#we gladly feast author's commentary

[psychic-refugee]

@im-nothinginbetween Thanks for the review! Thanks for also reminding me that I had an author's commentary on Enid's gossiping that I forgot to finish and post.

We Gladly Feast: Author's Commentary - Ch. 13

I do appreciate you seeing WGF Enid as complicated. You can have compassion and sympathy for her situation, but still hold her accountable for her actions. If only the TV writer's did the same. lol

I also appreciate you seeing Ajax's failings in the situation as well. In the end, they're two teens stumbling through life and figuring some stuff out as they go along. Not all choices end up being the right one and you have to course correct.

I don't want any character to be woobified or be seen as poor little darlings. I also don't want them completely vilified either.

I do have a lot of feelings about Enid's gossiping, and I was afraid she would come off too badly to the point of irredeemable. So, I'm glad I struck a good balance by the sounds of it.

[lilacmoon83]

Finding You Always

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 177: Scrutiny

Snow rested her head against David's shoulder, as they watched their kids play a game. It was a familiar scene to them, but one sorely missed as of late. Their plates had been taken away a while ago and dessert was shared, as they enjoyed being together again. Rogers had stayed for a while and ate with them, but then opted to go home, for they had court in the morning and he wanted to go check on Tilly.

They tried not to laugh, as they watched their sons stare each other down with two of the worst poker faces they'd ever seen. They could help but chuckle to each other, as Bobby's tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth. It meant he thought he had a good hand and they could see their older son grinning at the younger for it.

"Well...let's see it," Leo said, as Bobby showed his cards.

"Three of a kind," he announced, thinking he was going to be winning the pot, which consisted of gummy worms, Oreo cookies, and more than enough sugar to keep him up all night.

"Don't even think about eating all that junk tonight, young man," Snow warned, making David chuckle as he got the same pout on his face that she did.

"Don't worry Mom...I'm the only one that's going to feasting on this jackpot tonight," Leo said, as he showed his cards.

"Full house kid...better luck next time," he said, preparing to scoop his winnings toward him.

"Um...not so fast there," Eva said, as Summer put her hand down, revealing four aces.

"What?" Leo protested.

"Sorry...I win," Summer said, as now both boys wore identical pouts.

"That's my girl...I taught you well. Better luck next time, boys," Eva boasted, as she congratulated her little sister in her victory.

"You know, coaching her isn't exactly fair. There's no one better at reading people than you," Leo complained. She rolled her eyes.

"I don't need my ability to read you two. You two wear your emotions all over your faces," she retorted.

"She's got you there," David agreed.

"Mmm...and they get that from you," Snow agreed too and he didn't deny it. His emotions were always prevalent in his mood and expressions. Emma chuckled at their antics and stole a gummy worm.

"Not to change the subject to more serious things...but I need a favor from you," she mentioned to Eva.

"Of course," the dark haired young woman replied.

"Killian...Rogers…" she said, correcting herself.

"Rogers and I found this in Tilly's boxcar earlier," Emma said, as she pushed the evidence bag over to her.

"Is that golden dust?" David asked, looking at it.

"Yep," Emma replied.

"Like...golden dust from a certain flower?" Snow asked. Emma nodded.

"I'm pretty sure…" she replied.

"Then she's been in Tilly's boxcar," David surmised.

"I think so...but that's not all that was in Tilly's boxcar," Emma replied, as she swiped through some photos on her phone of the drawings on Tilly's wall.

"Tilly drew these?" Snow asked. She nodded.

"If I had to guess, then she's probably been having episodes or moments of clarity that she's not even aware of," Emma replied.

"Emma...do you think these are drawings of the future?" Snow asked.

"I don't know...but I think Gothel is looking for the resurrection amulet. I already told Regina that we need to find a way to wake Zelena up so we can get it first," Emma replied.

"If Gothel gets the amulet...then all she needs is our star seeds," David mentioned unpleasantly.

"Which is why I'm going to get it first. I won't let her get it first," she promised. Snow clutched her daughter's hand.

"We know honey...but you won't fight her alone," she assured.

"I know...but you two have got to be careful. You're in more danger than I think you realize," Emma stressed.

"We promise we won't take any chances," David tried to assure her. But Emma knew her parents. The danger to them was significant, as usual and Emma feared that there wasn't much she could do to prevent any of the dangers to them.

"We have court in the morning, so I better go pay the check," David mentioned.

"Yes...and you have a recital tomorrow night, honey. So you especially need to get to bed," Snow responded.

"Mom...I'm not going to my recital," Summer refuted. The raven haired beauty frowned.

"Why not?" Snow asked and her daughter gave her an incredulous look.

"Uh...reporters are trying to follow you and Daddy everywhere and there are way more important things going on right now," she refuted.

"Oh sweetie...I don't care if a mob of reporters are waiting for us at the school. Your father and I would never miss one of your recitals. You love dance and we are not going to let anyone deprive you of that," Snow admonished.

"She's right peanut...we can't wait for your recital. You're the lead, as usual and you know we never pass up the opportunity brag about one of our amazing kids," he added, humbling her a bit, as her mother smiled and kissed her father's cheek, before resting her head on his shoulder. All the reporters and attention from other parents would be uncomfortable at best, but they were gladly going to brave it all for her and without question.

"That reminds me...we need to charge the camera tonight," she mentioned and he nodded, as he settled their bill. Emma smirked and squeezed her baby sister's hand. It was almost like being back home and that gave them all hope, for her parents always managed to give them a bit of normalcy, no matter what was going on around them. They were always first to their parents and that had never wavered, even when they had faced down some of the worst situations imaginable. David pecked her on the lips, before getting up to go pay the bill.

"Thanks again, Joe. We'll get out of your hair now," he promised.

"Nah...this is family. Stay as long as you want," he replied, as the song changed in the jukebox and happened to be one of Snow's favorites. He grinned back at her.

"Well...maybe one dance," he said, as he held his hand out to her and she swooned, as he swept her into his arms.

"This song is so cheesy," Leo complained.

"And like thirty-years old," Eva added.

"It is both of those things...but somehow, it just works for Mom and Dad," Emma said, as they all shared a smile.

"I think we're embarrassing our children again," Snow whispered to him, as they swayed and danced together. He chuckled.

"Probably...but what else is new?" he joked, as he kissed her tenderly. She giggled and then mewled into his kiss again. Which quickly dissolved from dancing into just making out.

"And now they're making out," Leo deadpanned.

"As usual," Eva added.

"It's not new, but still embarrassing," Emma agreed. Snow and David shared a smile at their usual commentary and they decided it was time to go home. As much as they wanted to stay, they had the unpleasantness of court to deal with early the next morning.

~*~

After a tumultuous dinner, the two couples returned to Roni's bar for a nightcap. Robin seemed to get along with Chad well enough. Regina knew she wasn't going to like whatever defense her sister's fiance would be mounting the next morning in court, but she definitely felt that he wouldn't be doing so maliciously. Still, she knew he would be painting Snow and David in a light that she wasn't happy about. Such was the job of a defense attorney, but she still didn't have to like it. Add to that, she still had to figure out a way to get Zelena to remember. She needed to find that amulet before Gothel. Everything could hinge on who possessed the amulet, but that was only part of the battle. Court in the morning was likely to be another and she hated that her family was even having to go through this. And all because of that damn doctor they had originally encountered in New Orleans when Isaac had sent Snow to his facility in a twist he wrote in as an insurance policy if they managed to defeat his narrative. They had, of course, and when the former author's twisted narrative had ended, he made sure to get in a final dig at Snow and Charming.

They had journeyed to the bayou and rescued Snow, of course, but not before making Dr. Ivan Facilier their enemy and initiating his need for revenge on them. And she had to give it to Facilier's vindictive grandson. He had crafted an unorthodox, but very effective revenge. Shining such media attention on Snow and David was not only the last thing they needed, but it was quite possibly the worst thing he could have done. Having normal people focus on them in the scandal he had crafted for them was so intrusive and exhausting. They didn't need or want the attention and it had complicated everything. The doctor that she had dismissed as a non-threat had proved her wrong in a devastating way. Being embroiled in this court battle was just a forced distraction they didn't need. It was almost like he was trying to ensure that even if they did manage to break the curse that there would be either no escaping this new reality or at the very least, it would prevent them from ever leaving Storybrooke again even if they did make it back. Somehow though, she knew Snow and Charming wouldn't mind the latter and neither would she. If they did make it back, she knew it wouldn't matter to any of them if they never had to leave Storybrooke again. In fact, she welcomed that and knew they did too.

"Nice try Facilier...but this family will endure," she muttered, as she did a shot and glanced at her sister, who was leaving with Chad for their hotel.

"I know that look…" Robin mentioned.

"I got a text from Emma...she thinks Gothel was poking around Tilly's boxcar," she said, her face troubled by this.

"The amulet...she's looking for it," he realized. She nodded.

"We think so and the only one that knows where it is…" she trailed off.

"Is Zelena," he finished.

"We need to get to that amulet before Gothel," Regina said, as she went in the back room and started fumbling around.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"I don't know...maybe she hid it here somewhere. Before the curse took us, Zelena assured me that it would be safely sealed away. That means that it might be here," she replied.

"Then we'll find it," he assured, as he started helping her look.

~*~

Snow kissed him deeply, as they lay entwined beneath the bedclothes, sated and glowing the in the after effects of their powerful, incredible lovemaking. They panted together, as their lips parted and they pressed their foreheads together, gazing soulfully into each other's eyes.

"I love you so much," Snow whispered, as she continued to kiss his neck

"And I love you, my beautiful Snow…" he rasped, as he spooned her against him and she settled in his arms. She noticed his pensiveness though.

"What's bothering you?" she asked, for not even their euphoric lovemaking had eased his tension.

"I just hate that you have to go on the stand tomorrow and relive what that psycho doctor did to you," he lamented.

"I know, but I'll be fine, my love, because I know that you'll be there with me," she reminded, as she kissed his cheek.

"You're my hero...never doubt that," she added, as they settled and slowly drifted off to sleep.

~*~

When David opened his eyes next, he was startled at first, because Snow was no longer beside him, but he was dressed in the exact clothing he had been wearing when he awakened Snow from the sleeping curse. He looked around and instantly recognized the meadow as the one from Neverland.

"Snow?" he called, but somehow knew she wasn't there. Snow had told him about her dream and he noticed that their tree was there. He could tell it was theirs, because of the blanket of snowdrops growing all around it.

"I'm sure you've figured out that though this is a dream...it is very real," a male voice said. David turned and found a tall, dark haired man before him. He was wearing a formal black and gold coat, pants and cape that indicated his royal station.

"You're King Endymion," David stated.

"And you're Prince David...we meet at last," he replied kindly.

"Snow told me about her meeting with Serenity and I think that's what is confusing me. Aphrodite made is sound like neither of you survived your battle with the Black Fairy," he said.

"We sacrificed ourselves to save our people from the darkness. Then two of our guardians sacrificed themselves to the resurrection stone to bring us back. Serenity and I were not happy about others sacrificing themselves for us, but it was their duty to see that we survived for our Kingdom," he explained.

"And then Gothel came along," he surmised.

"Yes...the Kingdom was lost then, but we were able to save most of our people and settle again near Olympus," he explained.

"Snow and I don't like the idea of anyone sacrificing themselves for us, especially one of our children. Emma's heart is already poisoned and I know we'll do anything to cure her," he said. He smiled.

"And I'm hoping I can help with that," he said cryptically...

~*~

The next morning, the District Attorney managed to sneak Snow and David in the back way again, avoiding the mob of press outside the courthouse. Clayton arrived after them, having actually enjoyed the attention of the cameras and even had the audacity to do a shameless plug for the grand opening event of his new exhibit debuting that very evening.

"Mr. Stavros...do you think this trial will affect the attendance to your event tonight?" one reporter questioned. He smirked smugly.

"On the contrary...I expect a packed house for the event," he said, as he looked over at Snow and David.

"There is no hard feelings here," he said, gesturing grandly toward them.

"I'll even extend an invitation to Detective Nolan and his lovely...Snow White to attend," he said, making some of them chuckle, at least the reporters that seemed to always eat him up. David clenched his fists, as they were essentially making fun of the woman he loved again, but she put both her hands on his fist and looked him in the eyes.

"Baby...it's okay. It doesn't matter what they say," she whispered.

"I just hate this...they're going to drag you through the mud today on the stand," he lamented.

"I know...but I'll get through it, because all I have to do is look at you the entire time. With you here, I can get through anything," she assured.

"The court will come to order," Judge Cabot stated, as the press was locked out of the courtroom and opening arguments began.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We're here today, because this man, the defendant, Clayton Stavros participated in a dastardly scheme. He assisted the late Dr. Franklin Samdi in a plot to enact revenge on a beautiful little family," Amara stated.

"Their reasons for wanting revenge are not clear, but what is are the deeds the defendant committed against David and Margaret Nolan, as well as their children. Clayton Stavros assisted the Doctor in his kidnapping Margaret Nolan and her son Bobby," she continued.

"Doctor Samdi kept Margaret Nolan against her will, made a false diagnosis in order to keep her locked up, and forcibly medicated her. Mr. Stavros provided forged papers, stating that he was Margaret Nolan's brother and stating that her name was Mary Blanchard. He used these falsified documents to have her committed and take custody of her son, all while allowing her husband to believe them to be dead," she explained.

"I know what these allegations must sound like to all of you. This plot sounds like something out of a movie or crime novel, but I assure what these men did to this family was very real. One is no longer with us to pay for his crimes, but the other still is and I believe after you have seen and heard our testimony, that you will come to one conclusion and one conclusion only. That this man, Clayton Stavros must be punished for his actions accordingly. Thank you," she concluded her opening argument, as Chad stood up and buttoned his suit jacket, before approaching the jury.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we can all agree that the late Dr. Samdi's practices were questionable at best, but the details in his memoir are hardly substantial proof to back up these allegations against my client. But there are facts that I can provide you with," Chad stated.

"I think we can all agree that my client did not do the right things when it came to Mrs. Nolan and her son. But I assure you that I can make the argument that he did the things he did out of concern for a young boy, whose mother is mentally ill," Chad continued.

"Margaret Nolan was correctly diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder and has three identities that we know of," he explained.

"But rather than get his wife the help she deserved, Detective Nolan chose to rather indulge her delusions by playing along with them and indulging her in a very unhealthy way. Meanwhile, his constant investigations into my client bordered on harassment. He was obsessed with trying to find some imagined mis-dealings and illegal actions that he was convinced my client was committing. But despite never finding definitive proof of anything, Detective Nolan refused to stop pursing his outlandish investigations into my client's business transactions," he added.

"Mr. Stavros' only tried to get Mrs. Nolan the help she deserved and give young Bobby a more stable home. He did it the wrong way, but I think by the end of this trial, you will agree that leniency in this matter should be considered. My client was trying to help in all the wrong ways. That deserves community service and a fine, but not jail time. And I think you'll soon agree," Chad finished, as he sat back down.

"He can't be serious," David growled under his breath.

"We knew they were going to go this route," she reminded.

"The state may call their first witness," the Judge stated.

"Thank you, Your Honor. The state calls Margaret Nolan to the stand," Amara announced. David squeezed her hand and she went to the witness box where the bailiff swore her in, before District Attorney Pearson approached.

"Good morning, Mrs. Nolan," she greeted pleasantly.

"Good morning," Snow replied.

"Can you please describe what it was like during your time in Dr. Samdi's care?" she asked. Snow got a haunted look on her face, as she remembered those nights.

"Dr. Samdi kept me locked in a small cell and his orderlies would force me to take pills. When I struggled, they would hold me down and even slap me. I had bruises and marks on my body most of the time," she confessed.

"Did Dr. Samdi ever tell you why you had to take these pills?" she questioned. She nodded.

"He said I was a sick woman and that I was a danger to my family when I said I wanted to go home," she replied.

"And what role did Mr. Stavros play in this?" she asked.

"He had custody of my son and said that my husband believed we died in a horrible accident. He said it was for the best," she replied, recalling all the nights she had cried for David.

"That must have been terrible to endure," Amara stated.

"It was...I cried for my husband every night," she confessed, as she gazed at him. It brought tears to his eyes too, for he hated all she had gone through and he had not been able to protect her.

"Objection, Your Honor. This is not a therapy session," Chad interjected.

"Sustained. Move on with your line of questioning, Ms. Pearson," the Judge ordered.

"Mrs. Nolan...there have been allegations that you have multiple identities. Is this true?" Amara asked.

"No...I only started to believe I might be this Mary Blanchard after I had been forced to take medication for months. The drugs caused those problems. I was very malleable when I was medicated," Snow replied.

"So it would be safe to say that Dr. Samdi easily controlled you while you medicated and the meds made you believe anything he told you, is that correct?" she asked. Snow nodded.

"Yes," she answered.

"Mrs. Nolan...do you know why Dr. Samdi would do this to you or why Mr. Stavros would want to participate in such a scheme against you and your husband?" Amara asked.

"I can't be sure, but I know Mr. Stavros wants revenge against my husband," Snow answered.

"Why?" she asked.

"Years ago...David was responsible for keeping him from illegally acquiring some ancient artifacts that he was desperate to add to his collection," Snow replied.

"Objection, Your Honor. My client was never convicted of any crimes, despite Detective Nolan's attempts to catch him with his baseless accusations," Chad objected.

"Sustained. The jury will disregard Mrs. Nolan's mentions of any unsubstantiated charges," the Judge ordered.

"Did Mr. Stavros allow you to see your son? The son that he illegally took custody of thanks to forged documents?" she asked.

"Sometimes...he would let Bobby visit once a week. Most of the time though, Bobby had to sneak away from Clayton to come see me," she replied.

"That had to be hard on your son. To be cut off from his real parents and kept away from his real father," Amara stated.

"Is there a question here, Your Honor?" Chad interjected.

"I assure you there is, Your Honor," Amara replied.

"Then ask it, Counselor," the Judge stipulated.

"Can you tell the court how your husband finally discovered that you were alive?" she asked. Snow smiled.

"That was our little Bobby. He managed to sneak away from Mr. Stavros long enough to find David. Then David came and found me," she answered. Amara smiled.

"Thank you Mrs. Nolan. Only one more question. Do you believe Mr. Stavros abused your son?" she asked

"Objection! This is not family court!" Chad protested.

"Withdrawn, no further questions," Amara replied, as she took a seat, while Chad got up and approached the witness bench.

"Good morning, Mrs. Nolan," he greeted.

"Good morning," Snow responded curtly.

"Is it true that you also go by Miss Blanchard?" he questioned.

"Mary Blanchard is the woman the doctor told me I was when I was medicated," she answered.

"I see...have you ever seen this book, Mrs Nolan?" he asked, as he held up a white paperback copy of Henry's commercially published version of the original book.

"Yes...it's my son's favorite book," she answered.

"Did you used to read to him from this book?" Chad questioned.

"Objection...of what relevance is this?" Amara questioned.

"I assure you that I have a point, Your Honor," Chad argued.

"Overruled. The Witness will answer the question," the Judge ordered.

"I still read to him from it. So does my husband," she answered.

"Then you are aware, that according to Dr. Samdi's memoir, that the reason Clayton Stavros sought to have you committed was because you began to believe that the stories in this book were real. That you think you are the Snow White in this book," he stated.

"No," she answered. She knew it wasn't really the truth, but for all intents and purposes, she was legally Margaret Nolan in this world.

"Then your son doesn't think that you and your husband are Snow White and Prince Charming?" he asked. She smiled.

"It's my son's favorite story and when he was younger, he liked to think we were. He has a very vivid imagination and we will never discourage that," she answered.

"Then if it is your son that is the only one that thinks your husband is Prince Charming, then why did Dr. Samdi document that you would constantly cry every night and call out for your Charming?" Chad questioned. But Snow was ready for this question.

"Charming is a nickname that I coined for my husband on the day we met. I have affectionately called him that since we met. I was heavily medicated by the doctor and probably was calling out for him by that name," she answered. He smiled at her and she smiled back across the room.

"A nickname? Is that really what you are expecting us to believe, Mrs. Nolan?" he questioned.

"Objection...argumentative!" Amara argued.

"Sustained," the Judge ordered.

"I apologize, Your Honor. I'll rephrase. Perhaps you can tell us why we should believe that," he reiterated. She smiled at David.

"Because anyone who has met my husband knows what an amazing man he is. He has always been my hero...my Prince Charming. He is an incredible husband, a wonderful father, and a dedicated police officer, who puts monsters in prison. Anyone that knows him isn't surprised that I nicknamed him that," she said proudly. Chad didn't look too happy about her answer, but conceded with a nod.

"Fair enough. I think we can both agree that Dr. Samdi was an evil man, but why should we believe that this translates to my client?" he asked. She looked at him incredulously.

"He stole my life from me and my family. He let my husband believe we were dead," she responded.

"Dr. Samdi stole your life. My client's participation is purely speculative," Chad argued.

"He had custody of my son using forged papers!" Snow cried out in outrage. Chad smirked and pulled some papers from his briefcase.

"The defense would like to introduce defense exhibit A. These are the papers in question. Mrs. Nolan...is that not your signature as your alter, Mary Blanchard, signing over custody of your son to Mr. Stavros?" he questioned. Snow was stunned. She knew the papers were a fabrication of the curse, but she also knew how it would look to a jury.

"I was under the influence of a lot of medication. When drugged...Dr. Samdi could have made me do anything he wanted," she responded.

"Blaming the medication again. Seems a bit convenient," he said skeptically.

"Objection! He's badgering the witness," Amara protested.

"Withdrawn. No further questions," he responded.

"The witness may step down," the Judge ordered, as Snow did so and rejoined David on the bench behind the district attorney's desk.

"You were amazing," he assured, as he kissed her tenderly.

"We will break for lunch now and return in one hour," the Judge ordered, as she slammed the gavel down and dismissed them. And David knew it would likely be his turn in the witness box when they returned.

[seekfirstme]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2019. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.ServantsOfTheWord.org

Meditation: At an opportune time Jesus tests his disciples with a crucial question: Who do men say that I am and who do you say that I am? He was widely recognized in Israel as a mighty man of God, even being compared with the greatest of the prophets, John the Baptist, Elijah, and Jeremiah. Peter, always quick to respond, exclaimed that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God.  No mortal being could have revealed this to Peter, but only God.

Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD), an early church father comments on Peter's profession of faith in Jesus:

Peter did not say "you are a Christ" or "a son of God" but "the Christ, the Son of God." For there are many christs [meaning anointed ones] by grace, who have attained the rank of adoption [as sons], but [there is] only one who is by nature the Son of God. Thus, using the definite article, he said, the Christ, the Son of God. And in calling him Son of the living God, Peter indicates that Christ himself is life and that death has no authority over him. And even if the flesh, for a short while, was weak and died, nevertheless it rose again, since the Word, who indwelled it, could not be held under the bonds of death. (FRAGMENT 190)

Jesus plays on Peter's name which is the same word for "rock" in both Aramaic and Greek.  To call someone a "rock" is one of the greatest of compliments. The ancient rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham, he exclaimed: "I have discovered a rock to found the world upon". Through Abraham God established a nation for himself. Through faith Peter grasped who Jesus truly was. He was the first apostle to recognize Jesus as the Anointed One (Messiah and Christ) and the only begotten Son of God. The New Testament describes the church as a spiritual house or temple with each member joined together as living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5). Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones.

Jesus then confers on Peter authority to govern the church that Jesus would build, a church that no powers would overcome because it is founded on the rock which is Christ himself. Epiphanius, a 6th century Scripture scholar who also translated many early church commentaries from Greek into Latin, explains the significance of Jesus handing down the "keys of the kingdom":

For Christ is a rock which is never disturbed or worn away. Therefore Peter gladly received his name from Christ to signify the established and unshaken faith of the church.… The devil is the gateway of death who always hastens to stir up against the holy church calamities and temptations and persecutions. But the faith of the apostle, which was founded upon the rock of Christ, abides always unconquered and unshaken. And the very keys of the kingdom of the heavens have been handed down so that one whom he has bound on earth has been bound in heaven, and one whom he has set free on earth he has also set free in heaven. (INTERPRETATION OF THE GOSPELS 28)

The Lord Jesus offers us the gift of unshakeable faith, enduring hope, and unquenchable love - and the joyful boldness to proclaim him as the one true Savior who brings us the kingdom of God both now and forever. Who do you say he is to yourself and to your neighbor?

"Lord Jesus, I profess and believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You are my Lord and my Savior. Make my faith strong like Peter's and give me boldness to speak of you to others that they may come to know you personally as Lord and Savior and grow in the knowledge of your great love."

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2019.

 ONE FOR ALL, AND ALL FOR ONE

  "I for My part declare to you, you are 'Rock,' and on this rock I will build My Church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it. I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." —Matthew 16:18-19  

The Lord wants us to be one as He and the Father are one (Jn 17:21). "It was in one Spirit" that we "were baptized into one body" (1 Cor 12:13). The source, center, and culmination of our faith is receiving and being in unity, union, and Communion with the Lord and each other.

The Lord has provided practical means for us to become one. He has given us His representative on earth, the Pope, as a center of unity (see Mt 16:18-19). Just as receiving Holy Communion is not merely a spiritualized abstraction but actually receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus, so our unity in the body of Christ is more than a spiritual attitude. Our unity is based on a relationship with the Pope in love, submission, and obedience. We celebrate this relationship on today's feast of the Chair of St. Peter. We are one with and in Christ. We are one with and through the Pope. We are one with each other. Let us celebrate our unity and the papacy.

  Prayer: Father, make us one by Your standards and in Your ways. Promise: "Be examples to the flock, not lording it over those assigned to you, so that when the chief Shepherd appears you will win for yourselves the unfading crown of glory." —1 Pt 5:3-4 Praise: Jesus asked St. Peter three times "Do you love me?" Peter replied three times, "Yes, Lord, you know that I do" (Jn 21:15-17). With that, Peter accepted Jesus' call to become the first Pope of the Catholic Church.   (Ladies, our annual Women's retreat is March . Join your sisters in Christ as we look to Mary this Lent to guide us closer to her Son. For more information or to register, call or see our website www.presentationministries.com or us at .)  

  Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from February 1, 2019 through March 31, 2019.

†Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 24, 2018.  

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

[psychic-refugee]

This has some references to Ch. 9 & 10, go read those before you read this!

I’m not a huge fan of the canon Xavier/Wednesday nurse’s office scene. I did like the Morticia/Gomez parallels, but that’s about it.

I get that they wanted an excuse to throw them together to reintroduce themselves and establish Xavier’s character…and I’m not saying I could have written anything better…but I feel like it could have been done better.

I respect writers, I support the strike, and I think they should be fairly compensated for their work. That doesn’t mean that I don’t think some writers are still operating in an early aughts “I’m not like other girls/Pick Me” mentality that I would rather never see again. I agree with Jenna’s attempts to not make Wednesday this toxic archetype who hates anything traditionally feminine or has to eschew any help from men AND has to be in a love triangle.  

The whole any help from a man is patriarchy, “latent chivalry,” and “I didn’t want to be saved” spiel was super cringe and just unnecessarily hostile.

I also don’t like that apparently Xavier knew from the beginning that Rowan was trying to kill her. He was aware it was Rowan that pulled the gargoyle from the roof to specifically kill her. He didn’t report his roommate? Or warn Wednesday?

For WGF, I got rid of Rowan making that first attempt on her life and kept that he was becoming unhinged and used his powers against Xavier. I explained that Xavier doesn’t trust Weems to do anything about it, because we have seen that he was attacked before, and nothing happened to his attackers. We also consistently see Weems going out of her way to include and acquiesce to Normies. I wouldn’t trust her either.

I made Freya push the gargoyle because I think it’s funny, and a very Addams thing to do as we’ve seen in the movies.

I did like the part where Xavier and Wednesday understand each other, where she doesn’t blame him for not trusting Weems and probably being unable to foresee that Rowan would attack Freya as there was no indication that Rowan would go that far or that he was operating under this belief of a prophecy.

I always wondered what the rest of the book the sketch was in said. It’s an entire book with just two pages of the drawing. I always wondered why Wednesday never referenced anything in the book. Did it not contain the prophecy? Like why have this sketch of the prophecy and not explain what it was?

My explanation was that to non-Seers, it’s either in code that only Seers know, or maybe it’s magic where only Seers can read it. Otherwise, it seems to be a waste of an entire book.

Maybe Mrs. Laslow thought someone else was supposed to save the school and that’s why it was in the Nightshade Library, as opposed to with her to hand down to her son. I think maybe as she started to lose her mind from her powers, she “assigned” her son to save the school, not realizing what she was asking of her own child.

[psychic-refugee]

This has some references to Ch. 10, so go read before you read this!

I have such a hatred for Kinbott. I really felt like she gave no consideration for her Outcast patient’s unique needs.

I especially did not like her seeing Xavier in the privacy of her own car. That is such an ethics issue! She has to be getting paid a premium to treat him in secret (this is all on top that there is doctor-patient confidentiality already), otherwise no real therapist would risk any hint of impropriety with a patient. AN UNDERAGE patient.

I really hope they expand more on Xavier’s attack because I do feel like it’s much worse than the show was able to cover.

Especially since Tyler can be quoted as saying “He could have made it more difficult for me…” that to me says that Xavier could have sued or arrested if he pressed charges. This wasn’t some school yard fight, it was a legit attack that could have had real consequences. Tyler also implies that he has court ordered sessions with Kinbott as well.

My headcanon/theory is there is a 3-prong gaslighting attack on Xavier. His dad doesn’t want to deal with the bad press/aftereffects on his son’s mental health, so he works with Weems and Kinbott to “manage” Xavier.

Weems doesn’t want to anger the Normies because two of the attackers are sons of powerful men in town, the Mayor and the Sheriff. Both could make Outcasts lives much harder if provoked. I think Galpin would take the first convenient excuse to go hard on Nevermore. We continually see how Weems bends over backwards to placate Normies and ignores when they harm her students. Part of me kind of understands if Outcasts have been historically oppressed. She knows just how dangerous having Normie enemies are, perhaps she thinks she has to sacrifice one or two students for the safety of the majority. I don’t like it, but I could understand it.

We also know she’s aware that the “bear” attacks are probably done by an Outcast, possibly one of her students. She goes out of her way to also gaslight Wednesday to cover up the murder. We don’t know what she’s doing to figure out what the monster is or how to stop it, but she does want to protect the school by fervently denying it could be an Outcast.

Weem’s motivation and priority has always been to protect the school.

I am also of the belief that most things boil down to money. I don’t really see another motivation, other than pure incompetence, for Kinbott to dismiss Wednesday’s testimony right off the bat. Like, Outcasts are known and open to the world as having powers.

Wednesday doesn’t have a history of attention seeking, only of trying to run away and some legit sociopathic tendencies.

Both of these together make me think it’s weird that Kinbott would just dismiss the idea of a monster and that Rowan was dead. A good therapist would not have just right off the bat called her a liar. If she really thought Wednesday was lying, I think she would have asked questions about the situation to point out holes in her story and then led her to admit on her own either her mind was playing tricks on her or to catch her in a lie.

The fact that Kinbott didn’t even entertain that Wednesday could be telling the truth, makes me question her motives.

This to me opens the possibility of a conspiracy between Weems and Kinbott to keep Outcasts under control, with Kinbott more or less grooming these kids to think that certain things are just in their head. Kinbott is used to calm and gaslight the “troubled” Outcasts in return for seeing them at a premium.

Another reason I think it’s a conspiracy is that they waste so much time sending Outcast kids to Kinbott, we’re talking wasting almost an hour round trip per session. This is on top of the hour long session for students. That’s a lot of time to dedicate to non-school related issues. I would have thought that the school would find it more cost and time effective to simply hire an in-house therapist or have Kinbott come to them and give her space to treat the students at Nevermore. It’d be much more efficient to schedule Kinbott at Nevermore on certain days and she sees the students throughout. Then does days in town for her Normie patients.

The maths ain’t mathing, as they say.

I used her “whimsy-dermy” hobby (the whimsical taxidermy dioramas she creates for Uriah’s Heap) as a front to launder money. I presume that she doesn’t want to leave a trail of her charging Outcasts more, or at all in some cases, so she has to explain where the money came from to the IRS if she wants to use it.

I think the whimsy-dermy was supposed to show that she was “weird and quirky” in her own way and not so different than Outcasts. But I like a tax fraud scheme better.

I think the OAA is rather ingenious from a legal standpoint. lol I think in a world that is aware of Outcasts, then there is legislation to protect and accommodate them, if they have any kind of equal standing in the States.

I also like showcasing the different revenge methods of the twins. Wednesday is very about physical pain. Sending mousetraps, releasing carnivorous fish. Freya is about sending you to paperwork and litigation hell. Kinbott could very easily see her next decade fighting in the legal system (including appeals), jail time, and six figures of attorney fees.

As someone who has dealt with attorney fees and how slow the government works, I’d rather try my luck with fighting piranhas. 

[psychic-refugee]

So more votes to not have Tyler be a love interest, but SentimentalRendezvous brought up a good point that Canon Tyler and WGF (“my”) Tyler will be different. So perhaps I’ll keep an open mind about a Triad still, but for now the general consensus is that people prefer no Triad for sure. Perhaps in a few chapters where I flesh out Tyler, people may change their opinion.

In fairness, I do think Canon Tyler and Canon Xavier are not boyfriend material and Wednesday really has no romantic feeling towards either of them. I do get why people do not ship Wednesday with either of them. I can see her as Ace if people want to write her that way, but there is no confirmation in Canon either way. She specifies she won’t fall in love, have kids, or marry, but that still leaves her open to having sexual desire. Some people are happily unmarried, but together, and child-free. I do believe she initiated the kiss with Tyler, so that’s evidence of a physical desire of some sort.

Dark Xavier is so much fun. I do think Percy Hynes White has a creepy vibe undercurrent to his boyish good looks. There are definitely some insta posts where he has this disturbing clown smile look to him. He kind of reminds me of Matthew Gray Gubler, where they could be dark and dorky/artistic characters who are also mainstream and conventionally very good looking, but in real life they’re kind of unhinged, genuine weirdos and I love it. I want Xavier to be more like PHW is in “real life.”

So many of the Outcast characters felt more like Normie’s who happen to have powers instead of Outcasts with their own darker but maybe wholesome view of the world and history. There was so much fear and disdain for Wednesday in the show from the likes of Bianca and others. I feel like in an established Outcast society, people would have a lot of fear and respect for the Addamses. 

[psychic-refugee]

The Hyde

I like the idea, not really convinced on the execution or the lore they set up. It just doesn’t feel right to me. Their lore is the “technically since it’s made up, anything can go” category of lore. To me, it just didn’t really make sense. Especially given the original story of Jekyll and Hyde, there was nothing to suggest to me about a “master bond.” Did they want a backdoor to basically erase Tyler’s culpability and “redeem” him later on if they got a second season?

For WGF, I want to totally revamp the Hyde myth within the Wednesday universe. There will be a relationship between Tyler and Thornhill, but it’s not going to be some tenuous supernatural bond over her revealing Tyler’s Outcast mother. The Hyde lore will be closer to the original story, in that it will be an aspect of Tyler, not necessarily born from trauma.

I do like the idea that there are some Outcasts that even other Outcasts are weary of and might exclude on the basis of danger. So where do Outcasts among the Outcasts go? What are they supposed to do?

Would Hydes and Lone Wolves be on the same boat? Lone Wolves aren’t necessarily dangerous, but they aren’t “one of us,” and are on the outskirts of Outcast Society. Hydes are powerful, uncontrollable, and dangerous, even to other Outcasts. How can a society function, even one as chaotic as the Outcasts, if there are those who could just kill you indiscriminately?

Yes, the Addams siblings have a body count, but all of the victims were people who actively tried to harm or defraud them. If they had been left alone, they would have left others alone. The people who died were dumb enough to kick the hornet’s nest.

So arguably, the Hyde is the most dangerous Outcast as they are so volatile, that Nevermore has a policy to not allow them to attend Nevermore.

Although a fat lot of good that policy does if they don't actually ask the students what clan they're from. I get it seeming rude for the average Outcast to ask, but it'd be pertinent for the school to know. At least from a medical and accommodation standpoint. I presume that the different clans have different needs that might need accommodations. e.g. the Vampires are allowed to wear sunglasses and might need coffins. The Werewolves and Gorgons might have special dietary needs, so it would effect the menu. We see that Yoko got violently sick from garlic, so maybe its in general banned from school. If there is a clan of specific Outcasts they outright ban, that ban only works if they know the Outcasts that are attending.

Also, if they don't ask what Clan a potential student is from, what stops a Normie from attending Nevermore? In general I don't think the average Normie wants to attend, but if a motivated Normie that hated Outcasts could just attend, they then could plant a bomb or poison the school lunch. Their "don't ask" policy sounds like a security nightmare. For WGF, part of the application process includes what clan and powers. The school has to be aware of potential dangers, and be able to prepare for worst case scenarios of students abusing their powers.

[psychic-refugee]

This is my AO3 Author's Commentary for We Gladly Feast.

I do discuss my process and some background lore that might not make it into the story itself.

I always welcome questions and theories!

[psychic-refugee]

We Gladly Feast: Author's Commentary

Joel Glicker is a mystery to be revealed in time, and I am glad to use him for this story. lol He’s going to take place of the scorpion in terms of Wednesday’s emotional coldness/love map. Not that I don’t think that story wasn’t traumatizing or “good enough” of a reason for the explanation of why she is the way she is, but I would see that as more of a reason to not trust Normies than thinking “crying [and in turn feelings in general] doesn’t solve anything.” I do plan to keep the scorpion story, but just not for the reasons stated in the show. I think that incident has its place and has a better “use.”

I may need to rewatch, but do we know how old Tyler is supposed to be? Is he supposed to be 16/17? He has a job, can drive, and has a curfew, but we really don’t get a sense of what day of the week Wednesday is going into town. It could be her first session with Kinbott is on the weekend, but most therapists have regular work week hours. It’s also a small town and her clients do include high school children, so she could have altered hours to accommodate that. It’s just weird that none of the Normie Jericho kids seem to ever be at school when the Outcasts are in town.

Even the Mayor’s son works at Pilgrim World during what seems to be the middle of the day. The only hint we have that Jericho even has a high school is the pep/marching band we see on Outreach Day.

It could be that Nevermore has an alternate school year. Instead of Sept to June with July and most of August off, they could be on a “year round” schedule. So that would make the school year with one month of break/vacation every three months. For America, they skew to accommodate Christian holidays and Thanksgiving. I feel like Nevermore would give a winter break, and then kind of ignore Thanksgiving, while Jericho goes all out.

For the timeline, I get that Netflix only does 6-10 episodes for their seasons so it’s really a tight narrative schedule. The perk of fanfiction is that I get to drag it out a bit more. So, we’re not going to see the Poe Cup, Parent’s Weekend, or the Rave’n right after the other. I think the Addams siblings could use a bit more time at Nevermore and explore things.

I like the year-round schedule because it does give them holidays and an excuse to go to Addams manor, but I don’t have to think of ways to pack over a month at home. They get to have time for one shenanigan at home, as a treat.

I have a reader who commented “I think that Wednesday feels intensely and grieves intensely. Everything is magnified for her however, she doesn’t allow herself vulnerability to feel and blocks her emotions.” LyRogers.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. I think her peers and non-parent adults in her life see her as not caring about anything, but the truth is that she just cares about few things, which to be fair a lot of things we spend time and energy on are bullshit and time wasters. I wish I could let small, inconsequential things just slide off my back. Like with Enid gossiping about her, Wednesday rolls her eyes, makes a snarky comment, and then lets it go. I’d hold a grudge like nothing else. lol

What she does care about she is very intense about. She even admits, she gets obsessive. She doesn’t want emotions because they overwhelm her and take over her life. She basically adopted the Vulcan way of life, and much for the same reasons. If Wednesday actually gave time and attention to everything the average person “cares” about, with her skill set she’d set the world on fire.

[psychic-refugee]

Until further notice, We Gladly Feast and the Author’s Commentary is on Hiatus as the situation develops.

I also placed moderation on comments as I do not want any of the stories to become some battle ground in the Court of Public Opinion.

As someone in the legal field, I always urge caution in your words, regardless of your personal opinions. As Percy Hynes White is finding out, nothing on the internet ever truly goes away.

Here are a few points I do want to make:

1) All accusations should be taken seriously. Not decided upon in Twitter or social media, but seriously. That means all accusations should be fully investigated and given due process.

2) Presumption of innocence cuts both ways. If you want to presume his innocence, that is how the American law system works on paper. However, that does not mean there should be a presumption of bad faith on the accuser. Literally no one who has made an accusation has made money or gotten lasting fame. In addition, IMO, especially in this day and age of “deep fakes” etc…, evidence isn’t evidence until it is proffered to the courts and experts have examined it. I sincerely hope that the accusers have preserved the metadata of any electronic evidence they are putting forward. Both sides should go dark on social media and speak with attorneys.

3) I have no interest in defending PHW. I am not his defense attorney, I am not on retainer, criminal law is not my legal area of expertise, I am not barred (or whatever the Canadian equivalent) so I cannot practice in Canada. He’s had steady acting gigs for the past several years, he can afford to be well legally represented. No one should be worried for him in that area. I also have no interest in legal theater or virtue signaling. I don’t know the accusers; I can’t verify the authenticity of anything over the internet. Even if I did have the cell phone records and the cells themselves, I’m not an electronic forensic analyst. I cannot give a reliable opinion on authenticity etc…I know what my beliefs are and my own integrity. I do not have to prove anything to anyone. I feel like so many people think they’re also on trial for things like this, and volunteer as character witnesses to either side.

I am going on hiatus as I work through all the feelings I have about this situation. It’d be disingenuous to say I can separate the character from the actor, when it was the actors who were the primary motivator for the writing. I can admit that and I’m not going to pretend I have some sort of duty to my artistic integrity regarding my interpretation of these characters. I may revisit this stance if they end up recasting and I still feel the same way about Xavier. But as of this post, 100% of the motivation of writing WGF is that I was a fan of PHW as Xavier and Jenna Ortega as Wednesday as a ship. I can’t honestly say that I would have felt the same way if any other actors were cast in their place, or if say Netflix’s Wednesday had started off as a cartoon or book series.

If WGF is shutdown for good, I promise I will at least give a wiki version of events/chapters so at least you know what would have happened.