#I am incredibly proud of the little creature and I hope I can make trials more fun for her (and myself) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

atc74 · 5 years

Text

Watching You - The Epilogue

Square(s) Filled: Michael for @heavenandhellbingo, Character Death for @spngenrebingo

Warnings: Fluff, drinking, a wedding, angst, more angst and some more angst. Major character death

Summary: Almost a year has passed since Y/N learned that her boyfriend’s brother was her stalker. With time comes healing and Y/N and Sam are ready to take the next step. But is anything ever really over?

Pairing: Coach/Teacher!Sam x Coach!Reader

Characters: Y/N Y/L/N, Sam Winchester, Michael Shurley, Dean Winchester (mentioned), Bobby Singer, Jody Mills, Alex Jones, Rufus Turner, Ellen Harvelle, Jo Harvelle (mentioned), Donna Hanscum

Word Count: 6025 (I apologize for nothing)

Written for: @heavenandhellbingo and @spngenrebingo

Beta’d by: @amanda-teaches with whom I have realized I have an abusive and co-dependent relationship with. As my beta, she makes me a better writer and in turn, I punch her right in the feels but she still loves me, and for this I am forever grateful and love her back. (No, I am not making light of abusive relationships, having been in one, it’s an analogy people). And to @alleiradayne, for her unwavering support.

A/N: This is the third and FINAL (yes, final) installment of Watching You (CATCH UP NOW). I wasn’t completely satisfied with the original ending. Although I am very proud of it, I just felt it was lacking some finality and @amanda-teaches convinced me to finish it to my liking, because every once in a great while, I crave giving you guys something that is very much ‘not me’ and drawing a new emotion from you is my oxygen! I hope you like it, too!

Looking for the next level fan experience? Check out Sam’s or Dean’s scent now! Buy it here from @scentsfromthebunker!

Y/N sat in her office. It was a quiet Friday at the school, for once, and she was taking advantage of the peace. Sam was at a Cross Country meet and wouldn’t be home for a couple more hours, so she had time to prepare for their next volleyball game.

The first month or two of her relationship with Sam had its ups and downs, especially when it turned out his brother was her stalker and intended to kill her because he believed he would lose Sam to her. Things between her and Sam had been a little touch and go immediately following Dean’s confession. But since the trial, it had been smooth sailing and she had never been happier.

She decided to call it an early day to get home before Sam and needed to make a few stops on her way home.

Her phone rang as she was loading groceries into her car. “Hello, Handsome.”

“Hey, gorgeous,” Sam drawled on the other end. “Whatchya up to?”

“Just leaving the market and heading home. How was the meet?” She smiled, hearing the mischief in his voice.

“Great! Katie and Josh both finished first!” He exclaimed. “I’m on my way home and I want to celebrate!”

“I can get on board with that!” she agreed. “See you there.”

“Bye, beautiful.”

~*~

“So, what’s the occasion?” Y/N asked over a simple dinner of steak and potatoes later that night.

“Well, my kids won today. Your girls are going to win on Monday,” he explained, pausing. “And, it has been exactly one year since our first date.”

“Sam,” she gasped. “You remembered?”

“How could I forget? The most incredible, stunning creature asked out this awkward giant after he admitted he was horrible with the ladies,” Sam smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips.

“Stop,” she giggled, allowing him to pull her up and into his arms.

“I know our first few months were a little tumultuous, to say the least, but we’re healing, and I have never been happier. Coming home to you each night is the greatest thing in the world,” Sam proclaimed. “If only you could make my next dream come true...”

Y/N was a sap for Sam and she fell right into his trap. “Baby, I always want to make your dreams come true.”

“Then marry me,” Sam stated. He held up an impressive antique style solitaire diamond ring.

Y/N could see he was nervous as the ring shook in his hand, sending prisms sparkling along their dining room walls. She understood how he felt, her own stomach had erupted in a swarm of butterflies. She held out her hand to him. “Yes.”

Sam slipped the gemstone on her finger.

“Sam, it’s gorgeous,” she whispered.

“Nothing will ever be as beautiful as you are. I promise to always protect you,” he vowed, pulling her in, brushing his lips over hers. The kiss started much like their first, sweet and a little shy, both of them thinking about their future together. But, much like the last year, it quickly morphed into something solid and heated.

Sam lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, as he carried her to the living room, laying her gently on the sofa. Clothing was stripped and tossed away to be worried about later. Promises of what was to come mingled with their moans and heavy breath. Promises of a family and a future.

“We should call Bobby and Jody,” she remarked later that evening, Sam wrapped around her from behind, her favorite blanket concealing their nudity.

“There’s plenty of time for that,” Sam said. “Do you want to set a date first?”

“As soon as we can,” she chirped, turning her head to look at him over her shoulder.

“A wedding takes planning, Y/N.”

“No, an event takes planning, Sam. Bobby, Jody and Alex are basically the only family we have. We have a few friends from work, but that’s about it. We could set this up inside a month,” she insisted.

“Are you pregnant?” Sam blurted out.

“What? No!” She laughed. “But I don’t want to wait, Sam. Besides, the sooner you make an honest woman out of me, the sooner I can be.”

“Well, I do think I’ll like that,” Sam moaned in her ear.

“Later, Romeo. Let’s start making a list and maybe we can knock out a few tasks tomorrow,” she insisted. “But we’re telling Bobby and Jody in the morning.”

“Fine, but we’re going for a run first thing, then you’re making breakfast,” Sam teased.

“How about loser makes breakfast?” she taunted.

“I’ll take that bet,” Sam grabbed her, crashing his lips to hers to seal the deal.

~*~

“A Winchester shows up at my door with a pretty girl and a bag of pastries…” Bobby grumbled. “It sounds like the start of a really bad joke.”

“How about a pretty girl shows up at your door with a bag of pastries and a Winchester?” Y/N laughed as she hugged Bobby.

“I like that a lot better,” he replied. “So what do I owe the pleasure so early on a Saturday?”

“Bobby, it’s almost noon,” Sam chastised.

“And some of us ain’t getting any younger. Plus, I had a job last night,” Bobby yawned, pouring another coffee for himself, plus two for Y/N and Sam.

“We wanted to ask you something. Well, two somethings,” Y/N started. “Where’s Jody?”

“Right here, honey,” Jody turned the corner, a smile on her face seeing the two of them in her kitchen. “What’s up?”

“Sam and I are getting married!” Y/N squealed, holding her hand out to show them her ring.

Jody hugged Y/N tightly, so happy for her young friend. Bobby smacked Sam in the back of the head. “Don’t screw it up, ya idjit.”

“I won’t, Bobby,” Sam promised, gazing over at his soon to be wife, a smile splitting his face.

“I wanted to ask if we could hold the wedding in your yard? Jody, your gardens are so beautiful and I couldn’t imagine starting the rest of my life with Sam anywhere else,” Y/N explained, her smile hopeful.

“Of course you can,” Jody agreed. “I’d be honored.”

“And, Bobby?” Y/N turned to face the man she had come to admire and love over the last several months. “Would you give me away?”

“It would be my pleasure, girl,” Bobby smiled for once. “Now come ‘ere.” He stood and wrapped his arms tightly around the girl he had come to love as if she were his own.

“So, did you set a date yet?” Jody asked.

“September 28,” Y/N replied quietly, turning to Sam.

“We’ve got a whole year to get the planning done,” Jody started rambling. “Bobby, we can finally add that gazebo and koi pond I’ve wanted…” Jody pondered aloud, taking a sip of coffee.

“September 28 this year, Jody.”

Jody nearly choked, coffee sputtering from her mouth as she coughed. “What?!”

“I’m so sorry!” Y/N stood to grab a towel.

“That’s in three weeks!” Bobby hollered.

“Yes, it is. But we talked a lot about this last night. It’s going to be a small affair, less than twenty people. We can easily throw together everything quickly, and we already met with a caterer that can make it work,” Y/N reasoned.

“”Well, then, let’s go take a look and see what y’all wanna do,” Bobby suggested.

After walking around the house and yard, Y/N had decided where to set up the altar and, with Jody’s help, the tables and chairs for the reception.

“Uh, what are you doing?” Alex’s voice carried through the backyard.

“We’re getting married!” Y/N shouted. Alex ran towards her, hugging her tightly as the women jumped up and down together in the yard.

“Fools,” Bobby gumbled.

“I think it’s adorable,” Sam smiled, looking at his fiancee and friend.

“Yeah, but you’re in love with one of ‘em. I gotta live with the other one,” Bobby clucked.

The girls left to go dress shopping leaving Sam and Bobby to their own devices.

“What’s on your mind, boy?” Bobby asked.

“You could always read me like a book, Bobby.” Sam laughed. “I got this idea, but I might need your help.”

“Well, let’s take a look at this idea of yours then,” Bobby stood and walked toward his pole barn. He stopped by an ancient fridge and pulled out two beers, handing one to Sam. “Something tells me I’m gonna need this.”

~*~

Tables had been set up and a dance floor had been constructed in Bobby and Jody’s backyard. From the bedroom window, it looked like a fairy party. Y/N had decided to stay with Bobby and Jody the night before the wedding and Sam would remain at home. She couldn’t wait to marry him. Turning down the bed, she crawled in before calling him to say goodnight, even though they had only parted less than an hour before. She had barely said goodbye before she fell asleep, dreaming of her future with Sam.

~*~

The smell of coffee and bacon woke her the next morning. Stretching long in her bed, Y/N threw the covers aside and shuffled to the bathroom. She exited a few minutes later, hair in a mess atop her head, and followed her nose to the kitchen.

“Happy wedding day!” Jody greeted her excitedly with a steaming mug. “Have a seat, breakfast is almost ready.”

“Thanks Jody,” she smiled back at the woman she had grown so fond of over the last year. “Flowers should be here by eleven and the food and cakes about four.”

“Girl, don’t you worry. I got this handled. Your only job is to get all pretty and show up on time,” Bobby grinned ear to ear at her over his coffee.

“I really can’t thank you guys enough. For, well, everything.” Y/N gave them both knowing looks as Jody set pancakes and bacon on the table.

“Eat up!” Jody announced. “Big breakfast and we’ll have a light lunch in your room about two while you’re getting ready.”

“I’m so stoked for today! It’s like that nervous feeling I always get before a big game, but I know everything is going to go my way, ya know?” Y/N laughed, piling food on her plate.

“Today is going to be a great day!” Alex declared, taking a seat at the table. Breakfast was a jovial affair as they chatted about the day’s events.

The morning passed quickly as Y/N bathed and pampered herself before Alex returned to do her hair. She sat at the dressing table, rubbing her favorite lotion into her smoothed skin, when a knock sounded at the door. “Come in.”

“Hey,” Alex greeted her as she rushed across the room, pulling the curtains closed.

“What are you doing?” Y/N asked suspiciously.

“Um, Pops made me do it. Just promise you won’t look out the windows. Sam’ll kill me if you do,” Alex pleaded.

“Is he here? Can I see him?” Y/N stood, rushing to the door.

“No, he isn’t here. Yet. But just promise, okay? They have a surprise for you, but they’re all hush hush about it. I don’t even know what it is,” Alex revealed, turning to her friend. The doorbell sounded through the house. Alex pulled out her phone to check the security camera. “Oh it’s the florist! I gotta go! Stay here!”

Y/N laughed and waved Alex off as she ran out of the room and bounded down the stairs. She returned to the dressing table and looked over her supplies, making sure she had everything they needed. Satisfied, she turned her thoughts to Sam. She couldn’t wait to marry him and the next few hours couldn’t pass fast enough for her.

The sound of heavy footfalls roused her from her thoughts as Alex returned to the room with a curling wand in one hand, two beers in the other and a mile wide smile on her face. “Ready?”

~*~

The soft rap of knuckles broke through the laughter. “Y/N? Honey, it’s time.”

Alex opened the door to reveal Bobby on the other side. His hair was combed and he looked rather dashing in his smart, dark gray suit. She turned to Y/N. “I’ll see you guys downstairs.”

“You clean up nice, Bobby,” Y/N giggled as she walked toward the man that was about to give her away. She laid one hand on his chest, smoothing the invisible wrinkles on the lapel.

“I dressed down so I don’t steal your thunder, pretty girl,” Bobby jested. “You, you look beautiful, Y/N.”

“Thank you, Bobby.” She smiled. “Shall we?”

“Let’s get you married, girl. That idjit is driving me crazy, pacing around in my lawn like he is. He’s gonna kill my damn grass!” he grumbled, but Y/N could hear the pride in his voice.

~*~

Y/N and Sam exchanged their vows under an arbor that Sam and Bobby had built as a surprise for Y/N. It was made from branches and draped with fairy lights hanging from it. Over the top branch, Sam had secured boughs of baby’s breath, adding a feminine touch to the rustic arbor.

After signing their marriage certificate and celebrating with their guests, Sam and Y/N had headed to Bobby and Jody’s secluded lake cabin for their honeymoon. Jody insisted they would do the cleanup, only Bobby grumped the entire time. “It’s my damn house! Why am I the one picking up all this mess?”

“Robert Steven Singer!” His wife's voice bellowed out across their yard. “Those kids have had one hell of a year. You will stop your complaining right now. We will clean up while they enjoy their honeymoon in peace!”

“Yes, dear.” Bobby returned to the task of breaking down the few tables and storing them back in the outbuilding. Truth be told, Bobby was happy as a pig in slop for Sam and Y/N. After what Dean did to them, hosting their wedding was the least he could to help them maintain some normalcy. He glanced over at his wife, beautiful as ever in the morning sun, as she gathered the leftover floral arrangements. What he didn’t expect was to see her face twist into one of worry, bordering on fear.

“Bobby!”

For an old man, he ran faster than he had in some years, reaching her side in seconds. “What’s wrong?”

She didn’t say anything, only handed him the small card she had plucked from one of the arrangements. He read it a few times, the look on his face matching hers. “Where did this come from?”

“It was in the flowers that were delivered yesterday. I was just going to bring them to the hospital, and save the cards for them to read when they got back, but,” Jody explained.

“I’m calling Sam. We don’t want to scare them, but Sam needs to know,” Bobby commanded.

The conversation was frantic on Bobby’s end as he spoke to Sam. Sam was trying to maintain his composure with his new wife in the same space. He listened carefully as Bobby read him the note and went through his instructions. He knew where the weapons locker was. He knew there was a trap door leading to a cellar in the closet of the master bedroom. A reinforced cellar that locked from the inside. He had never understood before but, after the last year, he silently welcomed Bobby’s paranoid behavior.

“Rose are red, violets are blue. I’ll come soon after you say I do.”

“My next call is to the warden. Dean should have had all his mail privileges revoked, but I ain’t takin’ any chances here,” Bobby explained. “Alex just left to follow up with the florist to find out where the note originated from.”

“Thanks, Bobby.”

“We’ll get this son of a bitch, Sam.”

“I know you will.” Sam ended the call and ran his hand down his face.

“Maybe Dean wasn’t working alone. Maybe Shurley was in on it the whole time?” Jody proposed as Bobby dialed the number for the prison.

“Get Alex on him as soon as she is done with the florist,” Bobby told her.

Jody shot off a text to Alex as Bobby was on the phone. The agitated look on his face told her what they already knew. It wasn’t Dean.

“Ain’t him,” Bobby confirmed. “Warden said he started a fight, tried to kill a guy over pudding in the mess hall and he has been in solitary for the last month.”

“Pudding?” Jody raised an eyebrow.

“Apparently they don’t get pie in prison,” Bobby chuckled despite the situation. “Alex get anything?”

“Not really. The order was placed online with a credit card over a week ago. They’re tracing it now,” Jody informed him. “But, the email is probably a dead end and the card a prepaid debit. She’s headed over to Shurley’s to question him now.”

“Well, let’s get the rest of this crap stowed so we can come up with a plan,” Bobby suggested, throwing his arm around her waist as they headed back into the yard.

~*~

Sam thanked the drama classes in high school for helping him conceal the news of the recent threat from Y/N. Three days into their honeymoon and they had barely left the bedroom except to eat and shower. He couldn’t wait to see her glowing with their child and hoped the sheer amount of his ejaculate had done the trick. However, their food supply was low and they would have to head into town if they wanted to eat for the next four days. He would go, but didn’t want to leave her alone. If they went together, at least he would be by her side and could keep her safe if something happened.

Thankfully, the trip to town was uneventful. Sam whistled while they unpacked groceries, stealing a kiss here and there from Y/N. She was all smiles for him and he didn’t want to ruin it. That however, clearly wasn’t up to him when he heard her scream moments later. Sam ran toward the master bedroom.

Y/N had pushed herself up against the wall in the far corner of the room, tears streaming down her face when Sam entered the room. She pointed toward the bed where a plan white envelope lay in the middle.

“Rose are red, violets are blue. I can’t wait to take another life from you.”

Sam moved to the closet quick as lightning, pulling up on the trap door. “Go. Lock the door and wait for me. I love you.” He kissed her and gently shoved her toward the hidden staircase. Once he confirmed she was inside and he heard the lock catch, he moved to the weapons stash. With deft fingers, he spun the dial until the lock gave. He removed the HK45 and an extra magazine from the shelf.

Although he was sure no one was still in the cabin besides Y/N and him, he cleared it room by room, just as Bobby and Dean had taught him. He even did a quick perimeter sweep on the property, but found nothing that shouldn’t have been there. There wasn’t even so much as an animal print in the dirt. Frustrated, he pulled out his phone and told Bobby what had transpired.

“Come home, boy. You’re too far from civilization and, if something does happen, I can’t get to you fast enough,” Bobby stated the obvious.

“Yeah. Yeah, I get it. We’ll pack up and be on the road in an hour,” Sam agreed. He retreated into the cabin and knocked on the hidden door. “Babe? It’s me. It’s all clear. Please open the door.” He was only met with silence. Not even a sniffle or whimper coming from below. His heart started racing. “Y/N! Open the door. It’s safe to come out. Please?” Sam turned, pacing the room. He stopped dead. There was another note on the bed. He opened it, his fingers trembling as he read the words.

Roses are red, violets are blue. You’ll scream for her, just like Jessica did for you.

His blood ran cold as he dialed Bobby frantically. “Is there an exit?”

“What are you talking about Sam?”

“The cellar room, Bobby! Is there a fucking way out besides the closet?”

“Yes! There is a tunnel that runs out fifty yards, exits in the boat house,” Bobby sighed.

Sam took off at a full sprint the minute he hit the back door, his long legs carrying him across the lawn to the lake.

“Sam!” Bobby’s voice came through the phone.

“The boat’s gone and the door is open. He left another note in the house. How the fuck did he get in?” Sam screamed. “And, why the fuck didn’t we know my brother had a fucking partner?”

“Sam, Rufus is on his way. Jody is on the phone with the locals. Go back to the house and stay put,” Bobby ordered.

“I need her, Bobby,” Sam cried into the phone. His perfect life vanishing right before him.

“I know boy. I know. We’ll get her back.”

Bobby turned to his wife as she hung up with the sheriff's office. “They’re on their way.”

“Why didn’t we see something like this coming?”

“Because Dean confessed. There was no need to investigate further. Let’s go back and take another look at Shurley. Alex said he isn’t home. She talked to his neighbors, they said he left yesterday morning,” Jody relayed.

“Fuck,” Bobby groaned. “Better make some coffee.”

For hours, they combed over the original case files from Sam’s college girlfriend, Jessica Moore. There wasn’t much to the case prior to the fire and her death. Michael Shurley had been seen in the vicinity, but he lived in the building. “Sam said he got weird, but there is nothing in his history to suggest he is capable of something like this, Bobby. His background is clean.” Jody stood to pour more coffee and her bones creaked as she stretched.

Rufus had checked in with them earlier. The locals had combed the tunnel and the boat house, but the only sign something was awry was the stolen boat. The cellar door locked from the inside only, same with the exit door. It didn’t make sense to the sheriff as she shared her professional opinion with Bobby’s seasoned investigator.

“Bobby, I am telling you, this was an inside job!” Rufus struggled to keep his voice down, not wanting to alert Sam.

“Rufus, I have known this boy damn near his entire life!” Bobby argued.

“Singer, you’ve known me longer than that boy’s been alive. How many times have you known me to be wrong?” Rufus challenged him.

“Never,” Bobby conceded. “Balls!”

“I’m staying here with him for a few days. I called in some backup to keep eyes on him, too.”

“Who?” Bobby demanded, not wanting to involve anyone else in this mess.

“Ellen.”

“Ellen Harvelle? Your ex-wife Ellen?” Bobby gasped.

“Yes, my ex-wife,” Rufus replied. “She’s still in the area and Sam doesn’t know her. She’ll be able to keep tabs on him if he leaves and follow him. I can’t. But she and her daughter can.”

“Best option we got, I guess,” Bobby sighed. “Just keep me posted, huh?”

“Copy that.”

Rufus didn’t have to wait long for Sam to become restless.

“Rufus, we need to go looking for her!” Sam shouted, breaking the silence in the cabin.

“Sam, we need to stay here in case she comes back. You need to be here in case he calls you. I can’t trace the call if I don’t know it’s coming in,” Rufus reasoned with him.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Sam resigned. “I’m going to make something to eat. You hungry?”

“I could eat. But you’ve got enough going on right now. I’ll take care of it,” Rufus told him.

Grilled cheese and tomato soup wasn’t exactly what Sam had in mind for dinner, but, with his wife having been kidnapped by a psychopath, it didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was finding her.

Sam excused himself for the night and retreated to the master bedroom where he tried to sleep, but hopes and dreams of their future morphed into nightmares.

Rufus drifted off on the sofa, the fireplace and the television lighting the room. But, life as a former military man had made him a very light sleeper and he opened one eye at the sound of an engine starting in the distance.

He grabbed his phone off the table next to him and dialed Ellen’s number. “I think he’s on the move.”

“Jo’s at the end of the road on an all terrain. She’ll see him if he leaves,” Ellen informed him. “I’m on the other side of town. Lady called in suspicious activity at the old Novak place.”

“Keep me posted,” Rufus told her as another call rang through to his phone. He answered the incoming call. “Turner.”

“Lady out on Route 33 called in some suspicious activity and appears there is someone staking out the house.” Sheriff Hanscum filled him in on what he already knew. “Wouldn’t happen to be one of yours, would it?”

“I told you earlier, Sheriff. We take care of our own and we’re all licensed professionals. If that son of a bitch is in there, she’ll see him. But you better hope your men to get to him first, because she ain’t gentle. Trust me, I know. She’s my ex-wife,” Rufus laughed. His long legs carried him through the house and sure enough, Sam’s room was empty, the bed untouched.

Rufus placed another call. “Jody, I need a property records search.” He relayed the address and waited while she accessed the data.

“Huh. Get a load of this. The property is registered to a Chuck and Amara Shurley. So, I did a little digging. Used to be owned by Lucille Novak, who died about twenty years ago. She left the house and surrounding land to her children Chuck and Amara. Chuck has four children, the youngest? One Michael Shurley,” Jody revealed.

“Son of a bitch,” Rufus marveled at the revelation. “I think Sam is on the move. Jo’s on Sam, Ellen’s watching the house. How soon can you get here?”

“We’re only about thirty minutes out,” Jody replied.

“Good, ‘cause this might get ugly,” Rufus admitted and disconnected the call. He put on a fresh pot of coffee and waited.

~*~

“What do you want with me, Michael?” Y/N screamed for the hundredth time since he had taken her from the cabin. From her husband. Her ears were ringing and her head still throbbed where Michael had struck her on the boat because she wouldn’t stop screaming.

“It’s what we want with you. Now shut up!” Michael Shurley growled. He had been pacing the dirt floor basement of some old farmhouse for hours.

“Lucky me, I get two stalkers,” she sassed. She had moved from frightened to annoyed some time ago, after her assailant revealed himself to her. She was also royally pissed as the ropes bit into her wrists behind her back.

The sound of a door shutting above them snapped Michael’s attention from the floor. “Finally!” He rocketed up the old staircase and slammed the door shut behind him.

Y/N tested the ropes again without Michael in the room. Damn! They were too tight as she tried to wriggle her wrists, but the rickety chair she was tied to wobbled sideways under weight. She kept moving, her eyes glued to the staircase. She could hear voices upstairs, angry voices as they argued.

“This wasn’t the plan, fuck nut!” The new voice bellowed. It was definitely male, but old houses were built solidly and she couldn’t recognize the voice with her ears still buzzing.

“Yeah, well maybe I’m not a fan of the plan, douchebag!” Michael retorted.

There was a scuffle, dirt rained down on her as they moved across the floor. She shook the debris from her hair and continued rocking. On the fourth round, the chair gave way, falling apart beneath her. She muffled her grunt as she hit the hard floor. Y/N managed to disassemble the chair to free her arms. As the voices above her got louder, she quickly scanned the space, looking for an escape route.

“You and Dean had your fun! Now, it’s my turn! Where is she?” The second man demanded.

“Downstairs,” Michael disclosed. “But, I’m not done. I didn’t get my turn because he’s a control freak. I want the same time I got with Jessica! She was supposed to mine!”

“You’ll get what I give you, loser.”

Heavy footfalls crossed the floor and Y/N knew she was running out of time. Overwrought, she ran toward the dark corner of the basement behind the stairs, a glint of light garnering her attention. It was a window! She dragged a nearby crate to the wall, using it to reach the ledge. Much to her surprise and good fortune, the window opened with ease. “What a dumb fuck.” Y/N muttered to herself as she lifted herself out the window.

She took off running as fast as her legs would carry her. They were cramping from being tied to a chair for so long, but she only needed to make it to the road. She could see it in the distance. Just a little farther. She missed the fallen tree hiding in the tall grass and went down, landing hard in the overgrown field. Groaning, she turned her head towards the road when she heard the rumble of an engine. She didn’t dare call out for help if Michael and his partner discovered she was missing. Y/N crawled back to the tree and tried to hide against it as well as she could.

She looked ahead and saw the grass moving and a flashlight low to the ground. Maybe it was her ears, now ringing louder with the recent fall, but she swore she heard her name.

“Y/N?” A female voice called out again.

“I’m here,” she whispered. “Please help me.”

“Hi, honey. My name is Ellen. I’m friends with Bobby. He sent me to find you,” Ellen held out her hand to help Y/N up. “Now stay low so we can get out of here.”

Y/N didn’t respond, only nodding her agreement. She couldn’t wait to get back home to Sam and get back to living their new life together.

They reached Ellen’s car and she helped Y/N inside, shutting the door softly behind her. The car was still running and the heat was on. Y/N wrapped her arms around her in an attempt to get warm. She could see Ellen at the drivers door, she was on her phone but she couldn’t hear the conversation. Ellen nodded sharply and put her phone away before she opened the door.

Noticing Y/N shivering, Ellen turned up the heater and grabbed a blanket from the backseat, handing it to her. “You okay, honey?”

“No, not really. This is so fucked up,” she murmured.

“Bobby and Jody’ll be here in a minute and we’ll get you taken care of, okay?” Ellen told her sweetly. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Ellen seemingly typing out messages on her phone, while Y/N just stared wide eyed into the night. Her trance was broken as a police cruiser passed them like a bat out of hell, lights flashing.

“That’s our cue,” Ellen replied, pulling back out on the road, following the squad into a long driveway.

Y/N started crying when she realized where they were. “No, no, no! I’m not going back. You might as well kill me now!”

“Oh, honey. It’s okay. The police are gonna get him. You’re safe right here with me,” Ellen assured Y/N as she continued to shake and cry. Ellen turned her attention back towards the house when she saw the sheriff motion her inside. Perfect timing as Bobby’s pick-up rolled in next to her. “They’re here.”

Y/N looked up and the first thing she saw was Jody’s face. She opened the door and rushed around the car to embrace her. Ellen followed suit, meeting Bobby at the front of his truck.

“Sheriff wants her inside,” Ellen explained, looking over at Y/N wrapped in Jody’s arms. “Needs her to identify the man that took her.”

“I don’t like it. Can’t it wait till tomorrow?” Bobby protested, but Ellen just shook her head. “Fine. Y/N, sweetheart? We need to go inside and talk to the sheriff. We’ll stay with you the whole time, okay?”

“Okay,” she sniffled. “Where’s Sam?”

“We’ll get him for you, okay?” Ellen told her as they headed to the door.

Ellen stepped inside first, followed by Bobby, Jody and Y/N bringing up the rear as she clung to Jody for dear life. The sheriff greeted each of them before addressing Y/N.

“Mrs. Winchester, I need you to tell me if you recognize this man,” Sheriff Hanscum said softly, cognizant of the recent trauma she had endured.

“Yeah, o-okay,” Y/N stammered. Jody helped her into a chair as one of the deputies led a handcuffed man into the room. “That’s Michael Shurley.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Winchester,” Sheriff Hanscum acknowledged, crouching next to her. “My name’s Donna, Y/N. I need a favor, I need you to look at one more. You think you can do that for me?”

She nodded as Donna stood. Her eyes stayed glued to the floor until a man’s shoes came into view. Y/N followed the line of his legs up, her brow furrowing as she reached his face. Her hand flew up, barely concealing the yelp that fell from her mouth. “Sam?”

~*~

Two weeks later, Y/N was sitting at the kitchen table having coffee with Jody. Her days were far from normal now. She resigned from her job at the school and moved in with Bobby and Jody.

“I want to see it,” Y/N raised her head and looked Jody in the eye.

“Y/N…” Jody paused, realizing she was referring to Sam’s recorded confession.

“He wouldn’t talk to me when I went to see him. I deserve an explanation,” Y/N objected. “He owes me that much.”

“Donna already turned it over. They’re being prosecuted for Jessica’s death. Dean’s still serving his life sentence, but Sam and Michael will get theirs now, too,” Jody empathized. She couldn’t imagine what the poor girl was going through. All she knew was that she needed to take care of her, just like her own daughter. That meant protecting her from the truth. She didn’t need to hear the ugly truth.

The house phone rang, startling them both. “Hello?...Yes, just a moment please. Bobby? Phone call!”

“Got it!” Bobby answered from his office, Jody hanging up the receiver.

“Ladies,” Bobby greeted Y/N and his wife as he entered the kitchen a few minutes later, giving them each a kiss on the cheek.

“Who was on the phone?” Jody inquired, refilling his coffee.

“That was the warden,” he announced.

“Oh?” Jody remarked.

“Um, yeah. He called with some news,” Bobby gulped. “Y/N, I don’t even know how to start…”

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Y/N looked up, tears in her eyes.

“How-how did you know?” Bobby faltered.

“Michael said Dean was a control freak. It didn’t go according to plan and I’m still alive. Dean’s gotta be pissed. It just makes sense that he would go after Sam, since he couldn’t finish the job,” Y/N shrugged nonchalantly.

“Dean’s dead, too. They killed each other,” Bobby elaborated. “And Michael hung himself in his cell.”

Jody knelt next to Y/N’s chair, a comforting hand on her arm. “It’s over, baby girl.”

“No, it’s not, Jody. It’ll never be over,” Y/N surmised, looking into Jody’s eyes. “I’m late.”

~*~*~*~*~

Thank you for reading. Please tell me how you liked it. Did it invoke emotion? Are you mad at me? TELL ME!

~*~*~*~*~

Did you like it? The nicest thing you can do for a writer is reblog their work and tell them, and others, how much you like it!

The Whole Enchilada: @iwantthedean @dolphincliffs @mrswhozeewhatsis @meganwinchester1999 @cherrycokegirls1 @closetspngirl @roxyspearing @flamencodiva @blacktithe7 @sis-tafics @just-another-busyfangirl @evansrogerskitten @amanda-teaches @hannahindie @wotinspntarnation @winchesterprincessbride @winecatsandpizza @kickingitwithkirk @wi-deangirl77 @hobby27 @mogaruke @gh0stgurl @alleiradayne @idreamofplaid @seenashwrite @crashdevlin @thoughtslikeaminefield @emoryhemsworth

The Sam Sin-dicate: @mtngirlforever @supernatural-jackles

Some others (based on your comments from part 2): @moosekateer13 @innerpaperexpertcloud @karouwinchester @stusbunker @jbbarnesgirl @bemyqueenofdarkness @delightfullykrispypeach

#heavenandhellbingo #spngenrebingo #tw: major character death #sam winchester x reader #sam winchester #sam winchester au #sam x reader au #watching you series #supernatural fanfiction #Supernatural fanfic #spn fanfic #spn fanfiction #supernatural au

95 notes · View notes

moonraccoon-exe · 5 years

Note

(1) And here I am back again. Wanted to write to you sooner, but life dropped a huge pile of work on me and my mom got sick and I helped there and my brother got injured at work – a little piece of his finger was half off, but doctors say he'll be okay and he's already back home – and it was just a lot. But I am back. I totally understand the situation with that part of your family you talked about. I have something similar in my family. Everyone nice in their own way but totally stuck on old

ASLDKJALKDGJADKLGJDALKGJALGKADJGLAJGADLKGJDAKLGDJALKGADJLGKADJGLAKJGLAKJGLADKGJADLGJALKGJDALKGJDALKDALKGHADGKDAGJADKLFJADLKGJADKLGJADLKGJALKDJALSKFJAFAFASFASDASFADKGAGHADLKGJADLKGJADGKLA

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERIDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*TACKLE-HUGS YOU*

MY SWEET PRECIOUS ADORABLE MUFFIN, YOU COOKIE MADE OF SWEETNESS AND WARMTH, BEAUTIFUL WONDERFUL HOOMAN, HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( ´ ▽ ` ).｡ｏ♡

*KEEPS PETTING AND SNUGGLING U, U ADORBS PRECIOUS LITTLE MUFFIN*

OMG PERIDOT, HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M SO HAPPY SO JOYED SO FLATTERED TO GET TO READ YOU AGAIN OMG I’M SO HAPPY TO BE REPLYING TO YOU!!!!!!! HEWWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( ´ ▽ ` )

Okay, I’m gonna add our good ol’ keep reading line here, buddy! :3

Don’t worry about not being able to reply sooner!! I did guess that you were either busy with something else, or that you needed time and you know both scenarios and any are alright. You’re not entitled to write to be with a strict schedule. I’ll be here to happily read you however long you need or want to take, aye, buddy?

ESpecially when it’s something as important as your mom and your brother!!! I’m sorry to hear that you had a sudden drop of a huge pile of work alksjdsakj that’s always startling and sort of stressing. And adding to that, your mommy getting sick and your brother having an accident. Gods above, it all suddenly piled up against you, dear Peridot!! I’m so sorry it all happened so suddenly and at once kalsjdlkgjda >

It’s also very important to acknowledge here all the hard work you gave, Peridot. Thank you for taking care of your mommy, and for worrying and helping about your brother, all while managing to get your work done. You’re quite an incredible, hard-working hooman, you know that? You managed everything. You’re absolutely incredible. I’m proud of you, buddy :3

I hope your mom is doing much better by now!! DO RECEIVE HALF OF MY MOST MAGICAL AND HAPPIEST RACCOONIE VIBES FOR HER WELL AND SOON RECOVERY!!!! The other half are, of course, for your brother!! ANOTHER HUGE LOAD OF MOST MAGICAL HAPPIEST RACCOONIE VIBES FOR WELL AND SOON RECOVERYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ*: ･ﾟ

Zomg, what happened to your brother sounds like AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! D: But the doctors know their stuff, so let’s trust them! It’s such a relief and so good to know that he’ll be okay. All happy vibes to your family, dear Peridot!! :D

Sadly, I think a lot of today’s families have that sort of side of the family too. Those that aren’t…necessarily evil or bad, like some other parts of the family, but still not quite the sort of people one would like to hang with? Yep. It sucks to know that you too have a part of the family that behaves like that. Being stuck in old traditions is…hnngnhg…such a stRUGGLE, SUCH A HORRIBLE STRUGGLE AKSDJFKLGDJADLKGJDAGL

Especially when they come up with questions like the things they ask you. Like having a boyfriend (if you’re a girl, because those kind of people INSTANTLY assume every girl is straight by default lmao) is a MUST, like you’ll die the next morning if you don’t get one. Like. Lmao. Why do I want a walking piece of meat with fragile masculinity. And not like all men are like that omg NO XD but it’s so rare to find a man that isn’t like…that. JEEZ.

AND HELL YEAH, THE SWITCH IS SO MUCH FUN AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! >3

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH PERIDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >3

Jesus, Peridot, you’re going to absolutely ROCK that party!! You’ll steal the spotlight aklsjdlkaj ahaha! WHAT A GORGEOUS OUTFIT ZOMG AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU LOVE IT AND THAT’S WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT AAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!! You’ll definitely feel incredible with the lipstick if you feel like you want to wear it with this!! GO, PERIDOT! BE FAAAAAAABULOOOOOOOOOOOOUS!!!!!!!!! >3

HELL YEAH, I CALLED YOU A FIRE WITCH!!! That’s because I know you love magic, and you once told me you were more into fire, sO A FIRE WITCH YOU ARE!!! °3° LOOKIE YOU MAKING ALL THAT AMAZING INCREDIBLE FIRE MAGIC IN YOUR PALM ALKSDJFGDLKJDALKGDAJALJG LOOKING BADASS AND BEING EPIC AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, HELL YEAH FOR FIRE WITCHES AND FIRE WIZARDS AND FIRE YOU!!! /O/

GASPS

I’M HAPPY YOU LIKED MY BIRTHDAY MESSAGE AND THE CONFETTI AND THE CAKES!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS ABSOLUTELY HYPED TO KNOW IT HAD BEEN YOUR BIRTHDAY I WAS LIK EKLAJ SDKLDFJG LKAJ AL WOOOOOH!!!!!! I’M ABSOLUTELY HONORED, FLATTERED, AND INCREDIBLY JOYED TO BE YOUR FRIEND, TOO!!!!! *SQUEEZES U* ( ˙꒳˙ )

I’M SO HYPED TOO TO KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ARE GOING THROUGH AVATAR AGAIN AND THAT YOU’RE LOVING IT AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! >3

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, it’s so cute and so good to know that Avatar is neutral ground to you two! Sibling relationships can be quite something, but I’ve always known from you that you have a good one with your brother. Still, that doesn’t mean you two agree on everything, which can be a little tense at times. But then something wonderful and beautiful like the art of animation and storytelling can bring you back together. It’s mesmerizing and mindblowing, isn’t it? How something that we’re so used to and consider “simple” like a TV cartoon is really art, and that it can have such a huge impact…wow… :3

And yes, Avatar is DEFINITELY the BEST show EVER!!!

HELL YEAH, I’M ALWAYS EXCITED WHEN ZUKO JOINS THE GAANG TOO!!!! And it always, ALWAYS, always always always without a fail makes me SO FRUSTRATED and upset and terribly sad when Zuko accidentally burns Toph. It’s GENIUS, way beyond GENIUS, but after watching Zuko struggle so much and be as courageous as to tell his dad to fuck off and choose his own path, after seeing all his suffering, we get to see how CLOSE he is to join the good guys and have a good life, aND BYE AN ACCIDENT- AKLSDJFDLGKAH JDALKFJ ALKGJAD GLKAJG DAKLG*FLIPS THE DESK* JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!!!!!

And it’s her soles!! THE ONLY LITERAL THING SHE RELIES ON!!!! ASKJLDFGKADLGJALGJA GENIUS GODDAMN GENIUS BUT PAINFUL AND SAD AND FRUSTRATING.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AND THE RECONCILIATION SCENE WITH UNCLE IROH!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT SCENE ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS WITHOUT FAIL BREAKS MY HEART, TAKES MY SOUL AND TEARS IT OPEN AND APART AND TOSSES MY FEELINGS INTO A TORNADO OF FEELS AND I CRY TOO, IT’S JUST- SUCH A POWERFUL SCENE I CRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Uncle Iroh hits fragile heartstrings. Sure he can be the comedy relief, but he’s still got one of the saddest stories of the Avatar universe. We’re all ready to lose our parents one day, but we’re never mentally prepared to lose a son or daughter, and Iroh had to go through that? And then, when he projects all the love he couldn’t give to his son into Zuko, being mistreated by him, and when he’s finally starting to be loved, be BETRAYED and REJECTED by him?? WATCH ZUKO TAKE THE WRONG PATH AKLSDJ KLGDAJDALKGJADLKGJADLKGDJAGKLDAJGLKDAGJDALGK

AND WHAT GETS TO ME THE MOST, WHAT PIERCES THE DEEPEST IN MY HEARTSTRINGS IS HOW, EVEN DESPITE EVERYTHING AND HOW MUCH IROH HAS SUFFERED, WHEN ZUKO ASKS FORGIVENESS, HE’S STILL THE MOST SELFLESS CREATURE EVER, WHICH MAKES THE SCENE BEAUTIFUL BUT STILL SO HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE HOW DARE HE BE SO SELFLESS?!?!?!?!?!?!

You know with the whole, instantly hugging him and Zuko being like “I thought you’d be furious!” and Iroh is crying and tells him “I was never angry. I was sad, because I thought you’d lost the path.”

ASDKJLFAGDLDKFDGLHJGDLÑKFDAJGKDGADÑGAGJÑLFJADÑLKGHADÑLGJADFÑLKDAJGAÑDKLHDAJKLGJADÑLG

OH NO. I HURT MYSELF WRITING THAT I’M TEARING UP I’M MADE A DISASTER OF FEELS I’MGOING AKLJDFD GLAKHFJALKDGJDA

*CURLS UP AND CRIES FOR A GOOD WHILE BEFORE COMING BACK*

What I mean to say is AAAAAAAYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, BUDDY, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOU WITH THAT SCENE!!!!!! It’s so heartbreaking!!

Definitely everyone should have an Iroh! People would be wiser, happier, and healthier. Iroh does good to the soul aahh :’)

HOH boy I’m definitely up to reading the LOTR books long and thick as they are!! The Song of Fire and Ice was my trial for that, if I could handle 5 books that size, I’m prepared now for Lord of the Rings!! But of course the Hobbit is going to be a MUST in the list, too! :D Even though I’m up to reading the original trilogy, do you still recommend reading the Hobbit first? It’s a prequel, after all, so maybe that could make the reading more rich? Or should I go with the original trilogy, THEN back to the prequel? HOH BOY I’m excited!! I’ve ALWAYS wanted to watch/read LOtR because it looks like it’s my absolute jam, it’s everthing I love!!!

I did hear/see somewhere that they’re making a movie about Mr. Tolkien!!! I’m absolutely HYPED about it, I can’t imagine how excited I’d be if I’d already read his books!!! Super curious to learn about the man with one of the biggest minds and brains for worldbuilding…IT GIVES ME CHILLS!!

I once read, I think here on Tumblr, that the whole story of LotR started off as a bedtime story for one of his sons? And Mr. Tolkien was just coming up with random things and characters and plots, and this specific son was INCREDIBLY PICKY AND PETTY about the tiny details, like “but papa! You said the door was green the other day, and now you’re saying it’s red!” and Mr. Tolkien would stare at him, sigh, stand up, turn around and say something like ‘this picky brat’ and go make notes in his notebook to not forget those details XDSo that’s how one of Tolkien’s sons, by being UTTERLY PICKY, made one of the greatest masters of worldbuilding be so specific about his story LMAO AHAHAH

But I didn’t know that about him writing even in the trenches during battles!!!!!!!! :O WOOOOOOOOAAAAAAH, I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HE HAD BEEN TO WAR!?!?!? WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT ADDS SO MUCH TO THE CONCEPT I KNEW OF MR. TOLKIEN!!! :O

Woaaah….I can’t imagine it…it must have been sort of a beautiful if tragic view; soldiers eating or smoking or walking in the terribly gross trenches, shooting, yelling, and amidst them, a man sat writing in a notebook. The sparkle of peace among disaster and chaos. Art among war. BRRRRR. CHIIIIIIIILLLLLLS, THIS GIVES ME CHILLS AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

PERIDOT, I’M ABSOLUTELY, ENTIRELY THRILLED TO KNOW THAT YOU’RE ENJOYING THE FLAMEL BOOKS!!!!!! I wasn’t very sure if it’d be to your liking, becauase it’s been a good while of years since I read them, and it happened to me once that I read a book at like age 12, then re-read it at like age 16 because I remembered it was one of my ultimate faves, and I couldn’t make it past the first chapter without cringing and mentally vomiting LMAO HAHAHAH, so I was worried the books were just that good in my memory and not in reality. So I’m absolutely ecstatic to know you’re liking them!!!

SOPHIE AND JOSH ARE INNOCENT BABIES THAT I PROTECC!! You know, I think it WAS a good recommendation because of the twin thing. I can’t believe I TOTALLY forgot about that when I recommended it to you!!! We once talked about how awesome twins are, and how little there is of them in literature/etc, OF COURSE YOU’D LIKE THIS AS MUCH AS I DID SIMPLY FOR THE TWIN CONCEPT OH MY GOD HOW DID I FORGET KLAJSDLKAGDJDALKGJAD

HELL YEAH, your twin brother and you are as powerful too!!!! EPIC DUO, DYNAMIC PAIR, MAGICAL WIZARDS AYEEEEEEEEEEE

Nick and Perry are AWESOME too!!! I love their modern names, too. They’re very simple but that’s what makes it brilliant. It makes me wonder how many people from the past are wandering around today with modern names that can be so obvious, and yet we don’t catch…aaah!!! >3

PERRY TALKING WITH THAT POLITE GHOST GENTLEMAN ALKSJDFKLADGJADKLGAJGKLADGJ OMG I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT, I LOOOOOOOVE THAT BIT!!! I love the whole concept of Perenelle being able to see ghosts, and how she stumbled upon such a kind one. We normally think about ghosts are either scary or mentally unstable, so to read her conversation with such polite one was so comforting, especially in her situation. It felt like finding a friend in that unknown scary territory :’3

HELL YEAH, HEKATE LIVING INSIDE THE YGGDRASSIL, HOW BADASS IS THAT!??!?!!? AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, first time I read it I didn’t know much about the Yggdrassil but when I looked it up I was like YO. BRO. THAT’S DOPE. THAT’S. THAT’S LITERALLY THE TREE OF FUCKING LIFE AND SHE’S- BRO SHE LIVES THERE. LIKE. BRO.

She was a bit scary to me at first, and while she’s not my fave or most comforting character, I still ADORED the concept. The whole waking up a child, growing up by midday, ending the day as an old lady. JESUS CHRIST, WHAT A CHARACTER, I’M IN LOVE WITH HOW THIS AUTHOR HANDLED THE WHOLE MYTHOLOGICAL PART AKLSDJLDKGJAGLJ

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Peridot, I’m so, so, so, soooooooooooooooooooo happy that you’re enjoying the book!!! There’s still so much to see, and more characters, and I’m so excited for you to get the chance to dip into the world of those books, they’re SO GOOD and I’m thrilled and so happy that your birthday gift is to your liking!!!! >3

Aaah...and...thank you so much for being as comprehensive and understanding about your asks as you are. I still feel so embarrassed and upset about losing a lot of asks in such stupid way. Even though you understand and you’re not upset, I’m still so sorry for losing them, not much for losing them, but because it means I never really answered. Thank you for still writing to me despite the couple asks I didn’t, and now can’t answer... ;n;

*hugs you*

Peridot, you’re really such a gift. Sometimes, you being so understanding and kind is a little beyond me, and so precious.Thank you for understanding and for not being upset at me. I would be at least disappointed, but maybe that’s me being harsh against myself aksdjfgajfklhajfalkjfa

Thank you, really. I don’t know how to say it enough. Thank you for understanding and for being so, so kind, dear Peridot... :’)

I do have something saved, though, and of course it’ll be my delight to answer them!! They’re old, but we can look at them as a TIME MACHINE ask hahaha :D Read what you told me a long time ago, re-read what I had answered so far, and continue replying as if it was recent. Hngnhng...I’m...still sorta embarrassed, but definitely happy to get the chance to still reply to that. Thank you, my dear friend... :’3

DEAR PERIDOT

You precious wonderful beautiful gem. My precious muffin. *pet pet pet* It’s always comforting and beautiful to write to you, you know? You feel like a cozy living room with a nice fireplace while outside it’s cold. Talking to you is always a joy, and sort of cathartic in a way. Thank you for taking the time to write to me, thank you for being so kind and understanding as always, and thank you for sharing with me your thoughts and experiences. It’s my honor and delight to write to my friend Peridot. Thank you, wholeheartedly.

ANYWAYS, PERIDOT!

I hope that you’re having a MOST FANTASTIC weekend, and may your week start off FANTASTICALLY AND PHENOMENALLY!!!!

Sending you lots of hugs, my friend!! Have a WONDERFUL sunday!!!!!!!!! (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ

#Anonymous #peridot #long post #coonreplies

1 note · View note

wheezingwhippet · 6 years

Text

Broken people and broken animals

I apologize in advance for the length of this blog. It’s a long one, but one that I felt needed to be written down. I decided I would share it.

Broken people and broken animals

It’s not often that I accept something positive about myself. The past few weeks, however, have taught me a few important lessons about myself and the gift I possess.

Let me start by sharing a little bit about myself. I am bipolar manic-depressive. It doesn’t define who I am, but it is a very real piece of me that is constantly impacting my life. I was diagnosed with bipolar II as well as generalized anxiety disorder in 2015. My first major depressive episode occurred earlier that year. I had never experienced true depression before that time. It was a terrifying time in my life. I felt hopeless, desperate, alone, and some days completely apathetic. I shut myself out from the rest of the world. It didn’t matter to me if I was alive or dead. I made a suicide attempt and luckily made it through. The panic attacks and extreme paranoia, followed by days of apathy, lethargy, and severe depression eventually turned to periods of mixed states and hypomania. I would become extremely agitated, frustrated, and depressed; at the same time, I would be energetic and restless with mounting anxiety.

Eventually, the feelings and loss of myself during this time led me to seek help. I started therapy and medications. There were highs and lows through it all, but after a few months of trials I became stable. I started to regain my confidence and the sense of who I was once more. Life was improving. However, like many other bipolar folks, I ended up tapering out of my medications. I would forget to refill or take my pills for a few days, and feeling better at the time would just leave it at that. When life would start to spiral out of control, or when I found I was affecting those I cared about by my mental status and actions, I would start medications again. The cycle continued over the past 3 years.

Most recently, I discontinued my medications after experiencing new side effects from a change in manufacturer of the drug. I needed to speak with my physician, but life got in the way. I had started working multiple jobs to keep up with the financial mess that was becoming my life. My massive student debt, piled on top of the high cost of living and met by low paying jobs, quickly sent me spiraling into my second major depressive episode. I cannot count the number of times I had broken down, feeling hopeless and completely lost. I am ashamed of my actions and the way I took it out on some of the people I cared most about. There was never a time I had felt as alone as I had throughout this year. Seventy to eighty hour work weeks were absolutely draining me, and all of it was for money that I was simply losing each month. For multiple months I had to seek additional financial help even on top of what I was doing. The stress of my work was an additional burden that was sometimes too much to bear (I work in the field of veterinary medicine).

I could no longer feel happiness. I didn’t know who I was anymore. I could sense my “old self” trapped somewhere far away, calling out to be heard. But it was so deep and so buried away, hidden behind a cloud that was unreachable. I wasn’t myself. I began to feel suicidal once more. For many days I would experience apathy and a desire to disappear passively. I desperately hoped that some natural accident would occur so that I could leave this world. I couldn’t find an escape to it all. I wanted so bad to feel better, but couldn’t find the strength to change. I lost those I cared about most in my life due to my own negligence and actions. I stopped eating as my appetite was non-existent. I lost nearly 20 pounds over the course of a few months. Eventually, I made further suicide attempts on more than one occasion.

Finally, I reached out for help once more. I found an incredible, caring doctor that got me restarted on my medications. I am working daily to improve my life and well-being. Today, I am far from healed, but I am on my way.

I am a very broken human being. I always have been, and although I can put some of the pieces back together again, I will always have cracks and scars. This is something I can accept. I will never be perfect and I won’t always be understood, but that is okay.

These past few weeks have undoubtedly been some of the most difficult in my life. However, I had some unexpected, insightful experiences that bring me to the true point of this journal topic. My job includes working with some very difficult animals some days. There is one in particular named Juniper. Juniper is a young Boxer-mix dog. She came to her owner as a rescue and it was quickly noted that she had fear and anxiety in certain situations. The veterinary office happened to be one of those situations. The doctor and I worked repeatedly with this dog for weeks as she needed multiple vaccines and tests that Juniper simply would not allow. She would lunge, bite, and try to murder you for even looking in her direction with the thought process of poking her with a needle. Her fear and anxiety, regardless of our attempts to make the situation as stress-free as possible, escalated to the point where she would no longer allow any part of her to be touched.

On her most recent visit with us, Juniper tried to bite multiple times and could not be treated at all. Our doctor and the owner came to the decision that this was not good for her and that her anxiety was too much. The owner elected to discontinue the attempts to work with Juniper on her anxiety further, as the owner herself was developing greater stress over the situation. But I experienced something different with Juniper on that day. When I first entered the room, Juniper, strangely enough, decided to greet me and allow me to pet her. I could not touch that dog previous to that day. As I finished taking my history, Juniper gave me a look before promptly sidling up to me and pressed herself against me. She sat and leaned into me until I reached down to pet her. She continued to push on me, encouraging me to sit with her and offer her love.

Let me repeat: I could not touch that dog previous to that day. Not once in the multiple times we had seen her could I touch her.

Juniper continued this throughout the exam. Over and over, she kept coming up to me giving me this soft, understanding look and asking for my attention. I couldn’t believe what was happening. Even after she tried to murder us for attempting to give her a vaccine, she went right back to pressing up against me, begging for me to give her attention. Before she and her owner left, I went out to say goodbye and was greeted once more by Juniper who then hesitated to leave me. The experience was very emotional.

Today, I found myself with another highly anxious, fearful dog. He had come a long ways in his training, but could still become reactive and was very sensitive. I was charged with getting his history and recording his vitals. As I walked in the room, I could immediately sense what he needed. His expressions, his attitude, his eyes all told me what he was thinking, how he would act, and what he needed most from me to be comfortable and trusting. I respected those things. I gave him his space, let him investigate, and offered him the chance to communicate with me. I could see in his eyes that he could understand me and that I could understand him. He allowed me to work with him after just a few short minutes, letting me know that I could be trusted.

I didn’t think as much of that experience until I was about to leave and the doctor called me into her office. The owner, she informed me, told her today that she was very impressed by my attitude and how I worked with Hunter. She was extremely happy with how I communicated with her dog. This owner, the doctor continued, has been working with us for years and doesn’t normally say things like that. That was quite a compliment and I should be proud.

Pride wasn’t exactly the emotion I got, but rather I was grateful and appreciative. These were not the only two experiences I have had, but two of the greater ones. I realized that I have a gift with animals who might not always be well-understood. The language, the feelings, and the experiences are shared between us. I think not only do I have a natural understanding of them, but that they too have a sense of understanding for me. Some animals seem to know when you are lost or feeling down. Some animals will step up to guide you as they know you would guide them. Those that are broken seem to have some of the most understanding and compassion to give back. I believe Juniper could sense my depression that day. I believe she could sense that I was lost in this world at that time. I believe she understood that I meant her no harm, and that I could be trusted and in that moment needed a little guidance or reassurance. As for Hunter, I think that he knew we were one in the same. He recognized that I could understand him. He trusted me, a complete stranger, when he normally doesn’t.

The relationship between humans and animals is a very powerful one. Humans and animals have the incredible ability to heal one another more than many therapies can offer. All of my animals are misfits, each one unique and maybe a little broken. But they have helped me heal more times than I could count. I get each and every one of them. I have helped them just as much, where others would have or had already given up on them. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to recognize this ability and to use it to better not only the lives of other broken creatures, but to better myself as well.

We can all learn a lot from broken animals. We just have to take the time to appreciate and understand them so that we can also understand ourselves. After all, many of us are broken, too.

#bipolar #love #animals #dogs #life #life lessons #mental health #mental disorder #positivethinking #depression

2 notes · View notes

paintingraves · 7 years

Text

Fic writers week

Day #1 : Words of Validation.

I’m participating in this sweet thing, so there we go :

Fic Readers, take some time to leave new comments / Fic Writers, share some of the comments that stuck with you the most.

This is lit because it means I get to re-read every single comment ever left on my fics and it’s going to make me pumped for the rest of the day, god bless it.

Starting with a particular enormous THANK YOU to @qed221b who is an angel among humans. I’ve looked forward to her comments more times than I can count. They’re everything you could hope for as a creator - long, rich, detailed, giving us what she felt when reading, analizing the characters and their actions, speculating for further chapters about what could happen and generally highlighting all the good in your fic and it’s just. So fucking rewarding. Such comments take a long time to write but oh my god, do they make a writer’s week. Month, even. Qed, I can never thank you enough.

I’m gonna go back in time, list some fics and why this or that comment mattered a lot to me :

Don’t Stop

Summary : In which Tina catches Graves and President Picquery in a rather compromising position after hours.

Back when I first posted this and was nervous as hell, @kamikazesoundsociety gave me the following comment :

That was such a wonderfully written oral scene, really hot but also really rich soon descriptors and in emotion which is rare :)

Which made me utterly flip out because for anyone who’s read Kami’s writing, it’s on another level of excellence, so to have her not only read but also comment positively on this baby fic was just mindblowing to me and it certainly did encourage me to write more smut. Thank you, Kami :D

Continuing under the read more because I feel this will be long.

Painting Greys

S : In which Newt meets a stranger at the park.

This fic was extremely personal to me and I 100% used writing as a coping mechanism there. I received the following comment :

I feel like this should be an original work, rather than a fanfic. I also thought that Percy sounded vaguely like Colin Farell (on drugs), and that he has no connection to the character Graves. I enjoyed it, though, mainly because I could really feel that it was inspired by real life. To be honest, I was not surprised by the ending. I mean, Percy obviously has problems and why the hell would newt call him? I felt uncomfortable during the whole scene, but I could really understand both characters and why they were doing this, if that makes sense? I think you created a very interesting and well-written story that should be an original work, with no specific characters in mind. While we don't get a lot information about newt or percy, you still characterise them so well.

Which says everything. It made me realize that yes - this could be an original story, and it offered me the possibility to write original stories without fear and I started to consider writing as a more serious avenue for me. Comments matter.

Love’s the only thing that’s free

S : Newt isn’t sure how it happens. One moment he is sitting in his favorite coffee shop next to the window, reading a book about magical creatures, and the next the most handsome man Newt has ever seen takes Newt’s hands in his and says, “Please be my boyfriend.”

This one gets a special mention because it was like, the ultimate reward as a writer ?? I posted this one-shot at 2 in the morning and when I woke up the next day I have like ten comments gushing about it in my inbox and it just made me feel so happy?? It’s the writer’s dream come true. I’m glad people still read it and comment on it too - it’s my most successful one-shot :)

Guilty

S : A modern AU. Newt cheats on Graves.

Oh boy. So for anyone who’s followed the Guilty saga, you know I was nervous as hell and also proud as fuck of this work. Posting it was very nerve inducing, but all the feedback made it worth it. The comments on this were really interesting and helped me shed a new light on my own writing - in terms of characterization, world building, etc. Definitely helped me improve lots.

Again, @qed221b gets a special mention because my anxious self was all nervously checking my mails after posting the first chapter multiple times, and then she went and wrote me an extremely long, detailed comment that honestly made every single hour of work pouring over this fic worth it. I can’t exactly express with words how good it felt to have such validation.

Now, I have a few fics I’m really proud of, but which don’t get a lot of feedback.

Deliverance

S : In which Percival Graves wants to live.

I am very proud of this one. It was, in fact, translated into Chinese not so long ago, much to my delight. This is the kind of fic which I will post nervously hoping for feedback and then get depressed when it is almost non-existant, because contrary to some other fics this one mattered to me more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

@coffeesugarcream, however, left an absolutely rewarding comment on it.

But no one is there to save him, no one but Percival himself. And he fights. A lot. And he hurts. A lot. But in the end, he does it - he saves himself, out of sheer will, and courage, and the hope that let him down so many times but he just can't let go of. I adored that passage, you know? Percival's relationship with hope: because in the way you put it it seems like it's the same hope that made him an Auror, and damn good at it - that made him power through all his life in a trail of burning glory.

Which makes me power through writing more fics in the future. Thank you so much :)

Toxic

S : Gellert observed him, as he came and went from the dirty speakeasies of New York, late into the night. Graves’ eyes lingered on some men, and it wasn't hard to see a pattern in his interests.

It is simple, then, to walk forward and wave a hand down his own body, altering his features to suit the man’s tastes. The speakeasy is bathed in low lights, and no one pays attention to him. No one, except Percival Graves himself.

Yet as the night unfolds, Grindelwald finds his control slipping. The man he meets in bed is nothing like the man he observed in control of MACUSA, and what should have been a simple plan quickly turns to something else - something that has Grindelwald's resolve wavering.

Toxic is one such fic as well.

Here I was to give special thanks to @convenientalias, who has been so kind as to read and comment on a few of my fics in the past few days, including this one. It’s just so very heartwarming to know someone not only like one of your fics, but is also taking the time to read through others of your works and comment on every one of them. I just. Thank you so much ;v;

Surrender

S : It is not unusual for Percival to stay late at the MACUSA to work. He breaks for coffee, and ends up meeting a new employee - a sweet, charming young man, responsive to his advances.

But for Graves, what started out as harmless fun quickly turns into a nightmare.

THIS ONE has been a trial to write and i’m not done promoting it despite it’s subject because I know I did a good job on it, alright.

Once again, a special mention to @qed221b for her incredibly kind and long comment that makes it all worth it ;v; and also to this user :

Oh my goodness you would not believe how excited i was to get an alert that you had a new story. Made my day! I did like it. The whole "Graves flirting with late night workers" bit is wonderful. I also really like how you managed to capture Percival's confusion at his own magic being overpowered.

The bold sentence. The bold sentence is so freaking kind i’m just going to. go sob in a corner now. thanks. that is so nice to know ;v;

And I’m going to end this with A little Death co-written with @mercurial-tenacity because it has also been hugely rewarding, in the sense that we both posted it with low expectations and have just ?? been pleasantly surprised at the amount of positive feedback we got ?? To know that so many people enjoy it is greatly motivating us to write more. Thank you, readers :D

All in all I am incredibly thankful for all these people, who wouldn’t make writing possible if they didn’t take time out of their days to tell me just how much they liked my work. Getting comments is just so heartwarming and nice and it feels so good.

Thank you.

#fic writers week #ficwritersweek #fantastic beasts and where to find them #fanfic writer appreciation #writers #percival graves #i'll just go comment on quite a few other fics now

18 notes · View notes

mrmrsvegan · 7 years

Text

Veganism as a Religion

So a lot of people have been talking and debating about the definition of veganism. What I would like to add to that discussion is another way of thinking about it, which I believe will help grow the % of vegans rather than keep it stuck around 1% of the population for decades with horrible recidivism rates despite the growing variety of vegan options & mass awareness social medial brings to the table. http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/Polls/2016_adults_veg.htm

I watch people live in fear of calling themselves a vegan due to the public onslaught from making mistakes & it is incredibly saddening that we are our own worst enemies. The Meat & Dairy Industry don’t need to hire shills, extremists are doing all the work for them from inside. Take this example of a vegan kicking people out of a vegan restaurant for the clothing they wear. Which I sadly predicted over a week ago in another post... Hope he isn’t a subscriber...

100k people have watched this clip... You don’t have to like the way Mrs Vegan & I represent veganism, but we do our best to include every type of vegan who is working positively to help others.

The most successful religion in the world is Christianity. The little I know about it from getting kicked out of Sunday school for telling everyone in my class the historical and scientific inconsistencies in the bible when I was 8 is still enough to share this comparison, because the nun at St. Joseph’s Church told my mom that religion isn’t for everyone and that she should let me do what I am passionate about. Thanks again Sister!

These are works in progress. I could not find anything similar online. My attempt is to cover all the bases in a positive and future looking way.

The Commandments of Veganism.

#1. Thou Shall Not Kill or contribute to the death of any living creature within the reasonable measures of existence. (meaning, bugs will be crushed on bike & car rides, animals will be lost in the harvest of crops & displacement of civilization, all life results in loss, perfection is impossible, better is achievable)

#2. Thou Shall Improve. (making conscious decisions to reduce our impact on the life we share this planet with, purchasing vegan items, participating in veganic farming, taking better preventative measures to prevent pest control, embracing minimalism to reduce displacement of shared habitat, are ways to lessen the given impact of sharing this planet)

#3. Thou Shall Not Stand in Judgement of Others (the path of moral superiority does not win converts it only builds a deeper divide resulting in more animal suffering. when you say “I am morally superior” you are inherently calling your audience inferior & that is a losing strategy.)

#4. Thou Shall Advocate in a manner based on results not ego. (what is most important is that advocacy draws people into veganism and does not widen the gap. Some forms of advocacy are harmful to veganism and animals. Our goal should not be what makes us feel vindicated or purposeful, but what actually helps more people go vegan & reduces the most animal suffering for effort expended. Don’t break laws, make new laws or repeal bad ones so you can continue to serve.)

#5. Thou Shall Forgive. (We all make errors & mistakes & are faced with trials that test our veganism continuously. These don’t make us less of a vegan, but more prepared and experienced to help others and ourselves overcome them the next time. There is no vegan police, lead by example and counter missteps in others with education, kindness and the nurtured understanding that will keep them motivated to do better.)

#6. Thou Shall Educate. (The recidivism rate, even among celebrity vegans is very high, people who were once pillars in the vegan movement are no longer vegan. They lacked the ability to obtain & evaluate information. Continuous education & sharing the tools to find & evaluate information is essential for countering anti vegan propaganda.)

#7. Thou Shall Cook. (It is mind boggling how many vegans can’t cook simple dishes such as rice or baked a potato. These rudimentary skills are necessary for long term survival and are essential for influencing others with delicious meals & the ability to pass along these essential skills.)

#8. Thou Shall Accept. (BE KIND. People are on different paths & places in their journey of life, by accepting them into veganism & creating community we hold them close where we can educate and empower them to be better vegans. Lacking tolerance for even the most challenging case displaces our ability to engage.)

#9. Thou Shall Explore. (The world is the most precious gift we have in life & by getting out there and interacting with other people you will find the goodness in humanity and they will see the kindness in veganism. The mutual benefit is the greatest gift in life. Exploration is personal growth.)

#10. Thou Shall Protect. (We owe a duty to share our intelligence and ability with the life we share this planet with & some day this universe. Be assured we are not alone & how we treat life on this planet will be reflected in how life will treat us. As a protector our decisions, actions & consequences of them should be weighed against well tracked results. Many times good deeds have ill consequences. Feeding a wild animal creates dependance and when the hand out can no longer be sustained the animal can die from their learned helplessness. Just because something sounds good doesn’t guarantee it will be good.)

So please don’t #3 me here I free styled this while playing rockabye baby with Tate & instead #2 this list. Make veganism something people are proud to be a part of, COMMUNITY is what made Christianity so popular & is what is Veganism’s greatest strength RIGHT NOW.

138 notes · View notes

euroman1945-blog · 6 years

Text

The Daily Thistle

The Daily Thistle – News From Scotland

Wednesday 8th August 2018

"Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. where ever you are, as we spin endlessly through space and time on this little blue planet we call Earth.. Bella my 3 year old Black Labrador and my constant companion, had a great walk this morning around the quiet street of Estepona our home town, the smell of the night blooming Jasmine was very heady this morning as we had a very light shower before we went out and that seems to increase the intensity of the smell 100% .. not that I'm complaining, I love the smell it hides all the other pongs that you find in a small town... Our walk over it's back to the house, fresh cold water for Bella and Hot fresh Colombian Coffee for me.. a look at the news and then I'm ready to write, You ready to read..? good then let’s go!

SCOTTISH MAN YOUNGEST PERSON TO ROW THE PACIFIC…. A 23-year-old from Moray has become the youngest person to row the Pacific. Michael Prendergast completed the crossing from California to Honolulu with his three American team-mates in 49 days, 23 hours and 15 minutes. They were the first team to cross the finish line at Waikiki in the annual Great Pacific Race Michael undertook the challenge to raise money for Down's Syndrome Scotland because his younger brother, Andrew, has the condition. More than £7,000 has been raised for the charity so far but he hopes to reach his target of £40,000 following his achievement. Reflecting on his experience, Michael said: "Mentally, it was the toughest challenge I could ever do. "There was never a chance to relax and if I was lying down for more than an hour-and-a-half, I was having a lie-in! "I knew that we all have good days and bad days and that it was all temporary, even though the nights at sea were the longest, hardest, wettest, coldest nights you could imagine." Michael learned to sail while attending Gordonstoun boarding school in Moray. Staff and pupils at his former school have been following his progress. Lisa Kerr, principal of Gordonstoun, said: "This is an incredible achievement and we're really proud of Michael. "All Gordonstoun pupils learn to sail because it's a great way to teach team-work, resilience and confidence, although we didn't expect anyone to go on to row the Pacific."

SOVIET-ERA TOY PIECE FOUND IN MUSSELBURGH BEACH CLEAN…. Part of a controller for a game made in the former USSR in the 1960s has been found during a beach clean in East Lothian. The plastic was from a Novo Raceways set. The game involved racing toy cars on a track. It was among items of rubbish cleared from the shore at Fisherrow Harbour, Musselburgh. The Wild about Scotland beach clean was organised by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS). Organisers said the controller was another example of plastic waste in the marine environment. The Russia-led federation of the USSR ended in the early 1990s. A lighter made for the 1986 World Cup was found in another beach clean earlier this year. In January, merchandise from a FIFA World Cup held more than 30 years ago was among piles of rubbish cleared from a Highlands beach. Organisations Plasticatbay and Durness Active Health carried out the beach clean at Balnakeil, near Durness, in Sutherland. Lotion bottles from Russia and jam containers from Newfoundland were also among the 450lbs (204kg) of litter tidied away.

ARMED ROBBERS IN KNIFE RAID AT GREGGS SHOPS IN SHETTLESTON…. Two armed robbers escaped with a four-figure sum of money after threatening staff at a Greggs bakery shop in Glasgow. The thieves produced a knife after entering the store in Budhill Avenue, Shettleston, at about 17:50 on Thursday. They made off in a gold or orange-coloured car. Police said two members of staff were badly shaken but not injured during the incident. The first suspect is described as white and of thin build. He was wearing a blue hooded top, pale blue jeans and black trainers. The second suspect was wearing a blue hooded top and jeans. Both men had blue scarves covering their faces. Det Sgt Colin Kilgour appealed for any witnesses to come forward. He said: "Officers have been out in the area carrying out house-to-house inquiries and studying CCTV footage to gather more information on this incident and trace the two men responsible."

CREEL FISHERMEN WANT FASTER ACTION OVER TRAWLER BAN CALL…. The Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation (SCFF) commissioned a report into the potential benefits of banning trawlers from inshore waters. Its findings suggested 400 new boats could join the fleet if a ban covered the first three miles from the shore. The Scottish government says pilot projects are planned, as well as more research to guide fishing policy. It also says it does want to develop the inshore fishery. The SCFF says "little progress" has been made since the report was presented to ministers in May 2017. Alistair Sinclair from the SCFF said: "Time is of the essence if we are trying to protect the marine environment and the fishermen that make their living from the inshore waters. Creel fishermen say the method of laying pots on the seabed to catch live prawns means the shellfish can be sold for more money than those caught by trawlers. The creel industry says its "low impact, high value" fishing method is better for the environment and say that even a more limited, half-mile ban would be beneficial to local communities, particularly on the west coast. But such a move is resisted by other sectors of the fishing industry. The Scottish Fishermen's Federation has insisted the industrial scale method of fishing is sustainable and that trawlermen would be out of business if inshore waters were closed to them. Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, said: "Last year, the Scottish government made a reasoned response to an advocacy paper from one sector of the Scottish fishing industry calling for another sector to be banned from areas of the coast of Scotland. "It was noted politely that 'there is more work to be done' and some trials are now planned. "The arguments made in the paper do not bear much inspection and if executed would be damaging to fishing communities in the west of Scotland."

MEET MACCA: THE UK'S FIRST STOAT DETECTION DOG…. Orkney has a stoat problem, and Macca the Fox Terrier has been flown in from New Zealand to help get rid of them. It is the first time in the UK a dog has been used for the task. Stoats are native to the British mainland but are a menace to small creatures like voles, hen harriers and short-eared owls in Orkney. Macca does not kill stoats, but indicates their location to his handler. This helps conservationists to decide where to set humane traps. He has been finding stoats in New Zealand, the only other place where the animal is an invasive species, for over two years. Sarah Sankey, from the Orkney Native Wildlife Project, told BBC Radio Orkney: "Stoats arrived in Orkney in 2010 and until recently had been confined to the mainland and islands linked by bridges, but we are now getting reported sightings from other islands. "We put traps and cameras onto these islands, but the presence of stoats is really difficult to confirm. So a dog is a failsafe way of finding out whether they're there or not." Stoats are can swim up to 3km (2 miles), so there is a risk that even if they're completely eradicated from the mainland, others could swim back from smaller islands. Macca, and his handler Ange Newport, will make sure there are no stoats living on islands like Hoy and Shapinsay before a full removal can take place on the mainland. It would be the world's largest island eradication project.

On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,

Our look at Scotland today is of Ange Newport who has been working with Macca for over two years looking for Stoats… I do like the fact that the Stoats are not killed but relocated….

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Wednesday 8th August 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #Scotland #News #Spain

#robertmcangus #robert mcangus #scotland #travel #news #dogs #today news #blog

0 notes

lovelyparanormalbooks · 7 years

Text

Book Blitz: Trials and Tribulations (Interview + Excerpt)

This is my stop during the book blitz for Trials and Tribulations, these are two anthologies set in Faith Hunter’s Rogue Mage universe. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 20 February till 5 March. You can view the tour schedule here. Trials (Rogue Mage Anthology #1) By Faith Hunter, Diana Francis, Misty Massey, Lou J Berger, Ken Schrader, Spike Y Jones, Christina Stiles, Tamsin Silver and Melissa McArthur Genre: Anthology/ Urban Fantasy Age category: Adult Release Date: November 28, 2016 Blurb: 21 Vignettes and Short Stories set in Faith Hunter’s World of Thorn St. Croix.

The Rogue Mage world began long ago, when the epic battle between the High Host and the Darkness was won and lost. TRIALS takes fans of Thorn St. Croix into the past, before the opening pages of BLOODRING. These stories, set in Faith Hunter's Rogue Mage world, are adventures with new characters and old, facing dangers unimaginable. And they must save the world all over again.

If you ever wondered what happened between seraphs, kylen, second-unforeseen, mages, seraph-touched, spawn, humans, dragons, and their creatures before the series, now is your chance to delve deeper and wider. TRIALS features new short stories from nine authors—including Faith Hunter—and vignettes from the Rogue Mage role playing game. You can find Trials on Goodreads

You can buy Trials here: - Amazon - Barnes & Noble Interview: Lucienne Diver 1. What was it like to play in the Rogue Mage world? At first it was incredibly intimidating. Faith is such an amazing writer, and the world she’s created is so rich and textured that it was a challenge to jump in and feel that I was doing it justice. But because the world is so well-realized, it really lives and breathes, and once I got a handle on the approach I wanted to take, it was a lot of fun. Who doesn’t want to write a kylen? Or the woman with a dangerous secret she’s afraid he’s come to expose? Who doesn’t want to fight the good fight in a post-apocalyptic world? 2. Was it hard to develop your character within the confines of the Rogue Mage world? Not at all. Aoife (pronounced ee-fa), my heroine, is an itinerant storyteller and something a little more. She’ll carry packages and messages for the right price. Not smuggling per se, but not necessarily things that are approved by the Administration of the ArchSeraphs. She’s such a product of her upbringing. Aoife grew up in an Enclave where her parents were in service, so she’s got a healthy distain for neomages who treated her and her family as though they were lesser because they were only human. As soon as she was of age, she left to make her own way in the world, but with some specialized knowledge, like bataireacht, the Irish stick-fighting taught to her by her father, which is very handy in the dangerous Post-Ap world Faith has created. Put Aoife in the same mule train with a second or third generation kylen (the product of a union between a seraph and a mage or human) and you have instant tension. Add to that the mysterious parcel she carries and dangers stalking their caravan, bring things to a head, and Aoife discovers where she really stands in the grand scheme of things. 3. Tell us about your character. What species, etc. I jumped the gun on this question above, but the short version: Aoife describes herself as “standard-issue human” and is proud of it. 4. When your story was finished, how did you feel about your character and story? I really love Aoife. I know we’re not supposed to put too much of ourselves into our characters, but I identify with her in so many ways, from the skepticism and continuing evaluation of beliefs to not being a joiner. I love that I was able to use my time in Ireland and the nature of the place and people themselves to inform her development, and I’m very pleased with the way she turned out. I hope my story will resonate with others the way it resonates with me. 5. Tell us about your other projects. My latest novel, Faultlines, is a young adult thriller dealing with some serious issues that are close to my heart. In short, six months ago, Vanessa's best friend Lisa changed, pushing everyone away, Vanessa included. Now she's committed suicide. As Vanessa struggles to come to terms with Lisa’s death and to reconstruct the last months of her life, someone begins taking revenge against those he or she perceives drove Lisa to suicide. Everyone thinks it's Vanessa, the former best friend and some begin their retaliation. As vengeance, counterattacks and clues mount, it becomes a race to the truth…and hopefully not to the death. In addition to Faultlines, I’ve written the Latter-Day Olympians urban fantasy series featuring a heroine who can, quite literally, stop men in their tracks, and the Vamped young adult series featuring a heroine who goes from chic to eek when she becomes one of the undead (think Clueless meets Buffy). My short stories and essays that have appeared in the Strip-Mauled and Fangs for the Mammaries anthologies edited by Esther Friesner (Baen Books), in Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories (HarperTeen) and the anthology Kicking It edited by Faith Hunter and Kalayna Price (Roc Books). The Trials Authors: Faith Hunter Diana Francis Misty Massey Lou J Berger Ken Schrader Spike Y Jones Christina Stiles Tamsin Silver Melissa McArthur Excerpt: Kicking the snow from his boots, Zadok took a calming breath and faced the small house, trying to project the confidence of a seasoned healer, rather than the fear of an acolyte on his first solo cure. His smile was stiff on his frozen face, the air so cold and still that his flesh felt brittle, as if it would crack and fall from his bones should he move wrong. The short trip had been brutal, his contingent of six guides and fighters more accustomed to the vicious cold and hard pace than a mage who had lived his entire life in the comfort and ease of the Seattle Enclave. He’d gained an appreciation for the humans who lived in the frozen wastes, losing his snide sense of superiority, which had been based solely on his mage abilities. He never would have survived the short trip without the assistance of the others. He glanced at the human woman, Sarai. She’d saved his life when he’d stepped off the track and crashed through the snow into the creek beneath. The driving snow had already drained Zadok's mage energies dangerously low, forcing him to draw constantly on his prime amulet to fight it, and he'd lost precious body heat to the icy water. Not even his amulets could fight off hypothermia. While Howard, a mule, started a fire, Sarai had activated all of his Healing amulets, stripping him down and crawling into a sleeping bag with him… naked… sharing her body warmth with him… offering him her life energies. He’d accepted the gift of her life, stealing the energies of a human in ways no Earth mage was permitted. Now she smiled at him, encouragement in her glance, seemingly hinting that some bond still lingered between them. Zadok nodded once at her and opened the door of the fortified building. Stepping inside the thick stone walls, he took in the dwelling with a sweeping glance. Perhaps twenty humans were gathered around a huge fireplace in the large room. Except for a table before the fire, the furniture had been shoved against the plastered walls. On the table was a blanket-covered form, a body racked by shivers. The gathered humans looked up, fear and stress grooving their faces. Zadok took a second calming breath and the stench of rotting flesh, old urine, and feces met him. Fear threaded through him, knotting his muscles, causing him to pant. Am I too late? He gulped, frozen on the threshold. Gently, Sarai pushed him into the room and closed the door behind them, leaving the others to set up perimeters. As if she were his servant, she took the satchel from his numb fingers and whispered, “You can do this. I have faith in you.” Louder, she said, “The healer Zadok has arrived from Seattle Enclave to work an incantation of healing on your kirk elder, Judith. He requires a surface for his implements, a cup of warming chai, and space to work.” Within moments, the humans had helped him from his winter gear, brought him hot chai laced with brandy, placed a table before him for his mage amulets, and eased the body from the tabletop to the floor, creating a space wide enough for him to work a healing circle.

Tribulations (Rogue Mage Anthology #2) By Faith Hunter, Lucienne Diver, Spike Y Jones, Jean Rabe and Christina Stiles Genre: Anthology/ Urban Fantasy Age category: Adult Release Date: December 30, 2016 Blurb: 17 Vignettes and Short Stories set in Faith Hunter’s World of Thorn St. Croix The Rogue Mage story began with the post-apocalyptic novels BLOODRING, SERAPHS, and HOST, when epic battles between Thorn St. Croix and the forces of Darkness were fought. TRIBULATIONS (Rogue Mage Anthology Vol. II) takes place during and after the series timeline. These stories and vignettes, set in Faith Hunter's Rogue Mage world, are adventures with new characters and old, facing Darkness and an uncertain future. The relationships between seraphs, kylen, second-unforeseen, mages, seraph-touched, spawn, humans grow deeper, and the battles with dragons and their creatures grow more dangerous. TRIBULATIONS features new short stories from five authors—including Faith Hunter—and vignettes from the Rogue Mage role playing game. TRIALS and TRIBULATIONS will soon be followed by TRIUMPHANT—the paperback omnibus (both Anthology Volumes I and II in a bound format). TRIBULATIONS Authors: Faith Hunter, Jean Rabe, Spike Y Jones, Christina Stiles, Lucienne Diver. You can find Tribulations on Goodreads You can buy Tribulations here: - Amazon - Barnes & Noble The Tribulations Authors: Faith Hunter Lucienne Diver Spike Y Jones Jean Rabe Christina Stiles

#ParanormalBooks

0 notes

formula1racing · 7 years

Link

Why this blog has been quiet… This is a motor racing blog – at least, most of the time. Now and then, I decide that there are things more important than Formula 1. Today is one of those days. Sadly, not all such days are happy ones, but I am going to tell the story nonetheless, because I want the international motor racing community to know about Jill Saward. My little sister. Blog readers who live in the UK will probably know the name already, given the coverage there has been about her in the last week. She was the lead item on most TV news bulletins last Thursday and on most of the newspaper front pages on Friday morning. There were two reasons for this: she was a remarkable person; and she died suddenly at the age of just 51. The family knew that there might be some media interest, but none of us imagined it would be front page news. You may well ask, why is it? And for those who don’t know the story, I would suggest you read this link, but in very simple terms, Jill was “a rape campaigner”. It is not really the kind of job you want to have, because the primary qualification is to be someone who has been raped. Jill was. She was raped physically by a bunch of depraved thugs, but also metaphorically by the British media – although you won’t read that second part in many of this week’s news stories. You will read instead that she was the first rape victim ever to waive her right to anonymity. The reason she did that was because she wanted to make a difference, and because the media had already destroyed every shred of privacy. Headlines about “the vicar’s daughter” were simply too good for the loathsome creatures who sat on the news desks in Fleet Street, and for the low-lifes who chased the story. At the time I was a young reporter at Autosport and I suddenly found myself in the middle of a terrible drama, at the hands of people who were supposed to be my colleagues. My sister was in hospital. Her then boyfriend was in intensive care, having been beaten unconscious with a cricket bat. My father was in a similar state. Ironically, he was a big fan of cricket and the cricket bat, signed by the great Donald Bradman, was one of his prize possessions. It was a surreal time, which has been described very well by my brother-in-law Chris Hudson in the recent days. It taught me a lot about what not to do as a journalist. The case created fierce criticism about press coverage of rape cases because it was clear from the stories published who the victim had been. The Sun, edited by Kelvin MacKenzie, even published a photograph of Jill, with only her eyes blacked out. They were shameless. They argued, cynically, that media identification of victims was only banned after a defendant had been charged. As far as I am concerned, the name Murdoch will forever with tainted by that contemptible defence. The law was changed. The Press Council published new guidelines on how rape cases should be reported to prevent anonymity being breached. The judicial process after the assailants were caught was utterly appalling: the ringleader, who was not one of the rapists and was there simply to steal, was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The two rapists were each given five years for burglary, one got another five years for rape, the other got three years. The message was clear: goods had more value than the female body. The judge, Mr Justice Leonard, made the extraordinary statement when he justified the light sentences saying that Jill had not suffered any great trauma because of her controlled and dignified demeanour in court. The truth was very different, as Jill would later reveal in a book she wrote in 1990. There was uproar after that and the case would plan an important role in changing the law so that today the prosecution in any case can ask the Attorney General to increase a sentence, if it is felt the judge has failed in his duties. Jill campaigned for changes to the law and over the time these would include making rape within marriage a criminal offence, getting other sexual acts classified as rape, tougher sentencing for rapists, a ban on alleged rapists being allowed to cross-examine victims in court and restrictions on the evidence that can be given about a victim’s sexual history. Jill went on to campaign for the rights of sexual assault victims and to improve the support they receive. She became a sexual assault case worker, trained police forces all over the country and most recently launched a new campaign called JURIES, arguing in favour of mandatory briefings for juries about the myths and stereotypes of sexual violence in rape, sexual assault and abuse trial. She also spoke out against those who in recent times have been seeking a change the law so that those accused of sex crimes can claim anonymity. Despite all her work in 2013-2014 around 16,000 rapes were reported, only a third were sent to the Crown Prosecution Service and only 15 percent resulted in charges being made. Only around six percent resulted in a conviction. And none of this takes into account the fact that the rapes reported were probably only a fraction of the number actually committed. I know quite a few women who have told me about being raped but never reported it, because they feared what would happen. For them, Jill was a beacon of strength, someone who was fighting their fight, challenging judges, politicians and anyone else who needed educating on the subject. On another level, Jill made a huge impact by expressing her belief that forgiveness provides victims with the freedom to move on, without being trapped by the past. The concept that one could forgive such awful acts sent out a powerful message about her Christianity. In short, Jill’s life and her campaigns touched tens of thousands of people and made significant impacts in British legislation. At the same time she spent a large amount of time meeting, talking to or texting with rape victims, trying to help them come to terms with what has happened on a personal basis. As a family, we have received thousands of messages in recent days, and I’d like to quote a couple of the ones that came to me, just to help you understand the kind of impact. “The fact that the passing of Jill was the main item on last night’s BBC news speaks so clearly of the significant difference she made in the lives of so many,” one person wrote. Another, from the motor racing world, wrote: “Jill was an incredible woman. Her support got me through an utterly terrible time and helped me to define myself, without reference to the wickedness that touched my life. Without wishing to sound trite, the difference between seeing oneself as a victim and defining oneself as a survivor is profound and without Jill I don’t think I could have made the step from one to another… I hope that the knowledge that there are people like me in the world for who Jill helped from the darkness back into the light offers a tiny bit of comfort to you all. I suspect her devotion to her cause means that she has touched 100s of lives and has left the world in a better place than she found it.” And is there a better epitaph than that? The Saward children were taught and shared the belief that we could – and indeed should – strive to make the world a better place. Motor racing may seem an odd place to do that, but while it is a ruthless but efficient money-making machine, it is also a place where normal people go to escape; a world of dreams that make life more bearable for many people. I’ve sometimes described myself as “a dream salesman” and I have always felt that in this way I could make a difference. This blog is all about inviting people into the sport and letting them understand. When we were young, the family was not complicated. We had one “big sister”, then “the only boy” and finally the two “little sisters”. The latter were identical twins (left). I’m not really sure why but the only boy and the little sisters formed a little gang, in the Swallows and Amazons sense of the word. We did kid stuff. We had adventures. Our parents always seemed to be too busy to tell stories and the twins wanted them and so I, the scruffy schoolboy, became the family storyteller. I remember only too well those two, almost identical, little faces spellbound by some daft story about elephants with tail lights or whatever else came to mind. They were my first audience – and ultimately the way I learned how to tell stories and transport people to exciting places. And then, all of a sudden, we were adults and our paths went off in different directions. We were outward-looking and independent, but bound together by this thing called love. We were never held back by the family and that meant that we could have big dreams and wide horizons. Often we got lost from one another in the forests of life, but then we would be together again, for weddings and funerals, and we would remember that families can draw strength from one another. Motor racing took me into a world in which there are some amazing intellects and an underlying requirement for constant improvement. If you do not move forward in racing, you fall behind. No-one is ever cruising along. And brilliant minds create fantastic ways in which to apply racing technology to the real world. Yes, there are safer and more efficient cars as a result of the sport, but there is so much else as well, including such things as medical telemetry, more efficient trauma teams (based on pit stop techniques) and many other things. I am proud to be part of Formula 1 and to sing its praises. Formula 1 is really only a village which moves from place to place. One of the things which one learns about during a career as a journalist in F1 is the science of brain injury. We’ve seen a lot of it. My sister suffered a devastating subarachnoid haemorrhage, caused by an aneurysm. My first reaction when I heard the news was to ring Gary Hartstein, who was F1’s village doctor after the great Sid Watkins. Gary knows an amazing amount about trauma medicine and I knew he would help me understand. I told him all I knew, and he answered all my questions, explained the procedures and things which I should look out for, which would signal how things were. He didn’t sugar-coat anything – and added that he was available 24/7. He went the extra mile, as so many F1 people do. Gary was also brave enough to raise the subject of the worst case scenario and how we should be prepared to allow organ donation, in order to save other people. People who die young from brain injuries are among the best sources of healthy organs, which can transform the lives of others. Thanks to Gary, I had no illusions. It may be comforting to think that people with cataclysmic brain injuries are “fighting”, but the reality is often very different. Most are quickly gone and they know nothing of what has happened. In Jill’s case, she was kept alive simply to allow surgical teams and organ recipients to be gathered. That in itself is quite a process. And then, when all was ready, the machines were turned off. There are always positives, even at the worst moments, and the knowledge that others were going to benefit from Jill’s organs provided something. It was good too that our parents (both already gone) were not there to endure the loss of one of their children. After that, the flood of messages began, highlighting Jill’s achievements. The experience drew the family together and healed rifts and it reminded us all that we should never take people for granted. If you feel something important, you should say it, because you never know. This blog post is not about raising money. It is about me saying what I want to say, but at the same time, I am well aware that the motor racing world is filled with wealthy people, who have enough money to buy expensive toys. Perhaps this story will convince them to donate to the “Remembering Jill Saward Fund”, which has been set up by the charity Rape & Sexual Abuse (RASA) Centre Limited. This will help to make sure that her work for survivors of sexual violence will continue. If you would like to help then please click here.

#IFTTT #FacebookPages

0 notes