#PLEASE CHESTER PLEASE LET HIM SNAP AND SHOUT

[yagurlhere]

WARNING: SPOILERS

On our souls we are praying for Dynamite's crash out that boy has neglectful parents, got abandoned in the apocalypse, got an abandoned arc about his struggles and guilts with hunting other objects, is taken captive by a Pack with his best friend, and watched said best friend die two times, not even said best friend will be safe from his mental breakdown

[sunnyie-eve]

11 | Ass kicking

Series: Uttermost Lifestyle

Paring: Johnny Knoxville x Original female character

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: none

| MASTERLIST |

The next morning I was rudely awaken by Bam and Ryan pulling the blankets off me then a buck of cold water really waking me up. "GOD DAMN IT!" I yell at them getting out of bed soaking wet.

"You would win a wet t-shirt contest." Bam chuckles and I didn't even care.

"I'm gonna kill you." I say through my teeth. "Dunn! Eyes up here!" I yell at him so he runs out first then Bam pulls out a camera taking a picture before following. "You fuckers!" I scream running after them not giving a shit I was in a wet tight shirt and underwear. "Margera, give me that camera! Dunn!" I run into the room where they were with everyone else.

"Just let me keep the picture please." He laughs as I try getting to him.

"No!" I rush after and buy since Ryan thought he was in the clear I stop and grab his junk and twist it. He groans in pain and that distracts Bam so I go tackle him. The guys oh as I straddle him and take the camera out of his hand.

"All you had to do was ask, mama." Bam places his hands on my hips so I punch him in the chest before getting up.

"Alex..." Johnny says my name as everyone looks at me.

"Oh no!" I fake like I care. "Yes, you can basically see my tits though my shirt and I'm in my panties. Enjoy it." I fake a smile then go back to my room to get dressed.

A few of us end up going to a dojo where they would be doing a few bits and I was there just to watch. For Bamboo boo Weeman, Loomis, Preston, Chris, and Steve-O get hurt in the butt with the stick. That damn mark after a few seconds, I really understood the pain they had for a bit. Since Johnny didn't take part in that he ends up getting kicked hard in the ribs instead of the chest which I hiss at.

For Ryan was getting his ass kicked by a Woman's Lightweight Champion and he wasn't that nervous till we got to see her practice. "It will be over quickly so you didn't worry." I pat Ryan's back.

"I could sure go for a Miller High Life." He tells the camera making us laugh.

"Oh, you're in so much trouble." Johnny says as Ryan whines.

"In blue corner...West Chester, Pennsylvania... Ryan Dunn." The man introduces him so we applaud for him. "In the red corner... Double-K World Women's Lightweight Champion... Kumagai, Naoka." We applaud for her too.

"I'm about to get the shit kicked out of me by a girl." Ryan looks into the camera.

"To be honest, Alex would have this morning if she wasn't holding back." Chris adds and I agree with him.

We just watch Ryan get the shit kicked out of him and it was hilarious. "Oh, god, my jaw is like two inches to the left." Ryan says as my phone starts to ring. I slightly worry since it was from my parents since it was late back home.

"What's wrong?" I answer the call walking away from everyone.

"You didn't tell me Caiden was allergic to soy. How could you forget to tell me?" My mom raises her voice at me.

"I thought you knew since he was born?!" I shout at her.

"Well I guess I forgot but you should have wrote it down on his meds list." She snaps at me.

"Mom, it is... What did he eat? How bad is it?" I ask pacing around the empty room.

"Well he wanted some ice cream and the one we had was soy based. We didn't know so we had to take him to the hospital." She tell me and I almost lose it.

"Can I talk to him?" I ask calmly and she puts him on the phone. "Is grandma still in the room?" I ask him.

"No, she left to go smoke." You could her he didn't sound well.

"Did you try warning grandma that something was wrong?" I ask him.

"Yes but she told me it was nothing just that dairy upset me stomach. I told her no since I was having trouble breathing and was dizzy, but she told me to go to bed." He starts to cry and I hear her come back into the room. "Put grandma on the phone please. I love you baby."

"By mom. Love you too."

"You are a terrible grandmother!" I yell at her pissed off. "He tells you he can't breath and dizzy and you have the nerve to tell him go to bed? Did you wait for him to blackout and break out in a rash?" I ask and wait for an answer but she talked too long. "YOU DID DIDN'T YOU?!" I hang up and call Chris's mom and tell her everything and that I want her to take him and keep him while I'm away for the movie.

"Are you okay?" Johnny comes into the room.

"No! My mother is terrible! She could've killed my son because she didn't remember his allergy to soy. She had to take him to the hospital because he blacked out is a huge rash. She gave him soy based ice cream and he didn't know it was. He tried telling her but she didn't care he couldn't breathe. I called Chris's mom to go get him so he can stay with them till we get back."

"Hey, hey, hey. Calm down. Breath before you blackout." He grabs me by my shoulders holding me still. "Breath sweetie." He takes slow breaths making me do it to.

"I just can't believe that women. I should have known because how she was with me growing up. I was never the favorite and really wasn't when I got pregnant with him." I move away from Johnny upset.

"At least you can trust and relay on Chris's parents to take care of Caiden while we're gone." He moves hair out of my face.

"How are you feeling?" I step back as I see Ryan enter the room eyeing us.

"Jaw still hurts. I wanted come check on you. I hear you shouting." He walks over to us.

"Just my mom being a terrible grandmother so I had to call Chris's mom to pick him up from my mom." I roll my eyes.

"She didn't remember Caiden has a soy allergy and then didn't care he had a reaction." Johnny adds to let Ryan understand.

"What a bitch. I'm not surprised because of the way she talked to you that day we ran into her at the store." Ryan brings up so I nod my head as Johnny says he'll be right back.

"Sorry for interrupting." Ryan makes a face walking to stand in front of me.

"You didn't interrupt anything. I should actually thank you for stopping what could have happened."

"No! Let it happen. See what could happen." I slap him to shut him up.

"No. I don't want to be in a relationship."

"Then the two of you just mess around while we film." He says making me slap him upside the head.

"No. That won't help my feelings go away, Dunn." I explain so he nods his head with a thinking face.

"What if you two mess around but you also mess around with others so you don't get attached to him?"

"Others? I'm supposed to find random guys everywhere we go?" I cross my arms.

"Or use some of us. We won't mind. Especially Bam." He joke but I knew deep down he was serious at the same time. 

"That's not funny." I punch him in the arm. "I'm not getting with any of y'all to get over Johnny."

"Easy. I'm already hurt and I was joking." He rubs his arm when I punched him.

"Where you really though?" I glare at him and he makes a guilty face. "I hate you."

"If you hated me, you wouldn't still be here talking to me baby." He kisses my cheek. "Remember that offer." He winks walking away from me.

"In your dreams, Dunn. And Bam's too!"

[dinogoofy]

Erron black/F! Reader

Old friend.

This one took a little bit, sorry if it's not quite as quality as my other fics!

MAJOR TW for Guns, threats, and Kano being a dick to precious puppies.

You and Erron black had grown up together. Two kids brought closer by horrible lives. Sharing the scraps of food you had with each other. Ranting about awful parents, ranting about school. In your teenage years, you were the one to patch him up after fights. He was the one to beat the shit out of your bullies. The two of you hated that town and everyone in it. You used to think the two of you would stay as thick as thieves forever. Your paths only split when you wanted to live a normal life. Live the peaceful, country way you had seen so many others do, but never grew up with yourself. Erron, however, only wanted money, glory. He wanted to take the back roads and do all the things normal folks wouldn't dare to get his fill. 

You didn't understand his choice to be a mercenary, but it wasn't your choice to make for him. Whatever life he wanted to have was good enough for you as long as he made it out of that shitty town. He didn't contact you much. He only really showed up on your doorstep when he was dying and needed someone to patch him up. But at least he was coming to see you, right? 

With a sigh you stepped into your little country home, smiling slightly at the immediate sounds of your fur babies running to meet you. A blur of orange fur rushing to thread between your legs and trip you, while your sweet pound mutt waited patiently for you to set your keys on the key rack. 

"Hey boys." Chester meowed at you rather loudly, only to take off when you leaned down to pet him. The crazy feline darting under Archie's body as he happily waited for his own pets. It was easy to smile at the warm welcome, immediately a little more relaxed after finally getting home. You stretched at the door, setting your bag down to head into the kitchen.

The first thing you settled on was giving your boys their long-awaited scoops of food, both of them sat down neatly next to each other. Only Archie waited for your go-ahead, Chester already digging in by the time you gave him a laughing "Ok, Archie." 

You patted your mutt before taking some leftovers out, eyes catching on the printed photo of you and Erron from senior year. It's been a few months since last he came to visit. The thought made you a little sad. But the memory of the photo gave you a nostalgic, happy feeling. With an arm slung around his shoulders, and a goofy look on your face, Erron was the complete opposite of you. The goof pretended to be annoyed at your antics, but you could see the slight smile at the corner of his lips.

"Come on! Just one photo. It's not like it's going to kill you, Erron."

"It's not going to kill me, no. But I might end up killing you."

"Pfft- yeah right."

Your smile grew a bit wider. You sat down at the table alone as you finished your dinner. Erron had always been a strange one. Always tough, trying to be unfeeling. Not wanting anyone to be close. Not wanting any affection besides the one-night stands and the women he infatuated. Always the one to flirt, but never with you.

No. Not ever with you. You smirked. He always acted differently around you. More nervous, more fidgety. You'd been in love with him since before you even knew what love truly was. And you had known for years that he loved you back. You had just been waiting for him to admit it. You'd scoffed at yourself time and time again for not making the first move, but Erron wasn't ready for that. You didn't think he was, at least. You just wished he had gotten therapy like you had asked him to.

The scraping of your fork against your plate was your only indication that you had finished eating, you definitely spaced out a bit. You always did when you thought of Erron. Maybe he would visit soon. Maybe you should stop thinking that to make yourself feel better. 

The plate clicked lightly against the floor when you set it down for Archie to lick before you set it in the sink. By the time you turned off all the lights and headed to bed Chester was already asleep on your pillow, Archie curled up in his own bed next to the nightstand. You moved the orange tabby slightly to the side so you could lay down, and he yelled in protest the way that annoyed kitties do. It was easy to slip into a comfortable sleep with your boys next to you. 

The sound of your sweet Archie growling a feral warning was what woke you up that night. You shot out of bed, ripping off the covers and grabbing the shotgun from under your mattress. Archie never growls. An unhinged bark sent a jolt of panic through you, along with Chester, who woke up to sprint under your bed and hide. Archie certainly never barked. Not like that. Not in that way. Something was wrong. You clicked off the safety and cocked the shotgun.

You moved slowly at first, creeping your way over to the sound of Archie's growls, but when he let out a sharp whine, your vision went white-hot with rage. 

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY DOG!" You shouted, finally turning the corner and into the living room where two figures lurked. The lamp was still on, and as your eyes adjusted you could make out the masked face of Erron, and the form of some asshole looming over Archie with your baby backed into a wall. 

Erron didn't respond at all at the sight of you. The unknown figure by your dog stood up slowly and whistled.

"You did say she was a feisty one." You scowled, keeping the gun pointed squarely on the man.

"Erron. I don't know why you're fucking here, but please tell me you don't know this asshole so I can just shoot him." Erron rolled his eyes at you. The figure laughed, moving away from Archie, who sprinted over to you so that he could cower behind your legs. Your eyes were trained on the figure as he proceeded to sit in your own fucking armchair.

"Name's Kano. Leader of the black dragon." The black dragon. The group of mercenaries that Erron had joined. Why the fuck did Erron bring this guy into your home. Erron called your name.

"Set the gun down, sugar." You didn't take your eyes off of Kano. 

"Respectfully, Erron, I don't think I will." Kano laughed, but you didn't think anything was funny. Erron called your name again, strutting over to you carelessly. Archie growled as he got closer. He set a hand on the gun, pushing it down.

"Calm. Down." You huffed but gave in. Sending your friend a nasty look as you lowered your defense. Erron wouldn't willingly let you be in danger. There's no way he would. You had to remember that.

"We came here for some help. 'Know that cave at the edge of your property?" The cave? You found it when you had just moved in, part of an old interlocking set of mining tunnels carved out of the land in the early 1900s. When you checked it out at first, it was Erron who actually went with you. You had a fond memory of fucking around in the tunnel, only to find an old elevator next to a dead-end tunnel with bloody handprints and markings that trailed across the wall and into the elevator. That was enough to get the two out of there. What would they want with it?

"What about it?"

"Those runes we found in it match what a client is looking for. We just want to check it out, and get outa' you're way." You laughed, glancing between Kano, who was currently putting a cigarette out on your favorite chair- and Erron, who still stood next to you in an almost defensive manner.

"Am I supposed to believe that there's no catch to this? No killer secrets? No blackmail?" Kano snickered, standing from his chair and walking over to you. You stood strong, but the beating of your heart sped up. You hated feeling afraid.

"The catch is, you show us the cave, and we leave your little buddy here alive." You scowled, and Erron sighed deeply at his boss, knowing already that he had started something.

"First of all, you don't get shit if you threaten my dog, asshole. You piece of human sh-"

"Just think of it as a favor between friends." Erron interrupted. You frowned at his words. His paycheck was definitely depending on it. Your thoughts split In two different ways. One, the fact that he's using your friendship to manipulate you into doing him a favor, two… it felt relieving that he still thought of you as friends. 

You finally gave in, sighing and relaxing almost completely. Archie nuzzles your leg before running off. You turned your head just slightly to watch him out of confusion when a sudden yank catches your attention. Kano had snatched your shotgun straight out of your hands. Erron stiffened next to you.

"I'll take that!" 

"You-!" Erron held out back just as you went to lunge at Kano. You struggled against him for just a moment before he gave you a bit of a push to set you back. What had gotten into him?!

"Ah ah ah! Sorry, Sheila, there's no way we're gonna let you keep this on you. Erron?" Kano taunted. You went to yell in protest but only yelped, Erron's hands suddenly holding onto your arm.

"Just comply. It'll be over soon." Erron whispered. You grumbled in protest but didn't fight it as they took you from your warm house. 

Kano walked proudly ahead of you and Erron while navigating to the cave. Fucker didn't even know where he was going. You had been scowling the whole time, a surprising feat while Erron was around. Speaking of which, His hand on your arm had softened its hold, but the strangest thing was that he still wouldn't look at you.

"This is your idea of a visit?" You mumbled to him. He shook his head, his heavy steps landing on a twig he forcefully snapped as you walked. He was definitely in a mood.

"This' a business trip, hun. Wouldn't be here if it weren't for that." You snickered.

"Yeah right. You'd end up here eventually." You said the words but didn't quite believe them as you walked. "Don't think you could stay away if you tried."

"-And I tried." You ignored the painful sting in your chest, going silent before shouting another set of directions to Erron's dipshit boss. You could almost feel Erron's gaze change as his eyes remained on you.

"-look, I didn't want you to get caught up in all this. It's bad enough that I'm here now." The words made you frown slightly. You elbowed Erron in the side, trying to make a little light of the situation.

"Better than Kano coming out here by himself." Erron laughed. 

" 'Betcha you'd've killed him the moment he stepped into your house."

"I almost did." You couldn't see Erron's smile through his mask, but the happy look in his eyes was infectious. You couldn't help but blush a bit, walking closer to him. His hold on your arm was loose and comfortable at this point, and you couldn't make yourself break out of it.

"You lovebirds done shit-talking or what?" God, you hated this Kano guy. The rest of the walk was silent. After about 30 minutes of almost tripping on fallen limbs, you finally made it to the cave. 

"Quite a big place for such a little property, huh?" You didn’t respond to Kano. Ignoring him as Erron guided you to walk past him.

"Oh don't be coy. Where'd all that fire go?" Kano was taunting you again, but both you and Erron ignored him this time. Erron spoke over him when he tried to speak a third time.

"Which way d'you go from here?" You laughed.

"You think I know? I try to stay away from this place as much as I can. Haven't been here since you were with me." Erron furrowed his eyebrows, taking a moment to click a flashlight on. He looked around for a moment, before setting out in a direction. Kano followed behind, a little too close to your back for your liking. 

Shivers ran rampant across your skin when you finally found the elevator. Kano pushed past you forcefully, knocking you off balance. Erron caught you with a steady hand around your waist. You relaxed in his touch, and once again pushed forward.

"Ahh! Look at that beauty!" Kano took out a camera, and you flinched at the flash. 

"I'm sure the client won't mind if we keep a few copies of the pictures to ourselves, now would he?" Kano laughed. Being around Erron was nice, but you were losing your patience. It was late, you had work in the morning, and you were just plain tired of this black dragon bullshit. You didn't notice when Erron's arm fell away from yours.

"Look, I showed you the cave. Just give me my gun, and let me go back to bed." Kano snickered at your words, Erron loomed behind you. 

"I don't think you'll be going far." Kano spat on the ground after he spoke, you scowled. 

"Excuse me?" Kano's smile was gritty and disgusting. He whistled at Erron, walking past you with your shotgun held loosely in his grip. You contemplated snatching it, but when you whipped around-

It almost felt like you couldn't breathe. You were staring down the barrel of Erron's pistol for a long moment. 

"Look kid, we can't have someone like you knowing about this cave thing, it's too risky and all that blabber, you understand. You've been such a delightful host and all, but it's time for you to go." Kano laughed.

"Can't tell any divine dipshits about our little meeting if she's dead anyway, now can she Erron?" Erron had never been so out of focus before, his stomach wringing in knots. He hardly knew what to think as he pointed the gun at you, something he'd never thought he'd ever do.

"Hey?" A little voice called out. A little face leaning down to peer at the little boy with his head buried unto his knees. He hardly glanced up. 

"Hi." He had murmured so quietly.

"Do you want to share this sandwich with me? You look lonely."

"Erron?" Your voice quivered. Panic was written all over your face. His finger lingered on the trigger as his chest squeezed.

"Sit still, dumbass." You squeezed his bloodied arm.

"That shit burns!" He hissed out. You laughed at him, dabbing at the large cut he had gotten from some idiot with broken glass on the school grounds.

"Well duh. It's isopropyl alcohol. It's gonna burn like hell." He was cute when he was confused. You laughed. 

"It disinfects the wound, Erron."

"... I knew that. I'm not fucking stupid." He had grumbled.

"Nothin' personal." He finally spoke. The words hurt him as they came out.

"That's not how you use a rifle." Throwing popcorn, at Erron, you quickly stole the remote to turn the volume up.

"Shh! Just shut up and enjoy the movie. Westerns aren't exactly supposed to be realistic."

"Well I can't really enjoy an unrealistic western, can I?- he's holding that wrong-"

Your face started to shift from panic to anger as kano patted Erron's shoulder, walking back into the rickety elevator.

"Panicked now, aren't ya Sheila? Want to beg? Or are you the proud sort?" You snarled at him.

"No." You said stiffly. "No. I want to see you do it, Erron." Kano laughed from the elevator. Erron remained stiff, his smooth voice taking a moment to come out.

"Look, you don't know-"

"I said do it, Erron!" You snapped, stepping closer to the cowboy. He didn't step back, his hand didn't waver. You stepped close enough to him that the barrel of his pistol pressed to your forehead. 

"Go ahead! Be Kano's little lapdog. Shoot me." You spat, the adrenaline working its way into your system. "Shoot me and say goodbye to all the FUCKING years I took care of your ass and bury me in that shitty town we grew up in Erron!" Erron's stone-faced seriousness finally broke, and even though he was wearing a mask you could still see the rage in his eyes as he grabbed you by the collar of your shirt and forcefully yanked you closer to him. He kept the gun pressed to the side of your head.

"Do you have any idea who you're provoking? You. don't. know me. anymore. Sugar. You don't have any idea what I'm capable of!" You let out a curt laugh.

"You and I both know I still do." You snarled. Both of you went silent, the tension crackling between the two of you. You could see the panic that hid under the steely overlaying emotion in his eyes. Only Kano's ongoing childish taunts remained.

"Well then, Erron? Get on with it!" Erron's stiff posture remained, he spoke to Kano, but his eyes remained on yours. 

"Fuck off Kano." Kano didn't take that well.

"Excuse me? I'm your boss, dipshit. You can't just-" All of a sudden, Erron pushes you back, reels around, and shoots through the spaces in the old metal elevator, the bullet hits the back of the wall, and ricochets through the old, decaying pulley rope that held it up. Kano looks up in horror and rage. His screaming and cursing faded as the elevator launched down and crashed to the very bottom of the mine.

All is silent. All that can be heard is your labored breathing from all the shouting and adrenaline.

"Still want me to shoot you?" Erron asks. Speaking smug words with a tone only you could recognize as him trying to hide his panic. You scowled again. Walking over to him with tears stinging at the corner of your eyes.

"You're such a fucking asshole!" You shouted, punching him in the shoulder. Erron didn't flinch.

"And?" You couldn't stop the tears now. All the pain, and heartbreak, and sadness rushing out at once. You weekly hit his shoulder one more time, and grappled him into a hug, burying your face into his chest without being able to stop your sobs. Erron stood stiff. After a moment, his arms slid around your waist, and he held you back tightly.

"Kano's gonna kill you for that." You laughed through the tears. Erron didn't respond. His hand left your side for only a moment, and when it held onto again he had taken off his mask, letting it drop to the floor. Erron buried his face into your hair, holding you a bit tighter than before. 

It was quiet again. Erron squirmed after a moment.

"...I wouldn't have buried you in that town." You snorted, not taking your face out of his chest, biting your nails into the fabric of his shirt just a bit.

"So you admit you would've shot me?" Erron didn't react to the words. He only sighed into your hair, lifting a hand to pinch your ear. You pulled yourself out of his chest with a laugh, and his hands settled on your waist. You wiped your tears, your nose, and tried to make yourself a little better. It didn't really work. Erron could see that. He lifted a calloused hand to your cheek anyway.

"Just because you've come to your fucking senses doesn't mean I'm not still mad." You sniffled, smiling still as the bitter words fell out of your mouth.

"Yeah, well you should be. Kano was being an asshole anyway. That's the only reason I let you go." Erron coughed, you raised an eyebrow at him, clearly not buying it. He rolled his eyes, huffing through his nose.

"... Maybe not the only reason." The smile returned to your face, and you rolled your eyes at him this time. At this point, it was almost like he didn't realize it himself.

"God, you're really not fooling anyone, dumbass." Erron scowled, about to retort when you decided, Fuck it. And clutched his face to pull him into a kiss. He didn't respond at first, stiff and uneasy.  Always so stubborn. After a second or two though, he melted into your lips, pulling you closer. It was hard to hold on to all your anger when he was just so kissable. He'd get his ass beaten for this little stunt. You would make sure of that, but right now all you wanted to focus on was the relieving kiss you had waited so long for.

[wiypt-writes]

Stark Spangled Banner

Ch 8: Old Friends, Not So New Tricks

Summary: When a familiar face turns up asking for Katie’s expertise, she finds herself confronted by another familiar face, this one being one she would rather never have had to see again.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Warnings: Language! Blood and SPOILERS if you haven’t seen Agents Of SHIELD….

A/N: Once again huge thanks to @angrybirdcr​ for her edit here, and the new banner for the next couple of sections of the story as we head forward through the next few parts of SSB...

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

Chapter 7

O/S: Phobias

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist // Main Masterlist

November 2013

There’s a fine line  between success and failure. And that last mission had well and truly teetered its way along the edge. The team had been split up after a catastrophic coms failure leaving Katie and Evans badly compromised.  They had just about got the situation under control after some quick thinking from Katie and very sharp shooting from Evans, when Steve had broken every protocol in place and run head first into a gun fire to get them out, putting himself in danger.

And Katie was livid at him.

“We had it under control!” she said, her voice raised as she stormed through the corridor away from the hangar, people turning to look. They’d been arguing about it all the way home.

“Yeah, well, it didn’t look like it from where I was standing!”

“Damned it Steve!” She spun to face him. “You weren’t standing anywhere, you were running, head first into the crossfire without even thinking about what was going on!”

“The last thing I heard was that you were surrounded-”

“This is EXACTLY what I don’t want you to do!” Katie groaned as she ran her hands over her face “Run in there without a second thought for your own damned safety or anyone else’s.”

“What do you mean anyone else?” Steve’s nostrils flared.

“You left Rumlow and Rollins completely uncovered,” Katie shook her head, “to come and save me. I’m not a fucking princess that needs rescuing Steve!”

“Don’t talk to me like that!” Steve’s voice was loud, displaying the anger he was feeling inside at her attitude. 

“I’ll talk to you how I want!” She snapped back. “You know everyone gossips enough about us as it is and we’re almost seven months down the fucking line…”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“…and yet you STILL give them fuel!” She threw her hands out to the side, bringing them back down to her combat outfit clad sides with a slap. “Oh look at Nova, needs her Super Soldier Boyfriend to bail her out!”

“For the last time…” Steve hissed between his teeth, but Katie completely ignored him.

“If you can’t remain objective when we work together then maybe we shouldn’t be on the same team.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t if that’s how you feel!” He practically snarled, as he took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders back as his hands dropped to his belt buckle, eyes blazing. 

“Glad we understand one another.” Katie spat back, before turning on her heel and heading towards the armoury to change, ignoring his shouts.

****

After debrief, for the first time in ages Steve left work alone. He was in a foul mood, and practically wrenched his apartment door off its hinges. In part he was pissed at Katie’s attitude, but in others his anger was directed at himself because deep down he knew she was right. He’d utterly lost it when he’d heard she was in trouble and hadn’t been able to do anything else but rush in there to help get them out. It was ridiculous, she was a trained agent with a shot on her like you wouldn’t believe, and the amount of times they’d been in bad situations before…but something today, something about the way she’d sounded on the radio had gotten to him and he’d abandoned all thoughts of professionalism and gone after his girl.

Sighing he threw his keys down on the kitchen side and grabbed a beer from the fridge before making his way into the living room, toeing off his boots as he want. He dropped onto the sofa and let out a loud moan of frustration, his head lolling back against the cushions. He hated that they’d rowed, this was the first big argument they’d actually had. Sure they quibbled about small things, the fact he made her sleep on the right hand side of the bed at his because it was furthest away from the door (just in case anyone got in), the way he was a bit of a neat freak and when she did stay for more than a night his apartment looked like a whirlwind had been through it (Ok, he didn’t actually mind that so much in truth), the way she tried on every fucking outfit she owned before they went out (maybe not every outfit, but close enough…), the way he often went for a run first thing in the morning and she’d get pissed he wasn’t there when she woke up because…well, because….but all that was stuff he adored. The normal part of being with someone you were comfortable sharing your life with.

As he took a pull from his bottle his eyes rolled to the right and fell on the large photo frame on his wall. It was one she had made him for his birthday.

“Open the big one first…” She instructed, nodding to the gifts that were piled on his sofa.

He did as he was told without saying a word, picking it up and resting it on his lap. It felt like a photo frame. As he peeled back the wrapping paper he realised that’s exactly what it was. It was large with glossy pine edges to match the furniture in his apartment and filled with photos of him all from his life before the ice and his eyes grew large as he took in the faces that looked back up at him. There was a photo of him and Bucky as kids, another as teenagers, then one of them in the army- the one of them laughing that Katie had said she loved. His eyes began to mist over as he saw a few shots of his parents at their wedding in Ireland, on the steps of their tenement building at Brooklyn, one of him and his mom when he was a small boy, then he spotted one of him and Howard along with various shots of him with the Howling Commandos and finally one of him, Colonel Chester Phillips and Peggy. And at the bottom of the frame, on a silver plaque was engraved a quote from the Wizard of Oz- ”A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.”

“I thought it was a shame to just keep them in a box.” Katie said gently as she sat next to him. “I wanted you to see them every day and remember you meant as much to them as they did or do to you.”

His fingers trailed over the various faces in the frame as the memories flooded his brain and he felt a lump in his throat at the wave of nostalgia crossing over him, and also at the utter thoughtfulness that had gone into her gift.

 “I picked what I thought were the nicest ones.” She continued and he was aware her tone was growing nervous. “But we can swap them if…”

“Katie,” his voice was croaky as he cut her off and looked up at her. He was right, she was biting her lip, worried that she had upset him but nothing could be further from the truth. He moved to take her face in his hands and he kissed her, hard. He pulled away and looked at her speaking with utter honesty and sincerity “This is amazing, Darlin’. Thank you so much.”

Letting out a sigh, Steve’s eyes dropped from the wall to a smaller frame on the sideboard, this one contained a photo of him and Katie a ‘selfie’ of the two of them at the Top of the Rock, taken when they had gone back to New York to visit Tony one weekend in October. He loved it, the pair of them grinning like idiots, Katie wearing a baby blue sparkly beany and matching scarf, her smile genuine and him looking like a loves-struck idiot, pressing a kiss to her cheek as he glanced at the camera. She had the same photo in her living room too.

No, he couldn’t go to bed without sorting this out. Abandoning his half-drunk bottle of Sam Adams, he shoved his shoes back on, grabbed his keys and headed out.

****

Katie didn’t even stay for debrief, more to piss Steve off than anything. It was petty, yes but she was absolutely raging at him. Their relationship had been the talk of the Triskelion for months, and for that reason, they had behaved nothing but professionally on missions, wanting to prove to not only everyone they worked with, but to themselves, that they could remain objective in their work and that them being together wouldn’t compromise the way they behaved in the field. 

And now he had fucked that.

She ignored his call which came just as she got home and throwing her phone onto the sofa she grabbed a glass of wine and ran herself a bath, turning her music up loud. She lay back under the bubbles, gently humming along to the music. Music was her thing to calm down to. She’d always played piano, right from the age of four when her mom had taught her, and she wasn’t bad at it either.

The mellow sounds of John Legend’s ‘Ordinary People’ faded into the opening notes of ‘Only One In Color’ by Trapt, and Katie paused, smiling. This song took her years back, to nights in London with colleagues in bars, and then a concert in Orlando in 2009…and Steve, it took her back to Steve and one rainy afternoon in August.

Katie shimmied around, folding laundry and dropping it into the basket as she sang, loudly. It had been ages since she’d done this, just danced around her apartment like an idiot. She turned round to grab the final load out of the machine and screamed as Steve was stood in the doorway, arms folded, leaning against the frame, that annoyingly cute smirk on his face.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” 

“Jesus, how long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough” He grinned, crossing the room and wrapping his arms around her. He nuzzled into her neck and the two of them stood there, still, listening to the song that was playing.

“What is it?” Steve asked, pressing a kiss to the spot just below her ear..

“It’s called Only One In Color, by a band called Trapt.” Katie replied, turning her head to look at him. “It kinda reminds me of you actually.”

Steve smiled as they listened for another second before he moved back, his hand taking hers as he raised it above their heads and spun her round, playfully as she laughed, before he pulled him to her.

“Dance with me.”

“What, here? In my apartment?”

“Our own private ballroom.”

“You’ve never danced before.” Katie looked up at him. “You told me.”

“I know, Peggy was right.” He took a deep breath and looked at her. “I was waiting for the right partner. So, what do you say? Teach me?”

“You know I don’t really know a lot of steps.” Katie felt a smile spread across her face as Steve placed his free hand on the curve of her waist and she began to lead them around on the spot, her right hand held in his left, her left curling up and over his right shoulder. She watched Steve, who was concentrating so hard that his brows pinched together slightly, a look that was incredibly endearing.

“Stop over thinking it.” She said gently, looking up at him. “Listen to the music and just let go.”

So he did. He let go, listening to the melody and the words, smiling a little as the lyrics hit home, really making him think about the woman in his arms. She had brought colour to his life, given him a reason to keep going in this world he had found so strange and, well, daunting. As he found his rhythm, he felt the smile pull even broader on his lips. He raised his head from where his eyes had been focussing on his feet and his girl beamed up at him, squeezing the hand that she held.

“See, it’s not that hard is it?” She giggled. Steve returned the grin and shook his head.

“Surprisingly not.” He admitted. They continued to revolve around the space in the doorway between her kitchen and laundry room and Katie lay her head on his chest, Steve’s face automatically turning down slightly so his cheek was resting against her hair. After a minute or so Katie felt him move and instinctively she looked up and could do nothing but smile as they stopped dancing and their mouths drifted closer together. Her hand slipped up, fingers stretching themselves into the short hair at the nape of his neck as his lips met hers, his hand creeping across her back, large palm pressed firmly against her spine. 

They never made it to the bedroom, they made it as far as the couch before they were both naked and going at it like a couple of horny fucking teenagers. And since then it had been ‘their’ song.

Katie sighed and drained her wine glass before she set about washing her hair and climbed out of the bath. She dressed in a pair of shorts and a hoodie before pulling her damp hair back into a French braid and had just settled on the sofa to watch TV when the buzzer to her apartment went. Picking up her phone to look at the security camera she took a deep breath and realised it was Steve.

“Sweetheart let me in. My key card is at home.”

She gave no response.

“I’m not going till you do, you know I could do this all day. Or all night.”

Still no response.

“I mean it’s a pretty interesting buzzer.”

With a groan, knowing full well the stubborn little shit in him would do just that, she pressed the button to let him in. Half a minute or so later the alert went again to signal he had requested access to her floor. Once more she tapped to accept and turned her attention back to the TV. She didn’t look up as the elevator door in the panel in her wall slid open, keeping her eyes focussed on the television as he strode into the room, heading straight for her once he’d hung his jacket up on the hooks to the right of the elevator.

“You were gonna watch this without me?” Hesaid gently, nodding to the episode of ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ that was playing as he dropped down next to her.

“Yes.” She replied simply, her arms folded.

Steve fought the smile spreading across his face at her childishness. He knew if she was mad the worst thing he could do was laugh at her and make her think he wasn’t taking her seriously. So, he took a deep breath and turned so he was facing her on the couch, arm resting along the back.”

“I know you’re pissed at me.” He sighed. “But come on Doll, I hate fighting with you.”

“Then stop being a dick.” She snarked back. Steve took another deep breath and looked at her as she continued. “You know what it’s like at work, everyone has constantly analysed everything I do because, hello, Howard Stark’s daughter, and today…”

She trailed off and Steve looked down at his hands and shook his head. “I know. I didn’t mean to make it look like you couldn’t handle yourself.”

They fell into silence and Katie exhaled sharply, deciding to meet him half way. She knew he hadn’t meant to make her feel like he had but, there was also a part of her that had been scared. Not just for her and Evans, but seeing Steve rush in, headfirst with no regard for his own safety just to get to her had really frightened her. Despite his enhanced nature, he wasn’t invincible.

“You need to trust me when I’m out there.” She spoke, her voice was softe.

“I��do trust you, you know that.” He looked at her. “But I’m not gonna apologize for looking out for you, Sweetheart. It’s my job. Both as your Captain and your man.”

“I get that, I do.” Katie sighed. “But you put yourself in danger today, running straight into the middle of a fire fight…can you imagine what I’d have done if you’d have been…”

She trailed off, swallowing and took a deep breath before she continued and her words hit Steve. He hadn’t considered she had felt as worried about him as he had her.  

“We have to remain objective, and if that means you can’t just abandon the team for me.”

“I know, you’re right, I’m sorry.” He said finally.

She looked at him and took a deep breath, the anger dissipating at his apology and moved to give him a hug, her arms round his shoulders as he wrapped his around her back and pulled her clumsily into his lap.

 “I’m sorry for reacting the way I did.” She sighed as she lay her head against his.

“Forgiven?” He asked and she looked down at him, he was giving her his puppy dog eyes. She rolled her own, she couldn’t stay mad at him, especially when there was a small part of her that couldn’t help but adore the fact he cared so deeply for her that he’d rush in, head first with no regard for anything else.

“Captain Dumbass.” She grumbled, before giving him a soft kiss.

“Guess so.” He chuckled. And when she didn’t protest he gently tapped her thigh, and knowing what he wanted she shifted off his lap so he could lay down flat on the sofa, allowing her to drape herself over him like  blanket, head on his chest as his arms wrapped around her back, legs tangling together as they settled in to watch their programme.

*****

Katie hadn’t been in the office for five minutes the next morning when she got a message to say Fury wanted to see her. In the years she had known the director, she still found it hard to get a read on him and this time was no exception. She stepped into his office and he nodded to her, and without a word got straight to business, leading her over to the screen on the wall by the sofas.

“I was wondering what you made of this.” He said nodding to the large screen on the wall. The photo displayed was of a tree trunk, cut in half and running down the middle was a long, tube like shape, with some markings on it. The photo zoomed in and Katie frowned.

“These look like the markings on Thor’s hammer.” She looked at the Director.

“Funny you should say that.” Fury nodded. “Because the Spectrographic signatures match the readings from Thor’s hammer too.”

“So whatever was in that tree was Asgardian?”

Fury nodded. “It looks that way, Nova, yes.”

“Where was it found?”

“That’s a trunk from a Norwegian spruce in Trillmarka National Park, Norway.”

“Figures.” Katie bit her lip.

“How do you mean?” Fury looked at her.

“The legends of Thor, they all have origins in Norway. When I asked him about it, Thor explained that Asgardians visited Earth thousands of years ago.” She explained. “They roamed Norway, mingling with the old Norse people, but back then, because humans couldn’t understand the concept of people from another planet, these, well, these aliens were revered as Gods.”

Fury gave a noise of understanding.  

“So who took it?” She asked. “Has Thor been back since the whole incident in Greenwich or…”

“I wish he had, then I wouldn’t really give a shit.” Fury sighed. “This thing has gone AWOL. According to my team on the ground, it was taken by a woman and a man, very much of Earth”

“Great.”  Katie rolled her eyes, before she continued, her tone laced with sarcasm. “Because every time something alien lands in human hands that ends well.”  

Fury gave a snort and pressed a button on a remote and she turned her attention to the TV on the wall of the office. It was screening a news broadcast, footage of a riot. The runner on the bottom of the screen identified the location as Oslo.

“The rioting has left twenty injured and three in a critical condition. Reports indicate that the group of about a dozen was led by this man and woman.”

A picture of the culprits filled the screen. The man was tall, dark haired, dark eyed and had a short beard. The woman, in contrast was slight, blonde and with icy blue eyes.

“And although their motive was unclear, the message was spelled out on the streets of Oslo, for all to see”

“It looks like the item has given them powers beyond those of normal humans.” Fury spoke as the newscast panned over to a fire on the street, this time an aerial view. The fire spelt out the words “We are Gods”.

“So what do you need me to do?” Katie asked, looking at him.

“I’m gonna need you to work with one of my field teams.” Fury continued, looking at her. “My best field team, actually. I want you to help them track these guys down. You have a decent knowledge on Asgardian and Mythological history and the team could do with someone with a little background on the subject.”

“Sir, if these people are as powerful as this report is saying, shouldn’t we consider at least trying to contact Thor, possibly the rest of the Avengers?” Katie looked at him.

 “No.” Fury’s response was instantaneous. “I don’t want the Avengers involving. It would attract too much attention.”

“With all due respect, they just set a street on fire. I dare say it’s already attracting a fair amount of attention so whats-“ She trailed off as Fury looked at her, an expression on his face that Katie knew extremely well having seen it several times before. The expression he wore when he was about to drop a bombshell. “Oh, what are you hiding Nick?” She frowned.

“I want you to understand that you’ve been kept in the dark about this so far for a reason. And I know you’re going to get emotional, but if you could refrain from throwing that coffee you’re holding, Nova, I’d appreciate it.”

“Dark about what?” She pressed, her tone irritated. She didn’t have time for this bullshit.

Agent Fury pressed a button on his phone on his desk. “Alright, you’re up.” And with that the TV snapped onto a different channel and she turned to see a familiar man sat in a chair on the screen.

Katie didn’t throw the coffee, instead it slipped from her hands as her mouth dropped open and the entire room swam in front of her eyes.

“Sorry, boss. The God rabbited” 

“Just stay awake. EYES ON ME!” 

“No. I’m clocked out here.” 

“Not an option!” 

The room came back into focus again and she looked from the screen to Fury, then back. “This…this is impossible.” She stammered.

“I’d have said the same thing myself not long ago.” Phil Coulson gave a shy little smile.

Katie found herself floundering for words before the anger at the lies and deceit bubbled up.

“No, you…you died! I was there, I saw it!”

“Excellent medics.” Fury concluded.

“They took you away, in a body bag!” Katie’s voice rose to a yell as she ran her hands over her face, unable to believe what she was seeing. She’d cried, mourned the loss of one of her friends, a man who had been her mentor. She looked at Coulson on the screen, and then away again, her eyes misting up slightly.

“No one knew I’d pulled through until after New York.“ Coulson spoke softly “I spent months recovering in Tahiti. It’s a magical place.”

“I want your word that you will not reveal Agent Coulson is alive to anyone.” Fury spoke and Katie turned to look at him, her face curling up in an angry sneer. “I debated long and hard about pulling you into this but we need you.”

Katie eyed the director, chin jutting upwards as she glared at him. “Don’t you ever get tired of the lies?”

“I have no option.” Fury’s face was stern. “I can’t risk the Avengers falling apart.”

“I’m not lying to them for you.” She shook her head “No way. A team is built on trust. Without that you have nohing.”

Fury looked at her for a moment, before he sighed. “That wasn’t a request, Agent Stark. If you tell anyone I’ll remove you from service.”

“So now you’re blackmailing me?”

“I’m merely pointing out your options.” Fury replied simply.

“You are unbelievable.” She shook her head. “Fuck you. Fuck this.”

She turned to walk out of the door before Coulson’s voice rang across the room.

“Katie, please. We wouldn’t be asking this of you if it wasn’t urgent, but we really do need your help

The use of her first name, not her code name, made Katie stop in her tracks. Taking a deep breath she spun back, fire in her eyes as she glared at Coulson’s image on the screen. “Why should I?”

“Because, ” Coulson continued, “you’re the only one I trust enough with this.”

Katie ran her hands over her face, torn between wanting to leave and her desire, sorry, duty to help. In the end her duty won out and she felt her shoulders slump as she looked back towards the two men, giving them both a curt nod.

“Fine, but that does not mean that I’m happy about this. Any of it.”

“You’ll rendezvous with the Bus in Oslow.” Fury instructed, ignoring her emotion completely. “There’s a Jet being prepped to take the new shift of mobile STRIKE team members out as we speak. You can go with them.”

“Whatever.” She shrugged. With a final roll of her eyes she made to leave the room before Fury called after her.

“Agent Stark.”

“What?” she demanded as she spun round, fixing her eyes on his.

“I’m sorry.” He sighed, shaking his head. “But I had to do it.”

She swallowed, before she turned and left, not trusting herself to respond.  

*****

Steve was looking for Katie, he knew she’d been to see Fury and was eager to find out what it was about. After asking a few agents if they’d seen her he finally tracked her to one of the kitchens where she was sat, hugging a cup of coffee like her life depended on it, staring down at the table. He frowned, she looked absolutely beat.

“Sweetheart?” He asked tentatively as she looked up at him. His frown deepened when he saw her face. She looked distraught. “Honey, what is it?”

One look in his eyes and Katie knew she couldn’t lie to him, she didn’t want to lie to him. Fuck Fury, fuck all of this.

“Coulson…he…” She stammered, looking up at Steve, her eyes wet.

“What about him?” Steve frowned.

She took a deep breath, tears now rolling down her face. “He’s alive, Steve, he’s fucking alive.”

And then the dam broke and she began to sob. Steve instantly went into autopilot, pulling out a spare chair and moving it close to her so he could wrap his arms around her as she cried into his tevlar clad chest, his own mind whirling at the news.

Eventually she calmed down to tell him everything. And Steve listened, not saying a word, simply holding her hand, his thumb skating over her knuckles as she spoke. He did, however, make an angry noise that was half way between a snort and a growl when she told him Fury had threatened to sack her if she told anyone.

“I honestly thought I’d seen it all, that nothing life threw up would ever surprise me again.” She sighed looking at Steve as she finished explaining.

“Ten bucks says you’re wrong.” He smiled softly and she spluttered a watery laugh through her tears, remembering what she’d said to him the first time they had met. “There’s my girl.” Steve reached over to gently brush her cheek with his hand. “I like it better when you smile.”

“Sorry, but I’m so angry. Fury is lying, again! Has he learnt nothing from everything that’s happened over the past few years?”

Steve didn’t say anything, merely studied her face for a moment and then both of them turned their attention to the door when one of the Junior Agents appeared.

“Agent Stark, Director Fury asked me to tell you we’re wheels up in an hour.”

“Thanks.” She nodded, sniffing before she looked at Steve. “I don’t even have time to pack.”

“You got some stuff in your locker, right?”

She nodded. She always had a few days’ worth of clothes in her locker and toiletries to hand, just in case. She ran her hands over her face and stood up. “You know, I don’t even know who I’m meeting!” She shook her head. “Other than Fitz and Simmons, I’ve no idea who Coulson has on The Bus.”

“Whoever it is I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Steve assured her. “And I know it’s shitty but they asked for you for a reason.”

“Suppose I best make the most of it, seeing as it will be my last mission, you know, on account of me telling you.”

“It won’t come to that.” Steve shook his head “I’m not gonna tell anyone I know.”

“Fury always finds out.” Katie sighed. “Tony is right about him. His spies have spies.”

Thirty minutes later she was walking to the hangar, suited in her SHIELD cat suit, Steve carrying her holdall for her as they walked. The Captain didn’t like this, he hated that she was effectively being manipulated and he would have loved nothing more than to give Fury a piece of his mind but he couldn’t, because he wasn’t supposed to know. They reached the bottom of the jet and Katie turned to him as he handed her bag to one of the agents who nodded to them both.

“I’ll call you as soon as I can.” She promised as Steve looked down at her and nodded

“Make sure you do.” He raised an eyebrow. “Not sure how I’m gonna cope without my best girl.”

“Your best girl?” She teased. “How many others do you have?”

“One or two.” He shrugged. “But they’re in different states, so, they don’t count, right?”

She gave a laugh as she shook her head. “Jerk.”

Steve chuckled and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “You know you’re the only one for me, Doll.” He dropped a soft kiss to her lips. “Just go do what you gotta do. I’ll be here when you get back.”

He kissed her again, this time a little longer, although both still well aware that they were in the middle of a very busy hangar, surrounded by a lot of people. Sighing, Katie pulled back and allowed herself to melt into his arms for a quick hug before she stepped back.

“I love you.” She said gently.

“You too. Be careful.” He looked at her, his features verging on stern with his warning.

“I’m always careful.” She grinned, walking backwards up the ramp, wanting to look at him for as long as possible.

“Well that’s just an out and out lie.” He raised an eyebrow, hands dropping to the buckle of his belt.

She grinned, blew him a kiss and then disappeared into the main part of the jet. Steve watched for a second as the ramp shut before he turned and left the hangar.

*****

The flight over to Oslow wasn’t too long. Katie used the time to do as much reading up on the item they were tracking as possible, going through all the files that Coulson had sent her. Eventually they docked with The Bus and her and the other agents made their way to the Air Lock. The doors shut and the capsule took them down a level before the frosted glass doors opened and there, stood in front of her, was Phil Coulson. The other agents pushed past, clearly fine at the sight of a dead-not-dead man in front of them.

There was a moment’s hesitation, where Coulson and Katie simply looked at each other, and then Katie’s anger boiled over and she stepped forwards, slapping him, hard across the face. The agents who were milling around all paused as Coulson’s head snapped to the side.

“Guess I deserved that…” He said, turning his head back to look at her as everyone hastily carried on with their jobs.

As Katie stared at her old mentor, her anger melted away and with a little sigh she threw her arms around him.  Coulson squeezed her back, before Katie moved a little to look at him, before she spoke for the first time.

“Good to see you again. Not dead, I mean.”

Phil gave a chuckle. “You too Nova. Come on, the rest of the team are waiting in the lab.”

He led her down the hall, Katie following, her eyes taking in her surroundings before Coulson stopped at the end of a corridor, near a door to a room that she could see had a glass wall.

“Now, before you go in, there’s something else you should know.” Coulson turned to face her and she looked at him, letting out an angry groan.

“What now?”

“I want you to know, Fury didn’t want me to tell you as he didn’t think you would come, it wasn’t my decision to keep it from you.”

“Keep what from me?” Her temper was flaring again. “I swear to God AC I am this close…”she held her fingers an inch apart, “to losing my shit!”

Coulson hesitated for a moment and then opened the door to the lab. As they walked in six people all looked up from what they’d been watching and turned to face them. One of them was a dark haired girl she didn’t know and next to her were Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz who Katie knew from the labs when they had worked with Lawson. Then she spotted Melinda May, an agent only rivalled in fighting skills by Natasha.

And then a pair of familiar dark eyes met hers as another familiar face looked up from a tablet.

“Oh for fucks sake!” Katie muttered and she turned to Coulson who shrugged apologetically.

“Good to see you too.” Ward grinned as Katie folded her arms and glared at him.

There was a moment’s pause as the two simply stared at one another, Katie’s teeth grinding together in irritation, before the girl with the dark hair spoke. “Okay, so this is awkward…”

“And this is Skye.” Coulson spoke, breaking up the tension. “She’s a…”

“Hacker.” May supplied, at the same time Skye replied, “consultant”

Katie was really struggling to keep her temper under control now, so missed the irritated glare Skye shot at May. First Coulson, now this. Fury was going to absolutely get the full Stark-slash-Supernova explosion when she got back.

“So, shall we get down to business?” Coulson asked, spotting the look on Katie’s face, realising she needed to focus on something else. “What have you got?”

“We’ve managed to identify our thieves.” May spoke as Sky pressed something on the tablet she was holding. A close up of the woman’s face appeared on the holo-projector in the middle of the room.  “Her name is Petra Larson”

“And this is Jakob Nystrom, her boyfriend. Both thirty.  Leaders of a Norse Paganist hate group”

 “And their numbers are growing thanks to what happened in London and the internet” Sky scoffed. “Yay internet,”

“Norse Paganist?” Simmons questioned

“Obsessed with anything derived from Norse mythology, stories of Asgard, yada yada.” Skye explained. 

“And now a weapon.” Ward gestured to a long object on the table which Katie hadn’t noticed until that point.

“Is that a 3-d print?” She asked, instantly captivated by the item, looking at Fitz who nodded. “May I?”

“Of course…” He said. Katie picked it up and turned it over in her hands, testing the weight as she scanned it up and down. The detailing was exquisite.

“The scan accounted for only one side.” Fitz explained. “There was too much damage to the tree for a complete reproduction”.

“But, see here, it’s clearly broken on both ends.” Katie held it up. “So there are more pieces.”

“Yeah, two at least” Fitz responded, nodding.

“Which means Sid and Nancy may be looking for a complete set.” Ward spoke as Coulson turned to Katie.

“The markings. Just as you said on the call they’re Asgardian symbolism.”

She looked at the item in her hand and nodded. “Similar to Thor’s hammer.”

“Yeah, hard to translate with our limited knowledge.” Couslon shrugged.

“You should give your buddy the God of Thunder a shout.” Sky spoke “He gets his powers from his hammer, right? What if this is his nail to the hammer?”

“He’s off grid.” Coulson looked at her. “And if he has a cell-phone, we don’t have the number.

“I told to get him a pager.” Katie muttered as she peered at the rod and then something stirred in her mind, and she began racking her brains. There was something similar about this, something that she’d seen or read before, if she could only remember what.

“So,” May looked at Katie, “SHIELD’s investigations are on the trail of Nystrom and his followers.”

“We’re charged with identifying the object and finding any other pieces before they do.” Coulson finished.

Katie nodded, still thinking. “If this acts in the same way as Thor’s hammer then that’s a sensible task.”

And then she trailed off as it suddenly hit her exactly what it was she’d been trying to remember.

“No, it can’t be.” She muttered as Coulson looked at her questioningly. She nodded to the item in her hand and then looked back at him. “I could be wrong but this…this could be a piece of the Beserker Staff.”

“The what?”  Ward frowned.

“It’s from an old legend that a great warrior, from another world came to Earth” Katie spoke, recalling the research she’d done once upon a time. “He had in his possession a magical staff but he loved Earth so much he never left, and he broke the staff into pieces and hid them.”

“Any idea on where?” Coulson asked.  Katie shook her head.

 “Well our Pagan friends certainly seem to have some advantage on that front.” Ward sighed. “They found this thing in a hundred and fifty square kilometres of Norwegian forest.”

“Guys, what if it called to them with magic?” Sky asked, her eyes going large and excited.

“Called to them?” May shot her a ‘be real’ look in response.

“We know it’s Asgardian, so the rules are a little bendy here.” Skye pressed.

“Just because we don’t understand something yet doesn’t mean we should regress back to the dark ages, talking of magic and fairy tales” Simmons shook her head and Fitz scoffed his agreement.

“Actually, that’s exactly what we need to do.” Katie looked around as the idea came to her.

“Excuse me?” Simmons asked.

Ignoring him, Katie turned to Agent Coulson. “Remember when we first found the hammer in New Mexico, and I told Fury to consult with an expert on Norse Mythology to fill the gaps.”

“Elliot Randolph,” Phil nodded.

“We should speak to him, he’ll know more about it than me.”

“Alright.” Coulson nodded, looking at May. “He’s a professor at the University of Seville. Set the course, let’s pay him a visit.”

“Shouldn’t take us too long.” May shrugged “But it is getting kinda late. By the time we get there it will be past eight in the evening local time. Can I suggest we head out first thing tomorrow morning?”

Coulson nodded. “Alright. Sounds like a plan. Okay team, lets wrap it up here and get something to eat. Think we’ve earned it.” He then turned to Katie, gesturing with his head for her to follow him out of the room.

He led her down a few more corridors and to a flight of steps which led up to the upper deck of the large airship.

“The Accommodation is probably a bit smaller than you’re used to, but…”

 “If it’s that bad imma find a hotel.” She shrugged as she followed Coulson down the corridor.

“What and miss all the fun?” Phil looked over his shoulder. “I’ve had the gin bar stocked specially.”

“Yeah, for the record that isn’t going to take away from the fact that I’m utterly pissed at you and Fury”

“I know you well enough Nova to not even hope that would be the case” Coulson snorted as they turned right. Eventually they reached the living area and Coulson led her to one of the spare rooms.

It wasn’t as bad as Coulson made it out to be, a bed that was slightly bigger than a single but not a full double, with a small wardrobe and a small basin to the side.

“This isn’t so bad.” She turned to Phil who was watching her a little cautiously.

“Glad it meets your approval.” He nodded, leaning in the door way before he took a deep breath. “Look, I really am sorry about all of this. I wouldn’t have-“

“Let’s just find that thing and then I can go home.” Katie cut him off, not in the mood for anymore apologies or explanations. She had a job to do, and the sooner she did it, the sooner she could get back.

“That’s the plan.” Coulson nodded. “I’ll be in the bar in an hour or so, got a few things to sort out before but, well, it would be nice if we could catch up.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Katie replied. There was a pause before Coulson gave her another curt nod.

“I’ll leave you to it.”

With that he turned and left and Katie’s eyes fixed on the now empty doorway. With a purposeful stride, she moved forward and pressed her palm to the pad at the side, the door sliding shut with a slight click.

Katie turned around, looking at her bag which had been placed at the foot of her bed and with a loud, angry groan of frustration she flopped backwards onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

***** Chapter 9

**Original Posting**

[angellbarnes]

To Love a Soldier (2/3)

summary: When a date night gone wrong ends up going right, it turns out to be the beginning of something you never could’ve imagined.

pairing: 40s Bucky x reader

words: 5k

warnings: angstttt and mentions of death, fluffy part in the middle but really this is a pretty emotional chapter oops 

A/N: Thank you all so much for the notes and support on part 1! Even thought there wasn't a lot it was still more than I was expecting. This part took longer than I thought it would but hopefully it is worth the wait! I think it gets better as you read it because I struggled with how to start it. It also has movie references to The First Avenger and follows part of that storyline but I tried not to make it weird idk. Again, feedback is appreciated and let me know if you want to be on this series’ taglist if you want to know when the next (and final) part is out ☺️🤍

part I

The following week was spent pacing, cleaning, cooking and finding anything that would take your mind off of the awful thoughts that brewed in your mind. Nothing could make them stop, though. No amount of anything could suffice the arguing over whether he would make it home all right or not, and if not, what could’ve happened to him. Every day you would find yourself, sitting or standing, playing with the rose that fell from your neck. You would think about that day he gave it to you and start to believe that you would see him again, soon. Alas, your anxious brain always took over

On the eighth day is when you felt your heart stop. An envelope. An envelope with just your name on it appeared in your apartment letterbox. You rushed back to your room with fleeting anxiety, only to find Bucky’s name nowhere to be seen on the letter within. A great sight of relief left you as you slowly sat yourself down at your small dining table in the middle of the room, continuing to read it. Though this letter had nothing to do with Bucky, it still made your breathing still. Is this a sign, you thought, an opportunity to distract me from my worries over Bucky? Perhaps it was, and so the next day you dressed yourself smartly in khaki green and headed out to begin a new chapter of your life, behind enemy lines.

In your first week of the job you watched and led troupes as they went through their routine push-ups and army practices. You put a few in check when they couldn’t keep their mouths shut. It was the perfect job for you that subsided your nerves and you learned that a Sergeant James Barnes had been the one to recommend you.

A smile grew upon your face as you thought of him. Somehow, this made you more optimistic of his return.

A few months in and you were relocated to a new base for a while, with a Colonel Chester Phillips. A lot had happened, such as the successful experiment on the now Captain America, in the time you’d spent at your new job, though you had yet to see Bucky again.

It was raining. You sat underneath a shelter at the camp, noticing when a truck pulled up with a large red cross on the back and a soldier was carried out on a stretcher. It made your stomach flip slightly. You fiddled with your fingers as you listened to the rain pouring down and the yells of soldiers, both wounded and not. That’s when you heard it. A shout. All your ears focused on was the muffled “107th!” and you shot up from your seat. You rushed out from under your shelter and made it over to the Colonel’s tent, not giving second thought to how drenched you were getting in the downpour. When you made it to the tent, Colonel Phillips was sorting through and stamping numerous letters, all which made your heart clench. You headed for his desk, soaked and out of breath and as he looked up at you, taking in your appearance, his eyebrow raised and eyes narrowed with question.

“The 107th. Is all of this for the 107th?” You panted and he slowly nodded, looking back down to the papers lying in front. You took a breath as he carried on with his work, not knowing if you dare ask about Bucky.

“Colonel Phillips.” A voice snapped you from your thoughts and you turned to face a man, tall and blonde, marching in with a brunette by his side. You recognised him, though you couldn’t quite pinpoint from where.

“Well if it isn’t the star spangled man with a plan, what is your plan today?” Phillips scolded, rather unamused. That was when you realised who the man was: the one and only Captain America.

“I need the casualty list from Azzano.” 

“You don’t get to give me orders, son.”

“And I was here first, sir.” You added, snapping out of it, and he turned to face you. “Colonel I-”

“I just need one name, sir. Serg-” The Captain began.

“Really? Can’t you wait just one second?”

“I’m afraid this is important, ma’am.” He argued, standing his ground, and you could feel yourself become agitated.

”Well so is this.” You bit back and turned back to Phillips. “Please, Colonel, I just want a name.” You could tell the blonde was as restless as you were and when the Colonel nodded you both seemed to not be able to hold it in.

“Sergeant James Barnes.”

“Sergeant James Barnes.”

Your eyes widened as you spun to face him again. Both of you had the same dumbfounded look crossing your faces and. The brunette and Colonel seemed surprised, though kept quiet and you noticed Phillips beginning to look through the letters.

“You know him?” You questioned weekly. He didn’t answer, instead turning to the Colonel once more.

“Please tell me if he’s alive, sir, B-a-r-”

“I can spell.” The Colonel looked to you before standing and facing away, holding the letters. “I’ve signed more of these condolence letters today than I care to count but...” He pauses to glance between you and him, an honestly sorry look staining his features, “the name does sound familiar. I’m sorry.”

Your hand flew to cover your mouth and you could feel tears brimming. It felt as though everything you’d been holding onto since Bucky left had just been ripped from your grasp. You didn’t believe him. He wasn’t dead, he couldn’t be. You didn’t move for what felt like eternity, you could only stand there and block out the muffled sounds of the Captain talking about rescuing the survivors, being drowned by your great amount of loss. Only when the Captain started leaving the tent with the other woman did you rush over. Grabbing him by the arm and spinning him, a few tears escaping, you looked over his hardened, yet hurt, features.

“How?” You questioned, “How do you know him?” You were pleading for an answer and his face softened slightly as he let out a breath. He let his head fall forward, a juxtaposition of the man who stood tall and proud on every poster around America.

“He was my best friend. Spent almost my whole life with him.” He answered, sadly, and you could hear the heartache that was tightly weaved into every word. Realisation of who this man really was hit you.

“Steve?” He nodded, thinking you just knew his name from the experiment. “Steve Rogers. You’re Steve Rogers?” He nodded again, looking slightly more concerned now. “I’m sorry, it’s just... Bucky always told me how little and scrawny you were.” You continued with a breathy laugh.

“I’m sorry, ma’am but who are you?” He questioned. You told him about the day you met Bucky and the week that had led up to this very moment. “Girlfriend? Bucky has a girlfriend?” He asked, rather unconvinced.

“Well... had.” You answer quietly and a silence fell upon you. Steve looked down at you with a hint of a smile and sad-ridden eyes. He engulfed you in a hug and whispered that it would be all right, saying you had him to go to now when you needed to. You thanked him, letting him know that he didn’t fall short of how Bucky had made him out to be. You exchanged equally grieving smiles and from then, you helped him, and who you learned to be Peggy, set out to rescue what remained of the 107th.

“Bring them back, Captain.” You called as him and Peggy boarded the plane.

“I will.” He called back and, with a salute from you, the plane set of into the tempestuous night.

~~~

“... As a result, I must declare Captain Rogers killed in action.” The words reverberated painfully through yours and Peggy’s ears as you stepped into the Colonel’s tent. You let her and Phillips continue talking as you stood at the entrance you’d just walked in from. Another one. Another good man and many other good men taken by the hands of Hydra. You put on a brave face but inside you felt like Hydra were beginning to take away all the good things that walked into your life. You could only pray that they wouldn’t take Peggy, having become a lot closer to her since Steve sent out on his mission.

You couldn’t help that your heart dropped at the statement, though. It couldn't be true, could it? No, Captain America was fine, he had to be. As you finally took a step towards the two, the sudden yelling and rush of soldiers towards the base’s entrance caught everyone’s attention. 

As you, Peggy and the Colonel headed towards the commotion, cheers and applause erupted from the lines of soldiers. A you made your way through the crowd, you could hear the distant shouts of ‘It’s him!’ or ‘Look who it is!’ or ‘He did it!’. Only when you heard ‘Captain America’ did you let your excitement get the better of you. You knew his death couldn’t be true and you picked up your pace, trying to get to the front to greet the missing hero who’d survived his trip into the belly of the beast.

Sure enough, he was there, marching proud alongside the 107th, all beaten and bruised. You smiled faintly as Peggy headed towards him and only when he was closer did you realise who was walking alongside him. A wave of emotions flushed your entire body, though you couldn't find a single word to explain it. Fear, panic, disbelief, happiness, excitement, relief? You felt sick yet it was the happiest moment of your life. Your heart pounded and you found yourself running towards him, though you couldn't feel your feet. It wasn't possible; yet, there he was, in all his dishevelled glory. It was as if all the air had been knocked out of you, yet you could finally breath again.

He didn’t have a moment to register who was jumping into his arms before you did but your breathy cry of ‘You’re alive’ was enough for him to wrap his arms tightly around you. Your voice, thick with emotion, sent his mind away from what Zola had done to him, what Hydra had done to him, and to the person he’d spent every day thinking about. With you in his arms, and the smell of your shampoo, just all of you, waking up his senses; he finally had a moment to relax, knowing he could finally be with you again. Like he promised.

“I’m alive. I’m here, doll, and I’m alive. I promised you I’d come back to you and I always keep my promises. I love you. I’m with you.” He let his words go as he held you, never wanting to let you go again. Tears began to form and he grinned as he buried his face in you hair, relishing this moment that he thought would never come again. When he was trapped in that base, being experimented on, his thoughts were on you. You were his motivation to hold on, to try and get through, and though most of his mind had convinced him that he would never see the light of day again, a small flicker of hope was still alight, and that small flicker was you.

When he set you down your face was stained with tears, yet a happy smile lit up your face, releasing small laughs of relief here and there as you took in the man who finally stood before you again. Your hands went up to his face. You traced his jaw with your right thumb, then running your fingers along his stubble, giggling at the new sensation. You then moved over to his lips, lightly brushing over them as he pressed a kiss to the pad of your thumb, and then your eyes met his, hands falling down to his shoulders and arms, only to come back up and drop to his chest. With your right hand you could feel his heartbeat. It felt like the perfect beat, the perfect song. Like a song you’d heard once and fallen in love with and, since then, had been searching for and you’d finally found it, and you would never let yourself lose it again.

“You kept it.” He smiled nostalgically as he gazed towards your chest. You followed it and smiled as you reached for the pendant hanging from you neck.

“Haven’t taken it off once.” You looked back up and his eyes fixed onto yours, never glancing away.

He couldn’t hold himself back anymore. He planted his lips on yours, humming at the taste of you that he’d been starved of for far too long. You did the same as your arms went around his neck, pulling him closer to you. Whistles and howls from the other soldiers could be heard but the only person you were focused on was Bucky. When you parted you turned to see Steve and Peggy grinning at you like idiots and you couldn’t help but do the same. Bucky held his left arm tightly around your waist, as if you were glued to him, and turned to Steve with an alike grin.

“Let’s hear it for Captain America!” He yelled, and everyone exploded in cheers. Clapping and hollering and whistling resounded throughout the base and it was a moment you’d never forget.

~~~

The first time Bucky died, it was like someone had taken away a part of you. A part that you needed, and it pained you every day. You didn’t think pain could get any worse than that and when he came back, it was like the world started spinning again.

The second time he died, however, was worse. Much, much worse.

In the time between Bucky coming back and the mission that sent him falling into the snowy unknown, you’d built many relationships. Your bond with Steve had grown and he cared for you like a sister, and Peggy, well, she was the best friend you’d never had. You laughed and became close friends with the Howling Commandos, who always threw sarcastic comments when you and Bucky were together. 

You and Bucky, though. God, it was like a dream come true; you’d met your prince and were so deeply in love that you couldn’t even begin to see the surface of it. You spent as much time as you could together and every time you kissed him goodbye as he headed out with the Commandos, he came back, and your doubts of his return became less and less. 

He loved you with all of his heart and never faltered to show it. He brought you a bunch of roses as promised and it was just as perfect, if not more, as the first week you’d been together.

“God, I love you so much. You’re so beautiful, talented, smart, and you deserve the world, doll.” He said one night, as he pushed back some hair that was in your face. He looked at you as though you hung the moon and, in turn, you gazed at him as though he'd hung the stars. It wasn’t all smiles and laughs, though. There were some days with tears and arguments about many different things, however, one of the most amazing things about Bucky was that nothing was left unresolved. You never went to bed unhappy. He always made sure to talk to you, comfort you and figure everything out with you. You helped each other and that was such a special part of your relationship.

It was a faultless life. Until that one, dreadful day.

~~~

The end of the day neared and you were at home, preparing a meal that you and Bucky would share when he returned from his mission. You wondered what story he would have for tonight. Even the smallest missions he made sound like the most exciting thing in the world with his enthusiasm as he told it, leaving you giggling like a schoolgirl. 

You had been burdened with worry throughout the day, having sudden inklings that something bad was happening, but you tried to brush it off, thinking of when Bucky would arrive and you would be in his arms again.

You felt another sudden twinge of discomfort in your chest as you brought a plum and apple crumble out of the oven. It was Bucky’s favourite. Sighing at the smell and humming in satisfaction, you ignored it.

A knock on the door startled you and you made your way over, grinning and smoothing down your dress, ready to greet the person on the other side. Though Peggy wasn’t the one you were expecting to greet.

“Peg, hey, what are you doing here? I thought you were Bucky.” You said cautiously with a nervous laugh, wary of Peggy’s despondent and downcast appearance.

“May- may I come in?” She stutters quietly and your stomach begins to drop. She always spoke with so much confidence, causing more anxiety as to what she’s here for. You nodded and opened the door for her and she headed straight to the couch, sitting down and motioning for you to do the same, which you did. Once you were seated she moved up and took both of your hands in hers. She looked utterly heartbroken and you wondered whether something could’ve happened to Steve, when her eyes started brimming with tears.

“Peg, you’ve got to tell me what’s going on.” You pushed and she looked into your eyes with red-rimmed ones.

“Y/n, it’s Bucky.” Your heart sank at the words, not wanting to hear the rest. You took a breath and closed your eyes, though nothing could’ve prepared you for what came next. “On the mission today, with Steve, there was an accident. Bucky, he- he fell from the train trying to protect him. I’m so sorry.” Peggy’s voice became hoarse as she let her tears fall, watching your whole body slack as you took in the soul-crushing news.

You were silent for what felt like days and you couldn’t even begin to comprehend the pain in your chest. You never truly understood the meaning behind the phrase ‘heartbroken�� and now you finally did. Your tears fell silently as your brain tried to process what you physically couldn’t. You felt sick to your stomach, with a hole in your chest and an inexplicable pain wringing your body. You didn’t speak or move or do anything for fifteen minutes but when the smell of your plum and apple crumble wafted through the air, you ran straight to the bathroom.

Peggy was quick to follow and made sure to hold your hair back as you leaned over the bowl. Your mind was dizzy from the thoughts whirling around. He was never coming back, you were never going to see him again, never going to hold him again, to kiss him again, to dance or laugh with him again, to-

You let out everything you had in you and leaned back. Throwing your head back against the wall, you turned to face Peggy, who was kneeling on the floor, now with a comforting hand on your knee and mascara running down her reddened cheeks. That’s when it fully hit you. You started sobbing, then crying out, louder and louder until you were almost screaming. If anyone had known better, they would’ve thought you were being tortured, though, to you, that’s exactly how it felt.

So there you were, on the floor of your bathroom, hair and makeup a mess, wailing and bawling your eyes out in the arms of your best friend. She let her eyes overflow with mournful tears for Bucky and for you as she held your anguished and broken form.

~~~

You slowly made your way inside the partly destroyed bar, clinging onto your necklace like a lifeline, stepping over planks of wood, rubble, broken glass and memories of the last time you were there. You noticed the slumped form of a blonde sitting at a table., with a bottle of whiskey and a glass in front of him. You headed over and he turned when he heard your footsteps. His face was red and his eyes were puffy. It pained you to see him that way.

“Hey.” You practically whispered, knowing that if you didn’t, your voice would’ve most certainly cracked.

“Hi.” He replied in the same tone, most likely for the same reason. You let your eyes wonder around the room, mind drifting off to the day that begun your journey with Bucky, there, in that very place. You felt your eyes start stinging with tears as you remembered that day you’d met. 

You lifted a barstool that was lying on the ground and picked it up, taking a seat at the bar, in the exact same spot you were in that night, wiping some scraps off of the wooden surface.

“This is exactly where I was sat the night I met him.” You mentioned sadly, smiling softly at Steve as he turned to you again. He slowly got up and made his way over, bringing his drink with him. He dragged over another stool and sat beside you, pouring the amber liquid into his glass.

“I didn’t realise.” He finally said, offering you the glass, which you accepted, taking a long sip. As you began to pass in back he stopped you.

“The serum. It didn’t just affect my muscles, it affected my cells, too. Created a protective system of regeneration and healing. Which means I can’t get drunk.” You focused on the melancholy tone of his voice. Although he was talking about something else, you knew he was blaming himself for Bucky’s death.

“Stop blaming yourself, Steve. It was his choice to fight alongside you. You can’t blame yourself for something that was his choice. I saw the relationship you two had and I know he wouldn’t regret any part of what he’s done with and for you.” You reassured him with a tight-lipped smile, placing a hand on his knee just as Peggy had done for you.

“Did you read the report?” His question was strained.

“I did.”

“Then you know it was my fault.” You sigh and shake your head as he avoided your gaze

“You did all that you could, Steve, and in order to get through this, we must do it together. He would hate to see you doing this to yourself, don’t you think? I know it feels impossible and extremely painful right now but I know we’ll get through it. You’ll get through it. Please, just stop putting everything on yourself and talk to me. Look at me and let me help you. So we can help each other.” You let your voice crack and your tears fall as Steve finally looked you straight in the eye. Though no words were spoken, an understanding was there and you knew you would be there for each other.

“I’m going after Schmidt. I’m not gonna stop until all of Hydra is dead or captured.” 

“And we’ll all be behind you.”

~~~

Some weeks pass and the torment of Bucky’s death was still just as excruciating. No day went past that you didn’t cry. The hole in your chest, in your soul, was still an unfillable void. You would work, then go home, eat dinner, or not, and sleep restlessly and you were stuck on a loop, with your tears lacing through each step.

One day was different than the rest, though.

You made your way into the building where Peggy was talking to Howard Stark. He was a very nice man and, after the continuous flirting attempts, he became a good friend. Once they noticed you they smiled widely, though you could only muster a small one in return.

“What are you to up to? Any new inventions on the way, Stark?” You tried your best to act normal again, making light-hearted conversation like this, taking things one step at a time.

“Well, actually, there is something I’ve been working on. I’ve just been telling Peg, here, about it.” You tilted your head, always amazed with how his brain worked, and waited for him to start explaining it.

“It’s called cryogenics. I have this theory, and there’s a good chance it could work.” He expressed hopefully and you glanced between him and Peggy.

“Well, what is it?” You questioned.

“I’ve drafted this... pod. It’s called a cryochamber. It’s technically designed for humans but the trial ones I’ve made at the moment are for rats, just so I could test it. It worked, though. I was able to freeze the rats, leave them for a week and completely undo the process. It’s as if nothing ever happened to them. Physically, they’re still a week younger than their actual age. The plan is to be able to freeze someone to the point that they are still alive, but their body and cells are preserved so that the process can be undone, effectively leaving them in the exact same state they were frozen in, just further ahead in time.” You stood in shock at his theory. Was that truly possible?

“So, technically speaking, someone could be frozen for ten, twenty years and wake up looking and feeling exactly the same as when they were frozen? Not having aged at all physically?” Your voice is full of pure astonishment as you question Stark.

“That’s the plan, though I was thinking more like seventy or eighty years.” He explained casually, as if he didn’t just pose a theory of a possible type of time travel.

“How on earth do you come up with this kind of stuff?”

“Honestly, this isn’t entirely on me. Rogers found one of that scientist Zola’s old journals in a base they raided. All the notes were in there, I just put them together and made them real.” 

“What was he doing with notes on cryogenics?” You question, concerned about what that could mean for Hydra.

“We have no clue but nothing else on it has been found in any other bases, and Zola insists that no such chamber was ever created.” Peggy answers, making you furrow your brows.

“Despite all of that, this experiment is one that would go down in history if we could actually test it. Though I doubt anyone would be crazy enough to agree to being frozen for that long, without even being sure that they would wake up.” Howard admitted, and you didn’t take a moment to think.

“I will.” You blurted out. Howard and Peggy turned to you with he same concerned expression. You even took yourself by surprise but you didn’t take back what you said. 

“I will. I’ll do it. I spend all my days dragging myself around. I cry all the time and I’m not doing anything better. Whether it works or not, at least I’ll be doing something more than what I’m doing now.” You were reassuring yourself just as much as them and they exchanged questioning glances.

“Y/n, this is one of the most dangerous and high-risk experiments I’ve ever gone ahead with. Including the fact that it came from Hydra, we have no idea what the full effect will be like on a human body. There’s a chance you wouldn’t make it.” You took in his words, swallowing, but you knew you had to do it. It was the only way to get out of your spiralling depression.

“I understand. I’m willing to do anything to try it. If it helps you then please, let me do this. If I don’t make it, that’s okay. Trust me, I want to do this.” You flashed a smile at Howard as he breathed deeply, clearly contemplating letting you do this, no matter how much you reassured him you wanted to and you were fine about it.

Much to Peggy and Howard’s dismay, they reluctantly agreed. It didn’t help how persistent and stubborn you were.

~~~

That is what led you to this very moment. You stand before Howard, Peggy and Steve, all with worry etched into their expressions. 

“It’s okay. This is my choice. Whatever happens to me, it’s alright.” You try to fight back the tears that are threatening the surface but they win when you see Peggy doing the same. She shakes her head as she pulls you into a tight hug.

“God, I love you, you blithering idiot.” You chuckle at her remark.

“I love you too, Peg.” You sniff and wipe some tears when you pull away, turning to Steve.

“I’ll miss you, you big hunk. Don’t go and do anything too stupid while I’m gone.” You release a saddened laugh and he does the same. He wraps his strong arms around your waist, lifting you in the air to hug you.

“Don’t talk to me about stupid when you’re about to get yourself frozen for eighty years.” He replies, and you tilt your head and shrug.

“What can I say, I think you’re rubbing off on me.” You side eye him with a smirk as you head over to Howard. You give your last hug to him and take a deep breath.

“You can still back out if you want to.” He asks but you shake your head.

“No. I have to do this.” He nods in response, fiddling with a few more wires and buttons.

“Well, it’s ready.” You can feel your heart thumping hard in your chest, like it’s trying to get out.

“I better be able to read about you in history books when I’m out. I believe in all of you, so don’t disappoint me.” You say to all of them with a smirk. “Peg, you better keep these boys in check. You’re in charge, okay?” And she laughs.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, darling.” And with that, you climb into the chamber, trying to calm the nerves that are ushering for you to get straight back out. For the final time, you let your fingers trace the red rose around your neck, thoughts of Bucky managing to somewhat calm yourself for what is about to come. As Howard pulls the lid of the chamber shut, you take one final glance at your friends, smiling contently and letting your eyes flutter closed. You let your body relax and brace for whatever is about to come.

The sound of pressured air being released is the final thing you hear before you’re engulfed in an ice-cold embrace, tugging you into darkness.

~~~

Taglist:

@indecisivedolly​

[thefandomlesbian]

Can I have a hotchreid proposal?

You got it!

Read it here on AO3! 

...

"All them holy ghosts were laughing when I got down on my knees, and I gave you my confession: You mean the world to me." -"The World to Me," Freddy and Francine

…

Spencer sat across from Aaron. Aaron had lit the table in his apartment with candlesticks, illuminating the small room with firelight over the panseared steak he'd cooked. "You went over the top on this one," Spencer reminded him gently, his cheeks flushing. "This isn't even an anniversary." As he said it, it made Spencer what it was , if not an anniversary—surely there was a reason Aaron had slaved over this meal. Not a birthday, not an anniversary, not a reunion. Spencer ran through the dates. They'd celebrated their two year anniversary two months ago, and they were still months out from his birthday or Aaron's or Jack's (and besides, Jack wasn't here, so it couldn't have anything to do with him).

"No," Aaron replied patiently, "it's not an anniversary." He fidgeted with his fingers, thumb and forefinger tracing one another. Spencer watched carefully. Aaron self-soothed that way. "Maybe I just want to spoil you." I don't believe that for a second. Spencer licked his lips, analyzing Aaron's behavior, the way his brows twitched and eyelashes fluttered as he thought. Something's bothering him. "Dig in."

Spencer obediently picked up his fork and his knife, cutting into the steak, which Aaron had cooked perfectly to his taste. "You don't expect me to believe that, do you?" he asked as he picked up a bite of steak. Aaron gazed across the table at him. "That nothing's up. I know better than that." Aaron took a manila envelope from the pocket of his suit and placed it on the table beside him. "What is that?" Spencer pressed.  

"It's nothing," Aaron soothed.

Spencer's mind reeled. "Are you sick?"

"What? No, I'm not sick—" Aaron gave a breathy, nervous laugh. "I'm not sick, Spencer. Just eat, please?" A flush had risen to Aaron's cheeks in the candlelight.

"Will you tell me what's going on?" Spencer countered.

" Nothing's going on," Aaron reassured. Spencer shot him an anxious, baleful look. "Look—" Aaron cleared his throat. "I was—I was planning on doing this after dinner, but if it's going to worry you, I can do it now, okay?" Spencer's jaw shifted, watching as Aaron reached for the manila envelope and lifted up the silver tab, sliding out a stack of papers. "Everything is fine," Aaron promised him. Sliding a hand into the pocket of his suit, Aaron withdrew a small, velvet box.

Spencer's heart plummeted into the soles of his feet. No, no, no . Aaron couldn't hear the distressed cries in his head echoing through his veins like caves and tunnels, tunnels plunging all the way to his solar plexus and exhaling to the tips of his fingers and his toes. He descended into the abyss, free-falling, and no one could hear his shrieks of terror, not even Aaron, whose hickory eyes shone with anxious adoration as he got down one knee. "Spencer, will you be my husband?"

His throat closed up in panic. A terrified squeak emerged, not a word, just a sound, like a mouse caught in a trap desperately begging for release. Aaron's face fell, concern replacing everything else on his expression. Spencer took in the scene, something he would never erase from his memory—Aaron, on one knee, looking up at him with pure love and worry, worry because Spencer wasn't saying anything and that had to mean something bad because Spencer always had something to say, the candlelight flickering in the reflections of Aaron's dark eyes and the smile slowly vanishing from his face. "Spencer?" Aaron prompted, softer now.

He placed the open ring box on the table. The ring was beautiful, a hand engraved band with a single diamond imbedded in the silver. Aaron touched Spencer's kneecap.

The touch jerked Spencer back to reality as he realized Aaron wanted an answer, an answer that wasn't a squeak of terror but actually contained words. "No." Spencer's stomach flipped. He thought he would vomit on the spot. "No, I—I can't, I can't marry you, I—" He covered his mouth with his hand to keep from vomiting either words or chyme all over Aaron. His eyes glossed over with tears. He sucked in a desperate breath through his nose, but air seemed harder to come by than before, his chest filling but no oxygen circulating to the rest of his body. His fingers and toes were so cold, so cold—

Aaron covered his hand with his own, warming it, and something inside of Spencer shattered. "Okay," he said slowly, carefully, drawing up his seat behind him and sitting beside Spencer, not letting go of his cold hand. Aaron always knew what he needed. Aaron was always there. Aaron was perfect, and Spencer sat in front of him, tearing their lives to pieces. Aaron squeezed his hand, grounding him from the racing thoughts in his mind—Aaron could always see when his mind galloped to places it wasn't meant to see. "Can I ask why?"

It was such a simple question, one that Aaron arguably deserved the answer to—after two years, it seemed it was inevitable, this progression, that they would get engaged and then get married, because that was what people did. But Spencer didn't know how to answer it. He looked at Aaron with pleading eyes. Don't cry, don't cry, he begged himself, because Aaron wasn't crying, and Spencer had just destroyed their relationship in a single, monosyllabic word. Spencer chewed the inside of his cheek. "I—" His voice cracked, and he tried to clear his throat around it. "I love you, I just—" I love you, isn't that enough? Do we have to be more than that? Why? Why? Why? "My mom always said marrying my dad was the worst mistake she ever made in her entire life, he left, and she was so sick, and he still—he still came for every penny in her bank account and everything she owned and he took everything except responsibility for what he'd done—"

Aaron's brow furrowed. "If you want a prenup, I can make us one. I don't think that's unreasonable." He turned Spencer's hand in his own, lacing their fingers together.

"No, no, I don't want a prenup, I don't want to get married—" Aaron had been married and divorced once, and Spencer had seen that—Aaron had given Haley everything. She got the house, the better car, full custody of Jack, plus more than one hundred percent of the alimony and child support they decided on. Aaron wouldn't rake Spencer over the coals to extort money out of him in the event their relationship crashed and burned. Spencer knew that. He knew Aaron wouldn't hurt him. "I—Anything could happen—I don't want you to be saddled with me, that's not fair—"

" Saddled with you?" Aaron repeated, arching an eyebrow. "Spencer, I love you. I want to marry you because I love you. Do you understand that?"

"You love me right now—"

"Nothing could ever change that for me, you know that—"

"Will you let me finish?" Spencer snapped. "Please?" A single tear rolled down his cheek, and he closed his eyes to try to keep from shedding more. Aaron fell silent, his mouth hanging open as he seemed to try to find an argument before he acquiesced Spencer's request with a nod. After all, he had asked. He owed it to Spencer to let him finish speaking. "You have no idea what it's like caring for a psychotic. Much less while you also have a child—I was three the first time my mom slapped me, Aaron, because she thought I was a robotic spy."

"That's not going to happen to you," Aaron said firmly. "You're past the age—"

"I know the statistics! I do, I know them, and it might be safe, but it's not worth it. It's not worth it for what it would take from you, or for what I could do to Jack—"

"You would never hurt Jack."

"No, I wouldn't, but I would if I looked at him and saw Chester Hardwick, or if—if the voices told me he was an imposter hiding the real Jack. We don't know what could happen, and it's not worth it, it's not worth the risk."

"I think it is."

"I don't care what you think!" Spencer's voice went shrill. "It's my future. I gave you my answer." His heart floundered helplessly in his throat.

Aaron tilted his head. "What do you think would happen, with the way things are now?" he asked softly, his voice not rising at all, though Spencer had nearly shouted at him. "Do you think I would let you suffer alone? Or wash my hands of you just because there isn't some arbitrary piece of paper in the way?"

Spencer set his jaw. He'd had this plan in place for a long time—longer than he'd been with Aaron, since he was in college. "You don't get a say if you're not my relative. I—I'd institutionalize myself, and everyone would be safe." If that didn't work, Spencer had another plan, too, one he wouldn't share with Aaron.

Aaron's tongue started out across his lips. The look of hurt upon his face stung Spencer's soul. "Okay," he agreed quietly. "I'm sorry." He withdrew his hand from Spencer's. Without his touch, everything seemed colder. He tucked the ring box back into his pocket, and then he slid the papers back into the envelope. He pushed back from the table. "I… I'll give you some space. I'll see you tomorrow."

He sounded so small. Spencer hated himself for it. "Wait." His voice shook. He turned around to look at Aaron's silhouette in the candlelight. "What… What are the papers for? In the envelope?"

Aaron glanced down at the floor. "They're adoption papers. I thought we'd start the process tonight, so if anything happens to me in the field, custody of Jack would go to you, instead of the state. But—we can't pursue it if we're not married." Aaron had grabbed Spencer's stomach and ripped it out through his mouth and left him bleeding inside. "Goodnight, Spencer." Aaron opened the door and let himself out into the hallway. Wait, Spencer wanted to call after him, wait, we can talk about this, we can talk about it—

His lips and tongue were frozen, and he stared at the front door of his apartment long after it clicked shut, echoing with finality. What have I done? Spencer had promised himself for years, ever since his father left, he would never marry. He owed it to his mother to heed her advice, given in one of her rare moments of clarity as he helped her sort through the divorce proceedings wherein his father had refused to appear in person. He owed it to Aaron; Aaron didn't know what he was asking for. Spencer did know. Spencer knew how much it hurt to care for a psychotic patient full-time. It was dangerous. It was scary. It was hard work. He couldn't do that to the man he loved, or to his son, either. Our son. Spencer's belly flipped and turned, all sick on the inside.

Aaron had expressed concern before that, if something would happen to him, the state would take custody of Jack before Jessica got to intercede—or worse, on some off-chance that Jessica decided to wash her hands of him completely and stepped back. But Spencer had never dreamed Aaron would take a step like this, would ask this of him. How could he have anticipated this? Most people didn't trust Spencer to keep a plant alive. Aaron was prepared to trust him with the life of his child, trusted him so much, loved him so much to place that upon them.

Aaron had given Spencer an invitation into his family. And Spencer had stomped on it.

Spencer never presumed his role in this relationship. Aaron and Jack were a family; he was the new boyfriend. He wouldn't say he liked it that way, but he was comfortable there, comfortable being the new boyfriend, not the step-dad or anything else, and yet—knowing Aaron had thought of it, had planned on it, had an ideal future in which Spencer was one of them… It burned and smoldered inside of him, that he had thrown that away.

I made the right decision . It didn't feel like the right decision. He needed someone to tell him it was.

He picked up his phone and called out to Bennington. "Hi," he said, "can I… can I be connected to Diana Reid, please? Room 302." The operator pushed his call through, and after a few rings, his mother's voice greeted him from the other end of the line. "Hi, Mom, it's me."

"What's wrong, honey?"

Spencer sat at the kitchen table over a mostly untouched meal his boyfriend had cooked for him out of the goodness out of his heart, and he hung his head, tears rolling down his cheeks. He couldn't push the tremble out of his voice when he looked at the mashed potatoes and the steaks and the green beans and everything Aaron had slaved over to make this night special. Oh, it was so special, it was so fucking special, it would go down in history as the night Spencer broke the only person who cared about him and threw away his only opportunity for a family, for a future. "I… I think I made a mistake, Mom," he whispered. "And I think I might not be able to fix it."

"Tell me what's going on."

Spencer cleared his throat, and then, carefully, slowly, he recounted the night. "He looked," he whispered, "he looked the way a balloon looks when you let all the air out of it. All shriveled up." Aaron would never forgive him—their relationship wouldn't be the same. Spencer couldn't come back from this. How would they recover? Aaron would spend his days feeling he wasn't good enough to marry Spencer, or that Spencer didn't trust him with his future. And maybe it was true. Maybe he didn't trust anyone with his future. Maybe he knew he'd made so many mistakes with his mother, consenting to her care when he didn't know enough, when he didn't have the skills, when he didn't know what was best for her, and he couldn't stand the thought of Aaron living with that same guilt. "Did I do the right thing?"

"Spencer, you're a moron."

The blunt affect didn't catch him off-guard, but he still gave a breathless, teary laugh; hearing her speak to him in her no-nonsense way broke him from his spell of dwelling. "Defend your position?" he asked. She wouldn't make an assertion without evidence, even if the assertion was that he was an idiot.

"You've got a man who already lost everything. He loves and trusts you enough to welcome you into his family and to care for his child. You can't just throw that away based on principle, or some crackheaded advice I gave you twenty-five years ago."

"You think so?" Spencer's voice shook. "What if… what if he changes his mind?"

"I've seen the way the man looks at you, honey. He's not going to change his mind." Spencer paused, licking his lips. "You know what you need to do."

"Yeah," he whispered. "Yeah, I do." Butterflies erupted in his tummy, not the good kind, but the kind which tore through him and stirred his anxiety into a hive of bees. "Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"I love you, too, honey."

Spencer didn’t think any longer for fear he would talk himself out of it. He ended the call, pulled on his shoes, and headed for the door. Thunder pealed in the distance, and as he ducked out of the apartment building, rain cascaded upon him. He had no umbrella. Using his hands to protect his face, he jogged to his car and climbed inside. He jutted his key into the ignition and turned it. The engine sputtered and died. He turned it again, and this time, it didn’t even turn over. Spencer breathed a string of foreign curses under his breath as he withdrew the key.

It came with driving classic cars, of course, that sometimes they encountered issues he couldn’t anticipate, and he was sure he could fix it tomorrow when it wasn’t raining and he had time and he wasn’t trying to save the only relationship in the whole world that mattered to him—but for right now, he didn’t have time for any of that.

Sliding out of his car, Spencer tucked his keys into his back pocket and trotted to the sidewalk, heading up the hill. The bus stop was only two blocks away. The rain surged in torrential sheets. Lightning illuminated the sky on occasion, and each crack of thunder pierced his ears from within. He had nothing to protect himself from the elements, and quickly, his clothing soaked all the way to the skin. Jaw chattering, Spencer ducked beneath the narrow shelter at the bus stop. The rain still pelted and sprayed from outside. The bench held a puddle that Spencer didn’t see until he sat in it.

He sat there, shivering and jittering, for a few minutes, until a homeless man pushed his buggy up behind him. “Young man,” breathed the man, and Spencer turned, expecting him to ask for money. “The bus ain’t running tonight. Crash up on Lakeview and Sycamore Streets. Big pile up. Traffic’s stopped. You’re gonna have to call a cab.”

“Oh.” Spencer reached for his pocket—but he’d left his phone at his apartment. He didn’t have any way to call a cab. Hell, he didn’t have any way to pay for a cab; he didn’t have his wallet, only a twenty dollar bill shoved in his back pocket.

The homeless man squinted at him. “Do you want a coat or something, buddy? You look kinda cold.”

“Er—no.” Spencer stood. His ass was soaked from the puddle on the bench. “Thank you—Thank you.” And, head down, he trudged up the street.

Spencer had done the math because he had traveled these roads many times. There were four point two miles from his apartment to Aaron’s following the quickest route—he could do it in about an hour, if he kept his pace up. Wheezing and puffing and shivering and wondering if the universe was punishing him for his poor decision-making, he trudged onward, the wind battering him backward and the lightning providing illumination as he proceeded.

Twenty blocks later, he ducked into a flower shop, where a somewhat harried old woman regarded him behind her bifocals. “Er—” He was dripping all over her floor. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “Um—” He didn’t take a step off of the front rug. “How do I say ‘I’m a moron, I was wrong, I messed up, I do want to be part of your family, and I love you’ in flower?”

She tilted her head. “Columbine for folly, heliotrope for eternal love and devotion, speedwell for fidelity, ivy for enduring family ties… given the context of what you’ve just said to me.”

“Great, great, could I…”

She raised her eyebrows. “Don’t move, Aquaman. I’ll come to you.”

He left twenty dollars poorer with a very bizarre cluster of flowers all wrapped up in plastic, and as he checked his watch, he picked up into a run. Jack was at a friend’s tonight for a sleepover, but Spencer wanted to catch Aaron before he went to bed--he wanted to catch him at home, awake, eating a dinner that would certainly be considered subpar compared to what currently sat on Spencer’s table getting cold surrounded by lit candles he hadn’t bothered to blow out before he ran out the door in his haste.

By the time Spencer reached Aaron’s apartment, he had more than one stitch in his side. The gales had tarnished his sodden hair and clothing and cast his flowers askew even under the plastic. He shivered from head to toe. His whole body refused to work together as a coherent whole, nothing but a series of jagged movements and jerks. When he stopped in front of Aaron’s apartment door, large black spots danced in his vision. His stomach flipped, and he didn’t know if it stemmed from exertion or from anxiety, but regardless, he wondered if he would vomit.

He knocked. One one thousand two one thousand three one thousand four one thousand five one— The door swung open. “Spencer—what the hell happened to you?” This greeting didn’t surprise Spencer as he took stock of himself, quivering and soaked to the bone, dripping water everywhere, white with rosy patches on his cheeks, his hair slicked to his skin.

“I’m an idiot.” Spencer’s gasping, trembling voice caught him by surprise. “I—I—I— choo. ” He sneezed into the mangled flowers, and then he dropped to his knees, Aaron reaching to steady him or catch him, his face uncertain. “I was wrong—” He gasped for breath between short snippets of words. “I am so sorry, I’m—was stupid, I panicked, I—can’t--don’t--have a future without you, I want—a family—want our family—” Aaron looked all woozy around the edges of his figure. Spencer blinked to try to clear things up. It didn’t help. “I want to marry you, Aaron—will you marry me?”

Aaron grabbed him by the shoulders. “Of course I will.” He dragged Spencer back to his feet. Spencer stumbled into his arms and kissed him hungrily, like a man in a desert stumbling upon an oasis. Aaron was gentle and tender with him, his hands sliding under Spencer’s shirt.

Spencer flinched at the sensation. Aaron’s hands were hot on his pale, frigid skin. “I know—we’re probably supposed to—do that right now—but I just ran—like, four miles—in the pouring rain—”

Aaron gave a tiny, lopsided smile. “I’m not trying to have sex with you. I’m taking these wet clothes off of you, you hypothermic doof.”

“Oh—Okay, cool— a-choo. ” Spencer sneezed into Aaron’s mouth, and Aaron didn’t mind, and Spencer wondered if anyone else would ever have a love as good as this one.

If anyone ever asked, the pneumonia was absolutely worth it.

[optimistic-dinosaur-nacho]

See you soon.

Steve Rogers x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Violence

Summary: Just how Steve lived his life with a woman during his training in the 1940s, he ends up losing her and Steve knows that she’s dead for over 70 years. But without knowing Hydra had plan. He found out about Captain Hydra.

Author’s Note: The GIF does NOT hint that Steve is Captain Hydra, no. I couldn’t find a female version gif.

I do not own the gif but I can’t seem to find the owner! I might make a series about a What If...?

Word count: 9000+

I know I’m sorry it’s long

Love you!

Added a few other gifs for your liking.

~~~~~

.

1941, Camp Lehigh

.

"Come on, ladies! I don't see much effort in those push-ups! I want that chin touching the ground!" The boots of the Major's stood at the end of his face, gritting his teeth, he felt the blood rush to his face as he forced himself up slower than the others.

Rogers glanced up to the woman who wasn't even looking at him. No pettiness was shown on her face when she looks at him, but she didn't even glance at him to yell.

The way she did it made him think she was trying to intimidate him to push more. He ignored her and continued to push up. "All right, stand up," She calls out, the soldiers jumped back onto their feet.

The soldiers held their hands behind their backs, chins high up as they panted. She didn't look at the scrawny boy on his knees as she continued on. "Sergeant Duffy will have you run a two mile trail, after that you'll continue on with the push-ups, sit-ups and jumping jacks once again along with your drill commands before we do the dirty work."

Hodge, one of the trainees smiled at that as he looked over to his buddies who had the same thought of what she said. They laughed lightly as the woman gets a tap on her shoulder and turns to the other woman who spoke into her ear.

The Major nods to her and turns back to the soldiers, "All right, you know the drill." The woman nods at them and sends them off.

Rogers watched as she walked away from them and Duffy called them all in for that run. "All right, you heard Major L/N! Fall in!" Duffy shouts.

Steve found out her name was Y/N from Erskine, said she was a soldier like him before. Scrawny like him, asthma, high blood pressure, and similar illnesses he had. She was probably in her thirties by now, joined at the age of 17 and she struggled the same way he did before she built up so much and became taller and stronger.

How he imagined himself just being the exact traits. He didn't realize his Major had turned around and looked at him, he didn't think to look away. He haven't spoken to her but wish he could-

"Rogers! I said fall in!" Duffy called, Steve broke his graze and rushed over to his teammates while Y/N watched him line with his group. She went inside the tent, spotting Chester Phillips and Peggy Carter in the room.

"How they looking?" Chester asked, Y/N walked over and sighed, "They're getting there."

"And the little one?" Chester was referring to Rogers. Y/N looked away from his gaze, "He's just a bit behind." Chester inhaled sharply and turned away. "Why would Dr. Erskine think this camp is some kind of circus. We're not getting out there if one man is pulling us back."

"Dr. Erskine has a point that Rogers is for the Project Rebirth."

"We need someone who we know is best. Like Hodge," Chester says. Y/N walks up to him, "Erskine told me Rogers had been trying to enlist himself into the army multiple times. He's wants to be out there."

"You only have pity for the boy because you're friends with Sergeant Barnes."

"Barnes has nothing to do with Rogers' enlistment to the army, that boy is just like the other men. I don't show pity for him because I know he can do it," Y/N almost shouts, some people can hear it from outside. Chester and Peggy stand there in silence as Y/N finally lets out a huff.

"I was just like him when I was 17. I've been serving this country for 10 years and you thought I couldn't do it from the beginning. Look where I got to, now. If I didn't get that chance to be in that project, I'm sure damn well I can make that happen for someone who is like me. And I don't fail my mission here, Colonel. He came here for a reason, I’m damn sure I can give him a reason to be in this army."

After that, Y/N walked out of the tent leaving Peggy and Chester speechless. No, Y/N wasn't crushing on Rogers. She was just like him when she was young, she didn't get that Project Rebirth thing during her training. It was just as hard as it was for him. Y/N was the only female who became one of the highest ranks in the army.

The first one to Major in the US army.

A day had gone by, the same routines for the candidates. Rogers struggling once again as Y/N watched them. Once again, ignoring him, he thought she was now just completely too frustrated to even look at him. Until she did.

One short glance, she looked away to spot Chester and Erskine coming their way. She glanced at Peggy, "Take over for me, please." She nods, "All right, up!"

Y/N walks up to the two men. "You stick a needle in that kid's arm, it's gonna go right through him," Chester says to Erskine. Y/N looks over to Rogers who's doing the jumping jacks with the group.

"Look at that," He says, "He's making me cry."

"I am looking for qualities beyond the physical," Erskine says, turning his head towards Chester. "By what I've heard from Peggy is that he had strategy on taking the flag by removing the pin. With that I think he's the one," Y/N said.

"Do you, Chester, know how long it took to set up this project?" Chester asked, Erskine groans, "All the groveling I had to do in front of Senator What's-His-Name's committees?"

"Brandt. Yes, I know. I am well aware of your efforts."

"Then throw me a bone. Hodge passed every test we gave him," The three look over to the taller man in the group. Y/N watched him in disgust, "He's big, he's fast. He obeys orders. He's a soldier."

"He is a bully," Erskine said.

"You don't win wars with niceness, Doctor," Chester looks over to the truck and walks over to it, taking a grenade. "You win wars with guts," Chester takes the clip out and snaps it, throwing it over to the group in front of them. "Grenade!"

Everyone looks down to see the grenade, "Move, move!" Hodge and the rest scatter off and Y/N watched as Rogers runs over to it. Peggy began to make the sacrifice as well till he slides on top of it and curls up.

"Get away!" He shouts, Peggy halts.

"Get back!" He swats his hand. Y/N watched in shock to see such a similarity of herself from him. The act of bravery and sacrifice. The memories of her life came rushing through.

His eyes were scrunched up to see the light just not on the Earth but it never came. Slowly, he opens his eyes confusingly. Quickly, he sits up. "It was a dummy grenade," Someone calls to the group on the other side while Steve looks around to the soldiers who continued on with their business.

Erskine managed to crack a smile.

Panting, he looks over to the three, "Is this a test?" Y/N walks over to him, Erskine looks at Chester as he shrugs. "He's still skinny."

Y/N stood at his feet as he looked up to her, all he saw was her grin before she looks up to the rest. "All right, back in line." Y/N holds her hand out to him and he takes it. Never in his life, a woman would do such a thing for him. Being ignored was one of them. Bucky knew one day he'd find someone, but Rogers knew it won't be close.

He takes her hand and she helps him up to his feet. She towered over him, "Brave thing you did," Was all she said to him that afternoon before leaving him there with the group as Peggy waited for them to get back in line.

Steve watched her go with Dr. Erskine.

It was dark that evening, most of the soldiers were either out hanging around the camp after a long day of training. Some rested in their tents or small lodges. Y/N heard that Steve was the chosen one and first thing in the morning he would go for that procedure. After that, Y/N will have to move on somewhere else.

Walking into the building, she spots Steve sitting on the edge of his bed, he looks over his shoulder and his face drops. "Major," He said. Y/N cracked a smile, "It's the end of the day, Rogers. When we're alone, I guess you can call me Y/N."

He smiled as she sat on the bed across from him. "Trouble sleeping?" She asked. He sighs, "Something like that, yeah."

She nods softly, "Excited for the procedure tomorrow?" He looks up at her. "Not sure I'm 100 percent," He says, she chuckles lightly. "You're lucky to be the one to do it. Those men couldn't pull off what you just did in the field. Gave me some memories of my training."

"You were bullied as well?" He asked.

She licks her lips, the grin losing its emotion, "I was similar to what you are. Back then, everyone never really expected a girl with asthmatic problems and such a small body that could snap if someone had simply shook my hand."

"Never knew you were like me. I mean, this training changed you other than being a project." Y/N smiles, "I never wanted to pity you. I never wanted to look at you with such hate and regret that you were just like me. The weak ones tend to be the most ignored beings and they still show goodness around others. I see that in you. In both of us."

"Guess you're the only woman who doesn't show much pity towards me."

Y/N grins, "You never spoken to a woman before?"

"This is the longest conversation I've had so far. Especially being alone in a room with beautiful one. I mean- You're...yeah..." He says. Y/N chuckled at him and slowly stood up, "I would've liked to be there for your procedure. But, you know, those men still need me. Carter will escort you to Dr. Erskine. I'm afraid you won't see me for a while."

Steve inhales sharply, "Well, I guess it's a goodbye, then."

"Goodbye is a rough one. Good people never say goodbye. They simply say... See you soon," She says. Steve smiled at her as she gently hung her head down as she walked out of the building, leaving Steve there alone. See you soon, Rogers.

.

1943

.

Steve hadn't been in the battle since the procedure. Chester gutted him out again.

"I asked for an army. All I got was you. You're not enough."

Steve would've burned those words in hell. As if the project meant nothing but some fun high school project ready to be thrown in the trash just to be noticed in the school papers. But, Steve was not turned down by Brandt. With his action in the papers of saving a child from a Hydra agent who killed Dr. Erskine for a super-soldier serum which was smashed on the ground. Brandt had given him a chance to serve his country, which Steve gladly accepted and he was promoted.

Steve was now on tour around the nation. This is not what he wanted, he got noticed by the people, but he wasn't in the action to take bullets and explosions.

This wasn't serving his country, this was offering them entertainment. He felt like a circus clown making balloons for the children and getting pictures by men and women, gladly signing everything.

If Y/N saw him now, she would scream like hell at Chester. Unless she's already doing that. She's probably more busy than he was right now. Probably fighting in the war with Hydra agents, punching men like he had punched Adolf Hitler two hundred times for 2 years straight.

This was too awkward for him, he couldn't even say it to anyone.

He was now in Italy performing in front of active servicemen, who seem to not like him at all.

"How many of you are ready to help me sock old Adolf on the jaw?" Steve asked in his proud voice, staring at the group of men watching him in boredom.

"Okay," He says, "Uh..." He thinks Y/N's there, trying to spot her in the crowd but it was all men. "I need a volunteer."

"I already volunteered! How do you think I got here?" One of the men called, the crowd laughs. "Bring back the girls!" Another shouts. Everyone cheers at that and Steve felt like a kid again. The bullying came back, it always did.

He turns his head, "I think they only know the one song, but, um," Steve turns again, "I'll see what I can do."

"You do that, sweetheart," A man calls. "Nice boots, Tinker Bell!" Hodge called, the crowd laughs. Steve's shoulders drop, "Come on, guys, we're all on the same team here."

This is exactly how it felt. A man who wanted to just be a man of service. And it became opposite. A kid who became a clown show for everyone to see and laugh at.

"Hey, Captain!" A man stands up, "Sign this!" The man pulls down his pants and Steve looks away from the man's butt he shown towards the stage and the crowd cheers.

Another man stands up and throws a tomato. Where the hell did he get that from? Steve lifts up his shield and the tomato splatters onto his shield. More came and he hid behind the shield.

Embarrassed, he storms offstage and the girls rush pass him causing the crowd to burst out in happiness as the women pose on stage. He hoped Y/N wasn't there to see him act like a clown and be treated like one.

He didn't see her, so he felt lucky.

But she was angry. She stood off to the side by the stage watching him get humiliated. The chance to go find him, she looks at the men on the ground and walked over to the stage.

Steve slowly walked offstage and sighed. "Don't worry, pal. They'll warm up to you. Don't worry," His stage man says, Steve walked down the stairs in silence as the woman rush up to do their song on the stage.

It began to rain, the show ended just an hour ago. He covered himself with a coat to hide the awful suit, telling himself a job well done. Well done to be embarrassed in front of men who he trained with.

He felt like a complete idiot.

All he did to get rid of those things was her and drawing. Not even realizing he was sketching her in his notebook alongside a monkey on a unicycle.

The rain pounded on the tent above him, the dirt turning into mud. He didn't hear the footsteps behind him on the stage as he doodled in his book.

"I see you have something on your mind," Someone spoke. Steve turns around to see Y/N, her coat in her arm as she smiled at him. His mouth gaped, "Hi."

She smiled, "You're a good drawer." She sits down next to him and reaches for his book, "May I?" He felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he nods handing her the book. She smiled at the sketch, "It's beautiful," She looks at him. The look of embarrassment washed away with his smile.

He could never get enough of it. "I almost didn't recognize you," She says.

Steve grins, "Was it the bullying that gave it away?"

She shook her head, her eyes looking over his features. "No. It was just you," She said. Steve looks down and fidgets with his hands, she shook her head again, "What the hell happened to you, Steve?"

He looks up, "Trust me, I would've wanted to be in a fight more than pretending to be in one. The crowd I'm used to are usually more, uh... twelve."

Y/N smiled, "Well, those idiots act like twelve years olds." Steve gave her a sided smile. "You were meant for more than this, you know. Not a lab rat or a dancing monkey," She points at the drawing beside her sketch.

She flipped the page and smiled, "Can I?" She asked. Steve hands her the pencil, she began to draw. "You know anyone would've wanted to be in your shoes right now. With this serum thing you could do anything, but Erskine chose you for that reason. You're a good man. If this was planned years ago, I would've done it as well. Being like us isn't easy."

Steve smiles at her, "How much were you bullied?"

"A lot. For a woman, I thought they'd just have at me one day. But they just told me to quit. No woman like you isn't gonna reach the big leagues. You'll die once you take a step into the field. Look where it got me now," She glanced at him.

Steve looks down to the book, her arm was blocking his view to see the drawing. "Did your parents support you?" He asked.

Y/N gently grins and loses it in a second, "My dad was in World War I, died from a grenade in the pit... He took the sacrifice and jumped on it."

"My dad was in the war, too. Died as well," He says. Y/N looks over, "I had a mom, she left the family just a week after I was born. Left a letter said she wasn't ready cause she was only 20. She felt too young cause she was 19 when she first found out. I was left with my dad's side of the family."

"I'm sorry," Was all he said. She shakes her head, "It's got to be at least someone to deal with it. Everyone's gotta have one problem in their lives to solve in the future. Conflict is what brings us to our ends or beginnings to what makes us, ourselves. It builds up your reputation, your actions, your life."

Such deeps words from someone who was similar to Steve himself. He wouldn't have said those words to explain some meaning to him. What she said was unbelievably right. Something you have to deal with in order to build your reputation.

Make it. Don't replace it.

Y/N closes the journal with the pencil inside. Handing it back to him with a smile, "Would be awesome to be like Captain America, maybe Miss America is up for the beauty pageants. Might want her as a side kick," Y/N winks playfully as she walks up the stairs to head back to the camp.

Smiling, he looks down at his journal and opens it.

Glad to see you again.

He read, the drawing she had was a picture of him. Without looking at him during their conversation, she seemed to have every detail of his face on the paper. He had a charming smile, his hair was exact like his there. Through all that talking, she made this and it would take an professional artist to pull this off in hours. This took her minutes. Her cursive was neatly written, something he would love to see more.

He glanced back but she was gone. Only to see her rush to the tent when a truck pulled in the injure man. Peggy came over, "They look like they've been through hell," Steve says to her.

She glanced over her shoulder, "These men more than most. Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him, and less than 50 returned. Your audience contained what was left of the 107th." Steve's head shoots up.

"The rest were killed or captured."

"The 107th?" He asked, Peggy furrows her brows, "What?"

"Bucky? Oh, my God. It's me. It's Steve."

"Steve?" Bucky smiles as Steve helps him off the bed. "I thought you were smaller."

Steve looks around. Steve helps Bucky out.

Steve had gotten the 107th back from Hydra. Saved most of the soldiers back to camp. Everyone in the camps watched them walk in, all cheering for the Captain. Steve spotted Peggy and Chester. Raising his hand up, he salutes to Chester. "Some of these men need medical attention," Steve looks over to Peggy than back to Chester, "I'd like to surrender myself for disciplinary action."

"That won't be necessary," Chester says, he managed to crack a smile, "Yes, sir," Steve did as well. Chester turns to Peggy, "Faith, huh?" He asked.

She seemed worried, Steve furrowed his brows, "Where's Y/N?" Her eyes seem to wander off. "After you left for those men, she found out about it and went after you. I thought she'd return with you."

Steve's mouth was gaped in shock, fear of now he put his one possible friend in danger. "I have to go back to her."

"She said if she doesn't come back, don't go after her. That's what she told me," Peggy says. Steve let out a huff and she swallowed thickly. "She wanted to give you this, though."

Peggy pulls out a letter and slips it into his gloved hand. Steve stares at it and drops his hand down, wanting to open it when he's alone. Peggy gently smiles, "We'll find her. If you came back with these men, I'm sure you'll bring her back."

Peggy knew Steve had somewhat a connection with the woman. All she could think was that he should be the one to save her.

"Let's hear it for Captain America!" Bucky shouts. Everyone around him shouts and pat his back as he smiles.

Steve was in England for a briefing, he found out some of the coordinates from what he saw when saving Bucky. After explaining the coordinates, the man takes the map from Steve and Peggy, he looks at Peggy. "I just go a quick look."

She sighs, "Well, nobody's perfect."

Steve looks down again, "They must've taken her to either of those or the main base."

"We'll be sure to reach every single one for her Steve, your men will find her. I know that she's gonna be okay."

After the briefing with Chester and Peggy, Steve remembered the letter from Y/N. Going over to the desk, he leans on the desk and slips the letter out of his suit pocket and opens it.

See you soon.

He saw the similar writing, much like his mothers. Another drawing was him again, this time with a suit on. A Captain America suit of her artwork. The details and looks were good. Something he can arrange to Mr. Stark about. The shield was different. It was a circular shield, the star in the middle. Without colors, he assumed it would be red, white and blue, of course.

The helmet had wings on either side of his head, belt buckles below with a chin holster hanging loosely. The A in the center of his helmet representing America to his suit.

He loved it.

A smile grew on his lips. He'll make sure she sees what she built for him.

"A letter from a lover?" A woman asked, he looks up to see a blonde woman looking at him in the flirtatious way possible. It didn't phase him. "From a friend..."

"Well, if that friend was a girl, she'd be lucky to have you," The woman says, walking up to him. "You've saved over 400 men that day, you're a hero and I'm sure she's impressed."

"She's-uh... I-She's not interested--"

"Oh, I'm sure any girl would be interested in you," She grasps his tie, "The women of America, they owe you their thanks." Lightly, she pulls him leading him to hide behind the shelves. "And seeing as they're not here..." She grabs the collar of his coat and pulls him into a kiss.

He paused in shock before kissing her back. The letter goes back to his mind. A letter from Y/N. Then she popped into his head. His hands gently held her hips, not holding them there. Not sure where to put them.

He needed to be serious. Him and Peggy need to find Y/N-

"Captain!" Steve pulls away, holding a hand up to his lips, facing Peggy, "We're ready for you, if you're not otherwise occupied." Peggy glares at the woman, storming off. Steve follows her, regretting that kiss now.

"Peggy, I--"

"Looks like finding Y/N was not on your mind at all, even a partner wasn't that hard, was it? When we find her dead, I'll be sure to tell her you were occupied with another woman."

"Peggy, that's not-" He heard what she said, "What? No, that's not what you thought it was." Steve shoves his tie back into his uniform. "I don't think anything, Captain, not one thing. Be sure to tell Y/N that, huh? Possibly to her grave."

Steve closed the gape in his mouth, Y/N wouldn't be dead by now.

Howard was going over the shields for Steve, explaining every one he had except the one that caught his eye. Pulling out the letter, he sees the similarity between Y/N's sketch and the shield. "What about this one?" Steve picks it up. "No, no, that's just a prototype." Steve shows it off, "What's it made of?" He asked.

"Vibranium. It's stronger than steel and a third the weight. Steve sees the straps and slides his arm in. "It's completely vibration absorbent." Steve grazed his fingers over the edge, "How come it's not standard issue?" He asked.

"That's the rarest metal on Earth," Howard says, "What you're holding there, that's all we've got."

"You quite finished, Mr. Stark?" Peggy beams in, "I'm sure the Captain has some unfinished business. We're still on the look for Y/N." Steve holds the shield up to him, "What do you think?" He asked.

Peggy thinks for a second before reaching for the guns on the table and takes the handgun. She fires at the shield, Steve immediately hiding behind it as the bullets fall to the ground at his feet. He peaks over the shield. "Yes, I think it works."

Howard walks around the table as they watched her walk off. Steve takes out Y/N's letter and holds it out.

"A friend had some ideas about the uniform."

Howard takes it in his hand, "Whatever you want, pal." Steve looks at him, "After you're done. I want that back." Howard nods. "Sure thing."

1944

See you soon.

"Bucky! Hang on! Grab my hand! No!"

No sign of her. No sign of Bucky. He lost two of his friends. Y/N would be dead by now. He wouldn't give up and not avenge for her and his friend. He would do what is right an continue on with this war. All he could remember of her is the sketch and letter of hers. See you soon, the three words repeated in his head. Another set of three words he would've wanted at the end of those first three.

"You know, it's never too late to think that she's dead."

"It's been a year. One of those days, they could've taken her life already. If Bucky was in pain when I saved him, she's twice in much pain."

Peggy sits down in front of him, "Even if she weren't gone yet, we'll find her. I promised you that a year ago."

"I guess we can just forget it now," Steve says, eyes on his drink on front of him, "Can't really drown in my sorrows cause I can't get drunk, so..."

"You're drowning in them, Steve. But you know this fight still continues. It wasn't your fault."

"For Bucky it wasn't. For hers... definitely."

"You did everything you could for the both of them. For Y/N, she's strong enough to take care of herself. I knew she was just like you. Do you believe in them? Did you respect them? Then stop blaming yourself. Her choices were her own, she made the most risky choice of all. Allow their choices. But don't let her be the reason you're not doing this. She would want you to keep going, whether she's not there or not."

Steve looks down and swallows.

"Steve..." Peggy reaches over and grabbed his hand.

His eyes look up to her.

"Whether she is gone or not... she'll always be there."

.

2015

.

See you soon.

Steve stared at the monument in front of him. "Major Y/N L/N was Steve Rogers and his candidates commander during their training in 1941. Y/N and Dr. Erskine had chosen Rogers for the Project. When Y/N was 17 years old, she was just like Steve Rogers."

Steve saw a photo of her, the picture was old enough to tell it was when she joined. She was small, short than she was now. Y/N was just a few inches from Steve's height. "After the 10 years of training, she became the first woman Major in the US Army Forces. Joining the Captain's side."

A short clip of Steve and Y/N stood there, the two were discussing some things in his training. Then Bucky came up in the clip with her in it, "Y/N L/N and James Buchanan Barnes were also friends, she helped the 107th in 1943. Helping less than 50 injured men while Steve Rogers went out and saved over 400 men back to camp in Italy, 1943. Y/N was reported dead after being captured by Hydra."

After seeing Bucky being tortured by Hydra and saved him from the river after the helicarriers in Washington crashed down. Steve was left with nothing now. Thoughts were going through his mind. Was Y/N actually dead? How do they know they have proof when they didn't show Steve her body?

Steve didn't want the answer. He didn't want to ask Nick after he woken up 70 years later. Before the ice, Peggy gave him the last thing before he went under the ice.

"She would be proud of you, Steve." And Peggy let him go.

If Y/N was alive and Steve went under ice, she'd be in bed like Peggy was. Maybe she was and he was too late to tell her how he actually felt. He took a last glance at his compass, a picture of Y/N with the letter she wrote folded with his suit sketch she made.

Steve did visit Peggy once. She was diagnosed with dementia. He was patient with her, she even gave him proof that Y/N was indeed not found. Not even her body after the war had ended.

Shield had Zola in their organization, having Hydra agents in the building. Now Natasha released all that information to the world. Steve got information for Bucky, if Y/N was alive and had gone through same thing Bucky went in, she could be out there. They must've burned her files to keep her information from going out.

Steve's assumptions could be correct. But he would have to find her in 7.2 billion people in the world.

It was hard to find Bucky, even when he died in front of Steve. It was just a coincidence he happened to be in the same time as Steve. Natasha has heard about Y/N, even added a smug remark with a smirk.

"We always knew you'd go for the women who are higher ranks than you."

She was right. Steve was a Captain but Y/N was a rank higher as Major. But he didn't go for her because of that. He couldn't explain why he did. It was something that just pulled him in. Was it the smile, kissing her teeth at him in the most flirting or happy way possible? Was it her eyes that just show what she felt, the glistening in her e/c eyes.

Or was it that she understood how it felt to be just like him?

"Nobody, special though?" Nat asked. He chuckled but he stops when Y/N flooded his mind, when she mentioned the kiss, it wasn't Y/N.

"Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience."

Steve would've slapped himself mentally for that reply, Natasha believed Y/N was out there. Natasha would dig up a whole website just to find the person he didn't spend his time with. Someone with shared life experience, someone who he barely met but felt like he knew them from inside and out.

Natasha read about her. During her free time, maybe hack a few things to get some information to get the same files like Bucky's.

"She's an artist?"

Steve flinched at Natasha's voice when she spotted his letter from her, she smiled at him. "She has good hand writing." Steve looks down at the letter and slipped it back into his pocket. "She first sketched the suit. The shield was partially Howard and her idea." He could feel Natasha's eyes and her cheeks pull her lips upward into a smile.

"She has good taste."

Everything he could've imagined wasn't in front of him. He should just tell himself, she's gone and go to bed. But the feeling of her being dead was just keeping him awake. He wanted to go out and find her, to stop those nightmares of seeing her being tortured to death, the words saying that he left her there to die.

"You left me here to die!"

Steve has heard her shouts, but these were the shouts of anger. Betrayal.

He didn't realize his phone has been buzzing for the past minute and he takes it out. Natasha's name popped up.

I found it. Get to the compound

Steve quickly darted out of the monument and to his bike in the lot. He revved his bike and rode off. Going quick, he was aware of police and tried very little to slow down in traffic. He didn't like the way she used the word 'it'. She meant by the file, but she could've said 'her'. He reached the Avengers compound in 10 minutes. He stopped at the entrance and quickly darted to the lab.

Natasha was at the table, a box with files were stacked in. She was holding a piece of paper. "It was hard, you know. Maybe you could return it and get pizza, eh?" She asked. Steve walks over to her, "Where is it?" He asked. Natasha reaches over and hands him a file.

"I was looking through the files and came up to her files. They said she was writing letters and when the war ended Hydra burned what was left of their things and they've collected the things that kind of... survived." Steve lifts up the letters, the similar handwriting. "It's hers. I can tell by her handwriting."

Natasha licks her lips, "One of them is a picture. It's burnt, I can't really see what it looks like but it's got a date." Steve picks up the photo, it was half burnt.

1944

"That was the year after she was taken," Steve says, Natasha shoots up, "So, she was alive." Steve looks up from the photo. "They must've knew we were coming. They took her somewhere else. But it doesn't prove that she's alive now."

"If you look closely at the photo, it looks like there's a hand inside a chamber. They probably put her in one. Like your other friend," Steve pulls the photo up to his face and sees her hand. He wanted to disagree she was alive. It would break him to know she had been tortured without him coming to save her. What would she think if she realized she was held by Hydra all these years?

"She's beautiful. Now I know why you chose her," Natasha smiles up at him when he gives her a warning look. "What's this?" Steve pulls up the paper.

Captain Hydra.

Captain Hydra. Who the hell was Captain Hydra? Was Zola planning on taking Steve to use him for their own Captain? "They might be referring to your friend, Barnes," Natasha says.

"But this is in Y/N's file. Out of the people she knew most was me," He says, "She must've talked to them about me. And they were gonna find me and use me as one of their own men." Natasha glanced at the paper, "Everything there has been erased. I didn't even find it in their computers. Almost like they were planning this all along and kept it from others."

"How do we find her?"

Natasha stared at the papers, "We just keep our eyes and ears open till someone reports something similar to what the Winter Soldiers traits are. Ballistics. Soviet-made."

Who knows how long it would take for them to find out where she was. If they find Bucky, they could use him to find her. But they were both gone. Steve looked at the photos that were burned with her letters. "How long do you think these were burned?"

"Well, could've been recent. Probably in the 70s, everything that was written in there was from a floppy disk so this had to be in the 70s. Information about Y/N's live was probably written by her close friends, either Howard Stark or Margaret Carter."

"They knew her, yeah. So can we find out where these were burned?" Natasha shrugs. "With the right technology, probably, yeah. I mean from what you're coming from, sounds so stupid."

"What I mean is if we find that exact spot where they found these photos, that means Hydra's undercover base is near that area."

This could be it. A way to find Y/N. "Steve..." Natasha says, he looks at her, "What we're doing for her, it's not gonna be easy. She's Hydra now. She won't remember you. For the time being, keep our distance and be aware. Don't overthink about it, if she engages, we could do something we both will regret."

Steve didn't want this plan to go down. If Natasha would have to kill her, he would be upset. He won't allow it.

He nods. "Okay."

Natasha dug through the files more, finding Zola's file. "Looks who's in his file." Steve glanced over to the paper Natasha had held up to him.

"Ulysses Klaue, he was the guy from the ship wreck, remember? The one who was selling that vibranium?" Steve takes the photo in hand, "What was he doing at the Hydra's base?"

"He was only known for the vibranium. They must've used the vibranium to make something strong." Natasha flips the papers over to read the backs. "There's a date and location here. 2012, in Kiev, Ukraine. There's a photo of someone," Natasha looks closely at the blurred picture. Steve takes it into his hand.

A dark figure with red stripes, their curves were shown due to the tight war suit. The symbol of the skull with tentacles coming out on their back. It stood taller than the people around them. "Who's that?" Natasha asked.

Steve didn't want to ask that question. The realization that could be answering their questions now. " We need to go to Ukraine."

"Steve-"

"Once we get there, we'll get her alone and we get her here, keep her-"

"Steve, we can't expect this to go the way we want to. This is Hydra we're talking about, I mean, you've taken them down inn the 40s but did we capture Bucky the time we saw him?" Steve doesn't reply, "No. So, we need to find some way to do this without her being known to Hydra. We have to at least think about this before we find her."

Steve wanted to just run out that door and fly over to Ukraine. Y/N had been gone for too long. He was looking for her back then why shouldn't he now? He nods. "Okay."

Kiev, Ukraine

Natasha and Steve were in the city of Kiev, they found out the coordinates on the photo they found in the files. Natasha stared at her phone as Steve kept his hand on the wheel, slowly driving down the road. "How much further?" Steve sounded impatient, Natasha hadn't spoken if they had made it there or not. "Relax. Just a few more," She says.

Steve sighs as he drew his eyes back to the road. Natasha tensed up a bit, "Stop." Steve pulls into the empty spot on the side of the road, people were still around. Steve looked around the area from the car windows. "This doesn't look like the right spot."

"It says we're just at the spot. Says it's below us," Natasha steps out of the car, she was wearing a brown coat with a scarf around her neck. Steve was wearing a leather jacket with a grey t-shirt and dark jeans. He covered his hair with a dark blue cap and dark shades.

Natasha walks around to Steve's side of the car, standing on the sidewalk. "They knew we were gonna go after her, they took us off the path."

Natasha smiles behind her shades, "When's the last time you've seen secret rooms in such a crowded town, hm?" She asked. Natasha walks into the store just across from them, looking up to the title of the store.

It was a antique store, sighing in the process he walked in with Natasha. The two heard the music play around the room as a woman with dark hair greeted them nicely. Natasha slipped her phone into her pocket and walked over to the wall, Steve followed her. "We don't have time to look at clocks."

Natasha smirks, "Relax, Cap. All you need is a secret password you have to say to the woman there and she'll take us there."

"How do you know that will work? You don't know it."

"Yeah. But you do," Natasha says, Steve looks at her. The shine of her shades shimmered at him and he knew what he had to do.

"Who the hell are you?!"

"The first of many. Cut off one head..." The man uses his tongue to slip his tooth off his gum, he bites into the tooth, "Two more shall take its place..." Steve watched as the man's mouth began to foam. "Hail Hydra..."

Steve turns to the woman who was patiently minding her own business at the shop desk. Steve walks over to the woman, "May I help you?" Her accent was thick. Here we go. Natasha peaked over the shelf as Steve placed his hands on the desk and leaned forward.

"Hail Hydra."

The way the woman tensed up a bit, she reaches under the desk for something. Over the shelf, Natasha went to reach for her gun in her belt. Steve tensed up a bit if this woman had found out who he was under those shades.

She pushed something and Steve pushed himself off the desk as the woman guides him to the back. Natasha releases her gun and follows. The woman took them to the back and she nods to the shelf. "Hail Hydra," Is all she says before leaving them in that room. Natasha watched her leave and pulled out her phone, "I got some kind of energy flowing behind here. A four inch wall on the other side."

"So she tricked us?" Steve asked, Natasha smiled, "If you're hiding a secret Hydra facility..." Natasha reaches for the book and pulls it down, "...you gotta have more steel." The doors open up, they were the four inch steel as it revealed a hallway.

Natasha smiles. "Let's find your girl Major, Captain."

The two began to walk down the dimly lit hallway, stairs leading down further. "Put the phone down, you're gonna get us caught." Natasha shoots a look at him and slips the phone into her pocket. "We're in the danger zone, anything that goes down, we're two against over 50 men. If they find out we're here for her, they'll probably kill her."

"They would have to kill me in order to get to her," Steve says. A Hydra agent began to walk down their way, Steve and Nat kept walking. If this man was to engage, Natasha would have to do the talking.

They released their breath they held once the man had passed them without saying anything. They were now losing signal. Unable to call anyone, if they catch them, no one will ever know they were there.

Steve and Natasha reached the big room. Doctors and agents walking all around the room. No one spotted them come in because everyone was just scattering around. "All right. Now we just find someone who may be the leader in this facility."

Steve looks around, "We can't. If we do, they'll pick us off and take us out. We need to just find her on our own." Nat began to walk down the stairs and took one of the halls, Steve picks up his feet. "Where are you going?"

"Finding your girl, what do you think?"

Someone shouts out in a foreign language causing the two to stop. Steve and Nat turn to the man, who looked like a leader. "Who are you?" He asked in his foreign language, that they both understood.

"We're here for the leader..."

"You're speaking to him. I am Vyslav," He says, Natasha smiled up at Steve, hinting him to keep his mouth shut. Let her do the talking. "We heard about your new project... This. Captain Hydra?" She almost sounded flirtatious, the way the man smiled knew they were gonna get information about this Captain Hydra and plan.

He nods, "Follow me." The man takes them down the hall further and further. Steve was looking at Natasha who just had a smug look that she had just covered them from getting killed by the worst way possible.

They were gonna die there.

The man took them into his office, it was big. He walked over to his desk and sat down. "Sit," He says in English, his accent still thick. Natasha and Steve look at each other before they sat down. "I know who you two are," He says.

Steve looks over to Natasha. The man stands up, "Captain Steve Rogers and Black Widow. You can't fool me. After what you did in Washington, releasing our files into the world, we had to hide more discreetly. You want to know about this project we've had for a long time."

"If you're planning on using me for your project, you'll have it over my dead body," Steve says. The man stares blankly at him before bursting into a fit of laughter. Natasha had enough of his fuss and stood up from her chair and pulled out her gun.

She pointed it at him, the man holds his hand up, "Oh, you don't want to do that, Miss Romanoff. There are two of you, against 100 of my men out there." Natasha looks over to the door on his left before glancing back at him. "We stopped Pierce's plans with just less than 5 people and you think we can't handle a hundred men?" The corner of her lip lifts up. Steve was on his feet as well, holding his hand up.

Vyslav looks at Steve, now. "Captain Hydra is not a plan to use you for one of our own, Rogers." Steve watched the smirk rise on his face. "We already finished the plan. Just like your friend Bucky. She will have her fun on you two."

A loud bang hits the doors behind them and Natasha turns to face the door. A dark figure appears in the door way. Steve's face drops. The soldier was a copy of him, the shape of them was odd but he noticed the shield that was black and red, the symbol of Hydra on their shield.

That's the vibranium. Vyslav takes the advantage to scatter, Natasha points her gun at him and went to fire till the soldier throws their shield and Natasha gets tackled by Steve. Steve watched the shield retract back to its owner.

Steve pants as the cold stare behind their mask. It resembled much of his outfit. "Go!" Steve helps Natasha back up and she darts for the door. Natasha fired at the soldier as Steve rips the door open that Natasha spotted and he grabs Natasha's arm.

The soldier drops their shield and storms towards the door. "Who was that?" Natasha asked, Steve kept pushing her up the stairs. "I don't know-" Steve ducks to the shooting below them. Looking over the railing, he sees the soldier at the bottom of the stairs. The gun aims at him and he moves his head away and the bullet hits the railing. "Go!"

Steve pushed the door open and they met the second floor. "The door to the exit is down this hall!" Natasha says. Steve and Natasha ran down the long hall. The labs beside them, doctors and men saw them and began to pull out their guns.

Steve instantly ducks his head, holding Natasha down as well, glass shattering from the labs as bullets fly. Steve turns his head and spots the soldier at the end of the hall where they came from.

He saw them place their shield onto their back. "Keep going!" Steve pushes Natasha further up. The soldier empties their gun and throws the clip up and snaps it into the bottom of the gun. Slipping into its holster, the soldier runs towards them. Steve looks back at Natasha who was slightly closer to the exit. Looking back to the soldier, they were getting closer.

Steve swats at Natasha, "Go!" Steve falls forward from a large impact from behind and rolls onto the ground. Stumbling back up, he meets the eyes of the soldier. Captain Hydra. They pull out a blade and began to swung. Not this again. Steve swats the soldier's hands away from his face, taking their wrist and twists it. The soldier does a flip to the direction of the twist and releases Steve's grip, whipping around and kicks him back.

Steve stands back up and a gun shot was heard. The soldier comes to a halt and Steve looks over to see Natasha with her arm up. Steve looks back to see the soldier look down at the shocking disc on their chest. Swiftly, Steve swings towards their face and makes a run for it.

"Go!" Steve shouts, he grabs Natasha and they run down the hall again. "Clearly Y/N is not there!" Natasha shouts, Steve helps Natasha duck from the gunfire behind them. "They must have had her in a lab. I saw them!" Steve said. They reach the door to the back of the antique store. Steve comes to a halt when Natasha had to put the code in due to the lock down.

She pulls out her device. Steve looks down the hall, who was that soldier? Captain Hydra.

"Just like your friend Bucky. She will have her fun with you two."

"Captain Hydra is Y/N."

"What?" Natasha asked, she dodges the flying bullets seeing the men get closer. "Y/N is Captain Hydra!--" Natasha got the door open and once they opened, they fly out caused by the loud explosion of a grenade. Steve hits the shelves and Natasha rolls into the store to see the woman quickly reach for her gun.

Natasha was quick enough and shot her before she could shoot her. Steve groans, lfting himself up, he looks down the hall again and spots the soldier. He can't leave her here, now. Not after finding her. "Steve!" Nat called. Steve gets up and Natasha pulls him out of the store. "I'll drive!" Nat jumps into the driver's seat and Steve in the passenger.

She steps on the gas and drove off. "We have to go back!" Steve says. "Steve! No! You saw what happened back there, we almost died!" Natasha shouts. "Y/N is Captain Hydra, we need to go back!"

"I said I will help you find her, not catch her. There's a difference," Nat says. She lets out a sigh, "You wanted to know if she was alive. That was proof that she is. We can't do anything about it, Steve. I'm sorry."

The soldier steps over the large wooden planks and shattered antiques as she looked around. No one was found. Her eyes stop to see the shades that belonged to one of the two Avengers. Taking it in hand, she looks at it. "I have a mission for you, Captain Hydra. Find them. And kill them."

Her eyes look up, eyes that could kill anyone. The eyes with the look of death and cold blood. Her gloved hand crushes the shades in her hand before walking out of the store.

Avengers Compound, New York

Steve sat at the table, hand in his hair as Natasha was doing things around in the kitchen. Glancing over her shoulder to see how much stress he was in, she kept her thoughts to herself. The longer she bothered him the more frustrating he gets and starts to shout. Steve wasn't a guy to shout, but to blame himself for leaving someone he wanted to say those three words was just too much for him.

He had it at the end of his fingertips, only to slip back another thousand feet. Her eyes turn concerning when she slightly hears a faint sniffle coming from him. She gazed up and saw him holding a letter. The color of it was dark, it was so old and she guessed it was from Y/N. Not wanting to ask about it like last time, she turns away from him.

"Go to bed, Steve. Gets some rest and we'll think about something tomorrow," Was all she said before leaving him in the kitchen with that light on only in that huge room.

Taking in the handwriting and those three words, he managed to keep the tears at bay. He sat there for a few hours. Thinking what Y/N and him would've done in the 40s. Movies were partially his idea, but the walk and talk were mostly a good idea. Even though they were similar, he still didn't know her from the inside.

Such a strong woman with such deep words and a smile that he could never get bored of. A woman who stood up for him. In return, she got tortured. Steve was too late to save her. He would deserve a complete slap from her. He would allow it.

He knows she’s alive. And he will find her again to bring her back.

“See you soon, Rogers.”

~~~~~

I think this one was a bit weird on my part, I’ll let you guys decide

I was thinking on making a series, we’ll figure that out soon

RANDOM TAGS: @jtargaryen18​ @joannaliceevans-fanficblog​ @chrisevans-imagines​ @iguessweallcrazyithinktho​

[coptergal]

***Do NOT look at this story if you don't like any of the following; Mpreg, Swearing, Blood and dark themes! Viewer discretion is advised!!!*** Okay ^^ Please don't hate, this the first fanfiction for me.

"A few days before the trial and yet Chester, The cutest boss from BINR has fallen sick to some fucking illness or whatever bullshit!!! What if he dies? We can't let it happen!" I said to my friends Angie, Himiko, Tenko, Shuichi, Kokichi and Korekiyo. "Maybe It's something only magic can cure." said Himiko with a look of reasurance. "It could be pregnancy?" Angie thought. "Shuichi, Why don't you state your opinion?" Kokichi teased. "I wish I could say no to Angie but *Sniff* it does seem too plausible." Shuichi answered with tears in his eyes, Slowly turned to jealousy. "It's fucked up as to how girls are more attracted to fucked up shit like tentacles than a darling detective like me." he said. Everyone gasped at his words and started mummering with concern. "What has gotten into him?" asked Tenko. Shuichi yelled "SHUT THE FUCK EVERYONE!!! I'M NOT JEALOUS, OKAY!!! I'M JUST FEELING LONELY, OKAY!!!". I fired the first truth bullet "That's wrong!". Shuichi was stunned but finally admitted to jealousy. I calmly reassured the detective that love will come to him and that it already did and I pointed at Kaede Akumatsu. "Go get her, Tiger!" I said. Shuichi blushed. Two days later after that, I was busy rubbing Chester's belly for fun and because it's kind of cute. Then I pressed my face against it cause I was so in the moment(Think of it like giving a puppy belly rubs.) but then I heard idk, A heartbeat. I brushed it off a me being too much into cuddling the treasure chest too often(Can't help myself, He's just too cute, Could a cute creature like Chester hurt you?).

Me: *Hears heartbeat* Am I hugging you too tightly, Boi?

Chester: *Blushes* Can I at least poke you off me?

Me: *Slowly lets go of Chester* I find you adorable.

I continued to rub his belly until my hand felt an abnormality in his abdomen so I slowly walked backwards and ran. I told a friend @sally-the-pack-leader about it and she mentioned mpreg. I am a giant fan of that kind of stuff so I got curious and asked "Does that mean when I pressed my hand against Chester's belly, I felt a baby kick my hand?". Sally answered "Yee!". I was shocked but exited. "Chester is having babies??? OMG OMG OMG!!! HE'S PREGNANT!!! I gotta tell my other friend Angie about this!" I told Sally. Sally asked "Doe's she like mpreg?". I responded "She mentioned it too.". Sally replied with a thumbs up. I ran up to Angie Yonaga with an exited look on my face, Hugged her and said "Chester was actually pregnant!". She responded with "Atua was right!". We both danced with excitement over this.

***The Day of The Trial***

It was trial time and we were all nervous. Monokuma wasn't the judge but a lawyer instead. A lawyer on our side. Angie, Tenko, Himiko, Shuichi, Maki, Miu, Kaede, Korekiyo, Kokichi, Toko, Makoto and Tsumigi were on our side aswell. And so was @lil-miss-misfit, @emmys-mpreg-corner, @professionallydeadinside and @cr1spy-s0da. However, Kirume, Gonta, Kiibo, Monaca, Monika, Agent Smith, Celestia Ludenberg and Sayaka was on Bendy's side. Along with @sally-the-pack-leader, mad-hatter-ison and the Fgteev family. Intense music started playing in my head. My heart was racing like wild. It's been a few weeks since the practice trial but I'm still shacking like a fucking leaf, My heart pounding in my chest all the while Chester grabbed my arm tightly to the point of almost breaking it. "What was that???" I thought. I snapped back to reality to find out Chester grabbed my arm extremely tightly that I felt a crack in my arm. I looked at Chester to see a look of pain on his face. I was worried for the poor creature and asked "Are you okay!?". He responded "Fuck no! I'm in exrutiating agony bitch!". I looked at the judged and yelled "OBJECTION!!!!". The judge yelled "YEAH!?!?". I shouted "JUDGE!!! THE DEFENDANT IS IN AGONY!!!!". The judge looked over to see what the cluster fuck was going on and yelled "Intermission! Pause the trial!". Chester jumped into my arms whilst gripping in agony. Sometime later after almost making it half-way to the hospital on foot, Chester yelled "I CAN'T TAKE THIS PAIN ANYMORE!!!!". I found a nearby bush to take a quick rest in so we both hid there. Just as I was about to pick Chester up and continue the run to the hospital, He grabbed my arm and said "Don't worry about me, Land lover.". I looked at him with tears in his eye when he said that so I stayed in the bushes with him and told him the conclusion. "Chester... This isn't... Your intestines. ... This is a baby.". Chester looked and me and yelled "WHAT!?!?". I kneeled down to comfort Chester and explained how I came to such insane conclusion. "I was chatting with @sally-the-pack-leader about it and she was the one who gave me that answer.". Chester asked "What kind of land lover comes up with such insane conclusion?".

***Childbirth in the bushes***

In about two hours, Chester was finally understanding his own situation better. He was breathing a bit hastley but calmly. I told him to push. He was indeed pushing. I grabbed a few leaves to pat his head with. Chester just looked at me and reasurred me that he was gonna survive the labour. I kissed his forehead and told him "You're doing great.". More hours passed. Chester grabbed my arm again for support as he started pushing again. He was slipping in and out of consciousness a bit. After that, Awakening in absolute agony. I told him "You're gonna be fine.". He just looks at me a bit and continues to breath and push. Sometime passed and finally what looked a human newborn came out from the treasure chest's nose. "It's a GIRL!!!" I exclaimed at the sight of the newborn. Chester looked exaughsted when I said "Congrats, Honey!". I quickly nudged him while holding our new born. In my head I thought "Oh good god, I hope this isn't a real life Clannad scenario." but then Chester woke up and asked "Am I dead?". I immediately answered "Actually you're alive. You actually pulled through.". Chester looked at the child that came out of him and held it with curiousity "All that pain caused by you?" he said to his newborn daughter. "C'mere!" he said as he hugged the newborn. As soon as Chester was recovering, He felt a sharp pain in his abdomen so he handed his daughter to me. I looked him with worry and asked "Chester-kun? Is something wrong?". He looked at me and said "I think it's happening again.". A few more hours later Chester gave birth to another child but this time, It looked like the trilobite from Prumetheous. Neither Chester nor I knew the newborn's gender and claimed it was genderless. Chester then goes into labour, One final time. I told Chester to breath and then push for one more time. Then after the last contraction, He gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. I congratulated Chester for pulling through and surviving the labour. We named our daughter "Kaibako", Our son "Mozen" and our trilobite child "Kaizuchi". The End

[loveinthebones]

What Makes You Happy

IT’S FINISHED. I was working to finish this today and it was originally going to be something to cheer you up, @bie-lovers (and it still is for that!) but now it is also a Christmas present! :D 

I would like to make a note: Fluff is not my forte and I tried so hard with the handball references. >.

Merry Christmas, Sofie!

Title: What Makes You Happy

Rating: G

Pairing: Phil Lester/Dan Howell

Tags: Fluff, fluff, fluff. Zoo Docent! Phil and Handball Player! Dan, First meeting, Strangers to Lovers with interchanging established relationship parts

-What Makes You Happy-

Dan wonders idly when he has gotten so lucky as he chances a glance into bleachers, jamming his shoulder into the guy who lifts his arm to obscure his vision. He catches the barest glimpse of familiar dark hair and pale hands pressed apprehensively against the lower half of a sharp jaw and sinks his teeth into his lower lip to restrain the joy bubbling like a geyser in his chest.

“Get your head in the game, Howell!” Matt shouts from where he is trying to spot an opening and Dan grits his teeth in response. “We can’t afford distractions!”

“Make him proud, Dan!” Tyler screams from the goal situated behind them.

I just need to…

Dan’s eyes narrow as his concentration snaps back to their match, following the arc of the ball determinedly, as he twists to try and sidestep the player that has been his shadow for most of the game.

We can win this.

-

The first time he spotted the dark-haired boy was after a disappointing loss.

Tyler had been devastated that he hadn’t been able to block the winning point in time and Matthew had been harassing the dark blonde goalie incessantly until their coach stepped in with a, “Keep it up, Matt and I’ll put you on the bench.”

Matt hadn’t opened his mouth after the threat but the damage was done and so, Dan had found himself dragging Tyler to the Chester Zoo to see the new Asian elephant baby that he had been squealing about the week before.

“You don’t have to do this, Howell.” Tyler muttered under his breath as Dan pushed him, refusing to lift his heels. “It was my faul—“

“Ty,” There wasn’t any heat behind the nickname but Dan shoved him again fiercely, grinning at Tyler’s grunt. “Shut the fuck up and walk, your highness.” His hand was heavy as he whacked Tyler’s shoulder playfully, shuffling to join the short queue. “You know as well as I do that if Anthony and Chris had completed that give and go without getting fouled, we would have been golden.”

Tyler refused to respond to his words but his lips peeled back in a small but shaky smile. He fiddled with the zip of his hoodie and kept his eyes on their dusty trainers as they moved.

“Seriously,” Dan lowered his voice as he snickered. “Matt is an ass. Ignore him.” He waved his hand for emphasis as if he was shooing away a droning fly. “We’ll do better next game.”

“I know,” Tyler let out a large exhale of air. “I just- I had it and-“

“-and you’ll have it again.” Dan interrupted easily as he stepped forward to purchase their admission tickets, reaching into the pocket of his trackies for his wallet. “One loss won’t kill us.”

“I know.” Tyler mumbled, shoulders still tensed and raised.

“Then stop being an idiot for one second and listen to me.” Dan rolled his eyes as he turned to the ticket seller with his dimple popping on his cheek charmingly. “Can I get two..uh…”

The first thing Dan noticed about him was that his cheekbones were sharp enough to cut yourself on.

The second is that his lips are stained a cherry red.

Has he been eating ice lollies because no one’s lips can possibly…

The last thing he registered in his already disoriented mind was the fact that the boy’s eyes twinkled as those lips moved.

Fuck. What did he say?

“P-Pardon?” Dan stuttered, feeling the telltale heat scorch his cheeks as he skimmed the tip of his thumb over the bills in his wallet.

“How many tickets, sir?” His voice was deep and nasally with a northern twang. Dan’s tongue darted across his lips nervously just as Tyler jumped in with a horribly timed tease:

“I apologize. He doesn’t know how to handle pretty boys.”

Dan reminded himself that his coach would actually murder him if he mortally wounded Tyler as his face flushed even more.

The boy’s cheeks were rosy as well but he laughed good-naturedly, shaking his head.

“Well…”

Dan hadn’t given him the chance to finish.

He dipped his head with a high-pitched “Sorry!” while he wrapped his fingers tightly around Tyler’s bicep to drag him away. Tyler’s obnoxious but pleased laugh tore through the air and echoed behind them as Dan rushed to the car.

“I changed my mind- it is your fault.” Dan growled as his knuckles went white from clutching the steering wheel so hard.

“Aw,” Tyler cooed, despite Dan’s quiet fuming. “You think he’s cute!”

“I will fucking deck you.”

The first time Dan meets him… his heart doesn’t stop hammering in his chest until they have peeled out of the parking lot and are well on their way back to their hotel.

-

Dan is hopping from foot to foot with even more pent up energy than usual, knowing that Phil is watching.

He takes his opportunity to grab the ball, pacing three steps, before cutting the ball to the left.

He hisses out a happy “Yes!” when it bounces off the wall and into Anthony’s reach, tossing his head to dislodge his curling fringe from his forehead and out of his field of vision.

C’mon, c’mon, c’mon…

-

The second time he encounters the boy…Tyler had offered to take him as a sort of apology for embarrassing him when he was trying to help.

They managed to make it pass the ticket gate without fuss (much to Dan’s relief and Tyler’s bemused disappointment) and had even gotten to gush over the adorable tiny stomping baby elephant, fuzzy but moody meerkats, and the majestic rhinos when Dan catches sight of him.

He was strolling lazily along the walls, scanning the animals briefly in each enclosure, with a towel draped across his arm.

“Isn’t that your boy?” Tyler whispered fervently, practicallyquivering with excitement. “How lucky!”

“I will murder you,” Dan deadpanned as he locked eyes with Tyler meaningfully. “Don’t say anything or draw atten—“ Dan cut himself off with a yell as he rammed his knee into the corner of an unmoving stone bench. He immediately brought it on the surface, curling his torso over it protectively, as his eyes stung. “Holy fuck. That hurts.” He grumbled lowly, taking a deep breath through his nose.

“Walk it off,” Tyler encouraged, patting his back in the same manner he would if he had gotten winded in their practice scrimmages. “C’mon. You’ve had worse.”

“It still hurts.” Dan seethed, even as he gingerly lowered it back to the ground and took a few wobbly steps.

“Hey,” Dan peered up between his lashes at the boy sauntering to him with worried crinkles carving crevasses into the skin at the edges of his eyes and a full lower (less red) lip pinched between his teeth. “I uh-“ He rubbed his the top of his arm bashfully, mucking up the tan polo to reveal a dotting of freckles. Dan smiled at the flustered, adorable mess this boy was. “I’m heading to a first aid station…they might have some ice- i-if you want?”

Dan shook his head, slapping a hand over his mouth as a snort escaped him unbidden. “I’ve had worse.”

“Oh,” There’s a pink tongue trapped between slightly crooked teeth and if Dan wasn’t gone before, he sure is now. “Sorry to hear that.”

“It’s…y’know…a thing.” Shit. I can speak, I promise.

“Like running away from boys you find cute?” The boy giggled and Dan ignored the blush creeping up his neck and face to cough.

“Hey now,” Dan grumbled, gently pushing against the guy’s shoulder. “Can you blame me?”

“You’re not too bad yourself.” He parried instantly but nearly inaudibly, laying his hand over the towel, before letting out a pained hiss. “I’ve go to go- sorry.”

Dan’s stomach dropped to the soles of his feet at the words but he can see the way the boy’s lips are twisted into a corner of his mouth and-

Dan frowned.

“Yeah…are you okay though?”

“Yeah,” He laughed, pulling the corner of the towel more securely over his forearm. “Nuki- the baby jaguar- got a bit overzealous while she was suckling and snagged me with her claws. It’s not serious.” Dan watched as a dopey smile stretched across his face, tip of that tongue wiggling, and while he wanted to lose himself in that smile…

“A jaguar?”

“Yes?”

“And you’re stalling here?” Dan’s voice rose a few octaves, reaching for a name he didn’t know so he blurted the first thing that came to mind. “You-you spork.”

“Dan!” Tyler groaned and slapped a hand across his forehead.

“I’ve never heard that one before.” The boy hummed, eyes sparking with a bolt of mischief. “Kudos, Dan, but my name is actually Phil.”

The second time Dan runs into Phil…he learns that there is a saying for handling big cats, “Claws hurt but teeth kill.” and he thinks that Phil doesn’t need either because his heart has willingly abandoned him to rest in Phil’s hands as they walk together to get him patched up.

-

“Move!” Dan shrieks at Chris who has had the ball in his hands for far too long already and Chris obeys without any hesitation, passing it to Matthew.

There is sweat pouring down his cheeks and Dan is panting heavily but he sprints and curves his body around the two that are trying to block his movements.

They are hot on his heels but Dan catches the ball with his elbow, snatching it from the air before it can escape.

-

The third time Dan sees Phil…it is intentional and he’s still dressed in his uniform, garish yellow shorts reflecting the sunlight as he sits down.

“Hey, you.” Phil greeted, mouth stuffed of half-chewed bread, cheese, and pepperoni. “Nice hair.”

Dan touched the damp curls self-consciously and sighed, “I didn’t have time to change...if I was going to make it on time. Sorry if I stink.” Dan wrinkled his nose at the knowledge that he did, indeed, reek. He had driven with the windows down but he’s not sure how much it helped.

“I promise I have smelled worse.” Phil reassured, scraping a napkin across his face. “Are you hungry?”

“Not at all,” Dan tried to lie when his stomach gurgled betrayingly. “I-“

Phil slid the tiny order of fries across the table to him with a gentle rumble vibrating in his chest. “Betrayed by your own stomach.”

“I know- rude.” Dan quipped, drumming his fingers uncertainly on the metal table top before tentatively taking a single fry. “I can’t just take your food, Phil.”

“It’s fine,” Phil dismissed, swinging the pizza in his hand. Tiny droplets of grease rained on their table. “I have snacks hidden around.”

Dan shook his head and nibbled on his fry. “Isn’t that against the rules of being a zoo keeper?”

“I can’t take food in the habitats,” Phil clarified with a small pout in Dan’s direction. “There isn’t any restrictions on having snacks and besides,” Phil hummed, clasping his hands behind his neck and stretching. “I’m not a zoo keeper, yet. I’m just a docent.”

“A docent?” Dan questioned, munching on some more of Phil’s fries.

“I’m a volunteer, basically.” Phil explained patiently, laying his pizza on the paper plate and sucking the shininess left behind on his fingertip from the grease. “I want to be a zoo keeper when I finish my degree but I’m not there yet.” Phil’s eyes softened as a tiny smile danced across his lips. “Just a little bit more and I will be.”

Dan snatched a pepperoni off of Phil’s pizza with a slight pang of guilt. He was always hungry after practice and pizza was infinitely tastier than soggy fries. 

He quickly shoved it in his mouth.

“What about you, Dan?”

Dan chewed deliberately, not only to savor the spice skittering across his taste buds but to stall answering. He had never been keen on sharing his occupation because it brought too many questions and ended with most people being one of two things: disinterested or way too curious about his salary. He couldn’t even be sure that Phil had heard about handball before- he didn’t seem very sporty.

“Shame on you, Daniel. Being judgmental is not a good trait to have.” His mother’s peeved scolding drifted across his mind and Dan swallowed. He didn’t want to lie to Phil so he settled for the next best thing.

“I’m an athlete.”

“That explains the uniform.” Phil jested, tearing off a small chunk of his napkin to toss it at Dan. “What do you play?”

Fuck.

“Handball,” Dan answered,smiling despite the hard stone of dread settling in the pit of his tummy. “I love it.”

“I’ve heard of it but,” Phil told him, turning the plate with his long fingers absentmindedly. “I’m afraid I am not much of a sports person but if you enjoy it, that’s all that matters, right?”

The tension at the nape of Dan’s subsided slightly at the shy way Phil was regarding him from beneath his fringe and hope blossomed under his rib cage: scorching, painful, and so, so good.

“I hope so,” Dan murmured, a confession of a sorts that breezed past his lips unbidden. “A more stable career would be a safer option. More steady income, you know.”

Dan winced. I’m just asking for misery. I hate when people ask how much I make.

“Safer doesn’t mean better.” Phil leaned into his space, the light expanse of his eyes darkening a full shade in an effort to mirror his suddenly serious demeanor. “Seriously, Dan. If it makes you happy, stick with it.”

Dan’s mouth was dry and the roof stuck to his tongue as he opened his mouth but the heartfelt thanks he was about to utter turned into a squeak when Phil stole a fry.

“Hey!”

“You should tell me the next time you play,” Phil continued to talk even though he is nibbling on Dan’s (well, it was really his but that’s just technicalities.) fry.  “Maybe I can come watch and see what handball is like.”

The third time he is in Phil’s presence…Dan is a little bit happier and lets whatever is between them grow organically as they chat and snicker until Phil has to report back to his station.

-

“You did it!” Phil is yelling, grabbing his cheeks with energy crackling in his otherworldly eyes. Electric streaks of gold spark in a sweeping crescents in a wide expanse of pale greenish blue and Dan laughs, exhilarated. “You were so good, Dan!”

Dan crushes the hand on the right side of his face and beams at Phil.

“It was nothing,” Dan deflects, even though his heart is still crashing wildly in his chest cavity from the last goal he scored before time was called. “Nothing at all.”

“You’re lying! You were so, so goo—“

Dan’s lips slam against Phil’s. 

They are soft and give under his rough, adrenaline-filled kiss and Dan melts as Phil presses closer, fisting his hands in his jersey. There’s cheering around them, piercing wolf whistles, but all Dan cares about is Phil, Phil, Phil.

He pulls away and leans his forehead against Phil’s, shaking with mirth.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too, Danny.“

[jugggheadjoness]

from afar pt six // jughead jones au

from afar // the one where she finds out

masterlist

summary: (Y/N) needs a wedding date. jughead is the only one available. small problem-they aren’t on good terms.

words: 1,316

(((author’s note: since i didn’t release a new part for two days despite saying i would release a new part daily, i decided to release two today!! so enjoy part six.)))

“Close the fucking curtains, Forsythe. I’m dying here.” she groaned as the light shone directly into her eyes.

“Shouldn’t have drank so much last night then, sweet cheeks.”

“I don’t need you to go off at me.”

“Sorry, sweet cheeks.” he grinned, walking towards the bathroom door “By the way, dad says thank you for the compliment.”

“No way!” (Y/N) pushed herself up “What did I say about FP?”

“I just want to tell him his dad is hot.” He mimicked her “I can’t forget ‘FP Jones is a hot human.’”

“And you actually told him?”

“Of course, I did, sweet cheeks. Dad deserved to know.”

“Next time, please let me speak to him instead.”

“And why would I do that, sweet cheeks?”

“Because your dad is single.” She laughed “And hot.”

“Thank God, you’re still alive.” Archie commented as (Y/N) joined them on the patio.

“How are you feeling, Mon?”

“Shit.”

“How’s FP, (Y/N)?” Betty teased, nudging her playful.

“Who’s that?” Montana asked, perking up slightly.

“My d-”

However he was cut off by (Y/N) “The hottest dad to ever grace my life. His genetics are something else.”

“As I was saying, he’s my father.”

Montana pushed her glasses down, scanning Jughead.

“I approve, (Y/N), but I want to see the father.”

Jughead groaned as (Y/N) unlocked her phone, swiping for a short second before bringing her phone up for Montana to see.

“The wedding is cancelled and I’m going back to Riverdale with these to meet that fine man.” Montana exclaimed.

“His son’s a lot more fine though.” (Y/N) nodded, leaning into Jughead’s side.

“You two make me sick.” Archie winked at the pair.

“Momma!” (Y/N) shouted “Me and Jughead are cooking dinner tonight. You and Dad can get your feet up.”

“(Y/N), sweetie, I’m okay with the cooking.”

“Don’t worry about it, Mrs. (L/N), we’ve got this.”

“Jughead, we don’t need that for lasagna.” (Y/N) groaned “Put it back.”

“But sweet cheeks, what if I want to snack on a carrot?”

“Buy it with your own money then.”

The pair entered the meat aisle and Jughead reacted with a groan.

“I decided I’m becoming a vegan.” He paused for a few seconds “Starting…NOW!”

His shout got the other shoppers’ attention, which ultimately lead to (Y/N)’s cheeks to heat up and turn a crimson shade.

“Forsythe, don’t be a twat, we all know you’d miss the milkshakes at Pop’s too much.”

“Ugh, fine. We’ll have meat in the lasagna.”

“LA-SAG-NA.”

“Shut up.”

“Sorry, sweet cheeks.”

“Jughead, can you get the hair out of my face, please?”

“You know, I’ve thought of holding your hair back for other reasons.” He smirked

“I literally have a knife in my hands.”

“I’m loving the apron look, Forsythe.”

“I’m actually naked underneath this.”

“You disgust me.”

“Ah, so you’ve discussed me.”

“I was expecting to walk into a crime scene but you two seem to be getting along.” Archie shook his head “I can’t believe it. My two closest friends are getting along for the first time in forever.”

“You underestimate us.” Jughead chuckled.

(Y/N) burst out into fits of laughter as she walked back into the kitchen to Jughead dancing along to 'Dancing Queen’ by ABBA.

His head snapped to face her, his face immediately turning red. “You did not see that.”

“That was the whitest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“That lasagna looks crisp.”

“Thanks papa! I did most of the work.” (Y/N) grinned, engulfing her father into a hug “How was work?”

“Tiring. Get me retired ASAP.”

“You won’t be saying that once you retire, Pa.”

“Jughead suggested we make white lasagna and I literally nearly broke up with him.” (Y/N) grimaced.

“But we didn’t because I don’t know how to say no to you.”

“Remember when we actually liked each other?” (Y/N)’s mom spoke up, looking her husband in the eye.

“Kevin! I’m missing you, boo.”

“Miss you too but okay, keep me updated, what’s with the cutesy pictures from Six Flags that your brother tagged you in?”

“Well, are the photos convincing?”

“You both look disgustingly in love.”

“How’s my child?”

“Reginald took him for a walk.”

“God, he’s so whipped for me.”

“You wish.”

“Tell Reg, I miss him and can’t wait to see Chester.”

“Why did you two name your dog Chester?”

“After Chester Cheetah, of course.”

“God, you make me sick.” Kevin gagged “You and Jones deserve each other.”

“If you two have babies, I better be the godfather.”

“I don’t even like him like that.”

“Oh but darling, he likes you like that.”

“We’re going for a late night drive. Get in the car.” Betty burst into the room, interrupting the silence that fell between Jughead and (Y/N).

“Alright, let me quickly change.”

“I think Niall is starting to get suspicious.” Archie gazed at (Y/N) through the rear-view mirror.

“What do you mean?”

“Whilst you and Jughead were grocery shopping, he came around and mentioned that you guys weren’t being affectionate.”

“You took us for a drive to tell us that when you could’ve just mentioned it in my room.”

“I didn’t want anyone hearing.”

“Basically, what my boyfriend is trying to say is you guys need to up your PDA.”

“But, I don’t really want to make out in front of my family. Thats, like, weird.”

“You’ve done it once, all you need to do is do it again.”

Betty nodded “In front of Niall, specifically”

“Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it the first time, sweet cheeks.”

“I’m just trying so hard to control myself around you.” she scoffed.

“Good to know you appreciate me, sweet cheeks.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions, darling. My respect for you flew out the window once you suggested white lasagna.”

“Hey, since we’re in the car, can I get a Taco Bell?” (Y/N) poked her head in between the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seat.

Archie groaned but nodded before taking a turn towards the main roads, exiting the country lanes.

“So why does your cousins have such Irish names?”

“You mean Niall and Niamh?”

“Yeah, they’re the only cousins of yours I’ve met.”

“Don’t get clever, Forsythe. I was just clarifying.”

“So why do they?”

“Their father is Irish.”

“Okay.”

“Hide-out hill in ten?”

“See you then.”

“Arch, I don’t know how she does it.”

“What do you mean?”

“She makes me feel like I’m in one of those stupid romcoms you two watch with each other.”

“First of all, romantic comedies are not stupid, they are a work of art. Secondly, you bottled your true emotions for a good odd years, opening up will make you feel giddy.”

“I agreed on this trip, thinking I’d watch her crash and burn and enjoy it whilst she screams but here I am now, wanting to hold her hand and make her feel all nice and shit.”

“You gotta say something, dude. It’ll eat you up if you don’t.”

“What can I say? Oh I know, maybe I could be like. Hey, (Y/N), by the way, I know that rule one is no catching feelings but fuck the rules because I think I’ve always known that I’ve liked you and hey, if it’s not mutual, I can just like you from afar and we can go back to not speaking and you can go back to flirting with Reggie at every possible minute because that guy is tall and have you seen his face? God, it looks like an angel carved it. Heck, if you don’t like me back, I may just move on to Reggie.”

“Okay, Jughead, bro. You can breathe.”

As Archie spoke, his eyes locked with (Y/N)’s. Her instant reaction was to press her pointer finger against her lips, walking away from the hill as quietly as possible.

“Betty!” (Y/N) whispered, as she bumped into the girl at the patio doors “Forsythe Jones caught feelings.”

tags: @meratt2000 @okokokokoookokokk @sunshine51879

[sfwilliam]

Maxwell listened, not happily of course. He scoffed at some things that Wilson said, looking away. When he turned his head back he was going to answer, his eyes widening when he saw a fist barreling towards him. He made a weird noise when he was hit, flinching as his arms went up to try and block the hits. Hit after hit his health went down, Maxwell was shaking and struggling, not even trying to fight back.

Then there was a loud snapping sound. Maxwell gasped and let out a sound, a cry. He then began shouting "STOP!! STOP!! PLEASE!" Maxwell began to beg, trying to push Wilson's fists away. There were some noises coming from Maxwell, and his wrist looked a bit .... well... broken. "STOP PLEASE! HIGGSBURY I COULDNT!! I WAS A PRISONER!" The soft noises Maxwell was making was... cries. He was crying from the pain, his act broken. Well it didn't take much to break this old mans snarky act!

"I didn't make this place!!" Maxwell sobbed out, his entire body shaking like a scared injured pup. "I was pulled into this place!! It wasn't my choice!! I wanted to help believe me I did!!" Tears were running down Maxwell's face as he sobbed like a frightened child, he was so tired and hurt, his health was low and he just... cracked under the pressure. "I can't stand seeing people hurt!! I wanted to try and do anything to help! I made touchstones so you wouldn't restart! I tried making things easier!! I made Chester for YOU!"

sfwilliam‌:

survivorsoftheunknown‌:

-

Oh, how he hated when Maxwell would think of himself as bigger than he really was. First there was a frown, but as soon as he finished his question, he smirked. “Yeah, the king,” Wilson scoffed right back at him, poking his wound. “The king of the miserable!”

At least this time he managed to get some fun out of this. “If you know her, it’d be best if we both got to know, right? You and I are a team now, the monsters are attacking you too so that means you’re nothing but a survivor just like me now… and I’m the one that knows how to do the hard work. Information for safety, how does it sound?” Maybe these violence-lacking threats would do something.

Maxwell flinched, tensing up and jolting a little. His hands clenched for a moment as he grit his teeth, trying not to build up his anger. He looked to Wilson, glaring at him. “At least I’m the king of something, and not a completely moronic selfish worthless excuse for a failed scientist.” He sharply spoke back, looking away once more as he crossed his arms and moved his right leg so he was sitting with his legs halfway crossed.

Maxwell looked back towards the fire as he reluctantly listened, scowling. “You do not deserve to know who she is. You’re lucky you even got to look at her. You didn’t deserve that either.” He tensed up for a moment, his face going soft as he stared into the fire. I don’t deserve to know her either…. He thought before he got an unhappy look on his face once more. Then it turned into a cocky expression as he looked to Wilson, grinning away like he was the winner. “But of course, Higgsbury…. how silly of me, I had completely forgotten…” he tilted his head a little and leaned closer to Wilson, snickering. “I’m just a survivor like you! Expect…” he did a dramatic gasp, looking in the distant, looking at nothing in general, putting his right hand on his chest dramatically. “Oh! My ! I’m the only survivor who knows what’s happening! Goodness me!!” He grinned, showing off his teeth quite a bit. Boy was he cocky. “I’m the only one who knows how to get off of this island! But yet…. YOU! Want to know who a WOMAN in the DARK is!” He began laughing, quite harshly too. He was making fun of Wilson. “Oh, please, Higgsbury! I’d be safer if I WASN’T relying on you for safety! I’m not going to tell you ANYTHING.” Maxwell crossed his arms harshly and glared at Wilson, pure hatred in his eyes. “There is nothing you have that I want. You are just a pathetic pawn that destroyed my ENTIRE plan to get off of this pathetic island. You’re worthless. A joke.” He scowled, his nose flaring a bit as he glared daggers at Wilson.

“Selfish? If I was selfish, I wouldn’t have helped that weird mime trapped between those monsters! Or you, I could have left you bleeding just now, or I could have abandoned you in there and allowed you to be held captive forever!” he frowned, letting out a small angry snort when he poked at how he’d failed as a scientist. Where the hell was that other person now?

Wilson stood up and crossed his arms over his chest, listening to what he had to say even if he didn’t like it one bit. “Do you think I’m still your plaything? You told me there was nothing but dust, void and them. You could have created a way out, couldn’t you?”

The more he was mocked, the angrier Wilson got. Those last insults had him fuming. “I’m diplomatic to a point, Maxwell. We all have our–you know what? To hell with that. I’ve been wanting to do this for so long.” That was it, death meant nothing there after all. Wilson lifted a fist again, wanting to punch him across the face -and he would continue to do it. He would beat him up unless he was stopped for all the bad things he’d gone through. In between his attacks on the assault, the failed scientist spoke up. “You made this place, you could have made it easier on me! You deserve this!”

[unholyhelbiglinked]

Paging Dr. Hart | Six

[Trigger warning: Blood, blood, and more blood]

Colleen hit the gas with full force, the car jolted forward, pushing me into the plush leather seat as I grasped the handle above the window. Letting the wind move my hair from my face as the sirens began to ring in my ears. I pressed the button down on the radio.

"316, on route," I shouted over the loud noises. Colleen didn't waste much time as she cut across a long highway, hitting her horn as other cars scurried to the side of the road, I unclipped my seatbelt, ready to exit the vehicle before it even pulled to a stop in front of the high school.

"Get in there with the stretcher as soon as you can," I instructed colleen quickly as I grabbed the medical bag and hit the cement ground. My legs pushed against the pavement as fast as they could, a subtle ache moving through my knees as I tore open the door of the school.

I was welcomed by a brigade of worrisome teachers, the air-condition cooled the moisture that began to form on my head as I exchanged little dialogue with the principle who began to usher me through the lobby.

"My partners coming in with the stretcher, but we don't have time to waste," I said between breaths as the man got a clue and started to trot quickly towards the classroom. I hated high school. I hated being back in high school, especially the one I went to. I didn't have time to think about that right now. I didn't have much time at all.

A younger teacher hung out the doorway of a classroom, tears spreading black mascara across her cheeks as the other students were directed to leave the room roughly. Each keeping their eyes on me as I ran into the room.

"You should stay out here," I told the man who accompanied me down the hall. He hesitated, but nodded as I quickly crouched down by the young male student that lay on his back. He was struggling for air as his lips turned blue, his eyes wide as he held his hands up to his throat.

"Ma'am," I turned around to the young teacher "I need to know exactly what happened,"

"H-he" she started to stutter, I knit my eyebrows together.

"I don't have time to waste," I snapped, continue to check the boy's vitals. She swallowed roughly but started to speak.

"I stepped out of the room for a moment," She sobbed between words "and... and I came back and he was like this. They said he had fallen from a table he was standing on to prove some kind of an idiotic point. He hit his throat and,"

"He crushed his trachea," I mumbled to myself. I pulled my stethoscope into my ears as I pressed it to his chest; his lungs couldn't take this much more. There wasn't much I could legally do to help him.

"What do we got, Helbig?" Colleen practically slid to her knees as she moved next to me. Colleen had an eerie calmness about the way she worked. She was quick with her tasks, but often did them in a silence that I could never carry.

"Obscured breathing path," I told her, my hair falling into my eyes "I have to do it," I told her, earning a pale look as the class looked on, practically in a daze.

"No," Colleen said as I rooted through the bag to my right for a scalpel. "Grace, I don't want to be looking for a new partner, and if you do this-"

"If I do this he can have a chance," I snapped, not fazing her. "You know damn well that we won't make it back to the hospital when he's in this condition."

She gave me a stern glare, her eyes narrowing as she relented.

"Get me a pen, please," I told her in a rough whisper. She nodded, getting to her feet as I gave the teacher a small look before placing one of my gloved hands on the side of the boys cold throat. I needed to have a steady focus, which was corrupted, knowing at least fifteen students pressed against the doorframe to get a look at what was happening.

I started to feel around for the space between the cricoid cartilage and the Adams apple. I made a small half inch incision in the boys flesh, feeling the warm blood engulf my hands as I moved my index finger into the opening. Earning a few gasps from the group that watched.

"Evan's I need that pen," I said hurriedly as she rushed back to my side. I used my other hand to grab the standard Bic pen, ripping the innards out with my teeth as I spit it to my side. I pinched the two sides of the boys skin and inserted the plastic pen into his throat, far enough to reach his trachea.

I sat back on my heels drawing in a breath as color started to return to the boy's face. Colleen placed her hand on my shoulder as she stood and went to get the stretcher, leaving me to my thoughts as I glanced up at the shocked principle.

"At least you can go home and tell your parents you learned not to stand on tables today," I mumbled, shocking the kids even more as I blew a strand of hair from my eyes.

"Of all the incompetent, armature, idiotic stunts you have pulled, this has been the worst one." Chester shouted, slamming his hands down on his paper covered desk. A stack of manila folders fell to the side of his desk.

"God damn it Grace," He plopped down in his chair, his voice lowering. He looked tired. Black bags collected under his eyes, his button up looked like it was sweated through. A small office fan whirled in the corner- moving his black tie slightly. "I'm trying to help you here."

"I know," I responded, feeling guilty for making Chester work harder than he already did "I know it's a lot of paperwork to fill out and," I paused for a moment "The kid would've died and I just couldn't live with myself if I knew I could've done something."

"I understand, Grace. We've had this conversation before. It's like a broken record." He sighed heavily "I know that you can do this. You could open up a patient on a table and take out his spleen with only a coat hanger and a bottle of absinth, but you're not cleared yet."

"I know," I grumbled again, starting to sound like that broken record Chester was talking about. I was more experienced than a standard EMT. I was a doctor in the war before all of this, but the board tip toed around me because of my past issues. It made doing my job difficult and often put us in awful situations.

Chester sighed and moved forward, grasping a pen as he started to fill out the standard forms. He didn't look up at me as he spoke "One week paid leave, Helbig." He mumbled. I opened my mouth to protest, but he shot me a glare, so I kept my jaw locked.

"You should be cleared by next Monday," he slid the blue form to me, I eyed it resentfully before grasping it and standing from the chair. "Just... lay low, okay? The board is loosening its reins on you, but not if you continue to act out against them"

"I know," I sighed again as I reached for the door, Chester continued to speak.

"If it makes any difference, Grace. I'd trust you with my life, and if they don't realize that, they're in the wrong."

"Thanks, Chester," I gave him a small smile as I walked from the hot office in the corner of the hospital. Maybe he was right, maybe I could take this week off and just lay low.

Or I could find a way back into these hospital walls.

[lenavonschweetz]

The Bridges of Time - Part 2

Home Before You Know It

Bucky Barnes x Reader Soulmate AU

Summary: Loosely Based off of The Bridges of Madison County - The tale of a man out of time, and the woman who never believed in Soulmates.  When her husband and children are away, a mysterious man stumbles into her life and with a simple brush of skin against skin, their lives are never the same. The two share “a brief affair that is never sordid but instead one of two soulmates who have met too late.” - The Bridges of Madison County

Warnings: language (maybe?), annoying nosy neighbors, family life

A/N:  This one is really setting up the family, but Bucky arrives next, don’t worry :) Part 2 of my Album Challenge for @mrs-squirrel-chester (not sure if it was supposed to be a multi-part fic or different one-shots, but you got a multi-part fic! lol)

The Bridges of Time Masterlist

⏪Part 1 || Part 3 ⏩

“Charlie!”  Erik calls up the stairs as he comes back in through the swinging screen door.  “Come on man, we gotta go!”  He smiles sweetly at you as you dote over the stove.  

“Good morning.”  The house was bustling already at 7 a.m. as your husband and children got ready to go on their annual 'hunting' trip.

Everyone in the house knew the title was a lie, that the three would spend a week at a time at the school of the man who your son was named for. They would meet with other mutants like themselves, spend the week honing and controlling their abilities under Charles Xavier’s direction.

After losing his last family, Erik vowed he would never let them out of his sight. After discovering both children were Enhanced, Erik made sure to give them as normal a life as the two of you could afford, while also giving them the direction they needed to control their powers.  Which meant a half a year's worth of school squeezed into a week long period every six months.

"Good morning, Dove.” A soft kiss is pressed to your cheek.  “I hope we didn't wake you?"

"No, I was already up." You smile, dishing out breakfast onto three separate plates.  "Having trouble 'rousing the rascals?"

"Always."  Erik chuckles, making his way up the stairs to attempt to drag your children out of the house.  The stairs creak under his weight, and you make a mental note to take a look at them while he’s gone.

The house is quaint, a lovely little farmhouse in the middle of nowhere where Erik could live out his fantasy of a normal life.  The first story was occupied by the kitchen, dining room, living room, and a bathroom, while the second story housed the living quarters, and a fair amount of farmland.  It wasn’t anything special, but it was a good enough house for four and an old dog, Mickey, to call home.  It wasn’t the life you’d imagined as a kid, but it was yours, and you were happy to find someone to spend it with, even if that someone were only your best friend.

Soulmates were all but a thing of the past.  As the years went by, less and less people seemed to meet their other half, until it was a rarer occurrence than not having one at all.  Most folks lived a solitary life, you were lucky enough to marry your best friend.

The neighbors, Darcy and Chris, were the only Soulmates you knew.  One of the only couples lucky enough to feel a real, Earth-shattering, awe-inducing love.  They were also the nosiest people you knew.  Your family hadn’t even gone yet, and Darcy was pressing her wrinkled old face up to the glass of their windows.  When she sees you waving at her through your own, she disappears.

“Morning, Momma.”  Charlie greets as he settles in for breakfast.  “Brann up yet?”

“No, I’m afraid she hasn’t budged yet.  Eat your breakfast quickly, your father needs help packing the car.”  You say, making your way around the table to start packing a bag of snacks for their road trip.  At the heavy footfalls tromping their way down the stairs, you realize that Erik has returned.

“There he is!  About time, thought I would have to load up all by myself.  Dove, have you seen my -”  You hold up the keys in question, having noticed him patting at all the pockets of his clothes before speaking up.  You couldn’t read each others’ mind, had very different tastes, and were two incredibly different human beings.  But after all your time together, you had learned to think what the other was thinking, and formed a routine of sorts.  “Thanks, Luv.”  

As he exits the house, he nods for Charlie to follow him.  The teen jumps up before running after him, calling something about being able to drive.  You use the time you’ve been given to go wake your daughter up.

“Brann?  Darling, it’s me, can I come in?”  When she doesn’t answer after a few moments, you try the door handle, sighing in relief when you realize it isn’t locked.  “Honey, the boys are just about ready to go.  Is everything alright?”

“I don’t want to go.”  The answer comes, muffled through a pillow.  You make your way over to the bed, sinking down beside your daughter to rub circles against her back.

“Why’s that, hon?” 

“I don’t want to go because that just means we’ll have to leave.  I don’t understand why Charlie and I can’t just go to school there year round.  Everyone else does!”

“You know why, Brann.  Your father just wants you to be safe.  Besides, he looks forward to this time with you!  You get to be who you really are with him, isn’t that enough?”

“It would be better if I didn’t have to hide it all the time.”  She mumbles, rolling over, so she’s facing you.  “I wish you would come with us.”

“There’s no room, darling.  Besides, this is for you.  Not me.”  You brush a stray tear off of her face before standing and scanning the room for her suitcase.  “Now come on!  They won’t wait forever, you know.”

And as if on cue, you hear bickering downstairs, followed by a shout of your name.  Rolling her eyes, Brann grabs her bag and takes your hand to walk downstairs.

“Mom, tell Dad to let me drive!”  Charlie pleads.  “He said when I was old enough I could drive, and now he won’t let me!”

“Charlie, I already said -”

“But I’m old enough now, dad!"  You rolled your eyes at the boy, knowing he was nowhere near close to being old enough to drive.  “I’m a better driver than you are!”

“Hey, that is enough!”  You snap, asserting yourself as you usher Brann off to put the snack bag in the car.  “Erik, let Charlie drive.  If anything goes wrong, you can just control the car.”

“What?  But that’s not fair!”

“Do you want to drive?”

“Well, yeah, but -”

“That’s the deal, Charlie.  Take it or leave it.”  There are a few moments where Charlie mulls over his options before he huffs out a ‘fine’ and stomps out the door.  As soon as he’s gone, Erik thanks you with a kiss on the cheek.

“I wish you could come with us.  You’d love Charles, really, and he’d be happy to have you.”  You brush him off, going about cleaning the dishes and setting them to dry.

“Don’t worry about it, Erik.  This is for you and the kids, I’d just be out of place.  Besides, I only get the house to myself two weeks a year.  I’m going to take advantage of the silence.”

“Don’t get too use to it, Dove.  We’ll be home before you know it.”  You follow him out onto the porch, hugging your children tightly before they run off to the car.  Beside you, Erik grabs one last bag and slings an arm around your waist and presses a kiss to your hair.

“Please be careful.”  You plead, hugging him back, though your eyes are locked on the silhouettes you can see through the car windows.

“Always am.”  He promises with a smile.  “I’ll call you when we get there.”  And with that, he’s in the car, pulling out of the gravel drive as Charlie and Brann wave to your through the windows.  The second their car is out of sight, Darcy’s door opens and you groan to yourself.

“Y/N!”  She greets with a wave you reluctantly return.  “Afternoon!  Husband and kids off hunting again?”

“Yes, ma’am!  Just got them all out, now I’m going to go take a long-awaited soak.”  You chuckle with every intention for that to be the end of the conversation.  Darcy, as always, continues.

“It’s just so odd!”  She says.  “It’s not even season!”

“Yes, well, Erik knows where to find all the good game.”  You fib, nodding curtly as you slowly back toward your house out of the shared gravel driveway.  “It was nice talking with you Darcy, but I really should get inside before my bath runs cold.  Good afternoon!”  And with that, you shut the door behind you and sigh.

You’re just about to run upstairs to run said bath - it didn’t sound like such a bad idea, after all! - when Mickey starts barking at the door.  With a groan, you follow the dog’s line of vision, eyes landing on a beat up old truck.

What now?

TAGS:

tags are currently broken, I’ll reblog with tags soon.

[unholyhelbiglinked]

Butterfly Effect | Chapter Three

A deep cough originated from the cell that stood inches away from mine. The damp conditions of the jail only fueled the sickness that ravaged through this place. If the guards didn't kill the source of the sound, I would. The musty smell of hardened blood filled my lungs with each breath I took, so I tried to vary them. I had only been in here a night and my patience was already wearing thin.

The woolen black pea coat that hugged my body did nothing against the dank chill that ran though the small station. There were only four cells that lie parallel to each other, cast iron bars were stapled into rotted wood, the dirt floors took on a terra cotta glow under the sunlight that streamed through the small window above my head. I kept my booted feet in the small ray of shine, trying to warm them slightly.

The man that was pressed roughly against the cell door began to hack violently again. I glanced up, my blonde hair falling into my eyes as I furrowed my brow. This wasn't right. He lurched forward, bright scarlet passing though his lips as it spilled onto the floor, creating a cemented mix of loose dirt and blood.

"Hey," I got into a crouching position as the man continued to vomit up a mix of alcohol and vital fluid. I pushed my feet against the ground as I moved to the bars, pressing my face against them "Hey! Come on we need help over here!" My words scratched against my sore throat as I continued to shout.

"Aye, pipe down." A guard slammed the door shut behind him as he glanced over at me, he looked about my age, his blonde hair was combed into a low hanging bun. "What is it now, Helbig?"

I lifted my chin towards the half deceased man across from me. He was slumped across the floor at this point, all consciousness leaving him as he continued to cough. "I'll get a nurse in here," The guard mumbled more to himself than to me.

The convoy was supposed to be shipped out within an hour if I was using the sun correctly. The way I saw it, I only had two choices. I could wind up with my brain matter across the limestone walls of the cells, or I could get Chester to let me off the hook, which wouldn't be easy, considering I snapped more than one bone in his nose.

The iron clad door shut behind the young guard as I stepped back from the cell bars, stretching my hands behind my head with a loud pop as my shoulder blade began to groan under the pressure of my first movement in hours. I had been pacing back and forth for the last two days, refusing the meals offered, knowing I couldn't stomach them. With my whole being I believed that Tyler would care for Tim if things became too drastic, but like me a year ago, he had no idea how to handle a child.

I let out a thick sigh as I slumped back against the wall again before thumping to the ground that was laden with mold covered hay. I was cold, sniveling really. It was no surprise that my mute cell mate caught consumption down here.

My eyes began to droop shut, my body close to giving out on itself when I was jolted from rest by the iron clad door banging roughly, the other man in the jails glanced up, but only for a moment as a woman followed by another guard found her place among the many types of toxins that coated the ground.

She was tall, her green eyes only flicked over to me for a moment before she knelt down next to the man. She sported a pair of tan pants with a loose white shirt hanging from her shoulders. A red jacket hugged her slim figure as she slid on a pair of pitch plastic gloves. She was a nurse that had nothing better to do than to aid in the fight against the colonists.

"I'm fine here," Her voice was soft as she glanced up at the guard, who was worriedly looking my way. The red haired nurse gave out a boisterous laugh "Please, what is legs over there going to do? Kick me to death."

"She broke a captain's nose, trust me, she has some danger to her." The guard was hesitant, but with another sharp gaze from the nurse he dropped his shoulders in defeat. My watchful eye didn't leave the fiery haired nurse as she pressed her two fingers to the man's neck, her skin tone looked almost orange compared to his pale complexion.

"You can't help him, can you?" I knit my eyebrows together, my voice barely above a whisper.

"fraid' not," The nurse stood for a moment, scratching the back of her neck, she let out a thick sigh as she searched through her big leather bag, "I might be able to help you though."

I cocked my head to the side, curious about what the woman had to say. I wasn't feeling too sick, other than a growing nervousness in the pit of my stomach. She grumbled as she pulled out the biggest bottle of scotch I had seen in a while from the burlap sack. The girl lowered herself to the ground, leaning her back against the small piece of wall that jutted out into the opening. I watched cautiously as she popped the cork and raised the bottle to her lips.

"This is supposed to be for the patients to help ease the pain," she told me as I scooted over a few feet so the only separation between the two of us was a three inch Iron bar. She shoved the bottle my way, the liquid sloshed around in the half empty glass jar. "But sometimes you just deserve a drink."

I took the alcohol carefully as I moved the top of the bottle to my lips; the strong liquid coated my tongue and throat. My eyes began to water as the buttery liquor. I pulled away, handing the container back to the nurse.

"They're going to kill me," I started, wiping a drop from my stone cut jaw.

"I don't think they will," The girl moved her emerald eyes my way. "You're important around here."

I raised my eyebrows in confusion, earning a small smirk from her. "People noticed your absence after only a day. You're Grace right?"

I nodded as I placed my hands in my lap "I'm no good to anyone when I'm locked up in here." Not realizing that hot tears were rolling down my cheeks until they hit the fabric of my jacket.

"Wipe your tears, sweetheart," The girl told me, giving me a sympathetic look "You're better than this."

[unholyhelbiglinked]

Butterfly Effect | Chapter Thirteen

The gritty muck worked its way through my cotton shirt, its icy feel seeping through the fabric as my chin pushed down into the black mud. I blew out from my nose, learning quickly that I spent more time face down in dirt than breathing the air of this small town.

The earthy taste filled my mouth as I hoisted myself to my knees, spitting the mixture of saliva and dirt to my side as my hair began to fall into my eyes, the light grey of the morning clouding my vision.

Jessie's hand reached down towards me, I grasped it gratefully, feeling the pain wrack my body as it protested to more movement than I had already put it through. Everything was burning, and what wasn't decided to ache dully as it throbbed.

"We could stop for today, Grace." Jessie said, knitting his eyebrows together as he flicked his hand to his side, moving specks of mud with it. I shook my head, not saying a word as I breathed in deeply, feeling a low burn him through my lungs.

I started to regret the night I spent talking to Hannah. Not the actual conversations of course, but the amount of alcohol consumed took a toll on my body. I had enough rum to intoxicate a mule, but I had made a promise to Jessie, and more importantly myself.

"Alright." He shook his head slightly as I squared back up, evening my frame with his as I ducked slightly, fists raised. I hated staying still, that let the cold numb my mostly bare arms. "I want you to channel your anger. You're still not there yet. You're hitting like you're afraid of hurting the other persons feelings."

"What anger?" I grumbled the question. I couldn't just trigger the way I felt in that one moment. I wasn't naturally an angry person. It was hard for me to express feelings... yes, but that didn't mean I let them collect themselves either.

Jessie cocked his head to his side; clenching his jaw as her furrowed his brow. He fell from his stance, dropping his shoulders "What anger, Gracie?" he almost scoffed "What about your brother huh?"

I glanced up at this, a flash of pain moving across my gaze. Jessie took notice of this. He lifted his chin slightly before narrowing those olive green eyes of his. "You left him all alone."

He started to circle me, his boots sinking into the earth as I followed his movements with my eyes, my body almost in synch with his as I never broke eye contact. My breath was shallow, my footfalls soft.

"he needed you, and your short temper was enough to get you shipped off to another country." Jessie said voice low "you abandoned him. Just like your-"

My knuckles numbly pressed against the side of Jessie's face, the movement quick and nimble as his neck snapped to the side, his eyes trained on his laced up boots as I breathed out heavily, trying to catch what I lost.

My temper.

I dropped my hand to my side, letting the tension fall from my shoulders "Jess, I'm sorry, that was"

"Exactly what I wanted," Jessie said as he pressed the tip of his thumb to a small cut that was split upon his lower lip. A red mark was forming on his cheekbone, the dark purple pooling under his skin. "You take that anger and you channel it. You let it out. You let it take control."

I nodded, knitting my eyebrows together "What if I can't stop channeling it?"

"Even you don't have that much rage, Grace." He patted my shoulder as he started to walk towards the stables. "Come on, you own me a beer and an ice pack."

I kept my eyes trained on the ceiling as they began to drift, my body begging for sleep, but my mind racing too much to allow it. My jaw was clenched, my fingers absentmindedly messing with the chain around my neck.

It had no immediate meaning to me. I suppose if I dug deep enough in my memories I could figure out a connection between my feelings and this simple chain. Isn't that what soldiers did? Make connections that drew their memories back to home.

I wasn't too interested in thinking about home. Of course I wanted Tim by my side. I wanted to lean my head out the window and share a conversation with Tyler about the gossip running through the towns streets. I wanted to sit and help Joselyn restock the shop. But I couldn't do any of that.

I could sit with Hannah at the bar and talk for hours to ease my doubts. I could train with Jessie until I was numb, or drink with Mamrie until I achieved the same effect. I just had to live day by day here. There was no hope for the future, so there was no reason to think of one.

A low round of shouting drew my attention away from my thoughts as  sat up, running a hand through my hair as I put my feet firmly on the floor, ignoring the wave of dizziness that moved through me.

"Traitor," the word was muffled, but enough to get me to raise to my feet. Traitor. That was a word that I wasn't used to hearing, not around these parts anyway. Most of the people in this town and in the Calvary had an understanding of each other. It wasn't a phrase that was thrown around lightly.

My head was screaming at me from the reminisce of a hangover. I shook my head clear and walked towards the door.

"You were supposed to help me, but what do you do? Nothing."

I knit my eyebrows together as I kept my hand on the iron door handle, ready to pull it open at any minute.  I knew that voice all too well, I just wasn't sure who was on the receiving end of it.

"I-I'm sorry I can't," the voice was small, a little lispy.  It didn't' belong to Hannah, who was happily working a shift without a pounding headache. "I like her, okay?"

"You like her?" the voice was a low growl "just like your dike sister."

I flinched at the word, having heard about enough from the man as I opened the door quickly, letting the wood framing slam against the outside of the house with a loud bang. Chester's head snapped in my direction, his jaw clenched, his eyes filled with rage.

He had a distressed Maggie pressed against one of the support beams of the porch. His hands held her collar, his gaze moving from me back to her. He made no gesture towards removing his hands from her.

"Chester," I said, standing my ground "I suggest you let her go before I make you."

I held my chin up high, my eyes steady and my stance strong. Chester smirked, a malevolent anger flashing across his eyes. He shoved himself off of Maggie, but refused to give her enough room to get out of the situation fully. She looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Please, Grace. You're not pretty enough to be that stupid." He scoffed, taking a step towards to the side as he leaned against the other support beam. "we need to talk."

"no," I said immediately, putting my hand on Maggie's shoulder before I moved her over towards me. She was quick into my side, hiding behind me. "you need to leave,"

He moved his gaze up and down my body before shaking his head slightly "We're not finished." He walked towards the tree line, leaving me with Maggie as she let out the breath that she was holding so dearly onto.

"Traitor huh?" I knit my eyebrows together as color faded from her face. She looked towards her boots, not uttering a word.

"I'm sorry, Grace." She whispered.

[unholyhelbiglinked]

Butterfly Effect | Chapter Five

[TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter has a lot of blood and abuse in it. I'm warning you now, you don't need to read it to understand the next chapter, so please, but be careful.]

A feverish sting ran along my back as the burly man held my arms behind my back in an effort to torment me. My elbows were almost touching as a biting burn echoed across my shoulders and ran across the length of my arms.

I dug the toes of my boots into the soft mud, trying my best to stall the conversation I was about to have. It didn't seem to faze the man behind me. He just kept pushing forward as I stumbled against his husky chest.

Eyes followed my every move as I was herded through the town square, a small crowd began to form along the sides of the cobble stone streets as the red coat shoved me to my knees by the large brass statue that hung in the middle of the town, a dirt turn around creating somewhat of a circle. I used to run around it as fast as I could as a kid, but now, instead of a race track, I saw an empty stadium just waiting to be filled.

The coarse rope had cut off most feeling in my fingertips; it was tight enough to snap my bones and was no doubt drawing blood that was dropping on the rough stone ground. I averted my gaze from each passerby, who eventually wondered far enough to escape my line of sight, but they could still watch with pity. The only people who didn't pull away from the main area were Joslyn and Tyler, who were exiting the nearby shop, worried expressions clouding their features.

I knit my eyebrows together as my view of my friends was blocked by the lower half of Chester, a deep grin on his lips as he held a tea leaf decree in his hands, the paper creasing as his hands began to sweat. My eyes were level with his crotch at this point, which made him stand taller.

"If you want me to suck that, I'll bite it off," I told him in a condescending tone, wiping the grin from his face.

I didn't have much to lose at this point, and considered insulting the man until he ran away crying. That's what he deserved. Leaving with the intent of returning the next month. I thought he had died at war, and eventually got over my first love, but by the pained structure of his body I could tell that he wasn't quite over me.

"Grace Anne Helbig," Chester shouted loud enough to get the attention of everyone who was murmuring in the square, an obvious edge to his voice.  Two other men stood in s strong stance behind Chester, smug looks on their faces. "By the decree of the law, your assault upon an officer cannot go unpunished."

I swallowed, wondering what he was getting at. But as the hand that didn't hold the letter grazed the tip of the brown cow hide whip attached to his belt loop, I knew I was going to have an awful afternoon. "Unfortunately, the king has also decreed that we can't end your miserable life," he knelt down, his hot breath filling my lungs as he whispered so only I could hear him. I had the urge to spit in his face, but held myself back. "He didn't say I couldn't come close though."

He stood back to an upright position, clearing his throat as he started to read the next phrase, a bitter spark added to his words "It has been stated that Grace Anne Helbig will go to the mainland in place of her brother Timothy Helbig." My gaze dropped, what would they need me over there for? "As a soldier."

An audible wave of disbelief and shock shook the crowed, but it returned to silence as the two men behind Chester grasped my arms roughly as they pulled me to my feet. This time I didn't struggle. I couldn't anymore. Not in front of Tyler and Jocelyn. Defiantly not in front of the traveling nurse that now stood by their side, who would most likely become my only sense of normalcy on the mainland. I wasn't going to show weakness in front of a crowd of people I had earned respect from.

Despite the cold of the day, the men began to unbutton my jacket and slid if from my arms. It rested upon my tied hands as they began to tear open the grey button up that was stained with sweat and blood from previous encounters. I narrowed my eyes as Chester pursued my body with his, stopping at the black lace bra that protected what I didn't want the whole town to bare witness off.

I caught wind of Tyler's pained expression as Mamrie tuned her head to the side. She looked as if she had known me for years instead of the last few nights drinking as I was held up in a cell. But I was tired, and that made me speak more. She was probably more aware of what I truly wanted than I was.

I refused to close my eyes as Chester snaked the whip from his belt loop, making sure to stand a few feet away as he braced himself for the first shot. I knew it would become easier for him to draw his hand back as it became harder for me to take the slaps of the leather weapon.

The sound cracked through the air as a numbing throe danced across my cheek. A line of jeweled blood dripped from a long cut on my cheek as the pain began to set in. My blood began to seep into the dirt as I looked at the drops that made themselves known below me. I glanced up, letting my hair fall into my eyes.

He could do better than that. He knew he could. He was holding back for reasons unknown. He could tell by the rough look on my features that I was almost taunting him. With a grunt he brought the whip down again. This time it snaked across my shoulder, the tip reaching almost all the way down my back as more warm blood coated my skin. He was angry now, feeling the power run through his veins as he took less time between shots.

CRACK!

CRACK!

CRACK!

Hit after hit showered me in a blinding pain as my stomach leaked sharp liquid, almost every inch of my exposed skin was covered in a garnet that was so thick it could be tar.

As Chester moved his arm back one more time, a delicate hand wrapped itself around his wrist. He snorted, turning his gaze quickly to the girl. His face was sprinkled in my blood, but he was used to having that on him.

Mamrie stood her ground, "That's enough, Chester." She told him softly.

His chest heaved up and down as he glanced back to me before dropping his arm. He signaled the boys to drop me, which they did with little hesitation. I felt each cut make itself known as I fell against the ground, letting out a sharp breath as the blood coated the ground quickly.

Chester spit to his side before walking around me, his gaze forward as his two men followed. Mamrie was quickly by my side, moving the red tinted hair from my swollen eye.

"I'm kind of wishing we didn't drink all that alcohol last night." I coughed, feeling bile rise in my stomach as I became aware of another presence as my vision began to grow blurry.

"Help me get her to the shop," Tyler sounded so far away, and so did Mamrie's response to him. I let my eyes drift shut, as the pain of the day began to fade away.