#i cater only to my dad as a way to avoid his wrath

[sweatermuppet]

ive been buying my mother, my father, & my brother groceries for months, even when i didn't live here i pitched in the funds (namely so my brother could eat), & last night it finally got thru to my father that ive been the one paying for it? like somehow i mentioned how much it cost & he was like wait u got this?? like yea dude ive been helping cover yr electric bill + hot water expenses too lmao

[thefifthsister]

Under The Stars

Kate’s Birthday Fic

After a morning spent with their daughter, Lily and Castle tending to her every need, he’d announced he was whisking her off for grown up time for a few hours and they’d left Lily with Alexis. She suspected they were up to something but she was content to let them have their fun.

When they rolled up to the Angelica theatre she grinned at him. He pulled two tickets from his pocket and handed them to her.

“Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan!” Castle told her, grinning at the excitement in her eyes.

“I love this movie,” Kate smiled.

“I know,” Castle held out an arm and she wrapped herself around it, following him into the cinema. She was a sci-fi geek and he was so thankful that this re-release had coincided with her birthday. They were both huge fans of this film but Kate could quote it better than he could. She was grinning like their daughter did when she was getting a treat. 

They took their seats and he wrapped an arm around her. “I always loved this movie. The first time I ever saw it was with my Grandfather. He used to show me Star Trek reruns and we’d run around the garden pretending it we were exploring another planet. You really do remind me of him.” She curled into Castle’s side, sharing popcorn and milk duds, laughing at all the sarcastic remarks Bones and Kirk made, smirking at the fight scenes and tearing up at the heart wrenching conclusion. When the credits rolled she turned to her husband and drew him in for a kiss. “Thank you. I’ve never it on the big screen. Well, not one you don't hang in the Loft.”

“Me neither.” Castle gave her another peck and helped her with her coat. “We’ve got to stop off on the way home to pick up your other present then we'll head back for dinner with the girls and our parents,” he informed her as he led the way back out onto the New York street. 

She regarded him with suspicion. He’d already given her her birthday present at breakfast with Lily, or so she had thought. A beautiful locket with a photo of Lily and the ultrasound of the twins in it that was hanging around her neck. “Okay,” she said, checking her cellphone for messages. “Dad text me to say he was on his way over.”

“We won’t be long,” he assured her. Taking her hand, he started to walk down the street with her. It was a nice day out. Not too cold, she had a little more energy and she was feeling happy to be out with her man. He was clearly trying to spoil her and she was content to let him.

“Castle, this is the planetarium.” She was confused when he turned to enter the building. "Why are we here?" She followed him in and tried to ask him more questions about what they were doing there but he avoided an answer and then someone was greeting them and ushering them towards the auditorium. 

“Castle? Rick?”

“I organised our own private viewing,” He told her as he led her into the room, the 180° dome screen was on and projecting the night sky. She looked up at it, amazed. She hadn’t been here since she was a kid and she didn’t remember it ever being so stunning.

“Oh, Rick…” 

“There’s more… just don’t hurt me,” he joked and watched her head snap down as her focus came back to him. 

“Surprise!” 

She was amazed to see the empty room suddenly filled with her family and friends as they appeared from the door they'd just entered through. Lily and Alexis held up a banner that read ‘happy birthdays across it, Jim helping Lily hold it at the same height as her sister. Martha and Lanie released balloons around the room and Ryan, Espo, Jenny, Sarah-Grace and Nick carried in an arm full of presents.

“Happy burfday Mommy!” Lily grinned. 

“Happy birthday Kate,” Castle said from her side. She smiled. Everyone she loved most in the world was standing in front of her, under the starry sky. A surprise party. He’d finally gotten her back.

“Mommy?” Lily looked worried. “Mommy sad?”

Oh, she was crying. She was so amazed right now and she hadn’t realised that tears had started.

“Oh not at all, little flower. Mommy is happy. Very happy,” Kate told her as she walked towards her daughter and Dad, holding out her arms to take Lily and cuddled her.

“Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you everyone. This is amazing.”

“Happy birthday Katie,” Jim wrapped his arm around his girls and let his daughter compose herself a little. He gave her a squeeze and she dropped Lily down to her feet and watched her start to chase a balloon across the room.

Martha gave her a hug and then she turned to Alexis and wrapped her in a hug. “Thank you,” she told her stepdaughter, knowing she’d helped Rick pull this off. 

She was hugged by her friends then, her boys wishing her well and Lanie and Jenny fawning over how good they thought she was looking, glowing is what they said. Sarah-Grace and Nick had hugs and kisses for Aunt Kate and then Rick was back at her side with an arm around her waist as he led her to a table that was laid out with catering dishes and plates to the side of the seating area. 

“Dinner?” 

“Under the stars,” Rick smiled. “We ordered from your favourite chinese place. Jim and Mother met the delivery guy here and the girls set up the table and decorations.”

“Mommy, me and Wex paint you picture!” Lily told her pointing at the banner that Alexis had now hung with the aid of Ryan and Espo.  

“You did all this? How did you even get this place for the night?”

“I know a guy." Castle shrugged. Of course. "It was actually Lily’s idea."

Kate regarded him, an eyebrow raised. Her daughter was smart, too smart, but this had Richard Castle all over it.

Castle lifted Lily and the two grinned at each other, identical, the grin they wore when they were ganging up on her. “We put our heads together. We hatched a plan, didn’t we sweetpea?” Lily nodded. “What could we give Mommy to show her how much we love her. And how much do we love Mommy?”

“To da moo and back!” Lily replied. Castle pointed up and she could see the moon. 

Kate laughed, could feel the tears threatening again and wrapped the two loves of her life in her arms, pressing kisses against her daughters cheeks and reaching up to kiss her husband. “I love you both so much.”

"Alexis has a friend that works here." Castle admitted.

"So, Alexis knows a guy?" She teased, thrilled at the cringe she got from him.

“Let’s eat before dinner gets cold,” Jim suggested. He took Lily from Rick and gave him and Kate a moment. 

“Thank you.”

“Always.” Castle kissed her, wrapping an arm around her and leading her to the table.

She sat and smiled when her Dad lifted Lily into the seat next to her, sitting in the seat on the other side of his granddaughter. Rick took the seat at the head of the table next to her and she watched as everyone else sat around the table. She watched as the feast was dished out, Martha offering chicken and fries to Lily, Nick and Sarah-Grace while she watched Ryan and Espo both dive for the orange chicken only to have Lanie beat them. Alexis and Rick made sure everyone had drinks as Jim cut up Lily's food and Kate watched it all unfold. 

Sarah-Grace and Nick talked animatedly about the scenes of space playing out around their heads and Kate had to smirk at the look of awe on her little girls face, reminding her to eat her dinner when she was too distracted and eventually Jim took over helping his granddaughter with her meal. She looked on as Espo and Ryan bickered over who’d eaten more of the orange chicken than the other until Jenny told them they were worse than the kids sometimes, telling Kate she hoped the twins would be better behaved, a sentiment Kate found amusing. She loved listening to Alexis explain the constellations and the planetary bodies, watching the stars swirl by and everyone taking it in as they ate this delicious meal together. Martha told stories of plays performed in Central Park under the stars, the magic of the outdoors on a summer night and words of Shakespeare to warm the soul. When she launched into tales of romance under the stars and Castle almost choked on his kung po chicken, Kate consoled him while Alexis changed the subject and Jim took the time to say a few words. 

"Rick is the master of words but on this special occasion, he’s agreed to defer to me.” Jim said as he got to his feet.  “Katie, I’m so happy to be here celebrating this birthday with you. The day you were born is one of the greatest days of my life and for the past forty years you have made me so proud. You have given me so much love, so many memories, so much frustration, stress, late nights, many, many grey hairs." He teased. "Your mother and I, all we ever wanted was to see you happy and grow up to take the world by storm. Though the road hasn’t always been easy, for either of us, I’m so proud of everything you’ve done, everything you've accomplished and all the good you've done. You are an amazing woman, an amazing daughter, wife, mother. You gave me a family again, a beautiful granddaughter and more grandkids on the way. The love you have for them is the love I, and your Mom, have for you. Happy birthday. I love you. We all love you.”

Everyone echoed the sentiments and Kate gave her Dad a hug. “Your Mom would be so proud of you,” he told her. She held him a little tighter.

She turned to take her seat again and found Martha rolling in her birthday cake. Castle rose, to wrap his arms around her waist, Jim lifted Lily into his arms and they led everyone in a chorus of happy birthday and Kate was once again struck by an incredible wave of love she felt for this family they’d built.

 Dinner gave way to a little music and Kate opening her presents. She watched as Ryan and Castle pretended to have lightsabre duels with Nick and Sarah-Grace. Lily was content dancing with her Gram and sister to the music. Espo and Dad who were discussing baseball and every so often she would chime in but she mostly chatted with Lanie and Jenny, exchanging pregnancy tips and occasionally stepping in when the galaxy battle got a little out of hand. 

Castle took over from his mother and scooped Lily into his arms, snagging Alexis too and twirling her with one arm as the other swayed Lily. Lanie wanted to dance and Jim offered to be her partner, causing Kate to laugh as she told her best friend to “watch those hands, young lady.” 

Jim managed a dance with Kate, Lily and Alexis, before kissing his girls goodnight and offering to share a cab with Alexis and Martha. The Ryans wrangled their kids with the help of Lanie and Espo and so the Castle family were left to their own devices.

Lily wanted to be cuddled and Kate was content to sit with her little girl and stare up as the stars. Together they watched as the Universe unfolded before their eyes and Kate whispered stories of space crafts and astronauts and how when she was younger Grandpa would take her out on the porch at the cabin and look up at the stars. Maybe when the twins were old enough they'd be able to do that with her kids.

She was distracted by Castle, watching him come back to join them after making sure their family got in cabs, arms full.

“What are you doing?” 

“Making us a nest. We’re gonna do a little stargazing before we take the munchkin home to bed. I’ve got pillows and blankets and I promise to help you up after.’ He got everything set up on the floor the way he wanted, came and took Lily from her and helped Kate get comfortable before dropping down next to her, his arm wrapping around her shoulder and Lily cuddling in between them. They lay together and watched the cosmos.

“See the moon, Lil?” Kate pointed and Lily reached her arm up too. “It’s pretty, isn’t it?”

Lily was getting sleepy and Castle gently ran his fingers through her hair, as Lily looked up at her with eyes so much like her mothers before dropping her head down to Kate's chest and curling into her. “Moo and back?”

“Yes, little flower. We love you all the way to the moon and back. Thank you for my special day.” Kate whispered as she watched her daughter's eyes flutter and shut. 

Kate snuggled closer to Castle, turning her head to drop kisses along his jaw. “Thank you. Today has been…”

“Out of this world?” Rick joked.

Kate rolled her eyes. “You blew my mind Castle.” “Told you I’d get you back. I only ever want to give you the moon and stars, Kate.”

Kate kissed him. “Thank you.” “Always.” 

AN/ Apologies for this being SO late. I had this all planned out for her birthday but life got in the way, I got sick, my Mum was in the hospital. Hope it was worth the wait. Happy birthday Beckett.

[cartoonfangirl1218]

Winner’s Curse Ch. 2

Note: Thanks to the spectacular @edream93 for making sure the Huma wasn’t too OOC. Also my own apologies if Gil seems too smart or aware. I tried to dumb him down, but for the purposes of this story I had him know a little bit more of what is happening around him. Warning, there are mentions of sadism.

Gil scanned the ocean, waiting for any tall-tale ripple of the waters that would signal Uma’s arrival into the boundary considered to be “Isle waters,” the place where the barrier formerly stood.

The Isle needed Uma’s leadership desperately since the absence of the barrier.

Six months ago, Maleficent publicly made her return. 

Gil remembered it vividly since it had been 3 weeks after Cotillion and Harry had entered Ursula’s chip shop in a happier mood. 

He had been incredibly unpredictable and irritable since Uma’s absence after the failed Cotillion invasion. None of the crew knew where she had gone, but that day Harry found letter in a bottle from Uma. 

She had settled for one of the abandoned caves in Atlantica and gave Harry specific directions for how to get there when she was ready for part two of her back-up take-over Auradon plan.

After that joyous news, lightning crashed, a storm brewed which was a bit unusual since Isle weather rarely deviate from cloudy and sometimes rainy skies.

Most people went out to see what was happening and there on the terrace of Evil Queen’s tower was Maleficent with Queen Grimhilde.

Everyone stared in shock, no one knew what to do and Maleficent laughed at their faces.

The Evil Queen went on to explain, with Maleficent’s running commentary, that the Anti-Magic barrier surrounding the Isle had been significantly weakened. And with the Coven of 13’s combined strength, it would soon be removed and they all would be freed.

Even though no one understood the Evil Queen’s “Coven of 13” line, everyone cheered at that declaration. 

Gil’s mom even ran up to hug him and give him a rare kiss on the head in public. He had almost been as surprised by that show of affection then by Maleficent’s return. His mom was usually so tired all the time and so very cautious of showing her affection in case Dad decided to hit him to spite her.

But then Maleficent explained who were the Coven of 13. It was made up of only former-magic users, each ruthless to the core, and Maleficent announced that they would be calling the shots and if anyone didn’t like it....

Morgaine burst into the middle of the open lot of Jafar’s shop in a burst of flames and vaporized a man from Captain Hook’s pirate crew.

Gil’s mother hadn’t let him go from his hug at that point, but when she saw the pirate’s dusty form, she gripped Gil in fear and Gil instinctively knew to cower.

It had been a good choice because Morgaine stared straight into his eyes and smiled, saying, “That boy has the right idea. You all must bow down to us. We will have no hesitation to kill you weak, inferior mortals.”

Ever since that proclamation the whole structure of the Isle changed. There were no fights or power struggles, with that one execution, everyone knew it was stupid to risk their necks to challenge the magic users. Especially volatile magic users like Yzma or Maleficent.

Instead everyone began to cater to them. The land where there were no set rulers and everyone fought for the last scrap despite age, size difference or difference in strength, suddenly became ordered.

The Coven of 13 were the undisputed rulers, causing several deaths every other week or so to remind people of their new powers.

Next came Sykes who arranged a squadron of mercenaries for hire that no one ever messed with and who often served the Coven for perks like extra food scraps, sexual favors and better places for shelter. His dad was one of the mercenaries because he was really good at brawling and goblin control, but he wasn’t hired often because several of the Coven ladies didn’t like his attitude at being ordered around by a female.

After that came an assortment of authority figures like Captain Hook and Cruella who had control of certain areas like Hook was in charge of the port and charged anyone who had to go through or wanted to fish. Cruella was the only one anyone on the Isle could go for fashion, Medusa for her small casino, the Queen of Hearts was the judge of the very few trials held on the Isle and so on.

That just left the henchmen, the goblins and the whores as Lady Tremaine often called women like Gil’s mom, females with nothing to contribute but their bodies.

What the adults did, didn’t matter to the VKs, they had been so absent from the lives of their kids no one cared that they switched positions in the feud chain of the Isle. 

The problem was that the pirate crew were now falling prey to this new hierarchy too.

Since they were all children of minor henchmen, the kids of authority figures found power in being able to boss them around.

Lars, son of Prince Hans was a major VK to watch out for. No one on the Isle really trusted him because he had inherited father’s deceptive nature and the fact that he put on airs like Anthony Tremaine. Pretending he was still some sort of noble. 

So Lars mainly stood in the background, nose in the air without anyone paying attention to him unless it was one of Drizella many daughters or some other fool gullible enough to stay alone with him.

Now, Gil was more aware of why he never trusted him. After the societal shift, Lars had started approaching him more and more often. Gil had been wary but with Uma MIA and Harry sulking about, Gil appreciated the attention of someone new who seem to want to be an ally.

And Lars even seemed genial. They would rough-house like he had seen his half-brothers do and they would hang out at bars.

But a week into this new friendship, Lars invited Gil to the dungeon of Maleficent’s castle.

The foreboding, dank area had been transformed from an empty space into a torture chamber. The walls lined with various weapons. Chained to the ground in small cells and cages were unfortunate goblins or henchmen who had done something to earn Maleficent’s wrath.

Gil started in shock at the torrid display of their bodies in unnatural positions, bile rising when he realized the that some of the pieces that he had thought were broken chains, were actually pieces of bone. Torn out from their limbs and sockets. The stench of blood filled the small room and Gil forced himself to turn away and focus on Lars in hopes of calming his churning stomach. 

Lars’ voice changed when he told Gil that this was no longer Maleficent’s personal dungeon. He seemed like he was trying hard to remain calm but could barely contain his underlying tone of glee.

He explained that for a price, villains could hire a mercenary to execute or interrogate whoever they wanted. Technically adults could choose whichever mercenary they wanted from Shan Yu to Lady Caine. They could even specify how they wanted the punishment doled out. But most chose Lt. Colonel Staquait for a torture session. The former French officer was particularly creative when it came to his displaying his sadism.

When Gil asked how Lars knew of this, Lars smoothly replied that he assisted Staquait.

Gil had stared at Lars. Though many Vks boasted of their wickedness and gruesome threats of physical harm. He had never known any kid who had actually gone through with it.

Lars had caught his shocked look and smiled. His gloved hand lightly brushing a stray hair from Gil’s ear, Lars whispered, “I so do enjoy to hear the crack of when fresh skin breaks.”

Gil barely managed to speak up with some excuse about having to go beat up Gaston Jr. for stealing his boots before he ran out of there. The wicked glint in Lars eyes conveyed all that Gil needed to know. Lars wanted him. Lars wanted to break him.

The memory of Lars’ eyes made him shudder like he had been splashed with an ice water down his spine. 

Lars’ eyes made known that he wanted to hurt Gil, but it was so unlike his father’s eyes when he hit him. 

His father’s eyes were wild, unfocuse with rage. His mind spitting out thousands of ideas of how to crush his bones. Lars’ eyes still showed his quick thoughts of all the ways he wanted to break Gil. Yet they were also utterly focused. Pinned on him and it made Gil feel helpless. 

He was sure Lars would show no mercy as he calculated the precise way to bring him the most pain, and Lars the most pleasure.

Gil had been avoiding him since that day, he had only seen glimpses of him once in a while on the streets, luring others with his most charming smile. 

Gil was safe, but he wondered if he was forgotten from Lars’ mind or if he was merely biding his time. Gil knew he should tell the crew the danger that Lars posed, but since Uma’s absence, the bond among them was disorganized and strained. They needed their leader.

Gil’s mind was brought back to the present when he heard a shout from behind him. Harry came running up to the shore line and dived into the water, the blissful smile in full force as he came to meet with the bubbling tidepool.

Uma’s long blue locks were the first to surface followed by the rest of her body. Gil forced a smile onto his face and rushed out to meet her, wading into the water up to his hips.

“Uma” Harry said reverently, grasping one of her tentacles that brushed past his cheek.

Uma smiled at both of them, her bright, intelligent eyes surveying them caringly. Such a rare look that Uma deigned to show when she always had to be tough and on her guard. But alone, she could lower her guard just a bit.

Gil knew if he was to be convincing that everything was all right, he should smile and nod as his mother did. But he instinctively lowered his eyes upon Uma’s glance at him. When he looked up, Uma locked eyes with him. She knew something was up.

But it had to be saved for later.

Uma turned to her first mate, “Do you have the profiles so we can begin phase 3.”

Gil looked confusedly between them. He knew Harry and Ua had been keeping close correspondence about whatever back up plan Uma had to take over Auradon but he didn’t know they had already began their master plan.

“Wait!” Gil blurted out, surprising even himself with his outburst, “What is this plan? Do you even know what has been going on around here without you? Do you know about the Coven? Or how about the fact that new people are trying to take over your turf as the most evil person on the Isle?”

“I am aware of the problems, Gil.” Uma said with the harsh tone she usually used when he interrupted her plans with a stupid question. “But if you want, we can review what we are about to pull off.”

Gil was about to point out that he hadn’t heard of the plan in the first place but kept his mouth shut. He was going to hear it now and that was what mattered.

“To answer your first question, Harry told me about everything that is going on around here and about this Coven business.”

Uma walked out of the water, transforming back to her human form with ease and settled herself onto the sand. The boys followed.

“I know about how some kids think they can take over my spot on top, but from what I hear, they are barely making themselves noticed.”

Gil considered her statement and he had to admit she was right as usual. Even though Lars scared him, the young man wasn’t making any moves to become “Prince of the Isle” as Mal had been the “Princess.”

The closest any Vk to be the new prince or princess were the children of the Coven like Ginny Gothel or Jade or Zevon and his sister, Yzla. But the usual suspects haven’t been out among the public lately. Just sequestered in the Evil Queen’s castle with their parents.

The children of any authority figures hadn’t reached the same level of fear and power Uma wielded since she had been gone. They were too preoccupied with feuding with each other or targeting fresh meat as servants or punching bags.

Or they were like Lars, keeping to their own private desires. . .

“As for the profiles, Harry show him.” Uma commanded and Harry pulled out a crumpled form that Gil recognized.

It was a Bill Sykes’ Mercenaries For Hire sign with its intimidating logo of a snarling Doberman with two swords crossed above it and Sykes’ office number underneath which was really unnecessary since everyone knew that Sykes’ “office” was just an abandoned shed on Lady Tremaine’s property.

The poster was a familiar sight to Gil since it was stapled on every tavern and shop wall, especially to cover the eyesore that were the “Yay Auradon” posters. He just didn’t get why Harry was showing it to him.

With a roll of his eyes, Harry turned the wrinkled piece of paper around. On the other side in fine type was a list of the mercenaries and their specialties. For once, Gil was glad that his mother had taught him to secretly read. Even though his dad and his brother’s called him a girl for doing such a prissy activity. 

Clayton: Trained as a hunter and guide. Experienced with rifles, guns, machates, poison darts, and extreme jungle environments. Specialty in hunting, poaching, and intimidation.

Lyle Tiberius Rourke: Trained in the American military. Experienced with fire ax, rifles, guns, grenades, poison gas, knife, hand to hand combat, army combat. Specialty in infiltration, grave robbing, treasure hunting, assassination and intimidation.  

*Will not deal with magic, magic curses or lost civilizations

Helga Sinclair: Trained in the American military. Experienced with aikido, tachi dori, tanto dori, hanka manza, knife throwing, katanas, rifles, guns, firearms, and tactile combat. Specialty in espionage, grave robbing, treasure hunting, assassination and intimidation.

*Will not deal with magic, magic curses or lost civilizations

Muviro: Trained as a Waziri soldier. Experienced with bow and arrow, poison darts, bone knife, spears, hand to hand combat, extreme jungle environment. Specialty in hunting, and assassination.  

Lady Caine: Former leader of a pirate crew. Experienced with swords, fans, poisons, sea warfare. Specialty, jailbreaks, infiltration, stealing, hand to hand combat and piracy.

Gaston: Trained in French army. Experienced with guns, hunting knives, bow and arrow, hand to hand combat, brawling. Specialty in hunting and intimidation.

Shan Yu: Former leader of the Hun Army. Experienced with bow and arrow, sword, army combat and survival skills in extreme areas. Specialty in tracking, strategy, intimidation, assassination, and conquering.

Sa’Luk: Formerly part of the Forty Thieves. Experienced with various daggers, claws, knuckle-dusters, street/hand to hand combat. Specialty, stealing, and intimidation.  

Lt. Col. Jean Staquait: Trained in French Foreign Legion. Experienced with whips, swords, lances, guns, army combat. Specialty, torture, intimidation, tracking and interrogation.

Gil sighed, the horrid memory of Lars’ work with Lt. Col. Staquait coming to the forefront of his mind along with the well-known headache emerging in his brain as he tried to figure out what they wanted him to know. Something that was obvious to everyone but him, “So what?”

“The way we are going to turn this whole system upside down, we have to infiltrate it first and that means we should hire a mercenary. And once they are in our service, maybe we can use him or her to turn against the Coven. After all, they are the second most feared group.” Uma said.

“But the Coven has magic.” Gil argued. “Even if the mercenaries are on our side, there swords and whips and bullets would be nothing.”

“Ha, don’t you remember, Maleficent was killed by Prince Phillip’s sword? My mom was impaled by a mast? I think a sword can do the trick.” Uma retorted.

“And with the Coven gone, and the barrier broken, we can lead the rest of the Isle to invade Auradon.” Harry finished the grand explanation.

Gil wanted to point out that there was so much more to consider, but let it go. They were smarter than him, they knew what they were doing.

“So who do you think we should hire?” Uma examined the paper carefully.

“Not Caine.” Harry snorted in disgust. Captain Hook had a fierce rivalry with Lady Caine since she was the only other pirate on the Isle that dared to challenge Captain Hook for his position as head of the dock and the strips of water. Plus she often tried to use her wiles to steal his boat and some of his crew members over the years. Hook had carried on that grudge to his children, so they would do their best to try to humiliate or one up her at every turn in the name of the Hook family.

“Staquait is too selfish, sadistic and won’t listen to us; Sa’Luk is too selfish; Gaston is Gaston. Do you think Shan Yu would listen to us?” Uma asked.

“No. He’s too solitary and I don’t think he would take us seriously.” Harry dismissed the idea.

“Clayton?”

“No. I think he’s given up ever getting off the Isle or changing his fate.” Gil said. He had often seen the older Brit at his dad’s bar. It was always the same scene of Clayton drinking himself into a stupor, muttering about how great he used to be before the white ape came along.

“Muviro could work... but do we really know anything about him? He’s always on his own-no I don’t think we can trust him. He’s off the list.” Uma said definitively.

“That leaves only Rourke and Sinclair.” Gil said, “And those two hate each other.” 

“Well Rourke did betray her and push her off a balloon to be melted in hot lava. So considering Rourke’s backstabbing tendencies, we’ll have to hire Sinclair for something.” Uma said.

Harry glanced down at her specialties, “How about we hire her to take a hit on one of Lady Caine’s crew?” 

“Uh.. let’s not complicate the plan by adding family revenge into this.” Uma cautioned, We can hire to steal some trinket. That way when we steal the bauble, we don’t need to focus all our energy on stealing and maybe get her on our side. That could work.” Uma stood up, crumpling the paper into a ball as she began to picture the victorious future.

The two boys nodded in agreement, standing up by her side as usual. Gil’s stomach relaxed for the first time in days now that he had assurance from his captain that things were going to be okay.

They were going to get rid of the Coven, they were going to get off the Isle, and hopefully with Uma reigning as queen, Lars would forget his quest to break him.

He hoped.

[kenzieam]

It’s Time - Chapter Three

Rating: M (language, eventual smut, angst)

Genre: Drama/Angst

@captstefanbrandt @iammarylastar @kiiiimberlyriiiicker1995 @notimetoblog @captain-ariel-barnes @jaamesbbarnes @lancefvcker @bitsandbobsandstuff @softlybarnes @lovelybbarnes @buckitybarnes @bucky-plums-barnes  @moonbeambucky @badassbaker @citylights221 @empress-of-boujee @tbetz0341chook007 @shynara51 @diinofayce @casestudy-mw  @jewels2876 @damnaged-princess @everythingisoverrated @allmyfanficfaves @melgoodwin @clarabella960 @curvybihufflepuff  @angryschnauzer @wowspideyholland @sergeantwhitewolf @smilexcaptainx @plaidcat4815

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Potential Triggers, please read with caution

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Bucky finally gets the chance to explain what happened five years ago.

The angst is strong with this one......

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As I'm staring, thinking these forbidden thoughts, Bucky looks up, his eyes locking with mine.

I duck out of sight with a curse. Shit. That half-second of contact is sending shivers down my spine, and not the bad kind. The raw sorrow in his gaze, the immediate hopeful light that glowed in it when our eyes locked. I don't dare look again, wait... maybe he's coming into the house to see me. No. I can't right now.

Faint snores from the nursery tell me both Nat and Lou are down for the count, and I scurry as quietly down the stairs as I can, ducking out the front door. I make it back to Mom's, my house now, I remember with a jolt and stop short.

Not everyone went to Clint and Nat's, there's a healthy stack of casseroles left on my front step too. A few scuttling trips takes care of that, then I shut and lock the door behind me with a sigh of relief.

Bucky doesn't follow, and while a big part of me is relieved, and even bigger part is disappointed.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************** The funeral is quiet, understated and tasteful, like Mom herself. Light, sombre classical plays in the background, and her urn is a simple polished metal. A few pictures of healthier times are surrounded by white and pale purple lilies, and one picture gives me pause, the largest one. I wonder if Clint disobeyed orders and snuck it in himself.

It's Mom and Dad together, not long before Dad's surprise fatal heart attack. It's a candid shot, taken at one of the many dinner parties Mom loved to host. She's seated at the table, fingers delicately clasping an even more delicate wine glass, and her head is thrown back in laughter. Dad has left his spot at the head of the table and is leaning over her from behind, and he's the reason she's laughing. He's laughing with her, face buried in her hair and they look so goddamn happy together it brings instant tears to my eyes. But I can't cry now, they're together again, like in the picture and that's good. I reach up to wipe at my eyes and hear a soft familiar voice.

"Levi."

My body doesn't jolt, like it's been expecting this. I turn to see Bucky standing a few feet away. He looks almost criminally handsome in a black suit, a thin tie and grey shirt. His hair is neatly combed and he's shaved, the exposed skin baby-soft.

"You look beautiful." He murmurs quietly.

"Thank you."

His skin is pale, eyes red-rimmed and he looks like the last few days have absolutely kicked the shit out of him emotionally. Maybe it's the surroundings, but I feel the beginnings of sympathy for him.

He takes a deep breath, opens his mouth and closes it again. I'm about to turn away when he tries again. "Lev, can we talk?.... Please baby?"

The rush of rage that flows through me as he uses that forbidden pet name is matched only by the wave of comforting warmth. I've been called 'baby' by other men, other boyfriends, but the word never excites my heart like when Bucky says it.

Clint's words float back to me and I know I can't push this away anymore.

I close my eyes and drop my head, steeling myself for what is about to come. Slowly I raise it and look back over where Bucky anxiously waits for my answer.

"Okay." I turn and begin to walk somewhere more private, sense Bucky falling into step near me. I catch his hand move out of the corner of my eye. We always, always held hands when we walked, when we were near each other, and his hand moved reflexively to grab mine, before pulling back as he remembered he had no right to anymore. Part of me wishes he'd done it anyway.

As we step out of the building I pause, not sure where to go for what has the potential to grow into a screaming match like last time.

Bucky hesitates at my side before asking quietly. “Can we go somewhere else?”

Now it’s my turn to hesitate. While I trust Bucky to not become violent and, unless he’s changed in the last five years, he’s never hurt even a fly, regardless of his size; what worries me is that if our conversation goes south, where that leaves me, literally. The last place I’ll want to be located is either in Bucky’s truck, in close quarters with him, awkward, or left how far away from home and needing to either walk back or call for a ride. But I also don’t want to become a spectacle right outside Mom’s funeral either. It’s ended, and everyone is enjoying the catered hors d’oeuvres and should be starting to trickle out soon.

“Alright.”

Bucky sighs in relief beside me and walks quickly towards the parking lot. I recognize the same battered pick-up, but it’s clean this time. He holds the passenger door open for me, gives me a nervous smile as he closes it behind me.

He doesn’t ask me where I’d like to go, but I already know where he’s heading. Our old high school has a green space far enough away from the main buildings that if we were energetic enough to make it out there, we were usually assured to be left alone. Most of our lunch hours and a good portion of our free periods during good weather were spent out there; all of us, Steve, Sam, Wanda, Nat, Bucky, Clint and I sprawled across the various picnic tables or up in the large shady trees.  

As he shifts into neutral and lets the clutch out, Bucky hesitates again, staring out at the space where we spent so many happy times. Our first kiss was out here, in eighth grade. We’d played hooky from gym and stayed out here the whole afternoon, holding hands and talking before Buck finally got up the nerve to make the first move. We’d been such close friends for so long that spending hours together talking or holding hands wasn’t unusual for us, but when Bucky turned towards me and pressed his lips to mine I’d been floored, rendered absolutely speechless. He’d just pulled back, face going adorably red thinking he’d just fucked up major when I’d finally come back down to earth and kissed him back, crawling into his lap in my eagerness. We’d necked until we’d heard the others approaching, pulling away and straightening ourselves out just in time to avoid either endless teasing or Clint’s older-brother wrath.

Bucky must be remembering that as well, for I see him smile and bite his bottom lip a moment before reality crashes back down and his face falls, glancing quickly at me before pushing open his door that squeals in protest, rattling as he slams it shut. He opens my door, something he always did for me before as well and I feel a twinge; Bucky always treated me like his princess, always opened doors for me, pulled out chairs for me to sit in. Even if I was already wearing a coat, if I shivered even once Bucky would always shrug off his jacket and drape it over my shoulders, foregoing his own comfort for mine.

He’s always taken care of me, I realize with a flicker of sadness.

I walk over to a picnic table under one of the shading trees. I climb up and sit on the table-top, feet on the seat and slip out of my shoes, curling my toes in relief as they're released from that stiletto hell. I've always been a Chucks kind of girl, forcing my feet into uncomfortable heels only when attending the firm's events. Bucky stands a few feet away, his hands jammed in his pockets. I look down, see that others have added their own carvings to the table top, run my fingers over the faded JBB + LVB dug into the wood and have to bite back a moan of grief. I pull my hand back before the tears start to fall.

"What did you want to say?" I twist the ring on my finger nervously. I found it this morning in Mom's jewellery box, recognized it as a simple trinket Dad brought back from one of his business trips, a plain hammered band, a basic design carved in the band. Mom wore it often as I remember, choosing it as her everyday adornment, bringing out the big carats only for parties.

"You're right, it doesn't begin to cover what I did, but... I'm sorry." He's tentative, his voice hoarse and nervous, wondering if I'm going to go all desperate housewife on him again and maybe scratch his eyes out this time.

I nod, looking straight ahead, focused far away. I want to say it, but the words burn anyway.

"I'm sorry too."

Bucky exhales, a ragged, broken sound like all he's been holding onto for the last five years is the chance to hear me say that.

"Why?" I hate the way my voice breaks, even after all this time.

Bucky groans, a tortured sound. "You'd.... just broken my heart, I was drunk out of my mind and just wanted to feel..... something besides pain."

"So you fucked another girl."

"I was mad, we'd just had a huge fight and you tell me the words I never ever wanted to hear from you, 'it's over, Buck'. I was going crazy, nothing mattered anymore and here’s this girl sitting on my lap and running her fingers through my hair and for a few-" his voice breaks, "-goddamn minutes nothing hurt anymore, I could breathe again." He runs his hand roughly through his hair, messing it up and looks up at me, the raw pain in his face is staggering. "And I've spent every single fucking minute since wishing I could take it back. But I can't."

"Clint says you're not together anymore, I figured you'd be married right now; two and a half kids, the dog, you know, the American Dream." God knows he held me enough times after we’d made love, limbs tangled together, my head on Buck’s chest and his fingers idly tracing up and down my spine and talked about that, talked about the house we'd buy together, the tree-house he'd build, the playhouse he'd sit in with his daughters and drink imaginary tea with.

Bucky looks quickly away, blinking hard, swallowing even harder. "No." He manages to choke out. He turns away and gives me his back, head hanging, hands on hips for a moment before turning back and moving towards me. He sits on the seat, a few feet away from me, facing away and leans, more like collapses forward, holding his head in his hands.

"The baby wasn't mine." His voice is broken, exhausted, it seems to take all his strength to say it.

I'm so stunned for a moment I can only gape at his back before I collect my senses enough to murmur. "What? How did you know?"

Bucky raises his head with a long, weary inhale, staring straight ahead as he answers. "When he was born, the nurse.... she put him on Alicia's chest and I looked down at him, ready to tell him I was his daddy and I would always love and protect him and.... he had black hair."

I shift uneasily, there has to be more to this, for Bucky to be so sure this wasn't his son.

"And almond-shaped eyes."

I frown now, confused. That could mean a multitude of things, and aren’t babies all scrunched up and funny-looking when they're born anyway-

"Alicia's ex was Tommy Yeung, remember him? Moved from Hong Kong back in grade two? One year ahead of us? When I asked why the baby she claimed was mine looked exactly like him she realized she couldn’t lie anymore."

My stomach feels like it’s dropped right out of the bottoms of my feet; and the chaotic mess of emotions that rush over me steal my breath and make my head spin.

“They broke up right before her and I.... She was still pissed at him when she found out she was pregnant so she said it was mine and waited to see if she was right. And I was so fucking drunk that night I couldn’t even remember if I’d used a condom or not.”

Finally I manage to reply. “God, Bucky.... I’m so sorry.”

“And the worst part?” There’s an almost hysterical edge to his mirthless laugh. “She only slept with me because she was mad at Tommy, she used me; she sat in my lap at that party and played with my hair and murmured bullshit in my ear not because she’d always liked me and saw that I was hurting and wanted to take away my pain like she said but to make him jealous. We didn’t even like each other, I just stayed to take care of my responsibilities.” He wipes almost angrily at his tears and continues. “And you completely cut me out of your life, you wouldn’t take my calls or read my texts and,” he exhaled hard, tremulously, “then you transfer your degree across the fucking country and move to Seattle. It took months but I tried to make the best of Alicia and I, make a family with her even though it was you I wanted, and then it all fell apart in the delivery room. I never even held the baby I’d spent months believing was mine.”

“What happened, where is she now?” I can hardly force the words out around the painful lump in my throat, my heart is absolutely breaking for Bucky right now, and I’m feeling like a thousand different kinds of shit.

Another mirthless snort. “They’re back together. Happily married in Miami with three kids, number four on the way. I heard he showed up that same night.”

I drop my head, shame so thick on my tongue I can taste it. “Why didn’t you say anything sooner? Why didn’t Clint, or Steve tell me?”

Bucky shook his head. “Would you have listened? You completely shut me out. You were my first kiss, my first everything, we gave our virginity to each other and now you acted like I didn’t even exist..... so I told them not to. I’m the one who fucked-up, I was the one that needed to fix it. I flew out to Seattle... four times to try and see you, but I lost my nerve every time and came home. The last time I sat on a bench across the street from your condo all day, waiting for you. They were tearing the sidewalk up half a block down, the jackhammers nearly drove me crazy.”

I remember that time, it had been close to three years ago. The city was replacing sidewalks and I’d stayed late at the office every night because the sound had driven me crazy too. I hadn’t come home any time before 10 o’clock that whole week.  

Buck’s got his head in his hands again and I can hear him starting to cry as he continues. “And... after that I just gave up, told myself I’d wrecked the best thing I’d ever had and now I was just going to have to pay for it forever too. I just... hoped I could get you to listen to me long enough one day to tell you that I never, never meant to hurt you, baby; and I would always love you, and I’m sorry. So goddamn sorry.”

He breaks down completely now, bowing in on himself in anguish and the raw agony that’s radiating off him in waves completely bowls me over, causes a sharp pain to shoot through my chest.

I can’t stand to see his pain anymore, it’s finally overcome my own childish stubbornness, my dogged need to ensure that Bucky felt the same level of grief that I had for years, that I still felt. I push off the table top and sit back down beside him. He startles slightly, so accustomed to my punishment and aloofness that he honestly didn’t expect me to be affected like this and lifts his surprised gaze to me. His cheeks are wet, skin pale and eyes bloodshot and I, tentatively, because I’m so shit scared that even though Bucky’s baring his broken soul to me right now, he’s not in the next breath going to be screaming at me in a rage for being the one to cause this agony, touch his leg.

His grip is almost painful as he takes my hand in his, presses desperate kisses to it, his breath ragged and hitching. I reach with my other hand and touch his back, feel him trembling beneath my hand and it breaks him completely. Leaning his forehead on my shoulder he shudders, his grief a palpable shadow choking the air around us.

“Please baby.... Please give me... another chance?”