#i thought veteran and veterinarian was the same thing for a long time

[captainjimothycarter]

Prompt: Peggy is sick (like, cold... nothing serious) and hates being taken care of, but Steve isn't going to let her suffer alone.

SOFT. This should be 40s AU but I suck at medical from the 40s. So hello modern, no-powers AU.

--

Peggy Carter hated, more than anything in life was to be sick. She was not a good patient, she was miserable when sick. She mostly hated when people doted after her like she was some weak, helpless person.

She wasn’t. She was just sick.

And right now, she was miserable. She couldn’t breathe out her left nostril while her right nostril wheezed every time she attempted. Her throat felt raw and aching and worst of all, she couldn’t get enough to drink. Top it off, her body was trying to decide if she should have a fever on top of all of this or not.

The knocking at her apartment door made her groan, only because dragging herself to her feet and stumbling to the door. She almost fell when it opened by itself, another groan dragging from her lips when she saw who was it.

Steve. Of course her hot, new neighbor, and landlord of the apartments. 

“I’m sorry,” Steve flinched when she almost fell, lowering the plastic bag he had in hand. “When you didn’t answer, I was just going to drop this off inside the door, I promise.”

Peggy wanted to get mad, wanted to throw a fit and demand that Steve at least tell her he was coming by or give her some warning about how he was going to invade her privacy, but then it struck her. He probably had and she’d been non the wiser with her phone currently off to avoid people from work blowing her up about a new patient.

So she couldn’t get mad even if she wanted to. 

“I didn’t think you were that type,” she mumbled, speaking out of her nose and no louder than a whisper given her situation. “To invade other’s privacy, I mean.” She could see just how awkward this 6’0, 240-pound man was, looking impossibly small somehow in her doorway.

“No, no I’m not. I grew up with landlords like that and I fuckin’ hated it.” In fact, Peggy got the impression he hated being a landlord too. His biggest passion seemed to be the pastries and sweets he brought around every Friday. 

It’s why rent was so cheap and everyone was lovely taken care of, every little need met. He normally catered to those struggling, Steve told her once when they were walking from apartment to apartment to see which one she liked. He catered to the elderly who could barely get up somedays or to the single moms and those on hard times, and especially veterans. Why the hell she was picked as a tenant, she had no idea. She was none of those things and quite frankly, she was almost afraid to ask.

“What’s in the bag?” Peggy asked, the question coming out nasally. Even Steve flinched.

“Oh, uh, chicken noodle soup courtesy of my ma. She was the blonde lady you spoke to the other day when you dropped off the rest.” Steve’s face flushed a shade of pink and shrugged his impossibly big shoulders. “She said you sounded sick and made this. Guess she was right.”

Peggy’s tongue darted out to lick her dry lips. The smell of the broth made her stomach grumble, becoming fully aware that she hadn’t eaten in forever. She could remember Steve’s ma, almost a spitting image of her with the hair and eyes, even the same freckled nose.

“Do you want to...come in?” Her head jerked and Peggy regretted that action, nearly stumbling back if it wasn’t for Steve’s arm reaching out to prevent her from making contact with the coat rack. 

“Sure.” He paused, looking her up and down. Her nose was a bright shade of red and her eyes rimmed red like she’s been rubbing at them. She curled in on herself, like trying to huddle in all her warmth. She didn’t wear her normal poised clothes, instead of pajamas and a housecoat. 

“You really are sick,” he breathed. “Jesus. How long have you been in here?”

“Three days. I hated calling out of work, but I can’t even smell, and believe it or not that’s a big part of my job.”

Steve lead her over to the couch and tucked her into the cushions, picking up a thick blanket to wrap around her. He turned the heater off and instead turned to the fireplace to get a roaring fire going. The windows were cracked to let in some fresh air. 

He paused at her description, still kneeling by the fireplace with tender in hand. “Part of your job as a veterinarian is to smell the animals?” 

His laugh made Peggy’s heart flutter. The way he laughed, he looked so carefree and warm. Like she wanted to bury herself in his chest and listen to his heart beating. “It is, if I can’t smell then I might miss a key factor as to how they’re sick. Plus, I can barely see straight.”

Steve’s tongue clicked on the roof of his mouth, nodding his head. “You do look terrible.”

“Anyone ever tells you that you suck at talking to women, Rogers?” 

Steve smiled, giving a shrug of his shoulders. “Sometimes. You stay there, I’ll get you tea and soup heated up.”

By the time he was back with a tray full of crackers, soup, and tea, Peggy was properly dozing on the couch. Setting the tray down, he knelt down by Peggy’s side and used a cool rag to press to her forehead, glad to see that she wasn’t so hot. Maybe the fever had broken.

When her beautiful eyes opened, Steve’s smile only grew. This close, Peggy could count his lashes. Oh, he had such pretty eyes, flecks of green inside of a chamber of blue.

“Hi,” she breathed, fully aware right now that she hadn’t been able to brush her teeth for two days due to gagging and the mouth wash wasn’t helping her sick breath.

“Hi,” he breathed in return, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her head. “Soups heated up. C’mon, ma’s cure-all.”

It took some maneuvering to get her to sit up, involving having to lean into Steve’s chest because all energy had escaped her. He had to feed her and Peggy wanted to be frustrated at this, but all she could think about was being pressed into his warm body and thinking how nice this was.

The soup was wonderful, even with hints of ginger and pepper burning her throat. It was a pleasant burn and almost washed away the achingness. The chicken was tender and the noodles perfectly cooked, even Peggy, whose not a snob over food, had to admit it was a wonderful meal.

Steve seemed pleased that she finished half the bowl at least before calling it quits, setting the tray aside. He seemed to get ready to get up but she leaned back into him and this close, Steve smelled that sickness that settled when someone was sweating a fever out.

“Have you showered?” He asked, attempting to be nonchalant, but going by Peggy’s snort, it was anything, but.

“Again, terrible at talking to women.” Her head leaned back and she breathed out a long, aching sigh. “And no, I haven’t been able to get myself off of this couch beyond the kitchen and the bathroom. A bath seems like too much.”

“I think it’ll do you good, so will sleep in a proper bed, not the couch. C’mon, I’ll run you a bath.” 

Before Peggy could protest about how her landlord was going to see her naked, Steve was gone. She could hear him upstairs and the sound of water running. When he came back down, his shirt soaked to the point she could see the abs through the white material.

Oh, that was a nice sight.

“Are you going to strip me?” She teased after Steve had slowly helped her up the stairs, a hand on her lower back to keep her steady after she refused to be carried. 

“I-no-but-you.” Steve was fully aware his face was flushing a bright red, feeling how warm he was.

Peggy was rewarded with the sight of his neck turning a shade of red. He was a full-body blusher then. “I was teasing. I can strip. Just...be here to help me out if I fall? I’ll call you when I’m done.”

Steve stayed outside her closed bathroom door, the floorboard creaking under his feet as he teeter tottered, listening to her heavy sigh as she laid back in the warm water. “Are you okay?” He called. 

“Yes, darling.” A pause, a splash of water. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, Pegs. I’m going to go clean downstairs. Just call me if you need anything.”

Before he could do something stupid, Steve found himself rushing down the steps, shaking his head. While Peggy bathed, he took her sick blankets and pillows, airing them out after spraying them down with disinfectant. He wasn’t sure if she wanted them washed or not. He sprayed the couch down while he was at it, opening the windows more to let fresh air in.

A sweep through the kitchen and last check of the living room, Steve was satisfied that Peggy’s beautiful home wasn’t too sickly-smelling. When Peggy had called him, he was already up the stairs, a warm towel in hand.

“Here,” he called after knocking on the door, sticking the towel through the opened door. 

“Oh, it’s warm. Thank you. I’ll be out in a minute.”

When the door opened, Steve saw the bath did help some. She looked better and her face wasn’t so flushed. “How do you feel?” He asked, taking the damp towel and leading her to her already warmed bed, thanks to the heater.

“A bit better, still feel like I could sleep a week.”

“I think you should. The soup should help you feel better in no time. Here.” Tucking her in, Steve paused to gently tuck a loose lock of hair behind her head. “Do you need anything?”

Unable to help it, her lips pursed in thought. “You to stay?”

The question posed made Steve stall in mid-step, turning to look back at Peggy. He fully expected to leave and call or text her later, not ask to stay.

“Stay? With you? Sure, I can...can go downstairs?”

Peggy rolled her eyes. “No, Steven. With me. In bed. Just to...cuddle, until I fall asleep?”

There was no answer to be had because World Infamous Worst-Talker-To-Women-Ever couldn’t say no, not when Peggy was asking to cuddle her until she slept. He slowly got into bed, on top of the covers. She pulled herself in, close to his chest, and breathed him in with a heavy, exhausted sigh.

This close, fresh from a bath, she no longer smelled like sickness, but instead soft and floral and Peggy.

“Get some rest,” he breathed, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her temple. “I’m right here.”

“You better be,” she grumbled in midst of his pecs. “Or I’ll have a serious complaint to the landlord in the morning.” 

[dontdietwd]

Day 67, part 2

I had my eyes closed as I sat on a rocking chair on the porch of the farm house. Everything was silent now, except for my own ears ringing loudly in stress. I breathed in, allowing my head to rest on the back of the chair, and out, slowly, my feet nudging the wooden floor to rock the chair softly. Otis and Shane had left for the high school, Maggie was gone looking for Lori, and the others were around Carl. I was a quiet moment, which I highly valued. I had to cool down, allow my body to return to normal, allow my brain to stop screaming.

I knew it wouldn’t last long. It never did.

The door to the house creaked open to let out both Rick and Hershel, who joined me on the porch. Hershel sat on the chair by my side and Rick stood on the railing, looking outside.

“Your farm is beautiful, Mr. Greene,” I said in a low voice, as if scared to mess up with the rare peace of the moment. “I can see you take very good care of it.”

“It’s been in my family 160 years.”

“I can’t believe how serene it is,” Rick said looking out. “How untouched. You’re lucky.”

“We aren’t completely unscathed…” the old man disagreed from his chair. “We’ve lost friends, neighbors. The epidemic took my wife and my step son.”

I nodded looking down, “I’m sorry… It’s like there ain’t nobody alive who ain’t lost someone these days.”

“It sure is, but my daughters were spared. I’m thankful to God for that. These people here? All we got left is each other.”

“Yeah… We know how it is. We, our group… We’re also al we got.”

“Let’s hope we can ride it out in peace until there is a cure.”

Rick looked back into the porch and his eyes met mine, we both thinking the same. Rick looked down and out to the field again as I tried to choose my words.

“Mr. Greene… We’ve been on the road for a while now. We tried shelter in different places. One of them was at the CDC, in Atlanta. The most important place nearby that’d be working on a cure,” I paused, making Hershel look at me, waiting for me to finish. “It’s destroyed. Blew up to pieces, we all nearly blew up with it. They had no cure.”

Surprisingly, he smiled. “I don’t believe it. When aids came along everyone panicked. One boy in town came down with that and some parents pulled their children from school so they didn’t have to sit in the same room.”

“This is a whole other thing…” Rick said shaking his head and he turned to face us in the chairs, leaning against the rail.

“This is what we always say, ‘this one’s different’. Mankind have been fighting plagues from the start. We get our behinds kicked for a while. And then we bounce back,” with a serene smile, he looked from me to Rick and back. “It’s nature correcting itself, restoring some balance.”

We exchanged a look again and Rick lowered his head, his disbelief in the man’s words clear.

“Well,” I started carefully, “I don’t believe it, Mr. Greene. I really don’t… But I’ll be more than happy to be wrong about it. I hope we’re wrong about it.”

Maggie came back on the horse with Lori by then, galloping across the same field I had run just a short while ago, the sunset painting a beautiful picture that ended up unobserved. I stood on the porch with Hershel as Rick went to meet his wife on the garden in front of the house, telling her what happened and holding her as she cried, and then leading her inside. I sat back down on the rocking chair, my throat painful at the sight of the mother’s desperation.

“Delivered your message,” Maggie told me as she climbed the steps. “You were right; he did not trust me.”

I gave her a little smile, “He was protecting the group… Takes his job very seriously.”

“He your guy?”

I huffed, “What? No… It’s – I don’t, he’s…” and I paused to get in control, and finally shook my head. “No.”

With a knowing smile, Maggie dropped it, “Did you eat already?”

“Just a glass of juice… Don’t know if I can stomach much more.”

Rick gave Carl blood once again and could barely walk after that, his face pale and sweaty, but still refused to sit when he and Lori joined Hershel and I in the dining room, so Lori could understand better what was about to happen. Later, I sat once again on a bench outside on the porch, under the shadow of the house. Maggie joined me, quietly taking a seat by my side. Sun had come down and still Shane and Otis had not returned with the equipment, the emotions at the house growing tense by the minute. Everybody knew what they might be facing out there and everything that could go wrong, but an unspoken agreement made us not mention it, and simply wait.

Going over everything that had happened today, so far, I felt like I’d been awake for days already. So much had happened! Improvised breakfast at the road, Andrea’s drama, the search on the woods, the corpse on the tent, the church bell and the hope it arose, the disappointment, the deer, Otis and the shot, the run and the farm and, finally, just minutes ago, realizing Mr. Greene was actually a veterinarian.

Craziest and longest day ever.

I smiled for a moment before starting to laugh, quietly, my shoulders increasingly shaking. Maggie turned to look at me, eyes a little wide, gob smacked.

“Sorry! It’s crazy, it’s just…” and I kept laughing. “It’s just that, you know, feels like a week ago but just a couple of hours ago, Otis –” and I paused to laugh a little more. “Otis said ‘go to Hershel, he’s a vet, he’ll help!’ and we were all like ok, well, a veteran!” I laughed more, just a little louder, and Maggie started laughing with me, understanding the line of thought. “We never thought vet meant veterinarian!”

We were still laughing softly together when a car appeared at the far, the low ruffle of the motor disturbing the silence of the farm.

“Is it them?” Maggie asked.

I stretched my neck to see over the railing, “Not all of them, we got more cars,” and I got up, squinting to try and see who was driving but the lights made it impossible. I wondered why just one car, where was everybody else, what had happened, and in a second a thousand scenarios crossed my mind, how unaware of things I was now and how uncomfortable that felt. Where was Daryl?

Glenn and Theodore hopped out of the car looking curious but calm and I sighed in relief. Seemed like everything was fine. Except for Theodore himself, who was wrapped in a blanket even though the evening was nearly as hot as the day had been and looked nearly white on his paleness. I stood on top of the stairs, waiting for them to approach.

“Holy shit, T,” I said as a hello. “You look like hell.”

He laughed and sounded high, “Gee, thanks!”

“He’s got a fever,” Glenn explained as they stopped there. “Cut’s infected. Daryl gave him a few of Merle’s pills, some antibiotic I guess.”

“Okay, come on, let’s take a look at it,” I gestured them to come up.

“You okay?” Glenn asked me as he came up and pointed at my eyebrow.

“Oh, yeah, just a twig, was nothing.”

“Did you close the gate up the road when you drove in?” Maggie asked them from where she was still sitting and both Glenn and Theodore looked past me at her, only now noticing there was someone else there.

“Uh, hi,” Glenn raised a hand lamely. “Yes, we closed it. Did the latch and everything. Hello. Nice to see you again, we met before, briefly.”

“This is Maggie,” I told them as the girl got up from the bench. “Maggie, Glenn and Theodore.”

Theo just nodded, his eyes nearly closed as if asleep, and Glenn waved again.

“Where are the others? Why only you two came?”

“Daryl decided they should stay one more night. Says he’s gonna put a sign for Sophia in case she comes back to let her know we’re looking and to wait there. Set some supplies too. They’ll all come in the morning.”

I nodded, the sense of pride I’d been feeling for Daryl showing it’s face once again.

“Look, we came to help,” Glenn kept talking. “Is there anything we can do? We got some antibiotics and painkillers, if Carl needs it.”

“Come in inside. I’ll make something to eat. You too Sam, is your stomach settled enough, you think?”

“Yes, it’s definitely better.”

We followed Maggie inside and she went straight to the kitchen. I gestured them both to follow me and stopped at the bedroom’s threshold, pointing inside. Glenn and Theo solemnly entered, their faces betraying the distress in seeing Carl lying there like that. Inside, Rick and Lori saw them and nodded their greetings.

“Uh… We’re here, okay?” Glenn told them nearly in a whisper. Whatever you need.”

Glenn was a sweetheart. Not for the first time I felt a wave of tenderness towards him. He was a gentle man, not much more than a teenager actually, he had to be what, nineteen, twenty tops? I felt like if I’d ever had a brother, I wanted him to be just like Glenn, if life had given me one.

Patricia came to stitch Theo’s arm, poor woman, I could see the worry in her eyes, her heart must have been aching right now, and she had to just do something as she waited for her husband to come back. I hoped he did, both he and Shane. I sat at the table with them and Glenn just paced nervously around us, because Theo was getting stitches, and many of them, with no anesthesia at all and man, that had to hurt. On the table, the sort of medication Daryl had found in Merle’s bag.

Damn, the man was a walking pharmacy! I wondered how he was coping without them now; withdrawal must be kicking his ass. Been through it, didn’t want to be on his shoes right now. And where the hell was he, anyway? Without a hand!

“Merle Dixon,” I heard Patricia say as is reading my thoughts. “Is that your friend with the antibiotics?”

Uh, tough subject. Glenn looked at me and we exchanged a second. He must have known it was hard to me to talk about it.

“No, ma’am,” he answered instead. “Merle’s no longer with us. Daryl gave us those… His brother.”

“Not sure I’d call him a friend,” Theo was able to groan out though his pain with the stitches.

“I would,” I said immediately and Theo looked at me, kind of an unreadable expression. “Merle was my friend, all things considered,” I paused for a moment to gain some drama and moved on, “Horrible person! The one you’d want away from you. But ended up being my friend after all.”

“Well, horrible person or not,” Patricia looked from me to Theo, “he is your friend today. This doxycycline might have just saved your life.”

“You know what Merle was taking it for?” Maggie asked as she held Theo’s arm in place.

“The clap,” Glenn answered quickly and caught himself. Every one of us was looking at him and I fought the urge to laugh at his awkwardness. “Uh… Venereal disease. That’s what Daryl said.”

“I’d say Merle Dixon’s clap was the best thing that happened to you,” Patricia declared and this time I did laugh, out loud, just a Maggie did.

“I’m really trying not to think about that!” Theo suffered just a bit more.

Glenn left the room then, apparently unable to take Theo’s pain and the needles and his own awkwardness anymore. Poor guy, this instant crush on Maggie was palpable. She really was very pretty, and nice. I liked her a lot. I was glad to see her follow him out just a minute later, as soon as Theo’s stitches were done and she could let his arm go.

“Your turn,” Patricia told me after Theo thanked her and stumbled out of the chair, all but dragging himself over to the couch.

“Oh, God… Do I really have to?” I whined a bit.

“Come here, let me take a look.”

I got up from the chair I was in and occupied the one Theo vacated. Patricia removed my eyebrow bandage and looked the cut over before saying, “Sorry to disappoint, dear, but this will be a three or four stitches. It’s a small cut, but it went a bit deep and eyebrows tend to bleed a lot, see this?” she showed me the bandage and it was all red in new blood that had come out after Maggie tended to it.

“Yes, I figured. Let’s get on with it then…”

It did hurt a lot, the needle and the stitches perforating my skin, I could feel everything. But I didn’t cry out as much as Theo did, I’m proud to say. I ended up being four stitches, and a much smaller bandage after it was done.

A while later, I was sitting on the porch with a bowl of warm oatmeal, made with milk, and with raisins in it – oh, the heavens! Breakfast food for dinner, and the sustenance, it was just amazing. I ate is fast, but still appreciated the flavor of every spoonful. I was already scraping the bowl then a car approached. I placed it aside and got up to recognize Otis’ old truck. They were back! I got up and ran down the porch stairs just as the others left the house to greet them back.

Shane got out of the driver’s seat and took heavy bags from inside the car, and he limped his way to meet us, breathless, his eye wide and not blinking. He was a wreck. Something had gone really, really wrong, and where the fuck was Otis?

“Carl?”

“There’s still a chance,” Rick told him as Hershel took the bags and handed them to Glenn.

“Otis?” he asked Shane, also noticing his absence.

Shane looked down.

Fuck.

He took another moment to answer, saying simply “No.”

Fuck! We had just got that family’s friend killed.

There was a stunned silence and, by my side, I hear Maggie take a painful intake of breath. Hershel looked around, lost, and after a moment said “We say nothing to Patricia. Not ‘till after. I need her,” and he grabbed the heavy bags on his own again and ran inside.

Rick went to Shane and hugged him, thankful. I turned to Maggie, who was frozen on her spot and touched her shoulder. When she looked at me her green eyes were filled with tears and her lips trembled.

“I’m so sorry… God, I’m so sorry, Maggie…”

[trashcanband4]

The Revelation of the Other Woman Ch. 8

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7  Chapter 9 Chapter 10

Chapter Title: A Walk in The Woods. Word Count: 7,017 Warnings: Panic attacks, anxiety

Rick rushed off of the porch to greet his wife when they got close. Lori started crying on his shoulder before they headed past me to the house. I didn’t follow them and neither did Hershel, but after a few minutes he looked at me and said, “They’ve had enough time and I need to check on him.” I followed him inside and stood at the door while Hershel checked his blood pressure. A hiss filled the room as he let air out of the cuff. “It’s dropping, he needs more blood.” So I headed over to the chair that was still by the bed, but Hershel stopped me. “You’ve already given once.”

“I’m fine I can give more.” I argued.

“We need to keep all three of you healthy.” He argued with a look at Rick, Carl and me. “You and Rick should take turns.” He said so I moved back to the door and leaned against the frame to watch as Rick sat down and let Patricia poke him.

Lori sat across from him all the while then when he started to stand up he got dizzy. “Slow, slow.” She told him as he sat back down in the chair. “How many transfusions has he had?”

“Two. One from Joanna and this one from me.” he said and she stared over at Carl.

“He wanted to do the same for you when you were in the hospital.” She said then looked back at Rick. “I had to talk him out of it.” She said with a small laugh then helped Rick stand up and I moved so that they could walk by then followed as they headed into the dining room.

After they got to the dining room, Hershel handed Rick a glass of orange juice and Lori glanced back at me. “Sorry, I don’t mean to hover, I just…” I sighed not knowing what to say. “Tell me to buzz off and I’ll buzz off.” I said getting to my point.

“Honey, you’re fine, and I appreciate what you did for Carl.” She told me so I walked around to the end of the table and sat down, away from her and Rick. She placed her hands on the back of a chair and leaned against it. “Okay, so I understand, when Shane gets back with this other man-“

“Otis.” Hershel said.

“Otis.” She said looking at Hershel now. “The idiot who shot my son.” She sighed.

“Ma’am, it was an accident.” Hershel told her sternly.

“I’ll take that under advisement later.” She said. “For now he’s the idiot who shot our son.” She said and I had to refrain from calling her a bitch. Rick reached out and grabbed one of her hands that were still on the back of the chair.

“Lori, they’re doing everything they can to make it right.” Rick said and she ignored him and kept talking to Hershel.

“Okay, as soon as they get back you can perform this surgery?” she asked.

“I’ll certainly do my best.” Hershel assured her.

“Okay, you’ve done this procedure before?” she asked.

“Well, yes, in a sense.” He said and I cocked my head to the side not understanding his answer.

“In a sense?” she asked.

Rick reached out and grabbed her hand again. “Honey, we don’t have the luxury of shopping for a surgeon.” Rick said and they both laughed for a split second.

“No, I understand that. But I mean you’re a doctor, right?” she said as she placed her hand on Rick’s and looked back at Hershel.

“Yes, ma’am. Of course. A vet.” He answered.

“A veteran? A combat medic?” she asked sounding excited.

“A veterinarian.” He answered.

“A-” she started then looked at Rick who gave her a look that told her he didn’t know this particular piece of information. “And you’ve done this surgery before on what? Cows, Pigs?” she asked.

I saw Rick teetering where he stood before he said “I-have…” I rushed over to him as he pulled out the chair and caught him under the shoulders. Between me and Lori we got him in the chair safely. When she had her arm securely around him I let go and moved back to my chair at the end of the table.

“You’re completely in over your head aren’t you?” Lori asked.

“Ma’am, aren’t we all?” he asked.

I sighed and folded my arms over the table then placed my head on them. A veterinarian. The guy wasn’t a doctor, he was freakin’ a veterinarian. Even when I thought he was a human doctor I thought the chances of Carl surviving this were low, but now…now they were even lower. After a while Hershel announced that he was going to check on Carl and seeing that I had nothing else to do I followed.

“Pressure’s dropping again. We can’t wait much longer.” Hershel announced so I walked in and sat down in the chair.

“I’m ready, take whatever he needs.” I said and Hershel looked at me.

“While she gives him blood I’m gonna go.” Rick said sounding shaky.

“Go, go where?” Lori asked.

I turned to Hershel and nodded to my arm, so he put on a glove then opened a clean needle and stuck it in my arm. I didn’t flinch. I was too busy watching Lori and Rick. “He said five miles. They should be long back by now. Something’s gone wrong.” Rick explained.

“Are you insane? You’re not going after them.” Lori argued.

“Rick,” I said getting his attention and he looked at me, “Listen to her, please.”

“If they got into trouble-” he started.

But I interrupted, “You would still be needed here.” He turned from Lori to look at me then turned back to her.

“If something happened…I have to go.” He argued.

“No, you’re place is here.” Lori practically yelled at him. “If Shane said he’ll be back, he’ll be back. He’s like you that way.” Lori argued back.

“I can’t just sit here.” Rick stated.

“That’s exactly what you do!” Lori yelled getting in his face. “If you need to pry or cry to tell god he’s cruel, you go right ahead, but you’re not leaving, Rick. Carl needs you here.” She said before she whispered, “And I can’t do this by myself. Not this one. I can’t.”

I gave them a moment before I spoke up. “Rick?” I asked getting his attention.

“Buzz off.” Lori said snapping her head toward me.

I looked down at the tubes connecting me to her son then back up at her. “I kinda can’t at the moment.” I told her then turned my eyes to Rick. “I was just going to tell you to remember what Shane said. You have to hold up your end.” He gave me a nod then grabbed her hand and lead her outside. Hershel walked over and checked the needles and tubes. “I’m sorry we’ve invaded your farm. Disrupted your peace.” I told him as he pulled the needle out of my arm. “But I thank you for trying to save Carl, even though you’re not a human doctor.”

“It’s not a problem, really.” The older man said as I gazed over at the sleeping boy. “Are you related to the boy?” he asked.

I shook my head no. “I’ve only known him for a week or so, I know his dad more than I know him or Lori.” I explained.

“And I’m sure they appreciate you stepping up like you did.” he said as he moved to take the needle out of Carl’s arm.

“All I did was offer to let you and Patricia poke me in the arm. It’s Shane and Otis that are going to deserve the praise.” I countered and he just looked down at me as he shook his head from side to side. “What?” I asked, wondering what he was thinking.

“Nothing.” he said as he as he helped me stand up. “Just come with me to the kitchen. We’ll make you and Rick a sandwich.”

Thirty minutes later Lori, Rick, Patricia, Hershel and I sat in the room with Carl as Hershel checked his blood pressure again. And when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye I looked toward the door to see Glenn and T-Dog standing in the doorway. “Hey.” Glenn greeted and Rick responded. “Um, we’re here, okay?” Glenn said and Lori thanked him.

“Whatever you need.” T-Dog said and as they walked out of the room I stood up.

Rick gave me a questioning look so I simply said, “I’m going to go see how T’s arm is doing.” He gave me a nod of approval then I disappeared. As I started explaining to the others exactly what was happening and what was going on, I noticed Rick and Lori walk out onto the porch.

When they came back inside, Rick looked pissed and Lori looked aggravated as they headed toward Carl’s room. Instead of hovering over them like I had been I followed Patricia, Maggie and T-Dog to the kitchen where they started working on T’s arm. “I’m gonna have to stitch it.” Patricia said after examining the deep cut. “Maggie, hold his arm down would you?” she asked and when Maggie gave her a nod she started stitching, causing T to yell before he gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. I walked around the table and placed my hand on his shoulder. He placed his free hand on mine and squeezed it. “You got here right in time.” Patricia told him while she stitched. “This couldn’t go untreated much longer.” I glanced from T’s arm to see Glenn leaning against the doorframe holding a coffee cup in his hand. “Merle Dixon, is that your friend with the antibiotics?” she asked.

“No, ma’am. Merle’s no longer with us.” Glenn answered as Patricia stuck the suture needle into T’s flesh and he squeezed my hand making me flinch. “Daryl gave us those…his brother.”

“Not sure I’d call him a friend.” T added with a grunt.

“He is today. This doxycycline might have just saved your life.” Patricia said as she continued to stitch. “You know what Merle was taking it for?”

“The clap.” Glann answered making us all look up at him. “Um…venereal disease.” He elaborated and when I looked up I saw him gulp as he looked at Maggie. “That’s what Daryl said.” He said as he looked away, fidgeting with his cup. 

“I’d say Merle Dixon’s clap was the best thing to ever happen to you.” Patricia said flatly.

“I’m really trying not to think about that.” T grunted and tensed as Patricia kept stitching and Glenn walked out. As soon as Patricia was done stitching and no longer needed Maggie, the younger girl walked out in the same direction that Glenn had gone. “I didn’t break your hand did I?” T-Dog asked as I took my hand off of his shoulder and walked around to sit at the table while Patricia placed a bandage over his stitches.

“Na.” I answered as I held up my sore hand and wiggled my fingers at him. “See, all good.” I smiled as I sat my hand back down.

“Keep that clean and dry.” Patricia told him when she was done and he thanked her. “There’s coffee in the kitchen if ya’ll want it.” she said then headed upstairs.

“Do you want some?” I asked T-Dog who gave me a silent nod, so I headed to the kitchen. Four small white coffee cups sat upside down on a wooden rectangular serving tray along with creamer and sugar. So I flipped them over and filled them with the steaming black liquid from the full pot that sat off to the side of the serving tray.

“Why so many?” T-Dog asked when I walked over to him with the tray and sat it down on the table and sat a cup down in front of him.

“I figured Rick and Lori could use some.” I explained as I motioned to the creamer and sugar. He shook his head and waved me off as he sipped the bitter liquid. “I never was a fan of unsweetened coffee.” I explained as I added sugar and creamer to my cup then gave it a stir to mix it. When I was done I sat the spoon on the napkin that was on the tray and left my cup behind as I headed to Carl’s room.

I knocked on the door with my elbow before I cracked the door open and stuck my head inside. “Yes?” Lori asked and I kicked the door open revealing the steaming cups and small containers of sugar and creamer. She rolled her eyes and looked back at Carl.

“I figured you guys could use some caffeine.” I explained as I took another step into the room. “I’ll uh, just leave it here for you.” I said feeling awkward in the quiet room as I sat the tray down on the dresser.

“No, don’t leave it.” Rick said with a sigh as she stood from the chair he was sitting in to walk over. “Hershel might not appreciate you leaving this stuff in here.” He explained then picked up the spoon and started adding power to the coffee.

While he did that I walked over to stand at the foot of the bed. “I hate to ask, but I can’t help myself.” I stated getting Lori’s attention. “How’s he doin’?”

“Not any better.” Lori answered sounding aggravated that I asked.

“But thanks for asking.” Rick spoke up as he turned around with the two cups in his hands. “Thank you for everything.” He said with a small smile and a nod as he walked around me to hand a cup to Lori.

I guess he gave her a look or mouthed something to her because she leaned around him with a sigh and said, “Thank you, Joanna.” Sounding like a kid that was just forced to tell their sibling that they was sorry.

“No problem.” I replied to both of them with a nod of my own.

I had picked up the tray and was headed out, but that’s when Hershel walked in and over to Carl. “Do go anywhere Joanna. We might need you.” he told me so I set the try down on the dresser again then watched as he pressed his fingertips to Carl’s wrist and watched his pocket watch for a minute. “He’s still losing blood faster than we can replace it.” he reported as he sat Carl’s hand down and looked at Rick and Lori as she stood up. “And with the swelling in his abdomen we can’t wait any longer or he’s just going to slip away.” Rick stood up and Lori walked over to help him. “Now I need to know right now if you want me to do this, because I think your boy is out of time.” I looked from Hershel to Rick and Lori who were just looking at each other. “You have to make a choice.”

“A choice?” Lori asked and Rick turned to look at her.

“A choice. You have to tell me what it is.” He whispered to her shakily. “You have to tell me what it is.” He repeated himself.

She looked like she was going to cry for a second before she placed her hand on his cheek. “We do it.” she told him and Hershel started getting things ready while Rick hugged her to him.

“I’ll get out of the way.” I said to no one in particular as I left the room. I had just sat down on the living room couch with the others when we heard a truck pull up outside.

We all rushed out onto the porch to see Shane get out of the truck and start grabbing bags out of the back. “Carl?” he asked, breathlessly.

Rick, Hershel, Glenn and Lori left the porch and started grabbing bags from Shane. “There’s still a chance.” Rick told Shane.

“Otis?” Hershel asked and Shane shook his head. I watched Maggie and Hershel’s shoulders sag at the news. “We say nothing to Patricia. Not till after. I need her” Hershel said before he ran into the house with a bag in his hand. I followed him inside and sat back down on the couch, knowing that for now there was nothing I could do. It was all up to Carl, Hershel and God now.

What seemed like hours later, Hershel walked out of the bedroom and asked where Lori and Rick were. So I pointed outside then followed behind, eager to know how Carl was doing. Lori and Rick were sitting on the porch steps when we walked out and they jumped up when they heard the screen door shut. “He seems to have stabilized.”

“Oh, god.” Rick sighed at the good news and even laughed a bit. He smiled as he walked up the steps and gave Hershel a hug. When he saw me standing behind Hershel he reached a hand out to me. So I grabbed it and gave him a smile.

When he let go of me and Hershel and walked down the steps we all looked at Lori to see her standing there with tears streaming down her face that was half covered by her hands. “I don’t have words.” She told Hershel.

“I don’t either, wish I did.” Hershel answered. “How do I tell Patricia about Otis?” he asked and I looked to my left where Maggie was leaning against the house, crying.

“You go to Carl.” I heard Rick say and looked at him to see that he had been talking to Lori. “I’ll go with Hershel.”

They headed inside and Lori looked back at Shane, giving him a nod of thanks before she headed inside. I sat down on the porch steps with a sigh, glad that Carl was okay. Shane was headed past me up the steps when Patricia’s cry’s hit my ears and tears started rolling down my face. I hated hearing people cry. It was like I could feel their pain and had to cry with them. So I put my hands over my ears to block it out. I was still sitting there like that when Maggie came out and told me that the shower was free and there was a set of clothes on the bathroom counter for me. After my shower I was offered the living room couch to sleep on.

The next morning as soon as the sun was up, everyone else was up with it and I could no longer sleep. Maggie asked all of us to help gather rocks to make a resting place for Otis so that Patricia could get some closure. So that’s what we were all doing when I heard Daryl’s motorcycle and looked at the road to see him, the green car Shane had been working on and the Rv come into view. We all headed to the front of the house where the three vehicles were headed. They had just pulled to a stop when Rick and Lori came out of the house. I headed over to Daryl and asked, “No Sophia?” she shook his head no with a flat face. I sighed and let my head fall forward.

But my attention was pulled elsewhere when I heard Dale say, “How is he?”

“He’ll pull through.” Lori answered with a smile and a nod. “Thanks to Hershel and his people and…”

“And Shane.” Rick added. “We’d have lost Carl if not for him.” He added and after everyone took a second for it to sink in, Dale hugged Rick, kicking off the group hugging.

Carol hugged Lori and Andrea hugged T-dog. As I looked around it seemed like every woman in our group was hugging someone. When I looked at Daryl he glanced at me where I stood with one hand resting on the handle bars of his motorcycle and the other on my hip. I smirked at him. “Don’t even think about it, Ballerina.” he grunted.

“Psh, don’t flatter yourself.” I laughed at him and he smirked as he shook his head.

“How’d it happen?” Dale asked when everyone was done hugging.

“Hunting accident.” Rick answered. “That’s all, just a stupid accident.”

We stacked the rocks we had gathered into a pile under a tree that Patricia said that Otis liked to hang out under when he wanted to work in the shade. When it was done, Hershel appeared holding a bible in his hand. I stood between Glenn and Dale and watched as each of the family members added a rock to the pile. “Blessed be God.” Spoke Hershel, “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to Him for the gift of our brother Otis, for his span of years, for his abundance of Character. Otis, who gave his life to save a child’s, now more than ever, our most precious asset.” As Hershel continued to speak about Otis and God, I stared down at the ground and zoned out, not wanting to cry anymore.

After things settled down from the funeral Daryl, Shane, Andrea, Rick, Hershel, and I gathered around the hood of the Peltier’s suv to plan a search for Sophia. “How long has this girl been lost?” Hershel asked.

“This will be day three.” Rick answered before Maggie walked up with a roll of paper in her hands.

“County survey map. It shows terrain and elevations.” She explained as she rolled it out on the hood of the van.

“This is perfect. We can finally get this thing organized.” Rick said, standing at the front of the car as rocks were placed on the corners of the map to hold it in place. I looked at him from where I stood across from Daryl and beside Hershel as I fiddled with the windshield wipers. “We’ll grid the whole area, start searching in teams.”

“Not you, not today.” Hershel spoke up. “You gave three units of blood. You wouldn’t be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out.” He then looked at Shane. “And your ankle, push it now, you’ll be laid up a month, no good to anybody.”

“What about me?” I asked and when everyone turned their eyes to me I felt myself cower a little.

“You gave less than him. While I wouldn’t advise it, you’d probably be fine.” Hershel said with a nod.

“Guess it’s just us.” Daryl spoke with a glance at me before he leaned over to point at the creek. “I think we should head back to the creek, work our way from there.” he looked at Rick then me as he leaned back and adjusted the strap of his cross bow. “What do you think?”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” I agreed, tucking my hands into the pockets of my skinny jeans.

“I can still be useful.” Shane spoke up. “I’ll drive up to the interstate, see if Sophia wandered back.”

“Alright, tomorrow then.” Rick said with a look around at everyone. “We’ll start doing this right.”

“That means we can’t have our people out there with just knives.” Shane added. “They need the gun training we’ve been promising them.”

“I’d prefer you not carrying guns on my property.” Hershel requested. “We’ve managed so far without turning this into an armed camp.”

“With all due respect, you get a crowd of those things wandering in here…” Shane finished with a scoff as he placed his hands on the hood of the car and leaned forward.

“Look, we’re guests here. This is your property and we will respect that.” Rick replied giving Shane a pointed look that told everyone that his word was final. After breaking eye contact with Shane Rick sat his pistol down on the hood of the car and Shane followed suit. I hesitated, hoping they would forget about the gun that I had, but when I felt eyes on me I looked up to see Rick looking at me. “Joanna, come on, I know you have the pistol I gave you.”

“I don’t like being unprotected, but fine. If it will make everyone else comfortable…” I sighed as I sat the gun on the hood with the rest. When I looked away from it I found Andrea giving me a smug smile. I wanted so badly to pop off at her, but I refrained to keep down the drama around camp. We didn’t need that right now.

“First things first. Set camp, find Sophia.” Rick said and I noticed a disapproving look on Shane’s face.

“I hate to be the one to ask, but somebody’s got to.” Shane said. “What happens if we find her and she’s bit? I think we should all be clear on how to handle that.”

Rick looked uncomfortable and tired as he said, “We do what has to be done.”

“And her mother, what do you tell her?” Maggie asked.

“The truth.” Andrea and I answered at the same time making the air around us grow awkward.

“I’ll gather and secure all the weapons.” Shane said, but I didn’t look at him. I was too busy noticing the head shake that Hershel gave Maggie at our answer to her question. “Make sure no one’s carrying ‘till we’re at a practice range off sight.” Not wanting to be caught staring I turned my eyes to Shane. “I do request one rifleman on lookout. Dale’s got experience.”

When Hershel didn’t immediately answer Rick stepped up. “Our people would feel safer, less inclined to carry a gun.” He explained and Hershel just nodded. “Thank you.”

“You ready?” Daryl asked me gruffly before he started walking off without an answer.

So I ran around the car to catch up with him. “Let me grab my armor and I’ll be.”

“Armor?” he stopped walking to ask.

“Riot gear? I don’t know what to call it, you’ll see after I have it on.” I explained.

“Meet me at the front porch when you’re ready.” He said and I just gave him a nod.

When I walked into the RV to get my bag that had been moved out of the suv I was greeted with Lori sitting at the dinner table. “Hi, I uh, just need to grab my stuff then I’ll be out of your way.” I said as I moved around her to get to the bedroom.

“You’re constantly in my way.” She sighed tiredly.

I kept quiet as I grabbed my bags and threw the straps over my shoulders. “Excuse me for breathing.” I sighed back as I walked past her then out of the Rv. I walked a good way away from where the rest of the tents were being sat up before I tossed mine on the ground along with my bag. I wasn’t going to bother setting the tent up with Daryl waiting on me, my bag and it would be enough to mark my spot. So I kneeled down and started digging the pieces of armor out of the bag and placing them on myself. When I was done, I made sure I had my knife on me then headed over to where I could see Daryl leaning against the side of the house. “You look stupid.” He greeted and I just shook my head at him.

“My, Daryl, you sure know how to make a lady feel good about herself.” I said with a laugh that got nothing from him. “I know I look ridiculous, but if I get tackled by a walker, this at least covers my important parts. Unlike your flimsy sleeveless shirt.”

“Least I won’t suffocate.” He popped off and I just ignored him as we started headed toward the tree line.

“Daryl.” We heard Rick call and turned to see that he had been sitting on the front porch steps. “You okay, just the two of you?” he asked as he started walking over.

“I’m better on my own, but she seems smart enough to watch her own back.” Daryl answered and started walking again so I followed. “Don’t worry. We’ll be back before dark.”

“Hey.” Rick called so we stopped. “We got a base. We can get this search properly organized now.”

“You got a point or are we just chattin’?” Daryl asked with a bit of an attitude.

“My point is it lets you two off of the hook.” Rick answered. “You don’t owe us anything.”

“My other plans fell through.” Daryl answered before we started walking again.

“Joanna!” Rick called and I growled as I rolled my eyes and turned back to him.

“God, what, Rick?” I asked and he walked over to stand a few feet away.

“You don’t have to go.” His voice was almost a whisper, he was tired, I could tell, but that gave him no reason to be so protective of me.

“Worry about your wife and son, not me.” I said, running my fingers through my hair, pushing it out of my face before I turned and headed toward Daryl who had stopped to wait for me.

We walked in silence for a while before Daryl surprised me by striking up a conversation. “What’s the deal with you and Rick?”

“Yeah, I can’t answer that question.” I answered as I moved from walking behind him to walking beside him.

“Why not? It’s not like my opinion on the subject of you sleeping with a married man matters much.” He said without looking at me.

I felt a pain shoot through my chest at the bitter sweet, blurry memory. “Because I have no freakin’ clue what the deal is. The man teeters between me and her more than a seesaw. Quite frankly I’m getting tired of it.” I answered with a huff, understanding now why Hershel suggesting I shouldn’t come with Daryl. I was getting short of breath easily.

“Is that why you’ve attached yourself to my hip?” he asked, not looking at me and I felt a small smirk play at the corners of my lips as I looked around.

“Maybe a little.” I answered honestly. “But mainly because you’re one of the few people in our camp that I can stand to be around.” I once again answered honestly, but this one earned a scoff from him.

“You sure it has nothing to do with that fact that hangin’ around me makes him jealous?” he asked.

“Not at first.” I answered, feeling bad for bringing him into this mess. “But when he accused me of sleeping with you when we slept in the van…” I trailed off. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t sweat it, Ballerina.” He said, waving me off with the arrow in his hand. “Ain’t the first time I’ve been accused of somethin’ I didn’t do, won’t be that last.”

“I have to ask though, why haven’t you told anyone about what you heard at the CDC? I didn’t exactly ask you to keep my secret.”

“What, you want me to tell everyone you’re a home wrecker?” he asked and even though I could tell that he was just joking it still hurt and I couldn’t respond. He glanced at me to see what I’m sure was a hurt look on my face. “I ain’t judgin’ and it ain’t my secret to tell.” He assured me before we started looking in silence again other than occasionally calling out for Sophia. Eventually though, the woods broke into a clearing that led to an old, run down white house with a red roof.

“Think she’s inside?” I asked, pulling my knife out of the sheath on my hip as we neared it.

“Could be.” he answered before he walked up the small steps and kicked in the door. “Stay behind me.” he warned.

I snorted. “What happened to ‘she seems smart enough to watch her own back’?” I asked.

“I’m askin’ you to watch mine.” He grunted with a quick look back at me.

“Oh.” I said as we walked into the house. As we walked through I kept a look behind us so that we had eyes in all directions. After we completely searched the bottom floor for walkers, we started really looking around. He noticed a can of sardines in the trash and I pointed to the cracked door. I walked quietly around the table in the room and pulled the door open, he pointed his crossbow inside, just to discover that other than some canned goods, and a little bed on the floor it was empty. “Should we take this stuff?” I asked, pointing to the things on the shelf.

“Na, if it’s her that’s been staying here, then she’ll need them if she comes back.” He explained and I felt stupid for not thinking about that. We searched the upper floor to no avail then headed back outside. “Sophia!” Sophia!” he called as we walked out of the back door.

“Sophia!” I called, as I walked one way and he walked the other. “Sophia!” I called again, peeking around the corner of the large house just to see nothing. When I turned back to look for Daryl I saw him walk over to a couple of flowers and kneel down. My curiosity made me walk over and ask. “Didn’t take you as a flower enthusiast.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” he grunted as he stood up with a flower in his hand.

“It’s pretty.” I admitted as I took in the wide white petals and yellow center. “What’s it called?”

“A Cherokee rose.” He answered as we started walking again.

“With a name like that, it has to have a story behind it.” I guessed as we walked along back toward the farm.

“It does.” He replied, but didn’t elaborate.

“Wanna tell it to me?” I asked, fighting back a laugh.

“Story is, when American soldiers were moving Indians off their land on the Trail of Tears the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much ‘cause they were losing their little ones along the way from exposure and disease and starvation. A lot of them just disappeared. So the elders, they said a prayer. Asking for a sign to uplift the mothers spirits, give them strength and hope. The next day this rose started to grow right where the mother’s tears fell.” We both got quiet when the story was over.

We were pretty close to the farm when I asked, “So the rose…it’s for Carol?”

“Figured it might help.” He answered so I stopped and picked up an empty brown beer bottle.

“Then it’s gonna need water.” I handed him the bottle and he smirked.

When we got back to camp, we went separate ways. He headed toward the RV while I headed over to where I had put my tent and duffle bags. They were exactly where it left them so I took off my gear and started setting up the tent. When I was done, I headed to the house with my freshest clothes in hand, heading to the showers. Lori was on her way out of the house as I headed in, and she completely ignored me. Not that I minded.

I was headed to the bathroom when I passed Carl’s room. “Since you’re in the club now, you get to wear the hat. Didn’t you know?” hearing Rick talking to his son made my feet take me to him instead of the bathroom. I walked into the doorway and stopped to see Carl smiling as Rick set the hat on his small head. “We’ll pad the Rim tomorrow so it sits better.”

“Won’t you miss it?” Carl asked, not seeing me in the doorway.

“Maybe you’ll let me borrow it from time to time.” Rick said with a smile.

“We can share it.” Carl smiled at his dad before he saw me in the doorway. “Joanna, did you find her? Dad said you and Daryl went out looking for her.” the boy asked hopefully and my heart fell as Rick looked up at me.

“No, Carl, I’m sorry. We didn’t.” I answered with a sad head shake.

“You need to get some sleep, okay?” Rick asked as he pulled the sheets up over his son, who nodded and pulled the hat down over his eyes.

Rick finished tucking him in before he walked over to me and we stepped out into the hallway. “He looks like he’s doin’ better.” I said with a small smile that Rick returned.

“He is.” he nodded before his smile fell. “Enjoy your walk with Daryl?” he asked with a tinge of jealousy in his voice.

“It wasn’t a walk, it was a search party. But since you asked, yeah.” I answered, gripping my clothes tighter to my chest.

“I don’t think you should spend so much time with him.” He said with glaring eyes and a tilted head.

“Why, you afraid of a little competition?” I asked, implying something that wasn’t even true. He just glared at me. “Hmm, you’re not talking. I’m not surprised. See that’s something I actually like about Daryl. I ask a question he answers, no bullshit, no dancing around it.” I gave him the chance to say something and he didn’t. He just squinted at me then looked at the floor. “Goodnight, Rick.” I said as I turned to walk away, but he caught my wrist at the last second making me turn back around.

“Am I losing you?” he asked in a hushed tone.

“I don’t know.” I answered a little teary eyed. “No, er, yes…” I tried to fight though whatever was going on in my head. “Maybe.” I finished before I pulled my hand from his and headed to the bathroom to shower.

When I came back out the sun had set and I was headed to my tent when I heard someone say, “Hey.” I stopped and looked toward a random tree in the yard to see a moon illuminated Daryl walking over to me. “You mean what you said about me?” he asked, walking beside me as I headed toward my tent.

“What are you talkin’ about?” I asked, coming to a stop in front of my tent.

“I was comin’ out of the bathroom and heard ya talkin’ to Rick.” He said and I sighed as I tossed my dirty clothes into the open flap of the tent.

“Oh, about you being a no bullshit guy?” I asked and he hummed out a yes while biting the inside of his cheek. “Yeah.”

“Well, don’t.” he grumbled as he gripped the strap of his crossbow tightly.

“Excuse me?” I asked, not understanding what I shouldn’t do.

“I don’t need ya talkin’ me up to the boss man.” He said as he started walking away from me.

I couldn’t help but run after him. “Are you seriously mad at me?” I asked, taking a swipe for his wrist to get him to stop following him, but he pulled away. “Look I take it you’re not used to getting compliments, so I’m only gonna say this once.” I said running around to get in front of him and he stopped when I put my hand on his chest and pushed him back.

“I ain’t ever hit a woman before.” His tone was warning, but if he did hit me then…whatever.

“Good that only helps prove the point I’m about to make.” I countered and he just glared at me with his water blue, moon lit eyes. “You are a good man, Daryl Dixon. You are helping look for a lost little girl when no one would blame you for sitting it out. You don’t judge people. You bring flowers to a distraught mother.” He snorted at me for bring up the Cherokee rose. “The first thing I noticed about you when I came to camp, you were feeding people you barely knew. You tracked a deer for day’s so they would have something to eat. Even if you mainly did it for you and your brother you were willing to share with everyone. When you came back to camp after looking for your brother you didn’t say to hell with y’all and only protected yourself. No, you joined in and helped protect the camp. When Jenner-”

“Alright I get it, damn.” He grumbled, getting me to stop, but I didn’t.

“No, I don’t think you do. I wasn’t ‘talking you up to the boss man’ I was using truth to make him jealous. And I thought you were okay with me using you to make him jealous. Was I wrong?”

“Nope.” He answered shortly with a head shake, still chewing on the inside of his cheek.

“Good, because I thought we were friends and I don’t have many of those. So we good or are you gonna get pissy every time I say something nice about you?”

“We’re good.” He said with a head nod and this time when he tried to walk off I let him.

Once I was alone in my tent, lying on my cot, my train of thought started rolling. Rick had asked if he was losing me to Daryl and I told him maybe. Did I mean it at the time, but the more I thought about it the more I asked myself if I was starting to feel something for the rough neck. I mean, the man did have his good points. I meant everything I said to him and now that I thought about it he wasn’t bad to look at. Actually he was pretty nice to look at. But at the same time, I still felt something for Rick. And I didn’t even know if Daryl was interested in me that way, but if he wasn’t then why was he letting me use him to get back at Rick?

Eventually all of these questions faded and I fell into a world of dark places and night terrors.

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[ithinkthereforiamfandom]

The 29th of January

(@kitten-kin Thank you for Your help, I hope this lives up to it. 2K)

It was the 29th of January and a Tuesday, John Hated Tuesdays. There was a camaraderie to Miserable Mondays, Wednesday was the midpoint, the point of no return on route to the weekend, Thursday had the weekend within sight and none of Friday’s get-me-out-of-here anxiety, who didn’t like Fridays! Tuesday’s only saving grace was that it wasn’t Monday. John’s mind rambled horribly since he'd got back so he took it for regular walks letting the monotony of his new step, step-thump, step, step-thump cadence calm his mind. Two more days... Thursday, he’d always liked a Thursday and he could start an early weekend as a dead man.

Day 29, he would be getting a pointless 30day chip tomorrow at his NA meeting which he would have to attend or Mycroft would cut him off again and Mummy would be notified. He had confirmed his attendance with his brother, so much for anonymous, and was headed to Bart’s where Molly had some tests he was permitted to assist with. The set up would be long and tedious but he would swing past the morgue before he hit the lab and run his posthumous hematoma experiment first.

John was almost out of the park, he’d done two laps today hoping it would help but now he just wanted to be home. “John" He heard a voice say his name but it was a common enough name. “John Watson” Definitely calling him now so he halted and turned to see a man approaching. Civilian, out of shape, familiar. “Mike, Mike Stamford" Yes, Mike from “We were at Bart's together" Mike from Bart's, he should be happy to see Mike from Bart’s but he just couldn’t be. The conversation drizzled onto coffee and he zoned out for a while remembering when he had a future in medicine, when he had a future but then Mike brought him back from his growled responses with “You’re the second person to say that to me today”... Was there someone else in London like him?

Sherlock was on fire, definitely having an up day as he ran the last of slides under the microscope and definitely green pigment, Molly would bring him coffee shortly and he had just cracked that cold case though the morgue results would be needed to confirm. He grabbed a pipette as the door opened because people were less inclined to question his presence when he was busy but it was just Mike who strolled in with some dull friend of his from the good old days. Mike might have a phone though so he can text Lestrade and avoid going all the way to the Yard.

John had an unobtrusive look around as someone was busy in the lab while Mike gave him a tour. It all looked so different now and he would have had to catch up on so many new things, field medicine was archaic but there was comfort in its simplicity. This was the other him apparently and John didn’t look twice until the man spoke and asked Mike for his phone. The voice was deep and cultured but long lines in a tailored suit impressed him as he handed over his phone. Mike really thought this man would share a flat with him.

Sherlock was caught off guard when the man, John, offered his mobile. Sherlock observed this new person and information flooded his mind as he took the phone. Stance, Tan, Grooming, Stick but standing. He gave the device in his hands a quick once over. Clearly the invalided war hero disagreed with his addict brother, but this might work well as John would motivate his sobriety and a doctor could be handy though the flatness in his eyes... He would need to keep John alive if he was going to help Sherlock with the work. Just had to confirm his deductions first, then get moved in! Mrs Hudson couldn’t complain about a doctor And an army veteran as his flatmate! John was perfect.

He was a nightmare, what was Mike thinking... John had been floored by Sherlock’s deductions and stood stumped as Sherlock whirled out the lab in a flurry of information, riding crops, and finally an address... did he just wink?! Shifting his weight John followed Mike out again and headed home; to his dull bedsit, his breakfast apple for dinner, his laptop, and his gun. He looked around the boring beige walls and realised he was smiling, Sherlock was not dull. A bit not good as his mum would say but definitely not dull. John decided he would grab this coincidental lifeline, Baker street, tomorrow. If it all went horribly he could always change his mind.

The damn chip weighed a ton in his pocket, John didn’t know he was in NA and he had no idea how he would react. The taxi pulled up just in time and Mrs Hudson was there to greet them, the woman was a saint and John seemed pleased with everything except, A Mess, yes by military standards the place was a mess and if he wanted a military man to cohabitate he would have to adjust. John settled into the wingback with his back to the entrances... He was either already very comfortable here or his self-preservation and combat instincts were history. A case came up so John would have time to get himself settled. Then again the limp, John didn't run anymore so maybe that’s what he needed, for his body to override his mind and that would be one less thing plaguing him.

Trouble, John could do trouble. He thought that the bullet had taken that away and while it might not be the army or a foreign country trouble at home was the same so he raced through dark side streets after an insane man to catch a murderer. After his very polite rebuff and his walking stick in storage the days blurred at Sherlock’s side until it was almost all over, Again. John had witnessed men die, as their medic and their captain he had held it as his duty to stay with his men if they were dying but his gun was in his hand before he knew it. He would not loose another man, not tonight and not Sherlock who had saved him; cured him, given him purpose, and his life back! He squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and squeezed on the exhale.

Sherlock sat on the tail of the ambulance and ignored his shaking hands, the bullet must have passed within inches from him but Lestrade still wanted answers. He explained who the shooter was and scanned the darkness for suspects until his eyes found John standing at ease between two cars and everything lit up in his mind. He could see John, the military crack shot who had put a bullet passed his shoulder and into a man’s heart without a twitch... or Sherlock himself would be injured or dead. John, who he had to protect now so he brushed Lestrade off and breezed past his brother before they made their escape, his extraordinary John.

*12 months later*

The damn bloodhound was only good at finding the trouble John growled to himself as he stitched, he'd managed to catch most of the trouble himself but Sherlock still had a concussion and now John was a Veterinarian as he stitched up a thin slice in the dog's side. He still remembers the day Sherlock brought him home. “Calcutta. Wait, you liked The Perishers so you’re naming your tracker after a dog with no sense of smell.” They had both laughing and the dog seemed to join in but now the dog just whined slightly as John stitched up shaved skin. “Poor beast, we'll have you back to himself soon, almost done boy" The dog was enormously loyal to Sherlock and John was grateful but he had eight stitches himself and didn’t want to consider what may have happened had he not been there.

*6 months later*

Sherlock came come from a week in Belarus where an idiot had killed his girlfriend and would shortly be hanged, never to pass on his unfortunate genetics. He found two sleeping veterans in his lounge as John lay on the couch and a gorgeous German Shepard lay on the floor beside him. He set about making tea loudly enough to wake John, as he filled the kettle he remembered the discussion of a few months ago. “I can take care of myself and what if he bullies Calcutta?!” Sherlock hadn’t liked the idea of some aggressive beast harrying his faithful hound. “He will not bully Calcutta, they are all team players and Pax was attached to my unit for a while. You need protection Sherlock, someone there when I can’t be" Captain Watson had been very firm about it and Pax, silly name for war dog, was clearly settled in. Calcutta watched him from the lounge but Pax now stood in the door way actively observing the way John did all the time too. “I see I have another Veteran in the house now” Sherlock quipped to John as Pax's tail brushed his legs, his escort saw him safely to the couch then curled at John’s feet while John yawned and scrubbed his face. “I’ve trained him to your scent my LovelyLove if I’m not around he’ll stick to you like glue.

*On the next 29th of January”

“I thought Pax was retired” Sherlock was brushing distinctive guard hairs off his beloved Belstaff for the thousandth time. “Pax has retired Sherlock, into your employ just like me" John kissed his sulking sweetie. “My employees never listen to me!” Sherlock had taken to carrying a clothes brush in his coat and had been frustrated but very impressed when John had barked a command and Pax had bolted Sherlock’s side and taken their assailant to the ground in seconds. John had explained that Pax knew Sherlock was to be protected but the orders came from John. When the doorbell rang Sherlock started up from absentmindly scratching Pax's scarred ears. “That'll be Brom" John smirked, he would never buy Sherlock’s claim that his “badger hound" could investigate small spaces for them. “Dushunds are very cute Love!” John called after rapid footsteps. “Anton Chekhov would agree with you" Sherlock quipped back “But Brom will work just as hard and Pax or Callie" The dushund snoozed in Sherlock’s arms and John had to smile at the smitten look on Sherlock’s face, working or not Brom was clearly home to stay.

*6 months later*

John and Sherlock sat in the lounge with their small pack, Mrs Hudson had come up for tea and her enormous black poodle had stayed with the mob all piled together before the fire. “Sherlock” John sounded stunned and Sherlock's eyes snapped to his. “The Queen has a pregnant Corgi and we’ve been offered a pup from the litter” Sherlock rose to study the message. “John, can we? A Pembroke Welsh Corgi is much more interesting than a Knighthood!” John looked into sparking eyes. “I didn’t think we could refuse and I would never refuse you Love. We'll send our acceptance and our thanks, the litter is due in a few months, quite an honour I’m sure"

*The next 29th of January *

The corgi was an adorable creature which they had almost lost to Mrs Hudson on first sight. The little one slept on Calcutta most evenings and Royal gifts come with health plans so they need never worry about medical expenses for the pup, Rose, so named for her reddish patches was quickly a feature on everyone’s laps and when they took the pack for a walk though the park in the evenings she rode in Sherlock’s pocket until she couldn’t fit anymore. They made a sight, John felt, the mix match of dogs only emphasised the mismatch of himself and Sherlock but his family was perfect, all four legs and fur.

[sso-valentina-topazdragon-blog]

I talked to Alonso about the issues I have been having with Blue since I started riding him. He told me about a Rescue ranch in South Hoof that I should look into visiting. He said the guy who runs it is named Hugh. The place isn't for counseling or anything like that, but he says the guy knows horses and can probably help me out.

I honestly hadn't known what to expect, but a discharged veteran wasn't one of them. It took me back to when Val, Sylvia and I were still living in America, back when I was in high school, and back when I was a part of my schools JROTC program. I slipped into all my old habits addressing him by his rank and last name. I really didn't mean to. And I apologized the entire time for it, he assured me that it was okay.

We started with something that, I felt at the time, had nothing to do with me and Blue's relationship - helping him take care of a sick little foal. He told me normally he has an extra hand to help, but the girl who normally helps called and let him know that she wouldn't be able to make it today. I didn't ask for all the details.

Anyways, little did I know that he was taking the chance to get to know me as a person.

He asked me about me, asked me what I did before being a Ranger, and before me and my family moved to Jorvik. I didn't want to bore him with all the details, so I just gave him a basic rundown:

"My older sister and I were raised in the state of Texas by our parents. Everything was good and fine, pretty normal life, and it got even better after Sylvia was born. But after a few years our dad became ill and we hadn't found out he had cancer till it was too late to do anything about it. After he passed away, I got mixed in with the wrong crowd and caused all sorts of problems for my mom and Valentina. Long story short, my big sister had to raise us since our mom spiraled into depression and we struggled for a while, till our grandparents here in Jorvik reached out to us and helped us move here. Unfortunately, a few months before we were supposed to move our mom passed away, and the months leading up to the move were mentally and emotionally draining."

Then he asked me how I ended up with a horse that I felt wasn't compatible for me. And I let him know about my sister, who had been training to be a ranger, before she decided she wanted to get back into riding competitively. After all, he had been her horse at first, till she met that band of circus people on the road. I still don't know what possessed her to go with them. Sure she was juggling a lot at the time - new Jorvik Ranger fresh out of the academy, also riding competitively, while trying to mentor under one of the local veterinarians- she over whelmed herself to be honest.

Anyways, I'm rambling.

I told Hugh about how she left. How after one of her competition's she just...never came home; then a few days later we get a letter in the mail from her about how she won't be coming home, about how she feels like she needs to 'find herself' and who she wants to be in our new home.

I went off on a tangent while talking with the Major about how ousted off I was that she just up and left us, and honestly I'm a bit embarrassed but it felt good to finally talk to someone about it- someone on the outside who wasn't biased.

Alonso was right when he said Hugh would be able to help. I hadn't noticed how much Blue and I had in common till Hugh pointed it out. He asked me if I had really been affected when my dad passed away, and of course I was. He was my dad, I looked up to him. He told me to think of how Blue must feel, losing his rider, the only person he thought he would ever have to depend on. Told me to think about how I lashed out and asked me if I made things difficult for my sister.

I hadn't wanted to admit it when he asked, but I know for a fact I made things hard for Val. I can't count how many times we had gotten into arguments about any little thing that would set either of us off.

Hugh told me to take that and line it up with Blue, to find the parallels. Blue is just lashing out the same way I did. The person he looked up to is gone, and now here I am trying to replace a person Blue probably doesn't want replaced.

I need to be patient and understanding with him... Valentina, though she would scold me regularly and didn't agree with my decisions when we lived in America, allowed me to do what ever I wanted to let out my frustration.

Now I need to be there to help Blue.

Before I left, Hugh told me not to be so hard on Valentina, that she would find her way in life. He told me that if she was ment to come back, she would, and that perhaps she was just catching up on the part of her life she missed out on because things got rough back in America for us.

I hadn't even stopped to think about that... While I was running around with my no good friends doing almost everything that was against the law, Valentina dropped everything to help us and our mom... She quit her after school activities, stopped ridding, got a job, and then came home to take care of our mom and Sylvia.

I left the ranch a little ticked off. I hate admitting when I'm wrong, especially if I feel like someone's wronged me, but Hugh is right. If anything Val is probably just trying to catch up on the years she missed out on-

I just realized I never told him her name.

- Jackson Topazdragon 👮🏽‍♂️

[ezatluba]

This family’s repeated strep throat infections frustrated their doctors

By Sandra G. Boodman

May 23, 2020 

When Dan Levitis, his wife, Iris, and their three young children trooped into a Madison, Wis., urgent care clinic around 8 a.m. on New Year’s Day 2018, the staff didn’t seem surprised to see them. The family had sought treatment several times in the previous two months for recurrent strep throat infections.

They had taken multiple rounds of drugs, professionally deep cleaned their home and replaced contaminated toothbrushes, but none of it worked for long. Inevitably, the infection came roaring back.

“It seemed like the whole family was on antibiotics, had just stopped taking antibiotics or was coming down with strep again,” recalled Levitis, an evolutionary biologist who at the time was an associate scientist at the University of Wisconsin.

That New Year's Day, rapid tests showed that Iris and all three children had strep; Levitis did not. Three weeks earlier Iris and two of the children were found to be infected. And two weeks following the New Year's visit, after everyone had taken a full course of antibiotics, two of the children tested positive.

Over the next three months, which included several more bouts of strep, Levitis began to suspect that the cause of the repeated infection was in their home. But finding medical professionals who took his controversial hypothesis seriously proved to be a challenge.

After a search, Levitis managed to find a receptive audience. And once the possible source of recurrent strep was treated, the round robin infection stopped.

Strep again

The first case occurred in late October 2017. Levitis was in Massachusetts on a research trip when his wife called to tell him that she and all three of their kids — Tigerlily, then 6, Kestrel, who was 3, and 14-month-old Peregrine — had tested positive for strep and were taking antibiotics.

Levitis, who had been battling a sore throat since leaving Madison several days earlier, called his doctor and was given a prescription for an antibiotic. Because the rest of his family was infected, he, too, was presumed to have strep.

After a round of antibiotics, everyone seemed to recover.

But five weeks later, his daughters complained of sore throats. This time the entire family was tested. Throat cultures revealed that all five had strep.

Within a few days the infection seemed to have cleared. But success was short-lived; the New Year’s Day visit occurred three weeks later. This time the doctor prescribed a different antibiotic.

Levitis said that he and his wife were reminded of the need to finish the full course of antibiotics and of sanitation measures they had been following, including replacing the toothbrushes they had been using.

But two weeks later, on Jan. 16, Kestrel and Tigerlily had strep again. And at the end of January, all three kids tested positive.

“We were so done with this and painfully aware that something was wrong,” Levitis recalled. Nobody at school or day care was getting strep, he said, so he suspected that something in their house was the source.

Levitis called his mother, a retired pediatrician who had practiced in suburban Maryland, for advice. She told him about a family she had seen who kept getting strep until they got rid of their pet cat.

Four months before the first outbreak, the family had adopted Umberto, a 3-year-old gray cat, from a nearby family.

“I started looking at the scientific literature, and everything said that cats can’t transmit strep,” Levitis recalled.

Levitis said his wife asked their doctors about the possibility that cats could be vectors of strep, while he queried his cousin, a veterinarian.

“They all pretty much said the same thing: ‘There’s no evidence that cats can transmit strep to humans, but if you want to be safe, get rid of the cat,’ ” Levitis recalled.

That seemed unthinkable; they all adored Umberto. “He’s so loving and patient with our kids and such a wonderful pet,” Levitis said. “And we didn’t know for sure that he was the culprit.”

Although there are diseases that cats can transmit to people — including toxoplasmosis, cat scratch disease and ringworm — Streptococcus A, the bacteria that causes strep throat, is not believed to be among them.

A 2002 report from the American Veterinary Medical Association noted that while doctors sometimes blame pet cats and dogs for recurrent strep throat in children “evidence doesn’t support this.”

“There is more evidence that pets carry group A Strep[tococcus] temporarily and only when in contact with an infected person,” a former association president concluded. “So, tell your kids with Strep[tococcus] not to kiss the kitty.”

Cats and dogs can infect humans with a strain called strep canis, which is present in animal saliva and is usually transmitted through a bite.

Iris Levitis asked their vet whether she could test Umberto for strep in case he was a conduit. The vet refused: Umberto seemed healthy and there was no reason to swab the throat of a healthy cat, which would require hooking him up to oxygen and administering general anesthesia.

A tantalizing case

As a scientist, Levitis said he was frustrated that no one seemed willing to consider the possibility that in rare cases a cat might harbor strep that could be transmitted to humans. A few published reports had suggested such a scenario.

Among them is a 2007 letter in the Mayo Clinic Proceedingsby a Pennsylvania internist who described an experience similar to the Levitis family. His three young children developed recurrent strep, which was eradicated after they — and their cat — were treated simultaneously with antibiotics.

The Levitises called a few veterinary practices to see if they’d test Umberto; all said no.

“We thought about dosing him ourselves,” Levitis recalled, but “decided it was a bad idea.”

In early March, 3-year-old Kestrel got strep throat along with respiratory syncytial virus, which led to pneumonia, resulting in a two-day hospitalization. After she got home, the couple was discussing the plethora of medical resources available in Madison, which includes a large and respected college of veterinary medicine.

“Iris had the brilliant idea” of calling the university animal hospital and trying to talk to an expert there, Levitis recalled. Maybe, the couple thought, an academic center would be more receptive to the cat hypothesis than community vets had been.

She wound up talking to Caitlin Barry-Heffernan, a fourth-year veterinary internal medicine resident. Then she handed the phone to her husband for his pitch.

“I talked about it as a research case,” Levitis said, “not a guy who got strep throat from his cat.”

An unusual throat culture

“We were all kind of skeptical,” recalled Barry-Heffernan, who now practices in Southfield, Mich., outside Detroit. It is uncommon, she said, for cats to carry strep A, because the bacteria “doesn’t like to live on animals.”

But she was intrigued by the possibility and persuaded by Levitis. He was scientifically knowledgeable and “it was a pretty believable circumstance.”

Barry-Heffernan said she walked down the hall to consult with a veteran microbiologist. “She was very skeptical,” Barry-Heffernan recalled, but agreed that “we should be able to culture it if it’s there.”

So Barry-Heffernan told Levitis to bring his cat in for a throat culture.

On April 4, while the entire family was taking antibiotics for the seventh bout of strep in as many months, Umberto was seen by Barry-Heffernan and a vet student. They whisked Umberto, who Barry-Heffernan said seemed “perfectly healthy,” into a nearby room and quickly swabbed his throat. Neither anesthesia nor oxygen was required.

“Umberto was a really nice cat,” she recalled, so the procedure wasn’t difficult.

To the surprise of the vet school faculty, group A strep was found in the cat’s throat; it appeared to match the strain of strep collected during Levitis’s most recent throat culture.

“Almost certainly Umberto was contributing to the family’s infections,” Barry-Heffernan said. She prescribed antibiotics for the cat and a disinfectant spray for his fur. And the Levitis family was given another round of antibiotics.

Soon afterward they left on a previously scheduled two-week trip to Costa Rica. In their absence Umberto was given his medication, and the house was professionally cleaned for a second time.

Since then, Levitis said, no one has had strep.

“Once we identified Umberto as a carrier, it was really easy to address,” Barry-Heffernan said. It seems likely that the infection was being passed among the asymptomatic cat and various members of the family; it probably originated in a human. (Similarly, the small number of cats and dogs known to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus are believed to have been infected by people; there is no evidence animals can transmit the virus to humans.)

Barry-Heffernan said she hopes that the Levitises’ unusual case doesn’t cause people to get rid of their pets. “It was very easily treated,” she noted.

Levitis, who now lives in Northern California with his family — and Umberto — said he is convinced that treating the cat eradicated the infection that had bedeviled his family.

“We got lucky,” he said, “because Caitlin had an open mind.”

[andjani]

Partly Tamed, Slightly Damaged

So I wrote a story about a veteran with PTSD. Hopefully it’s nothing offensive or misdiagnosed. Click to read it.

Gary Underwood was a quiet man. He liked to spend his spare time solving crosswords on newspapers and drinking tea while neighbors chugged a few bottles at the bar. He never liked taking walks or going to the gym; no, none of those. The only thing he fancied was that lil’ ol’ red flannel he wore every-goddamn-day. He seemed to enjoy himself, so we didn’t really mind. 

A little confidence won’t hurt, we thought.

However, things had to change fast, even if none of use wanted to. It was really unfortunate to see his mediocre lifestyle become neglected when we, you know, joined the army. Everyone knew it would’ve been the last thing Gary Underwood would want to do in his life. He was a suburban man, for Pete’s sake – a florist! – the type of man you’d see picking out canned sardines on aisle four at Whole Foods!

Oh, how I remember the first days of camp like it was yesterday. I could see his eyebrows twitching furiously when he looked at himself in the mirror; all green, topped with a butch cut, and a pair of dirty ol’ boots. Then again, Gary Underwood did not say a word and turned away, like the silent crumpet that he was. All the days we spent sleepless and tearless, not even once did he yelp when a five-inch bullet found its way in and through his leg, nor did he howl like a lonesome wolf when two of our mates died in the battlefield. He carried on and took down nearly half of the rebellion. I saw it – with my own eyes – dozens of armed Iraqi men scurried in panic at the sight of a 5-foot middle-aged man who took up Bingo as a hobby. Gary bloody Underwood.

He was quiet about it, of course. He did not join the joyful cries of his surviving mates, nor did he wholeheartedly receive their compliments and salutes. All he did was wash the dirt off of his face and continued to be on the watch. We were baffled, with jaws dropping in front of our soles and silence dancing around as if it was mocking us. “I don’t know who raised the young fellow but I’d like to thank ‘em!” said one of our already-drunken mates. Everyone nodded their heads in sync and did a toast on his name and for those who had fallen. Come to think of it, it was rather a silly moment.

After nearly two years spent together, nobody really knew Gary Underwood. Nobody knew what his favorite drink was, or who he was going to come home to, or how much he longed to kneel on the ground he was proud to call “home.” As I said before, he was a quiet man – even when we left. He was quiet when we packed our things, he was quiet when we got into the aircraft, only seen fiddling with his dog tag for hours, and he was still quiet when we bid our goodbyes and went to our separate ways, though we lived in the same neighborhood. Since then, I’ve only seen him going outside to collect his milk and mails, but nothing else. Every time I walked by his house, I would catch him reading different books while sitting in the same worn-out chair through his front window. I thought about knocking on his door and saying hello a few times, but I didn’t want to disrupt his mediocrity. God, I should’ve – I should’ve the moment it crossed my mind.

One day, I heard his name being faintly mentioned in the whispers of the housewives. “What was that about Gary Underwood?” I asked them. In short, Gary Underwood, army veterinarian and crosswords enthusiast, ran outside his house in a drunken state, yelled at a senior citizen, and kicked a couple trash cans and mailboxes. 

“The Gary Underwood?” I asked, perplexed. 

“Are you sure?”

The Gary Underwood that I knew never quite understood the function of his vocal chords. He wasn’t weird, just – ordinary. He wouldn’t do such audacious thing! So I waved off the ladies and carried on. It went on like that for a few months. I’d hear more and more rumors about him attacking his neighbor’s dog, or that one time where he sat on his porch for the whole day while holding a rifle, bloodshot eyes and all. It all seemed too unrealistic; too made up, as if it was a high school prank to embarrass the living daylight out of Gary Underwood. 

“Poor soul,” said a young man who lives two doors next to me. “The war might’ve changed him for good. He ain’t mediocre Gary anymore.” 

Well, I have to agree on that. A few days back, I saw Gary’s mother knocking on his front door and calling out for him several times to no avail. She left after about an hour. “How weird…” I thought to myself. I was pretty sure that he never left his safe haven, but I didn’t want to pry into other folk’s business. I should’ve stuck my nose as far as I could – I should’ve.

A month later, on a Tuesday, at exactly six hundred hours, my wife – and the blasting sound of sirens – woke me up. Something was definitely wrong. I went outside, unprepared for the sunlight ramming into my eyes, and my attention immediately shifted to Gary Underwood’s property.

 “What in the devil’s name…” I muttered under my breath. 

Neighbors gathered around his front lawn, barricade tapes surrounded his fences, and what seemed to be paramedics could be seen carrying a body bag out of the house on a stretcher. “Jesus! Is that Gary?” I heard from a distant voice among the horrified crowd. Yes, it was indeed Gary Underwood; paler and quieter than the usual. Nobody knew what happened to him. Some said he took his life, others said he died of natural causes. Well, soldiers do fall. It didn’t really matter – how he died. Gary bloody Underwood is gone.

A couple of days later, I woke up earlier than usual. I took a long shower and put on my best and only suit. My wife straightened my tie, hugged my torso, and we were off to church. I greeted a few familiar faces wordlessly and sat at the front. It felt as if I was going to a Sunday sermon, but much more melancholic. It is, isn’t it? Here we are, dressed in black with our hands tucked neatly behind our backs. No upbeat preaches and clapping hands. Here we are, grieving over a man who lived and died as a soldier. He might’ve came home to an entirely new war, but he died forever holding his ground. It’s miserably ironic, actually; the atmosphere here is as quiet as Gary Underwood was.

[thepsychicclam]

Hi love! What would you say the top ten sterek fics you've ever read are?

This was REALLY HARD. Mainly bc it’s hard to choose only 10. Because I’m leaving off some great fics (which is why there are more than 10 on here :3)! And some I get mixed up bc I read them so long ago and near each other. (You can always browse my fave fic list here) But I’ve narrowed it to this list. These are the fics that really left impressions on me. They’re all amazing and deserve to be read and loved!!! So…have a TOP 27 FAVE STEREK FICS list :DDDD

1. Cry Havoc by ladyblahblah

In Beacon Hills, the two-year war that’s been raging between werewolves and hunters has begun spilling over onto the civilian population. Meanwhile, in Boston, when the tattoo on Stiles Stilinski’s back is damaged on a late-night hunt he begins to have dreams that lead him across the country, drawn by an inexplicable conviction that he’s needed there. When he discovers that Derek Hale began the war after his mate was killed, Stiles finds himself being offered a strange deal: figure out how to bring the alpha’s mate back, and peace talks can begin.

2. Where the Inevitable Isn’t by Survivah

Stiles has a magical thingamajig that’s supposed to get him out of danger. Trouble is, it took him really, really far out of danger. Like, to the point where he isn’t in the same universe anymore.

“A part of Stiles had been thinking that he’d come home, and just go, ‘hey, Derek, are we mates and you just haven’t said anything about it?’ and Derek would reply, 'now you mention it, we are indeed! Now come to my bedchamber, where we will have super hot sex and then cuddle after!’”

3. Pack Up; Don’t Stray by the_deep_magic

AU – Werewolves are an enslaved underclass, collared and tagged by human masters. Detective Stilinski’s on duty the night they bring in an untagged stray.

4. Our Memories Are Numbered by rufflefeather

Stiles’ Jeep grinds to a halt, he sees someone running through the rain, he’s not expecting it to be Derek. He’s not expecting a Derek without any memories either, or an Alpha pack that’s coming for all of them. He probably should’ve, because lately nothing goes the way he expects.

5. Ad Astra Per Tentaculum by morganoconner

Space contains a multitude of different species, and Derek has seen and helped a lot of them in his time taking down branches of the slave-trade organization. But this is the first time he’s seen an Aloshrivnik. It’s not the tentacles that draw him in; it’s the goddamn eyes that stare at him without backing down.

“Stiles,” it says to him. “My name is Stiles.”

6. Part of My Melody by hayesgeneration

Derek is a professional classical musician who has found himself lost without a muse, without goal and without even a hint of spark. He’s almost settled nearly contently (if not slightly unwillingly) on having to live his life as a recluse, when his sister finally grows tired of his antics, giving him a Christmas ultimatum.

7. Littlest Alpha by triedunture

Derek and Stiles have taken out the Alpha Pack and pretty much saved the world. Okay, the town. Okay, their remaining friends. But the Alphas left something behind: a baby. And this baby is an Alpha too. Derek is determined to take care of the abandoned child, and Stiles is stuck going along for the ride.

But Stiles doesn’t expect the ride to include seeing another side of Derek, or to find another way to say “family.”

8. Holding Your Own Weight by zjofierose

Stiles Stilinski is the best trapeze artist west of the Mississippi, but that doesn’t do him much good without a catcher. Enter one quiet roughneck who calls himself Derek and knows maybe a little too much about circus arts for someone who was hired to schlep tents. But Derek has his secrets, and so does the new girl, Allison. Who’s being hunted and who’s being haunted, and will Stiles ever be able to convince Derek to help him fly again?

9. And You Say You’re Alone by taelynhawker

Between the kanima, the Argents, and Peter’s untimely return from the dead, everything has fallen apart. Stiles and Derek try to put their lives back together once the crisis has passed. Stiles deals with the aftermath of being tortured, and the distance growing between he and Scott. Derek attempts to become a stronger alpha and keep his pack safe, and that includes Stiles.

10. DILF by twentysomething

“Today is Scott’s first day of kindergarten and Derek is terrified.”

Okay - so here are some other favorites that I COULDN’T LEAVE OFF because they’re also my faves I just have more than 10???

11. Make us laugh (or nothing will) by rohkeutta

When Derek Hale left Beacon Hills at 18 to become a kickboxing champion, he thought he would never return. But here he is, seven years later: trying to salvage something from the ruins of his life, eighteen months after the house fire that killed his parents and left him limping and without a future. Enter Stiles, a college dropout Derek might or might not have been friends with in high school, and the unexpected interest he manifests towards the love of Derek’s life. 

12. Caged Humanity by ember

The other factors sounded like complete bullshit. Like about Companions having certain dispositions for submission, and a personality built around wanting to please. Fuck that, Stiles was a strong independent man who didn’t need no wolf. Submitting was straight up taught in classes. Don’t talk back, try to reason not argue, never run away when your Mate was in heat. Mate? More like owner. There was a reason Companions were called pets. God Stiles hated it all, the hypocrisy. It was an honor? More like a life sentence.

An AU where werewolves are given humans as pets called Companions, and a very begrudging Stiles is taken in by Derek Hale, much to both their displeasure. And then pleasure. Very, very sexual pleasure.

13. Ain’t Nothing So Good  as the Cake and Eating it by sofonisba_found

Derek thinks he’s doing alright in life, with his family at his side and a job he loves. Despite his family’s concerns he remains adamant that he doesn’t need a mate, afraid to take the risk of letting anyone close enough to try to hurt his family again. That is until he realizes that his true mate has been right under his nose for years, and that now through his inaction he may lose him.

14. The Boy and the Beast by dsudis

In which events in Beacon Hills go rather differently from the start, and a Beauty and the Beast (ish) story ensues. (Scott is not a teacup and no one sings about their feelings.)

15. The Moon’s Gonna Follow Me Home by turningterrific

Derek doesn’t want to call the window repair guy. He doesn’t want to sweep up the glass. He’ll inevitably miss a few shards and pull them out of the bottom of his bare feet for weeks.

He doesn’t want to try to make this place feel like home when it isn’t.

Derek stayed in Beacon Hills and tried to make it work because he wanted pack, wanted purpose. He gave his best effort and found himself back where he started: alone, with a few begrudging allies. He’s tired, and even though his werewolf body heals quickly, he feels the weary ache down to his center.

He packs his car with the few things he cares about enough to drag them from place to place. He locks the loft and calls a realtor about listing the building he’d bought in a misguided attempt to secure a future.

And then he leaves.

16. Sell Your Body to the Night by dsudis

“No,” he repeated impatiently. “I’m not a cop. I’m someone who wants to exchange my money for your sexual services. I was told you were in that line of work.”

“I, uh, yeah, sorry,” Stiles said. He glanced around again and then up–the full moon was almost directly overhead. Just one of those nights, maybe. “Yeah, I am. I do that.”

17. Constantly on the Cusp by alisvolatpropiis

Stiles is gay, out and proud, and a Beacon Hills deputy. Derek is a firefighter and war veteran who thinks he’s straight; or, Derek and Stiles have lots of semi-public hatesex on the road to Love.

18. Now as Ever (All That Is and Has Been) by venis_envy

Stiles can’t remember what happened to rearrange the time-space continuum, or how he ended up being pulled into the past. All he knows is that he’s there now, in 2003 Beacon Hills, with a teenage werewolf and a possibly-crazy veterinarian as his only allies.

19. Important Things by suzvoy

Stiles learns that even with werewolves, giant lizards and psychopathic hunters on the loose, life can still find other ways to screw with you. Case in point: everyone keeps assuming he and Derek are a couple. What the hell?

20. According to Plans by eldee

Five times Stiles and Derek pretend to be boyfriends, and the one time they didn’t have to pretend at all. (Or: in which Stiles’ plan for senior year is completely ruined by a supernatural creature stalking him.)

21. The Road to Self-Actualization is Littered with F-Bombs by blue_fjords

It’s Stiles’s final Spring Break of his college career, and he’s got plans to do a whole lot of nothing. But Derek has other plans for him, and before he knows it, Stiles is joining Derek to go undercover at a couples’ retreat in a bid to catch a ring of thieves. It’s the world’s most perfect plan! Nothing could possibly go wrong!

22. In This Twilight How Dare You Speak of Grace by secondstar

Zombies. Stiles always knew the world would end this way.

23. Time to Begin by triedunture

Stiles learns some heavy-duty magic, and Derek convinces him to send him back in time to fix all the mistakes he’s made. But Derek ends up making things worse, and Stiles has to think creatively to save him. And everyone else, including their younger selves.

24. Losers by stilinskisparkles

Where Derek is new to college, eager to spend his time learning, and Stiles is everything he didn’t want in a room mate. He’s loud, he’s into sports, and he keeps trying to make Derek do things.

Or, the one where Derek falls for a jock, Erica will cut you if you disturb her studying, and Jackson is a closeted romantic who pretends to hate everything.

25. That Unfortunate Situation by 74days

Derek Hale, 3rd Duke of that name has an unfortunate run in with the young Baron of Stiles - accusing the young man of being a fortune hunter. Regency Romance meets Sterek.

26. Reach Out by weathervaanes

Or, In Which Stiles Falls in Love Twice…With the Same Person

-0-

Stiles sees the flyer on his very last day at Beacon Hills High School. It’s hanging, unassuming, in the hall near the front entrance along with bulletins and other flyers, advertisements, posters for free student concerts, but the fact that the word “sex” is written in a font two times larger than the rest of the page catches his attention.

It’s an advice hotline for a whole range of things, from teenage angst to how to deal with your parents telling you you’re adopted and a whole mess in the middle. Stiles thinks it’s funny, though, that they offer advice on sexuality and sex education. It makes sense on the one hand, since high school sex ed does jack shit for actual learning, but anyone who really wants to know stuff has an infinite source of knowledge right on their phone—the internet.

So it starts off as a joke.

27. Between Men and Lions by standinginanicedress

“I thought we could be friends,” Derek offers, to which Stiles gets an odd smile on his face.

“Friends,” he repeats, an odd inflection.

“Yes, friends.”

Stiles laughs, just barely. It’s more of an exhalation of breath than it is genuine mirth or anything else, and then he smiles. “I’m pretty good at friends,” he says with a tilt to his head, and Derek clears his throat and has to look away.

[blschaos3000-blog]

Its 12:09 pm hazy/chilly/the robins are back

  Welcome to “8 Questions with…..”

Today is a little bittersweet for me. With this interview of the very talented Christina Johnson,my series of “Women In Horror Month” ends. I got to chat with six amazing actresses who really impressed us with their love of horror and being fearless in doing some seriously fun and creepy things just to scare the fur off of your head!! Now how can you go wrong with such nice people willing to go the extra mile just for that one scare?? Take our next guest,the lovely Christina Johnson. Christina hasn’t made a couple of horror films,she is a bonafide horror veteran with 11 movies under her belt. That is true dedication to a most worthy genre,am I right? Christina is one of the most interesting people I have talked with as of late and she wasn’t shy about talking about her craft,her family and her love for all things Disney. She also loves to cosplay and while I was kicking myself about not asking Christina about that,it also occured to me that its something I can ask her when we chat again. (Pretty smooth how I did that,right?) But for now let me step aside and let Christina have her say as she answers her 8 Questions…..

  Please introduce yourself and tell us about your current project.

I’m Christina and I’m an actress. I’m from a small town in Northern California and I’ve been living in LA for about 7 years now. I’ve been acting for over a decade and really excited about this year and what’s to come. Currently I just booked a supporting role in a horror film. This will be my 11th horror film and very different from ones I’ve done in the past. It’s the same production company, Poche Pictures, that I’ve been working with on and off for a decade. They have become great friends and the most amazing supporters. I’m very excited to collaborate with them once more. I also just booked a role in the Renaissance Faire. I’m apart of their Pub Crawl Cast and very excited. I’ve always wanted to be apart of this faire and now I get to! 

What was life in your house like growing up? What are three of your favorite memories growing up?

My childhood was amazing. My family are the greatest people on Earth and I wouldn’t be where I am without their love and support. I have great parents that have been together for over 35 years, and wonderful younger siblings that never made my childhood dull. There are so many great memories to choose from but if I have to be limited to just three then my first one is when we picked out our first family dog. I was the one who found the “puppies for sale” in the newspaper (yes the newspaper. We didn’t have internet at the house just yet) and it was love at first sight. He was a beautiful beagle that become family in an instant. He has since passed away but he started the trend to always having dogs in the house. There are now 2 small mutts that live with my parents today and I love them to death. 

My second memory would be our Bucket List Trip to Hawaii. I was blessed with many family vacations and trips and it’s hard to just pick one but this trip was amazing. We got to experience things that we never could dream of. I went zip lining for the first time, we rode mules to the Kalaupapa Leper Colony on Molokai and lots more. That’s the last big family trip we’ve taken and it was over 5 years, which is crazy to think about. I miss those family trips. 

My last memory is opening night of my high school play that I was in when I was a senior. I got the lead role and this would be the first time that my family had ever seen me act. The feeling of having everyone there that I loved so dearly see me act was unimaginable. That was when I knew that this is what I wanted to do and my family has supported me 100% ever since.

 How did you end up at UC Irvine? What was your experience like there?

For one, I didn’t have to audition to get into the drama program. I don’t know if they’ve changed that, but 10 years ago you didn’t need to audition. You just got in. Secondly, it was 15 minutes away from Disneyland and I’m a Disney freak. I’ve been going to the parks since I was one years old and I really wanted to work there as a face character. Unfortunately, my school work and part-time job didn’t give me the time to even audition. 

My experience was pretty positive. I did transfer as a Junior from my local Junior College so many people had a leg up on me. Many of my teachers were fabulous and I made friendships that have lasted 10 years. I will say that their Graduate Student Program is more immersive and would highly recommend it. When you go see one of their plays or musicals, most of the time, the same graduate students will be cast as the leads again and again. It’s a little hard for a transfer to be cast in their shows but the shows are pretty amazing. I was the light technician for their production of The Book of Tink. It’s a crazy and different version of Peter Pan that I will never forget and hopefully get to be in one day.

What led you to becoming a actress? What was the reaction of your friends and family?

I have always loved creating stories and being characters. I would create story upon story with my Barbie dolls when I was a kid, and whenever I went to the movies I would take on my favorite character when I got home. I love being different people and telling their stories to others. As I started to grow up, I actually wanted to become a Veterinarian because I loved animals. However, the thought of putting a dog down or losing one on the operating table along with having to do science classes for years, I decided not to be a Vet my sophomore year of High School. One of my friends, convinced me to take the acting class and after the first day I was hooked. I knew that this is what I wanted to do. 

My family were a little shocked when I told them because I was a very shy teen. I think they were also afraid that I wanted to enter an industry that will eat you up and spit you out and has no real sense of security. However, after they saw me get the lead role in my first play ever they thought a wee bit differently. They helped me get my B.A. in Drama from UC Irvine and have been my biggest supporters. 

Have you encountered any scammers while Hollywood? Promises of big things but they never become reality? How can a young artist protect themselves?

I have encountered quite a bit of scammers in Hollywood. It’s worse, I believe, for young actresses trying to make it because the men will promise you a lot in exchange for sexual favors. About 5 years ago, I was a cast member in LA’s Haunted Hayride and there was an older male cast member that become infatuated with me. I wasn’t interested in him romantically at all, I only wanted his friendship. He insisted that he could get me this role and that role and the lead in a TV series if only I would be his girlfriend. Long story short, I said no and haven’t spoken to him or seen him in years.

 I think young artists, especially females, have to be careful. You really have to trust your gut and if someone doesn’t seem trustworthy or they only want something sexual from you, then say no and move on. I know it’s hard when all we want is a chance and this person comes along and you think all your dreams will come true. I’ve been there a few times and each time ended with me walking away. Just trust your gut and if something seems off, then it usually is. Also ask around about people. Word of mouth is gold in this town and usually someone will have worked with whomever you have doubts about. 

How important is a good manager to a actor? How did you meet yours and how has it benefitted you?

A good manager is someone you believes in you, supports you and wants you to succeed and is very important to an actor. Too many managers and agents will convince you to sign with them and then won’t do anything for you or your career. It’s hard to judge sometimes and just having an agent or manager on your resume sounds amazing, but you can’t just sign with anybody. They are working for you and you have to choose someone that will have your best interests at heart and someone who will work with you. I love my manager. I’ve only been with her since November but we have a great relationship and she got me my first big pilot audition in January. She also is helping me expand myself and my brand in order to advance my career. I was blessed enough that my acting teacher recommended me to her. I just sent her an email saying so-an-so recommended me to you, here is my packet and then we had a meeting and I was signed. Amazingly that’s how it usually happens.   

Tell us about your award winning film “The Sandman”. How did you get involved and what was your experience like in shooting it?

The Sandman was an amazing project to be apart of. I have known the director for a decade and he brought me onto the project. It’s the same production company of the horror film I just booked, Poche Pictures. I love working with this company and feel blessed to still be apart of their projects. The Sandman was a different kind of role for me because I’ve never played a nun before especially one that harbors a dark side within her. I’m not going to spoil the twist, so you’ll just have to go watch it. As for the award, I didn’t even know that Richard Poche submitted the film for the American Golden Picture International Film Festival. I randomly saw that I won Best Supporting Actress when he posted it on Facebook. I was shocked to say the least but was extremely grateful. The only other award that I’ve gotten for acting was from my High School which was pretty cool. I didn’t know I was submitted for that either! It’s funny how the world works. All in all, I had a fabulous time on set and look forward to future projects with Poche Pictures, and hopefully another award.

What three things about horror films appeals to you?

One thing is all the supernatural elements that can happen. I’ve dealt with ghosts, zombies, more zombies and vampires and it’s fun to battle these creatures. When I started doing horror films, I was a victim most of the time. I rarely survived which made dying become an art form for me. I’ve died by ghost possession, eaten by a zombie, bitten by a vampire and risen as one and then shot with silver bullets, and much more. I can say that I play dead easily because I’ve done it so often. Another thing is lately I’ve played the villain which I have a blast with. I love having that power and control in a character. It’s nice to play the bad guy after playing the victim for so long. 

What scares you?

I think the big thing is failure. Being apart of this business, you get rejected a lot and you have to come to terms with that. I’m afraid that I won’t make it in this career and have to settle for something that drains my soul. I know that sounds dark, but so many of us can’t fathom doing anything but act or sing or dance or write. I’ve had to take 9-to-5 jobs because of finances and, though I make money and I’m good at it, it’s not what I want to do. This, acting, is my dream and the thought that I might not make it breaks my heart. That’s what scares me the most.

How did you get your SAG-AFTRA card? 

I got my SAG-AFTRA card pretty easily. I was taft hartleyed into a AFTRA industrial about 9 years ago and I joined AFTRA shortly after. All you had to do to join AFTRA was pay the fee to join and then quarterly membership fees. You didn’t have to get 3 vouchers for AFTRA. This was a year before the companies merged. When they did, everyone who was AFTRA just become SAG. We thankfully didn’t have to pay an extra joining fee or get vouchers, we just were merged with SAG. I feel very blessed to not have had to go through the stress of getting vouchers and paying the $3,000 fee to join. 

Do you feel now that Harvey Weinstein has been convicted of sex crimes,will Hollywood become a safer place to work or will it become business as usual?

  I think Hollywood is changing because of the Me Too movement and Harvey Weinstein. It’s been long over due and I’m glad that these crimes are coming to light finally. I do think that some people are using it to just destroy reputations and make money, and unfortunately that takes away the power of the true victims and what they’ve gone through. I am glad though that woman and diversity are coming into play but it still is taking too long to truly change the system. It’s coming along just not at the pace I think we all want. 

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not on location?

I love being with family and taking the time to recharge and relax. I love to read, watch films (I go to the movies a lot), play with my 2 beautiful fur babies, explore LA, hang out with friends, go hiking, collaborate with fellow actors and filmmakers to create projects that are close to our hearts, and just do the things I want to do. I’m a homebody and a bit of an introvert so staying at home is wonderful to me. One of my favorite past times it tarot card reading. I’ve always had a fascination with Wicca and witchcraft and find enjoyment doing tarot cards. I actually have an Etsy store, Magick Vale, where I sell readings and help people to the best of my abilities. 

Old Zoo Picnic Area in Griffith Park

The cheetah and I are flying over to watch your latest film but we are a day early and now you are playing tour guide,what are we doing? 

   Since we are in the City of Angels, there are plenty of things to do. Universal Studios and Disneyland are my go to amusement parks, especially Disneyland. I used to have annual passes for both which I miss greatly. If we wanted to see nature, Griffith Park is a great place to hike and going to the Old Zoo is always creepy and fascinating. I live in the Valley and there are some great places to eat like Craving Board, Ike’s Sandwiches, Gus’s Fried Chicken, Tipsy Cow, The Woodman, The One-up and Dojo Sushi. There are so many things to do in LA that it’s kinda hard to condense into one paragraph. Needless to say we wouldn’t have a boring day and I would show you have awesome the Valley truly is.

  I like to thank Christina for taking the time to chat with me. I’m looking forward to watching her films in the near future. She is a another example of what hard work and a good get it done set of ethics can do. I believe Christina and all the actresses who did our “Women In Horror” series bring a lot to a project and we’ll be seeing their faces more and more.

But if you can’t wait and want to see what Christina is up too,you can follow her through her personal website. Inside her site you’ll find links to her other social media pages as well as her IMDb page.

I had a real blast interviewing the actresses in my “Women In Horror Month” series and am looking forward to doing it again next year. What I’m really happy about is I was able to interview everyone who responded (and had films released). Thank you all so much for supporting Christina and her peers by reading these interviews.

If you’re new to the blog and the “8 Questions with…..”series,you can catch up by clicking here.  Feel free to drop a question or a comment below.

8 Questions with……….actress Christina Johnson Its 12:09 pm hazy/chilly/the robins are back Welcome to "8 Questions with....." Today is a little bittersweet for me.