#OC Grace Matthews

[protege-not-protagonist]

Criminal Minds: The Protégé Chapter 8

Ch 8: The Mountain King- Pt. 1

Blurb: With Nathan Harris' death confirmed as suspicious, Grace and Spencer start work on the case. But there is another case in the Appalachian Mountains that requires the team's attention. Immediately, Grace is unsettled by something about the case, but she struggles to figure out exactly what her instincts are telling her. In the meantime, Spencer tries to navigate the grief of having his mother not recognise him. He throws himself into working the victimology of this new Unsub killer.

Masterlist

Previous Chapter

Audience: 16+ mature audience for depictions of violence and sexual references Author's Note: if you see a trigger warning that concerns you, you can scroll to end and I'll have a brief description what happens. And how to read around it. TW: violence, crime scene depiction, This case mentions sexual assault, horror, kidnapping, decapitation, reference to the infamous Bloodlines episode, Alzheimers.

Appalachian Trail, Wertzvile, PA, Friday July 7th 10:00PM

‘Help me!’ Her sister’s voice bounced off the trees around her.

‘Lori! I’m coming, hang on!’ she screamed back. Another disembodied scream echoed around her. ‘Lori!’ she called out again, frantically running towards the sound.

‘Please!’ her sister begged in response. She sounded closer. ‘Steph! Help me! I’m down here!’

She swivelled her head, scanning through the forest. She couldn’t see a valley or a cave. The ground was relatively flat. What did she mean down? Down where?

‘Stephanie!’ she cried.

She crept forward slowly.

‘Lori where are-’ There was a metallic click. The ground gave way beneath her. She screamed as she fell into the darkness. The solid rocky ground met her and she cried out at the impact. Groaning, she dragged herself to sit up. Thankfully, the pain subsided, and she released a breath of relief. Nothing was broken.

‘Lori?’ she called to her sister, crawling across the rough stone floor. The mineshaft she must have fallen into was cold, damp and foully metallic smelling. Shallow, stagnant puddles of water licked her hands as she felt her way in the darkness. Her hand hit something cold and fleshy. She jumped back and yelped before regaining her senses. ‘Lori? Is that you?’

‘Steph.’ A sob echoed around her. She reached out again and felt the softness of her sister’s hair under her hand. She ran it down her face to caress her cheek.

‘Hey it’s okay, you’re okay now, are you hurt?’ Steph felt around her own head for the headlamp’s on switch.

‘Please! Help me!’ her sister cried again.

Steph frowned. There was no relief or recognition in her voice. It sounded the same as the cries she had heard before. Exactly the same. Her finger found the lamp’s switch and flicked it. ‘Lori?’

The light turned on. Her eyes halted on her muddy red hand in front of her face. Blood. She gasped out panicked breaths as her gaze drifted to the other hand that held her sister’s cheek. Lori’s glazed over eyes stared unseeingly back at her.

‘Steph! Help me! I’m down here!’ Lori’s voice echoed around her, but her sister’s mouth didn’t move.

A strangled scream tore out of Steph's throat as the light of her headlamp revealed the extent of the horror.

Her sister’s head in her grasp was not connected to a body.

Mt. Olivet Cemetery, DC, Monday July 17th 10:00AM

Spencer sat amongst the small group in plastic chairs at the graveside, listening as the celebrant’s words echoed through a cheap sound system.

‘Now, we have a few words from, Sarah,’ the man stepped away from the portable lectern next to the closed (and empty) casket as Dr Harris wearily stepped up to the microphone. Much like all 12 people there, including the funeral home staff, she wore black dress clothes.

She unfolded a piece of paper from her pocket and smoothed it on the lectern. Taking time to compose herself before she spoke.

‘First of all, I want to thank every single one of you for coming today. I know my son was a difficult person to love, but all of you saw past his troubles and …’ Dr Harris choked out, ‘Sorry.’ She glanced back down at the paper in her hand and folded it up, abandoning it. ‘You all saw the person he was underneath that. He was smart, very curious, and engaged in the way the world worked. I wished he got to enjoy it, but as we all know, He… I-it just wasn’t a possibility. But we all did the best we could. My son was my world. He may not have had the ability to be as kind and caring as most, but he tried his best. He wanted to be helped, and he wanted to get better. And I’m proud of him… He was many things, but one thing I can say with no convictions is that he was a good son. I love you Nathan, and I miss you so much.’ She cried and stepped away from the microphone.

The funeral assistant was there with tissues, giving her a reassuring hug as the celebrant spoke into the microphone. Spencer hung his head and let out a shaky breath. He couldn’t imagine what Dr Harris was going through. He also couldn’t imagine what it was like to pretend that this funeral was for your son that had taken his own life while knowing that, in fact, someone had taken it from him. Agent Matthews had a tox-screen run on Nathan over the weekend. It had confirmed what she suspected.

‘Sarah has organised a small tribute for Nathan that will play in a moment. We have some petals here for you each to come and lay upon the casket. We encourage you to take your time, reflect and say goodbye as the lovely piece, Ashokan Farewell, is played by Isabella Goodwin.’

A tall woman with blonde hair pulled into a French twist walked past them all from the back row, a violin in her hand.

It was a strange coincidence that the woman would share the same name as the NYPD’s first female detective. Even stranger was that when she stood at the front and played, she looked familiar. Spencer squinted at her. Slowly, he joined the short procession that passed the attendant holding the basket with white flower petals. He got closer and studied Isabella’s face.

She had smokey eye makeup, thick black glasses, large pearl earrings, and appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties. Her face was expressive, scrunching up in an emotional stance that musicians adopted when playing. Did he know her? She caught him staring. Her eyes flicked to him and he saw it; recognition. Only for a second. Then her eyes darted back to a point near the casket where people were laying petals and wishing their condolences to Dr Harris.

He took a handful of petals and approached the casket.

‘Goodbye Nathan,’ he whispered. He thought of an accurate but poignant thing to say at his empty graveside. He settled on the words; ‘I’m sorry, we couldn’t do more for you.’ He scattered the petals and made his way past Dr Harris, offering her a respectful nod.

‘Thank you for coming, Dr Reid. I know things were difficult, but you saved my son, in more ways than you realise. Your visits meant a lot to him.’ She told him.

He didn’t know what to say to that. He murmured his condolences, sat back down on the plastic chair, and stared at the small selection of photos in the memorial program that had been handed out.

A boy smiling and playing with a train set, juxtaposed with a man in a psych ward rec room, using a plastic knife to cut a cupcake decorated with the number 30. What could have been done? What should have happened? And other ‘what if’s’ plagued him.

Everyone was seated again as Isabella finished the song. He didn’t know too much about violin playing, but she didn’t have sheet music, which means she had memorised it. She played in a way that conveyed emotion with her sound and movement. It must have taken skill. And to play a song for Nathan’s funeral seemed very personal. She must have been a close friend of the family. But her face frustrated him. How did he know her? Maybe he had seen her in a concert once? But if that was the case, why would she seem to recognise him too?

Isabella made eye contact again as she walked back to her seat, this time offering him a small, nervous smile. And Spencer recognised that expression immediately.

After the ceremony ended, the guests, mainly family and a few doctors, left for the wake. He remained, feeling that attending the wake would be intruding. The violinist seemed to feel the same way. She approached him as they watched the funeral assistants winched back up the empty casket to move back into the hearse. Once Nathan’s autopsy had been completed, he would be buried, but for now, for the sake of the investigation, the funeral had to carry on as planned. If the unsub knew they were investigating Nathan’s death, one this elusive might disappear.

‘Isabella Goodwin, the first police matron to make detective, known for her undercover work. It’s a fitting choice. I didn’t recognise you.’ He said.

‘Well, that’s high praise, with your eidetic memory, Dr Reid,’ Agent Matthews smiled at him and removed the glasses.

‘How long have you played the violin?’ He asked.

‘Since I was 7.’

‘Wow, did you ever play professionally?’

She laughed. ‘That’s flattering, but no, never had the drive to be a professional violinist. To the untrained ear, I’m passable. I could never read music well enough, but to add to that, a while back, I had a wrist injury.’ She held up her right wrist and rotated it. It audibly clicked and groaned. He winced. That sounded like bones that hadn’t been set properly after breaking. He doubted it had received treatment at all, and if she had, she should sue. ‘Means I've finally got an excuse for the state of my handwriting, but unfortunately my bowing isn’t as good as it used to be. I can’t play for long periods time anymore.’ She shrugged. ‘I didn’t know if I’d see you here. It was good of you to come. I think Dr Harris appreciated it.’

‘I think she would have appreciated you offering to play for Nathan. To my untrained ear, it was very moving.’ He watched her eyes dart around, unsure how to take his compliment.

Who did such a number on you, Grace? He wondered. He wondered if she was like this all the time? She wouldn’t be in the field if she didn’t have a confident side. It must be her interactions with him, he concluded. She told him when they had met she admired him, and Garcia said she was more reserved around people she didn’t know or thought were superior. He didn’t want her to think he was like that. He enjoyed their conversation. It was nice to talk to someone who shared his interests.

Agent Matthews nodded and glanced down at her violin case. ‘Well, I’m glad it came across like that, even if I was technically only here for the investigation.’

‘Yes, I figured, given the disguise.’ He eyed her blonde wig. ‘Am I allowed to ask why?’

‘If I was an unsub, who was this good at getting away with murder; this is where I would be; among the victims, seeing the aftermath. This is where they would feel the most power. This is as close as they get to being caught. Here is where they'd feel the most satisfaction. They were here, I know it. No one stood out to me, but I’m hoping I caught a slip up from the unsub on camera,’ she explained, tapping the thick black glasses in her pocket. ‘I needed a vantage point that saw all the interactions with the casket and Dr Harris. I needed to be close the whole time and be in plain sight, but be unrecognisable to those medical staff I have already spoken to or end up interviewing later. Hence-’ She gestured to herself from head to toe. ‘-Isabella Goodwin, the violinist.’

‘You could have been a funeral assistant.’ he pointed out.

‘I could have,’ she agreed. But her eyes went to the grave open in front of them. ‘But when I discussed the plan with Dr Harris, I saw she was struggling with trying to make Nathan’s funeral special. I just really felt for her, you know? Having a good funeral is part of a good death. To be denied both is just… awful.’ Her eyes didn’t move from the hole in the ground. ‘I don’t know. Everyone has their thing. That thing that they can’t stand. Like JJ’s is when things involve kids, you know?’

Spencer nodded. He knew exactly what she meant. His was when a case involved bullying and highschool kids. She looked back at him and sighed, gesturing to all the surrounding graves.

‘I guess how victims are treated after is my thing. I wanted to help, so I gave Dr. Harris a list of traditional pieces I knew, and offered to play any she chose.’

Words failed him. It was such an unfathomably kind gesture. Agent Matthews hadn’t even known the Harris family until four days ago.

‘I also do birthdays and weddings, as long as I get cake.’ She added, attempting to downplay the action with a joke.

‘I think that was a very kind thing to do, Agent Matthews.’ He said. She shrugged and tried to stuff her hands in pockets but found none in her pencil skit. Instead, she clasped them together and stood there fidgeting, not sure what to say next.

Spencer opened his satchel and pulled out her pen and notepad, offering it back to her. ‘You left this behind the last time I saw you. I wrote out the list of unsubs I visited. Garcia has compiled a list of all the cases with potential victims. I think she sent it to you. I can help narrow it down. But I haven’t had time to sit down and look through it. I wanted to do it over the weekend, but…’ He didn’t want to think of it, but it came to the front of his mind; the blank look on his Mother’s face when he entered her room. ‘…I got held up with a personal matter.’

It was the second time he had visited, and she hadn’t recognised him for the entire time he had been there. The doctor had reassured him she talked to staff members about him. She remembered she had a son, even if she didn’t recognise him every time. It didn’t help take away the hurt and loss he felt, though. Never did he think he could lose someone who was still there, who hadn’t gone anywhere. It wasn’t death, but it was close.

‘Oh my gosh, thanks! I was wondering where these went.’ Grace startled him out of his thoughts. ‘I leave things everywhere. It’ll get me in trouble one day.’ She tapped the notebook to her head and flashed him a goofy smile, but it faded. Grace stared back at him with a tilted head. ‘Hey, I hope everything is okay with whatever’s going on. You don’t have to compile a list of anything for me. I mean, it’s my case. I hope you don’t feel like you have to. If you’re busy, don’t worry about it-’

‘Oh no, I settled it. It’s all fine now,’ he assured her. There really was nothing he could do. And that was the worst part. ‘I am happy to help. I have got little to do these days, anyway. Two days at Georgetown and two at the Academy a week, feels like a continuous weekend after 18 and a half years at the BAU. An occasional extracurricular consult will do me some good. So please, you're more than welcome to ask me anything. ’

‘Thank you, Dr Reid.’ She nodded, then seemed to pause as if in deep thought. ‘You know, if you’re looking for a hobby to try, let me know. I’ve tried tons of things, and well, I haven’t really stuck with many of them, but I’ve started a lot of them. I guess what I’m saying is I have a lot of recommendations, so-’

She was interrupted as her phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her suit jacket’s pocket. He glimpsed the caller ID and frowned.

Keep it PG

‘Hey Garcia,’ she answered.

Spencer stifled a chuckle. He got it. It was a pun with Garcia’s initials and the rating system for films. It was even more humorous knowing Garcia personally. The nickname suited her.

‘…I’ll be there in 20. Um, do you have any makeup remover? You did a wonderful job, but my face is starting to feel a little heavy. Yes… Awesome. You’re like my fairy godmother, thank you. I’ll see you soon.’ She hung up and turned to him and sighed. ‘I’ve gotta go. Thanks for returning this.’ She held up the notebook again.

‘Got a case?’ he asked.

‘Yeah, sorry, it seems like I maxed out my quota of non-work socialisation for today. I guess… I’ll see you around?’ she asked and looking at him expectantly. To him, it seemed Agent Matthews was testing the waters for something.

‘Of course,’ He nodded. ‘If I need a new skill to try my hand at, I’ll ask.’

She nodded and waved politely, but he read a bit of disappointment in her expression as she walked away. Then he realised; she had given him a subtle an invitation for friendship. ‘See you around?’ The way she posed it as a question; It was an offer to meet without an obligation to work.

‘Agent Matthews?’ he called after her.

‘Yes?’ She turned around.

‘Do you play chess?’

‘Not really,’ she admitted, but after a moment of seemingly debating with herself she added, ‘Not sure I’d give you a good game, but I’m happy to give it a go?’

‘Well, if you want, text me if you’re around the academy on Thursday at lunchtime. There’s a board near the cafeteria. I'll bring the pieces.’

‘Um, okay, fair warning though, I think I've only played once or twice,’ she admitted.

‘That's okay, I can teach you if you can't remember or we can just eat lunch if you find you don't like it,’ He said. Grace’s posture seemed to relax a little after that suggestion. ‘See you on Thursday?’

She smiled brightly, ‘Yes! Sure thing, Thursday, unsubs permitting.'

BAU, Quantico, VA, 11:10AM

‘Who’s the consultant Rossi?’ Tara asked with a smirk as a blonde woman walked into the conference room.

Rossi smiled widely. ‘I don’t remember asking for a consultant. Must be getting old.’

‘Anyone seen Matthews?’ Simmons jokingly squinted and looked around the room.

‘Haha, hilarious,’ Grace said, taking a seat at the round table. ‘I’ll get changed on the plane. I didn’t want to waste time.’

‘Gone Baywatch Blonde on us, Five-O?’ Luke smirked. Grace screwed up her face at him and rolled her eyes.

‘Jokes aside Matthews, I Love your makeup,’ JJ commented with an approving nod. ‘You pull off the smokey eye well.’

‘Well, I can’t take credit for that. That was Garcia’s work.’ She gestured to the brightly dress woman standing by, remote and tablet in hand.

‘She’s my masterpiece,’ Garcia beamed. ‘Argh, she looks so good! Don’t you just want to take her out and show her off?’

Tara and JJ laughed. Grace frowned. Was that a good thing? What was she supposed to say to that?

‘That will have to wait till we’re back, I’m afraid,’ Rossi let a fond smile fade from his face as he prepared himself to start the meeting.

‘Unfortunately, Prentiss won’t be joining us for this one. She has paperwork to file and a conference to attend tomorrow, so this is us. Garcia, you ready to walk us through the case?’

Garcia sighed heavily at the tablet in her arms and pressed a button on her remote. ‘Unfortunately, my job isn’t just all smiles and makeovers. Three days ago, the bodies of two women were found on a creek bed by hikers just outside Werztville, Pennsylvania. “Which trail were they hiking?” you may ask, unfortunately it is one of our favourites, the Appalachian trail.’

‘Ugh,’ Tara remarked.

‘What so bad about the Appalachian trail?’ Simmons asked.

Rossi sighed, ‘Last case we had there was real nasty. Cormac Burton killed male victims that reminded him of his father and then, unknown to him, his mentally disabled brother would follow him, hide and dismember the bodies all the while convinced he was looking after a dog the boys had briefly in their childhood.’

Grace frowned. There were a lot more reasons to dislike the trail. The BAU didn’t have the best track record with cases on that particular mountain range.

‘I thought you’d say it’s because there were two unsubs we never caught, Shane Wayland, the paedophile and serial killer in 2010, then there was that case in 2014 where the unsub was the product of ince-‘

‘-Yep, we remember Matthews. Are there only two bodies?’ JJ asked, trying to change the subject.

Garcia clicked a button on the remote and a map of the area came up. ‘Local police have linked them with two other cases from the past two years. Harrisburg is the closest city centre just across the river and county lines, but they have the most resources, so they have coordinated the investigation. The first was victim was killed in mid January last year near Summerdale Cumberland county, then there was a similar scene in Marysville, Perry County in April 2022. All disposal sites close to the trail and near creeks that branch off the Susquehanna River but, the similarities with state the bodies were left in is what got them to contact us. All the victims showed signs of sexual assault and… were also left naked, wrapped in sheets and… uh, headless.’ Garcia averted her eyes from her tablet. ‘Which you can see from the crime scene photos on your tablets.’

Simmons frowned. ‘So no heads? No secondary disposal sites anywhere?’

Grace clamped her lips together. The “So no head?” Vine played in her mind involuntarily. Don’t laugh, not now, don’t laugh you sicko, don’t laugh. Please, for the love of your job, keep it together. Don’t think of the vine. She instead stared at the crime scene photos, at the pale corpses, and regained her composure.

‘Looks like we have a collector,’ Luke grimaced.

‘Have they been identified?’ Rossi asked. She clung to that. ID-ing was something she could focus on. It was something she was good at. She scanned the pictures, but whoever had taken them had seen to shy away from them. There were hardly any usefully close ups.

Garcia clicked to the next slide. ‘Victim one was Hope Freeman, 22, student at Central Penn College. Reported missing by her parents when she didn’t make it home from a new year’s party. Sadly, no ID for victim two, no one has claimed them. And the M.E. hasn’t finished with three and four but with no clothes or heads, it’s not likely we will get an ID if their prints aren’t on file or nobody’s looking for them.’

‘So this guy killed one girl, waited three months to kill a second victim, then went 15 months without killing to suddenly killing two victims on the same day?’ Tara pointed out. ‘That’s a weird cooling-off period. And two in one day, is that an acceleration or was it just that there was an opportunity for two victims at once?’

Rossi nodded along with a contemplative frown, ‘My question is; why the missing time? Was our guy locked up or are there victims we haven’t found? I don’t like the looks of this one.’ He sighed as he put his tablet down.

Grace felt it too. This was a bad one. All cases were all bad. But sometimes she felt like there were moments in her life where she was a character from a Star Wars movie saying, ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’ This was one of those moments. But unlike a Jedi, this feeling came with no other helpful instruction other than; the vibe is off. And annoyingly, the ‘vibes being off’ was not a quantifiable or describable sensation she could tell her colleges to warn them of danger. All she could say was there was something real off about this one and hope that she could figure out what in time.

‘Wheels up in 20. Make sure you have good shoes. I got a feeling we’ll be hiking through the woods in this one.’ Rossi dismissed them.

Grace picked up the recorder glasses from her desk, grabbed her go bag and violin case and headed towards Garcia’s cave. She couldn't take her violin with her and it wasn’t good for the strings to be exposed to wildly varying temperatures it would experience in a car. So that left only one thing to do.

‘Garcia?’ she asked, immediately frowning when she realised she wasn’t that only one who had come to say goodbye to Garcia.

Alvez was there too. Which wouldn’t have been weird if it weren’t for the few steps back from Penelope he had jumped when Grace entered. Grace raised an eyebrow. Luke casually flicked one of Garcia’s bobble heads and watched it with way too much interest.

She felt Like she had walked in on something… but what kind of something?

‘Yes, Grace?’ Garcia asked, reminding her why she was there.

'I have the glasses and the footage for you. Can you send me a copy directly, please? Saves me trying to file it in the file system.'

'Yah okay.' she nodded. Her eyes flicking between her and Alvez. 'Anything else?'

'Also, can you watch Vincenzo for me while I’m gone?’ She asked and stepped in to the room fully.

Garcia lit up. ‘Absolutely. What does he eat?’ she asked excitedly.

‘Nothing,’ she held up her case.

‘Is that an assault rifle? Are you qualified to handle it?’ Luke asked.

Grace snorted, ‘No, to both.’ She unclasped the clips and opened it for them to see. ‘I can’t leave him in my car in the parking lot. He needs a steady temperature and to be handled with care.’

Both Luke and Garcia peered into the case. Garcia gasped, and Luke gave her a surprised look.

‘You are an enigma, Five-O.’ Luke shook his head and walked off.

Grace watched him leave, wondering what he was talking to Penelope about that he was not comfortable saying in front of her. She was forming a hypothesis, but she would need to observe more interactions to tell if it was an accurate one.

‘I will guard him with my life,’ Garcia promised.

‘Thank you so much.' Grace handed over the recording glasses. 'Now I’m sorry, I know I’m your master piece but I need the remover wipes before we go.‘ Grace asked.

Garcia pouted. ‘I was hoping you’d forget. Do you like it?’

‘It looks good, but it's not really my style.’ she shrugged. ‘Actually, you did such a good job. Dr Reid didn’t recognise me.’

‘Really?’ she beamed. ‘Cause you can totally pull it off. I thought you’d like being a mysterious-’ she gestured down at the violin, ‘-violinist. Showing up unannounced with your dark eyes, pearl earrings and heels. Straight from a mystery thriller, like all sexy-’

‘-No.’ Grace said more sharply than she intended.

She quickly back tracked seeing Garcia’s hurt face; It wasn't her fault. She didn't know that word was a sore spot for her. How could she? No one knew it was, well except Rossi, and he only knew because he needed to.

Grace softened her face. ‘What I mean is, I-I’ve read Agatha Christie novels, and I know what you mean… but it's not really a character that appeals to me. I’ve had a hard time being comfortable enough to be… just me. And I know what I like, what makes me comfortable and how I dress is part of how I be me. I’m not saying I hate it, the makeup and the heels. It looks good, great even, and I don't mind it occasionally, but it just doesn't feel like me, you know?’ she explained. ‘Plus, my face is itchy.’

Garcia gave her a heart melting look of understanding and opened the draw of her desk, pulling out some make up wipes.

‘Very well, my lovely, the clock strikes midnight, but this fairy godmother will be here whenever you need a transformation. Just say the magic words.’ She held out her arms, asking for a hug. Grace stepped forward into the embrace, stooping a bit to wrap her arms around her.

‘Thank you.’ Grace did her best to return the hug, trying to tap out after three seconds.

Garcia giggled and held on tighter. ‘Nope, you’re not getting away with less than five seconds after saying something like that gorgeous girl. Come here.’

Next Chapter

Taglist: @bridgeoverstrawberryfields

If you love this story or even just like it, leave a comment, like, reblog, ask a question with Character Mail, whatever, it is much appreciated and it really motivates me.

if you want to be added to taglist please comment on this post.

Sexual assault: I will try not to be graphic at all in this story, this chapter just has it mentioned as part of what the unsub does, but later chapters will have a scene at the medical examiner’s office and the next chapters will also reveal that the unsub is a necrophiliac. I will try to bookend the scenes of time stamps if you don't want to read that scene.

Horror: this is supposed to be the MGG directed ep of the season, so… sorry. Maybe just skip the first scene straight to time stamp Mt. Olivet Cemetery, DC, Monday July 17th 10:00AM.

violence, crime scene depiction: cannon typical throughout this story

kidnapping: Unsub is implied to kidnap victims and hold them for a few days.

decapitation: this is part of the unsubs M.O. a graphic reference to this is in the last line of the opening scene.

Reference to the infamous bloodlines episode: it's just mentioned in passing, don't worry.

Alzheimer's: Reid visited his mum on the weekend and she didn't recognise him.

#spencer reid #BAU #criminal minds #mentor spencer #big brother spencer #spencer gets a happy ending #the protege #OC Grace Matthews #the protege chapter 8 #fanfic #my fic #criminal minds case #spencer reid fanfiction #criminal minds fanfiction

[pastriibunz]

Your Best American Girl - Kai In Hatchetfield Edit

I HATE JOY AND WHIMSY

I WANT EVERYONE TO SUFFER

#kai drew #oc #tkwdlm #tgwdlm #the guy who didn't like musicals #the kai who didn’t like musicals #hatchetfield #kai in hatchetfield #oc art #paul matthews #emma perkins #bill woodward #charlotte sweetly #ted spankoffski #hannah foster #lex foster #ethan green #richie lipschitz #ruth fleming #grace chasity #max jagerman #peter spankoffski #stephanie lauter #mitski #I HATE THEM #GRRRR

[insomniac-jay]

Outlaws as Pictures

Jason Todd

Rose Wilson

Eddie Bloomberg

Artemis Grace

Matthew Wayne

Summer Kent

Lilith Morningstar

Daisy Hilliard

Thaddeus Thawne

Imani Javiera

@jasontoddssuper @honeysgalaxy @user1046

#rhato #red hood and the outlaws #jason todd #rose wilson #artemis of bana mighdall #artemis grace #eddie bloomberg #summer kent #matthew wayne #thaddeus thawne #imani javiera #oc: lilith/hex #oc: daisy/paradisia #i forgot kyle

[shxwstxpper]

The infected people getting matching pfps is cool

AAAA TY :D

I do it for everyone who wants it!

(if you haven’t gotten one I am working on it!!)

the army rn:

#answers from the black white and blue #pastriiposting #ooc #ooc post #kai drew #tkwdlm #the kai who didn’t like musicals #oc #oc rp #oc rp blog #hatchefield rp #hatchetblr #oc art #paul matthews #christian chasity #chris chasity #grace chasity #stephanie lauter #idolikemusicals #idonotlikemusicals #gloryandgrace #lauterishotter #christianchasity

[pranita2546z]

Old

#my art #my oc #วาดรูปการ์ตูน #วาดรูป #punk #grace bennett #Matthew Wolf #Kelvin Kyle #jeffrey campbell

[kittttycakes]

Because of that post of Lucienne pushing Dream around in a shopping cart, I can't get the image of her pushing Grace around in one while she helps Lucienne put books away.

Grace would love to help restock the library! The only downside of this is that she ends up moving half the stack into her own little reserve pile, because she just keeps happening upon interesting titles…it’s a good thing she has forever, because she’d be so disappointed if she didn’t have enough time to get to all of them!

#asks #oc: grace talbot #lucienne my beloved #I’m picturing Grace on the top shelf of one of those three tier carts #and Matthew on Grace’s shoulder for double cart-ception

[sourlemons262]

Chapters: 2/?

Fandom:

The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Matthew Fairchild/Original Female Character(s), Cordelia Carstairs/James Herondale, Alastair Carstairs/Thomas Lightwood, Ariadne Bridgestock/Anna Lightwood, Jesse Blackthorn/Lucie Herondale

Summary:

Miriam Morgenstern had it all: a caring husband admired within the Shadowhunter world, an adorable French flat right below her parents’, and about twenty-three too many dresses to most people’s liking. But when it all crumbles away faster than she can blink, she must move with her parents to London to fix her family’s reputation. While dealing with bizarre British customs, Miriam finds a hobby, and a man, she cannot help stay away from. However, her sharp tongue might put her into more trouble than she’s ready to deal with.

OC Fanfic where the main character is based off Midge Maisel from the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel TV show on Amazon Prime.

#Matthew x OC fanfic #the last hours #chain of gold #Chain of Iron #chain of thorns #Matthew Fairchild #james herondale #Cordelia Carstairs #thomas lightwood #alastair carstairs #anna lightwood #grace blackthorn #christopher lightwood #Ariadne Bridgestock #lucie herondale #jesse blackthorn #fanfic #the shadowhunter chronicles #FIRST OFFICIAL CHAPTER!!!!! #this one sets up a good amount of stuff for the story #plus we have LOTS of jordelia fluff!!! #from Matthew’s POV

[aceghosts]

Five Songs, Three Outfits

I was tagged by @clicheantagonist, @socially-awkward-skeleton, @carlosoliveiraa, @marivenah, @onehornedbeast, @voidika, @nightbloodbix, @amalkavian, and @cloudofbutterflies92.

Tagging (Opt In/Out): @bbrocklesnar, @fourlittleseedlings, @alexxmason, @captmactavish, @captastra, @derelictheretic, @henbased, @theelderhazelnut, @direwombat, @strangefable, @cassietrn, @katsigian, and anyone else who would like to do this.

RULES: post 5 songs associated with your oc, followed by 3 outfits they would wear. (Because I'm a weirdo, I did this for all my OCs.)

Blue Murphy

Rocky Mountain High by John Denver

Now he walks in quiet solitude, the forests and the streams/Seeking grace in every step he takes/His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand/The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

Raise Hell by Brandi Carlisle

You have a mind to keep me quiet/And although you can try/Better men have hit their knees/And bigger men have died

The World Ender by Lord Huron

I'm the World Ender, baby, and I'm back from the grave/They can run for their lives, but they cannot be saved/I'm the World Ender, baby, and I'm coming for them/They put me in the ground, but I'm back from the dead

Elijah by Matthew and the Atlas

Wish you could have talked to me/Found another way to be/Living hard don't sound so good/It's hard to get out of the wood

Elijah, you're too young to be lost/Elijah, don't fade out on the cross

Up the Wolves by The Mountain Goats

There's bound to be a ghost at the back of your closet/No matter where you live/There'll always be a few things, maybe several things/That you're going to find really difficult to forgive/There's gonna come a day when you feel better/You'll rise up free and easy on that day

Rooney Shepard

Uneven Odds by Sleeping at Last

Maybe your light is a seed/And the darkness, the dirt/In spite of the uneven odds/Beauty lifts from the earth

Too Close/Too Late by Spiritbox

Stranger things I've learned on the outside/Separated by an open door/I find it hard to reach the end of my timeline/Salivating 'cause I wanted more/Is this the end or is this the beginning?

I know where I wanna go/But it's too close/And it's too late this time/I know where I wanna go/But it's too close/And it's too late this time

The Foundations of Decay My Chemical Romance

You must fix your heart/And you must build an altar where it swells/When the storm it gains, and the sky it rains/Let it flood, let it flood, let it wash away/And as you stumble through your last crusade/Will you welcome your extinction in the morning rays?

Jaded by Spiritbox

And I've always been ashamed that I wanna/Fall into a dream with my honour desecrated/Blood is jaded/I've never found a way to be honest/All I know is a place where I haunted memories faded/Blood is jaded

The Altar/Mary by Silverstein

At the base of the ivory tower/The bodies pile up/Lured you with a future but it won't exist/Shame you for a failure that they won't admit/Somebody has to die as a warning to the rest/Shut up and get in line, take what you can get

Hunter Delaney

Throne by Bring Me the Horizon

So you can throw me to the wolves/Tomorrow I will come back, leader of the whole pack/Beat me black and blue/Every wound will shape me, every scar will build my throne

Alone in a Room by Asking Alexandria

All I needed was the last thing I wanted/To sit alone in a room and say it all out loud/Every moment, every second, every trespass/Every awful thing, every broken dream/A couple years back and forth with myself in a cage

Little Wonder by Architects feat. Mike Kerr

I wanna sing you a different song, one that's easier to swallow/(Everything is fuckin' fine)/We can dance, we can all sing along/We can say how we all wanna be saved, but it's еasier to follow

BFG Division by Mike Gordon

All My Life by Attack Attack!

You blinded my eyes now for way too long/Well I thought we were friends, but you proved me wrong/You got in my head with the things that you said/And you left me a mess now to top it off

There's one of us here without virtue/Look in the mirror, don't want to/You're keeping me down for your debut/But your reign is through

Sawyer Beaumont

Houdini by Foster the People

When I feel kinda bad and don't want to stress/I just pass it off on ability/Well, you got what you want and what you never knew/Perfect gift from me to you

Iscariot by Walk the Moon

Perhaps I lack some foresight (Should have known)/But, brother, you were so right/Sure as the setting sun/You can't trust just anyone

Own Worst Enemy by Robert DeLong

Always feeling like I made a mistake like I'm dropping the ball/Found the worst thing to say, ya/Never feeling like I'm getting ahead like I'm doing my best/'Cause someone did better

Firestorm by SIAMES

Now hold your horses/Why do you have to go down that road?/Get back on your tracks/No good can resist so much wrong/How bad you want it?/And how bad you need what is not your fault?

Canon by OVERWERK

Blake Maddox

a new moral low ground by Architects

One love for your enemy/Two steps from the edge of your sanity/Three strikes for the cavalry/You cut me close to the bone/Four walls that you'll never see/Five waits for a taste of humanity/Six feet, what a travesty/You cut me close to the bone

New Dawn Fades by Joy Division

An angry voice and one who cried/We'll give you everything and more/The strain's too much, can't take much more/Oh, I've walked on water, run through fire/Can't seem to feel it anymore

Final Girl by CHVRCHES

In the final cut/In the final scene/There's a final girl/Does she look like me?/In the final cut/In the final scene/There's a final girl/And you know that she should be screaming now

Hurt by Wage War

It still hurts/I can never seem to find the right words/I guess it's still the way the world turns/You break me, forsake me and show me everything that I can never be/It still hurts/It feels like everything just gets worse/But I can't be the only one at ends with this/To live until I've learned

Violent Delights by CHVRCHES

And these violent delights/Keep creeping into my nights/And they're reading my rites/And I'll never sleep alone again

Riley Callahan

The Faster The Treadmill by I Fight Dragons

Every time I say what I want to be/Someone says that's not how it's going to be/Come on, baby, quit your dreaming/Grab your things, the train is leaving/Time to pick that somewhere you want to go/Get there quick or drown in the undertow/Come on, baby, time is wasting/Choose a wheel and get to racing

Miracle Mile by Cold War Kids

Get outside, get all over the world/You learn to love what you get in return/It may be permanent, it may be peace of mind/But you have to slow down and breathe one breath at a time

Wanderlust by Valiant Hearts

Oh, I'll walk to the edge of the world/If it means I can chase this feeling one more time/I'll scream from the top of my lungs/From the mountain tops my body could never climb/I'll stare into the great unknown/Until the mesmer has overfilled my mind

The Hymn by FLOYA

Let my journey change me/I wanna see where the stars might lead me/I feel the heat envelop my heart/Setting sail for a new shore (New shore)/To find the light in my soul

Shy Away by Twenty One Pilots

Shed your modesty/Don't circle the track/Just break the cycle in half/And leave your skin on the floor

Emerson Wright

Doomsday by Architects

Souls don't break, they bend/But I sometimes forget/I have to do this for you/And the only way out is through/Yeah, death is an open door

The Summit by Spiritbox

I could not go on/Break me down and hold me 'til the dawn/Poison is the purposeful, it's gone/Desperate to find that beating heart/And run

Fighting Gravity by Of Mice and Men

If everything is where it's supposed to be/Then why does space just feel so incomplete?/If everything is made to fall into place/Why am I always fighting gravity?

Goliath by Architects feat. Simon Neil

Bury your head in the sand/Soon you'll be feeling the fangs/So sleep with two eyes open/'Cause jackals live by the candlelight

Me Against Myself by Wage War

Feel like I'm a broken shell/Hard to lie when you're overwhelmed/It still hurts when you're numb/Every walk becomes a run/It's getting hard to hold on/When you come undone

(For context, whenever I think of Emerson's style, it's directly inspired by Kurt Cobain.)

Dallas Warden (AKA Bellamy)

Take What You Want by Flight Paths

And it finally came the day/I start giving my heart away/For Heaven's sake, my bones will break/But you'll never own my soul, no

Rotoscope by Spiritbox

I can't take back the skeletons that haunt me frame by frame/I can rapture the imprints sent to bore into my brain/And I know that I feel the end is imminent

How long have I felt this way? Sign of the times/Shadows sway to light up my life/Trace the answers, tears have never made me/Change from violent delights

Perseus by Local Dialect

Salt by the Devil Wears Prada feat. Dayseeker

Some days I think I'm afraid of my shadow/I show up to fight at all the wrong battles/And I don't think my mind will be right 'til I/Pour the salt into the wound

Take Me First by Bad Omens

I lie to myself like it's not too late/Convinced the past can still be changed/We know it's gone, but I can't move on/I want to rewind, but it just replays

#tag games #Blue Murphy #Commander Rooney Shepard #I won't let fear compromise who I am #Hunter Delaney #Sawyer Beaumont #Blake Maddox #Emerson Wright #Riley Callahan #Bellamy #Dallas Warden #i love how most of my ocs wear neutral colors #and then BAM! Sawyer with the bright colors #it doesn't really fit their universe #but I like to think that Sawyer does it purposely to stand out

[thepaintedlady00]

Complete Chapter Index:

Chapter 1: The Man in the Glass Cage

Chapter 2: The Sandman and the Girl Without Dreams

Chapter 3: Feathers of Black, White and Red

Chapter 4: The Sound of Her Laughter

Chapter 5: To Promises Kept and Promises Broken

Chapter 6: Friends As Endless and Constantine As Mine

Chapter 7: Hell Has 1,825 Doors

Chapter 8: Later

Chapter 9: A Past As Beautiful and Destructive As Me

Chapter 10: Fates Tethered Threads

Chapter 11: Write My Name In Your Blood

Chapter 12: The Marquis and the Glass Cage

Chapter 13: The King of Nightmares

Chapter 14: A Kingdom of Fraying Threads

Chapter 15: Crossroads of Fate and Grace

Chapter 16: The Path Paved In Golden Flames

Chapter 17: Musings of the Past and Dreams of the Future

Cut POVs:

Dreams POV Sandy

Dreams POV An Unexpected Return

Penelope's POV Hiding at Cain & Abels

Dreams POV Confronting Destiny

Dreams POV The Reunion

Dreams POV The Dreaming

Dreams POV The Duel

Penelope's Adventures:

Penelope's Adventures: Meeting Johanna Constantine

The Dreaming Shenanigans:

Happy Holidays in The Dreaming

Lord Meowpheus: So Cute

Lord Meowpheus: So Sneaky

Lord Meowpheus: So Sassy

The Toad & The Butterfly Babysit

The King of Dreams vs Lyta Hall

Cain and Abel Drug the King

The Ball

Related Oneshots:

Oneshot Request: The Oldest Game

Oneshot Request/Suggestion: Dream vs Movie Night Labyrinth

Oneshot: The Happiest Place on Earth

Strictly Smut:

Soft Dream (First time)

Throne

Practice

Jealous Dream

1589 Dream (all past Dream looks will be featured)

Library

Lake

Satisfied

Fussing

Spotify Playlist: (courtesy of @marvelshtrash)

Penelope and Morpheus

Character Spotlight:

Pierre

Penelope (she can be a reader insert or an OC, whatever you'd prefer to see her as please do! 😊)

Actors I See as The Uncast Endless 🤷‍♀️

The Threads (Dream & Penelope)

The Threads (Matthew)

The Threads (Lucienne)

The Threads (Hob)

The Threads (Johanna)

The Threads (Destiny)

The Threads (Delirium)

The Threads (Death & Destruction)

The Threads (The White Coats)

The Threads (Desire & Despair)

The Threads (Pierre)

#the sandman series #dream imagine #dream sandman #dream smut #dream of the endless #dream of the endless imagine #dream of the endless x reader #dream the endless #morpheus imagine #sandman morpheus #sandman netflix #the sandman fanfic #masterlist #dream x oc #morpheus smut

[spaceagebachelormann]

𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒔!

HOW TO REQUEST

— state the character, romantic or platonic, the format of the request, and what you want with it

— do you have any specifics for the reader? male, female, blonde, poc, etc?

— requests can be send through inbox or dms, but inbox is heavily encouraged!

— PLEASE ACTUALLY SPECIFY WHAT YOU WANT WITH YOUR REQUEST!! ITS VERY HARD FOT ME TO WRITE SOMETHING THAT JUST SAYS “_____ x reader fluff” WITH NO FURTHER EXPLANATION!! GIVE ME A PLOT LINE!!

WHAT I WILL WRITE:

platonic

romantic

familial

any gender x any gender

headcanons

poly relationships

sensitive topics

x reader

ships (canon or non-canon, so long as it’s not problematic)

i. i WILL write cheating, but not if a character is going it to the reader/another character. i’ll make someone comforting another person after being cheated on, but i won’t write finnick odair cheating on someone

same thing ^^ goes for homophobic, transphobic, ableist topics like that, and. well i guess the same goes for abuse?

WHAT I WONT WRITE:

smut (i’m 14)

yandere

incest

student x teacher

canonically gay character (ex: wylan van eck) x fem!reader for romantic requests

canonically lesbian character x male!reader for romantic requests

songfics (nothing against them, i just don’t know how!!)

things about ocs

ship fics

character list (more to come!)

❍ = easiest characters to write for

bolded — favourite characters to write for

KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES

❍ sophie foster, ❍ dex dizznee, fitz vacker, ❍ keefe sencen, ❍ biana vacker, ❍ marellla redek, ❍ maruca chebota, tam song, linh song, ❍ wylie endal, ❍ jensi babblos, stina heks

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA

❍ peter pevensie, ❍ edmund pevensie, ❍ susan pevensie, ❍ lucy pevensie, mr tumnus, ❍ caspian, eustace scrubb, jill pole, shasta, aravis

RIORDANVERSE

❍ percy jackson, ❍ annabeth chase, ❍ grover underwood, ❍ jason grace, ❍ piper mclean, ❍ leo valdez, ❍ hazel levesque, ❍ frank zhang, nico di angelo, will solace, reyna arellano, rachel dare, ❍ travis stoll, ❍ connor stoll, thalia grace, magnus chase, ❍ alex fierro, carter kane, sadie kane, lester papadopolous, lavinia asimov

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

❍ christine daaé, ❍ raoul de chagny, erik destler, ❍ meg giry

p.s. i’ll write for the movie, musical, book and 1990 miniseries versions!!

HARRY POTTER

harry potter, ❍ hermione granger, ❍ ron weasley, ❍ luna lovegood, ❍ neville longbottom, ginny weasley, fred weasley, george weasley, ❍ sirius black, remus lupin, ❍ james potter, ❍ marlene mckinnon, mary macdonald, dorcas meadowes, lily evans

RIDE THE CYCLONE

ocean o’connell rosenberg, ❍ noel gruber, ❍ mischa bachinski, ❍ ricky potts, jane doe, penny lamb, ❍ constance blackwood

SHADOW AND BONE

❍ alina starkov, malyen oretsev, ❍ genya safin, ❍ zoya nazyalensky, david kostyk, erm others i accidentally deleted remind me to update this

SIX OF CROWS

kaz brekker, inej ghafa, ❍ jesper fahey, ❍ wylan van eck, nina zenik, matthias helvar

THE OUTSIDERS

ponyboy curtis, ❍ johnny cade, sodapop curtis, darry curtis, steve randall, ❍ twobit matthews, ❍ dallas winston

THE HUNGER GAMES

katniss everdeen, peeta mellark, ❍ finnick odair, ❍ johanna mason, marvel sanford, clove kentwell, cato hadley, ❍ cinna

IT (2017)

bill denbrough, eddie kaspbrak, richie tozier, ❍ stan uris, beverly marsh, ben hanscom, ❍ mike hanlon

THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL

❍ agatha of woods beyond, ❍ sophie of woods beyond, tedros of camelot, ❍ hort of bloodbrook, ❍ hester of ravenswood, ❍ anadil, ❍ dot, nicola, aric, rhian mistral, rafal mistral, leonora lesso, clarissa dovey

THE LAND OF STORIES

❍ alex bailey, ❍ connor bailey, ❍ red riding hood, ❍ jack, ❍ goldilocks, ❍ bree campbell

SCOOBY DOO

daphne blake, ❍ fred jones, shaggy rogers, velma dinkley

LITTLE WOMEN

❍ jo march, amy march, beth march, meg march, ❍ laurie

A GOOD GIRLS GUIDE TO MURDER

pippa fitz-amobi, ❍ ravi singh, naomi ward, ❍ cara ward, connor reynolds, ❍ jamie reynolds, nat da silva

THE MIGHTY DUCKS

❍ charlie conway, adam banks, ❍ lester averman, guy germaine, ❍ connie moreau, julie gaffney, ❍ ken wu, dean portman, luis mendoza, dwayne robertson, ❍ fulton reed

DRACULA

dracula, ❍ lucy westenra, mina harker, arthur holmwood, ❍ renfield, dr seward, abraham van helsing, ❍ quincey morris

FRANKENSTEIN

victor frankenstein, ❍ adam frankenstein, elizabeth lavenza, justine moritz, ernest frankenstein, henry clerval, the bride

DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE

henry jekyll, ❍ edward hyde, ❍ richard enfield, gabriel utterson, hastie lanyon, lucy harris

MONSTER HIGH

gotta update this one guys,,,

THE BREAKFAST CLUB

john bender , ❍ claire standish, allison reynolds, brian johnson, andrew clark

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS

❍ blossom utonium, bubbles utonium, buttercup utonium , ❍ brick jojo, boomer jojo, butch jojo

DAVID BOWIE

❍ jareth, thomas jerome newton, david bowie

SWEENEY TODD

❍ sweeney, anthony hope, ❍ mrs lovett, johanna

THE ROSEWOOD CHRONICLES

lottie pumpkin, ellie wolf, ❍ jamie volk, ❍ ollie moreno, ❍ raphael wilcox, ❍ anastacia alcroft leblanc, saskia san martin, lola tomkins, mickey tomkins, binah fae

HAIRSPRAY

❍ corny collins, ❍ seaweed j stubbs, amber von tussle, tracy turnblad, penny pingleton, link larkin

MISC. CHARACTERS

sarah williams, ❍ bernard the elf, ❍ rodrick heffley, ❍ varian

#marlee organization <3

[protege-not-protagonist]

Criminal Minds: The Protégé Chapter 10

Ch 10: The Mountain King- Pt. 3 or alt title: Trivia Night

Blurb: While the team works on the case in the Appalachian Mountains establishing theories and defining a profile, Spencer throws himself into working the victimology of this new Unsub killer. But it is not enough to distract him from the emptiness he feels in his life, especially after his mother's recent episode. rather than stay at home and face a night of quiet reflection, Spencer reluctantly decides to attend trivia night... who knew it would be the first and last time he would be hesitant to go.

Masterlist

Previous Chapter

Audience: 16+ mature audience for depictions of violence and sexual references

Author's Note: if you see a trigger warning that concerns you, you can scroll to end and I'll have a brief description what happens. And how to read around it. TW: violence, crime scene depiction, This case mentions sexual assault, kidnapping, decapitation, Necrophilia, slight body horror (as previous chapter)

Spencer's Appartment, Arlington, VA, 7:50PM

Spencer rubbed the bridge of his nose and inhaled. Done. He had gone through them. All 562 profiles of the unsubs. He just focused on their status in the past 5 years, since that was when Grace had noticed the upward trend. Of those, 32 had died in that period. A few had died of old age, been executed, or died in prison fights. But disturbingly, 19 of those deaths had suicide by overdose or heart complications listed as cause of death in the last.

And even more concerning was that there was a starkly clear victimology. All were unsubs that had been killing and caught when they were adolescents or very early twenties. All had antisocial personality disorder, or Dissociative Identity Disorder, or both. All were having medical treatment administered to them in either psychiatric facilities or prisons. And, they were all people who shouldn't have died in care, all under 30 and not profiled as self destructive.

Spencer wished it was hard to believe that someone could've gotten away with it for that long. But he knew they weren’t exactly people that would be missed. People would think that no one would care or even that they deserved it, and that is why this killer had been so successful. It was why 19 had died before one person had thought twice about a 20th. One random FBI agent who answered a phone call meant for him.

Now they had a base number of victims, they needed to further narrow down the remaining living unsubs with the victim profile. It would help them figure out who was likely to be next. They also had to correlate employee records with the facilities these unsubs, well actually, victims, had died in. If there was a common person, they had to be the killer.

He shuffled the papers back into the neat stacks on his coffee table. Squinting around at the rest of his room, reached for a floor lamp's switch; it was starting to get hard to see. He stood up from his armchair and felt his legs protest. The light level in the room told him it was a later than he thought it was. How long had he been working on this? He looked out his window at the park outside. It only had a few joggers and dog walkers trailing around the pathways.

Spencer enjoyed the new view and the convenience of the location. He had been in his new apartment for 1 year, 8 months, and four days. But it still wasn’t the same. He missed his old home.

He had left it out of necessity, is what he told himself. It was practical. Now he was home a lot more, he needed the spare room as an office space. He also originally needed the two-bedroom apartment if his mother wanted to stay with him on day releases. Not that she could now.

But no matter how he reasoned it away, it didn’t change the fact that the real reason he moved was because he didn't like the fact that Cat Adams knew where he lived. It was the fact that she and had used his apartment and neighbours in her plans twice now. Max had pointed that out to him. And once she had; he hadn't felt safe there anymore.

Spencer never used to worry for his safety, if anything, his job proved that there was no point in worrying; if someone was determined enough, nothing could stop them. But with her it was different. For the first time, he could not shut the worry out. His home had felt... tainted.

It was a shame. He had spent longer in that apartment than anywhere else in his life. But perhaps the change was good. He was leaving that life behind; a new environment would help him separate himself from his past.

Much to his disappointment though, the walls here were still white. He hadn't got permission to paint them yet. Spencer appreciated that in design theory, the lighter coloured walls help reflect light and make the place feel spacious and airy. But other than a vitamin D boost, for him, there were no more benefits. He needed the comfort of a dark, cosy place to retreat to at the end of long days. Surveying space he nodded with contentment. He had done his best to dampen the impersonal-ness of the ‘clean chic’ aesthetic. His bookshelves lined the walls of the living space. Framed yellowed schematics and watercolour botanical prints cluttered the walls. His dark wooden furniture added the illusion of a comfortable age. Dark curtains and earthy tone rugs tied it all together. It was impressive how similar it was to the old the place.

But now there was the spare room. The room with a plainly dressed bed and his spotless work desk. The empty room.

He would have brought his own house if he had someone to share it with. But that hadn’t worked out and the more empty rooms he had in his life, the more lonely he supposed it would feel. Max was great, but when they finally had that third date, and then a fourth, and then a 15th, they both found that they were great, but just as friends.

Opposites did attract, but ultimately there was just too much difference between their worldviews. He had baggage. A lot of it. And it was not that she didn’t care. No, it was the opposite; she cared a lot, but she was too confrontational. She saw his baggage, and she wanted it gone; she wanted to free him from it. Max saw it as if all of that trauma really was just bags and suitcases that she could toss away from him like a commercial airline baggage handler, if she tried hard enough. But she didn’t understand that some things can’t be fixed. Some things can’t be undone. Some things, in the end, you just had to live with and learn to live around.

He also felt that they wanted different things out of life. Max wanted to live a life filled with excitement. She was eager to explore the world, but Spencer craved stability. He had had enough adventure. He wanted to settle down, take life slowly, and savour it. And so that was how it ended. They followed their respective paths. Max found herself in bustling New York, working at the MET. Meanwhile, Spencer settled into a cozy apartment, its walls filled with books and the gentle hum of a fish tank, finding solace in teaching. Or, he was trying to.

Spencer padded across the room and flicked the light switch on, and stared back at the pile of papers on the coffee table. He couldn’t do much more work without Agent Matthews or Garcia now. He needed something to do. Staying here looking at the spare room was only reminding him that there were people missing from his life. He needed to get out. Staying in and reading was nice. But lonely. And he didn’t want to feel alone tonight. Not after the weekend, he just had.

He checked his watch; 7:52pm.

If he left now, he could still make it to the trivia night his colleagues had openly invited him to months ago. He didn't usually like bars, or competitions, or beer. But they had tried multiple times to convince him he would enjoy himself. The concerned smile that Grace had given him earlier that morning flicked to his mind. He recalled her subtle encouragement to try a new experiences; new people and new hobbies. Was trivia a hobby?

Surprisingly, he felt himself move towards his keys, as if his subconscious was urging him to go. If there were empty rooms in his life, he supposed they would stay empty unless he took the initiative to meet new people and tried new things. He grabbed his wallet and phone and walked to the door while he still had the courage. He turned the doorknob and stepped out into the hallway, pulling up the navigation app on his phone. Trivia. He was going to trivia night, a social event, and he was going to meet people. And if the past week was any indicator; meeting new people wasn’t too bad.

Central Police Station, Harrisburg, PA, 7:00 PM

Rossi walked down the halls to of the police station with Dective Garner following close behind the meeting room. Simmons was pinning up the map on the case board. Luke was scribing down points on the whiteboard as Tara told him what they had learned from their interviews. JJ was in the corner examining the sheets the victims were wrapped in from the boxes of evidence. Grace was missing. He looked down at his watch. She was late for the debriefing. He sighed, but knew she would be in soon; she would be late cause she had found something.

‘Well, what have we got, cause victimology is not really giving us anything other than young, female and in the forest? Not too picky as far as I can tell. We’re going to have focus more on the Unsub. What did the scene tell us?’ Rossi asked.

Simmons shook his head, ‘Well he is knowledgeable of local area, looking at these sites this active zone where the bodies are being dumped placed is 1.38 square kilometres, that’s not even a square mile but the comfort zone, is a lot bigger, here-‘ he drew a circle around the three points.’-As Detective Garner and Ranger Debraun noted this active zone was not accounting for the terrain. If we adjust to account for the mountain right in the middle of the whole thing, the active zone is more like 13 square miles. If he had to walk there using the trails from access points near roads while carrying a body… it’s just unlikely.

‘So there’s two possibilities, theory one, is that he lives somewhere in this comfort zone and uses a shallow boat to travel the waterways after killing them. Theory two, he lives in the forest, and has multiple secluded areas to hold and kill victims and then dumps them in sites closest to the area he killed and held them in.’

Tara stepped up to the map and added a point to the board. ‘Our interview found that Hope was abducted from the surrounding forest on this road. Now that we know for sure the stretch of trail that Hope was abducted from and the disposal site, we can narrow down that range that this hideout might be in.’

Rossi nodded. ‘Good, good, tomorrow morning we can get out there with some of your men, Garner, and search the abduction site.’

‘Absolutely,’ the detective nodded.

Rossi paused and furrowed his brow. ‘Detective Garner, does the phrase “your friend trips under the hill” mean anything to you?’

The detective frowned. ‘No, sorry, should it?’

‘When we interviewed Jenny, she said sometimes in the days after the abduction she heard a man call her name and sometimes she would hear that phrase.’ Tara explained.

‘The Unsub returned to taunt her?’ Luke questioned.

Rossi shook his head stoically. ‘No, we believe he was trying to lure her too.’

‘She didn’t tell us that,’ the detective frowned.

‘She thought she was imagining it,’ Tara explained. ‘She thought people would think she was crazy.

‘Are we sure that it was the unsub?’ JJ asked Tara. ‘I don’t know who would even speak like that. It sounds… theatrical.’

‘I’m convinced it wasn’t a hallucination that she heard. She would still be experiencing them if they weren’t real, conditions that cause those symptoms are long term and don’t go away without treatment.’ Dr Lewis explained.

‘I’ve got Garcia researching that phrase as we speak. Hopefully, we can find what it’s referencing.’ Rossi nodded and moved on. ‘What about the morgue JJ? Where’s Grace?’

JJ let out a little huff and shook her head, still unable to believe how the interaction had gone. ‘Oh boy, the morgue was something. Grace got in a verbal sparring match with the M.E. It was like watching a high school debate club, but there were no real arguments, just intellectual snark. I had to break it up, but Grace is still there. She’s hovering over the M.E. while they do a dissection.’

‘Grace, verbally sparring?’ Dr Lewis frowned.

JJ shrugged, ‘I don’t know. Something got into her. M.E. made a comment about how she does that talking thing… And she went straight for the metaphorical jugular. Anyway, I got a lot of information I wish I could erase from my brain.’ she paced across the room to the board and wrote, “Necrophiliac” on the board.

‘Oh, gross.’ Luke groaned.

‘So this guy, still waiting on DNA to confirm it’s the same one, seems to keep the victims for three to five days before killing them and then keeps them for one to three days after death and that’s when the sexual assault occurs. Then he washes and wraps the victims before disposing of them. As far as we can tell, only superficial wounds from scuffles are sustained while they are alive. But the newest victims, Grace believes, show a deviation. She seems to think they were killed before decapitation and then drained of their blood. And this is where things get weird.’

‘You mean it wasn’t already weird? Simmons asked.

JJ grimaced before continuing. ‘One of the new victims had a needle mark from where the Unsub externally filled their bladder-‘

‘-What?’ Rossi asked out loud. The room was filled with confused and disgusted faces.

‘Jesus.’ Detective Garner shook his head. ‘Who even does this?’

‘Well, I’m not sure about the whole bladder thing, but I know that there is some familiar behaviour,’ JJ also wrote: Remorse? ‘I’ve been looking at the evidence here in the meantime. The sheets, the way he wraps up the victims, it’s like a shroud, it’s not just spread over the body, it’s properly done. The way he wraps up the victims and places them somewhere scenic, at the creek. That’s an indication of remorse, it’s shows an amount of care, an amount of shame. It’s a burial ritual.’

‘Yeah, as much as care someone who chops of heads and desecrates bodies can have.’ Detective Garner scoffed.

There was a short tap on the door. Grace's smiling face met them as she opened the door. ‘Did I hear someone say burial ritual?’

Stern faces met her and Rossi raised an eyebrow. Her face dropped a little, assuming a more neutral expression. ‘Right, well sorry I’m late, but I have some great news, some perplexing news and some details for Garcia to look up for our victim IDs when the briefing’s over.’

‘Start with the great news.’ Rossi waved her in.

She nodded and skittered over to the map. ‘I know where the victims are most likely being held and killed.’ She held out her hand for JJ to pass her the marker. ‘So, I called around to see if we could get our lab results flagged as a priority, and well, mainly DNA, to confirm it’s the same guy. Toxicology is still slow, entomology also not finished and the sample we took from the bladder has only just been sent-’

He held up his hand gently stopping her. ‘Grace… What do we have?’ Rossi prompted.

‘Oh um, particulates from the fingernails. The samples were tested before, but only for the DNA of the attacker. I asked a friend of mine back on the second floor to look at the preliminary mass spec, but for grit. He found pure Anthracite Coal in all victims’ samples.’ She grinned widely, clearly proud of herself as she used the marker to draw some dotted lines on the map.

Rossi watched her with interest. He had talked to her about convoluted answers. To Grace’s credit, she had gotten better in the past few months. He knew if she was drawing; she was taking time to gather an explanation with a visual aid. But he supposed he knew of her diagnosis, so he understood. The rest of the team had not quite figured it out yet.

‘So, they were killed in a forge or factory or what… what is Anthracite Coal mean? Are there different types of coal?’ JJ asked.

Grace turned to answer, but surprisingly, Detective Garner cleared his throat.

‘Ya girl here is saying the victims were killed in a Pennsylvanian coal mine. Anthracite is the highest grade coal there is, highest carbon content, rare as well. In America, it is only found in this state.’ The team looked at him with puzzled looks. ‘What? I thought everyone knew that? Anyway There is a problem though, it doesn’t fit the geoprofile. All the mines are further North East of here, quite a ways actually.’

‘Yes exactly, but those are currently operating mines,’ Grace enthused. ‘I suspect this one is old and abandoned. I’m not an expert geologist, but as an archaeologist, I know a thing or two about stratigraphy. The Appalachian mountains, although separated by rivers and valleys nowadays, were once a continuous range before the ice age. Because of this we can look at known deposit on the other side of the river in Dauphin county and assume the layer that was compressed into coal was one deposit before the river separated it-‘ she drew a dotted line over the river and along the mountain and straight through the unsubs active zone. ‘-Theoretically, the coal that ended up in our victims’ fingernails should be at the same elevation as the Dauphin county mine. Which places the abandoned mine on this ridge and within the unsubs’ active zone.’

Detective Garner paused briefly before stating, ‘Considering Jenny's testimony, we can place the abduction right on the outskirts of the active zone. But we found her on the other side of the mountain, which disproves the theory of his lair being in that zone. You cannot abduct someone without a vehicle and drag them either fighting or unconscious up a mountain for two miles. Hold them captive in a mine for five days. Then carry their body three miles down the other side of the mountain. It’s not physically possible. The bodies would suffer more damage from being dragged and manhandled.’

Grace nodded. ‘You are right, detective, I would normally agree. The average distance someone can carry a body is 300 meters or a hundred yards. And if we think he is probably using the river to transport the bodies away from his lair, the place he kills them must be closer than 300 meters from where he keeps a boat. As you said, it looks impossible since the river is on the other side of the mountain. But it is actually possible if the unsub isn’t going over the mountain at all.’

‘There has to be a tunnel under the mountain.’ Rossi realised. It was the only thing that made sense.

‘Exactly, modern mines in the area are open cut, but prior to the 60’s mines were underground. And if this mine is old enough to be forgotten about. It’s got to be Civil War era or before. I also read that this area has a lot of history with the Underground Railroad, which I know was not actually an underground railroad, but it involved a lot of secret passages through the mountains, and also the logging industry sometime would help smuggle people out on rafts through the river systems. Sometimes loggers would create tunnels that would lead to riverside log stations so that logs didn’t have to be dragged over the hill. Point is, this unsub lives in those mountains, and probably has his whole life, his family probably also has deep roots here. Both mining and logging are the old back bone industries here.’

‘How long did you spend reading?’ Dr Lewis asked.

‘Just the plane ride here…’ She shrugged.

Rossi raised an eyebrow. He noticed her busy with something on the plane and had wondered what it could be. She had seemed so focused on it. Obviously, whatever it was, had been helpful.

Simmons nodded and thought for a moment. ‘Is there a possibility that there’s a map of these tunnel systems or survey of the mineshafts?’

Garner shook his head. ‘Not that I know of. Anything old like that, there’s a chance it doesn’t exist anymore. Records like that just aren’t kept. The police records here only go back as far as the 50s. We’ve had a few disaster level floods in the Susquehanna area way back. If something like that existed, I’m not sure if it would have survived.’

‘Survivorship Bias.’ Grace murmured in thought.

‘Do you mean natural selection?’ Rossi asked, prompting her to speak up.

‘Uh no, Survivorship Bias is the likelihood of material culture surviving based on preference. Basically, the more important, impressive, and popular something is, the more likely it is to be preserved over mundane things. If a map did exist and has survived, it will be because someone thought it was worth preserving. If we want to find a map we need to think of who might’ve thought that the map was important enough to preserve?’

There was a moment of silence as they thought collectively.

Simmons lit up. ‘It could be in Union Army military intelligence documents. Do you have a civil war historical society here in Harrisberg, detective?’

‘Yeah, one of the sarges is in it. I’ll go get him to phone them make inquiries.’ Garner nodded and left the room.

‘That could take a while. Do we have anything more to add to the profile than local-necrophile-head-hunter-mountain-man at the moment?’ Rossi asked.

‘I’m sorry to ask, but what’s with the bladder? We see wacky cranked up to 11 every day here, but this is just next level.’ Dr Lewis asked.

‘It a first for me,’ JJ folded her arms. Simmons and Luke nodded in agreement. The team all looked at him.

‘Hey, I may be old, but this is new for me too.’ Rossi held his hand up. ‘How did the dissection go, Grace?’

‘I’m not sure yet, still waiting for tox screens. But this is the perplexing news I had. The dissection confirmed that victim Four’s bladder had been filled externally and drained, naturally. Whatever it was filled with caused hemorrhaging, but there were no caustic burns or lacerations. So at least it wasn’t acid, which I have seen before, but not in the bladder, it was-’ the room collectively winced and Grace stopped her sentence. ‘-awful. But whatever it was caused the victim to bleed a lot. They, uh-would have urinated blood. The level of medical sophistication required for it doesn’t really agree with the ‘feral’ mountain man profile, but DNA confirms it’s the same guy. And it’s too bizarre to be unrelated.’

Rossi frowned, unsure what to make of that information. ‘Well, bizarre and unknown, we will handle with care once we get those tox screens. For now, we focused on we know: The way he’s wrapped the bodies and isolates the victims, holds them for days, speaks to some kind of fantasy. What kind of fantasy?’

‘This guy almost seems like a Power Rapist to me, but it’s warped to where instead of losing confidence when a victim rejects him, he takes the resistance out of the equation by killing them. Then afterward he is ashamed or has some expression of grief in the way he disposes of them.’ Luke observed.

Rossi nodded in agreement. ‘That’s good, I think you’re right, but then there’s the decapitation, which is not typically a remorseful thing to do to a body.’

Tara looked up at him with a pensive expression. ‘Usually I would agree, but I think what we are seeing here is an expression of frustration that he cannot socialise with these women. During the pandemic, the cases of overkill, particularly beheadings rose. We’ve found theres is a clear link between isolation and this kind of dismemberment.’ Dr Lewis put forward. ‘Everything we’ve seen so far suggest he is a very socially inept individual. Perhaps it’s not so much the heads, but the faces he can’t look at while he commits the sexual acts after. I personally believe we are dealing with a young individual severely isolated, very agitated, and experimenting with his desires on victims his own age.’

‘No social skills, like being a feral mountain man.’ JJ pointed out.

‘Do feral people have clean linen though?’ Simmons asked. Pointing to the evidence box JJ had been going through.

‘You’re just going to gloss over the fact that you’re actually entertaining the idea that they exist?’ Luke raised an eyebrow.

‘Well, although a lot of folks from Appalachia think it’s pretty offensive and stereotypical to suggest there are wild people living in the mountains, the legends persist, which suggests there is some element of truth. Of course, I'm not talking about insane myths like cannibal cults and skinwalkers, but there could be some eccentric hermits out there. This team has come across, like, two, no wait, three unsubs that some might call feral people. So I thought it was a fact that feral people exist,’ Grace added. Then frowned, walking over to the evidence table. ‘But Simmons is right. Feral people don’t have white clean linen, usually.’

‘Well, not all the sheets are white, this was victim one’, unlike that others its old and discoloured there’s also a label on it this. It looks like a nordic language.’ JJ pointed to the evidence she had unboxed earlier that evening.

‘IKEA? So like stock standard and untraceable.’ Luke guessed.

Grace peered at the label. ‘No, these aren’t from IKEA, if they were, they’d actually be more traceable. IKEA is not as generic as you’d think. There are only 51 IKEA stores in the country, only three in the state. Fun fact, the franchise is headquartered in right here in Pennsylvania. This is because of the high percentage of German heritage in the area, which is important because Germany highest consumer of their goods. Actually, the first IKEA in the US was opened in ‘85 in Plymouth, about two hours away from here.’ Grace said distractedly. The room went quiet, and Rossi couldn’t help but smile as Grace continued examining the sheets, oblivious to the fact that all eyes were on her. ‘The font and condition of them say early 90’s at least. I don’t recognise this brand. But JJ's right the text is definitely Nordic, maybe Danish?’

'How?' Simmons asked in bewilderment.

‘How what?’ Grace raised her head and realised the team was focused on her. She looked around nervously and glanced at Rossi, her face asking if she had zoned out.

‘That was the most numerical facts you’ve given about a topic off the top of your head, and about IKEA of all things? Why?’ JJ asked curiously.

Grace simply shrugged. ‘I just really like IKEA.’

JJ chuckled and then asked, ‘Ok, Grace, what’s the address of the police station here?’

‘Why would I need to remember that? It was in the case brief.’ Grace said with a frown.

With a little snort, JJ shook her head. ‘Case and point Grace.’

The Laureate bar, West End, Washington DC, 8:04PM

‘Dr Reid! You made it!’ the table of familiar faces called out to him, beckoning him over. He made his way through the tables in the function room at the back of the bar. He glanced at the leader board and saw their team name’s "You’re Going George-down" was fifth. But the first team "The No Bodies" was a head by a significant lead. The previous winners of other weeks were listed on a white board behind an older woman who paced with a hand-held microphone. The No Bodies didn’t win every week previously, but they certainly had a few.

‘Sit here.’ Dr Brandwrith, The Creative Writing Professor, pulled out a chair next to him. ‘We’ve finished round one, which was ornithology. We’re about to start round two, the topic is 15th century literature, and we’re being slaughtered. The Le Morte d'Arthur, is about all I’m familiar with.’

‘God look at them, they know they’re winning, look you can see the smugness in their eyes.’ Dr Martin, the head of the modern history department, cried, eyeing the table of five in the corner. A little white board place marker showed they were The No Bodies. They didn’t look to be gloating or intimidating. ‘It had to be one of their topics. I can not lose to an Egyptologist again!’ Dr Martin lamented and took a long swig of his drink.

Spencer scrutinised their opponents. The No Bodies was comprised three men and two women. Two of the men appeared to be in a deep discussion, dressed in simple button ups, one with a tie. The other man was significantly younger, probably early twenties in a collared tee and khakis, hand intertwined with a young woman at the table, but he completely focused on the baseball game playing on the screen behind them. The young woman was chatting animatedly with the other woman, who sat with her back to Spencer. All he could see from here was that her hair was red, and she had a green flannel jacket slung over the back of her chair.

He surveyed the other tables. Despite the tie wearing man, The No Bodies were the most casually dressed people in the room. Surprisingly, he recognised a lot of faces. Many were academics from various institutions. He even spotted a prominent judge at a table with people dressed in smart suits.

‘Well, luckily I happen to be pretty knowledgeable on the topic, I grew up reading it,’ Spencer told his colleagues trying to keep the wistfulness off his face as memories of his mother reading to him surfaced. ‘But 15th century literature is not a topic I would have thought would come up in bar trivia.’

‘That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you. This isn’t just any trivia, Dr Reid. This is Triv-atholon. The bar owner was an Ac-decathlon champion in highschool, he missed the fact that there were no competitions or social events like mathleetes and acdec for adults. So he made these trivia nights to be hard for people who wanted to be challenged.’

‘I never did decathlon in school, or trivia. How does it work?’

Dr Nguyen, the political sciences professor, leaned across the table.

‘Well, we are mid season now. There’s 20 games per season, one game a week. A team has to be signed on from the start of the season to enter the tournament, you can have up to six members per game, but you need at least four to compete in a game other wise you forfeit that week, team members also don’t have to be consistent, they can be anyone as long as they don’t play on another team.

'At the start of the season, each team submits their team name and four topics of expertise. Then each week there’s a game with three rounds, each round is 10 questions from the one of the submitted topics. One point for every right answer. And at the end of the game, the top three teams get leader board points and at the end of the season, the team with the most points wins the tournament.’

‘What do you win?’

‘Well, firstly, bragging rights. Secondly, they get personalised jackets, their team name on the trophy and $200 gift voucher. But most importantly, they get free drinks at the close of season party.’

A bell dinged repeatedly, and a hush descended up on everyone in the room.

‘Okay folks, question one, round two, here we go, the chivalric romance Tirant lo Blanch was finished and published in 1490 by Marti Joan de Galba, but who originally authored the text?’

‘Ugh that’s the Tyrant in White, I know it actually was a knight. But the name escapes me.’ Dr Brandwrith said.

‘Joanot Martorell.’ Spencer whispered.

‘How do you spell that? Write that down don’t let them see it.’ Dr Nguyen shoved a pen and paper towards him.

_________________

‘And the score after the second round, still in the lead with 17 points, are The No Bodies. In second place, real dark horses now, You’re Going George-Down with 15 points and in third we have the Matter Babes with 14 Points-‘

‘We got a secret weapon now. You’re going down this time Smithies!’ Dr Martin, a few drinks in, jeered at The No Bodies.

‘Did you not hear the score?’ one of the older men smiled. Spencer noticed he had an eye of Horace’s tie pin. He must have been the Egyptologists.

‘Well, it’s not really a secret once you announce it.’ The red-haired woman turned around in her chair.

Spencer blinked. She looked to be around his age, with freckled pale skin, wire-rim glasses perched on her round face framing her smiling eyes. His brain catalogued a lot of things when he saw her, but the immediate thing he noticed was that she was pretty, very pretty. He would go as far to say she was beautiful, but Spencer reserved that term for after he had observed their nature. She slid the glasses off, laying them on the table, and scanned him from head to toe with an inquisitive look on her face.

‘You didn't bring your pet encyclopedia this week? If she's coming, you might actually stand a chance,’ Dr Nguyen called back.

‘My grad student couldn't come, but I wouldn't count your chickens yet, Nguyen. Seven points down and we still have a few tricks up our sleeves.’ She said. Spencer was left stunned by the confident and playful smirk she shot him before turning back to her table.

‘Okay folks let's start round three, the topic is; The History of Material Culture Generated by Popular American Spectator Sports.’ The hostess announced.

There was a collective murmur.

The younger woman at The No Bodies table nudged her partner, who was still engrossed in the game on the screen behind him.

‘It’s your sport round, babe.’ She smiled at him.

‘No, mine was about the history of sport merch.’ He sighed.

‘That’s what people like us call Material Culture babe,’ she whispered.

‘OH YES FINALLY!’ the young man’s fist pumped. He quickly retracted his fist with a murmured apology once he realised all eyes were on him.

‘For half a point each, in what year was the first baseball card ever produced and by whom?’ The hostess read the first question.

‘Oh my God, we’re screwed!’ Dr Martin slumped on the table.

‘We can make an educated guess.’ Spencer consoled. He thought hard about everything he had gathered from conversations with Derek and Rossi. ‘Well, the product was probably tobacco and baseball reached international popularity in the late 1800s, so let’s say 1870, and Camel cigarettes.’

_____________

It was incorrect; it was actually a sporting goods store, but the year was close, 1868. And that the closest his team got to answering any of the questions from the round. The No Bodies won the night, much to the dismay of his colleagues. After hearing the final scores, his team members shuffled towards the bar.

As he went to follow them, he tried to walk in between two tables at the same time as the Red-haired woman from the opposing team. Both accidentally blocking the path, they made awkward eye contact and apologised. They both stepped to the left and then to the right and laughed nervously at each other. Eventually, he stepped back and let her through in front of him.

‘Good game?’ He cleared his throat. ‘Not really sure if we say that in trivia.’

‘We can if you want.’ She smiled. ‘It was a good game.’ She held out her hand to shake.

‘I uh, I-’ he scrambled for words that were running from him the longer he looked at her.

‘Oh no, that's ok.’ She retracted her hand and offered him a smile. ‘I get it. I got a few friends who don’t like handshakes either.’

He didn’t know if it was audible but a sigh of relief left him. She understood? He followed her up to the bar and was getting ready to search for his teammates when she turned back to him.

‘So you’re Dr Reid, Right? I can see why they wanted you to come.’

‘I can see as well.’ He nodded. ‘And I can see why Dr Martin was particularly worried. The No Bodies are quite a formidable team.’

‘Well, you should remind Dr Martin’s that’s it just a game,’ she laughed. It was a wonderful, contagious laugh. And all Spencer wanted to do was hear it again. ‘We’ve just had a good start to the season and a few new minds. That’s all. The No Bodies are pretty harmless.’

Spencer saw an opportunity and opened his mouth before he had time to regret it. ‘Unless your name is Polyphemus.’

There was a tick of silence before she erupted in that beautiful room brightening laugh.

‘I love a good Greek Mythology reference. So does Jess-‘ she pointed at the other woman from her team who was currently passionately kissing her boyfriend. ‘-Oh they are really celebrating huh, sorry you had to see that. But want to know something funny? Jess is a Classic Historian, her boyfriend’s name is Troy.’ She grinned at him.

He chuckled now. ‘Nominative determinism, that is funny. So your team consist of an Egyptologist, a Classicist, a Sport enthusiast, yourself and… I heard you’re a member down? Your grad student? Should I be worried about them?’

‘Oh yeah!’ she nodded. ‘Luckily for the other teams here, she’s my part time grad student. She has a job that means she has to travel a lot. She’s really good at general knowledge and Vikings. Can I buy you a drink?’ She asked.

‘Oh uh, no,’ Spencer replied. ‘I don’t usually-‘

‘What about a soda? That's what I'm getting. I have to drive home,’ She suggested.

‘You don't have to buy me one,’ he hesitated. ‘Not that I have anything against you buy-‘

‘-I want to buy you a drink,’ she interrupted, ‘So we have an excuse to converse longer. Sorry if that’s forward…’ her sentence petered out.

'Oh?' She wanted to talk? To him? After a moment, Spencer finally agreed. ‘You know what, okay, I'll have a soda.’

She glanced back up at him with a smile and flagged down the bartender.

‘So, grad students, you must be a doctor too,’ he said, leaning forward on the bar with intrigue. ‘What kind of doctor?’ he asked.

‘I'm a doctor twice over. Archaeology and Anthropology, I've also studied anatomy, but I’m a forensic anthropologist,’ she replied. ‘And I haven’t lost you, which is a good sign, not going to have to explain that I am I?’

Spencer’s brow furrowed in genuine interest. ‘No, no, fascinating,’ he encouraged her.

‘So, what kind of doctor are you?’ she inquired.

Spencer lit up with excitements as he replied, 'Like you, I’m a doctor in a few fields. Chemistry, mathematics, engineering.’ Then he shrugged, before saying the thing that usually killed the conversation. ‘But actually, I’m a criminologist and used to be a criminal profiler,’ he explained.

Her eyes widened in surprise. ‘Woah, I’ve got whiplash. Sorry, criminal profiler?’ she exclaimed, but he didn’t read any distaste. She was giving him her full attention. Fascinated, he realised. She was fascinated.

He smiled, ‘Well, I used to be. Now I teach at Georgetown and consult occasionally for, uh, law enforcement,’ he revealed.

‘That would be the FBI, right?’ She guessed excitedly.

He nodded, ‘How did you-’ he began.

‘Oh, I consult with them sometimes too. I work with a few people from there. But that’s work talk. I’m intrigued, because in my mind, mathematics, chemistry, and engineering don’t connect with crime,’ she pondered. ‘How did you end up there, Doctor Reid?’

Spencer leaned back, his gaze thoughtful. ‘I guess I just found my way there. Growing up, I found it hard to comprehend emotions and establish connections with people. I initially studied social sciences and psychology in order to develop a deeper understanding of myself and relate to others. But then I met a profiler and attended his guest lecture. Then I desired to comprehend what drives people to deviation. I found I was good at it, and my knowledge in other areas allowed me to think out of the box. Profiling is more effective when supported by a diverse skill set. And crime is as broad and challenging field of study there is. I’ll never be done learning. So that is where I’ve chosen to stay.’ He explained.

The bar tender deposited their drinks on the in front of them he looked it over before drawing toward him.

‘I am intrigued by your field of study, though. What made you choose forensics? It’s a highly specialised field of anthropology that few would specialise in. And archaeology, again, not much connection to crime on the surface.’ He looked at her expectantly.

‘Well, connections to things are everything in anthropology. Forensics was a way I could help the living. It’s a present history, you know? Examining 4000-year-old remains, it’s fascinating, tells us so much about where we come from, how people were and how we still are, but… what good does it really do? Whereas finding someone’s loved one and returning them home for proper burial? It’s tangible, it’s present and meaningful,’ she explained, passion infused in her words.

Spencer nodded along with interest. ‘Yeah, I felt the same with my job,’ he enthused.

As they continued their conversation, completely engrossed in each other’s stories, the noise of the bar seemed to fade into the background. He spoke passionately about his thesis, while she shared her experiences from various digs she had gone on. She told him about her students she had had through the years and how each one always fascinated her in just how unique their approach to things was. Likewise, he opened up about the different members of the BAU he had worked with, each bringing something unique to the team.

Time flew by as they spoke for over an hour, and he brought them another soda. He even broached the topic of his mother, telling her she was a professor of 15th century literature and how she was suffering from Alzheimers. Sympathetically, she related her own experience with her grandfather going through the same illness when she was younger. She revealed that she was also struggling with loss. Her father had recently passed away from cancer. Spencer expressed his condolences, and they shared memories and reminisced about favourite moments with people they loved. That is how they found they both enjoyed western films.

It was a surprising discovery, and a topic that seemed trivial, but it only deepened their conversation. She mentioned how she used to watch them with her father, and how she had been indulging in them lately to relive those nostalgic moments. He eagerly offered recommendations. She promised to watch them and then got enthusiastically lost in talking about the sociological themes that westerns often carried. Spencer watched her with a contented smile on his face as she asked him what he thought of the shift in themes with modern westerns. To her surprise, he admitted he hadn’t realised there were modern films that fell into that genre, leading to an engaging discussion and recommendations from her.

Time seemed lost in the enjoyment of each other’s company. Eventually he saw his teammates wave goodbye to him and support a worse for wear Dr. Martin out the door. She turned back to him and smiled.

Spencer paused for a moment, his mind racing. ‘I don’t know, I’m not usually into these sorts of occasions. But I’m trying to try new things,’ he admitted.

‘Are you going to be coming regularly?’ she askedq.

‘Well, I’m very glad you did. Did you have fun?’ she inquired, a playful smile on her lips.

‘Yeah, a lot of fun. Though I think the answer for question five round three was subjective,’ he chuckled.

‘I thought so too, but I won’t contest it, since we got it correct. Troy knows his stuff,’ she replied. ‘But I have no idea how we’ll handle next week. That was one of our submitted topics. We’ve had a pretty good run so far, but there’s still half of the season left to play. And now, I hear there is a pretty formidable opponent on the Georgetown team.’ She grinned at him.

‘Maybe, but he seems to have a weakness with questions involving sports. Are you here often?’ he asked curiously. Spencer leaned back, his gaze lingering on her.

‘Most games. I don’t go out much otherwise,’ she confessed.

‘Well, with the highest chance of seeing you being coming to trivia regularly, I suppose I will be a regular then,’ he replied.

The air felt charged with anticipation as they exchanged glances. Spencer stiffened, surprised at himself. His mind raced as he mentally berated himself. “Why did I say that? That was the corniest, stupidest thing I had ever said,” he thought and his face flushed.

‘I’d like that.’ She said with a hint of shyness in her voice.

Then, her phone rang, breaking whatever spell had been upon them. She wrenched it from her pocket, glared at the screen accusingly, then sighed.

‘I’m sorry I have to take this. It’s life or death, well probably death, considering my occupation.’

Spencer nodded. He hoped his bar stool would sink into the floor and take him with it.

‘Hey Avery, what can I do for you?’ she smiled into the phone. Her expression faltered. ‘Oh? Yes, that is unusual. Are you sure? I see. No, no, that’s fine. I can come over. Where was the scene?’

She grabbed a napkin and pulled a pen out of of her bag and scribbled something down, probably the address. ‘Uh-ha, and in what state of skeletonization are the bodies? Yeah? Better swing by home and get my coveralls on my way over. Okay, yes, see you there.’

She got up and Spencer frowned a little. His chest ached just the slightest. He had enjoyed the past couple of hours. Guess maybe he had enjoyed it more than-

‘If you’re not freaked out by that-‘ She slid the napkin across the counter to him. ‘Call me sometime. I hope to see you here again, Dr Reid. It’ll be nice for our team to have to a challenge.’ She smiled at him and left.

He was too stunned to pick the napkin up right away. Her Number? He thought she had written the address of the crime-scene.

He reached out gingerly, grabbed the paper, and turned it over, but one half of it stuck to the bar.

‘No.’ He whispered to himself as he pulled the napkin out of the small puddle of condensation left by a glass and cradled it in his hand.

Spencer was gutted as he examined the napkin. Only half her number was still visible, and the word above it had bled into inky stains. The word above would have been her name he realised. It was also then it dawned on him that she had never shared it with him.

He turned in his seat to see if he could catch her, but she was gone.

He heaved a deflated sigh and stared back at the napkin. He could try an algorithm to guess her name and apply a few forensic techniques to revive the precious symbols he had lost. And he would. He would try his best to recover them. But there was only one way to ensure he saw her again; he had to come to trivia night next week. And he would be there no matter what; that was a certain, sure and immutable fact.

Next Chapter

Taglist: @bridgeoverstrawberryfields

Sorry this took so long. Hopefully, you liked it. What did you think of Spencer's love interest? Who is she? (for once, the reader probably knows more than Spencer)

If you love this story or even just like it, leave a comment, like, reblog, ask a question with Character Mail, will be posting some prompt for this soon so keep your eyes peeled. Any interaction is much appreciated and it really motivates me. Love you guys.

if you want to be added to taglist please comment on this post.

TWs:

Sexual assault, Necrophilia : I will try not to be graphic at all in this story, this chapter just has it mentioned as part of what the unsub does

Slight body horror : I will try not to be graphic here, but in autopsy it is found that unsub fills Bladders externally with a injection. then found that it injures the victim to a point where they bleed. Again not going to describe that more than I have too.

violence, crime scene depiction: cannon typical throughout this story

kidnapping: Unsub is implied to kidnap victims and hold them for a few days.

decapitation: this is part of the unsubs M.O.

#spencer reid #BAU #criminal minds #oc #luke alvez #mentor spencer #spencer gets a happy ending #the protege #OC Grace Matthews #fanfic #my fic #criminal minds case #spencer reid fanfiction #criminal minds fanfiction #the protege chapter 10 #ch 10

[pastriibunz]

NIGHTMARE KAI-ME SEASON ONE, EPISODE TWO: THE WAYLON SQUATTER

Episode Length: 15-20 minutes

Theme: we’ll meet again - vera lynn

Summary: Peter Spankoffski and Stephanie Lauter decide to break head into the Waylon to make hang out. Their plans are interrupted by Grace Chasity, who decides to tag along on their little adventure, much to their dismay. The three are informed of the rumors of the Waylon being haunted by various ghosts, one of which being the ghost of a young homeless girl who hid in the Waylon in hopes of shelter, but was driven insane by what went on inside the walls. She now stalks the halls, singing a beautiful, yet haunting melody, now dubbed ‘The Waylon Squatter’. The trio brushes off the rumors as just that and sets off to disprove them. Their adventure takes a turn for the worse as they come face to face with a very real Waylon Squatter, who doesn’t take well to strangers in her territory. The trio now has to try and survive while uncovering the mystery behind The Waylon Squatter’s past.

EPISODE LINK:

NEXT EPISODE: S1, E3 - Forever And Always

DAMN THIS ONE WAS SHORT-

I have no clue WHYYYY but fuck it we ball

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LMK WHAT YOU THINK THIS IS THE FIRST ONE WITH AN ORIGINAL PLOT

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!!

Also for the rest of the original nmks, I’m going to list trigger warnings, cause unlike the canon nmks yall don’t know what you’re getting into

HOWEVER, I can’t list off warnings without spoiling everything, so I’m just going to say READ WITH CAUTION.

PLEASE REBLOG IF YOU LIKED THIS!!! LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!

#kai drew #oc #tkwdlm #tgwdlm #the guy who didn't like musicals #the kai who didn’t like musicals #hatchetfield #kai in hatchetfield #oc art #peter spankoffski #stephanie lauter #lautski #grace chasity #emma perkins #paul matthews #paulkins #<- implied? #ted spankoffski #nmt #nightmare time #nmk #nightmare kaime #oc fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction #starkid #hatchetverse

[myheartalivewrites]

Weekend WIP Game

Thanks for tagging my @kiwiana-writes @cha-melodius and @daisymae-12!

Rules: List your WIPs below (if you only write one fic at a time, feel free to include future WIPs/ideas!) then answer the following questions. Then, tag as many people as you have WIPs (or more).

1. WIP List: I'm definitely a one-at-a-time sort of person. I hate having unfinished WIPs hanging about, it stresses me out. That said, I've got three docs with a substantial number of words in them:

[Dark and Stormy]

[Provence] (more here)

Oxford Nights

AND there's one more WIP I've finished working on and am hoping to start posting tomorrow (ahem ahem ahem) which is not on that list but I’m counting anyway

2. Which of your WIPs is currently the longest?

[Provence] at nearly 14k

3. Which WIP do you expect will end up the longest?

Probs that one, I don’t think I’m even halfway through with it! It’s not going to be long-long though

4. Which WIP is your favourite to write/the most enjoyable to write? Why?

Oh God, I don't know. I've not worked on [Dark and Stormy] for a while, that's the one I'm most looking forward to getting back to

5. Which WIP do you find the most intimidating to write? Why?

Lol, right now [Dark and Stormy] is intimidating bc I want to change the whole beginning of it. That's why I've been putting it off for oh... nine months 😬

6. Which WIP do you experience the most self-doubt about. Why?

The one that's gonna start posting tomorrow? Mainly bc I'm worried it's too much like a devil's threesome, even though no women are involved lol

7. Which of your WIPs will you seek out a beta/sensitivity reader for? Why?

Again, tomorrow's one, which is called Twice the speed (of you and me) by the way! I've asked a couple of people to read it through for me.

8. Have any of your WIPs been struck by the curse of writer's block?

Sometimes, yeah. Mainly when I try and work stuff into the plot that I'm not that interested in or that requires a lot of world building. I've started following the Matthew Lopez philosophy about it: if it's not about Alex and Henry, it has to go. It's certainly what happened with Deep Blue, and that's how I got myself out of being blocked, by limiting anything that wasn't specifically about them.

9. Which WIP has your favourite OC? Tell us about them?

Oh, [Provence] has a character in it who I really love, she's an old friend of Arthur's, an actress in her sixties all glamour and graceful ageing, who loves Henry like a parent. Though, weirdly, she's what's got me a bit stuck on it, because I have all these ideas for what I want from her but can't quite bring myself to do the world building that comes along with that 😂

10. Which WIP is the sexiest?

Hah, lol. The threesome. Is the fandom ready for it? We'll see.

11. Which WIP is the angstiest?

Dunno, actually. Maybe [Provence], just because Alex is having his bisexual awakening and feeling all jealous at Henry's sluttiness. It's not ACTUALLY angsty though.

12. Which WIP has the best characterisation (in your humble opinion)?

Yikes, what a question! All of them, my characterisation is perfect, no notes etc.

13. Which WIP has the best scene setting (in your humble opinion)?

Oooh I love the [Provence] one. It's all lush, some super rich people's home, but with a touch of south of France rustic to it.

14. Which WIP have you worked the hardest on?

🤷‍♀️ don't think I have an answer for this one

15. Which WIP do you have the highest expectations for? Why?

Again, just... 🤷‍♀️ I always wonder about the really smutty ones, I fret over them the most and then they turn out to be really popular so...

16. Do you dream about any of your WIPs?

Not really, though they do keep me awake at night. I woke up this morning at like five and just HAD to check on the beta feedback.

17. Do any of your WIPs have particular complexities that your other fics don't?

Nah, not really. I mean, threesome mechanics? That's new, I suppose

18. Which WIP is the funniest or has the most humour?

God, no, not this question. I have zero confidence on my ability to make things funny. Like, I know there are funny bits in there, but... Oxford Nights has funny bits with Alex and Henry trying shit out I guess.

19. Do any of your WIPs contain outside POVs or a deep dive on a character other than the main ship? How are you finding that process?

Nah

20. Tell us one thing we don't know about one or more of your WIPs.

Okay, so: in one of them Henry owns a cow named MARY 😁

Tagging a meagre 4 peeps for my 4 WIPs ✌️ : @14carrotghoul @suseagull04 @happiness-of-the-pursuit and @whimsymanaged to overshare on the dash, thanks!

#wips #tag games #my writing #about me #wip #wip weekend

[buzzingblues]

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆ SHOCK ME, SHOCK ME, SHOCK ME WITH THAT DEVIANT BEHAVIOR!

STATUS: BORED SO BOREDDD!!!

georgie, georgette if youre weird.

— seventeen

— they/she

— 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 🩷💜💙 ??? understandable ???

— hatchetfield hs, class of ‘21. GO NIGHTHAWKS!

as in the arts kids, fuck football.

— you will most likely find me in the auditorium, somewhere in the witchwood, a smoke club meeting, or on a shift at pasqualli’s (gag)

#georgieblr: my tumblr 💫

#losers club: talking to friends! 💐

#i love music: current listens and/or recs!

#rb: reblogs

[ ooc info under the cut ⤵️]

hii this is @exalt1ora (maxie) !! this is my hatchetfield oc roleplay blog im very excited about it yippee

WHO IS GEORGIE DAVIDSON?

Georgie Davidson is a 17 year old student at Hatchetfield High School. She lives with her parents, Mr. Ken Davidson and Mrs. Carol Davidson, in a suburb near the outskirts of Witchwood Forest. She’s a music + theater nerd, a stoner, and an avid researcher of urban legends and local history.

———

Her relationships differ based on timelines and circumstance, but there are some through-lines.

- Best friends with Alice Woodward. They met at a CCRP take your kid to work day as elementary schoolers and have been inseparable since. Bill is also like a second father to her.

- Close friends with Ruth Fleming. Georgie started doing school theater very young, and pretty much knew everyone involved. Ruth joined the tech crew in middle school and, being a certified chatterbox, Georgie regularly spent her breaks trying to talk to the new girl. Eventually, she broke her down and they’ve been close since.

- Drifted apart childhood friends with Richie Lipschitz. In middle school, they rode the same bus and both ended up sitting next to each other one day. Georgie struck up a conversation out of boredom and something just stuck. They kept sitting with each other and talking more in school, becoming closer friends. But, Georgie started developing feelings for Richie and she didn’t understand them, so she began to distance herself. Now, they don’t speak at all.

- Family Friends (?) with Paul Matthews. Georgie was babysat by Paul as a child, often alongside Alice, as she’d frequently stay at the Woodward place. She still calls him Uncle Paul, a childhood habit.

- Charlotte Sweetly babysat Georgie once in a while, too. Mr. Davidson asked the employees of the office to look after his daughter as a last resort, and offered to pay as overtime. Charlotte accepted happily, and spent the night braiding Georgie’s hair, making cookies and singing with the girl. They did this regularly, until Mr. Davidson became uncomfortable with Georgie being around her husband, Sam. But, like Paul, she’s still Aunt Charlotte.

- Second-cousins with Zoey & Zach Chambers. They don’t see each other or talk like, ever. But, it makes Georgie feel very starstruck to be related to Hatchetfield’s finest actress.

- Friends with Deb, Trevor, Caitlyn, PJ, Reese, Rose, Ziggs, Sof, and Danny

- Dislikes Max Jägerman, Kyle Clauger, Brad Callahan, Grace Chasity, Brenda, Ted Spankoffski, The Metzgers

anyone not mentioned she has neutral feelings towards and would gladly be their friend <3 (ppl she dislikes feel free to interact still💪)

———

okay now some OOC maxie things !!

~ i’m new to tumblr rp so if i’m not great pls be understanding LOL thank u

~ multi-timeline blog, will try to appropriately tag specific timelines

~ open to multi-shipping on both ends like idc if you have other ships and i’m cool having more than one bc of the multi-timeline thing

~ as you can see i do have like. specific relationships planned out for her in MY story but anything can happen so i’m open to everything!! i honestly don’t care how u interact with them. befriend them, romance her, bully her, plot to kill them! do what you please

~ she is a minor character so no hardcore nsfw stuff

~ anyone can interact !! obviously not like, basic dni stuff. if ur a bigot and/or a sicko leave me alone. but like i said im new to this and as long as you’re a hatchetfield rp blog you are welcome PLS send me asks or dm or anything!!! love ya

i don’t really have separate timelines yet, so for rn, general in-world action will be tagged #hatchettrash

will tag ooc posts #ooc !!

#georgie davidson #oc rp #ooc #georgieblr #oc #rp #open interaction #hatchetfield oc #hatchetfield rp

[pranita2546z]

oc x album covers

#my art #my oc #วาดรูปการ์ตูน #วาดรูป #fumi #korn #mindless self indulgence #limp bizkit #grace bennett #matthew wolf #kelvin kyle #jeffrey campbell #samuel walker #sam kohler #ronda kohler #soft hollmo #andrew baker

[alastairstom]

What is ur personal favourite, hands down recommended reading order? The way you like most, the way that's the most optimal way of reading it? According to you of course (and maybe including extra chapters) ? :))

Key:

Cassie Clare Canon -> If a short story is listed by name, it means I recommend you read it there rather than where I list the rest of the story collection. Or, you know, you could reread the story and have fun ;)

My fanfic

NOT PUBLISHED YET. Indicates a WIP that I am actively working on. I did not list WIPs that I am not actively working on.

My fanfic, but NSFW

@vwritesaus fanfic because I accept all her works as canon and also we share almost every headcanon so they fit in with all the other stuff on this list.

W/T -> Wessa

M -> Matthew

EIR -> Expert in Romantics Series

T/A -> Thomastair

TWLTB -> Together We'll Learn to Breathe Series

J/C -> Herondaisy

Note: I have only included fanfics that are fully canon compliant. I have others as does V, and you should read those too :P But these are just canon and bonus chapters.

TID

When Our Eyes Meet, Darling, I Fancy You

Have I Known You Twenty Seconds or Twenty Years? W/T

Leaves, Cider Donuts, and William Herondale W/T

Happy Birthday, My Tess W/T

Tale as Old as Time W/T

The Howling Wind W/T

My Hips and Thighs and Whispered Sighs (Oh Lord) W/T

The Whitechapel Fiend

A Tale of a Great Behemoth W/T

Nothing But Shadows

Cast Long Shadows

Come Feel This Magic I've Been Feeling Since I Met You T/A

Every Exquisite Thing

A Combination of Shock and Awe M

The Midnight Heir

The Penultimate Hours

Chain of Gold

Empty Bottles, Heavy Hearts, the Memories of Broken Dreams T & Lily

The Letter Game

Part-Time Soulmate, Full-Time Problem T/A

Chain of Iron

Chain of Thorns

Daisy, My Daisy... J/C

breathe T/A

Enouement J/C

Chrysalism T/A

Can We Dance Through an Avalanche? T/A

Serindipity Ari/Anna NOT PUBLISHED YET.

Adronitis NOT PUBLISHED YET.

A Therapeutic Chain of Events T/A TWLTB

The Closet Game A & C

The Golden Age of Something Good and Right and Real T/A

Butterflies J/C

Prices & Vices (I End Up in Crisis) M & A

Your Flower's Filled With Vitriol M & A

In the Gutter, Looking at the Stars M & A

The Name We Give Our Mistakes M

Summer Went Away (Still the Yearning Stays) M

Love Thorns All Over This Rose J/C

You Drew Scars Around My Stars T/A TWLTB

Passed Down Like Folk Songs (The Love Lasts So Long) T/A

Taffy Stuck and Tongue Tied A & Grace

It's a Love Story (Baby Just Say Yes) J/C

Soul to the Universe (Wings to the Mind) J/C, T/A, M

I Can See You (Up Against a Wall With Me) J/C

Across our Great Divide There Is a Glorious Sunrise M

Fourty-Eight M

Dreamscapes on the Wall T/A

I'm a Fire and I'll Keep Your Brittle Heart Warm T/A

The Diaries of Sir Thomas Lightwood, Age 14 T/A

what's in a kiss (by any other touch would feel just as sweet) T/A

A Troublesome Tale of Truffles & Trifles T/A

Religion in Your Lips (the Altar Is My Hips) T/A

A Dazzling Haze, A Mysterious Way About You T/A

Seeking Lapsang Souchang J/C

The Crown You Never Take Off T/A

Closets of Backlogged Dreams T/A

dear christopher T/A

Life Is Not Complex (We Are Complex) M EIR Eugenia/OC

The Cheap Severity of Abstract Ethics M & T/A

Walk, Walk, Fashion Baby M & T

Got Me Right Where You Want Me, Baby (Could I Be More Obvious?) T/A

More Than Anything: A Thomas and Alastair Drabble Collection T/A

The Besotted Couple's Guide to Half-Baked Mistakes J/C

Privacy Sign on the Whole World J/C

Until the Stars Burn Out: A James and Cordelia Drabble Collection J/C

Flying in a Dream, Stars By the Pocketful T/A

Twenty Minutes T/A

hygge T/A

Like a Candle You Burnt Out T/A

Christmas on the Balcony W/T

The Surprise T/A & C

i'm only me when i'm with you J/C

Every Tear's a Rain Parade From Hell T/A TWLTB

A Dwindling Mercurial High T/A TWLTB

Bloodsucker, Famefucker T/A TWLTB

Baby You Got Lucky Cause You're Rockin With the Best T/A

Is This the End of All the Endings? (My Broken Bones Are Mending) T/A

Dinner in the Dark T/A

For One Moment, Our Lives Met (Our Souls Touched) M EIR Ragnor/Catarina

Fashion Is Ephemeral (Art Is Eternal) Matthew EIR T/A

A Little Sincerity (A Dangerous Thing) M EIR Risa/OC

The Moon in Her Chariot of Pearl M EIR T/A

Days Future: Paris 1912 T/A

A Ribbon of Dream T/A

Kaleidoscope of Loud Heartbeats Under Coats T/A

Moonlight Sonata and I T/A

Connecting the Tide to the Sand That Was Dry T/A

Love on Ice T/A

portrait of a dissipated parisian T/A

Time, Mystical Time M

TMI 1-4

The Red Scrolls of Magic

TMI 5-6

Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy

The Bane Chronicles

TDA, if you absolutely must, but I usually recommend people don't waste their time.

Ghosts of the Shadow Market

The Lost Book of the White

Sentimental Boy Is My Nom de Plume W/T

This Beautiful Beast M T/A and Kit H

TWP

#emmalovesfitzloved reading order #please just save this post or track that tag #so i dont have to do this again lol it takes like an hour #i'll update it though #elfl #ask