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jacoboh · 9 months

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𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞: 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞-𝐨𝐟𝐟. **

mentioned: dante kidd, adee hayag (@adeehayag), sawyer winston, azra nadir, theo astor, bianca alvares, sarah oh (@sarahoh), charlotte oh (@charlotteoh), katherine russell (@katherinefms), toby rivers, dominic davis (@dominicdavis), efe sahin, derin kaplan, lucia carerra, verity calma (@veracalma)

trigger warnings: death, murder, blood, dismemberment

JULY 6TH, 2023

The last time Jake remembers feeling at ease was after Adee had left the beach, and he’d been alone with Dante to cut off a body part of his choosing and clean up his own mess. He’d played one of his songs on his phone for a minute before quickly turning it off, not wanting to ruin his happiness with garbage. Jake’s eyes flickered to Dante’s ears that night, thinking that he’d never listen to the thing he clearly loved most ever again.

He misses Dante, or at least the dead version of him that brought him a sense of peace that night, because it’s beginning to feel like the monster he ignited in Adee is going off the rails, cleaning up her mess on the same night when he’d seen Sawyer dead and stabbed outside of Siren’s. It was a hassle more than anything, having to clean up her mess and knowing it would upset his girlfriend more than he’d planned for. Jake didn’t care for Sawyer, but she was a piece of the puzzle that had been violently removed by Adee. The following attack on Azra weeks later does nothing to absolve Jake of his annoyance, and it makes him feel out of control once again.

Truthfully, Jake would have been ready to stop the night Dante died. His plan worked, and he’d ruined her beyond saving. But Adee seemed to be kill-hungry and erratic, and Jake didn’t plan on getting caught somehow because she couldn’t keep it together. He’d give her what she wants, just as long as he remained in control.

Theo and Bianca were more out of convenience than anything. He didn’t have anything against either of them, and he hadn’t bothered to ask why Adee wanted to kill Theo. The only thing he knew about the other was his attachment to Jake’s younger sister, Sarah. But after spending a couple hours with the guy, even if Theo was unconscious and battered, he decided she could do better. The kid didn’t seem to be the brightest, and maybe Jake could warm up to the idea of Toby and Sarah getting together. His best friend was miles better for his innocent sister than a washed up, milf-chasing model.

As for Bianca, it truly was random. He’d seen her alone after knowing Adee was going after Theo, and he took the opportunity. Jake had hoped by kidnapping them that Adee’s problem could be controlled, and she could take out her anger on either option instead of making his life difficult. He’d sat back and watched her have her fun before being the one to stab her in the neck and take her out of her misery. After all, would either really want to live through what they’d been through?

The downside of this is dealing with Sarah, his least favorite of his two siblings. Charlotte had at least been kind, despite her shortcomings. To Jake, she'd always been more reliable, more level-headed even if it was clear she was a mess. But his younger sister was a nuisance, and every problem she had become his problem too. It was exhausting, and maybe it was why he couldn't bring himself to care when he'd helped kill her best friend and potential boyfriend. Maybe he'd spare Kyle given the chance, save his older, better sister from becoming worse than she already was. One unbearable sibling was enough.

The only movement on either side of the room was the two pools of blood growing larger, no cries or screams of pain heard, allowing Jake to leave back on the table of the abandoned building he’d spent a day cleaning up beforehand, and look over at Adee. She was a mess, just like she usually was, except this time, there wasn’t any sense of annoyance or anger towards her.

He hated when she cried, he hated that it made her look ugly and pathetic. Jake preferred her like this, covered in blood with a certain look in her eyes that he'd only recognized by looking in a mirror. Maybe it was why a sense of desire came over him, why he'd grabbed her by the waist and kissed her so intensely. Why he didn't want to stop, and why suddenly he was slipping his hand under her clothes and ripping them off in the next moment. Maybe it was because he saw himself in her that he'd crossed a dangerous line, impulsive thoughts getting the best of him in the moment and gaining a sick sense of pleasure from cheating on his girlfriend and screwing someone with two dead bodies mere feet away from them.

He was the good guy. The loyal boyfriend. The protective brother.

Except he wasn't really any of that.

A foot for the fallen dancer. And the head of the one who used his looks to get through life.

JULY 11TH, 2023

Things were supposed to be fine now. Jake had figured things would calm down, that the repercussions of his own actions wouldn’t come back to bite him. He knew he’d ruined Adee, he just wasn’t sure how bad it would get. After their hookup, and after the search party finds Theo’s head and Bianca’s foot, he’s ready to put an end to his fun, even though he secretly enjoys the look of horror that crosses over every person’s face in town. He’s ready to end things with Adee, whatever it was, and be loyal to Kat again. She meant too much to him to give her up for another girl that he only really held any attraction towards when she looked completely insane. Adee wasn’t Kat, and she’d never be. If she acted out again, it was the planner, the methodical side to himself that knew he’d frame her for it all. Half of the town already looked at her like she was the delusional homewrecker already, so he knew it’d be easy.

Jake plans to remain intact, to not fall apart and to remember how to be normal again after his couple months of fun. He might be crazy, but he’s not insane. He’s not her.

And maybe that’s why he doesn’t expect her to cross the very line he crossed too many times, for Adee to take something that mattered to him away. The relaxed expression on his face remains as he pulls out his phone to see a text from her. A surprise. Just like he’d had for her. But he doesn’t account for her taking his game, for using his slight weaknesses against him. He doesn’t think about that much happening as he drives back up to the trails, where all of this began in the first place. Jake doesn’t believe Adee is that smart, that insane to test him like this. But maybe the part of him he’d seen in her was bigger than he realized.

Because the last person he expects to see at her feet is his best friend.

He glances silently between Adee’s sick, deranged smile and the body of the man he’d known since he was a kid. And somewhere in between processing the truth, Jake broke inside.

Love wasn’t something he knew. Deep down, he knew he couldn’t love anyone, that his mind didn’t process the emotion, that as much as he pretended, most of his feelings weren’t genuine. But over the years, Jake had created his own version of love. His own version of what it meant to care about someone, even if it was purely attachment and obsession. It was easy to care about someone when you saw them as a part of you. His sisters. His girlfriend. His best friend. After pretending for so long, he couldn’t help but feel attached to them, and being in control of what was happening in town had put him at ease, because he knew none of them would be taken from him. But she took Toby. His best friend. His brother.

Toby Rivers was his first obsession. Long before Kat, and long before Adee. Jake knew his best friend had faults, that he was significantly poorer than Jake, that he wasn’t the smartest guy ever, and that he’d definitely developed a savior complex over the course of his life. But he’d been someone who Jake thought the world of. It’s why he hated Tucker, and why he hated every single person that had a bad word to say about him too. With the exception of Kat, of course. Toby was one of the few weaknesses Jake had, one of the few people that showed he was capable of genuinely caring about someone besides himself. And Adee had taken that away.

He wishes he had a knife, that he could kill her right here and be done with it all, but instead, he’s left to look at her ugly smile as he grabs the lifeless body of his best friend. “Go.” He doesn’t look at her, rage and anger already beginning to burn at his core and his hand shaking under Toby’s back. All the fun he was having is gone, and he can’t stand the idea of her being around him right now.

It’s far too late, nobody around the trail or even the main road at this hour, and Jake is left alone to take care of his best friend’s body. He hates the way he feels right now, the way he shakes and his breaths are unsteady. Jake is beginning to feel out of control all over again, knowing he’d let Adee get out of his grasp after pushing her too far. But his mind isn’t focused on what to do about her, how to get rid of her right now, because he’s looking at his best friend and trying not to fall apart. It’s why he cleans Toby up, thinking that although he can’t change what happened, he doesn’t want one of the few people he held close to him to be seen in such a disgusting light. Covered in blood and wounded.

He doesn’t mind the silence of every other dead body he’s chopped up and cleaned, but he hates the quiet right now. After a while, he can no longer take his time, picking Toby’s body up and leaving him at the sidewalk to be found. Jake gets back in his car, the blood of the other stained on parts of his hands and as he pauses to look at it, the hurt he once felt is replaced by a familiar emotion. Anger. Uncontrolled, unbridled anger. He wants everyone else to feel the way he feels right now.

Right now, in the dead of night and hours before they’d find Toby’s body, he wants to kill the first person he sees.

JULY 12TH, 2023

It hasn’t been 24 hours since he’d last seen Toby, but the wheels of his brain have been continuing to turn nonstop since he’d gotten home, even if he wasn’t speaking much. He’d pushed Charlotte away. He’d let Kat be there for him, even if there weren’t any tears and if he’d mainly focused on the way her body felt warm against his to keep himself calm. But he had to get out, making some excuse later that night and going to Medusa. He normally hated the loud music, and the way it was always so crowded because it was hard to focus, hard to think. But right now, he felt like drinking away the dangerous, uncontrolled thoughts in his mind instead of giving them too much weight.

If it hadn’t been for Dominic, and the way their fight set him off, maybe he would’ve gone home and swallowed down the anger. Instead, he left Medusa bloodied and bruised, driving half drunk to the next available bar in the town even though it was far too late for it to be open still. The place was empty, and his mind lingered on the idea of letting some steam out. Jake leaned over and grabbed the knife he had in his glove compartment, taking out the knife he’d used on Tucker weeks ago, free of the other's blood and sterilized the same night, and a pair of disposable gloves. He looks out through tinted windows as the remaining bartenders leave, and it’s just the owner that remains.

Jake doesn’t bother to say anything when he sees Efe, doesn’t bother to hide his face even when the other’s back is turned to him. He doesn’t bother to check the mess he’s made as he stabs Efe over and over again. He let out a sigh of relief, feeling at ease for just a moment. At the other’s pleas, he grins. Why are you doing this? Jake grabs him by the shirt and sends a knife into his stomach. “Because I can,” he lets out, before leaning down to his fallen body and slitting his throat.

He’s covered in Efe’s blood, picking himself up off the ground and taking his knife with him. He’s ready to go home, until he sees Derin by his car. It’s unfortunate that two people happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, because even if Derin can’t see him yet, Jake won’t entertain the possibility of being seen like this. He won’t entertain the possibility of him living to say a word.

There isn’t any hesitation as he sticks his bloodied knife into Derin’s back, pushing him onto the ground to make things easier. Anyone could see him right now, out in public and killing the other right by Deadlights. Jake told himself that as enjoyable as this moment was, he had to be quick. Each stab was quick and harsh, aiming for the man’s stomach and chest as blood pooled around the two. He’s too upset to think about cleaning his mess up, dragging Derin’s lifeless body next to Efe’s to be found in the morning. There’s a trail of blood everywhere he walks and it’s covering the interior of his car as he slips back inside, driving away to get himself and his car cleaned up.

JULY 22ND, 2023, ELEVEN PM

The last thing he wants is to be at this awful engagement party. Mei was an idiot, and from how he’d been seeing Levi act since the night began, it seemed as if his intelligence only applied to his business. Everyone was happy, or at least pretending to be and it pissed him off, because hadn’t people died only weeks ago? Jake was still on edge from the death of Toby, faded bruises still apparent on his face from the fight with Dominic a week ago. He finds himself getting another drink, losing count of how many he’s already had.

Getting drunk was the easy way out. He didn’t want anything happening here, thinking it would be too hard for him to control. Jake didn’t account for not being able to control himself. Because after a few hours, and a few too many drinks, he’s suddenly in front of Lucia, gloves on his hands and knife to pair with it, doing the exact opposite of what he’s telling himself is right.

Jake can’t remember how he gets there, or what inclines him to twist a knife into his neighbor’s chest and shove her into a storage closet before anyone can see. Maybe it’s because when he looked into her eyes, he didn’t see her as Lucia. She was a friend of Dominic, someone who he wanted to hurt. She was an extension of his sister who’d sent him nothing more than a text after he lost Toby, after the years of being there for her. If Sarah wanted to hurt, if she wanted to cry and break, he wouldn’t hold her this time. He’d kill her best friend, and he’d make her feel like he did.

He walks away hidden from the cameras, wondering how long it would take for the police to arrive.

THREE HOURS LATER

Where the fuck is everybody?

They’re missing. Kat and Adee. The two people, particularly in combination, had Jake standing up from the bar. The alcohol he’d once been drinking heavily seemed to have lost its effect. He pulls out his phone to call Kat, only for there to be no answer. Everyone is still shaken up from what happened to Iris, Levi, & Mei, the work of Adee that she’d managed to screw up again. If it wasn’t Toby’s death that had formed a sick hatred towards the woman who knew everything, it would have been because as blood-thirsty and ready to kill as she was, she was incompetent without him. Two more injured people that could’ve seen her face on top of what she’d already done. He hated her, and he hated having to clean up her ill-timed messes.

He glances around the room before leaving the ballroom, telling the police officers that he needed to go to his hotel room, offering the keycard to the suite he’d gotten for him and Kat as proof. Their room had been right next to Kyle and Vera’s, condolences exchanged either way during the two men’s short conversation. Jake started to make his way down the hallway, but he no longer needed to see the numbers of each door to find where everyone was, because the closer into view he got, the more apparent that there was someone lying on the ground. He slows down until he sees it’s Vera, and that the door to her hotel room is open.

Shit.

Jake pauses at the half-opened door, forgetting for a moment that there were cameras watching the outside of the room. He was pissed that she was still being sloppy, that she still hadn’t learned from what happened to Azra and how quickly she could’ve been behind bars. Jake had half a mind to play innocent, to call the cops and tell them about Vera. Adee would be locked up, and there would be nothing to tie him to the murders even if she cried out his name. What evidence did they have? None. He was about to pull out his phone when he looked ahead, and froze at the familiar blonde hair sprawled out on the floor. Jake opens the door wide open and steps inside.

Whatever he felt seeing Toby’s body can’t compare to the feelings running through his mind right now. There’s blood everywhere, and it’s not the blood of the woman he wishes it to be. There’s a cold, dead expression that forms on his face as he steps closer to the pair, and leans down to look at her. To look at his girlfriend. She wasn’t breathing, her heart wasn’t beating, and the blood from every open wound was already staining his clothes and his hands. Kat was dead. And Adee was holding the knife. He doesn’t freeze, but he gives himself a moment with her, a moment with the girl he truly loved—or at least fooled himself into believing he did—before glancing up at Adee. The hatred for her grows just like Kat’s blood spreads across the ground, and he stands up, facing the much shorter woman, and picking up the knife Adee had been using.

There’s an unrecognizable glint in his eyes, and the smile he was used to faking is nowhere to be found as he steps closer to her. “Do you think you’ve won?” he asks, voice rough and full of malice, continuing to back the both of them up until she hits the wall. Jake doesn’t think before extending his hands up, tightly grasping at her neck until it was her forced breaths that filled the silence.

“She was everything,” he lets out, hands tightening around her necklaces he grows angrier. “And you are nothing.” There is no taunting on his part, no manipulation or tactics besides the anger he runs on, letting go of her neck, and raising the blade between the two of them. “You never meant anything to me, you worthless bitch,” Jake adds, before pushing the knife into her chest, pulling the blade out before pulling her by the hair and throwing her on the ground, mere feet away from Kat.

“Look at what you did. You ruined everything.” Jake bends down and stabs her again, and again, and again until they’re both bloody and he’s the only one left to make heavy breaths. He tosses the knife to the side, standing up and running his hands through his hair. Fuck. Killing Adee doesn’t make him happy, it doesn’t put him at ease like it had every time. Because it wouldn’t bring Kat back. It wouldn’t bring Toby back. And it certainly wouldn’t absolve him of his inevitable future.

He ignores the blood everywhere, unable to look at his girlfriend’s face for too long and he decides to make another plan. Jake was good at them. The first would have worked, if that crazy bitch wouldn’t have taken things too far. He’d make another plan. Ruin Adee’s life again, only this time it was to save himself. It wouldn’t be long before the police showed up, before someone checked the cameras and saw all three of them go into the room along with Vera’s body outside.

Jake knew he had to be quick, picking up the knife that was tainted by the blood of the two women he’d been with before bracing himself and jamming the blade into his stomach. The pain was immediate and undeniable, but it was necessary. Adee had killed his girlfriend because she was jealous, and when Jake got upset, she tried to kill him too before he acted in self-defense.

For good measure, to make sure his story would be accurate, he took the knife out, his own blood spilling down his clothes before stabbing himself again, and dropping to his knees, tossing the blade off to the side and letting himself feel the physical pain. He hunched over in pain as the police pushed open the door, revealing the horror. As the only one left barely conscious, it was Jake who was put into handcuffs, mind blurring out his rights being read and being escorted out of the building as a blank look crossed over his features, the wheels in his mind turning as he was bandaged up and taken to the station.

It looked bad. But he had a plan.

#jacob / paras #oopsie again #this is the last part promise #death tw #murder tw

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tygerbug · 4 months

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DOCTOR WHO: THE CHURCH ON RUBY ROAD (2023): A Christmas special and the first full story for Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Millie Gibson as their friend Ruby Sunday. Unusually, Gatwa got a lot of screen time in the previous special, "The Giggle," presumably so that viewers could get used to the new actor, but this is Gatwa's first proper outing. While the three specials with David Tennant were a much-appreciated throwback to what the show was in 2007, this one shows what the show will be going forward. It immediately feels more modern than the previous specials, despite having the same showrunner (a returning Russell T Davies) and production team. In most respects it's standard Doctor Who fare, but the differences appear in subtler choices about tone and presentation, which show that a lot has changed since 2007.

The good news, and biggest question to be answered, is that Ncuti Gatwa has the charisma to carry the series. There is a lot going on in this performance, some of it unexplained.

What is clear is that Gatwa is extremely charming, to the point where the Doctor's first interactions with other characters tend to raise the question, is this flirting? The performance then goes on to clarify that the answer is no, but we see how people quickly fall under the Doctor's spell, charmed by that smile. This is also the most explicitly queer Doctor Who. While other Doctors had variations on one basic outfit, Gatwa's Doctor changes outfits frequently and cares about being fashionable - fashion which initially mirrors Ruby's. Gatwa is athletic and muscular, and prefers low necklines that show that off. We've seen this Doctor with bare legs and bare arms, and lots of interesting costumes. The actor's reactions to situations often feel gay-coded, or at least unbothered about being perceived that way. Doctor Who has often been very clearly gendered in the past, with the Doctor standing strong against the monsters while the female companion cowers in fear. Gatwa seems happy to play both sides of that role as needed, projecting either unshakeable charisma and confidence, or occasionally the sort of submissive fear response we'd expect from a Jo Grant. What this means for Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday, we'll have to see.

Their time onboard the goblin ship also involves a full-on musical number, with singing and dancing, although David Bowie (Labyrinth) is not involved, having passed in 2016. Russell T Davies included newly-written musical numbers in his Christmas specials when running the show previously, but it's never been quite this overt.

Earlier, they go out dancing at an LGBT-friendly club, with the Scottish Gatwa in a kilt and yellow tank top, fully raving. Trans actress Mary Malone (The Prince) sings onstage accompanied by Ruby on keyboards. Mary is a minor character but it's enough that she's there. Trans actor Pete McHale has also been cast for the series, and Yasmin Finney (Heartstopper) of course appeared in "The Star Beast." Jinkx Monsoon (RuPaul's Drag Race) has been cast as a villain. Star names include Neil Patrick Harris in The Giggle and Jonathan Groff (Hamilton).

The casual subtext here is that people of color exist, and LGBT people exist, and are important to these stories. People who are not cishet white men exist. This has been the case, behind the scenes, on Doctor Who, since the very beginning, with the first episodes directed by Waris Hussein and produced by Verity Lambert, with a theme produced by Delia Derbyshire. However, this wasn't always reflected onscreen. Classic Doctor Who always had a gay fanbase, and had leaned into that by the 1980s. And Russell T Davies' 2005 Doctor Who worked harder to appeal to women, foregrounding the character of Rose Tyler and playing up the romantic aspect of The Doctor himself. However, there was a strong negative reaction, within the older fandom, to the casting of Jodie Whittaker and Jo Martin as The Doctor. A large chunk of the existing fanbase outed themselves as overtly bigoted.

For his part, Russell T Davies has been including elements in these specials which seem intended to drive these viewers away, such as Donna discussing (in Wild Blue Yonder) how gay the Doctor is really, or the Doctor asking The Meep The Meep's pronouns. Hopefully the bigots have stopped watching by now, so we won't have to hear much more of their whining. I have heard a lot of complaints about the unusual new Sonic Screwdriver, enough that I suspect they're really complaining about the unusual new Doctor Who. There is not, otherwise, much to complain about yet.

The monster of the week plot is a bit weak, and there's a lot about these goblins which isn't explained, and which is handwaved away quickly. The Doctor, at least, gets to waffle on about deciphering a language made up of ropes, knots, accidents, cracks and coincidences. That part sounds interesting, and suggests something evocative which isn't quite explained in full. The goblins also look good - mostly practical suits, and using every penny of the money Disney is adding to the coffers of these specials. An overarching mystery, or two, is also set up, involving Ruby Sunday's parentage … and neighbors. Davies had already hinted that an overarching villain (or villains) was coming, and this is a similar but more subtle way to keep viewers watching, until all is revealed. Running time is a bit of a problem here. The first twenty minutes pass slowly, while the last fifteen minutes cut a lot of corners. We don't have time for that, the show says, or we don't have time for that this week anyway.

Ncuti (pronounced Shuti) also excels at the real-world drama here, especially in a strangely-written scene with Ruby's adoptive mother, in which both are aware that something is missing, or has gone terribly wrong, but they're talking around their feelings about it. Here, Michelle Greenidge dampens the warmth and charm we've seen in other scenes with her, and won't look the Doctor in the eye. We must assume we'll be returning to this situation later, as there is unresolved story and it's populated with character actors -- Angela Wynter as the grandmother, Anita Dobson as the neighbor Mrs Flood, writer Gemma Arrowsmith as a social worker.

As for Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday, the writing is a bit of a problem here, because it takes the character awhile to warm up. She is written strangely during the first twenty minutes of the special, and has very little reaction to the strange events around her. She is introduced doing an interview with TV presenter Davina McCall, which is not quite as relatable as, say, Rose Tyler eating some chips. But I respect that, for a character who initially appears to be Rose Tyler Again, the writing and performance resists the urge to make her literally that, at least in this episode. In practice this means that the character takes some very strange and disturbing events in stride as if they're normal, or as if they're nothing … then has a delayed reaction to it all at the very end of the special, both emotionally and in terms of figuring out what's just happened. I liked her a lot more in these moments, since we can now actually tell what she's thinking. It is made explicit in the script that she is having a delayed reaction and couldn't stop to think about all of this until now. Which is … strange.

Of course Ruby trusts The Doctor immediately and that explains most of her performance here, but there's something lacking in the writing, in terms of presenting Ruby as an actual normal human woman. (Clara Oswald had a similar problem.) Perhaps it's just that Russell T Davies lacks recent life experience of this kind. It feels like a later Marvel movie, where so many cataclysmic and magical things have occurred that people don't react to them like a normal person would anymore. This extends to the plot as well. Something happens to Ruby's family home which is absolutely a major problem, and which does not get solved during this special. I am reminded of how Rose Tyler, Donna Noble, and Amy Pond had to be relatable, while others like Clara Oswald simply had to be there. Is Ruby, like Clara, simply a mystery to be solved? She certainly has chemistry with Ncuti and fits well enough into (what we used to call) the traditional companion role.

Despite a typical Doctor Who plotline, and the presence of Russell T Davies as showrunner, this doesn't quite feel like 2000s Doctor Who. It's clearly a piece of streaming television in 2023, and that has changed the show in ways which are hard for me to define. I am curious how this will play out in the full series, once I have a better idea of what Russell T Davies and company are up to here.

As far as technical concerns go, it is typical for current television series to be a bit dark and murky. There shows were often shot as low contrast video, which would look very grey as raw footage, and then graded for HDR monitors that do not exist yet for the average viewer. In this respect, this special is a lot better than you'd expect, and actually better than the previous specials. It doesn't have the super-bright, overlit look of Doctor Who of old, but you can see everything, and there's usually a bright, contrasty rim light making Ncuti Gatwa's features stand out, as well as Millie Gibson's. The tradeoff with this is that the photography and editing rely too much on closeups, which are often a bit too close. It's not especially moody, but it's not an especially moody story. It's also fairly colorful. A club scene uses what Youtubers call "bisexual lighting," and most exterior scenes are surprisingly diffuse and subtle, with flatteringly soft visuals. This could pass for a current feature film, on the lower budget side, and the key locations of Ruby's family home and a pirate ship are convincingly portrayed. The audio is where I had the biggest issue, although it may be my setup. It sounded like this was mixed for 5.1 rather than the stereo speakers I was using, although everything was audible and it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

The Church at Ruby Road is a good showcase for Ncuti Gatwa's intensely charismatic and charming Doctor, which is all it really needs to be. Despite the presence of Russell T Davies, and familiar Doctor Who tropes, it feels different from 2000s Doctor Who in ways which aren't easy to define. Stylistic traits from the Chibnall and Moffat eras of the show seem to have survived into this one, more than I would have expected. Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday is pleasant enough, but frustratingly hard to get a handle on as a character. (Think Clara Oswald rather than Rose Tyler.) The language of television and film has changed in the past two decades, and I think that's affected how these characters are written and portrayed, in ways that feel a bit distancing, at this point. I'll have more of an opinion about this as the series goes. But it's a good start and we'll see where things go from here. It's also a fresh start, with The Doctor alone again, rather than hanging out with Bonnie Langford. It's bold and confident about what it's doing, and overtly queerer than the show has been before, with or without the aid of Bonnie Langford. I am not, at this point, entirely sure what the show is actually doing, but I'm interested in finding out.

#doctor who #the church on ruby road #millie gibson #ruby sunday #ncuti gatwa #russell t davies #15th doctor

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coffee-n-bagels-comic-universe · 5 months

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Neutralised (1994) [3/?]: My Version of The Shared Universe

For those of you unfamiliar with 'Chicago Hope', it was actually set in a shared universe. Also, 'Suspiciously Similar' characters will be involved (Due to actors playing multiple roles). This is my take on that:

Shows:

Chicago Hope

Homicide: Life on the Street

Law & Order

Neutralised

Picket Fences

characters (I'm not listing anyone who was in 20 episodes or less) under the cut. Also technically these are not all the characters as I'm still writing stuff.

Chicago Hope - Characters (& Actors):

Doctor Aaron Shutt (Adam Arkin)

Doctor Phillip Watters (Hector Elizondo)

Doctor William 'Billy' Kronk (Peter Berg)

Doctor Dennis Hancock (Vlondie Curtis-Hall)

Doctor Diane Grad (Jayne Brook)

Doctor Keith Wilkes (Rocky Carroll)

Doctor Jack McNeil (Mark Harmon)

Doctor Daniel Nyland (Thomas Gibson)

Doctor Jeffrey Geiger (Mandy Patinkin)

Nurse Camille Shutt (Roxanne Hart)

Doctor Lisa Catera (Stacy Edwards)

Alan Birch (Peter MacNicol)

Doctor Joseph Cacaci (Bob Bancroft)

Doctor Robert Yeats (Eric Stoltz)

Doctor Gina Simon (Carla Gugino)

Doctor Jeremy Hanlon (Lauren Holly)

Doctor Francesca Alberghetti (Barbara Hershey)

Homicide: Life on the Street - Characters (& Actors)

Detective John Munch (Richard Belzer)

Detective Meldrick Lewis (Clark Johnson)

Lieutenant Alphonse Giardello (Yaphet Kotto)

Detective Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor)

Detective Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher)

Detective / Sergeant Kay Howard (Melissa Leo)

Detective Mike Kellerman (Reed Diamond)

Officer/Detective/Lieutenant Stuart Gharty (Peter Gerety)

Detective Paul Falsone (Jon Seda)

Lieutenant/Captain/Detective Megan Russert (Isabella Hofman)

Detective Laura Ballard (Callie Thorne)

Detective Terri Stivers (Toni Lewis)

Captain/Colonel George Barnfather (Clayton LeBouef)

ASA Ed Danvers (Željko Ivanek)

J.H.Brodie (Max Perlich)

Detective Beau Felton (Daniel Baldwin)

Detective Stanley Bolander (Ned Beatty)

Dr Julianna Cox (Michelle Forbes)

FBT Agent/Officer Mike Giardello (Giancario Esposito)

Detective Rene Sheppard (Michael Michele)

Dr. Alyssa Dyer (Harlee McBride)

Detective/Captain Roger Gaffney (Walt MacPherson)

Law & Order - Characters (& Actors)

Sergeant Maxwell Greevey (George Dzundza)

Junior Detective Michael Logan (Chris Noth)

Captain Donald Cragen (Dann Florek)

Exex ADA Benjamin Stone (Michael Moriarty)

ADA Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks)

DA Adam Schiff (Steven Hill)

Sergeant Philip Cerreta (Paul Sorvino)

Dr Elizabeth Olivet (Carolyn McCormic)

Senior Detective Leonard W Briscoe (Jerry Orbach)

Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson)

ADA Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy)

Exec ADA/DA John McCoy (Sam Waterston)

Junior Detective Reynaldo Curtis (Benjamin Bratt)

ADA Jamie Ross (Carey Lowell)

ADA Abigail Carmichael (Angie Harmon)

Junior/Senior Detective Edward Green (Jesse L. Martin)

Interim DA Nora Lewin (Dianne Wiest)

ADA Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Röhm)

DA Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson)

Neutralised - Characters (& Actors)

Abraham Machado (Alfred Molina)

Andreina Neri (Robin Wright)

Caleb Willow (Cary Elwes)

Dove Lewis (Alfre Woodard)

Esmé Verity (Janaeane Garofalo)

Faustus Sanchez (Hank Azaria)

Grayson Bryant (Harold Perrineau)

Hunter Kingsley (Chris Farley)

Ichabod Mortimer (Danny DeVito)

Jared Foster (Kirk Acevedo)

Kane Carter (Philip Seymour Hoffman)

Lance Carter (John Goodman)

Monday Duke (Patricia Arquette)

Noam Gold (Oliver Platt)

Omega Finch (Willem Dafoe)

Peyton Blythe (Regina King)

Russel Warszawski (Adam Sandler)

Sullivan Landon (Christopher Lloyd)

Tuesday Duke (Reese Witherspoon)

Victor Jamison (Mike Myers)

Winslow Warszawski (Brad Garrett)

Xavier Solomon (David Spade)

Yancy Haggard (Kiefer Sutherland)

Zoey Knight (Geena Davis)

OZ - Characters (& Actors)

Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau)

Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen)

Ryan O'Reily (Dean Winters)

Kareem Saïd / Goodson Truman (Eamonn Walker)

Miguel Alvarez (Kirk Acevedo)

Vernon Schillinger (J.K. Simmons)

Simon Adebisi (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje)

Christopher Keller (Christopher Meloni)

Zahir Arif (Granville Adams)

Hamid Khan (Ernie Hudson Jr.)

Nacim Bismilla (Re Hanna)

Huseni Mershah / James Monroe Madison (Roger Guenvuer Smith)

Leroy Tidd / Salah Udeen (Jacues Smith)

Jefferson Keane (Leon)

Kenny Wangler (J.D. Williams)

Arnold 'Poet' Jackson (muMs the Schemer)

Paul Markstrom (O.L. Duke)

Junior Pierce (Malé-Lexington Alexander)

Malcolm 'Snake' Coyle (Treach)

Johnny Post (Tim McAdams)

James Robson (R.E. Rodgers)

Mark Mack (Leif Riddell)

Jaz Hoyt (Evan Seinfeld)

Scott Ross (Stephen Gevedon)

Andrew Schillinger (Frederick Koehler)

Nino Schibetta (Tony Schibetta)

Peter Schibetta (Eddie Malavarca)

Antonio Nappa (Mark Margolis)

Chucky Pancamo (Chuck Zito)

Dino Ortolani (Jon Seda)

Don Zanghi (John Palumbo)

Joey D'Angelo (Goodfella Mike G)

Mario Seggio (Todd Etelson)

Salvatore DeSanto (Phil Campanella)

Raoul 'El Cid' Hernandez (Luis Guzman)

Carmen 'Chico' Guerra (Otto Sanchez)

Carlos Martinez (Carlos Leon)

Carlo Ricardo (Juan Carlos Hernandez)

Cyril O'Reily (Scott William Winters)

Rev. Jeremiah Cloutier (Luke Perry)

Timmy Kirk (Sean Dugan)

Alonzo Torquemada (Bobby Cannavale)

Richie Hanlon (Jordan Lage)

Shirley Bellinger (Kathryn Erbe)

Bob Rebadow (George Morfogen)

Agamemnin Busmalis (Tom Mardirosian)

Donald Groves (Sean Whitesell)

Jackson Vahue (Rick Fox)

Desmond Mobay / John Basil (Lance Reddick)

Richard L'Italien (Eric Roberts)

Nikolai Stanislofsky (Phillip Casnoff)

William Giles (Austin Pendleton)

Henry Stanton (Thomas G. Waites)

Colonel Edward Galson (John Doman)

Eli Zabitz (David Johansen)

Kipekemie Jara (Zakes Mokae)

Dean Alvah Case (Charles S. Dutton)

Sean Murphy (Robert Clohessy)

Claire Howell (Kristin Rohde)

Diane Wittlesey (Edie Falco)

Clayton Hughes (Seth Gilliam)

Karl Metzger (Bill Fagerbakke)

Eddie Hunt (Murphy Guyer)

Lenny Burrano (Skipp Sudduth)

Father Ray Mukada (B.D Wong)

Doctor Gloria Nathan (Lauren Veldez)

Governor James Devlin (Željko Ivanek)

Martin Querns (Reg E. Cathey)

Doctor Frederick Garvey (Milo O'Shea)

Warden Leo Glynn (Ernie Hudson)

Tim McManus (Terry Kinney)

Sister Peter Marie Reimondo (Rita Moreno)

Picket Fences - Characters (& Actors)

Sheriff James 'Jimmy' Brock (Tom Skerritt)

Doctor Jill Brock (Kathy Baker)

Kimberly Brock (Holly Marie Combs)

Matthew Brock (Justin Shenkarow)

Zachary 'Zach' Brock (Adam Wylie)

Deputy Kenny Lacos (Costas Mandylor)

Deputy Maxine 'Max' Stewart (Lauren Holly)

Carter Pike (Kelly Connell)

Ginny Weedon (Zelda Rubinstein)

Douglas Wambaugh (Fyvush Finkel)

Judge Henry Bone (Ray Walston)

DA John Littleton (Don Cheadle)

DA Barnaby Wood (Peter Frechette)

ADA Petrovic (Jason Beghe)

Father Gary Barrett (Roy Dotrice)

Laurie Bey (Marlee Matlin)

Howard Buss (Robert Cornthwaite)

Doctor Joanna 'Joey' Diamond (Amy Aquino)

Lisa Fenn (Alexandra Lee)

Frank (David Proval)

Rachel Harris (Leigh Taylor-Young)

Ed Lawson (Richard Masur)

Peter Lebeck (Michael Jeter)

Milton Lebeck (Chris Owen)

Reverend Henry Novotny (Dabbs Greer)

Principal Michael Oslo (Roy Brocksmith)

Cynthia Parks (Elisabeth Moss)

Bill Pugen (Michael Keenan)

Lydia Brock (Cristine Rose)

Aiesha Campbell (Bruklin Harris)

Brian Latham (Gregory Vignolle)

Agent Donald Morrell (Sam Anderson)

#original character #original characters #original writing #original series #Neutralised #chicago hope #homicide life on the street #law & order #oz #hbo oz #picket fences #shared universe #very long post #alfred molina #tagging only alfred because i hope the molina girlies like bram

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nightrestrp · 1 year

Text

Welcome to the another event recap! We’ll be posting a comprehensive list of notable things that happened in each event & this will also be posted in our Discord server and even though it was just a mini event, a lot of things happened. If there’s anything at all that we missed or if we need to edit something in the list, please let us know!

WARDWELL ACADEMY:

KYLE YANG took photos of VERITY CALMA in the snow

KYLE YANG and VERITY CALMA got into a heated argument

LUKAS NAVARRO ended his friendship with KATHERINE RUSSELL

KATHERINE RUSSELL kissed LUKAS NAVARRO at the end of their hug

SELIN TEMEL saw the kiss and had a fight with LUKAS NAVARRO

SELIN TEMEL and LUKAS NAVARRO slept together

SELIN TEMEL and VIVIAN HAYES (kind of) made up

SELIN TEMEL and NAM DAE-EUN (kind of) got into a fight

SELIN TEMEL and SAMUEL BAKSH (kind of) got into a fight

SELIN TEMEL and AMONI BROWN got into a fight

MALACHI PHILLIPS and ARANYA SAELI played basketball together and kissed and went home together after

MALACHI PHILLIPS took photos of KATHERINE RUSSELL in the snow

MALACHI PHILLIPS and KENNEDY O'NEILL almost kissed

ARANYA SAELI told FINLEY SEABROOKE she missed her

MELANY PHILLIPS and MICHAEL HOTCHNER slept together

KATHERINE RUSSELL and KENNETH CRAWFORD had phone sex

BROOKS AZAR being called Elsa and just getting high

BROOKS AZAR got his nose pierced by ROBYN WILSON

JULIA DAVIS texting everybody about her smut books (hehe)

DEAN HADWIN met Selin's husband, NAM DAE-EUN for the first time

ELSEWHERE:

MARISSA HARRISON and NICOLA SLOANE slept together

HUGO RUIZ and YASMIN DEMIR slept together

FINLEY SEABROOKE and ELIJAH KING slept together

LUNARA KAPLAN told MONTEZ PHILLIPS about their relationship and they almost slept together

KENNETH CRAWFORD and SADIYE KAPLAN got into a lowkey intense (and lowkey sexy ngl) argument

KAEO DUPONT and KAGE HIMURA had their own little sexy time over the phone but not phone sex (I don't know how to explain it but it was hot)

AT THE END:

Killer/s went after JACOB OH (but he survived, yay!!)

KENNETH CRAWFORD & SADIYE KAPLAN were the ones who found the car wreck

#event recap

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poppy-metal · 2 years

Note

my time to shine

you've lost a lot of blood by eric larocca

misery by stephen king

uncle vampire by cynthia grant

my dark vanessa by kate elizabeth russell

hesitantly also verity by colleen hoover

-anon who is patiently waiting for your gone to see the riverman review as well still

ps look at tw for these pls just to be safe!

me feeling good abt myself bc i read three of these already >:)

#ask #thank u!!!

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thedoctorwhocompanion · 2 years

Text

Out Now: Russell T Davies Talks Tennant and Tate's Return in Doctor Who Magazine #579

Out Now: Russell T Davies Talks Tennant and Tate's Return in #DoctorWho Magazine 579

It’s been quite a few years since this last happened: David Tennant and Catherine Tate share the cover of the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine! This issue includes exclusive behind-the-scenes stories from Russell T Davies, Doctor Who’s incoming showrunner, about the return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate to the programme. Highlights of the new issue include: Newly released documents…

View On WordPress

#Catherine Tate #David Tennant #Deceit #Doctor Who Magazine #Donna Noble #DWM #James Moran #Redacted #Rona Munro #RTD #Russell T. Davies #Tenth Doctor #The Eaters of Light #The Fires of Pompeii #The Invasion #The Savages #Timelash #Vengeance on Varos #Verity Lambert

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anglophiletraveler · 2 years

Text

In My Life - Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Act Naturally

Written by Morrison-Russell

It took me a while to figure out a song for this chapter. There’s a lot going on with different people and different situations. Dwight finds himself in a couple of awkward situations and really just wants to get the heck outta there!! I had forgotten that the Beatles had recorded this song. I knew it originally by country-western singer Buck Owens. This was on the Beatles ‘Help’ Album and it was sung by Ringo Starr, which sounds like something he would do!

A big thank you to Jersey Girl Karen Bockius for proofreading and being my beta!

It was strange for Dwight to be on this end of things. He wasn’t used to sitting in a waiting room while someone he cares for is in surgery. He kept busy texting updates to everyone, Grace, Jenny, Demelza, Caroline. The volunteer working the waiting room chatted with him off and on and served him coffee, which was a good thing. He now realised that being the one doing the waiting can tire a person out. He found a new appreciation for the family members in the A&E who waited with their loved ones to be seen, or for test results. He figured that Ross had probably another 45 minutes before the surgery would be over and he would be sent to post-op. Hopefully by then his family will be here. He was thinking about the mess in Ross’s bedroom - he should get there before anyone else sees it and get it cleaned up. Hopefully the bed linens aren’t stained too badly. He needs to let Seamus out after he gets the blood cleaned up downstairs.

“Dwight!”

Dwight jumped out of the chair to hug Grace. He looked up and saw Joshua there as well and reached out to shake hands with him. “Joshua, it’s good to see you. Sorry it’s under these circumstances.” Just then Verity came from behind Joshua. “Verity!” He gave her a kiss on the cheek, “I didn’t know you were coming as well. Please, everyone come over and sit. Can I get you anything?”

“Oh no Dwight, just tell us how Ross is doing. I’ve been worried to death.” Spoken like a true mother.

“I’m sure he’s doing fine. I expect the surgeon to come out shortly to give us a report.” He looked at Joshua, “How was the drive up? It looks like you made good time. The snow must not have slowed you down.”

Joshua had helped himself to some coffee, “No it was fine, we made good time. Grace wouldn’t let me stop once along the way.”

“Well, I’m just glad that we made it here before he got out of surgery.” Grace said. “So Dwight, can you tell us again what happened please … you said he stepped on a piece of broken glass? What broke?”

Dwight didn’t want to tell them what Ross had said about throwing a bottle, so he just said that Ross had knocked a bottle over. “The house is a mess because he lost a lot of blood. And he walked all over the place because Seamus needed to go out, so there are bloody footprints downstairs, and his bathroom upstairs looks like something out of a slasher movie. When things settle down here, I’m going to go back and take care of Seamus and clean things up.”

Verity spoke up, “Dwight you don’t need to do that. You’ve done enough. I’ll go over later and clean it up.”

“No Verity I really don’t mind. And Seamus is used to me so, it’ll be fine.”

“Dwight, Ross sounded a little shaky on the phone before he went in. Was that from the pain medication?” Grace asked.

“Oh yeah, if someone isn’t used to that stuff it can do you in. So, I guess this means the three of you will get to meet Demelza!” Dwight remembered how teary Ross was from talking to Demelza, and decided to try to change the subject.

“Oh yes! Verity and I were saying on the ride up that if anything good came out of this, it was that we were going to get to meet Demelza! She sounds like a lovely girl. So I take it that you’ve met her Dwight?”

Dwight had noticed that Joshua was ensconced with the news on the telly.

“Oh yes, I’m seeing Demelza’s flatmate Caroline Penvenan, so we’ve all gone out together. Demelza is a lovely girl. And very talented. You’ll like her.”

The volunteer came over to talk with Dwight. Apparently the surgery was over and she gave him instructions on where they should go to meet with the surgeon. “If you want, you can leave those things here, and I’ll keep watch on them for you while you talk with the surgeon.”

All three Poldarks had stood up to go to meet the doctor. Dwight said, “I can stay here if you’d like while you speak with the doctor.”

Joshua spoke up and put his hand on Dwight’s shoulder, “No, Dwight, I think you should come along and help decipher medical jargon for us. Besides, you’re part of the family.”

Dwight nodded at Joshua.

*****

Dr. Stevenson greeted the family in the very small consultation room. Dwight introduced himself to the doctor, and then introduced him to Ross’s family. “It’s nice to meet all of you. The surgery went very well. The laceration is on the lateral side of the foot, about 6.5 cm wide. He did nick the lateral plantar artery which is why there was so much blood. We took care of the artery and stopped the bleeding. The muscle was a little trickier but we were able to repair it.

“What about the toe?” Dwight asked.

“I think it’ll be alright. He might have some loss of feeling in it but it shouldn’t be a problem. He will need to spend at least tonight in the hospital. As far as tomorrow goes, we’ll just have to wait. I’ll be monitoring his labs in case he needs another transfusion. If his labs are good, then he can go home tomorrow. But he will have to be non-weight bearing for six weeks. I don’t know what his living situation is like, but if he can, he needs to avoid stairs. We’ll get him some crutches before he goes home. Any questions? He should be moved to a room within an hour I would say. If you think of any questions, I’m sure that Dr. Enys here, or the nurses on the floor can help you out. It was nice to meet all of you.”

Joshua got up to shake hands, “Thank you very much doctor, we appreciate everything.”

“My pleasure.”

*****

The family was back in the waiting room until it was time to meet Ross in his room. Dwight was looking at his watch and wondered what was keeping Demelza and Caroline. He didn’t want to leave until they got there so that he could make the introductions.

Grace looked up at Dwight, “Well, he was very nice, very personable.”

Dwight smiled at her, “Yes he was. Did you folks understand everything he said? It was pretty cut and dry.”

“Yes, he didn’t get too technical for us. Although I don’t think Ross is going to like being non-weight bearing for six weeks. He should probably sleep downstairs.” Grace was planning everything in her mind. “Verity, maybe you and I could take turns staying with him, or better yet, we could take him back with us to Nampara for six weeks.”

Verity spoke up, “I wouldn’t mind taking turns staying with him. I don’t know if he would want to go back to Nampara for the whole time, do you Dwight?”

“My guess would be that he would prefer to be in his own home, he’d be more comfortable there I think. It’s closer to his office …”

Grace interrupted, “Well he won’t be able to go into work will he? Not while he’s non-weight bearing.”

“Probably not, but I know he’s working on an important acquisition right now, so I’m sure as soon as he gets his bearings he will be working at home as much as possible.” Dwight was starting to get really antsy. He was starting to feel he might be caught in the middle between Ross’s folks and Demelza. He also didn’t want to have to be the one to tell his mum that Ross wouldn’t want to go to Nampara and be that far from Demelza. “I’m going to go see where things are with Ross getting to his room. I’ll be right back.” He walked over to the volunteer desk to see if he could get things moving along. The volunteer made a phone call which brought some relief.

“Transportation said that they were just called to go pick up Mr. Poldark from recovery and take him to his room. So you can go up and meet him in his room if you’d like. He’s going to room 5321.”

Dwight let out a big sigh and gave her a big smile, “Thank you so very much. You’ve been very helpful. I’ll tell his family.”

*******

The Poldark entourage caravaned up to room 5321 to … wait some more! Dwight was really feeling exhausted by now, and would give anything to be in scrubs seeing drunk patients in the A&E.

Verity cleared her throat, “Dwight, can you show me where the loo is?”

Dwight waved his hand, “I’m at your service milady!” Verity giggled at this. They walked a ways down the hallway and Verity stopped him at the chapel.

“Dwight, I don’t need the loo, I just wanted to chat with you in private, away from Grace.”

“Ahhh, go on. What is it that you’re dying to find out?”

“Ross’s home. Is it really a mess from the blood?”

Dwight sighed and shook his head. “Yes. The downstairs isn’t as bad - just some bloody footprints on the stairs and in the kitchen from when he let Seamus out. But upstairs in his bedroom and bathroom it’s pretty bad. I’ve been worried that it might upset Grace. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get back there and get it cleaned up before Grace sees it. But I don’t want to leave before Demelza gets here. I would hate for her to be alone when she meets Grace and Joshua, not that they are terrible people mind you. I just think it could be a bit …”

“Intimidating to meet all of us under these circumstances. I totally understand that.”

“Exactly. And Ross hasn’t told her about Elizabeth or Claude yet, so it’s important that there aren’t any slip ups.”

“The whole thing about knocking over the bottle sounds strange to me. Was Ross drunk?”

“No, that’s another thing. He threw the bottle at the bedroom wall.”

“What??? That doesn’t sound like Ross?”

“I know but, last night I had dinner with him at the pub and I could tell he was a little out of sorts. You know how his dating history has gone over the years, one night stands right after Elizabeth, and then breaking up with women if they start to get too close. Demelza is a really sweet person, and she’s had a hell of a life. Her mum died when she was young, her father beat her… I think I upset him when I told him not to hurt her. Earlier today when we were still in the A&E he told me that after he got home last night, he called his mum and began realising that he hadn’t ever brought a woman home since Elizabeth. We didn’t get to finish our talk so I don’t know what else was said, but I think it definitely triggered something in him. He was pretty emotional, Verity. I’m pretty worried about him.”

“Buggars Dwight! Now I’m worried about him. Listen, I’ll go help you clean up the house. The blood won’t bother me. We will get it done quicker that way. Can you nab some gloves from here before we go?”

“Of course! No problem there. And thank you in advance….” Just then Dwight saw the transporters pushing Ross towards his room on a stretcher. “Oh, there’s Ross, we better get back to the room.”

“Of course. Thank you for confiding in me Dwight. I had a feeling something was going on.”

*******

Grace and Joshua were out in the hall letting the transporters and nurses get Ross settled in his bed and the IV’s untangled when Dwight and Verity got back to the room.

One of the transporters came out in the hallway, “Hiya doc, they are wantin t’ see ye in ther.”

“Thanks Dave.” Dwight went in and chatted with the nurse and tried to act like she was telling him something important, then he went to Ross.

“Hey! You’re alive!!”

“I guess so. I saw my parents and Verity are here. Thanks for babysitting them for me.”

Dwight smiled, “That’s what I’m here for!”

“Have they been to the house?”

“No, they came straight here. And don’t worry I haven’t told Grace and Joshua a thing, although Verity cornered me a little bit ago and interrogated me. She’s going to go back to the house and help me clean it up.”

“Dammit. I don’t mind her knowing, but I hate that the two of you are going to clean it up. Is Demelza here yet?”

“No, she is not, but as soon as she gets here and I can make the introductions, I’m going to take off and take care of Seamus and the house. I’ll probably take him back to mine tonight.”

“You’re brilliant mate. I love you like a brother. She should be here soon.”

“Yeah, I love you too. I better let your parents in here before they storm the village!” He went to the door to tell them to come in.

Of course Grace was the first to kiss and hug her son like the wonderful mama bear that she is. “Oh my handsome! I don’t know whether to hug you or shake you for doing such a silly thing like stepping on broken glass!! How are you feeling?”

Joshua was finally able to get his kiss and hug in, “How are you feeling son? Still groggy?”

“Yeah, yeah a bit. Verity I wasn’t expecting to see you. Did Mum drag you along to get some shopping in?”

“No, I wanted to come along and meet this beautiful woman that has cast a spell on you! I should give you an enema for not ringing me up about her sooner!” That got a laugh out of everyone.

“Da, did you have a hard time driving up in the snow?”

“No, not at all. But you city folk have a lot more up here than we do.”

There was a knock at the door and then it opened slowly. A beautiful head of copper hair was peaking through the door, and Dwight hurried over to open the door. “Demelza! Come in, you’re in the right place!” Dwight gave her a reassuring hug.

“Judas! This hospital is a big place. I kept getting turned around in the halls.” Dwight placed his hand on the small of her back for reassurance and guided her in. She found herself looking at three pairs of eyes staring back at her. They definitely looked like they were related to Ross with their dark eyes and hair. Ross seemed to favour his father. They were all standing in front of Ross’s bed, so she didn’t even know if Ross was in the room. She looked up at Dwight, “Dwight, is Ross out of surgery yet?” Then she heard Ross’s voice, “Demelza, I’m here!” She was relieved to hear him!

Verity stepped back so that Demelza could see Ross, “My dear, please excuse our rudeness, I’m Verity, Ross’s cousin. It’s lovely to meet you.”

“Likewise.” She noticed Ross holding out his arms for her so she made her way to his bedside. She wasn’t sure if it was proper to kiss him or hug him in front of his family, but she couldn’t help herself. “Oh Ross! I’m that glad t’ see ye! I been that worried all day.” She couldn’t help the tears as she leaned down for a hug. Ross grabbed one of her hands with one hand, and then lovingly tucked a run away strand of hair behind her ear with his other hand. She stood up and Grace handed her some tissues. “Thank ye. I'm so sorry for cryin.”

“No apology necessary my dear,” Grace spoke in a soft voice.

Dwight stepped forward, “Well, since Ross has forgotten his manners, Demelza, this is Ross’s parents Joshua and Grace Poldark.”

They all reached over Ross to shake hands, Joshua went first. “Hello luv, it’s wonderful to meet you. I’d like to say that I’ve heard a lot about you, but I haven’t until yesterday.”

That made Demelza chuckle and she raised her hands and said “Surprise!” which eased the tension in the room.

It was time for mama bear to shake hands, “Hello Demelza. And I can say I have heard a lot about you and they’ve all been wonderful things.”

“Oh Judas! Thank you. It’s wonderful to meet you as well.” She turned her attention to Ross, “How are ye feelin, Ross? Ye look awfully pale.” Ross could see that she was trembling a little, so he moved to hold both of her hands.

“I’m fine. I guess I lost a lot of blood so that’s why I’m pale. But I’m ready to go home now, Dwight, can you write up my discharge papers?”

“No can do mate. You’re here for at least tonight and possibly tomorrow night as well depending on how your lab work goes.” He could see that Demelza didn’t understand, “Ross’s Hgb - his haemoglobin, was in the grey area so they had to do a blood transfusion in the A&E before surgery. If that value stays the same or gets worse, they will probably transfuse him with another unit of blood. But if it gets better, he can go home tomorrow. By the way, where’s Caroline?”

“Oh she dropped me off at the front door and then went to find a parking space. She should be up shortly.”

“Right, well after she gets up here, Verity and I are going to go back to Ross’s and take care of Seamus, and clean up the blood everywhere.”

Demelza said, “I can help you do that.”

Verity spoke up, “No, my dear, you stay here and visit with Ross. Besides, you're probably tired after working all day.”

Just then the door came flying open, “Dr. Enys, are you in here?”

Ross started cracking up, “Well now you get to meet Hurricane Caroline!!”

“I heard that Ross Poldark!”

Everyone turned their heads to lay their eyes on Caroline, as she flicked some of her blonde hair back. Ross was still laughing, “That’s quite an entrance Caroline! Mum, da, Verity, please meet Dwight’s girlfriend, and one of Demelza’s flat mates, Caroline Penvenan. Caroline, these are my parents Joshua and Grace Poldark, and my cousin Verity Poldark.”

“Hello everyone, it’s lovely to meet you all. Please excuse my tardiness. I had words with a parking attendant who was trying to prevent me from parking where I wanted. Dwight, your hospital really needs to do a better job ploughing the snow in the parking lots.”

Dwight cleared his throat, “I’ll be sure to pass that along. But now that you’re here, I need to leave and go take care of Seamus and Ross’s house.”

“Dwight, I was just thinking, my brother Drake, that works at the dry cleaners, might know of someone who could go into Ross’s house and professionally clean up the blood. Would you like me to text him and see?”

Grace spoke up, “Demelza that sounds wonderful, but it would have to be tonight, especially if Ross goes home tomorrow.”

“I’ll text him and see what he can do.”

Joshua moved around Verity so that he could speak with Caroline. “Caroline, by any chance do you have family in Cornwall?”

“Yes, my Uncle Ray Penvenan lives on the family estate, Killewarren. Do you know him?”

“Yes, of course we do. We’ve been dear friends for years. I think we may have even seen you flitting around as a young lass with blonde curls at some of his parties.”

“That was me! I gave up the curls at Uni. I just went back to take care of him a couple of weeks ago when he had a bad spell with his heart.”

“Yes, I had heard that he wasn’t feeling well. I’ll have to go visit him and let him know that we met his beautiful niece.”

Grace was noticing how Ross was looking at Demelza, and caressing her hand while he was holding it. She was very touched by the scene.

“Alright, Drake said that after he closes up shop around 7:00, he and another worker can go over and steam clean. They have all of the equipment at the store to do the job. If there’s blood on any fabric he can work on that as well.”

“Oh Demelza, that will be a big help. Be sure to tell him to leave the bill at the house and we’ll take care of it. That’s one less thing to be worried about.” Grace said. “Now Ross, the doctor said that you have to be non-weight bearing for six weeks. I want you to think about going back with us to Nampara so that I can look after you there. You can bring Seamus with you.”

Ross’s eyes widened at this development.

“Mum, I appreciate the offer, but I need to stay here and work as much as possible. Plus, I don’t want to leave Demelza that long. I’ll be fine on my own. I don’t need a babysitter.”

Mama Bear was determined, “But Ross, you have to be non-weight bearing for six weeks. You won’t be able to sleep upstairs. I suppose Verity and I can take turns staying with you …”

Demelza spoke up, “I can stay with Ross, I don’t mind.”

“But don’t you work during the day?” Grace mentioned.

“Daytime rehearsals are just for this week, and then we go to our Christmas concert schedule.”

Just then a nurse came in, “Hello Mr. Poldark. My name is Philipa, and I’ll be your nurse until 7 pm when the next shift comes in. Dr. Stevenson has ordered another unit of blood for you since your last haemoglobin hasn’t improved. Now I saw in your chart that you received blood this morning in the A&E so your blood bracelet should still be good. You’ll have to sign all of the paperwork again, and like before, I will be checking on you every 15 minutes to check for signs of allergic reaction. Any questions?”

“No, I think I remember how it went this morning. And please, call me Ross.”

“Sounds good. I’ve just sent the runner to go collect the blood for us, so as soon as it gets up here, I’ll have you sign the paperwork and I’ll start the transfusion. So I’ll see you in a few.”

“I’m going to go ahead to Ross’s place and take care of Seamus and let the cleaners in. Ross, I probably won’t be back tonight, but call me if you need me. Verity you don’t need to come with me since there are going to be cleaners.” He took Caroline’s hand, “I’ll call you tonight if I don’t fall asleep watching TV.” Dwight was more than ready to leave the hospital.

“Thanks mate. Give Seamus a hug for me. Do you still have my mobile?”

“Here ya go mate. But I’m afraid it’s dead and I don’t have the charger for it.”

Demelza spoke up, “I have my charger with me. Let’s see if it fits… thanks for everything Dwight.”

Everyone else said their good-byes to Dwight as he left. Demelza made herself more comfortable on the chair next to Ross when Joshua made a suggestion to everyone.

“How about we all leave for a bit and walk across the street to one of the restaurants for some supper while the nurse works with Ross and his transfusion?”

“I think that sounds like a marvellous idea.” Caroline said.

“I appreciate the offer Mr. Poldark, but I think I’ll stay here with Ross.” She turned to smile at Ross. He raised her hand and kissed it which made Demelza blush in front of his family. “I think that sounds like a brilliant idea.” He said.

“Don’t worry Dem, I’ll bring back something for you to eat.” Caroline said as she tried to herd the Poldarks out of the room. Ross mouthed ‘thank you’ at Caroline which got a smile from her.

*****

Ross let out a big sigh, “I thought they’d never leave!! Now come here beautiful and kiss me!” Demelza giggled and did just that. “Is this still Tuesday? I’m so confused right now.”

Demelza was running her fingers through his hair, “Mmmm yes it is. It’s been a very long day.” She leaned over to give him another lingering kiss which elicited a moan from Ross. They were both staring into each other’s eyes when Ross got a devilish grin on his face. “What are you thinking about, Ross Poldark?”

He was biting his bottom lip when he pulled back his covers and patted the mattress beside him.

Demelza got a shocked look on her face which tickled Ross. “Ross! We can’t, I can’t do that! Tis not proper!!”

This really got Ross laughing, “Bloody hell I love it when you slip into your Cornish accent. It’s so adorable! Sooo Demelza…”

“Hello I’m back to hang this unit of blood! Sorry to interrupt but it takes awhile to infuse, so it’s best that we get it started.”

Demelza stood up, “Do you need me to leave the room?”

“Oh no. I’m actually going to work on his right arm since he has an IV going in the left arm. So you can stay right there. Everyone else gone for supper?”

Ross raised the head of his bed up some more. “Yes, they did. I thought they would never leave!! I’ve had about all the mothering I can handle for one day. Besides, I needed some alone time with my beautiful red head here.” He kissed Demelza’s hand again.

“Aww you two are so cute! I’ve always wanted red hair. I tried a bottle of it once, but it just made me look like Pippi Longstocking!” They all laughed at this.

*****

Joshua, Grace, Verity and Caroline were all getting to know one another at supper in the restaurant across the street from the hospital. Caroline filled them in on the other two flatmates in the house, and how she is the only non-musician in the house. “I feel like I’m an honorary member of the BBC Orchestra since I have three members under my roof. But it’s fun. We all get along, and it becomes quite musical on the days of concerts when they are warming up at home.”

“Do you own the home Caroline?” Verity asked.

“No, I’ve thought about buying it since I pay the majority of the rent anyway, but I’m not sure that once we all go our own ways, that I’ll want to stay on that side of town.”

“Well, you could always keep it as a rental for the income later on when you move on.” Joshua suggested.

Caroline pointed at him, “That is an excellent thought. I’ll have to keep that in mind.” Caroline looked over Grace’s shoulder, “Oh dear, I haven’t seen that dreadful creature since Uni. I hope she doesn’t see me…. Ugh too late.”

There was a loud squeal and everyone at the table turned to see where it was coming from, and then there was a collective moan from all four sitting at the table. “Oh God help us, it's Ruth Teague.” Joshua spoke for everyone!!

“Well, Caroline Penvenan I haven’t seen you since Uni!! Where have you been keeping yourself?”

“Working in London, and avoiding you Ruth. It was nice while it lasted! Ruth, do you know the Poldark family?”

Ruth pulled up a chair and made herself at home. “Yes of course I do! Verity! Joshua and Grace! Are you all here visiting Ross? How is he doing?”

Grace gave Ruth a fake smile, “Ruth how on earth did you know about Ross’s surgery!”

“Surgery? I didn’t know anything about a surgery? Is he ill? He doesn’t have cancer does he?”

Verity rolled her eyes, “Oh Ruth!! Shut up for once!” Verity yelled at Ruth and Caroline was quite impressed! “Ross isn’t ill, he doesn’t have cancer. He just cut the bottom of his foot and had to have surgery on it. He’ll be home tomorrow in the arms of his girlfriend, so don’t even think about spreading rumours about him, and don’t even think of making a move on him. Just stay away from Ross. The last thing he needs is a twat like you clawing on him.”

“Well, I never! Grace, can you not reign in your homely niece and teach her some manners!”

Grace was now laughing at Ruth! “As Verity said, shut up Ruth! Verity conveyed exactly how we all feel. Now please, leave us in peace.”

Ruth stomped her foot and left the table.

Joshua picked up his glass of wine, “I think a toast to Verity is in order!!” They all raised a glass, “To Verity!!”

Verity was beaming, “That did feel good to tell her off!”

What they didn’t know was that Ruth was now busy texting Elizabeth to fill her in on everything she just found out.

*****

“Demelza, what I started to say before the nurse interrupted us, I wanted to tell you that before all this happened, I had planned to ask you over tonight. There’s something that I need, that I want to tell you.”

She could tell by the tone of his voice that Ross had something serious in mind and it made her feel uneasy. “Do you want to break up with me?” She was trying to brace herself for the worst.

“What? No Demelza! That’s the last thing I want. I’m more afraid that you’ll want to break up with me after I tell you what I have to say.”

She raised her hand to run a finger over his cheek with the scar. “Is this about the scar on your face? You know that it doesn’t bother me at all. I think it’s sexy.”

He held her hand on his cheek. “I was so lucky to find you Dem. Part of it is how I got the scar. But, now is not the time to go into all of it. Maybe tomorrow after I get home?”

Demelza looked down and sighed. “Do you mean home here, or home Nampara?”

“Definitely home here. I know that my mum would love for me to go back to Nampara to recuperate, but there’s no way in hell that I’m leaving you for that long!!”

“Are you sure? I can tell that your mum really wants you to go back with them.” Demelza was starting to feel a knot grow in her stomach from everything.

“I’m positive Dem!! Besides, I like the idea of you taking care of me. I might even let you give me a sponge bath! … Just kidding on that.”

She smiled at Ross. “I will only be there part of the time. Between the concerts and my quartet gigs I wouldn’t be able to take care of you full time.”

“I know. We will figure something out.” Ross tried to give Demelza a reassuring smile and leaned down to kiss her.

“Hi guys, just checking to see how the blood is doing? Are you having any allergic reactions? Itching, fever, hives?”

“No, I’m fine, no reactions.”

The nurse was checking the IV lines and the blood. “Good! I couldn't help but hear a little of what you were talking about when I walked in. If you need help at home after you leave here, we can get you set up with home physio, and a home health aide.”

Ross perked up at that thought. “Really? That could work don’t ya think Dem?”

“It might. Maybe they could be there when I can’t?”

“Great. I can have social work come in and talk to you in the morning, they’re probably gone for the day. Everything looks good here. I’ll see you in another 15.”

Ross waited for the nurse to leave the room. “See! I knew we could find a solution. It’s all going to be fine. Please don’t worry. I’m sure Caroline can bring you over tomorrow after work with some clothes and whatever else you need. You can even borrow my Star Wars lounge pants again if you want!” He pulled Demelza in for a kiss.

“Well, you seem to have it all figured out, don’t you Ross.”

“I’m really looking forward to seeing you in my Star Wars pants again. So sexy!” They both started laughing.

They heard the door open and Caroline walked in followed by the Poldarks. “Well someone is having a good time! Here’s some soup for you Dem. So what’s so funny?”

“I was just telling Dem how sexy she looks in my Star Wars lounge pants!” This really made Demelza blush in front of his parents.

“Now there’s something that I wouldn’t think belonged in the same sentence… sexy and Star Wars!” Demelza was laughing at her flat mate.

“Caroline I am very hurt! How dare you desecrate Star Wars!

Verity chimed in, “Oh Caroline be careful of the battles you pick with my cousin. Unfortunately, he’s never outgrown his Star Wars phase. And for sure don’t start an argument over which is the best Star Wars movie. Ross, I’ll never forget that argument that you had with Claude over which Star Wars movie should’ve been shown first. I think that went on for days!” They were all laughing, but it died down when Ross went silent. Grace and Ross noticed that Joshua walked over to look out the window. “Oh Ross, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up sad memories.”

Ross smiled at Verity. “It’s alright, Verity. Those are actually happy memories.” Grace squeezed Ross’s hand. Demelza gave Caroline a small nod when it looked like she was going to say something. Ross looked at Demelza, “You’d better eat your soup before it gets cold.” and she smiled at him. Ross noticed that Grace was carrying a shopping bag. “Mum, I see that you’ve found a store to shop in. What did you get?”

“Oh we just went to the gift shop. They had some mobile chargers so I bought a couple in case Demelza’s didn’t fit. Have they brought you up something to eat? I bet you're starving?”

Ross took the chargers out of the bag and found one that worked on his mobile. “Thank you mum. Uh no they haven’t brought me anything to eat yet. I’ll ask the nurse about it the next time she comes in. Dem can you plug this in? I think the plug is over on your side.”

“Oh sure.”

The awkward silence was still in the room and it was getting on Caroline’s nerves. “Demelza you’ll never guess who I saw at the restaurant! Ruth Teague!”

Ross and Demelza both said “Ruth Teague!” at the same time, and then looked at each other. “You know her?” They both laughed at this which broke the silence.

“Ross, how do you know Ruth Teague?”

“I went to school with her unfortunately. She was always trying to get me to go out with her, and was always trying to hang around all of us, Verity, Francis, me. Elizabeth and her were always best friends and they hung out together. Christ almighty the thought of that woman makes my skin crawl! How do you and Caroline know her?”

Verity was now wondering if Ross opened a can of worms when he mentioned Elizabeth.

“Caroline and I went to university with her. She was horrible to me, and was always looking down her nose at me because I was on scholarship. I couldn’t stand her. But for some reason she always thought Caroline and her were best mates, didn’t she, Caroline?”

“Lord yes. Well hopefully after Verity told her off at the restaurant we won’t be hearing or seeing from her again. I think she majored in finding a husband because I never saw her study. She was asking about you Ross - if you were ill or had cancer!!”

Ross raised his eyebrows at Verity, “You told her off Verity? I would’ve paid to have seen that!!”

“I bloody well did!! I didn’t want her to look you up here in hospital and interfere when you have a wonderful girlfriend in Demelza. I wouldn’t trust her any farther than I could throw her.”

“Thank you, Verity. That’s so very sweet of you. Did you tell her that Ross’s girlfriend was me?”

“No, I didn’t. I didn’t realise at the time that you two knew each other. We’re better off her not knowing who his girlfriend is.”

Philipa the nurse came in with the nurse that will be taking over. “This is Becky. She’s going to be your nurse for the next 12 hours. I’ve already given her report. And I’ve also ordered a full liquid tray for you to try and see if you can keep down. We like to ease surgery patients into their diet. I imagine that you’re hungry. If you do alright with the full liquid tray, then we can advance your diet.”

“Thank you Philipa. My stomach is growling.”

“No problem. It looks like your blood is almost done. Becky will be taking care of that on her shift. And Ross, I did order that social work consult that you asked about, so I’m sure that you’ll hear from them in the morning as well as physio. Hopefully you’ll be gone by this time tomorrow. Any questions?”

“I think you’ve covered everything. Thank you for all of your help today.”

“My pleasure. It was nice to meet all of you today. Take care.”

Ross noticed that Joshua turned and came back into the conversation. “Did she mention social work? What’s that for, son?”

“Social Work is going to set up a home health aide as well as home physio for me. I think between that and Demelza, I’ll be fine at home.”

Joshua was shaking his head in agreement, “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“But I thought Verity and I could take turns…” Grace stopped herself. “You know what, I think that will work fine. But if you do need one of us to come up, please don’t hesitate to call.”

“Thanks for understanding mum. Are the three of you staying tonight somewhere?”

Demelza and Caroline were observing the family dynamics play out.

Joshua said, “Yes, we’re staying at one of the hotels across the street. Hopefully Ruth won’t be staying there as well!” They all chuckled at that. “Son, are you in any pain? I imagine the pain medication from surgery is starting to wear off.”

“Just a little throbbing so far.” Just then Ross’s tray came in. “Oh yay for me! What do we have here? A bowl full of broth? Some sort of juice, gelatin, and coffee. I could eat 5 of these trays!”

Demelza started to help Ross with his tray but saw that Grace had already opened his juice for him so she sat back down. A move that Joshua caught. “Grace, why don’t the three of us go check in at the hotel and leave Ross to his dinner. Hmm?” He put his arm around Grace and she gave him a knowing smile. “That sounds like a good idea. Ross, we’ll see you in the morning after breakfast.” She bent down and gave her son a kiss, and Joshua gave him a hug and a wink which surprised Ross. Verity gave him a hug as well. “Love you cousin.” Ross smiled, “Love you back!”

“I’ll walk with you downstairs.” Caroline said, leaving Ross and Demelza alone again.

*****

Caroline was saying her good-byes to the Poldarks in the hospital lobby when Verity asked, “Are you going to be leaving soon?”

“I think I’ll hang out down here for awhile until Demelza is ready to go.”

“Oh that’s right, Demelza rode with you.” Verity replied.

“Well yes, Demelza doesn’t drive.” They gave her a questioning look.

Caroline let her mask come off. “She never learned to drive while she still lived at home, because there wasn’t the money for her to take driver’s training. It doesn’t sound like they had a care most of the time anyway. Then when she went to University she always lived on campus or with me, so she didn’t need to drive, plus she still didn’t have money to learn or buy a car. And then after we moved here, well, she just learned to use public transportation just like a lot of Londoners do. She rarely needs a lift anywhere, and she’s very self-sufficient. And whenever she needs to bring her cello home, she and James usually ride with Henry. He has an old van so they all fit with all of their instruments.”

Grace spoke up, “I see. Will she be able to get to rehearsal from Ross’s place?”

“Oh I’m sure. There are tube stops all over the place. And if not she can always uber or take a cab. She’ll work it out. Like I said, she’s very self reliant. She’s had to be her whole life.”

Grace gave an understanding smile, “Yes, I guess she has. Thank you for everything Caroline.” She gave Caroline a hug and kiss good-bye.

*****

Night nurse Becky had come in and removed the empty bag of blood, took Ross’s vitals, added some pain medication to his IV, and ordered another tray for the still starving Ross, and left the two lovebirds to themselves. Ross had finally convinced Demelza to sit on the bed next to him so that he could wrap his arms around her, her hand on his chest. They both let out a yawn at the same time, which made them giggle. Ross carefully caressed Dem’s check with his hand that had an IV in it, and kissed her on the nose.

“I am so glad that you’re here, Dem. This day has been so long, it’s felt like it’s been two days in one and that I haven’t seen you during both of them. I’ve missed you.” He feathered her cheek with kisses.

“Oh shoot! Talking about the days reminds me, Ross. I won’t be able to come to yours right after rehearsal tomorrow. I have a … an appointment tomorrow. But I’ll come straight away after my appointment.”

“That’s okay, just come over whenever. Mum and da might still be there anyway. Do you have a lesson after rehearsal?”

“Yeah, a piano lesson. I’ll probably cancel them after that one until after Christmas because I won’t have time for them. I’ll probably take my suitcase with me to rehearsal so that I don’t have to waste time going back to the flat. I can pick up supper on my way to your place if you like.”

“Well, let’s just wait and see first and make sure that I am going home tomorrow. Hopefully I will. Mum and da and Ver will be able to take me home and get me settled. I’ll ask mum to go to the shop and stock up the kitchen. That will give her something to do and make her happy.” Demelza smiled up at him for that statement.

“She really loves you doesn’t she.”

“Yeah, we are pretty close. I guess I’ve just let her do her thing with mum stuff because she only has me ya know.”

“Do ya think you would’ve gone home to recuperate if I hadn’t been here?” Demelza had a smirk on her face now, expecting what the answer might be.

Ross giggled and rolled his eyes, “Maybe! I admit it. Busted.” He looked in her eyes and kissed her again, “But I do have you, and I am so glad that I do.” He gave her a lingering kiss and Demelza finally pulled away, “So am I.”

It was going on 8:30 and there was a knock on the door from Caroline. “Hello, is my roomie still here?”

Ross covered Demelza up and said “No she’s not here. I don’t know what happened to her?”

“Haha very funny Poldark.” She pulled the blankets to expose Demelza. “C’mon Dem it’s getting late. And I expect you have to pack some clothes.”

“Oh alright, if you must go. But promise me that you’ll text me so that I know that you made it home alright.” He grabbed one more kiss from Demelza.

Demelza smiled at him. “Alright, I promise. You get some rest, yeah”

“Goodnight Ross. Sleep tight.”

“Goodnight Caroline. Take care of my girl!”

*****

Caroline and Demelza were in the car on their way home.

“So Demelza, does Ross know about your doctor appointment tomorrow?”

“No. I just told him that I had a piano lesson. I’m not ready to tell him yet.”

“You’re not going to tell him that you’re going on the pill?”

“No. I’m not quite ready yet. I just want to be prepared. He told me that he has to tell me something important tomorrow and that he’s afraid that I will break up with him afterwards.”

“That sounds ominous. Any clue what that might be?”

“No. But it scares me. I can’t imagine what he might tell me that would make me break up with him. I’m not very good at waiting in these types of situations. I wish that he hadn’t told me, because now that’s all I’m going to be worried about.” Demelza started crying.

“That was kind of cruel for him to drop that on you. Oh Dem I hate to see you like this.”

Demelza was sobbing now. “Oh Caro! I, I …”

Caroline had pulled into their driveway now and was calling someone on her phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Dwight hi! I’m sorry to be calling so late.” Demelza was motioning for Caroline to hang up.

“Caroline! Is something wrong? Is Ross alright?”

“Yes, yes he’s fine. Demelza and I just left him. They just gave him some pain medicine so he’s probably happily asleep now. I need to ask you something.” Demelza was still trying to get Caroline to hang up, but Caroline wasn’t having any of it.

Dwight was confused by now. “Okay, I just got back to mine with Seamus. What’s going on?”

“Demelza is crying her eyes out right now because Ross said something that upset her.”

“Oh bloody hell, what did the wanker say?”

“He told her that he has to tell her something important tomorrow and he’s afraid that she might break up with him afterwards. He didn’t give her any clue as to what it is and now my dear friend is a nervous wreck and has to wait 24 hours until Ross tells her. Now Dwight I’m mad as hell! What kind of a twat would do that to a girl??? I’m only calling you because I hate to see her wait like this!! I’m sorry if I’ve offended you and your friend and if you want to break up with me over it than fine, but I want to know what the fuck is going on!!”

Dwight was completely bowled over by Caroline now. Wow. Caroline used the F word. He had never heard Caroline use that language. But Caroline was really upset and rightly so. He could hear Demelza crying in the background and he was getting madder by the second at his best mate for doing this to her. “Hold on Caroline, try to calm down. I have a feeling what Ross was talking about. Sometimes Ross doesn’t think about what he says and how it might come across. It’s not my place to tell you or Demelza what he’s probably going to talk to her about. But I will tell you, that I honestly don’t think Demelza will want to break up with Ross over it.”

Caroline had Dwight on speaker by now so that Demelza could listen. “Then why would he say such a thing to her?”

Dwight huffed. “I don’t know how to explain it without telling you, but like I said, it’s not my place. It’s not my story.”

Demelza stopped crying long enough to ask, “Is it about his brother Claude?”

“Yes, most of it is. It’s a very touchy subject with the whole family. I think Ross and his mum will talk about him a little, but Joshua never, ever talks about him.”

Caroline thought back to the earlier conversation about Claude in the hospital room. “So that’s why Joshua went all quiet when Verity talked about Claude tonight.”

“Verity talked about Claude? In front of Joshua? That blows my mind. What did she say about him?”

Demelza spoke up, “Ross was saying how sexy I looked in his Star Wars pants, and that started this whole conversation about Star Wars. Verity mentioned how Ross and Claude argued for days over something related to Star Wars. There were a few laughs over it, but Joshua absolutely went silent. I noticed that he walked over to the window and just stared out of it for the longest time.” She was still wiping the tears from her eyes.

“That sounds like him. Demelza, I really don’t think you have anything to worry about. And I’m truly sorry that Ross went all secretive on you. I’m surprised he even brought it up to you at the hospital. Maybe it was the drugs talking.”

“Maybe. He did say that he had plans to have me over tonight and was going to talk about something important, but of course that all changed. I knew that there was something to do with his scar, but I was trying to give him space and not force him to tell me. Thank you for trying to reassure me Dwight. And please don’t tell him that we called you. I don’t want him to know that I was upset.”

“I won’t. Try to get some sleep. I don’t know if I’ll see either one of you tomorrow, I have a shift at 7P. “

Caroline said, “Thank you Dwight. I’m sorry that I went off on you like that.”

Dwight smiled to himself, “Don’t worry about it. You were just protecting your friend. Goodnight you two.”

“Goodnight Dr Enys.”

Caroline hung up and sighed and took Demelza’s hand. “There. Feel any better?”

Demelza shook her head yes, “Thanks for calling even though I didn’t want you too.”

“That’s what friends are for. Now let’s go to bed. I’m bloody knackered!!”

********

Act Naturally

Written by Morrison-Russell

“I sang ‘Act Naturally’ in Help!. I found it on a Buck Owens record and I said, ‘This is the one I am going to be doing,’ and they said ‘OK’. We were listening to all kinds of things.”

–Ringo Starr

They’re gonna put me in the movies

They’re gonna make a big star out of me

We’ll make a film about a man that’s sad and lonely

And all I gotta do is act naturally

Well, I’ll bet you I’m gonna be a big star

Might win an Oscar, you can never tell

The movie’s gonna make me a big star

‘Cause I can play the part so well

Well I hope you’ll come and see me in the movies

Then I’ll know that you will plainly see

The biggest fool that ever hit the big time

And all I gotta do is act naturally

We’ll make the scene about a man that’s sad and lonely

And begging down upon his bended knee

I’ll play the part and I won’t need rehearsing

All I have to do is act naturally

Well, I’ll be you I’m gonna be a big star

Might win an Oscar, you can never tell

The movie’s gonna make me a big star

‘Cause I can play the part so well

Well I hope you’ll come and see me in the movies

Then I’ll know that you will plainly see

The biggest fool that ever hit the big time

And all I gotta do is act naturally

#aidan turner #modernpoldark #demelza carne #eleanor tomlinson #poldark #ross poldark #six sentence sunday #work in progress

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