#castle 3x20

[castle-dominion]

c3x20 a slice of death

I love this episode already. I've worked in family owned diners with rivalries, I love stories about italian new yorkers & I've definitely seen goncharov (tho that also had russian mafia).

Poor alexis, that is humiliating! This is so sad! Who has a live band playing? She's 17 cool. She was 15 in s1e1 & she's 17 near the end of s3. Cool

I love all the nicks & their names this is the life. It reminds me of that steven universe episode with the fry shop & pizza shop.

Not super funny, either of you. Nick Jr. Uh, authentic, not terrific. I love the new york pizza scene & how everyone knows who is whom but it's so confusing & I loved this episode so much when I first watched it

Oh but I kept her number! I don't think there's going to be a second date. So new york. So italian. This Is The Best Episode Ever. Exactly! Who wrote this episode??? It is amazing!

Maybe they did get it from a medical school, you don't know beckett!

They used the same audio already. I mean it's not a big deal.

Costumes: Rick: brown coat (gasp browncoat?) & violet/blue shirt Ryan: tbh he looks like he did in s1 a bit. idk why. So what looks like an aviator jacket, nice dark brown, leather looking, has the fuzz in the hood/collar, no lapels, dark brown tie, actually a good brown, & a plaid-type dress shirt (purple, maybe another shade of purple idk, probs black & white in there too, maybe grey & blue & pink... idk I'm not good with this... I think it's brown actually) Espt: Leather jacket & normal collared shirt underneath. It's like, safari style almost. Collared so it is fancy enough for work, but the put-together of the blocks is odd. Beckett: Detective coat. (double breasted light grey trench coat looking thing)

Castle: We should talk to the other Nicks. Ryan: He's right. Pizza is serious business in this town. (Remember that mafia family who used the pizza shop as a front but then became legitimate bc the pizza was so good?) Beckett: Ok you can talk to them. Ryan: wait; Me? no; why? (why is he upset at this...? I'm also rly sad castle didn't go with him)

Pottery kiln? Like Joy from the The Cat Who series! She made red ceramics & when I say she MADE red ceramics...

RM: I heard you found a body in the oven at terrific nick's KB: Authentic nick's RM: OH THANK GOD, the wife loves terrific nick's lmao full bodied flavour (btw yes I do indeed love his jacket)

Castle that's a heck of a leap & the audio reflecting the mood XD Gordon BURNS??? b'y the pic would have also been melted.

Oh. Poor man. Hugs to him. Oh not the pizza wars XD.

Terrific, authentic, & otherwise.

Sounds like u'r talking from experience espt. Did you survive firefights with gangbangers & then got killed doing a speeding ticket? & then came back to life to join homicide so u could investigat ur own death?

Nice handkerchief, murdoch vibes. KB: U ok? RC: Yeah no yeah... I wonder if he ever did that with alexis, had her colouring while he was signing books. Espt had that much information thrown at him in that short amount of time he was gone? Poor ryan, exiled to work talking to all the other nicks, & then exiled again to work computer stuff Wrong nick bro XD I thought he meant nick jr.

Hold the extra cheese wasn't funny.

Oh def steal the oven. Ah yes italian new york mobster money laundering in a pizza place? So the captions are willing to put nada in the captions here but put "speaking spanish" last episode when esposito said it? Seriously? Seriously?? You couldn't write "nada"? Like at this point it's a loanword & everyone knows what it means, but even so you should still write down everything that is said. Not translated, not "speaking [language]" but the actual words.

Like how he says "luds" for L.U.D.s I love his fake little accent he does "i'll kill ye"

True. You can't threaten to kill someone, it is not covered in free speech. It's the fat isn't it.

You can find out where things are from a phone call on a cell? That's sus af.

Tips the concierge even tho u'r not really here. Love it. Rick speedreading moments. Who would write nicely like that & then spend an entire page of notebook on two lines of writing? RC: *sees a cool new app* KB: no RC: Fine but you don't get to play my angry birds! Ok that was the funny one, the only funny one. I wonder if they had pizza!

Still do! (he's literally an author)

So WHEN were u in a relationship? fate <3 (except he withheld the information abt the story he was working on for a reason, if you've seen it before like me u can see why.)

Ryan with the financials! How big are new york blocks?

Woah a nice transition! Cool!

Nice heck yeah party crasher!

Woah language but martha is right. She's totally allowed to swear in this situation. It's like the kitchen. No swears at my catholic school unless you were working an event with the culinary program & physically in the kitchen. RC: Bitch! *realizes what he said & covers mouth*

Aw cyberbullying...

RC: Where's beckett? KR: Uh, Hall of Records. Tracking down what Burns was looking for. (Pink shirt : ) & also a vest, he looks pretty) RC: Great. *hands Beckett's coffee to Ryan* (we know time that ryan & esposito stole castle & beckett's coffee & then switched after one sip that ryan like beckett flavoured coffee & espt likes castle flavoured coffee) RC: Listen, if I gave you a website, could you have your friends at Tech hack into it and take some pictures down? (bribing ryan & not his friends at tech?) KR, taking the paper from castle with a little smile: Did someone find naked pictures of you again? (HOLD ON WHAT? & HAS RICK ASKED RYAN TO DO THIS BEFORE?) KR: *unfolds paper with a lighthearted little smile at castle's antics* RC: No. Not me. It's Alexis. KR: *stops* KR: *thinking someone posted castle's daughter's nudes & now castle is asking him to take them down* KR: *looks up at him with fear in his eyes* (also bc she is 17 her pics would technically be CP & this would be a bigger issue so maybe that's what ryan was thinking. He was thinking they needed to take this to Vice or smth.) RC: This is for Alexis KR: *eyes searching* KR: Uh, this just got awkward. What's this about? (his voice suddenly got hella squeaky) RC: Okay. Mean girl at school kiss ambushed Alexis's boyfriend (ryan nods & makes faces in sympathetic outrage) then posted the photographic proof on her website. Alexis is very upset. KR: Mmm. I-- I could have my friend Tony take care of it. You know, off the record. (Love a good "tony") RC: Thanks. And, uh, no need to mention this to Beckett. You know how she gets with these things (Castle and Ryan smile & start to laugh & go to sip their coffees. Beckett appears and grabs her cup from Ryan.) KB: Things like abusing police resources for your own personal agenda? RC: Whaat? That's ridi-- No, you don-- No. That's-- that's--- (Castle gives Ryan the OK sign as he follows Beckett to her desk. Ryan slips the slip of paper into his vest meaning he's still willing to help out rick & his daughter even w/o the coffee bribery) Yes yes yes castle yes ryan this is an abuse of power but that is so valid & I think it's funny & great & I love it Ryan, trying to act casual after this little thing: Yep?

Espt has a denim-looking dress shirt on what & then beckett has a nice green scarf & longsleeve

Yo the guy's alive??

Ooh I love a good noire film but why say noowahr instead of nwar. RC: I haven't heard the story... Oh... that sucks.. he couldn't even crawl over to hold her. That's got to be traumatic.

Neat, learning abt history. Cool. So Ryan was in narcotics back in '03, he went into homicide in '06 maybe, & then three years later (I might be mixing this up with Ike Thornton's (fake) death tho) as mentioned in I think that very episode, castle shows up: '09. 03 narco, 09 castle shows up & there is a mention of "three years ago" so, 06 ike dies ryan goes into homicide. idk I'm just trying to get a timeline. Anyway, I always love it when they bring back character's pasts before we knew them. & during this Ryan is also fidgeting with his file, point for the adhd ryan headcanon.

Castle never specified HOW to flip it so he could follow the movements. Glad he said to slow it down tho. Is the man left handed?

Alexis got into a fight? Good for her. Oh no castle & ryan & tony got alexis in trouble : ( but also XD Heck yeah girl! Tho yeah rick you're right violence is not the answer "& then one of you ends up dead in a pizza oven" & then he quotes beckett & hugs her. RC: Did u kick her ass? AC: I kind of did RC: Good girl. Good. Even when he tells her retaliation is not the way, he still lets her know.

Bro teenagers ARE criminal masterminds. High school bullies are NOT some dumb-as-bricks doorknob who beats you & but can't chew gum & walk at the same time, they really can be evil geniuses.

Costumes: Castle & beckett are normal, tho I don't like beckett's shirt. Esposito is wearing a boring not-fancy long-sleeve with jeans & ryan is wearing a typical dark blue dress shirt & dress pants, no tie this time, nice grey coat. Really fancy coat too. I like it.

How can you tell someone dialed the numbers for a call but never hit send...? Unless it was already on the phone & they didn't get erased for some reason. Mine closes every time I switch apps.

Esposito, breakin down the doors! Music is great rn! The boys just run out the window

Oh so she IS in with the drug dealers.

She's good. She's really good. I'm speaking from the perspective of having seen this before. It's obvious that he CANNOT be cavallo pretending to be his own right-hand-one. Poor R+E, out of breath from the chase So she DID know those names when castle asked her the first time!

OH MY GOODNESS HOLY CRAP THAT'S A LOT OF FIGHTING & POOR RYAN IN THE MIDDLE TRYING TO GET THEM TO STOP

Castle u really just went back on what u & beckett put ur money on? Whose tab? Whose tab did they put it on? What? Winner winner pizza dinner & wow that's a lot of smack.

He's a pizza man! He would never disrespect his oven like that! It is SO not his speed castle! Oh so you wanted to burn down authentic nick's? Girl if you can call him then that's helping!

See like this is what got my eyes on ryan in the first place, his movements are so weird, like he's walking too big for his body. Oh & again unassuming middleman is dumb

Is she limping? why is she in homicide? I thought she was in narco. also I can't use my question mark button on tumblr anymore for some reason & so it reloaded the page & got rid of a mini fanfictioin I wrote & I am fucking upset. I had added some notes to my liveblog. What the hell tumblr^/ why won't you let me use a proper question mark^/ at least my french é&É still work. Ηοwever, my greek keyboard does not.

Ok sweetheart, just Don't Use Easy-to-Catch Names Calls ryan & esposito the best detectives. Ooh une femme fatale

Love the music & oh no please don't be nick's pizza Oh thank goodness it's stephano's So mature of Alexis OH THAT IS A GOOD LOOKING PIZZA

& it seems like all the bonus features are deleted scenes which I have seen. Yuck tho I don't need to see this.

[renegadesstuff]

“You okay?” 🥺

S3E20, “Slice of Death” aired 13 years ago (April 4, 2011) 🤎

[dgct2]

Season 3 Remy & Kristin

Season 3 episodes featuring Dylan McDermott and Alexa Davalos as Remy Scott and Kristin Gaines in FBI Most Wanted.

Click on episode name to go to my gif sets. Please do not use the gifs for anything else. It took me a long time to make them. Like / Reblog if you want to keep them.

Kristin Gaines Season 3  - These are the 16 episodes before Dylan McDermott shows up as SSA Remy Scott. 

* * * * * 

 3.17 Covenant 

Charming but formidable Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott arrives to lead the team as they investigate a series of homicides tied to a forbidden love between a young teen and her older boyfriend.

3.18 Reaper 

Remy and the team investigate the homicides of two army veterans in a murder spree connected to their time in Afghanistan; Hana receives surprising news about her birth mother.

3.19 Whack Job 

The team goes after the killer of a man in witness protection, but finds there's more to the case than meets the eye; Remy is challenged by what he discovers when he reconnects with his mother.

3.20 Greatest Hits 

The team searches for a murderer re-creating the chilling killings of a notorious '80s mobster.

3.21 Inheritance 

When a wealthy couple are killed by a female con artist posing as a personal trainer, the team works to find out her true identity and track her down; Ortiz is put in a tough place when Hana's brother asks for a favour.

3.22 A Man Without A Country 

The team chases an oligarch who goes on a terror spree in a desperate attempt to escape an impossible situation.

[itselyserebecca]

I rate Castle 3x20 "Slice of Death" ★★★★★★★★☆☆

[katebeckett]

favorite caskett scenes → 126/?

[thetrinityquotes]

Save your excuses!

Lucien to Klaus

[katherinehoughtoncastle47]

Favourite Kate Beckett outfits (1/?)

[3cops-and-a-writer]

This other neighbor who just came home said that she saw Burns and another guy having a knockdown drag-out yelling match just before he left. About what?

[kate--beckett]

You have to admit, a pizza oven? Very clever way to get rid of a body.  273/365 days of caskett

[vmheadquarters]

ASK THE FANDOM--RESPONSES

Here is the latest Ask the Fandom question:

In The Bitch Is Back, Nish tells Veronica that the founder of Hearst College started The Castle at Hearst and at Stanford. Does that cause any problems for Veronica after she transfers there?

And here is what you had to say:

@iamjmgardner--What a great question!

I mean, I guess it should have, right? Veronica leaves Neptune because of everything that happened with her dad, Jake Kane, the Castle, and Gory.  I don’t quite know how she thought Stanford would mitigate the fall-out of those last three things, but whatever.

I wish we had more details as to the outcome of S3.  Did Gory ever go after Logan? Did Veronica ever go back to Jake and Clarence to exonerate her dad? Did Gory ever come after Veronica.

I mean, WHAT THE HELL happened when Nish and the other Lillith women sued the Castle for admission at Hearst (remember Veronica gives her the list of names).? Wouldn’t the Castle at Stanford been pretty upset with the new transfer student who was bringing down their boys’-only club on their heads?

This is one of those instances where our amazing VM fanfic writers comes to the rescue and pick up on and explore these brilliant story lines that are conceived in the show but never fully fulfilled/drawn out.

It’s been awhile since I read the books, but I don’t think they even mention the Castle or much of Veronica’s time at Stanford.

This is why we need(ed) more Veronica Mars.

@cheshirecatstrut--Veronica runs away to Stanford, but Jake Kane carries a grudge. So he uses his pull with the Stanford Castle to make her life hell.

Logan’s not sorry he gave Gory Sorokin a beatdown. But even the bodyguard service he hired can’t keep the Russian Mafia at bay.

Wallace learns the price of crossing the Castle when he returns from Uganda to find his scholarship revoked. Mac learns the price of cracking Jake’s hard drive when he gives her an ultimatum: work for me or go to jail. Keith, up to his neck in legal debt, is forced to take increasingly sketchy jobs to make ends meet. And Weevil’s meal card empire comes crashing down when the originators of the scheme vow revenge.

It all comes to a head when Nish files suit against the most prominent members of the Castle, and they band together with one purpose–make Veronica Mars, and everyone she loves, pay. In order to stop them, V must claim every favor she’s ever been owed…and work with all the loved ones she left behind for their own good.

@iamjmgardner--BOOM!! 

 And @cheshirecatstrut blows it out of the water with a VM fanfic moment that brings all the loose ends together like…

Well done, darling.  In response to OP, ^^^what she said. That’s what happened when Veronica went to Stanford.

@chikabiddy—That’s an amazing idea…

Adorkable Author (via Twitter)--Interesting. I doubt Jake told people that V took the hard drive. I picture V keeping her head down at Stanford. She didn't poke and prod. I bet she was fine there, but would love to read more theories.

Merrick Green (via Twitter)--I think the better q is - did V and Jake Kane cut some backroom deal to save Keith and get Veronica into Stanford (show never established she got accepted as a sophomore transfer)?  The ignominy of being outsmarted by a teen girl prolly kept Jake's mouth shut, and just blame Gory.

Isa (via Twitter)--I think she was acting so out of character that they didn’t even care that she went there. Also I don’t think they knew about the hard drive.

David Murray (via Twitter)--If anything, they were informed not to stir the hornets nest by messing with her.

[aurorarebeka]

[austencello]

Welcome to Hong Kong - Arrow Music Notes 8x02

Oliver, Diggle, and Laurel return to Earth 1 after the destruction of Earth 2 on a new mission from the Monitor.  Familiar music and people from Hong Kong return as Tatsu questions Oliver’s faith in the Monitor, Laurel deals with survivor’s grief, and the Future Team Arrow is manipulated by JJ Diggle.

Oliver Queen 

Oliver wakes up after images flash of both the greetings and deaths of those that he lost, including Moira’s “You’re never without me, my beautiful boy” triggered by seeing Tommy and Moira from Earth 2 disappear.  The music repeats the violin melody from “The Promise” (2x20) when Moira was killed.  Another part of that melody (the violins in thirds that led up to Moira’s death) plays as the Monitor stresses how important it is that Oliver does not interfere with other earths and their fates the way he did for Tommy and bringing Laurel2 back.  Oliver counters that he wasn’t going to see her die again.  Oliver has seen so much loss and death and is still reeling from seeing a version of his mother and Tommy die that the idea of letting Laurel die again was not an option.  It is the theme of some of the most severe and painful loss in his life and a reminder of how great the stakes are.

Oliver and Diggle find themselves in Hong Kong with a return of the all the Hong Kong musical elements from Season 3 peppered throughout the episode heard in “Mean Streets of Hong Kong” (S3), primarily the ney flute (a Persian flute), crutales (tuned little cymbals), wooden percussion, gongs, and the erhu (a Chinese string instrument).  If they didn’t use an erhu, they have a synthesized version that is the similar affect.  These together provide the soundscape of Hong Kong in Season 3 and play as the setting is established throughout.  In the midst of fighting, Tatsu comes to help as Katana and her unique ney flute motif plays with an breathy aspect to it.  This theme returns throughout her scenes in the episode, especially in her fight with China White and when she talks to Oliver at the end after she thought she had almost died.  Her theme is heard in “Storming the Castle” (3x21) when she helps fight at Nanda Parbat. (JorahtheAndal has a suite of her music on YouTube now that the extra tracks are no longer on Blake Neely’s website.)

In a brief moment of quiet after the fight, Oliver has a chance to put his wedding ring back on with a mixture of sadness and resolve.  As he does so, flashes of Felicity in 3x20 (“you opened up my heart” and their kiss goodbye) and the 4x06 kiss “We’re going to be fine” pass through his mind as their theme “The One I love” (2x23) plays in the piano.  Oliver’s resolve to keep going is through the love of Felicity and knowing that she will find him.  His love for his family keeps him going.

Tatsu questions Oliver’s blind faith in the Monitor wanting a scientist involved with a dangerous virus, saying that it reminded her of how he used to be.  Especially in bargaining with the Alpha Omega virus that killed with her son and how the guilt and torture of the general changed him.  He responds that he has to believe that the Monitor is telling the truth in bringing order (plus he saw the end of Earth2) because otherwise he left his family for nothing.  He is sacrificing everything including himself to keep them safe and prevent them from disappearing.  As he pours out his heart in both anger and grief, the slow version of the Arrow theme plays in the strings “I forgot who I was” (1x05).  This theme is used throughout the series for moments of the heart when Oliver is connected to the core of being a hero: his love for his family and how that spurs him on.

At the end, after Tatsu almost died for the mission to find the doctor the Monitor required, Oliver took a step back to realize that she was right.  The cost might not be worth the mission. He needs to know more about who the Monitor is and whether following him blindly is the right call.  A variation (straight rhythm instead of syncopated) of “Scars” (1x01) plays in guitar harmonics as he says that they have already lost too many already.  This theme and instrument has been with Oliver since he looked in the mirror and saw his scars in the pilot.  It represents both the outward but more importantly, inward scars his trials and loss have left on him.  The slow version of the Arrow theme returns in horn (heroic) and violins as Diggle asks him what happens if they don’t like the answers and Oliver replies that there is always another way, quoting what Felicity has told him many times and what Tatsu had also reminded him as well. The music underscores that he is a hero determined to do what is right for all. He will find a way to save his family without letting people die along the way. He apologizes to Tatsu that she almost died because of him as the violin plays his Arrow hero theme and that she was right; the mission was not worth the cost.  He tells Tatsu that he will be looking for answers in Nanda Parbat as the duduk plays.  (I love the music for Nanda Parbat and am super excited for this next episode)

Laurel with the loss of Earth 2

Laurel is in shock over her earth and everyone she knew ceasing to exist.  As she angrily blames Oliver and demands the device to get back, a new harp theme quietly plays as she remains in denial that it could all be gone.  Her new life, her shot at redemption, the good people she had connected with all dead.  A version of this theme returns again but filled out with an alternating note between each melody note in the harp as she tries the device again later on, only for the guy she forced into helping her telling her that he can’t bring back a universe.  It returns one last time after Lyla shares her story of survivor’s guilt which gets the crux of the matter for Laurel: how is it that she survived when so many other better people were gone?  Lyla tells her to keep fighting in honor of the dead and that she could work on her redemption by helping people of this earth.  

Extra Notes: 

The Monitor’s violin, brass, and choral theme played both at his scenes in the beginning with Oliver and Lyla at the end.  It underscores that he is an otherworldly being.

China White’s electronic theme was back as she appeared to fight Oliver. (1x02)

Laurel’s Black Siren theme “Laurel, not Laurel” (5x10) played when she arrived at the beginning after screaming and then again after she screamed China White into the water.

There was a lovely piano moment when JJ and Connor sat down to have a heart to heart.  A moment of connection before it all went to pieces.

A new motif played as Mia gave William the fried flash-drive in both harp and bass harmonics with background electronics and he got really excited about it (reminding of Felicity music, combining Oliver and Felicity instruments but grounded in the future soundscape).  The four note theme does include the same notes as Mia’s Blackstar theme but in a different order.  Coincidence or on purpose?  I will be interested to see if it returns. 

Harp plays a repeated two notes as JJ reveals his plan and Mia tries to reach William on the coms.  Her mother’s instrument now connecting the two of them in concern about her brother.

@smoakmonster @academyofshipping @herskirtsarentthatshort @jorahandal @almondblossomme @dmichellewrites @ah-maa-zing @dust2dust34 @green-arrows-of-karamel 

[lightwormsiblings]

My Heart Is Wherever You Are

Read on AO3

(3x20 and 3x21/3x22 promo spoilers) 

The sky in Edom never seemed to change. The smokey red a reminder of a time Magnus had called this place home. Of a time hundreds of years later when he gave up his magic. Of Alicante in flames and Alexander with tears in his eyes.

Magnus couldn’t tell how long had passed. Hours? Days? He didn’t know.

The only thing Magnus knew with certainty was that he had to get back to Alexander. His love, his fiancé.

Magnus had waited centuries to get married and he was damn sure that he wasn’t going to let Edom stop him.

He’d been searching for a way to leave Edom without reopening the rift from the moment he’d sealed it. He’d come up with an idea laughably easily. But it was one that he couldn’t carry out on his own.

And Magnus was alone. Alone with nothing but Lilith and the demons of hell. And wasn’t that just bitterly poetic? To know there was a way and not be able to use it.

Magnus had thought about letting Alicante burn for one fleeting second. A city made by a species that looked down upon him and had hurt him and his people countless times over the centuries. He could have let it all burn, and it would have been justified.

He could have taken those four nephilim that he cared about. And he could have portalled them to safety.

But he hadn’t been able to.

Back when he’d been young and new to the world Magnus had named himself after destruction as a reminder of what he was capable of.

Now, he understood it as a reminder of what he wasn’t. He was capable of saving people. Capable of saving an entire city, and that was what he had done.

Because no one deserved to die like that, to lose their home. Magnus knew all too well what loss felt like and he didn’t wish it upon anyone.

He knew Alexander never would have left the city to burn anyway.

Magnus twisted the ring on his left hand and could almost feel the faint whisper of Alexander’s skin against the metal. He smiled sadly and picked up the dozenth book from his father’s extensive collection.

There had to be some other way.

He had just settled onto his father’s throne with the book when he heard a shout and the door to the throne room burst open.

Jace walked in first and Magnus dropped the book in shock when he saw his arms were lit up with yellow magic.

Lorenzo Rey walked in behind him and Magnus stood in surprise. What was Lorenzo doing in Edom?

“What-“

He didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence because more people tumbled into the room after him.

Izzy had her staff out and adrenaline in her eyes, Meliorn stood beside her and he nodded at Magnus when they made eye contact. Clary and Simon were both breathing hard but Clary’s face broke out into a wide genuine smile when she saw him that had Magnus’ heart flip over in his chest. She’d been smiling at him like that since she was a child and it was so familiar that tears pricked at his eyes. He had been beginning to think he’d never see any of them again.

The door swung open a final time and all of the breath left Magnus’ lungs.

Alec stood in the doorway, a damning picture against the stone walls of the castle. He was filthy, clothes covered in ichor and his jacket sleeve ripped over his arm. An avenging angel with a bow in hand and fire in his eyes. The ring shone brightly on his left hand and he was beautiful . Absolutely breathtaking.

“Alexander,” Magnus breathed, hope clutching at his chest.

Because Alec was here . He came for him.

Magnus moved forwards at the same time that Alec dropped his bow and crashed into him.

The kiss was messy, their lips slamming together with an urgency that knocked any remaining thoughts from Magnus’ mind.

Alec was everywhere, a hand in his hair, an arm around his waist, his chest pressed flush to Magnus’. Alec lit him up from the inside out.

Magnus was breathing hard when Alec pulled away. Their chests were still pressed together and Alec didn’t remove his hands when he smiled down at him.

“You came,” Magnus whispered, pressing his forehead to Alec’s and breathing him in. If this was all a dream he was going to cherish every second of it.

Alec’s hand slid from his hair and to his cheek, the calluses on his palm were so familiar Magnus had to hold back a shiver.

“Well yeah,” Alec answered, voice rough, “A wedding does require two people last time I checked.”

Magnus shook his head, letting out a sound between a laugh and a sob. Because this idiot Shadowhunter stormed Edom for him. This Shadowhunter with Magnus’ future in his eyes wanted to marry him and Magnus loved him so so much.

Alec took a step away from Magnus, lacing their fingers together, before turning to the front of the room.

That was when Magnus remembered there were other people in there.

Magnus’ eyes landed on Jace first, solely because his hands were still glowing a faint yellow.

“Alexander,” he asked softly, “why is Jace glowing?”

Alec laughed breathlessly and shook his head in amusement.

“We knew we’d need to be as strong as possible if we wanted this mission to be successful,”

He gestured to Clary who was still watching Magnus with a smile.

“Clary came up with a rune.”

Clary stepped up towards them and Alec let go of Magnus’ hand as she pressed herself into his arms. She his her face in his chest for a long moment and Magnus held her close, rocking back and forth.

“Biscuit,” he murmured and laughed when Clary grinned amusedly into his chest.

When she pulled away neither of them said anything about the way both of their eyes had filled with tears. Magnus just ran a comforting hand through her hair and smiled.

“You came up with a rune,” Magnus prompted, smiling wider when Clary lit up with pride.

“The rune I came up with. It lets Shadowhunters and Downworlders share their powers.”

She held up her hand where an unfamiliar rune was drawn.

“Simon has the other half of mine,” she continued, “Izzy and Meliorn are paired together and Jace is with Lorenzo. That’s why he’s glowing.”

Clary laughed at the last part, looking over her shoulder at Jace who seemed to be trying and failing to get his hands to stop glowing.

Jace rolled his eyes when he saw both of them looking at him.

“Hey, I haven’t had hundreds of years to figure out how to control this stuff.”

Alec’s laugh carried brightly over everyone else’s causing Magnus’ attention to shift back to him.

“Who are you partnered with?” He asked softly. He was almost sure he knew the answer, was already starting to smile as Alec started pulling out his stele.

“I was waiting for you.”

Magnus knew this the moment Clary hadn’t mentioned Alec in the pairings. But the words said out loud, softly and like a secret just for Magnus had his heart leaping in his chest.

“If that’s okay with you,” Alec continued, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket and holding it out to Magnus.

Magnus smiled. If there was anyone in the world he trusted with his magic, it was Alexander.

“Of course that’s okay.”

Alec’s grin lit up all of Edom as he handed the paper to Magnus. Their hands brushed as Magnus took the paper and he let the tingle travel up his arm with joy.

The paper had two runes drawn on it side by side. One was the one Clary had on her hand and the other was unfamiliar.

“You each draw one of the runes on each other,” Clary explained when Magnus raised an eyebrow at her.

Magnus felt emotion lodge in his throat, couldn’t help thinking about how similar this would be to a wedded union rune. He couldn’t draw that rune on Alec’s skin. But he could draw this one. This was still a union. Between Magnus and the person who he trusted with one of the most important parts of himself.

Magnus held his hand out to Alec who took it gently into his own. He brought the stele to hover over Magnus’ skin with a practiced ease that sent warmth through Magnus’ chest.

“This will hurt a bit,” Alec murmured, pressing a kiss to Magnus’ knuckles in apology. Magnus just nodded and tried to keep his heart from falling straight out of his chest and into Alec’s hands.

When the stele touched his skin Magnus had to grit his teeth against the burn. Alec’s lines were quick and sure and the sensation was over before Magnus could think too much about it. He watched with wide eyes as the gold shimmered and settled into black against his skin. His first and only rune. He could feel the power settle underneath his skin in a way similar yet entirely different to the way his magic spread through his veins.

Alec pressed the stele into his hand a moment later, holding out his own hand.

Magnus gently took his hand, callused and rough and so familiar. He spared another glance back at the photo on the paper Alec had handed him before dropping it to the ground.

He set the stele against the thin skin of Alec’s hand as if he was writing with a pencil. He could feel the power emanating from the stele, watched as the gold spilled out onto Alec’s skin with every stroke.

When he finished he gasped in surprise. The world was suddenly more in focus and felt his exhaustion slip away from him. He looked over at Alec, spotted the clarity rune on his arm and knew a stamina rune was burning on his chest under his shirt. Magnus could feel it all.

His gasp turned into an awed laugh when Alec held up his palm and a wisp of blue magic appeared in his hand.

“Alexander,” he murmured, stepping closer.

Alec shook his head,  “I know,” he breathed softly. seemingly with the same kind of awe Magnus was feeling in his own chest.

Without thinking about it Magnus leaned forwards and pressed their lips together in a kiss. Alec’s lips quirked against his and Magnus laughed into his mouth. He couldn’t believe this. They were connected in a way that Magnus could never have imagined and it had left him breathless.

When they pulled apart, Magnus noticed that the rest of their group was watching them with poorly concealed amusement.

“Are you guys done being sappy?” Izzy asked with her hands on her hips but Magnus could tell she was trying to hide a smile.

Alec rolled his eyes at Magnus before turning back towards the group.

“Let’s go home.”

Magnus tilted his head to Alec in wonder.

“The only way I can get out of here is to seal the rift from the outside. And I don’t have enough power outside of Edom to do that.”

Magnus tried not to let the hopelessness show on his face. He’d just gotten them back, he couldn’t lose them again.

When Alec looked back at him though, his smile hadn’t dropped. In fact he was smiling with a spark in his eyes that meant he knew something Magnus didn’t.

He took a step forwards and dropped an amulet into Magnus hand.

“A present from Catarina,” Alec explained, eyebrows raised and the hint of a smirk on his face.

Even before Alec said anything else Magnus knew the amulet was powerful. He could feel the magical energy of several warlocks ingrained into the metal.

“Cat infused people’s magic into this,” he said quietly, bringing the amulet up to eye level to look at it closely.

Alec nodded, “she used a variant of the spell you were going to use to free Jace from Lilith’s possession. It has dozens of warlock’s powers for you to tap into. It should be enough to close the rift from the outside.”

Magnus blinked back tears for the dozenth time in the last twenty minutes. Leave it to Cat to not even be here and still end up helping Magnus save his own ass.

“It was crazy,” Alec went on, “as soon as Lorenzo lifted the ban on helping you in payment for us turning him back human, warlocks flocked in from everywhere to help. There were so many we didn’t know what to do with them,” Alec shook his head in disbelief, “you helped so many people, Magnus. And they wanted to return the favor.”

Magnus let out a wet laugh, palming the amulet and standing in disbelief. All these people were here to help him . Gave away some of their magic to get him out of here. He didn’t know what to say. He was well and truly speechless.

Alec seemed to tell Magnus was at a loss for words because he cupped his cheek again and smiled a soft smile.

“Catarina had to stay with Madzie but she told me to tell you something,” he ran his thumb carefully over the skin under Magnus’ eyes and then down to his cheekbone, “she said to tell you that if you don’t make it back in one piece she’d kick your ass.”

Magnus laughed again, a wet rough sound. Here they were, two of the most important people in his life. The people he loved with every single thing in him. They trusted each other, worked together to find a solution to bring Magnus home. Cat trusted Alec to get Magnus back and Alec trusted Cat to make sure they had what they needed to do it.

“Well then,” Magnus said softly, “let’s get the hell out of here.”

They had to go back to where the rift had formed the first time in order to be able to seal it again from the outside.

To everyone’s dismay, that meant they had to go back out into the fray where Lilith was in control.

The demons were on them as soon as they got back outside but Magnus smiled at the eight of them stood, a united front.

He could still feel the power from Alec’s runes, giving him heightened speed and focus as he blasted demon after demon.

From the corner of his eye he saw Alec lose his seraph blade and retaliate with a burst of magic. The sight sent his heart racing. Alec using his magic with such ease made his heart grow warm.

Jace frowned at Alec as he fought off another demon with his blade.

“How the hell can you control that so easily?” he asked Alec breathlessly, “it took my a good half hour to be able to blast anything.”

Alec just shrugged as they both whirled around and blasted a demon behind them together.

Magnus smiled to himself even as he fought off demons of his own. He knew exactly why Alec could control the magic so easily. It loved him. Just like it loved Magnus. Magnus’ magic had found a home in Alec’s careful hands and nonjudgmental gaze long before Magnus had even realized it.

Magnus blasted another dozen demons when he felt a sold presence against his back.

“Hey there handsome,” he quipped, grinning when Alec laughed in amusement.

“Hey yourself.”

They both kept their eyes on the sky, watching the demons as they circled, getting closer and closer.

“How far is the rift?” Alec asked, yelling to be heard over the noise of fighting, “I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to hold them back.”

At that Magnus let a slow smirk slide onto his face. He hadn’t even used his best trick yet. Magnus had banished his father, as his son he’d inherited the parts of Edom that belonged to Asmodeus. And with that, came demons.

“You forget,” Magnus said, “You’re marrying into royalty, Alexander.”

And with that he unleashed his father’s demons into the fight.

Alec gasped in surprise as they both watched Magnus’ demons attack the ones they’d been fighting.

He turned to Magnus with wide eyes and then grinned. lighting an arrow with Magnus’ magic.

“What are we waiting for then?” he said, joy obvious in his voice, “We’ve got a wedding to attend.”

[kiss-my-freckle]

Tom Keen dialogue connections.

Christopher Hargrave & Katarina Rostova.  Red [3x14]: Two months later, she went to Cape May and left her clothes on the beach, walked into the ocean and was never seen again. Scottie [3x22]: Next morning, Christopher was gone. The police searched everywhere, but - nothing. He was just - gone. Like his castle. Howard [R1]: In 1988, you vanished from the Ocean City beach home your parents were renting.

Because I predict Christopher Hargrave will be central in S7.  “Katarina” knows both Raymond and Liz, but not Tom Keen.  Tom Keen is the entire reason Red reentered Liz’s life.  I believe he’ll be the reason “Katarina” will enter Liz’s life. 

Tom [5x2]:That mystery has been solved. But this one hasn’t. Ilya [6x19]: It is a mystery, right? So, we give them the answer.

Dembe [2x15]: You tell her the truth by telling her everything. Tom [5x8]: Because I know the truth. I know everything. And now Liz is gonna know too. Tom [4x7]: Some answers about who you were. But none about who you are or who you will be. Liz [5x9]: She [Scottie] didn’t know who we were. Liz [6x20]: It doesn’t matter who you were. This is who you are and who you’ll always be. 

Red [1x18}: The rest will come. I promise you. Liz [1x21]: It’s all connected. All of it. Everything. The blacklist.  Liz [1x21]: They’re connected. Maybe not all, but some.  Liz [2x19]: Is that all of it? Red: Some of it. Tom [5x8]: I figured it out. The whole thing. Why Nik was killed. All of it.

Tom’s calculus book - sending his employer intel on Liz/Masha Red [1x21]: Worse than I thought.  Rostova Glasnost file - insert Scottie, Tom’s mother in Kirk’s arc Red [3x14]: It just keeps getting worse. Ilya Koslov - if Tom’s father, insert him in “Katarina’s” arc Red [6x19]: Because I think you may have made things worse. Reverse Kirk’s arc with “Katarina’s” arc, Scottie with Ilya. This would give Red reason to question Scottie because he needed to be sure it was Kirk. 

Red: Who hired you? Scottie: You know exactly who hired me. Red: I’d like to be sure. Scottie: Alexander Kirk.

For all Red knew, it could’ve been "Katarina” coming for Liz, especially when you add in the fact that Liz actually believed her mother was coming for her in S3. 

Liz: Reddington’s lying to me. I know it. If my mother wasn’t trying to abduct me, why’d Solomon ask for Masha? Tom: Do you really think this woman is gonna hire a team of mercenaries to kidnap her own daughter? Liz: If that woman knew Reddington, she would. She’d know it’s the only way to pry me out of his grip. But where’s she been all this time? And why’d Reddington say she’s dead? 

Dom [3x20]: She’s gone because of choices you made for both of them. First Katarina and then Masha. As far as I’m concerned, you killed my entire family! Tom [4x13]: That’s Richard Game. The man who murdered me. 

Tom [3x20]: Liz was convinced that her mother was the one who tried to kidnap her. Reddington said she died years ago, but Liz didn’t believe that, and neither do I. I think we’re staring at Katarina Rostova. Red [4x13]: All that really matters is that you vanished off the face of the earth nearly 30 years ago, and yet - here you are.

I think the Drexel painting may have leaned him more in Kirk’s direction. 

I'm pointing this dialogue connect out for a reason. Had Tom killed Scottie, he'd still have Howard, so those answers wouldn’t die until Howard dies. Unless Howard isn't Tom’s father. This speaks to the Ilya connection I added above. Red [3x22]: If you kill her, the answers you’ve been looking for your entire life will die with her. Liz [4x7]: He’s gonna die because a bus accident delayed some lab work, and all the answers I’m looking for are gonna die with him.

Liz's mother - Red: I killed Sam because he was in pain and he wanted to die and because I had to protect you from the truth. Liz: What truth? The only memory I have of my real father is from the night of the fire. I remember him pulling me out of the flames saving me. Tom's father - Tom: I told Liz I would, that it doesn’t matter. And it doesn’t. It wouldn’t, except that you told me not to let Scottie Hargrave know that I am her son, that if I did I would never find the truth I’ve been looking for. What does that mean? Red: He’s dead, Tom. Tom: What truth? You knew my father.

Liz - Liz: Mr. Kaplan was my nanny. Cooper: Somehow I’m not surprised. She loved you so much. Liz: And now she’s gone. Just like Sam. And my mom. Everyone who knew me best, knew the answers about who I was, where I came from. Tom - Tom: My father is dead. She’s the only one left who knows who I am. Red: You’re Elizabeth’s husband and Agnes’ father. Tom: Who I was.

Christopher - Scottie: My perfect baby boy. He loved the water. Found that necklace in a trinket shop during a trip to Ocean City. We had rented a house that summer, spent the whole week on the beach building sand castles with drawbridges and moats.That night, Howard and I had a big fight. Too much to drink. Next morning, Christopher was gone. The police searched everywhere, but - nothing. He was just - gone. Like his castle. It’s been 28 years, and not a day goes by where I don’t walk into a room - hoping, praying he’ll be there. Katarina - Shelter Worker: I think we’re all running from something. I think we’ve all had to do things to survive. Everyone here has a past. Whatever your story is, it’s your story, and yours alone. Most importantly, I think the woman who stepped into that ocean is dead. The one who emerged has new choices, a new future, and I’m here to help her.

[katebeckett]

[justsomeitgirl]

You know, I've hopes of Lucien would've used Cami for the prophecy and upgrade-sired her but I think Lucien simply doesn't care to do this precisely. He no longer has any motivation, nor desire. He doesn't care about his life, nor power, nor anything anymore, really. Lucien died inside and has not the will to remake himself, unlike the last two times Klaus has ruined his 'friend'.

Cont.: All he’s interested now is to get his showdown with Klaus and that’s it. He fills his days with trivial things (e.g. orgies) and tries to piss Klaus off.

I think that’s a clever and insightful analysis, anon. I do agree that Lucien didn’t care about anything anymore other than fighting and defeating Klaus, because that was exactly who he was. Lucien lost everything because of Klaus and became a shell of himself; since then, his life revolved only around defeating the one who had ruined him and destroyed his identity. Once Aurora was put under a sleeping spell, there was nothing for him other than war, whatever the outcome. Lucien didn’t want to live anymore because he didn’t know who he was and what he was fighting for, and that was the difference between him and Klaus. That was, eventually, why he lost the battle.