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braveclementine · 3 months

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Bellas' Wedding and My Funeral

Warnings: None

Copyright: I do not own any Twilight characters or locations. I do own Davina Mikelson and Marcel. I also own the backstory for my OC. I do not condone any copying of this.

Davina P.O.V.

"I still can't believe it." I laughed with Marcel and Bree, sitting on top of the Cullens roof. I was wearing an oversized sweatshirt that covered up the large baby bump I was hiding from the rest of the family.

Marcel grinned at me, his orangey-yellow eyes gazing at me. "I love Esme. And I was meant to be a vampire."

I had no idea how I was pregnant. Or when I became pregnant. All I knew was that it wasn't a normal pregnancy.

Bree was very quiet. She had told me that in the newborn coven, she had found a temporary mate whose name was Diego. We had, of course, killed him as he had tried to kill us, but they weren't super close and it wasn't a painful thing for her- that much.

I stared up at the setting sun. It was nearing the end of July, Bella's wedding would be very, very soon, and I was sure I was going to give birth any moment.

I knew it had to be Carlisle's baby because I had started drinking some of the blood bags that Carlisle had stocked away for emergencies only. Not to mention whenever I continued interning at the hospital, I snuck into the blood storage room and stole a couple. . . a lot.

I was terrified. I didn't feel terribly sick or anything and I looked mostly the same but still. . . it wasn't every day that a girl got pregnant with a vampire child.

I had tried running private tests- I was an almost doctor after all- but I could get ultrasounds to penetrate through the membrane.

"Still." I said, becoming slightly serious. "What about the army? You won't be able to fight on the front lines until you can control your thirst better."

Marcel made a face at me. "I know. I told them I had to take a break for medical leave. Carlisle provided me with the papers."

I chuckled. "The perks of knowing a vampire doctor."

Vampire life suited Marcel wonderfully. The paleness of vampirism and the darkness of his original skin tone made him extremely handsome.

Actually, we might as well just say he looked like if someone put Marcel Gerard from The Originals, Kingsley Shacklebolt from Harry Potter, Mace Windu from Star Wars, and Sam from the Avengers together you got Marcel. . . okay so maybe just Marcel and Sam but still.

I felt something kick inside of me and I covered up a wince.

"What was that?" Marcel and Bree asked together.

I smirked, covering it up, "Like I would know. You two are the ones with the superb hearing. Bree, do you want to go down and watch Hamilton?"

Bree's yellow eyes lit up. "Yeah!"

Marcel scoffed, "Hamilton? Really?"

"Esme loves Hamilton." I jested and Marcel glared at me.

I held out my arms. "Help me down?"

Marcel stood up, opening his arms. I situated myself so that my stomach wasn't against him and he jumped from the roof. The landing was slightly jarring. As he let me down on my feet, Bree landed next to us.

Upon seeing Edward, I quickly changed my thoughts from baby vibes to my excitement for Hamilton.

Things had changed after the newborn attack.

For one, Esme had told Marcel about us being vampires. Marcel had accepted it without question and had asked her to turn him that same night. Surprised, but worried, she brought him back to the house. Carlisle and him had talked for a while- I had sat there quietly the entire time, one of Carlisle's arms wrapped around my waist tightly- and finally Carlisle decided to turn him.

I had gone to Sam and pleaded my case, begging him to let him allow Marcel to become a vampire. Sam and I had argued for a good twenty minutes until Billy showed up, asking what we were arguing about. I knew Billy might've liked Esme, but I told him what Esme wanted with Marcel. Billy had been the one to change Sam's mind and let Esme turn him.

"Everyone deserves a life with their true mate." Billy had told Sam. "And if this man, Marcel, becomes a vampire, Esme won't hurt him."

I had left Sam with a sarcastic, "I hope you're more lenient when it's my turn."

Needless to say, Sam and I hadn't talked in a few weeks.

Carlisle had given Marcel morphine, waited twenty minutes, and then Esme had bitten him. Carlisle took me back to the house and made me wait there. Edward had taken Bella back to her house. No humans would be in the house while Marcel was turning.

Next was Bree. She had told me about her abusive father, how he had killed her mother, how he had been arrested by the cops when they found her mothers bones and was also blamed for her murder as well.

Now, she lived here with the rest of the vampires. She had eagerly changed from being a human eater to a vegetarian. Her yellow eyes made her features pop. She was truly adorable, looking more like she was thirteen than sixteen.

Next was that Bella was finally marrying Edward. Which had meant that Jacob had run away, making the wolf pack, Billy, and I sad. It made Bella sad too.

And lastly was Seth. Seth, my almost favorite werewolf son though I loved Jared and Paul too as they were my first sons. But Seth was lovable. First, he was just adorable. Second, he had one of the best attitudes: Sweet, kind, lovable, friendly, borderline annoying, could make jokes during hard times, and he was a vampires best friend. Seriously, him and Edward had a wonderful, strange friendship. I was glad for them. I think it stemmed from them fighting together against Victoria and Riley.

"Mom!" Alice chirped joyfully as we came through the doors. "You need to try on your dress!"

I raised an eyebrow, looked at her, and said, "No. I'm going to watch something with Bree."

Alice pouted. "MOM!"

I grinned, "I'll try it on later, okay?"

"But you're wearing that horrible sweatshirt." Alice complained.

Only to hide the baby bump.

I shrugged, "It's comfortable."

"CARLISLE!" Alice complained.

I could hear him laughing upstairs but if he made a comment, he didn't answer. He zoomed down the stairs at that moment, wrapping his arms around my upper chest. I was just glad he didn't try wrapping them around my stomach. He pressed a kiss to the side of my neck.

"What are you and Bree going to watch?" Edward asked, coming into the room.

"Hamilton." I said.

Jasper was immediately down the stairs, "Let's watch."

I snorted, pulling away from Carlisle, taking one of Jasper's arms and also one of Bree's arms, drawing them into the living room.

I could almost hear Alice gnashing her teeth and then she turned on Marcel, "Alright fine, you're next."

"Oh. I was going to watch Hamilton. . ." Marcel's voice drifted off as he looked into Alice's intimidating voice.

Jasper snickered. Carlisle shook his head, winked at me, and disappeared back into his study. The rest of us settled down to watch the amazing play.

----------------------------

I watched out the window of Carlisle and mine bedroom as things started to get set up for the wedding.

Jasper and Carlisle were carrying benches that looked like they had been made out of trees for the guests to sit on at the wedding. I smiled down at Carlisle who looked up and winked at me. I blushed. I loved him so much.

Jasper looked amused, probably because everything that we saw before us was all Alice- a little Esme- but mostly all Alice. There were buckets of white flowers and flower garlands that would be used to wrap around the backs of the benches.

All in all, it was basically to look like everything had grown straight out of the ground.

Emmett walked by with a large log over his shoulder and asked, "Where do you want 'em boss?"

Alice and Bella were standing on the porch of the house, talking. Bella was complaining about the large white heels she was struggling to walk in, which was really amusing because she'd been trying to walk in them for three days- and the wedding was tomorrow.

"On either side of the aisle." Alice's light voice carried through the air.

"You alright?" Carlisle had bounded from the ground to sit on the window ledge.

I paused for a moment, looking at him, and then smiled, "I just feel a little under the weather."

Carlisle sighed, reaching out and stroking my cheek, "You know, it's very unfair that Edward and Bella get to go to our honeymoon spot before us."

I smirked, "We'll just have to go after them love."

Carlisle leaned forward and I met him halfway, our lips meshing together soft and firm. Our tongues clashed, fighting with each other until Alice's voice shrieked through the air, "Does no one have vision!"

We broke apart and I chuckled, "I should lay down."

"Alright." Carlisle murmured, nuzzling against my neck. "I love you."

"To Saturn and back." I murmured, kissing his cheek and went to lay down.

He hoped from the window and I laid down on the bed, my hands moving to rest on my belly. Suddenly, I felt a kick and I bit down on my tongue hard in order not to scream.

Had it just broken a rib?

My arms started to shake and then there was another snap.

Had my rib just fixed back into place?

I got up off the bed and hurried to the library. I needed to research what the hell was happening to me.

---------------------------

"What do you mean you don't feel well enough?" Alice practically shouted at me.

I shook my head, groaning, a light sheen of sweat on my forehead. Carlisle sat by my side in worry with a cold cloth.

"Alice." He chastised.

"Look, if I feel better by tonight. . ." I muttered and then vomited into the bucket.

"No." Carlisle said firmly. "You will stay in here and drinks lots of fluids, understand me? I don't want you to move from this bed."

"Okay." I whispered.

Alice's expression softened and she said, "Sorry mom, I just wanted this wedding to be perfect."

I smirked, "glad to know that if I'm not there everything falls apart."

Carlisle chuckled softly, stroking hair back from my forehead.

I wasn't entirely sure what had brought this strong sickness on. It was very sudden. I had been reading in the library about vampire children, sucking on a drink that was a mix of rootbeer and blood- don't ask- when I had felt sick.

And now it had just gotten worse. Really worse.

"I'll be back to check on you soon." Carlisle said, smoothing my black hair back from my face. His gold eyes were full of worry.

I scoffed, "Carlisle, it's probably just the flu or something."

Alice and him shared the briefest of looks and I raised an eyebrow, "Davina, is there something you. . . you might know?" Carlisle asked hesitantly.

My heart started to race and I nearly cursed because I knew they both heard it. "W-what do you mean?"

"I mean, I haven't been able to see your future for a while." Alice murmured. "Which usually means that someone dies and now you're sick. . ."

Would I die giving birth to this baby?

I hesitated and then whispered, "After the wedding."

Carlisle swallowed, putting his forehead against mine. I relished his cool skin against mine. "I love you Carlisle."

"I love you too." He whispered.

My phone rang and I reached over and saw that it was Sam.

"Oh. It's Sam. . ." I murmured.

"We'll give you some privacy." Carlisle said, putting a thin blanket over me, kissing my forehead, and then they were both gone.

I picked it up, "Sam?"

"Er- no, it's Seth." Seth said quietly. "You don't sound good."

"I. . . I'm not good." I chuckled and then coughed, "What are you calling for?"

"Sam wanted to talk to you." Seth murmured. "Are you sick?"

I chuckled, "Something like that. . . although now I feel bad for snapping at Sam. I think my time for becoming a vampire is coming sooner than expected."

"How soon?" Sam's voice asked frantically into the phone, "What's wrong? What are you sick with?"

I chuckled, "Well hello ugly."

"Davina."

I sighed, "I. . .I'm pregnant."

Sam paused, "What?"

"The thing is, I shouldn't be pregnant. The bombs, the sulfur, the air, the smoke, the punctures, I shouldn't have gotten pregnant. But I am. So. . . when I go into labor. . . I might not make it." I murmured, feeling like I was going to throw up- and then I did.

"You really are sick." Sam murmured, "Can they turn you into a vampire before you give birth?"

"No. I can't give birth as a vampire." I murmured, "It'd kill the baby. But if they turn me the minute after I give birth. . ."

I could hear Sam swallowing on the other side of the phone, "What do they think of this?"

I hesitated and then muttered, "I. . . I haven't told him yet. Any of them. You're the first one I told."

"You're kidding me, right?" Sam's tone was incredulous and then quiet and then he asked, "Davina. . . whose child is it?"

I started to sob, "I don't know! It can't be his, but I haven't been with anyone else! I'm terrified! What if. . . what if I've been raped and I don't even know it!? I don't remember anything. I swear I've only bee with Carlisle!"

"I'm coming over." Sam's voice was concerned, hard, and extremely husky at the same time.

"Wait." I hiccupped. "I told Carlisle I'd tell him what was wrong after the wedding. Please Sam. Come over tomorrow?"

"I will. I promise." Sam whispered into the phone.

I smiled a watery smile even though I was terrified of everything at that moment, "Thank you. I love you Sammy."

"Love you too shorty."

I smiled, shutting the phone off.

"CARLISLE!" I called.

He was there in an instant, wearing a black tuxedo and a white shirt and a matching vanilla white tie. He had slicked his hair back and it was slightly redder than it was blond at the moment. Strawberry blond.

I smiled, my heart racing at the sight of him in front of me, "You look dashing."

Carlisle smiled, squatting to be close to my face. "This. . . this sickness you have. . . how serious is it?"

I smiled, "Shouldn't be serious at all. . . just. . . different I think. So you don't have to worry during the wedding, okay? I'm not going to die while you're out there, I promise."

After all, I had only been pregnant for a month and a half. Even if the vampire baby grew faster than a human baby, even a month and a half wouldn't cause it to be born, right?

Carlisle sighed, smoothing my hair back from my face gently. Esme appeared in the doorway, "Carlisle, we have to go down." Esme crossed the room, taking one my hands, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm glad Alice can't force me into a dress right now." I smirked slightly.

"The Denali's are here." Esme said, tilting her head towards the window. She frowned slightly, "Irina came."

"She won't cause trouble right?" I asked fearfully, moving to sit up, "Seth is coming to the wedding."

Carlisle pushed gently down on my shoulder. "She won't do anything, I promise. And worrying is the last thing you need right now. Try and fall asleep, okay?"

I closed my eyes, relaxing back into the pillows. "Right, okay. Have fun."

"I'll bring you up a piece of cake, okay?" Esme asked with a small wink.

I smiled. Carlisle kissed my forehead, then my lips, pulling away slowly.

"Careful doc." I smirked, "Don't catch my flu."

He chuckled, "I'll try."

And then they were both gone.

I waited a moment before completely ignoring his advice, slowly moving into the chair near the window. I couldn't actually attend the wedding, but I could still oversee it.

From my view, I could see quite a bit. I could see Seth, Sue, and Billy sitting in the very last row together. I guess Leah hadn't come- but she didn't like Bella for several reasons.

I could see Carlisle greeting Carmen, kissing her cheek. I smirked as a swell of jealousy rose up inside me. At least I could laugh at my jealousy. I could see a third blond, her hair curled and piled up on her head standing with Kate and Tanya. That must be Irina.

Everyone slowly started to take their seats. I could see Edward positioning himself at the altar, though I couldn't see details from here. I was mostly basing this off hair colours.

Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, Esme, Marcel, Emmett, Bree, and Rose all positioned themselves in the front row on the right side. I felt a pang of regret that I wasn't sitting there next to Carlisle. . . or on his lap.

Carlisle was positioned on the outside, closest to the aisle. I sighed slightly, wishing our hands were entwined. I felt a tiny foot kick my rib and I groaned slightly. The rib snapped back into place. It terrified me.

It also reminded me of one of those pens where you clicked down on it, then had to click something else to send it up again. Was the baby just. . . play with my rib?

The thought made me throw up again.

I resurfaced to see that the crowd had stood, looking towards the house. Carlisle was looking more upwards and I smiled at him. He shook his head slightly, mostly in exasperation. The others were looking as Bella and her father walked down the path.

Everything about Bella's dress was the complete opposite of how mine had been. Hers was rather simple and white with little decoration, although her veil and train were pretty. It wasn't that she wasn't pretty- she was breathtaking- but it showed Carlisle and Edwards' differences. Carlisle had loved the extravagance of my wedding dress- but dress had been extravagant back then- and I had loved the simplicity of his suit.

I smiled again, reminiscing in my own wedding days as Bella and Charlie made rather snail like progress to the altar. I couldn't remember my walk being so slow. But then again, the doors of the church to the altar wasn't much of a walk. Plus, Sam had rather long legs for me to keep up with.

I smiled even wider, thinking about myself on Sam's arm. I loved Sam. He was my brother by the same father- even if we both hated our father- and we were so close. I would hate for things to be ruined by becoming a vampire- even if he said okay to it.

I watched Bree and Marcel carefully, looking for any sign that they might try and attack a human. But I also knew Esme and Emmett wouldn't let them get that far.

I looked back towards the werewolves and caught eyes with Seth. I smiled gently, giving him a small wave, which he returned before turning his attention back to Bella.

Charlie and Bella finally- finally- reached the end of the altar and the priest at the front raised his hands, letting everyone sit. I wanted to reach out and touch Carlisle, the longing for him was overwhelming and I didn't know why.

The priests voice didn't carry enough for me to be able to hear what was being said. But I knew it was very close to the vow that Carlisle and I had said at our own wedding.

When they kissed, the kissed for a long time until people started to clap. And then when they continued to kiss, everyone basically stood on their feet, cheering to get them to stop kissing.

I felt a tear fall down my face, wishing I could feel Carlisle's lips on mine and then I bent over, groaning at the feeling of loss and envy. I had no idea what was happening, why I felt like this. I had been with Carlisle. . . what? Thirty minutes ago? Had felt his lips on mine forty minutes ago? Carlisle was all mine, the ring on my finger said so. So why was I feeling like this?

These were Carlisle's kids, despite what I had told Sam. There was no way they couldn't be. Human blood tasted fantastic from a blood bag. I had gone through several a day. It kept me strong and healthy.

I watched the ceremony turn out so that people were standing, chatting with each other, congratulating Bella and Edward. I watched Irina, staring across the room towards where Seth, Billy, Sue, and Charlie were standing, drinking champagne.

I tightened my fingers around the windowsill ledge, terrified.

'Please don't do something stupid. Please don't do something stupid. Please don't do something stupid.' The chant rang over and over in my head, gazing at Irina who was glaring hatefully at Seth.

Irina leaned forward, muttering something to Edward before stalking off. As she passed by the house, she looked up. We met eyes. I gazed back as she glared at me, almost snarling. I looked over and saw Carlisle looked tense at our interaction. I gave him a soft, 'it's okay' smile, before he turned back to the party.

I sighed, wishing he was here with me instead of down there.

Actually, why didn't I just go down there? There wasn't really anything stopping me.

I got up from the wooden chair, shutting the window quietly, moving towards the door. That was when something in me broke.

I fell to my knees, a strangled scream erupting from my lips. I quickly smothered it so that no one heard it.

I felt something gush down my leg, making me nearly faint.

No, no, no. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not with all those people out there.

With trembling legs, I laid down on the bed. I reached into the side drawer, drawing out the syringe of morphine.

I stabbed it into my leg and gasped.

Seth burst into the room suddenly, "Mom!"

"Seth?" I questioned. If he had heard it, did that mean Carlisle or one of the others heard it. "What-"

"I saw you weren't in the window anymore and I wanted to make sure you were alright." Seth said, staring from the needle to my hand. "What's going on?"

I clenched my teeth, squeezing my eyes shut in pain, my whole body convulsing as there was something like a contraction. I opened my eyes, gasping for breath, seeing stars.

"Mom?" Seth questioned, by my side in an instant. His wide, innocent brown eyes staring into mine.

"S-Seth." I gasped out, touching his brown jacket. "Carlisle."

Seth understood, but he didn't do it the way I was hoping he would, leaving the room to go get him. Instead, he shouted, "Carlisle!"

I zipped the hoodie down, tugging it off and Seth's eyes stared hugely. "M-mom?"

I stared at him, tears in my eyes, before biting down on my hand as something kicked against me. I let out a sob. Carlisle was in the room in an instant.

Carlisle P.O.V.

I was in the room in an instant, hearing her cries of pain and Seth's' call. But whatever I had been readying myself for wasn't this. Wasn't to see her pregnant, writhing in pain.

"Seth." I swallowed, "Get Sam on the phone. Now."

Because I knew, from the weird heartbeat, putting things together, that this child was not normal.

Davina's black eyes were pleading with me.

Seth called Sam on Davina's phone, putting it on speaker.

"Seth, I need you to leave." I murmured, "I'm serious. This. . . this is going to be bad."

Seth nodded, turning and leaving the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. I felt horrible.

"Davina? Darling?"

"This. . ." Davina gasped, the bedsheets tight in her fists. There was a fine sheen of sweat across her forehead and she was gasping for breath. "I don't know how it's possible. I swear Carlisle, I haven't been with anyone except you, I swear."

I chuckled softly, "Of course of all the things you worry about right now it's you wanting me to make sure I know you didn't cheat on me. Davina, I know you didn't."

"Good." Davina gasped, letting go of the morphine needle. It clattered to the floor. "But. . . it's only been a month and- and a- half. They shouldn't. . . it's to soon!"

I had no idea what I should be doing.

"Davina. . ." I whispered, smoothing her hair back.

"Carlisle?" Sam's voice was on the phone, sounding louder than need be.

"Davina's dying Sam." I said. "I need permission and I need it now."

"You have it!" Sam's voice was frantic. "You have it."

"Thank you Sam." Davina and I whispered together. And then Davina screamed again.

"Davina!" Sam shouted.

"Sam, I know you want to be here." I said, picking up a scalpel, "But you and the entire pack need to stay away from the house for a few days. Swear it."

"Alright." Sam said.

"Good." And then I unceremoniously hung up on him.

With a calm hand, I settled into my doctor zone, cutting Davina's stomach open, performing a C section. I wished I had known. Now that it was out there, it was so obvious. The sudden disappearance of blood bags, the missing blood bags at the hospital, the oversized sweatshirts, the sudden reluctance to have sex, Jasper saying she had moments of intense panic and sometimes she felt terrified about something. . . it was all this.

"C-Carlisle." Davina said weakly.

"It's going to be okay." I whispered as I cut open the stomach, "I want you to tell me why you didn't tell me."

Davina closed her eyes, "Because I didn't know at first. And then. . . I thought maybe I'd been raped or something because vampires can't have kids. And I was. . .I was scared what Lord would do with that information. And I was scared that maybe you wouldn't want to have the child if it was someone else's. And I was terrified once I randomly started drinking the blood bags because then I knew it meant it was a vampire child inside of me. And I'm scared what you all might do with that information. Sam. . . might want to kill him or her. You guys might even want to. . . in case the baby is dangerous. And I was scared. I wanted to give him or her a chance at a life first so we could see how it would be before we decided whether or not. . ."

Tears welled up in her eyes and I gasped. "What!" She asked frantically.

I swallowed hard. This. . . no wonder.

"Davina. . . you have. . . you have triplets."

Davina stared at me in shock and then whispered, "Triplets?"

I nodded, working on getting them out so that I could give her my venom and turn her. I knew it was much sooner than she wanted, she wasn't even twenty-five yet, but I had to. I couldn't lose her.

"Carlisle, we'll have to tell everyone the babies died. They can't. . . even our kids. And the werewolves especially. Hide them in our house so that they don't know they exist. At least until we can assess. . ."

Her voice drifted off, her heart starting to fail.

"Stay with me." I growled, wishing I had a nurse that I could hand the babies over to. I had to make down with laying a few blankets out, placing them one by one on the blankets. I made sure they were all breathing, trying not to be distracted by their angelic faces, before turning back to Davina.

I quickly grabbed a syringe from the bottom drawer in a locked box. I ripped off the lock, taking out the syringe, stabbing into her heart and pressing down. The quickest way for my venom to travel.

And then, because I honestly didn't want to fuck anything up, I bit down gently on her wrist, letting my venom pool into her blood.

I listened, waiting, solely on her heartbeat, making sure it continued, before turning the babies. They had heartbeats, blood flowed through their veins, and they seemed normal sized for a baby that had only been in the womb for less than two months.

I cleaned them up and stared- perhaps from habit- making out birth certificates, filling in everything but the names. Davina would name them- her heart was still strong behind me.

There were two boys and one girl. The girl looked most like me, a head of blond hair and when she opened her eyes- to early- they were bright crystal blue.

The boys on the other hands looked like they were identical with black hair and brown eyes.

The reception was still going on and I debated about what to do. I had to listen to Davina's 'last words'. She wanted me to hide the children in the house and not let Sam or anyone else but the two of us know about the children. Who would take care of them while I waited by Davina's side?

Then I realized that Alice must not be able to see the children. That was why Davina's future had disappeared.

I hesitated. I could tell Rosalie. . .

No. Not that was a bad choice. I finally ran from the house, the three babies in my arms, back to the house that Davina and I shared.

Working with vampire speed, I put together three makeshift cribs, putting each of them in one, watching them. I would have to study, see what they wanted to eat.

Arriving back at the house, I found that Bella was getting ready to leave. I disappeared, as my suit was covered in blood.

I appeared back in Davina's room. I waited, waited, waited. Alice burst into the room a few moments later, taking in the sight of all the blood, my suit, and Davina's still frame, "What happened?"

The others filed in, as Edward and Bella had driven off. Marcel and Bree were there too. Marcel looked horrified.

"She was pregnant." I said, trying to figure out what to tell everyone. "There were complications with the birth." I glanced at Marcel.

"Yes, the doctors said she couldn't have children." Marcel murmured. "And that if she got pregnant, there was a high probability she would die in the child birthing process."

I nodded, "Well they were triplets."

Marcel's mouth dropped, "Well no wonder. . . she would never have been able to."

"The children?" Rosalie asked and even with her mother on the deathbed, she sounded slightly excited.

I just shook my head and her shoulders slumped.

"Sam gave you permission, right?" Jasper asked.

I nodded, "Without a second of hesitation."

"Good." Esme said, reaching out and rubbing my shoulder. "Everything'll be okay brother, her heart sounds strong."

I nodded, "I know."

Rosalie was the first to leave. Everyone followed out after. Jasper kissed Davina's forehead, following Alice out as the last people in the room except Esme.

When it was just Esme, me, and Davina, she whispered so quietly, "I know you're lying."

I swallowed and then jerked my head towards the window. I brought her back to the house and whispered, "Esme, please. You can't tell a soul."

I brought her into the house to show her the babies.

Esme looked at them in wonder and then whispered, "How?"

"I don't know." I said. "I mean, there's never been anything like them. Vampires usually can't have sexual relationships with humans. Not enough control to keep from killing them. But I suppose. . . I mean males can have children at any age so I suppose it's technically possible. . . she's afraid though that they might not be. . . quite right. She doesn't want anyone to know about their existence except me. She's especially afraid of what Sam might do. Please Esme, you can't tell anyone."

"I won't." Esme whispered. "I can stay with them while you stay with Davina though."

"Thank you." I murmured.

Esme paused and then said, "Carlisle. . . Edward and Bella. . ."

I closed my eyes, knowing she was right, "Maybe not. It could be because of Davina's werewolf gene. Two supernatural genes combing together. And Bella doesn't have that."

Esme nodded but said, "I'm just saying you should be prepared if Bella does get pregnant."

I nodded, "You're right. I know."

And then I zoomed back to the house to wait for Davina.

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tuppencetrinkets · 2 years

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Alec - Cameron Bright #2,300

Alice - Ashley Greene #9,900

Alistair - Joe Anderson #700

Amun - Omar Metwally #373

Angela - Christian Serratos #3,200

Aro - Michael Sheen #8,400

Bella - Kristen Stewart #126,000

Ben - Rami Malek #1,000

Billy - Gil Birmingham #2,600

Bree - Jodelle Ferland #561

Caius - Jamie Campbell Bower #2,600

Carlisle- Peter Facinelli #11,800

Carmen - Mia Maestro #1,000

Charlie - Billy Burke #14,000

Charlotte - Valorie Curry #230

Demetri - Charlie Bewley #3,000

Edward - Robert Pattinson #60.000

Eleazar - Christian Camargo #1,300

Embry - Kiowa Gordon #1,000

Emily - Tinsel Korey #489

Emmett - Kellan Lutz #4,700

Eric - Justin Chon #1,900

Esme - Elizabeth Reeser #5,00

Felix - Daniel Cudmore #2,000

Garrett - Lee Pace #1,400

Huilen- Marisa Quintanilla #357

Irina - Maggie Grace #1,600

J. Jenks - Wendell Pierce #567

Jacob - Taylor Lautner #35,000

James - Cam Gigandet #357

Jane - Dakota Fanning #3,700

Jared - Bronson Pelletier #987

Jasper - Jackson Rathbone #6,500

Jessica - Anna Kendrick #5,000

Kate - Casey laBow #3,000

Kebi - Andrea Gabriel #1,000

Laurent - Edi Gathegi #989

Leah - Julia Jones #1,253

Liam - Patrick Brennan #223

Maggie - Marlane Barnes #182

Marcus - Christopher Heyerdahl #3,562

Mary - Toni Trucks #222

Mike - Michael Welch #3,500

Moline - Jose Zuniga

Nahuel - JD Pardo #398

Paul - Alex Meraz #411

Peter - Erik Odom #230

Quil - Tyson Houseman #609

Randall - Bill Tangradi #280

Renee - Sarah Clarke #2,000

Renesmee - Mackenzie Foy #3,700

Riley - Xavier Samuel #2,000

Rosalie - Nikki Reed #4,500

Sam - Chaske Spencer #1,100

Senna - Tracy Heggins #228

Seth - Booboo Stewart #1,300

Stefan - Guri Weinberg #1,000

Sue - Alex Rice #598

Tanya - MyAnna Buring #1,800

Tyler - Gregory Tyree Boyce #830

Victoria - Rachelle Lefevre #668

Victoria 2 - Bryce Dallas Howard #897

Vladimir - Noel Fisher #823

Zafrina - Judith Shekoni #454

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goldeneyedgirl · 2 years

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Late V-Day Space-verse Fic: Better Than Nothing

Six days late, but it's done!

A little Unimaginable Things-verse fic, because I love me some space drama.

Holidays are a quiet thing on the Olympia.

There is Carlisle, who is so augmented and been away from Earth for so long that his classification of ‘human’ feels very much like a technicality. Once, in another life, there were a pair of children whose birthdays were celebrated with much fanfare. But those times had passed.

Edward staunchly refused to celebrate anything, arguing that he is not a person but simply a program. Carlisle still makes sure to buy him huge quantities of music and software around the end of June, without comment.

Rose had little use for the traditional holidays of her people, only bringing them up to ridicule them. Whatever she celebrates, none of them know of it. Emmett celebrates with his family, carefully logging leave three times a year. And Esme’s ceremonies are solemn, uplifting, and intensely private moments.

And few other cultures have holidays like Earth - casual ones propped up with commercialism and novelty. More than once, he’s tried to explain them to his friends, Esme curious but bewildered, Rosalie quietly superior, and Carlisle chuckling in memory.

Alice had been intrigued, never knowing Earth or the little cultural touchstones. Maybe he liked the opportunity to get a little bit closer, explaining those missing common links carefully and greedily soaking in her presence.

But of all the things that left a mark on them, a scar that would never heal clean, neither of them would have ever imagined it would be something as harmless and cliche as February 14.

—

before.

In a perfect world, she wouldn’t have been stranded in Cesset - the capital city of a planet called L’im - for a week straight. It’s a huge, sprawling city divided into sectors; more than half forbidden to tourists, travelers, or anyone without citizenship.

The rain comes down in bright sheets, and she settles in the doorway of a pick-up bay for the night; the last job she took turned into a scuffle and her lens is offline until her appointment with the technician in two days, once the bruising around her eyes heals more. Which means she might have money but no way to use it.

The stoop of the building keeps her out of the rain, and the night is still. She might even be able to snatch some sleep.

She rifles through her pack for something to eat - some half-finished cereal or a protein drink. There’s not much in there - food is so heavy to transport, and street vendors are always better than long-life snacks. But they are handy and the three bars, two gels, and one water will have to see her through.

(Does she think about going to the nearest comms center and getting Carlisle to wire cash onto a card for her, so she can get out of the rain and buy some food, get a bunk to sleep in? The gels are a slimy mass in her mouth as she takes a drag from the sachet, a gooey lump that is hard to swallow and artificially sweet, leaving a film in her mouth. She dismisses the thought of asking Carlisle for help quickly. She’s caused enough trouble. It's only two days. She’s lived through worse.)

Absently, she slides her hand into the back of the pack, searching for her slate. Old-fashioned, cheap, and well-loved, it was the first frivolous thing she’d ever bought herself, loaded with hundreds of books. It might have gotten her enough for a hot meal if she sold it (not a good meal, just one of the oily soups with a few tough cubes of meat that the city favored and sold at every store), but the sentimental part of her couldn’t part with it.

As she pulls it out, she freezes, seeing what is slipped into the front of the cracked cover.

It was an odd thing for her to bring with her, after everything. She doesn’t know why she slipped it into her pack instead of into storage. Maybe to remind her of better times. Or maybe that once, just for a little while, she was loved.

Paper is expensive and hard to come by - most planets use fabric or digital surfaces for art and letters. The planets that do use paper reserve it for books, mostly. It’s not easy to acquire privately. The old newspapers that Carlisle had bundled in storage should have been handed over for some credits but instead, Jasper had cut out squares, had folded them precisely into triangular shapes that had glided when he tossed them out. And she had laughed out loud, delighted as the little creations caught onto the draft leaking in from the departure bay. He had folded two whole sheets of newsprint for her in dozens of paper airplanes of all sizes; had shown her how to fold her own. Something all children on Earth knew how to do, apparently.

(The lie falls easily from her lips - “I was born off-world. I’ve never been to Earth.” But it’s not really a lie. Except she knows he’s picturing a story like his - adventurous parents, a tragedy - so it really is the worst kind of lie.)

All eight of the airplanes are folded flat in one of her boxes. They would be mistaken for trash now, she supposes.

What she kept is small, it fits in the palm of her hand. Rough pink speckled paper - probably bought from an artisan, because it’s too nice to be something that was just found - cut in the shape of a wonky heart. ‘Love you - J’ written on it in red ink.

For a little while, she was loved. That’s why she keeps it. No matter what happens next, she can remind herself that he loved her once. That he cared enough to make her smile.

Carlisle warned her when he arrived. Who he was. What had happened to him. And she thought...

She thought that it was romantic, a forbidden romance that could overcome anything that life threw at them. After all, the Jasper who teased her and bought her drinks and danced with her was sweet, kind, understanding. And Carlisle had smiled at her and let her walk away believing that things would work out and she’d get her happily ever after.

The stupid little Valentine he gave her sits in her hand mocking her, sitting in an old pick-up bay in the rain. She can feel the rain seeping in at the seams of her coat which is a cherry on top of this terrible day; Pro-tex is expensive and hard to track down on this planet, especially in her size. If the water is getting in, it needs replacing.

But it’s better than nothing.

—

after.

Carlisle talks him through Systemic Failure in the first two weeks, even lends him a few texts to go over.

By the end of the first weeks, he’s having nightmares of all kinds. Of finding her dead and cold back in Viltri, her eyes clouded over and the blood gathered under the tissue around her eyes and nose and mouth. Of waking up in a pool of blood as she silently hemorrhages out beside him, blood seeping through her skin. He dreams of her dead on the ground, her insides hollowed out, his father holding him back from her because it was ‘better her than them’.

“This is the one downside of the design of the Synths,” Carlisle sighed, as he looked over the notes he had downloaded from Alice’s lens. “There was a petition to take the earliest sufferers to Earth, to run genetic panels and see if there was something missing, maybe a transplant or donation that could offset the imbalances...something we could correct. We were denied rather forcefully.”

“A donation?” His mouth is dry as the voice in his head volunteers. Blood, bone, tissue, anything she needed.

“Unfortunately, your system has been compromised simply by leaving Earth. We tried with many local humans in the day, and there was nothing they could do for us.” Carlisle frowned, circling something in Alice’s notes. “None of us could supply the donation, and even then, it would take months and years of experimentation...”

She lies behind them in a capsule, wearing surgical modesty garments, green med-patches keeping her eyes closed. Spidery wires and tubes run from multiple arteries and places. She barely looks to be breathing, even though the readout says she is.

The first surgery was a week into her return, a hotspot on her thigh that Rose picked up with the handheld scanner. A thirteen-hour surgery that ended up with her losing more than sixty percent of the bone in her left thigh. Infected and eating away at the surrounding, healthy bone and getting ready to jump into her tissue and bloodstream. Carlisle had replaced the bone with titanium (he’d physically flinched when he heard that; titanium was one of the most expensive medical implants; almost all human implants were done with cheaper Med-fil and needed replacement every ten years. The idea that Carlisle had fucking titanium for surgery made him feel nervous). But the external support - the augmentation - would be waiting for them with the new supply pick-up.

Carlisle reassures him that everything is fine - more serious than he’s used to, but nothing that they cannot get on top of. They’re running her bloods twice daily, to make sure the infection doesn’t spread, and antibiotics feed constantly into her.

(The cost makes him feel sick. Alice will never get on top of this debt and he cannot even help her until his own debts are paid off. He’s got nothing of value to sell, and he just feels sick at what she’s going to wake up to.)

He leaves Carlisle alone in the med-bay when Esme makes dinner, picking at his food, and staying quiet. He’s still lingering over it when Rose and Emmett have cleaned up the kitchen and left, trying to wrap his head around everything.

The chime of his lens brings him out of his maudlin thoughts (he knows what happens to the people with debt they can’t pay off, that after death their bodies are broken down and sold off to recoup what they never managed to pay off. He’s been at those auctions and the idea of knowing the people behind the pieces on the block makes his stomach churn uncomfortably).

Memories: Six Years Ago Today!

The photo flashing up is of him and Alice together in a bar somewhere, cheek to cheek. Her make-up is all red and pink, with a glittery heart next to her eye. There’s a sticky, pinkish outline on his cheek of a kiss.

There’s a wire flower in her hand, iridescent and shaped like a rose and that’s what places him. Valentine’s Day. They’d gone out, she’d remembered the date, and he’d bought her the rose. They’d eaten and drank and come back to the empty ship - everyone else in the dock dorms - and had a rare night together, completely alone.

If his eyes well up at the sight of her, bright and smiling and so very happy, no one else sees.

He feels like an old man as he shuffles his dishes into the washer, as he slips down to the little room near the airlock that Esme keeps for her plants - the ones associated with her faith are in hand-painted pots and kept high so no one touches them. But there are a cluster that are free to use, and he plucks a spring of a flower, a short brown stem with tiny greyish flowers.

It’s easy enough to offer to watch Alice whilst Carlisle gets coffee and stretches his legs. Rosalie’s shift doesn’t start for three more hours, and Carlisle seems grateful for the respite.

Her pale, lifeless face is unchanged, unaware of anything. And he can see the scar near her eyebrow, the one he can’t think about too hard or he’ll remember the worst parts of himself.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Alice.” His voice is barely above a whisper, and he tucks the little stem in between the hinges of the capsule.

There is nothing but shame and regret and grief whenever he’s with her, and bringing such a paltry offering - one no one will ever notice - feels more like an insult.

But it’s better than nothing.

—

Who said V-Day fics had to be happy and romantic? When you can have regret and pining?

Lenses are both an arm and eye implant, and the user can set whether the ‘screen’ appears on their arm or over their vision. When Alice got punched in the face on a job, it definitely fucked up her lens.

Esme’s species is very plant-and-nature focused, and that is evident in their faith. I’m still figuring out her full backstory, because she and Carlisle are very much in love but agreeing its a bad idea and they need to remain friends.

Alice’s slate would essentially be an old Kindle type device without internet access.

I am at a crossroads with where to take this verse. Both versions are valid and good, but have different outcomes. I will continue to contemplate it.

I don't think I've mentioned it in-verse, but Carlisle is not Edward and Edythe's biological father.

I am having a good time with the world-building in this verse.

#jalice #twilight fic #alice cullen #jasper hale #the twilight saga #my fic: better than nothing #my fic: unimaginable things #space-verse #i think we need a one-shot with maria and peter and charlotte #just a thought for the future #prison break? maybe so #haven't even introduced the pack or bella

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sailsonthehorizon · 2 years

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A micro-adventure photo shoot in the Yorkshire Dales

The station at Horton-in-Ribblesdale. It was a very monochrome kind of day but the colours are still quite vibrant. Love shooting on film! Pentax MV / Kodak Gold 400

The biking back story

I used to absolutely love mountain biking. My sister introduced me to the sport as a way of keeping fit, just after I realised that something evil was afoot regarding my health. Loved it. Turns out I am a total speed freak mud junkie, and it was with a very heavy heart the mtb went into the shed, reluctantly discarded for a hybrid ebike.

It’s a lovely machine, but to me it represents what I can’t do rather than what I can - especially as the distances are slowly but surely reducing down to around 8km-10km a week and counting. Backwards.

Anyway. To break the monotony of the ‘from the doorstep’ routes I had the idea of taking my e-bike on the train. A blindingly obvious idea, seeing as I live on the infamously scenic Settle to Carlisle Railway.

For those not in the know, this line is among the best known rail journeys in the UK, and easily one of the most scenic. It stretches 73 miles (117km) from Settle in Yorkshire, crosses the dramatically beautiful Pennines - the ‘roof of England’ - and ends at Carlisle in Cumbria.

More info here, for those that need it: The Settle & Carlisle Railway Trust

Pentax MV / Kodak Gold 400

Disappointing the Strava Gods

The 12.34 train from Kirkby Stephen arrived at Horton-in-Ribblesdale about half an hour later. It was cold, REALLY cold. Drizzly. Almost wished I hadn’t bothered to be honest. A quick squint at Google Maps took me a mile down the road to the (lovely) Middle Studfold Farm tea rooms, where I refuelled my enthusiasm with food.

The Dales village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, even on a grey day, is undeniably stunning. Not much was open, which is to be expected in February, but there wasn’t much to be open even in summer. It’s a perfect destination for cyclists, walkers and peace-seekers who find the nearby Lake District just a bit too hot to handle when the holiday crowds descend.

I kept the route short, around 7km in total, and stuck to exploring some of the tiny back lanes in search of some nice photography moments. Hardest part was trying to turn a blind eye to the absolutely perfect mtb terrain…

I used to get pointlessly upset about my decreasing Strava kudos. Mercifully I’ve managed to cut myself some slack on this, I now no longer feel I have to appease the Gods of Strava and worry about those little pixellated trophies. Chasing QoM is yet another Thing I’ve allocated to the mental storage unit of ‘You Did It, Though’.

Pentax MV / Ilford HP5 and Kodak Gold 400

All the photos in this blog were taken - through necessity - from the roadside, but perhaps it goes to show you don’t always have to hike off the beaten path.

The Ribblehead Viaduct

For the benefit of Ribblehead Viaduct newbies, it is the most impressive structure on the Settle-Carlisle Railway, and was constructed between 1869 and 1874.

Pentax MV / Kodak Gold 400

The day after this mini adventure I was disappointingly very sore indeed, tragic Strava stats to one side I’m very glad I didn’t try anything fancier. I’ve promised myself I’ll bring the bike back to the Settle-to-Carlisle line in warmer weather, maybe hop off at Ribblehead Viaduct. Even if at that point I’m down to 5km, 3km, 1km or hobbling off the train with a picnic, it’s still better than not going at all.

Til next time folks, peace out.

#Film Is Not Dead #Photography #35mm #35mm Film #Film Photography #No Filter #PentaxMV #Embrace The Grain #B&W #B&W Photography #Colour Photography #Photo Blog #Yorkshire Dales #railway history

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storagecarlisle · 1 year

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Hello from Storage Carlisle®

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Of course, our standard 20 foot units as seen in the above video of a very popular choice as they represent spectacular value for money. They can also not only on the contents of an average sized three bedroom house, but they can hold 30 ton in weight which is simply phenomenal.

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This article was written in October 2023 by our in-house team.

#self storage #furniture storage #container storage #storage carlisle #carlisle storage #Video of storage container

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your-lock-your-key · 1 year

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Looking for Storage ?

You might be based in the Scottish Borders, around Annan, Gretna and The Borders which lies within minutes of our extensive self storage facility in Carlisle, Cumbria.

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typingtess · 2 years

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NCIS: Los Angeles Season 13 Rewatch: "Pandora's Box"

The basics: A robbery at an art storage facility is connected to Katya.

Written by: Chad Mazero & Lee A. Carlisle

Chad Mazero co-wrote “Internal Affairs”, “Revenge Deferred” and “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” and “The Noble Maidens”. Wrote “Tidings We Bring”, “Can I Get a Witness”, “All Is Bright”, “Diamond in the Rough”, “High Society”, “Murder of Crows”, "Overdue" and "Sorry for Your Loss".

Lee A. Carlisle wrote or co-wrote “Golden Days”, “Reentry”, “Into the Breach”, “Concours D’Elegance”, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and "Sundown".

Directed by: Daniela Ruah directed "Russia, Russia, Russia" and "Lost Soldier Down".

Guest stars of note: Both Beckett Gunderson as Young Callen and Duncan Campbell as NCIS Special Agent Castor return from “Bonafides”. Nicky Endres returns from “Provenance” in season 11 as Kim Cho. Kavi Ramachandran Ladnier joins the show as NCIS Reserve Agent Shyla Dahr. Gildart Jackson as Gerard Dupont, Adam Lustick as Hieronymus, Josie Nivar as Pilar, Czarina Mada as Elena Maldonado, Christine Horn as Elliot Reynolds, Aaron Coleman as Ross and Samantha Gangal as Teenage Girl.

Our heroes: Solve a heist.

What important things did we learn about:

Callen: Applied for the warrant and was deepfaked into its delay. Sam: Once again tending to his father. Kensi: Disappointed Rosa was not at the immigration facility when she and Deeks visited. Deeks: Watched vampire and zombie movies to bond with Rosa. Fatima: Working with Callen today. Rountree: Jealous of Shyla. Kilbride: Lied to his son about there being no monsters in this world

What not so important things did we learn about:

Callen: Drives sitting down. Sam: Absent. Kensi: Not Keith. Deeks: Ab-normcore. Fatima: Bad at restraining Dupont. Rountree: Tried small-talk with Kilbride at the coffee machine. Kilbride: Has gluten issues.

Where in the world is Henrietta Lange? Not a mention of Hetty but Callen’s Hetty-led Noble Maiden’s past ends the episode.

Who's down with OTP: Kensi and Deeks are working so hard to be foster parents and so hard to not live and die with every twist and turn in that journey.

Who's down with BrOTP: In one episode, the Rountree and the Admiral go from being a well-oiled machine working together to a lot of uncomfortable silences.

Fashion review: Callen is wearing a blue plaid button-down shirt. Sam isn’t around. Kensi has on a sweater that that is dark green about 10% down from the top with , down with of grey and pink before becoming off-white. The color distribution is reflected in the sleeves. Deeks is wearing a grey sweater. Pale blue oversized coat for Fatima with an aquamarine turtleneck. Rountree is wearing a pink sweater because on this show, pink was the color of choice for Deeks and Rountree this season. Charcoal grey three-piece suit for the Admiral with a crisp white dress shirt and a blue and red tie.

Music: “Oh Baby” by LCD Soundsystem is playing as Kensi and Deeks sit with Pilar.

Any notable cut scene: Again, more extended scenes.

After Callen and Fatima speak to Maldonado for the first time, they discuss the delivery and the plumbers showing up at the same time. Callen wonders if the plumbing company and the delivery company teamed up for the heist.

As Kensi and Deeks wait in the Admiral’s office, they talk about the only reason he’d call them in. Kensi sarcastically thinks he going to tell them they are doing a great job in an act of workplace transparency. Deeks thinks they are getting fired in the mahogany aquarium. Kensi can’t think of a reason he’d fire them unless he has a reason to fire them. Deeks will be fine since he always has the “solace of the ocean”. The Admiral arrives.

After the Rountree-Kilbride gluten-free fried chicken spot scene, Rountree runs into Shyla in the hall. She thinks he’s in a good mood. He denies that, “I’m not in a good mood. You’re in a good mood.”

Quote: Kilbride: “If this is what Katya went through, no wonder she turned out how she did. But why'd she want something like this back so bad? Hell, why keep it in the first place?” Callen: “Blackmail? Motivation for revenge? I'll send it to the lab, make sure we didn't miss anything.” Kilbride: “You know, my son could never sleep as a child. The dark. I lost count of the number of nights I spent trying to convince him that monsters aren't real. Worst part about this job …knowing it is a lie.”

Anything else: At an art storage facility, a female staffer is accepting a delivery of yet another balloon dog art piece. The art is a in a large wooden box. As the staffer directs the delivery company where to put the box, she gets a call. The plumbers are there. She asks the delivery man to unpack the box. Keeping his face obscured with a baseball cap and his head down, the delivery man is happy to help.

Opening the crate, there is no balloon dog art, there are two men wearing black from their ski masked covered heads to their boots. Both men immediately takes out the security camera. The delivery man orders his accomplices to “grab what you can” as the two run wild through the facility. The delivery man has special equipment – he’s stealing something in particular while the others are really just grabbing what they can.

Closing up the crate with the stolen goods and his accomplices inside, the delivery man almost makes a clean getaway when a male staffer from the facility stops him. The delivery man tries to explain that he was there to drop something off and to pick something up but without the proper paperwork, the male staffer needs to check out the crate. The driver shoots the male staffer in the shoulder instead. In decent shape, the male staffer is able to call for help on his two-way radio.

In the office, the Admiral is making his way to the coffee area. Rountree follows. The Admiral is not particularly pleased to be in LA. While the two listen to the coffee brew, Rountree tries some small talk. The Admiral is making a “concerted effort to forgive” him for that. As he leaves without his coffee, the Admiral starts talking to a woman who will bring him his coffee. Walking past Rountree, she notes he’s sort of Admiral Kill-joy before his morning coffee.

Rountree asks who she is and the woman replies Shyla Dahr, the Admiral’s new assistant, “sort of.” Rountree was unaware that Kilbride had an assistant. Shyla explains she was sent out by the Director to help the Admiral. Shyla doesn’t understand why Kilbride is anti-LA. Washington DC is “all backstabbing all the time”. In LA, you can fit in a Pilates class between betrayals. Rountree notices a box Shyla has. It is a humidor full of cigars. Rountree didn’t know the Admiral smoked cigars. Shyla thinks he should get to know Kilbride better.

In Ops, Fatima is having a tough conversation with someone who isn’t being helpful. Ending that conversation with “Warm thanks for nothing,” Fatima takes a call from Callen, asking if they have a case. Fatima tells him about the robbery at Crusciel & Crusciel, the art storage facility. Before Callen’s call, Fatima was talking to people at Crusciel & Crusciel and they weren’t helpful. With a lot of wealthy and powerful clients, Callen knows they will do everything in their power to keep the robbery quiet.

Fatima thinks it can’t be a coincidence the at facility was robbed just as Callen was getting a warrant for Katya’s storage space. Callen thinks this gets them into the facility without a warrant – it is a crime scene. Callen is on his way to Crusciel & Crusciel while Fatima tries to learn more about what happened. Fatima is about to contact Sam but once again, Sam is out of town tending to his father. Fatima asks if everything is OK. Callen isn’t sure but he’s good on handling this alone.

At an Immigration Center, a worried Kensi arrives with Deeks. She’s concerned that Rosa won’t want to talk anymore. Deeks has a back-up plan, binging as many vampire, zombie and sorcerer movies as he could find. Elliot Reynolds, Rosa’s case manager, approaches Kensi and Deeks. Rosa is out of the facility and living with an aunt in Barstow. Reynolds wanted to call Kensi – she and Deeks made arrangements two weeks ago to see Rosa – but is overwhelmed with cases. Kensi asks if Rosa is going to be OK. With a good case for asylum and family in the US, Rosa is going to be about as OK as it gets for someone who survived her trip to America Reynolds replies.

In the burn room, a stunned Rountree tells Fatima about the Admiral having an assistant. Checking out Shyla, Rountree learned while she technically works for Leon Vance, she is also an NSA Analyst. The two start back to Ops. As Rountree is talking, the Admiral walks up with Shyla for introductions. Fatima invites both the Admiral and Shyla into Ops to review their current case.

The start to the robbery security video from the storage facility shows what happened in the teaser. The team is running the delivery man through facial rec to get an ID. While the Admiral thinks it is a sad day for the art world – and he actually doesn’t think that – he wants to know why NCIS is involved. Art is used by criminals to finance crime and terrorism. Also, Katya was storing something there.

Shyla is aware of Katya as the “sociopathic powder keg with a murderous appetite for love?” The Admiral feels she’s more a “giant pain in my ass”. Crusciel & Crusciel will only provide client numbers for the crates, not the names of the clients or what’s inside. Katya’s crate was one of the ones stolen according to the crate number on the invoice Callen found in Katya’s safe deposit box. Rountree suspects Katya has someone in with the feds since she probably knew about the warrant. With the deepfake technology, Fatima thinks Katya could have posed as anyone to get information from the feds about the warrant. Shyla has been read into all the Katya deepfake business. So these three were either the unluckiest thieves ever or Katya is pulling out all the stops to get her stuff back.

When Fatima arrives at the art storage facility, she finds Callen is already there. With Shyla in Ops, Fatima is free to help Callen. He found nothing in Katya’s vault. Fatima is stuck on how the thieves wound up alone in the facility. Callen is stuck on that too. They approach Elena Maldonado, the woman who walked in with the delivery man earlier that morning. Maldonado already spoke to LAPD – one second she was taking a delivery, the next Ross is shot and everything is gone.

Noting that Maldonado was the only one registering new items that morning, Fatima wants to know if it was normal to leave a delivery man alone in the vault. It isn’t the right way to do things but they are understaffed and their bathrooms were underwater. When the plumbers arrived with the delivery people, she had to make a choice. Since the plumbers gave her a window for their arrival, she didn’t know they were coming at the same time as the delivery. While looking through her bag for something to calm her down, Maldonado has had enough – she has a board meeting in 20-minutes, a client call after that and she really needs a valium.

In the fishbowl, the Admiral walks in with Kensi and Deeks waiting for him. Kensi asks why they are there and is told by the Admiral that’s he’s old. He doesn’t want to chase the team around the office like a groupie for the Grateful Dead. Kensi and Deeks are up to speed on the case and since Katya can’t just sell the stolen art at a different gallery, the Admiral is looking for Kensi to get in touch with Kim Cho, her contact in the “off-market” artworld. Castor is going to bring Cho to the boatshed. Deeks talks about the wood in the Admiral’s office before realizing it is time to go. “Toodles!”

Both Rountree and Shyla are getting the runaround. He’s getting it from Maldonado’s plumbers, Shyla from the person holding the account to bring the fake box in to the storage facility. Shyla is sure the client is fake. Facial rec still has nothing on the delivery man. Shyla, however, knows why the warrant was on hold. “Callen” called the judge and asked her to hold the warrant until a related case is solved. Katya used a deep fake to delay the warrant.

Kensi and Deeks walk into the boatshed where Castor has Kim Cho. Cho recognizes Kensi as Keith, her former undercover persona and wonders who the normcore with her is. Kensi explains she’s a fed and normcore Deeks is her partner. Deeks considers himself ab-normcore. While unhappy they were played, Cho respects how Kensi worked. Kensi asks Cho for help. They ask if helping will put them in danger. Kensi assure Cho it will not. Cho seems disappointed.

Reviewing that happened at Crusciel & Crusciel (“C&C Art Factory” according to Cho), Deeks asks if Cho can help trace the art. Cho is not sure why Kensi and Deeks are asking for their help. Kensi reminds Cho that they did exactly that on the last case they worked. And if he doesn’t help again, they’ll have him arrested. “I hate you both and I love it,” Cho tells Kensi and Deeks before starting to help them.

Fatima has the unhappy task of telling Callen about the deepfake situation with the judge. “She’ll never stop,” Fatima worries aloud. Not if NCIS can make her stop, according to Callen. Whatever was in the vault was really important – personal. By delaying the warrant, Katya was able to buy herself some time to put together a crew to pull off the robbery since she could never show up. Rountree calls with news. After speaking to the plumbers, Rountree learned that Maldonado set-up the time for the work to be done, not the other way around. She paid double to make sure the plumbers would arrive. Maldonado gets on a big elevator to leave. Fatima and Callen follow. “Going down?” Maldonado asks. “One of us is,” Fatima replies.

Marching Maldonado to a far part of the vault area, Callen and Fatima accuse her of lying to them. Maldonado says she is under so much pressure – she’s responsible for the millions of dollars-worth of art by her pay is a joke. “I’m barely scraping by.” Callen asks about Katya but Maldonado was hired by “some guy” with $15,000. She stopped asking questions when she got the money. Her description of the “some guy” was Callen’s age, French – sexy French not angry French – with piercing blue eye. Callen finds that not very helpful.

Cho works the phones in the boatshed. They can’t find anything for sale. Kensi and Deeks thinks they came up dry but Cho disagrees – if what was stolen isn’t for sale. Whoever has the art is either sitting on it or it isn’t for sale. Either way, Kensi and Deeks will have to wait. When Fatima texts Kensi and Deeks the description of the man who paid Maldonado, Cho has someone who fits the bill – Gerard Dupont. Dupont was out of the game according to the scuttlebutt Cho heard. When Kensi asks if Cho knows where Dupont is, Cho reminds Kensi who is the federal agent.

In his office, the Admiral is going on about war and the money spent on the fight and that fight being the reason generations have gotten out of bed every day. Having survived bullets, bayonets and other artillery, the Admiral tells his doctor he can survive gluten. Rountree arrives for the end of the call. Kaleidoscope followed the van from the vault but lost it when it went into a tunnel. Kaleidoscope 2.0, however, was able to figure out the van driver switched with another vehicle. That vehicle is now behind a building downtown so Callen and Fatima are on their way.

Shyla has a lot on Dupont for Kensi and Deeks. In broad daylight, Dupont committed over 50 heists, all without violence. Dupont tried to steal a statuette of Mercury from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Belgium and was caught. Sentenced to five years in prison, Dupont served three and moved to LA to be near his daughter and her husband. Dupont just became a grandfather.

While never arrested for anything in LA, Dupont is a person of interest in a number of art theft cases including the successful heist of the statuette of Mercury. He’s been questioned but let go. Deeks wants to know if Dupont steals for profit or as an addiction. Shyla has an address so Kensi and Deeks are on their way. Cho thinks it all sounds so dangerous. Kensi tells Cho the only thing that’s dangerous in their future is Castor’s barely suppressed road rage. Castor feels it isn’t his fault that nobody in LA can drive.

In her tactical gear, Fatima enters the shop where the van was found. She sees a man in the back of the shop who makes a run for the back door. That’s where Callen is waiting. Fatima recognizes the man – it is Gerald Dupont/the delivery man.

Handcuffed by Fatima, Dupont is asked about Crusciel & Crusciel. Dupont knows they are a high end art storage company. Fatima asks if that’s why he stopped by that morning. Dupont claims to only know about them by reputation. Telling Dupont a highly-skilled Frenchman robbed the place that morning, Fatima sees Dupont take off his handcuffs and suggest Gerard Depardieu as a possible culprit. Fatima is stunned and not about Depardieu. Explaining there is always an escape, Dupont assures Fatima that handcuffs cannot hold him. Fatima has zip ties and uses them.

Callen returns. He did not find the stolen art. While not denying his past, Dupont tells Callen and Fatima that he’s been in the shop all day. He’s helping the owners open a pottery shop. Callen pulls out a pair of overalls that looks a lot like the one the delivery man was wearing. Dupont asks to see the jacket and puts out his hand. Fatima swears she double-checked Dupont was secured.

Dupont says they are generic overalls – thousands of them are floating around the city. Fatima now has duct tape. Callen brings up the male staffer – the dock master – who will survive his gunshot wound. He could ID the man who shot him. Fatima brings up Dupont’s past again – he never used a gun in the past. Dupont sticks to his story.

Pulling up to Dupont’s home, Kensi and Deeks have a warrant to go in. Inside the house is a lot of art all over every flat space.

Rountree updates the Admiral that Dupont isn’t talking and that Kensi and Deeks haven’t found much in his home. The Admiral doesn’t really thinks that’s an update. As he doesn’t leave, Rountree says “Pikunico”. The Admiral answers “bless you” (which is funny). Pikunico is a Japanese fried chicken place that is gluten-free. “Just as good as the real thing” and that means a lot coming from Rountree, a guy who grew up in Texas. The Admiral threatens to end Rountree if he shares the gluten diagnosis with anyone. “The last thing I need is for anyone to think this city has gone to my head.” He then thanks a departing Rountree.

At Dupont’s home, Kensi is angry. Dupont had no issue getting into the US as a convicted criminal but Rosa, who was a victim of a crime, is fighting to stay while locked up in a shelter. While Kensi and Deeks are talking, Deeks notices a hat on a little statuette. It is the stolen Mercury. Holding up a photo of Dupont’s daughter and grandchild, Kensi thinks they can leverage them to get him to cooperate or be sent back.

Claiming he picked up the Mercury statuette at a garage sale in Reseda, Dupont is still trying to get out of his duct tape handcuffs. Five years and an early release is a kind sentence but the Dutch government may not be as kind to a repeat offender. And of course it would be Belgium prison, taking him out of the life of his child and grandchild. Cooperation means he could stay with his family.

Dupont said he was a middleman in the robbery. He was hired by a woman named Irina Feodorovna. Callen confirms that is one of Katya’s aliases. Dupont was given very specific instructions on what vault to hit. Asked what he stole, Dupont said it was nothing he recognized. Asked where it was, Dupont is evasive. He admits that Katya was thinking small. He made a better deal. Callen tries to explain to Dupont just how tough Katya is.

Dupont give up the buyer, who uses the name “Hieronymus”. Callen wants Dupont to set up a meet with Callen playing a possible buyer. When Dupont tells Callen that Hieronymus would not just meet with Callen, Callen decided he would meet with Callen and Dupont. Rountree will be teamed with Fatima. He’ll also bring a suit for Callen to wear.

A suited Callen and Dupont go into a warehouse to meet Hieronymus. Fatima and Rountree are set-up in the roach coach. Callen goes in as Mr. Carl. Hieronymus is surprised to see Dupont so soon. Dupont agrees. Fatima warns Callen that the meet won’t be a private one. It isn’t – it is an auction. Crypto only. As a friendly warning, Hieronymus tells Callen to be aggressive. He expects big sales.

In the roach coach, Fatima and Rountree run facial rec on the others at the auction. Gang and drug cartel members are there. Rountree asks if they should move in but the Admiral has them hold off. Callen really hasn’t seen any of the art. The REACT Team is 15-minutes out, Kensi and Deeks are behind them.

As the auction begins, Dupont doesn’t recognize any of the art from the vault. One of the buyers calls the art “rubbish”. Hieronymus says one of the pieces is counterfeit. Dupont realizes he’s been exposed and starts with leave with Callen in tow. Pulling a weapon, Hieronymus stops them. He thinks it is odd that Dupont showed up at the auction with a complete stranger after trying to pass off “rubbish” as great art. At this point Rountree yells federal agents and all hell breaks loose. Callen wrestles the gun away from Hieronymus. Fatima jumps one of the bodyguards while Rountree ends a shootout by dropping some fancy rugs on the shooter.

The REACT Team gets most of the fleeing buyers. Dupont, however, disappeared. Callen hopes for they catch him before Katya finds him. Asking LAPD to bring Hieronymus over, Callen wants to know which piece was from Katya’s vault. None of them were – what was in the vault was worthless. He tossed it with the crating. Callen finds a film reel marked “Pembrooke”.

Back at the Immigration Center, Kensi and Deeks wait for Elliot Reynolds, who called them back with news. Reynolds arrives – Rosa is fine – but Rosa gave one of the other young girls something for Kensi. Pilar arrives with a Rosa’s gift, a Muñeca quitapena. It is a worry doll. They are made in the town in Guatemala where Pilar and Rosa grew up. That common background helped them become friends when they were at the Center.

Holding the doll, Pilar explains that if Kensi tells her troubles to the doll, it will help solve her problems. Pilar brought hers from home but lost it on the trip. Kensi offers Pilar the doll instead. Pilar asks Kensi if Rosa was telling the truth, that she was a superhero. Kensi smiles for the first time in the episode. Deeks is smiling too. Deeks explains on a slow day that Kensi can do what Superman does. Kensi and Deeks asks Pilar if she wants to hang out. She would like that. Pilar just saw a vampire-sorcerer-werewolf movie and Deeks has opinions.

With Dupont in the wind, Shyla put some protection on his daughter and grandchild in case Katya wants revenge. The Admiral is grateful for Shyla’s help. Shyla pushed the Admiral – he’s been in LA long enough that he doesn’t hate all of it. “Well, that will be a cold day in hell.” Seeing Callen in Hetty’s office, the Admiral sends Shyla on her way.

Loading up the projector, Callen and the Admiral watch what Katya stored so securely. Four teenage Noble Maiden are on the screen. When directed, one punches another before the other girls join in on pounding the one girl. When the beating knocks the girl to the ground, she’s ordered to stand up and take some more. She does.

The Admiral turns off the projector. This treatment goes a long way to explain how Katya wound up being the way she is. What he doesn’t understand is why she protected it so zealously. Why didn’t she burn it? Callen isn’t sure. Blackmail, maybe motivation for revenge. The Admiral remembers his son as child being afraid of monsters. While the Admiral assured the boy there were no monsters in this world, he knew he was lying.

After the Admiral leaves, Callen watches some more. He flashes back to being hit when he failed at an assignment he was given as Subject 17. He was called “17 and told the same thing the young women were told in the video – “pain is just a state of mind.”

What head canon can be formed from here: Not much of an episode. Shyla is a keeper but beyond that, it was a generic case and not a very good one. The personal scenes – Kensi and Deeks at the Immigration Center – were fine but nothing great here.

The Rountree-Kilbride scenes were weird. They were in near perfect sync in “Bonafides” but here it was awkward for no real reason. When did Rountree, who seems to only care about his sister, his job and sports – in that order – suddenly get interested in office gossip, chatting and managing up?

The final speech about monsters from Kilbride is another reminder on why this program has thrived with older actors who just bring so much weight to scenes like this. Linda Hunt is irreplicable but Gerald McRaney was the perfect addition.

Episode number: This is episode 14 of season 13. It is the 294th episode of the season

#NCIS: Los Angeles Rewatch #NCIS: LA #NCIS: Los Angeles #NCIS Los Angeles #ncis la

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