#best domestic violence attorney

[mbslaw]

Understanding the Bail System: How a Defense Attorney Can Help Secure Release

Navigating the legal system can be overwhelming, especially when faced with criminal charges. One critical aspect is understanding the bail system and how a defense attorney can assist in securing your release. In Denver, if you're dealing with charges such as DUI, domestic violence, or drug-related offenses, the expertise of a skilled defense attorney can make a significant difference.

What is Bail?

Bail is a financial arrangement that allows a defendant to be released from jail while awaiting trial. It serves as a guarantee that the accused will return for their court hearings. The bail amount is set by a judge and can vary based on the severity of the crime and the defendant's criminal history.

How a DUI Defense Attorney in Denver Can Assist

If you're charged with a DUI, whether it's a routine offense or a felony DUI, having a dedicated DUI defense attorney in Denver is crucial. These attorneys, like those from a prominent DUI law firm in Denver, understand the intricacies of DUI laws and can work to ensure your rights are protected. They can negotiate bail terms and advocate on your behalf, which may result in a reduced bail amount or even bail being granted if initially denied.

The Role of a Domestic Violence Attorney

Domestic violence charges can be particularly challenging. A domestic violence attorney in Denver can help navigate the complex legal landscape associated with domestic assault and abuse. These attorneys are well-versed in the specific laws and procedures related to domestic violence and can argue for fair bail conditions. Their goal is to secure a release while also addressing any protective orders that might be in place.

Drug Crime and DWI Defense

For those facing drug-related charges or a DWI, securing the right legal representation is essential. A drug crime defense lawyer or a Denver DWI lawyer can assist in many ways. They can challenge the evidence against you, negotiate bail terms, and provide a solid defense strategy. Whether it's a case of drug possession or a serious drug crime, having a knowledgeable attorney can influence the outcome significantly.

Why Choose Mastro, Barnes & Stazzone, P.C.?

For anyone in need of expert legal representation in Denver, Mastro, Barnes & Stazzone, P.C. (MBS Law) stands out as a premier choice. As the best Denver criminal defense attorney, MBS Law offers unparalleled expertise in handling a wide range of criminal cases. Whether you need a DUI defense attorney, a domestic violence lawyer, or a drug crime attorney, MBS Law provides comprehensive legal services across Colorado. Their experienced team is dedicated to securing the best possible outcome for their clients.

In summary, understanding the bail system and securing a release from jail involves complex legal considerations. With the help of a skilled defense attorney, such as those at Mastro, Barnes & Stazzone, P.C., you can navigate these challenges effectively and ensure that your rights are upheld throughout the legal process.

[ericccl]

Explore the invaluable ways a family law attorney can support you. From navigating complex child custody cases to ensuring a smooth divorce process, our blog sheds light on the vital roles these experts play in your legal journey.

[jamesadams0003]

Finding Peace through Expert Guidance: Free Consultation Family Lawyer in Utah

When life takes an unexpected turn, and legal matters concerning family issues arise, it can be a challenging and emotionally draining time. In such moments, having a trustworthy legal partner by your side can make all the difference. Turner Law, a leading legal firm in Utah, is dedicated to providing comprehensive legal services, including divorce, child custody, and personal injury cases, to help clients navigate these tough times.

Free Consultation Family Lawyer in Utah

Turner Law understands that every family situation is unique, and that's why they offer a free consultation to listen and understand each client's specific needs. This initial meeting allows clients to discuss their concerns, ask questions, and gain insights into the legal options available to them. With their empathetic approach, the attorneys at Turner Law strive to create a comfortable environment where clients feel supported throughout the process.

Affordable Divorce Lawyers in Utah

Divorce can be financially draining, and Turner Law aims to ease the burden by offering affordable legal services without compromising on quality. Their team of experienced divorce lawyers in Utah works diligently to protect clients' rights and interests while ensuring a cost-effective resolution. Turner Law firmly believes that everyone deserves access to expert legal representation, regardless of their financial situation.

Guidance in Child Custody Cases

Child custody battles can be emotionally overwhelming for parents and children alike. Turner Law's family lawyers have a deep understanding of Utah's child custody laws and the complexities that come with these cases. They work closely with clients to develop personalized strategies focused on the best interests of the child. With compassion and expertise, Turner Law strives to secure positive outcomes in child custody disputes.

Comprehensive Support for Personal Injury Cases

In addition to family law, Turner Law also provides skilled legal representation for personal injury cases. Whether it's a car accident, slip and fall, or any other type of personal injury, their team is dedicated to advocating for the rights of those who have been injured due to someone else's negligence.

In conclusion, Turner Law is a legal firm that stands out for its commitment to providing reliable and compassionate legal services in Utah. If you are in need of a free consultation family lawyer in Utah, or seeking an affordable divorce lawyer in Utah, Turner Law is the name you can trust. Their experienced attorneys work tirelessly to help clients find peace and resolution in challenging times, making them a top choice for legal representation in Utah.

[attorneycraigvigodsky]

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The Slippery Slope of Social Media During Divorce

The Slippery Slope of Social Media During Divorce

Craig A. Vigodsky, P.A. focuses on helping clients in the Pensacola area who need a divorce lawyer find balanced family law solutions. He assists clients in family legal matters including divorce, child custody and support, paternity, and modifications and relocations.

Craig Vigodsky, P.A. 221 W Cervantes St Pensacola, FL 32501 (850) 912-8520 https://pensacolalawoffice.com/

[defenselawyersandiego]

How Do I Find a Domestic Violence Lawyer San Diego?

Domestic violence is really serious stuff, as it affects a lot of people in San Diego and beyond. If you or someone you know are affected by domestic violence, it's crucial to get help from a qualified professional.

Always check with an experienced lawyer before hiring them to represent you in defending a case on domestic violence since this is a notoriously difficult and delicate area. It's important to find a lawyer who can gather all that information for you, so you don't get into any legal trouble. If you hire a seasoned lawyer, you have a better chance of winning your case. If you hire an inexperienced lawyer, it might result in losing the case.

Our law firm Kersey Law is aware of the complex nature of family violence cases and the sensitivity surrounding them. We are here to provide compassionate and aggressive representation to those who have been affected by domestic violence. Our team of experienced domestic violence lawyer San Diego has the knowledge and resources necessary to protect your rights and help you seek justice.

Domestic Violence can come in many forms and may involve physical, emotional, psychological, or sexual abuse. It is a problem that can happen to anyone regardless of whether they're old or young, male or female. If you're a victim of domestic violence, you'll want to seek legal help as soon as possible. Lawyers called 'domestic violence lawyers' know the law and your rights, and can guide you through the legal process.

We have a team of experts who are dedicated to protecting people's rights if they have been victims of domestic violence. We know all the ins and outs of the laws and procedures that go on when it comes to domestic violence cases. We will stand by you, advocate for you and help get you the justice you deserve.

We won't let you go through this experience alone. We will do everything we can to help you come out on top, and have your voice heard here in San Diego. Our support, legal guidance and attention to detail will ensure that you are treated with dignity every step of the way.

If you or someone you know is being abused, don't hesitate to reach out to us. A lot of people come here with questions about how to handle the situation and how they can change the world they live in. Our team of experienced people is ready to fight for your rights and help you seek the justice you deserve.

[soubi122]

Funeral

This is a oneshot that was collecting dust in my drafts and I finally managed to finish it - ft kakucho.

Warnings: Domestic violence, smut, pregnancy, cheating, mentions of death, slight dark content, alcohol, language, slight angst and fluff.

MDNR - MINORS, respectfully, GO AWAY.

You never thought about being this happy at a funeral. Past funerals attended were full of grief and sorrow. The person who left the earth would be someone whom you'd dearly loved or were close with, someone who you felt was taken too soon. But this was different, the funeral taking place today was for none other than your husband. What you thought would be the best thing in your life turned out to be a nightmare. 

At the funeral many people flooded the marble floors, paying their respects to the dearly departed. His large portrait was on a stand surrounded by white and yellow chrysanthemums. The sight of these flowers was too pure for the vile being that was being honored today. Strangers were coming up to you and bowing - giving their condolences for your loss. They placed small envelopes in a box, a red and gold box that you wanted to burn. He deserved none of the generosity offered today. 

The black veil that covered your face felt like a mask, obscuring your features to avoid people gauging your reactions or grief, it also hid the ugly bruises and swollen eyes. For hours you've been sitting in that cushion and in pain. Your ribs were aching, the throbbing in your head wouldn't stop, the taste of metal on your tongue was driving you mad. As the funeral was winding down, the director approached you with a warm smile, years of practice and empathy made this process easy for them. “Mrs. (L/N)? We're at the last 10 minutes - we will begin escorting the guests out.” You nodded and were about to get up and leave but a tall figure approached you. Oh god, please… no more 'sorry for loss', 'your husband was a great man' lines. You think to yourself as you look up and notice the male's features. Raven hair, a scar that ran across the right side of his face to the left eye - despite his threatening appearance, the look in his eyes was sincere. 

Remembering him as a recent acquaintance of your husband, you knew they were coming to ask about his will. Business is business after all, it will keep going even when you are laying on a metal slab or are 6ft underground. “(Y/N), I'm very sorry for your loss.”  His stern but gentle tone caught you off guard. As you were beginning to bow, he spoke again - “We will need to speak regarding your husband's affairs and assets.” Here we go…the ever looming threat of his wealth was barreling towards you already and his ashes have yet to be scattered into the wind. The vultures were ready. “His attorney will be reading the will tomorrow - I'm sure he outlined what is to be done with his assets.” The raven haired man said nothing more and bowed, taking his leave. Finally, this act was over. 

You made your way to the penthouse that you were forced to call home but now that he was gone, you welcomed the emptiness that awaited you. Kicking off your heels, you exhaled a sigh of relief and slid down to the floor - barely noticing the figure that emerged from the dark corner of your kitchen. Only when you heard the sound of a click did you notice the shadow. You began to put your hands up and stare into the dark corner, waiting for the figure to emerge. “Sorry to do this during your time of grief, but this is urgent.” The same scarred man approached you, he had a gun in hand, loaded and pointed in your direction. 

Soon more figures emerged from the dark corners of your home. How the hell did they get past security? A knot began to form in your throat as the man tilted his head, pointing towards the kitchen island and telling you to take a seat without words. You got on your feet and made your way towards the island, silently taking a seat with your hands still up. The final figure that emerged was that of a shorter male with silver hair and eyes that looked like they haven't had a good night's rest in months. The dark circles became even more prominent by the dimmed overhead lights in your kitchen. “You can put your hands down, dollface.” One of the many men spoke, his tone was that of a psychopath - to avoid invoking anyone's wrath, you put your hands down on the counter. “Your husband's assets belong to us - at tomorrow's reading, you will relinquish them without any opposition.” A third voice said and his figure stepped into the dim light. He too had silver hair but his was long and he had eyes like a feral cat. A light chuckle escapes your lips as you reach for your coat pocket. In an instant your head was pinned against the counter, making you grunt and a gun was pressed against the back of your skull. “Don't even try, gorgeous…” Long slender fingers reached for the hand that held the metal object, prying it from your hold. “It's a cigarette box…” You say quietly without moving or resisting. 

With a nod, the shorter man gave permission for them to remove the gun, allowing you to lift your head from the counter. “We will have someone accompany you to tomorrow's reading…as a safety precaution - wouldn't want you to make a break for it.” Your silence spoke volumes to them. “We can also just make you hand everything over without the attorney present.” Another voice said from behind you, his tone was much softer than the one who pinned you down. Just what the hell did your husband get into? How did they know where you lived? The only thing you could do is nod. “Kakucho, you and these three will stay with her until tomorrow's reading. Takeomi and Mochizuki will bring you some spare clothing in the morning.” The man who you assumed was Kakucho nodded. Were they really planning to spend the night here? Or did they have other plans in mind? Did they want to break you more than your husband already did? You looked at the man with the short silver hair, his eyes were empty, bare and cold. Though the veil covered your face and hid your expression, he saw right through it - the submission and fear. “They won't touch you unless you give them a reason to…” His words of reassurance did just the opposite. 

Once the rest of the men left your penthouse, the others that remained began to make themselves at home and turned on the lights. Turning to face them, you noticed that they were all dressed in suits, had wildly colored hair and two of them had neck tattoos. The more ‘normal’ looking one was the raven haired man, with the exception of his facial scar. “So, dollface…you're probably wondering what your dear ol' husband did in order for us to be here…” The male with the psychopathic tone spoke, the two diamond shaped scars on the corners of his mouth curved as he smiled wickedly at you. Never have you seen such beautiful crystal eyes on such a sinister looking man. “You're scaring her Sanzu, she'll be sleeping with an eye open now thanks to you.” The coy and playful tone of the tallest male made you look in his direction. He had clean cut short purple tresses, the neck tattoo robbed your attention from his lavender eyes and handsome smirk. If you were to stand in front of him, you were sure to get top shelf vertigo. “Mikey said not to touch her.” The third male spoke, he had almost a matching hair color to the taller man but in mullet form, he too bore a neck tattoo - wait…that hanafuda design…it can't be! Alarm bells started going off in your head, you've seen the news, heard the rumors and seen first hand at what Bonten is capable of. That life of peace that you thought you were going to have? Well it just went up in smoke. These men were probably going to torture you, rape you or throw you in a brothel to pay off whatever your husband owed them. 

It felt like your chest was about to burst, the anxiety was ravaging your nerves and mind. The shortness of breath and trembling started, when the raven haired man noticed, you were on the verge of passing out. He caught you right before the back of your head met the floor. “Hey! What's wrong?” He asked as you began to have a panic attack. A sharp pain in your chest was making it difficult to breathe or even speak. “Get her some water!” He ordered one of the others as he sat across from you on the floor. The others began bickering, yelling at each other over who scared you. There was too much noise. “I'm going to slowly remove your veil, ok? I'm not gonna hurt you.” His hands gently reached out to you and you screwed your eyes shut. Don't look at me, please…! The voice inside your head screamed, your body was too in shock to move away from him. When he removed the veil, they all went silent. “…fuck, we didn't know.” You could hear one of them say. 

All four men flinched for a split second, recalling when they slammed your head against the counter. The purple and faded yellow bruises on your face and busted lip were staring at them dead in the face. The veil wasn't so that people wouldn't see your puffy crying eyes, it was to hide the pain and evidence of domestic violence.

The silence was overwhelming, making you panic even more - your breathing struggled again, snapping them out of their daze. You felt a pair of hands intertwining themselves with yours. Despite being inside, your hands felt like ice - the warmth of his hands made you feel alive. “I need you to try and take a deep breath. Focus on my voice, squeeze my hand if you understand.” Kakucho's soft and honeyed tone traveled through your ear canal and went straight to your chest. There was a soothing bass in his voice that made you follow his directions. 

Slow and steady you began to take deep breaths, one light squeeze signaled your understanding. A second voice was now in your ear, gently he titled your head in his direction. “Slowly open your eyes and focus on me…what color are my eyes?”  When you opened your eyes, you were met with a pair of lavender orbs and a tender gaze. “T-They're…beautiful.”  You managed to stutter out, his eyes matched the taller male - were they siblings? Your comment made him smirk softly, usually when people stare into his eyes they see death. “Rindou, I think she likes you…” The taller male whispered as he noticed the slight blush on your face. Finally, you were beginning to relax and breathe normally. Who would have known that the world's most dangerous men could soothe your soul? “Here, take small sips at a time.” The man with the diamond shaped scars said to you and handed you a small glass of water. Little by little, you were able to think straight without panic or anxiety. “So you can call us by our names and trust us - my name is Ran, this is my brother Rindou.” The tall male said. “The knucklehead you see over there with the pink hair is Sanzu and finally, in front of you, you have Kakucho.” Their introduction was not needed but worthy of making you feel a little at ease. 

Kakucho released your hand and helped you get on your feet. “Please, get some rest - we need to be on time for tomorrow’s reading.” That's right, these men stated that everything your husband owned was theirs. The question slipped your tongue when you opened your mouth, “Will I be set free or sold tomorrow?” Ran stepped closer and cupped your bruised cheek, there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “That's not for us to decide.” Depending on what Bonten's king says, he will ultimately determine your fate - even after his death, your husband is still finding ways to break you. 

With your head hung low you made your way to your room. “Keep the door open, dollface.” Sanzu said as he sat on the Burrow couches and kicked his feet up on the coffee table. It made your eye twitch, your husband would have made you sit on the floor if that were you. Despite being at home, you had to be perfect, primed and ready for anything. To have such freedom and fearless nature, you envied it. 

It was useless to try and protest keeping the door open. Walking into your bedroom, you began to lay out clean clothing - the day was long, you needed the comfort of warm water to relieve the ache in your ribs, the aches on your legs and arms. Once you had everything ready, you picked up your bathrobe and went to the bathroom - quietly closing the bathroom door. You took a long hard look at yourself in the mirror, analyzing the bruises on your face, the marks across your neck and the redness in your eyes, it was over. Your life was over before it even began. That freedom you were hoping to have was now dependent on someone else. 

After filling the tub you began to slowly shed the clothing that clung to your figure. You had hairline fractures that were making it impossible to stay still during the funeral. The bruises extended down to your hips and thighs. Something no else would see. After showering you settle in the bathtub, gently laid back and stare at the ceiling and wonder if you should even continue to walk this earth…

Several minutes of staring into space, the door to your bathroom opens and in walks Kakucho. His calm demeanor was rather comforting - you were used to seeing your husband walk through that door with a scowl on his face or worse, a liquor bottle in his hands. “I’m not trying to drown myself if that’s what you’re thinking.” You say while slowly sitting up. You were surprised that they gave you this much privacy knowing that you could have called the cops or signal for help. Unfortunately, you didn’t trust the cops. That dearly beloved husband that departed this earth always had his way anytime you or someone else would call the cops. They would ask questions but your husband would pull them to the side and slip a small stack of bills in their pockets to keep them quiet. As soon as they would leave, he’d continue where he’d left off. Days would go by where you couldn’t even walk or let alone stand due to the pain. 

“Please be ready by 8:00 tomorrow, the reading is at 10:00...” He says and hands you a towel. Guessing by how they are looming over you like this, they wanted to make sure you’d be able to attend tomorrow’s reading. He was about to walk away but you pulled his sleeve and stopped him. “I need help.” You spoke meekly and avoided his eyes, as much as you didn't want to ask - you needed his help. “Oh…I won't look.” He said, closing his eyes and turned the other way as he extended his arms for you to reach out and grab. Sucking in a deep breath you braced yourself for the next painful seconds of your life. Kakucho could hear you struggle and grunt as you were struggling to get up. It was exciting to him, but he refused to indulge. With his eyes still closed, he spoke - “Your face isn't the only thing bruised, is it?” Usually they don't pry into other people's affairs but this was different. Gathering information was his specialty, but your docile nature drew him in. 

Kakucho felt compelled to at least leave you with something to take care of yourself with. Despite Bonten's reputation and crude nature there was still some sort of kindness in their subconscious. “My late husband would beat me almost everyday if something wasn't up to his standard.”  You said while wrapping yourself in a bathrobe. Maybe, just maybe they'd have a little mercy on you if you tell them the truth. “Yet he wanted me to conceive a child…and he fucked me nonstop until I couldn't walk… “ Kakucho felt his hand twitch for a second, raising your hand at a woman - it made his blood boil. Even though Bonten was involved with prostitution, their merchandise would still be protected. 

Your mother-in-law's declining health led to her asking you to bear her only son's child. It was a request made out of love. She loved you and adored you like her own daughter, yet she was completely blind to her son's true nature. Manipulative, cunning, aggressive and silver tongued - that's what he was. He tried to knock you up but had no luck. With a visit to the doctor, you'd come to find out about your infertility. This caused a maelstrom of emotions, you were glad yet heartbroken. Cursed to suffer alongside him and unable to conceive. After his mother's death the beatings worsened, the cheating began and so did the drinking.

“Did you miscarry?” Kakucho's question made you chuckle, making him open his eyes to face you. The sight in front of him was that of beauty and horror. The thin bathrobe left little to the imagination, the outline of your perky breasts made him blush. Your figure was gorgeous, your frame was perfect and your eyes almost had an ethereal glow to them. Yet the bruises on your body made him sick. How could someone do that to you? Was your love and devotion not enough for that sadistic son of a bitch? “Apparently I'm hollow…” Your hands caressed your belly as you spoke. Confusion was written all over his face. “I can't have children.” For someone who knows very little about you, he was ready to kill your husband but alas he was already dead. Someone beat him to it. 

There was little to no emotion in your voice. You accepted your infertility and begged to be divorced but he refused to let you go. He refused to see you happy, let alone happy with another man. “I know it doesn't mean much now but I'm very sorry.” Kakucho says and breaks you out of the misery spiral. For the first time in your life since your mother-in-law's death - someone actually said something sincere to you. “Thank you. Who knew strangers could provide such comfort?” You say and head to your bedroom to get dressed. Something about you made him curious. What else were you forced to endure? 

From the doorway you could see the other three males laying on the couches and nodding off to sleep. Looking back at Kakucho, you noticed his eyes never left you. There was warmth building up inside you, but the reality of it all loomed over you like a rain cloud. Yet, the urge to feel that warmth overpowered you. “Mind if I close the door?” There was a tinge of playfulness in your tone. You knew he would keep his eyes on you. He nodded and gently closed the door himself, he didn’t want to catch the attention of the others. 

Shedding the bathrobe and letting it drop to the floor, you kept eye contact with him. You could hear him swallow thickly as his eyes began to wander around your naked figure. Kakucho just about groaned as your body was on full display. The bruises, scars and cuts drew him in like a moth to a flame. He began to walk towards you and closed the distance. Seeing how you could barely lift your arms or bend over, he helped you get dressed. There was tension but as much as he wanted to act on it, he couldn’t. You were too fragile to even touch. 

Finally after helping you to bed, he stepped out of the room and left the door ajar. “I know that look…” The sound of Ran’s voice broke through the silence. Turning around, Kakucho saw that Rindou and Sanzu were asleep on the couch. Ran was sitting by the island and smirking at him. “We might need a little help tomorrow.” Kakucho says and makes a phone call. The remainder of the night was quiet, you slept peacefully for the first time in 3 years. 

*the next morning*

You felt a warm hand on your shoulder, it was gently tugging at you and waking you up. Mumbling, you turned to face Kakucho. He was standing next to your bed. “It’s time.” He says softly. Slowly sitting up you notice he was the only one with you. The others had left already, maybe they were making their way to the lawyers office…wait, what time was it? Grabbing your phone, you see that it’s 8:30 a.m.- you were late. Sensing your panic, Kakucho explained that they let you sleep in as the reading wasn’t until 10:00 a.m. 

During the car ride, you stared out the window and wondered if you would live to see the next sunrise. “Did you tell your boss about that?” You asked him and broke the silence. Apparently there was more than just a simple helping hand last night. You laid your soul bare and told him some additional information that Bonten needed to be aware of. “It’s been taken care of.” He says and keeps his eyes on the road. 

When you arrived, you made your way to the office and upon entering you saw it. Well to be exact, her. Your husband’s mistress and the wicked smirk she had on her face. She was clad in a skin tight black dress that accentuated her bust and belly, a large ‘fur’ coat, stilettos and was wearing bright red lipstick. It was a stark contrast compared to you. You were appropriately dressed like a widow, wearing black dress pants and a black blazer - it was to cover your bruises and also be comfortable during this shitty reading. You had neutral makeup on, just enough to hide the bruises and dark circles. “Well well…you showed up knowing that you ain’t getting shit. How bold of you (Y/N).” The mistress said while eyeing you up and down. Kakucho glared at her, after what you told him last night - he wanted nothing more than to wipe that smirk off her face.

In walked the lawyer about 2 minutes later, he was a very short man with gray hair and thick glasses. He carried a serious look on his face and by the creases in his face, you can tell his scowl was permanent. Clearing his throat, the lawyer sat down and confirmed that the required party was present to begin. Before he could begin with the reading, the mistress interrupted him by saying something that made you ball up your fists. “Sorry, I need to run to the ladies room. Being pregnant and all, you just can’t hold your bladder.” Her faux apologetic tone was a jab at you and your infertility. Of course she knew, your husband made it known to every prostitute he slept with. How she managed to stick him, you weren’t sure but you no longer cared enough to harbor any jealousy towards their affair. The only thing that managed to hurt you or cause you anger was the fact that she always threw your infertility in your face. It was worse when she found out she was pregnant with his child. Constant bullying and teasing by them both ensued. She was currently 4 months pregnant.

When she returned, you kept your eyes focused on the lawyer and asked him to proceed. You couldn’t stand being in the same room as her. “Very well…we are gathered here today to read the final will and testament of (Husband’s Name). ‘To my wife, (Y/N), I leave to you only one thing, my mother’s wedding ring.’ To- ” The lawyer was interrupted by the loud cackle of the other woman, she was laughing and holding her sides. Ugh, you wanted nothing more than to rip her tongue out. Kakucho placed a hand on your shoulder and snapped you out of your thoughts. “I’m sorry, oh that was too funny! Please go on.” She says and wipes tears from her eyes and calms herself.

The lawyer subtly rolls his eyes and proceeds. “As I was saying, ‘To (Mistress’s name), I leave to you all my assets and fortune as you carry our child and my bloodline.’...” Of course she was elated and smiling from ear to ear. Kakucho could see that she was only looking forward to the money and didn’t care that the man in quest had passed away. She was giggling and making a whole scene about how lucky she was and how the god’s blessed her. The lawyer kept reading the will and then the room went silent when the lawyer read the last line of your husband’s will. “In order for (Mistress) to claim any assets and fortunes, a paternity test will be required to prove that the child is the biological child of (husband’s name) no later than 1 month of the child’s birth. In the event that the child is not his, all assets and fortunes will go to his spouse, (Y/N).” As she is a floozy, you knew there was a 3% chance that it wasn’t his child. All eyes turned to look at her and her face was red. She was pissed. “How dare he question his own child?! I will prove it as soon as I am able to get the paternity test!” She yelled and huffed. To be honest, you just wanted to go home, you didn’t care who ended up with anything - Bonten was going to take it anyway.

Just then Kakucho’s cell phone rings, he lightly taps your shoulder and gives you a warm smile before he steps out of the room. The mistress caught it all. Her fires simmered when she noticed the look of what she assumed was worry on your face. “Moving on so soon (Y/N)?” She says and it looked as if she was baring her fangs at you. Maybe she could try and take Kakucho from you too. You ignored her question and asked the lawyer what needed to be done in the meanwhile as the mistress was in her 2nd trimester. He explained that you will manage all assets and issue a monthly allowance until the child is born. 

After 10 minutes, Kakucho walked back into the room and asked you not to contest the will. You figured that Bonten instructed him on how you needed to proceed. They will obtain the assets through the mistress, knowing them - it will be easier than dealing with you. You knew the ins and outs of the legal world so you may be able to contest in some sort of way. It was a little upsetting that you were being tossed aside but at the same time you were grateful that you didn’t have to continue suffering for your husbands fuck ups. 

The lawyer presents you and the mistress a document, it was to confirm that you were present at the hearing and will not contest the will. You read over the information to make sure it was all accurate, once confirmed - you signed it and returned the documents to the lawyer. The mistress was so giddy and had a shit eating smirk on her face that it made the lawyer roll his eyes again. The poor man was not having it. Once everything was signed, his assistant came to collect the documents and was personally dropping off the documents to the courthouse for filing. Everything was to be expedited and they did not want to waste any time. “(Y/N), I guess I will come by before the end of the month and drop off my things. Since I will be moving into the house and all.” She says smugly and leaves the office. You wanted to punch her in the face but had to resist the urge to upset her as she is pregnant. It’s not the baby’s fault that their mother is a fucking bitch.

Standing up, you thanked the lawyer and headed out, leaving Kakucho behind. You were so overwhelmed with emotions that you forgot about him and just wanted to go home to pack up your things. You didn’t want to leave anything personal behind for that woman to enjoy. Once you were out of sight, Kakucho placed a document on the lawyer’s desk. He didn’t say a word and let the lawyer read it to himself first. The lawyer gasped and chuckled. “I expect you will arrange a meeting within the next 2 weeks, yes?” Kakucho said and the lawyer nodded. He exited the office and headed back to headquarters. 

The next few days were a blur, you were trying to figure out what to do with your personal belongings and searching for a new place to live. Even if your husband would have left you the penthouse - you didn’t want it. There were too many bitter memories in this hellhole. Lucky for you that you set aside money for yourself and weren’t fully dependent on your husband, you were able to afford living comfortably by yourself. With some of your injuries healed or at least not as bothersome, you were able to move around a little better. It allowed you to pack and put things in storage. Luckily, Kakucho came by everyday to help you. He was extremely kind and believe it or not a great cook. In the midst of all the chaos in your life, he was slowly becoming your rock. 

There were innocent gestures that made your heart skip a beat. As much as you tried not to get attached to another man, it was hard when the man in question was treating you like an actual human and not a punching bag. 

By the end of week 2, you received a call from your husband’s lawyer - he stated that you and the mistress needed to come back down to his office for a final reading and to confirm that the paperwork was accurately filed. You asked if this was something that could be confirmed over the phone but he said no. “It is in your best interest to attend, you also need to sign an additional statement.” Great… You didn't want to see the mistress and her smug face. It was rather short notice, you had to attend tomorrow evening. Ending the call you prepared to let Kakucho know. Either way Bonten was bound to know about this right? Regardless, it was no longer your concern as the mistress would be taking hold of all your husband’s assets. 

A hard knock on your front door spooked you and you thought it was going to be none other than her as she promised to stop by. Huffing in annoyance you walk over and open the door but were caught off guard by the gentleman that stood in there. “(Y/N).” Kakucho was standing in the doorway and made a chill run down your spine. The timing was too perfect. Were they wire tapping your home? You wouldn’t be surprised. “You’re still packing?” His calm demeanor was rather soothing and welcome. Opening the door wider you let him in. “I have to.” You smile softly. 

He noticed that you were packing other things that were rather questionable and gave you an odd look. You chuckle. Kakucho was taken aback at how sweet your laugh was. He realized how much you changed, it was like night and day. On day one, you were broken and quiet - almost frail and had given up on life. Today, you are warm and vibrant. Was this the same woman? 

Throughout the day you were drinking wine and offered him some, at first he refused as he was technically on the job but you somehow got him to accept. Now you were down to the third wine bottle. Getting to know your executioner was rather endearing. Aside from Bonten being what it is, their members weren’t as bad as they seemed - well for now anyways. With the previous visit leaving a bit of tension behind, the wine was giving you the edge you needed to get closer. Who knows, this might be the last time you could sleep with someone of your choosing. Bonten might end up selling you or leaving you penniless. 

“So, why do you do this?” You ask and lean your head back on the couch. You both were sitting on the floor and leaning back against the couch. There were multiple boxes, papers, momentos and wine bottles scattered about. Kakucho picked up a photo and looked at it, exhaling as he pointed at your husband in the photograph- “To keep people like him in check.” There were various things that came to light after you asked Kakucho to elaborate. Backroom deals, gambling, fraud, prostitution and of course murder - they were all dealt with by Boten. Your husband ended up joining them as a partner after trying to move into their territory. Some things were a little familiar to you but there were other unsavory things that hit you like a truck. It made you sick. Your husband owed them money amongst other things.

All this wealth was obtained by walking on other people’s corpses. Your husband not only destroyed you but he also destroyed others. It was naive of you to think that you were the only one who was taking in his wrath. Sensing your disquiet, Kakucho opted to change the subject. “You will be set free, (Y/N).” He says softly. Turning to look at him, you noticed his eyes were glossed over - oh that innocent look on his face… It made you want to devour him. “You know you shouldn’t promise things like that.” You say coyly. You were just teasing but at the same time you meant what you said.

Taking a chance and letting the liquid courage take over, you leaned over and pressed your forehead against his. The unsteady breathing and sweet scent of alcohol only drew you in. “What are we doing?” He whispers and almost pouts when you bite your lip. “I want you to make me feel like a woman again.” You almost whimper your reply and place your hand on his chest. Oh you just made Bonten’s number 3 head spin. In the blink of an eye, his lips were on yours - hungrily devouring every breath and whimper. For once, you were enjoying getting kissed, you were enjoying the taste of alcohol on someone else’s lips and you were sinking into bliss.

You felt your heart racing, it was racing out of excitement rather than fear. His hands began to travel along your body and touched places that you never thought would make your heart skip a beat. The more heated the kiss got, the more you wanted him to lay you down already - you were desperate. 

Feeling bolder, you moved your hands south and felt the bulge that was throbbing. You breath almost caught in your throat - he felt bigger than anything you’ve ever had before, larger than your now dead husband. Wasting no time, you made haste and unbuckled his belt, you were leading. Throbbing in your hands was Kakucho’s member, oh the gods gifted him with more than just a menacing look. Leaning back away from him you took in the sight in front of you. Heavy panting, chest heaving, glossy eyes and parted lips - he was beyond handsome. You paused a little too long before you were snapped out of your daydream. 

“You’re not gonna leave me like this are you?” He pants and moves your hand in a stroking motion, sending a jolt of electricity down his shaft. Oh how he was making your brain turn into mush. Continuing your motions, you felt your core aching and in desperate need of attention. Running your thumb over his leaking slit, you felt his hips jerk and he let out the sweetest moan. “Kakucho…” You say coyly and put a little more pressure around his length. He moans a response and gazes at you. His mind was also melting and on the verge of turning into mush. “Can I…taste you?” You ask while leaning in and give his tip a kitten lick that makes his eyes roll back. He chuckles and gives you permission to devour him.

Taking him in your mouth, you taste his sweet essence and bob your head slowly up and down. Focusing on his tip, your tongue swirls around the head and he feels his vision getting hazy. He was a lot to take in, with the tip hitting the back of your throat, you had a feeling he was going to tear you apart later. To him it felt like sweet torture, you were giving him affection - something that he hasn’t felt in a long time and yet you were going so slow with your movements that he wanted nothing more than to thrust his hips up to make you gag. Hearing those husky moans and his breath hitch made your folds begin to stick to the fabric of your panties. Pleasing him like this only made butterflies run rampant in your stomach. 

Releasing his member from your mouth, you took a long lick from the base of his cock up to his flushed tip. You continued to take his length further into your mouth but not too deep, you wanted to keep him on edge and make him whine a little longer. Your jaw was getting sore but you wanted to keep going. 

Kakucho placed his hand on the back of your head and pushed you down further. It made you gag a little but you welcomed his actions. They were gentle, unlike your husband - he would force your head down until you couldn’t breathe properly or until you threw up. He would leave your throat and jaw sore for days and wouldn’t care if you could barely eat the next day. Moving your hand to his length, you start to pump his cock while sucking and it sends him into overdrive. “Ngh…(Y/N), wait! Shit, you’re gonna make me cum…” He moans and tries to pull you off but fails. You were determined to swallow his seed. 

The vibrations of your moans travel down his cock and into his core. Kakucho was getting lost in heaven. The very woman who Bonten was going to take everything from was on her knees and pleasing him. Your pace began to quicken as you felt his length twitch and the vein along his shaft pulsed. His coil was so tightly wound that the moment he felt it snap, his eyes rolled back into his skull and that numbing sensation made his toes curl. Hearing him come undone was bliss, to know that you could make a man like him melt and make him whimper - it did wonders to your ego. Your husband would always say that you were good for nothing, that you would never be able to satisfy a man and yet here you are with one of the country’s most dangerous men. You were giving him the blowjob of a lifetime.

Swallowing his thick seed, you made sure to not waste a single drop and continued to suck his sensitive tip even after he emptied himself inside your mouth. “Stop…oh fuck!” Kakucho whines and pulls your hair. Releasing his member with a pop, you smile and slowly stroke him - making his hips twitch and his whimpers louder. Nothing in the world could compare to this feeling. You felt validated and worthy of satisfying another man, you felt like a woman for the first time in years. Your husband only ever made you feel like a toy, almost as if your sole purpose in life was for him to break you. He would treat you less like a woman and even less as a human being. 

Catching his breath, Kakucho remained seated on the floor - dazed and determined on what to do to you. “Get up…” He pants and pulls you up. That tone of voice was quite authoritative. You obey and get on your feet. He takes your hand and leads you to your bedroom. “Strip…” His low tone made a chill run down your spine and you removed your clothing. He too started to remove all his clothing. When he saw that you left your undergarments on, he paused. “Everything, (Y/N).” He demanded and layed down on your bed. Feeling the cool air hit your skin, you shivered and he noticed. “Come here.” He says warmly, he was trying to reassure you. 

Seeing him in all his glory…oh how your cunt clenched instinctively. His defined muscles, the veins on his arms - it made you almost drool. Even the scar on his chest that appeared to be a bullet hole had your slick dripping. Climbing on the bed, you take place next to him and run your hands along his body. The slow and gentle touches made his member twitch. Even in its flaccid state, it still twitched and looked big. He rolled you on top of him and slid his arms underneath your thighs. The confused look on your face made him chuckle. He lifts you by your thighs and slides you up towards his face. The movement was so sudden that it made you squeak in surprise. Looking down at him, his pupils were blown as he had your pretty cunt in his face. 

“Wait…I-ngh!” You moaned out loud as he pushed your hips down and buried his face in your honeypot. He was sucking on your bundle of nerves and wasted no time in making you scream his name. Your hands quickly found solace by holding on to the headboard and your forehead was leaning against the wall. Whoever was lucky enough to be on the other side of that wall could hear you moan like a whore in heat. Kakucho snaked his hand between your thighs and slid two thick digits inside your tight walls. Pumping them in and out while sucking on your clit had your eyes rolling back and your hips grinding into his face. Hearing him slightly struggle underneath you only made your coil tighten. 

Such lewd and wet sounds echoed in the room along with your wanton moans. “Ahn…Ahn…Kakucho! It feels s’good!” You mewl and run your hands along your chest, pinching and teasing your nipples. The electricity coursing through your veins had you in a daze. Not even your husband ever bothered to eat you out before - Kakucho’s gift to you was more than anything your husband could have offered you. He curled his fingers to find your trigger, when he found it your legs were beginning to shake and your hips were stuttering. Your pitch got higher and higher as you neared total bliss. 

That unmistakable tingle that ran down your spine made you throw your head back and total ecstasy as your orgasm was ripped out of you. Kakucho didn’t stop, he kept going - he wasn’t satisfied with just one. “Ngh, s’too much!” You whine and try lifting your hips away from his face. However, the iron grip that he had on your waist made it impossible for you to escape. “Mhn…one more, just one more…” He pants from between your legs. The sound of your sweet voice kept him spellbound. He wanted to keep hearing you cry out for him. 

Your overly sensitive bundle of nerves was throbbing from the continuous stimulation. He moved lower and shoved his tongue inside your tight cavern. Kakucho wanted to taste everything, his warm and wet muscle felt like heaven. With your walls fluttering you thought you were going to lose it again. “Stop! I’m gonna cum! I’m gonna cum!” You whine pathetically, begging him to stop knowing full well that you didn’t want him to. The final push was him tracing circles on your clit with enough pressure to make your vision go white. 

Kakucho made you gush and he took it all. The obscene sounds of him slurping up your honey echoed in the room. Your whole body was shaking from the intense orgasm that you felt almost light headed. Slowly, he slid your body down and made you collapse into his chest. The energy was drained from you, barely being able to move or respond when he asked if you were ok. Only a small hum could be heard from you. Wrapping his arms around you, he placed a kiss on your head and whispered. “We’re not done yet. You wanted to feel like a woman? I’ll keep showing you…” His low tone made you smile softly and bury your face into his chest. 

The rest of the night became a blur. By the time morning came you were left disheveled, sore and satisfied. Kakucho meant what he said. All night he made you moan, scream, cum and cry out in pure bliss. He stuffed you full of his cum to the point where the sheets were beyond saving. His aftercare was even better, got you water and some light snacks for you to nibble on - even medicine for your throat. To think that this was one of the most feared men in all of Japan, last night he was more than that to you. Rolling over, you see Kakucho sleeping next to you. He looked so peaceful and innocent despite the prominent scar on his face. Seeing his chest rise and fall softly, you take a better look at the tattoo on his chest - it looks like all the higher ups have this. You recalled the man with the feline like eyes and the placement of his tattoo on his temple. The two Haitani brothers and their neck tattoos. Also, their leader - the man with the empty eyes and white hair, he had his on the nape. It would be a tattoo that you’d need to familiarize yourself with. 

Kakucho stirred in his sleep and woke up with you kissing his cheek. “Good morning…” You say softly and ask him if he’s hungry. You both opted to get up and shower…together, it ended up in another round of sex that led to skipping breakfast and diving straight into lunch. Offering him a change of clothes, he accepted - besides, the clothes were brand new and never worn. No need to worry about the mistress recognizing it and accusing you of theft of ‘her things’. 

Arriving at the lawyers office, you see that the mistress was already there. She was smiling smugly from ear to ear. When she noticed you with Kakucho, her smile faded ever so slightly - jealous that he was still with you. “So quick to move on…what a shame (Y/N). Looks like you truly don’t deserve any of (H/N)’s fortune.” You paid her no mind, you just had the best night and morning of your life. “I feel bad for you when you give birth, that baby’s gonna have a big ass head just like the mother and father…you might just tear (M/N). You might never be able to please a man again.” You say without thinking. The sudden fire in you made Kakucho almost burst out laughing. Quite the insult to a pregnant woman, she of course gasped and huffed defending her unborn baby’s head size. The poised woman was gone, you no longer had to keep appearances nor bite your tongue. 

The sound of someone clearing their throat made the room fall silent. He took a seat at this desk and went over the original will one last time before making you and the mistress review the already signed and filed documents. Both parties agreed that everything was in place. The mistress couldn’t help but keep chuckling to herself as she repeated words loud enough for you to hear. “...to my wife, I leave nothing.” It was annoying but you didn’t let her get to you - you wanted to come back home and have dinner with Kakucho. 

“Now that both parties confirmed, please note that there is a new document that was received after the filing that affects this arrangement and cannot be disputed.” He says and narrows his eyes. For a moment you felt your stomach flip - what the hell was he talking about? Did the wench take an early paternity test? It’s not like it mattered, you knew you were going to vacate the home and keep your mother-in-law’s ring. That much was certain. Acknowledging the lawyer's words, you asked him to elaborate and explain what the real reason was for you both to be here. He nodded and began to read out loud the document in his hands:

“From the University of Tokyo Hospital, below is the information requested by (Husband’s full name) on (11 Nov YYYY) and (12 Dec YYYY). The original tests and new tests administered resulted in the following:

Spermatozoa count - below 2 million per mil.

Sperm motility - below 20%

Sperm viscosity - high

Sperm morphology - abnormal

Unfortunately, both labs have confirmed that the patient is infertile. With the severe lack of sperm motility and spermatozoa count - treatment is not possible.”

Everything in the room went dead silent. You felt faint and nauseous, was this actually true? The sudden screech of the mistress startled you and she came charging at the lawyer’s desk to snatch the paper out of his hands. She was beet red and almost foaming at the mouth. Reading the document in hand she crushed the edges that she was holding and her hands were shaking. “This…this can’t be! It has to be fake!” She screams and looks at Kakucho who was biting the inside of his cheek to keep himself from smiling. “You probably faked this document to get in on your whore’s money!” She spits and rips the paper to shreds. The lawyer simply sighs and asks you to sign the document confirming that you were present at this hearing. Apparently your late husband amended his will one month prior to his death. When he received the first results in November he contacted his lawyer to insert a new clause. Originally he wasn’t going to leave you anything, however, due to him sleeping around not getting anyone pregnant - he grew suspicious.

With the mistress screaming like a banshee and almost attacking the lawyer, security was called to have her escorted out. The lawyer was quick to have you and Kakucho sign as a witness to all this. “Ms. (L/N), congratulations - you have all your husband’s assets and fortune. Please rest assured that the mistress will not be able to contest.” He said softly and smiled. His smile was warm, it’s as if he knew this was going to happen. How long was this information in his hands? Wait, is this why Kakucho said for you not to contest the will?

The lawyer excused himself and left the office for you to have a moment to yourself. The room was spinning and thought you were going to die. It wasn’t just the shock from the hospital results but the fact that your husband abused you and beat you non stop for being infertile when in reality he was the one shooting blanks the entire time. You began to laugh to yourself, slowly building up to a cry that made you drop to your knees. It was painful. Recalling all the times he called you hollow or less of a woman when your pregnancy tests would come out negative - it broke your heart. You were both the problem, the blame shouldn’t have been just placed on you. 

“(Y/N), there is something else I need to tell you. We did some digging and whoever was in charge of getting your fertility results a few years back royally fucked up which rendered your tests inconclusive and marked as infertile by mistake. You can have children.” Kakucho says softly and helps you stand back up. A second wave of emotions hit you and panic soon followed. You were fucking him raw yesterday and this morning like a rabbit in heat. “Kakucho…how long have you known for?!” You ask him and shove him. There was a slight pained expression on his face, he should have told you sooner. “That medicine I gave you this morning was a morning after pill. (Y/N), I’m sorry, I let myself get carried away.” At least he was honest. Last night he snuck out of your apartment to purchase the pill and would pass it off as ibuprofen or something since you were saying your throat was sore. Though he wasn’t expecting to sleep with you again in the morning he explained that he would take responsibility if the contraceptive fails. Whatever your decision would be, he will respect it and will do what he can. He made sure to explain this to you and managed to pull you in. Crying in his arms, he embraced you and did his best to calm you down.

“You didn’t sleep with me just for my husband’s assets, did you?” You ask a little broken hearted. The night you spent with him meant more to you than just sex. It was you liberating yourself once and for all from your husband. You didn’t expect to feel something more for Kakucho. Maybe it was the fact that he made you feel validated and praised you like a goddess, but it felt real. “The assets have nothing to do with what we did last night or this morning.” He assured you. 

*4 months later*

You signed off on all documents that allowed you to transfer or ‘donate’ your husband’s assets to Bonten. The head of the organization, Sano Manjiro, handed over a legal sized envelope with your name on it to you. He said nothing and walked away. “W-wait, what is this?” You ask him and he waves you off without responding. Opening the envelope you read over the information and gasp. Though you handed over everything to Bonten, they gave you something in return. Manjiro was kind enough to leave you something that the three of you could enjoy. Kakucho leaned over and placed a peck on your head. “You know, he is kind of excited to be an uncle...” 

END.

TAGS: @anxious-chick

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Ruth Ben-Ghiat at The New Republic:

“Does fascism intend to restore state authority or subvert it? Is it order or disorder? Can you be conservatives and subversives at the same time?” Six months before the March on Rome in October 1922, when Benito Mussolini was the head of the Fascist Party and its decentralized militia movement, he isolated the contradictions at the heart of fascism that remain fundamental to authoritarianism today. During his 21 years in power, 18 of them as dictator, Il Duce framed fascism as a revolution of reaction against the left, against liberal democracy, and against any group that threatened the survival of white Christian civilization. Carrying out a violent destabilization of society in the name of a return to social order and national tradition, fascism pioneered the autocratic formula in use today of disenfranchising and repressing the many to allow the few to exploit the workforce, women’s bodies, the environment, and the economy.

Trumpism is in this tradition. It started in 2015 as a movement fueled by conservative alarm and white rural rage at a multiracial and progressive America. It continued as an authoritarian presidency envisioned as “a shock to the system” that unleashed waves of hate crimes against nonwhites and non-Christians. It culminated in the January 6 assault on the Capitol, which was a counterrevolutionary operation in the spirit of fascism. Its goal in deploying violence was not just to keep Donald Trump in office, but to prevent the representatives of social and racial progress from taking power.

PROJECT 2025 AS COUNTERREVOLUTION

The fascists believed that you have to destroy to create, and this is what a second Trump administration would do. Project 2025 is a plan for an authoritarian takeover of the United States that goes by a deceptively neutral name. It preserves Trumpism’s original radical intent in its goals to “[d]ismantle the administrative state” and “decentralize and privatize as much as possible,” allowing the American people to “live freely.” “[T]he Trump administration, with the best of intentions, simply got a slow start,” Heritage Foundation head Kevin Roberts told The New York Times in January. “And Heritage and our allies in Project 2025 believe that must never be repeated.” The solution to this “slow start”—code for the restraints imposed by operating in a democracy—is counterrevolution.

The plan promises the abolition of the Department of Education and other federal agencies. The intent here is to destroy the legal and governance cultures of liberal democracy and create new bureaucratic structures, staffed by new politically vetted cadres, to support autocratic rule. So new agencies could appear to manage parents’ and family rights, Christian affairs, and other pillars of the new order. The Department of Health and Human Services is poised to have a central role in governance, given the priorities Trumpism places on policing sexuality, weaponizing motherhood, persecuting transgender people and LGBTQ communities, and criminalizing abortion.

During Trump’s presidency, far-right Roman Catholic attorney Roger Severino headed the Office of Civil Rights in the Department of Health and Human Services, transforming it into an office that prioritized the protection of the rights of white Christians and the “natural family.” During his tenure, the department banned the use of the words “fetus” and “transgender” in government communications and made other moves long embraced by evangelical Christians and their far-right allies in politics. In the future, this office could be elevated into an autonomous entity. Appropriating civil rights for white Christians furthers the Trumpist goal of delegitimizing the cause of racial equality while also making Christian nationalism a core value of domestic policy. Doing away with the separation of church and state is the goal of many architects of Trumpism, from Project 2025 contributor Russ Vought to far-right proselytizer Michael Flynn, who uses the idea of “spiritual war” as counterrevolutionary fuel.

Even if the Department of Education is abolished, some other entity would appear to take its place, since it is unlikely that the task of undoing liberal democratic models of pedagogy would be left entirely to individual states. Not everyone will be able to homeschool their children—the preferred extremist option, since it removes children from exposure to the multifaith and multiracial environments of public schools. It is not so far-fetched to imagine the special Bible Trump has been hawking, which includes the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance, as a required text in a Christian nationalist curriculum.

Mussolini kicked off his counterrevolutionary police state in the 1920s with new “public security” laws that justified the arrest of anyone deemed a security threat—meaning anyone who opposed fascism from a liberal democratic or leftist point of view. Trump’s assertion a century later that “people within our country” pose “the greatest threat” to the United States, and his desire to “root [them] out,” could translate into counterterror and counterinsurgency operations. These would require a recasting or expansion of existing federal and state security agencies—for example, if the National Guard is federalized or the promised mass deportations of undocumented immigrants come into being.

[...]

Personalist leaders organize government institutions around their self-preservation. Their private interests and needs shape party politics, legislative action, and national policy, just as their relationships with foreign autocrats influence foreign affairs. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who served as the translator of Vladimir Putin’s views and desires in Europe for a decade, was able to personalize Italy’s foreign policy. He excluded Italian diplomats from meetings with Putin, allowing only his private translator-envoy, Valentino Valentini, to be present. An Italian parliamentary investigation later revealed that Berlusconi would have received a kickback from the profits of a planned Italy-and-Russia-built South Stream pipeline. Trump holds a similarly proprietary vision of governance, which is why classified national security documents ended up in the bathroom of his private residence in Florida. Like most autocrats, Trump sees holding public office as a means of personal enrichment. 

Ruth Ben-Ghiat wrote in The New Republic as part of their American Fascism series about the right-wing fascist counterrevolution that is brewing in America, and if Trump wins again, America will be headed down the same path as Hungary, Russia, El Salvador, and Turkey.

See Also:

The New Republic: What American Fascism Would Look Like

[14buddy22]

I’ll Spend the Rest of My Life Making It Up To You Series

Part 6!! WC: 6.8k

Warnings: Phone Calls, Mentions of physical, emotional, mental and verbal abuse, mentions of rape, mentions of getting help, death, afterlife, sad hours, family fun, pool, swimming, scars, Aaron Hotchner in his dadbod era.

Series Masterlist // Masterlist

After you put Mason down for a nap, Aaron decided to take Jack out for a bike ride. Well, it wasn’t really his decision. You were forcing him to go on a bike ride with Jack. Jack had been asking him to go all morning but Aaron didn’t want to leave you alone.

After much convincing of telling him you’d be alright, he told Jack to get ready, fill up a water bottle, get his bike helmet, and shoes on. You watched Jack get everything he needed while Aaron ran through everything with you.

“Lock the door when we leave. Even the extra lock. Look through the peep hole before you answer the door. If Jake is at the door, go with Mason into the guest room, lock it, call 9-1-1, text me, and I’ll be back. Don’t talk to him, don’t let him in. I can’t-I can’t let anything happen to you or Mason. Please.”

“I know, Aaron. I’m not going to let Jake in or anyone. I promise. Go enjoy the beautiful afternoon with Jack. I’m going to be sitting here on the couch, watching TV, until you come back.”

“I’ll text you when we are heading back home, I’ll call you when we’re right outside the door so that I don’t have to worry about waking Mason up.”

You always loved that about Aaron. He was always so over protective, always so caring of others. He put everyone else’s safety in front of his. He always put everyone over himself. You used to be that way towards Aaron. You would always put him over yourself, but when you two broke up, you put yourself first. That was until you met Jake. Then it was Jake’s needs that needed to come before your own. Now with Mason, you’d always put Mason before you.

“Go, Aaron. Go enjoy a nice afternoon with your son. It sounds like you two don’t get enough quality time with each other as both of you deserve. So go, however long it takes. Mason and I are safe.”

Jack hugged you and Aaron smiled at the scene in front of him. He loved that Jack knew you were his best friend. Aaron was thankful he had always kept pictures of you up, had always talked to Jack about you, even if it was never about you two being in a relationship, but just being best friends.

As the two left for their bike ride, you decided to start researching domestic violence cases and custody battles. You wanted to prepare yourself for the ride you were going to go on. It scared you. It really did. You were afraid that by doing this, you would lose Mason. If you lost Mason to Jake, you don’t know if you’d be able to live with yourself anymore.

After about an hour of reading up on public cases and watching TV, your cell phone pinged with a text message. You saw who it was from. You didn’t know if you should pick it up or let it go. He wasn’t calling, it was just a text. Maybe he got served the restraining order. Maybe Aaron’s divorce attorney was that good and already served him those papers.

Despite thinking, you picked up the phone and opened the message.

“I’m probably the last person you want to talk to right now, and, I know I haven’t been good to you, but, can I please just have 5 minutes with you on the phone?”

It was just a phone call, right? Nothing could happen to you. His words could hurt, but his fist hurt even more. You were safe in the confines of Aaron’s home. You knew your son was still sleeping. Jake only wants 5 minutes, you wouldn’t give him any more.

After a few minutes of contemplating what to do, you turned off the TV, shut the lap top, and took a deep breath. You were going to talk to him. You were going to have to face him sooner than later, you better let him get angry when he was hundreds of miles away, compared to him getting angry when he was a foot away from you.

You decided to call him. After 3 rings, he picked up, saying your name on the other side of the phone.

“Yeah, it’s me. We don’t have a lot of time, Mason’s due to get up from his nap soon.”

“I just want you to listen. Please. I know you don’t owe me anything, but I want you to hear me out.”

“5 minutes, Jake. That’s all I’m giving you.”

“I’m sorry for being a shitty husband. I am so sorry, Y/n. I never meant for it to get this bad. I never wanted to lay my hands on you. I know for 10 years, I have been a shitty husband. I was insecure of myself. You had Aaron, a greater man than I ever was, ever will be. You had him once and then you got me. I thought I’d get over it. Then, when you went to his office, I lost it. I love you, Y/n. I haven’t stopped loving you. We have a freaking baby together. A little boy who you and I love so much. He’s the best thing to happen to us. We’ve been through so much. We’ve been through three miscarriages to get Mason. We went through that together. I know how hard it was on you. I know you wanted children. When we got Mason, I fell harder for you. You are an amazing mom. You work, pick him up from daycare, and you’re always there for him. I’m a shitty husband, a shitty father. I won’t deny that Y/n. But please, come home. I’m leaving the work trip early. If they fire me, they fire me. I want my marriage back with you. I want to raise Mason with you. We’re going to be okay. I promise you I’ll change the way I’ve been. I promise that if I lay a hand on you again, I will call the police myself and have them throw me in jail and sign off on my parental rights. Let me make our marriage right again. Please, Y/n. You deserve better, and I’m telling you, I’m going to be better. I’m going to be better for you an our little boy. So please, come home.”

You were upset. Here is your husband calling you, clearly upset, saying how he’s sorry. You heard his voice thick with emotion. You know this was coming deep from the heart. That’s the one thing about Jake you had loved. He spoke from the heart. He could be sincere.

“Jake, why now? What’s making you call and apologize, now? Why couldn’t you change 10 years ago, on our wedding night?”

“I was out golfing with my buddy today and when we got back to the clubhouse, I saw it, Y/n. I saw a husband hit his wife in the corner of the clubhouse. And you know what she did? She picked herself back up and carried on like it was nothing. It made me realize that the pain that that woman is going through is what you’re going through, I never want to put you through that again.”

You were heartbroken. You fell in love with him for a reason. Part of you wants to give him a second chance. Mason deserves to have a father in his life, he’s just a little boy. Maybe Jake truly has changed. He was being emotional with you, he even said he would call the cops on himself if he laid his hands on you ever again. Maybe he changed. Maybe you’d be alright after all. This was an eye opening experience that Jake needed.

“Jake, I-I need a bit to think about it. You really hurt me, not only physically but mentally, emotionally, you did it all.”

You heard him let out a sob, you felt sorry. Maybe he truly was trying to make up for it. Maybe he realized he had a son that he had to set a better example for. You needed to talk to Aaron about this before anything.

“Jake, I have to go. Mason’s getting up from his nap. We’ll be in touch.”

You hung up before he could get another word it. You couldn’t deal with this right now. 10 minutes ago you were reading about divorce attorneys, court cases, restraining orders, and custody battles. But, maybe you were just overreacting.

You got the text from Aaron that him and Jack were putting their bikes in the garage and coming up. When you had unlocked the door, you waited for Aaron to knock, however the sound of Jack running down the hall had you getting up to open the door for those two.

Jack greeted you with a hug and began telling you all about his bike ride. He sure was a very animated kid. You loved hearing Jack talk about Aaron. Aaron was a very good Dad to Jack, you knew he’d always be a good father, but to have Jack confirm that by speaking so highly about his father, it made you smile. You wanted Mason to have someone to speak so highly about. Maybe you did need to give Jake another chance.

“Is Mason up yet?”

“Not yet, but, I was thinking, when Mason gets up, I want to take him to the pool. What do you think? Should I convince your dad?”

Jack nodded eagerly at you and he whispered, “I’m going to go change into my swimsuit and find my pool toys.”

You chuckled as you watched the little boy run down the hall, trip on his toy, get up and say, “I’m okay!”

“So, Mr. Superhero, when Mason gets up in about 10 minutes, let’s go for a swim? I could use some fresh air but I need a bodyguard.”

“I’ll be your bodyguard until the day I die, Y/n Y/l/n.”

You heard Mason start to wake up so you excused yourself and went to go get him changed and changed yourself. You didn’t realize you even had a swimsuit in your luggage until you realized it was in a pocket you didn’t clean out last year. It was one of your favorite swimsuits that you thought you had lost, but were happy to find it this morning.

When you got yourself changed, you were happy it was just an apartment complex pool, that hadn’t been busy. You were self-concious of your body. You weren’t that way then you were with Aaron, but when you were with Jake, you were overly conscious about everything, but that was because of what he’d say to you.

You walked out of your room with Mason settled on your hip and Aaron had seen you in an oversized t-shirt that was extremely faded and a pair of shorts. It was only when he went to hand you Mason’s bottle that he made that it was actually his shirt from 15 years ago. He remembers giving it to you. Well, more like you stealing it from him.

You and Aaron had just gotten home from a night out. You weren’t planning to be out so late, but you two got caught up in a night of dinner, drinks, and dancing. It was a fun night out, one that both of you needed.

After getting home, you and him decided to change into pajamas, but when you and him decided to have one more drink, you spilled your drink onto your shirt while kissing him on the couch.

You picked up his shirt that had long-been discarded on the side of the couch where you two were making out on. You quickly took off your shirt and put his on.

“Come on, we can’t make out a little bit without your shirt on?”

“No, we can’t. That’s why yours is off.”

After a night of loving Aaron, you got up next morning and made breakfast for him. He heard the dryer going and laughed at the thought of you doing laundry so early in the morning.

“Once my shirt is finished drying, you could have this one back.”

“No, I don’t want it. It looks better on you than it does on me. Keep it.”

And that’s how you got stuck with your comfort tshirt that Aaron never got back the minute you took it from him.

“I remember that shirt.”

You looked down at it and said, “Oh yeah, I guess I didn’t realize I put it on. It’s a comfort tshirt. It’s faded.”

Aaron cut you off and said, “It’s 20 years old! I could give you a new one.”

“This one has more sentimental value to it. Do you remember how you stole it from me.”

He chuckled thinking back to that memory with you. That was one of the best nights he had had with you. You two were young, new and experimenting with your relationship. That was the first night you spend the night with him without having to leave at 6 in the morning.

You sat on the couch, beginning to feed Mason as Aaron changed into a swim suit. When he walked out into his living room, you couldn’t help but take his figure in. He didn’t let himself go by anymean, but the man you were with 15 years ago was definitely not the man who stood in the living room now.

He filled out, it was better looking now than it was 15 years ago. The dadbod he had on him made him more attractive. What you didn’t notice was the way he held the backpack infront of his stomach. He was hiding something, but you didn’t know what.

“Y/n, did you hear me? Do I need to pack something to make another bottle?”

“Uh, no. Sorry. No, he’ll be good until dinner time, if not I’ll feed him from the boob.”

Aaron rolled his eyes at how brazen you were. He loved that you didn’t care. You would just say the most out of pocket things out there that always would make him blush. He really should have known you would’ve said something like that.

After Mason was fed, Aaron filled up some water cups for all of you, and then you were walking your way to the pool in Aaron’s apartment complex. You got set up under an umbrella and Jack ran into the pool and started playing with a couple of his friends. Aaron got in the water and said, “This was your idea, you have to come in now.”

“I’m coming in, relax. Here, hold Mason above the water. I don’t know how he’ll react. This is his first time in a pool.”

You quickly slipped into the water and stood next to Aaron. Looking at each other, you looked back at Mason and fixed Mason’s hat.

“Okay buddy. You ready to go in. Aar, lower him in slowly.”

Aaron had turned Mason around so that Mason’s back was against his chest and facing towards you. Mason was smiling at you and you were telling Aaron to keep lowering him.

Mason immediately started kicking his legs around and waving his arms. Mason was laughing and it sent you and Aaron into a laughing fit. Sooner than later, Mason’s bottom half was in the water and he kept looking at you and Aaron.

“I think you’re going to have a swimmer on your hands, Y/n. Wherever you move to next, you better hope there’s a pool somewhere close.”

“Just like you got your little swimmer over there.”

Jack was doing swimming races with his friends and Aaron said, “He was thrilled when he moved in with me. The pool was a plus for him.”

You grabbed a little pool float to put Mason in so he could still play in the water but Aaron wouldn’t have to hold him. You put Mason in it and he was playing with the water toys attached. It made your heart happy to know that your little boy was happy. That your little boy had no idea what pain was, you never wanted him to experience it.

You held the float in your one hand and said, “Aar, I uh, I need to tell you something. But, you can’t get mad, okay?”

“Okay. What’s up?”

“Jake called me. When you were on your bike ride with Jack. He wants me to meet him again. He wants to work things out. He said he’s changed. He wants to be a father to Mason, he said that I deserve better than he was giving me. He told me that if he laid his hands on me again, he would call the police himself. He’s coming home from his business trip today.”

“No. Don’t even suggest what I know you’re thinking.”

“Aaron, him and I had three miscarriages before we got Mason, he wants to be involved in his life. He wants to fix our marriage. I owe him the respect of at least showing up to talk.”

“No. No way am I letting you go back to him. I’m sorry if you wanted me to tell you to go back to him, but I can’t. I mean, look. He left bruises on you. He left scars! You owe him nothing. You gave him 10 years to figure his shit out. You gave him 6 months to be a father to Mason. You don’t owe him anything.”

You were heartbroken. Aaron always supported you. No matter what crazy idea or decision you had or made, he always supported you, but he wasn’t going to give you his approval on it. He doesn’t know Jake. But at the same time, you guess you didn’t really know him either.

“He’s changed, Aaron.”

“Bullshit, Y/n! I read some of the letters. I saw the photos of what he did to you on your wedding night. God damn it, I picked you up in the middle of the night and drove you to the hospital because he nearly BEAT you to death. How am I supposed to just go by your word of ‘he changed’. He didn’t. No man, who has been ABUSIVE for 10 years, can change in the blink of an eye. I refuse to believe it. Sure, maybe I let jealousy get in the way because I will have lost you, AGAIN, but I also refuse to believe that a fucking coward like him, has changed.”

You were upset. Aaron saw it and you felt your emotions running high with the tears threatening to spill from your eyes. He wanted to calm you down before you were crying, so that’s when he pulled you in for a hug.

“You have to trust me. I’ve dealt with men like this. He’s no good if you go back to him. You have to trust me, Y/n. I usually support you in decisions and ideas that you make or have, but I just can’t support you on this one. You and Mason deserve so much better than he could have ever given you. You need to know that.”

Deep down, you knew Aaron was right, but you wanted him to just be wrong. You wanted to believe Jake was capable of change. Manys loved him, but, you couldn’t love him all the time.

“When we put the kids down tonight, we’ll talk, okay?”

You nodded at him and as time slowly went by, you were closer and closer to dreading that conversation with Aaron. You knew he was going to be honest with you. You needed to trust him. But a piece of you lied with Jake. He was your husband, your son’s father.

While the kids were fast asleep, you moved to sit on the couch, waiting for Aaron to come out of Jack’s room. When he finally did, he went to his office and then came back into the living room. Except he wasn’t alone, he was holding an evidence box.

“Aar, what is-”

“I’m going to give you all the reasons why you should not go back to him.”

Aaron pulled out a stack of letters. You don’t know how he got those. You left those in your car when you went to the bureau. Then you remembered his team went through your car. They must have taken it. You just sat back, knowing in your mind you would not win against Aaron.

“Look at the letters, Y/n. You wrote these. You wrote these to me. They start off find, but you missed the sign of his verbal abuse when he told you that dress didn’t look good on you. You missed it. That was just a starting point.”

Aaron put that letter on the table and then pulled out a letter where you told Aaron he pushed you down the stairs. He pulled out the photos next.

He laid them all out on the table in front of you and he pointed to a picture of the hand print on your face.

“Look, Y/n! This is his handprint he left on your face on your wedding day. You wrote that in the letter to me. Here’s your wedding dress he ripped because he just wanted to get to you, that he didn’t like. Here’s the lingerie he hated even though you loved. Here’s the bite mark he left on your breast.”

He kept going on and on. All you could do was sit on the couch and cry. You were falling apart. You were reliving all through your trauma, but you were reliving it with Aaron. He was pointing this out to you.

“Here’s one. He didn’t physically abuse you. But this is a different sign of domestic abuse. Let me read it to you.

Aaron,

Tomorrow I have to say goodbye to you. I don’t know how I feel about it. Well, I know how I feel about it. I hate it. I’ve been crying, angry, frustrated, throwing up. Jake won’t let me see you anymore.

He thinks there’s something going on, but we both know there isn’t. You and I just sit at the diner for an hour, and if we’re lucky, maybe two hours, and it’s two hours where I can be myself, I know I won’t get judged by you. I can laugh at whatever stupid jokes you say and I can tell stupid jokes back. I can be myself.

But, they say all good things must come to an end. You were the good thing I had in my life, Aaron Hotchner. You always had been and you always will be, I know that. You’re the greatest gift that life has given me, Aaron.

One. More. Day.”

You were still a crying mess on his couch. Jake didn’t deserve you. You didn’t deserve someone as good as Aaron.

“If that still isn’t enough, Y/n, look at me.”

Aaron pulled out his cellphone and took a picture of your face.

“He did this to you last night, Y/n. You can’t tell me that he has miraculously changed in less than 24 hours. What’s next? Will he push you down the stairs harder and you hit your head against the corner of the wall? Will he try to kill you in you sleep? What example does that set for Mason? If you go back to Jake, all it’s going to do is show Mason how to treat his girlfriend and wife someday. And you know what, you’d be just as guilty as Jake if you let that monster raise your son if you go back to him.”

Mason. It’s when everything clicked for you. Aaron’s right. Jake wins if he creates a mini-version of himself. You won’t have that. You know other women in this world are in a domestic abuse situation who can’t get out. They don’t have the resources you do. They don’t have the will-power that you do because their significant other is manipulative. You can get out, you will get out.

You were sobbing now. Aaron was right, you couldn’t go back. Jake’s lying to you. Jake’s trying to manipulate you into saying he’ll be better. But deep down, you know Aaron’s right. Aaron wrapped his arms around you and when you melted into him, sobbing into his shirt, you know that he knew that he had got through to you.

“You deserve better, Y/n. You always have. For the past 10 years, you were in a loveless marriage. He never loved you. You were just a “thing” for him.”

He held you in his arms and he said, “It’s going to be okay. If he texts you again, don’t answer it. If he calls you, let it go to voicemail. We can’t have you calling and talking to him, especially when there’s a custody battle at stake here.”

You nodded your head and you pulled away from him. Wiping your tears, you cleaned up the photos and letters, placing them back into the box.

“Give those to Dave and JJ tomorrow, but, I want them back Aaron. They need to make photocopies of everything and I want the originals.”

“Of course.”

You smiled at him and you said, “Thank you. Goodnight, Aaron.”

While getting into bed, you couldn’t help but cry yourself to sleep. You were so grateful for Aaron. He deserved everything and more in the world. You drifted off to sleep, knowing Mason would be up bright and early.

***

Maybe you were going to die. You couldn’t be so sure. I mean, you know Jake needs you. Deep down, there’s some love somewhere, but it had to be brought to light. Maybe he could change. If Aaron could change his mind about marrying you, the one good man who you loved so deeply, hurt you in the worst way imaginable. The day that Aaron broke off the engagement was the day that you died, maybe not literally, but it was the start of your downfall. It was the beginning of the end. Aaron breaking your heart solidified you getting ready to take your last breath. Would you blame Aaron? No, because you should have fought harder. That’s why you tried to keep your breaths steady so you could see Aaron one last time.

“Y/n! Y/n, oh god, what did he do to you? What did he- I should have never let you go see him. I knew better! Look what he did to you. Look what I did to you.”

Aaron had rushed to your side, placing pressure over the blood that was pooling out of your stomach. He tried to keep his eyes on you, he wanted to see the life still in your eyes, but the blood was coming out faster and faster.

“Aaron, It’s not your fault. Listen to me. It’s not your fault. Aaron, this was Jake’s fault. Promise me you’ll get him. Promise me you’ll take care of Mason. I know he’s not yours. I know we didn’t have kids, but please, Aaron. I can’t let Mason grow up without anyone who loves him. I know you’ll love him as much as you love Jack, as much as you love me. Please Aaron, please tell me Mason will be in good hands.”

“He will be. Because you and I are going to raise him. The paramedics are on their way. Mason’s going to have a mom AND a dad. We’ll raise Mason together, we’ll have a few Hotchner babies. We’re, we’ll get married, we’ll continue to grow our family. Mason, he’ll, he’ll be okay.”

He saw your eyes begin to flutter close, but you needed to tell him you loved him, make him promise that he’s going to take care of Mason. It was your time.

“No, no. Y/n! Wake up! Wake up!”

“Aaron, it’s time. I’ve lost too much blood. Aaron, please. Please promise me you’ll take care of Mason. Give him all the hugs and kisses you can to that kid for as long as he’ll let you from me.”

“I promise, y/n. I promise. I will.”

“And Aaron, I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Death is a weird thing. It’s like you could still hear everything that was happening around you, but you couldn’t move. It’s like an out-of-body experience. One minute, you were watching Aaron fall apart around you, and the next? You’re watching him take care of your son.

You were in this weird transitional state. You briefly remember what had happened when you closed your eyes for what would be the final time, and how you took your last breath shortly after. For some reason, you felt Aaron’s entire body weight hold you in his arms, almost like his weight was on you. Even for being dead, you still felt the final kiss that he gave you write before you closed your eyes for the last time.

You never wanted to know what it was like to dead, but now that you were here, you could still keep an eye on your son, which is what you were doing now. You weren’t haunting them, just looking out for them. Your son was comfortable around Aaron. Aaron looked exhausted carrying Mason around from daycare to daycare. You saw him and Penelope researching daycare places for Mason in the car. A part of you felt guilty for putting this on Aaron, but you couldn’t help it. You didn’t think it’d ever get this far. You didn’t think Jake would have beaten you to death.

It was only a few months later when you were watching over your three boys in the kitchen. All three of them making a mess and baking cupcakes. Aaron letting the boys consume way too much sugar, but they were having a good time. For the first time in a long time, Aaron looked happy. Jack was an amazing big brother to Mason. As Jack was kneeling on the chair, mixing the frosting together, Aaron’s phone screen went off. It was your sign to try and communicate with him that you were there. You were okay even without physically being alive.

When Aaron looked down at his screen, he smiled. He changed his lock screen a while ago from the bureau logo to a pic of you and him when you two got engaged. That was one of the better moments in his life. His home screen was a picture of Jack and Mason sitting on the swings in the park. Mason may not look like Aaron at all, but he didn’t care. He would tell everyone until the day that he died that he had two sons.

When Mason saw his phone light up, he pointed to the picture and smiled, and said, “Mama! Dada!”

Aaron froze slightly, not sure what to feel. It was just then when Jack started getting super excited that Mason had just said his first words. Aaron had teared up and picked up Mason from where he was holding him on the counter.

Aaron kissed his cheek and said, “That’s right. That’s your Mama.”

Jack said, “Dad! He called you dad!”

You began to cry at the sight of your three boys in the kitchen. Your son said his first words. It was mom and dad. You knew they’d be okay. Aaron was doing an amazing job raising two boys as a single father. Aaron was raising a son that wasn’t his, but in that very moment, anyone who would encounter your family would think that Mason was his and Aaron would always make sure of it.

When he got both boys to bed that night, Aaron got in his bed and pulled out a candle.

“Hi, Haley. Usually I do this with Jack, but tonight, I wanted to talk to Y/n. I hope you two are both watching over us. I’ll talk to you soon with Jack. I miss you, Haley and I’m sorry.”

You were in the room watching Aaron sit on his bed with the candle in his hand, back leaning up against the headboard. You really wish you could hug him and tell him how proud you are of him for raising two boys as a single father, for raising one who wasn’t even his.

“Hey Y/n, Mason said his first word today. It was ‘mama’. Jack got so excited when he said it. He called me Dada. I, I don’t know how I feel about it. I mean, I love it. It means he’s got trust. He knows I’m there to take care of him, but at the same time, you should be here, too. You should get to here Mason calling you Mama and calling me, Dada. God, I hate Jake, he did this to you, y/n. You’re gone and he gets to live and sit in prison. You didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

Aaron broke down crying and you began to cry yourself. While you weren’t there physically with him, only the ghost of you moved closer to him and wrapped your arms around him while he cried. You could touch him all you wanted, but he wouldn’t feel you there. That’s what hurt the most.

It hurt knowing that Jake won. It hurt knowing that you were gone and Mason would never remember what it felt like to be held by his mom. It hurt knowing you would never marry Aaron, would never get to have a child that was half you and half him. It hurt watching Aaron struggle everyday after losing two people he loved and raising two kids as a single father.

“I miss you, every day, Y/n. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more to protect you. I’m sorry I broke off our engagement all those years ago. But, I’m going to keep my promise. I’m going to keep giving Mason all the hugs and kisses I can. I’m going to take care of him and talk about you everyday. I love you, watch over us, please.”

****

You shot up out of bed, waking up in a sweat. Were you dead? What the heck was going on?

You were breathing really heavy, you were sweaty. When you turned the lamp on, you saw Mason sleeping. You slowed your breathing down. You were okay. You were at Aaron’s. You needed him. You wanted to sleep but were afraid if you fell asleep on your own, you’d have another nightmare.

You brought the baby monitor with you and walked your way into Aaron’s room. You saw him sleeping. You had second thoughts. Should you wake him up? Should you just get in bed with him?

You apparently didn’t think to long, the next thing you were doing was quietly shaking Aaron’s arm, whispering his name.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

He turned on his lamp, sat up, and took a look at the state you were in.

“i-I had a nightmare. I want a restraining order against Jake. I want him to go to jail for what he did to me. I want sole custody of Mason. I can’t let him win, Aaron. I can’t.”

You began to cry and you wrapped your arms around Aaron. He held you in his arms and said, “We’ll take care of it. Let’s get you back to bed. Come on, you can sleep with me.”

You wiped your tears and whispered, “Thank you.”

Aaron got up from his bed and he walked into his bathroom to grab you a cup of water. You got in on the opposite of where Aaron slept and got in. He gave you the glass of water and after you took a sip of it, he got in bed next to you. He turned off the light and adjusted his sheets.

He turned on his side to face you and said, “Do you want to talk about it?”

You turned to face him and you could just make out a little bit of his face in the moonlight. You knew he wasn’t going to let it go until you told him what it was about, but he also knew that he had to let you process it yourself.

“I just know that I had gone to see Jake and he had beat me to death. Aaron, you came to try and save me, but, it was too late. He had already done more than enough damage. You watched me take my last breath. But when I was dead, I was still there with you. I had watched you and Penelope go to multiple daycares, researching the best ones for Mason. I watched you fall apart but keep yourself together for the sake of the boys. I watched you be a father to a child that wasn’t yours. I-I, it must had been a few months since I had passed because I saw an older Mason, older Jack, I watched you light a candle after Mason had said “Mama and Dada” for the first time. I watched you fall apart speaking to me and Haley. Aaron, I can’t do this with Jake. I saw what my future was like and I don’t want to die knowing I didn’t listen to you. I don’t want Jake to win. I-I can’t lose you just yet.”

Aaron saw the look of fright on your face. He grabbed your hand and squeezed it. He kissed your forehead, giving himself a moment to calm you down.

“I don’t want to lose you, but if you died. I would take Mason in in a heartbeat. There are no ifs, ands, and buts about it. It was just a nightmare. You’re going to be okay, y/n. We have a good lawyer, we have the evidence, you have a place to stay. Tell ya what, when we talk to the lawyer tomorrow, we’re going to start moving you out of that house. Okay?”

You nodded your head, thankful for Aaron at that moment.

“I would never kick you out, you know you can stay here for as long as you need. If you want to move out, we’ll look for somewhere safe for you and Mason. If you want to stay for a bit, we’ll fix up the guest room up into however you’ll like.”

You placed your hand on his cheek and began to rub your thumb gently back and forth. 15 years ago you were in bed with a man you had loved more than anything in the world. Here you are 15 years later, with the same man. It’s not how you thought life would have taken you to get back to him, but you had.

“Thank you, Aaron. I mean it.”

“Let’s get some sleep. Come on. Goodnight.”

You had closed your eyes, your hand retreating back to your side of the bed. You didn’t know it, but Aaron didn’t fall back asleep until you had fallen into a deep sleep and heard your little snores. That’s what really gave it away. But that was something he had always loved about you.

He would always love you. To him, you had no flaws, you were perfect. It was him who was a mess. But, right now, getting through these past few days have been rough on him. All the guilt that consumed him for breaking the engagement off led you to this trauma-filled life with Jake.

Just knowing that when this was all said and done with that he was going to propose to you, it made him fall asleep with love in his heart and more excitement than ever. He knew you were going to be his wife when everything was over. He was just grateful that you came to him when you needed help, otherwise, who knows; your nightmare might have became a reality.

He pmoved closer to you that night, proceeding to wrap his arm over you, pulling you into his chest. He just wanted one night where he could hold you in his arms and make sure you were going to feel loved by someone in the morning.

And that’s what he did when you and him woke up in the morning at the sounds of Mason beginning to talk in his pack-and-play. You were greeted with his arms around you, a little squeeze around your waist as he whispered, “Good Morning.”

You felt safe with him. He was your person. You had always wanted to marry this man. You were just hoping that he’d want to marry you, even with all the baggage you had.

Little did you know, he had always loved you and would always love you no matter what happened from here on out.

Next Part

Tagging: @8crazy-freak8​ @angelmather1​ @rousethemouse​ @lex13cm​ @mrs-ssa-hotch​ @comfortzonequeen​

[shiorimakibawrites]

After writing up this post about a suggestion I received, while the inspiration was flowing, I decided to make an inspiration board on Pinterest.

While I was there, I added some new things to my boards for my current WIPs but apparently paying Frank or Michael any attention made Matt jealous.

Because he flooded me with inspiration - both for two ideas that I had been kicking around already and a new one.

I can't promise when I can get around to writing any of these but I had to share them:

Love is Blind

Rating: 18+ Working Summary: You are a blind attorney who has recently moved to New York from California after a nasty break-up. It's a big chance but with your trusty guide dog Luna, you figure you can handle it. While exploring your new neighborhood, you meet local defense attorney Matt Murdock who you hit it off with right away. Unfortunately your past isn't willing to be left behind. Warnings (subject to change): Canon-typical violence, smut, ableism, domestic violence, stalking

Freaky Friday

Rating: 18+ Working Summary: You are a journalist. One day when you are walking home from work, you stumble across Daredevil fighting a criminal. The criminal shouts something and throws a beam of light at you. You are shielded by Daredevil but it doesn't appear that the beam did anything. Until you wake up the next morning no longer in your own body but in Daredevil's. Warnings (subject to change): Canon-typical violence, possible smut, mild body dysmorphia, disability struggles, sensory issues, anxiety, panic attacks Meant to be a short series.

Love & Friendship

Rating: 18+ (??) Working Summary: You are a teenager who has recently moved to New York from Colorado with your family. While shopping for groceries, you meet a local teen - Matt Murdock who is there with his adoptive mother Anna Nelson. Becoming friends happens fast but the love that grows inside you creeps up on you. Before you know it, you are in love with one of your best friends. Slow burn friends to lovers. Warnings (subject to change): Canon-typical violence, possible eventual smut, bullying, ableism Inspired by the prompt from @importantnightwerewolf

Full of Surprises

Rating: 18+ Working Summary: You had been dating Matt Murdock, a fellow summer associate at Landman & Zack. But the summer has come to an end and it is time for you both to return to your respective law schools. You return to Massachusetts and start your final year and preparing for the bar exam. Only to discover that you are pregnant. Warnings (subject to change): Canon-typical violence, smut, unplanned pregnancy, pregnancy symptoms, childbirth, eventual kid fic.

Matt is going to need his own masterlist soon. He is such a menace.

[ericccl]

Discover essential considerations for creating a thoughtful child custody agreement. Prioritize your child's well-being with expert guidance from Eric Child Custody Law. Read now!

[jamesadams0003]

Domestic Assault Lawyer: Protecting Your Rights and Ensuring Justice

In a world where relationships can sometimes become strained and conflicts arise, it is unfortunate that instances of domestic assault and violence occur. If you or someone you know is facing charges related to domestic assault, it's crucial to understand the significance of seeking legal representation from a skilled domestic assault lawyer. At Turner Law, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive legal services, including domestic violence defense, to ensure your rights are protected and justice is served.

Understanding Domestic Assault:

Domestic assault, also known as domestic violence, refers to any form of abusive behaviour that occurs within a familial or intimate relationship. This can include physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual assault, and more. Such cases are incredibly sensitive and require an attorney who specialises in domestic assault defence to navigate the complexities of the legal system effectively.

The Role of a Domestic Assault Lawyer:

A domestic assault lawyer is a legal professional with extensive experience in defending individuals accused of domestic violence. Their primary goal is to protect your rights and provide a robust defense to ensure the best possible outcome for your case. When you hire a skilled domestic assault lawyer from Turner Law, you can expect the following:

Expertise and Knowledge: Our lawyers possess in-depth knowledge of domestic violence laws, legal procedures, and local court systems. They stay updated with the latest developments in domestic assault defense to build a strong case on your behalf.

Strategic Defense Planning: A domestic assault lawyer will meticulously analyse the evidence, gather witness testimonies, and investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident.This allows them to develop a solid defense strategy tailored to your specific situation.

Protection of Rights: Your lawyer will ensure that your constitutional rights are protected throughout the legal process. They will guide you through each step, ensuring that you understand your options and providing support during a challenging time.

Negotiation and Advocacy: If a plea bargain or settlement is possible, your domestic assault lawyer will negotiate with the prosecution on your behalf. However, if your case goes to trial, they will vigorously advocate for your innocence and challenge the evidence presented against you.

Conclusion:

Facing domestic assault charges is an emotionally and legally daunting experience. However, with the assistance of a skilled domestic assault lawyer from Turner Law, you can have peace of mind knowing that your rights are being protected. Our experienced team will provide you with the dedicated defense you deserve, ensuring that justice is served. Contact us today for a confidential consultation and let us help you navigate through this challenging time. Remember, you are not alone – we are here to support you every step of the way.

[defenselawyersandiego]

Guidelines in Hiring a Defense Lawyer San Diego

Defense Lawyers San Diego are the people you'll turn to in any unfortunate situation. They can provide legal advice and representation during these difficult times.

You need to know your rights and the correct way of responding to the police or in court. You should always contact a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible

San Diego criminal defense lawyers are always available to meet, talk about your case and let you know your rights and options. They're here to protect you, your family, property or anything else important to you.

There are many San Diego criminal defense attorneys out there and all of them have good reputations. To point you in the right direction, here's a list of things to consider when you're looking for help.

Do they specialize in criminal law?

Criminal cases are usually different from civil cases, and lawyers usually specialize in one or the other. You won't see a lawyer who handles both at the same time very often. Criminal law is way stricter than civil law. So be sure to get a lawyer who has vast knowledge in both areas.

How often do these lawyers win?

Larger or smaller doesn't matter for the basics. It all depends on the lawyer who will be in charge of your case. How often he's been winning cases lately? Do you have any faith that he can win your case and get you acquitted or settled? A good defense lawyer is a winner. He should be able to win your case with ease.

The new criminal defense lawyer doesn't know what he's doing, does he?

You want someone with experience. If somebody just handled a few cases, you don't know how good they are at representation on the job. Anyway, good lawyers can win any case no matter how short the time they spend on it. You should also ask for a mentor, an expert in your type of case, if you don't feel comfortable with the lawyer in charge.

Has the criminal defense lawyer who was successful in your similar case before, win theirs?

Every case is different from the next, even though they might seem similar at first. The defense often faces the same allegations and tactics from the opposition. The plaintiff lawyer often tries to improve their chances by changing things up a bit depending on the situation, but it's usually not too radical. If you find a lawyer that has handled a lawsuit before that's similar to yours, they can be more helpful since they know how those tend to play out.

Will the attorney be fully knowledgeable in regards to the case and criminal law?

Getting a criminal defense lawyer is crucial. The person you hire should be well-schooled to defend you in court as well as have knowledge about the case. He should know the constitution inside and out and if it's in violation of any of these articles, tell him you dispute this. He can't remember everything, but he should at least research any similar cases he's been assigned to beforehand.

Obviously, this is not something you do every day. If you are considering hiring a defense lawyer for a criminal case, these are 5 essential questions to ask before approaching the lawyer.

[andydrysdalerogers]

Sliding Into Home ~ Finale

Pairing: MLB!Frank Adler x Abigail Hernandez (OFC)

Synopsis:

After a trade from Boston to Los Angeles, first baseman Frank Adler would seem to have it all. Money, women, an amazing niece, yes Frank should have it all. Except for one thing. One thing that left after a mistake five years ago. Los Angeles should be the chance to start over. Except she is supposed to be in Boston. Not his new medical director.

* A Frank Adler AU x Major League Baseball Story**

Warning: ANGST (i can't stress this enough), second chances, cheating, S~M~U~T!!, slow burn, drug use, abandonment issues, betrayal, domestic violence (i may have missed some), flashbacks

Dividers by me!

A/N: So this is it folks! This is the end. There isn't anymore. I hate to say goodbye but maybe we will revisit in one shots!

Thank you for following me on this journey!

Also, there is a spotify playlist for this one. Click here!

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site, even if you give me credit. DO NOT REPOST MY FICS. Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated

Previous: Oh Captain, My Captain!

Sliding Into Home Master List Main Masterlist

Four Years Later... 

The playoffs this year have been exhausting. Frank was used to it but now, he had one more reason to be home.  The world series would start next week for the Dodgers.  It was their second bid in four years and Frank felt like this was their time.  Johnny was pitching better than ever and the team that Dave and Todd had put together was golden.   

As he drove home in his beloved Camero, he thought back on how he ended up here.  

The trial for Mike Weiss was long and exhaustive. Mike faught to the bitter end, continuing to claim that he only kidnapped Mary to speak to her, get to know her, since Frank and Abby had forbade him from coming close to his family.  The law was on their side, as Diane provided testimoney of Mike’s obsession in destroying the Adlers from way back to when Frank and Abby first started their relationship.  It had been a 20 year obsession that had catipulted him delusions.  

Unfortunately, Mike never saw a day of his sentence.  Frank was disappointed in how Mike ended up taking his own life from an accidental overdose after finding out the guilty verdict. They had given him one week to set up his affairs. Frank didn’t want the man to die but Mike couldn’t live with the idea of going in sober and clean.  The “friend” that found him said he wanted one more party before he went inside.  Was it accidental?  No one will ever really know beside the man who had been Frank’s best friend for 15 years.  

Diane was a better story.  After staying for for treatment for a year, Diane was sober and in her right mind.  She had visited with Frank and Mary once, before moving to Maine with her boyfriend.  She told Frank that she would never contest custody and hoped to maintain an “auntie” sort of relationship with Mary.  Abby couldn’t bring herself to face her again.  She had gotten her answers and forgave her former friend.  But she set down the law: her future children would not have a relationship with their aunt. Frank respected her decision. 

Bobby Fuller was banned by the league after their investigation into him found his drug use and his collaboration in helping Mike.  At the insistence of Frank, the district attorney did not press charges against him. Frank decided losing his passion, his career was punishment enough.  they never spoke again.  

A year after the loss of the world Series, Johnny decided to propose to Katie, at Christmas, on Dodger Field.  Frank had been right that he would propose, all be it, a year later than he thought.  But Katie had a surprise for him after she said yes.  She was pregnant, with twins.  Sam and David Storm joined the family at the beginning of June the following year.  

Susie had made an honest man out of Marco in the summer after the first world series.  They bought a house in the same neighborhood as Frank and Abby.  Susie was honored after her discovery of a new star in the sky.  Marco still worked as security for the Adlers, especially after Abby decided to resign as medical director for the Dodgers.  She went to take over as  Chief of Staff at USC.  The hours changed so security for the children had to be updated as well.  

Scott and Steve married after dating for three years.  Frank stood as his best man and signed their marriage certificate.  Luckily, the Adler property had a small house in the back that Scott turned into a home for them.  Scott stayed on as the nanny, not wanting to separate from his godchildren.  Steve was so understanding and was happy to be honored as the kid’s second godfather.  

Frank smiled as he drove down the familiar street.  The leaves were starting to turn and the air in California finally started to have a chill in the mornings.  He was looking forward to an early morning coffee with his Cricket on the balcony before the kids woke up.  Mary was still working on her science project, a fully functioning telescope from scratch.  The now 14-year-old was in college level science, a brain box just like her mothers.  Susie loved having a prodigy to work with.  She still went to a normal school but twice a week, Susie would take her to her college classes as her guardian and professor.  

Turning into the driveway, Frank groaned at the toys all over the yard. “Dammit Mary,” he muttered.  She had just a few responsibilities at the house, and one was to make sure all of the toys were put away for the night.  He looked at his watch.  It was just past eight.  He grabbed his bag and headed into the house.  

“Hello, hello!” He called out.  

“Daddy!!” 

A streak of dark curls rushed at him.  He crouched down and caught three-year-old Lorelei in his arms.  

“Hi princess,”he said as he hugged and kissed his daughter.  

“Daddy, you were ever and ever,” she pouted.  

“I know princess, but I’ll be home for a few days.  Uncle Johnny and Auntie Katie are coming over tomorrow.”  

“Yay!!!” She hung on to his neck as he stood up to see his Mary walking over. “Hey Nugget.”  

“Hey dad!” Mary hugged him hard. “That was an awesome play yesterday.”  

“Thanks.  But you’re in trouble.” Mary looked at him confused. “The toys?”  

“Oh, cr-,” she stopped, “crazy,” she said, looking at her sister. “I’ll take care of it right now.”  She darted out the door, Dodger on her heels after getting a pat from Frank.  

“Hey Frankie.”  

Frank turned to see his girl, his Cricket walking over to him, holding their eight-week-old son, Anthony, in her arms.  “Hi Cricket.”  He put Rory down and took his son in his arms. “Hey little man.” He kissed his forehead and was rewarded with a sleepy yawn and a blink of his ocean blues.  “He’s bigger.”  

“Went for his checkup yesterday,” Abby said. “He’s at 12 pounds now, growing like a weed.”  

Anthony had been born four weeks early and was just under six pounds when he was born, but healthy.  He had an appetite like his dad, which Abby complained about at the 3 AM feedings.  

“I’ve missed you guys.” Frank pulled Abby close and kissed her softly.  

“We missed you.”  Abby took his hand and guided him to the counter. “I thought you would be earlier, and I made dinner.”  

“Sorry baby, the flight got delayed on the tarmac and I had no signal.” Frank sighed.  “Whatcha make?” 

“Lasagna.” Frank groaned as Abby's lasagna was second to none. Abby smiled. “I’ll cut you a piece.”  

“You’re the best Cricket.  I should marry you.”  

“Already did Frankie. Best decision ever.”  

“Without a doubt.” 

Later that night, as the house settled for the night, Abby laid Tony in his bassinet. She smoothed his blanket before kissing him goodnight.  Frank leaned over and kissed him as well.  “Sweet dreams, pal. Love you son.”  

Abby could never get over how sweet it was to watch Frank with all his kids. He helped with Mary’s homework, read stories to Rory and cuddled with Tony when Abby wanted to take a shower.  This man, this man that she met 20 years ago, was everything she ever dreamed of.  As they climbed into bed, Abby lay on Frank’s chest.  “You’re thinking really loud, Cricket.  What’s on your mind?” 

Abby chewed her lip for a moment before asking, “Are you happy Frankie?” 

“The happiest I’ve ever been.  Why do you ask?” 

“I dunno.  Lots of changes.” 

Frank sat up and pulled his wife onto his lap.  “Cricket, winning you back, having our family, it's like beating the throw and sliding into home.  It’s a high that I am so happy I get to live with you.”  

Abby melted at his sweet words. “I love you so much Frankie.”  

“And I love you, Cricket forever and ever.” He kissed her softly.  “Need some help getting to sleep?” He smirked.  

“Always.” Abby giggled as Frank flipped her onto her back, pulled the blanket over them and they sighed.  

THE END 

Taglist

@patzammit

@texmexdarling

@slutforchrisjamalevans

@firephotogrl74

@before-we-get-started

@tinkerbelle67

@bunnyforhim

@peaceinourtime82

[lokiondisneyplus]

After the climactic release of the historically successful Avengers: Endgame – the 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the penultimate release in their “Infinity Saga”, the culmination of 11 years of brand-building, the second-highest-grossing film of all time – Marvel decided what the world really needed was more Marvel.

Armed with classic Hollywood hubris – the misguided conviction that the public would never tire of what they were selling – Marvel Studios rolled television production into their main business model, with “Phase Four” delivering more television shows than movies. The effect was a flooding of the market and a dilution of the brand, not to mention the release of the worst MCU movie, Eternals.

Forcing narrative crossovers between television shows and movies had the adverse effect of turning the former into homework and the latter into ads for the former. This practice was an act of artistic self-sabotage, ruining what could’ve been Marvel’s most sublime film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, by burdening it with a host of tonally-off, studio-obligated B-stories crowbarred in to promote upcoming television titles.

After a run of disappointing films that weighed down once-fun franchises with po-faced gravity – Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – and a slew of ordinary television shows – The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Moon Knight, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Secret Invasion – we’ve officially reached a state of Marvel fatigue, with questions looming around the state of the superhero industrial complex.

It’s in this cultural moment that Loki, the acclaimed solo show for the titular character, arrives for a second season. It doesn’t just have to live up to an inspired first season but also has to push back on all the bad vibes, a difficult task given the heavy presence of Jonathan Majors, the breakout star who was arrested in March on domestic violence charges.The great charm of this season is that it cultivates the feeling that it could head anywhere and be anything. Loki doesn’t just explore free will as a theme, it actually feels as if it artistically possesses it.

The good news is that, whether or not it can be spun as state-of-Marvel narrative correction, season two is a worthy successor. Blessed by the fact its titular character, Tom Hiddleston’s charismatic God of Mischief, remains a slippery figure, Loki is allowed to move forward with no clear lines drawn between good and bad, protagonist and antagonist, hero and villain. Characters hold convictions until they don’t, make choices that will have ramifications, agitate for themselves, then for the greater good, and try to navigate a world whose rules shift beneath their feet.

It’s largely set, once again, in the Time Variance Authority, a comic bureaucratic labyrinth charged with policing multiversal time lines. Offering obvious symbolism at a time when Marvel is struggling to retain coherence in the midst of its “Multiverse Saga”, the TVA prizes the one true “Sacred Timeline”, pruning infinite possibilities back for the sake of cosmic narrative purity.

The TVA is an inspired retrofuturist space steeped in Eastern Bloc mid-century design and early Terry Gilliam films, satirising the pernickety dictums of workplaces and government offices – “limit your lunch break to 17 minutes!” proclaims one poster. From its dated tech – ’70s-style computer monitors, reel-to-reel tape machines, chrome hi-fis – to its curved surfaces, coloured floor tiles and lurid-emerald key lime pie, it’s a rare work of inspired production design by a studio otherwise synonymous with green-screening its way to rush-job eyesores built by an army of non-unionised offshore digital effects artists.

Everything in the TVA looks shabby and neglected, evoking its place as an office lost to time. The plot machinations of season one found an Avengers-adjacent Loki commandeered by the authority – Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson), upper-management Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and others – to pursue a variant of himself, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), through time and space.

It ended with an explosion of multiversal time lines and revelations about the true history of the TVA: its top-down system of authority a matrix of illusion, its mind-wiped employees existing in a state of suspended limbo, its time line-culling operation seeming a lot like a morally questionable act of mass slaughter.

In the fallout from that climax, season two finds characters questioning whether the TVA is an entity worth preserving or destroying, not to mention the meaning of their own existence and the ramifications of choice. It’s a study of free will and moral responsibility, housed in 45-minute episodes of action-oriented television. Its chief writer, Eric Martin, both lionises liberty and weighs up its gravity, while happily dealing in the all-American fear of governmental oversight.

The collapse of the TVA’s artificial reality – “everything you’ve been doing is wrong and all your gods are dead”, Mobius deadpans in classic Wilson fashion – leads characters to their own convictions. Mobius seeks peaceful resolution. Renslayer seeks to preserve her power and the authority’s agency (“all that matters is order versus chaos”). The once-bellicose B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) has a moral reawakening. The dogged Dox (Kate Dickie) is more committed than ever to the cause. The weaselly X-5 (Rafael Casal) wants to explore his new-found independence and maybe become a movie star. The oddball tech guy with the on-the-nose name, Ouroboros (Ke Huy Quan), is there to both provide comic relief and to save the day from a temporal calamity that may destroy all worlds, or something to that effect.

Loki’s playful riffing on time means every benign use of the word pops – “it’ll take some time”, “remember that time”, “take your time”, “time to go” – and its first four episodes dance along the Earth’s time line at various points of history – 1868, 1893, 1977, 1982 – with plentiful hijinks, dabbling in genre tropes, meta use of Loki’s skills of illusion and misdirection, and creepy fast-food-franchise sponsored content.

Looming over all is the presence of the big bad of Marvel’s Phase Five, Kang the Conqueror, played still, to this point, by Majors. He’s seen here in two variants: a squirrelly 19th-century nutty professor named Victor Timely and the all-powerful end-of-time figure met at the end of last season, He Who Remains. These twin characters are connected but separate enough that they symbolise the series’ focus on free will. One may be fated to become the other, but does that mean that he – and the future – can’t change?

The great charm of this season is that it cultivates the feeling that it could head anywhere and be anything. Loki doesn’t just explore free will as a theme, it actually feels as if it artistically possesses it. While it may not be enough to combat the waning influence of comic-book screen output, this season does feel like a disarming counterpoint to recent Marvel Studios product. Rather than feeling conscripted or forced, a puzzle piece that exists solely to build a bridge between branded content, Loki remains its own thing: a nimble exploration of big themes in a colourful, comic, oddball package.

This article was first published in the print edition of The Saturday Paper on October 21, 2023 as "Changing times".

[macgyvermedical]

I know A LOT of Injury Recovery themed fanfic stories that Start with, or involve as a central point, a hospitalized Person waking up from unconsiousness with their friend waiting at their bedside, and I find that awesome/romantic but also iffy for the ethics of letting someone the Patient may not have officially consented to having close, be there, and how do rules around that work in real life?

In my experience working on a hospital trauma floor, it’s not like there’s a lot of security.

For your average patient, a visitor basically comes up to the desk and says “hi, I’m here to see so-and-so” and the secretary says “great, they’re in room 5” and they go to room 5 and hang out.

Now, if the patient is a victim of a violent crime (say, they were shot and there might be someone out there still trying to kill them), or domestic violence, the whole floor will be locked down and if someone comes to see them they need to have a password. This doesn’t stop other visitors from seeing other people, though.

Someone can always say they don’t want a specific person there and we can do our best to screen, but honestly it’s pretty open. If they don’t stop at the desk, pretty much the patient has to tell the person to go away, and if they don’t, we can call security and have them escorted out.

Someone calling for information is a little different, because there are laws regulating consent around health information release. We usually ask a patient if they’re okay with information being released, and to whom it can be released. If someone calls asking for information, and the patient has set limits on who the information can be given to, they’ll need a password to get updates. Usually if the person gets the password wrong we’ll just offer to transfer the phone cal into the patient’s room. Similarly, if we’re talking about medical things to the patient and there’s visitors, we usually ask if it’s okay that the visitors hear the info.

If the patient is not able to give consent like this (if they’re confused, or still waking up after surgery), and they don’t meet the criteria already discussed, we try to find the next of kin or a designated power of attorney to make those decisions for the person until they can make the decisions for themself.

But to answer your question, it’s totally reasonable that someone would be there even before a person was awake enough to consent to them being there.

[sapphyreopal5]

Hey there

Any idea what happened with the case against jared ?

Last I’ve seen they kept dragging it out, did he settle or is it still on ?

Hello Anon, thank you for the ask. Funny timing given someone asked me about the lawsuit going on with Jensen and if anything happened at the conference meeting for that one. I see you're asking about Jared and assumingly his arrest that took place on 10/27/2019, so I'll focus on that instead ha ha. Note I'm not an attorney but am doing my best to answer your question correctly, and also trying to answer why the case may have been dragged out for a while. I took the liberty of looking up the case online and was able to find that both of the cases did in fact receive a deferred prosecution status on 2/3/2021. I also saw that the $5,000 bond was exonerated for both of the cases 3/5/2021 and then the status of deferred adjudication was posted for both on 4/9/2021.

According to The Texas Prosecutor website, the deferred prosecution status means:

Deferred prosecution is one of the tools a prosecutor’s office (including the Travis County Attorney’s Office) uses in exercising broad discretion in determining which cases to prosecute. A DPA is an extra-judicial agreement between a person charged with a crime and the prosecutor to defer the prosecution of a criminal charge for an agreed period of time (usually 12 to 24 months), during which the defendant must fulfill specified conditions, such as no contact with a victim, counseling for a domestic violence offender, or drug treatment. After the DPA is signed by the defendant and the prosecutor, the criminal case is conditionally dismissed. If the defendant fulfills all conditions, the county attorney takes no further action (because the criminal case was dismissed). However, if the defendant fails to comply with any of the conditions of the agreement, the county attorney has the authority to refile the charges and prosecute the case. Our office often uses deferred prosecution when prosecutors determine that it is possible a jury would render a not-guilty verdict. For example, in an assault–family violence case, the prosecutor may choose deferred prosecution to require the defendant to address his issues so as to break the cycle of violence and protect the victim and society. While our office has always involved the victim in fashioning a DPA, we have also consistently sought permission from the Attorney General to refrain from releasing these agreements to the public to protect the purpose and integrity of deferred prosecution, as these agreements often contain admissions by the defendant and agreements to plead.

As for the bond exoneration:

A bail bond is exonerated when the legal process/trial has finished. It does not matter whether the defendant is found guilty/innocent or if the case has been dismissed. At this point, the bail bond is discharged. However, any unpaid premium, fees or other amounts charged by the bail service provider are still owed.

and the deferred adjudication:

Deferred adjudication relates to criminal cases and specifically to the sentencing phase for crimes. With deferred adjudication, there is no conviction, and the court defers or postpones the adjudication of the criminal case pending the completion of community supervision and satisfaction of additional conditions. This all occurs pre-conviction, meaning that the defendant may have an opportunity later to file for an expungement or nondisclosure of the entire matter and keep it off the defendant’s record.

I know in North Carolina, there's something called a Prayer for Judgment "PJC" that's often used in traffic violations but sometimes can be for a criminal case at times too. The overall gist of PJCs is basically asking a judge to "delay" sentencing or "judgment". There are also different types like dispositional (no further sentencing anticipated but can still count as a conviction), continuance (postponing judgment) or a term to term (set time period for good behavior basically). This so called legal "forgiveness" is often granted on things like not committing any new offenses, going to a driving safety class, seeking psychiatric or addiction counseling and cooperation with random drug tests, court costs, completing high school [truancy cases for minors], etc. This kind of forgiveness or asking basically for a chance to redeem yourself without being convicted isn't always an option. For example, in NC if someone gets a DWI, passing a stopped school bus, going more than 25mph over the speed limit, or other impaired driving offense that's considered to be an offense that requires punishment (and may result in a breathalyzer ignition lock being installed on the car). Also, PJCs in NC don't always result in "forgiveness" and do sometimes still result in a conviction, particularly if the person who effed up well continues doing so or the judge decides nah, convict them.

Basically, it's likely that the case was dragged out because Jared did not want a conviction smearing his record (I mean who does?) and chose to instead possibly be on good behavior for a set period of time , follow court mandates and the like to eventually get the case dismissed. It seems likely also based on the Register of Actions for the cases that Jared went to the courthouse quite a few times to basically "check in" with the judge, talk about the case, let the judge review his good behavior, blah blah blah. It takes time and that's why a lot of cases like this can drag out for a while.

Thanks for the ask Anon, I hope this was helpful.