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Call of the Ocean Chapter 34: No More Secrets to Keep

Pairing: CEO!Mechanic!Dean Winchester x Mermaid!Reader

Word count: 5006

Chapter summary: Things are finally settled between Dean and Y/N, but there is still one more secret amongst our merfolk that hasn’t come to the light... or has it?

Series summary: CEO of Winchester Auto Dean Winchester has had enough of the office life. With his father keeping him from what he wants to do, which is work on the plant floor, Dean decides to leave for a quiet life. In Matagorda, Texas, he finds something he never thought he would, a chance encounter with a mythical creature.

Call of the Ocean Masterlist

A/N: I cannot wait to see how y’all react to this chapter :3 . This series is a collaboration with@ @flamencodiva . Text dividers made by the awesome @talesmaniac89

Next chapter will be posted on Wednesday, December 23rd

(for context: this happens simultaneously to Dean waking up at Bobby’s)

Thames woke up the next morning wishing she hadn’t. She went to curl up underneath the sheets before wincing and hissing in pain at the dull ache that reminded her of her wounds. Slowly, she pulled back the sheets and braced herself against the mattress beneath her in order to sit up and eventually get up from the bed. She took one small step, wincing as the ache persisted, but found comfort at the realization that the pain was not as big as it was yesterday. Little by little, she walked around the room. The Princess’s words echoed in her head. How was she going to tell Thasman that she had lied? That his mother had raised him from a distance all these years?

She closed her eyes and let her glamour fall. For the first time she looked at her true self. Her hair a bright blond, her eyes a rich hazel. There she was: Thames. No longer the scroll keeper with dull blond hair, and dark brown eyes. But there she was Thames, lost princess of the kingdom of Sindarta.

In staring at herself in the mirror, she hadn’t realized time had gone by. The sound of someone knocking on the door startled her out of her own mind.

“Liara?” Thasman’s voice sounded from the other side. “I– I need to talk to you.”

“One moment,” She called out. Closing her eyes she could feel a heavy weight on her. Opening them, she saw once again the familiar look of the scroll keeper she envisioned looking back at her. Making her way to the bed, she tucked herself in and sighed. “Come in, my guppy.”

A couple of seconds went by and for a moment, Thames thought that Thasman had left, but the sound of the doorknob turning debunked that theory. Her guppy popped his head in first, taking a careful look around the room and then her before fully entering. He came in carrying a tray full of human food. Food that had Thames’s mouth water. It had been so long since she had human food for breakfast. She had missed it dearly.

“I brought you some breakfast,” Thasman smiled. “It’s the most delicious food you will ever taste.” His hair flowed behind him. He felt nervous about confronting her, but he had to do it gently. After all, this was still the woman who raised him, loved him, protected him.

Wide eyes and a mouth hung open was her first reaction.

“What–” Thames gasped. “What did you do?”

“What? I cooked. I made eggs, bacon, and sausage. Both of those come from this animal called a pig and --” Thasman stopped when he saw his guardian raise her hand.

“I’m referring to your hair, Thasman Kai,” She clarified. “What gave you the impression it would be alright to cut it?”

“I only cut it up to just above my chest; it’s still long,” He argued. “You always had a problem with how I cut my hair, Liara,” he grumbled.

“No, I–” she licked her lips in thought, still surprised. “Who did it? Why did you do it?”

“Ellen helped me cut it,” Thasman said as he put the tray down. “I thought I could use a change and it was getting awfully long.”

“Well… it is still long, after all,” she conceded, letting the argument go. “It looks good, guppy.”

Thasman rolled his eyes at the nickname and chuckled, “I’m not a guppy anymore.”

“You are to me, Thas.” Thames smiled, motioning to the tray. “Now, will you give me the tray, please?”

“I can’t wait until you taste it!” Thasman’s face lit up. “The pancakes are delicious. At least I hope they came out delicious. I can’t trust Roan, he is biased.”

“From what I have seen, I would assume you got back together.”

The merman blushed, “we did. It almost didn’t happen at first.” Thasman explained. “Y/N and Dean stuck us in a room together and locked the door.” He chuckled at the memory, “It forced us to talk and well…”

“Well I am going to dig in,” Thames said. “Pass me the syrup; they taste really good with it.”

“You like them?”

Thames moaned in delight, “it is delicious, my guppy. I wish we could have this in the kingdom.”

“I’m glad you like it, Liara,” Thasman said before clearing his throat. “I know you don’t like talking about her, but I really want to know about my mother. I already know my father is human.”

Thames swallowed the food she was chewing, “Thasman, we have talked about her.” She tried to steer the conversation. “Tell me, what have you been doing? I’m curious. You seem fitter, stronger.”

Thasman smiled brightly, “I started working.”

“Oh? You’re working? What is that?”

Thames inwardly grimaced at her actions. She was trying to stall as much as possible; delay the inevitable. She wasn’t ready to tell him, not yet. She needed more time with the guppy who loved her as Liara, before he would despise her as the merwoman who lied to him.

“Bobby has this thing called a garage next to his dwelling. They repair other human’s cars there and they were kind enough to let me help there.”

“A car?” Thames smiled. “I wonder if he still has the blue Chevelle?” she chuckled remembering the time she spent with Bobby in his car.

Thasman tilted his head, giving her a confused look. “I thought you hadn’t met him until yesterday?”

Thames let out a nervous laugh, “I told you I was friends with your mother. She spoke of him and his car. I had heard of him but I officially met him yesterday.” she looked at the mirror nervously hoping that her glamour had not failed.

The merman brought a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing his newly discovered mark of Poseidon nervously. “Speaking of her… there is something I need to ask you, Liara. Roan and I found something.”

“Thasman, I am feeling quite tired. I think the excitement is getting to me,” she spoke out. “I don’t feel all that better yet.” She bit her lip.

“Oh, then Bobby must have missed something.” Thasman stood, making his way to the side of the bed and extending a hand to lift the covers gently. “He said you would be much better by today.”

“Guppy, I just need rest. Your food was delicious. Bobby used to make chilli--” she closed her eyes at the slip she made and swallowed the lump in her throat.

Thasman’s expression began to harden in suspicion. “What did Bobby used to make, Liara?”

“The Princess Thames would tell me,” She tried to cover. “He would make Chilli for her and she would complain of how spicy it was. I didn’t believe her of course but--” she looked at Thasman. “Thasman? What is it my guppy?”

His face was down, his jaw was clenched and one of his hands was clutching the back of his neck. “Thames was my mother, wasn’t she?”

Thames closed her eyes and cursed silently at herself, “Yes.” She let out. “She is.”

“Why did you never tell me about it?” He pleaded. “Just this morning Roan had to literally show me the mark on my neck.”

“Because you would have been imprisoned,” she whispered. “They would have burned your mark, if they knew. King Nereus knows who you are. He kept the secret alive so that you would live. I know not how he found out, but he did.”

“How come the King had more right to know about my own identity than me?” Thasman mumbled. “Couldn’t I be trusted enough to at least know a little more about who I was?”

“I didn’t know the king knew who you were until the day Michael cut you down,” she admitted. “I was scared you would be taken from me Thasman. I am sorry, my guppy. You are right, you should have known and I should have put more faith in you than give in to my fear.”

Thames could feel the shame wash over her as she looked at the angry face of her son, the pain in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, she reached out to him only for him to pull back, making her look at him in confusion.

“Thasman?”

“I should have known,” He insisted. “I had a right to know who my mother was. I would have understood with time.”

Thames closed her eyes, she couldn’t keep the charade going. Taking a deep breath she looked up at the man she raised. Her son, who thought his mother died.

“Your mother is not dead, Thasman.” She let out looking at the young man.

“What?” Thasman could feel a lump rise in his throat. “Where is she? Is she safe?”

“She is,” Thames let out as she let the glamor fall. “Because I am her, my guppy.”

Thasman’s horrified and betrayed expression will haunt her for the rest of her days.The woman who raised him transformed before his eyes. Her hair is bright and shiny, her eyes light and bright. He didn’t know how to feel. Was he angry? Happy? Sad? He was feeling all of these things. Here in front of him was his mother, who had disguised herself. Raising him as a stranger.

“I need to go,” he whispered before rushing out of the room.

Thames’s call to him fell of deaf ears. She closed her eyes and stood from the bed. Walking towards the mirror she could see it in herself. The shame, the guilt. Years of lies now out in the open, and at what cost? But she wasn’t going to let Thasman run. It was the one thing that it reminded her of Bobby. His ability to run from anything that had to do with his emotions. Still in the clothes Ellen had let her borrow, she gave chase to Thasman as he walked out to the back of the house.

“Thasman Kai!” She bellowed. “We are not done!”

“I don’t even know who you are anymore!”

“I am still the mermaid who raised you!” She growled. “I may not have shown my true self but I raised you as best I could. I learned to conceal myself and to hide your mark until it became too much!” She reached for his shoulder and turned him to face her. “The only thing that has changed is that you know that your mother never abandoned you, not really.”

“You would have let me marry Y/N,” Thasman realized. “What were you thinking?! You could have stopped me!” He glared at her. “You did abandon me. You kept me at a distance. All the times I begged to know about my mother, any little story to just have a small piece,” He grit his teeth. “You would change the subject!” He could feel his anger building. “Did you really want me to marry Y/N? My own cousin!”

“I would never let that happen,” she cried. “I was waiting for the right moment. But it never came up. I promise you, I never would have let anything happen to you Thasman.”

“I find it hard to believe!” Thasman growled. “Maybe you should have died, Your highness. I never needed a mother and I don’t need one now,”he spat.

Thame’s heart broke at his words, but she felt a surge of motherly anger towards him. “Thasman Kai! How dare you?! How dare you say that to me! I raised you, I cared for you. I may have done it in disguise but it was still me!”

“Yet in twenty six years you couldn’t trust me enough to tell me that my mother was alive, or that I was a member of the royal family. No no, I had to figure that out by myself this morning with Roan literally showing me my mark on the reflection of a mirror!”

“And I am sorry Thasman,” she sighed. “You are my son! I tried everything in my power to keep you safe and I have. You are alive and a wonderful guard. You are the pride of our kingdom. If you are to be upset at me, fine.”

Thasman’s face was stone hard. The words being said by Liara (or Thames, he guessed), didn’t mean anything to him at the moment. Not after a whole lifetime of lie after lie. “Is Bobby my father?”

Thames bit her lip as she looked at her son. His face was unreadable. Her words ignored, she knew it. “Yes, he is your father.”

A gasp sounded from behind and Thames turned to see Roan standing wide eyed on the deck in the backyard. His hand had shot up to cover his mouth one second too late. He’d seen her real identity now and she didn’t have the time to care anymore.

“Go back inside, Roan,” Thasman called. The other merman crossed his arms and frowned in response.

Roan gave him a glare. “You’ll have to move me yourself.”

Thasman ran his fingers through his hair, before grabbing a tie from his pocket and pulling his hair in his usual low bun. More out of habit than anything else. “I’m not doing that. Because there is nothing left to talk about here.”

Thames turned her attention back to Thasman, “What?”

“I need to think,” He growled back at her. “I can’t be near you right now,” As Thasman strolled back into the house and past Liara, he grasped Roan’s hand, yanking him along. “I’ll take the car Bobby gave me. I’ll be back at some point tonight.”

“Thasman,” Roan pulled back to stop him. “Why does Liara look different? She is claiming to be your mother. What is going on?”

The merman stopped in his tracks at the name, giving Roan a glare that in a different circumstance, would have him cowering back. “That is not Liara,” He sneered. “And she is not my mother,” He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before reaching up and caressing Roan’s cheek. Opening his eyes, he pulled Roan in and kissed him on the forehead. “I need time to think. Please. Just keep an eye on her. I– I need to go.”

“Thasman–”

The merman shook his head and turned to the front door, practically running out of the house. “I’ll come back later. Keep an eye on her!” he called over his shoulder as he climbed into the Camaro Bobby had let him keep after fixing it, and drove away.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Dean and Y/N hung back as Ellen led the way to her house, not that they needed it. But Dean slowed down and pulled them both to a stop when Ellen was far enough away.

“Dean?” Y/N looked at him. “Are you okay?”

“Just wanted to do something,” Dean said as he pulled her close and cupped her cheek. “I’ve been practicing what you taught me and I think I got it.”

“What are you--” Y/N was interrupted by Dean’s lips on hers. Chaste at first, before he deepened the kiss.

They stood there between the cave and Ellen’s house, in each other's arms kissing without a care in the world. Their tongues battling as Dean held onto her for dear life. When the kiss ended, Dean placed his forehead against Y/N’s and looked deep into her eyes.

“To fan in nulma with a setanim,” (I am in love with a Mermaid.) He whispered.

Y/N gasped as she looked at him, “Where did you learn that?” she asked.

“Bobby,” Dean smirked. “Went to see him to talk about how to talk to you about this. He had a journal of everything your aunt taught him and… I read it, asked him, and learned it.”

Y/N couldn't help the tears that formed in her eyes. How? How could this human be so understanding?

"Dean," she reached up and caressed his stubbled jaw. "To hisna rendi-to fan sesmuna. I am in love with a human.” she whispered as tears formed in her eyes. “I don't know why or how you could love something like me? I-- I--"

"Hey," Dean pulled her in tightly. "I fell in love with a bubbly, strong, caring girl. Just because you have a tail doesn't change anything to me. You're still you, that hasn't changed."

“I guess,” Y/N said. “Dean, would you be upset if I asked to stay with you tonight?”

“I don’t think I could stay away from you tonight,” he admitted as they continued their track to the house.

They walked in a comfortable silence, making their way up the steps to Ellen’s door, but the sight before them made the princess frown. On the couch, sat Roan holding a crying Thames. Roan seemed to have calmed her down, but Y/N could tell that the lost princess was still very hurt. As she got closer to them, the lost princess seemed to notice and began to regain her composure.

“Your Highness,” She muttered. “Forgive me. I will compose myself.”

There was the scroll keeper that Y/N grew up with. How hard it must have been for her to play the role and keep everything inside. To love Thasman but not be able to feel the love of her son as a mother would a child. She looked at Dean and placed a hand on his chest.

“Wait here,” She told him gently. “She might not react kindly to you knowing our secret.”

Dean could only nod as he let Y/N go and hung back. He watched as his mermaid princess consoled the crying woman on the couch. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but whatever it was, he could tell it wasn’t good.

“Where is Thasman? What happened?” Y/N asked as she ran her fingers through her aunt's hair.

“He knows,” her aunt sniffled. “And he left. Said he had to leave.”

“He will be back,” Y/N assured her. “I’m sure he just had to process it. You know how he can be and this was not a small matter.”

“You weren’t here to see him.” Thames stepped back, arms coming up to hug herself.

“Aunt Thames,” Y/N whispered. “I’ve seen him angry plenty of times. I’m sure once he realizes the severity of the situation--”

“He hates me,” she wailed. “I should have died at Michael’s hand. My son hates me and It’s my fault.”

Y/N gasped in horror. “Thames! Don’t you dare say that! Thasman would have lost his mind if you had never come. And he would have been crushed at the news of you dying. Give him time.”

“My niece,” Thames sighed. “The damage is done. I might as well go back and face my fate. But not without finding out who Michael really is.”

“Excuse me,” Dean cleared his throat. “I’m lost, she's Thames? I thought she was Liara? That’s who you said showed up, right?”

Thames, instead of answering to the human intruder, turned to give a questioning look to Y/N, ‘who is he? And what is he doing here?’

Y/N gave Dean a soft glare before turning to her aunt, “That is Dean. The human I was telling you about.”

The woman, Thames, Dean supposed, dried her tears and turned to Y/N, asking her something in Sindartan, making Dean raise an eyebrow as he watched his girlfriend nod in response.

And that was when the strange woman really lost it.

She started screaming away in Sindartan, pointing accusingly at Dean and Y/N, gesticulating around while Y/N tried to intervene every now and then. Whatever the lady was saying, his princess was not liking it at all. And soon enough, he was staring at both women with his head tilted and eyes squinted as they argued away.

“What’s going on?” Dean said. “With what little you taught me I know she’s so far called me a Jellyfish, Sea dragon, and I think Octopuss?”

“You even taught him our language?!” Thames exclaimed in horror, continuing to ignore him.

“He is right here, lady,” Dean said. “What do you have against me? You don’t even know me.”

“Silence human! You are not of our world,” She hissed. “You have no business--”

“Enough!” Y/N bellowed. “Let’s not forget who fell in love with a human first, Aunt,” she growled.

“Y/N,” Dean said gently. “It’s okay. She’s hurt, and scared. It’s okay.”

“It’s not,” she sighed. “But back to the main point: Thasman will come back soon, and then you will be able to talk and figure what will happen next.”

“There is nothing to figure out, your highness,” Thames was now frustrated beyond belief. “I have brought this on myself. I fell in love with a human and this is the pain and suffering I must endure. Are you willing to go through the same fate?” She said before walking out the back door to the porch.

Dean swung awkwardly on his heels. “Well that went...”

“Horrible,” Y/N finished with a sigh. “I’m sorry. It’s been a complicated few days. That is my Aunt Thames, and let’s just say marrying Thasman wouldn’t have happened anyway… turns out he’s my cousin I never knew about,” She shuddered at the mention of the wedding and looked at Roan. “What happened?”

“I showed Thasman his mark this morning,” Roan said. “I found it last night while he slept. Ellen had seen it when she cut his hair and started asking questions and then…”

“And this morning?” Y/N asked Roan.

“He confronted her about it,” Roan whispered. “He said… harsh things to her, Y/N. I have seen Thasman mad but not this upset.”

“I told her she had until sunset to tell him the truth,” Y/N admitted as she looked at Thames who looked out at the horizon on the back porch.

“Um,” Dean tilted his head at the two merpeople. “I’m still lost. I have no idea what’s going on.”

Roan and Y/N sat Ellen and Dean down and began to explain everything. From the tournament, to who Liara had been revealed to be. Both Dean and Ellen stayed silent as the two merpeople told the tale, neither of them realizing that two cars pulled up to the house. As the group fell into silence, the front door opened. Bobby led the way with Thasman following behind him. For a moment, Thasman looked around and felt a slight fear that Thames had left. He swallowed the lump in his throat looking at his friends.

“She left?” Thasman couldn’t hide the panic in his voice.

“She is outside, Thas,” Y/N said as she looked at him. “Just give her more time.”

“I said some--” he paused and licked his lips. “Not very nice things to her. I-- was angry and upset. But, I was made to see that,” he looked out to where Thames stood her back to the house. “She really was there for me, even if it wasn’t the way I wanted.”

Y/N placed her hand on her cousin’s cheek. “Things are different now. But we must remember that we can change things. It was harder for her back then,” She smiled.

Bobby looked out to the porch and cleared his throat, “I’ll talk to her. I have some things I should say.”

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Opening the sliding glass door, Bobby stood there for a few moments looking at the woman he had loved for years. He could see her defeated and slumped shoulders. Swallowing the lump in his throat he walked closer before standing right behind her.

Clearing his throat he took a deep breath before he spoke, “I brought our son back.” He lifted his hands in surrender when she turned around to face him. “I talked to him, and well,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “I got him to see that, while what you did was plumb stupid, you did care for him.”

“You didn’t have to help, Robert,” she let out a small sniffle. “I deserve all the hate and pain he has towards me.”

“I may be angry at you Thames,” Bobby admitted. “But I still care about you. I never stopped thinking about you.”

“You should have. You deserved so much more than I could ever offer you. You should have moved on.”

“Don’t give me that,” he huffed. “The boy already thinks he isn’t worth anything and now I see where he gets it from.” Crossing his arms over his chest Bobby shook his head, “I tried, you know? Her name was Karen and it just… it didn’t work out.”

“Why?”

Bobby licked his lips before taking in a deep breath, “Couldn’t see myself having a family with her, I guess. In the back of my mind I held out hope that you would be back.”

“I’m sorry Robert. I really am.”

Bobby waved her off, “it’s fine.” He placed his hands in his pockets. “It’s good to see you up and around though. Glad that this Michael guy didn’t hurt you like he hurt Thas.”

Thames had to smile at the way Bobby shortened their son’s name. “I am too. I’m glad you were able to heal him. You did a good job.”

“I almost thought he wouldn’t make it, you know? When I got there, Y/N and Roan were hovering just not knowing what to do and applying that balm thing all over Thas’ back. The size of the wound and the blood he must have lost…” Bobby shook his head, not wanting to complete that thought. “It’s a miracle he even made it through the night.”

“He has always been strong and resilient,” Thames whispered. “When he was first born, he had legs at first. His tail didn’t appear until a week later when I had to take him into the ocean with me.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I was thankful he adapted to it well. I have never heard of halflings in our world.”

Bobby seemed to consider that for a moment, tilting his head. “I’m sure there are more than you think. There has to be... So… he was born on land?”

Thames nodded, “In the very cave where you discovered what I was. The same cave my niece is fond of,” she admitted. “He was not conceived like normal merchildren are. So I had to give birth on my own on land.”

“Fuck, Thames.” He breathed in both awe and fear. “How did I not see you? I could’ve helped you. You shouldn’t have been all alone when that happened. Something could’ve gone wrong.”

“I was scared and in pain, Robert. I did what I could instinctually,” She walked across the patio and hugged herself. “I was tempted to find you and ask for help but… I was scared, so scared. If the royal family found out about you who knows what they would have done to you or Thasman.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “And now my niece might have the same fate.”

“Your brother won’t allow that. You said he was more understanding than anyone you met.”

“But not the council, Robert,” Thames breathed. “While our king rules we still have the council to abide by, and I have no idea what Michael has done to them.”

“You could be lucky and they can see how stupid their ways are,” Bobby grumbled. “Who are these guys anyways?”

“They are made up of elders who have knowledge of the beginning of our kind,” she admitted. “I’ve told you all this before, have you forgotten? The lineages that trace back to the city of Atlantis?”

“I remember,” Bobby let out a soft scoff. “Doesn’t mean I agree with it. It’s archaic thinking.”

“I agree Robert and --”

“Bobby,” he breathed.

“What?” Thames tilted her head and looked at him.

“I missed you calling me Bobby.” He whispered. “I just hope that… we can be civil and try to be there for our kid. I know you might not care for me that way and you probably have a--” Bobby swallowed the lump in his throat. “A merman waiting for ya, back home so…” he let the words hang in the air before turning toward the sliding glass door to walk inside.

Thames stayed silent as he walked away. But she couldn’t let him think that she moved on.

“I tried as well,” she explained. “To move on. To try. It didn’t work for me either.”

Bobby froze on the spot, but refused to look at her. “Guess it’s just the way things had to be I guess.”

Thames swallowed the lump in her throat, “I guess so.”

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Inside, Y/N, Roan, Ellen, and Dean watched the scene unfold. Y/N offered Roan a smile as he walked up to Thasman and hugged him from behind.

“Fenhoom,” Roan caressed Thasman’s cheek, “are you alright?”

Thasman nodded, “I am. I just--” he paused and licked his lips. “I was with Bobby, and he is my father. We talked and well--”

“Bobby is your dad?” Dean looked outside towards Bobby and then back to Thasman tilting his head in the process, “huh, I guess that’s where you get your stubborn streak.”

Dean gave a confused look at Y/N and sighed.

“I still don’t get it,” he admitted. “This is a lot to take in in one day.”

“It’s okay, jellyfish,” Y/N sighed as she gave his cheek a gentle pat. “How about I sleep over and explain everything again?”

Dean nodded in agreement, smiling goofily. “I thought I had been promoted to clownfish?”

“Yeah,” she admitted. “But that was Thasman, not me. So I still call you jellyfish,” she teased as she walked away from him.

The human was quick to follow, playful as he was. “And how do I earn a promotion, Your Highness?”

Y/N turned to face him and gently tapped his nose with her finger. “I don’t know yet. But I might have a few ideas,” she said before rushing up to her room to grab some things, leaving Dean at the bottom to wait for her.

ALRIGHT! So, everything is out in the open; nobody has any secrets left to tell... so what’s left? Getting our merfolks back to Sindarta, of course ;)

We’re gonna have a good time 😉

Any and all kind of feedback are appreciated. Please, like, reblog and comment <3

My asks are open in case you wanna send feedback, have questions or wanna be added to the tag list :)

Call of the Ocean tag list: (if your username is in bold italics, that means tumblr didn’t let me tag you)

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bellamygateoldblog · 4 years

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The 100 7x01: Discussion

My general takeaway from the episode can be summarised like this: Echo is spectacular. (I might’ve said “oh my god look at her!!!!!” and “ugh she is just The Best” too many times to count).

This is long-ish because I really just wanted to consolidate my thoughts in one place. Bitch it’s me i got a lot to say!!!!!

The Good Parts

— The farmhouse setting. While it’s existence is strange and “a sore thumb” and worked to further push Sanctum being the abomination born of clumsily mixing genres and time periods in terms of construction/costuming, making everything appear disconnected and obnoxious, it was still a nice change. It made me feel warmer and more comfortable as a ‘modern’ viewer. It’s a breath of fresh air from the constant dark element: dilapidated post-apoc buildings falling from their foundation, endless woods, and equally cold-feeling labs and skeleton dungeons.

— Echo. This was a damn good episode for Echo and every second reminded me of why she’s my favourite. She’s a badass. I always love to see her falling naturally into leadership of her little ragtag groups who accept it wholeheartedly. From the “testing a theory” moment where she went ‘when Gabriel doesn’t speak >>>’, to right at the end when she killed the solider about to “eliminate” Hope (hesitation is death...oh no he can’t hear us he’s got airpods in oh my god). It was Echo that got them through the whole sequence with the anomaly, Echo who figured shit out, Echo who quickly judged the situations and formed plans to overcome the obstacles. In other words: she did THAT.

Favourite scene: Echo coming face-to-face with the projection of her own insecurities in the form of Roan and Echo 1.0, and physically overcoming them (shooting them down), along with the trauma and pain that they both represent. The perserverence and getting the job done despite the emotional torture felt like a callback to the Psychosis episode of 6x02 when she was clever enough to sedate herself to silence the voices in her head. I also think the dialogue chosen was also foreshadowing that she would become a leader by the finale (commander?) and i love to see it!

— Clarke and Madi’s conversation. Oh Clarke, you just keep reinforcing and validating my perceptions of who you are as a person over and over again lol. In all her self-importance failing to remember that Madi, in fact, had and was raised by her biological parents for half of her life (and the new knowledge that she spent six years telling her little mind tales from the book of her life whilst apparently never taking the time to learn about Madi’s or acknowledge/honour her birth parents in any way) is “yeah that’s about right” to me. Sure you could say she was still reeling from the events of six and her death-almost death-almost death again. But I’ve always had this Thing about the relationship between Clarke and Madi. And i’ve seen some of the lighthearted humourous reception that scene got from fandom, “#where do you think the child CAME from?!” which only served to remind me of my own impression that Clarke views Madi as wholely ‘hers’, as if Madi’s existence was tied to Clarke, but i might elaborate in a seperate post.

This scene was a lovely display of self-awareness I’ve rarely seen on Clarke (never even got it when she electrocuted said child two seasons ago- however that absense of apology and acknowledgement of the sheer wrongness of that action also fits very nicely with my view of her lmao, still though, a weird choice for your ‘heroine’).

— Clarke’s “feels like a different world.” Felt romantically-coded. I think Gaia/Clarke might be the most convinient relationship to transform into romance at this point. However I’m sincerely hoping this road they could go down won’t reduce Gaia to a crutch/accessory for Clarke, and that she doesn’t become merely a love interest. I’ve seen talk already of Gaia being “Clarke’s happiness” etc.. which is already confirming my worst fears. Sigh.

This moment very much felt like found closure and the turning of a page. But i will say it was a very sharp turn from the three seasons of shoehorned-in mentions of Lexa, and last season’s emphasis on Clarke’s very-much intact emotional response to her memory- “it’s why you cry when you think about Lexa”- to her looking at an image of Lexa’s memory of her, reminicing but having no emotional response to it, and brushing it off while sharing a soft look with Gaia (and this is a few days since s6? I don’t know how this timeline is working but Tbh it’s not like these writers ever concerned themselves with ‘realistic time frames’ anyway lol). Yep, Jason’s seasons are individual “movies,” alright.

Other *nodding approvingly* moments

— Raven’s subtle “elevator eyes” on Clarke when she started giving her orders again. I see you, Miss Reyes, and I appreciate you.

— Raven + the foot in her mouth and the cute way she catches herself both times. I just love watching characters fail at existing LOL. She was feeling more human than stereotype or plot device this episode.

— "Mommy and Auntie O” and the implication that Hope is a child inside an aged-up body.

— This quote: “I know what it’s like to lose your family 100 years ago and yesterday at the same time.” It’s so literal but I like it a lot.

— Clarke being ‘leader’ again is, as usual, solely a matter of convinient (and familial/love) circumstances and it felt very true.

The Rest

— The Eligius Situation. So Clarke and her inner circle conquer and live in a nice home, and we’re specifically told Clarke takes the master suite (and the dog), and I was like ‘fair enough’ but then she orders prison labour. She tells them to build her a compound that they won’t actually get to be apart of, and to live in tents while they do so. They aren’t getting anything out of this (before they resist and set their own terms). This is slavery. Also, those aren’t her people to boss around, look down on, and use accordingly for her own gain (in fact they barely know her or why she’s gone from being that one unloyal woman who executed their men and got herself captured like an idiot, then couldn’t make up her mind about which side she wanted to kill- to one in the uppermost position of authority...like...they woke up yesterday) But, then again, that never stopped her.

— Too much and not enough at the same time. The pacing of the episode in general was awful. Too much happening in quick succession, no breathing room, too many factions (no, actually Raven, where is ALIE when you need her? smh). I blink, I miss an entire scene and a character is now beating someone else up. Amazingly, i was still bored 90% of the time.

— The Children of Gabriel calling themselves “The Children of Gabriel.” It was always goofy, even more so when a grown man is saying it.

— Murphy + his self loathing over Abby’s death. Did I miss the part where she was ever good to him? One of their final moments together was of her telling him he deserved to die over Clarke after she spent the entire series treating him like he was inferior and disposable. uhhhhhhhhhh.

— The picnic scene. Jackson’s sudden violent outburst was unearned (it wasn’t even set up???), and also disrespectful. Wrong place, wrong time, bro. He’s grieving? Okay. But when Abby’s daughter is sitting right in front of you, making this about you, ruining a perfectly good toast in her honour with your uncomfortable accusations loses you points you never even had to begin with. And this is a ‘me’ thing but I can’t be bothered to be sympathetic when this is about Abby Griffin.

Also, I have to say it. Eliza’s acting took me out of the scene every time I looked at Clarke. I couldn’t for the life of me work out what those expressions were supposed to be.

— Russell, his manpain, and a fury over the consiquences of his own actions that could rival the grounders (”my brother died in your ring of fire [while he was trying to murder you all]” hmm sounds like a you problem). But the worst part is, I simply couldn’t tell where he stood or what he was feeling. He’s so one-dimensional. He’s an evil man (so much for ”grey morality”).

— Clarke + Jordan. A small point to make but all Clarke has done since Marper made her ‘Godmother’ of their son has blame him for everything bad happening lol. Marper loses a lot of my respect as time goes on for that choice. As much as I dislike Jordan’s presence in the show, still not a great pattern to have noticed.

— Raven seeking approval from Clarke (specifically) for the Prime idea was...weird and very bad. When has Raven ever cared for Clarke’s validation, especially in the last few seasons?

Was also taken aback by how Indra and Miller are both suddenly so protective of Clarke, like i can make sense of the Indra part even though it relies on me making things up that aren’t supported by what’s on screen, but Miller?

— (Bonus moment that was bad for me, but not for the same reason it was for the rest of you: the scene of Hope finding the message in her arm. When she was removing the blood-soaked bandage I freaked out because I thought she was peeling her skin off. You’re welcome for that visual.)

The Mixed/No Feelings

— Clarke’s full-dark-no-stars. How many times have they told me now she’s “the head”? LMAO.

I have no actual formed opinion on it. Only disjointed thoughts. Like i might’ve just gone “good for her” if Clarke wasn’t the person she is, with the history she has.

I appreciate the idea, to have her spend the whole episode declaring she is, in fact, completely fine, to end it having her explode with the repressed pain.

I mean...i realise the cognition behind it, but it’s eye-roll inducing at this point. This- kicking Russell to death (giving him exactly what he wanted and set out to provoke), and burning down a palace she promised to keep intact, once again going against the group to do her own Thing that they all ultimately have the suffer the consiquences of and help clean up- is just a repeat of past patterns, and Monty’s “do better” mantra that she desperately clung to like she owned it last season is nowhere in sight.

(Also, I can’t be the only one who spotted her physically smacking that Sanctum girl as she walked onto the balcony? Not cool. Wasn’t cool when Murphy acted like a dick to one of them either this episode.)

The rushed switch did a number on me, too, like Jackson’s did. Literally five minutes before she was preaching about a peaceful life for Madi that doesn’t take revenge (I think I know what they were going for with that but it just left me feeling confused and frustrated).

Furthermore, I’ve seen talk that this was her “burning down of a symbol of oppression”, something she experienced first hand (not so unlike Blodreina and the bunker she desperately wanted to escape and deliver her people from), but there was no noble, calculated intention there. She burned the palace accidentally in her rage because she was in pain and disorientated. The moral stuff was just an after effect.

The speech was also very ‘Clarke’. Feeling entitled to and making decisions on who lives and dies right after declaring this wasn’t their kill to make. She wasn’t the only person hurt by the Primes (but we’ve also been given no reason to care about any of the other victims- the manipulated, enslaved population have been turned into a joke and a punching bag for the main characters which...isn’t great either). And the castle could’ve been used to shelter some of the “too many people” we had problems with through the episode (or used to harvest resources from). It really comes down to if i think the situation justifies the reaction and if i hold her wholely responsible...and this is the part where i reiterate that i have no intact opinion and don’t actually care to have one either ha.

#the 100 s7 #7x01 discussion #the 100 7x01

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blodkru · 6 years

Text

You Could Have Done So Much

Linctavia fic. Hamilton inspired.

This is something I wrote while rewatching season 3 today. I needed it and for season 4 and 5 to not exist for a very brief moment. It’s more or less a bunch of thoughts at once and I apologize if it doesn’t make sense. If you’re tagged and don’t want to be, I’d appreciate a RB but I understand if you don’t or don’t like it.

Word count: 3015

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I finally stopped crying.

She writes the words down with shaking fingers. It hurts just as much as it did the first time she ever wrote in the journal. It doesn’t get better, much to everyone’s disagreement. She’s tired of hearing it really. But she let’s them hope she will be okay, eventually, that she’ll be able to be herself again. But it’s only been 3 years.

Or already 3 years depending how you see it.

3 years since A. L. I.E. Since Roan became King of both Azgeda and the 13 Clans. She’s surprised how well he’s done. But then again, he’s doing what he said he would. He hasn’t lied since he became King. At least, not to Spacekru. Part of her is glad he’s done so well. Clarke becoming a Nightblood had complicated things but only temporarily. Once she found out A. L. I.E. had been lying about the nuclear plants, Clarke wanted nothing to do with being a leader. Octavia had expected her to go back to Floukru with Luna. Something in her had changed once Lexa died; Octavia can’t blame her. Something in her died the day he died. And she wasn’t a leader. Sure, Skairipa was someone people looked up to. But thankfully not to the extent they did Wanheda.

The last she did hear from Clarke, she was in Polis on an ambassador visit. With Bellamy. She wished the two of them would get it over with and become official. Everyone in the 100 wanted them to be together, she wanted them together, even those in Arkadia could see it. If Finn, Lexa, Gina, and Echo couldn’t get in the way then maybe they needed to get it together. Get together.

But it’s never that easy and she knows it.

It had been a full 2 years since she had been in Arkadia, refusing to go there after everything. Seeing the faces of those who all but caused the disasters that happened was nearly impossible. Even seeing Monty’s always kind face was difficult at first. He and Harper did their best to soothe the nightmares she had; more than once she woke to the woman’s concerned face and let herself be comforted. Bellamy would have done the same if she allowed him near her. He was her brother but part of her would never forgive him. He had come to understand that.

But he did send her off with one hug. She couldn’t stay in Arkadia, she needed to leave and find herself. “I love you, O.” He had squeezed her tight and she nodded into his shoulder. She hadn’t been able to make herself respond. She held on for a moment longer before mounting a new horse she came across- Icarus, she named him- and left. Monty had given her a satchel full of just about any medication she would need. And moonshine, of course. Raven gave her a small radio she could use if she ever was in trouble.

“Or if you miss us.” The brunette had shrugged. Octavia had taken it hesitantly. She wasn’t sure if she would ever use it; trouble or not. Abby gave her more medication and told her to please be safe. Even Clarke had sent her off. She had simply told her to be safe and if she was ever in need of supplies, Nylah would never charge her for them at the trading post.

2 years had felt like so much and no time all at once. She of course had seen her friends and brother since then. Once every 3 or 4 months they would run into each other in one place or another. Mainly the trading post. She quickly figured out Nylah would let Spacekru know when she would be at the post for more than 1 day. They would show up only hours later. Part of her wanted to hate the woman for doing so. But she couldn’t, not with every kind and knowing word she would say.

I spoke to the last of your friends yesterday. You left a journal with him, too.

Since leaving Arkadia, Octavia had traveled. With boarders being less of a factor now- and people fearing Skairipa- she was able to go nearly wherever she pleased. She decided on tracking down any and everyone who knew him. It was hard, much harder than she even thought possible, but she managed. She started with Indra.

“He was a great healer, Octavia. You know just as I do.” Getting the warrior to open up had been difficult in its own way. Octavia pleaded with her multiple times; had sat outside her hut for three days until Indra relented. Indra had watched him grow up, they were both Trikru after all. He had grown kinder than other boys; he hadn’t wanted to be a warrior. Much to his father’s chagrin. His mother died when he was only 6 years old from a disease that took a dozen or so others with her. Since then, he had wanted to be a healer and help others. Especially since the man in the ship who his father made him kill. Octavia had left more than satisfied. She wrote everything down in the same journal he had given her.

She couldn’t bring herself to ever lose it.

She found others soon after Indra. The woman had let slip that Octavia was looking for others who could tell her about him. Friends of his came out of nowhere. As far as Octavia had known, he didn’t have many friends. But people did know about him. Many men, woman, even one or two children sought out the infamous killer from the sky. The told her stories, times he had helped them. Sickness, injury, anything. If he was needed, he would help.

It wasn’t long before she found out he would leave journals with these people. Much like the one she had; drawings, notes, medicine ingredients littered the pages. The all too familiar handwriting was like a blessing each time she would meet someone who had one. More than not, they would give them to her. The first woman had all but shoved it into her hand. She refused to keep it, claiming she had memorized everything she needed, and Octavia should have it. Everyone knew of the grounder and sky girl who fell in love. They wanted to help the love story in some capacity. She hardly slept. She stayed awake days at a time just reading everything he wrote. It took her almost the full two years since she left to find them all.

The last notebook came in the form of a young man on the outskirts of Trishanakru. Him, his parents, and brothers. They had also heard of the girl seeking notebooks from her lost love. The mother had greeted her with a hug Octavia tried to keep away from. The father asked her to stay for dinner and rest in their spare shed. “Even killers such as yourself need rest.” She had grimaced and politely declined. Only when she was given the last journal did she change her mind.

He cornered her just as she was about to mount Icarus. “Wait!” He came running out of the home and up to her. He held out a notebook a little smaller than the others. “Stay, please. I want you to have this and please stay. Just for the night.” She had taken the book and flipped to the front page. Handwriting she would know anywhere met her. She held the book to her chest as she considered the offer.

She accepted.

You wrote so much. I’m surprised you didn’t write books. Encyclopedias even. Some of it makes no sense to me- what even is a pomegranate? I wish you could explain it to me.

Making her way back to Polis had been a hard decision.

But word had spread that King Roan was having the leaders and ambassadors of every Clan meet. She wasn’t part of a Clan anymore…was she? Two years on her, going here or there, led her to feeling like she belonged in no clan. Nokru. A Clan of one. She decided to go there and see what the meeting was about.

She hadn’t expected to come back to the mess she did. Then again, everywhere seemed to be a mess really. Something was always going wrong. She arrived in Polis the day of the meeting. The city had been surprisingly quiet as she entered. Even Icarus seemed uneasy. When she came to the tower, it was almost like they were expecting her. She left her horse there but took her bag. It held every single notebook she had managed to find, and she refused to be separated from it. She walked right up to the war counsel room and entered without a second thought. All 13 Clan leaders and ambassadors surrounded the center table.

“Octavia?” Of course, her brother had been there. He had grown a not too shabby beard and looked less tired than the last time she’d seen him. Clarke hung by his side; it took Octavia seconds to realize they held hands. She bit back the smile that almost surfaced.

“Skairipa, nice of you to join us.” Roan addressed her. She nodded at him and was pleased to see Indra to his right. She hadn’t seen the woman in over a year. Octavia weaved through the bodies in the room and came to stand next to Indra. The older woman welcomed her at her side. “As I was saying, about the attacks.” Roan continued what they had been discussing. Octavia scanned the small crowd for faces she knew. Bellamy and Clarke, Kane and Abby, two or three ambassadors from neighboring Clans, Echo (the woman’s face made her want to gouge out her eyes). To her surprise, Luna had been there. The curly haired woman met her eyes with a sad stricken face.

Octavia found out quickly how dire the situation was. A group of rogue Grounders were slaughtering villages. They killed anyone just for the food and shelter. Many children were left orphaned and starving. Three parties were being sent out: one to find and bring the children to Polis, another to provide medical care to any they found, and the last to stop the rogues. Octavia didn’t hesitate to volunteer for the last one. Along with nearly half the group. It was decided Skaikru would lead the medical party. With Clarke and Abby as the only doctors in the group. The scout party would be led by Indra and Luna, along with an ambassador from Trishanakru and Podakru.

Roan and Echo would lead the kill squad. Octavia had bit her tongue about Echo. Roan had nearly banished her for betraying Skaikru and attempting to kill Octavia. How could anyone trust her now? It didn’t matter in the end. The found the men who were behind the killings and heresy. They found them camped out near Arkadia of all places. There were more casualties than Octavia had wanted. She left the battle bruised and bloody; nothing unusual. Bellamy had broken his hand beating the living hell out of one man. Even Roan walked away with a broken nose and bruised ribs. But the men had been caught and dealt with in a more humane way than Octavia had wanted.

With the men taken care of, they had found some people had been kept as prisoners. Specifically young girls. Octavia had been disgusted and set them free with Echo’s help. The girl’s and woman cried and thanked them as they were led to safety. Octavia refused to accept the praise. Echo had shrugged and told her she should accept it. “You saved their lives. Who knows what would have happened to them if we hadn’t found them in time.” Malice echoed her words. Octavia reciprocated her anger. For once, she was glad to be back in battle. Blood, bruises, and everything that came with it.

I think you would be proud of me. I killed for a cause this time, saved people. You should have seen how many people there were. So many little girls who didn’t know what was going on. I couldn’t just leave, right?

One little girl attaches herself to Octavia. Her hair was deep brown with dozens of braids. Her skin such a familiar sepia it was almost odd. Her eyes are what got Octavia. The light brown made the hardened warrior melt. The little girl had appeared by her side one day a week after the incident. She sat on the floor next to Octavia’s feet and stayed there the whole time Octavia spoke to Clarke. The older of the two had been checking up on her injuries when suddenly, there was a child. Neither thought much of it as the infirmary was crowded with injured and scared children. But when Octavia tried to leave, the little girl had gotten up and followed. Octavia thought it was odd to say the least.

“Maybe she likes you. You are well known, after all.” Clarke had shrugged and left the two. The little girl couldn’t have been more than 8 years old. She wore simple black pants and a shirt and looked like she needed a bath. And shoes. Her tiny feet were bare and red. Octavia had looked around petrified for a moment. Who was this child? Why was she following her?

“What’s your name?” She finally spoke to the girl.

You’d like her, Linc. She looks so much like you it had me almost in tears all over again. She even acts like you I have to think you had a secret child you never told me about. She’s quiet but loves learning. Especially about medicine and healing. She spends almost as much time with Clarke and Abby as she does me. Bellamy likes her and thinks she’s good for me. Just like you were. But her eyes are what get me the most. I don’t think I’ve been able to look her in the eyes without almost breaking down. I think she understands, though. She asks about you. Who you were, what you were like, why you wrote so much. I tell her everything. About you, you saving me when I fell off that damn embankment. You helping Skaikru. Arkadia. Even about us almost escaping to Luna. She likes that story the best. I do too. Sometimes she tells me to rewrite it like we did make it. I haven’t been able to. For now, she likes reading your journals and learning everything you’ve taught everyone else. What you taught me.

Octavia sits in front of a fire. It’s been another 2 years. 2 years since the last entry she had written. She has all the journals still and reads them frequently. More than she did any mythology book Bellamy gave her. She reads them to Rory mostly. The little girl she’s come to love is now 9 and still loves bedtime stories. Love. Octavia doesn’t know how the word snuck its way back into her life but it did. Along with every emotion and heartache that came with it. She wouldn’t change it for anything.

Since Polis, she continued traveling. Only this time she had a purpose. She became a tracker and map maker. There had to be more of the world than the small area of TonDC and Azgeda. The desert could surely only go on for so long. So, when Roan approached her with plans to seek the West, Octavia took the job happily. Rory would come with her along with anyone else she wanted to take. She had been hesitant to take anyone else. Only when Indra and Bellamy found out her plan to leave at night did she allow others to come. Bellamy brought Clarke, of course. Indra brought Gaia. It was startling to see the Flame Keeper after so many years. She had chopped her hair off and wore more warrior type clothing like her mother.

Together, the group of 6 found life in parts of the world they never thought possible.

Octavia looked up at the sky and down to the body in front of her. Rory lay between her legs with her head resting on Octavia’s chest. She kept her legs tight around the girl, always afraid of letting her go. Bellamy and Clarke were fast asleep on the other side of the fire. Indra and Gaia are looking at maps and writing down everything they’ve come across. They don’t seem to notice Octavia as she looks at her makeshift family.

Family is a word she never thought would be in life again. After losing her mother, Lincoln, almost Bellamy, and even herself. But she has her odd family now and wouldn’t give it up for anything. There was only one person missing from it. But he was there, as long as Octavia continued to read his journals and tell his stories. Their stories. Soon to be Rory and the rest of the family’s stories. They’ve formed their own nomad Kru now. The name was hard for her to get use to, but she knew Rory meant well when they all discussed it. It was to honor him.

He would live on and he would be there with her.

Though I can’t wait to see you again, I know I have to keep living. For Bellamy, for Rory. Even for Clarke, Indra, and Gaia. We’ve found so much I can’t wait to tell you about it all. I’ve started writing in my own journals since this one is becoming a little worse for wear. Rory still reads them and can quote front to back. I hope you’re watching somewhere. I hope you can see me and what I’m doing for our people, for the world. For you. I think this will be my last entry in this journal. Hopefully by the time I pass these on, the words won’t be faded or total nonsense. It’s only a matter of time.

May we meet again.

Octavia kom Linckru.

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Tagged (I hope you guys liked it?)

@and-now-youre-home @madigriffen @gardenofstories @miles-ezekiel @bellarke-stydia-olicity

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imagineclaireandjamie · 6 years

Note

Imagine what young Ian saw between Jamie and Claire on their journey from Edinburgh to Lallybroch that made him feel Claire was his “auntie” and that “Uncle Jamie [was] lucky to have [her] here.”

Ian Murray the Younger yawned as he rounded the clump ofbushes, tying up his flies.

“There you are.” Claire – crouching on the grass, diggingthrough the small mountain of saddlebags, looked up and pushed a stray curlbehind her ear. “Do you remember where you packed that bread and cheese?”

“Aye – believe it was this one.” Ian crouched beside her– this strange woman, or fairy, or white lady, this woman whom his uncleaffectionately called a sassenach, of all things – and undid the buckles of thewhite bag he had tied to the horse this morning.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. “Jamie just went to hobblethe horses – thought it would be good for us all to have a bite to eat when hecomes back.”

“Aye.” Ian produced a wrinkled, yet clean cloth from thebag, then the half-stale loaf and wedge of cheese Pauline had packed in thetiny kitchen at the brothel.

“Are you still finding it difficult to breathe?”

Ian looked up from cutting hunks of bread, browsfurrowed. “It’s better than yesterday – but my chest is still a wee bit tight.”

“That’s to be expected with smoke inhalation. I can makesomething for you when we get to Lallybroch – a mixture that you can ask Mrs.Crook to boil, so that you can breathe the steam. It should help open up yourlungs.”

“That would be grand.” Ian handed a hunk of bread andcheese to Claire. “Though – and I hope ye dinna mind me saying so – Mrs. Crookdied before I was born.”

“Oh.”

Ian glanced up from his own bread and cheese, to seeClaire looking at the ground, tearing small chunks of bread and leaving thechunks on her lap, untouched. Lips pursed tight.

Guilt flushed through his body. “I – I dinna mean toinsult ye. Only, I thought ye should know.”

She straightened, gave him a quick smile, and continuedtearing her bread into ever-smaller chunks.

Silence – heavy and questioning – bloomed between them.

Then footsteps –

“Ach – thanks to ye both for sorting our things out.”Jamie knelt beside Claire, pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head. “I canbuild a wee fire, if ye like?”

“We’ve nothing to cook, but I’d welcome the warmth. Andit would help me examine your hands – it’ll be full dark soon, and it may takea while.”

Ian handed his uncle the final hunk of bread and cheese.“Do ye want me to fetch some wood, then?”

“If ye will, Ian – thank ye.” Jamie chewed around amouthful of bread, stretching out his long legs beside Claire’s bent ones.

Ian quickly rose and padded away from the makeshift camp.Uncle Jamie had picked a quiet spot up against some rocks and beside a stand oftrees – natural shelter – and with the dead branches and tufts of grass foundeasily by the campsite, it was only a few minutes until he returned, arms fullof logs and kindling.

But he paused for a moment before Jamie and Claire heardhim. Watching them. So curious about this woman who had dropped out of theclear blue sky – and her effect on his uncle.

For at that moment they sat close together, legs crossed,facing each other. His right hand held the remains of his bread and cheese, hisleft lay palm upward on Claire’s knee.

“…Can’t hold the reins so tightly. No wonder it’s allcramped up. Does this happen often?”

“Every now and again. I havena rode a horse for an entireday in a long time, perhaps that’s why.”

Claire gently rubbed her thumbs in the well of Jamie’spalm, then turned over his hand to continue with his knuckles.

Even twenty feet away, Ian heard his uncle’s breathhitch.

It was strange, seeing Uncle Jamie with a woman. He’dseen him with Laoghaire, of course – but she never paid him this kind ofattention. And he certainly hadn’t let her touch him so – so intimately.

Had Claire enchanted him, then?

Ian coughed and strode back into the campsite, nodding ahello at his uncle and arranging the logs to build a fire.

The sharp tang of wintergreen wafted past Ian’s nose ashe rummaged in his pack for flint and steel.

“You’ve got to take care of these blisters, Jamie,”Claire murmured. “Your hands can’t take much more stress.”

Ian could almost hear the shrug. “Ach – ye ken fine thatI’ll be given some chore or another as soon as we arrive. But I’ll pass it offto one o’ my nieces or nephews – anything to impress their Mam.”

Spark – spark – and then flame.

“Thank you, Ian.” He turned to settle beside Claire,carefully feeding smaller twigs into the growing fire.

Jamie sighed as Claire continued dabbing the ointment onhis knuckles. “Will it be awhile afore I can touch anything, Sassenach?”

“Yes – though I hope you’re not planning to do much morebefore we sleep. It’s nearly dark, and I can manage the bedrolls and saddlebags– ”

“Weel, I dinna have anything in mind – save giving ye awee feel under that bodice, when we lie down…”

Ian’s face flushed with heat – and not solely from thegrowing flames.

Claire sighed.

Jamie grinned.

Somewhere in the empty dark, Ian woke.

He had always been a light sleeper, and though he hadspent many nights under the stars when he was a wee lad, lately he had beenspending more nights at the printshop – and once at the brothel – than out herein the open country.

It was only a rabbit, perhaps – a rustle in the bushes afew yards from where he slept, rolled in his cloak.

The fire had gone out, but the soft heat of the coalsstill warmed his back. Ian shifted – the moon was almost full – and then turnedonto his other side.

Uncle Jamie and Claire had settled on the other side ofthe fire – clearly seeking as much privacy as was possible out here in theopen. And in the soft glow of the moon, Ian could see them. Sleeping nestledlike two spoons, Uncle Jamie curled around Claire with his front to her back,one arm locked around her middle. Her arm resting atop his.

Never had he seen two people sleep so closely together –not even his own parents.

Who was she – Claire? This ghost from the past, whoremembered things the way they were before Culloden? Who had met his legendarygreat-uncles Colum and Dougal – and lived in France for a time? And had spentthe past twenty years living in the Colonies, fearing Uncle Jamie dead?

And who was Uncle Jamie, now that Claire had come back? Nolonger the printer – or smuggler – he had been for the past two years. Nolonger a man haunted by the ghost of his long-lost wife.

Twenty years separated. Longer than he’d been alive.

He tried – and failed – to think what it would be likefor his own parents, were they separated for such a time.

It’s a complicated thing, marriage. Two people becomingone – willingly. Sharing lives, and hopes, and happiness, and fears.

And joys. Uncle Jamie’s face – voice – his entire bearingwas different now. Ian had never seen him so alive.

Claire shifted in Uncle Jamie’s arms, turning to facehim. He heard a deep murmur, rising in pitch as if asking a question. And aftera while, the slow sounds of a kiss.

Ian rolled back over to face the darkness. Heart and mindracing.

“There – that should be the last of it.”

Claire fastened the saddlebag astride Teine’s haunches,patting the roan horse’s neck. “Thank you, Ian. You’re sure your chest is allright? No tightness this morning?”

He shook his head. “No – I’m right as rain. This cleancountry air has done me good!”

Uncle Jamie stepped away briefly from fastening his ownsaddlebags as Claire stepped into the stirrups – his arm right behind her back,ready to catch her if the horse startled.

His uncle was always attentive, to be sure – but this,this was different.

This was a woman worthy.

Claire was Jamie’s true wife.

Ian stepped up and took his seat in the saddle, adjustinghis grip on the reins.

Jamie guided his horse between them, and began the slowtrot to Lallybroch.

#;mod gotham #featuring: ian #episode 3x09

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crazylittlenobody · 7 years

Text

It Was Real.

Requested By Anon - Where Bellamy comes back after the six years and stumbles upon Clarke in the woods. Clarke has been hallucinating Bellamy and thinks Bellamy is just a hallucination.

Bellamy could hardly remember what it had been like to stand upon grass, to look through tall trees and hear the birds singing and the sun or rain bursting through the leaves, it all just seemed like a dream. Coming home had been the main focus when they were up in space, they had settled in and immediately started working on a way to get down to earth safely and also coming up with a fuel that would actually work. So being down on the ground a year late just made everything all the more magical. Bellamy knew as much as his heart wanted Clarke to just stumble out of the trees with her big blue eyes, looking at them as though they were carrying pots of gold and run into his arms like she would if they were in a movie; she wouldn’t. She was gone and they were alive, he’d had time to grieve when he was in space, his mind memorised every little bit of her and stored it in a place in his mind where he prayed it wouldn’t be forgotten. She’d died so that they could live and to him that meant he’d owe her forever, getting back to the ground was so that Clarke hadn’t died for nothing.

Bellamy missed her so much, almost everything reminded him of her, just looking at the sea reminded him of her eyes or the time when they were with Roan. It all felt like yesterday to him, any memory with Clarke felt like yesterday and it just made the pain worse. The worst thing was hearing Murphy try to whisper quietly under his breath about Clarke being alive, it brought his hopes up, the thought that maybe the nightblood had worked that she really did just get sick before she got better.

Bellamy knew a part of him would always hope that Clarke had survived, that she’d been the one to keep the land green. His heart would burst with joy if she was alive, if after all this time she’d been safe and healthy and alive. He wouldn’t be able to explain how he’d feel because there would be no words. It would be a miracle.

Clarke had been hallucinating Bellamy ever since she’d eaten those hallucinogenic nuts, for some reason her mind didn’t process what they were until she’d seen Bellamy. She’d thought he was there before here, staring right at her, giving her that big smile he’d given her years ago. She thought he was finally home and when she ran to him, he vanished. It was only when Madi asked her what she was doing that she realised Bellamy wasn’t there and in a second she’d knocked the nuts out of Madi’s hands and onto the floor. The girl yelling a high pitched “hey!” as she sat on a stump of a tree that was no longer there.

“You don’t want to eat those, trust me. They toy with your mind.” Clarke muttered, lifting Madi off of the rather high stump even though Madi wasn’t five anymore. Madi didn’t bother telling her that she was eleven years old and didn’t need someone to get her down; she knew that looking after Madi was something Clarke had grown to love and Madi loved it too, Clarke was basically her mother. She’d called her mum a few times, a little scared when it first slipped out, afraid that Clarke would get mad and tell her she wasn’t her mother. But the blonde just smiled brightly, ruffling Madi’s hair.

Madi huffed and kicked the nuts that Clarke had shoved out of her hands, she was starving and they hadn’t saw an animal in miles, not even a rabbit. Clarke had noticed the lack of animals recently too and that was how she knew winter was coming. They’d have to stock up on the things they catch now, gather more berries, hope that the plants won’t freeze over so that if they run out they could always rely on them. Clarke had mixed feelings about this time of year, she hated it because it was harder to survive but she also loved it because it was the time of the year when the land wasn’t dark with ash, it was white like a winter wonderland. Everything seemed brand new.

“Come on, Kid. We’ll head out a little further and hopefully we’ll find something.” Clarke sighed, crushing the nuts beneath her feet. She should’ve known what they were, when she spun around for them to start walking the other way she almost jumped back into Madi, the poor girl stumbling backwards in surprise.

“Clarke? What’s going on?”

Clarke gulped, her eyes on the Bellamy her mind has made up, swallowing her nerves and carrying on, gesturing Madi to come and walk beside her, shifting gun that was resting in her belt; she only ever used it for hunting seem as she didn’t need to defend themselves anymore.

“Those nuts make you see things, in my case, people.” Clarke finally told her as she kept her head down and walked past the Bellamy that was calling to her. Those damn nuts, she thought. “When we first came to the ground, the 100 and I, we gathered these nuts and ate them like crazy...we didn’t know they were going to give us hallucinations and I didn’t know until I hallucinated my father.”

“You’ve never told me that story before.” Madi said, she had been sure that Clarke had told her every story she’d known, she was always surprised when a new one came up that she didn’t know. Clarke let out a sigh.

“That’s because it was a pretty boring day trip until Bellamy taught me how to use a gun, he left, I ended up getting knocked out from behind after being asked where Bellamy was, I became conscious, went to find Bellamy and there Dax was pointing a gun at Bellamy.” Clarke explained, she made it short and quick but Madi was intrigued.

“Did you talk Dax out of it?”

Clarke shook her head, “I tried, he wouldn’t listen. Some guy on the ark had ordered him to kill Bellamy.”

“Then how...”

“I had my own gun but they were dead bullets, so when I fired nothing came out. Dax turned on me but Bellamy tackled him to the ground, taking a few beatings before I tried to get Dax off of Bellamy before he killed him but he hit my stomach pretty badly and I ended up on the ground. Next thing I knew Dax was on the floor and Bellamy had crawled to my side, checking if I was okay before leaning against the tree.”

Clarke could picture it all in her mind, she still felt the memory of the pain of the blow to the stomach, the blood that covered Bellamy’s face. She could remember how broken he sounded as he spoke of how his mother would think he was a monster and how she told him she need him.

“Whoa,” Madi’s voice snapped her out of it and she smiled down at the young brunette that reminded her so much of Octavia. Madi was always shocked or interested in Clarke’s stories. “Was he the first person Bellamy killed?”

Clarke thought about it for a second, then nodded. She was sure it was. “He’d been begging to die just moments before I came...I’m sure he killed Dax to save me rather than himself. I think if I wasn’t there he would’ve let Dax do it.”

“I hope I find someone like Bellamy when I’m older.” Madi smiled up at Clarke, the blonde’s cheeks blushed knowing she had been lucky to have Bellamy in her life. But before she could reply there was a loud snap of a twig, it was too loud to just simply be a broken twig.

“Down.” Clarke hissed to Madi as she readied her gun to kill whatever was heading their way. She put the gun to her face, positioning it so that it was ready for shooting, her eye peering through the focal lens, scanning for the creature. But what she found was nothing she was expecting, her aim landed right on Bellamy.

But this wasn’t the Bellamy from her hallucinations, this Bellamy was different, he had short scruff and deep brown eyes filled with feeling, his hair was medium length now and he was looking dreamily up towards the trees. Clarke wasn’t sure though but she put away her gun and got to her feet. It had to be an hallucination, she would’ve noticed the rocket coming down. Stepping out into the open handing the gun to Madi, was like stepping into a dream she’d had so many times. Bellamy’s eyes fell on her the moment she stepped out from behind the bushes, his eyes sparkling in every possible emotion when he saw her. She was different now too, eyes dimmer, face older, hair shorter and now just a little tad bit of red in it; yet she was still as beautiful as ever in his eyes. It was silent for a long time, Clarke believing her mind was playing tricks on her and Bellamy simply not being able to believe it.

“Clarke...I see him too.” Madi whispered to her at some point, a little cry escaped Clarke’s mouth before she could stop it and she stepped forward, tears welling in her eyes, Bellamy doing the same; the pair meeting in the middle.

Clarke was the first to initiate contact, her hand hovering hesitantly over his face, her nerves terrifying her just in case she touched him and he really wasn’t there. But he lifted his hand over hers pushing it gently to touch his cheek, leaning into her touch the pair of them closing their eyes as they realised this wasn’t just a mind game. It was real.

#bellarke #bellarke reunion #fluff #bellarke ff #bellarke fanfiction #blarke #bellamy blake #bellamy x clarke #clarke griffin #it's pretty short #anyway enjoy

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robinhoodrevisited · 7 years

Text

The Morning After

Sherwood Forest. By The River. Morning. (It is the morning after the night before. The gang have scattered, unable to return to their camp lest the newly appointed Sheriff capture them. By all accounts, being outlaws after all, sleeping rough shouldn't be something new to Hood's gang. However the experience is less familiar to Lady Marian who had joined Robin's gang sometime after the outlaws' camp had been skillfully erected by Will Scarlett. Sure, she had spent a few nights under the stars with Robin but that was different. They had had their bedrolls with them for one thing. Last night, as the bitter cold of the evening air had made its presence felt, Marian had no blanket or cloak with which to warm herself. She did not feel the cold now though, she mused in her half conscious slumber. It was with this thought then that she resigned herself to further examine her current surroundings and slowly open her eyes for the first time. It was morning, that much she could tell, as the air was still wet with dew. As yet more senses came slowly back to her, she could hear footsteps approaching and tried to sit up. Finding that she could not, Marian realised for the first time that there was an arm draped around her shoulders and that the warm pillow beneath her head was, in fact, not a pillow at all. Marian turned and craned her neck to see just whom she had used as a bed for the night. Marian gasped as she observed Guy of Gisborne's sleeping form. Her slight exhalation along with her movements merely caused Gisborne, still snoring lightly, to wrap his arm around her more tightly. Unfortunately, just as Marian collapsed once more upon Gisborne's chest, Robin arrived.) Robin: (Taking in the scene:) "Well, isn't this cosy?" Marian: (Wriggling free of Gisborne's embrace:) "Robin, this is not what it looks like." Robin: "Oh really?" Gisborne: (Eyes still closed:) "No, it's exactly what it looks like." (Robin glares at Gisborne who slowly opens his eyes.) Marian: (To Gisborne:) "How long have you been awake?" Gisborne: (Smirks:) "Long enough to know that I was right." Marian: (Confused:) "Right about what?" Gisborne: "That waking up with you in my arms would feel like heaven on earth." (Marian, taken aback by this, is at a loss for words as Robin takes a step forward.) Robin: "Alright, Gisborne. On your feet." Marian: "Robin, stop this." Gisborne: (Slowly getting up:) "What's the matter, Locksley? Jealous?" Marian: "Guy, stop it. Robin, nothing happened I swear." Robin: "You still spent the night in his embrace though, didn't you?" Marian: "Because it was freezing! (Turning to Gisborne:) Guy, tell him." Gisborne: (Folding his arms:) "I do not recall the specifics. But yes, (to Robin:) I held her all night long." (Robin fumes at Gisborne's goading as Allan stretches and wanders into the clearing.) Marian: "Allan will tell you. He was with us all night." Robin: "I'll just bet he was. (To Allan:) Go on then, Allan, tell me. (Pointing at Gisborne:) Lie for your master. Once a traitor, always a traitor." Allan: "Oi, that's a bit harsh." Robin: "It's true though, isn't it eh?" Allan: (Frowning:) "Oh, shut up. The only truth around here is that you don't trust anyone." Robin: "And I wonder why that is." Allan: "Give it a rest. I've made my mistakes and I've owned up to them. (Pointing at him:) I saved your life back in Nettlestone and you still treat me like dirt. What else do I have to do to prove myself to you?" Robin: (Through gritted teeth:) "Just tell me the truth. What happened last night between these two." Allan: (Shrugging this off:) "Ask her yourself, has Marian ever lied to you?"

(As the rest of the gang arrive, having heard the shouting, Robin turns and takes a few deep breaths before asking Marian once again.) Robin: "Well?" (As Much, Little John, Djaq & Will gather around.) Marian: (Calmly:) "The girl, Meg, the one you saved from being executed? She died last night. She was killed trying to save Guy's life. (Indicating Guy and Allan:) The three of us spent the night burying her." Much: (Scoffs:) "Burying a corpse in the forest? That's definitely a euphemism." Little John: (Hissing:) "Shut up, Much." Marian: (Glares at Much, to Robin:) "Her grave is just through those trees. (Robin doesn't take his eyes from Gisborne who has his gaze averted, lost in his thoughts.) We were exhausted, Robin. As soon as it was done, we fell asleep." Robin: (To Allan:) "So why were you coming from over there? Didn't want to disturb them?" Allan: "I was looking for food! I haven't eaten since yesterday." Much: (Stepping up:) "Yeah, well it's because of your bloomin' girlfriend that we can't go back to the camp and eat. (Wistfully:) My poor kitchen. Isabella's men have probably destroyed it all by now.” Will: (Reaching into his bag:) "Will you stop thinking about food for once in your life?" (Will throws an apple at Much and starts handing out more to the others.) Allan: "Where'd you get all this from?" Will: "Djaq and I went back to the camp last night. We grabbed what we could and...well." Djaq: "There was no sign of the Sheriff's men so..." Much: "Oh, I see. You two spent the night tucked away at camp whilst I slept up a flippin' tree!" (As the gang begin to argue amongst themselves, Robin draws his sword.) Robin: "Quiet, the lot of you! (As everyone stops their squabbling:) The fact remains that the camp is compromised. It might not be today but soon Isabella will lead her men there. (Pointing his sword at Gisborne.) And I say we leave her a parting gift." Marian: "Robin, what are you-" Robin: "Isabella took Vaisey's title just as Gisborne took mine. The whole family's rotten to the core and whether he admits it or not one day he's going to try and take you away from me." Marian: (Stepping between Robin and Gisborne:) "Robin, stop this. You're tired, you're angry and you're not thinking straight." Robin: "Oh, I've had time to think. And I've made up my mind." Gisborne: (As Robin advances:) "So what, going to attack an unarmed man, Locksley? Show all your friends what kind of a man you really are?" Allan: (Reaching under his cloak:) "Guy! (Gisborne turns and Allan tosses Gisborne his sword:) Collected it from the dungeons whilst I was there." Robin: "There you go, Gisborne. No excuses."

(As Robin and Gisborne begin to circle each other Marian maintains her position between them.) Marian: (Throwing her hands up:) "All right, you want to do this? You want to fight like a pair of schoolboys, fine. But you will not use weapons, do you hear me?" (Marian looks to each man in turn. Gisborne gives a slight nod to her as Robin tosses his sword down in answer.) Gisborne: (Lowering his sword slowly:) "How do I know you haven't got a knife stashed somewhere on you?" Robin: (Removing his quiver from his back:) "Oh, I won't need a knife." (Gisborne charges Robin and wrestles him to the ground. They roll over twice and the gang look on amazed as the two men fight each other. Marian bends down and collects each man’s sword just in case either man decides not to honour the rules of their combat. The two men scuffle in the dirt as Much runs to break things up. He is metres away from them when they both roll quickly over the edge of the steep slope, fighting all the way into the ravine.)

Powis Castle. Great Hall. Wales. (Clarke stands quietly to the side of the room as Titus informs the Commander of Queen Nia's death.) Titus: "She was found by her guards slumped back in her chair, both wrists slit." Lexa: "That doesn't make any sense, Nia wasn't suicidal." Titus: "Her people don't think so either. Whomever is responsible for this, they will be found. You have my word." Lexa: (Glances at Clarke, to Titus:) "Leave us." (Titus nods and leaves the room Lexa nods to the guard who also turns and exits the hall.) Lexa: (Her back turned to Clarke:) "Please tell me you had no part in this." Clarke: "If you wish me to lie to you, I will." Lexa: (Shakes her head:) "Damnit, Clarke. What if you had been caught? You didn’t need to do this. I had a plan."

Clarke: "What, to die and let Nia become Commander? You were playing right into her hands." Lexa: (Turning to face her:) "Only if I had lost. (Takes a breath:) I know you were just trying to help, Clarke. But now there will be consequences." Clarke: "I couldn't just let Roan kill you." Lexa: "If that were to have been my fate then you would've had no choice. You're driven to fix everything for everyone but you cannot fix this. I have to decide what to do next and you have to let me." (Clarke watches her a moment then nods. Lexa straightens her shoulders, walks past Clarke and leaves the hall.)

Somewhere In The Woods…The Fight Continues. (Gisborne runs down and swipes a punch, but Robin ducks and successfully returns with a left hook, sending Gisborne reeling. Gisborne attempts another punch, but Robin ducks again, then connects with his right fist. Gisborne comes back at him swinging. Robin backs away from him and Gisborne advances, then swings overhand and Robin grabs his arm and pulls him into a tree. Robin resets his feet and is ready when Gisborne turns and tries another punch. Meanwhile, as this is going on, the gang watch from above.) Little John: (Frowning as he watches the melee below:) “How much longer do you think they can go on like this?” Djaq: “John, this is Gisborne and Robin. They’re just getting started.” Allan: (Stood beside Will, winces as a particularly nasty strike connects with Robin’s midsection.) “Nice one, Gis.” Will: “Oi! Who’s side are you on exactly?” Allan: “Oh come on, this is great stuff!” Will: (Shaking his head:) “You’re sick in the head, you know that.” Allan: (Smirking:) “Maybe. Look, this is a good thing, it’ll get it out of their systems a bit. And we’ll stop it before anyone really gets hurt.” Will: (Glances at Allan, then shouts down:) “Come on, Robin. Hit him!” (Robin grabs his arm again with his left hand and swings a punch with his right into Gisborne’s stomach, then immediately follows with an uppercut to his jaw and a punch with his left fist. Gisborne goes down and rolls down the hill a bit. Robin follows, but stumbles as he stops and Gisborne backslaps him as he gets up, then punches him in the face, knees him in the stomach and throws him into the trunk of a large tree. Gisborne pulls Robin upright by his shirt and punches him in the stomach, then throws him downhill. Robin rolls to the bottom of the hollow and Gisborne follows, picks him up, punches him in the gut, then the face.) Much: (Stood with Marian.) “You see this? You see what you’ve done?” Marian: “Oh will you shut up, Much!” (Marian looks on concerned for both men as the fight continues below them. Meanwhile Will and Allan are talking about why the fight is happening.) Allan: “Nah, I don’t think so. I mean yeah, Giz and Marian have been making eyes at each other for ages but, if anything had happened before now I’d’ve known.” Djaq: “And why are you so special?” Allan: “You know exactly what makes me special, darlin’. (He winks and Djaq laughs. Will frowns and returns his attention to the fight.) Well Marian would’ve told Isabella wouldn’t she? And of course, she’d’ve told me.” (Smiles to himself.) Djaq: “Don’t mention that snake’s name around me. She’s in league with Prince John.” (Robin reaches back and his right fist lands solidly on Gisborne’s jaw. Gisborne stands back up with a smile and Robin answers with his left fist. He swings again, but Gisborne catches his arm and pushes him backwards into a tree. Robin pushes Gisborne’s arms down, shoves his shoulders back and connects with a left hook. Gisborne falls to his knees.) Robin: "Give it up, Gisborne. Marian and I are to be married.” Gisborne: (Frowning a moment:) “Really? Have you set a date? No, let me guess…when the King returns?” Robin: “This is different, I wasn’t threatening to have her killed if she declined.” Gisborne: (Smirking:) “I’ve learned from my mistakes, Hood. Marian has changed me.” Robin: “You’re lying to yourself, Gisborne. Scum like you never change, you’ll always put your ambition before others.” Gisborne: “With her by my side…a man can change his stars.” Robin: (Roars:) “She’s to be my wife!” (Gisborne lunges and manages to pin Robin beneath him. Raining down punches, Gisborne hears a horse neigh. Looking behind him, his faces falls as he sees Isabella on a horse with several guards behind her.) Gisborne: (Mutters:) “Of all the people...” (Isabella spots them.) Isabella: “Seize them!”

#bbc robin hood #robin hood #lucy griffiths #jonas armstrong #keith allen #lara pulver #toby stephens #joe armstrong #richard armitage #anjali jay #harry lloyd #sam troughton #gordon kennedy #Alycia Debnam Carey #eliza taylor

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galivantingg · 5 years

Text

Behind Those Eyes

Chapter 9

I was at a weird point in my life. Through the haze of midterms I registered the date and suddenly all my actions became more and more sluggish. Aella died last year. Exactly a year ago. The first few months after had passed in a haze of tears and starvation, then the light at the end of the tunnel: Legion. He picked me up and helped me find myself again. I owed him so much.

"Cammie," Jay said quietly, dropping her textbook on the desk next to mine. Oh boy.

"Jay," I spoke steadily, but don't let that fool you. I was more then definitely screaming very loudly in my head.

She huffed a little, then spoke. "Why didn't you tell me," she couldn't even look at me.

"I'll explain at the cave, there's a lot I need to tell you, but I am sorry I kept this from you. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how. I've been keeping these secrets for so long, it's hard to share them." I looked over at her, gauging her reaction. She nodded once, then flipped open her textbook. At least she was sitting next to me.

Our teacher walked in and pulled down the screen projector, much to the confusion of his students. "The principle pissed me off at yesterday's meeting and since we're so close to winter break, we're watching a movie!"

I love this class.

. . .

We weren't as lucky in our other classes.

By the end of the day, I had decided that not only did Jay need the truth, Quinn and Roan needed truth too. Which meant revealing Kiki and Penny. I had also decided that even though my teachers had assigned our midterm projects, I can risk not handing them in until at least early February. I had other things to think about. Like Christmas. And my inevitable mental break down.

Jay had to walk her dogs first, but then she would meet me at the cave. That gave me time to prepare what I was going to say, and let Kiki and Penny in on our little truth fest. I chewed on gummy worms anxiously, better than chewing my thumb. At exactly 4:43 (she was late), Jay walked into the living room to see Quinn, Roan and I sitting on the couch. I tried a smile but my heart wasn't in it. I was just full of nerves, I didn't want to do this.

I hate talking about myself. I hate letting people in. I didn't even like how well Legion knew me. Maybe I've always been this way, maybe it's because of what happened to my family, or to Aella. Maybe it's because of the Director, lying to me, prying at my cracks, trying to take advantage of a young child. Once again, it seems to be a theme, the mood felt sombre. Jay walked over and sat next to Quinn, expressionless. I cleared my throat, thinking of what I had rehearsed.

"So before I tell you guys everything, there's two other people who want to join in, if that's okay?" Nods around the room. I called out and Kiki and Penny came into the room, sitting near me. At least I had their support for sure. They slowly pulled off their masks, almost in sync (that's a little scary) to reveal two faces that we were all familiar with.

"Huh," Jay said, looking thoroughly stumped.

"Okay this is so not fair," Quinn said, looking just a tiny bit mad. "So you think it's okay to keep who you are secret, but you get to know who we are?" He has a point.

"Quinn," Penny tried.

"No," He shut her down. He took a deep breath, composing himself, before speaking again. "I'm here to find out the truth from Nessa, then I'll decided whether I want to hear from you two." I found that a little harsh, but then again so was recruiting one of your best friends and not telling him that you understood what he was going through. Becoming a hero wasn't easy, it was so hard. The amount of stress we put our bodies through, the amount of stress we put our minds through. No salary can make up for it, but it can ensure some things. Like they'll get the best healthcare, and they will be honoured by everyone.

Everyone who knew.

"Okay," I said, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen. All eyes turned to me. "I guess I should start talking." I cleared my throat again, wishing I had washed down the gummies with water. Too late now. "I'm Nessa, and I've been Chameleon for 10 years. I was stuck by lightning when I was young, and it killed," I paused, trying not to choke on my words. "It killed my entire family. I was visited by the Director a few years later, and that's how the Agency started. I didn't have a home, so I lived in the cave, and spent my time testing my powers."

I clasped my hands together tightly, and felt a hand squeeze my shoulder. "Two years later, Waya, Aella and Swallow were inducted. The big three. You all know what happened to Swallow." The Director hadn't made the announcement, Waya and Aella had. One of the many reasons I dislike that man. "Aella and Waya took me in, we were like a little family. Then the Last Battle," I did choke on my words here. It was still too fresh.

"I'm sorry," I sniffled rubbing my face. "The Last Battle, Aella died, and I didn't know what to do. That's why Chameleon disappeared for months, and that's why Nessa wasn't at school the first few months."

"Ness," I heard someone say. I couldn't tell their voices apart anymore. I could barely hear anything. I couldn't see anything. Sobs wracked my body, and I felt arms loop around me, cocooning me in a sea of support and love. We stayed like that for seconds or minutes or hours until my cries faded. Everyone pulled away slowly, leaving lingering squeezes.

"I should have told you, there's no excuse for it." I said.

"Nessa," Jay began. "I'm still miffed you didn't tell us, and I'm sure the others are too, but we can understand why you didn't. Was it the right choice? No, but it was the choice you made, and you're making a choice right now. Thank you for telling all of us this, I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must've been to not only go through that but to live a lie. You don't have to lie to us anymore, I promise." She reached over and rubbed my arm, looking right at me while speaking.

It was like I could breathe again. This enormous weight was lifted off my chest, the ropes around my lungs were loosened, my head didn't feel as heavy. I started to feel truly happy again, like everything was going to be okay.

So of course something has to ruin that peace.

All six of us look up as the alarm goes off, listening for the computer to tell us the situation. "Mime and Peculiar spotted, twenty kilometres south of our location. Hired hand count, thirty. Threat level, eight. Backup required." Well that sounds fun.

I stood up, roughly brushing away my tears, the familiar anger building up inside of me. "Let's go get them."

. . .

It was chaos.

When me and Mo got there, the others either trailing behind or staying back at the cave, we spotted Waya and Legion making their way through the wall of muscle standing between us and the two villains. My eyes threatened to go out of focus with rage, and I bit back a scream. I dropped Geronimo off near Waya and Legion, and took off towards the back off the pack, flying above their reach.

I heard the telltale sound of Houdini appearing and glanced back to see her standing with Starbright, Met and Pluto. Good, I didn't have the willpower to stay away from Mime much longer. I focused back on my target circled twice, and dropped right down behind them. They were jumping up and down slightly, apparently looking for something, or someone.

"Hey there," I snarled. They turned around, shock registering on their faces. I grabbed Peculiar and took off into the sky, throwing her as far forward as possible. Phoenix swooped down and barely caught him, the two of them slowly falling to the ground, landing almost on top of Rellik. Whoops.

I dove back towards Mime, who was now slinking backwards, trying to disappear into the crowd. "Oh no you don't!" I yelled, reaching out for her collar. I latched on and pulled her up into the sky, taking off towards the river. The exact river where she had killed Aella last year. Let's hope Mime dies this time. I set her down with her toes barely touching the edge of the cliff.

"Cammie, no!" I heard Waya's voice behind me. I knew he was coming towards us, but I didn't dare take my eyes off this villain.

"Yeah Cammie, no!" Mime repeated in her high pitched voice. I shook her collar again, watching as she scrambled to find footing on the ledge.

"You," I breathed, feeling Waya come up behind me. Risking a glance I saw his eyes hard with rage and his posture tight. He may not want me killing Mime, but he's fine if she sweats a bit first. "You killed her," My voice was rigid with rage. "You killed my best friend."

She tilted her head all the way to the side. "Which one was that again?"

I screamed in her face, shaking her again. Her cold laughter rang out loud and clear, and it was then I registered the lack of fighting happening behind me. I watched Mime's eyes trail across a line, meaning the others were there.

Funny, everyone who was there last year was here again.

"You know her! She was my best friend and you killed her." I bit out, my eyes blurring either with rage or tears. I couldn't tell at this point.

She just laughed again. "Splash!" she shouted, rubbing it in my face. "Poor little Cammie, no more best friend for her!"

My throat was raw from screaming but I did it again anyway. All I could do was scream. Scream and fly. I pushed up off the ground, holding Mime tightly in my hands. "Splash," I whispered, loosening my grip. "No more Mime."

I let her go, my wings beating as she fell and fell and fell, all the way down, until she wasn't falling anymore. Instead, she was floating. Floating. Hovering. At a complete standstill in the air, waving up at me. That's a new one.

"Hey Cam," I heard behind me.

I whirled around, seeing a woman in a red suit, floating in the air behind me. A woman in a red suit, with long brown hair and green green eyes. Oh so familiar long brown hair and green green eyes. Oh so very familiar.

"Martha?" I choked out. This couldn't be happening. No. She wasn't real. Mime was dead and so was Martha.

And suddenly I was the one who was falling falling falling, staring at my best friend, floating in the sky like an angel, a ring or red surrounding her. She looked beautiful.

Then darkness.

#writeblr #new writeblr #writeblogging #writers on tumblr #story #superhero #super powers

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anathewierdo · 3 years

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Call of the Ocean Chapter 31: What the Waves Pushed In

Pairing: CEO!Mechanic!Dean Winchester x Mermaid!Reader

Word count: 6538

Chapter summary: Dean has trouble processing what he saw yesterday. After so long, our merfolk finally hear from Liara, but not in the way they had hoped for.

Call of the Ocean Masterlist

A/N: Y’all ain’t ready for this one 😉. This series is a collaboration with @flamencodiva . Text dividers made by the awesome @talesmaniac89

Next chapter will be posted on Saturday, December 12th

That morning, Roan had left the house with Ellen to talk about Thasman. Y/N on the other hand, sat Thasman down on Ellen’s couch and paced in front of her friend.

“What were you thinking!” she scolded. “You could have died! That was not wise to do Thasman. You should have told us!”

“Ellen and I didn’t want to worry you–”

“But you did, Thasman,” Y/N pointed out. “We could have helped you figure it out. We could have been there for you.”

“Until a week ago, Roan wasn’t talking to me. Ellen and I talked about our experiment before I mended things up. Afterwards,” he shrugged, “the subject just never came up, and it was easy to forget.”

“But this was important, Thas,” Y/N said, slightly defeated. She sat down next to her friend and sighed, “You could have told us that you had your suspicions of being half human. We could have tried to do research or help you figure this out.” Y/N reached over and held on to his hands, “Do you think Liara knows?”

“From what she said, there was a possibility,” the merman said. “Well, it was more how she didn’t really deny or confirm it.”

“So she doesn’t know and you decided to risk your life without knowing if it would go wrong.”

“I mean, think about it Y/N,” Thasman sighed. “When we came before the tournaments, you showed signs of drying out; I never did,” he pointed out. “I-- I overheard something when I went to Bobby’s the day of the barbecue thing.”

“What did you hear?” Y/N asked as she curiously looked at her friend.

“Enough to believe that the possibility of me being a halfling was not so small after all,” he mumbled. “I am not so sure about one of the things I heard… I must talk to Liara. That I know. I have too many questions and she’s the only one who seems to have answers.”

“It’s too dangerous to go home, Thasman. You know this,” Y/N said gently. “Is there anything you can tell me? Or even Roan? We’re your friends and we love you, Thas.” Y/N hated seeing her friend full of conflict. For once, she wanted her friend to be happy and enjoy his life with Roan.

“Roan knows of what I heard. I couldn’t keep something like this from him. Y/N, don’t take this wrongly,” he pleaded. “I know you both love me. I love you too, but you have enough to deal with already with Dean and us hiding from humans and the fact that we haven’t heard from Sindarta for so long and I just, I didn’t mean to add to the list.” he reasoned, turning to face his friend and pulling her in for a hug. “Not to mention that this is my life and parents I’m dealing with. I didn’t want to say anything unless I was sure.”

“I guess I can understand that,” Y/N breathed as she gave him a squeeze. “But I am your friend. You can never burden me with anything. I am here for you, just as you are here for me.”

“Yes, I know,” he pulled away from her and smiled, “whatever else I need to discover we can do it together.”

“That sounds--”

“Thasman!” Roan’s scream made both of them turn and rush to the door. Pulling the door open, Thasman rushed to the banister that led to the stairs. He could see Roan running towards the house as fast as he could.

With the reflexes he was trained to have, Thasman rushed down to the beach to meet Roan with Y/N hot on his heels.

“Roan what’s wrong?” the princess asked.

“Ellen and I--” he panted, “we– we were walking– we were walking and we saw this–”

“Slow down, Roan,” the princess said as she placed her hand on his shoulder, “try to take slow, deep breaths.”

“No! We– saw this woman– this woman laying on the ground and when we got close,” he swallowed. “Thasman, it’s Liara. She’s here– she’s here and she’s injured. Badly.”

“No,” Thasman whispered as he rushed past Roan in the direction the merman had come from.

“Roan are you sure it was her?” the princess asked, looking at the merman before her.

“I swear it.” He took her hand, motioning for her to move, “She’s injured– injured and bandaged– with algae. We have to get her to Ellen’s dwelling.”

“Okay,” Y/N agreed as she and Roan ran after Thasman. As they neared closer to Thasman, Y/N spotted Ellen helping the scroll keeper as Thasman approached them, "Liara!" Y/N exclaimed as she ran as fast as she could to help Ellen with the mermaid.

Her friend froze for a second at the sight of the woman practically hanging by Ellen's side, muttering to himself, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no-no." Thasman took Liara into his arms and carried her bridal style, careful not to hurt her any more than she was as he rushed her to Ellen's house.

"Where did you find her?" Y/N asked Roan as they ran after Thasman.

"She was just lying there! We were just talking, I turned and there she was! Who knows how long she's been unconscious." He turned to Ellen with urgency, "She's still alive, right?"

"Yeah." Ellen breathed. "We should call Bobby. He can help."

"I'm worried as to what happened for her to be like that," Y/N wondered as they watched Thasman hold her.

"Put her on the table, Thasman," Ellen instructed. "Just like when you were on here."

Thasman nodded solemnly as he gently placed his guardian on the table and held on to her hand. He placed his forehead on her knuckles and tried to hold in his tears.

"You can't go," he whispered. "Don't leave me, Liara. You're the closest thing I have known to be a mother. I know--" he swallowed the lump in his throat. "I know that you aren't my mother, not really, but…" he licked his lips, "I don't care what people say. You are my mother, Liara. You may not have given birth to me but you raised me. Don't leave me, please!"

Y/N could feel the tears form in her eyes as she looked at the scroll keeper on the table. Ellen carefully took off the dress she was wearing when she revealed the seaweed that was wrapped around the mermaid. As Ellen began to peel it back slowly, Thasman let out a gasp.

"I'm going to murder whoever did this to her," he growled. "Their head will be mine by Poseidon's will!"

"Thasman," Y/N placed a hand on his shoulder, "she'll be alright. We need the balm, and Bobby is coming to help."

"She brought some balm with her the last time, didn't she?"

Roan nodded, "She did! I'll go get it. How deep is the wound?" he asked as he made his way to the kitchen where he had placed the balm for more comfortable reach.

"Not as bad as my injury, but hurry up," Thas mumbled as he inspected it. "Has Ellen called Bobby yet?"

"Just called him," she emerged from the other room. "He's coming as fast as he can. Do we need to put her in the tub with salt for the balm to work?"

"I don't wanna move her," Thasman whispered as he brushed a few hairs off Liara's face. "I don't want to hurt her."

"Thasman," Y/N said gently. "If she needs it…"

"She isn't going to die. Not today," Thasman hissed. "Not now, not ever!"

"Hey, Mortum (Love)," Roan called, taking hold of one of his shoulders. "She won't die, but you have to let us help her to prevent that, alright?"

"I--" Thasman did in front of his friends what he rarely did. He let himself cry. "I can't lose her, Roan. I just can't," he let out a sob.

"It's okay, Thas," Roan assured. "It's going to be okay. She'll wake up soon, I promise. But first, you have to help me take her upstairs so we can put the balm on her, okay? Y/N, get all the salt you can find."

Thasman could only nod. He stood and carefully moved to carry Liara towards the bathroom; the sound of the water running echoing in his head. He barely noticed when Y/N had added the salt. While he held on to Liara, he brought her head close to his face and kissed the top of it, his tears still flowing.

"It's ready," Y/N whispered as she looked at Thasman.

"Okay," Thasman muttered. He slowly lowered her into the water before holding his hand out for Roan to give him the balm, "I'll put it on her."

"I think it's best if you give yourself a break, Thas. Let me put it on her a–"

"Roan," Thasman's voice cracked. "Please. She always took care of me. It's my turn to take care of her."

"Okay," he conceded. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Please," was all the merman said.

Roan nodded, putting the lid of the toilet seat down and sitting on it. Looking at Thasman with a small smile, "Then I'll stay."

As the three merpeople sat around the tub, Bobby had arrived and knocked on the door. Ellen made her way quickly, opening it for the man.

"They put the balm on her and have her in the tub," Ellen explained. "Not sure how bad it is, Singer. But Thasman is scared he's going to lose his guardian."

"Alright," Bobby nodded as he followed Ellen to the bathroom.

The woman gave him a nod as they got to the door and knocked softly on it. She knew it was open, but she didn't want to intrude on a private moment, "Hey, guys? Bobby's here."

"Alright," Bobby said as the door opened. Making his way inside, "Let's see what we got."

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Dean could not sleep that night. Every time he tried to close his eyes, the dreams became worse. Lisa was holding him back, Y/N was dragged, and her purple tail was splashing in the water. He looked at the time and growled; Dean didn't want to deal with his friends or his brother today. He wanted to be shut into his room and process everything that happened last night. He could hear the hushed tones outside his room.

He knew he had to eventually face them. But he wanted to do it on his own time. He wished he was alone, in solitude. It's what he needed.

"Dean! Come on! We have to go to the garage!"

Dean groaned in annoyance, "Okay, okay! I'm coming, dammit!"

Running a hand across his face, he got dressed and threw open the door. He stayed silent as he grabbed a quick bite to eat and made his way to the Impala. The ride to the garage was quiet as he focused on getting there. The tension in the car was thick as Benny, Cas, and Sam all looked at one another. Did Dean fight with Y/N? Did he find something about her that was horrible? Did he find the reason why she was lying?

All of these questions were talked about in hushed tones as they arrived at the garage. The boys also realized the way Bobby slammed the door to his house and ran to his car.

"Got an emergency at Ellen's," he called behind him. "Thas won't be able to make it."

Dean could only imagine why. He was probably sick again. But if Bobby was going to Ellen's, did Bobby know? Dean shook his head. No, it couldn't be. Bobby doesn't look like the type. Plus, he was imagining things. His eyes were seeing things. He was drunk, and Mermaids aren't real. And yet, everything felt real. He saw it with his own eyes. Roan, Thasman, and Y/N are mermaids. The mythical creatures that only exist in fairy tales and Disney movies.

"Dean?" Sam's voice broke his thoughts.

Taking a slow deep breath, he tried to compose himself, "Yeah, Sam?" Dean said as he walked to a wall full of clipboards with cars that need to be fixed.

"Everything okay?" he placed a hand on Dean's shoulder. "You went to talk to Y/N and then…" he trailed off and looked at his brother concerned.

"When I'm ready to talk, I'll talk," Dean grumbled as he flipped through the work for today.

"But Dean -- "

"I'm not you, Sam!" Dean spat. "I don't talk about my feelings right away, okay? I need to process it, and even if I hold it in, it's my business, not yours, got it?"

Sam looked like he was going to keep going until he took a real good look at his brother. Closing his mouth, he nodded and stepped back.

"Yeah," Sam rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, man. I'm just worried about you."

"I know you are. But I have a way to process whatever is going on in my head, okay? If you need me, I'll be in the office going over the work schedule," he grumbled before making a beeline towards his office.

He wasn't sure how it happened, but the minutes seemed like hours to him. As he was working on the computer, all he felt was a tight ball of stress weighing him down. The sound the keys made as he typed his document echoed in his ears. Looking up, he took sight of the portrait of Y/N that Bess had painted in his office. She was in various parts of it, curiously looking at what he had. When he first saw it, he smiled. It was exactly like her. But now, now he realized it was probably because she didn't really know everything about their world.

The fact that she was a constant reminder in his office didn't make things any better.

In all honesty, Dean just felt exhausted. Last night made it seem like everything else had been a lie. How much of what they had told him had been true? How much of it had to be faked, for him to stay in the dark regarding what they are?

His heart was screaming at him to stop being a moron and just confront Y/N because the fucker was sure that what he felt was real, and that Y/N couldn't have faked everything that had happened between them.

How does one confront a person about them… not being human?

Dean's head was all jumbled up and practically pounding, and would someone please just knock him the fuck out so he could stop thinking for a moment?

"Benny, Dean," Andrea's voice pulled him out of his stupor. "We got a client coming in 10 for a quick checkup of his car. Get ready."

"Thanks, mon cher!" Benny called back. Dean could already feel him coming in his direction, all big and overprotective like he always was whenever he was feeling down. "Come on, partner. You can't bail on me now."

Dean tried but failed to get out of his hold, "You can take care of it, Benny," he mumbled. "I need to do something."

"No, you don't. You are gonna come with me, work on what we do best and clear up that head of yours. Your engine's running so fast I can practically see that brain of yours overheating.

"I thought you didn't want me to plunge myself into work?"

"I'm not preventing you from plunging yourself into work. I'm distracting you, so you don't make any rash decisions while you're on the verge of a meltdown." He turned Dean towards the Mermaid Wall, "Even Y/N over there looks worried."

The way the portrait looked at him made him sigh. He couldn't fault Benny for that.

He shook his head and nodded, "Alright," Dean breathed. "Let's get ready for that checkup."

In between fixing cars and crass jokes, Dean had started to feel slightly better. Albeit, he still wasn't sure how to confront Y/N about what happened, he was feeling better. Dean found himself thinking about his discovery. Would he have done the same thing if he was in the same predicament? Looking at Benny, Dean wondered if his friend could give him advice on what to do. As they worked on the car, Benny could tell there was something on Dean's mind.

"I can practically hear you trying to ask me a question," Benny chuckled. "What's on your mind?"

"It's about Y/N and about you and Andy," Dean sighed.

"Okay, ask away," Benny grabbed a rag and cleaned his hands.

"Okay," Dean took a deep breath. "Hypothetically speaking, if Andrea had a secret that she was scared to tell you, but you found out anyway. How would you approach her about it?"

"What kind of secret we talking about?" Benny asked as he leaned on the car and crossed his arms.

"Say," Dean closed his eyes, trying to think of the best way to phrase his theory. "Say, Andy is like something you never heard before, right? Her secret is that she is a mythical creature, like uh…" He swallowed the lump in his throat, "A mermaid. How would you feel if she kept it a secret from you, but you found out anyway?"

His hopes started to dwell when he noticed the confused expression on Benny's face, "Why would I ask Andrea about her being a mermaid? Is this a kinky thing of yours?"

"No, Benny!" Dean groaned. "I am asking a serious question here. No games."

His friend nodded in understanding, all jokes and comments left aside, "I suppose I'd just… do it. Andrea is my best friend, brother. I cannot imagine my life without her. She holds so many secrets of mine, and I hold many secrets of hers. Trust is key. If you ask this serious, important question to Y/N, and she lies, then you should re-evaluate whether it's worth it to be with her or not."

Dean considered his friend's words.

"What if that lie is just to cover up the lie she's embarrassed about?" Dean sighed.

"You mean the fact that she's a mermaid?" Benny asked, raising his eyebrow at her.

"Wait, you know?!" Dean practically yelled.

Benny gave him a confused look, "Know what?! You're the one who's hypothetically asking about how to ask your girlfriend something important, and you chose to box that question in her being a mermaid."

"Right, you're right." Dean let out a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck, "So, hypothetically yes. A lie to cover up the hypothetical lie that she is a mermaid." he gave an awkward smile and gave Benny a playful punch.

"Okay, Weirdy McWeirdersen." Benny chuckled and shook his head. "If it's something very big and personal, and by the looks of it it is, then it's better to ask if this secret is going to affect your relationship in the future. Maybe she can't tell you the whole story, but she can tell you if you're going to be affected by it and if you can help."

Dean gave another nod as he thought about it. "Okay, That actually helps."

"Anytime Brotha," Benny gave a soft groan and stretched. "Now we need to get back to work before everything piles up."

With the end of that conversation, the two men went back to work.

Dean hadn't realized that lunchtime had snuck up on him. Looking around, he froze when he saw Y/N walking up to Andy with a bag in her hand. He tried to calm his breathing as Andy let her walkthrough. His heart was hammering in his chest as she got closer. God, she looked beautiful, but he knew her secret.

"Hi, Dean," She smiled brightly. "I brought you a double bacon cheeseburger, with extra onions and bacon." She held out the bag for him to take, "I also put in two slices of today's cherry pie."

Dean couldn't help but smile at that. She brought him his favorite food.

"Thank you, Sweetheart," he said and kissed her gently. "I'm super swamped today, so I can't really take a break to eat. I'll call you later?"

Dean's heart broke at the way her smile faded.

"Oh," she whispered. "I understand." He could see her putting on a fake smile. "I won't bother you today. I know you're busy. I'll… I'll head back to the diner." He could see her unease, and his heart broke.

Reaching for her, he caressed her cheek and pulled her in for a deep kiss.

"I promise I'll call you later." Dean muttered against her lips. He hoped that he was reassuring that everything was okay.

Or at least, that's what he was telling himself as he watched her walk away.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

It was strange that Dean had dismissed her. She didn't mind it as the fiasco Thasman mentioned involving Lisa could have been the root cause. But still, it hurt the way he dismissed her. He wouldn't look at her, and she wondered what she did wrong—making her way back to the diner she put on her apron and got back to work.

With Liara at Ellen's resting after her escape, the young princess really had no one to talk to. The last time she felt this sad and helpless, was when she had to leave Dean the first time. With Liara being here, did that mean something happened to her father? Her lips quivered, just thinking about returning home and her father no longer swimming in Poseidon's vast sea.

"Y/N?"

Meg's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Are you okay?" Meg put her empty tray down and looked at the young mermaid.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just… Someone from our home was found on the beach bleeding out and… and…"

The tears finally began to fall as her chest tightened. Meg looked around and ushered Y/N away from the customers and towards the kitchen. Grabbing a clean rag, she helped dry the princess's eyes.

"What happened?" Meg moved a few stray strands of hair behind the young mermaid's ear.

"We don't know," Y/N whispered after she calmed down. "Ellen and Roan were out for a walk when they noticed her on the beach. We have no idea how she got there or what happened to her. Bobby is helping to patch her up, but she hasn't woken up yet and… and I wanted to talk to Dean, but he's busy, and I don't want to be a burden and I…" she took in a deep breath as she sobbed. "I don't know what to do. Thasman is so hurt, and it's his guardian."

"His guardian?" Meg stood up straighter. "Oh no. I mean, he's told me she'd raised him since he was small."

Y/N simply nodded. "She is all he's known. She has always taken care of him and… and now… he is so worried and scared and I feel useless. I'm a useless friend and a useless princess, and I just…"

"Hey calm down, Y/N," Meg ushered her to a seat as Ash clenched his jaw.

He hated seeing Y/N like this. Taking off his apron, he stormed out of the kitchen.

"Meg, take over, I got somewhere to go," Ash growled.

"Ash!" Meg called out. "Get back here, you mullet head!"

Y/N could hear Meg storming out of the kitchen and dragging Ash back.

"I'm going to show that car head a thing or two," Ash grumbled. "He made Y/N cry!"

Y/N shook her head. "It's not his fault Ash." She took in a breath, "He's busy and has a business to run. What I am going through is trivial, but…" She bit her lip.

Ash sighed and shook his head, "If he's being an idiot and breaks up with you I'm going to let Thasman beat him to a pulp and then I'll join to cause more damage."

"Thank you, Ash," Y/N sniffled with a smile.

Taking the rag Meg gave her, she cleaned up her face and smiled.

"I'm ready to get back out there," She hopped off the stool Meg sat her on and grabbed her notepad and pencil.

"Are you sure?" Meg asked. "I can call Clarence and tell him to have Dean call you right now?"

Y/N shook her head, "No, I should leave him alone today. I'm going to finish my shift and head home to help with Liara."

Once out on the diner floor, Y/N made sure to work harder than she ever did. By the end of her shift, Y/N smiled at the amount of tips she made. She had learned that Dean wanted a particular set of tools for his garage, and she was trying to save enough money to buy it for him. That and she wanted to buy him something for Baby.

As she was grabbing her things, Thasman came in through the door. His face was full of relief.

"Liara is awake," He breathed as Y/N smiled brightly at the news.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

half an hour before

Thames groaned as she tried to open her eyes. Her head was not pounding, but exhaustion was still clinging to her. Her eyes felt heavy, her mouth was dry, arms and unused legs heavy as huge stones from the bottom of the sea. She didn't have the strength to check on her own wound.

The surface beneath her had changed; her face was no longer pressed against the sand.

A bed. She had to be in a bed.

But whose bed?

Thames's throat was starting to release a groan out of her unease. Confusion had become her worst enemy after so many years of certainty, research, and document.

"You're safe, Liara."

Who dared to tell her that?! She wanted to shout at such a statement: Her erratic heart would not calm until she saw the face of her son, his love, and her niece. The control over one of her hands was regained, and she pressed it to her side, expecting to find some human bandage.

"Liara, please." Another voice begged her. "Open your eyes. You are safe."

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to calm herself with no success.

"Liara," the voice said again. "Please, open your eyes. I can't lose you. Please."

At those words, it happened. Thames let her eyes flutter open and winced at the light that filtered through her eyes. Blinking a few times to adjust them, Thames could see two shapes surrounding her. Her arms were as heavy as stones; she used all of her will to lift them. When she found someone's hand, she squeezed it hard.

"Liara," The voice said. So familiar and yet, the name escaped her. "Liara, it's Thasman. I'm right here. Please, Liara. Say something. Anything."

"Guppy," she let out as tears rolled down her eyes.

The name made her more aware. She was safe, and her breathing began to calm as the fog started to lift. Once she had some clarity, she forced herself to let go of Thasman's hand and caress his cheek.

"I made it," she whispered. "All I thought about was getting to you, my little guppy."

Thasman let out a small sob before pulling the merwoman into a hug. He felt like a young guppy again, crying into her embrace. Ellen and Roan stood back as Thasman, and Liara hugged in silence.

"I thought I was going to lose you," Thasman whispered. "You should never have gone back. I should have never let you go on your own."

"If you had gone with me, you would have been tortured," Liara answered. "You did the best thing by staying here and keeping the princess and Roan safe."

"What matters is that you're here now," Thasman pulled back and ran his fingers through her hair before kissing her forehead. "You've taken care of me, Liara. It's my turn to take care of you."

The fond smile couldn't seem to go away from her face. It was the sweetest image, to see her guppy try to care for her. "No need, Thas." She assured. "I'll be fine."

"I mean it, Liara." He told her sternly. "You are not going to get out of this bed without help. And only to eat and to rest on the couch. I will carry you where you need to go."

"Thasman, I promise, I'll be fine. You don't have to do that."

Thasman frowned at her, "Why are you stubborn? You are not going to move from this bed, Liara. I mean it." He held her face in his hands. "I should have been there to protect you. So this is how it will be until you are better."

"Are you implying I can't take care of myself, child?" Liara sassed.

"If you can get up from the bed, then you may," Thasman said, echoing the words from when he had retrieved Y/N's bracelet back at her. He pulled back and crossed his arms over his chest, raising his eyebrow at her.

Liara hid her amusement under an eye roll. "And now you use my words against me. I taught you too well." She paused for a moment, considering her options, then met Thasman's eyes once more. "Very well, Thas. I yield."

"I don't care what people say, Liara," Thasma whispered. "To me," He licked his lips, "You are my mother. you are not just my guardian."

"You can't just say that to me when I'm in no proper condition to hug you."

Thasman couldn't help but chuckle, "Would a hug from me be enough?"

"Yeah, it would." Mumbled the scroll keeper. Her eyes shone with unshed tears and her smile had turned wobbly. "For now."

Thasman gently wrapped his arms around her. His lips kissed the top of her head as he took in the fact that she was here, on the surface.

"Don't scare me like that again, please?" his voice sounded like that of a small child.

"I never meant to… Hopefully, I did well, and Michael's men weren't able to follow me."

"I'll be ready," Thasma declared. "I should go inform Y/N that you're awake. Will you be okay with Roan and Ellen here?"

"You mean that Ellen human you mentioned back home?"

Thasman nodded, "Yes. I promise Liara she will not harm you. If she was dangerous, I don't think we would be here."

He watched as Liara gulped down whatever anxiousness she felt at the prospect of being in the same room as a human again. "Alright. Be safe, Thasman."

Thasman gave her one last kiss on her cheek before smiling at Ellen and Roan on his way out. Liara found herself fascinated with the flower pattern on the blanket that covered her as Roan and Ellen walked it. She could feel their eyes on her. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look up.

"You look well, Roan," She smiled at the merman before looking at the human. "And you must be Ellen. Thank you for caring for them."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise. "You heard 'bout me?"

Liara tried to hold her jealousy in and swallowed the lump in her throat. "You were all he talked about when he told me the stories of their time here before the tournament."

"I didn't think he would talk so much about me. He talked about you a lot in their time here. All three have. From mother to mother, you did an amazing job raising Thasman."

"I did what I could to ensure he grew up a strong and respectful merman," Liara whispered. Her eyes filled with tears. She felt proud of the work she did but ashamed of the secret she held.

Roan took the opportunity that came with the silence to close the distance between him and the scroll keeper's bed. He occupied the same chair Thasman had been sitting on just seconds prior. "How are you feeling, Liara?"

"Tired." She breathed. "Heavy."

"Liara," Roan said as he licked his lips. "May I be bold and ask you a question?" He shifted his gaze to Ellen before looking at The scroll keeper

The mermaid in question gave him a dubious look in return but ultimately nodded. "What is it?"

"When Thasman was a guppy," He paused and took in a deep breath. "Did you notice the royal mark on his neck?"

Thames closed her eyes and gave a small wince placing her hand on her temple. "My head is still pounding from all the swimming and bleeding. I can't recall right now. Maybe it will come to me after I'm better."

"Okay. I'll leave you to rest, but Roan must stay here, just in case you need help with anything. I'll go make something for you when you wake up."

"Thank you, Ellen," Thames gave her a warm smile as they walked away.

Once the door was closed, she let out the breath she was holding. No matter what, she had to keep Thasman and her true identities a secret. Who knows what chaos would happen if it were found out. Roan offered to apply more balm into her wound, and Thames accepted quickly. Anything for a change of subject. Settling into the bed, she closed her eyes and let sleep take over.

Thasman had brought Y/N a little while after Liara woke up for a second time. Ellen had placed a bowl of what she called 'Soup' on the smaller table by the bed. Liara could feel the worry and concern radiating from the princess.

"I'm so glad you're awake, Liara." Y/N confessed.

Liara hugged back weakly, still a little drowsy from her sleep. "I'm glad you three are okay."

"Is my father safe?" She whispered. Her eyes were full of sadness.

"As safe as he can be in a cell."

Y/N nodded, "Has Michael… Has he hurt my father in any way?"

Her heart broke at the sight of her niece being so worried. It must have been torture in its own right, to not know anything from them in so long. "That I don't know. I haven't been able to visit him in weeks." Liara told the young princess softly. "The King asked me to rally our allies, take a stand against this awful leech that took his throne."

Y/N nodded somberly as she took in a deep breath. "Does Michael have a mark? I thought I saw it on him once, but it wasn't something I recognized."

Liara scrambled for the memory, the weird-looking mark that took place in the foreign prince's neck. "I didn't get close enough to analyze it, but it is unlike any other royal mark I have seen before. He came with a scroll and his men claiming he had a right to fight."

Y/N nodded with a soft hum, "Whatever it is, I don't like it."

"No one did." Liara clarified. "But the letter had been signed by one of the Royals of the Far East. We didn't have enough time to send someone to confirm Michael's legitimacy."

"Would it be possible," Y/N looked at Thasman, "Once you are better to go to the kingdom he is from and find out?"

"Not without risking him catching me first." The scroll keeper admitted. "After last night's events, he will be scouring all of the seas for my head."

"Then you don't go." Thasman intervened. "We think of something here."

"Who will go, Thasman?" Y/N rubbed her temples, "You? That is out of the question. You can stay here and I will go. It is my duty as the princess to fix this."

The merman scoffed. "For you to be received by Michael's men with spears and swords?" He practically screeched. "And who knows what other torture apart from forcing you to marriage with him?"

"What other choice do we have?" Y/N yelled in frustration. "There is a chance that he is a false prince, Thasman. Everything about him is suspicious. He claimed to have power, but I never saw it."

"I am not risking the only heir of the kingdom and our only leverage for the King's life. It's you he wants." He insisted. Hands shaking at both of her shoulders desperately. "Going would mean suicide and surrender. We can't take that. I won't lose either of you to him."

"Enough," Liara sighed sharply. "This was worse than when you were arguing over the last bit of mollusk." She rubbed at her temples. "As of now, we are at an impasse." She looked at Thasman. "We will need to find a way to do this carefully and with certainty."

Y/N opened her mouth to try and argue but closed it when the scroll keeper gave her a stern look.

"No, Y/N," Liara said sternly.

"Fine." She huffed, the creases in her face fading as she took in once more the bandage Bobby had put on Liara. "How is your wound?"

"Healing, your highness," She smiled at the princess.

"I'll tell Ellen to bring Bobby up here. He has to change the bandage, and we have to apply more balm to it so you'll heal completely by tomorrow morning."

At the mention of Bobby's name, Liara tensed. She simply smiled and nodded. Thasman stayed with her while Y/N shouted from the door they were ready for Bobby. The trio sat in a small bit of silence as they heard Bobby's footsteps coming up the stairs.

"He is very grumpy and sarcastic," Thasman tried to comfort Liara. "But he is a very good man and knows what he's doing. He's the reason I made it past the first night after the tournament. You'll like him."

Liara offered him a soft smile, "Thank you, my little guppy." She caressed his cheek. "Seeing you strong and alive, I know I am in good hands."

The knock on the door startled all three of them before Thasman, and Y/N made their way to the door.

Bobby moved out of the way as Thasman, and Y/N walked out of the room. He paused as The princess placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sure if you ask her," Y/N paused to swallow the lump in her throat. "She can tell you about my Aunt. She might know what happened.'

Bobby did nothing but nod as he bit the inside of his cheek. Once the two young mermaids left, Bobby made his way inside and took a very good look at the woman. He took a closer look at the mermaid on the bed and nodded. Bobby knew it was her. He could tell this was Thames. He could see it in her eyes as she looked at him. He raised his hand as she began to speak, stopping her from saying anything.

"You have a lot to explain," Bobby said before taking a deep breath. "Thames."

Well holy fuck. Not at all a very happy reunion between Bobby and Thames. What did y’all think?? Did you like it?? Do you have any questions?

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