#so then she tells me about how she taught all her grandkids and nieces and nephews how to draw

[liesyousoldme]

treatment day and there are some weird ass vibes in this waiting room

[georgiapeach30513]

Keys in Your Ignition, Part 15

Summary:  it’s time to talk to Steve

Pairings:  Hayden X Reader, Steve X Reader

Rating:  mild

Warnings:  mentions of a miscarriage, Doll’s upbringing, language, 18+ ONLY

Word Count:  2.3K

Previous

Series Masterlist

*Dividers created by @firefly-graphics​

The ride with Hayden to Steve’s was mostly silent. Thankfully, Hayden allowed that silence. His hand constantly holds onto yours, while he draws shapes on it with his thumb. He didn’t ask to know the details of yours and Steve’s relationship, just wanted to make sure you were comfortable.

You had run every scenario in your head about what you needed to say, or how you were going to react. You were mad at Steve, it was a hurt that lingered deep inside of you. A hurt that was also keeping you from your future niece or nephew. That, you couldn’t have happen.  You wanted today to be a day of amends, and the starting point of healing.

“So,” Hayden draws out, and you finally look at him with a pained smile. “You seemed really interested in her pregnancy.”

“It’s beautiful,” shrugging as you look out the windshield. Howard told you, to let your feelings be known. Don’t waste time on men who may not have your idea of life. Everyone gets to carve out their life. “I can’t wait to have kids. With the right person. What about you?”

“Yeah, mom always told me I would be the first of her kids to have babies. Even at family functions if there was a baby, I wanted to hold it.  If kids were around, I was always playing with them,” you can’t help but to smile up at him. He was new, but at least this was something you didn’t have to worry about. “I want to give them grandkids. She loved having Steve and Tulip there. You could tell she wanted to touch her belly, but she was scared.”

“I would have grabbed her hands and put them on my belly. She wouldn’t have to worry.”

“Um,” Hayden clears his throat, looking a little nervous. You adjust yourself in the seat, so you can fully look at him. “Should things get intense, I have a guest room. I mean, I know that things between you and him aren’t the best, I could see it. It’s just if you need an out or a break. There’s the couch, too, or my…”

“I’ll sleep in your bed if you’re sleeping on the couch,” you giggle at him. Knowing he’s mostly playing, but there was also that underlying hope that you would want him in that capacity.

“Fair enough. In all seriousness, I hope this goes the way you want it to. Because, I would like to order some pizza and watch a movie just me and you.”

“You’re just hoping I fall asleep in your arms, aren’t you?”

“And the ability to kiss you without interruption. Kissing is nice,” responding with giving him a sweet kiss to his cheek, you smile at him. Everything with Hayden was comfortable. Like you had known him for years. Reminding you just enough of Curtis, but also completely different.

“Does your brother know I’m going to be knocking on his door with roses and taking you out on a date?”

“I don’t think my brother knows a lot of things concerning me,” his hand gives you a tight little squeeze, and you relax with his reassuring touch. “I think he was too inside his own head. I want to understand him. We grew up together, but were raised completely different. He had attention, and I sought it out. He had a pathway of leadership, and I had the submissive housewife. I was taught to give everything that the man wanted. My worth came from who I was with in the club. And I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you’re fine. I want you to trust me with this. Whatever you want to tell me, I want to be there for you.”

“You’re not analyzing me?” you ask him playfully, and he shakes his head no. Stopping at a stop sign, he leans over to give you a chaste kiss.

“This is how things work. You talk to me, I listen. I talk to you, you listen. There’s no ulterior motives,” you nod your head quickly, pulling him back in for a deeper kiss, whispering out a thank you. He was becoming an extended version of your safe space, and you were welcoming it with open arms.

Steve sits across from you at the table. A tea in front of you, while an ice cold beer sat in front of him. You stare at the beads of condensation on the bottle, unsure of how to start, and he offers nothing in return.

“You left me,” your voice meek, and you finally look up at him, but he can’t meet your eyes. “You left me in that hell.”

“You seemed to like it. I didn’t know.”

“Like it? I thought I didn’t have a choice, and then you left me. You never even realized what I was going through.”

“What? You were fucking my best friend behind my back. You were pregnant. And I never even knew. I could have…you were a kid, but I could have been there for you.”

Licking your lips, you look at the ceiling, shaking your head, “Your best friend that was spending more time with me, and you were too self absorbed to realize it. I wasn’t the problem here, Steve. You were. If you spent half the time on me and Bucky as you did your pussy for the week, you would have seen it unfolding. Curtis did. Ari did, Bruce, everyone but you and dad.”

“Don’t bring up Ari.”

“Why? Because I was fucking him, too. And still you didn’t realize?” your hand slams on the table, and you have to take a drink of your tea. Taking deep slow, calming breaths. “You see a pattern? Bucky and then Ari. Yours and dad’s best friends, and neither of you gave a damn about any of us. Both of you were chasing your own pussy not even realizing they were, too. Except they didn’t have to leave the fucking clubhouse. I wanted you and dad to notice me for more than a fucking barmaid and someone to make sure the bar was profiting. I never so much as got a thank you for that extra work. Not even more money. I didn’t want this life.”

“Just Bucky?”

“I wanted a home. I wanted that baby, hoping that JB would leave the club and be with me. And maybe then when he was gone, you’d notice me. He gave me attention and love I was lacking from home. And…and I don’t even know if I loved him or I loved how he made me feel. Like I created this picture perfect life with me and JB, and you and dad would come and visit us. He’s never going to leave is he?”

“Doubtful, you only know half the shit he’s done. Why him?” Steve’s gaze looks up at you, and you can see the fact that it was Bucky, instead of everyone else bothers him.

“He noticed me,” you whisper. “He always saw me. I know you think it was shitty for it to have been your best friend, but maybe we found each other because of your lack of involvement. I didn’t want to get pregnant then, until it happened. God, she was beautiful. And I couldn’t wait to meet her, and then it’s like we named her and she was stripped out of our life. It took me over four years to talk about that, and it was with complete strangers. I pushed JB away. And dealt with that pain alone. And…never mind. It doesn’t matter. You never saw me. Do you realize what I was being raised as? An old lady. One that lays there and takes whatever her man gives her. It didn’t matter if he was fucking some tramp on a run. I had to smile and bear it. I was twelve when I got those hard lessons. I didn’t ask for that life. Those old ladies did. I want loyalty, love, and honor. I don’t want to have to worry about where my husband is. Or that he can drag me into a room and spank me in front of everyone without realizing if I actually did anything.”

“What?”

“It happened when you left. Bruce accused me of stealing, and Ari was taking it out on my ass. That’s the life I was raised in. Like dad was any better, how many times did you see him backhand my mom because she spoke out of term? Don’t act innocent Steve. You were being raised in the same way. But you couldn’t do it, could you? They would have had you treat Tulip the same way. And when you were horny, but she wasn’t cleared for sex, you’d sleep with some biker bunny, and then go get in the bed with her pretending to be a perfect boyfriend. Deny it. It was toxic. We are like our mothers. I never met Sarah, but there’s a reason she ran away from this life.”

Steve swallows bile, knowing exactly the life both of you were being raised in. Never wanting to admit just how volatile that lifestyle was. How it had stripped away your very being and made you think you deserved everything that was dealt to you.

“The only thing I did wrong was fall for a biker, and think I could change things. I played JB and Ari, and that’s on me. I needed attention, and I knew how easily I could get it. I won’t be going back.”

“I don’t want you to,” he takes a deep breath, and his hand reaches over to lay on top of yours. “You deserve that life you’re wanting.”

“Just like you.”

“I don’t deserve this life. I don’t deserve any of it. You’re right. I am self absorbed, and I knew about you and Bucky. I just didn’t want to admit it because it meant that Bucky was going to be that biker for you. It’s encouraged, you know? Loyalty is for your brotherhood. The only thing we can’t do is sleep with someone else’s old lady. She is to be loyal to us and us alone. I’m sorry.”

A fresh flood of tears fall from your eyes, not realizing how much you had craved those two words from Steve. There was no going back. Nothing could change the life you and Steve were brought into. The only change was happening right now. The two of you breaking that cursed cycle.

“I didn’t know because I didn’t want to see. If I saw what was happening to you, I would have to admit how fucked up the MC is. Doll, I can’t erase the years of turmoil for you. I can’t pretend I was a good brother to you, the only thing I can do is be there for you now. And hope that you want to be in ours and Sailor’s life.”

“Sailor?” you smile at him through your tears. “Who is Sailor?”

“Our daughter.”

“Steven! I can’t with you,” walking over to his side of the table, you give him a big hug. “Sailor what?”

“Sailor Juliette.”

“You know I’m babysitting right?”

“You and that boy from upstairs?” Steve cocks up an eyebrow at you, and you give him a hard shove. “Oh, come on. You two were inseparable at Thanksgiving. You arrived with him, and you said you weren’t staying. I’m just guessing, you’re going upstairs.”

“Maybe I am.”

“Maybe, he can have dinner with us. I like him. He’s smart. He’s not trying to hide his affections for you,” you knock him again but this time it was much softer. “I’m serious. He should have dinner with all of us.”

“It’s not serious.”

“Yet.”

“No, I’ve got some air to clean up with JB,” he whispers your name, grabbing a hold of your hand. “I have to Steve.”

“Do you love him?”

“I don’t know. I know that Hayden is new, but…it’s different with him than it was with JB. And I love JB, but I feel I was using him as an out. Like, out of all the bikers, he felt like the best fit for me. He’s not bad to look at either. But I just know I can’t move forward with Hayden if I’m always wondering about JB, ya know?”

“I think you’ve already come to a conclusion though.”

You smile at him, giving him a quick hug, before heading towards his door, “Hey, where are you going? Tulip hasn’t even got back.”

“I’m going upstairs for a bit. I need to…I don’t want to make an excuse,” giggling because there was only one explanation, “I just want to be around Hayden right now. He’s got this cozy feeling, like wearing a good worn in sweater. And, I like it a lot,” Steve clears his throat, and you laugh at him, “I’m not discussing any of that with you. It’s not your business. I’m enjoying getting to know Hayden, and that is all. I’ll see you later? Oh!” you get excited, because you finally trusted yourself with a phone.

“I got a new number. I just…I want to choose the people I give this number to. But here,” you scribble your number down on the whiteboard on the fridge. “Invite us for supper sometime. I’d love for you to get to know him a bit more.”

You nearly skip up to Hayden’s apartment, giving the door a tiny knock, and he opens the door, pulling you in quickly.  His lips slotting against your own, before peering down at you, “What are we watching today?”

“How about…hmm…The Sandlot?”

“That’s not a sexy movie.”

“I guess that means no kissing for you,” you giggle, pushing him back to the couch. “But lots and lots of cozy snuggles, okay?”

“I can deal with that,” lifting your chin, he gives you the softest kiss, before letting the two of you fall onto the couch. Settling his weight on top of you, resting his head on your belly, while he gets the movie ready. “I’ll let you play with my hair, too, okay?”

“Such a needy little thing.”

“Doll face, please? I might fall asleep on you this time,” you give him a few head scratchies and his body fully melts onto yours with a sigh. You could get used to this. Complete comfort.

Next

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[akindlylittlesoul]

I love the idea of Bruno being the ✨best uncle✨ but I have seen it being practically only be directed towards Mirabel and Camilo.

I personally think, that he actually might have the strongest connection with both Dolores and Isabela.

First things first, I do belive that he was just as ecstatic when his sisters were pregnant and his nieces came into the world. Of course he was one of the first one to land a helping hand. (I mean, us people with siblings know how parents/family took care of the first born and then they let the youngest eat dirt).

But I guess that after the rest of the grandkids came along, specially after Camilo and Mirabel were born is when his relationship with both Dolores and Isabela grew.

I can only guess how chaotic the house was with two more babies and an 5 year-old. And not only that at least the oldest kids already have gifts.

Come on, are you telling me that this man saw both of his sister have babies again almost at the same time and NOT offer to distract and babysat his oldest nieces?

Probably put up plays for them, told them stories, played with them, helped them with their gifts and how they used them, and probably as just go about his day with both a a little Dolores and a little Isabela following him everywhere he went.

I mean for at least 3 or 5 years he spent quite a bit of time with them.

If you think about it, both of them are the only one who have actually nice things to say about him (who remembers him).

Isabela talked about the future for her that he saw and, well, basically didn't go into a whole verse of how much she hated him.

Her pain was more of not understanding her prophesy and why was it not coming true. After all he was the one person who always said the truth and his visions always came true, why was not working now? Her uncle Bruno would never do something like lied to her, right?

And Dolores (like many have pointed out) doesn't really sings about how much she hates him, she sings about how she remembers him. Even when she talks about her "prophesy" she is not really resentful towards him.

Also I think that her "prophesy" is just another case of not listening to the whole vision.

(I mean in a way, that's how she knew that Mariano was the man of her dreams for sure, after all he was to be betrothed to another and out of reach.)

I like to think that they were actually sad when he left, they were both 12 years old and they already had a memory and a image of their uncle.

Yes, Dolores do sings:

"grew to live in fear of Bruno stuttering and stumbling"

But I think is more in the way of "that was what she was taught by others to think of her uncle".

She sings more about what she sees and hears whenever he's brought up.

That's what others told her Bruno was, but she knew better and that's why she later sings about what she actually associates him with.

I also think is one of the explanation of why she didn't say anything and might have always known he was still in the house, she might not know why but she knew that he had his reasons.

Basically I'm saying that I really need Disney to make a series about Encanto so we can see more about this family and explore more of their everyday life and their relationship.

I need both Isabela and Dolores, now grown women of 22, again taking both of Bruno's hands and going to take a walk around town.

Btw this thoughts where inspired by @tuherrus art. Their art is so beautiful and charming!!!

[celtics534]

Whatever it Takes

Covert Love Chapter 21

It’s finally over 😥! The final chapter of Covert Love is upon us. Y’all have been amazing with your love for this story and it makes me so happy! Thank you for all the encouragement and love 😁. I need to credit the amazing @thedistantdusk​ for all her help with this story! Literally the best person ever!! 

This chapter title is based on Whatever it Takes by Imagine Dragons. 

Read on: FF.net or AO3

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“ Hey, Prue. Long time no see .”

 Harry’s entire body turned to ice at those words, at that voice. He’d know that voice anywhere. It was in all his dreams of the future, in every daydream his mind concocted, and it was the voice that made him feel safe with every word spoken. Except for those six words. Except for in this moment where he was tied up by a lunatic who had a crazy obsession with the love of his life (who happened to be the owner of the voice). 

 He tried to turn, to look at her, but the rope Prue had tied around him stopped him from turning more than ninety degrees. But even with that limited angle, Harry was able to see Ginny standing in the kitchen doorway, her palms out. 

 Prue’s shoulders tensed at the familiar voice. She spun around slowly, her eyes sharp as steel as she stared at the person. “ Well , I didn’t expect to see you here , my dear.”

 Ginny’s laugh was humorless. “I could say the same for you, Prue.” She moved forward slowly, her gaze locked on Prue. “How about we catch up. I think we have a few things to talk about.”

 The laughter that came out of Prue was manic, raising the hairs on his arm. “What is there to talk about, Ginevra? You were supposed to stay at my house. Actually.” Prue’s brow knit together. “How did you get here? France isn’t a short trip.”

  France ! Harry’s mind faltered at the word. Prue had taken Ginny all the way to France! They hadn’t even spread their search past the United Kingdom. At the rate they had been going… Nope ! Harry needed to focus on what was going on right in front of him, not some what-if situation. 

He took a deep breath, which wasn’t an easy task due to the gag shoved in his mouth. Ginny had moved to stand only a few meters away from him. She was so close he could almost touch her (if it weren’t for the rope pinning his arms to the back of the chair). Every part of him ached to touch her, to hold her, to kiss her. Of course, all the relief he felt at seeing her was numbed by the situation they were in. Yet all his body craved was a chance to hold her in his arms. 

 “So, care to tell me why you’re here in my brother’s house?” Ginny asked as if she were merely discussing the most recent rainfall. “I assume you have a reason for showing up uninvited to their lovely home.”

 “Well, I had to meet this adorable niece you keep raving about!” Prue lofted Victoire a little higher in her arms, making the little girl whimper. “And of course I thought, why not having a cup of tea with the family while I was at it, but for some reason the moment I showed up everyone got rather tense. Including your little boy toy over there.” She jerked her chin at Harry. 

 “I can’t imagine why.” Ginny’s tone oozed sarcasm. “People tend to respond poorly to surprise visitors, Prue.” 

 Prue stared at Ginny for a few seconds before her lips curled into a condescending smile. “You may be right there, my friend. Next time I’ll have to remember to send an owl. But until then…” Prue twisted the blade in her hand ever so slightly, making it dig into Victoire’s skin a little more. “How about we all settle down for a lovely chat.” 

 “Should I go make that tea?” Ginny asked, her tone still level as if they were talking about morning broom traffic over Dublin. If Harry didn’t know Ginny as well as he did, he might have been fooled by her aloof attitude. But if there was one thing in this world Harry was proud to understand was Ginny Weasley. The way her fingers twitched every few seconds, the stiff way she stood, and the tension in her jaw… Ginny was nowhere near relaxed.  

 Ginny had told him stories about her tremendous acting skills. As a child, she’d used it to get an extra biscuit or get one of her brothers in trouble instead of herself, but Harry hadn’t yet been graced with a presentation of her skills. But as he watched her go toe to toe with Prue he decided she was as good as she’d claimed, maybe even better.

 Prue’s head tilted to the side, as if considering Ginny’s offer. After a few moments, Prue shook her head. “Why don’t you take a seat beside your brother?” She jerked her chin to Bill. “Best seat in the house. You’ll be able to see everyone and everything .” 

 Again, if Harry wasn’t adept in watching Ginny he would have missed the way her neck tensed as she swallowed hard. “Oh? And what will I be privy to seeing?”

 The wicked smile that turned Prue's lips made Harry's heart pound against his ribs. Her eyes fell onto him. "Something that should have happened a long time ago."

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 Harry bit his tongue as the steel blade ripped into his leg. He refused to give her the satisfaction of showing how much pain he was in. Prue's cuts were precise and deep. Every swipe of her knife sent fire shooting through his body. 

 The first few cuts hadn’t been so bad, but after Prue’s twentieth slice Harry had given up keeping count. He’d closed his eyes after the tenth slash. At first he'd kept his gaze locked with Ginny, who was straight across from him, her arms and legs bound, but after the tears started falling silently down her cheeks Harry couldn’t look any more. She had tried to stay strong for him, but he saw her wince at every mark Prue made. 

 “You know,” Prue’s voice was higher than normal as she spoke somewhere to his left. The amusement was too clear in her tone. “This could all stop if you acknowledge your true calling, Ginny.”

 Harry slowly opened his eyes to see Ginny’s pinched face, clearly trying to hold back any more tears. When she spoke, the tremble in her voice made Harry’s gut clench. “I don’t know what you mean, Prue. I’ve never known what you meant by that!”

 Prue made a tisking noise with her tongue as she tapped the blade of the knife against the side of Harry’s chair. “I was afraid you’d say that.” Harry didn’t even see her hand move but rather felt the sting of the blade as the wound opened on his bicep. Prue let out a high pitched laugh that made every hair on Harry’s body stand on end. “ Whoops .”

 Harry forced himself to breathe through the pain. He looked over at Ginny who looked ready to crawl her way to Prue to kill the woman. The way Ginny’s eyes burned with rage… Harry had never seen her emit such anger. He’d seen her angry a time or two, but this… this was a level of intensity that would make Harry cower if the look was direct at him. 

 “Prue.” Ginny’s voice had lost all its false serenity. Now her fury washed off her like tidal waves. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about! So why don’t you stop this insanity!”

 Prue just shook her head as she circled around Harry, like a bloodthirsty shark. She let the knife tip graze over Harry’s body as she went around. His shoulder, bicep, arm, thigh. An uncontrollable shiver ran down Harry’s spine every time the blade touched bare skin. 

 “I’m disappointed to hear you say that.” Prue stopped so she stood directly behind him. Harry watched the knife skim over his arm to hover over his neck. “And I’m sure boy wonder here is feeling… discouraged by your inability to grasp your true self.”

 Harry stared at Ginny, willing her to look at him. There were so many things he needed to tell her. How this wasn’t her fault, how much he needed her to stay safe, how much he loved her… He prayed that she could understand all that just by looking him in the eye. But she didn’t take her gaze off Prue. 

 “I swear if you kill him -'' Ginny's jaw clenched as she pursed her lips so tightly together that the skin around them became impossibly white. Her chest was heaving as she struggled against her bounds. “Just take me instead. Forget about them… about him.”

 He could feel Prue’s body as she stood stiffly behind him. Harry could imagine her staring at Ginny with that cold, calculating look. When she spoke her tone was that of a soothing parent, yet her words sent another round of shivers down Harry’s spine. “No, sweetie , you need to be taught a lesson and I think this is the only way.” 

 The tip of the blade dug into Harry’s skin. He sucked in a deep breath. Harry wasn’t afraid to die. No, in his line of work he’d accepted his death might come at a young age. But to die knowing Ginny would still be in danger… it made a claw seize his heart in a tight hold. 

 He could feel Prue’s fingers at the side of his neck as she started to let the blade slide along his skin millimeter by millimeter. Harry closed his eyes, wishing he’d been given more time. Time to fulfill his dreams with Ginny. The dreams of getting married, having children, growing old together and getting to watch their grandkids play as they sat on their back porch. 

 Then suddenly the pain lessened to nearly nothing. Harry briefly wondered if she’d somehow killed him instantly. But the logical part of him knew that was nearly impossible with a neck slash. Then the noise of a scuffle reached his ears. He opened his eyes to see the bloody knife laying on his lap while Ginny and Fleur wrestled with Prue. 

 He had no idea how the two women had escaped their binds but apparently while Prue had been busy with him, they’d been doing their own work. Ginny’s fist connected with Prue’s cheek bone, making the woman cry out in pain. Fleur had focused on Prue’s feet, knocking her to the ground.

 Ginny followed Prue to the ground. Straddling her waist while her knuckles slammed into Prue’s nose, making blood gush instantly. Prue howled in rage and pain, however she didn’t give up easily. She kicked out, knocking Fleur away from the tussle. 

 Harry struggled against his binds. He needed to help Ginny. Fleur rushed over to him, grabbing the knife from his lap. “ Une seconde, chérie ,” she said before hurrying off to free Bill’s ties. 

 Normally, Harry would have been offended at Fleur’s choice to free Bill first. But he had to figure his appearance didn’t inspire confidence in being ready for a fight. Hell, without the adrenaline coursing through his system, Harry was almost certain he would have blacked out. He did a quick visual inspection of himself. His once-white shirt was now a dark red and his blue jeans now had darker stains tinting numerous spots. Yeah, he didn’t exude ready for combat . 

 Harry’s focus was divided between the two groups. To his left Fleur, sliced every braid on the binds that held Bill. To his right, Ginny had Prue pinned to the ground, both women fighting with a fury rarely seen even on a battlefield. For every punch Ginny landed, Prue claws marked Ginny’s skin. 

 Everything was moving so quickly that Harry’s mind could hardly keep up. One second, there were three strands of rope binding Bill, then there was nothing. At the same time, Prue’s right hook connected perfectly with Ginny’s temple, making the red head fall backwards. Ginny’s loss of balance was all Prue needed. She pushed Ginny off her, springing to her feet faster than Harry expected. 

 He could see the short lived debate in Prue’s eyes, to run or to fight. It wasn’t more than a second before her flight instincts took control. She bolted towards the kitchen, but Bill was hot on her heels. With a tackle that would have made a rugby player proud, Bill took Prue down to the hardwood floor. 

 That was when he noticed Fleur had begun to cut his ropes. She was already to the last knot before he’d noticed. Then he was free and on his feet. He reached into his back pocket where he kept a pair of muggle zip ties that he crafted into handcuffs. Bill had Prue face down into the floor, giving him easy access to her wrists. 

 Prue was screaming unintelligibly into the floor, her body wiggling under Bill, but he outweighed her by nearly five stone, making her struggle for escape practically pointless. 

 After Harry pulled the ties tight, he rose to his feet, Bill locked eyes with him. “I’ve got her.” his voice was like sandpaper, but his eyes were steady. “Go check on everyone.” 

 It took Harry a moment to think past the fact they’d caught Prue to remember that there were others in the room. He turned around to see if Ginny was still on the floor where Prue had knocked her, but she’d risen to stand beside Fleur. The two women were trying to comfort a crying Victoire, who had been tied next to her daddy when Prue had turned her focus onto Harry. Fleur pulled the little girl into her arms and held Vic to her chest. Harry could see Fleur trembling as she held her daughter close. 

 Ginny turned around and their eyes locked. Harry’s mind was completely empty, except of her. Of Ginny, who was the most incredible woman he’d ever met. His legs moved with no hesitation. He needed to get to her, to touch her. Within five long strides he was holding her face in his hands. 

 Her face had numerous cuts, darkened bruises, and a lip that was rapidly swelling, but she’d never looked more beautiful to Harry. “Are you okay?” His voice was just as rough as Bill’s, but at the moment he couldn’t care less about his scratchy throat. All that mattered was what he held in his hands. 

 Ginny smiled at him, that smile she saved only for him. “Never better.” She rose to her toes to lightly kiss him. For such a chaste peck, it said so much to Harry. In the two seconds their lips touched, Harry’s heart expanded two sizes with the love he felt for this woman. He leaned his forehead to hers as she said, “I don’t know if you know this, but punching someone is very therapeutic.”  

 It took a second for his tired mind to register her words, but once they had, Harry started laughing. Ginny joined him, her smile wide as she laughed too. To an outsider they might have looked insane, but Harry couldn’t care less. He was alright, Ginny was alright, and past that nothing else mattered. He kissed her again, letting his lips linger this time speaking against her smile. “I love you.” 

 Ginny ran a hand up the side of his neck before cupping his jaw. “Right back at you, darling. I think we need to take a little holiday. Have a chance to relax. Somewhere warm and where I can have my way with you whenever I want.” 

 Harry’s breath hitched as he nodded. “Oh that can definitely be arranged.” He kissed her one final time. “But first, we’ve got to introduce our friend over there to her new cell in Azkaban.”  

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 “So Prue was convicted of all accounts,” Jamieson greeted as he plopped a manila folder on Harry’s desk. “Five accounts of kidnapping including a minor, multiple accounts of torture, and of course the stalking.” 

 Harry picked up the file and quickly flicked it open to see Prue glaring at the camera, her scowl becoming more prominent with each second. Her nostrils flared as she stared down the photographer. “That was fast. A trial and conviction in three weeks. Did Tonks discover anything else that could be added to Prue’s sentence?” 

 After Prue’s final attempt at freeing Ginny, Tonks and her partner, Emmeline Vance, had dug into Prue’s background and financials. Harry hadn’t been allowed to help due to his removal from the case, and his forced medical leave. He’d been commanded to take three weeks’ leave, which for once hadn’t bothered him because Ginny had also been given time off from the Bats. 

 They had taken their medical leave to heart, deciding a trip away was the perfect remedy to heal their emotional wounds (because the St Mungo’s healers had easily healed their physical trauma). The Spanish coast they’d found had been secluded and ideal for them. They’d swum with dolphins, eaten a plethora of bananas grown right outside their casa’s window, and spent every night in bed together. 

 But none of that had been his favorite moment of their holiday. There had been one night that outshone the rest. Every time he thought about that evening a goofy grin split his face. The sunset on his back, Ginny’s hand in his, the waves creating the perfect melody as they crashed against the sand… the best moment of his life had been the instant Ginny has said —

 “Potter?” Jamieson slapped his arm, bringing Harry out of his daydream. 

 “Hm? Oh sorry!” He cleared his throat. “What were you saying?” 

 Jamieson snorted. “Clearly you had a good medical leave based on that cat-ate-the-canary grin.” Harry could feel his cheeks heat as his boss continued. “Tonks was able to find Prue had offshore accounts. Apparently, before coming to Ireland she’d had a rather lucrative muggle business, which we discovered to have been committing tax fraud before she’d performed an insurance fraud that allowed her accounts to reach a level to somewhere in the high millions.”

 Harry had not seen that coming. “Seriously?” 

 “Yup.” Jamison popped the last letter. “The muggle police had been on her trail until she’d confounded them and disappeared to Ireland.”

 “Okay so that’s where she gained her wealth, but what caused her to become obsessed with Ginny?” 

 “Ah.” Jamieson let the word out on a sigh, propping his hip on the side of Harry’s desk. “It turns out Canon had grown up in an abusive household. Her father was Tom Riddle.” 

 The name was familiar to Harry, but he couldn’t quite place it. “Remind me of who that is.”

 “He was one of France’s most notorious killers. He ran one of Paris’ largest drug cartels. In his twenty-five year reign, he made over five hundred thousand in profit. But during that time he impregnated a young prostitute by the name of Estelle Canon. Based on the intel we’ve gathered through journals found at the homestead where Prue brought Ginny, Riddle sold Prue’s mother to a rival gang for access to their land. Riddle was trying to expand his empire out of Paris. But once Prue’s mother was gone, there was no one there to protect Prue from Riddle’s... more sinister behaviors and desires. ”

 Harry’s gut clenched because he had a good idea of what Jamieson meant by desires , and even though he hated Prue, no one deserved to be abused like that. He let out a deep breath. “Okay, so she had a really bad childhood. But that doesn’t explain her fascination with Ginny.”  

 “Prue’s mother used to read her children’s books where a goddess was stuck on Earth. The goddess was said to be stuck in a human form until she discovered decency among humans. Prue somehow connected Ginny with the goddess in the tale.”

 “Okay, I can get that on a crazy level, but why Ginny? Have we tried to get her to explain why she thought Ginny was this goddess?” Harry asked. 

 Jamieson snorted. “Of course! Vance has been to Azkaban everyday, but Prue refuses to speak. Anything we learn is going to be through her journals, which I’m surprised she even had. We’re planning on taking them to Ms Granger when she has some time.” 

 Harry nodded, he was no psychologist, so trying to understand why Prue kept a diary was a mystery to him, but maybe Granger could figure things out. “Well, I’m just glad it’s over.”

 “You and me both, Potter. “Jamieson clapped a hand to his back. “You did good, minus the whole falling in love with your ward thing.” 

 Harry looked up into his boss’ amused eyes. “Sir, with all due respect, I’m pretty sure when you knew when assigning me the case that it’s nearly impossible not to fall in love with Ginny Weasley.” 

 Jamieson let out a bark of a laugh. “I’d never tell her, but that girl had me wrapped around her finger the first time Bill introduced us.” 

 “Oh and how easy it was,” an amused voice came from behind the two aurors, making them jump and turn to look at the woman they’d been talking about. Ginny was beaming at them as she moved closer. 

 Jamieson rolled his eyes before smiling at Ginny. “What are you doing here, Weasley?”

 She pointed at Harry. “We have an appointment with my parents this evening and I refuse to let him claim some work -- thing -- as a distraction.” She met Harry’s eyes. “We’re in this together aren’t we, Potter?”

 Harry could feel that goofy smile coming back. “You know I’d follow you anywhere, Love.”

 Again, Jamieson rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to watch this. Potter, you’re free to go once you return that report to Tonks.” He pointed to the folder that he’d lefted on Harry’s desk. Then he was gone, moving across the bullpit to his office without so much as a farewell. 

 Ginny took Jamieson’s vacated spot, leaning slightly on the edge of his desk. “So how was the first day back?” 

 Harry shuffled the papers back into the folder, before rising from his chair. He stood in front of Ginny, his fingers moving to graze her hips “Not so bad, though… My mind did wander quite a bit.”

 “Hmmm.” Ginny stood to her full height, still making her half a head shorter than him. “And what did your rambling thoughts focus on?”

 He brought his hand to hers, threading their fingers before pulling their joined palms up to his lips. He kissed each knuckle until he reached her ring finger where two bands rested. The engagement ring they’d recovered from Prue’s house and the silver ring he’d slid there only a week ago. “How much I missed my wife and wished we were still in our little seaside casa where I could drag her off to bed whenever I wanted.”  

 Ginny pulled their interlocked fingers away from his face so she could replace it with her lips. She smiled against his mouth, “Funny, I was thinking the same thing about my handsome husband while going through Kennedy’s drills.”

 Harry groaned quietly as she nipped at his bottom lip. “How upset would your parents be if we skived off tonight?”

 She laughed, pressing a final peck to his lips before away.“Pretty angry, seeing as we’re already going over there to tell her we eloped. Best not to test Molly Weasley’s patience by cancelling.” 

 He sighed. “I know you're right. At least I think our parents will take it better than Sirius. He’s going to throw a fit that he wasn’t there to be my best man.”

 “Don’t worry, love.” Ginny brought their joined hands to her lips before using them to pull him towards the exit. “I’ll protect you from our disgruntled parental figures.”

 “I’ll be holding you to that, Ginny Potter.” 

 She sighed happily. “I love it when you call me that.” 

 “ Do you.” Harry stopped their movement to pull her into a small alcove near the muggle exit of the auror offices. He pressed her back so she leaned against the wall. “I’ll make sure to say it more often,” he said, leaning in to put his lips right next to her ear. “Mrs Potter.” 

 Ginny's hand came to knot in his already messy hair, drawing his lip away from her ear before kissing him. “At — this — rate — we’ll never — make — it.” Ginny said each word in between kissing him. 

 Harry was about to say he didn’t mind one bit, but Ginny cut his words off with a heated kiss that made his mind go blank. Right as he started to debate if he could get away with setting some privacy charms around their little niche, Ginny pulled away. Her hand slid back into his, their matching rings clinking happily together. She winked. “Remember that for later tonight.” 

 Then she pulled him out of their hideaway and towards the street where they could apparate back to their flat. Harry smiled as they stepped out into the rare Irish sunshine. He couldn’t believe how much his life had changed all because of a covert mission. All because he’d fallen in love with Ginny Weasley. 

[matrixaffiliate]

Endeavor

Chapter Update! FFN and AO3

Next chapter goes up on August 15th! =)

Chapter 3

"I swear, Lupin, you work more now that you have this job than you did when we were taking a full semester and you were working two jobs." Kalil sat down at the kitchen table where Ted had laid out his old school notes to try and come up with a clearer direction forward for what he had spent the last week coming to think of as his company.

"It is not that bad, Ghanem," Ted laughed. "I've got a good chance here to build this into the launching pad of my career. But I've got to get Vic up to speed too, so I'm also teaching her business classes after work."

Kalil sat down at the table, "Now when you first said your coworker's name was Vic, I thought their name was Victor. But you keep referring to them in the feminine connotation."

Ted laughed, "Vic is short for the French name Victoire."

"And, she needs some personal tutoring after work because…" Kalil smirked at him.

Ted shook his head, "It's not like that, mate."

"Really? Because you haven't been this willing to work outside of your shift in the three years that we've been friends."

Ted looked back at one of his books. "Yeah, well she has a boyfriend."

"Wait, she's taken?"

"Yep." Ted huffed.

"She says she's taken or you know she's taken?"

Ted looked up to glare at his friend, "My second interaction with her was walking in on her snogging the bloke, so yes, she's taken."

Kalil raised his eyebrows. "And you're not happy about this."

Ted sighed. "Sorry, she's pretty amazing and it's just frustrating to meet a girl that I could see myself with, and for her to be in a relationship."

"Well, if she's taken, she's taken, mate," Kalil put a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you should protect yourself a bit here, back off on the time you spend with her, like only being with her during office hours."

Ted nodded, "Yeah, I'll think about it."

Kalil moved his hand away and shook his head as he walked back down the hall to his room.

"Don't be that guy Ted." He called out.

Teddy didn't respond. He needed to get this business figured out and then he needed to head out to get some shopping done before he went to his parents' place. They'd been excited to have him over on a Saturday. Ted hadn't had a free Saturday evening in years.

And honestly, he had already realized he was that guy. Ted was flirting and looking for every stolen moment he could get with a girl that wasn't available. If he were in Sean's position, he'd probably want to pummel him.

But Sean wasn't treating Vic like he really cared. Vic had disclosed that Sean canceled a day trip to the White Cliffs for the chance to compete in a pub quiz league. He was so certain he and his mates would win that he decided it was worth canceling the trip, and he was vague with her when it came to rescheduling it.

Ted wanted to pummel the idiot.

That was obviously not an option, and so Ted settled for teaching her business after work a couple of nights a week as they ate dinner and goofing around during the workday. Ted lived for those stolen moments; those moments where he felt like it was them, no unnecessary significant others involved.

Maybe he'd get her to teach him to speak French. He took a few classes in before uni, maybe he could get her to spend a little longer with him in the evenings teaching him something after he taught her business.

A part of Teddy wanted to cuff himself upside the head, but the more time he spent with Vic, the easier it was to ignore that part of him. He had set some physical boundaries for himself, and that made Ted feel like he wasn't really crossing any lines. He was making friends with Vic, taking an interest in her life outside of work, and spending time with her. That's what friends did. He was her friend. That was it.

And if he took advantage of those moments to feel closer to her than he should, well, that was for him and no one else to know about.

OoOoOoOoO

"So, you're liking working with Ron?" His dad asked as he handed Ted a drink and set the pitcher down on the table in their back garden.

"I don't work much with Ron. Between me and his niece, we run this operation on our own." Ted sat back in his chair and sighed contentedly. He liked having evenings off. He'd forgotten what it was like to be able to decompress before half eleven, let alone have a Saturday to himself.

"It's just the two of you?" His mum set some cheese and crackers down on the table.

"Unless we need the big boss, yeah," Ted nodded.

"Which niece of his are you working with?" His dad pulled the cheese tray a bit closer to him.

Ted smiled, "Victoire, his oldest niece. She's Bill and Fleur's daughter if that helps you place her."

His mum laughed. "I know Bill, she must be a firecracker. He fancied himself a rebel, pierced his ear and grew his hair out long; he even bought a motorcycle. Made his mum furious as I understand it."

"How did you know Bill?" Ted tried to not look too interested.

"He and I went to A-levels together," his mum swatted a fly away and nearly upturned the cheese tray but just missed it. "It was happenstance that Harry and Ron and Ginny ended up in school together as well."

"To be fair, it was also happenstance that you and I met." His dad took her hand and kissed it.

Ted sighed. It felt like he would never get to the point his parents were at.

"Everything alright, son?" His dad turned to look at him.

"Yeah," Ted forced a smile, "It's just been a long week getting everything settled at work. And I really think Ron has a second company brewing with this, so I'm trying to get things rolling to show him that this could stand on its own feet. It doesn't need Bread & Butter to hold it up."

"Ron didn't build Bread & Butter in a day, Teddy darling. Make sure to pace yourself." His mum's timer went off and she went to retrieve dinner.

Ted stayed quiet. He knew his mum was right, Ron had built his franchise up over the course of nearly fifteen years. But this didn't need the same kind of organic growth that a bakery chain needed. This was selling kitchen equipment, kitchen equipment branded with the name of a successful franchise across the UK. It just needed the push that Ted was willing to give it.

Plus, he got more time with Vic when he pushed this forward, so it was a win in more than one way.

"Do I get you next Saturday too?" His mum asked as she set dinner on the table.

Ted laughed, "No, I promised Harry I'd take the kids for ice cream to say thank you for getting me in touch with Ron."

"Give them a hug for me. I know they're James' and Lily's grandkids, but I think we all claim them as our own."

"Mum, I'm six years older than Jamie."

"It doesn't change that your dad and I are old enough to be their grandparents."

"I am, but you, my love, are most certainly not." His dad chuckled. "But I've always liked how much those three look up to you, Teddy."

Ted shrugged, he rather liked it too if he was honest.

OoOoOoOoO

"This was a low blow, Weasley," Ted shook his head as he ate his Chinese takeaway the following Friday.

"You left me with no choice. If I hadn't ordered beforehand then you would have paid for it again. I already owe you for five dinners."

"You hide your devious side behind that pretty face, you even knew my order."

Vic kicked him under the table, "Don't announce my secrets!"

Ted laughed, "So tell me, have you ordered the next five dinners as well?"

Vic grinned, "I'll let you sit in anticipation."

"So torturous," Ted grinned back at her and had to put a great deal of self-control into not reaching out to take her hand or run his foot along her calf.

"What are you doing with your weekend?" Vic asked as she pulled a dumpling from the box with her chopsticks.

Ted smirked, "Wondering what my plans are Weasley?"

"I'll tell you mine," Vic shrugged.

"Let me guess, you're going to go home and spend the weekend wishing you didn't live with your parents?" Ted teased.

"No, I'm going to figure out what your last name is." She smirked at him.

Ted tutted, "That would be a shame, my wolf looks rather nice on your desk. I've come to enjoy seeing him there."

Vic laughed and kicked his foot under the card table. "I am going to figure it out this weekend. Come Monday, I'll know more about you than you could imagine me learning in two days."

Ted raised his eyebrows at her. "I think you're bluffing."

Vic shrugged, "Good, that will make it that much better when you walk in on Monday and I call you by your full name."

"Oh, you think you'll find my middle name too huh? Yours isn't even listed on the company roster."

"Did you go looking for it?" Vic laughed.

"Of course, I did, I had to exploit every advantage available to me." Ted shrugged as Vic laughed.

"You're ridiculous you know." Vic's smile was soft again, it was that smile that made Ted's stomach flutter.

"One of my many faults."

Vic tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before letting out a long breath and tossed her takeaway container in the bin.

"We should get started," she pulled her notepad in front of her.

"Right," Ted moved to his desk for his notebook and the notes he'd prepared yesterday after work before rejoining Vic at the card table.

"Did everything from Wednesday make sense?"

But another voice responded.

"Wednesday?"

Ted turned to the open door where Sean stood.

"Sean," Vic's voice conveyed her surprise. "You said you had plans tonight."

"They fell through," he leant against the doorframe. "I decided I'd rescue you from working late."

"Oh, er," she looked at Ted with wide eyes and Ted forced a smile for her.

"Go on, your Casanova awaits."

Vic bit her lip and looked torn for a moment longer before nodding. "We can do this on Monday, right?"

"Sure, whenever," Ted put his notebook away in his backpack.

"Alright, I'll, I'll see you Monday."

"Yeah."

Ted didn't dare look up as Vic walked out. He didn't want to see Sean kiss her.

OoOoOoOoO

"Teddy!" Lily ran into his arms.

"Hey, sweetheart," Ted hugged her. "I swear you're taller every time I see you."

"Grandad says that's what happens when you feed kids. Mum and Dad left for their show already, but come on! I want you to meet my cousin! She's so cool!" Lily pulled him down the corridor.

Ted laughed and kicked off his shoes, expecting to see another twelve-year-old girl as Lily pulled him to the back garden.

He nearly tripped over himself when he crossed the threshold.

"Vic?"

"Ted?"

"What are you doing here?" They said in unison.

"Really? You already know her? I wanted to introduce you two." Lily pouted.

"I work with Vic, Lils." Ted squeezed Lily's shoulders.

"You do?" Al frowned, "But Vic works for Uncle Ron."

Ted chuckled, "And so do I."

Vic was blushing and Ted wondered why his showing up had this effect on her. She didn't blush when he walked into work.

"Ted!" Jamie grinned as he walked out to the back garden. "Dad said you weren't going to be here till five."

Ted grinned and pulled Jamie into a hug. "I thought I'd come a bit earlier to catch up, but I see you lot already have someone around."

"Oh, yeah, Vic this is Ted, he's Mum and Dad's godson." Jamie introduced them.

"They work together, Jamie," Lily rolled her eyes. "And if they hadn't, I would have already introduced them."

Jamie's brow creased for a moment. "Oh, right you both work for Uncle Ron, I remember Dad saying he set you up with the job."

Ted nodded, "Yep. So, I guess everyone knows everyone now."

"Right," Vic stood up, "I should probably let you four go to dinner."

"Can Vicky come?" Lily took hold of Teddy's hand and he tried to keep himself from looking down at her big brown eyes.

He failed, and then he caved.

"If you're free, Vic, you're welcome to join us."

"I don't want to impose," she bit her lip but Lily went straight to her side.

"You wouldn't be imposing, Vicky! Please come! We haven't seen you much at all since you got that boyfriend last year."

Ted rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at his socks as Vic spoke.

"Alright, I can come for a little bit."

Ted looked up to see Vic smiling at him, that shy soft smile that made his stomach clench.

"Great," he smiled back at her, and suddenly the awkward way they'd left things the night before seemed to fade away.

"Grab your things, you lot," Ted turned to the Potter kids, "I'm thinking some fish and chips are in order tonight."

"Aye, aye captain!" Al saluted and the three of them went for their things.

"So…" Ted followed Vic as she went back inside the house.

"Hi," Vic moved to the front door and put her shoes back on. Ted followed suit.

"I guess maybe I should have told you my plans for the weekend, huh?" He chuckled.

"Well, this might have been less awkward that way." Vic bit her lip. "I really can just bow out if you want time with them."

Ted felt his whole body react in panic at that suggestion.

"No! I mean if this is weird for you then I get if you want to leave, but I mean, we're friends, right?"

Vic's face took on a relieved cast and she smiled again. "Yeah, yeah, we're friends."

"Alright, well, friends can grab dinner together, right?"

Vic grinned, "Definitely."

Ted took a deep breath and went to say more when the Potter kids came sliding into the front entry.

"Let's go beat the dinner rush," Jamie opened the door and ushered everyone outside.

"Jamie, you're sixteen, will you stop acting like you're the adult here. That's Ted and Vic's job." Lily rolled her eyes.

Jamie shot her a glare and Ted intervened in what was a pretty regular fight he'd seen between the two of them.

"It's normal for Jamie to care enough about you to want to help guide you Lils, and it's fine to not want him to as well, right Jamie?"

Jamie rolled his eyes, "Right."

"Is Vic riding shotgun?" Al asked. "Dad and Mum say that when there's another adult, the front seat always goes to them."

Ted unlocked his car and looked over at Vic. "That's completely up to Vic."

She bit her lip and looked down at her shoes for a moment before looking back up at him. "Sure, sure I'll sit up front."

"There you go, Al, your parents' are always right." Ted grinned, and let their little group think it was in response to Al's eye roll.

But in reality, he couldn't have stopped smiling if his life depended on it, because Vic was sitting shotgun in his car.

"So, Vic," Ted asked as he pulled out of the Potter's drive. "What brought you to my godparents' home tonight?"

Vic immediately blushed. But before Ted could ask further, Al answered.

"She said she had a question about Dad's family."

Ted felt his eyebrows shoot up. The Marauders were Harry's family, and that included him.

"Really?" Ted smirked at Vic, who turned to look out her window. "I could have answered any questions you might have had."

Vic shrugged. "I didn't have your number."

"What did you want to know?" Lily asked.

"Wait," Jamie leant forward. "I thought you wanted to know my thoughts on your rough draft of your book you sent me. That's what Mum told me when she mentioned you'd be coming over."

"Right, so it was that too, and, er…"

Vic's face was bright red now and Ted found it adorable. He also felt a bit guilty, so he gave her a way out.

"Pull out your phone, I'll tell you my number." Ted smiled over at her.

She mouthed thank you and pulled out her phone. Ted rattled off his phone number and then got Al and Jamie talking about the latest Zelda game for the rest of the car ride to the restaurant.

"I can buy my own dinner," Vic protested when they were waiting their turn to order.

Ted rolled his eyes at her, "I'm sure you can, but if Harry finds out you bought your own dinner, he'll have my head, and then he'll send the rest of our family after me, so just do me the favor and let me pay for everyone."

Vic glared at him, so Ted played dirty.

"I gave you my phone number." He ignored the way Jamie eyed him.

Vic huffed and then nodded, "Fine, you can buy my dinner."

Jamie looked back and forth between the two of them. "It's not a date, Vic. Your boyfriend can't be upset about this."

Vic turned bright red and Ted sighed. Leave it to these three to find ways to unintentionally make Vic feel called out.

"I'm sure her boyfriend is a reasonable bloke, Jamie," Ted tried to redirect the conversation with the lie. "Now, why don't you lot find us all a table?"

"Won't you need help with the food?" Al asked.

"I've got Vic to help," Ted glanced at her and she smiled at him. "You three find us a good spot."

Jamie ushered his siblings further into the restaurant and Ted leant back against the wall while they waited for their order to be ready.

"Sorry," he looked over at Vic as she leant against the wall next to him. "They can be a bit much sometimes."

"They're my family too, Ted." She smiled at him. "I'm just embarrassed. I didn't expect to see you tonight."

"Is it a bad thing to see me tonight?"

"No, I just won't be able to complete my master plan now." She bumped his shoulder.

"You had a master plan? And I wasn't included? I'm offended!" Ted bumped her shoulder back and smiled as their easiness finally returned.

"I couldn't include you! You wouldn't share the information!"

Then it clicked and Ted laughed.

"You were going to use your cousins to figure out my full name, weren't you?"

"I thought I could sweet-talk it out of Lily. She always talks about how much she likes you and I thought I could just show up and get her talking about you and then casually ask what your full name was." Vic chuckled, as her blush deepened.

Ted felt like his chest was trying to take flight.

"I have to give you full marks for creativity."

"Yeah but it won't work now," Vic bit her lip. "If I ask anything about you after tonight, she's going to think I fancy you."

Ted swallowed hard, "Well, don't lose hope yet."

Vic looked over at him, "You've had a change of heart?"

"If you send me a text, I can come up with some clues so you can guess my full name." He kept his eyes focused on the kid behind the counter calling orders.

"Alright," Vic's voice was quiet. "I'll text you after we get my cousins home."

Ted smiled.

Then the kid behind the counter called his order number.

[mrneighbourlove]

The Rising Sun: Ch 5. Power Exchanged

"Oh thank the goddesses we're here."

"I thought we'd never hear the prattle end from your grandfather about his glory days."

"Give him a break, he's old and just wants to give an impression that he can still kick ass."

"Can he still kick ass?"

"I... think so? To a degree? If you're close enough to hit with his cane, perhaps."

"Or his farts, those are lethal."

“Oh, hush the lot of you.” Ganondorf, former King of Hyrule, had grown older with age. Man was just over a century of age. Even kept his build up over all the decades. Up until Zelda passed away. His wife’s death shook him to the core, and over the last few years since her passing, he lost muscle mass. No need to work out, but also a loss of spirit. Still, he held joy for his family: children, grandchildren, friends. And this day was one of the most joyous he’d ever have in a long time.

With all his children and grandchildren finally gathered, with their significant others, they were traveling to Taiyo Town in a large caravan.

"We would have been here sooner if you didn't have to stop to pee ten times."

"Shut it, you were the one that kept complaining about being hungry."

"I was hungry! What's wrong with being hungry?"

"Ganonpa," Luimaya sighed in annoyance, listening to her siblings and cousins’ bicker. "How did you do it with Dad and his siblings?"

“To be honest, it was your grand mother that was the level headed one. I often encouraged some healthy bickering. Was also easy to haul you all by the scruffs when you’ve been misbehaving. Also helped to have Rinku and Leere step in once in a while.” The Mortuus had a nice cloak to protect her skin from the sun. Sunny was letting little Joy play with Skyla. “Well that became difficult when all our younger siblings become rebellious giants.”

"Hmph, when you could catch us by the scruff, old man."

"Remember that time when we pranked him with the stink bomb with Skull Kid?"

"He chased us through the halls for hours before giving up."

"I told you it wasn't a good idea at the time."

"What do you mean, Lui? It was your idea."

"Yes, my idea, just not at that time. He was in a mood that day and we set it off."

"What are we even doing here, anyway? I thought the future queen couldn't leave the castle unless it was for diplomatic reasons."

"It is." Luimaya clarified. "I'm here to meet the leaders of Taiyo Town."

"But you're going to be the queen, and you're Gerudo. So, doesn't that make you their leader?"

Revan cleared his throat, sitting next to Nakeso and Luimaya. There were so many grandkids he’d barely known here now. Not to mention, he was finally about to enter the town his father put so much time and attention into. The whole feeling was daunting, but he did his best to relax. Heck, Kanisa’s kids didn’t even look like Gerudo. “Well, yes and no. All the tribes of Hyrule ha e either sworn fealty to the crown of Hyrule or formed alliances. So technically, my father and anyone else who’s in charge here could lead without outright obeying Covarog and later Luimaya.”

Luimaya and Ganondorf both shot Revan a glare at his words. Like grandfather, like granddaughter, it seemed. She definitely inherited his scowl. Evidently, the two of them agreed on the premise that the Gerudo of Taiyo Town should still hold some respect for the original King, his son, and granddaughter. "We don't want a repeat of the past, Revan. We're going to ensure it stays peaceful, but there has to be some grounds of respect." Luimaya told her bodyguard. "Your father or another leader, it matters not."

“I never suggested that.” Revan drew closer to Nakeso, freezing when his thigh touched hers. “And I’m sure my dad isn’t a fool. Just stubborn. Something I’ve heard and know you two can have in common.”

The cart laughed as Ganondorf merely smiled lightly in agreement. It wasn’t something he could deny.

"That's right, you're the fool and he's just stubborn." Luimaya teased, earning another round of snickers from everyone in the caravan. "You've nearly gotten yourself killed numerous times, not counting the times you were trying to watch my back."

"I don't know who is the worst, Revan or you."

"Revan." The grandkids all responded in unisons.

"He has more tallies." Nakeso held up a notebook. "Revan has nearly gotten killed 158 times while Luimaya is only at 37."

"What? Really? I thought she'd have more."

"She's reckless, but she's not stupid enough to put herself in situations to die."

"True."

"Hey! Your future queen is hearing all this!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know it's true."

Revan was bright red in the face. “It hasn’t even been a year since- Wait, how long have you kept that book around for?”

"Since you were five and almost stuck your head into a forge to prove you were fireproof like your sister." Nakeso remarked, earning a snort from Donoma. "I still can't believe you did that."

"He was just jealous that I could walk in fire without getting burned." Donoma giggled. "And pouted when I held fire in my hands like a ball. Insisted he could do it too. I don't think I've ever seen Mama scold him like that for an hour."

Revan was growing uncomfortable. Pretty much every grandchild was not only older than him, Ralnor’s children themselves being in their mid thirties to cap the height of age, but they were all together on his misery. Even Donoma seemed to be more suited with them. “Yeah. Sure.” When he saw Skyla looking at him, he sighed, secretly signing to her. “ Least I’m not afraid of spiders.”

"You in trouble. A lot." Skyla signed in return with a small smile. She was still shy, like she was when a tiny girl, but had opened up to her cousins and was flourishing in her studies to be a veterinarian. "But good fighter. Luimaya lucky to have you. Don't worry. Everyone loves you. Just tease you cause love you."

“Could fool me.”

“Hey ya’ll!” Rinku shouted from the front of the horse cart. “We’re here. You all behaving back there? Hate to turn this ride around~”

"Hey, if we're not behaving, it's only because we learned it from you." Covarog snickered.

Orana jested with him. "Yeah, you tell her."

“Well, you got me there.” They could hear the putter patter of her feet walking on the sand to the doors. Opening them, sunlight poured inside. “To those unaccustomed by desert heat, please apply sunscreen that’s been provided. This mostly applies to my gothic sister pale as a vampire and Kanisa’s one eyed, blue skinned, always a pleasurable attitude husband and my adorable nephew and niece from Uskar. My sister in law Sunny has provided sun hats for those who prefer them.”

"Is your sister always this cheery?" Vidar grumbled in Uskarian to Kanisa. He absolutely loathed the desert and the heat. The poor man looked miserable. "I don't see how it's possible with all this sand and sun."

"Just deal with it a little while longer please, love." Kanisa assured her husband. "We'll be back in Uskar soon enough."

"If I don't melt first."

Leere addressed Skyla and Joy together with Tebanem. “Since you’re both the youngest, I’d like you both to stay together at all times. Stay within eyeshot of an adult.”

"Hey! I'm not a kid." Tebanam huffed. "I'm an adult!"

"She means Skyla and Joy, Teb." Faris clarified, amused, to his husband. "She doesn't want them wandering off."

"Oh."

The shit eating grin on Leere’s face filled up until she couldn’t help but keel over in laughter. “If you need the advice of the oldest siblings, talk to me or Luimaya, Tebby. I’m sure Kanny will love to be your pair buddy~”

"Oh shut it, I knew what you meant, I was just joking." Tebanam refused to look her in the eye, crossing his arms.

Once all the others had stepped outside, Ganondorf made his way out of the cart. It had been too long since he breathed desert air and tasted life upon the winds. With light robes he turned to the massive walls of the town. Was like a fortress. “Impressive.” The gates opened as Revan and Donoma handed out passes to the men that their father had given them in advance. What awaited inside amazed the old king. Gerudo of all shapes and sizes interacting as a community. Everyone of them shouted out one big greeting when they saw the family gathering. “VASAAQ!!! SAV’AAQ!!!”

Revan himself blinked, surprised by how many red headed women there were. He looked at his sister surprised. “You’ve been coming here?”

"Yeah, what of it?" Donoma was taken aback by her brother's surprise. "I've learned a lot about our history. Mama taught me all I needed to know of what we had of Lorleidian history. Dad taught us what he knew of Gerudo history, but there's only so much he can teach. The rest of it needs to be experienced. Besides," She waved at a few of her friends. "I've made a lot of progress in my studies and I have friends here. It's nice to have a second home."

“Must be nice.” Revan couldn’t help but let his bitterness out. Was he not Gerudo enough to belong here? The man of the hour appeared. Malik opted for stylized, yet comfortable robes. Beside him, Gali was wearing a nice Vai dress. The Lord of Taiyo Town smiled to Zarazu before addressing the group as a whole. “My extended family, and royal family of Hyrule. I am honoured that you can finally see the hard work all of our generations have worked towards. The Gerudo people prosperous once again. I welcome you to Taiyo town.”

Each family member extended their greeting politely before the King spoke. "I am impressed by the amount of work here, and absolutely delighted that we finally are able to see the restoration of our people." Covarog then noted Gali. "Please let me to express my thanks in allowing Lord Malik to help you oversee the construction of Taiyo Town. May I present my wife, Queen Zarazu of the Lorleidians," He gestured to his lover. "And my children. Marena and Syrena are the youngest twins, then Zahirog, then Turagor and Luimaya are my eldest. My Luimaya is next in line to rule our kingdom."

Gali bowed her head politely to Luimaya. “It is a privilege to learn the next high Queen will be a Gerudo Woman on the throne. Strong, and fiery from what Donoma has told me in her studies. You will make a remarkable queen, I’m sure. We encourage you to explore Taiyo Town on your own. We want to be an organic experience for all of you.”

"It is a privilege to be here in your town, to learn more of my history and to walk with the fierce warriors that I have read so much about in books. I feel like this is something out of a fairy tale, even though I know it's simply history." Luimaya returned a respectful nod of her head to Gali. "I ask that you teach me, my siblings, and cousins all that you know and anything you wish for us to learn; whether it be ways of combat or simple knowledge." Then the future queen gestured to Skyla. "I ask you have patience with my family, but especially my cousin, Skyla. She is deaf and reads lips. I don't suppose any of you know sign? She can write in Gerudo, but that takes a time." "Hi!" Skyla signed to Gali with a bright smile. "I do read lips, but accents make lips move odd. Please talk slowly for me." Luimaya then translated, "She is greeting you and asking for you and the other members of the town to speak slower for her, to give her time to read your lips."

Gali nodded, addressing the town in Gerudo to look out for the little one. Turning to Skyla, she got on a knee to kneel down to her and speak in Sign. “Hello Skyla. I am Gali. I think I’ve met you and your father’s people on my travels before. Hard to forget a tribe as pretty as you.”

"You tall lady." Skyla motioned to the women surrounding Gali. "All tall. Garai women like me, not so tall. Sister tribe, you come visit sometime." She then stomped the sand with her foot and made a sailing wave with her arm. "Ride Sand Rays! Learn of Gerudo now. You learn of Garai too. Too much time pass without sister tribe. Sand here. Stone there. Much to know." "Skyla, don't sign so fast, she might not get it all." Tebanam hopped down from his camel, Loogie, and signed to his daughter. "They go slow for you, you go slow for them. Not too fast." Skyla blushed and sheepishly signed, "Sorry. Excited!"

"That's more than fine Skyla. We'll get to learning about each others culture very quickly." Gali patted Skyla on the shoulder as she stood up. "We have tour guides in green patched shoulders who'd love to take you around our markets, bars, training grounds, schools, saunas, spas, and the rest of the joyous spots in Taiyo Town. If you'd like to explore on your own that's fine too. I hope you all enjoy the joys Taiyo Town can bring!"

Ganondorf was lost in thought as he looked around the town. While Gali was addressing the crowd, he watched small Gerudo children kick a ball back and forth. A woman was beating an old styled blanket he used to wrap himself in previous lives from her balcony. And there was a Hylian in the background laughing with a Gerudo. A union he had been working hard since with his wife to normalized. A view he knew his cousin had struggled to come to grips with. Yet here they were.

~

Donoma was struggling to pull her brother through the throng of women. This was a headache. She kept politely asking for the ladies to step aside, but they were more interested in talking to Revan. "Girls... girls, for fuck's sake!!!" Donoma shouted over the crowd. "You can feel his pecs later, we're going to see my mom now."

“Come on Donoma! This is the virgin brother you have! Can’t we just, you know, kiss him. For homework purposes?” Her roommate asked in a little sexy voice for her brother.

Revan wasn’t expecting so many of the girls around Donoma’s age to be so horny. This wasn’t the type of attention he wanted. “I have someone else...”

"No. At least, not now. Later." Donoma yanked Revan into the tent that her mother and father shared. Finally, maybe the crowd would go away. "Damn vultures, I swear..."

"Revan!" Asakonigei was on bed rest, currently trying her hand at knitting and failing miserably. Although, her face lit up when she saw her son and daughter. "Donoma! I'm so happy you're both here!"

“Mom!” Revan ran forward, hugging her close. “Are you ok? I can’t believe Dad got you pregnant again.”

"I'm fine, Revan, just a little uncomfortable with all this extra weight." Asakonigei hugged her son tightly. "We were not exactly planning this, but nonetheless, it happened. I've been very well cared for while I've been here."

"Do you know what the baby is now?" Donoma asked her mother. "I've been wanting to know for so long!"

"Yes, actually, I do know the baby is going to be." Asakonigei smiled widely. "You're both going to have a little brother."

"Queen Zarazu birthed three Gerudo boys and now, I suppose I'm lucky to have a second one." Asakonigei then added. "Though your father and I have been at odds about a name."

“You have?” Revan sat beside her, wanting to not leave her side. Been months since he saw his mother.

"Get a load of this," Donoma plopped onto the bed, opposite to Revan, their mother in the middle. "Dad says he wants another Gerudo name, but Mom is insisting on a combination between Gerudo and Lorleidian since my name is Lorleidian and yours is Gerudo."

"It's only fair." Asakonigei defended her point. "I doubt I'm having another baby, so half it, right?"

“Well knowing father, he most likely doesn’t want a Frankenstein name put together.”

"It's not that bad, I don't think." Donoma shrugged her shoulders. "Mufratir is all right, isn't it?" Asakonigei asked her son.

Revan couldn’t hide his displeasure at the name as his face contorted at the corners. “Keep it simple?”

"Or she could go all out like Zarazu and Covarog did with Zahirog and name the kid Malikonigei." Donoma snorted.

"Oh, hush you!" Asakonigei gently shoved at Donoma's shoulder.

“Could call him Dad’s first name?” Revan pondered on the possibilities.

"One Malik in the world is enough, the world has enough stubbornness." Asakonigei laughed.

"The world didn't need even more with Revan, what have you done, Mom?"

"Your brother is not that bad."

"He went into a match without magic."

"That's just his ego."

“Excuse me?!” The comment of the world not needing him stung Revan to his core. “I’m sorry I tried to prove that I had value in the skills I crafted for myself. I’m sorry I’m not daddies favourite child!”

"Oh, stop being a brat." Donoma snapped at Revan. "You know that's not what I meant. I implied the world doesn't need more of your 'I'm-undefeatable' attitude." She then scoffed and said, "Favorite? Dad doesn't choose favorites, but if you really believe that's true, it's only because I actually listen and behave."

"Hush, you two, stop fighting." Asakonigei scolded both of her children. "I shall not have you two fighting in front of me or your father. He has enough to worry about as it is."

“Oh you know what, fuck dad too. Too important with all of this to give a damn about me.” Revan gestured all around the village with wide arms. “Skipping dinners, celebrations, and ceremonies to be here. Except while I’m stuck out busting my ass, he chooses you to live here with him. You’re probably aware he’s never once invited me here.”

"He didn't choose me to live with him here, you dumbass! I'm a woman, for starters, and at least I look Gerudo!!!" Donoma spat back at Revan. "He's trying his best to rebuild some semblance of what our ancestors lost! If you're so upset about not receiving a personal invitation, it's not Dad's fault! The Gerudo women here don't trust men! The only reason they trust Dad is because he is Gerudo!"

"ENOUGH!!!" Asakonigei shouted so loud that Revan's ears and Donoma's rang something fierce. "If the both of you are going to squabble like children, then you can do so elsewhere! I do not need the stress of seeing you two fight and neither does your little sibling! Out! Right now!"

"But Mom---"

"I said, OUT!!!"

“You hit the nail exactly on the head. In his eyes I’m not Gerudo. And if I am, I’ll only carry the worst aspects. So how about you go crawl back to your sisterhood like the good little girl you are.” Revan looked to his mom, daring to glare at her something fierce. “A baby will kill you. Why would you risk putting us through something like that?”

"At least I don't follow around a girl who doesn't love me!" Donoma shot back. "Luimaya will never like you in that aspect and you think being her bodyguard will make her view you as some romantic hero? You're an ass." With that, Donoma tromped out of the tent.

Asakonigei gave Revan a hard stare. "I had complications with you, I lost too much blood with Donoma, and yet, both of you are still here and alive." Asakonigei said very sternly. "Your father and I didn't plan this. I did not even think I could get pregnant again with the trauma my body suffered. Yet, this baby is growing within me and will need you and your sister. I would gladly die for you and Donoma, and this baby. It's part of me and part of your father, and will be your sibling. Don't you dare patronize me, son."

“Is this because you want to give father his large family. You really think it’ll be fair to the baby to grow up in a world without a mother?” Revan sat down next to her, disbelief wrapped around his face. “You think that’s fair to me and Donoma to lose you for another one of father’s grand dreams? Honestly, are you even thinking properly here?”

"No, I don't think it's fair. Not for me, not for you, not for your sister or father, and certainly not the baby." Asakonigei stated as her son sat beside of her. "As I said previously, your father nor I planned this. It simply happened. And I am thinking very clearly. I am a mother. You will not be able to understand until you have children of your own, Revan. I want this baby to be born surrounded by love regardless of what happens to me. I may or may not survive... but at least this time, I will have more help."

“How? What makes you believe that? Your body will kill you. Dr. Bovier made that perfectly clear.”

"Yes, Doctor Boveir did. Yet, these women believe differently. So now, the only thing I have left is faith."

“Faith? Are you out of your mind?” Revan sneered at the very thought. “We should just get on our hands and knees and pray? Or perhaps we should get some shaman to throw flowers on top of you.”

"Don't. Patronize. Me." Asakonigei yanked her son forward by the collar of his armor. She was pregnant, but still strong enough to get Revan's attention. "I prayed to Kovina for you. You are here. If you are going to be like this, then you can leave. I will not have your attitude around myself or your new sibling-to-be when the time comes. Either you can support me, or go. What is it going to be?"

“I’ll leave when her royal highness deems it ready to go.” He held her hand, his fingers gentle, yet firm on her. His eyes were angry, but his lips trembled small hesitation. “I don’t want Klinge’s ego to take you away from me.”

"... you know I'll fight the Goddess of Death to stay here with you." Asakonigei held the side of his face with a small sigh. "If you don't have faith in the deities, at least have faith in me. Your mother is a tough old woman."

Revan’s eyes were heavy as he slowly nodded in agreement. “Alright...” Careful to not hurt her, he hugged his mother closely. “I don’t trust Father to look after you. So you have to be strong enough to look after yourself.”

As Revan hugged her, Asakonigei slowly stroked the back of his hair, trying her best to soothe him. "I have a lot of women here ready to help me. I'll have help, Revan. And if you decide to stay for a little while, then you can help me too."

Revan choose to ignore that last part. “I hope they can help you...”

~

The first day of the royal family visit was going smoothly. Malik was incredibly proud of his people. Seeing Luimaya, he waved the girl and her siblings over. “Young princess. Princes and princess’. How are you this afternoon?”

Luimaya had been exploring the town with her siblings and cousins. All of them were currently enjoying a recipe of the Gerudo heritage. Poor Turagor was coughing from the spiciness, the younger twins barely batted an eye, and Zahirog merely nibbled on his, trying to save face. "This is... a different experience for sure. It's not exactly what I've read in books." Zahirog admitted to Malik.

"I guess history left out a few parts." Turagor said in-between sputters from the spicy chicken leg.

"I really enjoyed seeing such beautiful custom clothes!" Marena smiled.

"And hearing the music!" Syrena added.

Luimaya stayed silent for a while, thinking. "Though... Ganonpa won't stay here to lead them." She then asked. "So I suppose Gail is going to?"

“Ganondorf is too old to lead. The man has lived long enough for this lifetime to be a ruler. Gali certainly makes a qualified Chieftain in my absence.”

The siblings exchanged glances.

"... you?" Zahirog appeared to be confused. "You're a man. I thought the Gerudo wanted a female leader like Nabooru in the old days?"

“There have been Kings and Queens in our past too.”

"Yeah, though Zahi and Turagor needed a pass just to come in here." Marena noted. "So... it's safe to assume they're not too trusting of men." Syrena pointed out to her uncle.

"I know Mom and Dad will probably want to talk to them about keeping good ties with Hyrule." Luimaya told Malik. "I know Dad is King and a descendant of Ganondorf, so surely there will be peace from here on out."

“That’s something we are working out. I just don’t want these people to be taken advantage of.” Malik smiled softly, speaking gently to them all. “Just how I didn’t want your father, uncles, aunts and all of you taken advantage. History can sometimes be tricky and like to repeat itself.”

"Do you think they'll allow Lorleidians here too? Maybe some Hylian civilians?" Luimaya inquired. "For trading purposes?"

“Yes. It’s what I want. It’s what we are already trying to integrate. Look closely, and you’ll be able to spot one or two amongst the town even now.”

"As long as there is prosperity and peace, that's what matters the most." Luimaya stated.

"Though, I really wish you wouldn't stay here."

"Yeah, the castle would fall apart without you." Turagor remarked as he chugged down some water, trying to wash away some of the spiciness of the chicken. "I mean, you did keep our aunts and uncles from arguing all the time. Sort of."

"I think what he's trying to say is you're a peacemaker and we don't want anymore food fight incidents between Uncle Corsaire and his crew against the Hylian guards." Zahirog blanched. "I was pulling noodles out of my hair for weeks."

“Children...” Malik tried to sound soft to counteract how tired he was of this particular conversation. “I’ve been a peacemaker before your parents were even born. If you still need to rely on my guidance, I fear for the stability of Hyrule.”

"What they're trying to say is, they're going to miss you if you stay here." Marena clarified.

"Yeah. It would suck, cause we wouldn't get to see you as often." Syrena added to her twin's statement.

“Your Aunt Kanisa lives a whole ocean away. I’m still less then a days travel away. Besides, distance makes the heart grow fonder.” He gently patted Syrena on the shoulder.

"Yeah, but at least she has a dragon to bring her here to see us." Syrena sulked slightly. "If you move away, you might not come back cause Uncle Ralnor annoys you."

"We all know that Uncle Ralnor can annoy anyone with his 'proper-ness'." Marena snickered. "I hold my pinky finger out when I sip tea, look at me, I'm so proper." The siblings did exchange giggles at that mentioning.

“What? You can’t travel here to see me?”

"We can but who knows when we'll be able to." Luimaya admitted with a heavy sigh. "Come on, Uncle Malik. Even Mom and Dad don't get out of the palace that much. You know that."

"And when Lui becomes queen, it will be harder for to do so." Turagor frowned slightly. "Maybe for us if we have to stay at home too."

"At least we have each other." Zahirog noted. "That's what counts."

"But on a lighter note, Mama told us that Aunt Asa is pregnant again." Marena smiled. "What are you going to name the baby?"

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Syrena asked.

“I don’t know yet.” Malik didn’t want to know, least, not quite yet. Sighing, he figured out how to approach their worries. “The same way home will keep you busy in central Hyrule, my home here will keep me busy. This is simply part of life though children.”

"We know." Zahirog shrugged, holding his siblings together with his arms around their shoulders. "Though you better find the time to visit if we do."

“I-“ Malik saw Ganondorf from afar. The man held an expression of light urgency, waving the Lord with the wrist of a hand. “If you will excuse me children.”

Reaching Ganondorf’s side, Malik still felt slightly humbled in his presence. “Is something the matter?”

“No. Not at all. However, there is something of great importance I wish to discuss with you.”

“I understand.”

“I think privately will be best.”

Privately? This intrigued Malik. “Very well. Inside the eyes of the goddess statue then?” Ganondorf looked to the edge of the town where a giant woman of stone observed the town.

“You can go inside?”

“Yes. I made it a place of pray and to chronicle our people.”

“How spiritual of you. Let’s not waste time. Still a night of celebration to share.” The two Gerudo men reminisced on their shared past as they made their way to the temple. Inside, Ganondorf and Malik took their seat in front of a mural of great Gerudo’s past. “Cousin, don’t think me rude, but I invited two others.”

"I swear, if Malik wanted me to drag my ass in here for another stupid test of his, I'mma choke him. Getting too old for that."

"Now, now, Rinku, I'm sure he just wants to talk without a ton of eyes upon us."

"I'm serious, I'm so over these tests of his, Zarazu! At least he learned his lesson with you."

"How so?"

"... you took the man's arm; he should be grateful you didn't take his dick." Rinku and Zarazu had no idea that the words in the temple could... echo.

Ganondorf turned to daughter as she made herself visible with Zarazu. “Colourful vocabulary.” Malik was surprised to see Zarazu and Rinku together. “I didn’t expect you both to be here.”

"You invited us?" Zarazu held a tone of questioning to her voice. "Unless I misunderstood, you wanted to meet with the holders of the Tri-Force?"

"Hey, I've heard worse from you, Ganondad." Rinku pointed a finger at Ganondorf.

“I did.”

“What is this all about?” Malik stiffened, uncertainty filling his being. His words said otherwise, but deep down his heart knew why they were all gathered now.

Ganondorf changed his gaze over to Malik, a deep and heavy look falling on him. “We are here to talk about The Triforce of Power’s new owner.”

Silence was cast over the room, and a shocking realization hit Malik now it was in the open air. “Me?”

"...?! WHAT?!" Rinku shook her head. "Wait, I thought Covarog was supposed to get the Tri-Force? He's next in line, no offense, Malik."

"I am... surprised myself." Zarazu stated slowly, not expecting this. "Might I ask why?"

“Rinku...” Ganondorf waiter until his eldest daughter was a little calmer before continuing. “Every child of mine, with the exception of you, carries a seed of darkness that I share. I fear the Triforce might corrupt them as it corrupted me.”

"Corrupt them?!" Rinku took offense to that. "All your kids are the best of you and Mom. Do you truly think that if you give the Tri-Force to Covarog that he'll turn dark?" She then said, "If you don't want to trust Covarog with it, then give it to Ralnor. Hell, give it to Orana or Kanisa, even Teb! They're not going to be corrupted! None of them are part of this curse that you, Mom, and I have repeated!"

“No. They both struggle with darkness in their choices. And I won’t expose Orana, Kanisa, or Tebanem to temptation of abuse. I need someone who’s motives are incorruptible. That knows the weight of true magic and power.”

"You have so little faith in them! Look at how much they all have overcome!" Rinku frowned and gestured to Zarazu. "They're married. They have families. They're happy! And not once ounce of lust for power within them! And you think Malik is the one? Good goddesses, look at what you both have done in the past!" Rinku exclaimed. "Look at how much bloodshed both of you have on your hands! He's a carbon copy of you, Ganondorf! This is not a good idea!"

“Have we not redeemed ourselves? Has he not suffered enough under my hands as much as any of my other past victims? He rose from being my tool to regaining his humanity.” Ganondorf sent a penetrating look at his daughter. “What’s more, he has never broken my trust. Even in the deepest depths of depravity he was always honest with his intentions.”

"Yeah, he regained his humanity, but not due to you." Rinku remarked with a glare of her own. "Due to her," She motioned to Zarazu, and then added, "And his wife. What do you think will happen if they're no longer around to keep him in check? Do you want me to have to strike him down like I had to do you in our past lives if he loses control?"

“I regained it due to me wanting my humanity back. I worked hard for it. I earned it.” Malik was about done with the hero talking down on him. “You speak as though you aren’t without blood on your hands. So many of your past lives ended entire bloodlines due and the ramifications can still be felt today. We keep each other in check. I was kept around to keep you in check since you were a child. So don’t patronize me.”

"I know I have blood on my hands and I regret my actions. Yet, I've never been influenced by power. That's your lot. You still seek it today, and you're blind to it." Rinku shook her head. "I don't agree with this. When Chaos comes, he'll use it against you to turn you to his side and you'll end up fighting with Luimaya instead of with her. I'm out of here." The heroine tromped out of the cave, steaming. Zarazu, on the other hand, had remained silent the entire time. Thinking.

Malik couldn’t help but laugh at the old Princess. Even now, she still had a young spirit. “You’re going down to a dead end.”

As she stomped around, Ganondorf was less amused. “Rinku. You aren’t being fair here. As Zelda trusted Zarazu, I trust Malik. Please... sit.” The old king was also tired. He didn’t want to argue this point.

Rinku was done with this conversation and refused to be a part of it further. She turned around, found another tunnel, and exited the cave to prove her point and kept walking.

"Maybe we should give her some space to think as well." Zarazu suggested, trying to keep Rinku and Ganondorf from arguing again as her sister-in-law left the temple.

“She’ll have to accept it.” With Rinku gone, Ganondorf sighed. “She’s in the dark, but I know you’re no fool to Ralnor’s darker actions in protecting Hyrule, even now. And for my eldest, I wasn’t completely sure until I heard Malik show Zannah respect where Covarog couldn’t let go of it his hatred of the Hasai. That is ultimately why I choose Malik over your husband Zarazu. Malik has shed his hate.”

Malik looked softly at Zarazu, wondering what she was thinking. “Rupee for your thoughts?”

"I can understand Rinku's view and your view, because I'm trying to be fair from a standpoint." Zarazu admitted to the men. "I'm well aware that my husband has flaws. Everyone does, we're human. However, I do think you should tell Covarog why he is not getting the Tri-Force of power. I won't lie, I'm sure it will hurt him. He has been looking forward to succeeding you in being a carrier because he wants to make you proud." She then continued, "Though, if Malik has the Tri-Force, I know you trust him and I know that he has more respect for the Hasai than my husband. I cannot help but wonder if you too will be immune to the temptation of power, my oldest friend." The queen was wise, for sure, though still cautious. "Many times in history, power has corrupted... are you sure that it's temptation will not affect you like it has Ganondorf?"

“I don’t know for sure. That’s why I want my friends and family to keep me honest. To use a seat and source of power for the betterment of all people.” Malik glanced over to Ganondorf, a sudden frown on his face. “If you give me your greatest source of power, you will lose your immortality. You might not live for long.”

“Who wants to live forever? No. Not me. As for Covarog, he knows how plenty proud I am of him.”

Finally, Ganondorf stood up from his bench. “Zarazu. I want your support on this. Do you think Malik is a good man? Do you think he can wield power in the name of peace?”

"... I do believe Malik is a good man. I do believe he sincerely wants the best for our people, for the Gerudo as well. Though, as said previously, there is always temptation." Zarazu looked at her own hand. There she saw the slight glow of the Tri-Force piece of Wisdom, reminding her there were always two sides to every tale. Those years ago before Zelda's death, she entrusted the Lorleidian queen with the Tri-Force of Wisdom. She did not want her daughters to carry the burden and trusted Zarazu to keep it safe. "Though we are only human, Ganondorf. Sometimes, even I feel the slight pull of the Tri-Force, calling me to use it. To dip into that magical essence that is so pure and addictive, that I have to be careful. I resist it for the sake of my family, my friends, and my kingdom." She held up her fingers glowing with magic. "If you want my support, and my utmost trust... then I must ask that we form a bind. This way, no matter where these pieces may end up... we will not let them fight against one another again." The queen then stated. "We'll revoke this curse."

“I can agree to that. If the pieces of the Triforce, ever, ever need to come together, then it will be for a wish of healing to the people.” Malik’s breath didn’t hitch as he reached a hand out to Zarazu to shake on this sacred pact.

"Not to destroy, but for peace." Zarazu took Malik's hand. "No longer destruction, but healing."

“For love, not hatred.”

"Agreed." Zarazu used her magic to implement the contract of the binding. A ring of runes in the Lorleidian language formed on her wrist and Malik's, identical in nature. "And if we break it... we die."

Malik nodded. When finished, he seemed almost somber when he spoke. Perhaps now was the time to tell his friend. “You should know that I’m not coming back to Hyrule. This is my home. With my people. They want to elect me to the position of Gerudo King. The sworn guardian. I’ve waited to be here again since I was a boy.”

"... I know." Zarazu simply replied to her friend. "I want you to be happy. Though I must be blunt with my next question." She took a small breath and said, "When the time comes... you will still remain loyal to my daughter?"

“I will be a friend that she can rely on.”

"She will need you." Zarazu actually looked... concerned. "As much as that snake gives me the creeps, I cannot deny his magic or his status. He said it will be soon... and I am worried."

“The Triforce bearers and the sages will need to protect the world.” Ganondorf stretched out, taking a deep breath. “Are you both prepared for that?”

"I am prepared for that. I am ready to give my life if it means my family will be safe." Zarazu clasped her hands together, her gaze downcast. "I am not ready to... to sacrifice my daughter. If what Bonegrinder says is true, and... his prophecy is correct..." It was hard for her to speak the words. "I've seen what has happened to Bonegrinder's mind. It is warped. He shares two souls in one body. He is a host for a deity and no longer his original self... if that happens to my Luimaya..."

“Bonegrinder is a freak. I won’t let him or anyone else hurt your daughter Zarazu.”

"... I trust you." Zarazu sighed, still thinking of what the future could hold. "I do think you need to check on Asa, Malik. From what Nakeso overheard when she went to take your wife some food from Gail, Revan and Donoma were... disagreeing."

“It is.” Ganondorf took a few sound breaths. Opening his right palm, a feint and soft glow emerged as a small golden triangle appeared. There was no celebration of grand ceremony behind it. The earth didn’t shake, and the sky didn’t change colour. It simply appeared. Ganondorf gently handed it to Malik to hold with both hands. “Take it.”

Zarazu simply waited in slight apprehension. She did not know what would occur once Malik took the piece.

Ganondorf stepped back as his cousin held the Triforce. Malik didn’t expect it to feel so warm, like a campfire. But with a squeeze of his right fist around it, he felt his heart light in a blaze of might. The Triforce connected to him physically, mentally, and spiritually. His breath felt freer, and he felt more alive then ever. One his palm, the triangle of the Triforce emerged from nothing, looking like tattoo. The top triangle lightly glowed, signifying the merger was a success. Malik, son of the desert and blade of the Gerudo, was now the weirder of Power.

"... Malik?" Zarazu finally spoke. "Are you all right?"

"I can relate." Zarazu took a slow inhale. It seemed he was still himself... for now. Maybe the fail-safe spell was keeping everything in check. Maybe Rinku was wrong and Malik would not be corrupted. Yet, personally, though she might not admit it, Zarazu was not willing to take that chance when it came to her daughter. If he tried to use it for evil... no, it was best not to think about it.

Malik took a few moments to self reflect. With the Triforce, he felt connected to life and magic on a deeper level in a near instant. To be truthful, it suddenly became overbearing. “I think I need to sit down.”

Zarazu formed a chair of ice for him to sit upon in the cave. "... the magic is overwhelming for a new holder." The queen then offered. "I can help you channel it for a bit to get you used to it."

“Give me a moment. I just need to adjust.”

"Close your eyes and try to imagine the flow of the magic." Zarazu instructed Malik, trying to make it easier for him. "You feel it within you, within your surroundings, and others... let it talk to you."

“Cousin, imagine the Triforce as a heart within you. It beats within you as a generator of life and magic. Ease into it. Should be similar to the magic you know.”

Malik nodded, feeling deep within and focusing on himself. Over the course of five minutes the man finally felt he had control over the new weight of his soul. “I’ll be fine now.”

"All right... let's just walk slow then. We'll need to help Ganondorf."

Malik took another breath, looking down at the yellow triangle burned upon his hand. He knew in his heart of hearts this was the key to bringing glory to the Gerudo and all of Hyrule.  

________________________________________________________________

Previous Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/622576982282141697/the-rising-sun-ch-4-uncertain-future

Next Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/622772431507062784/the-rising-sun-ch-6-like-father-like-son

Crossover with @ridersoftheapocalypse

[gilmoristic]

If Kira Had Written the Gilmore Girls Revival

Below are the plot points I would have incorporated either based on the ones that were in the show or not including certain points at all.

Luke & Lorelai have been married for seven years & they have 5-year-old twins ( boy & girl ). They’ve added on an extension to the house because Lorelai still wanted Rory to have her own, old room.

The girl is named Emily after Lorelai’s mother, but they call her Emmy & the boy is named William after Luke’s father, but they call him Will.

Paul Anka is very protective of Emmy & Will even in his old age.

There is a scene where Luke talks about teaching his children to fish when they’re old enough to hold the rod like he taught his niece.

You see the nightgown Lorelai wore in her dream about Luke draped across a chair in their bedroom.

The revival opens with Rory returning home from London where she unsuccessfully tried to work with Naomi on a biography. Rory attends the day at Chilton with Paris, but Tristan is not there. She meets with the headmaster, listens to his offer to teach & tells him she will consider it.

She ultimately decides to accept the position for one semester to give her time to stay in Stars Hollow & reevaluate her career. After all, she only had that one stellar article in the New Yorker. She teaches in Max’s old classroom.

She lives at home with her mom, spending as much time as she can getting to know her brother & sister better since she’s been away so much.

Rory only has one cell phone & she delivers all of her belongings to her mom’s house, not all over the globe.

She is not dating Paul anymore -- broke up with him six months ago when she realized there was nothing there. Instead, she meets a fellow English teacher at Chilton & they begin to click without her realizing it. They enjoy casual, semi-flirty banter over coffee in the teacher’s lounge. 

At the end of Summer, Rory runs into him in Hartford, they have dinner & things happen. Rory tells her mother she is pregnant at the end of Fall after having the conversation with her father. 

Rory still decides to write the Gilmore Girls book, but her position at Chilton is open-ended, insinuating she may go back after the book is complete ( & after the pregnancy ).

Emily’s story is basically the same because it was one of the few plots on the actual revival that was done rather well.

The only difference is Emily has a loving relationship with her two, young grandkids & they adore their grandma. She dotes on them & sees them regularly in Stars Hollow.

The conflict between Emily & her daughter remains the same following Richard’s recent passing.

Richard’s final words were instead “I would still rather be in Philadelphia.”

The conflict between Luke & Lorelai surrounding this remains the same, including her nature trek. Upon her return, Luke expresses his fear of divorce & Lorelai says she wants to renew their vows -- gives a “why do we need to do it on a milestone like 5 or 10 years” monologue. They renew seven years of marriage, symbolizing the seven seasons of the original show. This is the “wedding” at the end of Fall except Emily, their twins & Sookie are there ( Sookie’s short scene is at the wedding, not in the kitchen ). 

Paris & Doyle are still married but they are struggling to stick together. They have two, young children. Rory helps them stitch their marriage back together. 

Jess is in town for his little sister’s birthday party. He & Rory have a good time at the party together, laughing over Doula who is like her mother but loves books like her brother. It’s insinuated that Rory and Jess are on good terms, but they are platonic. 

There’s also a sweet moment with Jess & Luke’s kids.

No adjustment on the scene between Rory & Dean. It was good as it was.

Logan isn’t in the revival, but Rory is seen reading Times magazine where he is on the cover & the article praises his success in CA ( where he still lives ) despite being out of the Huntzerberger business. She has a brief conversation with Lane later about how she is happy everything is working out for him. 

The way I’m going with my version, I don’t think Logan is necessary as he is outside of Stars Hollow, unlike Dean & Jess who have their connections.

Michel confirms at the end of Fall that he will stay at the Dragonfly because of the expansion & because he wants to raise his kid with Lorelai’s kids. 

Sookie tells Lorelai when she shows up that she is returning to the inn & is sorry for being gone for so long. We also find out the name of Sookie’s third child.

Hep Alien had a hit single, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to catapult them to the Rolling Stones cover. Zack is trying to write their next hit with Mrs. Kim.

Mr. Kim is seen hanging out with his grandkids in the background.

April visits her dad. It’s mentioned that he did attend her high school graduation & he’s already booked a hotel for her college graduation.

She still has a thing for turquoise & brings her brother & sister turquoise items.

There are certain scenes that are automatically deleted because of plot changes & I would also reduce the musical drastically. I tried to cover the main characters, but obviously, there are fine points that need to be tuned too. I didn’t want to turn this into a novel, though.

If you decide to do your own list, tag me so I could read or send in a message if you wanna chat about the list!

[raybansandcoffee]

So military burials. They are super fucking hard to make it through. Taps is officially the saddest song in the world. But watching my Dad who served in the Army in Vietnam salute his Dad one final time shattered my soul, he stayed in that position through the entire song. I will never erase that memory from my mind. My grandpa served in the US Army (WWII) and US Navy (Korean Conflict). I’ve always been immensely proud to belong to both of them. But today ripped me apart. My brother wore sunglasses to the grave side service knowing that after Taps, after the Army and Navy soldiers both saluted the casket and prepared the flag that they would hand it over to him. My brother is named after my grandfather so it was appropriate that it go to him.

Before we even made it out of the parking lot at the church as they were putting the casket in the vehicle my Dad quietly stepped into the middle of the drive at the church, stood straight as an arrow, raised his hand and saluted his dad. I think I’m the only person who caught it as my 7 year old niece started to sob at the idea that she’d never get to see her Papa Tony again. She understands death but grief is a thing even the smartest and most emotionally equipped kid doesnt really get at 7. Hell her brother thought he was going to pop out at any minute (my Dad asked that we not have a jack-in-a-box casket). But that little girl, my mini me, and her giant heart knew this little old man she loved was gone forever.

While I’m deep in the pits of grief for myself I worry for my Dad, my Uncle and those little kids. My Grandparents maybe weren’t PC. They had favorites. We all knew it too. My brother was my Grandma’s favorite. First born and named after her husband sealed the deal. Because my grandpa spent the majority of the first three years of my Dad’s life deployed he was the only thing my Grandma had. So he was her favorite. My Uncle was my grandpa’s. He was the first to graduate college, my dad’s graduation delayed by his service to our country. He went on to get a law degree and become an incredible attorney who is extremely successful. I’ve met young lawyers who upon hearing my last name and getting the response of “Yes, I am his niece” go on to tell me how they have snuck into court rooms to watch him during a trial because they idolized him. Grandpa wasn’t as open about his favorite grandchildren. Grandma tended to favor the boys and Grandpa loved his girls. My cousin graduated from Notre Dame which my Grandpa loved time brag about. All of the grandkids graduated college. While my life may be the least glamorous and earn me the least money I knew my grandpa was proud of me. I owned my own business. But most importantly I am the one refusing to let our family traditions die. I cook the Italian food his mother taught my grandma. I proudly carry the family history forward.

Grief is gonna be my life for a while. But hopefully with today in the rear view things will start to feel more normal.

[sassycassie-s-writing]

The Princess and the Twins

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): Avengers - Steve Rogers/Captain America

Rating: PG

Original Idea: Single Parent!AU, y’all!

Notes: (Masterlist)(About Me) This is the second LOOOOONG one in a row. (That I wrote not posted.) Wow. It just kinda ran away from me. @steverogersnotebook This is the one I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to finish! (That title sounds like a band name.)

^^^^^

I sat on the bench at the station, waiting for my train. With headphones in and a sad song playing, I stared at the ground. It was my weekly existential crisis of oh-boy-what-am-I-doing-with-my-life time so I was completely lost in my own little world.

Until a little blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl boosted herself up onto the bench right next to me. She was probably four.

I paused my music and pulled my headphones out, shoving them into my bag.

“Hello,” I greeted, slightly awkwardly, as I looked around for her parents or guardians or whatever—some adults who she was with.

With any luck this kid had been taught Stranger Danger and wouldn’t say much to me, but would let me help her find her grownups while sitting on the same bench. She wasn’t crying so I assumed she hadn’t gotten lost, per se. She probably ran off, distracted by a butterfly in her mind, since the station was indoors.

“Are you a princess?” she asked me.

I looked down at her, confused but also amused, and finally got a good look at her. She was wearing an American flag shirt, frilly denim skirt with cotton shorts underneath, and Velcro kids’ Converse. There was some glittery face paint of a star on her cheek farthest away from me and she had sparkly red nail polish on her tiny fingernails.

Raising my eyebrows, I smiled at her. “Am I a princess?” I repeated back at her cheerfully. “Why do you think I’m a princess?”

“Because princesses are always the prettiest ladies! And princesses wear pretty dresses!”

I tucked the skirt of my dress slightly under my leg and put my hand on my chest. “Aw! You’re so cute. And I’ll tell you a secret.” I bent forward a little in a non-threatening way. “I am a princess!” I stage-whispered near her ear. My whole grownup life I’d done my best to encourage imagination in the children around me—my neighbors’ kids and grandkids, my nieces and nephews, my young cousins—because I felt like imagination was a resource that some people were losing but other people never ran out of.

The little girl gasped. “You are?!” she stage-whispered back in awe.

“Yes I am. But you can’t tell anyone, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“RED!” a frantic voice shouted.

The girl and I looked up, following the sound.

A handsome, six-foot-two, muscular-as-heck man pushed his way through the small crowd at the station towards us, carrying another little girl in one arm. He had the same blond hair and blue eyes as the girl sitting next to me.

When he broke through the line of people separating us from him, the girl next to me hopped down from the bench. “Dad!” she squealed excitedly, running over to him.

“Red, honey, you can’t go wandering off like that! You scared me!” the man admonished gently, picking her up in his other arm. The second little girl was probably the same age as the first, but looked frail and younger. She had brown hair and brown eyes. Her eyes were sharp even if her legs and arms were thin for being around four.

“But, but, Dad! I found a princess!” Red told the man. He looked past her small face at me. I gave an awkward single wave, just tilting my wrist down and setting my hand back on my leg. The man approached me.

“I am so sorry if she was bothering you. She’s a bit of a handful. They both are.”

I shrugged. “It’s no problem. She was no bother. I have a lot of experience with kids.”

“See, Dad?” Red pressed, trying for quiet and utterly failing. Kids were so cute. “She’s in a pretty dress, she’s pretty, and she told me she was a princess!”

“I see that, sweetheart,” the man acknowledged. He turned back to me. “I’m Steve, by the way.” He paused for a moment. “Uh… I’d shake your hand, but… my hands are full.” He looked at his hands as he spoke, each cradling one of his daughters.

I laughed and stood up, slinging my bag securely onto my shoulder. “It’s fine. A slight breach of etiquette for a good reason is no breach of etiquette at all to me,” I dismissed.

Red didn’t like being ignored, apparently, and Steve wasn’t picking up on what she was trying to say. “Dad!” she complained. “You’re a king! So you have to marry a princess to have a queen!” Her tone was full of a “duh!” tone.

Steve blushed. “Sorry,” he muttered to me. “Ever since their mom died, Red here has been determined to find me a new ‘queen.’”

I chuckled. “No problem. She’s cute.”

“Dad!” Red protested. “She’s the first princess we’ve met! Aren’t you going to at least try to make her your queen?”

“Red, sweetheart, how about I give her my phone number, and she gives me hers, and then I can let her see if she would like to meet me again?”

“Okay!” Red replied brightly.

Steve sighed and gave me a small grin as I pulled out my phone. “I’ll forgive you if you just tell me your number instead of typing it into my phone yourself,” I commented casually, creating a new contact and writing Steve into the first-name section with an American Flag emoji next to it, taking a context clue for me later from Red’s outfit.

He recited his phone number as I plugged it in, and then showed him to make sure I got it right.

“That’s it,” he informed me.

I sent him a text with my name. “And now you have mine.”

“Daddy?” the other little girl asked. “Why didn’t Auntie Nat come with us?”

“Because she wanted to stay with her other nieces and nephews for another couple days. But I wish she’d come with us because then I’d have someone else to watch you two crazy kids,” Steve replied.

“Well, what train are you on?” I wondered.

“The eleven-twenty back to New York.”

“Hey so am I. If you want, I can sit by you and keep an eye on these two. I promise I’m not a kidnapper or anything.”

He shook his head. “I couldn’t ask you to—”

“Nonsense. If I spend the ride alone I’ll just listen to music and fall into the void of What-am-I-doing-with-my-life. I’d be happy to help.”

“Well… if you really wouldn’t mind…” Steve began.

“She wouldn’t!” Red put in enthusiastically.

Her frail little sister rolled her eyes.

“Red, leave that up to the princess,” Steve chastised gently. Red pouted.

“Well she’s right. I wouldn’t mind.”

“Well, then, princess, if you’d care to join us, I’d love to escort you to the train.”

I chuckled and readjusted my bag strap on my shoulder. “I’d consider it an honor, Your Majesty,” I remarked, taking his awkwardly-offered elbow. We strolled through the station towards the train we’d be getting on. I noticed that Steve had two little backpacks slung over his shoulders that I hadn’t seen before.

“So, this is Red,” I began, nodding at the blonde little girl. “But I don’t think you told me your name, sweetpea.” I looked at the brunette entreatingly.

Wide-eyed, she looked to her dad. He smiled and nodded. “You can tell her, honey,” he murmured.

“Peggy,” the little girl told me.

Steve grinned. “Their real names are Sarah and Margaret,” he explained. “Sarah was my mother’s name. But this little one’s favorite color is red so her uncle started calling her Red and it stuck.” He gave Red a pointed glance so I knew which twin he was talking about.

I nodded understandingly. “I see. I like Red. It’s a fun nickname.”

We reached the train. Steve jumped over the gap between the platform and the interior with ease, set Red down, and offered me his hand. I took it and let him help me hop the gap myself before he scooped his obviously-more-adventurous daughter back up. “Let’s go find some seats,” he told his girls. Peggy gave a tiny little nod and Red smiled widely with a more enthusiastic nod. I followed them down the aisle of the train until Steve found an open booth with a little table and four seats. “Here alright?” he asked me.

“Of course,” I answered.

“Mind if Red sits by you next to the window so she doesn’t run off?”

I laughed and held my hands out for the blonde twin. “Not at all.” She leaned towards me. I took her in my arms and set her down on the seat next to the window before taking the aisle seat for myself. Peggy sat across from her sister and Steve sat across from me. Red blabbered about “Uncle Bucky” and “Uncle Sam”—the latter of which made me furrow my eyebrows and think of those I Want YOU posters that turned into memes—for a while and Peggy doodled on a little notebook covered in scribbles.

“Princess?” Red asked after a couple minutes, poking me in the leg.

“Yes, sweetpea?”

“What’s it like running a kingdom?”

“It’s a lot of hard work—and I’m still learning how to do it—but it makes me a good leader and a thoughtful person. I have to carefully consider my actions and make the best decisions I can with what I have to work with. It’s not an easy job, but it is a good job.”

Red watched with rapt attention—even Peggy looked up from her notebook. Steve was grinning between me and his daughter.

I felt my phone buzz in my purse.

You certainly have a way with kids. It was from Steve.

I smiled across the table at him and shrugged. “I have a lot of kids in my family that I interact with,” I explained.

“Would you mind, I don’t know, maybe joining me for dinner some night so I can thank you for being so good to these two today—assuming I can find a babysitter?”

Peggy perked up. “Auntie Nat?” she asked.

“Or Uncle Tony!” Red put in excitedly.

“Not Uncle Tony,” Steve told his blonde daughter. “Last time I let him tend you two he let you play with tools and Peggy almost took her eye out.” Red drooped a little but agreed that wasn’t a good thing.

“I’d love to go to dinner with you whenever you can find a babysitter. I’m free most nights anyway,” I told Steve quietly. He smiled.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Red started to stare out the window and Peggy went back to drawing. They were cute kids—and they had a very handsome dad. I was trying not to notice, but come on, how could one not notice? He was tall, blond, and chiseled.

Steve and I talked quietly during the ride, swaying with the movement of the train. I didn’t want the ride to end. It was just… nice. Pleasant. I hadn’t had such a good conversation with someone I’d just met in a long time. He was just easy to talk to. He had a good personality and when he listened to me talk I felt like he was really listening.

But all good things had to end. Eventually, with screeching brakes that made all four of us cringe, the train ground to a halt in the Big Apple. We were home.

After Steve and I got the girls off the train, he shook my hand. “I look forward to taking you out to dinner.”

“I look forward to joining you,” I replied.

Red looked up at me. “It was nice to meet you, princess,” she offered.

I smiled. “It was lovely to meet you as well.”

Peggy just gave me a timid wave from her dad’s arm. I waved back.

Steve took Red’s hand and the three of them went off in the opposite direction to me.

I smiled as I headed home. I liked Steve and his daughters. I couldn’t guarantee our date would go anywhere, but I kinda hoped it would. Poor guy. Single dad raising two daughters all on his own—and at such a young age too!—couldn’t have been easy.

Yeah. If the date went somewhere, maybe one day I could be the queen to his king, as Red suggested.

[texanredrose]

Losing Sleep Twilight

Part XIX

Yang held her breath, on the verge of tears but doing her level best to keep them at bay. Just past three in the morning, she stood in the cramped hospital room with her heart beating wildly in her chest and a proud smile on her lips, watching as their eldest daughter carefully brushed her fingertips along their first grandchild's face. 

"She's beautiful," Zephyr whispered, shifting slightly so her husband could see. "She has your cheeks." 

"I'm not so sure about that," Verdel replied, and she could sympathize; Schnee genes ran strong, and for all of Winter's talk about how much their daughters would take after Yang, they looked every bit the spitting image of their Mom, though with a little more width to their shoulders and hips. A good thing, too; Zephyr had hardly spent any time in labor and looked a girl deal better than she had after having the now new mother. "But she is beautiful." Zephyr hummed, eyes drooping shut for a moment, something he seemed to notice, too. "Hey, Momma? You wanna hold her?" 

A slight frown touched her lips briefly but she quickly flashed a smile. "Sure, Son."

She exchanged a glance with Winter- still too emotional over their first grandbaby to really register the oddity of the request- and they stepped closer together. Mainly because Yang had started worrying about her wife's balance recently; after their last ski trip, she'd noticed Winter had a bit more trouble remaining solid on her feet. The doctor assured it wasn't anything serious, just a result of a rough tumble, but she didn't quite believe that. Then again, she wasn't moving around so good herself, though she hid it well enough as they both shuffled over to Zephyr's bedside. Yang reached out, taking the baby from her daughter's arms. Hardly eight pounds, such a tiny little thing, but she remembered when the exhausted woman in the hospital bed was about the same size. 

"Winter, look," she said, cooing even as she tapped a setting on her arm, adding a very low vibration that simulated both a heartbeat and circulation in her prosthetic. "Ever seen anyone so little and so precious?" 

 "It's been about twenty years," Winter replied, leaning against her shoulder to look down at their grandchild. "She's going to grow up like her mother and Momma before her."

"Yeah, she will," Yang said, watching Verdel fuss over Zephyr for a moment. It reminded her so much of the few memories she had of Winter hovering around her, ready to chase off any unwanted visitors and bending over backwards to make her comfortable. "If you're lucky, she'll be like you and Zizi."

"Don't joke." Zephyr gave a tired chuckle. "You'll give her ideas. I'm a doctor, not a lawyer; I can't keep up."

"You'll find ways, trust me," Winter replied, leaning over to kiss their daughter's forehead. "You did amazing, Zephie. Should I go get the others?"

She nodded. "I might look like I just finished a twenty four... but I can't wait for her to meet them."

"You gonna be okay?" Yang's brows furrowed as her wife started for the door.

"I'll be fine," Winter replied with a cheeky grin. "It's just down the hall."

As the newborn began to squirm, her attention refocused on the little one. "Have you two thought of a name?"

"Wisteria," Verdel said, with a little grin.

"She told you about that, huh?" Yang chuckled. "It's a good name."

"It is." She looked down at the baby, a bittersweet pang in her chest; she already loved this little one just as much as her own children. However, she'd held Wisteria longer than she probably should've, and Zephyr was drifting in and out of consciousness. "Ready to have her back, V?"

She nodded down towards the baby. Almost immediately, his expression changed to one of concern as he drew back, hiding his left hand away. "Uh, Zizi and Zach should be here in a minute, I'm sure they'll want to hold her."

Ah, so that's it.

"They will. But she's your daughter." Yang walked around the hospital bed, using a severe look to pin him in place. "You or Zephie should be holding her when they come in, and she's a bit out of it."

He swallowed, hard. "But... what if I-"

"You won't," she said, offering up the precious little bundle. "You're her father and you love her." As he hesitantly reached towards Wisteria, the hospital lights glinting off his own prosthetic hand, she gently smiled. "You won't hurt her. She already knows that. Believe me- she's going to be Daddy's girl." Wisteria began to fuss and Verdel drew back at first, though clearing her throat seemed to encourage him. As he took the infant into his arms, Wisteria quieted down, though she did seem to squirm. "See? You better be careful, V. She's going to be your shadow for the next twenty years, just watch."

He didn't hear her. His entire focus was consumed by the sweet little angel in his arms.

Yang looked over to see Zephyr's tired but proud smile. "I did pretty good. Huh, Momma?"

"Just like I knew you would." She smiled. "Now you've got a little family of your own." She reached out with her left hand to grab her daughter's, squeezing lightly. "Be half the woman your mother was and you'll be brilliant."

Zephyr laughed. "That's what Mom says about you." She paused. "And either way, that's a high bar."

"You can make it." Verdel looked up. "We can. Right?"

"Right," Yang replied.

"Make way, best Aunt coming through-"

"And best Uncle!"

"Zizi, Zach, keep your voices down, we're in a hospital."

"Yes, Mom."

"Don't sass your mom, Babe."

"Don't suck up to my mom, Sweetheart."

"Zizi, language!"

"Oh come on!"

Yang rolled her eyes as her kids and wife returned, with their own partners in tow, only to put a hand to her forehead as a rather irate fellow grandmother came in, pointing out how she was clearly the best Aunt, hands down, with Blake watching in amusement as her wife began fussing over her niece and nephew. Meanwhile, Yang stole a glance back at the new parents, at Wisteria wrapping a tiny hand around Verdel's prosthetic finger. Winter came back to her side, putting an arm around her shoulders as the shenanigans began in earnest, only one thought on her mind.

They did pretty good.

Part XX

Winter sighed heavily in relief as she sank back into the back seat, allowing her eyes to close for a brief moment. Mentally, she acknowledged she'd gotten much too old for these red eye flights, her back complaining rather insistently despite the comfort in first class seats. However, all that fell away at the little whine from the car seat next to her, and she smiled across the car to her wife's pinched expression.

"Oh, hush little Xavier, it's okay." Yang reached into the car seat to soothe the toddler, voice soft. "We're all done now. Don't cry."

"He'll be fine once we start moving," Zach said from the front seat, slipping his seatbelt on and preparing to pull away from the terminal. "Sorry; my sitter bailed on me and I didn't want to wake up Zephyr or Verdel."

"Are Zise and Taylor-"

"Oh, right, they probably didn't tell you; Yvonne came down with a cold a few days ago. They're both fretting over her."

Winter looked back towards Yang as the car started moving, the two exchanging a knowing smile. "Sounds familiar."

Zach smirked at them in the rear view. "You taught us well, Mom."

"Your Momma was the one fretting most of the time."

"I remember it a little differently," Yang said, offering the pacifier to their youngest grandchild. From one to five with a sixth on the way, they'd still not gotten over the immense pride and swell of affection that came with every little coo their grandchildren gave. "Have you heard anything else from Marigold?"

"Momma," Zach replied with a weary sigh. "She's not coming back."

"Maybe she's just-"

"Momma." His lips turned down at the corners. "She officially relinquished custody today. She's not coming back."

Winter leaned forward, reaching out to lay a hand on her son's shoulder. "Zach-"

"I'm fine," he replied, flashing a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes- an expression his grandpa wore all too often. "I mean... it hurts. But now I know she's not going to make Xavier's life one of choosing between us. And it's not like he's lacking for strong, motherly role models."

"Still, son. It must be difficult for you." She squeezed his shoulder. "If you need anything, just let us know."

Zach laughed. "What, and stop your world wide tour? I can't deprive Remnant of your visits; that'd be selfish."

"Well, I'm afraid we've beat you to it," Yang said with a grin. "We're going back to being home bodies."

"Missing the inside of your classroom?" Zach chuckled.

"I'm retiring, actually," she said, looking down at Xavier and smiling as the toddler fell back asleep thanks to the rocking motion of the car ride.

"What? Since when?"

Winter bit her tongue lightly, leaning back into her seat.

"I've used up all my vacation days and I've seen all Remnant has to offer with the most beautiful woman beside me," her wife replied with a soft laugh. "I think it's time to just be Grandma for a bit."

"Like you can ever be just anything." Their son laughed, pulling off the highway towards his own neighborhood. They'd all agreed that spending the night with Zach and Xavier would be best; their house sat on the other side of town, at least another thirty minutes away, and given the early hour, they'd rather not. Plus, finding out their grandson needed someone to watch him the following day certainly made the decision easier. "You're going to get restless."

"Yeah, but maybe Taylor needs help with that boat of theirs," Yang replied with a shrug. "Besides, free babysitters. It'll be good to be around the grandkids more."

Winter looked out through the window at the predawn neighborhood, the barest hints of people rousing for those early mornings- some for work, others for school. Together, they'd seen what felt like all of Remnant in various states but she remembered most fondly their own home in such hours, tending to their children. She could look forward to similar instances looking after their grandchildren, at least.

"Hey, do you want to bring Xavier up to the zoo tomorrow?"

"We could do that," Yang said with a smile. "You cleaning out the elephant enclosure?"

She raised a brow in curiosity; last they'd been told, Zach worked almost exclusively with the big cats.

"Actually, we just opened up the snow leopard habitat, and I have a sneaking suspicion they might be Xav's favorites." Their son chuckled. "You should see how he reacts when he sees one."

"We look forward to it."

Silence filled the car for a moment before Zach broke it. "Mom? You okay?"

"Of course," she replied.

"You're really quiet."

"I'm tired." Shifting, a sigh passed her lips. "I'm not a fan of early mornings anymore."

"That's an understatement." Her wife teased, though something flashed in her eyes- sympathy, and a testament to how much stronger Yang was to hide her own exhaustion so well. "A nap and we'll be fine."

Winter held her peace as they arrived at Zach's house, getting out of the car with a quiet groan. They only brought in a couple bags, with Zach doing most of the heavy lifting while Winter grabbed their carry on and Yang carried Xavier. He started to fuss only a little before being put to bed in his crib while Winter unpacked their essentials from the bag, Zach wishing them a good night before retiring to his own room for a small nap before work.

When Yang entered the guest room, her wife quickly detached her prosthetic with a whimper and a sigh. Then, she approached, reaching up to message away the tight muscles in her wife's shoulders.

"Have you thought more about switching to the lighter prosthetic?" She ventured, softly.

"I dunno." Yang sighed. "I think I might just go without."

"Are you sure?" It wasn't a decision to make lightly. Despite the fact they couldn't do all the things they had when they were younger, opting to not use the prosthetic meant more stress and strain on her other arm. Considering the discomfort the last trip had brought with it for both of them- going up north had not done them any favors- the end of their vacationing days wasn't so bad but focusing on spending time with their grandkids... Winter worried about what the future might bring. "The lighter version-"

"Snowdrift." Yang's shoulders fell. "I'm tired and so are you."

She watched her wife's expression for a moment before nodding. "Let's go to bed. We'll talk about it in the morning." Winter helped Yang get dressed, both of them getting under the covers and cuddling up the same as they'd done for nearly forty five years. "Good night, Sundrop." She pressed a kiss against her wife's shoulder. "I love you."

"Love you too." Yang turned her head, kissing her good night, and they both fell into a sweet slumber born of exhaustion.

Part XXI

Yang furrowed her brows, frowning down at the wrapped box. It was too big to grab with only one arm, even with her stump to brace, and frustratingly enough... too heavy. She'd already tried hefting it onto her shoulder to no avail, leaving her standing in the study alone with a big present for the six grandkids still sleeping soundly throughout the house. She'd thought she could sneak out, get the presents under the tree in the dead of night, and back in bed without anyone being the wiser, just like the old days.

"Now what?"

"You ask for help."

Yang blinked, looking back to the study door and finding her wife there, leaning against the doorframe. She tried making it look easy but, seeing as her cane was nowhere in sight, obviously needed the support.

"You should be asleep, Snowflake."

"Without you? Perish the thought." She shuffled into the room, nodding towards the present. "I'll grab that."

"It's heavy." Zach and Taylor had helped load it up and bring it in, but they were asleep like everyone else.

"It can't be that heavy," her wife said, bending down to try lifting it up. After about a minute of trying, filling the room with grunts and groans while Yang watched with a hand on her hip, Winter straightened up and panted. "How did we even buy this?"

"Home delivery, remember?" She chuckled, though she sympathized with the furrow to her wife's brows.

"Maybe if we both try?"

"Let's find out." They both bent down, struggling to just get it off the ground, but Yang didn't have the strength she used to and Winter's back was giving her more trouble now than it had before, and they both silently agreed to set it down between Yang's reddened face and Winter's wince.

"Okay." Her wife puffed out a breath. "Now what?"

"You ask for help." They both turned to see Zise standing in the doorway now, hands on her hips and frowning at them. "Only you two would have a house full of people and still try to do things yourself."

"You should be asleep," Winter said, with enough of a gleam to her eyes for Yang to find amusement.

"Uh, this is my house; you can't give me a bedtime in my own house!" Their middle daughter made a motion down the hallway before stepping into the room, rolling up the sleeves of her robe. "What did you two even buy that's this heavy?"

"This is a present from Santa." Winter shrugged, leaning back against a wall as Taylor entered the study. "He made them a special present."

Just before her spouse knelt down to assist with picking up the gift, Zise stood straight up and rounded on her mom. "Don't tell me you two got those robopets-"

"You got them robopets?" Zach whispered as he ducked into the room, his gaze shifting away from Winter to look at his sister. "By the way, you're being way too loud."

"I am not-"

"Yes, you are," Zephyr said, Verdel right behind her.

"She's not usually this cranky," Taylor said apologetically, though they had a mischievous look oh their face.

"Yes she is," everyone else in the room replied, quiet laughter following as Zise rolled her eyes.

"Would you three get over here and help us instead of being smartasses?"

Yang stepped back, allowing the five to crowd around the present- which was, in fact, a set of robopets, six little mechanical dragons waiting to be activated the following morning. Her wife seemed equally amused by their children's lighthearted squabbling combined with spouses' gentle ribbing until they had the present lifted up. And that's when they heard the squeak of a door opening elsewhere in the house- which, with all the adults in the room currently, could only mean one thing.

"I got this," Yang said with a smirk, quickly heading for the door and ignoring the way her right hip made each step a bit shorter than in past years, nearly breaking her expression, but she manage to plaster on a tired smile as she slipped out of the room. A few steps down the hall, she made the turn towards the stairs and got halfway up before she could see the sliver of light against the far wall up ahead. On the landing, she saw Wisteria leading her little brother out of their bedroom, both freezing at being confronted.

"Grandma!" Wisteria kept her voice down, making a quick motion with her hand. "Grandma, did you hear Santa, too?"

"I did!" She knelt down by the two, immediately regretting it but resolving to deal with it later. "I had a little talk with him."

Wisteria's eyes lit up as Walter clapped his hands together. "Santa!"

She nodded. "Yup. He said you two were really good this year, but you still need to be good, and that means going back to bed. It's still too early to go downstairs."

"But Grandma!" Wisteria pouted, gaze drifting over Yang's shoulder. "Grandmom, please!"

"Oh no, that's not going to work." Winter chuckled. "You heard Grandma."

"See?" She smiled. "Go back to bed, you two. Morning will be here soon enough."

Although not happy about it, Wisteria and Walter turned around and went back into the guest bedroom, sharing the space with Xavier- still sitting in his bed, wide awake but wise enough not to leave the room before Dad came to get him- while their cousins slept in another room. Winter gave her a hand, helping her back to her feet, and sending a warning look further down the hall followed by the quiet 'click' of a door closing. Alone in the hallway and mere hours away from the children being impossible to contain, they exchanged a look.

In the weak light, Yang saw amusement twinkling in blue eyes and a touch of sadness as she likely remembered a Christmas Eve now decades past. The same night played again in her own mind, the memory still so crisp- she sometimes forgot where her keys were or that they moved the local supermarket down a block, but she remembered the best Christmas present she'd ever received in the form of her wife grabbing her in the dead of night to fulfill a promise to their daughter.

They hardly looked like they did then- she couldn't wear her prosthetic anymore and her blonde locks had lost their color completely about five years ago, the slow process of turning white as her wife's taking nearly two decades.(edited)For a moment, she was lost in a memory.

But then she was slumped against her wife, blinking her vision clear. "Huh?"

"Sundrop? Can you hear me?" The worry in Winter's voice brought her gaze up to see her wife's expression, pinched together as she struggled to keep the woman on her feet. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She drew in a breath, noting the ache in her chest and fuzziness in her head. "Got lightheaded when I stood up. Nothing to worry about." Nothing changed in those blue eyes. "I'm okay, Snowdrift." She coughed a few times and shook her head, feeling much better after a moment to gather her bearings. "Let's go make sure the gifts are all placed, and then lay down. It's going to be a long day."

"Yang," she said, voice hard as steel though a warble existed at the edges. "That's the third time this month."

"And the doc told you to use your cane." She shot back, though she relented quick enough. "I'll make an appointment. If it happens again, we'll go to the emergency room. Okay?" Reaching out, she rubbed her wife's arm. "It's Christmas, Snowdrift. Let's enjoy it."

"Very well," she replied, likely only relenting because she truly did need her cane nowadays. "But if you breathe one word of me walking around without my cane to Weiss, I'm telling Ruby about these spells of yours. It's hard enough getting her to take her heart medication without me setting a poor example."

"Deal." They exchanged a kiss and started towards the stairs, helping each other down. In a few short hours, the house would be alive with squealing children, and eventually with two more clans as their sisters' families joined the fray, and Yang felt her heart ache for all the love filling it.

Part XXII

Winter sat with the weight of the world on her shoulders, the arm chair comfortable but unable to make her feel any semblance of ease. They'd known this day was coming for years but that didn't make the reality any easier to cope with, especially with the steady beeping of the EKG occasionally deviating, and with each stall and start, she felt her own heart stop and start again. The doctors had come and gone but they hadn't broken the silence yet. Winter for fear of what would be said; Yang because she'd been staring out the window and lost in thought the whole time.

Finally, she spoke. "Im sorry, Snowdrift." 

She winced, chin falling with her shoulders. For the past few years, her wife's heart had started to fail. She'd always had problems with her cholesterol, and their trips around Remnant meant being a bit more lax in her diet, but when they'd returned... she hadn't gone back to it. Yang continued eating whatever struck her fancy. It made sense- she'd always had a hearty appetite- but those little cheats caught up. When the dizzy spells continued, she went to the doctor as promised, and that's when they learned- her heart wasn't getting enough blood. She tried changing her diet then but the damage had been done and her first heart attack came hardly a year ago. Medication didn't seem to help and knowing her father had passed under similar circumstances... Yang always had the largest heart, loving everyone freely... the irony didn't escape her and she cursed it all the same. But she didn't give up just yet. 

"A heart transplant-" 

"Snowdrift," she said with a small smile. "I'm seventy four. I've lived a good life." The corners of her mouth turned down. "If I could, I'd stay with you and the kids and grandkids forever. But we know that's not possible. I can't take twenty years from someone else just to try for that century mark myself."

Her throats constricted as she forced herself to her feet, using her cane to hobble over to her wife's bedside. She slipped her hand into Yang's, squeezing lightly. She understood the logic- of course she did- but she wanted to be selfish. "They've got those prosthetic hearts now-" 

"I don't qualify." She frowned. "You know that." 

"If there's one person on this planet who can change reality with just words, it's me," she said, feeling the tears stinging at her eyes. "But I won't change your mind." 

"No," her wife said with a deep sigh and a wince, clinging tight to the hand in hers. Once, it would've been strong enough to crack Winter's knuckles, but now it didn't even draw a little pain. "I love you, Snowdrift." 

"I love you, too, Sundrop." She leaned over and pressed a kiss to Yang's lips. "I'll get the doctor and call the kids."

Winter marshaled her strength and turned towards the door, pulling out her scroll and calling Zephyr first. Then Zise, then Zach, and each promised they'd be there as soon as they could, though the speed with which they showed up was telling; she wouldn't be surprised if they'd taken up residence in the hospital's cafe after she'd told them of Yang's hospitalization. The conversation with the doctor's, though, was more taxing, though they tried to be compassionate with the questions and paperwork. Winter felt a lead weight drop into her stomach as her wife signed the paper and it soured when she put her own name beneath it.

"Mom?" Zephyr's brows pinched together while Verdel immediately went to Yang's bedside. "Are you sure we can't talk her out of it?" 

"You know your Momma," she said, her voice weak. "Once she sets her mind to something... there's no changing it." 

Her eldest daughter nodded, taking a deep breath to stave off the tears before joining her husband. Zise, Taylor, and Zach joined them, while the grandkids were all spending the night with friends. That was probably for the best; better that they remember Grandma with a smiling face than with machines hooked into her. Winter called Ruby and Weiss, too. They wouldn't be able to make it in time but she did turn the video so Yang could see, weak smiles and tear filled words exchanged before her wife's breathing became heavy. The emotional stress took its toll and Winter watched as the EKG became erratic- not a heart attack, not yet, but not exactly better as it lost its rhythm once or twice and her breath became suddenly short. 

"Ma'am," the doctor said, a softness in his tone. "It's time." Winter nodded and leaned close again, kissing Yang's cheek. "I love you." 

Her wife offered a weak smile but her breathing wasn't improving. Lilac eyes eventually shifted to their children. "You guys... don't need to... see this..." she paused, trying to muster her strength "I love you... all so much..." 

"We love you too, Momma," they replied- all five of them, because she and Yang had always accepted Taylor and Verdel as their children, too- and shuffled out with some reluctance, throwing one last glance towards the bed. 

"Ma'am." A nurse touched her shoulder. "You may want to step out as well."

Winter drew herself to her full height, tilted her chin up, and proudly responded. "I said 'until death do us part' and I meant it." She looked at her wife, who's eyes still shone with love after all these years. "I'm not leaving you."

To some extent, she felt this was the way things should be, for all the times she left Yang and her family behind to go into a warzone, it should be her being left behind at the end. She tried telling herself it was only fair. Yang let out a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry-" 

"Don't be," she said, offering a small smile. "Just be there waiting when for me." 

"Don't... rush." 

Her wife's eyes fell closed as the EKG's reading began deviate wildly, and Winter looked at the doctor pleadingly. When the doctor reached over and adjusted a hanging bag, Yang's expression smoothed out... but the EKG became worse. Winter stood at her bedside and waited, a sentry watching her beloved pass from this world into the next, and when the line became flat and the doctor read out the early morning hour, Winter instinctively reached out and grabbed Yang's hand before they drew the sheet over her. 

It was when she felt no squeeze, felt nothing at all, that it hit her, completely winded her- that she'd just lost her best friend and partner for over fifty years. 

Yang was gone. 

In that moment, she shattered. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she became aware that her children were around her, holding her up where her own legs couldn't as she cried, no words to accompany the anguish. Because in her mind- her heart and soul- all she could see was the snapshots of her life, and the smiling face of her wife accompanying so many of them- and scowling and sad and every emotion known to exist because they'd been together through so much... 

And that part of her life had come to an end.

Eventually, she turned unseeing eyes to the heavens, and she silently promised that she would make Yang proud. If she had even half the strength and composure of her beloved, she would be able to pick herself up and devote her remaining years to their family, just like all those lonely nights when Yang had held down the home front for her. 

But when she eventually returned to their house alone- though Zise accompanied her, and some part of her knew their kids wouldn't leave her to be entirely alone for a while- and climbed into their bed alone, only then did she realize how daunting a task it was, and in that moment she worried she didn't truly cherish her wife. 

"Goodnight, my strong Sundrop," she said to the empty room. "I love you... and I already miss you so much."

Part XXIII

The house was dead silent, a cool night in late fall, disturbed only by the ringing of a scroll. Groggily, Zephyr reached out and grabbed it, answering in a slurred tone. But the moment she heard the other voice on the line, she snapped awake. 

"Yes, speaking." 

"Ma'am, we're calling regarding your mother-" 

"Which hospital?" Perhaps it sounded callous to the uninitiated but Zephyr was old enough to understand that some things eventually happened. And, honestly, five years had passed since Momma did; every day, she woke up thinking it would be the one. Beside her, Verdel sat up and began attaching his prosthetic, having woken up initially with the call and then spurred into action by her words. 

"Mercy West General-" 

"On First and Central." She nodded at her husband, gathering her courage for the next question. "Is she..." 

Some part of her refused to finish it. 

"She's stable, but her kidneys are failing." The nurse paused. "She'll need long term care but she'll be alright." 

No, she won't.

"Get the kids," she said, and Verdel quickly got out of bed and headed for the door. "We'll be there soon." 

As she hung up, she did her best to muster the nerve to call her sister and brother. She could've asked the hospital to do it but, honestly, she'd rather it be her than some stranger. When she lifted the scroll to her ear, she desperately tried to arrange the words in her head, but- as usual- her sister seemed to click onto it immediately. 

"Is she stable?" No greeting of any sort; only one thing could prompt a call this early in the morning. 

"Yes, but she's going into renal failure." She paused. "At her age, it means long term care at a facility." 

"Which actually means... right." The shuffling of fabric proceeded a quick word to her partner. "Which hospital?" 

"Same as always." Ironic, that so many good and bad memories were contained in one building. 

"We'll be there soon. Want me to call Zach?" 

"I will." 

"Sis..."

She smiled, small and sad. "It's okay, Zizi. I'll handle it." 

A sigh came across the line. "Okay. Love ya, sis. I'll see you there." 

"Love you, too." Talking to her brother seemed at once easier and so much harder. 

"Hello?" He sounded like he'd been dead asleep after yet another long shift. 

"Hey, Zach." 

"Zephie?" He paused, and she could practically hear the shift in his expression. "Is she-" 

"She's stable... for now." Zephyr sighed. "It'll be long term care at this point." 

"Mom will never go to a home." It partly came down to pride but they all knew the majority of the issue stemmed from leaving the house. It held all the memories of Momma, to the point she stubbornly kept climbing the stairs rather than moving into a room on the first floor. Mom clung onto those memories with all the strength she had in her; she would never let them go. "So... this is it, huh?" 

"Yeah," she replied in a small voice. "This is it."

He sighed. "I'll get Xavier. We'll be there as soon as possible." 

"Good. See you there, little brother." 

"Yeah... same place as always?" 

"Yes." 

"Alright, we'll head that way. Love you." 

"Love you, too."

After hanging up, she got ready herself, trying to divorce the doctor side of her brain from the daughter side. As a medical professional, she felt compelled to try and convince Mom to get the treatment she needed... but the part of her that was raised by the woman's own hands knew that it was asking too much. Mom had done so much just to be there these past five years, for her and her siblings and all their children, but in her eyes, they could all see her will dimming. More than once, she remarked on how strong Momma was, to effectively raise them on her own while Mom was away. Zephyr remembered those days even after all these years, hoping against hope Mom would come back so Momma wasn't stressed, wasn't sad. As an adult, she looked back and realized Momma didn't handle the separation nearly as well as she pretended to, but Mom only saw her strength. In the end, they were both strong, but at their strongest when together, and life never stopped throwing punches. Eventually, a person breaks. Momma did, and now Mom... 

"Mom?" She blinked, snapped out of her thoughts by her daughter's voice. "Dad says the car's ready." 

Wisteria looked scared but tried putting on a brave face. Like her mother and grandma before her, she understood that trying to be strong would help others, and Zephyr nodded. 

"It's going to be alright, Terry." The nickname- given by Mom- had stuck, though they'd only ever heard stories about the person who bore it before. "Come along." 

"Mom..." Wisteria paused. "Is Grandmom..."

She considered lying for all of two seconds. But her parents did their level best to tell the truth, and she wouldn't betray that now. "We're going to say goodbye." 

Tears immediately came to her daughter's eyes and she crossed the room to pull her into a hug. Frankly, this was one of those rare times when she couldn't sympathize with her own children; growing up, she'd only ever known Grandpa Tai, so while she knew the pain of losing a grandparent, she only knew it so far as losing one. Not two.

"You can cry, Sweetheart. It's okay." 

"Is this why Grandmom didn't say if she'd come to my graduation?" They'd had the conversation hardly a month ago, and Mom hadn't been very forthright on her answer. 

"Grandmom keeps her promises, Terry." She frowned. "But she knows there are some she can't keep. And she misses Grandma terribly." 

Wisteria nodded solemnly. "Me too." 

"We all do." She guided her daughter towards the door. "I know it's difficult, but she's fought so hard to get this far. Let's go tell her we love her, one more time." 

Zephyr mentally frowned at her own words choice. She didn't want to say 'last'... but there wasn't a better way to put it, really. Yet, she avoided it anyway. As they headed towards the car, she braced herself for a very long night.

Part XIV

Zise ushered her kids into the hospital room, her partner not far behind. Some part of her dreaded this day coming but, now that it was here, she felt a certain amount of peace. It hurt, seeing Mom- always so proud and head strong- hooked up to so many machines, looking so frail, but they could only postpone the inevitable for so long. No one outran the final moments of their lives. Yet, at the very least, those moments wouldn't be alone for their Mom, who tried so hard to be there for them growing up. 

"What did the docs say?" She spoke quietly while Yvonne, Yvette, and Yelena went over to their Grandmom's bedside, the woman aware enough of her surroundings to smile at them as she had for Wisteria and Walter, though it was a weak expression at best. 

"She's going into multiple organ failure," her sister said, the clinical time hiding the pain in her eyes. "They were trying to put her on life support." 

"She signed the paper already?" Zephyr nodded. "And... you?" 

She didn't envy the task set before her eldest sibling nor did she miss the stuttered breath that left her chest. 

"Yes."

Ever since her eightieth birthday, Mom's health had started to decline. She spoke less with each passing year, looked to the sky more even though it hurt her neck. That she'd made it these last three years... Momma would be proud of her, she thought, and of Zephie as she pulled her sister into a hug. 

"You know it's for the best," she said, feeling the shake in her sister's shoulders and seeing the tears in her brother-in-law's eyes. 

"That doesn't mean I have to like it," Zephyr replied, sounding so much like their Mom then they couldn't help but laugh. Then the door opened and Zach stepped in, Xavier just a few steps behind. 

"Sorry we're late." The young man immediately joined his cousins, while their brother stepped up and wrapped both of his sisters up in a hug. "This is really it, huh?" They nodded, watching as their little brother's expression pinched together. "There's... nothing we can do?"

"Zach... look at her," Zise said, glancing back at the bed, where their Mom did her best to smile for her grandkids, but spoke not a word. "She's ready." 

"Yeah... but I'm not." Zach sniffled. 

Zephyr empathized. "None of us are... we haven't been and we won't be, even if she had another twenty years. We weren't ready for Momma to go, either." 

Her heart ached for the truth in the words. They really weren't ready, but no one ever is. At least they could take comfort in each other, like before. Something changed in her readings, prompting Taylor to step forward. 

"Okay, kids, say goodbye to Grandmom. Then, Wisteria's going to take you all down to the gift shop." They looked back at Zise for a moment. "I'll be right there. Okay?" 

The five kids, ranging from young adults to teenagers, nodded, each offering a final goodbye to their Grandmom and a careful hug around thin shoulders. Just before they shuffled out of the room, their Grandmom gathered her strength and uttered the one phrase she offered freely, even when she would say nothing else. 

"Love you... too..." 

Zise's heart ached for the scratchiness in her voice, how soft the words were, the stern voice she remembered from her childhood effectively gone.

The kids smiled and waved goodbye before the door closed and Taylor stepped forward, leaning down to kiss her cheek. 

"I'll go keep an eye on them." They gave her hand a little squeeze. "Thanks, Mom, for everything. I promise, I'll keep an eye on Zizi and Zach for you." They looked over at Verdel with a little smile. "But you're on your own." 

They all laughed a little as Verdel stepped up, using his prosthetic to hold Mom's hand, and it was bittersweet, because it always reminded Mom of Momma. 

"I'll watch Zephyr, and all your grandkids. I already miss you, Mom."

He meant well, but sometimes her brother-in-law didn't word things the best, and as he joined Taylor in going to watch the kids, Zise could see the bit of guilt flashing in her Mom’s eyes. She didn't doubt the woman could pull herself back from the brink of death through sheer force of will, but... that wouldn't be fair. It would be selfish, but not fair. She looked at her siblings, both caught between comforting their Mom and begging her to stay, and realized it fell to her. So she stepped up and sat down on her Mom's bedside, took one hand in hers, and mustered her strength. She knew Mom always felt like she hadn't been there at times and that guilt was kept at bay by Momma but never extinguished. 

Truthfully, there wasn't a day that went by where Mom wasn't there with her, a voice in the back of her mind calling for her to do the right thing, to be strong, to be resilient. And she was her Mom's daughter... but also her Momma's. 

"Hey, Mom," she said with a soft smile. "Tell Momma 'hi' for us. And that we love you both." 

Tears fell from her eyes when she saw the gratitude in her Mom's expression. Zephyr and Zach stepped up, too, the former resting a hand on Mom's shoulder and the latter taking her other hand. They'd waited out in the hall when Momma passed, rushing in at the alarmed look on the doctor's face when Mom broke down, but they wouldn't let her pass without knowing she was loved. When the doctor and nurses came in to adjust her medication, Zephyr told them. With some quiet words, the bags were swapped out, and their Mom closed her eyes one final time, surrounded by her children. 

With her final breath, Zise came to the realization that here, with almost fully grown children of her own, only now did her childhood truly come to an end, and she pulled her siblings closer together and wept.

Part XV

Zach stared down at the coffin they'd lowered down into the ground, various flowers and a few handfuls of dirt thrown in atop it. A few feet away, grass covered Momma's own coffin, their joined headstone now complete with Mom's dates freshly carved into the yellowed marble. His sisters and their families stood around, each processing in their own time, while Xavier stood beside him, quietly crying. Off to the side stood Aunt Blake and Aunt Weiss, the former holding her wife while the latter shook and cried, clinging to her jacket, their own children and grandchildren and even a great grandchild swaddled in blankets surrounding them. Auntie Ruby and Uncle Sun stood a bit back with their own family, having attended out of respect but still not entirely unmoved by the service, because they'd come to see Mom as a sister just as much as Momma.

Zephyr, Zise, and Zach had cried all their tears already and somehow summoned the courage to remain strong for their families, maintaining their composure throughout the service. Despite the chill of early winter, the sun shone brightly overhead, and it made his black tux a little uncomfortable.

"You look great, Son."

"Like an absolute gentleman."

"I do clean up pretty good, huh?" He spoke softly, recalling the response he'd given the night of his high school prom. "I love you, Mom. Momma." A hand slipped into his, his son scrubbing at his face with his other hand. "Ready to go, buddy?"

"Yeah."

He nodded."Alright." Zach turned towards his siblings. "We're going to head down to the diner. We'll see you there?"

It was a small, kinda cramped Mistrali place down off Seventh, but Mom and Momma loved it; no other place would do as a rallying point for their family in the wake of Mom's passing.

After receiving a chorus of affirmative responses, he turned away and guided his son towards the car. They got about halfway through the headstones before Xavier came to a stop.

"Dad?" His face pinched together. "Why do people die?"

Zach smiled; he'd prepared for this question. "I'm going to tell you a secret, Xav. Your Grandmom told your Aunt Zephie, and your Aunt Zizi, and me. Now, I'm going to tell you." He squeezed his son's shoulder. "As you go through life, you'll come to realize that love is never easy. It hasn't been for anyone. It'll keep you up at night- just like being angry, or sad, or anxious. You'll lose a lot of sleep as you get older because of it. But if you do it right, the sleep you lose, you'll get back at the end, surrounded by the people you love. That's where Grandma is, and where Grandmom went to join her. Grandma went to see your Great Grandpa Tai, and Grandmom followed her in time." He paused. "And, one day, I'll go, too, just like your Aunts, and we'll be with our parents."

Xavier's eyes widened. "Dad... you-"

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere yet." He chuckled. "But I won't be here forever." Then he pulled his son into a hug. "That's why I tell you every day I love you. So that, when I'm gone, you'll know just how much love is waiting for you at the end, just like I do." He drew back to look his son in the eyes. "Love freely, and never miss an opportunity to tell someone you care. There's not enough love in this world to miss out on that."

Xavier seemed to mull over his words before nodding. "That's why Grandma always stayed up to read us bedtime stories, and Grandmom woke up early with us on Christmas morning."

"Yup." Zach looked back at where the rest of their family stood, congregated around the gravesite. "And now, they get all that sleep back. And they're happy." Tears fell from his eyes. "If I'm half the parent they were, you'll be at peace when I go. It'll hurt, because loving someone and losing them is never easy, but if you spend every day loving and caring for those closest to you, you'll be able to sleep easy when the time comes."

He was nearly bowled over as Xavier launched into a hug, staggering him. "You're the best, Dad," he said, squeezing tight. "Grandma and Grandmom are proud, 'cause I am. I know that."

Zach smiled and hugged his son tight. "I had good teachers."

"I love you, Dad."

"Love you too, Xav." He said. "Now, come on. Let's go get lunch with everyone." As they climbed into the car, something occurred to the young man.

"Hey, Dad, we should invite everyone over to our house and watch a movie tonight. Ya know, like we did when I was little?"

"I'm not sure if we'll all fit," he replied, thinking on it. "But your Aunt Zizi might have enough room." As he drove out of the cemetery, he noticed Xavier staring out the window. "Something on your mind, champ?"

"Grandma and Grandmom are sleeping on the hill now," he said, nodding towards a green hill just beyond the cemetery's fence. "They look happy."

Zach didn't know what to make of it; sometimes, Xavier said some odd things. Mom and Momma always said it's the sign of a creative mind and he was probably just trying to construct a happy ending for his grandparents to give himself hope.

"Yeah. They are." He nodded. "And even though we miss them so much, we can be happy, too. I mean, when was the last time you got to see all your cousins?"

As the car continued to pull away, and the rest of the family slowly made their way to vehicles of their own, they were watched by the very spirits of those they mourned. No words were needed as Yang- looking and feeling like she was a late twenty-something, with both her arms though the right has a strange glowing quality to it she'd yet to figure out- laid back down beside her wife, happy and content as Winter wrapped her up in her arms and they basked beneath the rays of a sun they couldn't feel, but warmed by their love all the same.

Author’s Note: If anyone’s curious, this whole thing came about because I was thinking about all the different reasons a person “loses sleep” and the somewhat morbid saying of “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”. I thought up Zach’s lines and decided that I could both explore the various reasons and ways a person loses sleep over the course of their life and what it really means to get it all back at the end.

[curlyhalo-by-kimberlyelise]

I often hear women say something to the effect of, “I hope I don’t end up like my mother”. Even my own mom recoils at the thought she will, one day, too closely resemble the woman who raised her. I think women share this fear because social culture already imposes a strong identity upon us: we are conditioned to see ourselves as mothers and wives– nurturing, submissive, forgiving and able to prioritize our femininity. It leaves us with the sometimes painful task of finding ourselves outside of these expectations. It’s natural, then, to dread the notion that “the work” is arbitrary- a distressing distraction from an inevitable transformation.

This fear is one I, too, know well. And like many, it has fueled my determination to be my own woman- intentionally separate from the prime example I have of a woman.  

  By: Yessenia Morena

Still, sometimes I experience this funny feeling akin to deja vu. It comes when, just for a second, I sense I am moving through the world like my mom does. The feeling used to pass quickly and leave me cringing. But in the last couple of years, it lingers; and that feeling of deja vu makes itself at home.

The sensation, though, is no longer invasive. Instead, it is akin to a long hug, or a familiar smell. Like home, it makes me feel safe. And I realize now that my inevitable metamorphosis into my mother is not a transformation at all. For it is not an act of becoming, but of recognizing. My mom created me from the materials of her own body- I literally am her, and she is me.

When I think about this intrinsic connection to my mom, I feel empowered by our shared existence, for it reminds me of my greater interconnectivity to all things. While striving for individual womanhood is always celebrated, so is letting go and embracing. On this Mother’s Day, I embrace the intricate interweaving with my mom. Recognizing it, I can’t help but consider the ways her legacy lives through me. Here are five things I can only hope to embody my mom. 

Her Honest Laughter

My absolute favorite thing in the world is hearing my mom laugh. I can only describe her laughter as the sound of honesty because it carries no aim to appease. When she laughs, it’s genuine. And her momentary abandonment pulls everyone around her into her moment of joy. 

Her Selflessness

For nearly a decade, my mom has driven to my sister’s house every single weekday in order to help care for her grandkids. This has allowed my sister to flourish in her chosen career while also enjoying being a mom, herself. My mom worked 18 years at a job she didn’t love, and which did not show an appreciation for her in return. Now, in her retirement years, she continues to dedicate herself to my siblings and me. What’s more, she has helped shape the future of our family; when I see the sweet and funny dispositions of my niece and nephews, I am so grateful for her constant acts of love for us.

Her Strength

The truth is, my mom hasn’t had the best run with love. She was married three times in her life and let’s just say the first couple husbands lacked her resilience. Nonetheless, I never saw my mom break. I saw her love wholeheartedly and fiercely. And most importantly, I witnessed the strength it takes to leave a relationship when love is no longer offered. As a mother of four, I can’t imagine how hard these transitions must have been for her, but I don’t have a single memory of my mother in distress. She handled hardships with a kind of grace I can only hope to access in this lifetime.

Her Love of Fun

Without a doubt, my mom is happiest on a dancefloor. In fact, she loves to dance so much that when she started dating my stepdad some two decades ago, he quickly taught himself how to move to Mexican music. He says he knew it was either: learn to dance, or not spend a single moment with her at family parties (which, admittedly, are pretty often). They’ve been going strong now for 17 years, and I think they last because her love of fun makes room for others to love life alongside her.

Her Ability to Host an Unforgettable Party

I can tell you now, there is no other mom in any of my friend groups who throws a party like my mom. She thinks of it all: themes, complete with food, decor, and entertainment! But most importantly, when you walk through her door, you leave behind all of your worries. First, without fail, my stepdad appears out of nowhere to take your drink order. My aunts drown you in hugs and kisses before my mom points to where you can find delicious food, and ensuring she’ll see you on the dancefloor. Even during an outrageous party, her house is a home. This one, I think I can say with confidence, I’ve mastered. As for the rest- I’ll keep my fingers crossed. And from now on, I’ll try to notice all the ways I could be so lucky to be like my mom.

    The post 5 Reasons I Embrace Being Like My Mom appeared first on Kimberly Elise Natural Living.

via Kimberly Elise Natural Living

[mnrockheads]

  Awhile ago I was asked, Who is Amy Violets? Then it was your name is Pam! Then I would chuckle and giggle some. I thought I would write a fun blog on how I came up with my Business Name.

It all started many years ago when I was a young child. I learned how to sew from my grandma, and my Mom.  Mainly My grandma Eva on the farm.  When I was child my brother and I spent our Summer’s on our grandparents farm in Minnesota.  I can remember being quite small and sitting at this treadle machine and just staring at it.

I was around 4 to 5 years old.  My grandma Eva said lets sew. Oh……. I was in Heaven.  She taught me all the in and outs over the years on this Treadle machine. I sewed at home with my Mom too.  Nothing beats sitting at a Sewing machine that doesn’t plug in and listening to stories your Grandma tells you about Mom sewing to growing up on the farm. I even got to sew pillows from the old Seed sacks.

Here is a few notions I collected from Grandma Eva to the sewing Needles from My Mom. The black cast iron “iron” was my Mom’s as a child.

My grandma Eva Violet as a child with her Doll.  When I found this picture I held on to it.  She was just a young child walking through the snow.  My Mom sitting in a wicker chair with her dolls next to her in a rocker at 2 years old.

  Fast forward many years to when I had a little girl named Amy.  She loved her dolls too.  She loved  her Mom (Me) to sew for them.    The Santa list started!  I knew I had sew everything a baby needed.  (She still to this day in her 30’s want Mom to sew all her Christmas presents, she  just had to figure out who Santa was)  Money was tight back then, my mom would help me get the fabric and my skills that grandma taught me would come in quite handy.  By then My Mom had given me her “Morse sewing machine” and I had no pattern  to cut from so I drew around the doll and a wardrobe and carriers were made.  Mrs. Claus sewed and my husband had the chore of putting doll strollers together. That is the same baby doll.  By the time that baby was retired, she was ready for her nap on the doll shelf.

We fast forward to 1990.  My Niece and Nephew moved in. My husband and I adopted both children.  Amanda loved her dolls. Then she fell in love with Barbies.  Those clothes challenged me.  I remembered a good trick my dad taught me.  Cut up socks to make clothes.  Mom did find out.  A whole different story.  I taught Amanda how to do that.  Whenever the sock bucket got full.  beware she was make Barbie dresses.  We had a lot less mismatched socks.  Then we are now raising 3 of our grandkids. 2 are girls.  Yes life does throw you curves.  The lessons from sewing to life that my grandma Eva taught me from a very young age sitting at that treadle machine on a hot and humid Minnesota day.  Have stayed with me all my life.  She taught the value of making something and being proud of it for yourself and to always take care of family.

Here are a few pictures from me being small with my baby dolls and my Late brother Erik who was always there to play with his little sister.  NOT!   He did many a time burp my baby dolls.  Amanda, Megan and April.  All my girls love their baby dolls to their big girl dolls.

When my husband and I decided I would stay home and become a full time Mom again almost 12 years ago. All my time was spent taking care of 3 little kids. A few years ago things started to come back to normal.  Amy said Mom you need to sew!  I had missed my machines.  We pulled everything from storage. My Son and his girlfriend introduce Megan and April to the 18″ dolls. I began to sew Doll Clothes again.  Slowly I have been getting back into the groove.

That brought to what do I name myself? What fits?  Believe me when you ask your family they can come up with some winners!   My Mom who lives with us. Said it needs to be something close to you and something that makes me smile. She came up with Amy who is my biggest fan.  She always has been. I said Violets, its my Moms favorite flower and my Grandma’s middle name! So Amy Violet’s was born!  Yes everyday when I sit at my machines I thank my  Grandma for all those lessons.  Yes she did get mad at me.  I was a little red head rebel.  No one could say Pamela Kay the way she did.

Here are a few pictures to end with of my Grandma with My Mom, me and Amy and Randy.

I better get back to sewing.  I sure had a fun time looking up old family pictures.  I had fun listening to my Mom say Randy looks like Great grandpa, or Look doesn’t Dakota look like my Dad.  Then my Mom would come across a picture of Grandma ,her and my brother the memories just flowed on out.  Thank you all for reading.  If you see my Logo or visit my page you all know now where Amy Violets came from.

Take care and Have a Good day

Pam

Who is Amy Violets? Awhile ago I was asked, Who is Amy Violets? Then it was your name is Pam! Then I would chuckle and giggle some.