#S02E08 One Breath

[is-on-its-way]

Breathe Deep

Episode:  s02e08 One Breath

Part 1, Part 2

·˚ ༘ ༊*·˚·˚ ༘ ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟﾟ･༘ ☾･ﾟ⋆･ﾟ:⋆·˚ ༘ ˚·˚·༊ ༘ ˚·⋆:ﾟ･⋆ﾟ･*☾ ༘⋆:ﾟ･⋆ ☾ ༘ ˚·˚·*༊ ༘ ˚·

Maggies POV The answer, watching him now, was just so simple. He was in love with Dana. Fiercely and profoundly. She felt foolish for ever thinking it could be anything else.

·˚ ༘ ༊*·˚·˚ ༘ ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟﾟ･༘ ☾･ﾟ⋆･ﾟ:⋆·˚ ༘ ˚·˚·༊ ༘ ˚·⋆:ﾟ･⋆ﾟ･*☾ ༘⋆:ﾟ･⋆ ☾ ༘ ˚·˚·*༊ ༘ ˚·

Maggies heart was breaking and filling with a blood chilling profound fondness at the same time. Her heart broke for this man as he screamed and wailed a bravado that did nothing to mask the sheer terror she knew he was feeling in this moment. She knew because she was feeling the same way. He was acting out the turmoil she felt inside. Despite this she knew she couldn’t quite grasp the depth of his care for her daughter, for his obvious love for her.  

She knew love when she saw it and this was love. She had had her suspicions all throughout Dana’s disappearance. Perhaps even before then, from the little smile that crept across her daughters face whenever she spoke of him. She’d put his self flagellation down to his guilt over losing her. The tortured look in his eyes whenever she showed up to his apartment with a tray of lasagna or soup looking for more details or updates, but mostly a motherly instinct to have him fed. He needed to be alive to find her after all, and she knew he wasn’t feeding himself properly. 

The answer, watching him now, was just so simple. He was in love with her. Fiercely and profoundly. She felt foolish for ever thinking it could be anything else. 

She squeezed Dana’s hand and walked around the curtain into the hallway.

“Stop!” She shouted in a voice remembered from when her children were small, and they did. It always felt like magic when that happened, her children had rarely done so. She walked up to the security guard and Fox. 

“Let go of him, he’ll behave, won’t you Fox?” She looked at him hoping he would calm enough to work with her. “For Dana?” she added, when he still glowered.

“I…” he started angrily and then tossed his arms forward so his jacket was thrown back on his shoulders, collar still askew, from where the security guard had pulled him, discombobulated it.

Maggie reached up and fixed the collar.

“This is my daughters partner.” She didn’t elaborate and he didn’t correct or explain further. “He’s distraught. Can’t you see that?” She stared down the security guard, hoping he was feeling ashamed,

“He can’t behave like this ma’am.”

That’s fine, he just needs to talk to the doctor so he can get the information he needs. He’s with the FBI.”

She waited as both men remained stuck in their poses and egos. 

“Will you let him go? Please?” She asked softly.

The security guard threw his hands up and stepped back. 

“I’m gonna be right over there, you hear me?” He said to Mulder. 

“Yes Sir” mulder saluted at him insolently and turned to Maggie. 

“Lets find a doctor.” She said and he nodded following her to the nurses reception desk.

Maggie asked for the doctor to be called back. He had disappeared for whatever reason and the nurse said she would call them when he was available. 

“Come on, Fox lets sit for now.”

She walked towards the bed where Scully lay and felt him tense next to her and stop.

“I can’t” he whispered as doubled over breathing ragged. 

It was like looking through a terrible looking glass at her own pain. 

“Come here” she said placing a hand on his back and guiding him left to a row of seats against the wall. He let her guide him and when they sat and she looked up at his face she could see tears where running down his cheeks and his fine brow was crinkled. He was on the edge of breaking down completely, she felt it emanating from him in waves, breath shallow and quick.

“Fox?” She said taking his hand. “You need to breathe okay?” He was shaking his head looking up at the ceiling lights.

“Breathe in, i’ll count.”

And she counted slowly to five “and exhale.” She counted again, he had closed his eyes but was listening to her and breathing with her. She patted his hand. “That’s good.”

She kept increasing the count until it got up to ten and then he started doing it automatically. His body relaxing back into the wall. 

“She’s here with us.” She was soothing him as well as herself. “Thats all that matters right now, we got her back. Whatever happens now…” her voice broke “Whatever happens, she’ll be with us. No one can take that away.”

Mulder looked at her, tears trembling in his eyes, more sorrow than she’d ever seen in them before. She wasn’t sure he had taken in what she’d said, he had a hardened look on his face that scared her a little. 

“Do you want to see her? You can hold her hand.” 

“No” he said to forcefully. “No” he repeated softly. “I cant. I have to know what happened and then I have to find the people responsible. I can’t…” he swallowed and then took a deep steadying breath. 

“You’ll stay with her? No matter what? Make sure she doesn’t… Make sure nobody touches her?” 

“Yes and Missy will be here soon and Charlie’s coming when he gets off work.”

He nodded and then said “I’ll put in a call to skinner get some FBI protection to stand by her room.”

He stood and rubbed his face.

“Will you come get me if the doctor comes?”

“Yes, of course.”

And he strode off on his long legs fishing for the cell phone in his jacket pocket. 

@today-in-fic 🙏

[kaelleid]

S02E08 Spoilers

Anyway I hated it lol

And this isn't just a "my little guy died" kind of thing. I've thought he was going to die all season; that was not a surprise to me. This is about how tacked on the ending felt.

Izzy spends his dying breaths comforting Ed and telling Ed the crew is his family and loves him. And then Ed immediately leaves the crew to be an innkeeper. Yeah, that was a great and meaningful use of screen time.

If the crew loved Ed and considered him family, I'd really like if they would have showed that instead of just telling us. Because what I saw this season was post-Kraken Ed having one conversation with Fang and that was pretty much it for positive crew interaction. But apparently they love him and they're family, okay.

Also RE: showing and not telling, Ed referring to Izzy as his family. I think I could count the positive interactions between Ed and Izzy across all seasons on Izzy's hoof. They've hardly spoken this season post-Kraken. Where is this coming from? It felt so forced and unearned.

It's frustrating how the scene seems to brush off all of Izzy's development this season, moving away from his toxic relationship with Ed and opening up after surviving a suicide attempt, to spend his last minutes focusing on Ed and saying that he wanted to die.

Anyway forget that, it's wedding time! And now forget that, let's have Ed and Stede run an inn with no prior onscreen discussion! The end!

I got into this fandom because I loved Ed/Stede so much. The potential for cracks in their relationship was there from the start; one of their first conversations together was Ed wanting out of piracy while Stede wanted in. I was really interested to see how this would be resolved, and how they'd move forward together. I don't think the resolution on this front was satisfyingly handled at all. But Ed read a letter and they kissed, so hooray I guess. Why would you ever need to talk anything through and build a solid foundation before living together? It's not like we saw this analog literally go up in flames a few episodes ago.

There was such an odd juxtaposition of spoon-feeding the audience with flashbacks to explain what was going on for obvious things, and then also expecting the audience to do all the legwork for important relationships. What's the relationship between Jim and Oluwande? What made Stede finally decide to leave piracy behind for Ed in S2E8 vs S2E7? Why, according to an interview, is Frenchie apparently captain now instead of Zheng Yi Sao or Oluwande? We're not going to write those conversations, figure it out yourself.

Also, Blackbeard the genius, and Zheng Yi Sao who conquered China's seas, apparently can't come up with a plan better than "Wear uniforms and then walk around with a hostage, whose gun we will not be taking." It just felt so meaningless.

The thing that really gets to me the most is how much I loved S2E1-7. I had some lingering issues, but they didn't bother me because I had faith they'd be resolved (at least, resolved to some extent, given a 3 season arc). And then the last 15 minutes of this episode destroyed that notion. I thought the writing was poor and inconsistent, and it threw everything before it into a completely different light. The things that I was waiting to be built upon were never actually in the blueprints. The cracks in the foundation were covered up with bubblegum. It didn't have good bones.

[ao3feed-kathony]

to new beginnings

read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/55705465 by lauryssamilkshakes Set after the Pall Mall game in the epilogue. As the new Viscountess, Kate calls for a toast at dinner. It is then that she comes to a realisation about the family she has, and the one she wishes to build with her husband. Words: 5655, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Series: Part 7 of all I find myself being able to breathe for Fandoms: Bridgerton (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/M Characters: Anthony Bridgerton, Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma, Violet Bridgerton, Eloise Bridgerton, Benedict Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton, Gregory Bridgerton Relationships: Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma Additional Tags: Post-Episode: s02e08 The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton), Episode: s02e08 The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton), Shameless Smut, Smut, Family Fluff, Light Dom/sub read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/55705465

[mymadmedleyw]

What The Past Holds (158009 words) by AllisonNoir Chapters: 20/21 Fandom: Danny Phantom Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Dan Phantom, Jazz Fenton, Danny Fenton, Vlad Masters, Clockwork (Danny Phantom) Additional Tags: Post-Episode: s02e08-09 The Ultimate Enemy, Ghost Biology (Danny Phantom), Ghost Cores (Danny Phantom), Time Travel, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Handling Traumatic Experiences, POV Multiple, Canonical Character Death, Dan Phantom Redemption, Family Dynamics, Supportive Jazz Fenton, Please Keep In Mind Each POV Reflects What They Think But That Might Not Actually Be The Truth, You Have To Put Together The Pieces To See The Whole, Mostly Fits Canon But Altered In Some Cases, Episode: s02e08-09 The Ultimate Enemy, To Be Edited - Currently On-Going Project, It Has A 'Missed Scenes' Connected Work For Some Chapters, Writer Is Not-Native Though I'm Trying My Best - Feel Free To Correct Me If I Make Mistakes, There Is A Reason Why Dan is 'Dan', TUE!Vlad, Also It Has A Connected Work Explaining Some Things About Pre-TUE Happenings, Rewritten Time, Ghost Hybrids, Feel Free To Tell Me If It Requires Any Further Tags, Memory Issues, CAT Retake, Heart AU, Panic Attacks, Manipulation, Character Death, Head Injury, Ghost Core Mortifying, Loss of Trust, Broken Promises, Shapeshifting, Troubles Cause By False Assumptions, - a.k.a If The Characters Had Talked That Would Have Solved Many Things Series: Part 1 of What The Past Holds Summary:

“I don’t come here for trouble,” Dan explained, and as he calculated, that was the main thing that she had to be aware of for their own good. “Jazz, I…” why the words were so heavy to say aloud? He took a deep breath and spilled it.“ I came here for help.” Yeah, in this way, it would be better, he realized. First, getting Jazz, and by winning over Jazz’s trust getting to his younger version: Danny.

Not much after escaping from the Thermos that imprisoned him, he faces a situation that he can't solve on his own. Things soon are starting to get complicated as he, in the meantime, has to deal with something that he thought he had lost a long time ago.

NOTE (2022 May): I've begun to edit the chapters (here and there it is seriously needed), when I'll be done with one, I'll note it with 'edited' and write it here, thanks for understanding :)

Edited chapters so far: Chp1-9, rest is on the way... (2022 August)

[lokisgame]

Spill Drinks And Be Merry

A result of brainstorm with @mulders-boyish-enthousiasm 

Pure fluff set after One Breath. I hope this will be as fun to read as it was fun to write. 

“Mulder, it’s me” the answering machine spoke in Scully’s voice and he was on high alert instantly. “Melissa is leaving town tomorrow and she was wondering” a hiss followed by a whisper made him smile slightly, was that a giggle?

“We” Scully corrected herself “were wondering if you’d join us for drinks tonight. Nothing fancy, it’s just that we didn’t have a chance to celebrate properly and”

The answering machine cut her off and seeing there was no more new messages, he called her right back.

“Scully?” There it was, that giggle again, must be Melissa, Scully never giggled.

“Oh, hi, I was just about to call you” she sounded flustered and it was adorable.

“I got your message, count me in, just tell me when and where.”

“7pm, the place where we met about the Budahas case?”

“Sure, great, I’ll see you then”

“Okay” he thought she’d hang up, but she surprised him with more questions “what were you working on last night?”

“Nothing” he said pointedly “you’re still on sick-leave, get well first, then we’ll talk shop”

“Fine, whatever” her dismissive tone made them both laugh “I’ll see you tonight”

“I’ll be there” Mulder assured her and they hung up as usual, without saying goodbye.

A Saturday wasn’t exactly a business day at the Hoover Building, so he could get away with casual clothes, sports jacket and jeans, with simple tie and a button down shirt.

Still, there was no rest for the wicked and crime labs worked as usual. He wanted to talk about tests he ordered the night before but with Scully still on leave he had to do it with the lab staff personally. Mulder knew how impatient she was to prove herself ready to get back in the saddle but his goal was to keep her away from work as long as possible. He wanted her back, sooner rather than later, but not as much as he wanted her back to full health.

Around lunch Mulder parked the car in his usual spot on the lowest level of the FBI headquarters parking lot and headed for the crime labs. Before he knew it, the sun went down.

“What time is it?”

A young agent in pristine white lab coat who walked him through the analysis if a fibre sample now resting under a microscope replied “Almost 7pm”

“Shit, why didn’t you tell me, don’t you have some place to be?” Mulder panicked and turned into a White Rabbit from Alice, running around lab, gathering notes like mad.

“No, not really” the kid watched him a little curious.

“Geez, man, you should get a life or something” Mulder smiled and shrugged into his jacket.

“Like you have one” the younger man challenged, wondering if the secretarial pool’s daydreams about Spooky Mulder were true.

“Tonight I do” one foot out the door he instructed “send your conclusions to my office, I’ll get back to you on Monday”

“Sure, whatever you say Agent Mulder”

“And Pendrell, I mean it, life’s too short to spend Saturday nights locked up in here”

The door banged shut, glass ringing on edge of breaking, and Pendrell sighed heavily “Like you’d know what it’s like to be lonely”

Mulder managed to get to the pub within the boundaries of fashionably late and, looking over the crowd, spotted two redheads picking their martinis of the waitresses’s tray and made his way to their table.

“Good evening” he raised his voice over the noise of the crowd, hand automatically finding it’s place on the small of Scully’s back. Her attention caught but not startled, she looked up and lit up from the inside.

Something in Dana’s eyes changed when they shared each other’s space. They looked so comfortable around each other that Melissa thought they would kiss hello then and there, but they didn’t. Mulder took the third bar stool and called back the waitress before she ran away, ordering whiskey and a beer.

“So we’re celebrating what? Exactly” Scully asked her sister who was essentially responsible for this meeting.

“Your miraculous awakening, family and friendship” she said saluting both of them cheerfully and making Mulder shrug as if it was as good a reason as any. Scully smiled a wicked smile leaping at the chance to take some of the focus of herself

“In that case, we should drink to your birthday as well!” She declared, looking at Mulder

“My birthday was a month ago” he protested, trying not to think about how he got drunk on Jack Daniels and guilt and had to call in sick the next day.

“I know, but I missed it and from now on I don’t wanna miss a thing” she explained and raised her glass, daring him to stop her. The girl came back with his drink.

“Who am I to say no to that” Mulder raised his hand with theirs.

“To new beginnings” Melissa announced and the glasses clinked.

“Now, just so we’re clear” Missy looked between Mulder and Scully “what is it that the two of you do, exactly?”

An hour later, she was as clueless as ever, but felt more entertained than she could ever remember. Mulder was half way through a story about a couple of kids they met at an air force base hunting UFO’s and running from black helicopters.

“It was an experimental plane Mulder” Scully argued.

“You were there Scully, you saw the lights, no plane could move like that” he laughed and emptied his beer, glancing at it surprised “another round?”

“Sure” Missy smiled watching them bicker.

“I don’t know what I saw” Scully tried to defend herself, but he only half listened because he was looking at the waitress who, as Missy noticed, had an eye on him the whole evening. A fact that to her amusement, escaped him completely. He signaled for another round of the same and turned back to them and his story.

“Is it just me or is it getting warm in here?” seeing him shrug out of his jacket and loosen the tie Melissa wondered how Dana could work around this guy. He was seriously hot.

“It’s the alcohol” Scully smiled picking the last olive from her drink.

“Where was I”

“Bright lights” Missy supplied.

“Right, so, there were these bright lights moving against the clouds like crazy”

He was talking with his hands now and before the girls had time to warn him, two vodka martinis were flying through the air in wide arches. Bitter-sweet liquid splashing over the front of his shirt making him jump back and freeze in place looking down at himself, bewildered.

“Oh dear” Scully covered her eyes, not sure if she’ll be able to control her laugh, and Missy watched wide eyed as the waitress snapped out of her embarrassment and started to apologize.

“I’m so sorry, sir” she wiped the table as quickly as possible, picking up broken glass and spilled olives. A small crowd congealed around them, ready for action as Mulder kept looking at his shirt, dangerously silent until he burst out... laughing. He laughed uncontrollably for a long minute as the girls watched him, as confused as everyone else.

“It’s okay, really” he gasped wiping his eyes “It’s my fault”

Scully looked at him giggling under her breath, and when their eyes met, they both laughed again.

“I’ll bring you fresh drinks right now, on the house of course” the girl ran from the madman before his good humor turned into something else.

“Thank you” Scully called after her and looked back at Mulder “You’re a mess”

“I can see that” he grinned and shook his head “Excuse me”

He went for the restrooms and both sisters sat back at the cleaned up table. Missy couldn’t believe what she saw.

“Dana, who is this guy?”

“What do you mean?” Scully picked up and folded his jacket, hanging it over the back of his chair.

“I saw him when you were unconscious, it’s like he’s a completely different person.”

“Oh, that” she smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, a nervous gesture Missy knew since they were little girls.

“Yes, that” she leaned closer and whispered suggestively “Are you and him?”

“What? NO!”

Dana’s response was fast, but not fast enough, Missy knew her better than that. Even if she didn’t realize it, her little sister was on a fast track to falling for her partner. Just as it was clear, it was too late for him.

“Well, I’m not so sure if he’d be as against it as you are” the challenge was clear, but before Scully could deny again, Mulder came back, and both women lost their ability to speak for a moment.

He skipped trying to save the shirt and got rid of it, leaving only a tight fitting, white short sleeved undershirt, untucked over the leather belt of his jeans. He looked like he just stepped out of a cover of a magazine.

“Sorry” he seemed a little unsure when he sat at the table “the shirt was beyond saving”

Missy gathered her thoughts first “No, it’s okay, you just need...”

She reached out unceremoniously and ruffled Mulder’s hair, using her fingers to comb through them this way and that. Scully watched her with astonishment that quickly turned into amusement when he closed his eyes and smiled sheepishly, blushing like a boy caught by one of his favorite young cousins or aunts.

“There, much better” Melissa looked pleased. Against all odds he looked even better, a controlled mess. She smiled glancing at the girls checking him out, clearly interested, but God bless his soul, he didn’t notice even a single one of them.

“Thanks” he finally straightened and on cue, the waitress came back with fresh drinks. Mulder theatricaly sat on his hands and all three girls laughed with him.

Two rounds later Cindy Lauper wanted to have fun and so did Mulder.

“Come on Scully” he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet “time for payback, you say it’s my birthday, so I want you to dance with me”

Missy was already gone, swept away by some tall-dark-skined-and-handsome Jamaican-artist-type, and having no one to turn to, Scully followed her characteristically over-eager partner.

He wasn’t the best dancer since Fred Astaire, but he didn’t step on her toes and moved with delightfully easy grace. She laughed as she twirled holding his hand, and as he spun her out the length of his arm to draw her right back in with a flair that would pull baby out of her corner, no questions asked. She saw a whole new side of him and he of her, a side he hoped to see more often.

The cheerful anthem faded and a calm, almost sad guitar caught them with arms locked around each other. Driving for hours through towns and villages, they both knew the song well.

When the day is long, and the nights, the night is yours alone.

And sure you had enough, of this life, hang on.

She tried to take a step back but Mulder stopped her “Wait, one more”

The gentle weight of his arm around her waist and a pleading look in his eyes made her rest one hand on his shoulder and give in to the warmth and solid reassurance of his arms.

“Thank you” he whispered leaning down so that she could hear him “for the late birthday”

“You did nothing when I was gone?” His incredulous half-laugh broke her heart.

He let go of her hand and wrapped both arms around her waist.

“I couldn’t do anything when you were gone”

Was it the alcohol or the song, he didn’t care, she was here and he held on.

Don’t throw your hand,

If you feel like you’re alone

No, no, no, you’re not alone

“Missy told me, some of it” Scully draped her arms over his shoulders “mom said you kept looking for me”

“I almost” he wanted to say he choked Duane Barry, but stoped himself.

“It was bad Scully. They already shut down the X-files, and” his voice broke and she knew it was more than just the alcohol.

“I thought I lost you” he finished slowly, steadily, though she could feel his breath shaking.

“I’m here Mulder” she reassured him, lips by his ear as they moved in a small circle “I’m here”

He held on, as if someone could snatch her from this very spot, in this very moment.

“I won’t let something like this happen to you, ever again” he promised.

The world around them got lost in music, and all that was left was gratitude. Acceptance, that they were more than just simple partners and friends. Even if they ever drifted apart, this moment of realization forged a quiet and unbreakable pact between them.

[drownerbrains]

a yen scene post-s02e08. mentions of canonical suicide attempts. 580 words. hurt no comfort.

Yennefer sighs and wipes briskly at the tears that have slipped their way free, trickling down her temples and into her hair. Stares resolutely at the ceiling above her, only just visible by the dim light from the hearth. Feels the urge to scowl at herself and is surprised to find she doesn't have it in her.

That's unusual. 

But, well, today has been far from usual.

She touches her wrists, feels the skin broken only by long-healed scars, no longer rent open again, no longer slick with hot, wet blood--another tear escapes. Another sigh. She's going to have to sleep on a damp pillow tonight at this rate. She hates that. Spent far too many nights leaking tears onto her pillow as a girl. Too many nights flipping it over and firmly telling herself to be done with weeping, to sleep, only to soak that side of the pillow too.

She's gotten better, in the many decades since. Has figured out how to harness her anger when she needs it, not just for channeling her chaos (returned, finally, that aching void in her filled with power again, as it should be, as she needs to be)...but for the more mundane task of ending pointless moods such as this so she can fucking rest. Gods know she's earned some.

She doesn't get like this, really. Doesn't let herself. But for all that a void in her has been filled with the return of her chaos, she feels as though there's a different void yawning more horribly now than it ever has.

She does manage a scoff at herself for that. Dramatic. The bard's influence, doubtless. She's just drained, physically. Emotionally. The rush of fierce love she feels for Ciri is...breathtaking, and wonderful, but hard. Love is always so hard.

Fuck, that is not the path to go down right now, shit. She's not thinking about him, do not think about him you little fucking idiot, gods. She rolls over violently, kicking at the blankets.

There. At least she can still muster up some ability to marshal her thoughts.

Although, fuck. Like this, lying in bed on her side, she's...it's...the loneliness of her position is striking.

She huffs a breath out her nose, a ghost of a laugh, even as fresh tears slide towards her pillow. She's not supposed to get like this! But she wants--ah. The tears are falling faster now. She just wants, for once, to be held.

To have a warm chest pressed to her back, arms around her waist. To be close and feel protected. To get to set down her courage for a night. To be nobody's villain or savior; just somebody's love. She had thought, maybe--but no. Even if she had found a way to live with the wish, she'd let her desperation ruin any potential there. He's not wrong to not forgive her. And she is not thinking about him, gods damn it.

She rolls onto her other side. Less forcefully, this time. Wills herself to think of nothing at all. Fails, as her now properly damp pillow attests. The desire to be held has only increased.

She improvises. Scrunches one of the blankets against the wall and backs up against it, and hugs her shitty damp pillow to her chest. Cushions her head on her arm. It's...not at all like being held, but it's something. Something to quiet her mind.

It's a long time before she falls asleep.

[gchick1013]

Thank you @piecesofscully for this song.

Being new to the writer end of fanfic is an exciting challenge.

<a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/34720621"><strong>The Best Part</strong></a> (1506 words) by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gchick1013"><strong>Gchick1013</strong></a><br />Chapters: 1/1<br />Fandom: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/tags/X-Files%20-%20Fandom">X-Files - Fandom</a><br />Rating: General Audiences<br />Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply<br />Characters: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully<br />Additional Tags: Episode: s02e08 One Breath<br />

[yellow-r-o-s-e]

it's all unscripted

Word Count: about 2000

Pairing: romantic Lumity, platonic Blight siblings

Characters: Amity Blight, Edric Blight, Emira Blight, also brief Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne, and Owlbert

Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Post Episode, Takes Place Immediately After S02E08 “Knock Knock Knocking On Hooty’s Door”

Warnings: Crying, Anxiety, Bits of Implied Perfectionism, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse

Author’s Note: I literally cannot stop thinking about Amity in this episode. She went through such an emotional rollercoaster, poor girl.

Summary:

Luz was in love with her.

The revelations still sent fireworks through Amity’s heart.

They were even dating now, which was unimaginably cool.

She tried desperately to hold that warmth close to her, fearing it would slip away as she got further from the Owl House.

This—sneaking back home and pretending nothing had happened—was the easy part. It should be, at least.

Read it on ao3 at the link below, or click the Read More button to read on tumblr

https://archiveofourown.org/works/33079672

Amity still felt dazed and jittery when she arrived in front of Blight Manor. Her feet hit the ground with a soft thud, crunching against pink and red pine needles. The concrete steps in front of her house loomed, looking colder and more threatening than she remembered. As she pulled her hood lower over her eyes, her fingers trembled.

It was fine. She could do this.

A headache had snuck up on her. Her forehead and eyes felt like they were burning, and she had a lump in her throat.

Still, she’d had a fantastic night. Nothing could take that away. Luz was in love with her, and they were dating. The memories still sent fireworks through Amity’s heart. She tried desperately to hold that warmth close to her, fearing it would slip away.

This—sneaking back in and pretending nothing had happened—was the easy part.

She turned to the palisman beside her.

“Thank you....” What was his name again? Edalyn had mentioned it, as she was insisting that he should fly Amity home to make sure she was safe, but then Luz’s hand had lightly brushed against Amity’s shoulder, and Luz’s gorgeous face had been right there, so close, and all of Amity’s thoughts had fizzled out to make room for sparkly giddiness.

“Thanks, little friend,” Amity whispered. The wooden owl seemed satisfied and flapped his wings. Then he took off, headed back to the Owl House, where his family was waiting for him. Luz was probably, hopefully, still thinking about her, and she’d be happy to see her little owl friend return safe, and...

A few pangs of inexplicable jealousy surged through her before she wrestled them away. She grit her teeth. This wasn’t how she was supposed to feel. She had been so happy a few minutes ago, it shouldn’t have evaporated this fast.

She closed her eyes and counted down from ten, bracing herself to move forward through the clearing. When she reached ‘one,’ she held her breath and sprinted until she made it inside. She shut the front door as quietly as possible and leaned against the wall.

Then, with no warning or reason, the electric glee came back full force, making her feel unsteady on her feet. She blushed, biting her cheeks to stop herself from smiling, or worse, squealing with joy. That wouldn’t end well for her. Luz’s words echoed in her mind. As much as her instincts tried to dissect the events of the night, as hard as she searched for any downsides or sources of negativity, she still felt like she was floating.

The good feeling lasted a few seconds before it was replaced by guilt, which didn’t even make sense.

“I need to get back home. My mom is going to kill me,” she had said, out loud, like a complete idiot. She had meant to say it to herself, but then Luz was alert and looking at her seriously and oh… oh no. She’d ruined the moment.

“Not…” Amity swallowed. “Not literally. I’ll be fine.” Needing to do something with her hands, she gave Luz a thumbs up.

“Are you going to be…” Luz’s voice was so soft, Amity felt like her heart was cracking.

“It’s totally fine…” Amity laughed, but it sounded hollow, even to her own ears.

“Because, earlier, she did try to kill me, literally, and I don’t want you to be in danger because of me, and-”

Amity groaned, trying to shift her focus to current issues, like getting up the stairs without being caught.

It would be so much easier if she could just feel all of her emotions at once, Amity thought, making her way down the empty hallway. If it was all at once, she knew she’d be feeling overwhelming happiness twinged with only tiny amounts of negativity. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of emotions were too much for her to handle, so they took turns crashing over her in waves.

She managed to slip upstairs unnoticed, and her hands were shaking when she silently opened her bedroom door, but she was pretty sure it was more from the leftover thrill of the night than fear of being caught by her parents.

She closed the door behind her and saw herself sitting at her desk, scribbling at a homework problem.

“What?” She blinked, confused.

The illusion of her dissolved into mist, and she suddenly realized that her brother was sitting next to her desk, looking directly at her. She froze, unable to speak.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

“We didn’t know where you went, but mom came to check on you, and I figured you didn’t want to be caught,” he said in explanation. “You’re welcome.” He smiled.

That made sense. Amity was pretty sure she should feel grateful for the save. Unfortunately, any gratitude she felt was more than cancelled out by the fury that he was in her room, perceiving her, drawing out the already too long night. Ideally the night should have ended twenty minutes ago, when she had still been with Luz.

“Hey, Em, she’s not dead,” Edric spoke into a shimmering circle, no doubt sending some sort of illusion to carry the message to their sister.

In a matter of seconds, Emira burst through the door, out of breath.

No no no no no, she hadn’t planned for this. She didn’t know what to say to them, hadn’t even figured out how she was feeling. She just wanted it to be tomorrow already, so she could be standing next to Luz at school, and everything could be bright and shiny and wonderful again.

“Oh, hey there Mittens,” Emira said, making finger guns. “Glad to see you here. Not that we were worried or anything-“

“Where were you?” Edric interrupted. “You freaked us out. Em was on the verge of telling mom-“

“No, I wasn’t.” Emira leaned against the wall, faking nonchalance. “I’m not a snitch. It was all under control, and I trust you.”

Edric stuck his tongue out at her.

“I’m sorry,” Emira said, “which of us said they thought they saw her get eaten by a worm demon?”

“Oh.” Amity finally found her voice, and their gazes snapped toward her. She slid down to the floor, trying to escape their gazes. “No, he’s right, that did happen.”

“What?!”

“Are you okay?”

And then the twins were talking over each other, pressing for more details, and Amity couldn’t quite breathe, and-

“You’re overwhelming her!” Emira chided. “Look at her face.”

“Like you weren’t also-“

“Shush.” Emira gently nudged her brother aside, sitting down in front of Amity. “Mittens, baby, can you tell us what happened?”

“I’m not a baby,” Amity grumbled. Why wouldn’t they leave? She just wanted to be alone, for Titan’s sake.

Emira rolled her eyes, and Edric shoved her gently.

“Mittens, teenager who is very wise,” Edric said. “Can you tell us what happened?”

“Yeah, um…” Amity tried to think back through the night, searching for an understandable place to start. “Well… you see…” she swallowed. “I…”

And then, she broke down sobbing.

Edric reached out a hand toward her, waiting until she nodded to pull her into a tight hug. She buried her face in his shoulder.

“It’s okay,” he said.

“I know! That’s the problem! It’s not…” Amity hiccoughed, frantically rubbing at her face. “It was good. I’m just stupid. I don’t know why-“

She let out another sob. She was pretty sure she was getting snot all over Edric’s shirt. Good. That’s what he got for annoying her when she wanted to be left alone.

She made several attempts at speech that all came out garbled.

“Take your time,” Emira said.

“Luz-” Amity sniffled again. “Luz thinks I’m cool.”

Edric laughed at that. Amity tried to glare at him but still couldn’t stop crying.

“She’s so cute.” Amity sniffled, out of breath. “I’m gonna throw up.”

“That,” Edric cleared his throat, trying not to laugh again. “That sounds very difficult. How will you ever survive?”

“Shut up,” Amity grumbled, pushing him away from her. She stood up and flopped face-first onto her bed.

“We’re…” she had meant to get it over with, to say “we’re dating” and let the twins react over enthusiastically, but anxiety overtook her and her throat dried up.

"I'm sorry," Emira said, not sounding sorry, "but what does that have to do with being eaten by a worm demon?"

"Luz's dumb bird-worm thing kidnapped me," Amity said with a small laugh, grateful for the subject change. Then, she felt her face go bright red. She couldn't very well tell her siblings about the Tunnel of Love, or she'd be teased for the rest of her life.

"Okay..." Emira sat down next to her, and she fought not to hiss at the intrusion of her personal space. Emira must have sensed her discomfort, though, because she stood back up immediately. "And then?"

"Things... happened. And then Luz asked me hnnmnnmnm," she buried her face in her pillow.

"I didn’t quite get that." Emira said. Even without looking up, Amity could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Luz..." Amity took a deep breath. It was fine. She was okay. It wasn't going to become any less special if she said it out loud.

"Luz asked me to go out with her." It was silent for a second, and she savored the words.

"Woo!" Edric held out a hand to high-five her, and she tapped it lightly.

"Congrats!" Emira said. “No wonder you’re such a mess.”

“You did say yes, right?” Edric asked.

“I’m not stupid,” she said, throwing a pillow at him.

“Someone’s avoiding the question…”

“Yes!” she said. “I said yes, okay. Can I go to sleep now?”

“Hmmm,” Emira tapped her finger against her chin, and Amity groaned.

“Fine,” Emira said, “because we love you so much, and we’re so proud of you, we’ll let you sleep. Just this once.”

Emira grabbed her brother by the elbow and dragged him out of the room, shooting Amity one last smile before closing the door. Finally, she was blissfully alone.

Memories swirled through her brain again. Luz’s hand squeezing hers. Luz’s horrified expression when Amity had tried to fake a smile but couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her face. Luz’s nervous laughter as she told Amity how much she liked her. Luz’s knee bumping against hers as they sat face to face, theoretically trying to decide what being girlfriends meant, but getting too distracted staring at each other to finish the conversation. Luz kissing her cheek and looking at her so sincerely as she told her “fly home safe.”

Amity’s heart thudded in her ribcage. She might combust if her siblings found out about how stupid in love she’d acted tonight, but she was going to explode anyway if she didn’t tell all the details to someone immediately.

Resigned, she sat up, and crept out of her room. Her siblings were still standing in the hallway, whispering excitedly. Edric noticed her first, tapping Emira’s hand to get her to look.

“Mittens?” she asked.

“I’m feeling every emotion,” she admitted, “and I can’t sleep, and I need you to come back actually,” she mumbled, not meeting their eyes.

“Sweet,” Edric said.

It wasn’t even a teasing remark, but Amity still blushed. She was screwed, she knew. Still, with their eyes on her, the hurricane of emotions that was tugging at her felt a little less heavy and a little more manageable. She was lucky to have them as her siblings, not that she’d ever tell them that.

“Aww, is she too in love to sleep?” Emira asked.

“Shut up,” Amity said, blushing even harder.

“Okay, okay, I’m shutting up. It’s your turn to talk,” Emira said. “Tell us everything.”

[sylvanfreckles]

S02E08: Crossroad Blues

Sam backed further into the circle of goofer dust, trying to tuck Evan behind his back as though that would do any good. The door was rattling in its frame as the hellhound threw itself against it, over and over.

"C'mon, Dean," Sam muttered. "Hurry."

Then the door exploded inward and Sam managed a sharp cry of surprise before the door was slamming shut again, the now-familiar figure of the stranger in the trench coat leaning heavily against it.

"Oh my god," Sam took a step forward, already starting to reach for the stranger. "Are you all right?"

The stranger, one side of his coat soaked in dark blood, jerked his head up to stare balefully at Sam. "Stay in the circle."

"You're bleeding."

"That's an order!"

Sam stepped back in surprise at the vehemence in the stranger's voice.

The pounding on the doors suddenly stopped, and Sam took a quiet step toward the stranger?

"Is it over?" Evan asked.

"Stay back." The stranger gestured toward the circle and started to turn to unlock the doors to check, then the cover flew off the vent in the corner of the room.

Sam barely had time to yell out in surprise as invisible claws scratched at the floor around the circle before the stranger was there, wrapping arms around a massive, invisible thing and hauling it up and away.

Papers on the desk began to rustle as the hound howled its fury. Sam tried to shield his eyes from the sudden wind and glanced down in time to see the line of goofer dust blow apart.

"Circle's broken!" he called, still trying to put himself between Evan and the stranger wrestling with the hellhound.

"Go!" the stranger jerked his head toward the door. "I've got this one!"

Sam grabbed Evan by the upper arm and pulled him out of the office, down the hall, toward the front door. "Keys?"

"It's there! There's another one!" Evan pointed down the hall with a trembling finger. Sam swore and shoved the man into a nearby closet, bracing the door shut with his own body as the hellhound collided.

He wouldn't hold out forever. He could only hope Dean could convince the demon...

The sudden silence seemed almost as noisy as the hellhounds' vicious snarls. Sam waited, pressed to the door, expecting a trick.

"It's all right. They've gone."

At the stranger's exhausted voice Sam flung the door open and barely managed to catch him as he stumbled. "Whoa, I got you."

The stranger shook his head. "There's no time. I have to leave you here, but your brother will return."

"No, come on," Sam gripped the back of the stranger's coat, as though he could forcefully hold him in place. "Just...just take five minutes. Catch your breath."

The stranger looked up at him, and for a moment it seemed like a smile crossed those haunting blue eyes. "I'm almost done," he promised. "Just a little longer, and we'll have all the time in the world."

Then he was gone and Sam was grasping at empty air.

And it was strange. He'd thought the stranger had been attacked by a hellhound...but what he'd seen looked more like buckshot wounds.

His phone rang, and he pulled it out to see his brother's name on the screen. "Yeah, we're okay. Are you?... No, no that's fine. Just hurry back."

They had a lot to talk about.

[is-on-its-way]

Breathe Peace

Episode:  s02e08 One Breath

Part 1, Part 2

·˚ ༘ ༊*·˚·˚ ༘ ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟﾟ･༘ ☾･ﾟ⋆･ﾟ:⋆·˚ ༘ ˚·˚·༊ ༘ ˚·⋆:ﾟ･⋆ﾟ･*☾ ༘⋆:ﾟ･⋆ ☾ ༘ ˚·˚·*༊ ༘ ˚·

Mulders POV He had never intended to tell her that, to tell her the only time he was able to sleep in the last weeks had been when he was so exhausted he could barely drive, but always found himself unlocking her door and collapsing on her couch just to smell the slowly decaying scent of her in the air, in that sweater; and dreaming about her coming through the door to him.

·˚ ༘ ༊*·˚·˚ ༘ ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟﾟ･༘ ☾･ﾟ⋆･ﾟ:⋆·˚ ༘ ˚·˚·༊ ༘ ˚·⋆:ﾟ･⋆ﾟ･*☾ ༘⋆:ﾟ･⋆ ☾ ༘ ˚·˚·*༊ ༘ ˚·

He picks her up from the hospital a week after she wakes up. She’d called him at work the day before to inform him she was getting out and to ask for his help getting to her place. He’d come every evening after her family had left to visit her, a mix of not wanting her to be alone for a second, and wanting to be alone with her. Mostly he brought all the food cravings she requested and they ate and shouted answers at Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune and then watched reruns of whatever was on. He was really good at Jeopardy and she was really good at wheel of fortune. Yesterday, to celebrate her impending release, he’d brought her, her favorite greasy mushroom, fried egg, cheeseburger, from the local diner near work. When he pulled out a package of bright purple Snoballs, that had almost been an afterthought from the checkout counter, she’d insisted they eat them first because “Life is short!”. They split the package, squishing them together in a cheers before the first bite.

Her face lit up when he knocked on the open door. A mix of relief and excitement peaking out from behind Missy’s figure. “Hi Fox” she said. “How are you Melissa” he nodded at her. “Ready to get busted out of here?” He asked Scully, as he walked to the opposite side of her bed. “I told her I could do it but she insisted on you.” Missy looked at him with a slightly smug smile on her face. He pushed his lips together in answer and looked down at Scully looking up at him. “Alright well I’ll stop by tomorrow to make sure you’re settled okay sis?” She bent down to hug Scully goodbye. “Okay, thanks Missy” came Scully’s muffled voice from her shoulder. She smiled at Mulder before sweeping out of the room in a mess of layers of lace and boho skirts. “You kids have fun” she said at the door with a smirk. Scully rolled her eyes, and looked at Mulder apologetically. 

“She’s just happy Im back, full of the big sister energy she missed out on for a month and half.” A nurse came in with a wheelchair and started the checkout procedures with Scully. As she was being helped into the wheelchair, ‘just procedure’ the nurse had assured her, she looked up at Mulder. “Thanks for doing this. Missy would've had to drive my car and she’s a terrible driver.” Mulder chuckled as he picked up her bag. “Alright come on miss Daisy.” “Not you too.” She whined as he chuckled from behind her.

——— She walked through her apartment like a castaway adrift on her own ship. She’d grown more and more quiet the closer he drove her to her apartment. And had stood in front of the building for a solid five minutes before deciding to go in. Mulder standing silently with her, wondering if he should’ve taken her back to his place. 

She stopped to inspect everything like it was her first time here. She brushed her hand over the kitchen table as she walked from the living room to the kitchen. Mulder stood silently watching her with fascination. Wondering at how elegant she was despite everything. He cleared his throat. “Your mom cleaned up when you were in the hospital, just dusted and mopped. She didn’t want to go home but she needed a break so she came here.” “You guys stayed with me.” She knew the details of her family’s support already so he wasn't sure if this was a question. She didn’t turn to look at him just kept looking around, at the moment, the pantry. “Missy and your mom did, I…” He swallowed. She looked up at him. “I tried to find who did this to you so I could kill them.” He stated unemotionally. She blinked, swallowed and then her lips drew apart opening in such a familiar way. He was drawn back to long car rides and pit stops and her thinking face when he said something insane but worth a second thought. 

She said said “Oh” matching his statements emotion as she wandered to the fridge and ducked into it. He came as close as the dining table feeling like she was a tightly wound string about to snap. “She probably told you already but she brought you some food.” She stood up, still looking in the fridge. “But I can take you to the store… if you need something...” he trailed off, slightly perturbed by how she was being. In the hospital she’d been cheery, cheerier than he’d ever remembered. This change was worrying, but he didn’t quite know if he could or should attempt fix it. She shut the fridge, then turned her back to the kitchen to look out of the window. “I don’t feel like I missed anything, but everything around me feels different. Further away…” she said softly, far away herself. “The doctor said your memories could come back.” He was leaning against the kitchen entryway now, watching her. She was so lost being back here, he wasn’t sure if this was a good idea, maybe she should’ve gone to her moms. “I hope not” she said quietly as she turned around leaning against the window sill. She met his eyes for the first time. “Do you… did you find out who did this to me?” She asked. They hadn’t talked about it yet. Talked about what it was like her being gone. He shook his head looking down, ashamed. “I might have, but your sister” he sighed “She convinced me revenge wasn't going to wake you up, and if you… while I was… I would’ve regretted it forever.” She walked to him and brushed a hand on his arm as she wandered away.

“But we can try now. If you, you know, come back…” 

She disappeared around the corner.

“Or if you don’t…”

He found her in her bedroom staring at the window above her desk. “Its fixed” she said. “Yeah, I had the FBI cover it.” “Thanks.” She picked up the green sweater her mother had taken off the couch and folded. The sweater that felt like he had some ownership over, having spent the majority of his time he’d spent in her apartment asleep on her couch with it in his arms. “Did I leave this out?” “You left it on the kitchen table” when she looked at him confused he realized she had been asking no one, herself. “I slept here sometimes, on the couch…” He had to explain now. “I missed you” his cheeks burned. He had never intended to tell her that, to tell her the only time he was able to sleep in the last weeks had been when he was so exhausted he could barely drive, but always found himself unlocking her door and collapsing on her couch just to smell the slowly decaying scent of her in the air, in that sweater; and dreaming about her coming through the door to him. “Im sorry Mulder.” He laughed mirthlessly, shaking his head. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about Dana.” He said softly. She looked away from him down at the floor.

“Im going to shower. Will you stay?” She found his eyes. “Please?” “Of course, whatever you need. Do you want anything? I can order pizza?” “No. I think I just want to sleep.” “You have to eat, I’ll heat up the soup your mom left.” She nodded and disappeared into the bathroom.

She came out half an hour later in a robe and silk pyjamas with white piping. He motioned to the table and put a bowl in front of her. “Are you eating” she asked as she picked up the spoon. “Yeah” he said sitting down with his own bowl of chunky tomato colored soup “I’m gonna miss your moms cooking.” He said off handedly searching for conversation. She looked at him for explanation as she took a spoonful of her moms version of Maryland crab soup with chicken instead of crab like she liked. “Your mom would bring me food sometimes.” He shrugged, he didn’t want to elaborate, if he did he’d probably start crying at the table at the generosity he never deserved. At the kindness her mom had for him when he was the one responsible for losing her daughter. He looked down into his soup and ate and after a minute feeling her eyes boring into him, she continued to eat as well. When they had finished, or as finished as Scully could manage he cleaned up and did the dishes. As he walked back to her wiping his hands on his pants he said “Okay I can come over tomorrow, the same time…” The panic in her eyes was clear. He faltered, the words dying on his breath. “Stay.” She begged quietly “Will you please stay?” “Of course” he answered automatically. He hadn’t wanted to leave really, afraid she would disappear, all alone here. He put a hand on her shoulder. “He’s dead Scully.” In answer she said “I’ll give you a toothbrush” she took his hand and he obliged her to the bathroom. They brushed their teeth standing together over the sink. He found her face in the mirror and she smirked at him through her toothbrush foam. He chuckled and said speaking to her reflection “I have to pee.” Just as muffled by his own toothbrush. She laughed and answered a muffled “Okay” When he opened the door she was waiting for him. “Night Scully.” He said as he made to make his way to the living room. She stopped him with a hand slipped around his forearm. “Will you…” she bit her lip as she looked into her bedroom. There was no discomfort in her asking him to sleep in her bed, just at the thought of being alone. He understood. He wished he could tell her how much he understood. Instead he took her hand and walked with her to her bed

They stood across from each other, the bed between them and he chanced a smile at her. “You cant sleep in jeans.” He removed them. She removed her bathrobe and slipped under the sheets. He climbed in after her and was careful to keep his body from touching her. She turned off the bedside lamp and lay facing him. “Will you hold me?” Came her whisper, he hardly heard it but knew from the moment she’d touched his arm, what she was asking for. Because his mind had been screaming for it too. He obliged without question or pause. He turned over and shifted his body to her, feeling her silky pjs on his legs. His mind blank except for this moment right now, after everything. There was no want or confusion. Happiness flooding him at being able to provide her the comfort she provided him in just being alive. 

The pure contentment of her being here and alive and in his presence. She had been lost. Gone and had returned. It was beyond feeling. It was cataclysmic. It was changing him in the depths of his soul.

They were partners and they were friends and they were entwined in ways they couldn’t quite understand but at the moment it didn’t matter what the definitions of their relationship were. Tomorrow they would return to normal. That was unspoken and understood. But tonight, they both needed the comfort of each other, they needed to disappear into each others bodies, in the purest way two people could. He enveloped her in his arms and she sighed with a small vocal “Hmm” into his chest, her head fitted under his chin, her arms tucked up against his stomach, hands resting against him. She fit her knee between his legs and he wrapped his around her thigh. “I cant believe you’re here.” he said into her hair. “I feel like I’m dreaming you.” “I’m happy I’m not dead too.” He chuckled, then sighed. “Goodnight Dana” his thumb brushing circles on the spot of baby soft skin behind her ear. “Night Mulder” she sighed back, as she burrowed her head closer into his neck, reminding him of a cat getting comfortable. They both slept a deep, unmoving sleep, staying entangled as they were when they slipped into unconsciousness. Their bodies demanding rest, after so long being awake, searching. After so long, being awake, unknowing, lost. When they woke in the morning they felt rested for the first time in a long while. They stayed entwined, holding onto each other for almost an hour, holding onto the peace between them, listening to each others breath. Dozing between waking and the twilight of shared sleep. They shared breakfast and a hug and he left her to her sister.

@today-in-fic 🙏

[coccsd]

Friday, 8:00pm BST.

S02E08: One Breath.

Link to Chat: https://stin.to/romj6

**These posts will sent out thirty minutes before the rewatch is set to start. If you see it and have time to watch and talk, click the link; you’re free to join in

***We click play at 8:05pm. Gives everyone a chance to get onto the chat and to settle in. Ideally be online for 8pm, however.

[mulderscullyfiles]

One Breath | 2x08

[mymadmedleyw]

What The Past Holds (135321 words) by AllisonNoir Chapters: 19/21 Fandom: Danny Phantom Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Dan Phantom, Jazz Fenton, Danny Fenton, Vlad Masters, Clockwork (Danny Phantom) Additional Tags: Post-Episode: s02e08-09 The Ultimate Enemy, Ghost Biology (Danny Phantom), Ghost Cores (Danny Phantom), Time Travel, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, POV Multiple, Dan Phantom Redemption, Episode: s02e08-09 The Ultimate Enemy, There Is A Reason Why Dan is 'Dan', TUE!Vlad, Rewritten Time, Ghost Hybrids, Heart AU, Panic Attacks Series: Part 1 of What The Past Holds Summary:

“I don’t come here for trouble,” Dan explained, and as he calculated, that was the main thing that she had to be aware of for their own good. “Jazz, I…” why the words were so heavy to say aloud? He took a deep breath and spilled it.“ I came here for help.” Yeah, in this way, it would be better, he realized. First, getting Jazz, and by winning over Jazz’s trust getting to his younger version: Danny.

Not much after escaping from the Thermos that imprisoned him, he faces a situation that he can't solve on his own. Things soon are starting to get complicated as he, in the meantime, has to deal with something that he thought he had lost a long time ago.

NOTE (2022 May): I've begun to edit the chapters (here and there it is seriously needed), when I'll be done with one, I'll note it with 'edited' and write it here, thanks for understanding :)

Edited chapters so far: Chp1-8, rest is on the way... (2022 August)

[thegeminisage]

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: F/F, Gen, M/M Fandom: Merlin (TV) Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Gwen/Morgana (Merlin), Gwen & Merlin (Merlin), Morgana & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Arthur Pendragon & Uther Pendragon (Merlin), Ygraine de Bois & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Morgana (Merlin), Gaius & Merlin (Merlin), Gwen & Merlin & Morgana & Arthur Pendragon Characters: Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin (Merlin), Morgana (Merlin), Gwen (Merlin), Uther Pendragon (Merlin), Ygraine de Bois (Merlin), Gaius (Merlin), Kilgharrah (Merlin) Additional Tags: Magic Revealed, Reverse Magic Reveal, that tag doesn't make sense yet but bear with me, Arthur Pendragon Has Magic (Merlin), everybody has magic, arthur and gwen and yes even uther, YOU get a magic and YOU get a magic!, Arthur-centric, Pre-Slash, Gen or Pre-Slash, Humor, Angst, Angst and Humor, The Great Purge, Fire, Anger, Abuse, Nightmares, Flashbacks, Suicidal Thoughts, War Crimes, Guilt, Survivor Guilt, Grief/Mourning, Self-Reflection, Self-Discovery, Hijinks & Shenanigans, it's not all angst all the time i promise, Episode: s02e08 The Sins Of The Father, Uther Pendragon's A+ Parenting (Merlin), merlin using magic so nobody suspects he has magic, merlin using the old "i'm not a sorcerer i'm an ALLY" excuse for like a hundred thousand words, #letmerlinsayfuck2020

Arthur Pendragon is at an all-time low: he’s still suffering from the day he nearly dueled his father to the death, his sword arm has been wounded so grievously he may never fight again, and, worst of all, every last soul in Camelot and the kingdoms beyond have had magic forced on them overnight. Now Arthur must contend with the chaos of magic run rampant, his father’s dangerous instability, Morgana’s increasing distance, catching Merlin in more lies than he can count, and the magic that is now threatening to consume him—all while searching for a way to break the curse before it consumes them all.

It’s not going to be easy: Arthur grapples with a destiny he’s not sure he can handle, and a past he’d rather forget—and if he wants to save his people, he must be prepared to confront hard truths and harder choices. It’s a trial by fire, one that risks destroying everything Arthur has left to hold dear should he fail. But with enough courage, enough understanding, and maybe just a touch of magic, there’s nothing he can’t face.

_________________________

Looking back it’s hard to describe just how it happened, so quickly it came to pass. Arthur knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that even should he call a warning Merlin would not be quick enough to avoid the crossbow bolt. And he knew with equal certainty that should the bolt strike true, Merlin would die. And Arthur simply could not, would not, abide by Merlin dying—who else could he possibly stand to see first thing every morning? who else knew him well enough to remember to add honey to all his tonics?—hence, he was determined to do absolutely anything in his power to see it prevented. So he shouted his warning anyway, injured hand held out in vain, and Merlin turned in time to see the bolt but not dodge it, and then—

The crossbow bolt burned up. Midflight, the thing caught fire like kindling, and before it could reach Merlin it was naught but ashes.

Magic.

Everything stopped. Their snowy little clearing was as still and quiet as a held breath. Morgana and Guinevere were frozen, their swords at one bandit’s throat; Merlin’s jaw practically scraped the ground. The bandit’s eyes bugged out of his head. Then he did the unthinkable: pointed one grubby finger at Arthur and hissed, “Sorcerer!”

Arthur drew back, offended. “I beg your pardon—”

Then all hell broke loose.

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[STORY TAG]

[ao3feed-merlin]

Cold in Your Bones

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/WnY2rLI

by papermachedragons

She wore a red dress. It was not the frayed one she had died in. This one draped across her shoulders and down her body like a waterfall. The fabric was silky and smooth, rippling like waves of water as her chest rose and fell with her every breath.

"This place was beautiful once," Nimueh said, her voice curling softly in the air, softer yet than Merlin had ever heard it. "You would not know this, of course. It was before your time," sadness entered her voice and tinged her words heavy. "I think you would have found it quite spectacular."

   Two dreams (that are not dreams) Merlin has on the Isle of the Blessed and the two conversations he has with two very different people, who should be dead and on the other side of the Veil, beyond the reaches of mortal men and the words they might have to say. Impossible, yet, Merlin have always been more than a simple man and a simple warlock, and with a power such as the one of life and death, who knows what truly is and is not possible.

Words: 18225, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Merlin (TV)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Major Character Death

Categories: M/M

Characters: Merlin, Nimueh (Merlin), Lancelot (Merlin), Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Gwaine (Merlin), Gaius (Merlin)

Relationships: Lancelot/Merlin (Merlin)

Additional Tags: Post-Episode: s02e08 The Sins Of The Father, Episode: s04e01-02 The Darkest Hour, Post-Episode: s04e02 The Darkest Hour, In the aftermath of the episode, Death, Canonical Character Death, speaking with the dead, Magic, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Grief/Mourning, Isle of the Blessed (Merlin), Established Relationship, Merlin gains the power of life and death but what does that truly mean, lets talk about that

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/WnY2rLI

[everylanglyshirt]

BEAT FARMERS "Viking Lullabys"

If there's only one tee shirt that Langly love more than his "Mondo Bizzaro" cult classic, it's this one : the album cover of "Viking Lullabys" (1994) by the califorinian cowpunk band the Beat Farmers. Because before he was a punk rock fan and a world savior, Langly grew up as a farmer's boy. And Langly is not a man to forget where he comes from. This one seemed to be the all-time favorite of Langly, even wearing it in his appearance in "The X-Files : The Game", but curiously enough, he only wore it once in the Lone Gunmen spin-off. This item ain't produced no more. You can only hope to find an original one, but it must be pretty expensive. Langly wore this tee shirt in the following episodes : The X-Files (s02e08) : One Breath The X-Files (s02e25) : Anasazi The X-Files (s03e23) : Wetwired The X-Files (s04e14) : Memento Mori The X-Files (s05e02) : Redux II The X-Files (s05e20) : The End The X-Files (s06e03) : Triangle The X-Files : The Game The Lone Gunmen (s01e03) : Eine Kleine Frohike