#but my working theory for lockwood so far is that since the white is most often covered by his black jacket that the black is his mask

[psychicbluebirdmiracle]

Not me psycho analyzing all of the characters colors in lockwood and co again

[bellemorte180]

Just Good Business: Chapter Four

Caroline Salvatore, married into one of New York's most brutal crime families.

Niklaus Mikaelson, a notorious mob boss who is hell bent on taking down the Slavatores.

It's an affair for the ages.

A/N: This chapter is a bit lighter and calmer than the rest of the story. It takes place four months after chapter 2.

Four Months Later

Life had become a shit show for Caroline. Once the media got wind that Stefan Salvatore had been arrested for murder, the world turned on its axis. Reporters and journalist all descended upon them like a swarm of locus. Caroline was not a fool. She knew that Klaus owned multiple people in the news business, it was how he stayed out of the limelight, and he was doing this. He was making life very difficult for Damon and Stefan. Their movements were restricted, watched by the entire world. He was smoothing them, putting an insane amount of pressure just to show that he could.

Stefan was able to make bail and was out of his jail cell within days. Their lawyer, Alaric Saltzman, was good and knew exactly what loopholes to look for to get his client out of distress. However, the prosecution insisted that Stefan was a flight risk and needed to be monitored. So, he was slapped with an ankle bracelet and all of his movements were tracked. Now the courts were filled with motions, continuances and a long bureaucratic game of chess on whether or not Stefan Salvatore was going to prison. The public perception was screaming for a guilty verdict. The mansion was under complete surveillance at all times; however, the feed did not go to the FBI. Stefan was caged in; backed into a corner that he had trouble digging himself out of and he knew that Klaus was behind it. He assumed that Klaus was seeking revenge against the death of his brother Kol. A debt was owed and now Klaus was coming to collect. Both Damon and Stefan were feeling the weight of Klaus’s power and she could see behind their eyes that they knew that they were picking a fight they could not win.

But their pride would not let them surrender; even if Klaus allowed them too.

Everything was in lockdown. Stefan and Damon hired more bodyguards and Caroline was constantly followed. It was rare that she was allowed out of the house without someone by her side and the increase of guards made it so that it was not only Enzo that accompanied her. They came in shifts, different people in and out daily that worked for them and Caroline thought it was a foolish move. She knew Klaus would grab at such an opportunity and that some of these men belonged to him; along with an order to step in if Stefan even attempted to lay a hand on Caroline again.

At first, Caroline was able to get out of the house here and there, but it was becoming increasingly harder. If it wasn’t the media tracking her down, Stefan had her guarded. His paranoia was unraveling with his lack of control and he was worried that Caroline would seek out Damon to tell him his dirty little secret. While Stefan was boxed in, Damon had more freedom. He was not so closely watched by the media nor did he have the government, Elijah, tracking his every move. He was able to conduct business and do what needed to be done as long as he was careful.

But it wasn’t easy. Klaus side stepped him at every turn. Klaus had the twelve men that Damon had delivering important cargo from Italy, slaughtered; a bloody massacre that only made the news because the Mayor’s son, Tyler Lockwood was killed in the crossfire. By the time Damon reached the docks, all of the men were dead, and his delivery gone. Turns out Damon was importing weapons that were not legal in the United States, let alone New York.

With Damon’s continued absence, doing the work for both himself and Stefan, Elena found herself at the mansion with Stefan and Caroline more often. The ongoing affair became more frequent; it was the only thing keeping Stefan calm and while Caroline thought it was completely insane that the two of them would act in such a way, with so many eyes on them, she couldn’t help be thankful at Stefan’s calmed temper.

That, and as Klaus had told her months ago, Stefan and Elena would be a tragedy of their own making. It would only be a matter of time before the wrong person said the right thing to Damon, and everything would unravel. All Klaus and Caroline had to do was be patient.

In the meantime, Caroline just tried to live her life as though nothing was wrong and stay out of Stefan’s way.

“I have an appointment with Dr. Laughlin at 8:30. Caroline Salvatore.” Caroline told the elderly nurse behind the desk. Stefan did not even blink when she told him that she had a doctor’s appointment and that it was for her birth control shot. He just told her to ensure that Enzo and Maddox went with her. Maddox was a bigger man, burly, terrifying and dedicated to his job. He was young and very eager; two things Caroline found to be a troubling combination.

“Oh, I’m sorry dear. Dr. Laughlin resigned last month.” Caroline was taken aback. She had not heard that her doctor had left the practice. “No matter. We have you set up to meet with a Dr. Maxfield. I’m sure he will be more than happy to assist you. Have a seat.” Caroline nodded and made her way towards one of the seats in the lobby.

“What’s wrong?” Maddox asked her.

“Dr. Laughlin is no longer here. I was not made aware she left. That’s all.” Caroline pursed her lips. She had her theories. It was known that Dr. Laughlin was dating Stefan’s attorney and Caroline would not put it past Klaus to have her removed. She wished she had been informed of this change but knew that communication between her and Klaus was difficult for the time being. She had not seen him in weeks, let alone spoken to him; minus the scarce messages she was able to pass through Enzo.

“Caroline Salvatore.” Caroline stood from her chair, happy that her appointments were always early in the morning and followed the nurse into the doctor’s office. The nurse went about the normal routine, checking her vitals, weight and asking all the typical questions. She handed Caroline a cup and pointed to the bathroom. She paused slightly, not sure why she needed a urine sample but brushed it off. New doctor and seemingly a more thorough one.

Then she waited what felt like forever. The thing about doctors’ offices were that they wanted their patients to be early only to make them wait. When a knock sounded on the door, Caroline bid entry, relieved. Dr. Maxfield was a man in his mid to late thirties with blonde hair, blue eyes and a gentle face.

“Mrs. Salvatore. I’m Dr. Maxfield. I am taking over Dr. Laughlin’s patients for the time being.” He held out his hand for her to shake. He seemed harmless enough and she knew that Klaus would have vetted him thoroughly. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Normal. Fine.”

“Well. It has been a bit since the last time you were in.” Dr. Maxfield replied. He looked over her records. “About six months.”

“That’s not right.” Caroline narrowed her eyes. “I come every three months for my birth control shot. My appointments are always made a year in advance.”

“Mrs. Salvatore. You haven’t been here in six months.” Dr. Maxfield insisted. For a second, Caroline wondered why someone would delete her visit out of her medical records; but then she thought back to where she was three months ago.

She was healing from Stefan’s attack. He was facing charges and coming home with an ankle monitor. People in and out of her home, trying to stay alive and do what she could to help Klaus end this miserable existence. When her calendar reminder came up for her appointment, she meant to reschedule and never did. She never made that appointment and when her phone remaindered of this one, she didn’t think twice.

“Shit.” Caroline’s eyes where wide. “That’s why you had me take urine sample. It was a pregnancy test.”

“You’re quick.” He smiled at her. “Congratulations Mrs. Salvatore. You’re pregnant.” Caroline felt as though her entire world came crashing down around her. This was not in the plan. Her and Klaus never once talked about children and what their future held once everything was said and done. She knew she would be with him but beyond that, the future was a mystery. “Without doing a blood test, I can’t exactly tell you how far along you are.”

“Five weeks. It would have to be.” Her mind flashed to that night in the back of Klaus’s limo. She had a few moments out of the house when Stefan asked her to leave the house for the evening. She knew that Stefan was having her followed, he always had for a while now, but she was able to sneak out a back door of the department store she was in. She dressed up for Klaus; wore a little black number that left little to the imagination. It was one of their briefest encounters but suddenly became more significant. That was the only time they had been together since the media storm hit. It had been weeks prior to that meeting that they had been together and weeks since.

“Five weeks.” The doctor smiled kindly, understanding her meaning. “Do you want to see the baby? I can do an ultrasound.” Numbly, Caroline nodded her head. Thousands of thoughts rang through her mind. Did Klaus want children? Could she bring a baby into this world? What was she going to do about Stefan? His trial could drag out for months and if him and Elena continued to remain discrete, Damon may never know of their affair.

Dr. Maxfield left her for a few minutes before returning with the equipment. Caroline laid down and lifted her shirt in order to show abdomen. Dr. Maxfield put some jell on her stomach, Caroline wincing at the cold feeling, and moved the wand around. She watched the screen and looked at the black and white image of her uterus. “It’s too soon to hear the heartbeat but do you see that small bean shaped thing right there?”

“Yes.”

“That’s your baby.” That moment when Caroline thought the world was crumbling, vanished. She looked at that small bean and she knew that nothing was more important in the world. She would do anything to protect that baby-her baby. Klaus’s baby. The doctor just let Caroline look at the screen, a feeling of love consumed her. “Do you want a picture?”

“Yes. Please.” He nodded, snapped a picture with the wand and turned the machine off. The moment the image was gone, Caroline felt a sense of loss. The doctor left the office again and she cleaned the jell off her stomach. It took a few moments, that had Caroline pacing the room, before he returned. He gave her a small smile and handed her the photo. Seeing the ultrasound again, had Caroline placing her hand on her abdomen. Caroline continued to stare at the photo while the doctor rattled off recommendations that she would need to follow. She nodded her head, taking note of how to keep herself as healthy as possible.

“Now, it would be best to see you in about a month. Once the holidays have passed should be enough time. We can check your progress from there.” Caroline nodded. A month. That bought her some time to be able to see Klaus. She would have to figure out a way for her to get out of the house and to Klaus. Before she made any sort of decisions, she needed to know where he stood on this.

Much to Caroline’s relief, an opportunity presented itself about four days later…and in the form of Elena.

Caroline was sitting in one of the back rooms of the mansion, staring out at the December snow that was falling around them. The last few days found Caroline kept to herself. Damon and Elena were a constant presence in the home; some new catastrophe seemed to have befallen them, but Caroline tuned them all out. She was too focused on the life growing inside her and wondering how she was going to get them out of this mess.

“Caroline?” She turned to see that Elena had entered the room with an uncertain smile on her lips. Elena moved forward slightly and sat down in the chair by Caroline. “Sorry if I disturbed you. I couldn’t stand to listen to Damon and Stefan fight anymore.”

“What happened now?”

“You don’t know?” Elena looked at her confused and Caroline just shrugged. She knew that they all thought she was a spoiled little socialite that paid little to no attention to what went on around her, and Caroline was fine with that. “Mayor Lockwood is dead.”

“Oh?”

“Drowned in her own bathtub. Too much wine according to the news report.” Elena snorted at that. Caroline said nothing in return. It was Klaus. Damon was pressuring the Mayor to pardon Stefan. Klaus was already displeased by the fact that she had made a deal with them previously, he was not about to forgive her again. “Load of bull if you ask me; but I didn’t come in here to talk about Carol Lockwood.”

“Why did you come in here?”

“I need a favor.” Caroline’s expression had to have shown her surprise because Elena sighed. “And to say thank you. For everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yeah. Everything.” Caroline knew what Elena was trying to avoid saying but Caroline wanted to hear it from her lips. “Things are bad right now and it will be for a while. Damon and Stefan are trying to find a way to take Klaus down. One way or another, we will figure it out but right now it is hard.” She sighed and looked at Caroline. “You could have made things a lot worse for Stefan and I. I want to say thank you for staying quite…about him and I, I mean.”

“Elena.” It was hard for Caroline to keep the laughter from her voice. “Let me be plain with you. I don’t want to be married to Stefan, no more than he wants to be married to me. You know that.” Elena nodded. “The fact that he likes to fuck you behind closed doors, I don’t care. In fact, it makes my life easier because if Stefan has you, he leaves me alone. Why would I go run to your husband and ruin that? So, what do you want from me?”

“Fair point.” Elena nodded. Caroline skipped over the fact that Damon most likely wouldn’t believe her anyway; not without proof. “Damon will be out tonight. He is going to deal with this issue regarding the Mayor’s death. He has a few meetings and will be gone for a while. I was hoping that Stefan and I could have the house tonight.”

Part of Caroline wanted to tell Elena to ‘fuck off’ but she refrained. Here was the woman, who was fucking Caroline’s husband, asking her to leave her own home in order to for her to fuck Caroline’s husband. If this was not the life Caroline lived, she would not believe that this would actually happen to real people. However, Caroline knew she had a pressing matter to discuss with Klaus and she was not going to turn down this opportunity.

“Sure.”

“Really?” Elena replied surprised, her big brown eyes blinking at her sister-in-law in confusion. She thought that Caroline would give her a bit more of a hassle. “Thank you.”

“Sure. I haven’t seen Haley in a while. I might see if she is free.” Elena nodded. Clearly seeing that Caroline had no desire to speak to her, she stood from the chair and left the room. Caroline watched her go, rolling her eyes as she went. She pulled her phone from the pocket of her cardigan and pulled up Enzo’s contact information.

Come get me.

When?

An hour.

See you soon Gorgeous.

Caroline clicked her phone off and stared out the window again before pulling herself up. She walked out of the back room and went up the stairs. The house had gone quiet, the argument between Stefan and Damon seemed to have calmed down. Caroline entered the bedroom and pulled out a pair of jeans and her favorite oversized blue sweater. She changed out of her leggings and tossed the cardigan into the dirty laundry basket, heading into the bathroom to shower. Once showered and dressed, she dried her hair and pulled her it up into a messy bun before slipping on a pair of plain boots.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Caroline looked up to see Stefan glaring at her. Apparently, he was going to speak to her today, after being silent for the last few days. Hot and cold, that was Stefan. Caroline stood and walked over to her dresser, that had been replaced after Stefan beat her, and pulled out a small necklace her mother had given her when she was a teenager.

“I’m going to spend a few hours with Haley.”

“Oh really?” His tone told Caroline that Stefan thought otherwise.

“Elena asked to give you two some space. So, that’s what I’m doing.” She could see the shift in his features. “Ask her if you don’t believe me.”

It took everything inside of Caroline not to roll her eyes as she watched Stefan pull out his phone and shoot off a text. Caroline sat down at the vanity she bought shortly after she got married and applied some light makeup. If she applied to much, Stefan would think she was lying to him. If she applied none at all, he would still be suspicious.

“Okay. Go.” Stefan told her, pushing off the door frame. “Take Enzo and Maddox with you and be back before eleven.” With that, he turned and walked towards the shower; turning it on.

Caroline let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She grabbed her bag that she left by her bed and threw her Stefan-approved phone inside. She peeked through the bathroom door to ensure that Stefan was inside the shower before going over to her jewelry box and opening it again. There was a false bottom and Caroline opened it quickly. She pulled out the ultrasound pictures, her phone that Klaus bought her, and put them in a zipper pocket in her purse before closing the jewelry box.

She grabbed her favorite winter coat, slipped it on and went downstairs. She peaked out of the window, just in time to see a black car pull up. Without thinking twice, she all but bolted out the door. Stefan taking a shower and leaving Caroline unsupervised was perfect; neither Enzo nor herself would have to find a way to ditch Maddox. She climbed into the back and rested her head against the leather seat; relieved to see Enzo.

“How the hell did you pull this off?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Caroline muttered. “Drive before Stefan gets out of the shower and realizes there is not another guard with you.” Enzo nodded and pulled out of the drive. He headed towards the city and Caroline looked at the snowy grounds out the window. “Take me to the penthouse, please. Thank you.”

“Anything for you Gorgeous.” Caroline pulled out her two phones. She turned on the phone she used for Klaus and set her other one to forward her calls. Enzo held out his hand and she placed her Stefan-approved phone into his palm. “I need you to do something for me. Later, not now but in a few hours. I want you to destroy that phone.”

“Gorgeous?”

“I’m not going back, Enzo; and I don’t want to be found.” Enzo did a double take but said nothing. He just nodded and kept driving. Caroline scrolled through her contacts and clicked on Klaus’s profile. She dialed his number and waited as the phone rang. As always, Klaus answered for her.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Caroline replied and she could hear Klaus let out a breath. “Elena asked to have a few hours with Stefan and wanted me out of the house.” The look Enzo shot her from the front was pretty hilarious; wide eyes and slacked jaw. Even he, the man who has probably committed murder and other unspeakable crimes, was shocked at the audacity. “I’m coming to the penthouse. Will you be there?”

“I have a few loose ends I need to tie up but heading home. I can meet you there in about two hours. Is that enough time?” Loose ends. Caroline wondered who Klaus was murdering or what trade deal he was making. By the whimpers and groans of pain in the background, Caroline would bet on murder.

“Yes.”

“Perfect. Let yourself in.” Caroline smiled. “I missed you, Caroline.”

“Me too.” The disconnected the call and she could see that Enzo had questions, but she needed to speak with Klaus first. The ride passed in silence and while Enzo was possibly one of the most inappropriate people she knew, she thanked him for allowing her this peace.

They followed the typical protocol. The dropped the car off in some random parking garage before taking one of the cars Klaus had planted around the city. They turned off her Stefan-approved phone to stop the tracking device and drove off. When they reached the tall building where Klaus lived, she entered the lobby and went directly to the elevator; punching in the code for the penthouse. The moment the doors opened to Klaus’s home, Caroline kicked off her boots and hung her jacket up in the closet in the hallway; knowing perfectly well that Klaus would ignore the use of said closet.

The penthouse was immaculate and bright. The outer walls were made of windows, looking out over the city while the rest typically held some piece of priceless art. The floor was completely made of hardwood and he had several fluffy throw rugs stationed around the apartment; something noticed was added only once she mentioned she enjoyed those. Caroline had been to his home several times over their ten-month affair and she loved it because no matter how little time she was there, Klaus wanted her to comfortable there.

And she was.

Having some time to kill, Caroline went into his kitchen. It was a large with a startling view of the city. The counters were made of a steel grey with matching appliances. A round table was just off the kitchen island and a bar cart perched under an impressive painting that Caroline was sure cost more than what most people make in a year.

She rooted through Klaus’s cabinets and found enough ingredients for a vegetarian pasta. Cooking wasn’t something she did often because Stefan preferred to order in constantly; unless Elena was cooking then it was a different story. By the time she was almost ready to put dinner on the table, she heard the elevator ding and heard Klaus step out. She smiled, knowing that he was near.

“Hmm. I could get used to this.” Klaus stated as he came into the kitchen. He took off his winter coat and wrapped his arms around Caroline; kissing the side of her neck. She whimpered slightly; a mixture from his nose being cold and just the feel on his lips on her. It had been weeks since they had seen one another, and she knew that he was itching for physical contact as well. “Smells delicious.”

Klaus’s hands moved to slip under her sweater and cupped her bra-covered breast. He began massaging them while his lips sucked on her neck. Caroline’s head leaned against his shoulder and her eyes fluttered shut. His free hand moved down to the top of her jeans, dipping into them and moving down to cup her center.

“Klaus. I made dinner.” She whimpered out. She should have known that he would want to get her in bed the moment he stepped through the door. They had been without one another for far longer than either one of them would like to do again. In response to her plea, Klaus moved her panties to the side and pressed his fingers against her clit. “Klaus!”

“Dinner will reheat. I want you.” His breath was hot on her ear. He nipped at her ear lobe and Caroline moaned. She loved when he did that; a dirty little secret he knew drove her insane. She tried to not moan was he nipped and sucked at her ear, but her resolve was waning. She should talk to him. She should tell him about the baby but after not seeing him and the way his teeth were grazing against her skin and the pressure that he was putting against her clit did not made the decision easy.

“Fuck it.” She turned off the stove and let her resolve break. She spun around in his arms and kissed him. Hard. She pressed her entire body into his and dug her nails into his hair. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Klaus held her easily and moved to set her on the counter. “No. Bed. It’s been forever since I’ve had you in a bed.”

The devilish smirk that appeared on Klaus’s lips made Caroline shudder in yearning. Instead of letting her down and leading her to his bedroom, he lifted her over his shoulder. She squealed in shock and when she half-heartedly demanded that he put her down, Klaus slapped her ass in response. Once inside the large bedroom, Klaus flipped Caroline down on the king-sized bed. She bounced lightly and she couldn’t help but hear her laughter echo off the walls.

“I love hearing you laugh.” Klaus stated as he kicked off his shoes and crawled up her body. Caroline, who was resting on her forearms, met Klaus in the middle to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laid back against the bed, pulling Klaus with her. She opened her legs in order for Klaus to rest between them. Klaus immediately began thrusting against her, pushing his arousal against her. Caroline moaned into Klaus’s mouth at the contact. He began pulling at her sweater, pulling it upward. “I need this off.”

“But baby, it’s cold outside.” Caroline teased.

“Then I’ll keep you warm.” Klaus retorted back, causing Caroline to laugh again which only made him smile widely. His dimples appear and Caroline could not help herself but lean up and kiss each of his cheeks before raising her arms up, allowing Klaus to pull the sweater over her head. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra and tossed it to the side. “Beautiful.”

Klaus latched onto her breasts eagerly. He sucked and nipped at one while his hand stroked the other. Caroline whimpered when his teeth grazed her nipple. She arched against his mouth while her nails dug into his shoulders; clawing the fabric of his shirt.

“Why are you still dressed?” He chuckled at her impatience and pulled back. He lifted his Henley over his head and threw it on the ground, forgotten. Using the moment to her advantage, Caroline put her hands on his naked chest and flipped him onto his back. She straddled his hips and rocked herself against him. She brought her lips to his chest, leaving small bite marks across his skin. Her eyes flickered upward and caught him watching her. Klaus threaded his hands through her light blond locks and gripped. He gently pulled her upward, catching her mouth in a kiss.

“No more waiting, Sweetheart. There will be time for teasing later.” Smiling, realizing just how much time they would have to tease one another, she happily rolled off him and began to unbutton her pants. She lifted her hips and pulled them down her legs along with her panties; watching as Klaus did the same. When they both sufficiently naked, Caroline went back to straddling him.

She reached down and grabbed his member, stroking him. Klaus moaned out her name like a prayer. She brought him to her clit, coating his penis in her juices before aligning herself with him. Slowly, she sunk down onto him. The feeling of him stretching her cause her to call her out. Klaus gripped her hips while she placed her hands on his chest. She began to rock and forth, enjoying the feel of him moving inside her.

Caroline knew that Klaus enjoyed watching her ride him. He was one of his favorite positions; watching her take control and use him for her own pleasure. When she began to pick up tempo and her strokes grew harder, Klaus sat up into the sitting position and gripped her hips. The change of the angle caused Caroline to cry out his name.

“Klaus! Please.” She tossed her head back, exposing her neck to him. Klaus latched onto the exposed skin and bit gently. He was always careful never to leave a mark on her and Caroline was done. “Harder. Bite me harder. Mark me.”

“Caroline…” She gripped his hair, pulling it back so he looks at her.

“Bite me. Do it.” Never being able to refuse her, Klaus starting to nip and suck on her neck; marking her. The consequences be damned. Caroline’s hips rocked faster and Klaus reached down between them. He pressed against her clit, rubbing it in circles. “Ah! Do that again.”

Caroline’s orgasm shot through her unexpectedly. Feeling her wither and come in his arms was enough for Klaus to spill himself inside her. It did not last as long as he had imagined it would when he finally got Caroline back into his arms but seeing her lose control like that, it was impossible to hold back. When they calmed down, Klaus laid back down on his bed and let Caroline curl up on his side. She propped herself up on her elbow and peered down at him. She took her finger and traced the length of his nose; causing Klaus to reach out to bite the finger.

“I missed you.” Caroline whispered. “I thought about you every day. Tried to find a way out of that house just so I could see you for more than a quick tryst in the back of a limo.”

“That tryst was quite memorable.” Klaus teased. Caroline bit her bottom lip, he had no idea. “I hate having to let you go each and every time. I want you to stay with me more than I want Stefan’s balls on a silver platter.”

“Charming.” Caroline snorted. She leaned down and kissed him lightly. “I need a teeny tiny favor.”

“Anything.”

“Can you go get my purse?”

“What?”

“It’s in the living room. I have something I want to show you.”

“But it’s cold outside and the bed is warm. You’re warm.”

“The faster you go and get it the faster you can crawl back in here with me.” Klaus gave her an amused sigh. He rolled his eyes at her. He crawled out of bed and walked out of the bedroom; not even bothering to put on the pair of pants. Caroline hopped up, grabbed her panties and that oversized sweater. She dressed quickly and hopped back into bed. Klaus returned with her purse and frowned.

“You put clothes on.”

“Because I don’t want you to get distracted. Now, put on a pair of pants.” Klaus handed her the purse and Klaus rolled his eyes. He grabbed a pair of pajamas pants from his dresser and slipped them on. He flopped down on the bed and looked at her, wearing a smirk.

“What is in that purse that that involved me getting out of this perfectly comfortable bed and away from my beautiful naked girl?” Klaus replied, trying to peer into the purse. She narrowed her eyes and rooted through the bag. She pulled the ultrasound out of the bag and flipped it down so he couldn’t see. She tossed the bag onto the ground and looked at Klaus.

“Okay. So, first things first, I was not expecting this. I was just as surprised and shocked and terrified as you are going to be.” Klaus sat up straighter, his teasing features gone and replaced with a concerned one. She handed him the ultrasound. “I’m pregnant.”

Caroline watched the emotions flash across his face. The color drained slightly, and his pupils darted around, taking in every inch of that photo. He sat up and moved toward the end of the bed, turning his back from her. His shoulders were tense. She could not read his reaction. Was he happy? Didn’t see so but he wasn’t screaming or raging; she was unsure what to think. She wasn’t expecting him to jump for joy, but she didn’t like the silence. Caroline crawled across the bed and wrapped her arms around him.

“I need to know something and please be honest with me.” Klaus whispered when she pressed her head against his back. The tone of his voice was dark, and she could hear the fear in it. “Is there any chance that Stefan is the father?”

The question took Caroline off guard. She had not expected him to question her on whether or not he was the father. Part of her wanted to be insulted; he knew that she did not want to sleep with Stefan nor had she in a long time. Then the calmer part of her brain reasoned that she knew what this was stemming from. He was the bastard child born from an affair; he didn’t want to become Mikael. He was presented with the very real possibility that the woman he loved was pregnant with another man’s baby.

“No.”

“Please Caroline. Don’t tell me what I want to hear. I need to know.” He turned to look at her and she could see the redness of his cheeks. He must have been tormenting himself over the fact that she was still married to the bastard; that she would leave him to return to the home she had with Stefan. He knew she didn’t want to but that was the nature of their life. She moved around him, putting her knees on either side of his hips; straddling him. “If there is any chance, it doesn’t change a thing. I’ll raise this baby-“

Caroline placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. She then took his face into her hands and looked him directly in the eye.

“I am being completely honest with you when I tell you that Stefan and I have not had sex in months. It had been awhile since that night I caught him with Elena, and he had no use for me in his bed since he had her. There is zero chance that he is the father of this baby.” Caroline grabbed Klaus’s hand and placed it on her stomach. “This baby, your baby, was conceived in the back of a limo during rush hour traffic on a night that I snuck away from my abuser to be with the man I love.”

Klaus leaned up and kissed Caroline and she could taste the salt from his tears on her lips. The kiss was gentle and soft. There was a side to Klaus that he never showed the world. Those who knew him only saw the monster he painted. He covered himself in blood, fear and chaos. He peddled every illegal substance known to man and he was, by definition, an awful human being. However, there was a part of him that truly cared. She saw it when he spoke of his brother Kol or about the day he had to send his baby sister Rebekah away. She saw it whenever he made love to her and held her close to him. She saw the man that hid himself away from the world and she would love him whether or not he was covered in blood or tears.

“You’re not going back.” Klaus whispered to her gently. He moved to stand, and Caroline climbed off him. He pushed off the bed and walked out of the bedroom; Caroline not being able to do anything but follow him. He was in the kitchen, pulling out a bottle of water; the ultrasound still clutched in his hand. She could see his mind at work, a thousand scenarios flashing behind his eyes.

“Klaus?”

“You can’t go back there Caroline.” He hissed out but she knew it wasn’t directed at her. She watched as he started to pace around the kitchen. “Every time I watched you leave me to go back to that…...hell…. it killed me inside. I never knew if he was going to snap. I never knew if you would be in the wrong place during one of his moods. I saw the pictures Caroline. I saw what he did to Meredith Fell…to you mother. When I saw the bruises he left on your body and all I wanted to do was burn him alive.” “I know.”

“But I couldn’t. It would just make everything worse because when there is Stefan, there is Damon who is just as bad.” He huffed. “I’ve done a lot of unforgivable things. I am a horrible man. I’ve gunned down dozens of men and innocent people have gotten stuck in the crossfire. Just last night I drowned the Mayor in her bathtub. This very evening, before I came home and made love to you, I killed a man who worked for Damon. I will admit everything I have done but selfishly, I love you. I can’t lose you. I can’t lose….” He looked down at the ultrasound. “I can’t lose either of you.”

“I know Klaus.” Caroline stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed her head against his chest, listing to his heart pounding widely in is chest. “When I walked out of that house today, I had no intention to go back. I have nothing left there that I want.”

“Good.” Klaus picked up her left hand and pulled the wedding ring Stefan put there almost two years prior off. He tossed it across the room. “Because your mine. I won’t let him touch you again and I swear to you that I will kill him. Maybe not directly, but I will be the reason why he dies.”

[wildeoaths]

LGBTQ Book & Film Recommendations

Hello! As someone who tries to read widely, it can sometimes be frustrating to find good (well-written, well-made) LGBTQ+ works of literature and film, and mainstream recommendations only go so far. This is my shortlist. 

Some caveats: 1) I have only watched/seen some of these, though they have all been well-received.

2) The literature list is primarily focused on adult literary and genre fiction, since that is what I mostly read, and I feel like it’s easier to find queer YA fiction. Cece over at ProblemsOfABookNerd (YT) covers a lot of newer releases and has a YA focus, so you can check her out for more recommendations.

3) There are a ton of good films and good books that either reference or discuss queer theory, LGBTQ history and literary theory. These tend to be more esoteric and academic, and I’m not too familiar with queer theory, so they’ve largely been left off the list. I do agree that they’re important, and reading into LGBTQ-coding is a major practice, but they’re less accessible and I don’t want to make the list too intimidating.

4) I linked to Goodreads and Letterboxd because that’s what I use and I happen to really enjoy the reviews.

Any works that are bolded are popular, or they’re acclaimed and I think they deserve some attention. I’ve done my best to flag potential objections and triggers, but you should definitely do a search of the reviews. DoesTheDogDie is also a good resource. Not all of these will be suitable for younger teenagers; please use your common sense and judgement.

Please feel free to chime in in the replies (not the reblogs) with your recommendations, and I’ll eventually do a reblog with the additions!

BOOKS

> YOUNG ADULT

Don’t @ me asking why your favourite YA novel isn’t on this list. These just happen to be the picks I felt might also appeal to older teens/twentysomethings.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo - poetry.

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender - trans male teen protagonist. 

Red, White & Royal Blue

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice And Virtue

The Raven Boys (and Raven Cycle)

> LITERATURE: GENERAL

This list does skew M/M; more NB, trans and WLW recommendations are welcomed!

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. One of the most acclaimed contemporary LGBTQ novels and you’ve probably heard of it. Will probably make you cry.

A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood. Portrait of a middle-aged gay man.

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. M/M affair, British student high society; definitely nostalgic for the aristocracy so be aware of the context.

Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman. It’s somewhat controversial, it’s gay, everyone knows the film at least.

Cronus’ Children / Le Jardin d'Acclimation by Yves Navarre. Winner of the Goncourt prize.

Dancer From The Dance by Andrew Holleran. A young man in the 1970s NYC gay scene. Warning for drugs and sexual references.

Dorian, An Imitation by Will Self. Adaptation of Orscar Wilde’s novel. Warning for sexual content.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Two wlw in the 1980s. Also made into a film; see below.

Gemini by Michel Tournier. The link will tell you more; seems like a very complex read. TW for troubling twin dynamics.

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. Another iconic M/M work.

Lost Boi by Sassafras Lowrey. A queer punk reimagining of Peter Pan. Probably one of the more accessible works on this list!

Lie With Me by Philippe Besson. Two teenage boys in 1980s France.

Maurice by E. M. Forster. Landmark work written in 1914. Also made into a film; see below.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. An expansive (and long) novel about the story of Cal, a hermaphrodite, by the author of The Virgin Suicides.

Orlando by Virginia Woolf. Plays with gender, time and space. Virginia Woolf’s ode to her lover Vita Sackville-West. What more do you want? (also a great film; see below).

Oscar Wilde’s works - The Picture of Dorian Gray would be the place to start. Another member of the classical literary canon.

Saga, vol.1 by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples. Graphic novel; warning for sexual content.

Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinburg. An acclaimed work looking at working-class lesbian life and gender identity in pre-Stonewall America.

The Holy Innocents by Gilbert Adair. The basis for Bertolucci’s The Dreamers (2003). I am hesitant to recommend this because I have not read this, though I have watched the film; the M/M dynamic and LGBTQ themes do not seem to be the primary focus. Warning for sexual content and incestuous dynamics between the twins.

The Animals At Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey. Plays with gothic elements, set during WW2, F/F elements.

The Hours by Michael Cunningham. References Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway. Probably a good idea to read Virginia Woolf first.

The Immoralist by André Gide. Translated from French.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline MIller. Drawing from the Iliad, focusing on Achilles and Patroclus. Contemporary fantasy that would be a good pick for younger readers.

The Swimming Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst. Gay life pre-AIDS crisis. Apparently contains a fair amount of sexual content.

What Belongs To You by Garth Greenwell. A gay man’s coming of age in the American South.

> LITERATURE: WORLD LITERATURE

American and Western experiences are more prominent in LGBTQ works, just due to the way history and the community have developed, and the difficulties of translation. These are English and translated works that specifically foreground the experiences of non-White people living in (often) non-Western societies. I’m not white or American myself and recommendations in this area are especially welcomed.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson. The memoirs and essays of a queer black activist, exploring themes of black LGBTQ experiences and masculinity.

A People’s History of Heaven by Mathangi Subramanian. Female communities and queer female characters in a Bangalore slum. A very new release but already very well received.

Confessions of a Mask by Yukio Mishima. Coming-of-age in post-WW1 Japan. This one’s interesting, because it’s definitely at least somewhat autobiographical. Mishima can be a tough writer, and you should definitely look into his personality and his life when reading his work.

Disoriental by Négar Djavadi. A family saga told against the backdrop of Iranian history by a queer Iranian woman. Would recommend going into this knowing at least some of the political and historical context.

How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones. A coming-of-age story and memoir from a gay, black man in the American South.

In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. Another acclaimed contemporary work about the dynamics of abuse in LGBTQ relationships. Memoir.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. Contemporary black British experience, told from the perspectives of 12 diverse narrators.

> POETRY

Crush by Richard Siken. Tumblr loves Richard Siken, worth a read.

Diving Into The Wreck by Adrienne Rich.

He’s So Masc by Chris Tse.

If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho, trans. Anne Carson. The best presentation of Sappho we’re likely to get.

Lord Byron’s works - Selected Poems may be a good starting point. One of the Romantics and part of the classical literary canon.

Les Fleurs du Mal by Charles Baudelaire. The explicitly lesbian poems are apparently in the les fleurs du mal section.

> MEMOIR & NONFICTION

And The Band Played On: Politics, People and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts. An expansive, comprehensive history and exposure of the failures of media and the Reagan administration, written by an investigative journalist. Will probably make you rightfully angry.

How to Survive A Plague: The Inside Story of How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS by David France. A reminder of the power of community and everyday activism, written by a gay reporter living in NYC during the epidemic.

Indecent Advances: The Hidden History of Murder and Masculinity Before Stonewall by James Polchin. True crime fans, this one’s for you. Sociocultural history constructed from readings of the news and media.

Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker. It’s illustrated, it’s written by an academic, it’s an easier introduction to queer theory. I still need to pick up a copy, but it seems like a great jumping-off point with an overview of the academic context.

Real Queer America by Samantha Allen. The stories of LGBTQ people and LGBTQ narratives in the conservative parts of America. A very well received contemporary read.

The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson. Gender, pregnancy and queer partnership. I’m not familiar with this but it is quite popular.

When Brooklyn Was Queer by Hugh Ryan. LGBTQ history of Brooklyn from the nineteenth century to pre-Stonewall.

FILMS

With films it’s difficult because characters are often queercoded and we’re only now seeing films with better rep. This is a shortlist of better-rated films with fairly explicit LGBTQ coding, LGBTQ characters, or made by LGBTQ persons. Bolded films are ones that I think are likely to be more accessible or with wider appeal.

A Single Man (2009) - Colin Firth plays a middle-aged widower.

Blue Is The Warmest Colour (2013) - A controversial one. Sexual content.

Booksmart (2019) - A pretty well made film about female friendship and being an LGBTQ teen.

Boy Erased (2018) - Warning for conversion therapy.

BPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017) - Young AIDS activists in France.

Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Cowboy gays. This film is pretty famous, do you need more summary? Might make a good triple bill with Idaho and God’s Own Country.

Cabaret (1972) - Liza Minelli. Obvious plug to also look into Vincent Minelli.

Calamity Jane (1953) - There’s a lot that could be said about queer coding in Hollywood golden era studio films, but this is apparently a fun wlw-cowboy westerns-vibes watch. Read the reviews on this one!

Call Me By Your Name (2017) - Please don't debate this film in the notes.

Caravaggio (1986) - Sean Bean and Tilda Swinton are in it. Rather explicit.

Carol (2015) - Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara are lesbians in 1950s America.

Clouds of Sils Maria (2014) - Hard to summarise, but one review calls it “lesbian birdman” and it has both Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart in it, so consider watching it.

Colette (2018) - About the bi/queer female writer Colette during the belle epoque era. This had Keira Knightley so by all rights Tumblr should love it.

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) - Lesbian love in 1920s/80s? America.

God’s Own Country (2017) - Gay and British.

Happy Together (1997) - By Wong Kar Wai. No further explanation needed.

Heartbeats (2010) - Bi comedy.

Heartstone (2016) - It’s a story about rural Icelandic teenagers.

Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party (2015) -  Queer teens and religious themes.

Je, Tu, Il, Elle (1974) - Early Chantal Akerman. Warning for sexual scenes.

Kill Your Darlings (2013) - Ginsberg, Kerouac and the Beat poets.

Love, Simon (2018)

Lovesong (2016) - Lesbian and very soft. Korean-American characters.

Love Songs (2007) - French trio relationship. Louis Garrel continues to give off non-straight vibes.

Mädchen In Uniform (1931) - One of the earliest narrative films to explicitly portray homosexuality. A piece of LGBTQ cinematic history.

Maurice (1987) - Adaptation of the novel.

Midnight Cowboy (1969) - Heavy gay coding.

Milk (2008) - Biopic of Harvey Milk, openly gay politician. By the same director who made My Own Private Idaho.

Moonlight (2016) - It won the awards for a reason.

My Own Private Idaho (1991) - Another iconic LGBTQ film. River Phoenix.

Mysterious Skin (2004) - Go into this film aware, please. Young actors, themes of prostitution, child ab*se, r***, and a lot of trauma.

Orlando (1992) - An excellent adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s novel, and in my opinion far more accessible. Watch it for the queer sensibilities and fantastic period pieces.

Pariah (2011) - Excellent coming-of-age film about a black lesbian girl in Brooklyn.

Paris is Burning (1990) - LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY piece of LGBTQ history, documenting the African-American and Latine drag and ballroom roots of the NYC queer community.

Persona (1966) - It’s an Ingmar Bergman film so I would recommend knowing what you’re about to get into, but also I can’t describe it because it’s an Ingmar Bergman film.

Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975) - Cult classic queercoded boarding school girls.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) - By Celine Sciamma, who’s rapidly establishing herself in the mainstream as a LGBTQ film director. This is a wlw relationship and the queer themes are reflected in the cinematic techniques used. A crowd pleaser.

Pride (2014) - Pride parades with a British sensibility.

Rebel Without A Cause (1955) - Crowd-pleaser with bi coding and James Dean. The OG version of “you’re tearing me apart!”.

Rocketman (2019) - It’s Elton John.

Rent (2005) - Adaptation of the stage musical. Not the best film from a technical standpoint. I recommend the professionally recorded 2008 closing night performance instead.

Rope (1948) - Hitchcock film.

Sorry Angel (2018) - Loving portraits of gay French men.

Talk To Her (2002) - By Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar.

Tangerine (2015) - About trans sex workers. The actors apparently had a lot of input in the film, which was somehow shot on an iPhone by the same guy who went on to do The Florida Project. 

The Duke of Burgundy (2014) - Lesbians in an S&M relationship that’s going stale, sexual content obviously.

The Gay Deceivers (1969) - The reviews are better than me explaining.

The Handmaiden (2016) - Park Chan-wook makes a film about Korean lesbians and is criminally snubbed at the Oscars. Warning for sexual themes and kink.

The Favourite (2018) - Period movie, and lesbian.

Thelma And Louise (1991) - An iconic part of LGBTQ cinematic history. That is all.

The Celluloid Closet (1995) - A look into LGBTQ cinematic history, and the historical contexts we operated in when we’ve snuck our narratives into film.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018) - Adaptation of the YA novel.

The Neon Demon (2016) - Apparently based on Elizabeth Bathory, the blood-drinking countess. Very polarising film and rated R.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower (2012) - Book adaptation. It has Ezra Miller in it I guess.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - No explanation needed, queer and transgressive vibes all the way.

They (2017) - Gender identity, teenagers.

Those People (2015) - They’re gay and they’re artists in New York.

Tomboy (2011) - One of the few films I’ve seen dealing with gender identity in children (10 y/o). Celine Sciamma developing her directorial voice.

Tropical Malady (2004) - By Thai auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul. His is a very particular style so don’t sweat it if you don’t enjoy it.

Vita and Virginia (2018) - Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West biopic

Water Lilies (2007) - Celine Sciamma again! Teenage lesbian coming-of-age. 

When Marnie Was There (2014) - A Studio Ghibli film exploring youth, gender and sexuality.

Weekend (2011) - An indie film about young gay love.

Wilde (1997) - It’s a film about Oscar Wilde.

XXY (2007) - About an intersex teenager. Reviews on this are mixed.

Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) - Wonder what Diego Luna was doing before Rogue One? This is one of the things. Warning for sexual content.

[zivitz]

Fair warning, this post is spoilery for Fallen Kingdom. Read at your own risk.

The Maisie Problem

 So pretty much everyone agrees that as sweet as that end is, absconding with a child brings up Issues. I’ve been thinking about it a lot and there’s a lot of possibilities that are all kind of jumbled up, so here’s my attempt at separating them.

Questions/Variables (holy shit so many):

When did Lockwood’s daughter die and how old was she? This is probably the most important question, because it’s the answer to whether Maisie can be passed off as Lockwood’s actual granddaughter. The picture Maisie finally looks at indicates Maisie1.0 was probably born anywhere from mid 60s/early 70s (hair style and clothing suggest late 60s/ or the 70s, maaaybe very early 80s). If she died as a child or teen there’s no way Maisie can be passed off as legit, but Maisie is what, like 9? So Maisie1.0 could have died as late as 2009ish and it would work. Do we know when this supposed rift between Hammond and Lockwood happened? Because that’s another clue; Lockwood’s daughter would have to have been dead then and Lockwood working on cloning her. Plus, all this is assuming that Maisie grows at the normal rate which we’re going to say she is because that is just too big a can of worms to open when we don’t have to.

How open/aboveboard was her birth? Did they hire a surrogate? It could be as simple as a cover story of ‘oh, Maisie1.0 had cancer and had some donor-assisted embryos frozen’, and voila, legit birth with paperwork and everything, no problem (and Maisie1.0 could have been dead a while). This would be the simplest answer, because it would cause Lockwood the least amount of trouble with passing on his estate. Eli said he was her guardian after Lockwood’s death, which implies they went with the above(ish)-board route and she’s a legitimate heir. I’m generally a fan of Occam’s Razor where applicable.

Follow up questions:

Then why was her room at the top of the house and in a different wing than Gramps, with a key in the lock, like she needed to be hidden? Surely there were rooms closer/more central. And she spent a lot of time sneaking around, like she’d been told to stay out of sight. It’s kinda fishy.

It seems pretty obvious that she was homeschooled, which is not a huge thing considering a) if he went to the trouble to clone his daughter, he’d want the new one around as much as possible before he died, b) he’s Old Money and homeschooling is a Thing that was done since the time before public schools. But it could lend credence to the theory that she was legit but kept under wraps as much as possible, which I think is the most likely path. She’s very obviously a child who has never been around other children, and raised with two old people and a middle aged dude.

At any rate, as the movie ends they’re most likely not far from the estate- clothes are the same, Maisie still has the blanket around her shoulders, very wooded area. Here are our options, from simplest to most extreme:

1. They’re taking her to Iris. Occam’s razor. Surprisingly this is the one no one has really considered. It’s entirely likely she just drove off after being fired when she couldn’t find Maisie, probably/possibly to come back to Eli later and talk/beg.  I think if she were still around we’d have seen her one way or the other.

2. They’re taking her to a motel/back to Claire’s while they figure out what the hell they should do. The estate isn’t safe with all those dinosaurs roaming around and too many entry points to cover with not enough people to cover them.

3. One or both of them either want or are willing to keep her, which gives us a further two options:

If they want to go the above board route of keeping her (and she has documents), getting the authorities involved is going to happen, which is going to mean Questions. I’m going to go out on a limb and say Claire is financially stable with an apartment, and CPS is pretty good at leaving things well enough alone if the child is safe and has nowhere else to go. It’s entirely likely that Claire could foster and eventually adopt Maisie. The estate issue is almost definitely tied up tight as you please with a trust overseen by Lockwood’s lawyers that will pay out for clothes/activities/education.  Owen wanting to keep her will require a lot more work on his part considering he’s got a cabin to finish and until then is living rough.

If they go the slightly underground route (or if she has no documents), that still means authorities, but Maisie could claim no memory or fail to comply, and with no way to find relatives she will get papers and a foster/adoption could proceed under the same conditions as above.

4. The nuclear option: going on the run. Taking Maisie, whatever valuables and cash might be in any safes they can access, and getting the fuck out of dodge. Fake papers for everyone, Claire and Owen letting themselves be declared missing/presumed dead, and finding a place to make a life for themselves out of the limelight. While this is the most fun/exciting option, and one I’d REALLY like to see explored in fanfic, I’m not really sure that’s what’s happening.

A lot depends on Maisie being Lockwood’s granddaughter and how well that can stand up to scrutiny. Not just from an outside perspective, but in terms of whether the data on human cloning research and Maisie herself is in the files/databases. Because the cops are going to be all over that place like white on rice and combing through everything there with a fine toothed comb. If she’s in there, she is in serious danger of being a lab rat for the rest of her life and that is a big, big risk to take with a little girl’s life.

P.S.: I wonder if they were trying to foreshadow something besides just a possible change in actress with Maisie’s flat American ‘a’ in ‘bath’. Just throwing that out there.

[sundayswiththeilluminati]

Because it wasn’t enough for me to hang out in two small fandoms, I’ve apparently decided I need to combine them, resulting in a post that’s probably relevant to about 3 people out there. Nevertheless, this is my first crack at making Magic cards for the main crew of Lockwood & Co! I put one in each slice of the color pie, plus Flo as the lone gold card because I just couldn’t leave out Flo. They’re designed to head up a 5-color Spirits deck and to work together no matter which components of the cycle are down on the field at any given time. Each of the 5 main crew members have one keyword ability, one passive ability, and one activated ability, usually using off-color mana to hammer home the 5-color theme.

In color order:

Lucy Carlyle: Lucy’s our main character, so she needs to come down first, and she needs to have a big impact. Her cost of 1W makes sure you can play her right away, and her cost reduction on Spirit spells means that she’ll soon have plenty of backup. She’s a 3/2 - not the most aggressive creature, but no slouch in combat - and vigilance means she can work on both offense and defense. But all of that’s a prelude to the main event. Lucy is a conduit, someone who lives in both worlds at once, and her card bridges life and death. Tap her and pay 1U, and you can cast Spirit cards from your graveyard until end of turn (and remember, Lucy’s cost reduction still applies, so all those cards are 2 generic cheaper).

George Cubbins: George comes in slightly later than Lucy, but once he hits the board, he sticks around. Hexproof keeps him out of the firing line of everything but board wipes. His 3 toughness makes him a good blocker in a pinch and hard (but not impossible) to take out in combat if your opponent forces him into it. And the more time he spends on the battlefield, the better he gets. Every time a Spirit enters the battlefield under your control, you get to investigate, which creates a Clue artifact token. You can sac those Clues to do George’s favorite thing, digging through your library; or you can stockpile them to use his activated ability. George loves uncovering morbid fragments of the past, so pay black mana and tap X artifacts, and you get to look at X cards from your library and put up to two in your graveyard - where you could, say, use Lucy to cast them again, giving George even more artifacts to continue his research

Quill Kipps: Quill’s the last person to sign on to the crew, so he’s the highest-costed card in the cycle and is meant for mid-to-late game. Lockwood gives your side a group buff, so Quill does the inverse and debuffs your opponent. Lockwood’s aggressive, so Quill’s defensive. He’s a decent creature on his own, a 2/3 that can block up to two creatures right off the bat, but nothing special for his cost. The magic starts when you equip him. Put an Equipment on Quill and he becomes exceptionally dangerous, gaining +1/+2 and deathtouch. With him on the board, unless your opponent has a 5/* first-striker, they’re losing at least one creature every time they attack you on the ground. In theory you can attack with him, but you don’t want to. You want to keep him untapped so that at the end of your opponent’s turn Quill can do his other favorite thing, which is hang out in the back and chuck ghost-bombs at people. Quill’s activated ability lets you tap and pay 2 and a black to sac X spirits, and your opponent’s creatures get -X/-X until end of turn. If you have any decent number of spirits on the field, he’s effectively an instant-speed boardwipe that ignores indestructible - or an emergency protective measure to save your own creatures from an unexpected push. And yet again your Spirits end up in the graveyard, where Lucy can easily fish them out again (and give George even more artifacts in the bargain).

Anthony Lockwood: Lockwood is tied with Lucy for cheapest cost (1R), in his case because he’s mad aggro right off the bat. When Lockwood hits the board he wants you to attack, attack, attack. He’s a 4/2 - strong on offense, weak on defense - but his exceptional fencing skills earn him first strike; so unless he hits a 2/5 or worse, he’s going to win. Lockwood is a leader who buffs his entire team and pulls them into combat with him. He gives all other Humans a protective +2/+1 and all Spirits haste - meaning if you, say, sac’d a bunch of Spirits to Quill’s ability at the end of last turn to wipe your opponent’s board, just pay 1U and tap Lucy to bring them all back from the graveyard on your first main phase, and oh hey look Lockwood gives them haste so they can attack straight into that conveniently open board. Anything Quill didn’t take out is easily mopped up by Lockwood’s 4 first-strike damage plus an additional first-striker of your choice.

Holly Munro: Holly was the trickiest to design for, since she sort of got stuck with G despite being a more W-aligned character. But she does have some G in her, and I decided to try playing up her group benefits. Holly can take care of herself in combat, but her strengths lie in organizing the team and working as part of a group. Initially I wanted to do something with Equipment, but G doesn’t like artifacts and Quill already had a flavorful Equipment ability. So I tried to think of adjectives that applied to her and match them to cards. Lucy calls her “elegant,” making me think of the card Elegant Edgecrafters, which I recalled as having an interesting ability: whenever it attacked, it gave +X/+X, where X was its power (turns out that’s not Elegant Edgecrafters at all, it’s Cultivator of Blades, but it got the ball rolling). Instead of using Holly’s power, her ability uses the “tap X Spirits” mechanic, adding an interesting extra layer where you have to think about how many Spirits to send into combat vs. how many to use to buff the others. I also knew I wanted at least one card to have a token-making ability, and G is the color that most often cracks out tokens; but the tokens had to be Spirits, and unless I wanted to make them non-flying like Honden of Life’s Web - which would lead to a real confusing board state with both flying and non-flying Spirits - it needed an off-color activation cost. So it costs one blue and sac’ing an artifact to make your 1/1 white flying Spirit. Man, if only we had a card that made artifacts when a Spirit entered the battlefield.....oh wait.

Flo Bones: I made Flo’s card by accident while kicking around ideas for Holly’s. G also gets reanimation effects, which are quite flavorful in a Spirits deck, and so far in the cycle only Lucy could fish something back out of the graveyard. But reanimation isn’t Holly’s style. Enter Flo. An expert scavenger and salvager, she’ll pull whatever you need out of the river mud - for a price. At 2/3 she won’t start a fight, but she will finish one. She’s relatively cheap to cast, but her professional services cost: two artifacts to get one back, or 1GB to get a Spirit back.

The cards are designed to combo in various pairs and trios, and I tried to have those combos be as flavorful as possible. The Jeskai trio of Lockwood, Lucy, and George works together wonderfully, with George digging for cards and throwing them to Lucy, Lucy pulling Spirits into play, and Lockwood giving them all haste and protective buffs. Holly and George work together as an excellent support pair; if you have them both down you can crack out as many Spirit tokens as you have blue mana, then tap them all to buff your attackers or dig for even more cards - or save them for when Quill shows up and uses them to put down your opponent’s board faster than you can say “public safety noncompliance.” Quill’s designed to work with any of the other four in a more supervisory role, holding off threats and clearing the way to give the others their shot. And whatever slips through the cracks, Flo is ready to pick up and toss back into play.