#except mary being interrogated into a confession in the same

[fideidefenswhore]

i don’t want to be pedantic, but all they had to do was omit two choice words from this and i probably would have been fine with it:

#they HAD to add the 'younger even'...for what #the your age is vague enough while not technically correct that i could accept it but man this is just my bugbear #it frustrates me MORE for having been so close to perfect in my estimation if that makes sense #the thing is that if they wanted to refer also to a 'younger even' then they needed to make reference to something she endured when she WAS #younger even #she was the same age as elizabeth is here when she was separated from her mother #(but they can't really do that one bcus elizabeth was two when she lost hers; far more violently) #(like there was shame and stigma for mary tied into her repudiation and the separation from her mother but it wasn't the same) #or she could reference her time in wales bcus one interpretation is that that was 'vindictive' on henry's part to separate her from her #mother at such a tender age . or maybe the existence of henry fitzroy? #idk . but to reference younger you have to...reference younger. if that makes sense #the thing is really that nothing is going to be comparable to elizabeth being interrogated into a confession and her servants under arrest #except mary being interrogated into a confession in the same #which she DOES reference but is not at 'younger' #BE commentary

[acefrogmonarch]

Hi There! one-shot

Ao3

Not the update you wanted. Maybe I continue one-shots that are similar to my universe, maybe not.

What else is new, we are thriving in this fandom.

When you're late to the Maribat fluff week but you don't really care so

I used this to help me with https://www.talkinfrench.com/how-to-read-a-french-menu/ the dinner scene. Because I'm going to be as accurate as god damn possible! Every single meal I have stated is real and can be eaten. These characters aren't mine!

Mariette couldn't wait for tonight! It's been months since she and Adrien got to catch up. Looking through her closet, she couldn't decide between her cardigan and favorite blazer. Both were in the same navy blue that matched well with her outfit.

Placing both jackets on her bed, Marinette compensated which would look best for the white tank top, watermarked with "I survived Gotham." Walked around her old room, Marinette looked back at the tan shorts under the tank top.

Making her way back to bed, Marinette grabbed her phone from the end table. Sending a text to Adrien if they could color coordinate together.

Mari-Bear <3: I don't know what to pick for my outfit, whats your main color?

Adrikins: uhhhhh

Adrikins: I think it's blue???

The last time Adrien questioned what color it was, he wore hot pink shorts to a stakeout. "But Mari, I said it was red!" Marinette didn't trust his wardrobe again. Never again. If he dressed in hot pink shorts with a yellow shirt again, Marinette was going to have words with him. Maybe throw hands. Both.

Mari-Bear <3: Photo.

Adrikins sent a photo.

It was a relatively nice outfit. On the model figure, it complimented all his looks, even brought out the colors of his eyes. "A bluish-green?" Talking out loud, or mumbling help her spin ideas out even if it annoyed Damian to no end. "A mesh, with green and blues."

Marinette kept mumbling to her self, then suddenly an idea hit her. She threw her phone at her bed and went straight to her closet. Pulling out an old jacket full of meshed blues.

Marinette didn't like how it never went with any of her other clothes, often forgetting it in the back of the closet. With the chilly night and perfect color combo, it was the clear winner from her other choices.

Hoping in the shower, she cleaned herself up. Humming lightly to "Ugly heart by G.R.L". That song was still stuck in her head after so many years. It meant so much to both of them. It was the first time since the defeat of Hawkmoth that they enjoyed being teens again.

Granted they were 18, but that didn't put a damper on their mood one bit. After Chloe moved to New York with her mother, she sent the lastest pop songs that circulated the radio. That song immediately caught Adrien's attention. "We should dance to this Mari!"

Marinette was video calling from Gotham, on a visit to spend time with Damian and his family. "What? Why?" Searching up the lyrics to the song, Marinette let Adrien beg. "And before you say 'Let's put it on youtube.' Let me remind you, that last time, I got recognized all over Paris."

The first-ever dance/singing video they did it to was Indila love story. Marinette had a black mesh on with Ladybug inspired shirt that went to her upper thighs. Adrien had a leather jacket and black pants on.

They didn't even notice they were being recorded by Alya. It blew up once people recognized who were dancing, a lot of theories started popping up if it was their love story. Dancing had been an outlet for both of them.

That 1) wasn't dangerous.

2) helped the itch of staying still for too long.

Adrien was the one to answer questions via Instagram live. Saying it was the love story of Ladybug and Chat Noir. True but no one knew that they were the real Ladybug and Chat Noir. Giving back the Miraculous and Kwami's to Master Fu was the hardest decision for either party.

Stepping out of the shower, Marinette dried off her body and patted her hair down. "You're not my sunshine anymore!" Singing off-key and spinning around in a circle, striking a pose. Marinette giggled and wrapped the towel around her body.

Taking her hairbrush with her, she stepped out of the bathroom. Marinette went to her dresser and took out undergarments. Damian shifted in his place on Marinette's bed next to her laid out Clothes.

Marinette looked at her... Well, she didn't know what Damian was to her. At first, he was insufferable to be around, but then he let her in and they've changed since. Her patience growing and his temper lowering.

They started to balance each other out. Marinette hoped that she wouldn't have to be the one to confess first. It was hard enough on Luka and Adrien, but then again. They weren't Damian, not by a landslide.

Checking her phone, Marinette checked the time. "22:30 Perfect timing." Putting it back down, Marinette grabbed her clothes and undergarment and headed back to the bathroom to leave her partner in crime in peace.

Humming the tone of Indila in the bathroom as she dressed. Putting her hair into a messy fishtail braid, Marinette opened the door to find Damian on the other side. Moving out of the way, Marinette noticed how Damian shuffled to the toilet.

"No no no no" Quietly whispering in embarrassment. Quickly closing the door behind her and getting her mind out of the gutter, she quickly found her socks and flats, making her escape. "I'm leaving, bye Damian!"

As she went downstairs, her parents were already in bed. Sneaking out of the bakery she closed the door with her key and checked herself in the mirror. Nodding in satisfaction at her attire, she briskly walked to the designated restaurant. Adrien was outside in a coat, looking at his phone.

"Adrien!" Turning to the familiar sound, Adrien began waving wildly, they hugged each other as they got closer. Adrien squealed a little. "I'm so happy to catch up tonight." Marinette looped her arm around Adrien's. "Me too." Adrien already making his way inside the restaurant.

"I have so much to tell you." Adrien took off his coat as they entered the building. "You always pick the grandest of places, Mon Chaton." Adrien couldn't help but blush slightly, scratching his cheek in embarrassment.

"Ever since I took time off of modeling to get my teaching degree, I rarely treated myself and I thought that since it's been a while since we've last talked, why not do it now." Marinette hummed skeptically at Adrien.

"Or maybe." Marinette stopped in front of the door, effectively stopping Adrien from walking in any further. "Hiding from a couple of someones?" Raising in eyebrow as Adrien looks everywhere except her face. "We gotta work on your 'What are you talking about' face." Marinette snorted at the oblivious man in front of her.

Adrien sighed in relieve at the lack of interrogation by his companion. "Please don't tease me so much Mari, I can only take so much." Marinette laughed and Adrien couldn't help but give a little chuckle.

"Let's enjoy the evening, M'Lady." Adrien slightly bowed and Marinette, in turn, curtsied with her 'dress'. "Of course, silly tomcat." Folding the coat in his hands, Adrien puts it over his arm, letting it hand. While Marinette went and asked for the reservations. "Dupain-Cheng."

As the waiter sizes their outfits, Marinette looks over to Adrien to check his outfit. "That damn coat always gets in the way of your outfit." Adrien chuckles softly. "Well, It was from a thrift store." Marinette patted his arm and laughed.

"From all those years ago?" Adrien nods as the waiter clears his throat. "Right this way Ma'dam." With the waiter in front, Marinette followed with Adrien right on her tail. As they reach a clearing near the middle, Adrien rounded around another table to Marinette's chair.

"Allow me." Bumping the waiter out of the way, Adrien bowed, letting him pull the chair out for Marinette. Marinette let out a snort and curtsied again and sat down. "Oh thank, kind sir." Adrien let out a huge grin and made his way to his chair, hanging his coat on the back of his chair. "But of course madam." They laughed as the waiter set down their menus.

The waiter looked at Marinette. "What is for your Apéritifs and Digestifs?" Looking up, Marinette smiled. "Le pâté de mouton artisanal and Cointreau for me-." Adrien looked up from his carte. Even if they both knew what he would order, he still wanted to act clueless. "Fino and Cognac for me."

Marinette's stomach couldn't help but growl thinking about dinner. "For entrée, we'll get a salad." Marinette started listing off, while Adrien put down the menu. Adding in little things for himself, Marinette took care of the le plat principal.

"I'll have a Boeuf Bourguignon while he'll take Foie gras." Adrien leaned over and stopped Marinette from talking. "With assiette of Fromage." Marinette raised an unimpressive eyebrow and glared at him.

"Really? What else would you like Le dessert." Adrien was practically bouncing in his seat. "Can we!" Marinette's sass is replaced with sorrow, smiling softly. "Yeah. Yeah, we can."

"Two Crème Brûlée for later into the evening." The waiter nodded and took away la carte. "You know." Marinette started as Adrien had taken out his phone, looking up at Marinette. Adrien stared at Marinette.

"You know I can't do the eyebrow thing, Mari, What's up." Putting his phone back down on the table, he brought his hands up to rest on the table. "You know the rules."

Humming, Marinette kept looking at them. The drinks and pâté quickly arriving after a beat of silence between the two. Digging in, Marinette continued. "You better be careful Agreste or you might charm two reptiles." She pointed at him with her spoon.

Adrien blushes at the implication and scrambles to shush her. "I told you in that confidence, Mari!" Marinette couldn't help but laugh at her friend's sudden shyness. "How's everything else." Adrien beamed. "Oh gosh, Mari, I have so much to tell you!"

Getting back in the rhythm of having each other's presence. was one of the most basic things to do. Easier then coping with anxiety, easier than dealing with people, easier than being Ladybug. They still completed each other in every way except romantic. And that was okay.

"I'm getting ready to be a TA. Helping in the classroom and seeing how teachers interact with their students. But I'd rather work at a college level. Not many people enjoy Physics at 16." Marinette smiled at her partner. "I sure didn't."

Adrien grinned and sipped his Cognac. "No, you were horrible." Marinette grabbed her napkin and swatted at him. "Don't let me relive that." Adrien jumped away from the harmless napkin and tittered. "You're gonna get us to kick out of another restaurant again," Adrien warned Marinette. Offended Marinette dug in her Pâté.

"That was you and you know it." Laughing together this time, they hardly noticed the waiter. "Your food, Ma'dam." Moving the finished pâté, the waiter places sliced ficelle in a basket in the middle, time for the next course!

The waiter places their meals in front of them. "Thank you garcon." Digging in, Marinette hummed in delight. Looking at the meat, Marinette couldn't help but feel a little guilty. After discovering that Damian was vegan. She made the time to learn and make homemade vegan meals for Damian.

Marinette asked for Alfred's opinion on what meals Damian liked the most and what she'd seen him eat on the few dates they've had together. Mari spends many nights on perfecting numerous deserts. Damian caught her several times making a dinner menu and tried some.

Marinette just assumed that it was Jason or Dick. Many turned out great, while others... Let's just say she wasn't allowed to make something the boys couldn't stomach.

Marinette turned to her dinner and scarfed it down. Taking a sip of her drink she turns to Adrien. "You know that Kagami and Luka are right behind us." Adrien dropped her head then looked up at her and smirked.

"And Damian is right behind me." Marinette whipped to turn behind her. Lo and behold, there he is. "Dami?" Adrien couldn't help but tease it. "It's not Dove?" Marinette couldn't help but flush red at the nickname she accidentally gave him.

"Adrien!" Marinette swatted at her with her hand. "That wasn't true Dami." Damian turned and smirked. Marinette couldn't help but flush brighter. 'O-oh god. Why do I like you again?" Damian raised an eyebrow. "You like me?" Marinette's eyes widen at her slip. Abruptly standing up, she walked out of the building. "Nope, nope, nope."

Damian followed after her, catching her arm and looking at her eyes. "Dami, let go." Damian didn't. 'Of course, you didn't even listen to me half the time." Damian grinned slightly. "You should watch your mouth, Malak." Groaning, Marinette raised an eyebrow at him. "Really that's what you're addressing right now?"

"If you wanted my opinion on how I feel about you, you could have asked." Marinette stared at him, no smirks, no grins, serious Damian wasn't a Damian she could handle. It was too much! "Ugh, curse your genes." Damian let out a small chuckle. "Whatever you say ya qamar barid**."

Looking away, Mari sighed and noticed his loosened grip on her arm. "我的爱人* you know, there is only so much you can do that doesn't effect me." Damian picked her up and Marinette giggled at the strength her deepest friend had. "And you should know that it's the same for me habi alghali***."

They walked over, leaving Adrien to clean up the mess with Kagami, Luka, and the restaurant bill. "Just one night Mari, why couldn't you enjoy dinner instead of running off with Damian." Picking up her coat, Adrien continued onto Luka's and Kagami's table. "Room for one more?" The hidden meaning saying so much more than anything that night.

"Of course. Hime." Adrien blushed at the nickname. "Just because my preferred pronouns are she/her doesn't mean you can keep doing that Kagami." The blush on Adrien's pale face says otherwise. Luka went in to kiss her cheek, Kagami did the same on the other.

"我的爱人" is my lover.

"Habi Alghali" Is my precious love.

"Ya Qamar Barid" is Oh cold moon.

#fluff week #fluff #maribat fluff week #late to the party #maribat #damian x marinette #marinette x damian #marinette dupain cheng #marinette

[possiblyimbiassed]

The Rizla game is on!

Rizla game - a.k.a. the Forehead detective game. According to this article in The Guardian (”Guide to Party Games”, published in 2008 - long before S3 aired) the aim is “To work out who you are (and make friends)”. 

“Everyone has the name of a famous person (fictional or real) stuck on to their back or forehead in a way that everyone can read the name except them. Cigarette papers [= Rizla papers] and sticky memo notes are a good way of doing this. By asking questions with yes/no answers, everyone has to work out who they are.”

So that’s the Big Question, isn’t it? Who you are...

It’s all fun and games to try to work out who you are, as long as you can do it in disguise, pretending that you’re actually someone else. A famous person (fictional or real), who is relatively easy to find out by their record in the media, often connected to certain attributes or accessories. Please note the mention of Sherlock Holmes as well as Madonna in The Guardian’s guide; ”... for example, provide a pipe for Sherlock Holmes, a blonde wig for Marilyn Monroe, outrageous corsetry for Madonna”. It’s almost as if Sherlock and John would have read this guide in The Guardian, isn’t it?

The character of Sherlock Holmes was well-known for his elaborate disguises already in canon. So this pretend-game that he and John are playing at John’s Stag night in TSoT shouldn’t really mean any difficulties for a genius like him - perhaps not even when he’s drunk. 

But - of course - since John has made Sherlock represent himself it’s still a bit tricky. And the curious thing is that Sherlock doesn’t seem to recognize himself in John’s answers; he thinks the description is of John. :) 

Like so many more moments in this show, John’s and Sherlock’s personalities seem to be a bit mixed up here. But maybe all the adaptations of the Sherlock Holmes character that followed on canon for 100+ years have taken his disguise too far? Way too far? To the point of being a cliché who no longer recognizes himself?

And perhaps it’s no wonder Sherlock doesn’t even know who he is any more, seeing as last time (TRF) he said he’d be himself, it didn’t seem to please John very much:

Hmm... This reminds me of someone else saying something very similar much later... 

At the end of the day, the cliché seems more important than the ‘real’ person that could exist in ‘real’ life. A fictional character that bears no resemblance to a living breathing person. A thrilling and entertaining story; yes - maybe. But is he really interesting as a person, someone the audience can at some level identify with? I think not, and that might be the point of S4; to show us that at this stage someone or something needs to blow some life into this character, make him ‘come alive’ again and be recognizable in all the broad spectrum of colours that he shows in ACD canon.

So - the Rizla game... is it really a good way of ‘making friends’, as The Guardian recommends? Wearing a disguise and try to find out who you are by asking a lot of questions? Let’s take a closer look at a similar conversation in ASiP:

John has a very direct way of ‘making friends’, hasn’t he? Firing off a series of rather private questions, apparently aimed to identify the sexual orientation of this guy he just met; a bit like the Rizla game, only more real, more compromising. But at the same time he vehemently declares that he does not consider this a date: 

Mixed messages, I grant you that. ;) John Watson may have many excellent qualities, but he has no subtlety. Which I believe is an important reason why Sherlock goes on to tell John that he considers himself married to his job; he’s frightened (but at the same time intrigued) by John’s contradictory behaviour. So my point is, I guess, that John’s interrogation in ASiP - probably just ‘small talk’ in his own eyes - very much resembles the Rizla game between them that we get to see later in TSoT, only in the reverse way. It’s a series of questions aimed at finding out who Sherlock really is regarding love interests, while at the same time not giving away anything about himself. 

In the Rizla game in TSoT, John gets to tell Sherlock that people don’t like him, that there’s something wrong with him. 

Which is probably true in some cases, but quite a hurtful thing to say. But Sherlock never says anything comprehensible about John either, who has “Madonna” written on his forehead - a disguise.

The funny thing with the Rizla game in TSoT is that neither of them actually manages to find out who they’re supposed to be. Also, Sherlock can’t really figure John out at this point in the story, and John seems too occupied hiding behind a facade to actually figure out Sherlock. In fact, he seems rather clueless about himself as well:

And this, I believe, is an important point of the rest of the show; that Sherlock needs to analyse John, learn who John really is rather than following ‘Mary’s advice that ‘who you really are doesn’t matter’. It does matter, that’s why Sherlock goes through the pains of analysing John in his Mind Theatre in S4, but ending up having to face his own demons first. Because he’ll never be able to make John confess his true feelings unless he takes the first step. 

Tagging some people who might be interested:@sarahthecoat @tjlcisthenewsexy @ebaeschnbliah@fellshish @gosherlocked @loveismyrevolution@sagestreet @raggedyblue @sherlockshadow @darlingtonsubstitution @devoursjohnlock @tendergingergirl @kateis-cakeis @csi-baker-street-babes @88thparallel @timilina @dieseldrakilis @sherlock-overflow-error @elldotsee

#the rizla game #who you really are

[thedcdunce]

The Question

“For certain questions, sometimes the best answer is no answer at all.” - The Question

Real Name: Charles “Charlie” Victor Szasz

Aliases:

Vic Sage

Gender: Male

Height: 6′ 2″

Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Strawberry Blonde

Abilities:

Acrobatics

Disguise

Genius Level Intellect

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)

Indomitable Will

Interrogation

Intimidation

Investigation

Journalism

Dragon Style Kung Fu

Philosophy

Shamanism

Weaknesses:

Lung Cancer

Equipment:

Pseudoderm Mask

Universe: New Earth

Base of Operations:

Hub City

Chicago

Gotham City

Metropolis

Citizenship: American

Parents:

John Grayson; father

Mary Grayson; mother

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: Television Investigative Journalist

First Appearance: Blue Beetle Vol 6 #4 (September, 1986)

Appearance of Death: 52 #38 (March, 2007)

Abilities

Acrobatics: He has shown to be a proficient acrobat, and has used this skill to survive a fatal fall by rebounding off building sides and somersaulting to create more drag. He can get around by jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

Disguise: The Question has and can assume many aliases and has, as he describes, "many different faces".

Genius Level Intellect: The Question possesses genius intelligence and has an extremely unpredictable way of thinking. He can make a weapon out of common objects and often uses his mind to win fights.

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): Easily capable of incapacitating large groups of criminals and has knocked out trained policemen and soldiers with minimal effort. Vic has shown enough skill to take down two vicious attack-dogs and their highly-trained owner spontaneously, one after the other.

Indomitable Will: His training and lifestyle demanded much determination, and he was rarely known to give up or surrender especially in physical confrontations.

Interrogation: His opponents often fear him due to the rumors of his insanity and ruthless tactics.

Intimidation: He has on many occasions frightened criminals into giving him information he wants, and sometimes resorts to methods that many heroes shy from, like threatening a killer with a chainsaw.

Investigation: He has a superior inquisitive mind and has years of experience as an investigative reporter as well as his life as The Question.

Journalism: Victor was a TV investigative journalist. He had his own show and appeared on local news which sought out conspiracy theories, local crime rings and other violent or mysterious news. His Journalistic techniques were what drove him to become the Question.

Dragon Style Kung Fu: He was trained in Kung-Fu and had exceptional martial arts skills.

Philosophy: A self-proclaimed philosopher, Vic Sage has spent years surviving and understanding in the modern to postmodern world of big city life. He understands the functions of the people within the city and even the city itself on a deeper level.

Shamanism: The Question sought out to learn shamanistic techniques which applied to his city. He used these skills and techniques to "feel" the city and better understand it.

Weaknesses

Lung Cancer: Due to his smoking habit, Vic Sage developed terminal lung cancer, of which he eventually died.

Equipment

Pseudoderm Mask

Origin

When Vic Sage, a television investigative journalist, encountered stories he couldn't investigate by normal, legal means, he donned a special mask that made it appear that he had no face. As the Question, Sage investigated corruption in the face of all danger, leaving a blank "calling card," which, when touched, emitted a smoky question mark.

Childhood and Early Career

Victor Sage was born Charles Victor Szasz, and grew up an orphan who had a reputation as a troublemaker. Szasz prided himself in defiantly enduring the physical abuse of the Catholic orphanage where he was housed. Though he managed to get into college, higher learning did not mellow his violent tendencies. Some time during college, he brutally beat a drug dealer for giving him LSD, which had caused Sage to doubt his own senses under its influence.

After graduating from college, Sage made his mark as a highly outspoken and aggressive reporter with a reputation for obnoxiousness in Hub City. He then moved to television journalism, which eventually led him to investigate Dr. Arby Twain. This particular story would alter the course of Sage's life permanently.

Birth of the Question

Sage was approached by his former professor, a scientist named Aristotle Rodor, who told Sage about an artificial skin called Pseudoderm, which Rodor had co-developed with Dr. Twain based on the notes of Gotham criminal Bart Magan and research into Gingold, the chemical responsible for the Elongated Man's powers.

Pseudoderm was intended to work as an applied skin-like bandage with the help of a bonding gas, but had an unforeseen toxicity which was fatal when applied to open wounds. Though Rodor and Twain agreed to abandon the project and parted ways, Professor Rodor later discovered that Dr. Twain planned to proceed with an illegal sale of the invention to Third World nations, despite the risk to human health.

Sage resolved to stop him but had no way of going after Dr. Twain without exposing himself. Rodor suggested that Sage use a mask made of Pseudoderm to cover his famous features. Disguised by the Pseudoderm mask and armed with information, Sage eventually caught up with Dr. Twain, stopped the transaction, and extracted a confession from him. He then left Twain bound in Pseudoderm in an ironic twist. On television, Vic Sage reported on Dr. Twain's illegal activities.

With his first venture a success, Sage decided that this new identity would be useful for future investigations. He continued to work with Professor Rodor, who supplied the Pseudoderm and eventually modified the bonding gas, giving it the ability to alter the color of Sage's hair and clothing, as well. Vic became good friends with "Tot," who became a mentor to him in both of his identities.

Shortly after debuting in Hub City, Vic Sage relocated to Chicago, IL in order to join the staff of WWB-TV as a crusading journalist. He would continue to operate as The Question there, and would make an ally of Chicago's other resident hero, the Blue Beetle. He would also travel to other cities in the course of his investigations, and eventually teamed up with Batman and briefly participated in the Crisis.

The Question's early crime fighting career was somewhat successful, but his black-and-white moral viewpoint and lack of commitment would soon lead to a turning point for both Sage and his alter ego.

Near-Death Experience and Further Training

After his time in Chicago, Vic Sage returned to Hub City and KBEL television, where he worked alongside news anchor and occasional love-interest Myra Connelly. During a mission as The Question, he was badly beaten in personal combat by the mercenary and martial artist, Lady Shiva, and then nearly fatally beaten by her employer's thugs and shot in the head with a pellet gun. Though he was thrown in a river to drown, Shiva rescued him for reasons of her own and gave him directions to meet Richard Dragon as soon as he was recovered enough to get out of bed.

Following a vision of Batman while in his sickbed, Sage sought out the master martial artist, who retained all of his skill even while confined to a wheelchair. Sage spent a year learning martial arts and Eastern philosophy from Dragon. The training changed and deepened The Question's moral perspective, and the crimefighter became more understanding of the moral ambiguity of his chosen work.

Vic Sage returned to Hub City and resumed his career as The Question with a new, broader worldview, and a belief that crime had to be fought at more than one level.

The New Question

Though The Question had originally established himself as a crime fighter by stopping street crime, his post-Dragon career found him attacking the systematic corruption of Hub City at its highest levels. Hub City was noted as being "synonymous with venality, corruption, and violence," and perhaps even outranked Gotham City as the most dismal city in the the United States.

The Question's work in defending the city extended beyond street crime and into the realm of politics and social justice. He re-enlisted as an ally his former girlfriend, Myra, who had married the corrupt, alcoholic mayor of Hub City, Wesley Fermin, in his absence. He also met Batman again and have the first of what would be many encounters with the Green Arrow.

After spending months running Hub City while her husband descended into mental illness, Myra Fermin announced her intention to run for mayor herself, and received Sage/The Question's full support. Though Myra's marriage to the mayor was loveless, she resisted the temptation to reunite with Sage, but she eventually gave into her temptation and had affairs with both Sage and The Question, whom she did not realize were the same man. When Myra lost the election by one vote, she was elected to the position anyway, as her challenger had died as a result of what was called "the worst tornado in history." However, during her victory speech, her husband, Wesley Fermin, shot her in the stomach for supporting what he called "Communist beliefs." Wesley was subsequently killed during a police stand-off, but Myra entered a coma, and Hub City was plunged further into chaos. For some time, the Question, became the city's only guarantor of justice, though Myra eventually awoke from her coma and assumed her role as mayor.

The gang warfare in the weeks following the election led Sage to a reunion with Lady Shiva, who at first resumed her adversarial relationship with The Question and then became an ally to him. Through Shiva, The Question was able to meet with the gang-leaders who were creating chaos in the city.

Although he had the support of Myra and his mentor, Tot Rodor, Sage/The Question often felt troubled about his role as the city's protector and as a fighter of crime. Reconciling his original, stark, mindset with the enlightenment he had received from Richard Dragon continued to be a source of conflict for The Question, who struggled to determine how far he should go in his pursuit of justice. With the help of his allies, The Question realized that a perverse part of him wanted to know what it felt like to take another person's life, and he managed to successfully defeat his temptation to kill.

Leaving Hub City

Though The Question did his best to contain the chaos around Hub City, he felt himself growing increasingly dark as time wore on. A hallucinogenic trip caused his subconscious, in the form of his mother, to tell him that he would never be able to lead a happy life unless he left Hub City. Richard Dragon echoed this viewpoint during a visit to Vic Sage, when he sensed that Sage was on the verge of a major turning point in his life. Lady Shiva soon after arrived by helicopter to spirit The Question, Rodor, and Myra Fermin away from the city, though she herself decided to embrace the Hub's chaos and remain there. Sage nearly convinced Myra to leave the city with him, but her sense of duty convinced her to remain. Before Sage left, Myra gave to him her only daughter, Jackie, and wandered back to the city alone to meet her duties as Mayor and do her best to stand for what she believed in.

Sage took Jackie with him to South America, hoping to rid himself of his "No Face" alter ego and find a land free of the clutter and corruption that filled Hub City. However, this sense of serenity did not last long. Sage was quickly drawn into a drug war which ultimately forced him to kill a man in order to save Jackie's life. The Question's philosophy from that point changed once again, as he realized that he had no guilt over the killing and would do it again if necessary. He would kill again.

Unfortunately, Jackie would die anyway, en route to her mother in Hub City.

Career after Hub City

After leaving Hub City, Victor Sage held a series of journalistic positions in various cities, while reviving his Question persona when necessary. Previous experiences teaming up with such heroes as Green Arrow and Batman had established the Question in the superheroic community, and he would participate in major events such as the Alien Invasion and Brainiac's attack on Metropolis. Following his abandonment of Hub City, The Question helped protect an Indian reservation alongside Green Arrow and John Butcher. He traveled the United States and would meet Steel and Azrael. He even very briefly became a member of a team, when he joined the L.A.W. alongside his old comrade Blue Beetle and Nightshade, Sarge Steel, Captain Atom, and Judomaster during a disappearance of the Justice League of America, in order to stop Judomaster's former sidekick, Tiger, from conquering the world. On that mission, the Question would also first learn of the mysterious land of Nanda Parbat. He would also return to Hub City several times, and eventually got a bittersweet shock when he learned that Myra had finally moved on.

Following the near-destruction of Gotham City after a major earthquake, the Question relocated to Gotham and teamed with the Huntress, with whom he had a short-lived affair.

After years of dabbling with hallucinogens, meditation, and his mask-activating gas, The Question developed a shamanic awareness, in which he was able to interpret coincidences and thus "talk to the city". In this state, he was also able to sense chi, or life force. He became able to "walk in two worlds" for an increased awareness of his surroundings and of any disturbances in a city's natural order. This ability came in handy when Sage relocated to Metropolis and teamed up with Superman against Lex Luthor and the Psychopomp.

Infinite Crisis

During the events of the Infinite Crisis the Secret Society of Super-Villains coordinate a planet wide breakout of super-villains from every major prison. With the JLA otherwise occupied Oracle with the help of the telepathy of the Martian Manhunter is able to organize a group of second string vigilantes to oppose the escapees at each prison. The Question joins up with these heroes and when they make their way to Metropolis he is transported with the other heroes to fight in what would become the Battle of Metropolis.

52

Following the events of the Infinite Crisis and Batman's disappearance, The Question returned to Gotham City to assume the role of its protector.

His first act was removing the bat symbol sticker from the Bat-Signal and spray-painting a giant question mark in its place. This was not strictly an act of ego, however- he shone the light on Renee Montoya's apartment building in order to get her attention. Three days later, he entered Montoya's apartment and left her an address: 520 Kane Street. When Montoya visited the location, he hired her to watch an abandoned building located there for "two hundred dollars a day, plus expenses," and implied that it would be used by a third party. This mysterious behavior would lead to a partnership that would last nearly a year.

Two weeks and one night later, the two teamed up against a strange creature who entered that building. The course of their investigations then led them to Kahndaq, where they investigated Intergang dealings and prevented a suicide bombing during Black Adam and Isis's wedding, an action that earned The Question the Order of the Crescent.

After returning to Gotham City, the Question learned that he was suffering from lung cancer. Though Montoya immediately had Sage hospitalized and later took it upon herself to transport him to the Himalayan city of Nanda Parbat in the hope of using its mystical properties to save him, she was too late. After suffering through great discomfort and hardship, Victor Sage, The Question, passed away.

Blackest Night

During the Blackest Night crossover, Vic Sage is reanimated as a Black Lantern. He goes after Renee, Tot and Lady Shiva, who manage to elude him by suppressing their emotions, making them invisible to him.

The Question's legacy lives on, however: Renee Montoya has been seen wearing the mask and garb of the Question in Gotham City, and, on an alternate version of Earth, a version of Vic Sage lives on.

#the question #question #charles charlie victor szasz #charles victor szasz #charlie victor szasz #charlie szasz #charles szasz #vic sage #l.a.w. #law #l.a.w #jla #justice league of america #Black Lantern Corps #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce #Living Assault Weapons

[crazyrandomfucker]

Adrien Augreste: Partners

As Chat Noir, Adrien had a lot of advantatges. He had enhanced senses, more strength, speed and agility, three great teammates, someone he loved and most importantly, a partner in crime. Of course, he didn't mean Plagg, he only enjoyed causing mischief. No, Lordbug was his partner in crime. Just like Chat was in love with Ladybug, Lordbug was in love with Kitty Noire, making the boys bond in the hard path of earning someone elses love. They were the partners in crime of love and they were commited to help the other. Thought it mostly was Lordbug giving Chat tips and useful advices to woo Ladybug, Lordbug himself didn't have quite the courage to even make a move on Kitty, always ranting that he didn't want to ruin the partnership and friendship they had.

As Adrien, thought, he had no chance to interact with Ladybug, much less flirt with her, as he was a public figure. He also didn't have someone to confide his love dilema, as noone was aware of his major crush on the bug heroine. No, that as a lie. Marin knew about his crush, but after their great sort of enemisty they had had in the past, it would be rather awkard to ask Marin about love. On the other hand, Marin was in love with Kitty Noire and had a minor crush on Adrienne, not knowing they were the same girl. He stood obviously no chance to interact with Kitty and he wouldn't confess his crush to Adrienne. No, thought Adrien, Marin did have a chance with Kitty, unlike him, since the cat-themed heroes sometimes went to Marin's roof or Marinette's balcony.

At the end, Adrien was conflicted. He had promised Lordbug to help him, but couldn't do it when the bug didn't made any effort. Marin maybe could make a move, and now that he knew how Marin truly was, he couldn't help but to think about how happy would Adrienne be if she started to date him. Well, Adrienne loved Marin for sure, maybe that would be the best option. He sighed and thought to apologize Lordbug the next time they had patrol together. A beep come out from his phone and he saw that, while he was lost in his thought, Mari had beaten him again in UMS. Welp, that was, what? The seventh time? The ninth? He had lost count. Marinette was the best videogame player he knew after all. But instead of sending another battle request, Mari texted him telling that the girls were now awake and that they would go to have breakfast. He replied that it was ok, that he'd probably go too in a couple of minutes.

As he sent the reply, Alen fell out of his improvised bed, letting out a very loud complain that woke Marin and Nino. Adrien laughed out loud and Alen throw him a pillow, thus beginning a pillow fight in the boys room. This time, Adrien teamed with Marin and they defeated the other two rapidly with an extraordinary cordination.

"What the hell happened last night? Since when you two get along so well?" complained Alen, defeated in the floor. "No, the real question is how can you two be soe well damn coordinated?" asked Nino incredulous. Marin and Adrien shrugged. "Well, I think it must be that now that we're not fighting against eachother, we can understand the other better" suggested Adrien. "it just felt natural" shrugged Marin. "Okay, who are you and what have you done to my buddies?" asked Alen jokingly.

The boys laughed and went to have breakfast, meeting with the girls in the kitchen. After having breakfast, they went to walk a bit around the city. The bodyguards were always following them, but from a certain distance to respect their privacy, which all the teens apreciated. In order to express their gratitude, the models made sure to stop by the shop with action figurines the bodyguards enjoyed so much.

They wandered around Paris before deciding to go te the shopping mall, not only to go shopping but also because it was almost lunch time. Adrienne suggested a japanese restaurant and everyone decided to go with that, so they ended up going to a japanese restaurant. As they were eating, Alya suggested to go to an arcade. The model twins commented excited how much they'd love it as they had never been to one and everyone suddenly agreed unanimously. When they finished their meal, they headed to Arca-World, the biggest arcade in Paris.

The models gawked as they stepped in what seemed to be the greates arcade in the world. The arcade had from Whack-a-mole machines and claw machines, to the latest arcade game. Everyone split up and went for their favourites, except for the models, who first just wandered around and thendecided to try some with the others. They first tried the air soccer with the Lahiffe siblings. the boys were close to the victory, but in the end, Nina managed to make a spectacular comeback and beat them. Then they switched to a shooter game against Alya and Alen, who were actually pretty great at it, but stood no chance against the models, who had spent their life playing spies. Finally, they saw the designers at the Road Fighters battling the other and decided to join. They battled six time to have everyone battle everyone. Mari simply beat all of them mercilessly, winning all her rounds with ease. Marin and Adrien tied, but both defeated Adrienne, who was down for loosing all the matches.

To make her feel better, Adrien and Marin took her to the claw machines and asked her to choose what did she wanted. Moved by that, she quickly searched for the cutest plushie she could see, choosing a little purple bunny. Adrien tried to catch it twice but failed and let Marin try for a round. Before the boy could even put a coin in the machine, a happy squeal sounded behind them, making everybody turn to see Mari hugging a giant black cat plushie from the giant claw machine and Alen and Alya with their jaw at ground level-

"This girl is insane, she got it at her first try" said Alya. "Is there even something here you're bad at it?" asked Alen astonished. "She what?" asked Adrien and Nino surprised. "Yeah, Mari and I are pretty good at games and arcade machines, including the claw. Mari's just better at some of them" said Marin, putting a coin on the machine and getting Adrienne's bunny, who also squealed and hugged tightly her new plushie. "Why the black cat thought? There are other more cute" asked Nina. "I just thought that it was so adorable that I couldn't help to get it" said Mari with a big smile on her face as she hugged the cat. "You look so adorable hugging that gigantic cat. It's almost bigger than you" teased Adrienne. "Well you look more cute hugging yours. I wonder why~" teased back Marinette. "It's decided, I'm kidnapping Marin to teach me his ways in this machines" says Alen.

And so the boys left to interrogate Marin while the girls went on full teasing mode, teasing Mari and Adrienne. Not much later they met again to go shopping, but Adrien separated Marin with the excuse that he wanted Marin to show him a certain shop. When they were alone Adrien put his hands on Marin shoulders and looked at his eyes very serious. The designer, taller than Adrien, looked confused to the model, wondering what could all possibly be about.

"Okay... What happens?" said Marin. "You have a crush on my sister right?" asked Adrien completely serious. Marin blushed a bit and rubbed his neck. "Well, I can't deny it". "And why don't you confess to her?" asked Adrien. "First and foremost, that wouldn't be fair to her since I also have feelings for Kitty Noire. Secondly, she's technically my boss and that would be rather unprofessional of me. Thirdly, I don't think I could ever gather the courage to do it". 'Damn' thought Adrien. 'He's just as insecure as Lordbug. If only he knew Kitty is Adrienne and that she likes him back...' And a plan come to his mind. "Okay, but why don't try it regardless? You're an awesome man, with a great passion and completely responsible. Noone would see you as unprofessional or anything. You just need a little push to see that you can actually do it. And as for Kitty... I think she'd be happy to know you're with Adrienne, I'm certain" "Aren't you being pushy today? I know we've make a truce and all that, but are you trying to be my wingman just now? Do you know how does she feels about me?" "Whaaaat? Ho-how coul I possibly kn-now?" said Adrien nervously. "Man, you suck lying. I already know she has a crush on me" said Marin. "You do?" asked the model confused. "Well, I'm not as dense or oblivious as someone I know, it was kind of obvious and Nina made no effort in hiding she was trying to hook us up" explained Marin. "Then why haven't you confesed yet?" asked Adrien not believing what he had just heard. "I told you I can't get myslef to do it" "Marin, just confess. I'm going to get you two separated and you better tell her your feelings or I'm going to kick your butt" said Adrien and left, leaving the designer mind blown and alone.

Adrien started to plan everything to make sure to ctreate a perfect chance for her sister and Marin to confess their feelings. Just for that day, he was determined to be cupid, to be Marin's partner in crime and to be the best brother of all times.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous fanfic #miraculous au #Twins!Au #adrien augreste

[lilacmoon83]

Finding You Always

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 159: Whatever It Takes

He pressed his forehead against hers, as their lips parted briefly and they breathed together in ragged, impassioned gasps.

"I can't believe I'm kissing you again...I thought you were lost to me forever," he cried.

"I was lost...you found me," she breathed, as he kissed her again.

"Do I still call you Mary? Or Margaret? Or Snow…" he questioned, as he kept his forehead against hers. She giggled.

"I'd love to say Snow...but that might be too much for some people. But if it makes you feel any better...I was Mary Margaret during the first curse," she said. He smiled.

"So that's where that came from...Mary Margaret," he muttered.

"Mmm...I can't tell if they were being clever or lazy," she joked, as she pecked him on the lips again. He kissed her again, but a scream pulled them apart and they gasped.

"Iris…" David cried, as he took her hand and they flew up the stairs. Her scream rang out again, as David burst into her room.

"IRIS!" he cried, only to find his daughter being held hostage by a man wearing a ski mask and holding a knife. David had his gun locked up, per usual, but it wouldn't have done him any good if he had it, for this man had a knife to his little girl's throat.

"Daddy…" Iris whimpered, as David put his hands up in surrender.

"Let her go…" he pleaded.

"Not one step further...because I'll think nothing of slitting her throat," the man growled. His voice was garbled too, like the mask he was wearing had a device of some short to disguise it.

"I'm not moving...just let her go and you can leave here free and clear," David promised.

"Except I'm here with a warning for you, Detective," he retorted, as he put his lips to Iris' ear.

"Your Daddy causes a lot of trouble, pretty one...it's too bad you have to pay for that," he growled, as Iris cried.

"If this is about me...then you can take it out on me. Just let her go…" David pleaded.

"I don't think so...because this is the only meddlesome detectives like you learn. Attacking you would do nothing...but her...that's how you learn your lesson," the man threatened.

"Who hired you? Stavros?" David questioned. The man chuckled.

"Perhaps...or maybe it was someone close to many of the people you've put away in the last two years, Detective," he hissed.

"Hyperion Heights used to be a safe haven for people like me...until you arrived and put a lot of my friends away. You don't cross people like us and get away with it," he said.

"Nice try...but I know this is Stavros. He's the biggest fish I've gone after so far and if he thinks coming after my family will get me to back off, then he's deluding himself," David retorted. The man chuckled.

"Are you sure?" he asked, as he put the blade closer to Iris' throat. Snow gasped and clutched his arm in fear for her. Her eyes met her daughter's and she saw her eyes searching. Snow nodded to her, trying to convey what she wanted her to do and she put her hands up.

"Please...I'd make a better hostage if that's what you need. I'm the reason Clayton is so upset," Snow tried to reason with him. He withdrew the knife and pointed it out at her.

"Shut up…" he snapped and Iris took the opportunity to bite his hand. He cried out and David rushed him, as Snow pulled their daughter out of the way. He tackled the thug and toppled him to the floor, before punching him in the face. The perpetrator fought back and rolled David onto his back, trying to get his hands around David's neck. Snow crept to the bedside table and grabbed the lamp, breaking it over his head. He collapsed unconscious to the floor and David pushed him off. He stood up and they both dove into his arms with fierce hugs. He kissed Iris' head and then found himself also pressing a kiss to Mary's head. And somewhere in his mind, he knew he had held them both like this before and done the same thing. He pulled away briefly, as Mary soothed Iris and hurried downstairs for his phone and cuffs. He returned and cuffed the man, before pulling his mask off. He didn't recognize him and figured he was just a hired thug, before he dialed the station to send a unit to pick him up. His next call was to Weaver and Rogers both to explain what had happened.

"What's going on?" Bobby asked sleepily, as Snow sat beside him, while the uniformed Officers were leading the assailant out.

"A man tried to attack Iris...but everything is okay now, sweetie," Snow promised.

"Did Clayton send him?" he asked and Snow looked at David.

"We're not sure honey, but that man isn't going to hurt us again," she tried to promise.

"She's right...I won't let him," David assured, as the boy looked up at him, before David turned to Weaver.

"Do you need help with the interrogation?" he asked.

"No...you stay here with them. Interrogations are my specialty anyway. I'm scarier than you," Weaver quipped with a smirk. David scoffed and didn't disagree. Somehow, Weaver tended to get his confessions and those he interrogated usually came out of it scared to death. He didn't always agree with his methods, but in this case, he hoped he terrified the man that had threatened his daughter to within an inch of his life.

"Everything else seems secure. Do you want me to stakeout the building for the rest of the night?" Rogers asked.

"No...it's okay. Go ahead and go home...I doubt Clayton will send another goon tonight. But we'll be ready the next time he does," David assured. Rogers nodded and made his way out, as David closed the door.

"Well...at least it's the weekend and we don't have to worry about the kids going to school tired," she mentioned. He nodded.

"It's early...but I doubt anyone is sleepy. How about pancakes?" he asked, receiving a chorus of affirmatives.

"Um...I know you probably are going into the station to deal with the paperwork from all this, but I was thinking about taking Bobby to the zoo. I thought Iris might like to go and then maybe you could meet us there later?" she asked. He smiled.

"Yeah...that sounds great," he agreed, as he started breakfast. Mary and Iris shared a smile, as they went about helping with breakfast.

~*~

"Dammit!" Clayton said angrily, as he angrily pounded his fists on his desk. A man leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, looking bored.

"I told you that if you wanted it done right...you should go with the expert," Nick Branson stated. Clayton glared at him.

"You are my attorney and if you had been caught, that wouldn't bode well at all for what's to come," the Collector replied.

"What do you want me to do about Fisher?" he questioned, referring to the hired thug.

"Get down to the station and represent him. Keep him from opening his stupid mouth," Clayton ordered.

"And if he's already talked? We both know Weaver has a way of making people talk," he warned.

"Then why are you still here?! Get to him first, get him out on bail, and then take care of him so he can't talk," Clayton hissed. Nick smirked.

"You're the boss," he drawled, as he left for the station. Clayton angrily poured himself a glass of scotch and downed the liquid.

"You are both going to pay...if it's the last thing I do," he growled under his breath.

~*~

The Enchanted Forest 3

Storybrooke Year - 2021

Snow smiled at him, as they trekked back to camp, hand in hand. In the hand that wasn't holding hers, he had the game she hunted and they handed it over to the camp cooks when they returned.

"That was fun...but then any excursion in the woods with you always is," she mentioned, as he put his arms around her.

"Mmm...I definitely agree with that," he purred, as he kissed her passionately and it never ceased to amaze her how he could still make her see stars when they kissed. As their lips parted, he heard a twig snap and he unsheathed his sword in a flash.

"Whoa…" the man that had crossed the perimeter cried, as he put his hands up in surrender.

"Who the hell are you?" David questioned.

"I'm a friend...I swear," he pleaded.

"Jack?" Henry asked, as he walked toward them.

"Gramps...it's okay. He's a friend," Henry assured. David sighed and holstered his sword, as the two younger men shared a hearty handshake and then a brotherly hug.

"What are you doing here?" Henry asked.

"I was traveling and word about your troubles got out. I thought I'd come to see if you needed any help," Jack replied. Henry gestured to the camp.

"Welcome to the resistance," he said, as he looked at his grandparents.

"Oh...right, Jack...these are my grandparents," he introduced.

"Of course...Snow White and Prince Charming, I presume," Jack said, as the couple exchanged a glance.

"Henry told me all about you...it's truly an honor, Your Majesties," he added reverently, as he bowed.

"Uh...there's no need for that," Snow assured.

"Yes...and most people call me David," he added.

"David then...that was impressive. I really thought I was being quiet in my approach," Jack mentioned.

"Not quiet enough," David retorted.

"I told you...legends," Henry mentioned.

"You were right...he's told me all the stories about all your adventures," Jack said.

"Oh...and how did you two meet?" Snow asked curiously, as his eyes swept over them again. There was something unnerving about this man, but she couldn't put her finger on why.

"Well...it's was early on and this guy saved my butt from getting squashed by a giant," Jack explained.

"Yeah...but he repaid the favor later on another adventure and we've been friends since," Henry said.

"Well...it's nice to meet you Jack," Snow offered.

"Likewise...and the legends don't do your description justice. You really are the fairest of them all," he said.

"Nor do the legends do you justice either, Your Highness. I've sneaked up on giants that are supposed to have twice the hearing humans do and yet I couldn't get past you, but I suppose that should be expected from a great dragon slayer like you," he added.

"Uh...thanks," David said, as Henry took him further into camp to introduce him to everyone.

"Does he give you the creeps?" Snow asked.

"Yeah...kind of, but then you and I may or may not be a bit paranoid," David replied. She sighed.

"I guess so...the hero worship is a bit much," she mentioned. He smirked.

"Yeah...definitely. I wish for once that you and I could go somewhere and keep a low profile," he joked. She smirked and kissed him.

"Fat chance of that happening," she joked in return, as they put their arms around each other's waists, just as Jacinda burst back into camp from the forest.

"Jacinda...what's wrong?" Snow asked, seeing how upset the younger woman was.

"Do either of you know someone named the Collector?" she asked. Snow and David both went rigid at that name, as she began to explain.

~*~

"So...the resistance?" Jack asked. Henry nodded.

"Yeah...we're really doing this," he replied.

"Whoa...who are they?" Jack asked and Henry followed his line of vision. He sighed, finding that his friend was staring at Leo and Eva.

"Dude...stop drooling. That's my Uncle Leo and Aunt Eva," he said. Jack whistled.

"Damn...your family has some good genes," he said.

"Put your tongue back in your head. My Aunt Eva is very spoken for," he warned, as they saw Paul put his arm around her.

"What about your Uncle?" Jack asked.

"Single...but he hasn't had good luck with relationships. He's been hurt...a lot," Henry warned.

"Relax Henry...I'm just admiring from afar," he promised.

"Yeah...that's probably best. My grandparents are pretty protective of all of us. But Leo...maybe a bit more. He's had some really bad luck with both men and women," he mentioned.

"That's too bad," Jack said sincerely, but Henry missed the gleam in his friend's eyes.

"Yeah...I'm pretty sure if someone ever hurts Leo again, Grams is going to rip their head off," Henry joked and Jack laughed with him, as they joined the rest of the camp.

"The Collector? You saw him?" David asked. She nodded.

"I...I sneaked away earlier and into my step-mother's manor," she confessed.

"Ella...that could have been extremely dangerous," Snow chided.

"I know...but all these people are putting their lives on the line for something that I did! I went there to see if there was something I could do to protect everyone," she confessed.

"You were going to sacrifice yourself," Snow realized, as the young woman lowered her head.

"Ella...I've been where you are. More than once, I considered turning myself over to Regina when she was the Evil Queen. But it won't really stop her quest for revenge," Snow said, as she took David's hand.

"Someone taught me that a long time ago…" she said, smiling fondly at him.

"Charming reminded me that I had to fight for my people and that I couldn't do that if I made deals with her and sacrificed myself. It wouldn't have made anyone safer," Snow said. Ella nodded.

"Something tells me that you didn't get the chance to confront Lady Tremaine though," David mentioned. She looked up at them.

"No...I was hiding in the common room, ready to make my move, when my step-mother's guards escorted a man in. He said his name was Clayton, but he was well known by the moniker: the Collector," she replied.

"Clayton's in this realm?" Emma exclaimed, as she overheard and all attention was drawn to them. Ella nodded.

"And he's made a deal with my step-mother," she warned.

"What kind of deal?" Henry asked.

"For information. She killed a fairy...right there in front of me and gave Clayton the fairy wand as payment. He said something about needing it, because he is having trouble acquiring ingredients here for youth potions?" she asked, a little confused by that. Snow sighed.

"It's how he has lived so long all these years. He uses magic to keep himself young," Xander interjected, as his face was deeply troubled by the news that Clayton was there.

"What information did your step-mother want exactly?" Regina questioned.

"She's looking for a way to revive Anastasia. One sure way to do it is...to steal a heart full of belief for her," Ella said, as she looked at Henry.

"That's it...she's after our son," Neal realized, as he put his hand on his son's shoulders.

"That would be ideal...but Clayton didn't think it would be possible to pull off stealing Henry's heart with so many magic wielders protecting him," Ella said.

"Damn right it won't be," Leo said, as cobalt sparks sizzled in his hands due to his agitation. Ella turned to Snow and David.

"Clayton suggested that there were ways he could force the two of you use your chalice to help her. I think he is planning some sort of revenge," she warned.

"We've faced him before...and we'll do it again," David assured.

"Charming is right...there is nothing that we haven't been able to face, as long as we do it together," she said, as she looked at him.

"As truest loves and guardians of the Chalice, we knew we would encounter him again and it falls to us to stop his evil. He's a menace to all the realms," she added.

"Snow's right...and this time when we send him to the Underworld, we'll make sure this one sticks," David agreed.

"Now this resistance isn't just to defeat Lady Tremaine...it's also to take on the Collector as well, who perhaps is far more dangerous," Snow said, as the entire camp was now listening.

"We'll understand if anyone wants to back out. No one will think ill of you, for this man is formidable," David continued. But no one moved and stood their ground in solidarity.

"Then we need to prepare. Clayton has endless resources. Fortunately, we have someone on our side that knows how he thinks," David said, gesturing to his father.

"Right…" Xander said, as he turned to speak.

"This man doesn't have magic himself, but he collects powerful items and is very well versed in all forms of it. Do not underestimate him and also do not engage him alone," he warned. As his great grandfather continued to discuss their strategy, Henry approached Ella.

"Did you really sneak into your step-mother's manor?" he asked. She nodded.

"I'm sorry...I know it was dangerous. I was just trying to spare everyone," she admitted.

"But your grandmother made me realize that sacrificing myself won't help anyone and only ease my own guilt," she added. He smiled.

"Good...I'm glad. I...I don't want to see anything happen to you," he stammered, as an awkward silence passed between them and they looked deeply into each other's eyes. And then Henry took a leap and hugged her gently. Ella was stunned, but then found that being in his arms felt very right…

~*~

Hyperion Heights

After breakfast, David headed to the station for a bit, while Mary and the kids made a stop at Roni's. Mary had the day off, but was stopping in to pick up her first check.

"Hey...I thought I gave you the day off?" Roni asked.

"You did...we're just here to get some cocoas and then we're heading to the zoo," Mary replied.

"Oh...family outing. Is David joining you?" she asked. Mary smiled back.

"He's meeting us later," she replied, as Roni made their cocoas and then handed Mary her first check.

"Thanks Roni...you could have refused to hire me with my past and no one would have blamed you. Thank you for giving me a chance," Mary said.

"Best thing I've done in a long time," Roni assured her with a wink, as she delivered their cocoas.

"Have fun at the zoo and say hi to David for me," she said playfully. Mary smiled and followed the kids out, just as Jacinda was coming into the diner.

"Hey…" Mary greeted.

"Hi...I'm really glad I ran into you," Jacinda said, as Mary turned back.

"You were right...if I give into Victoria, she'll control our lives. I'm going to file the petition," she announced. Mary smiled and hugged her, as Roni fished the clipboard out of the safe place she kept it for her.

"Here," she said, with a smile.

"You're doing the right thing...I think it's the harder path. But I promise it will be worth it," Mary said. Jacinda nodded and bumped into Henry on her way out.

"Hey…" he said, as he noticed the petition and smiled.

"So...you're going to fight her, after all," he mentioned. She nodded.

"It won't be easy...but I have a lot of support," she replied. He nodded.

"Including me...I hope you know," he offered. She nodded.

"Thanks Henry," she replied.

"Um...after you take care of that, do you maybe want to get a drink or something...later?" he asked. She smiled.

"I have a shift at the restaurant soon...but I get off at seven. I can meet you here," she suggested. He nodded shyly.

"See you then," he replied, as he watched her go. Snow smiled, as she observed the tension between them. It may happen much slower for Henry and Jacinda, but she was sure it would. They were drawn to each other, the way she and David always would be, cursed or un-cursed. David was just a little further along in believing it could all be true and she only hoped Henry and Jacinda could find the same belief.

For now, she was going to take the kids to the zoo and hopefully get a glimpse of her oldest son. Not knowing what his life was like under the curse hurt her heart, but if he was working around animals, then she knew that would at least bring him some happiness. She wanted to see Eva as well, but knew just randomly showing up at the hospital would look strange. She'd have to figure out a valid reason to visit there soon too. Then there was Emma. Not knowing where her eldest daughter was and there being no sign of her made Snow almost panicky. If Clayton had done something to her baby...no she couldn't think that. She couldn't let her mind race with a million scenarios, lest she wished for despair to swallow her.

"Miss Blanchard!" Lucy called, as she hurried up to her and threw her arms around her.

"Oh...hi sweetie," she said, as she hugged her back.

"I really need to talk to you and Bobby," she urged.

"Okay...what's going on?" Mary asked.

"Last night...I found something and I need you to keep it safe. You're one of the only ones that knows what it truly is," Lucy replied, as she looked around and pulled the white blanket out of her bag. Mary gasped in shock, as she took the blanket and hugged it close to her chest.

"Lucy...where did you find this?" she asked.

"I sort of climbed down into the cavern beneath the community garden last night," Lucy said with a wince.

"Cool…" Bobby said with envy.

"Not cool…" Mary chided her son.

"Honey...that was so dangerous," she chided Lucy.

"I know...but it was worth it and Henry came after me. But...what does it mean if Emma doesn't have her blanket?" the little girl asked. Mary swallowed thickly, as she was wondering the same thing. Fear gripped her, as once again, she began to frantically worry about her eldest.

"I'm...I'm sure that Emma is somewhere in this city and that she's fine," Mary told her, despite her own fears.

"Do you think the blanket can help find her?" Lucy asked.

"I'm sure it can...thank you sweetheart. I'll guard this with my life," she promised, as she tucked it away in her bag.

"Thanks Miss Blanchard...I knew I could trust you," Lucy said, as she hugged her and then hurried off to see her mother.

"Mom?" Bobby asked, as she looked down at him.

"Do you think Emmy is in trouble?" he asked worriedly. She shook her head, as she looked at both his and Iris' worried faces.

"Your big sister is very strong and resourceful. I'm sure she's fine...wherever she is," she told him, as she prayed that she was right.

"Come on...let's get to the zoo," she suggested, as they headed out.

~*~

"Did you get anything from him?" David asked, as he peered in Weaver's office that morning.

"I might have...but unfortunately, his attorney arrived before I could talk to him. He was just released on bond an hour ago," Weaver replied, clearly displeased by that as well.

"Dammit...there's no way a rat like that guy has a lawyer on retainer," David mentioned.

"No...which means that said rat is probably going to end up in the river unless we find him first. Rogers is already canvasing for him," Weaver said, just as David's phone rang.

"Rogers?" he answered

"I'm afraid it's not good news, mate. Our perp is dead. Throat was slit," Rogers reported. David grimaced.

"I'll be right there," he said, as he hung up.

"He's dead…" David told him.

"This is Clayton...he did this," the younger man raged.

"Except that you and I both know he didn't do it himself," Weaver responded.

"Doesn't matter...I'm going to find who did this and they're going to implicate him. Then we'll have him dead to rights," David reasoned.

"Except that whoever he hired to do this is likely a professional. They'll never talk, so what you're going to do right now is go be with your daughter, Miss Blanchard, and her charming son," Weaver ordered.

"We have a body…" David reminded.

"And it's nothing Rogers can't handle," Weaver countered.

"How are we going to get Clayton if I don't investigate him?" David questioned.

"We will never get him on murder, no matter how much you investigate. But I have someone on the inside now...that's how we get him," Weaver said.

"The car thief that you planted in Clayton's security," David recalled. The older man nodded.

"Are you sure he's reliable?" David asked.

"More so than you think. How do you think Alice got past security and into Clayton's office so easily?" he asked. David sighed.

"Your plant got her in," he surmised.

"Go...he expects you to be up in his business after this so that's exactly what you shouldn't do right now," Weaver reasoned. David sighed.

"Fine…" David relented, as he headed out. Truthfully, he was looking forward to spending the day with his daughter, the woman he loved, and her son...their son. Catching Clayton in the act was important, but he realized that getting all his memories back was just as important and somehow he knew the only way to do that would be to spend time with the only people capable of jogging those memories.

~*~

Nick rounded the corner and into Clayton's office again that afternoon.

"Is it done?" he asked, without looking up from the paperwork he was working on. Nick nodded.

"I'm good at what I do...you won't have to worry about that rat," he replied.

"Nolan isn't going to give up though...we need to deter him again," Clayton said.

"Say the word and Detective Nolan will join the rat," Nick replied.

"No...as troublesome as they are, David Nolan and Mary Blanchard must live. It's imperative…" he snapped. Nick shrugged and scoffed.

"Okay...then what exactly do you want? You know my skill set," he retorted.

"I also know that I pay you handsomely to do what I tell you to do," Clayton snapped in return.

"Well, when you decide that your serious about taking care of your charming problem, call me," Nick spat, as he walked out. Clayton growled and pounded his fist on the desk.

~*~

David parked and found himself anxious to see them, as he approached the zoo admission gates.

"Hey...sorry I'm late," he offered, as they were waiting on him.

"Don't be...is everything okay?" Mary asked. He smiled.

"It is now," he replied, as he leaned in and kissed her tenderly. Bobby and Summer shared a smile, as the four of them made their way into the zoo.

#Snowing #SnowxCharming #Charming family #OC Charmings #Hyperion Heights #Snowing & Charming family centric season 7 #season 7 #jacinda vidrio #Henry Mills #Lucy #romance #adventure #finding you always #AU #the epic continues

[ramblesandreviews]

117. Lena Luthor x fem!kryptonian!reader

Request: Can you do a lena luthor x fem reader where you’ve been best friends since you were kids and you reveal that you’re Kryptonian when you save her life leading her to confess her feelings for when you think she hates you because she knows that you’re an alien please

Honestly being best friends with anybody with the last name Luthor was probably a bad idea. You couldn’t help it she had saved yoh even if she didn’t realize it. When you crash landed onto the earth you where beyond freaked out. Everything was just so loud and nothing made sense, it didn’t help you didn’t have anyone to take care of you. It also didn’t help that you had the body of a twelve year old and the hunger if three grown men. The orphanage lady was beyond baffled.

That’s where you met Lena. She had already been adopted by the Luthor’s but every once and a while she’d come visit the orphanage she was brought to. You didn’t understand why she came all the other kids claimed that being adopted by a family was amazing. They also pointed out that the family she had been sent to where rich and used a hundred dollar bill as a tissue.

Most kids in the orphanage ignored her because of this but Lena didn’t seem to mind. She only came to visit one of the people who worked at the orphanage. The first time you spoke to each other was when you had accidently broke your friend Tyra’s arm. You two had made a bet with each other and you had gotten so caught up in the game you forgot to control yourself.

Your twelve year old self sat in the faded green desk chair with a huff. Tyra had been your last shot at having a real friend, everyone else called you destructo girl and wanted nothing to do with you. That was when a green eyed girl walked in, her heart beat was slow and steady as you heard a content sigh escape her lips. Without really paying attention to you she plopped down in the seat across from you.

You blinked for a second nobody ever sat near you, and you didn’t recognize her. A grin settled onto your face, maybe she would even talk to you. You swallowed your nerves down and said, “Uh hi.” She didn’t respond but looked around the room as if you might be talking to someone else.

When she saw no one she turned to you and raised a hesitant eyebrow. “Me?” she asked messing with her dark hair. It was your turn to frown and you couldn’t help the sarcastic response that escaped your mouth.

“No,” you paused sarcastically, "I was talking to the empty chair next to you.“ the girl stiffened and you clamped your hand over your mouth, "Oh Rao I didn’t mean to say that…” You trailed off examining the girl’s look of confusion and annoyance.

You swallowed again and hoped you hadn’t offended her. “Can I try again?” you asked hesitantly you never could control your impulses. Your mother had called it an extraordinary gift, but your father had called it a defect. She nodded and you heard her heartbeat increase slightly. “Hi my name is (Y/n), what’s your name?” You asked nervously.

The girl frowned. “Not to be big of myself but do you not know?” You shook your head as the girl continued to give you a look of mistrust. Your gaze softened you recognized that look it was the same one you looked at in the mirror each morning when it was your turn to use the bathroom.

“Uh you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, I’ll just uh sit here if you want someone to talk to…” You trailed off as the girl continued to study you. You smiled at her and then leaned back into the chair. You heard the top caregiver chewing a boy out in the room you had to go in and stiffened when you heard her stop. The door opened and the boy, named Zack, escaped rubbing his knuckles. He shot you a sneer and the girl across form you a condescending smile.

“Oh hey Luthor,” the boy spat as if t was something offensive, “I wouldn’t sit too close to destructo girl over here, she might break that pretty palace of yours.” He scoffed and the girl frowned then looked down at her lap.

You shot him a glare, “Shut up Zack or I’ll,” you thought for a moment, “Dislocate your shoulder, put it in place, and then dislocate it again.” Zack huffed and took a step forward when Mary the woman chewing him out stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder. He froze and quickly left the room.

“Ah Lena I wasn’t expecting you for another hour or so,” she paused smiling at the girl across form you. You grinned, Lena it reminded you of the names on krypton, short and sweet. Mary shot you a shrewd look, “Ms. Clumsy I also was not expecting you hear after last time.”

You flinched and said too quickly, “That’s not my name.” Mary glared at you as Lena shot you a curious look.

“Well let’s not forget you decided not to give anyone that information,” she paused, “Ms. Clumsy.” You gulped and rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly. “Hmm, well luck for you Lena’s here so I can’t punish you,” You pumped your fist, “yet.” Your arm deflated to your side. You where sent to your room and that was the last you saw of them the rest of the day.

The next time Lena showed up she talked to you and pretty soon it became a routine. She would talk about her adoptive family and all the things they would make her do. You would talk about the school you went to and the odd things you encountered. She would smile and ask you to continue talking about things even though they where as simple as birds. You became best friends, able to tell each other anything that was, except Krypton.

You both grew older and her Superman appeared along with the fiery hatred of her older brother. After finishing up school you followed Lena everywhere just to make sure she was safe. That also included the move to National City. You where hesitant at first considering the rise of Supergirl but you knew you could get her to back off if you flashed her your house crest.

And so you met Kara Danvers, who cornered you the first chance she got, and Clark Kent. You met the DEO and Kara’s sister who had interrogated you almost violently. That lead you to your current problem, an attack on L-Corp. Kata had gotten there just in time to stop Cyborg Superman and after the both of you sharing a look you grabbed Lena and bolted up the stairs.

It took almost all of your will power not to fly somewhere safe, but you knew it would be a bad idea and continued running. Lena gripped your arm making you stop so she could catch her breath. You fidgeted nervously and noticed the shoes she was wearing. “Seriously Lena? I told you to throw those heels out a month ago.” You complained.

She shot you an annoyed look, “And I told you to stop eating so much fast food and eat a vegetable.” You placed a hand over your heart and gave he a faux offended look. She nodded and crossed her arms across her chest, you felt your stomach flip and you swallowed nervously.

You heard a loud bang come from the bottom of the stairwell. Your face paled and you lifted Lena in your arms and took off her high heels. “Hey stop those are my favorite pair!” You set her back down and through the pairs at the men bellow. You got two in the four head but there was still a man running up the stairs.

“Come on!” Lena yelled and grabbed your arm entering the nearest floor room. When you entered there where still employees hiding under desks. "Hurry get into another room!“ She yelled the workers nodded and fled into the nearby bathroom. She quickly ran towards the nearby science equipment and started mixing some chemicals.    

"Now’s not the time to quench your thirst for knowledge.” You pointed out with a small glare. She gave you a pointed look and then went back to the beakers mixing and matching and doing all sorts of stuff that made your head hurt.

“Honestly, how long have you known me?” Lena scoffed with a playful smile. She was trying to make a trap for him, you realized with pride. You grinned and then a shiver went up your spine. You can hear it, you realized, the small ticks coming from his chest. 

“Lena get into the bathroom.” You stated unemotionally.

She shot you an offended look, “What do you mean go into the bathroom, all have you know I can take perfect care of mys-” You cut her off with a with an almost angry look on your face.

“He has a bomb Lena.” Her mouth closed and silence ensued. All you can hear where the small ticks two stories below, slowly making there way upward. Lena’s heartbeat spiked and your own clenched at the sound of thumps that made their way into your ears.

“You don’t know that.” Her voice was almost accusing, like she didn’t want to believe you. No not that, you realized looking at the vulnerable look on her face. Like she didn’t want to believe how you knew.

“I can hear it, now get the hell into the bathroom.” You said reluctantly and when Lena didn’t move  you went and lifted her. Her heartbeat spiked again but in a different way then before, you frowned. You entered the bathroom and placed her down making sure to tell everybody not to let her leave.

Lena hated you, you could feel it and the thought made your stomach churn uneasily. You sighed as long as you stopped this guy from killing her and everybody else you were okay with that. After you stepped out of the restroom you saw him he was pointing a gun at you.

“Uh hi.” You where distinctly aware of the way he gripped the handle tighter. You cleared your throat, “How about we put the gun down?” The man only cocked it back getting ready to shoot at you.

“Where is Lena Luthor?” he asked with a gruff voice. You eyed him carefully, you knew he’d shoot you no matter what you just had to know when the bomb would go off. You used your x-ray eyes to find the bomb and raised an eyebrow, it had a timer on it which was totally impractical, not that you where complaining.

“She’s not here.” you lied watching the timer only less then a minute left. He shot near your knee only to watch as the bullet bounced of leaving a hole in your pants. The both of you stared silently at each other and you smiled. “See you really shouldn’t have done that.” 45…

He started firing at you again and again until he had no more bullets left. You stood there waiting patiently for him to finish when the door burst open. 40…

Lena Luthor stood there with all her glory a fierce look in her eye, shock filled her features when she stared at you. You looked down your clothes where riddled with bullet holes and she was probably surprised to see you alive. 30… You remembered the bomb and flew forward quickly knocking the man out carefully you removed the bomb from his vest and held it close to you. 25…

“I’m sorry I never told you Lee,” You paused before jumping out the window. Lena screamed as you struggled to fly upward, away from all the skyscrapers. You grunted softly, you hadn’t flown in a long time. You examined the bomb with a bittersweet smile. “So much trouble for such a little thing.”

You curled the bomb into you careful to make sure nothing stuck out wen it exploded. You gasped you were falling and had forgotten how to fly. “I’m sorry..” you trailed off knowing Lena couldn’t hear you.

“(Y/n)?” you heard Kara ask. You felt strong arms catch you and the last thing you heard was Lena screaming and the whisper of, “I love you.”

…

When you came to all you could hear was arguing and you felt a soft hand gripping yours. “Will you all shut up? She’s waking up.” Your eyes felt heavy when you opened your eyes. You groaned and sat up stretching when a hand pushed you down gently.

“Whoa there bud, I thought I told you the only time to come back here was when you wanted to work for us?” teased the voice of Alex Danvers. You grinned sluggishly and turned your head to see Lena sitting their with puffy eyes. You felt immediate guilt and opened your mouth to speak when you felt arms wrap around your neck tightly. Alex smiled and pulled Kara along, who waved at you, to give you two privacy.

You held Lena in your arms feeling the sobs that wracked her body. When she stopped crying the two of you stayed like that a little while longer. When she pulled away she kissed your cheek and punched your arm. “Ow!”

“How could you, without so much as a warning, jump out of a window?” She asked angrily, “I mean it was incredibly brave, and selfless, and you saved so many people, but maybe give a girl a warning next time, yeah?” She rambled running a hand through her hair. You smiled and without thinking placed a hand on her cheek. She stiffened an you froze realizing what you where dong.

“Oh crap sorry Lena, I uh wasn’t thinking, um I’m sorry, please don’t hate me- Mmph!” You where cut off by her swiftly placing her lips to yours. You kissed back after a second or two and she melted against you. Her lips were soft and rough all at the same time, your breath mingled and she dug her hands into your hair.

“I love you.” she said when you both pulled away breathing hard.

A goofy smile appeared on your face, “I love you too, and I’m sorry about not telling you about everything.” She ran her hands up your cheeks and smile at you.

“I understand, and I know that you would have told me eventually. It’s kind of hard to forgive you, but I know that you trust me and I know I trust you, so I forgive you.” She said softly with a vulnerable look on her face. You sat there latched to each other knowing that you loved each other.

#lena luthor x reader #lena luthor imagine #supergirl imagine

[mycasandstarrs]

SPN 6x07: “Family Matters”

THEN: Dean and vampires. Samuel’s resurrection is potentially tied to Sam’s. Dean is worried about Sam. Sam’s strange, amoral behavior. Veritas exposes Sam, Sam confesses to knowing something was wrong with him, asks for help and gets a beatdown.

(This is one of those episodes where I can not for the life of me remember what happens...until I see the “Then” recap.)

Dr. Castiel is in the house.

“What, you think that there's a clinic out there for people who just pop out of hell wrong? He asks, you answer! Then you shut your hole. You got it?” Oh Dean.

It still hurts to see Sam in pain.

“Physically, he's perfectly healthy.” Well, except for the possible broken nose.

Official diagnosis. No soul.

“Um... I'm s-- I'm sorry. One more time, like I'm 5.″ Same.

“Dean, I'm not some psycho.”  Not “psycho”, but I’d say sociopath.

pfft. He untied himself anyway.

Cas heals Sam for the first time.

“If it's so hard to spring someone out of the box, then who's got that kind of muscle?”

“I don’t know.”

Oh, but you do, Cas.

“Sam!...Ah, Dean.” Fuck you too, Christian.

No wonder Christian and S!Sam got along.

Oohhh, Cas.

Elton Ridge? Isn’t that where Samuel died after Azazel left his body?

Samuel still has his soul.

“You’re leaving?” Cas has a damn war to fight. Let him go.

They found the Alpha Vamp.

But do you really know Sam, Samuel??

“I don't trust him. Dude's hiding something.” Dean’s right, Dean’s instinct is always right.

“Huh.”

“What?”

“Just...you. Saying you don’t family.”

Dude, if Dean thinks there’s a good reason not to trust you, he won’t. Family or not.

“Who you calling?”

:Your wife. Let her know I'm not gonna make it over tonight.”

Ohhh, Dean’s got burns.

“You know, I've tried playing nice, Dean, but I think I'm done.” All this before was him “playing nice”???

“I'm the guy who's been here, doing my job. Who are you? You think we need you here? You walk around like you're playing pro tennis. Only action you seen lately is between your slut girlfriend's legs.”

“You sure you want to come with us tomorrow? Accidents happen.” Christian’s a little bitch.

“I'm in the rear with the reject?” You’re a reject too, hon.

“Sorry about the ‘reject’ thing.”

“Ah, I’ve been called worse.”

“Just, uh, get sick of getting left behind. Think it's probably 'cause I remind him of his daughter or something.”

“Well, you speak your mind.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should.”

Gwen and Mary...they’d get along fine. That would’ve been nice to see.

RIP vamp. Killed by Gwen.

Aww come on, Dean. She was being nice.

Sounds like the vamp hunt isn’t going too well.

RIP numerous vamps and what seems like hunters. Probably killed each other.

Dean witnesses the sketchy ass behavior.

Gwen lied on his behalf.

Dean’s done.

“And not telling me--that was his idea?”

“No, it was mine.”

“Why?”

“Honestly? 'Cause you'd mess it up. You shoot first, ask questions later, and we needed to ask questions.”

Wow. He’s not a goddamn moron, you coulda just TOLD HIM.

“Did it ever occur to you that this is really shady?” THAT’S THE EXACT WORD I WAS USING.

“I mean, you are seriously messed up.”

“Thanks.”

“I'm not kidding, man. Nobody's forcing you to work with me, okay? But if we do this... I drive the bus, I call the shots, and you tell me everything, whether you think it's important or not, because -- trust me -- you can't tell the difference.”

It's harsh, but I agree with Dean.

Sam “chooses” Samuel.

Who more or less turns him down...

But sike, he really chose Dean and they’re still working together.

Plan B: “Fired up the GPS on one of his cellphones. We should be able to track him right to the alpha.”

At Alpha Vamp interrogation headquarters.

Samuel interrogating the Alpha Vamp.

Did they really think electrocuting him would work?

“Are you two going to hide all night? Come on out, boys.” Cover’s blown.

“I have all night, boys. Anyway, I'm happy to tell you whatever you want to know.“ The Alpha Vamp was so chill.

“We all have our mothers. Even me.” Alpha’s dropping hints.

“You smell cold. You have no soul.” Even the Vamp could tell.

More hints.

Purgatory. It has been named.

“He doesn't care. He does as he is told.” Alpha Vamp is just spilling all the tea.

OHHH DEAN-O

Gwen's just looking out for her family, but she doesn’t know the full truth.

RIP this hunter. Killed by the Alpha Vamp.

Dean taking control.

Sam, Samuel, and Christian. the biggest dicks of the group.

RIP Christian. Killed by the Alpha Vamp.

Hello again, Crowley.

OH SHIT CHRISTIAN WAS POSSESSED.

OH DAMN HE’S BEEN POSSESSED.

Ohhh, the fact that he and S!Sam got along is so much worse now.

“You're Crowley's bitch.” The truth comes tumbling out.

“Purgatory is vast, underutilized, and hell-adjacent, and I want it.”

“What for?”

“Best shut your gob. Employees don't question management.”

What a dick.

Oh, there’s so much to unpack.

Crowley confesses to raising Sam and Samuel, but I know that’s half true. The amount of half-truths and lies going around...it’s making my head spin.

“Get the van, Gwen.” Gwen deserves better than this, damn it.

“Working with a demon, huh?” Um S!Sam, must we mention your past record with demons?

“You boys... you're my family.” Oh yeah, you’re saying that now.

Lowkey with Sam on wanting to shoot Samuel for selling them out.

The family card worked on Dean...for now.

#supernatural #spn summer rewatch #spn liveblog #spn 6x07 #family matters

[itsiotrecords-blog]

http://ift.tt/2rPnePF

In 1991, Cameron Todd Willingham was awakened by his children’s cries and found his house engulfed in fire and smoke. He survived the fire, but his three daughters died. Thirteen years later, the Texas man was executed for murdering his kids by arson. But later, fire experts scientifically proved each and every one of the indicators of arson had been invalid.

On the morning of 23 December 1991, neighbors found Cameron Todd Willingham’s house engulfed in fire while he stood outside pleading for help. Firemen brought the fire under control, but unfortunately, none of his three daughters survived.

In 1991, two days before Christmas, everyone in the Willingham household was asleep except for Stacy. When Cameron Todd Willingham woke up and saw his wife Stacy going out of the house to pay the bills, he heard his one-year-old twins, Karmon and Kameron, crying and gave them bottles. His two-year-old daughter Amber was asleep in the same room. After closing the childproof gate to their bedroom, Willingham went back to his bedroom and fell asleep. About an hour later, he heard Amber crying “Daddy! Daddy!” The house was full of smoke, and he couldn’t see the doorway. So, he crouched low, crept into the hall, and then made his way to the girl’s bedroom. But by then, debris started falling from the ceiling burning his shoulder. He fled out of the front door screaming for the neighbors to help.

His neighbor, Mary Barbee, saw Willingham in the front yard and ran to her phone to call for help. When Barbee returned, she saw the windows had blown out, and fire and smoke were billowing out of the house. Soon, the firefighters arrived on the scene. Willingham repeatedly tried to enter the house, and the firefighters had to restrain him. After some time, a fireman brought Amber from the house, but she was unconscious. Willingham was taken to a hospital to receive treatment for his burns. There, he was told that Amber had died of smoke inhalation. The twins were discovered in the children’s bedroom, their bodies severely burned.

Fire investigators, Douglas Fogg and Manuel Vasquez, investigated the home and gave their verdict that the fire was set intentionally using a liquid accelerant. The fire was considered a triple homicide, and Todd Willingham became the prime suspect. On December 31st, the authorities brought Willingham in for questioning and later charged him with murder. The trial ended after just two days when the jury returned a unanimous verdict: guilty.  

Four days after the fire, two arson investigators went inside the Willingham house to determine the cause of the blaze. One of them was Douglas Fogg, the assistant fire chief in Corsicana, and Manuel Vasquez, a deputy fire marshal. They toured the perimeter and concluded that the fire was deliberately started using some kind of liquid accelerant poured all over the children’s room. The only person present in the house beside the victims was Todd Willingham, so he became the prime suspect. When police interviewed the witnesses, they initially claimed that Willingham was devastated by fire. But later some of them changed their claims and said that Willingham seemed calm and controlled.

Willingham was interrogated, but the police couldn’t find any clear motive. He was arrested on January 8, 1992, and charged with murder. Willingham couldn’t afford to hire a lawyer so was assigned two by the state: David Martin, a former state trooper, and Robert Dunn, a local defense attorney. Sometime after Willingham’s arrest, a prison inmate in the same jail, Johnny Webb, alleged that Willingham had confessed to him. Webb said Willingham had said that he took “some kind of lighter fluid, squirting (it) around the walls and the floor, and set a fire.” After this allegation by Dunn, Willingham was offered a life sentence in exchange for his guilty plea.But he declined the offer in spite of his own counsel’s advice. In August 1992, the trial commenced and quickly ended with the jury unanimously returning a guilty verdict.

After spending eight years in jail on death row, Willingham was visited by Elizabeth Gilbert who had volunteered to be a pen pal for an inmate on death row. Elizabeth’s interaction with Willingham and the witnesses and her investigation of the case, made her realize that Willingham might be telling the truth.

In 1999, Elizabeth Gibert visited Willingham. She was a 47-year-old French teacher and playwright who volunteered as a pen pal for Willingham. She met and wrote letters to him first with the conviction that he was indeed the culprit. But after exchanging numerous letters, she became curious about the case. So, she went to the courthouse to review the trial records. She also met the people in the community who were present as witnesses. In the records, she noticed that the testimony of witnesses grew damning after January 1992 when authorities concluded that Willingham was likely guilty of murder.

She even interviewed the jailhouse informant Johnny Webb. As Gilbert chatted with him, she thought that he seemed paranoid. During Willingham’s trial, Webb disclosed that he had been given a diagnosis of “post-traumatic stress disorder” after he was sexually assaulted in prison in 1988 and that he often suffered from “mental impairment.” After months of investigating the case, Gilbert found that her faith in the prosecution was shaken.

Elizabeth sent the file describing the evidence of arson to an acclaimed scientist and fire investigator,  Dr. Gerald Hurst. After examining the evidence, Hurst concluded that there was no evidence of arson.

After her own investigation, Gilbert began believing that Willingham may have been telling the truth from the beginning. So, she sent the files describing the evidence of arson of Willingham’s case to Gerald Hurst. Hurst was an acclaimed scientist and fire investigator who had earlier saved prisoners from death row in arson cases by proving the evidence used to convict them was scientifically invalid. In Willingham’s case, Hurst individually discredited each piece of arson evidence. He used scientifically supported experiments backed by his re-creation of the elements in question.

Hurst rebutted all twenty of the indications listed by Vasquez of an accelerant being used. He concluded that there was “no evidence of arson.” Since there were only very few days left before Willingham’s scheduled execution, Hurst wrote the report in such a hurry that he didn’t even have time to fix the typos.

Hurst later said, “The whole case was based on the purest form of junk science … There was no item of evidence that indicated arson.”

Four days before Willingham’s scheduled execution, Hurst’s report was sent to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, but they denied the petition. Willingham was executed on February 17, 2004, via lethal injection. On July 23, 2010, Texas Forensic Science Commission acknowledged that that state and local arson investigators used “flawed science” in determining that the blaze had been deliberately set.

Hurst’s report was sent to Governor Rick Perry’s office as well as the Board of Pardons and Paroles along with Willingham’s appeal for clemency. There was no response from the governor and the board denied the petition. On February 17, 2004, Willingham was executed at the age of 36. On his death certificate, the cause was listed as “Homicide.”

In December 2004, questions about the scientific evidence in the Willingham case began to surface. Nearly two years later, the Innocence Project commissioned four top fire investigators to conduct an independent review of the arson evidence in the Willingham case. The panel concluded that “each and every one” of the indicators of arson had been “scientifically proven to be invalid.” In 2005, Texas established a government commission to investigate allegations of error and misconduct by the forensic scientists involved. Noted fire scientist, Craig Beyler, who was hired by the commission, investigated and reported that the investigators in the Willingham case had no scientific basis for claiming that the fire was arson. They ignored evidence that contradicted their theory, had no comprehension of flashover and fire dynamics, relied on discredited folklore, and failed to eliminate potential accidental or alternative causes of the fire.

Source: 1,2,3,4,5

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