ciera's tits out."

Ciera glared at him, tore off one of her Doc Martin shoes and chucked it at him.

He laughed as he held up his hands to block his face.

"I'll play," Alice said.

She seemed to already be shit-faced and I wondered if any of them had class the next day.

I luckily didn't have class on Tuesday, so I was good.

"I'll start," Dinah said.

"And if you don't complete the dare, you strip," she confirmed the rules before saying,

"Ciera, I dare you to... shotgun your beer in five seconds."

Ciera had just grabbed a beer can.

"Easy, start that countdown," she spoke with confidence right before she took her keys out and jabbed a hole in the can and quickly brought it to her mouth.

We all chanted her on with 'Chug Chug Chug'

Being higher than I've been in a while and three beers deep, I was more comfortable with being vocal.

She downed it in four seconds and everyone cheered.

Ciera turned to me.

"Noah, I dare you to..." she looked me up and down.

"Hmm, let's continue the shotgun trend," but when I reached for a beer can, she said...

"No. Shotgun your hit into my mouth."

A series of oh's and a wolf whistle from the group.

Kyle handed me the joint but I hesitated.

"Or strip," Ciera told me, looking cocky.

I took the joint, hopped off the Alice's bed and stood in front of Ciera.

Bringing the joint to my lips, I inhaled a deep breath, Ciera getting ready as she leantt in but I turned my face away from her and blew out my smoke.

"I'll strip," I told Ciera before taking a step back.

She looked rejected for a split second as everyone laughed and 'Oh.'

But her expression quickly turned to a smirk.

I wasn't about to get close to Ciera.

I knew girls like her.

She reminded me of my ex-girlfriend, Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn had always been the teasing type when we first started dating and I had a feeling Ciera was going to turn the shotgunning into something else.

I sat back on the bed next to Alice who looked almost impressed that I turned down Ciera's dare.

"Well, now you have to take off an item of clothing," Ciera said matter-of-factly.

Fine by me.

I lifted my foot up and took a sock off.

She rolled her eyes but was smiling knowing I bested her.

"You're gonna fit right in," Kyle told me and the game carried on, me daring Alice something I didn't even remember because I was pretty shit-faced myself.

I didn't let anyone dare me into something sexual, so I was down to only my jeans when Sam Face-Timed me.

"Hey," I answered it, excitedly in front of everyone.

I may have surpassed drunk.

"Damn, I wish I was in bed with you," I told him, not caring in my alcohol induced state that the others could hear me.

Sam was laying in bed, wearing my hoodie.

His cat, Dumb-ass Jr. was next to his head.

"Ahahaha," he laughed nervously before asking me...

"Why are you drunk and shirtless? Who are you with?"

"My new friends," I answered cheerfully as I flipped the camera and told everyone to say hi to Sam.

They all gave him a variety of greetings.

"Hey," Sam replied awkwardly.

"Um, well... I don't want to keep you, so..."

"I'll call you later if you're still up, I promise."

"Okay. Yeah. Um... get home safely," Sam's tone was off but at the time, I didn't know why.

Why couldn't he stay on the phone with me?

My intoxicated state wanted my boyfriend near me so badly.

"I love..." I was cut off by Jude's arm wrapping around my shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'll get your friend home safely," he grinned into my phone at Sam.

"Friend?" I laughed.

"Friends don't do what Sam and I do," I said suggestively with a wink 'I thought' at Sam thought the phone.

I didn't think he found it humorous.

"I'll talk to you later, Noah," and Sam hung up.