#i like to imagine there's a short window of opportunity to kill your nemesis without destroying yourself

[witchofthesouls]

Are divorces a thing in cybertronian culture? Like, spark bonding is basically marriage but more extreme in the sense that their literal souls are being bound together, but can it be broken? If it is but very rare I’d imagine that their version of divorce is seen as very shocking (possibly even seen as blasphemy to some religious bots) to others.

Because of the variety of relationships on Cybertron, which can be different between city-states and caste, there are several kinds of marriages that are accepted throughout the planet.

Conjunx Endura is the legal process of it. It's mainly based on the Acts of Affirmation and other additional regional concessions.

Because Iacon is the birthplace of Functionism, the city-state requires the pair to register as "Primary" and "Secondary" Conjunxes. By their mandates, it's the party with the higher caste that becomes the Primary Conjunx. If both are from the same caste, then the one with more wealth and/or political acumen.

Polyhex, unlike her sister-cities, mainly relies on legal paperwork to declare their statuses. This is due to their highly unstable terrain and loosely connected towns and villages. While still a passionate and artistic culture, it created a cold, very pragmatic mindset when it comes to relationships. Their courts that involve family matters can be viciously ugly for different reasons.

Legal spouses have the option to split and go separate ways.

Mecha can have multiple Conjunxes.

Bonded by spark marriages are a whole other shebang. While highly romantic with many spiritual and religious connotations, it's a permanent thing until death... with the surviving party following their bondmate soon after.

Despite what the media depicts, a deep connection isn't formed with a single passionate, yet shallow press. That could yield a sparklet but not a solid bond.

It's mainly due to the highly coveted Resonants status. It's where two (or more) sparks are ridiculously compatible with each other to the point the separate sparks immediately latch into a deep connection, overwhelming the respective mecha's wishes.

Bondmates have the unique ability to ping each other's general location. It isn't a specific set of coordinates, but they can get a pull to a direction, no matter the distance and suppression tools.

Highly-tuned and well-established bondmates would have the capability to 'feel' each other's emotional states.

Throughout Cybertron's history, many parties have taken advantage of spark marriages, both for personal and political gain, such as two warring parties reconciling with two high party members spark-bonding.

The most (in)famous pair are Megatronus and Solus. While the most widespread tale is their tragic romance that ended with Megatronus killing Solus, there are tales and myths of them taking more lovers, separate and together.

Because of the highly risky nature and uncomfortable level of raw intimacy, this extreme kind of political marriage usually has witnesses to the initial martial bed. Both to verify the authenticity and to mitigate any potential assassination or murder-suicide during the orns-long bonding sessions. (The closest equivalent would be a secluded month-long honeymoon and consummation ceremony. Traditionally witnessed by a senior priest and medic team to vet it and to use their considerable combined strength if necessary...)

There had been tales of survivors, but that usually included the necessity of another intimate sparkbond to stabilize them.

Vos and Praxian do have records of survivors within triads and trines. Researchers of the city-states have proposed that the trine bonds allowed the backlash to be shared with two others. The immense stress would be painful yet not fatal, provided the two members were alive.

Seekerkin cities have a specific relationship status for successful heat-induced couplings.

Much to Vos, Praxus, and Polyhex's annoyance and bemusement, other city-states reclassify this kind of status as a "marriage" as they gave up trying to figure this out in addition to Seekerkin's convoluted social structures and kinship-ties.

Heat-couplings have protected statuses in regards to sharing medical information, finances, and can define custody between the carrier's and sire(s)' flocks.

An 'annulment' can happen should the sparklet(s) fizzle out before dropping down.

[lilacmoon83]

Finding You Always

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 199: Dubious Hearts

His eyes snapped open and he breathed his first breath of fresh air in many years. It was still the early hours, just before dawn and he looked around the streets of Storybrooke. He noticed a few changes, but it was mostly the same. What wasn't the same was the masses of land beyond the quaint town.

"So...this is the United Realms?" he questioned.

"Indeed...my new Master once caused a cataclysm so devastating that it ripped the realms apart. But Snow White and her Prince have undone his wrath," Mephisto responded, as he waved his hand, revealing a shadowy realm and Jekyll followed him through the invisible barrier.

"Welcome to Nephilim...land of the banished and fallen. A land where the heroes cast us," he said.

"Not a very cheerful place," the doctor commented.

"That was our curse, placed upon us by the heroes that cast us out. For Seth, it was the Olympians that banished him and for me, it was also God-like beings that cast me away," he continued.

"God-like beings?" Jekyll questioned curiously.

"Asgardians," he spat distastefully.

"Asgardians...one of those wouldn't happen to be Fandral the Dashing, would it?" Jekyll questioned.

"Oh yes...he played an integral role in my defeat. I wasn't aware that you knew him as well," Mephisto responded.

"Oh I know him...before Charming was my nemesis, it was Fandral that denied me the woman I wanted. Rose Red rejected me for her beloved Fandral and I pined her for many years," Jekyll explained.

"Then I met Snow White...her counterpart and as much as I once wanted Rose Red, I want Snow White even more," he added.

"In due time. First we must discuss the terms of our...agreement," Mephisto said.

"Is this the part where you warn me that you own my soul?" Jekyll mused. But the air was stolen from his lungs at that point and he fell to his knees, as gold ethereal manacles appeared on his wrists.

"Oh...I already warned you of that, dear Doctor. Make no mistake...the powers you now have serve me. You'll be allowed to pursue your own interests, of course. But ultimately, you will help fill my empty fallen realm with souls," he said.

"Why do you need me to get souls for you? Don't you just go around making deals for them?" Jekyll inquired.

"Yes...I make many deals like the one you have just made. But you were an easy mark, doctor," Mephisto said.

"You make the perfect minion, because you are all too willing to do anything to get what you want," he continued.

"In the past, I have tempted otherwise righteous souls to make deals with me to save people they love. They never make good charges. They always end up finding a way to serve the forces of good, despite my owning their souls," he said.

"But you...you're evil and will think nothing of devouring innocent souls to fill Nephilim for me. In exchange, you'll have the power to pursue Snow White," he added.

"You are no longer a free agent, doctor. You serve me," he warned.

"Of course...our interests seem to be aligned. I will torment my lovely Snow's people, causing her great anguish, in which she will beg me to stop," he said.

"Yes...but I encourage you not to reveal yourself too soon. One of your new powers will allow you to possess people for a short time, though no magic users. They will know of the invasion, but an ordinary mortal won't be aware of the short hijacking," Mephisto advised.

"All the better. I can get close to Snow periodically with her being none the wiser," he said.

"You can also eavesdrop. Master Seth wishes to know everything those heroes are planning. But for now...I require a deposit in the amount of two souls," Mephisto continued.

"And the bodies?" Jekyll questioned. Mephisto smirked.

"Leave them...it will cause quite a conundrum for your nemesis and his police force," he replied. Jekyll nodded and ventured out into the night.

~*~

The Major gazed out the window of the penthouse apartment she had acquired in the newest apartment complex in Storybrooke. Her presence had gone unnoticed, for it was extremely easy to blend in with so many lands and Kingdoms in one place. Since the day she had killed Cecily Clayton and taken over the Collector's operation, she had learned much and her eyes had been opened to worlds beyond her imagination.

Her meeting the night before with none other than Shan Yu had been very enlightening. She knew that with magic in this realm, she could never hope to gain the control and power she desired. But Shan Yu's master, this mysterious Seth, had offered her a unique opportunity. He wanted to banish the Charmings from the United Realms and replace their memories with a fake life. He explained that he would curse them into a very good life so that they would never seek out anything else, but he said that they still needed a handler.

It wasn't exactly the kind of power or control she had been seeking, but this pair had already shown that they were exceptionally unique and carried a power within them that she really wanted working for her. So she had accepted this offer to participate in the plan and would continue her own agenda. And with no memories of this life, the Charmings would be none the wiser as they unknowingly helped her ascend to power.

~*~

Snow and David followed Regina to Zelena's that morning and smiled, as Jade answered the door.

"Hi sweetie," Regina greeted her with a hug.

"Hi Aunt Regina," she greeted in return. Alice saw her grandparents from the breakfast table and jumped up to meet them with hugs as well.

"Zelena told me what is happening. Did you really have to see that awful doctor again?" Alice said with worry. She had only heard the horror stories about Dr. Jekyll and the woman she had come to love as her grandmother had been through so much that she was deeply worried about her.

"I did...but I wasn't alone," she promised. David smiled and hugged Alice next.

"I didn't like it either, but fortunately, he cooperated for the most part and we never have to see him again," he promised.

"I tried to get through the wall with magic, but Creepyl must have done something to it, because it wouldn't move. So you'll have to knock the wall out, muscles," Zelena said, as she handed a sledge hammer to him.

"Okay...let's do this and get those notes to Hyde then," he said, as he took the sledge hammer from her and they followed him to the basement.

~*~

Winter glared at Rodmilla Tremaine through the bars of their dungeon.

"You should take a photo...it will last longer," the older woman spat, as she glared at the raven haired beauty.

"No photo could capture the full scope of your misery...the misery that you have coming to you," Winter said.

"Isn't torture a bit dark, even for you, dear?" Rodmilla taunted and Winter smirked.

"Don't let my appearance fool you," she warned.

"I look exactly like my counterpart, but my malevolence knows no bounds. But I'm actually not going to torture you, per say," Winter said. Rodmilla chuckled.

"I knew you didn't have the stomach for it," she goaded, but that was a mistake, as Winter used her wand and flames sparked and filled her cell. Rodmilla cried out in alarm, as she backed away, but had no escape.

"This is what I experienced after the first sleeping curse, every night I went to sleep," she said.

"I didn't put you in that sleeping curse, you little bitch," Rodmilla reminded.

"No...you only encouraged your daughter to go after my husband and she went as far as to drug him. Then when she failed at that, you proceeded to torture me and hold my safety over his head. You tried to force him to sleep with your daughter in exchange for my life," Snow reminded, ignoring her wails, as the flames threatened to swallow her.

"You should burn in hell for what you did to us...and I can easily make that happen now," she added.

"Go ahead, you little bitch. Because I relished every lash I spent on your back and my only regret is that I could not inflict more pain upon you! You think you know evil? You're not even in my league, honey," Rodmilla goaded, even through the flames. Charming growled and drew his sword, ready to skewer her. But Winter held him back and waved the wand and the flames died.

"You know what? You're right...no amount of physical pain would ever truly hit you where it really hurts," she said, as she waved the wand to carry out her will.

"My darling…" he protested, but she smiled at him and caressed his cheek.

"Oh trust me, my love...she's about to suffer greater than any physical damage we could inflict," Winter said, as her smirk finally unnerved the old hag.

"What have you done, you little retch?" she hissed.

"It's all gone. Your mansion is dust, your money was all just generously donated to our son's reserve and to the orphanage where our daughter volunteers," she said with a gleeful smirk.

"You didn't…" she growled.

"Oh, but I did...and now you might finally know what it's like to have everything taken from you," she added.

"You've spent your entire life, leeching off one rich husband to the next, abusing people, and stealing your way into a life of riches. You murdered and tortured along the way with glee, but your looks have long faded you now and no man will give you second look," she said.

"You are alone and you will now reap what you have sewn," Winter added.

"I'll make you pay for this," Rodmilla promised. But Winter smirked.

"No...you won't, because you no longer have money, power, nor status. No one will help you or pay you any mind," she said, as she made her disappear. She would now be returned to Storybrooke and left to her own devices, homeless, penniless, and alone.

"Are you sure about letting her back into Storybrooke?" Charming asked. She smiled and kissed him tenderly.

"Oh yes...taking away her power and wealth and leaving her to navigate this world without either is a far more fitting punishment than anything else we could ever do to her," she promised.

"You are brilliant, my love," he boasted, as their lips met again in a passionate kiss.

~*~

Snow watched her husband work on the wall and hit it repeatedly with the sledgehammer with great interest. Honestly, the man could make just about anything sexy, but him pounding a wall with the tool in a sleeveless shirt and sweat glistening on his muscles was almost too much. Her thoughts were indecent and she was certain the smirk on her face was very telling of those thoughts. For a basement, it seemed very warm and he noticed her stare on him.

"Is me beating the crap out of a wall really that interesting?" he mused.

"You have no idea," she replied, with a naughty gleam in her eyes.

"Ugh...do you two have any shame?" Zelena asked.

"Not really," Snow said, as David finally made a hole in the wall that was large enough to step through.

"Careful…" Snow called, as he shined a flashlight around and found that the doctor had indeed hidden something in there and it was more than just his notes.

"What the hell…" he said, as he looked around.

"What is it?" Snow asked.

"More of the serum," he answered, as the three of them poked their heads inside and saw the large chest he opened and it was filled with vials of the serum.

"Why in bloody hell did he make so much of it?" Zelena wondered.

"Because he planned to use it on the whole town. This must have been his back up plan if separating you two didn't work," Regina surmised.

"How would that even work? Surely he didn't think going around injecting everyone was possible," Snow said.

"No...but maybe this has something to do with it," David said, as he held up a device that looked a lot like the one he threatened to use on the town that would have dispersed the water from the river of lost souls through the air.

"He probably planned to use this to spread the serum into the air," Regina guessed.

"Looks like the sleeping curse saved the town even more than we thought," Snow said.

"Hyde still has a couple vials. We'll save two and then I'm going to destroy the rest," Regina replied.

"Do you think that's wise?" Zelena asked.

"I think it's unwise not to. With all the villains crawling around the United Realms...it might be too much temptation if any of them find out about such a stockpile," Regina replied.

"She's right. This would have been bad enough with just Storybrooke, but can you imagine the chaos if this serum somehow separated everyone's darker halves in the United Realms?" David asked.

"It would cause our own apocalypse. Seth wouldn't have to do anything. He could just sit back and watch everyone destroy themselves," Regina agreed, as he took two extra vials for Hyde to experiment with and Regina used her magic to vaporize the stockpile.

"We'll get this notebook to Hyde," David said, as Snow leafed through it and found what they were looking for.

"This is it...the recipe for the serum," Snow said.

"Have him get to work as soon as possible and take that thing to him," Regina replied, referring to the device.

"Why?" David asked.

"Because injecting our darker selves might not be so easy. They'll see us coming a mile away. See if he can work on an airborne solution. Forcing them to breath it in may be easier than injecting them," she replied. Snow nodded.

"Good idea...we'll see you later," Snow said, as she and David joined hands and left, while Zelena used her magic to repair the wall.

"I'm going to go see how training is going and then I'll see you for dinner at Granny's?" Regina asked. The redhead nodded.

"We'll be there," Zelena replied, as Regina disappeared in a puff of violet smoke.

~*~

Bobby concentrated and struggled to harness the power of wind. He was finding it much different than handling lightning or even his earth powers.

"You're thinking too much, baby brother. You have to feel the wind…" Eva instructed.

"I'm trying…" he lamented.

"Clear your mind and let your feelings take over," she said.

"Your mind is naturally putting up a barrier to keep from being overwhelmed, which will be very important later. But trust me and let those emotions in," Eva instructed, as Rumple observed quietly nearby. Bobby did as she asked and then stumbled slightly Eva almost moved to catch him, but Rumple put his hand up, signaling her not to interfere.

"I...I feel everything!" he cried out.

"I feel your emotions...you're happy," he said, as Eva smiled gently at him.

"And Mr. Gold is slightly annoyed, but I think he always is slightly annoyed," he added, making Summer giggle.

"He is," Eva confirmed, as Rumple rolled his eyes and Belle tried to suppress a smile.

"The Dark One...scary wielder of dark magic or just cranky grandpa?" Leo quipped.

"Mind your tongue, Junior," he warned, but there was no malice behind it.

"And wow...I can feel people that are really far away too," he said, as he looked at his older sister.

"Is it like this all the time for you? How do you think?" he asked.

"I've learned to control and suppress a lot of it. You'll get better at focusing," she replied. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on one purpose and that was using this power to protect. And once he did that, none of them were surprised when the power of wind swirled around him. He opened his eyes and formed it into a miniature twister in his palms.

"Wow...I did it!" he exclaimed. Eva smiled.

"You did," she said, as Rumple nodded.

"And though you have much training to do in order to master it, it's time to learn water now," he said, as Summer stepped forward to teach her brother to wield her bubbles.

~*~

"Yeah, thanks for letting me know, Joe. I'll look into it when we're done here," David said, as he hung up.

"What was that about?" Snow asked. He sighed.

"It would appear that our darkest halves popped into the diner this morning and abducted Rodmilla Tremaine," he said. She sighed too.

"Oh no...do you think that they'll kill her?" she asked fearfully.

"I hope not...but that woman tortured you, Snow. I honestly wouldn't put it past my darker half," he admitted honestly. Hyde had been quiet up until that point, as he leafed through the doctor's crudely scripted notes.

"I must say...I'm surprised you found anything. It would be just like the doctor to have the proverbial last laugh," Hyde mentioned, as he looked through the notes.

"He actually planned to have just that we think," David said, as Hyde looked up at them.

"What did you find?" he asked curiously.

"A stockpile of the serum...like enough to use on the whole town, along with this device," David replied, as he handed him the device.

"This looks like the prototype of the device he was going to use to spread the water from the river of lost souls," Hyde recalled. Snow nodded.

"We think this might have been his backup plan. I think he was going to try to make his serum airborne," she said, as he handed him two vials.

"We saved two vials for you to work with and Regina made dust out of the rest," she added.

"Probably a wise decision. I'll get to work right away on reverse engineering this," he said.

"Thank you...we appreciate this," David said, as they joined hands and left the lab to let Hyde work. He looked over at her and slipped his arm around her waist.

"I'm worried about you," he said, but she smiled up at him.

"I'm fine," she promised, as they stopped walking at the corner. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly. But his phone decided to ring at that moment and he pulled away to answer it.

"Sheriff," he said, as he took the call, while Snow saw Archie crossing the street. Usually he had Pongo with him, but it was just him today.

"Hello Snow," he greeted pleasantly.

"Hey Archie...no Pongo today?" she asked. He pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"I left him home today and I was about to head to an appointment in my office, but my client canceled," he mentioned.

"Oh…so you have an opening?" she asked. He smiled kindly.

"I do...unless you know someone who might need it?" he questioned, just as David got off the phone.

"Hey Archie," he greeted and the doctor nodded curtly.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Unfortunately no...someone found a couple of bodies in the woods," he replied.

"How terrible," Archie said.

"I need to go...but maybe this is good," he said, as he looked at the doctor.

"Last night was a lot for you…" he mentioned. She nodded.

"The opening is yours if you'd like to talk, Snow," he offered.

"I think I would," she agreed, as she turned back to him.

"But I'll meet you later at Granny's?" she asked. He smiled and kissed her with tender passion.

"I'll see you soon," he promised, as he headed off, while Archie motioned her toward his office. She nodded and started up the stairs, not noticing his predatory gaze on her back, which was very foreign on his face.

~*~

David parked his truck and hopped out, as he joined his father and daughter at the scene.

"What do we have?" he asked.

"One hell of a mystery," Xander answered, as he pulled back the tarp and David looked at the victims. He didn't recognize them, which only meant that they were likely from a realm other than Storybrooke.

"Defensive wounds?" he asked.

"None," Emma answered.

"Then they were probably killed by magic," David deduced.

"That's what I thought too, Dad, but most magic leaves a mark and I'm not sensing any residual magic; at least any kind that I know around them," she replied. His brow furrowed.

"Well, two healthy young people didn't just fall over dead in the woods," David said, as he stood up.

"Bashful is on his way. Maybe he'll be able to find a cause of death when he does the autopsies," Xander said, as the medical van arrived.

"Well...if he doesn't find anything, then we can ask Gold or Regina. They're more experienced in magic than me," Emma replied. He nodded, as the bodies were loaded into the van.

"Let me know when you have something and run their DNA through the new database as soon as possible," David said. Bashful nodded, before getting back into the van.

"Do you think Seth or the Queen did this?" Xander asked, as he noticed the pensive look on his son's face.

"Maybe...they did kill Charlotte La Bouff and her husband Prince Edward, but that was just so they could impersonate them. This doesn't seem like that is the case here," he said.

"We know about them now, so there's no reason to hide," he added.

"I think I miss the days where we just had good old fashioned with evidence and prints. But this scene...it's clean," Xander said.

"Yeah...way too clean. That's what worries me," David replied, with a sigh.

"Well, there's not much more we can do here right now," Xander said, as they taped off the scene.

"Guess we can just head to Granny's now. Your Mom should be about done with her session," he said.

"Session?" Emma asked with concern.

"She's fine...but Archie happened to have an opening and I suggested that she take the opportunity to talk after last night," he replied.

"Yeah...if there was one thing she didn't need, it was having to see that psycho doctor again," Emma agreed.

"Believe me...I hated that she had to do that, but it will be worth if Hyde can reverse engineer that serum and we can re-absorb our darker halves," he said, as they got into his truck and made the short trek back to town, while Xander followed them in the patrol car. He parked near Granny's and they got out, only to see Rodmilla Tremaine barreling toward them, looking haggard and dressed in rags.

"What the hell happened to you?" Emma questioned.

"What happened?" she snapped.

"I'll tell you what happened, you blonde bimbo…" she growled.

"Hey!" David snapped.

"You're not going to talk to my daughter that way," he said.

"Do you have any idea what I've just been through?!" she shouted.

"Well, I did get a call from Joe this morning and I just hadn't gotten the chance to look into your abduction yet," he replied.

"Abduction?" Emma asked.

"Our darker halves absconded with her this morning," he informed.

"They took me against my will!" she snapped.

"Well...you're alive, so it looks like they practiced some restraint," Emma said, as she looked confused by that.

"Which doesn't make much sense. I mean, if there was one person you...or your darker half would want to kill in this town besides the Queen and maybe Seth...I'd pick her," Emma said. He nodded.

"Me too," he agreed.

"Your retch of a wife took everything from me!" Rodmilla claimed.

"Whatever was done to you...it was Winter. Not Snow," David corrected.

"I don't care! I want her to pay for what she did!" Rodmilla snapped.

"So you came to my Dad? Cause you're have a lot of nerve asking him to help you with anything after what you and your psychotic doctor did to my mother," Emma snapped back.

"She has a really good point. They may have kidnapped you, but they obviously returned you and unharmed it would seem. What exactly is it that you want me to do?" David asked.

"Oh, you are just a pretty idiot...aren't you?" she asked in a condescending tone.

"Okay...we're done," David snapped, as he started to walk away.

"She destroyed my house! She turned all my possessions to dust!" Rodmilla claimed, as they turned back.

"Sounds like something for the insurance company to handle then," Emma retorted.

"I have nothing! She turned it all to ash...except my money, which she says she donated to your brat's critter farm and some snot nosed orphans! And I want you to make her give it back!" Rodmilla said.

"Then you need to go down to the station and file a police report. Leroy's on duty and he can take your statement," David replied.

"That's it?! You're going to do nothing about this?!" Rodmilla screamed.

"We're working on a solution to deal with our darker halves. Until then...file the police report and we'll investigate. That's how this works...for everyone, even the rich and powerful like you," David answered.

"Though doesn't sound like you're very rich anymore," Emma commented.

"What am I supposed to do until then?! I have no home!" she cried.

"Well...there's the shelter. They'll take you in...they take everyone," he replied.

"Shelter?" she squeaked.

"But I am Rodmilla Tremaine!" she cried.

"Relax...he said they take everyone, even a rude, self important narcissist like yourself," Emma said, with a fake sweetness in her voice. They turned away and headed to Granny's, leaving the spoiled, evil woman gaping in the street.

"Okay...I know we don't usually celebrate the misfortune of others, but that was fun," Emma said. He chuckled.

"Yeah, it was," he agreed, as David looked across the street at Archie's office.

"You okay?" Emma asked.

"Yeah...just thought your mother would be done by now," David replied.

"I'm sure she'll be along soon. Until then, you can buy your daughter and unborn grandchild some onion rings and hot chocolate," she said, as he chuckled and they went inside.

"I can do that," he agreed.

~*~

His stare on her was hungry and full of wanton malevolence. Being this close to her again made the madness in his mind kick into overdrive. He imagined finally having her...she was so close. He could take her right here and she'd never escape him. He could pin her down on that very couch, rip away every last piece of her clothing, and claim her at last. Her stupid husband might sense her fear, but he'd never make it in time to stop him. He could imagine her screams in his mind and he could almost taste her. No drug or substance could ever be as addictive as she was.

Reading the doctor's notes about her therapy had been quite enlightening. To learn that he had haunted her dreams, even in her cursed state, was quite satisfying to know. It proved that she would never be able to shake him and proved that he was destined to have her. His lustful eyes raked over her form, as she lay prone, baring her soul to the doctor he had invaded for the moment and he relished the vision before him. Unfortunately, the time was not yet right to have her. He couldn't show his hand too soon, as much as he wanted her now and this was a rare time when she was isolated from her idiot husband. But he was a patient man. He would wait and this time, he would have her.

"And then...seeing him again…" she said, trailing off, as she lay on the couch in Archie's office.

"Yes...that must have been quite difficult for you and a bit ill-advised," he said, as she looked at him and sighed.

"I know...but we really needed to find those notes and we did," she replied.

"So...he cooperated?" Archie asked.

"Surprisingly, yes...but I had to promise him something," she replied.

"You promised him something? The man that tormented you? To use your words," he said.

"It's not like it sounds. I told him that I would ask Aphrodite to request that Morpheus ease up on his torment," she replied.

"Ah…" he said.

"I know...bargaining with a madman isn't a good idea," she agreed.

"It was quite unwise. If he had asked for something more...would you have given him what he wanted for those notes?" he inquired. She looked horrified.

"Absolutely not!" she insisted.

"I would never...the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach," he added.

"Of course...I was just making sure that you know that you can't bargain with...the devil. It will never end well for you, Snow," he advised. She nodded.

"I know. But with these notes...we can become whole again," she replied.

"I see...and you believe that is wise?" Archie questioned. She looked at him in confusion and sat up.

"Don't you?" she asked.

"Then you're ready to embrace your darkness?" he questioned and watched her squirm uncomfortably.

"I don't know about that...but Winter is part of me," she replied.

"A part that you push down. A part of you that you hide behind hope speeches and offers of forgiveness," he said, as she looked at him.

"But hope and forgiveness are never wrong," she protested.

"Of course not...but your darker half goes against all that. Are you sure that you are in the right mental state to finally acknowledge that this side of you exists? Are you ready to accept her back and stop pushing her down inside you?" he questioned. She looked uncertain and then down at her hands.

"I...I don't know," she admitted.

"And that's okay. Acceptance will come in time. We all have a dark side and you have no reason to be ashamed of winter," he said.

"I have been ashamed of her, haven't I?" she asked. He smiled kindly.

"It's okay...most of us do not like to admit it when we have bad thoughts or think ill of others, even those that may deserve it," he replied. She nodded.

"Thank you...this really helped I think," she said. He smiled warmly.

"You are most welcome. I do hope we can talk again soon," he said. She nodded.

"I'd like to have another appointment," she agreed.

"How about tomorrow afternoon at three?" he asked. She nodded.

"I'll be here...thanks again," she replied, as she gave him a friendly hug. The demon possessing him at the moment felt his loins light on fire at her close proximity.

"You're most welcome, Snow," he said, as he watched her go. Jekyll's ethereal form left his current host body, with that host being none the wiser of the short invasion and he slithered down the stairs, his eyes boring into her back. He watched her cross the street and enter Granny's diner, before he followed, keeping his head covered by the hood he was wearing and he carefully peered inside the window. He clenched his teeth in anger, as he saw her kissing him, as usual and felt a presence next to him.

"She is quite beautiful...I suppose I see the appeal," Mephisto commented.

"She is the fairest of them all...so much more than beautiful. She has a mind that could challenge even my brilliance and she is strong in many ways," he boasted.

"But my love is unrequited," he said in frustration. Mephisto chuckled.

"I've seen love and what you have isn't love. What he has for her is," he corrected.

"You mock me?" Jekyll hissed.

"Oh yes...you are my charge now, after all. I shall mock you all I please. No, what you have is obsession...an incredibly deep seated obsession and sickness in your mind. You don't love her," he said.

"I could! If she would just let me!" he raged.

"You repulse her...you are one of the few things she is frightened of, but then you enjoy that fear. Which is understandable. Her fear will allow you to control her," Mephisto stated.

"You will soon have her though," he predicted.

"How?" he asked.

"When the time is right...you'll reveal your new existence to her and capture the souls of her children...and her husband. Then in exchange for their release, she will gladly sell her soul to me and be damned to Nephilim forever," he replied.

"You want Snow White's soul?" Jekyll asked.

"A soul that pure and light? Absolutely...and she can be your prize, as long as you keep doing your job. The two souls you captured last night for me is a nice start. But I want the fallen realm filled with the souls of the damned," he replied. He took another look at Snow.

"Then you shall have more souls," Jekyll said, as his eyes drank her in.

"Until tomorrow, my dear Snow. It's time for me to hunt...but soon, it shall be your soul in my grasp and then I shall never let you go," he promised, as he disappeared. Mephisto smirked evilly and cackled, as he disappeared as well.

~*~

As Snow arrived at the diner that evening, she kissed David passionately and he put his arms around her waist.

"Wow...feeling feisty?" he asked and she smiled coyly at him.

"Oh you have no idea...but you will later," she promised, as he kissed her again.

"I'm glad you're feeling okay. I was worried that seeing that psycho would be too much," he replied. She nodded.

"It wasn't pleasant, but it's over now and I have my family, not to mention the most wonderful, loving husband ever," she said, as she rested her head against his shoulder and they heard the diner bell ring.

"Summer!" Carina called, as she arrived with her parents and the two teens became thick as thieves, while Ben and Ari quickly located Bobby.

Rose made a beeline for Snow and the two hugged as well.

"Is it true what I heard? You had to see him?" she asked in a worried tone.

"I did...but I'm okay and Hyde is working on reversing the serum as we speak," Snow replied.

"That's good news," Fandral said, as he gestured to the woman that was with them.

"This is Lady Sif," he introduced, as they shook hands with her.

"It's an honor to meet you...we've heard the stories," David said.

"He's right...and when our grandson Henry gets here, he's going to want to hear them all again," Snow agreed. David chuckled.

"Just a warning…" he joked.

"Not at all...I'd love to tell them all again and thank you for the warm welcome. This place is quite extraordinary," she said, as she continued to talk to Snow and the others, while David pulled Fandral aside.

"Reinforcements?" he inquired. His counterpart nodded.

"The Enchantress is a cunning entity, as is Mephisto for that matter. I don't trust either of them and they're both too quiet for my liking," Fandral said. That pinged his interest.

"Mephisto...does he kill people for their souls?" David asked.

"Usually he finds a lackey to do his dirty work, but yes...he collects souls. Why do you ask?" Fandral responded.

"I found a couple of bodies today. No defensive wounds or obvious cause of death. Bashful is doing autopsies, but my gut is telling me that he's not going to find any conventional means of death," David said.

"If it is Mephisto...there is a way to know," Fandral replied, as he began to explain what he knew about the mysterious entity that boasted to be the Devil himself...

[three-drink-amy]

Nobody Knows You, Baby, the Way I do

Here is my own attempt at a wedding fic. Part 1! 

Amy and Terry stood in front of the squad in the briefing room. It was the week of the wedding and miraculously, Amy was feeling pretty calm. She and Terry were about to brief the squad. Everyone was chatting as they waited for the briefing to begin. Holt walked in the room and that was their cue to start.

“Okay, everyone!” Amy called the room to attention. “Terry and I have a lot to cover this morning.”

“Wait,” Rosa interrupted. “Where’s Jake?”

“Yeah, he’s not here,” Charles added. “We can't start without him.”

“Jake won't be here in time for the briefing so we’re starting without him,” Amy informed them. She attempted to start the briefing, but naturally, they had more to say.

“Well where is he?” Charles asked.

Amy rolled her eyes. “He’s at the doctor.”

There was a small collective gasp from the squad. “Oh my God,” Charles whispered. “What's wrong?”

Amy shook her head in confusion. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Well something has to be wrong. Jake doesn't go to the doctor for nothing,” Rosa insisted.

“Oh God. Is he dying?” Charles asked through a whimper.

“Wait, is that why you’re getting married?” Gina wondered aloud with a smirk on her face.

“He’s not dying!” Amy replied irritatedly. “And thanks, Gina.”

“They’re right though,” Gina agreed. “Something has to be up for him to have gone to the doctor.”

Amy sighed, slapping her hands down on the podium. “It's just a wellness check.”

“What? For Jake?” Rosa pressed.

“Is it because he thinks something’s wrong?” Charles continued.

With a huff, Amy replied. “Nothing is wrong. Look, I told Jake that if he didn't start taking care of himself, I wouldn't marry him. So he made this appointment. Okay? Nothing to worry about.” Silence greeted her.

“Damn,” Terry breathed. “That's beautiful.”

Charles sniffled. “I love that.”

“He must really love you to go to the doctor,” Gina commented. “Though why, I-”

“Please don't finish that,” Amy asked. “Look, now that we know Jake won't be here, can we move on to the briefing?”

“Good idea, Sergeant,” Holt commented from the side of the room.

Amy and Terry straightened up to recenter before delivering the information. “Okay,” Terry started, “there’s a new drug that's been surfacing in the precinct that has us quite concerned.”

“Honestly, I have to say, it's the most creative name I’ve ever heard of for a drug,” Amy interrupted.

“You’re right,” Terry agreed. “It really is.”

“I mean drug dealers are getting pretty fancy these days,” Amy said with a laugh.

“Could you just tell us what it is?” Rosa asked with a roll of her eyes.

“Sorry, yes,” Amy replied quickly.

“It's called Lazarus,” Terry informed them. “Here’s what we know about the drug. Apparently it is a strong hallucinogenic. However it has one very specific side effect.”

“As the drug is wearing off, users...pass out,” Amy informed them. “Into an almost coma like state. It almost seems like they’re dead. But then they come back. Like Lazarus. You know, from the Bible? It’s creative, you gotta admit.”

“Anyway, there’s virtually no warning for it which has caused it to happen when users are behind the wheel,” Terry continued.

“We’re wanting to stop Lazarus before it gets too big. Dealers don't exactly share the side effects,” Amy added. “So we are open to ideas within the precinct to stop it. We aren't sure we’ll get the funding for a task force so we want to use low level tactics.”

“Though we do have a meeting later this week at One Police Plaza to discuss the potential of starting a task force. We’re just not optimistic,” Terry informed them. “So talk to your CIs and see what they can tell you. Alright?” Everyone mumbled their assent. “Okay, on to the next item.”

--

Jake arrived at work later than he’d planned. How come doctor’s offices didn’t run on schedule? Why did anyone go to the doctor if they’d sit there for an hour before even being seen? If Amy hadn’t threatened to leave him, Jake would never go back to that god awful place.

Shockingly, he was able to get straight to work once he got to the precinct. He got a few hellos but no one even interrogated him as to where he’d been. It was curious, but as he had a big case he was close to closing, Jake didn’t push it.

Jake had been working diligently for a few hours when Amy sat down in the chair next to his desk. “Hey, Babe,” she greeted.

“Hi,” he said quickly, not turning away from his computer. Amy would surely understand that he was close to closing a case and couldn’t afford distractions. She was the one who insisted they should close as many of their open cases as possible before the wedding. That was in 5 days. He was doing the best he could to meet her goal.

Amy clicked her tongue as she continued to sit there. Jake looked over at her, sparing a second to look away from his computer. “Everything okay?”

“You tell me,” she replied shortly.

Her tone was the thing that finally pulled his attention away from the case. “Umm…yes?”

Amy sighed, looking at him meaningfully. “How did your appointment go?”

“Oh!” Jake exclaimed, happy to figure out what Amy was fretting over. “Ames, I’ve been here for three hours. Don’t you think if something was wrong I’d have told you?”

Amy nodded thoughtfully. “I guess so.”

“That being said, I am dying,” Jake teased. Amy punched him roughly in his arm. “Ow!” Jake yelled. “It was a joke because you were being overly worried. That was not necessary.”

“Well don’t test me, Peralta,” Amy retorted. “It’s wedding week and I warned you months ago that this would not be a good week to mess with me.”

“Noted,” Jake replied with a nod. “However, I am this close to closing this case, so sadly, I’m going to have to cut this conversation short. But I’ll tell you all about the inefficiently run doctor’s office over dinner. Sound good?”

“Inefficiently run?” Amy gasped.

“Over dinner, Babe,” Jake promised, turning back to his computer.

Amy stood up, leaning forward and kissing the side of his head. “Deal,” she said quietly. Jake looked back at her as she rounded back to her desk. She rarely ever offered displays of affection at work. The fact that their wedding was in five days must be affecting her a lot. Jake smiled at the thought as he got back to work again.

--

Jake was basking in the glow of a new arrest and a freshly written report. His case had been wrapped up in a damn bow and even Holt said he was impressed. Jake felt pretty great as he stood in the break room, sipping coffee.

“Hey Jake,” Rosa greeted as she walked in. She stood next to him, pouring herself a cup of coffee. “I have some news for you.”

Jake looked over at her curiously. “Oh?”

Rosa turned to face him, an almost excited expression on her face. “So I was talking to one of my CIs earlier, trying to get a feel on what he knew and he had some information on an old perp.” Jake nodded for her to go on. “Turns out your boy Doug Judy is up to his old ways again.”

Jake sighed. “I figured it was only a matter of time.”

“And apparently, he’s having some big meeting this Friday night. 10:00. You’re welcome,” Rosa informed him with a smug grin.

“Why are you saying I’m welcome?”

“I’m giving you the opportunity to finally arrest the Pontiac Bandit. So...you’re welcome. I mean I know you cleared him of his charges, but he’s got new ones now. So Friday night you can arrest him,” Rosa encouraged.

“Are you high, Rosa?” Jake asked bluntly. “Do you know what Friday night is?” He paused for her answer. “It’s my rehearsal dinner. The night before my wedding. My last night of not being married to Amy Santiago. I can’t really go on a stakeout.”

“It’s not till 10:00,” Rosa reminded him. “I know from my incredibly detailed schedule for Friday night that you will be free by then. I believe Amy, Gina, Kylie, and I will be doing facemasks, watching stupid documentaries that Amy loves, and drinking wine, probably heavily, at that point.”

“Even if I’m free, it’s the night before my wedding,” Jake repeated.

“Maybe talk to Amy before you completely talk yourself out of this,” Rosa offered. “Imagine catching the Pontiac Bandit the night before your wedding. Could your weekend get any better than that? Catching your nemesis and marrying the love of your life? That’s a dope weekend.”

Jake laughed. “Yeah, I’ll talk to Ames.” He wandered out of the break room and noticed Amy in the copy room so he headed that way. Opening the door, he was reminded of when he followed Amy into the copy room 3 years earlier after he’d kissed her for reals. “There’s my fiancee!” Jake called as he closed the door behind him.

Amy turned around with a grin. “Hi there. What do you want?”

“I am so offended,” Jake replied, feigning hurt. “But I do have something I want to talk to you about.” Amy nodded for him to continue. “Well you know that I am so excited for our wedding, obviously, and I don’t want you to think otherwise.”

“Jake, I know you’re excited about the wedding so just get to the point,” Amy prodded.

“The Pontiac Bandit’s back in town and is hosting some big meeting Friday night after the rehearsal and Rosa told me so I can bust him,” Jake reported.

“Oh,” Amy said softly. “Well if that’s what you want to do with the night before the wedding, then do it.”

“Seriously?” Jake asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Jake, it’s your call,” Amy insisted. “But if you miss the wedding, I will kill you.”

“Sure, sounds standard,” Jake agreed. He looked out the windows behind her to see if anyone was looking. Jake pulled Amy close. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

Amy looked up at Jake with a smile. “I do know that.”

--

Having Amy’s approval should have made Jake feel excited for this bust. But as he laid in bed that night, he couldn’t sleep or get his mind off of it. He thought about waking up Amy to talk to her about it, but he knew better than that. Sleep eventually came, though Jake didn’t feel much better the next morning. Keeping his thoughts to himself proved pretty easy once they got to work.

Same as the day before, Jake continued to try and close as many cases as he could before the wedding. One case was stalling and it added to Jake feeling uneasy. Wanting to get away from the eyes of the squad, Jake went out on the roof. He stood at the edge, looking out over the city. The Pontiac Bandit was his nemesis. Jake should want to arrest him. Especially since Jake gave him the opportunity to make a clean start and get out of crime forever. It didn’t make sense why Jake had reservations. He was trying to sort through the jumble of thoughts in his mind when he heard the door open. Amy walked up, standing next to him silently. “Hey,” Jake said softly.

“Hi.”

“Are you stressing about the wedding?” He asked. “Did you come out here to sneak a smoke?”

Amy chuckled. “No, actually, I came out here to talk to you.”

“Oh,” Jake replied, surprised. “About what?”

“Whatever you’re doing out here.”

“Out of curiosity, is Amy Santiago my almost wife out here or is it Amy Santiago my Sergeant out here?” Jake asked cheekily.

Amy grinned, stepping closer to Jake. “I’d say it’s Amy Santiago your almost wife. Sergeant Santiago is back inside wondering why the hell there are two empty desks.”

Jake laughed. “Well then I’ll tell you why I’m out here.” Jake took a deep breath and looked into Amy’s eyes, hoping to find reassurance there. “I can’t explain why, Ames, but I’m having reservations about this bust on Friday.”

“Jake, if it’s because of the wedding, I told you it’s okay. You know, as long as you end up making it,” Amy assured him.

“I know that. It’s not about the wedding. It’s about arresting Doug Judy. I don’t know why, but it’s stressing me out to think about it. And I know that’s stupid because I’m a cop and he’s a criminal, but I...I don’t know. Maybe I’m mad because I cleared his record?” Jake wondered aloud.

“If anything I think that would make you want to arrest him more,” Amy replied. “I think it’s something else.”

“Like what?” Jake asked hopelessly. “It’s annoying to feel this conflicted.”

Amy reached out and grabbed Jake’s hand in hers. “I think it’s because you know exactly where you’re sending him. You became friends with him and you still wanted to arrest him because he was The Pontiac Bandit. But now things have changed because you changed. You went to prison and it changed you. Now if you arrest Doug Judy, you know exactly what kind of life you’re giving him.”

Read the rest on AO3!