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artificialqueens · 4 years

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Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, 8 (Branjie) (and background everyone) - Ortega

a/n: ayo fam!!!! thank u so so sososo much for reading and sending love, it makes my heart HAPPY! i apologise in advance for this chapter…….a Lot goes on. wouldn’t be much of a rollercoaster if it was flat would it!! hope u will all still like me afterwards xoxo

fic summary: Strictly Come Dancing enters its 18th series and its producers, after being goaded by a rival dance show on its inclusivity, commission it to be an all-female cast. Unlike Akeria who’s just here to bone her potential dance partner, dancer Vanessa is ready to act like a professional.

And then TV presenter Brooke Lynn walks into the rehearsal room.

***

31st October 2020

“Ready, baby?”

“Always.”

Vanessa smiles at Brooke from her position on the platform she’s standing on. Brooke has an identical one beside her, a huge purple structure with a phone box drilled into it that’s strong and has definitely been checked by the health and safety experts at least six times. Looking down, the ballroom floor looks ever so slightly too far away, but Vanessa knows that’s just her eyes playing tricks on her. She knows that when the music starts and the time comes, she’ll jump off it without any problems. As the band continue to set up she picks at her skirt, all messy netting and tulle. Vanessa supposes she’s never seen a fashionable zombie.

Halloween week has crept up on her- she’s honestly been too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice the passage of time. Instead of seconds, minutes and hours her days are now measured in dance steps, quick glugs of her water bottle in rehearsals, how many times Brooke flirts with her that day. Ever since last week they haven’t seemed to be able to stop flirting. They always seem to be laughing or smiling at each other, casually hugging or holding hands mid-rehearsal like it’s natural. It’s not, though, and Vanessa knows it’s only a matter of time before her feelings become unravelled. She can’t figure Brooke out yet, and she knows that there’s a chance she’s acting this way because she’s more comfortable with Vanessa, maybe that’s how she acts around all her friends. But still…she doesn’t know. She knows she’s not going to risk ruining anything, though, and she’s definitely not going to risk anything going wrong with their partnership after they scored 32 on Saturday for their Salsa, favourable comments pouring out of the judges’ mouths like water out of a jug. Laganja had stood up from her seat at the table and actually screamed when Michelle asked her what she’d thought, babbling about how hot and sizzling and perfect it all was.

“At one point I thought you two were gonna kiss!” she’d screeched, and the audience had all laughed. Vanessa had wanted to tell her that she hadn’t been that far from the truth.

Their Salsa actually got higher marks than Jan and Jackie’s, which had put a spring in Vanessa’s step. The goal had been to showcase her and Brooke’s chemistry, and Vanessa feels like they definitely did that. It gets harder not to compare themselves to other couples though, especially when there’s only nine of them left now. Aja and Farrah are out of the competition after a dance-off with Willam and Phi Phi last week, so now that the strong have well and truly been separated from the weak things are coming very much down to the wire. Even Heidi and Vixen and Shea and Peppermint’s scores haven’t been all that favourable lately. Vanessa shifts on top of the platform. Dress rehearsal is usually fun but she’s overthinking things now and making herself nervous. She gives herself a little shake, looks at Brooke for a reassuring smile she knows will come. She can’t let Brooke know she’s feeling anxious. Their dance is, overall, quite an easy one- it’s their couples choice week, so naturally Vanessa has chosen Commercial as their genre, never one to shy away from the chance to behave like she’s in a music video. She knows it still needs to be sharp and synchronised, neither of them missing a beat. They’ve done similar in their Jive, so all they really need to do is transfer the same skills into this dance.

“Ready to go in three!” a producer shouts. Vanessa takes a deep breath and steadies herself, taking her position inside the phone box. From across the ballroom floor she can see Brooke doing the same.

A hush falls over the girls that are watching in the audience, the drumsticks click, and the song begins.

“Calling all the monsters, calling all the monsters…”

Vanessa pops her hip as she acts out a conversation with Brooke, putting the phone down and stepping out of the booth as soon as the beat kicks in. She puts her hands to her heart and pulses them, getting ready to launch herself off the platform the moment she hears her cue.

“Heart thumps and you jump…”

Vanessa jumps, flying through the air-

And the moment she hits the ground she knows something’s not right. She feels her leg give out, a pop, and searing pain shooting through her calf. She’s fallen to the floor and every fibre of her body is screaming at her to get up; she’s the professional, and what kind of professional is she if she can’t carry on after a small mistake? The music is still going so she drags herself onto her knees, attempts to stand up. The whole dance is thrown off now. Fuck. When she puts her foot on the floor and tries to stand it’s too painful- she can’t do it. She can see some of the girls in the audience standing up, yelling, gesturing to producers and runners.

Brooke runs over to her and the music stops. Vanessa’s on her back and she’s drawn her leg up to her chest. She can hear Brooke asking if she’s okay and the concern in her voice, can feel her stroking her hair and holding her hand, and usually this would’ve warmed her heart and made her feel all soft inside but the pain is overwhelming and it’s all she can focus on. She’s embarrassed and aware of how weak she must look in front of the other girls- she’ll have just landed on her ankle funny, there won’t be any more to it than that.

“I’m fine…it’s fine…” Vanessa protests, embarrassed at the amount of people now surrounding her. She’s got Brooke, a runner, a producer, and now someone from first aid. She tries to stand up again and is annoyed when everyone reacts much the same as if she’s pointed a gun at them, telling her to lie back down and fussing over her. All Vanessa can do is stare up at the ceiling and look at the rigging while the woman from first aid pokes and prods and massages her calf, the filters and lights all bright and overwhelming above her. Her gaze snaps away from the ceiling to rest on Brooke’s face. She’s wearing a troubled expression, little lines deep set into her forehead and her bottom lip trapped between her teeth. Vanessa hates seeing her look this worried and she’s horrified that it’s she herself that’s made her feel this way.

“Brookie, don’t worry,” Vanessa musters up a smile for her. Brooke blinks, and when she looks at her again Vanessa can see tears in her eyes. Vanessa carries on, squeezes her hand. “They’ll stick a bit of ice on this an’ then I’ll be ready to dance with you tonight, you’ll see.”

She watches Brooke take a deep breath, nod at her supportively. Vanessa isn’t lying- she truly believes in what she’s saying. She’ll be fine. It’ll just be a rolled ankle, nothing too serious. She panics, though, when she sees two runners with the studio’s stretcher, moving through the audience seating.

“That ain’t for me. Surely not.”

The producer is telling her it’s just a precaution, but it’s a precaution that’s made Vanessa’s worry spike. They roll her onto it, and Brooke doesn’t let go of her hand. The first aid woman is telling her she can’t go with them. Vanessa scowls, feels the anger build in her gut.

“But I want her there. She’s my partner,” she snaps. She’s never mean to anyone she works with, always goes out of her way to be kind, reassuring and understanding, but all she wants is to have Brooke by her side because everything is starting to sink in now and she’s scared. First aid insists there’s no way, and Vanessa lets out a frustrated sigh that’s too close to a growl.

“What should I do?” Brooke asks her, worry etched on her face. Vanessa gives her hand one last squeeze before the stretcher is hoisted off the ground.

“Practise. Just practise. Make sure you’re ready for me,” Vanessa winks at Brooke in a vague attempt at reassurance then suddenly she’s being carried away from her, away from the ballroom and the glitter and colour and into an off-white room with strobe lights and a brown examination bed. She’s transferred onto the bed and left there for a small while, the silence in the room almost crushing her.

What the fuck has she managed to do?

It’s crazy, but her only thought is Brooke. What will happen to her? Will she get given a bye, will she be taken out of the competition? Will she get a new partner? The thought creeps into Vanessa’s brain and lodges itself there like a tick. Vanessa wants to shake it out but it won’t budge. If her first year competing with a celebrity is ruined by her stupid fucking leg…

She squeezes her eyes tight shut. Maybe this is all a dream. It wouldn’t be the first time. When she opens her eyes she is still in the same room as before. Fuck. She looks down at her calf and mutters the same word as she sees how much it has swollen up underneath the grey tights she’s got on.

Soon enough, a producer enters the room with someone Vanessa doesn’t recognise. It turns out they’ve called in a doctor. Her dance shoes and tights are peeled off and after much poking and prodding, the doctor steps away and fixes Vanessa with a sympathetic smile.

“Okay, my love, I’d usually take you in for an ultrasound but from what I can see I’m confident that what this looks like is a grade two level torn calf muscle.”

Vanessa wants to be sick.

“What that means is that you’re going to need lots of rest, lots of ice and compression. Try to elevate it wherever possible. The producers are going to make sure you get a follow-up appointment to get it looked at so you know when you’ll be able to get back to dancing.”

Vanessa frowns. She refuses to believe it. They’ve not come out and said she can’t dance. Maybe if she does the dance just once tonight she can rest it next week. “But I’m dancing tonight, I…Brooke needs me-”

The doctor is smiling at her like she’s a child and it does nothing for Vanessa’s blood pressure. “I’m really sorry, love, there’s no way you can dance on this. For at least a week, but that’s in the best case. Sometimes torn muscles can take six weeks to-”

“No. No, no, no, no,” Vanessa blurts out. She can feel the tears in her eyes; they’ve sprung up out of nowhere but all she can hear ringing in her ears is six weeks. The final is six weeks away. She needs to be better. It can’t take that long. “I need to be here, I can’t withdraw, I need to…Brooke Lynn…”

She is reduced to crying on an examination table with a doctor and one of the producers simply watching her. The doctor hands her a tissue, clearly feeling guilty. “Look, it really just depends on how well you look after it. It would probably take six weeks if you were trying to dance on it immediately again! As long as you’re sensible and take care, your recovery time will be much less.”

This does nothing to reassure her. Vanessa fixes her eyes on the producer. “What’s gonna happen?”

He scratches his neck and shrugs. “Well, we’ll offer Brooke a bye for this week. We’ll need to give her a new partner though. Just temporarily, until you’re better.”

Vanessa pouts, feels herself whine like a baby. “This is so unfair.”

“I know. I’m sorry. S’pose this comes with the territory, though, doesn’t it? Injuries…dancing,” he rambles on. Vanessa wants him to leave. Vanessa wants them both to leave. She wants to be on her own. She just wants a big, therapeutic cry with nobody there to watch her. Vanessa communicates this to the two of them and they both nod understandingly before leaving. A runner comes in with some ice for Vanessa’s leg and some pillows to elevate it, and they disappear equally rapidly.

Vanessa tries to think rationally, but no rational thought comes. All she can keep thinking is six weeks, six weeks, six weeks. It feels like her Strictly journey is over already. She knows she’s being selfish, knows that it’s Brooke’s journey. She should be happy for her- she’ll still get a partner, she’ll still get to continue and succeed.

But it should have been her.

The tears are still streaming down Vanessa’s face when there’s a shy knock at the door. It’s Brooke Lynn, and she’s still in costume but she’s had her hair and makeup done as well. There’s prosthetic chunks of blood and gore all over her and her skin is painted all grey and decaying, but Brooke still looks beautiful to her.

“Hey, boo,” Vanessa gives her a soft smile, frantically wipes the tears away from her face. She feels silly. “Get it? ‘Cuz it’s Halloween.”

Brooke laughs a little, entering the room and coming straight over to the bed to give Vanessa a hug. Vanessa can’t describe how much better she feels in Brooke’s arms, how much easier everything suddenly is.

“How are you, baby?” Brooke asks her mid-hug, and Vanessa can feel her murmur against her neck. It’s nice.

“I tore my calf…they told me I gotta rest up, it might take six weeks to heal…fuck, Brooke, I’m so sorry…”

Vanessa feels herself start to cry again as she clings onto Brooke like a koala, and Brooke hugs her even tighter in response. “Don’t be ridiculous! It won’t take that long at all. Torn muscles are so common, think about how many people must tear things in dancing! You’ll be fine. Hey. No more crying.”

Vanessa obediently wipes the tears away from under her eyes as she pulls away and gives Brooke a smile. Brooke meets and mirrors it, then leans in and kisses Vanessa gently on the forehead. When she pulls away again she seems shy as she laces their hands together. Vanessa is gazing gently at her. She’s never been closer to telling Brooke…

And then it sinks in all over again that Brooke is in full costume. And she’s had her makeup and hair done. Why would that have happened if she had taken the bye this week?

Vanessa frowns a little, confused. “So, uh. They give you a bye?”

Brooke nods. “They offered me one. Or they said I could dance it but with one of the other pros, so I said I’d just do that.”

“Oh,” Vanessa says before she can stop herself. Brooke’s words manage to hurt her even more than her leg already is.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, nothing. Of course you wanna dance it. You need to, you worked so hard on it,” Vanessa says quickly. Of course Brooke wants to do the dance. She’s on a competitive TV dancing show, what the hell else was she going to do? Did Vanessa really think she was going to turn around and say no? She tries to squash the feeling of being slowly eaten up inside. “So, uh. You’re dancing it. Who with?”

Vanessa’s heart sinks. Please don’t be-

“Plastique. She’s in makeup now. She was literally the first pro the producers grabbed; she walked past as we were having the conversation and they just asked her if she would do it. Had to teach her the whole thing in like, 45 minutes. You would’ve been proud of me.”

Of fucking course she’s dancing with her. Of course. Vanessa can still remember the way Plastique had looked at Brooke across the room on induction day, all interested and intrigued. Vanessa doesn’t want to be dramatic but this has to be up there with one of the worst days of her life. She can see Brooke looking at her and waiting for a response, so Vanessa just smiles tightly. She doesn’t trust herself to speak; she’ll either say something she’ll regret or she’ll simply cry.

“I know you probably just want to get home, but you could stay and watch in the green room? Blair and Scarlet have come to visit to watch Toni and Yvie. You could sit with them!” Brooke encourages her. Vanessa wants to say no- there is nothing she wants less than to watch Brooke dancing with someone else, especially if that someone else is Plastique, but Brooke’s expression is so hopeful and pleading that Vanessa just quietly nods.

“Amazing! I promise I won’t let you down,” she beams at her. There’s a producer shouting for her in the corridor so with that, Brooke gives Vanessa another hug and Vanessa wishes her good luck.

She’s gone, and so is a part of Vanessa.

But she’s said she’ll stay and watch her so Vanessa takes her ice and pillows and hobbles through to the green room, finds Blair and Scarlet sitting on the big sofa in front of the TV screen. They’re equal parts excited and sad to see Vanessa, fussing over her and her leg and distracting her with stories about life post-Strictly. Blair has been contacted by some up-and-coming makeup company looking to make her the face of their brand, and Scarlet’s been filming in between meeting up with Yvie for dates. It turns out the both of them had made connections with some of the girls, as Blair’s here for Vixen who she’s been texting non-stop since she left the show. Vanessa finds it odd the amount of things that have managed to go on right under her nose only for her not to notice, but she supposes she isn’t surprised given how up in the clouds her head’s been over Brooke.

The show begins. They prerecorded the pro dance this week, and it’s weird for Vanessa to watch herself dance across the screen. The whole thing is weird, really. She shouldn’t be watching the show at all. She should be on it, she should be there, live, dancing. The pro dance ends and Michelle comes out to introduce the judges and the couples. Before they all come down the stairs, she explains why Vanessa won’t be on the show that night. Hearing her say that she won’t be dancing makes her tear up all over again. Blair pats her shoulder and Scarlet squeezes her hand in support. Vanessa thinks she might cut off Scarlet’s blood circulation the moment she sees Brooke descend the stairs with Plastique, the two of them holding hands, waving to the audience and smiling at each other gently.

Vanessa’s got ages to wait until she can see Brooke dance and she spends every second stressing and fretting and worrying. She wants to be at home, to just go to sleep and wake up when her leg’s better and she can go back to dancing with her beautiful celebrity partner. Instead she’s here in a green room with a melting bag of ice under her leg watching Willam struggle through a Paso Doble, with a girl on either side of her wittering on about the object of their affections. So when it cuts to a VT that the editors have obviously hastily scraped together of Plastique gushing about how much she’s looking forward to dancing with Brooke and Brooke talking about how she’s nervous to dance with somebody new, Vanessa sits up straight on the sofa.

“Dancing the Creepy Commercial for their couples’ choice…Brooke Lynn Bites, and Plast-eek Tiara!”

Normally she’d crack at least a small smile at the ridiculous puns that get used for Halloween week, but Vanessa can’t draw her eyes away from the screen. There’s the both of them, and Plastique on her plinth, bevelling in her phone booth, about to dance with her partner.

The dance begins and Vanessa is on tenterhooks. The pair of them spring off their plinths, land perfectly and continue with the dance. Brooke is hitting every beat so well and it makes Vanessa proud, but there’s a point where Plastique freaks out beside her, doing something that entirely wasn’t choreographed. She’s obviously forgotten the dance. Vanessa bites her nails as she watches Brooke gently guide her into the next section and they pick it up from there. When the dance finishes, the audience lets out rapturous applause. Three of the judges are on their feet.

Vanessa feels like crying all over again.

The only saving grace is that Brooke hasn’t given Plastique the same kiss she normally reserves for Vanessa. She can hear Plastique apologising to her as they hug, and Vanessa grows irritated. This doesn’t ease up when they receive their comments and the judges give the pair of them glowing praise. And then they get their scores.

“Seven!”

“Nine!”

They’re the highest scores Brooke’s ever received, and she got them while dancing with Plastique.

Vanessa feels like storming off home but she can’t, not with her damn leg being the way it is, so she goes to chill in makeup for a while. The team there are nice- they’ll chat to her, take her mind off things, and they certainly won’t be as loved-up as Scarlet and Blair seem to be. She needs to not be around loved-up people right now. So it’s fitting, so fitting for the day she’s having, that the moment she walks into makeup there’s Jan sitting getting her foundation re-applied after her Jive with Jackie, who’s sitting on one of the couches having already finished her touch-ups. The pair of them are singing along to the song playing softly over the speakers, and neither of them notice her at first until she gives a hiss of pain, her knee not liking all the movement.

“Oh! Vanessa!” Jackie exclaims, sympathy in her kind eyes. “How’re you doing, babe?”

Vanessa doesn’t miss the way Jan’s eyes snap open involuntarily at the pet name, the makeup artists cursing and the eyeshadow brush creating a white glitter spot against Jan’s orbital bone. The cogs turn quickly in her brain- if Plastique and Brooke have just finished their dance, it’s likely they’ll be heading to makeup soon too. Vanessa’s not petty, but she’s only human; Brooke has made her jealous, and it wouldn’t be fair if she didn’t return the favour.

“Not great,” Vanessa pouts, sitting on the sofa beside her. “It’s really fuckin’ sore. Great job out there, though. You both killed it.”

“We did our best,” Jackie shrugs bashfully. Their Jive was a little undermarked this week- they’re all at the stage where anything under 30 is disappointing- so Vanessa knows a good tactic to get Jackie onside is to stroke her ego.

“Well, your best was amazing. Don’t beat yourself up,” she smiles at her, resting her hand on top of hers and patting it. She thinks Jackie might be blushing, but she’s honestly not sure (the green paint she’s got on in her witch costume makes it impossible to tell). Vanessa hams it up, hisses excessively in pain and grabs her calf. Jackie’s face twists into a concerned frown.

“Hey, have you ever had Reiki done before?” she asks. Vanessa shakes her head. Jackie perks up, clearly excited about whatever the fuck Reiki is. “I’m trained in it! I used to get it done so often and I loved it, so then I took a course and it’s what I did before I got into journalism. My parents said it wasn’t a real job, but…whatever, basically it’s energy healing transferred through palms. It can help with mental health or physical health. I could do some for you now, if you want! It might help things.”

Vanessa raises her eyebrows, nods a little. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll try anything at this point, they’re sayin’ this bitch could take up to six weeks to heal.”

Jackie tuts and motions for Vanesssa to put her leg up onto her lap. “Six weeks? No way. We’ve got to get you better for Brooke Lynn! Where’s it sore?”

Vanessa rubs the offending area on her calf and Jackie nods understandingly. She rubs her palms together to warm them up, places them both lightly against Vanessa’s bare calf. She leaves them there for a few moments before turning to Vanessa questioningly. “Any better?”

“A little, yeah!” Vanessa lies. Jan’s almost finished up in the makeup chair now and she can see her looking at the pair of them suspiciously.

“Jacks!” she calls over to her. Jackie looks up, smiles expectantly. She doesn’t take her hands off Vanessa’s leg. “Did costume not want to see you about that hem?”

“Oh shit, of course! Thanks, baby,” Jackie beams at her, then smiles apologetically at Vanessa. “Sorry, ‘Ness. I hope that helped, anyway! If you ever want more done, just hit me up anytime!”

“I will. Thanks, Jackie,” she smiles back. She’s a little annoyed that Brooke didn’t even come into makeup when her impromptu jealousy plan was put into place. Vanessa doesn’t have too much time to think about that, though, as Jan’s approaching her from the other side of the room, a fake smile on her face.

“Hey, Jan.”

“Hey, V!” she begins, the cheer injected into her tone but not quite meeting her eyes. “Uh…what was that all about?”

“What was what? Oh, that?” Vanessa frowns, looking at the doorway Jackie’s just disappeared out of. “Yeah, Jackie does Reiki apparently. Fuck knows what it is, but she wanted to try it out on me, so…”

“Um, cool!” Jan smiles, fiddling with the hem of her fluffy white dress a little awkwardly. “Hey would you mind, um…I mean…it was just kind of weird. That’s all. I don’t really appreciate you doing all that in front of me, you know?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Vanessa snorts a laugh. Then the penny well and truly drops- obviously the rumours about Jan and Jackie aren’t rumours at all. They’re facts. Jan rolls her eyes at her, laughs sardonically.

“Oh my God, have you been living under a rock? I thought me and Jackie were like, the worst kept secret of the season,” she gestures, as if everything had been so obvious. Vanessa supposes it was obvious, but she kind of has been living under a rock. Jan’s face drops in response to her blank expression. “Oh. You really didn’t know.”

“No.”

“Right.”

“Well, uh…” Vanessa begins. She shrugs. “Sorry, I guess.”

“No, it’s fine!” Jan backtracks kindly, visibly relieved. “I was just worried, you know, and obviously with you and Brooke Lynn…”

Vanessa screws her face up, confused. “Wait, what?”

Jan mirrors her facial expression. “Are you two not…?”

Vanessa puts two and two together and gets one million. She blushes furiously, can already feel her face hot. “Oh, uh…no. No we’re not…there’s nothing happening there.”

“Fuck, I am so sorry,” Jan grimaces, embarrassed. “I just assumed- you’re so close, and you’re always flirting, and near each other, and…”

Vanessa watches as Jan trails off. They’ve both managed to completely embarrass themselves, and Vanessa is about to open her mouth and mercifully end the conversation for the pair of them but Jan gets there first. “Guess I should go make sure Jackie isn’t Reiki-ing half of the damn costume department, huh?”

She gives a weak laugh which Vanessa politely joins in with. Before she leaves, she flashes her a smile.

“For the record, though-” Jan leans down to squeeze her hand, winks at her. “- you two would make an awesome couple.”

Jan’s turned her back and is leaving before Vanessa can even respond. She doesn’t even know what she’d say, truth be told. Her head is too packed, and she’s full of too many emotions. Vanessa decides she’s had enough of Elstree for one night, and she hobbles out of makeup and orders an Uber to take her home.

She’s half-asleep and tossing and turning in bed with her leg propped up on too many cushions when Brooke texts at roughly one in the morning.

B: Hey omg so sorry I didn’t text til now, tonight was just crazy! So sorry I never got to see you before you left but totally understandable, hope you’re feeling better? Idk if you got to see our dance or not but we got 34!!! Highest ever!!! Wish I could’ve been doing it with you but hope I made you proud. Sending loads of love xxx

The text should make Vanessa happy, make her feel reassured and warm and cared for, but all she can take from it is that Brooke had been too busy with Plastique to text her earlier, she hadn’t come to seek Vanessa out after her dance, and those high scores just twist the knife. Vanessa knows Brooke won’t have meant it like that but she’s still down about it, and she turns her phone over without replying and tries to get some sleep.

A new week comes after a day spent with her leg in a bucket of icy water, and Vanessa spends it sitting on the studio floor with her leg elevated and wondering why she’s there. Saturday night brought a shock of a dance-off- Yvie and Jaida against Shea and Peppermint- and in the end it had been the latter of the two couples that had to bow out when everyone was least expecting it. As a result, everyone is working even harder to make their dances perfect and stay in the competition. Vanessa watches Brooke rehearse with Plastique, watches them laugh together and hold each other and smile at each other. It’s been agreed that Plastique would choreograph their dance this week and Vanessa would attend rehearsals in case she was better and ready to dance it by Saturday. But she’s not taking any of it in, none of the steps, none of the twirls, because of course it’s their Viennese Waltz week and of course Plastique has picked the most emotional, heart-wrenching song to do it do, and as the pair of them glide across the floor with their bodies pressed together in hold Vanessa closes her eyes and listens to the lyrics and feels the tears bubble up under her eyelids with very little reason behind them.

“So it goes…one foot after the other, til black and white begins to colour in…”

But there is a reason. The reason is that Vanessa has connected with Brooke Lynn more than she’s connected with anyone else since Kameron, she knows her body without them even having so much as kissed, her heart lights up whenever Brooke smiles at her or flirts with her or even so much as texts her and she likes her, really fucking likes her, but now that’s all been thrown into a tailspin and as Brooke and Plastique gaze at each other while they dance, and as the music continues to play Vanessa feels as if her heart’s being ripped in two. She’s been distant with Brooke this week, damage limitation. Instead of laughing uproariously at her jokes she gives a small smile, instead of launching enthusiastically into conversation with her if she asks her a question she keeps her answers to a sentence and doesn’t follow up. There haven’t been any moments where it’s been just the two of them this week and she feels worse off for it. At times she can see Brooke looking at her with concern in her eyes, wondering if there’s something wrong, wondering if she’s done something to hurt or offend her.

She hasn’t, and that’s the worst part.

It gets to Saturday night again and Vanessa stays home to watch the show. She could’ve gone into the studios and sat in the audience, should’ve done so, but she couldn’t bring herself to see everything being danced out live in front of her and not be able to join in. She’s also seen Plastique and Brooke dance through their Viennese so often together that she doesn’t think she can face it live, in their dresses and full makeup and hair with the lighting and the band. She doesn’t know what she was expecting but watching them dance it on screen hurts equally as much, the camera focusing on the soft gazes they give each other and the way Brooke holds Plastique tight.

“I’ll bow out of place, to save you some space…for somebody new…”

Vanessa would’ve laughed at the irony of it all if she wasn’t so upset. She’s only got herself to blame. The fact she’s developed feelings for Brooke is ridiculous; she’s a walking cliché, developing a crush on your partner is like the Strictly equivalent of crushing on your roommate- it’s such a massive don’t, one that’ll only end in tears. When Vanessa thinks of all the couples that’ve come from the show, though- Shea and Sasha, one of the old dancers, Roberta, and that newsreader Alexis- it makes her feel a little bit bitter that she and Brooke didn’t work out. She supposes she’s giving up before she starts. She doesn’t really know her chance with Brooke is over, she shouldn’t give up, but as the judges’ comments drift into her stream of consciousness and she hears Kennedy complimenting Brooke and Plastique on “what amazing chemistry you both have together, so obvious and heartwarming!” she nearly throws the remote through the TV. She sends a text to the group chat she shares with Akeria and Monique, even though she knows they won’t receive it til after the show. Vanessa is sure they’re both fed up of hearing her mope about Brooke Lynn (they’ve had to put up with sad texts all week), but they’re cheaper than a therapist, so Vanessa hits send anyway.

V: this is so UNFAIR why do i need to watch Kennedy telling B and Plastique that they’re basically meant to be together???? :(((((((

A reply comes back from Akeria instantly. Vanessa supposes she’s just danced, having gone before the pair of them, and has got her phone while she gets her makeup retouched.

A: stop wallowing and just tell her how you feel already xo

But there’s no way Vanessa’s going to do that, not after the week she’s had and certainly not as she watches the TV and realises that Brooke and Plastique’s Viennese Waltz has earned them a score of 35. Brooke’s scores keep improving with Plastique as her partner. Maybe she’s just a better teacher than she is. She’s about to switch the TV off and have a self-indulgent cry (even though she should really keep the TV on so she can watch Monique’s dance and be a good friend) when her name makes her shoot her eyes up from her phone to the TV screen. Brooke’s looking into the camera.

“Vanessa, babe- I know she’s watching at home- that one was for you! Get better soon so we can dance together again, okay?”

Vanessa’s heart instantly jackknifes into the air. Brooke was dancing that for her, she wants to dance with her again, she called her babe on national television and oh my God the papers will have a field day with that but Vanessa doesn’t even care. She needed that validation and reassurance so badly. Looking down at her phone again, she opens up her messages with Brooke and is typing before she knows it.

V: dedicating that dance to me was real sweet of you. you did so well, i’m so proud of you, you’re killing it. seeing doctor tomorrow so will let you know how I get on. sorry i’ve been a lil distant this week xxx

When Vanessa wakes up the next day the reply is simply a series of love heart emojis, which both lifts her spirits and disappoints her. She can’t overthink for too long, though, as she’s got two messages from Monique that’re sitting unread as well.

M: fyi- Willam and Heidi danceoff, Heidi left xx

Vanessa frowns, disappointed. She got on really well with Heidi in her time on the show, and she kept everyone in stitches in dress rehearsals by whistling through her teeth (which drove the producers mad). Vanessa will miss her. She turns her attention to the next message, which has a blue link pasted into it.

M: also ur bae’s caused quite the stir with that cute lil pet name she used last night 👀

Vanessa frowns, feels herself blush as she clicks the link. It opens up on a Daily Mail article with the title, “Strictly 2020 star Brooke Lynn Hytes causes Strictly curse speculation” and Vanessa feels her stomach give a dip. The article talks about the shoutout Brooke gave her last night, the selfies and videos they both have posted on Instagram of their rehearsals. It also recaps the entire Kameron situation, at which point Vanessa clicks off the article. She texts Monique back and tells her to shut up, but the article has done nothing to lower the hopes she’s already got raised so high.

Vanessa tries to put all that out of her mind as she makes her way to her doctor’s appointment in the late November afternoon. The weather is cold and drizzly, and it’s dark outside even though it’s only four o’clock. She’s nervous and she’s desperately hoping they’ll tell her she can dance again. Vanessa has hardly moved all week, her calf resembles a vacuum-packed piece of meat with the compression bandages she’s used, and she’s sure that her leg is still so numb from the constant ice that she could get a six-inch needle shoved into her leg and wouldn’t feel a single thing. Her heart is in her mouth as the doctor rubs gel on her leg and runs the ultrasound scanner over it. The smile she gets in return sends her pulse racing in anticipation and hope.

“Well, it’s good news! You’re healing really well. This is the quickest I’ve seen a tear like this heal in a while, you must’ve done everything by the book!”

Vanessa wants to laugh. Her doctor doesn’t know the half of it. “So am I good to dance again?”

The doctor gives her another smile. “Since these pictures are looking so promising, I’m going to say yes.”

Vanessa wants to scream and cry all at the same time. It’s the happiest she’s been all week.

“But don’t overdo it! You don’t want to go flying back to square one. Take it easy for as long as you can. Don’t go high-kicking into any splits or whatever you dancers do.”

Vanessa frantically promises her doctor that she’ll take it as easy as is physically possible, promises herself internally that she’ll just mark everything for the majority of the week because she’ll take what she can get.

Six weeks? Kiss my ass.

She would’ve skipped out of the doctor’s surgery but that would’ve broken every promise she’s just made, so instead she walks calmly as she makes her way to the pro rehearsal and texts Brooke frantically.

V: i got the all clear to dance again!!!!!! see ya Monday!!!! Xxx

A reply comes back almost instantly that makes Vanessa way too happy.

B: !!!!!!!!!!!! The BEST news!!!!! So excited to see you xxx

It’s embarrassing but Vanessa almost wants to hold her phone to her chest like a lovestruck idiot. She is a lovestruck idiot. Her good mood is made even better by the cheer she gets when she arrives at rehearsal, the dancers all running to hug her and welcome her back. As Vanessa gently warms up and joins in with learning the group dance (marking it all and resolving to only perform it properly on Saturday), she can almost feel her heart singing. The only thing she’s missed more than Brooke is the dancing, and she’s so glad she gets to do what she loves best in the world again.

She doesn’t think her day can get any better, that is until rehearsal ends.

Jan and Jaida are the first girls to leave and they open the door, greet somebody, then turn immediately back into the room, their faces scheming.

“Vanessa?” Jaida shouts over to her, a little twinkle in her eye. “You gotta visitor.”

Vanessa’s confused and she’s pulling her jumper over her head so she can’t really see. It’s only when the other girls file out of the room and it’s completely empty that the visitor in question comes in, and Vanessa’s heart stops at what she sees.

It’s Brooke, and she’s holding a huge bouquet of flowers. Vanessa doesn’t quite know how to react- she knows she’s gone shy and red, and she doesn’t even want to assume the flowers are for her because that would really Mean Something if they were and God, the way Brooke is smiling at her, all nervous and reserved, is giving her way too many butterflies.

“Hey,” Brooke greets her, her voice all quiet. Vanessa laughs out of sheer relief of just being able to have her all to herself again, and she rushes forward to hug her. Brooke accepts gladly, and the two of them stand with their arms around each other and Vanessa holds her tightly as if to convey how much she’s missed her. They break the hug but they don’t let go, and they stay in each others’ arms as they talk.

“How come you’re here?” Vanessa asks her, her smile entirely too big and too happy but she can’t in any way help it. Brooke tucks some hair behind her ear then returns her hand to her waist.

“I wanted to see you,�� Brooke shrugs. Vanessa’s heart inflates so much it almost pops, an overfilled helium balloon that’s soaring up to the ceiling. Brooke removes her arms from Vanessa’s sides and holds out the flowers to her. “For a few reasons, really. The first one was to give you these- congratulations on getting better!”

Vanessa laughs, thanks her as she accepts the flowers. They’re beautiful- clusters of tiny purple flowers arranged amongst tall stems with yellow-orange petals wrapped in florist’s paper and a lilac ribbon. Brooke’s still talking to her as she’s examining them.

“And second of all-” Brooke holds up her phone. “I was wondering if you wanted to dance with me.”

Vanessa gives Brooke a funny look, still unable to stifle her smile. “I mean, sure, but you know we got rehearsal tomorrow?”

Brooke grins, crosses over to where Vanessa’s speakers are still plugged in and connects her phone. “Yeah, but…I never got to dance the Viennese with you, and I want to.”

Vanessa can feel tiny fireworks going off in her nerve endings. Or perhaps that’s just her pulse thudding through her veins with alarming intensity. Either way it’s intoxicating.

“Alright,” Vanessa shrugs, pretending it’s the most normal thing in the world. “I guess I could dance with you. Since, y’know, you came all this way.”

She sticks her tongue out and Brooke laughs, although even though she’s acting carefree Vanessa’s stomach is fluttering with nervousness as Brooke hits play on the song and the piano introduction rings out into the echoey silence of the room. She doesn’t know why she’s nervous, it’s just dancing- scratch that, she knows exactly why she’s nervous, and when Brooke stands ready to hold her Vanessa gives her a shy smile

“Just follow my lead.”

Vanessa snorts quietly. “Hark at Miss Celebrity.”

“Shush.”

Brooke leads her effortlessly and it only makes Vanessa’s sense of complete, all-consuming longing worse. She twirls under Brooke’s arm, marvelling in the way the girl makes her feel like a princess in a pair of sweatpants and a baggy gym top. She’s so infatuated and it’s dangerous, but Vanessa doesn’t care.

“You can have Manhattan, the one we used to share…the one where we were laughing, and drunk on just being there…”

The choreography falls away and they slip into just swaying, Vanessa resting her head against Brooke’s chest. The chords of the song reverberate off the walls of the rehearsal room and Vanessa doesn’t know why, but tears start forming in her eyes. Maybe it’s the relief of everything being back to normal again, maybe it’s the sadness of the song, maybe it’s the happiness of Brooke doing all these sweet things for her. The tears roll down her face silently as she clings to Brooke, and Brooke doesn’t notice she’s even upset until presumably she feels her tears begin to seep through the black t-shirt she’s wearing. She steps out of hold and Vanessa looks to the floor, can’t bear to face her with tears in her eyes.

“Hey, hey, hey. What’s wrong?”

Brooke gently tilts Vanessa’s chin up with her fingers so that their eyes are level. Her gaze is gentle and kind and all at once the safest place Vanessa has known. Quickly and suddenly Vanessa leans in and bridges the gap between them, and before she can overthink things she’s meeting Brooke’s lips with her own just like she’s wanted to all these weeks. She’s got a hand on either side of Brooke’s face, her touch urgent just like her kiss, and as good as her lips feel it hits Vanessa with a sobering clarity that Brooke isn’t kissing back oh God why isn’t she kissing back-

And it’s just as this thought hits her that Brooke gently tugs herself away, frowns at Vanessa with concern and sweeps away a tear from under her eyelid. “Vanessa…”

Vanessa feels sick. So many thoughts are running around her mind, but in her vast panic she immediately latches onto three of them.

1: Brooke didn’t kiss her back.

2: Brooke broke away from the kiss.

3: She needs to get out of this room before she humiliates herself any further.

Brooke hasn’t stopped holding her which she supposes is a good sign but she can’t focus on that now. She wriggles out of Brooke’s arms, ignoring her protestations and blindly snatching up the flowers Brooke gave her (she’ll later realise she forgot both her speakers and her jumper). Trying to stop the tears of embarrassment that are now streaming down her face, she dashes quickly to the door.

“Fuck…V, wait-” Brooke urges, but Vanessa doesn’t. Brooke doesn’t follow her and she’s glad of it as she bursts out of the studio and down the corridor towards the exit.

The closing chords of the song that’s still playing ring in her ears in harmony with Brooke’s pleas, and it’s the worst kind of music Vanessa has ever heard.

#rpdr fanfiction #ortega #bet you look good on the dancefloor #strictly au #lesbian au #branjie #vanessa vanjie mateo #brooke lynn hytes #plastique tiara #jan sport #jackie cox #monique heart #akeria davenport #jaida essence hall #background jankie

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thisdaynews · 4 years

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Amotekun Comment: South-West Governors Back Tinubu

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/amotekun-comment-south-west-governors-back-tinubu/

Amotekun Comment: South-West Governors Back Tinubu

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• APC national leader takes neutral position on operation • Tinubu ’ s statement lacks substance , says Yoruba umbrella group • Former Lagos governor made objective observations – Akeredolu

South -West governors and the apex Yoruba socio -political group, Afenifere, on Wednesday differed on the All Progressives Congress leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu ’ s position on the Western Nigerian Security Network, Operation Amotekun . The governors commended the former Lagos State governor and promised to look into the issues he raised , but Afenifere hit Tinubu hard , saying his statement lacked substance . After almost three weeks of silence on the launching of Amotekun, Tinubu on Wednesday made his position known on the security outfit, which was launched by the South- West governors in Ibadan on January 9. Afenifere chieftains , Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Senator Femi Okurounmu , had , in a report published by Sunday PUNCH on January 19, challenged Tinubu to speak on the security outfit , which the Attorney General of the (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); Federation , Abubakar Malami , on Thursday last week declared illegal . Tinubu takes neutral position on Amotekun But Tinubu , in a statement he personally signed, took a neutral position on Amotekun. His position is at variance with the Nobel laureate , Prof. Wole Soyinka ; Ohanaeze Ndigbo and prominent lawyers, who lauded the initiative . Tinubu blamed both the South -West governors and Malami for the controversy the matter had generated . The APC leader, who is rumoured to be nursing a presidential ambition , said the intentions of the governors were good but the manner with which Amotekun was being set up was wrong. The former governor of Lagos State criticised Malami for issuing a statement condemning the initiative when he could have simply reached out to them and handled it internally and more amicably . He added, “ The governors stated that they consulted regularly with the police and security agencies. This was the right thing to do. However , their failure to include the office of the attorney general in these discussions is the fount of the current public uproar. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); This was an unfortunate omission the governors should regret and seek to remedy. However , the conceptual merits and positive functional aspects of Amotekun should not be tainted by this procedural defect . “ While the Attorney General is a conscientious public servant, he is also human . Not having been consulted, he was suddenly faced with an unexpected public announcement regarding a matter within his official ambit. He likely feared the failure to consult him meant that federal prerogatives were being encroached. To blame him for this conclusion would be to blame human nature itself . Though his negative reaction was understandable, it was also unhelpful . “ The Attorney General acted hastily in rendering a public statement that was more inaccurate than it should have been . Amotekun was never proposed as a ‘defence ’ agency ; the Attorney General erred in using this description . The use of uniform and brightly coloured vehicles may not be the best ideas, but they do not render Amotekun a defence agency or paramilitary group any more than a designated school van carrying uniformed students constitutes a paramilitary deployment .” The APC chieftain said Amotekun was a laudable initiative, but needed some operational and conceptual modifications or else it would fail. Tinubu wrote , “ As I understand it, Amotekun is to be another set of eyes and ears to assist the police . As such, it is but the second generation of Neighbourhood Watch expanded to a regional scale . Conceptually , there is nothing wrong with this . It does not appear to insult the constitution. “ However , my position regarding Amotekun is not blind or uncritical; there are several organisational and functional aspects of the proposal that could cause some problems if left unresolved .” Tinubu said Amotekun should have been fashioned to the peculiarities of each state rather than having a regional structure . He (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); stated that the regional approach had only limited benefit with regard to the procurement and maintenance of vehicles and communications equipment because this wider approach allows for economies of scale. Why I was silent initially – Tinubu Responding to those who criticised his silence, Tinubu said as the national leader of the APC , he could not make statements without circumspection . He added, “ Until now, I have deliberately maintained a studied silence regarding Amotekun. Many have tried to goad my swift public reaction . Those who have taken this road did so not because they care about Amotekun or even the people it intends to help protect . They did so knowing this had become a delicate and emotional issue for many. These cynics did so with the adversarial hope that , in haste, I might (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); misspeak or misstep in a manner they could twist to their political advantage . “ Such people are possessed of a mercenary aspect that permits them to sacrifice almost anything , even jeopardise the very foundations of our political unity, if they might exact personal gain from the upheaval . ” He said in the coming days , he would meet with the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu ( SAN) , who is also the Chairman, South-West Governors’ Forum, on how best to implement the Amotekun initiative . Tinubu made objective observations – Akeredolu Reacting to Tinubu ’ s statement, the Akeredolu, commended him . The (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); governor , who spoke through his Special Adviser on Security , Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, said it was commendable for Tinubu to have broken silence on the issue . He said , “ We have to commend our leader, Asiwaju Tinubu , for his comments. As a leader who loves his people, he has made objective observations in his statement . “ In the comment he could see that the Operation Amotekun can never be a threat to the unity of the country and that the people of the South-West needed to be protected by their governors . Also , all other issues he pointed out in the statement would be looked into . Buy he has spoken well.” Ogun agrees with Asiwaju’ s stand on Amotekun Also, the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, said he did not disagree with the submission made by the ex -Lagos governor. The Special Adviser to governor on media, Mr Remmy Hassan , in an interview with one of our correspondents, said , “ We in Ogun State support every agenda that promotes peace , security and welfare of the South -West people, including Operation Amotekun.” The Director General of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, Seye Oyeleye , on his part, said mischief- makers who could not assist the South -West in the wake of security challenges ravaging it, were behind opposition to Amotekun. He allayed fears that Amotekun would be against an ethnic group , saying it would serve the interest of all ethnic groups resident in South -West . Oyeleye said this during a programme aired by a private radio station, Rave FM in Osogbo.

Tinubu’ s comment warmly received – DAWN DAWN (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); ’s Head, Special Projects and Funding, Prince Adetayo Adeleke -Adedoyin, said the comment of Tinubu on Operation Amotekun was well conceived and warmly taken . In a telephone conversation with our correspondent, Adeleke -Adedoyin said , “ Asiwaju ’ s comment on Operation Amotekun is welcomed . He is from the region and he is a national leader also . ” Ekiti State Commissioner for Information , Aare Muyiwa Olumilua , reiterated the state Governor, Kayode Fayemi’ s position that Amotekun was established to enhance security in the South- West . Olumilua said , “ Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is entitled to his opinion just like any other person. But I stand firmly by every single detail of what Governor Kayode Fayemi had said as regards Amotekun. “ Amotekun does not in any way violate the constitution. It is just a way of further strengthening the security architecture in the South -West . Nothing more ” , the commissioner said . Ex -Lagos gov’ s statement lacks substance – Afenifere But the Afenifere dismissed the statement by the former Lagos State governor , saying it lacked substance. It (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); said Tinubu spoke in a forked tongue , adding that his statement failed to defend the decision taken by his kinsmen to defend themselves against marauders . The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, in an interview with The PUNCH, recalled how the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd.) , visited the then Oyo State Governor, Lam Adesina , to protest the alleged killing of his kinsmen . He said , “ Maybe , he ( Tinubu ) should have kept quiet. This is not the time to speak in a forked tongue . What is the reason ? You are afraid of Buhari ? “ In 2001 , when there was a crisis between herdsmen and farmers, what did Buhari do ? He went to Ibadan and told Governor Lam Adesina ‘ your people are killing my people . ’ “ In 2013, what did Buhari do? He told President Goodluck Jonathan you can ’t declare amnesty for Niger Delta militants while killing Boko Haram . Attack against Boko Haram is an attack against the North. “ We are being killed for months, our women are being raped . Now, our governors are taking a token measure to secure our people . At this point, if you can’ t speak for the people, it is better to keep quiet. We are not impressed.” Also, an Afenifere leader , Adebanjo , said Tinubu only came out to react because of his aspiration to be President in 2023 . Adebanjo, (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); who obviously disagreed with Tinubu ’ s position , said the APC National Leader would not say anything that would contradict the position of Buhari.

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yeoldontknow · 7 years

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ayo bae it’s time to get lit~

what follows below is an introduction (attack) post for @igot7bangtanbaes, who has dipped her toe into the EXO water and now i would like to drown her. :3

as light of my life Kim Junmyeon once said:

LET’S GET HEATED

when EXO debuted, there originally were 12 members and they were divided into two subgroups: EXO-K and EXO-M. three members have left, so now we are left with an OT9 (but i still cherish the hell out of the past three members, they are important). eight of the members are korean and only one is chinese, so now it is time to meet your new kings. going youngest to oldest (and also because you seem hella hyped for sehun so imma start there)

Oh Sehun

the king of hearts (everyone’s heart tbh)

Name: Oh Sehun

Stage Name: Sehun

DOB: April 12, 1994

Position: (1/2) main rapper, (1/3) lead dancer, occasional vox (least we forget when he sang baek’s part in I Sing For You??)

facts as stated in the GC: maknae of the group, but also a model like he’s a prince from a different time. he often models for louis vuitton and has had spreads in vogue and marie claire, and like...he’s a king. actually, he is the lord to a small plot of land in scotland because his fans are The Most Extra and bought him goddamn Title for his birthday i cannot even. loads of people think he’s really cold and kinda stand-offish because he has the strongest resting bitch face, but he is The Biggest Softie and so Sweet. once got injured during a tour and cried, not because he couldn’t perform or that it hurt but, because he absolutely did not want to let his fans down and felt horrible. dog dad to Vivi, a white fluff made of joy. if you throw vivi replica plushies on stage at him, he will make it a point to collect them all like they are pokemon. dances like an actual rent boy and is overall, an Excellent Bias (im 90% sure this is where you will live but imma keep going to be sure).

Kim Jongin

the king of hell

Name: Kim Jongin

Stage Name: Kai

Birthday: January 14, 1994

Position: (2/3) lead dancer; rapper; vox; visual

a devil/demon here to wreck your life and smile while doing it. tbh, jongin aka nini and kai are two very different people. jongin is a soft boy. he has a silly low laugh that vibrates through his whole body and turns his mouth into a massive circle. he gets shy super easily and is always smiling. loves teddy bears, flower crowns, and fried chicken. is father to three dogs that he calls his children (no subs here just look at the smiles and cry a lot). kai on the other hand is just a torpedo of sexual tension and muscles on his abs where i didn’t know muscles could be. will smirk at you and watch with a grin as you light on fire in the aftermath. once danced so hard he destroyed his shoe. moves his hips like its a gun and you are his target. studied dance for years because that’s all he wants to do, is best friends with SHINee’s taemin. recently started acting because LOOK AT HIS FACE?? like, wow so beautiful. he is art. also super proud of how dark his skin is, which is considered v-dark culturally in korea and hopes that his children will have his skin tone, what a babe.

DO Kyungsoo

the king of souls

Name: DO Kyungsoo

Stage Name: D.O

Birthday: January 12, 1993

Position: main vocalist

nicknamed satansoo because he takes no shit and always looks like he’d happily kill a man if it meant he could have one day of peace. very close with jongin, has a large soft spot for him (jongin may be the only person soo hasn’t actively wanted to slap). called satansoo but actually a Soft Boy; domestic AF. boy cooks (often cooks for the members), loves to read, routinely dates himself, and is very humble and kind. has a smile that can light up the earth with the force of its power. sings like an angel but is also seductive like a demon. rich chocolate vocal tones and a soft speaking voice, amazing actor. out here winning awards for his acting in recent films like boy!!

Park Chanyeol

the king of the chogidab

Name: Park Chanyeol

Stage Name: Chanyeol

Birthday: November 27, 1992

Position (under me): (2/2) main rapper; vocalist; the voice of exo; songwriter!!!; general overall talent

i will do my absolute best to keep this brief. this boy is my ult and i could wax poetic about him until the inevitable heat death of the universe. part of the beagle line with baekhyun and jongdae, cannot sit still nor control his limbs. generally is the no dance line but tries His Best and is so adorable while doing it. might not be able to dance well but does literally everything else. piano? you got it. guitar? he literally played radiohead. moog synthesizer? bought one because he could and thought it would be cool. vocals? allow me to show you his soundcloud. please live and die here. writes songs, is working his way through the athletic alphabet, raps like A Man, famously said ‘you lovin’ the size.’ once said ‘i’m yours’ on a radio station and the entire country got pregnant. overall soft boy who looks like it hurts to laugh, like it causes him physical pain to keep joy inside. amazing with kids.

Kim Jongdae

the king of smiles

Name: Kim Jongdae

Stage Name: Chen

Birthday: May 6, 1992

Position: main vocalist

A TRUE KING OK. part of the beagle line with PCY and baekhyun. when he smiles his face is literally :} = has The Best Mouth. doesn’t think junmyeon is very funny but is simultaneously really soft for him, and will usually be among the first to praise him. is actually married to minseok - super close and have the most beautiful friendship. a literal actual ball of energy, loud as shit, and usually yelling WHY?? when he has no liquid left in his body and is sweating out his soul, he will still scream. insanely strong, stable vocals. i repeat: insanely. strong. vocals. also, coming hard for dance-line. part of EXO sub unit EXO-CBX with baekhyun and minseok.

Byun Baekhyun

king of hoeing (idk ask @kpopfanfictrash)

Name: Byun Baekhyun

Stage Name: Baekhyun

Birthday: May 6, 1992

Position: main vocalist; also coming for the dance line

proudly gets to hold the position of tallest member of EXO-CBX. auditioned at the same time as jongdae and is know for his enthusiastic dancing. jongin once said that when he saw baek dancing it was a mess, and baek confirmed this by saing ‘it looked like mollusks dancing.’ body is double jointed and when he extends his arms it, they look like lightning bolts; thinks this might also be a disease but is ok with it. voice of literal, actual angels. looks better in smoky eye makeup than most models and is king of selfies. literally taught fans how to take a selfie. once was on instagram live and made me stare at a damn wall for 30 minutes before playing yixing’s solo album.

Zhang Yixing

king of the entire universe

Name: Zhang Yixing

Stage Name: Lay

Birthday: October 7, 1991

Position: (3/3) lead dancer; vocalist; light of everyone’s life

even if you aren’t a soft person, you are soft for yixing. it’s one of the laws of the universe, you will always be soft for him. im going to raise an unpopular opinion and announce that i often find i prefer watching yixing dance over everyone else. when his body moves, it’s perfect into a literal art and i cry every time. the last remaining chinese member of EXO and must be protected at. all. costs. was a child actor in china before wanting to become an idol. if he could play any character in a movie, he’d like to play a dinosaur or the villain. was once told that if he wanted to improve his korean he needed to get a girlfriend. writes his own songs and plays guitar. his solo debut was the highest sales of a solo album in south korea, can you even believe. generally made of sunshine and light and love and MUST BE PROTECTED.

Kim Junmyeon

king of money

Name: Kim Junmyeon

Stage Name: Suho

Birthday: May 22, 1991

Position: leader of EXO; vocalist

trained the longest of any member! trained for seven (7) years before making his debut with EXO, resulting in him training with most of SHINee. makes awful dad jokes and has an oddball sense of humour, but we cherish him anyway. secretly keeping abs beneath his soft tee shirts. nicknamed junmoney because he treated a lot of the members in their early days when they didn’t have money, and now they all think he’s rich. the doorman at his apartment calls him Handsome Man. messiest member but also among the most humble. always makes sure to thank everyone at awards ceremonies, refusing to leave anyone who helped them out. great at math. has a solo song called curtain that literally brought me and most of the people i know to tears within the first 90 seconds.

Kim Minseok

king of kitties

Name: Kim Minseok

Stage Name: Xiumin

Birthday: March 26, 1990

Position: vocals; sometimes rap; moving up on the dance line

oldest member of EXO while simultaneously refusing to age. honestly, he has not aged at all. he might be a wizard. hugely popular in korea and is also holding abs of steel beneath his soft tee shirts. member of EXO subunit EXO-CBX. literally can rock any hair colour. currently getting his Ph.D and will be called Doctor Kim, i die. a general soft boy who is also a cat, but WILL WRECK YOU. boy is a pimp and will come for your ass if he detects even a moment of weakness.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY GIRL.

#exo for tyler #why did this take so long and its still not even that great #im so tired

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mediaismypassion · 5 years

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11/03-17/03

During this week I watched:

1. Fleabag (2019) Series 2, episode 1, BBC Three Television, 4 March. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p071bk3f/fleabag-series-2-episode-1 (Accessed: 11 March 2019).

2. ‘Gypsy Kids Taken from Home’ (2018) Stacey Dooley Investigates, BBC One Television, 24 July. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05x5rh4 (Accessed: 14 March 2019).

3. ‘Second Chance Sex Offenders’ (2018) Stacey Dooley Investigates, BBC Three Television, 31 July. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05tjbkp (Accessed: 15 March 2019).

4. Stacey Dooley on the Front Line: Girls, Guns and Isis (2017) BBC One Television, 17 January. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04f26sh (Accessed: 17 March 2019).

5. Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-up Star (2019) Series 1, episode 2, BBC Three Television, 13 March. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0720g1m (Accessed: 13 March 2019).

My main responsibilities during the Glasgow Short Film Festival 2019 as a Font of House Assistant was similar to the main festival:

communicate with the festival audience;

check tickets;

help with any issues relating to screening and tickets.

Throughout Glasgow Short Film Festival 2019 I saw a diverse selection of genre, format and length short films from all over the world. There are no boundaries or strict laws for short films. Every short film is a unique experience that responds quickly to current events and pressing topics. For me, as a storyteller, these films will always be as an example to be creative, original and brave professional in the industry.

During the Glasgow Short Film Festival 2019 I saw:

1. Caucasus (2018) Directed by Laurynas Bareisa [Film]. Lithuania.

Tekle and her daughter Ema return from abroad to visit Dalia, Tekle’s mother. When Ema goes out to walk her dog, Dalia fears something terrible might happen to her granddaughter and starts looking for her.

2. Vassileia (2018) Directed by Anastasia Kratidi [Film]. Greece.

Vassileia has lost her father, she is about to lost her home but she still has her job. Working keeps her active and it gives her the sense of stability she needs. She soldiers on in silence.

3. Three Stories Inside A Rental Van (2018) Directed by Lewis Attey [Film]. Australia.

The life of a white rental van is told via the different people who hire it.

4. Liminality&Communitas (2018) Directed by Laura Rantanen [Film]. Finland.

After sundown, a man walks the motorway verges, gathering roadkill. An investigation of the border between life and death, and the edges of the manmade world.

5. Dogma (2018) Directed by Francesco Rufini [Film]. UK.

Exploring dog-lovers’ obsession and their life inside the bubble of dog shows. How far do we go in striking for success - and who do we become?

6. Ululation (2018) Directed by Carina Haouchine [Film]. UK.

A filmmaker from Scotland tries to understand what it means to be between two cultures by spending time with the woman in her Algerian family.

7. Just Agree Then (2018) Directed by Ross Hogg, Duncan Cowles [Film]. UK.

In August 2018, seven months before the UK is due to leave the EU, two stubborn Scottish filmmakers struggle to make a short film together in the Austrian Alps.

8. My Loneliness is Killing Me (2018) Directed by Tim Courtney [Film]. UK.

Two men, each lonely in their own way, hook-up for a brief but revealing sexual encounter.

9. Whole (2018) Directed by Slava Doytcheva [Film]. Bulgaria.

A wedding. A girl. A closet. And the choice to be made once and for all - against the current or against herself.

10. Jujuba (2018) Directed by Shun Ikezoe [Film]. Japan.

Th shiny red skin of jujube brings back vague memories of my former step-mother. That time is recreated on expired 8 mm colour reversal film. The expiration date if the film used is the same year that she walked out on us.

11. Doppelgänger (2018) Directed by Michaela Taschek [Film]. Austria.

It's Friday 13th and the moon is full when Erich Taschek dies in his bathroom. But was this truly the moment when the filmmaker’s father disappeared from her life? Or had he already left twenty four years earlier, replaced by a doppelgäneger?

12. A is for Artist (2018) Directed by Ayo Akingbade [Film]. UK.

Following a tragedy, a young woman assembles photos from her father's archive to encourage her pursuit of being an artist.

13. I Don't See Myself Being Old (2018) Directed by Martina Juncadella [Film]. Argentina.

Jaki lives with her parents and two poodles. She writes poetry and sells street food. One day, she thinks of a new text, and while writing it, her ideas start ti mix with her own life.

14. Everything is Far Away (2018) Directed by Emanuel Parvu. Romania.

A mother and her younger don travel a long distance to pay a surprise birthday visit to his older brother. But he doesn't show up.

15. Video Home System (2018) Directed by Sharlene Bamboat [Film]. Canada.

Tracing the convergence of popular culture and politics in Pakistan during the 1980s and 1990s, this video explores how bootleg economies kept the cinema industry alive during periods of censorship.

16. Flora (2018) Directed by Chaerin Im [Film]. USA.

Uncanny sculptures of vagina and penis-like flowers question the connotations of gender and sexuality, the awkwardness of division.

17. III (2018) Directed by Marta Pajek [Film]. Poland.

A woman and a man meet in a waiting room, get closer to each other and soon their game begins.

18. Those Progressive Meats (2017) Directed by Minoru Karasube[Film]. Japan.

A twenty-five-year-old self-styled hermit who believes that he had achieved enlightenment tries to neutralise people’s desire.

19. Self Destructive Boys (2018) Directed by Andre Santos [Film]. Portugal.

Three boys in their mid-twenties test the limits of their sexual flexibility. This film is built on an edge: the ambiguity of human relationships. Boys will always be boys.

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fanscribbling · 7 years

Text

Terra Nova

(Moodboard by the amazing @yourtropegirl :) )

The story is now complete! Below the cut you will find the entirety of Terra Nova in one easy-to-access post! You guys are the best, my first long fic experience in this community was pretty incredible! <3 Thanks again to @outside-the-government for the amazing prompt :)

Pairing: Reader X Bones

Words: 17,207

Warnings: Swearing, descriptions of childbirth, descriptions of explosions, tension, secondary character death

Tagging: @medicatemedrmccoy, @outside-the-government, @kilismaiden, @gerardwayisapotato, @yourtropegirl, @imaginativefanatic, @flowerfairies101, @arcticbubby, @oxymoroniccat, @phanofmanythings and @loverbug1123. Let me know if you want to be tagged in my future posts :)

Permanent Tags: @malindacath, @sharpestsatire

Part One: New Town

“Captain’s Log, Stardate 2285.4. We are orbiting an unknown planet, which lies beyond Starfleet’s updated star charts. I’ve elected to call it ‘Surak’, because it looks peaceful, but it appears there’s turbulence under the surface. Plus I’m 99% certain it will annoy Mr. Spock, a fringe benefit of being Captain.”

“Captain, I am incapable of experiencing annoyance.”

“I amend my statement. I am 100% certain it annoys Mr. Spock. Regardless, we have detected a Starfleet medical distress signal coming from this planet, which - according got our sensors - currently houses humanoid life with a culture distinctly similar to early 21st century Earth. To limit possible disruption, I am only sending Dr. McCoy and security officer Y/l/n to the planet’s surface. They are scheduled to report back in one hour.”

Pressing the button to end recording, Kirk looked out at the slowly rotating planet, the red land gleaming in sunlight. You and Bones were down there somewhere. It was the right call but still, he hated not being on the away mission. Drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair, Kirk realized it was useless.

“Mr. Spock, you have the con.” rising from his seat, Kirk moved to leave the bridge. Maybe if he practiced some more he could finally get that nerve pinch to work.

“I swear to God Jim did this.”

Looking down in disgust, Bones stuck a finger through a large tear in the left leg of his jeans. “How the Hell am I supposed to treat a patient in these? One bend and they’re gone!”

Smiling to yourself at his words, you let your eyes move to the trees that surrounded you as they swayed softly in the cool breeze, heavy with the promise of rain.

“Of course he did,” you replied, not taking your eyes off the scenery. “Did you expect him to miss a chance like this?” You toyed with the edges of your own costume - a loose chiffon top with white pants. White pants - yeah those were going to be dirty in two seconds flat.

“Why couldn’t it have been Victorian,” Bones grumbled, moving to your side. “At least I look good in a suit.”

“But why have that,” you retorted, pushing the image from your mind, “when your legs could look like a smurf threw up?” You finally turned to look at him, grinning, and he smirked back at you.

“All right smart-ass, we’d better get on. You ready to become Mrs. McCoy?”

You felt something jump in your stomach, but as usual you ignored it. You took his arm and leaned into his side, batting your eyelashes. “Let’s go darlin’.”

His eyebrow quirked as you laughed, and although he tried to stop it, you could see the corner of his mouth twitch upwards. Feeling the first few drops of rain, you opened your umbrella, and the pair of you moved quickly down the road, towards a small sign labeled ‘New Town’.

The back lanes were just as densely wooded as the spot where you’d beamed down. It had been at least half an hour since you started walking, but you’d seen nothing at all - no animals, no people, and certainly no town.

“I don’t know if I like this Y/n,” Bones said, his voice low and tight. “Scotty said he’d placed us close to the beacon. This doesn’t seem - ”

In one move you’d released his arm, pulled your phaser from your back pocket, and stepped in front of the doctor. You’d both seen it, that flash of colour behind one of the trees.

“Hello?” You called into the empty lane, trying to hide your phaser and keep up the act. “Is anyone there?”

There was a small scuffling sound.

“My name is Mrs. McCoy, and with me is my husband Leonard. He’s a doctor - we heard that there was someone hurt here, and since we live close by, we thought we’d come and -”

“The doctor!”

You tensed automatically as a man’s smiling face appeared, followed quickly by the rest of his body as he stepped out from behind the tree and bounded over to you. “Oh thank God. I’m so sorry - can’t be too careful around these parts!” Taking your hand in his the man grinned at you, his teeth and hair shockingly white against the darkness of his skin.

“I’m a doctor, yes,” Leonard replied, brow furrowed. “As we said, we heard something -”

“Yes, yes,” the man waved away the explanation, “I know the story. They’ll all be so glad you’re here. Follow me!” Without another word he took off down the road, walking briskly. Exchanging a silent look, you and Bones followed him.

The lane snaked onward until you began to see the dark outlines of wooden houses bloom out of the foliage. With them, you heard the quiet hum of generators, just like on the Enterprise. Immediately, you felt your stomach relax.

“Tanya!” Your guide called, running forward to meet a tall woman with dark hair that ran in knots over her scalp. “He’s here, the doctor!”

Turning her hazel eyes on you both, she grinned along with the man. “Truly? We’re so glad you’ve come, welcome to New Town Dr -?”

“McCoy,” Bones answered, moving forward to shake her hand. “And this is my wife, Y/n.”

“A pleasure,” Tanya replied, shaking your hand in turn. “I am Tanya, and this is my husband, Ayo.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself before,” Ayo said. “We were just so anxious to have you here.”

“How did you even know-” Bones began, then stopped himself. “Never mind that now, we heard someone was hurt.”

Tanya and Ayo looked at each other. “Not hurt, exactly-”

“Not hurt?” You could hear his frustration growing, and placed a steadying hand on Bones’ arm. “What do you mean?”

“We were told this was an emergency situation.” you rejoined.

“It could be!” Ayo said, eyes wide. “We don’t know, it’s just -”

“Wendy’s pregnant,“ Tanya cut him off. “We’ve never had to deal with this before!”

“You sent out a priority one distress signal!”

“Bones!”

With your shout all talk died. A small, wistful smile crept onto Tanya’s face. “We knew it would be Starfleet. Is it Enterprise?”

“What-” both you and Bones started to say, but Ayo jumped in.

“Yes, Enterprise! Ha ha ha, it’s a little game we have here! The town you came from must have been called Enterprise!”

He was still grinning, but now instead of feeling welcomed, a shiver ran through you.

“Oh yes!” Tanya laughed along with him, the sound harsh and false. “Was I right?”

“Yes.” you said slowly.

“Did you send the beac-”

“Come with us, we’ll show you to the patient!” Ayo cut Bones off, grabbing his hand and moving towards the nearest house.

“Okay!” Bones said, wresting his hand from Ayo’s grasp and rubbing at his wrist. “We just have to - call home first.”

At Bones’ words, Tanya’s smile relaxed slightly. “Go right ahead Doctor!”

Bones sent her an exasperated look, then took out his communicator. “Dr. McCoy to Enterprise Township. Come in Enterprise.”

The communicator was silent for a moment, then a slow, low hissing leaked out of the speakers. As it lingered, a staccato melody began to weave itself into the sound.

“Let me try.” you took the communicator from Bones’ hand, noting that the dials had somehow changed position. Turning the knob, you pressed the small green button. “Mrs. McCoy to Enterprise Township. Enterprise come in.”

“Spock here… Mrs. McCoy.” came the Vulcan’s cool voice.

“Checking in on the hour. Nothing here to alarm- we’ll keep you informed.”

“Have you located the emergency?”

“Not an emergency after all Spock,” Bones piped up, leaning in. “Turns out one of their number is pregnant, and they’re concerned. I know it’s a misuse of the-” he looked over at you briefly, “the phone call, but they seem very worried. I’d like to stay to ensure everything goes to plan, and find out who called in the first place.”

“You are correct regarding the phone call doctor. However, if you wish to remain that is within your jurisdiction.”

“Thank you Spock,” you said, “we’ll check in again soon. McCoy out.”

You flipped the communicator closed and handed it back to Bones, who smirked at you. “Enjoyed that, did you?”

“Immensely.”

A scream echoed through the small street, and all four of you jumped.

“Lead me to her!” McCoy ordered, and the three of them took off towards the nearest house. You lingered for a moment longer, taking in the row of uniform houses, and the eerily silent street.

“Help us.”

The hairs on the back of your neck stood up. Looking around for the source of the whisper, you saw a young girl walk past your left shoulder, long blonde hair blowing. As she moved down the road she turned back to look at you, her eyes almost as wide as her grin.

Part Two: Grasp

“OW.”

“I know, I just need you to breathe Wendy. Look at me.”

Wendy’s blue eyes latched onto yours, tears making them gleam. You tightened your grip on her hand and gave her a determined smile. “You’re doing so great, so great.”

“She’s right,” Bones agreed, brow furrowed as he concentrated on Wendy’s stomach. “You’re doing very well. You won’t have another pain for a time now.”

Standing up, Bones removed his gloves and smiled down at the pair of you. “The little one’s on the way, but you’ve a while to wait, I’m afraid,” He glanced up at Tanya. “Are there people who can stay with her?”

“Yes,” she replied. “Mike of course- her husband - and Judy’s already staked a claim.”

“Good,” Bones motioned to you, and you stood, giving Wendy’s hand a squeeze. He knelt down by Wendy’s side. “It’s going to be a long time before I’m needed back, would you mind if my wife and I looked around a bit? Judy or Mike can comm us if anything changes.”

“Of course,” Wendy nodded, smiling back ruefully. “It’s going to be fun.”

He laughed with her, changing places with a petite, red-haired woman who immediately began chatting cheerfully. Following Ayo and Tanya outside you met a nervous looking man, who you could only assume was Mike. Giving him a clap on the shoulder, Ayo let him pass.

“Is there anything in particular you’d like to see?” Ayo asked as your small group reached the main street.

“Everything- I mean, what else is there?” You said eagerly.

“Well, there’s really not too much -” Ayo began, but broke off as he heard his name. You turned to see a couple walking towards you, one a shorter woman with a round face and cropped black hair, and the other a few inches taller than her, with an easy smile. The taller woman was waving, metal arm black and covered with images of galaxies and stars.

“Hey Trixie, Lan!” Ayo replied, waving the pair over. “Dr. And Mrs. McCoy, this is Trixie Anderson,” The taller woman smiled, “and Lan Xiong, our resident engineers! Where are you two off to?”

“Shopping!” Lan answered. You couldn’t quite place her accent, but it was definitely Scandinavian. “Thought we’d stock up since everything’s so quiet right now. How’s Wendy?” The last question and a rather piercing look were directed at Bones.

“She’s fine,” he said. “Water’s broken, she’s in for a long day.”

“We’ll have to make sure to bring back some chocolate,” Trixie said, nodding to Lan before looking back up at you. “Did you two want to join us? See the rest of the town?”

“Definitely,” You replied, weaving your arm through Bones’ and waving goodbye to Ayo and Tanya as the four of you headed off, away from the houses. The two women moved to walk by your side, hands woven together and empty bags swinging from their elbows.

“How long have you two lived here?” You asked.

“Four years for me I reckon,” Trixie replied, the twang in her voice reminding you forcibly of Bones’. “Settled not long after Judy, and,” she glanced over at her partner, “was it a year before I met you darlin’?”

“Yes,” Lan answered, smiling at Trixie. “About a year I think. This place took some getting used to,” she said, looking over at you. “I came from a much larger town.”

“I think we all did!” Trixie laughed. “Not really hard to manage!”

You smiled along with them, noticing a few buildings as your group turned a corner.

“And you, how’s the doctrin’ back in Enterprise?”

Bones looked over at Trixie, searching her face. “Busy, always some new virus coming in from god knows where.”

Trixie nodded. “Yeah, we got that here too. Had a plague a year back - wiped out nine of us. That’s why the houses are so empty.”

“You had a plague?” Bones said, incredulous. “And you only called for medical aid when someone was pregnant?”

“Well yeah,” Trixie said, leading you off towards a large white building. “Plagues are handled, but we’ve never had to deliver a baby before.”

The pair of them moved off ahead, and Bones looked over at you. “Is it just me, or is that not the kind of thing you’d expect to hear from someone living here.”

“Not at all,” You agreed, watching as the two women disappeared through the rotating doors. “But then again, there’s something definitely odd about this place.”

“As a smiling Vulcan.”

You snorted and looked up at him. “All right quippy, let’s get going.”

“Hey, Y/l/n.”

You groaned. “Not again Leonard!”

“Y/l/n - Y/l/n-”

You spun towards Bones, who was standing right next to you in the aisle. “What?”

He held up a can of bread. “Stop loafing around.”

“Oh my god,” You turned and stalked off towards the front of the store. “That was the worst one yet!”

“Oh c’mon darlin’, that wasn’t nearly as bad as yours. Besides, you started it!”

You had, and now bitterly regretted it. You’d forgotten just how attractive his teasing look was, and it was getting very hard to come up with jokes to counter him. You could feel him coming up behind you, and resorted to grabbing a can off the shelf. “You should try this mash, apparently it’s the ‘Grand Baronet’s choice’!”

He looked over your shoulder at the label. “What the hell kind of brand name is that?”

“You’ve not been noticing?” You said, gesturing down the shelves. “The brands are the oddest I’ve ever seen. ‘Every-name’, ‘Aunt Jimmy’, and that detergent back there - ‘Current’. I’ve read up on early twenty-first century Earth, this is like a parody!”

Bones considered the can a moment longer, then looked up at you, frowning. “Have you also noticed that there’s no-one else in this store?”

You didn’t answer, listening hard. The tinny sounds of piped music echoed through the space, punctuated occasionally by the voices of either Lan or Trixie. The rest was dead air.

“It’s unnerving.”

“Yeah,” Bones agreed, “Also, does that mean no-one pays here?”

“I guess,” You shrugged.

“Maybe there’s an upside to this place after all.”

Giving him a playful nudge, you moved back down the aisle. “What else did they need Bones?”

“It was diapers next,” He fell in beside you as you walked. “You’ve studied early history?”

“I do have interests outside of engineering and security you know,” You smirked, eyes roving across the row signs, very aware of how close he was to you.

“I just never realized your down time consisted of different textbooks.”

“Well, you’ve never asked about my down time, have you?” You countered.

“I’ve been fixin’ to.”

You looked back at him, a question forming on your lips just as Bones’ comm chirped.

Closing his eyes in frustration, he pulled the communicator from his belt. “Dr. McCoy.”

“Doctor!” Came a frantic voice from the other end. “Come back please! It’s Wendy- we had her walking outside, and then she just doubled over -”

“On my way,” Bones flipped the comm shut and took off down the aisle, you at his heels. Calling for your companions, the four of you sprinted past the empty cash and out the door, leaving an automated voice in your wake, stuck on replay.

“Thank you for shopping- thank you for shopping - thank you for shopping - goodbye.”

You heard Wendy’s screams before you reached her. She was lying in the middle of the main road, knees pulled back and head arched. Judy held her hand and from the look on her face you assumed at least one finger was in danger of being broken.

“Help her!” Mike ran over to Bones, eyes wide and frantic. “Please!”

Bones barely glanced at the distraught husband in his rush to reach Wendy’s side. You took over instead, calming Mike and finding him a seat as Bones examined Wendy.

“Dammit-” Bones growled, shifting to feel her stomach. “How on Earth are you this far along, this should not be happening!”

“Don’t want-” Wendy gasped, her face screwed up in pain, “not here- not out here.”

“We can’t move you darlin’,” Bones said, nodding his thanks as Ayo placed his medical kit by his side. “I can almost see the head now.”

“Don’t want-” she repeated, more forcefully this time. Then as a wave of pain ripped through her she sat up and grabbed the front of Bones’ shirt. “DON’T WANT THEM TO SEE ME!”

She collapsed back onto the ground, tears leaking from her eyes. Bones looked to you, confusion all over his face.

“All right, don’t worry we’ll make sure they don’t,” you told her, moving quickly over to Tanya. “Are there any bedsheets around?”

Tanya nodded, understanding. “I’ll get them.”

A few minutes later, you’d set up a makeshift screen. Looking proudly at your handiwork, you wrapped your arms around yourself. It was getting chilly.

“Y/n, I need you in here.”

Moving to Bones’ side, you crouched down inside the sheets. “I need you to keep her calm,” he continued. “She won’t stop going on and it’s going to make this harder.”

You nodded, shuffling so you were by Wendy’s head. Running a hand over her hair you smoothed it back, and her eyes settled on your face. “Please, please, don’t let them-”

“No-one’s gonna see you but me and the doctor,” you promised, clasping her hand and making sure to keep your voice level and calm. “No-one at all.” You felt the screen rock around you as a hard gust of wind blew down the road.

“No, no they can’t -” Wendy began, but her words were cut off as she screamed, her eyes screwed shut once more.

“The head is born!” Bones cried, “Well done! One more push -”

You planted your right hand on the ground, keeping yourself steady as the winds rocketed up. Your hair whipped around your face, into your eyes and mouth. Every exhale was snatched from your lips, and you looked around, expecting to see the screen flying down the road. Instead it was still standing, and you could see the silhouettes of the rest of the community as they held the stakes in place.

“Not this time!” One of them yelled. “You’re not getting what you want! Not this time!”

“That’s it, that’s it!” You heard Bones shout. “Congratulations Wendy, you have a little boy!”

All at once, the wind died.

Gasping, you looked back up at Wendy. Her hair was tangled and her eyes were already half closed, but for the first time she smiled. “A boy?”

“A boy,” Bones waved someone towards him, and Mike’s head appeared in the gap. Bones talked him through cutting the cord, before he passed the father the squirming infant. Mike gingerly switched places with you, and as Bones dealt with the afterbirth you watched the couple hold their newborn. You couldn’t help but see that Mike’s eyes kept switching from the baby to Bones, until finally they landed on the doctor, lingering with a concentrated stare. You felt something tighten in your stomach and turned to offer Bones help. When you glanced back at Mike, he was smiling down at his son again.

“No I’m fine sweetums, thanks.” Bones grinned at you.

“I thought we decided on no sappy nicknames during our wedding, sugar plum,” you countered. “Or would you like to redact that?”

“Maybe,” He raised an eyebrow, and you felt the familiar jolt in your core.

“We should call the Enterprise,” You said, by way of looking away from those annoyingly blue eyes.

“Yeah, let them know we’re going to stay the night.” You looked back at Bones in surprise. “Just in case,” he continued, “After a delivery like that, I want to make sure the mother’s okay.”

You nodded and extricated yourself from the sheets. Just as you started to stand, you looked back towards the new parents, and found that once more, Mike’s eyes had locked on Bones.

Part Three: Shifts

“How is she?”

Bones moved over to where you were sitting, rubbing his eyes with the hand not holding a baby. “Good, still sleeping. It looks like everything’s normal.”

“Oh thank God,” you sighed, leaning your head back against the wall. “As much as I love the fresh air I’m so ready to get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”

“I hear that,” Bones settled in beside you, cooing at the baby as he squirmed. “Shhhh little one, settle down.”

“You’re good with him,” you remarked, watching the pair with a soft smile on your face.

“Practice,” Bones replied, not looking away from the little one. “I’ve a daughter back on Earth- Joanna. Must be six now.”

“Leonard Horatio McCoy,” you said, sitting up with your hands on your hips, “do you mean to tell me we’ve been friends for half a year, I know your middle name, and you never thought to mention your daughter?”

“Never came up,” he said, meeting your gaze innocently.

“I’d smack you if you weren’t holding a baby,” you glared at him. “Asshole.”

“Shhhh-” he said, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth, holding his right hand just beside the baby’s ear, “not in front of the newborn!”

You rolled your eyes before leaning your head back once more. “Anything else you haven’t told me?” You said into the air. “Belly button piercing? Gang tattoos? Collection of taxidermied animals in an Enterprise storage lockup?”

You heard him chuckle. “Nothing quite so intense. I’ve a stash of contraband booze, and I do have a tattoo. Not a gang one mind.”

You sat up, grinning. “Where?”

“That’s for me to know missy.”

You were sorely tempted to add the second half of that phrase, but thought better of it.

“And you?”

You raised an eyebrow. “What about me?”

“What secrets have you not told me?”

You felt your cheeks heating up, and silently thanked the surrounding darkness. “Well, you know I have three brothers back home, and why I joined Starfleet. Something I haven’t told you …” you paused for a moment, thinking. “I once modelled.”

“Really? Clothing?”

“Art.”

You didn’t think his eyebrow could get any higher. “Wow. That’s brave of you.”

“Nah, everyone was really nice,” you said, tucking your knees under your chin. “And the pay was great- no student debt at all.” He hummed in response, and you looked back over at him. “What? My story not good enough for you?”

“Well,” Bones replied, rocking the baby gently, “I did tell you about my tattoo- guess I was hoping for something slightly more scandalous.”

“I’ve taken a liking to someone on the Enterprise.” The confession was out before you had time to think better of it.

“Who?” He looked you full in the face now, smiling roguishly. “Is it Jim? Or Scotty! You spend enough time together.”

“That’s for me to know, sugar plum,” you teased, stretching your back.

Bones grumbled in response, looking back down at the little bundle in his arms. “He’s a lucky bastard, whoever he is.”

Your stomach jumped, but before you could ask him anything else, the baby squirmed, face pinching, and let out a wail.

“Oh come on now darlin’, quiet down- do you want some milk?” Getting to his feet, Bones padded across the room, bouncing the baby slightly. You watched him go, trying desperately to stop imagining what his comment could mean.

“Hey darlin’, wake up.”

You moaned, rubbing the back of your hand across your eyes and stretching your shoulders. You felt something shift beneath your head and started upright- you’d fallen asleep on Bones’ shoulder.

“Whahappend?” You slurred, blinking sleep out of your eyes.

“Two guesses,” Bones sassed, smiling at you, “and the first one doesn’t count.”

You grimaced at him, sliding your hands over your face and yawning. “Is it morning?”

“Sure is- mother and baby are hale and hearty- we can go home.”

A sense of relief washed over you, and you returned Bones’ smile with as much energy as you could muster. “Good.”

Getting to his feet, Bones extended a hand to help you up. Wrapping his arm over yours, he led you towards the small group of people gathered around Wendy and her little boy.

“Well folks,” Bones said, his voice causing everyone to turn, “I think my duty’s been discharged. My wife and I will be off home now.”

“Thank you doctor,” Ayo said, coming over and taking his hand. “You have no idea how much we appreciate this. I truly hope you make it back.”

“Thank you-” Bones said, looking a little confused, “we do too.”

“Doctor,” came Wendy’s voice, and Bones leaned around Ayo to look at her. “What’s your full name?”

“Leonard Horatio McCoy ma’am, at your service,” Bones smiled.

“Mike,” Wendy said, looking over at her husband. “I think Leonard’s a good middle name, don’t you?”

You’d been watching Mike for the last few minutes. He was standing with the group, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. When he smiled down at his wife, nodding, you saw just how thin the smile was. You weren’t sure why but you placed your hand by your side, near to your phaser, just in case.

“Then that settles it,” Wendy said, smiling at Bones. “Colin Leonard Dickson it is.”

“I’m honoured ma’am,” Bones inclined his head.

“You’re going to have your name all over the universe at this rate,” you teased him. “Remember that Teer on Capella IV-”

“Dr. McCoy to Enterprise Township,” Bones interrupted, flipping open his communicator and smirking at you, “Enterprise come in.”

Before anyone could reply, you saw Mike dart forward in your peripheral vision. Prepared, you spun towards him, hand going for your phaser as he ran at you. Unfortunately you’d forgotten that the doctor had your arm in his, and in a moment that sent adrenaline rocketing through you, you realized that your phaser had gone.

Pain shot down your arm as it smashed into Bones’, and you instantly released him, going for Mike who used your imbalance to shove you to the floor. Throwing his arm around Bones’ neck, Mike pulled out a small blade and held it to Bones’ throat.

“I have your doctor now!” Mike shouted, eyes raking the ceiling, the walls, the door. “You need him - I know you do! Let us go now, or I’ll kill him I swear I will!”

Part Four: Negotiation

“Mike stop!” Wendy cried, tears streaming down her face. “Please- it’s not going to help!”

“Mike c’mon-” Ayo said, advancing with his hands outstretched.

“No!” Mike yelled, moving away and forcing Bones’ head back. You could see Bones trying to keep still, but his chest was rising and falling so quickly. In that moment you’d have given anything to be able to kick Mike’s teeth in.

“Mike -” you said, keeping your voice measured as you gingerly picked yourself off the floor. “You’ve just had a son; do you really want this to be how he remembers you?”

Mike didn’t say anything, but you could see a flash of hesitation in his eyes. Emboldened, you took a step forward.

“You know I’m right Mike, you know what’s going to happen. Just let the doctor go- please, put down the knife. There’s nothing you can do that will help your friends.”

Mike looked around the room, at the circle of people watching him, fear all over their faces. His breathing shallowed, and you could see the knife shaking. You braced yourself to charge, and as you watched, Bones’ gaze locked on yours. It was as if he was reaching for you, and your chest tightened as you desperately ignored the pricking at the corners of your eyes.

Then Mike gasped out a rib shaking sob, and the knife hit the floor just before Bones, who fell to his knees, hands at his throat. You ran to him, throwing your arms around Bones’ shoulders as Mike staggered over to his wife, collapsing onto her makeshift cot.

“Bones- Leonard!” You said, voice frantic with worry. “Are you all right? Can you breathe?”

“Yes,” Bones gasped, his voice rasping. “Yes. Must be - some kind of - psychosis -”

“Please!”

Both of your heads whipped around, looking over at Wendy who was leaning over a sobbing Mike. Wendy had her head thrown back, speaking to the ceiling. “Leave him - he didn’t mean it! He wasn’t really going to do anything- please, we have a son now! Don’t take him away from us!”

Tears were pouring down her face as she gasped for breath. Judy and a young blonde woman ran over to her and started to comfort her as her pleas turned incoherent.

“We’ll keep an eye on him Wendy,” Ayo said, eyes tired and sad. “We’ll make shifts; he won’t be left alone.”

You looked down at Bones, who had his eyes trained on you. “What is going on here?”

“I don’t know,” you replied, your voice equally low. “But I want out. Where’s your comm?”

Still taking ragged breaths, Bones pulled his communicator from his back pocket and flipped it open. “McCoy to Enterprise-” he rasped. “Scotty get us out of here now!”

You both stared at the device, but no sound came. You reached over Bones’ arm and fiddled with the dials. “Enterprise, come in please!”

Still nothing.

“It could be the generators,” Lan said, kneeling down beside the pair of you. “I thought I heard you say something about having engineering background earlier - maybe you can take a look at them with me, see if we can fix your cell phone? Though I’ve never seen one like it.”

“Sounds good,” you said quickly, trying to get her eyes off the communicator. “Let’s go.”

“Captain Kirk to the bridge.”

Throwing his head back against his pillow, Kirk groaned into his hands. Deciding that he hadn’t really wanted the nap anyway, he grumbled under his breath as he forced himself to his feet. Why couldn’t space ever wait for thirty goddamn minutes?

Wiping your forehead, you slumped down against the large metal generators. It had been at least five hours, and Lan had left for dinner a while ago. Looking over your shoulder, you glared at the gleaming titanium.

“Somethin’ causin’ you trouble?”

You turned back to see Bones, who was holding a large bowl in his hands.

“Yes,” you huffed, pushing yourself to your feet. “I don’t understand it, everything checks out. All the parts are working and in excellent condition-”

“Oh wow, horrible,” Bones teased, watching as you let a nearby faucet clean the oil and grease from your hands and arms.

“Unfortunately it is,” You replied. “I have no clue what’s causing the interference, and what’s more, the generators are definitely connected to something, but as far as I can tell, it’s not the houses.”

Bones frowned. “Well, quick pause in the investigation for stew?” He proffered the bowl, and you smiled.

“God yes, thanks.”

Taking it from him, the pair of you settled on the ground, backs pressed against the humming metal.

“What have you been doing?” You asked between mouthfuls.

“Medical scans,” Bones replied, brow still furrowed. “It’s the damnedest thing, they all seem perfect right?”

“Yeah,” you replied, your spoon pausing on the way to your mouth. “Why?”

“It’s because they are- outwardly anyway. Internally it’s hell- Lan’s got a leaky gut, Tanya’s malnourished, and one of Ayo’s valves isn’t working properly,” blowing air out his nose, Bones ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve done what I can, but I’ll need better equipment to fix everything.”

You ran a hand along his shoulder comfortingly, and he looked over at you. For a moment there was silence.

“How are-” you began, but broke off as a desperate scream issued from next door, followed immediately by a chorus of shouting. Jumping to your feet, you and Bones ran over, pausing to catch your breath. Inside, Ayo stood by the door as Tanya held baby Colin, bouncing the wailing infant. On the floor Trixie had her arms around Wendy, who looked like she was about to pass out.

“What happened?” You gasped, looking from Wendy to Tanya. Everyone looked over at your voice, pain in their eyes.

“He wandered to the back of the room for just a second while I tended to Colin-”

“We should have had more people on watch, this is all my-”

Ayo and Tanya’s words ran over each other, until a quiet voice spoke up, and both fell silent.

“He’s gone-” Wendy said, lifting her face to look at you and Bones, “Mike’s gone.”

Kirk walked onto the bridge ten minutes later, bedhead tamed and ready for action.

“Uhura what’s -”

Halfway through the question, Kirk glanced at the screen and froze. Taking a few steps forward, he stared at the image in front of him.

“Can someone please tell me,” he said, not looking away from the monitor. “Where the hell that huge glass building came from?”

Part Five: Aftermath

“You don’t understand; I have to keep him safe – I can’t sleep now!”

Wendy was struggling in Bones’ arms, her limbs shaking and voice rising with fear. Keeping hold of her, Bones led her gently towards her bed.

“Colin is perfectly safe, Tanya has him and we’re going to find out what happened to Mike.”

“No,” Wendy shook her head vigorously. “No you don’t understand. Mike’s gone, I have to do this by myself now. They can’t take me too; I can’t leave my baby alone!”

Her words dissolved and she collapsed onto Bones’ shoulder, sobbing. Moving very slowly, Bones took a hypo from his pocket.

“I’m going to give you something mild – you really need some rest darlin’. It’s just for now, okay?” He said, his voice soft, and after a moment or two Wendy relaxed in his arms. He laid her down on the bed, covering her with a blanket before turning back to the small group behind him. “Who wants first watch?”

“Uhura keep trying the planet, all frequencies.”

Kirk settled back into his chair, rubbing his hand across his forehead. It was impossible that they missed this building when scanning the planet. It could only be that there was something very powerful down there, and it had projected an image the Enterprise was meant to see. So why had they pulled back the curtain – what had happened?

“Captain,” came Spock’s voice, and Kirk swivelled to face his first officer. “The building, as you suspected, appears to be made entirely of glass, but of a quality we have never before encountered. High tension strength, and imbued with some kind of electricity. I assume the current is blocking our transmissions.”

“Can you determine the frequency so we can override?”

“Negative Captain, it is continually shifting, most likely to prevent such an attempt.”

“Damn,” Kirk turned back to watch the planet. There was no denying, it was a beautiful structure. It spread out across the landscape like a spider, glass arms round and curving, and in the centre was a tall, cathedral-like spire. The whole building glinted, and even from this distance, Kirk could see the outlines of hundreds of figures moving within it.

“Still nothing Captain.”

Kirk swore under his breath at Uhura’s words, moving over to her station. “Okay, we need to try another tactic. Increase strength of transmission, if that doesn’t work,” he looked over his shoulder. “Mr. Sulu, ready phaser banks.”

The bed they’d provided for you was warm and soft, but no matter how deeply you pressed yourself into the pillow or how tightly you pulled the blankets around you, you still felt open and exposed. Thoughts of why the comms weren’t working or what it would mean if you couldn’t reach the Enterprise kept rolling through your mind. Your muscles felt so tight you thought they might snap. Taking a deep breath you sat up, running your hand through your hair. This wasn’t helping, panicking wasn’t going to do any good. Walking around the room, you felt a small part of the fear morph into frustration. You’d been in tight situations before; you’d never reacted like this- what was different? What was it you wanted?

When you reached Bones’ door, you forced yourself to knock before you could think better of it. When he appeared you weren’t surprised to see that he looked as wide awake as you were.

“Hey,” he said, giving you a relieved smile. “I wanted to come see you, but it didn’t seem appropriate.”

“You can always come see me,” you replied, crossing into the room and sitting down on the bed. “There’s not much difference in the end, one of us has to make the trip.”

“Rank,” he reminded you, coming to sit by your side. “I didn’t think it right for a superior officer to show up at your door in the middle of the night – might seem pushy.”

“I wouldn’t have thought so,” you said. “But that was kind of you.”

You sat in silence for a moment, then Bones gently took your hand. “You’re shaking.”

“It’s nerves,” you replied. “This place gives me the creeps, I can’t figure how to get the comms to work, Wendy’s a wreck, and what if we never get out of here –”

You could hear your voice getting frantic and tried to slow down your system. Before you managed Bones had pulled you into a hug, running a hand slowly up and down your back. “Hey, hey, it’s okay, we’re gonna be just fine. We’ll sort everything.”

“I just –” you said, taking a steadying breath. “I couldn’t be alone tonight.”

“Me either. C’mere.” Letting you go, Bones pulled back the blanket, and shifted so you could lie next to him. Once you’d settled he moved close to you, his arm draped over your side. A sense of calm washed over you, but just as quickly a tightness formed in your chest.

“What is it?” Bones hummed, feeling your back trembling. “You can tell me darlin’.”

“I almost lost you,” the moment you said it something released, and though you tried you couldn’t seem to stop the tears. “He had you and I - I couldn’t do anything. I’m supposed to protect you, that’s my job and –”

Pulling on your arm, Bones turned you to face him, wiping away the tears and touching his forehead to yours. “I’m not going anywhere Y/n. You did everything you could, and honestly the only thing I regretted, when Mike looked like he wasn’t going to back down, was that I never had the guts to be honest with you.”

“What?” You pulled back slightly and looked up at him - in his eyes was that same look he’d given you earlier, and you felt your breath catch. “Leonard –”

His left hand moved to your cheek, and you felt the skin burn where he touched you. He gazed at you for a moment longer, as if waiting for a response - for you to back away. When you didn’t, he leaned in and pressed his lips to yours.

For a second you froze, then your hand moved into his hair and you pulled him forward, deepening the kiss as his arms slid to your waist, bringing you flush against his chest. After what felt like no time at all he pulled away, his mouth moving to your jawline, kissing across it and down your neck. Your entire body thrilled in response – even the hum of the generators seemed a little louder.

“Len,” you gasped, turning slightly and pressing your lips to his neck in turn. Eyes closed, you felt him shift one side of your shirt down, the cool night air sliding across your shoulder for a brief moment before his lips met your skin. The hum was even louder now, pressing in against your ears. Then, as you moved to find his lips with yours, the sound jumped up an octave.

Your eyes snapped open just in time to see the far wall blink back into existence.

“Right,” Kirk said, striding from Uhura’s side back towards the centre of the bridge. “They don’t seem to be courteous neighbours. I say it’s time we play their game. Mr. Sulu, lock phasers on the ground just beside the western quadrant of the bulding.”

“Yes Sir,” Sulu replied, his hands moving across the consol. “Phasers locked on target.”

“On my command. Ready –”

“Captain I’m picking up something. We’re being hailed, but it’s not –” Uhura’s words broke off as a low light pulsed in the middle of the view screen, getting brighter and brighter until the entire bridge had their arms thrown up, blocking their eyes. After a moment the light died, and Kirk slowly lowered his hands to find himself face to face with a large, floating, disembodied head.

Part Six: Panopticon

“What the hell!”

Jumping apart, the two of you scrambled out of the bed and pressed your backs into the opposite wall. Bones looped his arm around you and pulled you close, weaving your shaking fingers with his.

“So you saw that too huh?”

You felt Bones laugh weakly. “I’m starting to doubt my psychosis theory, unless someone’s lacing the water.”

“We can’t wait any longer,” you said, ignoring his last comment and turning to face him. “We’re stuck here for God knows what reason, and if it’s generator interference I’m a Klingon. We need to take stock, see what’s around here, then reconvene.”

He nodded silently, pulling his comm from his belt. “Do you know a private frequency the two of us can use?”

“Yes,” you took the device and fiddled with the knob, then did the same to your own. Handing Bones his comm back, you moved across the room.

“Y/l/n to Bones,” you whispered.

“McCoy here,” came his hushed answer.

“Good,” you smiled and walked back to his side. “I’ll check out the expanse behind the houses, see if anything’s odd.”

“Our phasers are gone,” Bones said. “How will you-”

“I’ll be careful,” you said simply. “Promise.”

“Do,” leaning in, Bones pressed his lips to yours. When he pulled away you could see fear in the corners of his eyes. You laid a hand gently on his cheek.

“You’re not getting rid of me Leonard McCoy,” you smirked. “We have unfinished business.”

Bones laughed softly, and his hand came up to meet yours. “As long as you promise - I’ll take the main township.”

“Are you certain you’ve checked all seventy-six Denovian dialects?”

Kirk pressed his thumbs into his temples, breathing deeply and trying unsuccessfully to force the faint ache from his muscles. If only there could be quiet for one goddamn minute.

“Yes Sir –” Uhura shouted back, her voice cracking with strain, “and all recorded variations. Mr. Spock should be back with more files soon.”

“Good,” Kirk replied, his own voice becoming increasingly ragged. “Thank you Lieutenant, I know I’ve asked this twice already.”

“No problem Captain,” Uhura nodded. She gave him a quick smile, then refocused on her screen.

Closing his eyes, Kirk sighed and turned on his heels. The head was still there. It was hope to the point of foolishness to think otherwise, with the creature’s voice still filling the bridge. The harsh hissing never ceased, like constant intense static, with pops and clicks that were starting to set his teeth on edge. Kirk had no idea how it was even possible to make that sound, and as he settled back into the captain’s chair, his eyes roved over the creature’s face for what was certainly the hundredth time. The skull was long - longer even than those generic twentieth century alien models. Long white hair fell in layers around the large eyes, which blinked with some kind of translucent secondary lid. It felt to Kirk like their gaze never ceased. Silver skin shimmered like fish scales, sparkling in the bridge lights, and the mouth - oddest of all - was frozen in a perpetual O.

They’d be beautiful if they weren’t holding two of my people, Kirk thought. Then, with sudden inspiration, Kirk moved to the head in two quick strides and thrust his face into the open mouth.

“Captain?”

“Yes Mr. Spock?” Came Kirk’s muffled voice.

“May I inquire as to why you are currently inside the projection?”

“Research, Mr. Spock,” Kirk replied, looking around a second or two longer before extricating his head. “I was curious as to how one being made two sounds at once. The answer is two internal mouths, one on each side of the jaw.”

“Fascinating,” Spock said, moving to the head and glancing in as well. “Highly reminiscent of the natives of Targos III.”

“Exactly what I was thinking.”

The captain and his first officer looked at each other for a moment, and Kirk swore he could almost see a smile on the Vulcan’s impassive face.

“Lieutenant Uhura,” Spock said, moving quickly across the bridge. “It looks like we have a framework.”

“Doctor.”

About to leave the house, Bones spun to find Trixie standing behind him. Her face was set, and he noticed that for the first time there was no hint of a smile.

“Trixie. Look, I just wanted to see the town at night, the stars must be –”

“You saw the wall.”

Bones broke off, momentarily speechless. “Yes.”

Trixie nodded, smiling sadly. “The sweep’s done, we’re safe to talk now. At least,” she laughed humourlessly, “we think so.”

“What do you mean the sweep?” Bones asked, moving towards her. “And okay, if we can speak freely, what on God’s green earth is –”

“Just follow me,” Trixie said, turning to move off into an inner room. “We’ll tell you what we can.”

“Goddamn leaves,” you muttered to yourself, crushing weeds with your boots as you tramped through what felt like endless underbrush. Turning your flashlight towards the ground you growled. “Goddamn grass and stupid purple flowers.”

You’d been walking for ages, and covered what you were certain was miles of forest. Even as you ranted at nothing, venting your frustration at being trapped, you couldn’t help the happiness that kept pushing its way through the anger and fear. You could still feel his mouth on yours, his hands on your skin. A smile grew across your face, even as you halfheartedly smacked a low hanging branch, a slight spring in your step.

Too late, you realized that you probably should have checked the ground before bouncing. You felt your toes catch on something and stumbled forward, grabbing out for anything, and both your hands landed flat – pressing hard against thin air.

A door creaked open slowly.

“Hello,” Bones smiled kindly as he greeted the young woman who had appeared. She glanced at him quickly, eyes moving immediately back to the wooden floor, arms wrapped around herself. She moved off around the room, settling down by Lan and pressing herself into her companion’s side. Lan wrapped a protective arm over the woman in turn, rubbing a hand along her back.

They all sat in a circle, chairs and stools pulled up around a fire pit. The flames were false, but still it helped to make the room feel a little warmer. Bones shifted in his seat, looking around at their faces. Like the newcomer, there were a few he’d not seen before. A man with a pointed face, thin dark eyes, and a large scar running across his forehead, nose, and mouth; a stocky woman with short black hair that grew along either side of her head, exposing the deep green markings that ran along her scalp, trailing down the edges of her face, neck and arms, to stop at her fingertips; and last the woman now nestled in Lan’s arms, brown skin unhealthily pale, and her body willow thin - almost emaciated. They fit naturally into the group, who sat hunched, faces in their hands or eyes staring blankly into the flames.

“We wanted to meet your partner too.”

Bones turned to the woman on his right. Her blonde hair fell beyond her waist, and her eyes were a piercing blue against the paleness of her skin.

“Most of you already have.”

“No,” the woman shook her head, “no we haven’t. Where is she?”

“Exploring outside.”

The woman nodded, turning back to the fire.

“I don’t think I caught your name,” Bones said, trying to start some kind of conversation.

“Lenore,” she replied, not looking at him. “Ship’s Counsellor – USS Farragut.”

“What?”

Before Bones could ask anything else, Ayo entered and took the last empty seat.

“We’re sorry we couldn’t say anything,” Trixie began, lifting her head and looking at Bones. “We never can in the day, and last night – with the new baby – they’d wouldn’t have left us alone.”

“Look,” Bones said, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. “You say you can speak freely now, but you’re all being very cryptic. What’s going on, are you being watched?”

People around the circle shared looks. They seemed to be deciding who should answer.

“Yes,” Tanya said, breaking the silence as she shifted Colin in her arms. “At least, that’s what makes most sense.

“They do a final check every night,” Lan added. “And food appears most mornings. On the days it doesn’t, we have to go into town, to the market.”

“We have to keep smiling,” a small voice said, the words halting and slow. The group turned towards the woman by Lan’s side, who shifted her head so she too could look at the doctor. “They don’t like it - when we’re sad.”

“Melody was having trouble adjusting,” Lan said. “We never found out what happened, but out of nowhere she was lying in the middle of the street, seizing.”

“Maybe I can help –” Bones began, leaning forward, but at his movement Melody sunk back, burying her face in Lan’s shoulder.

“When we found out Wendy was expecting they knew too,” Ayo said, and Bones turned to look at him. “Food with more nutrients appeared, heavy in folic acid and calcium. When she craved something, it arrived the next day. That’s why she wanted the sheet. They weren’t going to invade her privacy, not then. They didn’t get to control that.”

“The wind,” Bones said, understanding dawning on him, “and what she was saying –”

He paused, looking from Lan to Trixie to Ayo. He had suddenly realized who was missing. “Where’s Wendy?”

“They don’t like it when we’re sad,” the man with the scar repeated, his hands moving in fluid movements as he signed. “Or when we’re difficult. Sometimes they send challenges, and sometimes –”

“Sometimes,” the tattooed woman broke in, her voice hard. “Sometimes people disappear.”

It felt like your brain had shorted out. Unable to believe what you were feeling you lifted your right hand, leaving your left flat against the air, and watched as a leaf danced a few inches in front of it, blown by a breeze you couldn’t feel. You replaced your hand – still solid.

Stepping back, you took a few deep breaths. You must be overtaxed, or tired, or something. This could not be real. Shaking your head, you moved a little to the left and extended your arms. This time, your right hand found a transparent wall and the other cut through the air, throwing you off balance.

You tumbled to the ground, knocking the air out of your lungs as you landed on your side. Groaning, you sucked air back into your lungs and rolled onto your knees. Halfway to your feet, you paused when something glimmered a few meters away. Focusing on the light, you moved slowly towards it, careful not to press yourself against the barrier, should it be there. You had no idea what could be on the other side.

“I was in my quarters.”

Trixie was speaking, her voice low and taut. Her fingers interlaced, hands twisting as she told her story to the floor. “I’d just finished a call with my parents. Dad was so happy; mum had come home from the hospital with the all clear. I was going back to Georgia the next week during my leave. It was a routine maintenance check, nothing dangerous. I’d done it a hundred times, but that day I left the airlock, and then I was here.”

She pressed her palms to the sides of her head. Melody shifted and Lan went to Trixie, kissing her forehead softly. Back shuddering, Trixie took in a long breath.

“There were thirty of us then. I was the last addition before they sent the plague. We woke up one morning and there was just this rotting –” she broke off again, wiping her hands roughly over her glistening face. “Anyway, there were only a few left after that. I’ll never forget the sound Lana made. Fourteen- she was only fourteen,” Trixie looked up, and Bones could see anger rising to replace the pain. She clearly felt it too, and stood in one sudden motion. “I can’t, I need to walk for a minute.”

The room was silent as Trixie left. Ayo sighed. “It’s still hard sometimes, even to remember.”

“All the time,” said the tattooed woman, whose name, Bones had been told, was Jaz. “It’s always hard. I’ve been staying inside for now – can’t smile much. I’ll have to come out soon though, they might start thinking I’m useless,” she let out a harsh bark of laughter. “Can’t hide in the Panopticon.”

“If you need any help –”

“Yeah, Lenore, I know. Thanks.” Jaz said, her voice losing its sardonic edge. Her London accent grew thick as she refocused on the stick she was pulling apart. “I promise, I’ll come to you if I need. Right now I have to wait it out, they were all I had.”

You could feel damp seeping into your shirt as you pulled yourself around a large bush. Huffing with effort, you extricated yourself, brambles scraping along your boots, and with a few more shuffles, you were there.

The longer you stared at it, the odder it seemed. It crackled with energy, throwing light across your hands and arms. Floating a foot off the ground, it sparked upwards in a long triangle. For a while you sat there, staring at it, your mind working overtime thinking of a way you could interact. Finally, you decided there was only one real option, and took your communicator from your belt.

You extended the device towards the split in the air, memorizing Bones’ frequency just in case your comm survived. Closing your eyes, you listened for the hum of the energy, letting the pitch settle inside you as your mind searched for a memory of a similar tone from the Enterprise. This was a party trick of yours, but even in fun you’d never been more than a few hertz off. Relaxing, you started to hum the sound as well, letting your fingers move the comm dial automatically as a faint memory appeared in the back of your mind. The device began to shake, a thin squealing sound sliding from the casing seams. You were close, so close-

The squeal stopped, the dial slid into place, and your eyes flew open as the energy arced across the air, opening a large cut in the space in front of you.

“It was a cargo run,” Jaz was saying, directing this towards Bones. “Alpha Taurus VII to the nearest Starfleet base. I was the only human in a mixed crew, I even got these tattoos to match theirs. We were a family, and then I met T’pal.” Jaz smiled, more to herself than anyone else. “He was so logical about it. I mean Vulcans, that’s how they are, but the way he said it – For us to be parted Ashayam, would be to part your moon from its tides. So straightforward, I loved that about him. We loved each other, and our daughter,” Jaz’s hands were clenched tightly around the stick, knuckles white. “She’ll be walking now, and talking. At least, if it’s been as long as it seems. We were an unlisted freighter, maybe that’s why they felt I wouldn’t be missed,” She laughed softly, running a hand over her scalp. “Maybe they were right, he’s never come for me.”

“No-one’s come for any of us Jaz,” Tanya replied, her voice stern but not angry. “Ayo and I know there are people back on Earth looking for us. We were taken mid-lesson, in front of all our students. They’re getting sloppy, and one day we’ll get out of here, but we have no clue where we are – most likely no-one can find us. T’pal’s looking, you have to believe that.”

“You’re past the horizon line,” Bones said. “It’s not on Starfleet’s charts. The Enterprise was meant to be the first to reach it, that’s why we were so surprised when we got the medical beacon.”

“So that’s how they did it,” Judy breathed. “We were wondering how you found us. If that’s the case the Enterprise won’t be going anywhere. If they can pluck us from our ships halfway across the galaxy, they can keep all of us here, and they won’t give up easily.”

There was a hallway in front of you, dark and empty, with grey stone floors. Glass walls vaulted upwards, and moving closer to the window in the air, you saw that large pillars marked breaks in the clear surface. The stone arched upwards and fingered out, twisting with ivy that hung down in vines.

It was beautiful, you thought, like a cathedral.

Your eyes roved over the scene, coming to rest on the opposite wall. At once, you felt your heart start to race, jumping into your throat as you shuffled backwards so fast your knees stung. Hiding yourself behind a small fern, you wrapped shaking arms around your sides.

It was a large black frame, set into the glass with thin doors on either side. The inside of the frame was dark, but you could just see small waves slopping against the barrier, the silhouette of a wooden dock not far in the distance. It wasn’t this that had sent you reeling – it was the words, set in gleaming silver against the darkness of the water.

Terran Wing: 1500-1650 CE. Enter to explore.

As you watched, your breathing shallow, a tall figure strode quickly to the other side of your window. They held a small device covered in blinking neon lights, and their mouth was open in a perpetual O.

“Just one more variation,” Spock said, leaning over as Uhura’s hands flew across the console. “Add an Ataxi- yes, that’s perfect Lieutenant.”

“Should we modulate?”

“No, this will do,” Spock straightened up, turning to Kirk. “Captain, I believe we –”

His words were cut off as the hissing dropped in pitch and skewed, resolving itself into a booming, baritone voice.

“You are in orbit around A’xar, the private property of the Nexus Conservatory. You will leave orbit in two hours or your ship will be disabled and impounded. All unnecessary inhabitants will be removed.”

The head paused, as if listening to something.

“No sound is emanating from your bridge,” it said. “I believe you understand.” And it disappeared.

Part Seven: Lights

“Y/n!”

Bones was running towards you, his eyes wide. Gasping for air, you leaned against a tree at the edge of the nearest house, silently begging your heart to stop pounding. When he reached you Bones grabbed hold of your arms, eyes scanning you for injuries.

“Where did you go – what happened? I tried to comm you –”

“Comm – fried –” you rasped. “Bones – this – place – I saw –”

“There’s something controlling everything –” Bones interrupted. “Something that’s been taking people from ships for years and –”

“Yes,” you cut in. “I know- I saw one of them!”

The moment the words left your mouth the sky lit up. You and Bones threw up your arms, shielding your eyes from the blazing light.

“This way!” A voice called. A few moments later someone gripped your arm and you followed blindly, feeling your feet move from gravel to wood. You heard a door shut, and the light fell away. Blinking, you took in the room full of people, sitting around a circular fire pit.

“They were listening.” Tanya was striding over to you, eyes flitting around the room. “Whatever you said, it’s out now, what was it?”

“I saw them.”

All movement in the room stilled. You could feel the pressure of everyone’s eyes on you and swallowed thickly.

“You have no idea how much I want to ask about it,” Tanya said. “But clearly they’ll be here soon. Just tell me this, do you know where we are?”

“I’m not sure,” you replied. “It has these long hallways, and just across from me was a sign that said Terran Wing. Maybe some kind of gallery?”

Tanya let out a breathy laugh, running a hand through her hair. “Well then- if you saw one, they must have realized something was up and started listening. We need to get you out of here now. Hopefully your ship is still in orbit.”

“How can we –”

“We’ll figure that out,” Tanya turned to the group. “Guys, routine 12A. Go.”

At once, everyone got to their feet and ran from the room, using whatever exit was nearest to them.

“C’mon –” Tanya said, lifting Colin from his bed and gesturing to you. “Follow me.”

“Dammit!” Kirk swore, getting to his feet and pacing towards the viewer. “Scotty, are there any breaks in their energy barrier?”

“No Captain,” came Scotty’s voice from the comm. “It’s airtight – frequency changes every few milliseconds. Its power is a bit stronger now than it was though.”

“What do you mean?” Kirk said. “Stronger than when?”

“When they were projecting that decapitated bastard onto our bridge sir. The shields were weaker then. If there had been a strong signal from the surface, we might have been able to lock on.”

“Scotty,” Kirk said, thinking hard. “Is there any way to get a message down to Bones and Y/n?”

“Dunno how you’d manage that Captain, unless you can re-write the stars somehow. Even then, if they’re in that building who knows what they can see.”

“Well then,” Kirk moved back to his chair and sat, leaning on his left arm. “We’ll just have to get the planet talking again, and pray that Bones and Y/n can reach us.”

“There’s a slim chance,” Tanya said, her voice low as she led you two down a deserted path at a run, arm thrown up over her eyes, “that they weren’t watching when you spoke. They may not know which of us saw them, so hopefully this ruse will keep them distracted for a time. Do you know how to reach your ship?”

“Comms aren’t working,” Bones said, as Tanya ran into a dense clump of trees and kneeled down, bouncing a crying Colin. “I can’t think of any other way.”

“Maybe we don’t need to contact them,” you said, kneeling by Bones’ side. “What if we put both comms together to enhance the signal on a certain frequency. I heard there’s a slight chance it could work, and it might help Scotty find us.”

“I thought your comm was dead?” Bones asked.

“The speaker is,” you said, flipping the device open. “I think it might still send out a signal. Anyway, what other choice do we have?”

“True,” taking his comm from a pocket, Bones watched as you used the dials to match frequency. Placing them together, you two looked upwards, towards the canopy of leaves.

“Now we wait.”

“Yes,” Bones breathed. “And pray they can reach us.”

“There!”

Kirk’s head shot up as he spun in his chair. “What is it Mr. Scott?”

“A faint signal from the planet’s surface Sir,” the Scottish engineer replied. “It’s coming in and out on a rare frequency. The signal’s very, very weak – no chance I can lock onto anything until it gets stronger.”

“We’re going to have to chat them up then,” Kirk got to his feet, pacing across the front of the bridge. “Mr. Sulu, can you lock phasers on the ground again?”

“No Captain,” Sulu replied. “They’re not letting us in now, we can’t get near the building.”

“Mr. Spock,” Kirk said, turning to his first officer. “Suggestions?”

“Perhaps if we simply bombard their shields with phasers and torpedoes Captain,” Spock said. “We are only attempting to gain their attention, and it does not appear that they have met with much armed offence. They may not know their shields’ defensive capabilities.”

“Worth a shot,” Kirk nodded. “Mr. Sulu, arm torpedoes and phasers, on my mark.”

There was a short pause, and then –

“Armed and ready Sir.”

“Fire.”

Kirk watched from his chair as light rained down towards the planet, colliding with an unseen barrier in a fireworks display. As time drew on he felt his heart rate start climbing. Just a moment, all they needed was a moment.

“Was our message not sufficient?”

“Mr. Sulu stop bombardment!” Kirk shouted, and on the viewer the sparks died. In front of him once more was the disembodied head.

“I’m assuming you’ve enabled mutual communication this time?” Kirk asked, his mind racing. He didn’t know how long he could keep this going, but he was going to do whatever he could.

“Indeed,” the head replied. “It appeared efficacious to us to hear your reasoning for an attack at this juncture. You have been given ample time to remove yourself and your ship from our territory.”

“You are currently holding two of our people,” Kirk said, choosing his words very carefully. “We cannot depart without a full crew complement.”

“You have many others, and additional medical staff,” said the head dismissively. “We have completed a total scan of your vessel.”

“You removed two officers under false pretenses and without reason,” Kirk pressed. “We cannot leave that alone.”

“This discussion is fruitless,” the head returned, sonorous tones echoing around the bridge. “You have no means of breaking through –”

“Very possibly,” Kirk interrupted, choosing his next move at the speed of light. “But I have something I must say. Has anyone ever told you how good looking you are?”

“What?” The head blinked rapidly, eyebrows shooting upwards. “Why would you-” but the words stopped mid sentence as the face turned suddenly to the left. “No, you cannot –”

“Too late,” Came Scotty’s smug voice.

Turning back to face them, the head blinked twice, and vanished.

“Oh thank God,” Kirk sighed, collapsing into his chair. “I don’t think I’m their type.”

As you stood, eyes turned to the heavens, a soft whirring hummed into life. Looking towards your feet, you saw flecks of gold circling you.

“They found us!” You cried, beaming at Bones. “We’re going home!”

Bones smiled back at you briefly before looking to Tanya. “We’ll get you out – we’ll get you all out I promise.”

She nodded. Then, as the golden light reached your waist, she ran forward and thrust Colin into your arms.

“Take him –” she said, eyes full of tears as you felt the transporter start to pull you away. “Keep him safe.”

A moment later she was gone, and the scene resolved into the Enterprise’s gloriously familiar transporter room, with Kirk waiting by the controls. Feeling the immobilization end, you shifted Colin in your arms.

“Welcome back,” Kirk smirked, coming to stand in front of the pair of you and glancing pointedly at the baby. “Something you two want to tell me?”

Part Eight: Plans

Captain’s Log, Stardate 2285.6. We have managed to retrieve Chief Medical Officer Leonard McCoy and Security Officer Y/n, Y/l/n from the surface of planet A’xar. The returned party has informed us of at least ten further human captives, and the Enterprise remains in orbit until we can determine how to proceed. Our chief engineer is investigating methods of retrieval – there has been no further further word from the alien intelligence. The baby rescued from the planet has been entrusted to the care of our CMO until his parents can be located and retrieved.

Rocking slightly, you watched Colin’s little chest rise and fall in sleep. He’d cried for hours, and you had the distinct feeling he’d exhausted himself. Hey, whatever works, you thought, leaning back against the wall of your quarters. Colin whined softly, stretching his hands and puckering his lips. Smiling, exhaustion slowly settled over you and your eyes felt very heavy –

“I wouldn’t do that sweetheart.”

Your eyes opened to find Bones smiling at you. You tried to say something, but your mouth stretched automatically into a wide yawn.

“Give him here, it’s my turn.”

“Sure,” you grumbled sarcastically, gently handing over the infant. “Now it’s your shift, once he’s finally asleep.”

“This isn’t my first rodeo,” Bones winked at you, carrying Colin over to his crib and settling him inside, cooing as the baby whined softly. “No no little one, back to sleep.” As if by magic, Colin quieted.

“Can I please share your supernatural abilities?” You asked, stretching your back for the first time in ages. “Or is it a sell your soul, give up your first born kind of thing?”

“Both, sadly,” Bones answered, coming to sit by you on the bed. “Jo wasn’t pleased.”

You laughed, leaning your head on his shoulder and sighing deeply.

“Darlin’?”

“Mhm?” You hummed, sleep collecting behind your eyes.

“What are we gonna do if we can’t get them out?”

You opened your eyes, looking up at his face as he ran a hand gently over your hair. “I don’t know,” you admitted. “I’m kind of working under the assumption that we will.”

Bones nodded, swallowing slightly. “Yeah, I know. It’s just,” he paused and sighed deeply. “The little tyke has my name. I don’t think I could manage to –”

“He’s not going anywhere Bones,” you murmured, taking his hand and stroking it. “Colin’s either living with his parents, relatives on Earth, or with us.”

There was a pause, then you heard Bones’ voice, the words a little thick. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you nuzzled deeper into him, and felt his warm arms wrap around you. “After all, we promised to keep him safe.”

If Bones replied, you didn’t hear him. The warmth of the embrace and his gentle breathing had won out, and you slipped into sleep.

“Well, you’ve heard everything now.”

You sank back into your chair, looking around the room at the faces of the senior staff. Kirk was leaning forward, elbows on the table and chin on his hands. Spock stood off to the side, lost in thought, Scotty had his eyebrows knit together so tightly they looked like one long, dark line, and Bones was next to you, rocking Colin as the baby hiccupped and whined. Reaching over, you took Colin from Bones, settling him in the crook of your arm.

“Well,” Kirk said, eyes moving from Bones to you. “That explains a lot.”

“And also nothing at all,” the doctor said, voice rising as Colin let out a sharp cry. “Jim did we really have to bring him here?”

“We’ve no-one to babysit,” Kirk reminded him. “There’s a reason we’re going in for a refit next month - a nursery is clearly going to be necessary.”

“Officer,” All eyes turned to the tall Vulcan, who had spoken for the first time since you’d gathered. “May I attempt to soothe him?”

“Of course Mr. Spock.”

Standing, you carefully placed the infant in his arms. Colin thrashed a few moments more, but upon opening his eyes, the sight of Spock stopped his cries at once.

“Oh thank god,” Bones sighed. “He’s been screaming since we arrived.”

“Can’t blame him,” Kirk smirked, “seeing that scowl constantly.”

Bones laughed sardonically, but you felt his hand find yours. You squeezed it gently, then redirected the discussion. “Now that we’re all caught up, what exactly is it we know?”

“Well,” Kirk thought for a moment, “we know what they look like.”

“They use a resonance shielding system,” Scotty added, “which weakens when power is drawn internally.”

“Their voice is annoying as all He –”

“The baby, Jim,” Bones warned. Kirk raised his eyebrows before resuming.

“As all heck, and is derived from a mutual language root with a planet two thousand galaxies distant.”

“A strange set of variables,” Bones said. Kirk seemed deep in thought about something, then turned his eyes on you.

“What was it you saw in the woods again? What did the sign say?”

“Terran Wing, 1500-1650 CE,” you repeated. The words seemed burned into your mind.

“Hmmmm,” Kirk muttered. “And up here, they called it the Nexus Conservatory.”

“If I may,” Spock said. He moved across the room, Colin now held securely against Spock’s chest, his little head resting on the Vulcan’s shoulder. Spock pressed a button and the far wall lit up, displaying a picture of the sprawling glass structure. “The word ‘conservatory’ implies a zoo-like environment, corroborated by the glass walls, allowing for more light. However, taking into account the Officer’s observations, I would suggest that the wings are divided first by cultural background, and then time period.”

As he spoke, indicating elements of the structure, you saw a small hand creep out from the swaddling blanket, reach up, and latch onto Spock’s ear. Without pausing, Spock made to move the baby’s hand, but each time he did Colin inevitably reached back up. Finally, Spock gave up, and as the Vulcan continued to talk very seriously about the building your cheeks started to hurt as you fought back laughter. You forced yourself not to look at Bones, you could feel his chair shaking as he laughed silently, and you knew the moment your eyes met all resistance would be futile.

“In summation, I would suggest that this structure is a museum, populated by specimens from desired origins which are placed in different temporal environments for the edification of the local species.”

At these words, your laughter died. Ayo, Tanya, Trixie - all locked away in some glass case. And what about Wendy and Mike - what happened when a specimen became uninteresting or dangerous?

“We have to get them out,” you breathed.

“Yes we do,” Kirk agreed, and by the hard look in his eyes you could tell he had something in mind. “From the sound of it there’s more than one exhibit. We need to get them all out - now, or by the might of all Starfleet, I don’t care, but it’s happening.”

You felt your heart swell at his words. Turning to his left, Kirk gestured at the map on the table. “Any ideas Scotty?”

“Aye Sir, but it’ll be dangerous.”

“That’s a given at this point,” Kirk replied.

“Well,” Scotty continued. “Now that we have solid coordinates, if you can distract the ‘curators’ long enough I can beam someone down, carrying our strongest pattern enhancers.”

“I’ll do it,” you said at once. “Bones is more valuable to them – they’d fight harder to keep him. Plus, I’ve engineering background in case the enhancers go skewy.”

‘No –” Bones interjected, “we just got out, you can’t go back in there!”

You turned to look at him, squeezing his hand once more. “I know that place better than any other redshirt we could send. It has to be me, you know that.”

You held each other’s gaze for a moment, and you saw his eyes soften. “Yeah,” he finally agreed. “Yeah, I know.”

“So you’ve got two phasers, two comms, and five enhancers, right?”

“Yes –” you replied, swaying on the spot as you fought to hold all the gear. “All accounted for.”

“Good,” Scotty replied, moving off towards the control panel and pressing a button. “Captain, we’re all set here.”

“Be careful my love.”

Your eyes flicked over to Bones, who had moved close to you, resting his hand on your arm.

“Promise,” you whispered back. Leaning in, he pressed his forehead to yours, breathing deeply.

“We have unfinished business, remember?”

A shiver ran down your spine and you smirked at him before closing the distance.

“We’re ready!”

Breaking the kiss, Bones stepped back, eyes never leaving your face. You took a deep, steadying breath.

“Energize!”

You felt the warmth, saw the golden light - and then you were gone.

Part Nine: Decisions

The moment you rematerialized, everything in your arms fell to the ground.

“Dammit,” you looked around at the pile of tech, then gave up and ran towards the nearest house. “Tanya, Ayo!”

You threw the door open and sprinted through the rooms – everything was deserted.

“Lan? Trixie? Tanya?” You shouted, sprinting back out to the road. Hearing a distant sound, you spun – hand on your phaser. A moment later you’d let out a huge breath – it was Tanya, running towards you with Lan at her heels. You took off towards them, and the three of you collided in a hug.

“You came back,” Tanya sobbed, her hands balled into the back of your uniform.

“Of course,” you smiled, feeling tears prick at the corners of your eyes. “We promised, didn’t we? Where are the others?”

“After you left there was a cull,” Lan said, releasing the two of you as Tanya moved back, wiping her eyes. “There are only five of us now.”

“Five?” You gasped. “Who?”

“The two of us,” Tanya sniffed. “Lenore, Jaz, and Melody.”

“Ayo and Trixie-”

“Gone,” Lan cut in, her voice hard. “Who knows where they have them.”

You stood there for a few moments, stunned, until the mission’s urgency came back to you. “Well, we’re gonna get you five out for now,” you told them. “Lan, you gather the others, Tanya can help me set up the pattern enhancers.”

Leading Tanya over to the pile you’d dropped, you began pulling down the device’s legs, pressing buttons in a sequence until the whole stick glowed green. You handed two to Tanya. “Can you do these ones in a circle?”

Tanya nodded. “Ayo-”

“We won’t leave him,” you said, holding her gaze with yours. “I promise.”

After a moment, she nodded. Taking the two enhancers, she moved a few feet away. You turned back to your work, and as you pressed the last few buttons, waiting for the green lights, you let yourself take in the surroundings. As your eyes passed the outlying buildings you paused – something felt wrong. The ground next to the generators was ajar.

“Tanya,” you called over, “can you get everyone into the center of the circle? When you’re ready, use this comm to send a signal to the Enterprise - just press the green button.” You placed a comm on top of the nearest enhancer for her.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“I’ll beam up after you,” you replied, now walking toward the generators. “Gotta make sure everything’s fine on this end.”

You’d reached the building now. Kneeling down, you felt the edges of the metal square, covered in soil and bits of sawdust. Pushing it to the side, you saw a short drop into a long, dark tunnel. Wires lined the edges, covered by solid glass, disappearing beneath the ground in the direction of the generators. You reached in and pressed your hand to the glass barrier- it had to be there to protect an occupant, which meant this passage led somewhere. Glancing back at the tiny group huddled in a circle, you knew what you had to do.

“Give the Captain a message from me,” you shouted. “Tell him I’m going after the others.”

Then you jumped down into the dark.

“We have them Captain!”

Kirk spun towards the speaker on his chair. “All of them Mr. Scott?”

“All but Lieutenant Y/l/n.”

“Maintain fire!” Kirk ordered, watching as the ship’s torpedoes exploded against the shield on the far east of the museum. “And see if-”

“Captain!”

A woman had burst onto the bridge, eyes wild and hands clutching a small Starfleet comm.

“That’s me,” Kirk said, striding over to her. “Are you one of-”

“No time,” Tanya gasped. “She’s gone-”

“Y/n?” Kirk asked, heart sinking. “Where?”

“Yes,” Tanya answered. “She’s gone after the missing ones - she’s lost down there Sir.”

Kirk opened his mouth, but before he could get a word out a booming voice filled the air.

“Captain.”

All sound on the bridge died.

“Cease fire,” Kirk said softly, turning his back to the floating head and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Shit.”

Part Ten: The End

The tunnel was cold. A shiver ran down your back and you pressed your body into the wall, waiting as footsteps slowly faded, becoming one with the soft vibrations that filled the space. You let the air settle for a moment, then crouched low and moved off into the darkness once again, listening hard for any sound beyond your own heartbeat. You shuffled over to the nearest door and pressed gently against the metal. With a soft whine it gave way, and you peered in to find the walls lined with bottles, and the floor filled with boxes.

Moving inside, you scanned the labels around you, searching for anything that might be useful, but there was no point – you couldn’t read the local language. Your eyes fell on the crate just in front of you, and in a last-ditch attempt to salvage anything before you reentered the tunnel, you pulled off the lid with a loud snap.

For a few seconds you stared down at them. Then you reached out a hand and gingerly lifted one, flipping open the top and listening to the gentle hum as the circuits activated. It sounded and looked the same, but you had no idea when they’d taken one of yours. Didn’t matter, you thought, grabbing three more - you weren’t about to pass up a crate full of communicators.

“We gave you your allotted time.”

“Yes, I know this –” Kirk began again, pressing his fingers into the bridge of his nose. Talking to this species was like talking to a wall. Even Spock had tried, but all his Vulcan logic was useless against a relentless onslaught of obstinacy. They’d been droning on for a half hour, refusing to let anyone else get more than a half sentence out.

“Did you not have-”

“Yes we did!” Kirk interrupted, before the head could continue. “But you see, we had a break in the main frame of our ship. It causes random misfires as it affects the ship’s mutually connected systems. Believe me, we had no wish to attack your planet again.”

The head seemed to consider for a moment. “Our scans detect no faults.”

“That’s because your scans can’t pick up level 23 sub-frame non-ionized emission guidelines,” Kirk invented wildly. “We’ve been outfitted with the newest technology, it’s still in tests, actually. We hadn’t had a breakdown yet, but lucky us – turns out idling here was just too much wear and tear on the engine’s sub-series 6, and the core FTL nano-processor sent the melichor ramistat into overdrive-”

“We do not require the details,” the head cut in, and Kirk could almost swear there was a hint of annoyance behind the smooth, even tone. “Why were we not informed?”

“You’re not exactly easy to reach.”

There was a pause.

“You have five earth hours.”

With those words, the head was gone again. Kirk slumped back into his chair, looking out at the planet as his breath slowly evened out.

“C’mon Y/n,” he muttered. “Give me something.”

You were back in the main tunnel now, heart hammering as you lost track of how far you’d walked. Up ahead, a doorframe jutted out into your path, and right before you reached it, you heard the sound of a doorknob turning.

Throwing yourself to the side, flush with the frame, you watched as the door next to you opened. Two of the aliens you’d seen before walked out, and blessedly moved in the other direction, leaving you to catch your breath and listen to the receding hiss of their voices. Once you were sure they’d gone, you dared to lean forward. They’d left the door open, which could only mean they’d return – you had to find another door, and fast. Just as you made to move, a soft groan echoed through the air, coming from the room.

Shit.

It was the only word that came to mind as you spun and ran through the door, closing it behind you and throwing the lock. Turning, you looked into a large lab space, tables covered with beakers and vials of coloured liquid - nothing capable of groaning. You stepped down a small set of stairs, gazing around at the cabinets full of books and equipment.

The sound came again, it seemed to be behind the wall - the one to your right. You started patting the sides of the furniture, pulling at the books, anything to find a switch or reveal the opening. Then, trying the next case, you spotted a series of buttons. They were in a vertical line, two silver circles and one blue. Markings circled their edges, and tiny lights blinked out at you. It looked like it was meant to be pressed in sequence.

Fuck that, you though, and slammed your boot into button number three.

Sparks flew out at you, and you threw your arms up to cover your eyes. As the spitting of electricity died off, you heard a gentle swish, and felt wind against your skin. Lowering your arms, you found an open wall, revealing three long, metallic tables. Strapped to the first was Wendy.

“Bones, c’mon –”

“No Jim!” Bones hissed, pushing his friend out of the bedroom, away from Colin’s cot. “Monitor on,” Bones said, voice rising as the door behind him slid shut. “How could she do that!”

“Do what- her job?” Jim countered, eyebrows raised.

“That is not her job,” Bones spat, pacing back and forth, hands running through his hair. “She’s security, not a one-woman rescue team! We can barely access them on the surface, never mind the tunnels that run god knows where –” without warning Bones stopped pacing and turned to Jim. “Oh god, what if she’s already –”

“She’s not,” Jim moved to Bones and placed a firm hand on his arm. “If she was they’d be sure to let us know. Take a breath, calm down. Sure, what she did was foolhardy –”

“Completely thoughtless!”

“No, Bones you’re wrong.”

Jim’s determined tone caught Bones’ attention. “I’d say it was thoughtful, too thoughtful. There was a chance she could find the baby’s mother – a chance she could save her and many more – and she put their needs above her own. Tell me that doesn’t sound familiar.”

“I wouldn’t –”

“Two words Bones, mirror Spock.”

Bones fell silent, then glared at Jim. “Fine, you win,” Bones slumped into his couch, head in his hands. “I don’t want to lose her, I can’t – and there’s nothing I can do.”

“I know,” Jim said, voice gentle now. “That’s why I want you to stand watch on the bridge with me. I’ve already taken Spock off shift to watch Colin for the next hour or so.”

“Oh god,” Bones laughed, rubbing his eyes. “That poor mother won’t know her baby once the hobgoblin’s had him for a while.”

Jim snorted, then squeezed Bones’ shoulder. “We’ll get her back Bones – but so help me if you give her hell for something you’ve done, I’ll put you on Alpha shift for a month.”

You ran to Wendy, kneeling down beside the table. Her head lolled, and her mouth opened and shut vaguely as she muttered something incoherent. Looking around the space, you saw a small room to the side, with a chair bolted to the floor, facing a circular light in the ceiling. Your eyes took in the restraints hanging loosely from the arms of the seat, and the control panel that stood just outside, and decided that you didn’t want to know what it did.

“Wendy –” you hissed, shaking her shoulder. “Wendy!”

She groaned again, the sound bouncing off the metal walls, making you flinch. “Shhhhh – we have to be quiet! Please, open your eyes!”

“So warm…” she muttered, trying to turn over but falling slack once more as her restraints pulled her back. “So happy –”

“Wendy – now!” Out of options, you smacked her hard across the face. It barely seemed to phase her, but finally she opened her eyes.

“Oh hello,” she slurred at you, gaze unfocused and voice loud. “Have they fixed you too?”

“No,” you growled, looking around. “I certainly hope not.”

“Oh they should,” she continued as you grabbed a nearby scalpel and started cutting at her bonds. “They’re so lovely, so kind. They even helped the others.” You stopped. “Where are the others?”

“Somewhere happy,” she grinned at you. “I saw them bring one by, a man - it said Mike on his label. He was so relaxed, he wasn’t even blinking, just stared out, smiling –” Her voice dropped away, and the hazy calm drained from her eyes.

“Mike –” it came out strangled, and her face contorted. “No– no, I–” her arms seized up, and she let out a wordless scream.

“Wendy!” You ignored the sick feeling in your stomach as you grabbed her by the arms and shoved a communicator into her hand. “Look at me – do you know what this is?”

“Oh, what a lovely cell phone,” Wendy said, the drugged sound back in her voice and her gaze both on you and far away. “Can I call my friends?”

“Yes,” you said, smiling down at her, inserting a sickly-sweet tone into your voice to match. “You can call all your friends, just let me put in the number.”

Hands shaking, you turned the dials to the locations you’d memorized. You couldn’t risk trying to transport up with her, not with these replica devices. You’d have to go right after.

“Okay Wendy, ready to call?”

She nodded at you, beaming. “Okay then,” you told her, moving to press the button –

and just behind you, a lab bench exploded.

“Captain Kirk to the bridge!”

“What is it Mr. Chekov?” Kirk called, spinning in his seat as he watched Spock hand the baby to Lieutenant Rand for her shift.

“An explosion below ground Sir, getting a weak signal!”

“Lock onto it, beam them up now!” Kirk shouted, running out the door with Spock at his heels. “All hands to battle stations, Dr. McCoy to transporter room one – red alert!”

Crouched low behind a piece of debris, you craned your neck to see who had fired at you. Phaser in hand, you were about to step out into the room when you saw them.

They were just like the other aliens you’d seen, but this one was smaller, squatter, wearing layers of armour and a hard, angry look. Hefting their weapon, the guard scowled around the room, light dancing over their long forehead.

The light – you had been so focused on Wendy you hadn’t noticed it. Looking up, you realized that half the ceiling was glass, facing towards a hallway filled with people. You had never seen so many colourful robes or different species, and every once in a while they would walk towards you, leaning in as if to read something placed just over your head.

A hard hiss drew your attention back to the alien, who was searching the other side of the debris pile. Holding your breath, you decided to make a break for it – you had to press Wendy’s communicator. Darting out from your spot, you sprinted over to Wendy, feeling the heat of the blasts as they missed you by inches, sending bits of metal raining over you. You saw the people in the hall turn towards the sound, and you barely paused as you skidded towards your destination, smashing your hand on the communicator.

A searing pain ripped through your left arm, and you felt your body leave the floor – the sound of another blast ringing in your ears as you smashed through the glass ceiling, weakened from shots the guard was still firing at you. You landed hard on a stone floor, pain tearing through you as you wretched, searching for breath. Gasps filled the air, and you felt the vibrations through the floor as someone moved towards you.

A loud, automated voice rang through the hallway, switching languages after each intonation. You picked out one that sounded like Vulcan, and felt your blood run cold.

“Please evacuate the Terran Wing. Guests are to move to the Central Dome. All security converge on sector 6C.”

Pushing yourself to your feet, you forced your body to move, the world swimming just slightly around you. People backed away, eyes wide as they hurried in the other direction. You stumbled past, looking back just before the gaping hole in the floor was lost from view.

Wendy’s bed was empty.

“Something’s broken their shield Captain!”

Kirk moved to where Sulu sat, watching as the console showed a complete collapse of the planet’s primary shields.

“Any signal yet? Can you find her?”

“No Captain – there’s too much activity. What should we do?”

“Nothing,” Kirk sighed. “We wait.”

You could hear their feet charging past you, and you took deep breaths, bracing yourself to run once more. They were locking the exhibit doors, and as little as you wanted to be caught in the middle of a hallway, you wanted to be locked in here even less. Pulling one more cloak from the children’s renaissance play closet over your shoulders, you tucked your head further into the recesses of your hood and hitched up a scarf to cover most of your face. You had two communicators left, and only one was working – you had one last shot.

Pushing open the exhibit door, you threw the busted communicator down the opposite hallway and took off in the other direction. Voices echoed through the space behind you, and your eyes roved over the tall glass walls, searching for any place you could hide long enough to send a signal and not die.

Turning a corner, you collided with a heavily armoured guard. Staggering, you put on your best wide-eyed, innocent look.

“Please,” you asked the guard, using the Vulcan dialect you’d practiced with Spock. “Where is the exit?”

“Down this hall, just a little further,” they replied. “Hurry, we need this area cleared.”

You nodded, running full tilt until they disappeared behind you. Then, in the distance you heard the same voice, still in dialect:

“Wait - she wasn’t dressed like a Romulan.”

Your legs were burning now - you hadn’t realized you could move this fast. Your gaze flew wildly around until you spotted the giant stone arch you’d seen outside your exhibit – and there it was, just to your left - Terran Wing: Rural North America 1990-2010 CE. Enter to Explore. You grabbed onto one of the thick vines wrapping the column, and felt fire sear through your muscles. Pinning your left arm to your chest, you used your right to secure your legs, slowly climbing up the wall. Footsteps pounded below you, coming closer as the echoes grew. Your right arm shook with strain as you wrenched yourself higher, into the cover of the thickest vines. Finally, just as you’d positioned yourself, five guards rounded the corner, stopping just below you. Trying to move soundlessly, you pulled your communicator from your pocket and opened it.

With a soft crack, the cover broke away and fell to the floor.

“We have another signal!”

Scotty’s voice rang out into the room, not looking up as he and Chekov worked, side-by-side at at the transporter panel. On the pad, Bones had his hands full helping Wendy down the steps as she grinned and slurred at him. He turned wide, frightened eyes to Kirk as a nurse ran over with a hypospray.

“Lock on - whoever it is I don’t care, get them up here now!” Kirk ordered.

“Aye Sir, locking on!”

All five sets of eyes had turned to you. You saw an evil smile bloom over one of their faces and a chill ran down your spine. Pressing the communicator desperately you pulled your body from side to side and aimed your phaser, only to have it shot from your hand.

“She keeps moving sir!”

“I said lock on Mr. Chekov!”

The alien shifted their weapon, pointing it at you once more. Closing your eyes, you did the only thing you could think of, and threw yourself from the arch.

“I’m losing her!”

“You beamed me up while I was literally dive-bombing a planet!” Kirk yelled. “GET. HER. BACK!”

“I’m trying, I’m trying!” Chekov replied, fingers flying over the buttons. “I’m –”

Your chest burned as you sucked air into your lungs. Your eyes were clamped down as you felt air whip by you, and you waited for the impact. It never came. Instead, your feet were solidly on the ground. Drawing in a great gasp, your eyes flew open.

You were on the transporter pad. You were home.

And right in front of you was Dr. McCoy, his eyes the size of saucers, shining with tears.

“Oh thank god,” was all you heard before he had gathered you into his arms, your legs giving way as a sob ripped through you and you buried your face in his shoulder.

“Mr. Sulu,” you heard the captain say, his voice like ice. “Open fire.”

A few minutes later you stood on the bridge, cradling your arm and looking down on the planet as torpedoes rained over the structure, carefully avoiding areas with life signs. After a few minutes, Kirk ordered a full stop.

“Open communications Lieutenant Uhura.”

“Frequencies open Sir.”

“Inhabitants of the planet A’xar,” Kirk said, stepping forward, his hands balled into fists. “Your shields have been destroyed. I have returned five of my people, and I have been informed that you hold many more, and have caused the deaths of at least three. You will beam all remaining hostages to the Enterprise immediately, or I will bring the entire might of the Federation down on your heads,” he paused, and you could see the anger in every muscle. “You have two minutes. I’m waiting.”

The air in the room hung heavy, and the seconds dragged on until:

“Captain, about a hundred people have just appeared in lounge room three!”

The sound of the transporter filled the air, and Jaz materialized next to you. Disoriented, she spun around until her eyes locked onto you, and her face broke out into a huge grin. You pulled her in for a tight, one-armed hug.

“Be aware,” the Captain continued, “should I hear even a whisper that you’ve renewed your activities, I will return, this time with my associates. End transmission.” Kirk turned back to his chair and pressed the comm button. “Scotty, was a body beamed up with these people?”

“Aye sir,” came Scotty’s voice. “He’s been identified as Mike.”

Bones pulled you in a little closer, leaning down to kiss your head. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered, then he left the bridge.

“Mr. Sulu, set warning beacons around the planet,” Kirk was saying. “And set course to Starbase VII.”

“We’re getting the Federation?”

“You’re damned right,” Kirk growled, sitting back in his chair. The floor rumbled as the ship began to move away, and the turbolift doors slid open to reveal Spock carrying Colin, followed closely by Trixie and Len, Tanya and Ayo, a small number you had never seen before, Wendy supported by doctor M’Benga, and finally Bones.

“I thought they should see the back of this place,” Bones said, coming over to you and putting an arm around your waist. Slowly the planet grew small, the warning beacons becoming nothing but small red dots, eventually lost amongst the stars. Tanya had her head on Ayo’s shoulder, and Lan’s fingers were laced with Trixie’s, but Wendy stood off to the side.

“Excuse me,” Spock said, moving over to her and gently laying Colin in her arms. “I believe this is yours.”

For a second Wendy looked down at the baby blankly, then a smile crept on to her face. “Colin,” she whispered softly. “My Colin.”

“Captain, we’re being hailed,” Uhura called. “A freighter called the Lennox, says they heard about a disturbance out this way, and have a very anxious Vulcan named T’pal asking to speak to you.”

“May- may I take this?” Jaz said, her voice cracking as she fought with tears. Smiling, Kirk nodded. Moving over to a small screen on the back wall, Jaz sat down, and it lit up.

“Captain, I-” A male voice began, then broke off. “A-Ashayam?” He finally asked, his voice thick.

“Yes, Ashayam, I’m here,” Jaz replied, openly crying now even as she smiled. T’pal didn’t reply, but a moment later Jaz pressed her hand to the monitor, fingers splayed in a Vulcan kiss.

You nuzzled yourself into Bones’ side, and his fingers traced themselves through your hair as you turned your eyes back to Wendy. She was cooing at Colin, while Spock hovered just beside her, watching the pair closely.

“She looks so right with Colin,” Bones said. “Just like you did – you’re a natural.”

“Wow doctor,” you grinned up at him, “how about some dinner first?”

Eyebrow raised, Bones chuckled, then dipped his head down to kiss you.

“Get a room you two!”

Turning to the captain, Bones sighed. “Da– ” before he could finish, his eyes fixed on baby Colin, who had picked just that moment to look directly at Bones. “–rn tootin’!”

There was a brief pause as his words settled over the bridge. Spock looked up, mouth in a determined line, and the captain’s face had contorted. Finally, he couldn’t take it and broke into peals of laughter. One by one the crew joined in, until finally everyone was laughing, and the Starship Enterprise sped off across the universe, on route to Starbase VII.

#reader X Bones #Terra Nova #write away the winter blues #bones X reader #Leonard McCoy X reader #the whole thing! :D

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puppyboycoded · 7 years

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Ayo I love these shits

I was tagged by @one-for-all-plus-ultra

1. Nickname(s): flister, shlyd 2. Bias: wha? 3. Blood type: I think o- but this is a weird question why are you asking 4. Relationship status: single Pringle 5. Birthday: March 12 (: 6. Zodiac sign: Pisces 🐠 7. Pronouns: whatrethose (jk she/her but I’m kinda pushing towards they/them) 8. Hair length: uhhhh the top is like shoulder length, and then I have an undershave 9. Height: 5'3" I just got measured yesterday 10. A crush: ya but I ain’t telling you 11. What do you like about yourself: I actually like a lot about myself, but right now I’m thinking that I like my hands a lot 12. Right or left handed: right 13. List of three favourite colours: blue green yellow 14. Right now eating: nothing rn but my hands are sticky from an orange I ate recently 15. Right now drinking: nada but I should drink water 16. I’m about to: get to a friend’s house to plan a camping trip 17. Listening to: you don’t know you’re beautiful by one direction cuz it’s on the radio 18. Kids: no but maybe idk anymore 19. Get married: I sure hope 20. Recent phone call: my bestie Lauren, we were at a farm and couldn’t find each other 21. Have you ever dated someone twice: uh no I don’t think 22. Been cheated on: idk maybe probably 23. Kissed someone and regretted it: I don’t think so no 24. Lost someone special: I’ve lost contact with people but no ones died 25. Been depressed: lmao bro 26. Been drunk and thrown up: /lmao bro/ 27. Had glasses or contacts: glasses all day errday 28. Had sex on a first date: ya 29. Broken someone’s heart: yup 30. Turned someone down: mmhmm 31. Cried when someone died: I’ve cried at funerals but not when I got the news 32. Fallen for a friend: lmao lesbian problems

In the last year have you…

33. …made a new friend: a lot actually 34. …fallen out of love: ya 35. …laughed until you cry: mmhmm 36. …met someone who changed you: I like Pierce’s answer - everyone changes you in some way 37. …found out who your true friends were: all my friends are true friends shut it with this shit 38. …found out someone was talking about you: everyone is always talking about me 💅 39. Lips or eyes: eyes 40. Hugs or kisses: both please 41. Shorter or taller: shorter 😍 42. Romantic or spontaneous: /both please/ 43. Sensitive or loud: those are two very different things???? 44. Hookup or relationship: relationship 45. First best friend: Katie, we met in kindergarten, we’re still friends 46. Surgery: no but I help perform surgery on animals 47. Sports I joined: a lot as a kid, I tried them all, but then just soccer and crew. now nothing 48. Do you believe in yourself: ya I’m awesome 49. Miracles: I believe in karma and if you have good karma, good things happen 50. Love at first sight: attraction ya but love, nah 51. Heaven: nah reincarnation my dude. but not in the general sense but in the like, your atoms live on in everything sense 52. Do you have any pets: my sweet hamboy Dexter (a cat) 53. Do you want to change your name: no I’ve grown to love it 54. What did you do for your last birthday: I went to Texas for a long weekend, it was awesome 55. What time did you wake up today: 9 cuz I had to go get blood drawn 56. What were you doing last night at midnight: in surgery at work 57. Something you can’t wait for: camping trip to Arcadia and then a few days on a beach in Rhode island 58. Last time you saw your mom: last month at some point 59. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life: financial status 60. What’s getting on your nerves: how long this washer is taking a girl’s gotta sleep but a girl has no clean work clothes for tomorrow

Whoever wants to do it go for it, I’m so lazy

#personal #ask meme #tagged meme

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artificialqueens · 4 years

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2003 (1/2) (Vanique) - Ortega

a/n: VANIQUE MUST RIIIIIIISE!!!! ayo team, welcome to this. i pulled this ship from virtually nowhere when i was writing n19f and people seemed to like i as much as i did, so i wrote these two together for the fic challenge. i’ve split this fic into two halves, as they’re two very different vibes. this part follows Vanessa and Monique as they go through primary school and then start their first couple years at high school, so it’s definitely more platonic than anything else but it’s cute! also overall this was inspired by two songs, one being 2003 by Todrick and the other being I Choose You by Kiana Ledé which will be the title of the next part, so look out for that. i so so sosososo hope u enjoy, bc i highkey love this pairing a lot. lots of lo-ove, by-ee!

tw: implied child neglect and drug use

summary: Vanessa Mateo and Monique Heart start school in the year 2003. They love girlbands, superheroes and football, and they’re best friends forever. At least, that’s the plan.

***

The room smells of squeaky floors and play-dough. It’s not like anything she’s ever smelt before, but it’s weirdly comforting. She’s sat on a carpet patterned with all kinds of fruit. It doesn’t have pineapple (which is her favourite), but that’s okay. The walls are covered in colourful paper, an arts-and-crafts rainbow explosion. There’s words too, different curly and spiky shapes making letters. She knows one has a “V” in it because that comes at the start of her name and it looks the same, but she can’t read any of the writing yet. Some of the kids in nursery could already read and one of the boys could even write stories. Vanessa couldn’t. She still can’t, but that’s okay. She can write her name and say please and thank you in two different languages and she knows how to count up to 12 (she gets stuck after that, but she’ll learn the rest).

She looks around the carpet. There’s a girl nearby her with two huge black plaits and huge brown eyes to match. Her skin is dark, and Vanessa feels comforted by the fact she’s not alone in sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the Snow Whites and Cinderellas and Auroras and their matching porcelain-skinned Disney princes that are sitting on the carpet with her. She scratches her head, feeling the bow her Mama tied in dark her hair shift. She hopes she’s not made a mess of it. Then Mama would be mad.

Her teacher’s been talking for a while now. It seems like she’s been talking for two hours. Maybe she has been talking for two hours. Vanessa looks up at the clock, even though she doesn’t know how to tell the time yet so the information is less than useless to her. Bored, her eyes drift towards the girl she was looking at before. She’s wearing a white polo shirt and a red pinafore, and her white socks have got red bows on them. Vanessa is jealous. Her new jumper with the school logo is scratchy on the inside and she told her Mama that her leggings have a hole at the knee but they can’t get any new ones until she gets paid.

She bum-shuffles across to sit beside the girl, keeps her eyes trained on the teacher like a sniper as she leans in and whispers. “You look like a princess.”

The girl gives her a big smile. Vanessa knows she should say thank you, but maybe she doesn’t know as much about manners as Vanessa does. The girl whispers to her. “You look like Meg from Hercules.”

Vanessa smiles at her. She’s seen Hercules- it’s not her favourite, but she’s seen it- and Meg was her favourite character. “Thanks.”

“It’s okay,” she whispers. There’s a pause before she hisses to her again. “My name’s Monique, what’s yours?”

“I’m Vanessa,” she replies quietly. Vanessa picks at the hole in her leggings. It’s now about the size of a 1p coin. She knows about coins, at least. “Hey, you wanna play princesses at playtime?”

Monique nods excitedly, then whips her head around, scared. Vanessa looks up at her teacher. Her eyebrows are almost joined-up and there’s little lines on her forehead and her eyes have gone all hard. Vanessa knows this means she’s feeling cross.

“Vanessa, Monique! It’s rude to talk while someone else is talking. We don’t do that in school.”

Vanessa knows she should nod, but her stomach feels all fizzy and she finds herself frowning at her teacher instead. Monique says sorry. Maybe Vanessa should say sorry too. She decides she doesn’t want to.

“She’s been talking for about 5 hours. Maybe even 4 years,” Vanessa whispers to Monique again. Monique covers her mouth with her hands and lets out a tiny giggle. Their teacher gives them a suspicious look again and Monique shuffles away from Vanessa. Vanessa knows this means she doesn’t want to get into trouble. As soon as the teacher starts talking again, Vanessa hisses over to her.

“Monique!”

No answer. “Monique!”

Monique turns around a little bit to face her. “What?”

Vanessa cups her mouth with her hands so the girl can hear her. “Do you want to be best friends?”

Monique gives her another big smile. It makes Vanessa feel happy too. “Okay!”

She’s only been here for five hours, maybe even four years, and she’s already made a best friend. This school thing is easy.

***

It’s the two of them for life. Vanessa just knows it. They’re BFFAEAE (best friends forever and ever and ever). They get in trouble for chatting at school and their long-suffering teacher monitors them like a hawk. They’re banned from sitting near each other on the carpet because even when Vanessa tries to listen (even if it’s P.E., her favourite), she’ll think of something funny she just has to share with Monique, and of course Monique is incapable of laughing quietly so she lets out a screech that completely disrupts the whole lesson and earns them both five minutes off their reward time. Vanessa doesn’t even mind losing reward time. They sit at the same table while everyone else plays and they write out the class rules, but Vanessa doesn’t mind because it’s the only time they’ll ever be allowed to sit together in class.

In the playground and after school it’s a different story. In Reception they play princesses and animal rescue with their threadbare, well-loved stuffed animals they sneak into school in their schoolbags. By Year 1 they’re popstars learning dance routines and designing album covers and falling out because Monique wants to call their double-act The Strawberry Babies and Vanessa knows that obviously The Starlights is a far superior name. In the Summer between Year 1 and Year 2 Vanessa’s Mama takes them to the cinema to see Fantastic Four and so for the whole of Year 2 they’re obsessed with superheroes, rolling around on the tarmac play-fighting with each other and getting bruised knees and scraped elbows and so far removed from the girly girls they were when they started school.

Vanessa knows everything about Monique and Monique knows everything about her, because that’s what it means to be best friends. Vanessa knows that Monique’s brother is eleven and goes to Big School and doesn’t play with her and slams his door and plays rap music that Monique can hear when she’s in her room with the door closed. Monique stays in the high flats with her brother and her gran.

“Do you have a Mama?” Vanessa remembers asking her one day in the playground, drawing in the dirt with sticks.

Monique’s voice had been quiet. She hadn’t looked up from drawing in the dirt. “Uh-huh.”

“Where is she?”

Monique had shrugged, scribbled out the happy face she’d drawn. “Gran says she’s not allowed to see us any more.”

Vanessa could tell talking about her Mama had made Monique sad, so they don’t talk about that any more. Dads are off the table too. Vanessa doesn’t know hers and Monique doesn’t either. Vanessa doesn’t really need a Dad. Her Mama works in the supermarket and keeps their tiny pebbledashed council house in the estate spotlessly clean and is always on time to pick Vanessa up from school. She drags Vanessa kicking and screaming to mass every Sunday (Vanessa doesn’t like it because all the chanting scares her) and threatens her with El Coco until she’s blue in the face. Monique goes to church too but hers sounds more fun- they laugh and clap and sing their hearts out. Monique sings the songs in school. Vanessa thinks she sounds like she could be in the Sugababes, not that she’s allowed to listen to the Sugababes.

Monique comes round to Vanessa’s house every few weeks or so. She lives close, and Monique is allowed to walk round on her own. Vanessa is jealous of that. She wishes her Mama would let her go places on her own. She tells her that one day and Mama howls with laughter, says she’s not allowed out on her own until she’s at least twenty-one. Vanessa thinks she’s joking. Thinks.

Vanessa gets excited when Monique visits because she knows her Mama will make an effort with the dinner. That’s unfair and disrespectful, she knows; Mama works hard to put food on the table, but her stuffed arepas are just better than rice and beans (and microwave meals if it’s near her pay day, which her Mama makes Vanessa promise she’ll never tell her Abuela they eat). They sit and eat with their bowls on their laps on the sofa in front of the TV and watch The Weakest Link. They sometimes get the questions right even though they’re only 7 and the people on the show are fully-grown adults. Monique is smart, though. Smarter than Vanessa. Vanessa thinks she’s smarter than their teacher. She’s the best at writing in the class and the best at maths too, and she can read any word at all.

Vanessa’s not that smart, but she knows Monique is, and she thinks she’s amazing.

It’s a grey-clouded day in July in the Summer of 2007 when Monique pulls up outside Vanessa’s house on a brand new bike. It’s blue and the seat is close to the ground and the spokes are all shiny. Vanessa runs out to see her, sticks her feet in between the bars of the rusty iron gate at the front of their house and swings back and forth as Monique talks.

“My brother got me it. Someone from the skatepark didn’t want it any more and it’s too small for him, so I guess it’s mine now,” Monique shrugs happily. There’s a smudge of dirt on her face that Vanessa knows her Mama will wipe off with a hot cloth if she sees it. “It’s kinda big for me but it works okay. You got a bike, right?”

Vanessa cringes, thinks about the pink bike with streamers at the handles that lives in their back garden and is probably crumbling away with rust. “I got one, but it ain’t as cool as yours.”

Monique smiles, satisfied with the compliment. “Well, go get it an’ we can go for a ride.”

Vanessa blushes and thinks of how many cool points she’s going to lose when she tells Monique that she has to ask her Mama first. Monique laughs at her good-humouredly, sticks her tongue out at her and calls her a baby. Monique turned 9 two months ago and Vanessa has to wait four more to catch up with her, so the comment stings but she pretends it doesn’t.

To her surprise and delight, her Mama lets her go out on her bike with Monique but only if they just go round the estate and they’re back before dinner time. Vanessa has never been able to follow the rules, though, so when Monique tells her she knows a place by the river under the bridge with a scrub of sand like it’s the seaside then Vanessa doesn’t hesitate to follow her. Vanessa wonders how Monique seems to know the city so well: she takes her on a journey through dark underpasses with yellow strip lights and bright scrawls of graffiti, narrow bridges above busy roads that Vanessa tries to pretend don’t scare her, secret little paths through the big park Vanessa goes to with her Mama sometimes. They pedal wildly and everything zooms by so quickly that even though she has no idea where she is, Vanessa feels safe. Any vaguely scary things they see (big dogs) are gone a second later, and Vanessa knows Monique would protect her if anything scary did happen. She would protect her too. That’s just what best friends do.

They arrive at the place Monique had been talking about. The brown stone bridge hangs high above them but Vanessa can still hear the cars on it pass by. They’re drowned out slightly by the babbling of the river, inky and cold and black with jaggy rocks underneath its surface. There’s huge clusters of boulders that they both have to climb over to get to the sand and they have to leave their bikes leaning against the wall on the path. It’s not a pretty place, but it’s still a little bit magical. It has the aura of adventure rather than beauty and they’d be more likely to discover pirates here than fairies, which is just how Vanessa likes it. Together they chuck stones into the water haphazardly, their hands growing more grubby by the minute and the dirt black under their nails.

“What’s that?” Vanessa narrows her eyes, reaches down to pick up the object she’s spotted. It’s embedded in the sand and she can’t really see what it is, but it looks like what she got her injections with at the doctor’s. Monique races over to see what she’s talking about and pushes her hand away quickly. Vanessa snaps. “Hey!”

“You’re not s'posed to touch that, it’s dangerous!” Monique cries, outraged. “What if you got stabbed?”

Vanessa snorts a laugh. “It’s ain’t a knife, M'nique, it’s only a stupid needle."

Then, almost as if Monique’s warning had been a dare, Vanessa picks it out the sand with her thumb and index finger, holds it by the plastic tube. Monique’s face falls. "Stop it, ‘Ness, that’s creepy.”

Vanessa laughs, starts making the needle float about while making spooky noises. Monique takes a step back, her face all panicked. Vanessa gives a giggle. Monique’s acting like a scaredy-cat; she does that sometimes and it’s funny to wind her up. She usually takes it well but she’s growing more distressed than she usually does. Her eyes are all wide and Vanessa stops playing the moment she sees tears start welling up in them. She immediately drops the needle into the river and crosses over to her, her trainers leaving huge Nike ticks in the sand.

“Hey, what’s the matter? I’m sorry,” she mumbles. She regrets joking around now, and Monique is wiping at her eyes and sniffing and smearing dirt across her face.

“They used to be all ‘round my house before we lived with Gran,” she sniffs. Vanessa gets a churning feeling in her tummy. She doesn’t really know what that means, but it makes her feel frightened just hearing about it. She can’t imagine how frightened Monique felt seeing them for real. Slipping the sleeves of her hoodie down over her hands, she gives Monique a hug, pats her back in the hope it’s comforting.

“I threw it in the river. Don’t worry. You don’t need to see it ever again,” Vanessa says. She’s not Monique, she doesn’t know what it’s like to have a sibling, but Monique is the closest thing to a sister she has and she wants to keep her safe. Monique is smiling at her when she steps out of the hug, and Vanessa feels relieved.

“An’ if it does come back we’ll just stab it before it can stab us first!” Monique jokes. It’s a silly joke but Vanessa still bursts out laughing.

“We’ll stab it with a stick!” she joins in, and soon the two girls are laughing and anything vaguely threatening has been forgotten about.

They end up cycling a lot that Summer, Monique showing Vanessa all sorts of hidden places all round the city. Vanessa never feels freer than when she’s racing around on dirt paths behind her best friend, and worries are a distant memory. Vanessa’s life is good and she has a lot of things to be thankful for but she knows she looks different and doesn’t fit in, she knows there’s a lot of things that the other kids have that she doesn’t, she knows that there are times when her Mama sits up at night time with her bills spilling out across the kitchen table and a calculator in her hand. Monique is a bright smile and a sense of adventure and she makes Vanessa feel happy.

They don’t go out on their bikes as much when they go back to school after the holidays. Year 4 flies by almost as quick as they used to cycle, as does Year 5. They don’t pretend as much in the playground anymore, preferring to run riot on the astroturf with the boys in their class and play football and get bruises on their shins from being tackled to within an inch of their life. Not much changes by Year 6; their last year of primary school when they should be responsible and conscientious and yet they’re still getting in trouble for giggling in class and playing pranks on the other kids and whispering swear words in Spanish (that one is Vanessa’s fault).

They’ve only got a month left of primary school and Vanessa’s allowed to walk home with Monique now as long as she keeps her phone on loud and texts her Mama to tell her if they’re stopping by the park or the snack van. Today is one of those days. They’re sat underneath the huge cherry blossom tree at the park; Vanessa wants to climb it but Monique’s saying that’s too babyish. They’re too old for that now, so they’re bluetoothing each other Tinchy Stryder and N-Dubz songs and blaring them at full volume out of their tinny phone speakers instead. Vanessa’s about to show Monique a parody somebody’s made of You’re Beautiful by James Blunt when Monique breaks the not-quite-silence.

“You gotta crush on anyone?”

Vanessa wrinkles her face up, snorts a laugh. “Ew! Nah. All the boys in our class are gross. I ain’t ever had a crush on any of ‘em.”

Monique gives a quiet laugh. “Me neither. They all use that Lynx Africa like it’s gonna cover up their B.O.”

Vanessa lets out a howl of laughter. She wasn’t lying to Monique; she doesn’t have a crush on anyone. If she thinks about it, she’s never really had a crush on any of the boys in her class. It’s just not something she thinks about. She cares more about her best friend than she’d ever care about any boy.

Their laughter dies down, and Vanessa gets a knot in her stomach. It happens every so often when she thinks about high school. Their class went up to see the school last week and it felt like such a terrifying maze of identical-looking corridors and crowds of kids so old they looked to be mini adults. Their teacher had told them to write down three friends they wanted to be in the same form class as, even though she said she couldn’t guarantee they’d get to stay together. Vanessa had written only one name on her form- Monique Heart - in her curly, barely-legible handwriting, the “i”s dotted with hearts. It’s been on her mind ever since, though. They’ve been together since Reception, Monique is all Vanessa knows. She wouldn’t begin to know how to make any other friends. She doesn’t want any other friends.

“M’nique,” Vanessa says, and the other girl looks up. “What happens if we ain’t in the same form class next year?”

Monique gives a small, humoured laugh. “Well then we ain’t in the same form class.”

Vanessa rolls her eyes and shoves her. “Duh, idiot! I mean like…with us. We still gon’ be best friends?”

Monique laughs dismissively, shakes her head at her. “Now who’s being the idiot?”

“I’m serious!” Vanessa objects, annoyed that Monique’s still got her eyebrows raised at her like she’s a little kid. She’s going to be 12 in October; it’s not like she’s a baby. “What if you find other cool girls to hang out with? What if you get a new best friend? What am I gonna do?”

“You’re gonna do nothing, cuz that ain’t gonna happen,” Monique insists. Her face lights up as she gets an idea, jabs a finger against the tree trunk. “Okay. If I carve our initials into this tree, it’ll be like a promise. That we’re always gonna be best friends. I don’t want to hang out with cool girls. It’s fun just me an’ you.”

Vanessa smiles, her heart feeling all warm at the reassurance. Monique rummages around in her bag and produces her keys, starts stabbing at the bark of the tree relentlessly. Vanessa flinches a little, part of the reaction a residual memory from watching Pocahontas too much when she was really little; she used to believe that trees could feel things like humans. She shares the memory with Monique who doesn’t laugh at her, even though she probably has every right to.

“Well humans feel things an’ they get tattoos. So this is like a tattoo for a tree,” she shrugs. She’s chipped a big capital M in the bumpy bark so far and is starting on an H.

“Hey, you think we should get matching tattoos when we’re grown ups?” Vanessa suggests, the idea exciting her. Monique frowns as she drags her key over the wood.

“Don’t they use needles for that?”

Vanessa regrets the idea as soon as Monique says it; she’d forgotten about her friend’s fear. She decides to commit to the idea. “They do, but they’re all clean an’ safe. An’ you wouldn’t have to be scared cuz I’d go with you.”

Monique nods as she starts on Vanessa’s name. “I never feel scared when I’m with you. Except when Mrs Del Rio yells at us.”

“She’s a big baby. She just hates us cuz we would be better teachers than her,” Vanessa shrugs. It’s true.

“Well, what tattoo are we gonna get? We need to decide now so we can start saving up for it,” Monique questions her. Vanessa scoffs.

“How much do you think a tattoo costs? It’s like ten pounds, God!"

It’s Monique’s turn to laugh. "Nah, it’s way more than that! My brother’s got one and his cost a hundred and fifty.”

Vanessa lets out an outraged screech. “That’s a damn lie! You’re gonna go to the bad fire if you keep tellin’ lies like that.”

“An’ you’re gonna go to the bad fire cuz you just cussed.”

“Well, see you down there,” Vanessa shrugs. She considers Monique’s question. “What about we get BFFs in cool writing?”

Monique nods enthusiastically. “Yeah! With a heart maybe.”

“Yeah!” Vanessa agrees, excited about the prospect of their matching tattoos. She Googles “when can i get a tatoo” (spelling’s never been her strong suit) and lets out a groan at what she reads. “Ugh. We have to wait seven whole years.”

“You have to wait seven years, I only have to wait six!” Monique boasts, Vanessa sighing. She hates being one of the youngest in the class. She doesn’t have time to feel down for long though, as Monique shows her her handiwork with a flourish; MH + VM, scratched into the tree forever. “There! Best friends forever.”

Vanessa feels as if her smile is going to break her face. It feels like her body is made of the sun’s rays. When Monique says that, high school doesn’t seem so scary any more.

“Where we gonna get these tattoos anyway?” Monique speaks again. Vanessa’s smile turns wicked and she can barely get her thoughts out without laughing.

“Imagine we get them on our butt!”

Vanessa thinks Monique’s Gran might be able to her them screeching with laughter from the top floor of her tower block.

***

Things change though, despite the promise they make. Monique doesn’t think either of them mean to break it but life gets in the way and God has other plans. It’s what she believes at least.

Though she doesn’t know what his plan was for separating her from her best friend. Monique cries for forty-five solid minutes when she receives the letter telling her what form class she’s in; she knows it’s different to Vanessa’s. Her Gran holds her tight and rocks her against her chest on the sofa while her brother yells at her to shut up and slams his bedroom door. Her Gran is full of comforting words: you’re a strong girl, and you’ve been through worse in your life than this, and this isn’t going to change a single thing, hush now. But it is going to change things. When she’s with Vanessa, Monique feels like she can take on the world. She brings out her confident side when she feels shy, matches every shriek with a screech, takes her mind off the fact that she lives in a shoebox fourteen storeys high in the air where the elevator doesn’t work and the stairwell smells like piss. She can’t imagine starting high school without her. She doesn’t want to imagine it.

Monique batters out of the flat despite her Gran shouting after her, dashes down the stairs like her life depends on it. Her heart feels ready to give out when she reaches the lobby and bursts out into the open air but she still unchains her bike from the rack outside, pedals madly to Vanessa’s house. The bike is too small for her now and it’s uncomfortable to ride but it’s all she has to get her to the person that matters most. She reaches the house and Vanessa’s Mama lets her in, and Monique takes the stairs up to Vanessa’s bedroom two at a time where they hold each other tight and bundle up in Vanessa’s duvet and sob and sob and sob.

But looking back, Monique knows she’d been a little dramatic that day. Not being in the same form class as Vanessa really is not the end of the world. They walk there together on their first day and give each other a tight, nervous hug before they each head to their own form rooms. Monique pushes down on the doorhandle and anxiety fills her body as she walks in, freezes at the doorframe. There’s about twenty other kids already in the room and the whole scene is a bit chaotic. There are two boys chucking a ball to each other across the classroom, some girls with hair in high ponytails screeching and playing Katy Perry out of their phone speakers. Even though Monique has sat through countless interviews with social workers, child psychologists and police officers, this is one of the scariest experiences of her life.

“Hey. You wanna sit with us?”

Monique’s eyes fall on a table of girls with skin just like hers and hair to match. Monique instantly feels 80% more reassured; she’s never seen a classroom with a colour palette like this in her life. She and Vanessa had been the only two girls in their year at primary whose skin colour had deviated from the sea of pink or almost-translucent. There’s one girl who fits that mold at the table with the others, and Monique thinks it’s funny that she’s got pale skin, blonde hair and blue eyes and still happens to be the odd one out.

The girls take her under their wing that first day, and the next, and the next. They’ve all gone to a different primary school from Monique and so are already closer than close, but they never make her feel like an outsider. Asia with the sleek, black hair that tumbles down her back has a sweet smile and explains all the in-jokes that Monique doesn’t understand. Antonia, the girl who invited Monique to sit with them, has an intimidating face and a skinny frame but a kind heart and always shares her snack and pens with her. Roberta- Bob- has a huge untameable afro and personality to match, and her cousin Monét isn’t dissimilar apart from the fact that her hair is wavy and caramel instead of jet black and curly. They bicker with each other and gossip about their teachers and make Monique laugh when she’s down. And Brianna is kind and caring and is always able to put a smile on Monique’s face.

Before long, it seems like Monique has made five new friends without even having to try. She wishes she could say she’s friends with Vanessa like she always used to be, but that would be lying.

Because Vanessa’s made friends too. They’re the girls Monique’s Gran always warned her about- friends with the devil and they’ll lead you on a path straight to him. Akeria and Silky make a reputation for themselves at high school within a week of the year beginning. They mess about in class, text during lessons, Silky starts fights with other girls in the corridors that her victims never have the balls to finish. Akeria flirts with the boys and the rumours say she’s had her first kiss already. They backchat teachers and keep cans of spray paint in their bags and walk along the train tracks to the depot after school to spray their wobbly initials on the side of freight trains.

But despite the fact they don’t hang out as much in person any more, that doesn’t diminish the light that Monique keeps burning in her heart for Vanessa. They bump into each other in corridors and chat excitedly in the five minutes they have between lessons, smile and wave at each other from across the lunch hall, and they still text each other and walk there and back from school together. Well, until just after the start of Year 8. Vanessa starts getting a lift from Akeria’s Mum in the mornings and hanging out at the shopping centre with her and Silky after school. It’s not her fault, and Monique supposes she’s no better- Monét lives on Monique’s route to school so the two of them start walking together instead, and after school the girls often go to the chicken shop in town and shovel down wings to make up for the disgusting school lunches.

By her second year of high school it’s almost like Monique has a new best friend.

But she doesn’t want to think like that, so she’s overjoyed when it gets to the start of Summer, just before the last term of their second year ends, and Vanessa’s texts change from general small-talk chit-chat to an invitation to have a sleepover at her house at the weekend. Monique feels embarrassing levels of excitement as she texts back confirming she’ll be there.

M: Are your other friends gonna be there??

V: nah just me n u

And it is just her and Vanessa. It’s a gorgeously sunny day and Vanessa’s Mama puts up a tent in the garden that they can camp out in. It’s nice to be back with her, talking and giggling and laughing about stupid stuff. Vanessa laughs uproariously as she tells Monique about Silky and Akeria’s latest exploits and Monique listens nervously, anxious just hearing about them.

“Do you join in when they do stuff like that?” Monique asks her, after a story about how Silky signed her name in the same Sharpie she does her eyebrows with on a toilet cubicle door and got detention. Vanessa shakes her head, smiles bashfully.

“Nah. I tell ‘em it’s good to keep someone onside in case we get into trouble. The teachers’ll let us away with more if they like one of us. 'Least that’s my excuse,” she explains. Monique smiles, reassured.

“I didn’t think you were like them,” she says, relieved. She thinks Vanessa narrows her eyes at her, but she blinks and her expression has changed. Vanessa’s started wearing makeup and it suits her, even though her foundation is maybe a little off-colour. The mascara she’s swept onto her lashes opens up her eyes a little more and lets Monique see the twinkle that seems to be permanently shining in them.

She is so pretty, and Monique wishes she could look like her.

They talk as if nothing has changed over dinner, various barbecued meats grilled on a disposable barbecue Vanessa’s Mama got from her work. Monique has never had a barbecue before and she decides that burgers charred to within an inch of their lives are the best thing she’s ever eaten. They make smores from chocolate digestives and marshmallows for dessert and Monique howls with laughter as the chocolate and marshmallow melt down half Vanessa’s hand and she licks it off as her Mama rolls her eyes, goes to find her a hot cloth and mutters in Spanish that Monique doesn’t understand but knows is long-suffering. She has almost forgotten the way Vanessa can make her belly laugh just by acting the fool. Monique has spent two whole years not even knowing how much she’s missed her friend, too distracted by her new ones.

When it’s time to go to sleep they both cosy up under Vanessa’s duvet that’s been dragged outside and a sleeping bag each under that. Every available pillow and cushion in the house has been utilised in lieu of a blow-up mattress but the set-up is still comfortable, even though it’s pitch-black both in the tent and outside. It might be the end of June but it’s still cold once the sun goes down, and Vanessa has shuffled up near to Monique in a bid to try and keep warm. Vanessa being so close makes Monique feel warm on the inside as well as the outside.

“Hey, you know that rumour about Akeria kissing Dean from Year 9?” Monique pipes up, interested. “Is that true?”

Vanessa rolls onto her tummy to face Monique, and her eyes are sparkling with mischief even in the dark. It makes Monique’s stomach do a flip. “Yeah. They did it at the food court after school one day. You wanna know what else?”

Vanessa’s face is so full of glee that Monique can’t help but nod in anticipation. She’s almost in fits of laughter as she tries to get the secret out. “He tried to get her to touch his…you know!”

Monique lets out a screech that is equal parts horrified and amused as Vanessa dissolves into giggles too. “GROSS! Did she do it?”

“Ew! What do you think? Of course she didn’t. That shit’s nasty.”

There’s a pause in which Vanessa lets out a few more giggles. Monique doesn’t. She’s silent. She’s thinking.

“I wonder what it’s like.”

Vanessa’s voice is loud in the silence of the night. “What? Touching a boy’s-”

“No, idiot!” Monique laughs, explaining herself. “Kissing someone. Wonder if it’s as nice as people say it is.”

Vanessa falls quiet as well. Monique wonders what she’s thinking. She decides to break the silence. “You ever kissed a boy?”

Vanessa lets out a snort. “Come on, M’nique, you know I ain’t.”

“No I don’t!” Monique protests, her voice dropping to a murmur as she feels herself pout while she speaks. “I feel like I don’t know anything about you anymore.”

They both fall silent, and there’s a shift in the atmosphere that Monique can’t quite put her finger on. Vanessa lets out a sudden giggle.

“What?” Monique asks awkwardly, unsure if she’s meant to be in on the joke or the butt of it.

Vanessa’s face is scheming. She laughs a little, buries her face in her pillow before she speaks. “You know we could practise?”

Monique is slow on the uptake at first. “Practise? Practise what?”

She realises as Vanessa lifts her head and gives another giggle. Monique lets out a screech, takes the pillow from underneath her head and thumps her friend with it. “Ew, Vanessa! Ew, ew, ew! You’re so weird!”

“Oh, c’mon! I don’t wanna go kiss a boy and then be really bad at it, then he’s tell his friends and they’d tell their friends and then the whole school would think I’m shit!” Vanessa insists. Monique’s heart gives a very loud thud as Vanessa inches her face close to Monique. She’s not taken her makeup off and her mascara is all smudged around her eyes like makeshift eyeliner. She looks really pretty.

Monique shoves her away back onto the pillows. “I ain’t doin’ that shit with you! Ask Akeria since she’s so experienced.”

“But I don’t wanna practise with Kiki! I wanna practise with you!” Vanessa says matter-of-factly. Monique’s stomach gives another churn. Something is different, something has changed. Monique isn’t sure what it is or what to make of it.

“Well, tough shit. We ain’t…practising,” Monique huffs, turning her back to Vanessa and letting her eyes burn holes in the flimsy tent walls.

Vanessa’s voice comes from her side of the tent. “Fine! But if they call you…shit, I don’t know…Washing-Machine Mouth Monique…don’t say I never warned you!”

Monique lets out another huff, squeezes her eyes shut and wills herself to sleep. She feels weird. Her heart is going too fast and her stomach feels fizzy and it takes her a moment to realise her face has gone all hot.

“M’nique?” Vanessa’s voice comes from the darkness. She ignores it. “You mad at me?”

She sighs, rolls her eyes even though she knows Vanessa can’t see. “No.”

“Okay,” Vanessa says. Her voice is soft, and she rolls over onto her side. She rests her head against Monique’s back and puts an arm around her. They hug all the time, but this one feels different. It’s nice, though, and Monique feels warm and safe. “I’m sorry we haven’t hung out much. You know. Like we did in primary.”

“I’m sorry too,” Monique sighs, bringing a hand up to pat Vanessa on the arm. She ends up simply leaving it there.

“Hey, we should hang out more in the Summer! You know you can always come round to mine,” Vanessa continues.

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” Monique murmurs, letting out a heavy sigh. She’s not lying- it would be nice. She knows she could never have friends back to her flat because they don’t have the space and besides, most of them wouldn’t even want to set foot in the high rise anyway. Monét’s parents are doctors and Asia’s Dad is a barrister and her Mum is a lawyer, and Bob’s parents work in something accountant-y, and they all live in big houses with sweeping paved driveways and garages and gardens the size of the Emirates stadium. Granted Antonia’s Mum and Dad both work two jobs to pay the rent and Brianna’s Dad is a dustbin man while her Mum stays at home to look after her baby sister, but at least their families are happy ones. Monique has never known the luxury of a fancy house or a private garden or a car or a perfect, cookie-cutter family. She wonders if she ever will.

She’s pulled out of her thoughts by Vanessa giving her a gentle squeeze, cuddling closer. She didn’t think it would be possible but she somehow manages it, and Monique isn’t complaining. “G'night, M'nique.”

Monique is too tired to think any more. Vanessa’s arms feel comforting around her, and she chooses to settle in them. “Night, 'Ness.”

#rpdr fanfiction #ortega #2003 #vanique #vanessa vanjie mateo #monique heart #best friends to girlfriends #lesbian au #high school au #fic challenge #diversity fic #s10 #black girl magic fic #tw mentions of implied child neglect #tw brief mentions of drug use

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artificialqueens · 4 years

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Different People (Different Arguments), 3/14 (Branjie/Jankie) - Ortega

a/n: ayo!! so sorry for the update gap fam, but chapter 3 is here! soooo hope u all enjoy. p.s. i promise I love Nicky, Gigi and Crystal…but every good story has a bad guy right???

fic summary: Brooke Lynn is a political advisor for a government department where she has to contend with an incompetent Minister, maintaining her stone-cold bitch image, working alongside a press team of slackers, and the Prime Minister’s ever-so-slightly terrifying enforcer breathing down her neck 24/7. So when a familiar face from her past arrives as her new boss, she’s not exactly thrilled to add another problem to her ever-growing pile.

And then she admits she’s got a crush on her coworker.

Last chapter: Jackie became a breakout political star after she spoke out against the homophobia and misogyny in the media, and Brooke finally acknowledged that her feelings for Vanessa maybe weren’t as platonic as she’d thought.

In this chapter: When Shadow Minister Nicky Doll and her advisors arrive at DoSac for an informal, pre-election briefing, Jan tries to cope with the stress of seeing her old colleagues again. There’s more at stake, though, when Jackie reveals a secret that cannot get out.

***

Casting her eyes over the meeting room, Brooke attempted to focus on what Jackie was actually saying. She was trying her hardest, she really was, but it was just that Vanessa was wearing the red jumper today, the really soft one that made her look more cuddly and adorable than normal.

Brooke had a crush on Vanessa. She’d accepted that now. The way to deal with it was just to never act upon it, talk about it, or to admit it to anyone outside of her own head. She’d spent so long cultivating the perfect stone-cold, heartless bitch image and she wasn’t exactly going to do anything to taint that now. The most important thing she had to remember was that she didn’t need anyone- she had no desire to be in a relationship, to be tied down and have to answer to someone else all the time. She had a perfectly good bullet to get her off and if she felt like it she could always go and pick up someone random from a bar. There was always that irritating aspect when the afterglow had faded, though, if whoever she’d used for the night wanted to stay over, or heaven forbid see her again. Things were just better as they were, Brooke concluded. She couldn’t get attached, or hurt, or fall in love this way. If there was one thing she wasn’t, it was vulnerable. Getting into a relationship with someone put you in the weakest position you could possibly get.

She would know, after all.

Still, she was allowed to dream about it; an ideal world in which love worked out the way it did in books and movies, one huge cliché where Brooke and Vanessa were happy together and lived in perfect domesticity, had the best sex of their lives and went on adorable dates. It was simplistic and shallow and completely unrealistic, but perhaps that was all it was meant to be.

Gazing at Vanessa again, she was surprised to see her eyes already on her. She was even more surprised when she looked around the room and saw that everyone else was staring at her as well.

“Brooke Lynn?” Jackie asked, staring at her expectantly. She stood in front of a huge whiteboard with marker pen scribbled all over it- generic buzzwords such as “connectivity”, “inclusivity” and “diversity” sprang out to her, but nothing really indicated what Jackie could have previously been talking about.

“Um. The fiscal year?” Brooke guessed blankly. Jan laughed from across the table, throwing her head back and letting her blonde hair cascade down the back of the chair. Jackie didn’t find it as funny.

“For God’s sake, Brooke, this policy is only going to work if everyone pays attention and has some form of input other than just staring at me with glassy eyes like they’ve been goddamn taxidermied!” she sighed, sitting her pen down on the table and sliding into an empty chair. Brooke felt a pang of guilt- Jackie had been doing well in the two weeks that had followed her Von’Du interview and had received heaps of public support and attention. The perfect time, Bianca had insisted, to get some new ideas out there and into parliament.

“Sorry. Remind me of the premise?”

Irritated, Jackie rolled her eyes before Vanessa cut in with a sweet smile. “Issa scheme to get the UK to house more refugees and get ‘em into work therefore boosting the economy, diversifyin’ the nation and basically makin’ us look like good guys to the rest of Europe.”

Brooke shot her a grateful smile across the table, trying her best not to blush.

“Thank God someone’s been listening,” Jackie smirked. “We’re basically just trying to come up with a name for it. Or a tagline or something.”

Brooke pressed her pen to her lips, thinking for a second. Nina suddenly piped up from beside her.

“What about…Don’t be bigoted. Be uninhibited,” she said, her suggestion met with utter silence from the rest of the group.

“Well that was nice, Nina, but how about something a bit less…” Jackie thought for a second, trying to find the correct word.

“Shit?” Brooke shrugged, Jan once again letting out a peal of laughter. Vanessa was clearly trying to conceal her giggles from the other side of the huge table, while both Nina and Jackie looked unimpressed.

“Do you have any better suggestions?”

“No, and I’m not going to pretend like I do! I’m not going to just yell out any old crap like I’ve got shit idea Tourette’s,” Brooke shrugged, Jan now bent over in her chair from laughter and Vanessa now audibly giggling. Brooke couldn’t tell, but she could have sworn Jackie let out the tiniest snort of a laugh before regaining composure.

“Ladies, please, this is important! This is a good damn idea, if I’m allowed to blow my own trumpet, and we’ve got to get it out there sooner rather than later,” she insisted. A loud, harsh vibration from Nina’s phone startled them all.

“Bianca’s here,” she announced, trying to keep her tone bright. Before the girls even had time to react to the news, Bianca had appeared in the room in a smart, tailored black and white suit.

“Good morning to you all, shit Spice Girls impersonation act,” she smiled cheerfully.

“Mornin’, Bianca,” Vanessa greeted her.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Jackie quipped dryly, lounging back in her seat.

“Two things from me,” Bianca began, ignoring the Minister’s sarcasm. “The shadow minister’s visit, today at 11. They’re going to be talking to Nina and the rest of those brain-dead, civil-service puppets out there about what’s going to happen if they take office. Nina, your job is to basically communicate to them that they’ll be taking it out of my cold, dead hands.”

“Fuck, that’s today?!” Vanessa exclaimed somewhat involuntarily, earning her a steely glare from Bianca which in turn made Vanessa look as if she was seconds away from death. Reaching into her pocket and retrieving her phone, Brooke fired off a quick text to Vanessa under the table.

B: It’s okay. Snakes only eat once every few weeks x

As Bianca briefed Nina, Brooke watched as Vanessa looked down into her lap and smiled, a light blush colouring her cheeks very slightly, although that could have just been the light of the room. Satisfied that she’d made Vanessa feel better, she tuned back in to what Bianca was saying.

“…you tell them nothing. Except where the toilets are, but you lie about that.”

“So who’s actually accompanying Nicky today? I’ve heard nothing and I want to make sure I’m relatively prepared for whoever enters my department,” Jackie folded her arms across her chest, already defensive.

“You already know about Nicky. Privately educated daddy’s girl and massively out of touch with the electorate. Probably a lizard wearing a human skin suit, I’ve never particularly wanted to get close enough to her to check if that theory’s true,” Bianca shrugged. “The other two coming with her are going to be her advisors, Gigi and Crystal.”

“Oh no,” Jan suddenly exclaimed from her chair. Her face had gone incredibly ashen, her eyes wide and fearful. Suddenly Brooke was acutely aware that she no longer had only Vanessa to worry about. If Jan’s old colleagues and ex-friends bumped into her it wouldn’t be particularly pleasant, and Jan would no doubt be incredibly shaken. Crossing the floor was like a betrayal, pledging loyalty to one party after being aligned with another was treacherous, and so it was likely that Gigi, Crystal and Nicky still wanted Jan’s head on a stick.

“Oh yes. Gigi Goode, bit of a newborn as far as politics is concerned but she’s got impressive credentials. Graduated from Oxford University with a first class degree and a PhD in Politics and Business. Won the World Universities Debating Championships five consecutive times. She’s confident, clever, and has zero scruples. Knows every loophole in the world of politics,” Bianca reeled off. Jackie raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed.

“She sounds interesting.”

“Don’t even make contact with her, she’ll probably have you telling her the fucking nuke codes and all the department’s discrepancies within the first 30 seconds of meeting her. Crystal Harness is a different story,” Bianca frowned. “Not too good when it comes to actual political knowledge. Nina, you and her would get along. She’s a baby too, really, not been in the game long. Graduated from Oxford Brookes. Second class degree in Psychology and Sociology. Don’t think for a second that this is a reason to underestimate her. She is cunning and has intellect and knows everything about everyone, don’t let her see you break a sweat.”

Jackie looked momentarily terrified. “I didn’t realise Nicky had some kind of metahuman task force working for her.”

“They’re not that bad,” Brooke sighed, tipping her head back in her chair. “If you talk to Nicky entirely in cockney rhyming slang, she’ll just combust. Gigi is fine if you give her a fake smile or two. Crystal is basically simple. You’ve got nothing to worry about, Jackie.”

Feeling the mood in the room change, Brooke turned around in her wheely chair and was met with Bianca’s icy stare.

“What part of ‘don’t underestimate these people’ do you not understand? What, you think they’re here for a jolly little chat with Nina about worker’s rights and office hours? They’re here to get intel, and I want you all to be more airtight than some middle-aged white woman’s Tupperware. And no, that’s not a euphemism.”

Brooke watched as Vanessa wrinkled up her nose in distaste. She had such a cute little nose, and Brooke found herself imagining how perfect it would be to just kiss it gently before they both drifted off to sleep together in a little house that they shared. Frowning involuntarily, Brooke chased those particular thoughts out of her head. They were way too intense, too weird and commitment-y for her friend she had a stupid crush on. Remembering what Bianca had said earlier, she turned and faced her.

“What was the other thing? You said you had two things to tell us.”

“I’m getting there! Right, Jackie, I’ve got you a good photo op this evening. Some new charging points for electric car owners, it’s going to be the biggest one in the UK and a big step for climate change, yadda yadda yadda. We’re going to get you driving in a fucking Prius or something, charging it up and then driving out again. Pretty simple, but effective- what? What is it?”

Every head in the room turned to face Jackie, who looked as if she’d seen a ghost. Her hands were gripping the edge of the table, her knuckles white. She’d turned pale, her face ashen, and she seemed worried.

“Driving? No, I can’t drive, there’s no way,” she babbled, her usually calm and composed exterior completely destroyed.

“Jackie?” Jan prompted quietly, clearly concerned. Brooke shared a brief look of confusion with Vanessa. It was clear nobody had the faintest idea what was going on.

“I mean, you can drive. We have your drivers’ license, you sent in a photocopy as proof of identification when you received Darienne’s job. I don’t really see the issue here?” Bianca curled her top lip, completely unfazed by Jackie’s behaviour.

“Bianca, you don’t understand…I’ve not driven in ages, I…do you not-”

“Do I not what?” Bianca cut in, her irritation mounting by the second. “Look, I don’t really have time to stand here and argue the toss. This is part of your job. You’re doing the goddamn photo op. Christ, this was the girl who two weeks ago was desperate to get on prime time television. Now you’re shitting yourself at the thought of driving a bloody battery operated car. Get it done. 6 o’clock tonight. See you all later.”

As Bianca click-clacked out of the department, the mood in the room was still very tense. Almost frozen, Brooke thought, the tiny hairs on her arms standing up from goosebumps. Jan was the first to speak.

“Jackie, are you okay?” she almost whispered, her voice both deafening and quiet in the silent room. There were a few seconds (minutes?) where there was no response at all, in fact Brooke was almost convinced that nobody even breathed. Finally, Jackie spoke.

“Yep. All good. So, um, if you ladies can continue thinking up some form of line or title we can use or something while you’re finishing off that immigration data, and Nina if you can just forward me the protocol for Nicky’s visit again so I can read over it, then that would be great,” she said, her body almost frozen in place and her face wearing a fake smile.

Deciding not to push it any further, Brooke simply nodded and walked back to her desk. It wasn’t long before Vanessa was following behind, rolling her own wheely chair along to sit beside her.

“What d’you think all that was about?” she whispered, leaning her elbows on Brooke’s desk expectantly. Brooke couldn’t help but stifle a laugh- Vanessa could be such a gossip and it was one of the things that was oddly endearing about her. Trying not to be too taken in by her perfume and parted lips, Brooke instead threw up her defences again and rolled her eyes.

“I don’t know, ‘Ness. To be honest, it’s not my place to ask. It’s not yours either,” she chastised softly, hitting Vanessa gently on the nose with her pen. Wrinkling her nose and pulling away, Vanessa shrugged.

“You’re right, I know. Still, she was kinda rattled. Hope she’s okay,” Vanessa frowned, nibbling on her bottom lip.

“She’ll be fine. Honestly. Just go and do your damn job.”

“Hmm. Winding you up’s more fun, baby, but I’ll do what I’m told,” Vanessa winked at her, shooting back off to her desk in her chair.

Feeling her heart speed up, Brooke fleetingly wondered if maybe the feelings she had for Vanessa weren’t entirely one-sided. That was flirting, right? Brooke wasn’t reading too much into it? Or maybe she was. Reality brought her back down to earth with a bump, telling her what a ridiculous thought that was. Vanessa saw Brooke as a friend and a co-worker, and that was where her feelings ended. Brooke couldn’t let herself get carried away or distracted with the idea that Vanessa would ever treat her as anything more than what they already were.

Letting out a huge exhale of breath, Brooke opened up the immigration spreadsheet and was about to start working when there was a thud of two elbows on the empty space to her left. Turning slowly in an attempt to conceal her flinching, she was met with Yvie; head in her hands, black dreads cascading over her shoulders and a huge, smug grin on her face.

“Don’t even say a word,” Brooke warned her, clearly too late as Yvie began sniggering a laugh behind her hands.

“I wasn’t actually here to gloat, but now you mention it…” Yvie joked, lolling lazily against Brooke’s desk. “So you’ve not admitted anything to anyone else. In fact, you’re probably maintaining the fact that there’s nothing to admit. But you’ve definitely admitted something to yourself, because I think your face is so red that you could go stand at a street corner and act as a traffic light.”

“If you keep talking, I’m going to staple your mouth shut,” Brooke glared, grabbing the stapler on her desk for emphasis. It didn’t seem to intimidate Yvie at all, who was still grinning maniacally and completely unfazed.

“Hey, like I said! Not here to gloat at all. I’m actually not here to talk about your deep feelings for your coworker in any way. Just thought you might like to know that Akeria texted me this a couple minutes ago.”

With that, Yvie produced her phone and held it out to Brooke so that she could read the screen.

A: ahahaha yeah. Big Silk with the fuckin bodyshots man!! Don’t actually know how she made it in today. Also, 100% confirmed Nicky’s looking for stuff to take Jackie down with bc she’s still pissed about that dig in the Von’Du interview. watch ur back xo

Attempting to ignore whatever conversation that had been going on before, Brooke focussed on the important information. She wished she could say she was surprised by the shadow minister’s plan but in all honesty, she’d highly expected it. Sighing, Brooke handed Yvie her phone back.

“I mean, I’m not too worried. What can she possibly dig up? Jackie will’ve been vetted by Bianca already,” she shrugged, clicking on a single cell of the spreadsheet half-heartedly.

“She got pizza delivered to the office last week?”

“That’s not even- Yvie. Come on,” Brooke raised one eyebrow in disbelief. “The papers would be hard pressed to conjure up a paragraph on that. Jackie will be fine.”

Appearing to be satisfied, Yvie pushed herself off the desk and made to return to her seat, but not before turning back to Brooke with the same smug look on her face as before.

“You know, I don’t think anyone in the office could’ve missed that wink Vanjie gave you just there. Whatever you’re feeling, I don’t think it’s as one-sided as you think,” she smirked, making sure to keep her voice low. Unsure of what to reply, Brooke simply narrowed her eyes, picked up her stapler and clicked it twice in warning. Chuckling, Yvie sauntered back to her desk.

Trying not to even entertain the thought that Vanessa could like her back, Brooke continued with her work. All of the numbers suddenly seemed scrambled and jumbled up, making no sense to her whatsoever. Feeling as if she was about to scream with frustration she made to ask Jan for advice until she noticed her desk was empty. Come to think of it, Jan hadn’t actually left the meeting room with her and Vanessa. Bullshit if she was getting away with doing nothing while Brooke worked on this entire set of figures by herself. Getting up and smoothing her skirt down she made her way to the meeting room only to find it empty. Puzzled, she began to walk slightly aimlessly down the corridor, her curiosity piqued at the disappearance of both Jan and Jackie. It was unlike Jan to just wander off without telling either Brooke or Vanessa where she was going.

Reaching the photocopier and a dead end with no Jan in sight, Brooke was about to give up and ask Nina for help instead when she heard two sets of muffled voices coming from the stationery cupboard.

“I’m just panicking, I know. But I feel like I have good reason to. I mean, it’s going to be absolute carnage if this gets out.”

“It won’t, don’t worry. I still can’t believe Bianca missed that when she vetted you. But please don’t panic, it’ll all be fine! I’ll speak to Nina and I’ll get her to quietly cancel it.”

Jackie and Jan. What the hell were they in the stationery cupboard for, and most importantly, what were they talking about? Whatever it was, it sounded serious. If it was serious business, Brooke deserved to know. Making to burst open the door in a show of outrage, she stopped herself when Jackie’s voice spoke again.

“I just feel like such a failure. I should’ve known it would get out, I should’ve said something-”

“Hey! You are not a failure,” Jan’s voice cut in urgently. There was an odd sort of pause in which Brooke wasn’t quite sure what was happening. “You’re a good person, Jackie, and a kick-ass politician. You’re the best thing to happen to this department since I arrived, even if I do say so myself.”

Soft laughter, then Jan’s voice again. “You’re incredible. Don’t ever doubt that.”

Another pause. Brooke couldn’t quite bring herself to move, somehow feeling as if she shouldn’t be hearing this at all. Composing herself, she rested her hand on the door handle.

“Jan I…this might seem inappropriate, but-”

“Okay, what the hell is going on in here?” Brooke demanded as she flung open the door and revealed herself. Both girls seemed to jump back a bit, Jackie looking to the floor awkwardly and rubbing the back of her neck, Jan’s mouth forming a perfect circle as her jaw dropped in shock. They had both gone bright red, which Brooke thought was odd for two colleagues having a professional conversation.

“Jesus, Brooke, you scared the crap out of me,” Jackie breathed out raggedly, her voice spooked but holding an underlying note of irritation.

“I don’t care, you haven’t answered my question. What were you talking about? What’s going to be carnage?” Brooke replied, keeping her glare cold. Jackie kept her eyes trained on the floor, not seeming to want to look up anytime soon. Jan still hadn’t spoken.

“Close the door,” Jackie said finally, sounding a little shaken. Feeling the wind slightly knocked out of her sails, Brooke did as she was told and watched as Jackie steadied herself on the shelf and sat on an unopened box.

“Um. Do you remember I kind of went off grid after uni? A lot of people were asking after me and couldn’t really find me.”

With a pang of guilt, Brooke’s first reaction was that she hadn’t really cared. She’d been glad to see the back of Jackie at the time, if she was honest. Times had changed, though, so Brooke simply nodded instead. Jackie wrung her hands together, her face completely racked with nerves.

“I wasn’t in a good place. My mental health spiralled out of control pretty dramatically once I graduated, I struggled to find a job for a while and when I did, I got way too into it. I would work myself into a frenzy, I’d do consecutive days on two hours of sleep…at one point I was averaging a panic attack per day. I didn’t really, um. I didn’t really have anyone to talk to about things. I tried going to therapy but it just didn’t help. I don’t know…it felt like I was making progress just being able to know that I was visiting someone, I guess, but I wasn’t really. Anyway, you don’t need to know my sob story,” Jackie frowned, shaking her head repeatedly. “To cut a long story short, I was driving into work one day, trying to do twenty things at once as usual. It was idiotic, but I was on the motorway and a text came through from my boss and wanting to seem like I was organised and in control, I tried to type and drive at the same time…the motorway was quiet, there was nobody around me…fuck, sorry-”

As Jackie’s voice broke slightly, Jan crossed over to where she sat and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“I crashed into the barricade in the central reservation doing fifty miles an hour. God knows how I’m still alive. The police obviously came along with the ambulance and the fire brigade and of course they wanted to know how it was that I managed to crash on a clear stretch of road with no other drivers around me. I’ve never been able to lie to save myself, so I just told them. I’d only passed my test the year before that, so they took my license away. That’s why I can’t do the PR thing. It’s illegal for me to drive. I got a fake license purely so I could take this job.”

Leaning against the door, Brooke felt she wanted to sit down too. This was so much to deal with. She couldn’t style herself out as not caring about this, because she actually felt sick to her stomach with guilt. She couldn’t believe Jackie had coped- or not coped- completely on her own through all this horrible mess. Even though there was no way she could have known, Brooke just wished she could’ve done something differently. She desperately hoped Jackie was better now.

“Jackie, I’m so sorry.”

“No, no, don’t be sorry. This isn’t about me being…enormously god damn mental in the head, or whatever,” she snorted a derisive laugh. “I’m more worried about how we’re going to placate Bianca. Jan said she’d talk to Nina and get her to cancel the shoot but Bianca’s going to ask questions.”

“Well it’s not your fault she didn’t vet you properly,” Brooke shrugged, how Bianca would feel the absolute last thing on her mind right now. “So she can just deal with it. How Bianca feels doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re okay.”

Jackie looked up at her, her face grateful but slightly taken aback at this raw show of compassion. Truthfully, Brooke was also slightly shocked at how kind she was being towards her. She was grateful for the shout that came from the hall suddenly.

“Brooke? Guys? You in there?” Vanessa asked, as she opened the door and stepped inside the stationery cupboard that was ever-decreasing in space. Confused by the presence of her boss and the two other advisors, her perfect eyebrows became furrowed together. “There some meeting I didn’t know about?”

“Yeah, in the stationery cupboard. It was really important, girl, did you not get the memo?” Jan laughed affectionately. Laughing briefly at her own ridiculous assumption, Vanessa then tentatively looked at everyone else again.

“So…why we all here?”

Brooke briefly looked at Jackie, then sighed. “Jackie can’t do the PR stunt because legally, she’s not allowed to drive. She got done for texting while driving years ago and her license got revoked.”

Vanessa’s mouth dropped open a little as if she was about to ask how, then shut again as she clearly decided against it. “Does Bianca know?”

Giving her an affectionate smile, Brooke raised her eyebrows at her. “V. Come on. Use your brain.”

“Fuck, ‘course not. I’m so not with it today. So what’s happenin’?”

“Jan’s telling Nina to cancel it and when Bianca finds out, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. What’s important here is Jackie,” Brooke said decisively. Shocked again at the vulnerability she was showing, she smoothed down her black pencil skirt and sniffed once, trying to ignore just how close Vanessa was in the tiny space. “So that’s settled. Can we all get out of this cupboard and do some damn work? I feel like I’m suffocating.”

Without speaking, the four girls filed out of the cupboard as if the conversation had never happened. Brooke’s head was still slightly spinning as she slumped back in her chair, the excel spreadsheet now more confusing than ever. She was still attempting to take in everything that Jackie had just told her. It was so much to process, and Brooke couldn’t shake the guilty feeling that was settling in the pit of her stomach, the feeling that maybe there was something she could have done to help all those years ago. Sighing, she cast her eyes to Jackie’s glass-fronted office where the Minister was now typing into her phone, her face failing to betray anything about the heartfelt conversation that had just taken place. Why the hell did Jackie have to confide in her like that? Life would be so much less stressful if everybody just kept their guard up like Brooke did.

Still, she mused, everyone would probably be a whole lot more lonely.

Suddenly, Brooke’s phone screen lit up with three messages at once- two from Jan, one from Vanessa.

J: I would love to, that sounds amazing (: we could go for sushi?? Wardour Street has some really nice places! Xxx

J: whoops wasn’t meant for you lol sorry

Brooke would probably have been about ten times more intrigued and curious about Jan’s text if she didn’t have a text from Vanessa awaiting her.

V: I don’t care what kind of front you try to put up, you’re kind and caring and a total sweetheart x

Not even daring to look up and risk meeting Vanessa’s eyes, Brooke reached for a piece of paper on her desk and began to fan the blush that had just flooded her cheeks. Trying her best not to think about what Yvie had said earlier, she began to compose a reply.

B: You’re a cutie. Don’t tell anyone I was nice to you though, being a bitch is kind of my brand x

Risking a peek up over her monitor, Brooke watched as Vanessa picked up her phone and giggled, covering her mouth with one perfectly manicured hand.

God, it was going to be a long day.

***

They had arrived.

Brooke felt like a bird of prey as she stood beside Jan and watched from above as Nicky and her two advisors were greeted by Nina in the lobby. Even from six floors up Brooke could tell that Nina was hating the fact that she had to be at the very least civil to the three opposition members. Narrowing her eyes, Brooke watched closer.

Nicky was using the tactic she employed every time she had a television interview; gushing about how happy she was to be here, playing the humble, meek elected representative of the people. She was wearing an immaculate navy pencil dress with what appeared to be a Tiffany heart around her neck, and her sleek blonde hair was piled on top of her head in a bun. Following dutifully behind her were two others. The first girl Brooke heard before she saw- a cry of excitement at being in the building had been the very thing that proclaimed the arrival of the opposition. She was still making an obscene amount of excitable noise which travelled up the floors of the lobby as if it was riding the elevator. Squawker- or Crystal, Brooke supposed she should call her- was equally well turned out. She gave off a clear professional vibe in her button-down shirt, blue skirt and little heeled boots, and her curly red hair was swept over one shoulder.

“Gigi needs her roots done. See?” Brooke whispered to Jan, not taking her eyes off the three opposition members. Receiving no response, Brooke turned to look at her friend. Jan’s shoulders were tensed up as she trained her eyes on the member of the opposition in question. Her style was immaculate and she wore a pressed white shirt with huge sleeves and a pair of smart tailored black trousers with her high heels. Her long, blonde hair had been immaculately styled and blow-dried, and Brooke found herself wondering how or if she had the time to do that every day. Looking to Jan again she found her brow furrowed, biting at her long, painted nails.

“Jan, come on. Don’t ruin your nails, you’re better than that,” Brooke scolded, grabbing gently at Jan’s wrist and pulling it away from her face. Jan finally turned to meet her eyes before looking quickly back down at the floor again. “Hey. Talk to me.”

Sighing, Jan leant against the balcony, watching as the opposition were led away to the lift. “Sorry. I know I’m not myself today. It’s just this is really, really freaking me out. It’s not like this is the first time I’ve seen these girls since I crossed the floor, but to have them here where I work? It’s just a lot. It sounds dramatic but like…it kind of feels violating, if that makes any sense?”

Brooke nodded slowly. “I know you’re worried about it. But you’re being really brave about the whole thing. And hey, you kind of have an advantage, I guess! They’re on your territory, they’re not familiar or comfortable with anything here. Mainly because nothing’s engulfed by the flames of hell or costs over £10,000.”

Snorting a brief laugh, Jan’s face grew somewhat blank again. “I mean. Their tanks are on our lawn, though, they know we’re shook.”

Rolling her eyes, Brooke laughed derisively. “Jan. These private school bitches are not going to take power. You live in this country at the moment, do you really think the public are going to vote for people like Nicky?”

“Well, the public are idiots.”

Brooke gave a snort. “Jan, you can’t say the entire nation are idiots.”

“Yes I can, I’ve met them,” Jan deadpanned, signing off with a smile. Brooke relaxed against the balcony, comforted by the fact that Jan clearly felt a little better.

“Listen. One single day. One day of smiling and nodding like a puppet and just taking whatever crap or snide comments or shade they throw at you. You’ve handled so much worse,” Brooke smiled reassuringly, resting both hands on Jan’s shoulders. Comforted, Jan made to turn back to the department when suddenly she whipped her head back round.

“Brooke,” she murmured. “What if they find out about Jackie?”

“What, that she exists? I know it was a crushing disappointment to us all but they’ll get over it some day,” she deadpanned. Jan gave a colossal roll of her eyes.

“No, you bitch! The license thing,” Jan sighed in exasperation, raising her voice just a little.

Brooke paused for a moment. It was weird how protective Jan was of her boss. She was never like that with Darienne at all. Fair enough Jackie was far more competent but still, it wasn’t as if the two shared some deep personal connection or anything. Brooke thought about asking her about it, but instead decided that that probably wasn’t what Jan needed right at this very moment.

“Who’s going to tell them? Me? You? Vanessa? Jackie herself? We’re the only ones that know. Come on, Jan, think,” Brooke tapped the side of Jan’s head once, punctuating her point. “It’s not going to get out.”

Smiling slightly, Jan seemed to compose herself and took one deep breath. As if something had occurred to her, she let out a laugh.

“God, what’s happening to you, Brooke? First you’re nice to Jackie for once and then you listen to me vent for ages. Your cracks are showing,” Jan smiled. Brooke attempted to style it out by shrugging, secretly a little unnerved that her recent empathy was being noticed.

“Stop psychoanalysing me, psycho, and let’s get back to our desks.”

No sooner had both girls turned the corner towards their office when they came face to face with the three members of the opposition coming out of the lift, Nina leading them. Jan immediately froze in place, seemingly unable to move. Brooke wanted to do something, anything to reassure her but before she could even look at Jan, Gigi’s cold grey eyes met her own.

“Nicky,” she turned to her boss, her cheerful, light voice at odds with the stare she was giving Brooke. “You go on ahead with Nina. Crystal and I are just going to have a little catch-up with a couple of old friends we haven’t seen in a while.”

Brooke wasn’t easily intimidated and she swore that today would be no different. As Gigi and Crystal advanced towards them, she drew her shoulders back and tilted her head, not giving a single thing away on her face. She could feel Jan growing more and more timid beside her. Christ, if these girls were planning on giving her friend a hard time then they’d be leaving the department in an ambulance.

“Brooke Lynn. Jan! So good to see you both,” Gigi began, her smile smug as she rested one nonchalant hand on her hip. “God, how long has it been? When was the last time we saw these two, Crystal?”

“Gee, Gigi, I don’t know! Did they not serve us at McDonalds when we went to get nuggets a couple days ago?” Crystal chimed in, flashing a quick, amused smile at her friend. Brooke muffled a derisive laugh as she shook her head. She couldn’t quite believe the schoolyard bullshit that these adult women were trying to start in her department. Still, if this was the game they were playing, then Brooke would play accordingly.

“Clever, implying that we’re both in minimum wage retail sector jobs! Something which your party loves to shit on very often. I love it,” Brooke smiled sweetly, gently clapping her hands. Gigi gave a fake laugh.

“Ladies, relax! It’s just some classic cross-party fun, no harm meant by it. You know that, right, Jan?” she flashed her a false smile. Brooke watched as Jan, shoulders now so hunched she was practically concave, gave a meek nod in response.

“You know, we really miss you, Jan,” Crystal nodded somberly, her voice high and sweet and almost-but-not-quite masking the fake sincerity behind her words. “Nicky’s always saying how open she’d be to having you back if you’d ever want to cross the floor…again! Gigi and I miss you too. We miss our friend.”

With that, Crystal reached a hand out and touched Jan’s arm gently. Flinching a little, Jan finally met her former colleague’s eyes and gave a weak smile. Brooke felt a flame of anger sting her veins as she watched the whole interaction. It was the same every time Jan ran into these two- they would start with the bitchy high school bullshit and Jan would be unable to ignore it, growing more and more quiet and subdued with every passing comment. Fuelled by her anger and dislike of behaviour of the two girls in front of her, Brooke snorted sardonically.

“Friend? Spare me the bullshit, you’d stab yourself in the back if it meant you got ten more followers on Instagram. Now if you’ll excuse us, we need to get back to work. You know, being in power? But this has been lovely,” Brooke flashed her bright white teeth in a smile, which Gigi returned equally as insincerely. “I haven’t had the conversational equivalent of hepatitis C in a long time.”

“As always, Brooke, you’re a very funny girl. Quite the comedian,” Gigi gave a tight-lipped smile as she stepped to one side and cleared a path down the corridor for the two girls. Hooking her arm through Jan’s, Brooke began to leave and had taken roughly three steps when she yelled her retort over her shoulder.

“I’ve got a lot of jokes, but none as good as your boss!”

Still fuelled from the frustration coursing through her veins, Brooke steered Jan the rest of the way down the hall and into the small kitchen like a demented steam train. It was only after she flicked the switch on the kettle so hard she thought she might have broken it when Jan spoke.

“I know they annoy you, babe, but don’t be too hard on them.”

“Don’t be too…Jan! They were standing there making you feel like a sack of shit, I wasn’t going to sit back and let them rip you to shreds! God, I can’t believe you’re defending them,” Brooke cried, grabbing two mugs and two teabags so hard she felt they might crumble apart in her hands. Silent for only a moment, Jan began playing with the edge of a tea towel, deep in thought.

“They were my friends once though. Who knows, maybe…maybe they were being serious. Maybe they do want to be friends again.”

As the kettle reached boiling point, Brooke took one deep, calming breath and began pouring them cups of tea. Part of her hated the way that she’d been conditioned into going straight to the kettle when something was angering or upsetting either her or her friends, as if a ridiculous hot drink was going to help make things any better. Vodka, now that would go some way to really help the situation. If Brooke and Jan shared a 75cl bottle, they’d be able to get so wasted that those idiots from the opposition wouldn’t bother them anymore. The bottle would also be ideal for smashing over Gigi’s smug face. Too bad it was too early for alcohol, Brooke mused, as she handed the smaller girl a steaming hot mug of tea. As Jan gave a grateful smile and began to sip, Brooke found herself wishing she could knock some sense into her. One of Jan’s biggest strengths was very feasibly also her biggest weakness; her determination to always focus on the good in people, to ignore their flaws and instead choose to look at their positives. It was something that made Jan such a horrendous judge of character. Christ, she’d worked for the opposition for a year, after all.

Casting another glance at her friend and deciding she’d visibly gained back a little of her confidence, Brooke grabbed her own mug off the countertop.

“Right, come on,” she said decisively. “We’re going to go back to our desks and drink these up and get on with our work, because these snakes that have slithered into the department don’t change a single thing about how capable you are as a professional. Okay?”

With a stifled smile Jan led the way back to the office, leaving Brooke wondering if she could still maintain the bitchy façade she always presented to the world if she was getting this good at cheering people up.

***

Sadly that wasn’t the only encounter they had to suffer with the opposition that day. Nicky soon appeared in the department’s offices with Nina, almost as a grand finale to the tour of Dosac she’d been given so far. She watched with narrowed eyes as Nicky made her way from desk to desk of the comms team, shaking hands and smiling in a sickeningly sweet manner that made Brooke want to hurl. Gigi and Crystal hovered behind Nicky’s shoulders like little cartoon devils and angels, except in Brooke’s opinion neither of them had many angelic qualities about them.

Attempting to ignore the gatecrashers in her office, Brooke turned back to her monitor. She supposed that maybe both Gigi and Crystal were pleasant people. Perhaps even Nicky at a push. They might still have been fun and friendly people to hang out with, after all, the politics they followed didn’t define them. Suddenly remembering a very obvious exception (Hitler), Brooke sent another withering glare the opposition’s way. Hit with another pang of doubt, she reasoned that comparing Nicky Doll to Hitler was perhaps an overreaction. Tuning out of the immigration stats that sat in front of her, Brooke instead found herself listening in to the conversation between Nicky and Nina.

“The space here is lovely. Very professional, very focused. There’s maybe about twenty-five percent that I’m not okay with, though. I think I’d prefer isolation booths for everybody to work in- it’ll keep everyone more on task,” Nicky asserted, Brooke noticing out the corner of her eye how Yvie and Scarlet both recoiled in horror at the thought of not being able to chat and keep each other going throughout the day.

“Okay, so you’d prefer isolation booths in addition to the longer working hours of 8.30am til 7pm, and only half an hour for lunch,” Nina confirmed. Her hair was twice as big and frizzy as it usually was, probably as a result of tearing half of it out in frustration after the amount of hours she’d spent with Nicky.

“Christ, does she want us chained to the phones as well?” Adore mumbled. Brooke immediately tensed up- if she had heard that comment, then Nicky definitely had too. Sure enough, Nicky whipped her head round and stared Adore straight in the eye.

“That’s very funny, but no. I would not be chaining people to phones, I would simply be employing popular and common tactics that are used by employers the world over. Something which you wouldn’t have to worry about, because I wouldn’t have you working for me,” she smiled fake-sweetly, her voice getting more and more clipped as she reached the end of her sentence.

Brooke found herself praying that the opposition would never reach any position of power whatsoever if they were going to have this tiny dictator running the department. Adore had slunk down into her wheely chair, as if trying to make herself invisible. Suddenly, Brooke heard Jackie’s office door open behind her.

“What the hell is going on out here?” she muttered as she reached Brooke’s desk, looking straight at the visitors to the department. Glad of an opportunity to relieve the tension, Nina once again plastered the fake smile on her face.

“Minister, may I introduce your opposite number, Shadow Minister Nicky Doll,” she smiled at Jackie, waving a hand at Nicky as if she was unveiling a booby prize on a game show.

It was interesting to watch how the two women regarded each other. Nicky immediately narrowed her eyes, pursing her lips together in a display of agitation at no longer being the highest authority in the room. She made no show of moving to shake Jackie’s hand, in fact she didn’t appear to want to speak to Jackie at all. Instead, Jackie herself made the first move and stepped forward once, twice, finally reaching a safe distance and holding out a hand for Nicky to shake. Her face was placid and gave nothing away. Almost Sleeping Beauty-esque, Brooke thought.

“Nicky, it’s so good to finally meet you properly,” she smiled calmly as Nicky gingerly took her hand to shake. “I hope you and your team have had a good day in the department?”

“Oh yes, it’s been lovely. Although obviously there are a number of things that will need changed once we get into power!” Nicky gave a fake little laugh, her eyes still hostile.

“Well. If,” Jackie wrinkled her nose in a smile, which Nicky returned sourly.

Brooke was suddenly distracted by a buzz from her phone. Yvie.

Y: Christ there’s more fake smiles in here than the outpatients’ at a fucking plastic surgery

If Brooke had been in the mood she probably would have been howling with laughter, but the tense, uncomfortable conversation was still taking place.

“I found it interesting that you chose to highlight my disagreement with Manila Luzon in your interview with Chad Michaels. I felt it slightly undermined your point about the need to raise other women in politics up when you yourself were clearly intent on taking me down,” Nicky continued to smile falsely, the bitter undertone to her words not going unnoticed by Brooke. Jackie kept calm, smiling lazily back and raising her eyes to the ceiling.

“Oh, I don’t know about undermining my point. In order to make a good argument, you have to present some evidence to back it up, and that’s all I was doing. I’m sure you understand it was nothing personal,” she said, giving a little nod.

Nicky flared her nostrils, her face now unimpressed as she swept a hand through her hair, rendering her bun a little messy. “Well. It was lovely to meet you anyway, Jackie, but I still have numerous issues to talk through with Nina. If you’ll excuse me.”

With that, Nicky turned on her heel, not even bothering to wait for a reply. On her way back to Nina, she stopped to murmur something in Gigi’s ear, which then resulted in Gigi marching round the corner. Brooke could have followed her up, but was too distracted by Jackie coming to hover at her desk.

“Numerous issues? I’ll bet she has numerous fucking issues, God. Let’s hope that lot never get into power, she’s more unhinged than a flat pack IKEA cupboard,” Jackie whispered, causing Brooke to splutter a laugh. Jackie smirked at her reaction, then her face grew suddenly serious. “Did you know if Nina managed to get that photo op cancelled?”

“She did it about half an hour after we spoke. Jan really got on her back about it, so it was pretty impossible for Nina to wriggle out of it,” Brooke explained offhandedly, trying in vain to focus on her work. Looking up, she noticed that Jackie seemed to have a faraway look on her face.

“She’s so good, isn’t she? Jan. She’s just incredible. So organised and on it,” Jackie said quietly to no-one in particular. Confused, Brooke simply nodded. Apparently remembering where she was, Jackie cleared her throat, smoothed her skirt down and returned to her office.

Around ten minutes later, Brooke thought she was making some real headway with the persisting immigration data. That was until she almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand come crashing down on her shoulder. Spinning around rapidly in her wheely chair she was shocked to see Bianca looming above her, her face grave as her eyes met Brooke’s.

“Bianca, holy fuck. You scared the crap out of me,” Brooke sighed, Bianca not even cracking a smile as her grip on Brooke’s shoulder tightened and she escorted her out of the room. Brooke’s stomach churned as she was led out into the corridor. What the hell was happening, or what the hell had happened, or what the hell was about to happen?

The bright white light of the corridor contrasted violently with Bianca’s expression, which was the personification of the wrath of God itself. She was silent for a moment, which prompted Brooke to tentatively speak first.

“So, um. Why did you want to see-”

“I want to know why a certain Sasha Belle over at transport now has the very same PR stunt I very nearly passed a kidney stone to secure for Jackie,” Bianca snapped. Her voice was cold and low, and Brooke felt goosebumps prickle over her skin just hearing her speak. She felt conflicted. Half of her wanted to reveal Jackie’s personal reasons for having backed out; it was a legitimate excuse and might even make Bianca feel some form of remorse, God willing. On the other hand, it was a part of Jackie’s life which Brooke was sure she wanted to leave behind, and if more and more people knew about it, well. That would make it increasingly hard to forget. Biting her lip, she tried to tell a white lie.

“She had personal reasons for backing out. We decided as her team of advisors that it would be best if she didn’t go through with it.”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what deeply held personal fucking reasons she had against it, it is her JOB to go to photo ops, it is her JOB to give herself media coverage!”

“Well she couldn’t even if you wanted her to. Not legally anyway,” Brooke found herself saying, her voice too loud in the echoey hallway. Bianca raised her eyebrows a little, as if urging Brooke to go on. Slightly regretting having not simply kept her mouth shut, Brooke continued.

“Jackie had her driving license revoked. It was years ago- she was texting while driving and crashed on the motorway. So even if she wanted to do the damn publicity, she couldn’t,” she explained, sighing as Bianca’s face slowly took on a look of realisation. “I don’t know how you didn’t already know this, Bianca. Her license was fake, I don’t get how that slipped by you. I thought you did background checks on everyone that came within a five mile radius of the party.”

Bianca exhaled loudly, slowly running one hand down her face. She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it, then opened it again.

“When I asked you about Jackie, it wasn’t just a casual, out-of-interest enquiry. We were seriously fucking desperate. We had nothing on her, nothing on her at all apart from the fact that we knew she had a degree in politics and she’d been around the stock exchange for years. We were just desperate to get Darienne out of the party and stop the fucking spiral of madness she was driving us all down. Her position had become toxic, Brooke Lynn, nobody we approached about the job would touch it. So we needed somebody unknown, someone who wouldn’t know or understand who she was succeeding. That’s why we failed to do intensive background checks. I mean, we established that Jackie hadn’t murdered or stabbed anyone, for Christ’s sake. But everything else we had to skim over. We couldn’t have had Darienne in her job for any longer, it would have just…it would have just killed the party.”

Brooke could sort of understand where Bianca was coming from. Taking a calming breath, she suddenly felt the panic rise up in her throat again. “But Bianca, if this gets to the papers-”

Bianca cut her off, holding a single hand up in front of her face and looking down the corridor with suspicion. Wordlessly, she walked to the double doors at the end of the corridor and wrenched them open. Behind them stood Gigi, who jumped at the sudden movement.

“Oh. Hello Bianca. I was just, uh. Trying to find the toilets. This department is like a damn labyrinth, you know?” she laughed awkwardly, almost paralysed under Bianca’s glare.

“Do you want a massive cup to press against the door too, or are you good?” she quipped dryly.

Brooke’s heart began to palpitate nervously. Gigi had clearly been behind that door and listening for quite some time. How long, she didn’t know. But if she’d heard the reason why Jackie couldn’t drive, this was all different kinds, shades, textures and flavours of bad.

“Bianca, really. All I heard was that Jackie wasn’t exactly vetted properly. Which, you know, could be kind of a big story in itself, I think,” Gigi smiled cunningly. All at once, Brooke wanted to laugh. Attempting to get the upper hand on Bianca Del Rio was an interesting tactic, one which basically ensured you weren’t going to win. Deciding to step back, Brooke let Bianca take the reins.

“Oh, I see! You were looking for a story! Well here, here’s a great one for you,” Bianca smiled sinisterly, putting Brooke in mind of a predator about to pounce. “Did you know that Jaqueline Cox is sitting in that office there despite the fact her driving license got revoked? She crashed her car on the motorway because she tried to text and drive at the same time. Did you not know that?”

Brooke watched as Gigi’s face lit up at the revelation. She had to admit she didn’t really know where Bianca was going with this or what she had to gain from revealing the information to one of the Shadow Minister’s aides. As Brooke attempted to interject, Bianca simply turned and fixed her with a smile.

“You didn’t know that, no?” she asked Gigi again. She simply shook her head, delighted at what had just been revealed. “Oh, wait, of course…you wouldn’t know that! Because the only people who do know that are, um, Miss Cox…her three advisors…and me. If this information got to the press…I would know that it came from you.”

Brooke wanted to practically jump for joy as she saw Gigi’s face fall, growing very apprehensive as Bianca took two steps towards her. Her voice lowering, Bianca continued the onslaught.

“And I would rain down upon you so hard that your body would have to be re-assembled by crash team investigators-” she hissed. Gigi opened her mouth to defend herself and Bianca immediately stopped her. “- do not fucking interrupt me, girl. Now, you breathe a word of this to ANYONE, you fucking living toothpick, and I will-”

Already shaking with laughter, Brooke ducked her head out of the door and ran into the offices.

“Jan! ‘Ness! Come quick. Bianca’s going off on one at Gigi,” she stage-whispered, the two girls looking up, bemused but quickly following Brooke back to the corridor doors nonetheless. The double doors were fronted with a small pane of clear glass, which the three girls all peered through to see Bianca continuing to verbally grill Gigi, now far less composed than she was before.

“…I will eviscerate you, right? And I mean, I don’t have your education, I don’t know what that means. But I’ll start by plucking your eyes out and I’ll busk it from there. Okay? Glad we’re agreed. Have a great day.”

As Gigi stumbled back down the hall in a daze as if she’d just crawled out of an avalanche, the three girls on the other side of the door tried to compose themselves after their laughing fit.

“Bianca has such a way with words,” Jan mused, wiping tears from her eyes. “So why was she yelling at Gigi, what had she done? Looked at her?”

Brooke explained what had happened to the two girls, watching as their facial expressions shifted from confused, to fearful, then some semblance of reassured. There was still an aspect that was a little panicked, however, the knowledge that Gigi knew about Jackie’s past clearly worrying them both.

“Look, don’t give it too much thought. Bianca has it all under control. She always does,” Brooke reassured them, shrugging as she walked back to her desk.

“Guess I’m happy to trust Bianca,” Vanessa smiled, relaxing a little. “Hey, you ladies had lunch yet?”

“Not yet. Pret?” Brooke offered, Vanessa smiling beautifully and picking up her bag from her chair. Brooke didn’t miss how Jan simply nodded silently, her face still troubled, clearly not as trusting of Bianca as Vanessa was.

***

As the three girls sat huddled around Jan’s desk eating their lunch, Brooke watched as Vanessa scoffed down her messy meatball panini with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese that oozed out the side and made long, inconvenient strings. She could have teased Vanessa for her shambles of a lunch but she decided against it, instead choosing to compliment her.

“‘Ness, how can you eat literally whatever you want and still look so good?” Brooke asked, attempting to look offhanded but still feeling like her guts were made of jelly as the words came out her mouth. It was hugely tiresome how much more nervous and self-aware she was around Vanessa now that she’d actually acknowledged her crush on her. It was much harder to pretend things were purely platonic if she gave her a compliment.

In response, Vanessa simply smiled bashfully and shrugged, her mouth full of food. “Hey, I always wonder the same thing about you, baby. I’d kill to look like you.”

“With these thighs? Girl, no you wouldn’t,” Brooke snorted, trying to keep herself from blushing.

“You got good thighs,” Vanessa insisted, making Brooke wonder just how much attention Vanessa paid to her legs. Snapping out of it, Brooke told herself that she was probably just being kind. After a beat of silence, Jan cut in.

“Well, I know both of you find me wildly attractive and are also madly jealous of my amazing figure, which is why neither of you have said anything,” she joked through a mouthful of salmon salad. Brooke gave her a playful shove, shocked when she heard a little cry.

“Jesus, Jan! It wasn’t that sore.”

“That wasn’t me. That came from Jackie’s office,” Jan said gravely, looking at the Minister’s office door where she could just see the blonde bun belonging to Nicky peering over the strip of frosted glass. Exchanging concerned looks, all three girls made their way over.

Brooke was the first to walk in and when her gaze met Jackie’s her heart sank. She was sitting behind her desk and had turned pale, her eyes frightened and huge in her face which had gone almost ghostly white. Turning her gaze to Nicky she noticed that the girl seemed smug in some way, as if she had the upper hand. In a moment, Brooke knew exactly what had happened.

Gigi had spilled.

“Miss Doll, you ain’t actually allowed in here. This is the Minister’s private office,” Vanessa began in a valiant effort to stick up for Jackie who was clearly past sticking up for herself.

“Oh, it’s quite alright. Jackie and I were just having a little chat. A little reminisce on the past, if you like. Well. Her past,” Nicky smiled, casting an amused gaze at Jackie whose face was ashen and defeated as she sat at her desk. Brooke suddenly felt herself overcome with fury.

“I hope you’re giving Gigi a big pay rise for that information. She won’t have much time to spend it though once Bianca finds out. I’d maybe give her two…three days left to live?” she hissed, her face contorted as she glared at the shadow minister.

“Brooke Lynn, is it?” Nicky addressed her, Brooke momentarily wondering how she knew her name. “Brooke Lynn. We all know what it’s like in politics. Unfortunately if someone has some information on someone else, it’s only natural that they’re going to exploit it. And that’s all that’s happening here! It’s not personal. Just professional.”

“Like hell are you exploiting anything,” Jan spat, her face dark. Come to think of it, Brooke had never really seen her so angry, but the tiny girl was like a spitfire as she narrowed her eyes at her old boss. “You know full well where to draw the line between personal and political information. If you leak this to the media then you’re more reprehensible than the party you represent.”

“I’m sorry ladies, but this is how you play the game, and I play to win. I’m not really prepared to discuss it any further,” Nicky rolled her eyes, picking up her bag from where it sat on Jackie’s desk.

Just as she made to leave, Nicky turned to see Bianca standing in the doorway of Jackie’s office, glancing with confusion at the scene in front of her.

“Bianca!” Vanessa cried, for once happy to see the Prime Minister’s enforcer. “We were just talkin’ about how Nicky maybe shouldn’t go to the papers about Jackie…? Telling them about her driving license? Tryin’ to think of a reason why this would reflect badly on her party in some way…?”

Brooke watched as Vanessa looked pleadingly at Bianca, willing her to do something, anything to spin them out of the situation. Bianca for her part seemed calm, upbeat even.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe she should! Good idea!” she shrugged, flashing a smile Nicky’s way as she turned and made to leave the room.

Vanessa’s face immediately dropped as if she’d been slapped. Jan’s expression was completely blank. Brooke didn’t know what to think. It seemed as if Jackie was holding her breath, and Nicky simply stood rooted to the spot, her eyes still on Bianca as if she knew there was more to come. Sure enough, Bianca reached the doorframe, stopped, and turned on her heel.

“Oh, shit, wait a minute! I know why she shouldn’t! Because you know, if she did that…she’d be dead,” Bianca said simply.

Brooke watched as Nicky blinked silently at her. Bianca continued to speak.

“To me. To her advisors. To her party. To the electorate. And the only job she’d get in power is for this government’s catering company sweeping up crumbs as a kitchen cleaner, because I’d call every journalist I know, which of course- that’s all of them! Isn’t it Nicole! And I’d tell them all that lovely little story I’ve had saved for a rainy day, about a certain Right Honourable Lord Doll- how is your Dad, by the way?- and how he enjoyed a lovely five years as a member of the Bullingdon Club at university, a club so fucking morally bankrupt they had a exposé film made about them! Of course, the homeless person your Dad had to burn money in the face of for his initiation- he didn’t enjoy it so much. Nor did the live pigeon he had to bite the head off of either. And I believe there’s also rumblings about…something about a pig, which I won’t go into. And so I’d quite happily email all these journalists any photos and soundbites and CCTV footage they wanted, because I’d say…I’d say that’s quite a big story. I’d say that would probably contest a Minister’s silly little eight-year-old car accident in the running order of the ten o’clock news. That’s what I’d tell her,” Bianca finally finished calmly, smiling a little at Nicky whose mouth was now hanging open like a goldfish. Turning to Vanessa, Bianca simply nodded on her way out of the door. “But maybe you should tell her!”

Catching Vanessa’s eye, Brooke couldn’t help but burst into a triumphant grin. Vanessa returned the smile, now completely relaxed knowing that Jackie had the upper hand. Nicky was still standing completely still and hadn’t moved since Bianca had left.

“I’ll, um. I’ll ask Nina to get your coat,” Jackie addressed Nicky pleasantly, sitting at her desk and pushing a single number on the phone as Nicky simply nodded wordlessly.

Brooke wanted to burst out laughing. Bianca had her enemies in Westminster, but she was also an absolute mastermind.

***

They had made it through the day. They always did, after all. They were a great team, Brooke thought, and God help them if they were ever disbanded in any way. Sitting in a quieter corner of the office with her head tipped against the head of the sofa, Brooke took a deep breath. It was often needed at the end of days like these. Jan sat to her right, curled up against the arm of the couch and simply staring into the distance. Thinking for a moment, Brooke turned her head and stared at Jan.

“Do you think Bianca really had all that stuff to back up what she said about Nicky’s Dad?”

Jan smirked and met Brooke’s eyes. “It’s Bianca. She’s a walking, talking database. She probably has shit on all of us. She probably knows stuff about us that we haven’t even done yet.”

Before Brooke could even try to get her head around Jan’s words, Vanessa joined them. She flung herself against the sofa dramatically, gently tilting her head so that it rested in the crook of Brooke’s shoulder. For a second she could barely breathe.

“I wonder what she’s going to do to Gigi when she next sees her. Can’t imagine I’d want to be in her six-inch heels right now,” Brooke continued, trying to talk through her breathlessness.

“We talkin’ about Bianca?” Vanessa murmured, nuzzling her head against Brooke’s shoulder to get comfortable. Christ, why the fuck did she have to do that?

“Yeah,” Jan smiled wistfully. “God, I’d be running for the hills if I was her. Alyssa’s charity ball is in three weeks, remember? I wouldn’t put it past Bianca to stage a live crucifixion as the night’s entertainment.”

Brooke felt Vanessa laugh softly against her side. She was such a warm, happy person, at least when she wasn’t stressing her head off at the latest party shambles. She was too good to be working here, but Brooke was so glad that she was.

“So you’re not going to be ditching us to run back to the opposition anytime soon then? Not going to be meeting up with Gigi and Crystal for a cute little catch-up coffee?” Brooke only half-joked, turning to address Jan again. She watched as Jan’s face grew a little dark, her brow furrowing as she let out a derisive laugh.

“I’m not fucking with anyone who attempts to sabotage Jackie’s career,” she said forebodingly.

There it was again, Brooke thought, this protective side to Jan which she’d never really seen before. She didn’t think she’d ever get over how strange it was.

Footsteps behind the sofa prompted all three of them to turn around. It was Jackie- she’d freshened up her makeup a little and had sprayed some deodorant or perfume or something that smelt nice. Reaching the sofa, she gave a warm smile to the three girls.

“Thanks for your support today, ladies,” she said sincerely, leaning on the back of the sofa. “It was a tough one, but we got there in the end.”

“Sorry that Nina couldn’t arrange an alternative bit of PR in time, Jackie,” Vanessa smiled apologetically. Jackie let out a small laugh.

“Are you kidding? That was a blessing in disguise. After the day I’ve had the last thing I want to do is go and feign interest in electric cars for an hour,” she shook her head. “Seriously though, thank you. You three are a total blessing.”

Brooke was surprised when she then turned to face Jan, her expression turning a little shy. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah, two minutes. I need to pack up and I’ll be good,” Jan smiled timidly back at her, her cheeks going a little red.

“Okay. I’ll wait at the lifts. See you tomorrow, girls,” Jackie said finally, waving goodbye to Brooke and Vanessa before walking away.

Vanessa tipped her head off Brooke’s shoulder to lean forward and look at Jan, who was grabbing her coat. “Where are you two off to then, Miss Ma’am?”

Jan stopped in her tracks, as if she hadn’t really been expecting the question. “Oh! Um, Jackie’s just giving me a lift home.”

Brooke screwed up her face at her friend. “A lift home? In her car? That she drives? Is that meant to be a joke?”

Seemingly realising her mistake, Jan smiled and shook her head. “I meant her driver. Her driver’s going to drop me home on the way back to Jackie’s.”

Brooke sat blankly for a moment, turning to Vanessa and seeing her face hold the exact same expression. Vanessa laughed in disbelief. “Your flat’s five minutes away, you lazy shit!”

“Hey, give me a break! I’m exhausted, a five minute walk is still a walk I don’t want to do, and I’ll take what I can get,” Jan shrugged, grabbing her bag and making to leave. “Bye, girls. See you both tomorrow.”

Brooke gave a tired reply as Jan made her way out of the department. Sighing, Vanessa leant against the arm of the sofa, kicking her legs over Brooke’s lap and subsequently causing Brooke’s pulse to quicken by about 90%. They sat in silence for a moment, Brooke’s brain too full to even contemplate starting a conversation. Luckily, it was Vanessa that spoke first.

“Do you think something’s goin’ on there? Between Jackie and Jan?”

Brooke paused. If it were any other situation, she’d maybe have thought Vanessa was right. But this was work, and sometimes people got incredibly passionate about their party and the people that ran it. Jan had had to put up with Nicky, and then Darienne. It was only natural that now that she was finally working for someone competent of course she was going to want with every fibre of her being for that person to do well. Turning to face Vanessa, Brooke made a doubtful face.

“No, girl. Jan’s just loyal. She wants to see Jackie do well. That’s all I think it is anyway.”

Brooke watched as Vanessa knit her brows together, frowning momentarily then casting her gaze into her lap.

“You know-” she began, then cut herself off as she decided against saying whatever she had to say. Then, changing her mind, she began again. “I swear you’re so blind half the time, Brooke Lynn. I think you have your guard up so high you can’t even see when someone has feelings for someone else. It’s kinda…I don’t know. Anyway. It don’t matter.”

Brooke watched, astounded as Vanessa swung her legs off her lap and stood up. Her face was bright red, as if she was embarrassed in some way. Brooke felt she had to reply, but she had no idea what to say or how to respond. She simply blinked at Vanessa, as if her last ditch attempt at communication was morse code.

“I’ll, uh. I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Vanessa continued, smoothing down her dress and smiling as if she hadn’t said a thing. Going along with the façade, Brooke nodded slowly. “Bye, Brooke.”

As Vanessa’s footsteps retreated down the office and into the lift, Brooke just stared straight ahead and tried to make sense of what Vanessa had said, or what it even meant, or what the implications were. It had felt like she was mad at her in some way, although Brooke couldn’t figure out what she’d done. What had she meant by it all? It made Brooke’s head hurt.

She was still there when the cleaners arrived half an hour later, and she still hadn’t managed to unscramble her brain. Giving up, Brooke grabbed her coat and bag and made her way to the lifts, stuck with the feeling that somehow she’d left something behind.

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