#we are guilty but all we can do now is do the work

[wosoamazing]

Celiac

McFoord x Child!R

Warnings: Vomiting, Celiac Disease A/N: Doesn't really have a plot and I don't like the ending, only short but at least it's something

“Ma, I don’t feel good,” you told her as your stomach cramped, you were sitting beside her as you watched some of the girls train, your Ma having a quick break.

“Oh Munchkin, do you think you’re getting a bug?” you shook your head, wrapping your arms around your stomach tighter, “what have you eaten today?” you listed off everything you’d eaten that day. 

“Kyra, did you check the oats were gluten free?” your Ma asked the younger Australian, as you leaned your weight into your Ma’s side, stomach feeling worse by the second.

“Um, no, I thought they were, I’m sorry, I didn’t realise, I should’ve checked anyway just to make sure, I-” “It’s okay really, don’t worry, you didn’t do it on purpose and we know you tried your hardest, could you just tell Cait that Y/N/N is having an episode and to talk to Jonas, I’m just going to take her inside.” Your Ma asked the now guilty girl who nodded before quickly jogging off to your Mum.

-

“Hey Monkey, you not feeling well?” Your Mum spoke softly to you as she walked into the locker room, you just shook your head slightly in response to her, “Jonas said we were right to go home,” she told your Ma, from just a quick glance it was clear you were quite unwell. You were sitting in your Ma’s lap cured into a ball, her arms tightly wrapped around you, she rocked you slightly back and forth as she murmured comforting words to you, hating how there was nothing she could do to help you. 

“I think the oats Kyra used in the Anzac Biscuits she made for us all weren’t actually gluten free, she felt really bad but I told her not to worry and that it wasn’t her fault, do you want to have a shower and then I will and we can take her home?” Your Mum nodded before quickly heading to the shower.

-

“That’s it Monkey, let it all out, hopefully it will make you feel better,” your Mum encouraged you as you were hunched over the toilet in the bathroom, stomach harshly ejecting it’s contents, you sat in her lap and she held your hair back with one hand while the other rubbed soft circles into your back.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” your Mum told you as you collapsed back into her, curling into a ball, pressing your side against her front. Your stomach was super bloated but also intensely cramping and you felt really tired.

“Do you think we should try your tablets? Maybe the anti-sick ones first and then you muscle ones?” she asked as her hand carded through your hair.

“P-please,” your voice answered barely above a whisper.

“Okay, let's just stay here until Ma comes out of her shower, I’ll message her to bring them to us,” she murmured into the top of your head before kissing it.

_______

Your Mum’s were quite thankful for their now quiet day, not realising how much they both needed it. Thankfully the anti-nausea meds had worked and you had only thrown up once. Your muscle relaxers helped a bit but you were still in a lot of pain and your stomach was still cramping quite badly. When you arrived home your Mum’s took you into their room, where you almost immediately fell asleep on your Mum. You had moved in your sleep and now you were sleeping on top of your Ma, hand clutching the fabric of your Mum’s shirt to make sure she stayed. They had a movie playing in the background as they organised some things, in the middle of a discussion about the Olympics and whether you would go on camp with your Mum or go and watch some games with your Ma when the doorbell rang. Your Mum pried your hands off of her shirt and quickly got up to find a guilty looking Kyra on the other side of the door when she opened it.

“Kyra? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at training?” Your Mum questioned her.

“I feel really bad about y/n/n, Jonas let me go early, I bought some things for her,” she told your Mum as she presented the gift basket to her. 

“Thank you Kyra, that’s very kind of you, and honestly it’s not your fault, it was an accident, we understand.” Kyra nodded as she fiddled with the bottom of her hoodie, “you can see her if you want, she is currently asleep, and not very well, but I’m sure she won’t mind you coming to say hi,” the young Aussie nodded and followed your Mum through to where you were. You had woken up now, and Katie was helping you drink some water, you were still quite unwell, and looked like you were falling asleep sitting up.

“Monkey, Kyra came to see you,” your Mum told you as she walked into the room.

“Kyra?” you said groggily and she softly nodded her head, the younger girl stepped inside the room and sat down on the bed next to you, to which you climbed into her lap and fell asleep.

[sneakyneth]

I felt like expanding my introverted reader post

Price who after training rookies, going to missions, dealing with paper work and multiple stress factors just wants to stay at home with his lover but at the same time worries that they are gonna get bored staying in one place without doing anything.

Y/n: sooo... Do you wanna do something now that you have free time?

Price: *sigh* honestly love I just wanna stay here and relax but if wanna go out-

Y/n: NO!!! sorry, I mean, I would love staying here with you just the two of us ❤️

Price: you don't have to stay here and get bored.

Y/n: love I a hundred and ten percent prefer staying here at home that going outside dealing with people.

Ghost who after a really rough mission only wants to be alone but also wants to be with you so in reality he wants some quiet, after the guns, the explosions, the screams, the noice of everything. but feels bad because he bets that you'll want to talk to with him about your day and everything that happened while he was away but once he gets home and hugs you, you only tell him to get a bath and change into something more comfortable while you prepare something to eat.

The rest of the day is silent except for the sound of the TV but is so low that it can be ignore, he is glad that you are indulging him in the silence he wanted and that makes him even more guilty so he does the effort to talk

Ghost: so how was your day?

Y/n: shhh... We are in quiet time.

Ghost: what?

Y/n: It's obvious you want some silence and I gotta say I also want silence after what happened at work.

Ghost: what happened?

Y/n: I'll tell you later for now let's just enjoy ❤️

Gaz who wants to take you to a nice tea shop that he saw in social media but while you were getting ready your phone made a sound when you got a message.

Y/n: babe, can you check who is?

Gaz: it's your friend, they are asking if you want to go with them to a karaoke...

Seeing this Gaz felt bad that he was taking you to a boring tea shop when you could go to anywhere else and have fun with your friends, when you finished you took the phone from his hands and texted something to your friend.

Y/n: ok, let's go.

Gaz: wait, you are not going with your friend?

Y/n: nooou?... We have plans already.

Gaz: Don't worry about that, the tea shop it's something that I want to do, go have fun with your friends.

Y/n: first of all, who said that I don't want to go to the tea shop? Also they want to go to a karaoke, I don't think I can endure that, between the noise and the smell of alcohol, because I bet they are gonna order drinks, I prefer for us to go to a cute and cozy tea shop ❤️

Soap who it's on your side all the time after being away for a couple of months, while you're cooking he has his hands around you, while you are taking a shower he seats on the toilet, while doing the laundry he helps you but all of this it's in complete silence, something unusual for him, you think that maybe something happened in the mission so you do the talk although it's also a bit complicated for you since you didn't do a lot while he was away, mostly you tell him stuff that happened at work, but it was when you were cuddling that you decided to ask him.

Y/N: baby, are you okay?

Soap: what? Yeah, I'm ok.

Y/n: are you sure? You haven't talked much since you came back and you don't leave my side at all.

Soap: I just... I just feel bad that you stay alone for so long so I guess I want to kinda compensate for leaving you.

Y/n: I understand, but let me tell you that I don't mind being alone because I also understand that your job it's gonna make you be away for a while so there's nothing that can be done, besides I don't mind the alone time because I now that I'll never be alone when you are with me ❤️

[silhouetteonpaper]

Vengeance

Summary: You decide to take matters into your own hands and get revenge on the person you despise most. But what happens when you keep it a secret from the entire team?

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

WC: 1,585

Warnings: Mentions of killing, running away

VENGEANCE

The entire team is on edge, each Avenger crowding around whatever device they have on hand in Tony’s lab. Frantically typing, tapping, calling, or watching—you’ve been missing for the past hour and no one has any clue where you could be.

It’s unlike you to step foot out of the compound without letting anyone know, whether it’s a quick text in advance or by word of mouth. But this time Natasha knows something is up, there’s a reason you didn’t let anyone know you were leaving.

The only evidence that led the team to worry is the singular missing quinjet from the landing pad. Tony attempted to track it earlier, but all communication with the vessel had been cut. Now, desperate for answers, they venture to use whatever resources possible to figure out where you could have gone.

“It’s a blank trail. Wherever she’s going, she made sure no one would know.” Tony voices, scrolling through maps of different flight radar. A part of him feels guilty for even teaching you how use stealth mode on the jet. Natasha’s expression furrows as she scans security camera footage for any other signs, inhaling sharply each time the grainy deleted footage appears.

“C’mon Nat. We’ll keep an eye out, but until then I think we all need to get some rest.” Steve states as he places a comforting hand on Natasha’s shoulder. She’s reluctant to listen, but eventually complies as the entire team heads to settle down for the night.

The last thing Natasha’s able to do is sleep, she lies in bed trying to shake her worries about you. You seemed fine just the other day, maybe slightly quieter, but on the outside no one could have suspected you were planning anything.

Usually, you’re someone who is eager to please others in work and in life. Always a smiling face as you complete a mission or hang out with the team. Natasha feels lucky to have you around, but now she worries that something she did caused this.

In the past, you had shared your grief over the live you lived before coming to the compound. In an attempt to console you, she helped you look on the bright side as you began training. But now, replaying all those interactions again, she wonders if it was enough.

Her thoughts begin to spiral, the blame she places on herself growing as the redhead concludes she caused you to leave. These flowing thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the sound of a ringing phone.

Natasha sits up, seeing a call appear on her phone from an unknown number. At this hour, she was confused why anyone would be calling, let alone a contactless ID. Hesitantly picking up the phone, she hits the answer button.

“Hello?” She says into the dead air. Silence. Natasha’s brows cave inward in confusion.

“I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I’m not so sure.” Your familiar voice fills Natasha’s ears, making her sigh with relief. You’re alive, and hopefully safe. She clearly wants nothing more than to bring you back to the compound.

“Where are you? I can come pick you up right now.” The redhead asks, hoping her urgency doesn’t scare you away.

“No, Nat. I…” You trail off. You can’t reveal what you’re doing at the risk of the Avengers trying to stop you. For months you’ve been planning this mission, and you knew no one on the team would support this endeavor. So, during the time spent planning you were careful not to reveal what you were up to.

But why risk your safety over a mission? The answer is simple, a crystal clear priority in your mind. For years, an agent who killed your mother has roamed free. Leaving you with nothing but a desperate search of support, the Avengers took you under their wing. But the anger building inside you had not subsided regardless of time passing.

It’s unfair to even consider the idea her killer gets to live on, with no consequences for his actions. Sure, the team had promised to take care of him when the right time arrived, but those empty words were starting to make you even more impatient. Everyone had thought you were over the idea of getting vengeance, multiple years passing without a word.

But today, you hide away in a secret bunker waiting for the man to show his face, a slight unsettling feeling finding its way into your chest. You had hoped calling Natasha would help chase away the unusual feeling inside, so far just hearing her voice calms your nerves. You take a deep breath, the phone staying silent on the other end as Natasha prays you’ll give her any details on your whereabouts.

“I need to do this,” You state, shaking away the doubts inside. Justice has to be served, even if it’s morally wrong. But what would mother say? The thoughts circulate your mind, the simple task now seeming more difficult than before.

“Do what. I need you to tell me what you’re doing.” Natasha breathes, the tension rising between her concerned state and your spared details. You know she’s worried about you, that the entire team probably is. But you also value executing this mission a lot more than their feelings. Is that harsh? Possibly, but everyone knows how much you value family.

“I think there’s a chance you already know.” You respond. It’s almost too difficult to say the words yourself: I’m killing him. If Nat thought hard enough, maybe she could recall the times you talked about getting your revenge all those years ago.

A sharp inhale informs you that she figured it out on the other end. “Please don’t do this, please come home.” She pleads through the phone. You can practically picture her worried expression, and the usual protectiveness it often came with.

“You know I can’t do that, Natasha.” Your response brings silence across the call once more, the redhead taking a moment to process. Will she still attempt to stop you? Will she plea for your return again and again?

“We all have monsters in the closet, but you can’t risk your life over trying to get rid of them,” Nat suddenly starts, “You can’t ever make them go away completely.”

Maybe her words have some truth to them, because a pang of guilt in your chest now rises into your watering eyes. “I can try, I have to try!” You remark, your tone growing defensive with anger. Nat killed most of her enemies, she doesn’t understand. You feel betrayed that she’s sitting here telling you what to do while contradicting her own actions.

“Killing him won’t bring your mother back.” Natasha states firmly. You choke on your tears, covering your sobs with your free hand. You won’t let her hear you like this. You won’t let her know she’s right. “Come home, please.” Her words force their way into the swirling grief inside your mind.

Overwhelmed, and now regretting your call, you hang up without another word. Natasha is left in the dark, unable to call you back due to the unknown number leaving no trace. It’s just how you want it, yet something feels wrong about the entire situation.

Nat is right. You never thought you would say that, but it’s true. Killing him won’t bring your mother back, and if anything she wouldn’t support that endeavor either. It’s time to make a decision, one that will change the course of your life either way.

Do you kill the responsible agent and loose trust with the only people you can call family, or do you go back to the compound and feel unaccomplished? Neither sounds appealing, but if you want to leave the dusty bunker you have to make a choice.

The answer that fills you with the least dread was the one that still involves the only family you have. You know that the right path is the one that leads you back to the place you call home. So, you prepare to head back to the compound empty handed. You pack up your things, taking the same route on the jet back to the large white building on the water while your motivation to make a change for the better grows.

Unaware you’d be returning, the landing pad out front is empty as the sleek black quinjet touches down. It doesn’t take long for pattering footsteps to replace the sound of the cooling engine, the entire team now running outside at the sight. The person at the head of the group is none other than Natasha, a sad smile covering her face.

“You were right, killing him won’t bring my mom back.” You admit as you step off the jet, walking up to the redhead. She nods once, putting both her arms on your shoulders before enveloping you into a hug.

She takes a deep breath, relieved to have you back in her arms. “Even if you can’t see how proud your mother is, know how incredibly proud I am.” She voices. It hits you that you didn’t even realize in all your time planning that you didn’t need to prove anything to your mother. You didn’t need to prove anything to anyone. The real love that you so desperately wanted was in front of you this entire time, you just happened to be looking in the wrong place. And thankfully, Natasha would always be here to help you find your way back.

[petriwriting]

Vero Amore - Theodore Nott X Reader (Part 4)

Summary: Theodore is on trial for being associated with voldemort due to his father and family history, His odds arent looking so good. Luckily for him you are called to the stand to testify on his behalf, and you just might be the key to his innocence.

Fluff, established previous relationship, Exbf!Theo, Older!Theo and others. Post hogwarts.

Previous part here

The prosecution had painted Theodore as a greedy criminal, despite his previously spotless record. It was all about the chatter, and breaking away from the path his father had paved for him would have proven to be difficult. You were ushered back to your seat, away from the center of the courtroom. a mixture of skeptical and sympathetic faces passed you by, if these people wanted a love story, they got one. there was not a single ounce of dishonesty in either you or Theodore, or any of his witnesses'.

During closing arguments, Your escort gave an impassioned plea about Theodore's outstanding character and the complete lack of real evidence against him. The prosecution tried its best to poke holes, but their arguments rang hollow after everything. and it was now in the hands of the jury, you hoped and prayed they would be forgiving. After just an hour of deliberation, the jury returned with a verdict of not guilty on all charges and accounts. You finally let out the breath that felt like you had been holding for months. His life and reputation had been salvaged, he was no longer tied to his past. and he would not have to be sent away to suffer for his fathers wrongdoings. you were overjoyed, elated to be able to see him one day do all of the things he always dreamt of. Once the court was dismissed, you scurried over to Theodore to embrace him, he picked you up into the embrace, holding you closely with a huge breath of relief and fresh air. Blaise appeared, he had been sitting quietly somewhere in the courtroom, though you hadn't noticed. "I told you it wouldn't be so bad." he assured Theodore with a stern pat on the back. Theodore was practically in tears, happiness. "I'm so shocked," Theodore says, the courtroom is now being emptied. you are all being ushered to leave.

As the three of you continue forward into the lobby, Theodore lets out a heavy sigh. He says your name, gently. "I'm so happy you are here," he begins. "Thank you, so much. I am indebted to you." he says. You smile softly. "You don't have to thank me," you say. "I'm glad I could be here." you say. 

After a sentimental moment between the two of you, Blaise is quick to leave. "I do have to get work now, but I'll leave you two to have a more proper reunion." he says. "It was great to see you again," you say politely. Blaise was never super close to you, although you were cordial since he was friends with theo. "Thanks, for everything. We'll celebrate at my place later, yeah?" he says, Blaise nods, and then is off. 

"I don't suppose you have plans after this?" Theodore asks you as you both walk, exiting the ministry building spilling onto the busy street. "No, actually, my calendar is clear for the day." you explain. "Would you like to come to my place? we can catch up- I'd just like to properly thank you for being there today." he says, his hands reaching for his pockets. "That sounds really nice actually." you agree. 

Before too long you are at Theo's small flat. It's messy and lived in. "Sorry it's a mess." he says. "But it's home." for someone that grew up a pureblood slytherin who was well off financially, it was quite modest. "It's fine. I don't mind it." you say, sitting at the kitchen island. Theo is standing on the other side. "Would you like a drink?" he offers. "sure" you say. Although you are both happy that he is now a free man, there is still a slight tension from spending so many years apart after school. you are both attempting to make up for the lost years. Theo offers you a glass with some tea, your favorite kind. He's incredibly thoughtful. "What happened to your father?" you ask, after some contemplation. "After the war, he realized he would be prosecuted. He attempted to flee to America, but he was caught and he passed shortly after." Theo says. 

"I'm sorry to hear that." you say. "It's alright, I don't miss him. but he's the only family I ever had." he says sadly. "That isn't true," you retort. "You have draco, pansy, and blaise." you thought. "and me." you say softly. Theodore gives a grateful smile. there's a special exchange between you. His mother passed away when he was young and his father was awful...  "The past few years have been rough," he sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "with the trial dragging on for so long, and with everyone busy moving on with their lives I always felt like I was stuck back in time... It's been really lonely." he says. "Sometimes I think back," you begin. "and I remember all the things we did, all the fun we had. Laughter, Tears, all of it. I'm sad it's gone now, but I'm grateful that it happened. Those are my best memories." you admit. "Seeing us in those memories kind of changed me." Theodore admits, biting his lip slightly. there is uncertainty. "What do you mean?" you question."I just meant that," he begins, but he back tracks, his hands resting on the counter behind him as he leaned back, his arms stiff. "I've been really lonely and part of that has to do with missing you." he exclaims. "For a long time I absolutely hated myself for leaving you there like that without an explanation, knowing that I ruined one of the best things I've ever had in my life. For a while I couldn't get out of bed, It was so heavy. But I asked you here today so that I could just let you know I'm sorry for that." His head is low, he's ashamed of himself. "Theodore, you don't have to apologize for that." He shook his head. "I do when I've thought about it almost everyday for years." he manages to say softly. "We all did things we aren't proud of, there was a war happening," you say. "That doesn't matter, but I am sorry," he says. 

You shift in your seat, taking a sip of your tea and placing the cup on the counter. you swing your feet over the edge, and you are now standing in front of Theodore. "I know that you had to do that," you comfort. "You had no other choice to survive. and that's okay." you comfort the man in front of you. "And by the way, I thought about you too. a lot. an embarrassing amount. But I wanted you to grow, even if that meant leaving me to do so." you say. Theodore is speechless, he feels like the same teenager he was all those years ago, scared to say anything. so he didn't, he pulled himself forward to place a gentle kiss on your lips. 

[delirious-donna]

Tales From The Housekeeper [Extra Drabble]

story summary: Your best friend lets you crash at her place over the spring break since you have nowhere else to go. Little did you know that it isn't actually her place. Instead, it belongs to a tall (grumpy) hot guy who finds you in his apartment–her brother.

an: despite never being seen, the developing relationship between you and Kento has been witnessed up close. Mrs McGarden has been Nanami's cleaner for many years and she knows in her heart what is happening within the walls of the apartment... a little diary that I thought was a fun idea.

warning: none, SFW, fluff and humour

Series Masterlist

𝓜𝓻𝓼 𝓜𝓬𝓖𝓪𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓷’𝓼 𝓒𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓛𝓸𝓰

𝓒𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓝𝓪𝓶𝓮: Nanami Kento 

𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓮𝓼: general tidying, kitchen deep cleaned once a week and trash to be removed, vacuum and mop every other day, windows on a Friday, ad hoc jobs as and when 

𝓒𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓝𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼: very polite, young professional man, values his privacy, has a younger sister who has been known to visit unexpectedly (she has her own key for the door, keycard for the elevator and the passcodes), sister aside it is unusual for others to be visiting. Enjoys homemade bread and good coffee (reminder to bring by baked goods every now and then – especially banana bread and caramel pecan muffins) 

𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼: steer clear of anything overly floral, prefers subtle scents that evoke a sense of cleanliness, use Tom Ford Ébène Fumé reed diffuser in the master bedroom 

𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓪𝔂

No incidents to report. Apartment was empty on entry. Kitchen deep cleaned, skirting boards and cupboard doors included. Trash emptied. Took receipt of laundered items – left on master bed as requested. Replaced diffusers in living room and both bathrooms. 

𝓣𝓾𝓮𝓼𝓭𝓪𝔂

Strange phone call from Miss Nanami, client’s younger sister. I… I don’t know how to feel about it all. Over the years of my employment, I have grown very fond of Mr Nanami and whilst I do not see him most of the times I am here, on the occasions we do cross paths, he is always courteous and easy to converse with. That being said, I am not sure if I wish to be a part of the scheme she has proposed. I will have to think on it this evening, perhaps I will run it past Mr McGarden to see what he thinks of it all… 

Oh, before I forget. No other incidents to report. Linens from the beds stripped and remade with new sheets. All floors hoovered or mopped as planned. Plants watered. 

𝓦𝓮𝓭𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓭𝓪𝔂

I don’t know if my conscious will hold out, but I have decided that I could not ignore the plight of Miss Karin’s friend. What kind of woman would I be if I were not to allow a young woman a safe place to stay? I’ll be honest, Miss Karin was extremely persuasive… she would make an excellent lawyer. All I have to do is act oblivious if asked, which should not be a problem given the upcoming business trip. It might be nice to have a feminine presence in the apartment, and I can remove all trace of her before Mr Nanami returns, of that I am certain. 

One broken coffee mug (I expect my clumsiness was a result of my slightly frayed nerves) and I have left a note with the promise of replacing it. Couch cushions fluffed, blankets refolded and the ceiling fan and other hard to reach areas dusted. Counters sprayed down with disinfectant. List made for tomorrow – operation deep clean. 

𝓣𝓱𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓭𝓪𝔂

If I listed everything here it would take me an age. Suffice it to say the apartment is spotless, and I have left a Tupperware box of fruit scones for Mr Nanami to take away with him on his trip (my guilty conscious acting again and Mr McGarden was rather upset that there were no leftovers for him). Funny that I didn’t see his luggage out of the closet yet, perhaps he is packing last minute. I am both nervous and excited. I feel like a co-conspirator of some awful heist! 

𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓭𝓪𝔂

I am a nervous wreck… I barely slept last night and found myself starting work far earlier than normal simply because I couldn’t relax. All last-minute details straightened out. Mr Nanami had left for work or the airport by the time I arrived. Unusually there were some leftovers from the previous evening left out – a crystal tumbler with a hint of whisky in the bottom and a bowl with the stems of grapes. It’s not like him to not pick up after himself but maybe he was in a rush. I left as quickly as I could, not wishing to startle the poor girl who would be staying in the apartment. This is going to be fine, right? Oh, dear lord, what have I let myself in for… 

𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓪𝔂

If I avoid being fired it will be a miracle. From what I’ve heard there was a mix-up and now Mr Nanami knows of his sister’s scheme and apparently, she might have thrown me under the bus too. I will be having words with her as soon as she deems to answer my calls, the little madam. I caught the barest glimpse of the guest this morning as she was heading into her room, she smiled and I got the sense that despite the confusion, she is happy to be here. 

Mr Nanami, on the other hand, had less to say to me than I thought. He asked if I had known about Miss Karin’s plan and I couldn’t play dumb, not under his gaze. The man can be intimidating without really trying and I hope to goodness he hasn’t scared the poor woman. Rather than react with anger, he simply tightened his jaw and gave a firm nod. There is something different about him, I’m not sure what makes me say that, call it woman’s intuition. I am on reduced hours until his guest leaves and I can only hope he doesn’t reconsider my offer of resignation. I really would miss him as a client. 

𝓣𝓱𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓭𝓪𝔂 

There is something brewing here, I can feel it. What I claimed as woman’s intuition is now so much more. Mr Nanami is more relaxed than I have ever seen him, and he wears it well. It is nice to see him looking less tired, his eyes are brighter, and I would swear he smiles more frequently. His companion is doing wonders for his mood and no wonder, she is such a lovely young thing. Very intelligent, witty, and most importantly, she doesn’t let anyone walk over her. We have chatted once or twice but only for a minute. I like her, and I don’t believe I am alone in that sentiment. 

I keep forgetting to detail my tasks, I would forget my head if it weren’t screwed on as Mr McGarden likes to remind me. Linens changed. Laundry ordered for collection on Monday morning. Floors cleaned. Mug replaced from last week. Plants watered and pruned. 

𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓪𝔂

Oh, my days. I don’t know what to think. The atmosphere continues to change every time I visit. Today it seems the two of them have ventured to the National Museum together. Would one consider that a date? Maybe I am reading into things too much. Too many Mills and Boon novels in my nightstand. He deserves happiness. Money can only afford so much. I’ve worked for Mr Nanami long enough to want to see him settle and be happy. I dare not get my hopes up but it’s impossible when I witness these furtive little glances between them. It’s also rather funny how they seem to fall silent whenever I am within earshot. It reminds me of my courting days… 

Living area straightened, a dog-eared book found down the side of the couch cushions, and I doubt it belongs to Mr Nanami. His bookshelves are stuffed full, but each book is in pristine, unread condition. The man simply does not have time for reading. Maybe they will change. Floors cleaned. I can’t help but notice that the apartment feels far more lived in than it ever has. Diffuser changed in the master bedroom. 

𝓦𝓮𝓭𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓭𝓪𝔂

She left. I don’t know what else to say. The apartment is a mess, well, as messy as I’ve ever seen it. Decorative ribbon on the living room floor, a half empty bottle of whisky on the kitchen island, two mugs unused but set out… Mr Nanami refuses to speak to me, refuses to even meet my eye. I’d take it for anger if I didn’t know better. There is guilt in his gaze. Whatever happened yesterday, he won’t be drawn on the matter. I’ve thought to call Miss Karin but is it my place? Never have I seen the man so dishevelled and utterly miserable. I suspect he hasn’t bathed as I can smell the lingering alcohol when he slouches past. I don’t like this. I should have never meddled in his affairs. Just when I thought he might have found someone to brighten his days… oh, it’s such a mess. 

Kitchen disinfected, dishwasher emptied and reloaded. Living area tidied except for the ribbon which I dare not touch. Bedrooms… the guest room is barren and sad. Mr Nanami prevented me from stripping the linens, in fact, he practically shooed me from the room. Bathrooms cleaned. There is a lump in my throat as I write this. I wish I had never been a part of any of this, not when it has seemingly ended so disastrously. What shall I do? I suppose that nothing would be the best answer, it is not my business to meddle in. 

𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓭𝓪𝔂

No one was home. I worry that Mr Nanami is not eating, there is very little trash and no leftovers in the fridge. I couldn’t help but peek inside the bedroom next to his and I found it exactly as it had been the last time I was here. The sheets are made but the ruffles show the clear form of a body huddled atop the bed. I’m not sure if it’s from the poor girl or if Mr Nanami has taken to sleeping in here. A sadness remains and I’ve taken to completing my tasks as quickly as possible to escape the gloom. If things have not improved over the weekend… perhaps I can offer a friendly ear? I doubt he would accept the offer, but I can’t continue on like this and feeling partly responsible. 

Windows washed. Floors cleaned. Empty liquor bottles taken out for recycling… he never normally drinks this heavily.  

𝓜𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓪𝔂

I was running late today, and of all the days to fall behind. It must be serendipitous! The key was barely in the lock when my phone rang from the depths of my bag. Lo and behold… Miss Karin had finally returned my calls. I was halfway through giving her a mouthful when she cut me off with seven words that I will remember for years to come.  

He left work to go find her. 

I’m in shock. Never have I known Mr Nanami to leave work before the day was done. In fact, he often worked far later than he needed to just to stay ahead of the competition. There was something in Miss Karin’s voice, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but she knows more than she was letting on. I could have cried on the spot. 

Linens changed although I have again left the guest bedroom. Kitchen deep cleaned. Plants watered and pruned. Dusting done. I took the liberty of baking some bread whilst I was here. The sun was long down by the time I left. I guess I lingered in the hopes of maybe seeing them both, but it wasn’t to be. There is hope in my heart once more and I will nurture it. Mr McGarden picked me up this evening and listened to me on the drive home. He told me about a saying from the country he was born and raised in… ‘whits fur ye’ll no go by ye’, which means what is for you will not go by you and I believe that in my heart. 

There will be a happy ending, or I will eat my hat! 

[callsign-dexter]

Babysitting Mishap

Summary: Nolan’s and Bailey's daughter is rushed to the hospital while her big brother, Henry, is watching her.

Pairings: John Nolan x Daughter!Reader, Bailey Nune x Daughter!Reader, John Nolan x Bailey Nune, Henry Nolan x Sister!Reader

Warnings: angst, fluff, hospitals

Accidents happen and everyone knows that. Some can be avoided and some can't. This accident couldn't have been avoided when your brother, Henry Nolan, had been watching you while he was in town, and your parents, Bailey Nune and John Nolan, were out at work. He didn't know how it happened or why but it did and he felt guilty about it but Bailey and Nolan told him not to because it could've happened to anyone. You should've listened to Henry but you being a stubborn 4-year-old didn't and now you were in the hospital as your parents were looking at the x-rays. It started out as a normal day but quickly turned south around late afternoon.

**********************************************

Both of your parents had to go in early that morning due to some high-profile case that the police and fire station had to work together on. Your big brother, Henry, was in for a few weeks visiting so he had gladly said that he would watch you for the day and however long they needed to be gone. You had days where you wanted to sleep in and other days where you were up bright and early ready to go. This day it had been the bright and early option.

You had just started to sleep in your big girl bed, as you liked to call it, throughout the night. You knew to stay and play in your room if you were up early because you either were ready to go or would go back to sleep after a few minutes. For some reason, you thought it would be a good idea to get out of your room and 'try' to start breakfast for yourself. Bailey, Nolan, and Henry were all sound asleep when a crash coming from the kitchen woke them up and they all went rushing into the kitchen, Nolan with his gun and Henry with a baseball bat. You looked up alarmed at them. "Y/N, what are you doing?" Your dad asked and you looked at him like he was crazy as he put his gun on safety and away.

"Hungry." You said in the most matter in fact tone you could muster up.

"Why didn't you come and get us, Sweetie?" Bailey asked.

"Do it on my own." You said and everyone chuckled.

"Alright, Sis." Henry said as he put the bat down and went over and picked you up "Let's get you fed and cleaned up while Mom and Dad get ready for work." He said and you beamed up at him.

"Ok!" You said enthusiastically and then he turned you to Bailey and Nolan.

"You sure you got it?" Your dad asked and he nodded.

"Yup. Now go get ready. We got this covered." He said and the two parents nodded.

"Thank you." They both said.

"You're welcome. Now go." Henry said and ushered them out of the kitchen. It wasn't much longer until Bailey and Nolan were coming out of their room dressed and ready for the day, they would be switching into uniforms at work. When they came out they saw that you were cleaned up and sitting at the table with Henry, the mess had been cleaned up.

"You didn't have to clean it up. We would've." Bailey said as she walked over to the table and smoothed down your hair. Henry looked at her and shook his head.

"It wasn't that hard. Luckily nothing was broken and I threw the towels into the washing machine and started it." He said and Bailey and Nolan smiled.

"Well thank you. We appreciate that." He said coming over with two thermos' filled with coffee.

"You're welcome. Now you need to go before you both are late." Henry said. During all this, you had been perfectly content with the food sitting in front of you. Sure you were listening to them talk but one you had food and two they were talking 'grown-up stuff', something you came up with when you didn't understand something. Your dad looked down at his watch and his eyes bugged and you giggled.

"You're right. We will see both of you later tonight. Y/N be good for your brother and listen to him. Henry don't be afraid to get on her if she's not." You did said and Henry chuckled and smiled.

"He's right." Bailey said agreeing "We love you both and are planning on seeing you tonight." She added and you both nodded.

"We love you." They both said at the same time taking turns hugging you both. Your dad picked you up and you protested at first but you loved being in his arms. Everyone walked to the door.

"We love you too." Henry said and you nodded already you were looking sleepy and they took notice of this as you laid your head on his shoulder.

"I don't think she's going to be awake too much longer." Bailey chuckled and smiled.

"I think you're right." Nolan said. "Alright we have to go." He said and handed you over to Henry who gladly took you. You snuggled into him as your eyes started to close.

"Go. Be safe. We love you. I'll call you if we need anything or if something happens." Henry said as he was ushering them out the door. When he finally got them out the door after they kissed her head you were asleep. Henry could tell by how even and slow your breathing was. "I knew you wouldn't last long." He chuckled and then headed to put you back into bed and once securely tucked in he went and picked up from breakfast. Around 10 AM you were awake and calling out for Henry who rushed to your room immediately. "Hey there, Sis." He said and you looked at him and made the motion that you wanted to be picked up and he gladly granted it.

"Nemo." You said and he chuckled.

"You want to watch Finding Nemo?" He asked and you nodded enthusiastically.

"Uh-huh. Nemo is my favorite." You said as he sat you on the couch and turned on the TV. He went to Disney+ and cued up Finding Nemo once you were settled he started to do some work around the house and on his computer, you were still in his line of sight and hearing distance. You had stayed put while the movie was on and when that went off you wanted The Lion King and he happily put it on while he started lunch. He could still see you so when you started jumping on the couch he was quick to let you know.

"Y/N no jumping on the couch." He said sternly and you looked at him and nodded and sat down. He continued making lunch and he just so happened to look up and saw you standing up and once again jumping and he sighed. "Y/N/N what did I say about jumping on the couch?" He asked sternly and you looked back at him.

"Not to." You said looking down and sitting down. He grabbed the now-finished sandwiches and brought them into the living room.

"I'm not trying to be mean. I just want you to stay safe. Ok?" He asked and you nodded.

"Ok. I'm sorry." You said and he smiled softly and he sat the food down.

"Come here." He said and opened his arms and you did so. "I love you. I just don't want anything happening to you." He added and you nodded.

"I love you too." You said and he kissed your head.

"Wanna watch the rest of the movie while we eat?" He asked and nodded.

"Please." You said and he chuckled.

"You got it, Sis." He said and then got the food and you both began to eat while you were seated in his lap and watched The Lion King. Jumping on the couch and the discipline long forgotten at least to you.

It was now 3 PM and you had been through at least 3 movies, several snacks, and lunch. Now the both of you were in the backyard playing on the swing set that you had gotten not too long ago. "Henry, swing." You said and he smiled.

"You want me to push you on the swing?" He asked

"Yea." You said and he nodded.

"Ok then, let's go." He said and you two headed to the swing. You buckled you in and started to push you. You giggled and laughed especially when he would go in front of you and then rush to get behind you, you just thought that was the funniest thing in the world. He pushed you for a few minutes until you wanted to slide. You slid down the slide a few times and then you decided to jump off the slide and he was not happy. "Absolutely not. That is not safe. We don't jump off the slide." He said and you looked at him and nodded.

"I sorry." You said and he nodded.

"It's ok just don't do it again. Do you want a snack?" He asked and you nodded.

"Goldfish." You said and he nodded and picked you up and headed back into the house. Henry sat you in front of the TV and turned on some kid's YouTube videos while he got your snack ready. He looked down for a second and that's when you decided to jump on the couch but you lost your footing and went tumbling down. He looked up right in time as he heard you shriek. It was like everything was in slow motion and he was running in slow motion. He dropped whatever he was doing he ran to you but you had already fallen, he had watched you hit your head and your arm bent at an odd angle. He and you looked at each other until you let out a cry and he was quick to pick you up and hold you, making sure to cradle your head.

"I told you no jumping on the couch." He said but you just continued to sob and cry out in pain. "Alright, we're going to the hospital." He said and off you both went. You were still sobbing and crying. He also decided to try and call Nolan and Bailey but no answer so he called Wade Grey.

"Henry? Everything ok?" Grey asked him.

"No. Is Bailey or my dad near you? I can't get ahold of them." Henry asked

"Uh yea they are. We're at a scene together." Grey said "Is everything ok?" He asked again.

"Can you tell them on the way to the hospital with Y/N? She was jumping on the couch and I told her not to. She hit her head and fell on her arm at an awkward angle, I think it's broken." He said keeping calm and then Grey heard you cry out in the background.

"Yes of course I'll tell them. You be safe getting to the hospital." He said

"We will be and thank you." Henry said and then hung up the phone.

Henry reached the hospital and pulled up and then quickly got out and carefully getting you and rushing in. He ran to the front desk "My name is Henry Nolan and this is my sister Y/N Nolan she fell off the couch and hit her head and I think she broke her arm." He quickly told the receptionist and she was quick to jump into action. She had him set you on a gurney and then you were being pushed into away and he was given paperwork to fill out. Now he had to wait for your guy's dad and Bailey.

**********************************************

Grey had just gotten off the phone and rushed to Bailey and Nolan. They were talking with Celina, Aaron, Lucy, and Tim. "Nolan and Bailey you need to get to the hospital." He said

"Is everything ok?" Nolan asked being confused as everyone else.

"No, Henry just called because he couldn't get ahold of the two of you. He said Y/N was jumping on the couch and he told her not to and she fell and his her head. He also said that she fell on arm at an awkward angle." He said. Bailey and Nolan's face drained of color.

"Oh my gosh." Lucy said

"You two go. Take the shop and use the sirens. Tim will be taking over as TO for Celina." Grey said and they nodded and Bailey and Nolan were rushing to the shop and rushing to the hospital.

The two of them arrived in record time and parked out of the way in the emergency lane. They rushed in and into the waiting room and that is where they found Henry sitting nervously bouncing his leg up and down. He had done the paperwork and given it to them and now he was just sitting and waiting. "Henry." Nolan said and he looked up and saw him and Bailey and sighed in relief.

"I'm so sorry." He said when they reached him and sat down in front of him "I told her not to and she didn't listen and now we are here." He added.

"It is ok. Accidents happen. You told her not to and she did it anyways. She's just like her mother." Nolan said trying to make it light and it had worked.

"Hey." Bailey said and they chuckled.

"Did they say anything?" Nolan asked and Henry shook his head.

"No." Henry answered and they nodded and just then the doctor came out.

"I'm Dr. Lench. You two must be the parents." He said and they nodded.

"I'm John Nolan and this is Bailey Nune." Nolan said and the doctor nodded.

"Well good news is that when she hit her head it didn't injure her or give her a concussion. However she did break her arm and will need surgery to get it fixed and casted." Dr. Lench said and they nodded.

"How bad is the break?" Bailey asked

"It is fractured bad enough that she will need surgery." Dr. Lench said and they nodded their head taking everything in. "You three are more than welcome to see her now. She's sleeping currently and we gave her some pain meds." He added and then started to lead the way. It was a quick trip to your room in the children's ward. "Call if anything happens or you need anything. We have a temporary cast on her until we can get her into surgery." He said.

"When do you think that will be?" Henry asked and the doctor smiled.

"Hopefully soon. We'll keep you informed." He said and then his pager went off and he smiled "I need to take this." He said everyone nodded and now it was just them three and you in the room. Nobody dared to say a word.

"I really did tell her to stop." Henry said

"We know. We know she is stubborn. It is not your fault." Bailey said and he nodded but he still felt guilty. Who wouldn't? They waited for what seemed like hours but it was just a few minutes and you were waking up.

"Mommy? Daddy?" You ask seeing them and they smile softly at you.

"Hi, Sweetie." Bailey says.

"You're ok." Nolan says.

"Hurts." You say in a whining tone.

"We know, Baby. It's going to be ok." Nolan said

"Henry?" You ask and he walked up to you.

"I'm right here, Sis." He said

"I'm sorry." You said eyes slipping closed tiredly and everyone smiled.

"It's ok, Sis. I promise." He said and then you nodded and were out like a light. Bailey, Nolan, and Henry all stayed close by. The room was silent besides your heart monitor beeping steadily. They were so focused on you that they jumped when there was a knock on the door. They looked up and saw it was Celina and Tim.

"Hey, how is she doing?" Tim asked holding Nolan's bag.

"She's sleeping. She doesn't have a concussion but will need surgery to fix her broken arm." Nolan said

"That must be so hard for her and you guys." Celina said and they nodded.

"I brought your bag for you to change. Grey and I agreed that you're taking the rest of the day off. Bailey your captain said to give you the rest of the day off too." Tim said and handed Nolan his bag.

"Thank you guys." Nolan said and Tim nodded.

"You focus on getting that little girl better." Tim said and they nodded and then they had to leave.

**********************************************

You slept most of the time while you were in the hospital. Your mom and dad took turns cuddling with you in the bed and Henry stayed close getting anything anybody needed. Nurses were in and out checking in on you and then the date for your surgery was set. Everyone was nervous but they treated you with such care that Bailey, Nolan, and Henry weren't so nervous. They waited for a total of 2 hours before Dr. Lench was coming out telling them it was a success and that everything was good to go.

The three family members walked into your room and your were up and talking with the nurses. "We put a temporary cast on her for now to let the swelling go down and to make sure nothing is wrong. We'll keep her for a few days until then. She can sleep whenever she wants. You can also lay in bed with her just be mindful of the wires and her arm." He said and everyone nodded and then he was letting the four of you be.

"Hi, Sweetie." Bailey said and you smiled.

"Hi momma." You said tiredly.

"How you feeling?" Nolan asked

"Tired." You said and yawned and they chuckled.

"You can sleep, Sis. We'll be right here when you wake up." Henry said and you nodded and got comfortable and cuddled a white stuffed animal that was a dog that they had given you. Nolan sent out a text to everyone letting them know you were ok and sent a picture of you sleeping. "I'm going to get some food anybody want any?" He asked and Bailey and Nolan nodded.

"Please." Bailey said and Henry was walking out of the room.

"Daddy cuddle." You said sleepily and he chuckled and agreed and got in bed with you. You cuddled into his side and fell asleep in no time. Bailey smiled and snapped a few pictures and sent them out.

"Everything is going to be ok." Nolan said startling her.

"It's just scary." She said

"I know but she's still here and all she got out of it was a bump on the head and broken arm. She'll be back to our spunky little girl in no time." He said and she nodded.

"I believe you." She said

"Nothing is going to take our little girl away from us anytime soon." He said and she nodded and scooted closer to the two of you. Henry came back with food and drinks. He gave them out and then took his seat next to Bailey. Small talk was made but it was in low voices to keep from waking you up.

You were ok and that was all that mattered to them. You may have a broken arm but if that is the only thing you had gotten out of this experience then everything was good to go. When you were awake everyone came by and visited and you got a lot of gifts.

When you finally got to go home you got a pretty blue and red cast. Everyone was more cautious of everything you did and you really didn't mind. You also got to have all the snacks in the world especially when you had to take your medicine. You did learn to listen to your brother and not to jump on the couch anymore.

Overall it was a learning experience for you. An experience you didn't want to happen again. Never again will you be jumping on the couch or your bed again. Well at least until you got older but you would know better then.... hopefully.

Tag list:

@callsigns-haze

@kmc1989

@els-marvelvsp

@atarmychick007

@nyx2021

@grandstrangerphantom

@angenu01-blog

@talesofreading 

@callsign-revenge

[raayllum]

Hey Raayllum. I was just curious to know as to why you believe Rayla hurt herself, considering she's been wronged and abandoned by everyone in her life. Do you think that Rayla doesn't let Callum love her? It really bothers me that nobody ever defends her besides Callum.

Like I understand, Amaya was defending her nephew, but I think she was being completely judgemental towards Rayla. I'm just saying. It was unfair.

To start I'm gonna talk about Rayla, but I wanna clarify before the read more that I don't think Amaya was being unfair at all or overly judgemental; that said, we'll work our way there.

I think Rayla struggles to do exactly what she says so in the show: she struggles to share her burdens. She struggles to let herself be vulnerable / be 'weak'. Which given "your heart wasn't hard enough to do whatever it takes" + growing up in a 'one strike and you're out' community system could not have helped the issues she already had as a young child to begin with: "I wasn't fast enough, I wasn't strong enough" (Bloodmoon Huntress).

Most of the time even when she's telling people what's wrong, it's still under the lens of "this is the price I'm paying and even though it hurts I'm totally fine with it, actually, you don't need to help me." She's not asking for solutions, she's updating them on the choices/prices she's already decided to pay.

Whether because of her own perceived mistakes, or because of other people's choices, or because there's something Much More Important than her own personal wellbeing to ever possibly prioritize, of course.

She wants / wanted to "be strong alone" (and sometimes had to be) and she has a very hard time forgiving herself / giving herself the same compassion she shows other people.

That said, we shouldn't say she's making no progress. 5x04 is the first time in the entire show she 1) seeks someone out to talk about her own problems and 2) talks about her own problems because she wants to, not just because she feels guilty, or because she's having a breakdown. That's huge, and shows she's beginning to learn to accept the grace given to her - there's just a long way to go.

She's bad at being nice to herself, too. Why should her pain, or what she puts herself through, matter? She can shoulder it alone. It's fine. Until it isn't. And, luckily, until she doesn't have to.

But again, thankfully, she's starting to improve.

With that in mind, as said, I don't think Amaya was being unfair at all. She barely knows Rayla, she's a lot closer to Callum, and she saw his heartbreak up close. Then she sees Callum and Rayla show up together, out of nowhere, when Amaya didn't even know Rayla had come back into his life. Of course she has her guard up (nor does Amaya ever say she was right to hurt Rayla back at the Banther Lodge because Rayla ended up hurting her nephew; her issues with Rayla are now completely removed from her being an elf, and she's also being hyperbolic).

Rayla did hurt Callum; she did abandon him, and she did break his heart. She had 'good reasons' for doing so, or at least good intentions. She was scared of losing him. She wanted to protect him from what she saw as her burdens. She "couldn't bear to put him in danger" just over her (because, for a lot of the reasons stated above, she doesn't think she's worth that; regardless). But she was still wrong to leave. That said, Rayla was wrong to leave not only because it hurt Callum, but also because it hurt herself, and Amaya is the first person we've seen directly acknowledge it (although Callum does so in the background that will likely be taken to the forefront in S6).

Amaya, who's had a 4 season long arc about developing more empathy and seeing herself in others ("We gain nothing if we throw away the chance to learn and grow"), is also able to recognize what's going on, because she's been through it herself. And she identifies it all for what it is: a hyper independent trauma response because of grief and fear.

R: You think I meant to hurt Callum? That's the last thing I wanted! A: You abandoned him. You broke his heart. R: I was trying to protect him! I left without him because I couldn't bear to put him in danger. I knew I had to be strong alone. A: [Sighs] You know who you sound like? R: Who?! A: Me.

R: Oh... Thanks, I think? A: When I was growing up, my big sister Sarai was the smartest, strongest, bravest person I knew. When she died, I felt lost and weak without her. I hated feeling that way, so I learned to be strong alone. Stoic, strong, and lonely. R: That... does sound like me sometimes. A: But the last two years have changed everything. Meeting Janai, falling in love. I am stronger now than I have ever been, because we are stronger together. And I realized that was the real truth of me and Sarai, too. Love and trust grow a kind of strength that is much bigger than we each possess. To have that kind of strength, it is not enough to love someone. You have to trust them to share the burdens you carry.

Amaya and Rayla once had a spat in the Banther Lodge because Rayla asserted that she was alone (which I think Rayla truly believed, anyone, running off with two boys she barely knows) and Amaya called her a liar. Now, Amaya reminds her that the choice to be strong alone is a choice, and she can make new ones; she can let trust coexist with the endurance of her love to make something that's stronger together, and Rayla takes her up on it.

Like Amaya says in 4x06, "All I ask is that your justice is compassionate." Amaya calls Rayla out, and then she offers actual help so that the pattern doesn't persist, so that she's less likely to hurt Callum in that way again. You can't fix people's emotional problems or relationships for them; you can only keep giving them chances, if you want to.

Thankfully, Callum and Rayla both want to - so they do.

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Cradle To Grave: Final Part

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.2k

Summary: Your experience in prison isn't what you thought it would be. You're feeling everything and you don't know if you'll be okay when you finally come out of it. Meanwhile, the team notices a change in Spencer as he tries his best not to miss you too much.

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Season Five Masterlist

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them.

x

When the other half of the team arrives in Phoenix, Derek hands JJ a list he's been working on.

"JJ, I need you to call these fertility specialists and get them over here for interviews."

"Whoa," she whistles as she looks at the long list.

"Yeah, I know. Hotch wants to focus on the prenatal drugs the unsubs are giving the victims. He thinks we can build a new suspect pool, and he wants it done yesterday."

"There are two pages of names here. Shouldn't we narrow it down?"

"Just do it, JJ, okay?" She raises her eyebrows at him and he sighs guilty. "I'm sorry."

"Is everything okay?"

"Hotch has been on me ever since we got here, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why."

"I might know. The night before Hotch picked this case, Chief Strauss stopped by the BAU. They were behind closed doors, but it seemed like it got a little tense."

"I can understand. The Bureau's been on him for a while. He must have known this was gonna happen."

"Except now, they're making him justify every decision. For Hotch, that's hell. Don't worry, I'll start calling."

She goes down the list and manages to get one of them to come down to the station and talk to her and Rossi. She is more than willing to help if it means helping children from dangerous situations. JJ quickly explains the situation they're in so she's not confused when Rossi starts the questioning.

"Dr. Dekeyser, we don't think she's getting these prenatal drugs as a patient. I think she's writing the Scrips for herself."

"Then she wouldn't be very knowledgeable about what she's doing. Some of these drugs have serious side effects. There are dozens of meds I would prescribe before these, all of them more effective."

"Why would she use these ones?"

"My guess is these are the ones she had access to. Fertility drugs are a cocktail, and you keep remixing the cocktail until you get pregnant. The information is out there on the internet. She found the right one."

"So, the woman was prescribed these drugs for some other illness and figured out that they helped carry a baby to term?"

"Exactly."

"Then the real question is, what other diseases do these drugs treat?" JJ asks Rossi.

Derek walks past Rossi, JJ, and the doctor into the office Hotch has claimed his own. He has a piece of paper in his hands that Hotch knows about.

"What's this?"

"It's a tactical arrest plan. I'd like you to write it up for this case."

"You want me to write up how we apprehend these unsubs without risking the lives of the children?"

"Yes."

"Hotch, I've led dozens of tactical assault teams. You've never made me write up one of these before."

"That's because I always do it for you after each case."

"You know what? I'm sorry Strauss is coming down on you."

"This isn't about Strauss."

"Really? I disagree. Look, I understand that you're under the gun, but I gotta say it. I'm really not all that surprised. I've watched you walk away from a bunch of cops gunning down unsubs in D.C. You walked in unprotected to a hostage situation in Louisville. You're not even helping Y/N out of prison. One of our own. Of course, the Bureau's worried about you. Man, I'm worried about you, but just because you're the one who's under the magnifying glass, that doesn't mean I can't do my job."

"Morgan, there's a big part of your job that I do for you because I don't need you worried about paperwork and politics. I need you in the field, focused, and catching the next unsub. I can't do that anymore. I know it doesn't seem like I'm helping Y/N, but my hands are tied. You of all people would know I'd fight for her in an instant if I could. If the situation was different, you know I'd do that. I don't have to justify my orders to you, and you do have to follow them."

"I've always followed your orders when they made sense."

"Well, if you have a problem with this one, tell me now."

Derek scoffs and shakes his head knowing this is a battle he can't fight.

"You're the boss."

JJ waits until the pissing match is over, and she sticks her head inside the office.

"Garcia needs to talk to us."

They both follow her outside where everyone else is.

"Okay, so the gold star of the day goes to Agent David Rossi and his short list of one disease These prenatal drugs also treat breast cancer. Progesterone and Tamoxifen slow the spread, Metoclopramide and Domperidone are anti-nausea."

"Yeah, I took those," JJ chuckles.

"If this woman has breast cancer, would she be able to get pregnant?" Hotch asks.

"She could but she'd have to be dedicated."

"How dedicated?"

"She's have to go off chemotherapy. She'd be in a lot of pain, but she'll try anyway. Her whole life is children. That's her goal."

"When was Monica abducted?"

"Five years ago," Penelope answers Hotch.

"How many breast cancer patients in Arizona got pregnant five to six years ago?"

"Let me see. Not a lot. Seven."

"How many of those patients are married to a man with a history of sexual violence?"

"Just one. Robert and Linda Reimann. Jeeze, she lost her baby eight months into her pregnancy. She had to go through labor anyway."

"There's our stressor."

"Garcia, was the baby a boy?"

"Yeah. They even named him--Michael."

"There has to be a name on the death certificate. Doctors encourage bonding between mothers and stillborns," JJ says. Everyone looks at her in confusion about how she knows so much about this topic. "I volunteer with a new mom counseling group. They say it helps them cope with feelings of loss."

"Thos one can't cope, so she's recreating them."

Penelope gets their address but the team can't go in right away. The property is huge and they need a game plan before they go in. Derek has SWAT with him, and he's explaining the game plan by using a map of the property.

"Okay, Commander, this is the unsub's property and house. Now, five years ago when the wife lost their child, the husband started paying for home renovations with his credit card. A new shower, toilet, tile, and mesh fencing which he did not put up in his backyard."

"He was building his dungeon," Hotch says.

"No permits were filed for additional building on the property, so the entrance must be inside the house."

"How many doors are there to cover?" the Commander asks.

"Two. One in the front and one in the back."

"Do we have arrest warrants?"

"They were faxed over twenty minutes ago."

"Morgan, what's your plan?" Hotch asks.

"I think we should do a soft entry and see if we can get the kids out before the parents even know what's happening."

"Would you be in the door first?"

"Do you have another idea?"

"Send Prentiss and JJ in first. Children are more likely to trust a woman, and we need that presence."

"We don't know how many kids are in the house. I mean, the parents could take a hostage," the commander says.

"If we go in hot, that would definitely happen. Hotch is right. This is the way."

JJ and Emily get ready and sneak into the house from the front door. There isn't any movement inside once they enter, but the more they make their way through, they can hear the TV on inside the living room. There is a small child who is watching cartoons, and he looks at JJ and Emily in shock when he hears them.

"Hi, it's okay. We're the police. We're the good guys. Can you come outside with me?"

The child gets off the couch and grabs JJ's hand. She looks at Emily as they pass by her.

"Hotch, we got one accounted for," Emily says into her hidden microphone, "but there could still be more in the basement."

Derek, Hotch, and SWAT march inside quietly with their guns raised. They swiftly move through the house but pause when a toilet flushes down the hall. A man walks out of the bathroom not expecting ten guns in his face. Derek immediately grabs him and pins him to the wall.

"Where is your wife?"

"In the nursery."

Derek passes the man to Hotch who puts him in handcuffs while Rossi and Derek move to the nursery at the back end of the house. There is a sickly woman sitting in a rocking chair with her back turned to the window. There is a baby boy in her arms, and she is looking down at him with love. She hears the two agents come in but doesn't look at them.

"I knew this would end. I always knew you'd come to our door and take this away."

"Ma'am, why don't you give me the baby? We can talk about it."

"Why would I want to do that?" she asks and looks at him.

"What you've been doing is wrong. You must know that."

"This is all I have left. Do you understand? My husband hates me. There's nobody here that can help me with him, with this, with any of it. He's all I have."

Derek puts his gun away so she knows he's not a threat even though Rossi still has his out.

"Linda, please. I need you to think about the baby right now. You're suffering from stage four breast cancer. You've given your medication to the women who have been locked up downstairs. You don't have a lot of time left. I know you want somebody who will always remember you, don't you?" She doesn't answer him. "The baby's name is Michael, right?"

"Yeah," she whispers.

"Michael will remember you. He's gonna know that you helped bring him into the world. That's a part of him now, and he will always ask about you, long after you're gone."

"Do you really believe that?" she asks with tears in her eyes.

"I do."

"I would have been a wonderful mother."

"Then prove it. Let him go."

Linda softly cries and hands over the child to Derek. Both parents are taken away into custody while the two girls in the basement are saved. The one who gave birth is crying over the loss of her son but quickly turns that loss into tears of joy. She is reunited with her child just like the older boy whom JJ took away is reunited with his grandparents, Monica's mom and dad. She had another child, and they kept the boy.

Now that Hotch is back in Virginia, he makes a quick stop at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women in Goochland. Spencer wanted to come but he buried him in paperwork so that he could talk to you privately. When you heard Hotch was waiting for you in the visiting area, you were excited to see someone you know and love. The visiting area is protected by a thick sheet of glass separating two chairs so that the only form of communication is through the phones on both sides of the glass.

Hotch is already sitting there when you walk into the visiting room, and you pick up the phone when you sit across from him. He can tell you've been crying with how puffy and red your eyes are.

"Hey."

"How are you doing?" he asks gently.

"Is Spencer here with you?"

"No."

You're about to tell him how you really feel. This place is killing you from the inside out. Everyone's pain and suffering is drowning you. You go to bed in tears and have nightmares so you're up constantly throughout the night. You're so tired. You just want to go home. If you tell Hotch this, he'll feel more guilty about not doing more to help you, and you can't feel that right now. Instead, you force a smile on your face.

"I'm fine. This place isn't so bad."

"Look, I know the others will want to come here and talk to you, so I figure it's best if you hear this from me. Chief Strauss asked me to step down as Unit Chief." Okay, you weren't expecting that. "Derek is taking the place of me right now as a sort of trial run to see how he does. I wanted it to be you."

"Me?"

"I've noticed your leadership skills improving. I sent letters to the board explaining how if I were to ever leave, I'd want you to replace me."

It breaks your heart to know you can't be there to help the team.

"Derek will do a great job. He is a good choice. I'm sorry you have to step down."

"Don't be. I understand their concerns about me. Listen, I'm doing everything I can to try and help you. Local police doesn't want our help, and Straus threatened anyone's job if they tried to work on your case. I don't know what else to do."

Hotch looks so defeated because he's stressing about you. You place your hand on the glass and tap on it once.

"Hotch, don't worry about me. Please. I will be fine here. I even made a friend with my cellmate. Your resources are better spent somewhere else. I believe I will get out. My trial is in a few months. My lawyer is working on a defense. My dad knows him. I'm in good hands. Please don't worry about me."

"It's hard not to."

"I know. Listen, can you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Keep Spencer away from here. I don't want him to see me like this. I don't want him to picture this when he thinks of me."

"I'll do my best," Hotch nods.

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[toxicshipsincorporated]

No amount of wordplay or clever turns of phrase is going to ever justify what is happening in Gaza. You cannot rhetoric yourself out of a genocide. Whether people identify as Jewish, Zionist, Christian Zionist, if you pay taxes in America, you have blood on your hands. You have guts, severed limbs, a baby's teeth on your hands.

We can go round and round about the definition of terms but all it sounds like is the sounds of a train derailing. Stop it. Stop trying to pass the buck and wiggle your way out of culpability. We are all at fault. We are guilty. What we need now is work.

Boycott.

Petition.

Demand that a ceasefire happen NOW.

[medicinemane]

And maybe you'll be like "but if you don't trust businesses, how can you trust welfare?"

I fucking don't. My mom trying to get on food stamps fucked me up because a lady I never met without my permission got my SSN from my mom and started editing my files. My heart still races to this very second whenever I think about it, it kinda messed me up bad and I'll never ever ever see any kind of recourse

And I'm terrified that I'm gonna lose my medicaid just cause I inherited some money from my grandpa

And I've never even applied for disability cause it kinda doesn't matter finding out if I'd qualify or not cause of my depression, when the rules are so restrictive I don't know if I've even be allowed to keep my house

I do not fucking trust these things on a personal level. I feel like out of a lot of people I have the most to fear from them cause I'm on the edge of having things work, and that gets you punished

...but I need medicaid in order to have insurance (and when you strip out the finance side of medicaid, I love medicaid... they're honestly incredible insurance... I just... I just... dental is like 90% of why medicaid is so important to me, ever since I found out this state pays for it I've actually been able to do cleanings which is important to me cause I can't always get myself to brush)

And I think things like disability and food stamps are pretty damn important on a personal level, and honestly are also good for the economy cause they get people spending... it's practically a free cash infusion into the economy, cause these are people who need to buy stuff

There's just so much important stuff welfare does that it's worth dealing with government

No, what I want is more accountability so if someone gets my SSN from a 3rd party like my mom they're held to HIPPA styles standards where that's not ok to access my files without my permission (She changed my fucking address and tried to get medicaid to investigate me for fraud! Never even met me)

Like have some accountability there and in every situation

Secondly I want less punitive focused rules. I'd frankly prefer bezos get on disability than smack down some poor sod cause they got $2000 in the bank or cause their friend lets them live with them for free

If there's gonna be a cut off on these programs, it needs to be a solid step above the poverty line, cause... by definition I assume poverty line denotes kinda the minimum expected income people can reasonably live off of, and if you take away benefits people are gonna lose a chunk of money to covering that stuff themself, so you need a buffer before you kick people off

I don't fucking trust the government for a second, I've actively been fucked by them and on a personal level I avoid everything but medicaid and only that cause everything but the money is pleasant to deal with and I kinda need it (honestly if I was rich I'm not even kidding that I'd rather give medicaid like $400 a month than some insurance company, I sincerely like them as insurance)

But I'd trust them a lot more if they were less punitive, less out to hunt me down and gut me cause someone handed me a fiver or cause I started to get on my feet, and if government employees had concrete rules they had to follow that were actually transparent and enforced

Like 90% of my problems with welfare go away if they're held accountable and there's less "catch the welfare cheats" mentality going around

I don't trust the government in the slightest, but sadly there some jobs it kinda has to do, so I'd just rather force it to be an open book where the public can keep an eye on it and if they step out of line there's consequences (sort of like I don't trust most mega corps but happen to sometimes need stuff from them... did you know literally every cell service provider has been illegally selling shit like your location data to random people like bounty hunters, and the FCC just slapped them with a fine that's 0.02% of their yearly incomes and debated even doing that? I even can offer a source on that)

...I don't trust much of any authority cause they constantly fail me and kinda screw me. Don't trust doctors either, but I still gotta go to them, you know? ...they're just... they're real bad at listening... so many systems need systemic change

(You know who I really don't trust is the cops. I could point to so many examples. My uncle doesn't trust cops either, and he's an ex Fire and SWAT paramedic, he worked with them and we still got into a long conversation where he basically tore into them far better than I can)

(I don't trust authority that's not accountable)

[silverislander]

i have 7 assignments, total, left in school. once i finish those i'm going to be done- i graduate in may which is WILD to think about. i just have to fucking do them

[knightoile]

i don't want to work. at all. does this make me a bad person? it doesn't matter what my job is. i've been a librarian for more than a year now and it's great but i feel like life is meant to be so much more than this. if everyone is feeling like this too but we're not doing anything about it... then what are we even doing? are we gonna spend the next 40+ years working ourselves to death or until we're so tired we can't even enjoy what remains of our days on earth? why does nobody care?? why are we so complacent about it????

[pepprs]

mission failed we’ll get em next time 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[nexus-nebulae]

we need to stop feeling guilty for brain just not working

[demadogs]

i never post tiktoks anymore and i have a big following bc i made videos of my cats like talking to each other with the text to speech thing and i hyped up that id be home for summer to post but i havent been creative so ive barely made any and i feel guilty like im depriving 600k people of wholesome cat content but i cant get myself to make one